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Category: Character Insights

Insights into characters and how they act or react.

For Women Only

For Women Only

For Women Only is Erotic Science Fiction Romance, and Multicultural. Khyff is a master of pleasure with a tortured soul. Mehfawni falls for Khyff, and wants to redeem the man her people destroyed. The problem is, his fragile trust could be a response of love and a healing heart — or a ruse for revenge.

The antagonist of the book is Empress Rheyn Destoiya, who manipulates Khyff to gain power. Destoiya’s brother, Pietas, plays a small but crucial part in the story. These two are immortal, and manipulating humans is part of a role playing game they created called Peril. Let’s take a look.

Warning: this book contains smokin’ hot sex, humor, and angst. This combination has been proven addictive. Author assumes no responsibility for the reader’s battery consumption in adult toys while reading this book.

Palace District, Conqueror’s Palace

When her brother bowed and insisted she go first, Empress Destoiya smiled. Good. Pietas should be worried. She entered the empty foyer and took the door leading to the elevator for her private rooms. Inside it, she leaned her back against the corner, feet out, arms folded, blocking him from coming anywhere near her.

Pietas draped the black velvet cape around his shoulders and raised the hood. “I suppose you’ll be glad to see me go.”

“You still have a flare for understatement, I see.”

He faced the doors. “You have no more than fifteen years left on your current role in Peril. Most of the players outside the empire are through their games already and want reassignment. If you like, I could summon them here. It would help you, and keep them out from under my feet.”

Pietas had used the role-playing game Peril to end the boredom of immortality. They’d played tor thousands of years, each game forty years in length, scattered all across the galaxy. Unlike a human role-playing game, the Sempervians lived their roles in real time, always in character except around each other. Luck had awarded her two turns as a Ruler, and she’d ended her forty-year reign as Destoiya the Great by faking her death, and then in a coup, reclaimed it as Destoiya the Conqueror, the unacknowledged daughter of the Great. No one had suspected the twenty year old upstart of being the eighty year old deceased monarch.

Destoiya touched his shoulder. “There haven’t been more than twenty of us together anywhere in a thousand years. Why now?”

He turned toward her, but the darkness of the hood hid his face. “Don’t tell me you couldn’t use the support.”

“Oh, I could.” She brushed at lint on her black uniform. “It would nearly guarantee a win.”

“Then you want them?”

The doors opened, and Destoiya brushed past him. “Follow me.” They went through several doors, all opening with the touch of her palm on a panel. The next door scanned her retina. A long hallway led to a red door.

Bringer of Chaos

Pietas, Bringer of Chaos

They reached the chamber. Destoiya turned back to Pietas. “Will accepting extra players change any of my rules, goals, or assignments?”

He made a simple, negating gesture. “No.”

“Will penalities be added?”

“No.” He pushed back his hood.

“How will their powers be decided? Will they have to roll for them, or can they use their natural abilities?”

Pietas unhooked a bag of dice and jingled it before her. “Pick one and roll it.”

She ignored the bag and withdrew a coin from her pocket. “I prefer a yes or no answer.”

He rolled his eyes, and with a sigh, returned the bag to his belt. “Call it.”

“Heads they use natural. Tails they roll.” She flipped the coin into the air.

Pietas caught it. “I feel generous. Tell me what you want and you may have it.”

“Why should I believe you?”

“I told you, Sister. I feel generous.”

Destoiya folded her arms. “The last time you said that, we lost a war. What are you up to?”

“Do you want them to roll for abilities?”

“No. Natural.”

Pietas extended his hand, and she held out hers. He placed the coin on her palm. “They’re yours.”


For Women Only goes out of print in June 2014, so grab it now. It won’t be re-released until the fall, in a new format. Bringer of Chaos will be released later this year.

White puffy things on a stick #Smores #PietasFans #SciFi #MFRWhooks

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to interview Pietas on Romance Lives Forever.

It was fun, and the interview was regarding what to eat for dinner.

His answers were revealing, and quite funny.

Who knew he'd never heard the word S'mores?

I'm repeating part of it here, with permission from the blog owner.

She's a wonderful author who is named 'me.' πŸ˜‰

What is your favorite meal?

Fish, cooked over an open fire, and vegetables grilled beside it.

If any, what food do you refuse to eat?

I have quite literally starved to death before. There is no food I won't eat.

Tell us about a meal or food that says "home" to you.

Fish cooked around a campfire followed by those sweetish brown crackers. You put a white puffy thing on a stick and hold it over the fire until it starts to melt, and then you put that between the crackers and chocolate. I don't know what you call them, but I call them delicious. They are the perfect end to a campfire meal shared with friends.

When you find yourself with some type of unknown food on your plate, what do you do?

I ask questions, and poke at it a bit, but inevitably, I eat it.

Have you ever eaten military style rations, and if so, what was your favorite?

For more years than I care to count. Anything that comes in a box that heats itself is a winner.

If you cook, what kind of food do you like to prepare?

I am hopeless in the kitchen, but my staff sees that I never go hungry.

Favorite alcoholic beverage?

A flavorful wine, especially one grown in vineyards owned by friends.

Favorite non-alcoholic beverage?

Clean, fresh water.

What do you grab when there's no time for a regular meal?

Whatever holds still long enough for me to put it into my mouth.

Who are your favorite people to share meals with?

The people on the High Council, and other dear friends.

Tell us what your author eats or drinks while writing about you.

Kayelle guzzles water, but she also drinks a caffeine free sugar free Coke. And coffee with cream and chocolate. Hot herbal tea in the evening. Sweet tea in the morning. Hmmm. She drinks a lot, but I've only seen her drink alcohol or wine on rare occasions.

What do you feed your pet/s?

Tiklaus is a ginormous panther who rules our home and eats whatever is put within reach. I make sure it's healthy and fresh.

Tell me in the comments what you like to eat for dinner.

Bringer of Chaos

Bringer of Chaos Bundle 1 - Science Fiction and Space Opera #SciFi #SpaceOpera #PietasFans

Series page: https://kayelleallen.com/chaos-series/

#SciFi #SpaceOpera

Bringer of Chaos #SciFi #SpaceOpera #PietasFans

Bringer of Chaos #SciFi #SpaceOpera #PietasFans

Bringer of Chaos #SciFi #SpaceOpera #PietasFans

Pick up the first story in the Bringer of Chaos series, Lights Out, plus an illustrated look at the series free by signing up for my newsletter
https://kayelleallen.com/immortality

Bringer of Chaos #SciFi #SpaceOpera #PietasFans

Bringer of Chaos #SciFi #SpaceOpera #PietasFans

Any of my characters mentioned on this page might be found in multiple books in my story universe. Download a printable book list and check them off as you read.


~ Copyright Β©2024 Kayelle Allen. All rights reserved ~ Kayelle Allen participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates program, an affiliate advertising program which provides the means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com. If you purchase an item listed on the site from Amazon.com, Kayelle will earn a small commission. Other sites might be affiliate links as well. These will not result in higher prices for you. Thank you for your support!


To experience art, sci-fi, romance, and space opera with unstoppable, unshakeable, unforgettable characters so real you'll swear you've met them, join my newsletter.

Imagine immortal warriors who spend eternity alone, watching mortal friends age and die, century after century, thousands of years on end, battling untold wars. Recalling lovers brings such pain, it’s better to forget. Why would anyone want to go on?

Immortal Warriors – and Gamers

Immortal warriors don't take orders. They take over #scifiHumans created genetically-designed creatures to make life easier. Humans themselves disdained such enhancements, and within a few generations, the title Human Pure identified those who had never commingled blood or accepted genetic changes. Genslaves did the work; humans reaped the benefits. Depending on the job required, each genslave could be telepathic, empathic, shape-shifting, half animal, or a pleasure giver, and some were illusion casters. However, genslaves were also the finest scientists, healers, artists, and teachers.

Nothing normal described the warriors. All had various enhanced skills. Too powerful to kill, they regenerated no matter how catastrophic the wound. Immortal warriors do not take orders.. They takeΒ control.

ItΒ took manyΒ centuries before a traitor within their ranks helped trap the invincible army. Imprisoned on a world dubbed Sempervia, far out on the galaxy’s rim, these immortal warriors hadΒ no way home. With little more than a handful of farming tools and a few crates of seeds, the exilesΒ faced a battle unlike any that had come before. In a twist of irony, the ragged and starving immortals died, only to rise again and face one more bleak day of survival.

Thousands of years later, those same half-million now live as one with the world they’ve transformed into a paradise. There are no children. All are barren. Calling themselves Reborn, they take pains to hide their world from outsiders, and are peace-loving, docile, and content.

Except for one hundred renegades and their leader, Pietas. They refuse to forgive their expulsion from their birthright — their loss of freedom to roam the galaxy. One hundred and one live for revenge. Rejecting the pacifist name Reborn, the exiles called themselves Sempervians. The name means ever living.

Immortal Warriors on Sempervia

Pietas held his people together by preaching a doctrine that only death made life meaningful. Peril is a real-time role-playing game lived out in forty-year increments. As the Gamemaster, Pietas oversees details of his followers’ lives. Players strive during each lifetime to achieve goals against friends who are adversaries or allies, depending on the toss of the dice. They crave wining at all costs. Peril pits empires and worlds against powers far beyond any mortal’s ability to know, understand, or even glimpse.

To fail means a solid year of Penance at the hands of the Gamemaster, Pietas. Repeated, daily deaths. Dying and coming back at their peak age. The Gamemaster plays no favorites, grants no mercy, even to the one he loves — the one follower who has challenged Pietas throughout the centuries but cannot bring himself to love Pietas back the way he himself is loved, yet defers to the Gamemaster’s power.Β Cyken Tomarus, known in this lifetime as Luc Saint-Cyr.

No one leaves Peril. If the others don’t hunt you down, or the android referees can’t find you, the galaxy is full of bounty hunters eager for a scalp, and no price is too high to pay for a traitor. No mercy awaits immortal warriorsΒ dragged back for Pietas’s wrath.

Assisting in the game are the Chosen, generations of mortals who know the secrets of the Sempervians and vow to make their transitions from life to life possible, a rare few ending up as lovers of their immortal masters. Two such Chosen were Wulf, once belonging to Luc Saint-Cyr, and Alitus, once belonging to Empress Rheyn Destoiya. These Chosens’ unforgivable sin was to fall in love with each other, thereby pitting the two strongest players — former allies — against one another.

Immortal warriors don't take orders. They take control. #scifi

Pietas declared the two Chosen untouchable, safe within his keeping, and he watches from afar. The story plays out among the worlds of the Tarthian Empire. He reveals that a few decades earlier, he created a group of “Changelings.” Death or an infusion of immortal blood awakens dormant cells to begin their transformation into an immortal. The Chosen Alitus is one. Others wait, reared by mortals as mortals, without knowledge of their rightful heritage.

Who is next?

Who are the next Changelings? Will they be immortal warriors? Or perhapsΒ they will bring Peril to a riotous end. Subscribe to the Romance Lives Forever Reader Group and find out as each new book reveals more of the truth.

At the Mercy of Her Pleasure #SciFi #Romance

At the Mercy of Her Pleasure...

The title of this book, At the Mercy of Her Pleasure, makes it sound super sexy. I mean, look at this guy, right? The name comes from his heroine, NarrAy, an enhanced human whose pheromones allow her to control others. Can he resist her? Does he even want to? Sadly, he must or he will not be able to free his brother, who’s in the worst possible situation…

If you love a great romance with unforseeable twists, but don’t really care for explicit content, this book is for you. It’s adult in nature, but is rated PG13.

In this scene, Senth must meet someone at a hotel above a nightclub, and when you look as young as he does, getting in isn't that easy...
---

As Senth approached The Ghost, the club's beefy Kin bouncer put out a hand. "Hold up, kid. You--" She motioned toward Khyff -- "Wait over there. You..." She motioned Senth aside. "You got ID?"

Senth opened his cloak, revealing the lining with its unmistakable Thieves' Guild insignia, a skeleton key inside a slashed circle. He gave his Sen'dai's hand sign.

"Ffffftt!" The bouncer made an apologetic shrug. "Sorry. Why didn't you say you were the Man's right up front?"

"His shouldn't have to." Senth brushed a hand down the front of the cloak. "And I'm no kid."

"Sorry, sir." She opened the door for both of them and bowed.

Once inside, Khyff held out one palm, and Senth slid his down it, hooked his fingers as Khyff did, and with hands clasped, gave one downward shake.

"C'mon, Bro." Khyff led the way past the darkened foyer.

Inside, music pulsed like a living entity. Throbbing bass tickled Senth's chest, and he coughed. Drums pounded. Colored lights swept the cavernous room. Strobes flashed across the congested dance floor, highlighting bobbing heads and upflung arms. Light glinted off human bodies slick with sweat, while bared and damp Kin furskin stuck out in points, laden with glitter.

"Stay close," Khyff shouted over the pulsating music, standing next to Senth. He headed for the rear and left no chance to argue. They skirted around the crammed dance area. Senth liberated a few loose credit stubs clipped to belts and stuffed them into the pockets of his cloak.

He tried not to stare at the slakes along the wall, but their clothing and attitude declared their availability. A pair of male and female slakes bent over a low railing, their pants around their ankles. Androgs handled their bodies like merchandise.

Khyff nudged him. "Comparison shoppers."

"Not funny."

"Try being the one hanging over the railing." Khyff jerked his head. "Come on."

Females ruled on the Kin planet Felidae, and the majority who visited The Ghost had more than one male in their company. A single Kin female at the bar turned and looked Senth over from head to foot. Tall and slender, she wore brown leather the same color as her hair. She slid her tongue across her upper teeth, back and forth between her fangs, and wiggled her cute feline nose. Then she twitched her pointed ears toward Senth. A tap on his arm drew Senth's attention.

"Stay away from her, Sen." Khyff glared at the Kin. "She'll take you to bed and then eat you for breakfast. That's not a figure of speech. HalfKin who leave with her aren't seen again. She's working this floor for someone. Watch this." Khyff slid a hand down his body, giving the Kin a slow smile.

The female crooked a finger at Khyff and smiled back.

When Khyff rubbed his fingers and thumb together in a sign for money, she turned away. "Yeah, I thought so."

"You wanted her?"

His brother snorted. "You couldn't pay me enough to screw a Kin."

Sweet Science Fiction Romance with a Kick.
A fast-paced sci fi romance with an adorable, fun-loving hero who's half-human and half-cat and a by-the-book army captain heroine. Hired to steal back a prototype taken by the imperial armada, Senth retrieves it, but his brother is kidnapped to force Senth to surrender the device. Now he has to rescue his brother, outsmart the armada, and keep the item out of imperial hands. All doable, except for one small problem. He must do it in the company of NarrAy, a genetically altered woman whose pheromones could enhance the mission or crumble it into dust with a single siren kiss.

At the Mercy of Her Pleasure by Kayelle Allen
https://amzn.to/1f7FQ2h

Antonello Brothers

Antonello Brothers Sci-Fi Romance Series by Kayelle Allen #SciFi #Romance

Click covers for the buy link. Click text for the website page and excerpts.

Series page https://kayelleallen.com/antonello-brothers

#SciFi #Romance

Complete Set Antonello Brothers Series

Any of my characters mentioned on this page might be found in multiple books in my story universe. Download a printable book list and check them off as you read.


~ Copyright Β©2024 Kayelle Allen. All rights reserved ~ Kayelle Allen participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates program, an affiliate advertising program which provides the means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com. If you purchase an item listed on the site from Amazon.com, Kayelle will earn a small commission. Other sites might be affiliate links as well. These will not result in higher prices for you. Thank you for your support!


To experience art, sci-fi, romance, and space opera with unstoppable, unshakeable, unforgettable characters so real you'll swear you've met them, join my newsletter.

For Her Only by Kayelle Allen #SciFi #Romance

 

In this scene from For Her Only, Khyff and Mehfawni have arrived at the largest shopping mall in the empire.

Mehfawni is a Kin female and a warrior, and it's natural for her to take charge.Β When they are greeted by a robotic directory system, she makes a quick decision.

Β But then reveals something she had not intended...


 

"Thank you for visiting Tarth City Mall," the robot crooned. "Your shopping pleasure is our only business. How may I increase your shopping pleasure?"

"I think we'll walk around." Mehfawni slipped her hand into Khyff's and turned away. "If we get lost, we'll come back."

Just past the directory was a kiosk labeled "Honey And Leather." Two human males, an Androg, two human females, and a young Tyran male were fastened to it by thin leashes attached to their wrists.

They must be slakes. She couldn't help but stare. None of them looked like whores, but the kiosk signs clearly stated their prices. A male turned and ogled Mehfawni, and the females stared at Khyff in frank appreciation. So did the Androg.

Her mind balked at the idea of Khyff being sold like that. His records said he'd "worked the streets" when he was fifteen, but by the time he'd been sixteen, he'd been "on call". They'd called it "marketing" him--selling his services to private individuals who could afford the finest.

Talk about shopping pleasure... She shuddered.

The thought of other females using Khyff made her jaws clamp tighter. How can I be jealous of something that happened to him years ago? Yet there the emotion was, in all its raw and angry power. If he'd been Kin, he'd have smelled it on her by now.

She slid the tips of her fingers into one of Khyff's rear pockets in a possessive gesture meant to discourage the slakes, who were still eyeing him. It didn't work.

"Let's go over there." She pointed off in another direction.

"Sure, Fawni. What do you want to see?"

She didn't want him thinking she was trying to buy him the way his clients had, but she still wanted to show others he was hers. An idea came to her, and she slid her tongue across her fangs. "What kind of jewelry shops do they have, t'hahr?"

His eyes crinkled at the corners. "What does t'hahr mean?"

"Oh, um..." The words had slipped out, but they were true. She rose on tiptoe and kissed him on the cheek. "T'hahr is a love word in my language. It's Felis for my heart."

Antonello Brothers

Antonello Brothers Sci-Fi Romance Series by Kayelle Allen #SciFi #Romance

Click covers for the buy link. Click text for the website page and excerpts.

Series page https://kayelleallen.com/antonello-brothers

#SciFi #Romance

Complete Set Antonello Brothers Series

Any of my characters mentioned on this page might be found in multiple books in my story universe. Download a printable book list and check them off as you read.


~ Copyright Β©2024 Kayelle Allen. All rights reserved ~ Kayelle Allen participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates program, an affiliate advertising program which provides the means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com. If you purchase an item listed on the site from Amazon.com, Kayelle will earn a small commission. Other sites might be affiliate links as well. These will not result in higher prices for you. Thank you for your support!


To experience art, sci-fi, romance, and space opera with unstoppable, unshakeable, unforgettable characters so real you'll swear you've met them, join my newsletter.

Did you ever dream a story? #MFRWhooks #SciFi

 

Did you ever dream a story?

I almost never dream.
My husband has vivid ones.
While I sometimes wish I could, there is
one dream I cannot forget.
Dream a story. Sounds fascinating.
But this one scared me.

When You Dream a Story...

I started writing the Bringer of Chaos series when I was seventeen years old. I was sound asleep at home, dreaming about walking the length of a vast receiving chamber, heading for a woman who sat on the throne at the end. The empress was the twin sister of a dangerous man who was not present. He was older than she but he wasn't the king. I didn't know why he wasn't at the time, but that fact worried me. Honestly, to dream a story was never something I thought I could do, but there it was.

I had to walk through rows of soldiers who stood at attention, facing forward. I could not see their faces. I was not afraid to approach the throne. The woman looked amused at how long it took me to reach her. I kept walking and walking but never seemed to get closer. I turned around to see how far I had come. That's when I saw the faces of the soldiers, and my breath caught.

Every one of them had the heads of gray cats.

I woke up and sat straight up in bed.

Why that image should have been so frightening, I don't know. No one was attacking me. No one glared at me. They just looked right at me, and that was enough. To this day, I can see that image.

From that dream was born most of the Tarthian Empire series. The woman on the throne became Empress Rheyn Destoiya. The cat-headed soldiers became the Praetorian Guard, peopled with the Kin, a feline-humanoid race. My Kin do not have cat-heads but they are quite catlike and have pointed ears higher up on their heads than a human's.

Her missing, older brother became Pietas, hero of the Bringer of Chaos series. Discovering Pietas has been a lifelong attempt. Below is an excerpt from the book for you to sample, and you can download the entire first three chapters here.

Excerpt from Forged in Fire

In this scene, Pietas discovers that his friend, Six, has been taken hostage.

"Are you looking for this?" His father's unmistakable voice came to him before the man's faint outline revealed itself in the dark.

Mahikos had captured Six and pressed a knife blade to the ghost's throat. At the point where the blade dug into him, blood oozed.

The blank passivity on his friend's face revealed what Pietas had feared. Six had been compelled into submission. He would stand there and let Mahikos kill him.

Rage propelled Pietas forward.

"That's far enough, Son." He dragged Six backward. "Unless you want your own hands covered in this human's blood."

Pietas ground his teeth. "I will end you, old man."

"Will you?" Mahikos dug the knife edge into Six's neck. "You dared bring this abomination into our camp after it threatened your mother--the woman I love--and you want to end me? This thing is going to die by my hands!"

Origin of Pietas
Panthers like belly rubs #SciFi #SpaceOpera #MFRWhooks

 

To save his people, a genetically enhanced warrior must do the one thing he detests... trust a human.
Origin of Pietas
https://books2read.com/u/4DovO7

 

An exiled, immortal king and his not-quite human friend join a ginormous panther "kitty" and the most dysfunctional family since forever.
Forged in Fire
https://books2read.com/u/bpW7Kg

Forged in Fire
Panthers like belly rubs #SciFi #SpaceOpera #MFRWhooks


JOIN US FOR BOOKHOOKS
Book Hooks is a weekly meme hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog. It's a chance each week for you the reader to discover current works in progress or previously published books by possibly new-to-you authors. Thank you for stopping by. Please say hello or leave a note in the comments.

A Broken Heart - Thieves' Guild Academy #SciFi #SpaceOpera

In this scene, Senth has just gotten a password protected message from his father and is looking for a private place to hear it. Background - Senth is a professional thief and a student at the Thieves' Guild Academy.

Hacking the Storeroom

Folks in this town never referred to his father by name. You heard the capital letters when they called him the Man or the Harbinger. Luc Saint-Cyr was the daddy crime lord all the baby crime lords wanted to be like when they grew up.

"Ooh, big scary Man." Senth thumbed off the device. "Please let this be a job and not him finding out I hacked Planet Fun."

He crossed the street and entered the Miraj City Bakery CafΓ©. No crowd this early, though a group of professors shared drinks at one of the tables in the back. There were no undergraduate classes this week. Cloak distribution had overturned the beehive.

A clean smell of freshly brewed coffee pulled him deeper into the room.

The android on duty rolled up to him. "Welcome. How may I serve you?"

"Like to use your storeroom a minute." He flashed his father's hand sign. "Private business."

"Of course, sir." The droid offered a keycard.

"Oh, please. I've broken into that room so many times, I prolly owe you guys rent."

On the droid's nametag, a bar of yellow lights indicated confusion. "Pardon, sir?"

"It was a joke. Owing rent for--" Senth held up both hands. "Never mind. No key needed."

He followed the maze of corridors to the back. At the door, he pulled out his lockpick and adjusted the settings. When he pointed it at the lock, the device signaled a lockout error and the tiny screen flashed nonsense letters at him.

What in the worlds did probata mean?

He twisted the tip of the pick and floated the stats as a holovid. Probata Corporation. Wasn't that the system his prof in Premium Fingersmithing ranted about? Something about useless upgrades and pointless codes. What did she say about a bypass trick?

"Think, Senth. You sat there listening to the woman fume for two solid wasted hours."

Oh, no he hadn't.

No, that was the day Senth had flaked out of classes and spent a full day at Planet Fun with his mates. He'd recorded it instead. But had he transcribed it to his code book?

Of course not. And didn't that make this encounter so much more fun? He pinched the bridge of his nose, but his father always did that so Senth stopped it at once.

Why was a lock on a coffee shop's storeroom door harder than a security system at the planet's busiest amusement park? What were they storing in there? The Empress's private coffee stash?

Curiosity over the message from his far-from-patient father burned through his mental pockets. Wait. His father. Surely, he'd have the new codes.

Yes, and then he'd want to know why Senth didn't and no way was he explaining to dear old Dad how he hacked into Planet Fun for "a planetful of fun" instead of going to class.

That fortune Dad paid for Senth to attend classes at the guild academy? Yeah, wasted a full day of it to impress a few girls, which was why he was calling needing a bail out.

And no way was he going back to the droid, stand right in front of a table full of Guild professors, and do the Hey can I borrow your key thing.

Riiight.

Thieves' Guild Academy

Thieves' Guild Academy #SciFi #MMRomance #WriteLGBTQ

#SciFi #WriteLGBTQ #MMRomance

A Stolen Heart: When your king is immortalβ€”and your exβ€”how do you guard your heart?

A Broken Heart: He's invisible, but he can't hide from the truth...

A Divided Heart: In a school filled with hackers and thieves, how do you trust your heart?

Thieves' Guild Academy Bundle 1 Honor above profit. Skill above chance. Family above all. #SciFi #MMRomance #WriteLGBTQ

Any of my characters mentioned on this page might be found in multiple books in my story universe. Download a printable book list and check them off as you read.


~ Copyright Β©2024 Kayelle Allen. All rights reserved ~ Kayelle Allen participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates program, an affiliate advertising program which provides the means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com. If you purchase an item listed on the site from Amazon.com, Kayelle will earn a small commission. Other sites might be affiliate links as well. These will not result in higher prices for you. Thank you for your support!


To experience art, sci-fi, romance, and space opera with unstoppable, unshakeable, unforgettable characters so real you'll swear you've met them, join my newsletter.

My character Pietas has always been the villain, but I had it in my head to write his origin story. I knew he was well aquainted with storms, personal, psychic, physical, and spiritual. So when I wanted to create a dragon for him to have as a spirit animal, I knew the dragon would have something to do with storms as well. You’ll be seeing more about Bringer of Chaos as I continue to work on the book.

storms Stormsinger with Pietas

Stormsinger with Pietas

It turns out, his dragon can summon storms by singing to the wind and sky, and although his color is a very cold blue and turquoise, Stormsinger is a firedrake. Pietas’s sister, Dessy, has a dragon spirit animal as well. Hers is a red ice dragon called Fireshade. Does it do me any good to complain to these characters that their creatures are completely opposite of what’s expected? Talk to the floor and see how far you get.

Pietas and the dragon met on the planet Stachien in the Colonies of Man. I haven’t written that part of the story yet, so I don’t have details, but it’s coming.Β I thought you’d like to see a preview of a drawing of Pietas with his dragon. Clicking the picture below will open the image full size, which is 1920×1200, full wallpaper size for a desktop computer. Art is by Jamin Allen, my son, although I have done extensive work on both the dragon and Pietas.

Stormsinger with Pietas storms

Stormsinger with Pietas

Watch Jamin create theΒ Pietas image in this speed-drawing video. You’ll also get a peek at the real life model he used as the inspiration for the drawing.

 

Pietas is known for eating his enemies. It’s more tactic of intimidation than true action, but when he threatens Six with it? “Bring. Salt.” In this scene from Bringer of Chaos, Six just used a knife to assist Pietas with a ritual, and the immortal comments on the blade.

30 Days of Chaos: Day 27

To celebrate the launch of Bringer of Chaos: the Origin of Pietas I’m sharing 30 Days of Chaos. Each day during April, I’ll post one excerpt from the book, along with a poster of a quote by Pietas. On the final day, members of my Romance Lives Forever Reader Group will receive a full color book containing all the quotes and posters. Unlike my website, the book posters will have only a quote and a beautiful image. Look for another giveaway at the end of this post.

Bring. Salt.

"Bring. Salt." Six insults Pietas #ChaosIsComing #scifi @kayelleallen #chaos #quote“I want to see how you sharpen knives.”

Though it was full daylight, they were in shade, and the firelight cast flickering shadows on Six’s face. “Oh?”

“That blade is impressive.”

“Thanks.” Six folded the knife, and holstered it. “It does the job.”

“However, you disobeyed a direct order.”

He fastened the safety on the holster, securing the knife. “See, I’m not one of your soldiers.” Using a thumb, he wiped away a smear of blood from Pietas’s cheek. “Which means you can’t give me an order. Therefore, I did no such thing.”

He met the man’s unwavering gaze. “How you frustrate me, ghost.”

“To quote you, ‘Good.’ Now, what’s next?”

“The ritual is complete.”

Six gestured to his own eyes. “So that mask is part of your ritual.”

“I never wear the mask until I’ve made myself worthy. And I’m ready for war.”

“That means the day we met, you’d done the ritual.”

“Yes.”

Six cursed under his breath. “So, uh, what else do you need?”

“I’ll settle for you helping me up.”

“The great Pietas, War Leader of the Ultras, wants help from a mortal? How the mighty have fallen.”

Pietas narrowed his eyes. “Ghost, don’t make me eat you.”

“Yeah? I got two words for you, Ultra. Bring. Salt.” He stood and offered his hand. “Come on, amigo. I’ll douse the fire while you get dressed.”

Pietas gripped it, and forced himself to stand. His legs hurt, and it took a full minute for him to catch his breath. Did mortals put up with this kind of pain on a daily basis? They must be stronger than he ever imagined.

Six had the courtesy to remain silent about how badly Pietas limped, and instead, worked on putting out the campfire.

Once he’d brushed off the dirt on his legs, Pietas dressed, and then helped Six clean up. Though it was still morning, the day darkened while they were finishing. By the time they reached camp, the sun was gone.

At first, Pietas thought it might be more birds, but then he spied what had sent the birds fleeing.

Black clouds roiled. Thunder boomed. The sky went white with lightning.

In the north, the mother of all thunderstorms rolled over the horizon.


Bringer of Chaos: the Origin of Pietas
Immortal. Warrior. Outcasts. Traitors took everything. Except their honor.
Preorder on Amazon http://amzn.to/1R8DAbb (Out May 1, 2016)
Read now in print on CreateSpace http://bit.ly/boc-origin-csp

Support Bringer of Chaos

How? By joining my Thunderclap or Headtalker campaigns.
For Thunderclap click here: https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/40531-chaos-is-coming
#ChaosIsComing Create chaos and you create opportunity. Pietas; BRINGER OF CHAOS #SciFi #Amreading http://thndr.me/kyeSr9

For Headtalker click here: https://headtalker.com/campaigns/chaos-is-coming/
#ChaosIsComing In battle, chaos is a good thing. Especially among the enemy. BRINGER OF CHAOS #SciFi #AmReading https://hdtk.co/LeBAh

Review the book or host it on your blog. Sign up here http://bit.ly/1SDr9nj

Giveaway – Free Download

Download and print three PDF Bookmarks. The first features Six, the human warrior. The second is Pietas, the immortal warrior. The third is the two, back to back.
Six https://kayelleallen.com/media/boc-bookmark-six.pdf
Pietas https://kayelleallen.com/media/boc-bookmark-pietas.pdf
Pietas and Six https://kayelleallen.com/media/boc-bookmark-pietas6.pdf
Download a free adult coloring book you can print and share. Relax and color with friends. It’s fun! https://kayelleallen.com/media/pietas-coloring-book.pdf

The Bringer of Chaos heroΒ wears a black mask painted on his face. It covers his eyes, up to and over the eyebrows. Why?

What’s with the mask?

When I started writing about Pietas, the hero of Bringer of Chaos: the Origin of Pietas, I had no idea he wore a mask. The mask had never been part of my plan. But one day I was searching for a picture of an angel for a graphic design project, and came across this fascinating image of a fallen angel and a horned demon. Since the angel was male and had long blond hair, I was immediately intrigued. Often, angels are portrayed as sweet females who look heavenward with a devoted expression. They seem about as dangerous as milk. However, in Bible stories, one of the first things angels say when they appear is “Fear not.” Why would they say that unless they inspired some kind of fear themselves? And the only named angels have male names. So, yes, I was fascinated to see a male angel. I clicked on the picture to get a better look.

Lo, and behold (sorry, I couldn’t resist that) the person looking out from the image seemed to be staring straight into my soul. I zoomed in to get a better view, and in that instant I knew I was looking at Pietas, despite the mask. He seemed to be saying “What took you so long? I’ve been waiting for you.” Look at this face! Arrogance personified. Those teal blue eyes pierce. He’s a dead ringer for Pietas.

Mask? Hey, Bringer of Chaos. What's up with that? #scifi

The photo shoot was a series of images between the one-winged angel and a horned female demon. The angel was being subjected to various bad things by the female, yet portrayed as sensual, rather than defeated. He was enjoying the attempted subjugation, but he wasn’t submitting. How like Pietas.

The problem was, why was Pietas wearing a mask? At that point, I decided it didn’t matter. I liked the image. I bought it and put it aside for later. It would be inspiration for the real character when I wrote him. However, I kept going back and looking at the picture, and thinking “What’s with the mask?”

Pietas is the Gamemaster of Peril, a real-time role-playing game my immortals use as a means of both passing the time and also as a means of manipulating human society. In their various roles within Peril, the immortals introduce certain aspects into society and culture to direct mankind. Why? Peril, in itself, is a mask. It hides the real reason the immortals are among humans. Are they there to subjugate the human race, and turn it to their own collective will? Pietas, as the leader, directs every aspect of it. A little scary, isn’t it? Doesn’t it ring true in today’s society, where we hear conspiracy theories and stories about the illuminati, and secret, powerful groups directing mankind?

When I realized the mask had something to do with the role Pietas held in Peril, I went back and bought more images. The model’s name is Nik Nitsvetov, and he’s Russian. I would love to find images of him in other poses with and without the mask. I think I have everything he’s ever done. [editor’s note: Nik has since done a private cosplay as PietasΒ – see images in sidebar]

I’m writing books about Pietas. The first takes place in the distant past of my universe and is an origin tale about my immortals. His love story is very sketchy right now. I think I know who Pietas falls in love with, and in the current universe, that person is not a fan of his at all. In fact, that person is trying to undermine his authority and recruit his people away from him. Not a good way to start a relationship. Again, how like Pietas. He never does things the easy way.

Below is an excerpt in which he applies the mask. This is the first time he does it in Bringer of Chaos. The second time, it’s with an entirely different flair and for different reasons. Both scenes pack emotional wallops.

Mask Ritual

Early on the first morning of the peace talks, Pietas entered his round bathing room. Starlight filtered through the portal overhead. Sleek silver walls reflected the cool light.

He remained at the door, content to savor its calming glow. Its beauty did not dispel the worry niggling at his mind. Not given to trusting premonitions and omens, he grounded himself with meditation. Once he centered himself and calmed his spirit, Pietas took a deep, purifying breath, and with slow deliberation, exhaled.

“Time to begin. Lights.”

The room brightened.

His platinum hair streaming down his bare chest, he lifted his hands, palms up as if praying.

On the planet Kaffir, warriors used this ritual to summon spirits. He used it to affirm his own superior strength and prowess.

Before a copper fire pit, he plucked one blond hair, and fed it to the fire. It singed and melted.

“As fire has victory over life, so I have victory over my enemies.”

He passed a hand through the flame, and hissed at the searing heat, relishing the pain. He cupped his hand over the flame’s source, and held it until the fire went out. The burns on his palm cooled, and the skin healed. Of all the elements, fire alone had power to linger on an Ultra’s skin. He welcomed it as a symbol of victory.

“I am powerful, as fire is powerful.”

Pietas thrust both hands forward, clutched his fists, and yanked them back.

“I own the wind. I prevail over the breath of my enemies.”

In the bathing area, he took six steps down into a waist-deep pool.

“Water submits to my presence the way enemies submit to my will.”

He cupped water in his hands, lifted it, and let it pour down his arms.

“The blood of my enemies trickles into the pool of time, is absorbed, and forgotten.”

He pushed wet fingers through his hair, and released it.

“My mind is clear. I do not waver.”

He submersed, and rose, head thrown back, face lifted to the sparkle of stars above.

“My body submits to my will. No pain defeats me. No fear touches me.”

He swept his hands down his chest to his loins, and the tops of his thighs.

“My will is absolute.”

A scratching sound alerted him to the presence of his silver-skinned android servant. The creature entered, and Pietas fixed him with a hard glare. “Why did you interrupt me?”

“Your guest is here, my lord, in the living area.” He offered Pietas a towel.

“Leave it.” He waved the android away.

After exiting the pool, Pietas brushed off the water and wrung out his hair. He pulled out a tray holding half a dozen clasps. He chose a silver dragon studded with six turquoise stones, twisted his wet hair, and fastened it up, out of the way.

He dried his face, gathered a brush, and picked up a pot of black face paint. Leaning in close to a freestanding mirror, he outlined a bandit’s mask from beneath his eyes to over his dark eyebrows, and filled it with black.

He’d worn the mask in battle ever since defeating the First Division, a human special-ops group formed to fight Ultras. It came about because Pietas had slain an enemy, and blood splashed across his eyes. Thinking the blood belonged to Pietas, the Ultra troops had rallied to him and slaughtered the humans. The blood dried almost black.

Stories of how their “bandit king” had conquered the First Division filled the night. The name stuck. To his troops, he was First Conqueror, War Leader of the Ultras.

Pietas turned his head side to side, surveying the effect.

His body would reject foreign matter on his skin. The Ultra metabolism protected from every perceived attack, even harmless face paint. He closed his eyes and sprayed sealant over the mask to delay its disappearance by a few hours.

Satisfied with his looks, Pietas pulled on a pair of loose white lounging pants. With a deep, cleansing breath, he opened the door. Damp, shirtless, barefoot, he padded into the adjacent room.

Read the first chapter
Free on KindleUnlimited
Amazon http://amzn.to/1R8DAbb
Heat level: PG13
Genre: action adventure, science fiction, space opera, military science fiction, space marine, genetic engineering
Publisher: Romance Lives Forever Books
Wordcount: 52,492 (186 pages)