A Slow Burn Meet Cute!
Baker. Wizard. God of Space and Time. Cupcake enthusiast. How long will it take to fan the flames and enrage this gentle phoenix? Start counting.
What's a wounded and lonely little cinnamon roll to do? Stripped of his psychic powers, Calico Winghorse flees his homeworld and travels to 19th century Earth via his inter-dimensional portal. As a mixed-blood phoenix trapped in human form, he opens a bakery in the San Francisco Bay Area and quietly nurses his wounds. But the unique method of his arrival draws the unwanted attention of Infinity Corporation.
Representing this angelic-run company is Agustin Chavez de la Cruz, the Demon Lord of California. Even though Agustin is IC's heir, he finds himself demoted from his duties to concentrate on his new assignment: take absolute control of Calico's portal.
But Calico refuses to sell at any price. He is also very busy ensuring that the good people of the city are getting their fill of baked goods.
Before Agustin can formulate a more gracious avenue of acquiring the gateway, the demanding head of IC interferes, further complicating matters. So as negotiations stumble along, Calico and Agustin come to realize they both want more than a stuffy business arrangement.
However, due to Calico's injuries, the portal remains vulnerable to the darker forces that want it at any cost. Agustin will have to push both his angelic heritage, as well as his own psychic powers to the very limits to heal this sweet baker, who is also the portal world's God of Space and Time.
The Demon Lord of California is the first book of an LGBTQ+ paranormal-fantasy series. You won't want to miss a first love found, hidden worlds, and a recovering workaholic grasping at his second chance. All centered around the control of an otherworldly portal. So curl up with your favorite beverage, and hang out with Cal and Gus for a while. You'll be happy you did!
Warnings: Mature readers. Robbery and assault. Mentioned sexual harassment/assault. Mental abuse from a parent. Fire, burning, burning alive. Possibly implied prostitution, and suicide (by fire).
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Exclusive Excerpt
The Demon Lord of California by Bennu Bright
Calico slid the cupcake tin into one of the six wood-burning Acme Regal Steel Ranges that lined the wall. He immediately closed the heavy, cast iron door. The wave of warmth caressing his face ended much too soon. The part of him that was phoenix was disappointed he could not leave it open to bask in the fading embers. But he would not sacrifice the delicious treats for a few moments of comfort, nor waste the last vestiges of the fuel.
Being primarily of phoenix heritage, he could easily bake his treats with a thought or a motion of his hand. Or light the ovens every morning like that.
Or, he used to.
Before the death god’s curse upon Great-Grandfather Rupart traveled its way onto him. Infecting and corrupting more than just his psychic powers. It had shut down and damaged parts of his mind. Trapping him within this humanesque form. Calico bit his lip. He was at fault that this grief had ever happened.
He shook the memories out of his head.
Meditation and effort had allowed him to achieve a precarious acceptance at the loss of those powers. But his heart remained heavy with grief, and often frustration.
On a brighter note, Calico found he enjoyed using matches to bring forth a flame. It was far more satisfying to create in this slow, primal fashion. The expected, but always renewed surprise of the match strike’s result. The anticipation of greeting and studying a brand new spark each day. To train himself in patience. To honor the element itself. To sit in the cozy company of a flame that was not his own.
His breath staggered. A flame that was not his own.
Calico stared at the bright, flickering light through the stove slats. He folded his arms, thin fingers cradling his elbows. It was not just melancholy stemming from the near-fatal psychic wounds caused by his great-grandfather.
With a heavy heart, he pondered this need for something more.
The solitude had pressed down upon him since their departure from England. He’d silently suffered through his combined ills until this last week, where he finally felt that his business was stable enough to indulge. To assuage the loss of his psychic powers, and his anxiety-ridden isolation. With treats. Every day after closing.
Because he was lonely.
That gentleman patron from the theater popped up in his longing thoughts. The one with the bi-colored eyes that reminded him of Aunt Ysannee. The surprise of encountering the unusual eye trait triggered a bout of homesickness so severe, he had fled. He did not want to make a blubbering fool out of himself, and in front of his best customers! Especially with his guttural voice.
That elegant being had been a barely banked personification of elemental fire. Calico caught himself murmuring in excitement at the memory. He could almost taste that smoke wafting. Scent it. Taste—no, he had tasted that smokey salty essence. But he was unsure of how or when. He wanted to wrap that bold and crackling element around himself and sob and try to feel whole again. But it was impossible as he was.
Hi! I'm Bennu Bright. Fantasy and paranormal tales have always felt like home. And I’ve always adored getting into the gritty details of a character’s goals and relationships. With my newfound zest for the craft of writing, my work has joined the ranks of romance and the romantic.
Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, I spend my days nose to the keyboard, or attempting to revive an ancient passion for drawing.
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