Story Teaser: The Art of Deception By Speklez

Oh, fun for me. I get to be shameless and do a little self pimping. Last year was my first year donating to this amazing charity and this was one of the three stories I donated. Our fab Busymommy made the banner and I took the idea and ran with it. After many, many, MANY talks of the direction of the story, the plot was born and here we are with the second chapter of what was my first dance with slash. The Art of Deception was started in the Christmas Wishes compilation and here is where it lives on. 

The Art of Deception

by Speklez

It’s an art form getting people to think that everything they think to be true is anything but. However, no matter how you hide, how you ignore the burn of the lies that ignite a fire in your soul, in the end they always come out to destroy you.

*****

H*A*R*R*Y POV

We stayed like that for as he drank his coffee and waited for the medication to kick in. When he was finished, he leaned forward and set his cup back on the table before standing up, lacing his fingers together, and raising his arms above his head, stretching out his back.

Dropping his arms to his side, he turned to me, leaning forward and bracing himself on the back of the couch. “I going to go get a shower.” Dipping his head to mine, he pushed my head back with his forehead so it was lying on the back of the couch before pressing his lips to mine.

It was soft at first, but picked up in intensity when I pushed back against him, parting my lips at his request. I would never get tired of the sounds that came from the man above me. The soft moan at the first touch of our tongues would drive me wild every time I heard it. I would also never get tired of the feel of his fingers sliding into my hair, pulling at it to tilt my head the way he wanted.

He could call my hair stupid all he wanted, he knew he loved it. He also knew I knew it, too.

If I thought things were going to stop there, I was pleasantly surprised when he shifted his stance, using the leverage to push me to my back, and moving with me so the kiss wasn’t broken. I arched into him when he rolled his hips, his hand on my hip pulling me rougher against him.

When the kiss did break, Draco was panting, his steel eyes dark and hard as slate boring into mine. His voice was deep and rough. “Bedroom.”

*****

Is it hot in here, or is it just me? *giggles*

Time is very quickly running out to get your donation in. For a measly 5 dollars, you not only get exclusive first rights to every story in our compilation, but that donation will ensure that a child gets a visit from Santa that otherwise wouldn't have a Christmas. We are accepting donation slips right up until midnight Christmas Eve. Simply email us a copy at christmaswishest4t@yahoo.com and Santa will make a stop by your email on his way around the world.

Story Teaser: Tip Up at Copper Thief by S.A. McAuley

S.A. McAuley is a fabulous author that I had the pleasure of becoming friends with earlier this year due to our shared love of a certain British boy band that shall remain nameless. I then shamelessly coerced her into donating to this year's compilation by playing on our friendship and her misplaced fondness for me. In trade, I did make her banner, so all's fair, right?

Tip Up at Copper Thief 

by S.A. McAuley 

Len stood and extended his hand. “Then come on in. I’ll make us a proper holiday meal of fried fish and whiskey. Then you can tell me why in hell you’re crazy enough to be snow camping on Christmas, Graham Occam.” 

 *****

Len wasn’t the only resident on the lake, but he was—or so he thought—the only one who had stayed in town for the holiday. But the extra tip-up was closer to the far shore—state owned land—than it was to his side—the colloquially nicknamed region of Copper Thief.

Len huffed out a breath as a high-pitched zing cut through the silence and the mysterious tip-up across the lake abruptly swished to point to the star-filled sky.

Then a broad figure stepped out of the line of trees on the far shore.

The figure crunched out onto the ice, boots skidding below him for purchase. It was only then, when he was really looking for it, that Len noticed the jumping glint of firelight from beyond the tree line.

The person was apparently camping on the state land. In snow. On Christmas.

*****

Interested in seeing more? Make your donations before midnight on Christmas Eve to receive the entire compilation, while making a child's Christmas Wish come true.  

Story Teaser: Home for Christmas by Jasper1863Hale

Home for Christmas was our first submission received this year, and  Jasper1863Hale has diligently supported our efforts every year that we've done the compilation - always ending her submission email with a note that she is on board for the next year, too. She probably keeps me more on task than anyone else - slipping me messages on Facebook to check on when sign-ups will start, teasing me with her story ideas, and just generally being awesome.

Home For Christmas
by Jasper1863Hale

Wrongly accused of shoplifting two days before Christmas, Carlisle takes punishing Jasper too far, resulting in the younger vampire running away. When the rest of the family get wind of what happened, they stand by the innocent party and turn their backs on Carlisle, who just wants his loved ones home for Christmas.

*****

Realizing that his plan was no good, Jasper turned and tossed his passport onto the bed. He could just wait for Esme and Alice to come home from their shopping trip, but the chances of Carlisle making it back from work long before their arrival was a hundred percent, and the soldier didn’t think much of that at all. Even though Jasper was no stranger to punishments, even the more humane ones that his father and coven leader had adopted in order to keep his family in line, the actions of Carlisle toward him today had wounded the younger vampire—both physically and emotionally. There was no way that Jasper intended to wait for the patriarch to come home.

With his mind made up for a second time, Jasper crossed the room, moving toward the window, and pulled the sliding glass open to allow the winter breeze to swirl around him. If he chose to leave the house through the front door, Carlisle would smell him as soon as he returned home and would be more likely to follow him. Instead, Jasper jumped out of the window and landed on his feet with a faint hiss when the jarring caused his hide to ache. When he attempted another step, he walked with a limp into the trees, heading north away from his family home in Forks. 

 *****

I was so excited for this story, as the author typically does not write canon pairings. Even as someone whose favorite stories are non-canon, I loved it, and I hope you will, too. Only a few days left to ensure Santa delivers the Christmas Wishes compilation to you during his rounds. Don't forget to donate in between wrapping your holiday baking, shopping, and wrapping. 

Story Teaser: Disillusion by Speklez

Well, I had EVERY intention of starting teasers over the weekend, but spotty internet due to a ton of rain, followed by back to back holiday concerts for the heathens, my intentions availed to naught. HOWEVER, the internet is back on track, the concerts are over, so now, in between "assisting" Santa with some gift wraping, let's get to some teasers! 

First up is a snippet of an original fiction, written by one of Santa's helpers that assists me on the blog - Speklez.

 

Disillusion
by Speklez

The underworld is meant to tempt and corrupt the mind and soul. The illusions were not picky in their selection. No one was safe from seeing the unseen.
When an illusion goes unstopped, a chain of events follow that turn the demonic society on its head and leaves everyone to question just how far Fate will go to tie two people together -- including nearly killing one of its own to see it happen.   

*****

 

After taking just one more moment to bask in the beauty of the vassal, Damon looked up the rock wall. It was too high for him to jump and make it, so he figured out quickly that he was going to have to fly. It was when he was slowly and delicately pulling Serenity into his arms that he was pulled back to the reality of his situation and that he wasted too much of the time he didn’t have. His father’s voice broke through the sound of crashing waves, loud and crystal clear terror assaulting his hearing.

“Damon! Watch out!”

Snapping his attention over his shoulder, Damon’s eyes went wide as a startled gasp slipped past his lips at the sight of a wave that was an easy three stories high coming right at him. Having no time to think, he reacted on instinct, pulling Serenity under him as he bent over her, his arm around her waist to keep her, hopefully, safely tucked away. However, in taking the time to protect her, he didn’t have enough to brace himself for the thunderous impact of the water as it crashed into him.

Taken off-guard by the strength, Damon was slammed into the rock face, one of his wings getting caught between him and the unforgiving wall. The shock from the cracking bone of his wing caused a cry to rip from his throat, a momentary loss of his sight, and horrifyingly, also lose his grip on Serenity. Left panting from the pain that radiated from his wing and shot down his back, he blinked to clear his vision, a softer cry coming out this time as he watched Serenity being pulled over the side of the outcrop.

***** 

Not gonna lie, the banner alone made me want to see more of this story! I'll be putting up another teaser sooner, so stayed tuned for more enticing little sneak peeks of other stories.  If you are interested in reading the rest of Disillusion, and all of the other fabulous stories that have been submitted for this year's compilation, you still have six days left to donate. Just a $5 minimum donation to Toys for Tots not only provides a gift to a child who otherwise might not have one, but it also puts you on Santa's Nice List - and ensures he delivers the compilation directly to your inbox for Christmas Day.