The resulting turmoil is not caused by a bullet but by a blast from the past: Evan’s first lover has returned to visit him in the hospital and deliver some big news.Ten years ago, Dixon Bain walked out of Evan’s life because he thought his family didn’t approve of him having a male lover. But Dixon has discovered that what he thought he knew could not be further from the truth, and now he’s returned to claim the only man he’s ever loved... if he can melt the ice around the edges of Evan’s still-wounded heart.

    I answered the call.Pyrogasm is a story in the same universe as "The Adventures of the Magician's Coven" with some slight differences. Here, I have used the elements as inspiration, creating a tale where a wizard named Hans gets almost too hot to handle.Original PromptDear Author,This is me: [picture 1]I know you probably wouldn't guess but I am a powerful wizard, still trying to discover my abilities and learning my limits. One night while practicing my fire control I had an accident. (Flaming ball throwing is not as easy as it sounds!) Anyway, things quickly got out of hand and I thought i was going to die... then he showed up: [picture 2]Author, please tell me what happens now...Photo Description: [picture 1] Two pictures of uber-hot men in white underwear. The first poses, his T-shirt pulled up under his arms. His cut muscles, strong features and dark hair are given a Clark-Kent edge by rectangular dark-framed glasses. The second's face is shadowed by a fireman's hat, his chest framed by suspenders for pants slipped half off his hips. [picture 2] A gorgeous man wearing nothing but tight white underwear and a fireman’s cap stands in front of a blaze.This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Hot Summer Days" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.Read the story here or find it in Don't Read in the Closet, Volume 4.__________Genre: paranormalTags: gay m/m, Adventures of the Magician’s Coven series, firemenWord Count: 10,960

    Firestarter. When the two come together, their world ignites!Pete Santori is a New York City fireman who is committed to his job and doesn’t take any time for personal relationships. That all changes one night when he saves a man from a fire that the victim appears to have started. As the man in his arms makes a confession, a strange connection passes between them.Alan Delaine is a firestarter, not an arsonist. He manifests powerful energy when he experiences strong emotion and things in his vicinity ignite. He’s been held captive in an unidentified facility, where he was tested physically and psychologically. When he meets Pete, he’s been living on the run after escaping the lab.As the two men come together, each has qualities the other needs. Physical attraction grows into something deeper. When the pair is kidnapped, can they make it out alive and build a future in which Alan can live a normal life?Contains: M/M, GLBT"Where The Devil Dances" – By T.A. ChaseScars aren't always on the outside. Architect Eric Sandel is living proof. He moves to Morley after surviving a terrible fire in order to rebuild his life and hopes designing the new Opera House will help him bury the past.Firefighter David Browdie hasn't had time for serious relationships; his “on call” status tends to leave relationships in the dust. When he meets Eric at the neighborhood dog park, sparks fly and he thinks maybe this time, serious will win after all.But a demon from Eric's past haunts him. David and Eric must work together to find a way to stop the madman before they all go up in flames.Contains: m/m love, dangerous obsessions and cute dogs

    After a day dealing with sick animals, all he wants is a glass of red wine, some food and his bed. But as he drives home down a steep, snow-covered hill, he skids and hits a guy dressed as Santa Claus. Maric’s not badly hurt, but he’s pissed off. He’s pretty sure Phin’s not the one he’s supposed to find, but when Phin takes him to his cottage, and Maric sees no sign of festivities, he begins to wonder if Phin is the one who needs his help. Much as Phin would like to get rid of Maric, the thickly falling snow makes it too dangerous for Phin to drive him anywhere. The pair are stuck together, which suits Maric just fine. Now all he needs is luck and a bit of magic.

    Dating services, matchmakers, family introductions, even unlikely friends... the means may differ, and the road probably won't run straight, but "happily ever after" is guaranteed at the end. It's about romance and heart, but some steamy attraction never hurts! Be it a perfect stranger or a crush from long ago, all it takes is a little help to find that certain someone and "Make Me a Match."Stories included are:The Perfect Match by Jaelyn Storm Crash and Burn by Catt Ford Third Time's the Charm by Chrissy Munder Dear Alex by Clare London How to Woo a Straight Man by Jaymz Connelly Three on a Match by Nicki Bennett

    Alerted by a yell of pain, he’s mortified to find that Kevin has shot a tall, handsome stranger in the rear end. Especially when Kevin suggests Peter should kiss it better!Cultured lawyer Edward doesn’t seem to mind. An embarrassing encounter leads to a hot date -- but Peter's guilty secret about Kevin’s father could undo all Cupid’s good work, and Edward’s flair for the dramatic isn’t exactly helping!Previously published in the Shot Through the Heart Taste Test.

    All these stories reflect the iconic sights and national character of the British Isles: a taste of our idiosyncrasies and eccentricities, but also an unashamed representation of the love, loyalty and laughter of our people. Follow the British way of life from historic villages to modern cities, from the countryside to the sea, through history and with a fantasy twist, in gardens, shops, campus and the familiar, much-loved local pub. The stories cover universal themes of romance, desire, remembrance and reconciliation. The authors range from multi-published to up-and-coming, and they all share a passion for their characters, whether through great drama, erotic excitement, humour—or a combination of all three! Contents: The worst pub in London / JL Merrow — Our place / Clare London — We’ll always have Brighton / Zahra Owens — Commission and omission / Charlie Cochrane — Paint / Stevie Carroll — Ben’s new colleague / Serena Yates — Giving it up / Josephine Myles — Thoughts in spring / Mara Ismine — Mouth Almighty / Victoria Blisse — Reunion / Lisa Worrall — While the boys are away / Lucy Felthouse — Nessie / Caroline Stephens — Slap and Motley / Sandra Lindsey — Like a girl / JL Merrow — Last client / Jay Rookwood — Sunshine Superman / Elin Gregory — Escape to the country / Stevie Woods — Prince Charming’s Buttons / Stevie Carroll — Yesterday upon the stairs / Erastes — Benefits of peace / Alex Beecroft — They who come after the stories end / Sophia Deri-Bowen A revealing collection of short LGBT fiction, available free of charge from Smashwords; edited by: Josephine Myles, Alex Beecroft, Charlie Cochrane, Clare London and JL Merrow. This anthology is a souvenir of the 2011 UK Meet, an occasion for GLBTQ supporters to get together in a relaxed setting to celebrate and chat about the fiction community they love.

    Winner Takes All by Laura Baumbach -- Two vampires face off in a deadly bet that has the winner claiming everything the loser owns--including the loser's innocent, unaware human offspring. Gift of the Raven by Angela Fiddler -- Cory has always been mercurial; passionate one second and frozen the next, but when he was hot, he was scorching. Luke had brought him up as a vampire but couldn't keep him the first time around. But now evil's come on an arctic wind, and they'll need each other to fight it. Wolfe's Recluse by Jet Mykles -- Can Wolfe lure Matt out of his apartment for the first time in two years? Is the gorgeous Wolfe temptation enough for Matt to overcome his fear of vampires?

    People he thought were friends didn't stick with him and he's somehow become kind of a recluse without meaning to be. Only Mike, his best friend since they were kids, has stuck by him and is now saving him from homelessness after a fire destroys Brian's apartment building days before Christmas. Though Mike has to go down South for the holiday, Brian stays in Mike's apartment with his slightly singed kitten Oreo.Brian's only goal is to set his affairs back in order before everything shuts down for the holidays and then make it through those holidays in one piece. He's lost so much -- his only real possession is a photo album of his mom that he risked death to save from the fire -- and he's feeling lost and very alone...until Mike, his hot neighbor Trent, and even little Oreo conspire to give Brian the best Christmas possible and a future that looks a lot brighter.

    When Bartholomew sees his dead lover at a cafe, he thinks he's imagining things. Bart follows Cullen only to learn there's a lot more going on in the world than he ever knew. Suddenly assigned the task of collecting his lover's soul, Bart goes through many trials in order to reclaim a man he'd thought he'd lost forever. However, nothing prepares him for discovering the truth about Cullen's past. Now he must figure out what to do with a man who kept his real self hidden from Bart, while handing over all of his love.

    After leaving his home town and pack of Shore Point, Jax has finally returned to undertake training from his father, to become the next Pack Alpha. Unsure and unprepared, he faces even more challenges when he arrives home the day before Christmas Eve.Nick Ashby co-owns and runs a small cafe, his only grief being his abusive human father, the town Reverend. However, his life is turned upside down the moment Jax walks into his cafe, and he realizes the man he used to follow around as a child, is his mate. When these two finally collide, secrets are revealed and Nick finally has a chance at a happy future with his mate. But will Nick run from Jax in fear, or accept his Christmas Wish?

    It is a product of the Goodreads M/M Romance Group Scavenger Hunt challenge and features original stories from some excellent authors. The Scavenger Hunt challenge is an event where readers find books that fit a criterion (like having a green cover or a title starting with “D”) and then find specific items within the pages of these books to add up to as many points as possible (for example, “twin bed” = +2 points). This challenge was a helluva lotta, fun and so we thought we share by creating the ultimate 2013 Goodreads Scavenger Hunt book.This book was lovingly put together as a baby gift for Katie, our tireless leader, who recently had her first baby and is probably just now realizing what “busy mom” really means. Congratulations Katie!We’ve listed the items you need to find in the front of the book. Happy Hunting (Under Covers).Publisher’s Note: This book is intended for adult audiences. It contains sexually explicit scenes between two or more men, violence, and language which may be considered offensive by some readers.

    The thrill of casual touch exposes an immediate attraction between them, but how far can intimacy go between two totally different life forms?Revolving Realities By Cari Z.Dr. Eliot Hollister is desperate to locate the Ulysses and her crew before tragedy strikes… again. The lone survivor of a hostile attack compounded by human error, Eliot is using an alien artifact to search through alternate realities, trying to change the outcome in a parallel dimension. Eliot’s challenge once he finds the ship? Convince Captain Paul Alvarez he’s for real before the Ulysses falls prey to the same trap.The Sacrifice By Sue BrownAfter twelve years, the leaders of the Free Worlds have finally found a man willing to sacrifice his life to the gods of Segelian to ensure an alliance with the mineral-rich planet. But when Stane raises the dagger to perform the rite, he looks into the human Steven’s eyes and is horrified to discover he is destined to kill his life partner. If Stane doesn’t complete the ritual, it will destroy any chance for a treaty… and it might also change the world of Segelian forever.Alone By Andrea SpeedScientist Logan Murakami doesn’t have much to keep him company during his lonely vigil at Outpost Proserpina. But he knew that going in, and it’s the perfect place to focus solely on his work: a neuro-optical interface that would be the perfect engine for artificial intelligence… an intelligence that Logan hopes is taking on a life of its own.Losing Sight of the Shore By Emily MoretonSecondary communications officer Jay is assigned to a boarding crew when the Hydra discovers a seemingly abandoned, powerless ship floating in space. While exploring the derelict ship, Jay finds a barely conscious man with purple skin and silver eyes. After surviving a raider attack, Felix is understandably afraid to let Jay go—even when cultural differences threaten to stop any contact between them.Gifted in Tongues By JL MerrowAfter inadvertently outraging local sensibilities, space pilot Torvald “Spitz” Spitzbergen faces a five-year stretch in a Lacertilian jail. His only consolation is trading insults with his cellmate, Tao, a six-foot libidinous Felid. But Tao seems to have a distinctly fuzzy understanding of the difference between fighting and foreplay…Analytic Geometry By Andi DeaconKevin Ikoro has an incredible opportunity: his boss at Helix Multicorp wants an analyst’s view of how the corporation’s Exploration division works, and Kevin is now a member of explorer team Alpha 3IG. His teammates, a set of brilliant twins named Cameron and Theo Banark, are fascinating, and Kevin finds himself harboring a serious case of lust for Cameron. But exploration is unpredictable, and his teammates may not be what they seem. The shortest distance between two bodies isn’t always a straight line.The Monsters Below By Lyn GalaBrai’s never dreamed of fighting the monstrous sub-humans who infest Kestia, but when his lover joins the service, Brai does what he always does… he follows. Then Rick is lost on his first mission, and Brai is left alone in a murderous rage. Now on his own first mission gone terribly wrong, Brai has his chance to get back at the monsters for killing Rick—only the government hasn’t been honest about the nature of the enemy, and Brai might find that the caves hide a secret that could change his life.Feral By K.R. FosterDesperate to end a war, the king of the Lunar Pryde agrees to submit one of his offspring to mate with a member of the Sol Pryde royal line. Cynfael, prince of the Lunar Pryde, fled the planet six months ago searching for freedom, and nothing could convince him to return… except his father’s threat to marry off Cynfael’s twelve-year-old sister Adara. After fighting for freedom his entire life, Cynfael must return to Starion to face his unknown mate and an equally unknown future.Ganymede’s Honor By Cornelia GreyColonel Ardeth Connor has been rescued from death, but he’s not sure his new life is any better: he’s effectively trapped aboard a rebel ship that defies the Federation to collect ice meteors, stealing life-sustaining water for the poorest of planets and asteroids. As an anonymous part of Captain Gabriel’s crew, Ardeth is biding his time until he can escape… and learning there’s more to space than just the Federation.

    Christmas is coming, and he doesn’t want to face his ex alone at their office party. So Sean—Justin’s best mate and long-time secret crush—volunteers to go with him and pretend to be his new flame.Sean has always lusted after Justin from afar, but there’s never been a good opportunity to ask him for more than friendship. Posing as Justin’s boyfriend isn’t a chore, and if Justin wants to rebound onto him, Sean’s more than willing. At the party pretence and reality blur, and a kiss on the dance floor leads to a night of passion.In the aftermath, they both assume it was a one-time thing until fate intervenes. Stuck together in London over the holidays, they give in to temptation again. But what happens at Christmas stays at Christmas... right?

    After being laid off and facing eviction, he’s eager to make a fresh start. When a friend mentions an opportunity in Sin City, he packs up and heads west. Unfortunately, plans run awry when his truck breaks down a little more than halfway there and he’s stranded in the cold with no money, nowhere to stay, and no way to get to Vegas. ‘Tis the season, but not for Merrick Holland, who loves being a part of the community in the small town of Rowley Bridge. Christmas has been a little tainted since his father died three years ago, and when people start to deck the halls, he withdraws. When Merrick finds a man asleep inside his bakery one morning, rather than call the police, Merrick makes him a cup of coffee, and after hearing his story offers him a job and a place to stay. The two men strike up an unlikely friendship, but with Christmas only three weeks away, could a little holiday magic bring them together?