Tuesday Tales is a weekly blog featuring diverse authors who post excerpts from their WIPs based on word and picture prompts. I’ve been absent a few weeks dealing with personal issues, editing, and proofing the book that comes out in a week, Demoness Dreams. I’m glad to be back among this amazing group of authors. Today’s prompt is key, and the snippet is from a work in progress temporarily called Soul Double. Please visit the other fabulous authors at Tuesday Tales.
The dark red wine stained her lips, and their fullness made them all too kissable. He wanted nothing more than to put his mouth over hers and taste their sweetness.
She took a step closer, her dark hair falling over a bare shoulder. A hint of sweet myrrh wafted into his nostrils.
The way her deep sable eyes softened as she looked up at him made him want to dive right in. Acid flooded his belly, and he stiffened his arms and clenched his fists.
He’d as soon wallow in a pool of crocodiles.
He couldn’t afford to give in to the illusion of chaste, ripe womanhood. Yet, to leave would ruin all hopes of fulfilling his mission. He groped for words to create distance. “Are you one of those treacherous females who stores venom in her arm ring?”
She winced, and pressure squeezed his chest. She removed the golden bracelet adorning her upper arm and held it up before him, the corners of her lips tightening. “These tiny serpents’ heads? You think they serve as stoppers for deadly poison?”
“It wouldn’t be the first time such a gilded bauble was used to kill.”
Her eyes narrowed. After slipping the arm ring back on, she turned away to refill their wine goblets. Her voice lowered by an octave. “If so, I’d hardly admit it, would I?”
He accepted the wine. “I don’t suppose you would, especially not to me.”
She sipped wine, while the torchlight cast shadows over the lush beauty of her features. Her expression had settled into the familiar regal mockery of the witch he knew. “Any more than you will admit to me the real reason you came down into my netherworld domain.”
“I’m here to protect you from the dragr.”
Her eyes flashed. “You’re here because you think I’m the key to saving your precious human trollop.”
Cheers & Happy Reading!
Flossie Benton Rogers, Conjuring the Magic with Paranormal Fantasy Romance
It’s good to see you back Flossie! We’ve missed you!
Great snippet, full of descriptive details. Love it!
Thank you, Trisha! I missed you all too.
Your very descriptive excerpt reminded me of the Dacian bracelets. (They had serpents heads too. Very sought after and became a target for robbers. Quite amazing, for white collar thieves.)
Remarkable how he fights his urge to kiss the woman and the way she guesses his reason for coming to her!
Wow, I need to look up pictures of those bracelets. You always have the best tidbits, Carmen.
I have them in my Pinterest, on Dracula’s country board. I sent you 4 pins with the bracelets
Thank you, Carmen! You have outstanding pins.
Oh, I enjoyed this hugely. Fabulous tension and my goodness I wonder how this pair will get together. Lovely.
Oh thanks for saying that about the tension, Daisy. One can never be sure.
These two definitely have issues to resolve and it will be interesting to see how they all play out. As always, a well-presented excerpt, Flossie. Your Tuesday Tales are always so enjoyable!
Thanks, Mae. It will be interesting for me to find out too.
Wonderfully descriptive excerpt!
Appreciate that, Vicki.
Welcome back, Flossie! So is his mission what he says or what she says? He wants her, does she want him back? I think so. Great snippet. I need to know what’s going to happen.
Me too, Jean. At the moment I have only a general clue.
good to have you back … with another great snippet! 🙂
Thank you, Iris!
love this week’s use of the prompt. Well done. And man, was he burning hot and cold there for a moment. I love the crocodile line. Jillian
Thank you, Jillian!
Missed you. I want to know more about the precious human trollop.
Thanks and heh heh, Morgan!