{"id":1200,"date":"2011-09-18T14:14:19","date_gmt":"2011-09-18T19:14:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ajaalto.com\/?p=1200"},"modified":"2011-09-18T14:14:19","modified_gmt":"2011-09-18T19:14:19","slug":"sunday-afternoon-excerpt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.ajaalto.com\/?p=1200","title":{"rendered":"Sunday Afternoon Excerpt"},"content":{"rendered":"

An excerpt from Touched, launching Tuesday September 20th on Amazon.com.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

When Chapel came downstairs, his long-jawed Great Dane face displayed worry with all the subtlety of a neon beer sign. Considering he was a master of self control, it was with dread that I ventured:<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cProblem?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh no.\u201d He straightened his tie and helped himself to coffee from the thermos in front of me. He took it black, and filled my cup without being asked. \u201cGood news, actually. My unit chief approved a request to transfer the PCU headquarters out of our bunker in Quantico and into the new addition to the Boulder field office. We\u2019re also adding two branches on the west coast and one in Michigan.\u201d His calf-brown eyes scrutinized me from behind his glasses. \u201cAre you all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cI\u2019m fine, just a little tired.\u201d And a little ghoul-sexy<\/em>. I played with Harry\u2019s lighter. \u201cSo a new budget must have come down the line for you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Chapel nodded. \u201cBased on the rise in revenant-on-human violence, we\u2019ve got the go-ahead to hire licensed hunters to augment each team. I\u2019ve recommended Batten for promotion to handle the Michigan unit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 This was the source of the ripple of stress that again creased Chapel\u2019s forehead, I thought. Batten hadn\u2019t said yes.<\/em> Maybe he hadn\u2019t said an outright no, either. If there was a reason for his hesitation that had anything to do with me, it was probably best I didn\u2019t know.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Harry did not look up from his nursing manual. \u201cI am quite sure Agent Batten is a sound choice, and he shall do an adequate job of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCan\u2019t be much worse than this, anyway,\u201d I said with a shrug, trying not to think about it. Chapel considered me quietly while I blew on the coffee in my Kermit the Frog mug and sipped carefully. \u201cWhen I pry my tired ass off this couch, I\u2019m going to drive into Boulder and see if Ruby Valli has any books on flesh magic I can borrow.\u201d And see if she\u2019ll let me play Truth or Dare with her 1400 year old immortal companion. <\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Chapel was still considering me. Dark circles bloomed in the corners of his eyes. \u201cMaybe I should come with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTo Ruby\u2019s?\u201d I yawned behind my hand. \u201cWhat for?\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapel looked like he was thinking about insisting. His eyes snuck sideways to my silent revenant as though Harry might back him up.<\/p>\n

\u201cLook, I know what questions to ask better than you would,\u201d I assured him. \u201cAnd if there\u2019s anything I need to know that I forget to ask, Ruby Valli will tell me. She\u2019s a rare resource.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Chapel nodded, finished his coffee. \u201cYou think my presence might inhibit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt always inhibits me,\u201d I joked. Chapel surprised me with a half-smile of acknowledgement.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll guard Harry until you return.\u201d<\/p>\n

I bet you will<\/em>, I thought, the green-eyed monster tugging in my chest. He excused himself, fingers pressed to his jaw hinge, exploring some pain there that made his forehead wrinkle.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Harry stretched his legs out in front of him and stared at me, calculating, measuring, probably marking off possible signs of temporary insanity on a mental checklist. I gave him my version of the inscrutable revenant gaze, refusing to squirm, cool and unflappable; it lasted a whole three seconds before I cracked.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOkay, okay,\u201d I hissed, slapping my pillow. \u201cI heard it! Michigan! So what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShall we discuss this, so that you might maintain a scrap of dignity, decency and common sense through this development?\u201d A cello tube of English chocolate-covered digestive cookies appeared as if by magic in his hand and his fingers made quick business of unwrapping one end.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no. You\u2019re not twisting me into a corner with your word play.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harry\u2019s eyebrow rings twitched. \u201cA conversation with your closest companion is not generally considered a trap.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhich is why it\u2019s such a brilliant trap.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAgent Batten must go to Michigan, MJ.\u201d His voice left no room for argument. \u201cThe kindest thing you could do now is make it easy for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, his momma was paying me to be nice to him, but I suppose I could give her a refund and go full-speed-ahead on the bitch train.\u201d I rolled my eyes to him. \u201cYour casket misses you. T-minus \u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cOh, my doe.\u201d He smiled tolerantly. \u201cDo not pretend with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSounds like an impossible task, doesn\u2019t it? But I\u2019m up for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou must be more firm. Push him away. Be as stern and unforgiving as the Tyburn tree; it is for his own good, and yours, after all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat tree?\u201d My brows puckered, then shook my head so he wouldn\u2019t bother explaining. \u201cIt\u2019s not like I\u2019ve been warm and fuzzy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am confident that, given this new opportunity, Agent Batten will weigh his options and see that there is really nothing here for him. It would be unfair of you to confuse the situation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBy pouring on the infamous Marnie Baranuik charm? You know, the charm that has all the fellas clambering into my bed?\u201d I played through memories of me attempting various seduction techniques on highly unimpressed men, most of which ended with me flipping off a couch with arms flailing, or clonking my head on a bedpost. I layered on the sarcasm. \u201cWell, it\u2019s true: I\u2019m a sex goddess. That\u2019s my cross to bear. But I\u2019ll try to keep it under wraps for a bit longer until he\u2019s safely away.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harry lowered his voice discretely. \u201cIt is no secret that you and Agent Batten have an unfortunate chemistry; it is an ill wind that can blow no one any good.\u201d<\/p>\n

He was right, but I didn\u2019t have to like it, and there was no point in faking nonchalance. \u201cI vow to be my cheap, wretched, vulgar self, Harry.\u201d<\/p>\n

He drew himself up straight. \u201cShruff and cinders, we\u2019ll never be free of him!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cI didn\u2019t mean that<\/em>.\u201d I exhaled hard, blowing a spiky strand of hair away from my temple where it tickled. \u201cHarry, you\u2019re frowning at me again. Everyone\u2019s always frowning at me, as if they can change what I\u2019m doing just by pulling their eyebrows into some magic alignment. Stop it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou are plotting something. I do wish you would tell me what it is, so I can brace myself for the inevitable cock-up. The last time you ran off without warning, you got yourself mutilated by a knife-wielding lunatic.\u201d<\/p>\n

I got myself<\/em> mutilated. \u201cHow dare I?\u201d I marveled. \u201cTell me how you really feel, Harry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is not in a revenant\u2019s nature to prevaricate. Would you prefer that I do?\u201d<\/p>\n

Yes. No. Sometimes<\/em>. I sighed. \u201cI like knowing where you stand. And yes I\u2019m plotting. I thought I\u2019d swing by the Ten Springs Motor Inn, slip under the yellow tape and go full-tilt on the Blue Sense, see where it takes me.\u201d<\/p>\n

He appeared to relax. \u201cGloves off?\u201d When I nodded, he tested the air for lies, and, finding truth, ironed the creases out of his forehead. \u201cWell, don\u2019t you take the biscuit.\u201d<\/p>\n

That sounded like a compliment. \u201cI\u2019m going to have to finish this, Harry. Me. I didn\u2019t notice the last time I worked with them how green the PCU is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps the cure to your blindness might have been lifting your head out of Agent Batten\u2019s lap?\u201d<\/p>\n

It was the other way around,<\/em> I thought but most definitely did not say. \u201cThey\u2019re undertrained, underfunded, undereducated. I don\u2019t see that they\u2019re going to be much help until it\u2019s time to make an arrest, and that\u2019s never going to happen unless I step it up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure I\u2019d undervalue these gents quite to that degree, but they do seem to be floundering. To be sure, you are not considering going to the Motor Inn alone?\u201d He contemplated the area of my belly wound. Then his eyes dropped to my hips. \u201cOn second thought \u2026heaven forbid you find your cheap, wretched and vulgar self in a motel room with Agent Batten.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I think it\u2019d be pretty safe, what with my blood being the new accent feature of Room 4\u2019s decor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease, ducky. Agent Batten misses nothing, but he also seems perfectly capable of overlooking the obvious, dodging reason and common sense when it suits him, including fraternization rules and buckets of blood. He\u2019s practically gagging for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy blood?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, goose, that would be me.\u201d He reached over and picked up his bookmark, putting the dream of nursing vulnerable humans aside for the day.<\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t take Batten,\u201d I promised, since it seemed like a wise suggestion. Taking Batten to Ruby Valli\u2019s to question such an old revenant would be like taking a diabetic kid into an ice cream factory and letting him see how the mint chocolate chip is made. Also, a room with a bed and Beefcake Batten \u2026 well, that would make me<\/em> the poor kid shown what she can\u2019t or shouldn\u2019t have.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll go alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd if the inimitable Ms. Sherlock is lying in wait?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy would she know where I \u2026\u201d Maybe she lied about no longer being clairvoyant, dummy.<\/em> \u201cI\u2019ll take the Beretta.\u201d At his doubtful look, I promised, \u201cI\u2019ll even load it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are not telling me everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

His pupils were soft, human ash grey but that infernal intelligence swam behind them, threatening to surface. I waited him out in silence, a contest of wills with a creature who had all the time in the world to stare unblinkingly back at me. I cocked my head, smiled, and told him:<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes I just wanna grab your face and give you a big smooch. You\u2019re so adorable when you pout, Harry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Finally, he clipped, \u201cAn immortal never pouts.\u201d Then: \u201cPerhaps you should take that charming Sheriff Hood with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cInteresting. Not Deputy Dunnachie?\u201d<\/p>\n

Harry did not pause. \u201cSheriff Hood makes himself available to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHis Doubty McDoubterson vibe would squelch my psi.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGive him a good bollocking.\u201d<\/p>\n

I felt my eyebrows pucker. \u201cYowza. I don\u2019t know what that means, but it sounds real dirty.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou and Agent Batten are both getting on my wick of late.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHarry, I don\u2019t know what that <\/em>means either!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, clearly I am to be no help here!\u201d He stood, clearly exasperated. \u201cBut you listen here: this time, no quarter given. Is that perfectly understood?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0I had no idea what the hell that meant, but he was getting worked up, so I nodded solemnly. He placed a rare kiss on my forehead. \u201cI still think you should consider bringing Sheriff Hood with you. He\u2019s a safe pair of hands, and fit as a butcher\u2019s dog.\u201d<\/p>\n

I thought that sounded about right, though I\u2019d never seen a butcher\u2019s dog per se. I doubted Hood would enjoy tagging along with me to see Ruby Valli: retired Gold-Drake & Cross employee, present-day curiosity shop owner, 93 yr old paintball enthusiast and rumoured ex-dabbler in the black arts. If she didn\u2019t have books on flesh magic to lend me, I was pretty much out of luck. And if she didn\u2019t mind me chatting up her revenant, that\u2019d be great, but then again, if he was powerful enough to be awake all the live-long day, I might be placing myself in a bad way; Gregori Nazaire had a rather lusty reputation. Worse: I heard he digs blondes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

An excerpt from Touched, launching Tuesday September 20th on Amazon.com. When Chapel came downstairs, his long-jawed Great Dane face displayed worry with all the subtlety of a neon beer sign. Considering he was a master of self control, it was with dread that I ventured: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cProblem?\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh no.\u201d He straightened his tie and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1200","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-opinions"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.ajaalto.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1200"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.ajaalto.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.ajaalto.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.ajaalto.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.ajaalto.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1200"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/www.ajaalto.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1200\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1204,"href":"http:\/\/www.ajaalto.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1200\/revisions\/1204"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.ajaalto.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1200"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.ajaalto.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1200"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.ajaalto.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1200"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}