Danners

I KNEW IT! A literal hot date and a revealing one to boot. Domestic Finley is the cutest — the absolute cutest — and I can’t blame Emmett for smooching him. When his dragon purred about a portable fireplace, I wanted to smooch him. He’s so full of light and warmth and happiness here in his nest with his hoard. Emmett sharing his purely magical form with Finley is probably the most vulnerable he can be, the ultimate show of loyalty and trust. I suspect it also confirmed something between them, dragon and silverhorn. A bond. The next chapter is ready to post, right? Don’t make us wait!

Durham strikes me as the leader of a support group or what passes for a support group. “Your magic is dangerous but you don’t have to be afraid. Here’s how to live without it. (Let’s work on getting rid of it.)” Mr Stevenson wants to help his wife, who’s a believer, and their dependent son is along for the ride. That, or Mrs Stevenson is convinced Shiloh’s magic is bad and thinks she’s protecting him. If Mr Stevenson is brewing something other than coffee in the basement, I wonder if it isn’t along those lines. A curse maybe. In which case Dust and Kellan are the right men for the job. After a quick detour to Pound Town to bury all that pesky sexual tension. Okay, maybe not so quick. It’s been a long time coming . . . pun intended. Quit roping me in to your stories!

Oh Emmett. I can see the pieces slowly aligning before your eyes. Pay close attention and maybe next chapter will be more than just the physical revelation he packed a bag for. Ben’s stepfather knows how important Mo is to his son and how badly their abrupt separation is affecting him. I mean, a (good) parent knows, right? If Ben needs someone to talk to, as the Druid said, why not him? And Steven better stay in his lane; that immaculate braid is highly flammable. Pass on Mo’s message and find someone else’s boyfriend to go after. (Hey, if Ben needs a rebound . . .)

You’re supposed to sniff his butt, not kiss his nose. Silly human.

Jacques should dress like that more often! Rawr. Aside from his attire and Alex, I pray that’s all he physically takes away from this experience. Well, and his hand, of course. It seems to me the ritual’s hosts are blinded by greed and hubris, thinking they can harness Mind, Body, and Soul for some sort of perverse bacchanal. Fitting that the guests may end up being the customary sacrifices, particularly the hypocritical Cardinal. Why do I envision Jacques’ stump unlocking Alex’s posterior like a key? I’m not opposed to another hungry bottom moment but something tells me Marie isn’t talking about that. A dark chapter indeed. Looking forward to the next one!

Just remember, boys: make it look like an accident. Claire slipped in the dark and opened her mouth to scream as she fell down the stairs, and that’s how the candlestick ended up lodged in her throat. Sarah, poor dear, stood at the bottom and after being flattened, to add insult to injury, the dislodged candle caught her hair on fire.

Here’s a hot take: the wolf isn’t “Your Highness,” Ray is and our black-furred friend is his more-than-loyal protector. If nothing else — and I’m sure the lupine will agree — our amnesiac is a royal pain in the butt. Your humor was great. I snickered and groaned alongside the black wolf. Let’s hope Ray keeps his sense of humor when he wakes up in the morning, hypothermia no longer dulling his (dim) wit.

Alice will soon be the one pushing Dante too far and there’s no coming back from that once she does. I’m not surprised she’s feeling spiteful but this debasement — if it continues — will only hurt her in the long run when Dante starts to resent her or, worse, takes it to heart. If she has any desire at all to salvage their friendship — and it was friendship — then she has a choice to make. Is reminding him of how little he matters to her, she who never wanted him in the first place, really worth it in the end? Who is it helping? All the slaves feel terrible, with the exception of a certain flower who himself is terrible. Frank feels guilty. Poor Henry feels responsible for it all, which if too heavy a weight on the tween’s shoulders. The only one missing is Tom, who’s probably drafting a pop-out book on anal sex for Frank with annotations on how to pressure — er, seduce — Dante into bottoming. Oof, you got me all fired up! 😂

Still reading — and enjoying every word — but isn’t Lachlan’s threat to disinherit Kieran a hollow one? Without his son, the kingdom lacks an heir. And if Kieran isn’t saddled by his title, he has no reason to keep his bond with Rory a secret. Furthermore, he can spill all the secrets about the king’s perverse plans to use Rory and the wool he’s tried to pull over the kingdom’s eyes. Kieran has the power here. The allies. The queen. Lachlan has … Scarlet and probably Herpes if he taps that.

I’m surprised poor Emmett hasn’t realized Fin doesn’t know how to flirt. I guess the dragon hasn’t outright said this is the first time he’s felt this way about someone (because, y’know, hoard). He’ll have to coax his boyfriend out of his scaled she’ll. His frustration now that he’s decided to pursue Finley, it’s kinda cute. Emmett is used to being pursued and I love that we’ll get to see his version of … courting, I guess. I half-expected Tony to mention a dragon’s hoard but I think I remember you telling us it’s a fiercely guarded secret. It’s their greatest strength and their most fragile weakness. What I didn’t expect was Tony’s indifference. Maybe that’s the wrong word but he seemed to almost pessimistic about Emmett’s date going well. I know he’s protective and learning Finley is a dragon means more potential heartbreak, but this was more than just being preoccupied with his daughter leaving the coven. I mean, worst comes to worst, Amaya shows up at the tattoo parlor needing a place to stay and she puts a gum in the works. Best case scenario, Finley’s boss mistakes her for Tony’s new lady friend, gets jealous, and forces him to admit they’re a good couple. And Amaya, who we learn wants independence outside of the life the coven demanded of her, rebounds with one of Emmett’s friends.

No one does creeping dread like you, Jack. I can’t wait to read your take on shifters. One of my favorite things so far: Until you mentioned Ray’s boots, we didn’t know for sure that this was a person. It could’ve been an animal. You really tapped into the boy’s flight instinct. Is it me or was the black wolf also operating on pure instinct at first? Fight. Protect. Not yours. Then, after the silver wolf’s acknowledgment — you’re strong enough, he’s yours for now — the black wolf was like, “Oh right, you’re still here, boy. Hi!” And the silver and gray wolves were spirits, yes? I have a theory they were trying to claim Ray’s flesh and make him one of their own. The silver wolf seemed more of a force of nature than a physical lupine but he could’ve been a scary powerful alpha too. As expected, I’m hooked.

Of the possible antagonists of Dante’s we’ve met and Anduin — me too, actually. Anduin has the potential to make Remy incredibly happy and — most importantly — whole, which is why it’s so maddening to see him doing the opposite. He’s such a wonderful character and a perfect candidate for turning over a new leaf or completely vexing the reader.

Those little punishments, though, aren’t showing love, they’re demonstrating dominance. In Anduin’s defense, he’s simply a product of his environment and his past isn’t quite a recipe for making a well-adjusted adult. On the other hand, “You have a plug, use it” with his dry finger inside Remy is a very conscious decision. It’s like Anduin is systematically trying to break his brother down, to erase all the hard work Remy put in over the years. To victimize his little brother all over again. I know, I know. He may not be doing it on purpose but he’s still doing it. It’s part of what makes him a good antagonist.

Like @centexhairysub said, I wonder if seeing Remy participate with Anduin didn’t spark a sense of jealousy in Marc that he hadn’t previously acknowledged. An attraction he hadn’t allowed himself to face. That’s one theory and the one I’m here for, honestly. Anduin could do with some competition and Remy would benefit from a fellow slave being sweet on him, a fellow slave who doesn’t need to be told no twice. Unfortunately, I have a feeling Marc is feeling betrayed because Remy was adamant about them not having to participate and then he did so. Willingly, Marc later found out. He must see Remy as a hypocrite or, perhaps, he thinks Remy didn’t want Marc to be the one performing with Anduin. Marc could also be jealous of Remy participating after all this time — with Anduin. Up until that night, Remy has stuck to his guns about not doing this sort of thing. In comes Anduin and suddenly Remy’s acting like a different person. If I were Marc, I’d probably wonder if Remy didn’t trust me and ask myself why he kept me at arm’s length all this time. Really, I hope it’s somewhere between friendly concern for Remy’s wellbeing and Marc’s growing affection/attraction. Whatever the case, Marc’s feelings were hurt and Remy owes him an apology and/or an explanation. Remy also owes Anduin a nut punch or at least a wake-up call. “Stop treating me like I’m yours. My unsaid “no” is implied so take my first “no” as my second and accept it. Oh, and I’m topping next time. Dick.”

Anduin made his choice, I see: Claire over Remy. He knew his little brother was uncomfortable with this, didn’t want this, and that mocking smile spoke volumes about his thoughts on the matter. Not only that but he told Claire about a version of their history, basically arming her with what she needed to get under his skin. Anduin doesn’t love him, he loves the power he has over him. He’s using Remy and he’s punishing him. The sooner Remy comes to understand that, the better. It isn’t Marc’s place or even Cain’s, but hopefully one of them will point out this toxic behavior. Grr. Remy should shove the condoms down Anduin’s throat and lube up the staircase for Claire.

Well, sh*t. On the plus side, bringing Alex/Lucien and Jacques together may be the mistake the boys need to spank Les Enfants. I’d like to think this is all part of Marie’s plan: let them command Jacques to come and through him locate those responsible. Inform the rest of the Council — those not involved, that is — and storm the proverbial castle. Or, y’know, since Alex has the command codes (Lucien) and Jacques is the nuke, let the kiddies bring them together. Arm that warhead and set it off inside their playpen.

Seth, the house spirit, upon seeing Henry, licked his lips. “Ah, fresh tears.” The Prescotts dropped quite the bomb with Henry. I can understand Alice being upset and maybe feeling betrayed for having him dropped in her lap. Yet another reminder of what was taken from her and this is, what, supposed to make them square or something? Frank concerns me too. Henry’s the embodiment of why Frank is the way he is and that’s got to be tough to see every day. Whether Dante went about it the wrong way or not, he’s right: they shouldn’t blame Henry for what his uncle did. If you look at it pragmatically, Henry being there is an opportunity to make peace with what happened and let go of the pain. Maybe that’s one of the reasons Carolyn agreed to it. Regardless, I’m glad that boy has a big brother like Dante looking out for him. If anyone will take that responsibility seriously, it’s him. And yeah, maybe keep Henry away from Tom …

Well, f*ck you, Marcus. First you break Alex’s spirit and then you delight in the naïveté that should have made you want to protect him. Instead you sold him out. You better pray Solomon survives and that you’re long gone by the time he does. Better start running because Jacques will never forgive you for this. And Alex, the only one with a big enough heart to maybe understand — well, you probably destroyed him. My heart breaks for Alex. Every time his self-esteem begins to recover from the last low blow, Marcus manages to shatter it again. Even worse, he “helped” start to build Alex back up first! I’m kind of glad Alex will have more pressing matters when he wakes up so he doesn’t have to contend with this right away. You’re a meany, @Jack Poignet! Hehe.

If I didn’t know better, I’d say Frank was trying to pair up Alice and Matthew of the Pierced Pecker so she wouldn’t need to take Dante to bed any time soon. Someone is jealous. He knows what he’s doing. I sorta hope Tom didn’t explain the purpose of (I’m assuming) the wooden toy Frank found because it’ll only come back to bite Dante in the (rear) end. Then again, maybe Dante wouldn’t mind a little plug-and-play with Frank, who’s less likely to abuse him like Tom did. It seems like Henry’s placement wasn’t something Carolyn could readily refuse. My instinct tells me that’s what the argument was about, and Alice being his master was a compromise to avoid Britney breaking the boy. Maybe he’s here for his own protection. Carolyn really must be worried if she let Dante know about their guns. Is it wrong to think it’s also testament to hee growing acceptance of her daughter’s slave?

Since this was a somewhat somber chapter, I feel the need to lighten the mood: 🎵 Matthew has a Prince Albert! Matthew has a Prince Albert! (It’s a rumor and I’m starting it.) 🎵 On a more serious note, we all have our rituals and for different reasons — mostly, though, to comfort ourselves somehow. With the chapter beginning on what is essentially All Saints’ Day, the house and the family’s reverence was easy to see.

Road trip! This one’s gonna keep me up at night, I can already tell. The interplay between the boys will stick with me like the ghost of Nate’s member deep inside his son’s guts. Nate planned for this, maybe from the first time he met Ryan. While Caleb has the means to find him, he’d shut down without someone’s firm hand guiding him forward — by force if necessary. And even though Ryan has the drive and knowledge from his delinquency, he needs someone like Caleb to keep him from flying off the handle. Plus, together, maybe they’ll be alright without him. They’ll bond in the way they should have from the start, with Ryan’s strength being rewarded with Caleb’s undying loyalty. Oooooh, so good!

Oh ho ho! Lessons within lessons seem to be Marie’s bread and butter and Jacques is slowly catching on. I can’t say I would’ve reacted any differently, hindsight being 20/20 and all. Our boy at least took her words to heart. I love the quarterback analogy, how it mirrors both his emotions and, I suspect, his magic.. As the one who guides the play, Jacques does indeed take a step back, view all the moving parts, and finally makes it happen. When he broke down lighting the candle into physical components , ignition, then fire, it was sort of with a quarterback’s mindset. If Marie is correct about his clairvoyance, then Jacques is essentially enacting plays in real life. He sees the field, the players on it, and steers them toward the desired result, even if his goal is subconscious. In this case, he couldn’t let go of Alex’s hurt and wanting to make Marcus eat his words, and so Jacques’ vision became one of an awkward car ride with Marcus’s humor falling flat, Alex suffering in silence, and Solomon (maybe) stewing. The shadow may be danger coming for the shoppers or the festering ill will Marcus caused given form in Jacques’ mind. I’m hoping for the latter but bracing for the former ‘cause we know how interested the city’s supernaturals are in Alex. Personally, I hope Jacques’ next vision is of a wedgie Marcus can’t pull out no matter how much he digs. Tee hee hee. On a positive note, Jacques sensing Alex from afar is fantastic news! Confirmation their connection is strong and ongoing. Do you suppose part of Alex’s discomfort is because he can feel his lover beating himself up about him?

This story is already sultry and all they’ve done is have beer and burgers. They’re definitely an intellectual match, with similar interests and razor sharp wits. I can’t wait to see where this goes …

“Aahahaa! Bet he wasn‘t too tight earlier…” “Good luck surviving that, Jacques. We’ll bring you back a souvenir—maybe a big plug for Alex here. Don‘t need any more hands sneaking in, right?” Jacques is a better man than I am. Marcus would have a fat lip and/or a black eye if he said those things to my lover. Alex’s self-esteem was already in the toilet and he was just beginning to accept the changes to his body. (Okay, to be fair, I’m only theoretically violent. I’d more likely use my words and make him swallow his own tongue, but you get the picture.) Since Solomon is accompanying them to the mall, perhaps he can suggest the appropriate muzzle or ball-gag for Marcus to wear from now on. The Mind-Body-Soul revelation makes perfect sense for the lovers. Their instant connection and how they balance one another. I can’t wait for them to explore this as their relationship grows.

He wants to have his cake and eat it too. Hehe. If you ask me, Nate wants Caleb to be strong enough to survive/stand on his own two feet if and when he’s gone. I think he also wants to mold Ryan into a man who will stand with his (biological) son instead of against him and maybe take some of the weight off both boys’ shoulders. But until that happens, it’s …