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I pulled on a pair of nice jeans and a semi-sheer sweater. No point in taking it over the top. The clothes would be on the floor in less than an hour anyway... if I could convince Gabe that fucking was better than a movie at home. When he called yesterday to ask me out, that's more what I had in mind. I locked the door to my dorm room and glanced around, praying that no prying eyes followed me. The whole building was co-ed, and more than half of the residents were witches. Female witches were the norm and highly supported by the Dominion, the governing body of magic. I had the misfortune to be the only male on campus studying magic. The girls tried to drive me out through pranks and teasing, just to prove that guys couldn't be witches. That was why I had a single room to myself, no one wanted to bunk with the pariah of the whole campus. So far all the pranks had been minor. Nasty notes slipped under my door, people tripping me in the hall or pushing me whenever they passed. I could handle it.
23 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2011
7 people are currently reading
285 people want to read
About the author
Lissa Kasey
73 books670 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 41 reviews
August 16, 2012
3.5 stars
I decided to pick up this right after Inheritance; thought I might get a little background of Seiran and Gabe. Though this short story doesn't start right at the beginning (I did get the story on how Sei and Gabe met in "Inheritance") but it does give a glimpse on how Seiran and Gabe's relationship is.
Seiran might be a commitment-phobic and he runs fast and long every time he senses a sign of domesticity or couple's activities () ... but when Sei needs someone the most (), Gabe is the one he comes back to.
Lovely, just lovely.
I decided to pick up this right after Inheritance; thought I might get a little background of Seiran and Gabe. Though this short story doesn't start right at the beginning (I did get the story on how Sei and Gabe met in "Inheritance") but it does give a glimpse on how Seiran and Gabe's relationship is.
Seiran might be a commitment-phobic and he runs fast and long every time he senses a sign of domesticity or couple's activities () ... but when Sei needs someone the most (), Gabe is the one he comes back to.
Lovely, just lovely.
January 10, 2012
I read this one after I read Inheritance and Reclamation because I just couldn't get enough of Seiran and Gabe. It was great reliving some of the things mentioned in both books and understanding what's caused some issues. Definitely gave more insight into their characters and how they've ended up where they are now. I feel closer to Seiran and Gabe as well as a bit closer to Kelly as well.
October 22, 2020
Love the little look in at Sei and Gabe. It's interesting to see them before Sei accepted all that Gabe wanted from him. Sei's head space at this time in his life is interesting to read. It's not an easy time for him struggling with what he's capable of and the shunning he gets for being what he is.
July 2, 2011
Yeah, more Sei (and of course Gabe)!!
I'm really glad to see more of their world.
I'm really glad to see more of their world.
September 25, 2011
Actually a really good short. Seiran Rou is a male witch in a matriarchal witch society. He is tormented and shunned at the college he attends. He has a casual relationship with Gabe, a vampire. In only a very few short pages, Lissa Kasey made me want to read a lot more about these characters. Sei seems to have more baggage than good sense, but Gabe is very patient and you can tell he loves Sei but doesn't want to scare him away. I'll be reading the full length novel based on these shorts.
August 3, 2011
This was a short snippet of what's to come from this author later this year. I loved it. Can't wait!
November 8, 2011
3.5 stars. Good short paranormal m/m romance that introduces an unusual male witch and his sometimes vampire lover. Set in the Twin Cities of Minnesota! :)
September 10, 2012
Very interesting beginning as we learn a little about Seiran and Gabe. This one starts to set up the world of the Dominion and explains about its structure.
February 3, 2012
3.25 stars Interesting.
April 8, 2025
Read November 2023
I planned to reread Inheritance (Book 1), but I saw there were 3 shorts preceding it. Having never read them, I started with those first.
0.1 is an enjoyable short, told from Seiran's POV.
🛑 Summary & Spoilers 🛑
Seiran/Sei Rou (19) is an earth witch, one of the few male witches.
Female witches were the norm and highly supported by the Dominion, the governing body of magic.
Sei, the only male on campus studying magic, is bullied to try and drive him out. Between his controlling mother (one of the Dominion regional leaders) and college life, he's super stressed.
• Only two things really helped me find peace: sex and shifting into my lynx form to run free on the new moon. The second was illegal by Dominion law. Witches were not allowed to shift since, unlike lycanthropes, they had a tendency not to want to return to human form.
Gabe is a 2,000 year old vampire, who Sei has been seeing for 2-years.
Sei arrives at Gabe's condo on a chilly October night for sex, but Gabe has other plans—he wants them to enjoy a romantic dinner first. After dinner, Sei tries to initiate sex but stops when he notices the date circled on the calendar with the word "anniversary." Realizing it's been two years since they met at a Halloween party, commitment-phobic Sei runs away.
Relationships and I did not work. Gabe deserved better anyway. There was so much about me that he didn't know. It was better if he just thought of me as an indiscriminant whore.
The hope in his eyes made my heart break. When he learned who I really was he'd hate me, and I couldn't bear that. I wouldn't expose him to my F'd-up head.
Sei visits an all-night café to relax with a book and hot cocoa. There he meets Ryan, an offensive lineman for the football team. Sei agrees to let Ryan walk him home, but on the way, Ryan pushes him against a tree and kisses him before attacking him. Sei uses his earth power to break Ryan's leg and escapes.
Bleeding and in serious pain, Sei is almost to his dorm when Gabe comes to the rescue and takes him to the hospital. There, Sei is treated for three broken ribs, a concussion, a deep cut on his head, a dislocated right wrist, and a damaged left lung. Gabe takes him home, but has to leave when the sun rises.
What a horrible night. If only I weren't a terrified idiot, I would have been at Gabe's all night. Instead I'd gotten my ass handed to me by some brainless jock then gone to the hospital to have eleven stitches in my forehead and a million bandages.
💕 It ends with Sei calling Gabe:
♥ "Can we watch a movie tonight? At your place? Maybe cuddle on the couch in front of his theater-size TV with a bowl of popcorn and a warm protective body under a soft fleece blanket. If I'd been more awake I might not have asked, and that would have been a tribute to the shame I already felt.
▪️"Sure. Want me to pick you up after dark?"
♥ "Yes, please."
▪️"Okay."
♥ I could hear the smile in his voice. "And Gabe?"
▪️"Yeah?"
♥ "Thanks."
▪️"Always."
I planned to reread Inheritance (Book 1), but I saw there were 3 shorts preceding it. Having never read them, I started with those first.
0.1 is an enjoyable short, told from Seiran's POV.
🛑 Summary & Spoilers 🛑
Seiran/Sei Rou (19) is an earth witch, one of the few male witches.
Female witches were the norm and highly supported by the Dominion, the governing body of magic.
Sei, the only male on campus studying magic, is bullied to try and drive him out. Between his controlling mother (one of the Dominion regional leaders) and college life, he's super stressed.
• Only two things really helped me find peace: sex and shifting into my lynx form to run free on the new moon. The second was illegal by Dominion law. Witches were not allowed to shift since, unlike lycanthropes, they had a tendency not to want to return to human form.
Gabe is a 2,000 year old vampire, who Sei has been seeing for 2-years.
Sei arrives at Gabe's condo on a chilly October night for sex, but Gabe has other plans—he wants them to enjoy a romantic dinner first. After dinner, Sei tries to initiate sex but stops when he notices the date circled on the calendar with the word "anniversary." Realizing it's been two years since they met at a Halloween party, commitment-phobic Sei runs away.
Relationships and I did not work. Gabe deserved better anyway. There was so much about me that he didn't know. It was better if he just thought of me as an indiscriminant whore.
The hope in his eyes made my heart break. When he learned who I really was he'd hate me, and I couldn't bear that. I wouldn't expose him to my F'd-up head.
Sei visits an all-night café to relax with a book and hot cocoa. There he meets Ryan, an offensive lineman for the football team. Sei agrees to let Ryan walk him home, but on the way, Ryan pushes him against a tree and kisses him before attacking him. Sei uses his earth power to break Ryan's leg and escapes.
Bleeding and in serious pain, Sei is almost to his dorm when Gabe comes to the rescue and takes him to the hospital. There, Sei is treated for three broken ribs, a concussion, a deep cut on his head, a dislocated right wrist, and a damaged left lung. Gabe takes him home, but has to leave when the sun rises.
What a horrible night. If only I weren't a terrified idiot, I would have been at Gabe's all night. Instead I'd gotten my ass handed to me by some brainless jock then gone to the hospital to have eleven stitches in my forehead and a million bandages.
💕 It ends with Sei calling Gabe:
♥ "Can we watch a movie tonight? At your place? Maybe cuddle on the couch in front of his theater-size TV with a bowl of popcorn and a warm protective body under a soft fleece blanket. If I'd been more awake I might not have asked, and that would have been a tribute to the shame I already felt.
▪️"Sure. Want me to pick you up after dark?"
♥ "Yes, please."
▪️"Okay."
♥ I could hear the smile in his voice. "And Gabe?"
▪️"Yeah?"
♥ "Thanks."
▪️"Always."
June 15, 2016
This was one of a few short prequel's to a series. I originally saw the first book on here and then found out about the prequel's and thought I should read them in order. Seiran Rou is a male witch attending a female witch university because in this reality only females are supposed to be witches. Because he is the only male with Seiran gets bullied a lot by his fellow classmates.
When commitment phobic has an argument with his on and off again supposed to be only fuck buddy ( because that's what Seiran thought this relationship was) and storms out of the apartment. He meets up with another male student who hit on him earlier. This student is a jock, hangs out with the other female witches, and I don't know where he goes to school because I thought Seiran was the only male student at this university.
Anyway the jock just wanted to get Seiran alone and beat him up but was surprised that Seiran defended himself using his magic. Jock gets a broken leg and Seiran gets taken to the ER by Gabe (fuck buddy who is really his boyfriend) and they make up.
This was a sweet short story and I feel like if I had read these stories out of order I would have missed out on something but won't be sure until I read the rest of the series. Overall, I feel good that I just discovered this author and I can't wait to finish this series.
When commitment phobic has an argument with his on and off again supposed to be only fuck buddy ( because that's what Seiran thought this relationship was) and storms out of the apartment. He meets up with another male student who hit on him earlier. This student is a jock, hangs out with the other female witches, and I don't know where he goes to school because I thought Seiran was the only male student at this university.
Anyway the jock just wanted to get Seiran alone and beat him up but was surprised that Seiran defended himself using his magic. Jock gets a broken leg and Seiran gets taken to the ER by Gabe (fuck buddy who is really his boyfriend) and they make up.
This was a sweet short story and I feel like if I had read these stories out of order I would have missed out on something but won't be sure until I read the rest of the series. Overall, I feel good that I just discovered this author and I can't wait to finish this series.
December 31, 2014
This is the first of three downloadable prequels to Lissa Kasey’s Dominion series which is set in an alternative America governed by witches (called the Dominion) where not only witchcraft but also lycanthropy, shape-shifting and vampirism are commonplace. We are introduced to Seiran Rou, a 19- or 20-year-old gay college student, the only male taking classes in magic, who leads a wary existence due to frequent on-campus bullying and homophobia.
Going out on a date with his older gay vampire friend, Gabriel, the commitment-shy Seiran really just wants to have sex with him, but when things go awry, he may come to appreciate the value of a long-term relationship.
This is a brief story that introduces readers to the protagonists in the Dominion series and hints at the element-based magic system of their world.
Going out on a date with his older gay vampire friend, Gabriel, the commitment-shy Seiran really just wants to have sex with him, but when things go awry, he may come to appreciate the value of a long-term relationship.
This is a brief story that introduces readers to the protagonists in the Dominion series and hints at the element-based magic system of their world.
August 26, 2016
Update June 2014
Re-reading these so I can continue with the series.
What a fascinating concept! Witches and vampires and shifters in a modern setting, where apparently you can choose witchcraft as a major--at least at the university Sei attends.
And I'm enthralled with the relationship between Seiran and Gabe. Having the two-thousand-year-old vampire be the one pining for a commitment and marking anniversaries on the calendar is unique and so, so sweet.
I maybe even love this world more the 2nd time through!
Favorite Quote:
I saw the flashing stars of consciousness trying to leak out of me as my legs gave out.
Re-reading these so I can continue with the series.
What a fascinating concept! Witches and vampires and shifters in a modern setting, where apparently you can choose witchcraft as a major--at least at the university Sei attends.
And I'm enthralled with the relationship between Seiran and Gabe. Having the two-thousand-year-old vampire be the one pining for a commitment and marking anniversaries on the calendar is unique and so, so sweet.
I maybe even love this world more the 2nd time through!
Favorite Quote:
I saw the flashing stars of consciousness trying to leak out of me as my legs gave out.
May 7, 2014
Short and sweet, Friction introduces us to the main characters in the Dominion series, Seiran and Gabriel (Gabe). Seiran is a male witch in a world where witches are mainly women. Gabe is a powerful vampire who has a somewhat casual relationship with Seiran, but seems interested in turning it into something more profound. When an informal date turns into the celebration of an anniversary, Seiran freaks out and runs from his lover's house, only to find himself attacked by a college mate. When Gabe rescues him, Seiran realises he would have been better of letting Gabe celebrate their anniversary. Well see how this evolves. Just looking forward to it.
December 21, 2016
I liked the fact that I got to know a little bit more about Gabe and Seiran, which was something that I missed in book #1. I must say that I enjoyed the beginning a lot, but then bam...the meeting of Gabe and Seiran...I think Gabe has only good intentions, but I mind that they are not on the same page at all. On one hand I understand Seiran´s problems, but on the other hand I dont want to read about him over-reacting almost every single time. I wasnt up for interaction with Ryan, either. :/ But I enjoyed how Gabe took care of Seiran after the attack and that Seiran agreed on watching movie with him.
October 19, 2011
This was another good one about Gabe and Seiran from Lissa Kasey. After reading Decadence, I was really curious about the characters and wanted to learn more about them.
I'm not positive, but I'm pretty sure I read them out of order, if they're in an order. Either way, I was extremely happy when I realized that Friction was about the same characters and their lives.
This novella was great and I won't lie, I'm a sucker for the romancin' and the lovin'. I do, however, still wish it were a full length novel though.
Very good.
I'm not positive, but I'm pretty sure I read them out of order, if they're in an order. Either way, I was extremely happy when I realized that Friction was about the same characters and their lives.
This novella was great and I won't lie, I'm a sucker for the romancin' and the lovin'. I do, however, still wish it were a full length novel though.
Very good.
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 6, 2011
A free story with witches, vampires and M/M romance. How could I have resisted?
This short story definitely got me interested in more - liked the characters, liked the writing and anyway I'm a sucker for stories with all the ingredients mentioned above. If I enjoy the other free stories as much as this one, I'm fairly sure "Inheritance" will find its way on my shopping list!
This short story definitely got me interested in more - liked the characters, liked the writing and anyway I'm a sucker for stories with all the ingredients mentioned above. If I enjoy the other free stories as much as this one, I'm fairly sure "Inheritance" will find its way on my shopping list!
April 19, 2015
I absolutelly love Lissa for this story. She had become my favorite writer and I want to read all her stories. I couldn't believe that it is a writers who can be so amazing. She sees the world in a different way, similar with mine.
She desirves to be named ''the best writer of the year'', in my oppinion.
She desirves to be named ''the best writer of the year'', in my oppinion.
September 18, 2011
Great! I really do prefer stories with little to no sex. And this one was really good. The best I've read from this author yet. I really liked that Sei was no wilting flower here, that he knew how to pack a punch and defend himself.
January 26, 2014
Well... ummm... its not a horrible introduction to Gabe and Seiran.
Very short. Somewhat less intense than I expected. Really more focused on giving an introduction to the characters than anything. And not much about the world.
Very short. Somewhat less intense than I expected. Really more focused on giving an introduction to the characters than anything. And not much about the world.
April 19, 2016
I wrote it.
October 15, 2011
Read this to see if I can figure out where I've read the storyline for Inheritance before. An okay precursor to Inheritance.
November 6, 2011
I never took the time to read all free short stories in this series, now I'm catching up. The start into this series was well written and interesting.
September 7, 2012
Very interesting. Looking forward to reading more of Seiran and Gabe.
May 18, 2012
Some insight into Seiran's comittment phobia and early dorm life.
May 24, 2012
Favourite Character: Gabe
I like this just fine... Short, but enough to make you want to keep reading.
I like this just fine... Short, but enough to make you want to keep reading.
March 29, 2013
Free short on the website. So good.
September 10, 2012
Sweet story
October 1, 2012
Brief but sweet :)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews