Hump Day Hook – 19 June 2013

Hump Day Hook logoGreetings, all! Time again for a Hump Day Hook!

I’m continuing with Subeo. If you’d like to catch up with the story so far, click here.

 “Liam! Liam, wake up!” The voice—Keith’s, he recognized—whispered nearby.

His tongue was thick and stuck to his teeth. He fought to sit up. Metal creaked loudly in the pitch black.

“Lie still! Just listen!” Tension pulled at Keith’s voice, making it thin and reedy “You can’t get out of here by resisting. The only way out is through the ritual.”

Ritual? What sort of shit had Keith gotten him into?

20051002190321_103Cautiously he felt about. He was back on the cot. His clothes had been removed—he was oddly thankful not to be wearing piss-soaked jeans—and replaced by some sort of loose fabric that covered him from neck to foot.

“Don’t move!” Keith paused, his breathing fast and shallow. “Oh, crap—he’s coming back! I’m not supposed to be here! Don’t take the easy answer! Remember—don’t take the easy one!”

Easy answer? Any answer—hard or easy—would have been good!

This was getting worse by the minute.

Thanks for reading!

Be sure to check out more Hooks here!

‘Til next time!

Hump Day Hook – 12 June 2013

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Greetings, all! Time once again for a Hump Day Hook!

I am continuing with Subeo; if you need to catch up, click here. WARNING: Today’s snippet contains violent content which may upset some readers. Continue at your own risk…

****

“Stand up!”

He jolted awake, his head thumping painfully against the door. The room was still impenetrably black—he had no idea how long he’d dozed. It could have been minutes… or hours. Why had Keith done this?

dark_prison_bars

“Stand up!” The voice cracked again. “I shall not repeat the request.”

He struggled to his feet, his legs complaining. The chill floor had sucked the life from his muscles, leaving stiff soreness behind. He supported himself against the doorframe. “Keith, where a—?”

“Silence!” Sound didn’t come from behind him, beyond the door. The voice seemed to issue from the very darkness that engulfed him.

Pain chewed at his joints. His head ached where he’d struck it, and he needed to take a wicked piss. Anger flared in his chest—he wanted answers. And he wanted them now.

“Keith! Answer—“

“SILENCE!” The voice thundered with a trace of feedback. It was some sort of PA system.

“I want to—Aarrgh!” A powerful electric current shot up his left leg, numbing it and throwing him to the floor. Refusing to acquiesce, he struggled to speak. “Wh… why?”

More current shocked him, his limbs twitching against the floor. Warmth flooded around him as his bladder let go, and he fell into even deeper blackness.

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‘Til next time!

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Seductive Studs – 08 June 2013

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Greetings, all!

Forgot to sign up on the list this week, but still going to post! Life has been crazy lately—lots of things going every which way!

We are continuing with Summer of History and find out some more about Conall. For those who may need a brush up, click here.

Ryan spent the next half-hour exploring the world of Conall Shaughnessy. He was very well recommended by the Guides Association as well as numerous former clients. Ryan made a note to ask for contact information; a personal recommendation was always good. His rates appeared reasonable, based upon Ryan’s research the previous day.

English Pub Interior

The Butchers Arms, Hepworth, Yorkshire

A link on the website connected to the Wexmeade Arms homepage. Several pictures showed off the small, seemingly comfortable public house. There were photos of the pub room, low ceilinged with polished wood and shiny glassware; in-room shots showing comfy looking beds with pastel linens; and several pictures of the surrounding countryside, green lawns and groups of trees. The inn was even listed in the Historical Registry.

Striking was the photo of the owners, Peter and Marilynn Shaughnessy. The innkeeper was broad and blond, fair-skinned with striking blue eyes, bearing little resemblance to his dusky brother. Marilynn looked like a petite version of Peter, long flaxen hair, pale skin with a pert little nose. The Shaughnessy family was beginning to intrigue Ryan.

Whoa, boy, Ryan thought to himself. You can’t just go with the first answer to your post. There will be other responses.

But something was hooking itself into Ryan’s gut. His subconscious wanted to go with Conall. Ryan debated with himself and compromised by immediately replying to Conall’s email with several questions.

Thanks for reading! Be sure to check out more Studs and Sirens here.

‘Til next time!

Hump Day Hook – 05 June 2013

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 Greetings, all!

Once again, Wednesday is upon us and it’s time for a Hump Day Hook! Although Luk has come out of his sulk, I’m continuing with another piece from Subeo:

He sat on the floor in the dark, leaning against the cold implacable steel of his cell’s entrance. What the hell had happened? He remembered stopping by Perk ‘n’ Brew after class to write more of his clinical psych paper. Keith, Dr. Mellor’s T.A., had been there, and they’d talked about some of the research material. At that point he’d pretty much lost interest in working—he just wanted to look at Keith and listen to the animated way he spoke. Psychology wasn’t his major, but he’d have considered it if the dark-haired grad student were at every class.

TwoGuysinCoffeeShop

Keith had offered refills, and he’d taken the opportunity to use the john—his cock had gotten uncomfortably full as he watched Keith’s lips, imagining them doing things other than sipping latte. Good to his word, Keith had procured two fresh cups and was texting when he returned from the men’s room. The T.A. quickly apologized and stuffed the phone into his jacket pocket.

“No problem, dude,” he’d assured him. “I don’t mind.”

“I don’t like to text really.” Keith shrugged. “It’s rude if you’re with someone—like speaking a foreign language that someone in the group doesn’t. Everyone always thinks you’re talking—or texting—about them. Which I wasn’t.”

He recalled taking a sip, savoring the chocolaty smoothness as Keith got warmed up on a discussion of Freud and egocentrism.

Then the world had slid sideways…

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‘Til next time!

Hump Day Hook – 29 May 2013

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Greetings, all!

Once again it is Wednesday and time for a Hump Day Hook! I’m stepping away from Ark for a bit (Luk has chosen to be rather quiet lately), so today’s hook is the opening to another WIP, titled Subeo, which is Latin for ‘I submit.’ (Ironically, this too involves a door…)

The snap of ammonia assaulted his nose. 

Waking, he struggled to orient himself. Where the fuck am I? Last he knew he was at the coffee shop across from campus. Now darkness pressed against his senses, filling his vision, stopping his ears. He shivered.

prison cell doors

gregorfischer.photography / Foter.com / CC BY-ND

He lay on what felt to be a narrow cot, its frame digging into his shoulders. Carefully he reached out his left hand and encountered a rough, cold wall. Cinderblock. To the right his other hand found empty air. Rolling to that side, he cautiously sat up. The cot creaked loudly in the heavy silence.

Standing, he swayed a little and steadied himself with a hand on the wall. Trailing fingers along the bricks, he shuffled forward, his right arm extended. A few steps brought him to a corner; turning right, he continued his tour. Another corner.

“Ouch!” Table. He sidled around the obstruction, keeping his hand on the wall. The table stood next to a door.

Sweeping hands over the surface of the door, he found no window, no lock, no knob, only an expanse of cool metal.

“Hello!” His fists drummed on the door; hollow echoes followed. “Anyone there? Let me out!”

The darkness absorbed his shouts, muffling his cries for help. He kept pounding, kept hoping for a response. Only the silence screamed back.

Thanks for reading! Be sure to check out more hooks here.

‘Til next time!

Hump Day Hook – 22 May 2013

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Greetings, all!

Posting really late, but it’s still Hump Day!

We are continuing with Ark!

12 Sept 217 ARY

Luk lovingly fingered the cool pieces of metal in the pocket of his jumpsuit. Eighteen months of archival research had paid off. He hoped.

Doors had loks, which he had known, of course, but his door—that was how he thought of it now—had a mechanical lok. Pins and tumblers kept the handle—the strange metal piece, he’d learned—from turning and allowing the door to open. They required a mechanical kee, which could be inserted to make the handle move. The fact that he had no kee had disappointed him for months.

Until he learned about lok picks.

lock_picking

Luk had discovered this fact in an ancient document about crime on Old Erth—apparently people used to take things they wanted and didn’t have from other people who had them. So, it was theoretically possible to defeat the pins and tumblers with small metal tools called picks.

Luk was about to find out.

Thanks for reading! Be sure to check out more Hooks here.

‘Til next time!

Seductive Studs – 18 May 2013

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 Greetings, all!

It’s time once again for some Seductive Studs! (BTW: be sure to check out the Hop Against Homophobia which is going on as well.)

We are continuing with Summer of History. If you need some catching up or a refresher, click here. Today we get a glimpse at another character, Conall Shaughnessy. Friend or foe? Love interest? We’ll see…

Ryan read the email:

Professor MacDonald:

Please allow me to introduce myself! I am Conall Shaughnessy, head guide of Wexmeade Historical Tours. I am native to the Chollerford area and have a diploma in History from Cambridge University with a focus on pre-Norman civilization.

I read your post on the Northumberland Tours message board and feel that my services, combined with my educational background, would be of immeasurable assistance to your research. As you may note from the photo, I have suitable transportation, which would be at your disposal. In addition I can offer assistance with your lodgings while in the Wexmeade area. My brother and sister-in-law are proprietors of the Wexmeade Arms, our local inn, and offer a discount on services to clients of Wexmeade Historical Tours.

Please feel free to investigate further: you may access my Web page through the above link; there you will find complete information on our services, as well as numerous testimonials. You may also wish to check my references with the Northumberland Guides Association; you will find a link on my site.

Please feel free to contact me by email or phone with any additional questions. I feel that Wexmeade Historical Tours is exactly what you need to accomplish your goals in Northumberland.

Yours

Conall Shaughnessy

Roman ruins

Mithraic Ruins near Carrawbrough, Northumberland.
CC-BY-SA Michael Willis via Photographers-Resource.co.uk

Ryan shivered as an excited thrill ran up his spine. It was all becoming real. He was actually making plans to do real research on the ground in England. No more dusty libraries, no more banal dissertations, no more shallow conclusions—honest to goodness field work where he’d find what he knew was out there.

Thumbing the touchpad, Ryan clicked on the email’s hyperlink. While he waited for the page to load, he enlarged Conall’s photo. The guy leaning against the SUV looked to be in his mid-thirties; curly, black hair framed a face dominated by dark eyes and that broad smile. His smile wasn’t just for the camera: it continued to his eyes which sparkled with humor along with a look of intelligence. Ryan wanted to meet him.

Thanks for reading! Be sure to check out more Studs here.

‘Til next time!

Hump Day Hook – 15 May 2013

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Greetings, all!

It’s Wednesday and time for Hump Day Hook! I’m continuing with my dystopian work in progress, Ark.

Luk’s thumb again found its way to the corner of his mouth. If the schematics were at all correct, there was no reason for this door in the first place—yet there it was. Hence, it must lead someplace. But to where? Cru-member spaces were restricted; to trespass was to invite disciplinary action. Clearly the door was unused, but Luk suspected that would not be an argument in his favor, should he get caught.

He glanced over his shoulder. Master Jon would not come to check on him; there would be no question in the Tutor’s mind that Luk was focused on his task—his reliability distracted from his differentness.

Now his curiosity warred with his caution. The schematics. XAP. The hidden door. The dust.

oxidization-in-its-prime

4BlueEyes Pete Williamson / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND

Curiosity won. Luk stepped forward, pushing on the door. It shifted in its frame and sent an avalanche of gray powder over Luk’s hand. But it did not open. The metallic protrusion moved a little—maybe it was key to getting through the door. Luk could turn the piece left and right, only to have it spring back to its original position. Frustrated, he shook the piece and pounded on the gray metal. To no avail—the portal remained closed.

Clearly he had a lot to learn about doors.

Thanks for reading! Be sure to check out more Hooks here.

‘Til next time!

Seductive Studs – 11 May 2013

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Greetings, all!

It is time once again for Seductive Studs and Sirens! We are continuing along with Summer of History,  my contemporary M/M romance with suspense and bad guys thrown in the mix. To catch up, click here.

Glancing again at the letter, Ryan’s eyes fell on the signature line: it was Ryder H. Forsyne, Junior, not Doctor Ryder H. Forsyne. The letter was from the great man’s son. Ryan thought back to the lecture; he vaguely remembered a young man helping Dr. Forsyne with his presentation. At the time he’d thought that the rather cute guy was just some AV geek from the university, but now he realized there had been a strong resemblance between the two men—father and son. The same dark hair and narrow face, one older, one younger; and neither had been unattractive, at least not to Ryan’s inexperienced eyes.

His home is a stress free work environmentDa-ding! Ryan’s email chimed, calling him back to the present. Moving the letter aside, he scooted his chair up to the desk and maximized the mail window. He quickly scanned the subject lines; two were from colleagues in the department offering congratulations—Myra must have sent out a bulletin; the third was probably spam, but the last subject caught his attention. The line read, “Chollerford Area Guide with Extensive Roman Knowledge: Available 1 – 20 June.”

Intrigued and excited, Ryan clicked the item. A custom-designed stationery page opened, headed with Wexmeade Historical Tours; accompanying the header was a photo showing a young man leaning against a Range Rover and smiling broadly at the camera.

Thanks for reading! Be sure to check out more Studs and Sirens here.

‘Til next time!

Hump Day Hook – 08 May 2013

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Greetings, all!

First off, congratulations to Mandy Earles who won the drawing for the $5 Amazon gift card  in last week’s giveaway.

We are continuing with Ark this week. To catch up with Luk and his world aboard the Ark, click here.

At least he thought it was a door—there was no keypad, only a weird piece of what looked to be metal sticking out of one side. Fine gray dust filmed its surface and had piled up on the odd protrusion. Luk could see words on the door, faint letters beneath the layer of forgottenness. He reached out to brush the dirt away. The surface was cold and rough, so unlike the smooth regular plastinel found everywhere else in the Ark. A cloud of dust tickled his nose. He sneezed.

Photo credit: adrazahl / Foter.com / CC BY-ND

Photo credit: adrazahl / Foter.com / CC BY-ND

Authorized Personnel Only.

Luk didn’t know what authorized meant—it sounded like it had something to do with writing. But he did know what personnel meant. Personnel meant cru-members. Cru-members were the elite, the upper-most class on the Ark—only the healthiest, smartest, and strongest people were chosen to join the cru. Once admitted, cru-members lived separate lives; rarely were they seen among the bulk of the people aboard, unless there was an emergency. Everybody aboard had responsibilities on the Ark; cru-members were responsible for the operation of the Ark.

Thanks for reading! Be sure to check out more Hump Day Hooks here.

‘Til next time!