Kallysten's Blog, page 3
July 25, 2017
Excerpt – Exiled
As a rule, Glenn didn’t like surprises. Not one bit.
In his experience, surprises never meant anything good. He liked his routine, he liked plans, he liked to know, as much as possible, what every minute of his day would be like when he got up in the morning. He tolerated some degree of uncertainty in his work, because after all it wasn’t like ancient ships had had GPS on board to signal the precise place where they’d elected to sink, but long hours of research and his knowledge of the Great Lakes minimized surprises to an acceptable level.
Less surprises also meant that he was able to keep better control of himself—and of his inner beast.
So when he came in to work that morning and found a brunette behind Harvey’s desk, his first thought wasn’t that she was definitely better looking than his assistant or that her eyes were the exact color of the Lilies Pond where he’d learned to swim, a blue that tried to pretend it really was green.
He didn’t even blink at the streak of white that flowed through the left side of her hair, the thick bleached strand tucked neatly behind her ear. What he did think was that an interloper was about to ruin his morning. Maybe even his week.
Even worse, a spark of interest lit inside him, the sleepy creature he tried to silence the best he could rearing up to take a better look at this unexpected development.
Strong. Pretty. Interesting. She has potential.
He glowered at the woman, resentful both of her presence and of the awakening she inspired within him.
“Who are you?” he demanded, his voice close to a growl. “Where is Harvey?”
Unfazed by a look that could make grown men fidget like schoolboys caught doing something naughty, she looked back at him calmly. She didn’t call him rude but he could hear the rebuke in every one of her words when she answered.
“My name is Nadia. Harvey hired me to fill in for him while he takes care of a family emergency. He said he should be back in a week, possibly two.”
Glenn’s glower didn’t abate in the slightest.
“He hired you,” he repeated flatly. “Just like that. Without checking with me first. Without checking with the person that actually makes the hiring decisions by virtue of signing paychecks.”
The girl—no, not a girl, a full-grown woman who continued to hold his gaze as though she chatted with irritated six-foot-four, two-hundred pounds men every day—gave a one-shoulder shrug.
“He said you were about to start a salvage operation and needed someone here immediately. He stayed as long as he could this morning waiting for you, but his plane was leaving at ten so he had to go. He also said he tried to contact you multiple times since Friday but you wouldn’t answer your phone. And he said, I quote, ‘Just do the job and ignore him when he grunts at you like a caveman.’”
Silent laughter erupted inside his mind.
I like her.
Annoyed, Glenn grunted. And immediately regretted the instinctive reaction when a corner of Nadia’s mouth twitched up toward a smile.
As much as he would hate to admit it aloud, he did need someone in the office. The weather was warming up quickly, and in a few weeks he’d resume giving diving lessons for the season. Calls were already coming in, classes filling up quickly, and while Glenn could take in reservations as well as Harvey did—he’d done it for two years while building up his business and reputation—at the moment he was wading chest deep into preparing for a salvage operation he hoped to conduct before he was too busy with the lessons.
Between his continued research of the wreck, from the kind of boat it had been to the cargo it had held, and the paperwork he had to complete with the state authorities to obtain a permit to salvage the site, he didn’t have much free time. He’d spent his weekend planning his upcoming lessons and the chartered dives that kept his company afloat. Salvages were his passion, but they often yielded little more than personal satisfaction.
“And speaking of doing my job,” Nadia said, picking up a notepad from the desk and glancing at it, “I took a call from a journalist at the Clevelander a little while ago. Miss Oakley? She said you two were supposed to meet at noon but she has a conflict. She’d like to meet at one instead, at the same restaurant. I went ahead and changed your reservations. I trust that’s all right?”
She looked back up at him, the barest arching of an eyebrow daring him to criticize the work she’d accomplished so far. For a first day, and after Harvey had left her here alone, Glenn could begrudgingly concede that she was off to a good start. Harvey really had to trust her if he’d hired her and thrown her at the deep end of the pool like this.
If Glenn had known about it, he might not have stopped at the diving shop where he bought his supplies to place an order and drop off some flyers before coming in to the office. He doubted he’d have done anywhere near as well if he’d just walked into a completely new situation as she had. As a matter of fact, he knew he wouldn’t have done as well. After all, it had taken him three years to find his place in this world after he had left home. Still, praising her now when he’d just complained about the way she’d been hired would have felt silly.
“Mail usually comes in around eleven,” he muttered. “Bring it to me when it does.”
The internal laughter redoubled, now with a mocking edge directed toward Glenn. Ignoring it, he turned away from Nadia, entered his office and pointedly closed the door on her satisfied little smile.
Damn Harvey for going away without warning and knowing Glenn would be an ass to whoever filled in. Damn him for awakening now after years of general disinterest toward the world. And damn Glenn himself for being so predictable.
He shook his head when he looked at his desk and saw his cell phone there, peeking from under the edge of a map. He’d forgotten the stupid thing again when closing up on Friday night. He was ready to bet that if he checked he’d find both messages and texts from Harvey—not that anyone else had his number, really.
He still wasn’t convinced he needed a cell phone, but Harvey had insisted that the company needed matching phones and a shared plan. Seeing how Glenn hadn’t been able to offer him an actual raise at the time, he’d gone along and bought the phones. With a bit of luck, this new salvage might allow for a bonus. Harvey deserved at least that much.
Dropping his leather jacket on a chair, Glenn walked around the desk, battled with the Venetian blinds until they finally consented to remain up, and turned to the map of the lake he’d left there Friday night. When the depth lines and other markings had all started to blur like a giant tangle of algae, he’d had to admit it was useless to keep working.
Several repositionable stickers marked the recorded locations of known wrecks in blue—the same wrecks he’d visit with clients in a couple of months. Three red dots, farther out into the lake and much closer to the border line with Canada, were tentative markers where ships might have sunk; Glenn intended to visit each of them in time to ascertain whether anything was there or not, the first step toward a salvage operation.
The marker that held his attention when he sat down, however, was purple. It designated the Emelia Bride, a vessel from the late eighteen hundreds that had sunk, on what sailors on nearby vessels had described as a perfect day, for no reason anyone had ever understood. The lack of survivors had not helped on that front.
After tapping the map with an absent finger, he pulled a folder from a desk drawer that creaked before surrendering its contents. Half a dozen photocopied pages and twice as many grainy pictures were all Glenn had to show for more than a year of research into archives and old ledgers kept in the ‘rare documents’ section of the Cleveland Public Library. He doubted anyone had ever shown an interest in the dusty volumes except him.
He usually liked to have more information than this before he launched into a salvage operation; his time, money and safety demanded as much. The Emelia Bride felt different, however. He couldn’t have explained why, but from the moment he’d first come across the name, something had pulled him toward the vessel. Even the creature inside him had stirred when he’d done his first descent to the wreck—something unprecedented as he hated being underwater about as much as Glenn enjoyed it and usually retreated as far as he could during dives.
A hunch, and the interest from a being who didn’t care about such things… Glenn had made himself the promise long ago not to believe in any such thing as ‘fate,’ but there he was…
* * *
Half an hour trickled by as he reviewed once more every scrap of information, tried again to decipher the smudged entries of the cargo manifest, peered at the photographs he had taken on his reconnaissance dive a few months ago. He only looked up at a single knock on the door to watch Nadia walk in, a steaming mug in one hand and a small pile of envelopes in the other.
“I made coffee. I thought you might want some.”
When she started putting the mug down on the desk, he opened his mouth, ready to chastise her for risking staining his map, but she set the mug to the side, clear of any papers, and Glenn closed his mouth sullenly.
Why are you so determined to be upset with her? Because I find her interesting?
Glenn refused to respond. It had been months, maybe years since he had been as awake and aware as he was now, and encouraging him could only lead to trouble.
“Harvey didn’t tell me what I’m supposed to do with the mail,” Nadia said, handing it over. “Would you rather I open it and filter out junk mail or…”
She let the rest of the sentence hang between them, waiting for an answer, but Glenn wasn’t paying her any attention anymore. The topmost envelope, bright red and smooth under his fingers, was closed with a circle of black wax. He didn’t need to turn it over to know there wouldn’t be a return address or even stamps on the front. This might have been slipped in the mailbox, but it wasn’t a normal piece of mail.
Glenn should have seen it coming, he supposed. After all, he’d felt the heat of a firecall trying to reach him several times in the past week, and had refused to acknowledge it every time.
The creature rumbled, his growing agitation matching Glenn’s.
“Mr. Argonis?” Nadia asked. “Is everything all right?”
He nodded absently, still unable to look away from the envelope.
“Fine. Thanks for the coffee. Please close the door on your way out.”
Whatever she might have thought of the dismissal, Glenn couldn’t begin to care, not when the envelope was burning his mind to cinders. He set it down on the desk and made a point of going through every other piece of mail before he finally picked the red envelope up again.
Without thinking, he ran the pad of his thumb over the wax seal. The imprint was smudged, as though it had been done in a rush, but he’d have recognized the stylized dragon in a circle anywhere. It’d been all around him when he was growing up: painted, carved, molded. Marking everything in his father’s house as royal—including Glenn himself.
When he’d left, getting rid of every piece of embroidered clothing he owned had been liberating. Before a week had passed, he’d found himself absently doodling that same symbol on a napkin in a diner and wishing he could go home.
He turned the envelope between his fingers, reading his name on the front, delaying just a little longer. What was the point, though? He’d have to open it sooner or later.
Holding back a sigh, he finally broke the wax and pulled out a single sheet of paper folded in two. It bore only three words, and the signature wasn’t the one he expected, but with that seal, it was as strong a command as he could receive in writing.
Firecall me now.
M
Maikel might have penned that letter, but Glenn knew their father was behind it. He had to be if Maikel had been allowed to use the seal.
Unless Leto was in charge now. That prospect wasn’t any more appealing.
Dropping the envelope and letter on the desk, he stood abruptly and turned to the window. From seven floors up, all he could see outside was a building taller than this one on the other side of the street, cars moving at a snail’s pace down below, a bit of bright blue sky above, but no hint of the lake even though it was less than a mile away. He longed to be out there, on the water, or even under it, where no crimson envelope could have found him, where the creature receded so far it was as though he didn’t exist at all.
Tightening his fists briefly, he opened them to pull on the string and draw the blinds. They fell closed with a clatter, shutting out the spring sunlight.
He sat down again and picked up the coffee mug marked with his company’s logo: the outline of a ship’s bow in a circle. He’d hoped to make a seal out of it, someday. His own seal; his own life.
He brought the mug to his lips and drank deeply, barely aware that it was exactly sweet enough, with no cream—just as he liked it. Harvey, it seemed, had been more concerned in describing Glenn’s coffee preferences than the appropriate handling of mail. Or had Nadia specifically asked Harvey about it?
No matter, now.
He drank and drank until the mug was empty, then, folding the piece of paper back in two, he dropped it in the porcelain mug. He pivoted in his chair until his back was to the door, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, allowing the dragon within him that he’d caged for so long to rise a little toward the surface. When he opened his eyes again, he exhaled. A thin stream of fire passed his lips and ignited the paper.
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The post Excerpt – Exiled appeared first on KALLYSTEN.
Exiled
Born a dragon prince in the Firelands, exiled for a crime he hasn’t committed yet, Glenn has learned to ignore his dragon. He made a life for himself on Earth, giving diving lessons and exploring wrecks in Lake Erie.
But on the same day a new sassy assistant steps into his office, his old life catches up with him. The Firelands are at war again, and it doesn’t take long for the fight to find Glenn, catching his assistant Nadia in the crossfire. Between his inner dragon rising again and calling her his mate and Glenn’s own reluctant attraction to her, he’ll do anything to keep her safe.
All Nadia wanted was to spend time with Glenn and get to know him. She didn’t imagine she’d end up on the run with him, but sharing close quarters might turn up the heat and make it easier for her to get what she needs from him. Or it would if Glenn opened up to her…
LENGTH – 48.000 words
PAIRING – M/F
RATING – sexy
NOTE – This ebook is part of the Firelands Wars series but is a standalone.
EBOOK
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>> Buy from Smashwords
June 15, 2017
One Last Lullaby
When Kirsten walks back into Jacob’s life after years of estrangement, it’s not to resume the relationship she once ended abruptly. Instead, she’s there to work as a mage for the same agency in which Jacob is a Special Enforcer… or at least, that’s her story and she’s sticking to it. Whether Andrew, her boss and one of Jacob’s fathers, hired her for her skills or to get her back in Jacob’s life is anyone’s guess.
Although Jacob is determined to see in Kirsten a co-worker and friend, he still loves her just as much as he ever did. He used to believe she was ‘the one,’ and even years after she broke up with him he still doesn’t understand what happened. It doesn’t help that every little thing she does reminds him of what they once shared.
As the agency battles deadly demons night after night, the relationship between Jacob and Kirsten goes from awkward to downright painful… until one botched magic spell traps them in a strange world inhabited by the demons, and the only way back will require them to reveal to each other their most painful secret…
LENGTH – 76.000 words
PAIRINGS – M/F and M/M (2 different couples)
RATING – Sexy
NOTE – One Last Lullaby is a sequel to Fangs & Lullabies and Demons & Lullabies. These two books focus on two vampires, Andrew and Nicholas, as they raise a child, Jacob, from birth into adulthood. One Last Lullaby focuses on a grown-up Jacob as he struggles to find love.
EBOOK – This story will be released as part of the Cimmerian Shade Box Set in September 2017. You can preorder on the following sites:
>> Amazon
At this time this book is available only from Kindle Unlimited. It will be released as its own book and from all bookstores in a few months.
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Coming soon – One Last Lullaby
When Kirsten walks back into Jacob’s life after years of estrangement, it’s not to resume the relationship she once ended abruptly. Instead, she’s there to work as a mage for the same agency in which Jacob is a Special Enforcer… or at least, that’s her story and she’s sticking to it. Whether Andrew, her boss and one of Jacob’s fathers, hired her for her skills or to get her back in Jacob’s life is anyone’s guess.
Although Jacob is determined to see in Kirsten a co-worker and friend, he still loves her just as much as he ever did. He used to believe she was ‘the one,’ and even years after she broke up with him he still doesn’t understand what happened. It doesn’t help that every little thing she does reminds him of what they once shared.
As the agency battles deadly demons night after night, the relationship between Jacob and Kirsten goes from awkward to downright painful… until one botched magic spell traps them in a strange world inhabited by the demons, and the only way back will require them to reveal to each other their most painful secret…
LENGTH – 76.000 words
PAIRINGS – M/F and M/M (2 different couples)
RATING – Sexy
NOTE – One Last Lullaby is a sequel to Fangs & Lullabies and Demons & Lullabies. These two books focus on two vampires, Andrew and Nicholas, as they raise a child, Jacob, from birth into adulthood. One Last Lullaby focuses on a grown-up Jacob as he struggles to find love.
EBOOK – This story will be released as part of the Cimmerian Shade Box Set in September 2017. You can preorder on the following sites:
>> Amazon
>> Barnes & Noble
>> iBooks
>> Kobo
The post Coming soon – One Last Lullaby appeared first on KALLYSTEN // tales of love and seduction.
June 4, 2017
Life On The Edge
When bar owner Brett Andrews meets the sexy vampire Lisa, he has no idea that his entire life is about to change.
While he never had any ill feelings toward vampires, he was never entirely comfortable around them either. And yet, he soon gets very, very close to her… and not merely in a physical way. They become business partners as well as lovers.
His life changes even further when she invites Leo, an old friend of hers, into their bed, causing Brett to realize she knows what he wants and needs even better than he does himself…
This box set contains the following titles:
LENGTH – 94.000 words
PAIRING – M/F, M/F/M, M/M, M/M/F
RATING – Sizzling
NOTE – This set gathers the following works: Before the Edge, On The Edge, Over The Edge, Walking The Edge, and the exclusive bonus short story Hunger’s Edge.
EBOOK
>> Buy from Amazon
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The post Life On The Edge appeared first on KALLYSTEN // tales of love and seduction.
May 27, 2017
Maybe Another Time
After a century and a half, Lucien has no illusions about vampires being treated fairly by humans. All he hopes for is to find willing prey to feed from without having to kill—and occasional company to break the monotony of lonely nights. A large scar, however, a frightening souvenir from his siring, scares away many humans, and more often than not he gets kicked out of blood bars and dance clubs for little more than his appearance.
When a new club opens in town that is touted as a meeting place for vampires and humans, he reluctantly gives it a try. On his first night there, he is pleasantly surprised… until the young woman with whom he shares a glass of wine and pleasant conversation at the bar realizes what he is.
If Zoe had had her wish, the bachelorette party for her best friend would have taken place anywhere but at On The Edge—anywhere vampires are not welcomed so openly. Unlike the rest of the bridal party, Zoe has a healthy wariness of vampires… Or could it be more than wariness, and less than healthy?
Every aspect of her life seems governed by patterns she can’t overcome, from the way she yields in conflicts to her inability to believe anyone might be interested in her extra curves. Could changing one thing—her fear of vampires—be the one small step that starts her on a new life journey?
LENGTH – 21.000 words
PAIRING – M/F
RATING – sexy
EXCERPT
NOTE – This ebook was previously published as part of the Vampire Bites anthology. It is part of the On The Edge series but is a complete standalone.
EBOOK
>> Preorder from Amazon
>> Preorder from Barnes & Noble
>> Preorder from iBooks
>> Preorder from Kobo
>> Buy soon from Smashwords
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April 12, 2017
Mated
When the Ileos clan invites shifter clans from the Firelands to watch their new leader take power, Maikel Argonis doesn’t have much choice but to attend. As second in line to the throne, his lack of interest for this kind of social function is not reason enough to stay home. His father, the king of the Firelands, rules over his sons with as firm a hand as he rules a realm where power-hungry shifters don’t hesitate to start wars.
The chore, however, takes an unexpected turn for Maikel when he meets Celly Ileos. Second-born like he is, quick-witted and rebellious, she captures both Maikel’s interest and his dragon’s—even though she’s a phoenix.
Celly doesn’t mind seeing her older brother take power like he was always destined to. However, she does mind that he’s already trying to use her as a pawn in his power games, intending to strengthen their clan through her marriage to one of his allies. Her heart is her own, and she wants to choose her own mate.
But if that mate happens to be a dragon prince, will she be strong enough to endure the fire of disapproval raging from his family and her own?
LENGTH – 31.000 words
PAIRING – M/F
RATING – sexy
NOTE – This ebook is part of the Firelands Wars series but is a standalone. It is currently available as part of the Prowlers & Growlers boxed set.
EBOOK
>> Buy from Amazon or read free with KU
January 31, 2017
Anando’s Journey
It starts with one spin on the dance floor, one night like many other nights: vampire Anando takes new prey to his bed, takes her body and her blood.
But one dance turns into two, two nights turn into three, then more. Inviting others to join them only draws them closer. Virginia isn’t just prey any longer. Bedroom games give way to feelings. And Anando, confronted with his deepest fear, has to choose between clinging to the past or moving on to a future with a human lover, a child… and maybe even a Childe.
LENGTH – 210.000 words
PAIRING – Main pairing is M/F. Also included M/F/M, M/M, M/M/F, M/M/F/M/F
RATING – Sizzling
NOTE – This set gathers the following novel-length works Out of the Box, Living Out of the Box, Beyond the Edge. Also included as a bonus is the ‘deleted scene’ Between the Boxes, which is not available anywhere else at this time.
EBOOK
>> Buy from Amazon soon
>> Buy from Barnes & Noble soon
>> Buy from iBooks soon
>> Buy from Kobo soon
>> Buy from Smashwords
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January 20, 2017
The Challenge / Blood Moon
THE CHALLENGE
Centuries ago, Allendra and Zaan, wielding the Source together, created supernatural beings they hoped would bring peace and harmony to the world. Instead, strife, feuds, and wars took their toll.
After lifetimes of watching her creations perpetuate misery and destruction, Allendra has had enough. She has been harnessing the power of the upcoming Blood Moon, and plans to strip every one of these beings of their supernatural powers.
Zaan, long estranged from her, returns to ask her to reconsider, but the Challenge she issues might be more than he bargained for…
This short story is the introduction to the Fated & Forbidden series, a world that gathers stand-alone paranormal stories from 11 authors. It can be downloaded for free from Instafreebie. The characters Allendra and Zaan get their own story in the conclusion, Blood Moon.
BLOOD MOON
When Zaan sensed power gathering across the world, he followed his instincts all the way back to Allendra. He already knew what she was planning to do just as he knew he would not be welcome after centuries of estrangement. He soon finds out he’s right on both counts.
After he pleads with her to change her mind, Allendra challenges the breeds they created together. They will have to choose love over everything else before the Blood Moon, or risk losing their powers. Zaan realizes he, too, has a role to play here… but is it a role Allendra chose for him, or did he get caught in the challenge by accident?
Either way, trying to find a way back into her heart will not be an easy task when Allendra seems intent on living in the past…
LENGTH – 45.000 words
PAIRING – M/F
RATING – Sexy
EBOOK
>> Buy from Amazon or read free with Kindle Unlimited
While at this time this book is available only from Amazon, it will be available from other retailers in the future.
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October 24, 2016
Love & Magic: A M/M Collection
In this collection of two short stories and one novella, it’s all about love, and how magic can bring lovers together… or tear them apart…
THE THIRTEENTH HALLOWEEN
When, after twenty years, Thomas returns to the home he shared with Jim, his mind is filled with memories both sweet and bitter. They were once happy there, but when Jim discovered that Thomas was a wizard, he felt betrayed enough to kick Thomas out of his life.
Jim has now passed away, leaving the house to Thomas, and Thomas soon realizes that he wasn’t the only one who regretted the way they parted. With Halloween strengthening the ghostly presence of Jim in the house, Thomas might just get the chance to say goodbye… or even more.
CHRISTMAS MAGIC
On the eve of Christmas, Hunter gets a call from his friend Cole and agrees to help him perform a magic ritual. Cole has taught Hunter to do simple magic spells, but Hunter’s feelings for Cole run deeper than friendship and gratitude, even though he doesn’t know if Cole even likes men that way.
Once they are ‘locked’ in the magic circle, though, Cole has to admit that the ritual requires them to be intimate, and he didn’t ask Hunter to help by accident.
UNDER HIS SKIN
For Christmas, Nathan has the perfect gift for Joshua, his best friend and sometimes lover: his magic. Ever since Nathan found out he had magical abilities, Joshua has supported him, encouraging him to cultivate his talent, so that Nathan is now the resident mage of the local Special Enforcer agency that employs both of them. Joshua, however, doesn’t have a trace of the talent, however much he wishes he could do magic too.
On a night off, Nathan offers Joshua a way to discover what it feels like to do magic by swapping bodies for a few hours. But before the night is over, their boss calls them both for back up, and the playful spell starts to cast a different light on their relationship. Will they be able to do their job and keep an innocent girl safe while stuck in each other’s skin, or will magic break them apart?
LENGTH – 8.000 words / 8.000 words / 19.000 words
PAIRING – M/M
RATING – Sexy
EXCERPTS – The Thirteenth Halloween – Christmas Magic – Under His Skin
PRICE – $0.99 during preorder, $2.99 upon release on November 10th
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