A Thursday teaser from the new book coming June 5
By A.J. Llewellyn
CHAPTER 1
The first siren woke me. The blast of noise was so shocking I was disoriented for a moment. Then I remembered where I was. I was in Honolulu, in a beautiful mountaintop home, staying with my son, Lopaka, and his husband Kimo. I must have dreamed it.
I felt the sun on my face. I’d stumbled into bed very late in the night, forgetting to close the blinds. My thoughts flew to Track. I wished he would be here. Even for a moment. Just one brief kiss.
Then … “Paden.”
I stirred, not believing for a moment he was really there.
“Paden.”
“Track?”
My tongue felt thick and furry. Man, it tasted bad. I was hallucinating. Track wasn’t here. He hadn’t materialized for weeks. It was the heat, that was all. Barely touching eight o’clock in the morning, and the day was already hot. So damned hot.
And then I heard my family’s voices outside the bedroom door.
They shouted, “Tsunami!”
My eyes opened as the siren wailed again.
The children were frightened, I could tell.
Heart racing, I swung my legs over the bed.
“Paden.”
I wanted to turn around…I wanted to see him. No, I needed to see him, but Track was never there. For long weeks, he’d made me wait. Not that he’d promised to be here at any specific time, but I didn’t think I could go on this way. In limbo.
“Turn around. Please.”
“I’m afraid.” Man, I have got to stop drinking.
“No, you are very brave.”
No, I was not. I was the cowardly lion. I was hung over. The last few nights I’d spent drinking, hoping he would come. I’d wondered…no, I’d feared I was no longer open to him, that we’d lost the connection. Maybe if I loosened up, he would come.
He was the only one who had this effect on me, apart from my children and grandchildren. In spirit, Track had guided me through a terrible trial by fire. In body, we became lovers. He was so beautiful, that when Track told me that loving him came with a price, I forgot to ask how much. I just knew I wanted him. Track became my lover one hot summer night long after the trial, long after my children and grandchildren were safe.
I had been blessed, some may say cursed, by the gift of immortality, but love was something I could not live without. The first time, he came to me in repose. He didn’t always come to me in sleep. Sometimes, after that first night, he came during the day. My beloved Track could assume many forms, and I loved him in all his guises. But once, just once, I wished he would just be a man.
“Turn around.”
I felt him then. A part of me was thrilled he was here. Another part was furious that he would choose to arrive as Honolulu prepared for a tsunami.
Track came and stood in front of me.
“Don’t. Don’t be upset. I’m here. I am always close.”
I looked up at his beautiful face. He was stunning. He had a magnificent Asian face, with large dark eyes that always seemed to be smiling. His long, black hair gleamed in the morning light.
The heat grew intense. I turned and looked out the window at the bright, blue sky, the hint of menace in storm clouds gathering.
When I turned around again, Track had completely materialized in my favorite form. Hot, naked, horny guy.
“You are so beautiful,” he said.
“So are you.”
I pressed my face to his belly as my son Lopaka, who is my spitting image, battered at my door.
“Dad, Dad!”
The tsunami sirens increased, their incessant wailing piercing all the senses. My frantic grandchildren called out, “Papa!” but I was too far gone.
Track had come back.
Track: Children of the Rainbow, Book One
Children of the Rainbow is a spin-off from Phantom Lover, in which all the treasured characters from that series will appear as the story progresses.
Track, the lover of Paden, has assumed human form after the pair meets in the book Paden (Book 14, Phantom Lover series). Track tells Paden they can be together, but their love exacts a price … one that Paden is soon to learn can be dangerous and potentially deadly.
On the day of a tsunami warning in Honolulu, Paden wakens to find Track is with him after several weeks of absence. They are needed, Track tells him and soon they’re traversing a rainbow to unravel the mystery of a young man who has committed a kapu. He has broken a sacred taboo and the gods of old Hawaii are angry. The young man begs for help. Paden is surprised when Kimo’s toddler daughter, Pele, named for Hawaii’s powerful volcano goddess, arrives, having followed Paden into the spirit realm. She intervenes and the repercussions Paden soon learns, are cataclysmic.
Coming June 5, 2025. Now available for preorder.
A.J. Llewellyn
is an author whose obsession with myth, magic, love, and romance might have led to serious stalking charges had it not been for the ability to write.
Thanks to the existence of some very patient publishers, A.J.’s days are spent writing, reading, and dreaming up new worlds. AJ has definitely stopped Google-searching former boyfriends and given up all ambition to taste-test every cup cake in the universe to produce over 300 published gay erotic romance novels.
A.J. wants you to read them all.
You can find this author lurking on Facebook and Instagram – part-time class clown being another occupation. When not writing or reading, her other passions include juggling, kite-boarding (not really, I just made that up!), watching every K-drama ever made, and spending a fortune buying upgrade apps for June’s Journey on Facebook.
Get to know more about A.J. on her:
And sign up for her newsletter for regular updates in your email.