Hard to believe another year is coming to an end. This past month has honestly been horrible, as far as things going wrong. From the fridge not cooling, to mice in my cars engine, to a leak in the wall... yeah. Rough month.
But I'm still cancer free and my daughter came home for Christmas this year--first time in a long time, so I guess the month hasn't been all bad lol.
I hope everyone has a wonderful New Year's Eve and here's to hoping 2023 will be great!!
These are books I’ve read and really enjoyed. Most of what I talk about will probably be paranormal/scifi but not always. Although it’s rare, I do read some contemporary.
This week is:
The Alien's Kidnapped Omega (The Alien's
Omega Book 1) by Sienna Sway
Blurb:
Alex
My job was supposed to be easy; meet the dominant Alien race of Mukhana, negotiate an alliance, and leave. Being literally carried away into the night changes everything. Kidnapping a human is asking for trouble. Every alien in the galaxy should know that by now, but the nassa are different.
They're kind yet controlling, warm yet stern. Even though he kidnapped me and will fight to keep me, Saar seems to respect me and maybe even care for me. Most confusing of all, everyone keeps calling me an omega...
Saa
Humans are confusing creatures. They send their most delicate and vulnerable through the universe unattended. The moment I saw Alex, I knew he was an omega. Even though I was furious that he was being paraded around, unmated and unprotected, I was also thrilled because I knew at once; he was mine.
I
will save my omega from his difficult life. I will keep him safe and protected,
even if it means war...
The
Alien's Kidnapped Omega is a lighthearted sci-fi m/m romance featuring a unique
alien race, a sweet and confused human, a very well-meaning and equally
misguided alien and a forced marriage.
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Aliens-Kidnapped-Omega-scifi-romance-ebook/dp/B096X943NX
𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰'𝐬 𝐄𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞
Daemons of San DeLain 2
KAGE: Am I still a monster? Very much so. Am I loved? Absolutely. Will I burn it all down to protect my mate? You better believe it.
Hunters have come to San DeLain once again, and they’re targeting humans and paranormals for their sick experiments. Many have gone missing. Some for many, many years. Then new information comes to light, and plans are made to raid their top-secret lab and bring home those taken.
But no one is safe, especially Austin.
In the midst of all this, an old flame returns, bringing chaos into their lives. But not all is as it appears to be.
AUSTIN: Kage is still my monster, even if he’s no longer under my bed. I claimed him, and no flame from the past is going to take what’s mine.
But the ex isn’t the only danger lurking in the shadows. The hunters have struck close to home, and something heartbreakingly evil is exposed, shocking the paranormal community.
Especially Kage.
What is real? And what is nothing more than a mimic of the real thing?
CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0BR63CTLS
~excerpt from Shadow's Embrace
It’s not what you think, lol. Since Mondays do tend to suck, I thought I’d try to start the week off right for y’all.
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These are books I’ve read and really enjoyed. Most of what I talk about will probably be paranormal/scifi but not always. Although it’s rare, I do read some contemporary.
This week is: You Will Never Know: A Dark MM Sci-Fi Mafia Romance by Chani Lynn Feener
Hunter Thorn is on the run, living daily in fear of discovery and retaliation from the mafia leaders he once betrayed.
Sanctum is a planet practically cut off from the rest of the galaxy, where ruthless people who can control the elements rule. The Emperor has turned his back on the people, more interested in lining his pockets than waging war against the Brumal mafia. Hunter once worked for the Snow family, but a threat against his sister forced him to choose a side, and in the end, he chose wrong. He's been paying for that choice ever since, constantly moving, traveling across the planet in an attempt to hide. But everyone knows there's no such thing as escape from a regular Brumal member if they want you, let alone from one of the Three.
Odin Snow, the Dominus of the Snow family, had everything taken from him ten years ago.
He's clawed his way ruthlessly back to the top, reclaiming his family name and their rightful place amongst the Brumal. Mostly. There's still his step-brother to deal with, Isa Frost, the orchestrator of everything unfortunate that has ever happened to Odin. And then there's Hunter. As teens, Odin had looked up to the older boy, had even maybe cared for him, but all that'd got him was a bullet to the shoulder and months' worth of bedrest while Isa stripped away his title and family home. Now that he's found Hunter again, Odin isn't above using old feelings to get what he wants. The plan is to use Hunter to get under Isa's skin. Odin wants them hurting the same way he hurt. He wants to see them bleed. At least, that's what he always believed. But what happens when it turns out what he really wants is Hunter in his bed, at his mercy in a different way?
On a planet ruled by criminals, does Hunter have a hope of escape, or will he be consumed by the very flames Odin Snow is famous for controlling?
Trigger Warning: This is a dark romance with themes some readers may not be comfortable with. This includes torture, dubious consent, depictions of violence, explicit sexual content not suitable for younger readers, and drug usage (though mildly shown on page). If any of the above-mentioned aren't to your tastes, please do not read this book. I have other Sci-Fi MM books available that are not considered part of the Dark genre that may be more suitable for you.
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BL1X8DNX
KAGE HEARD what Isadora, and most likely every
paranormal in that room heard—the distant rumble of motorcycles. And that meant
only one thing: the Crimson Fang pack had decided to make an appearance.
“Kage? What’s going on now? Who or what is inbound?”
Austin asked quietly.
“The Crimson Fang pack. Let your hearing extend and
concentrate. Listen for the low rumble of motorcycles,” Kage said.
“Gotcha.” Austin closed his eyes, a frown line appearing
as he concentrated.
While Austin tried out his new hearing ability, Kage
studied the room. Every table was in quiet discussions. It was extremely hard
to keep a conversation private around a group of paranormals—almost impossible
actually, and those here wasn’t even attempting it.
“Oh wow, I can hear them!”
“They’ll be here shortly.” As Kage suspected, he
wasn’t the only one concerned with the pack’s arrival.
They were troublesome, there was no denying that. He’d
already been annoyed by one paranormal tonight. Raven was lucky Isadora had
stepped in before Kage had. It appeared he was destined to be annoyed yet
again.
Austin studied Kage for a minute. “I take it the fun
and games are not over yet?”
“Oh, no. They’re just getting started.”
Everybody was tense again, but this time for a
different reason. Denisha was correct when she called the Crimson Fang’s thugs.
Their alpha was an enormous human who’d been turned in
the late 70s. The male was covered in tattoos, had hair halfway down his back,
and sported a potbelly.
None of that made the alpha trash, of course. It was
the unscrupulous behavior, amoral actions, and the pleasure he derived from
other people’s suffering.
The rumble of motorcycles died away and silence
prevailed in the restaurant. Scowling, Isadora drifted to the front so she
could unlock the door.
After a few moments, Kage could hear the clop of boots
on expensive floors. Two enforcers walked in first. Following them was another
man. Neither of the three were the alpha, at least not according to the
information Kage had.
They also had allowed their wolf to be very close to
the surface, which annoyed Kage because it was nothing more than an
intimidation tactic.
If the low growl from Li Li was any indication, she
agreed. The wolves surveyed the room then the two enforcers walked to the empty
table reserved for them. The third man remained where he was.
“I’m Dutch, the Sergeant at
Arms for the Crimson Fangs.” Dutch’s gaze landed on Austin. “What the fuck
is a human doing here?”
“Look, you overgrown puppy—” Denisha started.
“Lieutenant,” Kage said, softly.
“Yes, Elder.” Scowling, Denisha sat back in her chair
but continued to glare at the newcomer.
“You will, of course, forgive my lieutenant’s
reaction. She and Maia are very protective of Austin.” Kage stood. “I’ll let
your lack of respect slide since you just arrived. This time. This is my bonded
mate. I know you understand what that means since you’re a werewolf. At least
you should.”
Dutch snarled, his upper
lip exposing a fang.
“Careful, Dutch. You
don’t want to piss off the shadow demon.”
“Fuck,” Maia muttered. “Fuck.
Is that—”
“Yes.” Kage’s stomach
dropped.
He knew that voice—it had
whispered sweet nothings in his ear, that had promised things and not delivered,
and had turned Kage’s world upside down a lifetime ago.
Kage’s nightmare strolled
into the restaurant. Axel Scheffler was still tall and lean, was still insanely
sexy, and was still the very definition of trouble.
Once upon a time, there
had been a compatibility between the two of them. Daemons believed that Fate didn’t
arrange one certain person for their kind like it did for werewolves and
vampires.
If a daemon was attracted
to someone by scent, it meant that person was compatible—they could be a
mate. Both parties got a choice, which a Fated mate did not. Which meant a
prospective mate could also walk away if no bond was formed.
There might have been compatibility
between Axel and Kage, but they fought like cats and dogs. Axel made it very
clear that, as a werewolf, he knew Kage was not his fated mate, and that
Axel would mate with the person who was, if he ever found them.
That hurt, but Kage
understood. But since Axel was compatible, Kage hoped Axel’s future mate would
also be compatible. He and Axel were in a relationship, so why wouldn’t this
future mate not also be compatible with Kage?
But even if they weren’t,
Kage was willing to try to make something work anyhow, because he truly cared
about Axel.
That was Kage’s first
mistake. Axel might be gorgeous on the outside, but he was rotten to the core. The
ruthlessness Kage could handle. Kage had killed when needed to and never lost
sleep over it.
But Axel’s exaggerated
sense of self-importance, his entitlement, the expectation to be recognized as
superior, and the belittlement of anybody who wasn’t a wolf, were only a few of
the things Kage eventually could no longer tolerate. Especially that last one.
Kage had ended things. Axel,
being Axel, did not handle it well. How dare Kage end things? No one walked
away from Axel, Axel ranted. He’d shifted and attacked. Of all the things Kage had
been expecting, that certainly had not made the list.
They tore up Kage’s
penthouse and beat each other bloody before Kage finally use the shadows to
dump Axel on the other side of the hemisphere.
Yes, he abandoned the
werewolf on the other side of the fucking world. Maybe that had been a bit
dramatic, but at the time Kage had been pissed and hurt—mentally and physically.
Axel had accused him of
all sorts of ridiculous things and attacked him, something that had taken
Kage years to get past. Had he loved Axel? At the time, Kage thought he had,
even though his relationship with the wolf had been toxic. He’d figured that
out in retrospect.
Their relationship had
ended one hundred years ago, and Kage had no regrets. Trying to make something
work between them would’ve eventually ended with one of them most likely dead.
Then Kage had met a small
human boy being abused by his father, and Kage had taken up the role of
protector. He became the monster under the bed in order to protect Austin.
Kage waited for the child
to grow into a man so he could claim his mate. Funnily enough, it’d been Austin
who’d finally moved their relationship along. Not Kage. And he had never been
more grateful that Austin had accepted the shadow’s embrace.
Axel’s short brown hair
was styled becomingly, but the short beard was new. As were the skull rings and
bracelets. He wore what Kage assumed was standard biker uniform—black boots,
jeans, a white T-shirt, and a leather jacket. And sunglasses. The fucker was
wearing sunglasses in the restaurant.
Unlike the humans,
werewolves didn’t wear a biker vest or cut to display their patches to show their
affiliation. The last thing werewolves wanted was attention from the human
police.
“Where is Alpha Whitlock?” Li Li demanded. “And who are you?”
“Alpha Whitlock is dead,”
Axel answered as he came to a stop next to his table. “My name is Axel. I
challenged for the position of alpha, and I won.”
Shit, shit, shit. Axel
won? Kage didn’t like the sound of that at all. That meant the slimy bastard
was back in San DeLain now.
“Why have I not heard of
this?” Li Li snapped “There are only two packs in San DeLain, and as an alpha,
I should have been told.”
“Yeah, sorry about that,”
Axel answered nonchalantly. “I’ve had more important things to handle.”
Li Li climbed to her
feet, her eyes also transitioning to yellow. “More important than contacting
the only other alpha in this metropolis? Are you trying to be insulting?”
Axel shrugged. “I’m not
trying to be, no. It happened yesterday. I’ve been busy, but I did plan to
extend the courtesy of letting you know. Consider yourself told.”
A low growl escaped Li
Li.
Within a space of a few
minutes it had become glaringly apparent that Axel had not changed at all. Nothing
and no one was more important than him and his business.
There were leaders from a
vampire’s coven, a werewolf pack, a dragon’s court, a merman’s colony, a
gargoyle’s clan, and a daemon’s clan. Plus, an arachne.
And already Axel was
causing trouble.
Isadora cleared her
throat. Li Li glanced toward the other woman in the room. Frustration crossed
Li Li’s face, but she sat down.
“We will discuss
your lack of manners later,” Li Li said.
“Whatever.” Axel glanced
toward Kage’s table. “Well now. Hello, love. Long time no see. Tell me, who is
this lovely, lovely human sitting next to you?”
Kage purposely kept his
face blank, even though it was the second time a paranormal in the room had
made reference to Austin. “My bonded mate.”
Axel sprawled in his
chair. “A mate, huh.” His fingers drummed on the pristine white tablecloth. “Imagine
that. Are you going to introduce me?”
“Absolutely not. Not only
am I not going to introduce him to someone like you, I’m going to give
you fair warning right now—you look at my mate wrong, and I won’t just deposit
you on the other side of the world this time, I’ll make you disappear.
Permanently,” Kage added.
Dutch snarled, baring his
fangs at Kage.
Kage fought not to let a
partial shift overtake him. That would show Axel that he’d managed to get under
Kage’s skin. And that puppy next to him. “Do you understand?”
Kage didn’t scream his
threat or yell. He didn’t growl or snarl. Instead, his voice was deadly soft.
“Oh, I hear exactly what
you’re saying.” A slow smile crossed Axel’s face. “Very clearly.”
“Well, since we’re being
clear and all, you should know the Fire Court considers Kage’s mate an honorary
friend. He has my protection,” Hudson added. “And that of my court. Just in
case I wasn’t clear.”
Hudson crossed his arms
over his chest. Conrad and the other two dragons copied him.
“I like the boy too,” Isadora
said from the bar. “I usually stay out of other paranormal’s business, but I
feel the need to make my position clear also.”
Seemed like it was pretty
clear where they stood. The show of support from Isadora floored Kage.
She wasn’t exaggerating when she said she didn’t involve herself in the
goings-on of the paranormal community. Austin must have really made an
impression on her. He wondered how his mate would feel about that once he figured
it out.
“Very touching,” Axel
said, the smile gone. “Anyway, onto more important stuff. Why the hell am I
here?”
It’s not what you think, lol. Since Mondays do tend to suck, I thought I’d try to start the week off right for y’all.
These are books I’ve read and really enjoyed. Most of what I talk about will probably be paranormal/scifi but not always. Although it’s rare, I do read some contemporary.
This week is: Perfectly Imperfect Pixie by MJ May
Size matters. Pixies are supposed to be petite, beautifully lithe creatures with gossamer wings. Sporting luscious, ombre pink hair and fluttering pink wings, Phil meets two out of three of those criteria. At over six feet tall, no one would dare call Phil petite. As a home-and-hearth pixie, Phil yearns to find a home and family he can bond to. When no one’s willing to hire a pixie of his stature, Phil is forced to find work elsewhere. Turns out, pixies make terrible bouncers.
The sudden death of Sedrick’s brother and sister-in-law left Sedrick Voss a pack of one—plus two young, traumatized were children. Sedrick needs help. He needs a home-and-hearth pixie. But pixies are small, delicate creatures nowhere near sturdy enough to stand up to a couple of growing werewolves. Phil seems like the perfect answer—a pixie that might be able to physically withstand small werewolf teeth and claws.
Phil is overjoyed, finally able to do a job that speaks to his heart and soul. But peace is a hard-won commodity. Sedrick is in the middle of a nasty custody battle with his niece and nephew’s maternal grandfather—one of the most arrogantly deceitful werewolf alphas to ever lead a pack. If their grandfather gets custody, Sedrick’s niece and nephew are in for a lifetime of manipulation.
Between the custody battle, noxiously invasive garden gnomes, and fairy lawyers, Phil and Sedrick struggle to keep their home and family safe. Werewolves and pixies don’t mate. Phil and Sedrick are about to challenge that misconception.
Perfectly
Imperfect Pixie is a m/m standalone title with a HEA, a rough but kind
werewolf, fairy lawyers, vampire bar owners, dwarf miners, questionably
intelligent humans, pesky garden gnomes, and charming pixies.
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BKYM1Z3L
Hudson hissed back, the power of his dragon behind
him. It was a much meaner sound than the three vampires managed to make together.
“Oh, wow.” Austin looked between Hudson and the
vampires. He scooted a little closer to Kage. Was it his imagination, or were
things getting out of hand?
“What is the matter with you, Raven?” Li Li demanded.
“You know better than to threaten a mate. Especially a daemon’s mate. Especially
an Elder’s mate.”
“He’s still basically human.” Raven sneered as he
waved at Austin. “The bond and blood may give him some abilities and extend his
life, but take that away and he’s a regular human again.”
Kage stood up from the table.
“Oh, shit,” Austin muttered, grabbing at Kage’s hand. “Kage?”
“Don’t like what I say, Elder?” Raven asked. “Too bad.
You can’t unchange any type of were, or vampire, or a merperson. Once we give a
human our blood, they’re changed and no longer human. You can’t say that about
your mate. I’m not sure why he’s even here.”
Austin watched as the vampire’s eyes bled red. Huh.
So that’s true also. Their eyes really are red.
The lights in the restaurant flickered as the shadows
moved restlessly. Austin promptly forgot about the color of the vampire’s eyes.
Flickering lights weren’t good.
Really, really was not good. What Raven said
technically was not wrong, though. Kage couldn’t change Austin into a daemon.
Everyone there knew that. That wasn’t the problem.
It was Raven’s sneering tone. Austin had no idea what
bee Raven had in his bonnet about humans—especially since vampires couldn’t
survive without them—and he didn’t care. Kage was on the cusp of doing
something dramatic and no way could that be good.
“That’s enough.” Isadora gracefully moved to where Raven
sat. She placed her hand on his shoulder. “Master of the City, you are a guest
in my territory, yet you provoke another guest, and over their mate no less.
Tread carefully, vampire.”
Raven looked at her hand and froze. Long black nails
extended from the tips of her fingers.
Austin gasped then slapped his hand over his mouth. Oh
God, Isadora had partially shifted. Those elegant cheekbones of hers had swelled,
almost as if there was growth under the skin.
Austin guessed there was since now Isadora had black pincer-like
fangs situated on either side of her lips. Did the fangs make her cheekbones
swell?
Along each bulging cheekbone were three pair of little
black eyes. Right above her eyebrows, her forehead had thickened to a sagittal
crest.
There was also a set of black eyes on the crest. It
almost looked like she had black cables coming out of her head that intertwined
with her hair that was still in an updo. Her eyes looked like she had
cataracts.
She was terrifyingly beautiful and creepy as hell.
“Austin is your name, yes?” Isadora asked.
“Yes, ma’am.” Austin answered. Oh no. No, no, no, he
did not want her attention and all those eerie spider eyes on him.
Also? He didn’t know if Isadora had a title or what it
could be, but that woman demanded respect, and he was darned sure giving it to
her.
Kage tensed next to him, so Austin clambered to his
feet, still holding Kage’s hand. If Kage was about to pull them into the
shadows, he wanted to be prepared.
Isadora smiled, and Austin lost the fight not to shudder.
Good God. If she thought that was comforting, she was reeeeally wrong. Her
teeth were jagged like a shark’s.
“I like you. Now, be at peace, young one. No one means
you harm here, isn’t that right, Master of the City?” Isadora’s hand
tightened on Raven’s shoulder.
“Yes, yes. Of course not.” Raven spoke quickly. “I
apologize, Isadora.”
Isadora patted Raven’s shoulder. “Just because the
human you were feeding from decided to run off with a vampire from out of town
is no reason to abuse Kage’s lovely mate, who I think we can all agree is not
human. Isn’t that right, Master of the City?
Raven closed his eyes and then opened them again. They
were no longer red. He slumped in his seat. “Yes. Of course. I apologize,
Austin.”
“Um. Yeah. Thanks.” Yep, that was a totally
unenthusiastic reply, but oh well. Because of that asshole, he ended up seeing
something he hadn’t really wanted to see.
“Good. Good.” Releasing the vampire, Isadora strolled
back to the bar and picked up her wine glass. When she turned back, once more
she looked human.
Kage sat back down again, and Austin collapsed in his
seat. Apparently the crisis was over. He sighed in relief. No doubt about it,
he was going to have nightmares tonight.
Kage bowed his head in Isadora’s direction. “I too
apologize for abusing your generosity.”
“Thank you, Elder,” Isadora said.
Hudson placed his fist again is his heart and bowed
his head too. “Apologies, Isadora.”
“Thank you, King Hudson. No harm was—” Isadora frowned,
tilting her head. She sighed heavily. “I guess it was too good to last. Prepare
thyselves. We have company inbound.”
It’s not what you think, lol. Since Mondays do tend to suck, I thought I’d try to start the week off right for y’all.
These are books I’ve read and really enjoyed. Most of what I talk about will probably be paranormal/scifi but not always. Although it’s rare, I do read some contemporary.
This week is: Dead Serious Case #1 Miz Dusty Le Frey by Vawn Cassidy
In the business of unfinished business...
Tristan Everett has always preferred the company of the dead because they usually don't talk back. Being a somewhat awkward introvert working as a pathologist at the Hackney Public Mortuary suits him just fine. That is, until a freak accident with a rogue ice cube and suddenly he can see ghosts. No longer content to just lie on the table and let him figure out how they died, they're now peering over his shoulder critiquing his work and confessing their most lascivious sins before skipping off merrily into the afterlife.
Just when he thought his life couldn't get any weirder, sassy drag queen, Dusty Le Frey, is wheeled in with a toe tag and she's not prepared to go quietly into the light. Not only is she furious at the prospect of spending eternity in last season's gold lame, she's determined that he help her solve her murder.
Suddenly Tristan finds himself thrown into a world of sequins and fake eyelashes, and worse still, he may have developed a bit of a crush on Scotland Yard's brand new drool-worthy detective, Inspector Danny Hayes, who's been assigned to Dusty's murder. Oh, and as the icing on top of a really crappy cake, the killer now wants him dead too...
All he ever wanted was a simple life but suddenly he’s juggling work, a deliciously sexy detective, a stubborn ghost and a relentless murderer… and things have just gotten dead serious….
From author Wendy Saunders writing as Vawn Cassidy comes this hot and funny, slow burn, opposites attract paranormal caper across the East End of London.
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09HSW29H3
SUDDENLY THE tension in the room spiked. A beautiful woman walked among the tables toward the center of where they were all clustered.
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Isadora Ocho. Welcome to my restaurant, Beau Monde. As a favor to the King of the Fire Court of San DeLain, I have opened what I consider my territory to you. Act accordingly or else.”
Austin swallowed. The woman standing in the middle the room was breathtaking. But then, all paranormals seem to be incredibly good-looking. Every last person in this room, outside of him, looked as if they deserved to be on the cover of a fashion magazine.
She was dressed in a formfitting gold evening gown that showed off every curve and suited her Mediterranean skin tone. Her dark hair was piled on top of her head with a few wisps hanging around her face.
She might be beautiful, but she definitely gave off a ‘don’t fuck with me’ vibe. This was the arachne Kage had mentioned earlier—the one who shifted into a spider. Or had spider-like features at least. Austin fought the shudder that threatened to wrack his body.
“Hudson? I turn the floor over to you.” Isadora glided to the bar at the back of the restaurant where a wine glass waited for her.
Hudson strode forward, taking her place . “As you know, a corporation called Illuminacon is funding a group of hunters. The name Nighthawk was thrown around. We don’t know if that’s a person or a group of people.”
Kage quickly relayed how he come about that information.
“The goal is a hybrid soldier that can be controlled. I’ve given you all the details of this,” Hudson said. “This organization has a compound set up in the Bitterroot Mountains, Montana. I have verified this.”
“How?” Li Li asked. “Surely you don’t expect us to just take your word.”
“Of course not. This was verified by synthetic-aperture radar, or SAR. It’s a form of radar that’s used to create two-dimensional images or three-dimensional reconstructions of objects, such as landscapes. 3D SAR can enable localization in all spatial directions—even giving the potential to resolve, or separate, the target from surface clutter.”
“In plain English, James Bond,” Kage tossed out.
A few of the paranormals in the room laughed.
Hudson simplified the explanation. “Now, the base has an underground bunker. Images show what looks to be inhabited cells and possible labs. But it’s a few miles down into the ground. I’m in the process of trying to get an up-to-date blueprint of the base.”
Raven leaned back in his chair. “Yes, yes, we know about the werewolf who’s being held there. A wolf who isn’t even from San DeLain. We all know you want us to help you attack this place to save this wolf.”
“Don’t be an ass, Raven.” Li Li glared at the vampire. “There’s no telling who else is being held. Tell me, Master of the City, are you missing any vampires?”
Raven’s lips tightened.
“Exactly.” Li Li slammed her hand on the table. “The werewolf being held there is not one of mine, and I don’t care that he isn’t. I care that paranormals are being hunted.”
Kage nodded.
“But to be clear, I am missing two of my pack members,” Li Li added. “It’s the weres, vampires, and mers who are being taken and experimented on, Raven.”
Fenton spoke up. “I have a mermaid missing from my colony.”
“I’m missing a gargoyle,” Ward said. “My clan member is most likely dead since gargoyles also cannot change humans. Yet here I am.”
“Raven?” Li Li asked.
“Fine. Yes. I have two of my coven missing,” Raven admitted.
“It’s not just about attacking for this one wolf, and you damn well know it. They’re experimenting on us. What’s your problem?” Li Li asked.
“There is no problem,” Hudson said. “Raven just likes to stir shit up.”
“Too true.” Raven sprawled in his chair. “But that isn’t what I was trying to do. If I’m going to commit my people to this endeavor, I will make sure everybody is equally willing to sacrifice.”
Hudson cleared his throat. “They killed one of mine and attacked me. They cannot use my kind in their experiments because we’re unable to turn humans, but I’m dedicating people to help deal with this.”
“Same. We gargoyles can’t change humans either, so we’re useless to them, but I will do what I can to help,” Ward said.
“As will I,” Kage said. “I’ve been attacked. My mate has been attacked. They’re not interested in my kind either since we can’t turn humans, but here I am.”
Austin sat straighter in his chair when every eye in the room turned toward him.
“Ah yes, the human among us,” Raven commented lazily. He licked his finger then stared at Austin. “He’s a pretty little morsel. Congratulations, Elder.”
Ward groaned.
Austin raised an eyebrow. Pretty little morsel? And did that vampire really think licking his finger was sexy? There was no telling where that thing had been.
“Thank you, Master of the City . But Austin isn’t fully human anymore. He’s my bonded mate, and he takes my blood. But yes, he is pretty. And he can go out in the sun, too, unlike you,” Kage replied calmly.
Eyes wide, Austin’s head whipped around. He looked at Kage. Oh dear. Kage’s eyes were completely black.
Raven bared his fangs at Kage’s not so subtle threat.
Hands on his hips, Hudson glared at Raven. “You do know it’s daytime somewhere in the world, right?”
The three other vampires with Raven hissed at Hudson.
Hudson hissed back, the power of his dragon behind him. It was a much meaner sound than the three vampires managed to make together.
