Tomorrow! The Sexy Summer Solstice Blog Hop

Bring one, bring all! Time to get your 'read' on, and enjoy an eyeful of yummy hotness. Plus, win prizes.

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Summer Solstice Eve howls and yowls, shapeshifter lovers.

Since I'll be penning a flash scene for the blog hop, you're getting my WIPs latest 'unedited' chapter. Apologies for the lack of a setup, but I'll just let it stand on it's own.

~ From the Kougar’s Writing Den ~

Her Midnight Stardust Cowboys

Chapter Forty-Nine

Sherilyn followed the stream of sequin like stars, and knew she dreamed. A sense of reality enveloped her, more than she'd ever experienced while lucid dreaming.

When her starry path swirled upward, then vanished, Sherilyn drifted inside the mouth of a gigantic object that reminded her of an upside down tornado. Only nothing spun.

'Void,' she mentally spoke. Ascending slowly, she attempted to see where the enormous spiral formation ended.

As Sherilyn focused on the narrowing funnel, dread suddenly swamped her. She stilled, trapped.

A tidal wave of sheer fear gripped her, and she dove downward. Relief flooded through her when she saw Dontoya rising to meet her.

Protectively, he embraced her essence with his astral body. White light flashed around them, and Sherilyn found herself back in bed.

Realizing she remained in the dream state, Sherilyn wondered why her memory of what had occurred simply disappeared. The only remnant was a feeling of terror. 'Am I okay?'

'You're safe, precious mate. But no more dream wanderin'.'

Dontoya raised his arms heavenward. In a singsong voice, he chanted in a way that made Sherilyn aware of his Native American heritage. Yet the sound of his power prayer, as she thought of it, held more resonance, and unique notes.

The last thing Sherilyn remembered as she entered the realm of dreamless sleep, was Barney pushing his way beneath her arm -- the feel of her rabbit's soft fur as he cuddled close.

****

"Mornin', sleepyhead." Zance stood, and with a big sexy grin, he indicated her place at the sunny breakfast table.

"Good morning, handsome." Feeling somewhat shy, yet also adored and tingly exuberant down to her booted toes, Sherilyn took a seat.

"Hungry?" Zance poured a glass of juice for her, then lowered himself into a chair across from her in that swaggering way of his.

"Yeah, but I think the edge has finally worn off my hunger. Is that a good thing as far as healing?"

As Sherilyn lifted the glass something flitted across his eyes. She took a quick swallow of the cherry flavored juice, then nervously tossed her hair.

"You're mendin' just fine." Zance paused, his sharp golden gaze assessing her. "I had one of my 'knowings' about the future."

"Something you want to share?" Sherilyn automatically took another drink of the yummy juice, her gaze leaving Zance for only for an instant. The solemnity of his features concerned her.

"It'll hold, sweetheart. I'll discuss it with you and Dontoya later. Now why don't you enjoy your breakfast?" With a careless sweep of his arm, Zance uncovered a cast iron skillet. "Like fried potatoes with onion, and green and red pepper?"

"Smells delicious." Sherilyn helped herself, and as Zance filled another glass with milk, she ate hungrily.

Once she'd taken a long sip of the raw milk, then wiped her mouth with a napkin, Sherilyn observed Zance closely. "Bet your 'knowing' has something to do with those bully disgusting creeps, the Templetons."

"Are you sensin' them?"

"It feels like a damn lifetime of sensing them. I'm right, aren't I?"

"Looks like your highschool friend, Madeline, did her job. A private dick showed up at your ranch. Me and Dontoya had Marcy's niece move in with her boyfriend. Carmella's a tough little gal. Only gave the hired dick the same phone number on my business card."

The grinding wheels of her thoughts took over, and the old familiar fear stabbed her insides. "So, it's a matter of time before they track me down."

Zance took hold of her hand squeezing tenderly. "Sherilyn, me and Donny-cat got plans." He paused, his eyes flaring to feral gold. "It could get ugly. Don't mean to spoil your breakfast, sweetheart. But I got to prepare you."

"Ugly..." Sherilyn hauled in a breath, loving the way Zance held her hand. "I've had nasty run-ins with them and their hired goons. And it's feeling like final showdown time. But, how ugly are we talking?"

Zance looked her straight in the eye yet stroked her palm with his thumb. "Me and Dontoya might have to shapeshift to our animal forms, and go real primitive."

"Oh." Sherilyn knew what he meant. However her mind couldn't quite go there, shutting off the visual that wanted to form. "To protect me, right?" she murmured.

"To protect my precious mate." Drawing her hand beneath his lips, he placed a kiss near her thumb, making Sherilyn sizzle with desire.

"You know, sweet thing, those bastards won't stop comin' after you."

Damn if Zance didn't sound like an old-fashioned western hero. Sherilyn would have melted toward him like an eyelash-batting, gooey heroine if the Templetons weren't about to rear their effing heads.

"True. I know." She sighed and felt her shoulders slump. "The Templetons are criminals down to their very last cell. And no law enforcement agency will ever stop them. Too much bribe money, and lawyers that are slicker than a corral of greased pigs."

"Yep, that's why the Good Lord made those of us who will stop them."

"I never thought of it like that. It does make sense, though." Sherilyn twisted inside with conflicting emotions. "It's just that...that I was raised to be ever so civilized. Too damn civilized, and look where it's gotten me."

"In my arms, sweetheart. And in my bed." Zance winked outrageously, squeezing her hand again.

Sherilyn couldn't help but answer him with a sassy smile -- a flirtatious toss of her hair. Still, foreboding now clung to her. "The plan you and Dontoya have...when and where?" She frowned. "What exactly are you planning to do?"

"Tell you what, why don't we talk about it this evening? Goin' over the details will take some time, and the ranch needs tendin'."

Sherilyn nodded. To calm her jittery nerves, she drank more of her milk. "Given Talbot's Peak is...is different. Shapeshifters in control and all. Okay. But how are you going to deal with the Fed authorities if, when--?"

"There's another complication, darlin'."

Dontoya strode toward them, obviously attired for their riding date in well-worn but heavy duty jeans, a thick plain leather belt, an impeccable dark blue flannel shirt, and durable cowboy boots that shouted high quality workmanship.

He looked eat 'em up sexy.

"Complication?" Before her mind's eye, the image of a woman appeared. Sherilyn jerked backward as if zapped by an electrical shock.

"You see her, don't you?" Dontoya asked.

Resisting the urge to tremble like a damn leaf, she asked, "Is...is she a relative?"

"No. Her people are genetic cousins from the beginning times."

Dontoya seated himself, and intently searched her face. Fascinated, Sherilyn stared at the banked fires in the depths of his eyes. Even so, his gaze remained enigmatic.

A lump the size of a baseball formed in her throat -- so it felt. Sherilyn swallowed, and managed, "Who is she?"
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Wishing you shapeshifting love on the wild side...

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
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