A Gargoyle for his Own

A Paranormal's Love: Book Thirty

Master vampire Krispin Stearling has led his coven for over one hundred fifty years. Ruling his people while running a successful hotel and bar--which affords the vampires a safe, discreet place to search for donors--creates a great deal of stress. Krispin finds refuge on his rooftop garden and meditates there often. Imagine his surprise when his beloved literally falls out of the sky, taking out a swatch of bushes with him. After Krispin drives away his beloved's attacker, he takes him to his suite and ensures he's well cared for. He learns his name is Washington, and he's a tracker for the nearby Aerasceatle clutch. The gargoyle who'd injured him is a rogue he's been tracking. While Wash admits to wanting to pursue his bond with Krispin, he has reservations. Wash's clutch recently gained a new chieftain...  Read More

A Wolf in Hiding

Wolves of Stone Ridge: Book Fifty-Two

Elroy Greer has been having a really bad month. A coworker blames him for mistakes he didn't make. His car is broken into. He lost most of his friends to his ex in the break-up. Then his hiking buddy bales at the last second, leaving Elroy alone at a trailhead. He decide some time in nature to get away from it all is still an excellent idea and heads out on his own. True to his bad luck, Elroy gets caught in a spring flash storm, loses his way, and tumbles off a cliff. He expects to die out there, but he doesn't. Elroy wake up in a log cabin with a man who's already supposed to be dead--Rueben Calhoun. Except, Rueben is calling himself Dermot Reever. As Dermot begins explaining about wolf shifters and mates and that they are destined to be together, Elroy can hardly believe it's real. He's sure he'll wake up and...  Read More

The Hand of Pestilence

A Loving Nip: Book Twenty-Two

Aiden Rolston has loved Garrett from the moment he met the vampire. Unfortunately, Fate didn't make him Garrett's beloved--his soul mate. He knows that eventually, he'll lose him--either to old age or to someone of Fate's choosing. Aiden certainly didn't think it would be to murder--his own.

Garrett Morrison's coven master always warned them not to get too attached to donors. That doesn't stop him from losing his heart to sweet Aiden, and he's the only human he's fed from in almost three years. Garrett knows the man isn't his beloved, but he just can't bring himself to look at or to touch another. Then...he fails him.

The Horseman of Pestilence finds the bonds his brothers--War and Death--created with their chosen ones fascinating. Their men make his...  Read More

ArMaDillo Packin'

Kontra's Menagerie: Book Twenty-Eight

Ronald Oleander, Ronnie to his friends, has been looking forward to this road trip for months, ever since he'd aced the test for his motorcycle license. With the wind on his face, he follows Noah and Adam--his older brother and his brother's mate--through winding back roads. Their destination is a small town in Wisconsin where they're meeting up with Adam's old biker gang. Ronnie has been warned the place is homophobic and never to go anywhere alone. Except, when he arrives, the first thing he notices is an enticing smell. Ronnie wanders around the back of the diner to investigate and find a pair of humans pounding on a smaller guy. Breaking up the fight, he sends the jerks packing. When he focuses on the beaten man, he discovers he's the source of the smell--and is also not only a shifter, but his mate--Hector Ramirez... Read More

Sheridan's Redemption

Wolves of Stone Ridge: Book Fifty-One

Sheridan Andorran would never be considered a good man--not even a decent one. He's done far too many questionable things in the name of self-preservation. When his brother orders him to kidnap his niece, Sheridan intends to do it. Except, outside the home where Kendra is staying, he runs across a man charged with stopping him--Rory MacDougal--and the man awakens every hidden desire he's ever felt. One kiss from Rory and Sheridan knows he'll never be able to hide his desires from his homophobic brother again. He does the only thing he can think of to save his own skin. Sheridan flees. A day later, stranded on the side of the road, he starts hitchhiking...only to be picked up by Rory. Sheridan learns his brother is dead, his sister is in jail, and the only family he has left--his niece and her father...  Read More

The Substitute Omega

Dragons In Our Time: Book One

All Abraham was supposed to do was deliver a cup of tea to Gary, the human tribute meant to spend the next week with master dragon, Xargos Inyada. Instead, he discovers him gone, leaving only a note behind. Abraham's boss charges him with sharing the disturbing news with Master Inyada. Having no choice, he obeys. Within seconds of meeting the sexy dragon in human skin, Abraham finds himself aroused beyond almost all reason. Xargos explains it's because Abraham is an omega, and he's an alpha in rut. Abraham knows he should head out the door. Except, he doesn't want to walk away from the bliss the master dragon offers. Is he willing, however, to pay the price required for discovering what he's been missing all his life?

Reader Advisory: This short story was originally offered during the 2020 Heart of the Beast Valentine's Give-Away. No significant changes have been made.  Read More

A Little Angelic Interference

A Loving Nip: Book Twenty-One

As an angel sent to help a struggling soul, getting kidnapped isn't even a blip on Zylen's radar. Before he can connect with Howard, the human he's sent to help, he's taken hostage. He's rescued by the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Zylen recuperates in the Horseman of Pestilence's realm while sharing everything he knows before continuing on his mission. Finally meeting Howard, he experiences something he never has before--attraction. At first, he thinks it's a by-product of spending time in the demon realm. Then Zylen has an epiphany. Howard is his stella guida--his guiding star--the only human in existence whose life would give him more purpose than his duty to his creator. Zylen knows he can't reveal his true nature... Read More

Dreams of a Wombat

A Paranormal's Love: Book Twenty-Nine

A couple of years before, Virgil McBride's life changed...for the better. He'd been working as a ranch hand at a cattle ranch in Texas while hiding the fact that he was a cougar shifter. Then his boss brought home a gargoyle mate. It didn't take long for staff to transition, wheedling out those humans who weren't trustworthy. Virgil loves his new freedoms, allowing him to shift and explore the ranch in animal form. While out running as a cougar, Virgil scents something amazing, and he realizes his mate is near. Searching out the source, he finds something he's never seen before...and it isn't the dilapidated hunting stand. Virgil meets Shaw, a wombat shifter. Even though he assures his mate that he would be welcome at the ranch, Shaw... Read More

Don't Badger Me

Kontra's Menagerie: Book Twenty-Seven

When Deacon Ferdmin learns his brother, Daevon, is transitioning into a new life, he decides it's time to do the same. Plus, as a badger shifter, he's tired of living in the city. Buying a motorcycle and heading cross-country to meet up with Daevon, Deacon enjoys the change of pace from his prior high-stakes job as a firefighter...until his motorcycle breaks down. There's only a couple of mechanics shops in town, and the first one he goes to refuses to service his machine since he's openly and obviously gay. As angry as it makes Deacon, when he walks into the second shop, he quickly turns grateful. He scents that somewhere within the depths of the dingy space is his mate. However... Read More

Tangling with a Colossal Squid

Beneath Aquatica's Waves: Book Seven

Arthur Nesky values control and order in his life. Imagine his frustration when he finds himself the focus of a stalker. After a close call, he visits a friend up north, hoping to get away from his pursuer and gain some perspective. Meeting a sexy man who lights up every nerve ending in Arthur's body is the epitome of bad timing. Then he finds out who Kaiser is...and the secrets he holds...making him wonder if he's jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire.

Kaiser Roush is nearly three hundred years old, the alpha of his pod, and a successful business man. Over the years, he's learned the value of hard work, how to... Read More

Croc on the Menu

Shifter's Regime: Book Four

As owner of an authentic Irish pub, Sinjin Gallagher thought he'd seen it all. That all changes when a huge bruiser of a man enters his establishment looking for one of his regulars. To Sinjin's surprise, the guy isn't there to cause trouble...but to stop it. What's even odder is when he finds himself aroused by the man's efficiency as he deals with that threat. As a pacifist, Sinjin doesn't understand his unexpected desire.

Tideus Solverman ran across information that Councilman Goldstein would be attacked while eating at an Irish pub. As a Council Enforcer, it's his duty to stop it. Even with the distraction of the hot pub owner--Sinjin, his mate--he gets the job done. Read More

The Crystal Connoisseur

Wolves of Stone Ridge: Book Fifty

Wilson Nebrusky is not where he thought he would be at this point in his life. He's nearing forty, his store is struggling, and his marriage to Shandell is in shambles. His one pride and joy is his seven-year-old daughter, Kendra.

While Wilson has always accepted his bisexuality, he'd never been tempted to step out on his wife. When he can't get an encounter with a hot, green-eyed stranger at a bar out of his mind, he finds himself tempted. Good thing he doesn't know the guy's name or his whereabouts.

That all changes when the man--Brennan MacDougal--limps into his shop.

Brennan is friendly and kind... Read More

Frog Legs and Goose Feathers

Carry Me: Book Ten

Devon Gateman has been in a partnership with his much younger lover, Jake Lewis, for almost three years. Christmas is approaching, and he wants to make it special. He brings home a live goose, intending to prepare an uber special Christmas Eve supper. Using a little spicy persuasion, Devon convinces his lover to accept the animal...for a few days, anyway.

At first, Jake is flattered that Devon brought home a goose. He knows his man has the best of intentions. Unfortunately, caring for the animal for a week falls on him. During that time, Jake actually comes to care for the honking, ankle-biting... Read More

Capturing Autumn's Airy Breeze

An Autumn Feast Anthology Short Story

Agnoroth knew Kristof Merrill was his mate the second he scented him. Letting him go after holding him in his arms, even for a brief second, had been beyond difficult. Staying away from him for almost eight months to complete his penance to the king was damn near torture. Now Agnoroth is free to find and woo Kristof. His human is understandably wary, considering the first time they'd met Agnoroth had helped kidnap Kristof's friend. Even with the mate-pull on his side, Kristof resists. Can Agnoroth make up for his lapse in judgment and earn his mate's trust? Read More

An Altered State of Mind

Love at Stake Anthology: A Loving Nip Short Story

Darian Striplan accompanies others in his vampire coven to a secret lab in New York with the intention of shutting it down. They planned to capture the scientists, discover the backers, and free the paranormals trapped there. While inside the facility, Darian scents his beloved--his soul mate--in a human dressed as a guard. Oddly enough, the man also appears to be trying to free the paranormals. Talking to the man, learning his name is Claude Missandel, Darian quickly realizes that there's something wrong. Claude is confused, believing he is rescuing prisoners-of-war. Darian uses his vampiric mental manipulation abilities to search his human's mind and recognizes... Read More