Black Veil #2
Peace has descended on Black Veil once more, and hope is on the horizon.
Until a new threat arises…
Emil is the head of security, first line of defense for Cain and Black Veil. He takes great pride in his job, is fully prepared to sacrifice everything in order to keep everyone he cares about safe and the world from crumbling. But the Tritons and Sirens have approved a treaty, and the dragons will most likely agree to allow vampires to use their blood for sustenance and protection once again, so all is as it should be. Then Emil meets the emperor of dragons, and his life goes from calm to chaotic in the blink of an eye—loyalty and love now battle for dominance in his head.
Aldrich is the emperor of dragons, and he cannot afford to make mistakes. He and his clans enter Black Veil in the hopes that The Blood Boss will join them in the fight to save his family. Aldrich is ready to lay down his life and for anything else thrown his way—except the crystal-eyed vampire who immediately captures his interest. Emil is everything he has always wanted and would never dare dream of, and when all he holds dear is threatened, it’s Emil who keeps his dragon grounded.
When unimaginable dangers swarm into Black Veil, the vampires and dragons join forces and call upon every living creature in Black Veil to defeat the enemy. While love blooms, lives perish, all to fight a war against the darkness threatening to consume the world. Will Emil and Aldrich claim victory and have their happily ever after, or are they doomed to an eternity apart?
Original Audiobook Review October 2024:
How can it possibly be 2+ years since I read Emperor of Dragons and an even bigger HOW has it been over a year and a half since the audio originally released and I didn't listen? Well, I remedied that!
I can't really think of anything new to add to my original review to express my love for Emperor and the whole intriguing paranormal world that Davidson King has created in Black Veil so I'll let my original words below speak for the story. As for the narrators, Tim Paige & Declan Winters, they sure nail Emil and Aldrich spot on. I can't say who narrates who but whichever way it is, balanced with King's words, they bring to life every minute detail. I've often said in my audio reviews that my love of the old radio shows of the 30s, 40s, and 50s is a bench mark I factor into my expectation and there's something extra about dual narration that brings OTR even more into a checkpoint. Paige & Winters leaves me not only expecting to hear the sponsor's message but I swear I can hear the sound effects man creating the creaking doors, howling winds, and flapping wings painting the whole picture of the magic and mayhem fueling King's storytelling.
Yep, Davidson King, Tim Paige, & Declan Winters are a triad of story presentation . . . well I'd say "made in Heaven" but considering the genre and world being explored I'll just say "not to be missed".😉😉
Original Review May Book of the Month 2021:
She's done it again!
From the very first page, Davidson King pulls you in to this paranormal world she has created. You find yourself so hooked that if you looked up you expect to see vampires, dragons, witches, oh my! Each character has burrowed in and won't let go until they are done telling you their journey.
I don't want to spoil anything, even the minutest detail because experiencing this journey is pure magic and not just in a paranormal way but in a "Holy Crap! Where did that come from?" kind of way. So this review won't be touching on any specifics plot-wise but more on an overall emotion grabber. When reading paranormal/fantasy, there is obviously a level of reality that doesn't even begin to enter one's mind but at the same time, when that fantasy world does begin to spark a flash of realism into one's soul, you know that you have found a winning gem.
And simply put, that is exactly what Davidson King's Emperor of Dragons has done: feels real.
As for the characters? Once again we see Cain and Jayce navigate and rule over Black Veil(so Cain is the one in charge of the territory but come on! We all know Jayce has a level of control where Cain is involved). This time around, the threat at large is not openly directed at their vampires but at the dragons which is where Aldrich enters the picture. Emil, one of Cain's top security vamps finds himself drawn to Aldrich and Aldrich is vice versa. Will they get the opportunity to become what it meant for them? You know my answer to that one: read for yourself.
Oh but the fun you will have finding out. I just finished reading this minutes ago but I know I wish I could experience it for the first time again.
Back to characters. There are new ones, there are returning ones, there are ones you will love with every fiber of your being, there are ones you will absolutely hate with a passion, and then there are those that will probably be a blend of each. I already have a couple of them that I think will be front and center of future entries and even though I just finished Emperor of Dragons, I'm already on tender hooks waiting for the next Black Veil adventure.
I know that Davidson King is all about the HEAs, the romance, and the heart but she is Queen of mayhem and danger too. I've read and watched plenty of fiction that involve world building universes, character driven drama, emotional battered heart and some are poorly done, some are well written, and then there are those that are exceptionally crafted. It is the exceptionally crafted ones that are storytelling at it's finest and Davidson King's Black Veil universe belongs in that category. To create something that can't possibly be real, that not only entertains but leaves the reader feeling lost when the final page is closed because they are no longer living in that world, well that's a whole other level of talent very few reach.
A final note: Some might say The Blood Boss and Emperor of Dragons can be read as standalones because they feature different couples, tackle different dangers, I honestly can't say that. For me, they have to be read in order. Not only are there characters from Blood that play a huge part in Emperor but I can't help but feel there is a larger picture at play here and each entry has a part in the complete adventure(hopefully there will be many layers to the complete picture because I am in no way ready to say goodbye to Black Veil). The author lets you in on things from book 1 so you wouldn't exactly be lost but I truly believe you'd be saying "huh, I wonder what happened there?" more than once. Not too mention, The Blood Boss is brilliant and was my personal choice for Best Paranormal Read of 2021.
Holiday Surprise #4
Wes’s life may not be perfect, but he works hard to make it as good as he can.
Wes will never be his parents’ ideal son, and he knows it. Worse is that they retaliate against him when their attempts to mold him into what they want fail. Still, he carves out what happiness he can while trying to stay within the lines. He’s made himself a career as a dance instructor, and loves teaching kids. Unfortunately, it all threatens to come crashing down when the owner of the dance studio announces its closure. With no open spaces at other dance studios Wes decides to open his own, but he knows his parents will be vehemently against it.
José has never gotten over his high school boyfriend, but how can he ask forgiveness after failing him?
José has a good life. He’s a successful mortgage broker with plenty of friends and a loving family. But he has one major regret: not being able to protect his high school boyfriend, Wes, from his terrible parents. If he’d done things differently, maybe the omega would have had a different life. However, when he hears that Wes has a new dream on the line he vows to do what it takes to make the man he loves happy.
But will it be enough this time?
Lucky Dance Date is a 18K word, non-shifter, M/M, mpreg, omegaverse romance
Content note: Narcissistic and racist parents play a role in this book. Therefore it may not be suitable for readers sensitive to those topics.
Original Review March 2024:
I don't know how Wes isn't more of a basket case after everything his parents put him through. I have such an amazing relationship with my parents it's hard for me to wrap my head around people like Wes' folks but it also makes me want to crush the life out him with such a ginormous Mama Bear Hug. There is just no way you can't cheer for Wes and José to get their HEA, no real spoiler saying they will get there eventually because the story is in the journey and that journey you will have to read for yourself to learn and appreciate the paths that get them there.
With each mpreg I read I fall even deeper in love with the genre, my experience in variety of authors within the genre is still limited but I've loved every Lacey Daize story I've read. Again I was looking for a holiday theme story, this time St. Patty's Day, so another in-middle-of-series read but with the exceptions of a few friends from earlier entries, Lucky Dance Date is a complete standalone in the author's Holiday Surprise series.
I love the blend of drama, mpreg, love, friendship, second chances, and of course how sometimes found families can be all the family you need. Wes and José's journey in Lucky Dance Date is definitely a winning gem that will warm your heart.
Summary:
Cold Case Psychic #3
After a dramatic end to the Justin Wilson case, Psychic, Tennyson Grimm heads to a small island off the coast of Maine, hoping to clear his mind and renew his spirit. When the dead won’t let Tennyson rest, the psychic curses his gift and orders the spirits to leave him. He wakes the next morning to silence, and finds truth in the saying, "Be careful what you wish for.”
Detective Ronan O’Mara has been tasked by his boss with the chore of finding a more "sedate" cold case to investigate this time around. The handsome cop is only too happy to oblige. He chooses the twenty-year-old case of a family patriarch who was murdered on Christmas night, 1997. The only possible suspects are either his wife or his daughter, who were both with him at the time of his death. Ronan figures this one will be a piece of cake. All he has to do is get his favorite medium to talk to the deceased man's spirit.
When Tennyson reveals the truth about what happened in Maine, he’s forced to take a hard look at who he thought he was, and what his gift really means. Ronan does his best to help his lover cope with his new normal while he uses good old-fashioned police work to figure out a family who put the 'dis' in dysfunction.
Will Tennyson be able to find the key to unlock his gift, or will the spirits stay dead silent?
Summary:
Welcome to Morningwood #8
A classic tale of hawk meets mouse…and falls in love.
Last summer, Gus and Blaze were just life-long best friends. They made the leap from friends to lovers and now, several months later, Gus loves Blaze more than ever. Recently, he’s wondered if Blaze still feels the same way. Gus thought their honeymoon phase would last forever.
Blaze is on cloud nine. He has his best friend and his mate. He always knew Gus was his, and now that his best friend has realized that too, Blaze’s life is perfect. He can’t wait to spend eternity with Gus, but recently, his little mouse has been acting strange. Like something has changed in him.
A sudden mission with the Elite Force comes at the worst time, separating the two when they need to talk the most. Blaze waited too long to have Gus in his arms. He’ll deal with the human hunters encroaching on shifter land and he’ll do it quickly enough to make it home in time for the big Easter barbecue—and to convince Gus that they’re mates now and forever.
Love Nest is a Welcome to Morningwood novella that continues the love story of Gus and Blaze. and contains all the steam and laughs you expect from Morningwood and can be read and fully enjoyed as a standalone.
Original Review March 2024:
When I saw Kiki Burrelli had another Easter-y themed entry in Welcome to Morningwood I had to read it now which means I jumped ahead a couple of entries(again something I rarely do, as in 99.999% never do). I don't think I missed out on anything that I can't go back and catch up on in the coming months but time will tell😉.
On to Love Nest. Unlike the two I have read, Sack of Gold and Hop On, there really is no darkness here other than relationship drama that yes, mostly comes from non-communicating but as I often feel, without drama you can't enjoy the happy. Personally, sometimes not talking things out happens, it's just human nature to keep things tight to one's chest once in a while for a variety of reasons. For Gus and Blaze, those reasons I think is fear of disappointment in each other's decision to leap from friends to lovers, very understandable.
In their shifter form, hawk and mouse, they couldn't be more opposites attract but as we know, in non-shifter they have been BFFs most of their life so friends to lovers it is and there is no denying their chemistry and passion for each other. Sometimes no amount of chemistry and passion can allay those fears of crossing the friends/lovers line. I get it, it is frustrating and more than once I wanted to shake the pair yelling "TALK TO EACH OTHER!" but it's that frustrating that sucked me in so thoroughly that before I knew it, the last page was swiped.
Whether you're like me and went looking for Easter themed stories are are just on the hunt for a fun read, Love Nest is definitely worth the read. There is a brief mentions of Arthur and Aries from Hop On the biggest being the Easter BBQ is at their home so it was nice that I read that entry first and knew what that pair went through to get their HEA but it's not essential reading to fall in love with Gus and Blaze's journey. Another great holiday gem.
The Magi Accounts #3
Dark witches here, bloody witches there, evil witches everywhere.
At home, my life is amazing, thanks to my boyfriend, Cosmo Ono-Nai, and his wonderful family that I’ve become a part of. I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my life.
But work is a different story.
All anyone’s talking about is the Red Cloth this, the Red Cloth that. I can’t escape them, and all I really want is to find someplace the witches can’t reach, take my family—my pride—there, and hide them away from the world.
But I can’t. I’ll do everything in my power to protect them, and everyone else, from the building threat. There’s this dread building in my chest about what’s to come, and I have a feeling the Red Cloth is planning something big. I only wish I knew what so I could keep Cos, Jude, and the rest of our family safe.
A Purpose That Restores Us is a 119K novel and the third book in the MM urban fantasy series, The Magi Accounts. It’s recommended to read the series in order because it has an ongoing storyline, but there is NO cliffhanger.
*Intended for adults only. Please read the trigger warnings at the beginning of this novel.
Random Paranormal Tales of 2024
Part 9 / Part 10 / Part 11 / Part 12
Emperor of Dragons by Davidson King
CHAPTER ONE
Emil
The storm currently raging outside the estate wasn’t the only indication the emperor of dragons was arriving today. There was a tornado named Jayce rushing about, making sure everything appeared as perfect as it could. I watched from the top of the stairs as he tutted over the choice of floral arrangements that Cain, The Blood Boss, had chosen.
My job was to guarantee all security was in place and the estate was secure. Oh, and that I wore the ridiculous five-piece suit Jayce had asked me to wear.
When Jayce’s life had been in danger a little over a year ago, Cain made the ultimate choice to change him into a vampire. Add into play that Jayce was the son of the deceased Queen of the Sea, Asherah; and a star god, Rigil; and he had a lot going on in his DNA. The power he held inside his tiny body wasn’t fully known, and there were days I found myself hoping that when it all reached its peak, it would be to our benefit.
“Emil, are you going to stand there all day? They’ll be here in minutes, and you’re daydreaming. Why are you staring?” Jayce smacked Cain on the arm. “Why is he not answering me?”
“Jayce, my love, please. It will be fine. All is in order, and Emil is staring because he is old and wise and knows there is no answer that will be suitable.”
Jayce looked at me with raised brows, and I simply nodded. Cain was right; silence was best.
“Fine…okay. I’m sorry, I’m nervous. I mean, this guy is the emperor of dragons. That’s huge, right? That’s a big deal?” Again, his frantic gaze flitted from Cain to me and back to the vampire he loved.
“Aldrich is very powerful; he holds more magic than any of us would know what to do with. I have met him only the once, but he was kind and respectful. I think he will find you quite endearing.” Cain pressed a kiss to Jayce’s forehead. “How about we go sit in the library and await news of his arrival?”
“I can let you know.” I took the rest of the steps down to the foyer. “And, Jayce, I haven’t met Aldrich ever, either. We’re in the same boat.” I leaned closer to him and lowered my voice. “Just let Cain do all the talking, and smile and nod a lot.”
That earned me a chuckle. “I can do that…I think.”
Once the two of them were out of sight, I went in search of Petru. He and I always oversaw all security and safety procedures. We dealt with humans and other creatures who broke laws in Black Veil and would be the ones torn apart if this very important meeting went south.
I found Petru outside, under the large awning, speaking with the guards. I held back and waited until he was done and once they all dispersed, I approached.
“Everything in order out here?”
“Yes.”
“Inside is good as well. You will be outside when the emperor and his entourage arrive; I will be in the foyer with Cain and Jayce.”
“Understood.”
“Due to the weather Cain wants the meeting to take place in the library, but they are to be shown to their rooms to relax and settle in.”
Cain needed this visit to go well. We were all surprised—not only when the dragons accepted the invitation to talk, but that the emperor himself would be in attendance.
“Is the staff not doing that?” Petru asked.
“They are. I’m just telling you the order of things, big guy.” I patted his arm. “Nervous?”
“No. I do not like dragons.” Petru wasn’t a talker. His Russian accent sometimes made it hard for others to understand him, but I’d known him for a ridiculously long time and had no issues.
“I’ll admit, I wish this whole thing was over already. But it should only be for a week. We listen, watch, and let the boss do the talking—at least we’re not him.” Petru nodded in agreement.
I didn’t envy Cain in this endeavor. Getting the dragons to come back on board with sending some of their own over twice a year, so we could all feed from them, was going to be tricky. Since the merfolk had started attacking anyone or anything in the seas trying to get to Black Veil, the dragons had broken their agreement to assist. Now that a treaty was in place with the new king of the sea, we were hoping Aldrich would revert to our original agreement.
Honey, Cain’s newly acquired assistant, approached Petru and me. “I received word the dragons have entered Black Veil. It shouldn’t be long now.”
“Thanks, Honey.” I faced Petru. “Would you update Cain?”
“Yes.” He stalked off toward the library while I did one more sweep of the bottom floor.
I wasn’t nervous like Jayce, nor was I irritated like Petru. I didn’t have an opinion of the dragons. They’d gotten the call hundreds of years ago like the rest of us that this world needed our help. They’d answered it, and without them it would have crumbled. We all had jobs to do and needed to work with each other. I could understand that.
What I wasn’t happy about was how pretentious they were. I’d held congress with quite a few dragons in my life, and each thought they were the best of all creatures. They sneered at anyone not born of dragon blood and never had a good word for humans. This visit would be very interesting; I could only hope Aldrich was as kind and respectful as Cain said he was.
The kitchen was bustling when I went to check on the staff. The dragons’ appetites were plentiful and specific, keeping the cooks on their toes and causing a lot of chaos. I left them to it and went to double-check the rooms the dragons would be using.
“I gave the largest guest room to the emperor.” Mancy opened the first door. “I was told his sister, Aubrianna, would be in attendance as well; her room is beside his.”
“Very good, Mancy. And the others?”
“Directly across the hall. I figured they’d like to be close to each other. It also gives them the feel that they have a whole wing.”
“Well done. Let Honey know if you need any extra help up here during their stay. It can be arranged.”
“Thanks, Emil.” Mancy hurried off, likely to complete last-minute duties.
“Emil, they’re ten minutes out,” Honey said when I reached the foyer.
I went to the library to inform Cain and retrieve Petru. “Sir, they’ll be here soon. Petru, take position.”
“Jayce, would you like to stay in here and be introduced when we come into the library?” Cain gathered Jayce’s hand in his. There was no hiding Jayce’s nervousness.
“No…no, I can do this.” He stood and, hand in hand, Cain and Jayce left the library.
Petru took a few vampires with him outside and I waited with Cain and Jayce. Honey was by the door, and we were ready for our guests.
As stoic as ever, The Blood Boss waited for the emperor of dragons, and I remained vigilant for any outcome that would present itself when those doors opened.
Lucky-Dance Date by Lacey Daize
Chapter 1 - Wes
~January~
Ismiled at my camera and ring light. “That’s it for today’s mini-lesson. Make sure to subscribe to my channel for access to full lessons. And if you live in Valle Granja, stop in and join our real life dance classes.”
My smile widened and I made heart-hands as I prepared for my traditional send-off. “Until next time, keep those toes tapping. Wes, out.”
I struck a pose and held it for several seconds so that my editor would have plenty of time for a clean outtro. Then I strode to the camera and turned it off.
The sound of small footsteps running up the stairs to the studio filtered in, and I knew that the first of my after-school students had arrived. I quickly carried my recording equipment to the instructors’ office, closed the door just enough to check that my dance belt was still where I wanted it, then headed back out to the lobby.
“No street shoes on the dance floor,” I stated, even though all of my students knew the drill.
“Ok!” Madison, the niece of one of my best friends, said as she sat on one of the benches, kicked off her character sneakers, and pulled on a pair of split-sole dance shoes.
“Can I go warm up?” she asked as she shoved her street shoes in one of the cubbies.
“Go ahead,” I replied as other kids started to filter in.
“Thank you!” she squealed as she bolted into the studio proper.
I smiled as I reminded the others to change their shoes. Madison was one of my most enthusiastic students, and I saw the potential for her to be an incredible dancer. I even planned to talk to her papa about having her audition for the summer musical held by the Valle Granja Performing Arts Initiative.
It would be a step up from the small performances held by our dance association, but I was sure that she was ready.
I waited for the stragglers, checked my messages to see if parents had contacted me about any of the no-shows, then strode into the studio.
“Let’s warm up everybody,” I said, clapping my hands to get their attention. “To the barre for stretches.”
The kids all took their places, and I smiled as they settled from excited chatter to serious practice.
We went through our warm up routine before reviewing our triple-steps. Then I settled into the lesson for the day.
I couldn’t help but smile as the kids tripped over their own feet before learning the new steps.
My life was nearly perfect. I had a job that I loved: teaching dance. Even better was that it paid the bills. I had a cute apartment all to myself. I performed regularly with the local theater initiative, and I was an advocate for local investment in the arts.
There were only two downsides: my parents, who were vehemently against everything I did, and my lack of a mate or children.
Unfortunately I couldn’t fix my parents, and the only alpha I’d ever wanted had been scared off by them more than a decade ago. Even now I dreamt of his sun-kissed skin and black hair.
Still, I was surrounded by small blessings, and I’d long since learned to appreciate them.
Dead Silent by Pandora Pine
PROLOGUE
Tennyson
June…
With the Justin Wilson case in his rearview mirror, psychic Tennyson Grimm needed a little down time to relax and find his Zen. The Wilson case had brought up an issue or two that hit a little close to home for him and he needed some time away from the hustle and bustle of life in Salem, Massachusetts.
Brothers, Carson and Cole Craig would be manning West Side Magick, the psychic shop the three of them owned and managed together in the Witch City, while his Cold Case partner and lover, Boston Police Detective Ronan O’Mara, got back to work without him for the next two weeks.
Tennyson had been perfectly happy in his life as a medium, reading customers in the Salem shop, until six months ago when the most gorgeous man Ten had ever met in his entire life strolled in asking for his help on a cold kidnapping case. Ronan O’Mara wasn’t used to people saying no to him and Tennyson hadn’t been about to break that streak.
He’d agreed to partner with the surly, skeptical detective to help find Michael Frye, who’d been five years old when he’d gone missing from his South Boston front yard. During the course of the investigation, Ronan had become a believer in Tennyson’s gift and Ten had fallen head over heels in love with his grumpy partner.
Now that Tennyson had a few minutes to reflect back on things, his and Ronan’s trajectories had been lining up to intersect long before that day back in January when Ronan strode into the Magick shop looking for Tennyson’s help. He’d been getting visitations from a spirit who’d been unable to communicate with him using dead speak since November of last year.
When the young man, Justin Wilson, finally figured out how to talk through the use of images, it was to ask Tennyson to find the man who murdered him. That one spirit led to another, which led to another, and before Tennyson and Ronan had known what was happening, they were hip-deep investigating a serial killer who was targeting gay street kids.
One way or the other, it seemed he and Ronan O’Mara were destined to be a part of each other’s lives, which made it odd that Tennyson had chosen to come to Maine alone. Ronan had understood his need to be alone and find himself after the investigation that nearly cost his boss, Captain Fitzgibbon and his son, Greeley, their lives.
Great Diamond Island, off the coast of Portland, Maine, was everything the travel websites played it up to be, and then some. The only people who were on the island were those who lived there or who rented cottages. There was one inn over on the other side of the island, but the non-residential side was fenced off from the private side.
The island was semi-private and unless you were renting a cottage or visiting the Inn at Diamond Cove you weren’t allowed to get off the ferry. For Tennyson, the quiet of the place was an absolute haven for him.
His little cottage was just off the beach. It was painted light pink and had one bedroom. It was the perfect size for a honeymooning couple or an exhausted psychic looking to come to terms with himself and his past.
Every morning that Tennyson had been here started with an egg white omelet and a piece of wheat toast. After the dishes were cleaned up, he’d head out to the beach for an hour of meditation. Usually, he’d only get in a few solitary minutes of deep breathing and a few simple poses before the voices and visitations would start. Ten knew there was no way he could truly take a vacation by himself; the spirits of the departed were everywhere.
The one thing he should have done before hopping on the ferry, was a bit more research on Fort McKinley. Built in the early 20th century, the fort was an active U.S. Army base until after the end of World War II. Over the course of the week he’d been here, dozens of the spirits that had visited him had been those of soldiers who’d been stationed at the fort before being shipped off to fight in Germany. Many of them had come back to the fort, the place they’d been the happiest in their lives, after they’d died.
Instead of having hours of uninterrupted time to spend on himself, he’d used it all up helping spirits cross over or come to terms with the fact they were actually dead. At the end of most days, Tennyson was more tired than he should have been, leaving him with no time to work on himself.
Not being able to work on his own issues only made him miss Ronan more. He’d gotten in the habit of sending his lover one email a day, right before he went to bed. He never mentioned the fact that he was spending more time working with the dead than on himself. His emails were instead filled with details about the island and always included a picture of the beach or of some bird or flower he found interesting.
Ronan, for his part, followed the unwritten rules Tennyson had set. He would respond to Ten’s email the next morning. He’d talk about the progress Fitzgibbon and Greeley were making, among other mundane things. He’d close with a picture of Boston, usually a sunrise shot from Carson Beach, which told Ten that Ronan had started running again.
Captain Kevin Fitzgibbon had been injured during the course of the Justin Wilson investigation and was continuing to recover from his injury. In his last email, Ronan had written that the captain would be cleared to go back to work within the next week. Ten knew how anxious the captain was for that day.
Greeley, the captain’s foster son, had a brief run-in with the killer and had managed to escape. The teenager had developed a drug habit after the violent encounter. He was now entered into a rehab program in Swampscott, Massachusetts. According to Ronan’s email from yesterday, Greeley had just been accepted into a GED program set to start in two weeks.
Tennyson had sent back his love and encouragement to both men and to Ronan in his return email.
Day nine on the island dawned rainy. There would be no meditation on the beach this morning. After breakfast, Ten set up his yoga mat on the living room floor in front of the cold, stone fireplace and started his deep breathing. He was about to move into the “greet the day” pose when he was interrupted by a stream of voices talking at once.
“That’s it!” Tennyson shouted. “I’ve been more than patient, but you all have to go!” His breath was ragged, his voice high-pitched. “I came here to relax and find myself, to heal! I haven’t had one damn second to myself since I arrived. Can you all just give me that? One damn minute? I wish I never had this damn gift! Now go!”
Tennyson fell back to his mat and let all of his emotions flow out of him. He cried for his childhood spent denying who he was, gay and psychic. He cried for the boys back home in Boston who’d lost their families and lives for being born gay. He cried for Ronan and the precious time they were missing together because he’d run away from his problems to this god-forsaken rock to find himself when he’d never really been lost in the first place. Ten cried and cried until the tears were gone and sleep took him.
When he woke, the cabin was dark. Ten sat up and all of his muscles screamed in protest. “That’s what I get for falling asleep on the hardwood floor,” he muttered to the empty room. He walked to the dining room table and grabbed his phone. Hitting the home button, he saw that it was 7pm. Christ, he’d slept for twelve straight hours on his yoga mat.
Guilt hit him like a boulder. Yes, he wanted a little time to himself to get his head on straight again after the Justin Wilson case, but he never should have yelled at those spirits like he’d done. Ten turned on the heat under the tea kettle and took a seat at the dining room table. Reaching out with his sixth sense he sent a message to all of the spirits around, welcoming them to speak to him. Oddly enough, none responded.
When the kettle started to boil, he got up and made his cup of green tea. Ten took it out onto the deck, where the moon was rising out of the ocean. He sat in one of the Adirondack chairs and let the rhythm of the tides soothe his troubled soul.
The first thing he was going to do when he got back to Massachusetts, after he kissed Ronan’s lips raw and begged for his forgiveness for not taking him on this trip, was to jump in feet first with Carson’s husband, Truman, on his We Are Family charity.
The charity would be geared toward gay youth who were homeless. Part of the proceeds would also go to fund the funerals of the boys who’d been murdered by the serial killer. Tennyson had been kicked out of his own home the day after he graduated from high school for being gay. If not for his gift, he could have ended up on the streets selling his body to survive, just like the killer’s victims had done. Giving back to the adopted hometown that had welcomed him with open arms was just what his aching soul needed to feel whole again.
After Ten told Truman about his intentions, he was going to book appointments with clients looking to have private readings with their loved ones, and then he was going to get back to work with Ronan solving cold cases for the Boston Police Department.
He knew damned well that not all cold cases were going to turn out like the Michael Frye and Justin Wilson cases, with violence and gunfire. For most of them, it would simply be a matter of speaking with the victims and hearing the stories of how they died. Ronan would be able to find evidence or get the suspects to confess from there and be able to wrap up those cases lickety-split.
Tennyson laughed into the twilight. There! All he’d needed was five uninterrupted minutes to figure out what was next for himself and his life. That wasn’t so hard, now, was it?
As for what was going on with his past colliding with his present, he needed to let his parents and their narrow-minded religious beliefs go. He wasn’t that scared seventeen-year-old boy anymore, twisting his hands together and telling his parents he was gay and psychic. He was a grown man with a career, two of them, in fact, and a man who loved him to the moon and back.
He hadn’t spoken a single word to his parents in thirteen years. After the notoriety of the Frye case, his parents surely knew how to reach him, but they hadn’t. If the book hadn’t been closed on that relationship before, it should be now. “No, fuck that!” Tennyson shouted to the sea. The book was closed. He was closing it now.
“You hear that, Bertha? Erin? I’m done with my parents and thinking that they’ll ever want to get back in touch with me.” Tennyson was all smiles as he waited for a response from Carson and Ronan’s mothers.
All he got in return was silence.
Tennyson stood up and walked to the edge of the deck and looked up at the stars. A million of them winked back at him. For the first time in his entire life, all he heard were the sounds his ears were picking up: a barking dog, the crash of the waves on the beach, a car horn, the sound of his breath getting faster with each passing second.
“Bertha? Erin? Anyone?” Tennyson shouted. Silence. It was dead silent.
Tennyson thought back to his tantrum from this morning. He’d wished his gift away. The most precious thing he’d ever been given in his life and he’d wished it away like a teenager telling his parents that he hated them. What had he done?
Were the spirits just obeying his command to leave him alone so he could selfishly enjoy his vacation? Or were they gone for good?
There was only one way to find out. He needed to get home. If anyone could help him figure this out, it was Carson and Cole.
And Ronan. The second worst thing he’d ever done in his life was to run away from the man who loved him.
The next ferry back to the mainland wasn’t until 6:30am tomorrow morning. It looked like Tennyson was going to get exactly what he asked for. Peace and quiet. Only that was the last thing he wanted right now.
He offered up a silent prayer that when he woke up in the morning his gift would be back.
Love Nest by Kiki Burrelli
Chapter One
Gus
The warm spray washed away the aches of the night. With my eyes still halfway shut from sleep, I reached for my moisturizing conditioner. My fingers knocked into the navy-blue bottle. I'd been expecting it to be heavier than it was, and my miscalculation sent the container flying.
The corner of the lid landed hard against my big toe, and I growled—even though such a thing wouldn't have been possible for me in my mouse form. My lip curled.
"Blaze!" I howled. He wasn't home. He'd earned early PT for mouthing off while in the field on our last mission. "I'm going to pluck you and stuff you into a pillow!"
He couldn't hear me. Not even Blaze's hawk hearing was sharp enough to pick up my voice from across town, but threatening him made me feel better all the same. If this had been the first time he'd used my product, I wouldn't be so angry, but Blaze had been making a habit out of using my deep moisturizing hair mask as body wash for weeks now.
Yes, standing in the shower for ten minutes while the cream soaked was excessive, but I liked to spend that time thinking or jerking off. Now I'd have to go my whole day minus my think time and without my stress reliever—all of this while I had frizzy hair.
At the moment, nothing was actually keeping me from masturbating. I glanced down at mini-Gus. He was especially mini at the moment thanks to my annoyance, and I sighed. I'd use this time to enjoy a second cup of coffee before I left instead and save myself from the glop they served down at the station.
Rinsing quickly, I reached outside the shower curtain for my towel, grasping an empty towel rack instead. I wrenched the shower curtain open. My towel lay crumpled—soaking wet—on the floor. I must have missed that when I'd climbed into the shower half asleep. And yep, there were no more towels in the bathroom cupboard. Why would there be? It was Blaze's turn to do the laundry.
It had been months since I'd agreed to move into Blaze's place. Before that, my entire life had been spent pining for the man. When a bizarre accident blew away the barriers between us, I discovered he felt the same way I did. At least, I'd thought he had. Blaze was my boyfriend and my roommate, but before he was either of those things, he'd been my best friend.
I stepped from the tub to the door, shaking like a dog to knock off the excess water. I'd have to air dry today. The only one who would be upset by the water droplets I left on the floor behind me was me. And I decided to forgive myself as I padded, buck naked, into our kitchen—stopping in my tracks.
The kitchen had been spotless last night. Now, coffee grounds were strewn across the counter. A small pile sat in a puddle of milk, turning it a light tan, while the milk dried to a flaky finish. Sighing, I grabbed a paper towel and wiped up the mess. I opened the cupboard under the sink to throw the paper towel away and discovered the trash can as overflowing as it had been last night when I'd asked Blaze to take it out.
When we'd first moved in, things had been perfect. Blaze's roommate, Kyle, had been our biggest hurdle, and it hadn't taken long before Kyle begged to move out, claiming our lovey-dovey behavior made him ill. I'd smugly helped him pack and carry furniture, all the while assuming that the stage we'd been in was how Blaze and I would be forever.
I didn't understand what had happened. I still loved him as much as ever. When I looked at Blaze, my stomach fluttered the same as it used to. But I was beginning to fear the same couldn't be said for him. I didn't know what had happened. Had I changed? Maybe I wasn't taking the changes in our living situation as stoically as I thought.
I tied up the garbage and set it outside the front door, planning to take it to the can on my way to the car.
The state of the kitchen had looked like Blaze had tried to make coffee. Tried and failed, if the amount of grounds on the counter was anything to go by. During mornings when we got ready together, making the coffee was one of my tasks.
I sipped my first cup, the nutty, earthy flavor waking me up in a way the shower had been unable to. I looked around the kitchen with new eyes. My relationship with Blaze wasn't in such a bad shape; it was mostly my lack of caffeine that had made me so morose. I took another sip, doing a spin on the tile to judge my dryness.
I caught my reflection in the living room mirror and posed. Nothing had changed in my looks. Lifting my arms over my head, I flexed like one of those oiled-up body builders. My lips turned down in a frown. Maybe my body had looked a little more… put together.
As a mouse shifter, my metabolism ran at a level most people would have to make a deal with the devil to achieve, but maybe my age was finally catching up to me. Blaze had been teasing me about how I liked caramel sauce in my coffee instead of sugar or honey. Maybe the teasing had been a cover, and he was actually annoyed. And unhappy.
My fingers were slow and unsteady when I dressed in my Elite Force uniform. I winced, my pants feeling just a little tighter than they normally did. Ignoring my finished reflection, I went back into the kitchen and brewed myself and Blaze a fresh cup, placing them both in our travel mugs. I'd bought them our first weekend together, smiling as I imagined all the things we'd do together while sipping on our matching mugs. This way, when I saw him at the office, he'd be relieved to see me.
The drive through town was short, and it was only minutes before I'd parked and walked down the sidewalk to the joint building that the Morningwood Elite Force shared with City Hall, the police department and the morgue.
"Good morning, Gus," Arthur greeted me outside on the path in. He had an Elite Force hat shoved over his blond curls and a leather satchel draped over his shoulder. Captain Aries must have had to go into the office early because he was absent from Arthur's side. Captain always went in when one of us had to go in early, saying he'd never asked one of us to do something he wasn't willing to do.
"Morning, Arthur. How's the little one?" I asked.
Arthur and the captain had enrolled Harlow, their daughter, in T-ball in the hopes that the sport would help her keep climbing out of her shell.
"You should've seen it," Arthur said, already smiling. "Aries bought her the entire outfit, pads, and helmet, and she refused to take any of it off all weekend. I didn't mind. Less bumps and bruises that way—ouch." Arthur rubbed his elbow after accidentally knocking it against the building wall.
"Maybe you should've gotten your own pair," I teased, reaching for the door to pull it open.
"Did you guys make a decision about Easter yet?" Arthur asked, going through the entrance I held open.
I frowned. "Easter?" The holiday was coming up this week.
"For our Easter barbecue this weekend? We wanted to throw a shindig where everyone could enjoy themselves. I know the town comes together, but that's mostly for the kids, and some of you guys have yet to settle down and pop any out. "
My face burned red. Arthur spoke like I should know what he was talking about. Clearly, he'd asked Blaze, but Blaze hadn't mentioned a word of the party to me. Why? Because we hadn't settled down and popped any out? "Blaze and I just… we hadn't made plans to…"
Arthur's eyes widened. "No! I didn't mean you two specifically. Oh, man, that was rude of me, wasn't it?"
I hurried to respond. "No, no, it's fine. I know what you meant. So, anyway, you're throwing an Easter barbecue?"
"I gave Blaze the invitation. He said he wasn't sure but would ask you. It's Easter, starting anytime you want to come over in the afternoon. We'll be at the parade and the gold hunt before then. You don't have to bring anything. Aries and I want to treat all of you. I don't think we ever officially thanked you as a team for just how amazing you all were when Aries was going through his stuff and then with accepting me so warmly as part of the team."
I shrugged, uncomfortable with his praise. He made the way we'd all been decent humans sound like we'd done something special. "We're more than coworkers in the Elite Force, Arthur. We're a team only as strong as our weakest link." I gasped, thinking about what I'd just implied. It felt like we just kept taking turns sticking our feet into our respective mouths. "Not that you were our weakest link."
"Uh-oh," Bruno said when the two of us reached the Elite Force lobby. He was a giant of a man with a wiry beard that covered a blocky, square-shaped face and short dark hair. "Someone let Arthur and Gus alone together. They're socially awkwarding themselves into a hole." Bruno's voice boomed as loudly as his laugh.
Arthur blushed a deep red while I flashed Bruno the finger. That only made him laugh harder.
"Mouse has a bite?" he bellowed.
Blaze walked through the lobby, coming from the other side. He'd changed out of his PT clothes into his uniform, and, as I always did, I took a second to simply stare. He wore the Elite Force uniform like a second skin. His dark hair, streaked with blond from hours out in the sun, was half dry but styled neatly. He looked up at me with amber eyes—like twin pools of whiskey. I wanted to drink him dry.
"Hey there," I purred, forgetting all the little annoyances that had clung to my back, weighing me down on the drive over. This was probably why nothing ever changed between us. The moment I stood within talking distance of the man, I became a formless puddle of goo. "I brought you a coffee."
Though I'd done the same thing hundreds of times, even before we'd started dating, I still felt shy, like someone would recognize I liked him. And after hiding my love for Blaze for so many years, it was ingrained in me. His fingers brushed over mine as he grabbed the travel mug, and our eyes met. I waited for that glorious moment where the rest of the world would fall away, and the only two things that existed were him and me. Blaze and Gus.
"Thanks," Blaze murmured. "But the coffee I had this morning gave me the shits. I think it's those fancy beans you insist on. Bruno, you want it?"
"Sure, I don't mind the shits. Gives my day some excitement," he guffawed. He took the mug from Blaze, popped off the lid, and proceeded to dump in an ungodly number of sugar packets from the small coffee station.
I glared at him. Those were my home beans! I had to have them specially delivered to Morningwood. Blaze knew that. Blaze knew everything about me. The fact that we'd been best friends since birth meant he'd seen me in every state of life: sad, happy, goofy. We'd had farting competitions and had been entirely too open with our bathroom behavior.
Dread made my gut uneasy. Was that what was wrong here? Most couples took years before they knew so much about each other. We'd jumped into a relationship already aware of the other's most embarrassing moments because we'd been there when it had happened. Before dating me, Blaze had no shortage of men and women willing to give up the chance for forever in exchange for a mind-blowing night of sex with him.
Our relationship had popped up so quickly. At the time, we'd also been fighting for our lives. Had enough time passed since then that Blaze now realized he'd made a mistake?
"How come you didn't tell me about Captain's barbecue?" I asked, the question sounding random and angry since no one else was in my head, and they hadn't been there for the mental lead-up.
Blaze's smile faltered. "The what?"
Captain poked his head out of his office. "Good morning, love," he said to Arthur before his tone hardened to address the rest of us. "Morning briefing, thirty minutes. Don't be late."
I pushed my wet hair back, tucking the strands behind my ear. Embarrassment made my cheeks burn. I should have waited until it was just us two before asking about the barbecue. Maybe Blaze hadn't wanted to go and not asking me was just a cover. One that I'd ruined.
"Uh-oh, trouble in paradise?" Bruno looked between Blaze and me like we were two players in a tennis match. "That didn't last long. Is your old apartment even cold yet?"
Any second, Blaze would correct our coworker. He'd tell him there was nothing wrong with us. No trouble.
Except Blaze didn't say anything. He looked at me. "Do we need to step outside?" he asked warily.
I lifted my chin, both as a reflexive and defensive movement. "Maybe we do."
"Oooo," Bruno howled.
I spun away, facing the door so I wouldn't have to see Bruno's annoying smiling face. Blaze charged ahead of me, and we walked outside together in silence until we lingered at the side of the building.
"Did something happen at home?" Blaze leaned with his shoulder balanced against the building, managing to keep his distance but also shield me from anyone walking behind him.
I sighed loudly, wondering how we'd gotten to this point so quickly. "No, nothing happened. I'm just wondering why you didn't bring up the party at Arthur and Captain's? Do you not want to go? Is that why?"
"Of course I want to go, Gus."
I folded my arms. "Oh so you just don't want me to go."
"That isn't what I said at all, Gus. What the heck? What is wrong?"
I didn't know how to verbalize what I felt. Individually, my complaints felt so petty. If I said them out loud, I'd only see how silly I was being. But they didn't feel petty. My anger simmered just hot enough to keep steaming while never exploding into a full boil.
"Are you upset because I wasn't there this morning?" Blaze asked, his tone turning deep and husky. "You know that wasn't my choice. Captain's orders. I prefer waking up with you."
My stomach clenched as my dick twitched. I was no closer to controlling my sexual reactions around Blaze now as I was able to fly without his help. Blaze and I had sex. Lots. It wasn't like our last time together was all that long ago, but my body reacted like we hadn't had sex in months. I slumped back against the wall, my arms dropping to my sides. "Maybe that's it. I don't like mornings where we don't get up together."
Blaze leaned in, his face free of the stress wrinkles that had been there moments ago. "Then I know just what to do." He kissed my nose. "Shift."
He shifted first, wiggling from his uniform and flapping his wings as he blinked expectantly.
I was wary, unsure of what his plan was. I shifted, scurrying down the sleeve of my uniform to peer up at him. Blaze swooped down, reenacting the scary part of a nature documentary as he secured me in his talons. We'd been flying together for years; it had been our favorite thing to do once we were both mature enough to shift. I still squeaked because even though it was exhilarating and amazing to soar up into the clouds, it was really freaking scary.
Though the ground quickly grew too far away, I knew I was safe in Blaze's talons. He might try to eat me later, but we'd both enjoy that.
Blaze didn't take us back to his house on the bluffs, though; he flew us to the very edge of the Morningwood city limits, over the park and forest to the boundary line where we'd constructed our top secret tree fort when the two of us had been ten. He flapped his wings, soaring in through the open window, where he released me on to a pile of cedar shavings.
I shifted and caught my footing quickly. "I didn't know you meant here, Blaze. We're gonna be late for the briefing."
Blaze surged forward, pushing my back to the wall, his front pressing against mine. "A quickie." His lips massaged my neck as he spoke, kissed, and nibbled his way down my chest.
I looked over his head at the familiar four walls. How many hours had we spent in this space as children, dreaming about the type of people we'd become? Blaze had always wanted to work in law enforcement, but in his younger years, he switched between wanting to work for Morningwood Police or the Elite Force. I'd only ever wanted to be where he was, by his side.
I sighed, wishing I could talk to the younger version of me who used to beat himself up.
"What is it?" Blaze asked, pulling back to allow a few inches between our faces. "Where are you in that head?"
Our gazes collided, my blue eyes clashing with his amber ones. "I'm here, Blaze. I think… sometimes… this is all a little surreal, you know? How many times did I imagine being with you like this, while I sat in this treehouse with you?"
Blaze smiled and kissed my nose. "I'm sorry I wasn't more confident back then. We could've been together the way we were meant to be for so long by now." He dropped to his knees and looked up from under my erection. We hadn't brought our clothes with us, so we were both still completely naked. "I'm still not finished catching up for all that lost time, though." He parted his lips and slid the head of my cock into his mouth, suckling just the tip while tiny explosions of pleasure went off over my body.
I didn't know how Blaze made other parts of me feel so good when he was really only touching my penis, but he knew every trick and tip to make sure I felt each lick and suckle everywhere. He could lick my elbow and make my big toe shiver with pleasure. The sounds of his mouth on my cock alone were nearly enough to bring me to orgasm. Lewd, sloppy, and wet, my moans were like the melody to his erotic percussion.
He took me deeper, his nose brushing my groin as his chin collided with my balls. He gripped my ass cheeks, pulling them apart with a growl that was as possessive as it was seductive. I wasn't in heat, so we didn't need to worry about protection.
Blaze withdrew, letting my dick fall out of his mouth with a sharp pop. "Grab the branch," he ordered, and my hands flew to the tree branch overhead that grew out of the window.
The tree creaked, but it was sturdy enough for me to hang my weight from, and I did as Blaze rose to his feet, lifting me with my legs around his waist.
"I promise I'll be on my best behavior from here on," he said as he lined our bodies up.
"Your what?" I frowned.
"So I don't get morning PT. You're always grumpy when I have morning PT."
That wasn't one hundred percent accurate, but Blaze thrust inside me in the next moment, stealing my breath and my concentration. Sometimes, he took hours lovingly preparing my body to accept him. Other times, our lovemaking was more primal. I loved both types, but right now, I needed his dominating strength. It was possible that he was more correct than I gave him credit for. Maybe it really was just his absence that got to me. I closed my eyes and pushed the thoughts out of my mind. While my alpha's cock was inside me—giving me a good dicking, as Blaze would call it—I would think only of him and now. Of us.
He kept one hand gripped tightly over my nape, holding me in place while his other hand held my hip. My feet were off the ground as I remained suspended, helpless. I couldn't control the rate of his thrusts or the speed. All I could do was hang on and let my alpha fuck me in the exact manner that he desired.
In our old childhood treehouse.
"You're milking my cock," Blaze growled. "So tight and hot. You're my hole, my perfect hole."
Fuck, that shouldn't have thrilled me as much as it did, but when Blaze started talking like that, I was lost. It felt like something else inside of me took over, like Gus had taken a break, and some other version, one that was needy and wanton, took over. I squeezed my legs around his hips, earning me another low growl. "I can't hold it back," I gasped. I'd done all I could to keep my orgasm from crashing. I'd hung suspended on the precipice for so long that it didn't take long to plunge me into pleasure.
"Don't," Blaze commanded. "Don't ever hold back, my omega."
There was no one around to hear us, and that was a very good thing. The noises I made had likely cleared our section of the forest, spooking small and large animals alike. My vision blurred, going dark before snapping back into perfect clarity. Seeing Blaze fuck me was almost as much fun as being fucked, and I didn't want to miss a single moment, not even while I was coming so hard I'd feel the aftershocks all day long.
Blaze continued to buck and thrust, drawing out both of our orgasms until I could do nothing but collapse against him, sweaty, panting, and satisfied.
"I'm gonna need a second shower," I groaned.
"Don't worry, sweet cheeks. I have that covered," Blaze said, jumping to his feet with an exuberance I wasn't capable of right just then. "Shift. I'll get us washed up and bring us back."
There wasn't any time to argue; we were likely late as it was. But the ridicule we'd get for returning sweaty-faced and smelling like sex would be unbearable. I shifted and waited.
I was still me as a mouse, but my thoughts were clearer, more focused. It was almost like as I shrunk, so did the world, my problems and worries, all of it, shrinking right along with me. But Blaze was still big. He grabbed hold of me with his sharp, brown talons and then took off.
My tiny mouse stomach flew into my throat, and I squeaked but kept my eyes open. The ground below zoomed away before rapidly growing close again. I looked up, but I couldn't see Blaze's face in this position. His beak was pointed down, in the same direction we were flying. When he said he'd handle the problem, I thought he'd fly us home really quickly, but that wasn't the direction we were going. We went down, through the canopy of trees.
The blue of Morningwood Lake grew larger and larger. I squeaked loudly, realizing what Blaze had planned. He screeched as if to tell me to calm down and that he had it all under control. At the last moment, I sucked in a breath and then nearly lost it the moment we plunged beneath the ice-cold water. My heart pounded rapidly, and my lungs stretched tight, demanding I inhale.
Blaze took us back up, using his wet wings to get distance between us and the water. If he tried to dip us a second time, I already decided I would bite his foot and take my chances falling. His wings lifted us higher. The wind whipping by was cold, but it also helped dry my fur so that by the time I spotted the Elite Force building below, I was nearly dry.
That had been my second shower for the day, and I couldn't help but compare the two. I much preferred this one, even if there still wasn't a towel waiting for me after.
A Purpose That Restores Us by Michele Notaro
1
“Alright, Gray Team, let’s get Red over there. Mads and Jude, you know what to do,” my boyfriend called out.
I waved him off since we’d already captured the loose taragorians. Then I lifted the shield I’d had covering my entire team so the shifters could run over to their target, placing the shield over Jude and myself.
As Charlie ran past, he yelled, “Kitty cat, on the run!”
Jude started laughing, and I groaned and yelled back, “Shut up, Charlie!”
“Kitty cat, havin’ fun!” Zara yelled as she followed Charlie.
“For crap’s sake, guys!” I complained into my HID so they’d all hear me. I heard them all laughing, and even though I rolled my eyes, I had to hold back a laugh myself. Asses. All of them. They were never going to let me live down that stupid song.
“Your team is so weird,” Ash said as he rushed over to us, holding his focus—a guisarme, which was an eight-foot-long shaft with a blade and hook mounted on the top. His eyes met mine, and like every time I saw him, I couldn’t help but notice how cute the kid was. His eyes were a lighter purple than Jude’s, almost a lavender, and with his dark brown skin, they popped. He had a burst fade haircut, so it was shaved on the sides and back and his long dark curls sat on top. He was definitely a good-looking kid. Well, technically, not a kid. But anyone in their early twenties counted.
I grinned at him and opened up my shield so he’d come under it. Ash’s team had been working with us for the past few weeks since the NHSO decided all TRD teams needed to go out in groups of two. They were taking the Red Cloth witch threat seriously—finally—and they didn’t want to risk losing any more magi or shifters after Maisy and several others, including shifters, in nearby cities had been killed.
Harriet had asked Jude and me who we wanted to work with. We’d said Ash, and she made it happen. Which I was eternally grateful for because the kid was not only good at his job, he was also a good guy, from what I’d seen.
“Aw, you know you love us, magic fingers,” Charlie said over our HIDs, using his little nickname for Ash. Ash made a face before muting his HID.
“Shit. I thought I was muted.” He scowled in Charlie’s direction like it was my friend’s fault for hearing his comment.
For some strange reason, Ash didn’t seem to like Charlie very much. He hadn’t said anything directly, but the scowls he often threw in Charlie’s direction said it loud enough. It should’ve made me mad, and it had at first. But then I actually watched what was happening, and well…
If Ash ever said anything to hurt Charlie’s feelings, I’d kick his ass, but Char must’ve noticed the same thing as me because it was like he decided annoying Ash was his new part-time job. So was I mad? Not really. I was mostly amused because the two of them were ridiculous. Like how little kids acted when they had a crush—pulling ponytails and throwing boogers at each other, or whatever it was kids that grew up in a regular school did.
It was harmless, for now, and Charlie was dating his little waiter dude, so I figured it was fine. And funny to watch, so there was that.
Jude and I shared a look as Ash grumbled, and I had to smother a smile. Jude found it just as amusing as I did.
Since we had bigger problems than making the two of them get along or work out their mutual attraction—if that was what it was—I ignored my new mage… friend and built a shield to capture the incoming taragorian that was climbing through the tear.
I already had two captured under one shield off to the left of us—I’d done that as soon as we’d exited the TRD truck—and my shifters were currently taking down a big red beastie.
Once the newcomer was behind a shield, I said, “Let’s close the tear before more get through. We don’t know how many came through before we got here.” We don’t want to get overwhelmed went unsaid.
Immediately, Ash pulled up a set of veil-closing runes and pushed them onto the open tear. Before I could make a suggestion, he pulled up two more sets of the same runes.
I already had twenty-one runes activated, but since I’d been practicing so much, that was nothing. I added three more sets of veil-closing runes to the tear, bringing me up to thirty-nine.
Ash gave me a look, and I could tell he was impressed. With anyone else, I might’ve been worried, but with Ash, I knew he wouldn’t report me. He was a friend, as strange as that was, and I trusted him when we were out on the battlefield. He’d had plenty of opportunities to tell someone about my abilities, but he hadn’t.
Jude and I had decided weeks ago that we could trust the young mage with anything related to magic. Would we trust him with the Cloaked Freeway or with our home lives? Probably not. At least not yet. But the fact there was even a yet to begin with was huge for us.
So I used three sets of runes, just like Ash, and together, we started to pull the veil together. Ash started at the top edge, and I started at the bottom. I always felt like I was sewing together a very thin but strong fabric when I closed a tear, and it was no different this time. I was just happy we didn’t run into any resistance.
“Almost got it,” Ash said, grinding his teeth together. He met my pace, and our weaves met almost in the exact center of the tear.
With a loud pop, the tear closed, and blissful sil—nope, not silence and not blissful, since my shifters were battling it out with loud-ass taragorians, but at least the stupid buzzing was gone.
“Mads,” Harriet’s voice said in my HID. “There’s a yellow taragorian coming through the trees on your right, looks like it’s aiming for our team.”
“We’ll take care of it,” I replied.
I turned in that direction and scanned the area. Cos was on a huge red taragorian’s back, holding its horns and trying to tear its body in half while Kulani sliced the thing’s throat, and Dare, Zara, and Charlie kept its limbs from hurting Cos or Kulani.
And behind them, there was a copse of trees that looked like the edge of a playground area. On either side of us, there were tall office buildings, but I knew we were close to a housing development.
“Goddess,” I breathed. “I hope there aren’t any kids at that playground.”
“What playground?” Ash asked.
Jude pointed at the trees. “On the other side of the trees.” Without missing a beat, he spoke through his HID. “Harriet, I don’t see the target.”
“I lost it in the tree coverage, but it was heading your way. Keep your eyes peeled. I’m taking the drone around to look for other stragglers.”
“Will do,” Jude said, then looked at me. “Let’s get a little closer.”
I asked Harriet, “Any sign of witch activity?”
“Not from up here. Any down there?”
“Negative,” Jude replied.
It was a relief that this seemed to be a standard breach and nothing more.
The Red Cloth—the witch terrorist organization—had been fairly quiet since our fight in the stadium a month and a half ago. Most of our coworkers thought it was a good thing, that maybe we’d taken out their leadership, but I had a feeling it was more likely they were lying in wait.
Cosmo yelled, and my heart went to my throat before I found him and realized he was yelling as he used his strong-ass muscles to rip that thing’s head clean off. Barf.
“So gross,” Ash whispered under his breath, but I still heard him.
Ash’s team had made their way over to the two beasts I’d caught in the same shield, and I heard his captain in our HIDs say, “We’re ready for one of these guys, Ash.”
Ash lifted a brow at me, and I shrugged, then said, “This is Madeo. They’re under my shield. Give me a second to get the two of them separated.”
“Let me know when you’re ready,” Simon said. He was the team lead on Captain McKenna’s group—also known as Ash’s team. Simon was a tiger shifter, and as far as shifters went, he wasn’t the worst of them. To be honest, the first few times we’d gone out with the McKenna Team, they’d all acted like assholes. But since they’d been spending so much time with our team, some of Cosmo’s kindness had seemed to rub off on them. That, or they were scared of the very powerful alpha lion shifter disapproving of them and acting on it. Either way, they weren’t as annoying to deal with this past week or so. Even Ash seemed to be a little more relaxed about the situation.
Although, that could be because Simon was finally making sure that Ash was never left alone. That had been an issue in the beginning. With the Red Cloth threat, no one was allowed to be alone, but especially not magi because the witches seemed to be gunning for us. On our first mission together, Simon and his shifters had left Ash alone while Jude and I had gone with our team to hunt down a straggler. Cos had talked to the shifter, and he’d been better about it since, but there were a few times where he’d “forget” and Ash would come with us or get in the truck with Harriet—because Captain McKenna was a prickhole who wouldn’t let Ash in his truck.
So… Simon was doing a lot better with our team and the three of us magi, but we still had to keep an eye out, just in case. Especially since McKenna was a dickhat and had no problem ordering Simon to leave Ash behind.
Jude said, “I’ll keep watch on the trees while you take care of that for Simon.”
I grunted in response and put a second shield over the top of the one covering two taragorians, then I started to shrink back the inner shield on one side, slowly lifting it to let one of the beasts pass through. It took a moment, but when the blue one finally slipped through, I quickly regrew the inner shield and kept it around the purple guy only.
Then I said into my HID, “I’m ready. Blue will be coming out first.”
Simon said, “On my count. Three. Two. One. Drop.”
I released the outer shield, and the shifters and Mrs. Blue attacked at the same time. I scrunched up my nose in disgust and turned my attention back to my shifters, who were all making their way over. I extended my shield over the top of my shifters.
The taragorian Harriet had spotted was nowhere to be seen.
“Have you seen the yellow guy?” Jude asked.
“Nope,” Cos said. “No trace. And this whole place smells like taragorians, so it’s difficult to pick out an individual scent in this form. Especially with blood all over my face.”
I scrunched up my nose again, and Ash whispered, “Gross,” then straightened with wide eyes and gulped like he was afraid Cos would get angry and punish him.
Not long ago, I would’ve been afraid of the same thing from certain shifters and humans, but not anymore. Not with my shifters.
Cos sent Ash a smile and said, “It really is gross.”
Ash breathed out but didn’t look convinced.
Drawing attention away from our new friend, Jude said, “Two of you should shift and hunt that yellow guy down. We need to canvas the area anyway.”
Cos nodded. “Agreed. Who do you want to shift?”
Jude blinked at him but only hesitated for a beat before answering. “Kulani and Charlie since they have good noses.”
Cos gave him a nod and a smile before waving at Charlie and Kulani in a listen-to-Jude manner. After I opened my shield, the two of them jogged toward our TRD truck to shift in private.
I’d noticed Cos purposefully asking Jude his opinion on things and letting my dyad take the lead out in the field pretty often. It was kinda sweet because I knew he was doing it to make Jude feel better about the team lead spot being taken away from him. And probably because he knew that Jude sometimes had a hard time with me being away from him so often—well, as away as you can be when you’re still living in a gigantic house together. But Cos was making an effort, and I liked it. It made me want to jump on him, bury my fingers in his hair and my tongue in his mouth.
But that would have to wait.
Especially since my boyfriend was currently covered in absolute filth. Ew.
Ash’s team took out the blue guy, so I released the purple one on Simon’s count, and by the time they were finished, Charlie and Kulani were both in their lion and cheetah forms.
I extended my shield back over them and would’ve included Simon and the others, but they didn’t like when I shielded them—I knew that from past experiences—so I didn’t even bother to ask.
I didn’t hesitate to pet either Charlie or Kulani when they moved close to me or walked by, but Ash stood back and moved away if one got too near. Again, I couldn’t blame him because of how he grew up and who he worked with, but I wished he could see that my shifters would never harm him unless he was trying to harm someone in our pride.
Charlie rubbed his giant head against my stomach, and I chuckled as I petted him and tried to keep him from knocking me over. I noticed Jude leaning down with his forehead to Kulani’s cheetah forehead. If I’d had a hand free, I’d snap a picture.
Luckily for Jude, Cos said, “Alright, head into the trees and follow the taragorian’s path. We’ll be right behind you. Simon, do you want to start canvasing the area for others?”
Simon said, “Sure. We’ll take the left side.”
Cos gave him a nod, then faced us again. “Gray Team, with me.”
“Shield’s coming down,” I said, then released my shield so Ash could go with his team and Jude and I could go with ours. If we weren’t headed into the trees, I would’ve kept my shield up, but there was no way any of us would fit with my shield over us. It might not have been visible to the shifters, but that didn’t make it any less physically real. I would’ve been bumping into tree trunks the second we were ten feet from them.
We carefully followed Char and Kulani through the trees to the playground, and I was happy to see that no one was around. And I… didn’t notice any blood anywhere, either. Hopefully that meant the NHSO had sent out a warning to the area before anyone got hurt.
Before I knew it, we were headed back into the trees, but instead of coming out where we’d come in, Charlie led us to the right so we came out on the other side of a large office building that was at least five stories high. We quickly ran after Char and Kulani, who seemed to pick up the pace like they were excited about whatever they were smelling. Or maybe they could just tell we were getting close.
Charlie let out a loud roar that made me jump because I hadn’t been expecting it. The sound seemed to mean something to the shifters because they all took off at unnatural speeds to catch up with Char and K.
Harriet’s shaky voice came over the HID, saying, “Well, I found it.”
“We’re coming, Harriet!” Cos shouted.
I was confused for only another ten seconds because I rounded the corner of the tall building and saw a nightmare right before my eyes.
Sitting on top of the cab of our TRD truck was a small, red taragorian—so the yellow one was still on the loose. Small for a taragorian, which meant it was still huge as fuck and just as deadly. Sometimes the smaller ones were worse because they were quicker and more agile. It was a good thing this was a smaller one, though, because its weight was already denting the truck’s roof where it sat. The hood was dented really badly, too, so it had obviously climbed up the truck that way.
The taragorian was on top of the human section, and its gross dragon face was hanging over the edge, peering through the driver’s side window. And it was tapping its long claws on the glass, like it was… playing with Harriet.
Fucking hell.
“Harriet!” I yelled. “Move your ass to the floor of the passenger seat!”
“I’m there already!” she yelled back.
“Cover your head and hold your ears!” I yelled as I gathered energy, orb, and blast, formed an energy ball, and used air and fly to shoot it at the taragorian.
No, it wouldn’t harm it. It couldn’t penetrate its hide or anything like that, but it sure as shit could knock it off the fucking truck and keep Harriet safe.
The energy ball hit Red in the shoulder, knocking it back a few paces but not off the truck. The thing roared out a huge flame of fire, and I weaved another set of runes, then shot it again. It was pushed back and fell across the magi portion of the truck, but the pressure from the blast knocked out the front windows, leaving Harriet more exposed. So I did it again. And again and again. Until that bastard was knocked off the truck.
As soon as it hit the ground, Charlie and Kulani attacked it with claws and fangs. The growls and yowls coming from the shifters and the beast were horrible, but I trusted my shifters to get the job done. Cos and the others in their bipedal forms were already jumping into the fray.
I reached the passenger side door first and threw it open, yelling, “Harriet?”
“I’m here,” she said, her voice shaky and muffled from where she had her face stuffed against her legs. She was curled up in a ball with her arms over her head, making herself as tiny as possible. And she was trembling.
Jude was at my back—always watching my back—facing the fight and keeping a lookout for any dangers, and making sure the shifters didn’t need us.
“You’re safe,” I said, reaching for her. When my hand touched her back, she jumped and whimpered. “Shh, Harriet, you’re safe. I’ve got you.” I used my other hand to brush some glass from her hair and shirt. “Can I pull you out?” I kept my voice quiet. “We need to get you out of this glass.”
She nodded but didn’t make a move to get out of the truck. I bit my lip for a moment, then decided that she was even tinier than me and I had at least some muscles—plus lots of adrenaline—so I figured what the hell? Reaching in, I gently lifted her, with her help, off the floor and out of the truck. The second her feet hit the ground, she threw herself into my arms, burying her face in my chest as she started crying.
I caught her and hugged her to me. The hug was surprisingly easier than I’d thought it would be—I was probably hug-desensitized from living with shifters—and rubbed her back. “You’re okay. You’re safe.”
Jude moved closer, blocking her from the sight of anyone else on the other team, and said, “They’ve killed the taragorian that was after you, Harriet. You’re safe. We’ll keep you safe.”
And then, since I figured it wouldn’t hurt, I activated a set of shield runes and covered the three of us along with the truck since I was standing too close to it to avoid it. Then I said, “You’re inside one of my shields now, too, okay? Nothing can get you. We’ll keep you safe.”
She nodded and took a few deep breaths, calming herself before she let out a rough laugh. “Oh my god, you must think I’m such a fucking idiot.”
My eyebrows rose at that, but I didn’t say anything, and neither did Jude. But that was fine because she kept talking.
“I’ve been in combat before. I know how to fight,” she said.
I’d known that but still said, “We know.”
“But I fought against other humans and shifters, not… not a fucking monster. I… I watch you guys take them on every day, but it’s always… from afar. I’ve never… I’ve never been so close to one before. It… I thought it was going to kill me. If it hadn’t wanted to play with me, I would’ve been dead. It could’ve broken that glass in a heartbeat, and I would’ve…”
“Shh. It’s okay. You’re safe.”
She let out another horrible laugh. “I can’t believe I’m crying. I’m sorry. I swear I’m not a fucking coward.”
“No one thinks you are. If I had a taragorian that close to me and didn’t have anything to defend myself with, I’d probably cry, too.”
She let out another laugh, but this one was a little happier sounding. “You would not.”
I cracked a smile, not that she could see since she still had her face buried in my chest. “I might. Those things are so ugly, it brings tears to my eyes even thinking about them.”
This time she let out a real laugh, punched my shoulder, and straightened so I could see her tear-streaked, red face. “You’re stupid.”
I shrugged, glad I was somehow able to bring her out of her misery, even for a moment. “Eh, no stupider than you.”
She rolled her eyes but was smiling, but that smile quickly turned into a frown. “Thank you for saving me.”
“I didn’t do it alone.”
She nodded and turned so she could tap Jude’s back. “Thank you for saving me and for trying to protect my dignity. That means a lot.”
“Well…” I squirmed a little, huffed out in annoyance at myself, and said, “You mean a lot to us.”
She stared at me wide-eyed for a few seconds before she threw herself at me again. I caught her and realized with a sudden shock that this little human had been hugging me that whole time. Not only hugging, but seeking me out for comfort. A human being comforted by a mage. That was some crazy shit right there.
I gave her a squeeze, and she whispered, “You mean a lot to me, too, Mads. A lot.”
I didn’t know what to say to that, so I simply held her tighter.
Eventually, she released me and muttered, “Don’t think you’re not getting a hug when we get back to HQ, Jude. I owe you at least three.”
He chuckled. “Sounds good to me.”
She sent his back a fond smile, then faced me. “So… how badly can you tell I’ve been crying?”
I winced.
“That bad, huh?” She sighed, then glanced down at her arm where she was bleeding from a gash I hadn’t seen before—probably since she was all up in my face. “Well, maybe this’ll help.” She used her hand to wipe a ton of blood from her gash, then smeared the blood all over her face. She blinked at me, asking, “Did it help?”
“You look disgusting now instead of sad, so yeah. It helped.”
She knocked my shoulder with hers and let out a laugh before taking a deep breath. “Time to face the music.”
She straightened herself out, held her shoulders back, and marched around Jude. I dropped my shield before she could walk into it and watched her walk over to the other team’s truck where their captain was.
In Magi, I said, “She didn’t want to appear weak in front of him.”
“I can’t blame her. She’s one of the only women of her rank in our city.”
I nodded. “Yeah.” I sighed. “Thank the goddess she’s alright.”
Jude nodded and moved to press his arm into my shoulder.
Harriet asked Dare to join her, and the shifter grabbed the first aid kit from the back of our truck before he rushed over to help her out. He started with her arm where she’d gotten all the blood from, but I was sure she was covered in a bunch of cuts. Hopefully, Dare could get all the glass out of her wounds.
Cos came over and didn’t bother to ask if Harriet was okay because he’d either heard our whole conversation with her or he knew she wouldn’t want the other team to overhear what I had to say.
Cos said, “They found the other taragorian, the yellow one, over on the other side of that building.” He pointed to a building across the street. “But no one saw or smelled signs of any others. Once Harriet’s patched up and finishes talking to Captain McKenna, we should be free to leave.”
Jude added, “You mean after we wait for new transport, right?”
Cos looked at our truck with a grimace. “Yeah, after that.”
“So we’ll be here for an eternity,” I said. “Got it.”
He gave me an amused look but didn’t deny it.
As we waited for the captains to finish, I watched Ash slowly move closer to my team, and then move even closer to where Jude and I were standing. Cos noticed, too, because he subtly brushed his fingers along the back of my hand before he walked away. He joined Dare—since Harriet had told him she was good after he’d bandaged her big gash—and Zara in conversation while Charlie rubbed against their legs. Kulani had already made his way over to us and was currently purring up a storm while Jude scratched behind his ears. When we weren’t fighting, if Kulani was in his cheetah form, it was a good bet that he was hanging around Jude. He sought him out at every opportunity, and Jude seemed to love getting to pet the big ol’ cheetah.
When Ash stepped in front of us, I turned my full attention to him and asked, “Are you okay?”
He nodded. “I’m fine. What about you guys?”
“We’re good.” I gave him a small smile. Now that the danger had passed and Harriet was okay, my energy was waning a little. It had been a long day today, and I needed to stretch out my muscles from all the magic use. This had been our second call of the day. Luckily, it was close to quitting time, so at least we wouldn’t be getting another breach call today. Another team would have to take anything that came in.
Ash started fidgeting with his focus. I had to admit, his focus made him look like a badass, even if he looked like a little kid to me half the time. Especially right now when he was clearly nervous about something.
“What’s wrong, Ash?” I asked, moving closer to him and switching to Magi. “Are you okay?”
His nose scrunched up as he nodded, then blew out a breath and met my eyes. “Do you and Jude want to meet me for lunch tomorrow? I thought… I thought it might be nice to see you outside of work.” He made a face like he was disgusted with himself, like he wished he hadn’t added that last part on.
Sending him a smile, I patted his shoulder. “Yeah, Ash, that’d be great.” I didn’t even have to check with Jude to know he’d be on the same page. No way did we want this kid feeling uncomfortable around us or feeling stupid for asking us out for lunch on our day off.
Ash blew out a breath, his shoulders losing some of his tension. “Okay, great. Um… I’ll text you.”
“Yeah, sure.”
He turned on his heel before Jude or I could say anything else.
My dyad bumped my shoulder and offered a very small, almost secret grin. “You like him.”
I shrugged. “He’s a good kid.”
Jude’s smile grew, his hand still petting Kulani. “Yeah. He is. I’m glad he’s working with us.”
“Me, too.”
Charlie—who’d apparently snuck into the back of the truck to shift back—came over and shoulder-bumped me on the other side, saying, “Is it just me or is Ash really hot?”
A shocked, disgruntled sound came out of my throat, and Jude laughed, saying, “He’s a cute kid, but a little young for us, Char. Not for you, but for Mads and me, yeah…”
Charlie rolled his eyes. “You guys aren’t that old.”
I shrugged because we really weren’t, but it definitely felt like we were. Turning to my friend, I asked, “So you have a crush on Ash, huh?”
“What? No. He doesn’t even like me, and I have a boyfriend, thank you very much. I was just stating a fact. He’s hot, especially looking all badass with that staff-thingy he carries around.”
“It’s called a guisarme, and it’s his focus.”
“Duh, Mads. I know it’s his focus. I’m not that much of an idiot.”
I shrugged. “Sorry.”
Char rolled his eyes again and waved us along so we’d walk and join the rest of the group. “Anyway. I’m going out with my waiter. You guys know this.”
I smiled and nudged him with my elbow as we reached the rest of the pride. “How’s that going?” I knew Cos was worried about Charlie and his boyfriend, Frankie, since we hadn’t met him yet, but Charlie seemed happy. I wasn’t sure exactly why Cos was so worried.
Charlie smiled widely. “Great. I really like him. He makes me laugh a lot, and he’s just so sweet, and we always have fun.”
“That’s great.” I nudged him again, shooting him a smile that he returned before we focused on the rest of the group that was staring at our messed-up TRD truck. “Well… what the hell are we gonna do about this?”
Harriet turned, and I winced in sympathy at the bandage on her arm. “They’re sending another truck and having this one towed. I offered to drive it, but they don’t want me sitting on broken glass.” She rolled her eyes at that. “And since the front hood is dented pretty bad, they think the engine could’ve taken some damage. We don’t need to do anything but wait.”
I nodded, but I wasn’t so sure about that. Would we get in trouble? I mean, obviously it wasn’t our fault that a taragorian climbed on and dented the truck, but my spell had been the thing to blow out the windows, although I’d done it to save my captain. But honestly, when had the NHSO ever cared about whose fault it was before executing punishment? Cos came over and murmured in a low voice, “No one will touch either of you.”
Even though I wasn’t sure if it was true or not, I appreciated the sentiment, so I gave him a nod. Sometimes it was uncanny how easily he could read my thoughts.
If we didn’t have a billion giant shifters with us, I would’ve asked if we could’ve simply ridden back to HQ with Ash’s team, but Cos and Harriet decided to wait so we didn’t have to try to squish in. Which I got. Sort of. I kinda wished they’d been willing to suffer for the ride back, but whatever. It wasn’t my decision to make. And… I supposed I could understand not wanting to leave an unattended TRD truck that was easy to break into out here. Even if I found this whole thing annoying.
We ended up waiting for two hours before someone came to pick us up… and it shouldn’t have surprised me that it was Anderson’s team coming to get us. Anderson was taking every opportunity to be a dick to our team. He’d probably been making his team drive around town for two hours, purposefully making us wait. They were bringing us our new TRD truck while some of them followed behind in their own TRD vehicle. To my surprise, the team lead—who was a shifter—was driving our new truck. Never thought Anderson would let a shifter up in the front human section, to be honest. Weird.
Anderson sneered at me when he got out, but my boyfriend stepped in front of me to block me, and all the other shifters surrounded Jude and me. I grabbed Jude’s hand and squeezed, making sure he was alright since seeing Anderson seemed to set off nightmares for him. Luckily, he was more angry than anything else. Jude had one hand in mine, but the other was on Kulani’s back, and I swore it was like he was drawing strength from him—maybe he was.
I had to peek under Cosmo’s elbow to see the asshole human captain and was shocked to see him send Harriet a smile that was almost too kind to be believable. It made me wonder if he’d left a whoopie cushion on her seat, or placed a stink bomb in the back, or… something far more nefarious.
But Harriet didn’t act like it was weird. She simply took the keys from him with a nod of thanks and headed for the driver’s seat.
“No thank you, Gray?” Anderson called after her.
“For doing your job? No,” she called back, already opening her door.
If I hadn’t been watching him so closely, I never would’ve seen the disgusted expression that flashed across his face before he pasted another smile on and said to my captain, “Is it a yes for dinner yet?”
“Nope.” Harriet emphasized that with a slam of her door, and I watched Anderson sneer and roll his eyes. He wiped his hands on his shirt, and I noticed how dirty he looked, like he’d gotten into a fight or something. I was pretty sure he even had some blood smeared across his shirt. Hopefully that wasn’t from hitting his mage or even one of his shifters. Before I could look over his team, he turned on his heel, signaled for his team to follow him, and they all piled into their own truck.
When we got inside the back of the truck, I said, “He’s been asking you out?”
Harriet couldn’t have looked more disgusted if she’d tried. “Yes.”
“Why?” She lifted a perfectly sculpted eyebrow, and I hastened to add, “Not that you aren’t a catch. I just mean because he’s a prickhole, and you’re not, so why would he want to go out with someone who isn’t even an eighth as evil as he is?”
“I sure as hell hope it’s a lot less than an eighth.”
I waved her away. “You know what I mean.”
“I do, and I have no idea. It started a few weeks ago. He asks me every time we see each other, which is weird because we’ve known each other for years, and he’s never been interested before—and neither have I.”
Cos said, “Please be careful, Harriet. If he does anything or says something to make you uncomfortable, please come to me right away.”
She rolled her eyes and waved him off as she put the truck in drive. “I’ve been handling prickholes like Anderson my whole life. I’ll be fine.” Her eyes flicked up to the rearview mirror, obviously seeking Cos out. “But thank you.”
Cos nodded and looked like he was going to say something, clearly having an internal battle with himself. Finally he said, “Will you please let me know if you need backup?”
“Yeah, sure.” She didn’t sound worried in the least, so I tried to let it go. Although, thinking about having that guy ask me out on a date made shudders rush through my body. I couldn’t think of a more disgusting person.
Cos squeezed my leg and whispered, “Try to put him out of your mind. He doesn’t matter, not anymore.”
I nodded, then glanced at Jude to make sure he was okay. Kulani was already sitting with him, speaking quietly and distracting my dyad enough from the situation that he was smiling. Kulani was good people.
Once we got back to HQ, everyone showered off the disgusting taragorian blood and guts—Jude and I even showered because I’d had some broken glass on me, so we wanted to be safe—and then we headed out to the shifters’ van so we could go home.
Davidson KingDavidson King, always had a hope that someday her daydreams would become real-life stories. As a child, you would often find her in her own world, thinking up the most insane situations. It may have taken her awhile, but she made her dream come true with her first published work, Snow Falling.
She managed to wrangle herself a husband who matched her crazy and they hatched three wonderful children.
If you were to ask her what gave her the courage to finally publish, she’d tell you it was her amazing family and friends. Support is vital in all things and when you’re afraid of your dreams, it will be your cheering section that will lift you up.
Lacey DaizeLacey lives in New Mexico with her four critters. She’s a Jill-of-all-trades by day, but loves writing in her spare time. She dabbles in a variety of pairings, but jumped feet-first into the deep end of omegaverse the first time she read it. She loves the play on social expectations and the different ways to express romance.
Sick of the slogging rat-race of her 9-5 job, Pandora Pine put pen to paper (literally!) to make her ambition of becoming a romance novelist a reality. She cut her teeth in the dog-eat-dog world of fan fiction, still dreaming of the day when she would be a published author.
In her spare time, Pandora fancies herself an amateur nature photographer. She enjoys mucking around in swamps, hiking through the woods and crawling around on her hands and knees in her backyard seeking out the perfect shot. Pandora is a fan of roadside seafood shacks and always thinks Mexican food is a good idea at the time.
Some of Pandora's favorite things are chocolate, writing longhand with purple pens, and handsome men falling in love with each other.
Kiki Burrelli lives in the Pacific Northwest with the bears and raccoons. She dreams of owning a pack of goats that she can cuddle and dress in form-fitting sweaters. Kiki loves writing and reading and is always chasing that next character that will make her insides shiver. Consider getting to know Kiki at her website, on Facebook, or send her an email: kikiburrelli@gmail.com.
Michele is married to an awesome guy that puts up with her and all the burnt dinners she makes—hey, sometimes characters are a bit distracting, and who doesn’t plot when they’re supposed to be cooking? They live together in Baltimore, Maryland with two little monsters, a three-legged fiend, and a little old man (aka their two sons, their cat, and their senior dog). She hopes to rescue another cat soon, and if her hubby wouldn’t kill her, she’d get more than one… and maybe a few more dogs as well.
She loves creating worlds filled with lots of love, chosen family, and of course, magic, but she also likes making the characters fight for that happy ending. She hopes to one day write all the stories in her head—even if there are too many to count!
Davidson King
EMAIL: davidsonkingauthor@yahoo.com
Tim Paige(Narrator)
TANTOR AUDIO / AUDIBLE / CHIRP
Declan Winters(Narrator)
Lacey Daize
Kiki Burrelli
Emperor of Dragons by Davidson King
Dead Silent by Pandora Pine
A Purpose That Restores Us by Michele Notaro
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