It was a simple kiss, the touch of a soft tongue against Mal’s bottom lip and then a sigh of a breath into the warmth of his mouth. It was enough to send shivers through the immortal’s soul, and he stilled, letting Kismet explore him. Too quickly, it was done, and cold air rushed into Mal’s lungs when the young man pulled away.
“You’re welcome.” Finally able to breathe, Mal leaned in, bumping shoulders with his friend. “I’m just glad you’re here.”
“I’m glad you’re here too,” Kismet said.
A bowl leaped from the counter, spinning in midair before crashing against the far wall. Another followed, larger shards scattering on the painted floor, a chunk flying as far as the mattresses positioned around the potbellied stove set in a near corner. Chase peered out of the wall, eyes wide and shocked at the commotion. Sliding back into the shadows, he left behind a gray mist on the gypsum board, its edges creeping out like mold. Amid the busy street noises coming from the half-open windows, a woman’s voice lifted into a giggle, then fell away, leaving Mal and Kismet alone once again.
“Well, lucky for me, you’ve got this bowl fetish.” Kismet shrugged, shaking out a dish towel. “Or I might have had to reconsider that sanctuary thing.”
“You should reconsider it anyway.”
Kismet gave Mal a long steady look, sincere and open. Resting his elbows on the counter, he put his chin on his clenched hands and said with a smile, “Only if you could reassure me that it could keep Ari out. And maybe you in.”
☻☻☻
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
RHYS FORD admits to sharing the house with three cats of varying degrees of black fur and a ginger cairn terrorist. Rhys is also enslaved to the upkeep of a 1979 Pontiac Firebird, a Toshiba laptop, and an overworked red coffee maker.
Rhys can be found at the following locations:
Blog: www.rhysford.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rhys.ford.author
Twitter: @Rhys_Ford
Black Dog Blues
By Rhys Ford
Ever since being part of the pot in a high-stakes poker game, elfin outcast Kai Gracen figures he used up his good karma when Dempsey, a human Stalker, won the hand and took him in. Following the violent merge of Earth and Underhill, the human and elfin races are left with a messy, monster-ridden world, and Stalkers are the only cavalry willing to ride to someone’s rescue when something shadowy appears.
It’s a hard life but one Kai likes—filled with bounty, a few friends, and most importantly, no other elfin around to remind him of his past. And killing monsters is easy. Especially since he’s one himself.
But when a sidhe lord named Ryder arrives in San Diego, Kai is conscripted to do a job for Ryder’s fledgling Dawn Court. It’s supposed to be a simple run up the coast during dragon-mating season to retrieve a pregnant human woman seeking sanctuary. Easy, quick, and best of all, profitable. But Kai ends up in the middle of a deadly bloodline feud he has no hope of escaping.
No one ever got rich being a Stalker. But then few of them got old either and it doesn’t look like Kai will be the exception.
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Table of Contents
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Also from DSP Publications