From enchanted forests to snow-capped mountains, from the dazzling world of movie sets to quiet city streets in the rain, the stories in this anthology by best-selling MM author Iyana Jenna explore love, longing, and second chances in all their tender, magical, and deeply human forms.
Meet Elias, a hunter who finds a reason to stop killing when a mischievous wood fairy named Finnian lands in his hands; Noah, a climber rescued by the hotel owner who can’t seem to let him go; Marcus and Evan, lovers rediscovering forgiveness over dinner and desire; Damian and Elliot, actors whose onscreen chemistry spills into real life; and Gabriel, who opens his heart to a boy who reminds him of the brother he lost.
Some stories are wistful, some sensual, and some sparkling with fantasy, but all are about finding warmth where it’s least expected. Discover these passionate, emotional tales of men who stumble, break, and heal in Jenna’s evocative short story collection.
EXCERPT FROM "Invisible"
Gabriel pours a glass of milk and is taking it in large gulps when he thinks he hears the soft knocking at the door. Gabriel frowns as his eyes flick to the clock on the wall. Two in the morning. What will come knocking on someone's door at this hour? For sure Gabriel won't be the one opening it. But the knocks sound more and more urgent and with a sigh Gabriel yields.
Grumbling, Gabriel unlocks the door but keeps the chain on. He regrets delaying to put a peephole on the door. This way he won't know who's on the other side before he opens it.
But looking out through the narrow gap the chain gives, he cries out.
"Noel, Jesus Christ!"
He yanks hard at the door before he remembers the chain. Unchaining it feels too long for him to finally be able to reach for the boy standing slumped on his porch. The boy holds his arm clutched against his side and with blood running down his face.
"God, Noel, what happened to you?"
Gabriel sees him sway and he's only got a second to rush out and catch him before he falls flat on the face. He scoops him up to find that the boy has fallen unconscious. Carefully he carries Noel inside and lays him down on the couch, heart in his mouth as he eyes Noel. Beneath the blood Noel's face is deathly pale. Gabriel remembers how he clutched his stomach and squats beside Noel and carefully lifts his shabby and disheveled T-shirt. What he sees takes his breath away. Dark bruises litter his chest, torso, and both his sides. It's like some brutes just made him a punching bag. Gabriel suddenly feels explosive rage fill him. If he ever found the guys, he'd kill them all.
Noel's soft whimper shakes him out of his rage. "Hey." He touches the side of Noel's face that's not covered with blood. Noel stirs awake and leans into Gabriel's hand. "Will you be okay if I leave you for a minute? I'm gonna clean you up."
Noel looks dazed and for a moment he doesn't seem to get what Gabriel's telling him. But he nods then.
The bleeding on Noel's head has stopped and to Gabriel's relief the cut on his hair line isn't too wide or deep. Gabriel washes it with antiseptic solution and while he's pondering whether or not to take Noel to the hospital, the boy seems to read his mind.
"No hospital, please. I -- I can't afford it." He scrambles up to a sitting position.
"But what about those bruises on your body?" Gabriel might be able to deal with open wounds but he won't be able to do anything with the internal ones.
Noel looks away, seeming to be ashamed. Gabriel only pats the soaked cloth again on Noel's head wound. "Hey, I didn't ask about where they came from. I'm just worried if they got worse. If it pains you a lot." Gabriel feels as though he was swallowed whole when Noel stares at him with his big eyes. It feels like drowning in an ocean of blue. They gleam with unshed tears but Gabriel notices how they harden and turn cold a moment later.
"Noel, I'm just worried about you."
"Why?" Noel's voice cracks. "Why did you have to care in the first place? What do you want from me?"
Gabriel feels his face burn. He isn't totally innocent in his helping Noel but he sure it will be consensual if he's going to act upon it, whatever it is. But he isn't going to tell Noel about Ben to explain himself.
Gabriel shrugs. It might sound low but what he's going to say is his last resort.
"What are you doing here? I left you, didn't I? If you don't trust me, why did you come here? And how do you know my house anyway?" Gabriel squints. "Did you stalk me?"
Noel visibly flinches like he's been slapped. He shifts and curls in the corner of the couch, eyes on the floor.
"I -- I'm sorry. I didn't know where to go. I followed you back right after you dropped me off --"
"Wait a minute. You mean it wasn't your house where I left you?"
"I don't have a house." Noel's voice sounds so hollow it almost brings tears to Gabriel. But he shakes them away.
"You followed me, all the way here? Noel, it's really quite far."
Noel shakes his head, still not looking at Gabriel. "I don't care. You're the first person who treated me good. Others would beat me up or asked me for some service."
"Beat you up like what happened to you," Gabriel muses.
