FORECAST releases in less than a month on August 5th. I’m nervous and excited and hopeful that readers will enjoy it. My editor LOVED Taran and I had a lot of fun writing him and his…moods. So, here is a surprise excerpt showing part of a scene that showcases one of his more interesting ways of dealing with a bad situation. LOL.
Warning: Yeah, this is a young adult novel and no, it isn’t riddled with curse words. This particular scene is because of one ticked off adult after their car accident. 😉
I looked outside to see that Taran clenched two fistfuls of the man’s coat in his hands. He lifted the much bigger man off the ground. People around them started backing up. All I heard was the pattering of snow on the roof of my car, the moan of the wind coming between the houses. I scrambled out, slammed the door and ran around to Taran.
Nostrils flaring, Taran aimed a harsh glare at the man he held. I expected lightning bolts to shoot out of his eyes any second.
“Kid, put me down.” The driver’s bushy black eyebrows squished together, his eyes widening as he stared at Taran. His curly black hair whipped about in the wind as he struggled and grabbed Taran’s wrists.
“Hey,” I said softly as I laid one gentle hand on Taran’s side. A part of me thought he might go off if startled. His brown gaze flicked down to me. I smiled. Or tried to. I was pretty sure ice was forming on my cheeks. “You’re freezing. I’m freezing. Let’s just go.”
He stared as if I were speaking in another language. The guy in the air fought harder, kicking out his legs. One hit me. Hard. I winced and stepped back, then rushed forward again when Taran actually growled and started shaking him.
A loud rumble of thunder shook the earth.
“Let him go!” I blinked as snow pummeled my eyes and face. The wind hit hard, growing so loud, it sounded like ocean waves. It burrowed into me, forcing me to grab onto Taran’s arm to stay still. Everyone else ran back to their cars. The snowflakes thickened, my teeth started chattering. “H-hey! W-we can’t stay out in this. Let him go! It was an a-accid-dent. Not your fault!”
“Hell yeah, it was his fault. You heard the bitch. Put me down.”
“What did you call her?” Taran didn’t yell, but we both heard him over the wind. Lightning flashed in the overcast sky, followed by a sharp clap of thunder so loud I winced.
The sneer in the man’s voice pissed me off too, so I turned and wiggled between them, my entire back plastered to the front of Taran as I looked up at the guy. Then I sniffed as a whiff of something hit me. Surprised any scent lingered in this wind, I leaned forward, smelled his coat and realized why it had. Wincing, I held my hand over my nose. “My M-mom used to date this guy who reminds me a l-lot of you only he had long hair and a long beard.”
“I remind you of what? Girl, I don’t care about your mama. I’m freezing my ass off, the sky is about to open up even more, and we need to exchange numbers so He-Man here can pay for the damages. Drop the chitchat. Tell your freak boyfriend to put me down!” He brought up his fist.
Taran made another growling noise in the back of his throat. Lightning rent the sky again. My mouth dropped open as I realized the sky seemed to be reacting to his mood. Every hair on my body stood. I had to calm him down. Now.
I reached behind me to touch him, somehow knowing that worked. My hand ended up on his hip. He stiffened up, went completely silent for a moment, then kind of chuckled. I glared back up at the dangling, wiggling man. “Look, this c-cold is killing me. That guy my mom dated smelled just like you. Cheap whiskey. It sticks in your clothes.”
A cop car pulled to a stop a few houses down.
“Just go home,” I told him.
Taran dropped him and the man staggered back. He brushed his hands down over his coat, snarled at me. “Stupid bitch.”
I had to turn and physically wrap my arms around Taran’s waist when he started to step after the man again. “Gods, I’m freezing. Let’s just g-go, okay? It’s okay. You don’t want to get into more trouble, and he r-reeks of booze.”
He stared down at me, blinked as he seemed to get himself under control. Then he snorted. “Were you petting me?”
“N-no.” I frowned as the sky seemed to settle. “Well, sort of.”
The corner of his full lips went up. “I liked it.”