RELEASE BLITZ: ” Deceiving D’Vaire” by Jessamyn Kingley.

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Deceiving D’Vaire (D’Vaire, Book 30)

Author: Jessamyn
Kingley

Publisher: Independently
Published

Cover Artist: LJ Anderson of
Mayhem Cover Creations

Release Date: July 7,
2022

Genre: MM Fantasy/Paranormal Romance

Trope: Fated mates

Themes: Love, self-discovery

Heat Rating: 3 flames

Length: 92 990
words

It is not a standalone
story.

Goodreads Series Link

Buy Links – Available in Kindle
Unlimited

Amazon US | Amazon UK

Deception is new to Greyson
and Morgen, but they’ll soon learn it has surrounded them all along.

Blurb

Greyson Variusdraconis is a newly shifted dragon searching
for purpose. Growing up in the Consilium Veneficus, his tutors taught him not to trust Fate.
Raised by his elder brother who serves their king directly, Greyson still lives under his
sibling’s roof. King Varius recently signed a treaty, so Greyson’s job is guarding wizards.
Greyson finds it boring, and he worries his brother will never accept his desire to avoid a

political arranged marriage.

As a child, Morgen Bassett struggled to find his footing. Two
centuries later, the wizard works in a tiny library, lacks family, and has a rented room barely
large enough for its furniture. Although Morgen’s early education included mentions of
matebonds, the split between the Council of Sorcery and Shifters and the Consilium changed
everything. With no promise of his other half or anything else, Morgen is doing little more
than surviving.

On an otherwise normal trip to the supermarket, Greyson
and Morgen meet, and neither man is prepared for the force of their connection. Not long
after the sparks fly between them, Greyson accepts a mission to infiltrate the Draconis High
Court of D’Vaire. The pair will have to find a way to stay together. Should they be successful
in gaining entry, they’ll also need to learn how to unearth all the D’Vaire secrets. However,
Greyson and Morgen will soon find that nothing about their lives is what it seems.

Excerpt

When Morgen lifted to his toes and tilted his chin up for a kiss,
Greyson’s mouth landed on the wizard’s, and he tugged him into his arms for a hug.
Everything in Greyson settled for a minute, then his worry over the conversation they
needed to have filled his senses again.

“Sorry I’m late.”

“Was there traffic?” Morgen asked, stepping away from
Greyson and leading him to his room.

“No, my brother wanted to talk to me.”

“Is everything okay?”

“I hope so,” Greyson said. “Sit on the bed with me.”

Once Morgen was settled on the bed next to Greyson, he
gently pushed some of his bangs out of the wizard’s unique eyes. There was concern in
them, and Greyson wanted to alleviate it, so he got straight to the point.

“I’m being sent on assignment in a few weeks. King Varius and
my brother are going to help me get into the sanctuary at D’Vaire. We need to figure out
how to recruit dragons. Either we discover D’Vaire is not what it seems, or I study the
Council to find the weak points so we can advertise that the Council is inferior to the
Consilium. They want me to stay until I gain everyone’s trust, so they expect I’ll be gone for
many months or longer.”

Morgen’s gaze hit his lap, and he exhaled heavily. Instead of
putting his hand into Greyson’s as he usually did, Morgen clasped them together and put
them between his legs.

“You’re leaving?”

“In a couple of weeks, yes,” Greyson said. “It has me thinking
about us. We don’t know everything about each other after a week, but we’re both
determined to learn more. We’re united in following what our souls and Fate are telling us.
I’d hoped someday to ask you to move to Court Varius. Today at lunch, I was looking around
online and found that there’s a library within biking distance from my brother’s house. I
thought it could possibly be a good place for you to work if you wanted.”

“I biked to work prior to finding this room.”

The words were soft, and Morgen still wouldn’t look at
him.

“Come to D’Vaire with me. We could work on our relationship
while I handle my assignment. We’ll potentially be there for a long time. I bet we’ll be ready
to seal our bond before we learn the things King Varius wants to know. When we return to
Court Varius, we could be bonded mates. My brother wouldn’t be able to say shite about
political marriages or anything else. We’d be together, and he’d have to accept it.”

Morgen’s head lifted, and he stared at Greyson for several
seconds, then he bit his bottom lip. “You want me to go with you?”

“Didn’t I just ask you to? Of course I do. Think about it. Our
only job would be research. That’s something we both love, and we’d be together the whole
time. We’d get to learn everything about each other, and these feelings we’re building would
grow.”

“How could I go?”

“We’ll figure it out. I promise. There’s no question that I’ll leave
here without you. I can’t say no to my king, but I think I can be pretty convincing. You do
seem to like me.”

With a small smile, Morgen reached over and slipped his hand
into Greyson’s. “There’s nothing keeping me bound to my job or this room. I don’t like the
idea of springing us on your brother when we get back, though.”

“We’ll tell him before we make the trip home. No worries.
We’ll figure out the best way to tackle the entire situation as a team. What do you say? Do
you want to handle this secret mission with me?”

“As long as you promise I get to take a trip to the Spectra
Library.”

“I’m not leaving the Council without seeing it either,” Greyson
assured him. “What do you say we get some takeaway and start our research?”

“A kiss could sway me.”

Greyson grinned. His fingers danced over Morgen’s jaw, his
lovely lips, then Greyson settled his mouth on the wizard’s. Morgen touched his tongue to
Greyson’s, and all thoughts of subterfuge, D’Vaire, and giant libraries flowed out of his
brain.

About the Author

Jessamyn Kingley lives in
Nevada where she begs the men in her head to tell her their amazing stories which she
dutifully writes it all down in what has become a small mountain of notebooks. She falls in
love with each couple and swears whatever book she wrote last is her absolute
favorite.

Jessamyn is married and
working toward remembering to start the dishwasher without being distracted by the scent
of the magical detergent. For personal enjoyment, she aids in cat rescue while slashing and
gashing her way through mobs in various MMORPGs. Caffeine is her very best friend and is
only cast aside briefly for the sin better known as BBQ potato chips.

Visit her website

Join her Facebook group, Jessamyn’s Ruffian’s

Social Media Links

Facebook | Twitter |
Pinterest

Hosted by Gay Book Promotions




Continue ReadingRELEASE BLITZ: ” Deceiving D’Vaire” by Jessamyn Kingley.

RELEASE BLITZ: “The Plans Trilogy Box Set” by Addison Albright.

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: The Plans
Trilogy Box Set

Author: Addison
Albright

Publisher: JMS Books,
LLC

Cover Artist: Written Ink
Designs

Release Date: May 28,
2022

Genre: Fantasy M/M Romance

Tropes: Arranged Marriage, Memory Loss

Themes: Virgin/first time, abduction, newfound courage, hope,
royalty/princes

Heat Rating: 3 flames

Length: 73 459
words

This is a box set of three
stories that were previously published individually.

The three books in the trilogy,
together, stand alone with no
cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links

Reduced Price at JMS Books

Universal Link | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Once upon a time, two
handsome young princes fell in love, faced down adversity, and lived happily ever after. Until
one romantic evening, they unwittingly ate a confection laced with a mind-wiping
toxin.

Blurb

In this light fantasy world, four realms have settled into an
uneasy peace. A surprise twist to a prearranged marriage agreement spawns this story of
unexpected love, newfound courage, and heroic adventure. Join Princes Efren and Marcelo
on their heart-warming journey as they sort through misleading twists and turns to defeat
devious foes. Twice! Contains the stories:

The Contingency Plan: An untimely death throws a
marriage arrangement, the final phase of a treaty, into disarray. Now the Crown Prince of
Zioneven can make his own choice from among the princess’s younger siblings. As a royal
son in the matriarchal sovereignty of Sheburat, Prince Marcelo grew up knowing Royal sons
never married. Never. Period. Except Prince Efren isn’t from Sheburat, and he has other
plans.

The Best-Laid Plans: A death that wasn’t what it
seemed … A kidnapping that isn’t what it seems … Time is running out. Enmeshed in
political intrigue, death, and a kidnapping, will Prince Efren untangle the web of clues in time
to save his naïve young husband, or will Prince Marcelo dig deep to discover a previously
untapped inner strength and determination to facilitate his own survival?

Change of Plans: Once upon a time, two handsome
young princes fell in love, faced down adversity, and lived happily-ever-after… until one
romantic evening, they unwittingly ate a confection laced with a mind-wiping toxin. Are their
chances at rekindling their love doomed? Or will their ignominious new beginning propel
them toward a more teasingly fun rapport?

Also contains three bonus scenes not included with
the individual stories.

Excerpt

With everyone now in attendance, Queen Giselle stepped
forward. “Your Royal Highness, Ladies and Lords, and people of Zioneven, please accept our
warm welcome to Sheburat, and I hope you’ll accept our sincere apology for the chaos in
which you find us today.”


Prince Efren inclined his head. “Of course, Your
Majesty. On behalf of Zioneven, I offer our heartfelt condolences on the loss of your beloved
daughter.”


“Thank you,” Queen Giselle replied. “Sadly, our loss
yesterday affects more than simply causing us private pain.”


“Indeed.” Prince Efren kept his reply short, perhaps
diplomatically leaving it to Queen Giselle to either further the conversation toward whether
or not he was ready to choose his alternate, or to wait for a time when her grief would be
less immediate.


His mother would put diplomacy first, Marcelo
didn’t doubt that. The conversation may or may not happen today, but it would occur during
this visit. Diplomacy
always came ahead of personal concerns.

“Although disappointment caused by the
cancellation of the wedding we’d expected tomorrow is unavoidable,” Queen Giselle said. “I
hope you’ll find a small comfort in knowing that you may now make your own choice of your
future bride from among my younger daughters rather than the arrangement made on your
behalf at the tender age of five.”


Again, Prince Efren inclined his head.
“Sibling.”


“I’m sorry?”

“Sibling. The terms of the treaty specify I may
choose an alternate from among Princess Marcela’s younger siblings. It didn’t restrict the
choice to daughters.”


Marcelo stiffened. What in the world could Prince
Efren mean by that? Men didn’t marry men. At least, he’d never heard of such a thing
occurring in Sheburat. Marcelo wasn’t alone in his bewilderment. Everyone on his side of the
room stilled. None of the faces opposite them exhibited confusion. Was that an acceptable
option in Zioneven’s culture?


It was only by mere minutes, but Marcelo did
qualify as a younger sibling to Marcela.


For the first time in Marcelo’s recollection, his
mother faltered. “Do…surely…but…”


Marcelo turned his head toward her, his wide eyes
silently imploring her to voice an objection. Kemble may have recently grown complacent
thinking herself in the clear, but she’d at least spent her life knowing she was the likely
backup plan.


As a royal son in this matriarchal society, Marcelo
had grown up knowing he would never marry. Never. Royal sons did not marry.
Period.


He’d been perfectly happy with that knowledge
because he’d never experienced the attraction that men outside the royal family felt toward
women. In fact, he’d enjoyed knowing he would not have to merge his life with a woman’s
with the expectation of having to bed her.


His gaze flicked back and forth between Queen
Giselle and Prince Efren before settling on the prince. Prince Efren had kept his eyes locked
with the queen’s, but as if sensing Marcelo’s scrutiny, his head turned to reflect Marcelo’s
regard.


Marcelo’s heart thudded so vigorously in his chest,
surely everyone in the room must hear it. His respiration quickened. That single word
uttered by Prince Efren had shattered Marcelo’s understanding of everything he knew about
the world and had expected in his life.


Queen Giselle remained frozen for a few more
moments, her brows drawn together as she processed the unexpected direction of this
discussion. She cast a brief, apologetic glance toward Marcelo, then lifted her shoulders in a
barely visible shrug. “The treaty does indeed use that word. Prince Efren, the choice is
yours.”


Marcelo’s stomach dropped as her words echoed
through the silent hall even though he’d known in his heart that she’d put Sheburat before
her son’s individual concerns. So, he felt no personal betrayal. It was who is mother had to
be.


Prince Efren continued to stare at Marcelo as he
firmly stated, “I choose His Royal Highness, Prince Marcelo. The wedding will proceed
tomorrow as planned.”


Marcelo swayed as the blood drained from his face.
How could this be? How did such a marriage work? Would he be expected
to—


“Marcelo?” Suky’s whispered tone voiced her
concern. “Are you unwell?”


She repeated the words, but from farther away. Or
did her voice only seem distant? He wobbled as the people around him faded, and then,
thankfully, this nightmare all went away.

About the Author

Rainbow Award winning
author Addison Albright lives smack dab in the middle of the USA. Her stories are gay
romance in contemporary, fantasy, paranormal, and science fiction genres. She generally
adds a subtle touch of humor, a dash of drama/angst, and a sprinkle of slice-of-life to her
stories. Her education includes a BS in Education with a major in mathematics and a minor in
chemistry. Addison loves spending time with her family, reading, popcorn, boating, French
fries, “open window weather,” cats, math, and anything chocolate. She loves to read pretty
much anything and everything, anytime and anywhere.

Social Media Links

Website |
Facebook Page | Facebook Profile

Twitter
|
BookBub | Instagram

Newsletter Sign-up | Pinterest

Giveaway

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Giveaway for a chance to win

one of five ebooks from
Addison’s backlist

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Continue ReadingRELEASE BLITZ: “The Plans Trilogy Box Set” by Addison Albright.

RELEASE BLITZ: “The Fractured Fallen” by Jessamyn Kingley

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: The Fractured Fallen (D’Vaire, Book 29)

Author and Publisher:
Jessamyn Kingley

Cover Artist: LJ Anderson,
Mayhem Cover Creations

Release Date: May 19,
2022

Genres: M/M Fantasy/Paranormal Romance

Tropes: Fated mates

Themes: Love, second chances, overcoming obstacles

Heat Rating: 3 flames

Length: 89 083
words

It is not a standalone story,
but d
oes not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads Series Link

Buy Links – Available in Kindle
Unlimited

Amazon US | Amazon UK

For any chance at love,
they must first be willing to trust.

Blurb

A proud fallen knight, Gentry Patterson likes to take people
under his wing. Gifted with an easygoing nature, he makes friends effortlessly and, thanks to
his love of cooking, often invites his inner circle over for meals. Gentry’s favorite week of the
year is the annual retreat for his race, where he’s reunited with the many friends and

colleagues he’s met through the years. The only thing that would enrich his existence is his
mate, but he has yet to meet him.

Newly resurrected Tobias Kinsler wants to put his training
behind him and make his superiors proud. However, Tobias is struggling. He keeps it to
himself because he lacks people he’s willing to trust. With a mere few months of life under
his belt, Tobias attends the fallen knights’ annual retreat and discovers his other half.

The two men have a sizzling connection from the start and
waste no time binding their souls. Unfortunately, they will soon learn that secrets lurk
beneath their growing friendship, and those secrets fracture the tenuous bond between
them. As they chart an uncertain future, Gentry and Tobias must decide if they’re still willing
to honor Fate.

Excerpt

Gentry relished the last bite of his dessert and grinned at
Toby. “Did you want to dance?”

The room had filled with soft music, which was perfect to
sway to. Many couples were already near the stage, moving to the melody.

“I don’t know how.”

“I can teach you. We don’t have to do anything crazy,”
Gentry assured him.

Toby’s nerves and his lack of guile when it came to
admitting everything he had no clue how to do endeared the fallen knight to Gentry.

“Slow dancing isn’t too difficult,” Gentry said.

“This will sound crazy, but I’m not the best at physical
stuff.”

“Oh, come on, only Juris Knights suck at physical stuff,”
Gentry said with a laugh.

Toby leaned toward Gentry so no one would overhear him.
“The Juris Knight at our table doesn’t seem to agree.”

“He’s frowning, but it’s true. I’m a fallen knight, I can’t
lie.”

“I can’t tell if you’re lying.”

“Yeah, I think Fate did that on purpose. It’s so I can lie to
you if you have on a truly horrible outfit. I’ll assure you it’s wonderful.”

“Please tell me if I’m wearing something horrible.”

“If you insist,” Gentry said. “You sure you don’t want to
dance?”

“I’ll try, but I make no promises that we won’t embarrass
ourselves and the entire Order of the Fallen Knights.”

“Not being perfect at something doesn’t mean we’re letting
down our entire race,” Gentry said as he stood. Once again, Gentry held out a hand to Toby,
who didn’t hesitate to take it after he rose. Gentry weaved between the tables with Toby in
tow until he reached the cleared area that served as the dance floor.

“Okay, what do I do?” Toby asked when they
stopped.

Gentry turned to face Toby and put an arm around him. It
brought them closer, and Gentry sternly warned his dick to behave. Without the need to be
told, Toby mirrored his actions. Since they hadn’t let go of each other, Gentry raised his
other arm so they were in the proper position to dance.

“Just move your feet from side to side. We don’t have to do
anything fancy. Follow my lead.”

“I can do that.”

Within a minute or two they synced their footsteps and
were moving slowly to the lovely music piping through the speakers.

“I told you it was easy,” Gentry said.

“I like being close to you.”

“We’re killing this mate thing so far.”

“You’re the first person who doesn’t make me nervous to
be around them,” Toby confided.

There was such earnestness in his pretty eyes that Gentry
unconsciously came to a stop.

“Are you okay?” Toby asked.

“I’d like to kiss you.”

Without a word, Toby raised up onto his toes, and Gentry
wasn’t stupid enough to deny the invitation. Their lips met with exquisite tenderness. It was
a moment frozen in time, and Gentry vowed to remember it for eternity. When Toby tilted
his head, Gentry didn’t bother to resist darting his tongue out to deepen their caress.

Toby moaned softly as they explored each other. While
couples milled around them, Gentry lost all awareness of the outside world. He was steeped
in Toby. They broke apart slowly, and Gentry stared into Toby’s stunned gaze.

“I’m glad I waited for you to be my first kiss,” Toby
said.

Gentry smiled at him. “I’m glad you did too.”

About the Author

Jessamyn Kingley lives in
Nevada where she begs the men in her head to tell her their amazing stories which she
dutifully writes it all down in what has become a small mountain of notebooks. She falls in
love with each couple and swears whatever book she wrote last is her absolute
favorite.

Jessamyn is married and
working toward remembering to start the dishwasher without being distracted by the scent
of the magical detergent. For personal enjoyment, she aids in cat rescue while slashing and
gashing her way through mobs in various MMORPGs. Caffeine is her very best friend and is
only cast aside briefly for the sin better known as BBQ potato chips.

Visit her website

Join her Facebook group, Jessamyn’s Ruffian’s

Social Media Links

Facebook | Twitter |
Pinterest

Hosted by Gay Book Promotions




Continue ReadingRELEASE BLITZ: “The Fractured Fallen” by Jessamyn Kingley

RELEASE BLITZ: “Over the Emerald Valley” by Lee Colgin.

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Over the Emerald Valley: MM Paranormal Fantasy
Romance

Author and Publisher: Lee
Colgin

Cover Artist: Natasha
Snow

Release Date: April 28,
2022

Genre: MM Paranormal/Fantasy Romance

Tropes: Forced Proximity, Sex-worker, Only One Bed

Themes: Things are never black and white, they’re usually
grey

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 61 000 words/ 250
pages

It is a standalone story within
a series that you don’t need to read at all to understand this book.

It does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links – Available in Kindle
Unlimited

Universal Link | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Blurb

Life as a concubine to the devious Viceroy Abasi isn’t so
bad. Temaj has food, shelter, and every inch of his skin is draped in emeralds. What’s
freedom worth when weighed against the luxury of the palace?

Solon’s dutiful life earned him the rank of army general to
the pharaoh. But when he’s sent on a diplomatic mission to an emerald mine rather than
into battle, he senses the end of his career and a lonely retirement.

Temaj is gifted to Solon for his stay, but the last person
Solon wants in his bed is a slave sent to spy on him—even if he is a gorgeous, silver-tongued
vixen of a man.

Trouble brews when emeralds go missing. With only a
clever concubine and the viceroy’s harem on his side, can Solon solve the mystery and
escape with his life, or are he and Temaj destined to haunt the walls of the palace
forever?

***

Over the Emerald Valley is a gay paranormal romance
full of snarky banter, dangerous secrets, steamy stolen moments and only one bed. It’s a
stand alone novel within the Immortal Jewels series and can be read first or last with no
spoilers, no cliffhangers, and always a happily ever after!

Excerpt

“Ah, fear not.” Abasi raised a bejeweled finger with
a flourish and beckoned forth a new group. “I’m told you prefer men, and I’m nothing if not
accommodating.”

Solon preferred willing partners, not slaves, but he wouldn’t risk
insulting Abasi with his morals.

There was no easy way to get out of this. He’d have
to select one of them.

As the newest line of elegant, supple bodies drew
close, Solon caught the gaze of a tall man who moved with the feline grace of a street cat.
His honey-colored hair hung in long, loose waves over his shoulders, and his pursed lips said
he knew what a gem he was.

That light hair marked him as foreign among all the
black silken tresses of the other concubines. Northern. From distant lands. How did he end
up in an Egyptian harem so far south?

Solon stared. The man wore no paint, no kohl, and
no gaudy decorations, just a simple green linen shift belted at the waist. His beauty needed
no enhancement.

Rather than cast his gaze demurely at the floor, as
the others had done, the blond met Solon’s stare…and winked.

A real smile at such a display of gumption replaced
the fake one on Solon’s lips.

Abasi stood, and a servant bustled to move his
chair out of the way. “Come, have a look. Shall I introduce them?”

Solon followed his host to the line of concubines.
There were fewer men than women, but still quite the selection. Six men and nine women in
total.

“That won’t be necessary.” Solon would prefer to
retire alone for the night, but if he had to pick… “I’ve made my choice.”

Abasi knocked him on the back so hard Solon
nearly stumbled. “I like a man who knows what he wants. Which will it be?”

The blond, without hesitation, stepped forward.
Bold. He peered at Solon through half-lidded eyes, gaze intense, as if daring him to suggest
anyone but himself.

“Him.” Solon gestured to the brazen slave, who
only then deigned to lower his gaze.

“Ah, well chosen. That is Temaj, a beauty from the
north and a wild cat beneath the sheets, or so I’m told. My tastes don’t run toward
men.”

“Then why have them in your harem?” The
question was out of Solon’s mouth before he could think better of asking. Luckily, the viceroy
didn’t seem offended. Rather, the man laughed.

“A proper harem must contain both, dear Solon, for
how else are you to please all your guests?”

Solon would never understand the lives of the rich
or the royal. When he retired from the army, he wanted only a plot of land, a good mule,
decent tools, and, if he was very lucky, perhaps someone to share it with, though he
expected to end up alone.

“How do you want him?” asked Abasi.

Solon cocked his head. “What do you
mean?”

Abasi gestured to Temaj, who stood silently as if he
didn’t mind two men discussing him as if he weren’t there. “How do you want him dressed?
Done up? What are your preferences?”

“Oh. Nothing,” said Solon.

Temaj startled and bestowed on him a glower that
would send a dog’s tail sticking between its legs.

About the Author

Lee Colgin has loved vampires
since she read Dracula on a hot, sunny beach at 13 years old. She lives in North Carolina with
lots of dogs and her husband. No, he’s not a vampire, but she loves him anyway. Lee likes to
workout so she can eat the maximum amount of cookies with her pizza. Ask her how much
she can bench press.

Social Media Links

Blog/Website |
Facebook Group | Twitter

Newsletter Sign-up | BookBub

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Continue ReadingRELEASE BLITZ: “Over the Emerald Valley” by Lee Colgin.

COVER REVEAL: “The Fractured Fallen” by Jessamyn Kingley.

COVER REVEAL

Book Title: The Fractured Fallen (D’Vaire, Book 29)

Author and Publisher:
Jessamyn Kingley

Cover Artist: LJ Anderson,
Mayhem Cover Creations

Release Date: May 19,
2022

Genres: M/M Fantasy/Paranormal Romance

Tropes: Fated mates

Themes: Love, second chances, overcoming obstacles

Heat Rating: 3 flames

Length: 89 083
words

It is not a standalone story,
but d
oes not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads Series Link

 

For any chance at love,
they must first be willing to trust.

 

Blurb

A proud fallen knight, Gentry Patterson likes to take people
under his wing. Gifted with an easygoing nature, he makes friends effortlessly and, thanks to
his love of cooking, often invites his inner circle over for meals. Gentry’s favorite week of the
year is the annual retreat for his race, where he’s reunited with the many friends and
colleagues he’s met through the years. The only thing that would enrich his existence is his
mate, but he has yet to meet him.

Newly resurrected Tobias Kinsler wants to put his training
behind him and make his superiors proud. However, Tobias is struggling. He keeps it to
himself because he lacks people he’s willing to trust. With a mere few months of life under
his belt, Tobias attends the fallen knights’ annual retreat and discovers his other half.

The two men have a sizzling connection from the start and
waste no time binding their souls. Unfortunately, they will soon learn that secrets lurk
beneath their growing friendship, and those secrets fracture the tenuous bond between
them. As they chart an uncertain future, Gentry and Tobias must decide if they’re still willing
to honor Fate.

 

Excerpt

Toby was staring aimlessly when there was a distant ding of
an elevator. To his shock, his dick went rock hard, and the thick, pungent smell of
honeysuckle filled his nose. His head whipped to the right, and he saw that a brown-haired
man who was probably three or four inches over six feet was stalking toward him.

As the fallen knight moved closer, Toby admired his broad
shoulders and the sexy smile on his handsome face. Within a few feet of Toby, the man’s grin
grew broader, lighting up his hazel eyes. He was Toby’s mate, and Toby was elated, but
frightened.

“Hi, I’m Gentry,” he said as he stopped next to Toby.

“I’m Toby.”

“I’ve always been excited about attending the retreat, but I
had no idea I’d meet my mate here,” Gentry remarked.

Toby loved the light smattering of freckles on his nose and
cheeks. “It’s my first one.”

“You’ll love it. I’ll help make sure of that. The line’s moving,”
Gentry remarked as he snatched Toby’s suitcase from him, flustering the fallen knight who
was so unused to being noticed as anything more than a disaster.

“I feel like I’ve been standing here forever.”

Gentry leaned close, and Toby closed his eyes to better
enjoy the honey and citrus scent of his gift from Fate.

“I got here super early so I could avoid this line,” Gentry
explained.

“I’ll have to remember that in the future.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll remind you.”

The confidence in his voice relaxed Toby, and he grinned at
Gentry. “I’m going to hold you to that.”

“We need to exchange numbers and coordinate our
schedules for the week.”

“I guess you’re okay with the fact that Fate picked us to be
together.”

With a nod, Gentry winked at him.

“You’re gorgeous, and I’ve always wanted a fallen knight for
a mate. You get my job. We already have a ton in common even though we just met. But I
want to learn everything about you. And I do mean everything.”

Although Toby had little sexual experience, Gentry’s flirting
was obvious enough that he couldn’t miss his interest.

“I’d like to tell you everything,” Toby commented softly.

Forcing himself to look away from the pretty hazel eyes,
Toby was somehow unsurprised by the twenty-three in roman numerals on Gentry’s shirt. It
figured that he’d be paired with a possibly ancient and clearly remarkable fallen knight. His
fear intensified, but Toby trusted Fate.

“You’re frowning. You okay?” Gentry asked.

“Yeah, I’m not a fan of lines,” Toby lied.

“Don’t worry, we’ll get you registered and settled
upstairs.”

There was something about the way Gentry had swooped
right in and inserted himself into Toby’s world that appealed to him.

“You’re a protective person, aren’t you?” Toby
asked.

“I do like to feed my friends and help them with whatever
they need.”

Toby shuffled forward again as the line picked up a little
speed and tried to handle the wealth of emotions racing through him. It was imperative that
Toby set aside his issues and focus on how lucky he was. Not only was Gentry handsome, but
he was also clearly interested. His smile didn’t falter, and although they knew nothing about
each other, Gentry’s presence soothed.

“That’s good. I can’t cook.”

“Don’t you worry, I’ll make sure you get to eat like a king.
You’ll have to tell me all your favorites.”

“I’ve discovered that there isn’t much I don’t like, but I love
a good steak.”

“Fate matched us perfectly. I can grill you one to
perfection,” Gentry said.

“Next,” Venerable Knight Roman Calixtus called.

Toby was so lost in staring at Gentry that he hadn’t realized
it was his turn. He fumbled to drag his identification card out of his pocket, and Toby handed
it over to Roman, who greeted him warmly and asked if he required a key to a room in the
hotel.

Gentry leaned close again. “You can share my room if you
want.”

Everything was happening quickly, but Toby was ready to
dive into their relationship . Fate had given him a gift, and Gentry was supposed to be his
perfect match.

Toby grinned. “I’d like that.”

“Are you a bathroom hogger?” Gentry asked.

The Venerable Knight registering Toby looked away from his
computer screen to study the pair when Toby announced he didn’t need a hotel key.

“I don’t think so. I pretty much limit my use to regular
maintenance,” Toby assured Gentry.

“You two are going to share a room?” Roman
asked.

“We just met, but Toby is my mate,” Gentry stated loudly.

Toby loved the confidence in his voice and latched onto it as
a sign that his fear was unnecessary.

Roman smiled. “Congratulations. That’s wonderful.”

“Thanks,” Toby and Gentry said together, which made them
both laugh.

 

About the Author

 

Jessamyn Kingley lives in
Nevada where she begs the men in her head to tell her their amazing stories which she
dutifully writes it all down in what has become a small mountain of notebooks. She falls in
love with each couple and swears whatever book she wrote last is her absolute
favorite.

Jessamyn is married and
working toward remembering to start the dishwasher without being distracted by the scent
of the magical detergent. For personal enjoyment, she aids in cat rescue while slashing and
gashing her way through mobs in various MMORPGs. Caffeine is her very best friend and is
only cast aside briefly for the sin better known as BBQ potato chips.

Visit her website

Join her Facebook group, Jessamyn’s Ruffian’s

 

Social Media Links

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Pinterest

 

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Continue ReadingCOVER REVEAL: “The Fractured Fallen” by Jessamyn Kingley.

NEW RELEASE AND SERIES TOUR: “Vampire Guard” by Elizabeth Noble.

NEW RELEASE AND SERIES TOUR

Welcome to The Vampire Guard, where legend and myth
meet science and technology.

Vampires and werewolves live long lives. The Sleepless City saga might have
ended but the story continues…

Vampires make the
best spies. Throw a smart-mouthed werewolf in with three vampires, mix well, and The
Vampire Guard’s newest team is bound to become one of their greatest assets. Super spies
with a full range of skills. Warrior, hacker, thief, and scientist. They get in, do the job and get
out before the bad guys ever know what hit them.

They employ a combination
of supernatural powers and cutting-edge technology to hunt down terrorists, thieves,
biological weapons… and sometimes even their fellow vampires and werewolves. An eclectic
organization comprised of individuals with diverse personalities, backgrounds, and abilities,
this guard has bite—and they’re not afraid to use it.

Author and Publisher:
Elizabeth Noble

Cover Artist: TL
Bland

Genres: Paranormal thriller, Spyfi, Espionage, Scifi & Fantasy,
Paranormal Fantasy, LGBTQ Fantasy

Tropes: Band of Brothers, Fated Mates, Humanity is Dangerous,
Immortality, Mad Scientist, Secret Society, Vampires, Werewolves

Themes: Heroes who don’t know how to quit; justice always
lawful

 

BOOK DETAILS

BOOK 1

Vampires make the
best
spies.

Book Title: Code Name
Jack Rabbit
(The Vampire
Guard Book 1)

Length: 71 000 words/200
pages

Heat Rating: 3-4 flames

Release Date: January 12,
2021 (2
nd
Edition)

Goodreads

 

Buy Links – Available in Kindle Unlimited

Universal Book
Link
|
Amazon US | Amazon UK

 

Blurb

Vampires and werewolves live long lives. The Sleepless
City saga might have ended but the story continues


Welcome to the Vampire Guard, where legend and myth meet science and
technology.


Vampires make the best spies. Throw a smart-
mouthed werewolf in with three vampires, mix well, and The Vampire Guard’s newest team
is bound to become one of their greatest assets. Super spies with a full range of skills.
Warrior, hacker, thief, and scientist. They get in, do the job, and get out before the bad guys
ever know what hit them.


Forge, Blair, Declan, and Lucas are thrust into the
world of high-tech spies and top-secret espionage conspiracies. Recruited into the world’s
most elite and secret organization with one singular mission. Protect those who can’t defend
themselves from ruin.


Together they must thwart an assassination
attempt on the open waters of Lake Superior while tracking a previously unknown biological
weapon controlled by the Qiguan—a weapon which may very well mean death for one of
them.

 

BOOK 2

And this time it’s
personal.

Book Title: Quarry
(The Vampire Guard Book
2)

Length: 66 300 words/ 185
pages

Release Date: May 18, 2021
(2
nd
Edition)

Heat Rating: 1-2 flames

It is not a standalone story,
but d
oes not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

 

Buy Links – Available in Kindle Unlimited

Universal
Link
|
Amazon US | Amazon UK

Blurb

Four members of The Vampire Guard—Forge, Blair, Declan, and Lucas—face a
dangerous and elusive enemy. And this time, it’s personal.


When massive tech outages impact everything
from Wi-Fi to traffic control, Blair, Forge, Declan, and Lucas think it’s a simple matter of
catching troublesome hackers. But they quickly realize far more is at stake.


Millions of dollars in art are the target of a thief
who’s not afraid to kill—and he’s no stranger. Not only has he escaped capture, twice, a
decade ago, but he’s had a hand in life-altering tragedies throughout their
lifetimes.


Once it becomes clear that art theft is just a
fraction of his plan for mass destruction, they realize time is running out. The clock’s ticking.
Catastrophe is imminent. Can they find and disarm all the bombs in time or will countless
lives be lost?

 

BOOK 3 – NEW RELEASE

A werewolf and seven
vampires are all that stand between the world and complete annihilation.

Book Title:
Endosymbiont (The Vampire Guard Book
3)

Length: 63 000 words/ 180
pages

Release Date: May 4, 2022

Heat Rating: 1-2 flames

Goodreads

 

Buy Links

Universal
Link
|
Amazon US | Amazon UK

 

Blurb

When Kai Richter and Ori Bier met, sparks
flew.


Then a train blew up.

Tracking an organism deadly to not only humans,
but vampires and werewolves alike, brings Kai and Ori into The Vampire Guard. Decades
later, they, along with Operative Team Jack Rabbit, come face to face with the horrors that
same virus produces. Dead bodies are coming back to life, and rational people are becoming
violent and brutal killers.


A massacre is taking place nearly a mile under the
Atlantic Ocean. Two teams of The Vampire Guard are in the thick of it, fighting to
survive.

 

Excerpt from Endosymbiont

“How do werewolves fit into this grand plan?” Ori asked.
“When we first began chasing Sauer, he was collecting tissue samples and blood from
werewolves too.”

“And humans,” Kai added.

“I’ve been giving that some thought as well,” Lucas began.
“Both vampires and werewolves are more powerful than humans, but in different ways. As a
species each has slightly different skill sets than humans. A werewolf is born, unlike a
vampire. They have strong family and pack ties, so recruiting them as soldiers would likely
fail unless it was something an individual wanted to do. Getting large numbers to join up for
a cause outside a pack would be difficult, if not impossible. Yes, there might be German
packs siding with the Nazis, but there would be an equal number, or more, of packs from
other regions willing to fight on the opposing side. However, if there was a way to
incorporate werewolf attributes to enhance vampires, that would be valuable if the goal
were to create a super soldier.”

“Werewolves have, historically, fought in wars. However, as
a group they fared much better, particularly afterward. Because of their pack system,
soldiers returning from battle have a phenomenal support system. They don’t have the
homelessness and mental health problems many human soldiers do,” Ori chimed in.
“Humans are only now beginning to catch up to werewolf mental health.”

Lucas nodded. “Another desirable quality for a super
soldier. Mental and emotional stability. There’s also the possibility he was hoping to create
more than one generation of super soldiers by incorporating werewolves. I’m starting to
think this guy had a clear idea of what he wanted, but not how to achieve it.”

“And then somewhere along the way in his quest to create
some sort of super soldier, Sauer discovers an organism that can be weaponized,” Jonas
said.

“There’s a gap in the research. A jump from analyzing the
three species to what we’re dealing with now,” Lucas said. “I’m guessing the biological
weapon is still a fairly new idea. Eighty years ago there simply wasn’t the technology to
make this thing useful. However, as a group, scientists are hoarders and packrats. We never
really throw anything away.”

“And once an idea is out there, it never goes away,” Jonas
added and grinned.

“Sauer became a vampire at some point, and I bet it didn’t
take long for him to realize all he had to do was hang around and wait for technology to
catch up to his ideas,” Sophia said. “He might’ve been a horrible and evil man, but he
certainly wasn’t stupid.”

One of the computers started chirping.

“This place is annoying,” Kai grumbled.

Blair wheeled his chair away from the table to the terminal.
“It’s a heat signature. A new one.”

“From where?” Ori demanded. “How would
someone get into this place without us knowing.”

Shaking his head, Blair stared at one of the monitors,
moving the cursor around. He did something that dulled the noise. “Whoever it is, they
didn’t come from outside, they’ve been hiding. There must be pocket areas that aren’t
covered by any sensors.”

“Heat signature, so not a vampire,” Declan said.

Blair nodded. “Too high for human.” He turned to face
them. “The werewolf we couldn’t account for.” He swung back to the computer when it
began making a different noise. “Kruger is in his office, but the werewolf and a human is
heading that way.” Moving to another computer, Blair pressed a few keys on the keyboard
and the quarters Kincade and Madison occupied appeared on one of the other monitors.

Madison was sitting on the side of his bed, reading. It was
obvious by how he yawned and stretched he’d probably only recently woken up. Kincade’s
room was empty.

Blair blinked at the monitor for a few seconds before he
exclaimed, “How the
hell did he get out? The door is locked from the outside.”

“Air vents, or maintenance shafts.” Declan like the others,
was up and moving in seconds.

Porter started issuing orders. “Kai, Declan, Forge, with
Sophia.” He turned to Ori. “You stick with Blair if he has to leave this section.”

Ori nodded. “Yes, sir.”

 

 

About the Author

Mystery, action, chills, and
thrills spiced with romance and desire.
ELIZABETH NOBLE lives by the adage “I can’t not write.” She doesn’t remember a time when she
didn’t make up stories and eventually she learned how to put words on a page. Those words
turned into books and fan fiction that turned into a genuine love of M/M fiction. A part of
every day is spent living in worlds she created that are filled with intrigue and espionage.
She has a real love for a good mystery complete with murder and twisty plots as well as all
things sci-fi, futuristic, and supernatural.

When she’s not chronicling
the adventures of her many characters, Elizabeth is a veterinary nurse living in her native
Cleveland, Ohio. She has three grown children and now happily shares her little, brick house
with two spunky Cardigan Welsh Corgis and their feline sidekicks. Elizabeth is a fan of
baseball, basketball (go Cavs and Cleveland Baseball) and gardening. She can often be found
working in her ‘outside office’ listening to classic rock and plotter her next novel waiting for
it to be dark enough to gaze at the stars.

Elizabeth has received a number of amateur writing awards. Since being
published, several of her novels have received Honorable Mentions in the Rainbow Awards.
Jewel Cave was a runner-up in the Gay Mystery/Thriller category in the 2015 Rainbow Awards.
Ringed Love was a winner in the Gay Fantasy Romance category of the 2016 Rainbow
Awards.

 

 

Author Links

Blog/Website:
Emotion in Motion
|
Vampire Guard Website

Facebook | Facebook Author page | Twitter

Newsletter sign-up
|
Instagram | Pinterest

BookBub |
JMS page | Amazon

 

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Continue ReadingNEW RELEASE AND SERIES TOUR: “Vampire Guard” by Elizabeth Noble.

RELEASE BLITZ: “Yours, Everlasting” by Beth Bolden. $20.00 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway Included!

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Yours, Everlasting

Author: Beth
Bolden

Cover Artist: Sleepy Fox
Studio

Release Date: April 6,
2022

Genre: Fantasy MM Romance

Tropes: Opposites attract, road trip romance, secret
admirer

Themes: Good versus evil, staying true to one’s self,
redemption

Length: 92 000
words

Heat Rating: 4 flames

It is not a standalone story. It
is book 2 in the Enchanted Folklore series and
does
not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links – Available on Kindle
Unlimited

Universal Link | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Blurb

Evrard . . .Rhys . . .Evander . . .

Evander has gone by many names in the last thousand
years. He’s lived almost as many lives, using his immortality and his unique shapeshifting
abilities to become anyone and any
thing. His goal was simple: to eradicate
the malevolent magic threatening all humankind.

After finally succeeding, Evander feels he’s earned a
justifiable and peaceful retirement. But the past never stays buried, and he discovers that
it’s been watching him . . .

Marcos, the Guardian of War, has waited, he’s observed,
he’s admired, and he’s yearned. But now it’s time for him to step into the light and let
Evander see him for who he truly is.

But fate is fickle, destinies aren’t set in stone, and as much
as Marcos hopes Evander might be his, it will be the fight of his life to not only win Evander’s
heart, but to defeat the evil that once again raises its sinister head.

Excerpt

Marcos knew he would not tire easily, but Rhys—Evander, that was Evander
under that unassuming exterior, a marvel that would never fail to astonish
him—undoubtedly would.

After watching him for hundreds of years, both keeping near to him, and also keeping his
distance, Marcos was still not sure how reduced his power was.

Marcos knew he’d retained some of the magic he’d possessed before, but unlike when he’d
been the Guardian of Secrets, now, he was clearly more particular about how and when he
used it.

“We should stop for a rest,” Marcos said, after they’d been walking all night and partway
into the day, almost without pause.

They’d stopped once, to fill their waterskins at a cold, bubbling stream. They’d long since left
Beaulieu behind, and they had not even passed through a single village. Out of choice,
Marcos had assumed, but it still surprised him that Evander kept to the disguise of Rhys.

Surely now that Marcos had revealed himself, Evander would let the shape of unassuming,
gruff Rhys melt away until he finally was himself again.

Except not once, as far as Marcos knew, had Evander taken his normal shape since he’d been
banished.

But now, now that he was with Marcos again, surely the subterfuge was unnecessary.

Rhys glared at him. Even after all these hundreds of years, watching Evander be someone
else, he was not used to seeing Evander stare out at him through someone else’s face. “Do
you need to stop?” he asked.

“No, of course I do not,” Marcos said. “I am a Guardian, I could walk all the way up the
North Mountain without stopping. But . . .”

“But I am no longer a Guardian,” Rhys interrupted him. “Your point is clear.”

But even if it was clear, Rhys was obviously annoyed that Marcos had brought it up.

He doesn’t trust you, he thinks you’re to blame, which isn’t all that surprising, and now
he thinks you’re patronizing him.

It was not the most auspicious beginning, but Marcos still held out hope that maybe they
could forge a partnership, even after all this time had passed.

He just had to stop himself from saying the wrong thing and angering
Evander—he is Rhys, Marcos reminded himself—even more.

So far, he had not managed even that.

Rhys stopped when the sun reached its zenith in the sky, finding a shady grouping of trees,
with a large fallen log they could rest next to.

“Is this sufficient?” There was still a bite to Rhys’ words.

“Perfectly sufficient,” Marcos said, taking care to make sure there was no additional
inflection to his words that would anger Rhys further. He certainly was not going to be
stupid enough to remind the ex-Guardian that he did not need to rest at all.

Rhys settled down against the log. He looked tired. Perhaps if he changed forms, back to
Evander, he might find additional strength. Maintaining a different form could be a strain on
his power reserves.

Marcos would have suggested it but the silence that had fallen between them, and Rhys’
defensiveness every time he made even the simplest suggestion, kept him quiet.

He waited until Rhys closed his eyes, and then shut his own, sure that Rhys, who was
obviously exhausted, would fall asleep quickly.

But a moment later, Rhys spoke up. “You did not mean to reveal yourself to me.”

Marcos had never been as accomplished a liar as Evander had been. He’d never needed to
be. Fighting was often straightforward, with little need for deception, and he’d never gotten
into the practice of telling falsehoods well.

He could lie, but it was unlikely Rhys would believe him, and the chances of

Rhys being even angrier at the lie were considerable.

“No,” he said carefully. “No, I did not mean to reveal myself.”

Rhys looked like Rhys, and not anything like Evander, not like . . . not like the Guardian he’d
known for so many years . . . but Marcos’ heart beat faster anyway when he opened his eyes
and Rhys was staring at him—like he was trying to figure Marcos out, still.

About the Author

A lifelong Pacific Northwester, Beth Bolden has just recently moved to North Carolina with
her supportive husband. Beth still believes in Keeping Portland Weird, and intends to be just
as weird in Raleigh.

Beth has been writing practically since she learned the alphabet. Unfortunately, her first
foray into novel writing, titled Big Bear with Sparkly Earrings, wasn’t a bestseller, but hope
springs eternal. She’s published twenty-three novels and seven novellas.

Author Links

Blog/Website |
Facebook | Twitter |
BookBub

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RELEASE BLITZ: “Beasts of Burden” by J.K. Hogan. Rafflecopter Giveaway Included!

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Beasts of Burden (The Black Blade Chronicles 2)

Author and Publisher: J.K.
Hogan

Cover Artist: Wicked Pixel
Designs

Release Date: March 29,
2022

Genre: M/M Fantasy Romance

Tropes: Enemies to reluctant friends to lovers

Themes: Swords and sorcery, adventure quest

Heat Rating: 4
flames

Length: approx. 75 000
words

It is not a standalone story. It
is the second book in
The Black Blade Chronicles
series.

This book ends on a HFN,
with the understanding that the HEA will be at the end of the 3 book arc.

Goodreads

Buy Links – Available in Kindle
Unlimited

Amazon US | Amazon UK

The journey
continues…

Blurb

Senne Clayward and Kasimir vas Hjardar continue their
quest to rescue Senne’s young ward, Princess Sigrid, from the evil tyrant who has taken her
hostage. After they follow through with a mad plan to sneak into King Prosper’s fortress that
only halfway succeeds, the princess slips through their fingers once more. As they travel
across the continent of Taleth, they are one step behind their quarry at every
turn.


Encountering numerous obstacles and enemies
both old and new, Senne and Kasimir doggedly pursue their goal while coming to rely on
each other more than ever. The two unlikely companions enlist the help of a small band of
adventurers to track the princess and intercept her captors while the armies of Toivonen
march westward behind them.


Kasimir continues to grapple with the beast on his
back—a lifelong struggle—while Senne must bare his soul to earn the trust of those around
him. Can they survive the journey? Will they save Sigrid in time to keep her from harm and
prevent the realm from plunging into eternal darkness? And what will be left for them after
the dust settles?

Excerpt

“You there. Halt!”

“Here we go,” Kasimir murmured under his breath. He
turned to confront a group of greycloaks who had approached them from behind. None of
them seemed to have any visible rank higher than foot soldier. Kasimir put on a carefully
blank expression. “There a problem?”

“By royal decree, bearing arms within the city walls is
prohibited. You are in violation of this order.”

“Oh, aye.” Kasimir nodded dumbly. “Saw the notices, I did.
Smart idea, that. Only the notices was addressed as to say ‘Attention Senkalese citizens and
Yesenians traveling within the city, by royal decree’ an’ all that. But y’see, we’re not
Yesenian, an’ me mate here, well, he cannae read at all. So I figures it ’ad naught to do wi’
us.”

Senne cast him a puzzled look, no doubt wondering why he

was putting on the thick Lunarii peasant burr. Kasimir’s reasoning behind it was sound.
These guards were merely grunts. He had to confuse them enough to report to their
commander, because without someone of higher rank noticing them, they had no chance of
being put before the king.

Just as Kasimir predicted, one of the grunts, the one who
seemed to be somewhat in charge, scratched his head and looked at the soldier to his right.
“Does it say that?”

The other guard shrugged. “Well, yeah, seems right
enough. Never thought about what happens if we catch an outlander armed up in the
city.”

“We ought to fetch the captain, then,” said the
grunt-in-charge.

His right-hand man nodded sagely.

“I mean you, ya bloody imbecile,” he spat. The
foot soldier flinched and scarpered off. “Youse two, don’t move a muscle until the captain
gets here.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Kasimir said in his normal
accent.

Senne snorted quietly. The soldier gave them an odd look
but didn’t comment. After countless minutes of the tension-filled standoff, the messenger
returned, leading a man wearing a red officer’s cloak.

Upon further inspection, Kasimir realized he was not only
an officer, but a decorated one. His cloak was pushed back off his shoulders so Kas could see
he wore epaulettes studded with silver stripes and dripping with braided silver cords. The
dragon emblazoned on his armor appeared to be inlaid with real silver, and the regulation
bycocket hat had been replaced by an obsidian dragon-winged battle-helm. It all made for a
fearsome sight, and Kasimir had to fight the urge to take a step back when the man
approached.

When the captain reached them, he flipped up the visor of
his helm, and Kasimir was surprised that he appeared much younger than he would’ve
thought for a high-ranking officer, though the gray threaded through his dark hair
proclaimed him to be middle-aged. He was handsome in that craggy, chiseled way Yesenians
had—they always seemed to look as though they’d gone straight from mother’s womb to
the battlefield and never looked back—with his square jaw, closely trimmed black beard,
and slightly bent nose, as if it had been broken a time or two.

“I am Vilhelme, Commander of the King’s Army. Who are
you and why are you in my city?”

“Commander,” interrupted the head guard. “These blokes
said the arms notices only refer to Yesenian citizens, so I didn’t know what to do with
’em.”

The look Vilhelme turned on the man was nothing short of
murderous. “That is absurd.” He turned back to Kasimir and Senne, effectively dismissing the
ignoramus, and repeated his question. “Who are you and what are you doing here?”

“Just travelers passing through,” Kasimir hedged. “Here to
trade for supplies.”

Vilhelme glared over his shoulder again. “In that case,
welcome. If you wish to trade in the city, I am afraid you must surrender your weapons.
They will be stored in the armory until you are ready to move on.”

Kasimir’s jaw tensed, his pulse thudding in his throat.
“Can’t do that, friend.”

Vilhelme attempted a smile, though it was more a baring of
teeth than anything. “You may address me as Commander Vilhelme and nothing else. If you
do not wish to disarm, you will be escorted to the main gate so you may leave. In fact…”
Vilhelme narrowed his eyes. “You should not have even gained entry with all those
weapons. I shall have a
chat with the watch captain.”

“No need,” Kasimir said conversationally. “We snuck
in.”

Despite the smile, Vilhelme’s eyes glittered with danger.
“Why would you do a thing like that?”

“We want to see the king,” Senne said. “Thought if we
breached the wall, he’d come down from on high and deliver the mighty blow of
justice.”

Vilhelme scoffed. “His Royal Eminence does not entertain
petty criminals.”

“Oi,” Kasimir said. “Why don’t you give him a message for
us, then?”

Vilhelme turned to face him head-on and crossed his arms
as if he were bored. “I’m dying to hear what that might be.”

“Tell him,” Kas growled through clenched teeth, “that
we’ve come for the girl.”

Vilhelme raised a fist to chin level, almost casually, and they
were instantly at the sword points and arrow tips of the guardsmen who had tripled in
number and somehow surrounded them. Easily thirty weapons, at least half of which would
be aimed at a kill spot somewhere on Kasimir’s body. His vision wavered. His blood ran hot,
pounding wildly in his chest and up through his neck, nearly choking off his breath.

“That,” said Vilhelme, “would be inadvisable if the two of
you are in any way attached to your hides.” He cast a bored glance at the men around him,
oblivious to Kasimir’s torment and the danger they were all in. Kas didn’t think Senne had
noticed either.

“All the same,” Senne said, his jaw bunching with his frown.
“Tell him the knight and the sellsword have come to collect our charge.”

“Well, I can’t say whether or not you’ll ever see the king,
but you’ll certainly get a good long look at the inside of our dungeons,” Vilhelme remarked
blandly. Then he gave his head guardsman a small nod. “Take them.”

About the Author

J.K. Hogan has been telling
stories for as long as she can remember, beginning with writing cast lists and storylines for
her toys growing up. When she finally decided to put pen to paper, she found her true
passion. She is greatly inspired by all kinds of music and often creates a “soundtrack” for her
stories as she writes them.

J.K. resides in North Carolina
with her husband, two sons, and their pets. If she isn’t writing, J.K. can be found designing
book covers at Wicked Pixel Designs, creating fiber art and supplies at Earthbound Fiber Arts
watching Hurricanes Hockey and, of course, reading!

Social Media Links

Blog/Website | Facebook | Twitter

Instagram | Amazon | Pinterest

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Continue ReadingRELEASE BLITZ: “Beasts of Burden” by J.K. Hogan. Rafflecopter Giveaway Included!