#all souls series

[mrs-declermont]

Like Philippe said, she is power indeed! ❤️

Get To Know Me ✧ Favourite Female Characters [3/15]

↳ Teresa Palmer as Diana Bishop - A Discovery of Witches (2018-)

An ancient prophecy. It tells of a witch who will change the destiny of all creatures. Some believe that this fearsome witch will alter her understanding of life and the old world will die and the new will be born.

[amica-aenigmata-naboo]

Genius

Matthew de Clermont x Y/N - drabble - 607 WC

Masterlist

Warnings: fluff, poetry, slightly steamy, Matthew being sexy, soft boi hours, this bitch worships the ground you walk on, L bomb

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“Abashed the Devil stood and felt how awful goodness is…” Matthew read from the chair in the corner of your bedroom.

“John Milton.” you responded, lying on the bed as you scrolled through your phone. 

“Love is a sacrament that should be taken kneeling…” he said, gazing at you.

“Oscar Wilde.” you said almost immediately. You never understood why he tried to win this little game with you; he never has before.

“Theirs not to reason why, theirs but to do and die. Into the valley of Death rode the six hundred.”

“Lord Alfred Tennyson, “The Charge of the Light Brigade”, written in 1854, based on the Battle of Balaclava.” you said with a smirk, sitting up on your elbows to see him fully.

“Love opened a mortal wound. In agony, I worked the blade to make it deeper. Please, I begged, let death come quick…” he said, closing his book to meet your gaze. 

“Wild, distracted, sick. I counted all the ways love hurt me. One life, I thought - a thousand deaths…” you cut him off.

“Blow after blow, my heart couldn’t survive this beating. Then - how can I explain it? I came to my senses. I said…” he said as he moved to the bed, crawling his way up your body till his nose nudged yours. You sucked in a breath.

“”Why do I suffer? What lover ever had so much pleasure?” you whispered against his lips.

His eyes searched your face for something unknown. He heard your heart speed up; it would never cease to amuse him that he still had this effect on you, after all this time. He placed a delicate peck on your lips.

Your lips followed his as he pulled away. You hooked your finger under his chin, pulling him back to your lips. You devoured his lips, craving his touch always.

Matthew kissed you fervently before pulling back momentarily. He looked down at you with expectant eyes.

You tried to capture his lips once more but he moved back when you leaned up. “What?” you said, a slight bit of worry in your voice.

“Who wrote it?” he asked.

“Seriously?” you said, annoyed he was depriving you of his sweet, sweet kiss. 

Matthew chuckled, nodding his head.

You sighed, “Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, a Seventeenth Century Mexican nun.” you said quickly, pulling him back to you for a kiss.

He kissed you before pulling back slightly, pecking your lips randomly “I have never met a creature so incredibly intelligent, you are a wonder my darling.” Matthew whispered onto your lips.

You smiled up at him sweetly, your cheeks turning pink slightly. “I’m a daemon,” you shrugged before tugging him as close as possible, “Flattery gets you everywhere…” you mumbled, tugging at the bottom of his shirt. Matthew obliged your silent request, yanking his shirt off. He kissed down your neck, sucking hickies into you every once and a while. He pulled the shoulders of your dress down, exposing your chest to him. His lips ghosted over your skin making you shudder slightly. 

“Always so good for me…” he whispered, looking you up and down before pulling the rest of your dress, he hooked his hands into the supple flesh of your hips, pulling your underwear off with the dress. 

You whined at the cool air hitting your skin. Matthew kissed up your thigh, his fangs grazing your skin every once in a while. “I love you…” he mumbled before attaching his lips to your core. Your back arched - this was the beginning to a very long, absolutely sinful night. You felt yourself giving in to him anyways.

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Naboo's Note:

On a Discovery of Witches binge - this is the result. This mf is just so *chefs kiss* Anyways I hope everyone is doing good! :D

[asgoodeasgold]

Shadow of Night Read Along 2024 Ch36

"I searched the shadows until I found a dark figure crouched over a lump on the floor. Matthew’s head swung up, his face ghostly pale and his eyes black as night...

‘You are more than this disease, Matthew.’"

Matthew's protective instinct and blood rage have gone into overdrive after Kit and Louisa's attack on Diana.

🔊 Sound on:

The Bedlam scene is one of my favourites of the whole show on account of Matthew soulful and hair-raising performance. He beautifully conveyed the complexity of his character, his feral nature and humanity, his inner conflicts and fears and struggle with blood rage, his pain and vulnerability. Just an extraordinary piece of acting 👏👏

📷 Sky/Bad Wolf A Discovery of Witches (2021) s2:09 my edits (black & white pics, GIFs and video) and productions stills (colour pics)

🎶 Music from #Uppbeat

https://uppbeat.io/t/monument-music/the-beyond

License code: LBDFKM09SDXPBN1R

[matthewsblue]

How's one to know?

I'd meet you where the spirit meets the bones

In a faith forgotten land

[the-forest-library]

[emmalovesfitzloved]

New intro post 🤓

Welcome! I spend all my time in my secret garden, where I dream up ideas for my Love Bomb blog (in no particular order)-

Bare minimum starter-pack to get to know a bit about me :)

1. I’m 26, living in England;

2. My favourite hobbies are reading, dreaming, drinking tea, and obsessing over my dog Jack;

3. I work in the legal profession;

4. My guilty pleasure is reality shows…;

If you like:

• Realm of the Elderlings by Robin Hobb and Of Cats and Closed Doors by the Legendary @tragediegh 🙏

• The Shadowhunter Chronicles by Cassandra Clare (specifically TLH, TDA, TID) and @edwinspaynes bonus chapters.

• Jeremy Brett’s Sherlock Holmes ITV series 🧐

• Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erickson

• All Souls series by Professor Deborah Harkness

• Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare

• Cosmere by Brandon Sanderson

• Dead Boy Detectives (Tv show)

• Daredevil (Marvel Comics)

• X-Men - specifically Emma Frost and the new mutants (my namesake)

Please let’s moots 😇.

(I have also wrote some essays or addressed some commonly asked questions : -) :

• My response to Booktok turning the book community into fast fashion

• Ranking of SHC Novels

• Tessa Tessa Tessa

• Ranking Top 5 SHC Ships

• Wessa is the Best!!!!!

• Magnus Bane is the best Downworlder

• Love letter to @hazure-cyan’s realm of the elderlings mural

I also love to make moodboards for the All Souls universe by Deborah Harkness which you can find: here !

And if you have time please check out my favourite people ever (who are beyond talented therefore deserve your audience probably more then my fandoming - @edwinspaynes (greatest writer to grace fandoms with bonus content) , @hazure-cyan (my pookie and also greatest artist you’ll probably ever meet), @tragediegh the best gem for the ROTE (from her memes, her story, to her witty posts, just everything! Chefs kiss.) @inkedbydave (witty and beyond imaginative and an amazing essayist) @thebitchforjemcarstairs (an academic you’d be lucky to befriend).

Loads of love!

Gorgeous art from left to right : by pandyals_art on instagram ; @spacehero-23 on tumblr.

[eidetictelekinetic]

Why is there no fandom for the All Souls series/A Discovery of Witches?

I have thoughts about the new book and my friend with whom I discovered the books and show hasn't read it yet! It's a deeply unfair situation, you know.

[mrs-declermont]

Currently stuck at Sept Tours with a lot of free time on my hands 🥲

Feel free to send me question and I’ll do my best to answer them all 😌💕

[legolasofmirkwoodforest]

Time's Convert first 100 pages, a summary:

Diana: Oh no!!! My toddlers inherited my magic and can cause even MORE chaos!!!

Marcus: *dealing with crippling daddy issues*

Phoebe: This leaf has so many colors whoaaaa

[butternuggets-blog]

Go-at Peacefully Into The New Year

A Discovery of Witches, Fluff/Humor

New Year's Eve, 1966

Gallowglass stepped into the room with an emphatically nonchalant air. He shut the door behind him as Marcus, Jack and Martin looked up from their card game.

'If anybody asks, I was with you all night.'

'What did you do?' Martin frowned.

'Nothing. I was here with you all night.'

-weewoo-weewoo-weewoo-

A firetruck zipped by, lights flashing. Martin stared at the window after it, alarmed.

-weewoo-weewoo-weewoo-weewoo-

Three more fire engines raced by in quick succession.

'What did you do?!' Jack and Marcus chorused.

'The roof.' Martin threw his hand down and brushed past a protesting Gallowglass. 'Come on!'

****

The roof of the hotel gave a panoramic view of the park in the middle of the square. A towering inferno, some thirteen foot high, was blazing in the middle of it, firemen scrambling to unroll hoses and set up a corden to keep curious onlookers at a safe distance.

Martin gaped. He turned slowly to look at Gallowglass; his face was the same colour as his hair and he looked like he was trying to melt into the floor.

'..Eric-'

Gallowglass winced.

'-is that the goat?!'

'I didn't mean to!' Gallowglass protested, throwing his hands up defensively. 'I was just having a cigarette!'

Martin sighed. 'How?!'

Gallowglass looked sheepish. 'I..may have let the butt roll away from me.'

'You're supposed to stub out cigarettes,' Marcus commented helpfully. Jack was sketching the burning statue, capturing the essence of the moment in, ironically, charcoal.

'I did!' Gallowglass whined.

'Not successfully,' Martin glowered.

________________________________________________________________

'-and that's why we're here,' Gallowglass explained, glancing through his binoculars at the town stretched out before him. The square was still there, prettily decked-out in Christmas lights. The Gävle Goat stood tall and proud above the trees, icicles hanging from its horns.

'So we're going to burn down the goat,' Phoebe lowered her binoculars to stare at the side of Gallowglass' head. 'Commiting international arson, all to spite Baldwin who insists that this "tradition" be put to rest?'

'Exactly!' Martin army-crawled up beside them and pulled a map out of his lapel pocket. 'Right. Baldwin's hunkered down in the hotel with his usual command centre of walkie-talkies. Gallowglass?'

'I see them,' Gallowglass was scanning the square. 'Groups of three patrolling each corner of the park; four snipers on the rooftops and-'

He switched the binoculars to nightvision. '-one holding the fort on the manhole cover, east side.'

'Wow..' Phoebe's jaw dropped. 'You guys really take it that seriously?'

'Not always,' Martin was fishing a round, small stone out of his jacket pocket. 'But times changed and it just wasn't feasible to keep using flaming arrows and the like so we've both had to step up our game.'

'Time.' Gallowglass muttered, checking his watch.

Martin pulled a glove off and placed the stone in the palm of his hand. He squeezed it tight until the warmth from his skin leached into the stone, his other hand gripping his binoculars.

All three watched as the poor bastard holding fort at the manhole was suddenly yanked into it, Diana popping up from below.

'Contact!' Martin grinned.

Diana wove a knot and fog began to pour from the vent, rapidly obscuring the route around the park. As it hit each security team, they began swaying on their feet before delicately crumpling to the ground.

'Sleeping like babes' Gallowglass grinned.

Next, the wind picked up. The fog started to dissipate as Diana rose into the air. Without warning a barrage of gunfire hit her, engulfing her in a hail of bullets from four different directions at once.

Phoebe hissed in shock. Martin grabbed her hand.

'It's alright.. they're rubber bullets, remember?' he soothed. 'Baldwin wants her disarmed, not dead.'

'Besides-' Gallowglass was fiddling with a black controller covered in switches and knobs. '-Matthew would kill him if he actually hurt her.'

There was a gentle hum no human ears would be able to detect and a sleek, see-through drone rose from the opposite embankment. Gallowglass piloted it carefully through the snowy topography as Martin watched the monitor app on his phone, spouting directions.

'Through the grate..right...left...left again..okay, now straight up-'

The drone climbed stealthily up above the grate Diana had previously occupied. Taking advantage of the distraction the shielded witch was providing, Gallowglass kept the drone as low to the ground as possible until he had manoeuvred it behind one of the massive goat legs.

'Climb and fire! Climb and fire!'

The drone sped up the leg. Coming level with the goat's chest, it released a great gout of flame from the flamethrower attached to its undercarriage which caught quickly, eating through the statue's front in seconds.

Martin, Phoebe and Gallowglass cheered, whooping and laughing as the goat quickly became engulfed. Through her binoculars, Phoebe spotted a dejected-looking Baldwin holding his head in his hands as Diana alighted on the windowsill beside him. She couldn't hear what Diana said next, but Baldwin gave her a nasty glare and shoved the cackling witch off the ledge.

Bursts of colour suddenly filled the sky elsewhere in the city. Great whirls of blue, green, red and gold rocketed up, the pop of the fireworks mingling with the distant cheers and singing of the city's inhabitants.

Phoebe linked arms with Martin and Gallowglass. She smiled.

'Happy New Year!'

[apinchofm]

⬐ character moodboards

miyako de clermont from the all souls series by deborah harkness

[specificpollsaboutbooks]

F/M Couples

Round 2

About Blue and Gansey :

"Forbidden love of the utmost degree - they can't kiss or he'll die!!!! And they're literally canonically soulmates!!! I love them sm"

[notlostgnome]

A Discovery for Baldwin (Baldwin Montclair x OC)

Summary: After having her confidence shaken by meeting one of Baldwin's vampire exes, his current human lover tries to surprise him when he comes home one night. It doesn't quite go to plan.

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Some slightly steamy sexual content

Word Count: 2.7k

Author's Notes:

This is a stand alone except taken from a larger WIP I'm working on. I just couldn't resist getting it out there.

OC is Miranda Reynolds, a 30ish-year-old human who works for London-based Montclair Wealth Management and is secretly involved with Baldwin Montclair.

Also on AO3 (registered users only)

The harrowing encounter with Baldwin's ex Elena Villerreal and its fallout weighed heavily on my mind for several days, despite our best efforts to return to normal.

She had been beautiful. Of course.

Tall, lithe, stunningly gorgeous. Like a runway model. If that runway model happened to be immortal and possess enhanced otherworldly beauty. 

I felt like an absolute frump by comparison.

I took care with my wardrobe and personal appearance. Living in London and working in finance required a certain standard of dress, and I was no stranger to Oxford Street. My closet was full of stylish, yet sensible workwear and gorgeous cocktail dresses for events. 

But I was not built like a runway model. I could not have pulled off the sleek couture slip dress Elena Villarreal wore like it was made just for her. Which it probably was.

Elena Villarreal was also a vampire. Baldwin only fessed up to her being an ex-girlfriend from a few centuries ago - he did not elaborate on how long they were together. I had no clue how long vampires ‘dated’ or if that was even the correct term. It stood to reason they could have been together for years, decades, or even longer.

And that bothered me. What did two vampires get up to for all that time?

Baldwin was an exceptional lover. He knew what I liked almost better than I did, which was something I was not used to. My own past romances were short lived and the sex usually subpar. Even more subpar now that I had ‘out of this world’ to compare it to. Baldwin never hinted he was unhappy when it came to the bedroom, but I had my doubts. 

How could I compete with centuries worth of nonhuman sexual experience?

Rattled and more than a little insecure, I felt the need to reassure myself that I held at least a little power in that arena.

That’s how I found myself in a lingerie store on Bond Street on my lunch break in the middle of the week. Baldwin was at meetings in Westminster all day, so he wouldn’t know I’d slipped out for lunch. 

I walked past the everyday bras and knickers at the front of the shop to the back where the lingerie sets were displayed. As I cast my eyes over the headless mannequins wearing lacy negligees, satin garter belts, and all manner of intimidating strappy garments, I was more than a little overwhelmed. Sure, I had my share of matching bra and panty sets, but this was new territory. I’d never dressed up to seduce a man before. It did not help that said man was 2000 years old.

A shop assistant close to my age appeared at my side with a reassuring smile. Her name tag identified her as Natalie. She seemed to sense my apprehension.

“Can I help you?" Natalie asked. "Looking for anything in particular?”

I couldn’t back out now.

“Ah, yes,” I said slowly, ogling a sheer lace crotchless teddy with discomfort. “I want to find something to surprise my boyfriend.” The word ‘boyfriend’ sounded exceptionally juvenile when speaking of an ancient vampire. I wasn’t even sure if that was what our relationship was.

Natalie smiled more warmly. “Of course! What do you have in mind?”

The problem was I didn’t know exactly, and most of what was on display was not my taste at all. I bleakly wondered what Baldwin’s tastes were.

Bless her heart, Natalie the shop assistant took me under her wing. Without even trying anything on, we quickly eliminated everything I was uncomfortable with and narrowed down a style that I felt I could pull off without feeling ridiculous. Once I settled on a corset with matching high cut panty, Natalie went to work, bringing me arm loads of options.

Next was a matter of material and color choice, so we worked through the rack in order. I decided satin made me feel the most sexy, so the leather and mesh and velvet were taken away. Given my work wardrobe was mostly charcoal and black paired with darker colors, I decided a a rich jewel tone was what I wanted. A ruby red corset with black lacy trim had the desired effect, although I wondered if red was a little too on the nose when seducing a vampire. 

Natalie recommended throwing in a black satin kimono robe to top it off, and I happily followed her advice. She was the expert after all. 

When she rang it up, the total made me grimace. It was far more than I’d hoped to spend. But Baldwin had expensive tastes, and if I was going to do this, I wanted to do it right.

“You’re going to give the man a heart attack when he sees you, doll,” Natalie reassured me, as I sighed and handed over my credit card. “You looked amazing. God, I wish I had your figure!”

I just smiled and murmured ‘thank you’ as I collected my bag. Baldwin may not be capable of a heart attack, but I certainly hoped he liked it.

***

After work, I hurried to Baldwin’s house in Mayfair. I usually spent at least one week night at his, as well as the whole weekend. He’d already texted to say he’d been held up at Westminster and wouldn’t be home until late. What my ancient vampire partner was doing at the seat of government was not something I questioned too closely. I had a feeling I may not like the answer, even if he would tell me.

Alain greeted me at the door before I even had a chance to knock. He told me Baldwin had already asked him to make me dinner since I’d be alone. 

After dinner, I sequestered myself upstairs in the master bedroom, taking the time to meticulously shave my legs, underarms, and bikini area. I styled my hair in a loose, tousled tumble that I hoped looked sexy. I even touched up my makeup a bit, adding a red lip stain.

Finally, I wiggled my way into the satin corset and matching panties, making the necessary adjustments for the desired effect. Taking stock in the walk-in wardrobe’s full length mirror, I may not have been as effortlessly stunning as Elena Villarreal, but I had to admit the effect was better than I expected. With my breasts and hips accentuated by the corset and my high cut panties showing a tantalizing cheeky peek of my ass, I felt like enough of a goddess to seduce a vampire.

Now, it was time to wait.

I shrugged on the black satin robe and arranged myself on the bed with my toes tucked under the duvet, before checking my phone. It was already 9:00pm, but no new messages from Baldwin. I figured he’d text when he was on his way home.

After about 15 minutes, I stopped sitting and thinking sexy thoughts to myself and cracked open my book on the nightstand.

Thirty minutes later, I tucked the rest of me under the duvet to keep warm and continued reading, although I could feel my eyes growing heavy.

Fifteen minutes after that, I decided to just rest my eyes a little.

***

When I opened them again, the sky outside was already turning grey. I lifted my head - no sign of Baldwin anywhere. He would often just lay beside me or sit in one of the chairs by the fireplace until I woke up. The bedroom door was open just a crack, so he must have been in at some point. 

I checked my phone. There was a text from him around midnight saying he was on his way. It was now 6:30am. The time I usually got up for work.

My head fell back on the pillow. All that effort and nerves for nothing.

I lifted my head again and said only slightly louder than necessary, “Baldwin?” I’d learned there was no need to yell in a vampire’s house. He would hear me even if I whispered. 

Baldwin was there in a flash, easing himself down to sit on the edge of the bed with a smile on his face.

“You didn’t come home,” I grumbled.

“I’m sorry, darling,” he apologized, leaning over to give me a soft kiss. “I was held up. Bloody useless MPs.”

I sighed. “That’s okay.” I went to rub my eye but then realized I never removed my makeup the night before. I’d give myself one hell of a raccoon eye if I rubbed my mascara. I needed to get into the shower.

Baldwin moved my book from where it had spent the night on my pillow to the nightstand. “I see you used your time well,” he noted my progress on my book.

I just hummed and pushed at him to move. “I need to get ready for work,” I yawned, still groggy. 

Baldwin stood up so I could throw the covers back. I kicked my legs to the floor and closed my eyes as I stretched my arms above my head and rose all the way up to my tip toes. 

“What. Is. That?!” His deep voice was gruff and full of shock.

I bounced back down to my heels and opened my eyes to see Baldwin’s wide eyed gaze transfixed on my body.

Belatedly, I remembered what I was wearing. I flushed with embarrassment and hastily tried to pull the black satin robe closed. What seemed like a good idea under cover of darkness now felt utterly foolish in the brightening light of day.

“It was a surprise,” I mumbled, fumbling for the belt of the robe so I could tie it.

Baldwin’s hands shot out to still my efforts. He stepped forward and slowly peeled back the opening of the robe. I bit my lip and shifted self-consciously.

Unmasked desire spread across Baldwin’s features as he scrutinized what I was wearing. He slowly traced a finger from my shoulder down along the slim strap to the top of the corset, the barest ice cold touch skimming the boosted swell of my breast until he came to the center of the sweetheart neck line. I shivered.

With a low growl in the back of his throat, he yanked me to him and captured my lips in a demanding kiss. His hands pawed at me under the robe, like he couldn’t make up his mind on where to touch first.

I hummed happily into his mouth, letting him mold my body to his. It was not a bad way to start the day.

Still, I could not let myself get carried away. When he broke his hold on my lips to begin trailing cool kisses along my jaw to my neck, I tilted my head to the side and reminded him, “Baldwin, I have to get ready for work.”

“No,” he grunted resolutely against my neck. 

I speared a hand through his copper hair and pulled so he would lift his head to look at me. His pupils were more dilated than usual, completely blown and his expression bordered on feral. I schooled my features to be chastising. “If I don’t get to it, I’ll be late,” I said sternly.

His eyes narrowed. “You’re going to be late,” he declared in his most authoritative voice.

His large hands grasped my ass so he could toss me on the bed. I landed with a small surprised yelp. Then he all but pounced on me.

***

An hour later, Baldwin was spooned behind me, peppering light kisses along my shoulder. I was completely disheveled and a little sore, but basking in his affection.

“That thing was rather expensive, you know” I complained. The robe survived, but the corset and panties were now lying in shreds about the bedroom.

Baldwin nuzzled my neck. “I will give you an expense account so you can buy a new one,” he said. “And several more like it.”

I let out a small laugh at the idea. He could not be serious. “I had no idea you’d respond that way.”

“Had I known what waited for me, I would have set Parliament on fire to get here sooner,” he said with a nibble on my earlobe. “Next time, send a picture and I will come home immediately.”

I playfully smacked the steely arm wrapped snugly just below my breasts. “I will not send you sexy pictures.” As pleasant as his undivided attention was, responsibility called. I sighed, “I really do have to get ready for work now.”

Baldwin was preoccupied with licking along the juncture of my neck and shoulder. “Sod work,” he said. It was a very un-Baldwin-like statement.

“Mr. Montclair,” I replied full of mock severity, “my supervisor may have something to say about my tardiness.”

I only called him 'Mr. Montclair' when I was teasing. We both knew it was an empty threat. My supervisor answered to one of the VPs, who answered to one Mr. Baldwin Montclair.

With a frustrated huff, Baldwin released me and leapt up to recover his trousers from a crumpled pile on the floor. Standing in all his naked glory, he fished his phone out of the pocket and made a call. “Terrance, Ms. Reynolds won’t be in today. Please relay that message and an appropriate excuse to Gibbs.”

Terrance was his executive assistant and Gibbs was the head of my team.

I gawked at him in disbelief as he casually threw the phone aside. In a very predatory manner, he began to crawl across the bed toward me. “I’m not done making up for last night’s negligence.”

“Baldwin!” I scolded. “That is sure to raise a few eyebrows!”

Baldwin tugged the sheet out of the way so he could cover my naked body with his. “Terrance will think of something discreet. Anyone with a problem can come to me.” He nuzzled my hair and inhaled deeply. 

It was such a typical offhand ‘lord of the universe’ sort of answer. He forgot that I was still an underling trying to build a professional career, preferably without rumors of my sleeping with the boss. Even though Baldwin was back to kissing all the sweet spots on my neck, I was not going to let him off the hook that easily.

I shoved without success against his shoulders and began to protest, “But—”

“But we are spending the day in bed.” He silenced me by pressing his lips against mine with determination. It took a minute of coaxing before I let the tension slip away and returned his embrace more willingly.

Satisfied I was no longer going to resist, Baldwin began working his way down my body with a heady combination of kisses, licks, and gentle nips. He was tracing my bottom rib with his tongue as he murmured, “You are so beautiful, mon tresór. Forgive me for spoiling your surprise?”

I was not even genuinely mad at him, but if he wished to continue on his current course, I was not going to object. My fingers threaded through his already tousled hair and I stroked his shoulder. “Mmm, okay,” I sighed contentedly, fully relaxing. “Just keep going.”

Baldwin reached his destination, wedging his broad shoulders between my thighs and making a sound reminiscent of a tiger’s purr. His golden-brown eyes locked with my half-lidded ones as he firmly gripped my hips and lowered his mouth.

“Oh!” I jolted up at the long stroke of his tongue, everything sparking white hot inside me.

He held firm to keep me from bucking too hard and chuckled. “I’m not going anywhere,” he promised in a throaty rumble.

***

The next morning at work, there were no comments on my absence the previous day. I had no idea what excuse Terrance gave, but I was glad not to be forced to ad lib.

I was part way through clearing my inbox when Baldwin’s admin Mariah stopped by to hand deliver a large brown interoffice envelope. Expecting a file full of markups, I was surprised when only a slim plain envelope slipped out.

I opened it to find a folded note inside. As I removed the piece of paper, a black credit card dropped to the desktop. My eyes went wide when I saw my name was embossed on it.

The accompanying note read:

Looking forward to more surprises. xB

***

End Note:

French Translation mon trésor = my treasure

[asgoodeasgold]

Shadow of Night Read Along Ch1

"‘All we need is Sir Walter Raleigh and we’ll have the entire School of Night in the house.’ Matthew looked out the window at my mention of this legendary group of radicals, philosophers, and free-thinkers. Thomas Harriot. Christopher Marlowe. George Chapman. Walter Raleigh. And— ‘Just who are you, Matthew?’ I hadn’t thought to ask him before we departed. ‘Matthew Roydon,’ he said with a tip of his head, as though we were only this moment being introduced. ‘Friend to poets.’ ‘Historians know almost nothing about you,’ I said, stunned. Matthew Roydon was the most shadowy figure associated with the mysterious School of Night. ‘You aren’t surprised, are you, now that you know who Matthew Roydon really is?’ His black brow rose. ‘Oh, I’m surprised enough to last a lifetime. You might have warned me before dropping me into the middle of all this.’"

What a dark horse Matthew is 🤭 Diana is not at the end of her surprises, she better buckle up, it's going to be quite the ride!

An old painting of the mysterious Matthew Roydon...

📷 Sky/Bad Wolf A Discovery of Witches (2020) s2:01 my edits

[matthewsblue]

One night a few moons ago

I saw flecks of what could've been lights

But it might just have been you

Passing by unbeknownst to me

[blackwood4stucky]

A Discovery of Witches is TOO good. Really gonna have to finish the fic series now. I might even make a sideblog for it since I have no self-control 😅