My Sexy Saturday ~ A Touch More Monstrous

September 24, 2016 by Alexis Duran

Welcome to the 160th Week of My Sexy Saturday. This week’s theme is Sexy Has It’s Way. I don’t know about you, but I keep reading that as Sexy GETS It’s Way. And it usually does, doesn’t it? In this scene from Gryffon Hall, Lord Aeric Rouchet definitely thinks he’s going get his way.

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“Never mind Formister,” the lord of the manor said as he followed Wryler out. “He was quite the rogue in his day. He only pretends to be offended.”

“But he had every right to be. Really, Lord Rouchet, your behavior is less than decorous.” Shame still writhed in Wryler’s innards. He couldn’t get away from the librarian and his smirks fast enough.

“Ah, we’re back to Lord Rouchet, are we?” Rouchet grabbed Wryler’s arm and stopped him. Wryler didn’t like the mischievous gleam in Rouchet’s eye one bit. “As far as rude behavior goes, you haven’t seen anything yet. I’ll have you on every flat surface in this castle before the year’s out.”

This time Wryler managed to keep his head and jerked free, chin held high. “That’s your right, as my lord, but I have one more day of freedom, and I ask you to respect my person until that time as I have no say in matter.”

“I’m sorry if you feel that our marriage is a prison sentence for you, but I have to say your fiery gaze and your words only enflame my passions. I quite look forward to being your lord and abusing everything our bond entitles me to.” Rouchet grinned, and Wryler had to admit the flash of white teeth made him look quite handsome and a touch more monstrous. Odd that the two things didn’t seem to conflict. But Aunt Otillia was right. Wryler must establish himself as someone to be respected, not only with the servants but the master of the house as well.

“I would kindly request that you keep your distance until we meet at the altar tonight. Until then, I bid you good day.” Wryler bowed stiffly and then marched down the hall, half expecting Rouchet to pounce on him from behind. Instead Rouchet laughed again and called after him.

“Don’t get lost now, Sir Wryler. I can’t bear the thought of delaying our union a single moment.”

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Fated to be born the useless fourth son of the Lord of Glimmerveen, Wryler dreams of getting married and escaping the rustic confines of his father’s castle. A wealthy merchant’s son seems to hold the key to Wryler’s safe if somewhat dreary future. However, the arrival of a mysterious stranger on the eve of Wryler’s betrothal sends his plans into disarray and Wryler finds himself traded off in marriage to one of the most notorious rogues in the land.

Is Lord Aeric Rouchet the scoundrel he appears to be, or is he something much worse? Separated from his family and thrust into a strange and dangerous new life at the foreboding Gryffon Hall, Wryler must unravel the secret of his husband’s shadowed life and defeat the curse which threatens not only his growing affection for the barbarian in his bed, but the lives of everyone the Lord of Gryffon Hall is sworn to protect.

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Check out the great review on Diverse Reader.

Amazon

ARe

Loose Id

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Don’t forget to continue the hop at My Sexy Saturday for more steamy snippets.

Weekend Writing Warriors ~ Not Even a Life

September 18, 2016 by Alexis Duran

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors, the blog hop where a bunch of really great writers share excerpts from their published work or work-in-progress. As I hope everyone on the vast interweb knows by now, my m/m fantasy Gryffon Hall released on August 30. I’ve been sharing from the scene where Wryler finds out he’s been betrothed to the notorious Lord Rouchet. He’s been left alone to pack and roil in his own worry and misery. I skipped ahead a bit from last week.

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And the master of Gryffon Hall, Aeric Rouchet, destined to be Wryler’s protector and husband, what of him? Wryler could only think of the man tearing into the greasy flesh on his plate and wonder how he behaved when out of the company of refined men and women.

Wryler forced himself to move. There had to be some way out of this cursed fate. He went to his wardrobe and flung it open. He could run away. But where on earth would he go? As a youth he’d harbored fantasies of returning to his mother’s people, but now a very harsh truth hit him. His mother had been traded off to Wryler’s father just as Wryler was now being traded off to Rouchet. A life in exchange for an advantageous trade agreement, and not even a life, in the eyes of the dealmakers, but a title, a name.

***

Check out the great review on Diverse Reader.

Amazon

ARe

Loose Id

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This post is part of an ongoing blog hop hosted by Weekend Writing Warriors. Every Sunday, participating authors post eight to ten sentences from a published work or perhaps their current work in progress. Then we hop to our fellow warriors’ blogs and check out all the fabulous fiction that’s happening! I heartily invite you to participate as a reader, writer, or both. It’s a great way to discover your next favorite book. Click here or use the address: http://www.wewriwa.com

Weekend Writing Warriors ~ Muddled Misery

September 10, 2016 by Alexis Duran

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors, the blog hop where a fun and diverse group of writers share excerpts in ten sentences or less from their published works or works-in-progress. I’ve been sharing from my new release, Gryffon Hall, an m/m fantasy inspired by Beauty and The Beast. In this scene, Wryler’s father informs him that he’s been betrothed to the notorious Lord Aeric Rouchet. Last week, Wryler found out that he’s to leave for Gryffon Hall three days hence. His father, who is entirely unsympathetic to Wrylers’ misgivings, is the speaker:

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“Cheer up, Wryler. I don’t want my last image of you to be the one of muddled misery I see before me now. When you give me that baleful look, I can’t help but think of your mother.” He sighed, momentarily woeful, then rallied, slapping his hands together. “Let’s go, Cook, we’ve still got a house full of guests with aching heads–all ripe for a little lucrative conversation.”

With that, the two intruders departed, slamming the door behind them. Wryler stood motionless, listening to their fading boot stomps and the grating buzz of Amster’s snores.

Sent away into the wilderness, alone, to live out his days with a stranger. A barbarous stranger who battled monsters for a living. For most of Wryler’s life, Gryffon Hall had been held up as an example of power gone awry—a once great seat of power brought down by greed and black magic.

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Check out the great review on Diverse Reader.

Buy on Amazon

ARe

Loose Id

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My Sexy Saturday ~ This Undeniable Fact

September 10, 2016 by Alexis Duran

Hello and welcome to My Sexy Saturday, the blog hop where a host of writers share steamy snippets from their published work or work in progress in either seven words, seven sentences or seven paragraphs.

This week I’m sharing from my new and shiny m/m release, Gryffon Hall. The theme is My Sexy Dilemma and on Wryler’s wedding night, he unexpectedly finds himself right in the middle of one. His groom has become irritatingly respectful all of a sudden, and what happens next is up to Wryler.

***

Wryler rolled onto his side and felt horribly, dreadfully lonely. Dratted wine.

Rouchet’s touch, his kisses, his heat…had been so convincing, so passionate. Rouchet had awakened a fire in Wryler only to douse it with politeness.

How dare Rouchet be so polite all of a sudden? So irritatingly considerate? There was, if one wanted to open one’s heart to further humiliation, the tiniest possibility that what Rouchet had said was actually true. He wanted to give Wryler the choice.

Wryler flopped onto his back again. Perhaps, not only was Rouchet not a monster, but quite human. Maybe he wanted to be wanted just as Wryler did.

“Ridiculous,” Wryler muttered. “You’re only thinking that because you want it to be true.” He sat up and, after a moment, pulled off his boots. Then he tore at the cravat. He nearly choked himself, but got it off and threw it aside. Damn it. Rouchet was supposed to be doing this. Wryler’s husband was supposed to be peeling his clothes off, lavishing him with kisses, groping him with abandon.

“Oh, stop it,” he said to his traitorous cock, which stiffened and swelled, entirely unaware that it had been rejected right along with the rest of Wryler’s body. His breathing grew ragged.

He wanted Rouchet. All Wryler’s arguments against this undeniable fact crumbled to dust.

***

Check out the great review at Diverse Reader. (And check out the blog tour giveaway)

Buy on Amazon

ARe

Loose Id

And finally, don’t forget to continue the hop for more sexy snippets at My Sexy Saturday

Seductive Studs ~ Wed This Very Night

September 4, 2016 by Alexis Duran

A new week, a new round of Seductive Studs. I’m sharing from my new release, Gryffon Hall, a fantasy inspired by Beauty and the Beast and spiced up with an m/m romance. In this scene, Wryler has arrived at Gryffon Hall with his aunt Otillia. They’ve found out over breakfast that Rouchet insists on proceeding with the ceremony right away. Wryler speaks first.

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“Lord Rouchet—”

“Please. We’re to be wed this very night. Call me Aeric.”

Mouth suddenly quite dry, Wryler looked up at Rouchet. Wed this very night. He licked his lips and formed the word with difficulty.

“Aeric.” He’d forgotten what he was going to ask.

“That sounds much nicer.” Rouchet had a hand on the back of his chair and with the other reached out for one of Wryler’s. Wryler nearly jumped in surprise but held still, blushing only a little. Rouchet’s hand was rough and hot and could snap all of Wryler’s fingers with a squeeze, yet his grip was gentle. “You have a request? Whatever you wish, I will do my utmost to satisfy.”

“I… It’s nothing, really. I wondered if I might see the library.”

“Wryler!” Otillia exclaimed. “You have no time for sightseeing. Now that Lord Rouchet insists on having the ceremony tonight, we must away at once to your chamber to finish your—”

“I would be delighted to escort you there myself, Wryler,” Rouchet said, speaking over Otillia as if she hadn’t uttered a peep. Wryler’s aunt flushed a deep red, and Farina’s eyes looked like they might pop out of her head. “Please excuse us, Lady Otillia. It will only be a brief excursion, and I will return your nephew to you in ample time. Unless you wish to join us?”

“As if I had a moment to spare!” Otillia looked like she might leap to her feet, but sighed and reached for another jam tart. “If you’re not at my door in an hour’s time, Wryler, I’ll send that useless manservant of yours to fetch you. If I can find him.” She shook her head and muttered, “So much to do in one day.”

Rouchet stepped back and gestured for Wryler to walk ahead of him. Wryler bowed to his aunt, who released him with a testy wave. He walked stiffly down the long stretch of the room, aware of Rouchet on his heels. He’d wanted to escape to the library, to be alone with his favorite people—dead scholars in books—and gather his thoughts. He’d certainly had no intention of prolonging his contact with Rouchet. It was damn awkward, is what it was.

Get through the wedding night. Submit to whatever has to happen, and then hopefully Rouchet will go on his way, ignoring his spouse like so many husbands do.

Ah, little chance of that Wryler.

Buy on Amazon

ARe

Loose Id

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Don’t forget to continue the hop at Seductive Studs for more sweet and sexy m/m goodness.

Weekend Writing Warriors ~ Better Get Packing

September 4, 2016 by Alexis Duran

Greetings and welcome to another round of Weekend Writing Warriors.

I’m forging ahead with a scene from my new release, Gryffon Hall. Wryler has just found out that he’s been betrothed to a stranger, the notorious Lord Aeric Rouchet. The arrangement is very advantageous for Wryler’s father, but that’s cold comfort to Wryler. The “they” in the first sentence is Wryler’s father and a government minister.

***

They both smiled broadly, completely unconcerned with Wryler’s feelings or the terrifying fate they’d bound him to.

Wryler lifted his chin and put back his shoulders. “And when is the ceremony set to occur? Sometime in the summer?” he asked, mind racing. There was still a chance he could talk to Rouchet and explain that Wryler had no interest in marrying him, that he loved—or at least was fond of—another. Maybe MacFarlane would reject the Arsburry offer and Wryler’s father could be persuaded to reconsider—

“Seven days hence at Gryffon Hall. Lord Rouchet has already taken his leave in order to prepare his household. You’re to follow in three days. Better get packing.”

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Buy on Amazon

ARe

Loose Id

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