What I Am Reading ~ Blade T. Bannon: My Mentor My Guide
March 3, 2008
Jamie Craig: Unveiled
October 6, 2007
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 RomanceJo Carlisle: Raina’s Fantasy
August 26, 2007
Raina’s Fantasy by Jo Carlisle
From: Ellora’s Cave
First principles, Clarice. Simplicity. Read Marcus Aurelius. Of each particular thing ask: what is it in itself? What is its nature? What does he do, this man you seek?
You know who I was rooting for in Silence of The Lambs? You might think it was Clarice Starling but you would be wrong. Sure it was Jodie Foster’s best movie role but she did not sell me her character. You know who made her shine? Dr. Hannibal Lecter made her shine, and that is who I was left rooting for at the end of the movie, not Clarice. It’s all about liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti.
The way it worked so well for me was that Dr. Hannibal Lecter was not an idiot, he was not some raging monster, he functioned incredibly well and interacted very intelligently far more so than any other character in that movie and even Clarice noted he had honor. He just did not share our sense of right and wrong, our social taboos. He ate people. Yet you and I wanted him to have an HEA at the end of that film. Oh, come on admit it.
Jo Carlisle, creator of Drakkon, come on down!
What shall I say about this story? OK here is what Jo initially sets up for us.
Johan Stone, Alpha Supreme, and his faithful yet sick side kick Zane Ramsey, are discredited Warriors (fantasy world cops) and Zane is starting to succumb to pneumonia while still looking good in a g-string. So Johan has a bright idea to sell their asses into slavery.
Vampire Queen Raina Zharov out bids the evil demon Drakkon and makes our boys her slaves.
Zane is totally into the slave thing they have fallen into and even the homo sex with his best buddy turns him on big time. With both feet he jumps right in. Johann on the other hand is ALPHA, so no go on the slave show. That is until he figures out that him and missy Vampire Queen got a thing going on. So basically the first half of this book you get this…
He’d do anything for Raina. For Zane.
Anything at all, no matter the cost to himself.
Was this…love?
Yes, he’d always loved Zane. Raina had him pegged on that score. If not for the extraordinary circumstances they’d found themselves in, would he ever have expressed those feelings toward Zane physically? Probably not.
But what about Raina? Truth be told, she’d done nothing but try to protect her men since she’d rescued them from Lash and whisked them from Drakkon’s clutches. She’d tried to comfort him, to convince him she wasn’t the enemy. Had worried over their safety as they’d gone into the night poorly armed to search for a killer. With Zane’s and Alexi’s help, she’d healed him from the demon attack, then saved his sanity when the ardin merged with his DNA.
Being the Vampire Queen, she must conduct herself in accordance with the law, but she wasn’t at all selfish and cold as she’d have others believe. Raina was sexually free, compassionate, beautiful—
Two truths hit Johan between the eyes like twin hammers.
Hadn’t he already guessed? The thread glowed brighter between him and Raina, illuminating his heart and soul, every fiber of his being, because she was…his mate. My mate! He couldn’t explain how he knew, but he did. The other truth?
Johan, former warrior-turned-slave, was falling hard for Raina Zharov.
Gods, how is this possible? My Queen, my mistress, my mate.
And he didn’t have a fucking clue how to avoid becoming entangled in her silken web. A bitter laugh escaped his lips. Too late. Damn it to Hades, he should leave. Take his chances and just go, as soon as possible.
At once, the bond screamed in protest and terror, a white-hot lance skewering his brain. The beast added to the cacophony, roaring in displeasure, coiling his muscles into a knot at the very idea of abandoning his mate. Mine!
Gritting his teeth, Johan gripped the chains and rode the agony, muttering a foul oath. Didn’t Raina know the shackles at his wrists and ankles were no longer necessary?
His own traitorous heart had performed the task just fine.
Trapped like the animal he’d become, with no way out.
Yeah, I know. Me ALPHA, you mate! Let’s fuck! *yawn*
But then, Jo gets us to chapter 16 and Missy Mate the Vampire Queen has a little public confrontation with Drakkon the Demon King…
“You consume human flesh, Drakkon. That’s wrong on so many levels, I can’t even begin.”
“Why?” He sounded genuinely baffled. “If a group of middle-class humans pickets a meat-packing plant with signs declaring ‘save the cows’, they’re dismissed as weirdoes. I, on the other hand, perform a service to humans and shifters by cleansing the earth of their lesser brethren. Through the slave system, I dispose of career criminals and other foul wretches no one wants littering the streets. They are my cows, if you will. The choice slaves I use for sex, same as any upper-class member. And I do all of this legally. Why is that wrong, yet your consumption of human blood and ownership of that lovely thrall isn’t?”
Zane glanced down at his mistress from under his lashes. The demon hit a nerve. Her lips were drawn into a grim line, her face taut with anger. The scary thing was, every word he’d said was true. A prime example of what made Drakkon such a dangerous enemy, of how he kept the Council in his corner. Smooth talker with a forked tongue. Typical politician.
“Touché. Be that as it may, I’m not here to debate with you. I’ve come to propose a trade, one of mutual benefit to us both.”
My bored mind suddenly came awake and my pop culture sensibilities came alive and I was… Oh Jo! You are not going there, are you girl?!
Oh and she did, oh she did! She has Zane, the happy thrall, get corrupted by Hannibal Drakkon!
Oh Clarice NO!
“Mercy,” he croaked.
“No, because you do not want me to stop. Tell me what you really desire. Say it!”
“H-h-hurt me…please…”
The strikes redoubled, falling with ruthless precision. Each one sent shocks to his dick. The fog thickened until he reached and found the prize. Rapture.
“Yes, yesss,” he sobbed.
As if sensing he’d broken the thrall at last, Drakkon tossed aside the whip. He dragged two fingers through the blood on Zane’s skin and came to stand in front of him once more. Slashing open his own wrist, he watched as the dark liquid beaded on the surface. He rubbed the crimson fingers into his wrist, mingling their blood, then held his wrist to Zane’s lips.
“Taste.”
On instinct, Zane tried to avert his head. Restrained as he was, Drakkon dabbed his lips with little effort and out of sheer reflex, Zane’s tongue flicked out to clean off the droplets.
“Ohh!” His heart and lungs seized, his brain spinning. He’d never mainlined heroin, had avoided that deadly Venus flytrap, but this is exactly what he imagined the high to be like. An addictive rush bleeding to every fiber, carrying him toward his destiny, black and final.
When the demon’s wrist touched his lips again Zane didn’t resist. He latched on hungrily, drinking with greedy swallows, loving the heady nectar pouring down his throat. Taking the essence of his master inside him.
“Now you are mine,” the demon approved, stroking Zane’s hair with his free hand. “We will keep our secret for a while, but I am your master in truth. Only I will be able quench the dark fire burning within you. After tonight, I will stay away until your urgency to submit to my touch drives you mad, until your sanity hovers on the brink. And when I call, you’ll come to me eagerly. Beautiful thrall…mine forever.”
“Yours, my lord, to do with as you wish,” he whispered, nuzzling his face into the beloved hand. The awesome instrument of sadistic cruelty, carnality stripped to its most primal elements.
What am I saying? What have I done?
Drakkon smiled, caressing his cheek. “That’s right, sweet boy. The others will try to fill your head with lies about me, but you will not listen. If you betray me, you’ll accomplish nothing but your own destruction because your body and soul cannot survive without me. Have I given you anything except what you so desperately need?”
“No, my lord.”
“Have I done anything to your delicious body that you did not desire?”
He closed his eyes. “No.”
The hand left his face and he felt the absence of the sensual touch like a physical blow. Blinking, he sought his captor…and sucked in an appreciative breath. Drakkon stood naked in his most human form, clothing vanished. Ebony hair tumbled past his shoulders, framed his massive, gorgeous chest. He was all muscled perfection and olive skin. The enormous penis jutting between his thighs and the weighty orbs beneath testified he wasn’t anywhere near human. In true demon form, supersized all over, could Zane house all of that magnificent length?
A feral, determined expression hardened Drakkon’s face. He stepped around the rack, positioning himself behind his prey. He parted Zane’s ass, nudging his tight hole. Pushed in just the head, teasing. “My thrall.”
“Please,” he begged, reason gone. “If you don’t take me, I’ll die.”
“Never forget it.”
YES! Fucking YES!
My inner editor came out during the standing ovation and wanted Jo to go back shift as much as possible to Zane’s POV, dump a couple of characters, and let Missy Vampire Queen and Johann (I’m an ALPHA) do their thing on the back burner. *yawn* Zane was the one I needed to watch slowly be setup for the downfall.
So you see, this is not a perfect book. None of the other sex scenes besides the one in chapter 16 hit me because everybody recovered so easily from the dramatic moments. Even the straight guy, Johann (I’m an ALPHA DAMN IT!) and his side kick Zane fucking away did not register because there was no real solid angst to hang off of, no moments of OMG, before or after. I was not really sold any sense of trepidation.
But… this wonderful Demon King and Zane? Oh hell yes!
When Drakkon is impressed with Zane all hung up and ready to fuck crying for him to “do me Daddy” in his native form, he did not want a bed time story, that was true love right there baby.
I could really tell where this writer was having fun and honestly if this is her fun then honey take those old Romance rules in both hands and go *SNAP*. If I wanted safe I would not be buying eBooks, I would buy Harlequins. Jo, you had me begging for you to turn the tables on my ass and let the bad guy and his angst ridden corrupted love slave get the HEA. All Romance says is there has to be an HEA, it does not say WHO gets one.
I suddenly wanted a whole book dedicated to Zane as he betrays his (cardboard cut-out) friends at the whims of his Dark Lord and Master, Drakkon the Evil Demon King. I want that sweet sweet evil demon lovin PLEASE.
They are that good together.
I have argued with myself over this grade girl. This is may have not been in your plans Jo but you hit on some great characters in the second half and saved this dang book from an average score.
Great villains with great sex scenes deserve Grade B at the least.
What I Am Reading ~ Jamie Craig: Unveiled
July 24, 2007
Unveiled by Jamie Craig
Coming in August From: Amber Allure
Beauty is in the eye of the master…
Gideon Keel and Jesse Madding have seen dozens of gruesome crime scenes over the years, but nothing compares to the grisly discovery they make in a small apartment above a sporting goods store. The body has clearly been put on display, and clues in the apartment indicate that while the woman was dying, party guests were enjoying rich caviar and expensive champagne. The two men are mystified.
They receive help from an unexpected source—a young woman they rescue from an auction at the vampire club, Sangre. Emma Coolidge is determined to save her sister from the same monsters Gideon and Jesse are hunting. While both men are utterly fascinated by her beauty, her intelligence, and her rare talent as an empath, they value her for her friendship. The three plan a sting operation to infiltrate the small group of “art connoisseurs” by sadistically turning Jesse into a living work of art, but will it be enough to save Chicago from more vicious murders in the name of beauty?
Heh! This reminds me of a Baltimore Motorcycle Club anniversary I was hanging around at one time. By “hanging around”, I mean I was literally hanging from a frame that John setup and suspended me in chains in a horizontal position. They wheeled me out on stage and had each club member come up with a lit candle and pour a little wax onto me and then set the candle into the wax. By the end of the scene I was this huge hanging human candle holder. Those club guys gave me a big hug every time I saw them for months afterwards.
Ah, the life of an old school Leather slave, I tell ya.
Tags: BDSM, Gay, Jamie Craig, Vampire RomanceWhat I Am Reading ~ Evangeline Anderson: Pledge Slave
July 18, 2007
Pledge Slave by Evangeline Anderson
From: Ellora’s Cave
Andrew Baines is a new member of Alpha Psi, a reluctant pledge to the college’s most popular fraternity. On the last night of Hell Week, Andrew completes his initiation with a carnal act designed to humiliate him. But instead of disgusting him, the deeply erotic encounter arouses him almost unbearably. Andrew is confused and tortured by his reaction. He doesn’t want to think about the terrible urges he keeps buried inside, let alone act on them…urges that will get him kicked out of the fraternity and disowned by his family.
Tony Ginelli is an Alpha Psi brother, the recipient of Andrew’s act of erotic initiation. When Andrew becomes his slave for the next two semesters, Tony masters the handsome pledge in every way that counts. As Tony discovers Andrew’s long-held secrets and desires, the lovers forge a bond that lasts beyond college. But while Tony helps Andrew face his demons, he is terrified to reveal his own dark secret…one that could kill the very man he loves.
Frat Boy Werewolf Bondage Lovin? *sigh* Or is it Alpha Psi?
Evangeline Anderson, you you you… sassy wench.
You wrote this evil book just to trap me! I know you did.
I have no shame, give me that book! Give it to me NOW!
Tags: BDSM, Evangeline Anderson, Gay, Werewolf RomanceJamie Craig: Master Of Obsidian
June 23, 2007
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
What I Am Reading ~ Jamie Craig: Master Of Obsidian
June 4, 2007
Master Of Obsidian by Jamie Craig
From: Amber Heat
Tags: Amber Quill Press, BDSM, Gay, Jamie Craig, Vampire RomanceJesse 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…
Sienna Black: To Touch The Stars
May 15, 2007
To Touch The Stars by Sienna Black
From: Liquid Silver
The air around him cooled as Talkirk moved away. Lucan wondered whether the man really put out heat or if he imagined it, just a trick of the mind. That too would take some testing. Investigating.
His thoughts centered in his cock again. He thumped his head gently against the wall where he leaned. He had lived twenty Cycles. He’d proved himself adept, controlled. He could ignore any distraction and yet one touch from this coarse man and he could hardly think for wanting.
The staff clattered to the floor, somewhere across the room. Glass rasped against wood, then Talkirk poured something liquid. “Sit.”
Lucan shook his head. “Do you always give orders?”
There was a pause. Utter silence from the big man. Lucan could hear the sounds of the cairn outside in the quiet. Then Talkirk moved, settling down in front of him. “I’m Talkirk,” he answered. “I don’t have to ask.”
Lucan grinned. Another battle for another day. He straightened off the wall. “Then where would you like me to sit?”
“Here. With me.”
Straight ahead. Lucan stepped forward. Two paces, three, then his toe caught a riser and he stumbled forward. He caught his weight on his hands and knees, sinking into a thick mattress.
Talkirk was half a breath away. Lucan heard him inhale. Felt the rumble before he heard it. His pulse kicked up, beating hard at the base of his throat. Talkirk exhaled, hot against his cheek and asked, “When were you going to tell me you were blind?”
Sienna Black is not a well known author in M/M Romance but she should be, the few books I have read have amazed me in their quality and complexity of the characters and the worlds she creates. This new book To Touch The Stars from Liquid Silver Books is simply yet another example of her powers as a writer.
Lucan, a blind pureblood from The Warren, an underground society, wanders out of the waste to pledge his support to Talkirk Cymren leader of those surface dwellers who live in The Cairn. The Talkirk likes men and makes sure when Lucan offers himself and his services that it means everything. There is an immediate sexual tension between the two warriors and the book hits it right off with a very hot sex scene. Their immediate connection though is not a bed of roses. Others like Delano, The Talkirks second in command, and Athel, The Talkirk’s favorite lover, understandably worry about Lucan’s motives and his loyalty.
The world building here is stunning. The characters are complex and the only bad part of this whole book is it’s short length and the lack of back story for each of these characters we are introduced to. Sienna even jokes about us someday knowing how Athel became The Talkirk’s lover. I know I wanted to hear that story too because none of these characters were written as throw-aways. These characters breath and have underlying and even conflicting motives at times.
The BDSM in this story is not in your face but the relationship dynamics are there though. The sex is raw and even the Ménage à Trois sex scenes are very masculine and the society is highly militaristic and warrior oriented so there is no overwhelmingly tender emotional drama in evidence here. You come away feeling at the end, they did not so much win the battle but simply survived long enough to face another day. I loved this!
Will Lucan realize his dreams? Will Talkirk live a long and healthy life with Lucan and Athel by his side? Will Delano, The Talkirk’s ex-lover and second in command, come to terms with this new Ménage relationship?
I wanted more, I felt this book was far too short and I hope maybe someday to see a longer more complete revision or even a sequel for these people and this fascinating world. Sienna Black you are not only an excellent writer and an extremely kind person but you are so damn good at telling a story it’s scary and please let me know what’s the next book. I will be waiting.
Grade B, as in Got To Be More!
What do others think…
Elisa Rolle
Joyfully Reviewed
Marty Rayne: A Master’s Love
May 14, 2007
A Master’s Love by Marty Rayne
From: Loose-Id
“Why are you here, Kyle?”Another shiver ran down Kyle’s spine at the sound of his name. The tone was soft and near adoration, but he knew better. It was this man’s job to make his clients feel good about themselves, to feel needed, to feel whatever that particular person wanted to feel. Sydney had been very clear about what they did here at Angel’s Heart.
Kyle studied Nate’s laid-back posture and wished he could be as comfortable. Nate was sitting back in the chair, one ankle propped on the opposite knee with his fingers laced together in his lap. He looked almost disinterested, but Kyle could discern a sparkle to Nate’s eyes that contradicted his aloof appearance.
“I’m not really sure,” Kyle answered truthfully. “I’m hoping that you can help me. I’m curious about the relationship between Dominants and submissives. I’m wondering if I’m a submissive.”
In Marty Rayne’s latest book, A Master’s Love from Loose-Id, Kyle Turner at the urging of a mutual friend goes to see Nate Jacobs “The Dom for hire” at a posh New York BDSM club. Kyle tells Nate he wants to “Find out if he is a submissive”. You definitely get the feeling from Kyle’s introduction that he has had several unsuccessful attempts at a “vanilla” Gay relationship and he is exploring the potentials of a Gay relationship based on the exchange of power found in BDSM.
So Kyle and Nate embark on a series of “BDSM therapy sessions” aimed at discovering if Kyle “really” is submissive. Unfortunately most of the sessions simply involve Kyle kneeling or laying around answering Nate’s various questions. I was amused by all this since from my experience the last place I would go for any type of “therapy” involving relationship issues or emotional baggage would be a BDSM scene. I did come to understand relationship dynamics better after being involved in BDSM but I already had a significant amount of self exploration under my belt to begin with. I find people do not tend to just “show up” suddenly to get into being flogged.
Anyway, Kyle and Nate do all these really boring scenes together where nothing much happens except Nate “The Dom for hire” gets all angst ridden over Kyle “The confused submissive” because he is unable to maintain this “professional distance”. His cock says yes, but the employee handbook says no, THE ANGST! Eventually their mutual friend sets them up to meet in public where they very quickly jump each others bones and end up having sex in a public restroom.
I thought that the public restroom sex was pretty hot but the writer starts hinting that Kyle “The confused submissive” was all sexually aggressive towards Nate and that was a good thing and so hot for Nate “The Dom for hire”. Hold on, did Kyle not go to “The Dom for hire” to find out if he was “really” submissive? I mean, if he is not “really” submissive and Nate realizes this at this point… Is Nate just milking Kyle for his money if he intends to see him again professionally? Oh Kyle, I thought you said you tried it this way, the sexually aggressive stuff, and it was a problem…
I start scratching my head really hard and wondering where the writer is going here.
This was completely out of his league. He could easily seduce a man or woman to do his will; he’d had years to perfect that. But Kyle was more than a client. Kyle, he found out from Sydney, came to him out of curiosity, of his own free will. The discovery that Kyle held more of a dominant nature than he’d originally thought was intriguing. Nate was impressed with Kyle’s strength, to allow someone to dominate him completely for the length of their sessions and still follow all the rules set for him. Those who were truly submissive rarely exhibited the dominance that Kyle had shown at the club, which only attracted Nate more.
WTF? Um no, “truly submissive” people do not sexually enjoy being dominant at all and “truly dominant” people do not find it “attractive” if the submissive attempts to be dominant with them. Don’t blame me for pointing that out. I did not use the term “truly”, you did. Frankly, I as the reader, am getting even more confused with the use of BDSM terminology in this story and I do not understand where it is going at all.
Then at last, Kyle and Nate decide to quit doing the “really” boring “BDSM therapy sessions” and get on with their growing sexually confused attraction for each other. I breath a sigh of relief that the HEA will be over soon and I can get back to waiting for the next Joey Hill book.
Then the writer backhands me with this…
He and Kyle still had fun with the Master/sub roles, but it was only that. Play. Something to keep from falling into the ruts many couples faced. It also gave them room to experience new adventures together. Nate’s role as a Dominant had played a big part in bringing the two together, but it wasn’t the focus of their life. They respected each other as equals and had found a happy home together, filling the voids that had once plagued them.
So Nate was not “really” a Top and Kyle was not “really” a submissive and they head off into the HEA sunset “not solving” one god damn thing the book started off telling us they had issues with. Kyle came to Nate dissatisfied with “Vanilla relationships” and being “The confused submissive”, on the other hand Nate started the book happy to be alone and doing his BDSM “The Dom for hire” thing that he supposedly was very good at and “really” into.
Um yeah…
Oh, I get it, the only way Gay men can have a “happy”, “healthy”, relationship is if they “respect each other as equals” and only “play” at BDSM.
Good god! Does anyone get that the biggest illusion for any relationship is this stupid idea of “equality in all things”?
If anything I have learned from BDSM is that there are constant inequalities in any relationship and you have to negotiate and compromise all the fucking time. Two very competitive males trying to provide for each other in a Gay male relationship gets pretty hairy and the stepping on of toes occurs more often than not leading to all sorts of problems and issues. Implying that being “equal” is the ideal way to true happiness when there is always someone in the relationship making more money, or is more sexually aggressive, or someone better at cleaning house or someone more capable of paying the bills and balancing the checkbook… Does that sound like a realistic expectation to anyone?
Well damn it, real life is never that easy, it can never be that planned out no matter how many how-to books you read, and the best thing to do is to learn to maintain clear communications… another lesson taught to me by my involvement in BDSM.
So I do not “get” this book at all or what the point of dragging BDSM into it was all about if in the end the characters were not “really” what we thought they were, “the problems” were not really “the problems” we were told they had.
I definitely came away from this book feeling kind of insulted.
Grade D, as in Depressing.
What do others think…
Night Owl Romance
Elisa Rolle
Joyfully Reviewed
Fallen Angel Review
Coffee Time Romance
John Preston: Mr. Benson
April 20, 2007
And Here’s To You Mr. Benson
I miss Drummer Magazine, DAMN IT! It was the first Gay magazine I ever subscribed to, part pornography, part pop culture critique, part advice for the truly perverted man, sometimes as funny as shit when they looked at some off-the-wall fetish and always very masculine, in fact it’s title read America’s Mag For The Masculine Male. I love these commentators I see today revising history to fit the latest fad they are discussing like the Bear culture and going on about how Bears brought masculinity back to the Gay community and how they overnight founded a revolution, an anti-mainstream movement. Bullshit!
Look at the original untouched grainy pictures and the original Leathermen published in these old copies of this one magazine. Drummer Magazine and the Leather community were years ahead in exploring masculinity, when the Bear movement was simply yet another fetish that Drummer covered in one of their themed issues.
I guess in talking about Drummer being a big Leather icon for me and most likely many others of my time I have to admit that I got involved reading it in the late 80’s and early 90’s when it was already slowly transforming itself first with slicked pages and then with even slicker models into a less honest BDSM oriented forum. Some people swear that the only good Drummer were those with the grainy pictures and the news print pages. Sad to say even by the time I was finding Leather and Drummer Magazine it had been quite a while since Drummer had truly been instrumental in giving the hyper masculine world of Leather and Gay BDSM a powerful voice with stories like this book right here. Drummer Magazine died a hateful, messy, irrelevant death in 1999.
John Preston originally wrote Mr. Benson as a short story, a small run through of what it would later become. The editors at Drummer Magazine were so impressed with the writing that they sent it back and requested that the story be rewritten into a novel for serialization. This novel was then run with its first chapter appearing in issue 29 in 1979 till the final chapter was published in issue 38 in 1980. I myself only have issues 35 through 38 of those. Mr. Benson became an eagerly awaited almost mythic tale and Drummer became the magazine to read for most Gay men. Soon t-shirts would appear with the words Looking For Mr. Benson across the chest and for the really daring and together Leather Tops they added a question mark to the end.
The story itself is actually quite simple it’s about two guys meeting in a nameless pseudo-Leather bar off Christopher Street in New York. Jamie the young bottom thinks he has got what it takes to handle Mr. Benson and soon learns he knows nothing at all. Most of the rest of the book is about Jamie’s journey into becoming Mr. Benson’s slave, his exploration of the mindset involved and the various nasty things that occur to him and with a relatively short side story that I can only best describe as something of a Nancy Slave and The Whipping Boys mystery that even included a van and yet no one asked for Scooby Snacks.
I want you to think about those boots, boy, think about the feel inside them. Think about how much you want to lick the surface of the leather… how much you want to suck on the feet inside. Think about them rubbing into your mouth and pressing against your balls… Keep those boots in your mind, boy… You have to learn every part of my body is to be taken care of, every part of my body is another chance at sex for you… I want you to get hard thinking about my toes… my fingers… every single part of my body. John Preston – Mr. Benson
Despite my picking on some of it’s minor flaws I honestly wish I had read Mr. Benson sooner than I did, it is an important addition to my book shelf and the writing really is not bad as S&M Erotica goes, in fact it’s very good. But… I have to agree with the comment John my Top once made about John Preston’s book giving people somewhat fantasized and inaccurate expectations of what a real BDSM relationship is about.
Let’s go over some common sense stuff for a minute since I am recommending this book.
Fulltime Roles
Um well, first up, Mr. Benson has Jamie quit his job to become a fulltime slave. I myself have never been given a chance at this type of an arrangement and quite honestly I most likely would not take it despite whatever escapist fantasies I may still secretly enjoy. The saving grace here is that John Preston added an epilogue later when the story was republished in book form that goes a little further to explain this issue. Mr. Benson states clearly how much work it is to maintain the Top role with Jamie full time and from my limited experience as a bottom this does help make this book more realistic. I am not saying this can never be done just that it is not typical or easy.
Even though you do eventually learn the habits, protocol, even the Top’s particular expectations of the role as second nature it’s not easy to pickup and it can take years to get it all down naturally, from my view at least. Then to add to that difficulty the idea of having to maintain these roles from the start full time with no time outs or downtime? Nice fantasy but not likely to happen. The other problem is not many people I know can afford the luxury of a 24/7 slave running around the house. I don’t know if these types of role problems grow less or worse if you continue to be trained as what I was taught to consider a Slave, since I never reached that level of commitment myself (although I do know the rules get stricter and even more narrowly defined), I still find it hard to believe it changes the issues of maintaining a role very much.
So Jamie has gone and told you his life story. I knew the little fucker was up to something. He’s been in his little playroom for hours every day, and I’ve known he’s been using the typewriter whenever I’ve left him alone in the apartment. I don’t care that he’s written it all down, not at all. It does sort of amuse me to read the result, though. Bottoms are so typical. They inject everything with so much symbolism and so much jargon. Not that he hasn’t told you the truth, at least basically. He’s right about the meeting, the training I put him through, and the ridiculous mess he got himself into. He’s even right when he tells you this is basically a love story. I’m man enough to admit I love the little bastard. John Preston – Mr. Benson
Real Hardcore Tops “do it all”
Real hardcore bottoms “accept everything”
Most Tops I have met do not get off on or perform every single one of the following acts… fist/whip/flog/watersports/scat/gangbang/bind/suspend/shave/pierce etc etc etc.
Most bottoms I know do not get off on or provide every single one of the following acts… fist/whip/flog/watersports/scat/gangbang/bind/suspend/shave/pierce etc etc etc.
Doing all of this and being seriously into all of this would be mighty interesting, maybe even a little dangerous and most likely make you quite popular. Expecting this to be the norm in reality or a requirement for being REAL hardcore is a REAL bad idea. This is why there are always initial negotiations (Which is not shown in the book.) especially if you do not intimately know the person whom you are doing these things with. Just to really mess with a lot of peoples fantasies here, quite a few Leather Tops I have met do not even fuck after the scene, they go home to their lovers. Sorry… Just so you know.
The only other small quibbles I have with the story, that seemed sorta off from my experience was some other hard to describe intangibles like, there are many reasons men get involved in BDSM and many reasons men choose to serve a Master, this fantasy only covers a few of any possible combination of reasons for these choices.
Then there’s the whole branding scene the night Jamie becomes Mr. Benson’s slave close to the beginning of the book. Now, I am not stating no one does the branding thing. But… one of the things John always said was “A Top always keeps his bottoms recyclable.” In other words, the bottom should be able to trust the Top and at a bare minimum expect to be able to leave the relationship in the exact same shape or even better shape than he came to him in.
Branding is sort of a permanent deal to happen so quickly without the required commitment or even slave (absolute ownership) aspects being discussed like when Mr. Benson does the tit-piercing scene at the end of the book, you almost want to reverse the events. See, there are things I have a hard time describing in all this, changes in the rules so to speak, that would be hard to write about without a whole other post so let’s just leave it at “levels of commitment that do not follow the actions very well”. Not the best wording but oh well…
If your looking for a great one-handed Gay BDSM classic do not miss Mr. Benson it’s too bad I can’t say the same about Drummer Magazine though.
Grade A for this well loved Classic Gay BDSM Romance!
That’s my stupid opinion at least.
