Book Title: Matebond Dance (D’Vaire, Book 36)
Author and Publisher: Jessamyn Kingley
Cover Artist: LJ Anderson of Mayhem Cover Creations
Release Date: April 27, 2023
Genres: MM Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Tropes: Fated mates
Themes: Enemies to lovers
Heat Rating: 3 flames
Length: 95 600 words
It is not a standalone story, but does not end on a cliffhanger.
The only thing these two mates have left in common is dance and scorn.
Blurb
Shane is a talented dancer, adores his family, and cannot imagine the world without his best friend. Fate made him a shifter, and at seventeen, Shane discovers the boy he has been crushing on for years is his mate. Sadly, Shane’s best friend is not interested in a romantic relationship—especially not with a man.
Gryphon cannot handle learning that Shane is his mate. For most of their childhood, they dreamed of sharing a stage and confided their innocent secrets. But Gryphon never thought of Shane as a potential love interest. Shane is a man, and Gryphon is not gay. Confused and terrified, Gryphon asks Shane to end their matebond forever.
Destroyed by Gryphon’s rejection and refusing to defy the goddess who put them together, Shane leaves everything behind and starts fresh thousands of miles away. Nine years later, both men are accomplished dancers and have barely spoken in years, despite the connection they hide from nearly everyone. Shane is called home to help his father, and he must confront his past—and the other half of his soul.
With time and space, Gryphon has cast aside the lies he once told himself, and he no longer pretends he is not attracted to Shane. However, Shane has zero interest in reconciliation, and there may be no salvaging their matebond. The choreography of two devoted lovers sets sparks flying, but these two mates have little left between them but spite.
Excerpt
“What’s up?” Shane asked, leaning against Gryphon’s desk and crossing his arms.
“I think you already know what I want to talk to you about.”
“Yeah, I could tell you figured it out this morning,” Shane replied. “You went white as a sheet. Big fucking birthday surprise from Fate.”
“Having a mate wasn’t something I’d thought about. Not now. I’m seventeen. How the fuck can I be a mate to anyone? I’m still in high school.”
Disappointment swept through Shane, but he’d had a year to adjust, and Gryphon was right. They were young, and mates were forever. If Gryphon needed space to spread his wings, Shane had to give it to him.
“Believe it or not, I understand. We don’t have to make any decisions about the future right now. Shit, you’ve only had a couple of hours to even think about this,” Shane said, giving in to the urge to smile. Gryphon couldn’t see it though; the hybrid refused to meet his gaze. “Fate matched us, but we get to figure out what that means to us. No rush.”
“You don’t understand,” Gryphon murmured. “I can’t do this. I’m not gay, and we’re not a good match.”
Shane’s grin fell as an icy chill swept down his spine at Gryphon’s words. It was Shane’s job as his mate to be understanding, but how could he tell Gryphon it was okay that he couldn’t deal yet with his desire for men?
An unfamiliar voice in Shane’s head wondered if he was wrong though. What if Gryphon wasn’t attracted to men? Or had buried it too deep to know it was there? Why was this so difficult? Shane was eighteen and not equipped to deal with these kinds of weighty issues, but he wanted to support Gryphon in every way he could.
“I’m not sure what to say,” Shane murmured, his heart clenching in his chest.
Gryphon finally looked up, and there was pleading in those fantastically green orbs. “It’s okay. I talked to Mall, and after that she looked some stuff up and texted me the info. You’re super smart, so I’m sure you remember learning about the demonic ability that can break matebonds. All we have to do is contact the fallen knights. There’s a law now. It’s called Niko’s Law. Named for one of the royal family, I think. Anyway, that made it legal for us to break an unsealed matebond. That way, you and I are free to find the people we’re really meant to be with.”
Pure white-hot rage consumed Shane, and he stood up straight. His arms dropped to his sides, and his fists clenched.
“You and Mallory decided that the best way to handle our gift from Fate is to break our matebond?” Shane asked carefully, stepping closer to the suddenly wary hybrid. Although Gryphon had a few inches of height and shoulder width on him and could probably beat the shit out of him, Shane desperately wanted to punch the idiot.
“Look, I know Fate is important. We’ve been taught that since we were kids, but Fate makes mistakes. The demonic ability has been used before in situations like this.”
Shane narrowed his eyes. “And what exactly is this situation, Gryphon? Your girlfriend doesn’t want to lose her ride to school, so she’s perfectly happy denouncing Fate? Maybe it’s because you’re a fucking teenager and can’t understand how life works, but let me explain it to you. Fate is the goddess responsible for showing us the other half of our soul.”
Taking a step closer to Gryphon, the words he’d held in for a year rose up to choke him. He would not stay silent any longer. He couldn’t. His heart shriveled, and pain tore through him at Gryphon’s rejection.
“I’m going to repeat that so it sinks into your thick brain,” Shane snarled. “The. Other. Half. Of. Your. Soul. This isn’t some high school bullshit relationship where you sneak into some girl’s house whenever her mom is at work so you can stick your dick in her. Yeah, I know what’s been going on. Mallory brags about it to her stupid friends in class every couple of days. Lately, though, she’s been reminding them about the car you were going to get for your birthday and how it means no more bus rides for her. Get a clue, Gryph. Mallory doesn’t want to lose the perks of having you as a boyfriend. And if you think I’m going to defy Fate and go against everything our parents taught us to please your girlfriend, you’re out of your fucking mind.”
“Damn it, Shane, this isn’t about Mallory,” Gryphon shouted as he recoiled and backed away from Shane, pleasing him in some twisted way. “I’m not gay. Why would you want to be without someone who could never be with you physically?”
“Think that all you want, but I’ve literally seen you check out my ass. If you don’t want to face what’s inside you…what Fate knows is inside you, so be it.”
“So, you’ll go with me to the fallen knights?” Gryphon ventured carefully.
Shane laughed, but it lacked any humor. It was as black as the cloud consuming his heart and soul as Gryphon begged with him to tear apart what Fate had given them. “No way in fucking hell.”
About the Author
Jessamyn Kingley has published over thirty titles and refuses to pick a favorite among them. With an extraordinary passion for her characters, she enthusiastically adds tales to her D’Vaire series and avidly re-reads them whenever her schedule allows. After decades living in the Washington, DC area, she now resides in Nevada with her husband and their three spoiled cats. When she is not writing or adding new ideas to her beloved notebooks, she is gaming with family and friends.
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