Masters & Mages series by Alexis Duran Book Blitz, Exclusive Excerpt, Reviews & Giveaway!

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Hi guys! We have Alexis Duran with the re-release of her brilliant series Masters and Mages, we have a great exclusive excerpt, a fantastic $10 Amazon GC and Shorty’s reviews so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~

Touch of Salar

(Masters & Mages 01)
by

Alexis Duran

In a world ruled by tyrannical kings and fickle gods, the young monk M’lan finds himself at the center of royal intrigue as his healing powers attract the attention of his superiors. When he learns the handsome warrior whose body he’s tending to is not only a noble, but a king’s assassin, any attachment to him might prove fatal. Despite the danger, he can’t stop himself from falling in love. Can he risk the abandon of passion when a slip of the tongue might force his lover to execute him?

Major Jamil Jarka comes to the temple with one intention—heal his wounds so he can return to the fight against the rebellion. When the monk assigned to him turns out to be stunningly attractive, he sees this as a pleasant distraction, no more. But soon he finds himself becoming obsessed with M’lan and is torn between the fear of betrayal and the lure of love.

Sinister forces strive to turn the monk and the warrior against each other—a conflict neither will survive if they cannot trust their lives to love and the healing power of Salar.

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**FREE on AMAZON until May 18th** Available on Kindle Unlimited

Blood of Salar

(Masters & Mages 02)

M’lan, headmaster of the order of Ka’alar, and Jamil Jarka, king’s assassin, find their impossible love challenged to the utmost as a rebellion sweeps them apart, sending Jamil on a dangerous mission to assassinate the rebel leader, General Charvat. Unknown to anyone, Charvat is on his way to the temple to exploit the headmaster’s magical abilities.

When the rebel army arrives, M’lan is thrust into a struggle against political and personal dominance as Charvat attempts to break his resistance. Violence and death mount, awakening within M’lan both the powers of destruction and the desire for revenge.

On the trail of his prey, Jamil begins to question his devotion to M’lan as his once innocent lover transforms into a mage and invades the assassin’s thoughts and dreams. The closer Jamil draws to M’lan, the more he puts his life and his very soul at risk. Jamil soon realizes that his lover might prove to be more deadly than the man he was sent to kill.

A final confrontation between assassin and monk might destroy them both, but Jamil is relentless in his determination to rescue M’lan, knowing that only his love can master the mage. 

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Curse of Salar

(Masters & Mages 03)

In the kingdom of Jahar, the rule of mages has been overthrown. Prince Dezra Luzan is being held prisoner in the ancestral palace. In order to stay alive, he pretends to be a drug-addicted wastrel, trusting no one, not even his lovers. Into his lonely existence comes a man who should be his sworn enemy; Captain Rayn Nevar. Dezra is irresistibly drawn to the rough soldier and his longing for a simple sexual encounter quickly builds into a dangerous obsession.

Captain Rayn Nevar knows he should stay away from Prince Dezra, but his desire for the beautiful young man overrides all common sense. Rayn soon finds himself protecting the prince from a plot to destroy the last of the mages. When treachery leads to Dezra’s escape, he is at last free to unlock his long repressed powers. Only the arrival of a mysterious monk with powers greater than Dezra’s stops the prince from using sorcery to destroy all who stand in his way, including Rayn.

As Jahar edges toward another war between masters and mages, Rayn must question his devotion to his increasingly deadly lover while Dezra must decide if ultimate power is worth the ultimate sacrifice.

Exclusive Excerpt!

From Touch of Salar

M’lan walked to the edge of the pool. Shallow, rough-hewn steps led down into the steaming water. He undid his sash and slipped out of his robe. The assistant gathered it up and backed away. His gray robe would be burned. He was an initiatory priest now, and he would wear blue.

He stepped into the pool. The water was shockingly hot, but he didn’t hesitate. The scalding ripples licked at his ankles, thighs, belly. Something about being cocooned in fiery heat reminded him of making love to Jamil, and he relaxed. Soon he was immersed. The lifeblood of Salar swallowed him whole.

He rose to the surface to breathe. A droning chant resonated against stone. Words in the ancient tongue, spoken by the abbess, filled him with fear. It was a spell, a forbidden conjuring. Within the all-encompassing embrace of Salar, the dark servant moved. M’lan was horrified to feel the slick presence of an enormous serpent brush against his legs. A physical manifestation of Ka’alar! The snake coiled around him, and he succumbed to the most vivid nightmare he’d yet experienced.

He walked along the moonlit paths of the monastery. Above him, glowing silver, were the standing columns of the ruins. He had fond memories of this place. Here he had reconnected to human warmth. Here he had reawakened his passions.

He was alone. The one he waited for did not come, would not come. The owls and the nighthawks were silent. Only the sound of a breeze in the foliage dispersed the eerie calm. A cloud drifted over the moon; the white ground turned black. The shadows around him twisted and writhed and broke free of the forest, moving forward like ghosts.

They weren’t ghosts. They were his kind. They were assassins. Coming for him. He reached for his blade, sidestepping and spinning in time to avoid the first thrust. But the forest was alive with death. A blade pierced his shoulder, and a dagger penetrated his back. Searing pain dropped him to his knees. Someone put a knife to his neck.

Blood filled the sacred pool. He drowned in his own blood.

M’lan rolled to his side, gagging and choking. His hair was dripping wet, and his skin smelled of sulfur. The last thing he remembered was sliding beneath the surface of the pool, almost as if the assassins had awaited him there and dragged him under.

“I personally take it as a good sign,” said the headmaster. “Salar blesses him with powerful visions already.”

About Alexis!

Alexis Duran profile picAlexis Duran was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. At the University of Oregon, her fascination with people and relationships led her to major in Sociology, but her main love has always been creative writing.  She’s worked in museums, finance, film production and for several performing arts organizations. Her favorite job so far has been inventorying the collection of a haunted Victorian Mansion.  She is the author of the Masters and Mages and Edge of Night m/m fantasy series as well as several stand-alone romances.  Her fiction has won several awards including the Rupert Hughes Award from the Maui Writers Conference and First Runner Up from Love Romances Cafe. She lives with one dog and four and a half cats.  She is always working on the next novel and has several new ideas brewing at all times.

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Review

Title: Touch of Salar (2nd Edition)

Series: Masters and Mages 01

Author: Alexis Duran

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal

Length: Novella (123pgs)

Publisher: Shadowspinner Press (6th May 2018)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts

Blurb: In a world ruled by tyrannical kings and fickle gods, the young monk M’lan finds himself at the center of royal intrigue as his healing powers attract the attention of his superiors. When he learns the handsome warrior whose body he’s tending to is not only a noble, but also a king’s assassin, any attachment to him might prove fatal.

Despite the danger, he can’t stop himself from falling in love. Can he risk the abandon of passion when a slip of the tongue might force his lover to execute him?

Major Jamil Jarka comes to the temple with one intention—heal his wounds so he can return to the fight against the rebellion. When the monk assigned to him turns out to be stunningly attractive, he sees this as a pleasant distraction, no more. But soon he finds himself becoming obsessed with M’lan and is torn between the fear of betrayal and the lure of love.

Sinister forces strive to turn the monk and the warrior against each other—a conflict neither will survive if they cannot trust their lives to love and the healing power of Salar.

Product Link Amazon US | Amazon UK

ISBN: B07CX74GPF

Reviewer: Shorty

Review: M’lan is a handsome monk who has powerful healing powers that he is only allowed to use on Nobles and Warriors. He was taken from his home at fourteen years and has lived at the monetary ever since. The monks never know their patients names, as it’s safer for everyone not to know. One of his patients is Major Jamil Jarka. He quickly rises to fifth level and becomes aware of deceit in the monetary.

Sexy Major Jamil Jarka is an assassin for the king. He was struck down by his teacher at fifteen so he was unable to become what he wanted to be. After being injured, he seeks the healing power of the monks and is immediately intrigued by the monk who heels him, Ma’lan. It is dangerous to seduce the monk but he can’t help himself and so the chase begins.

I really didn’t know what to expect as I started reading this story, as I have not read anything by this author before. I was immediately entranced with it. Well written book that kept my attention from start to finish. Full of drama, mystery, deceit, action, and a monk and a noble warrior who try, and fail to, fight their feelings for one another while at the same time try to discover who the traitor is in their midst. The details of Salar and Ka’alar were amazing. The sex between M’lan and Jamil was intense and hot.

Fantastic read. Can’t wait to read the next one to find out what happens next.

Title: Blood of Salar (2nd Edition)

Series: Masters and Mages 02

Author: Alexis Duran

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal

Length: Novel (226pgs)

Publisher: Shadowspinner Press (19th April 2018)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts

Blurb: M’lan, headmaster of the order of Ka’alar, and Jamil Jarka, king’s assassin, find their impossible love challenged to the utmost as a rebellion sweeps them apart, sending Jamil on a dangerous mission to assassinate the rebel leader, General Charvat. Unknown to anyone, Charvat is on his way to the temple to exploit the headmaster’s magical abilities.

When the rebel army arrives, M’lan is thrust into a struggle against political and personal dominance as Charvat attempts to break his resistance. Violence and death mount, awakening within M’lan both the powers of destruction and the desire for revenge.

On the trail of his prey, Jamil begins to question his devotion to M’lan as his once innocent lover transforms into a mage and invades the assassin’s thoughts and dreams. The closer Jamil draws to M’lan, the more he puts his life and his very soul at risk. Jamil soon realizes that his lover might prove to be more deadly than the man he was sent to kill.

A final confrontation between assassin and monk might destroy them both, but Jamil is relentless in his determination to rescue M’lan, knowing that only his love can master the mage.

ISBN: B07CKCNMFX

Product Link: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Reviewer: Shorty

Review: M’Lan must protect the temple after the kings men are ordered to leave it unprotected. The rebels infiltrate and start desecrating the temple. Charvat believes he is the chosen one and attempts to get M’Lan to pledge his allegiance to him.

Jamil is sent on a mission to take out Charvat but soon discovers he’s at the temple. He changes his mission in order to save M’Lan from being executed along with the other prisoners of the rebels. M’Lan’s powers grow stronger.

Intense fight scenes and action packed. This story grabs hold and doesn’t let go till the end. The descriptions of the powers of the two gods were awe inspiring.

Fantastic read.

Highly recommended.

Title: Curse of Salar (2nd Edition)

Series: Masters and Mages 03

Author: Alexis Duran

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal

Length: Novel (307pgs)

Publisher: Shadowspinner Press (7th May 2018)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 4 ½ Hearts

Blurb: In the kingdom of Jahar, the rule of mages has been overthrown. Prince Dezra Luzan is being held prisoner in the ancestral palace. In order to stay alive, he pretends to be a drug-addicted wastrel, trusting no one, not even his lovers. Into his lonely existence comes a man who should be his sworn enemy; Captain Rayn Nevar. Dezra is irresistibly drawn to the rough soldier and his longing for a simple sexual encounter quickly builds into a dangerous obsession.

Captain Rayn Nevar knows he should stay away from Prince Dezra, but his desire for the beautiful young man overrides all common sense. Rayn soon finds himself protecting the prince from a plot to destroy the last of the mages. When treachery leads to Dezra’s escape, he is at last free to unlock his long repressed powers. Only the arrival of a mysterious monk with powers greater than Dezra’s stops the prince from using sorcery to destroy all who stand in his way, including Rayn.

As Jahar edges toward another war between masters and mages, Rayn must question his devotion to his increasingly deadly lover while Dezra must decide if ultimate power is worth the ultimate sacrifice.

ISBN: B07CXM1MM7

Product Link: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Reviewer: Shorty

Review: Prince Dezra is a prisoner. Captain Nevar doesn’t trust Dezra but at the same time he is attracted to the handsome prince. Forces are at work to sway Dezra to Ka’alar’s side. Can Nevar’s feelings for Dezra save him from the nightmare to come?

This was a wonderfully written and intriguing story of a man who has bided his time until he can find a way out. I totally understood his need for freedom but at the same time was concerned with the path he was going down to achieve it.

The group of men who worship Ka’alar seemed to only care about what they could get Dezra to do instead of about him as a person. M’lan tries to help Dezra but suspicion and lies cloud Dezra’s judgment of the man.

It was a great story that delves deeper into the series with twists and turns throughout.

Check out the other blogs on the Blitz!

May 16th
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