Title: Flame and Ash
Author: Morgan Brice
Series: Witchbane #4
Genre: M/M Romance, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Release Date: September 5, 2019
Cover Design: Lou Harper
This time, the hunters become the hunted when the witch knows they’re coming to get him, and has deadly plans of his own. When their lives are on the line, will love be enough?
One hundred years ago, a sheriff’s posse killed dark warlock Rhyfel Gremory, but his witch-disciples escaped, and their magic made them nearly immortal. To keep their power, each year one of the witch-disciples kills a descendant of one of the men in the posse, a twelve-year cycle that has cost dozens of lives, including that of Seth Tanner’s brother, Jesse.
Seth rescued Evan Malone from one of the witches, and they’ve fallen in love despite the danger and chaos, going on the road to complete the quest and bring an end to the ritual murders. Their relationship is new, their emotions are raw, and the danger is real. It’s a challenge to find their way as a couple while they’re on the road together in the close quarters of Seth’s RV, training in magic and combat skills to fight off a supernatural killer.
In pursuit of the next witch-disciple, Seth and Evan team up with older hunters Milo and Toby as their quest to stop a century-long killing spree takes them to a small town in the Blue Ridge Mountains. They’re ahead of the sacrifice cycle, with plans to stop the murders and kill the dark witch. Only this time, the hunters become the hunted when the witch knows they’re coming to get him, and has deadly plans of his own. When their lives are on the line, will love be enough?
Flame and Ash is the third novel in the Witchbane series. It is a MM romance intended for readers 18 years of age and older.
After all, Evan thought, what value do I bring to the situation? Six months of training had improved his skills, taught him a few more rote spells, and helped him understand more about the kinds of things that went bump in the night. Despite it all, Evan knew he had a long way to go before he could match Seth’s abilities, and he worried that he could be the weak link that cost Seth his life.
The trip from Pittsburgh to Boone would take most of the day, and while Evan offered to take a turn behind the wheel, he knew that Seth preferred to drive. When he wasn’t chasing down loose ends about the Boone situation on his computer, Evan planned to doze in the passenger seat, but dark dreams woke him more than once, earning him worried glances from Seth.
“Hey.” Seth’s voice roused Evan from his thoughts. “Whatever you’re thinking—let me in. Don’t keep it to yourself.”
“I just don’t want to let you down,” Evan admitted.
“You won’t.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I know that you’ve saved my ass more than once,” Seth replied. “And that was before we spent the last three months doing more training.” He reached out to take Evan’s hand. “I trust you. I believe in you. There’s no one I’d rather have beside me in a fight. And I love you.”
Evan’s throat tightened. “I love you, too. And I want to be here, doing this, with you. It’s just…I’m not really the action hero type.”
Seth chuckled. “And I am?”
“You were in the army. You’re a soldier. So, yeah.”
Seth sighed. “I went into the army to get away from a bad breakup. Not exactly the most noble reason. I did okay, I guess. I was lucky enough to come home. But I knew I wasn’t going to make a career out of it. Some guys, they get in, and they know that’s where they’re supposed to be. It becomes their home and family, like they were born for it.” He shook his head. “It was never that for me.”
“I made okay money, working at the bar.” Evan looked at the road instead of at Seth. “But something was always missing, you know? What I did didn’t really matter. This…” He gestured to mean the two of them, hunting, the search for the witch-disciples. “It makes a difference. Saves lives. Stops a hundred years of killing. It just seems like fate could have picked someone who was better prepared.”
Seth laid his hand on Evan’s thigh, solid and warm. “Hunting doesn’t work like that. You’ve talked to Travis and Brent and Mark. They didn’t train to be a hunter from the time they were kids. They lost people, and it changed them. And from that point on, they learned on the job,” Seth said. “Just like you.”
Evan managed a wan smile. “If this were a TV show, I’d want to skip to the finale, where we ride off into the sunset.”
“I wish we could,” Seth admitted. “But I’m afraid there’s no fast-forward on real life.”
The trip from Pittsburgh to Boone would take most of the day, and while Evan offered to take a turn behind the wheel, he knew that Seth preferred to drive. When he wasn’t chasing down loose ends about the Boone situation on his computer, Evan planned to doze in the passenger seat, but dark dreams woke him more than once, earning him worried glances from Seth.
“Hey.” Seth’s voice roused Evan from his thoughts. “Whatever you’re thinking—let me in. Don’t keep it to yourself.”
“I just don’t want to let you down,” Evan admitted.
“You won’t.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I know that you’ve saved my ass more than once,” Seth replied. “And that was before we spent the last three months doing more training.” He reached out to take Evan’s hand. “I trust you. I believe in you. There’s no one I’d rather have beside me in a fight. And I love you.”
Seth chuckled. “And I am?”
“You were in the army. You’re a soldier. So, yeah.”
Seth sighed. “I went into the army to get away from a bad breakup. Not exactly the most noble reason. I did okay, I guess. I was lucky enough to come home. But I knew I wasn’t going to make a career out of it. Some guys, they get in, and they know that’s where they’re supposed to be. It becomes their home and family, like they were born for it.” He shook his head. “It was never that for me.”
“I made okay money, working at the bar.” Evan looked at the road instead of at Seth. “But something was always missing, you know? What I did didn’t really matter. This…” He gestured to mean the two of them, hunting, the search for the witch-disciples. “It makes a difference. Saves lives. Stops a hundred years of killing. It just seems like fate could have picked someone who was better prepared.”
Seth laid his hand on Evan’s thigh, solid and warm. “Hunting doesn’t work like that. You’ve talked to Travis and Brent and Mark. They didn’t train to be a hunter from the time they were kids. They lost people, and it changed them. And from that point on, they learned on the job,” Seth said. “Just like you.”
Evan managed a wan smile. “If this were a TV show, I’d want to skip to the finale, where we ride off into the sunset.”
“I wish we could,” Seth admitted. “But I’m afraid there’s no fast-forward on real life.”
What kind of atmosphere do you like for writing (ie: radio, music, silence, etc)?
If it’s nice weather, I love to write on my deck. I like to sit where I can look up and see outside. It makes me happy to see birds and squirrels and lizards, or just the wind in the trees. If I’m writing new material, I prefer instrumental music (Classical, Swing, New Age, Soft Jazz). If I’m editing or doing email and social media, I’m fine with rock. And I’ve got to have my coffee! Usually there’s also a dog or two at my feet.
Most of us have themes that fall outside our reading comfort zone, is there a genre, trope, or topic you wouldn't be comfortable exploring when writing your stories?
Never say never! I think it really depends on the characters and what’s right for them. I think my biggest concern is always getting the details right and making sure that whatever I’m presenting is respectful.
How do you celebrate your release day? Do you treat yourself to a special coffee/drink, binge watch your favorite show, alone time enjoying the quiet or do you just jump right in to the next story?
Usually it’s jumping right into the next project, but I try to take some time to savor the moment, acknowledge the achievement, and pat myself on the back a little. It’s so easy to get caught up in deadlines, and the schedule, but it’s important to stop, breathe, and appreciate the win.
What is a hobby or guilty pleasure you enjoy to relax that would make your readers go "huh, never saw that coming"?
Well, everyone knows I’m a huge fan of the TV show Supernatural, and that I also read a lot of MM romance, including slash fan fiction. I guess maybe what might seem unlikely is that I enjoy taking cooking classes with my husband, because it becomes a nice date night. We’ve found some great recipes that way!
What can we expect to see next from you?
Loose Ends will be the next Morgan Brice book, and it’s the fourth Badlands book. Then there will be Unholy, which is the fifth Witchbane book, and a few more surprises later in the year!
Be sure to check out the LGBT Romance giveaway that I’m part of as one of the Featured Authors at GayRomanticLit (GRL) Retreat 2019! And if you’re going to GRL, make sure you come say hello! Here’s the link to the giveaway.
I’d also love to invite you to join my Worlds of Morgan Brice group on Facebook—it’s where I share cover reveals, talk about what I’m writing, show pictures that inspire the people and places, and do fun giveaways!
If it’s nice weather, I love to write on my deck. I like to sit where I can look up and see outside. It makes me happy to see birds and squirrels and lizards, or just the wind in the trees. If I’m writing new material, I prefer instrumental music (Classical, Swing, New Age, Soft Jazz). If I’m editing or doing email and social media, I’m fine with rock. And I’ve got to have my coffee! Usually there’s also a dog or two at my feet.
Most of us have themes that fall outside our reading comfort zone, is there a genre, trope, or topic you wouldn't be comfortable exploring when writing your stories?
Never say never! I think it really depends on the characters and what’s right for them. I think my biggest concern is always getting the details right and making sure that whatever I’m presenting is respectful.
How do you celebrate your release day? Do you treat yourself to a special coffee/drink, binge watch your favorite show, alone time enjoying the quiet or do you just jump right in to the next story?
Usually it’s jumping right into the next project, but I try to take some time to savor the moment, acknowledge the achievement, and pat myself on the back a little. It’s so easy to get caught up in deadlines, and the schedule, but it’s important to stop, breathe, and appreciate the win.
What is a hobby or guilty pleasure you enjoy to relax that would make your readers go "huh, never saw that coming"?
Well, everyone knows I’m a huge fan of the TV show Supernatural, and that I also read a lot of MM romance, including slash fan fiction. I guess maybe what might seem unlikely is that I enjoy taking cooking classes with my husband, because it becomes a nice date night. We’ve found some great recipes that way!
What can we expect to see next from you?
Loose Ends will be the next Morgan Brice book, and it’s the fourth Badlands book. Then there will be Unholy, which is the fifth Witchbane book, and a few more surprises later in the year!
Be sure to check out the LGBT Romance giveaway that I’m part of as one of the Featured Authors at GayRomanticLit (GRL) Retreat 2019! And if you’re going to GRL, make sure you come say hello! Here’s the link to the giveaway.
I’d also love to invite you to join my Worlds of Morgan Brice group on Facebook—it’s where I share cover reveals, talk about what I’m writing, show pictures that inspire the people and places, and do fun giveaways!
Morgan Brice is the romance pen name of bestselling author Gail Z. Martin. Morgan writes urban fantasy male/male paranormal romance, with plenty of action, adventure and supernatural thrills to go with the happily ever after. Gail writes epic fantasy and urban fantasy, and together with co-author hubby Larry N. Martin, steampunk and comedic horror, all of which have less romance, more explosions. Characters from her Gail books make frequent appearances in secondary roles in her Morgan books, and vice versa.
On the rare occasions Morgan isn’t writing, she’s either reading, cooking, or spoiling two very pampered dogs.
Other books include Witchbane, Burn, Dark Rivers, and Badlands. Watch for more in these series, plus new series coming soon!
Join my Worlds of Morgan Brice Facebook Group! Get the early scoop on upcoming books and new series, see new covers first, enjoy insider news and special contests and giveaways! Plus it’s where I get my beta readers and launch team!
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Flame and Ash #4
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