novella

Notes from Home by Dirk Greyson: Exclusive Excerpt, Blog Tour and New Release Review

December 10, 2019 by Denise

While deployed on a covert mercenary assignment, Johnny doesn’t have much in the way of holiday cheer. But the mysterious notes from Dex that somehow appear in his bunk—reminding him of the gifts, cookies, celebrations, and most of all, love, waiting for him back in Wisconsin—help him get through the long, hot days. Will they be enough to keep his spirits up when the rest of his unit goes home to their families and he’s left alone?

Title: Notes From Home

Author: Dirk Greyson

Series: Stand Alone

Genre: M/M, Contemporary, Holiday Romance

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Release Date: Dec 1 2019

Edition/Formats: eBook & Print

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Dreamspinner Press

I set the letter aside and closed my eyes, thinking I could almost reach out and touch him. Dex seemed so close for a moment, but he wasn’t here, and I was spending another holiday away from the people I knew, just like I had for the last eight years. Outside, it was hot enough to fry eggs on the vehicle hoods, and yet for a few seconds, the bracing cold and covering of white back home had carried me away.

I stood up, put the letter back in the envelope, and set it next to the other three on the board just above my bed, the carefully crafted construction-paper snowman joining a Christmas tree, an ornament, and a Santa. I stilled, looking at all four of them, and sighed for just a second. Then the door to our quarters opened and thunked closed, popping the bubble of imagination and longing. I turned away from the letters and gathered my things before heading toward the bathroom and a much-needed shower. I stepped out of my cubicle, and Henry Cavit waved from the far side, stopping me.

This was a very short little story, but it was so heartwarming. It didn’t need to have a lot of background to really get the feel of the story.

Dex made mystery happen for Johnny who never really had a chance to have a happy holiday at home. So, Dex made it as happy as he could away from home. I won’t give away much, but I will say, the puppy on the cover does come into play 😉 and there is a happy ending. 🙂

4 pieces of eye candy for this short but sweet holiday story

Dirk is very much an outside kind of man. He loves travel and seeing new things. Dirk worked in corporate America for way too long and now spends his days writing, gardening, and taking care of the home he shares with his partner of more than two decades. He has a Master’s Degree and all the other accessories that go with a corporate job. But he is most proud of the stories he tells and the life he’s built. Dirk lives in Pennsylvania in a century old home and is blessed with an amazing circle of friends.

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Amalgamated by Becca Seymour: Blog Tour, Excerpt, New Release Review *2, Giveaway

October 1, 2019 by Denise

After five years of living in the UK, it’s time for Leo to return home to his dad’s stud farm in outback Australia. He has no idea what to expect when he arrives. He didn’t exactly leave with balloons and banners.

Nope. His farewell involved destruction and his own heart split in two.

He knows seeing the man who’s always held his heart, Zak, is going to be awkward. The older farm manager made his feelings pretty damn clear when Leo hightailed it out of there.

Leo quickly figures out life is going to get complicated and a whole heap more exciting as his trip home becomes so much more.

Amalgamated is a fun and steamy M/M short story in Becca Seymour’s Coming Home series. Stand-alone romances complete with heat, wit, and happily ever afters.

Escape with Leo and Zak in outback Australia as they discover it sometimes takes time, distance, and interfering family to amalgamate.

Book Title: Amalgamated

Author: Becca Seymour

Publisher: Rainbow Tree Publishing

Cover Artist: Soxsational Cover Art

Release Date: September 28, 2019

Genre/s: Small-Town M/M Romance

Trope/s: Friends to lovers, May to December,

Themes: Forgiveness

Heat Rating: 3 flames

Length: 18 000 words/70 pages approx.

It is a standalone story.

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Realigned (Coming Home #1) – FREE READ

“Promise you won’t be mad.”

Groaning, I shook my head. Any request starting that way was going to result in me being pissed off. “What did you do?”

This time her glance my way had me tensing. Concern flickered in her eyes. When she focused on the road ahead, she blew out her cheeks, her lips pursed. “We’re heading to mine.”

“Okay?” I dragged out the word. I’d figured that out since we weren’t heading towards Dad and Michelle’s.

“Dad kinda got excited about you coming home.”

My stomach dipped. I just knew where she was heading with this. Slamming my eyes shut, I waited for her next words.

They came out in a rush. “Sohekindainvitedaheapofpeopleover. But…” She gasped for breath. “…it’s not technically a party, as there aren’t banners or balloons.”

My eyes sprang open, and I stared at her wide-eyed.

She glanced at me, a mix of horror and amusement on her face. “You owe me big for talking him out of that.”

“Yet you couldn’t have talked him into a small family meal?”

She shrugged. “I did try, but, Leo.” She paused, emotion swirling in her eyes, and I swallowed. This was just one of the reasons I’d stayed away. Guilt still clawed at me whenever I gave it life. “Dad was so excited you were coming home. You know he still doesn’t understand why you left. If it had just been heading to the city, that would have been a struggle, but you travelled to the other side of the world.”

My gut clenched. I still felt shit for leaving my dad, but I had my own life to live, and taking over my dad’s stud farm wasn’t what I wanted. Plus there was the major screw-up with how I destroyed any semblance of a friendship with Zak.

“There’s more.”

I flashed Jen a resigned look.

“Dad obviously invited Zak.”

My heart seized, and my gut churned. This could not be happening. While I’d anticipated seeing him, I wasn’t prepared for it to be the first night I got home. In hindsight, this was ridiculously naïve of me, considering his place was only a hundred metres or so away from the main house on the property.

“I know, I know, but best to get the whole awkwardness out of the way, right?” She reached out and gave my hand a small squeeze. After I’d run out on Zak the night I’d left, it had taken just a handful of calls from Jen for her to recognize something was wrong and for me to spill my guts. We remained close, even with the distance of the past five years, and without her in my corner, life certainly would have been trickier.

“Yeah, I suppose.” There was something to be said for ripping the Band-Aid off, but my gut clenched in anticipation.

Unrequited love is the absolute worst. I can remember being fourteen and the new boy came to school and being the first person to see him, because I’d gotten sent out into the hallway for disrupting class. I was a talker that talked back when I called on it. It was sixth grade, what do you want from me?

Anyway… everyone had a crush on him, but he became my twin brothers best friend, which sparked the crush to end all crushes, I still act like a fan girl when he comes around and I’m pushin 35…. I’m not proud of it, but come on!

Anyway, much like Leo, I acted out my jealousy and if running away had been an option, I would’ve probably done that too. So, I can relate. When Leo told the man he’d grown up with that he had feelings for him, being rebuffed had him acting out in a big way before leaving home for the next five years and licking his wounds. Now, going back for a two week holiday, he plans to apologize for how he left things and hopefully make amends.

Zak has other plans though, not letting Leo take all the blame, sure he kind of overreacted just before he left by throwing a major hissy fit, but, Zak understood. He knew how Leo felt and for how long he’d felt it. But, being near on a decade older than Leo, I can understand his hesitation, not to mention how close Zak is to the family. It wasn’t something he could’ve just jumped into with a then 17-year-old Leo.

Fortunately, enough time has passed and Leo is home, so Zak goes about setting things right too. Because even though it wasn’t the right time way back when, Zak cared a lot about Leo and his feelings have only grown since he’s been away.

Ah, if only every unrequited story could end like that…not so unrequited after all.

I enjoyed reading about these two and it was sweet seeing them work everything out, especially because Leo’s family, namely his dad wanted him back home so bad. If you like second chancers, cute accents and quiet cowboys, you’ll adore this one.

4 Pieces of Eye Candy

Cute, quick read set in the Australian Outback.

I am not the biggest fan of shorts, but sometimes you want a quick read. This will fit the bill.

Leo goes home for the first time in five years and has to face his first crush, Zak. When his unrequited love is not returned, he destroys Zak’s most prized possession. So he also is returning home with his proverbial tail between his legs.

And even though the book was short, they still took the time to explain and talk and realize what was going on. THEN things got hot an heavy.

So if you have an hour to kill and don’t want to read anything heavy, this is for you.

Becca Seymour lives and breathes all things book related. Usually with at least three books being read and two WiPs being written at the same time, life is merrily hectic. She tends to do nothing by halves so happily seeks the craziness and busyness life offers.

Living on her small property in Queensland with her human family as well as her animal family of cows, chooks, and dogs, Becca appreciates the beauty of the world around her and is a believer that love truly is love.

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Of Autumn Leaves and New Beginnings by Nell Iris: New Release Review

September 25, 2019 by Denise

At 47, Oren Walker isn’t looking for love. When he knocks on Pete Higgins’ door, all he wants is to thank him for helping his mom after she broke her femur. He never expected that one look at the man would make his knees weak and heart flutter.

Pete is happy, albeit a bit lonely, after divorcing his wife of twenty years and isn’t looking to replace her. But when Oren shows up, all grateful and handsome and in that fancy suit, the longing for the deep connection of a relationship flares up inside him.

As the leaves turn yellow, Oren and Pete spend a lot of time in honest conversations. Their attraction grows. Will the two men recognize the promise of new beginnings, and take the chance to find the happiness they both deserve?

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Very sweet read. The two characters in this one, Oren and Pete are two middle-aged men who have lived a lifetime already. Oren has spent his life traveling for work, though I’m not a hundred percent sure what it is he does, something to do with the internet lol but, it doesn’t matter. His company is constantly sending here and there so he’s never had the time to settle down and start a family, which is okay because he’s got an amazingly sweet and supportive mom, who happens to have taken a fall and broken her leg at 75, which is why he comes home and goes to check on her. When he finds out this it’s her neighbor, Pete, who heard her crying out for help, he of course, has to go and thank him.

Pete married his college sweetheart and had two kids that they raised to adulthood before he realized that even though he loves her, he wasn’t in love with her anymore. Same with her, they just kind of fell out of love, but stayed best friends. She’s very supportive and encouraging when the neighbors son comes over to thank him for helping his mother when he was out of town, and develops a little crush.

They get along well, but Oren thinks Pete’s married, and why wouldn’t he? The man has pictures of his family together and sees the ex-wife at Pete’s, so it was an honest mistake to make.
When Pete makes it clear that he’s not married and interested, he asks Oren on a date.

It’s all just very cute. Their date is cute and both men know what they want and don’t waste time getting it. No games, no pettiess, no mixed messages or drama. They like each other, they date and then we end on five years later with some wonderful news and the combining of families.

Short and sweet and very worth the read

4 Pieces of Eye Candy

The Prince and His Bedeviled Bodyguard by Charlie Cochet: RB, Excerpt and New Release Review

September 20, 2019 by Denise

Prince Owin

Being a fierce predator—not at all adorable, despite my graceful stature—the last thing I needed was a bodyguard. Especially a wolf shifter, whose presence alone was an insult to my princely principles. As Prince of the Ocelot Shifters, I prided myself on my infallible feline instincts, uncompromisable dignity, and flawless fashion sense. If having a canine follow me around at all times wasn’t bad enough, I now faced the most important moment of my entire life. The time had come to prove I was worthy of my crown. If only I could find a way to get rid of the pesky bodyguard.

Grimmwolf

When the King of All Shifters asked me to guard Prince Owin, I admit I had no idea what to expect. Cat shifters tend to be a little intense, not to mention kinda cranky. Owin was no exception, though he seemed crankier than most. Being his bodyguard was proving to be one of the greatest challenges of my life—but not nearly as great as convincing him there was something special between us. When Owin is faced with a perilous quest to prove his worth, I was determined to keep him safe, even if the same couldn’t be said of my heart.

Title: The Prince and His Bedeviled Bodyguard

Series Title: Paranormal Princes Book # 1

Author: Charlie Cochet

Length: Novella

Genre: Paranormal Shifters

Word Count: 31, 417

Release Date: September 19th, 2019

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

“What the—” Grimm dropped the orb, and we both jumped back. To my utter disbelief, it spread upward and sideways until it was roughly the size of a large doorway, a forest appearing inside. “Hmm. What do you know? A portal that will take us where we want to go.”

How cross would the king be with me if I accidentally pushed Grimm off a cliff? Or left him with the Cù Sìth? Not like he didn’t have plenty of wolf shifters. What was one less in the grand scheme of things?

Grimm narrowed his eyes at me. “You’re not leaving me behind.”

How did he do that? “Are you sure you’re not a seer wolf?”

Grimm didn’t look impressed. “You’re right. I’m a seer. My curse is that I’m limited to visions of you being a jerk.”

I opened my mouth to respond, then thought better of it. “Can we just go?”

“As you wish, Your Highness.” He bowed and motioned for me to go ahead. Clearly, he thought I was an idiot.

“What if it’s a trap and I step through and burst into flames? You go first.”

“Your generosity knows no bounds, my liege. Fine. I’ll go first, but if I meet my demise, my blood is on your hands.”

I shrugged. “I’ll get over it.”

“So mean.” He shook his head at me and stepped through. On the other side, he turned and held his arms out. “See? All good. Wait….” He gasped and clutched at his chest. “What’s happening to me? It burns!”

“Grimm?” My heart lurched in my chest, and I stepped up to the portal.

“I can’t,” he gasped, falling to his knees. “I can’t….”

“Can’t what!” Oh my Goddess, oh my Goddess. I never expected him to actually burst into flames! I flailed around feeling utterly helpless. “What do I do? Is it flames? Are you bursting into flames?” I frantically looked around. “I don’t see a fire extinguisher!” Not that I knew how to use one. I’d just have to toss it at him and hope he could do it himself.

“I can’t….” He gasped for breath. “I can’t… believe you fell for that,” he said with a laugh.

“I’m going to kill you!” I darted into the portal, ignoring his laughter as he took off, his long legs putting him out of my reach in a heartbeat. “I hate you!”

“Admit it! You were worried about me,” he called out from across the field.

“Worried you’d die and I wouldn’t be able to pry the magic purse off your cold, dead, dog-smelling corpse!”

“It’s a satchel!”

A new shifter series by Charlie Cochet! YAY!

Trust me, this ain’t THIRDS. Yes it has shifters and snark and witty dialogue, but that’s where the similarities end.

In this world there are all sorts of shifters, magic, a King, many princes, alphas and don’t forget the Hellhounds. At first I thought it would be complicated to follow along in a different world, but really the story is so focused on Owin and Grimm with different magical creatures being introduced one at a time, so it was no big deal. Ok, that makes it sound like I can’t follow a book. I can, I promise. I am just more of a contemporary reader so the otherworldly thing is just different for me.

Back to it. Prince Owin is tasked with a quest by the King of all shifters to prove his worthiness. He is allowed to bring his bodyguard, who is an Alpha in a wolf pack, with him. Grimm, the wolf, pretty much sees right through the King’s ruse, but Owin is a bit bratty and doesn’t.

So we follow along on Owin’s quest which brings him to different places meeting different magical creatures. With Grimm loyally by his side.

Did I mention that Owin is also a shifter? An ocelot. Which is just awesome. There are dog and cat jokes a plenty.

Read it. If you love Charlie’s other work- especially THIRDS, you will love this. All the shifting, all of the snark, all of the sexy times without the drama.

Charlie Cochet is the international bestselling author of the THIRDS series. Born in Cuba and raised in the US, Charlie enjoys the best of both worlds, from her daily Cuban latte to her passion for classic rock.

Currently residing in Central Florida, Charlie is at the beck and call of a rascally Doxiepoo bent on world domination. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found devouring a book, releasing her creativity through art, or binge watching a new TV series. She runs on coffee, thrives on music, and loves to hear from readers.

Website: www.charliecochet.com

Email: charlie@charliecochet.com

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Pure (Trenton Security Book 4) by J.M. Dabney: Blog Tour, Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

September 4, 2019 by Denise

Innocence wasn’t a personality flaw.

Nicolas “Pure” Warner lived with the curse of a cute face and a terminal blush. He was waiting for his happily ever after. Yet he’d given up on finding his one. His partner and spotter wasn’t the type to settle down but he’d always been drawn to the other man. Pure decided he could live with that, but when powers outside their control took Raul away, Pure would stop at nothing to get Raul back even if that meant leaving the Trenton Security team behind.

Touching the sun only left you burned.

Raul Martinez was a brutal fighter. He’d worked freelance for several years at Trenton Security. There was one dark spot to the perfect job: Pure. The man was sweet and looking for forever. How did the damaged and unworthy ever hope to touch the sun without getting burned? And touching Pure would be a dream come true. When Pure endangers his freedom to save him, how could Raul convince his boy that letting him go was the only option?

Title – Pure

Series – Trenton Security Book 4

Author – JM Dabney

Word Count – 46,000

Genre – MM Romantic Suspense, Daddy/boy

Cover Design – Reese Dante

Release Date: 08.17.19

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He still felt Raul staring at him and it pissed him off, “I said go away.”

“Not happening.”

“Hey, Pure, back to see me again?”

He lifted his head to see the usual ER doctor breeze in. The man was handsome, probably about his age. His visits normally correlated with this doctor’s, his name was Carlton and the man had asked him out for coffee. He’d politely declined and it hadn’t been brought up again.

“Not by choice.”

“I see that,” Carl said with a friendly smile. The man turned to where Raul stood. “Sir, will you leave us so I can–”

“Like that, wouldn’t you, pretty boy?” Raul started to push away from the wall.

No one might think he paid much attention to the dangerous man other than when they were fighting but that wasn’t true, he knew what the man was getting ready to do. “Raul!”

Raul pivoted with the grace of a trained warrior and glared at him. “What?”

“Quit being an asshole.”

“He wants–”

“Shut up, he wants to know if he should call the cops in case I’m being abused.”

“I would never fucking put my hands on you, Pure, what the fuck?”

It was odd to see Raul looking offended and slightly hurt. They fought, a lot, but he never once thought Raul would ever hit him. The man seemed obsessively protective of him. Which was weird since he was at least three inches taller and about fifty pounds heavier than Raul. Raul was a fighter. Brutal when it came to his work. And, yes, the man was an asshole but he wasn’t bad when Raul wasn’t ordering him around.

“It’s standard procedure when someone has as many visits as Pure does and you always seem to be the one with him. I’m aware of his profession, but that doesn’t erase the chance of domestic abuse. Let’s check you out.”

Raul was strangely quiet. The man was eerily silent on most days, an observer, and Raul didn’t miss a thing. Except when Raul had anger rolling off him in waves, he knew the man was ready to strike. They’d spent several years anticipating their moods and moves, they worked as a perfectly synchronized team.

“I don’t have a concussion, I’m not nauseous, my head does hurt but nothing out of the ordinary when you head butt a wall.” He heard Raul’s deep growl and knew what was coming. He didn’t need another lecture. “Raul, don’t start.”

“Why don’t you let me be the judge if you have a concussion or not?”

“Yes, sir,” Pure grumbled.

I feel like I’ve been waiting for Pure and Raul forever! I knew I was going to love Pure, I have such a thing for the wounded bird and he was the very definition. After a teenage trauma, you understand why he’s been saving himself for “the one”…. I wasn’t sure how the type of relationship was going to work with that, and he seemed to get over his hangups really quickly without any therapy or even talking to someone, but.. hey… to each their own, right?

Now, Raul has wanted Pure from the moment he met him, but has kept him in the partners at work and acquaintance category because he didn’t think he was good enough for the innocent man. But Pure, as much as he pushed Raul away in previous books, he was done waiting on him to make a move and when Raul gets arrested for a crime he didn’t commit, Pure makes his move…. Pure makes all the moves, actually, to ensure his Daddy’s safety. I loved watching Pure fight for his man when usually, especially in these tropes, it’s the other way around. I also liked the bottoming Daddy… hot.

What I didn’t like….is that the Crew, none of them took their back, when had it been literally anyone else, they would have. Even Peaches….. all these guys are bordering on insane, but for Pure and Raul, who like Pure pointed out, has gone above and beyond for every one of them at least once, and they were in the wind when it came time for Raul and Pure to need them? It’s unforgivable…

I don’t even think any of them apologized really… not like they needed to, and then Gage had the nerve to talk to Raul like he was the one in the wrong?? Uhm, no sir… I lost a lot of love that I had for the crew in this one, so it wasn’t my favorite. We did get more Horace and Freddie, I really hope they get their own story… I’d love for them to get their happily ever after’s!

I loved Pure’s mom… she was the only one who had their backs no matter what. She was the family that Raul needed and it was good Pure had her, because the guys proved they weren’t worthy of that title in this one. I’m really disappointed about that… and I’m bitter lol

But…. alls well that ends well…it ended beautifully between the two of them and everything Pure ever wanted… I just hope the guys come together in the next one and remember where their loyalties lie and who’s had their back and do better.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

J.M. Dabney is a multi-genre author who writes Body Positive/Diverse Romance and Fiction. They live with a constant diverse cast of characters in their head. No matter their size, shape, race, etc. J.M. lives for one purpose alone, and that’s to make sure they do them justice and give them the happily ever after they deserve. J.M. is dysfunction at its finest and they makes sure their characters are a beautiful kaleidoscope of crazy. There is nothing more they want from telling their stories than to show that no matter the package the characters come in or the damage their pasts have done, that love is love. That normal is never normal and sometimes the so-called broken can still be amazing.

The author is Gender Nonconforming are uses the preferred pronouns They/Them.

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Hearts of Blood (Chevalier Book #2) by Kay Doherty: Exclusive Guest Post, Excerpt and Giveaway

August 15, 2019 by Denise

Omega wolf shifter, Vance, and the rest of his small pack have finally found an Alpha willing to take them on and were still trying to regain their footing when the McBane Pack attacked them. When a vampire appears in front of him, Vance realizes he’s looking into the ice-blue eyes of his mate, and the fact that his mate is something other than wolf scares him.

Sakima knew the wolf shifter was his destined companion the moment he scented him at Elysium, but claiming the gorgeous young Omega wolf is a dangerous proposition. Vance and his unconventional pack have attracted the attention of the vampire coven. As the owner of Elysium, Sakima has been asked to use the club to gather information on the powerful interspecies pack and its Alpha.

Unfortunately for Vance and Sakima, the vampire coven and the continued attacks by the McBane Pack are only a portion of their problems. Amidst concerns over Alpha Tanner’s abilities growing with Sakima’s addition to the pack, a spurned ex targets Vance in an attempt to remove him from Sakima’s life, and Elysium becomes a hot bed for interspecies mingling where anyone could be an enemy.

Title: Hearts of Blood

Series: Chevalier, Book Two

Author: Kay Doherty

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: July 29, 2019

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 42000

Genre: Paranormal, LGBT, wolf shifters, dragon shifters, bonded mates, Elementals, businessmen, vampires, gay

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A few days ago I came across the question, “what do you do and why do you do it?” After thinking about it for a bit, I can to one conclusion. Making stuff up. That has got to be the best part of being an author. I can do whatever i want on those pages. That’s why I enjoy writing this series so much. Creating a fantastic world that doesn’t exist, giving my characters extraordinary abilities, and then writing it in such a way that makes readers think, “what if…” I like playing with reality in a way that allows me to escape it, deal with it, make sense of this insane world we live in. Writing these stories gets me out of my head, out of my rigid way of thinking, so I can escape. “What if…” can be so much fun if when you let yourself bend all the rules you can’t change in real life.

Sakima

Sakima glanced around the yard at the wolf shifters, both in human and wolf form, before settling his gaze on the one he’d come for—his destined companion. He had waited hundreds of years for this creature to arrive. The beautiful golden-brown wolf whined and took a small step back, crouched in wariness, tail tucked.

“What do you want, vampire?” the Alpha asked.

“My name is Sakima Hawke, and I want him,” Sakima answered as he took in the tawny wolf.

The wolf began to shake, making Sakima’s skin itch. This creature was his destined companion; he should never be fearful of him. Sakima squatted so he was eye level with his wolf, his gaze never straying from him, in an attempt to show through action he was not a threat. He’d known the moment the tawny-haired man had brushed against him at Elysium they were meant to be together, but the place had been packed that night and the wolf shifter had quickly melted away into the throng. Sakima had searched the club, attempting to pick the man out from the crowd, but the wolf shifter had turned out to be quite elusive. He’d lost the wolf’s scent for weeks before finding it again quite suddenly moments ago while on his way home.

It was an act of the fates Sakima had decided on a leisurely stroll rather than traveling home at hyperspeed after visiting one of his oldest friends: a human donor who was declining in health. Excitement he’d not felt in decades thrummed through his veins at the sight of the wolf now crouched before him. The sharp tang of fear wafting from him increased Sakima’s discomfort. Perhaps the wolf wasn’t aware of what they were to each other yet, though it was more likely he was simply uneducated about vampires. Sakima was well aware of the fear his kind generated. Too many rumors, myths, and misunderstandings circulated about vampires.

Many believed they were the walking dead, that anyone they fed from would become a vampire as well, but that was all fallacy. Sakima was no more dead than anyone else present, though he knew he appeared to be with his pale skin, long white hair, and ice-blue eyes. He could love, mate, and feed from his partner without changing the beautiful creature. Sakima would take great care in helping his destined understand he was no more of a threat than the Elemental, dragon, or Alpha he kept company with, each of whom had their own myths and rumors.

Desire to touch the gorgeous animal before him had Sakima extending a hand. He did so with extreme caution, so as not to frighten the wolf further, but was unsuccessful. The wolf curled into himself, becoming as small as his bulk would allow, crouching lower to the ground on shaky legs, ears flattened to his skull. Sakima lowered his hand to the grass but otherwise remained still. Instilling trust with a shifter while they were in animal form being ruled a great deal by their animal instincts was difficult. This would be far easier if the young man would shift back to human, though Sakima understood why he wouldn’t do so at this moment. When the man shifted, he would be naked, which the shifter may view as a vulnerability in his human form.

“You must know I won’t hurt you,” Sakima said softly. “We are destined companions.”

The wolf whined and turned to the pack leader. If Sakima understood wolf shifters well, there was a bond between his wolf and the Alpha that allowed them to speak telepathically. He’d never been jealous of such a thing before, but he didn’t like his fated companion being able to communicate telepathically with anyone other than him. Unfortunately, the telepathic bond was an inevitable part of being in a wolf pack. And if he wanted to claim this wolf shifter, he would have to accept the pack as a whole because there would be no removing his companion from them. Not safely. Sakima rose to his feet, his heart sinking a bit when his wolf scurried away to hide within the house. He gave no reaction outwardly, but he gave a mental sigh as he turned to face the Alpha.

“My apologies,” the Alpha said. “I asked him to go inside for a moment. He’s a bit overwhelmed.”

“Frightened, you mean,” Sakima corrected.

The Alpha wasn’t concerned with semantics. “We’ve all been through quite a lot recently, and this is a bit of a surprise. I’m sure you understand…Sakima? May I call you that?”

Sakima inclined his head in acceptance. “And you would be?”

“Tanner McBane. I’m the Alpha, and Vance is a member of my pack.”

Vance. A unique name for a uniquely beautiful wolf. Sakima scanned the “pack,” his gaze drifting from a gray wolf to a gray-and-brown wolf to a dragon to a white wolf with wild eyes to an Elemental, finally coming to rest once again on the Alpha.

“Quite the unconventional pack, if I may say.”

“Yes, I know.”

“Word has spread through the paranormal ranks of a pack of outcasts who have gained more power than is considered safe or wise. I feel I should be concerned for the welfare of my destined companion being bonded to such a pack.”

The statement was met with several growls and a strong wind that only affected Sakima, whipping his long hair in every direction. Sakima smiled. Vance was clearly cared for and protected. Tanner glanced at the dragon on his left.

“Have you ever heard of a wolf mating a vampire? Chevaliers aside.”

“No,” the dragon answered. “But I’d never before heard of a wolf mating an Elemental either. Or a dragon.”

The expression that passed between dragon and Alpha was not missed by Sakima. The name Chevalier shook him, but he pushed the memory aside—a centuries-old mistake best left to the dust of time.

“So, the rumors are true,” Sakima said.

“What rumors?” the Elemental asked.

“Of same-sex, interspecies matings taking place openly. I had hoped, given what I now know of my own destined companion, but had remained skeptical,” Sakima answered.

By way of introduction, Tanner said, “The dragon shifter is Luca. He’s my mate. The Elemental is Deacon and his mate is the white wolf, Ross. The gray wolf is Ean, and the grayish brown wolf is Theran. If you truly plan to claim Vance as your mate, you, too, will be an openly mated interspecies couple. You need to be comfortable with that if you’re going to become part of the pack.”

Sakima showed plenty of fang when he spoke. “Oh, I have every intention of claiming my fated mate, Alpha, but I said nothing of joining your pack.”

Movement at the patio doors drew Sakima’s attention. Vance in human form was as handsome as his wolf was beautiful; golden-brown hair and the lithe, toned physique all wolf shifters possessed. Those hazel eyes showed fear and hesitation, but also recognition, making Sakima believe Vance knew they were destined companions. Vance simply wasn’t accepting it, yet.

“You would risk his safety and sanity by taking him from his pack, severing his pack bond? What kind of mate would do such a thing?” Deacon asked through clenched teeth.

Sakima was surprised by the vehemence and animosity coming from the Elemental. He’d made the simple suggestion that claiming his wolf did not necessarily equate to him joining the pack. Nothing more. Though perhaps removing his destined companion was something to consider, given the volatile nature the pack exuded.

“I won’t leave my pack,” Vance said softly.

His voice was melodic to Sakima’s ears. Despite the fear and uncertainty, Vance’s words didn’t waver. They were strong and decisive, despite the fact the wolf was still hiding behind the pack. Vance had donned a pair of shorts and a tank top, leaving his toned arms, legs, and feet bared to Sakima’s perusal, and he soaked in the sight.

“I know what I’m about to suggest will be difficult for you,” Tanner said. “But I think you should leave. Perhaps stay away for a few days to give Vance time to acclimate to the idea of having a vampire for a mate.”

“Not as difficult as you might think,” Sakima said.

He’d been living a solitary life for nearly forty years, and he planned to use the time apart from Vance to prepare for the wolf to join him. He moved with vampiric speed past the pack to stand before Vance. While he was willing to leave for a short time, he wouldn’t allow his companion to put the pack between them. When he stopped, he stood face-to-face with his beautiful man. Vance yelped and jumped back, but Sakima caught him with an arm around his waist, aborting any attempt at escape. Heat immediately seeped through the cloth of his shirt, warming his skin.

“Until next time, pet.”

Sakima placed a chaste kiss on Vance’s lips so as not to cut him with his fangs. Not yet. He would draw blood from Vance only after they became lovers, and Vance demonstrated his willingness. As quickly as he had appeared before Vance, he disappeared, leaving the outcast pack and his destined mate behind. It was a temporary situation, after all. Now that he knew where his wolf companion was, he felt far more relaxed and willing to let things progress at a pace comfortable for Vance.

Kay Doherty is an omnisexual/polysexual who lives in Colorado with her poly-family, Mike, Keri, and Tigz. Her house is overrun with cats and dogs. Family is important to her so there are daily texts, frequent visits to her parents, and constant banter with her brothers. She happily suffers a severe addiction to coffee and Mexican food. She loves to read and write and can easily become consumed by it for hours, much to the dismay of Mike and Keri (Tigz is an enabler). On occasion she can be convinced to venture out into the world of the living despite being annoyed by the sun shining in her face.

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