Thursday, September 03, 2009

Deleted Scene from Branded By Fire

I love this scene. It's a little bit naughty so be warned!

THE PARTY

Mercy felt so deliciously loose and relaxed after her encounter with Riley that she had the urge to turn leopard and just curl up somewhere. It was as well that she had a standing date with the women of the pack that night.

Showering and sprucing up after her return from the den, she made it to the gathering half an hour late. It was being held at Annie and Zach’s house this time around—though Zach had been kicked out for the duration. Attendance fluctuated depending on work-shifts and the general mood of the pack, and tonight, after Nash’s successful return, there were well over twenty-five women in the small house filled with the delicious smells of chocolate, cocktails and friendship.

“Mercy!” Anu all but dragged her to a seat on the sofa. “I have something for you. Show me your toes.”

Grinning, Mercy did as bid. Ten minutes later, her toenails had been painted a vivid silver-blue that glinted in the light. “I like it,” she said definitively. Anu was one of her favorite people, being so infectiously good-natured that it was impossible to be in a bad mood around her. “How’s the baby?”

“Gorgeous. See?” The proud mommy pulled out a phone with an array of new photos.

Genuinely interested, Mercy spent several minutes looking at them. “She’s growing fast. Feels like only last week I held her and she was the size of a tadpole.”

“Tell me about it.” Anu turned to put her phone back into her purse. “Make sure you take home the rest of the polish for touch-ups.”

“Thanks.” Admiring her toes and feeling distinctly feline in her pleasure, Mercy nudged Anu.

“Where’s Annie?”

“Here.” A margarita was put into her hand. “Anu?”

“Better not—breastfeeding. Gimme that pineapple juice.” Taking a glass, she picked up her bag of tricks. “Time for my next victim.”

Mercy glanced up at Annie as Anu arrowed her way toward Poppy. “You know how to throw a party.”

Annie grinned. “I think Zach’s having visions of coming home to find drunken naked women all over his lawn. Actually, I think he’s hoping for it. Except for his sisters, of course—I have strict instructions to save him from that trauma by warning him to stay the hell away.”

Laughing, Mercy took a sip of her margarita and watched as Annie moved to put the rest of the drinks on the low table a couple of feet away. The small brunette was immediately shanghaied by her sister-in-law, Jess, and Sascha, into a heated debate that pitted Mr. Darcy against Heathcliff. Mercy was leaning forward to listen to Annie’s take on things when Tammy waved to her from the other side of the room, where she was being offered something that had her red-faced and laughing. Curious, Mercy made her way over.

Her eyes almost crossed when she saw the array of objects on the table in front of the healer. “Tammy!”

“Hey, don’t blame me.” Tammy wiped tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes. “This is all Faith’s fault.”

The F-Psy looked incredibly demure when she answered the charge. “How was I to know what Lurrrve Motion produced? When they said they were sending me samples to help me tune my mind for forecasts, I said fine.” She glanced at long, green and very...flexible, Lurrrve Toy, her eyes dancing with laughter. “I never had to worry about things like this when I was working exclusively for Psy companies.”

Mercy was trying to figure out how another toy worked when it came buzzing to life in her hands, turning six different colors in as many seconds before bouncing out of her grasp and across the table to fall into Talin’s lap. Tally took one look at it and said, “Do you think Clay would know what this was if I took it home and gave it to him as a present?”

Seriously naughty suggestions came from all sides, and by the time it was over, Mercy was laughing so hard, her stomach muscles protested. This, she thought, was life, was joy. She couldn’t imagine a future in which her pack didn’t play an integral role. DarkRiver was part of her soul through her blood-bond to Lucas, but her packmates were part of the very fabric of her heart.

37 comments :

Kati said...

Awesome! Please please please write a scene where Tally hands that toy to Clay. :wink:

T said...

LOL Kati!

I had no idea women of the pack were so...wicked. Lucky Faith.

Jenny Schwartzberg said...

LOL!! I love this scene! Thanks for posting it.

T said...

By the way, Mr. Darcy RULES! Who was Sascha siding with? (and did she only read Jane Austin after her defection? *gasp* Silence is worse then a crime!)

Una said...

Oh Nalini, this is so awesome!! Thank you for sharing! I love seeing the pack in these moments, it really shows the familial nature of pack. When exactly does it take place in the story?

Unknown said...

Loved, loved, loved that scene! It's great to know that the girls all get to spend time together and have some serious fun! I can just imagine the guys doing the same thing. Thanks for that great excerpt!

Pissenlit said...

Ahaha, I lurrrved this scene! ;)

orannia said...

Thank you Nalini! I just loved that scene. Seeing all those wonderful bonds between the packmates is...warming :)

Please please please write a scene where Tally hands that toy to Clay. :wink:

I'm with Kati on this. I would just love to see Clay's expression when Tally presents the toy (with a flourish) for Clay's inspection :)

Twimom227 said...

Thank you for this excerpt. This is such a different side of the ladies than we normally see. I love the female bonding and silliness. I'm with Kati, too!

pj schnyder said...

LOL. That was great!

Ok, I give, I wanna know how Clay would react too. XD

Anonymous said...

The education of Sascha and Faith is a wonderful thing to behold. LOL I can't wait to read more!

Midnight said...

I agree with Kati, you have to write a scene or a short little story with Tally handing Clay a gifted wrapped present and what his reactions are ... That would be awesome!!!!!

jeanette8042 said...

That was definitely awesome!! I enjoyed reading it so much and had a smile on my face the whole time. =)

Nalini Singh said...

Glad you all love this scene as much as I do!

As for Tally and Clay...hmm...

e_booklover said...

Love that scene :). Thanks for sharing.

Pam P said...

Me, too, need a scene to see Clay's reaction to getting that toy.

NiNi said...

I loved the scene!!

I too wanna see clays reaction to the toy....hahaha

Anonymous said...

Just a comment from Clay about it... Please? That was great, Nalini. Thanks...

Unknown said...

I loved, loved, loved it! Especially hearing from Annie and Zack again was nice. As for Clay...I would like to see his reaction, too.^^

Lindlee said...

Okay, first Mr. Darcy wins, hands down.

Second, my only problem with this excert is....I want the men's reaction to the toys!! LOL I am so on board for the "Tally gives Clay a gift (wink, wink)" scene. We really need to see that.

I also loved seeing Annie again. More Zack and Annie please!!

Mint said...

This was a great scene. Made me wish I was there.

teriannesis said...

Forget Clay's reaction I want to know why Vaughn let Faith out of the cave with them and if we get any reaction I want Lucas's!

Anonymous said...

This was awesome. It reminded me of a girls' night out that we had a while back. Just a bunch of us checking out the new "toys". Thank you again.

Erin Nickas said...

That was great. Would seriously love to see that scene continue. Maybe in another book, bringing up what happened after the party. Thanks for posting it!

wolfwattitude said...

Thank you for the Deleted Scene. Love the extras from books I have read and enjoyed. Please keep writing, I love your works!
Jill

nicecuppa said...

Loved that scene thanks! I want to be at that party too! lol!

Mrembo said...

Hi,

I am currently reading Branded by Fire. I have read all your Psy books as well as Angel's blood.

I love the Psy series. Angel's Blood is not pushing all my buttons bu that's ok.

I hate to be the party pooper but I would like to share some constructive critism on "Branded by Fire".

In my opinion this is the one book in the series that has felt "repetitive" something I felt that you have managed to successfully avoid in the previous ones which in it's self to me, is a magnificent feat.

I feel that the problem in "Branded by Fire", was the reptition of the subject/theme of "protectiveness/dominance" and Riley was in danger of not being "his own man" but a clone of the other male leads in your books.

2. The other "formularic alpha male" trait is the "deep seated pain" they carry due to a tragedy in thier lives. Riley's was not convincing at all and to be honest that trend is getting boring and tedious because it kept being repeated over and over in the book and as someone who has read the whole series "the deep seated pain" was with Lucas, Clay, Vaghn and Riley.

My best books in the series are Judd's and Dorian's. When I look at why these books rank high to me I find it is because the male lead is interesting and his struggle/flaw/"deep seated pain" is different and unique.

All in all I do love the Psy series and I hope to stick it through for the long run.

Please do not take this critique as a malicious bash against your work.

Mrembo


$

Unknown said...

Oh and finally I am joining the club of " give us Hawke and Sienna". They stole the show in "Branded by Fire"

Geri said...

Oh that was too funny.. Man I hate Deleted Scenes.... They so are the scenes that belong the most in the books..... Got any more? LOL

Shannon said...

Loved this scene!

Anonymous said...

Awesome! Loved this scene! Thank you for sharing it! Why was it deleted?

Tinuke said...

Interesting how people pick up different things, I loved the excerpt, simply because it really shows the sensuality and playful quality of the cats. I loved Branded by Fire because it was so grounded in the changeling world, though my other fave book was Caressed by Ice. Look forward to the next installment.

Anonymous said...

Seems stupid that you 'love this scene' but deleted it.

Nalini Singh said...

Anon (just above), I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that comment didn't come out as you wanted it to.

But I am going to be switching off anonymous comments from now on.

Nalini Singh said...

Mrembo - no problem :) Not every book works for every reader - I hope you'll enjoy Blaze more.

Earlier Anon: Awesome! Loved this scene! Thank you for sharing it! Why was it deleted?

Sometimes a scene is great on its own, but doesn't quite fit the flow of the overall storyline.

This scene was in the book because it showed how much the pack meant to Mercy, but by the time the whole book was written, that was clear from so many other things.

Also, I was indulging myself in terms of being able to visit all the other characters - and while that was heaps and heaps of fun, it didn't move the story forward.

So though it hurt (oh, it hurt!), I decided to take it out. I knew I could always put it up on the website for everyone to enjoy *grin*

Christine said...

That's such a fun scene, Nalini! Thank you! :)

Simren said...

I love how you put random indian names into your books! My masi's called Anu! ;)