Happy Solstice!  Time for another round of Weekend Writing Warriors sensational snippets.  To celebrate the upcoming two weeks of revelry and overabundance and to say thanks to all the readers and writers who’ve given me so much friendly support this year, I’m giving away a hot holiday short story.  Just click the widgety thing on the side bar to get your free copy. You can also read the flash version over on my Midwinter Madness Flash Hop post. Please note the Xtended version contains hot m/m action.

Also in honor of the season, I thought I’d share a snippet from a solstice-themed short story I’m working on involving Axel Blackwood and Liam Alloway from To Catch a Threeve.  Liam has brought back a few odd traditions from his time with the threeves, which occasionally puts a strain on Axel and Liam’s relationship.  On Solstice eve, they might face their biggest challenge yet!  (If you like the snippet, stay tuned. I’ll probably post the entire story on New Year’s Eve.)

***

When Axel turned on to his lane, the sight of a candle in the window and smoke curling from his chimney warmed his heart. He pushed open the front door and was enveloped by the scent of burning cedar in the hearth, some sort of spicy stew simmering in the cast iron pot and rather oddly, the sharp bite of pine pitch, fresh melted snow and mud.

He stepped inside and the wide smile on his face became rigid as he blinked at what appeared to be a monstrous tree in his great room. Liam balanced precariously on a chair he’d placed on top of a chest, leaning in to the dark green mass, a star of woven reeds and ribbons in his outstretched hand.

“You’re early!” Liam cried and began to topple forward into the branches of what Axel could no longer deny was indeed a tree. The tree shimmered and tinkled as all manner of shiny objects shook and knocked together.

Axel rushed forward, seized Liam around the waist and rescued him from the arms of the evergreen. Axel lowered Liam awkwardly to the floor and keeping his arms firmly around him, asked,

“What in holy hounds is that?”

***