Hours past midnight in plague-ravaged Sanfran -- #MFRWHooks #ScienceFiction #MMRomance

 

It’s Wednesday... which makes it time for another MFRW Book Hooks hop!

Today I’m featuring an exclusive PG excerpt from my MM science fiction erotic romance The H-Gene. The "hook" excerpt features not only my two protagonists, but also a secondary character, Artemis Long, a very old woman with a lot of secrets. I hope to spend more time with Artemis in the next book of this series.

Meanwhile since the response to my giveaway last week was so enthusiastic, I thought I’d do another. Leave me a comment with your email address (obfuscated is fine). I’ll randomly pick one commenter, who will receive a free ebook copy of this full length novel.

Blurb

When love is forbidden, the whole world’s a prison.

Dylan Moore will do anything for freedom. Seven years ago, a gay plague spread to heterosexuals, killing millions and sparking brutal anti-gay riots. The Guardians rounded up men who tested positive for the homogene and imprisoned them in remote quarantine centers like desolate Camp Malheur. Since then, Dylan has hacked the camp's security systems and hoarded spare bits of electronics, seeking some way to escape. He has concluded the human guards are the only weakness in the facility's defenses.

Camp guard Rafe Cowell is H-negative. He figures the lust he feels watching prisoner 3218 masturbate on the surveillance cameras must be due to his loneliness and isolation. When he finally meets the young queer, he discovers that Dylan is brilliant, brave, sexy as hell — and claims to be in love with Rafe. Despite his qualms, Rafe finds he can't resist the other man's charm. By the time Dylan asks for his help in escaping, Rafe cares too much for Dylan to refuse.

Dylan's plan goes awry and Rafe comes to his rescue. Soon they're both fugitives, fleeing from militant survivalists, murderous androids, homophobic ideologues and a powerful man who wants Dylan as his sexual toy. Hiding in the Plague-ravaged city of Sanfran, Dylan and Rafe learn there's far more than their own safety at stake. Can they help prevent the deaths of millions more people? And can Rafe trust the love of a man who deliberately seduced him in order to escape from quarantine?

Excerpt

“When did you know?” Rafe sat with Dylan and Artemis around their host’s kitchen table. It was hours past midnight.

“I had suspicions from the moment you were introduced. I couldn’t believe that someone as well educated, articulate and polite as Dylan would be a quarantine camp guard. It just didn’t fit. And you, Rafe—well, you seemed more the type, but your eyes were too soft. I saw the way you looked at Dylan and I knew you two were not just co-workers.”

Rafe’s cheeks grew hot with shame. Dylan’s hand sought his under the table. He shook it off. “I’m not queer,” he insisted. “I’m H-negative.”

“H-positive, H-negative, queer, straight—those are just labels people use to try to keep their world under control. It’s so much easier when there’s a label, because you know exactly how to react. You don’t have to think—the labels tell you everything you need to know. Queers are dangerous, evil, morally corrupt. They’re carriers of a fatal disease, and if you associate with them, you’ll die too. It helps to believe that the taint is genetic. That makes the danger easier to detect. Plus you can comfort yourself with the notion that the queers are biologically flawed, fundamentally inferior. It’s no more inhumane to lock them up than it is to confine domestic animals.”

“But it’s not genetic. Back in the camp I knew H-positive guys who were straight as an arrow.” Dylan shook his head. “Poor Sam. They dragged him away from his wife and kids…”

Artemis nodded. “Exactly. And you might not carry the homogene, Rafe, but you can’t deny that you’re attracted to men—or at least to Dylan.”

Rafe was silent. It was hard to admit the truth.

“Genetics might account for some predispositions, but human emotions and behaviors are far too complicated to be determined solely by one’s DNA. Still, the genetic marker provided a basis for the targeting—” Artemis stopped herself short. “But we can talk in the morning. I think you’ll be safe here tonight. Get some sleep.” She pushed back from the table and yawned dramatically. “I’m in pretty good shape for my age, but I’m exhausted from that drive. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Where do you want us to sleep?” Rafe asked, suddenly aware that he could scarcely keep his own eyes open.

The diminutive, gray-maned woman gave him a once-over and laughed. “That’s up to you. If I didn’t know you were connected with your red-haired friend, I’d suggest you share my bed.”

“No way,” Dylan sprang up from his seat and grabbed Rafe’s arm as though to prevent Artemis from taking him away. Rafe felt pleased despite his embarrassment.

“I’m only teasing, hon.” Dylan relaxed when he saw Artemis grin. “I’ve always had a thing for big, black men. Maybe because I knew I was breaking the rules. Anyway, I’ve got more bedrooms in this house than I could ever use. Just pick one.”

“And tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow we’ll consider the question of how to get you safely out of Sanfran.”

Buy Links

Kinky Literature – https://www.kinkyliterature.com/book/7233-the-hgene-after-the-plague-book-1/

Amazon US – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08CVNK6NL

Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08CVNK6NL

Smashwords – https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1032512

Barnes and Noble – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-h-gene-lisabet-sarai/1137338272?ean=2940164186050

Kobo – https://www.kobo.com/th/en/ebook/the-h-gene

Add on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54529211-the-h-gene

Don't forget to leave a comment with your email. And I do hope you'll visit some of the other great writers joining today's blog hop!