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Pittsburgh Vampires #4
Master DuCane
Master Louis DuCane has walked the earth for over 900 years. He came of age in royal splendor, but in time when just mere survival was decided from day to day at the point of a sword. He has lived many different lives over the course of his time on this plane, but what he has not found is his beloved. He has always felt the vacancy in his life that his fate-destined love would fill, but as time marched forward he became convinced that love was not his gift to have. He has created an empire for himself and is feared and revered in equal measure in the vampire world, but a part of him still longs for his beloved to come to him. When his spiritualist sees a sign in the stars that his beloved is in Pittsburgh, Louis knows just the man and coven who can help him with his quest. Nik Hadden owes him a favor and Louis DuCane has come to collect.
Ezra Bentley isn’t sure what to make of his life at this point. The Hadden Coven killed the witch that Ezra was enslaved to and determined his innocence of any crimes, but most days he still feels like a prisoner. His former band of Kindred now see him as an enemy and Nik Hadden has asked him to stay for his own protection, so matched up against death, being a prisoner doesn’t sound too bad. He keeps to himself and does his work and hopes to make enough money to leave and somehow create a life of his own, if he can manage to endure the near-constant bullying by some members of the coven. Vampires are notoriously distrustful of witches in their midst. When Master Louis DuCane descends on the Coven looking for his beloved, Ezra is the last thought on anyone’s mind. However, when the witch is revealed to be the long desired fated match, things are about to get a whole lot more interesting. A distrustful coven, an imprisoned witch, and a 900-year-old Master Vampire? Sparks are about to fly. Can Ezra and Louis weather the storm and find their happy tomorrow? Ezra’s life may depend on it.
Ezra Bentley isn’t sure what to make of his life at this point. The Hadden Coven killed the witch that Ezra was enslaved to and determined his innocence of any crimes, but most days he still feels like a prisoner. His former band of Kindred now see him as an enemy and Nik Hadden has asked him to stay for his own protection, so matched up against death, being a prisoner doesn’t sound too bad. He keeps to himself and does his work and hopes to make enough money to leave and somehow create a life of his own, if he can manage to endure the near-constant bullying by some members of the coven. Vampires are notoriously distrustful of witches in their midst. When Master Louis DuCane descends on the Coven looking for his beloved, Ezra is the last thought on anyone’s mind. However, when the witch is revealed to be the long desired fated match, things are about to get a whole lot more interesting. A distrustful coven, an imprisoned witch, and a 900-year-old Master Vampire? Sparks are about to fly. Can Ezra and Louis weather the storm and find their happy tomorrow? Ezra’s life may depend on it.
58 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 24, 2018
About the author
B.A. Stretke
186 books414 followersB.A. Stretke is a Gay Romance and fiction author who publishes through Dreamspinner Press, LLC, and Amazon.com
B.A Stretke began writing as a hobby. He read his first Jane Austen novel as a teen and was instantly hooked. The age-old dream of being a novelist took hold. Now long into adulthood, and a few years as an editor under his belt, B.A. is a full-time writer. B.A. spends his days reading, engaging in sarcasm, and plotting the next storyline, often leaving little headspace for much else. He loves hiking through the Northern Michigan woods he calls home, often finding inspiration for his books. Writing and finding that perfect cup of coffee occupy the rest of his time.
B.A. Stretke lives in Northern Michigan with one royally spoiled cat and his dear friends and family.
You can connect with B.A. Stretke on his website: www.bastretke.com
Follow me on twitter at https://twitter.com/BAStretkeWriter
Like me on Facebook! - B.A. Stretke
B.A Stretke began writing as a hobby. He read his first Jane Austen novel as a teen and was instantly hooked. The age-old dream of being a novelist took hold. Now long into adulthood, and a few years as an editor under his belt, B.A. is a full-time writer. B.A. spends his days reading, engaging in sarcasm, and plotting the next storyline, often leaving little headspace for much else. He loves hiking through the Northern Michigan woods he calls home, often finding inspiration for his books. Writing and finding that perfect cup of coffee occupy the rest of his time.
B.A. Stretke lives in Northern Michigan with one royally spoiled cat and his dear friends and family.
You can connect with B.A. Stretke on his website: www.bastretke.com
Follow me on twitter at https://twitter.com/BAStretkeWriter
Like me on Facebook! - B.A. Stretke
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
March 10, 2020
This was book 4 in the
"Pittsburgh Vampires"
This was a short quick read that I liked. Master Louis DuCane came to the Hadden Coven to find his mate he was told by his spirit advisor that his beloved was in Pittsburgh. Ezra Bentley is a witch he was a slave to one of the witches that Nik killed in the last book he has no place to go his kinder wants to kill him they blame him for the other witches deaths. Ezra is being bullied in the coven but he doesn't want to cause problems so he doesn't say anything or speak up for himself. While meeting the coven members Master DuCane smells is mate on one of the vamps Timm who turns out to be bullying Ezra he is getting frustrated he knows that his beloved is near. Ezra who has a few days off to rest after being pushed down he hits his head. When the Master meets with Timm again he mouths off to him and Nik has him punished. While touring the kitchen the Master finds his mates scent on Jack a wolf shifter working in the kitchen. Ezra doesn't know what to think he doesn't like being in the spotlight he doesn't know what to make of the Master's attention but he knows that he is drawn to him. Master DuCane is an old vampire one of the oldest and he is royalty he is also the most powerful. After he claims Ezra he takes a look at his body and find that he is bruised he gets very angry and confronts Nik and its a battle of wills turns out Nik is just as strong as he is. Ezra thinks that he needs to leave so he tries to run away but not before he runs into Jack he tells him what's going on and Ezra shows him his bruised body when he tries to leave he is kidnapped by his old Kinder and the Master will move heaven and hell to get him back. This was a good read that was well written with no errors in grammar or spelling. I am looking forward reading the next book in this series.
February 23, 2021
Honestly... this one surprised me. Considering I absolutely had to rant about book 3 yesterday, I expected this one to be along the same lines but it wasn’t, and I actually really enjoyed it.
I’d have given it 5 stars if the editing was better.
So with Josef and book 3 I bitched because the hurt/comfort plot used in that book was just too much for a novella sized story. But the hurt/comfort plot in this book was absolutely perfect.
Maybe spoilerish below
You absolutely feel for Ezra and how he’s being abused but doesn’t want to make waves since he’s a guest and under the covens protection. And you absolutely love that Louis is ready to smash the world to pieces when he finds out what Ezras been through... that’s what I like to see in a “fated mates” book.
I also loved how it wasn’t overly cheesy like the last book, because it didn’t need it...
I will say that maybe I misunderstood, but the 900 year old virgin thing was not very believable... I mean he stretched an ass like a pro so....
I’d have given it 5 stars if the editing was better.
So with Josef and book 3 I bitched because the hurt/comfort plot used in that book was just too much for a novella sized story. But the hurt/comfort plot in this book was absolutely perfect.
Maybe spoilerish below
You absolutely feel for Ezra and how he’s being abused but doesn’t want to make waves since he’s a guest and under the covens protection. And you absolutely love that Louis is ready to smash the world to pieces when he finds out what Ezras been through... that’s what I like to see in a “fated mates” book.
I also loved how it wasn’t overly cheesy like the last book, because it didn’t need it...
I will say that maybe I misunderstood, but the 900 year old virgin thing was not very believable... I mean he stretched an ass like a pro so....
May 7, 2018
Mrs Stretke has managed to outdo herself with this nth product of her keyboard: it is worse on all counts than the launching novelette in this series, which I had flayed for its vainglorious writing replete with syntactic infelicities and outright barbarisms. The present instalment pushes further into the realm of preposterousness: no plot transpires beyond the barest outline of a guiding idea (Master Vampire arrives at a coven, meets his wizard mate, histrionics and sex ensue, then fade to black); what the barely-there cast resembles most is a bullet list of paranormals, as if their various labels precluded any effort from the writer's part at individual and contextual characterization; so high is the speed at which the events unfold that no literary pleasure is generated while reading this badly rushed tale unless one is able at will to unplug one's brain and fall down to the level of hebetude that presided at the creation of this book; finally, the style constantly hesitates between nursery writing and that special brand of awkward purple prose to which subliterary authors tend to flock like moths to the flame, notwistanding the myriad typos and editing issues. Without the kind of literary magic that compulsive writers like Mrs Stretke seem incapable of mastering, no matter how many stories they release day in day out, love can hardly be subpoenaed between two empowered wastes of thin air living within the confines of a mock-serious universe. I stand corrected; Mrs Stretke is now another notch on my index librorum prohibitorum.
October 2, 2018
Generally enjoyed reading, but needs work
I love a good supernatural mate bond story as much as the next person, and the idea here is perfectly fine as a simple and sexy plot concept. Buuuut I had a few major problems with the execution that took away from my experience reading this book:
1. This is very much in need of editing. Incorrect or missing words are prevalent, there were some instances of mismatched tense, and it was busting at the seams with run-on sentences. I'm not sure I've ever longed for commas quite to this extent before.
2. This is more subjective, but the whole thing came across as incredibly rushed to me. I think one of the larger contributing factors to this is that communication of events and emotions tends to be pretty blunt and literal, rather than something experienced (ah there you are, the infamous "show, don't tell"). There is no real sense of having the space to feel out the characters or environment, which in turn left the emotion of the story feeling shallow and unsatisfying. It was difficult to feel very invested in the relationship because nothing really gave it, or the characters, enough substance to actually foster connection. There was so much more that could have been explored here to give this story more life.
I love a good supernatural mate bond story as much as the next person, and the idea here is perfectly fine as a simple and sexy plot concept. Buuuut I had a few major problems with the execution that took away from my experience reading this book:
1. This is very much in need of editing. Incorrect or missing words are prevalent, there were some instances of mismatched tense, and it was busting at the seams with run-on sentences. I'm not sure I've ever longed for commas quite to this extent before.
2. This is more subjective, but the whole thing came across as incredibly rushed to me. I think one of the larger contributing factors to this is that communication of events and emotions tends to be pretty blunt and literal, rather than something experienced (ah there you are, the infamous "show, don't tell"). There is no real sense of having the space to feel out the characters or environment, which in turn left the emotion of the story feeling shallow and unsatisfying. It was difficult to feel very invested in the relationship because nothing really gave it, or the characters, enough substance to actually foster connection. There was so much more that could have been explored here to give this story more life.
July 23, 2022
Fantastic mm vampire romance
Ezra a low level witch came to the Hadden coven in the last book with two other witches who were evil and helped the abuser of Isaac in the previous book. He was found innocent and offered a job for pay in the club kitchen. Ezra is bullied and injured by low level vampires but does not want to say anything about it as he feels he is an outsider. Master DuCane comes to the coven since he was told he would find his beloved there. He does find Ezra and while bonding with him sees the bruises and burns on his body and takes on the whole coven in a rage. What a battle between the two master vampires! Ezra runs, gets kidnapped but Master DuCane saves him, wrecks vengeance and then takes Ezra back to Michigan . The bullies get their just desserts and we have another exciting HEA. A great read.
Ezra a low level witch came to the Hadden coven in the last book with two other witches who were evil and helped the abuser of Isaac in the previous book. He was found innocent and offered a job for pay in the club kitchen. Ezra is bullied and injured by low level vampires but does not want to say anything about it as he feels he is an outsider. Master DuCane comes to the coven since he was told he would find his beloved there. He does find Ezra and while bonding with him sees the bruises and burns on his body and takes on the whole coven in a rage. What a battle between the two master vampires! Ezra runs, gets kidnapped but Master DuCane saves him, wrecks vengeance and then takes Ezra back to Michigan . The bullies get their just desserts and we have another exciting HEA. A great read.
August 23, 2021
I guess I’ll say it again….
Considering the poor editing and grammar and the shortness of the “books,” these cost way way WAY too much. It would be much more appropriate to charge $0.99 for books of this magnitude…or at least put them on KU. I also have a theory: I’ve noticed that the first book in each series is usually the best—longer, less plot holes, more like a traditional novella—but each book after that goes downhill. Could it be possible that a ghostwriter is used to start out each series? Just a thought…
Considering the poor editing and grammar and the shortness of the “books,” these cost way way WAY too much. It would be much more appropriate to charge $0.99 for books of this magnitude…or at least put them on KU. I also have a theory: I’ve noticed that the first book in each series is usually the best—longer, less plot holes, more like a traditional novella—but each book after that goes downhill. Could it be possible that a ghostwriter is used to start out each series? Just a thought…
May 6, 2018
I really liked this book. This novel is better than the previous in this series. It had more things going on, some danger, revenge and some power play that was stimulating! And the MCs were very hot together.
I am also glad that there are new characters appearing! The inclusion of new coven and how things are different there made for a good read. I wish his novels were a little longer though but they are still good! I highly recommend it.
I am also glad that there are new characters appearing! The inclusion of new coven and how things are different there made for a good read. I wish his novels were a little longer though but they are still good! I highly recommend it.
May 6, 2018
Just a really good book in this series where Master Ducane is reintroduced to the reader in his quest for his beloved. Ezra is minor witch who has taken refuge at the behest Nik Hadden. Unbeknown by anyone but Jack, the werewolf, he is bullied and tormented by several of the lower coven members. Violence, hot sex between beloveds, bonding, bloodshed, and love all mix up to give the reader excellent entertainment
May 1, 2018
Awesome addition to a great series
To be the love interest of someone as charismatic as a 900 year old vampire would be a thrill ride for sure. This book showcases this well and makes me want a vampire like that. This book is fast pace yet leaves nothing out and leaves you wanting more. Nicely done. Can't wait for the next one.
To be the love interest of someone as charismatic as a 900 year old vampire would be a thrill ride for sure. This book showcases this well and makes me want a vampire like that. This book is fast pace yet leaves nothing out and leaves you wanting more. Nicely done. Can't wait for the next one.
September 15, 2018
I was so happy for poor Ezra when he finally found his beloved, Louis DuCane. Since Ezra was a witch, he was pretty much bullied while staying with Nik's coven, until master Louis finds him and basically ssves his life. I liked the style of writing, and how each dramatic scene was depicted. I'm anxious to begin the next book in this series. Loved it. =)
December 26, 2022
This is one of my favorite stories of this author. I love the ancient vampire DuCane. It was part of the Pittsburgh Vampires but started a new series. Recommend reading. I have read this story at least twice this year. When I feel like reading but can't find something I want--I will go to this author and find something that I know I will enjoy.
April 30, 2023
Great author
I like everything about this book I have all of them so far and I have read all of the series so far and loved everyone of them everyday I check to see if there's another new book coming out by the author I think I have most of them that you written so far I look forward to reading a lot more
I like everything about this book I have all of them so far and I have read all of the series so far and loved everyone of them everyday I check to see if there's another new book coming out by the author I think I have most of them that you written so far I look forward to reading a lot more
April 26, 2018
Loved it
What I love about this author is the variety of characters you get, DuCane is a warrior and his mate did not have to be a warrior.
I hope Jack finds his mate, I do hope Ismael and Silas finds mates.
What I love about this author is the variety of characters you get, DuCane is a warrior and his mate did not have to be a warrior.
I hope Jack finds his mate, I do hope Ismael and Silas finds mates.
June 22, 2024
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ezra es una cosita tierna hermosa preciosa y super lindaaa entiendo que Louis se enamorara tan rapido y que estuviera desesperado por encontrarlo. Como las anteriores es una historia bonita sin drama innecesario puro amor y entretenida .
Ezra es una cosita tierna hermosa preciosa y super lindaaa entiendo que Louis se enamorara tan rapido y que estuviera desesperado por encontrarlo. Como las anteriores es una historia bonita sin drama innecesario puro amor y entretenida .
May 9, 2018
Perfect
Loved the book you always make me feel like I’m there with the characters of your books keep up the wonderful writing
Loved the book you always make me feel like I’m there with the characters of your books keep up the wonderful writing
June 2, 2018
Best vampire book
I enjoyed it so much! Wish it was longer! Ezra and Louis are so sweet as a couple. Thank you.
I enjoyed it so much! Wish it was longer! Ezra and Louis are so sweet as a couple. Thank you.
June 15, 2018
Once again, the story was there but the writing was subpar.
March 6, 2019
Interesting
Dont get on Master DuCane bad side.
Will he make a set at Mt. Pleasant. We will have to wait and see
Dont get on Master DuCane bad side.
Will he make a set at Mt. Pleasant. We will have to wait and see
March 23, 2019
DuCane is no joke
This beauty certainly was more intense. The 2 beings going head to head was off the charts but way too short. Great story
This beauty certainly was more intense. The 2 beings going head to head was off the charts but way too short. Great story
March 18, 2020
I liked Louis. I didn't know much about his beloved. Ezra didn't seem to have much depth nor a personality.
December 9, 2020
A short story but with enough background information to get a sense of who the MCs are.
I enjoyed this one.
I enjoyed this one.
February 10, 2021
Best of series
This was a great rags to riches love story. I really enjoyed it and thought it was the best of the series so far. Also noticed an improvement in editing.
This was a great rags to riches love story. I really enjoyed it and thought it was the best of the series so far. Also noticed an improvement in editing.
April 28, 2021
4.25 stars
Glad to read Louis and Ezra's beginning!!!
Glad to read Louis and Ezra's beginning!!!
January 4, 2022
Another addition
Ezra was annoying as hell !!! I I understood his Cowardice a little but hopefully in future books he gets some kind of backbone or something .. Off to book 5
Ezra was annoying as hell !!! I I understood his Cowardice a little but hopefully in future books he gets some kind of backbone or something .. Off to book 5
October 29, 2025
3,71⭐️
June 18, 2024
Bra, reckommenderar! Korta böcker, jag gillar långa, men den är bra avkoppling, jag reckommenderar.
December 14, 2021
Master Louis DuCane is the best character I have read in this author’s books. Ezra is an excellent beloved for him.
April 26, 2018
Love this book
Loved this book! The raw power of Ducane! The vampires and witches! Love and teust! Love this series! Cannot wait for more
Loved this book! The raw power of Ducane! The vampires and witches! Love and teust! Love this series! Cannot wait for more
April 28, 2018
2.5✨ It seems like the books are getting better. Still quite a lot of mistakes that are distracting, but not nearly as many as there used to be. We’ll see. I find myself consistently rating Stretke’s books low, but also unable to stop reading them; so there is that.
June 28, 2018
Oh please... who could possibly rate these cute little Jems a 1*??? Looking for Shakespeare perhaps?? Anyway, cute addition to the series for me. Not expecting literature brilliance... just nice cute and fun reads with a tad bit of drama... and I got that with this!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews