Kelwyn Grayson is just one more faceless runaway on the streets of Tower City. Among elves, gnolls, and dragons, one winged boy fades into the background of life in the Eternal Kingdom.  But when he cuts the purse of the handsome were-lion Harun Rashid, he finds himself dragged out of the crowd.<br><br>Rather than a cell, however, Harun offers a helping hand to set Kelwyn on the road to a respectable, peaceful life ... if he could just bring himself to stop flirting shamelessly with Harun, keep his sticky fingers to himself, and avoid bringing the wrath of a powerful, mad vampire down on his head.<br><br>But even faced with Kelwyn's death -- or undeath -- Harun will not give up on him, and Kelwyn will not give up on finding his way to sharing that peaceful life with Harun.  Two men, love, and magic are bound and determined to find their way to their shared dream of a future -- and family.

Blood and Fire

There was an awful lot of blood scent in the air. No sound, no sign of movement at all, save that lone, dancing flame.


Feeling something horrible twist in the pit of his stomach, Harun padded across the parlor. A window was open in the bedroom beyond, a faint breeze coming through the window, carrying that thick, heavy scent on it.


Kelwyn lay in the center of the bed, as he had the last time Harun had come to rescue him. This time there would be no rescue, though. He lay on his back, his wings partially spread. The massive crimson puddle that covered Kelwyn’s throat and soaked the bedding around him stained their white feathers liberally with vivid red.


His eyes were closed, his face peaceful and still.


His chest wasn’t rising and falling, but Harun didn’t need to see that to know he was dead. He’d seen enough death to know that the amount of blood that had been spilled, and the nature of the wound across his throat meant that there was no hope.


Chapter 36