Building Passion in FEATHER FALL–Excerpt and Giveaway!

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Hi there! Today I’m sharing an awesome scene and interview for a new M/M fantasy menage romance from Evelyn Elliott. FEATHER FALL is the second book in the Spell Slave series, and surely looks to up the stakes for Regis, Jonathan and Crow. I know my interest is piqued. It’s the sequel to BAD MAGIC and must be read in order. AllRomance lists this book as five (out of five) chili peppers for hotness.

FeatherFallFSAbout the book:
Hero and criminal. Brute force and subtle charm. Jonathan White and Crow Belcane are polar opposites, but if they want to rescue the man they both love, they’ll have to work together.

After visiting his former lover, Crow knows only one thing: he loves Regis and he will do anything to reclaim him. But before his very eyes, Regis is abducted. Kidnapped by high-end slavers. Only Regis’s infuriating partner, Jonathan—a dangerous vigilante—is willing to help.

To infiltrate the slave ring, Jonathan and Crow disguise themselves as master and pet. As a slave, Crow is pushed to his limit. He’s chained, branded, whipped, and forced to obey Jonathan’s every order. But the longer he spends at Jonathan’s feet, the more natural his disguise begins to feel—and the more he likes it. As much as he hates Jonathan, they make a good team.

Both of them are devoted to Regis. Despite the overwhelming attraction between them, Jonathan is unwilling to betray his partner, and Crow is unwilling to come between them. But once the three of them are together again, all bets are off.

Where it seems all bets are off…

Crow followed Jonathan to the lodging house. Jonathan looked like he was going to explode with rage the entire walk home. Crow prayed they didn’t come across anyone looking for a fight.

When they strode in, the woman at the counter scowled. “Your boy’s only been gone two days,” she said to Jonathan. “Already bringing whores home?”

Jonathan waved her away. “He’s a friend, Marta.”

“Friend,” she muttered. “Yeah, all right.” She sniffed. “Long as you send him on his way when you’re done with him. Don’t want him harassing my patrons.” She bustled down the hall. Crow stared after her in shock.

“She thought you were a prostitute,” Jonathan said helpfully. He opened the door, then locked it behind Crow. Immediately, he went to the back door and swept it open. He went into the garden and hugged Chartreuse around her neck. His grip was white, and his entire body was rigid. “Fucking slavers,” he muttered. “Fucking disgusting.”

Crow leaned against the doorway, arms folded. “Why did the innkeeper think I was a prostitute? Do you often pick up whores?”

Jonathan rolled his eyes at the joke. But he relaxed a little, and he went back inside with Crow. He shut the door. His fingers rested on the knob. “So,” he said.

“So,” Crow said.

Jonathan looked away, hands clenched. “I need a favor.”

“A favor?”

“Will you teach me how to—” Jonathan grimaced. “How to be charming.”

“What?”

“Charming,” Jonathan said, like his teeth were being pulled. “It’s just this—this thing you do. I mean, let’s be honest with each other for a moment. You’re a terrible person, and yet every single person that meets you instantly likes you. How do you do that? Show me. I need to improve my acting skills.”

Crow didn’t want to teach Jonathan anything. But they were in this mess together, and if Jonathan slipped up and ruined his disguise, then they would both be in terrible danger. Crow saw on the bed. “Fine. Come here.”

Jonathan circled the bed like a wary animal. He sat far away from Crow.

“First lesson,” Crow said. “Body language.”

“What? Why does that matter?”

“You need to relax. If you look nervous, everyone else will become nervous, too.”

“I don’t feel relaxed,” Jonathan groaned.

“You don’t have to feel relaxed. You have to look relaxed.” Crow leaned against the headboard and splayed his legs. “See? Like this.”

“I can’t fake it the way you can.” Jonathan popped his fingers, then cracked his neck. He stretched his legs out, then touched his toes. Finally, he rolled his shoulders and let out a breath. He did seem a little less tense now.

“Good,” Crow said. “Now. Lesson two. Just be nice. Observe people. Give them compliments. Listen to what they say. It’s easy.”

“Really?”

“Of course. I mean, that’s how I seduced you the night I met you.”

And the room became weirdly silent.

The night they’d met. Right. The night Crow had waltzed in, spent a few minutes talking to Jonathan, and then stripped his pants off. Crow winced. It was probably a raw wound for Jonathan, considering the fact Crow had—at the time—been part of a plot to kill him. He shifted to the middle of the bed. He crossed his legs. “Look at me.”

“What?”

“I want to teach you about sexual tension. It’s important. We need to investigate the House of Red Silk, but if we stall too long, Madam Karis might realize we’re up to no good. You must keep her attention. If she becomes impatient, pretend to be interested in a slave.”

“Interested? How do I do that?”

“Like this.” Crow leaned in. He lowered his eyelashes and tilted his head a little. His gaze slowly went from Jonathan’s hands, to his chest, then—ever so slowly—he met Jonathan’s eyes and held them. The air between them felt thin as paper, as though if he moved one inch closer, the barrier between them would tear.

Jonathan jerked back.

His face was unreadable, but his eyes were wide, pupils blown. Crow put his hand on Jonathan’s arm, and Jonathan jerked. “Tension is a sense of anticipation,” Crow said. “Stretch out that moment. Make it clear you want him.”

Jonathan skirted away to the edge of the bed. “Oh, come on,” Crow said. “If you can’t do it with me, how are you going to do it with a stranger?”

“I keep thinking about that time you threatened to skin me,” Jonathan snapped.

“That happened once.”

The light outside had faded. Twilight lit the garden. Crow felt exhausted from his façade. He got up to draw the curtains.

“No, wait,” Jonathan said. “I….”

Crow glanced back.

Jonathan had a painfully awkward look on his face. He blew out his breath. “Sorry. You’re right.” He got up. He rubbed his face. When his hand moved away, his expression was cool again. He scanned Crow’s face, then—hesitantly—touched Crow’s jaw, then his collarbone. He crowded Crow against the wall. Their chests didn’t touch, not quite.

Heat flickered through Crow’s body, and he was aware, powerfully aware, of how long it had been since he’d trusted someone to touch him. He shuddered.

Then Jonathan pulled away. “Like that?”

“Yeah,” Crow said. “Like that.”

Jonathan shut up and went to bed. He lay fully clothed on the mattress, alone by himself. Crow swept up a pile of blankets and dumped them on the floor by the wall. He burrowed into his little nest and closed his eyes. He didn’t sleep. Where was Regis? Locked in a cage somewhere? Sold?

Man! This sounds like such a great series!

Here’s a little insight on reading and writing from Ms. Elliott…
Do you buy a book because of the cover, the blurb, or something else?

I’d say a combination. Beautiful covers always catch my eye… I know it’s a weakness, but I love a nice cover. But the blurb is always the reason I actually buy. An author has to be able to keep my attention, of course! 🙂

What does ‘romance’ mean to you?

To me, romance means two characters falling in love and staying together. Truthfully… I’m okay with it if characters die. But they better not break up, damn it.
As long as two people love each other, that’s romance. It doesn’t matter what gender the characters are or how they get together. Only their feelings.

What are your current projects?

I have so many at a time! But these are my main ones:
How to Be a Sacrificial Virgin: The love story of Cernunnos, Horned God of the Wilderness, and Alan, a virgin stoner from Minnesota who was sacrificed to him by mistake. Funny, quick, and light-hearted.

Thirteen Last Breaths: In the North, homosexuality is punishable by death. Jonathan—the prince of a small city-state—is in love with another man. A single mistake and someone will catch them. This one is my favorite, though I suspect it might be controversial.

Pistol x Shotgun: After the end of the world, a starving vampire hunts down one of the last living humans. He needs blood to stay sane… but he picked the wrong man to kidnap. Dane—a hardened gunslinger—is vows to escape and kill the man holding him captive. Tight action and deliciously hot sex. My beta readers have called it sexy, thrilling, and horrifying.

What is the most difficult part of writing for you?

All of it. Writing down those first few initial words is like having my mind raked and dissected with hot steel blades. Editing is like cutting off bits of my own skin. The publishing process…
Actually, the publishing process is okay.

Tell us something about yourself that would surprise people.

I once wrote a sex scene so hot that it made a reader orgasm by picking up the book. (I mean—it’s not true, but it certainly surprises people.)

Ha! What a great sense of humor.

Interested? You can find FEATHER FALL on Goodreads, Dreamspinner Press (ebook or paperback), Amazon, Barnes & Noble and AllRomance.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a signed copy of FEATHER FALL 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.

pride

Getting Past the BAD MAGIC–Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway!

BannerTemplate-6Hi 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!

BadMagicFSAbout 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.

****GIVEAWAY****

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.

pride