Charlie maneuvered through the throng of county police, shoving her badge into the face of anyone who tried to stop her. Close on her heels was her squad's best forensic analyst—who grumbled in dissatisfaction the moment they arrived. "What?" "The heat," Claire answered, clutching her kit to her chest to relieve her shoulder of its bulky weight. "TOD is going to be off..." "Sheriff!" Charlie called, greeting the man as he...

A'an never let his mother's words drift too far away when he wandered through the Lif, though she was right there cradling his head between her breasts. The heady mix of clay, sweat and musk always accompanied her. It wasn't often that she could sneak off to hold him. Caution, caution, she liked to whisper in the middle of the fairy tales she recounted when his were the only ears there to listen, and it was always then th...

When I was younger, my father called me his little nest—his little heir. My earliest memories were of him holding me close, like he couldn't bear me being too far away, like I was the lightning rod that kept him grounded in the middle of a thunderstorm. His skin always smelled of freshly tilled soil and mint leaves; his hair of the honey-and-fruit scented pomade that my An'na specialized in making. Other warriors reek of...

It was between him and her, and her and her, and like always I was caught in between, a bottle of bourbon trapped between my thighs while I nursed the glass—the alcohol burned fresh paths down my throat, drawing parallels with the scars that ran down my arms. This was the way things would always be and the clock constantly ticked at the back of my mind, because this was it—this was my last chance. "I love you." To my whis...

It all began with something moving in my bubble tea—something too round to be a bug and too sparkly to be boba: a diamond ring. Glancing around the cafe didn't help me figure out how it had gotten there, nor did poking at it with my straw or looking under my table. For a moment, the world simply went on around me, and after a moment I realized that… this was not a joke. If it had been, the punchline would have come by now...

early mornings make me wonder if sunlight can still graze your ebony skin though your golden soul has long departed I know I should not be doubting these things but I can't not think of your eternal journey away from me, you see? on the narrow path to heaven can you peer down and see the sinner still roaming earth though God took you from him? He led your love to death and left you to drown with it He wants to end it, eve...

The air tasted like lavender body wash and gunpowder. Fireworks dotted the night sky as the bang-bang-bang of New Year explosives ricocheted off the buildings in New Glory. Avery sucked in a deep breath and her hands to the moon, meaty palms up. It was glorious indeed, the diamonds twinkling in the city's shields to represent the stars no one had seen for centuries. It was— "Can you please cease your pointless monologue?"...