The Powers That Be Series by Hazel Domain

This deal comes with unspoken clauses. Dominic Blackburn has a job no sane person wants: he makes things quit going bump in the night. Unfortunately, some monsters bump a little too hard for one man. In desperate need of backup, he buys the (suspiciously cheap) contract of an indentured—and gorgeous—man named Micah.Micah’s paperwork says he’s a fighter, and he is. Kind of. He’d rather take a beating than dole one out. Good thing plenty of people are willing to pay for that... moreThis deal comes with unspoken clauses. Dominic Blackburn has a job no sane person wants: he makes things quit going bump in the night. Unfortunately, some monsters bump a little too hard for one man. In desperate need of backup, he buys the (suspiciously cheap) contract of an indentured—and gorgeous—man named Micah.Micah’s paperwork says he’s a fighter, and he is. Kind of. He’d rather take a beating than dole one out. Good thing plenty of people are willing to pay for that. Micah’s a professional. Whatever his contract holders need—no matter how intimate—he delivers with his head held high. But Micah’s new holder seems content to leave most of his more specialized skills unused.Micah’s not quite sure what to do, or not do, with Dominic, and the feeling is mutual. The more Dominic learns about Micah’s past, the less he wants to know. It soon becomes clear that Micah’s previous holders were involved in something sinister—and big. It’s up to Dominic and Micah to figure out how deep it goes, but getting eaten by a chupacabra is starting to sound more appealing.**Content warnings:**Dubious ConsentEmotional AbuseExplicit ViolenceNon-ConsentSexual AssaultDrug Use (Non-consensual) less

Sometimes people are more monstrous than the monsters.Micah and Dominic have a new roommate. Gestalt—the last survivor of the Hellfires’ desperate attempt to cover their tracks—has the wings of a raven and the personality of a feral cat. Powerful magic binds him, with no counterspell to be found. Gestalt would never ask Dominic or Micah for help, if the life force shared through their psychic link weren’t the only thing keeping him alive... moreSometimes people are more monstrous than the monsters.Micah and Dominic have a new roommate. Gestalt—the last survivor of the Hellfires’ desperate attempt to cover their tracks—has the wings of a raven and the personality of a feral cat. Powerful magic binds him, with no counterspell to be found. Gestalt would never ask Dominic or Micah for help, if the life force shared through their psychic link weren’t the only thing keeping him alive. That said, he finds some of the glimpses through that link quite interesting. Micah isn’t used to having people in his head. His relationships are performances, his behavior tailored to whatever his audience requires. If Dominic finds out, he’ll want to meet the real Micah—the man behind the mask. Too bad Micah doesn’t know how to play that role. Dominic has problems of his own. As the range of the Hellfires’ empire is revealed, he realizes how many cracks exist in a system he’s always trusted. With the pillars of his faith crumbling by the day, and his feelings for Micah and Gestalt growing by the night, he’s forced to decide just how far outside the system he’s willing to work. less