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Dark Companions #3
Promised to the Nightmare Realm: Gay Romantasy
Not yet published
Expected 16 Jul 26
“You will be my Dark Companion, sweetheart. I will always protect you.”
An honorable elven knight torn between duty and desire.
A human bookworm whose longing for true love may destroy him.
Nate
I’ve always dreamed of a grand love—the kind you read about at three a.m. when your heart aches and the world feels oppressive. I just never believed it would actually find me.
I’m a hopeless romantic. I fall for men who don’t stay. And the last time I trusted someone, it nearly got me killed.
Instead of dying, I was taken to the Nightmare Realm.
An elven knight pulled my soul from a dark river and offered me a my shadow in exchange for my life. I said yes, because I always do when a charming man chooses me.
Tristan is swoony, flirty, and oh-so-hot—as if every book boyfriend I’ve ever loved stepped out of the page to seduce me.
So, to hell with it, I follow him to a realm of endless darkness, monstrous beasts, and promises written in the stars.
Only then do I learn the I’m bound to another elf, one who only cares about my shadow.
Ancient laws don’t care about my shattered heart, but the deeper I fall into the Nightmare Realm—and into Tristan—the more impossible it becomes to ignore the way he looks at me. How he protects me. How he tempts me into believing I might actually matter to him.
Even if loving me could cost him every vow he’s ever sworn.
And if the Nightmare Realm doesn’t destroy me first, loving Tristan just might.
◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆
“Promised to the Nightmare Realm” is a standalone, dark M/M Romantasy filled with yearning and hurt/comfort to tear your heart out, dangerous shadow magic, and scorching hot desire. Devotion and betrayal at the Nocturne Court.
Shadows can be traded, souls can be bound, and survival comes at a terrible cost.
Protective Hero, Forbidden Love, promised to another, Hurt/Comfort, Magical bond, Fish Out of Water, Angst with HEA, Only One Bed, Touch Him and Die, Yearning, Portal fantasy, Elven prince, gothic castle, shadow magic, monsters and fantastical creatures
This story contains scenes of violence, abduction, trauma, and morally gray characters unafraid to burn the world down for their beloved.
An honorable elven knight torn between duty and desire.
A human bookworm whose longing for true love may destroy him.
Nate
I’ve always dreamed of a grand love—the kind you read about at three a.m. when your heart aches and the world feels oppressive. I just never believed it would actually find me.
I’m a hopeless romantic. I fall for men who don’t stay. And the last time I trusted someone, it nearly got me killed.
Instead of dying, I was taken to the Nightmare Realm.
An elven knight pulled my soul from a dark river and offered me a my shadow in exchange for my life. I said yes, because I always do when a charming man chooses me.
Tristan is swoony, flirty, and oh-so-hot—as if every book boyfriend I’ve ever loved stepped out of the page to seduce me.
So, to hell with it, I follow him to a realm of endless darkness, monstrous beasts, and promises written in the stars.
Only then do I learn the I’m bound to another elf, one who only cares about my shadow.
Ancient laws don’t care about my shattered heart, but the deeper I fall into the Nightmare Realm—and into Tristan—the more impossible it becomes to ignore the way he looks at me. How he protects me. How he tempts me into believing I might actually matter to him.
Even if loving me could cost him every vow he’s ever sworn.
And if the Nightmare Realm doesn’t destroy me first, loving Tristan just might.
◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆
“Promised to the Nightmare Realm” is a standalone, dark M/M Romantasy filled with yearning and hurt/comfort to tear your heart out, dangerous shadow magic, and scorching hot desire. Devotion and betrayal at the Nocturne Court.
Shadows can be traded, souls can be bound, and survival comes at a terrible cost.
Protective Hero, Forbidden Love, promised to another, Hurt/Comfort, Magical bond, Fish Out of Water, Angst with HEA, Only One Bed, Touch Him and Die, Yearning, Portal fantasy, Elven prince, gothic castle, shadow magic, monsters and fantastical creatures
This story contains scenes of violence, abduction, trauma, and morally gray characters unafraid to burn the world down for their beloved.
- GenresM M Romance
Kindle Edition
Expected publication July 16, 2026
About the author
K.A. Merikan
131 books3,153 followers(Goodreads profile run by Kat)
K. A. Merikan is a duo of queer writers who don’t believe in following the well-trodden path. In their books you can dip your toe into dangerous romance with mafiosi, outlaw bikers and bad boys, all from the safety of your sofa. They love the weird and wonderful, stepping out of the box, and bending stereotypes both in life and in fiction. Their stories don’t shy away from exploring the darker side of M/M romance, and feature a variety of anti-heroes, rebels, misfits, and underdogs who go against the grain.
Be prepared for shocking twists, dark humor, raw emotions, and sizzling hot scenes.
K.A. Merikan also writes steamy M/M romcoms as Devon Doe.
e-mail: kamerikan@gmail.com
More information about ongoing projects, works in progress and publishing at:
K.A. Merikan’s author page: http://kamerikan.com
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/kamerikan
K. A. Merikan is a duo of queer writers who don’t believe in following the well-trodden path. In their books you can dip your toe into dangerous romance with mafiosi, outlaw bikers and bad boys, all from the safety of your sofa. They love the weird and wonderful, stepping out of the box, and bending stereotypes both in life and in fiction. Their stories don’t shy away from exploring the darker side of M/M romance, and feature a variety of anti-heroes, rebels, misfits, and underdogs who go against the grain.
Be prepared for shocking twists, dark humor, raw emotions, and sizzling hot scenes.
K.A. Merikan also writes steamy M/M romcoms as Devon Doe.
e-mail: kamerikan@gmail.com
More information about ongoing projects, works in progress and publishing at:
K.A. Merikan’s author page: http://kamerikan.com
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/kamerikan
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
Did Not Finish
June 25, 2026RTC pending publication
Review of advance copy
⭐️ 3.5 stars ⭐️
I have quite a few thoughts on this installment of the Dark Companions series, because I wanted to love it, could see the potential, but it failed to fully pull me in.
The first half was way too insta. A very fast-paced romance between an incurable romantic who just wants his fairytale, and the knight in shining armor who immediately falls for him.
It got better in the second half, with the angst and them having to reconnect, but the story overall lacked the intensity and wildness I’ve come to expect from these authors.
And while there was angst, it was mostly skipped over to the aftermath, so it lost the ‘impact’, I guess. It didn’t hit as hard in the feels.
I didn’t feel swept into that magical gothic fantasy world of the other books. Tristan was too golden retriever protector and Nate too soft and naive — neither one of them really fit into the dark aesthetic.
Overall, it had some good moments, and I might’ve teared up at the end, but I wasn’t completely captivated by the plot line or the romance.
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
CW and NSFW info (spoilers):
- Violence
- Abduction
- Torture (off page)
- Panic attacks/flashbacks
- Mention of animal abuse (off page)
- Mention of past parental death
- Top/bottom
- Frotting
Your shadow may be bound to another, but it’s me who pulled you out of the river.
I have quite a few thoughts on this installment of the Dark Companions series, because I wanted to love it, could see the potential, but it failed to fully pull me in.
Did I really meet him yesterday? So why does it feel like he’s the only man I’ll ever want?
The first half was way too insta. A very fast-paced romance between an incurable romantic who just wants his fairytale, and the knight in shining armor who immediately falls for him.
It got better in the second half, with the angst and them having to reconnect, but the story overall lacked the intensity and wildness I’ve come to expect from these authors.
And while there was angst, it was mostly skipped over to the aftermath, so it lost the ‘impact’, I guess. It didn’t hit as hard in the feels.
It might be reckless, but is it such a sin that I want to lean into his touch?
I didn’t feel swept into that magical gothic fantasy world of the other books. Tristan was too golden retriever protector and Nate too soft and naive — neither one of them really fit into the dark aesthetic.
Overall, it had some good moments, and I might’ve teared up at the end, but I wasn’t completely captivated by the plot line or the romance.
Is it really so naive to dream of romance? Of a love that will overfill my heart and take my breath away?
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
CW and NSFW info (spoilers):
- Violence
- Abduction
- Torture (off page)
- Panic attacks/flashbacks
- Mention of animal abuse (off page)
- Mention of past parental death
- Top/bottom
- Frotting
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews