Silver Flash

Here we are again for the Silver Flash!

Come on in and a read a bit.

This week's prompt is. . . "It was 4 am and . . . "

Marek and Brody's story continue. . .

Broken Promise, VIII

Marek called it a road. Brody called that a joke. Trees crowded near on either side of the rocky dirt path. Up ahead was the fortress Marek called a house.

Greyson stopped. A tall iron gate loomed over them, its black horizontal bars fatter than light poles. Marek pulled out his phone, speed-dialed and spoke in what Brody knew was the Old Tongue. A few seconds later, the gate parted in utter silence and revealed thin jagged teeth-like projections. Brody was sure those steel jaws could snap shut any second. Anything that wasn’t out of the way fast enough would have to be flossed out.

He hated this part the most. They were trapped between two gates, the one behind them, and its twin in front of them. Red light probed the truck, leaking through the windows like pale blood. Marek said they were ‘sniffers’. If something smelled wrong, a few thousand volts would fly. Instant barbecue in a box.

“No need to be afraid.” Marek drew Brody into his arms, smoothed his hair back and kissed his forehead. “You’ve had very long nights, my little heart. It would please me if you went up to my rooms when we go inside.”

That was Marek’s way of saying he didn’t want Brody to see what Julian might do to the Hunter. But it was 4 A.M. and no, Brody was most definitely not going upstairs in the vampire king’s house. What Marek called his rooms was the entire third floor. No electric light. No windows. It was shadowy, creepy and too damn dark. After sleeping under a bed, waking up to Greyson and his personal arsenal and then getting trapped in a circle of vampires armed to the fangs, no way.

“I’m staying with you,” Brody said. “I know it’s vampire business. But I’m not going up there without you. Not tonight.”

The look that came over Marek’s face always tickled Brody. The king of vampires wasn’t used to hearing no. “I’ll send Greyson with you,” he said.

Brody put on a puzzled expression. “I’m thinking but . . . no . . . I don’t remember saying I wouldn’t go without Greyson. Do you?” He leaned into Marek’s unyielding body, and let the tension flow out of him. Somehow when Marek was near, everything was right with his world. “And anyway, you feel too good.”

“I can feel much better.” Marek tilted Brody’s head back for a kiss. ”Do you want to know what I’ll do to you when I go up there and find you naked in my bed?”

Oh yeah. Brody wanted to know that almost as much as he wanted Marek’s kiss to last roughly forever. Greyson got the truck moving, but Brody barely noticed because Marek pulled him onto his lap, and kissed down the side of his neck. “I’ll make you say my name all day long,” he whispered.

Writhing on his lap, Brody undid Marek’s shirt and ran his fingers over his hard chest, down to his ridged belly. God. He wanted more. A whole lot more. Giving into the feverish need firing through him, Brody said, “You won’t take long?”

“Knowing you’re waiting for me? Naked between my sheets?” he said. “No. Such beauty and pleasure is meant to be enjoyed.” He kissed Brody. “Again.” Another kiss. “And again.”

His arms around Marek’s neck, Brody yielded to his mate’s sweet, tender kisses, and would have given in completely if not for the shadow that fell over them.

Greyson must have powered the window down. A blast of cold air made Brody press closer to Marek.

“He’s healthy.” The Hunter’s body was draped over Julian’s arms. His hard, unforgiving eyes were on his brother. “Just lost a little blood is all.”

EXTRA! EXTRA! 
Just two days to the release of Warrior Angel, Heart's Desire. . . and my biggest contest ever starts on my release date, March 26th!

Trailer Contest: Warrior Angel, Heart's Desire is in a contest on You Gotta Read Videos. Stop by and vote for your favorite.

Back to our regularly scheduled programming. . . .

Flashers on stage this week are . . .  

MM

• LM Brown
• Lily Sawyer
• R J Scott.co.uk
• Sui Lynn
• Pender Mackie
• Julie Lynn Hayes
• Ryssa Edwards
• Pia Valeno

MF

• Lindsay Kleug
• Victoria Blisse

Silver Flash

It’s time for . . . the Silver Flash!

What do a playground, a pier and a diamond have in common?

Those three words were the prompt items for this week. Read on to find out how the Silver Flashers put them together.

And a special shout out to Reese Dante for designing our awesome Silver Flash badge artwork. . . thanks Reese!

Broken Promise, VI

The three trucks barreling through the snow were big enough to be tanks. The circle of Hunter vampires broke like water in the wake of speed boats. Julian’s phone rang.

“We’re out of gas,” he said. “And you’re late.”

The trucks came straight for them. They skidded to a stop an inch too close for Brody’s comfort. Suddenly they were surrounded in a ring of impassable steel. Doors opened and slammed shut. Warriors dropped to the ground in a crouch, knives and short swords in their hands. The wind whipped their long hair around their hulking bodies. Four of them took up positions in a circle around the truck, facing outward, long curved knives in their hands.

Greyson reached for his door, but Julian stopped him. “No. I’ll check the tank. Be ready to go.”

He was out and moving almost before the last word was out of his mouth, then Brody felt something sliding under the truck. In seconds, Julian was up and running. A warrior met him halfway and tossed him a red plastic gasoline container. Whatever else he might be, Julian was all business when it came to defending his brother. He moved so fast he was a blur, then he was banging on the window and signaling Greyson, two thumbs up.

He glanced in the rearview mirror, and met Marek’s eyes. “Boss?”

Marek opened his door, but Julian was there, blocking his way. “My men say the Hunters want you to talk to them.” He looked away before he said, “They feel safer talking if you stay in the truck.”

“They trust mercenaries, but not their leader?”

Julian didn’t roll his eyes, but it was close. “You giving an audience or not?”

Brody shivered in the frigid air blasting in through the open door.

“Greyson,” Marek said. “The heat. It’s too cold for him.”

The truck started with a throaty roar and Brody leaned between the seats, grateful for the warm air blowing against his face.

Marek ran his fingers through Brody’s hair and turned to face his brother. “Bring the Hunter. I agree to remain inside the truck until the talking is done.”

Julian nodded over his shoulder. One of his mercenaries came out of the snow. His blonde hair flew in the wind. His blue eyes were hard and cold as diamonds glinting in sunlight. He threw a vampire to his knees. The Hunter landed between Marek and Julian.

“What do you ask?” Marek said.

“We have no voice in your counsels. Our needs go unanswered,” the vampire said. “We had no choice. You wouldn’t listen.”

“So you lure us onto your playground with knives and threats?” Marek said.

Brody didn’t know if the snow felt cold to the vampire on his knees, but he looked uncomfortable. And scared. Like a man heading for a long walk off a short pier. “We meant no disrespect,” the Hunter said.

“If it was me,” Julian said, “I’d be telling him what I’m asking for. He’s about two seconds from taking off your head and starting in on the others.”

I’ve been getting a lot of questions about Julian. If you think Julian should get his own story, leave a comment and let me know. That way Julian’s alligator at the door won’t think you’re snack food on the way out. . . kidding. Sort of.

Silver Flashers on stage this week are . . .

Julie Hayes (M/M)

Diane Adams (M/M)

Lindsay Klug (M/F)  (!!flash virgin!!)

RJ Scott (M/M)

Lily Sawyer (M/M)

Sui Lynn (M/M)

Pender Mackie (M/M)

Victoria Blisse (M/F)

Heather Lin (M/F)

Silver Flash

We’ve been hard at work to bring you bling-bling, virgins, bite size fiction and big time fun!

Welcome to the Silver Flash . . . .

The prompt this week is, “There’s only one way out of this . . .”

Marek and Brody’s story continues . . . 

Broken Promise, V

They’d been driving for less than half an hour when Greyson started cursing in a low monotone that would have made a sailor sound like Mother Goose.

“I thought you checked the engine,” Marek said, barely holding back the rage behind his words.

The truck stalled out, leaving them in eerily silent falling snow. “It’s not the engine,” Greyson said. “We’re out of gas.”

In a perfectly even voice Marek said, “Have you betrayed us?”

“Yeah.” Grayson jammed the gear stick into Park. “I always wanted to freeze to death in the snow after two pissed off vampires ripped out my guts.”

The swirling white beyond the windows grew faint shadows. Men moved toward the truck like hunters stalking prey. In their hands, steel glinted in the rays of the full moon’s light. They had to be vampires because Brody didn’t see any coats. Some of them were shirtless, their muscled bodies bared to the blowing  snow.

“There’s only one way out of this . . .  ” Julian said.

But Marek cut off his brother before he could finish. “I won’t bargain with them.”

“I’m not after a bargain,” Julian said, his grim eyes on the wide circle of vampires. “I’ll settle for not waking up staked in the sun.”

“Shouldn’t they be attacking?” Brody said. The Hunters weren’t closing in. They stood utterly still, unmoved by the wind, undaunted by the numbing cold that was creeping into the metal cab of the truck.

“It’s one thing to defy me,” Marek said. “Even challenge me to battle.” Brody barely stopped himself from flinching at the dark fury on Marek’s hard face. He was all warrior. The lover who held him tight and whispered his name just before he came was gone.  “It’s another to offer harm to my mate.”

The circle of vampires seemed ready to wait forever. Cold air seeped into the truck, stealing through secret places. “They won’t hurt me?” Brody said, wondering how he’d ended up in the middle of a vampire battle. “I mean, I don’t smell like barbecue on the grill to them or anything do I?”

“They can’t,” Julian said. “Other Hunters would go after them. It’s against our Ways.”

Brody moved fast. “Then I go first.” He unlocked his door, and even there, about to risk his life, he took a secret delight in saying to Marek, “Big bad vampires stay behind me. I’ll keep you safe.”

“Good one,” Julian said, before Brody even saw Marek move.

Marek lunged across Brody and slammed down the lock on his door. “Sometimes you act as though you had as much sense as my brother.”

“He means that in a good way,” Julian said.

Marek shot him a narrow look. “Where are your warriors?”

“Late.”

Beside Brody, Marek’s face slipped into something less than human, as if a beast lurked just under his skin. Brody didn’t think he needed any mercenary warriors. He looked fierce enough to take on all the Hunters by himself. “If this is one of your games, brother, I’ll fly you to the Sahara and stake you in the dunes.”

Eyes closed, his head against the backrest, Julian said in a low, unhurried voice, “With or without sunscreen?”

Silver Flashers on stage this week are. . .

Julie Hayes (M/M)

Diane Adams (M/M)

RJ Scott (M/M)

Lily Sawyer (M/M) <<flash virgin!!>>

Sui Lynn (M/M)

L. M. Brown (M/M) <<flash virgin!!>>

Pender Mackie (M/M)

Victoria Blisse (M/F)

Silver Flash

Hey!  You're back for Silver Flash #4!


Come on in, and get flashed. . .
This week's prompt is, "I've got a bad feeling about it this time."

Brody and Marek's story continue . . .

Broken Promise, IV

The sun had been down for an hour. Greyson was outside, standing guard. Julian was checking the black-bladed knives strapped across his chest.

“You can hardly see those,” Brody said.

Julian glanced up at him. “Can’t see them at all in the dark.”

There was an amused glint in Julian’s eyes that said he wanted to scare Brody. But after watching Greyson tote in enough weapons to start a private war, Brody was beyond scared. “Why do you need knives no one can see?” he said.

“Night work,” Julian said quietly, adjusting knives that could cut down a man in seconds.

“Come,” Marek held out a harness to Brody. “Help me.”

“You’re letting a human arm you for battle?” Julian was at his brother’s side in an instant. “No.”

Marek stood up to his full height, his hard eyes boring into Julian. “Stand aside. It’s time my mate learned our ways.”

Brody, who thought Julian had a point, said, “I don’t know anything about knives.”

“I’ll teach you.”

Marek guided Brody through buckling the complicated harness under his arms, across his back, and over his chest. With each guiding of the heavy duty leather around his big body, Marek stole quick kisses, caressed Brody, soothed away his fear.

“Julian will be angry with me for losing his knives,” Marek said.

 “They wouldn’t get lost if you didn’t throw them away.” Julian was going through the black duffel bag Greyson had brought in from the car.  “Here. Try to hold onto them.”

“Take them, Brody,” Marek said.

After a moment’s hesitation, Brody let Julian fill his hands with small, neatly packed throwing knives. Marek slid them into his harness, criss-crossing his broad chest with metal teeth. When he was done, he took Brody’s shaking hands and kissed his palms. “My sword is in the bag. Bring it to me.”

Brody, who’d never handled so many weapons in his life, brought the thick short sword, but he balked when Marek turned his back. “What if I don’t get it in the sheath right?”

“Then I could get injured or die,” Marek said. “All of our lives depend on each other tonight.”

“Just slide it in real slow,” Julian said, “watch your fingers.”

Brody could hear in Julian’s voice how badly he itched to arm his brother himself, the way he’d probably done for centuries. This was Julian’s way of accepting him into the family clan of warriors.

His hands shaking, Brody slid the heavy sword into the sheath, sure he would either gut Marek from behind or cut off his own fingers, or both. But the sword slid into the worn leather with a whisper.

“Time for us to be on the move.” Marek took Brody’s hand. “If anything happens to me, go with my brother.”

“But - -”

“Don’t worry,” Julian said with a slow wink. “I take care of stuff I inherit.” He shrugged into his heavy leather duster and caught Marek’s eye. "I've got a bad feeling about it this time.”

“You always have bad feelings before battle.” Marek slipped thin gloves over his big hands. “And your mercenaries always win.”

“Something’s not right.”

Marek gathered the duffle bag from the floor. Metal clanked heavily inside. “You may be right for once,” he said. “Their scouts should be close by now.”

From just beyond the door, there came the sound of low snarls, then a body thudding to the floor, then a groan of pain. Greyson opened the door as calmly as if he were bringing room service. His face was smeared with blood. “If we’re going,” he said. “Now’s a good time.”

Silver Flashers on stage today are . . .  

Julie Hayes
Victoria Blisse
Sui Lynn
RJ Scott
Diane Adams
Pender Mackie

Leave a comment, feed a writer.
 Just kidding about the feeding part. . . sort of.