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Darksoul #1 part 1
Darksoul: Part One
Dear Author,
He was beautiful, I saw him from afar one day. He would suit me, I think. He is funny, kind, and sweet. But he is also stubborn, fighting me this way; he isn’t ready to give in to me yet but I want him, I need him. He would complement my warrior personality. He will be mine, he is mine, mine to love and mine to protect.
Oh my God, his tail, the first time I saw him, his tail caught my attention. The way he uses it on me, caressing me. So hot. His eyes glowed as he stared at me, I shivered with lust. He took me from everything that I knew but his love for me is really all I could need.
Photo Description:
A well-muscled young man lying face down on pristine white sheets. He’s nude but the angle of the picture uses his body position to cover him. His fists are stacked on top of each other and his chin is resting there as he stares challengingly into the camera.
This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love is an Open Road" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.
This story may contain sexually explicit content and is intended for adult readers. It may contain content that is disagreeable or distressing to some readers. The M/M Romance Group strongly recommends that each reader review the General Information section before each story for story tags as well as for content warnings.
He was beautiful, I saw him from afar one day. He would suit me, I think. He is funny, kind, and sweet. But he is also stubborn, fighting me this way; he isn’t ready to give in to me yet but I want him, I need him. He would complement my warrior personality. He will be mine, he is mine, mine to love and mine to protect.
Oh my God, his tail, the first time I saw him, his tail caught my attention. The way he uses it on me, caressing me. So hot. His eyes glowed as he stared at me, I shivered with lust. He took me from everything that I knew but his love for me is really all I could need.
Photo Description:
A well-muscled young man lying face down on pristine white sheets. He’s nude but the angle of the picture uses his body position to cover him. His fists are stacked on top of each other and his chin is resting there as he stares challengingly into the camera.
This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love is an Open Road" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.
This story may contain sexually explicit content and is intended for adult readers. It may contain content that is disagreeable or distressing to some readers. The M/M Romance Group strongly recommends that each reader review the General Information section before each story for story tags as well as for content warnings.
121 pages, ebook
First published September 19, 2015
About the author
Lexi Ander
36 books454 followersLexi has always been an avid reader and at a young age started reading (secretly) her mother’s romances (the ones she was told not to touch). She was the only teenager she knew of who would be grounded from reading. Later, with a pencil and a note book, she wrote her own stories and shared them with friends because she loved to see their reactions. A Texas transplant, Lexi now kicks her boots up in the Midwest with her Yankee husband and her 80 pound puppies named after vacuum cleaners.
Website: http://www.lexiander.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lexi.ander.9
Blog: http://lexiander.blogspot.com/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/LexiAnder1
Email: lexi.ander.author@gmail.com
Website: http://www.lexiander.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lexi.ander.9
Blog: http://lexiander.blogspot.com/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/LexiAnder1
Email: lexi.ander.author@gmail.com
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
July 29, 2016
Omg...why didn't I wait?! I need part 2 right now!
So many of my favorite things in this story, I loved the world building, characters, and plot.
Sweet, tender, lusty, with a bit of the Mine!
...and there was a tail :P
So many of my favorite things in this story, I loved the world building, characters, and plot.
Sweet, tender, lusty, with a bit of the Mine!
...and there was a tail :P
Read
September 20, 2015Cliffhanger - To Be Continued.
October 21, 2015
This book was a struggle.
A few episodes were entertaining in some twisted way, but on the whole it was repetitious and dragging like crazy. Not for me. One star.
A few episodes were entertaining in some twisted way, but on the whole it was repetitious and dragging like crazy. Not for me. One star.
September 21, 2015
This was right up my alley: magic and politics and gay male romance. This is very ambitious and very hot. Elaborate details were created for this universe. I will say that sometimes the politics and set-up got a bit confusing. Also, there were a number of minor grammatical errors. Finally of course there's no finally because it ends with "To be continued." We were warned about that at the start though. I can't wait for the rest. Can someone please tell me when the sequel is out and also the sequel to other unfinished stories here? I don't have time to track them all. I guess there is a thread here for that purpose, but I would have to look for it. Yes I'm lazy but I just have too much to read.
September 22, 2015
Very well done sci-fi story set in a future earth with some excellent world building. Sundar is a half breed whose mother's people wanted to kill him at birth as he was feyborn and possessed dark magic. Instead his father stole him away and gave him to his twin sister to raise.
Gabe is a nurse, recently dumped and not looking for any sort of relationship when he meets Sundar.
The pair meet and start a relationship.that moves faster and goes deeper than either expect. Sundar's mother's people are attempting to assasinate him and under attack it is revealled that Gabe is a Guardian
This installmwnt finishes with a cliff hanger but I went into this story knowing that so can't fairly knock stars off for that. I look forward to the next part
Gabe is a nurse, recently dumped and not looking for any sort of relationship when he meets Sundar.
The pair meet and start a relationship.that moves faster and goes deeper than either expect. Sundar's mother's people are attempting to assasinate him and under attack it is revealled that Gabe is a Guardian
This installmwnt finishes with a cliff hanger but I went into this story knowing that so can't fairly knock stars off for that. I look forward to the next part
October 10, 2015
A solid four stars. It was great fun and had an interesting premise. I liked both MCs and their relationship dynamic. A couple of things could've been explained better, with more detail, but I'm extremely picky with my world building. The ending was a huge cliffhanger, so if that's not your thing, wait for the sequel.
September 19, 2015
I absolutely loved it. It was so much more than I thought would ever come from the prompt that I wrote and there is to be a part 2, which I cannot wait for. It was amazing! Darksoul Part 1 was well written, great sex, and I fell in love with Sunder and Gabe. 5 stars Lexi, I can't wait for more.
September 20, 2015
I hope the author doesn't make us wait too long for part 2.
January 5, 2018
OK STOP AND PLEASE READ! To clear up something I found very confusing. So after reading over half of this AWESOME story, my plaguing suspicions came flooding back and were correct. They were that this MM Goodreads prompt from their amazing collection of Love is an Open Road or LOR challenge is now indeed a fully fleshed out novel. One that’s expanded upon this story to three times it’s original size from this wondrous prompt. It’s a full length novel called Sūnder (Darksoul, #1)
This story prompt is unfortunately not Part #1 of anything at all and I’ll freely admit I didn’t scour the internet but I shouldn’t have had to. I honestly feel that people should read this prompt AFTER the novel it grew into. It gives you an understanding of how the author(s) drew upon and expanded this fantastic story. I feel like reading this detailed prompt first has almost ruined the Novel Sūnder, created from it but if done in reverse however. It gives budding authors a far superior advantage than having to sit through boring lectures/classes on how to write a novel. :) This could be used as an excellent example for any author not just students!
Dear Lexi,
can you please clear this misconception up with a librarian. To me it maintains you need to read this wonderful prompt first. I strongly disagree. I know you’ve acknowledged this in the Novel Sunder, but not in the copy of this short story which I downloaded from the link in here on Jan 4th, 2018. I don’t know if you’ve already tried to do this and were turned down but I think what I’ve said above is more than a reasonable argument to pop a notation at the start of this short story.
Kindest regards and utmost respect,
Paul.
As someone who relies upon text-to-speech heavily everyday this is an example of how much this story has been expanded upon. Approximate reading times:
This prompt Darksoul: 4hrs 44mins
Novel Sūnder Sūnder: 13hrs
This story prompt is unfortunately not Part #1 of anything at all and I’ll freely admit I didn’t scour the internet but I shouldn’t have had to. I honestly feel that people should read this prompt AFTER the novel it grew into. It gives you an understanding of how the author(s) drew upon and expanded this fantastic story. I feel like reading this detailed prompt first has almost ruined the Novel Sūnder, created from it but if done in reverse however. It gives budding authors a far superior advantage than having to sit through boring lectures/classes on how to write a novel. :) This could be used as an excellent example for any author not just students!
Dear Lexi,
can you please clear this misconception up with a librarian. To me it maintains you need to read this wonderful prompt first. I strongly disagree. I know you’ve acknowledged this in the Novel Sunder, but not in the copy of this short story which I downloaded from the link in here on Jan 4th, 2018. I don’t know if you’ve already tried to do this and were turned down but I think what I’ve said above is more than a reasonable argument to pop a notation at the start of this short story.
Kindest regards and utmost respect,
Paul.
As someone who relies upon text-to-speech heavily everyday this is an example of how much this story has been expanded upon. Approximate reading times:
This prompt Darksoul: 4hrs 44mins
Novel Sūnder Sūnder: 13hrs
October 7, 2015
So I can't really be that upset over the fact that this ends in a cliffhanger, since it does clearly state "Part One" in the title, and the content warning states "cliffhanger". But somehow I happened to miss all that and thought that this would be the first complete book in a new series. Too bad, I was just getting into the story when the end came.
Sunder is the halfling prince of the Pantherine race, a feline race with a tail, and the Elffin-ones, who are elf-like in appearance. His mother's people tried to kill him at birth because he was born with magick and was Feyborn male. A large war in the past that was very bloody is blamed on Feyborn males. His father, Valiant, decided to save him from his mother's people, though. A treaty between the two races made it so that Sunder could not be acknowledged by his biological father, and was instead given to his father's twin sister to raise.
Gabriel is a human nurse who specializes in Pantherine care. He's been abandoned by so many people in his life that he lives expecting the other shoe to drop. When Sunder brings in Ayre,his biological brother who he calls his cousin, due to a broken arm incurred doing something foolish after drinking too much orange juice (which is apparently intoxicating to Pantherines), he is instantly attracted to Sunder. And Sunder is quite taken with the nurse as well. However, there's no insta-love. It takes another fortuitous meeting for the two to go on a spontaneous outing. Soon Gabe is caught up in the intrigue behind Sunder's life. Gabe then has to decide whether or not Sunder is worth it, and whether he can trust that Sunder won't abandon him, just like everyone else in his life.
I really enjoyed this beginning to a new series. My biggest issue was that there were just so many unfamiliar words that I sometimes had to either re-read to figure it out or ignore it and keep moving on.
Sunder is the halfling prince of the Pantherine race, a feline race with a tail, and the Elffin-ones, who are elf-like in appearance. His mother's people tried to kill him at birth because he was born with magick and was Feyborn male. A large war in the past that was very bloody is blamed on Feyborn males. His father, Valiant, decided to save him from his mother's people, though. A treaty between the two races made it so that Sunder could not be acknowledged by his biological father, and was instead given to his father's twin sister to raise.
Gabriel is a human nurse who specializes in Pantherine care. He's been abandoned by so many people in his life that he lives expecting the other shoe to drop. When Sunder brings in Ayre,his biological brother who he calls his cousin, due to a broken arm incurred doing something foolish after drinking too much orange juice (which is apparently intoxicating to Pantherines), he is instantly attracted to Sunder. And Sunder is quite taken with the nurse as well. However, there's no insta-love. It takes another fortuitous meeting for the two to go on a spontaneous outing. Soon Gabe is caught up in the intrigue behind Sunder's life. Gabe then has to decide whether or not Sunder is worth it, and whether he can trust that Sunder won't abandon him, just like everyone else in his life.
I really enjoyed this beginning to a new series. My biggest issue was that there were just so many unfamiliar words that I sometimes had to either re-read to figure it out or ignore it and keep moving on.
September 13, 2017
This is the FREE version that was originally published as an entry in the Goodreads M/M Romance Group's 'Love is an Open Road' event and I adored it at the time even if it does end in a cliffhanger. (Gasp!) It is available to read online or you can download a copy, which I did.
I recently came across it again and reread it, realized I still adored it so went looking to see if Part 2 had even been released.
For a short story written from a prompt with a time limit I was amazed at how quickly I was pulled into the story and fell in love with the characters. The workdbuilding is amazing and intriguing with the characters completely fleshed out.
I do recommend this as well as the rest of the FREE short short stories submitted in the event https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group...
I recently came across it again and reread it, realized I still adored it so went looking to see if Part 2 had even been released.
For a short story written from a prompt with a time limit I was amazed at how quickly I was pulled into the story and fell in love with the characters. The workdbuilding is amazing and intriguing with the characters completely fleshed out.
I do recommend this as well as the rest of the FREE short short stories submitted in the event https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group...
October 9, 2015
Interesting characters and worlds. Cliffhanger that left me wanting to read part 2. Lots of questions that still need answered, which I assume will be done in future books - but from what I've read in this one, I did enjoy it.
September 21, 2015
This was awesome, loved the characters, the world building, the details, now impatiently waiting for part 2
March 4, 2018
Schöner Anfang einer Geschichte
April 2, 2019
Damn that plot twist
September 24, 2015
I really liked this story. I was a bit put off with the ‘cliffhanger’, but this is obviously book one of a series. It doesn’t just end. But we are left with questions and looking forward to seeing what happens next.
It’s set in a AU, where there is space travel. Earth is a neutral place and is the place to go if you are one of the other races from one of the other planets. Sunder is a mixed race. He is part panther-elf. He was born as drow, someone with magic. Elves believe male drows are prone to grow up and cause chaos and thus kills them at birth. Apparently… the are the reason of a great civil war 500 years prior with the elves.
Sunder is the eldest of King Valiant and rightful heir, but he isn’t allowed to be claimed by his father. Adopted by his aunt, Valiant's twin sister, he was raised by a loving woman and grew up with his father nearby always and his half-brother. He has rose in the ranks is the youngest Commander ever.
He escorts his brother to Earth. There he meets Gabe. His mate. His one and only and he will have him. He never wanted another before but the moment he see/scents Gabe he jumps on the ‘mate’ bandwagon. But not all is what it seems.
Gabe is used to abandonment. His parents up and left him when he was sixteen without a word, just a note. All these years later and he still suffers from it. His only constant in his life is his best friend, Ronan. When his boyfriend of seven years ups and leaves him without much of a goodbye, he feels abandoned again, but later on figures out it was for the best. His ex and him had a comfortable life, but he didn’t love him (madly in love with him). He doesn’t believe in instant love, only instant lust. Then he meets Sunder and his life changes.
Together the sparks. Sunder has characteristics of both Elvian and Panther, including a tail… a tail he is okay with doing naughty things with Gabe. Gave becomes possessive and rubs his come all over Sunder and rubs his essence in Sunder’s slits where his stripes are, which ‘eat it up’. At the end of the story Sunder mentions his stomach aches and how it is feels, hinting to us… perhaps we got a pregnant Sunder.
Also, we are left with trying to learn the truth about male drows and Gabe being a Also what is Sunder’s biological mom up too? She is evil. Who is trying to set up Sunder?
It’s set in a AU, where there is space travel. Earth is a neutral place and is the place to go if you are one of the other races from one of the other planets. Sunder is a mixed race. He is part panther-elf. He was born as drow, someone with magic. Elves believe male drows are prone to grow up and cause chaos and thus kills them at birth. Apparently… the are the reason of a great civil war 500 years prior with the elves.
Sunder is the eldest of King Valiant and rightful heir, but he isn’t allowed to be claimed by his father. Adopted by his aunt, Valiant's twin sister, he was raised by a loving woman and grew up with his father nearby always and his half-brother. He has rose in the ranks is the youngest Commander ever.
He escorts his brother to Earth. There he meets Gabe. His mate. His one and only and he will have him. He never wanted another before but the moment he see/scents Gabe he jumps on the ‘mate’ bandwagon. But not all is what it seems.
Gabe is used to abandonment. His parents up and left him when he was sixteen without a word, just a note. All these years later and he still suffers from it. His only constant in his life is his best friend, Ronan. When his boyfriend of seven years ups and leaves him without much of a goodbye, he feels abandoned again, but later on figures out it was for the best. His ex and him had a comfortable life, but he didn’t love him (madly in love with him). He doesn’t believe in instant love, only instant lust. Then he meets Sunder and his life changes.
Together the sparks. Sunder has characteristics of both Elvian and Panther, including a tail… a tail he is okay with doing naughty things with Gabe. Gave becomes possessive and rubs his come all over Sunder and rubs his essence in Sunder’s slits where his stripes are, which ‘eat it up’. At the end of the story Sunder mentions his stomach aches and how it is feels, hinting to us… perhaps we got a pregnant Sunder.
Also, we are left with trying to learn the truth about male drows and Gabe being a Also what is Sunder’s biological mom up too? She is evil. Who is trying to set up Sunder?
January 4, 2016
Wasn't easy to get into that story with all the names and races and I struggled to accept it as Sci-Fi instead of Fantasy (don't know why that classification was so important for me) and I still believe that I missed some details because the story pushed me relentlessly further. It's like a summer blockbuster based on a graphic novel: too big for a quiet moment, passion instead of emotion. With that in mind what's not to love about a story with feline aliens, elfin villains and walking trees ... looking forward to part 2. I just hope I read some signs the wrong way and Lexi Ander steers no course to m-preg.
February 29, 2016
OMG!!! THAT ENDING! I knew it was a cliffhanger but now I am on tender-hooks waiting for the complete novel!
I loved this part one. It had everything I love about the genre. Lexi Ander brought the unique characters to life and provided a rich world for them to live in. I loved the magic and sci-fi combination as well as the idea that our fairy stories might have a extraterrestrial origin.
The romance was prevalent and excellent but the story was so much more than that. I can't wait for the rest of the story!
I loved this part one. It had everything I love about the genre. Lexi Ander brought the unique characters to life and provided a rich world for them to live in. I loved the magic and sci-fi combination as well as the idea that our fairy stories might have a extraterrestrial origin.
The romance was prevalent and excellent but the story was so much more than that. I can't wait for the rest of the story!
January 18, 2016
I know, I KNOW it said going in that this was a cliffhanger, but... but why?! I swear, it's to the point where the one star docked is almost for that alone.
But no, despite my desire to read more, I do really dislike when protagonists sit and endlessly stew about shit that would easily be remedied by, oh, I don't know... TALKING to the love interest? For goodness sake. I feel like we could have taken all that nonsense out and just fit the whole story into one volume, eh?
But no, despite my desire to read more, I do really dislike when protagonists sit and endlessly stew about shit that would easily be remedied by, oh, I don't know... TALKING to the love interest? For goodness sake. I feel like we could have taken all that nonsense out and just fit the whole story into one volume, eh?
December 5, 2016
3.5 STARS
This book was picked for me as part of the "Out of Comfort - December Challenge". I enjoyed the characters in this book and the author is building an unique universe. It does, however, end with at least 3 major cliffhangers and there are minor spelling and grammatical errors in the story. Overall though a good read.
This book was picked for me as part of the "Out of Comfort - December Challenge". I enjoyed the characters in this book and the author is building an unique universe. It does, however, end with at least 3 major cliffhangers and there are minor spelling and grammatical errors in the story. Overall though a good read.
September 20, 2015
Great story! I had to drop a star because of the dreaded CLIFFHANGER. :/
I really hope Part Two is available soon. *drums fingers on desk with impatience*
I really hope Part Two is available soon. *drums fingers on desk with impatience*
September 20, 2015
The sex scenes been to 'enthusiastic' for me. Didn't match the whole 'charme' of the book. Nonetheless it was still a very entertaining story.
September 20, 2015
I'm impatiently waiting for part 2.
September 29, 2015
UGH, I hate cliffhanger. I really liked this story, it was very different and very sexy. I need to know what happens NOW!!!!
April 25, 2016
What was that cliffhanger.
September 30, 2015
An unexpected treat. Great start to a series.
December 14, 2015
Interesting. Looking forward to the rest of the story when the book comes out.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews