The truth about Kaydn devastates Luc #Excerpt A Stolen Heart #SciFi #MFRWhooks

Updated on 09/25/2023 by Kayelle Allen

"All right, Kaydn. What is it you think I should know about the Guild?"

"No way to sugarcoat this. The Guild targets gifted children, kidnaps them, and master thieves pay to adopt them as Deshai."

Luc considered how well he knew Kaydn. Impulsive? His image should be in the dictionary next to the word, but he did not dwell in a fantasy world. "You think our Guild does this."

"I know they do. They steal toddlers from their families, tell them their parents are dead, and then they change the kid's last name, bring them in and palm them off as orphans. Master thieves pay to take them on as Deshai. The Guild pockets the money. And then because they're Guild-trained, they keep a portion of their income and on top of that, make them pay dues."

This dovetailed right into what Luc had uncovered about the girl he'd traced for Pietas. "Such an accusation runs counter to everything the Guild stands for. We've protected homeless children for generations. Given them homes and taught them careers."

"I didn't want buy it either, until I saw it myself."

"Prove it, Kaydn." What had Luc told the Grand Master that morning? "You can't accuse the Guild of such a heinous crime without proof."

"I know." Kaydn scrubbed both hands over his face. "I can."

"How?"

"I told you. I saw it myself."

"Where?"

"Orella--" Kaydn's voice broke, and he paused. "Orella Vettov is my sister. She found me a month ago. My parents died, never knowing what happened to me."

Luc drew back. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying--" His voice wavered. "My real last name is Vettov. I'm one of the kids the Guild kidnapped."

(continued next week...)

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Posted in Character Insights | Tagged Antonello Brothers, Blog Hop, Immortal Heroes, Kayelle Allen Characters, Luc Saint-Cyr, MFRW, Science Fiction and Fantasy Novels |

Luc must plan how to right a wrong #Excerpt A Stolen Heart #SciFi #MFRWhooks

Updated on 09/25/2023 by Kayelle Allen

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, and then moved in close and embraced him. He stepped back. "I trust you."

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Posted in Character Insights | Tagged Antonello Brothers, Blog Hop, Immortal Heroes, Kayelle Allen Characters, Luc Saint-Cyr, MFRW, Science Fiction and Fantasy Novels |

This idBot program is invading everything #Excerpt from A Stolen Heart by Kayelle Allen #SciFi #MFRWhooks

Updated on 09/25/2023 by Kayelle Allen

idBot sees everything

After Luc left Tonio's office, he visited the Arcane Level library on the thirtieth floor, checking data to prepare for his meeting with Ms. Lexius. He headed for his office, but when the elevator opened, Grand Master Aerlray de Clare stood inside.

Focus, not dwell. Move forward.

Gathering his patience, Luc entered and pressed the button for his floor. "Aerlray."

"Luc Saint-Cyr." The man smiled like a predator. "The man I'm looking for."

"Oh?" Luc kept his back to the doors. "Why's that?"

"It's been brought to my attention idBot's poking its nose into our files."

"Is that so?" Floor numbers in idBot green scrolled around the top of the car as it moved downward. Ten floors to the first turn. "That phrase 'idBot sees everything' is literal."

"But it's scanning confidential data. Contracts. Personnel. Sealed adoptions."

And why was he trying to hide those? "IdBot needs to know what it's protecting."

"A lock on a door doesn't need to know what's behind the door."

"IdBot's more than a lock. It gathers intel about its surroundings. It's a living, breathing system that can actively protect its owner." He owed Shohn Lexius for that tidbit.

"I don't care about any of that." De Clare puffed himself up. "I want it to stop. Now. Pull idBot back from this invasive search, Saint-Cyr. It's setting a dangerous precedent. The Guild won't tolerate it."

He'd switched to using last names. Interesting.

Three floors.

"Aelray, if you think a threat will deter me, you don't know me."

"No threat." De Clare held up both hands. "But this idBot of yours is meddling where it doesn't belong."

"Oh?" The car slowed, shifted direction sideways. "What is there to hide?"

De Clare pointed at him. "I'm not the only councilmember who dislikes these invasive searches. This could have serious consequences if it came to a vote."

Good. Let it. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because you own idBot."

"Let's say a tech company hires one of our people. Signs a contract for corporate espionage, but it's bungled. Things go badly. What's the procedure for a complaint?"

De Clare stepped back. "Why are you asking me? You know the procedure."

"That's right. I do." The car slowed, headed down again. "Procedure doesn't say 'go to the Grand Master and whine."

"What's your point?"

"When the Guild installed idBot, it came with a book of procedures in case anything went wrong. I didn't write the book, but I can guarantee you that nowhere in it does it suggest hassling members of the board or the owner."

The man stiffened, mouth set in a straight line. His usual cocky self had deteriorated into a petulant boy. "Are you going to stand there and tell me this isn't your doing?"

"What isn't my doing?"

The elevator made the last turn to the side, bypassing the Heart of the Guild. Not unlike de Clare, who could not seem to grasp the heart of the organization.

"Look, Saint-Cyr." De Clare arranged his robes of office. "This idBot of yours is poking through employee files, intake records, and financial statements. It's rifling through everything."

Excellent. More proof. Luc bared his teeth in a pseudo-smile. "You mean it's searching databases in order to back them up and provide security for every aspect of the facility?" The car slowed. "What the system was purchased to do?"

"That's exactly what I mean!" Spittle showed at the corners of de Clare's mouth.

"Why is that a problem?" The doors opened and Luc took one step outside. He wedged a foot to block the elevator from closing. "Got something to hide?"

De Clare took a full step back, shoulders against the wall. "I want it to stop." He jabbed a finger toward Luc. "Now!"

Luc released the doors. "Then call the Help Desk."

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Posted in Character Insights, Kayelle Allen | Tagged A Stolen Heart, Antonello Brothers, Immortal Heroes, LGBT Books, Luc Saint-Cyr, MFRW, Sci-Fi Romance, Science Fiction and Fantasy Novels |

Invading the shower #Excerpt from A Stolen Heart #SciFi #MFRWhooks

Updated on 09/25/2023 by Kayelle Allen

Inside his room, Luc shut the door, activated locks and set full privacy settings. It took three seconds to choose a bottle of Skovron Blush '37. Light, delicate and sweet. He opened the bottle to let the wine breathe while he set about stripping. Everything but the shoes went into the recycler, although he considered ditching those too. If his house-droids couldn't whisk them clean, he'd let them get rid of the shoes. Not his problem.

Luc chose a wineglass, poured, then carried it into the bathing area. After a sip, he set the glass on a marble countertop and slid open the smoky-gray glass door of the shower.

Pietas stepped into view, fully clothed. "I do not need a shower, thank you."

Luc snatched a towel and whipped it around himself. "My lord--" An explosive sigh burst from him. "What are you doing in my shower?"

"I wanted to see you."

"In the shower?"

With a flirty smile, Pietas leaned one shoulder against the wall. "You must admit, it is a good place to see you."

A headache shoved its way forward. "Not happening, Pietas."

"Spoilsport."

"Again, what are you doing here?"

"I portaled into your room and heard the door open, so I came in here, and--" He lifted his chin. "I am your king. I go where I please."

"I asked you not to portal here, my lord. My Deshai are home."

"Which is why--" With a groan, Pietas clenched his fists. "Only you would expect me to explain myself." He gestured toward Luc. "You explain. Where have you been? Are you showering because you're going out, or..." He trailed a look down Luc's length. "...going to bed?" He ended the question with a smile.

"Bed. Alone. I've dealt with drama for days." Luc picked up the wine and drank it in one gulp. "I need a refill." Without waiting for a response, he marched himself back to his room, retrieved the bottle and poured, then splashed wine into a second glass.

Drinking alcohol had no effect on Sempervians, but the act itself soothed. It offered tradition. Comfort. And when needed, a means of stalling while you decided how much truth you could afford to tell.

He offered the second glass.

His king lifted it, sniffed, sipped. "This is good. From one of your wineries?"

"Yes. One of the Skovron locations." Luc swirled his wine, waiting until Pietas took another sip. "It's your sister's favorite."

Mouth twisting, Pietas set down his glass with a click.

Please check out the other authors in this blog hop, linked below.

The banners in today's post are part of the bonus book, Behind the Scenes of A Stolen Heart. In it, I'll share secrets with you about the characters -- things that aren't revealed in the book. There is also exclusive and original art created for the series.

Reviews

I'm hoping to find reviews and reviewers. Is that you? I have advanced pre-edited copies in epub, mobi, and pdf waiting for you to download on Story Origin and BookSprout.

The book is on Goodreads, and you can leave a review there now. You can leave a review on Amazon the day the book goes live, May 11th.

This version is self-edited and will be sent out for its final edit next week. I'd be happy to get questions if you have any, or if you were confused by anything. An early review would be a great help. Thank you!

Download the early review copy on Story Origin
Download the early review copy on BookSprout

Posted in Character Insights | Tagged A Stolen Heart, Antonello Brothers, Blog Hop, Immortal Heroes, Kayelle Allen Characters, Luc Saint-Cyr, Pietas, Senth Antonello, Thieves' Guild |

#NewRelease A Stolen Heart by Kayelle Allen #SciFi #MFRWhooks #MFRWorg

Updated on 09/25/2023 by Kayelle Allen

Excerpt from the new release, A Stolen Heart

During the ride into Miraj City, Luc pulled out his mobile and scrolled through the list he'd uploaded from the paper in his pocket. He forwarded one item to his assistant, and added the note about the penthouse to his own to-do list. The mobile buzzed in his hand, showing the name Shohn Lexius.

He answered, voice mode. "What's up?"

"A bit of intel. I know we're meeting later, but this will only take a minute. I think you'll want to hear it."

He put the device on holophone and she shimmered into view. "Go."

"Go?" Her ears went back. "Sir? I thought you wanted--"

"Sayr te. Forgive me." He smoothed his jacket. "You're so fluent in Etymis, I forgot you might not get idioms. In this case, 'go' means the same as 'talk.'"

"Oh. Good to know. I anticipated you'd want a background check on"-- She looked at something off-screen --"Senthys Antonello."

"What are you? A mind reader?"

"Oh, no, sir." She picked up a note-reader. "I try to anticipate what'll be needed next. What's the next logical step. Prepare for it best I can."

"Do you have relatives needing work? I could use a dozen more like you."

Inclining her head, she lowered her ears in a Kin thank you. "I'm one of a kind."

"You can say that again."

She gave him a curious look. "Idiom?"

"Means I agree." He gestured toward her. "So you know I took custody of the boy."

"Sir, I know your shoe size, what sort of pickles you like and the thread count on your sheets. You signed papers for him at the Guild. It wasn't hard."

In his other lives, no one had known squat about happenings within Guild walls. "You scare me a little, Ms. Lexius."

One ear flicked back. "Is that good?"

"I'll let you know." He set his mobile on handsfree and dropped it into a pocket. "What do you have?"

"I dug up the name of the place where the boy lived from birth until he was bought by the Guild. He--"

"Bought?"

"He was purchased in a group of thirty children. Twenty-seven humans plus him."

"That's twenty-eight."

"There were thirty total, but two are unaccounted for. Not sure who they were or whether they were human." She tapped a screen. "Looks like they were counted when they left the children's shelter where Senthys was reared, but I have no record of them reaching the Guild. No record of names, either. Just the count."

"Were they sold before the Guild got them?"

"No record."

The more he learned about the doings of his Guild, the less it felt like the one he knew. His Guild had been honorable. Like a family. This felt more and more like a faceless organization. Since when did family sell its most vulnerable members?

"But sir, I'm looking into it. That two children can disappear makes my claws itch. If they're safe, I want to know and if they're not-- Well, I'll let you know either way."

Be sure to check out the other authors in this blog hop - links below.

Posted in Blog Hop, New Book | Tagged A Stolen Heart, Antonello Brothers, Blog Hop, Kayelle Allen Characters, Luc Saint-Cyr, MFRW, Pietas, Senth Antonello |

Creating concept art for A Stolen Heart #SciFi #SciFiArt

Updated on 09/25/2023 by Kayelle Allen

I'm a visual person. I like having an image of something I'm writing about. In fact, I frequently comission the book cover before I've finished writing the story. Sci-Fi concept art is a must for me, and I have a ton of it.

Sci-Fi Concept Art

The ring in this image belongs to Pietas, the immortal king in A Stolen Heart and the Bringer of Chaos books. Here's how it looked in its various stages of design. Music in the video is Video Game Blockbuster, licensed via Dual Horns Media Ltd. The concept art is by Nano-Core.

In this scene, the immortal king Pietas and his general, Luc Saint-Cyr, are hashing out an issue. This is the first mention in the book of the ring Pietas so often wears.

The Dragon Ring

"I'm touched." A playful smile lit Pietas's face. "You worried about me?"

"I worry whenever you do something different."

"Different how?"

"Let's see." Luc ticked items off his fingers. "Send troops over a border. Incite a riot. Invade a planet. Invade some king's daughters. Or his sons... Shall I go on?"

Pietas chuckled. "You worry a lot."

To increase his personal space, Luc adjusted the hang of his jacket. "You're in a good mood."

"Yes, yes." Pietas brushed a dismissive hand through the air. "I haven't triggered a war, if that's what you're fretting about. I'm not sending you out of the Empire, and I'm not planning to feed you to my cat."

"Not planning."

"No," Pietas agreed, with a bemused expression. "Although if there's someone you want to be rid of..." He lifted one brow.

"No, no, quite capable of making people disappear on my own, my lord, but I'll keep a personal dose of panther justice in mind."

"Panther justice!" Laughing, Pietas laid a hand on his chest. "How I've missed your sense of humor. I don't recall the last time I laughed out loud." He looked down, toying with a turquoise ring.

The fat nugget of fractured stone occupied his left forefinger. The silver setting evoked a dragon's open mouth, a gift from Luc hundreds of years ago. Pietas rarely removed it.

Did he cling to their past relationship, or wear it to show Luc he hoped for the future? Either way, Luc could not reconcile being with this man with the desire for freedom. To give birth to one meant the death of the other.

"You know," Pietas twisted the ring, "I think the last time I laughed, I was with you."

Pick up a copy of A Stolen Heart, now live on Amazon.