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Summoned Magus Malefica (The Coven Series) M/M Paranormal Romance by J.P. Jackson ➱ Release Tour with Giveaway

 


 


Summoned
Magus Malefica - The Coven Series Book 1
by J.P. Jackson
Genre: M/M Paranormal Romance, Dark Urban Fantasy



Devid Khandelwal desperately wants to experience the supernatural. After years of studying everything from crystals to tarot to spellcasting, nothing has happened that would tell him the Shadow Realm is real. And that kills Dev. As a last-ditch resort, he purchases a summoning board, an occult tool that will grant him his ultimate desires.

Cameron Habersham is Dev’s best friend. Cam loves Dev like a brother and will do anything for him, as long as he looks good doing it. So when Dev asks him to perform the summoning board’s ritual, he reluctantly agrees, but he knows nothing will come of it. Nothing ever does.

However, within a day, Dev and Cam’s lives are turned upside down as wishes begin to come true. They discover the existence of a supernatural world beyond their imagination, but peace between the species is tenuous at best.

Dev finally gets to see the Shadow Realm, meets the man of his dreams, and is inducted into the local male coven. But for all the desires that were summoned into existence, Dev soon realizes the magical community dances the line between good and evil, and Cam ends up on the wrong side of everything.
The old adage is true: Be careful what you wish for.



Excerpt: Summoned by J.P. Jackson
Setup: The main character Dev, and his best friend Cam, have just returned from buying a summoning board. Tucked away in Dev’s room, they are about to use it for the first time.

“Honestly, I don’t get what you see in all this stuff.” Cam waved his hand through the air, a flippant gesture meant to dismiss Dev’s impressive occult collection.
Of course, Cam was referring to the contents of Dev’s room. The occult was Dev’s jam. Crystals, runes, tarot decks—you name it, Dev had it. The occult. He had read, studied, and practiced everything from card readings to spirit summoning. But despite his keen interest, admirable level of knowledge, and dedicated study, Dev hadn’t had a single otherworldly encounter or brush with psychic phenomenon.
That killed Dev.
“Shush. You be nice. Otherwise my demons will get you.” Dev chuckled, knowing full well Cam’s interest level focused more on his latest pair of shoes. Dev made a mental note to check for holes in the floorboards.
Dev, on the other hand, would have done anything to be a witch, sorcerer, or seer of the hidden. A pastime his Indian-born mother did not appreciate.
“Devid, why? This is all bad. You need to find a nice girl, get married, have children. I want to be a grandmother.” Dev pictured his mother’s face as her lips mouthed words. He would sit in a state of catatonia while she spouted off such sentiments. Like this morning, at breakfast.
Cam snapped Dev out of his mental wanderings. “Dev, the moment you actually manage to harness a demon and have it do your bidding, I’ll concede to wearing discount clothing.” Cam cocked an eyebrow at Dev, who met his gaze. They both smirked. In no world, anywhere, would Cam ever resort to wearing anything so common.
This was the nature of their relationship. Cam was eternally bitchy, and Dev was perpetually spooky. The dynamic was weird, but the friendship worked for them.
“Come on,” Dev said, pulling Cam’s attention to the task at hand. “Do this with me.”
“What? Bitch, no.”
“Why not? What the hell have you got to lose?”
“Just, you know, for some crazy-ass reason you manage to pull off some kind of beast wrangling, I don’t want to be dragged into the depths of the pit by some shrieking harpy demon. Especially in this outfit. I’m not ready to go to hell looking like this.”
“That’s not a thing, Cam.” Dev shook his head at Cam with a ‘god, you don’t know anything!’ kind of look.
“How the hell would you know?”
“I know. Now get down here.”
“Ugh, all right fine. It’s not like any of this has ever worked before.” Cam slid off the bed and sat opposite Dev on the floor, cross-legged. “What exactly is this thing?”
“A summoning board.”
“Yeah, you’ve said that. What is it, though? Like, what’s it supposed to do?” Cam asked, “And what are all those squiggly things?” Cam pointed toward the script patterning the outside of the board, his finger getting far too close to the board for Dev’s comfort.
“Shh. It’s nothing.” Dev slapped his hand away. “It’s only there to make the board look all gothic and shit.”
“Mmmhmm. K. So…what am I supposed to do? Run around the thing three times and chant ‘Bloody Mary’?” Cam asked.
“Oh my god, you’re such an idiot. It’s for summoning your greatest desires,” Dev instructed.
“Really? So, like, a big monster boyfriend?” Cam winked, cupped his own crotch, gave the bulge a couple of squeezes.
“I just…I can’t with you right now. Is that all you think about?”
“Nope. Bastard better be good-looking too. And rich. It takes money to keep me looking this good.” Cam ran his hands over his designer-clad torso and overpriced jeans.
“I swear to god, I don’t know why I bother with you.”
“Because you love me.”
“Sadly, yes. I do. Why? I have no idea.” Dev got up and rummaged around his room.
“Okay, so what the hell are you doing now?”
“We need things.”
“This is getting complicated.”
“Shush.”
Dev rushed around his room, gathering the trinkets they needed to do their first summons. And as fast as a desperate person would sell their soul to the devil, he returned, handing Cam a marker and three post-it notes.
“And…?”
“Write down three wishes.”
“Damn, are we summoning a genie?”
“It’s called a Djinn, and no, we are not…at least, I don’t think. Why do you make everything a challenge? Write something down.” Dev prodded Cam with the end of his marker.
“Good lord, all right. Fine.”
Cam got busy scratching stuff down. 
Dev on the other hand had already planned exactly what he was going to wish for. 
This was it.
The last straw.
The last time any of this hocus pocus would be attempted.
Dev had promised himself if this didn’t work, he would give all of it up, for good. Dev believed in magic. He would have staked his soul on a bargain with the devil.
So, this was it. And with all the heart-wrenching, utter loneliness and consuming desire for the Shadow Realm to be real, he wrote down his three wishes:
I want to have a supernatural power.
I want to see the Shadow Realm and be part of it.
I want my friends and family to respect me for my knowledge of the occult.
Dev folded the tiny notes in half and tossed them into the copper cauldron he had placed in the center of the board. The instructions on the back of the box were specific. All wishes were to be written on paper, personalized with blood, and placed into the inner ring. Finally, the paper had to be burnt in order to release the energy.
Cam gave Dev his pieces of paper.
“No! Not like that, geez.” Dev tossed them back at Cam.
Cam threw his hands up in the air. “What the hell?”
“Fold them in half like I did and put them in the copper bowl.”
“Fine.” Cam did as instructed. “There, happy?”
“Not quite. Give me your hand.” 
“Why?”
“For the love of…” Dev grabbed Cam’s hand and deftly managed to stab a finger with a thumbtack.
“What the ever-loving fuck, dude?” Cam ripped his hand away and grabbed his finger. A small pinprick of blood welled up to the skin’s surface. He brought the finger up to his mouth.
“Don’t you dare!” Dev pointed at Cam.
Cam stopped and glared at Dev.
“Squeeze your finger so the blood drips onto your papers, but get it in the bowl, don’t get blood on my floor.” Dev pricked his own finger and held his digit over the bowl.
Three drops of blood fell into the copper cauldron. Followed thereafter by three of Cam’s.
Dev lit a match and pitched the flaming splinter into the bowl, pushing the post-it notes around so they caught fire.
“Go open the window,” Dev instructed Cam.
“Your mother will kill you if you burn the house down.”
“Okay, now come read this with me.” Dev gestured for Cam to sit beside him.
“I swear if anything happens…” Cam warned while he rearranged himself next to Dev, inspecting his finger and sucking at the miniscule wound.
“It will. I know it will.”
“You always say that.” Cam rolled his eyes and sighed with exasperation.
“Come on, read this.”
“Ugh, fine.”
And together, they read the incantation off of the instruction sheet that came with the board.
“With passion of heart, I seek to find, those Desires I want. Wishes to be mine.”
“That’s it?” Cam’s head tilted to one side in disbelief.
“That’s it.” Dev shrugged.
They waited for a few heartbeats. Loud ones that thudded against the inside of Dev’s chest.
“Okay, I’m bored now. And my finger hurts. You owe me a macchiato.” Cam grabbed his designer boots and slid them on. “You coming?”
Dev gazed into the cauldron as the last of the papers charred and blackened and tiny wisps of smoke curled up toward him and dissipated.
Nothing had happened.
“Come on,” Dev flinched as Cam threw an arm around his shoulder and squeezed him in a one armed bro hug. “I’ll buy.”
“Yeah, all right.”
As the two left the room, Dev eased the door closed using both hands on the doorknob while silently praying to any god or being who happened to be listening.
“Please hear me,” he whispered.
***
Inside the empty room, behind the closed door, the summoning board’s squiggly writing around the outside edges that was ‘only there to make the board look all gothic and shit’ shifted. As if the doodles and lines were dancing or marching. 
The entire border rotated, widdershins, and the inner ring of the board spun in the opposite directions, changing the symbols.
The wind blew in through the open window and the curtain fluttered in the breeze.

Excerpt: Summoned by J.P. Jackson

Setup: Dev, having just discovered the summoning board has granted him his first wish, has also found a new friend, a fellow witch – and a handsome one at that!

 

Tully patted the cushion right next to him.

“Come, I don’t bite. Sit. Chat.”

Dev rolled his eyes. “I probably seem desperate.” He sighed.

“Ha. Not at all.” Tully chuckled. “Okay, maybe a little. Come on, handsome, sit next to me. Tell me everything.” Tully grinned as he raised the glass to his lips and took another sip.

Dev wandered over and sat on the cushion next to Tully, glanced at him and his glacier-blue eyes and half grinned. He reached for his own glass and had a sip.

“Oh. That’s really good.” The wine was chilled, but the alcohol burned his throat pleasantly. Sour cherries made his cheeks pucker, but a hint of spicy black pepper warmed him. Dev took another sip.

“Thanks.”

“For what?”

“Rescuing me. Don’t get the wrong idea, my family is everything, and despite the constant chaos, they mean well. It’s just…they don’t understand.”

“As I said to you earlier, families are complicated. Mine is. Why should yours be any different?” Tully chuckled. “So is anyone in your family magical?”

Dev nearly spit his wine out, being mid sip when Tully asked him. “No, they think my interest in all of this is nuts. They have no idea.”

“Well, if I’m being honest, magic is nuts. Wait. The more you learn and experience the better it gets, I promise.”

Dev hung on every word from Tully, staring into his incredible eyes. After a couple of silence-filled minutes, he summoned up the nerve to respond. “I’ve been reading and practicing runes and tarot and…well everything for years. You know,” Dev started and then stopped. He studied Tully’s face, trying to determine if baring his soul, sharing his hopes would be handled with care. For so many years, Dev’s interests had been branded as silly and a waste of time. The only person he ever opened up to was Cam, and even his best friend often made fun of him.

Tully picked up on his hesitation, put his hand on Dev’s thigh, and inched closer. “It’s okay. You can tell me as much or as little as you want. I’m not going anywhere, and I’m not going to think you’re crazy.”

“This is all so weird.” Dev took a deep breath and exhaled. That simple gesture released so much stress. A weight he’d been carrying around for years. Dev glanced at Tully, an awkward grin plastered across his face.

“Have you tried to release another magical burst yet?” Tully asked, his hand still on Dev’s leg.

“God, no. I wouldn’t even know where to start. I don’t know what happened to begin with.”

“Well, we can work on that.” Tully winked. “It’s tricky, this magic stuff, and you know it has a cost, right?”

“No, I…” Dev tilted his head. “What do you mean ‘a cost’?”

“Nothing comes for free in this life, including magic.” Tully grinned, leaned forward, and placed his glass down. “So, there’s energy everywhere, right?” Tully’s hands waved in front of him. “Every single living thing has pulsating energy. Animals are different from humans, plants are way down the evolutionary totem pole, so to speak, but they all still contain that zap. A buzz, a spark of life. That energy? As a witch, you’ll come to sense it, be able to harness it, and eventually wield it.” Tully waggled an eyebrow and put his hand back on Dev’s thigh. “But you have to be careful. All life forms have an expendable amount. A finite resource, if you will. So you can’t cast spells or use your abilities endlessly. You’ll drain yourself and everything around you if you’re not careful, and then…well…that’s lights out for you, and anything else around you.”

“Jesus. Really? That’s…frightening. So, blow a fuse and you die?” Dev’s eyes widened.

“Well, all energy is eventually replaced. So you cast a small spell, you’re drained a little, but by morning your reserves are back up. You cast a bigger spell and you lose more energy. Energy takes time to replenish. But despite the recovery, the leaching takes its toll. A witch’s lifespan isn’t long. We tend to deplete ourselves. We’re lucky if we live to seventy.”

That was a punch in the gut.

“Well shit, that’s a shame.” Dev didn’t want Tully to think the concept of witches draining themselves to death might be somewhat frightening, so he resorted to making it into a flirty thing with a wicked smirk and a bit of the devil in his eyes as he stared into Tully’s. He swore immersing himself in those blue eyes would never get tiring.

“Look at you, taking this all in stride.” Tully winked. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were flirting, Dev.”

Dev laughed. His foot tapped under the worn and weathered coffee table. “I might look calm on the outside, but…” Dev rolled his eyes. “But my stomach is in knots, even now.”

“Why? Good lord, why?” Tully squeezed Dev’s thigh and leaned forward. “I hope I’m not adding!”

“No! No, not at all. If anything…” Dev blushed and turned away as he continued, his foot beating out a furious rhythm. “No, you’re the hunk who flew in and exposed a hidden world I had hoped and believed existed, but couldn’t find—”

“Oh, you’ve not seen anything yet.” Tully’s lips formed a half-knowing smile. “Hunk, huh?” Tully moved his hand closer to Dev’s crotch.

“Ooooh, yeah.” Dev noted the movement. Part of him said, No, no, not yet, but a larger part of his brain screamed, Farther, go higher! Dev grabbed his glass and took a large swig, then put the stemware down. His movement was clunky. Heat flushed across his chest making him all flustered. Dev needed to get a hold of his emotions.

“Well, that’s flattering, thank you, but the feeling is mutual. You’re damn handsome. So beautifully dark in comparison to my pale-ass skin.”

“Okay, now I know you’re putting me on.”

“No, I’m not. Geez, Dev, you kidding me?” Tully took a sip, swirled the wine in the glass then set it down. He glanced up at Dev with his crystal eyes. “You’ve got the darkest, thickest hair I’ve ever seen, and your eyes are mesmerizing.” Tully leaned in closer. “May I?” Tully asked.

“Uh, sure,” Dev granted permission, but to what, he wasn’t sure.

Tully leaned in and rubbed his face against Dev’s beard.

“You’re beard drives me wild,” Tully whispered while cheek to cheek with Dev, then returned to his own spot with a beguiling grin.

“Oh boy.” Another wave of heat flushed over Dev’s face. This couldn’t be happening. It was a stomach churning thrill to be sitting here with Tully. But, wow, all of this? Within one night? How’d Dev get so lucky? His pants were so tight right now.

Magic. Tully. Wine. Sitting with Tully on the couch right now, Dev didn’t care, but he wanted this night to go on forever. Dev cleared his throat and sat there, staring off, trying to focus and put things right in his head.

“Dev, everything okay?” Tully asked.

“Oh yeah, sorry, more than okay.” And from out of nowhere, Dev found an ounce of courage, something he didn’t have in situations like these, and he asked, “Can I kiss you?”

Dev’s cheeks blazed with fire, astonished at what came out of his mouth.

What are you doing?

“I thought you’d never ask.” Tully inched forward.

Dev leaned in and Tully met him half way. Dev closed his eyes as his lips met Tully’s. The rough rasp of Tully’s beard against his own, the heat, and warmth from Tully proved too much.

Dev let out a repressed moan. Months had passed since his last date, and that ended with a good night kiss after an awkward and silent dinner. Being close to another guy, especially one so good-looking had a hardening effect down under.

Tully took charge, grabbed Dev’s face in his hands and pulled Dev in close.

Everything on the coffee table slid away from them as their kiss deepened.

Tully pulled away first, his cheeks flushed.

Dev’s eyes were half-lidded.

“Wow, another burst.”

“Sorry, what?” Dev glanced around, confused.

Tully chuckled. “Look at the coffee table.” Tully nodded his chin toward the old rustic plank of wood. Everything sitting on its surface had been pushed outwards. The glasses hadn’t tipped over, but the wine sloshed around their insides. “Just like our first encounter at the coffee shop. Can’t you feel the energy when you release?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Dev furrowed his brow, causing lines to crease his forehead.

“You did that, man. You’re telekinetic.” Tully squinted. “Let me try something?” Tully’s eyes were bright and excited, and he still had a grin from ear to ear.

“Ah, sure?” Dev asked, insecure and embarrassed, yet his heart thumped in his chest, and his palms had gone hot and sweaty. He rubbed them on his jeans.

Tully gave Dev a wink. “Trust me. Okay?”

“Okay.” Dev, overexcited, struggled to inhale.

Tully picked up the two wine glasses and walked them over to the kitchen counter. He went over to one of his bookcases and pulled out several books, placed the stack on the coffee table close to where Dev sat.

“Now, where were we?” Tully turned, facing Dev so that he straddled Dev’s lap, facing him.

“Oh boy,” Dev whispered.

Tully grabbed Dev’s face again. Dev’s heart continued to beat, but the rhythm pumped so fast he swore the organ would burst out his chest. The heat and warmth from Tully’s thighs against his own and his hands on Dev’s cheeks kept him focused on the electrical sensations coursing through his body.

Tully’s lips pressed against his. They were warm, and Tully’s beard scratched against his skin, which accelerated Dev into overdrive. He grabbed Tully’s waist and pulled him in closer, pushing Tully’s mouth open with his tongue wanting to taste more.

Dev slid his hands up underneath the tight grey T-shirt and ran his hands over Tully’s furry stomach. Dev continued to push his hands up to Tully’s chest. His pectoral muscles were well developed, and the fur continued. Dev laced his fingers through the hair covering Tully.

Oh my god, I could never get bored of this.

Dev lost himself in his own exploration and hadn’t noticed Tully’s hand had slipped between his legs until his crotch got grabbed, giving Dev’s concrete-hard erection a gentle squeeze.

The heat raging from Tully’s hand pressed up against his groin set fire to Dev’s inhibitions. He desperately wanted Tully to rip his pants open and free him, stroke him, touch him with no clothing as a barrier. In that moment, petting Tully’s hairy chest, while Tully gave his dick another squeeze, Dev’s mind exploded.

The books on the coffee table flew off in all directions.

Tully pulled away but kept his hand on top of Dev’s groin. He smiled with a lopsided grin, his eyes sparkling with excitement and his lips moist from Dev’s tongue.

“I thought so. So, you’re an aurologist.”

Dev sucked in air and then exhaled, shuddering. Making out with Tully made his head spin.

“I’m a what?” He continued to stroke Tully’s fur.

“Your energy comes from your soul. For me, I get energy for magic from the earth, specifically metal. You however, you take the vigor from the very essence of your life. Your soul. Aurologists are triggered by emotions. Not exactly common, mister. Like one out of every hundred or so. Me, I’m a dime a dozen.”

Dev pulled Tully in again and gave him a deep, wet kiss. Dev turned so his mouth was a hair’s breadth away and whispered into Tully’s ear, “I don’t think you’re common, not even remotely.”

Tully’s bewitching grin never waned.

“So, wanna get naked?” Tully asked.

“Dear god, yes.”



What inspired you to write this book?

I had an image of a young East Indian guy in my head and he started to get really vocal. I had never written a book with sexy fun times in it before – romantic and relationship arcs sure – but never actual sex, and so I thought…this is guy. This is the time. So I paired him up with a really flippant best friend, and a sexy hot redhead, and then let the story take me where it needed to go.

 

What can we expect from you in the future?

Oh my goodness. I have far too many thumbs in different pies right now.

1.)    I am ¾ of the way done with the sequel to Magic or Die, called Blood and Sacrifice. I really hope to have that done soon.

2.)    I have an anthology of short stories that is coming out late this year, maybe early next year. Each story in the collection represents an individual’s experience with the supernatural/paranormal, and features a main character that’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer – 5 stories – LGBTQ.

3.)    I am part of an organizing committee that is hosting an online queer literature convention on May 08, 2021. It’s called IQARUS (International Queer Authors & Readers United in Stories) http://iqarusbookcon.com/

4.)    I have a secret project I’m working on right now – but I will tell you it’s dark, it’s queer, it’s a little sexy, a little disturbing, and has demons in it.

5.)    I’ve already outlined the sequel to Summoned. The next book will be called Cursed, and focuses in on Dev’s best friend Cam, and wayward werewolves.

6.)    I also have a blog where I post updates on my writing, book reviews and blitzes/cover reveals from authors who I think my readers would enjoy. https://jpjacksonwrites.wordpress.com/

 

Do you have any “side stories” about the characters?

In my head? Absolutely. On my character development sheets? Yes but in point form only that helps me understand who the character is. I do have one short story (it will be in the anthology) called Dragged to Hell, about a drag queen who is possessed by a demon and can see the ghosts of the dead, and they whisper secrets to her. Her name is Azadore Necrophilia Hex, and she also appears in Blood and Sacrifice – the sequel to Magic or Die – so that short story is part of the same universe. It’s kinda of Azadore’s origin story.

 

Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in Summoned?

Sure!

 

The main character is Devid (Dev) Khandelwal. He’s a first generation born Canadian. His parents emigrated from India. Dev has two sisters (fraternal twins), and his home life is chaotic, loud, and messy. Dev’s passion is the occult and has studied it for years, but has never had a single magical thing happen. In a last ditch effort, he buys a summoning board from a local pagan store. He hopes that by invoking the magic there, he’ll finally experience the Shadow Realm.

 

Cam Habersham is Dev’s best friend. They’re like brothers, have known each other since grade school and do everything together. Cam is flippant and sarcastic, but extremely handsome and is often chasing after the guys. Dev convinces Cam to do the summoning board with him, and Cam reluctantly agrees, although his glib attitude swirls up a maelstrom of issues.

 

Toliver (Tully) Mack is a witch from the local coven who is sent to watch over Dev. Dev and Tully end up together, but face some struggles along the way.

 

Byron Radcliff is a sociology professor at the University of Alberta where Dev is almost set to graduate. Little does Dev know that his favorite professor is also the high priest of the local all-male coven, and has been watching Dev for the past four years.

 

Addas Khoury is Byron’s lover and also a member of the coven. He was bitten by a werewolf during a coven skirmish with a well-known, trouble-making werewolf pact. He’s close to shifting, but everyone knows witch magic and werewolf blood don’t mix. As soon as Addas shifts it’s a death sentence, and Byron is going to do anything in his power to save him.

 

Everton Lilch is the werewolf who infected Addas. He was captured by the coven and held hostage for months, while the coven used his blood for experiments to help fix Addas. Everton and Cam find themselves thrust together in the witch’s holding cells beneath the coven house. They form a rather unusual bond.

 

Sound like fun?



J.P. Jackson is an award-winning author of dark urban fantasy, paranormal, and even paranormal romance stories, but regardless of the genre, they always feature LGBTQ main characters.
J.P. works as an IT analyst in health care during the day, where if cornered he'd confess to casting spells to ensure clinicians actually use the electronic medical charting system he configures and implements.
At night, the writing happens, where demons, witches and shapeshifters congregate around the kitchen table and general chaos ensues. His husband of 22 years has very firmly put his foot down on any further wraith summonings and regularly lines the doorway with iron shavings and salt crystals. Imps are most definitely not house-trainable. Ghosts appear at the most inopportune times, and the Fae are known for regular visits where a glass of wine is exchanged for a good ole story or two. Although the husband doesn't know it, Canela and Jalisco, the two Chihuahuas, are in cahoots with the spell casting.
J.P.'s other hobbies include hybridizing African Violets (thanks to grandma), extensive traveling and believe it or not, knitting.






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