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As the only male witch enrolled in magic studies, Seiran Rou deals with harassment and indifference on a daily basis. When his on-campus job proves to be too much, he quits and turns to the only person he can handle asking for help—Gabe, vampire, bar owner, and Sei’s occasional lover.
Sei had never seen himself as a waiter, but he’s willing to do just about anything to stay in his apartment, as long as it means he doesn’t have to involve his overbearing mother, Tanaka Rou.
He takes the opportunity that Gabe gives him, and with the help of the waitress who’s training him, he learns that his natural assets are more than enough to win anybody over.
**Free short fiction.
Sei had never seen himself as a waiter, but he’s willing to do just about anything to stay in his apartment, as long as it means he doesn’t have to involve his overbearing mother, Tanaka Rou.
He takes the opportunity that Gabe gives him, and with the help of the waitress who’s training him, he learns that his natural assets are more than enough to win anybody over.
**Free short fiction.
16 pages, ebook
First published October 22, 2011
256 people are currently reading
259 people want to read
About the author
Lissa Kasey
72 books667 followersLissa Kasey is Ace/Aro and ENBY. Lissa's storytelling specializes in in-depth characters, detailed world building, sweet and spicy romance, and twisting plots to keep you clinging to the page.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
January 11, 2012
Another great short story in the Dominion world. This one was nice because we get to see Seiran essentially get into his element. We see him become the waiter that dazzles everyone and see him grow and become comfortable in his own skin creating his own little piece of the world where he's wanted for himself and good at what he does. It was amazing :)
August 18, 2012
A nice free short story, which tells how Seiran works at Bloody Bar and Grill. I enjoy his being mentored by Jo, on how to flirt to get more tips -- or how he develops new recipes to add to the original menu. A light one, considering that I read this after the emotional torture journey of Reclamation
October 24, 2011
This is a quick, free read that brings us back into the world of Seiran Rou, a male witch and lynx shifter, and his boyfriend Gabe, a powerful vampire. This story brings us to events prior to the first novel, Inheritance. I thought it was just a really cute, quick peek into Sei's life and how he deals with the bigotry he faces both for being gay, and for being a male witch in a female dominated world of witches. I am really looking forward to book #2 in the series, Reclamation. This short story can be read in any order without disrupting the flow of the regular series.
November 8, 2011
3.5 stars. Good short m/m paranormal romance in which Sei starts to work at the bar his sometimes lover owns.
September 8, 2012
Now we are getting into the story!! It wad kinda sad; I felt so bad for Seiran! Ready to start Inheritance now!
February 3, 2012
4.5 stars. OK, I'm hooked now and have to read the book!
December 31, 2014
The third short, downloadable, prequel to Lissa Kasey’s Dominion series, it is told from the point of view of college student, Seiran Rou. Bullied by other students at his ‘work-study’ job in a bookshop, Seiran quits it but needs to find other work quickly so he can pay the rent for his apartment. He turns to his friend (and would-be boyfriend), Gabe, for help and finds himself working as an inexperienced waiter in Gabe’s bar. Will Sei excel at his job or will he mess it up – and possibly his friendship with Gabe? Will he escape the bullying that has plagued him there?
Viewed together, the three prequel stories read like chapters of a book. They are good at showing the priorities of the two lovers – Gabe thinks constantly about, and cares deeply for his younger friend, while Sei is more self-centred, partly because he is still establishing his identity as a new adult and his place in society and also, because of his youth, not yet feeling any need to settle down. However, the bullying and homophobia he experiences at college and his mother’s lack of approval hinder his growth towards establishing his sense of self.
The three stories are weak in one sense – although magic is very important in his world and Sei is himself a student witch, we only get to see him actively use magic in the first story, Friction. Although we learn that Sei has protected his apartment with magical wards and charms in Decadence, he never uses magic for mundane tasks like cooking and cleaning, or for some form of entertainment, or even just to practice the magic he has learned. And for a country dominated by witches, nobody else seems to be using magic actively either – at least, it never forms a significant part of the stories. So while I’m interested in trying out the novel-length titles in the Dominion series, partly to see how Gabe and Sei’s relationship develops, I’m hoping that magic will have a more pronounced role in them.
Viewed together, the three prequel stories read like chapters of a book. They are good at showing the priorities of the two lovers – Gabe thinks constantly about, and cares deeply for his younger friend, while Sei is more self-centred, partly because he is still establishing his identity as a new adult and his place in society and also, because of his youth, not yet feeling any need to settle down. However, the bullying and homophobia he experiences at college and his mother’s lack of approval hinder his growth towards establishing his sense of self.
The three stories are weak in one sense – although magic is very important in his world and Sei is himself a student witch, we only get to see him actively use magic in the first story, Friction. Although we learn that Sei has protected his apartment with magical wards and charms in Decadence, he never uses magic for mundane tasks like cooking and cleaning, or for some form of entertainment, or even just to practice the magic he has learned. And for a country dominated by witches, nobody else seems to be using magic actively either – at least, it never forms a significant part of the stories. So while I’m interested in trying out the novel-length titles in the Dominion series, partly to see how Gabe and Sei’s relationship develops, I’m hoping that magic will have a more pronounced role in them.
September 10, 2012
Poor Seiran. This short shows a little about some of the problems Sei has, and continues to face, as well as letting us see a little more about Gabe's business side. These two have me hooked already and really looking forward to reading book 1.
January 26, 2025
Now, I have a problem. See, I have other books to read/review, but these three teasers to Lissa Kasey's Dominion series have done their job so well, I just want to jump into book one. Oh well, that's life when a book hooks you!
October 24, 2011
This short story gives you some insight into Sei's life at school, his relationship with Gabe, and introduces Jamie.
July 16, 2012
I must have missed this story on my way through reading this series. Glad I read it now though as it offers another insight into the discrimination Sei faces as a male witch.
April 19, 2016
I wrote it.
November 12, 2023
Think I need to read the first book in the series rather than this snippet of a prequel.
April 8, 2025
Read November 2023
2 stars = okay
This is my least favorite in chapters 01 - 03. It had little to do with the MCs' relationship, and a big part of it was completely unbelievable.
Gabe (vampire) & Seiran/Sei (witch).
Told from Sei's POV.
Thanks to his college counselor, Sei is working at the campus bookstore. It's not long before bullying and an uncaring manager, forces him to quit.
● People teased me all the time. Had since the moment I began at the University of Minnesota. This was beyond normal college pranks. It was discrimination and abuse, but not even the ACLU would take a case with a male witch involved. I sighed and tried to get my mind off the never ending battle for acceptance at school.
Without a job, Sei has no way to pay for things like rent and food. So he calls the only person he knows who will help him ― Gabe.
Gabe gives him a server job at his bar, the Bloody Bar and Grill. Sei's co-worker, Jo, teaches him everything he needs to know, including how to flirt & dress sexy to earn better tips. Soon he's raking in the dough.
🙄 The Unbelievable Part: The bar has a really simple menu—just basic burgers. So, Sei works with the cooks to create some special dishes that have more ingredients, like spicy chicken tacos with beans and rice. But no one talks to Gabe, the owner, about these new items. Gabe doesn’t notice anything unusual—like the extra food or bills—until the first day ends.
There’s a bit of drama when Sei isn’t sure how Gabe feels. When the bar closes, Gabe rushes everyone out. Sei tries to touch his arm, but Gabe pulls away and doesn’t say anything until the next day. Sei worries he might need to look for a new job.
The next day, Gabe asks Sei to come into his office. He tells Sei he didn’t have permission to change the menu. Sei replies, “I don’t want to get fired. I just wanted to bring in more business. Show that I could do a good job. Maybe I went too far.” Sei apologizes.
But then, because:
1) Gabe found a new food supplier,
2) people started asking for the new menu items,
3) he received a lot of phone calls about them, and
4) his sales tripled—everything turns out okay.
In fact, Gabe tells Sei he can add more items to the menu.
Some bullies from school show up. Sei treats them with extra care and good food, so they leave not only saying thank you but also giving a big tip.
Sei is happy to have found a special place to belong.
2 stars = okay
This is my least favorite in chapters 01 - 03. It had little to do with the MCs' relationship, and a big part of it was completely unbelievable.
Gabe (vampire) & Seiran/Sei (witch).
Told from Sei's POV.
Thanks to his college counselor, Sei is working at the campus bookstore. It's not long before bullying and an uncaring manager, forces him to quit.
● People teased me all the time. Had since the moment I began at the University of Minnesota. This was beyond normal college pranks. It was discrimination and abuse, but not even the ACLU would take a case with a male witch involved. I sighed and tried to get my mind off the never ending battle for acceptance at school.
Without a job, Sei has no way to pay for things like rent and food. So he calls the only person he knows who will help him ― Gabe.
Gabe gives him a server job at his bar, the Bloody Bar and Grill. Sei's co-worker, Jo, teaches him everything he needs to know, including how to flirt & dress sexy to earn better tips. Soon he's raking in the dough.
🙄 The Unbelievable Part: The bar has a really simple menu—just basic burgers. So, Sei works with the cooks to create some special dishes that have more ingredients, like spicy chicken tacos with beans and rice. But no one talks to Gabe, the owner, about these new items. Gabe doesn’t notice anything unusual—like the extra food or bills—until the first day ends.
There’s a bit of drama when Sei isn’t sure how Gabe feels. When the bar closes, Gabe rushes everyone out. Sei tries to touch his arm, but Gabe pulls away and doesn’t say anything until the next day. Sei worries he might need to look for a new job.
The next day, Gabe asks Sei to come into his office. He tells Sei he didn’t have permission to change the menu. Sei replies, “I don’t want to get fired. I just wanted to bring in more business. Show that I could do a good job. Maybe I went too far.” Sei apologizes.
But then, because:
1) Gabe found a new food supplier,
2) people started asking for the new menu items,
3) he received a lot of phone calls about them, and
4) his sales tripled—everything turns out okay.
In fact, Gabe tells Sei he can add more items to the menu.
Some bullies from school show up. Sei treats them with extra care and good food, so they leave not only saying thank you but also giving a big tip.
Sei is happy to have found a special place to belong.
July 23, 2016
Update June 2014
I'm re-reading these so I can continue with the rest of the series.
We're back to Sei's pov here, and this story is 100% about him. Gabe is in the background, though, and it's his patience and support and encouragement that make it possible for Sei to make the progress that he makes here.
And what great progress! It was awesome to get to see Sei developing more self-confidence and finding a place where he feels safe enough to be himself. Lovely!
Favorite Quotes:
"I'm gay!" I protested.
"No kidding. You're kind of flamboyant. Use it."
"I'm working on sparkling."
and then finished a paper on witch morality. The lying to make the paper sound good gave me a headache. Everyone knew that witch morality was an oxymoron.
but I squared my shoulders and readied myself for battle. This was my home now, my place.
I'm re-reading these so I can continue with the rest of the series.
We're back to Sei's pov here, and this story is 100% about him. Gabe is in the background, though, and it's his patience and support and encouragement that make it possible for Sei to make the progress that he makes here.
And what great progress! It was awesome to get to see Sei developing more self-confidence and finding a place where he feels safe enough to be himself. Lovely!
Favorite Quotes:
"I'm gay!" I protested.
"No kidding. You're kind of flamboyant. Use it."
"I'm working on sparkling."
and then finished a paper on witch morality. The lying to make the paper sound good gave me a headache. Everyone knew that witch morality was an oxymoron.
but I squared my shoulders and readied myself for battle. This was my home now, my place.
May 9, 2014
Resolute is another short story in the Dominion series, this one takes place just before the events of the first book, and it explains us the circumstances that lead Sei to work at Gabe’s. Fed up with being harassed and bullied by his fellow students, Sei leaves his last job at the campus and finds himself in a difficult position to keep his independence without resorting to his mother. He turns to the only one person he trusts, Gabe, and asks him for a job at his place. Struggling with his complex of inferiority and his fears of spoiling his relationship with Gabe, Sei soon finds out he was made for the job. With his help, The Bloody Bar and Grill improves both menu and service.
November 26, 2011
3 1/2 stars!
I really enjoyed the three short stories that start the Dominion series. Friction (0.1), Decadence (0.2), and Resolute (0.3). They whetted my appetite for the novellas to come in the series. There were a number of typos but when it’s a free story you can’t be too picky. Hopefully the published for pay works have been edited more carefully. I’m eager to see how things turn out for Sei and Gabe.
See my full review of all three short stories at http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/?p=405
I really enjoyed the three short stories that start the Dominion series. Friction (0.1), Decadence (0.2), and Resolute (0.3). They whetted my appetite for the novellas to come in the series. There were a number of typos but when it’s a free story you can’t be too picky. Hopefully the published for pay works have been edited more carefully. I’m eager to see how things turn out for Sei and Gabe.
See my full review of all three short stories at http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/?p=405
November 20, 2014
A little disappointing for someone who hasn't read the rest of the books. I get that this is written as a short prequel, but it should be positioned as a book to be read after the main books, as it didn't really give a lot in back story.
Saying that it was well written and I'll definitely be on the lookout for more books by this author.
Saying that it was well written and I'll definitely be on the lookout for more books by this author.
January 26, 2014
My favorite of the short story prequels for Dominion... it seems to give more of taste of the characters and world than the others... enriching the experience. Because this series has really been all about characters and setting and its fun and makes me smile.
June 15, 2016
Bullied at his university work study job Seiran decides to quit and asks boyfriend Gabe for a job. At his new job he ends up making more money and begins to feel more secure financially. A small short story once again giving a glimpse into the life if Seiran.
October 24, 2011
3.5 stars
October 31, 2011
2.5 stars
November 5, 2011
3.5 stars
November 6, 2011
This was short part but well written and pulling. I liked it!
November 6, 2011
Aww. I'm liking these guys more and more with every story I read - So yeah, okay, I'm convinced: *puts "Inheritance" on to-buy list* :)
September 28, 2012
Sei is finally finding his own way.
May 18, 2012
A great short about how Seiran came to work at the Bloody Bar And Grill. These shorts give the reader a lot of backround about Sei's OCD and his love of food.
May 24, 2012
Favourite Character: Gabe
This one I liked more then the second one. Still not sure if the series is worth buying after this, I'll have to think about it.
This one I liked more then the second one. Still not sure if the series is worth buying after this, I'll have to think about it.
March 29, 2013
Free short on the website. So good.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews