STORY EXCERPT

At the end of one bookshelf section, a free-floating dark apparition clutched the throat of the young woman who’d just told him the library was closed. Its clawed fingers were wrapped tight over her throat, lifting her off her feet. The thing’s unhinged jaw showed off rows of fangs, and a misty white energy drifted from the woman’s mouth—into the creature’s fanged hole. The woman’s body convulsed, her jaw stretched far down in an open, silent scream. A retching sound escaped from her.

Run. Run.

Devon stepped backward. His back hit a shelf, knocking off books that thudded onto the coarse carpet. The black specter started at the noise, releasing the girl who fell to the floor like a rag doll, and it turned to him with crimson eyes. The thing sped toward him, and Devon wheeled around and fled between two aisles of books. A shelf on his side exploded, an acrid scent filled his nose, and debris peppered him. At the aisle’s end, he took a sharp left.

He peeked over his shoulder and the specter moved quickly around the corner, its body changing. Devon slowed. Dark gooey slime oozed off of it, and legs and arms solidified as it glided through the air. Its shoulder hit a shelf’s edge and the force toppled the massive piece of furniture over. A series of concussive bangs rang out in the room with shelves colliding into one after another.

He made a straightaway sprint to the nearby railing that overlooked the lobby. I just need to vault over to the open staircase. He jumped. His toe clipped the upper railing and he plunged straight down to the lobby’s tile floor. He shielded his face with his arms and closed his eyes in the moment before he’d smash headfirst into a mobile cart of books, but his body jerked to a stop in midair, a ruckus of noise erupting below him. His arms came away from his eyes. His suspended body hung a foot over the now overturned cart of books. He glanced up. A young man with black hair, a narrow handsome face, and a slender nose stepped through the foyer, his hand extended toward Devon.

Devon dropped onto the scattered books and rolled up on his butt.

Close to the check-out counter, an Asian woman and man stared at him with their mouths open in shock.

Something roared high above them. Devon and the couple brought their eyes up to the terror above them on the third floor. The Asian woman put her hands over her mouth and shrieked. The man bolted away and headed through a turnstile, toward the front doors. A brunette young woman with a beautiful, chiseled face came through the front door.

Devon stood up in a daze.

The slender-nosed young man grabbed the shoulders of the still screaming Asian woman and ushered her toward the front door as the black-haired woman stepped toward Devon, looking up. She said, “Tristan. It’s coming down.” Devon brought his head back. The black specter came down the stairs. Not a specter. Now it’s flesh.

Tristan said, “Sevil, watch him.” He pointed to Devon. “It almost got him.”

“Devon,” Sevil said with an English accent, and she reached out to him. “Get behind me.”

Devon clasped her hand and allowed himself to be shielded by the woman.

Tristan blocked his path, dryly remarking, “Jesus. A dorocha. It must have just transmuted and somehow got through our defenses.”

Sevil cracked her neck. “Well, I’ve been irking for a fight the last couple of days.”

A dorocha?

Sevil squared her shoulders off to the bottom of the staircase. The dorocha reached the base of the stairs and sauntered forward. Over the space of a couple minutes, the thing’s face had shifted, and was now pitted with pockmarks and slime. A row of fangs extended from its smiling mouth. Its facial features rippled, forming brown skin, long eyelashes, and long black hair before returning to its hideous mask. Oh my God. It’s trying to transform into that Indian girl it just killed.

The creature regarded Tristan and Sevil and its clawed fists extended out. Coal black golf ball sized orbs launched out from the tips of its nails. Tristan tensed and held up his hand. The projectiles exploded in midair, one after the other, hitting a bluish force field. The thing brought its arms down, cocked its head and grinned. Devon recoiled from the smile, the back of his knees hitting the edge of a chair, and he plopped down in a seat.

The creature mewled, “Morgan and the dark wizard are back, and soon you’ll be ruins.”

Sevil stepped up and snarled, “Return to the putrid bowels from where you came.” White lightning bolts burst out from her fingertips and the creature flew off its clawed feet and crashed into a bank of computers.

The fallen creature lunged out from the smashed electronic equipment, tendrils of smoke rising from its body. Tristan held up his palm and a sphere of white energy streaked out toward it. At the same time, Sevil unleashed her white lightning bolts again. The creature blew up at the peak of its jump, pieces of fleshy debris showering over the entire lobby’s tile floor.

Tristan looked around to Devon. “Were there any others?”

“W-what?”

Sevil took Devon’s arm, “Creatures like that.”

“N-No.”

Sevil pulled on his arm. “Come on. Let’s go. Check upstairs, Tristan.”

“Wait,” Devon said, and pointed to the third floor. “There was a girl up there. It was doing something to her.”

Tristan said over his shoulder, “Go. Call Cedric and let him know we’re on the way. I’ll meet you at Merlin’s.”

Sevil led Devon out of the building. Police cars were racing over the lawns and they stopped up on the sidewalks, a few parking by the water fountain with artwork rising from the middle. A couple of officers came up to them and asked them if they were okay. Sevil told them, “There’s some crazy son-of-a-bitch inside.” The officers ran forward, speaking loud into their handheld radios. Sevil towed Devon around the building at a jog and only then released his hand. Devon stopped in place and held up his hands in front of him. “W-wait. Tell me what’s going on?”

Sevil pushed her dark bangs from her face and said, “I’ll answer your questions, Devon. Very soon. But we need to go.” She clutched both of his shoulders. “We were going to induct you later. You’re a Magician, Devon. Welcome to Merlin’s Rogues.”

ADULT EXCERPT

Devon groaned in misery into his ear.

Cedric asked, “What is it, Devon?”

“It’s returning. That fucking cursed obsession. I want to be his sex slave. I don’t know if I can hold it off any longer. I think I could break it. But I need you.”

Cedric half turned in his sitting position, meeting Devon’s bright green eyes. “Okay. Can you hold Rav in that spot?”

Devon kissed Cedric, then leaned his forehead against him. “As long as I’m with you, I don’t think anything can break it.”

“Come on.” Cedric got up, took Devon’s hand, and towed him upstairs to the bedroom at the end of the hall. Posters of Justin Timberlake hung on the wall, a bright purple bedspread draped on the bed. Stuffed animals of all varieties and sizes sat on top of a chest and rocking chair. Maybe for the grandchildren? Or Suzy likes animals.

Cedric rested his hands on Devon’s hips, his thumbs outlining his V. He dipped a finger into his waistband, rubbing it over wiry pubes. He leaned up, brushed his lips against Devon’s, and kissed him open-mouthed. Devon returned the kiss, making suckling noises. His hands dipped inside Devon’s shorts, his fingers massaging taut, muscled buttocks.

Cedric caressed Devon’s arm, taking in the definition of his triceps. He knelt on the edge of the bed, pulling Devon into a sitting position next to him. Cedric pulled off Devon’s underwear, taking in his crotch, his ball sac, and his rigid member. Cedric took Devon’s hot rod into his mouth, bobbing his head up and down. His index finger stroked Devon’s crack, and he held his ball sac in his hand. The tip of his finger massaged close to his asshole. Devon groaned, arched his back. Cedric cupped his beautiful, smooth mounds, his mouth sliding up and down over his engorged cock.

Devon’s hands pulled on Cedric’s head so that he released Devon’s dick from his mouth. The hardened meat flopped to the side and Devon got up to his knees, shoving Cedric’s jeans off. Devon thrust down his underwear, grasped Cedric’s throbbing hard dick, wetted the tip with his lips. He opened his mouth and cool wetness engorged his sex, Devon’s fingers digging into his butt. Devon’s soft lips slid over the shaft, back and forth, and Cedric brought his head back, making a short cry. Devon increased speed, and Cedric pulsated his hips in sync. Fuck. I’m going to come. 

Cedric’s breathing hitched and he pressed back on Devon’s shoulders. Devon let his dick fall from his mouth—it stood up rigid, pre-cum at the end. Devon lay on top of his chest, wrapped his arms around him, and kissed him forcefully. They rolled over the bed, Cedric taking the dominant position, lying on Devon’s front, and he whispered, “You want to bottom or top, baby? I know you’ve been through a lot lately. Whatever you want. I mean, I was always fantasizing over topping you, but I want you to be okay—”

Devon kissed his mouth, shutting him up, his tongue playing with his. Devon pulled his head back, his fingernails scratching into his lower back and butt. “You talk too much. Fuck me.”

Cedric did not need any more encouragement. He got up on all fours and pushed on Devon’s arm, turning him over. Cedric put his face up to Devon’s butt, kissed a cool, moistened butt cheek. He parted Devon’s legs wider, exposing his entrance. Cedric’s tongue glided around it, going over silky hairs. Moans came from Devon above. Cedric nudged his tongue into his puckered hole, and forced it inside.

Devon cried out, “Oh God. For fuck’s sake, fuck me, Cedric.”

Cedric got on his hands and knees. Devon arched his butt up, making it easier for Cedric to enter. Cedric guided his dick forward, the tip flushed against Devon’s crack, his tip catching inside his clenched ring of muscle. Cedric rolled his hips forward in a continuous motion, his throbbing flesh rewarded with sliding inside Devon as he hugged his chest tight. Cedric whispered, “Sorry, baby. No lube. Or condom, for that matter.”

Devon whispered, “Shut up.” He rubbed his butt against Cedric’s pelvis, pressing his head into the sheet. He half bared his teeth and shook his head. “Fuck, that’s nice.”

Cedric stared down at Devon’s face and pumped his hips forward. Again. Keeping his movement in sync with Devon. Devon buried his face into the sheet and looked back to the side, his mouth half open. Cedric rolled his hips forward, keeping the motion slow. Devon moaned, nodded his head. “God. That’s good.”

Cedric put his hand on the side of Devon’s butt. Saliva pooled inside his mouth and he swallowed. He lost himself. His hips rolled forward over and over, gaining momentum. He lay flat on Devon’s damp back. Cedric kissed his cool cheek, his lips then nibbling on his earlobe. He squeezed Devon’s chest, brought his head back, and watched Devon’s eyes.