Wingspan - The Big Tease, Part Two

...if you haven't yet, please read The Big Tease, Part One first...

Chapter One

Jenn’s motorcycle jacket is a little loose.

Two years of choking grief will do that to a girl. She’s been sober for a week to make sure it isn’t the booze and pills making her feel so desperately alone.

It isn’t.

Nuke came to see her once in the hospital after they repaired her femur with a gross amount of titanium. It had been broken in two places and bent under her in the crash. When he asked if she needed anything she asked for a gun to kill herself.

He didn’t come back.

Six months of surgeries and rehab get her back to work. Sleeping pills and alcohol take the memories away, at least for a while.

Insurance paid out Jenn’s Shadow and a nice smelling man Terry knew brought her papers to sign until his apartment is hers. At first she’s surprised her shoot first brother had life insurance but he always shot first when it came to his sister. Dollars don’t make up for being alone. They shared a soul and Terry took it with him.

The used 600cc sport bike Jenn rides is the fastest thing she’s ever taken down the highway. The last owner put a lot of money into it before he knocked up his girlfriend and had to sell. It’s black and orange and covered in flames and sexier than anything Jenn would ever dare show on the outside.

Today it carries her south to a liquor store she frequents; out of town enough that anyone local won’t see her stocking up.

Free from the last knot of cars Jenn finds a lone semi slowing for the lights at Northwest Bay Road south of Parksville. The speed limit drops to sixty as the highway descends in both directions toward the intersection usually filling it up with cars like a giant bowl but today it’s just her and the truck. A gas station covered with a big red roof is on her left but all her attention is on the rig. It gears down noisily on the hill and she has to do the same to avoid nailing it from behind.

The number on the trailer gets Jenn’s attention first, prompting her not to run the light ahead. It has a T and a K. Terry Klein. And an eight and a two, the age they were when he died. Not eighty-two; they were twenty-eight. The trailer itself is dirty. Even its plates attached high above haven’t escaped the brown layer of filth brought up by its wheels.

Jenn glances at the stop line as she pulls up next to the cab, getting the toes of her boots on the pavement. Mirrors say nobody is set to plow into her from behind as lemony diesel exhaust makes her nose wrinkle. Having the highway to herself in the summer smells great. Other vehicles at the red light not so much.

“Nice bike,” comes from up and to the right.

Inside she cringes. Nobody is supposed to talk to her today. It’s her day off and she’d planned a quiet drunk; the only regular companionship she has left outside of work. Interaction on the liquor store trip makes Jenn’s drinking problem more real than she’s prepared for.

The driver should be looking ahead for the green and thinking about where he’s taking the dirty trailer or if he’ll need the restroom in Nanaimo or if he can wait for Duncan. Maybe the air conditioning isn’t working and he misses the wife and kids; bills and the dog.

Once her visor is out of the way she turns, drawing her eyes up the clean black door of the rig and past a pair of painted on gold wings to find a muscular arm bound in a tightly sleeved black t-shirt.

“Nice truck,” Jenn echoes without thinking. It’s one thing to keep her eyes down and her mouth shut out of shyness. It’s quite another to be rude and not answer. She hopes the lame reply is enough to end the conversation and presses her lips together, making her eyes wrinkle and giving the illusion she’s smiling inside her helmet.

His big ringless left hand closes around on the metal bar holding the mirror. Absently he strokes it, first away then toward the body of the truck. Jenn feels her mouth open, tongue just touching the tips of her front teeth and his bicep flexes, pulling his short sleeve tighter. It slides again along the chrome before closing completely and holding fast and her heart seems to stutter as her gaze reaches his smile; warm and genuine even though she can’t see his eyes through his dark lenses.

“Yeah?” he answers leaning a little closer. Curly shoulder length dark hair perfectly frames his jaw and Jenn is aware she’s leaning in response, getting her right foot flat on the ground as the motorcycle tilts between her thighs.

As her pulse gets going again Jenn inhales his male scent making her skin prickle under her heavy leather jacket like sweat breaking out only her skin stays dry. It’s just a little painful and feels so, so good. He smells of straw and sun but underneath there’s something raw and dangerous; a far greater lure than the quick buzz and blackout she still half looks forward to. It’s the scent of rebellion and she sets her jaw against the challenge. More than anything she’s overwhelmed with the urge to crush it.

“Bet it’s nice inside,” she ventures with a quick glance at the traffic lights to try and hide the heat flushing her cheeks. The cars turning left from Northwest Bay Road don’t even have an amber yet.

The trucker looks her over. Not the degrading leer Nuke used to get away with. This guy seems to size her up more as an adversary and less like a piece of meat as he pushes the sunglasses onto his forehead.

Why can’t he be imperfect? Jenn wonders. Or less gorgeous? And what in hell are you doing flirting at a red light? You’re a bank teller, idiot. Nice bank tellers don’t flirt!

Eyes so brown she can’t make out the pupils bore into hers and she stands a little taller, straightening her motorcycle upright and holding her head high, doing her best to look confident and tough. For a brief second his expression is a mix of power and fear, mirroring the adrenaline and shaky nerves dueling inside Jenn then the warm smile returns.

“You want to see,” he states and calls out a couple of street names north of Duncan.

“One o’clock.”

A horn honks behind, startling Jenn as she feels her motorcycle roll backwards. Quickly crushing the handbrake with her right she continues to roll as his rich laughter fills her ears. It’s the illusion of reverse caused by his truck pulling ahead for the green. The horn blares again as the motorcycle stalls and Jenn gets her trembling thumb on the starter. If he hadn’t stopped her heart already she’s sure the horn would have.

Jenn gets her motorcycle going, revving the motor too high as she mistimes the clutch and throttle for the shift to second. She’s going well over a hundred long before she’s out of the sixty kilometer an hour zone, focusing only on getting some distance between herself and whatever the hell she’s set up with the handsome stranger.

The next few kilometers are a blur and she pulls into a Nanaimo mall, stationing herself at the far side of the parking lot. The kickstand is barely down when she drops onto the grass beside her stall and rips her helmet off venting the laughter that’s turned her knees to rubber.

Two years ago Terry would have pulled up between her and the truck and given the guy a ‘hey buddy.’ The only men he approved of came figuratively pre-neutered or he offered to do it for them. It made dating hard but he’d headed off a lot of trouble. In spite of the predictably nice men who passed his inspection the one relationship which lasted more than a couple of months failed miserably.

Jenn watches the highway until the black truck with the dirty white trailer passes by continuing south then looks at the nearby coffee shop. She and Terry used to sit at one of the tables out front for hours at a time. Stuffing her helmet over one of the mirrors, she lets herself in and buys a coffee before taking a seat at their table. Terry’s seat is empty so she closes her eyes and imagines him there.

Instead of the expected protective brother vibe she can almost feel his hand on her back, nudging her forward.

The coffee smells good so she wraps her hands around the paper cup and blows softly on the surface.

“I don’t know,” she whispers to him as she puts the cup down. “He’s not like anyone you’ve ever wanted around me.”

The breeze cools her skin and she realizes she’s crying. Maybe it’s simply the movement of tears running down past her cheeks but she imagines her brother’s fingers under her chin.

Hold your head high.

Wingspan - The Big Tease, Part One

…kings of the land and the sky we are; proud gryphons.”

Stalker stands, the epitome of pride. Naked and muscular, his wings widen and his feet dig in as if he alone holds down the earth and supports the heavens, keeping the two ever separate.

“But you aren’t yet a master of the sky. Your body is still that of a human as is Feather’s. You will get on your hands and knees and ask the earth to shape her ruby.

“Only when the stone has been reshaped may you return home. When Feather forgives your theft she will accept it and in that moment you will both have the stamina to fly true distances and I will be proud to call you gryphon.”

Talon remains on the riverbed as Stalker turns and within a few strides is airborne; great wings take him away from his son. As Talon gets to his feet he suppresses the urge to call out in spite of his terror which is worse than his sudden loneliness. He’s beyond lost in the wilderness the humans call Ontario.

Prologue

Jenn’s motorcycle jacket is a little tight. As the zipper comes down she can breathe again setting off a round of laughter from Terry.

“Easy on the zipper, Sis.”

She scowls and swings her boot nearly as hard as she can, catching Terry’s ankle. His boots are sturdy and no harm’s done but the message is clear. Comments on her weight are off limits even from her twin brother.

The wind catches his unruly blonde hair, a complete contrast to his sister’s tame brown braid. The usual joke that whoever mom was must have had herself a busy night because they can only have different fathers is understood. He’s big and loud where she’s petite and excruciatingly shy. Jenn has picked him up in the morning from the police station more times than she can count and he drops her off at her steady job as a bank teller before sleeping it off at her Parksville apartment or his. Terry is her best friend, father figure, confidant and conscience all rolled into one.

He’s also her only living family.

“Maybe I shoulda bought you a man’s jacket?”

This time it’s an elbow to the ribs. He’s only wearing a t-shirt and grunts from more than just his sister’s displeasure. It’s only a few hours since he went to bed after a late one with the guys.

“If a man’s jacket is too good for you then it’s too good for me, Terry.”

“Touché,” he laughs but keeps his arm down in case she decides to strike again. The jacket is the last birthday present he’ll ever give her and his suggestion she get one for a man earned him the finger at the motorcycle shop. Heavy as Jenn is she’ll be damned if she’ll ever dress like a man just to get a jacket done up. The sleeves would be too long anyway since the five foot mark on the bank door is at eye level. She’s never been flashy so it’s plain and black but it’s also clear she’s got all the curves a woman should have.

Jenn puts her hands on her hips and purses her lips daring him to speak.

“You’re pretty, Shadow,” Nuke interrupts, his eyes raking down her body. The compliment is only tame because her brother is listening. Terry’s forbidden him to speak her name so he calls Jenn after her ride, a 750. The handle stuck so long ago that at least half of today’s group doesn’t know her real name. Everyone calls him Nuke because there’s a good chance his engine will do just that before the dozen riders get halfway to Tofino.

Terry punches Nuke’s body armoured shoulder harder than necessary knocking him off the cement barrier he sits on. Nuke’s a big mouth on a small body and he doesn’t land too hard.

“Fuck you,” Nuke spits.

“You’re still not my type,” Terry says and lights a cigarette. “But keep asking. You got nothin’ to lose.”

Jenn shrivels at Nuke’s attention, leaning behind her brother and tugging her jacket closed. Nuke thinks it’s a game, hitting on her to make her ‘pretend’ she’s not interested but she just feels dirty. Whether she ignores him or not it only escalates when her brother isn’t there to shut him down. When she looks up Terry’s fingers are under her chin and he pulls it toward the sun.

Hold your head high, his big eyes smile.

Nuke walks away kicking dirt and holding his tongue. He knows when his bike dies he’ll be riding Jenn’s Shadow since none of the guys will give him a double and Jenn will spend the rest of the trip hugging Terry from behind. There’s a crunch as Terry’s boot scrapes his smoke into the gravel and he takes Jenn’s hand tugging her to their rides and signaling to the rest that it’s time to go.

“So where’s mine,” he whispers as she gets her helmet on, then he reaches to get a hand in her saddle bag. Terry had been bidding on a baseball a week earlier and he’s still steamed about losing in the final minutes to someone else. He doesn’t know he’d lost to his own sister who’d spent her vacation savings to get it for his birthday.

“You’ll get it later!” Jenn pushes his hand away so he gives her a quick hug like that’s what he’d meant to do all along.

Port Alberni is nice but it’s thirty-five Celsius and she’s already sweaty in her jacket. A swim in the ocean after stripping down to the one-piece suit under her motorcycle gear is about the only incentive to get back on the hot highway. Unlike her reckless t-shirt and shorts wearing brother Jenn prefers to keep her skin on if she takes a spill.

Terry pulls out first, Jenn close behind taking some satisfaction in cutting off Nuke. The roar of engines behind them is nearly deafening as they stick together best they can through the traffic and lights and make their way out of the city.

Everything is drier this side of Vancouver Island. The cool rainforest they passed through before Port Alberni is gone and the road gets twisty. Terry pushes the group faster, speeding up and leaning over as far as they dare in the turns. Another group of riders comes the other way and he gets a hand out to wave then turns to Jenn, grinning from under his beanie. He loves this: speed, heat. Showing off. It’s a good day. There’s a place by the river they’ll go when they get back to Parksville: drinking, camping, and the sounds of sex from the other tents.

Jenn winces at a small explosion and checks her mirrors. Nuke isn’t losing any speed but there’s a vicious dark grey cloud for the riders behind. Someone’s bitch seat girl mouths him off, her voice lost in the wind.

Looking forward again Jenn sets up for the next turn, moving to the center of the lane so she’s clear of anyone coming wide the other way and gravel near the shoulder but there’s a pickup skidding out of control into their lane.

Terry doesn’t stand a chance.

His brakes don’t light up though his bike wobbles as some part of him starts to react. Jenn has a little more time and manages to lose some speed, her heart sticking in her throat as her brother makes a Terry sized dent in the truck’s front fender. Spinning like crazy, his arms and legs beat the roof and Jenn catches the rear of his bike. He’s already out of reach when she tries to grab him and as she tumbles he lands behind the truck.

It stops half in the ditch.

There’s no pain so Jenn thinks she’s unhurt and when she looks for Terry she sees Nuke. He doesn’t even look at her brother and instead comes to her.

“Jenn, Jenn,” he cries. “Shit, Jenn.”

“Terry,” Jenn moans. Why don’t you help my brother, asshole?

Nobody is helping Terry. There’s a lump under her shoulder so she reaches to pull it free but it’s a boot and it won’t move. Nuke takes her hand and holds it still as he looks back at the wreck.

The driver gets out, unhurt. His passenger won’t stop screaming.

“Don’t look, Jenn,” Nuke says but Jenn has to. Through the deeply scarred visor she sees the big logo on the back of Terry’s shirt. The small one in front is out of sight. He faces her, his jaw slack and eyes half open. It doesn’t make sense that he could have put it on backwards without her noticing.

The air ripples above him, taking shape. Half again taller than a man and gracefully tapered at the top. The mirage folds in the middle before straightening again and collapsing.

“Thank you,” Jenn sighs to the shirtless man approaching her brother. The hot breeze moves his long black hair as he touches Terry’s shoulder but only for a moment before he stands. The air at his sides changes, warping the trees behind a mirage, spreading out like wings slowly folding and unfolding. The angel’s wings darken and cast a heavy shadow over Jenn’s brother then they disappear and the man walks away.

The police arrive before the ambulance and Nuke leaves Jenn’s side only long enough to throw up beside the truck. The beautiful angel is gone. Knowing he came for Terry is small comfort as she watches the police cover her brother with a yellow sheet and weigh it down with parts from his bike.


...I'm featuring several chapters from Wingspan, Taken on the Wing #1 over the next few weeks as I lead up to it's release this spring!

New stuff and upcoming teaser for Wingspan!

Deadly Expectations has a new cover and a new blurb!

As a teen Anna Creed discovers she can time travel; a trick she uses to ‘jump’ from one place to another with no apparent passage of time. All she needs are two wheels, speed and nerves of steel. Now eight years later she’s alone and pregnant when her secret power takes control to save her life. Injured and confused Anna finds herself in the arms of Paul Richards, her summer lover and the father of her child.

But Paul has secrets of his own. He’s the head of an old conflict weary family and has been Anna’s past life lover time and time again, something only he remembers.

Things come apart for Anna when she starts ‘jumping’ in her sleep. Both Anna and her sister are in mortal danger from Paul’s uncle Damian and a ghost from her past life is driving her to murder. As Anna and Paul’s fledgling relationship unravels she takes the final and unforgivable step of attacking him and leaving him behind.

From Northern California to the rainforests of British Columbia Anna gets closer to the truth about Paul’s family and the realization that saving Paul and her unborn child may ultimately cost her life.

I've always wanted to include a motorcycle on the cover since it's a big part of the way Anna gets around!

Wingspan, Taken on the Wing #1

With Wingspan's release this spring I will be blogging the first few sample chapters.

** contains a French-Canadian cabbie, vicious flying battles high above the Rocky Mountains, conspicuous wearing of gold, biting and a long tail.

Jenn Klein was raised in the human world unaware of her gryphon heritage or the legacy before her. Devastated by the death of her twin brother, she makes the uncharacteristic decision to find emotional connection with a stranger, a man she knows only as Talon in the cave-like sleeper cab of his rig. But no sooner is she introduced to the gryphon world they’re meant to share than she’s violently taken and forced to fight, delicately balancing the human world she knows with the world of the gryphons.

Born and reared a proud warrior, Talon’s life takes the turn of most male gryphons; that of a rogue, existing in both the human world and on the fringes of his adopted Rocky Mountain eyrie. After proving himself to the beautiful but emotionally damaged rogue female in his truck they part ways. He’s haunted by her presence in his heart until they’re reunited in his eyrie. When she’s torn from his arms he’ll stop at nothing to have the woman he now calls Shadow returned to his side. 

Wingspan is a shifter fantasy-romance featuring gryphons.