Joining Hati at a table in the corner, Alistair sat and made himself comfortable beside her. A nearby hearth was crackling away and the warmth it provided left him sighing in contentment. He eventually spoke. “Good evening, Hati.” 

There was a moment where she just smiled. Reaching for her tankard, she raised it to him. “Here’s to you. It’s rather amazing to sit here and watch you work a room, you know. You do it so well. None of the ladies ever notice a thing, and it never gets old. I do wonder, however, where all that charm goes when you’re conversing with me.” 

His eyebrows, always rather expressive, drew together in an instant. “Excuse you.”

Beside herself, she sniggered and reached out to pinch his arm. He made a face at her, unimpressed, and asked, “What brings you to the pub tonight? Were you lonely?”
Joining Hati at a table in the corner, Alistair sat and made himself comfortable beside her. A nearby hearth was crackling away and the warmth it provided left him sighing in contentment. He eventually spoke. “Good evening, Hati.”  There was a moment where she just smiled. Reaching for her tankard, she raised it to him. “Here’s to you. It’s rather amazing to sit here and watch you work a room, you know. You do it so well. None of the ladies ever notice a thing, and it never gets old. I do wonder, however, where all that charm goes when you’re conversing with me.”  His eyebrows, always rather expressive, drew together in an instant. “Excuse you.” Beside herself, she sniggered and reached out to pinch his arm. He made a face at her, unimpressed, and asked, “What brings you to the pub tonight? Were you lonely?”
“Alistair, breathe,” murmured the woman, altogether amused. “Aren’t you surprised to see me?” 

He swallowed, gaze turned up to the Heavens as if to ask for assistance. He let out a slow exhale, obviously distressed, and rubbed at his eyes with an index finger and thumb. “Yes, sorry. I’m just… bewildered, if we’re being entirely honest.” 

There was a soft sound at the door. Fenella glanced behind him to find a woman lingering on the stairs. She took note of her elegant dress, the way her hair was pinned, and cleared her throat. “I appear to be interrupting something. Have you found yourself a lover?”

He almost choked. Before he could speak, Hati descended the front steps and wandered their way. She replied in his stead. “That’s a new one. We’ve been called a lot of things but not that. We’re friends. I’m happily spoken for, darling. My name is Hati.” 

Fenella’s nose wrinkled. She lowered her voice so the driver wouldn’t hear her. “Ah, of course. You’re a wolf. I can sense it. Smell it, even. No offense intended, my dear. Our senses are keen. Anyone who is a friend of Alistair’s is a friend of mine as well. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Alistair, breathe,” murmured the woman, altogether amused. “Aren’t you surprised to see me?” He swallowed, gaze turned up to the Heavens as if to ask for assistance. He let out a slow exhale, obviously distressed, and rubbed at his eyes with an index finger and thumb. “Yes, sorry. I’m just… bewildered, if we’re being entirely honest.” There was a soft sound at the door. Fenella glanced behind him to find a woman lingering on the stairs. She took note of her elegant dress, the way her hair was pinned, and cleared her throat. “I appear to be interrupting something. Have you found yourself a lover?” He almost choked. Before he could speak, Hati descended the front steps and wandered their way. She replied in his stead. “That’s a new one. We’ve been called a lot of things but not that. We’re friends. I’m happily spoken for, darling. My name is Hati.” Fenella’s nose wrinkled. She lowered her voice so the driver wouldn’t hear her. “Ah, of course. You’re a wolf. I can sense it. Smell it, even. No offense intended, my dear. Our senses are keen. Anyone who is a friend of Alistair’s is a friend of mine as well. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Image is split in half, left side is book cover for His New Master -- “Left cover is image of a man with dark hair and goatee wearing glasses. On the right is text, "Jess Mahler" in the top cover and "His New Master” in bottom corner. Background is orange gradient.” Right side is pale text on brick red background “A fantasy romance of fresh starts and a massive mind fuck.”
Image is split in half, left side is book cover for His New Master -- “Left cover is image of a man with dark hair and goatee wearing glasses. On the right is text, "Jess Mahler" in the top cover and "His New Master” in bottom corner. Background is orange gradient.” Right side is pale text on brick red background “A fantasy romance of fresh starts and a massive mind fuck.”
Image is split in half. Left side is text: “I thought the job would be easy. I never expected her.” Blue on reddish-black background.” Right side is a book cover - On the left, the face of a fae, whose skin tones and hair are a mix of red and blue. Top right text "by Jess Mahler" Bottom right text "Fire and Ice"
Image is split in half. Left side is text: “I thought the job would be easy. I never expected her.” Blue on reddish-black background.” Right side is a book cover - On the left, the face of a fae, whose skin tones and hair are a mix of red and blue. Top right text "by Jess Mahler" Bottom right text "Fire and Ice"
One the left, book cover in shades of purple. The face of an angry wolf fills the left side of the cover. Next it text reads: by Jess Mahler Taming my Wolf.

On the right “The moon had brought me a special gift, and I have treasured him ever since.”
One the left, book cover in shades of purple. The face of an angry wolf fills the left side of the cover. Next it text reads: by Jess Mahler Taming my Wolf. On the right “The moon had brought me a special gift, and I have treasured him ever since.”
Left side is Book cover -- The left side features the right half of a green-scaled, horned dragon face in frontal view against a gradated green background. The mouth is slightly open, revealing a fang and rows of sharp teeth. The right side of the cover reads "by Jess Mahler" at the top and at the bottom, "Her Broken Dragon."  Right side is text -- Can Long find a way to serve his lady, or does Nia's life have no place for Her Broken Dragon?  A short story of love, disability, and finding new ways forward.
Left side is Book cover -- The left side features the right half of a green-scaled, horned dragon face in frontal view against a gradated green background. The mouth is slightly open, revealing a fang and rows of sharp teeth. The right side of the cover reads "by Jess Mahler" at the top and at the bottom, "Her Broken Dragon." Right side is text -- Can Long find a way to serve his lady, or does Nia's life have no place for Her Broken Dragon? A short story of love, disability, and finding new ways forward.