On Tuesday, August 8, I summoned Victoria. It was the first time I’d had my Victoria here on a work day since the first time I brought her here accidentally, and the intent was to see how well my ability to just briefly direct her mind to do things allowed her to do useful stuff while I was working.

Chapter 27 – Caught

Hastily I threw the keys into their place in the desk drawer and slammed it shut. I had just time to retrieve my tray and restore the smoky glass to its position on top of the paper when the office door was flung open to herald the entrance of one formidable woman. More than ever, I needed to have my wits about me and all the luck in the world if I was to get myself and the intelligence I’d gleaned away in one piece.

“What on earth… what are you doing here?” she vociferated.

No.

No, no, no, no, no.

Mark Lansing never wanted to stand out. He was perfectly happy disappearing into a football huddle with the rest of the team until one play made him the talk of the town. Thrust into a spotlight he never wanted, every choice can reshape his future, and every decision could transform him in ways he never believed possible. Mark’s destiny will be determined on the field … assuming he can figure out how to dress the part.

Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas, Felica Harding Hotel Room:
Felica snuggles closer to whoever is sleeping behind her. She could feel their strong, muscular arm resting on her hip and holding her against them. She was so sore from all the sex they had last night and felt worn out, which was unusual for her. That’s because her body recovered fast and hardly ever wore out.

Chapter Seven: Kitsura-kai

The attention kept growing. I started to notice it not just at work, but everywhere I went.

The transport wagon appears one morning with Luthan, who has a request to attend an accident victim. Ursula returns with it to Foti Lane, where the patient is found with several broken bones. After taking the victim back to the Clinic and doing what she can, Luthan has some surprising news for Ursula.

The Voyage of the Visund

A tale of Anmar by Penny Lane

110 - Emergency Call

January means performance reviews. The forms have been in everyone's inboxes since the second week of the month - self-evaluations, peer feedback requests, the annual accounting of what you did and what it was worth. I've been filling mine out in the gaps between client work, in the gaps between other things.

Dave stares too long over the cubicle partition at nine-fifteen.

A Marvel of Womankind

“She hasn’t said anything interesting on her mobile since we started listening in. Why would she try to use it at the most critical juncture in the operation?”

The Technical Sergeant had a point. Either Nadya was totally innocent of being involved in nefarious activity, or she and her compatriots were real professionals.

“Well, if I can give her sufficient reason to need to contact her friends, she might just be tempted to break the rules. And we don’t want that; we need her to bring your guys to them.”

“OK, we can block her mobile.”

CHAPTER 54
I looked to my right, and Maz simply conformed to habit, her smaller binoculars already out of her handbag to be slung round her neck, and a quiet litany of bird names commencing. Susie laughingly said, “Didn’t realise you were a twitcher, Maz”

“I’m not. Welcome swallow”

Wychwood Venice - The Doge’s Ball

One

Sandy woke to the aroma of coffee, and it took a few seconds of sleepy confusion before she realised where she was. She opened her eyes to see Ricci making coffee in the kitchen, wearing Sandy’s Ramones T-shirt and a pair of knickers. She watched Ricci for a couple of minutes as memories of the previous night returned, bringing a sudden warmth to her face. It hadn’t been a dream after all, she thought, squirming with pleasure.

“You look so sweet in that,” Sandy said, making Ricci jump.

A simple shopping trip gives Samantha a life beyond borrowed clothes—and Samuel discovers that every new piece of her identity comes with a price.

Split Victory

© 2026 Zoe Taylor

“No, Amanda, doofus,” Tiffani laughed. “You don’t mean Amanda Miller, do you?”

Chapter 24 – Seduction

For several days, my employment at the Golden Touch continued without any incident that was worth remarking on. I had become part of the scenery; well, almost! Whatever secrets the place might contain, they were not ‘writ large’ upon the walls of that establishment. I would have to try my hardest to winkle them out whatever they were.