BLURB: When private investigator, Shane Stephens, is hired by the mayor of Cincinnati to track down the hacker who has been threatening him, Shane is sure this is the opportunity to launch the Merleau Detection Agency into the big time. He even convinces Rowe Ward of Ward Security to loan him one of his best IT specialists, Quinn Lake.
Shane, a man who prefers casual intimacy, is surprised by his attraction to the moody computer geek, but when Quinn suggests they have fun for the month he’s on loan, Shane happily agrees. Both men are expecting nothing more than a good time.
But the investigation takes an unexpected turn and they quickly discover they are facing more than a hacker out to ruin the mayor’s re-election chances. And as they spend more time together, they realize their relationship may be a lot more than just a good time.
With only weeks until the election, Shane and Quinn race to gather the proof they need while dodging bullets and possibly…falling in love.
REVIEW: This is the second book in the fantastic spinoff from the Unbreakable Bonds series. A friend of my turned me on to these authors and I am so very glad that she did. These two authors are a dynamic duo; their characters, settings, storyline and plots are absolutely fabulous.
I became obsessed with their books starting with the Unbreakable Bonds series, the series that started it all. I was literally addicted with the first page of Shiver to the first page in this current book.
As with the rest of their series, their writing style is perfectly matched. There have been times when I’ve read books written by two authors and it didn’t seem like a cohesive story. This is not the case with these authors. Their writing style and transition from one book to the other is seamless, almost as if it’s written by one person instead of two. The editing is spot on perfect, no plot holes, gaps in storyline, nothing. It’s wonderful.
Quinn and Shane are great together. The chemistry these two men have leaps off the page. The recipe of mystery action and suspense, infused with just a touch of humor grabs and keeps your attention. You lose yourself into this world and the lives of these characters from the very first word to the very last. I absolutely adore these authors’ work and I highly recommend this series. I am anxiously awaiting the next book.
In the sequel to the Rainbow-Award-winning Skythane, Xander and Jameson thought they’d fulfilled their destiny when they brought the worlds of Oberon and Titania back together, but their short-lived moment of triumph is over.
Reunification has thrown the world into chaos. A great storm ravaged Xander’s kingdom of Gaelan, leaving the winged skythane people struggling to survive. Their old enemy, Obercorp, is biding its time, waiting to strike. And to the north, a dangerous new adversary gathers strength, while an unexpected ally awaits them.
In the midst of it all, Xander’s ex Alix returns, and Xander and Jameson discover that their love for each other may have been drug-induced.
Are they truly destined for each other, or is what they feel concocted? And can they face an even greater challenge when their world needs them most?
The Oberon Cycle: Book Two
About the Oberon Cycle:
Xander is a skythane man whose wings have always been a liability on the lander-dominated half world of Oberon.
Jameson is a lander who has been sent to Oberon to find out why the supply of the psycho-amoratic drug pith has dropped off.
What neither knows is that they have a shared destiny that will change the two of them – and all of Oberon – forever.
This is my first time writing a series – at least, the first time one has ever been accepted for publication.
To make things a little more crazy, I’m actually writing two.
The first is the Oberon Cycle, a sci fi trilogy with a heavy dose of MM romance that started with “Skythane”. The second, “Liminal Sky”, is a queer sci fi series that doesn’t really have any romance, and is a little more epic-long-term in scale.
“Lander” is book two in the Oberon Cycle, and as I write this, I find myself in a weird place, stretched a bit thin across the whole trilogy.
I am re-reading “Skythane” to make sure I don’t miss anything while writing the third and final book, “Ithani.” I have just finished edits recently for book two, “Lander.” And of course, I am writing “Ithani.” It’s a bit like being trapped in three different times at once. Events that happen over a stretch of time are compressed and mixed together, and I’m having a hard time remembering the proper order.
In short, I am swimming in the depths of Oberon.
It’s actually kind pf fun though, as it’s giving me the opportunity to make connections between books one and three that I might have missed otherwise. Like, why does Alix have long hair in book one and short hair in two and three? And how does he feel about it?
It’s a small example, sure, but it’s indicative of the kind of things that come up when you try to ensure consistency across a number of books. Sometimes it’s too late, so as a writer you have to come up with the reasons why.
Next time I write a series, I’ll probably do things a little differently. Outline a little better? Track character traits more closely? I have gotten better over the course of the three books, but my track record in book one is looking a little dismal LOL.
Anyhow, once it’s done, all the seams should be cleaned up and the holes plugged, so that you the reader won’t notice them. And if I do my job right, some of the errors might even turn into some of the story’s best twists and turns.
A writer can hope, right?
Giveaway
Scott is giving away a $25 Amazon gift certificate and three copies of his queer sci fi eBook “The Stark Divide.”
Xander stared at the torrent of water pouring over the cavern entrance. Somewhere out there, Quince and the others were lost in the storm.
“What happened to everyone else?” Jameson shouted, putting his hand on Xander’s shoulder.
“I don’t know. Last I saw them was before the lightning strike.” How had things changed so quickly?
Jameson started toward the exit. “We have to look for them!”
Xander pulled him back.
Jameson’s eyes were wild.
He squeezed Jameson’s hands, trying to reassure him. “Hey, calm down. There’s nothing we can do right now.”
“We already lost Morgan.” Jameson’s eyes pleaded with him. “I can’t lose the rest of them.”
Xander shook his head. “It’s no use. We’ll never find them in this tempest. They’re seasoned veterans. They can take care of themselves. We’ll go looking after the storm passes.” The loss of Morgan weighed on him too, though he was less and less certain that Morgan had been a human boy at all.
Jameson looked doubtful.
Xander felt it too, but there really was nothing they could do. “Hey, it’s gonna be all right.” He pulled Jameson to him, enfolding the two of them with his wings. Jameson was soaked, but Xander didn’t care.
Jameson nodded against his chest. “You’re right. Gods, I know you’re right. I’m sorry. I thought we were done with all this.”
Xander held him out at arm’s length. “Gods, huh? We’re doing the plural thing now?”
Jameson gave him a half smile. “Trying it out? When in Rome….”
“How’s your hearing?”
Jameson cocked his head. “It’s better. But everything sounds muffled.”
Xander nodded. “I can tell.”
Jameson blushed. “Am I talking too loud?”
“Just a little.”
Jameson smiled sheepishly. “It’s weird. It feels like my ears are full of water.”
Xander kissed him gently. “It’ll pass.” He looked around the cavern at last, his eyes gradually adjusting to the dim blue light.
The place was a faeryland, filled with rows of golden stalactites and stalagmites, like the bulwarks of an eldritch castle. Each one was a miracle of minute detail, like candle wax dripped from above. The whole cavern was lit by a turquoise-blue glow.
Xander looked around for the source. It came from pools of water on either side of the cavern. The scintillating light shimmered along the walls, creating complex, ever-changing patterns.
“Look, Jameson… it’s beautiful.” They were both a muddy mess. “We’re stuck here until the storm blows itself out. Why don’t we get cleaned up and try to rest? Then we can figure out what to do next. We have a long flight to Gaelan.” He was still shivering from the rain.
“A bath sounds like heaven.” Jameson let Xander lead him to one of the glowing ponds.
“Do you think it’s safe to go in?” Xander asked, pulling off his boots and testing the water with his toes. It was warm.
Jameson looked queasy, but then he smiled. “They called them faery ponds. There’s a microscopic organism that makes the light. It’s harmless, but beautiful.” He grinned. “Romantic, even.”
Ah, that’s how you knew this place. “You’ve been here before, haven’t you?” he said, slowly and clearly, gesturing to indicate Jameson and the cavern. His own generational memories were still fleeting, occasional things.
Jameson’s smile fled. He shrugged. “Not me personally….”
“Shhh. I know.” If he closed his eyes and focused, he could see this place too, but he seemed to be able to block them out when they were inconvenient. “Too many memories.” Xander pointed at his head.
Jameson nodded. He looked relieved. He reached out and pulled Xander close, his hands warm on Xander’s waist.
Xander slipped his arms around Jameson and kissed him once, twice. He wrinkled his nose. “You’re filthy and you stink! So do I.” He held up his shirt as proof. It was covered in mud stains.
Jameson laughed. “We can fix that.”
He helped Jameson unlace the sides of his shirt, pulling it off to reveal the naked skin underneath. Jameson returned the favor, his hands lingering for a moment before withdrawing to pull down his own pants.
They shucked their wet and dirty clothes and descended into the water. It was surprisingly warm, silky and smooth around Xander’s waist.
The pool was about three meters across and sloped down to about a meter deep at the far end. There was a warm, gentle current drifting past Xander’s legs, and the stone beneath his feet had been worn smooth by water and time.
Xander washed the grime off his skin, and it drifted off into the water around him.
Jameson pulled him in deeper and gestured for him to lower his head.
Xander lay in Jameson’s arms, and warm water washed over him, carrying the mud and dirt out of his hair. Jameson massaged his scalp, pulling away the twigs and bits of gunk he’d accumulated on the mad run through the forest in the storm.
Xander’s desire threatened to overwhelm him at Jameson’s gentle touch. He dipped his face into the water and rinsed off. It was so fucking good to get clean.
He shook his head, splashing Jameson, who shot him an aggrieved look.
The look turned into a wicked grin, and Jameson splashed him back. Then they were going after each other and laughing, a fine mist of water flying through the air.
Damn, it’s good to hear you laugh again. Xander grabbed Jameson and kissed him, harder this time, and Jameson’s body responded. They fell back into the water, and Jameson was hard against him, his own need naked before Xander’s desire.
After all that had happened, Xander needed to feel human and alive again. He tugged Jameson back to the shallow part of the pool and pulled his skythane down on top of him, Jameson’s skin warm against his own.
He kissed Jameson’s neck and nibbled on his ear, eliciting a low moan.
Jameson wanted this as much as he did. He could tell.
For a long, slow, ecstatic hour, Xander forgot all about the storm.
Author Bio
Scott lives between the here and now and the what could be. Indoctrinated into fantasy and sci fi by his mother at the tender age of nine, he devoured her library. But as he grew up, he wondered where the people like him were.
He decided it was time to create the kinds of stories he couldn’t find at Waldenbooks. If there weren’t gay characters in his favorite genres, he would remake them to his own ends.
His friends say Scott’s brain works a little differently – he sees relationships between things that others miss, and gets more done in a day than most folks manage in a week. He seeks to transform traditional sci fi, fantasy, and contemporary worlds into something unexpected.
He runs Queer Sci Fi and QueeRomance Ink with his husband Mark, sites that bring queer people together to promote and celebrate fiction that reflects their own reality.
When private investigator, Shane Stephens, is hired by the mayor of Cincinnati to track down the hacker who has been threatening him, Shane is sure this is the opportunity to launch the Merleau Detection Agency into the big time. He even convinces Rowe Ward of Ward Security to loan him one of his best IT specialists, Quinn Lake.
Shane, a man who prefers casual intimacy, is surprised by his attraction to the moody computer geek, but when Quinn suggests they have fun for the month he’s on loan, Shane happily agrees. Both men are expecting nothing more than a good time.
But the investigation takes an unexpected turn and they quickly discover they are facing more than a hacker out to ruin the mayor’s re-election chances. And as they spend more time together, they realize their relationship may be a lot more than just a good time.
With only weeks until the election, Shane and Quinn race to gather the proof they need while dodging bullets and possibly…falling in love.
Excerpt
After one quick knock on Rowe’s door, he stepped inside without waiting for him to call since he was already expected. But he stopped short when he saw the tall man standing next to Rowe’s desk, his hands on his slender hips as he grinned down at Rowe. Quinn couldn’t stop his eyes from quickly sweeping over his broad shoulders and chest that tapered into a narrow waist. His eyes snapped back up to find a pair of brown eyes that twinkled as they finished checking him out as well.
“Sorry,” Quinn mumbled, instantly taking a step backward. “I can come back.” Rowe rarely saw clients. He had customer representatives that handled talking to the clients. Of course, with Rowe’s lack of a filter, it was better if he didn’t talk to the new clients directly.
“No, come in, Quinn,” Rowe said sharply. He stood behind his desk, drawing Quinn’s gaze to his shorter but broader frame. His dark red hair stood up slightly as if he’d been running his fingers through it. Quinn never took that as a particularly good sign.
With a quick jerk of his head, Quinn stepped in and shut the door behind him. The other man was smiling at him, that assessing look still in his eyes, and Quinn didn’t want to think about the fact that he was dying to take another longer look at him, but not with the freaking boss in the room.
“Quinn Lake, this is Shane Stephens. He’s a private investigator with The Merleau Detection Agency,” Rowe introduced.
Shane extended his hand to Quinn and Quinn clenched his teeth, trying to hide his discomfort at taking Shane’s hand. His own palms were sweaty, making the momentary contact awkward. Why the fuck was he always so damn awkward around hot guys?
“Rowe tells me you’re the best,” Shane said, releasing his hand.
Quinn couldn’t help the skeptical look he shot at Rowe, who only shrugged as he sat down again. “Well, I said you <em>and</em> Gidget are the best.”
“Is this about a job?”
“Sit, Quinn.” Rowe absently waved toward the two chairs in front of his desk. He shuffled some papers around without seeming to actually look at them, placing them in piles at the edge of his desk.
Shooting one last uncertain look at Shane, Quinn moved to the farthest chair and sat, his tablet clenched in both hands. His mind raced as he tried to figure out why he’d been called into this meeting. Clients didn’t meet with Rowe, and Quinn didn’t meet with clients unless they’d already been assigned a bodyguard. And while they’d worked with some private investigators in the past, Rowe wasn’t usually involved. He had a company to run.
“Shane recently acquired a client who is the victim of a hacker,” Rowe started.
Quinn looked up at Shane, who was still standing beside Rowe’s desk, his mind finally turning away from too many questions to a problem he could understand. “Identity theft? Bank accounts drained?”
“No, not yet.” Shane shook his head, some of his dark curly hair falling forward against his temple. “At least, not that we’ve uncovered.”
“Then how do you know this client was hacked?”
“There are other signs…but I can’t go into it.”
Quinn frowned for a second. That certainly wasn’t going to make his job easier. “Well, do you just need improved protection? Alerts on accounts? We’ve got a comprehensive list of things we can do to help shore up the client’s account protection and privacy.”
“Shane isn’t looking for protection from the hacker for the client.” Rowe paused until Quinn looked back at him. “His client has hired him to track down the identity of the hacker.”
“Whoa…” Quinn said on an exhale, sitting back in his chair. That…that was not an easy task. Most hackers were pretty damn good at not being found. You had to be if you wanted to survive as one. If you sucked, you were usually snagged by the FBI pretty damn fast. Quinn would know. He’d started hacking at a young age—not stealing other people’s money but just breaking through security systems because he could. It took the feds a solid five years to catch him. But his boss knew all this. Rowe knew everything about the people working for him.
“We’re not equipped to handle this level of…” Shane frowned at Rowe’s computer as if he blamed it for his problems. “Well, we’re not staffed yet to handle computer things like this. I can do some of the forensic research in accounting matters, but I need a computer genius like you.”
“That’s why I agreed to loan you to Shane and his business partner, Ethan, for one month,” Rowe announced.
Quinn was out of his seat in a shot, hovering over the edge of the desk as he looked down at his boss. Pain shot through his chest, and he was suddenly having trouble catching his breath. Panic clouded all of his thoughts. He loved working for Ward Security. He’d been there for just less than two years, and he’d never found another place where he’d felt like he fit so damn perfectly. This was home. These people he worked with, they were his friends. He didn’t have to hide or pretend or feel uncomfortable.
And Rowe…Rowe had always been amazing. Sure, he could be cranky and a little crazy. He was always loud and tended to speak before thinking. But Quinn always knew exactly where he stood with Rowe. He always felt like Rowe had his back.
But this…
“Are you getting rid of me?”
“What?” Rowe snapped. “Where the fuck did you get that idea?”
“You’re hiring another IT person. I saw the listing. And this? Putting me ‘on loan’?”
Rowe groaned and scrubbed a hand over his face. With a heavy sigh, he pointed back at the chair Quinn had just vacated. “Sit.” Grudgingly, Quinn followed direction while Rowe looked over at Shane. “Can you give us a minute?”
Jocelynn Drake and Rinda Elliott have teamed up to combine their evil genius to create intense gay romantic suspense stories that have car chases, shoot outs, explosions, scorching hot love scenes, and tender, tear-jerking moments. Their first joint books are in the Unbreakable Bonds series.
Hello! Thanks to Kimi for hosting us today at Kimi-chan Experience for the last day of The Hockey Player’s Heart blog tour. It’s been great talking about our first collaboration on a novel over the past few days. The story revolves around New York Rangers hockey player Caleb Carter who returns home to Foster Grove, New York (a fictional town that we made up). While he’s recuperating from an injury, he reconnects with Aaron Price who also recently returned to town and is teaching at the local elementary school.
Below we’ve got an exclusive excerpt for you. In it, Caleb is visiting Aaron’s classroom to see Aaron on the job with his students. It’s one of the cute moments in the story that involves kids (because cute kids are always great in romances!).
Make sure you check out the Rafflecopter we’ve included as well. We’re giving away an e-book copy at each tour stop plus there’s a grand prize of an autographed paperback for a US winner or a $10 Amazon e-gift card for an international winner. If you’ve missed any of the stops, you’ve still got a few days to go check them out..
We hope you enjoy The Hockey Player’s Heart and would love to hear what you think. If you read it, please consider leaving a review on your favorite site or dropping us a comment on one of our websites.
Excerpt
“So, here’s something I bet you guys don’t know. Mr. Carter was one of the first people I ever taught, back when I was seventeen.”
Caleb cringed as Aaron brought up the tutoring. It wasn’t Caleb’s favorite topic, but it had been necessary at the time.
“He was having a hard time with geometry, and I offered to help him so he could stay on the high school hockey team.”
Caleb piped up from the back. “You could say that’s he’s partially responsible for getting me into the pros.” He played along since he was sure Aaron was going to make this a teachable moment.
“You see, geometry is something that Mr. Carter still uses every day.”
A girl in the front row raised her hand and waited for Aaron to call on her before speaking. “Really? I’ve heard my mom and dad say they never use what they learned in school, especially if they’re trying to help my older sister with her homework.”
“I used geometry even before I knew what it was, and the fact that I know it as well as I do makes me a better hockey player.”
The class turned to hear Caleb speak.
“Most geometry is all about angles, and angles are crucial to the game. How many of you watch or play regularly?”
Six hands shot up.
“Okay. How many of you have heard of a goalie coming out of his net to decrease the angle?”
Only two hands now.
“Do you know why?” Aaron was already drawing what Caleb described on the white board.
No hands this time.
“It’s because moving out in that way makes the net appear smaller to the player, thus reducing the chances of getting a shot by the goalie while also giving the goalie more room to block the shot.”
Caleb got a tingly feeling at how well Aaron diagrammed the scenario. Aaron added additional lines to the board and drew out even more lines to show various angle scenarios that went beyond what Caleb had considered. The Rangers’ goalies would’ve been impressed.
“Of course, as a forward comes in for a shot, you have to try to force the goalie to reposition.” Aaron wrapped up his description, seemingly leaving the kids stunned.
“Now where are the players?” Caleb asked.
Four hands went up.
“How often do you use geometry in a game?”
He got four shrugs in response.
“You use it all the time.” Caleb walked to the front of the classroom to draw on the board, but he changed his mind before he picked up the marker. He looked to Aaron. “Can we go outside?”
Aaron looked surprised, and Caleb hoped he hadn’t put him in a bad position. “What’d you have in mind?”
Caleb stepped close and whispered in Aaron’s ear—the one angled to the whiteboard to help ensure the class couldn’t hear.
Blurb:
Hometown hero. Hockey superstar. Perfect boyfriend?
When hockey star Caleb Carter returns to his hometown to recover from an injury, the only thing he’s interested in is a little R & R. He never expects to run into his onetime crush at a grade school fund-raiser . Seeing Aaron Price hits him hard, like being checked into the boards. The attraction is still there, even after all these years, and Caleb decides to make a play for the schoolteacher. You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take, right?
Aaron has been burned by love before and can’t imagine what a celebrity like Caleb could possibly see in a guy like him. Their differences are just too great. But as Aaron spends more time with Caleb, he begins to wonder if he might have what it takes to win the hockey player’s heart.
Bio:
Jeff Adams and Will Knauss are husbands, authors, and podcasters based in Northern California. They write gay romances, sometimes together and other times separately. Jeff also writes young adult LGBT fiction. Together they host Jeff & Will’s Big Gay Fiction Podcast, a weekly show devoted to gay romance literature and the pop culture they love.
Thanks so much for joining me today to celebrate my new release. I’m stoked about Where There’s Smoke being my longest novel to date. For those who know me, I usually write shorts. I’ve got a few novels under my belt, but I’m all for quick hitters.
Wham, bam, thank you, ma’am!
This one was different because these characters grabbed me more than the others. Jonas, Santiago, and Myles are one of a kind muses that bludgeoned me over the head with their thoughts and how they wanted things.
Talk about abuse!
*rubs head*
Anyway, I hope you enjoy the heck out of this book. There’s a couple of twists and turns, but it is a contemporary. Hope you’ll stick around for the ride!
Thanks to Kimi-Chan for hosting me today!
Blurb:
Santiago Mendoza
Chicago nearly destroyed me, but moving to Cobalt, I found everything I needed to put my life back together. Or…almost everything. I have an amazing man, a job I love, and a budding career as an author. Why does it feel like something is missing?
Jonas Sandbauck
Being a gay firefighter in a small town like Cobalt is tough, but the day I met Santiago in a coffee shop, all the struggles in the world wouldn’t keep me from his side. I’m ready to give him everything, including a white picket fence home filled with all the strange antiques he could ever want. But first I have to clear the path to our future, by digging through the wreckage of his past.
Myles Greyson
I’m no stranger to heartbreak, but I’m a man who knows how to get what he wants. Chaos in my life stole the man I love. Between my Fortune 500 company, my mother’s failing health, and my sister abandoning her daughter for drugs, I barely have time to breathe. But I rise above it all to give my niece the family she deserves. Which means getting my man back, no matter what—or who—tries to stand in my way.
Three men. Three different lives. And a chance at love just out of reach.
TRIGGER WARNING: Flashbacks and mentions of rape. On page violence.
Excerpt
This one is a good exchange between Myles Greyson and his partner at the firm, Garrett Barnes.
After an hour or so of watching and recording Macy’s baby acrobatics, I drove to my financial firm I co-ran and owned with Garrett in the west loop. With the help of his parents, we bought this building three years ago, free and clear. Then Garrett’s dad brought in his team of hardhat professionals to rehab the structure for free and turn it into a modern, functional office. The success of Greyson, Barnes, and Associates had quickly risen, making us one of the top ten minority owned financial firms in the United States. Apparently when talking about money, few saw the colors of our skin as a detriment. They only cared about sound advice on how they could protect their financial futures.
“Good morning, Diana.” I greeted our executive secretary the minute I stepped off the elevator.
“Morning, Myles. Remember, meeting at eleven and then a lunch with Gleason Jarvis.”
I recalled the meeting, but not the lunch with one of the biggest homophobes this side of the United States. He was one of our top clients though and to his credit, he barely flinched when he moved his fortune to us, from a bigger firm downtown. However, that didn’t stop him from barraging me with insults about my “choice” of orientation. I had to grin and bear it for him because the advice we offered was very profitable.
Attempting to hide my oversight, I smiled at her and nodded. “Right. I believe we have reservations at his favorite restaurant, Toureg Café?”
“Yes, at one p.m. Do you want me to call and…”
Diana seemed to detect my apprehension about this meeting. “Oh, no, that won’t be necessary. Little of what Jarvis said would make me unhappy.”
I changed the subject. “Did you know Macy started rolling?” I leaned over her desk, still in disbelief.
Diane gasped. “Really? Congrats on that. She’s such a doll. When are you bringing her back so we could swoon over her more?”
“Soon. No worries there. I love bringing her in and making Garrett do most of the work,” I chuckled. “I’ll show you the video before we leave for the day, because it is truly precious.” I slapped her desk and walked towards my office just down the hall.
Turning the knob, I waltzed in to my office, taking in the amazing view of the downtown area. Someday we would expand and move closer in the loop to take one of those high rises, but I was in no rush because I truly loved this building.
“Hey, Myles.”
I looked up from my desk and nodded at my business partner. “Hey. Did you sleep well after that meal for two?”
Garrett walked in with a huge grin. “Sure did. You missed a good one. And the wine tasting was great too.”
“Sorry. I wasn’t in the mood for socializing last night. I’m better today, but I’d much rather go home to my little niece than be around a bunch of stuffy people.”
“Listen to you being all fatherly and stuff. One thing I will say, little Macy has grounded you a lot. You’re less of an arrogant prick and more caring. No offense.”
I cocked an eyebrow. “None taken. Tell me how you really feel, Garrett. Don’t hold back. It’s only your best friend you’re talking about.”
“Aw, Myles, you know I’m right. When you lost Pierre, you were pretty miserable. Then Santiago made you somewhat happy again. When he left, you went back to becoming Jekyll and Hyde. At least now, with Macy, you keep your bipolar tendencies in check a little more. When she’s not around though, ooh boy. I’m just glad I’m not your man.”
I turned up my lips and leaned back in my chair, crossing both arms over my chest. “And you claim to be my bestie.”
“Man, I am. If I didn’t love you like a brother, we wouldn’t be running this firm together. Remember what you always tell me. Your best friends are honest with you no matter how bad it hurts.”
“That’s true. While we’re at it, let me get a list together to tell you about yourself.”
“Haha. That’s okay. I can be hard to live with. Sherri tells me that all the time. You both love me regardless, so…”
“Yeah. I suppose that’s true too. Anyway, did you need something or just to tell me what an insufferable bastard I am.”
“There is that, and I wanted to invite you out on Saturday.”
“Where to this time? Another wine tasting with queer professionals?” I asked with a cocked brow.
Garrett sighed and shook his head. “For the record, it wasn’t that. It was for professionals to mix and mingle and it said all people were welcome. We took it to mean for gays and straights to network and drink.”
“Uh, huh. Anyway, what is it you’re talking about Saturday? I’m pretty sure this will be nothing I’m interested in.”
“See? Look at you acting like a douche.”
“Well, according to you that isn’t hard for me,” I answered with a smirk.
“Nope it isn’t. Again, before I was so rudely interrupted, this is a gathering for financial professionals. Lewis Dempsey is the speaker and I know how fond you are of him.”
“I’m about as fond of him as I am of cancer.”
“Yeah, but you gotta admit he knows his stuff. And since he’s gay too, I thought it good for you to meet other gay professionals and find a new partner.”
“Mhmm. And I suppose you’re sending me to this place alone.”
“No, no. I’m going too for moral support, but the minute you make a connection, I’ll make myself scarce. I’ll hang out by the punch bowl or something. Shoot the shit, make golf games. Hey, I got no problem with making myself fit in with any crowd.”
Garrett was right. He didn’t have all those hang-ups about queer people some other straight men of color seemed to have. He was one of a kind, which was why we’ve been friends for ten out of my thirty-eight years.
“So…” Garrett stood in one spot, regarding me and awaiting my response.
I supposed I could humor him and have a night out on the town with my best friend.
“Yeah, I guess. I’m really not interested in hooking up with anyone. However, it would be good for networking. And even though he’s a blowhard, Lewis knows financial strategies.”
“Now you’re talking.” Garrett clapped his hands then rubbed them together. “So, it’s a night then. I’m picking you up at seven, just in case you go home with anybody. And Sherri said she’ll watch Macy to give Sarah a night off.”
“I’m sure Sarah would like that. Still, I don’t intend to go home with anyone. I will allow you to be my designated driver though in case I overdo it.” I told him, then looked at my phone that pinged with a message.
That was so great. You must come down here so I can play with her very soon!
Noticing Santiago’s reaction, I smiled to myself, knowing I would be making that trip, a lot sooner than later.
Bio: BLMorticia entertains her readers with hot and smexy sex, humor, and lots of swear words. She attempts to incorporate metal music or the military in most of her works. Nothin’ sexier than metalheads or military servicemen and women!
Book One
M/M PARANORMAL ROMANCE
Edited by:Tina Adamski Cover Artist – Jay Aheer PAGE COUNT – 293 Release Date: September 23, 2017
Synopsis
An Enemies to Lovers
Shifter, Vampire True Mates story.
Justice Volkov is the youngest Alpha Zenith to ever lead the wolf shifters. Following in his father’s large paw prints was a responsibility he met head on. Now at age thirty-three, he is alpha of the alphas. As a direct descendant of the original Siberian pack, his wolf is bigger and stronger than Justice, himself is sometimes able to control.
His wolf howled long and hard but Justice kept it inside. It felt like a bass drum beating against his rib cage. The harsh breaths, angry snarls and the determined pacing inside him was overtaking him.
Justice takes his role of leadership and his legacy very seriously. He has little time for romance, not to mention a true mate. His packs are his priority. With a human government trying to regulate them, an uprising of rogue shifters, and a violent team of scientists trying to experiment on them, Justice has his hands way too full.
Chadwick ‘Wick’ Bentley is not enthusiastic when the captain of his escort tells him he has to leave his comfortable London home and go back to the States. As the Vampire King, he has no choice but to get his species back in line before they cause anymore chaos. At over one-hundred years old, Wick is no one to trifle with, but his smooth, charismatic manner makes him quite unique, despite the negative reputation vampires have. Wick has had nothing but time up to this point. He doesn’t feel the need to make issues pressing. Nothing is urgent in his life. Until he meets Justice. His beloved.
“Natural enemies can’t be mates.” Or so Justice thought. He knows his skepticism and rejection is hurting his mate, so while he fights their connection, Wick gets help from a source very close to Justice to help him win his beloved’s heart. Wick is a force all on his own, but when he’s blessed with a special gift from the Mother herself, not even Justice’s powerful wolf can prevent the prophesy from being fulfilled.
This story DOES NOT contain/mention MPREG.
No multiple pairings. No cliffhangers. It ends with a very HFN.
Warning: This book is MM paranormal: If you DO NOT like hot, alpha men shifting into large wolves, or vampires feeding from their mates, this may not be your read.
?AUTHOR BIO:?
A.E. Via has been a best-selling author in the beautiful gay romance genre for four years now, but she’s no stranger to MM. She’s been an avid reader of gay lit for over fifteen years before she picked up her laptop to place her own kiss on this genre. She’s also the founder and owner of Via Star Wings Books, having published a couple great new up and coming MM authors.
A.E. has a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Virginia Wesleyan College that she used to start her own paralegal firm after she graduated in 2008. She spent five years preparing and filing bankruptcy petitions for struggling blue collar workers who couldn’t afford to file with a lawyer. It was a rewarding and satisfying career… but another path called to me. Writing.
A.E.’s writing embodies everything from hopelessly romantic to adventure, to scandalous. Her stories often include intriguing edges and twists that take readers to new, thought-provoking depths.
Now that she’s gotten over her 10 books published hump, she’s kind of known now for her hardcore, play rough and love hard, bad boy, alphas. However, I do like to push myself to step out of my comfort zone, exploring with different tropes, but I won’t push myself into a whole other genre. I’m head over heels for gay romance and I have tons of more hot stories to tell.
Be sure to visit Adrienne on her social media pages and subscribe to her newsletter to never miss another release date! Go to A.E. Via’s official website http://authoraevia.com for more detailed information on how to contact her, follow her, or a sneak peak on upcoming work, free reads, VSWB submissions, and where she’ll appear next.
The wolves walked cautiously around the vampires of Wick’s Escort, their lips pulled back and a snarl of spittle escaping when the vampires did absolutely nothing in retaliation – like the young wolves were itching for a fight. Justice took everything in, including the bitter scents of fury and aggression. The wolves’ posturing, and their obvious misplaced hostility against the vampires, was a harsh slap of reality in Justice’s face. His own damn shifters were the cause of all this. The display the vampires were putting on clearly showed they had much more control over their behavior than his shifters. It was time for Justice to act. Everyone was waiting for him. The shifters were not from the Humboldt Pack, so Alpha Mikel would not intervene. It was all on Justice, but after the mental anguish he’d suffered the last couple days, he didn’t think he had the energy to pull on his wolf and use his authority. He was wrong. When the larger wolf in front passed Wick and let out a sharp, vicious bark at him. Issuing a clear challenge… Justice realized he’d been grossly mistaken.
It all happened so fast, yet it felt like slow motion.
Justice stepped off with his right foot and bounded a good eight feet in the air, shifting in mid-leap and landing on four large paws. Justice shook out his animal’s thick white and gray fur, his wolf beyond anxious to be let out in the presence of its mate. Justice turned his large head to the darkening sky and howled to the pack and all neighboring packs within miles. The rest of the Humboldt pack emerged from their cabins and the perimeter of dense trees. Some were in wolf form and some human. Whichever their form, they were all staring at the vampires, not the defiant wolves that were currently being kept in a tight line by Alek and Mac, while the impressive Alpha Zenith made his entrance.
Justice finished stretching his massive body – his wolf having been confined for two days – then turned his icy blue eyes on his mate. Justice stood tall and dominant, his tail high in the air. Wick didn’t try to hide his excitement or shield his arousal at seeing his wolf. Justice’s sense of smell was already sensitive but in this form the smell of his mate was driving him crazy. It was so amazing and distinct from anything else around him. His wolf ached to go to Wick and push his body against him so he at least carried his scent. His animal already struggled with his mate not wearing his mark.
“You’re beautiful, Beloved.”
An Enemies to Lovers
Shifter, Vampire True Mates story.
BLURB: Justice Volkov is the youngest Alpha Zenith to ever lead the wolf shifters. Following in his father’s large paw prints was a responsibility he met head on. Now at age thirty-three, he is alpha of the alphas. As a direct descendant of the original Siberian pack, his wolf is bigger and stronger than Justice himself is sometimes able to control.
His wolf howled long and hard but Justice kept it inside. It felt like a bass drum beating against his rib cage. The harsh breaths, angry snarls, and the determined pacing inside him was overtaking him.
Justice takes his role of leadership and his legacy very seriously. He has little time for romance, not to mention a true mate. His packs are his priority. With a human government trying to regulate them, an uprising of rogue shifters, and a violent team of scientists trying to experiment on them, Justice has his hands way too full.
Chadwick ‘Wick’ Bentley is not enthusiastic when the captain of his escort tells him he has to leabe his comfortable London home and go back to the States. As the Vampire King, he has no choice but to get his species back in line before they cause any more chaos. At over one hundred years old, Wick is no one to trifle with, but his smooth, charismatic manner makes him quite unique, despite the negative reputation vampires have. Wick has had nothing but time up to this point. He doesn’t feel the need to make issues pressing. Nothing is urgent in his life. Until he meets Justice. His beloved.
“Natural enemies can’t be mates.” Or so Justice thought. He knows his skepticism and rejection is hurting his mate, so while he fights their connection, Wick gets help from a source very close to Justice to help him win his beloved’s heart. Wick is a force all on his own, but when he’s blessed with a special gift from the Mother herself, not even Justice’s powerful wolf can prevent the prophecy from being fulfilled.
REVIEW: This fascinating, and fantastic book is A.E. Via’s first foray into the shifter/paranormal genre. I personally think she’s done a absolutely awesome job of it. Her world building is vivid, pulling you in from the very beginning. The characters are complex, three dimensional, and totally engaging. I couldn’t help but hold my breath, watching as Wick and Justice shakily navigated the minefield of ploys, plots, betrayals, ingrained prejudice, years of war, and their own doubts, insecurities, and inner demons, hoping that they would get the HEA ending they so richly deserved. I absolutely loved this enthralling beginning to an intriguing new series, and can’t wait to see what happens next.
BLURB: A bounty hunter’s partners to lovers’ story. The hunt is on… and he’s the prey.
Bradford (Ford) King was sure he had the rest of his life mapped out. Though he was no longer a SEAL Lieutenant, his brother was home safe and he had a job that still allowed him to satisfy his hunger for hunting bad guys. Life was simple, no distractions or complications – at age forty-six – that’s all Ford wanted. What he didn’t want was his work partner, sniper/watchman, Dana, giving him s**t all the time.
Dana Cadby had grown up labeled a roughneck from the wrong side of the tracks. He’d fought, scrounged, and survived despite a father that constantly told him he couldn’t. Dana pulled himself up by his own boot straps and made a name for himself in the marksman community. He’d been Duke’s bounty watchman for five years. It was his job to ensure their safety, watch their backs. At thirty-three, he was trusted, well respected by his peers, his bosses, his friends… so why couldn’t he earn the same respect from his partner?
Dana knew he was bisexual before he graduated high school. He also knew he was attracted to the huge, 6’3”, SEAL from the moment he and his brother came to join their team. It wasn’t easy for him to tamp down his immediate reaction to Ford’s thick muscles, full beard, and dark eyes. Still, Dana exhibited nothing but professionalism towards him, not wanting to make his ‘straight’ partner uncomfortable. So why did Ford constantly give him hell?
After Dana took back his ex-girlfriend, he’d noticed an intensification in Ford’s bad attitude. One that turned aggressive and downright antagonistic, and Dana was damned if he’d just lay down and take it. He was gonna make that man respect him if it was the last thing he did.
When Duke sends Dana and Ford out to track down their most dangerous bounty yet, they both embrace the fact that they make one hell of a team… but they fight tooth and nail against the powerful intimacy brewing between them.
Beware: If Ford and Dana connect completely, god help the fugitive who’s in the sights of the hunter and his watchman.
This story is a part of a series but can stand alone. It does not end on a cliffhanger and has a HEA.
REVIEW: This is the third book in this fantastic series by this author. And when I tell you that it’s amazing, I mean it. This book continues with Dana and Ford’s story. This story, as with all this author’s work was such a pleasure to read. It was also a pleasant surprise because I wasn’t expecting this pairing.
Dana is the youngest on the team and in my opinion, the most vulnerable, emotionally speaking of course. I loved Dana’s character. His personality was an interesting juxtaposition of vulnerability and strength. He was shy yet…not. He was confident yet insecure.
Ford was a gruff and tough former Navy Seal. He’s loyal and fiercely protective of his younger brother. He’s also stubborn. Well, both men are stubborn. So much so that I wanted to reach in and Gibbs smack both of them at the backs of their heads to knock some sense into both of them. I especially wanted to snap Dana’s girlfriend like a twig. The ole bony, salad eating wench that she was.
You know a book is good when the characters make you yell at your reading device. I was yelling at, smacking and positively howling at my iPad, these characters are just that vivid.
I love her writing style. You’re not going to get any pretty lavender words or flowery dialogue from the men in her books. I also love the fact that her characters are men of a particular age and everyday working men. What I also appreciate is the fact that she’s not afraid to use the word bisexual. These men are BISEXUAL. Not ‘gay for you’, ‘out for you’ or any of the other tropes that erases the bisexual identity.
I can’t express how excellent this book is. I equate reading this author’s work to mama cooking in the kitchen and when she’s finished, you end up with the most delicious meal. Yes, she has truly put her foot in the pot with this book.
This book, heck, this series is definitely highly recommended.
Author A.E. Via Title: Promises Part 3 M/M GAY CONTEMPORARY/ACTION Edited by: Tina Adamski Cover Artist – Jay Aheer PAGE COUNT – 222 Release Date: June 30, 2017
Synopsis
A bounty hunter’s partners to lovers’ story.
The hunt is on… and he’s the prey.
Bradford (Ford) King was sure he had the rest of his life mapped out. Though he was no longer a SEAL Lieutenant, his brother was home safe and he had a job that still allowed him to satisfy his hunger for hunting bad guys. Life was simple, no distractions or complications – at age forty-six – that’s all Ford wanted. What he didn’t want was his work partner, sniper/watchman, Dana, giving him s**t all the time.
Dana Cadby had grown up labeled a roughneck from the wrong side of the tracks. He’d fought, scrounged, and survived despite a father that constantly told him he couldn’t. Dana pulled himself up by his own boot straps and made a name for himself in the marksman community. He’d been Duke’s bounty watchman for five years. It was his job to ensure their safety, watch their backs. At thirty-three, he was trusted, well respected by his peers, his bosses, his friends… so why couldn’t he earn the same respect from his partner?
Dana knew he was bisexual before he graduated high school. He also knew he was attracted to the huge, 6’3”, SEAL from the moment he and his brother came to join their team. It wasn’t easy for him to tamp down his immediate reaction to Ford’s thick muscles, full beard, and dark eyes. Still, Dana exhibited nothing but professionalism towards him, not wanting to make his ‘straight’ partner uncomfortable.
After Dana took back his ex-girlfriend, he’d noticed an intensification in Ford’s bad attitude. One that turned aggressive and downright antagonistic, and Dana was damned if he’d just lay down and take it. He was gonna make that man respect him if it was the last thing he did.
When Duke sends Dana and Ford out to track down their most dangerous bounty yet, they both embrace the fact that they make one hell of a team… but they fight tooth and nail against the powerful intimacy brewing between them.
Beware: When Ford and Dana connect, no fugitive can hide from the hunter and his watchman.
This story is a part of a series but can stand alone. It does not end on a cliffhanger and has a HEA.
Disclaimer: This book is about MM romance, albeit there is a very brief MF scene.
AUTHOR BIO:
A.E. Via is an author in the beautiful gay romance genre and also founder and owner of Via Star Wings Books. Her writing embodies everything from hopelessly romantic to adventure, to scandalous. Her stories often include intriguing edges and twists that take readers to new, thought-provoking depths.
When she’s not clicking away at her laptop, she devotes herself to her family—a husband and four children.
Adrienne has tons of more stories to tell, so be sure to visit her site to learn more! Go to A.E. Via’s official website http://authoraevia.com for more detailed information on how to contact her, follow her, or a sneak peak on upcoming work, free reads, VSWB submissions, and where she’ll appear next.
Dana had the waitress quickly take his best friend’s plate, in hopes it would appear he was eating alone. Dana didn’t turn around, instead using the mirror behind the bar to see that one of the men stayed outside, one sat down in the waiting area by the front door, three went to the bar, while the other two approached him.
Dana kept his composure even as the leader took Sway’s seat, the other one making his big body comfortable on the other stool. “Have we met?” Dana said drily.
The man simply looked at Dana with a “Don’t bullshit me” expression and waved over the waitress. She looked uncomfortable when she stood next to the table, her smile long gone, like she knew something wasn’t right. Sway’s charming presence was missing, replaced with ugly hoodlums.
“Hey, sweetheart. I’ll have a double of your best whisky.” The man ordered in a rough voice, his sinister smile making an unwanted appearance. Beady green eyes surveyed the shot glasses on the table and the three or four empty beer mugs. The thug looked up at Dana with a skeptical expression. “Did you drink all this yourself or am I really interrupting?”
“Nope. Just a night alone. I might have a slight drinking problem,” Dana answered, hoping the waitress caught on.
“Sad.” The guy sneered. “Make it a triple, beautiful. And put it on his tab.”
The server looked at Dana but he didn’t contradict, just nodded his head once. He didn’t want her at the table longer than she needed to be. “Sorry to interrupt your sad party for one, but I’m here to deliver a message.”
“Figured as much.” Dana looked unaffected. “May I ask who you are, or can I just call you errand boy?”
A flash of anger shone in the man’s eyes before he curved just the edges of his mouth. “I’d be careful if I were you. My name is Mack and my leniency only extends so far. Now, John said don’t hurt you… yet. Just to relay the message, so I’m going to try to do that, but don’t think I won’t drag your ass out of this cheap restaurant and pound you into the fucking concrete. We usually don’t like to make a public spectacle of ourselves, but don’t make the mistake of thinking that you’re safe just because there are others around.”
“We wouldn’t want that, now would we, Mack?” Dana said the man’s name like it tasted disgusting… it did. “So, what’s the message?”
“The Grossmans know Duke has been hired to bring them in. From my boss man to yours. Tell Duke to drop the case.” Mack held up his hand like Dana had opened his mouth to say something, but he hadn’t moved. “We don’t want to hurt you guys. My bosses know of Duke’s reputation. He always gets his man… some say he’s practically indestructible, but does he really want to test that myth? I doubt it. Our beef isn’t with you. All you guys gotta do is stay out of our way and big John is willing to generously compensate Duke.”
Dana could feel the heat of a powerful glare on him. He had to fight the urge to rub the back of his neck where the hair stood up. A feeling of bravery and brotherhood washed over him as he looked up into the eyes of Bradford King across the room, tucked behind the server’s station. The eye contact was brief but there. The alarms on their watches were silent but alerted the entire team to his location. They were used in emergencies, military ops team watches, which Ford was able to get through one of his many contacts. It didn’t typically take long for one of them to reach the other. But it felt amazing that Ford had gotten to him first, and in only six minutes.
“Stay out of the way of what?” Dana asked like he could care less.
“Our business,” Mack snarled.
The waitress brought his triple and Mack had it in his mouth and down his throat before she even left. Dana asked her for the check so Mack couldn’t order another and prolong this bullshit meeting.
“You got it?” Mack bit out.
“You didn’t say much, but the little that you did say… yeah, I got it.” Dana shrugged. Mack looked pissed but he smiled and stood, his silent goon next to him doing the same.
“Let us know.” Mack moved to Dana’s side of the table and slammed a card down in front of him. It was white card stock with ten digits on it. No name, no email, or other identifiers. “You got forty-eight hours.”
“That’s sure generous of you.”
Mack bent closer, inches from Dana’s face, and out of the corner of his eye Dana saw Ford push off the wall, ready to strike. Dana gave him a subtle signal letting him know he had this.
“You talk a good game, bounty hunter, but y’all are severely outnumbered and you know it. Your boss knows it. Do the right thing. No one wants this to get ugly. Take the money and walk.” Mack actually sounded like he wanted nothing but peace. Dana knew those kinds of men. Played you to make you trust them, then they stabbed you in the back… literally.
As they filed out the door and back into their vehicles, Ford finally came to the table. “You good?” were his only words.
* * * Since the topic of college hazing could be a trigger for some, please consider this a warning as this may not be a book you’d be comfortable reading. * * *
Fizzbo is used to taking care of people. He’s the one in charge of the personal and professional security needs for both world-famous rock bands, Ivory Tower and Black Ice. Having their backs is what he does best, and he takes pride in that, both on and off the job. When he’s called into action to save the man he loves, all of his skills are put to the test. Suddenly, he isn’t so sure his training will be enough, but saving Kensey is personal, and he’s willing do anything to keep him safe.
Scott lives between the here and now and the what could be. Indoctrinated into fantasy and sci fi by his mother at the tender age of nine, he devoured her library. But as he grew up, he wondered where the people like him were.
