Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts today…a fun way to sample new books and find new authors! (Also welcome to the Sunday Snippet visitors!)
I’ve switched to my NEW RELEASE Star Survivor, which is the long awaited sequel to Wreck of the Nebula Dream. (Blurb below the excerpt.) Continuing on from where we left off last week (edited a bit from published version):
“The lady wins again,” said the dealer.
“Your lucky night,” Khevan said, inclining his head to her slightly.
Twilka grabbed the table rail with her free hand. Did he know who she was? Of course he did, but the bastard was pretending not to recognize her, “Available for contract, I see.”
“Technically true, but traveling to an outlying temple for a required ritual.” His handsome, tattooed face gave nothing away, “There would have to be an emergency for me to take a contract tonight.”
“Did you want to let the bet ride?” asked the croupier.
“No,” she said abruptly, “I don’t tempt fate too far any more. Cash me out.”
The blurb:
The survivors of a terrible wreck meet again—but this time only one can survive.
They survived an iconic spaceship wreck together. She never expected to see him again … especially not armed to kill her.
Twilka Zabour is an interstellar celebrity. She built on her notoriety as a carefree Socialite who survived the terrible wreck of the Nebula Dream, and launched a successful design house. But now the man who gave meaning to her life, then left her, is back–this time for the worst of reasons. Will he kill her … or help her survive?
D’nvannae Brother Khevan survived the Nebula Dream in the company of a lovely, warm woman, only to be pulled away from her, back into his solitary life in the service of the Red Lady. Now Twilka’s within his reach again–for all the wrong reasons. Khevan will do everything within his power to discover why Twilka has been targeted for assassination, and to save her.
But Khevan is not Twilka’s only pursuer. Will allies Nick and Mara Jameson arrive in time to aid the couple, or will Khevan and Twilka’s ingenuity be all that stands between them and death?
This encounter is clearly significant, though at this point I don’t know how it will pan out.
Love the underlying emotion. Twilka is tweaking the assassin/bodyguard.
Sounds like Twilka is testing him. I wonder if Khevan will follow. Great snippet! 🙂
Very intense exchange! The atmosphere feels thick with tension.
It’s getting a bit chilly at the table…
Does he really not recognize her, or is he pretending? No matter which, she doesn’t seem happy about it.
Like the exchange…and how she adds “anymore”. And I’m guessing there’s going to be an emergency 😉
Love the last line-not tempting fate anymore so cash me out-what a woman and so are you, my friend. Hugs from Charmaine
Lots of suppressed emotion. Will she contract him? I’m sure there will be an emergency.
Lots of underlying tension here. Great snippet!
Best to know when to cash out.
Tweeted.
I guess he said the wrong thing. But then, I think she’s only cashing out her chips, not her heart.
Thanks for all the comments! There’s a lot of history between Twilka and Khevan, and much of this conversation relates back to the events of Wreck of the Nebula Dream (veiled references here) BUT I tried to write the book as a standalone. The comments today tell me I probably succeeded acceptably, because you’re definitely all catching the right emotions and inferences just from what the two characters are saying to each other, and their actions. I used the secondary characters in this scene (Lissa and Jord, who I really haven’t shared in snippets) as my guides – what would they think and how would they interpret the dialog, since neither of them were on the Nebula Dream either, like many readers.
Love those last lines! 😀
I don’t know what it all means, but there’s lots of tension in the background here.
Great charisma between these two.
Love the dialogue here, Veronica! Looking forward to learning more about their history!
The tension and unspoken emotion is clear from your snippet. Great writing.
Nice switch of mood, Veronica. Let’s see if hectares her bait!
Grr auto spell-check! ‘ he takes’!!!!!
Ha…looks like she’s tempting fate enough as it is even without letting the bet ride! Nice tension-building in this exchange.
You gotta know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em. Lol. Nice tension between the two of them.
So he’s pretending they’ve never met, and she’s playing along…
I don’t blame her. I’d cash out too!
Love the interaction here!
Tense, isn’t it?
She’s trying not to fall apart, and he seems so in control. I can really feel her frustration. Of course, just because he *seems* in control… doesn’t mean he *is.*
Lol. Nice tension between the two of them. !