Well, what with the computer woes and all...

[agilebrit]

And the fact that I don't actually have the last version of the novelthing here with me (PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LET ME GET IT BACK), all I'm going to do for the Weekly Word Count this week is post what I did in the new doc that I've been religiously saving to my thumb drive:

And the number is...

2085

*tilts head, squints* Not bad.

And, you know what? While I'm here, have the snippet, which I picked out for you last night. Language warning? We're all grownups here, right?

The chair creaked, and Ben heard Perez kneel next to the cage. “I need you to know something. Look at me.”

Ben cracked his eyelids open. Still heaving for breath.

“If you hurt her, I will kill you myself with my bare hands. Are we clear?”

“Is that what this is about? You're a fucking idiot.” In general, Ben moderated his language around people he cared about. Perez didn't qualify. “I would never hurt her.” Getting air now. He managed a glare. “She's safer with me than some vamps I can name. And if I did hurt her, even by accident, you wouldn't have to kill me. I'd do it my-damn-self.”

“Just so we understand each other.” Perez unclipped the carabiner.

And that's when Ben grabbed his wrist and wrenched his arm into the cage. “Ange is safe around me,” he said. His lips skinned back from fangs, and his claws pierced Perez's skin. Blood welled up around them. Ben felt his eyes change color as his vision sharpened. “You aren't, necessarily. The only reason I don't rip your arm off and shove it up your ass right now? Is because I'd end up back on the table and that would make her sad.”

Perez held himself still. Now he was the one not breathing, Ben noticed. Not that he needed to. Saliva dripped from Ben's teeth onto the pinioned wrist, and he continued, “You want to talk to me, that's fine, we'll talk. I'll buy you a beer. You don't knock me out, stick me in a cage, and fucking handcuff me.”

He released Perez then and shoved himself backwards until his back hit the wall, closing his eyes and panting, pressing his fist against his aching chest. “Just so we understand each other.”

Comments are ♥♥♥.

Comments

[garnigal.livejournal.com]

So wonderful. I love the line The only reason I don't rip your arm off and shove it up your ass right now? Is because I'd end up back on the table and that would make her sad.

It says so much about both Ben and Ange.

[texanfan.livejournal.com]

Oh Ben. Perez clearly doesn't understand that cornered animals are the most dangerous.

[agilebrit.livejournal.com]

And I debated with myself if I wanted to italicize the word "sad" or not (because I'm a writer and I obsess about little things like it's my job), but I went with my gut because my gut is generally right about this stuff. But between what Ben thinks are hallucinations of Janni and his own muddled feelings about Ange, he's about hit the end of his rope--and he could kill himself before Perez could get the cage unlocked anyway, so the table was kind of moot. He's just making a point. *evil laughter*

[agilebrit.livejournal.com]

The cage would have been one thing. Perez sadly miscalculated when he decided that Ben should be cuffed as well. Ben does not react well to restraints. Which Perez should have realized by now, really. I'm going to have to go back and set this scene up better in the narrative.

I swear, this story is coming together so very oddly...

[gates-end.livejournal.com]

Great writing! I just love Ben. =)

[agilebrit.livejournal.com]

*blushes* I love him when he's being awesome. People underestimate him at their peril--just because he's not that big and is prone to panic attacks doesn't mean that he will not mess you up, given the opportunity.

[random-nexus.livejournal.com]

*peeks in, studies, lingers, smiles*
Oh. You, I like.

This sounds interesting. Is it something you'll be sharing, in toto, on LJ, or hoarding for publication possibilities? I only ask because I'm quite greedily interested in reading it.

No, of course I don't have a vamp or were kink. Where'd you hear that? Oh, from me? Damn. *snaps fingers*

[agilebrit.livejournal.com]

Hee. I'm glad you like.

This is something I'm hoarding for publication possibilities, although if anyone ever wants to pay me for it, I'll be very very surprised. It hits the Every Shade of Everything Wrong Ever category pretty hard--seriously, it's making me go "OMGWTFNO" and I'm the one writing it. However, it's a sequel to a previous book that I'm getting ready to send around to agents, so I guess we'll see.

That being said, if you check out my snippet tag, you can catch glimpses of what's happening with the thing. Ben's had... a hard life.