Book Title: Now Comes the Dark
Author: Thom Collins
Publisher: Pride Publishing / Entwined Publishing
Cover Artist: Claire Siemaszkiewicz
Release Date: February 11, 2025
Pairing: Contemporary Dark MM Romance
Tense/POV: Third person
Genres: Thriller/Mystery/Suspense
Tropes: Instant lust, serial killer, community
Themes: Erotic thriller
Heat Rating: 4 flames
Length: 63 000 words
It is the first book in a new series, but works as a complete standalone
It does not end on a cliffhanger.
Buy Links
Universal Link | Amazon US | Amazon UK
Two strangers fuelled by desire, and a killer consumed with lust.
Blurb
Roman Ballentyne is forced to make some changes. The city he loves is no longer safe. Tensions are high as a psychotic killer preys upon the LGBTQ community. Five men have been murdered in the last year. Every encounter is a risk. Anyone could be next. The Viaduct was once the shame of Blyham, an illicit club filled with private booths and dark rooms, sleazy in the extreme. Now it offers a secure space to hook up when it’s too dangerous to take a stranger home.
Mallon Garnier catches Roman’s eye. He’s moody and mature and the hottest man in the club, but as Mallon pairs up with someone else, Roman thinks he’s missed his chance. When Roman is the victim of a hate crime at the end of the night, Mallon is his saviour, taking on his attackers with savage efficiency. Their attraction is immediate and intense. Roman knows it’s wrong to go home with a stranger, but what harm can there be from the man who saved him?
The encounter is the start of an intense and passionate affair. But as the murders continue, Roman learns Mallon is keeping a deep secret, and the killer is closer than he thinks.
The Vermont Hotel had been a part of Roman’s life for as long as he had lived in Blyham. As a student, he used to work seasonal shifts in their Michelin-starred restaurant and had covered tables at one of their many corporate events. These days, he could see it’s majestic ten story structure from the other side of the river on his journey to and from work. But in all those years, he had not set foot inside one of the bedrooms…until tonight.
He had been surprised when Mallon told him where he was staying. From his laid-back attitude and street-fighting ways, he’d expected him to have a room in one of the budget chain hotels, of which Blyham had six, situated in all areas of the city. He should have known better than to judge a man by his appearance.
The Vermont stood out among the crowd of high-end bars, restaurants, shops and hotels that dominated Blyham’s chic waterfront district. It was the jewel in a gentrified crown.
They arrived by Uber. No more taking chances on the dangerous streets. Mallon showed his room card to the twenty-four-hour concierge, and they crossed the marbled floor of the reception. There were still people drinking in the hotel’s foyer bar. He knew there was another bar, on the roof terrace, though Roman doubted that would be serving at this hour.
They entered the lift alone, and Mallen pressed the button for the seventh floor.
As soon as the doors closed, he was on Roman. He grasped his head in both hands and kissed him. Roman was a few inches taller than Mallon, but the older man dominated him in every way, pushing him against the wall of the elevator and shoving his tongue into his mouth. Roman gripped his shoulders, surrendering as Mallon ground his bulge against his hips.
The passion of the kiss disarmed him. Roman’s legs trembled as he thrust his tongue against Mallon’s, experiencing the heat of his breath, the raspy contact of their stubbled skin. Few of the men he had met on a casual basis were into kissing. Many of them refused to do it, and those who did were often terrible. Not Mallon. This guy knew how to kiss and make it count.
Roman squirmed, grinding his hips against his cock, discerning its size and girth. It had been completely concealed by Cameron’s greedy mouth in the club, and he had no idea what to expect, but from the way Mallon pressed it onto him, he would not be disappointed.
The doors open. Mallon slid a hand around Roman’s waist and shoved it down the back of his jeans, cupping his arse. His fingers slithered into the sweaty crack. Roman caught a quick breath. This man was bold. He knew what he wanted and went for it. As they walked along the corridor, Mallon’s fingertip found the hot opening, and traced the rim.
“Tonight, your ass is mine.”
Roman nodded and licked his lips. His mouth was dry. “Yes. It’s all yours.”
“To do what I want with?”
“Anything.” His insides tightened, and a fire of need burned in his butt like nothing he’d known.
They reached the door of his room. Mallon swiped the card, and they went inside.
It was more than a hotel room. There was a large seating area with a sofa, armchair and coffee table, and the bedroom was around an L-shaped bend. This had to be one of the junior suites. Roman had heard of them but didn’t know what to expect. The décor was all cream, beige and gold, illuminated by multiple side lights strategically placed around the room. Whatever Mallon did for a living, whatever had brought him to Blyham, had to be worth a lot of money.
Thom Collins is the author of the Jagged Shores series and the Anthem Trilogy as well as numerous standalone novels and novellas.
His new series Basic Instincts launches in spring 2025 with the novel Now Comes the Dark.
Thom has lived in the North East of England his whole life. He grew up in Northumberland and now lives in County Durham with his husband and two cats. He loves all kinds of genre fiction, especially bonk-busters, thrillers, romance and horror. He is also a cookery book addict with far too many titles cluttering his shelves. When not writing he can be found in the kitchen trying out new recipes. He’s a keen traveler but with a fear of flying that gets worse with age, but in 2013 he realized cruising is the best way to see the world.
Check out his website for news updates and a free ebook The Night
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