Hello, Gentle Readers! This week I'm back with Chapter 2 of Blood Kiss - my upcoming M/M Vampire Mafia Romance. If you missed Chapter 1, scroll down to the post below this one. This is an advanced look and not the final edited and proofed copy so there may be a few mistakes. Okay, please enjoy Everett and Solan's next meeting!

The next evening, Everett set the wheels in motion to collect his runaway blood pet. He called Harumi, his second in command, into his office.
 
She came in, tablet in hand and heels rhythmically tapping on the glossy black marble floor.
 
"Harumi, get me Nora Kane's personal number. And what's the best time in my schedule tonight for a meeting?"
 
"I can reschedule the quarterly drinks and payoff meeting with the captain of the vice squad. That frees up the nine o'clock hour."
 
"Do it." He hated those anyway. The vice-captain only wanted to meet in person so he could brag to his fellow crooked cop cronies that he regularly met with a mob boss vampire. But keeping him happy was essential. Because although the blood pet auctions were legal, there were many other Sanguis Syndicate enterprises that were not. A happy vice-captain kept the vice squad off his back.
 
Harumi nodded. "Give me a minute and I'll have Ms. Kane on the line. I'll speak with the captain myself."
 
"Thank you."
 
Barely a minute after Harumi left the room, his desktop phone beeped and his receptionist's pleasant voice came through the speaker.
 
"Mr. Everett, Ms. Kane is holding for you."
 
"Thank you, Nancy." He pushed the button to accept the call. "Hello, Ms. Kane."
 
"Mr. Everett. To what do I owe the pleasure of your call?"
 
"I believe I met your brother last night. A redhead named Solan?"
 
"Yes, that is my little brother. What is he up to now?"
 
"That's what I'd like to come by tonight and discuss."
 
There was a brief pause before she answered.
 
"Of course. What time is good for you?"
 
"I have an opening at nine o'clock."
 
"Then I'll see you at nine."
 
They said their goodbyes. Everett set the phone back in its cradle and leaned back in his chair. He was one step closer to claiming his pet.

Hello and Happy Friday! Today I bring you the first chapter of Blood Kiss, my upcoming M/M Vampire Mafia Romance. This is an advanced peek - which means it's not the final edited and proofed version. So if you come across a mistake or two just pretend like you didn't see it. ;-) Happy Reading!

"I can't believe you're doing this."
 
Solan grinned at his best friend. "I've always wanted to see what these auctions are like. What better way to find out than to enter one myself?"
 
Always the practical one, Todd shook his head. "I'm sure there were at least five different ways you could have found out the answer to that question that didn't involve putting yourself up for sale to be a vampire's blood pet."
 
"True. But those ways wouldn't have been as fun."
 
He'd been curious about the blood pet auctions for some time. When he'd heard that Club Scarlet was hosting one, he'd decided to sign up. It was an exciting idea. Something to break up the everyday boredom of his life. He'd been thrilled when he'd received his acceptance package, welcoming him into the Club Scarlet auction program. Now, he was backstage waiting for the final approval before the auction began.
 
"Okay, Mr. Kane. Your second round of tests all came back clear," one of the assistants said. "You are good to go."
 
Solan nodded. "Thank you."
 
He and Todd headed off to the hair and makeup area. A stylist waved at him so he went to her chair.
 
"I haven't worked on someone with your coloring in a while. Had to snag you before anyone else did." The stylist tied a small white bib around his neck to catch makeup spills. "Do you normally wear makeup?"
 
Solan shook his head. "Only the occasional lip gloss."
 
"Okay, then. You'll need something to define your features under the bright stage lights but I'll keep it simple so you feel like yourself."
 
"Sounds good," Solan said. He sat still as she brushed powder over his face and dusted a peach blush over his cheekbones. She applied a soft bronze eyeshadow, brown eye liner, and dark mascara that made the indigo blue of his eyes pop. The makeup artist finished with a sheer rosy lipstick.
 
"Perfect," she said. "Now for your hair."
 
"I want it up when I first go out but I want to be able to take it down while I'm on stage."
 
"Oooh, you're dramatic. I like that."
 
The stylist ran a brush through his long red hair that hung past his shoulders until the waves were soft and full. Then she gathered up the entire mass, twisting it into one long coil. She wrapped the coil around itself, forming a bun at the back of his head that she secured with a long silver hair pin.
 
Solan looked at himself in the mirror when she was done. "I love it! Thank you."
 
"You're welcome. Good luck out there."

Hello everyone! I'm excited to announce that I have a new M/M paranormal romance coming soon. Blood Kiss is a vampire mafia romance and today I'm showing you the cover! Want to know more about this steamy vampire romance? Keep reading for the summary and an excerpt.

No Price Is Too High To Pay When A Vampire Is Determined To Claim His Mate

Vampire Everett has zero interest in purchasing a human to meet his blood needs. As a crime lord in the Sanguis Syndicate, his nights are too busy to have time to care for a human in exchange for their blood. Until a gorgeous redhead steps onto the auction stage. Suddenly, Everett is willing to bid any amount to win the charming young man for himself.

Solan entered the blood donor auctions as a lark. But things quickly turn serious when he meets the glowing blue gaze of his tall, stern vampire patron. Solan fights his attraction to Everett, determined to complete his contract without any physical or emotional entanglements. However, the sensual intimacy of sharing his blood with Everett, of feeling his fangs pierce his neck, might derail all of Solan’s plans to resist him.

Bound together by a contract, passion slowly begins to burn between the vampire and his pet. But will that passion be enough to keep them together once their contract comes to an end?

 Blood Kiss is an M/M vampire romance. It has a spoiled but loving mob prince, the stern vampire who adores him, blood drinking hot enough to melt your e-readers, and a guaranteed Happily Ever After.  

Tags: Paranormal Romance, Vampires, Organized Crime, Slow Burn
Heat Level: High/Explicit
Content: Violence, Blood Drinking

"Are you saying that I can feed from you?"

"Yes."

After his answer, Solan's heart thundered as if he had a galloping race horse in his chest. He'd just agreed to let Everett drink his blood. That wasn't what he'd expected to happen when he'd charged down the stairs half-cocked but he didn't backtrack. Not even when Everett stared at him for a long moment, as if he was waiting for him to change his mind. When Solan didn't say anything, Everett nodded, accepting his answer.

"Are you scared?" Everett asked.

"No," he lied.

"Good. Because there's nothing to be afraid of."

Everett went over and sat on the couch. Solan's eyes skittered away from the way his dress pants hugged his muscular thighs.

"Come and sit down," he said patting the spot next to him.

Solan joined him, sitting stiffly with his back straight and hands tightly gripping his knees.

"Relax," Everett said softly.

Solan tried to do so, but he didn't manage to do more than slightly loosen the death grip he had on his kneecaps. He looked at Everett, allowing a little of his nervousness to show. "Will it hurt?"

"Yes. But only for a moment. After that, a relaxing feeling will take over."

"I won't enjoy it."

"Hmmm." Everett made the noncommittal noise as he reached for the buttons on Solan's night shirt.

Solan flinched back. "What are you doing?"

"I need to take your shirt off."

"Why?"

"I prefer not to have your collar jabbing me in the nose while I feed. Is that all right?"

Solan thought about it for a moment. What Everett said made sense. And he didn't know how messy the feeding would be. Taking his night shirt off would keep any of his blood from dripping on it. He nodded. "That's fine."

Everett slowly slipped each button from its hole. He pushed the pajama top off Solan's shoulder first before removing it completely. He didn't pay much attention to Solan's bared chest. All of his attention was on his neck.

"I need to remove this as well," he said in a voice gone low and husky.

He pressed a thumb to the back of the tracking collar and it popped open with a quiet click. The collar fell from Solan's neck. Everett caught it and set it aside. When he looked back at Solan, his eyes were glowing nearly as bright as they had when he'd carried Solan from Warren's club. He brought a hand up, gently cupping the back of Solan's head and tilting it to the side. Their thighs pressed together when he moved over and leaned in. Solan tried to stay calm but his heart was pounding. This was really happening.

Soft breath brushed over his skin first. Then came twin pinpricks of pain. They were quickly replaced by a warm, shivery sensation that started at the site of the bite and flowed throughout his entire body. Everett's lips formed a tight seal on Solan's neck. When he took the first pull on his vein, Solan was hit with an unexpected wave of deep pleasure.

"Ah!" He gasped aloud at the shock of it and his head fell back, baring all of his throat. Everett growled, the sound vibrating against his skin. He moved closer, held Solan tighter. Every time Everett sucked, a ripple of exquisite tingling sensation went through Solan. His nipples tightened, his stomach lifting behind his navel. And fuck. He was hard, his cock straining against the front of his pajama pants. He clenched his fists, jamming them against his thighs in an effort to resist the instinct that urged him to reach up and hold on to Everett.

And then, the sucking stopped. Everett stayed there for a moment after he withdrew his fangs, breath hot against Solan's neck. He licked over the spots where he'd bitten, sealing the wounds. Solan bit his lip, holding back the moan that wanted to slip free at the feel of Everett's warm, wet tongue lazily sliding over the sensitive spot on his neck. He remained quiet and still, trying not to call attention to his body's responses to Everett drinking his blood. He would die if Everett saw his erection.

After what felt like an endless amount of time, Everett finally raised his head. His eyes were still glowing and there was a single smear of blood at the corner of his mouth. As Solan watched, Everett swiped his thumb over the spot, then sucked the digit into his mouth. To his surprise, his cock throbbed at the sight of Everett savoring that final drop of his blood.

Solan hid his arousal behind the shield of a smugly voiced question. "How do I taste?"

"You taste hot."

Unimpressed, Solan rolled his eyes. "All blood is hot."

"I don't mean the temperature. You taste like fire." Everett's glowing eyes dropped to his mouth. "Wild and hot. But also sweet."

Solan's skin was suddenly too tight. And they were sitting too close to one another, their thighs still warmly pressed together. His heart rate sped up. Belatedly remembering that Everett could hear it, Solan again tried to calm his body down. He leaned back, out of their shared space.

"I'm not kissing you," he said baldly. Kissing Everett would be a bad idea. A very bad idea. He decided in that moment, that as long as he was here, he was not going to kiss Everett. Ever.

Blood Kiss releases August 9th. I'm not doing a pre-order for this one, but you can add it on Goodreads. Be sure to add it to your vampire romance shelves on there too!

And if you'd like to be notified when Blood Kiss is available, you have three options. Sign up for my newsletter, follow me on Bookbub or follow me on Amazon.

Thank you for reading! I can't wait to share Everett and Solan's story with you.
Love,
Christa

Sergeant Logan Pierce: He leads his squad with cool efficiency, taking down rough criminals while keeping his team safe. But behind closed doors he sets a darker part of himself free. As a Dom, he’s controlled many submissives, but never had one for his own. That’s because there’s only one man he wants: Officer Clay Foster.

Officer Clay Foster: Over the years he’s noticed his Sergeant’s secretly admiring glances and suspected his attraction. One night, with one kiss, he’s proven correct. Clay dives headlong into the rough passion of BDSM that Logan introduces him to. He submits to Logan’s control, accepting the sweet shackles that bind him to his Sergeant. But secrets, both his and Logan’s, force him to leave the newfound safety of his Dom’s arms.

Logan refuses to let go of what he’s wanted for so long, Clay as his own, proudly wearing his collar. Can he safely guide Clay through the obstacles that separate them until he can claim his submissive once more?

Sergeant Logan Pierce walked back into the police station with his team. Everybody was laughing and relaxed as was usually the case after a successful callout. Their SWAT team was the best on the Houston Police Department and one of the best in the country. Logan’s gaze was drawn to one of his scouts, Corporal Clay Foster. He liked to keep an eye on his boys, his scouts in particular. They had one of the more dangerous jobs, moving first into critical situations to scope them out for the rest of the squad. He wanted to make sure they were handling the stress of their position. But that wasn’t the only reason he watched Clay.

His scout smiled as he described the look on the gunman’s face when he’d realized he was surrounded by SWAT.  The entry team blocked his way out the front. He hadn’t been aware of Clay and his other scout, Corporal Quan Pham, at his back. His face was so full of amazement when he spun around and saw them that Clay’s order to get on the ground had been tinged with laughter.

Clay ran his fingers through his hair, the short black curls slightly flattened from his helmet. Logan looked away. He didn’t want anyone to catch the expression on his face as he imagined running his own fingers through that silky hair. He’d desired Clay for a long time, but lately it had grown to the point that it was on his mind whenever they weren’t working.

Clay was definitely attractive with those dark curls. His face was clean shaven and lightly tanned. Long, dark lashes framed blue eyes that were so bright he had to control his reaction the first time he’d looked into them. And Clay’s mouth made him think of all sorts of things that were inappropriate for the work place, especially the sweet curve of his bottom lip. The strong line of his jaw and the hard body that he carried with such confidence kept him from being pretty. And he was tall, only a few inches below Logan’s own height of six foot three. He filled out the dark SWAT uniform very well. Corporal Clay Foster was a mix of beauty, strength, and brave intelligence that had intrigued him for years.

Once St. Louis’s greatest superhero, Lieutenant Vince Strong has now retired to civilian life. With his newfound free time, he finds himself reminiscing about Jace – the perfect and gorgeous submissive that he pushed away years ago. When Jace returns to town after a ten-year absence, he reignites the fierce love and passion that Vince has never been able to forget.

Determined to correct the biggest mistake of his life, Vince sets out to win Jace’s heart once more. Before he can do so however, a previously defeated foe reemerges. Carrying a grudge hardened by hate, his old enemy threatens to destroy everything and everyone Vince cares about – including Jace.

Vince will do whatever it takes to earn a second chance with the only man he’s ever loved. But Jace is reluctant to give himself to the man who broke his heart. Can these reunited lovers find their way back to each other or will past hurt and the menacing threat of a vengeful villain keep them apart forever?

"Last night a number of St. Louisans received quite a scare when a section of the Metro Link bridge they were traveling over collapsed. Thankfully, a couple of our local superheroes were on the scene with the save. Here's exclusive footage from Channel 8 News."
 
Vince stepped onto the treadmill in his small home gym. Pressing the Start button, he began a steady walk while the morning news played on the TV mounted to the wall. He watched with narrow-eyed concentration as Helios - the most powerful superhero in St. Louis flew in and caught the front of the light rail train before it could plunge to the ground below. Helios had averted the initial disaster.
 
Unfortunately, more sections of the bridge began to break apart and crumble. One by one, the other cars on the train began to tip over as well, dragged down by the awkward angle and dead weight of the car before it. Helios rushed to halt the domino effect of falling train cars. But he couldn't hold them all up at once. The superhero was fast and powerful, but there was only so much he could do on his own.

Add STRONG on Goodreads!

Hello and Happy 2022! We’re a month and some change into a new year and I wanted to share with you what I have planned for my publishing schedule. First, I will be continuing with the Arch City Guardians superhero romance series. Books one and two – BLAZE and DR. Z – are currently out on Amazon. STRONG, the prequel to the ACG series, will be released next week on Feb 15th. It will be on Amazon for .99 and free to download on my website. And BEAST – ACG Book three – is coming at the end of March.

Be sure to check out the Arch City Guardians page on my website where I have all the good stuff like book summaries, reading order, bonus stories, superhero character power stats, and more. Yay, for sexy and fun superhero romance!

In other Arch City Guardian news, I’m starting a story podcast for BLAZE! I will read Danny and Jordan’s story a chapter at a time and share them with you in weekly podcast format. You will be able to listen to the BLAZE story podcast on YouTube, Spotify, Apple, Google, and my website. This is a project I’ve wanted to do for a long time and I’m so excited it’s finally coming into being. The trailer is out now and episode one drops February 16th.

Also on YouTube, I have a channel where I talk about all things romance - both the genre and in fandom. I've got lots of topics & fun trivia quizzes lined up, so I would love if you would pop over to YouTube and give me a look-see!

I’m also working on a fantasy romance web serial. The tentatively titled Warriors of Agymah is a fantasy romance set in an fantasy/futuristic Egypt-esque world. Did you catch all that? Lol. Just imagine a fantasy Egypt with Afrofuturism aesthetics. Originally intended as a BTS Jikook alternative universe fanfiction, I decided to write and publish it as an original work instead.

WoA features two main characters – Ghalen and Cevon – who are conscripted into their kingdom’s army for an eleven-year service. As warriors, they will battle other kingdoms and fight demons from the world’s super villainess. During their time of service, they build a found family with five other warriors. Oh, and they fall in love! But it won’t be easy as there are rules, politics, and enemies determined to keep them apart. There will be fighting, fun, intrigue, and sexy times in this one.

WoA will post on my website as a free weekly serial. It will also be available on Tapas, Archive of Our Own, Radish, and WattPad. Once the first chapter goes live next month, I will have all of the links available for you.

Tentatively on the schedule is the third and final book in the Between the Ropes professional wrestling romance series. Finally! This one isn’t set in stone on the schedule. If I am able to get it out, it will be at the end of the year. If not, expect it at the beginning of 2023. As you’ve probably guessed, BtR Book 3 is the story of FPW’s world champion Garrett and the talented tweener Kenji. I’ve got an outline, several thousand words, and a cover all ready to go so I’m really hopeful I’m able to finally bring their story to life.  

Last, I have plans to start some Omegaverse stories. I really do love that sub-genre and I’ve got so many A/B/O ideas bubbling in my brain. So, expect a serial on Radish that will then be published wide once its complete.

And that’s my 2022! I’m excited to share all of these stories with you. Please look forward to them!

Love,
Christa

Be sure to sign up for my newsletter to receive updates and release notifications for my 2022 projects.

Coming soon – STRONG – a new installment in the Arch City Guardians superhero romance series! I’ve written a prequel novella, featuring Lieutenant Strong, the director of the ACG team. In STRONG, you’ll discover the backstory of St. Louis’s beloved retired superhero as well as how the Arch City Guardians came to be.

I want everyone to be able to try this romance to see if reading about superheroes falling in love is their thing, Therefore, STRONG will be available on Amazon for .99 (the lowest price I can set) and on my website as a free download.

I think you’ll really like Vince and Jace’s story. They’re lovers who get a second chance at a relationship nearly a decade after Vince made the difficult decision to end things between them in order to keep Jace safe. Vince has always regretted doing so, but when it came to Jace’s safety he was willing to make that painful but necessary sacrifice.

It’s a decision we’ve seen superheroes have to make over and over again. And it’s valid! They just want to keep their loved ones safe which is admirable. But what about once the danger to their loved one has passed? Can they get a second chance at love?

STRONG is coming soon! I don’t have an official release date, as I’m currently in the process of moving and I’m staying flexible as my schedule changes. But in the next couple of weeks, you’ll see a post pop up with STRONG Now Available! I hope you’ll look forward to it.

Thanks for reading.

Love,
Christa

A Superhero Fights for a Second Chance at Love.

Once St. Louis’s greatest superhero, Lieutenant Vince Strong has now retired to civilian life. With his newfound free time, he finds himself reminiscing about Jace – the perfect and gorgeous submissive that he pushed away years ago. When Jace returns to town after a ten-year absence, he reignites the fierce love and passion that Vince has never been able to forget.

Determined to correct the biggest mistake of his life, Vince sets out to win Jace’s heart once more. Before he can do so however, a previously defeated foe reemerges. Carrying a grudge hardened by hate, his old enemy threatens to destroy everything and everyone Vince cares about – including Jace.

Vince will do whatever it takes to earn a second chance with the only man he’s ever loved. But Jace is reluctant to give himself to the man who broke his heart. Can these reunited lovers find their way back to each other or will past hurt and the menacing threat of a vengeful villain keep them apart forever?

STRONG is the prequel novella in a steamy superhero romance series. Fans of comics and movies who want to see their favorite heroes kiss will love this series!

Superheroes
Return to Hometown
Second Chance
Coffee Shop Fluff
Light Kink

Add STRONG on Goodreads!

This week on my YouTube channel, I explain what romance tropes are and why we use them and list five of my favorites!

Hello! For Work in Progress Wednesday, I have an excerpt from Warriors Of Illumai. This story is my upcoming fantasy romance web serial. I'm looking forward to sharing it with you!

Ghalen looked over his shoulder in the mirror. The wounds on his side and shoulder needed attention but they weren't so bad that he needed to go to the hospital wing right away. He would wait and let those who needed immediate care be treated first. He was about to go to his bathing chamber to wash away the battle grime when a knock came at the door.
"Come in!" he called out.
The door opened and Cevon poked his head inside the room.
"Cevon," Ghalen said in surprise as he rose from his seat.
"Hi. I thought I'd help you with your wounds."
Ghalen was so surprised that Cevon had come to his room to see to him personally that he stood there silent and unmoving for a long moment. At his prolonged silence, Cevon held up the basket of medical supplies in his hands.
"Ghalen...?"
Ghalen snapped back to attention. "Yes. Come in."
Cevon came into the room and closed the door behind him.
Alone in his room with Cevon, Ghalen felt oddly like he should put on a tunic to cover his bare torso. But that was silly. They'd seen each other shirtless countless times over the years. Besides, Cevon would need to remove the shirt to get to his wounds anyway. He waited as his friend crossed the room. Once Cevon was in front of him, he bowed. "I would be honored to have you treat me."
Cevon snorted a laugh and lightly hit him on the arm. "Why are you being so formal with me? Sit down."
He sat back down as directed, waiting quietly as Cevon kneeled on the floor to look at the worst of his two wounds.
"I'll clean it first. This is going to sting a bit."
Ghalen nodded in agreement and braced himself. Cevon applied a wet cloth to the wound, gently wiping away the blood. The task twinged the area, but didn't truly cause any pain.
"That wasn't so bad," he said once Cevon took the cloth away.
Cevon didn't respond. Head bent, he took out a small blue bottle from his medical basket. Removing the cap, he held the bottle over the deep cut on Ghalen's side. Now, he looked up.
"Ah, Ghalen?"
"Yeah?"
"You fought well today."
Ghalen smiled at the praise. "Thanks I -. Owwww!" Ghalen jerked upright, his side burning with fiery pain after Cevon poured whatever was in that bottle over his side. "What was that?"
"That was the part I said was going to sting."
"You said a bit," Ghalen said with a sour pout. His side was throbbing.
Cevon giggled. "Don't be a baby. The fluid cleanses the wound and burns out any infection."
He repeated the treatment on the smaller wound on his right shoulder. This time Ghalen was prepared for the burn and only flinched a little when it was applied.
"I'm sorry I'm not using my healing ability on you."
"Don't be sorry," Ghalen said with a shake of his head. "I know you need to reserve your power."
Cevon took a small cloth and patted the wound on Ghalen's side dry. Then, he pursed his lips and blew a soft breath over the spot.
Shivers chased down Ghalen's spine at the warm breath on his skin, and he visibly trembled. Cevon looked up at him, his dark eyes wide, before he quickly returned his attention to his task. Opening a jar of ointment, he applied small dabs of it to both wounds. To finish, he applied bandages over them.   
"There. All better."
"Thank you for taking care of me," Ghalen said softly. When Cevon looked up at him again with that wide-eyed gaze, Ghalen realized what he'd said. A blush burned his ears and he rushed to correct himself. "I mean us. The team. Not just me. I don't think I'm special or you're giving me special treatment."
"Of course not," Cevon replied.
Cevon lowered his gaze to fuss with the items in his basket but Ghalen saw the soft pink that tinged his cheeks. Worried that he'd embarrassed his friend, Ghalen gave himself a stern warning to carefully watch his words from now on

Coming soon! I'll have a firm start date next week. Thank you for reading!
Love,
Christa