kindar

Stepping Wild, Draft 2, CH 44

“Today will be a good day!” Tibs yelled from the low roof once he undid the darkness etching. It couldn’t hide him in the daylight, but away from where people looked, it made it easy to ignore him in the corner of their eye.

The people gathered in the square turned to look, and he posed in Fleet Finger’s green and black. With his hood up, they wouldn’t be able to see the half mask, but the description has circulated among the guards and population, so some would recognize him....

The Captain's Heart CH 99

Gralgiran crossed his legs, leaning back in the seat while the pack worked around him. The calibration for the recording equipment as well

Gralgiran crossed his legs, leaning back in the seat while the pack worked around him. The calibration for the recording equipment as well as the comm had been done before he’d arrived in the room Zorfiel had prepared for the interview. She and her pack had their own feed and would study the Earther interviewing him for any indication of duplicity....

Stepping Wild, Draft 2, CH 43

After a dozen turns, Tibs decided they were far enough. While he hardly felt the earth he’d encased himself in, anyone else doing that could only stand it for a limited time.

He stopped. “I need to get out of this.”

Charlie raised an eyebrow at the earth that fell out of the glove Tibs pulled off. The same happened with the other one. The fighter chuckled when more fell as he unstrapped the arm from the shoulder and it dropped to the ground.

“I didn’t want it to fl...

The World Which Is, CH 94

It—they? Don’t answer. I’m not sure how to think about them. Base is a him, because he told me so when I was old enough to understand the difference, but are all military bases like that? Or is he unique?

I’m also not sure how to proceed. I hadn’t thought beyond confirming my suspicions. Especially if they didn’t cooperate.

Still, they didn’t outright kill us, which they could easily have done. I’ve seen some of Base’s weapons, and they could have deployed stuff ...

A Creature of War, Book 5, CH02

The view was magnificent from the top of this hill, El thought, as he looked down at the unending green of the grass interrupted only by the copses of trees dotting it. Birds flew high overhead, and he could sense animals among the trees, many of them. He couldn’t believe that after more than a decade of wandering, such a peaceful sight had the power to take his breath away.

Those first few months were filled with uncertainty. He questioned his decision daily as the loneliness weight ...

The Captain's Heart CH 98

Jeremy let the hot water fall on him, relaxing his sore muscles. “How are you doing?” his instructor asked, and her voice brought with it

Jeremy let the hot water fall on him, relaxing his sore muscles.

“How are you doing?” his instructor asked, and her voice brought with it the other sounds in the gym’s shower room. The running showers. The conversations.

The presence of other Kelsirians. The programming tried to turn that into an alarm, but he’d grown too comfo...

A Fraudulent Death(Death by Predation, Book 4)

There’s something rotten in the Jungle

Marlot has Trembor back in his life, but why is he growing distant? The lion’s legal problems force him to make hard choices when others involve make demands of him.

The body Marlot investigates points to something rotten happening in their city when he finds out it was paid for years before, while dying only hours ago. And the more he sniffs around this unclaimed body, the more it looks like Trembor’s legal trouble mig...

A Series of Death(Death by Predation, Book 3)

There’s a hunter in the jungle

Marlot is determined to get back with Trembor. Trembor wants nothing other than to put the wolf behind him and move on with his life. A third party might have an unhealthy interest in the two investigators’ love life.

Marlot’s obsession with showing the lion his actions were justified is compounded by the distraction a glitch in the revenue system causes him. Trembor’s determination is tested by the wolf showing up, by coinci...

A Familiar Death(Death by Predation, book 2)

Out of the Jungle

Forced to return home to investigate a death, Marlot finds himself confronted with all the reasons he left. With council more interested in getting him to close the case quickly than getting the real killer to pay, his family expecting him to stay and having to deal with the male while killed his first love, and is now the town’s Enforcer, is it any wonder all his insecurities are coming back?

Can even having Trembor at his side be enough, when the danger of be...

A Wasteful Death(Death by Predation, Book 1)

The Law of the Jungle rules.

When the only animals around are people, they must hunt each other for food.

When bodies are left unclaimed and unpaid for, it's a Registered Investigator's job to find out who did the killing so they can be made to pay the tax.

Marlot is such an investigator, and when he is on the case, looking for the killer of one of the larger pharmaceutical company's the vice president, he finds himself having to deal with the narrow mindedn...

Stepping Wild, Draft 2, CH 42

“Thibaud of Arteron,” the older man said, walking around Tibs. “You have certainly made arranging this meeting…interesting.”

“That was never my intention.”

Tibs’s intention had been to ensure it never happened. Losing the tails had been simple enough, he’d expected to manage it until he was done and had moved onto another city. Unfortunately, he’d come across Aldero the guard in a crowded marketplace and froze.

He hadn’t visited his house for a few days...

The Captain's Heart CH 97

“Captain,” the female said, over the comm as he continued to look over the tallies for what they had taken on while at Thuruksamian’s Reach

“Captain,” the female said, over the comm as he continued to look over the tallies for what they had taken on while at Thuruksamian’s Reach, “there’s a civilian here asking to speak with you.”

“Refer them to the civilian dispute board. If they’ve already tried to have the situation resolved that way, have them tell the bo...

An Errant Dawn(Demons, book 3)

Derrick went to the wilds to find himself. But his enemies keep him on the move. He finds a place that shouldn’t exist, and as he grows comfortable there, someone from his past return.

Derick’s maker is in trouble again, and his help is needed. When Claws makes it clear he will go help the army by himself, Derrick agrees to go and is reunited with old friends and enemies.

Derick and his enemy must infiltrate a city where criminals and demons work together. Only things are ne...

Trustless Shadows(Demons, book 2)

Derick has left behind Amanda, Jason, and the organization they represent. He's even left Claws in the Dark behind, in an attempt at figuring out what he is.

He finds a place to settle in and try to be human, to be normal. He tries to leave hunting demons behind too, but he finds he can’t. He can’t leave humans to die, even if sometimes he wants to kill them himself.

Still, he thinks he can stay there, until the army shows up "asking" for his help; Amanda's gotten herself ca...

Demons(Demons, book 1)

Derick hunts demons. He has been doing it for as long as he remembers. He does it because protect the people in his city is his duty.

It’s always been a straightforward job, until a demon saves his life.

What does it mean for Derick that a demon wants him to live? What does it mean for the world he knows? The people he is supposed to protect? When the most basic fact his life is built upon might not be true, how is he supposed to figure out who the enemies are? Who his allies ...

Stepping Wild, Draft 2, CH 41

Tibs had come across her in another office, while looking into the types of papers the university considered a referral.

There had been little of her behavior to notice. She’d fit in perfectly among the other merchants, waiting to reach a clerk, and then engaging them in pleasant banter, slipping in suggestions among the smiles.

It was that he’d picked up on.

Tibs couldn’t play confidence games. He could take on a role and play it as required, unless it needed him to c...

Bottom Rung(Dungeon Runner, book 1)

Sent to run a dungeon, instead of losing a hand for stealing, Tibs needs to make use of everything the street taught him to survive and advance Tibs survived by picking pockets; until he’s caught. Instead of losing a hand, he’s sent away and told he must now survive a dungeon. How is a kid who knew nothing more than his street supposed to survive a dungeon that changes each time he goes in it? After being orphaned far too young, Tibs grew up on the harsh streets of his city, stealing for...

The Captain's Heart CH 96

How was the trip? Productive. Ran into an old friend when I landed, but work kept us from catching up. Hopefully, the next time we’re back

How was the trip?

Productive. Ran into an old friend when I landed, but work kept us from catching up. Hopefully, the next time we’re back here.

Why not just go back down? The ship isn’t leaving for another day.

Too much to do here until then. How was your day?

Met someone new. He ...