Summary:
Paranormal Council Enforcers #3
Can Reinhold and Chase overcome Chase’s tragic past? Or will the dragon alpha be too much for the battered omega wolf?
Reinhold and his dragon felt the pull to join the enforcers when the Paranormal Council was formed on Treasure Ridge. After his brother found his fated mate in the created vampire, Reinhold’s longing for his own perfect match only grew. Will his assignments for the council take him to his mate? Or will he have to continue to wait?
Chase has known a lot of heartache and more in his short life. He lost his family at seventeen to a drunk driver, and when his pack didn’t seem to care, he was thrust into the world on his own. When he takes a job as a waiter at a small café in New Orleans to help make ends meet, he quickly regrets his choice when he finds himself at the mercy of truly evil paranormals.
Reinhold knew of the ugliness and abuse that his mate had gone through at the hands of others. He’s willing to take things slow and at Chase’s speed, if he’s only given the chance to get to know his mate. What he doesn’t expect is to find Chase sitting on his doorstep, literally. Can he hold off on the temptation that is his fated mate? When nature takes its natural course, will the newly mated and expecting couple be able to overcome Chase’s nightmare together?
Reinhold is Book Three in the Paranormal Council Enforcers series. Each book in this series will focus on a different couple, but these books are not standalones and should be read in order as there is an ongoing backstory that won’t be resolved quickly. This is a fated mate story in an MPreg world, and there will be babies in this story. You should expect all the normal shenanigans, and remember that sometimes even fated mates need a little help.
Harvest Kisses for the Omega by Lacey Daize
Summary:Mountain Springs Omegas #9
Sam has always dreamed of moving out west, and as he approaches his 30th birthday, it's time to make that happen.
Sam knows that his future is out west. He has a good job and a good apartment, but it's time to make his dream come true. So he gets on the back of his motorcycle to ride across the country. Unfortunately, an accident outside Mountain Springs causes an extended stop in the idyllic town.
Ethan wants a mate and family of his own, but isn't interested in any of the available omegas. At least he can watch his twin's kids to get his baby fix, right?
Ethan is content enough in life, but after years of watching everybody, including his twin brother, find omegas and start their families, he's ready to settle down himself. If only he had the perfect omega. But he's dated more than he can remember, and none have stuck. At least his twin lets him babysit the kids. Then a new omega rolls into town, and he can't tear his eyes off him.
The attraction is mutual, and instant. But can love flourish when one man has a plan that doesn't include staying in Mountain Springs?
Recipe for Romance
One Lonely Alpha
An omega ready for a change
An lucky accident
The intervention of old friends
Harvest Kisses for the Omega is a 15.5K word , non-shifter, M/M, Mpreg romance, featuring an omega in search of something new, and alpha ready to settle down, and realization that love happens where you lease expect it.
Original Review September 2024:
It seems that 2024 has become the year to throw my series-read-in-order policy completely out of whack. Once again I delved into the middle but as Mountain Springs Omegas is a standalone series it really wasn't too affected, though I will state rightaway that I'm glad I read entry #6, Gemini Kisses, prior. It didn't really play a part in keeping things straight or effect the plot but as one of Harvest Kisses' MC is Ethan who is the twin brother of Evan, one of the stars of Gemini, I just think a few scenes and mentions flowed better having read Evan's story first but certainly not a necessity.
Onto Harvest Kisses.
Sam is moving west for a fresh start where he is sure his future awaits. Fate throws a monkey wrench into his trip with transportation breakdown. It's pretty obvious he and Ethan have a connection but will Mountain Springs be west enough or is Sam an omega determined to go further? You know my answer to that: read for yourself, you won't be disappointed.
When we first met Ethan during his brother's story in Gemini I felt he came across as a bit of a player, not a bad guy just not looking for his forever omega anytime soon so I was surprised to see he was getting a journey of his own. Surprised but not disappointed. His love of family just proves his genuineness is the real thing. He knew his brother's romance was the real thing but watching Ethan discover his own chemistry with someone is a beautiful and fun experience.
I feel like I've said too much already but just know that I was not ready to say goodbye to these two when I swiped the last page and for me that is the sign of a topnotch read. I can't think of a better more fitting explanation of the joy that Harvest Kisses brought to my heart than not wanting to see the book end.
Summary:
Valley Ghosts #5
Wade was once terrified of Jason’s obsession with spirits, but now that he knows his own abilities a little better, he’s more than willing to go along with his boyfriend Jason on another adventure. But three? It was his idea to investigate three haunted locations in three nights, but not knowing much about the places worries him. After all they've been through, he knows he can trust Jason to keep them safe.
A lot has changed the past two years. Jimbo and his boyfriend Dean have also joined the team. Much to Jimbo’s reluctance, and Dean’s delight. They agree to travel along with Wade and Jason for this trifecta of haunted houses, but Jimbo might have some surprises up his sleeve that have nothing to do with ghosts. Now if only they can make it through three nights of ghost hunting.
A gay paranormal romance thriller.
Summary:
Dial M For Mates #1
Sometimes the wrong number is the exact one you need.
Who is the fool who left their phone on vibrate during the most important presentation of their career? Yep, that’s right. Me. And it would be fine if the blasted thing wasn’t blowing up during the Q&A. Whoever is calling me better have a true emergency on their hands, because if they don’t, they’re going to the land of the blocked.
The room finally clears, and I discover my phone is filled with picture after picture of adorable kittens in a box. WTH? And then I scroll back far enough to see the initial message. Some guy got this number from an answering service and thought he was calling a rescue. I’m no rescue, but I know a thing about abandoned kittens, and something tells me this wrong number isn’t an accident at all… it’s fate.
Wrong Number, Right Bear is a sweet with knotty heat MM Mpreg romance featuring a human who stumbles upon a box at the dumpster filled with more than trash, the bear he accidentally calls for help, true love, fated mates, an adorable baby, and a happy ever after. If you love your alphas hot, your omegas strong, and your mpreg with heart, download your copy today.
Weird AF Vampires #1
In Harley's day, glory hole meant storage room. The VIP room at the vampire club doesn't fit that description, and why does that coffin have a hole in the middle? Someone could die of sun exposure!
Harley has been out of the dating scene for a century. He's still hung up on Ciaran, the one that got away. Though vampires are supposed to be immune to vampire bites, his last bite from Ciaran left him temporarily paralyzed while Ciaran vanished without a trace. Now Ciaran's back, and Harley has to decide whether he wants answers or Ciaran more.
Ciarán didn't want to run from the sweetest vampire he'd ever met, but his life was already complicated with a sire bond and a rare vampire ability. Now that he's resolved his conflicts with the vampire council, he's too shy to approach Harley. With the aid of the club's strategically designed coffin, Ciarán apologizes with a pleasure-filled bite. Will it be enough to earn Harley's trust?
Ciarán would slow down and court Harley the right way, except he's in trouble with Harley's boss again. He needs Harley's help to survive the week ahead.
Grave Throbbing is a paranormal male/male second chance romance between two consenting versatile adults who like Halloween costumes and drinking mixed blood cocktails from paper cups. (Don't forget to recycle!) This standalone novella takes place in the world of Uncertain Future, a short story anthology by Edie Montreux. These are new main characters with very little crossover. (All hail Empress Marcella!) If you're looking for a short, snarky, and spicy standalone with a happily ever after, download your copy today!
Content warning: Description of vampire on vampire violence resulting in death and dismemberment.
Reinhold by Taylor Rylan
Chapter One
Reinhold
The mountain is certainly beautiful, I thought as I looked out over the ridge at the setting sun. It hit the treetops, giving them a golden hue. I remembered when coming here calmed my dragon, but not now. It hadn’t for quite some time. I thought about when things seemed to shift for me and realized it was when the council started to converge on our mountain.
I was an enforcer, but did I enjoy it? Not exactly. It was something to do, a way to get out there and help others like us, but I had hoped for more.
I heard a noise behind me, a breeze wisping past me as I turned to see who it was. I smiled. Father. He walked up to the ledge and stood beside me, taking in the mountain that he and his parents had claimed all those centuries ago.
“Your dragon is unsettled.”
“Possibly.” I thought about what I’d just been pondering and nodded. “Somewhat,” I said, changing my answer.
“Care to talk about it?”
I shrugged. “I cannot talk about it as I don’t know the exact cause.”
I saw him nod in my peripheral vision. “Do you need time away? Is the council too much for your dragon?”
I wasn’t sure that was necessarily the answer. Sure, it had been an adjustment when the council started arriving here. But I knew that was the reason why my grandfather had been told all of those centuries ago to come here and settle. It was why we were here. To protect the mountain and keep it for when it would be required.
“Reinhold?”
I faced my father. “I’m just not sure. I was doing better. But these last couple of months, my dragon has been on edge. He’s pushing me to shift and patrol. I’ve given in a couple of times but had to cut things short because he keeps trying to leave the mountain.”
I could tell that concerned my father as much as it had me. I’d always had control over my dragon, but lately, he’d been acting like a toddler and didn’t want to listen to anything I had to say. I chuckled to myself thinking about the last argument I’d had with my other half and wondered if it would do any good to talk about it with my father.
“Where does he wish to go?”
“I’m not sure. Just off the mountain. He became quite irritable when we were in New Orleans last. But the desire to leave the mountain was no longer there. I think it’s possible that he’s just restless, like you said, and I’ve asked Alpha Sergei for a new assignment. One that will take me away for a bit.”
Father closed his eyes briefly before he offered a hesitant smile.
“And are you going to inform your da of that, or will you leave that up to me?”
I smirked. “I’ll tell him. It’s not as if I haven’t already been sent out on assignment. There is so much more to do in New Orleans. I’ve volunteered to go with Everett and Benjamin. We’ll be going offshore to scout the islands. There are so many more to be found. It’s disturbing knowing that we won’t find them all.”
“You can only do what you can. I agree that what has happened to them is atrocious and should have never happened, but all we can do is rescue the ones we can and hope they can move beyond it enough to have a life of some sort.”
I didn’t want to think about what some of them had gone through, were going through. The thought that someone could be depraved enough to purchase another person, then use them in the way they were, pissed my dragon off, and I wanted to scorch them all.
Father’s hand was suddenly on the back of my neck. “Try not to dwell on it too much at present, son. You’ll get the ones you can, and it will be difficult to accept that not all can be rescued, but any that are is one more that will no longer have to suffer at the hands of others.” Father took a deep breath. “Well, to some extent. I have no doubt that there will be lasting effects mentally. And possibly physically. We can only do what we can though.”
“I realize that. It’s one of the reasons I wanted to join the council. I wish to help. I’m young still, by shifter standards—dragons especially. I just wish we were finding those that were kidnapped faster.”
“I know, son. All in time. That’s not what any of us want to hear, but we can only find them as fast as we can.”
Father gave my neck a gentle squeeze before his hand moved to my shoulder, where he gave it a pat. “Come to supper tonight.”
I shook my head.
“I’m joining Benjamin and Everett for supper tonight.” I was sure there would be more, but the three of us had made plans. We were going to be discussing our next trip.
Father seemed as if he wanted to press the issue, but instead, he nodded before offering a half smile.
“Very well. Be sure to stop by and visit before you turn in for the evening, if possible. We’ve missed you recently, son.”
I took a deep breath and nodded. It wasn’t that I was avoiding my family. I wasn’t. But I had been busy. And Emmerich was busy with Ambrose and the twins. I felt a pang of longing when I thought about little Fia and Fern. I adored my brother’s children. They had brought such joy to the family, but with them, they brought longing on my part. I wanted a mate and children. I believed that, in time, I would be gifted with both. Patience though.
“If it’s not too late. You know how things can get,” I told him. Father sighed before he waved and walked off. I watched him go; the dim light of twilight would be treacherous for others, but not a dragon shifter.
I turned, staring at the gorge once more before I started in the opposite direction to where Father had gone. He was heading back toward Ambrose’s house, which he shared with Emmerich. I was going to the council building. We were going to chat and eat in the cafeteria while discussing our last trip and the upcoming one.
I entered the now familiar building, grinning at Briggs, who was sitting behind the desk.
“Slow evening?”
“Thankfully, yes. I’m not sure how I got stuck with overnight duty, but I’m not really going to complain too much.” Briggs held up a thick paperback, and I chuckled. “What are you doing here this late?”
“Just meeting a couple others for supper.”
“Man, you have a gorgeous cabin. You should meet them there.”
I waved as I shook my head and walked away. The last thing I wanted was a bunch of others to start showing up at my place. I got it—it could suck being an enforcer and living in the enforcer apartments. They were more like town houses, really, but still. I had a lot of privacy at my place and wanted to keep it that way.
I smelled the cafeteria as I entered the hallway. Smelled like it was going to be a taco night. Or possibly enchiladas. Either way, I was game.
I did a little happy dance when I entered the cafeteria and saw the taco bar. A quick scan showed Everett and Benjamin sitting with Salvatore. I was late. Damn.
I quickly filled a tray with a pile of tacos, rice, beans, and a thick slice of chocolate cake. I grabbed a couple of cans of soda and went to join the others. Benjamin saw me first and smiled. I grinned back, more than tempted to see about inviting him back to my place for the night, but I didn’t want things to become awkward between us down the road.
“We were beginning to think you were going to stand us up,” Benjamin said. I slid in behind him, sitting against the wall and wondering how I was going to fit comfortably. I realized it put me directly across from Salvatore, and that was probably better than being directly across from Everett. At least here, I had leg room.
“I would have been here earlier, but my father caught me on the mountain and wanted to talk,” I told them.
“Everything all right?” Everett asked.
I situated myself a bit better before answering. “Fine. Just inviting me to supper with the family. I told him I was meeting up with you to discuss our next assignment.”
Benjamin gave the back of my shoulder a pat. “Sure you were. That’s a half-truth, and you know it.”
I shrugged. “It’s more true than not,” I said before taking a bite of my first taco. So good. I loved all food, but tacos were a definite favorite.
“You’re not leaving for another few days. A lot can happen in that time,” Salvatore said. We all nodded in agreement. A whole lot could happen in that time. But for now, we had Orson in the basement cell, and the only person who could gain access was Master Edison and his grandson Alistair. Another very attractive man.
I sighed while chewing my food. It seemed as if I’d developed a certain “type,” and that type leaned toward the tall, slender, dark-haired warlock type. Alistair was most certainly off-limits because he was mated. I glanced to my right and considered the idea of hooking up with Benjamin again. Then again, I wasn’t even sure he would be willing.
“When’s Atticus coming back? Do you know?” Everett asked.
“Should be anytime now,” I told them. I’d not talked to him since we were last in New Orleans, but I knew he had taken Brice away for their newly mated couple’s time off. Nobody knew where they were though. Well, except Master Edison and probably Ambrose. If my brother-in-law did know, he’d not bothered to share it with me. Then again, why would he?
I heard a deep sigh but was too busy crunching on my taco to know for sure which of the wolves across from us it came from. I was guessing Everett though.
“Problems?” Benjamin asked.
“No,” Everett mumbled. We were approached by another enforcer, this one on the shorter and more slender side. I smiled at Garic.
“If it isn’t the New Orleans crew. What are you guys still doing here?” Garic asked.
We all glanced at one another, completely confused.
“What are you talking about?” Everett asked, a scowl on his face. I had heard about the issues between those two—everyone had. It was no secret that Everett was attracted to Garic, but Garic and Everett were neither willing to switch positions in the bedroom.
“Master Edison was able to get some information from Orson finally. That’s all I’ve heard though. I thought you three would be in on the rescue and recovery mission.”
Another quick look to one another before we started eating as fast as we could. Garic walked off, shaking his head.
We finished our meal in record time, each of us dropping our trays and dishes off at the window before we all headed to Master Edison’s office.
“Why are we just now hearing about this rescue mission?” Everett asked as we walked through the hallways.
“Not sure. It’s possible it’s not yet been organized. Things have to be planned out to keep everyone safe. I would be one of the first to know about things, and I’ve not heard a peep,” Salvatore told us.
What he said had merit though. He was one of the lead tech guys, and he would have the inside information about things. He was the one who organized extractions. He somehow got the inside information about buildings, giving us the knowledge of where things most likely would be.
We found the door to Master Edison’s office open, and after a brief knock, we entered.
“How did you three hear already? We’ve just gotten information not even an hour ago,” Master Edison said.
“Garic,” Everett answered.
Master Edison sighed. “News travels fast. We are going to have to have a talk with Parker about keeping his mouth shut.” Master Edison shared a look with Alpha Sergei, who nodded in agreement.
Shit. I sent Everett a glare that spoke volumes. I didn’t care what his issue with Garic was. Getting a fellow enforcer into trouble for no other reason other than the fact that he wouldn’t sleep with you was messed up.
“Alpha,” I said, drawing Alpha Sergei’s attention.
“Yes, Reinhold. You will be on the recovery team. We’re pairing you up with Benjamin. When Atticus returns tomorrow, he will be with Everett.”
“Thank you, Alpha.”
“Atticus is back?” Everett asked.
“Yes. They returned earlier today. He’ll be back at work tomorrow first thing. You will all be heading out by midmorning,” Master Edison told us. “You will be briefed first thing, so be ready to leave after. Until then, we are still gathering information to pass on to you.”
We all knew we were being dismissed for now. I sent Everett another glare as I turned and left with Benjamin right beside me. It wasn’t until we were outside the council building that Everett caught up with us.
“What’s your problem, Reinhold?”
I touched Benjamin’s arm, asking him to hold up for a moment before I turned to address Everett.
“I don’t necessarily have an issue with you, Everett. But you do with Garic, and holding a grudge against another simply because they won’t let you fuck them is messed up. Fix your issues with him, or you and I will have a problem.” I left it at that and closed the distance between me and Benjamin. I walked around the side of the council building with him.
“That was a bit harsh, wasn’t it?”
“Not really. He was quick to throw Garic under the bus back there, and yeah, I get it that information needs to stay in certain areas, but someone who is quick to give up another enforcer isn’t really someone I would want on my team.” We were at the back of the council building, where I stopped. My house was in the other direction, and Benjamin lived in the enforcer apartments.
“You’re right. I mean, I get it somewhat. Hell, I had a thing with Matteo before he met Justin, and it’s really uncanny how much those two look alike. Oddly enough, I’ve never had the same attraction to Garic though.”
I studied Benjamin for a moment. “Why is that? If they look the same, is the attraction not there?”
Benjamin shook his head. Even if we weren’t standing under one of the exterior lights, I still would have been able to see him in the darkness. It was a clear night, and the moon provided an ample amount of light.
“They have different personalities. Both are certainly able to hold the position of enforcer. But Garic is much more…not forceful, but he’s not as easygoing as Matteo. Matteo isn’t as harsh?” Benjamin shook his head. “That’s still not it.”
I chuckled. “I get it. I’ve met both. Garic is much more dominant than Matteo.”
“Yes. That,” Benjamin said, pointing at me. “We never got to talk about our next trip.”
“Apparently, it’s being changed anyway. I’ll see you in the morning,” I replied. Benjamin patted me on the arm, then walked off. I watched him go for a moment before I headed toward home.
Halfway there, I changed direction and went toward Ambrose and Emmerich’s place. That’s where our fathers were, and I had told Father I would talk to Da about the fact that I was going to be headed out again for some time. I wasn’t sure if Ambrose knew the latest news or not, but most likely.
As I approached the house, I heard the family upstairs on the balcony and smiled. I let myself inside, the ground floor dimly lit, but it didn’t matter. I knew my way to the elevators just to the left inside the door.
I wasn’t surprised when I saw Ambrose leaning against the wall upstairs when the elevator doors opened.
“Everything all right?” I asked.
“That depends.”
I waited. Obviously I didn’t know my brother’s mate nearly as well as Emmerich did, but I’d spent a good amount of time with both Master Ambrosius as well as Lucius and his beloved, Giovanni.
Ambrose sighed. “Don’t upset your da.”
I was a bit surprised about that comment. “Why would you think I was going to do that? I’m an enforcer, and getting sent out on assignments is what I do.”
“You don’t know?”
“Know what? I was told we were going out tomorrow and to be ready to leave by midmorning. That’s all I’ve heard.” I’d been correct in my assumption that Ambrose knew about what had been found.
“That’s probably for the best at the moment. We’ll tell him once you return.”
Ambrose walked off, and I followed along moments later. What was he even talking about? What was I about to walk into? It was a rescue mission, was it not?
“There he is,” Emmerich said as I walked out onto the balcony. The patio heaters were lit, and the fire pit was going. I searched for the twins, quickly finding them in our fathers’ arms. They were happily sitting on their grandparents’ laps, chatting to each other. I didn’t see our own grandparents, though, and wondered about their absence.
“You missed them,” Emmerich said as he came over to give me a hug.
“Huh?”
“Ferdinand and Egon went home about thirty minutes ago. They are going away for a week tomorrow and have an early flight.”
I was a bit surprised by that.
“Are you okay, brother?”
I looked at Emmerich and saw genuine concern on his face.
“Yeah. Just a bit preoccupied lately. There’s a lot going on at work. I’ll be sure to swing by their place on my way home.”
Emmerich smiled at that, and I followed my brother over to the gathering. Despite all of my own issues, I missed spending time with my family.
Harvest Kisses for the Omega by Lacey Daize
Chapter 1 - Sam
I took a look around my empty apartment and grinned.
If anybody had asked a few days earlier I might have admitted to being nervous—even wondering if I’d gone slightly crazy—but now I was excited.
Granted, I still wondered if I’d gone crazy, but it wasn't as prevalent an emotion as it had been before.
I mean, who leaves a damn good job and gives up a rent-controlled apartment in an expensive city on a whim? But that’s exactly what I was doing.
Go west young man…
I couldn’t remember the first time I’d heard the old quote about westward expansion, but somehow it had always stuck with me. I’d even considered heading out to the west coast for college, but then I received an in-state scholarship that I would have been insane to turn down.
For years it had only been a lingering thought in the back of my mind, but as I approached thirty it had started to nag at me again. Finally, as I was handed the renewal paperwork for my lease, I decided: for my thirtieth birthday, I was going to move out west.
The thought was half-energizing, and half-terrifying. I didn’t have a new job or apartment lined up, and had no idea how long I’d be living off savings in motels. But I was doing it. I was listening to that voice that had called me westward for at least a decade and a half.
I’d managed to prepare for the move in record time too. Almost all my stuff was in pod storage, just ready for me to call. And I’d decided to leave my car with my parents until I’d settled into a new place.
But that also left me the ability to fulfill another dream: drive across the country on the back of my motorcycle.
I made one last sweep of the apartment, making sure everything was ready for the inspection with the property managers, then pulled out my phone one more time to go over my map.
As soon as I finished the walkthrough I would be on my way.
I’d picked as many backroads and small highways as I could. Sure, the interstates could get me there faster, but I wanted to see the country. I wanted to be able to roll into a quiet town, visit the shops and restaurants, then continue on my way, and the fact that the trees were just starting to display their fall colors would make my journey even better.
Immediately following the walkthrough I went to get breakfast, then checked my bike over one final time.
I wove through city traffic, allowing both nostalgia and excitement to exist side-by-side. A part of me would always miss my home in the big city, even if I landed in another. But I was ready for a new adventure.
I’d find a new corner deli for lunch, and another mom and pop grocery store to get essentials at. I’d discover my new favorite dive bars, and maybe—if I was lucky—I’d find the alpha for me.
Most of my omega friends had been mated and with kids for several years already. I was the old man of my childhood group, and while I wanted it all, I’d never found my alpha.
In a city of millions, I somehow knew that my match wasn’t there.
My alpha was out west. I was sure of it, and with any luck, I’d find him.
I couldn’t wait to tell my eventual children the story of how papa decided to leave the east coast, and how that led him to his alpha.
The wind whipped at my leathers as I got my bike up to speed, the city shrinking behind me.
Some might say that, at thirty, I was starting over. But to me, I was finally getting started in the first place.
Ghost Handled by BL Maxwell
Chapter One
Jason
“Hey, babe, I’m home,”I called as I walked into what was now our house. Wade and I had been together for two years, but we’d been friends long before that.
“Jason, back here.”
I walked through the house to the backyard, and just like almost every day, Wade’s mom and Jimbo were sitting in the backyard with Wade, drinking a beer and enjoying the great weather.
“How was work?” Wade asked with a grin; maybe he’d had two beers already.
“It’s always good as I’m leaving.” He laughed at that and sat back so I could sit on his lap.
“Mm you smell good. I missed you,” he said with a kiss and a nuzzle to my neck.
“Oh my god, you guys. Can you spare us the kissy kissy?” Jimbo grumbled.
“Speaking of, where’s Dean?”
His smile said more than his words; he was in love, and no matter how hard he tried to hide or deny it, it was written all over his face.
“He’ll be here soon; he’s got this evening off. We both work tomorrow.”
That was another thing that had changed; Jimbo had sold his restaurant that he loved so much in Coloma and was now the kitchen manager at Dean’s restaurant.
“James, you and Dean are as bad as these two. I can see the hearts in your eyes from here.”
He patted Deidra on the hand and sat back in his chair with what I could only describe as a dreamy look on his face. I thought back to when we first met Jimbo; he was cooking at his restaurant and offered to help us with the ghosts at The Vineyard House. Good thing he did, or I’m not sure how that would have turned out.
In the years since that day, a lot of things were different, but one thing hadn’t changed. He was still bad tempered, rude, and had no filter. But he’d walked through fire for each of us several times, and he was one of the best friends I’d ever known. Besides Wade that is. No one would ever replace him.
“So, what’s for dinner? I’m starving.” I looked at the grill and was disappointed to see it wasn’t ready to be used.
“Dean’s bringing it. He wanted to treat everyone tonight.”
“James, that really is lovely of him. How’s the restaurant doing?” Deidra asked.
“The Hitching Post is doing great! Busier than ever. We’ve even started doing a pretty good takeaway business.”
“Oh, James, I’m just so proud of you both. I know you were sad when you sold the place in Coloma, but this seems to be going really well.”
“It is, and it’s all worth it to be able to work with Dean. I never, in a million years, thought we’d find each other after so long, and I’m thankful for it every day we’re together.”
Wade’s mom had the same look on her face she had when any of us talked about our significant other. She was such a big romantic at heart, she couldn’t control her reaction. It was sweet, and at times really really annoying.
“Do we have any jobs for RSP?” Wade asked, and I was thankful for the distraction, but only slightly. After we decided to go into the ghost hunting business we’d had to come up with a name. We decided on Running Scared Paranormal, or RSP for short, and it stuck.
“Well, we have a few actually. It seems Sacramento is very busy for paranormal activity.”
“Not just Sacramento. I took a call from a place in Marysville. A small casino. They’ve been having a rough time of it lately.”
“What about Preston Castle? I thought that was a done deal.”
“We can go anytime. It’s just a lot of area to cover. I’m not confident we can cover forty-six thousand feet with just the four of us.”
“Maybe we could find another ghost hunter or two to help?” I offered, but I knew Wade wouldn’t like that idea. He was very particular about how we ran an investigation, and he wouldn’t trust someone he didn’t know. The look he gave me confirmed it.
“I’m not sure. I like knowing who we’re working with. We all know each other, and as long as one of us keeps a hold of Jimbo, none of us will go running and leave everyone else there.”
“Fucking asshole,” Jimbo grumbled. And Deidra slapped him.
“James, language. You’re teaching the boys bad habits.”
“They don’t need any help, believe me. They can dish it out as well as they can take it.”
“James—” She left that hanging, and pretty much dared him to talk back to her.
Because he’d been on the receiving end of her wrath a few times, he chose to stay quiet on this one.
“Why don’t we take one of the smaller investigations? There’s a lot to choose from, just depends how far you want to drive. We can take our time with Prescott Castle. I want to go there when we’re more prepared, and I don’t feel we are right now,” Wade said, and looked at each of us in turn.
The haunting at The Hitching Post had taken a lot out of us all. The spirits were so aggressive, and we’d both suffered at their expense. But if I was being honest, Wade suffered the most. I would never let him be put in danger like that again, not ever.
“That sounds good, babe. There are a few in Sacramento, or we could check out the one in Marysville, or the hair salon in Auburn.”
“I’ve got an idea,” Wade said. And something in the way he said it, I knew I should be worried. He grinned at me before he kissed my cheek and continued. “Why don’t we do a tour? We could start in Sacramento. Pick a haunt that’s fairly easy and well established, give it a night then move onto another haunt the next night. We could make it a three-night run.”
“What the—are you fucking kidding me?”
“James!”
“Sorry, Deidra. But seriously . . . what the fuck?”
Deidra’s eyes were glued to him, and even though he tried to ignore the intensity of it, he flinched away. Yep, she had the mom glare down pat.
“Three nights? I’m in,” Dean said as he walked over to Jimbo and kissed him soundly, leaving him with a loud smack of his lips and a goofy grin. Yep, gone. “Anyone hungry? I brought the tri-tip special from tonight’s dinner service.” He set the bags down on the patio table and Wade jumped up to see what he’d brought.
Jimbo shook his head and cleared his throat. “Fuck, if you’re going then I guess I am too because I’m not letting you out of my sight on a mission.”
“A mission? Is that what we’re calling it now?” Dean beamed at him with a bit of amusement, and a lot of love.
“We’re calling it crazy is what we’re calling it,” Jimbo grumbled.
“Well, when are we going?” Dean asked. Ever since he and Jimbo had had their experience last Halloween, he’d grown very interested in the paranormal. Constantly asking questions about our equipment, and what to do in different scenarios. He’d also started watching every paranormal show he could find. And there were plenty.
“Give us a few days to call around, see which places we can get to commit for the same time period. This could be really fun, or fucked up,” I said as I mentally ran through the list of prospective clients who’d contacted us.
“Sounds good, I can’t wait,” Dean said, and unpacked the bags of food he’d brought.
“You’ve created a monster,” I said to Jimbo.
“Yeah, but he’s my monster,” he smiled, and rubbed Dean’s arm. And I was pretty sure we weren’t talking about ghost hunting anymore. A glance at Deidra confirmed it. We were living in an alternative universe where grouchy Jimbo found love and talked about it openly. Who’da thunk?
Wrong Number, Right Bear by Colbie Dunbar & Lorelei M Hart
1
THEO
Going to the dumpster often resulted in finding pretty cool things—gross things too, but also the odd treasure. Unlike many people, I didn’t mind the task. I considered it almost an adventure.
Over the years I’d found a mid-century modern lamp, and it fetched me $500 on eBay, a coffee table that I was able to fix up and use myself, and one time I even found a box filled with someone’s complete set of hardcover fantasy books. That find was one of my favorites. I had countless hours of enjoyment reading between those covers. And then there was the day I found a person dumpster diving and nearly jumped out of my skin.
I considered myself ready for anything when I took the garbage out.
I was so not prepared for today.
Carrying three heavy bags, I didn’t really see much of anything as I walked. I kept my eyes focused on the dumpster and called it good. That was a mistake. I tripped on trash someone was too lazy to put inside the metal box and toppled over.
“That’s what I get for not looking,” I grumbled, glad that the garbage I was carrying both broke my fall and was office trash, not from a restaurant.
I rolled off the bags to right myself and caught the corner of a box with my foot.
“Fuck.” Could today get any worse? “Why are people so freaking irresponsible?”
I got my trash and what I’d tripped over and went to grab the box, intending to break it down and make sure no one else got hurt. Only when I opened it, four little balls of fur popped their heads out.
“What the…?” I scooped one of the kittens up. “Where is your mama?”
I set the little one back in the box and looked around for anything that would give me a clue as to who those little guys belonged to. Nothing. And no sign of their mother. Someone had abandoned them.
My knowledge of kittens included that they were cute and got into mischief. That was the sum total. I couldn’t tell if they were old enough to be away from their mama. I looked back in the box for any food or water, but there were not even any remnants.
“Well, I need to find you a home.” There was zero chance that I was going to leave them there.
I grabbed the box and went back into my office. I wasn’t going to leave them in the garbage, that was for sure.
“I thought you were taking the garbage out, not in,” Sarah, one of my coworkers, teased.
“Not garbage.” I set the box on her desk and opened it up.
“People really do that?” She was every bit as appalled as I was. “The poor babies.”
“Apparently. Do you know anything about kittens?”
“I know about puppies. They can’t be that different, can they?” I was confident that they were very different. “Are you going to keep them?”
“No. I need to find someone to take them.” I wasn’t sure who that would be. There was a shelter in town I planned to call, but aside from that, I was lost. Fingers crossed they had room.
“Don’t call animal control.” She reached in the box and petted the most active kitten who was peering around, taking in the new surroundings.
I wasn’t loving that they weren’t moving around a lot. But then again, human babies slept a lot, right? Maybe they were just exhausted. Or maybe they were sick or dehydrated. There were so many possibilities, and until I found someone who could educate me, I was at a loss.
“Because?”
“Because they do a cost analysis to decide which ones are going to be given treatment, and it’s kitten season. I saw something about it on the news.”
I had no idea what kitten season was, but it didn’t sound good.
“Okay, so no animal control.” Even though it sounded like a rumor, I wasn’t willing to risk it. “I’m going to ask Ken for the rest of the day off to deal with this.”
He was probably going to be pissed, but oh well. What was the other option? To let them go hungry and die in the box under my bed while I organized the latest data? No, thank you. Not going to happen.
“Let me know how it goes. I’d offer to take them, but my apartment has a strict no-pet policy. They even gave crap to someone with a service dog and they can’t legally do that. I can’t imagine the fees that would rain down if I had four bundles of cuteness living with me.”
She picked the little one up that she’d been petting and snuggled them close. “You be good, now.”
She set the kitten gently back into the box, and I marched straight to my boss’s office. The door was open, and he waved me in.
“Delivery?” he asked.
“No. I found this by the dumpster. Want to see what’s inside?” I set it on his conference table.
“Do I?” Ken was already crossing the room to look.
“Maybe. It might make you sad.”
I opened the box, and his face fell. “Those were thrown away?”
I nodded.
“Have you called animal control?”
I filled him in on what Sarah had told me.
“Take administrative leave and see what you can do.”
Best. Boss. Ever.
Kittens in tow, I went to my car, and once they were settled beside me, I looked up the directions to the nearest shelter. It was closed one day of the week… today. Because of course it was. Thankfully there was a second in the next suburb over, and I pulled up the address.
I was expecting the kittens to be loud. They weren’t. They weren’t active either. Each mile I drove, that made me more nervous. When I pulled into the shelter’s parking lot, relief flooded into me. Someone here would help them.
“I’m here with some kittens,” I told the man at the front counter.
“No surrenders today. We’re full.” He barely looked up. Jerk.
“I’m not… They aren’t mine. I found them by the dumpster at work, and I think something is wrong with them.”
That caught his attention.
“You want us to put them down?”
“No!” Gods, no, I refused to let them do that. “No. Absolutely not. I want someone to take care of them and find them a new home.”
He shook his head. “We have no room. It’s kitten season. We’re overflowing with them.” And finally, I understood what the term meant. All the stray cats were having kittens. Ugh.
“What am I supposed to do?” I had no idea what my next step should be.
“Call around?”
A woman came out wearing scrubs. “I’m done for the day.”
“See you tomorrow, Dr. Jan.”
“Doctor? Are you a vet?” Of course she was. Who else would be called a doctor? But I was desperate.
“I am. Why?” She looked at me and the box.
I related the story, and while she couldn’t get them into the shelter, she offered to take them out back and look them over. The hour she was there was so stressful. I had assumed it would be a case of ten minutes and done.
When she came back with them she was smiling. “They’re healthy, but were they ever hungry. I fed them.” She set the box down. “Here’s a card for a rescue that should be able to help and instructions if you end up keeping them longer.”
I teared up with relief. “Thank you so much.” I took out my wallet. “How much do I owe you?”
“Nothing. I’m a volunteer.” She smiled. “But if you want to donate to the shelter, I’m sure they would appreciate it.”
I did and brought the kittens out to the car. Unlike before, they were full of energy. They must’ve just been hungry.
“Okay, guys. Let’s see about finding you a place to stay.” I started the car to make sure there was some airflow for the kittens and called the cat rescue.
It rang and rang and rang, and after a weird click, someone answered. It was an answering service. Great.
“Hi, I’m Theo, and I found a box of kittens at my work’s dumpster, and the vet at the shelter said you might be able to help.”
“What is your message?”
“I need to talk to someone.” I pleaded my case.
She asked me to leave a message.
I pleaded some more.
She asked me to leave a message.
I cried.
She gave me the emergency phone number to call, and when I did… mailbox full.
“Okay, little ones, let’s get you out of here and into some decent light. It’s time to take some pictures that no one can refuse.” I wasn’t going to let a full mailbox let me down.
Not when I could text them adorableness that no one could ignore.
Grave Throbbing by Edie Montreux
Chapter 1
Ciarán
November 2, 1901, New York City
Ciarán supposed he should feel honored. Every vampire in the tri-state area had gathered in the Hotel Chelsea's ballroom for a party in his honor. By morning, he would be dead, his sire would be slapped on the wrist by Queen Marcella, and the rest would drink their fill of the humans corralled in the lobby for their pleasure and probably never think of him again.
Queen Marcella stood behind a podium, facing him and the vampires-only crowd behind him. She addressed them with the occasional hand gesture in his direction, but he didn't hear her. He struggled to concentrate on anything beyond the pounding of his own heart. She'd given him just enough fresh blood to make him bleed but not enough to make him a threat to the centuries-old vampires in the room.
She was the oldest vampire he'd ever met, and a powerful psychic. He was unable to focus on her physical appearance beyond her fangs and the silver sword in her hand. As she spoke, she twirled the sword around her gloved finger on its rounded guard. Every so often, she would jerk it into her grip and press the tip to the front of Key's double-breasted jacket, right over his heart. He did his best to hold still, but he couldn't control the pounding muscle about to be skewered.
He thought of his sister, only eight. Who would take care of her now? He'd tucked her away in the little broom cupboard just off the coal shoot in the basement he rented for pennies a week. He stayed there with her on the nights he could escape his sire, which wasn't often enough for either of their liking.
Now, he hated leaving her alone. He'd kept her a secret from his sire, at least. She would be spared the horror of becoming a child vampire. He hoped she would grow up, and eventually grow old, without him. He'd left all his coin for the washer woman who would find her in the morning, and a note begging her to take Margaret somewhere safe.
"What is your gift, little one?" Queen Marcella's voice in his head was the most terrifying sound he'd ever heard. She called them gifts, but his had been nothing but a hindrance so far. Ciarán, or Key as his little sister called him, had only been immortal for the last six months, and already he'd started a worldwide commotion in the vampire community with his unusual bite.
"You are the reason I am here in this disgusting New York hotel instead of enjoying the culture, history, and scrumptious tourists of Rome." She accentuated each grievance as though it were his fault.
She glanced behind him, and he heard the rustle of fabric before his sire was jostled against his arm and forced to her knees beside him.
"What have we here?" Queen Marcella had studied Key like he was the most interesting bug pinned to the board, but she frowned at his sire as though she were a cockroach smashed beneath her stiletto heel. "You have not been honest with me. Not only did you sire a vampire without permission, but you also didn't have his consent to do so."
He felt the queen flipping through his memories, trailing a claw across them the way his uncle used to scan the row of library books on a shelf. She watched his memory of the night he became a vampire, forcing him to relive it. Her frown turned to a moue of disgust. "I apologize. We need to delay the party a few minutes. Everyone out. Guards, stay."
The room cleared in seconds, thanks to the vampires' extraordinary speed.
"Stand," she said once they were alone with her guards.
They stood. Key tried his best to remain still even though his very nerves trembled at the queen's proximity.
"Hold her." Queen Marcella pointed to his sire. "If anything happens to me, kill her."
His sire's silk skirts hissed across the floor as she was dragged away. She didn't make a sound, which disturbed Key even more. He'd expected her to plead for her life.
Queen Marcella released the silver cuffs binding Key's hands behind his back. She gave him another sip of blood from the chalice she'd nestled inside the boxy speaker's podium. Most of it ran down his chin.
"Defend yourself." She bared her teeth at him in what might have passed for a smile under different circumstances. "I'll do my best to be slow about it, but you're young, so—"
He sprang, not trusting her to give him a head start. He grabbed onto her sword hand and pulled it toward him, yanking her off balance and pulling the weapon up and over his shoulder. He angled her wrist and shoved her glove out of the way with his nose. He bit down, letting his saliva and the venom coating his fangs do its job, inflicting a full dose of paralysis.
Her guards were on him before the venom truly set. He heard his sire's heart beat as another guard ripped it from her chest. Then she screamed, a wet sound in her throat that faded as the muscle weakened and died, along with her hold over him, when one of the guards slashed a silver blade into it.
Queen Marcella stood motionless. Even her eyes seemed frozen in her face, but he still couldn’t focus on any detail. He risked a glance at his sire, instead, as the other guard grabbed him and pulled him backward. He couldn't help the way his lips twisted upward as he observed the cascade of red marring the blue silk of her dress. She deserved her end after everything she'd stolen from him.
Queen Marcella blinked and dropped her sword arm to her side. She swallowed hard and met his gaze. Then, the side of his face blossomed with pain before he heard the crack of his orbital and jaw bones. He thought the initial pain would be the worst of it, but it only hurt more as the bones began to knit themselves back together. He hadn't drunk enough blood to heal fast, and the slow ache was agony.
"That's what your sire wanted to hide from me," Queen Marcella said. "It almost worked. She had someone erase the memory of your bite from her own head, but she didn't remove it from yours."
"I did what you asked," Key said.
She snorted in agreement. "Your gift is rare. I would hate to eliminate it from the world." She leaned in, and her words whispered through his mind. "You have a sister who could be just as powerful. I would love to know what gifts she would bring us."
Key had hoped to keep his sister out of it, to prevent her from becoming a vampire, but if it would keep them both alive long enough for her to grow up, Key would do whatever it took.
"Yes. You'll turn her when she's ready." She motioned with a hand, and the guard released him.
"What about his inability to hunt, Your Majesty?"
Queen Marcella leaned back, and Key felt her in his mind once more. She found his most embarrassing moments from when he'd tried and failed to enthrall humans. His bite only worked on vampires.
She closed her eyes. A moment later, there was a soft knock at the door.
"Let him in."
The guard who had killed Key's sire ushered in another vampire. He was at least a century older than Key, though far younger than Queen Marcella and her guards. Still, he had an air of power about him until his hands flitted nervously to the lace cravat at his neck. He didn't speak, but from the way he and the queen locked gazes, they held a conversation to which Key and the guards weren't privy.
"Ciarán." The older vampire's voice was surprisingly strong as he met Key's gaze. "Come with me. I'll teach you how to enthrall a human without using your bite."
Key didn't feel the usual pull of command, and a thrill went up his spine. His sire was dead. He could disobey the older vampire if he chose. Instead, he took two steps toward him.
"The humans mustn't know we exist," Queen Marcella's voice echoed inside his head. "If you and yours break that confidence, I'll have no choice but to destroy you."
Key understood the implied threat, "you and yours." QueenMarcella would kill both Key and his sister if he failed.
Outside the ballroom, the vampire assigned to help him stopped by the hotel desk to request maid service in the ballroom. Then, he addressed the vampires waiting in the lobby using only his mind. Key shuddered. He hated it when the queen had spoken to him in his head. He wondered how many vampires had the skill.
The vampire motioned Key to the shoeshine station outside the ballroom door. A young man with rich brown skin waited with a brush and a towel. Key was surprised to see coins pass between them. His sire had always tricked the humans into believing she'd paid when she'd handed them a sliver of wood or lint from her pocket.
"How rude of me," the vampire said when they were both seated. "Allow me to introduce myself. Henry Harcourt at your service." He winced, either at the formality of the words or the words themselves. "Ahem. But please call me Harley. Henry is boring, Harcourt was my mother's surname, and I've since made a name of my own."
Key held his tongue, lest he insult the vampire tasked to help him by calling him a crust, one of the upper-class Brits who had subjugated the Irish for centuries. He tried a simple introduction, instead. "I'm —"
"Ciarán O'Shea!" Harley seemed overjoyed at the news. Key had expected his usual distrust to manifest, but this vampire was far too sweet and candid to draw his usual ire. "You're newly acquitted of the crime of being sired without council permission." Harley gave him a slight bow from his seat. "Pleased to make your acquaintance."
As the man worked to shine Harley's shoes, Key took the opportunity to observe Harley while he wasn't being watched in return. He was the pale white of the landed English and had the accent to match. His hair had been greased back behind his ears and then flowed past his shoulders in waves glistening with ambergris pomade. The scent was distinct, and not one Key particularly liked. Still, there was something appealing about his new mentor, especially when he studied Key with his eyes so dark brown they almost vanished into the pupils.
While he seemed to be every bit a crust, this vampire didn't have the same stillness most ancients displayed. He seemed very much alive, and Key's heart ached. He'd only been around his sire and her few friends since he was turned, but already he yearned for his old human life. Harley wasn't human, but he was the closest to it in vampire form, the closest Key had met, anyway.
A quick glance around the lobby showed vampires in various states of disinterest. They blended into the background with their boredom and inactivity. Key couldn't imagine spending an eternity pretending to be furniture, all so he could feed off an unsuspecting human.
When the man finished Harley's shoes, Harley paid him another coin and directed him to shine Key's shoes, too. Key was struck by his kindness. Key couldn't afford such a service, and the man made several unhappy sounds about how scuffed and dirty Key's shoes were.
Then, Harley led him back to the ballroom door. "Queen Marcella's cleared up the confusion over your sire's death. We should be safe to return."
The celebration was well in swing as they entered the ballroom. Harley directed him through the crowd of vampires and oblivious humans. Fortunately, no one noticed them.
"The party is in your honor, after all," Harley said as he pulled Key onto the dance floor. "We should enjoy it while we can."
Harley had brought them to the heart of the dance floor. Queen Marcella twirled with one of her guards not even two feet away. When Key tried to catch her attention, she turned so that her back was to them, and she and her partner faded into the crowd.
"She hates me," Key said.
"If she hated you, you'd be dead."
Harley was a much better dancer than Key expected. He knew all the moves, from traditional dances to the newer styles. When Key worried he wouldn't be able to follow the dance moves discontinued far before his time, Harley led him with gentle touches on his hips and movements of his chin or arm. The hours melted away while they danced. Key couldn't remember the last time he'd had so much fun. The rest of the room melted away, even as humans bled and died around them on the dance floor.
It was after two when Harley led him outside to the dark and mostly deserted street. The night was cold enough to see breath rising from the humans and any vampires who'd supped already. Harley's rushed out of him in a vapor cloud. Key's was weak, but no one would assume he was undead.
"It's a lovely night!" Harley greeted every human who approached them on the street. Key listened to their heartbeats for signs of agitation, and he assumed Harley did the same. They stopped to talk to a woman who didn't seem too excited or worried to see them.
"Hello there, boys. What are you doing out on such a cold night?"
"Listen carefully." Harley's voice was in his head, the same way Queen Marcella's had been. "Her heart rate is calm. Her breath steady. She isn't afraid."
Key had already noticed all that, but he didn't want to argue. What happened next astounded him.
"May I scent your beautiful wrist, my lady?"
Harley had to be daft, or maybe he wanted to get backhanded across the face with the woman's purse.
"Of course! I'm wearing a new scent from the fragrance vendor on first avenue. Isn't it grand?"
"If they're wearing perfume, ask to smell it. If they're not, ask them about their scarves, gloves, whatever will clear your way. And then …"
Instead of kissing the woman's offered wrist, Harley bit into it. Astoundingly, the woman let him. Why in eternal damnation did she let him?
When Harley had taken his fill, he and the woman parted ways with a wave. She'd barely acknowledged Key at all. Two steps later, and her thoughts returned to meeting up with a young man two streets over. She'd forgotten all about them!
"How did you do that?" Key asked.
"I made her see what she wanted to see."
"Your gift allows you to do that?"
Harley shook his head. "No. All vampires can do it, but most never learn. Their bite fills the human with euphoria and enough neurotoxin to make them forget, so they become complacent."
"Not you?" Key asked.
"Sadly, yes." Harley removed a spot of blood at the corner of his mouth with his tongue. "I, too, had become lackadaisical when selecting my human targets. Since I refuse to kill humans, my sire sent me to Rome. Queen Marcella insisted I learn how to communicate and enthrall using my mind." Harley's fingers returned to playing with the lace at his neck. "I suspect that's why she asked me to teach you. She granted me permission to communicate with you mind-to-mind as she does, but only for tonight. You must learn well and quickly." Harley grinned. "I have faith in you."
The praise warmed Key from the inside out and made his chest feel light. Still, this was a trick unlike any Key had tried. Harley first taught him to listen in on the humans' minds, and then to convince them they wanted to be bitten. Once it was over, he convinced them to forget. It took him the rest of the night to learn, but he'd completely healed his face and had gorged himself on blood when he felt the dawn approaching.
"It's almost time to return to the hotel," Harley said. "Queen Marcella will want a demonstration of your skill before we sleep for the day."
Key couldn't help it. The thought of trusting his vulnerable sleeping body around centuries-older vampires who stayed awake longer and then woke before he did made his skin crawl with paranoia. It would be better to return to Hell's Kitchen, bed down in the little coal cupboard for the day, and flee with his sister once his soul returned at dusk.
"I've had a lovely time tonight," Harley said as they approached the intersection Key needed to take to return to his sister.
"As did I." Key meant it. He'd expected to die that night. He hadn't planned to live more in twelve hours than he had in the last six months, maybe in his entire life.
Still, he had responsibilities, and Harley worked for Queen Marcella as her liaison in the states. Their disparate duties would clash sooner or later. Key wanted to remember this night for what it was, a sweet promise of what vampire life had to offer. This wasn't goodbye forever, he told himself, only until Margaret was older.
He pulled Harley to a halt at the street corner. He thought they would shake hands and say goodbye, but he was surprised when Harley draped his arms around his shoulders and pulled him in, chest to chest.
Key had forgotten how good it felt to be close to someone. The dance floor was fun, but this seemed more intimate, though they were on a public street.
"Thank you for teaching me to enthrall humans," Key said.
"The pleasure was all mine."
The words drew Key in, and he brushed his lips over Harley's. Then, the older vampire took charge, sweeping his tongue over Key's lips. Key opened and tilted his head to get even closer.
The feel of the sun just below the horizon spiked Key's fear. He had to get back to his sister. With that fear pulsing through his system, he bit down on Harley's bottom lip, giving him more than the simple paralysis he'd given their queen. This bite contained his own fear of the sun, yes, but also his euphoria from the wonderful evening with a gorgeous vampire and the desire to do more than kiss him. If only they had more time.
"Your gaze is so captivating, and your curls … doll-like."
Harley's voice in Key's head startled him to action. He left Harley unblinking and standing on the corner of West 39th and 10th Avenue mere moments before the sun rose. The paralysis would last less than a minute. Harley would have plenty of time to return to the Hotel Chelsea before a single ray of sunlight could touch him.
The Men of Crooked Bend Series is what started it all for me and it was incredibly difficult to let those men go. It was originally supposed to be a trilogy but it ended up as a ten book series with a bonus book that's part of The Snow Globe Christmas Series. In the Men of Crooked Bend series, you get to know the cowboys and other men of Wild Creek Ranch in Crooked Bend, Wyoming (a totally fictitious town). The series is set in the foothills of the Grand Teton Mountains, a place I fell in love with as a teenager.
I have a closely related spin-off series called Sulfur Springs. In it you leave Wild Creek and go to the little neighbor town of Sulfur Springs and meet the sexy men of the Sulfur Springs Fire Depart, the sheriff's department, as well as quite a few US Marshals. You see some familiar faces but you also meet some very new ones. It’s finally finished and ended up being a nine book series.
I love to read, it’s always been one of my favorite things to do since I can remember. When I started writing, I couldn't decide if I wanted to write contemporary or paranormal as I love both. I chose contemporary but still, paranormal was talking to me and those darn shifters kept saying, “tell our story, it’ll be fun.” So I did. And it was. That’s how I started my Honey Creek Den series. Honey Creek is another totally fictitious town set on Flathead Lake (a real place) in Montana. I've never been there, but hope to get there at some point. Honey Creek Den is finished with the planned six books. The Timber Valley Wolf Pack is also finished with six books and now I've moved onto the Warlocks of Amherst Series. This series takes us away from the den and pack and we get to know Edison's warlocks in Amherst, Massachusetts.
When I'm not busy writing about cowboys, architects, sheriffs, firefighters, US Marshals, bears, tigers, or warlocks (to name just a few), I like to read (who doesn't?). Because of my limited free time, I’m fond of short stories and novellas. I can be found on Amazon, Book Bub, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
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.
BL MaxwellBL Maxwell grew up in a small town listening to her grandfather spin tales about his childhood. Later she became an avid reader and after a certain vampire series she became obsessed with fanfiction. She soon discovered Slash fanfiction and later discovered the MM genre and was hooked.
Many years later, she decided to take the plunge and write down some of the stories that seem to run through her head late at night when she’s trying to sleep.
Many years later, she decided to take the plunge and write down some of the stories that seem to run through her head late at night when she’s trying to sleep.
My characters are sexy, hot, adorable—and often filthy—alphas and omegas. Feudal lords with dark secrets, lonely omegas running away from their past, and alphas who refuse to commit.
Lurking in the background are kings, mafia dons, undercover agents and highwaymen with a naughty gleam in their eye.
As for me? I dictate my steamy stories with a glass of champagne in one hand. Because why not?
Lorelei M HartLorelei M. Hart is the cowriting team of USA Today Bestselling Authors Kate Richards and Ever Coming. Friends for years, the duo decided to come together and write one of their favorite guilty pleasures: Mpreg. There is something that just does it for them about smexy men who love each other enough to start a family together in a world where they can do it the old-fashioned way ;).
Hi! I'm Edie Montreux (I also write m/m mpreg romance as Edie Monte). I'm nonbinary (she/they), demisexual, and an ally for all aspects of the LGBTQIA+ rainbow. I love my husband, Queen, dogs, and video games. I write LGBTQ-fiction full time, unless I'm walking my dogs or protecting imaginary worlds from fantasy creatures.
Taylor Rylan
EMAIL: AuthorTaylorRylan@gmail.com
Lacey Daize
BL Maxwell
Colbie Dunbar
Lorelei M Hart
Edie Montreux
Reinhold by Taylor Rylan
Harvest Kisses for the Omega by Lacey Daize
Ghost Handled by BL Maxwell
Wrong Number, Right Bear by Colbie Dunbar & Lorelei M Hart
Grave Throbbing by Edie Montreux
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