Taste of Kiwi

The theme for this week is villains, and in particular a meeting between the main characters and the villain. My scene is from Currents Run Deep, an orca shapeshifter novella. This is the first encounter with the villains, and they don’t say anything during this quick meeting. In this scene Asia is meeting Roman for a date. They come from opposing tribes, and Asia is a little apprehensive yet excited as well. After all, what harm will one little date cause?

Currents Run Deep by Shelley Munro

Asia slipped out the side door and paused to allow her eyes to adjust to the dimmer light. At the far end of the small alley, illumination from a streetlamp spilled in from the main street. Asia heard the rumble of a car before it turned into the adjacent street and faded, leaving a throbbing silence.

Fumes from rotten food rose from the large rubbish bin between her and the exit of the alley. A shadow shifted, separating from the brick wall of the nightclub. Roman was waiting for her. A combination of relief and excitement fizzled through her veins. Asia paused to take a deep breath, knowing she was running a risk yet unable to withstand the temptation. A woman would need to be stark raving mad to turn down a date with Roman.

A metallic clang broke the night. A shout. The smack of fist against human flesh. Asia rounded the bin at a sprint and saw three dark-clad men attacking Roman.

“Hey!” she hollered. “Stop that!”

Two of the men paused while the third slammed a fist into Roman’s belly and kicked him viciously. Roman fell, his head colliding with the footpath with a sickening thump.

Asia rushed forward, screeching at the top of her voice. “Fire! Fire! Someone help. There’s a fire!”

One of the men spoke in a low, guttural voice—too low for Asia to catch the words. She kept running and almost turned her ankle in a pothole. Damn high heels!

“Fire!” she shouted, righting herself and ignoring the pain in her panic to stop them hurting Roman.

The three men melted into the darkness but not before one of them kicked Roman several times in the ribs. Asia leapt at him, ready to do some damage of her own, but he was too strong and thrust her away like an unwanted piece of litter. Her butt hit the footpath with enough force to jar her entire body. Jagged pain snaked up her spine, making her eyes water.

“Oh,” she muttered, moving gingerly to discover the extent of the damage. Bruised, she decided, but there was nothing broken.

The side door she’d exited through burst open, pummeling the brick wall with a bang. Excited voices neared from behind, and she heard the rapid retreat of footsteps. Bother and damn. They’d escape before anyone could do anything. She had no idea what they looked like either since they’d worn stocking ski masks to hide their faces.

Asia clambered to her feet and dragged her aching body over to Roman. A nasty gash on his forehead and another on his left cheekbone marred the previous perfection of his features. Blood dripped down his face from a cut above his eyes, giving him a grotesque appearance. Asia checked his pulse. Still breathing, but he didn’t seem conscious.

“Roman, can you hear me?”

Asia was aware he shouldn’t go to a hospital. The last thing any of them needed was a curious doctor or lab technician. The Resident Orcas probably had their own healer, the same as her tribe. Asia eased out a frustrated breath, wondering what to do. Damn, she couldn’t take Roman to their healer, either. That would be more dangerous than the hospital.

A groan dragged her mind away from the dilemma. His eyes flickered.

“Roman,” she whispered.

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Check out some of the other wonderful Snippet Saturday posts featuring villains by following the links below:

Leah Braemel
Victoria Janssen
Shelley Munro
Anya Bast
Cynthia Eden
SJ Day
Jaci Burton
Michelle Pillow
Juliana Stone
Moira Rogers
Sacha White
TJ Michaels
Lacey Savage
McKenna Jeffries
Jody Wallace
Eliza Gayle
Kelly Maher
Vivian Arend
Taige Crenshaw
Beth Williamson

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