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.

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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 believe you meant to say our bed, duck."

Duck, Io shivered every single time he heard Cinder speak that word. It was only ever used in private, his pet name, and though it brought to mind a fluffy little yellow chick, he gladly accepted it. Simply because Cinder had bestowed it upon him and it filled him with a sense of warmth, of belonging, of love. He would gladly be Cinder’s Duck until the end of time; which given that their kind could live a handful of centuries was saying something. As long as nothing tragic befell either of them. And he reminded himself constantly to keep his cool for fear he would annoy Cinder. A close friend once told him he was an acquired taste; which was why most of his relationships failed to work out.

Of course, Io was fine with that now, his love free to give to the one he had wanted for so very long.

And…wait, why was he wasting time thinking about a silly pet name when he should have been more focused on the idea of falling into bed in a tangled mess with Cinder? Just standing there, he recalled the way it felt when Cinder caressed his side, fingers dipping along the curve of his hips before wrapping around his most sensitive place. The touch of a tongue. A nip to the side of the neck. The weight of Cinder above Io, asserting his dominance, making every inch of Io smell just like him, marking his