Land of Two Moons - YA Epic SciFi Fantasy Adventure - and a Giveaway #YAEpic #SciFi #Fantasy #Adventure #Giveaway

D.L. Gardner is here to tell us about Land of Two Moons, a YA epic scifi fantasy adventure.

There's also a great giveaway.

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Political unrest, war over valuable mines, forbidden love, and a homesick dragon bound in chains threaten the land of two moons.

Land of Two Moons

by D.L. Gardner

Genre: YA Epic SciFi Fantasy Adventure

"The gritty reality of trench warfare and the smoky chaos of riots is striking in D. L. Gardner's Land of Two Moons...a rich and ambitious fantasy novel that successfully builds a world trembling on the brink of magical and political upheaval. This is a delicate, intricate novel that rewards patient reading." - Independent Book Review

 

Arthur and Hallie are twin siblings, son and daughter of the Duke of Lodesmoor. Humble teenagers who befriend the village people and sympathize with their grievances. Their father, Lord Balmier, whose duchy is approaching financial collapse, uses his subjects as pawns in a battle over a string of valuable mines.

Lord Balmier sees his son's sympathy toward the serfs as an alliance against him and soon acts to squelch Arthur's sedition.

Hallie clings to a forbidden love, and both siblings must resist their father's harsh rule.

All the while they are unaware that their mother keeps a mystical dragon named Killian, bound in chains by a spell, whose fate will affect them all.

As the twin moons approach a rare and magical eclipse, alliances shift, secrets unravel, and Arthur and Hallie must choose between loyalty, freedom, and sacrifice to save their people and themselves.

 

“With strong pacing and a cast of memorable characters – including a homesick dragon, this is the perfect book for fans of the ‘fantasy’ genre. Highly recommended!” - The Wishing Shelf

 

 

***Check out the kickstarter campaign!**

 

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Land of Two Moons will be a limited edition leather hardcover signed and numbered, a special edition case laminate hardcover, an eBook, and a paperback with printed edges. A rigid slip case is available for the hardcovers. 

 

***Check out the kickstarter campaign!**

Prologue

     Pattin didn’t know what they were fighting for. All he knew was that when their commander yelled the order he was to let loose his arrows toward another trench opposite theirs somewhere in the Red Sands desert. Rumor was they were fighting over mines, dukes, power, and money. Nothing he’d ever be privy to. It didn’t matter. He was here because he’d been conscripted.

He'd been in this trench for nine days straight. Hot, drenched in sweat, sick to his stomach, and with little to eat or drink. Tired of swatting flies and stepping over the bodies of his comrades, he was ready to leave. No one wanted to be here, especially not the lads from Bidsworth, and especially not on the front lines.

He spat the dust out of his mouth and bit another piece of jerky.

“When is she going to come for us?” he asked his friend.

“Tonight, they said. Maybe,” Ivan whispered.

“What do you mean, maybe? She promised.”

“She can only take five at a time.”

“Bloody Marks, she’s been here every night for a week. What’s she going to do, get everyone but us? The more people who leave, the less chance of survival for those who stay. I’m too young to die in this rat hole.”

Ivan shrugged—a hint that he wasn’t happy about the situation either.

“We could try and make a run for it on our own,” Pattin whispered, his lips barely moving, glancing around the desolate countryside.

Over the sand, the heat waves danced, crafting a mirage of water, a deceptive illusion that only a fool would pursue. Bait for the enemy. Pattin licked his lips, wishing for a drink of cool water from the springs in Bidsworth, his homeland, a wealthy duchy whose stone structures mirrored the color of the red earth. Here in the wasteland, iron ore poisoned the vegetation, and there was nothing but dust as far as the horizon. The soldiers hated this place, and rumors of desertion were burning the ears of the agents at base. The officers were watching the troops like hawks.

“Fool. We’d have bolts in our backs, dead. Is that what you want? If I’m going to desert, I’m doing it with Kezia.” Ivan wiped the sweat from his brow; his face caked with red earth. Even his eyelashes were laden with dirt.

“What makes her so special that she can get us out with no one noticing?”

Ivan snickered and glared at him. “She’s the duke’s daughter, remember? Plus, she’s smart, crafty, and wicked.”

“Duke sabotages his own army through his daughter!” Pattin mumbled.

“Stop complaining or she’ll never come and get you.”

Pattin wiped his brow, his mouth fixed in a frown. She might not come for him at all. It’s everyone else’s luck to be saved by a duchess.

"Heads up!" The dreaded warning arrived just as a flurry of bolts blotted out the sun.

Pattin covered his head with his shield. Ivan lifted his own targe to cover his body while the plummeting projectiles thundered on it.

“Move!” came the command.

Like a terrified beetle, Pattin crouched on the ground and joined the others, locking his shield with Ivan’s as the company crawled through the trench, hands and knees bleeding, while avoiding the corpses of friends who didn’t survive. Away from the onslaught they moved, abandoning their supplies. Someone would be sent back for them when the sun settled on the horizon and the two moons rose.

Soon everyone here would have to leave the trenches and charge at the enemy. That was a standard maneuver, and it was just a matter of time. Hand to hand combat would kill him, Pattin was certain. With practiced ease, he could loose an arrow, always striking the mark. But his end would come by the cold steel of a sword. He hoped it would be tomorrow. He wasn’t ready to die today.

Maybe Kezia would draw his name and come for him tonight. Maybe he would live through this bloody war, after all.

D.L. Gardner is an award-winning author, artist, filmmaker, and screenwriter with over 28 published works to her credit. Writing and painting are her passions and fantasy her forte. When she's not pounding keys on the computer, she's canning salsa, picking apples, listening to the voices of critters in the woods, or watching flowers grow. She loves visiting far-off lands through books by both reading and writing.

 

Her genres include all fantasy, historical, and mystery.

 

Get to know D.L. through her websites and blogs or send her a message her on Kickstarter.

 

Currently a FINALIST (2025 March) in the Cannes World Wide Film Festival for her screen adaption of her book An Unconventional Mr. Peadlebody.

 

Other awards include Wishing Shelf book Award 2023 for audio, B.R.A.G. Award 2022 for the Cho Nisi series, Book Excellence Award 2019 and 2015 for Ian's Realm and Cassandra's Castle. Best Screenplay adaptation from her book Dylan at the Paris Screenplay Awards, Mile Hill International Screenplay Awards, L.A. Edge Awards, European Cinematography Awards, and Moondance Film Festival. Best Screenplay Award for adaptation from her book An Unconventional Mr. Peadlebody at Veers Film Festival, Best Screenplay Award for adaptation of Ian's Realm at the Twin Falls Sandwiches Film Festival and many more.

  

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Nerdy Girl Nell - Nerdy Girl Novels #2 - Contemporary Sports Romance - and a Giveaway #Romance #ContemporaryRomance #SportsRomance #ContemporarySportsRomance #Giveaway

Lindsey Gray is here to tell us about Nerdy Girl Nell, Nerdy Girl Novels #2, contemporary sports romance.

There's also a great giveaway.

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Nerdy Girl Nell

Lindsey Gray

(Nerdy Girl Novels, #2)

Publication date: March 17th 2026

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Sports

Nell De Lacy loves small things like story time, a well-stocked bookshelf, and evenings with friends. Relearning how to date after grief was supposed to be the hardest thing.

Enter professional wrestler Chance Robicheaux. Towering, tender, and utterly relentless about keeping her safe. The two become friends first, spending nights learning each other’s quirks. Between hospital rooms and poker nights, the two find something electric and real.

Nell’s life suddenly fractures with a violent assault, a cache of stolen images, and a blackmailer who won’t be denied. As the threat tightens and the press draws near, Nell’s voice, literally and figuratively, fails her at the worst possible time.

With the De Lacy family company’s December board vote approaching, Nell faces a critical challenge that threatens to upend her life. The outcome of the vote carries the risk of awarding a coveted contract to the wrong people, forcing Nell to balance family loyalty, legal danger, and a secret that could change everything.

Nell and Chance’s is a story about rebuilding, of finding courage in therapy and friendship, and discovering there’s strength in asking for help. Nell’s fight becomes Chance’s fight, and soon they choose to fight evil together. Will justice arrive before the quiet she loves is gone forever?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iBooks

EXCERPT:

“This honey pot just got a whole lot sweeter.” Chance Robicheaux licked his lips and tossed in a few plastic chips. The cards in his hand were the best he’d held the entire night.

He peered around the table of friends as they partook in their newly minted Wednesday poker night. Rob Breyer, Chance’s closest friend and wrestling tag team partner, concentrated on his hand. Rob’s girlfriend, Emma MacLean, rolled her eyes at Chance’s comment, then winked at him when she glanced his way. The dealer and his new sidekick, Seamus De Lacy, took a sip of his drink while the rest of the players made their decisions.

Chance’s eyes landed on the last member of the table; he bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself from moaning. Emma’s roommate, Nell De Lacy, stared at him with a slight look of awe mixed with determination, which he found fucking irresistible. The woman had driven him mad since their first meeting over a bowl of potato salad to his crotch. No matter what the situation, one glimpse of Nell, her auburn hair in those cute as hell space buns and perfectly pouty lips, had him hard in three seconds flat.

“I fold.” Rob placed his cards on the table and slumped in his chair.

“I’ve got nothing.” Emma tossed in her cards, then slid her arm around Rob’s shoulders. “This isn’t our night.”

Chance lifted his eyes to Nell’s. “What about you, Nell?”

The corner of Nell’s lips that Chance spent hours fantasizing about curled upward. “I’ll see you.” She tossed in enough to match Chance’s bet. “And I’ll raise you.” She counted out the rest of her chips and placed them in the pot.

Chance could tell she was confident about the hand she possessed. She had her tells as much as anyone else did. The smirk she wielded always made him pull out of the game. Not tonight, though. She’d gone all in, but he’d go a bit more.

“All right.” He determined the required chips to call but decided to raise to find out what she had to offer.

“You can’t do that!” Her confidence turned to anger.

“I sure can. I’m willing to make a deal if you think your hand is still as worthy as it was a moment ago.” Chance’s heart thumped in his chest while he stared her down, praying she would give in.

“What kind of deal?” she asked.

Chance grabbed the pad of paper and pen beside him and wrote down what he wanted. He slid it to her.

She picked it up and read his chicken scratch. “This…” The words clogged her throat as heat moved up to color her face.

“You place that in the pot. I win; you deliver. You win; you can rip it up.”

Nell opened and closed her mouth, then pressed her plump lips in a firm line. She pushed the slip across the table. “I call. Show me what you’ve got.”

Chance peered into her brilliant emerald eyes as he laid each card down one by one. Her face paled. “Royal flush.”

“Damn,” she murmured, and she laid her cards down face up.

“Full House. Not bad, but not good enough tonight.” Chance licked his lips in anticipation of his winnings.

Emma glanced between the two. “What did he win?”

Nell placed her palms on the table, her cheeks tinged pink. “A kiss.”

Author Bio:

Lindsey Gray is a writer, an over-thinker, and a chronic list-maker, but her passion for writing stories you'll love always tops the list. Her author journey began in 2010 with the publication of her first novel, and she has spent the last decade creating worlds for readers to play in. In addition to her own work, Gray utilizes her skills formatting novels for other authors and hosts the weekly show, Gray Matters, on TMV Cafe Internet Radio. She lives and writes fueled by iced tea, her handsome hubby, and the beautiful chaos of mothering her children.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / X / Instagram / Threads / TikTok / BlueSky / StoryGraph

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Interruption: Kingdom of Paradimia - The Princess Annals Book 2 - Erotic Romantasy - and a Giveaway #Erotic #Romantasy #Giveaway

Victor Pierce is here to tell us about Interruption: Kingdom of Paradimia, The Princess Annals Book 2, erotic romantasy.

There's also a great giveaway.

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Untether the pleasure.

Reclaim the magic.

Interruption: Kingdom of Paradimia

The Princess Annals Book 2

by Victor Pierce

Genre: Erotic Romantasy

Aaliyah’s journey continues in this erotic fantasy-scape as she struggles to understand whether love includes depravity.

Exposed to a handful of soul dust, Aaliyah re-awakens and sets off to free Gabriel from his prison within the Dry Woods. Outside, she is again confronted by a gryphon but with no not-to-bright knight to defend her. Good thing the gryphon only wants companionship. The flight of a wandering heartsick gryphon is not a direct route to anywhere and after watching a raunch of unicorns, Liyah tumbles into a magical river far from her desired destination. Between encounters with dwarves who remember her forgotten promise and fairies who sell favors for power, she must master the primal magics of patterning and untether the pleasures she once bound to fidelity.  For Liyah has learned that Gabriel, the man who anchors her, is not only trapped in the Dry Woods but also bound by primal locks that will age him to death if opened incorrectly. 

Every bit of new magics comes with a cost: soul-dust addiction, bargains that entangle desire and duty, and adversaries who want her power for themselves. With time collapsing and a witch’s spell hovering like an axe, Liyah must decide whether the route to rescue is the same path she promised never to tread—pleasure given away to reclaim what matters most. The question is simple and brutal: how much will she sacrifice to save him?

 

** NEW RELEASE! **

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Liyah blinked and found herself back in her body in the castle’s kitchen. Edwin gazed at her, concerned. “What happened? Are you all right?”

Indeed. She looked down to where the bag of red dust should have been cupped in her hand. The bag, along with its siblings on the table, had disappeared. For a moment, Liyah mourned. She wanted to return.

Edwin must have read her expression. “I removed it. It’s addictive. Soul dust. If I’d known something so powerful was left hanging around in the kitchens, I would have checked and removed it earlier. Perhaps magical royalty is less concerned with lower magics. Are you alright?” He’d rounded the table and stood beside her, rubbing her back.

She wasn’t, but she didn’t want him focused on her. She needed him to return to the dragon. “Lower magics?”

He sighed. “I forget you do not remember certain things. Most things, it seems, related to magics. In my kingdom, Paradimia, we are not generally born magics users, but we do have access to lower magics—magics not of people, but of things, like the soul dust. Low-level magics—from something inanimate, like the dust—may be used by anyone, whether they are magical themselves or not.”

She’d thought this land was without magics, but it seemed there were magics within, just not many magics of living beings. She nodded. “So it is not likely low-level magics would be hanging around in a kitchen. I understand.” She felt around on her body. “I don’t seem to be injured, so perhaps it is time I started my journey.”

“Do you not wish for my company?”

She needed him elsewhere. “It isn’t that I don’t want you with me. My parents need your assistance. Bethela will need another story for the spell needed to put my parents back to sleep. And I am going to the Dry Woods to free Gabriel. You see? We are fated to part ways now.”

It was a pity his expression grew suspicious, for she had relayed the truth. His voice broke as he spoke. “Is it what I did with the gargoyles? Is that why you no longer wish for my assistance?”

She had only briefly thought of the gargoyles since she died. It must have weighed on him. “It is not the gargoyles, although I know you to be the true knight you are from what I witnessed. And I know you to have love in your heart, even when you sometimes speak to me without consideration. No. Here I ask you to be the guardian I know you to be.”

“But why is it important that your parents go back to sleep? Surely they can be of greater assistance awake. They will eventually remember who you are.”

Liyah reached out and squeezed his arm. “I already know who I am, Edwin. That is thanks to you. I am Aaliyah, and I am kind and courageous and determined. I know those things about myself because of you.”

Edwin sighed and leaned back against the table. His golden locks fell against his handsome face. “So now I need to help your parents go back to sleep.”

“Yes. If anyone remembers who I am, a spell will find and kill me. Like the spell that protected the castle.”

He frowned. “Yes. That was very dangerous.”

“And my father says this spell is far worse than the one that chased us about Haven. So, you see, it is imperative that they go back to sleep. I do not wish to separate, but I must free Gabriel. When I left him, he was afire again.”

The Princess Annals: Kingdom of Haven

The Princess Annals Book 1

In this fantasy world of the erotic, Aaliyah must journey to find her lost identity. Aaliyah awakens in an empty castle with no memory and only an enchanted clock to send her on her quest. Seduce by one not-to-bright knight, Aaliyah finds herself hunted by an unseen force yet imbued with powerful magic. She must coerce horny pixies, swap sex stories with a dragon, and rely on that same not-too-bright knight to seduce the gargoyle king and his coven in order to secure the incantation that will reveal who she is. And her unknown enemy is catching up to her fast.

Aaliyah’s journey sends her to Gabriel imprisoned in a magical wood. She grows to love Gabriel and discovers that the only thing which can release him now is love, absolute. But how can she love completely if she doesn’t know who she is?

Beware gentle reader; thread carefully through this erotic romp as a woman awakened to her innate powers risks all to discover her true self before an unseen enemy annihilates her.

This is the first Aaliyah story in the series.

 

Amazon * Book of Venus Publishing * B&N * Goodreads

 

Victor Pierce is a seasoned writer with a focus on erotic fiction. He enjoys classic mythology and horror novels. His first series, The Princess Annals, draws together his love for mythology and the erotic. He resides in College Park with his partner and her anxiety-ridden black cat and overly-social gray cat. You may reach him at victor.pierce@bookofvenus.com or at or at https://www.bookofvenus.com/connect-with-us/

 

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Laughing Through The Storm - Memoir - and a Giveaway #Memoir #Giveaway

Lane Rogers is here to tell us about her memoir Laughing Through the Storm.

There's also a great giveaway.

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This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jane Rogers will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Diagnosed with epilepsy at 13, Jane's life took a wild turn full of seizures, specialists, and some seriously strange hospital adventures. But instead of letting it break her, she learned to laugh—at the chaos, the cringe, and even the curveballs. Laughing Through the Storm is a hilariously honest memoir about finding resilience, ridiculousness, and unexpected joy in the middle of life's messiest moments.

Read an Excerpt

It was a frosty January morning in 1981 when I decided to make my dramatic debut in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. As the latest addition to the family line-up, I was a calm and easy-going baby, quietly lulling everyone into a false sense of security. Classic me— always setting up for a twist.

My dad worked for the Health of Animals, a branch of the Canadian federal government, as a veterinarian in Prince Edward Island. They were responsible for the control, prevention and eradication of certain animal diseases. As the district veterinarian for the entire province, he had responsibilities for the health and well-being of all livestock, from pigs and cows to chickens. His days were a mix of travelling to farms to test animals for serious diseases like tuberculosis and rabies; visiting auction houses to ensure only healthy animals were sold; attending meat-packing plants to collect samples; and making safety diagnoses to ensure that animals entering the food chain were safe for human consumption.

When I was two, my parents decided to move us to Riverview, New Brunswick, a town that became the stage for my happiest childhood memories. We lived on Hamilton Court, a little slice of suburban heaven with one particularly glorious feature: hills. Our backyard sloped gently, but our neighbours’ yards were even steeper, perfect for sledding. Every winter, kids from all over the neighbourhood would arrive armed with sleds, ready to turn those snowy slopes into the ultimate playground. We would shriek with laughter as we careened down the hill and tumbled into a snowbank. Gravity may have been our accomplice in the winter, but in the summer, it was the architect of our joy. My friends and I would roll down those same hills, giggling uncontrollably, dizzy from both the spinning and the laughter.

About the Author:

Jane Rogers is an accidental expert in epilepsy, diagnosed at 13 and living with it ever since. She's spent over three decades navigating seizures, side effects, and hospital adventures with grit, sarcasm, and a solid sense of humor. Laughing Through the Storm is her first book—a tribute to resilience, ridiculous moments, and finding light in the darkest places.

She lives in Ottawa with her supportive husband, Pascal, and their two mischievous chihuahuas, Junior and Bailey.

Fun Fact: Jane once had a seizure during a comedy show— and still insists the comedian owes her one.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laughingthroughthestorm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jane.rogers.339999

 

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Spiritori - Paranormal Romance - MPreg #Romance #ParanormalRomance #PNR #MPreg

Mychael Black is here to tell us about Spiritori, a paranormal romance - MPreg.

Read on for details...

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Paranormal Romance, MPreg

Date Published: March 13, 2026

 

A death mage turns out to be the perfect mate for a human omega.

 

Lucas Krauss is getting used to being out of a nightmare and acclimating to life with Saridan Tower. His mate is a death mage, one of the deadliest kinds of vamps, and now they are sorting out their lives as a family.

Raphael Santos isn’t fazed by the looks and whispers he gets from passers-by. His status is unmistakable due to his pale skin and the aura that surrounds him. He never thought he’d find his mate, yet a sweet human omega is more than happy to touch him, unafraid of Raphael’s true nature.

But not all is well. House Lorthaen makes it clear that they are not going to leave House Saridan alone, and Raphael vows to protect his family, no matter what.

 

WARNING: Mpreg, Alpha/omega, Fated Mates, Hurt/Comfort.

 

EXCERPT

 

Lucas

Everything hurt. Not as bad as when I’d… well… when a human cop had swooped in, ready to obliterate Gino Boone. Gino had the jump on him, though, and ate a bullet like a fucking coward. I was happy to be out of that nightmare, but I wasn’t entirely sure how to feel about being here now. The head of House Saridan, Deacon, and another vamp had visited me in the hospital and brought me here to Saridan’s Tower. Outside this apartment, I still didn’t feel entirely comfortable, but when Raphael was around, that all changed.

He was my mate. I didn’t need any sort of test to tell me that either. My gut instinct had made it crystal clear the second the man had walked into my hospital room with Deacon.

When we’d arrived here at the tower, I’d noticed others gave Raphael a wide berth. I couldn’t fathom why, though. He’d told me what he was: a death mage. His magic was the kind that manipulated a being’s life force. There seemed to be a faint aura of… something around him everywhere he went. It didn’t scare me, though. He might’ve terrified others, even other vamps, but not me. In private, he was attentive, almost to the point of being a mother hen. He was soft-spoken and gentle, far more than I ever expected someone like him could be.

The wounds from the beating Gino had given me were healing, though I was still sore. The worst part, though, was not knowing how the rest would play out. Gino had whored me out to random bastards, and, at some point, I got pregnant. Raphael knew, but unlike most alphas, he didn’t seem upset about it.

As I sat on the bed, I put a hand on my still-flat belly. I had no clue whose kid I was now carrying, but I’d always wanted a family. I prayed Raphael didn’t want to get rid of it. We hadn’t had much time to talk since, apparently, there was a rival vamp House determined to bring House Saridan down.

The apartment door opened, and I knew who it was without needing to hear or see him. Of course, no one else would come in here, but Raphael didn’t even need to announce himself.

“Are you all right?” he asked as he stepped to the bedroom doorway.

He hurried over to the bed and crouched in front of me, his height putting us at eye-level. He ran his fingers through my hair, and I couldn’t help but close my eyes and smile. His touch was so gentle and loving.

“I’m okay.”

I caught his hand and brought it to my mouth to kiss the tips of his fingers. We’d only hugged, not even a single kiss in the couple of weeks I’d been here, but I wasn’t sure how much longer I could wait for him to make a move. Aches or not, I couldn’t deny how attracted I was to him.

Raphael smiled. “Did you rest well?”

I nodded. “Slept like a baby, actually.”

His gaze shifted downward the slightest bit, and my breath caught. His smile was wistful. “We need to talk, you and I.” He looked back up at me. “Are you hungry?”

“I could definitely eat.”

Before he could move away and stand, I gripped his hand tighter. Raphael met my gaze, those almost white eyes mesmerizing. I didn’t need to say another word. He cupped the back of my neck with his other hand and pulled me closer.

I couldn’t recall the last time I’d kissed anyone. I certainly never let any of Boone’s guys do it. It was an act so intimate, so personal, that I’d fought to save it for someone special.

Someone like Raphael.

His touch was featherlight, and his lips were surprisingly soft. I opened for him without hesitation. He took his time, tongue stroking over mine, never trying to take control or push the kiss into harder territory. I could’ve kissed him for the rest of my life and never tired of it. He tasted like the peppermint candies I’d discovered he had an affinity for, and a slightly minty scent swirled in my head.

“If we don’t stop now,” he murmured on my lips, “we’ll never get out of here.”

I chuckled. “In all honesty, I’d started to wonder if maybe this attraction was one-sided.”

Raphael pulled back a little and caressed the side of my face. “Never. I want you. I’ve wanted you since the first day I saw you in the hospital. You needed to heal, though.” He raised one eyebrow at me. “You still do.”

“I’ll admit I’m a little achy, but… please? I promise I’ll tell you if I need to stop.”

“Tell you what. Let’s go eat. We can talk about us, including the baby.”

I swallowed and stared into his eyes, searching for a hint of what he was thinking. “I… I want to keep it. I’m sorry.”

“Never apologize for something you didn’t do,” Raphael said. “And certainly don’t do it with regards to our child.”

Our child.

I somehow managed to blink away the threat of tears. He wanted to keep the baby, too?

Raphael stood and helped me up as well. “Come on, mate. Food and talking.”

After I got dressed, I followed him out of the apartment, my hand held gently in his. I’d worried how he would react to my statement, and I kind of felt like I was in a daze as he led us to the elevator and down to the tower’s main dining room. According to Deacon, there were fifteen floors, with his place as the penthouse at the top. Then there were several floors for residents and the main dining hall. Raphael’s apartment was a single-bedroom and much larger than one would expect.

Until now, we’d had food brought up to us, but I’d told him yesterday I wanted to try to go out and be around others. I’d spent so long being terrified, but now that I was safe, I wanted my life back.

* * *

Raphael

To say I was proud would’ve been an understatement. Not only was my infatuation mutual, but Lucas was also venturing out of the apartment for the first time since we’d brought him here about two weeks ago. I’d known what he was to me the moment I’d seen him at the hospital. My magic gave me the ability to detect things like that without the need for blood. Despite what folks thought, not all of my magic was relegated to death. It was why I’d moved him from his own small room to my apartment. I could take care of him and the baby without worrying so much.

The idea that I was finally going to be able to have a child thrilled me to no end. It didn’t matter to me who the biological father was, and I’d hoped Lucas would want to keep the baby. We sat at a table in the dining room, and one of the servers walked over to us, his smile genuine. Out of all the guys in here, he was my favorite. He never acted like I was some kind of pariah. I didn’t ask to be a Spiritori, but I also didn’t regret it.

“Hey, stranger,” Dale said to me as he handed us our menus. “How have you been? And… who’s the cutie?”

Lucas blushed and chuckled softly, lowering his gaze. I smiled at him, then up at Dale.

“Doing quite well. Dale, this is my mate, Lucas. Lucas, this is Dale, one of the best servers here.”

They shook hands, and Dale shot me a wink. “It’s great to meet you, Lucas. What can I get you both to drink?”

“Usual for me,” I replied, referring to lemon water with a sprig of mint. “Lucas?”

“Um… do you have unsweet tea?”

“We sure do,” Dale said. “I’ll have those out in a moment.”

He left, and I reached over the table to touch Lucas’ hand. He turned it palm up and linked our fingers together. It felt amazing.

“How are you feeling?”

“Sore, like I said, but getting better. I don’t know what sort of docs your boss has employed here, but they’re damn good.”

I nodded. “That they are. I’ve had a few bumps and scrapes from work over the years.”

Lucas tilted his head slightly, his gaze questioning. “Have people always treated you like you’re contagious?”

I laughed. “For the most part, yes. You sure it doesn’t bother you?”

“Doesn’t faze me at all,” Lucas said with a slight shrug. “It’s who you are. Besides, death mage stuff aside, I’ve seen the real you in private.”

This time, I swear I felt myself blush, if that was possible. I’m sure my pale face was certainly a bit pinker. “Believe it or not, I much prefer diplomacy when presented with the option. Unlike my coworkers, namely the Venari, I’m not a violent person. Not inherently a pacifist, mind you, but I try my best to avoid fights.”

“Do you enjoy being a Spiritori?”

Dale returned with our drinks, and we ordered our food. I waited until he left again before replying to the question many folks have asked me over the majority of my life. I took a sip of my lemon water and sighed.

“As a child, I often wished I’d been born something else, to be completely honest.” I gestured to myself. “No matter where I went, people knew what I was. Same thing happened to my alpha father. It’s useful in many circumstances, but the stigma is incredibly prevalent. It’s why my folks divorced. My omega dad got tired of the looks, whispers, what have you, whenever they went somewhere.”

“Damn,” Lucas muttered. He reached across the table and gripped my fingers gently. “I’m sorry.”

I smiled. “Thanks. But enough about me. I want to hear all about you. The past couple of weeks have been a bit nuts, between you healing and Deacon’s ongoing issues with Lorthaen. We haven’t had a lot of time together.”

“Not much to tell, really,” Lucas said. “I had an older brother, but he died in a car accident when I was twelve. My dads are still alive, though my omega father isn’t doing too well. We think it’s dementia.”

“Wow. That has to be hard on them both.”

Lucas nodded. “My alpha dad is his primary caregiver now, utterly devoted. I moved out about four years ago, but I still visit.”

“Dare I ask how you ended up working for Boone?”

He grimaced and visibly shuddered. “A ‘friend,’” he replied, using air quotes with his free hand. “Needless to say, dude is no longer anyone I speak to. Hell, Boone had me blindfolded anytime he whored me out, so my ex-friend could’ve been one of the assholes to use me.”

I wanted to erase the pain from that entire situation, but I couldn’t. Before I could answer, Dale came by with our food. We tucked into it, and I couldn’t help but grin when Lucas moaned in appreciation.

“Told you,” I said. “Deacon spares no expense.”

 

About the Author

Mychael Black has been writing professionally since 2005. He writes gay romance and erotica, but also het romance as Carys Seraphine and queer fantasy as Katherine Cook.

He's an avid PC gamer with a love for RPGs, a horror fanatic, and a fantasy nut. He also has a weakness for anything relating to skulls, dogs, and Spongebob Squarepants.

Mychael lives on the Eastern Shore of the US with his family. He loves to hear from readers, be it via email or Facebook.

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