Heart's Triumph

By Kassandra Lea

Sequel to Blackstone Manor

Two months have passed since Masonry Gargoyle Io came clean with Cinder about his feelings. Of course, in the process, he broke a major rule. Cinder stood by him, at a price, as the Council planned to pay a visit to decide their fate. Io may still be thrown out of the pack, and there's no telling what punishment would be bestowed on Cinder.

As if that isn't bad enough, Ran'imy is mad, jealous, and no doubt cooking up some nefarious plan. After all, she had her sights set on Cinder, too. How could he pick Io, the bumbling fool, over her?

Io has to stand by Cinder's side before the Council, but their relationship is still new. Will their love be strong enough to withstand the Council and Ran'imy's revenge?

• Language: English
• Publisher: JMS Books LLC
• Release date: Aug 13, 2016
• ISBN: 9781634861687

Kassandra Lea

Kassandra Lea’s stories have appeared in a number of anthologies. She lives in southern Wisconsin. For more information, visit facebook.com/leakassie.

Book preview

Heart’s Triumph

By Kassandra Lea

Published by JMS Books LLC at Smashwords

Visit jms-books.com for more information.

Copyright 2016 Kassandra Lea

ISBN 9781634861687

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Cover Design: Written Ink Designs | written-ink.com

Image(s) used under a Standard Royalty-Free License.

All rights reserved.

WARNING: This book is not transferable. It is for your own personal use. If it is sold, shared, or given away, it is an infringement of the copyright of this work and violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes of review.

This book is for ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY. It may contain sexually explicit scenes and graphic language which might be considered offensive by some readers. Please store your files where they cannot be accessed by minors.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are solely the product of the author’s imagination and/or are used fictitiously, though reference may be made to actual historical events or existing locations. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Published in the United States of America.

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For Muzz and Steve.

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Heart’s Triumph

By Kassandra Lea

Chapter 1

Io dive bombed the bed, throwing himself down on it. He proceeded to wiggle around on the covers much like he’d seen a dog do once on a TV show. Squirming, he worked his way under the blanket and in quick fashion wrapped himself up in it, sitting on the bed completely shrouded in the comforter, only his face visible. He brought the fabric up to his nose and inhaled deeply, drawing in the scent of his lover. Oh, it was heaven! Masculine and woodsy with a hint of vanilla from the soap his beloved used. Io wanted it all over him, loving how he would then catch a whiff while moving through the night.

He closed his eyes and took another hit, swaying back and forth and humming.

What are you doing? the owner of a familiar deep voice questioned.

Ah! yelped Io, startled. He jumped, forgetting he was cocooned and wound up in a jumbled heap on the floor. Like a fool he wrestled with the blanket, his heart racing, as he frantically sought to break free. He refused to be outdone by the likes of a bedspread.

Finally finding his way out, Io jumped up like a jack-in-the-box, only to discover himself standing face to face with Cinder. Well, maybe not exactly since he was an inch or two shorter, but close enough. Heat spread across his cheeks as much from embarrassment as being turned on. Something about being in Cinder’s personal space sent an arousing thrill through his body.

It also did a fairly decent job of turning him into the equivalent of a high school girl and prompting him to trip over his tongue.

Do I even want to know? Cinder asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Io’s blush grew worse as he sought to find a way to explain his strange behavior. I…I…your bed… He licked his lips. I wanted to smell like you, he blurted.

Cinder cocked an eyebrow, the faint trace of a smile on his mouth. Much to Io’s surprise, his beloved leaned forward, Cinder’s breath tickling his ear as the man whispered in Io’s ear. "I do