SHAME bitches: Fierce excerpt

All right, so I'm working on "Fierce," the next part of "Shame."

SHAME -- the assault. Written in a very minimalist style. A very unpleasant read. 

FIERCE -- two years later. The healing.

CONFLAGRATION -- the rest of it.

What I'm going to do is add "Fierce" and "Conflagration" to the already available "Shame," that way anyone who's already purchased "Shame" is good to go.

Also, since I know it's kind of a hot button and "Shame" is a very nasty feeling story, I'm going to just bundle "Fierce" and "Conflagration" into one ebook for the people that don't want the drama. I mean, it's not that hard to figure out what happened :/

Maybe I'll title it "Without Shame." *scratches chin* That's post-production work right there.


Anyways, back to work... (Though, quick question, does anyone want a beta copy of "Fierce" when I'm ready to share?)




"Fierce" excerpt--
 
Being on location was one of those things he used to love but that now made his stomach churn nervously. He didn't really like being out of his safety zone, but it was one of those things he felt he had to get passed.

Looking over and being able to see Byron Hughes standing with the rest of the crew made him feel better. His bodyguard had a gun and was willing to use it. He was perfectly safe.

"All right, Simon, in this scene you and Colby are entering the Dragon's Tomb," the director, Paul Bleek, said. "Just like in practice, you bring the gun up and it's just 'bang-bang-bang.' Colby, you get hit and fall down, knocking over the Orb. We all good?"

Colby nodded and Simon said, "We good."

They were standing in front of the archway leading to the "Dragon's Tomb," a temple built by the set designers in the middle of the desert. It was already hot and Simon could feel the sweat trickling down his forehead and sticking his clothes to his skin.

Waiting for the cue, he flashed a smile at Colby. "So what's it like being the male Lara Croft?"

Colby Jackson gave his world famous grin. "I feel very pretty."

They'd never worked together though they'd known each other for years. It had only been because Colby had asked so nicely that Simon had even accepted the role of "Percy Walden," assistant and sidekick to itinerant explorer "Nicholas Blaine."

"Places!"

"Let's Indiana Jones this bitch up," Simon said, earning himself a laugh.

Dressed in black pants, a long-sleeved black shirt, and a flak vest jangling with all kinds of faux-weaponry, he already felt like he needed a break and they hadn't really even started yet.

"All right… Action!" Bleek called.

Simon drew in a deep breath and hurtled forward and kicked the door down with a grunt. He had a gun in his hand and he didn't hesitate to run forward into the tomb. His head moved back and forth alertly and it seemed natural to bring his gun up and start shooting.

An Asian-looking tomb all shining with gold and jade. Dangerous looking men in lots of brown and gray clothing toting machine guns as they worked at stripping the place bare of treasure. They dropped what they were doing when he started shooting them and brought their own weapons up.

There were screams and shouts and the plink-plink of misses near his head and feet as he jumped, rolled, and dodged until every one of them was dead.

He stood from his crouch and turned to Colby. "It's clear, sir."

Colby sauntered in, his lips forming a disappointed moue. "Really, Percy, did you have to come charging through like a bull in a china shop? Perhaps some of these gentlemen would have liked the chance to surrender before you shot them in the face?"

Simon holstered his gun with a shrug. "We'll never know now, will we?"

Colby smiled and started to say something, then hesitated. His expression congealed, his brows coming together, and he raised his right hand to his left shoulder.

"Sir?" Simon took a step toward him.

Colby pulled his hand away and there was blood on his fingers. He half-turned and there was a giant, bleeding wound in his back. "I think I've been shot," he said calmly, then his legs wobbled and he stumbled sideways before collapsing. His flailing arm knocked against the pedestal and the glass Orb trembled and fell with a crash against the floor.

There was a puff of glittery dust that obscured everything.