So I decided to pivot. I got some good responses to second Sah book and decided to finish off the trilogy before moving onto something new. The working title as you can see is In Masks Ominous and Arcane. This book Sah gets to see even more of the world of the Magicae with a focus on the Revenants, Vampires, zombies and lichs oh my.
Also with this one trying to write it with a focus on all the things I need to publish and promote it. So like working on taglines and basic synopsis at the beginning of the process so I am not trying to figure it all out on the back end. Also that way all my supporters can give me their thoughts and opinions.
possible Taglines
– All Sah wanted to do was spend some time at a romantic castle but now she has just one night to save her partner from 13 vampires with blood on their mind.
– A gilded age mansion, one woman trying to save her partner, 13 vampires hellbent on blood,
-Sah just wanted a quiet weekend away now is she up to her ass in vampires and terrorists with her love’s life on the line
-An author turned shape shifter travels to a gilded age mansion to reconcile with her lover but must stand alone against vampires and terrorists if she hopes to re-unite with them
and the first 1000 words – let me know what you think about where this next book is heading
chapter 1
There are real monsters in the world. I thought I discovered this three years ago when, while trying to rescue my sister, I found out we were part of a legacy of magical beings. In our case, shapeshifters, me in particular being of the snow leopard variety. While it wasn’t without its upsides- for instance, I met my lover, Valeria- it came with downsides like lots of people trying to kill us. So I figured I now knew how the world really worked and what scary things were in the shadows. Then I got called to LA to help the Fae find an eldritch serial killer, and it turns out I had no idea what creatures were lurking in the shadows. I survived, gained an honorary title in Daoine Sí society, but lost a new friend.
Now I lay in bed with my Xbox controller in my hands at 7 am trying to figure out what comes next. I was tired, like I thought I had been tired when I was facing deadlines in writing my novels, but now it just never seemed to go away. I had a whole new business I had started with a Russian witch to try to safeguard the magical youth who had been cast out of their families, but she had it in well in hand, and my main purpose seemed to be signing checks at this point.
“Hey hon, not in the middle of a boss battle are we?” Val stuck her head into the bedroom. I briefly smiled before sighing. She always wanted me to get out of bed.
“Not yet. Just doing the usual half hour trying to decide what game I am going to be playing before putting on Halo multiplayer again.”
“Well, I got a surprise for you.” She walked through the door carrying a tray laden with eggs benedict made with filet mignon and several donuts.
She wants something. I bet she had an affair and is coming to tell you she’s leaving.
Oh, that, that is Dominque. She is a main character from my first set of novels and now kind of lives in my subconscious. Her specialty is telling me when things are going to go south, but even for her, she had gotten dark lately. Of all the things in my life, the thing I trusted most was Val. There were only two people who had never let me down, and she was one of them.
“Eggs Benedict from the Daniel Restaurant. Was I that good last night?”
“Always.” Val set the tray down in front of me and leaned in for a kiss. We embraced, but she pulled away quickly. Crossing the room, she started rummaging through the closet.
“Can I help you find something. “
“no just looking for the sui…” The rest of what she was saying faded away into mumbles as she stuck her head into the closet.
“What did you say?”
She came out of the closet carrying a large suitcase and her go bag. “Hon, I need to tell you something, and I want you to let me explain before you get mad. “
“I don’t get mad before giving people a chance to tell me what’s going on.”
I felt Domingue mentally snort at that.
“Shut up.”
“What? Oh, you’re talking to Domingue, aren’t you?”
“So where are you going?”
“One of my old friends in law enforcement came down with a sudden illness and asked me to cover for them. “
Here it comes.
“What is the assignment?” I kept a careful control of my tone.
“It’s to provide security for the speaker.”
I had to strain to hear the last couple of words, but once they registered. I was instantly alert. “You are guarding that rat fink bastard. He screwed and manipulated us. Hell, he almost got me killed multiple times. What the fuck are you thinking?”
“You said you would let me explain.”
“I lied!” I threw the controller against the wall.
“It’s important.”
“I don’t care. Fuck him and Fuck the Menagerie ruling council!”
“They are re-enforcing the Veil.”
That should have given me pause. The veil was the thing that kept most of the outside world from being able to perceive us, supernatural creatures. Suppose people found out that there were vampires, werewolves, and elves running loose; who knows what would happen. That fact didn’t seem relevant right now. All I could feel was that Val was leaving me and going to spend her time with them.
“Tell them to find someone else.”
“They tried. I was the bottom of the list because you know all the shit you have stirred up. But this has to go smooth. Every 100 years the rulers of the Magicae have to swear to the pact to maintain the Veil. But every 100 years, all the groups do a lot of political maneuvering to try to get small changes so they will have advantages for the next century. Something goes bad, it goes bad for everyone. That is why I am going.”
All of that made sense, so I figured I should fight dirty. “But I need you.”
Val dropped her bags.
Girl, you went too far.
“You need me for what? To watch you play games all day, then come down for dinner and ask for affection. You went through a lot in LA, but then you gave up when you came home. Stopped going to therapy, stopped writing, stopped hanging out with anyone but me. I’m doing athis to serve the community. What have you done lately?”
“That’s not fair. I have given a ton of money to the homeless shelters.”
“Have you ever thought that maybe the kids need more than money? Maybe they need you and your time. I was born in the Menagerie. You and your sister were awakened to your totem in your thirties with no idea what the fuck was going on. I think the kids could use that perspective.”
I decided to go eloquent. “Fuck you.” I grabbed another controller off my bedside table and booted up Halo. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Val shake her head and walk out of the room.