Silver James

With summer in full swing, today’s #1lineWed theme seemed like a no-brainer. Except I really didn’t have either word in my WIP. I about to SINK into a sea of dispair rather. In other works, I had a kitchen sink. My characters often sink to their knees. No one was ready to swim in the current project, though I’ve had tears that swim. So what did I do? I sat down to do a bit of free writing. And I got a scene. Today’s snippet is short because it turned out to be something of a spoiler so y’all get only a short tease. I have hopes that this scene will get me on track with the end of the book, so stay tuned.
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Shy
I swam up through foggy darkness. I was holding my breath and my heart pounded so hard in my ears I couldn’t hear. Where was I? I couldn’t move. A heavy, warm weight blanketed me.

“Breathe, babe.” The order, one I needed to obey, whispered in my ear.

My body ached. Bad. Almost as bad as those first days in boot camp when the drill instructors drove us to the point we grunts could only faceplant in our bunks at night and sink into exhausted sleep.
Whatever held me down slid away and that gruff voice teased my hearing again. “Dammit, Shy. Breathe.”

I inhaled and coughed as air hit my lungs and my ribs expanded.

“Come back to me, baby.”

Where had I been that I needed to come back from? I breathed again, and it came easier. Or it did before memories flooded through me, swamping my brain so I stopped breathing again. Rough hands clamped on my shoulders, hauling me up, shaking me until I gulped in another breath. I remembered now. I remembered the men circling like sharks. I remembered the sound of thunder. I remembered…
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So how is your day going? Are you sinking or swimming? Writers, do you have any sink or swim words to share?

Wednesday came quick this week thanks to the long weekend. I’m glad I FOUND the time to seach Gravedigger’s WIP until I FOUND this snippet, in the Russian’s POV. I really enjoy it when I can drag some of the other mates into a story. 😉 I hope you enjoy this bit of the story, unedited as it is…
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Russki
Stepping into the main room was like walking onto a movie set. Men in black and camouflage, all armed and covered in Kevlar, spread in a semicircle just inside the room. A handful of Nightriders spread across the room, loose and ready to fight. One man appeared to be more in charge and I read the capital letters stenciled on his bullet-proof vest with interest. ICE.

“You’re the ones who came barging in without an invitation,” Easy was saying. With a broad smile on his face and ice in his Siberian Husky eyes. “You need to explain why you’re here, what you’re lookin’ for, and you better have a paper all signed, sealed, and delivered before you take one more step.”

“Are you threatenin’ us, boy?” A local LEO barged to the front of the line, glaring at Easy. We knew this cop, all to well.

Easy held his hands out at his sides. “I’m not the one standing on private property armed to the teeth, Deputy Dickwad.”

The man puffed up even more and made it two steps before the man with ICE on his chest stuck out an arm and stopped him. “I’m Agent Nelson. We have a warrant for Sergei…” His voice trailed off as he glanced at the paper in his hand. His lips moved as he practiced my surname.

I saved him the trouble. “Rusakovavich.”

All eyes swung to me and I watched with amusement as they stiffened and the air thickened with the scent ammonia. I offered a smile any smart cop would understand was mocking.

“We have a warrant for your arrest for violation of immigration laws.”

“Is this so?” I was mildly amused.

“You are in this country illegally.”

“I am?” I had citizenship papers that stated otherwise and I was in the mood to play.”

“We also have evidence that you are involved in human trafficking, including women to be used in the sex trade.”

This charge was ludicrous, though problematic given the presence of Shiane Rourke in the Barracks. Smoke already had his phone out, texting Hardy. All of my Wolves turned their gazes on the deputy. He’d developed a hard-on for the Club the moment he’d been assigned to the Mission Springs substation.

“I assure you, Agent Nelson, I am a naturalized citizen of the United States. I can supply certified copies of my papers. As for your other charge—”

Every cop in the place tensed and fingers squeezed weapons suddenly coming up to bear on all of us. A tiny blur burst from the hallway behind me, followed by a very large and very angry black wolf. Noni was a little monkey. She scampered up the back of my leg and onto my back until her arms were around my neck, little legs clenching my sides. They weren’t long enough to circle my torso. Gravedigger slid to a stop beside me, lips pulled up in a snarl showing off all his teeth. I dropped my hand to the top of his head.

Noni, nose crinkled and eyes slitted, glowered at the LEOs. “My Roo!” she declared.

As if they’d been waiting for their cue, the door to the kitchen opened and several of the old ladies emerged. Sam, who was mated to Easy and was Noni’s guardian, stopped dead. Lainey, Ginger, and Leigh all but knocked her over.

“What’s going on?” Leigh sounded like the arson investigator she used to be. She stepped around Sam and stared down the men. I smirked. My Wolves who were mated had found strong women.

“Show us your hands!” Weapons cocked.

“Oh, for crissakes,” Sam muttered, but she held her hands out at her hips, palms facing the men.
“The bastards claim to have evidence that the Club is trafficking women for sex.”

“Smoke!” Sam chastised and dipped her head toward me and the monkey on my back. “Little ears.”

Leigh rolled her eyes at her mate. “At least he didn’t use the f-word, Sam. Be grateful for small favors.”
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It gets tense from here but you’ll just have to wait until next month to read the whole story. In the meantime, have any of you writers FOUND words to share? Have any of you readers FOUND any new books/words to recommend?