GENRE: Gay Paranormal Erotic Romance
LENGTH: 15,455 words
RATING:

Sequel to The 12th Witch

Justin Trews lucked out when he found Cole Demauro and the coven he’s joined. He’s still working through his trauma, but he now knows what it’s like to be supported and cared for. His magic is thriving, and so is he. And of course, dating Cole has proven to be the best part. The past three months have been the happiest of his life.

When the veil is the thinnest, Justin experiences Samhain as it is meant to be. It’s a far cry from how he celebrated in the past. With the coven gathered, he participates in the ritual to honor the dead and the end of the harvest season. His magic is full and so is his heart.

But when Justin’s past rears it’s ugly head, he’s faced with dealing with his family. Old hurts run deep and insecurities resurface. Its hard not to feel like a burden and an imposition. With his coven behind him, and Cole’s love buoying him up, Justin finds the strength not only to confront his family but to rely on his coven for help. And when the dust settles, Justin has taken great strides toward healing. Now Justin needs to show Cole just how much he loves him.

EXCERPT:
Note: may contain sexually explicit scenes of a homoerotic nature.

It was a typical fall storm, pouring rain and enough wind to shake the trees. I stood, transfixed. My heart, my magic, called me outside even as my head tried to reason it was a bad idea. The longer I stood there, the bigger the urge got, until I had no choice but to step outside. It didn’t matter that I was naked -- though the eight foot high hedges protected me from sight -- or that it was three o’clock in the morning. There was power in this rain, and it wanted me to join in.

So I did.

The grass squelched under my feet, the rain falling too quickly for the ground to absorb, and I was soaked in a second. I closed my eyes and lifted my face skyward, ignoring the goosebumps that pebbled my flesh and the mud between my toes. A grin spread across my lips and I lifted my arms, reveling in the healing waters fall from the sky.

Because that’s what it felt like. As though I was being washed clean. It wasn’t the first time I’d stood in a rainstorm. Weather always called to me. But it was the first time it felt like this. As if the rain was healing my hurts, my emotional pain. Was it because of the magic we cast just a few hours before? Because it was on the tail of Samhain when the veil was thin? Because I was finally in the right headspace to let my trauma go and move forward?

I didn’t know and it didn’t really matter. But deep in my soul, I knew I was out here for a reason, and that I needed this like I needed air. So I basked in it, letting it soak into me. My magical core was already full, and as I stood there, I became overwhelmed. Magic began to leak, like it had before I joined the coven and Cole had helped me, but instead of making me feel sad and uncomfortable, it was freeing. But I needed to do something with all of this magic, so I lifted my hands and cast into the sky. Lightning sparked and skittered through the clouds, lighting up the dark. I made sure to keep it contained there so that it didn’t cause damage to anything on the ground. But the resulting thunder was literally deafening, the roaring crash shaking the house with it’s magnitude.

I didn’t care. I did it again. And again. Laughing as joy filled me as much as magic did, dancing with happiness. I switched tactics, playing with the water, making it swirl as I directed it this way and that. I pulled on a puddle and captured the rain falling to create a geyser, pushing the path of the spray to douse the nearby agapanthus, though that probably wasn’t nice. They bent and shuddered under the force, and I stopped before they broke. I didn’t want to have to explain my antics to Vaughn.

I turned to find something else, but saw Cole standing on the edge of the deck instead. He was getting just as soaked as I already was, but his smile was wide. He was also still naked as well, and I couldn’t help but lick my lips. He was just so beautiful, and a wet, naked Cole was a sight to behold.

“What are you doing?” he shouted, though I could barely hear him over the thunderous sound of the rain and my abused eardrums.

“Playing!” I yelled back, waving my hand through the air so the water followed my movements.

He threw back his head, clearly laughing, and then bounded down the first steps to join me on the grass. He caught me up in a hug, squeezing to tightly I couldn’t catch my breath, then he pulled back and held me at arms length.

“Don’t let me interrupt you. Just don’t get sick.”

I waved that away. “Germs make you sick, not rain!”