Taste of Kiwi

This week’s theme is scary, and I’ve picked a scene from my romantic suspense/mystery The Shadow.

The Shadow by Shelley Munro

A low growl was all the warning I received. I froze. Another growl made the hairs at the back of my neck stand and salute. Hell! A freaking dog. My heart thundered as I slowly turned.

The dog stood a few feet from me. Black. All teeth and fangs. Damn and blast. The damned thing hadn’t been here the three times I’d checked out the premises. And if the dog had a kennel, I hadn’t seen it. With slow, careful movements, I eased the pack from my back and fumbled with the zip. My hand closed around the doctored cheeseburger, and I let it fall to the ground at my feet. The dog sniffed the burger. It woofed the treat down in two bites before staring fixedly, perhaps debating if I were the second course. It growled. Father had assured me the sleeping pills would do the trick without hurting the dog. I hoped he knew what he was talking about. No sooner had the thought passed my mind then the dog swayed.

I bolted. The dog gave a feral growl and sprang. Fabric ripped. My steps faltered. For an instant, I panicked, but suddenly the dog let go. Without looking back, I sprinted to the back of the house, my legs pumping like a hundred-meter sprinter at the Olympic Games. I scampered up the sturdy vine I’d chosen and only then looked back, my chest burning for air. The dog lay still on the ground. I turned to survey the rip in my leggings and shifted uneasily. My backside smarted like the devil.

Smooth as silk.

Huh? Emily had read someone else’s cards, not mine.

I scaled the wall in no time at all, stubbornly ignoring the pain in my ass, and after pulling on a pair of gloves, entered the building via the nursery room window. Lucky for me the nursery was empty of all save the lingering scent of lemon furniture polish. I crept down to the next floor, but that’s when luck deserted me again.

A footfall sounded.

I froze, my heart hammering with alarm. There was someone at home. Laughter-both male and female. Had the husband returned? Why were they there with the lights off? Duh! Stupid question. It was obvious why the room was dark. Abort my mission or risk it? As I hesitated on the landing, I heard footsteps on the stairs. The front door opened.

“Darling, tomorrow night?” the man asked.

“Yes. James isn’t back until Friday,” Perdita replied.

Kissing followed-loud enough to make me roll my eyes. After what seemed like ages, the door shut again and soft footsteps sounded on the stairs.

What the hell was I going to do now? I thought about hitting her over the head, snatching the jewels and running. I mean, she was fooling around; she deserved everything that was coming. I considered the idea a bit longer and rejected it as stupid. A girl had to have some scruples. Physical violence was one of mine.

Before I’d made a decision, I heard the front door open again. Jeez! The place was like Paddington Station at rush hour. I hunkered down in my hiding place on the landing and waited to see what developed.

Stealthy footsteps padded up the stairs toward the bedroom where Perdita had entertained her lover. Surely not another one?

“What do you want?” I heard Perdita demand.

I crept from my dark corner but couldn’t see a damned thing. What now? I wondered in frustration. Did I try to get closer?

A scream. A gunshot. I heard the sound of a rapid retreat. The front door slammed, then there was silence. No more laughter. Not a single bloody sound. I hovered indecisively. Dithered, really. When everything remained silent, I cautiously crept toward Perdita’s bedroom.

When I was a few feet from the doorway, a cuckoo burst from its clock, nearly giving me a coronary. I leapt in fright but managed to hold back on the accompanying squeak. After my heart settled back in place, I slunk closer to the bedroom.

A little moonlight seeped in from outside, but I didn’t need illumination to tell something was badly wrong. I could smell it. An indescribable scent, layered with expensive perfume and sex, that I didn’t want to smell again in a hurry.

“Hello?” I whispered. It was no surprise to me that I sounded shit-scared. And not much of a surprise when no one answered. I fumbled for the light switch, not because I wanted to but because I had to know.

Blood.

Everywhere. It really stood out on the white satin sheets. I swallowed when I observed the very dead woman sprawled on the king-sized bed, and then gulped again when my stomach threatened to revolt. It was Perdita Moning, all right.

Strangled laughter sounded, and I was a bit surprised when I realized the sound came from me. Slightly hysterical. A little crazed. But hell, not every day a girl witnesses a murder.

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To read more Snippet Saturday excerpts follow the links below:

McKenna Jeffries
Vivian Arend
TJ Michaels
Ashley Ladd
Shelley Munro
Taige Crenshaw
Lauren Dane
Mari Carr
Eliza Gayle
Jody Wallace

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The theme for today is dumped. I’ve chosen the opening scene from Lovers at Last. Our heroine goes to her best friend for sympathy after the man she’s been with for some time decides to marry someone else. Justin is very happy with this development because he’s had his eye on Pearl for some time. It’s time to make his move!

Lovers at Last by Shelley Munro

A thump on Justin Collet’s door jerked his attention from the Auckland versus Canterbury rugby match playing on his television. Before he could push to his feet, he heard his front door fly open and hit the stopper. Seconds later it slammed shut. The strident tap-tap of high heels echoed in the hall and Pearl MacInray stomped into his den. Justin took a moment to admire the temper glowing on her face, the flashing pale blue eyes and golden tumble of curls before doing a scan of her curvy body. Immediately he tensed, his cock shooting to partial arousal. Damn, she was one fine woman. Pity they were merely friends. Pearl came to a halt in front of him, magnificent breasts heaving with the force of her ire.

“Andrew Dickins is a bastard,” Pearl spat out, shaking her fist in Justin’s face. Something white and thin flashed past his nose, almost hitting him in the eye.

Justin stood, moving out of range. “Wanna beer?”

“Yeah. Thanks.” Pearl dropped onto his battered leather couch, her miniskirt riding up to display a good portion of black stocking. Justin knew she wore stockings because he caught a glimpse of pale, creamy thigh before she tugged her black skirt down. Hot damn. This woman was gonna be the death of him. He wondered why Andrew Dickins was a bastard and decided he didn’t really give a damn. If the man’s behavior meant he could spend time with Pearl, Justin was all for it. His cock stirred again at the thought.

He strode into his kitchen, giving himself a swift lecture about friends only. Didn’t work. Hell, he’d given up trying to listen to commonsense. Let lust rule. The few beers he’d had after work with his mates were enough to blunt his normal restraint when it came to Pearl. Somehow he couldn’t find it in himself to give a fuck about breaking his self-imposed rule. Maybe it was time he made a move on her. There was more in life than work. Yeah. He’d done the work thing and was doing fuckin’ nicely, thank you very much. Time for another challenge. He opened his fridge and grabbed two beers, pausing to collect a glass for Pearl before returning to his den.

When he stalked up to his couch, Pearl was muttering to herself, her hand clenching and relaxing on something white. A string of pearls. His lips pursed in a silent whistle. Big bucks.

One of her lovers had dropped a pile of money on her. Considering the magnificent gift, he wondered what had bent Pearl out of shape. Last time he’d seen her this angry, it was because her lover at the time had refused to take direction. Justin snorted. Any man who couldn’t find a woman’s clit had no business making love to a stunner like Pearl. She should have told him to fuck off without a second chance.

“Here you go, babe.” Justin handed over the dew-frosted can and glass before sinking onto the couch beside her. He tipped back his head, enjoying the crisp taste of hops dancing across his tongue. Beer, woman and rugby. Hot damn. His night was lookin’ up.

“You come to watch the rugby, or do you want to shoot the breeze?” he asked finally, more to stop her fidgeting and muttering than anything else. Knowing Pearl, he was gonna hear about whatever ailed her no matter what he said.

“Andrew gave me these pearls.” Pearl shook them in his face again.

Justin ducked out of range. That was a bad thing? “I thought you liked jewelry.” Although he’d known Pearl since high school, sometimes he couldn’t fathom the way her mind worked. Women. Shit, he’d never understand them, which was probably why he’d stuck to short-term relationships. That and because he lusted after Pearl, couldn’t imagine being with anyone else for the long haul.

“I’ve been with Andrew for a year. He took me to dinner with his partners. When he told me he was giving me something special, I thought it was a diamond engagement ring.” Her breasts rose and fell, attracting his attention again. Damn, she was fine.

“And?” he prompted, suspecting there was more.

“I thought he’d ask me to marry him, but instead, he gave me this stupid pearl necklace. ‘Pearls for a special Pearl.’ That’s what he said, and then the louse told me he intended to marry Janie Gilroy.”

“Bastard,” Justin said while feeling elation inside. He didn’t like the idea of Pearl marrying anyone.

“Yeah,” Pearl muttered. “A pearl necklace. You’d think males could be more original. Men keep giving me stupid pearls and I want diamonds,” she ended on a wail.

“Sweetheart, don’t cry,” Justin said uneasily. He’d been through one of her crying jags before and didn’t want to repeat the experience. A man could only take so much before he broke.

A single tear ran down her face, melting him inside. He set his beer aside, took her glass from her and pulled her against his side. A strand of golden blonde hair tickled his nose and he tucked it behind her ear, kissing the tip of her pert nose. “You smell nice.”

“A present from Andrew,” she said with a sniff.

“Bloody Andrew,” Justin said, knowing it would make her laugh.

“Yeah, ‘bloody Andrew’,” she parroted with a watery smile.

Lovers at Last (ebook)
Lovers at Last (kindle)
Provocative Pearl (print)

To read more Snippet Saturday excerpts follow the links below:

McKenna Jeffries
Vivian Arend
TJ Michaels
Ashley Ladd
Shelley Munro
Taige Crenshaw
Lauren Dane
Mari Carr
Shelli Stevens
Lissa Matthews
Eliza Gayle

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This week’s theme is explosions. I’m using artistic license this week. LOL – my excerpt from Sex, Spies and Sapphires includes the word “explode”…

Sex, Spies and Sapphires by Shelley Munro

“Kiss me.”

“I’ve never met anyone as bossy as you before.”

“And you like it,” she retorted. “You like a woman who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to go after it.”

She wasn’t wrong. Her independent streak and sassy mouth were the first things he’d noticed about her. Once again he thanked his lucky star for arranging their paths to cross.

“Are you just going to stare at me with a dopey smile? If Mr. Mark saw it, he’d demote you in an instant.”

She smirked. “I might suggest he promotes Chester to your job. Chester is so cute.”

Thomas moved so quickly she squealed. He whipped her over his knee and applied his hand to her naked backside. “Take it back.”

“Make me,” she said, laughter lurking in her husky voice. Sarah turned her head so she could see his face and pursed her lips. “I dare you.”

Little vixen. She knew just how to push him, which buttons would make him explode into action. He fondled her buttocks with his large hands, fascinated by the color contrasts in their skins. Sarah was pale where he was darker, tanned from spending time outdoors. Thomas bent to place a kiss in the middle of one pale buttock before leaning back against the headboard and slapping her ass.

“Oh!” she said with a squeak.

“Is that daring enough for you?”

Sarah waggled her ass. “Do it again.”

Shaking his head and laughing at the same time because of her outrageousness, he applied his hand again. The crack when hand met flesh was loud even though he hadn’t hit her hard. A rush of blood to her butt cheeks made them glow a soft pink. Sarah squirmed a little, the wriggling moves rubbing against the flared head of his penis. Thomas bit back a groan, knowing if he loosed the sound, Sarah would construe it as a weakness and think she’d won in this battle of wills. Thomas was determined to come out victor, just as he was determined to get his hands on the sapphire before Sarah. He knew she was after it even though they hadn’t discussed the matter.

He tapped her ass again, letting his hand linger on her stinging flesh to savor the heat. Sarah lifted into his hand and rubbed. The minx created a kiss of friction across his erection with the sly move, wringing a chuckle from him.

“What am I going to do with you?” he asked, his voice close to a groan.

“Love me,” she said. “You’re going to love me.”

He was doomed. Absolutely doomed.

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To read more excerpts follow the Snippet Saturday trail:

McKenna Jeffries
Vivian Arend
Ashley Ladd
Shelley Munro
Taige Crenshaw
Mari Carr
Kelly Maher
Eliza Gayle
Victoria Janssen

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The theme this week is Near Death Experience. I have quite a few scenes where my characters are in dire danger, but they come mostly at the end of my stories. I don’t want to give too much away. In the end, I decided on an excerpt from Soldier of Fortune, one of the earlier scenes where the hero and heroine face an ambush on the streets of Iraq.

Soldier of Fortune by Shelley Munro

“Checkpoint,” the driver muttered, slowing the vehicle.

Louie cursed and slipped his gun out of sight but retained it in his hand. Local soldiers ran the roving checkpoints. They shot first and asked questions later. Cooperation and patience were key to remaining alive. If all else failed the driver would barrel straight through and hope for the best.

“Tell him we’re going east,” Louie instructed the driver.

The driver spoke rapidly in the local dialect, answering questions fired at him by the young soldier.

Louie relaxed fractionally when the soldier waved them through. “Good man,” he said to the driver.

They made good progress despite the slow-moving traffic and the wait for a British army convoy to pass through an intersection. Overhead, a Black Hawk helicopter buzzed like a whining mosquito, drawing sporadic fire from a patch of undergrowth.

“Don’t like this,” Simon said via the radio. “More gunfire than usual. Not many locals either. What’s your gut say?”

“Something’s going on.” Louie agreed, the back of his neck tingling in warning. Danger lurked in the shadows.

Somewhere. “Guess our quiet period is over. Can you see anything?”

Up ahead, two vehicles jammed on their brakes, coming to an abrupt stop. Behind the second recon car, another stopped, blocking their retreat. Magically, the few remaining locals faded into the background, leaving a deserted street.

“Ambush,” Simon shouted.

Gunfire cracked directly behind them. A signal. Bullets rained down. From the front. From the rear. The rat-a-tat-tat of guns filled Louie’s ears, made them ring.

“Fire!” Simon hollered through the radio.

Louie concentrated on the two vehicles in front. “Shoot to kill.” Simon would watch their six, but he gave orders anyway. “Mac, check our rear.”

Like a freak hail storm, the bullets pelted their vehicle. Cautiously, Louie opened his door. Crouched behind. Fired.

Mac, Tai and Garrett fired with rapid precision from behind lowered windows. The jackhammer of AK-47 assault rifles echoed between the buildings, replaying in his head. All the time he was aware of Mac behind him. Part of him wanted to throw her back in the vehicle, keep her safe. He started to move and froze when a bullet whizzed past his cheek.

“Fuck.” He ducked behind the door, forced himself to concentrate. Just him and his weapon in hand. Shoot to kill. Fire. Fire. Fire! Bullets hit the door, kicked up dust until his eyes smarted. Men shouted. Somewhere in front of him, a man shrieked for help, his French accent casting him as one of the insurgent volunteers from abroad. Fanatics, they came from all over the world to fight for the cause.

Time slowed, the insurgents returning a barrage of fire. Sweat dripped down Louie’s face. He swiped it away, fear clutching at his chest. They couldn’t keep this up for much longer. Should they make a run for it? He fired another round of shots, assessing the situation, making decisions.

“Rear car is retreating,” Simon reported in a terse voice.

Thank you, God. Something was going right.
The driver moved the second car up, giving them better cover. Another of the insurgents fell to the ground, didn’t move. Grimly, Louie fired until all return fire ceased. The guns of his men fell silent, but they remained watchful. Louie cautiously peered around the door to scan the vicinity. When no one moved, he ordered everyone back into the vehicles.

They’d been bloody lucky this time. He swiped a weary hand over his face. Mac… Damn! Thoughts of her had distracted him. Time to get a grip. He’d get them all killed if he didn’t start thinking with his head instead of his dick.

Purchase your copy of Soldier of Fortune here.

To read more Snippet Saturday excerpts follow the links below:

Eliza Gayle
Moira Rogers
Ashley Ladd
Shelley Munro
Taige Crenshaw
Juliana Stone
TJ Michaels
Shelli Stevens
McKenna Jeffries
Anya Bast
Victoria Janssen

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This week’s theme for Snippet Saturday is parties. I’ve picked an excerpt from Cat and Mouse, book five in my Middlemarch Mates series. This book is a standalone erotic romance, although you will probably enjoy it even more if you’ve read the other stories. Oh, and there are a few adult words in this excerpt. I thought about chopping them out, but in the end I thought I’d leave the excerpt as is. Enjoy!

CAT AND MOUSE by Shelley Munro

Country and Western music poured from the huge marquee along with laughter, some of it with a tinge of alcohol-induced hilarity, filled the air by the time Duncan and a couple of the other cowboys wandered over from the campsite. Determination rode him because he knew he’d have a fight on his hands to get close to Lana. Even though tonight wasn’t the main event, there were still a lot of people gathered at the party to raise funds for the local fire service who also carried out search and rescue in the area. The local men, the visiting cowboys and the woman herself would all get in the way of his goal. Too bad. He’d waited a long time and wasn’t about to back off without a fight.

The local committee had gone all out with decorations including wanted posters and a display of Western memorabilia just inside the entrance. He paid his admission and sauntered into the marquee looking for Lana or either of the Mitchells. Difficult to scent anyone in this crowd. Men and women packed the dance floor attempting to do a line dance.

Damn. He couldn’t see Lana. Cursing softly, he pushed his way through the crowd, pausing here and there to say hello to friends and acquaintances. Along with his unease came a contrasting sense of contentment. It was damned fine being home, spending time with his fellow shifters.

“Are you looking for me?” The throaty voice dragged his attention from the dance floor.

Jesus, she looked beautiful. She wore a dark green dress with tiny straps to hold it up. It clung to her curves before falling to swish in loose folds around her knees. The color highlighted her eyes, deepening jade green to a darker, more mysterious hue. The shadow of her cleavage drew his attention He took half a step toward her before stopping abruptly. Not the time or place. The closest he would get to touching during the next few hours would be a slow dance, or if he could persuade her to take a walk with him outside where the air was cool and privacy easier to find.

“Yeah. I thought you might be dancing.” But glad he didn’t have to see another man touch her.

She stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the lips, a brief brush on the mouth that had his feline purring. “I have been dancing. I saw you come in and wanted to say hello.”

The line dance ended and the band rolled into a slow dance. Perfect.

“Wanna dance with me?”

“Sure.”

They walked over to the makeshift dance floor and she slipped into his arms where she belonged. Her arms stretched up to grip his shoulders and their bodies brushed.

“You look beautiful.” Nothing less than the truth. The full skirt of her dress flirted with the tops of her knees, stirring with each gliding step. He would have preferred that she wear a sack, just so none of the other men could ogle her sexy form. Unfortunately, he could hardly complain since the other women were dressed in a similar manner. He wondered how long it would take to talk her out of that dress, pondered again the advisability of taking a walk.

“Thanks. You look pretty good yourself.”

They danced in silence for a while, Duncan content to hold her in his arms. One dance flowed into another.

“This is nice. I never have a chance to dance.”

He grunted an affirmative reply. That would make him a bastard if he asked her to take a walk. Fuck. Maybe he could steer her into the far corner where some enterprising cowboys had dimmed the lights. Yeah. Sounded like a plan. He danced her slowly across the floor, navigating dancers, cuddling her close and reveling in the soft feel of her body brushing his, her enticing scent of vanilla and the crisp outdoors.

The song ended and regretfully he stepped away from her. “Would you like a drink?”

“Sure. Emily and Saber are over in the corner. Do you want to sit with them?”

“Do you want wine?” Damn, the woman ate him up with her eyes. She shouldn’t do that—not if she knew what was good for her.

Lana winked, her dark lashes sweeping over her cheeks in a sexy fan. “That would be great.” His gaze drifted to her soft, glistening lips. Appealing and sensual. He fought the urge to dip his head and claim a taste.

“Go and sit with Emily and I’ll bring the drinks over.” He started for the bar before stopping and turning back. “Lana, don’t dance with anyone else.”

“But that wouldn’t be polite.”

“Fuck polite. You offered me the weekend.” Duncan strode off to the bar, urgency simmering through his veins. The bloody woman made him crazy. He knew what it felt like to bury his cock deep in her hot pussy and now he wanted a repeat. Once with Lana wasn’t enough.

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To read other Snippet Saturday excerpts follow the links below:

Vivian Arend
Moira Rogers
Ashley Ladd
Kelly Maher
Leah Braemel
McKenna Jeffries
Sasha White
Taige Crenshaw
Shelli Stevens
Shelley Munro
Eliza Gayle
Jody Wallace
Elizabeth Naughton
TJ Michaels

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The theme for this week is secondary characters. I really enjoy using secondary characters in my stories. They provide an element of comedy, a foil for the hero and heroine. They can say and do things the main characters can’t get away with if they’re to remain likeable. Sometimes they prove interesting enough that I decide to write their story, complete with happy ending. In Scarlet Woman, the first book in my Middlemarch Mates series, I introduced Saber Mitchell and his four brothers. Readers loved this story and requested more stories. Peeping Tom features Felix Mitchell, Assassin features Leo Mitchell and Stray Cat Strut features the Mitchell’s friend Saul Sinclair. I’d hoped to find time to write Sly and Joe Mitchell’s story this year, but it looks as if it will be 2010 before they meet their match.

SCARLET WOMAN by Shelley Munro

“Oh, man. Look at the tits on her.” Felix made kissing noises deep in his throat. “I’ve died and gone to heaven. Oh, man. She winked. Yep, heaven.”

Sly thumped his brother on the back. “Don’t think it’s heaven, bro. Can’t be with all that sinful lust shining on your face.”

“Cut it out, the pair of you,” Saber said, trying to scowl his boisterous younger brothers into obedience. Despite laying down the law this afternoon, the four were out of control. He had to get them settled before one of their harmless pranks boiled over into something that threatened them all.

“Yeah, gotta remember, this is punishment,” Leo chided, humor dancing in his dark eyes.

Joe let out a low whistle. “I vote the lady in red administers my punishment.”

Saber relaxed a fraction. Good. His plan was working already. If he managed to get each of his brothers mated, they’d cut out the mischievous shenanigans and settle down to raise a litter or two. And he wouldn’t have to worry about articles in the paper like the one he’d seen last month.

Black panther sighted again.

At least the article had lit a match under the council elders. Finally. Agreement that they needed to do something to help the younger males settle. Saber’s mouth firmed in introspection as he recalled the heated meeting. The council had discussed the lack of females of marriageable age. They knew the causes—the feline families tended to have male offspring while the human females seemed to enjoy the lifestyle offered in the city of Dunedin or farther afield. They attended high school and university in the city and never returned to their birthplace. The human males left too, but they tended to return after exploring a little of the world outside Middlemarch. Until the reporter’s story had appeared, no one had tried to solve the problem of a lopsided gender ratio. The article in the paper had been the catalyst. They’d all swung into action to organize a dance they hoped would benefit both the young shifter and human males living in Middlemarch. The task they’d called impossible suddenly became imperative.

Saber eyed Felix and Leo, the brothers standing closest to him, feeling the tension brought about by responsibility coalesce into a solid lump in his chest. They both strenuously denied taking part in the prank, but Saber wasn’t so sure. He knew his brothers—where there was fun to be had, they were in the thick of it.

Felix nudged Sly. “Big bro’s looking serious. He’s got Mission Mate on his mind again.”

Joe leaned closer and whispered, “Can’t have shape shifters roaming around Middlemarch for the humans to see.”

“Enough,” Saber snapped. His brothers sobered, knowing they’d pushed him far enough tonight. Dammit, he had to find them mates. It was too late for him. But not for them. None of his brothers remembered how it had been between their parents. They’d been too young when they died, but Saber remembered how they’d laughed and played together, how they’d made everything seem like a game, even the work on the farm.

Yes, he remembered the intimacy between his parents, and that’s what he wanted for his four brothers.

“Look, we said we’d go along with this plan,” Felix said. “We’ll give it a shot. Me first. Introduce me to the lady in red.”

The lady in red.

The second brother to mention her. Curiosity piqued, Saber turned to check out the view. His breath stalled until the tight vise around his lungs reminded him to breathe. Saber inhaled sharply, his nostrils flaring, feline genes kicking in.

He wanted the lady in red.

To read further excerpts or to buy one of my Middlemarch Mates stories follow these links:
Scarlet Woman, Peeping Tom, Stray Cat Strut, Assassin

To read more Snippet Saturday excerpts about secondary characters follow the links below:

Eliza Gayle
Jody Wallace
Moira Rogers
Kelly Maher
Ashley Ladd
Shelley Munro
Taige Crenshaw
Vivian Arend
Lauren Dane
Jaci Burton
Juliana Stone
TJ Michaels
Shelli Stevens
Leah Braemel
McKenna Jeffries
Anya Bast
Mandy Roth
Victoria Janssen
Sasha White

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The theme for today is departures, and I’m posting a scene from one of my m/m romances, Fallen Idol.

FALLEN IDOL by Shelley Munro

Rafi made it back to the spaceport with five minutes to spare. He paid the cab driver and sprinted for the ship, trying to ignore the throb in his leg. Barker would look at the injury once they were safely en route for Patigous.

“About time,” Henry snapped. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” He turned away to seal the door before nailing Rafi with a glare. “We don’t need any more crew on this voyage. They’re only teenagers. And where’s your shirt? Aw, man. You stink. Whatcha been doing? Rolling around in the drains?”

Rafi ignored the comments about his appearance. Teenagers? That old? It was better than he’d thought.
He’d had visions of the authorities charging him with child slavery or worse. He nodded at the grizzled male who had been with him from the start. “Yeah, I know they’re just kids. Long story. The shirt is in the story as well.” Now that he’d stopped his headlong rush, the pain seemed to have caught up with him. His leg throbbed, his shoulder ached where he’d scraped the skin off and his head hurt. “Where are they?”

“I told Mac to look after them. She’s a female. She knows about kids.”

Rafi snorted, trying to imagine the blonde temptress from Dalvine looking after the two street kids. She might look like centerfold material but all she really cared about was the spaceship and the engines that drove them. Fortunately for him, she was bloody good at her job. “Did you inform Mac she’s meant to know about kids?”

“Do I look stupid?” Henry’s grin bloomed to display a sapphire in his front tooth as he scrutinized Rafi carefully. They shared a knowing smirk. Mac was not a typical female. Henry’s humor faded, his brow crinkling in worry. “Hey, man, you okay? You don’t look so good.”

Rafi ignored the query, concentrating on more important things instead. He couldn’t believe he’d brought Bob and two street kids aboard the ship. The two street kids he could handle—he’d just delegate responsibility—but Bob was different. Bob had the ability to create turmoil. Hell, the man had him tied in knots of confusion already. And worse, it was difficult to reconcile the yearning inside with Bob’s physical appearance. Rafi swallowed and glanced at his second-in-command. “How’s Bob?”

Henry rolled his eyes in clear contempt. “The whale?”

“He’s my friend,” Rafi snapped, drawing up tall and threatening. Regret followed immediately since the movement stretched his thigh and hurt like a bitch. Rafi relaxed his body deliberately but his glare was designed to make Henry back down. “He’s going through a rough patch. He used to do well on the sex circuit. Bob has won lots of competitions.”

“Sorry,” Henry said, holding his hands up in a sign of surrender and apology. “We should be used to your strays by now. He’s going to be okay. Barker took care of him. Said he’s going to heal up fine. He’s in your berth, strapped in, ready for takeoff. I think Barker gave him something to knock him out because he’d started shrieking like a baby.”

Rafi swallowed and tried not to think about Bob lying in his bed. His berth was Spartan with not much in the way of personal touches, not that it usually mattered since Rafi spent most of his time up on the bridge or in the recreation room with his crew. Having Bob around was going to make his life difficult. Rafi pictured Bob as he used to be, regret at the forefront of his mind. Thoughts of Bob’s current appearance blotted out everything good. Difficult? Hell, make that impossible. “Where is Barker now?”

“Getting ready for takeoff,” Henry said.

Rafi nodded. “I’d better head up to the bridge now.” Damn, his thigh was hurting. It throbbed with each stride he took and he also gagged at the stench coming from his body. Too bad. Both a bath and medical attention would have to wait until they were out of Earth’s atmosphere and safely on autopilot. He headed down the short and narrow passage toward the bridge, limping as fast as he could. Beneath his feet, he could feel the rumble of the ship’s engine. The smooth purr was a credit to Mac, their engineer. Rafi grinned. Those two street kids would be driving her nuts.

“Captain. ‘Bout time you arrived.” Mac scowled at him. “You almost made us lose our slot. Where is your shirt?” Her dark stormy eyes said a lot more and Rafi knew he was in for a tongue-lashing later on once the complexities of liftoff were out of the way. “You look like you’ve been rolling around the gutter with all that muck on you and the torn trews.” Her perfect nose wrinkled. “You honk like a pack of dog-rats.”

“Sorry. It’s a long story. Plenty of time for that later.”

Barker and Mac were at their stations when Rafi slipped into the pilot’s seat. Everything looked set for takeoff. Mac had the two street kids strapped into the spare seats on the far side of the bridge. Wide-eyed and unable to hide their excitement, they gaped at the black and silver interior of the bridge. Colored lights flashed on the console. Henry communicated with traffic control and each member of the crew went through final preparations for takeoff. A huge porthole filled the area in front of the bridge, giving a view out over the busy spaceport. Henry slid into the copilot seat beside him and patched through to main control. The two kids took in everything, reminding Rafi of his first voyage into space, the exhilaration, the excitement and knowledge that this was what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. It didn’t seem to bother the kids that they had no luggage or were with people they didn’t know. They seemed to trust him—another weighty responsibility he wasn’t sure he wanted.

Mac increased the power of the engines and after the last muffled instructions from control they soared upward into the Earth’s atmosphere. They shot through fluffy white clouds, continuing upward at a steep incline. In a short time, the color of the sky darkened and they blasted out of the atmosphere into dark space.

“Wow!” one of the kids said.

Rafi smiled, trying hard to concentrate on the instruments. Difficult when his leg ached so badly. He scanned all the readings and nodded slightly when he saw everything was working smoothly. Not that he’d expected anything else since his crew was topnotch. The ship leveled out and they headed out on the flight path they’d filed.

“On to autopilot,” Henry said.

As one, the crew relaxed and soon banter filled the bridge.

“Hey, Barker,” Rafi called. “You got a minute?”

“Sure, Captain.” Barker was a fearsome sight—a huge bear of a man with a scar down his left cheek, but he was the best medic Rafi had ever met. Barker strode over to Rafi, his right eyebrow rising in a question.

“I took a gunshot to my thigh.”

Henry’s head whipped around. “Why didn’t you say so?”

Purchase Fallen Idol at Ellora’s Cave.

To read more Departure excerpts follow the Snippet Saturday links below:

Eliza Gayle
Jody Wallace
Moira Rogers
Kelly Maher
Ashley Ladd
Shelley Munro
Taige Crenshaw
Vivian Arend
Lauren Dane
Savannah Foley

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The theme for today is arrivals. The following is an excerpt from my latest release Soldier of Fortune that shows the arrival of Joanna “Mac” McGregor for her new job.

Soldier of Fortune by Shelley Munro

The charter flight from Jordan to Iraq was a short hop but plenty long enough for Joanna “Mac” McGregor to second-guess her decision to take up a contract in the security sector with Chesterton UK. The wheels of the plane hit the runway, a solid thump before the pilot applied the brakes. Tension seeped into hands holding a fantasy paperback, turning her knuckles white. It wasn’t just her. Even the guys at the back of the plane—the ones who had bantered their way through the entire journey and tried to tempt her into joining the Mile High Club—fell silent. Mac stared out the window. She’d seen the stark reality of Baghdad firsthand when the plane circled the runway to land—the endless sand giving way to the greener city.

Checkpoints. Security forces. Burned-out vehicles, buildings damaged by both allies’ and insurgents’ bombs.

Too late to change her mind and return to New Zealand now.

She’d gone through the lengthy interview process, answered all the questions about why a woman would want to undertake such a dangerous assignment and finally signed on the dotted line. After all, not much call for her skill set in an office and she couldn’t earn this sort of money doing anything else. Icy determination to succeed curled through her gut, squared her shoulders.

Mac disembarked with the rest of the security force, a few intrepid reporters and a camera crew, the initial blast of heat when she walked down the stairs sucking her lungs dry. Sweat broke out over her body and her shirt soon clung to her clammy skin. Something she’d become used to quickly. After formalities, she waited with the other recruits—the new ones and the others who had signed on for a second or third tour.

Like her, they were in it for the money, some for the adrenaline rush. Some of them would return home to family and friends. Some would die. Time would tell which camp she fell into.

The only route into the city, dubbed Route Irish by the Americans, was the most dangerous stretch of road in the world. Despite the fences on both sides of the road, there were dangerous overpasses and numerous car bombs planted to snare the unwary. From the briefing, Mac knew they’d attempt to drive straight through any situation, be it bullets or bombs. Stopping wasn’t an option.

Five minutes later, they pulled out in convoy, protected by security forces from New Zealand and the United Kingdom, their driver pausing to wait while a United States military convoy crossed the road ahead of them. Overhead Mac watched two Black Hawk helicopters drawing fire, diverting it from the road. The entire time their car remained in radio contact with others from the convoy. The drivers and guards constantly assessed risk, on the lookout for threats.

Mac stared out the window, gut jumping because she knew danger lurked around every corner. Signs at the checkpoint authorizing lethal force brought home the reality of her situation. If she found herself in the wrong place at the wrong time, she would die. No one left to look after her father then. She scowled at the thought and shoved it away.

Their convoy drove past the International zone, patrolled by the US military, the only part of the city considered relatively safe. They didn’t stop, their destination the less-secure area where many security forces and their clients lived.

The Red zone—her home for the next six months.

Mac climbed from the rear of the armored vehicle, grabbed her gear and followed the other recruits into the main barrack-like building. All the domestic comforts, Mac thought, taking in the mismatched furniture, the clean but scuffed linoleum floor and the poster of a busty blonde hanging drunkenly on the far wall. She dumped her bags at her feet.

A tall, dark-haired man prowled through a doorway on her right and headed to the front of the room, his piercing blue eyes taking in the new arrivals. Mac’s breath caught the instant she glimpsed his face, hurled back to the past.

Louie?

Shock drop-kicked her square in the gut. Why wasn’t he at home in New Zealand? Only her military training kept her face impassive, the astonished gasp trapped inside her throat. Her training did nothing to halt the images flooding her mind, the memories of hard muscles beneath her questing fingers and the way it had felt each time his cock plunged between her legs. Damn, Louie had lied to her.

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To read more Snippet Saturday excerpts follow the links below:

Eliza Gayle
Jody Wallace
Moira Rogers
Kelly Maher
Victoria Janssen
Ashley Ladd
Shelli Stevens
Leah Braemel
McKenna Jeffries
Shelley Munro
Taige Crenshaw
Vivian Arend
Lauren Dane
Juliana Stone
TJ Michaels

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