Book 2 in the Demon Mates series
General Release Date: January 25th, 2022
Word Count: 58,464 | Book Length: NOVEL | Pages: 277
Genres:
- ANGELS AND DEMONS
- COMEDY AND HUMOUR
- CONTEMPORARY
- EROTIC ROMANCE
- GAY
- GLBTQI
- PARANORMAL
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For a demon, finding a mate can be an anxiety-inducing process. But for Barion, it happens quite accidentally when he bites his gaming buddy during a bout of experimental sex. And just like that, he’s found his mate!
Barion and Jon meet during a book club meeting where they bond over their shared love of The Witcher game. Their friendship grows as they game together and create content for Jon’s YouTube channel. When they are asked about their ideal game, they develop the idea for Demon Wars. Working together on the game strengthens their bond, much to the concern of Jon’s zombie grandmother, Grann, the witch queen of New Orleans. Grann wants Jon to come back home, but Jon realizes he loves spending time with Barion.
After some encouragement from friends and family, Barion and Jon decide to explore their relationship. However, things take a turn when they visit Grann in New Orleans and discover a voodoo priest challenging her with dark magic. Now, Barion must do everything he can to save the day, Grann, and their relationship.
Publisher’s Note: This book is best read as book two in the Demon Mates series.
Jon paced nervously, anxiously awaiting Barion’s arrival. This was a repetitive behavior for him, something he rarely did with anyone else. He wondered if it was becoming a nervous habit and considered seeking professional help, but he didn’t want his friends and family to find out. It seemed like such a challenge to get his life together.
The sound of footsteps on the stairs snapped him out of his thoughts. Barion’s voice could be heard on the other side of the door.
“I told you, Sammy, it’s fine. I can carry breakfast for Jon and me. It’s not that heavy. Plus, I could have taken the shortcut into his apartment.”
Sammy, Jon’s friend and landlord, insisted on helping. He had a stubborn tone that Jon was all too familiar with. Despite Barion’s exasperation, he remained patient with Sammy.
“Sammy, Jon and I are fine. I’m not going to leave him stranded in some weird-ass dimension. We’re just playing a video game!”
“You’d leave him in another dimension?” Sammy latched onto that comment.
“Never! That’s not what I said. He’s perfectly safe with me.”
“But you could.” Sammy was relentless.
“Dre, could you please tell your mate that I would never, ever leave Jon in another dimension.”
Dre, Barion’s mate, chimed in. “Sammy, Barion would never, in all his life, leave Jon in another dimension. Time, on the other hand, seems to still be on the table.”
“Dre, you asshole!”
The hall suddenly grew warmer as the two demons engaged in play-wrestling. Jon worried about his door and the hall, stepping forward to intervene. He opened the door to find Barion, Sammy, and Dre.
“Good morning, Barion, Sammy, Dre. How are you?”
Sammy smiled happily, while Barion looked up from his wrestling match with Dre.
“Good morning, Jon. Barion was just assuring me that he would never leave you stranded in a strange dimension. Although my highly intelligent mate here pointed out that he can’t make the same promise about time travel. Sounds a bit like Dr. Who, don’t you think?”
Jon grinned wider. “Yep, definitely sounds like Dr. Who. Rest assured, we’re just playing a game today. No adventures in other dimensions.”
“You don’t know what you’re missing,” Sammy said before leaving them alone.
“But things were getting good,” Dre whined.
“Yeah, I was close to finally getting rid of you,” Barion retorted.
“In your dreams!”
Jon felt the temperature rise in the hall and worried about the escalating tension. He had grown used to the casual fights in the book club, but two demons getting serious was a different story.
Luckily, Sammy stepped in between the brothers, defusing the situation. Jon applauded Sammy’s talent for acting.
“It’s okay, mo grah thu. We were just joking. Everything’s fine, isn’t it, Barion?”
“Of course, brother. We simply got carried away, Sammy.”
With more reassurances, Sammy and Dre went back upstairs, leaving Barion and Jon alone.
“Sorry about that. Sammy insisted on coming down with me, and Dre always manages to rile me up.”
“It’s fine. I know all about annoying family.” Jon thought about his own relatives and shuddered. Wanting to change the subject, he looked at the box Barion had picked up from the ground. “Please tell me this is breakfast. I think I’m starving.”
“It is breakfast. These are crêpes from a quaint little café in Paris, the best you’ll ever taste.” Barion opened the box, and the delightful smell filled the air.
“What do we have?”
“This one is with Parma ham and Le Beaufort Chalet d’Alpage, an expensive cheese that’s worth every penny. The saltiness of the ham harmonizes with the complex taste of the matured cheese. Then we have one with Fromage fraise made from goat’s milk paired with spinach and garlic, and another with Roquefort, figs, walnuts, and Leatherwood Honey. For dessert, we have crêpes with strawberries and cream, applesauce with sugar and cinnamon, and a classic nougat cream made with hazelnuts.”
“Sounds delicious. Let’s take them to the gaming room, and I’ll get plates and cutlery. The game is ready, and the camera is focused, so we can start right away.”
“Great. I can’t wait.”
Jon hurried to the kitchen, not wanting the crêpes to get cold. Once they were seated, Barion served the Parma ham crêpes. Jon couldn’t help but moan at the first taste of the crunchy ham, soft dough, and flavorful cheese. Barion had excellent taste.
As they enjoyed their meal, Jon asked, “By the way, how should I introduce you? Do you have a gamer name?”
Barion sighed. “I’ve been trying to come up with clever puns or names, but I’m not that creative. So let’s go with my WoW name, Big B.”
Jon suppressed a chuckle. “Big B isn’t so bad. It fits.”
“Yeah, that’ll do. Speaking of names, what does PLM stand for? There are so many theories out there, some of them quite disturbing.”
Jon laughed. “I know. People can get quite inventive. But only I know what the letters stand for. Well, Grann could probably guess if she knew about the name.”
“You don’t have to tell me, Jon. I respect your secrets. It only makes me more interested in getting to know you better.” Barion winked.
Jon felt a flicker of anticipation but quickly dismissed it. Barion was looking for his mate, not just a casual affair. Jon wasn’t sure if he wanted something casual either, especially since he believed zombies didn’t have fated mates. But a part of him still wanted to share this secret, out of habit more than anything.
“You can’t tell anybody.”
Barion placed his hand over his heart while extending his pinkie finger. “Pinkie swear.”
Jon found the pinkie swear ridiculous but couldn’t help but chuckle. He hooked his pinkie with Barion’s, sealing the deal. The heat that surged through him at the point of contact reminded him of his perpetual coldness, but this time it didn’t bother him. His thoughts were elsewhere.
“Pinkie swear.”
