Jocelynn Drake – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read

Jocelynn Drake – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read http://www.ilovenovels.com Fri, 03 Apr 2026 23:14:22 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 http://www.ilovenovels.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/favicon.png Jocelynn Drake – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read http://www.ilovenovels.com 32 32 A Heart of Gold and Glass (Secret Fairy Tales #1) Read Online Jocelynn Drake http://www.ilovenovels.com/a-heart-of-gold-and-glass-secret-fairy-tales-1-read-online-jocelynn-drake Fri, 03 Apr 2026 23:14:22 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/a-heart-of-gold-and-glass-secret-fairy-tales-1-read-online-jocelynn-drake Genre: Fantasy/Sci-fi, M-M Romance, Magic, Paranormal Authors: Jocelynn Drake Series: Secret Fairy Tales Series by Jocelynn Drake
Advertisement

Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 96695 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >104

It all started with a lie…
Hugo needs to get married.

His family’s prospects have been dwindling since the death of his father, and he has to make a good match to save his mother and two younger brothers.

He just doesn’t expect his mother to sink all his hopes with a single lie.

My son can spin straw into gold!

Now, the queen might execute him over such nonsense.

However, Prince Everand has better, sweeter plans for him.

Can Hugo really win the heart of a prince? Not to mention survive kidnappings, dungeons, wolves, and the plotting of a possibly mad king out for revenge?

Hugo will need more than magic to protect his prince and keep his head.

But nothing can make him give up his chance at happily ever after.

A Heart of Gold and Glass is a retelling of the Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale with a few magical twists and turns that will leave you swooning over Hugo and his precious prince Everand

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

One

After a week of dreary, endless rain, the clouds had moved on, and bright-blue skies stretched overhead. It was going to be a gorgeous spring day.

The break in the long rainy spell also meant that paper birds filled the skies. Invitations, letters, and even shop notices fluttered in the folded shapes of different birds, from delicate finches to fierce hawks. With just the touch of a crystal purchased at the postal shop for a couple of copper coins, each letter sprung to life.

There were rumors that rich aristocrats kept on staff a servant or two who possessed the magical gift of turning letters into birds. They never had to use store-bought magic for their letters.

The Baker household had received a dozen paper birds, which hopped about the mailbox, waiting to be picked up. As Hugo approached, the paper finches and starlings settled into the box, unfolding themselves into neat squares. He flipped through them as he strolled to the breakfast room. At least half were invitations, then there were a few personal letters, a few bills, and finally, best of all, a note stating that his new suit was ready to be picked up from the tailor’s shop.

Hugo ran through the house, tugging on his jacket and then checking his reflection one last time in the glass to make sure his appearance was proper. He passed a hand through his light-brown hair, smoothing the soft waves into place prior to putting his hat on his head. Then he was out the door, tossing over his shoulder to his mother and brothers that he was off to town to pick up his suit.

He didn’t care one fig about the suit. He needed to get out of the house and breathe the fresh air. To stretch his legs and hear something other than his brothers bickering with each other or with their mother.

The Season was about to begin, and tension was running high in the Baker household. Hugo had to find a husband, preferably a rich, titled one. Otherwise, they were going to be in a terrible financial position by winter.

But that wasn’t a problem for today.

Hugo was determined to enjoy this break—possibly one of his last—before all his attention turned to being the best-looking, most interesting, most talented person…to win the heart of a good man.

Hugo shoved that stomach-churning thought aside and gazed at the muddy road ahead of him. The Bakers lived in a house outside the town proper of Buckleford, which itself was a short carriage ride to the royal capital of Frostbourne. It was only a ten-minute walk through Shaggy Butternut Woods to Buckleford, and Hugo was more than happy to be out in nature. The actual birds were chirping and darting between the trees. Rabbits and squirrels were scurrying through the undergrowth, searching for a meal while trying to remain hidden from the larger predators lurking nearby.

He hummed to himself as a bend in the road revealed the first glimpse of Buckleford with its neat and tidy stone buildings. It was home to a few hundred people and the main stop for the local farmers. Everything would be sold to merchants here in Buckleford prior to moving on to Frostbourne and other cities throughout the kingdom. The town was quaint and busy as most of the locals stopped here rather than traveling on to the more expensive Frostbourne. There was little need to leave Buckleford. It had a wonderful open market and shops that provided everything a person could want.

A sigh of relief drifted from his parted lips as he left behind the muddy road for cobblestone and sidewalks. While ample puddles dotted the road, the shopkeepers had taken the time to sweep most of the sidewalks clean. There wasn’t much he could do about the mud on his boots, but the rest of him was at least clean and presentable.

It would take Hugo a couple of minutes to pop into the tailor’s to pick up his suit and then ten minutes to walk home. That wasn’t long enough of a break from his family.

However, after he grabbed his parcel, he could do a bit of window shopping. If he already had something in his hand, they would believe he had money in his pocket to spend and wouldn’t hassle him about browsing. He could kill at least an hour or two this way and be home in time for lunch. That sounded like a perfect day.

Hugo turned onto the main street with its plethora of shops. People buzzed about dressed in their finest for shopping and paying calls. It seemed as if the entire town had headed out to enjoy the spring day. The scent of freshly baked bread and roasted nuts danced in the air. Here and there he would hear the drifting notes of music being played.

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >104

Advertisement
The Necromancer’s Christmas Tree of Terror Read Online Jocelynn Drake http://www.ilovenovels.com/the-necromancers-christmas-tree-of-terror-read-online-jocelynn-drake Thu, 25 Dec 2025 22:02:46 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/the-necromancers-christmas-tree-of-terror-read-online-jocelynn-drake Genre: Fantasy/Sci-fi, Funny, M-M Romance, Novella, Paranormal Authors: Jocelynn Drake Series: Series by Jocelynn Drake
Advertisement

Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 128(@200wpm)___ 103(@250wpm)___ 85(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >27

The tree knocked on the front door, begging to be let in…

It was Sky and Nolan’s first Christmas together.

Nolan was hoping to make lots of cozy memories with his new family.

But nothing goes quite how you might expect when you date a necromancer.

A “Christmas” tree shows up on their doorstep—a gift from the king of the underworld—and it turns their holidays upside down.

Can Nolan and Sky make it through the holiday season with their unexpected guest?

Fall in love with sunshine-y necromancer Sky and his grumpy boyfriend Nolan as they tackle the holidays with a sprinkle of magic and lots of chaos.

The Necromancer's Christmas Tree of Terror is a Princes of Mayhem holiday novella

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

Chapter 1

December 1

An icy wind howled through the streets, rattling limbs and tearing the last of the autumn leaves from the trees. Darkness blanketed the city, and thick clouds rolled across the night sky, blocking out the stars and the thin, delicate curve of the moon. Fall was withering away, and winter was slipping its claws deep into the world. The residents of this sleepy street remained huddled safely in their homes, protected from the cold and the scary things creeping in the shadows.

In fact, necromancer and general cinnamon roll Skylar had a different kind of creeping in mind as his hand slipped under the hem of his boyfriend’s sweat shirt. The BL romantic comedy they were watching was good, but he’d watched it a million times before and at that moment, he was more interested in exploring the contents of Nolan’s sweat pants.

“You realize that we’ve tried three times to watch this episode, and we never get past this part because someone has Wandering Hands Syndrome,” Nolan said suddenly, his eyes not moving from the TV.

“I know. I know,” Sky mumbled. His hand stopped inching forward and rested on Nolan’s flat stomach. Sky placed his head on Nolan’s shoulder and jutted out his bottom lip.

“I thought you said you liked this show.”

“I do. It’s just that this one also has the evil, manipulative sister trope, and that one gets old, fast. Why can’t they have more of the supportive, helpful fujoshi sister who tries to get the two main characters together? There’s never enough of that in BL shows.” As he complained, Sky’s fingers began moving of their own accord again, plucking at the waistband of Nolan’s pants.

Nolan reached over and picked up the remote resting on the cushion opposite Sky. “I can find something else to watch. Viki just started posting episodes of a new Chinese costume drama that’s gotten excellent reviews.”

“Or…” Sky drawled while tipping his face up to kiss along the underside of Nolan’s jaw, working his way to his earlobe—Nolan’s greatest weakness. His wicked fingers finally dipped below the waistband of Nolan’s sweats, continuing their wicked trek toward his boyfriend’s cock.

A sharp, brisk knock on the front door caused them to flinch. Sky whined at the sudden intrusion into their happy cocoon as Nolan tossed aside the blanket they’d been cuddled under and walked to the foyer.

“If it’s Red or Mad, tell them to go away. I’m about to get laid!” Sky called.

“You sure about that?” Nolan teased.

Sky snorted. “Yeah, like I can’t see the tent forming in those sweat pants.”

He wasn’t wrong. Nolan jerked on his baggy sweat shirt, trying to get it to stretch down to cover the front of his pants.

Sky heard Nolan open the door, scream, and slam it shut again. That was not normal!

“What happened?” Sky shouted as he raced from the couch to where Nolan had his back pressed to the wood, his face pale and lined with fear. “What’s out there?”

“A tree!”

Sky blinked slowly at him and repeated, “A tree?”

“Yes!”

“Let me see,” Sky said, motioning for his boyfriend to move aside. Humans did tend to overreact.

“No! It’s trying to come in.”

“How?”

“It has legs,” Nolan hissed. “Like…like crab legs. And it made noises.”

“Oh. Like my roses?”

“Your roses don’t scuttle around. They stay in their bed!”

Okay, Nolan had a point.

Sky walked slowly up to Nolan and laid a hand on his cheek. “Baby, it’ll be okay. Let me check. I’m sure it won’t be hard to send it away.”

He nodded and moved from the door on shaky legs. Sky grinned at Nolan, happy to wait until he was a comfortable distance away before slowly opening the door.

The “tree” was more of a teardrop-shaped shrub, standing about three feet tall on a set of curled roots that did resemble twisted crab legs. The creature chittered at him and took a step forward as if it were an overgrown cat trying to dart inside where it was warm.

“Huh. Wow. That’s nice,” Sky murmured to himself.

“What? What’s nice? What is it?” Nolan demanded from deeper in the foyer.

“It’s a witch’s Yule tree. No one has ever sent me one,” Sky replied.

“A what?”

“A witch’s Yule tree. Earth witches will sometimes bespell a tree, giving it some small level of sentience so that it can walk into a house on its own. They’re used to celebrate Yule and the winter solstice. I think they’re supposed to have about the same intelligence as a golden retriever.” He glanced over his shoulder at Nolan and flashed him an encouraging smile. “They’re seen as protectors of the hearth and home. It’s not going to hurt you.”

“Uh-huh,” Nolan said in a disbelieving tone as he inched a little higher up the nearby staircase. “And can we talk about how it makes noises? It’s a tree, Sky.”

Sky resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Poor human. Sometimes, his boyfriend was too adorable for words. “Magic. Obviously.”

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >27

Advertisement
Demon Dating Service Read Online Jocelynn Drake http://www.ilovenovels.com/demon-dating-service-read-online-jocelynn-drake Wed, 19 Nov 2025 18:26:38 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/demon-dating-service-read-online-jocelynn-drake Genre: M-M Romance Authors: Jocelynn Drake Advertisement

Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 72519 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 363(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >77

Even demons get bored...

Luke is a poor grad student, desperate for a cheap place to live.

Desperate enough even to live in a house full of demons.

(Anything is better than his last roommate.)

When the demons find it’s nearly impossible to scare Luke away, they decide on a new plan to amuse themselves.

They’re going to help Luke with his love life.

Can they really aid Luke’s efforts to catch his college crush? Or are they headed for a disaster that neither heaven nor hell can fix?

Demon Dating Service is a fluffy, chaotic stand-alone novel about a sweet guy making friends with the misfits of the demon world, trying to survive grad school, and snagging the hottest guy on campus

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

Prologue

BEWARE OF DEMONS WHEN THEY’RE BORED

Azroth

Azroth sighed a sigh so deep, he was sure they could feel the ripple washing through the lowest levels of Hell. There was a waterfall of blood cascading down the grand staircase, the library was crying again, and he was pretty sure the refrigerator had eaten yet another of the neighbor’s cats. In his opinion, though, the crazy old bat next door had plenty to spare, but disappearing cats and other neighborhood oddities drew attention to them, which they didn’t need.

Sometimes reining in five demons trapped on earth was more hassle than he wanted to deal with. Of course, there was always the option of making such a ruckus that someone called an exorcist to their house and sent them all to Hell, where they would be put under strict control and observation of a more powerful demon. But Azroth wasn’t in the mood to deal with a pompous demon on a power trip.

At least among the humans, they could do what they wished, so long as they didn’t draw too much attention to themselves.

Humans had summoned all six of them in the last couple of centuries for one task or another. In most cases, the human hadn’t been smart and had died shortly after the summoning, which meant that none of the demons had been properly sent back to Hell, leaving them free to roam the earth and stir up mischief. It was only by luck that they’d found each other and agreed to set up residence in this old, rambling Victorian home in New England.

Naturally, after more than a century of soaking in demon magic, the house wasn’t quite what it used to be. New rooms popped up and vanished on a whim. Many rooms had developed their own sentience and personality—hence the overly sensitive and frequently sobbing library. The plumbing was sketchy, but the plumbing had been questionable even before they’d moved in. And the plant life ate most living things that made the mistake of wandering into the yard.

Yet, even with all its quirks, the house was theirs, and they could live as they wished.

Until someone—or more likely all of them—became bored, leaving Azroth ready to pitch them into the underworld rather than deal with their nonsense.

Lifting a hand to his brow, Azroth squeezed and massaged his temples, careful not to prick himself on his long black nails. With a deep breath, he dropped his hand to his side and settled his massive leathery black wings about his shoulders like a cape. He stomped through the blood waterfall, causing it to part in fear like a literal Red Sea, and headed to the first-floor parlor.

As he’d expected, Ogos’s gelatinous mass of greenish-yellow goo was spread out across the dusty floral carpet, a half-finished game of solitaire set up in front of him. Additional cards were stuck to three tentacles as he searched for a play.

“Are you the reason the library is crying?” Azroth demanded as he entered the room.

“No,” Ogos replied as he placed a queen of hearts on a king of clubs. “I’m the reason there’s a thunderstorm in the second-floor shower. Tog is the reason the library is crying. He was eating pages out of the books.”

Azroth’s wings shifted to his sides as he dropped gracefully into a high-back chair. “And the waterfall of blood?”

“Annod watched a show set in Hawaii and wanted to know if he could surf down the stairs.”

“And Bath’tuk and Mullmag?”

“Backyard. One of the neighbors is planning an end-of-summer pool party, and they are alternating between freezing and boiling the water.”

Azroth closed his eyes and counted to ten. Sometimes freedom wasn’t worth the headaches of trying to keep these demons under control. Most of the time, it wasn’t so bad, but they each went through stints of boredom and were driven to mischief. The problem was when they were all bored at the same time.

“Enough,” he snarled and snapped his fingers. In the blink of an eye, he zapped the other four demons into the parlor with a puff of black smoke. The lingering smell of sulfur and brimstone danced around the room.

“What the heaven?” Tog shouted, throwing a book across the room with his meaty fist.

“We weren’t doing anything,” Mullmag and Bath’tuk said in unison.

“I was totally going to clean up the blood,” Annod claimed, thrusting a bony hand into the air only to have it become tangled in his wild, scraggly blond hair.

“Enough! This house is in utter chaos. I can feel it about to walk off its foundation and stroll down the street!” Azroth shoved out of his chair and marched through the room, glaring at each of the demons as he passed them. Tog dared to meet his gaze, but just barely. Mullmag, Bath’tuk, and Annod cowered and shrunk as he passed, while Ogos didn’t bother to look up from his game of solitaire.

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >77

Advertisement
The Temptation (Executive Suite Secrets #4) Read Online Jocelynn Drake http://www.ilovenovels.com/the-temptation-executive-suite-secrets-4-read-online-jocelynn-drake Wed, 29 Oct 2025 22:14:21 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/the-temptation-executive-suite-secrets-4-read-online-jocelynn-drake Genre: Billionaire, M-M Romance Authors: Jocelynn Drake Series: Executive Suite Secrets Series by Jocelynn Drake
Advertisement

Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 88501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 443(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >95

There was no escape.

Pierce had been running from me for years.

No more.

This time, Pierce needs me to play the role of doting boyfriend to keep his parents from dragging him back to Boston.

With the help of some sneaky accomplices, I’m turning this fake boyfriend into something real.

I will finally understand all his secrets and the haunted look that darts through his eyes every time my brother is mentioned.

Preferably before Pierce learns the truth behind too many of my own secrets.

The Temptation is the fourth and final full-length novel in the Executive Suite Secrets series, which includes a grumpy, too-serious billionaire, a sassy world-class violinist, evil schemes, fake boyfriend, best friend’s brother, snark, teasing, stolen kisses, “helpful” friends, hurt/comfort, caretaking, and finally getting to the bottom of an old mystery so we can have that sweet, forever kind of love

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

PROLOGUE

PIERCE SUTTON

March 4, 2011

Sawyer dropped his duffel bag loaded with dirty laundry on the marble floor of the foyer with a heavy thud. It was so tempting to do the same, but this wasn’t my house, even if I had visited the Millers numerous times over the past three years. It had become as familiar to me as my home, and yet I still clung to the manners my mother had browbeaten into me.

But Sawyer’s noisy entrance paled in comparison to the explosion of colorful balloons and streamers that festooned every inch of the foyer and into the living room. The family was celebrating the birthday of Sawyer’s younger brother, Simon. He was turning thirteen. And apparently, all he’d wanted was for Sawyer to return from college and bring me along.

However, I was confident Sawyer had made up that last bit, but I couldn’t turn him down. I’d first met Simon three years ago when Sawyer’s family had come to see him play baseball. Sawyer was one of the team’s pitchers while I played right field. Since that first meeting, Simon had said barely more than three words to me. The kid with the unruly mop of blond hair and ridiculously large blue eyes kept his mouth shut and his eyes on the ground anytime he was out with others.

That shyness didn’t extend to his older brother. The second Sawyer gave him even a shred of attention, Simon would light up like a Christmas tree in a dark room. He would chatter on and on about every little thing he saw or did, trying so hard to impress his older brother. Sawyer was tolerant and patient with Simon, always listening and nodding to everything he said.

We weren’t in the house long before the clack of someone approaching in heavy heels echoed through the house. Elizabeth Miller was a lovely woman with the same blond hair as her youngest son, and wide blue eyes.

“Oh, thank goodness, you didn’t miss your flight,” Mrs. Miller said as soon as she set eyes on us.

Sawyer smirked as he extended his arms to hug her. “I figured that was why you asked me to bring Pierce along. So I would be on time for once.”

She smacked her oldest child on the shoulder even as she hugged him. “That’s not true, but I consider it a bonus. I’m still hoping his sense of responsibility will rub off on you.”

Sawyer shot me a look over his mother’s shoulder, and I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from smirking. I could imagine any number of filthy comments crossing his mind that were nothing like what his mother had meant.

Elizabeth released Sawyer and turned to me as I schooled my features into something serious. She pulled me into a light hug and patted my back twice. “It is always so good to see you, Pierce dear. We’re so happy you could join us this weekend for Simon’s birthday. I hope my other son hasn’t been too much of a headache for you.”

“Thank you so much for having me,” I replied politely, avoiding her comment.

Sawyer’s mother released me and stepped away to frown at his bag on the floor. “That’s filled with dirty clothes, isn’t it?”

Sawyer grinned proudly. “Of course.”

“Why did you bring it with you? We pay for a perfectly good service to keep up with the cleaning. Why couldn’t you have left your laundry in Boston?”

“Because I didn’t want you to miss out on the joy of doing mom things for me. Next year, I graduate, and I’m on my own. Don’t you like taking care of me?” Sawyer pushed out a pouty bottom lip and fluttered his eyelashes at her.

“Nonsense! I⁠—”

The front door swinging open cut off whatever scathing remark she’d been about to deliver. A skinny boy bundled up in a heavy jacket and a knit hat stepped into the foyer. If it hadn’t been for the violin case clenched in his left fist, I would never have guessed that it was Simon. How the hell had he managed to grow at least three inches? He was still an awkward boy who reminded me of a scarecrow escaped from his field, but he was more teenager than child now. Something in the sharpness of his cheekbones and the cut of his jaw promised a hardness that would set in as he became an adult.

“Look who arrived in time for your birthday!” Elizabeth announced.

Simon moaned and slammed the door shut behind him. He walked right to Sawyer and threw his body into him. The hug was more of the boy pressing his head into Sawyer’s chest while his older brother wrapped an arm around his shoulder.

“Happy birthday, brat,” Sawyer greeted with a mixture of laughter and love in his voice.

Simon grunted, but Sawyer’s chest muffled it.

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >95

Advertisement
The Arrangement (Executive Suite Secrets #3) Read Online Jocelynn Drake http://www.ilovenovels.com/the-arrangement-executive-suite-secrets-3-read-online-jocelynn-drake Sat, 30 Aug 2025 08:41:40 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/the-arrangement-executive-suite-secrets-3-read-online-jocelynn-drake Genre: Contemporary, M-M Romance Authors: Jocelynn Drake Series: Executive Suite Secrets Series by Jocelynn Drake
Advertisement

Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 84670 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 423(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >90

With just a kiss, he ruined my life.

I never wanted to see Rome Ashbridge again.

So, of course, I now need his help to save my job at the museum.

Rome has cooked up a scheme to torment me before he’s willing to make the job-saving donation to my department.

But this arrangement is poised to backfire and pull us together in the most unexpected way.

Can we move past the years of hate to find something even sweeter than the friendship we’d both cherished as children?

The Arrangement is the third full-length novel in the Executive Suite Secrets series, which includes a somewhat flighty billionaire librarian, an angry paleontologist, evil schemes, bisexual awakening, snark, teasing, stolen kisses, “helpful” friends, resolving a twenty-year-old argument, and a sweet, forever kind of love

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

PROLOGUE

ROME ASHBRIDGE

Summer, 2004

Cicadas buzzed loudly in the trees, the sound rising and falling like waves hitting the beach. The air was thick and hot. No breeze stirred the leaves or cooled the sweat that beaded up on my skin, but I barely noticed as I peered through the wooden privacy fence three doors down from my best friend’s house. Two girls sat on the swings of an old metal jungle gym, talking animatedly, but we couldn’t make out what they were saying. They slowly rocked back and forth, the metal creaking, just barely rising above their intense conversation. Not that I cared what they were talking about. The important thing was that they were oblivious targets in an endless battle between boys and girls.

Liam let out a hushed giggle, and I hissed at him to be quiet. They couldn’t discover us before we were ready. The ripe water balloon was heavy in my hand, begging to be hurled. We’d spent the better part of half an hour chasing each other around with water guns, water balloons, and even a hose in an effort to fight off boredom and the heat. But we were tired of fighting each other. We needed new targets. Carrie Blake and Lori Armstrong lived on Liam’s block and loved to tease him because he was small for his age. Well, I was there to step in and fight for his honor.

I took one last peek. It didn’t seem as if they were planning to get off the swings anytime soon. This was the best opportunity. With a grin at my friend, I nodded and hefted the fat red water balloon over the fence toward the girls. Liam cackled and launched his green balloon and shifted the orange one to his right hand. His last one followed as a pair of panicked shrieks split the air. I laughed as I chucked my blue water balloon at the girls.

“Liam! You little butthead!” Carrie screamed.

“Rome!” Lori chimed in, twisting my name into a curse.

I peeked through the fence to see them running to the house with their hands on their heads as if to protect themselves from more water balloons. I couldn’t tell if we’d hit them. That would have been great. But I was happy with their panic and anger.

Liam grabbed my wrist and jerked. “Come on! They’re gonna tell their moms!”

Yeah, it was better to get the heck out of there before we were caught. Not that I thought we were going to get in any kind of real trouble, but I wasn’t in the mood to hear yet another lecture on why I shouldn’t be picking on Carrie and Lori. I hadn’t seen anyone give those two a lecture about not calling Liam names.

We darted away from the fence and between the houses, through thick bushes that scratched at our bare legs, until we were in Liam’s yard, where old maple trees extended long, leafy branches across the entire space to create a shadowy haven against the summer heat. Liam jumped over where he’d left his bike in the middle of the lawn and stopped when he crashed into the pale blue siding of his house, just under his window. I landed next to him, panting and laughing like a lunatic. Our plan had been perfect.

I pushed off the house, turned, and leaned my left shoulder on the slightly cool vinyl to stare at Liam. His short red hair was still damp from sweat and our earlier fight. He’d run his hand through his, leaving it sticking up in every direction. Freckles dusted his flushed and tanned face while his hazel eyes sparkled with laughter. Sweat dripped down the side of his face to splat on the shoulder of his white T-shirt emblazoned with Spider-Man. My mom had taken us to see Spider-Man 2 as part of a belated birthday gift and gotten us both Spider-Man T-shirts.

Just watching Liam made my heart squeeze, and fizzy bubbles filled my blood as though it had been replaced with soda. Everything about Liam was so alive and filled with mischievous glee.

“Did you see? Did we actually hit them?” Liam demanded, still gasping for air from our run.

“I couldn’t tell, but I’m sure we hit them with one of the balloons. They were huge,” I replied with a wide grin.

“Do you think they’ll come looking for us? Retaliate? Should we fill up some more balloons to protect ourselves?”

I shook my head. “Out of balloons. Those four were the last ones we had.”

Liam slumped against the house and kicked a pebble with the toe of his scuffed-up sneaker. We were a week away from the start of school, where we’d be stuck in uniforms and shiny dress shoes. Graphic tees and well-worn sneakers would have to wait until we were home.

It felt as though it was pure luck that Liam attended the same private school I did. Bainbridge Academy was stuffy and boring, overflowing with rich kids. Liam was among a handful of kids in each grade who were there because of a special scholarship. Not that I cared. Some assholes liked to pick on those kids, but I’d known when I saw Liam in the third grade that we were destined to be best friends.

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >90

Advertisement
The Complication (Executive Suite Secrets #2) Read Online Jocelynn Drake http://www.ilovenovels.com/the-complication-executive-suite-secrets-2-read-online-jocelynn-drake Thu, 12 Jun 2025 17:27:36 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/the-complication-executive-suite-secrets-2-read-online-jocelynn-drake Genre: Contemporary, M-M Romance Authors: Jocelynn Drake Series: Executive Suite Secrets Series by Jocelynn Drake
Advertisement

Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 86364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >93

It was just a fling.
A bit of fun on the weekends. Definitely not permanent.
Not that I wouldn’t love to crack the ice around rich and sexy Declan Foster’s heart.
And he was the last person I expected to ride to my rescue when I found myself suddenly homeless and a father.
Now he’s spoiling my daughter and me at every turn, offering the perfect life on a silver platter.
Should I risk my heart on a man who once said he never wanted kids?
The Complication is the second full-length novel in the Executive Suite Secrets series, which includes a billionaire, a suddenly homeless single dad, snark, teasing, stolen kisses, “helpful” friends, a little princess who’s going to steal your heart, and a sweet, forever kind of love.

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

1

DECLAN FOSTER

“Beg for me.”

I crushed Parker against the wall, smashing his cheek as my low growl rolled past his ear. My lips brushed his earlobe, and I caught it, biting down until he hissed.

His husky laugh sounded strained. “Beg? You haven’t done anything worthy of begging yet.”

That could be fixed.

In the low lamplight, sweat glistened on his tanned skin. I licked across his shoulder and bit a meaty chunk of muscle. Each kiss and suck of his skin allowed me to savor the perfect taste of him. My left hand snaked across his waist and slid up his chest, my fingers threading through a sprinkling of dark hair as I traced hard muscles. His breathing caught, and soft sounds of pleasure escaped his throat. Everything about him was an erotic thrill. A beautiful symphony of temptation and allure I could never get enough of.

I gripped one of his ass cheeks, digging my fingers into his flesh so I could press my hard, leaking cock into his crease. The head brushed his hole, and Parker moaned as if I’d stolen his soul away.

“Yes,” he hissed. “Do it. Fuck me raw.”

Those words were more than enough to light a fever in my brain, threatening to burn up the last of my self-control. It had become an obsession since we’d started this sexy pact. To fuck without a condom. To fill his ass full of my cum.

Months ago, we’d exchanged medical information proving all test results were negative. We were both on HIV-preventative medication. We knew we were in the clear, and somehow that made it hotter each time. Wondering if this would be the time I finally cracked and gave in to the temptation despite my claims from the very beginning that it would never happen.

But I still wanted it.

What would the feel of him be like without that bit of latex between us? How would the tenor of his cries change as I thrust into him?

I lifted my hips, rubbing against him, my dick sliding through the lube I’d used earlier to stretch his hole. “I don’t think you can handle my cock bare,” I teased.

“You want me to beg?” His voice was tight and slightly higher in pitch than normal. “I’ll beg for you to fuck me bare. Let me be your little cum slut.”

I rolled my eyes and stepped away, putting some space between us. Parker always had to take it a step too far. Even I could pick up on the mocking laughter dancing between each of his words. There was nothing serious about this man.

My fingers wrapped around his biceps, I pulled him from the wall and shoved him toward the bed. He cackled as he allowed himself to fall onto the mattress. He immediately flipped to his back in the middle of the bed and spread his bent legs, putting himself on display in the most enticing way. But there was no need. Parker was already the best fuck of my life. If he wasn’t, there would have been no point in returning almost every week for a year.

Not saying a word, I crossed to the nightstand and plucked a condom out of the box. I tossed the condom to him so that it landed on his chest. “Put it on me,” I ordered, placing my knees on either side of his hips as I straddled him.

A wide grin twisted his lips a second before he put the corner of the condom wrapper between his teeth and tore it open. He pulled the condom out. With deft fingers, he fitted it over the head of my dick and rolled it down slowly, taking care to stroke me to the edge of coming. A harsh breath left me and I balled my hands into fists at my sides, trying to hold on to my control. As he got it settled at the base of my dick, those silvery gray eyes flashed with mischief. His fingers darted to the head and the bastard intentionally ripped a hole in the top.

“Whoops!” he cried out, his voice full of mocking laughter. “It looks like you’ll have to fuck me bare.”

That firm hand stroked my cock again, the rough, lube-slicked palm teasingly moving from the bare head to the condom-covered skin. Fuck, I wanted to come. He had me almost trembling on the edge of release, and the idea of plunging into him completely bare was so tempting I couldn’t think clearly. But I held on to my control.

I batted his hand away and snapped, “Annoying psychopath!”

I ripped off the broken condom and climbed off the bed to dig through the nightstand for another one. My heart nearly stopped. The box was empty. I scoured the drawer and located one that had fallen off to the side. It would have served him right to be stuck sucking me off after ruining the last condom, but a blowjob wouldn’t cut it tonight. I needed to be buried so deep in his ass. The desperate desire consumed me as if I were trapped underwater, my lungs burning for air that I was only going to get by sinking inside his tight hole.

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >93

Advertisement
The Hitman and the Psychic Read Online Jocelynn Drake http://www.ilovenovels.com/the-hitman-and-the-psychic-read-online-jocelynn-drake Mon, 21 Apr 2025 22:18:59 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/the-hitman-and-the-psychic-read-online-jocelynn-drake Genre: Alpha Male, Contemporary, Fantasy/Sci-fi, Paranormal Authors: Jocelynn Drake Advertisement

Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 109695 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 548(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >115

Who would have thought a hitman needed a psychic like me for a bodyguard? Too bad he's so smokin' hot that I can't concentrate, and all my visions involve kissing those amazing lips.A hitman should be safe from death when he's the one doing the hunting, but for Stone, everything changes when he becomes the target. He's not a stranger to enemies, but most people know better than to cross him.

His boss, Quentin Vanetti, decides Stone needs help to stay alive long enough to find the assassin, so he enlists Serenity Jones. The only problem? She's a psychic.

Stone thinks Vanetti's lost his mind, but when Serenity proves she's the real deal, Stone has to play along. Now, he's stuck with her, and it's not just the danger of getting killed that's keeping him awake at night... it's falling for the psychic that he can't stop thinking about.

As the assassin closes in, will Serenity's psychic powers be enough to save him? But even worse... who will save him from her?

A steamy, laugh out loud, forced proximity romance that will keep you reading to the last page.

Perfect for fans of Lucy Score, Meghan Quinn, Emily Henry, and Pipa Grant

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

Chapter 1

Stone

The blast knocked me off my feet, sending me rolling into the wall. Hitting it hard, pain erupted in my arm and head. Heat from the blast grew, and I blinked the disorientation away, knowing I had to get out of there.

Smoke billowed, blocking my way out the door. Coughing, I rushed toward the window across the room, pulling my shirt over my nose. Without a moment to spare, I yanked the window open, and jumped onto the fire escape.

My feet landed on the rickety grating, and the whole thing groaned, threatening to collapse. With every step, it wobbled beneath me, and I hurried faster, knowing I wouldn’t survive the forty-foot drop.

At the next landing, the grating groaned, before a crack sounded, followed by a puff of brick dust. Several screws holding the metal to the brick wall pulled loose, sending the staircase into a dangerous slant.

Off balance, I slammed against the stair railing, barely gripping the center pole to swing out over the drop. Adrenaline spiked through my body, giving me strength to swing toward the next landing and let go.

Stretching my arms as far as I could, I managed to catch the railing. As I jerked to a stop, sharp pain spiked through my right arm, but I held on tight. Groaning, I climbed onto the landing, grateful that it held my weight. Holding my arm, I hurried down the remaining stairs and hopped off the landing to the ground.

The closest route to my motorcycle took me under the window, where smoke billowed into the blue sky. Without looking up, I crossed the street and ran down the alley to where my bike waited. Taking a moment to slip on my helmet, I jumped on and started it up in one smooth motion. Cutting a tight U-turn, I headed down the alley in the opposite direction of the explosion and made it onto the street.

Damn, that was close.

About a block away from the building, I caught the wail of approaching sirens, and heaved a sigh as the firetruck sped past me in the opposite direction. I’d been lucky to make it out of there as fast as I had. If not for my sense that something was off, I’d probably be dead.

Hot anger surged through my chest. I’d been set up… again. I couldn’t deny it any longer. A low growl curled my upper lip. The bastard had nearly killed me this time. If only I knew who it was.

Vanetti would enjoy saying I told you so. I’d convinced myself that he was being paranoid when he said someone was after me. But he’d been right, and I’d nearly gotten killed. My jaw tightened. I should have listened to the old man.

Blood dripped from my elbow, and the sensation of something hot and sticky seeped down my face and into the padding of my helmet. Dammit. This was my favorite helmet, and now I’d have to replace the padding. Could this day get any worse?

I cracked my helmet visor open to get a breath of fresh air. Even after opening all the vents, the aroma of blood, sweat, smoke, and blasting powder overwhelmed me. I’d to have to check every inch of my skin to make sure I hadn’t been impaled by anything. Wouldn’t that be something? Survive all that crap just to go down from tetanus? I should probably get another shot.

Shaking my head, I turned onto my street, but before I got to my house, my phone started ringing through my helmet-com system. Damn. Now what?

“Call from Vanetti,” the voice assistant announced. “Answer it?”

I was tempted to say no, but I didn’t have that luxury, so I sent the call through. “Yes?”

“Stone. I need you in my office, now.”

I huffed out a breath. “Now’s not the best—”

“I don’t care what you’re doing,” Vanetti interrupted. “Drop it and come in. This can’t wait.”

The line went dead and I groaned. Dammit. Apparently, this day could get worse. Shaking my head, I rode past my house and turned back toward the city. Sometimes, being the big boss’s right-hand man was a pain in the ass. At least I could clean up and change in my apartment at the office.

It was hard to believe that I’d known Vanetti for ten years now, ever since that fateful day when I’d saved his life. Of course, if not for him, who knew where I would have ended up? He’d taken a chance on a discharged army vet like me, and I owed him everything.

That’s why it was hard to believe that someone thought they could take me on. My reputation alone would stop most people from even thinking about it. Whoever it was, they either didn’t know me, or they didn’t care.

∞∞∞

Fifteen minutes later, I pulled into the parking garage of Vitality Ventures, and cut the engine. Stepping onto the elevator, I glanced down at my black t-shirt, and my mouth twisted. I hoped Vanetti didn’t need me for anything formal, since I was covered in grime.

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >115

Advertisement
The Bargain (Executive Suite Secrets #1) Read Online Jocelynn Drake http://www.ilovenovels.com/the-bargain-executive-suite-secrets-1-read-online-jocelynn-drake Mon, 21 Apr 2025 22:18:46 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/the-bargain-executive-suite-secrets-1-read-online-jocelynn-drake Genre: Angst, Contemporary, M-M Romance Authors: Jocelynn Drake Series: Executive Suite Secrets Series by Jocelynn Drake
Advertisement

Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 89666 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 448(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >96

He’s a golden retriever with a billion-dollar bank account. Sebastian is a brilliant, thoughtful boss who’s also too sexy for words.

And for some crazy reason he has set his sights on me—his lowly, boring, always-proper assistant.

I should say NO.

I need to say NO.

But YES is so much more delicious and fun.

The Bargain is the first full-length novel in the Executive Suite Secrets series, which includes a billionaire boss, a very proper assistant, a high-stakes bargain, stolen kisses, forbidden romance, meddling friends, and a sweet, forever kind of love.

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

1

BYRON GRAHAM

When I’d first begun working as the executive assistant to Sebastian Courtland at Courtland Enterprises, I’d thought my boss was a god. Complete with a shining aura and inhuman good looks, full of benevolence and compassion.

After a few months, I’d discovered he was more like Loki—a being filled with chaos and mischief, out to make my life a nightmare.

Three years later, he was still Loki.

“Stick close to me.” Sebastian leaned in as we walked, his cologne dancing past my nose like a cool breeze. His warm, honey-brown eyes met mine, twinkling and bright with laughter, causing my heart to skip and my breath to catch. He whispered with an enormous grin, “My bodyguards are prepared to take us out of here by force. Just be ready to run the second I tell you to.”

And this was his response to the merger meeting we were marching into like a pair of avenging angels.

It wasn’t a joke. He was serious. Shit was about to hit the fan in a huge way, and the maniacal lunatic who signed my paychecks looked like a kid who’d been sent on a shopping spree in a toy store.

For the past year, Courtland Enterprises and Bluepoint Industries had been in merger negotiations. The companies were roughly the same size, but Courtland Enterprises would have a slight majority after all the paperwork was complete. The one thing that had been slowing everything up was the due diligence conducted by Courtland Enterprises’ massive team of forensic accountants, managers, and God only knew who else Sebastian had hired to dig through Bluepoint’s books, hoping to uncover all their dirty secrets. Sebastian’s father had started Courtland Enterprises, and there was no way in hell Sebastian was going to allow it to be dragged under by someone who had a past with shady dealings. Sebastian might act as though he were insane, but he knew when to be cautious.

We arrived at Bluepoint’s thirty-five-floor headquarters, and two members of the executive team met us. Their smiles stiffened a bit at the sight of the four enormous men in suits who accompanied us, but no one said anything. They might have if they’d realized that Sebastian had another two waiting in the underground garage with his two town cars.

After some excited chatter and glad-handing, they whisked us to the top floor, which offered a near panoramic view of downtown Cincinnati. It was a breathtaking symphony of glass, brushed nickel, and cold marble. As we walked, I caught peeks of Courtland Enterprises’ tower just five blocks away. Ours was a beautiful glass-and-steel marvel with forty floors, a shining crown for our city.

But this was nice too.

At the top floor, more executives greeted us. It wasn’t until we reached the massive boardroom that we faced Chairman Oliver Danvers, CEO Wallace Barnes, and the board of directors. It had been a while since I’d seen such a group of wrinkly, saggy-faced white men. There was only one woman on the board, and the way the others seemed to talk over her and ignore her made me think she was nothing more than a token to trot out in the name of “diversity” while never acknowledging her intelligence and experience.

Now that Sebastian had reached his target, the light in his bright eyes appeared more manic and his grin even wider. The second he sat with a glass of iced water at the head of the table, I moved out of the firing zone to a set of seats placed along the far wall with two of his bodyguards. The other two were waiting at the elevators to protect our escape.

Danvers stood with a broad, fatherly look. “I can’t begin to tell you how happy I am to have you here with us on this momentous day, Sebastian. I’ve known your father…”

Blah blah blah…

Danvers’s voice became a buzzing white noise under the grinding of my teeth. Pompous old egotistical asshole. I knew what was in the due-diligence report. I’d helped the various departments compile it. Listened as Sebastian had incredulously read parts of it out loud to me. Danvers wouldn’t be waxing poetic about the old days for much longer.

When the chairman of Bluepoint Industries was done, Barnes stood up and gave a similar speech about how this was going to create bigger and better opportunities for the combined company and how the employees were going to benefit. This was all overlooking the fact that the CEO’s proposal included laying off fifteen percent of his own workforce to “trim the fat.” Wouldn’t his newly unemployed workers love to know they were regarded as mere “fat”?

The entire time, I kept my head lowered as I typed on my phone. I sent messages to his bodyguards in the garage, keeping them updated on where we were in the meeting. There were also texts to Kaylan, who was technically my assistant, keeping him updated on what was happening. And, of course, there was the usual barrage of emails and reports that needed to be dealt with. Being away from my desk did not mean the chaos stopped for one second.

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >96

Advertisement
The Interview (Executive Suite Secrets #0.5) Read Online Jocelynn Drake http://www.ilovenovels.com/the-interview-executive-suite-secrets-0-5-read-online-jocelynn-drake Thu, 17 Apr 2025 13:10:50 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/the-interview-executive-suite-secrets-0-5-read-online-jocelynn-drake Genre: Contemporary, M-M Romance, Novella Authors: Jocelynn Drake Series: Executive Suite Secrets Series by Jocelynn Drake
Advertisement

Total pages in book: 18
Estimated words: 16678 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 83(@200wpm)___ 67(@250wpm)___ 56(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 >18

My boss played cupid … And set me up on the best date of my life.My boss meddled.
The app matched us.
And Arden curled my toes with his disarming smile, sweet humor, and bone-melting kisses.
Go on a Valentine’s Day blind date and fall in love with Kaylan and Arden.

The Interview is a prequel novelette for the Executive Suite Secrets series. Read the romance of Arden and Kaylan, then check out the sneak peek of The Bargain, book one of the Executive Suite Secrets

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

1

KAYLAN

My boss was a madman.

Insane.

Lunatic.

Meddling old woman.

Okay, so maybe he technically wasn’t any of those things, but right now, it felt like it.

But buying a phone so he could download that ridiculous H2H dating app and enter me into the “Cupid Picks You a Date” Valentine’s Day madness without my knowledge was over the top.

I pulled my wool winter coat tighter around me as the wind picked up, whooshing across the top of Mount Adams. The sky was a dreary slate gray, but what did you expect from Cincinnati in February? From October through March, the area rarely ever saw the sun. The sparkling city became a depressing place of cloudy skies, bare brown trees, and dark-gray buildings.

Whatever. This was already going down as one of the weirdest days since I’d started working as an assistant to Sebastian Courtland, CEO of Courtland Enterprises. Actually, I was more of an assistant to his primary assistant, but I had regular dealings with Sebastian. That had led to the nosy man finding out that I was single and had zero plans for Valentine’s Day. Apparently, Sebastian thought I was too young to be sitting home alone on this most hallowed day.

As I climbed the stairs to the Cincinnati Art Museum within Eden Park, I scanned the area for any sign of the person who was supposed to be my date. The picture included in my meet-up instructions had been of an attractive man with blondish-brown hair, blue eyes, and a killer smile.

Fake.

No way a hottie like that was single.

Somebody had to have taken the time to photoshop the shit out of his picture before uploading it to the dating profile.

Of course, my boss had used the photo from my employee badge, in which I was rocking the “deer in the headlights” look in a suit that was too big for my lanky body. Thankfully, I appeared more disillusioned now than surprised, and I could afford suits tailored to my size.

It didn’t matter. I had no intention of going through with this date. The only reason I’d shown up was to tell the guy it was all a mistake. Yeah, dick move, but ghosting him was an even bigger asshole move.

After that, I planned to pick up some food and head home to binge-watch some of my favorite shows until I passed out and had to go to work the next day. And when Sebastian asked about the date, I’d say it didn’t work out and he’d drop it. Quick. Clean. Easy.

Except the date I was meeting actually was a hottie.

The toe of my shoe caught on the lip of a step as I gawked at the stranger and I tripped, nearly face planting no more than five yards away. Catching myself at the last second, I glanced up to find that he’d pushed to his feet from where he sat on a bench and walked toward me. Of course, he’d caught my clumsy act. The tips of my ears burned as I straightened my coat and suit jacket. Great first impression.

Nope. Didn’t matter.

I’d tell him the truth, and we’d go our separate ways. Never to meet again. First impressions weren’t important.

“Kaylan?” the man inquired as he drew closer. His voice was deep with the slightest hint of a rasp. Was that natural, or was he recovering from a cold? Regardless, it was sexy.

The only turnoff was the dark sunglasses hiding his eyes. It was a gray, dreary day. There was zero call for the shades. Probably hiding bloodshot eyes that drooped from his hangover. Hottie needed a few drawbacks before I did something stupid like go through with this setup.

I was still trying to decide if he was hungover or thought himself too cool in sunglasses when I replied, “Yes, I’m Kaylan Baumgartner. You’re Arden?”

“Arden Fischer,” Hottie introduced, extending his hand. I took it and had to suppress a shiver that tried to run wild through my body. Okay, so he had great hair, a sexy smile, and a big strong hand. Fine. He was sexy. Maybe he was sexy enough for sunglasses on a cloudy day.

“I’ll admit, after reading your profile, I didn’t think you’d show.”

Without thinking, I took a step back and shoved my hands into my pockets while once again cursing Sebastian. My boss was turning into the bane of my existence. “What do you mean? What’s in my bio that made you think I’d do something so rude?”

“No!” Arden waved both hands at me. “I didn’t mean it like that. Just…you’re so adorable and hot. I thought this had to be a practical joke. I mean, it’s not like the app can filter out the jokers and the fakes, right?”

“Yeah, no, right?” I babbled, huffing out the most awkward laugh of my life. At least he didn’t sound as pretentious as he looked.

<<<<1 2 3 11 >18

Advertisement
Two Thousand Promises (Kings of Chaos #5) Read Online Jocelynn Drake http://www.ilovenovels.com/two-thousand-promises-kings-of-chaos-5-read-online-jocelynn-drake Sun, 02 Mar 2025 13:35:15 +0000 http://www.ilovenovels.com/two-thousand-promises-kings-of-chaos-5-read-online-jocelynn-drake Genre: Fantasy/Sci-fi, M-M Romance, Paranormal, Vampires Authors: Jocelynn Drake Series: Kings of Chaos Series by Jocelynn Drake
Advertisement

Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 65856 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 329(@200wpm)___ 263(@250wpm)___ 220(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >71

He promised me forever…But she came to take my soul.
Huli had dedicated his entire existence to making himself into something worthy of Xiao Dan.

But as he stood on the brink of claiming the vampire’s heart, an evil deal he’d made centuries ago was coming due.

Min wanted Xiao Dan’s soul.

Would he lose Xiao Dan when he confessed his ugly promise? And could he stop Min before it was too late?

Two Thousand Promises is the fifth and final novel in the Kings of Chaos series. This book contains a reluctant vampire who is finally giving in to the thousand-year seduction of a sly fox spirit determined to claim his mate, a nosy family who wants all the spilled tea, snark, angst, magic, found family, brotherly bickering, chaos, cuddles, secrets, and an endless love.

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

Prologue

ZHANG XIAO DAN

913 CE

Luoyang, near the Zhang manor

Adry, brittle branch snapped under Xiao Dan’s foot as he strolled through the forest. The early morning air was brisk with a bite to it, as if a late winter chill had tried to rear its head during the night and now didn’t want to leave. Birds were stirring, singing the first greeting of the day.

There was no sense of urgency in his steps. He knew exactly where he was going and how long it would take him to get there. He’d picked out this spot many years ago on one of his ambles through the woods.

A breeze rose and pushed against his chest before lifting to caress his cheek and then moving on. A damp, earthy scent clung to the air with a hint of something green. Spring was still newborn. The plum blossoms hadn’t finished falling from the trees yet, and the cherry blossoms had yet to bloom. Winter had loosened its grip on the world, and spring was restoring green to the forest.

After walking for close to half an hour, he reached a spot on the side of a hill where there was a wide break in the trees, giving him a clear view of the eastern sky. A tree had even fallen here some years ago, as if a forest spirit had prepared a bench for him to sit and watch the sun rise one last time.

Xiao Dan stepped over the old log half-covered in new growth, moss, and dead leaves, and took a seat. A long, slow breath pushed out of his lungs, draining all the air from his body. With it, centuries of turmoil, pain, fear, and doubt poured out. It felt as if the giant ball of knots that lived within him untangled one at a time.

He lifted his eyes to stare at the distant horizon. The sky had begun to shift from a deep slate gray to that very first touch of pale blue and dark orange.

There was nothing special about this day. It wasn’t an anniversary of Shifu’s⁠1 death or the anniversary of his own death and rebirth as a vampire. It wasn’t even the anniversary of Jiang Chong’s demise. Just a Tuesday on the threshold of spring, and he’d realized that he’d run out of energy to wake to see another starlit sky.

His clan was as secure as it was going to be. They had no more need for him or his fumbling, useless guidance.

And maybe he was ready to end his lonely torture. He’d had enough of the dead haunting his dreams and casting doubts at his every action. He’d done the best he could to protect his clan. If that wasn’t enough, he was prepared to spend another thousand years being peeled and boiled in oil as punishment. So long as he took a step forward to reincarnation and the Naihe Bridge.⁠2 As much as he loved his clan mates, he was ready to forget this world and this life.

A rustling in the bush to his left tore his gaze from the distant horizon. It looked to be a knot of old branches and dead leaves. Had he chosen his place of final repose next to some poor animal’s den?

He continued to watch, wondering if it would be a squirrel or a rabbit that broke free of the cover. No, it had to be something bigger. A pheasant, maybe.

The thought had no sooner formed in his mind when a flash of orange burst from the bush and leaped into the clearing a few meters in front of him.

A fox!

It ran a short distance away and just as Xiao Dan was sure it would disappear completely, the fox turned. It stood with its legs spread, its head low, and its ears flat as if challenging him, but that fluffy tail flicked from side to side in what seemed to be excitement. Or maybe even playfulness.

For a moment, Xiao Dan could only blink at the creature. He’d not expected to find himself faced with a red fox—and a young one at that. It looked to be still a pup with some of its baby fluff sticking out, making him appear even more cuddly.

“What are you doing by yourself?” he inquired in a gentle voice. He turned his gaze from the fox to search the immediate area for its mother. It wasn’t old enough to be on its own, but there was no additional flash of orange or rustling in the brush. Not even a warning bark to get away from her child.

Had he been abandoned?

Or was his mother killed while out searching for food?

“Where is your mama?”

The fox answered with an equally adorable bark that left Xiao Dan biting his bottom lip. He was obviously trying to be fierce, but it made him even cuter.

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >71