Book Title: Blaze of Eternity (D’Vaire, Book 39)
Author and Publisher: Jessamyn Kingley
Cover Artist: LJ Anderson of Mayhem Cover Creations
Release Date: September 28, 2023
Genres: MM Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Tropes: Fated mates
Themes: Love, overcoming obstacles
Heat Rating: 3 flames
Length: 107 000 words
It does not end on a cliffhanger.
Buy Links – Available in Kindle Unlimited
Mates are forever, but sometimes the road to eternal love is far from easy.
Blurb
Masse is a mage of earth, but he was born with a special gift. Thankfully, a nomadic tribe of men stumbled upon him in his youth and recognized it. The men rescued him from his isolated village, and since Masse was three he has worked diligently to embrace his unique skills. Now twenty, Masse tries to be perfect but often winds up punished for breaking their strict rules and testing his limits.
At birth, Fate slapped a phoenix on the arm of Jarl Kolsten Eldrvalkyria, making him the first leader of his people chosen divinely. Surrounded by family and friends, Kolsten loves his life and does everything to aid the exceptional phoenixes in his village. A lover of books and long walks, he wanders through the woods one day and meets his mate.
Kolsten and Masse come from two different worlds, and their beliefs differ vastly. Unable to deny his attraction to Kolsten, Masse is fearful of building a bond with him. Masse must decide between his destiny and his heart. But before they can have the eternity Fate chose for them, Kolsten and Masse learn no road is without peril. And even the best laid plans cannot account for the twists and turns of life itself.
It was the first time Masse could recall traveling to the Kingdom of Sweden, and he wanted to explore to find out how it differed from the other places he’d visited. Winter had not yet wrapped everything in her blanket, but the chilly breeze warned him it was but weeks away. The sky was a brilliant blue, and the lush green ground stretched on forever. A copse of trees beckoned to Masse from just beyond the small pond that had lured his people to choose their campsite.
As Masse moved closer to it, strange sensations swept through him. The first was a distinct scent of smoke and fire. Worried that something horrible was afoot, Masse hastened his steps but halted when his member came to attention. Although Masse had, in the past, broken the rules and snuck off to bring himself to a quick release, that was a secret he’d keep until the last breath left his lungs. Why would his body choose now to get an erection?
A tall blond man emerged from the woods. His hair brushed his shoulders, but part of it was tied back, presumably to keep it from settling in his stunning face. The stranger had a strong jaw and broad shoulders, and as he moved closer, Masse noted his eyes rivaled the sky with their azure beauty. His mouth beckoned to Masse.
“Hello there,” the man said as he stalked toward Masse with a grin that weakened the former sorcerer’s knees.
“I must go,” Masse whispered, the hardness of his prick lessening. The comfort he found near this unknown man frightened him. Already Masse had broken the rule against communicating with outsiders, and he wondered why he so abhorred obeying the men he respected.
The blond lifted his chin, and his smile dimmed, but he didn’t stop walking until he was less than a foot from Masse. “I should like to introduce myself to my mate first.”
“Mate? But Fate is a delusion for fools,” Masse said. Since Masse had already spoken, it couldn’t hurt to correct the stranger’s misguided thoughts. “Man must discover his purpose on his own and not fall prey to fantasies.”
“I beg your pardon, but my people embrace Fate fully. The goddess chose me to rule them, and I assure you I am rooted fully in reality. I would argue that only a fool would dismiss such a powerful goddess.”
“Have you any proof of her existence?” Masse asked weakly as he wondered why he felt such comfort near the stranger.
“Aye, for I have the blood of a beast in my veins, and she slapped a phoenix on my arm to assure everyone she wishes for me to lead.”
“A beast?” Curiosity was constantly a downfall for Masse, and his brain demanded he learn everything he could about the phoenix-man. It was not the first he’d heard of the shapeshifters, but he had never spoken to one or anyone who wasn’t part of his own people.
“You are no human,” the man said. “I have met a human or two. You are not a shifter like me, but what is in your soul?” His eyes narrowed. “I detect something fair strange too. My beast does not like it. It is most odd. I fear it may weaken him.”
“I was a mage. One of earth. But I have a gift. Someday I will become a true Pallidus Anima, and my presence will allow no sorcerer to gain more power than is intended,” Masse boasted, proud of his people.
“Ah, but who decides what is intended if not Fate?”
“I do not know why I am speaking to you.”
“Likely because you feel the pull of our matebond despite how teachings have warped your perception of Fate.”
Masse gasped. “You are far too assured of yourself.”
“As Fate intended. Tell me your name, mage of earth.”
“I do not think that is wise.” It was assuredly not, but Masse yearned to gain knowledge of the blond beast-man.
“I am Kolsten. Jarl of the Eldrvalkyria. We are phoenixes with the blood of the Valkyrie.”
“Masse. Mass-ie less you struggle with the pronunciation.”
“Is Masse short for anything?”
Masse shook his head. “It is the only name I have known. I was an orphan until my gift was discovered, so if I have another, longer name, it was lost when I left the earth mages.”
“I should like to learn more about this gift.”
“It is forbidden for me to tell you anything of the Pallidus Anima,” Masse said, belatedly recalling that he’d already told the stranger things about his people that weren’t allowed. As if a lowly apprentice talking to Kolsten wasn’t awful enough, Masse had alerted an entire population where to find the Pallidus Anima. Was Masse’s runaway tongue destined to be the downfall of his people?
Jessamyn Kingley has published over thirty titles and refuses to pick a favorite among them. With an extraordinary passion for her characters, she enthusiastically adds tales to her D’Vaire series and avidly re-reads them whenever her schedule allows. After decades living in the Washington, DC area, she now resides in Nevada with her husband and their three spoiled cats. When she is not writing or adding new ideas to her beloved notebooks, she is gaming with family and friends.
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