A couple days past release day, but I got a nasty cold that's slowed down all the stuff and things I need to do. So far testing negative for the great big C, so fingers crossed it stays that way.
Not gonna stop me from celebrating though. This book has been in the works for two years and I'm so happy to FINALLY have it out of the deep, dark cave of wonders where WIPs get stashed away like hidden treasures.
I'm not sorry it took that long though, because giving the story and these characters a chance to really grow in my mind and develop as much as they did was worth it. The excitement of writing a story where the characters are so fleshed out all you have to do is let them lead the way is pure magic.
And with a book like this, that kind of magic wasn't an option.
Before I share the excerpt with you, I want to bring up something a few readers have told me. Some hesitated to dive in because of what they thought the book would be, but were pleasantly surprised. I'm really grateful to those who gave it a chance based on what they've read from me in the past. That means more than I can possibly say.
To me, this is a monster romance because of some of the elements in the story and the characters being, well, what's typically called 'Monsters' lol. But it doesn't follow a lot of the trends of the genre.
To put it bluntly, if you're looking for a Monster Fucker story, you'll probably be disappointed. This isn't a story about a human getting it on with something big, hot, and scary—though some of those stories are amazing!
This is a story about different kinds of monsters falling in love and fighting to protect their home. The friendships and found family is essential, the danger is very real, and while there's some angst, all of these men come to understand that if they can't count on their team, they might not survive.
You won't get The Big Misunderstanding keeping lovers apart for long.
I've got a bit of a communication kink. ;)
None of the characters are perfect—as one in particular would tell you 'I'm a demon.'—but even in their imperfection, you can feel the love and support.
And in a world where even the monsters have to face the stuff of nightmares? Those bonds are what keep hope alive.
Speaking of hope, I hope you love this story as much as I do and I can't wait to get to book two! But more news on that later.
For now, here's the excerpt.
Happy Reading!
**WARNING: This excerpt is NSFW and contains spoilers. If you want to dive right into the book, you can grab it HERE.
EXCERPT
Smoothing his hand down Edric’s side, Axton brought him back to the present, giving him a concerned look. “You good?”
Edric nodded, inhaling and letting the air out slowly before he shifted. “Yes, I was just thinking of how…different this place used to be. I’m glad I get to show it to you now that we’ve all personalized it a little, it’s much more welcoming.” He gestured to the door to the right of his, which was now Boone’s room. “That room used to be mine, but my men insisted I take the biggest one. All of the rooms have been expanded—there used to be twice as many, with steel doors and plain white tiles on the floors. It was almost…”
“Institutional?” Axton glanced down the hall as though trying to picture it. “That must’ve sucked. I mean, my apartment wasn’t anything special, but it was my own space and I spruced it up as much as I could. I even grabbed some paint cans the local hardware store tossed. Weird colors, but was kinda cool once I slapped them on the walls. Better than plain ol’ white.”
For the first time, Edric was extremely grateful Mickey and Fender had kept on his case until he let them loose in his rooms with some paint. He couldn’t choose between blue and purple, so they’d used both throughout the space and he loved how it had turned out.
But he hadn’t consulted either on his choice of furniture, which Mickey was ‘extremely distressed’ about. Edric thought it looked fine, but maybe Axton would find it tacky? Or worse…boring?
Slipping his hand in Edric’s and lacing their fingers together, Axton gave him a questioning look. “Do you always stand in the hallway naked?”
“Sometimes, if I’m in the middle of a conversation with one of my men.” Edric’s brow furrowed when the fae snickered and shook his head. “What?”
“Nothing, just still getting used to the nudist colony vibe.” Axton glanced over at the door. “Umm…did you change your mind about me being here?”
Edric took another deep breath. “No.”
“Then…?” Axton chewed on the edge of his bottom lip. “You know I’m not gonna judge you, right? I can’t see you being a slob, but you’re a busy guy. Just kick your dirty underwear under the sofa and I’ll pretend not to notice.”
Laughing—damn, he loved how his little shadow made it easy to laugh again—Edric reached out to open his door, motioning Axton in ahead of him. “No dirty underwear, except for in the hamper. This is just…my home.”
A few quick steps brought Axton to the center of the living room, and he spun in a circle, lips slightly parted. He didn’t seem weirded out or disappointed, more…amazed.
His next words confirmed it. “This place is awesome. And it’s fucking huge. This is all yours?” He didn’t wait for an answer before darting across the room, almost tripping over a glass topped, driftwood end table and stumbling against the light gray sectional. “Are those real fish? Holy hells, look at those colors.”
Soaking in Axton’s excitement, Edric crossed the room to join him in front of the massive tank. “Yes, they’re guppies. I also had a betta in there to keep the fry population down, but I think Scout took him out again. He’s probably in the smaller tank in my bedroom.”
“I don’t understand half of what you just said, but… Guppies!” Axton wiggled his fingers near the tank, but didn’t tap on it—something that had almost gotten Hershey’s finger bitten off the first time he’d come in here. Several fish weaved in and out of the plants swaying in the water, the long lamp above making the rainbow sheen of their scales glimmer, and Axton’s eyes filled with wonder. “I gotta show this to Lyric, he’s gonna love it. And Nicky, too. Mind if we all swing by some day?”
Edric wrapped his arms around Axton, following his gaze when he gasped, a dozen tiny white fry bursting out from between the leaning driftwood, much smaller than the pieces he’d chosen for his coffee table and his end tables. He figured it tied the room together, but Mickey only gave him a pained look when he said so.
“I wouldn’t mind at all.” Edric rested his chin lightly on Axton’s soft brown hair, the ends skimming his arms as his little shadow followed the excitable fish with his eyes. “I’ve only had them for about a year, but I’ve wanted fish since I was a kid. My mother thought the idea of pets having pets was…silly.”
Tipping his head back, Axton gave him an understanding smile. “My mom was suspicious of everything being Otherkin in disguise—I wasn’t even allowed going in the pet store, but I snuck in a few times. Her seelie side came out when she talked about stuff like that. Not that she was mean or anything, my mom was…” He swallowed hard and looked back at the fish. “She was amazing. I miss her, but…I think it’s cool for me to enjoy your fish.”
“I think so, too. I find them relaxing—not that I have much time to sit around and watch them. Either Fender or Scout swing by to care for them when I’m away on missions. Only feeding them really, the tank is self-sustaining, but they seem to enjoy the company.” Edric made a thoughtful sound. “You could do it sometimes if you’d like?”
Nodding enthusiastically, Axton spun around, grabbing his hand and tugging him toward one of the three doors in the short hall. “I’d love that. But you said you have another tank in your bedroom? Can we check it out?”
“Absolutely.” Edric chuckled as he opened the first door. “I might as well put some clothes on, since you’re more interested in my fish than anything else. I don’t blame you, they’re beautiful, but when a man drags me to my bedroom it’s usually for an entirely different reason.”
Axton gave him a sideways look, still holding his hand tight as he went right to the tank against the wall across from the foot of the bed. “You got lots of guys dragging you in here?”
“Not ‘lots’...” Edric’s lips twitched when Axton’s eyes narrowed at him. “I’m teasing—you make it too easy. Whatever you’ve been imagining after talking to Mickey, that was a one time thing. My men need me to lead them, not put them on my ‘fuck-it’ list. And I don’t participate in the group orgies.”
‘Cute’ wasn’t a word Edric would use to describe Axton very often, but the blush spreading over his cheeks while he visibly attempted to play it cool was adorable. Clearing his throat, he stared at the fish again. “There’s ‘group orgies’? That part of the class schedule?”
Edric spat out a laugh, turning Axton toward him and bringing his lips over Axton’s smiling ones. When Axton’s breath caught, his pulse picking up as he rose up on his tiptoes to chase the kiss before Edric could end it, Edric’s fingers found the buttons of the borrowed shirt covering his little shadow.
The fish were forgotten at that first needy sound. Fuck, the siren’s song had nothing on how the little noises Axton made affected him. At times, the fae was almost shy, but when he pushed past it, his passion stirred Edric’s in a way he hadn’t felt since he was young.
He’d been insatiable with Jethro, and there’d been others over the years, but becoming part of the Guard taught him a level of discipline he’d been proud to say wasn’t impacted by lust. The emotions his mother warned him as a child would make him weak were successfully locked away, especially when he’d been under Anathan’s thumb.
Leadership hadn’t given him the freedom to indulge in many pleasures, but allowing himself to care for his men actually made him stronger. A team built from trust and love was much more powerful than one forged from blind obedience.
And letting himself feel all those emotions showed him he wouldn’t be satisfied with anything shallow. He didn’t need the promise of forever, but once the sheets cooled, he needed to know there was more between him and his lovers than chemistry.
With Axton, there was already so much more. He was still wary of his little shadow’s desire for freedom overpowering whatever they shared, but even if Axton did try to escape again, he wouldn’t regret a moment they’d spent together.
But fuck, it would hurt.
The logical choice, the choice a leader should make, would be to let this be a bit of casual fun and set up some firm boundaries, like he’d done with Mickey. Axton was still paying for the chaos he’d instigated, the harm he’d caused—birthday wishes and Edric giving him a free pass aside—and there was no telling what the young fae would do when he wasn’t being influenced by Edric, or contained by his cell.
Edric couldn’t make decisions as anything other than a man when he held Axton, though. And he refused to push him away now that he had him.
Tomorrow’s pain would be worth having tonight.
Bringing his little shadow’s naked body up against his, Edric held him with one arm while they kissed and carried him toward the bathroom. He maintained enough presence of mind to turn on the large overhead shower in the stall he was grateful Mickey and Jethro ignored him about being ‘fine as it was’. The old one wouldn’t have fit two so comfortably and the wide-eyed surprise from Axton was fun to watch.
And feel, because he kept coming back for another taste of Edric’s lips between taking in the space around him. “This is…fuck, I can’t believe…how did you…?” He inhaled roughly, visibly shaking off the spell of lust and giving Edric a suspicious look. “I love this, all of it, and I’m grateful that you’re letting me check out your space and all, but…” Water dripped over his furrowed brow as he brought his fingers to the natural stone wall, and he slid his toes back and forth over the smooth rocks making up the shower floor. “Did you use magic to make this, because that’s kinda fucked up. You hunt us because we might use too much, but you’re—”
“None of this is magic, my little shadow.” Raking his soaked strands away from his face, Edric pulled out the extendable shower head, testing the temperature before letting a soft flow spill over the tattoo on Axton’s chest. “Most of the renovations done to my rooms happened while I was away, and cost more than I want to think about, but all of my men pitched in either the time or money to make it what it is now. You’re right, it wouldn’t be fair for us to hold ourselves to different standards. Gunner—and I, to a lesser degree—can sense when power is being drawn from beyond this realm to a dangerous level and all the Guard are taught to avoid it. Just like you’ll be taught. If something can be done with our own two hands, we do it.”
Axton tossed his hair back, darkened and brushing a bit past his shoulders now that it was wet. The edge of his lips crept up. “Okay, I get it and…I’m even more impressed. Jethro’s got mad skills, and Mickey doesn’t mind getting his hands dirty. I’m starting to like you guys more than I thought I would.” He curved his hand against the side of Edric’s neck. “You can keep kissing me now.”
Somehow, between exploring Axton’s mouth and his smooth, wiry body, Edric managed to get them both washed with the soap and shampoo he’d left on the bench the morning before. The aroma of vanilla and sandalwood filled the steamy air around them, the more territorial side of Edric’s beast rumbling with pleasure at the fae being covered in ‘his’ scent.
Turning Axton to face the wall, hands braced against the smooth stone, Edric kissed down his back, loving how his muscles twitched and his breath caught with each brush of his water-slicked lips and teeth over his skin. As he got lower, he appreciated, more than ever, what a successful thief his little shadow had been. Axton might be slender, but the perfect swell of his ass proved he’d rarely, if ever, gotten to the point of starving.
Hands spreading open those luscious cheeks, thumbs framing that tight little hole, Edric knelt on the shower floor and flicked his tongue lightly over the tender bundle of nerves.
“Oh…oh Gods, you…” Axton braced his forehead against the wall. “I’m taking notes, you know. Gonna torture you right back like this one day.”
Edric chuckled, licking Axton again before dipping his tongue past the ring of muscle. His little shadow would be sore after tonight, but he intended to make sure it only made him crave more. So he took his time, fucking Axton with his tongue until his cries echoed against the shower walls.
“I take it back. Not…not torture. Need you… Need… Edric, please…I need you.”
I hope you enjoyed that little taste of No Escape!
To continue reading, goHERE: No Escape (Redemption's End Book One)
And keep an eye on this space, because I've got more to share, coming REAL soon! <g>
