E.M. Hamill has a new queer women-led space western out (pan, lesbian, aro/ace), Team Huntress book one: Whiskey and Warfare. And there's a giveaway! Running on caffeine and spite with nothing left to prove. GOLDEN GIRLS meets FIREFLY in this rollicking space opera adventure. Maryn Alessi retired from mercenary service after her last assignment went horribly sideways and settled down on a quiet planet with the love of her life. Unexpectedly widowed, Maryn must fulfill a promise to return her mate’s ashes to zer home planet for funeral rites, but a brutal civil war has destabilized space travel. Former Artemis Corps sisters-in-arms and their sassy ship, the Golden Girl, are up to the task, counting on luck and their rather sketchy cargo business to get Maryn passage through the contested star lanes. But when the crew of the Girl rescues survivors of a ruthless war crime, Maryn and her ride-or-die friends must take up their old profession to save the lives of innocents from a genocidal dictator. Warnings: violence, genocide, aging, chronic illness, grief (death of spouse), PTSD Praise for the Book: “This is the story we all need now — filled with so much love and respect and genuinely fun adventure.” --KD Edwards, author of The Last Sun “Every element of it just SANG. The story was *chef’s kiss*. This book is truly special.” --Sarah Chorn, author of The Necessity of Rain "A fantastic read, a thoroughly delightful romp through space with an all-female main cast that blends crazy action scenes with deep reflection on what it means to grow older. This isn’t your parents’ Golden Girls." --J. Scott Coatsworth, QueerSciFi.com Universal Buy Link | GoodreadsGiveaway E.M. is giving away a $10 Amazon gift card with this tour: Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b60e8d47318/ Excerpt
Jac regarded Col with an arched eyebrow. “What happens to your species as you age? I don’t see you looking any different than the last time we got together.” “You can't tell?” Col stroked her furry cheeks. “I have more hair on my face.” “Don’t we all?” Maryn gave a shaky laugh. “I look like I just hit puberty. I think my moustache is glorious.” “I have also developed lower breasts,” the Boshi said, revealing her catlike teeth in a silent snarl of disgust. “Mine are heading south too.” Jac cupped her tits, staring at them in contemplation. “No. Lower breasts.” Col motioned to mid-abdomen beneath her tunic when it became clear they did not follow. “My second set.” All three humans stared at her with varying degrees of curiosity. “What are they for?” Scylla asked. “In my society I would be expected to help nurse the litters of my children. If I had any.” Col’s furry ears flapped as she shuddered. “Mewling, damp little things. Why anyone would want them is a mystery.” “Ours turned out okay, and I didn’t have to get cozy with anything but a syringe,” Jac said with a laugh. “But I’m pretty sure Maya doesn’t expect me to breastfeed our grandkids.” “Don’t look at me. I got rid of the plumbing a long time ago.” Scylla slapped her flat chest with both hands. “How old is Maya now?” Maryn was chagrined to realize she hadn’t asked after her honorary niece. “Twenty-one. She finished her first degree and she’s in medical residency on Telluride Station.” Jac beamed with pride. “Her gene dads still practice in New Denver, so she’s living with them. They’ve been trying to convince us to settle down there, where it’s safe and boring, but we’re not ready for that.” Something Maryn couldn’t name flitted through her expression before Jac’s face softened. “She sends her love, by the way.” “Sweet kid. I owe her a graduation gift. What a lousy aunt I am.” She sniffed and wiped her nose with a tissue. “You’re not.” “I haven’t even seen her since she was six, when you came to visit.” “She gets it, Mar.” Jac’s voice was gentle but firm, trying to head off Maryn’s slide into self-recrimination, but it was too much. “I hate this. All of it.” She balled up the soggy paper in her fist. “I have six days left to take Andelek to Xyri before the scheduled rites and I have got to pull my shit together. I could check interplanetary express freight pricing, I guess. They’ve probably raised the rates because of the war, but I can afford it.” Her eyes grew hot again. “But it just seems so wrong. Ze isn’t a box of supplies to be shuffled off world by a robotic pilot like so much cargo. But I don’t know what else to do.” Maryn made a frustrated noise as her voice snagged on the words. Tears came again whether she wanted them or not, and she swept the back of her hand over her eyes. “I’m running out of time.” “About that.” Jac exchanged a long glance with Scylla before she continued, “We were talking. We want to take you to Xyri.” The warm burst of astonished gratitude faded against an electric-jolt corkscrew of anxiety drilling into her chest. Shame came next, as always, and self-disgust filled her mouth with a sour, acetic burn. “Are you sure?” she stammered. “It’s such a dangerous flight plan right now. It won’t complicate your business?” “Nah. We’re still freelance.” Scylla shrugged. “Mostly private transactions. We’re our own bosses.” Her husky voice softened. “And you know the Girl would love to see you.” “I miss her too.” Golden Girl was the well-loved privateer cruiser they’d pooled their end of tour bonuses to purchase when they left the Corps. The ship had been their home, their means of independence, and she had a definite personality. Its AI learning interface had picked up more human nuance with every mission until they treated it like a fifth crew member. “The Girl’s small enough she doesn’t attract much attention on sensor sweeps. We need to go through Konecthedot system anyway on … business.” Jac traded another secretive nod with Scylla, and Maryn wondered what they weren’t saying. “That is next to the front.” Col wasn’t fooled by the innocence act, her peridot eyes narrowed. “Doesn’t mean it won’t be risky, but we can get you there in plenty of time for the remembrance rites.” Scylla cocked her head and her deep brown eyes, so dark they were almost black, glinted with hope and mischief. “Whatcha think, Mar? We can make it a girls’ trip if Col wants to tag along.” “Yes!” the Boshi exclaimed in her sweet, breathy voice. “I have been bored out of my skull. I can work anywhere since CosBank gave me remote branch equipment.” What her friends offered was too generous to turn down. She took a deep, steadying breath. “I don’t know what to say, except—” she gestured helplessly. “Thank you.” Scylla gulped the rest of her wine, her enthusiasm building. “Konecthedot sector might be close to the front, but we haven’t had any issues yet. It’s less dangerous than anything we did when we were mercs. We’ve got two stops to make on the way, but after that, we head straight for the wormhole and Xyri. We can transport you faster without picking up passengers at every station like the star liners do.” “Globney said the Qetish fleet is blocking the Pashni.” Maryn twisted her fingers together to keep them from shaking. “They don’t bother flights that originate anywhere other than Khepra, from what we heard,” the pilot assured her, and amended with a skyward glance, “Leastways, not much.” “I haven’t been off world since …” she faltered. Terror. Black, endless space. Isolation. The memory threatened to overwhelm her already fragile composure. “We know.” Jac stroked her forearm. Of course they did. They’d saved her life. Author Bio
E.M. (Elisabeth) Hamill writes adult science fiction and fantasy somewhere in the wilds of eastern suburban Kansas. A nurse by day, wordsmith by night, she has sworn never to grow up and get boring. Frequently under the influence of caffeinated beverages, she also writes as Elisabeth Hamill for young adult readers in fantasy with the award-winning Songmaker series. She lives with her family, where they fend off flying monkey attacks and prep for the zombie apocalypse. Author Website: https://emhamill.wordpress.com Author Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/EMHamill 
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NEW RELEASE 
Book Title: Beautiful Dark Temptation Author: Roxas Winters Publisher: Evernight Publishing Cover Artist: Jay Aheer Release Date: September 27, 2024 Pairing: MM Tense/POV: First person/ Past tense/Alternating POV Genres: Contemporary MM Romance, dark, mafia, college, Tropes: Mafia romance, enemies to lovers, forbidden romance, morally grey MCs, possessive MC Themes: Bisexual awakening, in the closet, trauma Heat Rating: 4 flames Length: 226 pages/ 76 000 words It is a standalone story with a HFN ending. This is book 1 of the Arcadia U series. Book two is in edits. Buy Links 
I’m not ready to lose it all for a beautiful dark temptation Blurb Tomás I’ve lost everything. Forced into a prison masking as a school, I find myself in the crosshairs of more than one killer. My savior? The arrogant prick who wants to control me. Kieran is a nightmare wrapped in a seductive package and when he sets his sights on me I don’t know whether to fight him or kiss him. Kieran I am the eldest bastard of one of the four founders of Arcadia University, and I will do anything to see my family fall. The secrets I’ve kept hidden behind my heart now threaten to bury me alive with the arrival of Tomás. He consumes my space, my thoughts, my nightmares. I hate him for how he makes me feel. This toxic attraction between us forces me to question what matters most—vengeance, power, love. But Tomas doesn’t fit into my world of lies and violence and I’m not ready to lose it all for a beautiful dark temptation. Excerpt Kieran The front door opened and closed as I put my dish away. Getting under Tomás’s skin made me feel alive. I couldn’t kill him yet, but I could fuck with him. He straightened when he caught sight of me. A hint of pain crossed his features, but he quickly schooled it before he grabbed a glass of water. Without paying me any attention, he downed the water. I couldn’t help but take in his profile. The soft line of his jaw, the smooth suntanned skin, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed. I had the urge to cup his throat, feel his pulse. He lowered the cup and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Why my dick chose that moment to twitch made no sense. I wasn’t attracted to him. No way. My erection in the field had to do with the adrenaline rush, not him. He rinsed the cup and put it away. “What?” he finally said. “You want to finish what we started?” The image of him stretched out on top of me was what came to mind. My dick against his thigh. And the fucker had grinded against me. I’d felt his erection too before he jumped off me as if his ass were on fire. Then he ran. If I expected Fox to let go of Dasher, then I had to stop reacting to this prick like I wanted to shove him out a window. I still didn’t know Tomás’s true bloodline. Murdering him would cause attention and right now, that would be more dangerous than letting him live. “I think we got off to a rocky start,” I said. He snorted. “Really? I hadn’t noticed.” Cocky fucker almost made me smile. “You’re a part of the four whether we like it or not. Means that we might be family.” Bile rose in the back of my throat. I already knew we weren’t blood related, but he had to belong to one of the four. That made him snap his mouth shut. I could see the want of his comeback. He vibrated with it. It took several seconds of silence for him to finally speak. “I’m not your family,” he said in a tone that seemed absolute. As if he knew without a doubt that he had no blood ties to any of us. “My family is dead.” My brain buzzed with all the questions I wanted to ask him. Why was he here? Who sent him here? What was his background? Who are you? He lifted his hand to wipe his face and winced. Dropping his hand to his side he scowled at me. “You’re fucking psycho. It was just a game.” He made a hasty retreat to his room, holding on to his ribs. A game? The asshole needed to learn the rules of this place. I heard his door close but not the chair. I breathed in a moment, just letting myself calm down. Not happening. Reaching his door, I pushed it open without knocking. It almost slammed against the wall. Everything I’d meant to say drained away at the picture of Tomás bare chested in front of me. His pants were unbuttoned and hanging low on his hips. Every bit of him exposed awakened something feral inside of me. A desire so deep, I feared releasing it. I suddenly forgot how to breathe, to talk, to make sense of shit. “What the fuck?” The angry sound of his voice snapped me out of my stupidity, and I remembered why I entered in the first place. “You think this is a game? Where the hell do you think you are? Who the hell do you think goes to school here? Because they aren’t friends, they aren’t life-long partners. They’re sons and daughters of assassins, drug dealers, mafia, cartel, and the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” I should’ve shut up. But I couldn’t. For some reason, I needed him to understand. “Nothing in this place is a game. It’s a test to measure your strength, and out there,” I pointed at the window, “beyond the campus, they’ll rip you apart. So if I were you, I’d really start thinking about alliances. Consider who has your back before someone drives a knife right through it.” His eyes widened, his mouth opened and closed, and I felt that stirring inside of me that burned all my nerve endings. Then he had to make it worse. “Why do you hate me so much?” About the Author Roxas writes dark, forbidden MM Romance with morally gray characters you will love to hate. Beautiful Dark Temptation is her first novel in a planned series. Author/Social Media Links Blog/Website | Facebook | Twitter Instagram | Newsletter Sign-up 
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 My snippet this week is from Electric Candle, book 2 of The Sleepless City (series cowritten with Anne Barwell).  When he reached the door to the waiting area, Forge opened it and hung out, wagging two fingers at Blair. “Hey.” Blair’s face lit up, and he was on his feet at once. “I brought Lucas’s Jeep to him.” He looked around, nervously, Forge thought. Forge felt a wave of relief from Blair, relief and the sensation of being safe. Wrapping his fingers around Blair’s biceps, he was surprised when there was no resistance, but he sensed a deep desire from Blair to comply. “C’mon.” As they maneuvered around desks and went toward Stewie’s office, Forge had a sudden thought. “Are you wanted for anything?” There are more snippets in the Rainbow Snippets Facebook group! Electric Candle is available in eBook, paperback
and through Kindle Unlimited.   Two romances. Two stories. Two timelines. Two mysteries solved. Digging into history can turn deadly. Wyatt Harig and his partner Vladimir ‘Val’ Mihalic are busy planning their wedding when Wyatt’s old friend asks him to investigate the mysterious death of her uncle, Tom Manning, in a fire back in 1927. Back then men were silent, tough, and expected to marry nice girls. Working with Val, Wyatt digs up clues uncovering the truth behind the tragedy. When Tom met Philip in a speakeasy outside Cleveland, Ohio the spark between them was instantaneous. They fell hard and fast for each other. However, with Philip working as a beat cop and Tom as a schoolteacher, their relationship being discovered meant the end of everything. As the story of Tom and Philip slowly reveals itself, and Wyatt and Val realize nothing is as simple as they originally believed. While their trail heats up, an old enemy of Wyatt’s decides he’s waited long enough for revenge. Wyatt’s life before meeting Val catches up with him and the results could prove fatal. Find Something Great to Read    
J. Scott Coatsworth has a new queer sci-fantasy book out, The Tharassas Cycle book four: The Death Bringer. AIK WILL NEVER BE THE SAME... AND NEITHER WILL HIS WORLD War is coming. Aik has become the Progenitor, and the Seed Mother has released him to transform the world for her alien brood. Silya and Raven, Aik's former friends, are the only ones who can save him and the world. But what if the cure is worse than the invasion? As Silya rushes to prepare Gullton for the battle to come, she's determined to save as many people as she can. But new crises emerge that demand her attention. Raven has his own hands full, keeping the dragon-like verent in line, while helping Silya to save the world. But what if the only way to do so is to sacrifice Aik, the man that he loves? It's the end of the world ... or could it be the start of something new? About the Series: The Tharassas Cycle is a four book sci-fantasy series set on the recently colonized world of Tharassas. When humans first arrived on planet, they thought they were alone until the hencha mind made itself known. But now a new threat has arisen to challenge both humankind and their new allies on this alien world. Universal Buy LinkExcerpt
Chapter One Regroup He floated, weightless and naked, surrounded by a reddish light and suspended in fluid. Something connected to his mouth and wrapped around his head, like a lover’s embrace. He used to have a name. He searched his mind for some clue to his identity. I exist, so I must be someone. Or something. That made sense, but got him no closer to an answer. He blinked. Who am I? There was no immediate reply. He lifted his hand. It was encased in metal. The gauntlet. That much he remembered, though it meant nothing to him. Except… it seemed different, somehow. Thinner. He moved his arms in the liquid, and it sparkled around him where his shifting disturbed it. The metal extended down his wrist and along his forearm, like before, but now it went farther, around his elbow and up his bicep. He touched it with his free hand. I can feel it. It was as if the metal had become a part of him, his nerves growing through it. He held out his metallic hand and flexed his fingers. What is it? We call it uurcaa. It’s a sacred metal—it will protect you, and if your host dies, it will collect and save your soul.He could feel the emotions she held back from him. It is the last of its kind from our homeworld. Like us. He blinked. Then what am I? You are my son, Iihil. The progenitor, the one who has come before and the first of many more like you. The voice was deep and comforting. Mother. Warmth infused him at her voice, and an eagerness to please her. Still, something wasn’t right. He was more than that. He searched his mind, running up against that stubborn blankness. Somewhere beyond it were the answers he needed. He’d been someone else. Before. Who was I? Memories of a face—dark hair, intense eyes that nevertheless twinkled at him. Raven. It came flooding back to him. His mother. His life in Gullton. Training to be a guard and meeting Raven for the first time. My name is Aik. He reached for the mask that covered his face. It was suffocating. Something was stuck in his throat, and he coughed hard, trying to force it out, whipping around and causing the liquid around him to flash red in alarm. Calm yourself. The voice was as thick and heavy as an ix hide, and just as soft and warm. Aik pushed back. What are you doing to me? I don’t want this! Let me out! He thrashed about, trying to force his way through the suffocating liquid. The metal crept up his shoulder. If it covered all of him, he would be lost. Calm yourself! It was more insistent this time. Aik stiffened as an enforced lethargy settled over him. He lost control of his limbs, falling still in his floating prison. The voice pressed against his mind. You’re safe. Be calm, my little one. He closed his eyes and thought of Raven, trying to stay fixed on that face. I can’t let myself forget again. Then the world around him dissolved, and he was swept up in a torrent of memories that weren’t his own. Author Bio
Scott lives with his husband Mark in a yellow bungalow in Sacramento. He was 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 all the people like him were. He decided that if there weren’t queer characters in his favorite genres, he would remake them to his own ends. A Rainbow Award winning author, he runs Queer Sci Fi, QueeRomance Ink, Liminal Fiction, and Other Worlds Ink with Mark, sites that celebrate fiction reflecting queer reality, and was the committee chair for the Indie Authors Committee at the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) for almost three years. Author Website: https://www.jscottcoatsworth.com Author Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/jscottcoatsworth/ Author Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/jscottcoatsworthauthor Author Mastodon: https://mastodon.otherworldsink.com/@jscottcoatsworth Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jscottcoatsworth/ Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8392709.J_Scott_Coatsworth Author Liminal Fiction (LimFic.com): https://www.limfic.com/mbm-book-author/j-scott-coatsworth/ Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/j-scott-coatsworth/ Author Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/J.-Scott-Coatsworth/e/B011AFO4OQ
 Raul closed his eyes, focusing on his task. He heard Bisset walk across the room when his phone chimed. “Where? What the hell…okay, I’ll be there,” Bisset’s voice was low enough a human wouldn’t hear but a werewolf could. Bob shifted his weight and rumbled a low growl from somewhere behind Raul. “Whatever,” Bisset snarled, probably in response to Bob’s reactions. Raul heard Bisset leave the room, slamming the door as he went. It wasn’t difficult to guess the general subject of Bisset’s call. Raul would’ve preferred Bisset not left, but there wasn’t much he could do about it without destroying his own cover. For the next ten minutes he heard movement in the building, but nothing he could pinpoint. There shouldn’t be anyone but them, however the building was creaky and some windows were damaged so he tried to chalk it up to wind. Like Bisset’s leaving, there was nothing Raul could do about odd noises without blowing his--and Brandon’s—cover. He tried to remember, if it was it always this noisy in the building, but he couldn’t. When he had Brandon fully under, his other senses dulled. An army could’ve marched through the building and it was likely Raul wouldn’t have noticed. Raul almost let go of Brandon to jerk around when he got the faintest hint of an unknown scent…a human scent. Something clunked softly at the opposite end of the building then all was quiet. Bob was a werewolf. He’d know how to confuse Raul’s senses. You’re imagining things, Fierro. Get a grip and stay focused. Something was wrong. Yeah, your ability to work. Brandon’s body twitched. A responding shiver worked down Raul’s spine. Crap, he’s going too deep. For fuck’s sake focus you asshole! Again, there was a whiff of some unknown scent, slightly stronger. Raul struggled to control Brandon’s descent, concentrate on his task and figure out what he was smelling. He couldn’t do both, so chose to remain centered on Brandon. A minute went by, maybe two before Raul’s nose prickled at another strange odor in the air. It surrounded him. Next came a few soft crackles. He knew that sound and smell. This time he did wrench away from Brandon, but it was too late. The hair on his arms and the back of his neck stood on end. The air around him tingled viciously. Its intensity rose and by the time Raul spun around he was confronted with a curtain of blue and white that covered him in the blink of an eye. The charge from an average scintilla wouldn’t hurt a werewolf, though it could knock him on his ass. On the other hand, an aimed and pinpointed discharge from a scintilla trained to use their power as a weapon could fling a werewolf across the room and slam him into a wall. Raul’s thought as he slid to the floor and into unconsciousness was even though he wouldn’t die, he was going to hurt like hell when he came to. Scintilla is available in eBook, paperback and through Kindle Unlimited.    My snippet this week is from For the Long Run.  That got Eric bristling in earnest from across the room. Jay smiled and dropped his gaze to the floor for a few seconds, going for an innocent expression. One corner of Eric’s mouth turned up and he winked. “He was checking out your butt.” His mother handed Jay a glass and kissed his cheek. “Mom, he was not,” Jay whispered, feeling all of sixteen. “Was. So….” She screened the room visually, gaze landing pointedly on Eric. When he smiled and nodded to her, she returned his smile and lifted her glass in a silent salute that he returned. “So, that’s your man?” “He’s not my—” “Bullshit, Jay. I wasn’t born last week. He’s been watching you like a hawk, and you spend more time looking to him than you do anything else. I have to say you have marvelous taste. He’s ridiculously handsome. And dear Lord, if he flexes those muscles much more, his shirt will rip off. I might swoon.” Feeling heat and a blush taint his cheeks from his mother’s words and the thought of Eric’s suit jacket and shirt flying off to expose his chest, Jay ducked his head. “Yeah, he is.” His mother’s eyes sparkled, and she patted his arm. “He makes you happy, I can see that. So, he makes me happy too. Now, are you going to be the gentleman I raised you to be and introduce me? Or do I have to go over there and do it myself?” Find more snippets in the Rainbow Snippets Facebook group. For the Long Run is available in eBook, paperback and
through Kindle Unlimited. NEW RELEASE 
Book Title: Midnight on the Midway: Carnival of Mysteries Author: Morgan Brice Publisher: Darkwind Press Cover Artist: Dianne Thies Release Date: September 18, 2024 Pairing: MM Tense/POV: Third person, past tense, alternating POV. Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Mystery/suspense, Paranormal, Shifter, Urban Fantasy, Tropes: Meet cute, found family, suspect & investigator, fish out of water, supernatural carnival, psychics, caring veterinarian, paranormal mobsters, secret agent Themes: Learning to trust, discovering the supernatural is real Heat Rating: 4 flames Length: 65 000 words It is a standalone book and does not end on a cliffhanger. Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited 
Supernatural secret agents, vampires, and veterinarians! Blurb Drake Carlson is an agent for the Federal Bureau of Supernatural Investigation. He’s psychic and gets visions of alternate realities. Drake is tracking magical Mafiosi involved in paranormal crime. On a rare night out, he goes to an arcade and ends up in a Skee-Ball competition with Garrett Thompson, a cute veterinarian, and they really hit it off. More arcade dates and a visit to the Carnival of Mysteries lead to hot nights and a growing connection, and Drake begins to think he and Garrett could forge a forever relationship. Then a mobster with a sick dog kidnaps Garrett, and a vampire henchman puts Garrett under his thrall. Drake is going to need all the help he can get—from the carnival, his own psychic mojo, and some paranormally skilled friends to catch the mobster, rescue Garrett—and, of course, save the dog—on the way to his happily-ever-after. Midnight on the Midway is a fast-paced MM paranormal romance filled with supernatural suspense, found family, a brave veterinarian, vengeful vampires, sarcastic ghosts, midway magic, a fearless fed, hurt/comfort angst, love-conquers-all tension, and a very happy ending! Part of the multi-author, shared-world Carnival of Mysteries series. Can be read as a stand-alone. Excerpt—in an escape room The attendant left the room which was designed to look like a Victorian parlor, and they heard the door click shut behind him. Ominous music began to play, and after a few minutes, Drake picked up other sounds like chattering teeth, moans, and wails. “They go all-out, don’t they?” He followed Garrett’s lead to handle the objects on shelves and tables, gently shifting them to disclose secrets. “This place has a good reputation.” Garrett turned slowly to survey the room. Drake resisted the temptation to dive in with his agent training and decided to let Garrett take the lead. “I’ve never done one of these. Where do we start?” Garrett looked pleased to share his love of the adventures. “This one was rated spooky but not extreme. It’s not like one of those live haunted houses at the beach where actors follow you around and chase you. Some places do have characters, but this one doesn’t.” “Have you done it before?” Garrett shook his head. “Not this particular scenario. I did the UFO one here a couple of weeks ago with some friends from work. So I’m basing my expectations on that.” “So we get to live out our inner Scooby Doo?” “Pretty much. Trap doors may open, but you won’t fall through anything. Handle anything that’s loose and look for clues or codes. Gently tug on things to see if they move. If it opens, look inside. There will be doors to other rooms, so look for hidden openings as well as regular doors,” Garrett said. “It’s more fun if we work together, so don’t try to do it all on your own.” Drake thought that working together on a project might feel awkward, or there could be a push-pull vying to be in charge. To his relief, Garrett proved to be competent and inquisitive without any one-upmanship. They divided the room into search sections, moving clockwise so they eventually went over each other’s areas without getting in the way. Garrett found the first of several clues and seemed genuinely pleased when Drake found a secret door that opened to lead them into a long-abandoned dining room. A sudden shriek raised the hackles on Drake’s neck. Garrett chuckled. “Gotta watch out for the sound effects. They’ll get you every time.” Drake relaxed, chagrined, and reminded himself that this wasn’t the usual life-or-death stakes. As he searched behind paintings, checked under couch cushions, and peered inside the grandfather clock, Drake admired the clever set dressing and the ingenuity of the scriptwriter. Real ghost hunts rarely went smoothly, and while the escape room was made to look like a creepy abandoned house, it lacked the smell of mildew, rodents, and disuse that came with the real thing. “You’re pretty good at this.” Garrett bumped elbows with Drake. “I think you’ve got a knack for it.” If you only knew. About the Author Morgan Brice is the romance pen name of bestselling author Gail Z. Martin. Morgan writes urban fantasy MM paranormal romance, with plenty of action, adventure and supernatural thrills to go with the happily ever after. Gail writes epic and urban fantasy, with less romance, more explosions. All of the modern-day Morgan Brice and Gail Z. Martin series crossover, so characters from one series appear in cameos and on page in important secondary roles in books from other series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but the more you read the more the expanded universe of friendships and connections becomes clear. Morgan and Gail believe that paranormal elements make any story even better, and her worlds are full of ghosts, psychics, shifters, creatures, vampires, monster hunters, and magic. She's also a huge fan of the TV show Supernatural. (Chibi art by Kamidiox) Author Links Website | Audible Profile | Amazon profile Facebook Group | Facebook Page Pinterest (for Morgan and Gail) | Twitter Sign up for my newsletter and never miss a new release Read a copy of my Badlands short story Restless Nights here for free 
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 How far is too far to go to save someone you love? Brandon Lynch is magical. He’s a scintilla, wielder of electricity and is in love with a werewolf—or maybe he’s just in love with the idea of loving a werewolf? Raul Fierro is a bounty hunter and a werewolf. He knows he loves Brandon. He’s made a promise to always protect Brandon and will carry out that promise at all costs. When Brandon and Raul go head to head with human traffickers, Brandon’s morals are stretched to their limits. Will Raul keeping his promise tear them apart? Discover a New Author!     Mal grinned and nodded to an area of flat rock. “When I was a kid, I brought stadium chairs and cushions in here. I had a thermal chest over there.” He pointed to one spot tucked away near the cave wall. “And lanterns all over. I thought I had my own palace.” “Like a tree fort without the tree—and underground,” Colt said. “Exactly. I’m sure you’ve heard around the distillery that great whiskey starts with the best spring water?” Mal asked. He hopped lightly from one pile of rocks to another, then turned to wait for Colt. He waved to a stream of water and sat on the rocks at the edge. “Yes.” Colt settled beside Mal and shined the flashlight around the interior of the cave. “My great-great-granddaddy owned a little piece of land he’d staked out and settled. It was about twice the size of what’s inside this fence. He had a small shack on the top of this hill, but it was what was under here that he was interested in. The best whiskey and moonshine comes from the purest water.” Mal pointed deeper into the cave, and Colt swung his flashlight in that direction. “A few hundred yards down is a spring. All this water comes from it. He didn’t know why, but it’s got a much cleaner taste.” He leaned down, scooped up a handful of the water, and sipped it. Colt mimicked Mal’s actions. “Wow. I always thought it was a gimmick, but this water really does taste fresher, better. It’s cold.” “That’s because the spring’s source is nearly a thousand feet down, where it’s cool. This whole area is littered with limestone, and when the water travels over it, the limestone leaches the impurities and iron from the water. He wasn’t the only one with the idea. Other distillers knew the same secret. My great-great-granddaddy and Jack Daniel, the man, grew up together. They both learned the craft together, and when Daniel bought land with his spring, my great-great-granddaddy set out to find his own.” Mal shrugged. “Or so the legend goes.” “So he landed here, and the rest is history?” Colt asked. “Yep.” Mal nodded and laughed. “The one thing distillers like more than good ’shine or whiskey is a good tall tale. I’m sure it’s basically the truth, embellished.” “This is an amazing place. Thank you for showing it to me,” Colt said. “You’re welcome. It’s one of my favorite places, and it’s important to distilling whiskey and ’shine.” Colt held up one finger and grinned. “A skill you did promise to teach me, and you are the best.” “Oh geez.” Mal rolled his eyes and shook his head, but it was clear he liked Colt’s admiration. “I did indeed. We’ll need some downtime for that, and you’re getting quite popular. Have you seen the list of requests Audrey has?” “No. She offered to show me, but honestly, I’d rather not know so I can concentrate on the ‘assignments’ she gives me. I do have a confession, however.” Colt ran one hand through his bangs and ducked his head a bit. “I hope you’re not angry.” “Maybe you should confess, then let me decide?” Colt made a face, then admitted, “I like the moonshine better than the whiskey. Especially all the wild berry flavors.” “Well, then, that’s what you’ll learn first. I think it’s important to have a passion and genuine love of what you make. It’s the most important ingredient. I need an assistant distiller in training. Who knows, maybe if you stick around long enough, you’ll take over the moonshine line.” Mal bumped Colt’s elbow with his own and teased, “But don’t get cocky about it.” He stood, offered Colt his hand, and pulled him to his feet. “Time we should get back and be on the road.” “Oh, Mr. Grice will love that part about the moonshine,” Colt grumbled. He rested his hand on Mal’s shoulder when Mal put his free hand on Colt’s hip. Mal sighed. “Yeah, about Jeffery. He and some other members of the board are concerned about our relationship.” “What does that mean?” Colt dropped his hands to his sides. “It means people forget I’m a person, not simply a company. Negotiating the parts of my life that are private and the parts that are business can be like playing hopscotch in a damn minefield.” “I’m not doing anything wrong.” Colt tried not to sound terse but didn’t succeed. “No, you’re not. Neither am I. That’s the point,” Mal said. “You let me worry about Jeffery. He was probably born a grumpy old man, he’s still a grumpy old man, and someday he’ll be a really old grumpy old man. But he’s very good at his job.” He smirked. “However, so am I.” He leaned forward and pecked Colt’s cheek, clearly seeking forgiveness. They stood there for another minute, silently looking at each other. Colt’s cock swelled enough to be uncomfortable inside his pants. His cheeks warmed, and he glanced away. “We… should….” He jerked the thumb of his free hand over his shoulder. Mal let go of him slowly and nodded. “We should.” When he stepped away, Colt looked down out of reflex. Mal’s pants were a tad tight as well. They walked back to the house in silence, though every few steps their hands brushed together or their shoulders bumped. Colt realized Mal was the first person he’d been so comfortable around in maybe his entire life. Whiskey and Moonshine is available in eBook, paperback and through Kindle Unlimited.     |
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