Words from Day 29-30 of Writing - Lunar Wolves: The Unwanted

Not a bad week of writing, but I've begun a second work-for-hire project and this story is going a little slower than I'd like.

Starting Words: 92,114

Finishing Words: 99,219

Words Written: 7,105

Other Words: 5,263

Other Project/Project Aspects Advanced: 1

Excerpt: in which Lewis finds a new 'friend' in the inter-planetary net:

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That reminded him of just how angry Oliver and Rohim had been and he approached the node more carefully.

Oh, he thought, seeing the tracking programs swarming around and through it. He stopped a short distance away, sending short sub-routines into the seething mass to see what they were and where they might have come from. He didn’t remember seeing them here, before…and he couldn’t fathom why.

The presence materializing beside him surprised him. It laid a hand on his virtual shoulder, startling him into retreat…or he tried. The hand gripped him, holding him in place as the entity spoke.

“I see you did not read our contract correctly, Mr. Haversham. We will speak of this.”

A sudden jerk slammed him back into his head and Lewis woke with a sudden gasp…but not for long.

The entity arrived in his implant a short moment later, pulling him out of his awareness of the real to sit him down at a small, round table to one side of what looked like a gazebo draped in vines and surrounded by roses.

Lewis gave his surroundings a startled glance, noted the tea-set standing in the center of the table and started to rise. Two firm hands settled in his shoulders and pressed him back into his seat. His host introduced himself without preamble.

“I am Septu.”

Lewis twisted, trying to glimpse the entity standing at his back. Septu obliged his curiosity by walking out from behind him and seating himself opposite. He picked up the tea pot.

“Black or white?”

Lewis gaped, and Septu shrugged.

“However it comes, then.”

Lewis closed his mouth, studying his host’s avatar. It looked to be a man in his mid-40s, but still trim. Slender, and dressed in a suit as expensive as the one he’d seen on Melerom, Septu had skin the color of well-tanned vreg leather, and eyes the color of undiluted kaff. He returned Lewis’s gaze.

“I could point out the clauses you violated, but that would require you being able to read, and your track record isn’t indicative.”

Lewis’s jaw dropped and Septu paused.

“But I…I didn’t…” Lewis began, and stopped, realizing that admitting he hadn’t read the contract was not his best course.

Septu picked the admission from his head and froze.

“You signed a contract without reading it?” his host stated in disbelief. “What sort of mercenary are you?”

“Oliver…my alpha…” Lewis began, and Septu shook his head.

“Either you haven’t been in the business for very long…and won’t be for much longer…or you’re lazy, and I can’t decide which,” he continued, and the contract appeared on the table in front of Lewis. “Here. I will wait.”

Septu picked up a second cup and continued pouring the tea.

“Pick it up,” he instructed, when Lewis didn’t move. “You can’t read it if you don’t open it.”

Lewis did as he was told, giving his host an uncertain look as he did so. His host grinned.

“Yes, Mr. Haversham. There will be a quiz.”

Lewis flushed, but opened the contract to the first page and began reading.

Septu was sipping his tea when he was done. His host met Lewis’s eye as he set the contract down.

“I take it you see where you are in breach,” he stated, and Lewis nodded, his cheeks flaming red.

Septu didn’t give him a chance to speak, but indicated the steaming cup in front of him.

“Drink. Let us seal the agreement that you will not trespass into my responsibilities again.”

Lewis picked up his cup. The tea was a deep, almost clear brown and smelt faintly of lemon. Taking a sip, he said, “You’re not…”

“No.” A slight smile curled Septu’s lips. “But how many Human Mind Transfer Craft have you actually met, Mr. Haversham?”

“Lewis,” Lewis corrected, his mind spinning from the revelation, “and I haven’t.” 

“Lewis.” Septu seemed to savor the word as he studied the wolf. “Then I guess we’re even, for I have never met a were-lupari amalgamation. Let’s not make any foolish assumptions, shall we?”

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Thanks must go to my cover artists, from left to right: Mihaela Voicu, Jake at JCaleb Design, and Moonchild Ljilja at Fantasy Book Design.

 If you wish to check out the Magic Below Paris series (on the left), you can find all the necessary links here: https://books2read.com/rl/zQAlXz/

If you wish to check out the Mack 'n' Me 'n' Odyssey series (on the right), you can find all the necessary links here: https://books2read.com/rl/zRAO7G