Dark Lord

by Corinne Balfour

  Excerpt from Deceptive Lord

  Sometime later, Drest made his appearance. There was only one female in the room, so he assumed that she was the one claiming to be his lover. She was nude and obviously entranced, as she was standing perfectly still and her facial features reflected calmness. She probably felt anything but calm, since she was in enemy territory in a room full of hybrids. She was a liar, as he had no knowledge of the woman and there was no way that he would have forgotten her, had he known her. She didn’t look anything like Nefertiti, who he remembered clearly as a disgusting psycho bitch with poor hygiene. He wondered if this female was really the sister of the Countess. He recognized her features as being Flourdan, with blonde hair and royal blue eyes. Her face was striking in its beauty. Her shape was similar to those beauties depicted in the erotic artwork displayed in the King’s pleasure rooms, especially the paintings of human slaves serving their hybrid masters. Her form was different than Asstrumnian females and he wondered what it would feel like to be inside a human woman. He had heard whispers of those who had tried humans, and although he tended to ignore the talk, he couldn’t help but feel curious. She claimed to be his lover and he wondered why she would do that. What would she do if he claimed her and took her home?

  “Is this your female?” Belenos asked. Cantorix released her from his mental hold and the female rushed to Drest, throwing herself in his arms.

  The female wrapped her arms around him. “Finally, they bring you to me! Get me out of here.”

  The impact of her body against his had stunned him. She was completely naked and he could not believe that she had leapt into his arms. He was not only a stranger, he was an alien hybrid. Naked humans should be running away from the aliens, not toward them. Cold chills enveloped her body and she began to shiver. He placed his arms around her to warm her skin and provide comfort, as she was shaking, probably more from her anxiety than from actual coldness. She looked into his eyes and he sensed her nervousness. He had expected her to be uncomfortable when facing the one who would soon be calling her a liar. He didn’t know why he bothered with her comfort, as she didn’t deserve to be coddled when she was likely planning something devious.

  His hands wandered against his better judgment. He ran his hand through her hair, trying to calm her. He placed his other hand on her back and began to rub it with a soothing motion. She didn’t seem to mind his wandering hands and she appeared to relax slightly. He ran his hand down her back, then past it to her rear. He grabbed her buttocks with both hands, intrigued by the additional padding that human females carried on their bottoms. Hybrid females were bony, sharp, and angular. They didn’t carry the extra bits of fatty tissue that humans possessed. He imagined the cushy parts of the human females would be quite useful during intercourse, as the male could hold the female in place without the discomfort of sharp bony areas poking into him. She clutched him tighter and he sensed her continued nervousness. He fingered a lock of her hair; its texture was like silk. He slid his hand from her hair and cupped her breast, then proceeded to rub it with a circular motion. He liked the shape and feel of her. She made no protest as he groped her, and he wondered just how far she was willing to take this game of hers. He cupped the soft feminine folds of her sex, which must have startled her because she made a harsh breathing sound. Her eyes were closed, but she clutched his shoulders tightly. He waited for a sound of outrage or indignation to escape her lips, as he was taking liberties that no lady should allow. He felt the dampness of her against his fingers and he could sense her arousal. “Do you like my touch?” A soft moan was his only answer. He began massaging her there and her soft panting sounds signaled her increasing excitement.

  “Drest, take me to your bed.”

  He didn’t think he had ever been so aroused in his life. The female seemed perfectly willing to satisfy his fantasies, including the one involving the plundering and enslavement of a captive human. He didn’t understand her willingness and he knew it was possibly some ploy or strategy of hers to get something she wanted. He couldn’t begin to guess what she hoped to gain by surrendering her body to him. Whatever her goal, she would not obtain it. He knew that she was up to something and could not be trusted. Against his better judgment, he decided to accept her offering. He knew it was probably a bad idea, but he was past thinking. He looked at Belenos. “She is mine.”

  He transported them, but not to his lodge. He took her to a room that they used for the interrogation of prisoners. He sat her on the table and took her mouth in a kiss. Whatever she was, she was most definitely aroused. He wondered if human females were just naturally lustful creatures. He was surprised when she reached underneath his trousers, and she seemed to grow excited when she found the evidence of his maleness. He decided to help her out a bit, so he freed himself from his clothing. She scooted forward on the table and started to rub against him. He positioned her better with his hands and entered her in one forceful thrust. Instantly, he realized why some of his people were addicted to human females and chose to keep them, usually secreted away some place where others could not take them and entrance them for their own use. Her small passage felt exquisite and was a reminder that humans possessed slightly different anatomy. He thrust inside her wet welcoming depths as her legs tightened around him. Her capacity to be stimulated without the effects of a mating bond was unique to humans, as Asstrumnian females were not capable of natural sexual sensations. He continued to move in her, liking the sound of the little cries she was making. He halted suddenly when he noticed they were no longer alone in the room. He glared at the intruder. “Get out.”

  “I came to see if you needed any help, but I can see the interrogation is going well.” Bran leered at them and laughed.

  “Get the fuck out of here, Bran.” Drest glared at him until he popped out of the room.

  The unwanted interruption startled the female and he sensed her agitation and nervousness. Her attention diverted from their lovemaking, she began to scan the room. “Where exactly are we? This isn’t your lodge.”

  “No, it’s not.” He didn’t wish to tell her anything more, as she was starting to become alarmed. While resuming movement, he looked into her eyes and attempted to mentally impel her to relax. He wanted to distract her to prevent her from thinking about her surroundings. “You feel too good to me right now. I want to be in no other place but inside you.” After a few masterful strokes, he heard her moans of pleasure and he felt her convulse around him. He stilled and collapsed against her.

  She rested her hands in his hair. “You didn’t answer my question. Why are we not in your lodge?”

  He looked at her in confusion, not able to understand her persistence in the matter. “Why do you want to go there so badly?”

  Sounds of panic were evident in her voice. “Why would I not? Where are we?”

  He sighed. “It’s an interrogation room for prisoners of war.”

  “Why would you bring me to an interrogation room, Drest?”

  He looked at her directly. “It’s where we bring prisoners of war. You are a prisoner.”

  She exploded with a rush of anger. “You promised to protect me! You acted like you cared about me. You said you were fond of me.”

  He looked at her in confusion. “I don’t know you. I promised you nothing.”

  “You lying bastard!” She hit him with her fist. “If you didn’t want me, then why have sex with me?”

  He backed away from her and knew she was past the point of calming. He didn’t understand her anger, but he sensed it was legitimate. She seemed to really believe they had a previous relationship, which was perplexing. He had thought that she was deliberately choosing to surrender to a stranger for some unknown reason, possibly for protection or for some nefarious purpose. “I should not have done that. I wanted you and I thought you were willing.”

  Her eyes filled with tears and she appeared emotionally defeated. “How can you say you don’t know me? You took me from Avenal and gave me your mark. Do y
ou really not remember that?”

  “You’re mistaken. I never met you. I never saw you at Avenal. I certainly didn’t take you or any other from Avenal and I have never bitten any female or given anyone a mark.”

  “Find Brennus. Your friend would know me.”

  He looked at her with suspicion, as he did not know how she could possibly know he had a friend named Brennus. He wondered if she was a spy or a telepath. Brennus was too far away to provide any clarification of the situation. “Brennus isn’t available.”

  “Oh, that’s just fucking perfect,” she muttered. “You could at least try to verify that I’m telling you the truth. Just have him pop in like the others.”

  Unfortunately, Brennus was not accessible at the moment. “That’s not possible.”

  She looked at him with hurt in her eyes and she spoke with a flat, lifeless tone. “Then take me back to Avenal.”

  “That’s not an option.” He knew that the King would not agree to let her go, not when she had knowledge of them. How much she knew, he couldn’t tell, but she seemed to know way too much about him. Who knew what else she may know?

  “What do you mean, it’s not an option? I came here for you, and you don’t want me, so I’ll just go back where I’m wanted.”

  If she was a spy, he couldn’t figure out what she would gain by living with him as his lover. He was a bard; he was close to the King, but there were others who were closer. Being the King’s lover would be a more advantageous position for her if she hoped to gain political knowledge. “What do you want from me?”

  “You obviously can’t give me what I want, so just take me back to Avenal.”

  He shook his head at her and pulled up his trousers. He felt guilty, even though he knew that he wasn’t responsible for her feelings of disappointment. He didn’t know her and he had never promised her anything. She looked so dejected and pitiful that it made him feel absolutely terrible. He wondered if her feelings were genuine, and if so, why did she believe they had a relationship? It was possible some other person had implanted false memories inside her brain or had used some other form of mental manipulation to get her to believe she was his woman, but he didn’t know what the other person would gain from this. If she was a spy, she could be very dangerous. It was also possible that Nefertiti had sent her for some nefarious reason, knowing that the girl’s beauty could cause them to act without any caution or reason. He transported back to the main hall, leaving Eden alone in the interrogation room.

  “Did you learn anything?” Belenos asked.

  “Not very much,” Drest said.

  “He learned much about the insides of her vagina,” Bran sneered. “I’d say it wasn’t a total loss.”

  Drest didn’t like the way he was talking about Eden. “Fuck off, Bran.”

  “Tell us what you did learn,” Belenos said.

  Drest paced the room, not knowing why he felt uncomfortable discussing their new prisoner. “She claims to know me. She seems to have some knowledge of me.” He cringed when Bran started to chuckle. “She talked about Brennus and she kept trying to get me to take her to my lodge.”

  Belenos pondered this information. “What do you think she’s up to? Do you think she’s planning any kind of action against Asstrumnia?”

  “She seems to genuinely believe we have a relationship,” Drest replied. “I don’t think she’s planning anything, but I cannot say for sure that she isn’t a spy. She could be playing us all for fools; it may be possible that some other person or group of people are manipulating her for some unknown purpose.”

  “What do you suggest we do?” Belenos asked.

  Drest thought about it for a minute. “I’d like to keep her under close observation. I’ll take responsibility for her and keep her in a secure location. We could have some of the druids assess her as well.”

  “I’m sure your bed will be a very secure location for her,” Bran giggled.

  Drest glared at Bran until he stopped giggling. “I’m not taking her for ravishment. I’ll determine what she knows and what she is planning.”

  “Agreed,” Belenos said. “I’ll let the King know. You can go ahead and take possession of the prisoner.”

  The story so far

  Nefertiti, Countess of Avenal, revealed her aspiration of becoming the next Chancellor of Flourda. She believes the Countess of Pembroke is the only obstacle standing in her way. She ordered Valor to lead an assault on Pembroke Keep and Briella was forced to accompany them. They equipped themselves as Romans so the attack would be blamed on Rome. Briella fled to the woods when she saw people being incinerated by flames; she then got captured by Roman soldiers. While escaping from them, she was accosted by two masked males, who questioned her about the Pembroke attack. She saw one of the masked men kill the Roman soldiers with a venomous bite. Later, Briella learned about the alien hybrid threat. Devereux, Lord Langley, was ordered to service Nefertiti, but he was physically unable to participate. Nefertiti asked Briella to investigate Dev’s sexual preferences. Nefertiti’s second attempt to get physical with her newest paramour fails. Briella witnesses Dev’s irises turn a red hue while giving a command; she starts to wonder if he is a hybrid.

  Part Two

  Harlotta took a care package to Pembroke, but upon her return to Avenal, she gloated about the suffering she had caused by the burning of the keep. Nefertiti indicated that she wanted to develop a relationship with the Crown Princess in order to ensure the house of Avenal was included as one of the thirteen chosen privileged families. Amalie visited Avenal and poisoned the ladies in an attempt to gain a confession. Amalie gave an antidote to Devereux and he administered it to Briella. The other ladies suffered the effects of the poison and lost all of their hair. Nefertiti bound Devereux to a bed to use him for pleasure, but he used his hybrid abilities to make her too sick for intercourse. He compelled Briella to free him from his bonds after she wandered into the room. Briella worried that Devereux is a hybrid and she tried to convince him to leave Avenal. The princes arrived for a visit and they told Devereux about the Brothers of the Sword organization. Nefertiti held a special night of debauchery to honor the princes. Briella accidentally wandered into the lords’ private sanctuary and overheard private conversations. She was caught spying by Devereux, who was displeased to find her there. Nefertiti accidentally strangled a concubine to death during bondage sex, but blamed the incident on Triniti, who had given “improper instruction” on bondage and pain giving. Briella’s missing sister, Eden, miraculously reappeared.

  Introduction

  Flourdans were ruled by their warrior queen. The males of Flourda were hardened warriors as well; however, they did not own property and they were subservient to their queen, their noblewomen, and if lucky enough to have one, their luxorem (mate). Females in Flourda, like the rest of the world, were limited in number. Lands, titles, and wealth of noble families were always passed to the eldest daughter. An aristocratic female with abundant wealth and property often took multiple luxorems (mates), along with paramours (lovers) and concubines. These males formed her harem. She had most of the power and she ruled over her household, including members of the harem, as well as all of the noblewomen of her family.

  Countess Nefertiti Avenal had presided over Avenal for the past decade.