Tour Stop: Precog's Perception by Emily Carrington

Title: Precog's Perception

Author: Emily Carrington

Publisher: Changeling Press

Cover Art: Angela Knight

Genres: Action Adventure, Dark Fantasy, New Releases, Paranormal, Romance

Themes: LGBTQ+ Bisexual /Nonbinary /Transgender, Medical Romance, Shapeshifters, Wolf Shifters & Werewolves

Series: Psychic Soulmates (#1)

Multiverse: SearchLight Academy (#14)

Book Length: Novella

Page Count: 94

Synopsis

When the world doesn’t catch fire, Amaruq doubts his precognition. Can Nootaikok’s love heal him?

A stillborn pup, precognition unfulfilled, and raging guilt plague a trans werewolf. Amaruq’s suspicion that there’s something wrong with him, and that the death of his and Nootaikok’s child is his fault, colors all that he does. Traumatized, he denies himself pleasure.

Nootaikok will have none of that. He takes Amaruq on a “working vacation” back to the scene of Nootaikok’s greatest mistake. As both of them struggle with feelings of inadequacy and undeservingness, their bodies and souls still demand release.

Will their fears pull them apart or can passion lead back to love and forgiveness?

Excerpt

Precog's Perception (Psychic Soulmates 1)
Emily Carrington
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2026 Emily Carrington

They’d started their mentor/mentee relationship with letters. Amaruq didn’t know about Jeremy, but for him, the fear of being found out in this digital age inspired him to write physical correspondence. Amaruq had a feeling he should be sharing these concerns with his mate, but he couldn’t bear for Nootaikok to know how guilty he felt. So, he wrote to the Night Wanderer who had become his friend.

Dear Jeremy,

I hate what I have become. I’m a sneak who doesn’t know how to apologize to my lover for losing our child. I get it that a stillbirth isn’t exactly my fault. I did nothing to make it happen. The issue is that I don’t want to try again. Try for another baby. It wasn’t just losing our child, our pup, but the dysmorphia I endured being pregnant when I’ve worked so hard to be my authentic male werewolf self. I do not, no matter what, regret that Nootaikok and I were trying for a baby. I don’t. I just don’t want to try again. In spite of my precognitive vision. That future glimpse guarantees I’ll be pregnant again at some point, as I saw Nootaikok and I surrounded by werewolf pups of many ages. I just don’t want to be.

I also dread Nootaikok finding out.

Speaking of dread, I can easily believe Nootaikok is angry with me for making him leave his position in DC. I’m afraid of the argument we’ll eventually have. I just wanted to be near you, where I’ve always felt safe. That’s the wrong kind of emotion to have for someone who isn’t my mate. Please don’t misunderstand. I’m not sexually attracted to you in any way. It’s just that you rescued me from the hell of living under my parents’ roof and inspired me to become part of the Miscellaneous Magical Creatures Department. It’s just that, now that you’ve moved to DC, I want to return. I know Nootaikok wouldn’t get his job back, though, and I don’t want him to be humiliated by having to walk those same halls every day as just a tracker and not the head of the whole world’s Tracker Central.

He stopped his pen before he could disclose more about his fears. Surely this letter, which was basically a rambling jumble of all his terror, wouldn’t help anything.

He shredded the page and tossed it in the garbage can in the den. There would be no leaving it around for someone else to discover.

Today, Friday, was his last day of parental leave. On Monday, he’d be expected to resume his work at the MMCD. He needed to pull himself together.

With that in mind, Amaruq looked around the den and then down at himself. He still looked slightly pregnant. He’d been slowly exercising away the pounds he’d gained as he tried to make a hospitable home for their pup to grow. Since he was a werewolf, he wouldn’t look ready to deliver much longer. Maybe six weeks total, which would mean another week or two.

He headed for the doorway to the den, determined to go for a run and maybe, by doing so, make himself feel more grounded in his body and less like a spirit drifting over the earth, unattached to anything but pain.

Purchase at Changeling Press

Meet 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.

Website | Facebook | X | Goodreads | Shapeshifter Central

   

Release Day Book Review: Wake-Up Calls by Mariah Stewart

 

When a woman finds she is heir to an aunt she had no knowledge of and more, she finds herself on the road to discovery as she delves into her family past and in the bargain finds where she belongs.

Available at Amazon

Release Date: May 1st, 2026

My Rating for Wake-Up Calls: 5 Stars and a Recommended Read

Kit Porterfield is stunned that an aunt she never knew existed left her everything, including a family house and property that is a mystery to her. Going to Maine to settle the estate as well as figure out what drove her aunt and her mother's estrangement, Kit finds family secrets, the lovely town of Tolerance and the people there as wella s the aunt she begins to figure out fromt he town who l oved her as well as her mother's life before the estrangement. But for Kit, her personal life is in freefall and as she navigates that, she finds herself again as she uncovers the secrets her mother was determined to stay buried. 

My Review of Wake-Up Calls:

Wow is all I can say after reading Wake-Up Calls by Mariah Stewart. This is an author who knows how to tell a story with multiple layers and storylines playing out within the background. I loved Kit and her relationships with her sister, Beth and kids, Abby and Nate. She is a strong woman who forgot that strength when dealing with personal setbacks and upheaval. What stays with me after finishing this the other night was how much growth Kit experiences as she navigates family secrets and personal issues that cause her to stand tall and take life by the horns. She is a delight to read as the reader journeys alongside her as she tries to figure out why her mother lied to her and get to know the aunt she never knew, Maxine Meadows. 

The story flows smoothly with a few twists I didn't see coming, populated with rich multidimensional characters that fairly fly off the pages of the book while I was reading Wake-Up Calls. It really kept my attention and had me reaching for it again and again as I really needed to see how this story ended. The characters are set in a setting of a little Maine town that is populated with rich secondary characters that added to my enjoyment of the book. Mariah Stewart delivers another wonderful woman's fiction book to her book  list with Wake-Up Calls and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. 

If you enjoy a rich storyline with characters that speak to you as a reader with a few twists you won't see coming then I highly recommend Wake-Up Calls as your perfect beach read book. Mariah Stewart delivers another stellar story that will steal your heart and won't let go of it.

Release Blitz & Giveaway: Tell Them Goodbye by E.R. Sanchez

Tell Them Goodbye
E. R. Sanchez
(Third Death Series, #1)
Publication date: December 17th 2025
Genres: Thriller, Young Adult

16-year-old Sino and his 17-year-old cousin, Martín, run away from their family’s ranch—El Petaco—after witnessing their cousin Adal murder their cousin Javier over Adal’s marijuana business.

Not wanting to be forced into Javier’s job, Sino and Martín plan to run, knowing that Adal will come after them and anyone they tell. Although running away will leave people confused, Sino and Martín agree that leaving will protect both them and their loved ones from Adal’s wrath.

The pair realize the journey ahead of them is going to be rough, so before leaving they hatch a plan that includes stealing two goats, making it to Arteaga, getting on as many buses as it takes, and paying a coyote to smuggle them across the U.S.-Mexico border.

Sino and Martín don’t know much about life in 1970s America due to their sheltered life on El Petaco, but they’ve heard of a potential better life waiting for them in America and assume it’s the only option for freedom. The harrowing path ahead of them has them constantly looking over their shoulders for Adal’s assassins, fighting off robbers who attempt to take what little possessions they have, and weaving their way through Mexico’s class prejudices, violence, and exploitation.

“Tell Them Goodbye” is an unflinching, gritty immigrant story based on true events. It’s more than just a tale about two cousins trying to get to the United States; it’s an offering to all immigrants who only make it as spirits and an offering for humanity’s unstoppable determination to risk everything to accomplish any goal or dream.

Goodreads / Amazon

Author Bio:

E. R. Sanchez is the author of Fried Potato Press’s first full-length novel, Tell Them Goodbye. He also has poems and stories published online and in print.

Goodreads / Facebook / X / Amazon

GIVEAWAY!

Tell Them Goodbye Blitz

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Book Tour Stop/Giveaway: A Proof of Love

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. A randomly drawn winner will receive a $25 Amazon/BN gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Interview with Merida Johns

Do you ever wish you were someone else? Who?

I kind of like who I am . . . I've had the good fortune of having a strong and loving family, good friends, and great careers. But if hard-pressed to be someone else, that would have to be the most papered pet in the world.

What risks have you taken with your writing that have paid off?

The greatest risk was to launch a career in writing women's fiction. I have written several nonfiction books and textbooks, as well as academic and research articles. But nonfiction is a different ballgame. As a nonfiction author, I was used to telling readers the facts—in fiction, the author has to develop a story and characters and show the reader, not tell them, what's happening.

The big payoff is being able to use my creativity, curiosity, and bravery in a different, fun way while still helping people become their best selves through storytelling.

What part of the writing process do you dread?

That's a tough question. I can honestly say, there's nothing I dread about the writing process itself. Writing allows me to create something new and provides an outlet to exercise my curiosity and creativity.

However, if you're talking about the "ancillaries" around writing, like securing an agent, landing a publishing contract, and marketing, that's a different story (sorry for the pun). In my nonfiction writing, I published with traditional publishers. But when I began writing fiction, I decided to hire a publication team (editors and designers), and self-publish through my own press. I didn't want to spend my creative time pitching to agents, trying to secure publishing contracts, dealing with attorneys, and afterward waiting years for publication after a manuscript was completed. So, I guess you can say, whatever I dreaded about the "writing process," I eliminated so I could spend my time on what I love and enjoy the most—writing stories that inspire readers to reach for the stars themselves.

Do you ever suffer from writer's block? If so, what do you do about it?

My guess is that most authors suffer from writer's block. In the research community, there's a diverse discussion about what writer's block is and its causes, including affective/physiological, motivational, and cognitive components.

That's pretty heavy "stuff", so I'll stick to my definition of writer's block as experiencing "a short slowdown in creativity" from time to time."

When I need to up my creative juices, I like to play with what ifs:

·         What if a character dies?

·         What if the character goes against community norms?

·         What if the character disappears?

·         What if the character has a secret?

·         What if . . .

Other techniques I use are as simple as "changing the subject" by doing something other than writing, usually taking a walk or knitting, and being present in the moment.

Tell us about your latest release.

A Proof of Love combines fiction with a memoir overlay. In 2024, narrator Katie Blake takes readers on a journey through the summer of 2009 with her nine-year-old self, living in Woodburg, a small Midwestern town, and shares the principles and influences that came with the personalities and people she wants to immortalize in writing.

In the Prologue, Katie writes about the inciting incident prompting her to write a memoir at twenty-four years old:

Shoulders slumped, she sips lemonade turned tart. "I should have kept a diary, she says. "Not to chronicle life's ups and downs, but to share stories about those I loved the most."

She gazes at that old maple tree and makes us a promise. "One day . . . I'll write about the special people in my life so you will know them, and they will never be forgotten."

But Gram went to heaven before her one day came, and her stories, told in her own words, are lost forever.

Fifteen years later, I've learned that one day's promise is not assured. Before it's lost . . . So, I'm seizing that one day to write about the special people in my life, so you will know them, and they will never be forgotten. This is A Proof of Love.

Though Katie's grandmother is "dead and gone forever" as she opens the story, the currents of Katie's life and their effect on family and community are shaped by the values in her grandmother's sayings, which live in THE Principles List Katie creates to direct her life.

But living up to THE Principles List and relying on its precepts to control her world turns out to be a "great disappointment." Katie learns that THE List can't resolve all life's contradictions, fix every problem, or help her at each "grim crossroad," especially when it comes to Ned Boomer, Woodburg's grumpiest man, and Rose LeMay, the town's enigmatic newcomer and a secret that binds the three together.

 

A fictional story with a memoir overlay as narrator Katie Blake reflects on life in small town America and the principles, influences, and big personalities she wants you to never forget.

It’s Memorial Day weekend, 2009, and the town gossips have their shorts in a twist about a mysterious newcomer who wears tie-dye, colorful headbands, clunky necklaces, and rings on every finger.“Who installs a ceiling fan on a Victorian porch?” cries Ned Boomer, Woodburg’s grumpiest man, and the town gossips concur, “She must be a hippie, witch, or maybe worse . . . a socialist.”

Hell-bent on preventing a neighborhood blow-up, precocious, nine-year-old Katie Blake launches a covert investigation to gather the truth about the enigmatic Rose. But when she discovers a decades-old secret binding her, Rose, and bad-tempered Ned Boomer, her world takes a turn.

Penning a memoir sixteen years later, Katie is forced to reconsider whether the real proof of love was in preventing a neighborhood war or finding friendship and comfort among three unlikely grief-stricken souls who should never be forgotten.

Read an Excerpt

Gram taught me to be independent, manage my anxieties, and have confidence in myself, showing me how to use my imagination to wiggle out of a jam or face the “grim crossroads” when confused or sad.

The first time I cried and lost it over a complicated computer problem, she said, “Be inventive, Katie! What can you do to calm down and think things through?”

We put our heads together to come up with ideas. Gram said she brewed herself a cup of tea when needing a break. Mom worked on crossword puzzles. Dad played solitaire. My one decadent delight was a FatBoy ice cream, and that’s how Gram and I hatched the plan of taking two ice cream sandwiches and hiding them under the frozen vegetables to create my private emergency stash.

“Close your eyes, breathe, take a bite, and replace the leftovers. No one will suspect anything. Our little secret. . .”

About the Author:

At heart, I am a storyteller who writes women’s fiction and stories of courage and discovery, showcasing the protagonist’s journey toward a more fulfilled self.

My passion is writing women’s fiction and exploring the human experience—how ordinary people tackle challenges, endure sorrow and betrayal, wrestle with doubt, and act on their aspirations to achieve flourishing lives. My insight into the power of fiction came during a conference call in late 2017 with a group of fellow life coaches. “What would it be like to help women and men achieve a flourishing life through storytelling?” I asked them.

After that phone call, I got started answering that question. The result was my debut novel titled Blackhorse Road, a compelling story of womanhood and the power of choice, gratitude, and forgiveness, published July 21, 2020, by Coffee Cup Press, followed by Flower Girl (2022), Flawless Witness (2023), and now A Proof of Love (2026)

Before embracing writing fiction, I was the author of health informatics and leadership textbooks. Later, I put my leadership experience to use as a leadership coach, focusing on supporting others to fulfill their leadership and economic potential. My range of nonfiction is available on my Amazon Author Page.

Substack: https://meridajohns.substack.com/
Facebook: https://meridajohns.substack.com/
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/MeridaJohns
Website: https://www.MeridaJohnsAuthor.com

Tour Stop/Giveaway: As Long As You're Mine by Jenna Jaxon

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jenna Jaxon will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Talking Jenna Jaxon:

What is your latest book about?

As Long As You’re Mine, a late Victorian historical romance, is about a young lady who; in trying to get herself compromised so she’ll have to marry the man she wants to marry, ends up getting compromised by the wrong man and has to marry him. She’s always feared she’ll marry a man who will break her heart (as her father broke her mother’s heart before her), and now she’s married to a man who she’s sure cannot ever love her as he was trapped into the marriage. The book chronicles the lady’s journey to try and find happiness despite the rocky beginning and the machinations of her jilted suitor.

Which of your books would you recommend for readers to choose first if they’re new to you and your books?

I always suggest that readers looking for that first time read buy my second romance novel, Only Scandal Will Do. It’s one of my favorites—the hero and heroine are probably my favorite couple and I loved writing their story so much they are featured heavily in the four books that come after their story as well. It’s an enemies to lovers trope, full of kidnappings, swordplay, as well as tender romance and passionate love scenes. So it really has something for everyone who loves a good historical.

Tell us something fun or interesting about you.

Although I’m not a singer, I did perform at the Washington Street Methodist Church’s production of The Messiah one Christmas when I was in college. I love The Messiah and the church put an ad in the local paper asking anyone interested to join them, so I did. And it was an absolutely wonderful experience. I doubt I added much to the performance, but I got so much out of it that it remains one of my fond memories.

What have you learned throughout your writing process?

The most valuable lesson I’ve learned through my journey as a writer came to me in the very beginning from my mentor, Judi McCoy. At the first writing workshop I attended, she wrote in huge letters on a pad of paper “You can fix crap; you can’t fix nothing.” This saying so impressed me I have it taped to the lamp on my writing desk so that whenever I’m stumped for the perfect word, or paused trying for the exact witty exchange of dialogue, or re-writing the same page over and over trying to get it right and ending up with a blank sheet of paper, I’ll see that yellow post it, take a breath, and write down whatever comes to mind. Because you can fix crap—you can’t fix nothing. Allow yourself to make mistakes. Revision costs you nothing but a little bit of time.

Do you have a specific writing process?

Yes, I absolutely do. I sort of fell into this process early on and it works for me rather well. I begin with the idea, the what if? What if a woman was trying to compromise herself by sneaking into the bed of her suitor and being discovered, only to find out she was in bed with the wrong guy? What would it be like for a virgin lady down on her luck to have her first customer in a brothel? How would six friends, widowed by Waterloo, meet gentlemen and “get frisky” with them during the Regency? From that idea I begin to write a detailed outline of the story, usually ending up about ten pages, chapter by chapter giving plot details in detail. Then, I simply sit down and begin to write it. I’m a plotter (as you might have guessed) and very linear—I cannot skip around the story. I have to drive that car straight down the road, chapter by chapter until it’s finished. If I come up with an alternative route along the way that looks more interesting, I’ll take it. The way isn’t written in stone. It’s a guide to get me to the destination: my H/h’s happy ever after.

Do you have a favorite author and/or favorite book?

In historical romance my favorite author is Jo Beverley. I love her Company of Rogues series and I adore the Malloren World series. My absolute favorite of her books is Devilish, where Lord Rothgar, the Dark Marquess, meets his match. In fact, I think I need to go back and re-read all the Malloren World books this summer. It’s like discovering a whole new world all over again each time I read them.

A scandalous mistake…or a wicked way to happiness?

Hoping to compromise herself, Lady Amantha Easton sneaks into the bedroom of her would-be suitor only to find a total stranger there—a totally handsome, charming stranger to be sure—but not at all the man she plans to marry. She leaves his room with her reputation intact—barely—only to fall victim to the gentleman’s charms in a public place. Now Amantha must face the fate she’s tried to avoid—marriage to a man who will never love her.

All Rafael Beauregard wanted was a warm bed and a good night’s sleep…but what he got was an unexpected romp with a beautiful vixen and a fiery kiss that left him wanting more. An excellent trade, except now he’s got to marry Lady Amantha, one of the most willful women he’s ever met. So Rafe’s challenge is to persuade her that marriage to him might be the best thing for them both…once he convinces himself.

Read an Excerpt

“Oh, Raif!” She could scarcely breathe now. “That…feels…so good.”

“I thought it might. You’re awful sweet.” His low, sleepy voice sounded odd under the covers. On the verge of asking if he was well, she lost the thought when he lifted his head from her breast and crushed his lips to hers.

All else forgotten, she wouldn’t have cared if the house burned down around them. His lips were hot, insistent. Then he plied the seam with his tongue, softly urged it to part for him. She had no desire to resist and soon he had buried his tongue deep in her mouth. A tentative stroke of her own brought a growl of encouragement, and she abandoned herself to explore his willing mouth. She did things she’d never dreamed she’d do, with Raif or anyone else. And she only wanted more. “Oh, Raif. I never thought it could be like this.”

He chuckled. “How soon you forget, Jenny.”

“Jenny?” Amantha froze, her blood turning to ice in her veins. “Who’s Jenny?” Sudden anger lit a fire in her, and she pushed him away. “How many women were you expecting in your bed tonight, Raif?”

“What?” The sleepiness had flown from his voice. “You’re not Jenny?”

“You expected me to be?” This was a nightmare. They weren’t even married and Raif was being unfaithful to her.

“I didn’t expect anyone in my bed.” He threw off the covers and fumbled at the bedside table.

“What do you mean you didn’t expect me? We had planned this, Raif.” What the devil was the man playing at?

“We?” A match flared as he lit the lamp, the sudden light after the darkness almost blinding her. She put her hand up to shield her eyes.

“What do you mean, we?” He sat up in the bed, rubbing his eyes. “Who are you, sweetheart?”

The voice, now unmuffled, certainly did not have the superior tone of Raiford Tolbert. Slowly Amantha lowered her hand to find a man with dark hair she’d never seen before peering at her.

Dear God, what had she done?

About the Author

Jenna Jaxon is a best-selling author of historical romance, writing in a variety of time periods because she believes that passion is timeless. She has been reading and writing historical romance since she was a teenager. A romantic herself, Jenna has always loved a dark side to the genre, a twist, suspense, a surprise. She tries to incorporate all these elements into her own stories.

She lives in Virginia with her family and a small menagerie of pets--including Olive, an almost silent cat, Earl Grey, a very curious bunny, and a Shar-pei mix dog named Frenchie.

Blog: http://www.jennajaxon.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jenna.jaxon
Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/jenna.jaxon
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jennajaxon1.bsky.social
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@passionistimeless
TicTok: http://www.tiktok.com/@jennajaxon1
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jenna-jaxon
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jenna-Jaxon/author/B005CHPBD2
Twitter/X: http://twitter.com/@1jennajaxon

Book Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GS54DPYB/ref=sr_1_2

Tour Stop: Wild Ride by Willa Okati & a Giveaway

Title: Wild Ride

Author: Will Okati

Cover Art: Marteeka Karland

Genres: Action Adventure, Box Sets, Dark Fantasy, Mystery /Suspense /Intrigue, New Releases, Paranormal, Romance, Wildest West

Themes: Capture Fantasy, Dark Romance, LGBTQ+ Gay, Magic /Sorcery /Witchcraft, Second Edition, Vampires

Book Length: Box Set

Page Count: 220

Add to Goodreads

Synopsis

Time traveler, highwayman, beast, and storyteller -- it's going to be a wild ride.

Wild Ride -- Strange dreams tell Nikos he's meant to be more than a Secret Keeper, tracking the predatory Nightlings. Alexei, a time traveler from the past, has come to find Nikos and take him back to the year 2007. It's going to be a wild ride...

Hell at One Dark Window -- It's the end of the world as we knew it. For most folk survival is all that matters, and the only justice to be found comes at the end of a pistol or the point of a stake. Barrett, a vampire and a highwayman, gets his kicks out of stealing from robber barons. He's going to take his human lover, Nathaniel, and getting the hell out of Dodge. So to speak. All he needs is to pull off one last big job...

Blood Red -- On the coldest night of the year, Ros is cast out of a village for the sin of lying with another man. He's meant to go to his death, but stumbles instead into the enchanted garden of a Beast... a vampire Beast. Will the Beast find the salvation he's sought for so long in the arms of a wise and willing story teller?

Sidetracked -- An escort-for-hire, Devon's just been humiliated and stiffed by his patron of the evening. When the subway taking him home switches tracks, Devon finds himself alone with a man in a white mask and gloves, a man who embodies every sexual fantasy Devon's ever had. Is this a dream, or has he found himself Phantom Night Rider?

Excerpt

Wild Ride (Box Set)
Will Okati
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2026 Will Okati
Excerpt from Hell at One Dark Window

Look for me by moonlight;
Watch for me by moonlight;
I'll come to thee by moonlight,
Though hell should bar the way!

Alfred Noyes
"The Highwayman"

"You're quiet tonight, lover."

"Am I?"

"Not a word's passed your lips except 'harder,' 'more,' and 'oh, God...' and those I recall being spoken in the heat of passion. You've not made a peep since. Being the smart type myself, despite all appearances, this tells me you've got something going on in that busy mind of yours. You care to share?"

"I don't know yet."

"Well, that's fair." Cool, strong arms wrapped around Nathaniel's waist, pulling him backwards against his lover's body. "Of course, you know I don't plan to let up until you spill the whole pot of beans."

Nathaniel gave a soft laugh despite himself. "I know you won't."

"So? Save us a little trouble, and tell me what's on your mind right now."

"Not yet." Nathaniel raised his hand and placed it palm-down on the cold window glass, where he stood staring out into the night, down to the abandoned stretch of cracked pavement running past his apartment. "There aren't words, so far."

"Hmm. Never known you to be at a loss before." Nathaniel's lover jostled him gently, playfully. "Never did meet a man who liked so much to talk about anything and everything. Apples to anthills. That's why I took a shine to you in the first place -- well, aside from an ass you could bounce quarters off and your pretty face. Sing for me."

"O figlio perdito --"

Nathaniel's lover jostled him. "Smarty-pants."

"Yeah." Nathaniel leaned into his lover's firm, gentle hold, savoring the feel of being held strong and sure by someone who'd never let him fall. Life taught gay men an early lesson: don't trust anyone unless you know for a fact they won't turn on you, and that they mean it when they say they love you. His partner had it all, did it all, said it all, and meant it all.

Nathaniel should have been able to be open about what was worrying him. Yet somehow, he found that he couldn't put his thoughts into words. Not yet.

His lover seemed to accept that. One thing about him, he did know when not to push. He simply held Nathaniel and rocked them soft and easy against one another, sexy yet comforting. "It'll be all right," he murmured after a moment. "Whatever's got you fretting, it'll be just fine."

Nathaniel's lips curved in a smile. "I know."

He reached down to lay his hands over his lover's, feeling the same mild shock as he had the first time they touched, finding them to be cool and satin-slick despite a few calluses. They held still as if carved from marble. No human could ever hold such a pose without so much as twitching.

Nathaniel had learned that there were more things on heaven and earth, Horatio, and so forth, but even he'd had a hard time accepting that the gorgeous man, all tousled hazelnut hair, twinkling blue eyes, and ready wit, was, of all things, a vampire.

Honestly, weren't vampires supposed to at least give a nod to tradition? He'd seen enough wannabes in his time to know the accepted look was unrelieved black from hair to clothes to boots. This man -- vampire -- on the other hand, gloried in wearing a soft flannel shirt, molded-on and faded blue jeans, and clean but battered sneakers. No thick, chunky jewelry, save for a cross necklace.

Yeah, a cross.

When he'd leaned back against the bar counter in the sports watering hole where they'd met, arms crossed, grinning broadly, Nathaniel had cracked up and told the man he had a hell of an imagination.

The vampire had shrugged, and asked for one night to prove himself.

Nathaniel didn't usually go for one-night stands, but this man had the look, he had the wit, and you had to admire someone with balls big enough to tell such outrageous stories.

He'd taken the vampire up on his offer.

And back in his apartment, when sharp fangs that were in no way fake pierced the soft skin of his neck, where throat met shoulder, and the vampire drank deep of his blood, Nathaniel had realized this was no lie. He'd found an honest-to-Satan vampire, and brought him home to bed.

What a bedding it had been, too! Tangled, sweaty limbs, lips and tongues fighting for dominance in wet, devouring kisses, and hands everywhere, from pinching nipples to gently rolling balls to stripping heavy, swollen cocks. Cool fingers, slick with oil, slipping inside Nathaniel, stretching him open with more patience and tenderness than any mortal had ever shown. The feel of the vampire's cock splitting him open, making him ache for more even as it was given to him, and then the blissful burn of being totally filled... well, Nathaniel hadn't minded the blood loss by then.

To his surprise, it still hadn't bothered him when he came down from his orgasm, when he and the vampire lay tangled together in a mass of sweaty sheets, stained with one another's come, marked by new-forming bruises and love bites. He'd let the vampire rest atop him, not breathing but still quaking in every muscle from the force of his climax, and thought, So, this is a vampire. If this is a creature of the night, I'll take him over a human any day.

The vampire had chuckled, as if reading Nathaniel's thoughts. He'd raised his head and grinned. "Barrett," he'd said, stroking Nathaniel's cheek. "My name's Barrett. D'you believe me now?"

Barrett. Nathaniel let himself fall into the soothing, rocking rhythm. When Barrett began to hum, some old tune by Johnny Cash that just fit his raspy voice, Nathaniel almost closed his eyes and purred with the pleasure of it.

Yes, his lover was a killer. More, he was a thief, a gambler, and an all-around bad guy. But Barrett loved Nathaniel with all his un-beating heart, would do anything for him, and that was what mattered in the end.

Soft lips brushed Nathaniel's ear. "So," Barrett murmured, "you feel ready to talk yet?"

Nathaniel stared out the window, at the lonely stretch of highway beneath them. He took in a deep breath, and nodded. "Yes," he said. "Don't leave me tonight. Promise you won't leave me."

Purchase at Changeling Press

Meet the Author

Will Okati (formerly known as Willa) has lived through a few Interesting Times, but come out the other side a little grayer, a little wiser, and ready to get writing. Still as passionate about coffee, cats, and crafts as ever, but knowing that to your own self you must be true. Also still one of the quiet ones to watch out for, but life -- like storytelling -- is always a work in progress.

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New Release Spotlight Tour Stop/Giveaway: Andrew Grey's Shelter Of His Heart

Title: Shelter of his Heart

Author: Andrew Grey

Genre: M/M Contemporary Romance/Military

Release Date: April 21, 2026

Edition/Formats Available In: eBook & Print

Blurb/Synopsis:

College professor Jameson Kline has a good life, if a little quiet and maybe lonely. But all that changes when he encounters his high school crush, Todd, and Todd's young son, in the woods at the back of the local park. Not knowing what else to do, he takes them home and gives them dinner and a place to rest for a while.

Todd Morris is ashamed of his current situation, but unsure of how to come back from losing nearly everything, especially a home and safety for his son, Kenny. With Jameson’s help, Todd begins to piece their lives back together one step at a time. But being without a steady home has left a mark that’s hard to overcome, including not being able to rely on others for anything.

As Jameson helps Todd get his feet under him again one step at a time, Todd's heart opens to Jameson’s kindness and old feelings find new life. But Todd and Kenny’s old life refuses to go quietly, putting Kenny in danger. As they work together to rebuild and keep Kenny safe, Todd and Jameson’s simmering attraction grows more intense and possibilities open for both of them, if they can hold the threat at bay.