Beyond the Darkness (Refuge Inc. #3)
by Leslie Lee
Sanders
Gay
Erotic Sci-Fi Romantic Suspense
Categories: Action/Adventure,
Post-Apocalyptic/Dystopian
Publisher:
Self/Indie
Heat
Level: Sizzling
Word
Count: 40,000
Available at:
Description:
Phoenix—a
dark, vast ruin, speckled with sporadic rays of light pushing its way through
the dark, dense clouds. Adam and Elliot wander the collapsed city for days
before taking shelter at the nearly-standing Arrowhead hospital. Their days are
filled with hopes of rescue and a deep need for emotional and mental closeness,
until a harsh reality take over their thoughts—their food and supplies are
dwindling, and they are in desperate need of assistance and reprieve.
They're
forced to return to the devastation they narrowly escaped … the hellish
compound, also known as Refuge Inc.
This
time, armed with a handgun containing four bullets and a dangerous plan, they
make their way across the devastated city and back to the compound. Adam's
determined to do whatever he must to survive, even allowing grief-stricken
Elliot to take the lead and make some of the most life-changing decisions they
would ever have to make.
Will
they win their final fight for survival?
Warning: This title is intended for readers
over the age of 18 as it contains explicit sex scenes and/or situations and
adult language, and may be considered offensive to some readers.
Excerpt:
Elliot whimpered, breaking the silence. Adam glanced
over. Elliot’s bare shoulder seemed to tremble in the barely-there moonlight.
Adam gently pulled the sheet up and over Elliot’s arm. Still, Elliot trembled
and groaned, “No, no, no.”
Was he dreaming? A nightmare?
Adam rolled over, pressing his chest to Elliot’s back. He
placed a comforting hand on Elliot’s shoulder and he shrugged and jumped as if
startled. He turned to look into Adam’s eyes. “What? What happened?”
Adam shook his head. “Were you dreaming? You sounded …
scared.”
Elliot turned away, keeping his back to Adam. “I might’ve
been dreaming but I’m not scared.”
“It’s okay if you’re…”
“I’m not scared,” Elliot repeated, talking away from him.
“I’m a big boy, Adam.”
He knew Elliot couldn’t see him, but he nodded anyway. He
rubbed Elliot’s shoulder to remind Elliot that he was there if needed. He
gingerly glided his fingertips along the curve of Elliot’s shoulder and toward
the dip of his neck. They traveled along the slope of Elliot’s long neck and up
behind his ear, softly grazing the skin, then back down again.
Adam panted. He tried to control his breathing and his
racing heartbeat but couldn’t. Elliot was bliss on his fingertips, and Adam’s
body was involuntarily reacting. Heat radiated from Elliot’s skin and lingered
on his palm as he caressed Elliot’s arm. Did his touch tell Elliot all he
wished to say but couldn’t verbalize?
Without warning, Elliot quickly rolled to face Adam and
grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulling Adam against him and crushing their
lips together. He closed his eyes and savored the sweet taste of Elliot’s
tongue as the wet muscle slithered between his lips.
“I can’t stand not touching you,” Elliot whispered in the
kiss. With one hand, he caressed Adam’s waist, his abdominal muscles, and then
glided his palm over Adam’s erection which strained against his pants. “I dream
about it. Touching you.” Elliot’s breath caught when Adam’s did as Elliot’s
palm slid over his hardened length. “I remember it.” Elliot gently nipped
Adam’s bottom lip with his teeth, taking the lead. “I can’t forget it. I don’t
want to forget.” Adam sighed and willfully surrendered control.
Out of nowhere, commotion in the distance startled them.
Adam broke their kiss and sat straight up, his gaze fixed on nothing in
particular beyond the broken window. “Hear that?”
“Yeah, I heard it,” Elliot whispered. “What do you think
it is?”
“Don’t know.” Adam crawled off of their temporary
mattress and to his satchel to retrieve the handgun. “Listen.”
A few seconds went by when commotion cut through the
silence again, reminding Adam of rummaging. Was it coming from the nearby structures?
The author of several books of
fiction and fiction with spice, I reside in Queen Creek, Arizona, with my
husband, three daughters, and a wild beast I call my imagination.
I’m known for writing erotic
romance, mostly in the gay and ménage categories, and recently plunged into
writing deep, dark romantic sci-fi with my post-apocalyptic and dystopian
series, Refuge Inc.
