Claimed by the Crossroads God

By J.B. Black

Every meeting is a crossroad — but is this one love?

Ayan hated staying still. Despite being a god, he never wanted a realm, so he made the roads his home instead. Guarding caravans, bringing messages between gods, meeting interesting people — Ayan knows he made the right choice.

Until his constantly shifting realm hides his mate.

Tormented by warnings of his mate in his realm but not being able to locate them, Ayan almost gives up until he meets Mukhtar.

Mukhtar spent his life on the road. A tailor by trade, he welcomes the god to his fire, but while both feel a sudden attraction, uncertainty makes for a rough courtship. Older and knowledgeable about gods and their mates, Mukhtar knows fate didn’t intend him for Ayan — but that doesn’t stop him from loving the god anyway.

Ayan, on the other hand, is certain Mukhtar is the one. He senses his mate whenever the other man is near. Surely they’ll find their happily ever after!

A fated mate story with a twist, Claimed by the Crossroads God is a gay fantasy romance with merchants, magic, and mpreg! HEA guaranteed.

• Language: English
• Publisher: J.B. Black
• Release date: Oct 27, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215821077

J.B. Black

Three sides to take care of all your wanton desires:Jess adores the steamy side of romance, exploring the quick scenes that leave your heart fluttering as strong, fertile heroines find their Happily Ever Afters!If you enjoy mpreg and a wake on the more fantastical side with fated mates, JB Black will fulfill your every desire.Brendol enjoys M/M without the fantastical edge. No pregnancies, just gay sex and romance!

Book preview

Claimed by the Crossroads God

M/M Gay Fantasy Romance

J.B. Black

Every meeting is a crossroad — but is this one love?

Ayan hated staying still. Despite being a god, he never wanted a realm, so he made the roads his home instead. Guarding caravans, bringing messages between gods, meeting interesting people — Ayan knows he made the right choice.

Until his constantly shifting realm hides his mate.

Tormented by warnings of his mate in his realm but not being able to locate them, Ayan almost gives up until he meets Mukhtar.

Mukhtar spent his life on the road. A tailor by trade, he welcomes the god to his fire, but while both feel a sudden attraction, uncertainty makes for a rough courtship. Older and knowledgeable about gods and their mates, Mukhtar knows fate didn’t intend him for Ayan — but that doesn’t stop him from loving the god anyway.

Ayan, on the other hand, is certain Mukhtar is the one. He senses his mate whenever the other man is near. Surely they’ll find their happily ever after!

A fated mate story with a twist, Claimed by the Crossroads God is a gay fantasy romance with merchants, magic, and mpreg! HEA guaranteed.

Claimed by the Crossroads God

by JB Black

This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and events are fictitious in every regard. Any similarities to actual events and persons, living or dead, are purely coincidental. Any trademarks, service marks, product names, or named features are only for reference. There is no implied endorsement if any of these terms are used.

CLAIMED BY THE CROSSROADS GOD

Copyright © 2023

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Epilogue

Chapter One

Some godlings knew their realms before they were of age to claim them. Sea gods born to forest gods found they longed for the sea. A mountain god’s child stared at the river below, recognizing what called to them.

Other godlings wandered. They let their feet lead them, drawing them through adventures before they settled in a place they hadn’t realized they wanted until they stumbled across it. People said these godlings had something to learn. Some part of themselves which they had not discovered while under their parents’ watchful eyes.

Ayan left his parents’ mountain the moment he could. While some mountain ranges had dwarves or dragons or even people, his parents were the private sort. There was a monastery — not even one for his parents — on the side of one of the mountains they guarded, but the majority of their realm belonged to animals or the occasional traveler. A few goat spirits and a yeti or two stopped by, but almost everyone in the realm liked to be on their own or with their spouse and immediate family, so Ayan grew up in dreadful loneliness. He waited by the edge of the realm, longing for a traveler or an explorer to come up the cliffside, and when he grew old enough to escape his mother’s attention, he found his way to the nearest crossroad, chatting with the strangers who came by.

You should go this way, Ayan always beckoned, gesturing to the mountains. There’re hot springs. You could set up a resort there!

The travelers always laughed, and they always said the same thing. I heard the gods bring terrible storms on anyone who tries to settle in their range. Those cliffs are inhospitable.

When the time came to leave, he had no idea what realm he would take, and whenever anyone asked, Ayan brushed off the question. I want to travel! Staying in the same place all the time sounds so boring!

His parents both said he would find a place and settle when the time was right, but even the idea of settling exhausted him. He took to the roads, traveling from one end of the continent to the other, sailing to every island and swimming across seas to meet the gods there. Ayan even discovered tunnels which led deep into the earth, meeting the God Below.

Enki smiled with such sweetness, but as the god guarding the gateway to the underworld, he — more than any other god — couldn’t leave his realm.

Are the stars still beautiful? Enki asked as Ayan lounged beside him, staring out at the hidden around the older god’s castle.

Ayan hummed. They’re pretty nice.

Enki smiled brightly. I still remember how they sparkled.

You should leave this realm behind, Ayan told him. We could travel together.

But the god of the gateway shook his head. It hasn’t been that long since magic users tried to destroy the gateways. I can’t leave them unguarded.

Though Ayan pitied the other god, he couldn’t stop the yearning, so promising to visit frequently, Ayan left the City Below and returned to the roads.

He hadn’t intended to become a god of crossroads and travelers. Traveling came naturally, and every time someone suggested a type of realm, Ayan wrinkled his nose and shook his head. By the time he realized he already had a realm, he was several centuries old and determined to never have one at all.

But that’s perfect for you, isn’t it? Enki laughed when Ayan complained. You’ll always be traveling.

Ayan considered for a moment before shrugging. I always thought realms were a conscious choice.

It’s fate, Enki lightly said.

The only good thing about fate is fated mates, Ayan huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

Enki ruffled the younger god’s dark hair. Godhood comes with amazing powers, immortality, and guaranteed love. Everything else is worth it.

Ha! Ayan scoffed, shaking his head. Immortality, yet all gods eventually go into the Underworld to retire because their amazing powers are endlessly drained to serve a realm that destiny assigned to them!

Well, lucky you. You’ve got a realm that spans the whole continent, Enki teased.

Ayan clucked his tongue, heading off once more and falling into a caravan of merchants to erase the responsibilities from his mind. He never agreed to be a god of anything, and it wasn’t like anybody prayed to him. Without a realm, he didn’t have an entourage or anyone to announce who he was, and Ayan preferred it that way. If he helped protect people from bandits now and again — kept the roads smooth and well maintained to ease travel, that was simply because he wanted to do it.

The caravan circled their wagons. Unlike the Romani caravans he sometimes joined, these wagons weren’t vardos. At least, not completely. They looked similar, but where vardos were houses on wheels, these were more stores on wheels. Any bed space was a necessity. The rest was goods to be sold. In the center of their circled wagons, some of the younger men played ball, kicking