Genre: Alternative (MM) Paranormal Romance Heat Level: 4 Word Count: 39, 000 ISBN: 978-1-77233-975-8 Editor: Karyn White Cover Artist: Jay Aheer

Gunpoint by Erin M. Leaf

Heat Level 4
$3.99
SKU 978-1-77233-975-8
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Sky Hunters, 1

Soul-bruised and bitter, Charlie left the military for peaceful solitude. When he’s mugged at gunpoint, his isolation is shattered, because the guy with the weapon is his mate, and Charlie’s falcon insists on truth: the other half of his soul is a desperate man who doesn’t know he’s a shifter.

Warren has no money for rent, his sister’s ex beat her bloody, and he’s working double shifts to survive. He thought his life couldn’t get any worse, but then he mugs an ex-soldier who somehow turns the tables and offers him something impossible: hope.

Of course, nothing is that simple, and Charlie’s resistance to their bond sabotages their relationship before it really begins. Warren can handle hardship, but now his enemies are bigger than the bully next door, and he’s broken the darkest taboo of the Sky Hunter falcons. Only Charlie can save him, but can a damaged ex-soldier save himself, too?

Be Warned: m/m sex

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Excerpt:

“I told you not to move. Are you paying attention?”

Wait… Warren frowned. He recognized that voice. “I know you.”

“You have a good memory, Warren.” The cold point slid across his neck and settled on the curve of his shoulder. “Do you remember who I am yet?”

Warren swallowed, but the lump of nerves in his throat didn’t budge. “Charlie.” God help him. He inhaled, wondering what the fuck was wrong with him that he had a hard-on in this situation. I’m finally cracking from all the stress.

“Very good.” The metal weight lifted as Charlie stepped in front of Warren.

Warren stared at the black gun nestled comfortably in Charlie’s hand. Fuck. That looks real.

“Yeah, unlike your toy, this is a real weapon.” Charlie eased the safety down and pointed it at Warren’s thigh. “You’ll feel a hell of a lot more than a splat of water if someone shoots you with it.”

Warren shuddered. He was turned on and more than a little bit nervous. “You wouldn’t really shoot me, would you?” He forced himself to look Charlie in the eyes. “I’m sorry I was such an idiot the other night. I was desperate, but that doesn’t excuse what I tried to do.” From the expression on Charlie’s face, Warren wasn’t sure his apology did much good. Charlie’s cold blue eyes stared back at him with no hint of the man’s thoughts. “I would never do anything like that again.”

“Sorry.” Charlie finally snorted. “Sorry doesn’t even begin to cover what I want from you.” He pursed his lips. The muzzle of his gun stayed fixed on Warren’s thigh.

Warren didn’t know a damn thing about guns, but he knew it would hurt if that thing shot him. Even so, he couldn’t keep his gaze from drifting down Charlie’s body. The man wore tight jeans, black boots, and a t-shirt that hugged every muscle in his torso. Warren wanted to put his hands on that chest, gun be damned. He wanted more than the desperate existence he seemed to be mired in, and had been ever since his parents died. He wanted Charlie. He waited a moment to see if the thought of being attracted to another guy bothered him, but all he felt was a sense of urgency. He needed to adjust his erection, but he had a feeling Charlie wouldn’t take it all that well if he reached down. He gritted his teeth and didn’t move. “What do you want from me?” His voice came out rough.

“On your knees.” Charlie gestured with the gun’s point.

Jesus. Warren slid to the ground and looked up. Charlie’s face had gone taut. “Please don’t shoot me.” Warren’s hands clenched into fists when Charlie tightened his finger on the trigger. After what they’d done together in the woods last night, Warren would’ve never expected this. Never. Charlie just hadn’t seemed the type. But you never know when someone might snap.

“You think I’m going to shoot you?” Charlie raised an eyebrow.

“I have no idea what you’re going to do,” Warren replied shakily. He wasn’t sure if he was more frightened or aroused. His erection pressed uncomfortably against the zipper of his jeans.

“Undo my pants,” Charlie said.

Warren froze. “What?”

Was he serious? He looked at Charlie’s groin. His cock was long and thick and obviously hard behind the denim. He’d been trying not to stare, but that was pretty difficult from this position. He swallowed nervously.

“You heard me. Don’t fuck around, Warren. I am totally out of patience.” Charlie put the gun to Warren’s forehead. He didn’t look like he was in the mood for more talking. He looked like a man on the edge of losing his temper.

Warren’s heart pounded. Was it rape if what he was being forced to do was something he actually wanted? “I don’t—” He broke off sweating. His hands trembled as he raised them. Don’t be a pussy, he told himself. His own erection swelled even more, and the position he was in didn’t make his arousal particularly comfortable.

“Wait.” Charlie let out a soft breath when Warren’s fingers reached his zipper. “Stop.”

Confused, Warren slid a finger inside Charlie’s waistband. The gun still pressed into his forehead. “I don’t know what you want from me,” he whispered, not sure if he was disappointed or angry.

Charlie lifted the gun away and pointed it at the ground. His finger tightened on the trigger, and the weapon clicked. “It’s empty.” His eyes were completely dark now. Dark and feral. “I would never hurt you.”

Warren had never seen anything so beautiful as those eyes, but that didn’t change what had just happened. He frowned as the first trickle of rage slid down his spine. “You fucking threatened me with an empty gun?” He clenched the waistband of Charlie’s pants with his fingers. “That’s so frigging messed up.” He told himself to get the fuck up, but his body wasn’t listening. I should punch him, he thought, but Charlie hadn’t moved, either. Warren slid his fingers deeper into Charlie’s pants. When the tips of his fingers touched Charlie’s cock, he sighed. “Fuck.”

Charlie trembled. “Yeah, that about sums it up.”

Warren undid the button, then drew the zipper down. “I want to blow you. You’re an asshole, but I still want this.” He licked his lips, ignoring Charlie as the older man dismantled the weapon and put the pieces on the table. Warren hardly cared. He felt like he stood on the edge of a precipice, prepared to jump. All his worries about his sister and her bastard ex, the rent, and his job faded to nothing. Some wild instinct stuck inside his bones told him to take the leap, and for once in his life, Warren was going to fly. Instinct was never a good way to make decisions—the disaster with the mugging had taught him that—but he didn’t give a shit right now. He wanted Charlie.

“It’s only fair that you return the favor,” Charlie said, startling him. “I went on my knees for you last night.”

Warren looked up. Charlie’s teeth were clenched.

“Suck it.”

Product Reviews

Score: 4 out of 5 (based on 6 ratings)
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3/5
I recieved an ARC through Love Bytes Reviews for a fair and honest review!
Written by Tammy Smith on 31st Oct 2016

Warren’s twin sister Liz has been living with him for a few weeks, ever since her ex-boyfriend beat her almost to death. Now, he can barely afford to pay rent and utilities with his two jobs let alone buy food. When Warren comes up with a spur of the moment plan to rob someone on the hiking trail out of town he doesn’t realise how much of a mistake he’s making. Charlie was having a rest on the local hiking trail when he felt the cold metal of a gun pressed into the back of his neck and realised he was being mugged! The moment Charlie turned to face his mugger he couldn’t believe his bad luck; his mugger is his mate. About the only redeeming quality he can see is the fact that the gun is a water-pistol! Charlie didn’t have any money on him but he was so turned on by meeting his mate he offered him a blow-job instead. Warren isn’t gay but when he sees his potential victim in his knees in front of him offering him a blow-job he shocks himself by getting hard! Charlie is a falcon shifter, a Sky Hunter. Charlie knows that Warren has no idea that he also is a shifter weather full or half-blood Charlie isn’t sure yet but he does know that if he allows the mating bond to take hold Warren will be able to shift. Once Warren and Charlie complete the mating bond Charlie gets cold feet and disappears from Warren’s life. Warren then must struggle through on his own he also must tell his sister they’re falcon shifters which isn’t so bad because now he has someone to help him adjust. When Liz’s ex breaks into their flat and tries to kidnap her and kill Warren, warren learn the hard way exactly what shifters can do. If they shift whilst touching a person that person will disappear into the abyss, never to be seen again. Charlie arrives after the conflict and realises what Warren has done, exactly what was once Charlies specialty when he was in the Marines. Charlie then explains to Warren about how when you kill someone in that manner your soul gets darker until you just don’t come back from it. After listening to Charlies explanation of why killing that way is taboo Warren then puts forth some thought provoking questions, questions Charlies had never thought to ask himself. Whilst Gunpoint is an intriguing story about shifters there could have been more background information about Sky Hunters a lot earlier in the story. I know there must be a bit of angst in these stories but Charlie’s attitude just about did my head in, I had to give Warren a “thank god” when he had a go at Charlie for it!! There seemed to be a bit of disconnect between the MC’s for most the book which is a real shame. I love Erin’s story’s but this one just didn’t click for me 

5/5
Marvelous!
Written by Duke on 19th Sep 2016

4.5 Stars ~ Having enjoyed an amazing series by Erin M. Leaf, it's not surprising that I would want to read more. The description snagged me straight from the get-go with Charlie having just returned to civilian life and dealing with a ton of issues only to discover his fated mate is a mugger and has no clue he's a shifter. Oh, I could see the excitement and knowing how well this author crafts a story, I was eager to begin. Warren and his twin sister, Liz, have a rough life at the moment. Their parents are dead, Liz's ex-boyfriend beat her to a pulp two months ago, Liz is suffering from so much depression and panic attacks that she's barely hanging on, Warren is struggling to make ends meet by waiting tables while taking night classes, and now he tried to mug a really hot guy using a water pistol. The mugging didn't go so well but the hookup (what Warren believes is a hookup) went great leaving him feeling worse about his situation. Charlie and his family are falcons, Sky Hunters, and they've lived in their small town for generations. Except for a few bad hawks (which Liz's ex happens to be), they're the only shifters around. In fact, shifters across the country are slowly dying out, although they are numerous in other areas of the world. In this world the author has created, it's frowned upon to mate and have children with humans, but it does happen. Apparently, shifting isn't an automatic thing, but something you have to work at in order to tame your beast. Charlie and his sister think that since Warren and Liz's parents were killed when they were eighteen, perhaps their folks never told them and never instructed them in shifting. “We’re not animals.” Charlie ran a hand over his face. “And it’s very real.”..... Charlie’s voice was low and hard. “We’re mated. I’m sorry I didn’t give you much choice, but I wasn’t entirely in control of the situation either. It’s not like there’s a seminar shifters can take to explain how mating works. There are very few of us left here in America.” Charlie didn't mean to bond with Warren. In fact, it was the last thing he ever wanted to do. Charlie spent years as a Marine and since there are so few shifters left, no one knew the damage it would do to his Hunter during war and the things Charlie had to do. In fact many of the things regarding shifters, i.e., mating, bonds, psychic abilities, have been lost because no one remembers anymore. Now Charlie has a lot of darkness inside him and apparently enemies looking for him. Warren is simply confused and angry, and he'll be darned if he goes running to Charlie. As far as Warren is concerned Charlie needs to figure his crap out and then do some apologizing. “I committed the most heinous crime one of our kind can, and you say I’m not evil? You’re dreaming, Jessa.” He didn’t come right out and say what he did, but he knew she understood. Only one thing can change a shifter’s energy so dramatically." If I thought this was going to be an easy paranormal erotic romance… well, I was wrong. This was fascinating, intriguing, and absolutely phenomenal. The author’s world is one that has taken traditional shifter lore, turned it upside down and inside out, and then put it back together for my enjoyment. I'm totally dying for the next book so I can explore more about why the falcons in the US have been so decimated since the last shifter war hundreds of years ago, and I want to discover their old stories about the War Chiefs, etc. A marvelous read! NOTE: This book was provided by Evernight Publishing for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews

5/5
Fun read, interesting view of shifters
Written by Azure23 on 29th Aug 2016

Both this new series and the Bad Oak series are really good reads. Solid characters, especially for such short books. Average length for MM Rom, though. I'd really like see what Erin could do with a full length novel of 400+ pages. I can definitely recommend Gunpoint and the series to anyone who loves MM relationships and shifters. I look forward to the next book.

5/5
Gunpoint (Sky Hunters Book 1)
Written by Amazon Customer on 29th Aug 2016

I chose this rating of five stars because from the very beginning to the end, I was pulled in and could not put my kindle down. Great story with all th ingredients for a good book. Waiting for book 2.

4/5
Gunpoint
Written by Kindle Customer on 29th Aug 2016

Well done and thought out shifter book. I liked the background story of both main characters, just wish the story had been longer. Well written and edited.

4/5
Great Start to the Series
Written by blackmermaid on 26th Aug 2016

Charlie unexpectedly meets his mate, Warren, when he is out hiking. Warren is desperate for money that he has resorted to mugging someone. Charlie is not mentally or emotionally ready for his mate, so he decides to hookup with Warren once and send him on his way. Warren is an unusual mate, and it was interesting to see how Warren learns about himself. The Sky Hunters are an interesting species and I look forward to reading about more of them in the future.

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