Their meal finished, Forge walked Blair back to his office. Blair unlocked the door, and at the same time, Forge was doused in another wave of lust and something he could only describe as partnership. Most vampires experienced this sort of bond and empathy for one another during their initial mating. He’d understood the ability to feel each other so strongly diminished after one of them was marked. For them it seemed to increase. This was all new territory for him, and he was discovering how much he liked it, wanted it, and looked forward to it. Forge was indeed a very lucky man. Blair used his hand on Forge’s chest to shove him through the door. He shut it behind them softly. One of Blair’s hands cupped the back of Forge’s neck, and Blair pulled them together, kissing Forge slowly, then slipping his tongue into Forge’s mouth, his fangs nipping his lip. Blair wasn’t usually the aggressor, and Forge adored it when he was. He put one hand on Blair’s ass and held him close, kneading the firm flesh of Blair’s buttock slowly. All too soon Blair broke their kiss. They leaned against each other, panting. Blair trembled. “I have a late class,” Blair whispered. “Will seven be okay?” Forge pulled in a deep breath, kissed Blair’s forehead, and nodded. “I’ll be there.” One more sweet kiss to Blair’s lips and Forge added, “I’ll call you later.” He dipped his head at the door and at the same time cupped Blair’s face, running his thumb lightly over his cheek. “Keep them in line. I’d better get back to work.” “Bye,” Blair said quietly, and Forge thought he sounded a bit wistful. “Keep the streets safe.” By the time Forge started across the parking lot again, he was whistling. He reached his car and had his fingers on the latch when something in his peripheral vision made him turn. The parking lot, cars, garden, and fountain were gone. They’d been replaced by dense woods and thick underbrush. Forge started when someone touched him with gentle fingers, brushing over his shoulder blades. It was a touch that had become familiar to him centuries ago. His clothing scratched at his torso and legs, and moist dirt and moss provided a soft base under his feet. The air was humid and hot. It smelled of decaying leaves, flowers, and berries. Boggslake settlement, 1800s “I remembered it being cooler this far north, ma moitié.” Forge turned toward Declan’s deep, rich voice. He wore lightweight breeches, a white shirt, and a deer hide overcoat. Declan’s thick, dark hair was pulled back and tied, with a leather cord braided through it. The end brushed between Declan’s shoulder blades. Declan stopped walking and moved his rifle from his shoulder to hold it in front of him. Something was off. There was an odd scent in the air. Forge stumbled when Declan put one arm across his chest and forced him back as Declan stepped in front. “What are you—” “Quiet,” Declan hissed. He’d switched from English to French. “Be still.” The strange odor grew stronger, and Forge put his hand on Declan’s shoulder, gripping hard. He swallowed and froze when the source of the odor became apparent. Without warning an invisible wall of cold radiated out from Declan. Forge knew when Declan did that it was very frightening to anyone or anything within a circumference of a dozen yards. The exception was Forge since that wall was never intended for him. A small river lay ahead. What stood in the river, teeth slashing and tearing through a deer, alternately fascinated and frightened Forge. At first glance it looked like a wolf, but no wolf Forge had ever seen before. Even on all fours, the thing stood tall enough to reach Forge’s elbow. When it looked at Forge, it seemed to use its eyes to bore straight to his soul. They were a piercing bright gold. A voice, deep and guttural, called from somewhere deeper in the forest, and Forge thought it said, “Jackson.” The creature turned its head toward the sound. For a second it looked back at them, lifted its lips in a silent snarl, then spun around and bound off across the river. Declan’s gaze shifted to the evening sky. “The moon will be full tomorrow. We should stay in town for a few nights.” Forge nodded. The town was three buildings in a clearing. One of those buildings had rooms for rent. Normally Forge would be excited by the prospect of a real bed where he and Declan could lie wrapped in each other’s arms. The projection of coldness and belligerence from Declan dissipated. Declan tapped Forge’s shoulder. “Let us get to Boggslake.” As Forge followed, he glanced back at the now-vacant river. He finally found his voice. “Babiche, what was that?” “A werewolf. He was young, barely more than a boy. This area is rife with them.” Declan reverted to English. “These woods aren’t going to be safe, even for us, ma moitié.” Boggslake, Present Day Something cold and hard pressed against Forge’s back. He felt a presence. Simultaneously realization filtered into his head that the woods had evaporated, replaced by a concrete parking lot. He was braced against his car. Forge turned around, fumbled with the lock, got the door open, and nearly dove into the car. He sat in the car, gripping the steering wheel, gasping for air. “What the hell? What the fucking hell?” Click on a banner to find more books!
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💘💘💘💘eBook sale! Only 2.99 or read in KoboPlus!!💘💘💘💘 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. Wyatt knew exactly what Kevin’s strategy was; he’d used it on occasion himself. Unfortunately he didn’t have the time to explain the technicalities to Val, who was reacting in precisely the way Kevin intended. The back passenger window shattered all over the backseat. A second later the larger back window was in pieces. First Val tried shoving Wyatt out of his door, then tried pulling him across the seat and out of the passenger door. The car sank lower and dipped to one side. Wyatt didn’t have to see Kevin’s actions to be able to tell tires were being slashed as Kevin moved around the vehicle. A thud and loud clang clued Wyatt into the fact that the exhaust pipe had possibly been smashed or pinched closed. They might not die trying to drive away, but there was no way to be sure without getting out of the car and looking. Wyatt drew Val in tighter and said, “Stay still. Stay still. He wants us out of the car. A few more seconds, Val, trust me.” Val nodded. He had his good hand wadded into a tight fist in Wyatt’s shirtsleeve. He was pale, trembling, and wore an expression of utter confusion, but did as Wyatt asked. People tended to panic when trapped in a car that was under such an attack. Outside the car Kevin kept moving, smashing the windows and shouting at Wyatt to get out and face him. He was counting on the loud, explosive noise of breaking glass to heighten their fear and create a flight response. If Val and Wyatt tried to escape the car now, Kevin’s tire iron would be waiting. When Kevin moved around to the driver’s side, Wyatt lunged across the seat, shoved Val’s door open, and pushed him out. Then he twisted around and kicked his door open, hoping it was timed right and that he moved fast and hard enough. The harsh grunt and thud from Kevin told him his move was right on the mark. Wyatt tumbled out of the car, landing on all fours. He would only have a few seconds before Kevin recovered. He heard Val scrambling to his feet, boots crunching on the gravel. “What the hell are you doing!” Wyatt wasn’t exactly sure if Val was yelling at him or Kevin. He didn’t take the time to figure it out either. He got his feet underneath him and charged. Kevin had dropped the tire iron, but it wasn’t so far out of reach that a short roll to the side and he’d have it again. If he got ahold of that damn thing again, Wyatt was in real trouble. Kevin twisted onto his stomach and kicked his legs at the same time, extending one arm, fingers brushing the tire iron but not grasping it. Wyatt darted in and landed two fast, quick punches to the back of Kevin’s head and neck. He didn’t care if the blows rendered Kevin unconscious or killed him. Kevin shouted and threw himself onto his back, abandoning the tire iron. He reached under his jacket. Wyatt tried to kick his hand and cause Kevin to drop the weapon he now had. The move didn’t work. “Shit,” Wyatt hissed as a flash of light from Kevin’s hands preceded a lightning bolt rampaging through him, and he dropped like a stone to the ground. A Barlow Lens is available in eBook, paperback and through KoboPlus!
My teaser today is from Quarry, book 2 of The Vampire Guard! As soon as Forge was out of the room Blair stood, groaning and hobbled out of the suite and to the great room. That’s when he noticed Forge and Lucas were wearing only shorts, the heat was cranked up high despite the warm weather outside. Declan at least had the decency to also have a lightweight, short sleeved shirt on. Forge was holding two bowls, when Blair reached for one, he moved out of reach. “You need to be in bed.” “I want to be with all of you.” Blair tried to take the bowl again. Lucas took both bowls. “If you drop these Moose will eat it, then he’ll get sick.” “And I’ll have to shove pills down his throat,” Forge added. “The farts from him will be ugly.” Blair smiled and shook his head, made his way to the table, and sat down. Forge, Lucas and Declan each took their seats. Blair’s stomach snarled at him and the soup smelled good, steam rose from the bowl. He dug in but stopped and looked around the table after a few spoonsful. Forge was moving his spoon back and forth, Lucas making whirlpools in his soup and Declan sat quietly staring into his meal. The loaf of freshly baked bread sat untouched in the center of the table. “It wasn’t any one’s fault, at least no one here,” Blair said quietly. “I should’ve been the one out there, not you.” Forge stared into his soup, refusing to make eye contact. Declan looked between them. “If anyone is to blame, it’s me.” “Oh, please. What exactly could you’ve done? Do you have some force field you should’ve thrown over me?” Blair turned to Forge. “And you’re a pain in the ass when you’re hurt. I think I speak for the entire Vampire Guard when I say, we’re all lucky it wasn’t you.” Declan sighed. “He’s got a point, Jonas. You’re the worst patient.” “That’s the truth!” Lucas chimed in then dipped some bread in his soup and took a bite. “It happened. I got hurt. And all of you made sure I’d get better. I’ll admit I like being in the van better, but sometimes shit happens.” Blair twisted in his chair and looked over the equipment sitting where their sectional had been. “I could live the rest of my life without being in that thing again. What is it? Weren’t Kai and Ori here? And someone else?” “Its official name is a recovery cocoon. One of the Guard’s medical miracles. Using supercooled water, we, Tiffany—Dr. Launders—and I were able to keep you in what was essentially a medically induced coma to control the pain while you healed,” Lucas explained. “How long? And without drugs?” Blair asked. “Two and a half days. The extreme cold hibernates vampires and is very effective pain relief,” Lucas said. “Kai, Ori, and Dr. Launders are with the Penningtons,” Declan added. “They helped us the first two days, but as you were able to be woken up, they thought it best to clear out and not have too many people hanging around.” “Your feelings about being in water presented a little extra challenge,” Forge said. “How do you feel?” Blair held up a hand, turning it over to look at his fingers. “A little pruney. My leg hurts, it’s more like a constant ach and my back.” He tried to reach around to a spot under his shoulder blade but couldn’t quite hit the right spot. “And it itches too.” “You were impaled by a piece of rebar piping that also punctured a lung,” Forge said, his voice rough. “I felt a lot of what you did.” “I don’t remember much after you guys started lifting blocks of cement off me.” Blair could tell from the emotions radiating from Forge that wasn’t the case for his soulmate. Forge reached over and rubbed Blair’s back a few times. “Good.” “That was part of the point of the treatment. Such intense pain can have devastating emotional and mental consequences,” Declan added. Blair focused on Forge. “But what about you? If you felt what I felt…” The thought he’d done damage to Forge was horrible. Forge shook his head. “It’s hard to explain. I knew what you felt and when you were awake, I did experience a lot of it physically. However, once you were unconscious the physical sensations went away, and everything was more mental. As if I was reading about the feelings or watching it all take place in a movie.” From the sidelong look Declan gave Forge, and what he felt through their bond, Blair knew that wasn’t exactly true. He also understood Forge felt some need to protect everyone from everything and this was one way he’d accomplish that with Blair. At least his three housemates ate their meal and there was a general sense of wellbeing from them by the time all the soup and fresh bread was gone. Quarry is available in eBook, paperback and through Kindle Unlimited.
AG Meiers has a new MM romantic suspense book out: Down the Line. And there's a giveaway. Revenge is a Dangerous Obsession. Dean Hunt needs the story of a lifetime—Since his uncompromising attitude got him fired, the investigative journalist is hell-bent to expose the powerful and corrupt Conway family. It’s a career move, and absolutely not a vendetta against the oldest son Noel, who ghosted Dean after a mind-blowing weekend together. Noel Conway needs a new start—After years away, Noel has come home to rebuild the bridges he’s burned. Too bad his past caused a ripple effect he can’t outrun. Now, he’s asked to save his family from the one man he never expected to see again but can’t forget. Dean is chasing front-page news, and Noel is trying to protect the ones he loves. But the line between enemies and lovers gets blurred when a dangerous criminal from Noel’s past resurfaces. Will the truth shatter their tentative trust? Or do they have a shot at happily ever after? But none of that matters when suddenly Noel disappears… Down the Line, the final book in the award-winning Jake’s Bar series, is a spicy, M/M romantic suspense featuring a rainbow-colored bar full of quirky characters, and all the romance you can handle. So, download today, and get ready to fall in love with Jake’s Bar. Warnings: smoking cigarettes and weed in the hot tub, kidnapping (on page scenes restrained), verbally abusive father About the Series: The award-winning Jake’s Bar series is a set of steamy, M/M romantic suspense novels, featuring a rainbow- colored bar full of quirky characters, and all the romance you can handle. Giveaway AG is giving away a $10 Amazon gift card with this tour: Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b60e8d47310/? Excerpt As Dean reached the top of the staircase, a man stepped out of the shadows in front of his door. Dean straightened his shoulders. “Detective Conway.” “Hunt.” In a parallel universe, they might have been friends. They were fighting the same fight. Had the same enemies. In this world, they weren’t brothers in arms. In this world, Dean had been cast as the villain. “How can I help you this fine morning?” “Open the door. We gotta talk.” “Look, it’s been a long night—” “Just open the damn door.” Conway snarled, pushing into Dean’s personal space. Dean stood his ground. “Are you here in an official capacity? Because then, the answer is no, I won’t let you in. You have no warrant, no permission to search my property. I don’t consent—” “Just shut the fuck up. None of us wants this shitshow to be on the record,” Con growled. Dean, curious, took a step back and raised his empty hand, palm up. “Okay.” He fished for his key, pushed open the door, and quickly disarmed his alarm system. Conway didn’t wait to be invited in, just crossed the living room, dropped his shearling coat onto the sofa, then walked over to the large window overlooking the river. The view was the only redeeming feature of Dean’s otherwise-generic apartment. The mess didn’t help. There were dirty dishes piled up in the sink, a pizza box on the breakfast counter separating the cramped kitchen from the living room, and an unmade bed in the other corner of the room. “For a guy who anxiously waited at my doorstep, you’re awfully quiet.” Dean smirked. “Coffee?” “No.” Conway turned his back, now studying the row of framed newspaper front pages Dean had hung on the apartment’s interior wall. His personal collection of historic headlines—headlines that changed the world. The oldest was from July 6, 1776. The Pennsylvania Evening Post, printing the Declaration of Independence on its front page. Next to it, the Daily Telegram, declaring the end of the Second World War. The two most recent, the New York Times’ “OBAMA: Racial barrier falls in heavy turnout” and, of course, the front page the day after 9/11. Dean had added a few more personal favorites, like Moneta J. Sleet’s photography of Coretta Scott King at MLK’s funeral. The first Black man to win the Pulitzer for journalism. Conway took his time examining each framed newspaper. Dean already regretted allowing the intrusion into his space. He felt exposed—vulnerable—under silent scrutiny. Irritated, he started banging around the kitchen. He was in no mood to explain that looking at those headlines every day fueled his ambitions and inspired his dreams. Dean believed with every fiber of his being in the power of a free and independent press. He turned on the coffee machine and leaned against the counter. As if Conway felt Dean’s angry glare across the room, he finally turned and stared right back. For a moment, they engaged in a silent standoff. Unease flittered through Dean. Camille had been right. Her brother was seething with anger. And Dean had no fucking idea what he’d done to piss him off. He sighed and shook his head, then took two mugs out of the cabinet and put them onto the island. “Miguel, have a damn coffee. You look like you need it.” “Says the man who clearly slept in his party clothes and crept home at sunup.” “Guilty as charged.” Dean shrugged. Conway curled his lip. “I do not know what my sister sees in you.” It wasn’t a question, so Dean didn’t bother with an answer. “You wanted to talk? So, talk.” Instead of talking, though, Conway pulled out a stack of papers. Pushing aside the coffee cups to make room, he spread them out over the counter. Dean froze. The first blurry photograph featured Dean in another man’s arms. In the next, the same man was pressing Dean against a white porch railing, his own hands tangled in the man’s messy curls. Conway fanned the stack, revealing nearly a dozen more. Dean and Noel Conway, kissing. Suddenly, he was there again, the ocean breeze tugging on his clothes. Noel’s warm skin, tasting like sunshine and a hint of salt, his eyes blown with desire. Goddamn, so fucking beautiful, with that shy smile, whispered promises-- Dean’s throat was desert dry. His ragged breath and the hissing of the coffee machine came together like a fucking symphony. “I—” “Save it. My sister thinks you’re this hotshot journalist. Full of passion. Braving adversity. Motivated by a noble cause. Yeah, fuck that. You’re after my family because Noel pounded your ass, then dropped you like he does everybody else. Your pride—your precious ego—is hurt because you’re just another notch in my brother’s carved-up bedpost.” Conway grabbed his jacket and walked to the door. He turned and added, “Watch it, Hunt. You got no job. No friends. No prospects. But if you think you’ve reached rock bottom, think again.” Dean contained himself until he heard his door close with a soft click. Only then did he allow himself to swipe papers, cups, and the fucking photos off his counter. The cups shattered on the tile floor. Author Bio Eighteen years ago, AG Meiers came to the US for adventure and stayed for love. Currently, she lives in New England with her husband and two awesome kids—balancing work, friends and family, and writing. When she has some free time, her favorite thing to do is travel and visit new places. Her past trips have already brought her to a variety of countries on four continents. She never passes up an opportunity to experience different cultures, diverse people and amazing locations. Even though she has been dreaming up stories all her life, she has only recently started to write them down and share them with the world. As a writer she loves to put her characters through a lot of challenges, conflict and heartbreak, before she allows them to find their happy-ever-after. Author Website: https://www.agmeiers.com Author Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/ag.meiers.1/ Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agmeiers/ Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/AG-Meiers/author/B07MCHQH5B My snippet is from Tethered Pair, book 5 of Sentries. “Sure sounds like trouble in paradise,” Leo said. He seemed genuinely compassionate. Nick wasn’t falling for his words or for Leo’s hand that came to rest gently on Nick’s knee. Twisting on the stool to face Leo, Nick ducked his head, brushed his hair back from his forehead in the way that made sure Todd was anything but flat as a pancake, and said in a soft, husky voice, “Thanks. He’s not so bad, not really. I just wish he’d notice me more. And that I’d get laid more than once every few years.” “I know some people who will definitely take notice of a good-looking young man like you,” Leo said. Nick tilted his head to one side. Leo wasn’t interested in him, or likely any man, no matter how hard he was trying to convince Nick otherwise. “I’m still not interested in anything but playing some billiards. Mr. McCabe may spend more time throwing cards than me, but that’s all he does. He never even looks at anyone else.” That was something Nick could say with complete honesty, though he doubted Leo had any special skills comparable to Nick’s. Hopefully there was no one involved who could read minds. Tethered Pair is Published by JMS Books and is available in eBook and paperback. Read all the amazing and diverse snippets in the
Rainbow Snippets Facebook group. Beyond that was a gymnasium and a section for storage under the auditorium. “Do you hear anything?” Jacobs called. Tom shook his head. “Split up. You look near the auditorium, and I’ll check the gym.” He sprinted toward the gym; the locker rooms were the first thing he came to. Stopping at the entrance, he held his breath and listened. Soft whimpering and sobbing was coming from near an equipment locker. Tom rushed in that direction and found a little girl. She was the little sister of one of his students. “I had to use the bathroom. I didn’t mean to leave the class.” She looked up at him with tear-stained eyes. Tom knelt in front of her. “Where is everyone else?” This little girl was too young to be one of the students in the rooms on the second floor. She pointed to the gym, then to the auditorium. He took her hand and led her out of the locker room. “There was a strange man,” she said. “I’ll find him. Right now I want you to go outside, through there. Can you do that?” The girl nodded. “Your brother is out on the playground. Go there as fast as you can and stay with him.” She nodded again and said, “I will.” Tom stood and turned when he heard movement behind him. At the same time, he gave the little girl’s back a gentle shove. “Go on. I’ll get the others and be right behind you.” He watched until she was far enough away he knew she’d be fine. Clenching his fists, Tom turned and hardened his stare at the man standing before him. “Archie, what the hell are you doing?” His gaze slipped to keys dangling in Archie’s hand. A glance to the side and slightly behind Archie, and Tom saw a puddle of blood and feet. The shoes on the feet were Mr. Jacobs’s. They both jumped when the door to the gym rattled and someone banged on it. Tom saw a chain had been pulled through the door handles and fastened together with a heavy lock. Tom held out his hand and marched forward, grabbing at the keys and snapping out, “Christ, are you insane? This is a school, you ass! Give me those keys!” Archie came at him and grabbed Tom’s arm, and something sharp was shoved into his side. He carries a shiv. “Come on, you’re getting me out,” Archie growled. Click the banner to find dozens of books!
NEW RELEASE Book Title: An Unrivaled Off-Season (Hockey Ever After, #3.5) Author: Ashlyn Kane & Morgan James Publisher: Dreamspinner Press Cover Artist: L.C. Chase Release Date: April 2, 2024 Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance, M/M sports romance Tropes: Rivals to lovers, established relationship Themes: Meeting the family, starting a life together, Heat Rating: 3.5 flames Length: 27 808 words/ 96 pages It is not a standalone story. It follows directly after Unrivaled (Book 3 - same couple) and won’t make much sense without it. It does not end on a cliffhanger. Available in Kindle Unlimited Sometimes the best win comes in the off-season. Blurb Any other year, hockey player Grady Armstrong would be licking his wounds after a disappointing playoffs exit. Somehow, this year, he’s in the stands as his rival-turned-boyfriend Max Lockhart competes for the Stanley Cup… and there’s nowhere he’d rather be. Well, except maybe lifting the Cup himself. So along with preparing his body for next season, Grady prepares to ask Max to stay in his life permanently. Excerpt The day after the parade, Grady and Max took Max’s parents to the train station. “Thank you so much for the hospitality,” Max’s mom gushed as she hugged Grady goodbye. “You’ve been a wonderful host.” Grady, who didn’t know how to talk to parents because his had died before he became an adult, looked embarrassed. “It’s Max’s house too.” This was an abject lie; Max’s name was nowhere near the paperwork. He just lived there. But Max’s parents didn’t know that—at least Max didn’t think they did. Max’s dad just said, “I hope you’ll come out and visit us all this summer. It would be good to see you.” They shook hands and Grady said, “I’ll be there.” Max almost fell over. How many boyfriend points was that? Was Grady doing some kind of speed run? “I’m flying, though,” Grady continued, gesturing at the train platform. Max’s mom laughed and hugged him again. “I don’t blame you. We’ll see you in a few weeks, boys.” When she wrapped Max up in her arms, she squeezed so tightly Max’s eyeballs almost popped. “I’m so happy for you, sweetheart. You deserve this.” Max was less than 50 percent sure she was talking about hockey, but he squeezed back. “Love you, Mom. Couldn’t have done it without you.” “You’re darn right.” Then they got on the train, and Max and Grady got back in the car to go home. “I’m supposed to do altitude training with Jess in Colorado this summer.” Grady flicked on the blinker to merge onto the highway. “Ten days in early August. You want to come?” Max swallowed. Grady took sibling time with Jess very seriously, since they were each other’s only family. “I won’t be crashing?” Grady glanced at him sideways, then returned his attention to the road and changed lanes. “I’m inviting you, so no.” “Okay.” Max felt warm all the way through. He would’ve needed to do some altitude training anyway, but it meant something to have an official invite. “Thanks.” “I mean….” Grady paused and hit the brakes as LA traffic LA trafficked. “That’s assuming you’re not sick of me by then, I guess. Or were you planning on having me stay with your parents?” What? Max tilted his head and stared at him. “Why would you stay with my parents?” Grady’s ears had gone pink. “’Cause you still haven’t officially invited me to your Cup party. Or, you know, your house in New Brunswick.” Oh. “Okay, well, now that I’m not drunk, hungover, or jinxing it, hey, Grady, do you want to come spend the summer with me in New Brunswick?” The car jolted a little as Grady braked hard to avoid an accident. When he’d navigated around it, he said, “The whole summer?” “I mean, other than going to Colorado and maybe if you want to take a vacation somewhere.” Preferably with Max, but would that be too much? “I mean, we don’t see a lot of each other during the season, so—” “Yes.” So many boyfriend points. “Are you sure? I’m related to, like, half of New Brunswick. It’s going to be a lot.” “I can handle it,” Grady said. Max heard, You’re worth it. They were worth it. Truthfully, it would be a lot for Max too. His family would give him endless shit over falling in love with a rival player—and Grady, who had a reputation as kind of a stick in the mud, would provide plenty of opportunities for his aunts and uncles and cousins to mock him. But Max had never minded that, and he didn’t think Grady would either. At Christmas last year, Grady’d held his own with Max’s siblings and niblings, and Max’s heart had grown three sizes because he got to give Grady a full family holiday experience. And that was before they were technically even together. It was Max’s pleasure to provide Grady with family-level chirping—and to be chirped about him—forever. Well. Now he knew what happened if someone got too many boyfriend points. Max cleared his throat. “Okay, then. I’ll book us tickets.” About the Authors Ashlyn Kane likes to think she can do it all, but her follow-through often proves her undoing. Her house is as full of half-finished projects as her writing folder. With the help of her ADHD meds, she gets by. Morgan James is a clueless (older) millennial who’s still trying to figure out what they’ll be when they grow up and enjoying the journey to get there. Now, with a couple of degrees, a few stints in Europe, and more than one false start to a career, they eagerly wait to see what’s next. James started writing fiction before they could spell and wrote their first (unpublished) novel in middle school. They haven’t stopped writing since. Geek, artist, archer, and fanatic, Morgan tends to pass their free hours with in imaginary worlds and people on pages and screens—it’s an addiction. As is their love of coffee and tea. They live in Canada with their massive collection of unread books, where they are the personal servant of too many four-legged creatures. Author Links Blog/Website | Facebook Group | Facebook Profile NEW RELEASE Book Title: Thrill (Pleasure Seekers, Book 1) Author and Publisher: Kristian Parker Cover Artist: Kelly Martin Release Date: April 5, 2024 Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance Tropes: Friends with Benefits to lovers, workplace romance Themes: Resolving family issues. Trigger warning – deals with historical suicide attempt Length: 50 040 words/ 214 pages Heat Rating: 5 flames It is not a standalone story, but does not end on a cliffhanger. Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited Blurb Tyler Jones is celebrating hitting his mid-thirties with a new job and it’s unlike anywhere he’s ever worked before. Pleasure Seekers is an sex toy retail company based in the seaside resort of Brighton. On his first day, Tyler finds himself in a very sticky situation with the drop-dead gorgeous Danny Healy. This man is next-level handsome. When Danny offers to help Tyler become personally acquainted with some of the items the company sells online, the heat truly blasts off. But Tyler has never been one for meaningless sex. When he gets to know Danny, he finds so much more than he ever expected. What could happen if the lines of their arrangement were blurred a little? Trigger warning – discussion of historical emotional struggles and attempted suicide. Excerpt Taking the opportunity to study his new colleagues, he was excited. Everyone seemed as though they were enjoying one another’s company. Tyler couldn’t wait until he was one of them properly. In his old place he’d largely kept to himself. Things are looking up. “Attention, everyone,” Eddie said, clapping his hands together. “Thank you for taking time out of your busy days. I won’t keep you too long. We’ve been given six samples of lube but we’re only taking one. Two at a push. All you have to do is, in pairs, smell the scents and rate them out of five. Easy as that. When you’re done, there’s a free doughnut here for you.” “I doubt I’ll fancy a glazed ring after sniffing this lot,” a man piped up. “Thank you, Scott,” Eddie replied. “Helpful as ever. Grab a seat, folks.” Tyler sat at the nearest table. As the others took their own chairs, it became apparent, to Tyler’s horror, that they were an odd number. No prizes for guessing who the Billy-No-Mates would be. He’d gone from hero to zero in less than a minute. Anticipating everyone turning to stare at him, Tyler tried to force a smile on his face. Then one of the most handsome men Tyler had ever set eyes on walked in. Medium height with a dark brown crew cut and tan skin, he stood in the doorway like some overalls-clad sex god. Tyler was mesmerised. “Danny,” Eddie said. “Good to see you.” “Sorry I’m late.” He looked around the room until his gaze rested on Tyler. A lopsided smile crept onto his face. Tyler suddenly felt very warm. “No worries,” Eddie said. “Why don’t you go and join Tyler?” Boom, things were on the up again. “Lucky Tyler,” Scott added. Tyler wasn’t easy to embarrass. Yet he could feel his face burning. He nodded at Danny, who slumped down in a chair. Mercifully, everyone else set about the task in hand. “Tyler. New starter?” Danny said, giving Tyler a once-over. “Yes,” Tyler replied. “The Head of Procurement.” There came the lopsided smile once more. It seemed to mainline straight into Tyler’s gut. And lower. “How about you?” Danny tugged at his overalls. “Warehouse.” Suddenly, the door flung open. A red-faced Barry stood there. “What do you think you’re doing? No one told me about a lube testing.” “I didn’t know I had to,” Eddie replied. “Of course you do,” Barry spluttered. “Then I can put protective coating on the floor. If anyone drops one tiny bit on my new carpet tiles, I will personally supervise you getting it out.” Not waiting for a reply, he slammed the door shut. “Please be careful, guys,” Eddie said. “For my sake.” A ripple of amusement swept through the room. “Poor old Barry,” Danny said. “Always wanting perfection. He’ll give himself an ulcer one day.” “He should sample some of the products. There’s a man who needs a prostate massager and no mistake,” Tyler replied. Danny covered his face. “Don’t put pictures in my head.” About the Author I have written for as long as I could write. In fact, before, when I would dictate to my auntie. I love to read, and I love to create worlds and characters. I live in the English countryside. When I’m not writing, I like to get out there and think through the next scenario I’m going to throw my characters into. Inspiration can be found anywhere, on a train, in a restaurant or in an office. I am always in search of the next character to find love in one of my stories. In a world of apps and online dating, it is important to remember love can be found when you least expect it. Author Links Blog/Website | Facebook | Instagram | Newsletter Sign-up Giveaway Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win your choice of ebook from Kristian's backlist (5 winners) Kai, Ori, Forge, and Madison scattered. They formed a circle around the battling werewolves. As soon as Lucas and Kruger got close to Kai, he took a running start and slammed into them, knocking them away from the ladder. Kruger surprised Kai by barreling past him, shoving Kai and Forge away with one swipe of his arms. Ori darted between Kruger and Lucas. Kruger swiped at Lucas, but instead of slashing Lucas’s throat and chest, his claws dug into Ori’s abdomen. The pain telegraphed from Ori to Kai made him stumble and drop to his knees. Alarms sounded and lights flashed. The facility shuddered but this time there was the distinct sound of water sluicing in below their feet. Metal, glass and who knew what else crunched and popped. The lower level was collapsing in on itself. Forge scooped Kai off the ground. They ran to Lucas and Ori. Lucas reverted to human and dropped down beside Ori. He covered one of Ori’s wounds, trying to press down. “He’s bleeding. I have to stop the bleeding.” Ori rolled to one side, gasping. “He’ll live.” Forge grabbed Lucas’s arm and yanked him away from the ladder. Kai got one arm under Ori and hauled him up. “The maintenance shaft is over there.” Madison lunged at Kruger. He leapt into the air and landed a solid kick to Kruger’s face. Kruger tumbled down the ladder. It was impressive, considering Madison was human. He ran to them, and Kai pushed him ahead of he and Ori. Kai had a second’s pang of guilt, not going after Kruger, but hearing how the lower level was collapsing there wasn’t much chance of helping him. Lucas stumbled and fell. His arms and chest were covered with wounds, and he dripped blood. Forge pulled him up and Lucas dropped one arm over his shoulder. “On my back,” Forge ordered. Carrying Lucas, Forge took Ori’s other arm, helping Kai carry him. The floor buckled and the walls around them began to crunch. “That sound can’t be good,” Kai groaned. They were almost to the shaft when the door to the lab slammed shut and a barrier dropped down. “We can still use the ladder.” Kai swung Ori and Madison around, stumbling to the ladder leading to the first level. He shoved Ori up and turned to help Madison. “Go, go!” Forge yelled. They were barely on the first level when Kruger burst through the opening from the lower level, howling what Kai recognized as a challenge. How the hell he was able to follow them, Kai had no idea. Lucas shoved away from Forge and twisted around, shifting back to pure werewolf at the same time. Before Lucas reached Kruger, Madison got behind him and leapt onto his back, shouting between gritted teeth. He pulled a hunting knife from a sheath on his belt and plunged it into Kruger’s neck. Kruger howled, stumbled backward and twisted, trying to dislodge Madison. Madison threw his weight back. His movement was enough to unbalance Kruger. They tumbled backward down the ladder. For a few seconds there were two distinct voices screaming then nothing other than the sound of water coming in and the second and third levels detaching and collapsing. There wasn’t much time to process what just happened. The entire facility was shaking. All around them the structure snapped and popped. Forge shoved away from the floor and got close enough to Lucas to catch him when he reverted to his human form and collapsed. “The shafts will all seal. Move!” Margo rushed to them, helping them up. Sophia and Porter appeared. Even with vampire hearing Kai couldn’t hear their words over the cacophony surrounding them. There's only a few days left to get the entire The Sleepless City series for $2.99 for each eBook! Sale ends March 31, 2024 Declan crouched low in the shadows. Lucas had once described the difference between Declan and Forge perfectly. Forge would come at an opponent head on. Declan was, in Lucas’s words, the “deadly assassin of the night.” He’d disarm and disable an adversary before they ever knew he was there, and he had a spectacular repertoire of means to accomplish those ends.
Blair almost felt sorry for anyone approaching and threatening him. Almost. The human they’d chased moved cautiously out of the elevator space. He looked one way then the other as he walked in Blair’s direction. Blair reminded himself he’d been human a few short years ago. Looking afraid and in pain wasn’t difficult. He was afraid and in pain. From behind his back, the man pulled a gun and held it in front of him in what Blair recognized now as an assault position. Coming to a stop opposite Blair, the man used one foot to shove against the chunk of concrete. Blair shivered and looked up at the man. He gulped in a breath and gagged. The man smirked. “Where’s your buddy, and why were you chasing me?” “I’m bleeding,” Blair whispered. The gun discharged, and a bullet ricocheted off the concrete, sending a spray of dust and stone slivers into the air. Blair flinched, then hissed in a breath and stifled a sob. “Help me. Please?” “How the hell did you even survive that fall?” The man’s eyes narrowed, and he raised the gun, taking aim at Blair’s head. “Tell me where the other guy is and I’ll make it fast.” He moved a few feet to the side and glared at Blair. “What were you two chasing me for? And why were you in the other building?” “Why were you in the…?” Blair cringed and his voice cracked and broke. He heard Declan moving into position behind the man. “He left me. The b-bastard. W-we were there to…” Blair sucked in a succession of breaths, tilted to the side as much as possible, and groaned out one long sigh, then slumped down. The man’s heartbeat ramped higher audibly. “Hey, no. Tell me what you—” He garbled some odd noise, his words abruptly cut off. Blair opened his eyes and turned his head to watch. One minute no one stood behind the man, and the next Declan was there with an arm around the guy’s chest, holding him in place. His other hand gripped the man’s chin. “Drop it,” Declan snarled. The man struggled, and Declan gave him a small jerk. “I was sixteen the first time I killed a man with my bare hands. You’re responsible for my young friend here being hurt. Drop. It.” The man sucked in a breath, but his fingers opened, and the gun fell to the ground. “I will kill you. You have the choice of it being quick and painless—here one minute, not here the next. Or…” Declan moved his hand and pressed against the man’s neck. “Do you feel where my thumb is pressing in? Enough pressure there will sever your spinal cord.” “Fuck you. You can’t really—” Blair watched as Declan tightened his arm around the man’s rib cage and jerked up with enough force to raise the guy’s feet off the ground for a few seconds. His face turned red, and he gulped. “Getting hard to breathe? I’m a vampire. That makes me strong enough to crush your rib cage and snap your neck.” “You’re delusional,” the guy grumbled. Declan’s eyes changed to a solid moss green, and his fangs dropped. He turned the man’s head far enough to see him. “Whether or not you believe in our existence is irrelevant. Who are you working for?” The man spit at Declan. Heaving a long-suffering sigh, Declan said, “Hollywood makes it look so smooth. One twist of his neck—” He gave the man’s chin a jerk. “—and the bad guy just falls dead. No pain, no fuss, no muss, no real knowledge of what happened to him. Just dead. In reality, you’d lie there, conscious, unable to move and fully cognizant of the fact that you’re suffocating.” He shook his head ever so slightly. “It must be horrible—knowing your lungs aren’t working and being unable to draw a breath. Yet your mind knows what’s happening.” Declan ripped at the guy’s shirt collar with his fangs. “But one bite in the right spot and you’ll bleed out so fast you’ll never suffer, never know.” “I’m not telling you anything,” the man ground out. The muscles in Declan’s arm tensed, and Blair thought he heard ribs cracking. “It would be a shame if one of your lungs were punctured. Air in your chest cavity is an atrocious feeling.” Declan moved so he was speaking into the man’s other ear. “If you’re going to continue in this line of work, you really should learn more about human anatomy.” He shrugged. “A little tip.” He relaxed his grip on the man’s chest. “Now, answer my questions.” |
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