Written by Erica Rose Jackson
Sometimes, it's nice to take a break from writing your own novellas and go back to your roots. For me, that's fanfiction. Please enjoy chapter 1 of my latest fanfic about Q from Star Trek. Click here if you want to finish the story. Choosing Love Summary:Before the events of Star Trek: Picard season 2, Q met the love of his life in Rose Carter. Will Q let her join him on his mission to ensure Picard has the same opportunity to find love that Q has found with her? This is not 100% canon compliant. QxOC Chapter 1 Rose was sitting on her sofa when Q appeared, “It’s been a while. I was starting to wonder if you were ever coming back,” she pouted as she patted the spot next to her. “I’m quite sorry, my dear,” he replied as he sat down, pulling her into his arms, “You know that I have many things to do across the galaxy,” he explained. She nodded against his chest, “I know, but I miss you so much while you’re gone. Can I come with you next time?” she questioned while trailing her fingers along his chest. Q laughed softly, “You want to join me on my next adventure? I’m not sure that would be an excellent idea. Would you be able to control yourself?” “What do you mean?” she innocently asked as her hand moved from his chest to his upper thigh. Her eyes were sparkling mischievously, “I am perfectly capable of keeping my hands to myself when necessary. As long as we’re both referring to the same thing.” He removed her from his hold, shifting her onto his lap, “I’m not sure you’re doing yourself any favors with your actions. You’ve already started something that could never occur while we’re on a mission,” he stated, rolling his hips to make his point. Rose climbed from his lap and took a seat across the sofa to prove herself, “I am perfectly capable of not touching you. I’ll start right now just to show you how serious I am.” It was Q’s turn to pout as he moved closer to her, placing a kiss on her shoulder, “I certainly did not mean that you have to start now. If you truly wish to join me then you are welcome to. We’ll be on our way to see a very old friend of mine tomorrow morning.” He moved his attention to her jaw as he trailed kisses until he reached her lips, “Until then, you are all mine.” He took her lips with his own as she moved back onto his lap, straddling him, smiling against his lips. The following morning, Q woke Rose so they could begin their adventure together. He was looking forward to this mission for more than one reason. “Are you ready, my love?” he asked, unable to hide his excitement. Rose nodded with a warm smile. With that, Q snapped his fingers and suddenly Rose found herself by his side in someone’s home. “Where are we?” she asked, only slightly disoriented. Before Q could respond, another voice interrupted. “Q? What the hell have you done?” the older, bald man questioned, his tone filled with annoyance. “ Mon Capitaine, how are you, old friend?” Q replied warmly. He turned to Rose, “My darling, this is Captain Jean Luc Picard.” “Wow, you’re a legend,” Rose stated in awe. Picard shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose, “Q, who is this that you’ve brought with you?” “Apologies, Jean Luc,” Q began, gesturing to Rose, “This is Rose Carter. She is the love of my life. That is something you’ve never experienced and I am here to change that. You have one more trial to endure. Welcome to the very end of the road not taken.” Picard sighed as the Q snapped again moving the three of them outside revealing to Rose that she was at a vineyard. “Q,” Picard began, frustration heavy in his tone, “I don’t have time for this. Where is the Stargazer? I was about to die to save the Federation from the Borg.” Q sighed, “The Stargazer is the very least of your concern, Jean Luc. This world is on its last leg, as are you, my friend. You’ve reached the end and this is your last chance.” “You look unwell, Q,” Picard commented, “Is this truly about me or is there something deeper going on with you?” Rose noticed the way Q reacted to Picard’s words and she was unable to focus on anything else either man said. Before she knew it, she was in another home with Q. Picard was no longer with them and her heart was heavy with concern. A/N: There's a playlist too if you're interested
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Written by Erica Rose Jackson Over the past weekend, I visited Charleston, South Carolina which happens to be the city where a few of the locations my novella Adventures at Sea takes place. I ventured to those places during my tripe and snagged some pics. Enjoy some excerpts from the story alongside the real-life locations where they took place. Angel Oak Tree The USS Observer was in port in Charleston, SC which meant the crew was allowed forty-eight hours of shore leave. James Scott and Arya Lewis took their opportunity to get off of the ship to visit the Angel Oak Tree on John’s Island. “You know I lived her for a year while I was in the academy,” Arya shared as they walked up to the ancient tree, “I divided my time between here and the pier in Mount Pleasant that looks at the USS Yorktown and the Laffey,” she elaborated. Scotty smiled as he pulled out their lunch, “That makes a lot of sense since I’ve gotten to know you. Your favorite part of nature is the water but you are very careful to make time for other great works of nature,” he theorized as he glanced at her. “You might know me too well, James Scott,” she replied as she sat down on the grass, basking in the shade offered by the old tree. He sat down to join her as he offered her a small sandwich, “Well, I hope I don’t know you too well yet. I would like to think that there are still mysteries between us for the next few years, at least,” he shared. “There will be,” she replied with a smile, “Figuring out I like boats, water, and nature shouldn’t have been too hard, I hope. There are other things I love that you have no idea about … yet,” she teased. Her comment was met with a small laugh from Scotty, “I suppose we’ll just have to get to know each other as we go, won’t we?” “That’s the only way, but I can give you a hint about myself if you want,” she teased as she turned to face him. He gave her a nod. “I want you to be mine and only mine until the end of time for one of us, at least,” she revealed as she sat back to share that fact with him. Her words gave his plan more confidence as he offered her a nod. “I hope for the same, Lass.” “I need you to stay quiet for a few minutes, can you do that?” he requested while sporting the cutest expression she’d ever seen. She nodded in agreement as she gestured for him to move forward with whatever he’d been planning. As the sun began to set, Scotty pulled a small box from his pocket as shifted his position until he was on one knee, which was a challenge for him (one which Arya appreciated). “Arya Lews, I knew from the moment I first met you that you were my soulmate. You’re my everything. I’ve tried thinking of something, someone, anything else but all roads point back to you. You’re what I’m meant to find and I would be beyond honored if you’d agree to become my wife so that I can be yours and you can be mine until the end of time,” he confessed as he held the ring out to her. Arya sat in silence for a few moments so she could gather herself. The man she’d had a crush on for most of her teenager years and adult life was asking for her hand in marriage. She didn’t want to mess this moment up. Arya took a deep breath and faced Scotty before she replied, “Yes, Scotty. I’ll be your wife. There is nothing more in this world that I could ever want more than to be yours in every definition of the word,” she stated as she watched tears form in his eyes. He shook them off as he moved to put the ring on her finger. “You have no idea how happy you’ve made me,” Scotty confessed as he moved to pull her into his arms. William Aiken House Once she was ready, she left her suite and made her way to the hall within the William Aiken House where her wedding to James Scott was set up. They’d spent many painstaking hours at sea planning this event. Her Father was waiting to walk her down the aisle. Arya could see James Scott waiting for her, but she knew he couldn’t see her yet, which gave her a bit of a thrill. As she made her way down the aisle, she gasped when she saw the way her future husband reacted to seeing her in her wedding dress for the first time. Arya stood across from James once she’d been given away, trying hard to hold back her happy tears. They hadn’t written their own vows because their wedding came at the heels of their most recent mission on the USS Observer. Before they knew it, the priest was pronouncing them husband and wife. Scotty was granted permission to kiss Arya and she was no longer Arya Lewis, but Arya Scott now and forever. “I’d like to introduce you all to the newlyweds James and Arya Scott for the first time,” the DJ announced as the newlyweds prepared to enter their reception for their first dance as man and wife. “Give these two a big round of applause!” the DJ added as their song began to play, ‘At Last’ by Celine Dion. “You’ve been awfully quiet since the ceremony, Lass,” Scotty commented as he moved Arya across the dancefloor while their song played overhead. She looked at him tenderly as she responded, “I’m just basking in the newness of being your wife. I had a crush on you for so many years without ever meeting you so this is surreal for me. I never imagined I could be so lucky,” she confessed as she felt him pull her tighter against his body. If you'd like to read the entire novella, you can grab it here! Written by Erica Rose Jackson A few weeks ago, I took Magic City Murders out to some of the locations mentioned in the novella. I picked four of my favorites and now I'll share them with y'all. Enjoy some fun photos and a few excerpts from my story set in Birmingham, AL! Red Cat Coffee After an hour at the crime scene, Riker and Arika made their way to Red Cat, a local coffee shop nearby. After they ordered their drinks, they found a table and started reviewing their notes on the crimes committed so far with eachother. Arika started the conversation once their coffees arrived, “So far, I can’t find any commonalities among the crimes allegedly committed by the victims of our killer. It would seem like the only tie between the killings is that these people were found innocent of crimes that our killer believes they are guilty of,” she shared before taking her first, and much needed, sip of her coffee. “Your findings are the same as ours so far,” Riker responded, “We’ve theorized…well, I’ve theorized that this person is either an avid reader of the daily news or they work in the court system in some capacity, which would explain their access to this information. The problem with that theory is that all the victims have been tried in different courthouses making it difficult for one employee to potentially be responsible. The only similarity between the victims, themselves, is that they were all on trial for crimes related to reape,” he explained, letting out a deep sigh as he finished, the tension visible on his face. B&A Warehouse Arika finished her article to update on the vigilante before she got ready for the Christmas Party. She showered and threw on an emerald green gown. It was long in the back and knee-length in the front. The top was adorned with lace while the rest laid smoothly. She loved the v-neck feature along with the slightly open back, making her dress just a little bit suggestive. Riker arrived to pick her up promptly at seven. He drove them downtown to B&A Warehouse for the police force Christmas Party. “You look gorgeous,” Riker complimented as they walked into the event while offering his arm to her. Arika smiled, softly, before she spoke, “You don’t look bad yourself,” she complimented as she took in the sight of him in formal wear. She thought he was handsome before but this look was definitely working for him. “Why thank you,” he replied as he guided her to the bar where he ordered them each a glass of white wine, handing her hers once it was poured. Once they had their drinks, they made their way to a table and took a seat while music blasted through the building mixed with the sounds of people talking and laughing. Good People Brewing Company Once they reached the brewery, Riker and Arika found a table to go over the stacks of paper he’d brought with him. “Do you want something to drink?” he asked before they dove into research mode. Arika looked up at the menu before she replied, “Sure, I’ll take a Muchacho. Thanks,” she added as he walked away to order their drinks while she started on the first file of the many they had to go through. Riker returned with their drinks a few moments later, handing her hers before he took a seat and grabbed the next file down. “I suppose the best way to do this is to take notes of anything in these files that jumps out and then dive deeper into those things after we’ve looked at everything. What do you think?” Arika nodded in agreement, “Yeah, that’s probably the easiest way to tackle all of this. Here’s to finding our serial killer,” she lifted her glass, motioning for them to do cheers. Riker smiled as he lifted his glass and tapped it against hers. Botanical Gardens *Spoiler Alert* Exactly eighteen months after they met, Riker took Arika on a walk at the Botanical Gardens because he knew how much she loved the Japanese Gardens. “What a nice idea for a quiet afternoon together,” she complimented, “Thank you, babe,” she added while offering him a warm smile as they walked with his arm wrapped protectively around her waist, as he always did. He glanced down at her, his lips curling into his infamous smirk (the one she loved the most), “We’ve been working hard lately on multiple cases so I thought we could use a break. We deserved some time for just the two of us,” he explained. She nodded, “Whatever your reasons, I’m grateful for today.” The couple walked quietly until they found themselves in the middle of the red bridge stationed in the back half of the gardens, Arika’s favorite spot. Arika was taken by surprise as Riker got down on one knee before her. “What are you doing?” she asked, her tone filled with shock. He attempted to suppress a chuckle, “Don’t ruin the moment, my love,” he replied before he placed his finger to his lips in a shushing motion so he could continue. Written by Erica Rose Jackson While visiting my hometown of Amsterdam, NY, I took Danger Lies in the Dark to the locations where my story takes place. I was able to get pictures at all the spots! Check out some blurbs and photos from Danger. I hope you enjoy getting to see aspects of the book come to life. The Old Amsterdam Mall/Riverfront Center
Amsterdam Castle
Amsterdam Public Library
St. Mary's Catholic Church
Written by Erica Rose Jackson Recently, I went on a trip to Nashville, TN where my superhero trilogy The Superfriends took place. I was able to take pictures at five of the nine locations mentioned throughout the three books. Read along to enjoy a blurb mentioning each location with a photo to go along with the venues. The trilogy consists of three books: Resilliance, Disturbance, and Intermission. The Wildhorse Saloon 'Resilliance' Rose was shocked by the information she’d uncovered but now all the pieces of her investigation made sense, everything was clicking. She grabbed her phone again and sent Jay a text, “I think I know what Benjamin’s plan is. Meet me at the Wildhorse Saloon at six.” Rose walked into the bar and saw Jay sitting at a table waiting for her, two beers already at the table. “Were you able to learn anything during your workday yesterday?” Jay asked, moving their conversation straight to business. She nodded as she took a sip of her drink, “I figured out a lot, actually. The only thing I don’t know is the timing of his plan,” she began to share, chugging the rest of her drink as she thought over Benjamin’s plan and her last interaction with Jay. Jay waved over a waitress to request another drink for Rose before he gestured for Rose to continue sharing what she knew after her investigation into her boss. “Benjamin has the blueprints to City Hall and the Governor's home,” Rose started, “I thought that was strange so I stayed up for most of the night to figure out what he needed that information for. I discovered a code in his emails with an old friend. The Stillery 'Disturbance' Reid Monroe was sitting at her desk when she got the text from Rose inviting her to dinner. She sent back an enthusiastic ‘yes’ before she returned her focus to her work. Once her day ended, she headed straight to The Stillery where she found Rose waiting for her in the parking lot. The women greeted each other with a warm embrace before they went inside and got a table. “How have you been?” Reid asked after they ordered their drinks, “I haven’t heard from you much since you met Jay.” Rose smiled, “I’ve been good. Sorry I’ve been pretty MIA for the past three years, but that’s actually part of the reason I asked you to dinner tonight. How’s everything been in your neck of the woods? Any romance news?” Rose suddenly realized how long it had been since she’d shared girl talk with anyone. Reid shook her head, “No, I’ve been so busy with work that I’ve had zero time to devote to my personal life. I’m curious about how your relationship with Jay has something to do with our dinner though, spill,” she added, almost ordering while looking Rose straight in the eyes. Nashville Underground 'Disturbance' Reid drove herself and Jeremy to Nashville Underground. Their ride was silent. In fact, neither of them uttered a word until they were at their table in the bar. Reid preferred to sit outside on the roof, but the temperature was far too low for that to be a possibility. “So, do you have any experience in hand-to-hand combat?” Barton asked after they’d ordered their beers. She shook her head, “I have none,” she confessed, “There are plenty of times I wanted to sign up for a self-defence class over the years, but I never got around to it. I’m a blank canvas,” she shared as their waitress placed their drinks on the table. Reid took a sip immediately. A charming smile took over Barton’s lips, “No worries, I can whip you into shape no matter what level you’re currently at.” Yolan 'Intermission' The Barton’s left Brentwood Labs and headed straight for Yolan as neither had had a chance to eat before their wedding reception was crashed. “We’re actually getting a better meal than what we had catered,” Barton commented as the newlyweds entered the restaurants and were guided to their table. Reid laughed, “You’re so good at finding the bright side in any situation. I guess that’s why I married you,” she retorted before they gave their waitress their drink and meal orders. Both were starving. He pursed his lips into a pout, “You only married me for my positive attitude? I thought there were a few more things you liked about me,” he added as he looked into her eyes, unable to stop his lips from curling into a smile. “There might have been a few more reasons,” she teased in reply, “Like, you’re good looks for one. And, perhaps the fact that you’re a complete badass,” she added, unable to suppress her beaming grin at the fact that she was his wife now, even if their day had been slightly ruined. The Parthenon 'Intermission' Osborn brought Remington home just long enough for them to change and pack a picnic which they took with them to the Parthenon. Remington spread out their blanket across the freshly cut green grass before they each took a seat. Osborn began by opening their bottle of wine, pouring them each a glass before he started pulling out their dinner items. “Babe, are you ok to participate in these fights?” she asked, hating to ruin the moment but her worries outweighed her need for a cute and cuddly evening. His brow furrowed in confusion, “What do you mean?” he retorted before taking a sip from his glass. She moved herself until she was sitting on his lap, “I’ve just noticed that you seem to get tired out quickly while you’re fighting or racing people to safety. Maybe Jay can give you something to help?” she suggested, “I remember him saying that your power uses a lot of calories so you might just need to start eating a lot more.” “I’ll do whatever I need to in order to stay by your side out there,” he shared as he placed a gentle kiss on her cheek, “I’d worry about you far too much if I had to stay behind. I don’t know how Rose does it,” he added. Remington let out a small giggle, “She doesn’t do it very well. You saw what happened today. I know I’d do the exact same thing if it were us,” she sobered as her words grew more sentimental. “As would I, my love,” he agreed as he stole a kiss before offering her a sandwich. Written by Erica Rose Jackson I'm back again, y'all! This time, I'm sharing an excerpt from my newest work Swipe for Love. It's about a girl who has no time to date but her friend sets her up on one of the apps anyway. She finds a great guy, but there's more to this story then she bargained for. Enjoy! Chapter 1 Girl’s Night Harlyn got off from a long shift on the ambulance, one where she’d faced life and death more times than she’d like to recount. She sighed as she showered and threw on a pair of skinny jeans with a coral, linen, short-sleeved button-up to meet her best friend, Chloe Collins, for a drink down at Howl at the Moon. Harlyn arrived at the bar to find Chloe already set up in their favorite booth with a bucket of Howl’s famous Fruit Roll-Up drink. “You didn’t take long to settle in, did you?” Harlyn teased as she took a seat across from Chloe while pouring herself a glass. Chloe let out a laugh, “I didn’t want to waste any of our rare time together,” she replied, playfully, poking fun at Harlyn’s busy schedule. “I’m sorry that I’m so busy all the time,” Harlyn whined as she took a large sip of her drink, “I wish I had more time for us to hang out like we used to. What would we do if I actually tried to balance dating into my already insane schedule?” she joked, snorting as she burst into a fit of laughs. A mischievous look crossed Chloe’s lips after Harlyn mentioned dating, a look which made Harlyn more nervous than she’d felt in a very long time. Harlyn raised her brow, “What’s going on in that mind of yours? It’s never a good thing when you make your scheming face.” “I was just thinking that it would be really good for you to start dating,” Chloe replied, feigning innocence, “We could just set up a profile for you and see what happens,” she suggested, causing Harlyn to shake her head. “Chloe, I know you have the best intentions behind your devious plan,” Harlyn began, “But, I barely have time for anything, much less dating. It would be rude for me to put myself out there when I’d just be wasting any man’s time,” she explained. Chloe shook her head, “You don’t know that. Guys are busy too so maybe you need to find one of those. Your schedules will always be clashing but you’ll somehow manage to find time for each other then you’ll fall madly in love. Don’t you, at least, want to try for happily ever after?” she questioned. Harlyn took a deep breath, “Happily ever after is a fantasy and it’s not something any of us will ever have. I’m going to run to the restroom and I hope you’ll be ready to catch up when I get back and stop talking about this craziness,” she playfully warned as she stood and left the table, foolishly leaving her phone behind. Chloe picked up Harlyn’s phone and quickly set her up a dating profile on one of the apps. She listed her job as a paramedic so people would understand how busy Harlyn truly was. Chloe typed in some of her bestie’s interests before picking one of her favorite selfies. Chloe finished just in time as Harlyn re-emerged from the bathroom. “Are you ready to gossip and catch up?” Harlyn inquired, “Or, are you still fixated on my dating life?” Chloe nodded, “I’ll leave you alone when it comes to your love life. So, are there any stories from your job that you can tell me that won’t cause me to pass out?” Harlyn laughed. Her friend was extremely squeamish to the point that even the description of blood could make her faint. Harlyn shook her head, “I wish I did, but there aren’t any you can handle. What’s going on in your world? How are things with Billy? That was pretty new last time we had drinks,” she asked, turning the table on Chloe. It was Chloe’s turn to laugh as she responded, “I like Billy, so far. We’ve been a few dates, but I’m not sure where things are going yet. He and I seem to have a lot of differing opinions on some of the more important issues so that might cause this whole thing to stall out,” she shared, as they each poured another drink from their bucket. Harlyn nodded, “Well; if you two really like each other then you’ll be able to find a way to work around those things. How’s work? Last time we hung out, you weren’t sure you still wanted work in the library archives.” “I was getting a little bored before because it can be really lonely working in the basement of the library, practically alone,” Chloe started explaining, “Now that I’m used to it, though, I really enjoy it. I have plenty of time to work on my thesis for my doctorate and I can’t pass up an opportunity like that.” The friends spent the next few hours laughing and drinking until they each retired to their homes, both knowing the morning was going to come much sooner than either of them would be ready for. Harlyn changed into her pajamas and laid down in her bed, turning on some brainless television, as a notification dinged from her phone. She rolled over onto her side to see what it was. When she saw the words ‘someone’s matched with you’ across her screen, she rolled her eyes. Curiosity got the better of her, though, as she turned back to her phone and unlocked it to see who was crazy enough to try and start a relationship with her. The matching profile belonged to an older man (his bio said he was fifty-two) named Michael Malvo. Harlyn studied the photo first, chastising herself for being superficial as she did so. Michael Malvo was a handsome man with strong features. He had thin grey/white hair, almost a buzz cut, with a matching beard, though it was slightly thicker. Malvo’s eyes were a soft blue which softened his muscular features. His bio said he was a private contractor from South Carolina, originally. His interests included hiking (which Harlyn did not love), trivia, karaoke, movies, and music more specifically live music. Harlyn continued reading over Michael’s information over and over while she tried to decide if she wanted to accept messages from him. She took a sip from her bottle of water and while she was placing it back on her nightstand, her thumb slid over the accept button causing her to gasp. She dropped her phone down onto her nightstand as she placed her face in her hands, overwhelmed and nervous at the same time. What had she done? She didn’t even know if she wanted to talk to this guy but it was too late for that now, wasn’t it? She could delete the app, but part of her was too intrigued for that option to win out in the end. Harlyn sighed deeply to herself as she rolled away from her phone and closed her eyes to fall asleep. She could worry about her romantic future and Chloe’s punishment in the morning before her next shift. Written by Erica Rose Jackson My latest novella is a little bit different than what you're used to and it might segue into a few stories like it. Until then, please enjoy an excerpt from 'The Hostage'. Chapter 1 Becoming a Hostage Hadley Ellis, an event planner for a local PR firm in Tampa, FL, stood in line at the bank closest to her office. She was waiting to make the company’s deposits when the unexpected happened. Hadley was off in her own world, imagining how the decorations for her next would even look when she heard a man’s voice consume the bank’s lobby. “Excuse me,” the man’s voice boomed, “No alarms, no calls, please. Just place the cash in these bags and I’ll be out of your way just as quickly as I appeared,” he announced as he moved across the teller line. The man’s eyes caught Hadley’s as she found herself looking at the criminal, unable to look away. She knew she wasn’t quick enough and he’d definitely noticed her staring. She noticed him, almost instantly, even before he announced his intentions. The man had well-kept hair, graying but mostly white, paired with dark hazel eyes. He was in excellent shape and undeniably attractive. He continued his work as the sounds of sirens grew closer before surrounding the building. As he neared the exit, he grabbed Hadley and dragged her with him out of the door. She was a hostage and she truly wasn’t sure if she felt frightened or excited, or a mix of both. She was ashamed of the part of her that felt thrilled by this development. “Don’t make any moves or I’ll be forced to kill this young woman,” the man shared as he backed out of the bank with his arm wrapped tightly around Hadley’s waist as he took over a random car on the street. She noticed how the man tossed a highlighter to the security guard as he moved them out of the main doors. “In case you need to highlight someone,” he’d said. Her mind was racing with thoughts with the primary one being, did this man just rob a bank by simply using a magic marker? Hadley’s thoughts were busy before he chose to take her as a hostage, but once she was on her way out the door with him, it was moving into warp speed or overdrive, she wasn’t sure which. “What are you going to do with me?” she asked as he peeled out of the spot and raced away from the downtown area, of the small town. The man turned to face her, as he replied, “I’m not sure yet. Hold on tight,” he instructed. “Who are you?” Hadley finally asked, once the bank robber stopped the car and forcibly dragged her into a cabin on some lake nearby her home city. Her tone was filled with fear, but a part of her was intrigued, and even a little bit exhilaratedcheck-in, by the prospect of her new circumstances. The man stopped what he was doing and turned to face her, “My name is Joe Quigley,” he began, no longer concerned about how much this woman knew. “I recently broke out of prison and I need money, hence the bank robbery. You were, simply, an added bonus even if I’m not one hundred percent sure what I’m going to do with you yet. What’s your name, sweetheart?” He asked, his New York accent evident as he spoke to her for the first time since the bank robbery. She took a deep breath, trying to suck in all her fear and mask it with bravado as she answered, “I’m Hadley Ellis,” was all she could muster. “What do you do, Hadley Ellis?” Joe asked as he began turning on the grill on the deck while preparing a piece of steak at the same time. Hadley inhaled another deep breath, trying desperately to calm herself, “I’m an event planner for a company downtown. I was at the bank to make our deposits for the month,” she shared as he passed her a glass of wine, which she gratefully accepted. She took a long sip from the glass as she watched Joe place the steak onto the grill before his eyes found hers once again. He had a knack for locking eye contact with her. “What kind of events do you plan?” he asked. His tone gave away his genuine curiosity. Hadley placed her glass on the table before she replied, “All kinds. My firm does everything from birthday parties to weddings. We’ve never done a bank robbery, but if you want, we can try,” she added at the end, in an attempt to lighten the tension weighing her down. Joe couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle at her offer, “I’ll try and keep that in mind for my future endeavors. How do you like your steak?” he questioned, changing the subject. “Medium,” she answered quickly. Joe finished cooking their meal while they sat in silence. Their chemistry couldn’t be denied, though. Each found themselves getting caught staring at the other as the evening passed by, but neither wanted to be the first one to make a statement about it, especially Hadley (she was a hostage, for goodness sake). “Unfortunately,” Joe began, as night fell, “there’s only one bed here. I’m happy to take the couch since you’ve had a difficult day, already,” he offered, with a gentle smile crossing his lips. Hadley shook her head, “Nonsense. I bet we can just put extra pillows between us and share the bed. If that’s alright with you?” she countered, her tone moving quickly from confident to sheepish within the few words she’d shared. “I’m ok with it if you are,” he responded as he stood from the sofa and started building a wall of pillows along the middle of the bed. Once he was done, he gestured for Hadley to inspect his work, “Will this work?” he questioned, a warm smile on his face. Hadley took a look at his handiwork before she responded, “This should work just fine.” She quickly climbed under the covers on side of the bed closest to her, “Good night,” she added as she quickly closed her eyes, not even sure she was ready to sleep. A chuckle rumbled in Joe’s chest as got under the covers on his side, “Night. You’re going to be an adventure all your own,” he added, “I can tell.” Written by Erica Rose Jackson I've been a little behind on these excerpt blog posts and I apologize for that. Fortunately, with this one for my newest release Magic City Murders, I'm all caught up. I hop you enjoy. String of Murders Shakes Up Bham By Arika Romano Over the past week with less than a month to go until from Christmas, three people have been brutally murdered in Birmingham, Alabama. This vigilante has been knocking their victims unconscious, stripping them of their clothes, and then slitting their wrists. Our killer has chosen a violent way for their victims to leave this world. Each of these victims (if you can call them that) were recently acquitted on charges of violent crimes within the justice system. In fact, our killer leaves behind a calling card to let us know when the injustice occurred. There have been three so far: Without any leads regarding which types of criminals this vigilante is after, there is no telling how many people will be slayed before this person is either caught or killed. So far acquitted victims Mason Scott, Samuel Young, and Anna Allen have been slain. If you have any information on this, nearly, serial murderer please share your knowledge with the police. We will keep you up-to-date with everything we learn as this story continues to develop. Stay safe, Birmingham. Arika finished her blurb on the vigilante killer and emailed it to her editor before she leaned back in her seat, stretching her arms behind her to realign her back. It only took a few minutes before Arika saw her editor waving her into her office. Arika sighed as she stood and made her way into Jackie’s space, closing the door behind her. “Do you want me to rewrite my blurb on the Birmingham vigilante serial killer?” Arika asked, starting the conversation. Jackie shook her head, “No, the story is great. I called you in here because I have an assignment for you, one that will take you right into the depths of this case…” She let her words linger to entice Arika’s interests, not that she needed it. Arika smiled, coyly, “Alright, you have my attention. What’s my assignment?” she inquired, genuinely interested. “I’ve made a few calls and gotten you in with the lead detective on the case,” Jackie began to explain, “He’s also a trained forensic psychologist so he should be able to give you great tidbits for upcoming stories. You’re to meet Detective Richard Riker at the precinct in one hour. You’ll be shadowing him until the case is solved which means excellent content to share with our readers. Do you have any questions?” She followed her explanation of Arika’s story with an open ended question. Arika took her turn to shake her head, “No ma’am, that sounds good to me. I’ll gather what I need from my desk and head over to the precinct to get started, unless there was anything else you think I need to know for this story…” Jackie dismissed her, allowing Arika to walk back to her desk and grab the essentials: a notebook, a recorder, a few pens, her phone, and her tablet before she left her office and made her way to the precinct where Detective Riker worked. Arika arrived at the precinct twenty minutes early and flashed her press credentials to the officer at the desk while explaining that she was supposed to be working exclusively with Detective Riker. The officer instructed Arika to take a seat and that Riker would be with her in a few minutes, at most. Arika did as she was told and sat down in one of the seats in the waiting area waiting to meet her. She had no idea what to expect as she tried to imagine what the detective would look like while comparing those images to each person who entered her line of sight. “Arika Romano?” her attention was diverted when she heard her name coming from a voice in the opposite direction from where she’d been observing everyone. The voice was deep and playful in a way that made her think he could be trouble. She turned in the direction of the voice and raised her hand, “I’m Arika Romano,” she confirmed as she took in the sight of the man who matched the voice. Arika found herself in the presence of a tall and in incredibly good shape gentleman with piercing blue eyes and thick, brown hair, checkered with salt and pepper in a very prestigious and mature way. He also had a full beard and mustache. Everything about him was perfect in her eyes. Detective Richard Riker was dangerously her type. She was distracted by him, instantly because of her attraction to this man she’d never met. She attempted to shake off her feelings as she stood to greet him with her hand outstretched. “I’m Arika Romano,” she began, “I assume you’re Detective Riker?” The attractive man nodded, “That I am, but you can call me Riker, everyone else does,” he introduced himself as he took her tiny hand in his own large one. Even the smallest connection of their handshake sent shivers down her spine along with chills throughout her entire body. “It’s nice to meet you,” she finally said, breaking the silence that had developed between them, “I’m just here to shadow you. Please, continue with your work as if I’m not even here.” A sly grin crossed Riker’s lips as he replied with a flirty tone dancing in his voice,“That’s going to be hard to do when you look the way you do, but I’ll do my best.” He changed the subject as he continued, gesturing for her to follow him, “Based on the previous kills, we have around twenty-four hours until the next victim falls,” he shared as they entered the main room where he’d clearly been working this case with his colleagues late into the night, possibly nights before. Arika took a seat at one of the empty desks in the room and began to pull out what she’d need to take notes and begin working on her story. Riker joined her side again, quickly, after updating the others on her presence in their work area. “What have you gathered from these killings so far?” he asked, genuinely wanting her opinion on the matter since he and his team were currently grasping at straws, though he’d hate to admit to that fact. Arika pushed away her notes as she turned to face him, wishing at the same moment that his eyes didn’t draw her in so easily. “All I’ve been able to gather so far is that this killer is acting as a vigilante since their calling cards share the date that the victims were acquitted by a jury. That’s all I’ve been able to gather so far. From what I’ve researched, there’s no connection between the dates left behind and there’s no specific crime our killer is punishing these people for,” she explained. “That’s very good,” Riker commented after she finished her initial evaluation of the cases, “You’ve figured out more than most of my team in half the time. I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about having a journalist tag along, but maybe they sent me their best. We’re about to wrap up for the day. You should go home. Leave your cell number and I’ll call you if any developments arise,” he offered as he half sat/half leaned against the corner of the desk where she’d set up her things. Arika nodded as she wrote down her cell number and replied, “That sounds good to me. Don’t hesitate to call me back in,” she shared. “I want to get everything I can on this story which means I need to see everything I can, even if that includes new victims,” she added, causing him to nod as he took her number and she started her journey home where she hoped her roomate and best friend would be waiting for her. Written by Erica Rose Jackson
“Babe, is our trip finalized?” Darcy Robertson asked her husband as she zipped up her suitcase after adding the last items they’d need for their next ghost hunting adventure. She made sure they had salt, crucifixes, holy water, a rosary, and a Bible. Bill glanced up from his desk with a nod, “Yes, my love, it is. I’ve got our long weekend planned down to the minute including some romantic rendezvous,” he added with a seductive wink. She let out a small giggle, “Have we been married for so long that we need to plan out our romantic time?” she joked in response to his comment. He stood and sauntered toward her until he could wrap his arms around her waist, placing soft kisses along her neck before replying, “I certainly hope not,” he clarified, “I merely meant that I made sure to include some events that weren’t related to our ghost hunting podcast, if that’s alright with you?” he inquired as he placed his lips to hers. She pulled away from his assault, “Of course that’s alright with me. I was only teasing,” she added with a smile as she ran her hands into the short, white, curls on the back of his neck, “Are you ready to hit the road or did you have something else in mind?” she whispered as she moved her lips next to his ear, sending a shiver down her own spine. Bill let out a sigh before he responded, his smooth, velvet voice affecting her just as much as it had on the day they met, “My dear, I wish we had more time. But, alas, we need to hit the road. We’ll have plenty of time for what’s on your mind once we reach Charleston,” he added in a whisper, sending a second set of chills down through her body. “I’ll be holding you to that, Mr. Robertson,” Darcy stated as she pulled herself from his grasp. They packed up their SUV and started their drive from Nashville to Charleston while Darcy’s mind wandered back to the first time she’d met her husband and soulmate. Three Years Earlier… Darcy Carazza parked her rental car just outside Lafayette Square Park in Washington, D.C. for a ghost tour, her fourth city since she’d started her research on the paranormal and supernatural. She walked to the group and, naturally, took in each of the people who’d be going on this adventure with her. One person, in particular, caught her eye. Darcy noticed an older gentleman among the others donned in a dark sweater paired with black dress pants. He had well-kept blonde/white hair and blue eyes that she imagined could pierce anyone’s soul if they dared to stare into them for long enough. She, suddenly, wished she’d chosen a cuter outfit then the jeans and t-shirt she was wearing as she noticed the man’s eyes scan the crowd and land on her. Darcy took a deep breath as she saw the stranger approaching her. Once he was standing right beside her, just as the tour began, he introduced himself, “I’m Bill Robertson,” he shared, “I’m behind the podcast ‘Ghost Tours: Fact or Fiction’. What’s your name, beautiful?” he questioned, his tone flirtatious causing her to smile to herself. The pair started walking with the rest of the tour group as she answered, “I’m Darcy Carazza,” she introduced herself, “And, I don’t run a podcast, but I’d like to. My only reason to be here is to continue my research on different haunted cities to find out if any of this supernatural stuff is real,” she explained. Bill reached out and placed his hand on the small of her back, “Would you like to grab dinner with me when this is over? We can go over our findings or just get to know each other better, your choice,” he propositioned her for a date as the tour guide rambled on about different spirits that supposedly haunted the park. Darcy couldn’t suppress her smile as she felt her cheeks blush from even the smallest physical contact, “I would like that very much,” she replied before she placed her finger to her lips and continued, “But, we should probably pay attention until then.” Written by Erica Rose Jackson (Previously in the ‘Super Friends’ Series)
Chapter 12 Six Months Later Reid and Barton were out on an assignment while Rose and Jay welcomed two more potential heroes into Brentwood Labs. Jay’s friend Bruce Osborn had recently married a younger woman, Remington Doyle, and they seemed like a good fit for his newest chemical compounds. “Thanks for coming, guys,” Jay greeted the couple as they were escorted into the lab. The two couples exchanged hugs and pleasantries before getting to the business side of their visit. “So Jay,” Osborn began, “What is this proposition you have for myself and Remington?” Rose jumped in with the answer, “Bruce, I’m not sure if you know this or not, but Jay was Omega.” The surprise on Bruce’s face gave her her answer. She continued, “When he wasn’t able to continue being a superhero, he began creating chemical compounds to give new people the abilities they’d need to keep this city safe. I’m Resilience,” she revealed, “My friend Reid is Disturbance and her boyfriend is Archer. Would you two be interested in joining our rag-tag team of super friends?” Remington answered first, “I’m definitely interested. What kind of powers are available?” She looked at her husband, placing her hand comfortingly on his lower back, “Doesn’t this sound like fun?” Bruce shrugged, “I’m not sure yet, doll. What are the superpowers we have to choose from? Or, will we have the same power?” Jay replied, “I have two options,” he began as he gestured to the flasks beside him, “The green one gives the power of super strength and super speed. Whoever drinks this one, though, will experience a Jekyll and Hyde type of situation. The powers will only work during one of the two personalities.” He pointed to the clear liquid, “This one gives the ability to pause time. You two can choose either one. I’ll give you a moment to choose.” After a few minutes of silence as Remington and Bruce whispered to each other, the couple had their decision. “I’ll take the green one,” Bruce announced to get Jay and Rose’s attention, “Being a hero seems like a great thing, but I don’t want to put Remington through some of those side effects you mentioned.” Jay nodded, “That sounds wonderful,” he answered with a smile as he picked up the flasks handed the one with the green liquid to Osborn and the one with the clear mixture to Remington. The couple each drank the contents of their individual flasks before they passed them back to Jay. “How long does it take to know?” Remington asked as she suppressed a gag from the flavor. Jay replied, “The longest possibility is twenty-four hours, but you should notice a difference before the night is over. Do either of you have any questions? I’d like you both to come back here tomorrow around this time so I can run a few tests.” “We can do that,” Bruce replied as he took his wife’s hand, tenderly, “We’ll see you tomorrow.” With that Remington and Bruce heeded home to wait and see if they had superpowers. Chapter 1 Backtracking Two Months before the end of Disturbance… “Who was that on the phone, baby?” Remington asked as her husband placed his cell phone back onto the island in their kitchen. Bruce glanced up from his freshly poured glass of scotch, “It was an old friend of mine, Jay Allen. He’s a fellow scientist but he opened his own lab here in town. He has a proposal for the two of us,” he began to share the details of his short call, running his hand through his thick, auburn hair. She jumped off the barstool she’d been sitting on and moved closer to him, wrapping her arms around his waist from behind, “What kind of proposal Mr. Osborn?” she inquired. Bruce rarely spoke about his days working in science so she wasn’t surprised she hadn’t heard of this Jay Allen before. “He wanted to know if we’d like to become heroes,” he answered her inquiry, “But, that’s all he said. I’m not sure what his request entails or how serious he was about it. Jay would like us to meet him at his lab in two months so he and his wife, Rose, can explain things in more depth and we can make our decision. I’m not sure what to think,” he added, expressing his confusion over the entire interaction. Osborn’s emotions were always visible in his eyes if you knew what to look for. Remington moved around to face him before she placed a tender kiss to his lips, “What do you want to do? It can’t hurt to go hear them out, can it?” He rested his forehead against hers as he replied, “I suppose not if that’s what you’d like to do. I’m happy with whatever decision you think is best,” he shared with a soft smile. Remington leaned back, away from his touch, as she pulled her dirty blonde locks into a high ponytail before she responded, “I think we should see what it’s all about.” Osborn lifted her onto the island and moved between her legs before he whispered, “Then, that’s what we’ll do,” he agreed and then took her lips with his own in a passionate kiss. At the end of Disturbance… Remington and Bruce went back to their home after drinking the vials of liquid at Brentwood Labs to wait and see if anything was going to happen. “I’ve got a steak and some burgers in the fridge,” she began as they settled in their kitchen, “Do you have any preference on dinner?” Osborn started to shake his head but replied instead, “Let’s do the steak. I’ll get the grill going,” he stated as he exited the room to their deck to start their grill. She placed the meat into a casserole dish and added seasoning and marinade to it, getting it ready to cook. Bruce walked back in and gestured for her to hand him the dish. As she passed it to him, his grip wavered and their dinner began to fall towards the ground. Remington blinked as she thought about stopping it midair. When she opened her eyes, she saw her husband frozen in place and their dinner in midair. She moved and placed it back into the dish before blinking again, hoping to undo what she’d done. “That was a close one,” Osborn replied as he looked at the dinner safely on the island and not spilled on the floor where it was headed, “How did that happen?” he inquired, curiosity lining his tone. Remington shook her head, “I’m really not sure. I closed my eyes and wished the food wouldn’t hit the ground and when I opened you and everything else was frozen. Maybe you should try and test out your new super strength/speed,” she suggested. “I’m not even sure how to test it,” he responded as he marveled at her new ability. She smiled, proudly, “Maybe, you have to think about it like I did,” she encouraged him, her smile spreading to her eyes. Bruce closed his eyes and thought about being strong enough to lift their car before he walked out to the driveway and attempted his own wish. Remington followed him and squealed with glee as she watched him lift their car from the driveway. “It worked!” she stated with a triumphant giggle, “Should we tell them now or wait until tomorrow?” Osborn shook his head as he moved toward her with a look in his eyes she’d never seen before. He lifted her with ease and carried her to their bedroom, tossing her onto their bed. “I think the news can wait until tomorrow,” he stated with a mischievous grin crossing his lips as he moved on top of her. 6 Months after Disturbance… Rose walked into Brentwood Labs to find her husband, Jay, hard at work on one of his many experiments. “Hey Omega,” she used his old hero name to grab his attention, “Do you have a minute to spare for your wife?” Jay looked up, wearing a warm smile, “I suppose I should have warned you about how lonely the life of a scientist’s wife could be. What’s on your mind?” he asked as she turned his attention to his wife. Rose smiled as she reached him and wrapped her arms around his neck, “I knew what I was signing up for. I just had some news that I thought you might be interested in,” she teased the purpose of her visit as she looked into his eyes. “And, what’s that?” he inquired, his smile causing his crows feet to shine. She leaned in and placed her lips to his, before releasing him and replying, “Well, I thought you’d like to know that we’re pregnant,” she announced. Jay’s face gave away his shock, “Are you sure?” Rose pulled out a test from her back pocket and shared it, “I’m pretty sure.” “This is fantastic!” he exclaimed as he resumed the kiss she’d teased moments earlier. |
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