Book Title: Embers of Darkness (D’Vaire, Book 27)
Author: Jessamyn Kingley
Publisher: Independently Published
Cover Artist: LJ Anderson, Mayhem Cover Creations
Release Date: February 3, 2022
Genres: M/M Romance, Paranormal Romance, Fantasy Romance
Trope/s: Fated mates
Themes: Love, reconciling the past
Length: 90 503 words
It is not a standalone story. The book does not end on a cliffhanger.
Check out the D’vaire Series on Goodreads
Buy Links – Available in Kindle Unlimited
To embrace the future and find love, both men must face the darkness of their pasts.
Blurb
A man torn between what his soul wants and what he believes is expected of him, Scheredin D’Vaire is still fiercely loyal to his family. Scheredin is one of the few remaining warlocks and spends his days aiding his cousins in running the D’Vaire sanctuary. In his free time, Scheredin loves gaming. With the tap of a few keys, Scheredin can lose himself in another world.
Kieran Tarinthfenix is a phoenix shifter whose tribe likes to forget that elf blood also runs through their veins. A driven man, Kieran takes his hobby of gaming and learns to craft titles of his own. He hands his income to his chieftain despite Kieran’s lack of respect for a man who forces his people to take part in an ancient but cruel ceremony every year.
Scheredin and Kieran meet online and quickly grow into gaming buddies. For years, they are content with an online relationship and the anonymity it provides. When Scheredin decides to meet Kieran in person, they discover they’re mates, but there are secrets between them. To find lasting love, both men will have to throw away the past and seize their destinies.
“Hi,” Kieran said. The scent of cut grass surrounded him as Kieran crossed the distance that separated him from Scheredin.
Scheredin smiled shyly. “Hi.”
“Is that all your stuff?” Brogan barked.
“I swear he’s normal at home,” Brexton remarked after greeting Kieran.
“Normal?” Brogan asked. “Why would I want to be normal?”
“Like D’Vaire normal,” Brexton replied.
“Speaking of D’Vaire, if Keladriel has everything, why are we still standing around here?” Brogan asked.
“This is everything; we can get going,” Kieran assured the antsy duke.
“Fair warning, you’re about to step into mayhem,” Brexton said. “No one really believes that if they’ve never been to D’Vaire, but everyone in our family is crazy…in like the absolute best way.”
“Like in a cake-obsessed, fighting ninja-kitten, magical dreams, freakishly awesome way,” Brogan tacked on.
“I’m intrigued and a little scared,” Kieran remarked.
“We’re going to throw a bunch of names and titles at you in rapid succession,” Scheredin warned. “Don’t worry if you can’t remember it all. I’ll help you however I can.”
“I’m counting on it. In fact, I’m pretty sure it’s your duty as my mate. I read online that there’s a primer Council book so I can figure out how the government works. How difficult is it to get a copy?” Kieran asked.
“I don’t know that there is a written list of mate rules, but the book part is easy. We keep plenty on hand for sanctuary residents,” Scheredin said.
“I may have to write some mate rules,” Kieran teased.
“Dra’Kaedan and I keep a pro and con list. Might want to consider that too,” Brogan remarked. “You ready to cast that spell, Scher?”
“On it. Close your eyes, Keladriel, or you’ll get nauseated.”
“Okay, thanks,” Kieran said, his beast chaffing at being called by the wrong name. He did as he was told. A feeling of weightlessness registered under his feet, but seconds later Kieran was standing on something solid again.
“Here we are,” Scheredin commented. “I’ll show you to your room so you can put your stuff down, then we’ll introduce you around.”
Brogan opened one of the double front doors, and the beauty of the handcrafted wooden panels astounded Kieran. Inside was a short, wide hallway. Although Kieran could hear voices to his left, Scheredin directed him to another long corridor on the right.
The first thing Kieran saw was an enormous office space which belonged to the High Kings, according to the beautiful script above the glass entrance. Across from it was another space designated as a Nobles’ Den by a metallic plaque. Past that were private suites with more metal signs designating who called them home.
“This one is mine,” Scheredin said, pointing to one with his name on it. “I’ll show it to you later. Yours is farther down the hall.”
“Brex is right next to you,” Kieran observed.
“Yep, we’re very close. It’s kind of expected as a warlock and familiar, but unfortunately it doesn’t always work out that way. I’m glad Brex and I get along and that we have so much in common.”
“You’re both awesome,” Kieran told him and was rewarded with a smile.
“So are you,” Scheredin said, then opened a blank door to reveal a suite that was easily quadruple the size of any Kieran had ever seen. It was done in whites and creams, and the bright Arizona sun filtered through massive windows that showed off the beautiful high desert landscape.
“Wow,” Kieran breathed out.
“Yeah, the mansion is beautiful. The original D’Vaire dragons had it built, and although we’ve expanded on it, we’ve preserved the basic architecture of their design. I love it.”
“I don’t see how anyone could complain,” Kieran replied seriously. “I look forward to seeing more of it. But first, I want to meet your family.”
“Once you walked through those doors, you became a D’Vaire too, Keladriel. Around here, you’ll get corrected if you refer to them as my family instead of ours.”
“Okay. Keep reminding me in case I forget.”
“Another mate duty?”
“I’m afraid so,” Kieran said. “Time to scare me with a bunch of names I might not remember.”
Acting on instinct, he held out a hand, and Scheredin only hesitated for a heartbeat before placing his palm against the shifter’s.
“I could always slap magical name tags on their foreheads.”
“We won’t count that idea out,” Kieran replied as he was led out of the enormous suite to start his future as a D’Vaire.
Jessamyn Kingley lives in Nevada where she begs the men in her head to tell her their amazing stories which she dutifully writes it all down in what has become a small mountain of notebooks. She falls in love with each couple and swears whatever book she wrote last is her absolute favorite.
Jessamyn is married and working toward remembering to start the dishwasher without being distracted by the scent of the magical detergent. For personal enjoyment, she aids in cat rescue while slashing and gashing her way through mobs in various MMORPGs. Caffeine is her very best friend and is only cast aside briefly for the sin better known as BBQ potato chips.
Join her Facebook group, Jessamyn’s Ruffian’s
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