Cat or man? Duty or love?
Who prevails after the great cataclysmic shift?Check out the brand new cover for the 2nd Edition of CATACLYSMIC SHIFT!
Cataclysmic Shift
(The Aloysius Tales Series, Bk #3)
by Tara Lain
Blurb:
Super cat, Aloysius, may be the most powerful witch’s familiar in the world, but when he takes a blast at the hand of an evil witch he loses it all — power, memory, and his feline form — to become the ethereal human beauty, Alain Bellarose. When Alain wakes up naked on the floor surrounded by dogs and cats, his eyes first set upon Luke Elliott, the handsome and mysterious veterinarian. Suddenly, the prospect of being human doesn’t seem so bad.
Luke has a lot to hide and he likes animals way more than people, but he can’t resist the flamboyant boy who washes his face with the side of his hand and tries to lick his own privates! The loss of Aloysius depletes the power of the Witch Master, Killian Barth, and that of his “secret weapon” Sammy and leaves their coven sitting ducks for two very nasty females. When Alain discovers that he’s really a powerful cat, he’s faced with the ultimate choice. To protect his community, or stay with the man he loves.
Available for pre-order at
Also available in paperback
Release Date:
September 13th 2017
Excerpts
Quiet. He opened his eyes. Dark. His back hurt. It was sorely
cramped in here.
cramped in here.
He pushed some towels aside and
scooted closer to the door. Quietly, he pulled the lever down and opened the
door a crack. Nobody. Good. He pushed
it farther and looked into that plastic-and-metal room.
scooted closer to the door. Quietly, he pulled the lever down and opened the
door a crack. Nobody. Good. He pushed
it farther and looked into that plastic-and-metal room.
Odd. He recognized all the things
in this room—an examining table of some kind, chairs, paper towels—but not what
the room was for. He stepped out into the dim glow coming in from a streetlight
outside the window.
in this room—an examining table of some kind, chairs, paper towels—but not what
the room was for. He stepped out into the dim glow coming in from a streetlight
outside the window.
He padded softly across the room
and peered out into a short hall, also dark and quiet. To the left, the hall
ended at a door. Light came from under it and a low noise, like maybe music or
voices. Someone must be in there. To the right were several more doors. He went
right.
and peered out into a short hall, also dark and quiet. To the left, the hall
ended at a door. Light came from under it and a low noise, like maybe music or
voices. Someone must be in there. To the right were several more doors. He went
right.
Hmmm. Restroom. He opened the door. It was very dark, but his eyes
seemed good. He looked in. A mirror on the opposite wall reflected the dim
light of the hall and what must be… him. He stepped closer and peered at his
reflection.
seemed good. He looked in. A mirror on the opposite wall reflected the dim
light of the hall and what must be… him. He stepped closer and peered at his
reflection.
He closed the door. Until he knew
his situation, best not to alert anyone. He ran his hand on the wall and
flipped on the switch. Light blazed harshly in the tiny room. Holy gods.
his situation, best not to alert anyone. He ran his hand on the wall and
flipped on the switch. Light blazed harshly in the tiny room. Holy gods.
He stared. Huge eyes, bluer than
blue, stared back at him, surrounded by hair—long black hair down to his back.
He turned and looked. The middle of his back. And pale skin. That was him.
Truly?
blue, stared back at him, surrounded by hair—long black hair down to his back.
He turned and looked. The middle of his back. And pale skin. That was him.
Truly?
What had he expected?
Not sure, but not this… boy.
He looked down at his bare body.
Boy. Or man, for certain. His eyes widened. And quite a man. Look at those couilles.
Boy. Or man, for certain. His eyes widened. And quite a man. Look at those couilles.
But not just man. He cocked his
head. Hu-man.
head. Hu-man.
Now why was that strange?
He shook his head. This was so
peculiar. He wasn’t afraid, exactly, but he didn’t feel at home in this skin.
He shivered. There were important things he was forgetting, and he must
remember them. He took a deep breath. Lives might depend on it.
peculiar. He wasn’t afraid, exactly, but he didn’t feel at home in this skin.
He shivered. There were important things he was forgetting, and he must
remember them. He took a deep breath. Lives might depend on it.
He flipped off the light. The
dark felt more comfortable. What should he do? That was the frightening part.
He didn’t know. Not an idea where he should go, and yet he felt certain he had
a purpose he must fulfill.
dark felt more comfortable. What should he do? That was the frightening part.
He didn’t know. Not an idea where he should go, and yet he felt certain he had
a purpose he must fulfill.
There was a person out there.
Should he go speak to them? He peeked down at his lean body. Probably not like
this. Humans were strange about nudity and such things. Wait. He was human,
wasn’t he? This was very confusing.
Should he go speak to them? He peeked down at his lean body. Probably not like
this. Humans were strange about nudity and such things. Wait. He was human,
wasn’t he? This was very confusing.
Blaine stroked the silky black
fur and looked up at Killian with pleading eyes. “Okay, baby, do your stuff.
Make him well.”
fur and looked up at Killian with pleading eyes. “Okay, baby, do your stuff.
Make him well.”
Killian took a breath. He placed
both hands on the slim body. Only a small spark of life force pulsed, but it
was steady. Thank gods. “He took a
strong hit. Those females are very powerful.” Sadly, without Aloysius, Killian
was less so.
both hands on the slim body. Only a small spark of life force pulsed, but it
was steady. Thank gods. “He took a
strong hit. Those females are very powerful.” Sadly, without Aloysius, Killian
was less so.
With focus, he ran a ripple of
energy into the cat. “Come on, guy.” The strong heart beat faster, but his eyes
didn’t open. Al was a mighty creature. Even that huge hit shouldn’t have been
able to keep him down.
energy into the cat. “Come on, guy.” The strong heart beat faster, but his eyes
didn’t open. Al was a mighty creature. Even that huge hit shouldn’t have been
able to keep him down.
Another stream of energy flowed
from Killian’s hands and his mind.
from Killian’s hands and his mind.
Blaine frowned. “Why isn’t he
waking up?”
waking up?”
“I don’t know, darling.” Killian
closed his eyes and focused on the still point that was Aloysiusness. Odd.
Somehow changed. Oh gods. Al had to
be okay. The world’s most powerful familiar could not be put down. He couldn’t
be.
closed his eyes and focused on the still point that was Aloysiusness. Odd.
Somehow changed. Oh gods. Al had to
be okay. The world’s most powerful familiar could not be put down. He couldn’t
be.
“My God, Professor. What happened
to your cat?”
to your cat?”
Killian’s eyes flew open. Hells,
he’d forgotten where they were. The next class was coming in. He looked up at
the girl who often sat in the front row of his witchcraft class. “Hello, Miss
Eberle. He fell and got injured. He’s alive but unconscious.”
he’d forgotten where they were. The next class was coming in. He looked up at
the girl who often sat in the front row of his witchcraft class. “Hello, Miss
Eberle. He fell and got injured. He’s alive but unconscious.”
She knelt down, her pretty face a
study in sympathy. “Oh no, he’s such a wonderful cat. He has to be okay.”
study in sympathy. “Oh no, he’s such a wonderful cat. He has to be okay.”
“Yes, he does have to be okay.
Dr. Genneau and I are going to take good care of him.”
Dr. Genneau and I are going to take good care of him.”
She looked up with tears
glistening. “Take him to the vet right away.”
glistening. “Take him to the vet right away.”
“Uh, yes. Yes, we will.” He
reached down and carefully picked up Al’s limp body. Blaine huddled beside him,
and they started walking toward the side door where Blaine had come in.
Students gathered around and murmured their hopes and wishes. Funny, that was
what some of them called him—Mr. Wishes. Al was a very popular cat at the
university.
reached down and carefully picked up Al’s limp body. Blaine huddled beside him,
and they started walking toward the side door where Blaine had come in.
Students gathered around and murmured their hopes and wishes. Funny, that was
what some of them called him—Mr. Wishes. Al was a very popular cat at the
university.
Moving slowly, they finally got
to Killian’s car in the back lot. Thank gods he hadn’t brought the motorcycle
today. Blaine climbed into the passenger seat, and Killian laid Aloysius on his
lap. Tears dripped off Blaine’s chin. Not much made Blaine cry.
to Killian’s car in the back lot. Thank gods he hadn’t brought the motorcycle
today. Blaine climbed into the passenger seat, and Killian laid Aloysius on his
lap. Tears dripped off Blaine’s chin. Not much made Blaine cry.
Killian petted Blaine’s head and
then Al’s soft side. He knelt beside the car and laid his head on Blaine’s leg,
beside the cat. “He’s alive. And he’s so powerful, Blaine. He has to be all right.”
But what in the hells to do?
then Al’s soft side. He knelt beside the car and laid his head on Blaine’s leg,
beside the cat. “He’s alive. And he’s so powerful, Blaine. He has to be all right.”
But what in the hells to do?
Blaine wiped a tear from his
cheek. “That girl had an idea. He’s a cat. Maybe we should take him to a vet?”
cheek. “That girl had an idea. He’s a cat. Maybe we should take him to a vet?”
Killian raised his head. “But
he’s not a cat.”
he’s not a cat.”
“He has a cat’s body. There’s a
guy in my men’s group who’s a vet. Young, but he seems real capable and
compassionate. I could call him.”
guy in my men’s group who’s a vet. Young, but he seems real capable and
compassionate. I could call him.”
Killian’s eyes widened. “Take a
witch’s familiar to a vet?”
witch’s familiar to a vet?”
The Aloysius Tales Series
Book #1
Spell Cat
Available for purchase at
Also available in paperback
Bk #2
Brush With Catastrophe
Available for purchase at
Also available in paperback
Grab the first two books in the series and get all caught up!
About the Author
Tara Lain writes the Beautiful Boys of Romance in gay romance novels that star her unique, charismatic heroes. Her first novel was published in January of 2011 and she’s now somewhere around book 40. Her best-selling novels have garnered awards for Best Series, Best Contemporary Romance, Best Paranormal Romance, Best Ménage, Best LGBT Romance, Best Gay Characters, Best Romantic Suspense, and more. In her other job, Tara owns an advertising and public relations firm. She often does workshops on both author promotion and writing craft. She lives with her soul-mate husband and her soul-mate dog near the sea in California where she sets a lot of her books. Passionate about diversity, justice, and new experiences, Tara says on her tombstone it will say “Yes”!
You can find Tara at Lain
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