👻🎃Random Paranormal Tales of 2024 Part 6🎃👻

Weaker Than Instinct by Becca Seymour

Summary:

Fangs & Felons #2

Having a partner is bad news. I’ve been doing everything I can to go it alone. But this time I’ve pushed my unit too far.

I’m being punished. Not quite a fate worse than death, but almost as bad.

I’ve been tasked with a mission at the SICB Academy to help train wannabe agents while working undercover to figure out why recruits have been going missing.

I’m not looking to inspire. How can I when I’ve become a lone wolf?

But that doesn’t stop the powers that be from demanding I work with a rookie.

Just two months out from graduating, and my new partner is apparently a hotshot agent in training.

Amber-eyed, bold, and with a scent that calls to me, Jett Shaw is a panther who is close to getting under my skin. We’ve no choice but to work together and have each other’s six, but how can I trust anyone when I can’t trust myself?

With a new threat appearing and Shaw being in the line of fire, I have to change tack. If not, taking down the shadow agency that refuses to stay buried may become my last mission for the SICB. And not just mine; the whole unit could go down with me.

Weaker Than Instinct is the second book in a gay urban fantasy romance series. Between the pages you’ll find high-octane action, snarky vampires and shifters, and scorching-hot scenes to make you swoon. This book can be read as a stand-alone, but you'll appreciate the side characters more if you read Thicker Than Water first.

The Devil of Pinesville by Hank Edwards

Summary:

Critter Catchers #4

An old friendship shifting to a new romance. An ex-boyfriend extending an invitation. An urban legend in the flesh.

Critter Catchers and amateur monster hunters Cody and Demetrius are building their friendship into something hotter and deeper. Both are way out of their comfort zones, but willing to work at things. It will just take a little time until Cody feels comfortable “coming out” to their friends, family, and the rest of Parson’s Hollow. Demetrius is trying to be patient and understanding about Cody’s position, and focuses on their business. Or, rather, the lack thereof.

When Demetrius’s ex, Oliver Berridge, invites him to come to Pinesville, New Jersey for a case that might be right up their alley, Demetrius is intrigued. Sensing not just physical but romantic danger as well, Cody makes certain to accompany Demmy on the trip.

Things in Pinesville are soon complicated by a competing animal control company and a group of monster trackers from a low-budget TV show. As the case intensifies, tempers flare and loyalties are tested, finally forcing Demmy and Cody to decide if they're willing to save their business, their friendship, or their romance.

The Dragon's Second Chance Omega by Connor Crowe

Summary:

Darkvale Dragons #2

An Omega With A Secret...

Nikolas Lastir remembers. A night of passion with his lover turned into an inferno of fire and death. In the chaos he was separated from his partner and imprisoned by the enemy. What neither of them expected was for their midnight tryst to leave Nik with a secret baby. Raising a child alone is hard. Reuniting with his lost lover who doesn't know he's the father? That might be even harder.

A Battle-hardened Alpha...

Peter Marlowe has been through hell and back. He lives on blood and battle to numb out his past, but the past has a way of catching up. Returning home after five long years, he comes face-to-face with the life--and the mate--he left behind. But the war isn’t over yet. As a mysterious new threat looms, can they find their way back to one another?

Can love bloom a second time?

The Dragon's Second-Chance Omega is the second book in the Darkvale Dragons series. Each book follows a different couple but should be read in order for maximum enjoyment. You'll find within these pages smoking-hot dragons, second chances, knotting, flower crowns, and the most awkward intimate moment ever witnessed by a nurse. If you like your mpreg with spice, danger, and a rich fantasy world, clear your calendar and click 'buy now'--you'll be turning pages until the end.

How the Necromancer in the Gold Vest Saved My Life: Disaster #2 by Jocelynn Drake

Summary:

Princes of Mayhem #2

Disaster #2: Pet Problems

Nolan has been keeping a secret.

In his defense, he wasn't sure if he could trust Sky at first.

And then, well...his life got pretty crazy for a while. He might have just forgotten.

But that secret has come calling and it's about to take a big bite out of Nolan.

Of course, there's no way Sky's going to let anyone hurt his neighbor, friend, and possibly one-day baby daddy. He's hitting back hard to keep Nolan safe.

Even the roses are angry in this one. (Just trust me on this one. Beware of the roses.)

How the Necromancer in the Gold Vest Saved My Life is a serial comprising four novellas that follow the insane adventures of necromancer Skylar Wallace and his next-door neighbor Nolan Banks. This is book two of four and contains vampires, werewolves, witches, underworld minions, danger, a meddling ghost grammy, aggressive roses, and one very angry necromancer. Seriously, nobody better touch his man.

Blind Date for Father's Day by Lorelei M Hart & Colbie Dunbar

Summary:

Love at Blind Date #4

Sometimes it’s not the clothes that need stitching together.

Omega Keith Jenson is starting to see his years of hard work pay off as the small tailor shop he runs with his best friend and boss flourishes. Everything is going to plan—until he gets a phone call that turns his life upside down. His grandfather had an accident and needs him. Keith doesn’t think twice about dropping everything for the person who once did the same for him. What's a couple of months for the man who gave him everything?

Alpha Ethan Russo is taking a year’s leave from his job teaching at the university to write the novel that has always been a someday plan. It is finally time to just jump in with both feet and do it. The time away will also give him time to help his grandmother build the patio she’s been hinting at since pretty much ever. She is also not so subtly hinting at setting him up with her neighbor’s grandson, but Ethan’s gone on a date she arranged once before and it did not go well. No. He was just going to write his book, build her patio, and leave her matchmaking skills for somebody else.

Ethan is drawn to Keith at first sight, but the omega keeps him at arm's length, even with his meddling grandmother being her persuasive self. And then one night something changes and Keith lets him in. Ethan sees what they could have together for the first time and he loves it...if only they didn’t have an expiration date.

Blind Date for Father’s Day is a super sweet with knotty heat M/M Mpreg romance featuring an omega who’s focused on his grandfather’s health and is not looking for love—or so he tries to convince himself, an alpha who follows his dreams and discovers so much more, a persistent grandmother, a parrot with, shall we say, a unique vocabulary, an addictive shifter soap opera, and an adorable baby. If you love your alphas hawt, your omegas determined, and your mpreg with heart, you will love this new addition to the popular Love at Blind Date series by the cowriting team, Lorelei M. Hart and Colbie Dunbar.

Original Review June 2024:

Another lovely entry in this delightful series.  Keith and Ethan are so perfect for each other on multiple levels but their timing seems to be against them.  Will they manage to navigate the course of true love?  For that you'll have to read for yourself, I guarantee you won't disappointed in their journey and the familial interference . . .I mean familial help😉😉.

Having both characters aiding and caring for a grandparent is a huge plus for me.  I've read some amazing grandparents before but to see both MCs so close to their's is an extra bonus. Back in 1991 I became my grandmother's caregiver after she had a massive heart attack so to see that kind of generational connection in a book is always something I tend to aim towards a higher levle of standards and Hart & Dunbar have captured that role and emotions perfectly.  A special kudos to the authors on that point.

Blind Date for Father's Day is a true gem, it will make you laugh, smile, and for those who's grandparents are no longer here you will find yourself reliving many happy memories. I look forward to reading the other two entries in Lorelei M Hart & Colbie Dunbar's Love at Blind Dates series.

RATING:

Random Paranormal Tales of 2024

Part 1  /  Part 2  /  Part 3  /  Part 4

Part 5  /  Part 6  /  Part 7  /  Part 8

Part 9  /  Part 10  /  Part 11  /  Part 12

Weaker Than Instinct by Becca Seymour

CHAPTER 1

MICHAELS

Wedged to the ground, I took stock of my limbs. Wriggling toes. Flexing fingers. Cracking neck as I turned it left, then right. Three good things going for me. Shoulders— there was no holding back the grunt of pain tearing out of me.

Red hot and intense, agony sliced through my stomach, my side. I screwed up my eyes, willing my breaths to even.

One breath. Two. All the way up to five before it was time to assess the situation.

I pried my eyes open and squinted through the smoke-filled air.

Debris surrounded me, disorientating and chaotic. Lucas was going to kick my arse. There were no ifs, buts, or maybes.

Obviously I’d heal. My shifter abilities came in super handy, but the blazing ache on my right-hand side couldn’t be magicked or wished away.

Focussed on slow and steady exhales, I guided my hand to the area, already guessing what I’d find. A heavy sigh, followed by another throb of pain, trickled free when my palm connected with wet metal.

Blood. The sticky liquid coated the steel, the metallic scent thick and cloying.

Impaled was never a good look, let alone an ideal situation. But I wasn’t dead, so there was that.

My comms sparked to life. “Michaels, this is Kent. Check in. Over.”

Biting back my urge to grunt as I moved to touch the small device in my ear, I held my breath and finally pressed the button. “Michaels checking in. Over.” With no quiver, no shake, my tone remained neutral, controlled.

The two-second beat before Kent’s voice sounded in my ear was enough to warn me that she knew that shit had hit the fan. Her instincts were spookily accurate, even when a hundred kilometres away. “Status report. Over.” There it was—her tight voice, her tone making it clear I should be more concerned about her kicking my arse rather than Mathew Lucas, the head of the ITU—the Infiltration Tactical Unit—I was a member of.

“I may need an assist. Over.” I wasn’t quite gung-ho enough to think I could pull the steel out of myself. Well, not without causing more injuries. The thought of taking longer to heal, which meant more time out of the field, was enough for me to admit I needed backup.

Kent didn’t hold back her pissed-off snarl. “Two minutes. Over and out.”

Yeah, Kent was definitely the vampire I should be more concerned about.

Waiting out the two minutes wasn’t a hardship. The explosion had killed Muerso. The pool of blood decorated with ash and debris, as well as his prone form, was all the confirmation I needed. Plus the explosion was directly linked to the computer systems. I expected that would annoy Kent, our department whiz at all things cyber, but Muerso’s death would put an end to his criminal dealings.

Three months of intel told me he hadn’t been part of a wider ring. And with his servers destroyed, it was one more shady criminal enterprise dismantled. The metal piercing my side was totally worth it.

“You look like shit.” Chris’s grin was wide as he stepped carefully over the debris. His attention drifted to Muerso’s motionless form before returning to me, his brow quirked high. “I take it you not waiting for your team was worth it?”

I studied him closely, assessing if he was as annoyed as Kent. With his grin still in place, his posture relaxed, he seemed okay, but as he crouched before me and prodded my wound, I reconsidered my evaluation.

There was no holding back my hiss at his touch. Narrowing my eyes, I stared hard, holding back my snarl.

“You’re meant to wait for your partner.” His dark eyes appeared black in the flickering lights and the smoke that had yet to settle.

I rolled my eyes, which did nothing to ease the guilt bubbling to life in my gut. “You were warned I was an arsehole in the first five minutes of joining the team,” I grumbled.

“True, but you seem determined to push your reputation into uncharted waters. Putting yourself at risk like this is bullshit.” The calm tone, the casual way he scanned me for further injuries, didn’t gel with his words or the hardening glint in his gaze.

“Sorry. The wanker in me is strong.”

Chris’s lips twitched.

“While I’m digging the kebab look, you know, the whole wolf-on-a-skewer thing, you wanna help un-stab me?” I worked hard at controlling my expression, my voice. The injury in my side was a constant pulse of agony, and the sooner I was free, the sooner I could get pain meds and heal. While I was a legit arsehole lately, like right now for heading into the building without Chris, my partner of six months, I wasn’t a masochist.

I wasn’t that at all, and everyone in the team knew it, even Chris, the newest enforcer to join our unit.

At the sound of leather soles on rubble, he glanced behind him when a couple of medics entered, giving them a nod. “Looks like we can un-skewer you.” With an effortless grace I was envious of right now, Chris stood and made room for Grace and Hansen.

The two medics made quick work of checking that pulling me from the steel was the best way to tackle my release, and within a few minutes, the three of them yanked me free. Chris took a little too much pleasure in my grunt and groan.

“Fuck.” Lightheaded and shaky, I trembled, wavering on my feet. Hansen stopped me from faceplanting by putting a strong arm around me. My head swam, a fresh wave of agony rolling through me and turning my stomach.

I swallowed hard. No way would I vomit. I’d never live it down. Chris would waste no time at all spreading that story about me in the unit. Would I deserve the shit talk? Absolutely. No chance would I make it easy for him, though.

“Let’s get you a stretcher,” Hansen said.

“Nuh-uh. I can walk.”

The three of them rolled their eyes. Not that I gave two shits. The investigation was over. The crim was dead—honestly, the best place for the blood dealer. As far as I was concerned, this was a win.

Directing me forward, Chris tugged out his phone, beginning to record the mass of devastation I’d caused. “Kent is going to go for your jugular, man.”

Not bothering to glance back as I unsteadily stepped over the rubble, trying not to stumble, I shrugged. “There might be something salvageable.” There so wasn’t anything left that could be rescued from the burst of flames and mini-explosions I’d detonated earlier.

Chris’s snort called bullshit.

Ignoring him, I made it outside to the waiting ambulance. With blood trickling down my side and seeping into my tactical pants, I couldn’t risk not getting patched up. I clambered into the open back, Grace following me inside.

“You need me to cut your shirt off?”

Wide-eyed, I stared at her in horror. “Fuck no.”

Her lips thinned out as she waited for me to unfasten my bulletproof vest and tug off my black SICB-issued T-shirt. These things were expensive as hell. The Supernatural Investigation & Crime Bureau budget was shit, and our unit’s even worse, which meant if I wrecked the damn thing, I’d have to buy a new one.

Screw that. I’d wait till my yearly replacements.

By the time I eased the bloody shirt off, sweat trickled down my temples and my spine. A hot shower, a coffee, maybe some whiskey, probably a few stitches to help the wound along its way, and I’d be golden.

“Oh fucking hell.” A gaping hole from the skewer had destroyed my shirt. I flicked my attention to Grace, who remained stoic as she stared at me, no doubt thinking I was a prize dickhead. “You could have told me it was wrecked.” Petulance rumbled through my voice.

“Could I?” she deadpanned, swiping up some medical supplies so she could clean me up.

Keeping my mouth shut as she dabbed at my wound, I grimaced, knowing better than to complain. A wince and a hiss escaped as she cleansed the wound, and I glanced away quickly.

“You need an injection to numb the area?”

“I’m good,” I said tightly, earning myself a grunted mumble about me being a pain in the arse. This wasn’t Grace’s first rodeo of stitching me up, especially over the past year. If I were her, I’d be sick of me too.

A few stitches later and a bandage taped on, I was good to go.

“I’ll be happy if I don’t see you again.” Grace shot me a pointed look, and Hansen snorted as he closed the rear doors of the ambulance.

“You won’t miss me?” I tugged on a fresh tee that was shoved at me by Hansen. Unfortunately, not a new SICB one I could steal.

“Miss your surly arse? Hell no.” She followed up with a smirk.

I waved her off, giving my thanks to both of them before seeking out Chris. Already in his car, he was tapping his fingers to whatever bad-taste beat was playing on the radio.

“You done?”

“Yeah.”

He bobbed his head. “I’ve asked Tony to take your vehicle back to the main headquarters.” Meaning, as opposed to our unit’s covert location. “Thought it would give you a chance to heal before you head out later.”

It would be easier if Chris was a dickhead. It would mean I could keep my distance and not like the man, but when he did stuff like this, it made it tricky. “Thanks,” I grumbled, settling down in the passenger seat. “You get my bag?”

He snorted. “You mean the one that’s burned to a crisp?” The sound of the engine cut through his chuckle. “That’d be a no.”

“Damn it. I liked that bag. It had my favourite Beretta in it.” What a clusterfuck. I secured my seatbelt, readjusting the belt strap so it didn’t press down on my injury. Not only would I be getting a bollocking from Lucas, but I’d destroyed my bag and one of my handguns.

But at least the bad guy was toast, and I could close my eyes for a few minutes while Chris drove us to the ITU headquarters.

Or maybe not.

Barely sitting up straight in the SUV, I grimaced as Chris took each turn fifteen kilometres faster than necessary. Despite his smile and ease with handling this situation, and the several others since he joined the ITU, the lion was pissed off.

I got it. Deserved it. Absolutely understood it.

Since Jenson’s—my old partner’s—death last year, I hadn’t made life easy for myself or my team. I kept pushing the boundaries and had been reprimanded more than once for taking unnecessary risks. Add to that the number of times I’d gone lone wolf, and I was surprised I still had a job.

That I did such things, was so selfish at times, didn’t sit easy. But I didn’t know how to stop, how to process Jenson no longer being around. And no amount of talking about it, including the mandatary six sessions of therapy after the whole Lentwood shitshow, changed that one bit.

It didn’t help that I’d refused to share a single thing the whole time. Well, nothing of value or truth.

“You doing okay there?”

I tilted my head to look at Chris and offered a chin lift. “Still alive.”

He grunted in response.

“You got something to say?”

He sent a quick glance my way. “Not sure there’s any point.” His gaze returned to the road ahead.

The headlights caught on the late-night mist that had settled over Sydney. I always liked this time of night, especially on a weeknight. The busy city was virtually still with most residents tucked up for the night, ready for their early starts in the morning. So close to the headquarters, it was especially quiet.

While I registered Chris’s words, I struggled to form a response that wouldn’t simply piss him off even further. Landing on “Fair enough,” I watched as the electronic gates whirled into action at the compound and thought about the report Lucas would demand I write.

We pulled into the underground parking, and Chris found a space and parked. I exited with a grunt, irritating my injury.

“Get to the infirmary. You’re going to need all the strength you can get before Lucas sees you.”

Not wanting to rile Chris up any more, I held back my refusal, since I’d already been patched up. Though some drugs that actually blurred the edges of my pain wouldn’t go amiss. “He really that upset?”

His brows shot high. “I don’t think upset quite covers it.”

With a nod of thanks and a grimace, I waved off his help and headed to see the doc.

It didn’t take too long to get the all clear—after having a couple of shards of metal pulled out of my back, which I hadn’t noticed before—and make my way to the central workspace. This was really Kent’s domain, and she was the first to spot me.

“You know what they call a dead shifter who goes in blind and plays with metal sticks?” Kent deadpanned, her unwavering attention on me.

Knowing not to bait the vampire, I simply looked at her.

“Whatever the fuck they want because the cockhead is dead.” Her stare was hard, the only tell she gave that she wanted to lay me out.

I sighed, hating the guilt raising its ugly head.

When Jenson had been killed by our former division manager, it shook the whole team, devastated us all. Despite knowing how much it had impacted everyone, I found it easier to not focus on any of it. It hurt too fucking much otherwise. “I’m sorry I was a cockhead.”

An unimpressed grunt filled the space as Kent narrowed her eyes at me. “Stop trying to get dead.”

“That’s not what—”

“Michaels, office, now.” Lucas’s usually quiet, steady voice was tense and filled with ice. My attention still on Kent, I widened my eyes.

The vamp simply smirked at me and flipped me off. “Enjoy getting your arse handed to you.”

Locking my jaw, I shot her a stink eye, which only had her chuckling as I made my way to Lucas’s open door. The man was at his desk, his focus on me as I loosened my limbs, trying not to appear affected.

“Close the door and sit.”

After doing so, I sat as still as possible, working hard not to twitch under his intense stare. While Lucas was so unlike Thatch, the old head of the ITU, they had one thing in common. Both of them knew how to make you squirm with their annoying-as-hell silent glare. For years under Thatch’s leadership, I’d battled to wait him out. Not once had I won, and Lucas had the same frustrating determination that Thatch did.

Too sore to last the distance, I relented in twenty seconds. “So, that went well. Case solved, mission over.” Inside, I grimaced, knowing I was playing with fire.

Lucas remained stoically silent, and another twenty seconds passed.

“Perhaps I should have waited for Chris.”

A quirked brow from Lucas was at least a reaction.

“I should have waited for my new partner and not put myself or the case in jeopardy,” I admitted.

“I’ve got something new for you,” Lucas said, surprising me. “Tomorrow morning you’re to head to the academy.” I groaned and was sure there was a damn twinkle in Lucas’s eyes at my reaction. “Plan for four weeks, and I’ll let Thatch brief you.”

“Seriously?”

“Seriously.” Lucas grinned. That reaction right there told me so much. “The doc said by the morning, your wound should be closed, and by tomorrow evening, just some minor bruising should be the worst of it.” He scanned his computer, no doubt reading the doc’s report. Talk about efficient. “Doc says, nothing strenuous for forty-eight hours, so I’ll let Thatch know to give you a hall pass.”

“Is this an investigation or—”

“Kent has your academy pass and has sorted your paperwork. On paper, you’re there for a month-long sabbatical as part of the academy’s teaching and training program.”

“No.” I gasped, legit struggling for breath at the horror of it all. “Me with recruits? Have you lost your mind?”

“We need someone from the team in there, and Thatch is going to be assisting you however you need it. Active agents from different divisions do four-week stints all the time, usually for official reasons, to share skill sets, assist with training, and give recruits an insight into the different fields available. You can offer all of those things while on the job. You’re to use your official ID.” As opposed to my unofficial role in the SICB ITU, which was a hush-hush, need-to-know unit.

Narrowing my eyes at the man, despite knowing it would have no impact, I tried to keep my petulance at bay, asking, “Is there really an investigation, or are you punishing me for being a dick?”

Lucas quirked his brow. “You think I’d fabricate something like this to punish you?”

I thought about that a moment and figured Lucas wouldn’t be the one to do that. But I knew someone who would.

“Maybe not you, but I’m sure as shit Callen would.” My former colleague, who was also Lucas’s best mate and the man Thatch bumped uglies with—admittedly it was more than that with the whole domestic-nuclear-family thing they had going on, but still, this had Callen Blackheath written all over it.

“Are you suggesting the SICB division leader would fabricate an investigation while punishing you with green recruits, just so you’d pull your head out your backside?”

“Abso-fucking-lutely he would. He’s your BFF or whatever. You know he’d totally do this.”

His lips twitched and amusement shone in his eyes. “Well, you perhaps have a point there. We all know exactly the sort of things Callen’s capable of when he’s worried about someone he cares for.” All of Lucas’s humour slipped away, and once more I felt a punch of guilt in my gut. “But no, this isn’t such an occasion. Kent will send you an encrypted file, and Thatch will be briefing you at 0800 tomorrow. Your only orders for today are to file your report, get home, pack, and rest. Got it?”

Nodding, I stood, the fight bleeding out of me. Once I was at the door, Lucas’s voice stopped me.

“Listen, Vaughn, you know the whole team has your back, and I’m at the top of that list. This assignment is going to take some unravelling.” I glanced over at him, and a small smile lifted his lips. “Perhaps use the time while you’re there to get back to the root of it all. Maybe inspire a recruit or something along the way while you’re at it.”

It didn’t matter that I understood what he was saying or that his heart was in the right place. My reasons for being in the task force had changed. They had the moment one of our own had put a gun to Jenson’s head and pulled the trigger.

To protect and serve was like a distant memory. Instead, seek and destroy all the fucked-up criminals in our world had become my new mantra.

Being locked in the training academy for a month was not part of that mission.

That meant whatever it was that I was sent in to investigate needed to take a lot less time than the prescribed month. No way could I handle longer than seventy-two hours in the place.

I gatheredmy things and jumped in my SUV, relieved there was enough time to grab a coffee before starting the hour-long journey to the academy. The traffic was shit, a given when trying to navigate through the roads of Sydney, but with spring only just started, at least I didn’t have to put the air-con on full blast. It all but destroyed my senses—the blast of cool air tended to mess up my ability to scent clearly, as well as screwing with my hearing when in such close confinement of my car.

Once I had my caffeine fix in hand, I gulped the black coffee, wincing at its heat. Last night, after I’d picked up food from a local restaurant, a place that was known for its generous portion sizes to accommodate its nonhuman clientele, I got to my place, inhaled my food, then was out for the count.

It meant I hadn’t looked through the file Kent had sent me, too tired to get a heads-up, which I would have preferred. There was no doubt Thatch would talk me through the investigation when we met. As my old unit leader, I trusted him implicitly. It helped that Thatch never cut corners.

When I pulled up to the security gates of SICB Academy, I tugged my ID from under my shirt, holding the lanyard so the tiger on duty could scan me in. I nodded my thanks when he gave me the all clear and followed his directions to the C-block car park.

Thatch stood sentinel before an empty parking space, and since he was smiling, I figured I wasn’t in the doghouse too badly. He met me at the door with a hug when I stepped out, something he’d never have done pre-Callen. Me either, for that matter.

“Good to see you, Michaels.” He patted my back and released me, and as frustrated as I was about this assignment, seeing the man who’d been my mentor was no hardship.

“I’m still standing.” I tugged my bag from the back seat of my SUV, noticing immediately that Thatch had taken in its size, his lips twitching.

Instead of challenging me about my lack of packing, he indicated for us to start moving. “Just about standing after yesterday, I heard.”

“You in the loop for all classified shit these days?”

“And don’t you forget it.” He smirked, and I rolled my eyes, barely holding on to my grin. Sure, I liked to wind the man up, but I had no concerns about the fact that he was in the loop of all things SICB related. If anything, that he had Callen’s ear was reassuring. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen you. You’ve ducked out of the last couple of get-togethers,” he said, nodding at a group of recruits kitted out in black fatigues and jogging in formation past us.

“Blame Lucas for putting me on assignments that keep draining me,” I jested, knowing full well he wouldn’t buy my bullshit.

“Well, it’s a good job I’ve got you for a month, then. It’ll give us time to catch up while we’re figuring things out.”

Refusing to bury myself under the added guilt of distancing myself from those I cared about, I instead focussed on his last words. “So there really is a genuine reason for me being here?” Yesterday when I’d challenged Lucas, it hadn’t been in jest. Callen really was the sort of guy who would totally set me up to try to get me to see sense.

“In my office.” Thatch swiped his card through a security door, then reached a second door, this one with a print scanner.

I frowned. “This level of security normal for campus?” The green light beeped, and as I stepped inside the office, I caught the sign on the door. Chief Instructor was spelled out in gilded letters. That was new, or at least I thought it was. It was something I would have heard about, right?

The door closed with a soft hush, and a moment later, my ears popped. I grimaced at the sensation, knowing immediately that Thatch had activated a sound blocker. The plot was seriously thickening, and for the first time since hearing the news about this assignment, my interest was piqued.

Thatch tugged the visitor’s chair to his side of the desk and turned on his computer, going through a series of safety checks. I sat at his side. Thatch was not a man to be rushed, and I could be patient when I needed to be.

“Jack Chambers, the academy’s chief instructor, disappeared approximately forty-two hours ago.” My brows shot high as he opened an email containing a folder with numerous files. “We started a covert internal investigation rather than a red alert after I received this email on our encrypted server.”

He toggled open a document and eased back in his chair so I had more room to read.

“Kent traced the particulars of this email. It was sent one minute after an email from Chambers’s account to the board and headquarters indicating an emergency and he would be leaving town.”

So basically he’d broken every protocol going. Not only had he sent an email rather than going through HR to request time off, but emergency leave required verbal and visual confirmation from HQ.

As if already knowing where my mind had gone, Thatch continued, saying, “Chambers was a stickler for protocol. Him doing this goes against everything I know about the man.”

I nodded in understanding. “So a red warning flag and not something he’d even do in an emergency?”

Thatch shook his head.

“What’s in the folders?”

Thatch clicked on one. “This is the only one we can open. The rest have some serious security encryption. Kent’s been at it, but she’s struggling.”

My brows shot high at that. “What about Lucas?” Before Lucas joined our unit to take over Thatch’s role, he spent his time buried neck deep in coding and tech. Between him and Kent, there shouldn’t be an issue.

A grim expression appeared. “They’ve been working on this since the moment I received it, and nothing yet.”

“Shit.”

“It’s going to take time. There seems to be some sort of activation key that they’re struggling to get around.”

I glanced around the tidy office. Activation codes tended to never be written down, for all the obvious reasons. “But why send them if you’d need the code to open them?”

“Now that’s the question we’re trying to get our heads around. Either he has faith in the ITU, knowing that with time they’ll crack it, or—”

“Or it’s somewhere we can find it.”

“Exactly. I’m going to focus on that while you keep your ear to the ground. Focus on the staff, the recruits. Everyone.”

I bobbed my head, understanding a little better why he called me in. Pulling someone in with fresh eyes was a no-brainer. But reading people, cutting through the bullshit, discovering their secrets was a skill set I was particularly proud of. “Got it.” I indicated the file he opened. “And what’s the one file you can open?”

He double-clicked on the one document, using a password.

“My tax file number.” He rolled his eyes, and I snorted, wondering how many attempts it had taken him to work that out.

The page opened, and I froze.

Hughes. Gallagher. Smith. Shadowfall.

“Shadowfall? The clandestine op?” Goose bumps startled to life on my arms. “As in, Captain Hornell?” A quick glance Thatch’s way was enough to have my gut twisting. “They were shut down four years ago.”

“I looked into the general SICB database for those other names, which was a nightmare.”

“The Smiths?”

“You know it. I switched my focus to the academy’s enrolment. Martin Hughes, Kate Gallagher, Paul Smith. All quit the academy in the past three months.”

I scooted my chair so I could see Thatch better. Since he’d been turned into a wolf shifter last year, he had even better control of his tone, his expressions. But sometimes his tells gave me a clue as to what he was thinking.

“Three dropouts. What’s so special about them? When I was training, at the beginning of my two-year course, there were ninety-eight recruits. Only thirty-three made it.”

Thatch’s startling green eyes shone with intensity, a vivid contrast to his dark skin. “All three dropped off the face of the earth within sixteen days of leaving.”

I frowned, waiting for him to continue, certain there was more he’d put together. He didn’t disappoint.

“You know the SICB keeps a close eye on dropouts for the first two weeks. After that, they do spot checks.”

I bobbed my head, knowing that SICB checked to ensure the health and well-being of recruits who didn’t make the cut. Or at least that was the party line. The reality was, they were also ensuring the former recruits were on the straight and narrow, as it were. Not selling bureau secrets—not that recruits were exposed to many, but the bureau was a secretive bunch for a reason.

“All three were excelling in hand-to-hand combat. Top ten of their class, in fact. The same for tactics and weapons.”

“So what’s the bottom line here?”

“Preliminary digging shows families are not concerned that their child—and in one case, husband—are not around, but they all have one additional thing in common.”

I quirked my brow at him and held back my smirk. Thatch had always been a straight shooter, but the way he was unravelling the information was on the cusp of telling a tale, complete with dramatic pauses. Callen was rubbing off on him, and I was half tempted to let him know as much, but I wasn’t sure I was that brave.

“All three next of kin have a connection to AXF.”

“The medical research lab?”

“One and the same. They’re the second largest in Australia and conduct ground-breaking trials and a whole shitload of medical projects. Several government approved.”

My mind ticked overtime, wondering if Thatch’s deductions were leading him in the same direction as my own. The missing chief of staff and former recruits, the links to AXF as well as the academy…. I frowned. “What aren’t you telling me?”

A barely there smirk was directed my way as Thatch leaned forward and pressed a small button underneath his desk. Once again, my ears popped as the soundproofing deactivated.

A second button unlocked the door.

Immediately, my gaze was drawn to the opening door and the dark-haired panther who entered. Like most panthers in human form, his skin was golden brown, indicative of their species’ heritage. Lithe and with eyes that struggled to blend in with the human world, the young panther was mesmerising.

Securing the door behind him, he didn’t take his gaze off me. It was only after the pop of the soundproofing being engaged that he finally flicked his focus to Thatch. He stood at attention before the desk, his gaze ahead.

“At ease, recruit,” Thatch ordered. “Take a seat.”

Curiosity fluttered to life inside me, not only at the reason for Thatch bringing him in, but at the young man himself.

I expected I had at least eight years on him. Likely more. It was the confidence he exuded, though, that sparked my interest.

Sure, SICB recruits could be cocky bastards, but there was something more about this one, different somehow. Yeah, he was good-looking, ridiculously so, something I could usually see past within an instant, especially of late. But with his golden eyes sparking with intelligence and pouty lips that I struggled to glance away from, I was ensnared.

Thatch clearing his throat jerked my attention away. His brow was quirked high, amusement seeming to battle with concern in his stare. I clenched my jaw and gave him a firm nod, returning my attention to the recruit, who now sat before the desk, interest clear in his eyes as they roamed over me.

“Jett Shaw, meet Agent Michaels. Shaw here is going to be supporting you while you’re on campus.”

Snapping my eyes in Thatch’s direction, I frowned. Any amused expression he may have had earlier was gone. This was full-on “I will kick your arse if you question me” mode.

“Shaw’s already in the loop, and yes, there’s a reason why you’re on campus, as this will be the focal point of our investigation. Shaw here is the top of the class for—” Thatch tilted his head, gaze on Shaw. “—well, everything.”

That got my interest as I refocussed on Shaw. While I wouldn’t exactly describe it as challenge evident in the young panther’s eyes, there was certainly a boldness there I kinda liked.

“He’ll be graduating in two months and is already in talks with Lucas.”

“No shit?” My eyes widened. Lucas was interested in this kid joining our unit? Not that I needed to look at Shaw with renewed interest, since he already had my attention, but if Thatch had recommended him to Lucas, our team, which I had no issues declaring was fucking awesome, then he must be good.

“Yes shit,” Shaw responded, a smirk on the cusp of being cocky forming.

It took effort to hold back my grin, but I did, not wanting to make Shaw think we’d become best buddies or some shit. I’d had one of those.

Never again.

The Devil of Pinesville by Hank Edwards

Cody set the flashlight on the ground, beam pointed at two of the cages occupied by pacing skunks. He hefted the wet towels, one in each hand, as he looked for the one remaining skunk, of which there was no sign. "And the towels are going to keep their spray from getting out of the cage?"

"That's what the site claimed," Demmy said.

"Well, if it's on the internet, it must be true."

"Are you ready?"

"No."

They stood in place, towels in hand, flashlights on the ground and aimed at the cages.

"How about now?" Demmy asked.

"I'd like to know where that other skunk got off to."

Barking erupted from behind them. It was frenzied and high-pitched, intermixed with shouts of surprise from Jugs. A string of harsh curses quickly followed, and the stink of skunk floated to them on the evening breeze. Moments later, Jugs rushed past them, eyes wide in the glow of their flashlights. His arms were stretched as far out as he could reach, and he held a frantically wriggling Enid Helen.

"She's hit!" Jugs shouted as he ran past. "It got her."

"Guess that answers my question," Cody said.

Demmy nodded. "Let's go."

Cody managed to drape a towel over the first cage with no problem. As he moved to the second cage, he stooped to pick up his flashlight and directed it toward the area of the yard where they'd been sitting. Jugs's lawn chair lay on its side, but there was no sign of the skunk.

With his attention diverted, Cody didn't realize how close he was to the next cage until his foot bumped against it. He cursed as he stumbled over it, the flashlight tumbling from his grip as he stretched out his hands to break his fall. A pungent stink exploded around him. He gagged and turned away to draw in a breath of fresh air as he scrambled to try and stand. His feet went out from under him and he fell flat on his stomach, face turned so he stared at the business end of the elusive skunk. He had just enough time to squeeze his eyes shut and turn his face away before he got blasted a second time.

"Shit!" Demmy shouted from somewhere nearby. "I got sprayed."

Cody kept his eyes closed and held his breath as he got to his hands and knees. He crawled blindly away from the skunks, lungs aching for fresh air. He ran into something and fell on top of it, rolling onto his side as he gasped for breath.

"What the fuck?" Demmy said from beneath him. "Oh, god. You… Skunks!"

Another blast of awful stink erupted around them. Cody's eyes burned and tears streamed down his face as he coughed and gagged, trying to catch his breath. Demmy squirmed beneath him, gagging as well, and suddenly Cody was rolled to the side. He got to his hands and knees and crawled a few feet away. The smell was everywhere, he couldn't get away from it. His nose and throat burned. It felt like steel wool had been packed into his lungs.

He gasped and drew in a deep breath. The searing odor filled his chest and his stomach twisted in revolt. Moments later, everything he'd eaten came up in a burning rush. He blurted out curses between each ugly clench of his gut until there was nothing left. Fuck, he hated throwing up.

A hand touched his back and ran slowly up and down his spine.

Demmy.

And from the lightness of his touch, Cody thought — hoped — that Demmy had forgiven him.

"I covered the three cages," Demmy said. "Can you stand?"

"I can't see anything," Cody said. "It got in my eyes."

"It's all over you. And pretty much all over me as well."

Demmy helped Cody to his feet and they moved away from the cages. The air cleared with each stumbling step, until they reached the chairs. A lingering cloud of skunk stink washed over them and Cody gagged again and went down on one knee.

"Shit." Demmy grunted as he tried to keep Cody on his feet. "This is where Enid Helen got sprayed. Over here. Come on."

Demmy directed Cody across the yard. After they'd staggered a distance from the chairs, Cody went down on his hands and knees. He could barely see his fingers splayed in the thick grass from the tears blurring his vision.

"Fuckin' skunks," Cody managed between coughing fits.

"Stay here," Demmy instructed. "I'll get the hose over here so you can wash your face and flush your eyes."

Cody put his forehead against the cool grass. He took deep, gulping breaths and kept his eyes squeezed shut as he muttered, "Fuckin' skunks."

The Dragon's Second Chance Omega by Connor Crowe

Prologue 

Before the fall of Darkvale 

“You want a date? Fine. I’ll give you a date. I’ll go with you to the Rose Festival—on one condition.” 

“And what’s that?” I threw back, waiting for the answer. The fact that he was playing along at all stunned me. 

“Best me in a duel.” Marlowe said it so casually, with a quirk of his lips into a wicked smile. He knew he was pushing my buttons, and he loved it. 

I sputtered as I looked him up and down. Even though we’d been friends throughout our childhood, Marlowe had always been the strong one. Especially after he presented as Alpha.

“Those are the terms. Better get to practicing, Nik.” Marlowe turned and went back to chopping wood. The conversation was over. I watched for a few seconds longer, eyeing the rippling muscles and the way they moved as he swung the axe through blocks of wood. A fine sheen of sweat made his skin shine in the sunlight, and made my own mouth dry. 

I’d finally done it. I’d finally asked him out. 

He didn’t say no, but… 

Another log split in half with the force of his mighty axe. I swallowed and snapped my gaping mouth shut. I knew Marlowe was strong, but seeing it like this was getting my dragon fifty shades of flustered. How would I ever beat someone like him in a duel? 

I shoved my hands in my pockets and turned on my heel, away from my friend and the other alphas working nearby. It was a nice enough day, sunny with just a hint of breeze. The blood-red banners of the Firefang Clan rippled against the stone walls just like they always had. I headed off toward the Clan Alpha’s quarters with a thought. He’d know what to do. 

I chewed my lip as I made my way across town. I couldn’t stop replaying the scene in my mind. Marlowe hadn’t said no. I had to remind myself of that. And that thought alone both thrilled and terrified me. I’d only been crushing on him since forever, but nothing I did seemed to get his attention. When he joined the army, I saw him less and less. I thought my chance was gone. 

But he’d returned to station in Darkvale at the request of Clan Alpha Lucien, and I saw my chance. Normally it would be unusual for an omega to make the first move, but no one had ever called me usual. And for a man like Marlowe, it was easier to kill a man than reveal his true feelings. I had to give him something to work with. 

Even when we were kids, Marlowe had always been like this. Teasing, play fighting, always competitive, always looking for a win. 

Would he win here as well? 

My steps soon led to the Clan Alpha’s chambers deep within the fortress of Darkvale. 

Though Clan Alpha Lucien was an alpha, he was friendly with everyone. He ruled the Firefangs with his mate Caldo, always looking out for the elderly, the children, the omegas. It was through these overlooked peoples, Lucien was known to say, that we make true progress. 

I raised my hand to the solid wooden door to knock when I heard a breathy sigh from within. I drew back my hand, embarrassed.

Guess I can just come back later… 

Still frozen, still blushing, I heard Lucien’s voice ring out just as I was about to make a run for it. 

“Come on in, Nikolas.” 

“It’s not urgent. I can come back if I’m interrupting…” My voice stuck in my throat like honey. Lucien wasn’t at his usual haunt and the door to his private chamber was closed. What did I think was gonna happen? 

Footsteps echoed on the other side of the door and the latch opened with a creak. Lucien opened the door a crack and smiled. “Not at all, come on in.” 

Both he and Caldo were clothed and other than the slight twinkle of a shared secret in their eyes all seemed normal. 

“Thanks,” I mumbled as I sunk into one of the huge cushions Lucien kept around as chairs. 

“What’s on your mind?” Lucien asked. He faced away from me, digging into a cabinet and making quite the racket. A small cacophony later, he fished out a few cups and filled them with spirits from a decanter nearby. “Sit, drink. Let’s talk.”

That’s what I liked about Lucien. Despite being busy with his duties as both Clan Alpha and Caldo’s mate, he always had time to speak to one of his clansmen. In the Firefangs, we were family. 

“I did it,” I said after taking a sip of the bracing liquor. “I asked Marlowe on a date.” 

“Did you now?” Lucien’s eyes lit up and he gave me a toothy grin. He pulled up a chair and sat on it backward, his chin resting on the back as he straddled the seat. “Took you long enough. How did it go?” 

I rolled my eyes and pursed my lips. “I’m not quite sure, actually. It was kinda awkward.” 

“But he didn’t say no?” 

“He didn’t.” 

“What did he say, then?” 

I buried my face in my hands, skin burning. “He wants to fight me. He said he’d go with me to the Rose Festival if I could beat him in a duel. Does he not see how impossible that is?” 

Caldo burst out laughing from across the room.

“What?” I asked, a little annoyed. I didn’t come here to get laughed at! 

Caldo sniffed and caught his breath. “Typical Marlowe,” he said, shaking his head. “Type A alpha if I ever did meet one. What he means, Nik, is that he likes you. He wouldn’t offer that to just anyone.” 

I blinked, considering the prospect. “Really? Why couldn’t he just say so?” 

“He’s a stubborn one, that’s for sure. But you knew that already. I’m willing to bet that under that rough and tough exterior he sees something in you. He just doesn’t know how to say it.” 

My heart thudded in my chest as a thrill surged through me. It seemed too good to be true. My best friend. Could we really be more? 

“I’ll never be able to beat him,” I whined. “He knows that, too. He’s so strong!” 

Lucien grinned, showing all his teeth. He had a plan. “Who said strength was the only way to win? What do you say to a little training with Caldo and I?” 

I swallowed the lump of anxiety in my throat and in its stead rose a swell of gratitude. What would I do without them? “You think it will work?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. My whole friendship with Marlowe was on the line, and by asking him out I’d opened Pandora’s Box of Feels. No going back. 

“Let’s get you your man,” Caldo said, and took my hand.

“Alphas like Marlowe are all lumbering muscle. But you have something he doesn’t.” Lucien circled around me, locked into a fighting stance. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but that guy is a solid brick of a man. Let’s just say I’m glad he’s on our side.” 

“So how do I beat him?” 

“You wear him down, just like you’re gonna do here. You dodge and weave. He won’t be able to keep up and when he tires, you’ll have him right where you want him.” 

“Grab ‘im by the balls!” Caldo suggested from the sidelines, eyebrows waggling. “Works every time!” 

Lucien rolled his eyes. “Or you can be like Caldo and play dirty.” 

I had to laugh at that. “I just don’t understand this whole duel thing. Why can’t he just say what he means?” All this seemed awfully over the top for something as simple as a date.

“This is just how he processes things. He’s never been so good with emotion, you know that.” 

“I wish he could say that.” My shoulders slumped. 

“I bet he wishes he could too.” 

A smile crept over my face. He had a point. 

“Now come on, we’ve got a lot of work to do if you’re gonna beat his alpha ass tomorrow!” 

My heart thudded faster and fire surged through my veins. My dragon thundered within my chest, relishing the idea of being so physical with Marlowe after all these years. Grappling with my friend, falling down into the dirt together, tumbling over and over as Marlowe grabbed me and held me close…it was enough to rouse my cock right then and there. 

“Save that for the battle,” Lucien teased, noticing my faraway glance. 

I blushed and swiped away the thoughts, but my dragon was persistent. I couldn’t believe I was going through with this. 

“Now come at me,” Lucien taunted. “And focus!”

I’d never been so sore in my life. Every muscle ached, pushed to their limits. The training Lucien and Caldo put me through was merciless, but they assured me it would turn the tides in my favor. I lay in bed like an invalid, staring at the ceiling as my limbs throbbed. If I was too sore to fight, it wouldn’t matter anyway. 

I stared out the small window into the clear night sky. The moon was full tonight—that boded well. I whispered a prayer to Glendaria and tugged the covers around me. 

Best me in a duel. The smile and glint of his eyes still rang through my mind. Tomorrow would change everything. 

Things not to do on the day your crush wants to fight you for a date: oversleep and show up late. 

Things I did: just that.

I woke up in a panic, throwing the covers off and stumbling out of bed as soon as I saw the sun in the sky. Much higher than expected. I was late. 

Way to impress your crush, Nik. 

I threw on some clothes and rushed out the door, sprinting to Marlowe’s place. I knew the path by heart but this time it carried with it a tension that hadn’t been there before. I wasn’t going to Marlowe’s to hang out with my buddy like we always did. I was going to fight him. To prove to him I could be his mate. 

Could I? 

And if it didn’t work out…what then? 

I shivered. Best not to think of that. 

Marlowe was there waiting for me when I arrived, a knowing grin on his face. He looked me up and down as I panted. We hadn’t even gotten started and I was already out of breath. His lips quirked up at the corners and he pushed away from the wall he leaned on. “Good to see you could make it. Thought you’d changed your mind.” 

“Never.” 

His eyes flashed. “You still wanna do this, then?”

I took a deep breath, appraising my friend. If all went well here today, we would be more than just friends. Maybe even mates. 

“I do. And when I win, you’re gonna take me to the Rose Festival.” The cockiness in my voice belied the nervousness that shook me to my core. I hoped he wouldn’t notice. Beneath the fear and jitters there was something else, too—a feral, consuming heat that threatened to destroy me. My dragon knew what he wanted, and he wanted Marlowe. Bad. 

Marlowe raised an eyebrow. “Watch your words, omega. You better be able to back those up.” He threw me a cocky grin and led me inside. 

A large open space spread out before us. Nothing to get in our way. Nothing to hide behind, either. 

We’d always been like this, I mused as I followed him. Always teasing, always taunting one another. But this time, the stakes were higher. Much higher. 

“Rules?” I asked as I joined him in the center of the room. 

“Human form only. No shifts, no weapons. Winner is first to make the other yield. Other than that?” He grinned wickedly. “Anything goes.” 

Anything. I swallowed the words as the idea shot straight down my spine to my cock. The deep timbre of Marlowe’s taunting voice worked its way into my heart like honeyed wine, stoking the flames of passion there. The time to act was now. No more stealing glances. No more teasing one another like children. If this was what it took to prove myself, then this was what I’d do. 

I drew in a deep breath through my nose and blew it out, stretching my still-sore limbs. If my hormones got the best of me now, I’d lose for sure. 

“Fair enough,” I replied, balling my hands into fists. 

Marlowe rolled his neck and cracked his knuckles. “Let’s do this. You and me, Nik. Come on!” 

I said a quick prayer to the goddess Glendaria and adopted a fighting stance, trying to remember what Lucien and Caldo had taught me. Trying to access thoughts felt like wading through mud. Adrenaline, lust, and terror had shut down all rational thought and clouded my mind, leaving me alone. I had to act. 

Marlowe growled and ripped his shirt off. The fabric fell away, showing the firm abs and the bulging muscles in the dim light. My mouth went dry at the sight and my dragon cried, desperate for release. I gulped. 

“See something you like, Nik?” Marlowe held out his arms. “Come and get it then.” 

Didn’t have to tell me twice. My dragon pulled me forward, ready for a fight.

Marlowe lunged toward me and swiped the air with his huge hands. I dodged at the last second, ducking beneath his grip like I’d learned. It became a sort of dance, weaving and dodging my way out of each advance. This worked my attacker into an even more feral frenzy. I was no longer his best friend Nik. I was prey. 

“Come back here and fight!” He roared, lumbering toward me. “Stop moving around!” 

I ducked into a roll and regained my feet behind him. Then I had an idea. I barreled into him, throwing all my weight into the lunge. This caught him off balance and we both went down, crashing into the ground on top of one another. His heated skin, slick with sweat, slipped out of my grip and Marlowe took advantage, grabbing me and flipping me over. 

The wind rushed out of my lungs and I wheezed, staring up at him with wide eyes. He was huge. Marlowe hovered over me and blocked out the light, his eyes alight with the adrenaline of battle. 

In that moment, I did the only thing I could think to do. I wriggled my hands free, grabbed his head, and kissed him. 

To my surprise, Marlowe didn’t flinch away in disgust. Instead he took control and forced his lips over mine, biting and sucking at the swollen skin there. He delved his tongue into my mouth and around my own. A deep, shuddering moan rumbled free. 

“What are you doing?” I breathed. 

“Pressing my advantage,” Marlowe rumbled. “Anything goes, remember?” 

I growled and swung my legs to the side of his torso, pulling him away from me. We tumbled together and then I was on top again, grabbing his wrists and pinning him down. It took all my weight and strength, but I straddled his chest and held him immobile for a few precious seconds. 

My cock pressed through my trousers and into his chest, looking for that delicious friction. 

“Someone’s a little excited,” Marlowe noted. 

“And you’re not?” I quipped. I ground my hips against him, reveling in the hot and heavy groans coming from my alpha. 

I sunk down and kissed the area between his neck and shoulder, scraping my teeth against the flesh there. Goddess, he smelled like heaven. Iron and fire and musk. Wings itched at my shoulder blades, aching to come out. I bit my lip and suckled at him harder. 

He could have easily thrown me off of him. But he didn’t.

“Don’t tell me you knew this would happen?” I asked between my little love bites. 

“Fuck you,” Marlowe spat and turned the tables, twisting his arms out of my grip at last. 

“Fuck me?” I shot back. “That wasn’t part of the rules.” 

“It is now,” he roared. Marlowe grabbed hold of my shirt and ripped it away, fabric tearing. “Yeah, like that.” 

The cool air brushed past my bare skin and pebbled my already-sensitive nipples. I flailed my arms and legs against him but couldn’t find purchase. Finally they found their way around Mar’s neck and I pulled, forcing his face down to crotch level. 

“Suck it,” I growled, heat burning through every pore. I couldn’t think straight anymore, or maybe I never had. I needed him. Burned for him. The fight didn’t matter. Quenching this raging desire did. “Suck my fucking cock.” My hips thrust upward of their own volition. 

“No!” Marlowe twisted his head out of the way, shuddering in my grip. 

“Yes,” I growled and fisted a hand through his hair. I pulled him closer, grinding against his face.

What I didn’t notice was Marlowe slipping his hand down my pants. He squeezed my ass and I hissed, suddenly aware of the position we were in. 

This was supposed to be a duel, a hand to hand fight. How did we end up here? 

No more questions. No more reason. 

Need him. Need him now. 

“Take those fucking pants off, boy.” Marlowe’s voice took on the same steely command as it did when he trained the troops. It sent a thrill of electricity from head to foot. 

“Make me,” I sneered. 

“I will.” 

He grabbed the waistband and yanked, my pants flying upward and off. My cock bounced free, already throbbing. 

Marlowe pushed my legs away and leaned over me, one arm holding me down and the other ever so softly stroking my cock. Sparks flashed before my eyes as the waves of desire grew only stronger. He was winning. 

Maybe I wanted that.

I struggled beneath him, but Marlowe held firm. I was no match for his raw power. 

He kept up the torturous motion on my cock as it twitched beneath him. I tried to thrust my hips upward, get more, but he held me down. “What’s the matter, pretty boy? Say it.” 

“No,” I hissed through my teeth. He fisted my cock and I groaned, throwing my head backward. My back arched, my breath came in gasps. After all the nights fantasizing about something like this, nothing held a candle to what was happening right now. 

“What’s going on down here, I wonder?” Marlowe snaked a finger lower to my dripping hole. 

“Ah, fuck!” I moaned as he probed the ring of muscle there. Goddess, it felt so good. I couldn’t even imagine how he would feel within me— 

“Now fight me, omega! Fight me!” Marlowe jerked away in an instant. Whiplash seized me, every pore and nerve tense and ready to spring. Mar’s voice was nothing more than a feral roar, but my dragon understood every word. 

Fire threatened to consume my body as we tangled together. Our bare chests and sweaty skin pressed so close made my head spin and worked my dragon into a frenzy. Fire and iron and blood and magic, he was mine, he was mine…

Mate! The dragon screeched from the depths of my soul. Mate! Mate! 

I gathered my strength and pawed at Marlowe’s pants, unfastening them at the waist. He didn’t resist, even helped me a bit. He kicked them aside and we were right back at it, rolling around on the ground naked, grunting and straining to subdue the other. I was tiring, but so was he. The animalistic grunts, the hot pants of breath, the slick and sweaty skin kept me going. 

Our hard cocks pressed into one another and our eyes were like fire. There was nothing better than this, the thought wove through my hazy mind. 

I couldn’t take my eyes off of Marlowe’s straining cock. Sure, I’d fantasized about it more than a few times. But seeing it in person was another matter completely. I reached down and wrapped a hand around it, marveling at the girth of it. My fingers barely fit around his rod and I sucked in a breath thinking how it might feel inside of me. 

Could I even take the whole thing? 

“Mmmm,” Marlowe let out in a low sigh as I worked my hand up and down his length. “That’s nice.” 

Without warning he grabbed my arms and spun me around, slamming me onto my back. I coughed and looked up at him, his hulking frame hovering above me. Heat poured off of his sweaty body in waves, and more than that, the alpha pheromones he gave off were simply too good to resist. I took a long drag through my nose, letting his personal musk fill my senses. 

Yes. Goddess, yes. 

“Do you yield yet?” Marlowe’s voice brought me back to the moment. His jaw clenched, his voice strained. He was holding himself back. 

“Never,” I hissed through my teeth. I wanted to egg him on. I wanted to see where this would go. 

“You asked for it,” my alpha growled and brought his hand to my slick, dripping opening. He coated his fingers in my juices and brought them to his nose, sniffing deeply before sucking them into his mouth. 

He rumbled deep in his chest, closing his eyes as he tasted me. Goddess, that was so fucking hot. My cock twitched and strained against Marlowe’s body and my breath came out in frenzied pants. 

“You’re so wet,” Marlowe groaned. “Would be a shame not to put that to use.” 

I narrowed my eyes, all thought blanked out by the feeling of him on top of me, the fire raging within my soul, our dragons so close to one another, straining to meet, to play, to mate.

“Do it!” I groaned through gritted teeth. We’d reached a crescendo. A point of no return. If I was gonna tumble over this cliff, I was taking him with me. 

Marlowe let out a booming draconic roar and the head of his cock speared through my channel. I gasped as it filled me, stretching beyond anything I’d felt before. Amidst the haze of momentary pain there was something else—heat. Raging, unrelenting heat. 

I bucked my hips toward him, drawing his hard throbbing cock deeper into my channel. Marlowe’s eyes widened and he grinned incredulously. 

I sighed and threw my head back, stars dancing before my eyes. Electric currents zapped and sparkled between us, weaving an ancient connection that only true mates could experience. 

“After all this time?” Mar said, his voice awed. “Why didn’t you ever say anything?” 

The old fears came rushing back. The old memories. “Thought you had your sights set on another,” I said sheepishly, my voice deepening into a moan as he slid all the way in, balls deep in my tight channel. “Never thought you’d see me like that.” 

And now here they were, close as two men could be. Their sweaty bodies writhed together as one, Marlowe seating himself deep within.

“Shut up,” Marlowe mumbled. He put a finger over my lips and I clicked my teeth, threatening to bite it. 

Goddess, this was so fucking good. Better than flying. Better than Myrony’s best stew. Better than maple candies. 

“Always you, Nik. Always you. I’m just sorry it took this long.” My alpha’s voice carried a hint of sadness now as he remembered some long-forgotten pain. “I was too blinded by my fears to do anything about it. Thought I could block it all out. But then you asked me, and my walls came tumbling down. I’ve wanted you for so fucking long.” 

He thrust into me again, probing the sensitive spot deep inside. I moaned and lifted my hips, straining for more. 

“That makes two of us,” I breathed. “Now show me that you mean it!” 

We turned into a single mass of growling, sweating flesh. Marlowe drove his cock home again and again, building the tension and fire to unquenchable levels. 

“Goddess, you’re tight,” Mar groaned, kissing my lips, my neck, my chest. He picked up the rhythm, a frantic flicker in his eyes.

“Last chance,” he bit off the words as our gaze locked together. I held him there, pumping my hips and matching his thrusts. The circuit was nearly complete. “Do you yield, Nikolas Lastir?” 

“Never,” I said with conviction, and held him to me as he tumbled over the edge, jerking and thrusting as he came. His knot swelled against me, locking us together as mates. The stretch made me dizzy, made me see stars. I couldn’t take it any longer and groaned, thrusting beneath him. Hot gobs of cum shot over my chest, smearing onto sweaty skin. 

But more than that, the sense of something greater overcame me. A celestial connection that had been forged here today, binding together our bodies, our minds, our spirits. Marlowe and Nikolas. Alpha and omega. Mates. Family. 

We lay there for some time, still knotted together, still holding one another close. It took a few minutes for my breathing to return to normal. For all the sweat to dry. I fluttered open my eyelids and saw Marlowe there, gazing at me with a sleepy grin. “So how about that date?” 

Marlowe laughed, tousling my hair and kissing my forehead. “Wait, who won the duel?” He furrowed his eyebrows, thinking. 

“Does it matter?” I chuckled.

“You are my mate. My best friend. My confidante. There is no greater win than that.” 

I nuzzled into him, still sniffing at the primal musk that coated his skin. Mate. This dragon is my mate. Mine. Forever. 

I snapped my eyes open, propping up on an elbow. “You knew this was going to happen.” 

“I did not.” Marlowe held up his hands in an innocent gesture. “I had my hopes, though.” He winked. 

I groaned. “You’re ridiculous.” Try as I might, I couldn’t stop the grin from spreading over my face. 

“You mean ridiculously sexy?” Marlowe quipped, nudging me. 

We laughed, holding one another close, knotted together both in body and soul. 

“And yes, I will take you to the Rose Festival. It’s a date.” Marlowe rested his forehead against mine, his breath slowing as he slipped away to slumber. 

Right here, in this moment, was all I ever wanted. We weren’t just friends anymore. We were mates. And nothing could stop us now.

How the Necromancer in the Gold Vest Saved My Life: Disaster #2 by Jocelynn Drake

Chapter 1

Nolan Banks

Talk to the witch, and I will kill him.

There wasn’t a second of the day when Christoph’s words weren’t echoing through his head. As much as he hated it, he was putting Sky off with dismissive text messages about being behind on work and needing some time to catch up. It sucked, and he hated himself a little more every time he hit Send, but he wasn’t willing to risk Sky’s life.

It was bad enough his brother’s mess had pulled the necromancer into this nightmare. If anything, this proved that Nolan wasn’t any better than Owen.

Fuck, he was probably worse because his ego kept shouting that he had all his shit together. Clearly, he’d been lying to himself.

His conscience was further bruised thanks to the fact that he’d sent the same messages to his best friend, Jennifer. He was just glad she was used to him climbing into his writing hole and not coming out for a while. She shrugged it off. But it was going to buy him only a week or two. Eventually, she’d ignore his texts and come over anyway.

There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that one of Christoph’s daytime minions was keeping a watch on his place, waiting to report that Sky had visited him. So far, Christoph hadn’t said anything about anyone else talking to him, but it was better if he didn’t know Jennifer existed.

Panic ripped through Nolan when the doorbell rang three days later. Was it Christoph or an irritated Sky? Christoph had agreed that he could remain in his home and work like a good pet if he stayed away from the witch. If he tried to leave the city or talk to the witch, Christoph or his people would be there to snatch him up.

That couldn’t happen. So long as he was in his own home, Nolan believed he had a shot at escaping the vampire.

Knees weak, Nolan shoved to his feet. He’d been sitting at his desk, glaring at his screen for hours, getting nothing done. Sleeplessness, cold sweats, and panicked web searches filled his life the past few days as he tried to find some way to contact the Variks. Sadly, they weren’t listed in the white pages.

Taking in a settling breath, he opened the door to find a smirking Christoph standing on the other side. The vampire was impeccably dressed in a sharp, dark suit. He was only missing a tie. The collar was open, exposing a thick, strong neck.

No, he wasn’t a fucking neck man.

But since being bitten by Christoph twice now, he found his eyes drawn to that body part more.

It was unfair that this creature was so attractive. It was only skin deep, though. Christoph was a pompous, domineering asshole who always thought he was right and that everyone should bow and scrape when they were near him.

Huh.Just like his fucking ex.

Was there a chance Alan had been a vampire?

Nolan shoved aside that weird stray thought. Alan was not a vampire. They’d hung out during the day plenty of times.

“Not happy to see me?” Christoph mocked. He tipped his head down and pushed out his lower lip in a fake pout that left Nolan wanting to roll his eyes. Christoph could be sexy, but he lacked the ability to be adorable. No one could do that better than Sky.

“What? No. I—” Nolan stopped his stammering and clenched his hands into fists at his sides and growled softly. “What do you want? Why are you here?” He bit out each word carefully when he had control of himself. Part of his brain cursed Owen all over again. If it hadn’t been for his fuckup brother, he would never have encountered vampires. He wouldn’t have Christoph in his house right now.

But Sky…

Hell, maybe he would have pulled his head out of his ass and talked to Sky without needing a catastrophe to happen.

Probably not.

This disaster was his own making. He should have said something to Sky that first night, but he’d been too scared, too ashamed, and too confused. He hadn’t been sure Sky was someone he could trust.

Even after he was positive Sky was the most trustworthy person he’d ever met, the shame had gotten in the way.

“I’m here to check up on my precious pet.” Christoph stepped into the house and closed the door behind him while Nolan automatically retreated, his heart thudding painfully. “I wouldn’t want my pet to think I didn’t care for his well-being.”

Every time Christoph used the word “pet,” it was like a cheese grater was being run over Nolan’s nerve endings.

Nolan stomped past Christoph in the living room, waving his hands in the air. “You don’t care about my well-being. You don’t care about me at all. I’m a toy. Something to play with. Or maybe you want to use me as leverage over Sky.” Not that he was going to let that happen. He’d escape before he allowed Christoph or anyone from the Sandor Clan to hurt Sky.

A hand grabbed his waist from behind, pulling and spinning him until he found his hands pressed to Christoph’s chest, his eyes staring up into deep pools of blue over a wicked grin. “You are a toy, and I am playing with you, but it doesn’t have to be all bad, does it? You belong to me now, but I can make your life very comfortable. With a word from me, all the vampires in the clan have to obey my pet. I can give you a luxurious home, beautiful clothes. Anything you could desire. And all I ask from you is obedience.”

“And my blood,” Nolan bit out.

Christoph tilted his head to the side and shrugged a shoulder. “Just a bit here and there. I’m over two centuries old, Nolan. I know about self-control. You’re safe in my arms.” As he spoke, those arms tightened, pulling him in even closer.

Nolan squeezed his eyes shut and tamped down the twisting cyclone of emotions in his chest. There was something soft in Christoph’s tone that was almost hypnotic. What he was saying, it all sounded so very tempting. For the first time in so many years, to have someone taking care of him, protecting him. Someone else who could make all the responsible decisions and deal with the consequences.

Owen couldn’t locate a responsible decision with both hands, even if it was right in front of him.

And his last ex…

Well, Alan handled his own life. He hadn’t given a shit about what was happening in Nolan’s life until it was in danger of impacting his plans.

“Why me?” Nolan winced at the weakness in his voice, as if he were almost pleading with Christoph to make sense of what was happening for him.

“Because you’re different.” Christoph’s thumb ran across the edge of Nolan’s bottom lip, causing his eyes to snap open. “It’s been a long time since I’ve encountered different.”

“Different how? Like I have some magic?”

Christoph laughed loudly, and Nolan’s hopes crashed to the basement.

“No, my pet. You’re completely human. I didn’t mean that kind of different.” Christoph continued running his fingers along Nolan’s chin and jaw in a tantalizing caress, as if holding most of Nolan’s weight in his arms wasn’t straining at all. “I meant different in how you’re fierce and headstrong. Your brother—I only saw him a few times; I allowed Aldo and Colette to handle that business—is a reckless fool, and he’s been this way his entire life. But you still came charging to his rescue. You’ve been doing that your whole life, haven’t you?”

Nolan bit the inside of his mouth, refusing to answer. But he didn’t need to. Christoph could read him too clearly.

The vampire chortled and bent his head, nuzzling the side of his hair with the tip of his nose. “You have. That night, someone had already told you that Owen had made a dangerous deal with vampires, and you marched down to Phoenix.” Christoph chuckled again, but it was low and husky. “You were so close to punching Aldo in the nose. It’s a shame that bouncer stopped you.”

“Yeah, because Aldo wouldn’t have killed me at all,” Nolan muttered snidely.

“Maybe.”

“Whatever. The reason I’m different is that I’m an idiot. Lovely. Thanks.” Nolan pressed his hands on Christoph’s chest and attempted to push free, but he didn’t budge an inch. His muscles trembled and his heart skipped with a new rush of fear. No matter how gentle Christoph was with him, there was no escaping the fact that Nolan was a bug waiting to be squashed.

“Not an idiot.” The vampire paused and shrugged. “Well, maybe a bit of an idiot. But you’re also loyal and honorable.”

“Like a dog,” Nolan snapped.

“Like a good pet.”

Nolan wanted to press further, to make sure this had nothing to do with Sky, but the words never left his lips. Christoph tightened his arms, pulling Nolan in closer. At the same time, he lunged forward. His fangs sank deep into his throat in a flash.

A cry of pain escaped before hot, liquid pleasure washed through his body, wiping away all thought. He could only ride the wave, his fingers tightening in Christoph’s jacket. Some part of him wanted to try pushing away again, but it was useless. He clung to Christoph, attempting to find the surface as the vampire swallowed mouthful after mouthful of his blood.

Maybe it would be better if Christoph forgot about his much-touted self-control.

Nolan blinked and found himself staring up at Christoph. He was lying on his couch with the vampire frowning at him as he sat on the edge next to his hip. His owner was pissed about something.

“I passed out,” Nolan announced as his brain struggled to piece together the missing seconds, or even minutes, from his memory.

“You did,” Christoph stated in a clipped tone. “I believe I stated that a requirement of you remaining here is that you must take proper care of yourself. Clearly, you’ve not been eating healthy foods.”

Nolan wanted to argue with Christoph that he’d been too scared over the past few days to even have an appetite. Not to mention, he desperately needed to go to the grocery but was now afraid to leave his house. None of that was going to help his case. Instead, he glared mutinously at the vampire hovering over him.

“This is your one warning, Nolan. Heed me on this. I will return in two days. If I don’t find you in better health, you will be removed immediately to my home, where I can watch over your care personally twenty-four hours a day.”

And that was exactly what he did not want.

“Even if I’m eating healthy, I won’t be able to replace all the blood you took in two days. No human can!” Nolan tried to sit up, but the room spun and he flopped onto the pillow Christoph had placed under his head.

The vampire caught his chin with one hand and held him tight enough to bruise. “I didn’t say that I’m going to feed from you again. Just check up on my pet.” Threat glittered in Christoph’s blue eyes and Nolan stilled. “Behave and take care of yourself.”

With that depressing warning delivered, Christoph rose and straightened his jacket so that he was back to his usual, unruffled self. His thin lips and sharp mouth twisted to their normal smirk. “And stay away from that witch, or you’ll both regret it.”

Nolan didn’t move, barely even breathed, until he heard Christoph’s light steps cross to the front door. Only when it opened and closed firmly did Nolan sigh loudly and scrub his hands over his face as he choked down a panicked sob. What the fuck was he supposed to do?

His first instinct was to reach out to Sky and ask for his help. The necromancer had proved strong enough to handle vampires, but could he take on the head of an entire clan? Christoph was older. He seemed so much stronger and daunting than the others. Christoph could hurt him. Nolan could put Sky in danger the same way his own brother had to him.

Could he run?

Leave town just like Owen had. Start over somewhere totally new.

It was an option, but not a great one. He liked his life here. He was comfortable.

But he could do it if it meant keeping Sky safe.

Blind Date for Father's Day by Lorelei M Hart & Colbie Dunbar

One

Keith

“Three wedding parties.”Andrew stood there with his chest puffed out. I didn’t blame him after landing three entire wedding parties while I was on a delivery that took far longer than it should’ve.

“Well done.” He beamed at my praise, and it was well-earned. There had been a few times when he had just started that I’d been worried this place would be too much for him. We were a small shop on the outside, but we had a very steady business and our quality was what kept us that way. But Sebastian took him under his wing and many many more patient hours than I would’ve had later, and here we were.

“When are their fittings?” He told me the details, and I wrote them on our paper calendar, the one Jason insisted we use in addition to anything computerized. We were going to need to start limiting events pretty soon. We just didn’t have the manpower. Not with Jason still on partial paternity leave.

“Sebastian getting you guys lunch?” He was so addicted to the local sub place. At first I thought maybe he had a crush on one of the counter people, but then I discovered he also picked them up from the one by his place, and often ate them multiple times a day. They weren’t that good, but if they kept him happy I was all for it.

“He should be back by now.” Andrew squished his lip funny, something he tended to do when he was nervous, and then his face bloomed. “Never mind. He’s here.” He jogged over and opened the door, Sebastian with three subs and a drink container with four fountain drinks.

“Did you get them all?” Andrew was like a five-year-old kid. I wasn’t even sure about what.

“Yes.” Sebastian sighed. “That’s why I was late. I made them open the new case, just for you.”

Squeeing. The air was filled with squeeing. Over I still didn’t understand what.

“You are the best. That’s why I love you,” he kissed the man’s cheek, who consequently turned a bright red.

“I meant thank you. Not the I love you stuff.” Awww, Andrew had no idea I knew they had been sleeping together or dating or whatever it is called when you try not to let people know.

“You thought I didn’t know?” I pointed to the ginormous subs, and Andrew handed me one. It would be good for both lunch and dinner. “Thanks.” I had a standing order. So yeah, fine, I was addicted too.

“What has you so excited?” I asked. Poor guy looked like he was about to be punched or fired or set on fire or something horrible. I just wanted to hug him and make it better. Of course pissing off his man might not be the best way to do that.

“Andrew, it’s fine. Really it is.” Sebastion spoke softly, so I could barely hear.

“I was just excited,” he mumbled. “It’s okay to like things other than... you know... work.” He glanced at me. “And I work hard.”

“No one said you didn’t, love.” And with that, Sebastion kissed the top of his head and Andrew relaxed. If I had known the stress of them hiding their relationship had been weighing on them so much, I’d have let the cat out of the bag earlier.

“I do need to know what he got you that you think is so cool, and then you can tell Sebastion what you did while he was gone.” He bounced on the balls of his feet. Bounced. It was official, they were the cutest couple ever. They just better stay that way because we needed them both.

“Bastian got me all four Shifter World collectors cups! All. Four.” He handed me the drink tray, and sure enough, four plastic cups with Shifter World slapped on the side and a picture of the hot men that made the show popular and some random animals that correlated with their shifter animals or what have you.

“That is awesome.” Because if it made him happy, it was. “Now tell him your good news.”

He told Sebastian all about the wedding, and I put half my sandwich on a paper towel and the other half in the fridge. I’d barely taken my first bite when my phone started announcing, “It’s your grandpa. You better pick up.” Because yes, I set it that way after missing one too many phone calls and hearing about it.

“Hey, Grandpa,” I answered the phone and stepped out back, not wanting to ruin their lunch by the medical questions that I would inevitably ask.

“It’s Aunt Kallie.” My stomach dropped. She should not have his phone. “Your grandfather, he had a—shit, he’s fine now—he will be fine, but he had a fall and I think you need to come down.”

Ten minutes later, I was on my way out the door, giving Sebastian the keys and promising to make it up to both of them. The last thing I was expecting to hear was that my grandpa broke his hip...and then it got worse. He’d done it a week prior and no one called me. The guilt started to seep in and grow roots. I didn’t call him either. He’d had surgery and was doing well, but he was refusing to go to a rehab facility, and Aunt Kallie wanted me to get there and “talk some sense into him.”

I had no intention of doing that.

“Keith,” Jason answered his phone in a whisper. Shit. He had a sleeping baby.

“Shit. I’m sorry. I hope no one is stirring.” I pulled up in front of my apartment building. I needed to pack—everything else could be done remotely. “I’m calling because I need to go for a while. Grandpa broke his hip.”

“What do you need me to do?” Just like Jason. Always looking out for others.

“I think the guys will be okay at the shop, but maybe could you come in just a little bit more?” I hated to ask, knowing how much he was loving his time home.

“Yes,” he said almost excitedly. “Thank you.” Surely I heard him wrong.

“Umm you’re welcome?”

I’d grabbed my duffle and was filling it with a little bit of everything. I could buy more later if I didn’t coordinate or what have you, I just wanted to get on the road.

“I need to get back to work and I kept finding excuses not to.” Oh. “And don’t worry, we’ll be fine.”

“Thanks, and just a heads up, Sebastian and Andrew know we know they are fucking.”

“How many shades of red was Andrew?” This was easier. Better. I could gossip and not think about everything. I zipped up my duffle bag and swung it over my shoulder, glad I didn’t have pets to worry about.

“Andrew—he was just Andrew, but Sebastian...I mean, Bastian was the color of that cumberbund they kept having us redo because they were sure we could find a better red.” I locked the door, leaving the hall light on, and threw my duffle bag into the car.

“I need all the details.” He didn’t. It was very much not him, but he knew I needed to talk and think about not the badness. He was that kind of a friend, and I was beyond grateful. Because right now—I needed him so I didn’t pull over and cry.

Becca Seymour

Becca Seymour is the #1 gay romance best seller of the True-Blue series. Known for “steamy and endearing” and “emotionally profound love stories” (InD’tale Magazine) her books have been nominated for multiple RONE Awards.

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

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

Hank Edwards

Hank Edwards has been writing gay romantic fiction for more than twenty years. He has published over thirty novels and dozens of short stories. His writing crosses many sub-genres, including romantic comedy, contemporary, paranormal, suspense, mystery, and wacky comedy.

He has written a number of series such as the funny and spooky Critter Catchers, Old West historical horror Venom Valley Series, suspenseful Up to Trouble series, and the very erotic and very funny Fluffers, Inc., He is also part of the shared universe Williamsville Inn series of contemporary gay romance books that feature stories by Brigham Vaughn as well. He's written a YA urban fantasy gay romance series called The Town of Superstition, which is published under the pen name R. G. Thomas.

No matter what genre he writes, Hank likes to keep things steamy, kind of sassy, and heartfelt. He was born and still lives in a northwest suburb of the Motor City, Detroit, Michigan.

Connor Crowe

Connor Crowe grew up reading stories about dragons, magic, and adventure. He often liked to imagine himself as a character in those stories, and as he grew older he began to write some of them down. He couldn't just write any old fantasy, though. As a die-hard romantic, he tells stories of men finding true love amidst adversity.

When you read a Connor Crowe book, you know you're getting action-packed fantasy mpreg that will make your heart race in more ways than one ;)

Jocelynn Drake

New York Times Bestselling author Jocelynn Drake loves a good story, whether she is reading it or writing one of her own. Over the years, her stories have allowed her to explore space, talk to dragons, dodge bullets with assassins, hang with vampires, and fall in love again and again.

This former Kentucky girl has moved up, down, and across the U.S. with her husband. Recently, they’ve settled near the Rockies.

When she is not hammering away at her keyboard or curled up with a book, she can be found walking her dog Ace, or playing video games. She loves Bruce Wayne, Ezio Auditore, travel, tattoos, explosions, and fast cars.

She is the author of the urban fantasy series: The Dark Days series and the Asylum Tales. She has recently completed a gay romantic suspense series called The Exit Strategy about two assassins falling in love and trying to create a life together, as well as a MM paranormal romance series featuring a family of vampires.

She has co-authored with Rinda Elliot the following series: Unbreakable Bonds, Ward Security, Pineapple Grove, and the Weavers Circle. She has also co-authored with AJ Sherwood the Scales 'N Spells dragon series.

Lorelei M Hart

Lorelei M. Hart is the cowriting team of USA Today Bestselling Authors Kate Richards and Ever Coming. Friends for years, the duo decided to come together and write one of their favorite guilty pleasures: Mpreg. There is something that just does it for them about smexy men who love each other enough to start a family together in a world where they can do it the old-fashioned way ;). 

Colbie Dunbar
My characters are sexy, hot, adorable—and often filthy—alphas and omegas. Feudal lords with dark secrets, lonely omegas running away from their past, and alphas who refuse to commit.

Lurking in the background are kings, mafia dons, undercover agents and highwaymen with a naughty gleam in their eye.

As for me? I dictate my steamy stories with a glass of champagne in one hand. Because why not?

Becca Seymour

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Hank Edwards

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Connor Crowe

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Jocelynn Drake

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EMAIL: jocelynn.drake@gmail.com

Lorelei M Hart

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EMAIL: Lorelei@mpregwithhart.com

Colbie Dunbar

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Weaker Than Instinct by Becca Seymour

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The Devil of Pinesville by Hank Edwards

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The Dragon's Second Chance Omega by Connor Crowe

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How the Necromancer in the Gold Vest Saved My Life: Disaster #2 by Jocelynn Drake

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Blind Date for Father's Day by Lorelei M Hart & Colbie Dunbar

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