Dark Lord

by Corinne Balfour

  “I understand your concern, Dev. Everyone at Pembroke is discreet. None of this will affect you in any way. It is bad enough that the other two got away. They’ll be back and we need to be prepared. In order to do that, we need to learn more about the hybrids. We cannot rely strictly on ancient textbooks. Look at how much you have learned from this little encounter. The archives did not mention this biting business. We still have much to learn. We should start by finding out more about that weapon in your hand. Let me look at that thing for a minute.” He took the green object in his hand and examined it before turning toward the woman. “What is this?”

  Helsina continued to eye Sebastian with distrust. “Agree to let me go and I’ll tell you whatever you wish to know.”

  “That isn’t going to happen. Answer my questions and I’ll grant you a reward, but it will not be your freedom.”

  “Will you reward me for every answer?”

  Sebastian studied her carefully. “Yes, but it will be up to my discretion. I will not be the brutal jailer you had before. I will treat you much more gently, unless you prove to be untrustworthy and treacherous.”

  “And after you are done with me, will you kill me?”

  “I will not kill you, but your life will be in the Countess’s hands, not mine. You must treat Amalie with the utmost respect at all times and do not make her angry.”

  His responses to her questions did not appear to alleviate her anxiety. She glanced at the object in Sebastian’s hands. “That is a laser gun. You must be careful with it or you could turn us all to ash.”

  “You will show me how to use this gun, but not now. I don’t trust you not to advise me poorly and I do not wish to be made into an ash pile.”

  Devereux followed Sebastian, who forced Helsina to walk through the woods at a rapid pace. They stopped at the Pembroke gates.

  “The next time you visit, I shall have much to tell you. This lady will be certain to expand our knowledge of the hybrid race,” Sebastian said.

  The woman looked at Dev with a look of betrayal on her face. “You do not have to allow this to happen. You are a hybrid yourself. Can you not be moved to set me free?”

  He couldn’t intervene without risking Sebastian’s friendship and he wasn’t sure they should release the female. He was filled with curiosity about Asstrumnia, and if the archives were missing pertinent information about the Asstrum race, this hybrid female was his only way of obtaining it. He desired knowledge to such a degree that the loss of one woman’s freedom appeared to be a justifiable casualty. They had liberated her from the true monsters holding her captive, yet her complete freedom would come with a price. Assisting them would be a far easier task than acting as a research assistant to two hybrid psychopaths. “We have need of an advisor of sorts on matters pertaining to hybrids. You will be a guest at Pembroke for the time being. Cooperate and you will not be harmed.”

  “You betray your own kind,” Helsina softly uttered.

  Devereux looked at her sharply. “I am Flourdan and I betray no one.” He felt uncomfortable at the look of disappointment in Helsina’s eyes. The female was playing on his sympathies so he would help gain her release. He wasn’t falling for her tricks. Regardless of his DNA, he wasn’t allied with the hybrids and he owed them no loyalties. He said his farewell to Sebastian and headed toward Avenal. Sneaking back inside would be easy, since he had bribed some of the eunuch guards so he could come and go as he pleased from the harem. He never abided by the stupid curfews that were set for the harem lords.

  Chapter 2: The Most Ultimate Pleasure

  Briella was worried about Triniti. Her friend had been escorted to the East Tower after the Countess had accused her of providing “improper instruction.” It wasn’t Triniti’s fault that Nefertiti had strangled her concubine to death during bondage sex. Triniti had never claimed to be an expert on erotic matters. Her job as an advisor was to address important social and political issues affecting Flourdans; instead, she had been forced to brainstorm ideas to help that bitch achieve orgasm. A lengthy meeting with the top advisors had been devoted to solving Nefertiti’s sexual issues. How inappropriate! Triniti had only done what had been asked of her – explore new methods of enhancing sexual pleasure. She had supplied a complete information packet with pictures, diagrams, and instructions regarding how to engage in BDSM. Triniti had shown Briella some of the materials in the packet and they had both laughed about it, thinking that it was hilarious that Nefertiti was having to resort to such drastic measures to find satisfaction. As far as Briella knew, all of the materials supplied had been legitimate. Triniti had collected most of it from books and encyclopedias found in the Avenal archives. They had thought of adding a few additional items to the packet as a joke, just to see if Nefertiti would make an even greater fool of herself. In the end, they had resisted the urge to engage in any pranks. Now the concubine Ericio was dead, strangled during a bout of bondage sex. Nefertiti must not have paid enough attention to the instructions laid out in the information packet, but Triniti was not to blame for the Countess’s inept bungling of the situation.

  If only she had been able to see Triniti in her cell, she would have felt some measure of relief. She would have been able to see for herself that her friend was alright. Her guard, Lord Payne in the Ass, had refused to allow her entry. Jules, Triniti’s brother, had later sent Briella a message. The Countess had agreed to meet with him in the morning to express his concerns. Jules wanted her to be present when the matter was discussed.

  Briella entered the small solar at the appointed time and stood beside Jules. Nefertiti gave her a questioning look. “Jules asked me to be here.”

  “I have come about my sister,” Jules said.

  The Countess appeared confused, as if she did not understand why he would care about the welfare of a family member. “Triniti has been stripped of her advisor status. She is awaiting my decision regarding her punishment.”

  “Have you reached a decision?” Jules asked.

  Nefertiti offered him a chair and then took a seat. “She caused the death of a concubine. I am debating on the proper punishment for that offense. I do so love Triniti, probably as much as you do, but she is not exempt from our laws. Mistreatment of the lower classes, although not a crime, is a thing of wrongness. If our nobles conduct themselves in such a manner that peasants are needlessly killed, then the peasants may revolt. I must teach everyone a lesson, that such mistreatment will not be tolerated. I shall have Triniti executed in a public hanging at the village.”

  Nefertiti had lost her mind to even suggest harming Triniti. It was the Countess who had murdered people. Briella opened her mouth to speak, but Jules beat her to it.

  “You cannot have her killed,” Jules said. “You do not have the authority; that honor lies with the house of Beaumont, and they would never agree to such a harsh punishment.”

  “I can do what I want, Jules,” Nefertiti threatened.

  Jules tensed, clenched his fists, and raised his voice in anger. “Need I remind you that it was by your hand that the concubine met his death? Who wielded the whip, the rope, and the scarves?”

  Nefertiti’s face reddened in her anger. “Who purchased the equipment, I tell you? Who instructed me on its proper use? It was Triniti. She failed in her duty and now the concubine is dead. I was only trying to have a bit of diversion.” Nefertiti stood from her seat and began pacing the room in an agitated manner. Her brisk movement caused some of her bandages to loosen, revealing reddened skin and oozing sores. She pressed the bandages against her skin and hissed in frustration as pus coated her long fingers. “Is that too much to ask, to lose myself in pleasure for a few blissful moments? The stresses of being the Countess overwhelm me at times and I need to be able to blow off some steam, in a perfectly safe way. Do you even know what I’ve been through lately? My harem was invaded by a fake lord. My sister was abducted. My tribute to the Romans never arrived for some inexplicable reason. Amalie tried to kill me and her poisonous brew made
all of my hair fall out. The lord that I really wish to fuck is impotent and unable to please me, and last but not least, one of my concubines died while I was fucking him.”

  Jules took a deep breath and responded in a sarcastic manner. “I see that you have been through quite an ordeal and you have been terribly disappointed. It’s not Triniti’s fault that she did not know enough to help you with your very special needs. She’s a very good advisor in everything Flourdan, but what you need is an expert in the erotic arts. You cannot expect one of your innocent ladies to possess the required information. One must look to Rome for expert advice on the libidinous and sensual.”

  “I really like that idea, Jules. You are right, I need to get some experts with the right skills. I will still punish Triniti, but not so severely. I want her to remain in the tower for now. What I need is a certified and credentialed expert on the erotic arts and techniques of bondage and pain giving. I will discuss this with my advisors right away. You are dismissed, Jules.”

  Briella was impressed by the way in which Jules manipulated the Countess. He was very skilled at such manners. As she got out of her seat to make her own escape, the Countess stopped her with an agitated glance.

  “I’m not done with you, Briella. I’m calling an advisor’s meeting to discuss this issue. We will meet in the conference room.”

  Briella nodded. “The idea to acquire a special advisor is a good one. Perhaps Triniti could be released so she can assist us?”

  Nefertiti scowled at her. “I will not tolerate you second guessing my orders. Do it once more and you will join her in the tower. Meet me in the conference room and do not dally.”

  Briella headed toward the conference room and took a seat beside Audrelia. The ladies had to wait thirty minutes before the Countess arrived. Once there, Nefertiti described her plan and then asked for feedback.

  “Countess, there is no such thing as a certified, credentialed, or licensed expert on erotic matters,” Audra stated.

  “Do not be ridiculous. There are certified, credentialed, and licensed experts on everything. There have to be experts on bondage and pain giving during coitus. I need this expert ASAP, and I will not even consider releasing Triniti until this expert is in place.” Nefertiti pounded her fist on the table and screeched, “I will not countenance another death of a concubine!” She shot out of her seat in a sudden motion that caused her wig to fall off her head. She appeared oblivious to the loss of it and began to pace about the room in an agitated fashion. Her bald head was blindingly white and reminiscent of the moon. “The peasants are important to me; without them, we are stuck having to rely on slaves, which are too troublesome by half and tend to die a lot.”

  Nefertiti could care less about the peasants, Briella thought with disgust. It was the Countess who had sold some of their own people to Roman slavers. Nefertiti looked upon the concubines as sexual tools to be used for personal gratification purposes, and most of the time, she did not even bother to ask the name of the one servicing her. When Jules had mentioned the need for an expert on erotic matters, the idea had some merit. However, the notion of finding a licensed and credentialed expert was ludicrous. “We cannot produce a licensed expert on sexual matters if such a thing does not exist.”

  “You must think outside of the box, Briella. If one does not exist here, it does not mean it exists nowhere. The world is not Flourda. I am of the highest confidence that such an expert can easily be found in Rome.”

  “We are at war with Rome, Countess,” Audra said.

  Nefertiti smiled. “We are not at war with all of Rome, wise woman. There are some territories that are friendly to us. One of those contains the city of Eros. You can safely travel to Eros, can you not, Audrelia?”

  “It’s not that wise to travel right now,” Audrelia said. “There is still much fighting in the Roman occupied territories between the Romans and the natives. We would have to travel through those areas and we would still need to avoid the raiding parties of roaming Roman slavers.”

  “That doesn’t sound too terribly difficult, not if I send an armed escort of eunuchs with the ladies,” Nefertiti replied. “I am not going to operate out of fear. I don’t fear the Romans and they cannot overtake my eunuch army or any of its members. I demand that an excursion to Eros be undertaken in order to find my expert. I will not lose another male of my harem to ineptitude and ignorance.”

  Briella knew that pointing out the obvious solution would be pointless, but she felt she had to say it anyway. “You could just entertain yourself without the whips and chains. No one gets hurt, no one dies, and everyone stays safe. It wouldn’t require a dangerous trip to Eros.”

  “That is not acceptable to me,” Nefertiti said. “I am entitled to experience the most ultimate of pleasures. I will not have the house of Avenal deprived of something that the other great houses are doing routinely. I will not be laughed at when I go to court because I remain ignorant of true pleasure. The only solution is to deliver me this expert, someone licensed in the art, or at least certified and credentialed. I will not be made a fool.”

  Briella did not believe it for a minute that the nobles and royals at court were into bondage games, but she could not accuse her of lying without proof. She would have to ask Dev, who would be knowledgeable of the happenings at court. “Countess, think of the safety risks in continuing your chosen sport. If one of the lords should be damaged or killed, you would be charged with a criminal offense.”

  Nefertiti stared at her with calculating eyes. “Safety is important to me, Briella. I see no reason why I cannot enjoy myself and experience anything I desire when the ladies will be ensuring a safe and secure environment. The lords, the concubines, the peasants, and even the lowliest slaves deserve a safe environment when I call upon them to service me. Briella, I appoint you as the new safety officer. You will be in charge of safeguarding the harem and ensuring the environment is safe and free of any threats. It is a very important position indeed, so I will attach a salary of one piece of gold for every week that everyone stays safe. If anyone dies due to your negligence, then I will deduct gold for every person harmed.” Nefertiti’s smile stretched across her face as she clapped her hands excitedly. “Everyone, congratulate Briella on her new promotion.”

  Briella groaned as people started clapping for her. She was sure that she would not enjoy being responsible for the safety of everyone, especially since she would likely have no real authority to make things safe. It was also not lost on her that she would get blamed if anyone happened to die. The Countess scheduled an advisor’s meeting for the next morning to discuss details of the trip to Eros.

  Chapter 3: Safety First

  Triniti spent a long night in the cold tower room, uncertain of her fate. She knew that Payne had been assigned as her guard, but he had not talked to her at all. He remained outside the door, ensuring that there was no escape. The next morning, she heard the sound of her brother’s voice outside the door. He was asking to see her and it appeared that Payne was refusing his entry. She put her ear to the door to hear them.

  “The Countess nearly ordered her execution, Payne,” Jules said. “I had to talk the bitch out of it.”

  “The hell you say,” Payne said in an outraged tone. “She cannot order the death of her ladies.”

  “I had to remind her of that fact. The woman has lost her mind and she needs to be declared unfit to be the Countess.”

  “There’s no precedent for that, Jules. We cannot fix this through legal means, especially since the Countess has not broken Flourdan law.”

  “The laws need to be changed, Payne. Let me see my sister.”

  Triniti leapt from the door and stood by the narrow cot. The door opened and Jules enveloped her in a hug. He told her that he was working on getting her released. They talked for a while, then Payne told Jules that he had to go. “What would it hurt for Jules to stay with me a little longer?”

  “You know that he cannot,” Payne said. “She’ll accuse Jules of consp
iring with you and lock both of you in the tower. What were you thinking, giving the Countess the idea to use whips and chains? You thought it would be a good idea to put weapons in her hands while she has others bound and helpless?”

  Payne sounded very upset with her. He acted like he believed that she had killed Ericio, and although she really didn’t care what he thought of her, she was still plagued by feelings of despair. “I’m sorry. I never intended for anyone to get hurt.”