Splitsville... Red Pill, Blue Pill ... The Divergent Timeline

*Heading toward TURKEY DAY* howls and yowls, shapeshifter lovers.

After the question was asked if I really wanted to leave SHAPESHIFTER SEDUCTIONS, I reconsidered my decision to "bow out" . Because, of course, I want to continue in the fantasy world I've helped to world-build from the beginning. Also, I feel it's only fair to my heroines and heroes—who are currently clamoring at me nonstop.

At this point, I'd like to make it clear, I love ALL of my fellow authors. And, as a reader, I appreciate and enjoy their flash scenes. Their creativity amazes me.

However, given my worldview, my personal experiences in life—and the feelings and  worldview—the life experiences of my characters—well, for a lack of a better way of expressing it...we have clashing worldviews. At least, that's my perception.

The only solution I know of, is to simply create a separate timeline, a parallel Talbot's Peak, if you will... in the same plotline-vein as the TV show, SLIDERS [1995-2000].

Thus, my flash scenes, in no way reflect other storylines of shifter/supernatural life in Talbot's Peak...although, obviously, only to the degree that it makes a logical story...again, as was done in the various SLIDERS versions of Earth reality.

If anyone is offended by my authorly plotline-version of the Peak, I ask you to simply tune out, change the channel, and continue to enjoy the other flash scenes.

And so it begins... The Divergent Timeline
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Splitsville... Red Pill, Blue Pill ... The Divergent Timeline

Restless, her inner cat tail slashing back and forth, Kitty paced her office in the town library. Change, like a typhoon wind, permeated the very atmosphere. She hated like hell to confront her inner knowing...but, here it was.

Everything was about to explode. She knew it to her feline-intuitive core.

When a polite knock sounded at the door, Kitty jumped and whirled like her cat self. "Come in," she called out, knowing it was Sapphyra, a psychic who was part of Dante's Circle of Witches.

Fishsticks, tears already dripped on her cheeks. With a swipe of her hand, Kitty hastily wiped them away.

"Not good." Sapphyra answered Kitty's speculative gaze, and approached.

"Tea?" Kitty asked.

"No thanks. I'm not in mood...too upset," Sapphyra softly responded. She embraced Kitty in a warm hug.

As they'd often done, both women seated themselves on the cozy, Victorian-replica chairs.

Kitty watched Sapphyra inhale a large breath, then reach inside her satchel. "Several of us tuned in psychically, and used remote viewing..." she hesitated, "here's the transcript of the mayor and the rat plotting against Dante...I understand Damien has already taken care of his 'problem'."

Stiffening her spine, and her nerve, Kitty took hold of the pages. Resolute—since it never did any good to avoid a problem—she began reading.

Her tears splashed on the paper before she could contain them. "They really believe this will work? Dante isn't stupid. He's had the license thing covered for years." Kitty shook her head at the absurdity of it. "He made a private deal with county officials years ago. They don't bother him. He doesn't bother them. And they're welcome at the Pleasure Club."

"I know. So far, everyone has gotten along. No issues. And no licenses."

Not quite believing what she'd read, with shock numbing her, Kitty carefully re-read the pages. "Mayor G, the rat...they've gone to the dark side...haven't they?" Kitty sighed to the depth of her soul. "Being in town is no longer safe for us, is it?"

"Not for those of us who don't want to end up in a black ops lab, the experiment du-jour." Sapphyra twisted her lips. "I guess if you're a rabbit shifter, or friend's with those shifters in the state congress, you're protected."

"What I don't understand is why the mayor and the rat are confusing Damien's Halloween visit with Dante. He's not coming after them. He's tried to reconcile. But he is a wolf. That only goes so far."

"Dante had nothing to do Damien's threats." Sapphyra shook her head, an exasperated expression on her face. "He had no clue about his sire's sudden visit to the mayor, until White Fang told him."

Kitty nodded. "Mayor G should be grateful White Fang had an ear to the door the whole time, so he didn't end up roadkill. Instead this..." Kitty tossed the pages on the coffee table.

"What I don't understand is why the mayor thinks it's Dante's idea to do a recall election. There's been murmurings of that ever since Mayor G tried to get the town to do that state census form. You know, be counted."

"How un-American, that the people of Talbot's Peak should actually get to vote, possibly un-elect him as mayor." Kitty couldn't care less if sarcasm colored her words. "And big fat scratches, there was never one townhall meeting about that census beforehand.  You know, finding out what the people wanted, if they were onboard."

"I must have missed the notice in the G&B Gazette about the state offering more money later." Sapphyra tossed her long hair in disgust. "Wait. Aren't those notices about townhall meetings put on the library's community board?"

"If there was a public meeting, no one here was notified. Funny how that happened... or didn't happen. Whatever," Kitty softly yowled the last word. She stood. With anxiousness owning her stomach, she moved to the window, peering outside yet not seeing anything. Inside, her heart somersaulted with sadness.

"People have a right to know what's going on," Sapphyra stated, her tone spirited.

"You're right. They need to know it's no longer safe in town for a lot of us. Dante can't keep using the cyber team to protect the town. Too much is going on. He has to protect the Pleasure Club, and the surrounding territory."

"Obviously, I can't take this transcript to the Gazette, since it's psychically generated."

"No..." Inspiration blazed like a hundred watt bulb in Kitty's head. "No, but we can copy it as a flyer. Spread it all over town. And people can make up their own mind. Do their own research. Decide what they want to do." Kitty tightened her arms over her belly. "It's splitsville for me."

"Red pill, blue pill," Sapphyra spoke in the silence. "We're in a Matrix-movie moment."

"You take the blue pill, the story ends," Kitty quoted what she knew by heart from infamous movie. "You wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill, you stay in wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes."

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Wishing you love and passion on the wild side ~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance

Kitty Hands Out the Big Bucks

October-spooky howls and yowls, shapeshifter lovers.

Yes, Kitty is on a rare rampage. Normally a well-mannered librarian and Dante's loving mate, Kitty has come a long way, baby... that is, since the time she was considered roadkill by Damien, the werewolf leader who is Dante's sire, the werewolf who originally took over the town of Talbot's Peak. Now look at her...

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Kitty Hands Out the Big Bucks

Kitty sighed with deep frustration, which turned into an exasperated huff. Her inner cat tail slashed back and forth as she stared at the fat brown envelope on her office desk. Dante, her mate and the alpha werewolf owner of the Pleasure Club, had stuffed it with money, and with the town's currency, Talbies.

Hoping to soothe herself, Kitty took a sip of her brewing tea, a lavender blend she found particularly lovely to inhale, as well as to drink. After wriggling into a more comfortable position, she cradled her pleasantly warm mug.

Intentionally, Kitty blanked her mind. For now...phssssst. Bast, before she had a hissing fit, and morphed into her feline form.

She'd so wanted to spend the day training her new assistant, Kailla, on the library's computer system. She'd painstakingly prepared, and now... well, large dollar figures did strange and wicked things to people, including shifters. Evidently.

Kitty indulged in a long sip of her tea while wondering when folks were going to care more about loving each other, and creating a good life together... that is, more than the enticement of getting the big bucks, especially from a source that could not be trusted.

She shook her blonde curls while images of the big buck shifters in Talbot's Peak came to mind. Kitty smiled. Like any feline predator worth her catch, she loved fastening her gaze on the powerful bucks as they trotted, as they galloped through the forested areas, and over the meadows. 

But those were definitely not the big bucks Mayor Gil, Vernon, and Louie were gluing their gazes on, or had glued their eyeballs on. Kitty well understood their desire to fund a Talbot's Peak Fall Festival. It was good for business. Plus, family fun for one and all.

Kitty intended to enjoy the events, the sales, the food as advertized by flyers, and in the G&B Gazette. She planned on using her shifter claws to carve a pumpkin for the contest, simply to see if she could do it.

She let another sigh escape. Placing her mug on the electric warmer, she huntress-eyed the plump brown envelope. Once Mayor Gil was in his office...

Last night she and Dante had cuddled together, as they often did, while discussing how best to handle the latest emergency situation in town politics. Like they needed state government involved, infiltrating Talbot's Peak again. Kitty rolled her eyes. Her inner claws flexed. 

Yet, even with this aggravation, she'd arrived early, determined to personally focus on initiating Kailla in the library's inner workings and protocols. Just as vital, she wanted to learn more about the human woman. Yowls, as cat-jumping quick as possible.

Given Kailla remained blissfully ignorant about shifters and the town's supernatural population, Kitty intended to earn her trust. For several good reasons. Not the least of which was Thundercloud, the god-wolf shifter who had decided Kailla belonged to him as his mate.

The hot-trend scuttlebutt at Java Joe's yesterday afternoon had been all about Thundercloud's courtship-pursuit of the innocent human. Since Kailla hadn't picked up and left town, the tires squealing, Kitty figured she remained unaware of his shifter side.

Thinking of... Kitty intuitively knew moments before there was a rap on her office door. "Come in," she called out pleasantly.

Kailla entered and closed the door, her demeanor confident yet respectful. "Finally, we meet in person." Smiling, she approached, then politely extended her hand.

Kitty stood, and shook the lovely woman's hand, far more lovely in person than on Skype. No wonder Thundercloud was besotted, mating-bewitched, as Dante would say. 

"You'll forgive me, Kailla." Kitty plucked up the brown envelope. "I'd planned to devote today to working with you. But I have an unexpected errand to run. Why don't you walk around, familiarize yourself with our library. It shouldn't take me long." Kitty smiled, and gazed deep into the woman's soul.

What she found impressed her, pleased her.

"Of course, I'd love to just wander about and familiarize myself."

"Good." Kitty moved toward the door. "Make a stop in our break area, Kailla. You'll find all sorts of goodies. Organic and non-GMO, I promise." That had been one selling point in hiring Kailla, and Kitty had exploited it for all it was worth. The woman's educational background was extraordinary. Plus, she'd come highly recommended from her former employer.

"Be right back," Kitty added, then headed for the door. Meow, burnt fishsticks and 'plans were for fools'! She grabbed her jacket, and shrugged into it, forcing the envelope through the sleeve.

With each step toward the mayor's mansion, her dander rose along with her inner-cat hackles. Okay meow, maybe she should be more forgiving. But gosh, gee willickers and twitching whiskers, did big sums of money mean that much? Certainly, if starvation and poverty reigned, of course. But Talbot's Peak, even in these economically challenging times, still thrived. And assistance remained available to all.

Kitty practically burst through the mansion's front doors. "The Mayor is expecting me," she tossed at his assistant. "And if he's not, he should be. Rwwwrrr," she threw at the woman's stunned expression.

She didn't slow her footsteps one iota, and not bothering with any kind of knock, she thrust the door open. "Oh good. You're all here," she addressed Vernon and Louie. "That saves me a lot of trouble."

"Kitty," Gil began, rising from behind his desk. Confusion clouded his eyes. "What can..."

"Oh, snap it shut, squirrel boy." Kitty slammed the envelope on his desk. "Why didn't you contact Delvezio if you needed extra funds for the Fall Fair? To make improvements? Didn't you agree to that during the last state-agent fiasco we had?"

"What? Cat got your tongue," Kitty chided in the following silence.

"Hey there," Louie began, "we don't need no babysittin' here."

"Well, I beg to disagree, rat belly boy." Kitty snarled, whirling toward him. "You're not the one protecting the Peak from infiltrators, from black ops attacks day and night... are you?!" Kitty jabbed her finger into his prominent belly. "You wanna get your meat cleaver and meet me at high noon. We'll see who draws blood first."

"Kitty, calm down. It was a mistake, an honest mistake," Vernon intervened. "We didn't want to burden Dante. That's all."

"Well, thanks so much for the concern, wolf for dummies," Kitty sarcastically  responded, her tone sharp as her claws. "Your actions in accepting that state money caused Dante's cyber team to work like fiends cleaning up 'your' mess... erasing it out of the worldwide computer system. And I might add there were far more pressing 'concerns' happening. Like protecting the Pleasure Club from a super hack-attack that would have compromised every shifter and supernatural being here. Put that in your non-existent pipes and smoke it!"

"We had no idea." Gil cautiously spoke, his wary gaze sweeping over her.

Kitty inhaled a huge breath, mentally calling back the fevered words that wanted to explode from her. Instead she slapped her hand on the brown envelope. "If this isn't enough to fund the Fall Fair, to make your improvements, let me or Delvezio know. And if you have a complaint about Delvezio, if he isn't helping you, let me know."

"No complaints." Gil nervously swallowed.

"Delvezio, no, no complaints about his working with us."

Vernon's 'calm the waters' tone did nothing for Kitty's temper. She jerked another breath in and out.

"This isn't a game, boys. The welfare of everyone in Talbot's Peak territory is at stake. Dante, I, and many others, want to keep this a haven for our kind... and for the humans we love." She paused, searching their faces. "Got it?!"

Not waiting for an answer, Kitty spun around marching for the door. Normally, she didn't throw her weight around, or get her fur-ruff in this big of a huff. But when it came to saving everyone and everything she and Dante loved, that was whole other kettle of flying damn fish. And she wasn't backing down. Not ever.

Especially not before a rat, no matter how many meat cleavers he had.

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Wishing you love and passion on the wild side ~ 

Savanna 

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance

Kitty Outwits the Nude Serpent Man

After the Harvest Moon howls and yowls, shapeshifter lovers.

So, yesterday Pat introduced us to Itzcoatl, the Obsidian Serpent. The audacious demigod is naked and walking through Talbot’s Peak... well, what does a kitty shifter girl do when she catches sight of this potential danger to everyone she loves?
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Kitty Outwits the Nude Serpent Man

Instinctively, Kitty ‘Katrina’ Collins backed into the tight space between the library she’d just left, and Talbot’s Peak’s post office, a recent victim of the cutback. Not that postal mail delivery really mattered anymore. The town had already made plans at the latest meeting, hiring the Pony Express family as they were fondly called, to pickup and deliver everyone’s mail.

Unable to believe her eyes, at first, still Kitty squeezed herself in more tightly. The odor of serpent assaulted her nostrils. Aware she scraped her bare shoulders, she kept her gaze locked on the nude human striding boldly down the middle of the street, as if he owned the place. No, she corrected herself, as if he believed he was about to conquer the world.

Having not much use for the world at large, Kitty hardly cared about that. Talbot’s Peak, her friends... Dante, that’s who she cared about. That’s who she would claw-raking fight to defend no matter what.

Her hands flexed like cat paws, and her fingernails scraped the stone wall before she knew it. Nude man never broke stride despite several qawking stares. And, despite the mothers who sheltered their children against their bodies, blocking their view.

Where in the -- but then Kitty remembered. Most of the wolf packs were hunting for winter meat, and training their cubs in survival.

Obviously a serpent shifter of some kind, ‘nude self-important man’ was no Lamar. While slippery-dangerous, and entirely cunning at times, Lamar’s level of power paled in comparison. Switching to her feline vision, Kitty watched shimmering waves of energy emanate from the man’s centerfold-impressive physique.

Of course, he couldn’t compare to Dante, her alpha werewolf. Kitty trembled wantonly inside with the memories of their times together, and with their most recent contact -- what could only be called super amazing phone sex. Yee-ows, mee-ows!

As Kitty continued observing nude man’s progress through town, she had to wonder if his power rivaled Pasha, White Fang’s cat goddess lover. Not two days ago she’d met White Fang at the coffee shop, and they’d spent a pleasant hour or so chatting. He’d wanted to let her know that he had to leave for a few days, and Pasha would be watching over her.

Soon enough, it became apparent brazen serpent man followed his nose, searching for someone. Even though, he didn’t appear to be hungry, or to be an immediate threat, Kitty’s hackles raised. And with over half the town gone...

She stripped off her clothes and shoes, stashing them inside her large library bag. After shoving the fat bulky bag deeper into the narrow space, Kitty initiated her shift. It was her fastest way to Dante’s Pleasure Club.

Gaining her paws, she peered outward before bounding full speed across the library’s lawn. Now all she had to do was avoid the wolf shifters and the big cat shifters hunting in the forest -- avoid the wolfs, the coyotes, the bears, the raccoons -- any fearsome creature who wanted to make a meal out of a fluffy kitty cat.

Lord love a cat, she hoped the human hunters had been driven out by now. She’d had a few narrow escapes over the years with bullets singeing her fur. And, once her shoulder had been grazed.

Peaking back as she dashed into the woods, Kitty made certain Serpent Man wasn’t on her tail. She didn’t want to make the mistake of leading him to Dante, and everyone at the Pleasure Club.

Good thing she’d kept her exercise routine, Kitty decided as she raced pell mell along the barely visible path. Dante had shown it to her recently, during one of their brief telepathic connections. He’d insisted they keep some mind contact just in case. He’d also insisted she should know the shortest route to the Pleasure Club in case of an emergency.

Concentrating on the trail, and looking out for predators, Kitty couldn’t afford to lose her focus by mentally speaking with Dante now -- assuming she could make contact. Usually, she meditated first, or Dante entered her mind with his alpha forcefulness.

Suddenly hearing the swift chase of a wolf pack, then scenting a rabbit, Kitty veered off the trail. She bolted alongside it through bushes heavy with huckleberries. Damn, she would be a mess once she reached Dante, her pale coat stained by all the purple-red juice.

Dismissing her vain silliness, Kitty kept a sharp lookout and a sharp nose for bears. Likely they would be nearby gorging themselves. No sooner had the thought crossed her mind, than the bushes jiggled wildly before her. A giant of a bear reared up, sniffing for her.

Relying on her reflexes, Kitty dashed between the beast’s hind legs, and hoped her long bushy tail didn’t get swiped. Free and clear, she thanked the One Spirit, and listened to the bear bellow with outrage.

Figuring, she’d run on the trail again, since she might lose her way, Kitty dodged around several huge pine tree trunks before her paws landed on the path. Lowering her head, she stretched out, and lengthened her stride.

With her breaths coming faster, Kitty struggled to keep her pace as she sprinted up the steep incline. Still, she kept her senses honed. Within moments, she caught a whiff of tiger, one of the Tiger Yakuza, who had shifted to big cat. Her adrenaline spiked, and she flew over the pine needle-covered ground.

Dante, Dante, she chanted in time with her racing stride. She had to tell him about Serpent Man -- she had to! She couldn’t face it if any harm came to him. If any harm came to those she loved in Talbot’s Peak. She just couldn’t.

Kitty bore down, forcing herself to race the last mile as if her life... no, as if Dante’s life depended on it. When she heard the yip-yip excitement of coyotes behind her, she knew they’d scented her fatigue, and decided she was an easy kill.

Her heart hammered as fear stabbed through her. Ignoring it, she hoped for another adrenalin rush.

Instead of evading the coyote’s pursuit, and looking for a hidey-hole, or climbing the first tall tree, Kitty stayed on the path. Since they weren’t shifters or supernaturals, she still had a good chance of outrunning them.

Do not fear me, the feminine voice encouraged. I am Pasha. I will protect you.

As if she formed herself from the very air, Pasha appeared as a big cat before Kitty -- a lioness breed she didn’t recognize at all. But then, as White Fang had explained Pasha was an ancient Egyptian goddess with strong magickal powers.

In the next instant, Pasha ran beside her, saturating Kitty with revitalizing energy. Thank you. Do you know where Dante is?

I have informed him of your arrival. He is returning to the club now.

I must tell him. We may be in danger.

You caught me unaware, Katrina. I would have assisted you sooner. Danger?

A Serpent Man. A conqueror. He is walking through town. Nude.

I will investigate once you are safe with Dante.

With the biker bar now in sight, Kitty felt her heart soar. Her body followed, and she flowed over the ground, feeling liquid and hardly noticing the rapid strike of her paws.

Within moments, Dante roared toward them on his Harley. He slid to a fast stop in the bar’s parking lot. Once his boot hit the kickstand, he launched off and headed toward her, all in one smooth powerful motion.

“Kitten. Katrina,” he shouted in his low, melt-her voice. Jogging toward her, he opened his arms.

As her heart leaped toward him, Kitty leaped. She felt herself gathered against Dante’s hard-muscled chest. Collapsing into his arms, she felt the loving warmth of his embrace.

“Don’t you dare shift,” he growled affectionately. “Not until we’re alone. No other man sees my woman naked.”

Kitty smiled inside as she nuzzled his neck. Dante. I couldn’t... couldn’t let you... the Serpent man... he’s coming. No, he’s here.

“Shhh, tell me all about it once we’re inside. Once I get you clothed, so I won’t be distracted by that beautiful body of yours. Hear me, Katrina?”

Hear you, she purred.
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Authoress news ~

The Kougar is also posting at the HAPPILY EVER AFTER BLOG today. The title is: Envisioning Beautiful Worlds for Romance Novels.
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Have a Magickal Shapeshifting Week!

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
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