Hi there! Today I’m so excited to share an exclusive excerpt for a fantasy M/M romance form Evelyn Elliot. BAD MAGIC is the first book in her Spell Slave series, and certainly looks intriguing!

I’ll admit, I was *supposed* to post a different excerpt, but it was a randy sex scene, and my blog is PG-13, so….sorry! If you want a bit more risque read, check out the excerpt I could have shared on The Novel Approach.

Also, enter to win your own copy of BAD MAGIC below!

About the book:
Morality is relative. At least that’s what young sorcerer Regis Teller convinces himself. He’s done what he must to survive: working for a witch since he was nine, helping her throw the kingdom into anarchy, and taking his only comfort in her mysterious son, Crow. And soon, Regis is going to commit his first murder.

A do-gooder named Jonathan White has information the witch needs, and it’s Regis’s job to get that information and slit Jonathan’s throat. But then Regis actually meets Jonathan. And Jonathan is perfect—a hero with a passion for justice and little regard for civility.

Lucky for Regis, Jonathan has a weakness for attractive men. Lucky for Jonathan, Regis is fast developing a conscience and a heart. But for Regis, keeping both of them alive at their adventure’s end means breaking a magical oath and surviving his ruthless boss—all without telling Jonathan the truth. Falling in love is never easy, especially when everyone involved is lying through their teeth.

This tasty bit…

They stopped at dusk. Regis set about making a fire to stave off the cold, Jonathan vanished wordlessly. Regis didn’t bother to ask where he was going.

As soon as Jonathan left, Jonathan’s dragon friend—Chartreuse—slunk over. What did you do to Jonathan?

“What did I do? He kissed me.”

Kissed you, hm? She sat on her haunches. That’s one of those pre-mating rituals, isn’t it? You don’t smell like you mated.

“I rejected him.”

Truly? Disbelief colored her voice. Regis frowned at her. Well, it’s nothing personal, but…. Jonathan is skilled. Protective. Fierce. You are small, ill-tempered, and easily bruised. You’re not going to find a better mate.

“Oh, stop. You’re just angry I rejected your precious hatchling.”

How dare you. Flirting with him for weeks, then shattering his hopes. I have a question for you, Regis. What drives you to such sadism? Do you simply enjoy ripping out hearts?

“Oh, shut up.” He kicked a rock. “If I’m such an awful person, I did the right thing, pushing him away.”

Well, do it more nicely, Chartreuse said. He won’t talk to me.

He was saved from further debate by the reappearance of Jonathan. Empty-handed, Jonathan stopped at the edge of the campsite and looked at Chartreuse with an expression that neither confirmed nor denied that he had heard any part of their conversation.

Chartreuse could “speak” to only one person at a time, if she so chose. Regis remembered this from their time on the river. Had Jonathan heard the whole conversation or only half? Had he heard anything at all?

“No game tonight?” Regis asked. Jonathan shook his head. Chartreuse curled around him, her back facing Regis. Cold, irritated, and hungry, Regis lay down close to the fire. He wished he could share body heat with Jonathan like they had before, but likely the attempt would get him a black eye.

After a few minutes, he remembered something. “Hey,” he said, sitting up. He untied Jonathan’s sword from his pack. Jonathan gave him no attention. Irritated, Regis laid the sword next to Chartreuse. Shivering, he retreated to his side of the fire.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

He awoke in a pile of warmth. A cloak lay over him. Thick, expensive, heavy with fur trimmings. The cloth was blue bordered with gold. Jonathan’s cloak.

He glanced at Jonathan, who poured water on the campfire, extinguishing the last embers. Was the cloak a peace offering? Regis wrapped it about his shoulders and hugged it close. It smelled like sword oil and leather.

Jonathan relaxed after that but remained silent as a corpse.

Sometimes, Regis caught him looking from the corners of his eyes.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

The next day, Chartreuse spoke to him again. Jonathan says I should apologize to you.

The man in question was out of earshot. “So?” Regis said. “Are you going to?”

I suppose, she said heavily. You’re not so bad for a human creature. I still think this quarrel of yours is ridiculous, but it’s just as much Jonathan’s fault as yours. Besides, something has been bothering me. I must ask. Why did you fertilize two females at once during that human mating dance? To increase your chances of producing offspring?

Regis made a face. “Gods, no.”

I thought not. Well, aren’t you worried? What if you come back in a year or two and find a hatchling with gray eyes and a surly face?

Someone really ought to tell her that humans didn’t hatch from eggs. That person was not going to be Regis. “No worries. There’s this herb called childsbane. Any man who chews it becomes sterile for a few days. I had some last night. It’s a pretty common practice.”

But why did the two females want to share? There were other males available.

He shrugged. “Some people like that sort of thing.”

Are all Tyrians so promiscuous?

He was surprised. “Promiscuous?”

I take it this kind of behavior is common, then.

“I’m not promiscuous,” he said. “I generally sleep with the same person, it’s just that he’s not around right now. And even if I was, so what? It’s not like he cares. I’m not ashamed of it. If he wanted me to stop sleeping around, I would. Gods know he’s fucking every barmaid from here to the Frozen Wastes.” He kicked the grass. “Do dragons only have one mate forever?”

Chartreuse sniffed. Dragons form prides. We females band together, select one superior male mate, and produce offspring with him. Is mating with both sexes common among humans?

“Pretty common, yeah. I hear they’ve got some weird taboos elsewhere.”

Chartreuse hummed to herself. The noise was bloodcurdling. The humans where Jonathan is from don’t use childsbane. Perhaps it does not grow in cold climates.

He shrugged. “Probably. It would explain why they’re so uptight about sex. I mean, if they can’t sleep together without producing children, then of course they associate sex with pregnancy. Of course they think men sleeping with men is unnatural. Of course.”

I have a counter-theory, Chartreuse said.

Regis perked up. “Oh?”

Tyrians are whores.

“You’re a dick,” he said, and went back to ignoring her.

This one sounds absolutely fun. I do know that it’s got some serious naughty bits, too. Yay!!

Interested? You can find BAD MAGIC on Goodreads, Dreamspinner Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and AllRomance.

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Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a copy of BAD MAGIC for yourself!
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
At first glance, Evelyn Elliott seems like a perfectly normal person. Do not be deceived. Her hobbies include watching grisly horror movies, torturing her characters, and tending to her flower garden. She enjoys long walks on the beach and collecting the souls of small children. Whenever she reads a book, she always roots for the villain.

Avoid her at all costs. Certainly do not find her on Facebook or befriend her Goodreads. You have better things to do.