The Call of the Drums

By Lynn Michaels

Twelve Rock Bands were invited to participate in this year's Battle of the Bands. It’s being held at Cambria Bay, a resort town that brings in tourism by having over the top events. Daryl Keeley, drummer for the wild metal band, Lythium Madness, is excited not only for the competition but for the opportunity to stay at one of the world's best vacation spots for the holiday. It's Christmas, but there won't be any snow in tropical Cambria Bay, and that's fine with Daryl, since every other aspect of his life is too cold. No lover. A family that disowned him for being a rock drummer rather than his sexuality. His bandmates are his only real home.

During the competition, he meets Micah Bray, a bassist from another band, Jungle Lake Riot. They're not very good, but Micah pulls them up with his unusual talent. He's a quiet force to be reckoned with, and when he plays with Daryl...sparks fly.

• Language: English
• Publisher: eXtasy Books Inc
• Release date: Dec 27, 2019
• ISBN: 9781487425739

Lynn Michaels

Lynn Michaels lives and writes in Tampa, Florida where the sun is hot and the Sangria is cold. Lynn is the newest addition to Rubicon Fiction, and she loves reading and writing about hot men in love.

Book preview

Christmas magic comes in strange packages when the Battle of the Bands heats up.

Twelve Rock Bands were invited to participate in this year’s Battle of the Bands. It’s being held at Cambria Bay, a resort town that brings in tourism by having over the top events. Daryl Keeley, drummer for the wild metal band, Lythium Madness, is excited not only for the competition but for the opportunity to stay at one of the world’s best vacation spots for the holiday. It’s Christmas, but there won’t be any snow in tropical Cambria Bay, and that’s fine with Daryl, since every other aspect of his life is too cold. No lover. A family that disowned him for being a rock drummer rather than his sexuality. His bandmates are his only real home.

During the competition, he meets Micah Bray, a bassist from another band, Jungle Lake Riot. They’re not very good, but Micah pulls them up with his unusual talent. He’s a quiet force to be reckoned with, and when he plays with Daryl... sparks fly.

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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

The Call of the Drums

Copyright © 2019 Lynn Michaels

ISBN: 978-1-4874-2573-9

Cover art by Martine Jardin

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

Published by eXtasy Books Inc or

Devine Destinies, an imprint of eXtasy Books Inc

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Smashwords Edition

The Call of the Drums

The Twelve Days of Christmas Book 12

By

Lynn Michaels

Chapter One—Meeting Micah

Daryl Keeley suspected this trip would change his life before he even stepped out of the airport and to the shuttle bus that would take them to the hotel. The bus was decorated with garland around the outside, even though the weather was sweltering and didn’t feel anything like Christmas.

The entertainment company, Marble Bay Promotions, had shipped their equipment, but he had two pairs of his drum sticks in the suitcase that he was shoving in the compartment at the bottom of the bus. He could beat on anything, but he never took chances with the sticks. Daryl peeled off his jacket and tossed it to his best friend, Reed. Man, what’s the temperature here anyway?

Reed tucked the jacket under his arm and pulled out his phone. He tapped at the screen as he got on the bus. Ninety, he called over his shoulder. His long hair fell in his face, but when they got on stage, he would pull it back and fasten it. Underneath was shaved to show his Viking longship tattoos on both sides of his head. So fierce!

Typical Christmas weather for Daryl meant the thirties and forties with ice and snow and sometimes dirty, brown slush piled on the sidewalks and sides of the road, and salt that marked his boots. He’d take the hot tropical sun over that mess any day. Daryl slammed the storage compartment shut, thinking about all the crappy weather he was happily missing, then turned to join his bandmates and bumped right into someone else.

The guy had short, dark hair and soulful brown eyes set in a handsome face. He stood close enough to Daryl that they could kiss. He smelled of salty sweat and warm cinnamon. Daryl’s heart thumped a little harder in his presence.

The cute guy held up a suitcase. We’re sharing the bus. The expensive leather of his bag clashed with his jeans—powder blue and fading into the white strands of the rips—and his loose tank top with Cambria Bay emblazed across the front. Daryl’s eyes dropped down to his feet, and cute guy wiggled his toes in his flip flops. Even his toes are adorable!

Oh! Right. Daryl opened the compartment again. Should be room. Daryl helped him shove his bag in beside Daryl’s.

When their shoulders brushed, he looked up at Daryl. "I’m Micah. I’m with Jungle Lake Riot."

What the hell is that?

Micah pulled the door and shut it. "A band. Aren’t you here for the Battle of the Bands?"

"Oh, yeah, I’m with Lythium Madness. Are you staying at Palm Oasis, too?" Daryl crossed his internal imaginary fingers, hoping Micah would be staying