Stephani Hecht's Blog, page 6

Wayne County Holidays

Available now at Extasy Books! (click the photo for the link)

The tree is trimmed, the stockings are hung, the lights are strung with care, but none of that matters, because somebody is watching, and he doesn’t give a damn.

It’s holiday time at the Wayne County Shifter dwelling, and everybody is in good spirits. Not only have they not heard from their enemies in a long time, but the pack is thriving and growing. So they are all looking forward to a happy time and a good celebration.

But if there is one thing everybody knows about the shifter world, one can never get too comfortable when things are going well. Just when they think all is well, trouble strikes in the worst way possible. It couldn’t happen at a worst time, either. For not only is there the celebration to think about, but the babies are coming.

 

Excerpt:

Hale nodded. “Chris said not to take offense. She would have said it, pregnant or not. I guess she always stresses out during the holidays and wants to make sure everything is perfect. I just happened to be the first victim that walked by the office when she was looking for somebody to head the decorating committee.”

“What about your job at the library?”

Hale felt a pang of guilt. “I’ve been relieved of that duty until this is finished. They’re going to have to work shorthanded until I’m done. They really need me, too. We still haven’t gotten things cleaned and stocked back up since the attack. Pack members are chomping at the bit for us to reopen too, which is only adding more pressure on us.”

Toby ran the back of his fingers down Hale’s cheek, eliciting a shiver of desire from Hale, even though they had just made love that morning and most of the previous night. They had been together for a few months, but they still couldn’t get enough of each other and constantly were petting and loving on one another.

“Here, why don’t you let me carry that box the rest of the way? Then I’ll see if I can round up some help for you. With a bunch of us working together, we can get it done a lot quicker,” Toby said in a gentle tone that he only used with Hale.

Hale shook his head again. “I don’t want to bother you guys. You’ve been working all day too, and must be tired. Just go get a meal and go to bed.”

“Bed is no fun without you in it, anyways. May as well work at getting you back in as soon as possible.”

“It’s going to take days to get this finished. Even with help. I hate to break it to you, but there are at least ten more boxes this size in the storage room.”

Toby gave a small laugh. “I kind of figured. I’m sure the other assassins can do without me for a few days. We haven’t had any trouble in months, and things have been quiet in the field. So they won’t miss me. Plus, I’ve wanted be an elf.”

Hale laughed at that one. “Bullshit! More likely you wanted to eat the elf.”

Toby tilted his head to the side. “Oh, right. That sounds more like me.”

Hale ran his hand down Toby’s chest. “Thanks for the offer. I think I’ll take you up on it after all. I’m in over my head here and could use all the help that I can get.”

Toby brushed a kiss on Hale’s brow. “I’ll be right back with more help than you can use. I can be very persuasive when I want to be.”

“Just promise me you won’t be too persuasive. I don’t need a bunch of terrified Wolves around me.”

“I promise to be nice.”

When Hale gave Toby a yeah-right look, Toby shot off a cocky grin. “Okay, you got me. I’ll try my best to be cordial. Is that better?”

“It’s more truthful.”

“What can I say? I am what I am.” Toby gave a small shrug.

“And I love you for every bit of it.” Hale gave him a slow, deep kiss.

“I love you, too.”

As always, a warm feeling went through Hale at those words. How a warrior like Toby could find anything worth loving in small, scrawny dog like Hale still was a wonder to him. But he had long tried to figure out that mystery and just learned to accept his good fortune. And what a good fortune it was. Hale was the luckiest guy in the world. He had to have the best mate in history. For all his thorns, Toby was a true softy underneath, a loving mate who would do anything for Hale.

Chronicles of Shane

I have a new Chronicles of Shane up, but you have to go to Amber Kell’s Blog to read it. Enjoy!

In Plain Sight-Available now

Available now at eXtasy Books! 

Sometimes when one is in the darkness and all alone, that is when somebody special shows up and guides them to the light and real love is found.

Zaid’s one of the rarest of breeds of shifters, an African Wild Dog. So, when he finds out that one of the biggest hunters is in Wayne county intent on killing him, he decides he’ll strike first.  But to do so, he must go down into the ancient tunnels. For that, he needs the best set of eyes in the pack, Kline.

Kline is afraid to go out on the mission, but he’s been secretly attracted to Zaid for so long that he knows he can’t refuse. Will they succeed? Or will they die before they see the light again?

Excerpt:

Kline swept his gaze across the ground, and then he saw it. It was so thin that nobody but him would have picked it up—a razor wire that went across one side of the wall to the other. Letting out a hiss of warning, Kline reached out and put a hand on Zaid’s chest to stop him from moving forward.

“What is it?” Zaid asked, with a frown.

“There’s a wire in front of us. It’s a couple of inches off the ground and one meter ahead of us.”

Tad squinted his eyes and tilted his head to the side. “Where? I don’t see it.”

Desmond gave a solemn shake of his head. “Don’t doubt Kline. I’ve heard about his gift and how good it is. If he says the wire is there then it’s there.”

Tad scoffed. “Come on. How good can his eyes be? He’s a damn Omega. Everybody knows all they’re good for is eye candy.”

Kline took in a deep breath as rage filled him. Eye candy? Who in the hell did this dumb Beta think he was talking to? Kline could probably take Tad out in a fight. In fact, that sounded like a splendid idea at that moment. Reaching back, Kline began to pull out one of his short blades, but Zaid reached out and grabbed Kline’s arm, staying him.

“Don’t,” Zaid said, gently.

“Why not?” Kline bit out, still as angry as ever.

“Because we both know that you’ll shred him to ribbons and, asshole or not, we’re going to need him later on.”

Tad let out a sound of outrage. “And just what makes you think that he’ll beat me? I’m a Beta and he’s nothing but a damn Omega.”

Never taking his gaze off Kline, Zaid said, “Because nobody carries around blades that deadly and beautiful unless they know how to use them. Am I right, Kline?”

Kline couldn’t stop the cold smile from spreading out over his face. “Yeah, you’re right. After our parents died, our older brother made sure that both me and my twin knew how to fight. That way, if we were ever ambushed again, we could get out alive.”

“It sounds like Tate is very protective of you. How did he feel about you coming on this mission?” Zaid asked.

Kline continued to gaze up at Zaid, finding it impossible to look away from those brown eyes.  Sweet damn on a popsicle stick, but Kline could stare at them all day long. They were so warm and dark that they both comforted Kline and turned him on at the same time.

Kline realized he really needed to get a grip on himself and fast. He needed to be focusing on the mission. They were going after one damn dangerous Snake. Yet Kline couldn’t stop himself from drooling after Zaid. It was all Kline could do not to jump the man right on the spot, and everybody knows you don’t get frisky during scary situations. That’s a sure way to get killed off. Or at least that’s the way it always happens in the movies.

“I still don’t see any wire,” Tad said, interrupting the tender moment.

Desmond let out a put-upon-sigh before he took a step forward and swept the ground in front of him with his rifle. Kline could see the weapon make contact with the wire. As soon as it did, two sharp, thick, long blades came out from each side of the wall. They came together with a loud clash, meeting right where somebody’s head would be had they been standing there.

There was a long stretch of stupefied silence as they all looked at the blades in horror of what could have been. Finally, Tad let out a low whistle. “Okay, I get it. The Omega’s my new best friend now.”

Release Schedule Update

Due to going to GRL this year and then me coming down with the cold from Hell, I have been forced to push back the release day of my next Wayne County Shifter Book. So instead of it coming out tomorrow, it will be released on the 15th. I’m sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused any of you and I hope  you understand.

 

I’m back and I have a new release!

Available now at MLR Books!  Warlock Unchained

In the future, where being a warlock is unlawful a team of brothers risk all to save one of there one in his quest for freedom.

 

As a warlock, Delton is marked as an enemy and imprisoned by humans in an internment camp. After spending five grueling years there, he manages to escape. His freedom is short lived when he finds himself cornered by guards who want to take him back to the camp. Then Delton is rescued by the handsome and mysterious warlock, freedom fighter, Vicen.

 

As Delton spends more time with Vicen, he finds himself drawn to the other warlock. But, can Delton trust Vicen? Or is he about to have his trust betrayed in the worst way?

 

Excerpt:

There was hunger, and there was true hunger. The kind of hunger that ate at your body and consumed your every thought. The one that made you ache with need and made just moving a taxing activity. The one that caused you to do anything for one single bite of food.

Delton’s hunger fell into the second category. Which is why he felt not an ounce of guilt that he was about to dine and dash at the greasy diner where he was currently sitting.

Looking at the patrons around him, most were dressed no better than he was, despite the fact they were all free men. That showed how bad the economy was, when a prisoner in rags looked no better than an average civilian. Delton pulled down his shirt sleeves. He didn’t want anybody to catch a glimpse of the iron bands that were around his wrists. That was the one thing he did have that nobody else in the restaurant did.

Not only did the bands mark him as a warlock and thus an enemy of the state, but they bound his magic, making him helpless to defend himself. If anyone were to spot them, they would only have to shout and Delton would find himself back in the internment camp faster than his head could spin.

Since he’d just escaped from there, he didn’t want to end up back right away. In fact, he never wanted to go back again as long as he lived. Brutal and ruthless places, they existed for one reason only: to break and eventually kill off all warlocks.

The waitress set his food down in front of him, and it was all Delton could do not to dive right on top of it and start cramming it down his throat. But since he didn’t want to draw attention to himself, he gave a demure, “Thank you.”

Picking up his fork, he forced himself to eat at a regular pace. The food was nothing special, just some dry meatloaf and lumpy mashed potatoes. To Delton it was still the best meal he’d ever had. He shook with happiness as he ate.

All the while, he continued to study his surroundings. Detroit and the rest of the country had really gone into the pot. Around twenty years ago, the economy had taken a nosedive, and it had never recovered. Now it was all military run, and the rules were brutal to say the least. While one percent of the country was wealthy, the rest was left in poverty.

Delton had just taken a big drink of milk when they walked in. Three warlocks. And Delton knew they were warlocks, because armbands or not, he could feel the magic just emanating from them. It was so powerful it nearly knocked him out of his chair.

They all wore head-to-toe black, including the capes they had around their large frames. Shoot, who was he kidding? They were more than just large, they were humongous. Each one of them looked like they ate bears for breakfast, then finished it off with elephants for lunch and dinner.

Since they had their hoods up, Delton couldn’t make out their features. They also didn’t wear any insignia that would mark them as guards from the camps. So Delton didn’t know if they were there for him or not. But he wasn’t going to take any chances. The men all took a seat at the bar near the front of the diner, giving Delton their backs, but he had no doubt that they knew he was there.

He began to look around for the closest escape route. There was the main exit, but that would mean walking by the three warlocks. He could try going through the kitchen, but that would kind of make a scene, and that was the last thing he wanted to do.

Maybe he could go into the bathroom. There could be a window in there, and he could climb out and make his escape that way. Yeah, that could work.

Delton was just getting up when he heard a strong voice in his head say, Don’t go outside. They’re waiting for you out there.

Delton froze. He could have sworn that somebody had used telepathy with him, but that was impossible. Not while he had the armbands on. They were supposed to be able to block all magic.

Yeah, but I’m strong enough to get through it. Now, you need to listen to me if you want to stay free. Otherwise you’re going to find yourself on the next transport back to the internment camp.

Delton wondered who in the hell was talking to him and why in the hell they would be willing to help a complete stranger like him. Where he came from, people didn’t help people for the hell of it.

One of the hooded figures at the bar turned around and looked directly at Delton. Delton felt himself frozen in the man’s brown-eyed gaze. Never before had he ever seen a man who was so attractive or so strong looking. Delton licked his lips nervously as he realized just how turned on he was by the other warlock.

My name is Vicen. I’m part of a warlock rebellion group that rescues and helps escapees like you.

Delton closed his eyes and thought really hard. If he could read Vicen’s thoughts, then maybe Vicen could read his. How do I know I can trust you?

At this point do you have any choice? came the response. It’s either us or the guards outside. At least with us, you know you won’t be going right back to an internment camp.

Delton had to agree that the strange warlock had a valid argument. But what if they were bounty hunters and only wanted to turn him in for the reward? Or worse, what if they meant to take him just to do him harm? This new world of theirs was filled with all kinds of vicious criminals. Some of whom liked to cause pain in others for shits and giggles.

We’re not going to hurt you in any way. I promise you that.

Delton snorted. Sure, that’s what they all say right before they slit your throat. He’d seen warlocks prey on others all the time in the camps, and that had simply been over a loaf of bread. There was no telling what they might be capable of in the free world.

You need to stop thinking so hard. The longer we stay in here, the better the chance the guards are going to come in. If they see you then there is going to be a fight.

No sooner had Vicen sent that thought than the front doors of the diner swung open. Delton’s heart seized in panic when he saw that they all wore the uniforms marking them as guards from the internment camps.

Shit! He’d been captured. In less than a day too. He wanted to punch something his frustration was so great. Despair flooded over him at the thought of returning back to the camp—the forced labor, the long stretches of no sleep, and the unending hunger.

No, there was no way he was going to return to that. He’d rather be dead first. He looked down at the table and saw a knife. It looked sharp enough to do the job. Picking it up with both hands, he prepared to plunge it into his stomach.

Something froze his hands just as he was inches from his target. Glancing up, he saw it was the warlock he had been ‘talking’ with earlier. The warlock flipped his wrist, and the knife was pulled from Delton’s grip and sent flying through the air.

“Today is not your day to die,” Vicen said aloud.

The whole diner stirred into an uproar as they realized that they were in the presence of warlocks. Not that Delton blamed them. Due to all the propaganda the government put out, the public believed that warlocks were evil and to be feared.

The guards began to advance on Delton, their faces set in grim lines. Although they too were warlocks, they had turned against their own kind and now worked with the government. Delton considered them the lowest of the low. What kind of person turns their back on their own brethren? It sickened him.

Vicen and his two buddies stood up and put their bodies between Delton and the guards. Delton sat there, frozen in both shock and fear. He could hardly believe that these men were fighting over him of all people. He was nothing. He had no family, he was no great warlock, he was just…well, him.

“Stand aside, and let us take the prisoner back into custody,” one of the guards ordered.

“Yeah, that isn’t going to be happening,” Vicen said.

“If you’re hoping to take him in to collect the bounty on him, you can forget it,” another guard interjected.

Vicen spread his fingers out, and Delton knew he was getting ready to use his magic in a battle. So did all the patrons in the diner, because they all dove under their tables and took cover.

“We have no interest in his bounty. We just don’t want to see another one of our fellow warlocks suffering. See, unlike you, we don’t turn against our own,” Vicen snapped.

“You have no idea what you’re talking about. We have our reasons for doing what we do,” one of the guards snarled.

“Really? Because I would die before I allowed myself to become the government’s patsy,” Vicen said, his voice dripping with disgust.

“Are you going to hand over the prisoner or not?” the guard asked.

“Not,” Vicen replied simply. “You’ll have to fight us if you want to get him back. And trust us, we’re not weak or hindered by cuffs like the prisoners you deal with every day. We have full control of our magic, and we’re not afraid to use it on you.”

“Don’t you know that it’s a federal crime to harbor an escaped prisoner?”

“Yup, but I still can’t find it in me to give two shits. Now, are we going to have this fight? Or are you guys going to leave peacefully?” Vicen asked.

One of the guards shot off a blast of magic. Vicen easily deflected it and said, “Well, I guess that answers those questions.”

Soon the warlocks were exchanging magical blows. Delton ducked under a table for cover too, but not before he grabbed his plate and drink. He wasn’t a fool. If he was going to be taken back to the camp, it was going to be with a full belly. All the while, the only thing he could think was, well, this shit has just gotten real.

A blast hit a nearby table, splintering it into two. A portly man who had been cowering under it let out a yelp and scrambled away, his pants getting smears of food on them. Come to think of it, there was a lot of food on the floor thanks to the battle. Denton thought of all the starving prisoners back at the camps and couldn’t help but feel a bit ticked at the waste. They would do anything to have just a scrap of what was being ground into the dirty tiles.

Delton took another bite of the mashed potatoes as he watched Vicen take out one of the guards with a blast to the chest. The guard grabbed at the wound and fell to the floor, gave a few twitches, and didn’t move again. Delton’s mouth went dry. While he couldn’t be sure, Delton thought the guy was dead. Damn, Vicen and his buddies weren’t playing around.

One of Vicen’s companions threw another blast at a guard. It sent the guard flying through the air. He hit the glass front of the diner. The window shattered, and the guard fell outside. He never came back.

That must have been enough for the remaining guards, because they turned and ran out of the diner as fast as they could. As for Delton, he stayed put under the table. After seeing what Vicen and his buddies were capable of, he wasn’t certain that he wanted to go with them or not. They seemed to be pretty dangerous, and he’d had enough of that kind of thing in his life.

Vicen ducked down so he was looking at Delton. “Well, are you coming or not?”

Delton knew what he choice he made next would be one of the most important decisions in his life. He looked up from under the fringe of his dirty brown hair. “You won’t hurt me?”

“I promise you that so long as you are with me, no harm will come to you.”

Well, they had just saved him from the guards, and it wasn’t like Delton had many other options. Without Vicen’s protection, Delton knew it was only a matter of time before he was caught and taken back.

Delton scooted out from under the table. “Okay, I’m coming with you.”

Vicen didn’t give Delton time to rethink his decision. He just grabbed Delton by the arm and led him out the front door. As they walked out, they passed by the body of the guard who had gone through the window. He looked just as dead as the guy on the inside.

“Don’t feel bad for them. Remember, they were willing to take you back to that hellhole of a camp, even though they’re warlocks like you. So in my book, they’re the scum of the earth,” Vicen said.

“They used their magic on us too,” Delton said. “Back at the camp, they would practice their torture spells on us.”

Vicen let out a curse. “We had heard that, but we were hoping that it was only a rumor.”

“No, it’s true; I have the scars to prove it.”

“All the more reason they deserved what they got,” Vicen said.

They arrived at an older looking car. Vicen turned to the others. “Blaze, you drive. Andor, take shotgun. I’ll stay in back with Delton.”

Delton let out a gasp. “How did you know my name?”

“I was in your mind earlier, remember?”

“How were you able to get past these?” Delton held up his arms to show off the bands.

Andor smirked. “There are no barriers that my brother can’t get by. He’s one of the strongest warlocks out there.”

Vicen shook his head. “I’m just good at some things. Now, let’s get going before we pick up a tail.”

They quickly loaded up in the car and were on their way.

 

New Release-Crimson and Diamonds

Available now at Resplendence Publishing

Sometimes the thing you most desire is the thing you can’t have, even if you are the most powerful vampire around.

Slate McCormic hasn’t survived a hundred years as a vampire without having some regrets. In an effort to atone for his blighted past, he’s made it his life’s vocation to take in stray vampires and help them turn their lives around. But the very nature of his work has kept him distant. That was until Konner came into his life, and threw Slate’s resolutions out the window. Too bad Konner’s long gone.

Konner Connelly has a penchant for getting into trouble. And tonight’s no exception. With a gang of vampires on his trail, he needs a safe place to stay, and there’s no place safer than his previous home. There’s just one problem—Slate. With unresolved attraction, there’s bound to be more to their reunion than simple sanctuary. But how far will Slate take it and will Konner’s actions put both their lives in jeopardy?

Excerpt:

Konner Connelly ran down the back streets of Flint as fast as he could. Darkness shadowed the deserted road, his footsteps and those of his companion the only sound echoing through the night. Konner knew that didn’t mean they were safe, though, not by a long shot. The pursuers were out there, and the men were hot on their trail. They could show up at any moment. So Konner had to keep moving as fast as he could.

His companion tripped over his feet and fell to the ground. Konner let out a soft curse and ran back. He wanted to yell at the guy, but since he was nothing more than an eighteen-year-old kid and already scared as hell, Konner knew he had to handle the situation delicately.

“We need to hurry, unless we want your master to catch us and make you a blood slave again.”

The kid’s blue eyes went wide with terror. “No, I don’t want that to happen again.”

“Then we need to get moving fast, or he will catch us.”

“It would be much easier if we had a car.”

Konner let out a sigh. “I don’t have one.”

“Why not?” the kid asked with a slight tilt of his head.

Now that was a long story that would have to wait until later. Konner still swore it wasn’t his fault. That police car had come out of nowhere when he’d hit it. But any-hoo, there wasn’t time to talk about that. They had to get to Slate’s before the kid’s master found both of them and ripped them to pieces. Konner might be great at picking locks and sneaking away, but he sucked at fighting. As such, he would be hopeless in a battle if the kid’s owner showed up to get his merchandise back.

“Just a few more blocks and we’ll be there,” Konner assured the kid.

“My feet hurt,” the kid said.

Konner didn’t blame him for that one. Since the slave didn’t have any shoes, he’d had to run the past mile barefoot. His feet were a mass of cuts and bleeding. Konner took off his own shoes and handed them over to the kid.

“Here, these should fit you. I can go in my socks for the last bit,” he offered.

The kid took the shoes and held them close to his chest as if they were some kind of treasure. Konner had no doubt that to him they were. The poor slave only wore a pair of skimpy leather shorts and nothing else. Knowing what little he did about the slave trade, Konner was willing to bet that’s all they had kept the kid in the entire time of his captivity.

“What’s your name?” Konner asked.

If he was going to get killed for this slave, Konner at least wanted to know who he’d died for. After all, it just seemed fair.

“Donavan,” the kid said as he sat down and gingerly put on the shoes.

“How long did they keep you as a slave?”

“Two years, right after they changed me into a vampire. Which is weird. Usually, they only keep humans as blood slaves, but my master, Thomas, really has a big time hard-on for me. He’s going to flip when he finds out that I’m gone,” Donavan said.

“Don’t worry. Where I’m taking you, you’ll be more than safe. The vampire there is really old, and he can kick anybody’s ass that comes his way,” Konner assured him.

Donavan got his shoes on, and they began running again. It didn’t take long for Konner’s socks to get wet, and his feet began to hurt from stepping on rocks and God knows what else. He just kept on going. He had a feeling that Thomas was hot on their heels, and Konner knew there was no way in hell he could take him on.

If Thomas got them, then both he and Donavan would be in deep shit. No doubt Donavan would be punished. They would probably take Konner as a slave, too, or worse, kill him on the spot. Vampires might be immortal, but that didn’t mean somebody couldn’t kill them.

When Slate’s large townhouse came into view, Konner let out a sigh of relief. Even if Thomas did show his ugly mug, at least Slate was within screaming distance. Just seeing his former sire’s home gave Konner the last bit of adrenaline he needed. He sprinted forward and was soon running up the steps to the front door.

Beating on the door frantically, Konner began to yell, “Slate! Open up! I need your help!”

At first, there was no answer, and Konner began to panic. Shit! What if Slate wasn’t home? If that was the case, then Donavan and Konner were in trouble. Just as Konner was about to give up, the door opened, and Slate was looking down at him.

For a second, Konner couldn’t speak. In the past five years, he’d almost forgotten how handsome his surrogate sire was. Despite the late hour, Slate was wearing a custom-made gray suit that molded perfectly to his muscular body. Slate’s short blond hair was impeccably styled without one hair out of place. It made Konner want to reach out and mess it up just a bit. Just to see how it would look after a round of hot sex. Slate’s blue eyes, usually full of caring, displayed confusion as he gazed at Konner and Donavan. Probably because he hadn’t seen Konner in five years, and he was wondering what in the hell he was doing there.

“Slate, thank God you’re here. I need your help,” Konner repeated.

“Yes, so I heard you yelling when you were trying to beat a hole in my door,” Slate said, his face neutral.

Damn it, how Konner hated it when Slate did that. It made it impossible to decipher where he stood. He didn’t know if his sire was pissed at him or if he was happy to see him. Either way, Konner had to get Slate to help him, and he had to convince Slate to do it fast.

“Can we talk about this inside, please? It’s not safe for us to be outside at the moment,” Konner said even as he glanced over his shoulder in fear.

To his great relief, Slate stepped to the side and let them in. As soon as Konner crossed the threshold and was in the familiar confines of his old home, he felt relief. He was safe now; he could relax. He put an arm around Donavan and led him to the living room. There were a few of Slate’s men in there, but Slate dismissed them with a slight jerk of his head. Soon the only ones still present were Konner, Donavan and Slate.

Donavan started to kneel on the floor, but Konner stopped him. “You’re free now. Sit on the couch.”

Donavan shot Slate a look of fear but did as he was told. He sat on the edge of the couch, his back ramrod straight, his hands in his lap. He looked ready to flinch at the slightest movement. Konner glanced at Slate and could see that his sire was already getting angry for Donavan’s sake. Konner let out a sigh of relief.

Slate took in strays, those who had been turned and left by the vampire who’d transformed them. Left on their own, many of the vampires died or turned feral because they had nobody to show them how to survive in their new life. Slate had made it his life’s work to find as many strays as possible and help them navigate their way through the beginning of life as a vampire.

Konner had been one of Slate’s strays. Konner had been a regular college kid when that fateful night on campus, he’d been attacked by a feral vampire and turned. Konner had been alone and scared for a whole week before Slate had found him and taken him in. Without Slate, Konner knew he would have died.

“Who’s going to tell me what’s going on?” Slate asked as he sat down in a chair.

Konner recalled the chair well. It had always been Slate’s favorite. All of Slate’s vampires had known better than ever to sit in it. As far as they were concerned, it had been forbidden territory. For while their sire had never been a cruel man, they had all respected him too much to encroach on his most treasured seat.

“I’ll explain everything,” Konner volunteered.

“How did I know that you would be the one who did all the talking?”

Heat burned Konner’s cheeks, but he didn’t bother to deny it. He always had been a chatterbox. He even talked in his sleep. Or so he’d been told.

“I went to a vampire bar tonight,” Konner started.

“Haven’t I told you how dangerous those places are?” Slate asked.

Even though it’d been five years since Konner had been under Slate’s care, Konner still felt himself squirming under the question. “I was curious. I’d never been to one before, and I wanted to see what all the hype was about.”

Slate pinched the bridge of his nose. “You and your curiosity are going to be the end of you one of these days.”

Oh, Slate didn’t know how right he was.

Konner continued. “Anyway, I was there for a while, when I noticed Donavan. They had him chained up and on the floor and were just letting anyone who wanted to feed off of him. It was like he was some kind of live buffet or something. Every time he protested or tried to fight it, his master would whip him. It was awful, Slate.”

“So you had to intervene, didn’t you?” Slate asked, his voice neutral.

“Of course I did. I couldn’t leave him there. So I went into the men’s room and hid out there until the place closed down. When it did, I went out and found Donavan still chained to the wall. Well, you know how good I am at picking locks.”

“God, yes I do. It was a trait I could never knock out of you. No matter how hard I tried.” Slate let out a sigh.

“That’s what happens when you grow up in a family of thieves. It’s a miracle that I even went to college in the first place,” Konner said. “You know they probably still haven’t noticed that I’m missing, and it’s been what? Nine years now?”

Slate gave him a tender smile. “Well, this family would have noticed.”

A warm feeling went through Konner at the sight of that smile. If Slate knew how many nights Konner had dreamed of it. Hell, if he only knew of how many times Konner had jacked off just thinking of it, Slate would probably flip out. Konner had been attracted to Slate for years, but he had been afraid to act on his feelings for fear that Slate would turn him away. After all, he used to be his sire, and that might mean Slate would feel it improper to get involved with Konner.

That had been the reason why Konner had eventually left the house. He knew that he could never have Slate as his own. So instead of sitting around and nursing a broken heart over something he couldn’t change, Konner had gone and made his own way in the world. That didn’t mean that his feeling for Slate had lessened, though. If anything, they had only grown stronger.

“Who was your master?” Slate asked Donavan.

Donavan twisted his hands together. “Thomas.”

Slate muttered a curse before turning to Konner. “You couldn’t have picked an easier target, could you?”

Konner shrugged. “How was I supposed to know he was some big, bad vampire? All I saw was some poor kid in trouble and that I had to rescue him. You would have done the same thing.”

Slate stared at Konner for several moments before he said, “Damn you, you know I would have. Fine, take Donavan upstairs to one of the rooms. We still keep the spare clothes in the same place. Give him a shower and get him set up for the night.”

 

First Ever UN Forum Dedicated to LGBT Rights

For the very first time a large group of the nations’ leaders gathered to discuss the very important, but often neglected issue of LGBT rights. Here is a video that highlights some of the events:

Available now for Pre-Order-Dragon’s Heart

Now available for pre-order at Total-E-Bound

Sometimes you have to face your horrible past or else you will never have a bright, happy future.

Lester has always been only half good enough—half a sorcerer, half a dragon, but all a bastard, he was shunned and unwanted as a child. So, the first thing he does when he can is move away to the human world, and he never looks back. But the supernatural world is coming to him. The war between the Dragons and the sorcerers is at its climax and both sides want Lester on their side.

Dragon shifter Mick grew up watching his best friend Lester being abused and shunned. Now that he’s back, Mick is more determined than ever to protect him. As the two find themselves falling in love, will they be able to overcome all their obstacles, or will war win over love?

Excerpt:

Lester Bucan had been counting on just another mundane day at the ER. He should have known better. First, things were never mundane in the ER and they were never, ever mundane when one was half sorcerer and half dragon.

Things had started out simply enough. He’d gone to work, acting like the normal human he’d been pretending to be for over a decade. Everything was easy-peasy. Things were busy at work, but since he’d been a nurse for over five years, he could handle it. He was keeping up and then some.

Then he had to go into exam room six and that was when everything had gone into the shitter. When the life that he’d worked so hard for a decade to build came crumbling down over his ears.

There, sitting in the exam room in all his five-foot six-inch glory, was Mick. He hadn’t changed much over the years. He still had his black hair styled in a faux hawk and he still wore all black with spikes. He even sported high, heavy boots that probably weighed more than he did. Numerous piercings marred his face, from his eyebrows down to his pouty bottom lip. Damned if he still didn’t look as cute as ever, too.

It made Lester think of a time when he’d had a crush on Mick. When he’d dared to think that something could happen between them. That had been when he was young and stupid, before he’d learned the cruel reality of life—that highborn dragons didn’t mix with bastards like Lester and they sure as hell didn’t mix with half-breeds. So he’d never admitted to Mick his true feelings and he never would. It was just better that way.

Lester quickly closed the door behind him and demanded, “What in the hell are you doing here?”

“I have a nasty cough?” Mick then gave the fakest-sounding hack that Lester had ever heard in his life.

“Nice try, but dragons don’t get sick. So what is the real reason why you’re here?”

“Brian sent me—well, us, actually.”

“What in God’s name would my half-brother want from me now of all times? He had little use for me before.”

Mick frowned, the gesture making him look all the younger. “He was always nice to you. It was his mother who had a problem with you. She really hated your guts.”

“It’s probably because I was a living reminder that her husband had cheated on her,” Lester drawled.

“Probably.”

“You still haven’t told me why you’re here,” Lester reminded Mick.

As much as Lester would have loved to sit there all day and stare at Mick—and he would have really liked to have done that since Mick was a wet dream come true—Lester was busy. He needed to get the young dragon on his way so he could get back to work.

“Oh, right, about that… You need to come with me, and by that I mean, right this minute,” Mick announced matter-of-factly.

Lester gaped at him. He knew Mick was a few screws short of a toolbox, but this was a new low even for him. “I can’t just up and leave. I’m in the middle of my shift.”

“Well, you see, this is where you have to stop pretending to be a human and come back to our world.”

“Says who?”

“Says everybody.”

“What in the hell is going on?”

“Duncan came home.”

That piece of news did shock Lester. Last he’d heard, his half-brother was MIA, had been for the past five years. Duncan hadn’t even shown up for his mother’s funeral.

Leaning against the wall for support, Lester asked, “When?”

“A couple of months ago, but it gets even better. He has a mate who’s a sorcerer—the son of the very sorcerer who had been holding Duncan captive for all those years by capturing his Dragon’s Eye.”

Suddenly it all made sense. If the sorcerer had indeed held Duncan’s Dragon’s Eye, then he would have, in essence, held Duncan’s free will. Duncan would have been at his mercy and powerless to leave. He would have been the sorcerer’s slave. It was a fate that all dragons lived in fear of.

 

STAT

 

Available now at eXtasy Books!

 

Wells thinks life is all work and no play, and Jaret thinks life is all one big party. When the two clash, an attraction develops that nobody saw coming.

Jaret may be a paramedic, but that doesn’t mean he lets the everyday horrors he sees keep him down. Every day is a reason to party, and he always loves to be the center of attention. When he finds out that his new partner is Wells, the stuffy medic in the company, Jaret is less than thrilled.

But the longer they work together, the more Jaret finds himself drawn to Wells. Wells, on the other hand, seems not to even notice that Jaret is there. Will Jaret be able to attract Wells’ attention? Or do opposites really distract?

 

Excerpt:

It was going to be boring as hell since the only person Jaret had to talk to was Wells, and everybody knew the guy was less than chatty. They pulled into the parking lot, and Wells found a spot but kept the rig running. That way, if they got a call, they would be ready.

“So I hear you’re trying to get into medical school,” Jaret said, in hopes of getting some sort of conversation going.

“Yes, so I hope you’ll leave me alone while I try to study. I’ve heard about your penchant for trouble, and I don’t want any part of it.”

With those words, Wells grabbed a book that must have weighed twenty pounds, opened it, and began to read. Both angered and incredulous, all Jaret could do was stare at Wells for a moment. He’d heard the guy was a jerk, but wow…just, wow.

“Penchant for trouble?” Jaret echoed. “Do you always talk that way?”

Wells looked up from his book. “What’s wrong with the way I said that?”

Jaret gave a half-shrug. “Nothing, it just makes you sound like one of the old dudes that used to be on the Bullwinkle cartoons. That’s all.”

Wells gave Jaret an irritated glare. “Just because I don’t talk like a five-year-old, like you do, doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with me.”

“I don’t talk like I’m five.”

“Yes, you do. You also act like it, too.”

“That’s not true,” Jaret denied.

“Yes, it is. You always have to cause trouble, and if you’re not the center of attention, you throw a hissy fit. Then you do something to ensure that everybody starts noticing you. Why do you think that you always have to play those stupid pranks on people?”

“Oh…I don’t know, maybe it’s because I like to have fun,” Jaret bit back sarcastically.

“No, it’s because you have a serious me-me-me complex. It’s really getting old, too. I grew bored of it the first week I worked for the company.”

Jaret could feel his cheeks getting flushed with rage. How dare Wells sit there in judgment of him? The two of them had barely spoken to each other. Surely, not long enough for Wells to form such a harsh opinion of Jaret.

“I’ll tell you what,” Jaret said. “You study your little books, and I’ll try my best to pretend you’re not there.”

“It sounds like a perfect plan to me,” Wells said.

Jaret slumped back in his seat. He didn’t know what in the hell the chief had been thinking when he partnered them together. At the rate they were going, they would be lucky if they made it through one shift without killing each other.

Flash Mob Proposal

Watch as this man proposes to his boyfriend via flashmob. What a Win!