All Hail the Shifter King
Title: Feeling Just Fine
Word Count: 121
Author's Note: Even in painfully short scenes like this, I still adore writing interaction between Kat and Ryder because no matter how many times I revise this novel, they just end up snarking at each other (mostly because they refuse to admit they care for each other, ha).
"Good morning," she said softly, slipping her bookmark between her pages and laying the book on the table beside her. His odd-colored eyes focused on her momentarily before he sighed and closed them again, and when he slowly reached out to her she smiled and curled her fingers around his. "How are you feeling?" she asked, rubbing the back of his hand with her thumb and oddly grateful for the ability to do so. "Can I get you something? Do you want some water, or..." She trailed off when she heard him mumble something under his breath and scooted her chair closer. "Sorry, what?" she asked.
"I said," he repeated, his voice hoarse, "I hate waking up to your face."
Title: A Toast
Song Used: Marilyn Manson, "Nobodies"
Word Count: 153
Rating: G
Summary: Eli loves to push his luck.
Author's Note: Ever since I first started writing this book ages and ages ago, I was on the fence about whether Eli and Ryder would be reluctant friends or mortal enemies. In the end, I never really decided - it adds a fun twist to their relationship.
"So what's the plan?"
Eli didn't look up from his drink, but his lips twisted into a smile as Ryder appeared in his peripheral vision.
"Thought you were done playing house with the humans?" he asked, trying and failing to keep the teasing tone from his voice.
"If you're expecting either an apology or admittance that you're right, you're getting neither."
"So I can just infer it, then?"
"I still owe you a bottle across the face," Ryder pointed out. "Don't push your luck."
"Right, of course." When he managed to get his grin under control, Eli filled the extra glass with scotch and held it out to Ryder. "For what it's worth," he offered, "I'm glad you came back." Ryder looked down at him for a moment before one of his rare smiles touched his face, and he clinked his glass against Eli's.
"For what it's worth," he replied, "so am I."
Word Count: 121
Author's Note: Even in painfully short scenes like this, I still adore writing interaction between Kat and Ryder because no matter how many times I revise this novel, they just end up snarking at each other (mostly because they refuse to admit they care for each other, ha).
"Good morning," she said softly, slipping her bookmark between her pages and laying the book on the table beside her. His odd-colored eyes focused on her momentarily before he sighed and closed them again, and when he slowly reached out to her she smiled and curled her fingers around his. "How are you feeling?" she asked, rubbing the back of his hand with her thumb and oddly grateful for the ability to do so. "Can I get you something? Do you want some water, or..." She trailed off when she heard him mumble something under his breath and scooted her chair closer. "Sorry, what?" she asked.
"I said," he repeated, his voice hoarse, "I hate waking up to your face."
Title: A Toast
Song Used: Marilyn Manson, "Nobodies"
Word Count: 153
Rating: G
Summary: Eli loves to push his luck.
Author's Note: Ever since I first started writing this book ages and ages ago, I was on the fence about whether Eli and Ryder would be reluctant friends or mortal enemies. In the end, I never really decided - it adds a fun twist to their relationship.
"So what's the plan?"
Eli didn't look up from his drink, but his lips twisted into a smile as Ryder appeared in his peripheral vision.
"Thought you were done playing house with the humans?" he asked, trying and failing to keep the teasing tone from his voice.
"If you're expecting either an apology or admittance that you're right, you're getting neither."
"So I can just infer it, then?"
"I still owe you a bottle across the face," Ryder pointed out. "Don't push your luck."
"Right, of course." When he managed to get his grin under control, Eli filled the extra glass with scotch and held it out to Ryder. "For what it's worth," he offered, "I'm glad you came back." Ryder looked down at him for a moment before one of his rare smiles touched his face, and he clinked his glass against Eli's.
"For what it's worth," he replied, "so am I."