Category Archives: Promo
Marvelous Monday Reads: The Beginning (Witches of the Bayou)
Hello, and welcome to another edition of Marvelous Monday Reads, angels! Today I’m featuring Cherrie Mack and her delicious Free Read The Beginning (Witches of the Bayou), now available from Evernight Publishing and other fine retailers of erotic romance. Read on!
First, I would like to thank my hostess for having me as a guest today. I am thrilled to be here.
My newest read is free, courtesy of Evernight Publishing. This paranormal romance is based on a character from A Late Summer Bloom. It occurred to me, Cecily Jareau, needed her story told. Why was she so jaded? What caused her to hate her royal coven? Why did she want to walk away from her power and her witchhood?
Because her story comes to a satisfying conclusion in A Late Summer Bloom, I thought it would be fun to go back, just a little and tell the story of how it all began. After all, don’t we all love to fall in love? That no holds barred, can’t keep our hands to ourselves, butterflies in the belly kinda love?
Yeah, me too. My hope is you take the time to download and read, The Beginning-Witches Of The Bayou and love it as much as I loved writing it.
A young and powerful witch of royal birthright longs to be human. When she meets a human man who gives her the love she’s never known, her decision to renounce her heritage is an easy one. But, not everything is what it seems.
This exciting, short story is a prequel to A Late Summer Bloom—Witches Of The Bayou.
Story Excerpt
Cecily sat at Al’s House of Blue’s for the fifth night in a row. She sat in the same seat sipping the same drink and watching James play his trumpet. Having a date afterward had become a welcome routine. She was falling hard for the dashing, swoon-worthy musician and her libido had suddenly awakened from its life of hibernation. Wanting him on every level, not just physical, had her worried.
Did she dare to dream he felt the same way? He certainly gave off a territorial vibe when it came to her. And although being human was James’ advantage, it served as his drawback as well. The fact remained, she was a witch—a witch of royal status. The covens wouldn’t allow her to renounce her origins so easily.
She sighed. James hadn’t even kissed her yet and here she was thinking of a life outside the boundaries of magic.
“You look far away tonight. Everything okay?” James stood near, his aftershave soothing her anxiety.
“I’m fine.”
He pulled a chair up close to her and sat down, taking her hands in his. “No. You were thinking about something that made you sad. I could see it in your eyes.”
“And that bothers you?”
“It bothers me a great deal.”
She stared at his mouth, licking her lips. “Why?” And why haven’t you kissed me?
Without warning, swift and certain, James leaned in and kissed her lips. The contact surprised her, making her pull back. But as she leaned away, he leaned forward, not allowing her to move out of his reach. His lips claimed her, branding her with a fiery passion she never experienced. The crowd was no longer a consequence as she returned his affection. Their tongues entwined in a blistering exchange sending a mass of intense impulses bolting through her blood.
The velvety texture of his mouth was more than she could stand. His tongue, hot and slick, moved in a sinuous rhythm, owning her, imprinting his being within her heart. This wasn’t a kiss—this was a declaration. And Cecily wanted more of it. When he pulled away, she felt exposed, like a raw bundle of nerves left unprotected in the smoky atmosphere.
Applause could be heard from behind her, the audience clapping at their display. The glorious feeling disappeared quickly when Cecily recognized Brigitte standing at the back of the room. James leaned over to whisper in her ear. “After this set is over—I wanna do that again.”
She gave him a nervous smile. “Yes. I’d like that. But right now, I need to use the powder room.” She fanned herself, gave him a wink and rose up on wobbly legs. When she headed for the ladies room she saw Brigitte fall in step behind her.
After they waited for it to clear out, Brigitte leveled a stern look at her. “A human man? Really?”
Cecily stood with her hands on her hips. “James. His name is James. And yes I want a human man because ultimately, I want to be human.”
Brigitte’s eyes widened as if Cecily had committed the worst of sins. “They are unworthy. Not just of a witch but—but you? You have aristocratic blood in your veins. You can’t be serious.”
“Oh I’m serious. Neither you, nor Percy and his band of blue-blooded bullies are gonna change my mind.”
Brigitte’s facial features relaxed. “We’ll just see about that.” Cecily panicked. She’d been living as a human for over a week, performing no spells, no magic. She washed dishes and clothes and floors. She purchased food at the market, she cooked. And she was comfortable doing all of it. Now, about to embark on a human relationship, so close to a physical, loving connection, an obstacle was thrown in her path.
Just like always. Her life was one big hurdle after another. Happiness was a breath away and once again she was faced with a complication she never saw coming. That kiss should have been one of her happiest moments but was ruined by the mere presence of another of her kind.
Where to Buy
About Cherrie Mack
Cherrie Mack is a multi-published romance author who grew up in Flushing Queens NY, the youngest child of six. The city’s diversity gave her a great appreciation for many different cultures and lifestyles. After love finally claimed the girl from the city and dragged her to the suburban madness of Long Island, she settled into a quiet life with her new husband. Two children and one mini-van later, the family found themselves moving towards the sunny skies of Florida where they currently reside. When she isn’t writing, she is busy chasing her children around, laughing with her husband, struggling to learn meditation and hanging out with her best friend–a mutt named Bailey.
Over the last year, Cherrie has continued to flourish, writing contemporary erotic romance, romantic comedy, urban fantasy and her latest, paranormal romance. Her ability to cross genre’s fuels her imagination and gives her the desire to continue to push her boundaries and branch out as a writer. Although she hasn’t settled into any given sub-genre, she is confident her ability will lead her down the right path.
A member of Romance Writers of America, Cherrie is slowly spreading her wings as a romance author. Look for her books at all digital bookstores such as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookstrand, ITunes, Nook, Kobo and many more.
Fabulous Friday Reads: Intimate Danger
Let’s kick off this lovely weekend with the brilliant D.C. Stone and her thrilling new erotic romance Intimate Danger, now available from Evernight Publishing and other purveyors of fine erotic romance. D.C. was kind enough to sit down with her main character Trent Rossi for a fascinating one-on-one interview. Enjoy!
I glance across the table at Trent and fight not only a shiver, but also not to shift under his intense, blue gaze. Of course I know much about the dark FBI agent (after all, he was born from my mind), but the silence in the room, with only four white walls, a door, the wooden table between us, and two chairs, is quite thick. We’re locked in a battle of wills, to see who can turn away or blink first; an unspoken challenge, but ones there nonetheless.
After minutes of eyes burning, glaring, and face stoicism, I break and heave out a sigh.
“Fine, you win.”
His smile is brief and blinding. Really, the man should smile more often. It lights his whole face, like the sun breaking over the horizon at dawn. You know you shouldn’t stare, but you’re unable to turn away.
He clears his throat. “I always win, DC.”
My nose wrinkles. “I know a certain detective who’d take offense to that.”
He shrugs, a slight lifting of his shoulder. The movement may be small, but both he and I know it says so much.
You see, Trent knows how to read people; he’s been trained to not only uncover the pure essence of someone based on their actions, but also to understand just what a person is saying without them having to speak. The art of body language is complex thing, and yet, sometimes, movements, eyes, and expressions tell an investigator more than the person they’re speaking to.
As it is, I’ve been trained in the same art, and this is something he knows.
He shifts and stretches his arms forward, interlocking his fingers before him. “So what’s this all about, DC?”
“Apparently I’m supposed to interview you.”
He lifts one dark brow and his blue eyes dance with humor. “For what?”
“For your story, which is releasing. People want to know about you.”
His chin juts in and a look of incredibility plasters on his handsome face. “But why?”
I blink. Seriously?
I don’t realize I’ve spoken aloud until he says, “Yes, seriously. I’m no one important.”
Despite his self-mocked words, my heart softens, as does my face. “Trent, you’re very important, a big part of this story. And your role in what happens is something not many will forget.”
He still doesn’t look like he believes me, if the slack jaw, narrowed eyes, and scrunched nose say anything. But instead of arguing, he settles back in his seat and opens his hands briefly before clasping them again. “Fine, ask your questions.”
I resist the urge to roll my eyes at the sarcasm in his tone, and instead look down at my pad and grab a pencil. “Okay, what’s your favorite color.”
“Really?”
I glance up and just stare.
“Fine,” he grumbles, “green. But not just any green, the type you’d see coming from the ground after a long, hard winter. The first blades of grass poking through the soil.”
I dubiously lift my gaze to him with a brow. One side of his lips is curved up and his eyes dance with suppressed laughter.
“Touché, Trent. Okay,” I say and clear my throat. “Tell me one surprising thing that no one else knows.”
Now it was his turn to lift a brow. “Why would I do that?”
I blow out a frustrated breath. “For the interview.”
He shifts forward and rests his elbows on the chair. “But why would I tell you something no one else knows? You know as well as I do, I like my privacy. Why tell you something that you’ll just go spread around? Doesn’t that defeat the point in being…private?”
“Fine,” I huff and move on to the next question. “If you could be anyone, who would it be? They can be living, dead, someone in the future, you name it.”
Again with the narrowing of his eyes.
“Stop that,” I snap.
“What?”
“That damn eye thingy you’re doing.”
His brows scrunch down into a dark vee. “What eye thing?”
I glare at him.
He glares right back.
This lasts several minutes, with the silence in the room growing thicker and thicker until not even a knife would be able to slice through.
“You’re not going to let me interview you, are you?” I ask, conceding to the test once again. I really hate conceding. But I’m not about to sit here all night. And that’s exactly where we’d be. His patience is unbreakable.
He grins, a quick flash of straight white teeth. “Not on your life.”
I huff and sit back. “I knew it. You’re a pain in my ass, you know that?”
His smile widens. “But you love me.”
“I may,” I say with a dismissing flick of my fingers. “But I’m telling Charlie on you.”
His widening eyes tell me all I want to know. I grin in triumph.
When FBI agent Trent Rossi arrives to investigate a chain of crimes—devastating murders and violent rapes—an inexperienced small town Detective, Charlie, who’s assigned to assist, finds her desire surging for the agent—only to realize he is the primary suspect.
A sleeping threat has awakened in the small town of Nyack. Crimes in the cozy village, garner the attention of the FBI, who assign two agents to assist Charlie in tracking down the sick and deranged perpetrator. Agents Trent Rossi and Dillon Echols work closely with Charlie, but as the crimes progress, dark secrets begin to cloud the air, blurring the line between who is on the side of the law and who’s against it. Being Charlie’s first major case, she’s unprepared not only for the menacing killer on the loose, but also with the unexpected feelings Trent draws out of her.
While Trent holds secrets, disappears at random, and seems to understand their perpetrator all-too-well, Charlie’s suspicions grow along with the pull she feels toward him. Her attraction could become fatal, yet she does not realize it until it is too late.
Story Excerpt
Jesus, he should be looking for this Detective Lopez, but his body screamed for this woman. He fought the urge to fidget, cursed the hours he had been working, unable to get any kind of companionship. He would have to work quick and then find Charlie. “I’m Agent Rossi with the FBI.” He leaned against the desk, gave her the look that had gotten him into pants faster than any of his college buddies, and held out a hand. She looked at his palm as if it were a serpent ready to strike.
“And? How can I help you, Agent Rossi?” She rose from her chair and crossed her arms under her breasts. He tried—and failed—to ignore how the movement pushed her plentiful mounds up toward her chin.
He pulled his hand back and ran it through his hair.
Bad move! The stench coming from under his arm made him wince.
“Look, I know you probably have things to do,” he said.
She nodded, brows lifted to her hairline, as if saying “no shit.” He went on, “But I do need to find Detective Lopez. You’d be a real sweetheart if you could point me in his direction. I’m here on a case and I don’t know…maybe after I’m done briefing him, you’d like to have dinner with me? That is, if you’re not busy?”
The contortion of her brows twisted before a sly smile spread.
“You’re looking for Charlie, huh?”
Someone groaned, and Trent glared over his shoulder, perplexed. The heavyset guy in need of Tide shook his head and looked away. Irritated at the interruption and apparent lack of man code, Trent turned his attention back to the cute little female.
He nodded. “Yeah.”
The woman shifted and sat in the chair with purposeful, slow movements. She set one foot on the desk, crossed a long leg over the other. Each action played out in slow motion through his lust-filled brain. He shifted, his focus glued to the smooth expanse of a jean-covered thigh, and stepped closer.
Hummidy, hummidy, hummidy.
“And why is it you need Charlie?” The woman ran a hand up the outside of her leg and his attention followed it. His mouth went dry.
“Umm, a case.”
“A case?”
“Yeah.” When silence met him, he realized what was happening. You didn’t have to go through interrogation and interview classes in order to figure it out. He was being led. His gaze snapped to hers, except this time, her face did not look friendly. If the hardening of her mouth was any indication, she looked pissed. And he’d been totally caught just checking her out.
Resigned, he let out a breath.
“Yeah, a case. Look, I’m sorry for all—” He waved a hand between them. “This. Could you just point me in the direction of Detective Lopez?”
Her hard mouth softened and she stood from her chair again, lips turning up at the corners. Leaning in to him, her scent surrounded him and he got a whiff of coconut.
His gaze tracked along her face, and dropped to her shirt, which parted as she leaned forward. He about choked as he tried to swallow, his mouth dry as the Arizona desert.
“Well, Agent Rossi.”
Lean forward a little more, please.
“If you could stop staring at my tits for all of two seconds, then I’ll tell where you can find Detective Lopez.”
The noisemaker behind him let out a strangled cough.
He snapped his regard up to hers. Hazel eyes blared with anger. Crap.
“Shit, I’m sorry. Seriously, it has been a long damn day. If you’d just tell me where he is, Miss?” He raised his brows, wanting her name. Good Lord, he wanted her name.
She smiled sweet, the transformation of her face a thing of beauty. “It’s Detective.”
He raised a brow, a sick feeling creeping up his spine. “Detective?” he croaked.
The smile spread to her eyes. “Yes, and to not only help you, but to also answer your question, it’s Detective Lopez. How can I help you, Agent Rossi?”
The noisemaker behind him snorted out a laugh.
Where to Buy
Evernight
Amazon US
Amazon UK
All Romance eBooks
Add it to your TBR with Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22397858-intimate-danger
About D.C. Stone
D.C. Stone is a romance author and full-time fraud investigator. She lives in the north-east with her incredibly supporting husband and two kids. She’ll deny any association with the grumpy cat that also resides in the house, but he is there, never-the-less.
After serving eight years of service with the United States Air Force, she went on to transition into the world of financial crimes and became a lead investigator for many years.
Reading has always been a passion of hers, getting lost in a good, steamy romance is one of her favorite past times. She soon after discovered her own love for writing and recreating stories and characters in her head. Her writing concentrates on romantic with specifics in paranormal, suspense and erotica.
Now, when she isn’t trying to solve a new puzzle in the world of fraud, she is engulfed with coffee, her laptop, and all those crazy characters in her head. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America, New Jersey Romance Writers, RomVets, RWA Kiss of Death, and the Liberty State Fiction Writers. She currently serves as the Vice President and 2014 Conference Chair for NJRW. Come stop by on Facebook, Twitter, or her website and say hello!
Where to find D.C. Stone
Mid Week Tease: Breaker Zone #MWTease #MidWeekTease
Happy Hump Day! It’s time for some more sexytimes from my current WIP Breaker Zone. In this teaser, Nick is very glad to be home after a tough day, and Aidan and Liam want to show him just how much he’s appreciated. Ahem.
Enjoy, and make sure to hit the list after the teaser to see other great Mid Week Teases!
With his life in ruins thanks to a psychotic ex, Dr. Nick Gardiner winds up at Olympic Cove looking for sanctuary (and free beer) with his friend Ian. The last thing he expects to find is Ian living with two redheaded sea lords and learning how to be a storm god. Adding to the confusion is a wounded merman named Aidan who washes up in the cove, requiring Nick’s professional help. Nick soon learns that the handsome mer and his partner Liam have their own plans for the ER doctor — to claim him as their agapetos, their destined mate, and fulfill his need to submit.
A chance encounter at a local junk shop reveals that Nick has his own role to play in Ian’s battle against the insane Nereid Thetis. Under the reluctant mentorship of Chiron, Nick must master the use of the Rod of Asclepius if he wants to rescue his mates from a ghastly fate and help Ian save the planet.
###
Two hours later, Nick was showered and spread out naked on his stomach over the bed while Aidan and Liam gave him a rubdown. He hadn’t expected the mers to wait up for him, but they were both in the living room as he came into the cottage. His appetite, dulled with worry about Delphine, roared back with a vengeance when Liam brought out a slightly overcooked but perfectly edible pizza. He explained the day to them as he dug into the food with relish, polishing off a piece of strawberry rhubarb pie for dessert.
“I know we had pizza in the freezer, but do I want to know where you got the pie from?” he said, licking a last smear of strawberry glaze off his fork.
Aidan grinned around his own mouthful of dessert. “Ian drove us to Publix,” he said after swallowing. “I never had pie before, so I tried a piece earlier. I think I’m in love.”
“Great. Now you’re cheating on me with pastry.”
The mer gave him the filthiest smile. “I’m open to a foursome if you are. Me, you, Liam, and pie.”
“That does sound like a good idea,” Liam drawled. “But not right now. Tonight, chuisle, we’re going to take care of you.”
Once they were sure he was finished with dinner, the mers chivvied him into the shower, Aidan shucking out of his own clothes and joining him for an oddly thorough washing session. Afterwards, he was escorted into the bedroom, where an equally naked Liam waited for them both with a bottle of massage oil. “More goodies from Publix?” Nick asked, stretching out over the coverlet.
“Yup.” Liam popped the final p with relish. “Hope you like coconut and pineapple.”
“Yay. I always wanted to smell like a piña colada.”
“Hush and relax, boy.”
He did, sinking into the deep, soothing joy of his men’s touch. Liam worked on his shoulders and back, gently undoing all the knots that had accumulated during the day. Aidan’s hands rubbed his legs and feet in long, strong strokes, sensual without being overtly sexual. Although when the handsome mer started massaging his feet, Nick let out an orgasmic groan. “Oh, God. Keep doing that and you can have anything you want,” he mumbled into the coverlet.
Aidan’s hands stilled. “Anything?”
“Mm.” Belatedly, Nick realized he’d just handed them the equivalent of a blank check written on his body. After a moment, however, he relaxed. Whatever his Doms wanted to do with him was fine. He trusted them, body and soul, and knew that they would always take care of him. “Anything.”
Aidan’s hands left his feet and drifted up his calves, then his thighs, until they rested just under the crease of his ass cheeks. “What if we wanted to have you, chuisle?” His hands slid onto Nick’s ass, rubbing the globes of muscle there. “Both of us?”
The question confused him. “I’m yours, sir. Both of yours,” he said honestly. “If you want me, have me.”
“I don’t think you understand, boy,” Liam said softly, shifting until he was opposite Aidan and massaging one cheek. “We both want to be inside you, here. At the same time.”
Nick’s breath caught as Liam’s meaning dawned. Both of the mers were well-endowed, and sex with either of them required a certain amount of prepwork and stretching. To be penetrated by both of them at the same time was theoretically possible, but… The medical part of his brain screamed about fissures, damage to delicate tissues, muscle tears.
The submissive part of his brain rolled over and begged. To be used like that, opened so wide and taken by the masters he loved, sent blood coursing to his cock. He shifted uncomfortably, knowing his face was flushed and glowing red. “I’ve never done that before,”
“Neither have we.” Liam squeezed his ass harder, digging pleasantly into the muscle. “But we want it, Nick. We want to feel you tight around both of us, fill you up all the way, until all you can think about is us.”
“Let us do that to you, chuisle,” Aidan murmured, hand so warm as it slid into Nick’s crease, massaging the tight whorled muscle there. “Let us in.”
Nick swallowed hard, pressing his face into the coverlet and his ass into Aidan’s caresses. “Yes, sir. Please.”
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Wicked Wednesday Reads: Head Over Heels
It’s time once again to help you over your Hump Day and spice up your week with a tasty M/M erotic romance from Evernight Publishing. This week, I’m featuring Remmy Duchene’s Head Over Heels — check out the excerpt below for a teaser!
Thank you so much for having me here today – I am Remmy Duchene and I write interracial manlove! I have a thing about cultures. *grins*
Today I’m here to talk about scars and this strange thing we have about being “perfect” in everyone’s eyes.
Papa Roach sings “And my scars remind me that the past is real.” Is that true? Are your scars just reminders that you weren’t just born yesterday and all the things (good and bad) that happened to make you who you are today were actually real—they actually happened? If that is true, why do we spend so much money every year buying creams and oils and potions trying to get rid of that scar where little Johnny pushed you off your bike and you scraped your knee? Or when you thought Parkour was a fun sport to try and missed your landing?
We want to be deep and rock out to Papa Roach singing about the wonderfully, angsty lives of scars yet we are too vain to keep them around or show them off. In Head Over Heels, my newest release from Evernight Publishing, my character Christian is a firefighter who was caught in a burning building. Needless to say he’s scarred all over and it’s a source of pain for him.
This touches on the idea that though they always say boys should be proud of their scars, it’s still a sore spot for most of us. We want to be flawless, perfect and though we know perfection is a myth, we still want that. One of the things I hope people take away from this book is you don’t have to be perfect in the eyes of the world but ideal in the eyes of those who love you.
Let me explain.
If your lover sees you and you have a few pounds on but he/she stills adore the halibut out of you, that you’re not perfect in the eyes of everyone else but to this one person that matters to you most in the world – you are so fabulous there is nothing he/she would change about you.
Firefighter Christian Shane, badly scarred from a fire that ravished a city block, runs away from New York to Beacon Cove, hoping to hide away in his family’s beach house. All he wants is to be left alone.
Case Jenkins never met a sexy, muscled stud he liked. They were always jocks and always dicks—plain and simple. He was too much of a nerd and not built like a brick house. But when he sees Christian Shane, he can’t control himself. Nothing worth having ever comes easy, and Case isn’t quite sure he has enough patience. But there’s a mad-man trying to burn down the world, and in the end, both men must come to terms with their feelings.
Story Excerpt
Christian’s nightmares had gotten progressively worse over the past two days. Since he could do nothing but sleep, there was no way to avoid it. Every time he drifted off, he woke up in a cold sweat. The first few times he jerked awake, he heard someone screaming. Then he realized the sound was coming from him as he clutched at his throat. The machines beeped furiously and his nurse rushed in, pleading with him to be careful.
He felt like a moron.
He’d chosen the career, and the moment the bad of it raised its ugly head, Christian felt useless and confused. When he thought deeper about it, he felt discarded and betrayed. For so long he hungered to become a firefighter and worked tirelessly toward his dream. During his fight to make his dream come true, everything else had fallen by the wayside, and somewhere over the years he’d become a sheltered, jaded ass.
Christian sacrificed everything for his dream. Then, that dream scarred him for life.
One day faded away, followed by a few more he couldn’t keep track of. From time to time, his doctor would force him out of bed to walk around a bit with the help of a cane and a nurse. Another moment when he was lucid, his friend the doctor was standing in the room, peering pensively at his chart.
“Hey, Doc.”
“You’re a very lucky man, Christian Shane.” Dr. Clancy O’Neal didn’t look at him but scribbled away at his clipboard. “A really lucky man.”
“I don’t feel like it.” Christian’s throat was like he swallowed sandpaper—dry. He shifted on the bed, and a burning sensation shivered through him from his back. “I feel like someone doused me in hot water.”
“That’s what happens when you have half of your back covered in burns. You could have died, Christian.” Clancy looked up then to focus his piercing green eyes on Christian. “You have to always remember that. It doesn’t matter how scarred or damaged you think you are, life is way more precious than beauty—and if I swung your way, I’d definitely tap that.”
Christian laughed. “You do swing this way.”
“No, no. Not that way.” Clancy hooked the clipboard to the foot of the bed.
Christian arched a brow and tilted his head. “Em… maybe it’s the drugs, but I’m lost. What way are we talking here?”
“I meant.” Clancy laughed. “If I went for the buff, firefighter types.”
“I see.”
“Seriously, though. Just remember you could have died, but you didn’t.”
For so many years, Christian had said those same words people he pulled from fires. He would tell them to be thankful they were still alive with only a few scars, to be happy. As he lay there, hearing those words tossed back at him, he felt physically ill. “Quick! Hit me over the head with a mallet.”
“Stop being dramatic. You’ll be fine. You just have to remember you’re alive and there are people who didn’t wake up this morning.”
“Why are you saying all this?”
“Because I’m your friend and I know you. You spend hours per week making sure your body looks a certain way, and these scars are messing with that. I don’t want you to think anything changes because of them. You’re still as sexy as before… just with a few additions.”
Where to Buy
Where to find Remmy Duchene
Mid Week Tease: Breaker Zone #MWTease #MidWeekTease
Happy Hump Day! Courtesy of Sandra Bunino and her Mid Week Tease, I’m bringing you yet another scene from my current WIP Breaker Zone. As you may be able to guess, Liam and Aidan are working on Nick’s recent trauma and trying to help him find ways around it. I have faith in them, don’t you?
Enjoy, and make sure to hit the list after the teaser to see other great Mid Week Teases!
With his life in ruins thanks to a psychotic ex, Dr. Nick Gardiner winds up at Olympic Cove looking for sanctuary (and free beer) with his friend Ian. The last thing he expects to find is Ian living with two redheaded sea lords and learning how to be a storm god. Adding to the confusion is a wounded merman named Aidan who washes up in the cove, requiring Nick’s professional help. Nick soon learns that the handsome mer and his partner Liam have their own plans for the ER doctor — to claim him as their agapetos, their destined mate, and fulfill his need to submit.
A chance encounter at a local junk shop reveals that Nick has his own role to play in Ian’s battle against the insane Nereid Thetis. Under the reluctant mentorship of Chiron, Nick must master the use of the Rod of Asclepius if he wants to rescue his mates from a ghastly fate and help Ian save the planet.
###
Liam let Nick’s hands go. They dropped to the human’s sides, and the dark head tilted to the side, exposing the long line of muscle and tendon just waiting to be decorated with bite marks and sucking kisses. Oh, their chuisle knew how to lure attention.
But Liam knew how to wait. Instead of putting his mouth to Nick’s offered throat, he whispered, “Now, we’re going to take off your clothes.”
A shiver ran through Nick at that, and Liam hesitated, trying to judge if it had been caused by lust or fear. The reality of the situation came back to him — the last time Nick had played with anyone on an intense level, his trust had been shattered and his body damaged. They were swimming through jellyfish-laden waters here, and one wrong move could drive their fated mate even further away from them.
He bent close to Nick’s ear again. “If something upsets you, you will tell us immediately, do you understand? We’ll sit down tomorrow and have a long talk about what you can and cannot do, and I swear to you that Aidan and I will respect your limits. But tonight is for your pleasure and comfort.”
He heard Nick swallow, and the shivering died down. “Take a deep breath.”
The human’s ribcage expanded, then contracted with the air all his kind needed. “Another.” Liam ran his hands over Nick’s shoulders, enjoying the feel of the curved muscle there. “Good. Now, I’m going to take off your shirt.”
Moving with deliberation, he slid all the buttons through their holes, tugging the smooth fabric off and tossing it to the side. He took in a soft breath, admiring Nick’s muscle definition. It wasn’t as pronounced as a mer’s, but Nick’s back and shoulders featured beautifully delineated hollows and rises that implied strength and agility. His mouth watered with the sudden urge to bite into one firm shoulder.
Instead, he ran just the pads of his fingertips across Nick’s skin, tracing the outline of his upper body. On the other side Aidan had stepped closer, running his own fingers along Nick’s chest and abs. Their human made a soft, hungry noise deep in his throat, and Aidan flashed that irresistible smile. “I think you like this, chuisle.”
“Mmm.”
Liam leaned close, nipping Nick’s earlobe again. “Use your words, love,” he ordered.
“Yes, I like this, sir.” The response was soft, almost dreamy.
Liam caught Aidan’s eye, then glanced down meaningfully. At the same time he slid his hands down Nick’s arms, gently ringing his wrists and drawing them behind his back. “You’re still wearing too much.”
“Way too much,” Aidan agreed, sinking to his knees. Liam watched over Nick’s shoulder as the other mer started undoing Nick’s belt, teasingly drawing the leather through the loops, before easing down his zipper. Nick made another noise, deeper this time.
He likes being restrained and controlled. Liam felt his own desire rise, and firmly corralled it. Tonight is for him, to show him he belongs with us.
Nick gasped suddenly, twitching in his grip. Glancing down, Liam saw his other mate planting an open-mouthed kiss at the base of Nick’s hardening cock through his underwear. He stopped a smile, pursing his lips instead.
“Did I say you could do that, boy?” he asked, putting a growl into his voice.
Aidan leaned back, eyes shadowed in the room’s dim light. “I’m sorry, sir. I couldn’t resist a taste.”
Liam was tempted to correct him, but their focus had to remain on Nick. “I’ll deal with you later,” he rumbled, and saw goosebumps rise on Nick’s skin. The idea obviously appealed to their human. “Hm. Would you like that, chuisle? I could tie you to the headboard and make you watch me punish Aidan. I’d bend him over the end of the bed and turn his ass a lovely red as you watched. He loves it when I do that. Then I’d put him on his hands and knees and push into him while he looked at you.”
This time both his boys groaned at the image he’d created. “I wouldn’t let him come for a long time,” Liam murmured, enjoyed the sensation of his own cock plumping out and pressing against the fabric of his shorts. “And every time I thrust into him, his mouth would come closer and closer to your cock, almost close enough to suck it. But never quite close enough. And all the time I was fucking him, all you could do is sit there, hard and aching so badly, and watch us.”
Nick’s head dropped back onto his shoulder. “Please, sir,” he whispered.
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Fabulous Friday Reads: Taking Courage (Love Projects #2)
Let’s kick off this lovely weekend with my release day sister S.J. Maylee and her hot new erotic romance Taking Courage, now available from Evernight Publishing and other purveyors of fine erotic romance. Take it away, S.J.!
Janna’s ready to make over her life and get out from under the controlling thumb of her father. She doesn’t want another failed arranged marriage. She’s ready to do whatever it takes for the career she wants, enter the lifestyle she craves, and to earn the trust and love of the man that has captured her heart, but heartbreak and career hiccups seem to be her destiny.
Simon’s still recovering after his last submissive lied her way into his life. He’s not ready for Janna and how she pushes against his prejudices. He needs to decide if he’s willing to lose her or if he’ll fight for her love and submission.
Story Excerpt
“Head up now.” Something was agitating the tender bundle in his arms. Simon wanted to help her through it. He may have taken a step back on his training responsibilities since his last experience, but Janna felt perfect under his hand. He’d have to find out if she’d be back.
“Yes, Sir.”
“What’s troubling you, pet?”
“I forgot to mention something earlier.” She tucked the blanket under her chin.
“Oh?” He rubbed in big circles around her back. “Why don’t you tell me now?”
“This was my first time, Sir.”
“Your first?” His confusion was thick. She tried to hide her eyes from him, but he saw shame. Sometimes newer submissives struggled with firsts. “Is this your first time being a guest?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Is your home club much different?” The safe rules of BDSM clubs were pretty universal, a real gift to traveling kinksters, but sometimes a scene in a different setting could be unsettling.
“I don’t have a home club, Sir. Well, not one that I physically visit.” She rubbed the edge of her blanket. “I’m an active member of their chat rooms.”
He hadn’t heard her right. No. She felt like an experienced submissive. Was she just playing the part? Anger ticked a quick pace up his spine.
“Are you telling me I just gave you your first scene?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Why did you withhold this information?” When she didn’t answer he added, “Why weren’t you honest with me?” He pushed her slightly, in part to get some distance and to keep her safe from him. “Answer me, now.”
“I forgot. It all happened so fast, and I forgot one of my lines.”
“Lines.” He finished shoving her from his lap and stood. “I hope you had fun tonight.”
“I did, Sir,” she said as she stood to join him. She tugged at the edge of the blanket that had stuck in the couch. “Please, let me thank you for tonight.”
“There is no need. You lied to me, and you had your fun.” He scratched his brow. “Go home now.” He took two storming steps away and stopped. He forced himself to return to her, disgusted by how good it felt to see her face once more. He stopped within an inch, forcing her to look up. “Do yourself a favor. Enter that club at home, get yourself in a training program, and do not ever lie to a Dom again.”
He wanted to hit something. What was it with submissives and their lies? The lie might have been smaller this time, but it was still a lie.
He thundered past the scene areas and kept walking, increasing his speed. Folks saved themselves and moved out of his way. Fury radiated down his arms curling his fingers into fists, almost there.
Some members thought Keller was crazy when he’d installed the small gym next to the club. When the roster quickly filled, it was Keller that was laughing all the way to the bank. Simon had a regular date with the bag hanging in the corner. He may no longer enter the ring, but the regimented workouts kept him strong and centered.
A couple more steps and he’d entered the gym and saw the innocent bag hanging right where he needed it to be. He slammed his fist into the bag. Pressure reverberated from his hand straight to his heart, but it didn’t release the revulsion.
“Damn her.”
He needed to get this out and get back on the floor. One of his best friends was about to collar his sub. The bag swung around. He walked around it and rolled his shoulders back. He wanted to witness the happiness a pair could have when things worked out and no one lied.
It was just a scene, something he could shake off, and she was just a guest sub. There was no possible way she could have felt as right as he thought. The anger was tricking him. She was just another lying sub. A sub to forget. A sub he would never see again.
“Damn her.”
An image of her regret filled face tugged at his resolve. His fingers flexed as he remembered her velvet channel. His cock twitched, and he hit the bag again.
GIVEAWAY!
SJ’s giving away one $10 Amazon gift card and THREE swag packs. To enter: read the excerpt, answer this question in the comments, and click away on the rafflecopter.
Simon definitely sees Janna again. Do you think she’ll get a second chance with him?
Where to Buy
Evernight Publishing
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
All Romance eBooks
BookStrand
About S.J. Maylee
S.J. Maylee fell in love with storytelling at a young age and with it came a deep-seated desire for everyone to find their happily ever after. She’s finding the happy endings for her characters one steamy story at a time.
When she’s not reading or writing, you can find her caring for her garden, laughing with her two young sons, or dancing to her husband’s music. She’s a PMP (Project Management Professional), Nia instructor, and coffee addict.
As a writer she has a tendency to break hearts, but she always glues them back together.
Where to find S.J. Maylee
Blog
Twitter
Facebook Page
Google+
Goodreads
Pinterest
Amazon Author Page
Mid Week Tease: Breaker Zone #MWTease #MidWeekTease
Happy Hump Day! Courtesy of Sandra Bunino and her Mid Week Tease, I’m bringing you yet another tense scene from my current WIP Breaker Zone. In this teaser, Nick’s been rescued from Barnard by his two sexy mers Aidan and Liam and is about to have a well-deserved minor breakdown, poor bastard.
Enjoy, and make sure to hit the list after the teaser to see other great Mid Week Teases!
With his life in ruins thanks to a psychotic ex, Dr. Nick Gardiner winds up at Olympic Cove looking for sanctuary (and free beer) with his friend Ian. The last thing he expects to find is Ian living with two redheaded sea lords and learning how to be a storm god. Adding to the confusion is a wounded merman named Aidan who washes up in the cove, requiring Nick’s professional help. Nick soon learns that the handsome mer and his partner Liam have their own plans for the ER doctor — to claim him as their agapetos, their destined mate, and fulfill his need to submit.
A chance encounter at a local junk shop reveals that Nick has his own role to play in Ian’s battle against the insane Nereid Thetis. Under the reluctant mentorship of Chiron, Nick must master the use of the Rod of Asclepius if he wants to rescue his mates from a ghastly fate and help Ian save the planet.
###
“You moron,” Chiron snapped. “Why the hell did you decide to wander off on your own?”
“Yeah, hello to you, too,” Nick replied sourly. He stood in the middle of Ian’s cottage, the mers behind him, and the translucent centaur took up the other half. Ian leaned in the hallway leading to the guest rooms and kitchen, arms folded across his chest. “Just out of curiosity, when did you find out I was going to be in danger? Because some advance notice that my whackjob ex was in town looking for me would have been nice.”
His teacher shrugged. “I didn’t find out until it was happening. I’m a centaur, not Miss Cleo.”
“How did you find out?” Liam asked.
Chiron made a decidedly horsey-sounding snort. “Grandma decided to drop some knowledge on me. Since I can’t go among the slobbering masses I laughingly call humans anymore, I had to rope in the Tiny Titan for an assist.” He jerked his head at Ian, who gave him the finger. “He wanted to beam into the middle of the damned town and start looking for you. I talked him into calling you first.”
“I know where I can show up safely,” Ian grumbled.
“Don’t care. No apparating among the mundanes.”
“Back up a bit,” Nick cut in. “Grandma?”
“Gaia.”
“Who?”
“Oh, fuck me,” Chiron groaned. “Gaia, the Mother of All, the earth goddess, the avatar of the whole goddamn planet. For some reason she decided to step in and save your narrow ass from getting hauled off to Chi-town and turned into Barnard Whitfield’s personal pumpkin.”
“Shit.” The adrenaline rush he’d been riding since Barnard appeared finally began to fade, and he started shaking. “Shit. Why is all this happening to me?”
Chiron stopped, frowning. “Syncope. You two get him on the couch.”
Two arms slid around his back, easing him into a sitting position.
“Push his head between his knees. He needs to get blood back into that noggin.”
“I know, Lord.”
A large hand slid into his hair, gently cupping his skull and pushing it down. He found himself hunched over, staring at his sneakers and the area rug underneath them.
“Just breathe, Nick,” he heard Liam say softly, hand still in his hair and rubbing his scalp. Aidan performed the same motion on his back, rubbing in wide, gentle circles. “It’s all going to be okay.”
He huffed at that. “The fuck it is. I’ve got a psychotic ex-Dom who wants to carve his name into my chest, and a god’s staff that I don’t know how to use,” he said raggedly. “Oh, yeah, and apparently an earth goddess likes me. Woo fucking hoo.”
“More like the earth goddess,” Chiron said, “but whatever.”
Ian’s blue-jeaned knees appeared in his line of sight, then dropped to the floor. “I am so sorry, Nick. I never wanted to drag you into any of this,” his friend said regretfully. “And I know just how confused you are right now, trust me. But if it’s any consolation, you’ve got a lot of people who will help you figure out what you’re supposed to do, and I’m number one on that list.”
Taking in a deep breath, Nick slowly sat up. The mers’ hands tactfully disappeared, Liam and Aidan leaning back to give him space. He wished they hadn’t stopped touching him. It had helped keep his panic at bay. “Dude, I don’t know if I can do this,” he said. “I’m just an ER doc. I’m not a god, or a merman, or anything special.”
“Sorry to rain on your pity parade, Junior, but that’s not true,” Chiron said, clopping up to Ian’s side. “You’re the Bearer of Asclepius’s Rod. That makes you a pretty powerful player in this game.”
“What game?” he said, almost yelping the words. “Fighting a crazy goddess who’s pissed off at humans and wants to destroy the Earth? That game? Jesus, I don’t even know where to start.”
“I often find,” an urbane voice said, “that it’s best to start at the beginning.”
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Mid Week Tease: Breaker Zone #MWTease #MidWeekTease
Happy Hump Day! Courtesy of Sandra Bunino and her Mid Week Tease, I’m bringing you yet another tense scene from my current WIP Breaker Zone. Nick’s been cornered by his dangerous ex-Dom in a secluded park in Olympic Beach, and things do not look good for our ER doc.
Enjoy, and make sure to hit the list after the teaser to see other great Mid Week Teases!
With his life in ruins thanks to a psychotic ex, Dr. Nick Gardiner winds up at Olympic Cove looking for sanctuary (and free beer) with his friend Ian. The last thing he expects to find is Ian living with two redheaded sea lords and learning how to be a storm god. Adding to the confusion is a wounded merman named Aidan who washes up in the cove, requiring Nick’s professional help. Nick soon learns that the handsome mer and his partner Liam have their own plans for the ER doctor — to claim him as their agapetos, their destined mate, and fulfill his need to submit.
A chance encounter at a local junk shop reveals that Nick has his own role to play in Ian’s battle against the insane Nereid Thetis. Under the reluctant mentorship of Chiron, Nick must master the use of the Rod of Asclepius if he wants to rescue his mates from a ghastly fate and help Ian save the planet.
###
“You were the very devil to track down, you know,” Barnard said, sounding amused. In his Armani button-down and tailor-made linen slacks, he looked cool and in control in the June warmth. “I had you all the way to this dreadful little town, and then you disappeared. Poof, like smoke.” Slim, elegant fingers flickered in the air like a dissipating cloud. “I was afraid I’d have to call in some favors and have your cell phone tracked, but here you are. It’s almost a sign from God, don’t you agree?”
“Not really,” Nick said tightly. “I thought I told you we were over, Barnard.”
The other man tsked. “You’re still upset about my slip-up. Well, I suppose I can’t blame you. But in all honesty, pet, I didn’t hear your safeword. If I had, I would have stopped immediately, you know that.” Tilted teal eyes shone with innocence. “I’m a Dom, not a monster.”
Yes, you are a monster. I screamed at you to stop, and you smiled and said ‘just a little more.’ “I don’t care. Blood and knife play are my hard limits.”
The bastard had the nerve to tut at him. “You know it’s a Dom’s responsibility to push his sub and find his true boundaries.”
“You don’t involve hard limits in a scene, Barnard. You know that,” Nick fired back. “And I told you when we started, no knives and no fucking blood play.”
The other man’s hand shot out, grabbing his wrist and squeezing the bones there. “Language, pet,” he warned. “You know better than that.” He frowned suddenly, staring at Nick’s neck. “Are those … bruises?”
Shit. Nick wrenched his wrist loose, stepping back. “I am not your pet. I withdraw my service. You are not my Dom anymore.” His gut churned, but he spat out the words anyway despite Barnard’s increasingly cold expression. “Now get out of here and go back to Chicago. I’m sure you can find plenty of pain sluts who would love to have your name carved into their chest.”
“Of course I could, but I don’t want them. I want you, Nicholas.” Barnard smiled, a shark’s grin. “You’re so delightful, with your exceptional responsiveness and desire to serve. And such smooth, pale skin. I just want to bite it until it bleeds.”
Nauseated, Nick took another step back, the terrier following him. “You’re sounding a lot like Hannibal Lecter right now.”
The smile disappeared, and Barnard’s eyes went glacial. “I don’t enjoy being compared to a cannibalistic psychopath, Nicholas.”
“And I don’t enjoy having my safeword ignored. I’m not coming back. Ever. Get that into your head.”
Unexpectedly, the Dom’s expression changed. He snapped his fingers. “Oh. Now I understand. You’re staying with that writer friend of yours, aren’t you?”
Nick went cold. “What does Ian have to do with this?”
“That man puts the oddest notions into your head. He never liked me, you know, and I haven’t the faintest idea why.”
Because he could tell right off the bat that you were dangerous. I was fooled by the nice clothes and the fancy car. “I’m not staying with Ian, so leave him out of this. Now, if you’ll excuse me—”
He tried to step around the other man, but Barnard deftly cut him off. “Nicholas, don’t make this difficult. I have a plane waiting. Come home with me and we’ll forget all about the last three days, yes?”
Short of a lobotomy, there was no way he would ever forget the events of the last three days. Sea gods and mermen and Rods, oh my. “Get out of my way, Barnard.”
His former Dom sighed. “Oh, pet. I’m afraid you’ll have to pay for that.”
Norma started barking loudly, dancing on the edge of her leash and baring her teeth. Something moved beyond Barnard’s shoulder, coming into focus.
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Mid Week Tease: Breaker Zone #MWTease #MidWeekTease
Happy Hump Day! Today’s Mid Week Tease is a rather tense scene from my current WIP Breaker Zone, where Nick and Aidan get interrupted in flagrante delicto by a dangerous intruder. Or is he?
Enjoy, and make sure to hit the list after the teaser to see other great Mid Week Teases!
With his life in ruins thanks to a psychotic ex, Dr. Nick Gardiner winds up at Olympic Cove looking for sanctuary (and free beer) with his friend Ian. The last thing he expects to find is Ian living with two redheaded sea lords and learning how to be a storm god. Adding to the confusion is a wounded merman named Aidan who washes up in the cove, requiring Nick’s professional help. Nick soon learns that the handsome mer and his partner Liam have their own plans for the ER doctor — to claim him as their agapetos, their destined mate, and fulfill his need to submit.
A chance encounter at a local junk shop reveals that Nick has his own role to play in Ian’s battle against the insane Nereid Thetis. Under the reluctant mentorship of Chiron, Nick must master the use of the Rod of Asclepius if he wants to rescue his mates from a ghastly fate and help Ian save the planet.
###
“You dared to touch my chuisle?” the other merman shouted, rage throbbing in his voice. “I’ll kill you!”
Panicking, Nick scuttled along the wall, crabbing backwards the adjoining bathroom. He could hear Aidan shouting something at the intruder.
“Aidan, run!” he yelled. Rolling onto his hands and knees, he lurched to his feet and stumbled into the hallway, heading for the kitchen and the knives there.
He never made it. A huge hand grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, abruptly changing momentum and throwing him onto the living room floor. Grunting in pain from the impact, he flipped over and backed into the corner of the couch.
The tall man strode after him, spear poised to strike. “You bastard,” he said, lips peeled back from a brutal snarl. “You filthy, disgusting—“
A blue glow exploded in the room, dazzling both of them. Nick shut his abruptly stinging eyes against the light, only to hear Bythos shout, “Stop!”
There was a dull thud that he could feel through the floor. “How dare you threaten our guest, mer!” Ian’s boyfriend bellowed, infuriated.
Nick forced himself to crack one eyelid, then eased open the other eye. The intruder had dropped to his knees like a puppet with cut strings, spear thrown to the floor. In front of him stood Bythos and Aphros, surrounded by a sparkling nimbus of sea blue light. The redheads were dressed in simple tunics and hefting ornate silver tridents, and both of them were glaring at the intruder.
The man — mer — bowed his head. “Lord Bythos,” he said raggedly, his voice full of fear, “I beg your forgiveness. But he was molesting my mate—”
“No, he wasn’t!”
Aidan was panting and clinging to the corner of the hallway, staring frantically at all of them. “Dammit, Liam, I told you to stop!”
Liam? The giant was Liam, Aidan’s friend and Elder-in-training? Nick started to say something, and could only choke as his throat flared in sudden agony.
“Nick!” Aphros crossed to him and knelt down, one strong hand clasping his shoulder. “Are you all right?”
All that came out was a froggy croak. Between the tall mer’s hand on his throat and the scream for Aidan to run, he suspected he’d sprained his vocal cords. Gingerly, he shook his head and gestured towards his larynx.
A second nimbus of light appeared, golden this time, and Ian stepped out of it, holding a dark trident. His eyes went comically wide when he saw the scene in the living room. “What the hell is going on?” he demanded.
Nick stared at the man he’d eaten with, gotten drunk with, sat with during Diana’s wake. Then at the trident in Ian’s hand.
That was enough for one night. Very gently, he fell over.
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Marvelous Monday Reads: Unholy Matrimony
Hello, and welcome to another edition of Marvelous Monday Reads, angels! Today I’m participating in a blog tour for Roane Publishing to promote their latest publication Unholy Matrimony by Sonny Zae.
To celebrate the release, Roane Publishing is giving away an eCOPY of UNHOLY MATRIMONY, as well as a $10 Amazon Gift Card. To enter the raffle, click here.
And now, here’s an interview with the main character supplied by Roane Publishing — read on!
What do you look for in a woman?
Interviewer: Tell me, Sonny, as an infamous lover, what do you look for in a woman?
Sonny: The word is notorious, as in Sonny the Scoundrel, the notorious lover. As a lover, I am both infamous and notorious. Have you never done an interview before? Did you not hear the stories about me? As to what I look for in a woman, she should be lovely, of course, tall and willowy, with long, cascading hair. But she should also be able to work and cook and clean, so she can have big, muscular arms.
Interviewer: Ah, I think I know where this is going. You like a big, strong woman who can slap you around a little, don’t you.
Sonny: No, do not be ridiculous! It is only so she can work hard, supporting me if necessary.
Interviewer: Fine, I’ll take your word for it, for now. But I know what you like, and know your penchant for falling for women who keep a tight rein on you.
Sonny: Contrary to the ugly rumors that persist about me, no woman has ever put a bridle on Sonny the Scoundrel.
Author: What about a riding crop?
Sonny: No comment. What happened to your questions about the women I prefer?
Author: Right. So, tall and with long hair and big biceps is how you like your women. What else? A good sense of humor?
Sonny: No.
Interviewer: Wealthy?
Sonny: Certainly. That goes without saying.
Interviewer: What about personality?
Sonny: Optional.
Interviewer: Come on, that is the most important part of finding love, isn’t it? What was it about Ariella that drew you to her?
Sonny: Fair enough. Ariella has personality, and loads of it. She is a very smart girl and knows how to get the better in any business deal.
Interviewer: And your respect that? Admire her for it?
Sonny: Of course.
Interviewer: But could you trust her?
Sonny: Certainly not!
Interviewer: Then how could you find her so attractive?
Sonny: It is … I suppose because she is so much like me, both strikingly beautiful on the outside, and ruthless and calculating on the inside.
Interviewer: So, what is the probability of impending marriage?
Sonny: Pretty good, if she plays her cards right.
How will you survive on your own once Grandpap is gone?
Interviewer: Sonny, how old is your grandfather, the wizard Zuthar Zaeffom?
Sonny: Older than the oldest tree in the forest.
Interviewer: And how old would that be?
Sonny: He must be drawing up on one-hundred and fifty years of age.
Interviewer: That old? How old are you?
Sonny: Thirty-three.
Interviewer: So then, hold on, if your mother was thirty when she gave birth to you, then at the time you were born, Grandpap would be around one-hundred?
Sonny: If you say so. I never engage in tasks so mundane as mathematics. It is quite beneath me.
Interviewer: Have you never wondered how old your grand-sire was when he begat your mother?
Sonny: No.
Interviewer: So, in your world, it is of no concern to bear a child out of wedlock?
Sonny: It is considered most inappropriate.
Interviewer: Then how did your Grandpap avoid being punished by the villagers?
Sonny: He is a wizard! No one talks back to a wizard. He can do what he wants, when he wants.
Interviewer: Then what about you? What will you do when he is dead and is no longer around to protect you whenever you get your … tail feathers in a trap?
Sonny: It will be a problem, I am sure. No one in the village cares overmuch for me. When Grandpap kicks off, I will not have a champion here.
Interviewer: What will happen?
Sonny: The villagers will likely chase me into the woods with torches and scythes.
Interviewer: What is your plan for that day?
Sonny: Plan? I have no plan … save running for my life.
If you could have only one wizarding power, what would it be?
Interviewer: Sonny, if you could have only one wizarding power, what would it be?
Sonny: That is the most difficult question you have asked me. There are so many magical powers I have coveted. Let me see. Of course, my first thought is that I crave the desire to turn objects into goald.
Interviewer: Alchemy?
Sonny: Yes, most definitely. Then I could glamour any number of stones or twigs to look like goald, and I would be able to drink for free every day for the rest of my life.
Interviewer: What about the ability to mesmerize?
Sonny: True, that would be a wonderful magical power to wield. But at times it could be a bothersome amount of work to push people around. I would much rather they anticipate what I wanted and do it without needing to be compelled by me.
What is your most outrageous secret?
Interviewer: Tell us, Sonny the Scoundrel, what is your most outrageous secret?
Sonny: What secret do I harbour that I would never want anyone to know? Only that I am a warm, sensitive, and caring person deep inside.
Interviewer: Oh, come on! I read the story.
Sonny: What do you mean?
Interviewer: I suppose there could be a good person hidden deep inside of you, but no one has ever seen that side of Sonny Zaeffom. Seriously, what would shock the people who know you if they were ever to find out?
Sonny: Truly, I have no secrets.
Interviewer: I could interview everyone in your village and dig up some dirt.
Sonny: Oh, very well. My shameful secret is that I once tricked a visitor to our village into dressing up as a … no, that was not a secret. Ummm, you will tell this to no one?
Interviewer: Of course not. What?
Sonny: Strange, as I have never told this to anyone, and have buried it so deeply in my memory that I have not thought about it in years.
Interviewer: Go on.
Sonny: As the grandson of a wizard, it is no secret that I have a pedigree that shames every other person around me. I never violate my station in life by doing common labor. Work is for peasants and dull-witted clods. But despite that, I once … umm, this is very hard for me to talk about.
Interviewer: Take your time. Would you like a cup of tea?
Sonny: Do you have any ale? Tea does not loosen tongues. As I was saying, I had occasion to visit a distant relative several years ago, who lived in a distant village. Hagan was a cooper in the village of Trowspood, widowed and with a small daughter. His daughter was exceptionally cute, only five years old, with curly brown hair and the most serious eyes I had ever seen. When I arrived, he was finishing an order of oak barrels. Hagan’s customer had arrived with a wagon and waited for Hagan to finish the last barrel.
Interviewer: What did you do during this time?
Sonny: I … played with the child. I entertained her, played games with her, and kept her busy and happy until Hagan had finished his business. There was not much day left. Hagan cooked an evening meal and we talked and downed a few ales, then went to bed. By the next morning, when I set out to walk home, she was calling me “Da-Da.” Is that not the most wonderful thing you have ever heard?
Interviewer: So your deep, dark secret is that you once spent a day with a young child and actually didn’t hate the experience?
Sonny: Umm … yes. Do not think me a monster.
Interviewer: Well, as sordid as that all sounds, you haven’t answered my question, haven’t admitted to some dark, hidden personal shame. What is so bad about being tricked into doing manual labor? Or amusing a small child for a few hours?
Sonny: You really expect me to answer that?
Interviewer: Yes, I do. Or I shall not give you this shiny, new quarter, as promised.
Sonny: Oh, very well! Why is it painful to talk about? Because I actually enjoyed it! I labored with my hands, cleaning the child’s face when she was covered in food, and carrying her around like a mere pack animal. Several people in Trowspood saw me do so. At least they were not aware of how I debased myself, did not know who I was or where I was from. There, are you happy now?
What is the most dastardly deed you have ever done?
Interviewer: Sonny, what is the most dastardly deed you have ever done?
Sonny: Oh, I cannot pick a single favourite out of all of my achievements.
Interviewer: It doesn’t have to be the worst thing you have ever done, just one of the many really terrible things you have done.
Sonny: Very well, but it is still a difficult choice for me to make. Let me see. Once, when Abnelius and I went to Cappersham’s tavern in the early afternoon, Abnelius drank so much that he fell over outside the tavern and I could not rouse him, he was so besotted.
Interviewer: So the dastardly deed was that you were a bad influence on this Abnelius fellow?
Sonny: Oh, no, I was not the bad influence, Abnelius was. That is not what the story is about. Abnelius is as old as Grandpap, but much shorter and scrawnier, with skinny little bow legs. But he can put away the ale, he can. But on this particular evening, he did not hold it well, and staggered outside to relieve himself and did not return. When I found him, I could not get him to wake up.
Interviewer: That sounds like a problem.
Sonny: Surely it was! He was buying. And without him, Capper would not let me back into his tavern.
Interviewer: What did you do?
Sonny: What could I do? I waited for him to revive, to regain his senses.
Interviewer: Are you telling me that you waited patiently for him to sober up?
Sonny: Of course not! I searched his pack until I found one of his energy slugs. They can revive a besotted man quite quickly. You just slip one up–
Interviewer: No! I don’t want to hear any more, not about the slug. So then, when he revived, you two went back to drinking?
Sonny: Yes. But before I administered the slug, I … ummm, changed his attire a bit.
Interviewer: I’m afraid to ask, but … what did you do?
Sonny: Dressed him up like a girl. He did not notice. But the men in the tavern did. They thought it was the funniest thing they had ever seen. I had a fancy bonnet on his head, and nicked Roswitha Ulver’s bloomers, the bonnet and bloomers where the only clothes on him. And I rouged his lips up to a bright red.
Interviewer: What happened then?
Sonny: A fight, of course. Abnelius may not have been alert enough to tell what I had done to him, but he had enough wits to lose his temper. Abnelius is always able to lose his temper. So when the mule drover laughed at him, he lit into the drover like a rooster after a bull.
Interviewer: Was he injured?
Sonny: Abnelius? No. He may be a scrawny old wizard, but he is still a wizard. And he fights dirty. It was one hell of a scrap, it was.
Interviewer: What were you doing during this time?
Sonny: I did the only thing I could do, under the circumstances. I slipped around and drank every cup dry as the other people in the tavern watched the fight.
What is your most secret ambition?
Interviewer: Let’s talk about your future. What is Sonny Zaeffom’s one secret ambition? What is the one thing you would most like to do in life?
Sonny: One thing? Hmmm. Well, this may sound rather bizarre to you.
Interviewer: Go on.
Sonny: I was once told a crazy story by Grandpap’s best friend, Abnelius.
Interviewer: Who is that?
Sonny: Abnelius is a wizard from a nearby village. He specializes in healing. He and Grandpap have been best friends forever—and Grandpap is very old, one-hundred forty-five, I believe. Anyway, Abnelius comes by on occasion to visit Grandpap, to eat and drink and share an evening. Abnelius is even stranger than Grandpap, which is quite a feat—though all wizards are mighty strange. Anyway, one night when Grandpap had to go and do some magical chore for a neighbor, Abnelius and I had a good time, drinking all the ale in our house. Just for fun, I asked Abnelius to tell me about alchemy, and he told me about Grandpap’s younger days, when he my grandsire was considered the most likely up-and-coming wizard, the wizard most likely to solve the riddle of alchemy. Abnelius told me all about Grandpap’s alchemy wand, how it seemed to actually work, and how a rival wizard caused it to be destroyed.
Interviewer: This is all very interesting, but do you have a point? What does this have to do with your secret ambition?
Sonny: Do have some patience. Abnelius claimed that Grandpap had figured out the secret of alchemy and was on the cusp of becoming the most successful and acclaimed wizard of his generation. But then it was ruined by a rival wizard, supposedly when that wizard was under the influence of … too much ale. So, in jest, I said to Abnelius, would it not be most wonderful if one could use a magical wand to both conduct alchemy and stir up a fine drink?
Interviewer: What did your friend Abnelius say?
Sonny: He gave me a sideways look and asked how I had heard such a strange tale. I told him it was not a tale, but just a thought that had come to me in the moment. Abnelius grew serious and informed me there were rumours in the wizarding community that such a thing was possible, that it was possible to construct a wand which could create both spirituous drink and goald.
Interviewer: What is your secret ambition?
Sonny: I would do almost anything to have such a wand, to be able to sit back, wave a wand, and create a fine drink at a moment’s notice. One would not even need goald, then, would one?
Interviewer: That is tremendously ambitious of you.
Sonny: Indeed! But I have even more ambition than that.
Interviewer: Do tell.
Sonny: You will wonder why you did not think of this. What would you do if you had a wand, a wonderful and powerful magical implement, wherein you did not even have to go through two separate incantations to make goald and fine drink?
Interviewer: I have no idea what you are talking about.
Sonny: Of course not! You are not the genius that I am. But I suppose you want to know what I am hinting about?
Interviewer: I suppose I can’t end this interview until you tell me?
Sonny: Very well, if you insist. My secret ambition, what I would do if I had such a wand, is … please, remain seated for your own good. I would be able to mix up a fine drink with the wand, then after I tossed it down, the magical wand would do its duty and strange things would happen inside me, just as you must suspect by now.
Interviewer: I have been suspecting strange things going on inside you since the beginning of this interview. What, pray tell, would be the result?
Sonny: The drink would produce goald in my bowels. What do you think of that?
Interviewer: Your secret ambition is to, to—
Sonny: Yes. I would be the first person to have shat out goald.
Interviewer: This interview is over. Does your Grandpap have any potion that could wipe the last few minutes from my memory?
Sonny is so handsome, he doesn’t need magic to get what he wants, except when he gets into trouble. And, he’ll do anything for love or money, except work. So, the thought of marriage represents the worst of all possible worlds, a danger he avoids at all costs.
His plans for getting rich the easy way—by stealing—go awry when he meets Ariella. She is not only lovely to look at, but just may be as slippery and greedy as he. Better still, she becomes highly stimulated at the prospect of helping him hijack a treasure.
But, in addition to helping him steal “goald”, the cunning Ariella might just steal his scoundrel heart.
Story Excerpt
“Tell me where you hid the amulet.” Her lips touched my ear lobe and I almost lost control of my spleen. “Confess your theft, and I will reward you, will complete the passionate interlude left unconsummated last night.”
“For you, my dear, I would confess anything.”
“Go on, do tell.”
“I confess my desire for you, my passion is aroused by your touch.”
“That is not what I want to hear. Confess you took the amulet, and tell where you hid it.”
“I will.” My heartbeats pounded in my ears. “But first, caress my trouser weasel, stroke it as you were doing last night.”
“Oh, no,” she cooed into my ear. “You tell me where the chicken foot is, and then you will be rewarded.”
I smiled to myself, despite my predicament. Such moments in life were few and far between, moments when fools thought they had the better of me, then discovered they needed to curry my favour, instead of the other way around. “My dear, I will confess nothing. Abler men than you—well, men, at least—have tried to break my spirit, and all have failed.”
“Where is the chicken foot?” she hissed, grasping my ear and twisting it. The pain was sharp and delicious.
“I do not know!” Strangely, it was true.
“Liar! Tell me, or I shall kick you.”
“Kick me if you must, but I refuse to tell you.” I fervently hoped she would carry through her threat. “What will you do with the wedding gifts? I shall tell the people of your village it was all your idea.”
“Oh, my! Dear me!” Ariella responded, mock fear dripping from her lovely lips. “Do you think they will believe you, a stranger, over a beautiful and innocent young girl?” She punctuated the question by kicking me in the gut.
“That did not hurt,” I lied. “Throw your whole body into it. Do you have a pair of pointy shoes? Kicking me with pointy shoes might at least discomfit me…while you are kicking, at least. The pain fades almost immediately and you shall never get the truth out of me at this rate.”
Where to Buy
Roane Publishing
Amazon
Amazon UK
Barnes and Noble (Coming soon)
KOBO (Coming soon)
Smashwords
Bookstrand
Goodreads
About Sonny Zae
Sonny Zae lives in a small town on the edge of reality. His only remarkable characteristic is imagination. He ignored his grade school teacher’s repeated admonitions to stop daydreaming and get to work.
Sonny’s book WIZARD SEEKING TROPHY BRIDE, is also available on Kindle. It is a story about the exceptional difficulties involved in finding love and happiness for an elderly and strange wizard, not to mention the difficulties of dealing with an elderly relative—an elderly relative who is also a wizard.
