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Hi everyone,

I hope you're having a great week. I have a few new updates for you including a snippet of a Snow White retelling short story that I'm working on, so you get two snippets today lucky you. The snow white story still doesn't have a name, so I'll tell you a bit about it, and if you have an idea let me know in an email. The idea is that snow white is a vampire and the antagonists from the original snow white story are actually her blood servants. They want to poison Snow on her coronation as the vampire queen and escape, and the story starts the day before said coronation. I'll post the snippet below just be warned it is a total rough draft, no edits have been done yet, so pardon any typos. I hope you enjoy!

Vampire Snow white snippet

The collar chafed my wrists and my hand spasmed as Snow's teeth dug into my skin. Warmth flushed my face and heated seared my body like I'd been tossed into the fire crackling in the fireplace. I closed my eyes, gritting my teeth, not wanting to show any inkling of the pain coursing through me. 

Strength drained out of me with each movement of Snow's teeth on my neck. Snow traced a line along my neck and collarbones in a gentle caress that sent involuntary shivered down my spine. My back stiffened when Snow released me, and I crumbled to the floor and looked into her brown eyes. 

Snow licked the red blood off her lips, but it always left a slight stain. Color flushed her cheeks from the feeding making her appear almost human if it weren't for the fangs that protruded from the rows of flat teeth. That was how she'd gotten me to fall for her before I knew who and what she was. I'd unwittingly gotten captured by the soon-to-be queen of vampires and made into her feeding pig.

She gripped my arm hard enough to bruise and pulled me up off the ground. "Grimhilde. What do you think you're doing? You still have work to attend to before my coronation. Go help the others prepare the cake."

I cringed thinking of the blood we'd have to spill to make the frosting on the cake. We'd been told to use blood as a substitute for the eggs and frosting. I curtseyed. "C-c-can I have some time to rest first, ma'am. I'm still woozy from the feeding." I placed a hand to my neck even thought the blood had already stopped flowing from the wound.

"We only have a day until coronation." She scanned me up and down, assessing me. "I'd hoped you'd be different from the others, but you're just as weak and spineless as the rest of them. Typical human." She lifted her chin and turned her back on me.

As she walked away I held up my fingers in a cross formation even though I knew it would do nothing. That's why I've been gathering a special surprise for your cake, juniper and roses. See how you enjoy poison for your coronation.

END OF SNIPPET

On the writing front, I'm now on Chapter 9 edits for Amy's Rebellion, so I thought I'd share another excerpt for you. This one centers on Dusk and Amy.

Heart of the Assassin

When Opal turned down the next corridor, Amy saw a big door that said emergency exit in red letters. It was now or never. Before Opal could pull her away from the door, Amy dug in her heels and winced when she had to put weight on her injured leg. Amy bit Opal’s wrist and the taste of copper invaded her mouth. She stomped on Opal’s foot and Opal yelped and dropped the gem bag and the chains. Amy caught the bag in her teeth then bolted for the door despite the blood running down one of her legs. 

When she looked back, Opal’s unmoving eye faced her. The sight of it sent a shiver down her spine. The color was more of a slate grey than the silvery color in her normal eyes. If she hadn't seen that attack coming, it had to be a fake.

The pain grew sharper as her feet pounded against the tile floor, and Opal shouted "Get her."  but it was drowned out by the roaring of blood in her ears as she focused on putting one foot in front of the other.

She glanced back at Violet who yowled out for her. Hopefully, she would stay safe or at least transform and get away. 

Those hopes died when she ran into someone’s chest and looked up to see dark hair and yellow eyes. “Looks like you've been caught, little mouse.”

Amy lowered herself into a crouch and rammed into him with her full body weight. They both toppled to the ground, and she crawled on her hands and knees behind him and wrapped the chains around his neck, pulling them taut.

She dug her nails into his arm. “Stand up.”

He stood up stiffly, and gagged slightly when the chain dug into his throat. Opal walked towards Dusk, but she pulled the chain taut against his throat. “Come any closer, and I’ll make sure he suffocates. If you want him back alive, let me go free.” 

Her words came out sharp, but her heart felt like ice. She pulled his body so it was pressed against her chest. His magic flickered, and the illusion began to fade. He froze against her. “Opal?”

Opal cocked her head to one side. Gold and silver threaded her gaze. She didn’t step any closer. “Go ahead, Amethyst Killer. Do it. I’ll find another assassin.”

She licked her lips, and Amy’s breath caught in her throat. Her brain told her to pull the chains taut, but instead she released her grip and he stepped out of her clutches as she slid to the floor.

Dusk rounded on her. “Were you planning on letting her kill me?”

She placed a black painted fingernail under his chin. “Of course not. I knew she wouldn’t do it. Besides, you should be able to handle one enchantress. Now carry her back to her cell.”

Dusk rubbed at his arms. His voice shook, “I’m not your gambling chip. Why don’t you carry her back to the cell?”

Opal grabbed his neck and squeezed. “That was an order, not a request. Unless you’d like to share her fate.”

“You don’t scare me.”

“I should, shifter,” She snarled.

“Fine. I’ll do it.” 

She released him, and he rubbed at his neck. Dusk grabbed Amy by the arm and hauled her to her feet. “And make sure she doesn’t get away this time.” 

Dusk bared his teeth in a grin. “Yes, madam Council leader.”

Opal’s nostrils flared, “You know I hate being called that. Get out of my sight. Now.”

“Gladly.” He glared daggers at Opal as they made their way back to the cell. Once they were out of Opal’s sight, he whispered. “Why didn’t you do it?”

Amy pursed her lips. “I don’t owe you an explanation.”

“You could have called her bluff or exposed me, but you didn’t. I want to know why?” 

Amy swallowed over a lump in her throat. “She calls me Amethyst killer. I don’t want to be the person she thinks I am. I don’t want to be the person you think I am.”

Dusk glanced down at his palms. “I don’t know what to believe anymore. I think if you had wanted to, she would have let you kill me.”

Amy placed an awkward hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry you had to find out this way. But I think you did mean something to her. Otherwise why was your birthday part of the passcode?”

Dusk frowned. “That was Cat’s birthday. She loved Cat, but I don’t think she could ever love Dusk.” 

Amy let out a long sigh. “I loved you both as Cat and as Night. And I think both of those pieces of you are still in there somewhere. That’s why you haven’t thrown me into the cell yet. Am I wrong?”

Dusk’s face flushed. “I. People like me don’t deserve happiness. I’ve gone too far down a dark road.”

Footsteps thudded down the hallway. “One right choice, one light could make the dark road a little less dark.”

“If she suspects I’ve been helping you, she’ll kill me.”

Amy jangled her chains. “We can make it look like an accident, but it would have to be quick. Someone is coming.”

The footsteps came closer. Dusk leaned into her ear. “No matter what happens, play the part of the rebellious prisoner.” 

“With pleasure.” She grinned. 

END OF EXCERPT

Now, I have a question for you. 

What's your favorite fairytale retelling?

So far I'm enjoying "Cinderella is Dead." Cinderella retelling with a Sapphic best friends to lovers romance? Yes please. Although I also enjoyed "A Curse so Dark and Lonely."

That's all I've got for you today. Have a great day and stay safe.

Sincerely,

Julia

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