Well-developed characters with realistic strengths and weaknesses
Surrender Love returns Feb 27, 2021.
Male-Male Science Fiction Romance, rated PG13. Sweetly sensual.
This book has been out of print since 2014, and returns in an expanded edition with new scenes but the same tender love story and noble young hero. Surrender Love will be available in print and KU.
HEART-RELATED WARNINGS:
Adorable feline-humanoid hero may induce swooning.
Heart-melting romance likely to cause palpitations.
Immortal with a tragic past may cause heartbreak.
Teary-eye trigger: Extreme happy-ever-after.
Additional concern: May induce insatiable desire for sequels. (Fortunately, the cure for this aspect is on its way.)
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Book Hooks is a weekly meme hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog.
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A Kindle Unlimited bundle of high-caliber authors for lovers of interracial romance.
This special event showcases all subgenres of romance and includes stories written by myself and these top authors:
Chloe Holiday
Lyndell Williams
MC Frank
Nola Li Barr
RV Asher
Seyna Rytes
Yumi Cox
[bctt tweet="Love interracial romance and multicural stories? Check out this #BookFair hosted by @laylawriteslove Many top authors in multiple genres https://storyoriginapp.com/to/YamsCkU" username="KayelleAllen"]
Reprint - previously published under the same title (as erotic)
Genre: Scifi Romance, Gay Romance
Length: Full novel (130k words)
Heat level: Mainstream, sweetly sensual (PG13)
A little feral, a little innocent, all male, Izzorah Ceeow flees a world that denies him basic rights. Forced into a human society blind to his needs, the young Kin male lives for his music. When a freak accident throws him into the care of Luc Saint-Cyr, the most powerful human in the empire, the attention Izzorah receives is beyond anything he'd ever dreamed. But is the attraction he feels toward his rescuer gratitude, lust, or a deeper, abiding call to yield all that he is?
The prestige of Luc's power, wealth, and influence direct an empire scattered across the stars. His word shapes the foundations of business and his financial prowess is of mythic proportions. Yet beneath the myths beats the heart of a man who craves what he has never given and is certain he will always be denied -- steadfast, faithful love.
This will take more than love. It needs full out surrender...
(This heavily edited second edition includes many new scenes and over 7k additional words).
In this scene from the beginning of the book, Luc is arriving home from work, where "friends" have spent the day telling him how sorry they are he recently broke up with his lover. Aggravated beyond words, he runs into McDoth, his android major-domo, a stickler for rules who's been appointed watchdog by Luc's king, who is worried about him.
---
Outside the entrance to his home, Luc stopped, fingertips against his brow. He lifted his head, straightened his shoulders, and opened the door. The scent of polished wood and fresh flowers greeted him. A hint of baking bread beckoned and his stomach growled in answer. He should eat.
Instead, he headed straight for the bar.
As usual, McDoth lay in wait. The attentive butler / major-domo was as predictable as his immaculate tuxedo uniform. With his graying hair and wrinkles, most people mistook him for human. A kindly, aging grandfather who still worked for a living. Like his driver, James, the android was firepower mixed with grit. More tyrannical than a nagging wife and more tenacious than a steel weed. No matter how far Luc went, McDoth would follow, protecting him, serving him, while refusing to let him forget a single detail, rule, or obligation.
Were it his choice, Luc would fire McDoth tonight. In truth, the android deserved a medal. His tolerance and patience knew no bounds. Their relationship had lasted centuries and would for a thousand centuries more.
If their king had his way, Luc would never be rid of the human-shaped ball and chain. Which was the point of a referee. They kept you honest. At least...as much as they could.
"Welcome home, sir." The refined accent programmed into McDoth for this lifetime fit the look of a staid butler.
"McDoth."
The android dropped a few ice cubes into a tumbler and set it on the bar. "For your whiskey, sir. Do try to limit yourself to one this evening."
And there it was. The daily lecture. You drink too much. You eat too little. You work too late. You never stay home.
Luc reached past him and picked up a fresh bottle of his best whiskey, a Kelthian brand from a distillery he'd bought a few years prior.
"Allow me to take your overcoat." The butler reached for it.
He turned to give his servant access, changing the bottle from one hand to the other as he slipped off the garment.
"It's quite late, sir. You must be tired." McDoth folded the coat over his arm. "How was your day?"
"Same as yesterday. Busy, but I accomplished nothing." He darted toward the stairs.
"Sir?"
He halted, gripping the banister so hard he expected to see marks when he let go. The promise of solitude in his chambers above beckoned, but there would be no ignoring the interrogation. He checked an impatient sigh and turned back. "What?"
McDoth came to even sharper attention, his habitual passivity giving way to concern. "It is good to have you home, sir. We see little of you. Shall I bring you dinner? No records show you ate today, unless the earlier visit to your club included dining on someone else's account."
"I'm capable of asking for food if I'm hungry and I don't need a reminder you keep electronic tabs on me. I have no illusions about being your true employer. I'm not hungry. I'm fine. Stop fussing over me."
"As you wish, sir." The butler brought him the tumbler. "Remember, just one."
Luc lifted the bottle of whiskey and wagged it right in the android's face. "I will."
Surrender Love is due to release the last week of February 2021
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These books are in the same universe as Surrender Love, and feature Luc Saint-Cyr.
You'll find these characters mentioned in many books in my story universe.
Download a printable book list and check them off as you read.
JOIN US FOR BOOKHOOKS
Book Hooks is a weekly meme hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog.
It's a chance each week for you the reader to discover current works in progress or previously published books by possibly new-to-you authors.
Thank you for stopping by. Please say hello or leave a note in the comments.
Ring of the Dragon: Antonello Brothers Immortal
In this scene aboard his flagship, Pietas is anticipating an imminent visit from Cyken (aka Luc Saint-Cyr). Although Cyken has sworn he and Pietas are no longer a couple and never will be again, Pietas is loathe to accept that as fact.
Pietas halted in the doorway. Despite its multiple couches, statues, and art, his stateroom evoked an emotional chill. From the door, nothing broke the stark monotony of white. And why did he care?
Because he'd do anything to impress Cyken.
"Fool that I am." Pietas tapped his bracelet. "Uurah. I ordered plants for my quarters." He crossed to the life-sized statue of Cyken commissioned multiple lifetimes ago. "Where are they?"
"An android crew is on its way, my lord. They should be there any second."
Why had he not noticed a shiny spot on one cheek of the black-and-gold marble? Pietas brushed the back of his fingers across the statue's cheek in a hand-kiss, an affectionate greeting among their people. He did that every time he passed. Had he caused this? Perhaps so. He'd touched it at least once a day, over hundreds... no, thousands of days.
Curious, he turned to the white marble statue outside his bedroom. Two worn places on this one. Cheek and shoulder. A third statue stood further out of his path, but in direct line of sight upon leaving his bedroom. If his gaze had weight, that one would have holes in it.
Here he stood, surrounded by life-sized images of three people he'd loved most, yet feeling more alone than he'd ever been in his immortal life.
The door buzzed, and Pietas tapped his bracelet to open it.
Six androids entered, each carrying a large pot with green plants. "Where would you like these, my lord?"
Another bracelet tap. "Uurah. They want to know where these plants are supposed to go. Get down here and deal with this."
"Yes, my lord. On my way."
Pietas beckoned one of the androids closer and inspected the plant. A robust ivy, common on most worlds. "Uurah, why are they all green? I ordered flowering plants. This room is solid white. I can't greet Cyken in a room that's solid white."
"Three questions."
"Are you on your way? If yes, you may ask."
"I am, my lord. Has Cyken not met with you in that room before?"
What kind of question was that? "You know he has."
"I am confused. Since you have greeted General Cyken there before but now cannot, has something changed in your relationship that I need to be aware of?"
Fates preserve him from literal androids. "No, Uurah. No change. What else?"
"The plants are green and the statue of Cyken is black-and-gold, are they not?"
"Yes, yes." Pietas pressed two fingers against his tight brow. "What's your point?"
"How can the room be solid white if those items are there?"
He stopped himself from snapping a response. Wishing for patience only bred trouble. One did not acquire patience by everything going one's way. He must keep his head while teaching this new variant of Uurah.
What idiot had convinced him upgrading this android again would be worthwhile?
Oh, yes. That would be Cyken. Bless him.
"Uurah, just get down here and bring flowers."
~ * ~
Ring of the Dragon has not yet been released. Although it is complete, it will be released with three other books. Want to know when? Here's how you can discover my new book releases: 1) Sign up for my newsletter. You'll get a five book starter set and other exclusive perks. You can unsubscribe at any time. 2) Follow my Amazon Author Page and get one alert from Amazon when a new story is available. 3) Sign up for AuthorAlarms and the app will send you one email when I release a book. You can add and remove authors on this app at any time.
Check the links below to find more authors in this blog hop.
You'll find these characters mentioned in many books in my story universe.
Download a printable book list and check them off as you read.
Subscribe to our newsletter and start your immortal journey today...
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Book Hooks is a weekly meme hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog.
It's a chance each week for you the reader to discover current works in progress or previously published books by possibly new-to-you authors.
Thank you for stopping by. Please say hello or leave a note in the comments.
A Stolen Heart is science fiction with male/male relationships.
An ex-lover brings his constant drama back into Luc's life, just as Luc's trying to find a safe home for a toddler he has somehow acquired. There's no way the child can become a permanent resident.
Luc has no time for a family.
But once this adorable little tot enters Luc's life, his heart is well and truly stolen...
How can taking children from their families ever be right? There is no way to justify that kind of evil.
After learning that his apprentice had been stolen from his family, Luc vows to never let it happen to anyone else. But how?
In this scene, Luc must dig deeper into the truth. The truth he'd heard was heartbreaking. His foster son, Kaydn, had been stolen from his family as a toddler.
Luc and Kaydn talked most of the night. His Deshai showed him evidence gathered by the older sister Kaydn had never known. While Kaydn had been learning how to circumvent the law, Orella Vettov had learned to enforce it. First as a cop, and then as a detective specializing in missing children. She'd supplied her kidnapped brother with names, dates, and statistics.
It wasn't only Kaydn who'd been taken. There were at least fifteen others, and Vettov wasn't through digging.
The realization that this had begun while he was Grand Master struck Luc down in shame. It was his duty and responsibility to know everything the Guild did under his command, and he'd failed to flag it.
Kaydn was right. Luc not only wanted to burn down the Thieves' Guild, he wanted to crush it to the last ember.
Three mortal lifetimes he'd invested in that institution: first as Cyr de Tomasson, centuries ago, then in his previous life as Neene St. Thomas, and now as Luc Saint-Cyr. Lives spent hiding his true nature to carry out the mission: protect humanity.
Different identities. Same skill. Same talent. Same passion. Same utter devotion.
Someone had tarnished everything he'd lived for. And for what?
"Kaydn." Swallowing hard against the breath lodged in his throat, Luc clasped his Deshai's hand. "I didn't do this to you, but I apologize for it."
"I know." He braced his other arm alongside Luc's. "Right now, I hate the Guild. But Sen'dai, I know the Guild could go back to what it was. We're thieves, but honorable." Kaydn pulled away. "I can't stay. It's not personal."
"I'd want to leave, too, in your situation. I can't. Not until I fix this."
"What are we going to do, Sen'dai? It's not like we can invite the police to investigate the Guild."
"I can imagine how that would go over. I'll think of something. I have contacts and there's idBot."
"Sen'dai, I don't want to destroy everything you and my brothers have worked for. And I wouldn't skip Nikko's graduation for anything."
"Until I can dig into this and figure out who knew what, don't do anything different. Take some time off. Let me do what I do best. I'll know more by Nikko's big day."
"Luc." Kaydn pointed toward the door. "What if that little HalfKin was taken?" The agony on his Deshai's face crushed Luc's heart. "What if my brothers were?"
"I'll find out." Luc set a hand on Kaydn's shoulder. "I will stop this. Nothing I can say or do will make up for being torn from your family, but I will try to make it right."
Kaydn gave him a soul-searching look. "I trust you."
Fans of the Antonello Brothers series will enjoy seeing the characters Luc Saint-Cyr, Pietas, and Dessy (the Empress Destoiya). Plus, they'll meet Senth, the playful future hero of At the Mercy of Her Pleasure, when he is a three-year-old boy.
Check the links below to find more authors in this blog hop.
You'll find these characters mentioned in many books in my story universe.
Download a printable book list and check them off as you read.
JOIN US FOR BOOKHOOKS
Book Hooks is a weekly meme hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog.
It's a chance each week for you the reader to discover current works in progress or previously published books by possibly new-to-you authors.
Thank you for stopping by. Please say hello or leave a note in the comments.
Check out the cute dragon chibis!
A statue is a (more or less) realistic image of a person or creature. A chibi is a stylized version, usually with a big head and eyes.
I love hanging out on Instagram. I rarely post, but I do like and follow (a lot!). I especially like artists, cosplayers, etc.
When I kept seeing adorable chibis, I decided to have a couple made of the dragons from the Bringer of Chaos series. If you've read the books, you know I've only hinted at the dragons so far. I promise, they're coming.
Aren't dragons fantasy? Well, what if these creatures were extinct on Earth, but not on other planets? And what if they could exist in an alternate dimension? Remember the Gates of Life? Let me just say, you'll see.
The dragons are from House Snow Dragon on Instagram and were shipped from the Ukraine. Well worth the money and the wait. I got to pick eye color, body and accent color and let her pick the pose.
Red is Fireshade (Dessy's dragon). White is Stormsinger (Pietas's dragon). Who knew you could get chibi dragons?
And then my pride and joy in front -- a custom chibi of Pietas. Look at his armor! FloratalesCreations copied the armor Nik Nitsvetov wore in his cosplay of Pietas last year. Right down to the shoes and the weapon. I know a soldier shouldn't be adorable, but... 🙂 I absolutely love this guy. He and the dragons sit right beneath my monitor.
Nik is doing another Pietas cosplay on October 10th (time to be announced). Watching Nik perform is amazing. If you haven't seen him do this before, you owe it to yourself to come watch. He holds the event in the evening in Russia, so it's morning for us in America. Once I have the time, I'll put it in my newsletter due out Oct 7th. Or sign up here to just be notified with one email.
Go peek at my blog post for Wed 9/16. You'll see a step-by-step transformation. You'll also get a closer look at Nik and his acting ability. This guy knows how to show subtle emotion. I wish he lived closer, alas, Moscow is a long ways away! Check out that blog post and you'll get an appreciation for his talent.
Check the links below to find more authors in this blog hop.
Pick up the first story in the Bringer of Chaos series, Lights Out, free by joining a reader group!
https://kayelleallen.com/reader-groups
JOIN US FOR BOOKHOOKS
Book Hooks is a weekly meme hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog.
It's a chance each week for you the reader to discover current works in progress or previously published books by possibly new-to-you authors.
Thank you for stopping by. Please say hello or leave a note in the comments.
The diplomatic immunity of an alien ambassador might be the only thing that saves Khyff's brother...
In this excerpt from For Women Only, Ambassador Mehfawni Ruh has just discovered her brother, Dallon, has been murdered. She must return to her home planet. But she's Khyff's only hope of saving his brother.
The chill in the room had nothing to do with air temperature. Now that Mehfawni knew about her brother's death, Khyff felt the collective gaze of her all-female staff stab into him. He didn't need telepathy to read their thoughts. Their body language shouted at him.
Be gone, alien. Get out. You don't belong here.
Fawni's eyes filled with tears as she looked up at him.
Khyff melted. No matter how much the others hated him and wanted him gone, he couldn't leave her alone with this kind of news. What if it had been Senth who'd died? That possibility was all too real.
Khyff wrapped both arms around her and held her tightly against him, his cheek against her hair. "Oh, Fawni, I'm so sorry."
She clutched his leather jacket and clung to him as if all the strength had seeped out of her. He stroked her hair and kissed her brow.
"This can't be true." Her voice was muffled against his jacket. She turned and faced Kata. "There's been a mistake. It has to be wrong."
Kata didn't lift her gaze. "I'm sorry, Eetzesar. The news came directly from Tzesar Ehldani."
Khyff expected Mehfawni to crumble. He could feel her shaking. But she drew herself up to her full height and took two steps away from him. With one hand on Kata's arm, she looked around the room at her staff. Ten Kin gazed back at her, their expressions full of pride and sorrow.
She cleared her throat. "Thank you. All of you. Kata, when do we return home?"
The young assistant looked up, revealing the tracks of tears on her face. "At dawn, Eetzesar."
He wanted to hold Mehfawni, bring her back into his arms, but she kept her back rigid, her head high.
"Good, Kata. I'll need you to help me with a few things." She told the others, "Get some rest. We'll all need our strength when we get home."
Her staff dispersed quietly, and Mehfawni reached back and held Khyff's hand while she talked softly to Kata in her breathy native language.
What am I going to do now? Images rose in Khyff's mind. Senth swathed in bandages, lying in the hospital. NarrAy trapped in a glass cage. Both depending on him for their freedom. For their lives. And all he could do was stand here and hold Mehfawni's hand while the hope he had for saving them made arrangements to leave.
"Senth Antonello."
Khyff's attention riveted to Mehfawni's words. "What?"
She looked up at him. "You're such a male, Khyffy. Here I am making arrangements for your brother and his fiancée, and you're not even paying attention."
"Arrangements? What kind of arrangements?"
"You didn't hear a word I said, did you?"
"Well, you were speaking Felis, so I couldn't understand you."
"Oh." She touched her chin. "That was rude of me. I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize. You're upset. It's natural. What arrangements?"
"I can't leave you, Khyffy. I want you to come home with me."
His stomach went all hollow and his head light. His chest ached. He couldn't catch his breath, couldn't speak.
Felidae? Kin. Enemies. And...Mehfawni. He breathed. "I... Mehfawni, my brother... I--"
"Khyff, I know you can't leave when you're worried about your family. I couldn't do that either. So Kata's going to make sure my diplomatic immunity is extended to Senth and his fiancée. NarrAy's a Better, isn't she?"
"Yes, but--"
"Then your brother is addicted to her. He'll need her pheromones if he's going to heal properly. We need to get her out of prison so they can be together."
"Mehfawni, I don't understand." His heart pounded so hard, he was afraid he wouldn't hear her answer. Is this what hope feels like? Is there some way to keep Sen and NarrAy safe and escape the Conqueror's choke hold?
Mehfawni gave him a look that said he should try to pay attention, and then she grasped his hands. "I read their story in the news, remember? It wasn't fair of the police to imprison her for defending her mate. At the time, I thought there wasn't anything I could do, but now that I know it's your brother, I can do something. If you come home with me as part of my entourage, you'll have diplomatic immunity, which extends to your family as well, if I wish it." She squeezed his hands. "And I do wish it."
Not if Mehfawni found out what he'd been sent to do to her, she wouldn't.
Khyff floundered, awash in a sea of emotion. His hope dashed on the rocky shore of reality, but he drew her hand to his mouth and kissed it. Maybe, if he could buy some time, he could think of a permanent solution.
Check the links below to find more authors in this blog hop.
Each book in this series is standalone and each has a happy ending. No cliffhangers.
When read together, the stories reveal a detailed tapestry of events woven by immortal characters in the background.
You'll find these characters mentioned in many books in my story universe.
Download a printable book list and check them off as you read.
JOIN US FOR BOOKHOOKS
Book Hooks is a weekly meme hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog. It's a chance each week for you the reader to discover current works in progress or previously published books by possibly new-to-you authors. Thank you for stopping by. Please say hello or leave a note in the comments.
How nice after the months of writing to have a good review.
A former space pirate who’s gone straight rescues a vulnerable child adept at breaking into things. By protecting the boy, Luc unlocks secrets that threaten to topple the powerful king Luc once loved. For the child's safety, Luc must send the boy away, far from danger. Nowhere near him. Even if this little one has already stolen his heart...
Here's a short snippet from a review or two of A Stolen Heart.
"There’s more than one stolen heart in this remarkable book! ... I loved every bit of this story! Highly recommended." -- author Dee S Knight
"The core conflict in this book is the disconnect between who Luc is and the feelings he has for Senthys. Ms. Allen does a wonderful job depicting the child's remarkable abilities and winning ways, and exposing Luc's softer side as he falls in love with the boy." -- author Lisabet Sarai
"...the youth and playfulness of an immortal King contrasts against the experience and maturity of an age worn subject... The strength of characterization and plot thickens as the story brews... This galactic mystery is sure to hold true on the what the title claims; the readers are sure to end up with 'A Stolen Heart'!" -- FD (blog review)
A Stolen Heart, along with the entire Antonello Brothers series, is $ .99 through the summer.
Check out the special June 10, 2020 on Bargain Booksy
This review is biased as all get out, but it's one of my favorites! This is what my editor, Barb Caffrey had to say about the book after she tore it apart and then handed it back to me. She is gentle when she tells you to fix something, but you aren't getting by with anything, believe me. Here's what she had to say.
"Folks, I'm glad to talk about my friend and fellow author Kayelle Allen. I've edited at least six of her books (maybe more; I've lost count), and I'm always happy to work on them because they're well-detailed, well-organized, and a lot of fun. But A Stolen Heart, which is all of the above, is even more than that. It's about optimism, in the face of great loss. It's about the blessings of family, even when you don't think you deserve it. It's about personal growth, and self-sacrifice, and finding your own way in the world…most of all, it's about figuring out how to love yourself, warts and all, even when you've done something so horrible you have nightmares about it many years after the fact." -- editor Barb Caffrey
Yes, even when someone points out something they thought needed improvement, that's a good thing. One reviewer thought I shouldn't have mentioned two characters from a previous series. I can understand the reasoning, especially if a reader doesn't know them. I brought them into the book because these characters crossover into the series in later books, and because they are the single most powerful influences on these characters. Without them, there would be no story now.
The challenge is to consider how to use reviews to create a better story next time. In a review of a different book, one reviewer said the story lacked enough science fiction elements. Since about 70% of the story took place on an alien world where they had nothing to survive with but rudimentary gear in a backpack, there wasn't much sci-fi to include. But in future books, I recalled the advice and made sure I had plenty of that element.
Good and bad reviews are part of writing. Learning to grow a thick skin and be a professional is what separates the wannabe writers from the serious ones. If you've read this story and haven't yet left a review, I'd love it if you would. You can share it on Goodreads, Amazon, or your own social media. I'd love to hear what you think, good or bad. Send me a link!
Be sure to check out the other authors below in this blog hop.
You'll find these characters mentioned in many books in my story universe.
Download a printable book list and check them off as you read.
JOIN US FOR BOOKHOOKS
Book Hooks is a weekly meme hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog. It's a chance each week for you the reader to discover current works in progress or previously published books by possibly new-to-you authors. Thank you for stopping by. Please say hello or leave a note in the comments.
Luc looks human, but he's not. He's a twelve thousand year-old immortal who's accustomed to hiding what he is, what he does, and what he feels. So when the three year-old in his charge is upset by a mean bully, Luc must jump into action.
Set up: A Deshai is a student in the Thieves' Guild. A teacher is a Sen'dai. In the Tarthian Empire, training often begins at age three. Luc has taken Senthys shopping in an exclusive store. A human client inside with her young child takes offense at the presence of a "dirty halfbreed" like Senthys. When the woman demands that management throw Luc and Senthys out, she gets what's coming to her and is herself asked to leave. As this opens, she has picked up her child, who'd been standing next to Senthys, and gone out the door in a huff.
"I'm so sorry, Mr. Saint-Cyr." The manager touched his arm.
"Thank you, but I'm more concerned about my Deshai. Excuse me." He turned toward Senthys and held out his arms.
The boy ran to him.
Luc scooped Senthys up. "Did she hurt you?"
The boy's eyes glittered with tears. One slipped down his cheek. "I took a bath."
"Oh, Senthys." Luc hugged him close. "That woman was mean. You are not dirty. Not one bit." He cupped his hand around the child's head, lacing his fingers through the long curls. "I'm sorry she hurt your feelings."
With his head on Luc's shoulder, Senthys sniffled. "It's okay."
"No, it's not. It's never okay to be mean." He traced small circles on the boy's back. "Can you look at me?"
Senthys lifted his head.
"It's okay to admit when you're hurt or feel bad." He wiped the boy's tears. "You don't have to pretend you're okay."
"I don't?" Senthys played with Luc's tie.
The manager and assistant both hovered nearby, adjusting stacks of clothing yet he felt their surreptitious attention as if it were touches. This had turned into a far more public outing than he'd anticipated. Nothing to do but wade in and clean up the mess.
"It's okay to be sad. Everyone is sad sometimes. You don't have to hide pain." Here he was saying the words, when he couldn't do the same thing with Pietas.
"Wili says only babies care about feelings."
"Does he?" Luc adjusted Senthys in his arms, and tugged down the hem of the boy's shirt. "Wili is wrong. It's okay to cry. It's also okay to tell people when they hurt your feelings. Remember how you told your brother he hurt my feelings?"
"Yes, sir."
"If an adult is mean to you, you can come to me and I will defend you. I will try to keep mean people away from you, but if they say anything to you, it's okay to tell me. It's okay to be scared and it's okay to be mad. What is it that we don't do?"
"We don't hit or claw."
"That's right! Good job, Senthys." He hugged him. "You played nicely. Nothing you did was wrong. None of her yelling was for anything you did. You were a good boy."
"I was?" The boy looked so pleased with himself that Luc couldn't help but laugh.
"Yes, you were." He gave him a small squeeze. "Would you like to help me shop now? And then we'll get ice cream."
Senthys wiggled, trying to get down, so Luc put him back on the floor. The boy took his hand and looked up at the manager. "Ma'am, I would like some new clothes, please."
Luc could have burst, he was so proud.
The woman bent toward him. "I'd be happy to help you."
"Thank you." Senthys turned his blue-eyed gaze up at her, offering a blazing smile. "You're pretty," he declared, with a boy's innocent charm.
She blushed. "Why, thank you."
"You make my Sen'dai happy. He likes you." He tugged Luc's hand. "Right?"
"Senthys!"
"What?" He blinked up at Luc, the image of a perfect angel.
"Kids." Standing, the woman looked up at Luc through her lashes. "What can you do?" With a flirtatious smile, she beckoned to them.
Who knew having a child offered such a distinct advantage with women? With a new appreciation for his young Deshai, Luc followed.
#SciFi #WriteLGBTQ #MMRomance
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My characters may be found in multiple books in my story universe. Pietas images Nik Nitsvetov as Pietas cosplay.
A Stolen Heart release date is May 11, 2020 (tentative).
I'm hoping to find reviews and reviewers. Is that you? I have advanced pre-edited copies in epub, mobi, and pdf waiting for you to download on Story Origin.
The story is complete, and when published, will include a bonus book, Behind the Scenes of A Stolen Heart. In it, I'll share secrets with you about the characters -- things that aren't revealed in the book.
The version available for review on Story Origin is self-edited and will be sent out for its final edit next week. I'd be happy to get questions if you have any, or if you were confused by anything. An early review would be a great help.
Download the early review copy on Story Origin
He saved a half-human child from a big bad monster, but now, who is rescuing whom?
After rescuing a half-alien / half-human child who's running for his life, warrior-turned-entrepreneur Luc Saint-Cyr stumbles onto a conspiracy at the highest levels of the powerful Thieves' Guild.
Complicating matters, Luc's immortal ex might be involved.
Now Luc must deal with his ex, find a home for the child, squelch the flames of conspiracy and eradicate its perpetrators.
As if that's not enough, an unseen enemy is undoing every good thing Luc accomplishes.
But when it comes time to give up the child to a family who can care for him, how will Luc bear to part with the adorable little boy who has stolen his heart...
You'll find Luc and Senth mentioned in many books in my story universe.
Download a printable book list and check them off as you read.
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