That joke made me snicker. Hope it made you smile. Hold onto that smile, you’ll need it…

I have some sad news, and I’m sorry to open this email on a downer, but there you are. My darling Oscar, my 12 year old Great Dane passed away on 29th September. It was peaceful, at the vets, and it broke my heart. It was the right thing to do, he had collapsed several times the week prior and it was stressful for us both. In the end, my husband and I both cuddled him, with his wonderful head on my knee, and he slipped away.

Please note, this is the way I want to go. Or, in a freakish and hilarious accident, like getting smothered by a truckload of doughnuts (“It looks like she tried to eat her way out”).

So yeah, I’m feeling sorry for myself. The kids have been robust, they bounce back from anything, but I am moping. His chair is empty. My shadow is gone. I am bereft. There is no other term that suits me so well.

Life continues and I promise to get my Sugar Honey Ice Tea together asap.

Bookish Update

On to happier topics. I’ve been getting such great feedback about Protection of the Pack (today someone told me it’s “even better than the Other Realm, which is saying something because I loved that”!). For future reference I LIVE for comments and reviews like that so please do feel free to get in touch.

So the real news of this newsletter should be that Guardians of the Pack is now out! I’m so proud of this book, it flew out and I loved writing it. I hope you enjoy reading it. Here’s an except for you to enjoy. It features my favourite gargoyle!

***

There were five of the shadow-painted creatures, three males and two females. They were dressed in some sort of loincloth, and the females had an extra strip of fabric tied around their breasts for modesty. The cool air didn’t seem to faze them.

They kept extending their wings behind them and giving a little shake before folding them down once more. They looked agitated and unsettled, which was hardly surprising since presumably they were coming to identify whose bloody mess was on our lawn. They carried a black body bag between them, a grim reminder of what they were there for.

Greg followed at a discreet distance behind them with Archie and Liam. Greg doesn’t like to be outnumbered; he isn’t the type to bring a spoon to a knife fight.

I recognised one of the gargoyles: it was the one with whom I’d hidden from the vampyrs.

I shifted into my human form as Esme relinquished her hold over our body. I was completely naked, but I’m less self-conscious about it than I once was.

I saw the squat gargoyle’s eyes light up in recognition. ‘Hello, lovey,’ he greeted me.

‘Hello again,’ I responded. ‘I’m sorry about the circumstances.’

‘Did you kill our fucker?’

I blinked. ‘No.’

He shrugged and his wings moved with him. ‘Then you’ve nothing to be sorry about, my wolfy wench.’

‘Well, I’m still sorry about your loss.’

‘Not everyone is a loss, my bitey pup. Let’s see if this one is.’ His tone was grim, despite the lightness of his words.

‘This way.’ I gestured towards the lawn and led the way out, nudity be damned.

He followed close on my heels, but the other four gargoyles huddled together and moved more slowly. There was reluctance in every line of their bodies; they obviously didn’t want to see what was coming. I couldn’t blame them; you can’t un-see death, and it haunts you in the daylight hours and in the night’s quiet. I still see Lord Samuel and Ace in my dreams – and nightmares.

As we walked, I thought perhaps introductions were in order. ‘I’m Lucy Barrett, Alpha of the Home Counties pack.’

‘I know who you are, lovey, and your wolf bitch, Esme, too.’ His tone wasn’t insulting; bitch is the correct term for a female canine.

‘And you are?’

He slid me an amused glance. ‘I told you before, you’ll have to work harder than that to get my fucking name. But for now, you can call me Bob.’

‘Bob,’ I repeated, a tad bemused. Bob didn’t seem an appropriate name for this foul-mouthed winged creature.

He didn’t respond. His eyes were fixed on the mangled corpse ahead of us. When I glanced at him, I saw that every line of his grey, lined face spoke of his sorrow. His eyes were anguished. He recognised the corpse.

‘Ah, lad,’ he said softly. ‘What twatting trouble did you get yourself in?’

‘You know him?’

‘Oui. I knew him. Alas poor Yorick, I knew him, a fellow of infinite jest.’

If I’d thought my day had started out strangely with a mangled corpse, it was even weirder hearing a gargoyle quote Shakespeare. ‘I’m sorry. It is a loss, isn’t it?’

Bob nodded slowly, ‘Yes, lovey, it’s a loss.’

***

I hope you enjoyed that little peek! Guardians of the Pack is now out and if you haven’t grabbed Protection of the Pack yet, it is 0.99 for Guardian’s release day – until 12th October only!

I hope you all love Guardians of the Pack, please do leave me a review letting me know your thoughts! Reviews mean everything to me.

Take care and speak soon,

Heather x