When Matthew Met Irene

 As I mentioned Wednesday, First Mataras: Irene is the next Kalquor universe book upcoming. Since Clan Companions: Matthew is newly out, I thought I'd share an excerpt from that book to show how these two met.

As we join Matt and Clan Avir, they're in a small club where Matt just played a music set to an appreciative crowd. Little does he know there's a certain famous rimnastin band in the audience:

 

“That was another celebration-worthy performance. Solomon said the place is as full as Eightday and Nineday nights. Those who saw you last week brought friends.” Beaming, Masok rubbed Matt’s shoulder.

“I thought the place looked full, but I told myself it was just anxiety.” Matt shivered in pleasure. “I’m always so nervous at the start.”

“Word is getting around how amazing you are. Let’s grab you a drink, Mattie. Bohut or kloq?” Kom said after they’d gone. He waved to a waiter.

“Bohut.”

“Make it a round.” Avir grinned, took Matt’s hand, and kissed it.

“Put it on my tab. We’ll have the same while you’re at it, server.”

They jerked in surprise at the woman’s voice. Matt blinked up at the tall, grinning human female who offered her hand to him. “Hi, Matt, right? Great performance.”

He gaped at her, his hand floating toward hers as if in a dream. It couldn’t be, but there was no mistaking the identity of the six-foot Amazon or the three Kalquorians at her back. He glanced at Kom for confirmation he wasn’t hallucinating.

The Nobek’s eyes were wide. “Irene Jonson. Mother of All, it is you, isn’t it?”

The legendary lead singer for Casual Innuendo laughed as she shook Matt’s hand. “Guilty as charged.”

Matt gaped. Irene Jonson was shaking his hand. Her clanmates/bandmates were grinning at him.

Irene shook back her flood of waist-length mahogany hair. “Hi. I take it you’re the lucky clan of this talented guy? Nice to meet you. My clanmates, Dramok Sherv, Imdiko Jemi, Nobek Rusp.”

“As if I wouldn’t know. Matt and I are huge fans.” Kom exchanged bows with the band, as did Matt, Avir, and Masok.

“Please, sit.” Avir waved to the seat cushions Retel, Sanderson, and their clans had vacated.

“Thank you.” Irene sank easily to the seat across from Matt.

He was astonished to be face to face with the dark-eyed beauty, but it was impossible to not return her bright grin. “You’re playing three nights at the arena starting tomorrow.”

“They are? Matt, why didn’t you tell me? We could have gone.” Kom’s disappointment brought a stab of guilt.

“The shows are sold out.”

“We’ll get you backstage passes. Tomorrow? Two or four of you?” Sherv tapped his handheld.

Avir glanced at Matt and grinned. “Tomorrow is perfect for the four of us. I love your song, ‘Bin of Memories.’”

“Thanks. I love this guy’s singing and playing.” Irene’s attention hadn’t wavered from Matt for a second. “Two of those songs were yours, you said. Do you have more?”

“In different stages of completion.” Holy shit, he was talking to Irene Jonson about his music. Dramok Sherv was getting him backstage tickets. He was drinking with Casual Innuendo, who’d been among the pioneers of rimnastin music. He surreptitiously pinched his own leg to make sure he was awake.

“Why haven’t we heard of you? Which bands have you played in?” Jemi wanted to know.

“Nobody. I…I sang my first song in public just a few weeks ago.”

“He hasn’t been here long,” Masok supplied. “He hasn’t met any musicians beyond a few from open mic night.”

Casual Innuendo stared at Matt in open-mouthed astonishment. Irene shook her head.

“You started only a few weeks ago. That’s unreal. Crazy. Listen, you’re better than this little club. You should be playing theaters at the very least, in front of a full band. I noticed the orchestral instruments in the backing tracks. It would sound insane live.” She halted the gush of words and glanced at Sherv. “Can you imagine it?”

“Oh yeah. We’ll introduce him to our manager Parlek at the show. Make sure you bring your demos, Matt.”

Clan Companions: Matthew is now on sale!

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His past demons have returned, and only a Kalquorian clan can save him.

Matthew Larsen should be happy. Reunited with the Nobek he fell in love with years ago, welcomed into a clan determined to give him a better life, he has everything he never imagined possible. However, he’s haunted by the hellish past and certainty it will reclaim him.

Nobek Kom spent years searching for Matt. Their reunion and his clanmates’ acceptance of the troubled Earther seemed to be all that stood in the way of the perfect future. His Earther love isn’t so easily rescued, however. Even a warrior can’t protect someone against his nightmares.

Dramok Avir and Imdiko Masok are devoted to the beautiful Earther Kom brought home. Loving such a gentle soul isn’t a problem. Saving him from monsters, real and imagined, is another matter when Matt’s worst fears come true and the terrors of the past rise once again to drag him into the abyss. 

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