An Enchanted Occasions story
by
EJ Russell
ADULT title
EJ Russell
ADULT title
Blurb:
Reunited and reignited.
While
cutting through the Interstices—the post-creation gap between realms—Smith,
half-demon tech specialist for Enchanted Occasions Event Planning, spies the
person he yearns for daily but dreads seeing again: the ifrit, Hashim of the
Windrider clan.
On their
one literally smoldering night together, Smith, stupidly besotted, revealed his
true name—a demon’s greatest vulnerability. When Hashim didn’t return the
favor, then split the next morning with no word? Message received, loud and
clear: Thanks but no, thanks.
Although
Hashim had burned to return Smith’s trust, it was impossible. The wizard who
conjured him holds his true name in secret, and unless Hashim discovers it,
he’ll never be free.
When
their attraction sparks once more, the two unite to search for Hashim’s hidden
name—which would be a hell of a lot easier if they didn’t have to contend with
a convention full of food-crazed vampires on the one day out of the century they
can consume something other than blood.
But if
they fail, Hashim will be doomed to eternal slavery, and their reignited love
will collapse in the ashes.
Luckily Smith is the guy who gets shit
done. And Hashim is never afraid to heat things up.
Excerpt:
The
barker handed the fire-eater two more torches, one for each hand, and this
time, he danced with them first, drawing patterns in the air, undulating his
body in a sinuous wave, keeping his back to the audience.
Then
he twirled, flame flowing around him like a living scarf, and stopped in
profile.
That nose, those cheekbones.
His hair might be longer and the wrong color, but it’s him. Hashim.
Heat
burned through Smith’s belly, chest, and throat as though he’d been the one
swallowing flames, anger and hurt and resentment building at the sight of the
man who’d betrayed him. The man he’d trusted enough to whisper his true name.
The
man who’d left him.
Hashim
continued his dance, his performance, his act.
Yeah, he was good at acting. He’d had
Smith fooled, hadn’t he? Poor beleaguered Hashim, forced against his will into
the Consort Race, the competition for the hand of Prince Reyner of Faerie.
Smith had comforted him as he would any distressed client, because hells, it
was his fucking job, wasn’t it?
But
with Hashim nestled in his arms, Smith’s impersonal pats had turned into way personal strokes, the buried fire in
Hashim’s body lighting Smith up in a way he’d never experienced with any other
lover. Usually he avoided any but the most necessary skin-to-skin contact—and
forget kissing—because hookups with any partner who didn’t have a core of fire
were too dangerous for the other guy.
With
Hashim he hadn’t had to worry about that.
Like
all fire-based races, if Smith’s inner flame died, he would too. His human
genes prevented him from recharging it himself, but his body needed it, craved
it, demanded it. And Hashim’s fire, the warmth of his skin, the heat of his
mouth, the molten perfection of his spend, had filled the missing piece of
Smith’s demon nature.
That
night, for the first time, he’d been whole.
So
like an idiot, he’d let himself hope,
and fallen head over horns for a Pure.
Stupid, stupid, stupid. Smith was supposed to be the smart one.
The problem-solver. The go-to guy. He wasn’t supposed to sleep with a client, for Lucifer’s sake, no matter
how incendiary their chemistry.
And
now here he was, just as mesmerized by Hashim as he’d been six months ago when
they’d spent the best night of Smith’s centuries-old life together.
Only to have Hashim betray him in the
worst possible way for a demon, then abandon him without another word.
Buy links:
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Author bio:
E.J. Russell–grace, mother of three,
recovering actor–writes romance in a rainbow of flavors. Count on high snark,
low angst and happy endings.
Reality? Eh, not so much.
E.J.’s paranormal romantic comedy, The Druid Next Door, was a 2018 RITA®
finalist. She lives in rural Oregon, enjoys visits from her wonderful adult
children, and indulges in good books, red wine, and the occasional hyperbole.
There's a giveaway opportunity at the official blog tour, go leave a comment here (or follow the rest of the tour!!)
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My review:
4.25 out of 5 stars
Devouring Flame by E.J. Russell centers around indentured
ifrit Hashim, who has been forced to work for The Ringmaster in a seedy
carnival show located on the Interstices section that coincides with Las Vegas.
When the event planners for supernaturals, Enchanted Occasions, decide to use
this locale for the North American vampire convention and their even rarer
Centennial Feast, Hashim is forced into proximity with Smith, the half-demon he
inadvertently betrayed. Like most things in Vegas, there is a story behind the heat
and glitter, and it will take luck and ingenuity to get past the house odds and
hit the jackpot, if he can survive long enough to take the chance.
This gay paranormal/fantasy romance is part of the
‘Dreamspun Beyond’ series and is the sequel to “Nudging Fate.” I am fascinated
by the wonderful world-building this author does, as familiar tropes are
twisted just enough to provide freshness and thought-provoking stories. Not
only are many of the secondary characters just as intriguing as the leads, but the
reader is effortlessly drawn into their stories and invested in their
struggles.
I love the way we are reminded that bigotry comes in all
forms and requires a determined effort to resist, that appearances can be
deceiving (when has anyone bothered to put a Minotaur in a good light?), and
the delightful way we are invited to laugh at inside jokes (of course Vegas
would have the majority of American vampires living there…it IS the city that
never sleeps!). The contrasts between conventional lore and these folks is a
never-ending source of entertainment and I can’t wait to see what other stories
flower from this author’s fertile and impressive imagination.
A copy of this title was provided for review
Half demon, Sounds good to me.
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