Tag Archives: Mychael Black

Essence Teaser Tuesday

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(Splintered Bloodlines 3)

LGBTQ / M/M / Fantasy

Date Published: November 28, 2025

 

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Bobby’s always had a thing for silver foxes. Still has. Just never
expected to find the ultimate one is his fated mate.

Bobby Kirkland leads a simple life — mostly simple, considering his budding
romance with the esteemed Deacon Saridan, head vamp of House Saridan.

Amid the romance and Bobby’s exploration of the BDSM lifestyle with his new
mate, a string of murders leads Deacon to believe that a familiar, though
certainly not kind, face has shown itself in the lands of House
Saridan… and this threat proves to be an even bigger challenge than
first thought.

WARNING: Adult language and situations, including BDSM

 

Excerpt

 

All rights reserved.

 

Copyright ©2025 Mychael Black

 

Deacon

“How’s he doing? Fitting in okay?”

The dock foreman, Toryn, leaned against the frame of the plate-glass window we
stood at as we watched the workers in the shipping area below. “Seems to
be. He gets along with the guys pretty well.”

I glanced at him, one eyebrow raised. “But…”

He sighed. “He struggles to stay on task sometimes, and he tends to
daydream a good bit. Not a bad thing inherently, but not great when working
around forklifts and eighteen-wheelers.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. The young man who’d captured my
attention weeks ago was indeed a bit flighty at times. According to Cam, Bobby
Kirkland had always been that way, and a diagnosis of ADHD as a pre-teen had
answered a lot of questions. He needed structure and routine, in my opinion.
I’d hoped working here would give him that, but he still seemed to have
trouble staying focused on occasion.

The bell signaling the end of the workday rang out in the warehouse. I spotted
Bobby going toward the door that led into the large breakroom where the
lockers were. Beside me, Toryn snickered softly.

“I’m surprised you haven’t claimed him yet.”

I turned away from the window. “Soon.”

I followed him out of my office and downstairs. Most of the workers were
already heading home, but a few — including Bobby — remained in the
breakroom. Toryn patted my shoulder and went to his own locker. The others
glanced over at me, and a couple of them shot Bobby teasing smirks. Even from
the doorway, I saw him blush. There wasn’t any hint of jealousy with
this group, thankfully. When Bobby met my gaze, I discreetly gestured for him
to join me upstairs. He nodded, and I headed back up. Once I claimed him,
we’d be able to speak telepathically and not worry about coworker
issues. Then again, he also wouldn’t be working either, but that was a
discussion for another day.

A few minutes after I sat down on the small couch in my office, the door
opened. Bobby smiled, though there was a good bit of nervousness behind it. He
shut the door and sat a couple of feet beside me at my urging. I twisted a
little to face him and got comfortable.

“How was work?”

“Good,” he said, fidgeting a bit with his hands, like he
didn’t know what to do with them. One leg bounced a little.

“Have you had any problems with your coworkers?”

Bobby didn’t answer right away, which told me everything I needed to
know. I reached over and put my hand on his knee, stilling the movement almost
immediately. His eyes widened for a moment, making him seem far younger than
thirty-one. Of course, at my age, he was young.

“What is it? You can tell me anything, Bobby.”

He swallowed and tore his gaze from mine. I waited while he thought about
whatever he wanted to say. Finally, he spoke. “Just a couple of guys who
seem to think I’m an idiot.” He looked back up at me.
“I’m not. I just get… distracted sometimes, hyper focused
at others.”

“No, you’re definitely not an idiot. You wouldn’t be working
here if so,” I said. “Have they done or said anything directly to
you?”

“No, but I’ve caught a few whispers here and there,” he
replied. “Not to mention the weird glances.” He shrugged and
sighed. “I feel like I’m back in fucking high school, to be
honest. It’s ridiculous.”

I chuckled softly and gave his knee a gentle squeeze. “I have a
potential solution then, but I think we need to have a good, long talk before
we go any further.”

Bobby nodded and stared down at my hand. “I honestly started to worry
that this was a one-sided thing,” he muttered.

Unable to resist, I lifted my hand to cup his chin, tilting his head until I
was looking into those soulful brown eyes. I stroked my thumb across his lower
lip, and he let out a soft gasp. “I assure you, this is very much
mutual. That said, there are details we must go over first.”

“Those details have anything to do with your necklace?”

I smiled and lifted the thin chain from under my shirt. Light reflected off
the tiny handcuff pendant accented with garnets. “Indeed. How about we
have dinner, and we can chat?”

“Sounds good to me. I need to let Dad and Cam know where I’ll be.
I don’t have to, but it’s an old habit.”

“Absolutely, and a good one to have. Do you have any food preferences or
sensitivities I need to know about?”

“I’m lactose intolerant, but that’s it.”

“Understood. Let Beau and Cam know what’s going on and then meet
me in my chambers upstairs. Normally, I’d take you out, but the things
we need to discuss are not for anyone else’s ears.”

His gaze shifted a bit, and I couldn’t ignore the urge any longer.
Fingers gripping his chin, I tipped his head and leaned close. Bobby’s
soft moan the moment our lips touched sent almost overwhelming need rushing
through me. His scent — a decadent mix of soap, shampoo, and something woodsy
yet sweet — filled every part of my psyche. The urge to bite flitted through
my mind, but I shoved it away for now. I knew he was mine; I didn’t need
to taste his blood to confirm it.

Bobby opened for me, pliant, eager, and so insanely delicious. I released his
chin and cupped the back of his head, pushing the kiss into hungrier territory
for both of us. Before I could lose control and take him right here, though, I
made myself pull back. He grumbled, and I nipped his lower lip before soothing
it with my tongue.

“Dinner,” I murmured. “I need to taste every inch of you but
not before we talk.”

 

About the Author

Mychael Black has been writing professionally since 2005. He writes gay
romance and erotica, but also het romance as Carys Seraphine and queer fantasy
as Katherine Cook.

He’s an avid PC gamer with a love for RPGs, a horror fanatic, and a fantasy
nut. He also has a weakness for anything relating to skulls, dogs, and
Spongebob Squarepants.

Mychael lives on the Eastern Shore of the US with his family. He loves to hear
from readers, be it via email or Facebook.

 
 

 

Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok: @changelingpress

 

Save 15% off any order at ChangelingPress.com with code RABT15

Pre-Order Today

 

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Spellbound Blitz

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LGBTQ Romance, Vampires

Date Published: October 3, 2025

Publisher: Changeling Press

 

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A ritual decades ago leads Beau to the one person he never expected to
meet: his fated mate.

 

Detective Beau Kirkland has to work directly with the local vampire house to
find a murderer, but that’s the easy part. The difficult part? His attraction
to Garrett Dawson’s, one of House Saridan’s top hunters.

Garrett Dawson’s methods are brutal but very effective, even for a vampire.
When a mortal detective begins working with House Saridan, Garrett finds
himself unable to ignore the attraction between them.

Spellbound tablet

 

EXCERPT

Garrett

There were few things I truly loved in this world, and one was currently in my
hand as I took the elevator up to the fifteenth floor of Saridan Tower. No one
else shared my addiction to the most amazingly sweet coffee concoction
currently sending copious amounts of caffeine through my system. I stepped off
the elevator on the top floor and headed down the hall to the usual conference
room. I didn’t get any farther than the doorway, though. I simply froze, body
alternating between hot and cold.

Normally, these meetings were just the three of us lead Venari and Deacon.

Not today, apparently.

Beau Kirkland looked up at me, eyes wide for a moment. No one said a word —
not even Deacon. Somehow, I got my feet to move and sat opposite the omega
cop. It took more effort than I really had this morning to focus on work and
not the stupidly hot human across from me.

I didn’t go for twinks like the others. I liked my men older, more
experienced. Beau fit that requirement with ease. His short brown hair bore a
little bit of gray here and there, and his dark chocolate-colored eyes studied
me whenever I glanced at his face. He was a few inches shorter than my own
six-three, and unlike most omegas, he was a bit muscular due to his job.
Dressed in his dark navy uniform, he presented the most fucking delectable
package on the planet. I cursed silently and tore my gaze from his when all
blood began rushing south.

Deacon cleared his throat and looked at each of us. “I’m sure you all know one
another, but for protocol’s sake, I’d like to introduce Officer Beau Kirkland.
He’s our liaison within the police department. He’s also the one handling this
latest case on their end. Officer Kirkland, these are my head Venari: Nikolai
Hart, Victor Pace, and Garrett Dawson.”

Beau nodded. “Good morning, gentlemen.”

We exchanged the usual pleasantries before Deacon continued. “I’m stepping
back for now,” he said, glancing at me briefly, “but I’m here if needed. To
that end, the table’s yours, Officer Kirkland.”

“Thank you,” Beau said. He handed each of us several folders. “Eight victims
so far, all completely drained. Eyewitnesses have seen the perp in passing,
but no one can agree on a description.”

“Could be a Lupyn,” Vic said as he flipped through the contents of one of the
folders.

“That was my assumption, but you all know far better than we do if that’s the
case.”

I went through the first folder in front of me. Crime scene photos, pics of
the victims post-mortem, notes, and statements. I scanned over everything and
couldn’t disagree with the shapeshifter idea. It would make sense.

“What do you need from us?” Nik asked Beau. “We’re more than happy to work
with you and your folks.”

I’m not sure I would’ve gone that far, but we did need to get this monster off
the streets. I might not have been particularly nuts about humans, but that
didn’t mean I wished them dead. My methods were saved for my own kind.

Beau passed out papers to us. “These are the last few places he was sighted.
He’s a vampire, so we humans are outgunned here. We can help corner him, but
capture is a different story altogether.”

Nik nodded. “Agreed. Well, we’re here and ready to go hunting.”

I didn’t miss the slight grimace on Beau’s face before he managed to school it
into something more neutral. Apparently, neither did Deacon, but the man just
remained silent.

“Thank you,” Beau said. “Please keep me updated on everything. In the
meantime, I’ll be at the station downtown, trying to narrow our possible
location leads.”

“Thank you for coming to us,” Deacon said. “I guarantee we will be in touch.
These guys are my best hunters, and I have no doubt they’ll find this son of a
bitch.”

Despite the situation, Beau smiled. “Thank you very much.”

The others left the room, though Beau shot me a cryptic look before stepping
out the door. I stayed seated, knowing Deacon had something to say. Sure
enough, as soon as we were alone, he leaned back in his chair, arms crossed.

“Is this going to be an issue?”

I could’ve played dumb, but he already knew everything. There wasn’t any
point. “No. I’m fully capable of working with him.”

Deacon raised one eyebrow. “Really? Because pheromones say otherwise.”

I managed to avoid scowling at him. Lupyns were more sensitive to things like
that than Venari. “Unlike Nik, I’m perfectly capable of keeping my dick in my
pants, Deacon.”

He didn’t say anything for a few seconds. He was far older than us, and being
under his scrutiny made even me feel like a scolded kid sometimes. “Don’t let
it get the best of you, Garrett. His job involves danger, and you can’t
protect him from that unless you’re mated and bonded completely.”

“Who said I was –” I snapped my mouth shut at his glare.

“I’m old, not an idiot.” Deacon leaned forward and put his arms on the table.
“Either fight this until the perp is in custody or fucking claim Beau. I can’t
have you out there distracted. Understood?”

“Yes,” I replied, biting back a growl.

“Good. Dismissed.”

I stood abruptly, grabbed the folders and paper, and left the conference room.
I made it halfway down the hall before Nik and Vic both cornered me. Fuck.

“That didn’t go well, did it?” Vic asked.

“No,” I snarled.

I continued walking, and they followed me to the elevator. I stabbed the DOWN
button and had to unclench my fist before I gave into the urge to hit
something. In the door’s reflection, I saw Nik and Vic exchange cautious
glances.

We all stepped into the elevator and took it to the lobby. Without another
word said, it was a given where we’d wind up. Colby’s was the city’s best
diner with the most amazing coffee blends. Maybe the combination of carbs,
sugar, and caffeine would calm me down because just the thought of claiming
Beau sure as fuck wasn’t doing it.

Quite the opposite, actually.

I was hard as a fucking rock.

 

 

About the Author

Mychael Black has been writing professionally since 2005. He writes gay
romance and erotica, but also het romance as Carys Seraphine and queer fantasy
as Katherine Cook.

He’s an avid PC gamer with a love for RPGs, a horror fanatic, and a fantasy
nut. He also has a weakness for anything relating to skulls, dogs, and
Spongebob Squarepants.

Mychael lives on the Eastern Shore of the US with his family. He loves to hear
from readers, be it via email or Facebook.

 

 

 

Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok: @changelingpress

 

Save 15% off any order at ChangelingPress.com with code RABT15

Pre-Order Today

 

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Burn Teaser Tuesday

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Gay Dark Fantasy, MPreg, Vampire Romance

Date Published: July 11, 2025

 

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Humans and vamps were never meant to be mates, but an accidental meeting
changes everything.

Cam Sharpe is just trying to make ends meet. Living in the city can easily
break the bank, but that’s where the jobs are. It’s also where
crime runs rampant. One night, he finds himself in the wrong place at the
wrong time, putting him in the crosshairs of the city’s ruling vampire
coven.

Nikolai Hart loves his job — maybe a little too much. When hunting a rogue
proves to be a pain in the ass, he’s the one House Saridan brings in to
find the unfortunate soul. The latest job, however, has hit a snag: a mortal
has witnessed everything.

 

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EXCERPT

 

Cameron

I hated living in the city. There were too many people, most of whom
couldn’t drive worth a damn. I barely managed to dodge a car that
threatened to sideswipe me. I thought the asshole driver shouted something,
but I just tossed the man a one-fingered salute. Rain pelted the city, which
made deliveries a bit more complicated, especially on a bicycle. Still, the
bike afforded me the chance to make it into tight spots a car could not.
Traffic was a bitch, but that was city life. I’d been here for three
years now and had managed to escape the need for a car. The exercise was good,
at any rate.

I reached the towering apartment building and secured my bike to a lamppost.
The expressionless doorman stood at the front. Dressed in a black tux,
complete with white gloves, he fit right in with the building’s
occupants.

Once inside, I flashed my badge hanging on its lanyard to the guard behind the
desk and continued toward the elevators. A few well-dressed residents gave me
a bit of the good ol’ side-eye, but I ignored them. Hell, I’d
probably delivered dinner to them half a million times.

The elevator doors opened, and I held it for the others. When they
didn’t move to enter, I shrugged and stepped inside, letting the doors
close before they could change their haughty minds. I watched the display tick
through the floor numbers until it reached the seventh floor. As soon as I
exited, I heard music.

Down the hall, an apartment door opened, and a half-naked man waved. I met him
and handed over the food.

“Wanna join?”

I laughed and shook my head. “Thanks, man, but I can’t. Still a
few more hours before I can officially ‘clock out’ for the
night.”

“You clock out?”

“Not really. I set my own hours, but this pays the bills, so, yeah, set
times and all.”

“Ah.”

Shouts from inside cut the chat short. “Well, thanks!” the guy
said, holding up the bag.

“No problem.”

Alone in the hall, I went back to the elevators. Thank the gods the tips were
included in the app when ordering.

Back down on the street, I sighed. I wished I could stop for the night. I was
tired, utterly sick of the damn rain, and hadn’t eaten in several hours.
The sun had already set enough to make the streetlights come on along the
sidewalks. I rolled the bike a few feet away from the lingering crowd and
headed off to my next pick-up.

People swarmed the streets, most of them club hoppers. I’d done that
years ago but had outgrown it. Random hook-ups in dark corners no longer
satisfied me, but in a city this big, I wasn’t sure I’d ever find
anyone who would. Most of the people I’d met so far were superficial and
vain, perfectly content to spend a night getting laid by one person before
moving on to the next.

An order came in, and the GPS piped up to let me know there was a shortcut to
the restaurant. Happy to avoid the crowd, I turned down the alley the GPS
designated. I ignored the few slumped figures along both sides. I’d
learned the hard way a couple of years ago after a mugging not to carry cash.
Now I only carried my ID, keys, phone, and a trusty can of mace.

The end of the alley branched left and right. The GPS told me to go left. Just
as I started that way, commotion to the right startled me.

A tall, black-clad figure landed feet-first onto the wet pavement and grabbed
a man from the ground. The man choked and struggled as the stranger spoke,
voice low enough that I couldn’t hear what was said. Whatever it was,
though, seemed to terrify the man he held captive.

The stranger growled — literally growled — and tore the man’s throat
wide open with his fucking teeth.

I nearly wrecked the bike trying to get away. I pedaled as fast as my legs
could, and the burn was almost too much. I reached the Chinese restaurant and
stuck as close to the building as possible. After a few seconds of struggling
to catch my breath, I locked my bike to a lamppost before heading inside.

I had zero doubt that I’d just seen a vampire executing someone. Vamps
weren’t unknown, but they tended to keep to themselves. They also
weren’t anything like what stories and movies portrayed them to be. Real
vampires weren’t undead; they were an entirely different species.
Stronger, faster, and far more deadly than any human could ever dream of
being.

Safe in the restaurant, I shot a quick glance back out the door. Whatever
I’d just witnessed wasn’t my business. Not like cops would do shit
anyway. Vamps governed themselves, and the police were scared shitless of
them.

Pushing it out of my mind for now, I shuddered and headed to the counter. Ten
minutes later, I was on my way to the drop-off point. Despite needing the
money, I ended my shift after handing over the food. Just before I left the
area, though, I caught sight of the stranger from the alley. Those eyes locked
onto mine.

Hopping onto the bike, I made a beeline for my tiny efficiency apartment. It
wasn’t much, but it had a wonderfully huge deadbolt on the door.

I leaned back against the door as soon as I locked it. Eyes closed, I tried to
get rid of the images from the alley. It wasn’t the first crime
I’d seen in this damned city, but it was definitely the first time a
vampire had been involved. At least that I knew of, at any rate.

“Get a grip, Cam,” I muttered. “Not the first, won’t
be the last.”

I pushed off the door and tossed my keys onto the narrow bar separating the
kitchenette from the living area. I couldn’t even call it an actual
room, really. The only true room was the bathroom, and even that was about the
size of a small walk-in closet. Overall, the place wasn’t much, but it
was home and, to be honest, all I could afford.

Before I could contemplate dinner or a shower, my grumbling stomach made up
its own mind. A quick glance in the fridge, and then the freezer, reminded me
that I needed to hit the store down the block sooner rather than later. I
didn’t cook, despite knowing how to, since it was just me here. Most of
my meals tended to be sandwiches or frozen dinners, or, if money allowed,
something quick while I was working. Tonight, though, peanut butter and jelly
would have to do.

A few minutes later, I settled onto the futon that doubled as my bed and
watched the news on my only splurge: a smart TV. I nibbled on my meager dinner
as one report after another went on. I popped the last bite into my mouth,
only to nearly choke on it.

The same dark-clad figure I’d seen in the alley was positioned behind
one of the head vamps in the city during a news conference that, according to
the info at the bottom of the screen, occurred earlier today. The muscle-bound
watchdog stood ready to spring to action at the slightest hint of trouble.

Pitch black hair hung over broad shoulders, and the man’s
five-o’clock shadow covered a stern, tight jawline. Eyes that looked
almost as black as his hair seemed to scan the entire room. Though he kept his
hands behind him, I could imagine those strong arms tensing. And he was tall.
Jesus, he was fucking tall. Even more than the vampire in front of him. A
morbid desire to stare up into those insanely dark eyes swept through me.

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “Bad thoughts. Bad thoughts.
Vamps are fucking trouble.”

I changed the channel and found a nature documentary instead. Maybe watching
meerkats would cleanse my brain of insane ideas like wanting to unwrap all
those muscles.

Gods, I was nuts.

 

About the Author

Mychael Black has been writing professionally since 2005. He writes gay
romance and erotica, but also het romance as Carys Seraphine and queer fantasy
as Katherine Cook.

He’s an avid PC gamer with a love for RPGs, a horror fanatic, and a fantasy
nut. He also has a weakness for anything relating to skulls, dogs, and
Spongebob Squarepants.

Mychael lives on the Eastern Shore of the US with his family. He loves to hear
from readers, be it via email or Facebook.

 

Author on Facebook

 

 

Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok: @changelingpress

 

RABT Book Tours & PR

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