Change of Heart

Ever feel like a whole new man?

After suffering a devastating loss, Seth Johnston falls into a self-destructive spiral that threatens to alienate all those nearest and dearest to him. Looking for a fresh start, he escapes to a foreign city but all too soon his demons make an unwelcome reappearance. Will the arrival of an otherworldly stranger into his life allow Seth to let go of the past and start living again?

Excerpt:
Seth Johnston slowly began to regain consciousness and attempted to open his eyes, even though the pounding inside his head wasn't particularly conducive to that idea. The room was dimly lit by sunlight filtering around the edges of a dark, heavy-looking curtain. There was a stuffiness to the air with the telltale musk of masculine passion hanging heavily about the bed. As he tried to focus and shake off the after effects from yet another bender, Seth gradually came to the realization that he wasn't alone in the bed. There was a muscular arm draped over his midsection and he hadn't the faintest idea who it belonged to. Opening his eyes properly, Seth twisted his head to see a sleeping man with handsome features, tousled, straw-blond hair and sharp cheekbones. Looking around further, Seth also discovered that he had absolutely no clue where he was.

How much did I drink last night? At least this one's good-looking, better than some I've woken up next to. I really need to be more discerning.

With great care, Seth extricated himself from the stranger's embrace and crept out of the bed. He paused for a moment to find his balance. Quietly, Seth went about the room collecting his clothes from the carpeted floor. After a few minutes of searching, Seth had managed to find and put on most of his clothes and was beginning to open the door, with his shoes and socks in hand, when he heard a sleep-heavy voice coming from behind him.
"Where you going, buddy?"

"Umm...I'm awfully sorry..." Seth desperately thought back to the previous evening but everything after downing that first, deliciously strong cocktail at the Cat's Meow was a complete blank, so he took a stab in the dark. "Mike?"

"It's Jock."

Damn it! Not even close.

Strangely, despite Seth's error, the man appeared more amused than annoyed about being called by the wrong name.

"Jock...umm...I have to go...thanks for...everything...so many things that I really must do today."

Jock threw back the sheet to reveal his well-sculpted body, adorned only by a silver amulet on a thin chain around his neck, and a very sizeable, aroused manhood. "You were certainly up for it last night at ManHole. Come on. Surely, you have time for another round, Deacon."

"What..." His voice had become a touch higher and wavered slightly. "...what did you call me?"

"Deacon. I obviously wasn't as drunk as you and can remember your name at least. Or, it's what you told me it was last night, at any rate."

Why would I tell him that? But how else could he possibly know that name? And what on earth was I doing at ManHole again?

"My name is Seth; Deacon was...that doesn't matter...I have to go!"

Yanking the bedroom door fully open, Seth practically ran through it and instantly collided with another man, who'd been coming down the hallway.

"I'm sorry, I..."

Seth's words stopped dead upon seeing that the man he'd encountered was a carbon copy of the man he'd just left – granted this one was actually wearing clothes and had a slightly bookish air about him, aided by his thick-framed glasses.

"That's, OK."

Just then the door at the end of the hallway opened to reveal yet another version of the same man coming in from outside. This one was dressed in a tight red singlet and black running shorts, his body glistening with sweat.
Maybe they're clones. I must be dreaming! But would I feel hungover in a dream? I've got to get out of here!
"How are there so many of you?"

"Just the three," explained the bookish man. "We're triplets. I'm Jasper. The sweaty mess is Jules and you're already...acquainted with Jock."