Paperback release

Client Privileges, my second m/m fantasy erotic romance novel, is available in paperback at long last. I got the rights back on it longer ago than I care to think, and after republishing it in ebook format, I've now also released it with pages you can feel and smell and turn. You can find it on Amazon.com.

Here's an excerpt:

Micah sat on the bed. "What do you think?" He gestured expansively around the small room.

"It's n-n-nice." Jonas silently cursed his stammer. It always came out in stressful situations, and while he'd sought this one out, that didn't make it any less nerve-wracking. If his parents should find out… He forced away the unpleasant notion. How would they ever know unless he told them? And there was no way that would happen.

He took a cleansing breath and let it out slowly. For the first time, he looked directly into the eyes of the whore he'd just hired. They were moss green, smiling, rimmed by thick lashes, with tiny smile lines at the corners. His hair is the color of beaten copper. It was unlike anything he'd seen before, and it set off Micah's eyes so perfectly that Jonas wondered if it was natural or contrived.

"So, Jonas, how would you like to spend the time we have together?" Micah smiled, and it was such a warm, giving expression that Jonas balked.

"I-I'm s-sorry. I have to go." He took a step backward toward the door, only to be stopped by Micah's gentle voice like a tug at his heart.

"Stay. Please." Micah held out a hand.

Jonas hesitated. He wanted to stay. Physically, he longed to stay and take advantage of this professional's willingness to please him. Despite his emotional diffidence, his body was eager. His cock was hard and had become so at his first sight of Micah leaning against the brothel's bar. Jonas was glad for the thigh-length coat he wore; it was far too heavy for the hot weather, but it kept his aroused state hidden.

Unaware of making the decision to do so, he sat on the foot of the bed at right angles to Micah. His heart raced. He wondered if Micah could hear it, then chided himself for such foolishness. I can do this. Jonas shot a nervous glance at the other man, looked away swiftly. If I just don't have to make eye contact again. It was absurd. What was he thinking?

"There's no need to rush," Micah continued.

"B-but there is," Jonas said quickly. "I-I'm expected… s-somewhere."

"That's all right. I'm ready for whatever you'd like."

Micah shifted on the bed and Jonas' gaze was drawn to him. The whore leaned back against the pillows at the headboard, one long leg stretched out, and the other bent at the knee. Jonas could see that he was erect, his cock tenting out the loose fabric of his pants. His arms were folded behind his head as if he knew he needed no help drawing attention to his engorged condition.

Jonas stared openly at the protruding fabric, eager for what it hid and uncaring whether his hunger was obvious on his face.

"I take it you like what you see."

Jonas could hear the smile in his voice, the teasing but tender tone. Jonas' gaze was inexorably pulled upward, over Micah's flat and muscular belly, across his smooth chest, up to his handsome face. Square, clean jaw; smiling lips; wide cheekbones; and soft green eyes. Micah's expression was open and without judgment. He was so beautiful that Jonas' breath caught.

"I--" He inhaled, said in a rush, "I've been alone a long time. Years, and he was… Anyway. I want to… take you. Fuck you. May I? Please?"

Micah laughed, a rich, warm sound that Jonas couldn't help but join in on ever so slightly. "When you ask so politely, how could I say no?"

Hello world, it's me again

*peeks head around corner* Hello out there. I’m still alive, though you haven’t seen me in … geez I don’t know how long. Due to real life issues, I had to mostly leave the world of writing and publishing several years ago. I thought that I took my name off most everything but recently discovered that I still remained listed on this blog.  I debated whether or not to even return to the publishing world. It had been so long. There have been so many changes. Publishers have come and gone, as well as other writers. In the long run, I couldn’t completely stay away. The end of last year I managed to re-release “Under Wraps” (formally known as “enWrapptured”) at another publisher. It’s a Christmas themed M/M story. Though it’s slow going, I’m getting emerged into writing once again and hope to have at least one story a year submitted (realistic goals).

However, I’ve decided it’s been a bit harder this time around than the first time. So I’ve put a list together of some of things I’ve noticed since my first book was accepted in 2007.

Hardships of re-entering the world of published writing

** Getting back on track with writing: There are many, many WIPs that sat in folders for ages. The plots are weak in your mind so time is spent browsing the characters and outlines/ideas. Also applies to published works and possible follow up stories sitting in those WIP folders. I’ve read the stories before moving on to sequels. So where do you start? Which story should you pick up again? What genre do you want to work in? So many choices. But then the muse can be very strong and lead you to the right place. Though I will still write M/M romance at times, the stories I’m currently working on are M/F & M/M/F

** Setting a writing schedule: I’m still struggle with this. But then, even before, I struggled with this little bit. You would think now that my kids are college age I would have more time. Think again. I’m still a wife and the one that keeps the household going, as well as mom when needed and a grandmother. There just always seems something on my calendar. Don’t even get me started on the fact my husband is finally retiring. He really needs a hobby. LOL But slowly, I’m working on finding that perfect time that my mind is clear and the muse is happy to be tapping away at the keyboard.

** Promotion/Social Media: OH MY! Has things changed in just a few years. The main promoting venues when I was publishing books were Yahoo groups, blogs, and MySpace (I’ve recently deleted all of mine). I thought I had a handle on it all with a nice schedule of when and where I could promote myself and it was easy to get onto blog hops and promo promo promo. Now…well, there’s Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and I’m sure tons of other stuff I haven’t even wanted to try. I only know these because I use them on a personal basis. Yahoo groups are mostly dead, though there are some still somewhat active with promotions. MySpace .. what’s MySpace? There’s still blogs out there as well, but some of the ones I frequented in the past haven’t been used in a few years. There’s so much more ways to get the word out and to interact with reader/potential readers. But again, this all takes time to learn. Especially when you finally get them linked up, then your computer updates, and boom, it doesn’t work and so again, posting on every area until you can figure out how to re-link them all again. Oh, and then there’s Tweet Deck that just confuses me more.

** Changing Newsletter from Yahoo group to newsletter service & rebuilding list: I took the leap. Though I only had 150 people on my Yahoo newsletter, I changed to MailChimp. After playing around with it for a few days & watching some tutorials (I’m all about research) I figured most of it out and mostly like it. But then, I had no one to send it to. So like building followers on Twitter and Facebook (another struggle) you’ve got to get people to subscribe to your newsletter. Not as easy as it sounds sometimes, because again, it’s time consuming and I don’t want to hound my social medias about it.

** Other writer friends: Some have fallen off the grid like I did :( , others are still around but I don’t have a clue if they will remember me (and I’m bit of a shy person), and then others have soared and become best sellers with mass market books (yay for them :) ).  Needless to say, I guess I need to just man up and try to contact or reestablish relationships. Another thing to put on my to-do list.

** Updating Site/Blog/etc…: Yep, working on updating everything. Newer look that fits me and my upcoming stories. I’ve been working on these while my muse is being stubborn.

** Blog – Keep or get rid of? : I’ve got a blog on Blogger. With all the social media do I really need a blog? Granted Twitter only allows a certain amount of characters, but if I put it on my Facebook first, I can get all the characters I need. However, I like a blog. Believe it or not, there’s still people out there not totally plugged into social media and still read blogs. And I like the fact I can schedule posts in advance. Nope, haven’t figured out if any of the others can do that. But this allows me to plan more and less worry if I have a month’s worth of my Motivational Mondays ready to go.

Okay, I think I’ve babbled on enough. I’m hoping to get back into blogging here again, though I may only be able to do so once a month, so I’ll see you next time.

 

Oh, and there's still time to get in on my "Christmas in July" Contest. To enter, just join my newsletter on the front page of my site.

All my currently available books can be found at my site

Site: www.martyrayne.com

Or check out my blog - http://martyrayne.blogspot.com/

Follow me on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/marty.rayne

or Twitter - https://twitter.com/MartyRayne13

Finished!

We didn't make deadline, but we finished the third book in the Never Too Early series! It ended up being about 20k words longer than the other two, which is why we turned it in late, but both Chris and I figured we should give it the attention it deserves. Now it's been submitted and we're waiting for edits. To those of you who have stuck with us, we think you'll love this last book as much as we do. And we know that many of you had reservations about the series in general!

(Come on, we're not blind or deaf. We know what you've all been saying. ;)

No release date yet, but likely October. Will let you know asap when we find out. Here's an excerpt to keep you tuned in........

"Chance, hey." Trey Donovan stuck his head through the doorway. "Was just about to page you. Tucker's here."

"Yeah? How come?" Chance collected the papers and checked his personal phone to see if he'd missed a text. Nothing there. Which was strange on two counts, really. Tucker usually texted when he was stopping by the station, and Chance had texted Jake earlier in the day with no response. That was also unusual.

"I can't come by and say hey?" Tucker appeared in the doorway next to Trey. His grin was wide and his eyes were bright, a sure sign that he was up to something.

Trey disappeared and Chance leaned against the printer table. "What do you want?" he asked wryly. "Don't ask for money. I have no cash on me."

"Aw, shoot." Tucker crossed the room and plastered himself on Chance's body. "Okay, then maybe I just wanted a kiss."

Despite having a preference for rule-following while at work, Chance often found it hard to resist Tucker at his most flirtatious. Chance kissed him twice, quickly. "That's all you get." Any more and Chance would have a hard-on to hide.

"Good enough for now." Tucker detached himself and strolled back to the door that led to the short hallway. "Got a sec? I got something to show you."

Chance checked the time -- 2:30 p.m. His crew would want to take the engine and go grocery shopping for dinner soon. "Yeah, few minutes. What's up?" He followed Tucker down the hallway, pausing briefly to toss the paperwork he'd collected on his desk.

"Out back in the lot." Tucker pushed open one of the side doors that led to the station's parking lot. Several pickup trucks and cars, all with firefighter's union stickers on the back window, were parked in their usual spots. Tucker's truck was off to the side.

Chance squinted in the bright March sunshine. They'd had three days of rain and gloom, so the sun was a nice change, but his eyes sure weren't used to it.

"Over here, baby." Tucker started toward his truck, and it was only then that Chance saw two other people leaning against the tailgate. Jeans, boots, and… cowboy hats? As his gaze traveled upward, Chance blinked against the sun and then stopped right where he was. No way.

"Well, come on," Tucker laughed. "Don't stop there. Come say hi."

Tor's hat dipped and he gave a finger wave that looked completely ridiculous coming from someone geared up to move cattle. Well, over-dressed to move cattle, Chance had to admit. Those were clearly Tor's good jeans.

And Jake took a step toward him and stood, his feet planted apart, like he was bracing himself. Then he swept his hat off and into his hand, and grinned at Chance, his hair mussed and his eyes as bright as Tucker's were. "Howdy."

"You're kidding me." It was the only thing Chance could think of to say. Well, "I want to fuck you," had also flashed into his mind, but decorum was important.

Tucker was nearly dancing from foot to foot. "Lookit who came to see us!" His smile was infectious and Chance felt a grin of his own tugging at his lips.

"Yeah, I see." Chance crossed the last few steps and stood in front of Jake. "Hello there. Didn't know you were dropping by today." It was only sheer willpower that kept Chance from seizing the front of Jake's shirt and dragging him closer for a kiss. His eyes were still that dazzling shade of blue, made even bluer in the California sun.

"We made a point of it." Jake rocked closer, then back on his heels, hands going to his back pockets. "Surprise."

So close!

You guys, I am *this close* to being able to say "Now available for the FIRST TIME in PAPERBACK!" that I'm going a little crazy. Soon, soon...

Triplesex is FREE July 6-8 on Amazon!

Free July 6-8 on Amazon!

Triplesex

Caleb worked hard to get where he’s at in life. Recently offered tenure at the college where he works, Caleb has let his personal life slide in favor of impressing the powers that be. Now that a much-needed summer vacation is finally at hand, Caleb fears his long hours may have been detrimental to his long-time partner’s happiness.

An appreciative eye for the male form is perfectly natural, but Zaki’s preoccupation with other men is cause for concern. Even though Caleb trusts his lover, he’s suspicious of Zaki’s motives. While Caleb isn’t above a little recreational sex by mutual consent, he wouldn’t be able to forgive Zaki for screwing around behind his back. His only hope is to turn back the tide of discontent before it’s too late. 

US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0059JE1DY 

UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0059JE1DY

Love Wins

I hope everyone has had a wonderful time this Pride Month! Festivities here were extensive. Even the crosswalks got into the celebration.


And then there was this:

Supreme Court Declares Same-Sex Marriage Legal In All 50 States

There's still work to do and battles to fight, but for now we celebrate, we dance, we cheer. Love is love! Love wins! Happy Pride, everyone!

Aaaaand another one for you...

I got two of the nicest comments recently, both asking for another excerpt of Never Too Early: Full Circle. Since Chris and I reached 50k on it yesterday and still have at least another 10k to go, there is no shortage of good snippets to choose from. Here's a little piece for you, and happy Sunday.

***

"Where's the paper targets?" Tucker crouched down to the blanket and searched around. "These can go on the trees." Three or four tall oaks were a good bit of distance away.

Chance jogged to the trees and fastened the targets, then returned and squinted at them. "Good enough?"

"Yep. Tucker, go for it. Make Kentucky proud."  Tor leaned against the truck to watch, liking the sun on his shoulders. "Chance, are you good with handguns?"

He nodded. "Better than with a shotgun, actually. I never shot a rifle until a few years ago. The ones you have are nicer than anything I've used."

Tor stage whispered, "Jake can be a little tight, but he invests in good guns."  He ignored the dirty look he got for that. "You're doing fine. Shoulder it again for me, let me see your stance. Just don't try Jake's. It won't work for anyone but him."

Chance did as requested. He brought the gun to his shoulder, and Tor was amused to note that Chance had a stance that, if not identical to Jake's, was strangely similar. Then he realized why.

"Okay, surfer boy. I'm going to get up close and personal." He smiled and slotted himself behind Chance, hands on Chance's hips. "No wonder Jake didn't suck on a surfboard. Okay, move your hips back, like this, and let your lead foot come on back." He used his hands to square Chance's hips a bit and pulled him back tight to his own body. "Oh, hello there. Jake's right -- you smell good."

Chance turned his head to the right and looked over his shoulder at Tor. Their eyes were just about level, although Chance may have been slightly taller. Jake had also been right about Chance's eyes changing color, Tor noted. They'd been a soft hazel this morning, but now they matched the bright green of the patchy grass around them. "Jake put some stuff in our shower. It says it smells like ocean, but I don't think whoever made the soap has actually been to the beach."

"Well, whatever it is, it smells good on you." Tor winked at him and went on. "Now, hips back here, feet firm on the ground. Rifle to shoulder. How does that feel?"  He didn't step back. The sun was warm on his back, and Chance was warm on his front.

Chance cleared his throat. "Good. It feels… good." He didn't move either. "But I feel like I could step off balance as soon as the gun kicks. Should I try a shot?"

"Go for it, I've got you." Tor was braced, mirrored like Chance, hands still on Chance's hips. "Just aim and squeeze."

Tor felt Chance tense a moment before pulling the trigger. The blast was loud in his ears. The back kick of the barrel rocked both of them, and Chance nearly took a step to the side. He managed to keep his balance at the last second, but in doing so, pressed himself even more firmly against Tor's chest. He lowered the rifle and stared straight ahead at the target. "Like that?" he asked, his voice low.

"Mmhmm. More or less.  Want to try again? Find your balance?" Tor was feeling more than a little off balance himself. He took a breath and tightened his grip on Chance's hips. "Careful now." He might have been talking to himself.

Excerpt: Never Too Early: Full Circle

Wow, June. How is it halfway over? Every time I blink, another month has passed. The curse of getting older, I suppose.

Chris Owen and I have been hard at work for the past few weeks on the third novel in the Never Too Early series. We have a deadline, so we're hoping to have it finished by the end of June. This novel is different from the others for various reasons; not the least of which is that Tor and Tucker get their turn to speak. The other differences will just have to be a surprise, ha.

Here's an excerpt for those who have been waiting so patiently.... happy Sunday!

***

It hadn't occurred to Tucker that Tor thought he and Jake were alike at all. "Different, sure. And we both like horses." He shrugged. "Other than that, me and Jake don't really match up the same."

Tor laughed. "You're both thoughtful, can cook, listen really well, pay attention to what people feel as well as what they say, wake up happy, don't whine unless it's actually worth it, and are tough as nails. Trust me, you're alike in a bunch of ways. But you laugh easier, play easier, and see the point of games. You don't stress, and you don't take on everyone's problems as your own to worry about."

"Jake carries other people's weight, huh? A guy can break his back that way." Tucker smiled and tried another taste of his hot chocolate. There, perfect. "Well, him and Chance sure get each other." It still made Tucker wonder a little. Did it mean Chance and Jake were better suited?

"Same thing there," Tor said after a mouthful of hot chocolate. "There's, like, some kind of balance of needs. You and Chance are necessary for each other in really great ways, and Jake kind of... fills in some gaps, is all."

"I didn't know there were gaps," Tucker mumbled. Until now.

"They're not really gaps. You know the difference between an accidental baby and a surprise baby?"

The analogy made Tucker laugh. "Sure, I guess. But the surprise baby is still a surprise."

"But you wouldn't give it up. You just didn't know you were missing it." Tor kissed him again. "He's not looking for anything you haven't got. He just found something that's extra. That's all. He wasn't missing anything, he just got chocolate sauce on his sundae."

"Oh yeah?" Tucker looked up at him with a smile. "And what about you and me? Chocolate sauce, or something different?"

*taps mic* Am I on?

Is it my blog day? I think it's my blog day. OMG, it's been so long. I'd like to say I've spent my lengthy absence in a frenzy of writing and publishing, but I would be lying. There has been some little writing. There has not been publishing. I am aiming to improve the former and change the latter. To that end, I'm finally going to release a paperback edition of my m/m fantasy novel Client Privileges. I'm also working on getting Rose & Thorn (m/m/f) re-released in both print and ebook formats. While I'm chipping away at those granite blocks, I've also submitted a contemporary paranormal story to a publisher. That one's not a romance, per se, although it does have m/m romantic elements to it. It's the first in a series--or will be once it's published. I'll let you know when there's anything to update on that. Here's hoping it will be good news.

Book of the Week!

Chris Owen and I were excited to learn yesterday that we won the Book of the Week poll over at Love Bytes Reviews! We've been pleasantly surprised at how well received the second book in the Never Too Early series has been.

If you haven't started the series yet, both books are available here:

Never Too Early: The Beginning

Never Too Early: Finding Their Way

For those of you who have read them, Chris and I have been working diligently on the third installment. Here's a little bit, just to keep you interested. ;)

***

After a couple of rings, the computers connected and Tor's face appeared in the window.  "You're a sight for sore eyes," he said, giving Tucker a grin.

"Hey, you." Tucker caught himself before calling Tor "baby," since that was the nickname he usually reserved for Chance. He'd slipped up once or twice, though. "How long's it been now? Like a year since I've seen you?"

"Feels more like two." Tor rubbed a hand over his eyes and forehead. "How've you been? Everything doing okay?"

"Uh huh, yeah. Work's been kinda rough, but I'm off for a couple days. You? How come you don't look all bright eyed and bushy tailed?" Tucker had noticed it immediately.

"The usual. Working too many hours. But everyone that was sick is back now, so it'll get better."  Tor gave him a tired smile. "The ground is still hard so at least there wasn't any mud to deal with. It'll get mucky soon enough."

Tucker knew how hard it was to work in mud. His tobacco farm in Kentucky went through almost the same seasonal changes that Tor and Jake's ranch did. "Sorry, man. But hey, you don't need a medic to tell you that you gotta be careful with the long days. You wind up sick and you'll miss more work than you care to know."

Tor nodded. "I hear you. Jake's been saying the same thing. He's been doing a lot of the slack, too, so he's not especially chipper. And the quality of the food has fallen off." He said the last with a slightly brighter grin. "Hey. I miss you."

The familiar, warm feeling that Tor usually instilled in him grew. Tucker smiled "I know, baby." The endearment was intentional. "Same here, huh? And it's only been a month. What do we do? I don't guess you and Jake could come out here any time soon."

"We might be able to," Tor said thoughtfully. "It would have to be before the calves come, for sure, and probably wouldn't be for more than four or five days, but we might be able to make it work. Lord knows we could use a vacation."

Contest!

Sunday again... time is flying. Which, in this instance, is a great thing because it means release day is almost here!

This Wednesday, April 15, the second book in the Never Too Early series will be released! Chris Owen and I are super excited about this, and we've already received some amazing reviews from sites that received ARCs. This book can't really be read as a stand-alone, so we encourage everyone to read Never Too Early: The Beginning before trying Never Too Early: Finding Their Way.

The second book is available for preorder at the link above! And, as a little bonus, if you've already preordered, just drop me a comment on THIS POST at my site and leave your confirmation number. You'll be automatically entered for a $10.00 gift certificate to Torquere Press. All posts will stay hidden to protect private info!

Can't wait for release day. See you Wednesday!

Available for pre-order!

Happy Sunday, slashers! I have things to tell you about!

1. First thing! The release date of the next book in the Never Too Early series had to be pushed back a little due to editing conflicts. The new release date is now April 15. Mark those calendars!

2. Second thing! Not only do we have a cover for the next book, but it's currently available for pre-order! Reserve your copy now and you'll get it mailed to you first thing on release day. Just look at this lovely cover. Clicking on the pic will take you to the pre-order page.

3. And finally, third thing! I have a very lovely and talented friend that offered to redo my website, and I took her up on that in a hot minute. Please go and take a look around. I hope to have blog content there soon.

Stems and Petals - M/M Fiction by Tory Temple

Chris and I are open to your opinions regarding this next chapter in Jake, Tor, Chance, and Tucker's lives. Feel free to email or comment!

Guest Post: Two hot new releases from Lynn Lorenz

 
Doms of The Chambers, Geoff and Kit

When tragedy strikes The Chambers, Dom Geoff Hanover gets dragged into something he didn't want - the care and training of Kit Green, an unruly submissive. Geoff swore to never take a boy again, but Kit is a sexy hot mess.

 Now available for 0.99 at Amazon | All Romance Ebooks




 

Doms of The Chambers, Harlan and Robby

Harlan and Robby are happy. Dom Harlan meets all his submissives needs. Robby has flourished under Harlan's firm but gentle hand. But when tragedy hits a member of The Chambers, Harlan rethinks his relationship with Robby.

Now available for 0.99 at Amazon | All Romance Ebooks

Release day for A Clean Break is finally here! This is the sequel to A Forbidden Rumspringa, and thank you so much to all the folks who've been excited for this book. I mean, someone took the day off work so she could read it immediately. I just...wow. How amazing is that? I have the best readers.

Sequels are always nerve-wracking, but I hope book two will live up to expectations. I'm hard at work on book three, A Way Home, for an April release. I didn't want y'all to have to wait too long to find out how David and Isaac's journey ends. This first trilogy will be complete, but I'm already planning more books for them down the road. These boys just keep telling me stories! In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the second book in their journey. 

They’ve escaped to the outside world—but can they really be free? David and Isaac have found happiness in each other’s arms. In faraway San Francisco, Isaac’s brother Aaron helps them explore confusing “English” life and move beyond the looming shadow of their Amish roots. For the first time, David and Isaac can be openly gay, yet they struggle to reconcile their sexuality with their faith. At least they don’t have to hide their relationship, which should make everything easier. Right?

But while Isaac thrives at school and makes new friends, David wrestles to come to terms with the reality of the outside world. Haunted by guilt at leaving his mother and sisters behind in Zebulon, he’s overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of the city as he works to get his carpentry business off the ground. While David and Isaac finally sleep side by side each night, fear and insecurity could drive them miles apart.

Buy now:
All Romance eBooks | Amazon | Barnes and Noble iTunes | Kobo | Smashwords

For Eden: The Shadowfire Ring

As promised, today I'm going to share an excerpt from For Eden: The Shadowfire Ring. This is one of the short stories originally published by the now defunct Silver Publishing. It will be rereleased on Tuesday, February 3rd. Barring any upload difficulties, you'll be able to find it on ARe, B&N, Amazon, and Smashwords Tuesday morning.

Happy Super Bowl Sunday, dear Readers. Go Patriots!

"Hello?" Bel listened, but not only didn't get an answer, he didn't hear a sound in the apartment. "Eden?" He peeked into the living room, but the silent television and empty reading chair gave no hints as to Eden's whereabouts.

He carried the pizza box to the dark kitchen and tucked it into the oven to keep it warm. When he turned, planning to take the back staircase up to the bedroom, he spotted Eden sitting in the corner behind the round kitchen table.

"Eden?" Bel's heart trembled and raced and his voice caught in his throat. The light that always called to Bel no longer shone in Eden's innocent, smooth face. "What happened?" Bel's claws lengthened, his fangs descended and, as he took a deep breath in a desperate attempt to control the fury at whoever or whatever had bred despondency in his beautiful angel, he felt piercing pain shoot through his forehead. His horns rarely sprouted, even in anger, but Eden, his love, his light, shouldn't be cloaked in shadows.

He reached for the switch. Eden's voice broke and trembled. "Don't. Please."

With a guttural growl, three candles in the center of the table flared to action. Eden flinched from their flame, tucking his chin to his chest. His wings trembled and, even in the weak light, Bel saw the ruffled feathers and, worse, those that weren't there. Eden's right wing sported a bald spot that meant at least a dozen or more feathers had been ripped out of his flesh.

Bel rushed to his side and crouched at his feet. With a comforting hand on Eden's knee and another brushing back tangled locks of hair, he did his best to keep the anger from his voice. "Who did this?"

Eden's lower lip trembled until he sucked it between his teeth. He shook his head and refused to look at Bel.

"Talk to me, my light. Let me be your strength, as you have been for me so often."

Eden turned his hand palm up and Bel gasped at the ruined flesh.

"Andaras," Bel hissed. Only his father would claim his angel with a summoning rune carved into the skin.

Eden nodded. His lip broke free from his teeth, swollen from the effort of restraining his emotions. A sob shook his thin chest and then another chased through his body. His torn wings trembled and drooped, stuck between their full beauty and a neat indiscreet place along Eden's back.

"I won't let him. He can't have you."

"It's too late. He's marked me and…" Fat tears fell from his eyes. "He saw the ring you gave me. I'm sorry. I took it, Bel, because I wanted to…" He took a deep breath but sobbed out the exhale. "He has it. He said you don't own me until you put it on my finger." His shimmering eyes shifted up to meet Bel's gaze at last. "I know you didn't mean it that way, Bel. That's why I had it. I was ready to wear it, but the magic didn't work."

"Because we didn’t say the words," Bel finished. "I know."

"And I foolishly refused to accept it when you tried." Eden’s voice broke and his wings trembled as his shoulders shook with a silent sob.

Bel covered both of Eden's hands with his own, touching lightly to avoid causing more pain to Eden's injuries. "I didn't mean the ring as ownership, Eden. I wanted to protect you."

"I know." Eden huffed out an exasperated exhale. "I knew then, too, but I panicked. I… fucked it up."

Bel laughed, but despite his hope of calming the angel, he heard the tension in his own voice. "Did my innocent angel just swear?"

Eden's eyes reflected anger and pain, but shadows of amusement flickered in the background. "He said if you don't return to your duties as his son, he'd come for me. Bel, it's okay. I know how much you hate what he made you do. All angels are taught to endure suffering and I will go when he calls me."

"Oh, fuck no." Eden winced at Bel's words, making the demon laugh. "You said it first." Bel sobered and shook his head. "You're not going with him. There is no way in Hell you're leaving me."

Bel stood. Eden's eyes widened. He knew the answer before he asked the question. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to get my ring back. He had no right to take it. Or you."

Eden shook his head. "No. No, don't, Bel. He'll hurt you. He'll make you return to his side." The angel shot to his feet, his ruined wings trembling. "That's if you're lucky. It's impossible for even full demons to find their way out of Hell without permission."

Pulling the angel into his arms, Bel nuzzled his warm neck. "I'll find a way."

Eden trembled in his embrace. "Don't. Please."

"Shh…" Bel brushed his lips over Eden's. "I'll come back to you. Remember, you're my guiding light, Eden. I'll find my way back to you, always."

~*~*~*~

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