Jamie Craig: Unveiled

Unveiled by Jamie Craig
From: Amber Quill Press

“What happened?” Emma asked. She wouldn’t believe him if he told her nothing happened; Jess was sure she probably felt his tumultuous emotions from outside the building. He finished off the bottle and tossed it into the trash with a little too much force.

“Xavier wasn’t at the party, so Gideon, in his infinite wisdom, agreed to a second party. Without bothering to ask
the display if that was going to be a problem. But that’s okay, I have nothing to be afraid of except a room full of vamps, and humans, and their bloodlust.”

Her eyes darted around the room, her head finally turning to fix on the bedroom door. Emma stared at it for long seconds before shifting back to Jesse. “Did you get hurt tonight?”

“No.” He rotated his head, stretching the muscles in his neck. “No more than what was planned, at any rate.”

“So why…” She stopped, her frown deepening as she looked behind her. In the next second, she was stepping out of
the way as Gideon came barreling into the kitchen.

“What the fuck did you expect me to do?” He ignored Emma to march forward and shove Jess into the refrigerator.
He was oblivious to Jesse’s wince as fresh pain bloomed in his back, though Emma’s sharp gasp meant she was more than aware. “You can’t think I actually like this, can you?”

Jesse pushed both hands against Gideon’s chest, allowing himself just enough room to get past Gideon. He wasn’t going to be cornered and shouted at, or cower beneath Gideon’s hard eyes, like he had done something wrong. Like he was being the unreasonable one.

“I’m sorry, I’m having a bit of a hard time putting myself in your shoes, Gideon. I didn’t realize it was so fucking hard on you to be the one free to walk, and talk, and fight, and leave, and not be locked alone in the dark.”

Emma blocked his exit. Twin spots of color had risen in her cheeks, and her breathing had quickened, but she remained firm when he attempted to navigate past her.

“Tell him you’re scared.” Her dark eyes were beseeching. “Tell him anything, Jess.”

“I did.” Jesse didn’t bother to disguise the fact that he was hurt. “But that doesn’t seem to matter right now.”

“No, what matters is that you trust me to make this right,” Gideon barked.

Emma’s head snapped around to stare at him. “You’re not helping.”

“Gee, and you figured that out all on your lonesome, did you?” His mouth curled into a sneer. “If you’d let us go after your bitch of a sister with guns blazing, we wouldn’t even be in this mess.”

Jesse spun to face Gideon, appalled. It was one thing for Gideon to lash out at him—Jess knew eventually they would put all of this behind them—but he didn’t expect him to be so vicious to Emma. “What the fuck is wrong with you? Don’t talk to her like that.”

“It’s okay, Jess.” Her voice was surprisingly calm. “He’s just trying to bait me so we don’t end up talking about what’s really wrong here.”

Gideon jabbed an angry finger in their direction. “Being able to tell Jess is pissed does not give you permission to interfere in this.”

“No, the fact that you two insisted on me sticking around when I wanted to go is. And Jess isn’t the only one I can read right now.”

Gideon’s eyes flashed. “Vampire, remember? You can’t read me.”

“I can’t read you easily. But the more I get to know you, the easier it gets.” Emma took an even step back in his
direction. “And I’m not going to touch on the fact that you both are so wired right now, I’d have to be deaf and blind not to know how hurt both of you are.”

Jesse’s head was pounding. His inherent need for everybody to get along was starting to pull at his anger, and a
part of him wanted to abandon his own frustrations and work on smoothing things over between Gideon and Emma. It was an almost ridiculous impulse, but it was strong. But beyond that, he wanted to scoff at Emma’s words. What had hurt Gideon? That Jesse didn’t want to quietly submit to something so fucking dangerous and painful? “It doesn’t matter,” Jesse muttered, making another attempt to get past Emma.

This time, she grabbed his arm. “It does,” she said. “Don’t run away, please.”

Warmth radiated from her palm and spread up his arm. He recognized immediately what she was trying to do—replace
the frustrated pain with something more peaceful. At first, he resented the attempt. These were his emotions, and he came by them honestly, and he had every right to suffer through every hellish second of them. But at the same time, the spark of heat was a welcome relief. But it was only a spark.

“We need to talk about this,” Gideon said.

The tips of Emma’s fingers began to stroke the underside of his arm. “I know how scared you are.” Her voice was as soft as her touch. “But you were there for me when I was so terrified at Sangre and the next morning. Let me be here for you now. Please, Jess.”

Jesse relaxed slightly, no longer poised for flight. He turned his attention to Gideon. “Do you want to talk about
this? Or do you just want me to agree with you?” The question was more curious than confrontational. Even if Emma wasn’t fighting each wave of anger with her touch, Jesse was too exhausted to sustain the argument for much longer.

“I would’ve talked to you about this at the party if I’d had the chance,” Gideon said.

Jesse knew that was probably true, but despite his protests, that wasn’t the only thing bothering him. Gideon seemed to have complete disregard for what Jesse was feeling, and that was more confusing than anything else. He had never been so caught up in the greater good he was willing to sacrifice Jesse’s life for it, and now Jess didn’t know how to reconcile this apparent contradiction. He felt like they were in a stalemate. “Emma, can you….can you show him? What I’m feeling?”

Her eyes flew to Gideon, but before he could put up a protest, she slid her hand down to Jesse’s and entwined their fingers, dragging him back to face his lover. She kept Jesse at her back, pulling his hand around to rest it on her stomach. It effectively put them into a half-embrace, but in spite of the added warmth being pressed to her spread through his body, it was the way Gideon’s eyes locked on his that kept him still.

Man, have I been slacking lately?!? Between work and such I just have been lapsing into a world of blah. Maybe I need a vacation but that will have to wait for now I guess.

Anyway, back to the book…

Jamie Craig are back with another chapter of the continuing saga of Gideon, the vampire, and Jesse, his faithful human sidekick. Fighting crime and finding new and interesting ways to use dungeon equipment on each other. As you can tell from the cover wax comes into play in this story and I really liked the idea that a Top would use a dungeon scene to “wax creative” so to speak. Yes, I will not give up my day job promise. Wax on, wax off!

So um… What did I think about it though? Hmmmmmm, this is one of those books I generally re-read several times to focus my thoughts on it, because it is not poorly written at all. The character arc is logical, the motivations are reasonable and the continuity from the other story is wonderfully interwoven. No real indicators can be pointed to as to why I felt cheated.

Well, maybe there is a way I can show you what I mean with some compare and contrast. Let’s switch back to the last book for a moment and review the scene where Jesse was looking through those old pictures of Gideon getting it on and then obviously killing the other men he is shown having sex with. Jesse then confronts Gideon..

“The difference is knowing when to stop and then caring enough to actually do it.” When Gideon snaked his tongue around the shell of Jesse’s ear, a shiver ran down Jess’ spine. “Even when I know how badly you want it.”

Jesse clutched Gideon’s shirt with one hand, his other hand sneaking between their bodies to cup Gideon’s erection. “I’m glad one of us knows when to stop,” he murmured. “Because sometimes I do want it.”

Gideon snorted. “I’m beginning to wonder if your definition of sometimes is the same as Webster’s.”

It was passages like this in the last book that caught my attention and made me enjoy the interplay between the two men. I liked the idea of love and fear being combined to create this hot passionate relationship between a vampire and a human. That control is a battle fought minute by minute.

The crime they investigate reflects the relationship they begin, the deaths caused by the Obsidian drug, a drug that allows vampires to let go and do whatever they have carefully inhibited themselves from doing.

This idea was then reflected in the sudden feelings that spring up between Gideon and Jesse. The idea that Gideon could eventually let go and harm or kill Jesse and that Jesse finds that power over him by Gideon sexually HAWT.

This dynamic is also reflected in the BDSM dynamics they then explore.

All these mirrors within mirrors and dang clever writing made the whole package a must read for me. I got it, a vampire romance with teeth, and I loved it.

Now back to our current story here in Unveiled. Where is the danger to Jesse from Gideon? It seems they have worked it all out and they seem very comfortable with each other now. *sigh* Comfortable enough to explore their feelings about having Emma join them.

But that’s not all, Emma is an empath so their emotions must be carefully explored and mapped. Oh no, that was the uncertainty that I liked about Jesse and Gideon. The power Gideon has over life and death, the unknown depths he must possess, the dance of danger they both participate in based on the fact that one could easily kill the other. The romance between the savage animal and his prey.

I saw the pulling of the vampires teeth reflected even in the crime they investigated in Unveiled. I swear, I never once felt Jesse was in any real danger and the excerpt above came across to me more like Jesse was bitching about the taking of necessary risks and not about going above and beyond the risks he took in the last book. Maybe in thinking about it showing Jesse’s POV during the events may have helped make it more real… I don’t know maybe it is just me.

This is not a black and white deal though. The story is well written and the characters growing to find some comfort level around each other makes perfect sense. I guess I just wanted the danger of the unknown, the dark hint of threat in every bite, to remain a little longer which is my own bias. I also like dark chocolate so…

I will be reading the next book in the series that just came out Mosaic Moon.

I am giving this book a B because honestly I think the problems I have are with my own expectations and not with what you wrote.

Tags: Amber Quill Press, BDSM, Gay, Grade B, Jamie Craig, Vampire Romance

What I Am Reading ~ J.M. Snyder: Beneath A Yankee Sky

Beneath A Yankee Sky by J.M. Snyder
From: Amber Quill Press

Brance Brenneman is used to harsh conditions—the eldest son of a stern Amish preacher, Brance was bit by a werecat as a young boy, and managed to keep his secret from his family until he was old enough to leave them and their religion behind. Years later, when the nation is divided by the American Civil War, Brance finds himself enlisted in the Union army. By sheer chance, he meets Caleb Chilson, a Confederate soldier who bears his same shapeshifting burden.

Together they leave the war behind to forge a new life in the wilderness of Pennsylvania. But trappers near their camp are hunting bobcats, and they don’t much care if Brance and Caleb are only in the fur part of the time. Brance finds his peaceful existence shattered, and he has to fight to defend the life—and the bobcat, the man—he’s come to love.

Tags: Amber Quill Press, Gay, J. M. Snyder, Weresomething Romance

J. M. Snyder: Under A Confederate Moon

Under A Confederate Moon by J. M. Snyder
From: Amber Allure

Slowly Brance lowered the gun. He crammed it into the waistband of his pants, a makeshift holster. Then he stepped up to Caleb and raised one hand to his face. Caleb flinched, but Brance only traced the curve of his jaw, then lifted his chin until they faced each other. Again, his eyes were unfathomable—Caleb wished it were night and they had changed, if only because then he knew what went on behind that pale gaze.

Tenderly Brand touched the dimple in Caleb’s chin.
“Don’t follow me,” he whispered. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

Caleb nodded quickly, eager to please; then Brance kissed him, his beard itchy against Caleb’s hairless chin. As that sure tongue licked into him again, Caleb’s eyes slipped shut and his hands went limp, the blanket falling in a heap at his feet. The touch on his face disappeared, followed by the mouth on his. He sighed and kept his eyes closed as he listened to the faint sounds of Brance slipping away into the woods.

It took the rest of the morning and most of the afternoon, but Caleb finally stumbled upon his discarded shirt, halfburied in mud and covered with paw prints. He picked it up, shook it out the best he could, and slipped his arms into the shredded sleeves. The buttons were gone. Pulling it shut across his chest, he untied the blanket around his waist and tucked the shirt down, then reknotted the blanket. The shirt was cold and damp; the fabric stuck to his back, clammy in the shadows. He’d need to see the sutler about a new shirt when he got back to his camp—the major would pitch a fit if he saw Caleb wearing this rag.

As Caleb retraced his route from the previous evening, his mind inevitably circled back to Brance. Like a bad cold, Caleb couldn’t shake him. The man infected his thoughts; the memory of his hands and lips and mouth was a ghost that lingered to haunt Caleb’s skin. A big man, rugged, not the type Caleb normally liked, but there was something untouchable about him that dogged Caleb, something unattainable that promised pleasure and so much more, if only Caleb could catch hold of it. How easy would it be to lose himself in a man like that? To give himself up wholly to him? What would it be like to chase the moon and stars with Brance at his side? How fast would they run, how far would they go? Could they outrace this present strife, put their pasts behind them, and move into a future where their hearts and souls, human and animal both, became one?

Caleb Chilton is a Confederate Soldier fighting a losing war amongst the ranks and hiding a dangerous secret. Dangerous for him that is. Every month at the full moon he changes into a bobcat which is more than a little inconvenient in the middle of a war zone.

While out one full moon night dodging bullets from his own guys while in his bobcat suit he stumbles upon another bobcat. One that just so happens can talk just like he can. Brance, a Yankee as we will soon come to find out, is wounded. Caleb immediately wants to help Brance even if it is against the older bobcats wishes for him to do so. After a night of hunting for Brance and helping him recover, Caleb and Brance awake to a morning both human, nude and ready to find out more about each other in many different ways.

I have to admit short sweet and to the point stories like this one impress me. I like an author who is not out to write the next big series and who’s whole point seems to be to clearly express as economically as possible a single brief moment between two unique men. It spurs my own imagination when done right to fill in the blanks so to speak and makes me love the story even more for the chance to stretch myself while enjoying the finely focused text.

J. M. Snyder has written a nice wonderful short story of southern boy redneck love that totally makes up for the many other literary sins I have read this week. Thanks J.M. for making me believe that eBooks are still a place to find something small but very special that falls far outside of the typical attempts at over baked, over wrought, epics with questionable character motivations and cream filler rich novels full of stale angst. I for one enjoy the fact you simply made me smile at a really good delicious bite of a tale.

Bobcats, bite, tale, get it? Grade A

Tags: Amber Quill Press, Gay, Grade A, J. M. Snyder, Weresomething Romance

Jamie Craig: Master Of Obsidian

Master Of Obsidian by Jamie Craig
From: Amber Heat

“You gave me the door knob, knowing it was tainted,” Gideon said. Whether he was deliberately ignoring Jesse’s
meaning, he had no idea. He simply wished he could see what Gideon was doing. “You did it deliberately to see what would happen.”

There wasn’t time for a response. The crack of leather split the air.
Jesse trapped the howl in his throat, and his lungs seized, the sudden contact freezing the air in his chest. He was more shocked than hurt, but the shock enveloped him completely. His cock jerked, a single thread of pleasure winding its way down his spine and to his groin.

“I’m sorry,” Jesse gasped, when he could speak. “It won’t happen again.”
Gideon chuckled. “You’re lying. You’ve got balls, I’ll give you that. But if you thought it would get you what you wanted, you’d do it again.” The whip cracked again. Slivers of heat sliced down Jesse’s back. “Admit it.”

It occurred to him to lie again, but he suspected Gideon’s reaction would be the same whether he told the truth or not. “I would if I thought we’d both get what we wanted.”
“And what’s that?”
“You don’t want to have to care about the consequences.”
The whip landed across his shoulders. “You want to be the one in charge.” And lower on his ribs. “You think you should be able to do whatever you want to me, and, God, Gideon, I want that, too.” The whip whistled through the air behind him, erupting like fire across his skin. Jesse cried out, unable to ignore the pain any longer.

So wrapped in the searing agony now making his skin throb, he never heard Gideon move.
“I should be able to do whatever I want to you,” Gideon murmured in Jesse’s ear. His bare chest pressed to Jess’ back, and the cool contact helped ease some of the sting. “But right now, I’ll settle for this.”

The first touch of Gideon’s tongue along his split skin made Jess cry out again, but this time, it was a sound of shocked pleasure.
Jesse writhed against Gideon’s mouth, but never attempted to pull away from him. If anything, he wanted more contact. Gideon abandoned his broken skin and sought out the long thin lines of blood rolling down his back. Each swipe of Gideon’s tongue soothed every sliver of pain, until he was quivering with pleasure and need, the sting from the whip almost entirely forgotten.

“I smell you everywhere.” Gideon’s voice floated up to him, caressing hands gliding around the front of his thighs. “In the office, in my bed. Do you know I can’t bring myself to change my sheets ever since you spent the day in them? You need to bleed more often. I don’t think my cock’s been soft since I fucked you.”

Jesse moaned. He knew Gideon wanted him, but remembering a long night of fucking was not the same as hearing the words come from Gideon’s mouth. Gideon moved his hands over his thighs, his fingers framing Jesse’s stiff cock without actually touching him. He wanted Gideon to make him bleed, wanted Gideon to fuck him, wanted Gideon to touch him, wanted Gideon to bite him…
Rivulets of blood trickled down his back, disappearing one by one. Gideon’s tongue traced over swells of flesh until Jess felt his mouth at the upper curve of his ass. His heart thumped, and he stood a little straighter, spreading his legs on instinct in order to open himself up.

“I already said you weren’t going to be rewarded,” Gideon chastised. He came around Jesse’s body, standing tall and pressing his blood-slick chest to Jess’. “You don’t get my cock, and I’m not touching your ass.” He smirked. “Not even if you beg.”

Jesse leaned forward, stretching his neck to tentatively lick the patch of skin beneath Gideon’s jaw. For a moment, he savored the taste of Gideon’s skin—which led him to thoughts of other areas of Gideon he wanted to taste. “I don’t get your cock at all?”
“No.” His eyes turned golden. “I get yours.”
Blood smeared down Jesse’s body as Gideon slid down. His breath caught in his throat as Gideon grasped his cock at
the root, angling it away from his body. With one last wicked leer, Gideon dropped his jaw and swallowed Jess down in one stroke.

Jesse fought the temptation to close his eyes—he needed to watch Gideon. He tensed, expecting to feel razor sharp fangs against his shaft, but Gideon was surprisingly careful. He pulled back, sliding his warm mouth along Jesse’s shaft, and then swallowed him once more, his teeth barely scraping against his cock. Gideon looked up, his golden eyes sending a shockwave through Jesse’s body.

I was talking with someone the other day about a Gay Vampire Romance series I am reading over at Loose-Id and the fact I could not quite put my finger on it but even after three books into the series it was simply missing something. The person I was talking to was also reading the series and stated “It needed more emotion“.

I stopped, I thought about it and damn she was right, the whole three books came across written at an emotional distance. Sure the sex was there and the usual violence inherent in a vampire romance book, gay or straight. It was all there but the emotion, the thing that draws me into liking a bad boy character like a vampire and wanting to find out more about them and eventually see them get the guy, it was simply missing.

Jamie Craig has none of that problem here in Master of Obsidian. Her Their vampire Gideon is a gentlemen with an admittedly disturbing past but he stays civil and honorable and has a trusting human assistant named Jesse Madding who is his best friend and right hand man. The relationship is very professional and courteous… that is until a drug called Obsidian starts showing up that by simply touching it drives vampires to unleash their hidden inner desires.

Gideon is suddenly dominating Jesse in the most forcefully HOT, sexy as hell, BDSM sex scenes I have read in a long while. I mean Shit! this book is Damn hot. Gideon is of course ashamed of himself when he wakes up the next morning after having been pile driving and sucking his assistant into complete submission throughout the night. Jesse on the other hand loved every nasty, bad boy, fuck me harder, minute of it. In fact he wants more, a lot more and he is gonna make damn sure he gets it and Gideon as his Master to boot.

Go now, pick this book up over at Amber Heat or Amber Allure or Amber “whatever the hell they are gonna create next week”. I just do not get the sections they have. Get over it guys, pick one name, promote it, and stick with it… OK? I swear these publishers can act like elementary school kids when it comes to selling Gay Romance sometimes. What is wrong with simply calling the whole frigging website one professional name (Amber Press perhaps?), like your well known competitor Samhain does and quit acting like mixing the genres will give the rest of the books cooties or something. How silly can you get? It just makes finding these great books confusing and the last thing we need is another difficult website to wade through like Torquere Press.

Grade A Jamie Craig! Now you two go write a sequel damn it!

What do other people say…
TwoLips Reviews
Joyfully Reviewed
The Romance Studio
Elisa Rolle
My Book Cravings

Tags: Amber Quill Press, BDSM, Gay, Grade A, Jamie Craig, Vampire Romance

What I Am Reading ~ Jamie Craig: Master Of Obsidian

Master Of Obsidian by Jamie Craig
From: Amber Heat

Jesse Madding has been working for Gideon, a vampire fighting to maintain the balance between good and evil, for two years, and has loved him for nearly that long. When Gideon slams him against an alley wall and demands sex, Jesse is too happy to oblige, but it opens doors in their relationship that Gideon isn’t sure he wants to enter. Especially since he suspects he was under the powerful influence of an unknown substance, and Jesse is his best friend.

As they try to negotiate a new relationship involving Jesse’s willing submission to Gideon’s darker desires—including bondage, pain, and bloodplay—they learn that a new drug is being distributed in the city. Known simply as “obsidian,” this drug unleashes a vampire’s demon, destroying any sense of self-control. Widespread use of obsidian could bring chaos to Chicago and turn the city into a bloodbath, but even as Jesse and Gideon race to contain it, they’re consumed and distracted by their own growing passion and burgeoning emotions…

Tags: Amber Quill Press, BDSM, Gay, Jamie Craig, Vampire Romance