NEW RELEASE
Book Title: Elex: Sons of Hecate Volume I
Author and Publisher: Mellanie Rourke
Cover Artist: Reese Dante
Release Date: December 26, 2023
Genres: Dark Romance, Paranormal/Urban Fantasy
Tropes: Hurt/Comfort
Themes: Overcoming adversity, rags to riches
Heat Rating: 4 flames
Length: 92 000 words/320 pages
It is a standalone story and first in a series. The other books will be coming out in 2024.
It does not end on a cliffhanger.
Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited
Alone, they are victims. Together, they may topple an empire.
Blurb
Elex is a slave even though his father is King of Alexandria. Disinherited once his elemental magic developed, he was banished to the Alexandrian Legion to "learn his place" at the non-existent mercies of his new masters. Humiliated and abused, he learns the hard way that he can't always protect the ones he loves.
Now the time of the Machi Thanatos approaches, a deadly competition where Legionnaires must battle their foes and each other for the dubious honor of a lifetime of slavery at the hands of Elusians, Alexandrians with the ability to control Elex and his fellow Mageians by Suppressing their ability to use magic.
Elex will fight to the death to protect himself and those he loves, but during the Machi he meets Helios, a shapeshifting Soma from the rebel country of Illyria. Helios will fight for what he loves, too, and this savagely fierce little Mageian is quickly adding his name to that list.
Separately they are two victims of the whims of Alexandrian Elusians. Together, they may discover a secret that could topple an empire.
Excerpt
The moonlight slowly slid across his face, casting his scarred side in shadow. Finally, he spoke.
“What did you want me to ask you that I didn’t?” he asked.
I closed my eyes. Fuck. He’d know if I was lying. In for a penny.
“I wanted you to ask me if you could kiss me,” I whispered finally. He didn’t move at my words, and I suddenly felt like the biggest idiot. How could this beautiful, courageous, kitten-saving man ever want someone like me? Especially after just sharing everything my own blood had done to me.
Feeling suddenly filthy, I was on my feet and pulling away from him without thinking. “Yeah, dumb thing to think, I know. Probably been drinking too much of that vodka.”
“That sentence was a lie,” he whispered. Then without warning he was in front of me. He slowly reached out and cupped the back of my head and drew me close. He was standing so near to me that I could feel his breath on my cheek. “But that first one…”
He swept his thumb over my lips.
“Truth,” he whispered, a small, sad smile forming. He moved even closer, his breath hot on my skin.
“Kataramenos,” he said, drawing my name out. My heart pounded in my chest at his nearness, and my body flushed both hot and cold at the same time.
“Kat. May I kiss you?” he asked, finally.
I swallowed hard, my nerves on fire. I couldn’t believe someone like him might want someone like me. I couldn’t look away from his eyes, which were brighter than the moonlight. I could see my reflection in his gaze. It was almost unrecognizable. It was a person who was strong. Confident. Whole. Someone who deserved something good in his world. Someone I wanted desperately to be.
I nodded, unable to form the words.
He moved forward slowly, just brushing his lips across my own. The zap of our magics built to a vibrating hum as he licked gently across my lips with his tongue. I opened my mouth slowly, savouring the taste of the vodka as he slid into my mouth, the gentle heat of his body pressing against mine.
He held me like I was something…precious. Not fragile, exactly, but something valued. I had fooled around with other Mageia in the past and been used by Elusians against my will. This was completely different from any of that. None of those encounters, even the willing ones, had ever made me feel cherished. Safe. Made me feel like he did.
About the Author
Mellanie Rourke lives in Akron, Ohio with her spouse and their furry menagerie of 3 young adult roommates (because ‘they aren’t kids anymore’), two dogs, three cats, and five ferrets.
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