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From the books by Kayelle Allen. Includes At the Mercy of Her Pleasure, For Women Only, Crystal Clear Truth, Bro, and A Stolen Heart.

When a glorified space pirate turned entrepreneur rescues a vulnerable orphan, a chain of events sets chaos in motion.

At war with his compassion for the toddler, loyalty to the king, duty to the Guild, and the bright lure of freedom he's coveted for centuries, Luc seeks the right path.

A hard choice for any man.

 

For an immortal whose inner monster can destroy on sight? Impossible. A pirate with a monstrous past can never be trusted with an innocent child.

Luc must ensure the child is protected, safe, nowhere near danger. Nowhere near him.

Even if this little boy has already stolen his heart...

Excerpt from A Stolen Heart by Kayelle Allen

In this scene, when Luc is asked to find a missing child, he's sure he's misunderstood something. After all, this is the master of misdirection he's talking to: Pietas, who wants him to find a kid? Sure he does. Meanwhile, the king has brought out his panther and is petting the animal. It's far from tame, but Luc is quite familiar with it.

---

"Locate the girl." Pietas stroked the panther. "Once you tell me where she is, you'll be free. I don't need you to rescue her. Just inform me."

"I see." Luc did not. "Find this ten year-old girl. Tell you where she is. That's it."

"Yes. Then after your Deshai graduates, you can move to Tarth and start that building you've been planning."

"Hmm." This was far too easy. Obviously, he'd missed something. Mentally, Luc walked back through the last bits of conversation. "To clarify, you don't want me to bring her to you. You want me to find her and tell you where she is."

"Asked and answered." Pietas studied him. "Why is this so hard for you? Find her. Tell me. Not difficult. But it is urgent."

"What's so important about her?"

Pietas kissed the panther on the nose. "It's not her so much as her parents. If we find her and then take her to them, we'll have more influence."

Now they were getting somewhere. "And who are they?"

"My sister told you about the FTA, didn't she?"

"FTA." Acronyms filled his world, but this one? New to him. Why did that earlier dread raise its ugly head again? He'd probably be better off not knowing, but Pietas seemed to be waiting for an answer. "Not a word. What is it?"

"She didn't?" Pietas frowned. "Oh, I thought... Never mind." He tugged the panther's ears. "The FTA is the Forgotten Technologies Arena."

"Forgotten by whom?"

"The ancients. It's secret tech. Forbidden."

"Forbidden." The headache he'd faced over the last hour spiked through his brain. He rubbed his temples. Why him? Why now? "Pietas..."

"Oh, will you stop worrying?" The man looked over at him. "No one's going to get sucked into a wormhole this time."

Luc forced himself to take a deep breath and let it all the way out. "That's what you said the last time."

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You'll find these characters mentioned in many books in my story universe.
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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.


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JOIN US FOR BOOKHOOKS
Book Hooks is a weekly cooperative 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.

#Excerpt Luc needs a solid plan to defeat evil #PietasFans #SciFi #MFRWhooks

A Stolen Heart is science fiction with male/male relationships.

An ex-lover brings his constant drama back into Luc's life, just as Luc's trying to find a safe home for a toddler he has somehow acquired. There's no way the child can become a permanent resident.

Luc has no time for a family.

But once this adorable little tot enters Luc's life, his heart is well and truly stolen...

 

How can taking children from their families ever be right? There is no way to justify that kind of evil.

After learning that his apprentice had been stolen from his family, Luc vows to never let it happen to anyone else. But how?

In this scene, Luc must dig deeper into the truth. The truth he'd heard was heartbreaking. His foster son, Kaydn, had been stolen from his family as a toddler.

A plan to make it right

Luc and Kaydn talked most of the night. His Deshai showed him evidence gathered by the older sister Kaydn had never known. While Kaydn had been learning how to circumvent the law, Orella Vettov had learned to enforce it. First as a cop, and then as a detective specializing in missing children. She'd supplied her kidnapped brother with names, dates, and statistics.

It wasn't only Kaydn who'd been taken. There were at least fifteen others, and Vettov wasn't through digging.

The realization that this had begun while he was Grand Master struck Luc down in shame. It was his duty and responsibility to know everything the Guild did under his command, and he'd failed to flag it.

Kaydn was right. Luc not only wanted to burn down the Thieves' Guild, he wanted to crush it to the last ember.

Three mortal lifetimes he'd invested in that institution: first as Cyr de Tomasson, centuries ago, then in his previous life as Neene St. Thomas, and now as Luc Saint-Cyr. Lives spent hiding his true nature to carry out the mission: protect humanity.

Different identities. Same skill. Same talent. Same passion. Same utter devotion.

Someone had tarnished everything he'd lived for. And for what?

"Kaydn." Swallowing hard against the breath lodged in his throat, Luc clasped his Deshai's hand. "I didn't do this to you, but I apologize for it."

"I know." He braced his other arm alongside Luc's. "Right now, I hate the Guild. But Sen'dai, I know the Guild could go back to what it was. We're thieves, but honorable." Kaydn pulled away. "I can't stay. It's not personal."

"I'd want to leave, too, in your situation. I can't. Not until I fix this."

"What are we going to do, Sen'dai? It's not like we can invite the police to investigate the Guild."

"I can imagine how that would go over. I'll think of something. I have contacts and there's idBot."

"Sen'dai, I don't want to destroy everything you and my brothers have worked for. And I wouldn't skip Nikko's graduation for anything."

"Until I can dig into this and figure out who knew what, don't do anything different. Take some time off. Let me do what I do best. I'll know more by Nikko's big day."

"Luc." Kaydn pointed toward the door. "What if that little HalfKin was taken?" The agony on his Deshai's face crushed Luc's heart. "What if my brothers were?"

"I'll find out." Luc set a hand on Kaydn's shoulder. "I will stop this. Nothing I can say or do will make up for being torn from your family, but I will try to make it right."

Kaydn gave him a soul-searching look. "I trust you."

Fans of the Antonello Brothers series will enjoy seeing the characters Luc Saint-Cyr, Pietas, and Dessy (the Empress Destoiya). Plus, they'll meet Senth, the playful future hero of At the Mercy of Her Pleasure, when he is a three-year-old boy.

Check the links below to find more authors in this blog hop.

You'll find these characters mentioned in many books in my story universe.
Download a printable book list and check them off as you read.


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.

Read some Scifi and Fantasy with family life and children #SciFi #Fantasy

Sci-Fi Book Fair for Free books about Families

A bundle of high-caliber authors for lovers of SF/F.

This special event showcases all subgenres of sci-fi and may include cyberpunk, dystopian, fantasy, young adult, hard scifi, military, paranormal, post-apocalyptic, robots, sci-fi romance, soft scifi, space opera, technothrillers, time travel, urban fantasy, and more.

Join us! SF Free Book Event

You'll find these characters mentioned in many books in my story universe.
Download a printable book list and check them off as you read.

He had to work with a what!? #SciFi #Romance #Excerpt

In this scene from At the Mercy of Her Pleasure, Senth gets a chance to free his brother from a cruel master, but the price is steep...

Work with a what...?

"If this job succeeds, I guarantee your brother will be freed in a week."

Senth tried not to show his glee, but a smile pasted itself across his face anyway.

The Harbinger shook his head in a way that said, What am I to do with you?

"What do I have to do for Khyff's freedom?"

"Khyffen was right. The job we're meeting about tonight is risky. I don't usually give you a choice, but this time I'm going to because of the job's importance. In return for your brother's freedom, I want a few promises."

"I'll do whatever it takes."

The Harbinger's mouth lifted at one side. "Never admit that to anyone again."

"Sorry, sir."

"Senthys, you understand why I've kept you on Shackle?"

While Khyff's master had addicted Khyff to Thrust, which put his sex drive into overload, Shackle did the opposite to Senth. Since puberty, he'd never known life without it.

"Yes, Sen'dai."

"Good." The Harbinger tapped a knuckle against his mouth, frowning at him. "You know what they'd do to you if you lost control again, don't you? Where they'd take you this time?"

"Yes, sir." He stiffened. "I don't want that."

"Keep that in mind over the next week. After five days without Shackle, you'll start withdrawal. Your heart will pound. Your head will feel like it's splitting apart. You'd be as high and strung out as Khyff is on weekends. There's a possibility of stroke if you quit cold. It's dangerous. You must taper off the drug. Do you understand?"

He nodded. "I do, sir."

"This job should take four days, so it's important to return as soon as it's over."

"Yes, sir."

"I'll dose you before you leave to ensure you have the full five-day effect."

"Thank you, sir."

"The reason I've told you all this is because you'll be working side by side with a Better."

Senth opened his mouth, shut it again, and then mouthed, Better?

"Listen to me, my young Deshai. Despite the romantic nonsense you've heard about Betters being extraordinary lovers, their kisses can poison you. If her saliva mixes with yours, she can control your mind. The touch of her hands will drive you insane. There are ancient myths about sirens, women who used their voices to lure men and then slay them. Betters aren't mythical. They're real. If she subjects you to her passion, you'll be at the mercy of her pleasure forever."

Senth swallowed against the tight feeling in his throat and nodded to show he understood.

"This woman is dangerous. Under other circumstances, I wouldn't let any of my people work with her kind, but in this case... I have my reasons. I trust you to obey me. As long as you return in fewer than five days, losing control won't even be an option. Shackle will protect you from her. Besides, if you come back to me no longer a virgin, I will know. The deal for Khyffen's freedom will be off."

"How would you know I wasn't a virgin?" Senth bit his lips the moment the words escaped, shocked at himself for even asking the question.

His Sen'dai lowered his eyelids and angled his head toward Senth like a bird of prey sighting its next meal. "Is that going to be a problem?"

Senth reached a foot back, feeling for the next lower step. "No, sir."

"You know what happens when you displease me."

"I wouldn't want to do that."

"No, you wouldn't." The Man leaned in until the dark, predatory eyes filled Senth's vision.

When Senth stumbled on the stairs, Saint-Cyr grabbed his arm, steadying him. Senth raised a hand to his brow.

"Senthys? Are you all right?"

"Fine, Sen'dai. Sorry."

"Good." He made a hand sign--a fist with thumb down and then up--which put Senth on guard. "It's time to meet your Better partner."

Check the links below to find more authors in this blog hop.

You'll find these characters mentioned in many books in my story universe.
Download a printable book list and check them off as you read.


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.

He has 2 problems: his ex, and everything else in his life #SciFi #MM #MFRWhooks

The immortal Luc (Cyken) and his king, Pietas, have not been a "couple" for nineteen-hundred years, but neither is over the other.

His ex is his biggest problem...

Luc is wearing the scent Pietas created for him. So far in the story, Luc had shot down any attempt at seduction and the last time he saw Pietas, told him it was over forever. So Pietas has no idea what prompted this sudden change of heart.

Invading Pietas's space, Luc took a step closer.

The king drew a breath and held it, back ramrod straight. "Cyken? Talk to me."

Luc took in Pietas's dimpled chin and strong mouth, straight nose and bright turquoise eyes. His dark lashes and brows stood in sharp contrast to his white hair. Inhumanly perfect. No man should be this beautiful.

Their people called Pietas the Bringer of Chaos because his strongest Sempervian gift was Chaos, the ability to create chaotic feelings with no outside source. In battle, it mind-dazed an enemy. But with a lover, his gift rendered a partner helpless, inundating them with overwhelming pleasure.

Only Luc ever dared call him by that title--to his face.

"The thing is, Bringer, I will never be over you." Luc drew back one silky lock of the man's shining platinum hair. "I think of you every single day. And every single night. And every time I wear your scent, I long for you." Curling a hand behind Pietas's head, Luc stretched upward and pressed his mouth against his king's.

For one breathless moment, Pietas remained detached, but then he yielded into the kiss, slipping his arms around Luc, pulling him close, close, kissing him back. Not a ravaging kiss. Not all-encompassing desire. Tender, sweet with longing.

The kind of kiss Luc remembered when he was alone at night. Hungry for touch. The kiss--not of a conqueror--but a lover. Instead of shouting, "Mine!" this kiss whispered, "Yours..."

Pietas broke away, bracing his hands on Luc's shoulders. "No." He wiped his mouth with the back of a hand and turned aside. "This isn't what you need."

"Wrong." The heat behind his eyes had nothing to do with his inner beast. "You're exactly what I need."

"No." Pietas stepped further back. "You're lonely. You think you need to be with another person and lose yourself with sex."

Luc smiled. "Two points for you. That is what I want." He reached for Pietas.

"No." The man stepped out of reach. "It isn't."

Must Pietas fight with him over everything? "Bringer--"

"No." Pietas held out both hands in front of him. "You're vulnerable. You're in pain and you think being with me will take it away."

"I know it will." Pain was what he needed. Chaos. Who better to give it to him than the bringer of it?

Check the links below to find more authors in this blog hop.

You'll find these characters mentioned in many books in my story universe.
Download a printable book list and check them off as you read.


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.

Could her diplomatic immunity save his brother? Excerpt: For Women Only #SciFi #Romance #MFRWhooks #MFRWorg

The diplomatic immunity of an alien ambassador might be the only thing that saves Khyff's brother...

Diplomatic Immunity

In this excerpt from For Women Only, Ambassador Mehfawni Ruh has just discovered her brother, Dallon, has been murdered. She must return to her home planet. But she's Khyff's only hope of saving his brother.

The chill in the room had nothing to do with air temperature. Now that Mehfawni knew about her brother's death, Khyff felt the collective gaze of her all-female staff stab into him. He didn't need telepathy to read their thoughts. Their body language shouted at him.

Be gone, alien. Get out. You don't belong here.

Fawni's eyes filled with tears as she looked up at him.

Khyff melted. No matter how much the others hated him and wanted him gone, he couldn't leave her alone with this kind of news. What if it had been Senth who'd died? That possibility was all too real.

Khyff wrapped both arms around her and held her tightly against him, his cheek against her hair. "Oh, Fawni, I'm so sorry."

She clutched his leather jacket and clung to him as if all the strength had seeped out of her. He stroked her hair and kissed her brow.

"This can't be true." Her voice was muffled against his jacket. She turned and faced Kata. "There's been a mistake. It has to be wrong."

Kata didn't lift her gaze. "I'm sorry, Eetzesar. The news came directly from Tzesar Ehldani."

Khyff expected Mehfawni to crumble. He could feel her shaking. But she drew herself up to her full height and took two steps away from him. With one hand on Kata's arm, she looked around the room at her staff. Ten Kin gazed back at her, their expressions full of pride and sorrow.

She cleared her throat. "Thank you. All of you. Kata, when do we return home?"

The young assistant looked up, revealing the tracks of tears on her face. "At dawn, Eetzesar."

He wanted to hold Mehfawni, bring her back into his arms, but she kept her back rigid, her head high.

"Good, Kata. I'll need you to help me with a few things." She told the others, "Get some rest. We'll all need our strength when we get home."

Her staff dispersed quietly, and Mehfawni reached back and held Khyff's hand while she talked softly to Kata in her breathy native language.

What am I going to do now? Images rose in Khyff's mind. Senth swathed in bandages, lying in the hospital. NarrAy trapped in a glass cage. Both depending on him for their freedom. For their lives. And all he could do was stand here and hold Mehfawni's hand while the hope he had for saving them made arrangements to leave.

"Senth Antonello."

Khyff's attention riveted to Mehfawni's words. "What?"

She looked up at him. "You're such a male, Khyffy. Here I am making arrangements for your brother and his fiancée, and you're not even paying attention."

"Arrangements? What kind of arrangements?"

"You didn't hear a word I said, did you?"

"Well, you were speaking Felis, so I couldn't understand you."

"Oh." She touched her chin. "That was rude of me. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. You're upset. It's natural. What arrangements?"

"I can't leave you, Khyffy. I want you to come home with me."

His stomach went all hollow and his head light. His chest ached. He couldn't catch his breath, couldn't speak.

Felidae? Kin. Enemies. And...Mehfawni. He breathed. "I... Mehfawni, my brother... I--"

"Khyff, I know you can't leave when you're worried about your family. I couldn't do that either. So Kata's going to make sure my diplomatic immunity is extended to Senth and his fiancée. NarrAy's a Better, isn't she?"

"Yes, but--"

"Then your brother is addicted to her. He'll need her pheromones if he's going to heal properly. We need to get her out of prison so they can be together."

"Mehfawni, I don't understand." His heart pounded so hard, he was afraid he wouldn't hear her answer. Is this what hope feels like? Is there some way to keep Sen and NarrAy safe and escape the Conqueror's choke hold?

Mehfawni gave him a look that said he should try to pay attention, and then she grasped his hands. "I read their story in the news, remember? It wasn't fair of the police to imprison her for defending her mate. At the time, I thought there wasn't anything I could do, but now that I know it's your brother, I can do something. If you come home with me as part of my entourage, you'll have diplomatic immunity, which extends to your family as well, if I wish it." She squeezed his hands. "And I do wish it."

Not if Mehfawni found out what he'd been sent to do to her, she wouldn't.

Khyff floundered, awash in a sea of emotion. His hope dashed on the rocky shore of reality, but he drew her hand to his mouth and kissed it. Maybe, if he could buy some time, he could think of a permanent solution.

Check the links below to find more authors in this blog hop.

Antonello Brothers Series

Each book in this series is standalone and each has a happy ending. No cliffhangers.
When read together, the stories reveal a detailed tapestry of events woven by immortal characters in the background.

You'll find these characters mentioned in many books in my story universe.
Download a printable book list and check them off as you read.


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.