Category: M/M Romance

A Lucy Review: Forever Starts at Midnight (an Against All Odds novella) by Kim Breyon

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Most days, I just go through the motions. Stuck in a job I don’t enjoy, I plan my breaks around when I can talk to my boyfriend. Our conversations are the one thing I can look forward to, the one thing that gives me joy. Our love for the band Indigo Rose brought us together, and two years later, it’s our weekly line wars on movie night and his unmatched ability to make me laugh that makes Aspen more than just my boyfriend. He’s my best friend, too.

The only problem is, I’ve never actually met him.

A last-minute business trip right before New Year’s Eve sends me back to the familiar town of Reedsport, where I am forced to team up with my sexy co-worker. I’ve always had a hard time tearing my eyes away from Cameron, and spending time with him has given me a glimpse of what my life could be like if I stepped out from behind the computer screen. What it could be like to hear the laugh of someone I care about late at night or feel the warmth of their skin against mine.

When Indigo Rose announces they will be part of the line up at the annual New Year’s Eve party, it feels like the perfect opportunity to see if my connection with AspenW743 is as strong in person as it is online.

Will Aspen agree to meet me? And if he does, how will I choose between the man I’ve just met yet know inside and out or the man I see every day and still remains a mystery?

A favorite trope – the online lovers who have yet to meet.  Hunter has an online boyfriend, Aspen, who shares his love of the band Indigo Rose.  A boyfriend who he can talk to about anything and everything.  He can’t wait to meet Aspen and hopefully that time is coming soon.  When he gets thrown into a last minute trip by his boss, a scary and awesome female who happens to be Hunter’s aunt by marriage, he ends up going with Cameron, the cute, quiet intern from work who has been taken advantage of and as a result barely has enough money to live on.  He was supposed to be moving ahead to an employee after six months but now it’s been fourteen and he is still in the same position, where everyone dumps all their work on him.   It’s just one more thing to do when he has to accompany Hunter.

The two head off to Reedsport to run an open house for their employer, Gentry Homes.  Hunter wants to be in the design department and he has great idea.  Cameron just wants to make enough money to eat and pay his rent.  The two end up hitting it off and becoming friends.  I liked how they talked to each other and how even though Hunter got super protective of Cameron he was able to step back when Cameron wanted to do things himself.

When the favorite band comes to Reedsport, it is the perfect opportunity for Hunter to meet his boyfriend.  Except now he’s conflicted because he’s starting to have tender feelings for Cameron.  Now what? 

Even though you can see what’s going on a mile in advance, I liked the buildup and especially liked that when the two realize what is happening there is no horrible “it’s him” moment and that we get to see them continue to develop their relationship past that point.  They have some struggles to overcome and adjustments to make.  They are worth it!

The cover, Hunter and Cameron kissing, is cute if a little nondescript.

Sales Links:   Amazon link coming soons

Book Details:

ebook, 100 pages
Expected publication: April 2019
Other Editions
None found

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Escaping Mortality (Escape Trilogy #3) by Sara Dobie Bauer

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

And the finale of the Escape Trilogy lived up to all expectations! Andrew and Edmund found the Elder just in time to save Edmund’s life. But…and it’s a very big but…the Elder seems to have a connection to Edmund that Andrew doesn’t share. And it’s something that might make or break his relationship with Andrew. Oh no…just when I thought it was safe and my favorite vampire couple was going to be able to live happily ever after—literally—it appeared something was going to stop that from happening.

But I digress. In this installment, Andrew, Edmund, and yes, the Elder, Michelle, and Felipe all continue their sea voyage to England after Edmund’s life is saved by the Elder converting him to a vampire. But when they arrive at Edmund’s mother’s estate, they find that she’s more than physically ill—her mental faculties are failing as well. The adventure in this story lies in finding out what is going on with Edmund’s mother at the same time Andrew is learning just exactly what Brien, the Elder, plans for Edmund, because it’s very evident that Edmund has changed—and not just to a vampire. As the blurb states, Andrew has to battle for his heart and his soul.

No spoilers here. All I can say is that those who read this trilogy will love the complexity churned up by Sara Dobie Bauer’s imagination. And as much as I’d like to say this can be read as a standalone, it really should be read after the first two. None are very long so they are easy to devour. I highly recommend this book, and this series, to those who enjoy MM romance with a bit of vampire thrown in.

The cover by Natasha Snow is perfect for this story and is done in the same theme as others in the series. Very attractive!

Sales Links: 

NineStar Press | Amazon | Smashwords | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Book Details:ebook
Published January 28th 2019 by NineStar Press
ISBN139781949909913
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesEscape Trilogy #3

 

An Alisa Release Day Review: The Case of the Voracious Vintner (Middlemark Mysteries #2) by Tara Lain

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

 

Where Bo Marchand comes from, gay men are just confirmed bachelors who never found the right girl. But now Bo’s a successful winemaker on the central coast of California, supporting his whole damned Georgia family, and all he really wants is the beautiful, slightly mysterious Jeremy Aames.

 

Jeremy’s vineyard is under threat from Ernest Ottersen, the voracious winemaker who seems to know all Jeremy’s blending secrets and manages to grab all his customers. Bo tries to help Jeremy and even provides a phony alibi for Jeremy when Ottersen turns up dead in Jeremy’s tasting room. But it’s clear Jeremy isn’t who he claims, and Bo must decide if it’s worth tossing over his established life for a man who doesn’t seem to trust anyone. When Jeremy gets kidnapped, some the conservative winemakers turn out to be kinky sex fiends, and the list of murderers keeps dwindling down to Jeremy. Bo has to choose between hopping on his white horse or climbing back in his peach-pie-lined closet.

 

Ok, so I liked this story, though not nearly as much as the first one, it seemed to take longer to really get going.  Bo lives his life taking care of his family and it seems as if for the most part he has let them walk all over him.  Jeremy is trying to live his life but hiding at the same time.

 

So there is all kinds of backstabbing and childish behavior throughout this book and not just by the MCs but a majority of the secondary characters, truthfully I felt like I was reading about teenagers at many points.  I just hope more stories in this series have a little more depth and some more mature characters.  I know we all deal with those who aren’t but it wasn’t real enjoyable to read about them.

 

Getting to see the story from both characters’ eyes made it a little easier to understand them.  With how easily Bo decides to come out for Jeremy it made me question why he was so determined to hide it in the first place and even went on dates with women to appease his family.  Jeremy was a bit harder to get to know as he was keeping so many secrets in regards to his past that we didn’t even know anything until he was kidnapped.  I kind of wish there had been more to them building a relationship, they were kinda dating in secret and suddenly all in, it was hard to get.  I loved getting to see Llewellyn and Blaise again and how Llew is looking into more mysteries, though I’m not sure his research did too much help but it gave some more interesting things to think about.

 

I love the cover art by Kanaxa is great and gives visuals of the characters and lots of little things from the story.

 

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon | B&N

 

Book Details:

ebook, 279 pages

Published: January 29, 2019 by Dreamspinner Press

ISBN-13: 978-1-64080-840-9

Edition Language: English

Series: Middlemark Mysteries #2

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Want Some Suspense with Your Romance? Check Out the New Release Blitz for Gage (Trenton Security #3) by JM Dabney

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GAGE

TRENTON SECURITY BOOK 3

J.M. DABNEY

M/M ROMANCE/SUSPENSE

RELEASE DATE: 01.29.19

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BLURB

The forbidden is the sweetest lure.

Trenton Security’s Public Relations go-to was Hayden Gage. He loved his job, and it kept him distracted from the demons haunting his nightmares. His past wasn’t up for discussion, and Hayden wouldn’t allow it to intrude on his future. Yet, that was easier said than done when his best friend came to him desperate for help, and it put him right on the path to his one weakness.

Young didn’t equal lost.

Derrick Thorpe lived in the shadow of his father’s mistakes. Although he was adopted by Linus Trenton, he wanted to prove that he wasn’t like his biological father. When he was asked to go undercover to help at Trenton Security, it put him in close quarters with Gage. Being Gage’s was only an act, but when lines blur, what happens when the operation ends?

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EXCERPT

They had so little time to prepare, and he’d only have part of the team with him. He and the Crew functioned better as a single unit. Alex and him spoke sparingly as they were lost in their thoughts. They exited the lobby and let the driver take their bags as they slid into the backseat.
He focused his attention on the scenery outside the window as it shifted from towering buildings to the beach in the distance. The thirty minutes to the airport crept by, and as they pulled up in front of the terminal, he tensed. No way in fuck would they do that—a beautiful boy with dirty blond hair stood flanked by Pure and Raul. The sexy scruff no longer on Derrick’s face made him appear younger.
“What the fuck was Linus thinking?” He growled the question. Didn’t they understand what would happen to Derrick when the boy was completely at his mercy? He’d have to touch Derrick, maybe more depending on the surveillance around the estate. “I can’t do this.”
“Gage, he’s just a man, a pretty one, but just a man. It’s an assignment.”
“It’s not just an assignment or some man. How do I fight my instincts?”
“It’s him? The perfect one. The ghost that drifts through your dreams. The one you cut to forget?”
“Has the one person you’ve dreamed of for years ever appeared? Six years ago, I thought I was fine and”—he turned his attention to Derrick and studied the young man through the tinted glass—“he gave me this sweet, shy smile and I wanted to own him. I can’t have him just for that.”
“You’re not your old man, Gage. The Major is an evil bastard, and he can’t be satisfied unless he hurts someone. He gives sadists a bad name. He’s reaping his reward, wasting away alone in a nursing home, and no one is going to mourn when he’s dead.”
On a night with too much drink, he’d told Alex everything, and if Alex hadn’t mentioned it the next day, he’d never have remembered his loose tongue.
“Gage, he’s just a man. Focus on the mission, the end game and nothing more. Draw the line and don’t dare fucking cross it. This is about finding Cameron and bringing her home safe.”
He nodded but knew his agreement was a lie. He’d already crossed a line without knowing it. The proof was in his bag, his weakness tangible as the cool metal nestled in a bed of silk. He drew his disinterest and coldness around him, fixed his expression so as not to reveal his true feelings.

J.M. Dabney is a multi-genre author who writes mainly LGBT romance and fiction. She lives with a constant diverse cast of characters in her head. No matter their size, shape, race, etc. she lives for one purpose alone, and that’s to make sure she does them justice and give them the happily ever after they deserve. J.M. is dysfunction at its finest and she makes sure her characters are a beautiful kaleidoscope of crazy. There is nothing more she wants from telling her stories than to show that no matter the package the characters come in or the damage their pasts have done, that love is love. That normal is never normal and sometimes the so-called broken can still be amazing.

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Love to Listen to Your Romances? Check Out in the Deep (Out in College #1) by Lane Hayes and Michael Pauley (Narrator)

Both Now Available in Audio!

Title: Out in the Deep, Out in College #1
Author: Lane Hayes
Publisher: Lane Hayes
Narrated by: Michael Pauley
Release Date: January 17th, 2019
Heat Level: 4 – Lots of Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 4 hrs and 34 mins
Genre: Romance, New Adult, Bisexual, College romance, Water Polo, Coming out

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Listen to an Excerpt & Purchase at Audible

Synopsis

Derek Vaughn is a little too serious. He’s a type A control personality with a penchant for order and a love of water polo. But he’s determined to enjoy his last year of college. The real world with a serious job and big expectations can wait for a few months. He’s going soak up every minute on campus with his friends and teammates before he moves on. The only possible kink in his plan is the new guy on the team… also known as his nemesis.

Gabe Chadwick has big Olympic dreams. His transfer between Southern California universities has nothing to do with scholastics. The degree is his backup plan. He’s not there to party or make friends. And he certainly isn’t going to announce his sexuality. But he can’t deny there’s something special about the uptight team captain. However, when an unwitting friendship and mutual attraction collide, both will have to decide if this is the real thing or if they’re about to lose it all in the deep.


Title: Out in the End Zone, Out in College #2
Author: Lane Hayes
Publisher: Lane Hayes
Narrated by: Michael Pauley
Release Date: January 23rd, 2019
Heat Level: 4 – Lots of Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 4 hrs and 58 mins
Genre: Romance, New Adult, Bisexual, College romance, Football, Coming out

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Listen to an Excerpt & Purchase at Audible

Synopsis

Evan di Angelo is an upbeat, good-natured goofball who loves his friends and family… and football. A traumatic accident may have ended his hopes of playing professionally, but he’s made the most of his four years on the field at a small Southern California college. He’s learned the hard way to embrace change, take chances and try things outside of his comfort zone…like agreeing to play fake boyfriends for someone else’s senior project.

Mitch Peterson knows that being his authentic self is the path to true happiness. He’s grown from a shy, quiet kid from a broken home to an out and proud budding internet sensation bound for grad school. An awesome senior project is the key. It’s unlikely anyone will believe the hunky, straight athlete is Mitch’s new lover, but it’s worth a shot. However, as their tentative friendship blossoms into unexpected attraction, the lines between reality and fiction blur for both men. Evan is forced to face old demons and decide if he has the courage to take the next step and come out in the end zone.

 

Meet the Author

Lane Hayes is grateful to finally be doing what she loves best. Writing full-time! It’s no secret Lane loves a good romance novel. An avid reader from an early age, she has always been drawn to well-told love story with beautifully written characters. These days she prefers the leading roles to both be men. Lane discovered the M/M genre a few years ago and was instantly hooked. Her debut novel was a 2013 Rainbow Award finalist and subsequent books have received Honorable Mentions, and won First Prize in the 2016 and 2017 Rainbow Awards. She loves red wine, chocolate and travel (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband in a newly empty nest.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Meet the Narrator

Michael has well over 50 audio book titles currently available for purchase on Audible.com. He is versed in multiple styles and genres including fiction (novels and short stories) ranging from romance to science fiction to crime dramas to thrillers; business strategy books; health and wellness books; and even an occasional children’s book.

Fans of Michael’s narration are welcome to follow him on social media including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and SoundCloud.

If you are interested in working with Michael to produce your next audio book, you can contact him directly at voice@michaelpauley.info

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Book Blast for Bad Deal (Belikov Crime Family 1) by Ember-Raine Winters & Faith Ryan

BOOK BLAST

Book Title: Bad Deal (Belikov Crime Family 1)

Author: Ember-Raine Winters & Faith Ryan

Publisher: Self-Published

Cover Artist: Always Inked

Genre/s: Dark Erotic Romance, Mafia/MC

Heat Rating: 5 flames

Length: 40 000 words

It’s the first in a series but stands alone

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Blurb

He’s a Russian devil and he owns me.

JR Richards 

What’s worse than wanting the one person you can never have? How about finally getting them. Don’t get me wrong the sex was great, but everything that came after? Yeah, it’s like they say, be careful what you wish for. 

Ruslan Belikov 

My brother made a deal that didn’t go as planned. Now I have to get back what’s ours and pretty boy Jacoby is the tool to make that happen. I’ll torture and use him until I get what I want, then I’ll toss him aside like the rest. 

A motorcycle club and a Mafia family shouldn’t make deals. Someone’s bound to lose. Family, friends and hearts, nothing’s safe in a world fueled by drugs, money and sex. 

WARNING: Ruslan Belikov and Jacoby Richards may not be for everyone. They are two dominant men thrown into an impossible situation. Some readers may find their story makes them uncomfortable. If you don’t like dark and dirty mafia bosses who use torture and sex to get their way turn back now. You have been warned. 

Buy Links

Amazon Universal Link

Amazon US

Amazon UK 

Excerpt

I follow behind them quietly as Demitri shoves him toward the bathroom. I notice Jacoby wince as Demitri squeezes his shoulder. I file that information away for later when the fun really begins. As I enter the bathroom, I remove my suit jacket folding it over the counter and rolling my sleeves up to my elbows.

I see Jacoby shiver as Demitri blasts the cold water on him not bothering to let him remove his underwear. “Leave us.” I bark. Demitri jumps as if I’ve startled him, but does as told and scurries from the bathroom shutting the door firmly behind him. Jacoby’s eyes watch me as I move closer. I’m not sure if it’s fear or something else in his eyes as he glares at me. There was no heat behind it. “You like this, don’t you?” I wave a hand over my body. Jacoby nods. Good, no point in lying to me when I could see it written all over his face. My cock is painfully hard and I decide it’s time for some relief. “On your knees.” My thick accent becomes even thicker the more aroused I become. When he does nothing but drop to his knees and await my instructions, my hands go to my belt unbuckling it and pulling the leather slowly from my slacks. His breath catches in his throat when I pull myself out stroking once, twice before stepping forward and grabbing a fistful of his hair.

“Open,” I growl shoving myself down his throat. He gags and his eyes water as I start my punishing pace. Both my hands are in his hair pulling it roughly as I piston my hips. It only takes him a second to acclimate and stop gagging. I push harder and move faster. The feel of absolute control feels like heaven and has me coming like a river down his throat. This kid is the perfect submissive. Too bad I can’t keep him. As soon as I find my drugs, I’ll have to get rid of him. The thought has me pausing momentarily. No matter, I’ll enjoy it while it lasts.

Once my cock is sated, I close up my pants and walk out of the bathroom without a word. Demitri gives me an odd look as I exit the room and make my way down the hall. “Hang him up by the hook for the night, Demitri.” I never turn as I give the order. I hear Demitri’s grunt of understanding and continue to my apartment above the club.

About the Authors

Ember-Raine Winters

Ember-Raine Winters lives in sunny California with her two beautiful kids and a wolf. Also known as Apache her pure white Siberian Husky. She loves writing romance and reading just about anything she can get her hands on. And, football! She loves watching football and going to games. It’s one of her favorite ways to unwind. She dislikes the super-hot temperatures in her city and exercise. She hates to exercise but somehow her sister still gets her to do it every day. She also thinks it’s completely awkward talking about herself in third person. Ember loves connecting with readers so don’t be afraid to stalk her and drop her a line on social media.

Author Links

Blog/Website

Facebook

Twitter

Faith Ryan

Faith Ryan is wife to a handsome bearded man and mother to three, yes three, teenage girls. She lives in a small town in Ohio and is an avid reader of romance and frequently finishes several books in one day. A coworker once told her that people who read romance are considered smarter than others, Faith totally agrees and thinks this doubly applies to romance authors. Everyone needs a little bit (or a lot) of romance in their life!

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Release Blitz and Giveaway for Marina Vivancos’ Rat Park

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK
 

Length: 71,000 words approx.

 
Cover Design: Natasha Snow
 
Blurb


Dominic has lived with an empty ache inside him for as long as he could remember. Maybe it started when he was six, hiding beneath his blankets as the wild animal noises of one of mom’s parties echoed in his head. Maybe it began the first time an adult plied him with drinks just to watch him stumble about.


Or, maybe, it was that he couldn’t even imagine what being loved should feel like.


Drugs washed all that away. It didn’t cure the ache, but it made him forget it for a while. Anything was better than being conscious. Than being himself. But life had another hard lesson for him: With drugs, the only way is down.


Dominic hits rock bottom when he’s twenty-three. Turns out, rock bottom looks a lot like the bars of a jail cell. With little left but his own thoughts, Dominic has to decide: Is this what I want for the rest of my life?


The world has never been kind to Dominic, but when he meets the Romeros, he wonders if that is about to change. Officer Catalina Romero seems to see something in Dominic that he is sure isn’t there. The more she pulls him towards her family, however, the harder it is not to go.


All his resistance disappears under the force that is Flor Romero. Spitfire, stubborn Flor—even at sixteen, he refuses to be taken lightly. As he grows older, putting a stop to what Flor obviously wants to happen between them is harder than Dominic would ever want to admit.


Dominic knows that he has too many demons to let anybody get too close. But life doesn’t prepare him for Flor, who just might be ready to fight tooth and nail for a place in Dominic’s life—and his heart.


The question is, will Dominic’s past keep him from his future?


Author Bio


When Marina was a child she couldn’t sleep. Night after dissolving night she just couldn’t sleep. Nothing much worked – until she started making up stories in her head. Suddenly, the transition into unconsciousness was a smooth dive into calm waters.


Marina is currently in a period of sleepless upheaval, and she hopes writing down the stories in her head will cast the same spell it did decades ago.


Marina hopes to write in a variety of romance sub-genres, from contemporary to supernatural to sci-fi. Her style, however, tends to focus on character-centred stories that explore different facets of the human experience, such as mental health. She also enjoys writing explicit, drawn-out sex scenes, so expect those to be a prominent feature of her stories.


Marina tends to keep to herself unless prompted, so don’t be shy in approaching her!

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New Release Blitz for Escaping Mortality (The Escape Trilogy #3) by Sara Dobie Bauer (excerpt and giveaway)

Title: Escaping Mortality

Series: The Escape Trilogy, Book Three

Author: Sara Dobie Bauer

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: January 28, 2019

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 33100

Genre: Paranormal, LGBT, bisexual, gay, vampires, polyamorous, British nobility, established couples

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Synopsis

Their ocean journey was successful, and Andrew and Edmund found an Elder just in time. As they wished, Edmund is now a vampire like Andrew. They have eternity together, but first, they must visit Edmund’s ailing mother in the English countryside with their flock of immortals, including the Elder, who has taken an ominous liking to his new creation.

When they arrive at Edmund’s family estate, his sick mother and her loathsome best friend await them. While ducking religious curses, Edmund struggles to harness an unexpected power gifted him by the Elder. Andrew fears for his beloved as Edmund becomes more and more monstrous—but vampires have always been monsters, haven’t they?

A battle is coming, for Edmund’s heart and his soul, and Andrew will lose neither. He escaped island exile and a near tragedy at sea to be with Edmund, the beautiful young sailor he loves. Andrew will do anything to keep Edmund by his side, but his most dangerous adversary may be Edmund himself.

Excerpt

Escaping Mortality
Sara Dobie Bauer © 2019
All Rights Reserved

Chapter One
Edmund tries desperately not to shiver, but he forgets himself every minute or so and allows a full body shake that vibrates the wet edges of his hair. We’re back on deck after our desperate leap into the ocean, my sailor and I. A half-hysterical Michelle wrapped us both in the heaviest fabric she could find once we were both safely lifted back onboard with our new passenger: the Elder.

He sits across from Edmund at a large table in our ship’s common area while I stand and glare. Michelle and Felipe linger silently to my left and right.

This Elder is nothing more than a rotting skeleton, covered in loose, hanging flesh. He smells of dead fish and refuses to take his dark eyes off the man I love.

“You are dying,” the creature says, his voice like the swinging of a rusted gate.

Edmund chuckles. “Yes. So you understand why I need your help.”

“Why do you want this gift, dead man? Power? Prestige?”

“No.”

“Then, why?”

“Love.”

The creature’s gaze momentarily swings up, and I stand straighter. For the first time since we escaped the rolling waves, the Elder addresses me: “How frustrating for a strong vampire such as yourself that you cannot save the one you adore.”

I’m about to respond when Edmund speaks first. “I would prefer to keep this conversation between the two of us, if you don’t mind. It is, after all, my life we discuss.”

The Elder studies Edmund and says nothing. For a long moment, he merely observes. Although the blanket covers Edmund’s black, infected flesh, it’s impossible to miss the green pallor of his skin, the purple circles around his eyes, and the color of his lips, now practically white. All signs of the healthy young man I first met are gone.

“You have no fear right now, dead man. Strange for one with so little time left. I tasted it underwater, your fear. Quite a strong bouquet.” A tongue like a slippery snail pokes out from the Elder’s mouth to lick cracked lips.

“You tried to pull me under.”

“You offered yourself.”

“I needed to get your attention.”

I’m not sure, but I think the Elder smiles. He shows his teeth anyway—long, pointed fangs bigger than any I’ve seen. “And now, you have it, dead man.”

“My name is Edmund. And you?”

Again, those eyes—so dark as to be almost black—glance at me. “Brien.” He growls the R. “If the world is still how I recall, Edmund, nothing is free. You woke me with your dying flesh because you need something.” He opens his hands before him, skin wrinkled, sharp fingernails like weapons. “What do I get from you?”

Edmund shivers and groans. When he bends over in pain and rests his forehead on the table, Michelle stops me from rushing forward. “What do you want?” Edmund asks.

As my darling struggles to find the strength to sit, Brien watches with interest—I assume. It’s difficult to tell with the sagging, wet flesh. Logic says the Elder should be dry by now, but he continues to drip foul water as though made of the stuff.

“You can have anything,” Edmund says.

Brien leans forward and sniffs, seeking Edmund’s scent. “I want to kill you.”

I step toward them. “No.”

The Elder stares at me. “No?”

“Edmund requested I do that.” I could say more about how I want to taste his soul, how I want that moment to belong to me and me alone. I want him in my arms the moment he takes his last breath. So many things do I want, and this monster of the sea would steal it all.

“Dead man?” Brien practically purrs.

“Damn it.” Edmund closes his eyes. “Fine. My life is yours.”

“But—”

“It is better than the alternative, love,” Edmund mutters. “Is that all you require?”

“I will travel with you wherever you now go.”

“Michelle?” Edmund says her name but doesn’t turn. I don’t think he’s strong enough to move anymore.

My old friend—once enemy, now leader—steps forward in her sweeping skirts. “Of course, Elder Brien. We are at your service.”

“You might want to…” Edmund coughs. “Find something to wear. They frown upon naked corpses walking around London.”

Felipe laughs—one short burst of amusement.

“Do we have a deal?”

Brien lowers his head. “Yes, Edmund.” He looks up and shows his teeth. “Ah, there it is—the smell. Now, you are afraid.”

Edmund’s eyes are red. I don’t know if he cries from pain or from the thought of his own murder at the hands of a hideous monster. Perhaps he found comfort in the thought of me doing it because he knew I wouldn’t let him hurt. Brien appears liable to chop off each of Edmund’s fingers before letting him die—but I will not let that happen. I will be at his side. I will hold Edmund’s hand as his heart stops beating. Thinking of this, my own chest begins to ache.

My God, what if this doesn’t work? What if the Elder kills my darling and jumps back overboard? What if these are the last moments I have with the only creature I have ever loved? I lean down quickly and kiss Edmund’s forehead.

His hand finds my face. “I’m ready,” he whispers. “Are you?” He smiles at me.

I pick him up and carry him to our room. The others follow close behind. In fact, the entire crew stands in the hall, watching us pass. What’s about to happen hasn’t happened in centuries, and I suppose everyone wants a view.

By the time I rest my shivering love in the center of our bed, someone has given Brien a cloak, although it does little to hide the emaciated ground meat of his face. Michelle comes in but locks everyone else out, for which I am thankful.

I kiss Edmund, and Jesus, he smells almost as bad as the Elder. I kiss his lips softly as he whispers he loves me.

“I love you too. I’ll be right here.” I squeeze his hand and kneel on the edge of our bed.

From across the room, Brien watches me again with what I suspect is delight. I want to bark at him and ask what on earth could be so funny, but I bite my tongue. Now is not the time to provoke the only man who can save Edmund. As he leans forward, I lean back, paying the Elder respect.

He looms over Edmund, but strangely, instead of beginning his feast, he rests on his side and touches Edmund’s hair with his pointed nails. “I am going to kill you now, but I will give you a new life. One without sickness or death. Do you accept this gift I give?”

Edmund nods.

“As I feed, I want you to think. Picture yourself healthy—the way you were before this. Perhaps, the way you were when you first met your vampire.”

“Half drowned on a beach?”

Although I can’t help but smile, the Elder seems confused. “Perhaps not. Picture yourself how you want to be, and in a little while, it will be so. Do you understand?”

Edmund nods again and flails for my hand. I entwine our fingers.

“Thank you for your offering,” Brien says. He then moves faster than even my eyes can manage to follow.

 

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Meet the Author

Sara Dobie Bauer is a bestselling author, model, and mental health / LGBTQ advocate with a creative writing degree from Ohio University. Twice nominated for the Pushcart Prize, she lives with her hottie husband and two precious pups in Northeast Ohio, although she’d really like to live in a Tim Burton film. She is author of the paranormal rom-com Bite Somebody series, among other sexy things.

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