WATTY 2019 WINNER Hale, a state of the art android, can do nearly anything a human can. He cooks meals, cleans and organizes the house, repairs broken appliances, and runs errands. He can even provide for the more carnal needs of his owner. None of these tasks should present any challenge for Hale, and they don't-until he meets his next door neighbour, Rayner. Rayner seems like an unassuming gardener, but he asks Hale a lot of questions. Does Hale wish he could smell or taste food? What would he look like if his appearance hadn't been chosen for him? From the moment they meet, Hale runs into errors in otherwise simple tasks. He experiences bizarre sensations that none of his diagnostic tools can explain, and struggles to appease the people in his owner's social circle. As the errors in his programming begin to wear on his owner's patience, Hale faces the most difficult decision yet. If he can't evolve to meet her needs, he'll be returned and recycled into parts for future androids. If he does evolve, is he still just an android? Or something more? In all this, Rayner is the only man who can help him, and Rayner only has one question left for Hale. What does he want? Hale wasn't designed to want anything, but perhaps he can find the answer in the man with all the questions. TOP RANKINGS #1 in #freethelgbt #1 in #android - UPDATES WEDNESDAYS Story and artwork by Alistair Reeves This story is edited by Lyra Evans; she has amazing books on Amazon, so check her out if you like fantasy and mxm romance! I always love hearing from readers! Your time, votes, reviews and comments keep me constantly motivated. If you're interested in supporting this story even more than you already do by reading, please check out my Patreon (linked from my profile)! You can find me @kataraqui on Twitter/IG/Tumblr - Content warning for emotional/sexual abuse (not between MC and LI). Sexual abuse at the end of chapter 2 if you want to skip it.

Sam is the most promising swordsman among this year’s crop of Paladin trainees...and knows it. Brash, cocky, and unbeatable with a sword (well, almost), Sam is the kingdom of Thule’s best hope against the violence wrought by demons. The only problem is that Sam is really Lady Samantha, daughter of the seventeenth Duke of Haywood, and if her father has his way, she’ll be marrying a Paladin, not becoming one. But Sam has never held much interest in playing damsel-in-distress, and so she rescues herself from a lifetime of boredom and matrimonial drudgery. Pity that Tristan Lyons, the Paladin assigned to train her, is none other than the hero of her childhood. He hasn’t recognized her as Lady Samantha--yet-- but if he does, he’ll take away her sword and send her packing. Sam is not the only trainee hiding secrets: Braeden is a half-demon with a dark past that might be unforgivable. Sam, Braeden and Tristan set out for the western coast, charged with rooting out an infestation of demons that has made the West unlivable. As they travel, they uncover a deep-seated corruption of power that threatens to derail everything they stand for. Rebellion stirs, led by a rival faction of warriors who tempt Sam to join them with an irresistible offer. A war between men is coming, and Sam must pick a side. Will saving the kingdom cost her life -- or just her heart? Reminiscent of Mulan, but with a medieval fantasy twist, Paladin is a tale of adventure, action, and romance.