McKenna Jeffries

Today’s snippet theme is Scary. Below is a scene from a book that I wrote with authors Aliyah Burke and Taige Crenshaw for our free read site called Satin Notes. Enjoy.

An snippet from Magnetism…

Looking at the man who had caused her so much pain, Kira waited for the fear to overwhelm her. It didn’t. All she felt was calmness as she gazed at him. She studied David and wondered what she had ever seen in him. The handsome, debonair man she knew was gone. All she saw was a monster who wanted power, a man who had ripped apart her life, and others, to get it. A steely resolve filled her.

“David, I’m going to kick your ass,” Kira said softly.

“You can’t kill me, Kira.” David chuckled.

“I know.” Kira nodded.

Swiftly, she broke his loose hold and moved back from him. The shocked look on David’s face warmed her. He had underestimated her, thinking she would be ruled by fear. But she wasn’t the same Kira she once was. He’d made sure of that when he had betrayed her. In a quick motion, she raised her foot and swiped across his chest. David hissed and fell back, looking down at the blood on his chest. Kira smiled fiercely and cut him again with the blade in her shoe. David roared.

“I don’t want to kill you, David–just bloody you a little, for every second of pain and suffering you caused. The times I couldn’t think. When I thought Challen was dead. All of it.” With each word, she cut him somewhere else.

David tried to block her, but she was relentless, cutting him over and over again. He looked stupefied at all the blood gushing from various places on his body. Kira stifled a laugh at the look. David’s arrogance would be his downfall.

“For deceiving me.” Kira sprang up and turned, swiping across his face.

David roared and grabbed the cheek she had cut open. Kira raised her swords and charged him. David met her, blocking the blows. He hissed as she got one through. Kira ducked out of the way as he swiped for her. She laughed at him. David was enraged, and it left him sloppy. She cut him again, then again and again, over and over. Each cut gave her a sense of peace. David reached out to grab her. Kira slid back away from him. She teetered on the edge of the cliff and righted herself. David grinned evilly and charged her. Kira could see his plan clearly on his face. She waited until he reached her, then twisted out of his way and back kicked him between the shoulders. David’s arms pin-wheeled as he tried to not fall. It was useless. He went over the edge of the cliff as Kira watched him.

“You can’t kill me, Kira!“ David bellowed.

The hate in his voice was palpable. The rage on his face made it an ugly mask. Even after all this, David was too stupid to realize she had no intention of delivering the death blow.

“I know!” she called in return.

Kira turned swiftly and saw the ground littered with bodies and the others watching her. She glanced at the one man who had as much right to kill David as she did.

“Challen,” Kira said.

Challen nodded and smiled fiercely. He raised his hands in the air, and light flew from his fingers. With a howl, a tremendous wind flew around them. Kira glanced back at the cliffs, and David floated up in front of her. He struggled against something that held him.

Challen joined Kira at the edge of the cliff. David looked at him, and fear blossomed on his face. David glanced back at Kira.

“I should have killed you,” he hissed.

“You didn’t, and now, you will die.” Kira shrugged.

“Do you want to bloody him some more, Kira?” She heard the amusement in Killian’s voice.

She glanced at him, then looked back at David. The blood flowing from the various cuts she’d given him made her smile.

“Nah, I’m good.”

The others behind her laughed.

Challen spoke in a musical voice. “I am Traveler Oracle Challen Valen Kirlus. The gateways are mine to protect. The judgment of those who do not heed the law of dimensions is mine to make. David Hollingsworth, you have betrayed the law, and judgment has decreed you will die.”

As Challen finished speaking, a golden film covered David. It started from his feet and continued up his body. As it reached his face, David screamed loudly as he disintegrated. In seconds, he was gone. Kira looked at Challen.

“You’re one badass dude. Remind me never to get on your wrong side.” Kira chuckled.

“Me? You’re the one who wanted to bloody him. Felt good, didn’t it?” Challen bumped shoulders with her.

“Yeah, it did.” Kira curved her hand around his waist.

Copyright © 2008 Aliyah Burke, McKenna Jeffries and Taige Crenshaw.
All Rights Reserved, Satin Notes.

Check out the rest of Magnetism and more free reads at Satin Notes – http://satinnotes.com

Go to the following sites to check out these other great authors snippets:

TJ Michaels
Ashley Ladd
Lissa Matthews
McKenna Jeffries
Mari Carr
Vivian Arend
Juliana Stone
Lauren Dane
Shelley Munro
Taige Crenshaw

Today’s snippet theme is Family. This is a scene of Jazz’s girlfriends. Family is those you love in your life and they are there for all the moments. Good and Bad. Enjoy.

An snippet from Conquering Jazz…

Jasmine came out of her reverie and moved away from Mia. She walked back toward the living room, Mia following. She retrieved her purse and keys, then kissed Mia on the cheek.

“I’ll see you later girl.”

“Jazz, you need to deal with this.”

“I’ve dealt with it. It’s a dead issue.”

“No, Jazz, it isn’t. You need to cry, or scream, Jazz. You’ve kept it bottled up for over four years. Let it out.”

“You’re a fine one to talk. When did you cry over…?” She stopped as pain flashed across Mia’s face. “I’m sorry, girl. Let it go. I’ll see you later.”

“No. Please don’t leave like this. Let me call Reese for you,” Mia pleaded.

“I’m fine,” Jasmine said. “I just realized that I had started to delude myself into believing that any man would love me, that any man could want to be with me.” She pounded her clenched fist on her chest. “I’ve been a fucking fool, Mia, living in a fantasy. I could never be happy with Reese. It’s time I woke up.” She started for the door, but Mia grabbed her and sat her down firmly.

“Jasmine, stop. Please let me call Reese. You need him.”

Standing swiftly, Jasmine flung her keys and her purse across the room in rage. Mia jumped back.

“I don’t need him, Mia! Leave it alone! Leave me alone. Please.” Jasmine felt her eyes burn as the flood of tears she’d wanted to control ripped through her, leaving her weak. She fought to contain them, but couldn’t. She collapsed on the floor, crying uncontrollably.

Mia looked at her and didn’t know what to do. The doorbell rang while she watched, helpless, as Jasmine sat on the floor, crying as if her heart was broken. It rang again, and Mia rushed to answer it. Opening it, she was glad to see it was their girlfriends at the door. She dragged them into the house. They looked at her as the sound of Jasmine’s ragged sobs reached them.

Mia quickly explained what had happened. They went into the living room and found Jasmine, curled into a ball, still crying. They knelt around her, pulling her up and into their circle.

Looking at the others, Mia said, “She needs to do this. She’s been holding it together for too long.”

They all held Jasmine as she cried out the pain. When she calmed, they gently took her into one of Mia’s guestrooms and helped her into a borrowed gown to sleep. Mia looked down at Jasmine’s puffy face. Glancing up, she motioned the rest of them to the door.

Once out of the room, she said, “I’m going to call Reese. Are you all going to stay?”

They all agreed, and went to the guestrooms to get changed. Mia walked down the stairs to the kitchen to place the call.

Copyright © McKenna Jeffries, 2008.
All Rights Reserved, Liquid Silver Books.

Go to the following sites to check out these other great authors snippets:

TJ Michaels
Ashley Ladd
Lissa Matthews
McKenna Jeffries
Mari Carr
Vivian Arend
Juliana Stone
Lauren Dane
Shelley Munro
Jody Wallace
Taige Crenshaw

Today’s snippet theme is Black Moment. Enjoy.

An snippet from Conquering Jazz…

Bracing for him to leave her, she turned to look at him. Seeing the sorrow and pity in his eyes was an even worse blow. She knew Reese would feel obligated to stay with her now, but she couldn’t let him. Turning away, she got up and walked to the other side of the room, away from him.

“I can’t give you what you want, Reese, so leave. I know you feel sorry for me now that you know, but I don’t want that. And I don’t want you to miss out on having children. I was selfish, just wanting you for me, but…”

Jasmine jumped as he roared, “Who the hell do you think you are?”

Turning to face him, she instinctively backed up at the rage she saw on his face. Catching herself, she stopped and stood her ground. In awe, she watched him battle to control his anger. His eyes snapped with not only anger, but also hurt.

His voice was hoarse as he spoke. “How could you think I wouldn’t want you, or still love you, because you can’t have kids? My love isn’t that shallow. This is real, Jasmine. It’s not about what you can give or not give me. I love you, Jasmine.” He stopped, waiting expectantly.

Hope blossomed in her as she looked into his angry face. Thinking of how happy she could be with him, Jasmine started toward him. But she stopped as she remembered what happened the last time she let herself love. Putting her arms around her stomach, she knew she couldn’t allow it. Emptiness filled her, making her heart ache. Battling tears, she looked at him. He deserved a whole woman, not someone as broken as she was.

Forcing herself, she said the words she knew would drive him away. “Ha! I thought what I had with Derek was real. Look what it got me. Nothing but pain and anguish. I can’t love you, Reese. I never can.”

Her breath caught at the devastation on his face. She waited for him to storm out. He looked at her through wounded eyes, and silently took a small jewelry box out of his pocket. His movements stiff, he walked over to the center table and flung the box down. It bounced from the table onto the floor as he turned, walking out the door and slamming it behind him.

The silence echoed after he left. Shaken, Jasmine stood frozen in place. Her body ached. Finally, she moved forward, and taking the box off the floor, opened it. Seeing his mother’s engagement ring, she collapsed onto the floor. Silent tears rolled down her face. Rocking back and forth, she wrapped her arms around her body, trying to ward off the pain.

After a while, she drew a shaky breath, wiped her eyes, and stood slowly, each movement agony. Closing the box, she placed it slowly onto the table. Listlessly, she gathered her bag and went out the door. She hurried to her car and got behind the wheel. She started the car and pulled out of the drive. Briefly, she glanced at Reese’s house and saw he wasn’t there. Turning, she drove down the street as tears flowed, blurring her vision.

Copyright © McKenna Jeffries, 2008.
All Rights Reserved, Liquid Silver Books.

Go to the following sites to check out these other great authors snippets:

TJ Michaels
Ashley Ladd
Lissa Matthews
McKenna Jeffries
Mari Carr
Vivian Arend
Juliana Stone
Lauren Dane
Shelley Munro
Taige Crenshaw

Today’s snippet theme is Lost Loves. Jasmine and Derek (her ex) has a lot of history and this is a scene of them getting some closure. Enjoy.

An snippet from Conquering Jazz…

It was at that point that Jasmine had walked in, and instead of telling her the truth, he had let her assume he was cheating on her.

He stopped, waiting expectantly for her to respond. Jasmine didn’t know what to say. Watching his face, she could tell there was a lot more he left unsaid, but she didn’t ask. All these years, he had had let her believe he didn’t love her, and now to find out he had supposedly sacrificed and let her go, thinking he was being noble.

Jasmine chuckled. She couldn’t be mad at him; it was the same thing she was doing to Reese. She did what Reese should have done to her.

Reaching out, she smacked him upside the head. She said, “God, you’re such an idiot. How could you think I was that shallow as to…” she trailed off.

Reese had said the same thing to her, and she hadn’t listened to him. It was too late now for her to reprimand Derek for his stupidity. Actually, she was thankful to him. If he hadn’t done what he did, she never would have known how much Reese loved her. She hoped he still did. Standing, she pulled Derek up off the couch. Then, holding his face between her hands, she pulled him down and gave him big smack on the mouth. Stepping back, she picked up her bag and looked at him.

“You know what? Even after all that has happened, I have to thank you for being an idiot and dumping me. If you hadn’t, Reese and I never would have gotten together. When we…if we get married, I want you to be my bride’s man, my very own cupid.”

Watching him frown, she laughed in delight at his chagrined expression. He joined her.

Taking his hand one more time, Jasmine kissed it and said softly, “We were never meant to be. Some day, you’ll find the perfect woman for you.”

Turning, she walked to the door and opened it. She glanced back and waved at him, then hurried out.

Staring at the empty doorway after she left, Derek was sorry he’d lost her, but also happy for her. Reese was a lucky man to have a woman like Jasmine love him.

He turned and walked over to his desk, then whispered softly, “I already had the perfect woman, and I lost her, Jazz. I’ll never find anyone like you.”

Copyright © McKenna Jeffries, 2008.
All Rights Reserved, Liquid Silver Books.

Go to the following sites to check out these other great authors snippets:

TJ Michaels
Ashley Ladd
Lissa Matthews
McKenna Jeffries
Taige Crenshaw
Mari Carr
Vivian Arend
Juliana Stone
Lauren Dane
Shelley Munro