Title: NoX
Author: Adrienne Wilder
Genre: M/M Romance, Science Fiction, Dark Fantasy
Release Date: April 2, 2019
Cover Design: Adrienne Wilder
One is a dying man. The other died to live.
A nude man invades Luca Suarez's home and protects him from creatures who cannot exist.
Creatures hunting him.
The stranger can't tell Luca why. He can't even tell Luca his name.
He remembers nothing until the moment he sees Luca.
The only hint Luca has to the stranger's identity is a tattoo on his wrist: N o X
Nox doesn't know who he is, but he's sure of three things, his memory loss is temporary, the monsters chasing Luca are called Anubis, and his Alpha, Koda, sent Nox to protect him.
There's just one problem… Koda is Luca's brother who was murdered five years ago.
With each passing hour, Nox fills in the pieces painting an impossible truth. And with each passing hour, both men find themselves unexplainably attracted to each other.
Something Luca is willing to embrace because he has nothing left to lose.
And one Nox can't let happen because it could get Luca killed.
Fifteen minutes under a stream of hot water sounded perfect.
A basket wrapped in translucent cellophane sat on the pink countertop of the exterior vanity. Other than lubricant, Luca had no idea what the other tiny bottles could be, but the little foil squares were self-explanatory.
He stepped into the bathroom off to the right and braced as he turned on the lights. White tile, white tub, plain white toilet, pink towels with red hearts, pink shower curtain. At least they spared the room any permanent scars.
Luca closed the door and gripped the hem of his shirt.
Nox’s voice came from the other side of the door. “I called for pizza, it should be here by the time you’re out.” Then the door opened. Luca spun around.
Nox wore nothing, leaving every curve of muscle, every ripple of perfection, every inch of intimidating cock, bare.
God, that hooker had been right.
There were only so many things a guy standing around naked could mean. Would Nox expect something like that? He’d saved Luca’s life. And with that kind of debt could Luca even tell him no?
Worse, did he want to?
Did he want to know what it felt like to be touched, to be kissed, to be tasted and do all those things to another person in equal amounts?
The idea teased his insides until his balls pulled tight and his cock threatened to swell.
Luca jerked his gaze back up.
“Your clothes.” Nox held out a hand.
Luca pulled the edge of his shirt lower. “What about them?”
“Give them to me so I can lay them on the heater to dry.”
“It’s okay, they can just hang in here.”
“They won’t dry in here.” Nox was right. Luca knew he was right. And since these were the only clothes he had....
Luca gave Nox his back and peeled off his shirt. He set it on the sink and kicked off his shoes, then unbuttoned his pants. He froze with his hands on the waist of his jeans.
Nox pulled Luca around. The man’s presence, the rich musk and spice of his skin, the heat radiating from his body rushed over Luca, sucking the air from his lungs. Nox lowered his head, parted his lips and inhaled, carrying away Luca’s exhale. Nox moved to Luca’s cheek, his neck. There his breath heated Luca’s skin. Nox tilted Luca’s head back and followed the column of his neck with another deep inhale.
Luca’s heart skittered in his chest. “What...what are you doing?”
“Smelling you.”
Smelling him.
“Why?” Luca leaned away only to have Nox move closer. So close his cock brushed Luca’s hip.
Nox swallowed, and his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. He made another lap, huffing in quick short breaths rather than long slow ones. Nox loosened his grip. He cupped the back of Luca’s head and made circles on his arm with his thumb.
For several long moments, Nox stood there, then slowly he raised his gaze. “You’re sick.”
Luca’s stomach dropped.
Nox seemed to catch himself. He let Luca go and retreated. “I’m sorry, that was...” He turned.
“Leukemia.” Luca had no idea why he said it. Nox was right, it was none of his business. Even if he could smell the disease.
Could other people smell Luca’s cancer? He’d never even considered the idea.
Nox turned back around but stayed at the door. “Are you getting treatment?”
“Not this time.”
The muscles across Nox’s shoulders tensed, and he balled up his hands.
Luca shrugged. “I’ve had it twice before. Treatment isn’t an option this time.” Luca gave Nox his back again and stripped off the rest of his clothes. He left them on the sink, climbed in the tub, and closed the curtain.
Nox was a momentary blur behind the sheet of gaudy pink plastic, then he closed the door.
A basket wrapped in translucent cellophane sat on the pink countertop of the exterior vanity. Other than lubricant, Luca had no idea what the other tiny bottles could be, but the little foil squares were self-explanatory.
Luca closed the door and gripped the hem of his shirt.
Nox’s voice came from the other side of the door. “I called for pizza, it should be here by the time you’re out.” Then the door opened. Luca spun around.
Nox wore nothing, leaving every curve of muscle, every ripple of perfection, every inch of intimidating cock, bare.
God, that hooker had been right.
There were only so many things a guy standing around naked could mean. Would Nox expect something like that? He’d saved Luca’s life. And with that kind of debt could Luca even tell him no?
Did he want to know what it felt like to be touched, to be kissed, to be tasted and do all those things to another person in equal amounts?
The idea teased his insides until his balls pulled tight and his cock threatened to swell.
Luca jerked his gaze back up.
“Your clothes.” Nox held out a hand.
Luca pulled the edge of his shirt lower. “What about them?”
“Give them to me so I can lay them on the heater to dry.”
“It’s okay, they can just hang in here.”
“They won’t dry in here.” Nox was right. Luca knew he was right. And since these were the only clothes he had....
Luca gave Nox his back and peeled off his shirt. He set it on the sink and kicked off his shoes, then unbuttoned his pants. He froze with his hands on the waist of his jeans.
Nox pulled Luca around. The man’s presence, the rich musk and spice of his skin, the heat radiating from his body rushed over Luca, sucking the air from his lungs. Nox lowered his head, parted his lips and inhaled, carrying away Luca’s exhale. Nox moved to Luca’s cheek, his neck. There his breath heated Luca’s skin. Nox tilted Luca’s head back and followed the column of his neck with another deep inhale.
“Smelling you.”
Smelling him.
“Why?” Luca leaned away only to have Nox move closer. So close his cock brushed Luca’s hip.
Nox swallowed, and his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. He made another lap, huffing in quick short breaths rather than long slow ones. Nox loosened his grip. He cupped the back of Luca’s head and made circles on his arm with his thumb.
For several long moments, Nox stood there, then slowly he raised his gaze. “You’re sick.”
Luca’s stomach dropped.
Nox seemed to catch himself. He let Luca go and retreated. “I’m sorry, that was...” He turned.
“Leukemia.” Luca had no idea why he said it. Nox was right, it was none of his business. Even if he could smell the disease.Could other people smell Luca’s cancer? He’d never even considered the idea.
Nox turned back around but stayed at the door. “Are you getting treatment?”
“Not this time.”
The muscles across Nox’s shoulders tensed, and he balled up his hands.
Luca shrugged. “I’ve had it twice before. Treatment isn’t an option this time.” Luca gave Nox his back again and stripped off the rest of his clothes. He left them on the sink, climbed in the tub, and closed the curtain.
Nox was a momentary blur behind the sheet of gaudy pink plastic, then he closed the door.
I am a writer of contemporary and speculative fiction and artist of all things monster. I live to create new worlds and the people in them. Several of my books have been best sellers both nationally and internationally. I have also been a finalist in the LAMDA awards, the "Oscars" of gay literary works.
I do my best to write original stories with powerful characters and emotion as well as a fast-paced plot. My goal isn't just to deliver a good story but to take the reader into the story and let them experience the characters as if they are right there with them.
While almost all my books have a romantic element, I will be the first to admit, they are not traditional romance. In fact, I'd like to think there is nothing traditional about them. And the stories I paint are done so way outside the lines of traditional genres.
One of my favorite things to do as a writer is push the boundaries of what makes a story and to deliver the unexpected and maybe even change the perspective of the reader.
My characters are more often than not, beautifully flawed, not always the good guy, and make mistakes. Their stories will take dark turns which, in the end, make the light at the end of the tunnel all the brighter.
If you're looking for something different, exciting, and unique, my books are for you.
Check out my website for updates and how to contact me. I love hearing from fans.
