Needing His Demon is the conclusion to the Year of Hearts trilogy. But as a new year begins in Valladora--the Year of Stars--many of these characters will be returning in a new trilogy this fall.
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Fredric
has found his mate, but he’s completely perplexed. His mate is not only
a man, but also a half-demon. Fredric cannot believe the gods have done
this to him. On top of this odd turn of events, Fredric is suffering
from the Dissolution, a vampire disease with no cure. He knows accepting
Satoru as his mate and taking his blood increases his chances of
survival, yet he keeps fighting his fate, even as Satoru becomes more
appealing with each encounter.
Satoru
refuses to give up, and with each passing day, Fredric becomes less
resistant. Fredric first agrees to drink Satoru’s blood, and then he
accepts Satoru as a lover. But as time runs out and other troubles come,
will Satoru be able to save his lover’s life and truly win his heart?
Excerpt:
As he cleaned
himself up, Satoru searched his own face in the small mirror on the wall. He
didn’t know how long he could control himself around Fredric. Satoru did not
like to appear weak, but that was exactly how he felt around Fredric. Sensual
longing filled his mind every moment, and he had to force himself to keep quiet
as his heart wanted nothing more than to let all of his desires spill forth in
desperate pleas. More than anything Satoru wished Mikimo was with him. His
mentor always had the right words for him, and even in this kind of situation,
Satoru knew Mikimo’s kindness and wisdom would comfort him.
I’m falling in
love. I never imagined it could be like this. The one I want can’t even admit
he has feelings for me—he claims to hate me! And yet … I love him more with
each breath.
Satoru sighed and
got dressed again. It was almost dawn now, and he wanted to check on Fredric.
He’d been unable to sleep, but he hoped Fredric had been able to. Slipping out
into the hall, he shut his door quietly and then listened. He heard a faint
sound, like something being set down, and he knocked.
“Yes?”
“I came to check
on you.” Satoru opened the door without waiting for an invitation.
Fredric sat on the
edge of the bed and stared at him with a very thoughtful expression on his
face. The look in his eyes didn’t seem as guarded, which made Satoru very
happy. As he moved into the room and closed the door, Satoru had to struggle
very consciously to keep a smile off his face.
“I feel better.”
He patted the mattress beside him. “Come here.”
Satoru continued
to struggle with keeping his expression neutral. Had his blood affected Fredric
this much? As soon as he sat down, Fredric pulled him closer, wrapping an arm
around his waist.
“You’re stronger
than other humans, aren’t you?” Fredric asked, his face very close to Satoru’s.
“Yes.” Why did he
want to know that? The heat from Fredric’s body felt so good, and he loved
being held so close by Fredric. Kiss me. Please. Just let go and touch me
more.
“Your blood
regenerates quickly?”
“Yes. Very
quickly.” He swallowed, very aware of how hard his cock was getting even though
he’d just made himself come minutes earlier. “As long as I don’t need to do
anything too strenuous, I could supply all of your blood needs now, even before
you’ve turned me.”
“Good. I needed to
be sure.” Fredric pulled Satoru’s collar down and sank his fangs into him.
Satoru cried out
and wrapped his arms around Fredric. His hands couldn’t move quickly enough, as
he wanted to touch every inch of Fredric. “Yes, Fredric, oh yes. Take as much
as you need.”
When Satoru tried
to touch Fredric’s cock, Fredric grabbed both of his hands and held them.
Satoru mentally chastened himself. Though he had committed himself to
resigning, he was still a priest. Fredric was right to make him stop. Feeding
his lover was the most he could allow himself until he had formally renounced
his vows.
Lover. He’s my
lover now. Satoru moaned, and then a surge
of pleasure burst through him. He gave little thought to the pressure building
in his groin as he clung to Fredric’s wrists and tried to press closer to him.
Fredric bit even deeper, enhancing Satoru’s pleasure, and they both trembled.
Satoru was completely lost to bliss as Fredric healed his wound. When they
parted and Satoru’s vision had cleared, he saw from the corresponding dampness
on Fredric’s robes that they had both come during the embrace. The euphoria had
been so great he hadn’t minded the heat and wetness of his own seed spilling
forth, and now the pleasure sitting low in his belly was unmistakable. It was a
spiritual consummation, if not a true physical one. Simply being in Fredric’s
favor was enough for now.
Fredric tilted
Satoru’s head and examined his neck.
“I’m fine,” Satoru
said, taking Fredric’s hand and kissing it ardently. “I’ve never been so happy
in my whole life.”
Fredric looked
deep into his eyes. In a stern, low voice, Fredric said, “Get out of here. I
want you to leave. Get on your horse and don’t stop until you are far away from
here.”
Satoru had to
fight to stay where he was. “Fredric?” his voice trembled, but he didn’t care.
“You tricked me so you could force me to leave?”
“I had no other
choice, given how stubborn you are.”
“You’re calling me the stubborn one?”
“You can’t disobey
me. You’re shaking already simply trying to stay in this room.”
Satoru stood up,
well aware of how badly he was shaking, but he mustered enough control to
remain in place long enough to slap Fredric hard across the face. “It
infuriates me that even in this moment, I can’t feel anything but love for you.
You’re causing yourself pain, too, and that makes me even angrier.”
Fredric didn’t
look at him. He rose and turned away from Satoru. “I told you to leave. I don’t
want you here.”
Satoru turned and
fled, hot tears stinging his eyes. Black spots blurred his vision as he hastily
cleaned himself up and then packed. He paused long enough to pay the innkeeper,
who looked at him with great concern.
“What am I to do,
Your Holiness? How does your lord fare?”
“He has fed, and
he’s better now. Has a message been sent to his steward?”
“Yes. The lad left
moments ago.”
“Good.” Satoru
tried to steady his breathing. “Take care of him until his servants come. He
does not know what is best for him.”
Satoru turned and
ran to his horse. The pressure in his head and chest did not abate until he was
half a mile down the road. He let the tears fall. He had not cried since the
day his mother had told him the truth about his father. That day had been
filled with both sadness and anger. His mother had vanquished his sadness,
telling him repeatedly how much she loved him and how happy she was to have him
in her life. His anger had been far more difficult to get rid of. His mentor,
Mikimo, had been the one to finally help him conquer it.
Soon the tears
dried, but a dull ache filled his entire being. He pushed forward, pained more
than anything by the knowledge that Fredric was feeling the same ache in his
heart.
