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This month, we released a brand new story in our BDSM-themed Candy Cane Club series!
He’s the perfect submissive -- gorgeous, responsive, and yet aloof, and every Dom at the Candy Cane fantasizes about claiming the sub who calls himself Saiph.
Nick Tierney is a Dom whose instincts tell him Saiph is hiding some complicated issues. He would love to help Saiph, but his desire seems hopeless in the face of Saiph’s adamant refusal to do a scene with any gay male Dom.
Then Saiph volunteers for the Candy Cane’s first annual charity auction, and Nick seizes the opportunity to have Saiph at his command, if only for a single night.
When they meet to discuss their rendezvous, Nick sees past Saiph’s facade to the pain beneath, while Saiph finds Nick is far more insightful than any Dom he’s ever met. As they get to know one another, Nick becomes more determined to help Saiph find a way to let go and truly submit. Can he convince Saiph to let down his guard enough for Nick to help him heal? Or will Nick’s rapidly deepening feelings drive Saiph away for good?
His to Save is now available on Amazon!
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November 6 — Seeking Solace will be released by Dreamspinner Press. This is book 3 of our Walker Boys series. Available for preorder now!
November 20 — Quenched in Blood will be released by Dreamspinner Press. This is the third and final book in our Asheville Arcana series, written for the Dreamspun Beyond line. Available for preorder now!
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This month's sneak peek comes from Quenched in Blood.
“Are demon hunters immortal?” Thomas asked.
“No.” Julian looked pained as he made the admission. “You’re longer-lived than most mortals, of course. Perhaps the first few generations after the angel were, but as the bloodlines were thinned with humans, it lessened the lifespans. My sire, Frederick, knew some of the old demon hunter families in Europe, and he said they would live three hundred years, perhaps more. Assuming, of course, they didn’t die in the commission of their duties. As you know from the fate of your grandfather, demon hunting is a dangerous business. And your parents dying in an accident is certainly tragic. They were young even for humans, and as demon hunters, they probably had more than a century of life ahead of them.”
“All the more reason why I shouldn’t put things off, I suppose,” Thomas said, glancing sidelong at Julian. He wasn’t sure why Julian was keeping his distance, especially not after that kiss, but he didn’t intend to let it continue.
Julian frowned slightly. “I don’t think you have to rush into anything you’re not ready for. I’m going to make certain you’re trained first and able to handle yourself. You’re not facing anything alone either. I’m here for you, and so are Arden and Whimsy and the others.”
Thomas pushed his plate away and swiveled on the stool to face Julian, letting out a little exasperated huff. “I’m not talking about demon hunting, Julian. I’m talking about us.”
“Us?” Julian’s frown became a scowl, but there was also a flash of something that wasn’t quite panic in his eyes. “If you mean the kiss, I’ll apologize for that. It was wrong of me to take advantage of you.”
“I don’t want an apology,” Thomas said, leaning forward and resting his hand on Julian’s thigh. “I want another kiss.”
“Thomas, I….” There was no mistaking it. Calm, cool, rational Julian looked ready to bolt. “Now that you’re out from under Micah’s thumb you’re discovering lots of things about the world and about yourself. You’re curious about sex, I understand that. But you should be with someone closer to your own age. I’d be taking advantage of you.”
“Why do you think I need someone my own age?” Thomas asked, sliding his hand higher up Julian’s thigh.
“Because you’re a virgin, and you’re nearly three hundred years younger than I am!” Julian swallowed hard. “Plus I knew your parents, and your grandfather, and… hell, I even had a fling with one of your great-great-great uncles about the time George Vanderbilt was building his house. You need someone normal who can introduce you to all the things you’ve missed.”
“It seems to me that someone who’s got plenty of experience is the perfect one to introduce me to everything I’ve missed,” Thomas said, giving Julian’s leg a gentle squeeze. “Any other arguments you want to try to make?”
Suddenly Thomas found himself lifted up off the stool. Then Julian spun him and pressed him up against the wall. Julian’s body was hard against his, and Julian had moved with such blinding speed Thomas wasn’t even sure how Julian had managed to capture his wrists, but now they were pinned above his head in an iron-hard grip. There was something dark and dangerous in Julian’s expression, and Thomas caught the flash of fangs as Julian snarled. “You don’t know what you’re asking for. You don’t know what it means. You don’t know me. What I’m capable of. What I’m guilty of. This is a game to you, and I’m not playing it.”
Arousal zinged through Thomas at Julian’s show of strength, and he found himself instinctively tipping his chin up to bare his throat. “This isn’t a game,” he said. “You’re forgetting what I am. I may not be able to see auras yet, but I can read you well enough. Demon hunters might not form mating bonds, but since the moment we met, everything in me has been saying you're mine."
Julian’s eyes grew wide. It was obvious he had expected Thomas to back down, perhaps even to become frightened of him. They were so close that Thomas could feel the way Julian’s heart was pounding. Julian’s gaze moved downward, stopping at Thomas’s throat. A battle seemed to rage within him; he clenched his jaw, but his fangs grew longer. With a sound that was half snarl, half moan, Julian parted his lips, fastening his mouth on the side of Thomas’s neck. His fangs pierced Thomas’s skin, and he began to suck.
Thomas’s eyes flew open wide at the unexpected surge of pleasure that coursed through him, and then he sagged against the wall as he tilted his head, offering complete surrender. The sting of Julian’s fangs piercing his skin faded quickly, replaced by a pleasure that Julian seemed to be pulling from deep within him. His skin prickled with the heat of his desire, and he couldn’t hold back a heartfelt moan.
Thomas’s reaction made Julian growl, a distinctly satisfied sound that rumbled in his chest and that Thomas could feel as much as hear. They were close in height, and the hard length of Julian’s cock was evident even through their clothes as Julian rocked against him. Julian’s mouth grew hot against his skin, and it was as though Julian’s body was imprinted on his, every point of contact suddenly throbbing. Julian rocked again, and this time he groaned as though he, too, were drowning in pleasure.
Thomas hooked his leg around Julian’s hips and sought to match Julian’s rhythm, wanting to ease the aching need building within him. He wanted to hold out, wanted to drive Julian to the breaking point as well, but he couldn’t keep control. Whether it was due to a lifetime of celibacy or the power of a vampire’s bite—or both—Thomas was overwhelmed by ecstasy, and he cried out as he shattered in Julian’s arms.
Julian rocked against him again, and then again, before lifting his mouth away from Thomas’s throat. Then he, too, cried out, going still against Thomas as his panting breaths ghosted over Thomas’s neck. Thomas nuzzled his cheek against Julian’s, humming softly with satisfaction. This wasn’t how he’d envisioned their first time going, but he had no complaints, and he wasn’t about to let Julian walk away from him now.
For several more moments Julian was still. Then he released Thomas’s wrists and took a step back. He was still breathing hard, and Thomas could see Julian’s pale face was, for once, flushed and damp with sweat. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?” Thomas slid his arms around Julian’s shoulders, refusing to let Julian put distance between them now.
Julian kept his eyes averted. “I didn’t ask permission.” His lips twisted into a parody of a smile, and his normally silken voice was rough. “You could request I be put to death, you know. Ironically, I was the one who pushed for that law to be enacted by the council.”
“If you’d asked, the answer would have been yes,” Thomas said, pressing closer to Julian. “I wanted this, Julian. I wanted you.”
Julian finally met Thomas’s gaze, and Thomas could see something almost like guilt in his eyes. “I shouldn’t want this,” Julian replied. “There are a thousand reasons why it’s a bad idea. Bad for you.”
“If you were bad for me, there wouldn’t be this resonance between us,” Thomas said, resting his palm against Julian’s cheek. “This feels right on the same level that being a demon hunter feels right. You were meant to be mine, and I was meant to be yours.”
For a moment Thomas thought Julian was going to pull away. His body went rigid, tension evident in every angle of his face. His eyes were suddenly piercing, darkening to almost black. But then, unexpectedly, he sighed, slumping against Thomas as though the will to fight had deserted him. “I shouldn’t want this,” he repeated, his voice ragged. “But, may the Most High help me, I do want it. I want you. All of you.”
“You’ve got me,” Thomas said.
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Recently, Ari and I attended the Gay Romance Literature retreat in Portsmouth, VA, and we had a great time! We loved meeting our readers and our fellow authors, and we both came away with more books to add to our To Be Read pile.
Next year's retreat will be in Albuquerque, NM, on October 16-20, 2019. Whether you're a writer or a reader, we'd highly recommend making space on your calendar for this event! There are panels, readings, and signings, and the book fair is truly dangerous for your wallet and your TBR list. In the evenings, you can enjoy socializing with other attendees at karaoke, a pajama party, or a dance party, or you can have a chance to win author swag in all kinds of different games and give-aways.
On a more personal note, I'd like to express how wonderful it was to be in a space where I could relax and be myself. I tend to be the more private partner because I live and work in an area where I could experience backlash not only for writing gay romance novels but also for being queer myself. At GRL, I was able to embrace my queer identity and be open about who I am, and I'd like to thank everyone who was there for giving me that freedom. I don't get many opportunities to be my full, true self, so having such freedom at GRL meant more than I can say.
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