Jude's Blog

#flaficfri
Here is another teaser from my upcoming prequel, Kings of Klenar.

Cass wrung her hands as she entered the queen’s chambers. She couldn’t imagine why Queen Sea wanted to meet with her and wondered if she had done something inadvertently offensive. Staring at the huge bed that dominated a huge portion of the room, she marveled at all the turquoise. Was that the queen’s favorite color or was that her color? Cass enjoyed meeting new Klenarians and seeing how their shimmer and eyes suited them. She approached the bed and lightly touched the bedspread, sighing at the luxurious feel of the plush fabric. It was somewhere between satin and fur but looked like neither.
The sound of a throat clearing made her jump back and spin toward the door. She sucked in her breath and held it as Queen Sea stood framed in the doorway. Her gown was a combination of turquoise and lavender, which was beautifully complimented by her long flowing hair of the same colors. Since they were inside, her shimmer was dim, but it was clearly turquoise, as surely her eyes were as well. Cass couldn’t help but smile at her beauty, and the queen smiled back.
“I finally get to meet the woman who has replaced me.”
The smile left her face at the unexpected comment. “Your highness?”
Queen Sea nodded and approached, a sparkle gleaming in her vibrant turquoise eyes. “Hello, Cassandra, it’s nice to finally meet you.” She gracefully leaned back on her bed and crossed her legs.
“And you, your highness, but could you please explain what you meant by replacing you?” Cass dropped her gaze to watch the queen’s tail unwinding from her right leg.
“All in good time. Please, sit with me. I’ve been wanting to talk with you ever since I heard you arrived with Luna. And please, call me Aurora.”

#flaficfri

Cass looked around the vast room with the majestic arched ceilings. She knew her mouth was hanging open in shock but couldn’t immediately compose herself. Sure she had seen plenty of sci-fi movies about aliens, but she never thought she would be in a room full of them. No longer the tallest woman in the room, her gaze moved over the Klenarians, noting their translucent skin and how each shimmered in a different color. It had taken her several days to realize Luna’s shimmer was a very faint violet, which matched the darker color of his eyes. Seeing so many of the tall, slender aliens, it amazed her that she hadn’t noticed it right away. Realizing the sun streaming in through the floor to ceiling windows might have something to do with it, she nodded. It had been night when she’d first seen Luna, and the rest of the time had been on his ship with no direct sunlight. This was the first time she had breathed fresh air in almost a week, and she took several deep breaths. Suddenly wishing Luna would enter the giant chamber so she could see how his skin looked, Cass turned toward the door.
It was then she noticed the females had tails, and she could not look away from the one undulating about ten feet away. How could she have not been aware of that before? She glanced at the other women and finally realized most of them either kept their tails hidden beneath their voluminous skirts or they wrapped tightly around one of their legs. The young girl who’s tail she had noticed didn’t seem at all interested in hiding her glorious tail, and Cass had to fight the temptation to close the distance between them so she could touch it.
“Luna, if you can’t keep your pet on a leash, you best keep her in your chambers.”
The booming voice made her jump, and she spun to find who shouted. She held her breath as she saw King Sky entering the room with Luna on his right. Both men stared at her, and she felt her face grow hot as she realized she was the pet.
“What?” Sputtering and shaking her head, Luna stepped between them before she could do or say a word.
“Father, Cassandra is my guest.”
The king began to laugh. “To hell she is. Earthlings rank lower than Pricoslings, my son. You should know better than to bring her here.”

I’m working on the prequel to Sierra Sky, and I’ve called it Kings of Klenar. Stay tuned for other teasers as I write the story, which I will ultimately self-publish and offer on my site.

#flaficfri
Happy Friday everyone! How about some Flash Fiction?

The first time it happened, terror flew through her. It wasn’t normal, and she knew it. Normal people couldn’t do things like that, only comic book characters. An unexpected smile twitched across her lips as she pictured a few of those super heroes, but she shook her head. She was not a super hero.
Staring at her fingers, she scraped her thumb nail against the pad of the ring finger of the same hand. She ignored the tickle and watched the small spark light up her flesh. It resembled the glow of one of those sparklers she always enjoyed playing with as a child. She would move it fast in the dark and try to spell her name before the light trail disappeared.
Scraping her nail harder and faster, the spark flickered and then burst into a match size flame. She held her breath, waiting for the heat to burn, but it didn’t. Her courage fled and she clapped her hands together to smother the fire.
Her breath released in a gush, and her whole body shook. Even after seeing it again, she still couldn’t wrap her mind around it. She had seen it in a few movies and knew it was only science-fiction. How on Earth could she be a real life fire starter?

#flaficfri

He didn’t want a pet, had never liked animals, so how had he ended up with a puppy? The dirty and wet little mutt whimpered from within the open box he carried under one arm, as he attempted to hold an umbrella over his head and unlock the door to his car with his other hand, all the while trying not to drop his briefcase. The umbrella fell to the side, and the downpour drenched them both. The puppy’s whimpers got louder, but he cursed as his keys slipped through his wet fingers.
“Looks like you could use some help.”
A white umbrella appeared before his eyes and a slender arm reached down to retrieve his keys. The woman attached to that arm straightened and then slid the key into the door lock. The umbrella finally moved to reveal her face. Brett could only blink at first as he stared at her angelic features, and that is exactly what she looked like. With the way the light hit her umbrella and trench coat through the rain, she might as well have been an angel. She was his angel.
“Oh, he’s precious.” He had almost forgotten about the puppy and didn’t resist as she took the box from beneath his arm.
Tightly gripping his umbrella and briefcase, he opened the door to his car and slid inside. His angel nuzzled the wet dog in the box before handing it back to him, along with his keys. Brett turned to place everything on the seat beside him. “I don’t know how to thank you for helping me. Do you need a lift?” He smiled and looked back where she had been, but there was only the rain. He gasped and glanced in all directions, but he couldn’t find her. If it hadn’t been raining so hard, he would have gotten out to look for her. How could she have just vanished?
Not wanting to get any wetter, he slammed the door and stared out the windshield. He didn’t even know her name. A yip from beside him got his attention, and he chuckled at the puppy with his little paws on the edge of the box, staring at him with big eyes and wagging his tail. “At least you got a nuzzle.”
It was then he saw it. Gold flashed against the puppy’s neck, and he pulled him from the box to get a closer look. A gold bracelet surrounded the animal’s neck like a collar, with a small locket at his throat. The initials ALB were engraved on the front. Brett opened the locket to see a small photo of his angel. He gasped in awe. This was hers.
He gazed again out the window, his mind already working on how he would track her down with the bracelet.

#FlaFicFri

Her breath came in harsh gasps as her legs pumped hard beneath her. She had never before run so fast or so far and didn’t know how much longer her body could hold out. The pounding of her heart blocked out any chance of hearing if he was still behind her, but she couldn’t risk turning to look. She might trip and fall, and he would catch her.
A low hanging branch nearly got her face, but she ducked under at the last moment, before leaping over a rain puddle. At least it wasn’t still raining, or that would make it harder to remain upright. Slipping was not an option with him chasing her.
She screeched as she felt the tug at her neck. He had managed to get close enough to make a grab for the hoodie of her sweatshirt. Shaking her head, she pulled from her remaining reserves and ran faster. His dismayed grunt made her smile. Looking into the distance, she could see her target. If she could keep up her pace, she would make it. The cramp building in her side was unexpected and unwanted.
“No!” But she couldn’t let it slow her down and ignored it best she could. The man ahead of her wiped his hands on his apron, and began to turn toward her. She was so close, she could almost taste it. He was only a few feet away and held out his arms toward her.
Triumph was trampled on as he tackled her from behind. She went down with a scream as the air was knocked from her body.
“Damn it!”
Laughter came from both men. “She almost beat you this time, Tony.”
“Don’t remind me.” Tony held out a hand to her. “You have to pay again, Sunny.”
Sunny growled as she slid her hand into his and stood beside her lover. They faced the barista, who held out their two cups of gourmet coffee. “I will beat you eventually. Look how close I came today.” She paid for both drinks, already thinking and dreaming about sweet victory.

Flash Fiction Friday

She pretended to be disinterested in him as he cleaned the pool. Gabby hid behind her dark shades as she sunbathed on the lounger, all the while watching his muscles flex with each scoop of the net. He looked her way, and she forced a yawn, shifting slightly under the hot sun.
She wore her brand new black string bikini and knew she looked good. He looked good, too, in his aqua blue speedo, which barely covered what it both concealed and showcased. The problem was that Fabio knew he had a great body, so Gabby did her best to pretend not to notice. Her friends assured her that the quickest way to gain his interest was to feign indifference. From the sideways glances being shot in her direction, it would seem her plan was working.
“I hope you have on sunscreen, Gabs.”
The comment startled her, and she tilted her head to gaze at him over her sunglasses. “I’m trying to tan, so wouldn’t that be defeating that purpose?”
He made a tasking sound as he continued in his endeavor, smiling at her over his shoulder. “You’re too pale and will burn.”
She scoffed but appreciated his bronze skin. She would kill to have his skin tone, but instead had to deal with a shade slightly off from cotton candy. “You know I hate that nickname.” She glared at him and then closed her eyes. Maybe she should look into getting one of those fake spray on tans.
“Why do you want leather for skin, when you should be pleased with satin?”
The nearness of his voice jolted her eyes open, and she sat up. Forgetting that the strings of her top were undone, her breasts spilled out for his view. Horrified, her mouth fell open in shock. “Oh my God!”
Fabio’s hand darted out and grabbed the strings, hooking them around her neck before she had a chance to react. His hands stayed behind her neck as he sat on the lounger beside her.
“Such a pretty color in your cheeks. Don’t be embarrassed by your own beauty, Gabs.”
She stared into his eyes, for the first time not disliking the nickname he had created for her. He made it sound like an endearment, and she smiled. “Thank you, Fabio.”
He nodded, and they both realized their relationship had changed from that moment on.

Flash Fiction Friday

It would be their first kiss. Meredith was nervous about it, too. What if he wasn’t any good at it? She liked Todd so much that the disappointment might kill her. He had to be a good kisser. She nodded, hoping her faith was strong enough to make it true. Having kissed her fair share of toads, she knew how few men knew what to do with their tongues. Some were so sloppy, she had to fight to keep from gagging. You knew it was bad when she had to wipe the back of your hand across your mouth to clear away all the spit. Meredith shuddered just thinking about it.
Shaking her head fiercely, she decided that if Todd wasn’t as good as she hoped that she would give him lessons. No, she wasn’t a kissing expert, but she knew a few things. She’d certainly never gotten any complaints from the toads. Footsteps sounded as Todd walked into the living room carrying two glasses of wine. He handed one to her as she sat beside her on the couch. She took a sip and smiled appreciatively at the sweet yet tart flavor.
“So, what did you want to do?”
Her eyes widened at the question, immediately visualizing locking lips with him. She gnawed on her lower lip and again tried not to worry.
“What’s wrong?” He rubbed her back, and she sighed.
She took another long sip of wine for courage. ”I guess I’m a little nervous.”
“What about?”
Should she be honest with him? How would he react to such a silly worry? Taking a deep breath, she spoke before she could change her mind. ”I’m worried about our first kiss.”
He nodded. ”Me too.”
That surprised her. ”Really?”
Todd threw an arm over the back of the couch behind her and nodded. ”Sure. Most of the women I’ve kissed had no idea what they were doing. I even had one lick my teeth.” He shuddered at the memory, and she laughed.
“Licked your teeth?” It made her problems with kissing seem small. ”Well, I promise I won’t ever lick your teeth.”
He moved closer and whispered in her ear. ”There are other things you can lick.”
She turned sharply and met his gaze, though his nearness made it impossible to focus. She breathed him in and decided that the wait was over. They would both decide here and now if their relationship would progress to the next level. Both their mouths were open and less than an inch apart, so it was easy to begin that kiss. Gentle at first, letting their lips glide over each other, getting used to the feel of their skin.
The tips of their tongues tentatively met, both hesitant to invade the other’s mouth. Now that she knew he was also judging her, she was nervous to go too fast, but his tongue sent shock waves through her body. His arm slid around her waist to pull her closer, and her hands slid up his chest to wrap around the back of his neck. She sighed into his mouth as the kiss deepened. Then it was over, and Todd pulled back to look into her eyes. Her mouth was still open, and her breaths came in pants as she returned his intense stare.
“Damn, that really sucked.”
Crestfallen, she let her hands fall away from him. ”What?” She had finally found a guy who could turn her on with a mere kiss, and he was the one who didn’t like the way she kissed? How ironic was that? ”I’m sorry.”
Todd laughed and tightened his arm around her. ”Damn, don’t apologize. I like a woman who knows how to suck.”
It was then she realized her worry had made her hear him wrong, and she laughed with him. ”Well, then, let’s try it again.”
This time when their lips and tongues met, the worry was gone.

Flash Fiction Friday

He watched the children playing, enjoying the golden curls of the girl bouncing as she ran with the others. His eyes never left her, never missed a movement, as if fearing she would vanish if he looked away. He sat on the bench on the edge of the park, keeping to himself and avoiding eye contact with anyone. He’d never been to the park before, but had to come today. He had to see her. The girl laughed, and his heart ached. He knew that soon he would be responsible for ending her happiness. He would make her cry, and the thought brought tears to his eyes.
“Sir, are you OK?”
He groaned inwardly and reluctantly shifted his gaze to the woman standing a few feet from where he sat. His irritation at the intrusion must have shown in his eyes, and the woman flinched. “I just want to be left alone.” He turned away from her, hoping his rudeness would make her walk away.
“It’s just that I know all these kids’ parents, but I’ve never seen you before.”
He sighed and pushed off the bench, walking toward the children. “No, you wouldn’t have.”
She grabbed his arm, but he spun on her and snatched it out of her grasp with a growl. She gasped and backed off. “I don’t want any problem here, but I’ll call the police if I have to.”
He grimaced. “Go ahead, call them, but I’ll be gone before they get here. Now leave me alone.”
With determination he walked toward the children, ignoring her shouts behind him. He’d just grab the girl and leave before they could do anything. It wasn’t their business why he was there or what he needed to do. It would certainly be the hardest thing he’d ever had to do.
The little blonde girl was only a few feet away, and he reached out for her, when a strong arm grabbed his shoulder and spun him around.
“Hey, buddy, you need some manners.”
He faced the angry man and tried to pull out of his clutches. “Release me.”
“You were rude to my wife, and you need to get your pervy ass away from the kids.”
His eyes widened at the accusation and then anger rushed through him. “It seems you’re the one being rude. Now take your hand off me before things get ugly.”
Without another word, the man struck him. He doubled over from the pain and hit the ground. The little blonde girl turned toward them and focused on the fallen man. Her face crumbled and she screamed, “Daddy!”
He caught her as she flung herself in his arms, and he tried to ignore the pain in his face, which wasn’t nearly as bad as the pain in his heart. His assailant backed away in surprise.
“Damn, man, I didn’t know Tammy was yours.”
As he hugged his daughter, they both cried. He’d never been in the park before because his wife always picked up Tammy after school. But she couldn’t make it today due to a thief breaking into their house and killing her. He’d just spent several hours dealing with the hospital and the police, and now he had to tell his six year old that she’d never see her mother again.

“Ouch!”
Mel put her finger in her mouth and sucked on it, tasting her own blood. That’s what she got for letting her mind wander while she chopped. She let the knife fall to the cutting board as she turned toward the sink to turn on the faucet, running her injured finger under the cool water. She winced and watched the blood washing away from the nasty gash, wondering if it would need stitches.
It wasn’t until she turned off the faucet that she heard him behind her and opened her mouth to scream. The gloved hand covered her mouth as his other arm slid around her waist to lift her feet off the floor.
Clawing at the hand over her face, she kicked out her legs.
“Stop fighting me, and you won’t get hurt.”
Finally freeing his hand over her mouth, she tried to pry herself out of his grip. “Let go of me.”
He chuckled and carried her to her bedroom. His arm around her waist tightened, and she elbowed him in the ribs. He grunted and threw her down on the bed. “I love it when a woman fights back.”
The wind knocked from her lungs, she sucked in her breath and tried to sit up, but he pushed her into the mattress. His arousal ground between her legs as she wedged her hands between them to push him away.
“Get off me.”
“Oh, you know you like it.”
He tried to kiss her, but she turned her head away, finally noticing the blood smeared on her hand and across his shirt.
“Cobra, damn it!”
He went still above her. “What’s wrong?”
Mel took a deep breath. “Get off me…please.”
Rolling away, he sat up beside her. “Hon, what’s wrong? You’ve never used the stop word before.”
She held up her hand, and his eyes widened in concern at all the blood.
“I think I need a doctor.”

I’m going to start using this blog more often, so I’m adding new things. 6 Sentence Sunday starts on the 5th, and something I’m calling Flash Fiction Friday (or FlaFicFri) where I’ll be posting micro stories that I write off the top of my head. These will be mini stories that I will write every Friday. Hope everyone likes them.

Here we go with my very first FlaFicFri story:

Gemma stared out the window but didn’t actually see the outside. Her mind wandered to her loveless marriage. She knew it would be best to divorce her husband, but she didn’t want to disrupt the life of their daughter. Melly was too young to understand why her parents wouldn’t want to live together anymore, but could Gemma really stay with a man who drove her crazy?
“You OK?”
His voice startled her, and she glanced toward the door. Ken stood there with concern in his features. He knew how she felt about Mike, her husband. He had also recently dealt with his own divorce, so he knew all about what she was going through. Gemma shrugged and fought tears, not wanting to give in to that weakness, especially at work.
Ken frowned and closed the door to her office. It was something he had never done before, and she sat up straighter in her chair, blinking a few times to clear the moisture from her eyes.
“Gemma, I know what you’re going through and wanted to make sure you know that I’m a great listener. If you wanted to maybe get a drink after work, we can talk about what you’re going through.”
To distract them both she stood and approached her filing cabinet, pretending to look through the folders, anything to avoid eye contact. She knew that if she continued to stare into his eyes, she would burst into tears. “I don’t know if talking about it would help, but I appreciate the offer.”
“Maybe just a drink then?”
The nearness of his voice surprised her, not realizing he had moved away from the door. She gasped softly and looked up his chest to his face. Not having stood so near to him before, she hadn’t realized how his height dwarfed her. Ken’s breath warmed her face and an unexpected quiver went through her. It had been a long time since a man had been this close, and her body reacted. “A drink?”
He nodded and his gaze dropped to her mouth. Time seemed to stop as she breathed him in. He smelled so good that she licked her lips, and he watched her tongue. Butterflies erupted in her stomach and she dug her fingernails into the cabinet drawer beside her.
Fingers softly touched her cheek as he slid his hands up her face and into her hair. She released her breath and opened her mouth to object, but nothing came out. The air was thick with him, and his skin felt so good on her flesh.
“Tonight?” His whisper in her ear made her moan as she turned her face toward him. Then his lips met hers, gently at first and then his tongue possessed her mouth. As her knees went weak she realized this was what kissing was supposed to be, not the messy assault her husband always inflicted upon her. Ken was a man who knew what to do with his tongue. When she thought of where else she would like that tongue to go, her legs gave out, but his strong arms locked her against him.
As his arousal against her stomach thickened, she went wet between her legs. In that moment she forgot about Mike and her bad marriage. In that moment there was only Ken and his magic tongue.