Softly Spoken Lies: Moonlit, Book 4
M/M/M Paranormal Romance | Fated Mates | Guaranteed HEA
45K Words
45K Words
Available to Read with Kindle Unlimited
Hunter for the Council and newly appointed alpha to a pack he knows nothing about, Blaise Taylor has enough on his plate without adding two very male mates to the mix.
Cole Cunningham didn’t exactly picture himself mated to two men either, but he’s not about to throw away the gift fate has given him. He just has to find a way to bring them all together before their relationship self-destructs.
Free at last after years of imprisonment, Willow just wants to be happy. He’s been blessed with two insanely gorgeous mates, but he’s got his work cut out for him. Blaise needs to be the hero, and Cole can’t resist the urge to nurture. Tired of their constant bickering, he has big ideas to turn their worlds upside down.
Until danger comes knocking.
With three very different personalities and a new threat looming over them, can this trio find middle ground, or will their love story end before it can even begin?
Cole Cunningham didn’t exactly picture himself mated to two men either, but he’s not about to throw away the gift fate has given him. He just has to find a way to bring them all together before their relationship self-destructs.
Free at last after years of imprisonment, Willow just wants to be happy. He’s been blessed with two insanely gorgeous mates, but he’s got his work cut out for him. Blaise needs to be the hero, and Cole can’t resist the urge to nurture. Tired of their constant bickering, he has big ideas to turn their worlds upside down.
Until danger comes knocking.
With three very different personalities and a new threat looming over them, can this trio find middle ground, or will their love story end before it can even begin?
**NOTE** Softly Spoken Lies was originally released in 2011 by a different publisher as the fourth book of The Moonlight Breed series. This new version has been revised and updated, but it does not contain any meaningful changes to the characters or the storyline.
Excerpt
His palms sweated. Every breath came in shallow pants. His heart pounded against his sternum as he fought not to fidget under the scrutiny of the Council.
Why did he ever think he could do this?
Blaise Taylor looked down at the man beside him and fought to swallow past the tightness in his throat when long, elegant fingers twined with his. He should have been thrilled that he’d found not only one mate, but two.
He liked Cole and Willow well enough, but while most shifters batted for both teams, he wasn’t one of them. Having two very male mates he had no idea what to do with wasn’t his only problem, either. In the past week, his entire life had been turned upside down, and it seemed some new problem was thrown at him every day.
He suddenly found himself the alpha to a pack he knew nothing about, and it had happened under some nasty circumstances, too. Fuck, he still wanted to beat Talon bloody for turning over the responsibility to him.
Talon Cartwright had won that fight, and the position of alpha, fair and square. Why couldn’t he just man up and accept it?
Now, Blaise had an entire pack to protect, along with his two new mates. He could no more turn away from Cole and Willow than he could cut off his own arm, but he still felt uneasy every time he’d catch their scent, and his cock would perk right up to take notice.
Clearly, he wasn’t quite as hetero as he’d assumed.
Then, because he enjoyed making a bad situation even worse, he’d just accused one of the Council elders of a whole slew of unsightly charges. Accusations sure to land the vampire in prison for the rest of his days—er, nights. Whatever.
Worse, if he couldn’t provide proof of his claims, he’d be the one shackled to a prison cell wall. His stomach twisted uncomfortably at the thought, and he swallowed reflexively when saliva flooded his mouth.
Another hand landed on the small of his back, and Blaise didn’t have to turn to know it was Cole. While foreign and confusing, he couldn’t deny that just the presence of his mates calmed him, cleared his head, and gave him the courage to face the International Council of Code Enforcement.
Elder Josiah Means, the lycan representative of the Council, cleared his throat as he stared down his long, crooked nose from his seat on the dais. “Cyrus Redway, you have been accused of a multitude of serious offenses against the supernatural population you have sworn to protect. You are in violation of at least seven different laws you took a vow to uphold.”
Elder Samuel Macintosh, the shifter representative, cleared his throat and pushed his glasses up his nose. “You have been charged with kidnapping, blackmail, illegal experimentation, unlawful confinement, ownership of blood slaves, inappropriate distribution of Council weapons, and general disreputable conduct.”
“Not to mention being a pain in my ass and a nasty son of a bitch,” Elder Layke Winters, the elven representative, added.
Blaise almost choked. He’d never heard any member of the Council speak in such a way. Maybe he wouldn’t be torn to shreds after all.
“Do you have anything to say against the allegations?” Elder Means asked.
“This is ludicrous!” Cyrus exclaimed. “I had nothing to do with any of those charges, and I will not be held responsible for the crimes of an insane man. Former Alpha Roan Cunningham acted of his own accord.”
“Ah, but there are witnesses, members of your own coven, even.” Elder Winters spoke calmly as he smoothed his silver blond hair back from his handsome face.
“They lie.”
“Alpha Taylor, do you have anything to add?” Elder Macintosh turned his penetrating gaze on Blaise.
Willow squeezed his hand again, and Cole leaned more insistently against his other side. Blaise swallowed loudly, took a deep breath, and nodded. “My mate, Cole Cunningham, is the son of the former alpha. He will testify to witnessing Elder Redway and Alpha Jennings exchanging not only money but members of their own pack and coven.”
Elder Winters smiled warmly at them. “And which one of these men is your mate?”
Blaise swallowed again. “Both, sir.”
Why did he ever think he could do this?
Blaise Taylor looked down at the man beside him and fought to swallow past the tightness in his throat when long, elegant fingers twined with his. He should have been thrilled that he’d found not only one mate, but two.
He liked Cole and Willow well enough, but while most shifters batted for both teams, he wasn’t one of them. Having two very male mates he had no idea what to do with wasn’t his only problem, either. In the past week, his entire life had been turned upside down, and it seemed some new problem was thrown at him every day.
He suddenly found himself the alpha to a pack he knew nothing about, and it had happened under some nasty circumstances, too. Fuck, he still wanted to beat Talon bloody for turning over the responsibility to him.
Talon Cartwright had won that fight, and the position of alpha, fair and square. Why couldn’t he just man up and accept it?
Now, Blaise had an entire pack to protect, along with his two new mates. He could no more turn away from Cole and Willow than he could cut off his own arm, but he still felt uneasy every time he’d catch their scent, and his cock would perk right up to take notice.
Clearly, he wasn’t quite as hetero as he’d assumed.
Then, because he enjoyed making a bad situation even worse, he’d just accused one of the Council elders of a whole slew of unsightly charges. Accusations sure to land the vampire in prison for the rest of his days—er, nights. Whatever.
Worse, if he couldn’t provide proof of his claims, he’d be the one shackled to a prison cell wall. His stomach twisted uncomfortably at the thought, and he swallowed reflexively when saliva flooded his mouth.
Another hand landed on the small of his back, and Blaise didn’t have to turn to know it was Cole. While foreign and confusing, he couldn’t deny that just the presence of his mates calmed him, cleared his head, and gave him the courage to face the International Council of Code Enforcement.
Elder Josiah Means, the lycan representative of the Council, cleared his throat as he stared down his long, crooked nose from his seat on the dais. “Cyrus Redway, you have been accused of a multitude of serious offenses against the supernatural population you have sworn to protect. You are in violation of at least seven different laws you took a vow to uphold.”
Elder Samuel Macintosh, the shifter representative, cleared his throat and pushed his glasses up his nose. “You have been charged with kidnapping, blackmail, illegal experimentation, unlawful confinement, ownership of blood slaves, inappropriate distribution of Council weapons, and general disreputable conduct.”
“Not to mention being a pain in my ass and a nasty son of a bitch,” Elder Layke Winters, the elven representative, added.
Blaise almost choked. He’d never heard any member of the Council speak in such a way. Maybe he wouldn’t be torn to shreds after all.
“Do you have anything to say against the allegations?” Elder Means asked.
“This is ludicrous!” Cyrus exclaimed. “I had nothing to do with any of those charges, and I will not be held responsible for the crimes of an insane man. Former Alpha Roan Cunningham acted of his own accord.”
“Ah, but there are witnesses, members of your own coven, even.” Elder Winters spoke calmly as he smoothed his silver blond hair back from his handsome face.
“They lie.”
“Alpha Taylor, do you have anything to add?” Elder Macintosh turned his penetrating gaze on Blaise.
Willow squeezed his hand again, and Cole leaned more insistently against his other side. Blaise swallowed loudly, took a deep breath, and nodded. “My mate, Cole Cunningham, is the son of the former alpha. He will testify to witnessing Elder Redway and Alpha Jennings exchanging not only money but members of their own pack and coven.”
Elder Winters smiled warmly at them. “And which one of these men is your mate?”
Blaise swallowed again. “Both, sir.”