Photo credit: Joseph D.R. OLeary
Happy Caturday!
This week’s snippet is from a new-ish story that began with a combination of prompts: a line from Siobhan Muir’s Thursday Threads flash fiction challenge and the picture above. It’s about a gambler who’s run afoul of the host of an illegal poker game (the “I”), and the guy said host sends to escort him to a “meeting” (the “he”). I think that’s enough setup for now. I’m hoping to submit it to Dreamspinner’s A Taste of Honey (a print antho!), but it might end up running a bit long (the ceiling is 12K and it’s already at 11).
Oh, one more thing, the gambler is a witch.
He grabbed me before I made it out of the kitchen and pinned both arms to my sides. It wouldn’t work, I knew that, but I still tried to burn his hands; all I needed was enough time to—fuck, is he laughing?
“Give it up, pretty boy, you’re blocked.”
The big man pushed me against the wall face-first and pulled both hands behind my back.
“Hey, wait a sec, big guy, let’s talk about this, I—”
He pushed me flat against the wall and the rest of that sentence disappeared in the rush of air he squeezed from my lungs. I couldn’t keep from being turned on, even though pain and domination usually aren’t my thing—neither are bears but underneath the padding he felt pretty solid, leaning against me like that. He tightened a plastic zip-tie around my wrists with shaking hands, and then he just held me there.
Thanks for reading!
Don’t forget to hop around and check out more snippets! You know the drill, starting Saturday chase the rainbow with Seductive Studs & Sirens, and beginning on Sundays there’s also Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday!
Oh, and if you see the title-fairy anywhere do me a favor and send her my way? This story is resisting all attempts to slap a title on it.
Charley Descoteaux 
Great snippet…you’re teasing us.
Evelise
Thanks, Evelise. That’s my job, isn’t it? 😉
Shaking hands? Hmmm… is he also a bit turned on, per chance?
Could be…. 😉
Thanks for stopping by!
Oh my holy crap – that was awesome! Loving it. Definitely want to read more.
Thanks a bunch! This story was one of those that seemed to write itself. Now i’m on to the hard part–self-edits. 🙂
Well, I’m in when you’re done. I’ll call Dreamspinner and demand they publish it! Seriously though, lovin’ it.
What a situation to have that kind of thought! I think I would freak out.
Thanks for stopping by Linda. You’re probably not the type to hang out in illegal poker games any more than I am–I’d probably freak out IRL too. 🙂
Wow–just wow! Great job!
Thanks, Nancy! 🙂
Quite the situation – dramatic, a hint of the sensual…can’t wait to read more. Great snippet!
Thanks, Veronica!
Fascinating snippet. Quite unexpected. Good job.
Thanks for commenting, Kate. This one took me by surprise too. I just love it when that happens. 🙂
My, my—looks like the witch snared himself a bear (does the gambler have a touch of honey?)
I like the narrator’s snark very much. And the picture–whew! Tell me those are nipple rings, please, even if they aren’t. 😉
I say they are & I’ve been staring at this picture for weeks now. 😀
Thanks for commenting!
I may have downloaded it myself. By accident. Oopsie. 😉
Interesting… it seems like the guy with the zip ties is in control, and he acted tough with his laughter, but the shaking hands make me wonder who he’s scared of.
(Can’t help you with titles–this snippet and the anthology title made a terrible pun spring to mind, and once you’ve degenerated to puns, there’s no saving you.)
Very hot. This is one of those times when I get irritated by the eight sentence limit!
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