The Power of a Kiss in The Livingstone Saga: Forbidden Love Between Iseo and Celestino

In Book One of The Livingstone Saga: Birth, Iseo and Celestino share a very passionate kiss. It is only a kiss, after all. Harmless. Innocent. Or is it?

A kiss seems simple enough. You can steal a kiss, offer a kiss, return a kiss, or brush someone’s cheek in passing. But the more I think about it, the more I believe a kiss may be the most dangerous act of all. The simple motion of leaning closer, of closing the distance between two people, is often the moment when the first line is crossed. It is the dividing line between safety and risk, between what is known and what waits in the shadows ahead.

A kiss is the doorway to passion. It is the first truly intimate act between lovers, and often the one most deeply missed when it disappears. Once it happens, something changes. There is a shift, subtle at first, but impossible to ignore. It becomes harder to pull back once the tide begins to rise. A single kiss can carry promise, temptation, and consequence all at once. It can lead to joy, ruin, or something far more complicated than either.

That is what makes the kiss between Iseo and Celestino so dangerous. A girl and a gargoyle were never meant to love one another. Their bond defies sacred law and sworn duty, yet the pull between them refuses to be denied. And when that moment comes, when restraint finally gives way, it begins with a kiss.

       Celestino waited until he felt her reach toward him. It was only the slightest movement, yet it was all the permission he required. Without breaking his gaze, he lowered his head. Gentle at first, he tasted wine and honey on her lips.
        “You are the nectar of God and earth,” he whispered, so close that she felt the warmth of every word as his lips brushed against hers.

You will have to read the rest in Book One of The Livingstone Saga: Birth. This kiss lingers across pages, unfolding slowly, equal parts tender and dangerous. Whether it remains innocent is something each reader must decide.

​ 2014, revised 2026 Janell Rhiannon. All rights reserved.

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