Shades of Black
Categories: Erotic Romance, Alternative (M/M or F/F), Fantasy, Menage a Trois/Quatre
Word Count: 40,378
Heat Level: SEXTREME
Published By: Siren-BookStrand, Inc.

Syx never imagined his test would be easy, but getting himself and Echo
trapped inside a dark cave just adds to their ever-growing list of problems.
With the other warriors on a cross-country excursion to recruit another member
to their army, it’s up to Syx to find a way out of the mess. He’s going to kill
them the next time they leave him in charge.
It’s not that he blames Syx, but Echo is cold, hungry, and wants to go home.
Knowing that his other mates are clear across the country because they hope to
bring their ex-lover back with them just makes him see red. He doesn’t like the
dark, and when even the dimmest light fades away inside the cave, Echo knows he
must surrender his mind to Syx or risk losing it completely. He’s already given
his heart to the demon. How hard could it be?
trapped inside a dark cave just adds to their ever-growing list of problems.
With the other warriors on a cross-country excursion to recruit another member
to their army, it’s up to Syx to find a way out of the mess. He’s going to kill
them the next time they leave him in charge.
It’s not that he blames Syx, but Echo is cold, hungry, and wants to go home.
Knowing that his other mates are clear across the country because they hope to
bring their ex-lover back with them just makes him see red. He doesn’t like the
dark, and when even the dimmest light fades away inside the cave, Echo knows he
must surrender his mind to Syx or risk losing it completely. He’s already given
his heart to the demon. How hard could it be?
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STORY EXCERPT
“What?” Syx grumbled as he plopped down in the grass.
The woman next to him turned her head and glared.
He’d been having the most delicious dream about his mate when the Oracle had interrupted. Excuse the hell out of him if he was a little irked by the intrusion. Still, if she had brought him here, it must be important. Her visits might be the bane of his existence, but they’d never led him astray.
“I apologize,” he said and meant it. “You wished to speak to me?”
“Troubled times are coming, Warrior.” She knelt in the grass beside him, her long, white gown fanning out around her. “The shadows are coming, mirroring the ones in your heart. You cannot hope to banish one without the other.”
“You mean I have to stop fighting my feelings, jump on the emotional roller coaster ride, and hold on for dear life.” Syx nodded his understanding. He’d been battling with himself for weeks over the same thing.
The Oracle’s eyes widened in shock before she masked her surprise. A tiny smirk ghosted over her full lips, and she folded her hands in her lap. “You are very intuitive, Syx. However, your task will require more from you than simply conquering your fear. Echo will need you now more than ever.”
“Why me?” His only ability was listening to thoughts that he had no right or desire to hear. Sure, he could implant suggestions inside people’s minds or erase their memories, but he didn’t see how that was going to help either.
“Memories are a powerful thing. They can fill us with joy or crush us in despair.”
Okay, that he didn’t get, but he’d think about it later. “Are there more coming?” He scratched the back of his neck and sighed. “I’m not sure how welcome anyone will be in our home after Sage, no matter how useful they will be in the war.”
“Your army will grow,” the Oracle answered vaguely. “You must not let your prejudice blind you. Not all who enter seek to dismantle.”
“Right,” Syx growled before he could stop himself. “Tell that to Mac, Pax, and Jet, not to mention Echo.” His voice softened, and he shuddered violently. “I didn’t think he’d come back to us.”
“Ares will continue to spread his poison,” she said and sounded almost as growly as Syx had. There was a story there, but Syx felt he had no right to ask. “If you nurture your bond, you will have the weapons to defeat him,” she finished much gentler.
“I get it.” Syx stretched out in the thick grass and gazed up at the bluest sky he’d ever seen. He didn’t really get it, but he didn’t feel like arguing either.
“You will understand,” the Oracle whispered. She giggled, actually giggled, and shook her head. “We will speak again soon.”
Syx pushed up on his elbows to look at her, his eyebrows drawing together in confusion. “That’s it?”
“There is more.” Her face lit into a magnificent smile. “There is someone who desires your undivided attention now.”
Syx opened his mouth to question her statement, but the Oracle pressed a fingertip to his forehead and nodded. “Sleep, Warrior. You will thank me when you awake again.”
ADULT EXCERPT
His lovers watched him with rapt attention, but no one moved. If they wanted a show, Echo was more than happy to give it to them. Popping two fingers into his mouth and swirling his tongue around them, he slid down the wall until he came to rest on the carpeted floor.
Vapre moaned, Fiero growled, and Eyce and Syx looked like they’d swallowed their tongues. Tilting his hips up, Echo removed the digits from his mouth and reached down to circle them around his clenching hole.
He kept his eyes trained on his men as he caressed the fluttering muscles, and his other hand jerked roughly on his throbbing cock. Though he was having fun teasing his men—and boy, did they deserve it—his belly began to burn, and the need for release almost overwhelmed him.
“Please,” Eyce practically whimpered. “Do it. Put ’em in.”
Echo smirked at the impressive lumps inside his mates’ jeans. Oh, they were enjoying this almost as much as Echo. Who knew he was such an exhibitionist? The heat emanating from his lovers’ eyes was enough to tighten his scrotum and make his ass convulse hungrily.
Giving in to Eyce’s demands, he slipped both fingers through the guarding ring of muscle as far as they would go. With a sharp twist of his wrist around the sensitive underside of his cock, Echo curled his fingers inside his ass, brushing over his prostate and sending lightning strikes of pleasure coursing up his spine.
“Hey, guys, Hex wants to know if—Holy fuck!” Myst staggered back against the office door and stared with his mouth hanging open. He looked from Echo to the others and back several times. “Is there a reason we’re not all over that?”
“Just watch.” Vapre breathed. “He’s going to come.”
And, sure enough, Echo couldn’t hold back any longer. With a final shove of his fingers into his spasming hole, he dropped his head back to the wall and groaned as long strings of creamy semen erupted from his pulsing cock to cover his chest and abs.
Sagging back against the wall, Echo stroked his cock a few more times before finally releasing it and grinning stupidly up at his mates. “That was fun.”
In answer, all five men converged on him, pushing and shoving at each other as they dove to the floor and began licking the cum from his skin. Echo moaned, arching into their mouths, his dick twitching and threatening to swell once again.
In the end, he was just too damn tired, though. Once he’d been licked clean, touched, stroked, and his mouth devoured, his men helped him to his feet and into his sleep pants.
“My dick is going to fall off,” Myst complained, staring down at the enormous bulge behind his zipper. Then he looked up and smiled crookedly. “It was totally worth it, though.”
“Fuck it,” Eyce growled, ripping Echo’s cotton pants from his body as he fumbled with the button on his own jeans. The need and hunger in his eyes tripped Echo’s heart into a fast gallop, and it turned out that he wasn’t quite as tired as he thought. His cock swelled and pulsed once again, and he licked his lips as his men began stripping out of their clothing. Now, this was what he was talking about!
A bottle of lube came sailing across the desk, and Eyce caught it, flipped the lid open, and coated his dick quickly. Then, before Echo could move, he was lifted into the demon’s arms, his knees hooked over Eyce’s elbows and his back pressed firmly into the wall. Eyce breached his clenching hole with the head of his cock, giving Echo just enough time to gulp in a big breath before he rammed home.
Echo cried out, his arms going around Eyce’s shoulders as he scrambled to hold on through the pounding his ass was taking. Good gods, he loved it when his mates lost control like this.
Eyce’s thrusts faltered before he stilled completely, and Echo looked over his lover’s shoulder to find Fiero grinning at him. The smile slid from his face, replaced by a look of pure pleasure, then Echo’s eyelids drifted closed as they all three began moving together.
Harder and faster, Eyce drove his cock into Echo’s clutching hole. “You feel so damn good, baby. Always so hot and tight.”
Echo moaned in response, dropping his head back to the wall as his balls began to ache and his sac tightened, drawing closer to his body. Apparently, he had worked his men up pretty good because it took only minutes for Eyce to growl out his release and fill Echo’s channel to overflowing with his scorching cream.
Fiero followed him right over the edge, grunting as he dropped his forehead to Eyce’s shoulder and his body shuddered.
Eyce slipped gently from Echo’s clenching hole and slowly lowered him to his feet before placing a gentle kiss on his lips. “Thank you, baby.”
He didn’t even have a chance to respond before Myst grabbed him, whirled him around, and pressed Echo’s palms flat against the wall. His fingers gripped Echo’s hips, encouraging him to arch his back as Myst’s cock pushed into his stretched hole and began driving into him without pause. “So fucking good,” Myst panted as he plunged and retreated over and over.
“What?” Syx grumbled as he plopped down in the grass.
The woman next to him turned her head and glared.
He’d been having the most delicious dream about his mate when the Oracle had interrupted. Excuse the hell out of him if he was a little irked by the intrusion. Still, if she had brought him here, it must be important. Her visits might be the bane of his existence, but they’d never led him astray.
“I apologize,” he said and meant it. “You wished to speak to me?”
“Troubled times are coming, Warrior.” She knelt in the grass beside him, her long, white gown fanning out around her. “The shadows are coming, mirroring the ones in your heart. You cannot hope to banish one without the other.”
“You mean I have to stop fighting my feelings, jump on the emotional roller coaster ride, and hold on for dear life.” Syx nodded his understanding. He’d been battling with himself for weeks over the same thing.
The Oracle’s eyes widened in shock before she masked her surprise. A tiny smirk ghosted over her full lips, and she folded her hands in her lap. “You are very intuitive, Syx. However, your task will require more from you than simply conquering your fear. Echo will need you now more than ever.”
“Why me?” His only ability was listening to thoughts that he had no right or desire to hear. Sure, he could implant suggestions inside people’s minds or erase their memories, but he didn’t see how that was going to help either.
“Memories are a powerful thing. They can fill us with joy or crush us in despair.”
Okay, that he didn’t get, but he’d think about it later. “Are there more coming?” He scratched the back of his neck and sighed. “I’m not sure how welcome anyone will be in our home after Sage, no matter how useful they will be in the war.”
“Your army will grow,” the Oracle answered vaguely. “You must not let your prejudice blind you. Not all who enter seek to dismantle.”
“Right,” Syx growled before he could stop himself. “Tell that to Mac, Pax, and Jet, not to mention Echo.” His voice softened, and he shuddered violently. “I didn’t think he’d come back to us.”
“Ares will continue to spread his poison,” she said and sounded almost as growly as Syx had. There was a story there, but Syx felt he had no right to ask. “If you nurture your bond, you will have the weapons to defeat him,” she finished much gentler.
“I get it.” Syx stretched out in the thick grass and gazed up at the bluest sky he’d ever seen. He didn’t really get it, but he didn’t feel like arguing either.
“You will understand,” the Oracle whispered. She giggled, actually giggled, and shook her head. “We will speak again soon.”
Syx pushed up on his elbows to look at her, his eyebrows drawing together in confusion. “That’s it?”
“There is more.” Her face lit into a magnificent smile. “There is someone who desires your undivided attention now.”
Syx opened his mouth to question her statement, but the Oracle pressed a fingertip to his forehead and nodded. “Sleep, Warrior. You will thank me when you awake again.”
ADULT EXCERPT
His lovers watched him with rapt attention, but no one moved. If they wanted a show, Echo was more than happy to give it to them. Popping two fingers into his mouth and swirling his tongue around them, he slid down the wall until he came to rest on the carpeted floor.
Vapre moaned, Fiero growled, and Eyce and Syx looked like they’d swallowed their tongues. Tilting his hips up, Echo removed the digits from his mouth and reached down to circle them around his clenching hole.
He kept his eyes trained on his men as he caressed the fluttering muscles, and his other hand jerked roughly on his throbbing cock. Though he was having fun teasing his men—and boy, did they deserve it—his belly began to burn, and the need for release almost overwhelmed him.
“Please,” Eyce practically whimpered. “Do it. Put ’em in.”
Echo smirked at the impressive lumps inside his mates’ jeans. Oh, they were enjoying this almost as much as Echo. Who knew he was such an exhibitionist? The heat emanating from his lovers’ eyes was enough to tighten his scrotum and make his ass convulse hungrily.
Giving in to Eyce’s demands, he slipped both fingers through the guarding ring of muscle as far as they would go. With a sharp twist of his wrist around the sensitive underside of his cock, Echo curled his fingers inside his ass, brushing over his prostate and sending lightning strikes of pleasure coursing up his spine.
“Hey, guys, Hex wants to know if—Holy fuck!” Myst staggered back against the office door and stared with his mouth hanging open. He looked from Echo to the others and back several times. “Is there a reason we’re not all over that?”
“Just watch.” Vapre breathed. “He’s going to come.”
And, sure enough, Echo couldn’t hold back any longer. With a final shove of his fingers into his spasming hole, he dropped his head back to the wall and groaned as long strings of creamy semen erupted from his pulsing cock to cover his chest and abs.
Sagging back against the wall, Echo stroked his cock a few more times before finally releasing it and grinning stupidly up at his mates. “That was fun.”
In answer, all five men converged on him, pushing and shoving at each other as they dove to the floor and began licking the cum from his skin. Echo moaned, arching into their mouths, his dick twitching and threatening to swell once again.
In the end, he was just too damn tired, though. Once he’d been licked clean, touched, stroked, and his mouth devoured, his men helped him to his feet and into his sleep pants.
“My dick is going to fall off,” Myst complained, staring down at the enormous bulge behind his zipper. Then he looked up and smiled crookedly. “It was totally worth it, though.”
“Fuck it,” Eyce growled, ripping Echo’s cotton pants from his body as he fumbled with the button on his own jeans. The need and hunger in his eyes tripped Echo’s heart into a fast gallop, and it turned out that he wasn’t quite as tired as he thought. His cock swelled and pulsed once again, and he licked his lips as his men began stripping out of their clothing. Now, this was what he was talking about!
A bottle of lube came sailing across the desk, and Eyce caught it, flipped the lid open, and coated his dick quickly. Then, before Echo could move, he was lifted into the demon’s arms, his knees hooked over Eyce’s elbows and his back pressed firmly into the wall. Eyce breached his clenching hole with the head of his cock, giving Echo just enough time to gulp in a big breath before he rammed home.
Echo cried out, his arms going around Eyce’s shoulders as he scrambled to hold on through the pounding his ass was taking. Good gods, he loved it when his mates lost control like this.
Eyce’s thrusts faltered before he stilled completely, and Echo looked over his lover’s shoulder to find Fiero grinning at him. The smile slid from his face, replaced by a look of pure pleasure, then Echo’s eyelids drifted closed as they all three began moving together.
Harder and faster, Eyce drove his cock into Echo’s clutching hole. “You feel so damn good, baby. Always so hot and tight.”
Echo moaned in response, dropping his head back to the wall as his balls began to ache and his sac tightened, drawing closer to his body. Apparently, he had worked his men up pretty good because it took only minutes for Eyce to growl out his release and fill Echo’s channel to overflowing with his scorching cream.
Fiero followed him right over the edge, grunting as he dropped his forehead to Eyce’s shoulder and his body shuddered.
Eyce slipped gently from Echo’s clenching hole and slowly lowered him to his feet before placing a gentle kiss on his lips. “Thank you, baby.”
He didn’t even have a chance to respond before Myst grabbed him, whirled him around, and pressed Echo’s palms flat against the wall. His fingers gripped Echo’s hips, encouraging him to arch his back as Myst’s cock pushed into his stretched hole and began driving into him without pause. “So fucking good,” Myst panted as he plunged and retreated over and over.
4 STARS: "Another one bites the dust! I am a self- professed mythology geek and the twist that Ms. Evans has put on these Greek Gods that we all know is not only unique but fun to read. SHADES OF BLACK, is the 5th installment in the Fatefully Yours series and the story line is still fresh and exciting. The next demon the Oracle's Prophecy has picked to be up to bat is Syx, who has the ability to read minds and insert memories. It's not easy knowing all your lovers' thoughts and feelings. Syx is a strong capable warrior like all of the others but his biggest strength is his mind and he is going to have to flex that muscle like he never has before if he wants to save Echo. The men have to venture back to the cave where they found Pax and Jet even though they know there is something evil about that area. And as much as they don't want Echo anywhere near the place they know he has to travel with them this time. After arriving, Hex realizes that he must leave to go in search of the demon's former lover Craze to see if he will help them in their quest to defeat Ares and Hades. Echo is glad that his men are starting to respect the power that he brings to the group but sometimes getting what you wished for isn't a good thing. When Echo, Syx and Mac are trapped in the cave because of a rock slide, Echo is having a difficult time dealing because of his time in the sensory deprivation chamber back in the labs. Nurture and protect your sacred bond with your very lives, the Oracle told them and it may just cost Syx and Echo theirs, if they aren't prepared to face the dark. But if they can come out the other side, they may have just found some very powerful allies. Let me just start by saying, I (the jury), am still out on Craze. I am just not sure if he isn't going to stir the pot just to cause trouble now that he has become a member of the household again. I am also pretty sure we haven't seen the last of the little green eyed monster, jealousy, either. Things have been too quiet on the "lab" front as well and I am sure they will have to deal with another attack sometime soon and the anticipation is an added bonus. I have to applaud Ms. Evans in her ability to come up with new, exciting and varied combinations for the 8 to have sex together. I have yet to read a love scene that made me think "been there done that" and this many books in that takes some serious imagination. Ms. Evans continues to add to the layers of the original story line and is very good at keeping it fresh and making you anticipate the next curve ball. The growth and development of the relationship between the men just adds another layer to the overall story." -- Tyra, The Romance Reviews