Title: Hearts of Blood
Series: Chevalier, Book Two
Author: Kay Doherty
Publisher: NineStar Press
Release Date: July 29, 2019
Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 42000
Genre: Paranormal, LGBT, wolf shifters, dragon shifters, bonded mates, Elementals, businessmen, vampires, gay
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Synopsis
Omega wolf shifter, Vance, and the rest
of his small pack have finally found an Alpha willing to take them on and were
still trying to regain their footing when the McBane Pack attacked them. When a
vampire appears in front of him, Vance realizes he’s looking into the ice-blue
eyes of his mate, and the fact that his mate is something other than wolf
scares him.
Sakima knew the wolf shifter was his
destined companion the moment he scented him at Elysium, but claiming the
gorgeous young Omega wolf is a dangerous proposition. Vance and his
unconventional pack have attracted the attention of the vampire coven. As the
owner of Elysium, Sakima has been asked to use the club to gather information
on the powerful interspecies pack and its Alpha.
Unfortunately for Vance and Sakima, the
vampire coven and the continued attacks by the McBane Pack are only a portion
of their problems. Amidst concerns over Alpha Tanner’s abilities growing with
Sakima’s addition to the pack, a spurned ex targets Vance in an attempt to
remove him from Sakima’s life, and Elysium becomes a hot bed for interspecies
mingling where anyone could be an enemy.
Excerpt
Hearts of Blood
Kay Doherty © 2019
All Rights Reserved
Sakima
Sakima glanced around the yard at the
wolf shifters, both in human and wolf form, before settling his gaze on the one
he’d come for—his destined companion. He had waited hundreds of years for this
creature to arrive. The beautiful golden-brown wolf whined and took a small
step back, crouched in wariness, tail tucked.
“What do you want, vampire?” the Alpha
asked.
“My name is Sakima Hawke, and I want
him,” Sakima answered as he took in the tawny wolf.
The wolf began to shake, making Sakima’s
skin itch. This creature was his destined companion; he should never be fearful
of him. Sakima squatted so he was eye level with his wolf, his gaze never
straying from him, in an attempt to show through action he was not a threat.
He’d known the moment the tawny-haired man had brushed against him at Elysium
they were meant to be together, but the place had been packed that night and
the wolf shifter had quickly melted away into the throng. Sakima had searched
the club, attempting to pick the man out from the crowd, but the wolf shifter
had turned out to be quite elusive. He’d lost the wolf’s scent for weeks before
finding it again quite suddenly moments ago while on his way home.
It was an act of the fates Sakima had
decided on a leisurely stroll rather than traveling home at hyperspeed after
visiting one of his oldest friends: a human donor who was declining in health.
Excitement he’d not felt in decades thrummed through his veins at the sight of
the wolf now crouched before him. The sharp tang of fear wafting from him
increased Sakima’s discomfort. Perhaps the wolf wasn’t aware of what they were
to each other yet, though it was more likely he was simply uneducated about
vampires. Sakima was well aware of the fear his kind generated. Too many
rumors, myths, and misunderstandings circulated about vampires.
Many believed they were the walking
dead, that anyone they fed from would become a vampire as well, but that was
all fallacy. Sakima was no more dead than anyone else present, though he knew
he appeared to be with his pale skin, long white hair, and ice-blue eyes. He
could love, mate, and feed from his partner without changing the beautiful
creature. Sakima would take great care in helping his destined understand he was
no more of a threat than the Elemental, dragon, or Alpha he kept company with,
each of whom had their own myths and rumors.
Desire to touch the gorgeous animal
before him had Sakima extending a hand. He did so with extreme caution, so as
not to frighten the wolf further, but was unsuccessful. The wolf curled into
himself, becoming as small as his bulk would allow, crouching lower to the
ground on shaky legs, ears flattened to his skull. Sakima lowered his hand to
the grass but otherwise remained still. Instilling trust with a shifter while
they were in animal form being ruled a great deal by their animal instincts was
difficult. This would be far easier if the young man would shift back to human,
though Sakima understood why he wouldn’t do so at this moment. When the man
shifted, he would be naked, which the shifter may view as a vulnerability in
his human form.
“You must know I won’t hurt you,” Sakima
said softly. “We are destined companions.”
The wolf whined and turned to the pack
leader. If Sakima understood wolf shifters well, there was a bond between his
wolf and the Alpha that allowed them to speak telepathically. He’d never been
jealous of such a thing before, but he didn’t like his fated companion being
able to communicate telepathically with anyone other than him. Unfortunately,
the telepathic bond was an inevitable part of being in a wolf pack. And if he
wanted to claim this wolf shifter, he would have to accept the pack as a whole
because there would be no removing his companion from them. Not safely. Sakima
rose to his feet, his heart sinking a bit when his wolf scurried away to hide
within the house. He gave no reaction outwardly, but he gave a mental sigh as
he turned to face the Alpha.
“My apologies,” the Alpha said. “I asked
him to go inside for a moment. He’s a bit overwhelmed.”
“Frightened, you mean,” Sakima
corrected.
The Alpha wasn’t concerned with
semantics. “We’ve all been through quite a lot recently, and this is a bit of a
surprise. I’m sure you understand…Sakima? May I call you that?”
Sakima inclined his head in acceptance.
“And you would be?”
“Tanner McBane. I’m the Alpha, and Vance
is a member of my pack.”
Vance. A unique name for a uniquely
beautiful wolf. Sakima scanned the “pack,” his gaze drifting from a gray wolf
to a gray-and-brown wolf to a dragon to a white wolf with wild eyes to an
Elemental, finally coming to rest once again on the Alpha.
“Quite the unconventional pack, if I may
say.”
“Yes, I know.”
“Word has spread through the paranormal
ranks of a pack of outcasts who have gained more power than is considered safe
or wise. I feel I should be concerned for the welfare of my destined companion
being bonded to such a pack.”
The statement was met with several
growls and a strong wind that only affected Sakima, whipping his long hair in
every direction. Sakima smiled. Vance was clearly cared for and protected.
Tanner glanced at the dragon on his left.
“Have you ever heard of a wolf mating a
vampire? Chevaliers aside.”
“No,” the dragon answered. “But I’d
never before heard of a wolf mating an Elemental either. Or a dragon.”
The expression that passed between
dragon and Alpha was not missed by Sakima. The name Chevalier shook him, but he
pushed the memory aside—a centuries-old mistake best left to the dust of time.
“So, the rumors are true,” Sakima said.
“What rumors?” the Elemental asked.
“Of same-sex, interspecies matings
taking place openly. I had hoped, given what I now know of my own destined companion,
but had remained skeptical,” Sakima answered.
By way of introduction, Tanner said,
“The dragon shifter is Luca. He’s my mate. The Elemental is Deacon and his mate
is the white wolf, Ross. The gray wolf is Ean, and the grayish brown wolf is
Theran. If you truly plan to claim Vance as your mate, you, too, will be an
openly mated interspecies couple. You need to be comfortable with that if
you’re going to become part of the pack.”
Sakima showed plenty of fang when he
spoke. “Oh, I have every intention of claiming my fated mate, Alpha, but I said
nothing of joining your pack.”
Movement at the patio doors drew
Sakima’s attention. Vance in human form was as handsome as his wolf was
beautiful; golden-brown hair and the lithe, toned physique all wolf shifters
possessed. Those hazel eyes showed fear and hesitation, but also recognition,
making Sakima believe Vance knew they were destined companions. Vance simply
wasn’t accepting it, yet.
“You would risk his safety and sanity by
taking him from his pack, severing his pack bond? What kind of mate would do
such a thing?” Deacon asked through clenched teeth.
Sakima was surprised by the vehemence
and animosity coming from the Elemental. He’d made the simple suggestion that
claiming his wolf did not necessarily equate to him joining the pack. Nothing
more. Though perhaps removing his destined companion was something to consider,
given the volatile nature the pack exuded.
“I won’t leave my pack,” Vance said
softly.
His voice was melodic to Sakima’s ears.
Despite the fear and uncertainty, Vance’s words didn’t waver. They were strong
and decisive, despite the fact the wolf was still hiding behind the pack. Vance
had donned a pair of shorts and a tank top, leaving his toned arms, legs, and
feet bared to Sakima’s perusal, and he soaked in the sight.
“I know what I’m about to suggest will
be difficult for you,” Tanner said. “But I think you should leave. Perhaps stay
away for a few days to give Vance time to acclimate to the idea of having a
vampire for a mate.”
“Not as difficult as you might think,” Sakima
said.
He’d been living a solitary life for
nearly forty years, and he planned to use the time apart from Vance to prepare
for the wolf to join him. He moved with vampiric speed past the pack to stand
before Vance. While he was willing to leave for a short time, he wouldn’t allow
his companion to put the pack between them. When he stopped, he stood
face-to-face with his beautiful man. Vance yelped and jumped back, but Sakima
caught him with an arm around his waist, aborting any attempt at escape. Heat
immediately seeped through the cloth of his shirt, warming his skin.
“Until next time, pet.”
Sakima placed a chaste kiss on Vance’s
lips so as not to cut him with his fangs. Not yet. He would draw blood from
Vance only after they became lovers, and Vance demonstrated his willingness. As
quickly as he had appeared before Vance, he disappeared, leaving the outcast
pack and his destined mate behind. It was a temporary situation, after all. Now
that he knew where his wolf companion was, he felt far more relaxed and willing
to let things progress at a pace comfortable for Vance.
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Meet the Author
Kay Doherty is an omnisexual/polysexual who lives in Colorado with her poly-family, Mike, Keri, and Tigz. Her house is overrun with cats and dogs. Family is important to her so there are daily texts, frequent visits to her parents, and constant banter with her brothers. She happily suffers a severe addiction to coffee and Mexican food. She loves to read and write and can easily become consumed by it for hours, much to the dismay of Mike and Keri (Tigz is an enabler). On occasion she can be convinced to venture out into the world of the living despite being annoyed by the sun shining in her face.Website | Twitter | Pinterest
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