Blog Tour: The Christian Lawyer

 

Christian / Devotional

Date Published: December 4, 2025

Publisher: MindStir Media

A #1 Amazon Best-Selling Christian Devotional for Lawyers, Judges, Law Students, and Legal Professionals

Can you faithfully practice law while remaining true to your Christian faith?

Can a Christian lawyer zealously represent a client without compromising biblical truth? Can a judge administer justice while honoring God's principles? How does a law student prepare for a successful legal career without sacrificing their relationship with Jesus Christ?

These are the challenging questions explored in The Christian Lawyer: Not an Oxymoron, a #1 Amazon Best-Selling Christian devotional by distinguished trial attorney, former President of the Kentucky Bar Association, and award-winning legal leader Joe Bill Campbell.

After more than 50 years in the courtroom, Campbell shares a lifetime of experience, biblical wisdom, and spiritual insight to encourage Christian attorneys, judges, law students, and legal professionals who desire to honor God while serving the law with integrity.

In a profession often defined by difficult ethical decisions, this inspiring devotional demonstrates that faith and the practice of law are not contradictory—they are a powerful calling when grounded in Scripture.

Inside this inspiring Christian devotional, you'll discover:

✔ How to balance professional responsibility with biblical truth

✔ Practical guidance for living out your Christian faith in the legal profession

✔ Encouragement for Christian lawyers, judges, and law students facing ethical challenges

✔ Biblical principles for pursuing justice, righteousness, honesty, and integrity

✔ Scripture-based reflections that strengthen your walk with Jesus Christ

✔ Wisdom for navigating today's legal system without compromising your values

Drawing on decades of courtroom experience and a deep commitment to Christ, Campbell reminds readers that every legal professional has the opportunity to serve not only clients but also God's greater purpose. Through thoughtful reflections, biblical teachings, and practical encouragement, he challenges readers to become lawyers, judges, and leaders who pursue truth, justice, mercy, and righteousness in every decision.

Inspired by Matthew 16:24–26, The Christian Lawyer: Not an Oxymoron calls believers to take up their cross, follow Christ, and discover that genuine success comes not only from winning cases but from faithfully serving the ultimate Judge.

Whether you are an experienced attorney, newly appointed judge, law student, legal educator, or someone interested in Christian leadership and ethics, this devotional will encourage you to live boldly for Christ while excelling in your profession.

If you're searching for Christian books for lawyers, Christian leadership books, legal ethics from a biblical perspective, Christian devotionals for professionals, or faith-based workplace inspiration, The Christian Lawyer: Not an Oxymoron belongs on your bookshelf.

Perfect for readers who enjoy:

● Christian Devotionals

● Christian Living

● Christian Leadership

● Faith in the Workplace

● Christian Professional Growth

● Biblical Wisdom

● Legal Ethics

● Christian Law Students

● Christian Attorneys

● Christian Judges

● Christian Business Professionals

● Inspirational Christian Books

Discover how your profession can become your ministry—and how faith, truth, and justice can work together to glorify God.

"He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life." — John 14:6

 

FOREWORD

 

Joe Bill Campbell was my professional mentor and law partner four decades ago. He had mentors, too, from his early years as a law-yer, godly men and great lawyers like Reginald Ayers (Protestant) and Justice Charles Reynolds (Catholic), whom he quoted often to me. He passed along their advice as earthly gospel, stories of honesty and integ-rity and superior legal ability. We talked a little back then, but not a lot, about faith and religion and God. Mostly, we would discuss and handle our clients’ cases. However, he always advised and encouraged a posi-tive way forward; and in hindsight, I can see those paths were formed by Christian morals and righteousness. “OK, John, now move on,” he once told me after I complained about the sharp practice of a particular lawyer in a particular case, and he meant, “what are you going to do now to resolve that case in a fair way?”

Joe Bill handled many big cases, some with significant wider

consequence in affecting the development of the law, some with sig-nificant public interest, and most with significant consequence to the litigants. He pursued his clients’ interest realistically and with confi-dence and was always looking forward. He advised Governors closely, and worked on boards and commissions, including as the president of the Kentucky Bar Association. He spent his early and middle years solving the problems outside the window. Later, like many thoughtful and experienced people do, he shifted his focus to personal sanctity. Many professionals start and spend most of their years solving the world’s problems, at least the world around us, perhaps because they are easier to solve.

Now, at age 82, Joe Bill speaks often of his faith and Jesus Christ’s

place in his life, not because of any negative piety (as he describes in his Introduction), but from a lifetime of experience, good and bad, and a realization that the time has come to leave nothing unsaid.

The great theologian John Calvin (who studied to be a lawyer)

believed that government, including laws and our judicial system, are gifts from God; and that God’s laws and man-made laws and systems are not antithetical to each other. To the contrary, the just pursuit of the latter is necessary for the realization of the former. Lawyers and judges have a great responsibility to pursue justice and peace and a more per-fect union. The adversarial nature of our legal system does not negate these goals as long as its participants play by “the rules.”

In Kentucky, like most states, we have Rules of Professional

Conduct, and a Code of Professional Courtesy. Lawyers’ responsibili-ties as advocates for their clients, as officers of the legal system, and as public citizens are usually harmonious. But sometimes those respon-sibilities seem to conflict with one another, and “such issues must be resolved through the exercise of sensitive professional and moral judg-ment, guided by the basic principles underlying the rules of professional conduct. Those rules prescribe a “courteous and civil attitude towards all persons involved in the legal system.” (SCR 3.130 IX-X)

The rules require confidence, diligence, and communications;

they demand candor, and meritorious claims and contentions, fairness to opposing parties and impartiality of the tribunal, truthfulness, fair-ness with opposing counsel and unrepresented parties, and respect for the rights of third persons. All of these basic principles, which are gifts from God, allow an adversarial system, and a conflicted world, to func-tion harmoniously in the pursuit of truth and justice. These basic prin-ciples on which our rules are founded, of course, are really Christian principles, which certainly apply to all walks of life, and which are encouraged in this book.

All lawyers, including Joe Bill and me, are imperfect people and

sinners who can do better. Jesus came to save lawyers (and others), not to condemn them (John 3: 17), by promulgating the Golden Rule of “do to others as you would want them to do to you.” Joe Bill wanted me to be smart, fearless, courageous, honest, fair, by adhering to principle rather than to the whims of perception. None of us get this right every day, but this book of devotionals might help keep us on tract.

Interpretations of scripture differ, and Joe Bill would have no hard

quarrel with that. Here in this book, however, he gives insight and argu-ment for Jesus Christ’s bridge to life in the practice of law and elsewhere. You might suggest another analysis of one of these basic principles. Good! Just think about it, justify it, cite your authority and sources. But know that there is an objective truth to the big questions, and not just a subjective standard. This book, at the very least, gives us a chance to grapple with our beliefs and hopefully arrive at The Truth. There is such a thing. We each do not get to determine that truth but, rather, just to discover it.

As the great philosopher and lawyer, Sir Thomas Moore (as quoted

in this book) prayed, “Lord…stand beside me in court, so that today I shall not, in order to win a point, lose my soul.”

John R. Grise

Former Trial Lawyer

Trial Judge

 

About the Author

Joe Bill Campbell is a #1 Amazon Best-Selling Christian author, award-winning trial attorney, and respected leader whose life has been defined by faith, integrity, justice, and service. After more than 50 years practicing law, Joe Bill has dedicated his retirement to sharing biblical wisdom through Christian devotionals that encourage readers to live with purpose, character, and an unwavering commitment to Jesus Christ.

A lifelong resident of Bowling Green, Kentucky, Joe Bill built one of the state's most distinguished legal careers. He graduated with honors from the University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law, where he was later inducted into the College of Law Hall of Fame. Throughout his legal career, he served as President of the Kentucky Bar Association, chaired the Kentucky Council on Higher Education and the Western Kentucky University Board of Regents, and received the Kentucky Bar Association's Most Outstanding Lawyer Award. He was also recognized by Super Lawyers as one of the Top 50 Attorneys in Kentucky and is a Fellow of the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers.

While Joe Bill's legal accomplishments are significant, he considers his greatest calling to be serving Jesus Christ and helping others grow in their faith. At the age of 80, he answered God's call to become an author, writing devotionals that combine Scripture, practical life lessons, and decades of professional experience to inspire readers of all ages.

His growing collection of Christian devotionals includes:

● Just Win Baby: The Game of Life — 101 sports-inspired devotionals designed to encourage young athletes and young adults to make Jesus Christ their ultimate coach.

● Virtue Triumphs Vice — A practical devotional demonstrating how biblical virtues can transform workplaces, businesses, and everyday life through faith-centered decision-making.

● The Christian Lawyer: Not an Oxymoron — A #1 Amazon Best-Selling book that explores how Christian lawyers, judges, law students, and legal professionals can faithfully pursue truth, righteousness, and justice while honoring their commitment to Christ.

Joe Bill's upcoming devotional, The End of Life Is Not the End of Life, continues his mission of offering biblical encouragement and eternal hope through every season of life.

As a father, grandfather, attorney, and devoted Christian, Joe Bill believes every person has a God-given purpose. His writing encourages readers to strengthen their relationship with Christ, choose virtue over vice, lead with integrity, and impact their families, workplaces, churches, and communities through biblical principles.

Whether speaking to attorneys, business professionals, churches, Bible study groups, young athletes, or anyone seeking spiritual encouragement, Joe Bill Campbell reminds readers that success is measured not only by earthly accomplishments but by faithfully following Jesus Christ—the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Through every devotional, Joe Bill's mission remains the same: to honor his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and fulfill God's purpose for his life by helping others discover the joy, wisdom, and peace that come from living according to God's Word.

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Blog Tour: The Grace of God

 

True Stories of Faith and Hope

Religion Christian Nonfiction

Date Published: August 11, 2026

Publisher: Clay Bridges Press Publishing

 

The power of prayer is undeniable. The Grace of God repeatedly illustrates how God equipped us to carry His message of love during one of our nation’s darkest times.

Fear had taken root in our hearts. Our ages and health conditions felt like real disadvantages. We found comfort in Christian music, so we shared it with our neighbors. Notecards to healthcare workers and elderly shut-ins were warmly received, so we continued writing them and encouraged others to do the same. Physical nourishment was needed as well, and God provided a way for us to help there too. We prayed over every idea, and in return, God blessed us with inspiration.

We learned that love is an action.

We learned that anyone can be the hands and feet of our Lord.

We witnessed evidence of God’s presence again and again.

 

Our hope is that these stories encourage you to persistently seek God through prayer. His grace is unending.

Excerpt

As we sat outside the hospital, we got to know some of the staff in many ways. We got to know some of their families and life situations; some shared about their past and their faith; others just shared how they are feeling in the moment. The following are a couple of their stories.

 

Stephanie: Stephanie is a young student nurse that we saw going in and out of the hospital with the other student nurses. However, as the numbers of COVID-19 cases surged, the hospital reached capacity and the number of deaths climbed to two to six a day, Stephanie lagged behind the other nurses. Finally, one day she was way behind the other students, and she stopped where were sitting. It was obvious that Stephanie had been crying. She stood before us with her shoulders slumping, her head hung low, and her eyes red. We asked her if she was OK, and she began to sob uncontrollably. She lifted her head wiping her tears and simply said, “I don’t know if I can do this. I didn’t become a nurse to watch people die every day. I wanted to try to help them get better, to help heal them. It seems all I do is try to make them comfortable and hold their hands because their families cannot come in before they die. I don’t know if I can do this.” At this point we asked her name, and she said Stephanie. We asked if she would like to pray with us and she said, “Yes . . . please.” We took out our three-strand prayer cords and explained that because we couldn’t hold hands, we were using the cords so we could have some kind of connection. We explained the idea of the three strands comes from Ecclesiastes 4:12, with says that three strands can’t be easily broken. The three strands had a meaning: one strand for her, one for us praying for her, and one for our Lord to whom we were praying. Stephanie smiled and cried softly. Stephanie took one end of the cord, and we took the other and began to pray. We prayed for her peace of mind and heart and for her strength to face this horrible disease. We prayed that she would lean into the Lord and accept the comfort the Lord has for each of us. We said amen, and she thanked us. We told her, “No, thank you for doing so much more than us.” We hoped the prayer helped and that Stephanie would find some comfort.

 

We continue to go to the hospitals to pray, and we continue to look for Stephanie each time we are there. We watch the student nurses as they walk in and walk out of the hospital. Since that time, many groups of student nurses have come and gone, but no Stephanie. We have prayed for Stephanie often, praying she found peace and the strength to flourish no matter what she chooses to do. We pray that she leans into the Lord and follows His will. We ask ourselves whether Stephanie finished her nursing degree; we don’t know. It doesn’t seem like she finished with the group we saw her with originally, but that doesn’t mean she didn’t finish. Her finishing is not the important thing but rather her finding her place in this world through our Lord. Stephanie gave all she could just as the Lord gives to us.

 

Hot dog man. While sitting outside a hospital, we don’t always get someone’s name. Sometimes, the staff passes quickly, and sometimes it just never comes up as strange as that may seem. When we don’t find out their names, we give them nicknames as a way of remembering them. “Hot dog man” got his name when we talked with him at the end of one of his shifts; he told us all he wanted was a good Chicago-style hot dog and thus the nickname. If you don’t like that nickname, please know it was much better than his original nickname, which was “angry man.” We called him “angry man” because the first time we met him, he stopped and said, “Why don’t people (expletive) just stay home and wear masks!” He was so angry at people for not doing what they were guided to do and getting sick and making their jobs so hard. We found out later that he was a respiratory therapist, so he encountered the disease up close every day. However as time passed, we became friendly, and he shared the difficulty of seeing so many sick and dying. We would see him at least once a week, but then, he was gone. We were left not knowing what happened to him or whether he was all right. That was the hard part of what we did; sometimes, people would just be gone.

About the Author

Tom Banwart spent most of his life in northern Illinois and graduated summa cum laude from Trinity International University. A promising corporate career was cut short when chronic health issues led him into permanent long-term disability, reshaping both his priorities and his path.

Blessed with creative talents, Tom turned a simple woodburning hobby into a small business and embraced the role of “Mr. Mom” to his three sons, finding purpose and joy in the rhythms of family life.

Though he often sensed a calling to do God’s work, Tom pushed it aside for many years. That changed in 2020. As the pandemic altered daily life and stirred deep questions of faith, he found himself in honest, raw conversations with Christ—dialogues that became a spiritual lifeline. Those reflections and personal experiences evolved into writing, eventually forming the foundation of his first book.

Today, Tom continues to use his creativity and vulnerability to encourage others, sharing stories that point to God’s presence in every season, especially the difficult ones.

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PROMO: The Vote

 

A Story of Political Peril

Fiction

Date Published: 09-10-2026

Publisher: Mission Point Press

A cautionary political tale that shines a light on the danger to our country when the wrong people have too much money and power.

The Vote is a political thriller built around a conspiracy among powerful political actors, billionaires, and party operatives who seek to manipulate the constitutional amendment process in order to permanently reshape the structure of American government. The mechanics of American politics, particularly the Article V constitutional amendment process, is the framework that informs the central premise of the novel. The current political landscape of the country lends credibility to the story and gives the narrative an interesting and timely foundation.

The manuscript opens with a series of interconnected storylines involving political figures, wealthy conspirators, and emerging state-level candidates. These threads gradually reveal a coordinated effort to gain control of state legislatures and Congress as part of a broader plan to fundamentally alter the country’s political system. The concept itself is ambitious and grounded in recognizable political realities.

 

About the Author

David Swanson was raised on a dairy farm in central Michigan. He received a degree in political science from the University of Puget Sound and an advanced degree in foreign trade from the Thunderbird Graduate School of International Management. Between degrees, he served a stint in the United States Navy.

In 1981, he founded Daavlin, a medical technology company that eventually grew into a prominent player in the field of dermatology. As part of his career, he stepped foot on every continent and dipped his toes in every ocean on earth. Reading, writing, traveling, acting, and directing live theater are his favored pastimes.

He’s also a lifetime political junkie. As this book goes to press, Swanson is a candidate for the Ohio House of Representatives.

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Blog Tour: The Self Chosen One

 

When Prophecy Replaces Accountability

 

Religion / Christian Living / Spiritual Growth

Date Published: June 30, 2026

Publisher: Lucid Books Publishing

What happens when someone claims to speak for God—but refuses to answer to anyone?

In today’s platform-driven culture, prophetic voices can gain influence almost overnight. But when charisma grows faster than character and authority operates without accountability, the Church becomes vulnerable to confusion, manipulation, and spiritual harm.

In The Self-Chosen One: When Prophecy Replaces Accountability, pastor Kevin P. Horath addresses this growing challenge. Writing from the perspective of a pastor who deeply values the work of the Holy Spirit, Horath does not reject prophecy. Instead, he calls the Church to restore it to its proper place within humility, character, and biblical oversight.

In this book you will discover:

• How to recognize genuine prophetic ministry versus self-appointed authority

• Why spiritual gifts must function within biblical accountability and church structure

• How social media and platform culture have reshaped spiritual influence

• The dangers of spiritual narcissism and unchecked charisma

• Practical ways pastors and leaders can protect congregations

• How to test prophetic claims without rejecting the Spirit

The Self-Chosen One is a warning and an invitation—helping the Church recover a healthy balance between Spirit and Scripture, passion and discernment.

 

Excerpt

A biblical calling is a beautiful thing. Trauma, of course, is not. And when those two worlds collide, the result is often complicated. Unfortunately, we are all broken people, so we must learn how to manage both trauma and calling properly.

Most of the Self-Chosen Ones I’ve seen or pastored through the years were not cartoon villains, twirling imaginary mustaches and intentionally setting out to cause division. They were people who had lived through something, such as rejection, abuse, abandonment, humiliation, failure, church wounds, or deep personal loss. Many of them wanted desperately to be seen, valued, or validated by God and others. And in that desperation, trauma began whispering into the microphone where the Holy Spirit should have been speaking.

This chapter isn’t about labeling wounded people as problems. It’s about understanding how trauma can confuse a person’s sense of calling, and how that confusion sometimes blossoms into destructive patterns, including prophetic self-appointment. Trauma doesn’t cancel calling, but it can certainly distort it.

Trauma Creates an Internal Narrative That Feels Like Revelation

When someone has been deeply hurt, they often try to make sense of that hurt. I have done that in my own life. Understanding the why of trauma can help our minds justify the trauma. Unfortunately, trauma doesn’t just wound the body or mind; it creates a narrative. It creates a story in which the person often feels powerless, abandoned, betrayed, or unseen.

If that hurt is never healed, it can slowly evolve into a second narrative:

·         “I’m special in a way others don’t understand.”

·         “God is using me because no one else will.”

·         “People are against me because of my anointing.”

·         “My pain is proof I’m chosen.”

Trauma, then, begins to sound spiritual; wounds begin to masquerade as words from God. What is the dangerous part? These thoughts feel deep and true. They feel like revelation, but they aren’t. They are echoes of unhealed places speaking with spiritual vocabulary.

Scripture warns us that the heart can deceive us, even when we are convinced we are being sincere (Jeremiah 17:9). This is why Paul told the church to “test everything” (1 Thessalonians 5:20). Discernment is not unkind; it is pastoral mercy.

 

Trauma Seeks Control, and Calling Can Look Like a Path to Get It Back

Although none of us is ever completely in control, trauma can remove any semblance of control that may exist. Something happened to the person, and they couldn’t stop it. So, once they’re in church life, the idea of being “called,” “anointed,” or “appointed” becomes deeply attractive. It feels like:

·         Dignity

·         Identity

·         Power

·         Purpose

·         Immunity from rejection

Some may cling to the prophetic because they believe prophets cannot be questioned. However, Scripture says the exact opposite; prophetic words are to be weighed and judged in community (1 Corinthians 14:29).

Calling is intended to be an act of surrender, but trauma often turns it into a way to regain control. It is no wonder submission is a difficult concept for many. This is how a sincere desire for purpose becomes warped into a mission for self-protection and, many times, for dominance. This is where conflict can easily begin.

Trauma Makes People Over-Interpret Spiritual Experiences

We live in a time when every difficult moment is labeled a “sign,” and every coincidence is a “confirmation.”  Even our social media searches create algorithms that give us more of what we search for, instead of other viewpoints. Such constant “confirmation” can bolster a person’s misconception. For people with unresolved trauma, the filter is even stronger than that.

A closed door becomes an attack.

A boundary becomes persecution.

A disagreement becomes betrayal.

A delay becomes spiritual warfare.

A feeling becomes the Holy Spirit.

This is how a Self-Chosen One ends up confidently declaring, “God told me,” when trauma merely told them what they wanted God to say. This may have even been what they thought they needed God to say. The New Testament commands believers to discern and test spiritual impressions carefully (1 Thessalonians 5:20–21). Trauma tempts people to bypass that process because self-protection feels urgent. It feels necessary. When trauma is the loudest voice, it becomes hard for a person to hear the Spirit’s whisper, let alone anyone else’s.

 

About the Author

 

 Kevin P. Horath is the Lead Pastor of Hillside Bethel Ministries in Decatur, Illinois, where he also oversees Hillside Bethel Christian School. After nearly thirty years as a healthcare human resources executive, he stepped into full-time ministry with a passion for helping people apply biblical truth to everyday life. Kevin writes and teaches about healthy church leadership, spiritual discernment, and the practical work of building strong Christian communities. He and his wife, Kathy, live in Decatur and enjoy time together sailing on Lake Decatur and serving their local church and community. The Self-Chosen One reflects his heart for protecting the Church while preserving genuine spiritual vitality.

 

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PROMO: Discovering Elizabeth

 

Historical Fiction

Date Published: September 9, 2026

Before Vicky could truly understand herself, there was a story she needed to understand in her Great Aunt Elizabeth.

 

Queens, 1984. Dr. Elizabeth Khayat—Palestinian-American, former pilot and pioneering physician—is recently widowed and fiercely private about her past. When her rebellious teenage grandniece, Vicky, is sent to spend the summer with her, the two clash immediately. Vicky is consumed by romance and rebellion; Elizabeth has built her life on discipline and hard-won independence. But Elizabeth’s guarded presence conceals a wartime history in World War II France—where, as a young doctor learning to fly, she formed a dangerous alliance with a German-Jewish colleague and became entangled with the French Resistance. Survival demanded impossible choices, and not all of them can remain buried.

As Vicky’s own reckless relationship begins to spiral, long hidden truth threatens to surface—forcing both women to confront who they are.

 

Discovering Elizabeth is a dual-timeline novel about legacy, sacrifice and the complicated inheritance between generations of women.

 

About the Author

 

Alexandra Khayat Dahl is a fourth-generation American whose family’s origins are from the Levant region of the Middle East. Raised in Washington, DC and educated in Catholic schools, she went on to attend an international university that set the course for a life defined by global experience. She spent the majority of her adult years in Europe, where living across cultures sharpened her perspective and strengthened her voice. A mother of four adult children, she returned to the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic with a renewed commitment to preserving the stories that shape generations.

Inspired by the true life of her great aunt and godmother—a fearless doctor, aviator, supporter of the French resistance and a trailblazer who defied an arranged marriage to marry for love— Alexandra celebrates a legacy of courage, conviction, and uncompromising independence.

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PROMO: Salva Me

 

LGBTQ+ Regency Vampire Romance

Date Published: September 11, 2026

England, 1816. A nosferatu, a rogue vampire, hunts unchecked through Sussex. Jeremy Takeshi Colbourne is honor-bound by ancestral duty to find and destroy such madmen. Foremost among the vampires of England, he must find a way to ensure the safety of the English citizens and the vampires that live among them.

Then Jeremy and his blood-host Morgan Holland discover a brutally savaged girl. With this latest victim of the nosferatu, Jeremy realizes the time has come to make Morgan aware of the Colbourne responsibilities. But the situation could not have come at a worse time.

For years, Morgan has served as Jeremy's blood-host. Though Morgan adheres faithfully to his Contracted terms, he refuses to surrender to the sexual seduction that completes each feeding. He yields neither his body nor his heart, though Jeremy yearns for both.

As the nosferatu's atrocities grow, Jeremy must ask everything of Morgan to gain the strength needed to fight the ravening monster. Will Morgan relent and give up body and heart to help Jeremy defeat their enemy, or will the battle destroy them both?

EXCERPT

 

Jeremy cursed at the knock on the oaken door of his study. Morgan had attempted to corner him several times today. Pure cowardice had driven Jeremy to take refuge here, a place his loyal Host rarely intruded on, since it held the Buddhist shrine housing his mother’s mortuary tablet. He glanced at the portrait standing behind the black stone, wishing for a bit of Keiko Yamakawa’s legendary strength.

Evading Morgan had taken a toll on Jeremy. The Contracted day for his feeding had come and gone. Today marked two full weeks since Morgan had wrenched himself from Jeremy’s grasp, nearly bleeding to death before Jeremy could administer the requisite clotting agent. The sight of Morgan’s injuries had seared itself into Jeremy’s mind, rendering him unwilling to risk another such incident.

It almost made him wish to return to Japan, despite the difficulties involved. Obtaining the necessary dispensation from the Tokugawa Shogunate had been hard enough when he left. Lord Matsumae had done what he could, but it had taken his mother’s personal attendance on Emperor Kōkaku and an appropriate gift to Tokugawa Ikeharu to get it done. Going back would be far worse, despite his home’s exemption from the Sakoku Edict. Even so, he was tempted. If only to avoid what he now faced.

The knock came again, harder than before, followed immediately by the entrance of Morgan Holland. “Excuse me, Lord Colbourne. While I am always loath to disturb you in your sanctum, you cannot avoid me forever.” Exasperation filled Morgan’s voice, underscored by heavy concern.

Jeremy risked a glance at his Host, unwilling to see but drawn nonetheless. The wounds on Morgan’s neck had healed; his skin flushed a healthy hue. Unlike usual feedings, the last one had left two ragged scars, visible reminders of Jeremy’s lack of control. Even now, the remnants of Morgan’s refusal echoed in his mind, invading his dreams.

“I am not convinced you are well enough to support a feeding, Holland,” he hedged, though his Host showed no lingering signs of ill effects. “Your wounds have barely healed.”

Morgan sighed. “I understand your reluctance after the debacle last time, but you cannot risk your health or your sanity by some idiotic attempt at endurance. I am prepared to meet my Contracted terms without qualms.”

“So you say. Nonetheless, your refusal made quite an impression. I’d prefer not to endure that again so soon.”

Morgan’s cheeks heated with angry embarrassment. “Then break Contract, my lord, and find someone more willing to accommodate all of your needs. Or go back to Japan.”

The slap of the words felt like a further refusal. Jeremy straightened in his chair, denying the spike of pain, determined to retain his rationality. Fear was anathema to the Barons of Colbourne and to the Yamakawa family. Being afraid to feed on his Contracted Host shamed both houses. He stood, feeling the weakness of flesh from self-deprivation.

“After twelve years? I’d rather not, thank you. You’re all I need. Or want.” Jeremy considered the irony of his irrational thoughts mere moments before. “It is far harder to return than to leave,” he added. “While my home in Matsumae is exempt from the Sakoku Edict, only my status as a noble Chi no Kami allowed me to leave in the first place. I have no wish to reverse the process any time soon.”

Morgan considered for a moment and then gave him the ghost of a smile. “Then please stop delaying the inevitable. Despite what happened before, I refuse to watch you kill yourself, however noble your ancestors may have found the practice. It would render all my efforts worthless.”

“Such things are not reserved for my ancestors,” Jeremy growled. “If I chose seppuku, who would be my second? You’d still have to watch me die.”

“At least it would not be this slow death you’re attempting now.”

Trust Morgan to know him well enough to hit so close to the truth of the matter. Jeremy allowed silence to reign for a moment and then gave a grudging chuckle. “No quarter, I see. You win, Holland. Give me two hours, and I’ll meet you in the sanguis cubiculum.”

Two hours would give Jeremy sufficient time to contact William Carter. After this long, the sexual urges would be difficult to suppress, but he could not afford another mistake like the last time.

Morgan nodded to him. “Two hours, then, Lord Colbourne. I will be ready.”

* * *

At the appointed time, Morgan waited as instructed, nervous despite his earlier words to Colbourne. He touched the scars on his neck gingerly, wondering. For all his bravado and calm facade, the thought of facing Colbourne’s fangs disturbed him. That last bite had driven into his neck without preparation, the savage sting a hint of what mankind had faced in the early days of the nosferii. Yet beyond the pain, another sensation had lurked, one he was reluctant to recall.

Perhaps it was only the remnants of the lust that rose in him every time Colbourne fed, but the agony of the unprepared bite had seemed to turn into a hazy pleasure at the end, before he’d passed out. Perhaps the recollection was only some perverse blending of his memories.

Colbourne entered the sanguis cubiculum through the far door. Morgan caught a brief glimpse of another person before the closing door blocked his view.

So he arranged for his companion to be available immediately after he is finished with me.

In spite of the obvious benefits to the situation, the idea irritated Morgan for some reason. Though he refused to offer up his body for postfeed sex, he’d always steadfastly ignored Colbourne’s subsequent retreat to his rooms for several hours. To have that person here, in the antechambers of the sanguis cubiculum, the mere thought left a burning ache in Morgan’s gut. This was his domain, his sacred trust, no one else’s.

“Are you ready, Holland?”

The deeply sensuous voice rippled over Morgan’s skin, bringing him to a half-aroused state before the feeding started. He did his utmost to quash the reaction, trying vainly to focus on something other than Colbourne’s mouth.

A hand reached for his chin, gently turning his face away to expose the length of his neck.

“I’m sorry, Morgan,” Colbourne whispered.

Morgan felt the faintest tremble in his master’s hand. He turned his head the opposite direction, offering the undamaged side. “Here, Master,” he urged, “feed from here.”

Colbourne’s tongue touched him gently, tracing a line across his skin before stopping. “No, I think not,” he said, trailing his fingers past Morgan’s throat. “I’d rather feed from a different source today. Your neck is still healing.”

Morgan shivered as his master’s hand roamed down his front, then stroked along the inside of his thigh.

 

About the Author

Autumn grew up loving history, mythology, and all things Japanese, not necessarily in that order. This eclectic love affair has bled over into her writing, and her stories are always well spiced with the taste of Japan, strange mythological beasties, or the lords and ladies of the ton. Sometimes all three, leading to dark desires and forbidden loves.

And after all, dangerous passions should lead to uninhibited love.

 

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PROMO: Cressida's Circle

 

Steampunk Adventure Romance

Date Published: September 11, 2026

In a world overthrown by witchcraft, a giant love has been lost. Can Cressida be saved?

 

Mourning the loss of her husband, Cressida Troy is on her way to Earth. Her mission; to meet the Queen of England and cement relations between the Lunarians and humans to present a united front in the approaching war with the Martians. For Cressida, the mission has a much deeper and personal meaning. Being human, as well as the Lunarian Empress, Cressida is plagued by doubt and guilt and seeks redemption for what is seen by many as the betrayal of her species. Matters are complicated when she is kidnapped by the pernicious witch, Lady Neva, who is hell-bent on revenge against Queen Victoria. Armed with unlimited magical power, Lady Neva is planning to usurp the crown and rule both Earth and space.

Meanwhile Jacob McLeary, Cressida’s former fiancé, is under the watchful and lascivious eye of Lavinia Branscombe, a Lunarian agent. Knowledge of the dark secret at the heart of the Lunarian society fuels Jacob’s loathing of the aliens, but with so much at stake, can love overcome the barrier of hate? Will Cressida find redemption?

EXCERPT

 

Like a child’s toy, the cradle of humanity filled the bridge windows with brilliant colour: blue, green, and brown, flecked with white, a gemstone set against the black velvet of space. If only people could know how insignificant this world was in the scheme of things, floating silently in the incomprehensible emptiness.

Pointless philosophising distracted me for only a moment. My heart trembled with anticipation. I was nearly home.

The Lunarian crew, in their natural form, goblin like, winged with leathery skin and large bright eyes, ignored my presence, as they should. Though they were experienced, with hundreds of trips behind them, piloting a spacecraft was not something to be taken lightly, especially with me on board creating the expectation that everything should be executed perfectly.

I would have put them at ease, but that would have been churlish of me, I realised. They wanted to impress me, and lowering expectations would have been like a slap in the face, a sign of patronising condescension on my part. Not an endearing action no matter how well intended.

I turned my thoughts back to the sparkling globe before us, and the people who awaited me. I’d read how the ancients believed that the souls of the dead fled their bodies and ascended to the moon, a way station before reincarnation, or their ultimate disposition in paradise or the underworld. Little did they contemplate that souls from that grey desert of a world would descend upon the Earth and conquer it.

I had to be careful how I approached not just the Queen, and her parliament, but most importantly the bureaucracy which ruled from the shadows and exerted more power than she could ever hope to wield. I hoped they understood we humans were a conquered species. Of course, behind the mask of cheerful bonhomie and expressions of respect as they delivered begrudging cooperation, there would be fear and hatred. From that febrile soup simple misunderstandings could bubble up and poison the nascent relationship.

The politicians had wanted a state visit to impress everyone with the importance of our relationship, and to thank me for using our power to save them from their European enemies. Though our reasons differed, I agreed with Her Majesty that ostentatious displays of pomp and ceremony were unnecessary. She wanted to maintain her image of the Warrior Queen and didn’t want to share the adoration of the crowds as the saviour of the Empire. She feared the loss of face if I was seen as an equal.

I wanted none of that either, feeling as disloyal as I did for my part in what was fundamentally the takeover of her empire. I requested a low-key, quiet visit. A gentle introduction back into human society. One in which I would not feel such a fraud. With Her Majesty’s relieved endorsement, my desire had carried the day.

The other vexed issue was the taking of her son the Prince of Wales by Lady Neva. I had to placate and convince her that we were doing everything we could to return him to her. Though she detested the Prince -- after all he had been intimately involved in several assassination attempts, and she had come so close to strangling him with her own hands -- he was her son.

Randolf, my bodyguard and general factotum on this mission, floated at my side. “My lady,” he said softly into my ear. “Amanda has prepared a meal.”

“Thank you, Randolf.” I had skipped breakfast, and as always, my body servant had correctly anticipated my needs. I was indeed feeling hungry.

Randolf was a handsome, powerfully built, athletic man. His bright azure eyes reminded me so much of Jacob’s. My body stirred, my nipples hardened, and my quim throbbed. He and his female counterpart, the stunningly beautiful Amanda, had pleasured me delightfully and often since we had left the moon, and I had gratefully surrendered myself to them. That train of thought pushed the need for food aside. I wanted to be pleasured again.

I took Randolf’s proffered hand, and we glided to the access chute that led “down” to the passenger quarters. His body heat pulsed through his tunic and through my gown to warm my flesh. He wore no pants, and his stiff cock swayed enticingly as he propelled himself before me. Amanda was awaiting us, naked and undeniably aroused, the nipples of her ample breasts pink and erect. I gave her an encouraging smile to confirm my thoughts were of a similar nature.

Being firm, she countermanded my desire with the advice that I needed sustenance. She offered a full English breakfast: steaming scrambled eggs, kippers, ham, bacon, and sausages, kidneys, mushrooms, and fried tomatoes. A feast for a multitude. With a petulant pout, I took a dainty bite of each and finished with a cup of tea and a slice of toast. I’d maintained a salacious gaze which lingered on her almond-shaped eyes and gave rise to a pink flush to her cheeks. When I’d finished, I gracefully dabbed my mouth with a napkin and took Randolf’s cock in hand.

“Keep the food warm, and join us,” I told Amanda. “I may eat some more later. My current appetite, though, is for the diverting pleasures of unbridled fornication.”

Making love when one has no weight, once the initial challenges are overcome, is a sublime enterprise, more like an ethereal ballet of the most intimate kind. Holding your partner in a close embrace, limbs entwined, his cock held snugly by one’s tight sheath, so that you become as one, spinning, rotating, pirouetting like a ballerina celebrating a mind-shattering climax.

 

About the Author

Aussie Mikala Ash used to be a mild-mannered training & development consultant by day, and a wild sci-fi and paranormal adventure writer by night. Now she is a brazen full-time writer and nature photographer who is concentrating on having among other things, “… bags, and bags of fun!” Mikala can be found on Facebook and on Twitter.

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