Promised

By Kassandra Lea

Sequel to Heart's Triumph

Blackstone Manor is complete, and what better way to celebrate than a Halloween party? At least, that’s how Io sees it. He’s already splurged on candy and decorations. Cinder isn’t entirely on board, however, hating the look of disappointment on Io’s face when he nixes the idea.

Yet somehow Io gets his way, and the party goes ahead as planned. It can’t be all that bad, right? But throw in couples’ costumes, Daisy acting weird, real ghosts, and the secret Cinder has been harboring from Io, and it's sure to be a night none of them forget.

• Language: English
• Publisher: JMS Books LLC
• Release date: Oct 8, 2016
• ISBN: 9781634862486

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

10

Chapter 1

Io crossed the threshold into Blackstone Manor, the estate no longer a ghost of its former self. It had been painstakingly restored by his lover, and once again bestowed a place of honor in the city; which was a shame because of its previous rundown state would have been perfect for the Halloween party Io wanted to throw. Some skillful decorating might still lend an eerie enough vibe, he considered, eyeing the space and putting together a plan as he stalked toward the kitchen. He set his bags on the island counter, every surface in the room shiny and clean, magazine-photoshoot sparkling.

He was about to dig out his goodies when the man of his dreams entered the room.

Cinder, some years older than Io, seemed to be enamored with the paperwork in his hands. The sight of such intense focus made Io a touch jealous, remembering how it felt when Cinder cast that same gaze in his direction. He chewed his bottom lip, waiting to be noticed by the man who owned him heart and soul. What started off as a promising relationship, the stuff they wrote books about, had fizzled over the last two months.

And Io blamed himself, of course.

For starters, he was the one who found the deed to the mansion, gifting it to Cinder as a birthday present. It was what got the ball rolling, brought his fantasies into reality and oh, how he enjoyed the nights they never left Cinder’s attic bedroom. All the touching and kissing and moments of whispered passion. Just thinking about it now made him shiver. But then the renovations began to consume all of Cinder’s free time, their playful antics falling by the wayside.

There was also the minor issue of how he obtained the deed and the ruckus that caused. Io broke the rules contacting a Guardian and waking the dead. In most gargoyle families it was grounds for immediate banishment, being thrown out of the family and forever ignored. But Cinder refused to make that move, deciding instead to keep Io with him, bedding him. The council meeting that ensued wound up going less than stellar thanks to the clan’s at-the-time deranged beta, and though the council members saw fit to let Cinder retain his alpha position and keep Io close, there were still a number of problems, minor, that needed to be dealt with.

One night bled into another, the weeks flying by in a flash, and now it was October, the crisp touch of autumn in the air. And Io wanted to grab the delectable man standing in front of him, drag Cinder upstairs, and have some wild times.

But Cinder was clearly preoccupied.

Io’s heart ached.

So he dug into one of the bags, the plastic rustling, and pulled out a package of his favorite chocolate bars. He made quick work of the seal, popping the delicious goodness into his mouth, closing his eyes as he savored the flavor. There were other things he used to do with chocolate, a fun little treat that used to create a bit of a sticky mess, especially when mixed with whipped cream.

What, pray tell, are you doing?

Cinder’s rich baritone tugged him back into reality. The paperwork lay on the counter, temporarily put aside, those dark eyes Io loved to tumble into studying him for the first time that night. Taking in the fit of Cinder’s red t-shirt and the five-o-clock shadow the alpha sported Io felt a pulse of heat rush through his body, a fluttering in the pit of his stomach. Was it so wrong of him that he wanted to be touched? To be kissed and licked, tasted and enjoyed?

Io?

He swallowed down the remains of his morsel. Hm?

Do I even want to know why you were moaning a minute ago?

Heat crept into his cheeks. Never mind the fact that Cinder had seen, caressed every square inch of his naked form, knowing the hunk desired him always brought forth a smidgen of bashfulness. There were still times, moments in the dark of night when he was alone, which was a lot lately, that he wondered over the fact of Cinder picking him.