STORY EXCERPT

Ten grand. What in the hell had Edward been thinking? Desperation. That was what led him to Lyle. Working at the juice hut hadn’t given Edward enough money to pay his grandma’s doctor bills, and they’d been mounting since she’d lost her health insurance.

Her monthly pills alone were draining him. He was behind on his bills, about to be evicted, and the only option that would be left to him was moving back in with his grandmother. It wasn’t as if he didn’t love her. He did. She’d raised him since he was a little boy. But he liked living on his own, loved his independence and walking around in his underwear.

It also made it easier for him to bring dates home, which he hadn’t done in a while. Edward had been too focused on his problems, and he was starting to develop blue balls.

He stopped when he felt a weird vibe around him. Edward looked up and down the street but didn’t see anyone looking his way. He rubbed his arms and scanned his surroundings for a moment longer before he started walking again.

Suddenly that redhead popped into his mind again. Eyes so green they were the color of summer leaves. The way the stranger had looked at him before he’d passed out. Gorgeous was an understatement.

Too bad he’d never see the guy again. They’d corralled Anton and taken him away. There was no reason for the mysterious redhead to return.

Edward was so deep in thought that he didn’t notice the car until he stepped into the street. His reaction time was too slow, even when the car slammed on the brakes. Edward was seconds away from being hit when an unseen force yanked him back. He landed on his ass on the sidewalk, his heart in his throat.

What the fuck?

Edward looked around, but he was by himself. Unscathed, scared, and no clue how he’d gotten there.

“Are you okay?” A woman in a yellow sundress and tan sandals, with cascading brown hair, ran toward him. She looked at Edward then at the street. “You were about to be hit. Then you…you flew backward. Did the car strike you?”

Edward wiggled his arms then got to his feet. Nothing besides his butt hurt. “No.” He shook his head. “I’m fine.”

But he wasn’t. Something had intervened. Something had pushed him out of harm’s way. It also felt as though that something was still lingering around. Edward couldn’t say anything because the woman in her sundress and sandals still stared at him, as if waiting for him to explain how he’d flown backward. She wasn’t the only one waiting on an explanation, waiting to make sense of what had just happened.

“You must have been struck.” It was as if she was forcing that certainty on Edward because her brain refused to believe he’d shot through the air for any other reason. She reached out, like she wanted to touch him, to reassure herself that he was unharmed, but let her hands fall to her sides. “I’ll call you an ambulance.”

“Really. I don’t need one.” Something tugged at Edward’s arm, a strange sensation that had him looking to his left. No one was there. “I’m late and need to go. Thank you for your concern.”

“You shouldn’t be walking,” she called out as Edward hurried around the corner. His heart was still beating erratically, his throat bone-dry. He stopped and looked around to make sure no one else was nearby.

Edward knew about the frightening, mysterious, unseen world all around him. He’d discovered it one night at The Manacle, a goth club in the city. Unbeknownst to him, he’d slept with a vampire.

Since seeing and feeling those fangs, Edward had continued to go back to the club. Now he knew that not only vampires existed but so did shifters, demons, fairies, and a whole host of other creatures.

And that was how he’d run into Lyle. Edward had been too damn nosy for his own good and had gotten tangled up in a deal he couldn’t get out of.

But he still felt as though that unseen hand was close by. Edward swallowed and whispered, “Who are you?”

The only answer that came was the breeze. It ruffled his hair as he sighed and kept walking, passing a stray cat that darted between the buildings as cars passed by.

He was starting to feel exposed and wondered if he should just hightail it home.

“Go home.”

Edward jumped, screamed, and spun around at the sound of the deep, masculine voice. But no one was there. There were a couple of teenagers across the street, but they weren’t paying him any attention, and he doubted any of them could make their voice sound close to his ear.

So close that Edward had felt warm breath skitter across his lobe. It had been a soft whisper, a gentle nudging, and Edward’s heart pounded so hard that his chest hurt. Was he losing his mind? Cracking under the pressure? It would be a miracle if he weren’t. Edward never did well with pressure. Hence the damn loan that got him into this mess in the first place.

If he could go back in time, he would’ve declared bankruptcy instead of dealing with that shyster fairy. Being charmed by good-looking men was going to be the death of him. He was a sucker for pretty eyes and an even prettier smile.

He cut down a side street to get to his house, that presence still with him. Shadowing him, making sure he did as it said. Ice cubes formed in his gut, and he sped up, damn near running the rest of the way.

When he entered, Edward slammed the door behind him, pressing his back against the wood. He wasn’t sure what in the hell was going on, but the disembodied voice had saved him from getting hit by a car.

He stayed there, at the front door, for what felt like hours before his legs were finally able to move. Edward sat on the couch, scrubbed a hand over his face, and wished he’d never delved into that unseen world.

“Nice place.”

Edward screamed and looked around, spotting a stranger standing in the kitchen archway. The guy was sort of shimmering, barely there, and Edward could see his kitchen through the guy.

It was more than he could handle. Edward’s eyes rolled back as he passed out.

ADULT EXCERPT

Phoenyx couldn’t stand the aching look in Edward’s golden eyes. Was it because something was wrong, or did the human want Phoenyx to make the first move?

Never the bashful type, Phoenyx leaned forward. Edward brushed his hand on Phoenyx’s arm. The gentle caress caused a surge of heat to rise. Phoenyx moved closer, the exotic scent of Edward—thick honey and wildfire—seeping into Phoenyx’s skin, curling around his senses.

“I could make us something to eat,” Edward offered.

“I already have my dessert right in front of me.” He shook his head, trying to calm his racing heart. Every cell in his body was humming, the blood rushing quickly through his veins.

Edward’s eyes sparkled with desire as a blush stole across his face. The human wanted Phoenyx. There wasn’t any doubt. Phoenyx slipped his shirt off and tossed it aside. Edward placed his hand on his chest and gazed up at him.

“I’m going to trust that you won’t hurt me.” Edward kissed Phoenyx’s jaw, his throat, and then trailed his lips over Phoenyx’s chest.

He didn’t dare move. Not when Edward unfastened Phoenyx’s pants and tugged at them. Shit. This was really happening. He was about to find out if Edward was his mate, and Phoenyx wasn’t sure if he was excited or terrified.

What if Edward wasn’t? Phoenyx could still be with him, but that was taking a gamble since his actual mate might come along. Then again, Phoenyx would never know since he’d have to sleep with the person, and he wasn’t the type to cheat.

God, he needed to stop thinking so much.

He lifted his hips to allow the material to be pulled down his legs. Edward stopped long enough to remove Phoenyx’s boots and then slipped the pants and underwear free. His cock was hard and ready, slapping against his gut.

“God you’re beautiful,” Edward murmured.

Phoenyx dropped his head, gritting his teeth when Edward enveloped Phoenyx’s cock with his lips. His hands shot out, gripping the throw pillows as he felt a maelstrom of pleasure overtake him. His demon was calming, taking in the sensual way Edward was teasing and licking him, sucking him down his throat and then pulling back to lick at the tip.

Phoenyx’s hips began to move, and soon he was fucking Edward’s mouth and drowning in the pleasure. But he wanted more, needed to give the man just as much pleasure.

“Get your clothes off,” he said between gritted teeth. Edward stood and crooked his finger, and Phoenyx rose from the couch like his dick was tethered to the male. They ended up in Edward’s bedroom, where his mate stripped, and Phoenyx’s cock throbbed in sync with his heartbeat.

Edward grabbed the lube from a drawer and tossed it onto the bed before climbing on, and damn if Phoenyx didn’t follow. He wouldn't have been able to stay away even if the earth suddenly erupted into chaos. Nothing would keep him from Edward. Not when he needed to find out if the male was his mate.

More than that, he was attracted to Golden Eyes, and the male was offering himself so freely. How the fuck could he resist that?

Phoenyx turned until his body was opposite Edward’s, his face hovering right about Edward’s cock.

He nuzzled in the wiry curls before licking his way up the fully hard shaft and sucking at the engorged head to savor Edward’s pre-cum. Edward was killing him, killing him with pleasure as it built and increased. The connection between them was staggeringly powerful as Phoenyx wrapped his arms around Edward’s legs, pulling them close as he continued to suck the man down his throat.

His lover moaned around Phoenyx’s shaft, and Phoenyx nearly came. The vibration, mixed with the knowledge that Edward was finding pleasure in him, was an aphrodisiac. He continued to thrust his hips, fucking the male’s mouth as he encouraged Edward to do the same.

Edward groaned and bucked, and Phoenyx could feel Edward’s chest rising and falling rapidly. His rear end lifted off the bed, plunging his shaft farther into Phoenyx’s mouth. He didn’t think Edward had done it on purpose, but Phoenyx opened wide, taking the hard flesh down his throat. Edward thrust his hips upward toward Phoenyx’s mouth again, pumping furiously with short, even strokes. He could tell his lover wanted to get off. Grabbing Edward’s hips, Phoenyx pushed and pulled on the man, sucking Edward’s cock down before letting it slide back out. His lover’s balls were drawn tight to his body, telling Phoenyx that the man was close.

Phoenyx didn’t want this to end so soon. He was not going to let him come this quickly.

He pulled back, teasing the flesh, feeling Edward’s cock pulsing in heated need under his tongue. Fire, passion, and intense sexual arousal burned in Phoenyx as he tortured Edward’s cock while his hands explored the man’s inner thighs, adding pleasure wherever he could.

Edward pulled his head back, releasing Phoenyx’s shaft. “Please make me come.”

Phoenyx smiled around the male’s cock. He had Edward pleading for release. He was about to tell Edward that he wasn’t coming anytime soon when his lover swallowed him down to the root, his throat massaging his sensitized shaft.