March 10, 2024
it's baaack...
The website, tkeldridge.com, is back up and ready to roll. I’m still working on graphics and
is doing a rebrand with me, so there will be a new banner and logo - and the series tabs on the front page will all have graphics, but the art takes time. The banner there right now is temporary, so check back mid-week and see what it looks like.You’ll find the start of the merchandise shop (there is SO MUCH more to be uploaded there) and a simpler way to select the format of the books you want to buy - a drop-down box.
I hope you like the rebrand and the new site - let me know in the comments here what you think?
I’m working on Rowan still - and Remington - and a few other things, but the website has sucked up a lot of my time. Just updating links took three hours the other day - it’s a lot. But, it is part of the business and I am excited to get the new look out there.
Jojo is still having stressed-out moments, but we can see progress. He now goes to my son to get attention and snuggles - when he was terrified of him at first. But when he gets stressed - he has accidents in the house.
At the moment, every area and throw rug has been picked up, washed, and tucked away until this behavior changes. It’s easier to clean up laminate or tile floor than a rug, so here we are. He’s lucky he’s cute, huh?
As always, I look forward to your comments and thoughts. Share what you’re reading, what you’re watching, what plans you have going on in the comments below. Thanks for being here!
I'm alone. On the run. Focused entirely on escaping the man who wants me dead. So why am I pressed up against a wall, welcoming the touch of a total stranger? A beautiful, dangerous stranger...
After a smoking hot brief encounter, Wolf forces himself to walk away, for the girl's own safety. When Fate puts her in his way a second time, he can't resist, even though he knows it's wrong. He will make her his, but can he protect her from the dangers in his own life?
From the moment they meet, neither of them can deny the sparks that fly. But as Lauren’s past catches up with her, how can she know who to trust? Can she give Wolf her heart as well as her body, or will fear and betrayal tear them apart?
Want to get the full story serialized below? Subscribe for as little as $5 a month! Every little bit helps and I really appreciate you all.
And So It Begins - Chapter Eight - College Park, MD 2024
The New Year’s celebrations were over and everyone was trying to shake off the holiday ennui and get back to work. Jo was no different.
“Jace Mellin is here to see you, Jo,” Lisa said as she stuck her head in the doorway. “Shall I tell him you’re busy?”
“No, I’ll see him,” Jo replied. “I’ve been expecting a visit from Jace for a few days now. Can you bring in some fresh coffee? He’ll want some.”
“Sure thing,” Lisa said and ducked back out. Jo could hear her in the reception area, telling Jace to head on in and she’d bring him some coffee.
When Jo saw his face, she knew something was wrong. “Jace, come have a seat. What do you have to tell me?”
Jace ran a hand through his short-trimmed dark curls and sighed as he shook Jo’s hand before he dropped into a wing chair near the fireplace. Flames crackled and took the chill out of the old building while January’s bitter winds scoured the grounds outside.
“Jo, it’s bad,” Jace said. “William wanted to come tell you himself, but he’s being run ragged. The last of the trials for the January 6th insurrectionists will be done by June, but we’re finding a steady run of inconsistencies that point to…what are you calling them now? Rejects?”
“Yes. A new hunter joined our ranks. Her immediate family was massacred by a group of humans and demons,” Jo told him. “The Grove was calling them Déileálaithe Báis, Irish for Death Dealers. But Saoirse O’Brien thought that name too grandiose for a pack of rabid, murdering asswipes – her words, not mine, although I wish I’d thought of those words myself. So, now they’re called Rejects.”
Jace let out a breath. “William and I believe they’re all being controlled by a group called Apex. We don’t have much information on the group beyond the name, but we’re working on it.”
“When you say ‘we’ – who do you mean?”
“I mean – we. William and I – and we’re hoping you and the rest of SIN can help. We can’t bring it to the FBI or Pentagon or anywhere else because we don’t know how deep this goes.”
“Of course we’ll work on this. I mean, you and William are both SIN agents, although no one beyond Simon, myself, and the rest of the board of directors know this,” Jo assured him. “You’re not out in the cold, you know.”
Lisa brought in the coffee on a tray and poured two cups before she left them alone once more. Jace reached for his cup, took a swallow and leaned back.
“I think I needed to hear that,” he said. “It’s isolating, being in the West Wing. You can’t just talk to anyone and you’re never sure what’s behind the actions and behaviors of those around you. It’s worse than being an agent for SIN because we know what our tasks and objectives are for each assignment. This one is so open-ended and variable…” Jace’s voice trailed off and he took another swallow of coffee. “Alyssa and William are having some trouble because he’s never home and when he is, he’s often called back to the White House.”
“I heard a rumor that she was expecting?” Jo asked.
“She is, and I think that’s just made her more demanding. William bought her a beautiful house in Dupont Circle and brought her sister to live with them to help her out, but it doesn’t seem to be enough.”
“He was the Chief of Staff when she married him. Did she think that was suddenly going to change?”
Jace gave Jo a wry smile. “Who knows what she was thinking? But the reality is obviously very different from what she expected. Anyway, that’s why I’m here and not William. He probably wouldn’t want me talking about his personal situation, but it does impact his job somewhat, so I thought you should know.”
“The perspective we have on such things is very different from humans, or from most other supernaturals,” Jo said. “As vampires, we’re truly able to understand the concept of the long game. Keep that in mind when you return and have to deal with the Harringtons.”
“I do my best, Jo. You know that,” Jace said. “I gave Lisa the stick drive with the information we’ve gathered so far on Apex and the bits of data from the trials we’ve been able to pull together. Hopefully it’ll give the SIN analysts enough breadcrumbs to find the truth behind it all.”
“Thanks, Jace. Take care of yourself and keep me informed, and I’ll see that whatever we get from our side is sent your way as well.” Jo crossed her legs and leaned back, then took a sip of coffee before she spoke. “Now, what else can you tell me about what’s happening in the West Wing?”
They spoke for about another thirty minutes or so before Jace took his leave. Jo sat near the fire and listened to the ice hiss against the windows while she mulled things over. When the coffee had gone cold, she got to her feet and went to her desk – and picked up her phone.
“Ambassador Mansouri, it’s Jolene Wilder. Do you have a moment to talk?”
“What can I help you with, Director?” Adil said. “I cannot thank you enough for that lovely introduction you arranged for my Yasmine at Oxford. The brilliant Dr. Northington, Lady Abernathy, has been a wonderful mentor.”
“You’re most welcome. Michelle has been a friend of mine for years. She was happy to offer her wisdom and advice to Yasmine. No, I’m calling because I want to know if you’re willing to share your file on another member of the nobility."
"Ah, the notorious Duke of Richmond, I presume?"
“Exactly. I find myself increasingly curious as to the reasons for his presence at that gathering, and for his animosity and boorish behavior,” Jo said. “Are you able to share?”
There was silence on the other end of the line for a moment, then the ambassador sighed. “It’s not something I can make a habit of doing, but in this instance – yes, I can share what I have. I’ll have the digital files couriered over to your offices this evening. I don’t wish to send them electronically as that tends to leave a much larger footprint than, say, the delivery of a basket of flowers sent in gratitude for your consideration of my daughter.”
“That sounds ideal. Thank you, Ambassador,” Jo said and disconnected the call
.Later that evening, a lovely basket of roses and lavender was delivered with a card to Jo’s apartment. She inhaled the lovely fragrance, then reached into the middle of the massive arrangement and pulled out a dark green plastic tube that held a USB stick. It only took a moment to slide the stick into her spare laptop and open up the files.
It took a lot longer to read them all.
When she was done, Jo didn’t know if she wanted to scream or laugh. The very last thing she wanted to do was speak to Ashton Lennox again, but after reading the file, she realized that’s precisely what she needed to do.
The man had a genius IQ, held two Masters degrees and two Doctoral degrees, and was considered an expert on international relations and global finance. More importantly, he was a member of the Bilderberg Group. When it came to dark money financing, a group that included Zuckerberg, the Bills – Gates and Clinton - King Charles III and a regular attendance by Henry Kissinger, there wasn’t much one couldn’t imagine being discussed.
Many thought it a dark cabal aimed at global domination, while they themselves called it a debate club of notable personages. Either way, Jolene wanted an invitation at best, or a play by play at the least. Ashton Lennox, Duke of Richmond and Lennox, would be her ticket inside. He didn’t know that yet – but she sure as hell did.
Chapter 9 next week! Or you can grab the book here and read ahead.
The website looks great, so far. Can't wait to see the new graphics.
He is very cute!