Chapter Twenty-One

Blinking awake the next morning, Tialla frowned, her eyes expecting the sun to be pouring in from the large window in her bedroom, the breeze cooling the large opulent room. However, it was dark, a closed in feel to the area along with a musty smell, confusion filling her. Where was she?
Sitting up, she felt the fur fall away, again not the expected silk sheets she was used to. Her eyes widened seeing herself naked, just as the memories swooshed in, her hands rising to cover her mouth. She was in a cave. She was taking part in Tol Dar. A giggle spluttered up from between her fingers. She was no longer a virgin. She was Cadell’s queen by every possible meaning of the word. Letting herself drop back into the make-shift bed, heat bloomed within. She was in love, and what was more, he was in love with her. Her heart swelled with this knowledge. Her head turned looking for him even as her hands patted the empty place beside her. She was alone, a sense of loss invading her. Where was he?
The sound of feet approaching saw her head swing around just in time to see Cadell himself appear, something swinging from his hands. She heard his small groan as he dropped whatever he carried onto a small outcrop of rock before moving to quickly join her. His hands cupped her face, dragging her mouth to his, “Good morning my love.”
His words curved her lips into a large grin, her hands covering his, “Good morning my King”, her response seeing his eyes shine with pride as he smoothed her hair from her face.
“No. I will always be your slave Tialla because you will always be the queen of my heart. Others may call me their king, but I wish you to only ever call me your love.”
Her arms flew around his neck as she nodded. “I can do that”, the words whispered against his ear with reverence. She felt a shudder from him before he pulled back slightly to look closely at her. “I was not sure how you would feel this morning”, his features contorting into a grimace. “I meant to go easy on you, but…”
Giggling, she allowed herself to once more fall back onto their bed, a throaty purr leaving her, “Never go easy on me my love. I am tougher than I look.” Now her smooth brow furrowed as she looked closer at him. “Where have you been?”, a small pout on her lips. “And why did you not wake me?”
Chuckling, he lay alongside her, leaning in to trail his mouth down her neck, “I woke hours ago, and I decided to get breakfast for you as a surprise.”
At the thought of food, she felt her stomach rumble, the realisation hitting her that after a long walk to the cave neither had eaten, yet both had definitely expended a lot of energy through the night. She felt her insides warm at his consideration, his tongue now tantalizing the small hollow where her neck and shoulder joined, sending tremors through her. Turning her nose towards him, she inhaled him before frowning. He smelled fresh, washed, a throaty laugh leaving her. “Why do you smell so clean?”
Cadell pulled back, a smile on his mouth. “I showered. I found a section of the waterfall that was perfect for you, so I tested it first.” His brows rising and falling, “I don’t want my queen to go off me do I?”
Now her eyes widened, “Really?”
He nodding in confirmation, his eyes sparkling with fun, “Don’t think I didn’t see the different soaps you managed to slide into that bag. I want this home of ours for the next week to be comfortable for you.”
Tialla released a long happy sigh. “To think that I feared that I might spend Tol Dor living under a bush somewhere trying to keep my spoilt husband-to-be from getting eaten by some animal”, her lips curving into a wicked smile. “Or not saving him, depending on his attitude.” Pushing herself half up, her look was quizzical, “Your father must have been a very different king from most. The princes I met would think not having a servant to pull down their bed was living rough.”
Cadell’s features seemed to grow more serious as he shook his head, wariness in his eyes, “My father was not a king Tialla. I don’t come from royal blood.”
“But you are king of Karok?”
His shoulders shrugged as he nodded. “Yes. But only because I overturned the previous ruler,” He looked away, his body stiffening, “I’m sorry. I thought that you would know all of this”, his head dropping slightly as he seemed to stare at something on the bed, his brows drawn tightly together, a strain now in his tone. “The fact is that I am not even originally from Karok. I wonder if this changes your feelings for me.” Now his head turned to her, his expression fierce, yet she could see a vulnerability there too. “Does it make a difference to you that I am not from royal blood Tialla?”
Pushing herself straight, her arms flew around him, “NO! I have dealt with those from royal blood Cadell. They are mostly self-serving, selfish and all things that I despise. You are honourable, kind, protective and you are the man I love. As far as I am concerned a man’s worth is in his character. These other kingdoms would do well with a leader like yourself, and I love you.”
She felt him cling to her before he pulled back slightly, love radiating from him. “I love you too”, the pair staring at each other before her stomach rumbled, both laughing as their foreheads met, Cadell’s fingers gently stroking her cheek. “Well this leader better feed his future wife before she turns into a spitting animal.”
Snorting out a derisive sound she gave him a quick kiss before cocking her head slightly, “So if you are not from Karok, where are you from?”
She felt him tense as he blew out a breath, his eyes sombre as he answered, “Drakel.”

next installment August 12th

Chapter Five
Cadell sat silently listening as the other man spoke. “You and I Cadell, we are warriors forged in war. We can win battles and bring provinces to their knees… But what then? It is harder to keep the peace than it is to win a war. Tialla on the other hand, she is loved by her people… And mine. Not because she rules with fear, but because she understands the needs of those people. She knows how to keep peace.” His smile grew wider. “Did you know that she has implemented a system whereby her people receive monetary assistance in times of hardship, or that she is opening schools, free to all?”
Cadell raised an eyebrow in surprise. “I did not”, his voice reflecting his surprise.
Harbin nodded once more. “She is only 23, however she is the most intelligent, kind and loved person I have met. But I worry for her Cadell. Both she and her realm are easy targets, as you have so well this day proven. She is a peaceful woman and her armies are not well trained. She needs a man who will provide her with security and reign alongside her. However, she has refused each and every prince and warlord who has approached her, and I worry for her if she does not marry soon.”
Cadell frowned, “Are you suggesting I marry your niece Harbin?”, his tone full of the surprise he felt.
Harbin locked eyes with the younger warrior. “Yes. She will make a fine queen and compliment a man like you Cadell. She will provide strong children and she will love them because it is in her nature. In return you will provide both her and her realm the security they so badly need, and by marrying her you will gain myself as an ally… And I will admit, make me more confident about what happens to my own realm when I die.”
Cadell gave a small growl standing as he moved to the wall, leaning on it as he surveyed the man before him. “Not many men have the power to surprise me Harbin, but this was not the conversation I believed we would be having… Marriage was not something I had planned for some time.”
With another chuckle, Harbin nodded. “You are a mighty warrior Cadell. You should have a family”, his tone growing sadder, “Do not make the mistake I did and leave it too long… Having heirs is important – when you get to my age it is everything.”
Harbin could see the way the other man looked upwards, deep in thought, before his head fell once more to meet his look. “And will your niece agree to be my wife?”, his lips quirking softly, “I have not made the best impression on her so far.”
Standing and moving forward Harbin laughed loudly, “Well I cannot disagree with you there, but I am sure that a man like you can soon bring her round to seeing the benefits of such a marriage… You will certainly have my blessing. She is a dear girl, but perhaps a little headstrong. I promise you that you will not find her boring.”
For the first time a genuine smile appeared on Cadell’s features, Harbin noting how it gave him a gentler look, “Yes… Your niece has already pulled a knife on me.”
Harbin laughed even louder. “Now that sounds like my Tialla.”
Stepping forward Cadell offered his arm, the other man grasping his forearm also, an understanding struck between the two. “I look forward to calling you family Cadell”, his voice sincere as the warrior smiled back, another chuckle leaving him. “And for what it’s worth, in my experience women are more amenable when not shackled to the ground.”
Cadell’s lips quirked as he nodded, laughter in his eyes, “Well let us hope that when released she does not go for my throat”, both men moving towards the door to the throne room once more.
Tialla sat as though carved in stone, her every nerve taut as the men laughed, many making suggestive comments. When the door to the chamber opened, her head flew to it, hoping that somehow her uncle would have achieved the impossible, praying that she would soon be free, her province released. With eyes which grew wider with stunned shock, she took in the way the two men moved together towards the throne, both laughing like old friends, a bitter taste in her mouth. So she was betrayed and thrown to the beast of a man who had attacked her for no reason other than his own lust for power, hatred in her eyes as she stared at Cadell.
As the two reached where she knelt Cadell moved to hunch down before her, his look taking in the hatred in her eyes. She had been stunned to feel his hands release the collar around her throat, shocked even more as he took her hand lifting her to her feet. Retrieving the cloak dropped earlier by her handmaiden he draped it around her shoulders before indicating that she take the throne. Staring at her uncle in confusion she saw as his head inclined gently, a small sign of encouragement, before she moved to sit. She was aware of the difference in the other men as they stood taller, their eyes flicking to each other, no longer staring at her with lecherous eyes, their looks more guarded, respectful.

{next installment 23rd December}

Chapter One

Cadell of Karok sat back on the throne, a small smile playing on his lips.  The battle had been fast and decisive, the defending forces swept back with very little effort.  Leando was now his, a gleam of triumph in his dark eyes.  Scanning the throne room he admired the beauty of it.  While a warrior, he was still able to appreciate the space.  The sumptuous cloth on the windows and draped around the finely carved throne was certainly testament to the provinces renowned reputation for artistry.  His eyes continued to the floor, checking that the changes he ordered had been made, smiling seeing everything in order.

With his finger running around his mouth he held back the smile.  Perhaps they would have been better spending more time on building up their defences than honing their artistic talents.  His men had received a pitiful show of resistance, his warriors sweeping their way to the palace with ease.  With a small sigh he admitted that this reduced the number of casualties, his men now encamped around the palace itself, the people huddled in fear within their homes.

Thoughtfully he considered his next move.  These people were not warriors, and in truth had it not been for Leando’s strategic position he would have little interest in either it or its ruler, but unfortunately for Leando, the small province was perfectly positioned for his arch enemy.  He could not risk Garel taking the small province and using it against him.  No, Leando was a victim of geography and he required to bring it in line fast.

The sound of the huge ornate door being opened pulled his thoughts back to the present, his eyes moving to follow the small procession marching quickly towards him.  He remained where he was, his body relaxed seemingly at ease while his look followed the procession.

In the middle of the four warriors, a small woman moved quickly and silently towards the other side of the room, her head held high, her figure hidden by the long cloak she wore, a hood pulled over her head.  As the group reached the plinth the four men halted stepping together before punching their chests and inclining their heads in respectful salute to the man now seated so calmly on the large throne.

With a small nod he stood, the woman staring at the man before her.  She had heard rumours of Cadell of Karok, but never expected to meet with the man himself, certainly not to find herself a prisoner of his.  Lifting her head she tried not to allow him to see the way her whole body shook with fear, her look taking in the man nicknamed Cadell the Cunning.

He was tall, broad-shouldered with muscular arms, the leather tunic he wore skin tight, showing his long back and slim waist, the breeches also those of a warrior, weapons draped around him.  Swallowing nervously she willed herself still, feeling intimidated by the man.  Cadell of Karok was no figurehead leader, he was a warrior and a good one she could tell by the respect given to him by his men.  Slowly he moved, the men stepping back as he finally stopped before her.  His hands flipped the hood of the cape back to reveal the woman beneath.

“So… You are Tialla of Leando”, his voice strong, deep and authorative.

The woman kept her eyes fixed on the floor as she nodded softly, her voice quivering slightly, “Yes”, every nerve taut as he moved around her silently, taking in the ruler of his latest conquest, his expression thoughtful.

“Remove the cloak.”  With fingers which shook she complied, the garment swishing to the floor.  Cadell admired her figure.  Dressed in a silken robe which covered her voluptuous figure, she looked every bit the ruler of the small but important province.  “Now… On your knees for your new ruler, Tialla of Leando.”

Flicking a look up at him, she nervously she could not hold his gaze, she dropping silently to the ground, her eyes fixed on the floor, aware as he stood before her, his boots filling her vision.  Staring down at the woman on her knees, Cadell scowled.  She was beautiful that was true, and according to his sources she was considered a great treasure, but he was uneasy.  “Was she with her ladies when you found her?”, his question was directed to his guards.

The leader of the men stepped forward,  “Yes sir.  We have them under guard before we allow them to their families.”

Cadell nodded softly.  “Bring them to me… All of them.”  The men as one silently turned, instantly moving to fill his command.

The woman at his feet gasped, her head rising to finally look at him, fear within her eyes, “No.  You have me – leave them be.”

He knelt, grasping her chin in his large hand a dark look on his face, her breath stalled in her throat at the intensity of his words.  “Do not ever command me again woman or you will know how we tame women in Karok.”  She whimpered softly, her eyes again falling from his, the small flicker of fight fleeing from her as she shook, he standing once more over her, before returning to again sit on the throne.

Silently he waited, the woman remaining prone on the floor before him.  Neither made a sound, as she trembled allowing herself to steal looks at him.  He was one of the most handsome men she had ever seen, not only good-looking but possessing the air of a man who demanded attention and respect.  He seemed lost in thought, ignoring her, his eyes focussed expectantly on the door, the woman becoming aware that his seemingly relaxed stance hid the way his body seemed to be coiled ready for fight.

As the door once more opened, the same men entered flanking the group of ten women, all wearing the simple white robes of handmaids, their heads covered with gossamer.  He watched as they saw the woman on her knees, their bodies stiffening seeing their princess in such a position.  His men grouped the women together as Cadell again moved forward stopping close to the prone woman.

{next installment 28th October}

I am often asked what the hardest part of writing is – ideas, characters, plot progression or other.  Answer is simple…getting the cat off the keyboard

Trying to decide…..composed or composing?

I have reduced all my books for the month of August.

 Summer holidays is always the time when we like to lie on the beach and let the gentle rays of the sun caress our too pale and work weary bodies.  Some of us may take the opportunity to enjoy every sport out there……but the rest of us……..well lying in the lap of luxury (even if that is a hammock in the back yard) reading a good book is the ultimate in relaxation.

This is my little way of saying thanks to all those out there who have supported me in the past year.  You have my heartfelt thanks  Enjoy!

I am a HUGE Second Life fan.  I have been in this exciting virtual world for many many years, and have learnt so many things and met so many people.  I have the a wardrobe that most of us women would happily kill for, and my avatar has the same perfect figure of all of my heroines.  Bottom line…..it is a great place to be.

Captured was a little bit of a chance for me.  I wanted to create a story with all the same challenges as my other stories, but putting it within a fantasy world, which still seemed real to those in the story. All of my characters live in this world and it was written from their point of view.

Because of the many issues with naming the virtual world, I called mine VirtualWorld (VW) and got more than a little creative in adding functionality to the world, but those who use this wonderful environment will  recognise it instantly.

I also wanted something more of a mystery and suspense, with our heroine having to make some very hard decisions to save the man she loves.

So ……..The Plot

In this story Kindra Ixar, a resident finds herself captured by avatar traffickers, when one night she visits a night club, and her whole nicely ordered world is turned upside down.  She finds herself sold at auction to a Gor Master, Dark Kestrel, who demands nothing but respect and total obedience from her.

“Oh I have met your type before Kindra. Your world is nicely organised, a place for everything including your emotions. You hold everything tightly bottled up inside you and run from anybody or anything that might threaten that thin veneer of yours. While others around you see you as cool and professional, inside you are fighting to keep down those feelings which are always there bubbling just below the surface” He was now looking keenly at her his black eyes drilling deeply into hers
“And one thing I have discovered is that when women like you do finally let go, let those passions free, it is a thing of beauty to behold”
Kindra could feel herself blush, her eyes staring back into his unable to break free from their hold
“So there is one more question I have for you Kindra” he said softly
“You see yourself as a slave, how would you like to be treated. As a slave or a sub”
With that Kindra had felt the tears once more rise in her eyes
“This is not my world D….” she had begun sadly, seeing one eyebrow raised in warning as she had quickly corrected herself “ Master…….. please just let me go” her eyes pleading with his
“No Kindra, this IS now your world, and I am giving you a choice so choose”
Bowing her head she had whispered softly “sub” feeling the tears trickling down her cheek
“Then we understand each other” he had replied, his voice sure, as he had stood, looking down on the woman at his feet who was unable to look back at him

However, Dark Kestrel is more than he appears and Kindra finds herself pulled into the middle of the very plot that landed her with him in the first place.  Is Dark good or evil, and does Kindra really care as she finds herself falling more and more under his spell, her heart the worst traitor of all.

By now you may be realising ………..I like Greek men……….especially alpha males.  Sorry it was my holiday destination as a young adult…..and yep the men were really like that.

In Blackmailed for Vengeance the premise is really based on our hero (Yanis Demitri) a playboy billionaire forcing our heroine (Lee Andrews) to become his fiance and move in with him.  The reason behind this is the belief that Lee has made his friend fall in love with her and when she found out that he was not rich abandoned him leaving him heartbroken leading to a suicide attempt.  Lee knows better, but is not able to reveal Jim’s secret, owing her friend so much for having been there for her when she needed a friend most.

Yanis plans on giving Lee the life he believes she wants.  A life full of money and the luxuries a gold digger like her yearns for, then with no warning throwing her out with nothing, leaving her with only the desire to get it all back.  He feels that this will teach her a lesson for playing with his friends heart.  However, our hero has not met a woman like Lee before, and in spite of his proclamation to her:

This book was born from the premise that older siblings are protective and not always right.

In this book we see Daryle Brown the younger sister of Diona Brown falling in love with Alexis Dranias the playboy brother of the tycoon Nikias Dranias after the two meet on holiday.  Daryle runs off to Greece to marry Alexis, and Diona has to  fly out to save her sister.  She is tricked onto Nikias island when he too decides to put a stop to the marriage, believing Daryle to be nothing more than a gold digger and deciding to hold her until she has to leave.  However, he has trapped the wrong sister onto the island, mistaking Diona for Daryle, and not believing her preposterous story about a sister but soon finds that the two are physically drawn to the other.

As the truth about who she is is revealed, we see events falling into place for the younger brother and sister, with Nikias believing that it is Diona herself who has tricked him, who has masterminded her younger sister catching herself a rich husband.  He cuts his brother off without a penny, but who does he miss most……..his brother or the women who brought such disruption to his life.

I loved writing this story because here we have two very strong characters, both the “adult” in the relationship with their siblings, both knowing what is best for them…….yet neither can really see what is so obvious to those around them.

When I was younger I used to really enjoy the black and white movies in which the hero would save the heroine from the evil looking landlord (for some reason they were mostly landlords – no idea why).  This blaggard was evil to the bone and ugly to boot, while our innocent heroine was prepared to sacrifice herself for those she loved, leaving our hero to rescue her, save the day and resolve the issue opening her up to blackmail in the first place (life was hard for heroes in those days)

So I got to thinking, what would happen if the blackmailer was not so evil and not so ugly.  What if our blackmailer was out for revenge against our poor heroine, and what if our heroine had no idea why.

So was born Blackmailed for the Billionaire’s Pleasure in which Kira Black finds herself in the clutches of the man she had loved two long years ago.  The man who had taken her innocence and then abandoned her without so much as a word of reason.  Now to save her friend and employer from financial ruin he has given her a choice.

When starting a book there has to be something that hooks you…that makes you want to know more about how any situation actually ends up.  Given a romance, we all kind of know that the girl and the guy will end up together, but it is the journey they take to get there that hooks us.

I got to thinking, what the worse start for a couple could be and came up with the plot of a millionaire playboy Marc De Santo, who unknowingly has a son to one of his mistresses.  He finds out only after she is killed, and resents the fact that he has missed nearly a year of his sons life

Meanwhile Max is being brought up, and in all truthfulness, has his whole life by his ex-girl friends cousin Kelly Brown, whom she had lived with.  Kelly has been led to believe that Max and his mother had been abandoned by the playboy and detested him for what she believed him to have done to the little boy she looked on as her own son and to Trudy her cousin.

To avoid a legal fight, which Kelly knew she would lose, and to not hurt the small child with the loss of the woman he looked on as his mother, Marc’s motivation, she moves into his home with the promise that she can stay as long as she felt he needed her.  We now have a situation in which the two get to know each other, both treading carefully around the other while learning to trust and respect the other.

“He could see the battle she was having to stop the tears which were welling up in her eyes from falling, and something in him had fluttered at the vulnerability of her.  His plan had been simple, to get his son away from this woman as quickly as possible; however, watching their reaction to each other, it was clear that Kelly Brown was indeed the woman who had raised him.  She really was the only mother he had known.  To separate them now would hurt Max he had told himself, and he wanted desperately not to hurt the small child contentedly drinking from a bottle his face and hands covered with food.

Kelly is still fighting to deal with the heartbreak of her past and Marc is all too aware of his own nature, his lack of interest in a long term relationship.  He does not want to sucumb to his feelings for the carer of his child and lose the friendship of the woman who was becoming so important to him and she does not want to lose her son.

Both characters are strong and independent and battle each other constantly, yet it is clear to see the attraction they both have for the other as they finally are faced with only one option.  Be together or be apart.

I have enjoyed writing for years now, but only recently started to put my books up for sale.  It has been a real learning curve, figuring out how to sell them, and I am sure will continue to be, this Blog in many ways being the next step for me.

This kind of writing is never going to make anybody rich, nor even really well off (don’t give up that day job as they tell me), but it is not about the money, it is about the process of taking your idea and sharing it with others, seeing your characters take shape as you breath life into them with the power of words.

I like my characters to be caring and good people – or at least to have traits that make them salvageable (usually by our caring heroine).

I believe that the secret to writing good stories is in reading other great writers’ stories and appreciating what made that story connect on such an emotional level, and there are many many wonderful romance writers out there.