Title: Essence

Author: Mychael Black

Cover Art: Angela Knight

Genres: Action Adventure, Dark Fantasy, Mystery & Suspense, New Releases, Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy

Themes: Dark Romance, LGBTQ+ /Gay, LGBTQ+ /Sex/Gender Shifters & MPreg, Vampires

Series: Splintered Bloodlines (#3)

Book Length: Novella

Page Count: 71

Description

Bobby’s always had a thing for silver foxes. Still has. Just never expected to find the ultimate one is his fated mate.

Bobby Kirkland leads a simple life — mostly simple, considering his budding romance with the esteemed Deacon Saridan, head vamp of House Saridan.

Amid the romance and Bobby’s exploration of the BDSM lifestyle with his new mate, a string of murders leads Deacon to believe that a familiar, though certainly not kind, face has shown itself in the lands of House Saridan… and this threat proves to be an even bigger challenge than first thought.

WARNING: Adult language and situations, including BDSM

Essence (Splintered Bloodlines 3)
Mychael Black
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2025 Mychael Black

“How much do you know about BDSM?”

I knew he wasn’t a virgin, but I honestly had no clue what — if anything — my sweet mate knew about the lifestyle I lived. He didn’t seem too shocked, so I figured he had some knowledge. We’d cleaned up after dinner and settled on the couch, facing one another. I wanted, more than anything, to drag him over, pin him beneath me, and ravage him until he begged to cum, but I didn’t. Not yet.

“I’ve done a little research,” Bobby said. He blushed a bit, but he kept going. “I know about safewords, limit lists, stuff like that.”

I nodded. “Very good. Have you ever thought about exploring it?”

“Yes, but I never got the chance or found anyone I trusted enough.” His smile made me want to see what else that mouth could do. “Until now.”

Chuckling, I reached out and traced a line down his chest with a fingertip. Unlike his clean-shaven face, there was a light dusting of dark brown hair that tapered down and disappeared beneath the waistband of his jeans. I couldn’t wait to get him out of those. I wasn’t particularly fond of denim and its coarseness. I preferred softer, thinner fabrics.

“First things first then,” I said, not missing the way he shivered slightly under my touch. “You need a safeword — something you would never say in the heat of the moment.”

“I honestly have no idea. I did read about… stoplights?”

“The stoplight system is perfect. Red means full stop, no questions asked. Yellow means slow down, check in. Green is good-to-go. Would you prefer that for now?”

“I think so, yeah.”

“Good. Now for your limits. Hard limits are things you absolutely will not do, soft limits are things you are interested in but not sure about yet, and, of course, faves are just that: your favorite kinks, toys, whatever.”

Bobby hesitated for a moment, and I waited. Divulging such things wasn’t easy for anyone, especially someone new to this sort of lifestyle. Despite the suppressant still in his system, though, I could smell his unique scent, that woodsy sweetness that made me ache. I wondered if his slick would taste the same.

“I, uh… hard stuff is probably easier,” he said finally. “Obviously, no one under eighteen, no animals, no bodily wastes, no dead bodies.”

I nodded. “Complete agreement across the board.”

“I don’t know if there are other hard limits right now.”

“As we explore this, you may discover more. If I ever do or say something that is a hard no, use your stoplights. Understood?”

“Yes, Sir.”

I smiled and moved my hand back up to give his left nipple a slight tweak. He gasped and arched toward me. “Good boy,” I murmured. “Keep going.”

“So… favorites?”

“Yes.” I pulled my hand back, not missing the slightest hint of disappointment on his face. “Good boys get rewarded.”

Purchase at Changeling Press

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Mychael Black has been writing professionally since 2005. He writes gay romance and erotica, but also het romance as Carys Seraphine and queer fantasy as Katherine Cook.

He’s an avid PC gamer with a love for RPGs, a horror fanatic, and a fantasy nut. He also has a weakness for anything relating to skulls, dogs, and Spongebob Squarepants.

Mychael lives on the Eastern Shore of the US with his family. He loves to hear from readers, be it via email or Facebook.

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