Tag Archives: Paranormal Romance

RELEASE BLITZ: Essence by Mychael Black

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Title: Essence

Author: Mychael Black

Cover Art: Angela Knight

Genres: Action Adventure, Dark Fantasy, Mystery & Suspense, New Releases, Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy

Themes: Dark Romance, LGBTQ+ /Gay, LGBTQ+ /Sex/Gender Shifters & MPreg, Vampires

Series: Splintered Bloodlines (#3)

Book Length: Novella

Page Count: 71

Description

Bobby’s always had a thing for silver foxes. Still has. Just never expected to find the ultimate one is his fated mate.

Bobby Kirkland leads a simple life — mostly simple, considering his budding romance with the esteemed Deacon Saridan, head vamp of House Saridan.

Amid the romance and Bobby’s exploration of the BDSM lifestyle with his new mate, a string of murders leads Deacon to believe that a familiar, though certainly not kind, face has shown itself in the lands of House Saridan… and this threat proves to be an even bigger challenge than first thought.

WARNING: Adult language and situations, including BDSM

Excerpt

Essence (Splintered Bloodlines 3)
Mychael Black
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2025 Mychael Black

Deacon

“How’s he doing? Fitting in okay?”

The dock foreman, Toryn, leaned against the frame of the plate-glass window we stood at as we watched the workers in the shipping area below. “Seems to be. He gets along with the guys pretty well.”

I glanced at him, one eyebrow raised. “But…”

He sighed. “He struggles to stay on task sometimes, and he tends to daydream a good bit. Not a bad thing inherently, but not great when working around forklifts and eighteen-wheelers.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. The young man who’d captured my attention weeks ago was indeed a bit flighty at times. According to Cam, Bobby Kirkland had always been that way, and a diagnosis of ADHD as a pre-teen had answered a lot of questions. He needed structure and routine, in my opinion. I’d hoped working here would give him that, but he still seemed to have trouble staying focused on occasion.

The bell signaling the end of the workday rang out in the warehouse. I spotted Bobby going toward the door that led into the large breakroom where the lockers were. Beside me, Toryn snickered softly.

“I’m surprised you haven’t claimed him yet.”

I turned away from the window. “Soon.”

I followed him out of my office and downstairs. Most of the workers were already heading home, but a few — including Bobby — remained in the breakroom. Toryn patted my shoulder and went to his own locker. The others glanced over at me, and a couple of them shot Bobby teasing smirks. Even from the doorway, I saw him blush. There wasn’t any hint of jealousy with this group, thankfully. When Bobby met my gaze, I discreetly gestured for him to join me upstairs. He nodded, and I headed back up. Once I claimed him, we’d be able to speak telepathically and not worry about coworker issues. Then again, he also wouldn’t be working either, but that was a discussion for another day.

A few minutes after I sat down on the small couch in my office, the door opened. Bobby smiled, though there was a good bit of nervousness behind it. He shut the door and sat a couple of feet beside me at my urging. I twisted a little to face him and got comfortable.

“How was work?”

“Good,” he said, fidgeting a bit with his hands, like he didn’t know what to do with them. One leg bounced a little.

“Have you had any problems with your coworkers?”

Bobby didn’t answer right away, which told me everything I needed to know. I reached over and put my hand on his knee, stilling the movement almost immediately. His eyes widened for a moment, making him seem far younger than thirty-one. Of course, at my age, he was young.

“What is it? You can tell me anything, Bobby.”

He swallowed and tore his gaze from mine. I waited while he thought about whatever he wanted to say. Finally, he spoke. “Just a couple of guys who seem to think I’m an idiot.” He looked back up at me. “I’m not. I just get… distracted sometimes, hyper focused at others.”

“No, you’re definitely not an idiot. You wouldn’t be working here if so,” I said. “Have they done or said anything directly to you?”

“No, but I’ve caught a few whispers here and there,” he replied. “Not to mention the weird glances.” He shrugged and sighed. “I feel like I’m back in fucking high school, to be honest. It’s ridiculous.”

I chuckled softly and gave his knee a gentle squeeze. “I have a potential solution then, but I think we need to have a good, long talk before we go any further.”

Bobby nodded and stared down at my hand. “I honestly started to worry that this was a one-sided thing,” he muttered.

Unable to resist, I lifted my hand to cup his chin, tilting his head until I was looking into those soulful brown eyes. I stroked my thumb across his lower lip, and he let out a soft gasp. “I assure you, this is very much mutual. That said, there are details we must go over first.”

“Those details have anything to do with your necklace?”

I smiled and lifted the thin chain from under my shirt. Light reflected off the tiny handcuff pendant accented with garnets. “Indeed. How about we have dinner, and we can chat?”

“Sounds good to me. I need to let Dad and Cam know where I’ll be. I don’t have to, but it’s an old habit.”

“Absolutely, and a good one to have. Do you have any food preferences or sensitivities I need to know about?”

“I’m lactose intolerant, but that’s it.”

“Understood. Let Beau and Cam know what’s going on and then meet me in my chambers upstairs. Normally, I’d take you out, but the things we need to discuss are not for anyone else’s ears.”

His gaze shifted a bit, and I couldn’t ignore the urge any longer. Fingers gripping his chin, I tipped his head and leaned close. Bobby’s soft moan the moment our lips touched sent almost overwhelming need rushing through me. His scent — a decadent mix of soap, shampoo, and something woodsy yet sweet — filled every part of my psyche. The urge to bite flitted through my mind, but I shoved it away for now. I knew he was mine; I didn’t need to taste his blood to confirm it.

Bobby opened for me, pliant, eager, and so insanely delicious. I released his chin and cupped the back of his head, pushing the kiss into hungrier territory for both of us. Before I could lose control and take him right here, though, I made myself pull back. He grumbled, and I nipped his lower lip before soothing it with my tongue.

“Dinner,” I murmured. “I need to taste every inch of you but not before we talk.”

Purchase at Changeling Press

Meet the Author

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

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

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

Website | Facebook

 

BOOK TOUR & GIVEAWAY: Weres and Witchery by AK Nevermore

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Magic happens and sparks fly when a sassy witch with curves for days crosses paths with an irresistible alpha shifter.

Weres and Witchery

by AK Nevermore

Genre: Spicy Small Town Paranormal Romance

Karma’s a witch.

When witch Jena Seymore returns home to Havers-by-the-Sea to
care for her dying aunt, old town politics and prejudices are rekindled.
Between the local Westside Pack’s vendetta against her family and the coven
pressuring Jena to become guardian of the magical node outside of town, she has
enough problems without adding Chase Montgomery to the mix. Especially after he
broke her heart by starting the devastating rumor that sent Jena running from
town in the first place.

But Chase has plenty of problems of his own, and how to make
amends with Jena and win her heart is at the top of the list. Unbeknownst to
his pack, Jena is his fated mate, and after her leaving town the first time
almost killed him, he’s not letting her get away again—no matter what the
backlash might be.

And meanwhile, the node is turning wild, jeopardizing
Havers-by-the Sea’s existence as tensions threaten to tear it apart from
within. Deep-seated small town secrets could hold the key to its future—but
only if they’re discovered before Samhain, when the blue moon rises.

Magic happens
and sparks fly when a sassy witch with curves for days crosses paths with an
irresistible alpha shifter. WERES
AND WITCHERY, a standalone spicy small town romance by AK Nevermore.

  

What readers are
saying:

“I loved this
story! It has everything I like in a good book, angst, anger, laughter, tears,
fun, heat, love, loyal best friend, quirky side characters and an HEA. It
doesn’t get any better than that. The storyline is solid, engaging, the world
building is multi-dimensional and once you start you won’t want to put it
down.” – @sunshinewhispers

 

“Wow, what a cracking book this is. Twists, turns and
lots of magic so what’s not to like. I couldn’t put it down till I’d finished
it, I was completely engrossed. I loved it.” – @sbanacek

 

“I started reading this book at 9pm and read straight
through to 4am. … FOUR. A. M. Crazy, right?! Let me tell you, this book had me
hooked from the start with its humor, drama, character chemistry, character
personalities, drama, romance, banter, action, and spice. ‘Weres and Witchery’
is among one of the best escapes I’ve had in a while.” – @Morally_Gray_Nola

  

Amazon * B&N * Bookbub * Goodreads

AK Nevermore enjoys operating heavy machinery, freebases coffee, and
gives up sarcasm for Lent every year. A Jane-of-all-trades, she’s a certified
chef, restores antiques, and dabbles in beekeeping when she’s not reading
voraciously or running down the dream in her beat-up camo Chucks.

Unable to ignore the voices in her head, and unwilling to become
medicated, she writes Science Fiction and Fantasy full time.

She pays the bills editing, wielding a wicked hot pink pen and writing
a column on SFF. She also belongs to the Authors Guild, is a chapter treasurer
for the RWA, teaches creative writing, and on the rare occasion, sleeps.

Website * Facebook * X * Instagram * Bluesky * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a $20 giveaway!

Enter the Weres and Witchery Giveaway

PREORDER BLITZ: Medically Necessary by Emily Carrington

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LGBTQ Romance, Dark Fantasy, Steamy

Date Published: October 10, 2025

Publisher: Changeling Press

The threat to all werewolves draws Amir and Oliver together, even as
their wounds threaten to rip them apart.

Trust is Earned (Medically Necessary 1): Amir is a General Practitioner
for magical creatures, particularly werewolves. When the leader of all
werewolves comes to him with a problem that presents like psychosis, Amir
needs help. Oliver’s nursing a grieving heart and a chip on his
shoulder. Still, when Amir asks for his help, he jumps at the chance. The
submissive wolf is beautiful.


Trust is Fraught (Medically Necessary 2): As the leader of the werewolves
sinks further into insanity, Amir and Oliver fight prejudice and time to
rescue their alpha. As Oliver and Amir are pulled deeper into the dangers of
the psychic world, their love may be the only thing keeping them sane.


Trust is Sacred (Medically Necessary 3): Oliver’s terrible secret is
eating him alive. Amir thinks purging and confession are medically necessary
for spiritual and physical well-being, but Oliver will stop at almost nothing
to hide his scars.

 

Can either of them learn to trust?

 


EXCERPT

 

Excerpt from Trust is Earned

He had tended to different members of the Tilthos and Merle werewolf packs
over the years. Being positioned in southern Erie County, located in Upstate
New York, had been the best thing he could do for his medical practice. Once
he’d finally convinced Nicholas Black of the Merle pack in Buffalo, New
York, to work with him as the werewolf equivalent of a midwife, his office was
often full to bursting with pregnant female werewolves.

And it didn’t matter one bit that he spoke Werewelsh, the native
language of most werewolves, with an accent or as only his fourth language.
For Dr. Amir Othman, the prejudice he might have encountered because of his
unusual parentage and his even more unique upbringing was all overshadowed by
one truth. He was good at his job.

That didn’t make him less nervous to meet the alpha above all alphas.
Tilthos Charles, alpha of his own pack and leader of the wolves of North and
South America, was supposedly intimidating. All of which pointed to this
truth: while Amir had healed every magical creature from djinns to kelpies,
and even two dragons, he still worried about doing or saying the wrong thing
in Tilthos Charles’s presence.

What bothered him even more was that he almost qualified as a lone wolf. A
“packless loner,” in werewolf-speak, and that was not a
compliment. He had a technical pack, run by Kreisha Alexander. When that
particular alpha threw his weight around, everyone obeyed. Thankfully, that
pack was in Washington, DC, nearly two hundred miles away. So, unless Alpha
Alexander gave him an edict directly over the phone, as opposed to in an email
or via snail mail, Amir could basically do as he chose.

Except, now the alpha above all alphas was coming to his office and would
surely demand to know why he hadn’t switched his allegiance to a pack up
here in New York. “It doesn’t have to be mine,” the most
powerful werewolf on the planet would say, “but it can’t be you
operating under your own aegis.”

So, when his assistant, Carly, sent him a message that Tilthos Charles was
here, Amir’s pulse picked up. He responded to her message, saying
he’d be in Exam Room Three in under five minutes. Then he did a deep
breathing exercise, using the five senses trick he’d learned as a young
wolf when he first realized he wanted to become a doctor and would be around
blood and anxious magical creatures.

Five things he could see. His fidgety hands. By crossing his eyes, he could
see his nose. His computer screen, which held everything his clinic had on the
alpha above all alphas. Trying to look farther away in an attempt to slow his
racing heart, he looked at the carpet in front of his desk. It was a boring
brown that didn’t hold his attention. Finally, he looked at the door
where he’d hung a poster of a Great Pyrenees, which was the closest
breed to his family’s wolf forms, which were usually white.

Four things he could hear… The thudding of his heart. The rush of blood
in his veins, which meant he was really keyed up still because even though he
was a werewolf with acute hearing, he didn’t usually pay attention to
the sounds of his own or others’ bodies. He struggled hard to refocus
and heard the buzzing of the fluorescent light in the ceiling. He needed one
more thing, so he made his chair creak. Oddly, the sound of something he could
completely control helped him breathe a little easier.

Three things he could touch… The pen in his hand, which he’d been
nervously twirling. He set it down. The feel of the chair under him, with his
suit coat slung over the back. He could also feel his toes in his shoes. He
breathed in more deeply than he’d managed so far and felt still a bit
better.

Two things he could smell… He could no longer smell adrenaline. That
was a good thing. He lifted his hand to his nose and smelled the soap
he’d washed with maybe ten minutes ago.

And one thing he could taste, which was his cold lavender matcha latte.

Glancing at the clock icon on his computer, he saw it had been almost three
minutes. Well, it was now or never. He doubted he’d be calmer if he sat
here longer. So, he stood, straightened his white medical coat, and left the
office. He listened to people talking quietly in the waiting room as he
passed. He smiled at Carly, who mouthed, “Good luck.” Then he
knocked on the door of Exam Room Three.

“Please come in.”

The voice that had responded was lightly accented, and he wondered why no one
had ever told him Tilthos Charles was Hispanic. Then he was in the room, and
he saw there were two people inside. The werewolf was certainly Tilthos
Charles and the psychic vampire… Oh, yes. Tilthos Charles’s mate
was a psychic vampire.

The alpha wolf sat on the exam table and his mate stood at his side. It was
actually the psychic vampire who moved first, holding out his hand. “Dr.
Othman, I’m Luis McLaughlin.”

Amir shook with him and then offered his hand to the burly werewolf. He saw
the wolf’s eyes flicker quickly down to his hand and then away. Then his
hand was taken and Tilthos Charles said, “Please to meet you, Dr.
Othman.”

He sounded it too, but there was something bothering him. Well, and
didn’t that make sense? Folks who were completely healthy rarely came to
the doctor’s office.

“The pleasure is mine,” Amir returned, smiling at both of them.
Then he retreated until he could sit on his stool. He watched Tilthos
Charles’s eyes try to focus on him. “Forgive me, but while I have
some information about your general health, I know very little about your
visual impairment.”

He saw his guess had been right, that the alpha above all alphas indeed had
something wrong with his vision.

“I told you he’d know,” said Luis as his mate brought out a
folded white cane from behind his back.

“Forgive me the test, Dr. Othman,” said Charles, “but
I’ve been seen by too many doctors who miss the obvious until I point it
out to them.” He settled the cane on his leg, keeping one hand on it so
it wouldn’t fall. “We’re here today, not because of my
visual impairment, which has been unchanged since I was born, but because Luis
is convinced there’s something…” He hesitated.

Luis said, “He’s distracted and agitated.”

Amir watched Charles’s nostrils flare and his pupils dilate.
“I’m on edge because Agent Sowerby’s… Shit. I must be
off-balance somehow if I’m about to spill state secrets.” He
smiled ruefully at Amir. “Forgive me. Luis is right. I just can’t
figure out how you’ll help me or if there is any help for the mess
we’re about to be in.”

“May I examine you?”

Charles nodded.

Amir went through all the basics, including sending the alpha werewolf out to
give him a urine sample. When the door closed, he turned to Luis. “How
long has he been on edge?” He could smell the wolf’s almost panic.

“About three weeks. “

“Did anything precipitate his anxiety?”

Luis sighed. “I’m not sure what’s really private. I assume
you’re bound by medical confidentiality?”

“I am.” He could see the psychic vampire hesitating. “Please
tell me everything you can. I cannot be effective while only possessing half
the facts.”

“My mate holds the belief that the head of SearchLight is going to
expose all magical creatures.”

Amir’s mouth went dry. “I know Tilthos Charles probably has the
ear of SearchLight. Is he correct?”

“Absolutely not, but I can’t convince him of that.”

“Has he talked to…” He couldn’t remember the name of
the new head of SearchLight, only that Agent Weinberg had stepped down.

“I’ve tried getting Jack Sowerby to talk to him. No dice. Not that
Agent Sowerby wouldn’t, but Charlie didn’t believe him.”

Amir held up his hand. The bathroom door had creaked open. He turned his head
toward the exam room’s entrance for good measure.

Tilthos Charles entered. “Your assistant took my sample.”

Amir said soothingly, “Please, Alpha, sit down.”

He saw his words had the opposite effect to what he’d intended. Instead
of resting on the table again, Tilthos Charles drew himself up. He was taller
than Amir by half a foot and intimidating as hell.

Sitting on his stool, making himself as nonthreatening as possible, Amir put
his hands palms up on his thighs. “I mean you no harm.”

 

About the Author

Emily Carrington is a multipublished author of male/male and transgender
women’s speculative fiction. Seeking a world made of equality, she
created SearchLight to live out her dreams. But even SearchLight has its
problems, and Emily is looking forward to working all of these out with a host
of characters from dragons and genies to psychic vampires. And in the
contemporary world she’s named “Sticks & Stones,” Emily
has vowed to create small towns where prejudice is challenged by a passionate
quest for equality. Find her on Facebook at Shapeshifter Central or on her
website.

 

Author’s Website

Emily on Facebook

Emily on Twitter

 

Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok: @changelingpress

Save 15% off any order at ChangelingPress.com with code RABT15

 

Pre-Order Today


BOOK BLITZ & GIVEAWAY: The Cardinal Code by Avery Sterling

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The Cardinal Code
Avery Sterling
Publication date: August 4th 2025
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Vampires are real. Powerful, organized, and nearly untouchable, they move through society under the governance of the Cardinalis Order—an ancient system built to protect their kind and punish those who defy its laws.

Michael Chamberlain is one of them. A successful entrepreneur with a carefully buried past, he returns to The Hamptons to take over his father’s elite nightclub—and to secure a contracted blood source. Cold, controlled, and emotionally detached, Michael has long accepted the rules of his world. That is, until he meets Paislee Sullivan.

A determined college student working to fund her future, Paislee doesn’t know the truth about the Order—or that her presence at the nightclub is more dangerous than she realizes. When her path collides with Michael’s, she’s pulled into the shadows of a world built on power, secrecy, and blood.

As their attraction deepens, Paislee must navigate a society where consent is contractual, love is forbidden, and ignorance offers the only safety. But some connections can’t be denied—and breaking the rules could mean losing everything.

The Cardinal Code is a seductive and high-stakes romance set in a world where the elite don’t just run society—they feed on it.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

As they pulled into her uncle’s driveway, the house was shrouded in darkness.

Michael killed the engine and was out of the car in an instant. She fumbled for her keys and was surprised when he opened her door.

“Thanks,” she murmured, taking his outstretched hand as she stepped onto the driveway.

“How’s your ankle?”

She tested it. “Actually, it’s not that bad. Thanks for the ride.”

“Let me walk you in,” he offered.

Her heart thudded in her chest. “That’s…really not necessary.”

His lips quirked. “You have to let me finish redeeming myself, Paislee.”

With a dramatic sigh, she dangled her keys in front of him. “Very well, Sir Knightly. Here.”

Michael unlocked the front door, and they stepped into the house. His gaze swept over the modest furnishings as she turned on the lights.

“How long have you been working at Allusion?” he asked, pausing in the living room.

“A couple of weeks.” She slid her bag off her shoulder and set it on a nearby chair. “I came here for school. Allusion helps pay the bills.”

He stepped further into the room.

She busied herself with slipping off her sneakers, but the silence stretched long enough that she turned around.

He was inches away, his eyes dark and unreadable.

Her cheeks flushed, and she quickly changed the subject. “So, am I safe? No danger lurking in the shadows of my house?”

Michael reached for the strap on her skirt, and his fingers traced it slowly before he hooked it and tugged her forward.

“Why do you look so frightened?” he murmured, his brow furrowing.

“I’m not frightened,” she shot back, though her trembling hands betrayed her.

He arched a brow. “You’re shaking.”

Her cheeks burned. “Because I know you’re going to kiss me,” she admitted.

His lips curved into a slow, wicked smile. “Last night, you didn’t seem so afraid of me.”

Her resolve ebbed as his face inched closer. “That was impulsive,” she whispered. “Now I’m just…questioning what I’ve gotten myself into.”

He laughed softly, and the sound was rich and unguarded. “You have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into, ducizza,” he breathed.

Author Bio:

Avery Sterling’s love for the romance genre began in her teen years when she picked up her first novel. She was captivated by the sweeping scale of emotions brought about by the words. The experience catapulted her towards learning the art of wielding a breathtaking adventure, with a love that felt authentic. Wanting to inspire people with her own thoughts and words, she finished her first novel at sixteen. It was a step towards understanding the essence of what she wished to create.

Most of her youth was spent traveling, searching out the romance and beauty in her everchanging world. From the waves that crashed against the rocky shores of Downeast, Maine, to the warm breezes of the Caribbean, she discovered that love was universal, apparent in its grandest and simplest of forms. Her goal is to write novels an audience can relate to, one that conveys the truth and nature of love… with all that steamy romance.

Website / Goodreads / Instagram / Facebook / Twitter / TikTok

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RELEASE BLITZ: The Rivers Will Run Red by Keira North

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Title: The Rivers Will Run Red

Series: House of Drǎculeşti

Author: Keira North

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: 07/01/2025

Heat Level: 1 – No Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 81100

Genre: Paranormal, urban fantasy, dark, supernatural, immortal, vampires, shifters, werewolves, merfolk, MLM romance, found family, nonbinary character, Transylvania, Romania, Romanian mythology, folklore, #ownvoices: Romanian author, #ownvoices: nonbinary author

Add to Goodreads

Description

In the wake of a devastating attack by a rogue coven of vampires, hunter-turned-werewolf Ileana returns to the ruins of her family home. Believing her sister, Tamara, survived the attack, Ileana seeks the help of Liviu, the werewolf who turned her, and Evdochia, a hauntingly powerful vampire descended from Vlad Țepeș himself.

The attack is the first strike in a looming war threatening the fragile truce between humans and mythical nightwalkers. With time slipping away and danger closing in from all sides, Ileana and her allies must race to find Ravenswatch, the ancient fortress where the vampire coven is preparing to strike again.

Excerpt

The Rivers Will Run Red
Keira North © 2025
All Rights Reserved

Girl Who Cried Wolf

“When the blood moon rises, beware of the pricolici.”
— From the wisdom of werewolf hunters in Crișana-Banat

“It’s here, I swear,” Luca said. “Just a little farther.”

With a small nod, Ileana said, “Uh-huh.”

Her companion couldn’t see that, of course. He was already charging ahead through the underbrush, so she had no choice but to follow, pulling her ratty cardigan tighter around her bony shoulders. She was all of thirteen and outgrowing her old clothes faster than she could get new hand-me-downs. Whatever survived her nightly escapades usually found its way to her younger sister, Tamara, much to the latter’s chagrin.

Luca didn’t need to worry about the cold. He wore a thick, fur-padded coat that molded perfectly to his slim body. A boy of fifteen, more nimble than strong and taller than Ileana by a head, his hair was wheat-colored and unruly, and he had piercing blue eyes and thick brows that made him look like he was always frowning. Ileana felt a strange flutter in her stomach whenever he looked her way. She wanted him to look at her but also not, and she found the whole thing equal parts vexing and confusing.

Luca was already blooded too. On a family hunting trip to the southern reaches of Oltenia, he’d found and killed a moroi, a risen dead who’d been walking around for so long it was more bone than corpse. Luca talked about it like he’d offed the great Impaler himself. Still, his one kill trumped Ileana’s none.

Despite the full moon crossing the night sky somewhere above, the jumble of branches overhead cast a dense shroud over the sodden, uneven ground. Where Luca moved with the sure step of a journeyman hunter, Ileana had to stop and feel her way around tree stumps and patches of half-melted snow, pushing her long bangs out of her face every other step. Her hair was a dark, muddy brown in the sunlight. Here, under the canopy, it was black, and thick, and annoying.

“C’mon!” Luca shouted from somewhere ahead.

She walked faster, or at least as fast as her skinny legs could carry her. Where Luca was growing like a weed, Ileana was more of the short persuasion. For now, she’d tell herself whenever she looked in the mirror, standing on tiptoe and tilting her chin up.

A soft patch of earth gave way under her foot. With a startled yell, she fell forward, arms flailing in search of something to stop her fall. She felt a sting across the back of her right hand when she scraped it against the rough bark of a tree, but at least she’d stopped herself before she tumbled forward and scraped her knees too. Tears prickled at the corners of her eyes, swiftly followed by shame. She sniffled and bit her lower lip. Cradling her injured hand with her good one, she scurried ahead.

Soon, the trees dwindled away and the ground sloped gently downward toward a small pond, its ragged edges obscured by a dense thicket of cattails and pickerel weeds. With nothing to blot it out, the moon shone bright, its light tracing sparkling ripples across the water.

Pretty, Ileana thought.

And then, stealing a glance at her companion, He’s pretty too.

Luca was waiting for her by the water, toying with his hunting knife, his hair shimmering like threads of spun gold. He caught her eye and grinned wide, tossing the knife up in the air. He caught it by the tip, then tossed it again, catching it by the handle this time. The blade flashed in the moonlight. It looked like silver. Good for werewolves and basilisks, Ileana’s mind supplied, a rote response. She had her own knife stashed away in her boot, but the blade was steel, not silver. She rarely parted with it these days. Like a real hunter.

“Over there,” Luca said, turning away from her to wave his hand toward whatever they’d come here to find.

Ileana turned to follow the line of his finger to where he was pointing. She spotted a storm drain on the other side of the pond, an old, battered thing with bits of rebar poking through the crumbling concrete. She’d ventured inside a few times over the years. The way was barred by a sturdy metal grill some twenty paces in, but that hadn’t stopped her from pretending she was descending deep into another realm in search of glimmering treasure and forbidden magick. That was all make-believe, though, and she was done with it now that she was well on her way to being a grown-up. Hunters didn’t waste their time with make-believe. They found it, and they killed it.

“What’s there?” she asked.

“It’s a wolf,” the boy said, “and I’m gonna kill it.”

A gust of wind tickled them from the side, poking through Ileana’s cardigan and the flimsy shirt underneath. She stuck her hands deep into her pockets, hissing as the wound on the back of her hand scraped against the rough fabric.

“A wolf?” she said, her eyes flicking back to the drain. “Just the one?”

“Maybe it got lost, I dunno.”

“So how do you know it’s a wolf?” Ileana pressed. “It could be just a stray dog or—”

“Because I saw it, all right? Earlier, when I was…” The boy’s face twisted in a scowl that was more comical than angry.

“When you were, what?”

“Gramma sent me looking for frogs again.” He shuffled his foot.

Ileana snorted a laugh. “So, the mighty hunter went out to whack some toads with a stick. How’d you fare on that perilous adventure?”

“They taste good, okay? And, and anyway, that’s not—it doesn’t matter. I know there’s a wolf in there, and I’m gonna kill it and make something from its pelt.”

“You’re going to kill the wolf with a knife?” Ileana said, her left eyebrow quirking higher than the right one. “They’re stronger than humans, y’know. Faster too.”

“Don’t be stupid, Leana. This is what I’m gonna kill it with.” Speaking, Luca pulled aside his woolen coat enough to show her the revolver tucked into his waistband.

Ileana had seen that gun before, on an ornate plaque above the mantelpiece in Luca’s ancestral home on the other side of the hill. She’d asked one of her cousins to hold her up so she could look at it once, when she was smaller, and she remembered it clearly. The grip was silver with intricate bone inlays, a relic of a time when craftsmanship was still a thing. Luca’s family could trace their lineage all the way back to Aron Vulpe—Aron the Fox—the famed hunter who’d driven the vampires of the Țepeș clan from the hillsides of Crișana-Banat and into the far reaches of the Carpathian Mountains. Three hundred years later, their coffers still ran deep.

“Does your dad know you took that?” she asked, a hint of unease tinging her words. She’d seen the bruises on the boy’s face and wrists more than once.

He flashed her another grin. “I’ll have it back before he knows it’s gone. And you’re not gonna tell on me, yeah?”

“Maybe I won’t, if you ask me nice.” The thought hadn’t even crossed her mind, but Luca didn’t need to know that.

He pursed his lips. “If you’re gonna be like that, you can go home already.”

“But I already know,” Ileana said smugly.

“Then I’ll—I’ll make you something nice from its pelt, how about that?”

“I’ll kill my own,” she said, sweet as it was to think about getting a gift from him. “Or maybe I’ll kill a werewolf and take its pelt. And I won’t do it with some rusty old gun.”

He scoffed, looking her over. “Yeah, right. Maybe in a year or two.”

Ileana bristled at that. Every night, when her family went to sleep, she snuck out into the woods behind her home, Nightshade Lodge, and hacked and slashed until her arms grew so tired she couldn’t raise them anymore, practicing her knife throwing and fending off imaginary beasts. And she was getting good, she could tell.

That was where Luca had found her earlier tonight. “I wanna show you something,” he’d told her, and she’d let him talk her into coming along. Mostly because there was something about him that made her want to punch him in his stupidly handsome face and then kiss it all better. Not that she’d ever kissed anyone before, but she’d read about it in a book, and it didn’t sound all that bad.

The object of her secret thoughts snapped his fingers right under her nose, yanking her back into the present with a startled, “Huh?”

“I said, I’m going. You can stay here if you’re scared.”

“Pfft. I’m not scared. But,” she said after a moment, “are you sure—”

“Good. Let’s go.” He started ahead without waiting to hear the rest of the objection.

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Meet the Author

Keira North is a queer, nonbinary, Romanian author living in Montreal. They use storytelling as a medium to explore their heritage and identity and strive to be the change they want to see in the (literary) world. When they’re not writing, they like to make music, play video games, and read copious amounts of fanfiction and indie works.

Website | Instagram | Bluesky

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TEASER TUESDAY: Taken by the Huldra by Megan Slayer

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Paranormal Romance, Capture Fantasy

Date Published: July 4, 2025

A Huldra and a human collide in the forest…

 

Hunter came to Eerie to give up on his life. Nothing’s gone right and
he’s ready to quit. Then he sees the most beautiful woman in the world,
but she wants him dead. Talk about bad luck. Until he meets Annika, a Huldra
— a Norse protector – and the woman he can’t seem to forget.

Unlike her twin sister Runa, who wants only to destroy, Annika is a nurturing
spirit. The moment she sees Hunter she has to save him from her homicidal
sister. He’s too pretty to kill, but he’s got a secret. He’s
not solely human, although he doesn’t know what paranormal blood runs
through his veins.

If he can survive Runa’s wrath, the scars of his past, and allow himself
to have a future with Annika, he might find the best things in life
aren’t exactly what they seem — they’re better.

 

EXCERPT

“I’ve had enough.” Hunter Hallahan drove past the line
separating the town boundary of Eerie from the rest of the world. To anyone
who didn’t have a drop of paranormal blood, the road went through
untouched woodlands. Unlike most beings, he had the very cells permitting him
to be there — paranormal blood. More specifically, shifter blood. By the time
he’d cropped up on the family tree, the strain of paranormal magic
coming down to him had been diluted enough he wasn’t able to shift.

Didn’t matter to him.

He had the keen senses of the wolf — sharp hearing, keen eyesight, a sixth
sense to detect danger, and lightning-fast reflexes. His abilities to read
other beings had served him well. They had in the past.

Not now.

He’d read Sally so wrong. He’d thought she loved him. Thought she
wanted to be together forever. All she’d wanted was a boyfriend for now.
He flexed his hands on the steering wheel and drove straight to the woods. His
eyes burned from shedding too many tears over her. Her words burned into his
brain.


“Oh, honey. You’re good for now, but you’re not marriage
material. You’re a mongrel.”

How could someone say those things?

No, he knew how they could. She wanted to get back at her now-fiancé.
Making him jealous got her a bigger diamond. Got her attention. Got her the
house in the suburbs with the large yard and the chance at having kids.

He’d never be able to give her children.

He turned onto the gravel road leading deeper into the woods.

When he’d set out for Eerie, he hadn’t planned on going to the
forest, but the second he crossed the city limits, he’d been drawn here.
He couldn’t even explain it. Like the car was being driven by itself.

Impossible.

Yes, he had magic, and Eerie was full of spells, magic and everything else
paranormal, but the car wasn’t driving itself. He wasn’t rich
enough to have one of those vehicles. This was something different.

Something stronger.

He continued farther into the woods, shocked by the darkness. This
wasn’t his first time venturing into the forests of Eerie. The area that
hid the town appeared to be only a few hundred acres on a map. But that was
the magic of Eerie. It might not appear big, but once one started exploring,
the place was huge.

As he drove, he noticed a woman walking among the trees. Seeing someone in the
woods wasn’t strange. The fact the woman wore a filmy dress and had
flowing blonde hair was the eye-catching part. He slowed his pace and cast a
longer glance at her. Her pale skin practically seemed transparent. Gods, if a
stiff breeze blew through, she’d fall over. She had no meat on her
bones.

Some might find her gorgeous. She had that stick-thin look going for her, with
more bones than curves. She cut a striking figure among the trees.

He liked women with a little more curve.

The woman rushed up to him. “Come to me.”

Part of him wanted to. Just stop the vehicle, leave, and follow her. The
rational part of his brain refused to comply. This had to be a spell. Had to
be something to bring him to his doom.

Except he’d initially set out for Eerie with the plan to end his life.
He’d thought that was what he wanted, but he’d never followed
through with his spur-of-the-moment intentions. Gods, he’d loved Sally,
but she wasn’t worth him doing something so drastic. Never had been.

The woman stopped in front of his car and pointed to him, then crooked her
finger. “Come with me.”

He flicked the button to lock the car. Why in Hades had he done that? If this
was magic, she could come into his vehicle despite the damn locks.

“Come with me,” she repeated. Then the woman winked.

As she did, he collided with something hard. Not just hard, but immediate. He
rocked forward, smacking his face into the airbag. The wind rushed from his
lungs, and he groaned. His limbs ached. What in Hades had just happened?

He blinked to clear his vision. Smoke wafted through the air and the bag
deflated.

“Odin’s sake.” The door opened and a person reached into the
car.

When he looked at the speaker, his blood chilled. “You’re
determined to get me to come with you.” The woman who’d pointed to
him was yanking him from the vehicle. “I’m not going with
you.”

“If you know what’s good for you, you will.” The woman,
almost too thin to be manhandling him, tugged him free of the seat belt.
“You’re dying, you fool.”

“Dying?” He’d come to the woods to do himself in but
hadn’t wanted to — not for real. “How?”

“You hit the fucking tree.” She hauled him against her body.
“Come on. Use your legs — or are they broken?”

“I don’t know.” His brain swam. “I’ve got to be
concussed.”

“Probably.” She grunted, then tossed him against the side of the
car. She waved her hand across his forehead and spoke words he couldn’t
understand. Her brow crinkled and her green eyes flashed. Her mouth twisted
into a frown. “Can you walk now?”

He hadn’t bothered to try. He stared at her. She looked a lot like the
woman who’d called to him, yet nothing like her. After a moment, his
brain cooperated, and he forced his legs to move. “Yes,” he
managed. He allowed her to slide her arm around him. “What
happened?”

“I’ll explain in a moment.” She fumbled across the
underbrush to a large tree. When she knocked on the tree, a hunk of the bark
opened like a door. “In here.” She didn’t give him a chance
to argue. Instead, she shoved him into the tree before closing the door behind
her.

“What’s going on?” He leaned against the wall.
“I’m so confused. I’ve got to be concussed.”

“You probably are.” She raked her hair back from her face.
“You’d better thank your lucky stars I got there in time.”

“Why?” He understood so little.

“That woman who called to you? That’s my twin sister,” she
said. “That’s some bad magic you don’t want to mix yourself
up in.”

“Jealous?” He’d tried for a bad joke, but it hadn’t
worked. “I’m sorry. I don’t get it.”

She flipped a switch, sending light across the space. “Here.” She
helped him to a chair. She knelt in front of him, then stared at him before
tipping her head. “I get it.”

“I’m glad you do, because I don’t.” He didn’t
like riddles or misdirects. “What’s going on?”

“You crashed your car into a tree.”

“I did? I didn’t see anything in front of me.” He’d
destroyed his car? Fuck.

“That was the point.”

“What?”

She sighed and folded her arms before sitting back on her heels. “What
brought you to Eerie? You’re here, so you must have magic. Why are you
here?”

About the Author

Megan Slayer, aka Wendi Zwaduk, is a multi-published, award-winning author of
more than one-hundred short stories and novels. She’s been writing since
2008 and published since 2009. Her stories range from the contemporary and
paranormal to LGBTQ and white hot themes. No matter what the length, her works
are always hot, but with a lot of heart. She enjoys giving her characters a
second chance at love, no matter what the form. She’s been nominated at
the LRC for Best Author, Best Contemporary, Best Ménage, Best BDSM and
Best Anthology. Her books have made it to the bestseller lists on various
e-tailer sites.

When she’s not writing, Megan spends time with her husband and son as
well as three dogs and three cats. She enjoys art, music and racing, but
football is her sport of choice. She’s an active member of the Friends
of the Keystone-LaGrange Public library.

Author Contact Links

Author on Facebook

Author on Twitter

Author on Instagram

Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok: @changelingpress

Pre-Order Today


BOOK BLITZ: Jack & Gil by Emily Carrington

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LGBTQ, Paranormal Romance, Shifters

Date Published: June 27, 2025

 
Gilbert Sullivan, crown prince of the basilisks, hates his name, but he
fears the rhyme may be prophecy.

 

Rhyme of Longing (Jack & Gil 1): When Prince Gilbert Sullivan meets Jack
Sowerby, the new head of SearchLight, his attraction won’t let him stay
away. Jack’s need for Prince Gilbert blossoms and he’s unable to
resist — until he’s forcibly changed into a magical creature. Will
their shattered relationship ever be restored?

Rhyme of Longing (Jack & Gil 2)

Jack is falling apart, but no one seems to notice. As Jack withdraws, the tide
of war rises. Jack must find a way to regain his strength and determination or
SearchLight will fall. And he’s convinced he must do it alone.

Rhyme of Love (Jack & Gil 3)

Gil struggles to hide his loss of status from Jack, but when he finally
confesses, Jack blurts out his secret. Jack knows he screwed up. Well, almost.
Running the risk of losing Gil, Jack must learn to lie convincingly, or
he’ll lose SearchLight, his life, and Gil, as well.

Excerpt from Rhyme of Longing

Jack wanted so badly to be done with this night that he felt uncomfortable in
his skin. That was not the proper way to begin thinking about his sixty-eighth
birthday, his five-year anniversary as the head of SearchLight Academy. This
was a party for both those things but no one said “no” to Agent
Weinberg.

Not necessarily the most powerful magical being in the world, she was still
the head of the entire organization. Even though she held the nominal title of
“head of Public Relations,” SearchLight’s whole reason for
existing was to protect the relationship between magical and nonmagical
peoples. Which was, of course, officially, no relationship at all. SearchLight
was a secret and must remain so.

The influence she held would make most magical creatures bow in submission.
Jack, being merely human, was suitably impressed. And although as yet not
cowed, he was too fond of his life to waste it needlessly. Not that Agent
Weinberg had killed anyone. Recently.

Jack took a deep breath in through his nose as the limousine pulled up to the
curb. He’d been commanded to take this limo and the implicit service of
a driver, and although he hadn’t enjoyed it particularly, he was glad
that he hadn’t needed to find a place to park in downtown Washington,
DC. So, unsure if he was supposed to tip the driver but wanting to show his
appreciation, he stepped around to the driver’s side after the car was
parked at the curb and offered the person behind the wheel, whom, his
telepathic sense, told him wasn’t human, ten dollars.

“Would you be trying to bribe me to take you home, Agent Sowerby?”

Jack saw the humor in the green eyes turned up to his and smiled. “Never
in life,” he told the Irish-sounding sprite or Faery or leprechaun.
Damn, sometimes he wished for a werewolf’s sense of smell so he’d
know the magical creatures around him at once.

“You’re a good man, Agent Sowerby. Don’t let her bully you
now.” And with that, he winked and rolled up his window. Jack stepped
around the car to the sidewalk and watched the limo drive away.

“Hey there.” The voice was soft, lightly accented, and full of a
syrupy, sarcastic undertone that put Jack’s hackles up. He turned more
slowly than he could have, wanting to appear older and so less threatening. He
gazed at the three people facing him and saw they were all armed.

He was aware of others watching from the doorway of the restaurant but knew
they wouldn’t intercede unless it became obvious he couldn’t
handle himself. That was one thing about Agent Weinberg he didn’t like
much. She believed in the “sink or swim” philosophy.

The woman who’d spoken was smiling in a particularly condescending way.
“Got a handout for me?” She twirled the knife in her right hand as
she reached out with her left for the ten spot Jack still held.

Jack offered it, keeping a good distance from her, forcing her to step forward
to take the bill. He was aware of the other two moving to flank him. He
disliked using his telepathic sense against what he considered to be
defenseless people, magical or mundane, and yet he wouldn’t risk his own
life to preserve theirs. “I suggest you take this and be on your
way,” he said softly, putting a slight psychic push into the words. He
blanketed the area with his calming presence, lacking the ability to focus on
more than two people at once. Both of the men who’d been flanking him
stopped. One of them shook his head but the other was definitely under
Jack’s control.

“Back off,” Jack said and watched the woman lower her knife a
little.

She snatched at the bill and her knife hand flicked upward.

Jack dropped the ten spot and caught her wrist. The knife’s blade
skidded across the waterproof material of his trench coat. He forced her to
drop the knife as he said, “Go away.”

The man under his control turned and fled. But the other lunged at Jack.
Yanking the woman close, Jack used her as a shield. The other man’s
blade slid between her ribs. He swore, stumbling back, and lost his grip on
his knife. As he turned to flee, Jack lowered the woman to the ground. He
shouted, “Someone call nine-one-one.”

Someone joined him out on the sidewalk. It wasn’t Agent Weinberg. It
wasn’t a SearchLight agent he knew. There was regal bearing in the
other’s posture as he crouched beside Jack. “Let me heal
her.”

Jack didn’t protest, although he did skate his telepathic sense outward
to determine if this was a magical creature. The fact that he’d said
“heal” rather than “help” argued for him not being
human. He came into contact with an impenetrable psychic wall and winced as
his telepathic sense bounced off. Well, there weren’t all that many
humans who could resist even his most casual reach. Ergo, this was a magical
creature.

Jack nodded and said, “Go ahead.” He retreated inside his own head
and as he pulled out his cell phone, unwilling to trust to others to call for
help, he watched the broad-shouldered male beside him spit into his hand and
press the palm against the wound even as he pulled the knife free.


Dragon, Jack thought. Dragons could heal with their saliva or a blood
exchange. But this wasn’t a dragon Jack knew.

About the Author

Emily Carrington is a multipublished author of male/male and transgender
women’s speculative fiction. Seeking a world made of equality, she
created SearchLight to live out her dreams. But even SearchLight has its
problems, and Emily is looking forward to working all of these out with a host
of characters from dragons and genies to psychic vampires. And in the
contemporary world she’s named “Sticks & Stones,” Emily
has vowed to create small towns where prejudice is challenged by a passionate
quest for equality. Find her on Facebook at Shapeshifter Central or on her
website.

Author Links

Author’s Website

Emily on Facebook

Emily on Twitter

Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok: @changelingpress

Save 15% off any order at ChangelingPress.com with code RABT15

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BOOK BLITZ & GIVEAWAY: The Lightslayer by Jack Townson

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The Lightslayer: The Vampire Jack Townson
Jack Townson
(Everdusk, #1)
Publication date: June 3rd 2025
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance

Prepare to be captivated by a dark fantasy epic that will consume your imagination.

Welcome to Draconia, a realm cloaked in shadows and intrigue, where ancient power struggles simmer beneath the surface. When the enigmatic Vampire Lord, Jack Townson, master of the Manor of Mystery, uncovers a sinister conspiracy threatening to ignite a supernatural war, he and his eclectic band of misfits-the Degenerates-must rise to the challenge. Together, they will navigate treacherous alliances, dangerous secrets, and a world filled with breathtaking magic and monsters.

Immerse yourself in a tale of supernatural action, dark romance, and fantasy adventure, where every page brims with danger, desire, and destiny. From spine-chilling battles to forbidden love, this novel takes you on a journey through a richly imagined universe where power comes at a price, and loyalty is tested at every turn.

Fans of spicy dark romance, vampire lore, and epic fantasy will be spellbound by Draconia’s intricate world-building, unforgettable characters, and pulse-pounding twists. If you’re a fan of Sarah J. Maas, Jay Kristoff, or Deborah Harkness, this is your next must-read.

Step into the shadows. Welcome to Draconia. Your adventure awaits. Mind your throat.

—
“A darkly Gothic romp through a dense and sinister world with the compelling and mysterious Jack Townson.” — Laurell K. Hamilton, New York Times Bestselling Author of Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

“They want a fight,” Townson growls, his voice steady but burning with conviction, “so we’ll give them one— but not

because we crave revenge!” His face contorts with emotion, locking eyes with his people. “Not because we thirst for blood!”

He raises a talon high into the air, his black claws curling into a fist with a loud, menacing crack. “But because we are family, and we stand together against any foe!”

Tears well in the eyes of many in the crowd, stirred by a fierce mix of fear and inspiration.

“BECAUSE WE ARE ALL DEGENERATES!” His voice erupts, a flash of fury in his eyes, as a supernatural wind howls from his aura. “WANTED BY NONE—” he roars, his words shaking the room, “AT HOME WITH EACH OTHER!”

Author Bio:

A 2023 Witchy Award nominee, Jack Townson, a multi-talented artist, is the heart and soul of the thriving FangFam community across various social media platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, and Twitch. With an ever-expanding following that now exceeds four hundred thousand devoted fans, he’s left an indelible mark on the digital landscape, garnering an impressive 4.2 million likes under the #Fangfam hashtag.

Beyond his online presence, Jack is a versatile artist, encompassing the roles of actor, singer, and writer. His most celebrated work to date is “The Vampire Jack Townson,” an original story that first captivated audiences on TikTok and has been endorsed by New York Times bestselling author and 5-time Bram Stoker Award winner, Jonathan Maberry. This immersive narrative plunges into the hidden world of a supernatural being and the profound journey towards rediscovering one’s humanity.

Jack extends an invitation to his followers, beckoning them to peer into the psyche of an undead bohemian—an artist and a creature of the night, eternally ensnared in a world of nightmares. It’s a life devoid of sunlight’s warmth and the enduring embrace of true love, offering a unique glimpse into the enigmatic existence he portrays through his creative endeavors.

Website / Goodreads / Instagram / TikTok


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—

BOOK BLITZ & GIVEAWAY: Exiles on Earth by Bea Tama

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Exiles on Earth
Bea Tama
Publication date: May 16th 2025
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Stranded alien. Fierce farmer. One blown-up barn.

Ellen’s barely keeping her family farm afloat, clinging to dreams of what it could be—with a little luck and a lot of hard work. What she doesn’t need is a spaceship crashing onto her land, or the massive scaled alien who steps out of the wreckage. Now the barn she wanted to convert to a bed and breakfast is shattered all over the lawn, and this huge scaly dude is to blame.

Elia is a space-faring clone, bred for loyalty and survival. He fought for the chance to enter the prestigious Mating Games, only to be exiled for a crime he didn’t commit. Now, stranded on an uncharted world, he and his crew are at the mercy of an infuriated human female with fire in her eyes and no warriors of her own to protect her.

She is not fragile. But she is vulnerable. And something deep in Elia wants her. All he has to do is rebuild what he destroyed and guard her land and her dreams as fiercely as if they were his own.

But Ellen isn’t looking for a mate. And Elia is running out of time to prove that she should.

🔥 A sizzling sci-fi romance featuring a caring, exiled alien, a determined human heroine, and slow-burn tension that will leave you breathless. Perfect for fans of aliens on earth, forced proximity, and fierce heroines who refuse to back down. 🔥

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

“I promise we will not harm you. You have my word, our word, whatever assurances you need.” Ilia glances at the manacles, heaped in a pile in front of him. “We would never hurt any female.” His breath catches, scales flashing red, like a ruby. “Not deliberately.”

There’s something there, I know it.

“And yet, you blew up Ellen’s barn,” Laura says sternly.

“My deepest apologies. I steered as well as I could,” Arture, the pilot, explains.

“Nevare told us there was life in the way,” one of the triplets adds. “We avoided all loss of it.”

“And I saved you,” Ilia adds quietly, eyes sparking with challenge as he locks gazes with me, but then dropping his eyes again like he’s not allowed to look at me.

I’m grateful for him saving me from the explosion, same as he’s hopefully thankful I helped him subdue the robot. But looking at the scattered remains of my barn, hot flames burn in my chest.

“I wouldn’t have needed saving if you hadn’t literally dropped into my life and broken what remained of it. You might be happy as Larry once you fix your ship, but what am I going to do? I can’t raise money for a business, let alone repairs! You’ve really ruined everything, you know.”

He weathers my anger, an immoveable rock kneeling in the mud. “We’ll fix it,” he says, a rumble in his voice. “We’ll devote our labor to restoring your building before our ship. In order to do that, I ask you not to turn us in, unless the work isn’t to your satisfaction.”

I barely stop my jaw from dropping, the angry fire inside doused with cold. Wow.

“You’ll rebuild the barn to my specifications,” Arabella chimes in.

“What?” I hiss to her.

Arabella pulls me down close to her, and Laura and Nicole lean in. “Ellen, this is literally the answer to your prayers. Six guys straight from planet hot who will build the bed and breakfast just as you need it to be.” Arabella grins widely. Her smile wavers a little, but she’s always saying to take advantage of what the universe delivers, riding the waves and learning to surf what comes our way.

Is this it?

“They could be dangerous,” Laura whispers, glaring at the men beyond our huddle. “This play-nice attitude could switch at any time.”

I nod, taking that into account. “They could have started aggressively, they didn’t. And Floss likes him. They can’t leave the farm, or they’ll get caught. We can turn them in at any time.”

But my gut lurches at the idea of turning the big guys over to the police or the army. They’d lock them away, or use them for target practice. My gaze strays over to their hopeful faces, all awaiting what I’ll say.

Ilia raises his head. “If I may, I have a suggestion. A hostage, to guarantee our behavior.”

“A hostage?” My mouth goes dry.

“Yes.” He offers up his wrists, holding up the chains he’d been bound with. “Take me prisoner when we’re not working and, if my crew frighten you, kill me.”

“Drok na,” one of the triplets mutters, but while the other men’s nostrils flare, they stay quiet, eyes on the ground.


Author Bio:

Hi! I’m Bea Tama. Well, kind of. This is one of my few pen names; where I write about love falling from the stars, Becky Tama writes romantasy and fae adventures. Our other pen name is a USA Today Bestselling Author, but we don’t let that go to our heads.

I live in the UK not that far from Bristol, where Exiles on Earth is set, and secretly I dream of setting up an agri-business alongside writing about gorgeous aliens coming to help me with it.

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BOOK BLITZ & GIVEAWAY: Gatos by Lia Connor

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Title: Gatos

Author: Lia Connor

Cover Art: Renee’ George

Genres: Action Adventure, Box Sets, Dark Fantasy, New Releases, Paranormal, Romance, Wildest West

Themes: LGBTQ+ /Bisexual, Nonbinary, Transgender, Multicultural & Interracial, Multiple Partners /Polyamory, Shapeshifters, Voyeurism and Exhibitionism

Series: Cat O’ Nines (#6)

Book Length: Duet/Box Set

Page Count: 315

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Synopsis

Catkind — they’re rough, they’re tough and they don’t take no for an answer. But who’d want to say no? Not Gabriella, a barmaid in a tiny roadhouse named Gatos near the Mexican border. Nor her sister Marnie. With his sisters carried off by the Catkind, Tony’s left to run Gatos, but he won’t be alone — a couple of misfit “alley cats” have joined forces with Tony.

Lucia’s a party girl with two hot, hunky Catkind on her trail. Orion, a white Tiger, and Jomei, a Bengal, are royalty among the Catkind. They’re about to learn Lucia’s much more than a pretty face. When the four Gatos siblings return with their Catkind mates for a final showdown against their nemesis, Anuetta thinks she’s got these tigers by their tails, but she doesn’t count on the mighty strength of the Gatos family. The line’s been drawn in the ashes, and the claws are out!

This collection contains the previously released novellas in the Cat O’Nines collection: Cat’s Claws, Cat’s Eye, Cat’s Cradle, Cat’s Meow, and Cat’s Paw.

Excerpt

Gatos
Second Edition
Lia Connor
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2025 Lia Connor
Excerpt from Cat’s Claws

“So there I am, standing in the middle of the street, screaming at him en Espanol. I’m calling him things our abuela would turn over in her grave to hear me say. And then she’d wash my mouth out with soap.”

“Lucia, when are you going to learn?” Gabriella unlocked the door to Gatos’ cold storage unit. “You stay away from men like him. They’re trouble.”

Lucia, her sister, had the fire of a Roman candle and a temper to match. She jammed her hands on her hips in indignation. “Like you have room to talk,” she shot back.

“I do. Do you see me getting tangled up with any troublemakers like him?” She yanked open the door, and cold air escaped with a whoosh. “Uh-uh. Oh, that’s good.” Gabriella closed her eyes and swayed in bliss. It was a gorgeous day outside in the shabby outskirts of San Miguel, the sky pure blue and the horizon clear for miles. Which meant it was hot enough to suit the devil himself, especially back in the warehouse. She let herself enjoy the cool air coming from the cold storage unit for a moment, then got back to business. She nudged the handcart. “Come on, you take one crate and I’ll take the other.”

“We shouldn’t roll out a keg?”

“If you think you can manhandle a keg in heat like this, dolly or no dolly, you’re welcome to try. Grab a case for now. Tony can get the rest later.” Gabriella sized up the hefty crate stamped with the Moctezuma Brewery logo. Nothing tasted as good or as rich as their cervesa. Moctezuma was why locals bothered traveling to her tiny, out-of-the-way bar. If the brew master hadn’t been a friend of her brother Tony, no way she’d have gotten her mitts on any of their goods. “Come on, Lucia, put your back into it.”

Lucia pouted briefly before bending and lifting the crate. Tendons stood out in her neck from the effort as she wrestled a heavy crate onto the dolly. “We need some strong young stud for this.”

“And there you go again, thinking about men,” Gabriella chided. “I’m not saying I wouldn’t like to have a strong young thing around, especially if he’s hot, eh? I’m saying we can get by fine without one. You seem to think that’s a mortal sin, which is why I’m listening to you pitch a fit in the street.” She tempered the sting of her words with the fondness of her tone.

Gabriella shut the door to the cold storage unit and clicked the padlock back in place before taking the handle of the dolly. Oof. She had to admit, the crates were terribly heavy. Together they headed back to the main room of Gatos, the tiny tumbledown bar that had been their sole legacy from their mother.

Not exactly a rich and abundant inheritance. Ah, well, Mama had tried.

Lucia was still stuck back on Gabriella’s opinions. “You’re telling me if a man like Roger came on to you, you’d say no? He looked so pretty.” She swung around to walk backwards. “Those cornflower blue eyes and his soft golden hair. Like a prince out of a fairytale.” Her pleading turned wicked. “And good in bed? He was a devil when it came to loving me.”

“And how many other women at the same time?” Gabriella bumped open the swinging kitchen door. “Would I say no to a man like Roger? Hell, no, I wouldn’t. But…”

Lucia rolled her eyes.

“But,” Gabriella went on, not letting Lucia’s scorn stop her, “I’d say yes long enough to enjoy his body. If he’s as good as you say, I’d have fun with him for a few days then send him packing. No harm, no foul, and no broken heart that needs someone to sweep up the pieces.”

Lucia scoffed. “You wouldn’t know how to let your hair down if someone gave you a hands-on demonstration.”

Gabriella’s pride was stung. “Says you!”

“You’re right, says I. You want to make a bet on this? Friday night’s tip jar says you don’t have the guts to take the next handsome guy who walks into Gatos for a test run.”

Ay, Lucia had her there. Gabriella could never back down from a challenge. “I’m listening. What are the terms?”

Lucia stretched her muscles out before unlocking the cooler. “So we have a deal?”

“Not yet.” Gabriella pulled the dolly close enough to the cooler to unload it. “Let me hear the details before I say yes or no.”

“Like you would,” Lucia smirked. “All right, here’s the deal. When we open tonight, you and I man the bar. When the first hot guy walks in, one I decide is enough of a handful for even you, I point him out and that’s when the game begins. You come on to him, you do whatever you have to do, and if he’s safe you get him into bed.”

“I’m not a slut,” Gabriella objected, all the while hoisting crates and holding them for Lucia to unpack and stow in the cooler. “And how am I supposed to know if he’s ‘safe’?” She dusted off her hands after the last bottle was stashed away. “You have to give me more than that to go on. I’m supposed to proposition a customer? That’ll give me a great reputation.”

Lucia shrugged smugly. “So you’re saying no? You’re backing down already?”

Purchase at Changeling Press

Meet the Author

Lia Connor lives in the South, but her job takes her almost everywhere but. Her laptop is her best friend. Lia loves stories about BBW’s, hot, hot, hot threesomes and wily shifters who get into (and out of) all kinds of trouble…

Giveaway

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