Title: Lemniscate

Series: Darklight, Book Four

Author: Sean Ian O’Meidhir and Connal Braginsky

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: 11/18/2025

Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 326

Genre: Paranormal, MM romance, explicit, fae, witches, mages, spider shifters, vampires, war, telepathy, psychic ability, psychologist, autism, problem-solving

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Description

Weaving the threads of eternity with Lemniscate, Nathen, a neurodiverse vampire, grapples with the intersection of special interests versus responsibility. At the same time, Cameron, a telepath, faces the shadow of his long-lost mother and the weight of what it means to truly protect the people he loves. Along with their elder vampire ally, August, they’re drawn into a volatile conflict between the spider fae and land fae. Together with a group of mages, they must uncover the key to ending the cycle of bloodshed, all while dodging betrayal, espionage, and secrets that threaten their bond.

From intricate fae politics to the camaraderie and chaos of their team, this final installment promises a tapestry of thrilling battles, poignant alliances, and profound personal growth.

Excerpt

Lemniscate
Sean Ian O’Meidhir and Connal Braginsky © 2025
All Rights Reserved

August

My Dearest Paige,

I cannot express in mere words the guilt, the anguish. Dara assures me your death need not be on my conscience as the future is foretold: That your energy is part of us all. Your blood forever part of me as you were my maker.

August choked, lifting the quill from parchment. He closed his eyes tight, a wave of grief washing over him. Flashes of Paige after she had been struck down flickered through his memories. I should have protected you… He gulped, a stilted breath pushed out. He learned long ago that while he did not need to breathe, not doing so made mortals around him uncomfortable. Therefore, he had mastered the subtleties of a masquerade so he could walk among them without suspicion—now second nature. Dipping the nib in the inkwell, he began again.

The only illusion that exists is one of separation as we are all bound together and will meet over and over again. But you and I— We stood outside of time, in this stasis of existence. We are the ones to watch the world change. And for centuries, we did. I chose to carry the burden of my grief for Margaret. I believe her memory allowed me to hold fast to the humanity you had disdain for. The trials helped me to realize I needed to release the hurt. It no longer serves a purpose. I know the anguish I currently carry for your loss will fuel so very much in the weeks to come—

He set the quill aside when a rush of calm chased away his demons. Dara.

“I am interrupting.” Her earthy scent encompassed him as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “But you were in distress.”

August leaned back, his head nestled against her, relishing the touch of her flowing green hair with wisps of auburn and gold as it swept across his chest. He patted her arms.

“I was saying goodbye to Paige. For centuries I would write to Margaret, and it brought some comfort. It kept her memory alive and assuaged my guilt for the new existence I had to embrace.” Realization made him pause for a moment. “The pattern repeats…”

“Over and over in the cycles,” Dara responded.

Unsure if she understood his epiphany, he turned to face her, rewarded when she slid around and into his lap. “The pattern of losing a woman I’ve loved to tragedy, of writing to her to gain perspective, of…holding on,” he mused.

Forest green eyes met his, the wisdom and calm of the oak comforting. “The battle to come will benefit from wherever you find strength.”

August hummed, burying his face in Dara’s chest, gaining strength there. Ever evolving. His cheek grazed a nipple that tented the gossamer cloth. The first time they were intimate, while she had the overall form of a human female, details such as feminine hair and nipples had been missing. Of course he would have never complained, assuming it natural. But subtle things had changed each time they met. He opted not to comment on them, grateful if she purposefully changed for him but also discreet enough not to call attention to it if she did not.

The simple act of forcing air into lungs that did not need it, only to let it out slowly in a sigh, helped to center him, to tie him to his human appearance. “The battle… I’m glad you won’t be there. I’m not sure what I would do if anything happened to you. I don’t think I’m strong enough to lose another,” he confessed.

“I am with you till eternities end,” she responded simply, the weight of her words ringing true in his ear.

The sounds of the rest of the coven, now disbanded, having felt Paige’s passing, filtered up to him. The truth of their feelings about Paige had become clear when he returned, and while they all mourned her loss, each experienced it differently. Indeed, one had professed his hatred for Paige and had taken his leave the moment August had confirmed the details. The others bickered over who would stay in the house, who would keep the artifacts, who would… It didn’t matter. His place was with Dara. So, he packed his belongings and passed them through the dream road for Dara to store for him. All that remained were his old writing desk and the writing instruments. But this project he could not hurry. Besides, saving it guaranteed his success, did it not? For how could he perish when he had yet to say farewell to his maker?

Cameron

“Jacks…” Cameron growled under his breath, pacing the bedroom where his mother slept peacefully. He shot a resentful look at Nathen who sat on the floor, his laptop open, staring blankly. No doubt talking with his new love—SpArk. And August! Off with Dara.

Cameron replayed memories. August had empathized, having been shown what Jacks was capable of but for some reason seemed to take it all in stride. “There are so many monsters out there. Better to have them on our side, wouldn’t you think?” Cameron tried to explain Jacks was the farthest from “on their side” than could be imagined, but August in his infuriatingly calm and collected way greeted and welcomed the man. August had gracefully led the entire interaction. While Cameron and Nathen were reeling, August displayed respectful charm. He introduced himself, ushered Cameron and Nathen into the other room with directions for them to check on Maria, and then returned to have a pleasant conversation with Jacks. He professionally and succinctly brought Jacks up to speed and, to his credit, Jacks shifted from arrogant jackass into all-business mode asking strategic questions. The two planned to rendezvous the following day after nightfall in order to regroup and Jacks had been…manipulated into coordinating travel?

“I am wondering how to go about arranging travel for the whole group. There’s Cameron, Nathen, you, and me, but also potentially four others. I could start looking into airlines for the seven of us and—”

Jacks cut August off. “I’ll have our company’s plane ready on the runway. We will rendezvous here at 18:00 as sunset is shortly after. We can discuss strategy on the plane. From here to New York is a three-hour flight, which will give us plenty of time. Once there, I will have a car scheduled to take us to one of the company’s strongholds.” At that, Jacks stood and shook August’s hand.

Cameron marveled at the memory. August had so masterfully manipulated Jacks no one would have guessed. The realization shook Cameron from his grousing. His attention turned to Nathen, who spun in an autistic overload. As he focused on Nathen’s mind, sparks of thought bombarded him: the ramifications—Jacks alive—reconstituted—nanites—the explosion—Cameron dying—what he had done to save him—Jacks’s atrocities—Jacks alive—nanites—Paradigm—Impetus—fae—the explosion—HR in the boardroom—HR on the phone—HR in New Orleans—nanites—the ritual to rid them of nanites—

Cameron sighed and knelt beside Nathen. His kiss or a touch wouldn’t soothe Nathen, so he sent a wave of calm across him. Nathen slumped some, but he needed time to process so stared on. He’d snap out of it.

Cameron came to rest on the floor, lost in his own thoughts, grateful Maria and Julia were okay. Julia had left to find food but would be returning shortly. Serge and Alfonso had left to investigate what had become of their home but had promised to check in later. The battle—the arachnoid monsters—the fire that had engulfed the house and destroyed Paige—all played out in his mind, and he found himself drifting off as exhaustion overcame him.

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Meet the Author

Sean Ian O’Meidhir is a psychologist who lives in San Francisco, California. Sean is a hedonist who believes in living for today, living every day to the fullest, and enjoying as much as possible. Sean has been gaming since adolescence and has written about and played hundreds of lives, reveling in the chance to take on new personalities, dramas, even disorders.

Connal Braginsky is a software engineer who lives in San Diego, California. Diagnosed with high functioning autism, Connal sometimes struggles in social situations, but has an inner world that is always incredibly rich. With an insatiable thirst for knowledge about many esoteric things, Connal brings a lot of personal philosophies and interests to writing