Dark Lord (19 page)

“The damage to her reputation can be managed,”
Alyntine
said.
“You shall have to remove her from the Avenal mansion and place her in one of the more remote Avenal estates.
She shall have to avoid society functions and affairs
.
In time, she can be reintroduced to society with her honor intact.”

“If I purchase her indenture, what will I get from the arrangement?
She cannot advise me or provide proper companionship and she cannot work for me.
I cannot arrange matches for her, so the proposed union with Markus will never take place.
She is therefore useless to me.
If she is ruined and worthless to me, I
would have no
reason to
reinstate her as an advisor, nor would I wish to retain her in my household,” Nefertiti said.

“If you do not purchase her indenture, it will be sold.
You understand this, right?”
Alyntine
said.

“She would be used as a concubine, I know.
So be it.
If someone has to waste good coin on her indenture price, then let them get some work out of her.
I’ll not waste my coin just to have her holed up somewhere in the furthest corners of Avenal.”

“If the lady wishes to reclaim her honor and freedom without the indenture, she will have to accept the
bloodmatch
,”
Alyntine
said.

Briella
stilled as both pairs of eyes turned to her.
“I’m unprepared for a
bloodmatch
.”

Nefertiti scowled at her fiercely.
“You’ve been working endlessly in the
training room for days.
How can you not be ready?”

“I will die in the ring because I have no skill with weaponry.”

“You are such a coward,” Nefertiti said with disdain.
“Now is the time to prove your worth and gain respect.
I will not buy your indenture so you have no choice but to accept the
bloodmatch
.
If you die, you will at least die with honor.”

Briella
wasn’t ready to die, especially not in a senseless battle with no chance of victory.
That would be suicide.
It hurt that the Countess would rather see her dead than spend additional coin to purchase her indenture.
She also knew that Nefertiti advocated the
bloodmatch
because it would bring pride to the family name.
Her friends would boast about the foolishly brave Avenal who had tried to reclaim her honor in battle.
If she refused the
bloodmatch
, they would
instead
titter about the fallen Avenal
who
offered her flesh as payment
for her crimes
.

“Think very carefully before you make your choice,
Briella
,”
Alyntine
said.
“You could reclaim your honor with the
bloodmatch
, should you live.
The alternative is to serve an indenture.
Either way, you will pay with your flesh.
The only question is whether you wish to pay in blood as well.”

Briella
didn’t like either of her choices.
She needed to live, if only to take vengeance against Nefertiti,
Harlotta
, Valencia, and Samantha.
Damn, that list was long.
All the vultures of
Flourda
must roost in Avenal.
“I’ve made my decision.”

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Asstrum
Race
: Race of aliens that crashed on Earth long ago that created an alien hybrid race

Asstrumnians
: Alien hybrids descended from Celtic people who mated with the
Asstrum
aliens long ago

Romans
:
Conquerors of most of the continent.
Major cities include Eros, New Babylon, and Bacchus.
They are at war with
Asstrumnia
and
Flourda
pays them a tribute to prevent them from attacking.

Flourdans
: Non-hybrid (nearly) people
who
live in an alternate Earth Florida region.
They have a queen and British-style nobles.
Only females can inherit and own property.
The nobility tend to keep males in harems.

Huxor
:
Permanent mate (male)

Paramour
: A lover (of noble birth) in training to be a huxor; meant to reside temporarily in the harem

Selective Breeding Program
: Peasant females with the best genetic material are selectively bred with
Flourdan
males.
They are also trained in occupational skills and apprenticeships.
About 45 percent of noble
Flourdan
males enter the program; the rest are castrated.

Flourdan
Institute of Learning
:
W
here all the sons of the noble houses
a
re sent for education and training, including training in the arts of
war

CAST OF
CHARACTERS

Nefertiti Avenal, Countess of Avenal
:
A
bitchy character
(AKA the
Deranged Dominatrix
)
who recently inherits the Avenal lands and properties after her sister, Countess
Ariana
Avenal, was legally declared dead

Audra Talbot
: Nefertit
i
’s aunt, a former scout
; wise woman; advisor

Audrelia
Talbot
: Audra’s daughter; a scout
and advisor

Ariana
Avenal
: Former
Countess
of Avenal and Nefertiti’s
older
sister; was legally declared dead after missing for 50 years.
Mated to Jules Beaumont.
Parents were Countess Helena and Prince Valentine Langley.
She was
Briella’s
half-sister and cousin of Dev.

Briella
Avenal
:
Nefertiti’s half
-
sister
; advisor to Nefertiti; Safety Officer

Eden Avenal
:
Briella
and Nefertiti
’s younger half-sister.
Main character featured in
Lords of Bondage: Deceptive Lord

Harlotta
Talbot
: Close friend and trusted advisor of Nefertiti, relative of
Audrelia
and Audra

Triniti
Beaumont
:
Advisor; sister of Lord Jules

Amalie Pembroke
: Countess of Pembroke; Nefertiti’s rival

Sebastian Pembroke
: Amalie’s brother

Alec Pembroke
: Amalie’s brother

NEFERTITI’S HAREM MALES
(listed below)

Lord Jules Beaumont
: Former huxor of
Ariana

Lord Julian Beaumont
: Younger brother of Lord Jules and Lady
Triniti

Lord Vane
Honeybone

Lord Lyon Arundel

Lord Payne Hastings

Lord Valor
Assheton
:
Nefertiti’s only huxor.
He is
Briella’s
cousin.

Lord Devereux Langley
: Grandson of the
Queen
.
Child of Princess Crimson Langley

Markus
Honeybone
Agrippa
:
Briella’s
former huxor-to-be; s
on of a
Honey
bone
noblewoman and a Roman
;
blood relation of Valor
and Vane

Lord Evan Langley
: Amalie’s huxor; Devereux’s brother

LORDS OF BONDAGE SERIES

Book One: Deceptive Lord

Book Two: Dark Lord (
5 Part
Serial)

DECEPTIVE LORD

This is an alternate Earth
story featuring sexy Celtic alien hybrids (with psychic abilities and fangs that serve a unique purpose) and
Flourdans
(humans living in a female dominated society).