A to Z Challenge 2013 - Z is for Ziti

The last post for the 2013 A to Z Challenge.

It was so much fun! Thank you, everyone, for your comments and support.

I've been posting snippets from a story for this year's Challenge.
(Well, this one is a little longer than a snippet. But hopefully it's well worth it!)

If you'd like to read the whole tale, please start with A.

Z IS FOR ZITI

Erik pounced on the monster's head and dug his fingers into its eyes. Both roared - each with their own sort of pain. It thrashed its head back and forth, but Erik held fast with hands deep into its eye sockets.

The tail unraveled, and Danielle gasped for air. She stumbled, righted herself against the dresser, and calling forth her blades again, she sliced her way along the serpent's body. It bashed Erik against the wall above the bed before she could decapitate it.

The monster's head rolled toward the closet, and Erik fell onto the queen-sized bed. Libby hopped up with him, crying and clutching her father.

Danielle stood ready for the serpent to reform. Her chest heaved and still burned from lack of oxygen. She'd do this forever if she had to. For Libby. For Erik.

The pile of ooze looked like over-baked ziti. It didn't even twitch. Not after three seconds or ten. Not even after a full minute.

Her glowing hands dimmed, the blades retracted, and the soft blue light winked out.

It's dead. What happened differently this time? Fenn's voice made her startle.

On the bed, Erik embraced Libby even as he winced. The girl wept as he murmured to her. "I have you, baby. You're so brave. I love you so much."

"Maybe he realized something that he was too blind with his own fear to notice before." Danielle pressed a hand to her bite wound. She gritted her teeth with the pain, but a smile turned up her lips. "I think they're going to be okay."

Perhaps. Several years of therapy won't hurt either. Make sure you suggest that. Fenn sniffed.

"Danielle." Erik beckoned to her. She hedged nearer, not wanting to interrupt their moment, but he grabbed her uninjured arm and pulled her into their hug. "Thank you. We owe you everything." He kissed her head, her cheek, and then her mouth. "Thank you."

Heat spread through her that had nothing to do with her wounds. Her lips tingled and her heart sped up again. Before she could say anything though, Fenn cleared his throat and Libby spoke.

"Daddy, did you just kiss her?" Libby gasped and then giggled. "You like Miss Sawyer!"

"Yup, I sure do." Erik tugged them both to him, and Libby reached out to place a hand over Danielle's.

I'm sure this is a deeply emotional moment for you, but shouldn't you be getting everyone to a hospital now?

A to Z Challenge 2013 - Y is for Yawned

It's the penultimate post for the 2013 A to Z Challenge!

I can't believe it's almost at an end already. What a month!

I'm posting snippets from a story this year.

If you'd like to read the whole tale, please start with A.

Y IS FOR YAWNED

"No." Danielle's chin trembled. "No! I will kill this monster a million times before I ever hurt Erik!"

She charged the serpent.

You're not thinking with your head, Danielle. Fenn bellowed. The child's safety must come first!

The monster reared back, taking its head out of Danielle's reach. It whipped its tail around and smacked her, sending her flying against a set of drawers.

"I'll never let it harm Libby! But killing Erik isn't the answer!"

You don't know this!

"And neither do you!" Danielle's screech was cut off as the tail slammed into her. It wound around her body and squeezed. She couldn't get a breath. Hacking at the monster's body was doing nothing to deter it.

"No!" Libby ran at the serpent. "Leave her alone! Go away!"

"Libby!" Erik managed to roll to his hands and knees. His cry hoarse and wobbly.

"Go away! Go away!" Libby's tiny fists struck the monster. It hissed, almost like a chuckle.

Danielle wanted to scream for the girl to get away, but not even a squeak escaped her throat. Black dots decorated her vision.

The monster's mouth yawned, fangs glistened, and it descended upon the child.

A to Z Challenge 2013 - X is for Xanax

I'm posting snippets from a story for this year's Challenge.

If you'd like to read the whole tale, please start with A.

 X IS FOR XANAX

How fascinating. A monster born from an adult's fears. Fenn mused.

"What? It's not possible!" Danielle yelled, ignoring the blood streaming down her arm as she stood and readied herself for the next attack.

The monster was more wary this time. It curled up and watched her, clearly weighing its options. All the while, it shook that infernal rattle.

"It is! It is!" Libby sobbed and hugged her father's arm. "I like snakes. I'm not scared of them!"

I believe her. Fenn stated. Erik's fear for his daughter is powerful.

Danielle shook her head. She didn't want to believe Erik had created these nightmares. The man might need some Xanax sometimes, but no adult could be that terrified.

Images of Erik flashed through her mind. Him smiling, slow and sexy. His easy laugh. The glassy-eyed look he got when watching the news. Always with the news.

The bonnet and rattle. The baby store that had gotten robbed. Then the squirrel with the shotgun for the school shooting in Kentucky. The gangster mummy for the murder at the museum.

Damn.

I think the only answer to saving the child may be to kill Erik.

A to Z Challenge 2013 - W is for Wails

I'm posting snippets from a story for this year's Challenge.

If you'd like to read the whole tale, please start with A.

W IS FOR WAILS

The monster's fangs plunged into Danielle's upper arm. It flung her up against the ceiling, smashing her into the stucco. It fluttered around them like stage snow.

She screamed. Or at least she thought she did, but all she could hear were Libby's wails.

Danielle summoned her blades back to her, and they emerged from her palms. The serpent threw her against the far wall beside the open closet. The world swam before her eyes, but she'd been hit in the head enough times sparring to know how to push through the pain.

Kill it properly this time. Fenn ordered.

An eerie rattling filled the room.

"I did!" Danielle growled. When the monster struck again, she was ready. Kicking its lower jaw up, she raked her swords along the soft flesh under its head. It didn't deal with pain as well as she did. As it flailed, she loped off its head, and it lost form becoming goo. "Definitely dead."

For three seconds.

"Dammit!" Danielle jumped out of the way and crouched down in front of Libby and Erik. "Libby, you don't have to be afraid any more. I'm here. Your fear is giving the monster power."

"But it's not my monster!" Libby cried. "It's Daddy's!"

A to Z Challenge 2013 - V is for Vow

I'm posting snippets from a story for this year's Challenge.

If you'd like to read the whole tale, please start with A.

V IS FOR VOW

Quickly, Danielle! Fenn shouted.

Danielle didn't need to be told. In one smooth motion, she launched herself at the monster. Her arms crossed, and with a scissoring motion, she cut off its head.

Falling to her knees beside Erik and Libby, Danielle dropped her weapons. Her heart was hammering so hard, she thought it might punch its way out of her chest. "Libby! Erik! Are you okay?"

Erik only replied with a groan. She helped to turn him and sit him against the wall. Danielle couldn't tell without a light, but he didn't look any more than bruised. No blood stained him anywhere. Placing a hand on his bare chest, she could feel he was still alive.

"Miss Sawyer." Libby whispered.

"Your dad will be okay. You don't have to worry." Danielle let out a long breath. She'd made it just in time. Libby's monsters were getting stronger. So strong they could show up in front of an adult. How she was going to remedy this, she didn't know, but she made a silent vow that she would do anything to help Libby.

"No. Behind you." Libby whimpered.

And the serpent struck.

A to Z Challenge 2013 - U is for Ululation

I'm posting snippets from a story for this year's Challenge.

If you'd like to read the whole tale, please start with A.

U IS FOR ULULATION

Danielle ran through the neighborhood's backyards and sent dogs to howling. Her hair whipped against her face and tangled as she leapt over fences.

Please let Libby be okay.

She heard a child's scream as she raced across Erik's back lawn and barreled through the glass door. Glass rained over the kitchen floor, and the alarm went off sounding like a dying siren's last ululation. Skating along with the shards, she darted down the hall and took the stairs two at a time to the second floor.

There was another scream and an ominous hiss. Not from Libby's room, but farther down the hall.

When Danielle kicked open the door, she found herself in the master bedroom. A gigantic serpent with a pink bonnet and a baby's rattle clutched in its tail loomed over its victim.

No. Victims.

Erik used his body to cover Libby's. Perhaps as his last act, because he didn't appear to be moving.

A to Z Challenge 2013 - T is for T-Rex

I'm posting snippets from a story for this year's Challenge.

If you'd like to read the whole tale, please start with A.

T IS FOR T-REX

Hooking the T-Rex's lower jaw with one blade, Danielle yanked it down and sliced through its neck with her other sword. The monster tried to roar, but black ooze gushed forth instead. Danielle darted to the side as it lost its form and fell to the floor in a jiggling pile.

That was a dangerous move. You couldn't guess how strong its jaws were. Fenn chided.

"I was well in control of its head. And those tiny little baby arms would never have reached me. Whoever said that was the T-Rex was one of the most ferocious of carnivores needs to spend a night with me." Danielle snorted and then paused to take in her own words. She corrected herself. "Not like that. I meant slaying monsters."

I didn't think anything else, Fenn said dryly.

"Yes, that's right. You're no fun." She then quickly added, "Not that I want you thinking anything like that." She shook her head at herself. The boy whose room it was had fled to his brother's bedroom, so there was no need to stick around. She headed to the window when she stopped and stared at her hands.

They were still glowing.

"My hands." Danielle surveyed the room. There were no monsters left. None in the house that she could feel. "What's going on?"

After a few seconds, Fenn spoke. How close did you say Libby lived to this boy?

"The next block." Danielle leapt out the window and ran.