Dead ant. Dead ant. Dead ant dead ant!!!!

So what’s up with PETA here lately? I remember when they used to be a respectable animal rights group. They still make some notable victories in animal rights but you rarely hear about it. Instead, we get regaled with horror stories about the President of the United States swatting flies on national TV and protests of movies because an animal actor that appeared in it died of old age shortly after filming. They made ground-breaking strides in making fur unfashionable. They keep exotic animal smuggling and laboratories in check when various world governments just don’t have the resources to do so. Why don’t they promote that instead of the goofy stuff???

Ok. I’m done with my rant. This week’s flash is a continuation of one I tried to post a few weeks ago when Blogger was eating my posts. We rejoin the sexy but frustrated Caid who trying to take two druid pups for a camping trip in Lon Chaney National Forest when a certain lady cougar decides to “help” give the pups some practice tracking. Here’s a link back to the first part, if you missed it or can’t remember what was going on.

**********

Cougars were good sprinters but this distance running was for cheetahs! And hounds, apparently, Jen acknowledge ruefully. Her plan to lead them to an area frequented by moose had started out well. Moose were not very populous in this region, so it might have been a chance of a lifetime for them. Jen either hadn’t been as far ahead of the hounds as she thought or they were better at tracking full speed than she’d given them credit for. She had a feeling, judging by how fast they were chasing her, that the later was the case.

One last flying leap got her to relative safely of the lower branches of a stout old cottonwood tree no more than a tail’s length ahead of the pups. Just as she managed to scamper up another level, one of them- probably the rambunctious jumper from earlier- nipped way too close to her tail. Jen yowled her outrage, hoping the eerie scream would make them back off the way it did for normal dogs. No such luck, though she did seem to be above the Olympian’s lunging range now. She turned and growled down at the pair just in time to see the most incredible sight of her life!

A large snowy owl dive-bombed the pair! The Olympian ducked but continued leaping at her. The other pup, upon seeing the owl, sat down like he‘d been given some silent command. The owl circled back and this time, just as it came within range, shifted into the large male and tackled the Olympian jumper.

“Ayden, yield!” the adult commanded sharply. “Don’t you ever use your brain or do you simply act on impulse?” The pup looked up at the male, who was literally sitting on him, then went completely limp. As soon as the elder moved, though, he started lunging again. Jen felt a surge of electricity in the air, one that started to force her to change before she tightened her mental grip on her animal form. The pups, though, were forced to change. The one who’d been sitting quietly watching the other two was still squatting in a rather silly facsimile of a dog. The young instigator, though, was still struggling wildly. After several moments and a few attempts to shift despite the elder’s magic, he finally stopped struggling and looked pleadingly up at his captor.

“Just what did you think you were doing?” the large naked male rumbled. Jen couldn’t quite place his accent. He sounded vaguely British but not quite. He definitely had a fine bod, whatever he was. Broad shoulders and a heavily muscled chest, as one might expect of a flying shifter. Narrow waist, long legs, also well-muscled but sleek. Tush of a Greek god. Long wavy dark hair. A-hem. It hadn’t taken long to get over her annoyance once the pups were under control, not with a view like that, anyway.

“She’s a human,” the sitting pup replied vacantly. Jen blinked, nonplused. Um, ok.

“Very good, Shainnon.” the elder said, glancing at him. He shook the rambunctious one and asked, “How did he know that?”

“She smells faintly of human and blood and death,” the cub answered woodenly, his tone implying he thought it obvious.

Jen took a few sample sniffs of herself, but found nothing odd. She looked back at the group and noticed the odd child was watching her, noting her reaction to the conversation words. He said nothing, though, just started crawling around on his hands and knees sniffing the ground and tree trunk. What a very odd child.

“What kind of death and blood?” the elder quizzed the impetuous pup, almost sounding bored, like they‘d gone through this a time or two. His question seemed to catch the pup off guard.

“What do you mean, what kind of death? There’s only one kind, isn’t there?” the pup asked, sounding confused. The elder sighed his frustration. Jen’s eyes were drawn away from the anticks of the odd child. Damn, that man, er, bird had a nice chest! As she watched, he released the pup he’d been holding and crossed his arms, making the muscles of his upper body dance in a most delicious way. It wasn’t her mouth that began watering at the sight, though.

“Sentient deaths have a different smell than base creature deaths, Ayden. Surly you’re old enough to know this. So, what kind of death? What kind of blood?”

“Rabbit blood,” the odd one answered off-handedly, trying to scratch his ear with his left foot. “We probably interrupted her dinner.”

“Shainnon, you are in base form. Use your hand to scratch that itch, please.”

Jen chuffed her amusement, her animal form’s version of a laugh. That Shainnon was an amusing little goof. The one called Ayden was probably a good pup when he was calm, she imagined, but he hadn’t impressed her with his intellect. She watched their guardian as he tried to turn this into a learning experience. Jen was fine with being the subject of the lesson so long as she got to look her fill at the big one. If her teachers in school had looked like that, she might have done better in school.

**********

The scent of warm feathers and rich musk filled her nose, luring her away from the trio to find its source. Ok, she knew the source—the big male. But this smell wasn’t coming from him. After he’d gotten his point through the ruffian’s head that she wasn’t something to chase or attack, he’d made the pups apologize to her then dragged them by the ears—literally—back up the game trail, collecting bits of their discarded clothing along the way. The male—Caid, the pups called him—hadn’t been able to find his shirt. Jen, following them back up the trail, had just found it.

She buried her nose in the soft fabric of the tee shirt, letting his scent roll over her senses like liquid heat. To her pleasure, Jen could detect no female on his clothing, only him. She purred deep in her chest as visions of Caid naked under the stars danced in her memory. No female scent of his cloths meant no female in his life. She picked up the garment in her mouth and turned to continue following the trio back to their camp site. Sooner or later those scamps were going to fall asleep. Then she could take the shirt back to its sexy owner. What a perfect excuse to introduce herself to him!

Golden Eagle Woman... and, the Hellhounds are Coming...

Tuesday yowls and howls, shapeshifter lovers. I hope Independence Day was a special and splendid time for you and your loved ones.

My flash scene is inspired by an eagle feather I found recently. It was a total surprise and I was profoundly moved.
~~~~~~

Golden Eagle Woman

Weary down to her bones, down to her last flight feather, Shyla landed. Lacking her usual grace, she clumsily flapped her large wings to regain her balance atop the sun-baked boulder near the mountain ledge.

Shyla’s eyes threatened to close as she eagle-eyed the town of Talbot’s Peak, a supposed sanctuary for shapeshifters. But, could she fly close enough to safely perch on a low branch, then morph? Even now, she used the last of her energy to grip the smooth rock with her talons.

Shyla had been winging fast for four days, only snatching a nap here and there. She’d fought her way through the buffeting winds of a thunderstorm, and flown beneath the blistering heat of the summer sun on sheer will power alone.

Desperate to escape the vile sorcerer’s ruthless pursuit, Shyla had braved the night realm even though as a golden eagle her eyesight had been severely limited. However, because she never shifted to human, Braxis’s dark magick had failed, and his scrying mirror became useless.

While her kind was not easily bespelled into captivity, still a sorcerer with Braxis’s great dark power could force her to serve his will.

Shyla would have shuddered at the thought of being his sexual slave, but all she wanted to do now was collapse in one spot, and sleep. Still, her body screamed for food, and she half-heartedly scanned her immediate surroundings. All she’d been able to catch was an elderly mouse ready to journey to the other side, and a sparrow with a severely broken wing.

Seeing only the hurried skittering of insects, Shyla attempted to gather her strength. Instead, she toppled off the boulder, and onto a hiking trail. Flailing her wings, she struggled to right herself, but only managed to stir up clouds of dust that began clogging her nostrils.

About to choke, Shyla stilled. With no other choice she let her body take over, and slowly shifted to human. Too late she heard the clip-clop of a horse’s hooves on the trail. Covered in feathers, unable to move, Shyla waited to be discovered.

Likely whoever the unfortunate soul was, they would think she was a freak of nature, and shriek to the high heavens. She prayed they would not be harmed -- that their horse would not bolt in fright.

Before she could see who it was, her energy ebbed so low, Shyla lapsed into semi-consciousness.

“Bird woman.” A man’s deep voice seemed to penetrate her skull. “No, you are Eagle Woman. I have found you.”

Found her? Aware he dismounted, Shyla barely heard his footsteps as he approached.

“Do not fear me, little eagle one.” Shyla felt the vibration as he knelt beside her. “I am a shaman. I have seen you as you are in a recent vision.”

With a gentleness she’d never felt from a man, his hand stroked what would have been her hair if she’d been fully shifted. Instead, her feathers pleasurably shivered from his touch.

After carefully sliding his hands beneath her, the shaman eased her from the ground. He cradled her against his broad, hard-as-an-oak tree chest, and rose upward.

How strong was this man?

Shyla tried to force her eyes open, but her eyelids didn’t even flutter. She decided with the effortless way he carried her, he couldn’t be merely human. Yet, she sensed nothing that told her otherwise.

“Be still,” he encouraged, his voice resonant with a calm power. “Scout, my horse, will take us both to Talbot’s Peak.”

The last thing Shyla knew was that he gently swung her astride his horse, and quickly mounted behind her. Once his strong warm arms embraced her, she succumbed to exhaustion, and fell into the black void of sleep.

***

“Eagle woman, your beauty is beyond the sunrise and the setting sun. Only the Great Spirit could have brought you to me, to my people.”

Dakota Black Bear did not resist the sensual invitation of the woman’s russet golden tresses. He briefly nuzzled her hair and the remaining downy feathers. Her soft skin bewitched him as well. Nearly matching the color of her hair, it was hued with the deep brown of Mother Earth.

Retrieving the blanket he used for a bedroll, he draped it around her. His little eagle one made not the slightest movement. Fatigue had claimed her completely.

“You are the gift that will free my people from the prison of a time lost to history,” he whispered close to her small ear. “Together, we will open the sky circle.”

Reining Scout back down the trail, Dakota Black Bear wondered if anyone in Talbot’s Peak knew about the dormant portal not far from the center of town.
~~~~~~

The Hellhounds are Coming...

Update: KANDY APPLE AND HER HELLHOUNDS will be released as an ebook on July 12, 2011, and is available for pre-order now.
~~~

Have a Magickal Shapeshifting Day!

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~

Beach Blanket Bingo

This ancient underground lake, Gypsy mused, probably hadn’t seen so much action since the dawn of the Paleolithic. It could never have hosted such an odd diversity of life, not even in creation’s earliest hours. Jess, the seahorse, slid through the dark waters with a sinuous grace he was trying to impart to his offspring. Little Tula was a natural, but Garth still thrashed around too much in his determined efforts to get the hang of it. Finally he shifted to human form and clung to his floatation device, aka Lamar, while he got his breath back. The snake was as much at home in the water as the ocean creatures, and didn’t mind Garth hanging on him.

Farther out from shore, Sergei romped in the water like a huge striped kitten. Gypsy had been told tigers loved the water, but observing this playful side of Sergei both surprised and warmed her. Beyond him, in the water’s black depths, Sivakka and Finley breached, twirled and dived like ballet dancers. The Nessie’s landings created minor tsunamis at the shoreline.

Gypsy lay back on her blanket and gazed up at the roof of the cave. Luminous fungus glowed up there in patterns that mimicked stars. If she flexed her imagination, she could almost believe she lay under a night sky.

She sensed rather than heard Jamie come up beside her. “Hate to interrupt, but you want a burger or a wiener?”

Gypsy opened her eyes and grinned up at him. Unlike the other shifters, he had covered his nakedness with a torso-length apron, more to protect his tender skin from spattering grease than any sense of modesty. After months as Lamar’s constant companion, she doubted if Jamie had any modesty left. “How about a burger and a wiener?”

Jamie shook his head. “You’re gonna wreck your figure, eating like that.”

“I doubt it.” She sat up and peered at Sergei frolicking in the waves kicked up by an enthusiastic leap and landing of Sivakka’s. She knew from experience he was tireless. “I get plenty of exercise.”

“Yeah. Me too,” Jamie said, with a similar look at Lamar. “Y’wanna call in the troops? I think we’re ready.” He went back to the grill.

Gypsy cupped her hands to her mouth and sent a howl echoing through the cavern. Those within earshot started for the shore. She knew her mental call would reach Sivakka, and the Nessie would inform the dolphin. If Jess missed the summons to dinner, Sivakka would pick up him and his twins on the way.

Lamar flowed out of the water, reared his snake-self upright, and assumed his human form. Sergei followed. Garth clung to the white tiger’s back. Sergei paced carefully so as not to dislodge his rider. “Babysitting?” Gypsy teased him. Sergei did not deign to reply.

The sea-shifters came next, rising from the icy water like beautiful primitive gods. Except for Tula, who splashed ashore like the five-year-old she was. She raced up to Jamie. “I wanna hot dog!”

“You wanna keep your hand away from there, little girl. You’re gonna burn yourself.” After a quick look to Jess for permission, Jamie handed the girl a well-grilled dog in a bun. Not to be outdone, Garth jumped off Sergei to demand his meal. Instantly the tiger shook himself all over Gypsy. “You're a monster," she hissed. “You know I hate the water.”

“Poor little puppy,” Sergei said upon shifting to human. He didn’t look in the least contrite. “You fail to provide towel, you live with consequences.” He extended his hand and helped her to her feet.

In moments they had a party gathered around the grill. Finley had never had a cheeseburger in her life, to Lamar’s delight and endless teasing. Sivakka had brought a cooler from Dante’s, full of beer from Lex’r's microbrewery, and soft drinks for the children. Finley had never had beer either. “I’m going to get her drunk,” Lamar confided to Gypsy and Sivakka. “Jamie too. I’ll bet I can get a threesome out of this.”

“Not with a dolphin, you’re not,” Sivakka warned. “Their metabolism is different. She’ll drink you right under the ocean.”

“Ha! We’ll see.”

Gypsy said nothing, simply basked in the camaraderie. Some day, she hoped, Freedom Day would mean more than a day at the “beach” and cookouts in an underground cavern. Some day creatures like Sivakka would not have to hide themselves even from their fellow shifters. Sergei would not have to hide his shift in allegiance from Shere Khan’s many eyes. Jess would be free to take his children home. Lamar and Jamie would be free to enjoy their relationship without censure or threat. Not this Freedom Day, she knew, perhaps not even the next. But someday soon.

She lifted her beer. “To freedom,” she said. Her toast was echoed by the others.

Much later Lamar complained, “I can’t stand up. The floor won’t stop tilting around. Hey, are those fireworks?”

Six Sentence Sunday-Jet Lag Blues

“Care for a taste before the main course?” He pressed against her lips.

Val’s tongue slipped up and down his palm and laved his fingers before she suckled two into her mouth, nipping at his fingertips as he worked them in and out. “Eager and ready, I see.”

Val slurped his fingers in one last time and released them. “I like the taste, but the appetizer wasn’t enough. More please.” Her grin and dip of her head toward his cock urged him forward.

http://bookstrand.com/jet-lag-blues

Available now.

Happy Freedom Day Shifter Style

Josh looked at the flags draped from every nook and available crevice in the bar. Lord, there were enough flags and clan poles decorating the room to allow them to open their own united shifters nations meeting. “I guess the cold and open spaces brought folks together in ways we hadn’t thought about.”

Anthony smiled and leaned on the bar. “I’m wondering if any of them will appreciate the finer aspect of this once they’ve got a few beers in them. Liquor and shifters often don’t mix.”

Josh laughed and shook his head. “Why do you think I told Sally to hide the good stuff? The beer’s watered down. It’ll take quite a few to light any fuses. By then, I suspect most will have enough food in their guts to help counter act the effects.”

Tory entered from the area off the bar leading to Josh’s office. “That was Tomas on the phone. He’s ready to send us reinforcements as needed. They got back from the north country a few weeks ago.”

Josh slipped his arms around Tory’s growing waist, pulling her back against him. “How’s Tongson handling Tavia’s pregnancy? I’m sure he’s guarding her and wanting to stash her somewhere out of the way.”

Tory reached up and patted Josh’s cheek. She reached for Anthony with her other hand. “I don’t know. But knowing Tavia’s reputation for not taking shit, I bet she’s read both Tongson and Tomas the riot act a few times over.”

Anthony took her hand, brushing his lips over her knuckles. He laved the space between her fingers as he worked his way back across her hand. Raising his head, he winked before moving around her other side and adding his arm around her and Josh. “I know we’re in for rough times ahead with the war brewing in Talbot’s Peak. Many here have voiced their concern and displeasure over Sherre Kahn’s power hungry tactics.”

“Freedom is important to us as well as humans. Power is so dark and corrupting if misused. Mixed with a bent on vengeance and ---all I can say is look the fuck out.” Josh freed one arm and hugged Anthony.

Anthony pressed his lips against Josh’s. He nibbled and worried each lip with his teeth before slipping his tongue deep into Josh’s mouth. Careful to not press hard against Tory, Josh moved tighter to Anthony. He slowly slid his hand up Anthony’s back until he reached his hair.

Threading his hand through Anthony’s ponytail, Josh worked the band holding it free. Josh loved the feel of Anthony’s hair rubbing against his thigh as Anthony deep throated him. Fisting his hands full of Anthony’s hair and tugging slightly urged Anthony on. Josh still had the nip marks near the base of his balls from their prior night’s play.

“Easy loves,” Tory moaned. “Our child kicks her delight. I want her to know her fathers’s love well before she’s born. Much more and I’m going to need services that aren’t meant for public eyes.”

Anthony pulled back, breaking off his and Josh’s kiss. Anthony inhaled deeply. He wanted to take both of his loves to bed and spend the night making love. That would have to wait. They had a bar to run and a freedom celebration to get under way.

“Happy Freedom Day!” Sally called out as she entered through the front door. “May all find freedom to be, love as they want without harm to others and themselves, and to share the gift of love and life with everyone unbiasedly.”

“Amen to that!” Josh added. “The first round is on the house for any through the door tonight, be it beer or non-alcoholic.”

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

Happy Fourth of July everyone! Summer is upon us and the heat is kicking. Keep cool with those you love. Remember to enjoy a few good books with your spice and friends.

Smiles,

Solara

More Money...Better Benefits

Good Friday Morning!  And a happy start to the Fourth of July weekend to one and all!  The only fireworks I have for you today are the ones lighting up between Ziva and Nick.  

Thanks to Ziva's new position at the G&B, she's been in rare form inside my head.  I've come to realize that most of my heroines are all a little naughty.  They like to make waves.  Not big ones so much as small personal waves, but certainly they like to keep their men on their toes.  Ya gotta just love that in a heroine, ya know.  ~wink~

Have a Safe and Sassy Fourth everyone! 

~~~~

Hot damn!  I’ve been sprung from personals hell.  Ziva fought the silly grin threatening to explode across her face as she looked between a very pissed off Rex and her still could not admit they were mates, boss man, Nick.  She already had an idea of what the new site would look like and what it would offer the residents in Talbot’s Peak.   

She mentally stripped and chopped page after page of the G&B site as she followed Nick back to his office.   

First thing on the block would be the articles Rex had picked for the daily story.  She wouldn’t get rid of an articles section, just make it a bit more eclectic.  Perhaps she’d add a local sightings spot to increase the towns growing influx of tourists. The monkey’s out there loved to read about the paranormal and the shifters like to make a scene.  As long as no one got caught, it could be very profitable for the business owning shifters. 

There could be a recipes section as well, where the locals could submit their favorites for possible addition to the daily or weekly page.  Maybe she could sneak a few of Elly and Vernon’s fav’s in there, just to see the fur fly and the heads butt… 

There should be a news section, both local and worldwide, and she supposed there should be some sort of classifieds along the line of that dudes list, Clyde, Clive, Cleo…hell, a swap and drop sort of thing.  With the way those bunnies went at it there was always a need for new or borrowed baby paraphernalia.   

“…are you?”  The deep, sexy sound of her mate’s voice wormed its way past thoughts of her new project. 

Now, a local entertainment page, tattooed, pink-haired, dancing flamingos around a bon fire…that would have been a great write up.  Probably a good thing she missed the opportunity, some of the males in this town were just insecure enough to be okay with their she’s partaking of that show

“Ziva!”

“What-oh, sorry, what were you saying?”  Speaking of insecure.  Not that his gripes and growls would stop her from some innocent fun, nor did he outwardly show insecurity, but she had to wonder if his lack of follow through in their mating dance was because he feared she’d turn him down? 

The riled up wrinkle that curved down between Nick’s eyes, in both human and wolf form, deepened as it always did around her. Damn, but she adored the little crinkle.

“Where are you, Z?  You’re a million miles away…”

Ziva watched the crease expand; etch itself further into his skin, making his eyes even darker and sexier.  What could she add to the website that would keep that look on his face here at work?  What would taunt him; pull him over the line into finally admitting what it seemed that everyone else already knew?

A shrill whistle cut through her wayward thoughts and Nick stood in front of her, snapping his fingers and loudly calling, “Here Ziva, Ziva.”

Oh no he did not…  Ziva slapped his hand away from her face, wondering if she was fast enough to break his fingers.  “You did not just snap at me and call me like a common dog.”

“I wouldn’t have to if you’d stop drifting…what the hell are you thinking about anyway?”

Lust simmered beneath her skin as she watched Nick turn and head back to the desk.  That crinkle, topped off with wide alpha shoulders, muscled forearms that bulged with whatever he did and an ass that begged for her teeth all made Ziva a happy, happy bitch.  Unfortunately, she was just as Alpha as he was and liked to give as well as she got and that little stunt of his, just gained her mate a bit of a verbal spanking.

“Hell, woman, there you go again.  Is this new position going to be too much for you to handle?  Do I need to give it back to Rex?”

Ziva slid onto the very smooth and quite hard desk Nick cherished and looked him straight in the eye.  “Don’t you frigging dare give it back to that mutt.  It’s mine now.”

“Good…”

“But, I have…requirements.”  She leaned close to the pen box sitting next to the computer monitor on Nick’s desk and began to fondle one of the wooden rulers she’d been stashing in there while he was out.  “I’m going to need more money…”

“What!”  Nick barked, though his gaze remained on her stroking fingers.

“…and better benefits.”

The low growl was a warning, one she wouldn’t heed.  This wolf was hers, but she needed him to know that she too was Alpha, and ornery macho behavior would not work on her, just love.

“What benefits!”

“Now, Nicolas Taggert McMahon,” she whispered, running her fingers down the ruler one last time before slowly climbing off his desk and heading for the door.  “I shouldn’t have to tell you what those benefits are…”

***

Ziva adjusted the skirt that had somehow managed to climb up so high around her thighs that she could feel the cool, canned air of the office on her bum.  The barking and growling coming from behind his closed office door made her smile.

“I’d wait a few before going in there,” she told Penelope, whose knowing look always gave her a little tingle.  “He’s a real beast right now.”