Dark Romance
Dark romance can be a controversial subject to a lot of people, and I think it's important to explain what makes my romance "dark" as opposed to just contemporary.
My version of dark romance is anything that includes dark subject matter, those in opposition to a lot of "dark" material, my characters reach a happily ever after, or a happy for now at the very least, and in general, the pairs and grouping don't include the antagonists or the perpetrators of whatever traumatic event occurs in the story. Now, occasionally, I do write redeemable villains and have redemption arcs for characters who do bad things, but more often, bad guys stay bad guys, and they don't win at the end.
The Universe titled Healing bonds consists of three different series of books. These series, Chains of Fate, Joe Town Bound, and Silken Bonds, all take place in different locations. Chains of Fate is located in St. Louis, Missouri, Joe Town Bound is in St. Joseph, Missouri, and Silken Bonds is in Santa Cruz, California.
The uniting factor of all these different books is that they all focus on healing through bondage. Each book centers around a character that is placed in extraordinary circumstances, and their partner or partners are the people that help them through it. Using the tools that bondage and submission has to offer, these people find their way through their trauma to healing.
There are no magic cures in this universe, as it is grounded in reality. There is no cure all and bondage and love do not make the bad times go away. These characters have to deal with learning to live again when the world seems at the grayest. The bonds they form with others, both romantic and platonic, are at the center of everything that happens in these books.
Coming out was tough. The thing that was even tougher, though, for Kerry was dealing with the fact he had serial killers targeting. Along with being stalked and having his belongings messed with daily, he has to deal with the bounty hunter after the serial killers and the FBI agent that shows up on their trail. Of course, what he doesn't expect is to be incredibly attracted to both of them, as different as they are.
Rather than give in to the people after him, Kerry chooses to live his life, that of a drag queen and burlesque dancer at The Red Cabaret and Lounge. With the bounty hunter Martin watching his every move, and the constant shameless flirting from the FBI agent Zak, Kerry has his hands full.
Even though he's got a lot going on, living a normal life is almost possible. He dates some people from the cabaret and just doesn't seem to find what he's looking for in them. All the while, Martin and Zak keep a close eye on him. Perhaps, closer than he'd like sometimes.
When things blossom, though, and life takes an incredible twist, Kerry's world will never be the same.
