We Pause for A Well Needed Break

Happy Weekend Gang!

 

Sorry no post this weekend.  I've worked 5 hours overtime in the last two weeks.  Tuesday morning we got a special project tossed into part of the department's lap that called for overtime. 10.5 hour days staring at a computer can take the steam out of you fast.  I went in early the next day to help finish up the project while working on normal work load.  Friday saw us in a half day change management training class.  Last call of the day I open was a humdinger that needed expert write up.  I had to tap a co-worker's assistance.  Then department head wanted to hear about training class and how we planned to use the material.  Another hour of me at the office.  This was off the clock.  

 

 

So for my enjoyment and yours, please click on the video below.  I stumbled on this band due to another author friend posting the link on Facebook.  The song has its versions in rock, country, and a few other places.  This jazz one is my fave.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

 

Until next week, keep a few good books handy to share with your loves and spice.  I know I'm enjoying sharing mine!

 

Smiles,

Solara

BIGFOOT: Stellar New Evidence

Art by chrisscalf~deviantart.net 

Once again, before the naysayers get their propagenda going, here's more actual scientific proof that says YES, the big elusive guy and gal IS OUT THERE!

From COAST TO COAST AM ~ New Bigfoot Evidence 

First hour guest, college instructor Mitchel Townsend reported on his research paper (selected images ~coasttocoastam.com/pages/forensic-evidence-new-hominin-species~) which he believes proves that a Bigfoot-like creature resides in the Mount St. Helens area of Washington state. In 2013, he came upon a stack of deer bones, and noticed they had giant teeth marks notched into them-- the markings did not fit any predator profile and were too large to have been made by humans. Further, large footprints with a length of 16 inches were found near the bones. Extrapolating the teeth and footprint measurements, Townsend concluded that the creature is around 8 ½ feet tall, with a wide stride.
~coasttocoastam.com/show/2015/07/06~

~~~~~~


Wishing you love and passion on the wild side ~ 

Savanna 

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance

Operation Crunch, It's a Go!

Summer reading in Talbot's Peak...

Summer howls and yowls, shapeshifter lovers.

Our Talbot's Peak saga continues. The bad guys have made pests of themselves, and are harassing our beloved mayor, Gil. Well, they just might be real sorry after Operation Crunch.

~~~~~~

Operation Crunch, It's a Go!

Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as Gil opened his bottom desk drawer. Holy Peanuts! This was the third time this week that two state officials had demanded a meeting with him. They'd all but goon-rushed him this time, and were just now leaving the mayor's mansion.

On top of that slick-bark tree, when he'd explained his constituents believed in taking care of themselves, and their neighbors... that there'd been a referendum against accepting state aid... then, when he'd told them about the case he'd presented against fracking because the local farmers and ranchers were being adversely affected... the two slick-willies in suits had threatened him with a contrived indictment for a crime he'd obviously never committed.

Gil sucked in a breath, and willing himself to remain calm, he picked up the  receiver. The old landline phone was untraceable and hardened against digital surveillance. Most important, it was a direct line to the library, and Kitty.

"You okay, Gil?" she immediately asked. "My spy-tracker team said those two state guys looked like they could chew nails."

"Yeah, okay. I might be under indictment, though."

"For what?!" Kitty burst out.

"No clue. That wasn't specified...not exactly." Visions of an intimidating chamber with a jury that had already been prepped to condemn him played in Gil's head.

"No worries," Kitty assured after a moment. "Dante will handle anything they legally throw at you. Whatever case they file can be wiped out of existence on their computers."

"Any paperwork can be conveniently not received," Gil added.

"That's the idea," Kitty encouraged, her tone bright.  "However, it's definitely time for action...for a beastly message to be sent."

"Message to be sent," Gil repeated in a cautious voice. "What do you have in mind?"

"If you don't know the plan, mayor, you won't have to speak a falsehood."

"Are werewolves involved?" Gil broke out into another sweat.

"I assure you no blood will be spilled. But think a Halloween prank gone wild."

"Oh," Gil paused, "you said no blood would be spilled."

***

"No blood," Kitty firmly assured, even as impatience clawed at her. "No physical harm...that is, unless they harm themselves. Sit tight, mayor," she added. "I've got to hang up now. Time to go operational."

"Operational," Gil practically squeaked in what Kitty thought of as his squirrel voice.

"Goodbye, mayor." Kitty placed the receiver in its cradle, and picked up her modified walkie talkie. To keep communications private, the frequency had been adjusted by Dante's cyber team.

"It's a go. Durk, Zeo, it's a go. Tail them to the ambush point, and report. Wait for my final okay before Operation Crunch. Over and out."

"Yes, ma'am," two over-eager, male voices replied in unison.

In the background, Kitty heard the telltale growls of two lightweight motorcycles.
The nineteen year old shapeshifters -- one a werewolf and the other a sabertooth tiger -- affectionately called their customized rides, speed racers.

"The targets are in the car," Durk, the werewolf, reported on his walkie talkie.

"They're pulling out now. We're on the case," Zeo, the sabertooth, whispered in his tigery snarl.

The sound of their speed racers crackled over Kitty's walkie talkie as they peeled out.

"Remember, any deviation in their route, let me know immediately. Over and out." Kitty half-shouted.

"No problem. We got it," Durk yelled over the roar of his motorcycle.

Kitty turned her attention to Blade Runner, the Peak's own ET rabbit shapeshifter. He'd proven to be invaluable in many a battle to save Talbot's Peak territory, including against epic fight against the mutant mammoth werewolf. 

Sauntering closer to her desk, Blade Runner gave her a lazy wink, then his trademark grin.

"Ready for Operation Crunch?" she asked, appreciating the man's suave *I'm cool* demeanor.

"Operation UFOS Are Real is about to commence." The amusement in his voice couldn't be missed, and Kitty could imagine Blade Runner's rabbit ears twitching in their characteristic way whenever he shifted to man-rabbit humanoid, instead of his human form, as he was now.

"I will advise if the targets deviate from their route." Kitty lifted the tiny round com device he'd given her.

"Later, Dante's smitten kitten." With a jaunty salute, Blade Runner spun around, heading for his small disc craft. Earlier, he'd landed the craft, fully cloaked of course, on top O'Malley's Gin Joint. Under Dante's direction -- three years ago -- the flat roof had been reinforced to hold the space ship's weight when a leaking problem was repaired.

***

"Yeah, yeah. Got your carrot juice brew right here," O'Malley greeted, shoving the tall stein toward Blade Runner.

"You're quite sure you don't want a complementary spin around the solar system?"  Blade Runner cocked a brow.

"Like the feel of good ole Earth beneath my paws, spaceman," O'Malley grumped, then began wiping down the already clean bar. "Just make sure you put a big bad scare into those revenuer types."

"Just for you." Blade Runner tossed down a large swallow, then brew in hand he strode for the stairway that led to the roof.

Within minutes, he was inside, quaffing his carrot juice ale, and doing a system's check. "All systems go. Firing up the jets...as the Earthers say."

Blade Runner engaged the anti-grav, and ascended over the town. Who would have thought he'd actually enjoy being marooned on backwater planet Earth? And, even more surreal, have an alpha werewolf as a good and true friend. So universe-far, Dante always had his back, and never once threatened to put the predator's bite on him.

But, as Blade Runner had come to understand, fate was stranger than fiction.

High in the blue Montana sky -- above the usual flight path of the birds -- Blade Runner touched the accelerate control. He zoomed toward the ambush spot he and Kitty had decided on.

With his disc ship on auto-pilot, he stepped back and stripped off his human attire, right down to his shiny silver skivvies. Really, one of his spacesuits.

"Eh, what's up, doc?" he parodied, as he morphed into his version of Bugs Bunny.  After tucking a helmet under his arm, Blade Runner gave his tail a good shake.

If those moron clowns in lawyer suits didn't believe in UFOS, or an alien rabbit... Blade Runner smirked... they just might change their ignorant tune after he finished with their arses. Oops, he thought, nope, he wasn't doing the probe-abduct thing. Not again. Once was enough with that monster hunter idjit.

TO BE CONTINUED...
~~~~~~


Wishing you love and passion on the wild side ~ 

Savanna 

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance

S(he)-Devil with a Sword

Jamie burst into Gypsy's dressing room at the Pleasure Club without knocking. "You gotta stop him," he begged her. "He's gonna—"

"Too late." Gypsy shrugged a robe over her dance costume. "He already is."

"Sonuva—" Jamie raked his hand through his already-messy red hair. "He's gonna hurt hisself."

"It's a rubber sword, Jamie."

"I ain't talking about the sword."

Gypsy pursed her lips. Even she, a connoisseur of exotic costumes, had questioned Lamar's latest choice. But once a snake-shifter tossed his coils around a notion, he tended to squeeze it to death. There'd been no deterring him. "I voiced my concerns," she said. "It was all I could do. I have some salve for afterwards, if he needs it." She rested her hand on Jamie's shoulder. "Can you stand to watch?"

"Guess I better," Jamie grumbled. "Case I have to carry him offstage."

The performance had already started by the time Gypsy and Jamie reached the floor. Lamar was in the middle of a sinuous sword dance, writhing in ways only a snake could pull off without physical damage. The audience ate it up, forgetting even the food and steins of beer on the tables before them. When a crowd's made up of mostly predators, that's high praise indeed.

Jamie couldn't help wincing. "I can't believe he'd wear that. I can't believe she wears that."

Gypsy nodded in sympathetic agreement. "Ouch."

After the Amazon warrior had popped into existence in Talbot's Peak over a week ago, there'd been a minor fad at the Pleasure Club, with the dancers adopting warrior-woman garb. Gypsy herself had devised a variation on a Xena costume. It wasn't practical for fighting but allowed for adventurous dance moves.

Lamar had gone in a totally different direction. A flaming red wig and two brief strips of glittery metal barely inches away from a wardrobe malfunction. Calling it a bikini was being generous. Even for Lamar it was risqué.

"Is that real chain mail?" Gypsy asked.

Jamie nodded glumly. "He bought it off some cosplayer. They had a comic book convention down by the exit last year."

"Some poor human girl was wearing that?" Gypsy shook her head.

"It's a genuine Red Sonja costume, so he's been telling me. The theory is, the bad guys get distracted by her boobs and forget to fight. Lucky for her. That armor don't cover up scat."

"It covers enough. Just barely." Gypsy couldn't stop staring at the bottom half of what passed for Lamar's outfit. All that interlinked metal pressed up against a woman's most sensitive area. The mail didn't even leave room enough for protective panties underneath. She shuddered.

"It ain't so bad for him," Jamie said, interpreting Gypsy's queasy expression. "Snakes don't have body hair, and his personal property's tucked away in the pouch. The falsies protect his nipples. Still, it's gotta pinch. But you know Lamar. Anything for art."

"If he chooses to suffer for a performance, that's his decision. I wouldn't wear anything that dangerous, though. Not even after a wax."

"It's not about the performance so much. It's afterwards. He wants to wear it to bed. I ain't snuggling up against that. I got body hair."

Gypsy couldn't help but smile. "He wants you to be Conan?"

"I got nothing against that either. Wish I had the build for it. I ain't no Schwarzenegger. Hey, you know who'd make a terrific Conan? Sergei. Least he's got the muscles." Jamie gulped. "Aw scat."

"What?"

"I just pictured Sergei in a loincloth. With a sword. I think my balls just ran for cover."

Gypsy also imagined her massive lover in furry briefs, wielding a broadsword, with his long hair flying and his shaft at attention. She growled happily.

"What about Tarzan?" she asked Jamie once she got her voice back. "They always used to cast swimmers as Tarzan for the movies. They're not as bulky. And you'd get to wear a loincloth."

Jamie watched Lamar shake his near-naked ass at the audience. "Tarzan and Red Sonja?"

"Tarzan and Jane. The books were written back in the '20s, I think. Jane always dressed modestly. Nothing that threatened the skin. At least … " Gypsy's dimples appeared. "Until she put on the leopard-skin swimsuit."

"Yeah." Jamie looked thoughtful. "Boas are a jungle snake. Bet he'd go for that. Wonder if I can do the yell? It's pretty close to a howl."

"You'll be fine," Gypsy said absently. Her mind had drifted back to thoughts of Sergei in a Conan pose. All of a sudden she wanted her shift to be over. Somebody was going to be doing a lot of yelling tonight.

# # #

Which brings us to today's public service announcement. For all you female comic fans out there, I direct you to The Hawkeye Initiative. This site is devoted to pictures of male superheroes copying the skimpy costumes and contorted poses too often foisted on women in comics. Enjoy!

Not Another Battle?!

Gill looked up at the night sky.  Chloe sat next to him leaning back on her hands gazing upwards as well.

“Great display Dante’s crew came up with.  Lots of color, spark, and boom.”  A large boom drowned out Gill’s next words.

“It certainly is bigger than last year’s.” Chloe hugged her knees tight to her.  “You’ve been overly quiet since your meeting with Dante.”

“There’s a lot going on I can’t talk about.” Gill scooted closer to Chloe.  Keeping his family safe topped his priority list.  Keeping the Peak safe ranked there beside it.  There had to be a way to keep the state from infiltrating much less claiming lands for fracking.  Two more state agents appeared at his office Monday asking about accommodations and office space to lease.  And a full moon two weeks away.  Mixed nuts above, did they have enough time?  Time to get their representatives in place and deeply imbedded to get these number crunchers and picture snappers out from under everyone’s feet.  

“I know love,” Chloe offered, leaning against him.  “Miss Elly said sometimes you have to trust that what you don’t know is better than knowing.”

“Smart woman.  Dante said as much to me.  Though there are things you and I are going to know because we have to.”  Gill pulled Chloe tighter to him.  Had the coverts slipped through the ranks deeper than any of them knew?

Out in the darkness of the trees, an open area ringed by oaks and maples hundreds of years old light up as another roman candle shot into the sky.  Next to him, Kitty jumped with each boom though she never backed away as bursts of color followed.  Dante inhaled, noting each bit of subtle changes in the odors in the air.  More humans attended the fireworks display than prior years.  Of course, the number of them claiming the Peak as home increased too.  Many voiced their concerns at the hastily called town council meeting, he and Vernon used to get a feeling of their opinions on the state bullshit.  Many felt the same way most of the non-human citizens did.  This was their home and they weren’t buying what the state was selling.  Had his teams succeeded? 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Happy Weekend Gang!

Looks like the battle for the Peak rises again.  What will Dante and his crew come up with?  How deep does Gill need to burrow to keep his family and town safe?  What other preparations are happening?

Hope your Fourth is safe and sane.  Weather continues to kick my allergies and make my nose twitch.  It is better than inches of snow.  

I'm knee deep into a novella I hope to have off to a new publisher next week.  Then waiting starts.  As soon as I know more, I'll be sure to share.

Remember to share a few good books with your spice and loves.  I know I'm enjoying mine!

Until Next Week,

Solara

Boom ~ Sizzle ~ Bang

“Are you still not speaking to me, Fair one?”

Greely scrunched her face and tucked herself lower in the claws that kept her safe on the long journey home from England.  She was pissed at her dragon lover and didn’t even feel like smiling as he spoke to her from his scaly snout.

“You know I had no choice…”

“Huh, right, no choice my ass.”

“You don’t cross Karma, my love.”

“You do, when Karma has her head shoved so far up her butt that she’s lost all sense.”  Why was she even talking him?  He could be such a…such a…slimy, royal, reptile!  “That’s it, a slimy, royal, reptile!”

“What’s that, Fair one?”

“You!” she screamed into the night air around her, knowing full well his ears would hear her.  “You are a slimy, royal, reptile!  No!  Better yet, you are a Slimy, Highfaluting, Insensitive, Tool!  Yep, I like that one better, a, S.H.I.T.”
The flapping of wide wings was Erol’s only response.

As the hours and miles passed on their flight towards Talbot’s Peak, Greely grew more fearful amid the straining silence.  Had she made a mistake?  Was she being honest with those around her about her fears?  Was she being honest with herself?

“Why do I dislike him so much, Erol?”  She whispered, wondering if he could still hear her or if he was even still listening.

“Only you can answer that question, Fair one.  I would say though that my cousin would never allow anyone under his protection to come to harm.  He is younger in years than I, but fully lives up to his name.  Justice Firewing and Karma Thys have made a connection and must see it through to the end.”

“…but their connection is so volatile.  What if the connection ignites and all that’s left is a pile of ash?”

“Your question is a good one, but one that could never come to fruition.  Justice would turn himself to ash before he allowed harm to come to Karma.”

“She can be a handful, Erol,” she said into the wind.

“This I know, Greely, and yet I have managed to contain myself.  Justice has more gentle feelings toward your camel, therefore, she is safe.  What really scares you, my love?”

Greely listened to her dragon’s words and fear expanded inside of her.  She nudged it with her finger, then with her toe.  She knew what the bubble held inside, but could she say it out loud?

The nights sky was suddenly ablaze and the crash, sizzle, and bang of fireworks.  Below her was home, Talbot’s Peak in all its glory, setting off a celebration of the nation’s independence.  “Oh Erol, you brought us home for this?”

“I did, Fair one.  It is the anniversary of our first display.  I promised to always show you the stars from far above.”
Tears of happiness slipped from her eyes and she kissed the claw closest to her.  “I love you, dragon.”

“As I love you.”

As they continued to watch the fireworks Greely opened a bit of her fear bubble, enough to acknowledge the worry sitting greatest on her soul. 

What if she were to lose the sister of her heart?  Be it by death or by distance she worried she would not survive the loss.  Of course, she also had her sturdy love to keep her close.  With him she would endure, she’d thrive and continue to love.  If his cousin was of the same strength, then she owed it to Karma to support her new found connection and help her reach for her very own stars. 
~~~

Have a wonderful 4th, everyone!  Be safe and enjoy the fireworks.

Serena