Author Name: Evelyn Elliott
Book Name: Bad Magic
Series: Spell Slave
Book: One
Can be read as a standalone
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14427929.Evelyn_Elliott
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Christine Griffin
Release
Date: October 28, 2015
Blurb:
Morality is relative. At least that’s what young
sorcerer Regis Teller convinces himself. He’s done what he must to survive:
working for a witch since he was nine, helping her throw the kingdom into
anarchy, and taking his only comfort in her mysterious son, Crow. And soon,
Regis is going to commit his first murder.
A do-gooder named Jonathan White has information the
witch needs, and it’s Regis’s job to get that information and slit Jonathan’s
throat. But then Regis actually meets Jonathan. And Jonathan is perfect—a hero
with a passion for justice and little regard for civility.
Lucky for Regis, Jonathan has a weakness for
attractive men. Lucky for Jonathan, Regis is fast developing a conscience and a
heart. But for Regis, keeping both of them alive at their adventure’s end means
breaking a magical oath and surviving his ruthless boss—all without telling Jonathan
the truth. Falling in love is never easy, especially when everyone involved is
lying through their teeth.
Pages or Words: 161 pages, 55,000 words
Categories: Bisexual, Fantasy, M/M
Romance, Romance
Excerpt:
The
fairy picked up a cup. When Jonathan wasn’t looking, she sprinkled powder into
his drink. She knelt by Jonathan’s side and offered him the cup.
He
drank most of the liquid without looking.
The
fairies guided Jonathan and Regis to a small dwelling. One of them guided Regis
down to a pallet in a corner. “Sleep here for the night.”
She
tipped the rest of the drugged wine into his mouth. It was only a small
mouthful, but it left a cloying aftertaste. Two of the fairies left, but the
third knelt by his side. She whispered one last command in his ear. “Touch him.
Make him yours.”
As
she walked out, Regis saw her smirk.
For
a while, he was content to lie there. His mind buzzed comfortably, and warmth
spread from his stomach to his fingers and toes. His skin was oversensitized.
The faintest breeze from the doorway made him shiver with pleasure. The fairy’s
last command turned itself over in his head. For some reason, he felt compelled
to obey.
Jonathan
curled on his side, rigid as if in pain. “Hey,” Regis said, nudging him. “You
okay?”
Jonathan
didn’t respond.
So
Regis nudged him again, only then Jonathan snatched out a hand and grabbed
Regis’s wrist so tightly his bones ached. “Leave me alone,” Jonathan said.
“Why?”
“There’s
something wrong with me.”
Regis
snorted. He prodded Jonathan again with his other hand. Jonathan ignored him
and let go of his wrist, rolling away. “Hey!” Regis said. He followed.
Jonathan
muttered a curse, then blew out a long breath. “Okay. Listen. I need you to
stay over there, away from me. Stay. All right?” He scooted over to the
opposite wall and pressed himself against it, jaw muscles twitching. He closed
his eyes and bowed his head.
The
need to touch him was overpowering now. Regis crept closer. He couldn’t stop
himself. Jonathan’s clothes were still wet, and his entire body was locked
tight. He needed to relax. Regis slid a hand up Jonathan’s shirt, flattening on
his back. Jonathan’s eyes flew open, and he moaned like just the pressure of
Regis’s hand was ecstasy. Like he couldn’t help it. Like he was desperate.
Regis
leaned in. “I think they put something in your drink.”
A
shudder wracked Jonathan, almost like a convulsion. “No shit. They gave it to
you, too. I saw you drink some.”
“Only
a taste.”
“This—this
isn’t right. You’re drugged. You’re under their spell. I’m n-not in my right
mind. I could… I can’t control….” Regis explored Jonathan’s chest with
inquisitive fingers. “Regis. Fuck. You have to stop.”
Jonathan’s
skin was soft on his arms, warm on his chest, rough on his palms. They were
both under the influence. Jonathan needed to stop fighting it. What was the
harm in having a little fun?
An
unsettling thought fought to surface. This felt wrong. Jonathan had told him to
stop. Why wasn’t he stopping?
The
fire in Regis’s body wanted to be stroked. Gods, how good it would feel to give
in. The fairies wanted him to do this. They were his friends. Right?
Tentatively, he moved closer, sliding his body against Jonathan’s. All he
wanted to do was please Jonathan.
And
then a horrible look crossed Jonathan’s face, and he seemed to break down. He
shoved Regis off, flattening his back to the wall. The light drifted by,
casting eerie shadows on his face, highlighting the lines around his eyes, the
set of his mouth. His pupils were dilated, his face flushed. He looked—
He
looked—
He
looked terrified. Regis stopped, and then a realization hit him:
This
was rape.
He
scrambled away from Jonathan, putting several feet of space between them. The
thought was almost too revolting to be taken seriously. Jonathan wanted him,
didn’t he?
It
was rape, he realized. Sure, a week ago Jonathan had kissed him, but just a
moment ago Jonathan had withdrawn consent. He focused on the floor and counted
up to a hundred. No matter what, his head refused to clear. He’d had less of
the drug than Jonathan, much less, but the drug and the magic together were a
heady mixture. If he couldn’t control himself, he needed to get away as quickly
as possible. Before he did something awful. “I think I need to leave,” he said.
Jonathan’s
voice wavered. “Don’t. The women….” Regis caught on immediately. Of course. The
fairies. What if they took advantage once they saw Regis wasn’t going to?
Jonathan couldn’t defend himself like this.
“Right.
Okay,” Regis said. “Right.”
Jonathan
lay facing the wall. Regis sat with his head in his hands.
His
mind didn’t want to work. It was like fighting through sludge. He couldn’t
focus on any train of thought for more than a few moments, but if he
concentrated, he could hold one particular thought down.
Stay
away from Jonathan.
Stay
away from Jonathan.
It
took all his effort. Sitting still became an exhausting task. Several times he
forgot why he was doing this, but he knew Jonathan would be upset if he came
near again, and somehow that was more important than the fairy’s command.
“Thank you,” Jonathan said from the other side of the room.
Sometimes
when Crow was upset, he sank his nails into his wrist. Regis had only caught
him doing it twice, but other times he’d find crescent-shaped cuts there,
places he’d hurt himself purposefully.
Regis
pressed his fingernails in. The pain cleared his head.
The
fairies had im… had impaired… they had done something to his head. It explained
why stories of them were so mixed. Their visitors often came back smiling, but
others returned unsettled, angry, and fearful. Fairies enjoyed sex with
humans—everyone knew that—but he’d never thought of the humans as victims
before. Those who consented had a night of fun. Those who didn’t consent were
raped. No one came back with bruises, but the drugging, the magic—it wasn’t
right.
What
kind of sick game was this? Bespell him, drug them both, put them in a room
together? He felt violated. Worse, he’d almost hurt Jonathan.
He
didn’t want to hurt Jonathan at all, ever. It shocked him to realize that. Good
and evil had shades of gray, sure, but he was on the evil side of the spectrum,
and he knew that. Too selfish to die. Too weak to stop himself from loving
Belcane’s son. His own mother had never tried to find him.
But—for
the first time since he was a child—he realized he didn’t want to be a bad
person. He wanted to fix this. He wanted to save Jonathan.
He
never should have taken the oathspell. Anything else would have been better. He
should have found a way out. He should have talked to Crow. He should have
tried to stop her.
Regis
took deep breaths. It didn’t matter. He had to do something. Eventually, the
fairies would come back. Why had they left in the first place? Because they
didn’t feel like playing with their toys yet? Because they assumed the two men
would be too preoccupied with each other to think about escaping?
He
needed to get Jonathan somewhere safe.
There
came a shuffling noise, then a hand on his shoulder. Jonathan groped through
the dark. “I, I can’t,” Jonathan said. “Can’t, I need—”
“It’s
okay.”
Jonathan
settled half in his lap, one arm around Regis’s waist. He buried his face in
Regis’s hip. Regis was paralyzed with indecision. The drug hit him again full
force. He was desperate for pleasure, and holding still took an act of sheer
willpower.
Buy the book:
Meet the author:
At first glance, Evelyn Elliott
seems like a perfectly normal person. Do not be deceived.
Her hobbies include watching grisly horror movies, torturing her characters, and tending to her flower garden. She enjoys long walks on the beach and collecting the souls of small children. Whenever she reads a book, she always roots for the villain.
Her hobbies include watching grisly horror movies, torturing her characters, and tending to her flower garden. She enjoys long walks on the beach and collecting the souls of small children. Whenever she reads a book, she always roots for the villain.
Avoid her at all costs. Certainly do not find her on facebook or
befriend her online. You have better things to do.
Where to find the author:
Tour Dates & Stops:
11-Apr:
Nephy Hart, MM Good Book Reviews
12-Apr:
Havan Fellows
15-Apr:
A.M. Leibowitz
18-Apr:
Bayou Book Junkie, Alpha
Book Club
19-Apr:
Kirsty Loves Books
20-Apr:
Prism Book Alliance, My
Fiction Nook
21-Apr:
Oh My Shelves
Rafflecopter
Prize: eCopy of ‘Bad Magic’ by Evelyn Elliott
Congratulations on the release of Bad Magic and looking forward to reading it!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations of your new release! Best wishes for much success!
ReplyDelete