Yuletide Present

By Deirdre O'Dare

Scarred by an abusive stepfather who destroyed his confidence and faith, Rob is adrift. Trying to live on the street, he falls under the domination of an older man who is only marginally kinder to him. This man, self-proclaimed leader of a Wiccan coven, is very arrogant and self-centered. Through this association, though, Rob obtains a job in a book store. He also serves as an assistant to Daniel in rites and ceremonies, albeit living in fear of making mistakes. At a sabbat gathering, he meets Sean.

Sean grew up in a Wiccan home and only left following his parents’ death in an accident. He has floundered along alone and now works as a nurse. Seeing a notice of a coven in his new home town, he attends a sabbat gathering. There he meets and is instantly drawn to Rob, seeing the gentle, truly good soul behind his shyness. Sean recognized he must woo the other man carefully and win his trust before they can begin a real relationship. Daniel stands in the way.

When Daniel’s overbearing ways finally create a rebellion in the group, Sean sees a chance to step in. Will he manage to show Rob that sex can be about caring, trust and love instead of domination and harsh control?

• Language: English
• Publisher: JMS Books LLC
• Release date: Dec 16, 2020
• ISBN: 9781646565368

Deirdre O'Dare

Deirdre writes gay romance channeling a prior life’s gay male twin she calls Danny. Fascinated by love’s diverse shades and guises, she explores and experiences a range of attachments. She still believes in happily ever after, that Love is the One True Thing and genuine Love is never wrong. For more information, visit deirdredares.blogspot.com.

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Yuletide Present

By Deirdre O’Dare

Published by JMS Books LLC at Smashwords

Visit jms-books.com for more information.

Copyright 2020 Deirdre O’Dare

ISBN 9781646565368

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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.

No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission from the publisher, with the exception of 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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Yuletide Present

By Deirdre O’Dare

Chapter 1

Dellview, CO

Early fall

I’d rather you just sit this one out, Robbie, Daniel said. It’s only a routine sabbat. I can conduct it without an assistant. Besides, you’ve fallen behind on your chores. Our altar is dusty, and look at the tarnish on the athame. You ought to be ashamed!

Dropping to his knees, Rob cringed. For a few seconds he was back in that dark, dismal place, the one where he could do no right, where he knew he was unloved, worthless and would never be anything more. Almost reflexively, he shrank before he remembered. No, a blow would not follow. Daniel loves me and would never abuse me the way Aaron Cantwell did. Cruelty and brutality should have been his stepfather’s middle names. No, it was all right now. He just had to shape up and do better.

I’m sorry, he murmured. It’s been—well, there never seems like enough time to do everything. I read all those books you selected, and I’m working on my notebook—I mean my personal book of days. I’m trying to learn, trying really hard. I guess I’m just slow and dull.

Daniel ruffled his hair. You’re progressing. Just keep giving it your best and try to remember everything I tell you. You know why you came here, why you became Wiccan. This is where you belong and, as my disciple, in time you will be made whole.

With a swish of his flowing purple robe, the self-proclaimed Arch Mage stalked from the room. Rob rose from his crouched position and set to work cleaning the altar in the back parlor of the old Victorian house he shared with his mentor and lover. After every speck of dust was whisked away, he squared his shoulders, trying to fight off the weight of his unending errors and failings.

The athame was indeed dull. He found some silver polish and began to buff the slender blade. While he worked, he recited a prayerful invocation to the Goddess. After he finished the formal words, he added an unspoken plea of his own. Please, Lady, make me better, stronger, faster, worthy…

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Samhain was almost here. That date marked the middle of the growing hours of darkness, the start of the dreaded winter with its virtual Christmas tree laden with bitter, burning memories. Rob felt his seasonal depression closing around him. He’d joined a Wiccan coven a few months ago in hopes the pagan group wouldn’t mark the holiday season so he could lock those dismal times into a sealed box in the back of his mind. True, even though Christmas wasn’t a part of the Wiccan observances, much to his dismay, he discovered the midwinter solstice and Yule celebrations carried many of the same traditional trappings. How much the Christians had accepted!

Daniel allowed Rob to take a small part in the elaborate Samhain ceremony but his mind wandered for an instant, recalling Halloween in his old life. He made a mistake. Two words of the short passage he had memorized to recite became scrambled. He spoke them out of sequence, stumbled and went back to get them right.

Although Daniel didn’t interrupt the proceedings to chastise him, Rob knew what would come later. In a haze of dread and disappointment in himself, he staggered through the rest of the ritual.

As they drove home from the ceremony, Daniel didn’t say a word. Rob huddled in the passenger seat, closing his eyes like he used to. It was a game: if he couldn’t see anyone, they surely couldn’t see him. With his stepfather, it never had worked, though.

Once they were home, Daniel tossed his cape onto a chair and turned to Rob. "I think it’s time you met the