A-d-a Sentence Examples
She stopped in the kitchen when she spotted the skillet of scrambled eggs and a pan of biscuits beside it.
Strong warm fingers touched her hand and a palm slid under hers, forcing her hands apart.
I have a mare; and we have a five-year-old mare with a colt, a four year-old filly, and a two-year-old filly... oh, and my mare is going to foal again in January.
They admired the new foal and a few other horses.
Alondra walked into the room with some tissues and a damp rag.
She went upstairs and changed into Jeans and a fitted blouse.
Maybe they were both a little wrong... and a little right.
That sweet chocolate gaze softened and a smile touched the corners of his mouth.
Katie piled the potatoes in another pan and picked it up, along with the knife and a bag of peals.
Anyway, Mom had a brother and a sister.
AdvertisementSometimes, but it's a long way to a restaurant and a lot of hassle to go.
Pulling gloves and a bag from his pocket, he proceeded to collect the grisly specimen.
Alex divided his attention between a very attentive Destiny and a reserved Carmen.
At any rate, Alex joined forces with his father in the request for a DNA test.
The only business experience she had was the goat dairy, the non-functional farm and a horse ranch that had been in the fetal stage for years.
AdvertisementHeadlights flashed on the curtains briefly and a car door slammed.
Candy spilled across the coffee table and a glass bowl was shoved in front of her mouth.
I'll ride back to the house and get my car and a chain.
The grass had been mown short for about five feet on either side of the narrow drive, and a tangle of underbrush and trees lay beyond... freedom, or a barrier?
Her make-up, though she used very little, and a couple of bathing suits.
AdvertisementIf you absolutely insist on doing this, at least leave me instructions on how to get there... and a phone number where you can be reached.
Thick dark lashes and a deep tan intensified the blue of his eyes, and his freshly shaven face had attractive angles.
Graceful, coordinated and a pleasure to watch.
She woke to bright sunlight shining through her window and jumped from the bed, tugging on a pair of shorts and a blouse.
The top was clean except for accessories and a few letters standing upright in a sorter.
AdvertisementShe grabbed a pen and a notepad, hesitating a second before pulling the top sheet off the notepad.
A sharp pain shot through her ankle and a cry escaped her lips as she dropped back to the ground.
An armadillo stared at them from a rocky ledge as they passed, and a doe and her fawn darted across the trail not more than a hundred yards ahead, disappearing into the brush.
She headed for her room and a little rest before supper.
Thanks, now why don't you get dressed and we'll go out to dinner and a movie or something.
It was Yancey, clad in boots, Jeans and a light blue polo shirt.
She had teeth, fingernails and a healthy kick.
The blue ice melted with warmth and a slow smile twisted his lips in an attractive way.
So he thought it was all about Howard and a love interest.
She walked stiffly to the closet, deciding quickly on a pair of blue jeans and a light shirt with a collar that would hide most of her neck.
Roxanne had everything; beauty, a good figure, and a sweet personality.
As they climbed out of the car, a screen door squealed on the front porch and a short stocky man emerged, running a hand through graying hair.
She grabbed her sack of clothes and scrambled into jeans and a sweater.
His arms were folded across his chest and a twinkle was in his eyes.
The highway ahead of them was clear, except for one big truck coming their way... and a car approaching the highway to their right.
Her voice broke and a tear slid down her face.
What can he do out there right now that he couldn't do a month and a half from now.
Sure, if he isn't saddled with a wife and a couple of kids.
Grabbing her canteen and a feed sack, she leaped from the wagon.
Pete's eyes were twinkling as he took his plate and a cup of coffee.
Bordeaux's eyes twinkled and a wry smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
She was confused and a little annoyed by a growing desire for a more serious relationship.
Someone had a fire going and a pot of coffee on.
One and a half or two if you leave the wagons - and leave tonight.
Each carrying two canteens, a rifle and a lantern, they started off into the long shadows of the sand dunes.
Maybe Pete and the guys had reached Ashley by now and a rescue mission was already under way to get them.
It was balanced perilously between a small town that lacked only a sheriff, and a booming frontier town.
After a nice warm bath and a night's sleep, she stopped in the hotel restaurant to eat breakfast.
He glanced at her and a wry smile twisted his mouth.
That quiet walk home was her chance to relax - that and a good book.
When Cade came into the kitchen she placed a cup of hot chocolate and a saucer of cinnamon toast before him.
I started with a few select cows and a good bull.
The lips twitched and a brow quirked.
There is a chest of drawers and a three-quarter bed in the attic.
She launched into an explanation of the truckload of supplies and a description of her new room.
His eyes crinkled and a smile played at the corners of his mouth.
By the time she brought lunch and a blanket down, he had a large area cleared under the cottonwood tree.
Actually, it could stand a good washing and a paint job, but surely he didn't expect her to do that.
He came through the door, his hands behind him and a smug look on his face.
Cade was beside her, lifting the towel from the hook and a pan from the dish rack.
In a state of deep depression, she stopped by the social services office on the way home and picked up some literature and a form.
Cade's tone was a little startled and a lot amused.
The guy is a story and a half.
Betsy was alone on the porch but as we approached, Martha opened the screen door, her arm around a frail looking man, about five-seven, who wore an off-center toupee and a fragile smile.
The left side of Howie's head was absent hair and a series of three dark scars were visible.
I could see a man and a boy some distance away, pitching hay into a horse drawn wagon.
That's a stretch and a tug.
Look what he dreamt; a woman ironing shirts, a child playing, a cat and a farmer pitching hay.
He rubbed his eyes and a smile broke across his face.
The only businesses I remember are the feed store and a dress shop named McGuire's Clothing.
It has a stain on it and a rip in the arm pit.
Our GPS guided us up and down and around and around for the next hour and a half.
Store fronts interspersed with vacant lots lined one side of the street while the other remained absent of any buildings except a closed gas station and a dollar store.
Most of the store fronts were boarded up and a fifty foot blackened gap separated the two largest structures.
I can't think straight without a bottle on the table and a drink in my hand.
It seemed to me we were all on edge, especially Howie who, aside from a smile and a few words, stayed out of our limited conversations.
As Martha said, I'm able to dial in settings that affect time and a location.
It's a big city and a long time ago but he saw the White House and said he watched Lincoln eat with two men.
Quinn returned with a tray, glasses, beer and a bottle of wine, looking somewhat apologetic.
Saturday ended with one success in four tries, and a sizeable telephone bill.
Betsy printed out Martha's Email and a list of FBI offices around the country.
We had two runaways in a row followed by a location Howie couldn't find and a wake-up interruption from outside noise.
I'm offering you full funding for your endeavor; secure operating quarters, any place of your choice, sizeable salaries for all of you involved and a gift of stock to each that will assure a lifetime income from dividends.
I'm tired of travelling and," she smiled at me and added, "I want a baby and a place to raise her."
We wanted a firm economy, reasonable real estate costs, and a good school system.
It met all our criteria; a stable employment, reasonably priced homes, a state college and a regional hospital.
We had full medical insurance and a pension program.
Four and a half acres contained a barn larger than the LeBlanc's Peabody home, beautiful gardens and plush lawn.
Quinn's settings placed Howie within a block and a half of the hotel.
I've staffed it with an ex San Francisco detective and a few other retired experts.
I can get each of you two sets of ID, birth certificate, passport, driver's license, charge cards and a brief history that will check out.
Jeans, sneakers and a Harvard tee shirt made up her attire.
Yeah, but remember a lot of guys go in the joint and a lot of guys get out.
Once in a while, I'm off duty and a call comes to someone else but I think the tipster person maybe knows my hours, 'cause it's rare another girl has to answer.
They claimed to have done so in the spirit of good will and a desire to protect the privacy of the tipster.
Howie nailed it on the first try, managed to catch a license plate number, and a killer was apprehended in hours.
He was tied to four murders and a dozen rapes.
It is delightful here, smelling of sun-drenched pine and a hint of campfires.
After homemade chicken soup and a grilled cheese sandwiches we returned to the office.
He then left for Boston and a flight that would arrive a few hours after Julie's.
All of us are feeling the pressure plus you have a new baby and a cranky husband who isn't helping you a bit.
After a stroll up town for coffee and a doughnut, I felt it was late enough to try Quinn in California.
Give me an hour or so and a number where I can call you.
Before I could, the door was kicked open I was grabbed about the neck in a strangle hold that gagged me and a knife jabbed upward under my chin!
Next I was shown a photograph of a chubby cheeked man about forty, with short hair and a six o'clock shadow.
Their house was lonely, and a little scary without them.
Now you have Julie, a nice home and a future looking you in the face.
I dropped my women off at the terminal entrance of Logan Airport, amid kisses and a promise to see them in twenty-four hours.
I had a couple of Sam Adams and a roast beef sandwich and arrived at the 30th Street station in Philadelphia just before four o'clock.
I can't say the same for Whiskers and Harry and a lot of you others.
I lined up behind an old fellow whose odor almost caused me to skip the meal entirely but I stuck with it and was rewarded by a tasty bowl of chicken soup and a fresh baked roll.
A few of the gents nodded off but the pastor would quickly bring them back we a raised voice and a fist pound, prompting a hearty Amen.
As for Luke the Fluke, he sounds like John Luke Grasso to a tee and a prime suspect for killing my friend's sister.
More depressing news filled the paper; a drive-by shooting in Dorchester, a knifing at a Boston bus stop and a baby abandoned in a rest room at Logan Airport.
Once aboard my flight I spent the next several hours squeezed between a talkative sailor and a woman with a fussy child.
I think my wife, a friend and a young girl are shopping at your mall and I believe they're in danger!
I learned later the facility was the largest between Los Angeles and San Francisco and contained five hundred and ten beds and a fully equipped trauma center.
The woman in there was with my wife and a young child!
I think the man who did it may have taken my wife and a young girl.
I sensed his surprise, and a hint of nervousness.
Unfortunately, you were far more careless calling your tip line and a telephone code was noted and remembered by the operator.
There was a single mattress in one corner and a thin blanket.
He had Papaw's face, with wrinkles around his eyes and a kind smile.
At under five and a half feet, she wasn't sure how she was supposed to find her brother among the people around her.
Several of the rooms on either side were open, revealing couples in various stages of undress, a room with junkies shooting up and potheads lighting up, and a room filled with what looked like people sleeping.
The man was in his prime with silver hair and dark eyes, a handsome face, and a body as muscular as Talon's.
You've done many foolish things, kiri, but stepping between me and a vamp is a first.
I have to, because Damian's going to be gone for another week and a half, and then a lot of bad stuff is about to happen, but whatever.
He returned from the kitchen with tray holding a glass of orange juice, a plate with what looked like homemade granola bars, and a small bowl of sliced apples.
Bianca put on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt.
A tall, toned woman who looked like she did Pilates for a living stood in the hall in tight black leather pants and a tight pink T-shirt that drew attention to her large breasts.
He'd been a kid when Damian found him and a human when the Schism occurred.
She brought him a plate of warm cookies and a glass of milk.
He took her arm and led her to the couch, retreating to the kitchen for more cookies, water, and a bottle of painkillers.
She pulled on jeans and a sweater, hands shaking as she pulled on socks.
The door was wrenched open, and a man pointed the gun at her.
There's a dryer and a stack of towels next to the shower.
I tagged both with GPS and a speck of C4, so if you lose either, we can blow it up.
This is a nightmare waiting to happen, she said with a sigh and a hot glare at Toni.
It was a man too familiar to be a stranger, with beautiful purple eyes, a small frame, and a face without emotion.
Sean brought her a bowl of thick beef stew, soda bread, and a Coke.
With nothing but her troubled thoughts, the cold rain, and a lonely room in the bed and breakfast down the road, she didn't feel like leaving just yet.
The butler opened it when she approached, and a maid stood waiting to take her coat.
The man before her looked pretty human himself, with beautiful brown eyes and a body unlike any she'd seen before.
A fist caught Jule in the mouth and a kick sent him sprawling.
It contained a name and a phone number.
A man with caramel skin, a woman openly armed with a gun, and a man Jule's size with unnatural golden eyes.
I'll be gone in three and a half weeks.
Only two forms and a body draped in black remained on the cliff side.
Fog coated the ocean, and a cold, moist wind made her eyes water.
The pot-bellied stove crackled with burning wood, and a light in the corner made the cottage feel even cozier.
Her green eyes pierced him to the core, and a light flush spread across her skin.
My kind always thought there was a way to reopen that gateway, and a few days ago, the gateway ruptured.
That he was an Original Being who had chosen to stay with Damian and a woman long since dead.
Her hair glowed as if it were on fire, and she floated, her slender form clad in simple leggings and a tunic.
Light poured in from a large window, and a fan overhead made the curtains flutter.
He tugged her hand, and she followed him out of the library and through the sprawling house and a large kitchen to the back door.
A shapely woman with curly dark brown hair leaned against the railing of a paddock between the house and a large outer building.
He was not a pretty boy but a man with rugged, bad-boy beauty and a slow sensuality about his movement that made her heart skip a beat despite her pain.
Rainy, a brooding Guardian with striking green eyes and a shock of dark hair, was his youngest station chief at a youthful two thousand years old.
I'll arrange for evacs and a clean-up crew.
She wore jeans and a T-shirt, and her blonde hair fanned out over a pillow.
She snagged a jar of Jif and a spoon, retreating to her library.
He retrieved a jar from the small refrigerator and laid it next to a surgical knife, a large rubber tube, and a huge syringe.
Jilian and a few other vamps were down the hall and turned as the stone wall caved.
Han stayed with her, not moving until two Guardians—a raven-haired man with a quick smile and a brooding blond—approached.
Usually when he awoke with a hard-on and a woman in his bed, what happened next was pretty straightforward.
As he spoke, memories streamed through his mind, memories of the universe before the Schism and afterwards, when he and a few others were cast alone onto earth.
His slain brother's wife had always been a painful sight for him, the reminder of his brother and a happier time before the Schism.
She looked decent in jeans and a long-sleeved shirt.
The wing housed an indoor basketball court, indoor pool, a small game room, and a huge theatre room where music blared from some action movie.
Three men stood in the main foyer, two in the same shade of brown as her bodyguard and a striking man in designer jeans and an expensive sweater.
He wore a white shirt and snug tuxedo pants that outlined long, thick thighs and a tight ass.
It wrenched open, and a man in a black trench coat Damian's size looked her over once.
The door opened, and a different, blond man looked them over before stepping back.
They all froze, and a look of surprise crossed Rainy's stormy features.
It'd been only a week and a half since she ventured into this new world, but she felt strangely exposed without Pierre with her.
Doubtful the model's clothes would fit, Sofia moved deeper into the bathroom to dress in jeans too long for her petite frame and a t-shirt too snug to be comfortable.
The blond deity with multi-hued eyes and a quick smile was dressed for a dressage event, complete with helmet and crop.
He hadn't killed her, because of the bonds and a deal she made without knowing how important it was.
Stars and a half moon were bright, the sound of the ocean comforting.
She was dressed comfortably in jeans and a light sweater.
Gabriel gave me space and a choice.
There was passion and a deep longing she innately understood only she was able to fill.
He wore jeans and a t-shirt that outlined his lean frame.
They've got a bottle of wine and a blanket.
She possessed a head of coal black hair, tied in a single braid that extended below her waist, dark eyes, and a smile that lit up the room.
Fred O'Connor was off to the post office, but before leaving, he ceremoniously presented Martha with thirty dollars and a smothering hug.
While Paul was dressed in jeans and a golf shirt, brother Joseph—never "Joe"—sat stiffly in creased slacks and dress shirt.
After eleven pairs of shoes, two stray dogs who gave up on me, and a girl friend who skipped off with a coal truck driver in West Virginia, here I am.
Finally Fred O'Connor withdrew a crumpled dollar bill from his antiquated change purse and a fountain pen from his jacket pocket.
There was a hint of a smile and a roll of her eyes at Fred's pun.
All four Dawkinses joined the showing, which grew to include a widow from Texas, an Illinois couple with a sixyear-old and a handholding pair of seventy-something's with different last names.
He's a personable young man and a whale of a basketball player.
Joe was a no-nonsense long-haul truck driver and a do-or-die baseball fan.
In Joe's eyes, the sun rose and set on his eldest daughter Jen, who was a super achiever, pretty as spring, and a delight to be around.
He was off with a jog and a wave, leaving the Deans in front of Bird Song.
Dean and his wife joined the group, followed by Brandon Westlake, Pumpkin Green, and a newly arrived Midwesterner named Hank.
But here was twenty-year-old Randy Byrne, at the threshold of life, batting .362 with seventeen home runs, a slew of RBI's, and a glove that could stop a freight train, being offered the world!
Once we have a sheriff's salary coming in, maybe we can add a little to their budget—until they get settled.
The Dawkinses, back to being cautiously nice to each other, were dressed for business—another necktie and nylons day, according to Paulette—scheduled for a group visit to their attorney and a realtor.
Dean's question was met with a smile and a kindergarten finger to Fred's shushing lips.
Well, now that you have a time frame and a first name, that's a start.
It was like he had a check list of what parents were supposed to do, and he filled in all the little blocks—middle-class home, straight teeth, and a college education—figured that was the extent of his obligations to us.
Not that I'm rich, at least not by most standards, but I was the only heir to grandmother Radisson and a great-aunt.
The woman owned the variety store and was never without a smile and a good word.
He's got a float and a slew of balloons!
What are the odds of her meeting this guy and being the daughter of his mine manager from twenty years earlier and a thousand miles away?
They gathered ponchos and a blanket, just in case afternoon showers arrived a bit early.
Jennifer Radisson had changed to jeans and a sweatshirt advertising Ouray, and carried a day pack slung over her shoulder.
She reached over, extending her hand to Cynthia, a wide smile on her face and a little kid look that said she was absolutely thrilled at the prospect of the upcoming trip.
The trail left by the falling vehicle reappeared, a tear in the earth, and a piece of unrecognizable metal.
Ralph's been dead for years and a son runs the business now.
You outsize my wife by a foot and a hundred pounds.
She was in jeans and a man's dress shirt, her most unrevealing outfit to date.
He pinched me for obstructing justice and a whole bunch of stuff.
Maybe that Ridley Pearson mystery I'm working on and a tooth brush.
By the time he was on line, introductions were over and a male voice was discussing the search for Patsy Boyd and Martha.
A corner table was overturned, a lamp smashed, and a bottle of vodka broken against the wall.
If something even more untoward than what the scene implied had actually occurred last evening, Dean would find himself squeezed between the proverbial rock and a hard place.
Fred returned part way through the recital, and after a greeting and a handshake, retired to the back room with Kathleen the jailer to fill out paper work for his release.
She choked back something between a laugh and a sob.
Deidre managed to pull them on and then went back to the wardrobe, selecting the softest sweater and a pair of jeans.
They soon reached an area where the street was sectioned off, and a line of white-topped tents lined the street.
She made it through two and a half of the dinner-plate sized confections before she grimaced.
Amused, he dropped the sweater into the bag, grabbed a few more and a pair jeans.
Narrow shoulders, rounded hips and a petite frame were distinctly feminine.
A way to make Gabriel my mate and a way to prevent Darkyn from destroying everything.
He wore jeans and a snug t-shirt that outlined his muscular frame.
The female dealer was in her bra and a soaked pair of pants.
Still wearing the garb of Hell, Darkyn's mate was sporting fangs with her pink hair and a heavy sultriness that made Deidre look twice.
At their inquiry, Lori informed them that she had a home and a job in California near her sister, and that she was on vacation.
Spooning eggs into a plate for Jonathan and a bowl for Destiny, she returned the pan to the stovetop.
What a shame his father saw only a deformed arm and a financial burden.
When his warm lips pressed against the soft area behind her ear, she abandoned the knife and turned around, expecting to see a twinkle in his eyes and a smile on his lips.
I'll get Bill and a few guys.
She had removed the sides of the shelter a few weeks ago for the summer so they would have fresh air and a breeze as well.
They only had 4 does and a buck, but that was enough to provide them with all the rabbit meat they could use.
His eyes twinkled with mirth as he gazed down at her and a smile plucked at the corners of his mouth.
All of them screamed, and a frantic backward glance revealed the back window shattered and ready to fall in.
She had a scab on her forehead over her left eye and a bruise on her cheek.
Taking a small tablet and a pencil from her purse, she put them in front of him.
The next morning she brought him a larger tablet and a padded lap desk.
If a woman says no and a man does it anyway, isn't that rape?
After getting them each a cup of coffee and a piece of the cherry pie she had made the day before, she sat down at the table with them.
His brown hair was tousled from the ocean breeze, and he was dressed in jeans and a loose shirt fastened across the golden skin of his chest by one button.
We're watching, but it's not easy balancing the Council, demons and a pregnant mate.
Like, hooking up with a stranger at a bar like they did in movies and a few sex positions she'd been subtly trying to talk him into.
He caught her wrist, and a strange energy moved up her arm.
He found a strange woman with pink hair and a blue face, sprawled on the beach, staring at the sky with a childlike fascination.
Like all the brothers on the Council That Was Seven, he had the same father and a different mother.
Curly brown hair was pulled into a ponytail, and she wore jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt that was tight over her swollen belly.
That he'd grown a little more thoughtful and a little less reactive in how he handled adversity impressed Gabe.
Dressed in jeans and a tank top, she plopped onto the beach then hopped up.
He needed a razor and a trench coat to begin feeling normal again.
Her petite, shapely body was clothed in jeans and a tank top.
Her room was tiny, barely fitting a twin-sized bed and a small, wooden dresser.
Handsome and lean, he wore slacks and a collared shirt left open at the neck with the long sleeve meticulously rolled in a faux casual style.
She was more casually dressed in leggings, knee-high boots and a shirt that fell to mid-hip.
She suspected he came from money, and a glance around confirmed it.
He wore khakis and a short-sleeved shirt.
Toby stood beside a plainly pregnant young woman with blue eyes and a tattoo across her neck that resembled the one on Deidre's back in color and otherworldly script.
He leaned back, and a recessed, marble ceiling came into view.
It grabbed her, and a small part of her recognized Gabriel.
He opened the top drawer and withdrew a key chain with a couple of keys and a tag.
Dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, he resembled a college student on break.
Definitely some advice from someone who understood make-up better and a real hair stylist who could figure out how to un-pink hair.
He had the right people helping him, a mate who reluctantly agreed to his plan to help her, a better understanding of when to break the Code and a plan to repair all that was broken within his domain on the mortal realm.
Still cold from the chilly beach, she went up to her room and changed into jeans and a sweater.
I love a chase and a fight, but the chances of me forgetting not to dull the pain increase if you resist.
At close to seven feet with eyes and hair blacker than night and a permanent scowl, he was what most expected Death to look like.
Gabriel wondered if even a mate and a second chance could help him.
The waiting room consisted of two chairs, an empty magazine rack, and a potted plant in the corner.
The kid was adorable, with dark eyes and hair, sun-kissed skin, and a round face.
A car approached, and a window lowered.
There were biographical forms and consent forms she hadn't really read, all signed in a loopy, angry signature, and a copy of Toby's birth certificate.
Something warm touched her back, and a jolt of hot electricity made her sit upright.
She'd done research on the drugs; they were antipsychotics, anti-anxiety pills and a bunch of other fun drugs.
He was muscular and tall, clothed in dark jeans, a snug grey T-shirt that hugged his biceps and stretched across his chest and back and then sagged at his slender torso and hips, and a round black medallion that fell from his T-shirt as he leaned over her.
The boom of thunder and a bright glare made her eyes open.
The human was a female, and a young one.
She awoke on the lower bunk bed in a prison cell with no windows and a tiny metal toilet and sink.
She nearly leapt past her escort when he entered the banquet hall, the scents of roasted meat and a million other things making her stomach roar.
She ate two more of the sugar cubes and a water cube, eyes lingering on the bloody mess that was her jumper in the corner.
Rhyn snatched her into the darkness, and a familiar fog appeared around her.
He was taller than average, over six and a half feet, built like a rock with wide shoulders and tapered abdomen and hips beneath a jumpsuit similar to those worn by the prisoners.
There were several small vehicles, several more men with donkeys, and a slew of boats departing the harbor for the morning catch.
Just a road leading to the small parking area and a closed ticket booth for the ferry.
Katie returned, tossing the sleeping bag and a small shaving bag filled with basics on one bunk.
Katie snatched the shaving bag and a towel, stalking to the bathroom.
He looked like any normal nerdy American with big glasses and a scrawny frame.
There were two beds in the room and a single bathroom off to one side along with a small living area.
Five cups of coffee later and a full Irish breakfast --without the blood pudding --settling in her stomach, she still couldn't shake the throb.
He steadied her with one hand, and a second later the cool dampness of the shadow world swallowed her.
The hallway led into an open area with one car in the large parking lot and a medieval stone wall and turrets surrounding the entire hacienda.
The woman led her straight into a small cafeteria with rustic tables and benches, an open fireplace, and a sagging buffet table along one wall.
He wore all black, though he was dressed more simply than she'd seen him, in dark jeans and a black long-sleeved T-shirt and heavy boots.
They crossed through a common area with a kitchenette and large, flat-screen TV, past a gym, a library, and a few other common rooms, and into the barracks area, which bustled with activity.
Then she grabbed her shower gear, sandals, and a plush towel and headed to the showers.
Jade was there, another man with Kris's eyes but whom she didn't recognize, and a fifth man.
The windows all faced east, over another valley, and a terrace was decorated with dainty iron-scrolled chairs.
Opposite the living room was a massive bathroom with marble floors, a Jacuzzi, small sauna, and a large shower with multiple shower heads.
She dozed in the car during the forty-five-minute drive into northern Virginia, where her sister's fiancé owned a mansion secreted behind towering shrubbery and a gate that swung open to welcome her.
Hannah's eyes widened, and she rose, angling her past the butler and a maid dusting a painting to the second floor.
The svelte model wore towering boots and a one- piece cat suit that left nothing to the imagination.
Her body was still exhausted from Kris's attack and a day spent with Hannah and her friends.
Her mate, Rhyn, stood in heavy boots, running pants, and a tank top.
A stone cottage up the road was the only sign of inhabitation, and a herd of sheep raised their heads as he neared.
Gabriel.s small cottage was lit by a single candle that cast light on a collection of weapons along one wall and a few books on a bookshelf on another.
She met his gaze and held it, her pupils dilating and a faint flush spreading across her features.
Women were packed even in the luxurious bathrooms with their sitting areas decorated with couches and a gilded fountain.
Tamer emerged from Kris's chamber into the hallway first, armed with a scythe and a bo, while Erik followed with a long sword.
Kiki trailed with nothing more than his iPad and a long knife.
Kris and a few of his Immortals were surrounded in the middle of the park while demons darted from the forest to attack pockets of Immortals.
You need some rest and a shower.
A waist-high bathtub and a round disc serving as an alien toilet, also waist-high, were on one wall.
The man she just passed was a foot taller than Romas and one and a half times as wide.
A man and a woman in their prime stood before them, and the light murmuring of the crowd hushed.
The man beside her had dark blond hair, serious brown eyes in a chiseled face, and a form as fit as his son's.
One of the doors opened as she passed, and a couple emerged.
His lifemate was tiny, standing a full head shorter than the average woman and a head and shoulders shorter than him.
Even his youngest sister was composed and respectful of her place and a warrior's needs and expectations.
There were rows of grey chairs and several white benches in the rear, a handful of tables next to yawning windows, and a wall of what looked like constellation maps.
The video game showed two holograms at once, a space battle and a land battle.
She interacted daily with the warrior members of her husband's family, but she'd never seen one quite like this, with soulful, ancient intelligence in his black gaze and a predatory walk.
Another was hunch-backed and dressed in heavy robes despite the heat of the day, and a third man barely taller than her had white irises and silvering hair.
It was the intense, fierce look of a leader and a warrior, and she was surprised to note a difference in the way he regarded her not more than an hour ago.
A'Ran appeared none the worse for the session, but she was ready for a hot bath and a nap.
He was much older with a full head of silver hair, a similar shade of dark eyes, and a lean build.
You can be a man, a ruler, and a battle commander, A'Ran.
She braced herself for a refusal and a fight.
One and a half times what we have now.
The next nearest is on the moon and a logistical nightmare.
The top opened of its own volition, revealing an aged stone dagger with dulled edges and a chipped stone hilt.
She recognized Romas and his father, two other Council members with Jetr, and a few more strangers.
The craft door opened, and a figure strode out.
This floor, bisected by a hall and stairs, contained a living room or parlor on the right, or southern side, and a dining room and kitchen on the left, with the Deans' private quarters, a sitting room-office combination and bedroom, located in the rear.
The town of Ouray, while only a century and a quarter old, was rich in history and Fred O'Connor, together with a cadre of widows with similar interests, spent many hours reading Ouray's old newspapers and written accounts.
Two ladies are flying all the way from Boston to buy some old underwear, a yellow dress and a bunch of junk?
That's a stretch and a half, Fred.
A second trip to her rental car for a computer, two briefcases and a box of papers confirmed the wisdom of his choice of the larger room.
The second earliest dated letter expressed sorrow that the wedding could not take place in Boston and a gift was being shipped separately.
She was a do-gooder and a society lady, married a minister.
There followed a long pause, followed by an abrupt thank-you and a dial tone.
I didn't get to first base but you've got a spiffy uniform and a shiny badge.
His wife Annie was dour and a bit on the chunky side.
This didn't faze Martha in the least as she alighted from the jeep, with a wave and a thanks.
It's as safe as watching TV and a darned sight more fun.
Plus, you got a comb and brush and a notebook full of who knows what.
He was carrying his rolled up pajamas and a toothbrush.
He gave him a smile and a poke and Donnie's anxiety seemed to melt away.
He always made sure one of the adults was close by, but his youth and a natural sense of balance helped him to catch on to the sport quickly.
The two men first boarded chair lift number ten and ten and a half minutes later were eighteen hundred feet higher than Fred and Donnie, at nearly eleven thousand feet elevation.
The three north-side second floor rooms contained Fred, Gladys Turnbull and a pretty female climber named Penny.
He announced to Dean he had answered the door and a customer was waiting.
Edith Shipton's jaw dropped and a panicked look spread across her white face.
Here, easy accessibility, great ice in a deep, narrow gorge, facilities close by and a park run by people who understood the sport and emphasized safety, made for an ideal package.
In addition to the storage buildings, he owns an insurance agency, a bank and a bunch of commercial real estate.
Gladys, bedecked in an orange caftan and a fox fur jacket, smiled a knowing smile to Cynthia and was gone.
Shadows danced in tune with a slight breeze from the inch of open window and a sentinel pine tree beyond.
Nothing like a restful stay in the sticks and a good night's sleep to freshen you up, eh?
Most days, only the forgetful owner, this newly hired cleaning girl called Annie and a standoffish tabby are in residence.
There is a spring in my step and a note on my lips, until I realize the awful truth of my situation and am forced to hold back my tears.
She wore silk pajamas and a woolen sweater.
She had visited him in Ouray, nearly a year and a half before, while he was recuperating from a gunshot wound.
There remained a second rope, various books on the sport of ice climbing and a few pitons.
There's a lot to do around here with Janet AWOL and a bunch of newly empty rooms.
The local vehicles that passed him invariable gave him a wave and a wide berth.
The two fixed lunch—a tuna salad sandwich for Dean and a bowl of soup for Fred.
They were all gathered, either in Edith's room or nearby in the hall—Corday, Fitzgerald and a number of uniforms who seemed to come and go.
He assumed it was Fred, with a tray of food and a peck of good intentions, but just now, even his stepfather was not a welcome visitor.
He was holding court with Fred O'Connor in the parlor, a plate of potato chips and a tuna salad sandwich on his ample lap.
The caller was a stutterer who wanted information on summer rates and a detailed description of the area.
They fit together as nice as hot apple pie and a scoop of cold ice cream.
But Gladys was delighted and after a night, ostensibly in adjoining rooms, the pair were off, with giggles and tears and a proud pronouncement that Arlen had agreed to present all seven volumes of Belfair and her galactic cohorts to the waiting world of letters—in paperback form.
The following weekend, two and a half weeks after Edith's death, Penny and Mick returned to bird Song for a couple of days of ice climbing, a further reminder of the ice park incident.
Fred reached in his shirt pocket and with a smile and a flourish, held out a check.
There was a sense of cold and the ooze of blood filling his boot, and a reeling wave of lightheadedness, but little pain.
It's a bit confusing and a lot of it's speculation on my part, but bear with me and I think I have enough of the answers to make some sense of what happened.
With a chuckle and a deep breath of crisp, clear air, he mused, Today would be perfect, were it not for the human locked in the basement.
He conferred with the other five, then left the chamber for a few moments, returning with a goblet and a knife.
He wore black jeans, a dark gray Versace silk sport shirt with the cuffs rolled up, and a pair of A. Testoni loafers.
Listen, I know I'm not any good at these affairs of the heart, but I am a man, and a man needs time to sit on things before he figures out where his head is at.
The shopkeeper pulled out a dark blue Jay Kos and a grey Armani.
Can we please stop playing twenty questions and just tell me what you've been doing for the last two and a half hours?
The music room had raised panel cherry walls and a coffered ceiling with intricately carved beams.
He had two brothers and a sister.
Throwing on some jeans, a T-shirt and a pair of Nikes, he decided to take a walk, but first, he would check on Sarah.
What do you call deceiving me for two and a half months?
I have to drink a real lot to get a hangover, so, with no downsides and a whole lot of up, why wouldn't I drink to my heart's content, plus it tastes awesome and warms my soul.
It consisted of a restaurant area, a large serpentine shaped bar and another room off to the side with two pool tables and a jukebox.
She wore a silk blouse, Jimmy Choo's and a pencil skirt with a slit up the side, which gave just a glimpse of leg that went on forever.
The hair on the back of his neck bristled and a shiver coursed down his spine.
Jackson stood with his glasses and a Cheshire cat grin.
It sat on a table, and behind it were two easels and a stool.
Jackson poured a drink and a glass of blood, then sat at the board.
She carried an overnight bag and a large artist's portfolio.
I will get you some blood and a drink.
He went to get some blood and a drink, no bottle, just a glass.
She went to a cabinet and returned with a metal tray and a knife.
She returned with a bottle and a glass.
He found it both amusing and a bit disconcerting that both Sidwell women's initial reaction was to castrate him.
Blue eyes sparkled like sapphires in her round face, and a dimple danced at the corner of her generous mouth.
Two hoofs and a nose should be the proper presentation.
He was lean, with broad shoulders, narrow hips and a flat abdomen.
It depends on heredity, what you feed them, time of the year and a lot of other factors.
He was rewarded with an adoring smile from Katie and a chuckle from Josh.
Thunder rumbled again and a cold drop of rain gnawed at the mud on her cheek.
Those factors went together like sulfur and a spark.
There was certainly nothing here to hold him, and a little country hick would be the last female he would consider seriously.
And then the bitterness was gone from his eyes, leaving only the sweetness... and a touch of something else.
Her idea of selecting the right fork brought to mind the choice between a table fork and a pitchfork.
A cup of hot coffee and a nap - then she would feel better.
Hands urged her back to the bed, and a masculine voice whispered.
Somewhere in the distance a meadowlark began its melodic whistle, and a hen sang industriously up by the house.
A light wind whispered across the grass and a cloud drifted over, blocking the sun from her face.
Slowly a twinkle started in his eyes and a smile plucked at the corners of his mouth.
The dark gaze softened and a smile played at the corners of his mouth.
Her lip quivered and a sob threatened to choke off her voice.
Once inside the barn, she grabbed the pitchfork and a flashlight and then darted out the barn door, screaming at the top of her lungs.
Outside the circle of light lay a small form, and a sweep of the flashlight revealed fur with copper highlights.
The room was large, with a hardwood floor and a huge fireplace.
Then he led her out patio doors through a small courtyard, down steps and a concrete walkway to a tidy barn.
She was mostly white with freckles across her haunches and a few spots on her neck and chest.
During exercises, the government's premier contingency operations compound in the Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee was populated only by maintenance crews and a few relaxed guards.
It was not likely for the paths of a soldier and a member of the political elite to cross paths, but he was the closest thing she had ever had to a friend since leaving her home at the age of four.
With a boom and a crunch, it folded in a cloud of smoke.
There was no running water, no food supplies, no energy whatsoever, just a deteriorating building with a score of insurgents and a small black box.
It's marked with biohazard signs and a serial.
She was a fed, and a powerful one if she held the keys to the government's secret emerops facilities.
General Greene was the first to recommend his removal, and a voice in her mind whispered that maybe Arnie had figured something out he shouldn't have, too.
His battle suit was rolled to his elbows, revealing roped forearms and a Thomas Jefferson quote tattooed on his inner forearm.
She was down to her underwear and a T-shirt.
It resembled a studio apartment with a real bed and dresser, a restroom cordoned off by opaque curtains in one corner, a small study where he kept his war docs, a kitchenette, rugs, and a small living area.
He prepped bandages for her wrist, a bowl and washcloth, and a smaller version of the doc's med-gun, loading it with enough painkiller to knock her out.
He tossed her micro, pills, and a vault half the size of his hand on the pillows near him.
He slept on his stomach, his arms folded beneath his head, and a sheet covering him from the waist down.
We think General Greene and a few others got away.
The suite was small and comfortable with a small living area, utility area with lockers, and a door leading to a bedroom with its own bathroom.
He was bigger than Brady by a head and one and a half times as wide.
She watched him enter a code and a countdown begin, and guessed he was destroying the comms center.
Aside from her bed, wardrobe, and a couch, there was nothing else in the apartment.
The emerops facility was across a field and a road then down a few blocks in the ghost town that was the city of Randolph on the eastern shores of the Mississippi.
We planted crops in the field you walked across and a few others down the road.
Kelli greeted one of the men with a kiss and a quick hug before going to the woman cutting chunks of meat off the deer.
We've got two and a half days.
The quarters were small, with nothing more than a table, a few trunks, and a cot.
There were three PMF soldiers inside and a small submarine.
The strain on his face was clear, and a tremor of fear crept through her.
Rhyn crossed his arms, irritated. Kiki trotted from the patio into the house perched on a hill overlooking Tokyo. He returned ten minutes later with a small briefcase, a jacket and a hard case for his iPad. Rhyn opened the portal, and the two strode through it, back to the massive tree where Rhyn had lost Toby in the cold, wet French Alps.
Gabe and a few other assassins in black fought off hordes of demons. Surprised, Rhyn launched into the melee with his dagger. He slashed through several demons before the creatures realized he was there. Wanting to keep them off balance, he morphed into his demon form and shredded the creatures with talons and fangs as deadly as theirs.
Rhyn stopped in place. He'd never thought he'd hear her voice again, and he couldn't remember the last time he'd heard anything that stopped his world in place. He turned to see Katie supporting Hannah as they entered the Sanctuary courtyard. Katie wore simple jeans and a t-shirt. Her dark curls cascaded down her shoulders, and her face glowed. Her bright eyes locked on his. She stopped too far away for his comfort, struggling to support her sister.
They looked much younger, so it must have been taken years ago and some pictures of a boy and a girl.
I was wearing jeans and a black shirt.
He wore bathing trunks, a Phillies baseball cap and a t-shirt with the imprint "Eastern PA Century Bicycle Tour" and a date four years earlier.
He was dressed casually in jeans and a t-shirt and moved with the swagger of youth, someone without a care in the world.
Motel personnel conducted a search and a motel employee later found the Parkside man's clothing and room key on the public beach across the road.
Not even the commuters who lied to themselves and everyone else by saying the hour and a half at each end of the day was a pleasurable time to relax and read the paper.
Nowadays, not even the models looked alike, altered by porches and additions and a variety of landscaping tastes.
The deck was furnished with wicker furniture, two chairs facing each other and a sofa with a coffee table in front of it.
Before he could respond, Mrs. Riley entered carrying a tray with coffee, two mugs and a plate of homemade doughnuts.
He grabbed an order of French fries and a burger at the drive-in of a national chain, eating on the road, licking the salt from his fingers as he searched among the glass and steel structures for the address he had jotted down earlier.
World Wide Insurance Company was in the heart of Philadelphia, occupying a towering structure that glared down on city hall and a thousand tired buildings, many dating back to the horse-drawn carriage days.
A large drawer on the left side of the desk contained files on various branch offices of the company while the drawers on the right, three in all, contained blank paper, company circulars and a few maps.
It was beginning to look more as if Jeffrey Byrne pulled a stupid stunt after a few too many drinks in a lonely motel, leaving a widow and a teenaged son to fend for themselves.
Dean passed out his business card to Mayer and a few of the other workers in case anything important came to mind.
Dean's mother had raised her only son alone after her husband's death, relying on life insurance proceeds and a series of part-time jobs.
Only your bicycling magazine, a few circulars and a couple of bills.
Fred O'Connor had a sharp mind and a sharp tongue to match it.
He and Fred did not enjoy the same music so when both were home the five-disc machine usually contained two jazz selections for Dean, two country and western for Fred, and a pop group neither liked but both could tolerate.
Dean found himself able to predict for instance, it was time to visit Baltimore again, and a week or two later, Byrne would travel there.
Plane tickets for the next day's flight to Virginia were on Dean's desk with a list of the time he was to leave his house, where he should park at the airport and a description of Detective Norman Hunter whom he was to meet in Norfolk.
Many of the women knitted and a number of the men caught catnaps when the action was dull—which was most of the time.
Jake was led forward by his attorney, a newcomer, a dapper little man resplendent in vest, patent leather shoes and a gold watch chain, all topped off by a condescending smile that seemed to say, "Look out, rubes, I'm going to spring this poor victim before you finish administrating the oath."
The party for the departing employee, if you could call it that, had been a quick affair—a pat on the back, a few appropriate words and a token going away present.
Polished shoes, with the socks still in them and a shirt, recovered from the beach, rested on a chair.
The top slid open to reveal a tire patch kit containing two small patches and a tube of sealing adhesive.
Resigned to the inquisition, he settled down in his chair with two cans of beer and a piece of apple pie, devouring the pie with a combination of guilt and gusto.
There was nothing at Ninth and Locust but a boarded-up storefront and a stillness like the day after the end of the world.
Discarded wrappers and soft drink cans littered the floor, a magazine and a folded newspaper lay between the men on the seat.
There was a Smith and a Jones, each with local addresses that sounded fake, and Zeke Ambrowski of Raleigh, North Carolina.
After handshakes and a brief chat, the pair left in Dean's pool car for the motel where Vinnie Baratto awaited.
Andy Sackler met them at the door of the motel with a mouth full of doughnut and a coffee cup in his hand.
After a quick supper of pastrami and fruit at Uncle Sally's Galley, Dean pedaled 27 hard miles, working up a good sweat and a painful case of shin splints.
It listed apartments, furnished or unfurnished and a telephone number, just in case someone should happen by.
Just 'how you doing' stuff and a nod.
The warmth of Collingswood and a soft chair won the argument.
She agreed to meet him at a highway coffee shop he remembered on the outskirts of Bala Cynwyd, in an hour and a half.
I'm going to get an education and a decent job.
We have to get you a good stiff drink and a stomach full of food.
Sure enough, after ten minutes of silent driving on nearly empty streets, he recognized Ocean View Avenue, and a few minutes later, The Ocean Shore Motel.
Fred's response was surprising, a few grunts and a brief comment that it figured.
Dean smiled to himself at the difference between happiness and a Thursday night romp.
The bag contained a dress, a slip, underwear and a two-piece pajama set but no robe or flannel running suit or anything dry and warm.
He shrugged off the raincoat and stepped out of the wet trousers, using one of his smaller towels to partially dry off before slipping on pajama bottoms and a long-sleeved shirt.