Summary:
THIRDS #5
As the fiercest Defense Agent at the THIRDS, Destructive Delta’s Ash Keeler is foul-mouthed and foul-tempered. But his hard-lined approach always yields results, evident by his recent infiltration of the Coalition. Thanks to Ash’s skills and the help of his team, they finally put an end to the murdering extremist group for good, though not before Ash takes a bullet to save teammate Cael Maddock. As a result, Ash’s secrets start to surface, and he can no longer ignore what’s in his heart.
Cael Maddock is no stranger to heartache. As a Recon Agent for Destructive Delta, he has successfully maneuvered through the urban jungle that is New York City, picking up his own scars along the way. Yet nothing he’s ever faced has been more of a challenge than the heart of Ash Keeler, his supposedly straight teammate. Being in love isn’t the only danger he and Ash face as wounds reopen and new secrets emerge, forcing them to question old loyalties.
Audiobook Review October 2021:
I can't say that I forgot how much I loved Ash and Cael because they are so brilliant together there was just no way I'd ever forget but boy was it fun to experience their story all over again! Ash still gets on my nerves at times and Cael is still an absolutely adorable sweetheart and together they make a perfect fit. The intrigue still keeps me on the edge of my seat even knowing the whys, whats, whos, & hows from having read the whole series. Just keeps getting better and better.
First off I just want to say how much I absolutely LOVE the whole THIRDS series! Second, Ash Keeler drives me nuts and Cael Maddox is the epitome of "sweetheart". Third, I did miss Dex and Sloane not being at the heart of this installment. Finally, as much as I missed Dex and Sloane being front and center, I loved seeing inside the gruff exterior of Ash and it's always a pleasure to see more of Cael.
When I first started Against I thought "what am I going to do without Dex's crazy love of everything 80s and Sloane's closeted nerdiness?" Well, by the time I was a chapter in I realized that not only were Dex and Sloane still there but that there was more to Ash than we were led to believe. I won't give any more details about the story but I will say that getting to see into the hearts and mind of other members of Destructive Delta was a pleasant surprise and lovely treat. Learning more of Ash's history doesn't soften his gruffness or increase his tolerance for Dex's antics but it does make me love him nearly as much as I love Dex, Sloane, and Cael. As for Cael, there really isn't much I can say because he's just as adorable now as he was the first time we met him Hell and High Water.
All in all, Against the Grain is a brilliant addition to the THIRDS universe. Even though a different couple is the focus of the story it furthers the ongoing journey of Delta and should be read in order. *Rushing off to read #6*
RATING:
Summary:
Valley Ghosts #3
It seems there’s a wealth of restless spirits needing a nudge to move on their way, and the Running Scared Paranormal Research team are anxious to help. Taking a job in Old Sacramento, Wade and Jason soon realize there’s a more than average haunting at The Hitching Post restaurant. Built over the old tunnels and hidden under many of the businesses, they find a world of spirits that have been forgotten. Until now.
Jason is excited to take on one of their first big jobs as an official paranormal research group, but this case is different than anything they’ve encountered before. He reaches out for help from someone connected to the spirit realm who has first-hand knowledge on what it’ll take to ensure their safety and complete the job, but will it be enough?
Wade is thrust into a world he’s tried to stay on the edges of. He’s been to haunted houses with Jason in the past, but he doesn’t consider himself an expert. His newfound abilities will be tested in ways he never imagined, and only he knows how much he can handle, both physically and mentally. After being injured, he once again faces the fact that the spirits he’s always feared have the ability to hurt them. In this situation, the person who can help the most, may not be a person at all. A gay paranormal romance thriller.
Summary:
Vampires of the Beloved Gem #1
Can Diego prove to sweet Nigel that he’s not the monster that some think he is?
As head of security aboard the Beloved Gem, Diego Santiago loves his job and position in the coven. He’s happy for his fellow vampires that have found their beloveds and longs for that connection—someone to care for, love, and call his own. Because he often wonders if he truly is a monster like those in his birth coven. Does he deserve such a thing? When he finally visits Amherst for a little princess’s birthday, he wishes he’d gone sooner.
Nigel Frost loves children; it’s why he works with them every day. He’s adjusted to his new life in the Amherst Coven, but he wants more. He longs for a mate and children of his own. Sadly, he’s usually too tired to leave the coven to chance searching, and he knows his mate isn’t one of the warlocks at the coven. When he suddenly scents his mate at the coven, he’s thrilled with the sexy vampire that the Fates have blessed him with.
Diego and Nigel both have parental drama, but Nigel is determined to show his vampire that he’s good and deserves a beloved and children. Of course, things can’t be easy or go smoothly, can they? When trouble arises for the soon-to-be parents, will they resolve everything before the baby is born?
Diego’s Heart is the first book in the Vampires of the Beloved Gem series. Each book in the series focuses on a different couple, but these books should be read in order as there is an ongoing backstory, and previous couples will make appearances in future books. This is a fated mate MPREG story with plenty of sexy times. You should expect all the normal vampire shenanigans and sometimes love bites in unexpected places.
Summary:
Offbeat Shifters #3
Austin Steele is my idol. He’s also the guy I can’t get enough of.
Everyone thinks they know who I am—one of pop’s biggest divos. They don’t know me at all. Austin Steele makes me want to see the real me, only there’s some problems:
We’re both omegas, he’s nineteen years my senior, he’s nursing old wounds, and he wants to keep what’s happening between us a secret.
I thought a one-night stand was all I wanted. Now it’s becoming so much more. But how can we look to the future when we can’t let go of our pasts?
Unapologetically Me is the third book in Offbeat Shifters, an m/m paranormal romance series with a continuing storyline. This book includes a misunderstood and unapologetic Arctic fox shifter, a caring capuchin monkey shifter, and a HFN ending. While it’s set in an alternate universe where omegas give birth, there are no pregnancy or birth scenes in this book.
Summary:
Charlie Cochet
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.
BL Maxwell
Taylor Rylan
Colette Davison
Hailey Turner
Hailey Turner is big city girl who spoils her cats rotten and has a demanding day job that she loves, but not as much as she loves writing. She’s been writing since she was a young child and enjoys reading almost as much as creating a new story. Hailey loves stories with lots of action, gritty relationships, and an eventual HEA that satisfies the heart.
Soulbound #4
The devil you know is never the one you should trust.
Special Agent Patrick Collins is dispatched to Chicago, chasing a lead on the Morrígan’s staff for the joint task force. Needing a cover for his presence in the Windy City, Patrick is ordered to investigate a politician running for mayor. In the lead up to election day, not everything is what it seems in a city where playing to win means appeasing the gods first and the electorate second.
But Chicago brings its own set of problems outside the case: a stand-offish local god pack, a missing immortal, and Patrick’s twin sister. Fighting Hannah and the Dominion Sect provides Patrick with a sinister reminder that some blood ties can never be cut.
Left behind in New York City, Jonothon de Vere finds himself targeted by hunters who will go through anyone to kill him—including the packs under his protection. With a bounty on his head, Jono is forced to make a choice that Patrick would never approve of. Doing so risks breaking the trust he’s built with the man he loves, but not acting will give the rival New York City god pack leverage Jono can’t afford to give up.
When Patrick and Jono reunite in Chicago, Patrick must confront the fraying of a relationship he’s come to rely on for his own sanity. But fixing their personal problems will have to wait—because Niflheim is clawing at the shores of Lake Michigan and the dead are hungry.
A Vigil in the Mourning is a 102k word m/m urban fantasy with a gay romantic subplot and a HFN ending. It is a direct sequel to A Crown of Iron & Silver. Reading the first book in the series would be helpful in enjoying this one.
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Random Paranormal Tales of 2021
Against the Grain by Charlie Cochet
“It wasn’t coming out,” he grumbled.
“Oh.” The cupcake was like a dry rock in my mouth.
Chapter One
There was nowhere to run.
Ash Keeler had faced a hell of a lot in his life. He’d come up against terrorists, extremist groups, dangerous criminals, and lethal feral Therians. He’d been stabbed, taken hostage, had the shit beaten out of him, been shot—twice—but he’d never come face-to-face with the pissed-off dad of a potential romantic partner. And because lady luck had a habit of being a real bitch to him, the pissed-off dad before him also happened to be his sergeant.
After their last—unsanctioned—investigation, Bradley offered to open Bar Dekatria exclusively to Destructive Delta for a night of much-needed rest and relaxation. They’d been having a great time, even if some of them couldn’t drink thanks to Therian-strength antibiotics and painkillers. Ash was almost fully healed from his gunshot wound. Sloane still had a few weeks to recuperate, as did Cael, who was on crutches after that bastard Hogan fractured his leg. Luckily Cael was a quick healer, thanks to his cheetah Therian metabolism, so he’d be back to running full speed in no time. Ash couldn’t think about how much worse it could have been after Hogan had taken Cael. It made him want to tear the son of a bitch apart with his bare hands. Good thing he was already dead.
Everything had been going well at Dekatria until Maddock showed up with a baseball bat in his hand. Originally Ash thought the same as Sloane. That somehow their sergeant had found out about the mission. Instead Maddock had come to kick their asses for dating his sons under his nose. The only problem was Ash and Cael weren’t dating. Not that Ash hadn’t secretly thought about it. A lot. It was also the logical step for two Therians who happened to be in love.
Ash stood silently beside Sloane in the back end of Dekatria while Maddock glared at them, his nostrils flaring and the old beat-up baseball bat in his hand. How many others had come up against—what had Cael called it? That’s right, Old Betsy. How many potential boyfriends had seen the rough side of Old Betsy? And now here he was, his every instinct telling him to flee. It was hardly the first time they’d seen their sergeant pissed off, but this was a whole other level of pissed.
This was stupid. Ash was a top agent for the THIRDS with twenty years of experience, skilled in entry tactics and close-quarters combat. He could handle one Human officer holding a baseball bat.
“Which one of you heartthrobs wants to go first?” Maddock growled.
Ash didn’t hesitate. “Sloane.”
“Wow.” Sloane shook his head at him in disbelief. “Way to throw me under the bus, buddy.”
Ash gave his best friend an apologetic smile. It was better to let Sloane do the talking. Knowing Ash and his propensity to piss people off, he’d open his mouth and make things a whole lot worse. Sloane was their Team Leader. He had experience in hostage negotiation. Most people liked him, the ones he didn’t scare the hell out of. Meanwhile, the majority of people disliked Ash from the moment they laid eyes on him.
“Sarge, you have every right to be pissed,” Sloane stated gently, his hands held up in front of him in surrender. He motioned to the bat in Maddock’s hand. Their sarge appeared to give it some thought before he lowered the bat, though not completely. “I know I should’ve said something, but I promise you, Dex and I talked long and hard about this, about our relationship and the job. Whatever happens, we’ll work through it. We’re very serious about a future together. I love him, sir, and maybe I don’t deserve him, but I’m going to try my damn hardest to be worthy of him. His happiness is important to me.”
Maddock pursed his lips, and his eyes narrowed. “How long you been practicing that speech, son?”
Sloane shifted awkwardly despite his crutches. “A while now.”
“Your honesty is appreciated, despite your dumbass attempt to keep something like this from me. I know those boys better than they know themselves. As far as your relationship goes, I have no intention of meddling or telling you what to do. I also don’t have to tell you what’s at stake. If Sparks gets wind of this—”
“I’ll figure it out,” Sloane said, his voice grave. “I won’t let her break up the team. Not if she wants to keep me around. I know what I’m worth to her, to the Chief of Therian Defense. If I have to use that, I will.”
“Shit.” Maddock ran a hand over his shaved head. “You really want to go up against them?”
Ash had never seen Sloane looking more determined. He wished he could be as confident about this as his friend.
“I’ll do whatever it takes to keep my team together. My relationship with Dex is my business. What I do outside the job is my business. He’s my partner, and I’m not going anywhere without him.”
Maddock didn’t look pleased, but he gave Sloane a nod. “Okay. Now get lost.” He motioned to the door behind him. “Tell your boyfriend I expect assurances from him. I also expect him to help with Thanksgiving dinner. He wants to eat like a Therian, he can cook. I’ll see you both there.”
“Yes, sir.” Sloane smiled and headed for the door.
Hoping his sergeant might not notice, Ash made to slip past. He should’ve known better. Maddock put a hand to his chest to stop him. Damn. So close.
“I don’t think so, Keeler. You and I are going to have a little chat upstairs where it’s more comfortable and Dex is less likely to listen in. That boy’s like a damn ninja when he wants to eavesdrop, especially when it concerns Cael.” He turned and marched out the door. Reluctantly, Ash followed. Outside, everyone pretended not to notice, but he knew his nosey-ass team was following his every move. He stole a glance in Cael’s direction. His sweet face was filled with worry. Ash gave him a wink, hoping to ease his mind even if it didn’t ease his own.
Ash was sorely tempted to make a break for it, but he’d have to face Maddock at some point. They headed upstairs to the second floor of Dekatria, which Ash had forgotten was there. He and his team spent so much time downstairs around the bar and that godforsaken karaoke machine that he tended to forget Dekatria had two other floors, one of them a roof garden. Maybe he should check it out one evening and invite Cael up for a drink. Lou had rambled on about how gorgeous it was, with its fairy lights and candles. All romantic and shit. Romantic? What the hell was wrong with him? Here he was about to argue the fact he wasn’t dating Cael, and he was getting thoughts about having drinks with the guy up in a romantic roof garden. Get your shit together, Keeler.
He followed Maddock’s lead and slid into one of the booths, taking a seat across from Maddock and Old Betsy tucked on the bench beside him. Both of them sat in silence as Bradley placed coasters and soft drinks on the table without making eye contact. As soon as he was done he darted from the place like it might spontaneously combust. All right, time to man up and grow a pair.
“Sir, whatever you might think, Cael and I aren’t sleeping together. We’re not even together.”
Maddock’s frown deepened. “That’s what worries me.”
Not what he expected. “I’m confused.”
“Cael’s in love with you, and I know you care about him, maybe even love him. Hell, you took a bullet for him. And that’s not the first time you sustained injuries to keep him safe.”
Ash couldn’t bring himself to confirm Maddock’s statement about him loving Cael. He shifted uncomfortably and took a sip of his Coke. What he really needed was some vodka. “How long have you known?”
“I had my suspicions for a while but felt it wasn’t the right time to address it. With Dex, my suspicions were confirmed at the hospital.” Maddock let out a heavy sigh and sat back, his gaze off in the distance at nothing in particular. “When I saw him at Sloane’s bedside, his anguish clear as day as he tried not to fall apart, I knew he’d fallen in love. Broke my damn heart seeing him like that.”
“For what it’s worth,” Ash offered, “those two are crazy about each other. I’ve known Sloane since we were kids. Believe me. He’s in deep. And I’m not just saying that because he’s my best friend. You know Sloane. He might not be perfect, but he’s a good guy.”
“And you?”
God, he wished he were anywhere but here right now. He’d even take sitting in on one of Intel’s long-ass boring-as-fuck presentations with all their mind-numbing algorithms and PowerPoint presentations. They worked under the military branch of the government, and still they couldn’t escape those fucking things. “What about me?” Did his sergeant really want him to answer that? Besides, judging by his expression, Maddock already knew the answer.
“Sloane has his issues, and although he might need some sense knocked into him every once and a while, he finds his way. More importantly, I can see how he’s opened up with Dex. When things get rough, he turns to the man he loves. He’s grown more confident in himself and their relationship. He smiles more. Laughs. I haven’t seen him happy like this in a long time. It’s good. You on the other hand….” Maddock leaned forward, and his hard gaze pinned Ash to the spot. “I know behind that fierce roar of yours is a guy who isn’t as sure of himself as he pretends to be. You’re aggressive and, let’s face it, an asshole.”
And there it was in a nutshell. “Thanks, Sarge,” Ash muttered.
“I’m not done. You might be an asshole, but you’re a good man where it counts and a damn fine agent. I’d be a fool to say your methods haven’t provided results out in the field. There are no easy answers in this line of work, but you always find a way to cut straight through all the bullshit, and I respect that. But we’re not talking about fieldwork here. We’re talking about my son. I know you care about Cael, but you’ve got some angry demons inside of you looking to claw their way to the surface, and if that wasn’t enough, there’s the fact you don’t know who you are. Where does that leave Cael, besides on the road to a broken heart? You think I haven’t noticed how miserable he’s been since your undercover job? Or how he fucked up that training simulation?”
Ash straightened. This was the first he’d heard about this. “When?”
“While you were working undercover to infiltrate the Coalition. Sloane executed a breaching simulation. The usual training session. Cael had been so wrapped up in his own little world, he looked at the wrong screen and gave Calvin the all clear.”
Shit. “Let me guess. It wasn’t clear.”
“Nope. Your partner shot him in the leg. Twice.”
“Wait, Calvin got shot? How? And where the hell was Hobbs?” No Human got the drop on Calvin from that distance, especially with any kind of firearm. The guy was the fastest shooter on their team and a fucking sniper. What the hell was going on? As if reading his thoughts, Maddock spoke up.
“Yeah, Cael wasn’t the only one who fucked up that day. Those two aren’t your problem. I’ll deal with them. The point is Cael’s focus wasn’t on the job, it was on you. Remember this, Keeler. Just because you don’t hear me or see me doesn’t mean I don’t know every little thing going on with my team.” Maddock sat back with a sigh. “Dex and Cael wear their hearts on their sleeves. It makes it easy to know what’s going on in their heads. It also makes it easy for someone to hurt them. I like you, for the most part. What I don’t like is where this is heading.”
“And where’s that?” Ash was curious. He wasn’t exactly a catch. Maddock had every right to be concerned. Ash’s track record for successful relationships left a lot to be desired. With Cael, it was different. Man, was that an understatement. It had been so much simpler when they’d been friends. Being affectionate toward Cael had come easy. Cael had brought out emotions in him he hadn’t known existed. Now Ash was having trouble figuring out which way was up.
“Let me tell you a little story.”
“Sarge, as much as I’m enjoying this little one on one, this is between me and Cael.” Ash turned to get up, surprised when Maddock put a hand out to stop him.
“Sit your ass down. You need to hear this.”
Ash didn’t question Maddock. He resumed his seat and listened, not liking the way his sergeant rubbed at the salt-and-pepper stubble on his jaw, as if he were reluctant to say whatever was on his mind. He seemed to come to a decision about it and nodded.
“Aside from the various boyfriends who dumped Cael for reasons ranging from his being smarter than them to things just not working out, there are two who are on my shit list. Those relegated to the Tony Maddock shit list are Therians I wouldn’t piss on if they were on fire. One, Shane Cruz. Despite Dex’s warning to his brother about falling for a straight guy, Cael fell for him anyway. The reason he’s on the shit list is because he used Cael’s feelings to take advantage of him, getting Cael to do his assignments. That dumbass not only graduated high school with high marks because of Cael, he earned himself a scholarship off Cael’s hard work. Then he packed up, changed his number, and fucked off to California. Broke Cael’s heart.”
Ash didn’t reply. If he did, only unpleasant words would come out. Wherever Shane Cruz was, Ash hoped karma came back to bite him on the ass or punch him in the balls. Ash preferred the latter.
“The second, he’s at the very top of the shit list.”
Maddock’s expression darkened, and Ash braced himself. He really didn’t want to hear this, but like an idiot, he sat there and listened.
“The only reason I didn’t throw his ass in jail or the fucking Hudson River is because Cael wouldn’t let me.”
“Jail?” Jesus, it was worse than he thought. Why hadn’t Cael told him? Cael shared everything with him, despite Ash’s inability to do the same more often than not. “Shouldn’t Cael be the one telling me all this?”
Maddock continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “Have you noticed how Cael apologizes for everything? Even when he’s done nothing wrong? When there’s nothing for him to apologize for? Why do you think that is?”
Ash shrugged and sat back. “I figured it’s just part of his nature. He’s a sweet guy.”
“It’s not part of his nature,” Maddock growled, surprising Ash. “It’s what happens when a piece of shit like Don Fuller gets his claws into a guy like Cael. Nearly two years that son of a bitch put my boy through hell. You don’t know what it’s like to have your son come home with a black eye and know his boyfriend was the one responsible.”
“What the fuck?” Ash slammed his fist on the table, the drink glasses jumping and causing the soda to spill. He caught himself, remembering who he was talking to. “Sorry.” Ash swiped a handful of napkins from the dispenser at the end of the booth and promptly cleaned up the spilled liquid. He had to calm down. If he didn’t…. Fuck, he didn’t even want to think about it. Before his thoughts could turn ugly, Maddock continued.
“I never told Cael this, but that night, Dex kept me from doing something stupid.”
Ash pushed the soggy napkins to one side. There was something in Maddock’s eyes, in his tone that said maybe he wished he’d done whatever it was he’d meant to do that night.
Maddock shook his head, his eyes filled with a pain and silent rage Ash imagined only a parent could feel, knowing their child was in danger.
“You should have heard Cael. Apologizing for that bastard, blaming himself for whatever it was that set Fuller off, promising he could handle it, that it wouldn’t happen again. After Cael cried himself to sleep, I went downstairs, grabbed the crowbar from my toolbox, and I headed out the door with every intention of beating the ever-living shit out of that son of a bitch. I didn’t care that he was a Therian, that I was a THIRDS officer. The entire time, I kept thinking, ‘How fucking dare he lay a hand on my boy?’ I got my keys out of my pocket, ready to get in the car, when Dex stepped in front of me. He put his hand on my shoulder and said, ‘Don’t let that asshole break up our family. I’ll take care of it.’ Cael couldn’t see what we saw. The only way to get him away from Fuller for good was for Dex to get through to Cael. Cael had to be the one to walk away, to really see Fuller for what he was.” Maddock rubbed his eyes. “Most heartbreaking year of my life. But Dex never gave up.”
Ash couldn’t believe what he’d heard. Maddock was even more protective of Cael than he was of Dex. Cael was the baby of the family, always coddled by his big brother and dad. Dex wouldn’t hesitate in taking someone down if they tried to hurt Cael. Hell, Dex had punched Ash in the face when he’d been undercover and said some harsh words to Cael in an attempt to keep him safe, and Ash was his teammate. Yet somehow that asshole Fuller had managed almost two years with Cael? God only knew what damage he’d caused in that time. Ash didn’t know what to do with this information other than feel rage.
“How could you let it happen?”
Maddock narrowed his eyes at him. “I didn’t let it happen, Keeler. You think if I’d known what was going on, I wouldn’t have addressed it sooner? Cael spent more time with that bastard than he did with his family. At first Dex and I thought it was just young love. It wasn’t. Fuller convinced Cael that he needed to devote all his time to him, because he couldn’t stand to be away from Cael. It was bullshit. Cael was falling hard, and Fuller knew it. He played it just right when we met him, said all the right things to come off as a genuinely decent guy. Something didn’t sit right with me, but I put it down to my never liking any guy looking to be Cael’s boyfriend. I pulled a background check on Fuller, and he was clean. The guy’d just been recruited to the THIRDS, for fuck’s sake.”
Ash could feel his anger threatening to burst free, but he maintained a firm grip. He needed to hear the rest of this, even if it killed him.
“Cael would make excuses every time we called about why he couldn’t come to dinner or hang out with his brother. It hurt Dex, but he respected Cael’s privacy. Of course, you know Dex can’t be ignored for long. He grew more and more suspicious. And when that boy gets something in his head, ain’t nothing gonna stop him. He’d show up at Cael’s school, his job at the campus coffee shop, wherever he could. That’s when we noticed little things. New insecurities Cael never had before. He was apologizing more. Seemed more skittish than usual, more down on himself. He’d always had confidence issues over his Therian form, but after some time with Fuller it was something else altogether.”
“What kind of Therian was Fuller?”
Maddock hesitated before replying. “He was a lion Therian.”
Fucking fantastic. Ash ran a hand over his hair. Because lion Therians didn’t have a bad enough reputation as it was. Of all the Felid Therians, they were the ones who got the most shit, that they were lazy, possessive, chest-beating assholes and bullies who only got off their asses when it was to their benefit. Ash had heard it all. Had been hearing it all his life. Luckily he didn’t really give a shit what people thought, but lion Therians like Fuller didn’t help matters.
“Anyway, after Cael refused to press charges against Fuller, Dex and I kept an eye on the guy. Call it invasion of privacy or whatever the hell you want, but that’s my son, and I wasn’t about to let Fuller hurt him again. That’s when we realized what was really going on. The way Fuller talked to Cael? He made him feel like he was the only guy in the world, made him feel loved and happy. Then he would pull the rug out from under him and crush him. It went on and on. He’d convinced Cael he was the weakest of the Felids. How he was small and useless. How he wasn’t as smart as he thought he was. Then one day, Dex and Cael got into an argument. Dex threw his arms up in frustration, and Cael backed up against the wall. We’d been under the impression the black eye had been the first time Fuller had assaulted him. Cael swore left and right that Fuller had regretted it since and it had been the end of it. It was just the beginning.”
Ash jumped to his feet. “What?” His hands balled into fists, and he felt his vision sharpen, his fangs threatening to elongate. He had to get a grip.
“Sit down,” Maddock ordered quietly.
“How could you not know? You’re a fucking THIRDS agent. Dex was fucking HPF.”
A host of emotions flashed through Maddock’s eyes, and Ash backed off. It wasn’t his intention to give his sergeant such a hard time over something that had pained his family so deeply, but Ash was finding it difficult to swallow all this. He couldn’t get past someone hurting Cael and getting away with it. Reluctantly, he forced himself to sit.
“Cael was already training to be a THIRDS agent. He’d graduated top of his class. He’s smart. He grew up in a cop house. Which meant he knew what we’d look for, knew how to conceal the evidence. What to do, what to say. Cael really believed Fuller was helping him be stronger, tougher. We tried to get him away from Fuller, but he was blinded by what he believed Fuller felt for him. The way the guy got into his head, twisted everything Cael thought about himself, about us? It still makes me sick thinking about it.”
Ash was forced to close his eyes. He hung his head in an attempt to gather his thoughts and keep calm. He couldn’t think about Fuller, couldn’t think about Cael bruised and in pain at the hands of someone who was a worthless piece of shit. Compartmentalize. That’s what he had to do, what he’d been doing all his life. There was a reason Maddock was telling him all this. His eyes flew open, and his head shot up.
“You think I’d harm Cael?” He couldn’t help the hurt in his voice. “Because if you’re telling me that after twenty years of knowing me you think I’m capable of laying a hand on Cael to hurt him, then you can have my badge right now.”
“Relax. I know you wouldn’t, and I’m not comparing you to Fuller. Like I said, you’re a good guy, whereas Fuller thought he was. I needed you to know because you’re not the only one battling demons. Cael just has a different way of dealing with them. The last thing he needs is someone adding to that pain. It took years for Cael to undo some of the damage Fuller had caused, and even now he’s still healing. Some wounds may never heal. I’m telling you because even if you sort out all your shit, you need to know it won’t be easy with him. He puts on a brave front a good deal of the time. Like Dex, he’s an expert at evasive tactics. If he doesn’t want you to see or know something, he will do what it takes to keep you out of the loop, and that’s dangerous for everyone. There’s still a lot you don’t know about Cael. Believe me.”
Ash frowned. “I know everything about Cael.” Didn’t he?
“Oh? So you know about the panic attacks?”
“What panic attacks?” Damn. Ash sighed. “No.” In the five years he’d known Cael, not once had he seen Cael experiencing a panic attack. He’d had moments of panic but never suffered a panic attack. Was it possible he had at some point and kept it hidden from Ash? How much had Cael kept secret from him? How much of himself had Cael held back?
“It’s been years since he’s had them, but he used to get them all the time when he was with Fuller. Really bad ones. I thought you should know so you can be prepared.”
“Thanks.” A part of him wished he hadn’t been told any of this. He hated not having been around to protect Cael. But then he could hardly look out for someone he hadn’t met yet. He could protect Cael now, and he had every intention of doing so. Maddock sat pensively.
“What happened to Fuller? Please tell me he’s not still with the THIRDS.” The guy definitely wasn’t Unit Alpha, or Ash would have recognized the name. He’d never heard it before now. The THIRDS wouldn’t keep a guy like Fuller around.
Maddock shook his head. “He didn’t last very long. Failed one of his psych evals due to violent tendencies and unresponsiveness where empathy was required. Ironically, it was during a Therian domestic violence scenario. Must have hit too close to home, and I’m guessing he couldn’t fake his way through it. Especially since by this point, Cael had pressed charges.
“It was after Fuller put Cael in the hospital with a broken arm and a concussion. That wasn’t what got him to press charges though. It was seeing Dex tackled to the floor by me and four of my agents when Fuller had the fucking nerve to show up at the hospital. If we hadn’t restrained Dex, who the hell knows what he would’ve done to Fuller. My guys got Fuller the hell out, and Cael managed to calm Dex down. Cael realized if he didn’t do something, his big brother would, and the end result would most likely be Dex throwing his career and maybe even his life away, all to protect him from Fuller. Cael wouldn’t let that happen. Fuller was charged with assault and battery. He failed his eval, was let go from the THIRDS, convicted of third-degree assault, and sentenced to a year in a Therian prison. That was years ago. Last I heard he was working construction in Carson City somewhere.”
“Good fucking riddance.” Ash took a sip of his drink. Though he would have preferred it if the guy had driven off a fucking cliff. He took comfort the guy had been sent to a Therian prison, or the Zoo, as some Therians referred to it. Locked away with the rest of the fucking animals. Maybe it was time to check up on Fuller and makes sure his ass was still in Carson City.
They sat in silence, each lost in his own thoughts when Maddock broke through the quiet. “Son, do you want to be with him?”
Ash nodded and tried to swallow past the lump in his throat from having Maddock call him son. Not even his own father had called him that. He’d called him a host of names but never that. Maddock had always been good to him, but did he really want his sergeant to know the truth? Sloane was the only one who knew about his past. What would Maddock think of him? Ash had never been very good with authority, which was ironic considering where he ended up. Respect was something to be earned. Anthony Maddock had gained it from day one. Even when they butted heads, Ash respected Maddock and strived to make him proud.
“So what’s the problem? Or is it none of my business?”
“It’s personal,” Ash replied quietly.
“Does it have to do with why you’re so hung up on the whole guy thing? No one cares about that anymore. And you’re both Therian, so you won’t get the same level of shit Sloane and Dex will get once their relationship is out there.” His frown deepened. “There’s a lot of stupid in this world. I hope those two are ready for it.”
“They can handle themselves. And I know no one will care that Cael’s a guy. You’re not the first to tell me that, believe me. The problem is I care, because the last time I gave into what I felt for a guy, my brother got killed.”
Maddock cursed under his breath. “Jesus, Ash. Why the hell didn’t I know you had a brother?”
“When Shultzon registered me, he made sure to keep certain personal information out of our files. I had a twin brother. Arlo. He was killed during the riots. We were just kids.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. Can I ask what happened?”
“I fucked up, and Arlo paid the price. I was supposed to have been there the day he was killed, but I wasn’t. I was with this boy I had a crush on. I sent Arlo home on his own, and he was killed.”
“I’m sorry for your loss, but how do you know you wouldn’t have been killed along with him if you’d gone home together?”
Ash grimaced. “Now you sound like Sloane.”
“I would listen to him. He’s a smart guy. Whatever happened that day, no matter how tragic, isn’t your fault.”
His parents hadn’t thought so. They’d blamed him for Arlo’s death. He remembered that day clearly. He’d wanted to die. To be with Arlo and away from his parents, who hated him, from all the horrible things his father said to him, from the pain his father inflicted on him. Then Ash had shifted, and his world officially went to hell.
“Either way, that fucked me up, Sarge. I’ve tried to move on from it, but the thought of what I did, of how I wasn’t there to protect Arlo, it’s been eating away at me year after year after year. When I think of being with Cael, I think about how giving in to what I felt all those years ago brought nothing but pain and heartache. It destroyed my family. When I’m out with the team, with Cael, I tell myself no one knows what I’m really feeling or thinking. They don’t. Yet it feels like they do, like they’re judging me, condemning me. How can I be the man Cael deserves when the thought of holding his hand in public scares the ever-living shit out of me?” How was it he could compartmentalize everything else in his life, but when it came to Cael, everything was a jumbled mess.
“Have you talked to Cael about this?”
“No.” Ash frowned down at his fingers on the table. “I told him we’d sit down and talk, and we will. I need to figure things out.”
“You do that.” Maddock reached out and patted his arm before sliding out of the booth, taking Old Betsy with him. “Talk to each other. Let him help you. If you really care about him the way you say you do, then let him help you. Sometimes, no matter our strength, we need someone we care about to lean on, and that’s okay.” With that, Maddock headed for the stairs, but not before calling out over his shoulder. “Tell Sloane I expect you both over for Christmas dinner as well.”
Ash turned in his seat. “You want us to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas with you?” After everything he’d just told him?
“Is that a problem?”
“No. Not at all.”
“Well, all right then.”
Maddock disappeared through the doorway, and Ash sat there for a moment. He couldn’t believe he’d opened up like that to his sergeant. Now that he had, he was glad he’d done it. Besides, Maddock deserved the truth, especially since it concerned Cael. Ash still had no clue what he was going to do, but Maddock was right. He needed to talk to Cael. Soon.
Ash headed back downstairs. Thankfully the music playing from the sound system wasn’t Dex’s annoying ’80s playlist, but a mix of classic rock and modern music. It was loud enough to enjoy but low enough where everyone could talk to each other without having to shout, which Ash hated. It’s why he rarely went to clubs. The music was so damned loud in those places he could barely hear himself think. And despite what most people believed, he did think. Too much at times. He dropped himself into the chair at the table next to Sloane. Dex sat across Sloane’s lap, and the two were so lost in each other, they hadn’t even noticed him. Ash didn’t interrupt. Instead he watched them, envious of the easy way his best friend smiled and laughed with his boyfriend. The love shone through in his eyes, and there was no hesitation when he kissed Dex. No second thought. It was natural. An extension of himself. He was in love with the man in his arms and unafraid of who knew or who saw. Granted, there was only their team in the bar, but had the place been filled to the brim with people, Sloane still wouldn’t have hesitated. His best friend’s only worry regarding his relationship with his partner was the job. Ash couldn’t see himself being so at ease out in the open with Cael.
Kiss. Ash turned away from Sloane and Dex as the memory of Cael kissing him entered his mind. He’d tried his hardest not to think about it, but it was one of the most amazing experiences of his life. Cael had tasted sweet and warm. Despite the state they’d both been in, Ash had caught a whiff of Cael’s intoxicating scent. Holding Cael in his arms…. He hadn’t wanted to let go. He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it since either.
“Hey, big guy. You okay?”
Ash blinked, his attention moving to Cael, who was watching him worriedly. Damn. He’d been so lost in thought he hadn’t noticed Cael arrive.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“I’m so sorry about my dad.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Ash said with a warm smile. “Really, we just talked.”
“I can’t believe he totally freaked out like that.” Cael lowered himself onto the seat beside him, his crutch to one side.
“I can. He’s a good man. You’re very lucky.”
“I know. But sometimes he can be a little overprotective.”
Ash smiled and gave Cael’s jaw a playful nudge. “It’s hard not to be when it comes to you.”
Cael’s cheeks flushed that wonderful pink Ash loved so much. How could anyone hurt someone so warm and kind? The thought of that filth Don Fuller laying a hand on Cael had his blood boiling. He needed to calm down before he gave himself away. At some point he would tell Cael he knew about Fuller, but now was not the time.
“We’re heading home,” Sloane announced, sucking in a sharp breath as Dex helped him to his feet. “I hate to say it, but I could use a nap.”
“Showing your old age, huh?” Ash teased.
“Fuck off,” Sloane said, laughing. “We’re the same age.”
“Yeah, but I’m younger at heart.”
Sloane scooped up a cheese cube from the table and threw it at him. “Ass.”
His best friend still had some recovery to do after nearly losing his life to the explosion outside Dex’s house. The car bomb had been planted in Ash’s car by the same bastard who’d tried to kill him once before. Sloane had insisted Ash not feel guilty about it, but how could he not? The bomb had been in his car. It had been meant for him. What if he’d lost Sloane? A hand came to rest on his arm, and he smiled down at Cael. It’s like the guy could sense when he needed to be pulled out of his thoughts. He gave Cael a wink and turned back Sloane.
“Call if you need anything,” Ash said.
“Thanks.” The two started for the door when Dex narrowed his eyes at him. “Just remember what I said. Alaska.”
“I’m quaking in my boots,” Ash drawled, turning back to Cael after Sloane and Dex had said their good-byes to everyone and left. Maddock was gone, and everyone else sat at the bar chatting and laughing as Bradley attempted to show Lou how to twirl a bottle in his hand without dropping it.
Cael prodded Ash’s bicep. “Alaska? What’s in Alaska?”
“Nothing. Your brother’s being an ass hat. As usual.” Dex had threatened to annoy the ever-living fuck out of Ash if he hurt his baby brother, stating he’d drive Ash so crazy he’d end up asking for a transfer to Alaska. Like Ash wasn’t already used to Dex annoying the fuck out him.
“Oh.” Cael let out a yawn and laid his head against Ash’s shoulder. It was an innocent gesture. One Cael had done countless times. Usually Ash would rest his head against Cael’s in return. Now he felt self-conscious. Like maybe everyone around him would know how he felt. He cleared his throat and gently moved away to stand.
“I’m gonna head home.”
Cael stood and took hold of his crutch. “Want to share a cab?”
“Sure.”
“Aw, you guys are leaving already?” Letty came skipping over and poked Ash in his side. She was clearly tipsy, though God only knew how many drinks she’d had. The woman could drink a Therian under the table. So could Calvin, for that matter. Pretty impressive considering they were the smaller of their Human teammates. Letty poked him again, and he gave her a playful shove away from him.
“Yeah, those of us on meds drinking nothing but juice have better places to be.” On the third poke, he threw an arm around her neck and pulled her against him. “Is there a breeze in here? I swear I feel something tickling my side.”
Letty laughed and punched him in the ribs before pushing him away. “Cabrón. Get lost, then.”
Rosa came over and kissed Cael’s cheek. “Rest up, gatito. Call me if you need me.”
“He’ll be fine,” Letty said, watching Ash intently. “Ash will take good care of him.”
“Speaking of. Are you two dating?” Rosa asked, looking from one to the other.
Cael opened his mouth, and Ash cut him off. “No.”
Letty cocked her head to one side but didn’t respond. His partner knew him well. She planned on accosting him later. Rosa was more persistent. “Then what the hell was Maddock going on about when he stormed in here?”
“It was a misunderstanding. Mind your own business,” he growled, snatching his coat off the back of his chair.
“Fine. Jesus.” Rosa waved them off and headed back to bar. Ash said his good-byes to the rest of them, helped Cael into his coat, and then out of the bar. It was a chilly November evening, and Ash called for a cab. Cael was quiet at his side.
“Sorry about that back there. I don’t want to stick a label on anything before we talk.”
“I get it.” Cael tried to straighten out the scarf around his neck while still holding onto his crutch. “Don’t worry about it.”
“Thank you for being so patient with me. I know I don’t deserve it.” Ash turned to face him and gently took hold of the scarf he’d given Cael earlier in the evening. It looked better on him anyway. The silver and dark grays brought out his eyes. Ash had fallen deep into those amazing silvery eyes from day one. “I’m sorry for pushing you away.” He paused, his hand coming to rest against Cael’s neck. His skin was warm and soft.
“It’s okay, Ash.” Cael leaned into Ash’s touch, a shy smile on his handsome face. “We’ll work it out.”
“Yeah.” Ash smiled when the cab appeared. He pulled away and opened the back door, then motioned for Cael to get in first, taking hold of his crutch for him. It was awkward with his leg, but Cael managed it, though Ash could have done without seeing Cael’s ass in the air when he opted for crawling across the seat. Lord, give me strength. He passed Cael his crutch and climbed in next to him, doing his best to ignore how Cael put the crutch beside the window so he could sit closer to Ash. As a large Therian, there typically wasn’t a whole lot of room for him in the back of these old New York cabs. His head touched the ceiling, so he had to slump a bit.
“So, what did you and my dad talk about?” Cael asked after giving the cab driver his address.
“You. He’s worried about you. About us.” He murmured the last part. Which was stupid. Like the cab driver gave a fuck. “He’s afraid I’ll hurt you, and he’s right to be.”
“Don’t worry about him. He won’t bug you,” Cael said. “He knows you.”
Ash wanted to point out that’s exactly why Maddock was worried, but he didn’t. Usually when they shared a cab, Ash would put his arm around Cael, and he hated that things felt different. He’d lived for those moments. The innocent touches that weren’t so innocent. They had become a sweet form of torture for him. Now that the possibility of more loomed on the horizon, he couldn’t shake his discomfort and self-consciousness. Their relationship had changed whether he liked it or not. They couldn’t go back to the way things were, but if they couldn’t move forward, where did it leave them?
Thankfully, the cab pulled up to Cael’s brownstone, where he occupied the top floor apartment. It was spacious yet cozy, with a playful style fitting of its owner. Ash told the cab driver to wait as he helped Cael climb out. He walked Cael to the front steps, careful neither of them slipped on any ice. Cael opened the front door and turned with a shy smile.
“Do you want to come in? You could stay for dinner. We could hang out.”
“I would, but I need to sort out some insurance paperwork on my car. I want to get the new one before we’re called back in.” That had to be the most pathetic excuse in the history of excuses.
“Right. Sorry. Forgot about that.”
Cael bit his bottom lip and leaned into Ash, who took a step back.
“I need to go. I’ll call you later.”
The disappointment on Cael’s face hit Ash hard. Please don’t let this be the start of a disturbing trend. He hated disappointing Cael. He hated hurting him even more. This wasn’t how he wanted things to go at all, but no matter how much he told himself to man up, he backed off like a goddamn coward. Cael simply nodded his understanding.
“Have a good night, Ash.”
There was no sweet smile, no hug, only Cael closing the door while Ash remained on the other side staring at the scuffed wood like an idiot. He lifted his fist to knock, then stopped himself. With a shake of his head at his own absurdity, he turned and descended the steps to the sidewalk and the idle cab parked at the curb. The whole way home, he stared numbly at the passing scenery from the backseat. Maddock expected him and Sloane to spend the holidays with him and his family. It sounded less and less like a good idea. Last year they’d all had a great time, but things had been simpler for everyone then. Dex and Sloane hadn’t been dating. He’d had fun with Cael like he always did, with no confusing emotions to muddy up the waters of their friendship.
Dex and Sloane had finally reached a stable point in their relationship, even if his best friend had thrown him for a loop by stating he was moving in with Dex. Of course, that hadn’t surprised him as much as Sloane’s admission to having marked Dex. Sloane was a Therian, but Ash wondered if his best friend was aware of how serious a commitment he’d just made. Neither of them had much experience with a committed functional relationship until now. Ash was still trying to wrap his head around Sloane in love, much less being all domestic and shit. From what Ash gathered, Sloane actually liked it. He liked getting up before Dex and making them breakfast. They took turns cooking or ordered takeout, took turns washing the dishes and clearing up, even doing laundry. Did his friend enjoy it because it was what normal couples did? Because all their life they’d struggled with finding a little piece of normalcy in the chaos that spawned them? Ash cooked and did chores around the house, but he didn’t think of himself as domestic. He just liked taking care of his shit. Everything clean and in its place. But being told to take out the trash, wash the dishes, or pick up a gallon of milk on his way home? Ash didn’t like the sound of that. At least not until he thought of Cael, and then everything he thought he knew flew out the window.
I am so fucked.
Ghost Trapped by BL Maxwell
Chapter One
Wade
“I guess it’s official, we’re in the ghost hunting business.” Jason smiled over at me as we drove away from the restaurant in Old Sacramento.
“So, do we get to have matching jackets? Maybe shirts?” I teased, then turned in time to see Jimbo roll his eyes.
“We need a name first, a really good name.” Jason rubbed his chin in thought.
“Oh boy,” Jimbo breathed out as he turned to look out the window.
“Basement Dwellers Ghost Hunting?” Jason suggested.
“Little long, don’t you think?” I commented, but he didn’t stop suggesting even more names that were no better than the first few.
“Unchain the Spirit.”
“Specter Squad.”
“Specter Detectors.”
“Mostly Ghostly.”
“Spooks R Us?”
He really had lost his mind, but that didn’t stop him.
“Spectrally Challenged, Haunt Helpers, Soul Chasers, Phantom . . . something.”
“My god!” Jimbo commented.
“Apparition Alleviation, Kelpie Keepers . . .”
“What the hell’s a kelpie?” I asked. “No matter what name we choose, we’re basically running scared as soon as shit happens—wait, that’s it! Running Scared Paranormal Research.” I slapped the steering wheel and nodded to punctuate that decision.
Jason and Jimbo both rolled their eyes in answer. “Yay, so it’s official, we’re Running Scared?” I said.
“Fine. But we won’t be running this time,” Jason said.
“Speak for yourself, Jason,” Jimbo added with a sniff.
“Dude, you do realize we had to drag you into The Vineyard House, and then one of us had to keep a hand on you at all times to make sure you didn’t run screaming into the night,” I reminded Jimbo as I met his narrow-eyed glare in the rearview mirror.
“Fine, whatever. Running Scared it is,” Jimbo snapped back.
“Fine,” I countered.
“So, do I get no say in this whatsoever?” Jason asked.
“No,” we both barked at him.
“I guess it works. It describes you two perfectly,” Jason said with a huge grin.
Jimbo rolled his eyes again, then muttered, “Whatever. But I’m not wearing a shirt that has Running Scared printed all over it.”
“Who says it would be ‘printed all over it’?” Jason asked, and settled back into his seat.
“Yeah, we just need a logo, nothing huge,” Jimbo added from the back seat.
“Just a logo? You two have lost your freaking minds.”
“We’ll see what your mom thinks.” Jason effectively ended the conversation with that statement. There was no way my mom wouldn’t absolutely love the idea, and knowing her, we’d have shirts, business cards, and pens printed up within twenty-four hours.
We had just finished our first official meeting with a client about a haunting in his business. Dean was the manager of The Hitching Post, a popular new restaurant in the Old Sacramento area. The whole time the business had been open he’d suspected they had a ghost, but so far it had been more mischievous contact than harmful—moving a glass or napkin to a different spot, hiding a fork, only to have it returned the next day to the exact spot. That kind of nonthreatening stuff.
It was only after one of the waitresses was trapped down in the lower level for hours and left terrorized by what she’d experienced that he decided he needed our help. He explained he’d seen a story about our adventures on the news and was desperate enough to find out exactly what he was dealing with, so decided to give us a call.
“Hey, Jimbo, what’s up with you and Dean, the manager?” I asked, looking back at him.
He stared straight ahead, not bothering to act like he’d even heard me talking to him.
“Jimbo? What the fuck?” Jason turned and looked at him. “Is there something you need to tell us, about how you know Dean Peterson?”
“I don’t need to tell anybody anything. It’s my own damn business.”
Jason stared hard at him for a full minute, before Jimbo squirmed a little then started to speak. “Fine, we may have been in culinary school at the same time.”
“No way, what was that, like, fifty years ago?” I asked, knowing full well it would get a reaction.
“Fuck you, Wade. It wasn’t that long ago,” he snapped back in his usual snarky way. “And that’s all you need to know.”
“Oh, so there’s some history there, huh?” I pressed, knowing it would piss him off.
He folded his arms and once again clammed up, looking out the window as we drove back home. “I wonder if Mom knows about your history with Dean?” I said as nonchalantly as I could, and held in a grin when I saw Jimbo’s gaze snap away from the window to stare a hole into the back of my head. He noticed I was watching him through the rearview mirror, and he huffed out a breath while doing his best to ignore me again.
I smiled over to Jason and put my hand on his leg. “So, do you think we can help Dean? No one seemed to be in a hurry to go down into the basement there.”
“I think so, we’ll need to do some research and find out what all those people are doing down there. Jimbo, would your sister help us if we need it?”
We’d found out that Jimbo and his sister were both powerful in their own right—Jimbo was a beacon, someone ghosts were drawn to, where his sister was a strong psychic, and able to communicate with the spirits in a way neither Jason or I could.
“I have no clue, you’ll need to ask her yourself,” he huffed, actually huffed.
I stopped at a light and turned to look at him straight on and laughed. “Jimbo, you make it so hard to take you seriously when you’re always in such a grouchy mood.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” He squinted. “I’m always Mr. Personality, ask anyone. Your mom would be pretty pissed if she knew you were giving me shit.” He raised his chin to accent the line of crap he was trying to sell us.
“Just because my mom thinks you’re ‘adorable,’ doesn’t mean I agree. And you’re way nicer to her than you are to anyone else. Even Dean, who you lied to us about knowing.”
“Leave him alone, Wade,” Jason said as he patted my shoulder.
“Yeah, listen to your boyfriend,” Jimbo snapped at me, taking full advantage of the situation.
“You know your mom will get it out of him, and she won’t be able to keep it to herself. The things that woman has shared are truly embarrassing,” Jason said, and turned around to look right at Jimbo.
Jimbo tried to give him a dirty look but ended up looking horrified. “That woman has told me details about the two of you I’d rather forget,” he mumbled.
“Yep, that’s my mom. And just imagine what she’ll tell us after you tell her about Dean—and you know you’ll tell her. She should work for the government, that woman can make anyone talk,” I said.
“You have no idea,” Jimbo mumbled, again with a huff.
We pulled up to my house, and Mom was right out front, watering the plants as usual.
“Hey, Mom,” I called out as I closed the car door and walked toward her.
“Hey, baby, how’d it go? I want to hear all about it.” She turned off the water and rushed over to the front door. Jason and Jimbo followed us in, and we all took our usual seats in the living room.
“Well, don’t keep me waiting,” she said, waving her hands in anticipation.
“Oh, we thought of a name for the business. What do you think of Running Scared Paranormal Research?” Jason asked.
“Can we have shirts?” she asked immediately, sitting on the edge of her seat.
“Sure, whatever you want,” he answered.
“I thought we agreed no shirts,” Jimbo said.
Jason gave him a slow smile before he spoke. “You might want to ask Jimbo about who our new client is first,” he said, changing the subject and throwing Jimbo under the bus with one sentence.
My mom’s gaze locked on Jimbo and he squirmed a little. “Fuck you, Jason.”
“James, you know I don’t want to hear that language, now spill, who was the client?”
“His name is Dean Peterson, he’s the manager of The Hitching Post, and him and Jimbo have some super-secret past that he won’t tell us about,” Jason revealed as he threw Jimbo further under the proverbial bus.
Mom’s head snapped back around to face Jimbo, and she pinned him with a stare he visibly flinched away from.
“So, James, care to tell us the whole story?” she asked, voice as sweet as could be.
“Oh for the love of—fine! I met him when we were in culinary school. He was just starting out, and I was just beginning my last few courses. That’s it.”
“There’s nothing else you want to tell us?” Mom pushed, moving to sit next to Jimbo. She took his hand in hers, and he melted a little; he really had a soft spot for her.
“Well, we might have had a moment,” he said with a fond smile and a shake of his head.
“Come on, James, you know I want all the details.” She smiled at him then and leaned on his arm, and to my surprise, he smiled back at her. A rare occurrence for this professional grouch.
“We might have hooked up once or twice,” he said, his hand partially covering his mouth and muffling his words.
“What?” Jason jumped up. “Why didn’t you tell us that? I thought maybe you two worked together, or you had a bad time with him at culinary school. And why are you grinning, Wade?”
“This is gonna be so good,” I breathed out and tried to hide my excitement with a wide smile.
“I hate you all so much,” Jimbo grumbled, before smiling at Mom, who smiled back at him and looped her arm with his then rested her head on his shoulder.
“Okay, James, I want all the details, now.”
Diego's Heart by Taylor Rylan
1
Diego
“Diego?” I heard Sev say, but he was in a tunnel. No, I was. And what was that enticing smell? I looked around the room through a red tint and wondered where the source of that scent was. I gasped when I realized what it was that I was scenting.
“Beloved,” I whispered as I glanced at Master Nikolai, who appeared to be just as surprised as I was. He quickly handed Isabella to Sev and took a step toward me.
“Well, this just got interesting,” Nikolai said. “Do you know where, Diego?”
I scanned around the room and shook my head. There were so many people.
“Okay, we will find them, okay? But I need for you to trust me when I say you need to calm down. Your eyes are red, and although everyone here knows of paranormals, we don’t wish to scare your beloved right away,” Master Nikolai said.
It was certainly a reasonable request. I tried taking a few deep breaths, but that just seemed to make it worse. So much so that my fangs were aching, and I whimpered.
“I got this,” Sev said, and then he grabbed my arm before he started walking out of the room with me in tow. He pulled me back out to the front foyer, and when I was away from the crowded room, I was finally able to take a few cleansing breaths.
“Sev, my beloved,” I said and looked at him in awe.
“I know, man. I said the same thing to you just over a year ago. You ready for this?” Sev asked.
Was I? I…yeah, I was. I wanted what Sev and Fenwick had. Only, I would prefer to not have the rough start to my mating like they did. I wanted a mate and kids. But did my beloved? I was never going to find out if I spent all evening out here in the foyer though.
“There you go. Your eyes are no longer red. You ready to go back inside and see if we can’t sniff him out?”
“What if he doesn’t want to be with me, Sev? What if he’s one of the ones that doesn’t like vampires?” I asked. It was a common worry for us. We were the often not liked paranormals in the world. It wasn’t our fault we needed blood to survive.
“Hey, listen here,” Sev said. He wrapped a hand around the back of my head and pulled mine to his, resting our foreheads together. “Everyone here is from all different species. Master Edison accepted anyone that was worthy. His son, Master Arthur, is the same. We have all kinds here, Diego. It’s going to be okay. I promise. If they’re hesitant, Fen and I will talk to them.”
I took another deep breath and looked at my best friend. I nodded once, and he took a step back and smiled.
“Okay, now let’s go into the dining hall and see if we can’t figure out who your beloved is. There aren’t that many unmated warlocks left, so it shouldn’t be too difficult.”
I nodded. Sev was right. I had heard enough about the coven that he now called home to know that there were indeed only a few warlocks left that were unmated. As far as I could remember, they were all older than us, and then, of course, the really young ones. It wouldn’t be one of them because they weren’t yet of age.
I followed Sev back to the dining hall, and as we got closer, the ache in my fangs started again as I could scent my beloved. He was still inside.
“Wait,” I said, grabbing Sev’s arm. “You think my beloved is a warlock?” I asked, just to clarify things.
“Well, I mean, we’re at a warlock coven, and you prefer men, so…” Sev’s eyes widened. “Oh, I guess it could be a shifter, huh? Some of Fenwick’s family is here, and not all of them are mated. Maybe it’s one of his siblings?”
My eyes widened. What would I do with a female beloved? “Okay, I’m not going to stand out here and play the what-if game. Let’s just go inside and see if we can find my beloved.”
I took a step forward, and Sev was right there beside me. When we reentered the dining hall, I immediately found Master Nikolai right where we had left him. He was standing off to the right, toward the back of the room. Sev, though, tugged my arm and pulled me toward the left. I let him lead while I continued to look at Master Nikolai. He said something to Fenwick before he started heading our way. I sighed in relief. It was good to know he was going to be here for me. I was almost positive I had myself under control, but who knew once I was face-to-face with my beloved.
“Anything yet?” Sev asked as we slowly walked around the room.
“I mean, I can scent them, but how am I supposed to know, Sev?” I asked just as Master Nikolai reached us.
“There’s too many people. What should we do?” Sev asked.
“Ask Fenwick how it is that he knew you were the one he needed to go to,” Master Nikolai said.
That was a good idea. The casino floor had been pretty full when Fenwick had found Sev, so maybe he had some insight.
“What can we do to help?” Master Arthur asked as he joined us. Patrick was with him, their toddler on his hip.
I looked at them both imploringly and hoped we could figure this out.
“I’m not sure,” I said as I looked around the room, trying to see if anyone was looking our way, interested. Unfortunately, everyone seemed to be looking at our small group.
“He said he walked around the casino until the vibrations in his body became stronger. When they were intense, he was standing in front of my table.”
“Then we will continue on as we were. We make a trip around the room, and hopefully whoever it is that is your beloved either comes forward or you are close enough to scent them,” Master Nikolai said. I could only nod. What else could I do?
I walked with Sev beside me and Master Nikolai and Master Arthur behind me. Patrick was on my other side, doing his best to help keep me calm.
When we got to the back of the room, toward the middle, I picked up on the scent of my beloved and froze. “I smell snow,” I whispered.
“It’s possible. It is December, and there is snow outside.”
I wasn’t quite sure who spoke because there was a loud rushing noise in my head. I looked around the room again, and although my view was once again tinted red, I was able to zero in on the source of that wonderfully amazing scent.
The man, thank the fates, looked young, and he was quite a bit shorter than I was. But he appeared to be just as interested in me as I was him.
“Oh no,” Sev said beside me. When I took a step forward, he held my arm, keeping me from my beloved. “No, Diego. That’s Nigel. You’ll scare him,” Sev said.
I somehow managed to tear my gaze away from my beloved and looked at my best friend.
“He’s my beloved. Let me go.” I pulled on my arm, and when it was freed, I moved quickly over to the man that was now my entire world.
“Hello, beautiful beloved. I’m Diego.” I stared down at the man that smelled like freshly fallen snow. There was another scent there, but I wasn’t quite sure what it was just yet. I would as soon as we were alone though.
The blond shifter that was with my beloved gently touched his shoulder as he stood there and stared up at me.
“Are you going to say anything, Nigel?”
“Umm…he’s sexy.”
I smiled while Miles snorted.
“That’s a given. He’s a vampire. Are you going to introduce yourself?”
My beloved looked at the other shifter, and after a moment, his mouth dropped open. “Oh. Yeah. I should do that, huh?”
He returned his gaze to me and grinned up at me. “I’m Nigel. You’re my mate. Do you want babies? Because if you don’t, we need to talk about things.”
I heard laughing somewhere around us but didn’t care where it was coming from. Damn, my beloved was adorable.
“Hi, Nigel. I can’t wait to get to know you better.” I held out my hand, and when my beloved placed his in mine, I pulled it up to my mouth and kissed the back of his knuckles. He giggled again and then stepped into my space and plastered himself to my front.
“I want that too. But you didn’t answer my question.”
I blinked a few times, trying to clear both my vision as well as the fog in my brain. Having my beloved so close was clouding my thought process.
“Nigel, give him a moment to get his thoughts together.”
“If he doesn’t want kids, Master Arthur, I can’t mate with him. I want kids. Lots of kids.”
I growled and wrapped my arms around my beloved. He wasn’t tall enough for me to bury my face in his neck, so I leaned down and grabbed his ass, pulling him up into my arms. His legs wrapped around my waist, and when I could get to his neck, I took a deep breath. His scent both calmed me while arousing me at the same time. My little beloved was just as turned on as I was, and I couldn’t wait to satisfy him in so many ways.
“Umm…Diego? How about we go to the foyer, and you two can talk about things. You’re going to need to let him go so you can answer his question.”
I nodded, pretty sure that was Sev talking, but it might have been Master Nikolai. My entire focus at the moment was the man in my arms. My beloved. He wasn’t the warlock I was expecting. He was some sort of shifter, and although I’d heard the name Nigel before, I couldn’t remember what exactly they had said he was.
I let them lead us out of the room, Nigel still in my arms with his legs wrapped around me. When we reached the foyer, the overwhelming scents of so many in one room were gone. Now all I could scent was the man wrapped around me.
When I moved my hand from the back of his neck, he lifted his head off my shoulder and looked at me.
“Hi. Are you going to bite me?”
I heard several chuckles around us as I nodded at my beloved. “But only if you say it’s okay,” I croaked out.
“Oh, it’s definitely okay. You do want kids, right? I love kids. I’m Constantine and Miles’s nanny. I help them take care of their triplets.” My beloved’s eyes widened, and he dropped his legs from my waist. I let him slide down my body, and when his feet hit the floor, I realized just how short he was. He didn’t even come to my shoulders.
“I would like to have children, yes. But we don’t have to rush to have them.”
“Master Arthur? What about the triplets?”
“It’s okay, Nigel. Constantine and Miles knew it was a possibility that you would one day find your own mate. They will adjust as the rest of us do.”
Nigel seemed to think about that for a moment before he nodded. Fates was he adorable. Nobody was trying to keep us apart, so I was taking that as fact that my beloved was of age. He looked like he was a teenager though.
“Nigel, how old are you?” I managed to get out, this time my voice a bit more normal.
“I know I look young. Matthew does too. But I’m thirty-seven. I’m a lot older than Matthew, and he already has his mate and a baby.”
I nodded, trying to remember who Matthew was but was drawing another blank. I looked up and met Sev’s smiling eyes.
“Matthew is Cornelius’s One. He’s fae, and as Nigel said, he looks young as well.”
“Have you mentioned him often? I’m trying here, Sev, but my brain isn’t really working too well right now.”
Sev and Fenwick both chuckled.
“It’s okay, Diego. You’ve found your beloved. You should go talk. Get to know each other a bit,” Sev told me.
“Since Nigel lives with Constantine and Miles, perhaps you two would like to go to one of the spare suites and spend some time together?” Master Arthur said.
I nodded. My brain told me that was what I needed to do, and when I looked to Master Nikolai, I tried to smile. He was staring at Nigel, and although he didn’t look upset, he appeared to be puzzled.
“Master Nikolai?” I asked as I pulled my beloved into my side a bit tighter. I did not want to give up the man I had just found.
“Diego, this is a blessing. Spend time with your beloved, get to know him. Discuss claiming if it is what you two wish. When you’re ready to come back to the Beloved Gem, I’m sure Fenwick will be more than happy to bring the two of you.”
Master Nikolai wrapped a hand around the back of my neck and gave it a quick squeeze before he took a step back.
“Yes, Master. Thank you.”
I looked to Arthur and nodded. I needed to get Nigel somewhere private so I could not only get to know him but also so I could put just a bit of space between us so I could think a bit more clearly. I knew I wouldn’t be able to do so with so many people around us and my beloved not yet claimed as mine.
We were suddenly standing in a hallway, and Nigel giggled once again. I looked down at my beloved and smiled. I simply couldn’t help myself.
“I put Nikolai in the suite across the hallway. This one is empty, and you two are welcome to use it for as long as you wish,” Master Arthur said as he opened the door. “Nigel, I’ll have your things brought here to you.” Master Arthur offered me a smile. “I won’t disturb the two of you. When you’re ready to come out, Nigel knows the way around the estate. Everything will work out as it should, Diego. Congratulations, you two.”
With that, Master Arthur simply disappeared, and I was left standing in the entryway of a suite that looked like a small two-story apartment with my beloved.
“Diego?”
I looked down at Nigel and blinked a few times before I reached out and cupped his cheek with my free hand.
“Yes, Nigel?”
“Are you upset? Because I’m a shifter?”
“No. I’m processing everything, my beloved. My brain is finally starting to clear enough that I can think again. You’re quite intoxicating, Nigel. Tell me, what type of shifter are you? I’ve never scented someone like you before.”
“Oh! I’m a penguin. Is that okay?”
“Penguin? Really?”
“Yeah. Theo and I are rockhoppers. It’s a long story, but he saved me from his brother, and we ended up here. His mate is Grantham, the chef. I stayed because I had nowhere else to go, and Constantine and Miles had triplets and could use the help. You do want kids, right? You’re not going to be one of those that doesn’t?”
I shook my head. I had so many questions, but they could wait. “I want kids. We’ll have to figure out how that’s going to work though. I’m the head of security for Master Nikolai. I can’t just move here like Sev did, Nigel.”
Nigel’s smile fell from his face. “Can I not go with you?”
“You would do that? You’d leave Amherst and come to the boat with me?”
“Well, yeah. You’re my mate. I don’t spend a whole lot of time with Severino and Fenwick because, well, Fenwick isn’t a people person, really. And the triplets keep me pretty busy. But I know as a vampire, you’re going to need to bite me, right?”
I smiled down at Nigel. There was certainly more to it than just biting, and we would definitely be discussing that soon.
“How about we start by you showing me somewhere we can sit and talk for a bit?” I asked.
“Yeah, okay,” Nigel said. He grabbed my hand and pulled me farther into the suite. I couldn’t get over how much shorter than me he was. And if I was honest with myself, I wasn’t quite sure how things would work sexually. There was no way I could reach his neck while buried inside of him. Could I?
“What are you thinking? You smell aroused.”
My eyes widened briefly before I bit my lower lip. When I did, Nigel gasped. “Oh, are those your fangs? Can I touch them?” he asked as he reached for my face. I released my lip, once again covering my fangs, and looked around. We were standing beside the couch, so I sat, pulling my beloved down onto my lap once again.
“You may, yes. They are very sensitive though, and touching a vampire’s fangs is a lot like stroking their cock.”
Nigel gasped. “Really?” he asked as he pulled his hand back.
“Yes. But you are my beloved, and you may touch me anywhere,” I whispered. I leaned in, needing to smell my little penguin again. “May I kiss you, Nigel?” I asked.
“Oh yes,” Nigel said. I couldn’t help but move closer, more than ready to taste my beloved for the first time. If his taste was even a fraction as intoxicating as his scent, I was a very lucky vampire.
Unapologetically Me by Colette Davison
“I can’t remember the last time I just hung out with someone before this week.” I laid my head on his shoulder. “That’s not true. It was right before my first album went viral.”
“That’s a long time.” Austin didn’t sound even remotely surprised.
“I guess you know how that feels, huh?”
“Yes.”
“The cupcakes will be cool enough to decorate.” I cleared my throat and stood.
We’d been having fun, and I didn’t want to drag the day down with drama about how lonely I was. Had been. Could I consign my loneliness to past tense now that I was spending time with Austin?
“I’ll help you make some icing if you want.”
“That might help,” Austin said around a chuckle.
I showed him the recipe I liked to use, loaded up a piping bag for him, and hand over hand showed him how to use it.
“You’ve gotta be gentle,” I said as I left him to it.
I carefully cut a hole out of the centre of each of my cupcakes, into which I pushed a fresh strawberry. Then I popped the top back on and began to ice them. I’d coloured my icing a soft shade of pink, much paler than the bright red of the strawberries. Using a controlled motion, I spiralled the icing onto the top of each cupcake.
“Bollocks!” Austin said.
I looked around to see that his hands were covered in icing, and the nozzle had shot off the piping bag onto one of his cupcakes. Icing dripped everywhere.
I couldn’t help but laugh. “You squeezed too hard, didn’t you?”
He put the piping bag into a bowl, washed his hands, and grabbed a spoon. I watched for a moment as he dolloped icing onto the top of each cupcake. They looked anything but pretty. Still chuckling to myself, I finished mine off by sprinkling the tiny pieces of chopped strawberry over the icing.
“It’s obvious who’s won,” Austin said.
“No, it’s not. Don’t we have to do a taste test or something?”
“I guess so.”
“Get a couple of plates out.”
He complied. I cut one of his cupcakes in half and put a piece on each plate, then did the same with one of my own.
“Forks?”
“We could use our fingers?”
“I’m pretty sure that’s not how they do it on cooking shows.”
Austin smiled and grabbed a couple of forks. “We should taste the same one.” He handed me a fork. “Mine first.”
“Why?”
“So we’re saving the best until last? We’ll need to eat yours to get rid of the taste of mine.”
“They can’t be that bad.”
He raised his eyebrows. We both took a bite.
“See what I mean?” Austin said around his own mouthful.
I grabbed some water to wash it down. “They’re not bad for a beginner. A little dry.”
“And heavy.”
“You might want to try adding a bit of milk when you’re mixing the ingredients. It helps to make the mixture light and fluffy.”
“What would help the taste?”
“Some vanilla-bean paste. It’s much better than vanilla extract,” I added, glancing at the small brown bottle of extract that Austin had bought but obviously not used in his own cakes.
Austin nodded thoughtfully before trying my cake. He closed his eyes and murmured his approval. “Now this is like an orgasm in my mouth.”
I snorted a laugh. “A what?”
“An orgasm in my mouth.” He devoured the rest of his half of the cupcake and then put his plate down. “You win.” He wrapped his arms around my waist.
“What do I win?”
“A kiss.” His lips and tongue tasted of strawberries and icing.
“Good prize.”
A Vigil in the Mourning by Hailey Turner
“You should call Patrick.”
Jono decided the better part of valor right then was to pretend Sage wasn’t glaring at him at half past nine on a Wednesday morning. He grimaced as Victoria finished washing out the knife wound on his side with saline and started to apply the poultice. Her thick black hair was tied back in a ponytail, and her scrubs that morning had kittens playing with yarn balls on them.
“Stop moving,” Victoria told him, never taking her eyes off his ribs.
She was seated on the coffee table, her potions case open and supplies scattered around her. Victoria worked as an RN at Mount Sinai and had a standing contract with Marek to help heal the migraines he got from his visions. It had expanded into caring for multiple pack members when needed, and she didn’t seem to mind the extra work.
Jono rarely needed her services, but silver and aconite poisoning was something every werecreature needed help with. His body couldn’t heal the damage on its own in a timely manner. He’d spent the better part of the night after Leon drove him home getting sick in the toilet. Leon hadn’t left his side, and everyone else had met them at the flat. Which meant there was no escaping Sage’s wrath, but at least Emma and Leon were making breakfast for him.
“Jono,” Sage said.
“He doesn’t need to know about this right now,” Jono gritted out as Victoria started taping a bandage over the poultice.
Sage frowned at him, mouth twisting angrily. “You should have let me tell him what was going on when he called last night.”
Jono shook his head sharply. “I don’t want to worry him.”
“The Krossed Knights are hunting you and you think Patrick will be fine being the last to know?”
“He won’t be,” Emma called from the kitchen.
Jono lifted a hand to rub at his eyes, wincing at the pull in his ribs. His skin felt clammy, and his head hurt. Sage’s anger was only making his shit mood worse, mostly because he knew she had a point.
“You know why Patrick was sent to Chicago. It’s not like he can just up and leave from working this case. I want him to keep his head in the game. If Patrick is worrying about me, he won’t be worrying about himself,” Jono said.
“All I’m hearing is an excuse. Patrick hates being lied to. You know that,” Sage argued.
“This isn’t lying. It’s…just not telling him the whole story.”
“Obfuscation doesn’t make this situation better.”
“No, but it’ll keep Patrick focused.”
“A hundred dollars you’re sleeping on the couch for the next few months when he finds out,” Marek said as he came out of the kitchen.
“A hundred dollars he’ll be sleeping on our couch,” Sage retorted.
Victoria straightened up and began putting bottles and jars away. “All right. I’ve done what I can. The purge potions are in the fridge. Take one bottle every six hours for the next two days. That should clear your system of the poison, but you’re going to find shifting difficult until it’s all out of your system. I’d advise against changing forms until you feel completely better in your human body.”
Marek approached Victoria and handed her several hundred dollars in cash from his wallet. “Thanks for coming by this morning. Do you need a ride home?”
Victoria held up her mobile. “I’ll catch an Uber.”
“Charge it to me.”
“Later. I’m going to sleep when I get home.”
Victoria pulled on her puffy coat and waved goodbye before leaving the flat. Jono glanced down at his chest and grimaced at the red and black lines branching away from the bandaged knife wound. At least he was no longer bleeding, but he still felt like shit.
“When Patrick finds out we kept from him the fact you were nearly killed, he’s going to be pissed at all of us,” Sage said in a low voice.
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.
BL Maxwell grew up in a small town listening to her grandfather spin tales about his childhood. Later she became an avid reader and after a certain vampire series she became obsessed with fanfiction. She soon discovered Slash fanfiction and later discovered the MM genre and was hooked.
Many years later, she decided to take the plunge and write down some of the stories that seem to run through her head late at night when she’s trying to sleep.
Many years later, she decided to take the plunge and write down some of the stories that seem to run through her head late at night when she’s trying to sleep.
The Men of Crooked Bend Series is what started it all for me and it was incredibly difficult to let those men go. It was originally supposed to be a trilogy but it ended up as a ten book series with a bonus book that's part of The Snow Globe Christmas Series. In the Men of Crooked Bend series, you get to know the cowboys and other men of Wild Creek Ranch in Crooked Bend, Wyoming (a totally fictitious town). The series is set in the foothills of the Grand Teton Mountains, a place I fell in love with as a teenager.
I have a closely related spin-off series called Sulfur Springs. In it you leave Wild Creek and go to the little neighbor town of Sulfur Springs and meet the sexy men of the Sulfur Springs Fire Depart, the sheriff's department, as well as quite a few US Marshals. You see some familiar faces but you also meet some very new ones. It’s finally finished and ended up being a nine book series.
I love to read, it’s always been one of my favorite things to do since I can remember. When I started writing, I couldn't decide if I wanted to write contemporary or paranormal as I love both. I chose contemporary but still, paranormal was talking to me and those darn shifters kept saying, “tell our story, it’ll be fun.” So I did. And it was. That’s how I started my Honey Creek Den series. Honey Creek is another totally fictitious town set on Flathead Lake (a real place) in Montana. I've never been there, but hope to get there at some point. Honey Creek Den is finished with the planned six books. The Timber Valley Wolf Pack is also finished with six books and now I've moved onto the Warlocks of Amherst Series. This series takes us away from the den and pack and we get to know Edison's warlocks in Amherst, Massachusetts.
When I'm not busy writing about cowboys, architects, sheriffs, firefighters, US Marshals, bears, tigers, or warlocks (to name just a few), I like to read (who doesn't?). Because of my limited free time, I’m fond of short stories and novellas. I can be found on Amazon, Book Bub, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Colette’s personal love story began at university, where she met her future husband. An evening of flirting, in the shadow of Lancaster castle, eventually led to a fairytale wedding. She’s enjoying her own ‘happy ever after’ in the north of England with her husband, two beautiful children and her writing.
Hailey Turner is big city girl who spoils her cats rotten and has a demanding day job that she loves, but not as much as she loves writing. She’s been writing since she was a young child and enjoys reading almost as much as creating a new story. Hailey loves stories with lots of action, gritty relationships, and an eventual HEA that satisfies the heart.
BL Maxwell
Taylor Rylan
EMAIL: AuthorTaylorRylan@gmail.com
Colette Davison
Hailey Turner
Against the Grain by Charlie Cochet
Ghost Trapped by BL Maxwell
Diego's Heart by Taylor Rylan
Unapologetically Me by Colette Davison
A Vigil in the Mourning by Hailey Turner
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