#starvingfor10

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How do you like my story menu? Check out my patreon: SL Kassidy. 😃 I'm starting early on my #starvingfor10 next year, where my goal is to get 10 new patrons. Hopefully, little things like this helps. Come on over and be a patron where you'll have access to almost half a million words worth of new stories (fanfic: 62,543 words, originals: 407,802 words, and a total of 470,345 words) with way more to come soon. 😄 

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New Fic: Get It Together

Hi, everybody, readers and non-readers alike. Okay, lemme explain what’s going on here, I do early chapters on my Patreon of all my stories and I do previews for all chapters on my Facebook (and now here). Sundays are for early chapter/previews of stories I post on Tuesdays and Wednesdays are for early chapter/previews of stories I post on Saturdays. Okay, carry on.

I'm here with the preview/early chapter of #3 in my #starvingfor10 quest. This one is out of my norm. I'm dipping my toes in the Steven Universe fandom, sharing probably the only fic I will ever write for the fandom (unless I magically write the rest of my queue sometime soon). It's a Bellow Diamond story. Early chapter: https://www.patreon.com/posts/47546309

Summary: White Diamond created Yellow Diamond bring about perfection. Blue Diamond is an accident. Yellow's accident. Made worse when they fuse. A series of one-shots through each Era, showing the growing pains of Yellow Diamond and Blue Diamond and how fusion hurts and heals.

Story is up! Take your pick on where you read: Fanfiction.net and Ao3.

Preview:

“Yellow, what happened? Why are we…” Blue forced them to look down at themselves, sticking her ass out with a twist of her hip in a manner she never would have attempted on her own. They were green, dressed in an armor breastplate with a long tunic, down to their knees. Their gems were stacked at the center of their chest.

“We fused!” Yellow could not believe it. She never imagined such a thing, but then again, who would she have fused with before Blue? White was untouchable and her minions were, well, her minions.

“Fused?” Blue searched her mind. Yellow could feel her doing that! And then Blue pulled the answer from Yellow’s mind. How the hell did she do that! “We’ve become one gem.”

“Yes, one powerful gem.” Yellow made a fist. And put up some barriers in her mind to keep Blue out. The power was nice, but she did not want Blue to be able to roam her thoughts at her leisure.

There was the damn head tilt, somehow both mentally and physically. “Who are we now?”

“Green Diamond. Do you realize that we could probably conquer the galaxy like this?” They could get so many things done and fulfill White’s every desire.

Blue tittered. Well, no, Green giggled. It was a pleasant sound and feeling. As Green, Yellow felt a strange calm she could not quite describe. She had never experienced it before and was not quite sure if she liked it, but she did not want it to go.

“Why are you giggling?” Yellow asked.

“Because how are we going to fit in the ship?”

Yellow had not thought of that. They were massive now, possibly three times the size of White. They would never fit inside.

“Is there a way to unfuse?” Blue asked.

“Do you… do you want to?” Yellow was not quite ready to give this power up, or the soothing feeling. It was like everything was right for once. She did not have to rush or stress. Things could just be.

“I wasn’t sure how much you’d appreciate being fused to an accident.”

The words were like a crack to Yellow, but something melted inside of her. She was warm, mellow. “Yes, but you’re my accident. Let’s go access the damage and report our success to White.”

They moved and took stock of everything post-battle. The few gems who were still whole stared at them slack-jawed, in awe. Green smiled.

The task was not as awful as it usually was. A sense of hurry tended to push the day, but that tension faded and somehow everything still went right. Instead of a rush, there was an ease and the flow somehow went faster. Now, Green needed to send word to White Diamond. She could send the equipment for a new kindergarten along with peridots to tend to them. Maybe she would come see the planet for herself.

Green went to the ship. She was definitely too big to fit inside. Her arm was roughly the size of the ship. “Hmm… Could someone project a video communication outside for me?” Internally, there was a groan. Why was that a request? It was not!

It did not matter. The communication video came to life and White Diamond was on screen. White cooed a greeting until she got a good look at Green. Fury erupted in her white eyes with black lines cracking through the whites. There was no joy like when she first saw Yellow or Blue.

“What the hell do you two think you’re doing?” White’s voice was a screech.

Green winced. “We fused by accident!”

“You fused? Diamonds don’t fuse! That’s for lesser, weak gems!”

“But, our power…”

“Should be more than enough as a singular Diamond! Unfuse immediately!”

“But, I could bring worlds to their knees like this!”

White blinked and then scowled like never before, like she would crush Green right now if she could and grind her into dust. “I?”

Green yelped and straightened. “I mean we!”

White’s nostrils flared and leaned forward into the screen. “Unfuse immediately and return to Homeworld. Now.” The communication cut off.

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Get It Together chapter 1

All right, people and non-people alike (although what exactly is the definition of people to know who or what qualifies as "non-people"?), here we are with story #3 in #starvingfor10. My first and only Steven Universe fic. Bellow Diamond. Blue Diamond/Yellow Diamond pairing.

Summary: White Diamond created Yellow Diamond to bring about perfection. Blue Diamond is an accident. Yellow's accident. Made worse when they fuse. A series of one-shots through each Era, showing the growing pains of Yellow Diamond and Blue Diamond and how fusion hurts and heals.

Take your pick on where you read: Fanfiction.net and Ao3.

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Also can be found on FFN: Be Satisfied chapter 2: Dreamlike Candlelight. 

Rating: Mature

Category: F/F

Fandom: Hamilton - Miranda

Relationship: Maria Reynolds/Angelica Schuyler

Characters: Angelica Schuyler, Maria Reynolds, Elizabeth "Eliza" Schuyler, Alexander Hamilton

Additional Tags: Romance, Drama, Intrigue, Lesbian Character, Lesbian Sex, Lesbian Character of Color, Cheating, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Secret Relationship, What-If, Sexual Content, Vaginal Fingering, Domestic, Domestic Fluff

Language:English

Preview:

The alarm sounded, earning a groan from Angelica as her wonderful sleep drifted away. She was not ready to get up. The bed was too comfortable. The mattress was perfect and the sheets basically caressed her. Why did I buy such glorious sheets? The light scent of lavender wafting through the room did not help, relaxing her body with every inhale. She just wanted to enjoy lying in bed for once in her life. Then the noise was gone, the bed dipped, and there was a soft kiss to her lips. She smiled into the kiss as she returned it...

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Also found on FFN: Be Satisfied chapter 5.

You can see rough draft chapters of the untitled sequel by joining my Patreon. Chapter 1 and Chapter 2.

Rating: Mature

Category: F/F

Fandom: Hamilton - Miranda

Relationship: Maria Reynolds/Angelica Schuyler

Characters: Angelica Schuyler, Maria Reynolds, Elizabeth “Eliza” Schuyler, Alexander Hamilton

Additional Tags: Romance, Drama, Intrigue, Lesbian Character, Lesbian Sex, Lesbian Character of Color, Cheating, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Secret Relationship, What-If, Sexual Content, Vaginal Fingering, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, LGBTQ Character of Color, Bisexual Female Character, Homophobic Language, Threats, Blackmail, Angst, Arguing, Coming Out, Family, Family Bonding

Language: English

Preview:

5: Trusting

The second Angelica and Maria walked through the door, Eliza was on them and hugging them. Eliza embracing Angelica was pleasant, knowing nothing changed between them. But, Angelica’s heart soared when Eliza hugged Maria with the same enthusiasm. This was the best possible scenario for her coming out. That gave her hope about Peggy.

The house was quiet without the children there. Angelica missed the little ones. Once this was all over, it would be nice to spend time with her nephew and niece once more. She had not spoken about it with Maria yet, but maybe after this evening, she would see how Maria felt about children. Not that Philip was much of a child thanks to Alexander. Of course, her namesake, little Angelica, was not much of a child either, as she liked to mimic her mother as much as possible. They were a delight and the reason she opted for a two-bedroom condo rather than a single bedroom. She hoped Maria loved them as much as she did.

Eliza’s voice brought Angelica out of her revelry. “Peggy is late, as always,” Eliza said...

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Also on FFN: Be Satisfied chapter 1 of 5.

Summary: Angelica’s back from London, but not just for a trip upstate. She’s left her husband and is waiting for her things to arrive in New York. So, instead of going upstate with the Hamilton family for the summer, she’s staying at their townhouse, trying to figure out her next move. That’s when Miss Maria Reynolds walked into her life. Modern AU. Updated Tuesdays.

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I'm here with a sneak peek/early chapter of my next fanfic. The link above will take you to the early chapter on my Patreon. Consider becoming a patron for early chapters to my work (also some exclusive stuff). I'm dipping my toe into the Hamilton fandom. This story is the first part in a three part series. I hope you like it. The chapter will be posted on Ao3 and FFN on Tuesday.

Chapter 2: Dreamlike Candlelight. Angelica and Maria manage to fall into domestic bliss, but Angelica knows it’s just a fantasy. 

Chapter 3: Set That Aside. A letter arrives that pops the little domestic bubble around the ladies.

Chapter 4: By Your Side. Angelica confronts James Reynolds. She then takes Maria to see Alexander for legal help to get James Reynolds out of their lives. 

Chapter 5: Trusting (last chapter). Angelica and Maria attend a dinner party at the Hamilton house. Angelica comes out to Peggy and she meets Maria.

Preview of untitled sequel to Be Satisfied. This is just a rough draft chapter for the sequel, but feel free to check it out and leave me suggestions on what you would like to see in the sequel. Preview:

“May I help you?” Angelica asked in a very polite tone. It took all of her self-control to keep her face from betraying her. Her expression always telegraphed her thoughts. No reason to be upset. This could be perfectly innocent.

The young woman opened her mouth to speak, but said nothing. Her brow wrinkled as her eyes fell to the floor, like she had to think of something. “I’m sorry to bother you. My name is Maria Reynolds. I was hoping to speak with Alexander Hamilton.”

“He’s not here right now,” Angelica replied. Maria twisted her fingers, like she was full of nervous energy. Angelica took a breath to keep from craning an eyebrow or giving an intense stare. “Do you need legal help?” There might be a very rational explanation for the young woman’s presence if she ever managed to get it out.

Maria glanced away, her face pinched. “I’m not sure. A friend recommended I come see Mister Hamilton.”

And there went her eyebrow. “Well, why did that friend say so?” This still seems pretty sketchy. What’s going on?

Maria took a breath. “After I mentioned my husband abandoned me.”

Possibly a divorce then. All right, Alexander, you’re safe for now. “I’m sorry to hear that. Are you looking for separation advice?” Angelica had plenty of that, especially considering the last few months of her life.

The young woman’s face scrunched up and her eyes glistened. She would look cute if she was not so distressed. The red dress she had on was at odds with her behavior, though. It screamed seduction. Something did not add up here, which pulled Angelica in. Time to learn more.

“My name is Angelica Schuyler. Maybe I can help. I don’t practice divorce law.” Neither did Alexander, but that did not seem important right now. “But, maybe some advice. You can step inside if you want and tell me more of your predicament.” Now, there was an option to leave and save face or travel further down the rabbit hole.

Maria messed with her fingers a little more and braved a whole new world by stepping into the townhouse. Curiouser and curiouser. Maria looked around the foyer and beyond, awe written on her face as Angelica closed the door behind her.

“So, if this isn’t about a divorce, what is it about?” Angelica asked. It could not be about a divorce if Maria came in. Angelica let her know she did not practice divorce law and Alexander was not there.

Maria turned to Angelica and she could see the wheels spinning. Maybe she was making up a story or maybe she did not know where to begin. Angelica would listen to the story before she judged, but her instincts and warning bells were all going off.

“I’m sorry to bother you with this,” Maria said and Angelica half-expected her to run from the entry. Instead, she continued. “My friend said Alexander Hamilton was a man of honor and I didn’t mean to come to his home, but I didn’t know where else to go. I just didn’t know what else to do. I don’t have anything since my husband left. Not that he was a great guy in the first place. He’s always mistreated me. He’s even beaten me. He might be off with another woman and he took all of my money. I don’t have anything.”

Angelica could not see why this would bring her to Alexander’s door. She did not have to be top of her class to know this was a scheme. “I’m sorry to hear that. Are you sure you don’t want a divorce?” That was honestly the only decent explanation for the visit and Maria refused to grasp at the lifeline Angelica kept throwing her. Looked like she would rather dig the hole.

Maria shook her head. “I don’t know. I don’t even know how I’m going to make rent without him. Or even how I’m going to eat in the next few days.”

Again, what does any of this have to do with being at Alexander’s house late at night? Angelica had to find out. “Well, I could give you some money.” That seemed to be the goal, but why did she pick Alexander for this? She claimed she did not know him, but was comfortable enough with possibly asking him for money? I might still have to curse him out, if not for having seductresses show up in the middle of the night than obviously for handing out money too freely where any person with working knowledge of his home could come and ask for some.

Her eyes sparkled. “Are you sure? I’ll pay you back!”

“I’m sure you will.” She highly doubted it, but that would probably put an end to whatever this was. “Let me go get it.” There had to be some cash lying around. She would pay Alexander and Eliza back. “Don’t move.”

Maria held her hands up. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

Angelica stepped away in search of cash. It took no time. Eliza hid money in the same spots all the time, even when she was younger. She returned to Maria exactly where she left her. Angelica handed her roughly seven hundred dollars.

“Should I call you a car?” Angelica asked. Again, whatever helped end all of this sooner. She had to assume with money in hand Maria was ready to get out here and she could give Alexander a call to ask him about whatever this was.

Maria shook her head as she clutched the bills tightly in her fist. “No, I just live a block away.”

“Really?” And there went Angelica’s eyebrow, arched all the way up. That could explain her turning up at Alexander’s door at such an odd hour. She might have been watching Alexander and knew he had money. It was still strange and could be a lie. Well, now I want to know more, damn it. “Then let me walk you home.”

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Also found on FFN: Be Satisfied chapter 4.

Rating: Mature

Category: F/F

Fandom: Hamilton - Miranda

Relationship: Maria Reynolds/Angelica Schuyler

Characters: Angelica Schuyler, Maria Reynolds, Elizabeth “Eliza” Schuyler, Alexander Hamilton

Additional Tags: Romance, Drama, Intrigue, Lesbian Character, Lesbian Sex, Lesbian Character of Color, Cheating, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Secret Relationship, What-If, Sexual Content, Vaginal Fingering, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, LGBTQ Character of Color, Bisexual Female Character, Homophobic Language, Threats, Blackmail, Angst, Arguing, Coming Out, Family, Family Bonding

Language: English

Preview:

4: By Your Side

Angelica sat in the corner in a small, designer coffee shop. The smell of the place was perfect advertising, coffee and fresh baked goods. There was a little, blue lunch bag on the table with her, pressed against the brick wall, not too far from her muffin. She sipped quite a delicious iced mocha and broke off a bit of muffin as she people-watched out of the front window. Everyone was in a rush, as was expected of a New Yorker. Tourists always outed themselves, having the luxury to pause. She did not even glance up as a man sat down across from her.

“You’re pretty in person,” James said...

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Also found on FFN: Be Satisfied chapter 3.

Rating: Mature

Category: F/F

Fandom: Hamilton - Miranda

Relationship: Maria Reynolds/Angelica Schuyler

Characters: Angelica Schuyler, Maria Reynolds, Elizabeth “Eliza” Schuyler, Alexander Hamilton

Additional Tags: Romance, Drama, Intrigue, Lesbian Character, Lesbian Sex, Lesbian Character of Color, Cheating, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Secret Relationship, What-If, Sexual Content, Vaginal Fingering, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, LGBTQ Character of Color, Bisexual Female Character, Homophobic Language, Threats, Blackmail, Angst, Arguing

Language: English

Preview:

3: Set That Aside

Angelica could not wait to get home and flop on the sofa. Riding the subway in the summer in a full business suit was almost never a good experience, no matter how light the material. Even when the train car had air condition, there were still bodies packed on top of each other, giving off all that body heat and humidity. Thankfully, she did not have to ride for long, but today the car she was on did not have AC and work had picked up enough to wear into today. She wanted to take a long shower, slip into some comfy clothes, and sip wine until Maria showed up.

Stepping into the condo building, she waved to the doorman and was hit with a wave of cool air. It was a nice change from the humid New York evening. She gave a playful wink to the woman at the front desk, who smiled in return. Before going upstairs, she went to the mailroom and grabbed her mail from the box on her way. It was not much, but one envelope stood out. It was from a Mister James Reynolds, addressed to her. The world turned upside down and the bubble began to crack. She almost dropped her cream-colored, leather briefcase as she shoved everything inside of the front pocket, like she could bury the truth...

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My goals

So, yesterday, I told you guys I had something called #starvingfor10. It’s part of my goals for the year, which I started on my Facebook page and my Patreon page. Here it is for you guys to see.

So, I'm pleased to share my goals for 2021. I can't do them without your help.

1. I'm gonna bring back #starvingfor10. The plan is to write at least 10 stories this year.

2. Out of the 10 stories in #starvingfor10, I'd like to have at least three of those be original stories (not counting the one I'm posting now). With luck, two of those will be novels (I'm working on a hopeful right now). 

3. I'd like to have at least 435 followers on Facebook. This might not seem like a big thing, but my followers can't even make it to 430 without several people leaving whenever the number gets there or get close. So, if you have any suggestions on how I could gain more followers, that would be awesome.

4. I'd like to get 25 patrons for my Patreon, but I'll start with just making it to 15. This is another one I'm open to suggestions for. I thought just writing would be enough, but nope.

5. Last but not least, I'm considering doing another social media page. Twitter and Tumblr were suggested to me. What do you think? I'd like to start the page in the next couple of months, so take your time with suggestions. (Clearly, I made a Tumblr page).

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New KiGo fic: Moving On

Hey there! I've posted the gift KiGo fic. So, guys, that's #2 in #starvingfor10. You guys don’t know about my #starvingfor10 goal, but it works like this: my new year resolution was a list of four things. I’ll put them in a different post, but one of them is to write 10 stories this year. This one is story #2 (story #1 being The Danvers Sisters). Next week at this time, we will get #3. If you want to push me for more, you can go to my patreon and become a patron. I get 25 of patrons and I'll release chapters for 25 straight days. Anyway, onto this thing.

Summary: A gift KiGo fic. Kim is tired of Shego taking unnecessary risks and thinks Shego should retire. To do that, Shego has to convince Drakken.

FFN: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13814949/1/Moving-On

Ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29315577

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This is an original story and story #4 in my #starvingfor10 quest. It is a request/gift for a reader. I’ll be posting it on Ao3/Fictionpress on Saturdays, but if you become a patron, you can get early chapters or even daily updates. 

Here’s the link for Fictionpress: The Witch in the Woods.

Rating: Mature

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Category: F/F

Fandom: Original Work

Relationship: Original Female Character/Original Female Character

Characters: Original Characters, Original Female Character(s), Original Female Character(s) of Color

Additional Tags: Original Fiction, Original Character(s), Magic, Alternate Universe - Magic, Mythology References, Witches, Alternate Universe - Witchcraft, Warrior - Freeform, Lesbian Character, Bisexual Female Character, Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Female Character of Color, LGBTQ Character of Color, Lesbian Character of Color, Family, Family Secrets, Sisters, Introvert Character, Action/Adventure, Bounty Hunters

Language: English

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Full Summary: Juniper is a demon hunter who has a habit of acting without thinking, especially when women and magic are involved. So, hearing about a witch in the woods is her weakness. She has to go see for herself. The witch is not happy and does the logical thing—tries to kill Juniper.

Chapter 2: Like a Bad Penny: Chapter summary: Juniper sort of annoys her way into getting magic lessons from the witch in the woods.

Chapter 3: Learning. Chapter summary: Keme shows off her magical talent before she teaches Juniper healing magic. It goes better than Keme thought until Juniper vanishes. 

Chapter 4: The Adventure Begins. Chapter Summary: Juniper shows back up and they go on a fiend hunt. Seeing Juniper in action fires Keme up.

Chapter 5: Take Care. Chapter Summary: Juniper talks Keme into taking a day off to relax. They go to the beach and have a good time.

Chapter 6: Fallen. Chapter Summary: Juniper gets on Keme’s nerves (no surprise there) and distracts her from what she’s supposed to do, yet still manages to get Keme into bed.

Chapter 7: Love Sick. Chapter Summary: Things seem to be going well between Juniper and Keme until Keme finds Juniper’s sisters in her woods. Juniper’s been injured.

Chapter 8: The Truth. Chapter Summary: Keme adjusts to Juniper's sisters as they spend time at Juniper's house. Juniper changes their lives after drinking one of Keme's potions.

This is an original story and story #4 in my #starvingfor10 quest. It is a request/gift for a reader. I’ll be posting it on Ao3 on Saturdays, but if you become a patron, you can get early chapters or even daily updates. Here is a preview for the first chapter.

Preview:

“Hey, Juniper, did you see the witch while you were out in the woods yesterday?” a vendor shouted at her. The voice carried over the din.

That was enough to get her to stop in her tracks. “Witch you say?” She stepped over to the stall. “I did not see a witch. Tell me more.” She leaned in close. She was usually on top of witches, in quite a few different ways.

“Supposedly, she moved in a few weeks ago, not far off of a path in Milo.”

“Really?” Juniper cocked an eyebrow and rubbed her chin. “How did I not notice?” She looked in the direction of Milo. It is a nice day. Maybe she should try her luck.

“I’m shocked no one hired you guys yet. I’ve heard she kidnapped a party going through the woods and used their bodies for experiments.”

Juniper nodded. “As witches do.” Or as people believed witches did. It was her experience most witches just wanted to be left alone to practice their craft, typically considered unauthorized magic. They definitely did not kidnap people for more company when they tended to live in the woods for no company. Whenever they did want for company, they tended to hang out with other witches, doing all sorts of fun stuff.

But, on occasion, witches did do wicked things like kidnap people and experiment on them, sometimes even eating them. But, then again, regular people did wicked things like kidnap people, hurt them, and kill them, sometimes even eating them. Of course, she was not in charge of hunting regular people, but she did have a license to go after witches. She also had a knack for learning spells, so she needed to know more.

“Yeah. Nobody said anything to you or your sisters?”

“Not to my knowledge, but you know I’m just the muscle. I do the grunt work.” Juniper flexed her arms to demonstrate. Everyone knew Willow was the brain behind their operation. All jobs went through her.

“Well, the witch is out there, destroying lives.”

Juniper nodded. She needed to find out more. Witches intrigued her to no end, especially since they were open to alternative lifestyles. Sometimes, they were willing to teach her tricks and spells that were not written in any books. Regular people were quite stuck in their social norms, but witches cast those aside norms and did what they wanted, sometimes for good, bad, or indifferent.

Moving about the marketplace, cutting through the sea of people, Juniper learned more of this new witch in her own backyard. People had dark things to pass along. They were not sure what the witch looked like or even how long she had been in Milo, but people were certain she kidnapped people, ate them, used spells to make them zombies, poisoned them, and worse. Chills raced through Juniper. Time to go into the woods! She dashed back to Seven Sisters Inc. It was always best if one of them — maybe not Hazel — knew where she was if things went sideways.

She must have been gone for a couple of hours. Her family was cleaning up their fiend market. Juniper barely made it inside. She opened her mouth to let out all of her excitement, but damn it if Hazel did not ruin that.

“About time! Help clean up!” Hazel threw a broom at her. She had to weave out of the way. It clattered to the ground on her left.

“Going into the woods to date a witch,” Juniper said and ran off. Shit, did I say date?

“Did she say date?” Rowan’s voice carried.

“Decapitate a witch! I said decapitate!” Juniper called back. How the hell did I let that slip?

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The Witch in the Woods 2nd sneak peek

Hello, people and non-people alike. Just chiming in with a second preview chapter of the gift fic on my Patreon. This is probably going to be #4 in my #starvingfor10 march (and will probably come out in March). Anyway, maybe consider becoming a patron if you haven't, so you can see this chapter (and a bunch of other stuff): https://www.patreon.com/posts/47591541

A little taste:

Before she could find her journal, the door slammed and she jumped, almost spilling the potion. She gasped as she righted the vial before a drop escaped. She looked up to see the invader standing in her living room, full armor, broad shoulders, glaring silver eyes, which stood out in a full sienna face.

“This joint is bigger than I imagined,” Juniper said, tracking in mud from the forest floor.

“First off, take off your boots, you savage. Second off, why the hell are you not a dissolved puddle of spider food?'' Keme glared right back. She did not need these distractions. There was too much to do.

Juniper snorted. "Getting out of that was a piece of cake." She pointed behind herself with her thumb as she toed out of her boots.

Keme groaned. Oh, great. She planned on staying. I don’t have time or patience for whatever the hell this is. Keme put down her potion and focused on Juniper.

"I could still tell Van to kill you," Keme said. Van shot up from his bed and bone to growl. He was a little late, but at least he was angry. Had Juniper showed up yesterday, he might have run to play with her, so this was an improvement.

Juniper held her hands up in surrender. "It's cool. I’m cool. I come in peace. I don't have anything against witches. I really like studying under witches." There was a twinkle in her silver eyes.

Keme sucked her teeth. "I'll bet. Under, on top, in a bed."

Juniper threw her shoulders back. "Ah, so you've heard of me."

"Unless there's another fiend hunter named Juniper who prostitutes herself for magic lessons." Keme shrugged. "I don't have time for this."

Juniper's jaw all but hit the floor. “Prostitute? I don't prostitute myself! I show up for magic lessons and things go from there.” She shrugged her shoulders and her armor clanged as she moved.

“Well, I don't have the time for lessons or the other thing, so if you could see yourself out." Keme flicked her fingers toward the door. She needed to get rid of Juniper and get back to this potion. And where the hell did I put that book? Muscle memory might have made her put it back on the shelf.

"What? No!” Juniper stepped deeper into the house. Not a good sign. “Come on, can you at least teach me the spider web thing? It was a bitch to get out of!" Juniper grinned and she had such deep dimples.

"No! Does this look like a schoolroom to you?" Keme threw her hands out, showing off her display of vials, beakers, and jars.

Juniper looked around and shrugged. "It looks like a fire hazard. What's all that over there?" She nodded to the lab.

"That's none of your business. Can you please leave?"

Juniper clapped her hands together and she bowed. “Can you please teach me some spells? Magic always comes in handy when hunting fiends."

“I’m sure it does, but I don't have time for this. Besides, my area of craft expertise is more on the alchemic side." Keme motioned to her lab. She liked research, trial and error, and physicality of alchemy rather than the metaphysical, energy manipulation of ethereal magic. Not to say, she was not good at ethereal magic. And, beyond all of that, she wanted Juniper out of her home, so she could get back to work.

Juniper scoffed. "You're keeping a black dog of some kind as a pet. You're obviously very powerful.''

Keme could not really argue that. Yes, Van was only dangerous half the time, he was still a phantom dog and still obeyed her like she was the devil. That was no small feat and anyone who knew anything about fiends knew that. This is what I get for adopting Van.

"Look, how about I just don't want to?" All Keme wanted to do was work on her potions and elixirs. "Do you think I moved out here by accident? I don't want to be bothered and you are a bother."

"Please! I can be useful to you!" Juniper pressed her hands together again and grinned.

Keme arched an eyebrow. "How so? And it better be in a way where our pants stay on."

Juniper nodded. "I know for really hard potions you usually need parts from fiends. I can hunt fiends for you as payment."

"I can hunt my own fiends." It was annoying, but she could do it.

"I'm sure you could, but imagine being able to use that time working over there." Juniper pointed to the lab.

It was tempting. One of the things she hated was being close to a break through and having to go out for more supplies, ingredients, or materials. But, she also could hardly stand people. Juniper seemed like the worst of the bunch. It did not help that Juniper had a reputation of both fucking and killing witches. Provided the witches she killed needed killing, but that was not someone she wanted in her home or her life.