Thursday, August 24, 2006

Back to Normal

Well normal for me anyway, LOL. No complaining, griping, ranting or venting about stupid laws and annoying people.

So what shall I find to talk about? Storm's rapidly apporaching release date? Do Overs, the November release? Dear Micah, the December release?

How about a small sampling of Storm Chasing, shall we? Now this is unedited and only a sampling sneak peak at the book. (And needless to say this is copyrighted, :D)

Storm Duile walked across the lush green grass and sat down on the white damask hammock. Lying back she stared up into the periwinkle blue sky. It was heaven, pure heaven to be home in Aradia once more. She’d been shuttling back and forth across the earth for the last two months monitoring the air qualities and measuring who needed rain and storms where. Finally she had found the few minutes to pop back home for a brief nap.

“Storm!” she heard a call and sat up to check her watch.

“Nerts!” she shouted as she pushed up from her recline. She was late. The monthly sister gabfest and Mother Nature Inc board meeting was supposed to have started over and hour ago. She wriggled her fingers and landed behind the large red brick building the call had come from. Storm smoothed a hand through her hair and inhaled deeply. She both loved and hated these get togethers. She missed her sisters during their travels but there were some tense moments at times.

Storm and her sisters were elementals. Storm over the air, Ember over fire, Maryna was water and baby sister Tara the gentle guardian of the earth element. As Mother Nature Inc they were charged with the care of all aspects of the planet earth. Making sure it was neither too dry, nor wet, cold or hot. The growing seasons and indeed all of life itself depended in their careful attention to detail.

Sometimes it was more headache than it was worth. The mortals who lived on the planet weren’t considerate of the planets needs. Over the ages they’d become increasingly selfish and destructive. Still, she wasn’t the moral police, she had a job to do and she did it well.
At the door of the restaurant she once more inhaled deeply and went inside. She found the girls seated at a large round booth table and she hurried over.

She slid into the seat next to her youngest sister, Tara. “Hey. Sorry I’m late.”

“That’s all right. We’ve not been here that long,” Tara said with a smile.

“Long enough,” Ember groused.

Storm cut a look at her sister. “I apologized what more do you want from me?”

“You two aren’t going to start fighting again, are you?” Tara pouted. “You always argue whenever we manage to get together any more.”

Tara was right. Surely they could get together once a month without things getting heated. Storm grinned. “I think we can manage that, can’t we Em?”

Ember’s jaw hardened. “Maybe.”

“Don’t be such a witch,” Tara chuckled in an apparent effort to lighten the mood.

“I can’t change what I am,” Em answered back with a grin.

Storm sat back, relieved that things were getting back on an even keel. “So what have you been up to lately?” Suddenly she heard Maryna’s barely stifled giggles. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing I was just remembering one of my last visits here.”

“What about it? What did you do?” Storm asked.

“You know how the country was set off kilter a bit by a wrestler becoming a governor?”

Ember’s laugh rocked the table. “That was you? How funny!”

“You mean you meddled in mortal politics?” Storm was appalled.

“Why not! Remember Uncle Horace? What about when he came and the country ended up with and actor for president?”

After the laughter died down Tara looked at Storm. “I’ve been enjoying the desert southwest. It’s really an amazing place! There is so much to see, and do.”

“In a desert?” Ember sounded surprised. She sat back in the seat and rubbed her eyes. “I’m actually tired of things here. I’m ready to go back home for a while.”

Maryna sat forward, her aqua eyes sparkling with mischief. “I’ve been thinking. We’ve been so bored lately and I know just the way to alleviate the boredom. A contest!”

“What kind of contest?” Storm asked but the tightening in her gut told her it was a mistake. Maryna was a scamp, no two ways about it. She was always looking for someone to be the butt of her jokes and usually Storm bore the brunt of the retaliation.

“Simple one really. I am challenging you to a find the mortal contest,” she chuckled.

Tara choked on her iced tea. “Wait, umm a what?”

“Find the mortal! We each set out to find a mortal man, one who deals with our element in some way. Who ever catches him first is the winner.”

Ember’s upper lip sneered. “But I don’t want one.”

“Oh come on! It’s not like you have to keep him or anything. Just find one.”

“That’s too easy,” Storm grinned. “All I have to do is pop onto a plane and presto I’ve found him.”

Maryna’s eyebrow quirked and she raised a long slender finger. Waggling it back and forth in Storm’s face she grinned. “But that’s part of the rules. Ok here. This is what I thought. We each go and find a mortal man who deals, either with his job or his hobby, in our element. We get him to fall in love and propose.” She studied each sister. “The trick is you can’t use magic. He must use his own free will to fall in love and propose. The first one to get a ring is declared the winner.”

Ember made a sour face. “That is the most revolting prospect in the world! Why would I even want to consider being wed to a mortal?”

“You don’t have to marry him, silly. Once you’ve gotten the proposal and its been marked down, you dump him.”

Em beamed a smile. “I love the idea.”

“Wait, wouldn’t that hurt him?” Tara asked her mild hearted concern tinged the question.

“Come on, this is a mortal we’re talking about, it doesn’t matter how they feel,” Maryna replied.

Storm sat in quiet contemplation, messing with someone’s emotions, even if it was a lower life form, still didn’t sit right with her. “I don’t know it seems awful cruel.”

“You aren’t up to the challenge?” Em spurred.

“Of course I am, I just…” She considered the idea more. This was something that would relieve the boredom, and after all it wasn’t like they were going to kill anyone. “What are the rules?”

“Well, the challenge is to be the first one to get him well and truly hooked is the winner. The man you must find should be one who is…someone who specializes in your element. He’s got to place a ring on your finger before you can be declared the winner.”

“So I have to find a mortal who deals with the earth element?” Tara wanted to know.

“Right, Em has to find a mortal, any man whose field of work involves fire in some way. Storm has to find one who deals with air or weather, and I have to find someone who plays with water.”

“And what would we win?” Storm asked, warming to the idea.

“The undying respect of your sisters,” Maryna replied. Seeing that they weren’t amused she had to think for a bit. “I haven’t decided yet.”

“Then what’s the use? Why compete?” Em asked.

“Oh come on don’t be such sticks in the mud. It could be fun and I promise the prize, whenever I decide what it is, will definitely be worth the effort.” She looked at them in turn, “Besides, it’s our pride on the line, you know”

“I’m in,” Em grinned and put out her hand.

“I guess I am too,” Tara reluctantly answered.

“It goes against my better judgment, but ok,” Storm finally agreed. She added her hand to the other three and they broke.

“Remember, no magic,” Maryna reminded. “Now how to keep track?"

“Good question, we need someone impartial to keep a record. Some one who won’t show favoritism to anyone of us,” Em added.

They sat in thoughtful silence wondering whom they knew that would be up for the task. “Aunt Meggie.” They said in unison then collapsed in a giggling fit.

“I’ll get her” Storm stood and walking outside went to the back of the building. After she made sure no one was watching her. “Aunt Meggie, can you please join us?” She waited for a moment. “Aunt Meggie,” she called again.

“I’m right here, dear no need to shout,” the reply came from behind her.

Storm looked at her favorite aunt and grinned.
Meggie was somewhere between fifty and one thousand. Her hair full and thick would one day be blue, the next white, or purple it just depended on her particular outfit choice for the day. Today she was wearing a bright orange blouse and skirt, with orange strappy sandals and her hair was piled into a knotted bun. Strands of her blazing orange hair floated out of place around her face.

Storm took the older woman in a strong embrace. “It’s so great to see you. Listen the girls and I need a favor.” She took the older lady’s arm and linked it with hers. “We’ll have some tea while I fill you in.”

“Sounds wonderful dear.”

They walked back inside and joined the other three. After snagging the waitress and ordering the hot tea Storm began. “We’ve decided to have a contest of sorts Auntie. What we’ve decided is, we’re going to have a contest to see who can snag a mortal man first.”

“Right, he has to special in our element, and we can’t use our powers to make him fall in love with us. It has to be his free will choice. Who ever gets the proposal first wins. And we want you to be the scorekeeper. OH! And we have to live in the mortal realm for the duration of the contest,” Maryna finished.

Meggie threw back her head and laughed. “I’ll do it! You four…” she didn’t continue, merely laughed and shook her head. A curl of graying red hair slipped over her eyes. “I do have a few conditions. As soon as you’re settled, you contact me and I’ll assign you a chaperone. Every week or so you will contact me to let me know your progress and to let me know your surviving here. Don’t cause any catastrophes and please keep a reign on your tempers. Living here will be different from being at home. I know that goes without saying, but I said it anyway didn’t I?” she chuckled lightly.

Storm grinned, Aunt Meggie was dear but sometimes she was a little flighty to say the least. “We’ll be good, Auntie.”

“I’m sure you will dear.” She took the pot of warm tea and poured herself a cup. “I do wish I had some antiban honey.”

Tara wriggled her fingers, a small glass vial of dark purple liquid materialized in her hand. “Here you are Auntie,” she said passing the vial to the older lady.

“Thank you dear.” Meggie poured the rich thick liquid into the steaming mug. She swirled the contents until it mixed and took a sip. “MMM paradise.”

They sat quietly while Meggie finished her tea then slipped from the booth.

“You all have your assignments. Let the fun begin,” Ember grinned.

They stepped back out into the warm sunshine and walked toward the back of the building. “Happy hunting my little imps. Keep an eye out for each other and have fun.” Aunt Meggie gave and received a kiss on the cheek from each girl.

“I’ll be in touch soon Auntie. See you three in the winners circle!” Maryna vanished in the breeze, her taunting chuckle hung in the air for a moment before it too dissipated.

“Love you all. Bye!” Tara waved and dematerialized from the group.

“Thanks for agreeing to help Auntie. Love you. Bye Em.” Storm disappeared from sight.

Well, enjoy the read and I hope you are as looking forward to the release of Elemental Desires: Storm Chasing, as I am!

Huggles and HAPPY READING!
Donica

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