Fueled by Lust: Lucien (Siren Publishing Classic)
Fueled by Lust: Lucien
Emperor Lucien Tarquinius agrees to retrieve the future king of a race that annihilated every Insedi female and doomed his planet’s future. Why would he do such a thing? Simple. He cannot have his enemy retake the throne and continue the war against Insedivertus. Yet an unexpected encounter changes everything.
Just one day away from collecting the reluctant ruler, the royal transport inexplicably disappears from its flight path. As the empire scrambles to find their missing emperor, Lucien embarks on a journey that challenges his intellect, tests his endurance, and pushes his emotions to the breaking point.
Tana Jameson wonders who she pissed off to warrant an investigative assignment aboard a cargo ship in the middle of the Atlantic. A moment of curiosity jettisons her into an alien world beyond her imagination and directly into the arms of a man stepping right out of her wildest fantasy.
Book 4 in the Fueled By Lust Series compounds the desire to find an Insedi walking amongst us. How can you not want one of these males?
Genre: Contemporary, Science Fiction
Length: 93,856 words
FUELED BY LUST: LUCIEN
Celeste Prater
EROTIC ROMANCE
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Erotic Romance
FUELED BY LUST: LUCIEN
Copyright © 2014 by Celeste Prater
E-book ISBN: 978-1-63258-013-9
First E-book Publication: July 2014
Cover design by Harris Channing
All art and logo copyright © 2014 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
Letter to Readers
Dear Readers,
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This is Celeste Prater’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. Prater’s right to earn a living from her work.
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DEDICATION
I would like to dedicate this book to a very special man. Many people think that extremely good-looking, muscular men are self-absorbed, cocky assholes of the highest order. Well, let me lay that misconception to rest. This man is humble, very intelligent, enjoys quirky humor, and has the patience of a saint. You know who you are, sweets. As you read this, picture me placing my palm to my lips, lifting it outward, and sending you a warm kiss to travel the air until it lands softly upon your gorgeous mouth. I ask only one thing of you—give your future babies a kiss for me, too.
I’d also like to send a huge thank-you to Richard Jimenez, owner of the Magnificent 7 Male Revue out of Los Angeles, California. You took a chance and answered my call for help in finding someone that could bring the hero, Lucien Tarquinius, to life. You definitely pointed me in the right direction. You’re pretty awesome, Richard. From being a Chippendale dancer, personal trainer, producer for V2S Productions (Vision to Stage), to producing one of the hottest male revues on the west coast, is phenomenal. I’m going to meet you one day. That’s a promise. Big kiss!
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
About the Author
FUELED BY LUST: LUCIEN
CELESTE PRATER
Copyright © 2014
Chapter 1
“It is very beautiful, is it not?”
Lucien looked over his shoulder and nodded in agreement at Ulixes’s hushed words. Turning back to the ship portal, Lucien continued to gaze out over the vast blackness of the universe thick with brilliant stars and shots of color. The quiet viewing room had become his point of solace these last few days, and he was surprised he hadn’t heard Ulixes’s arrival.
“Yes. It is indeed.” From the corner of his eye, he watched the big Protonecian move closer to the expansive viewing station. His face was upturned with wide eyes fixed on the long, purple-and-blue gas streams locked forever in a pinwheel around the ancient orange, whirlpool eye of the Hesarc galaxy. The twinkling brilliance lit the darkened room and bathed his face to a golden hue. Ulixes’s voice came low and reverent.
“It is so striking. One cannot turn away without first getting lost to the pull. I feel as if it will suck my very soul into its center.”
“Yes. I experienced this same sentiment upon my first viewing. It appears to be close enough to touch, yet we would travel a lifetime to reach that dwarf galaxy, my friend. That is Hesarc. When I see it from this angle, I know we are just a day away from Messor. This quadrant is where we find the most beauty offered by the gods.” Lucien lifted his hand and gestu
red to the right toward another smudge of color dominating the blackness.
“Look there. My warriors call this the Eye of Dii. It appears as if the creator has opened one red-rimmed blue eye to watch over the masterpiece it has fashioned. Pity that it is actually a long-dying star slowly pushing away the last remnants of its life.” Lucien turned and released a heavy sigh. “My eyes will close forever before that one meets its final end.”
Ulixes twisted away from the majestic sight, his brow wrinkled in thought. “Standing here makes everything seem so insignificant. Our petty problems are just wisps of nothing. If these were truly the eyes of the gods, we would bow our heads in shame.”
Lucien chuckled and clapped Ulixes on the shoulder. “Every creature should pass this way once, amici. If they are not as moved by it as you and I, then it would surely reveal their blackened hearts. I am happy to know that I was right in my assessment on the purity of yours.”
Ulixes graced him with a small smile and dropped his gaze. “I am honored at this knowledge, Emperor. More than you know.”
Lucien shook his head. “No. Please call me Lucien. I tire of that title when I am far from its shackles. We are but two males on a journey to right a wrong.”
A brilliant smile lit Ulixes’s handsome face and he raised his eyes. “So be it. I would be honored to call you by name. And now I must ask your forgiveness for completely forgetting why I came to find you. Your son has sent word that he wishes to speak with you. Baruch has transferred the communication image feed to your quarters.”
Lucien smiled. “Very good. I have not spoken with him in days. I am hoping that he will not curse me for leaving him with the senate as his incessant companions.”
Ulixes laughed and followed him from the viewing room. “I wish you luck with that.”
* * * *
Gazing into eyes the color of his own, Lucien relished the warmth that passed through his chest. His son had turned out to be a fine, worthy male. These last five years had seen a significant transformation of Drusus’s ability to lead. From the moment he and Severus had stepped into the vortex as willful, naïve young men to begin the groundwork for mate location, to now, not once had he failed to prove that he could one day rule the Insedi with the right temperament and foresight. There could be no prouder father at this moment.
“Son, it is good to see you. I was just telling Ulixes that I might need to pass on an apology for leaving you so long with the senate. How is everything? Have they taken advantage of my absence?” Drusus’s laugh was hearty and it pleased him.
“Surprisingly, they’ve been in an upbeat mood. Your task for securing funds on the tunnel build and construction project has kept them too busy to bother with trivial nonsense. For this I send my sincerest thanks. I’ve been able to spend quality time with my Avelina. She sends her regards.”
“This is very good, Drusus. I am glad that you have not been overly burdened. Send her mine as well. Any other news?”
“Yes. I’d like to transfer over Cato’s proposal for training. Are you prepared to receive incoming data streams?”
Lucien pressed his thumb against the left side of the flat screen. “Yes. Proceed.” He confirmed delivery and relaxed back in his chair.
“I will read this over after I leave you. There is not much to do until our arrival on Messor. I tire of Ulixes beating me at chess, and there is just so much exercise I can do without injuring myself. What I had once believed to be a spacious room is starting to look smaller each day. I had forgotten how tedious this trip can be. I should have taken the battleship as Imbrus suggested. I would have been there already, but it does not look proper bringing a warship to a peaceful exchange.”
Drusus laughed and moved closer to the screen. “Well then, let me leave you with one more diversion to occupy your time. Kallon has discovered something wondrous. Cato’s mate, Luna, is Insedi.”
Lucien leaned forward in surprise. “How is this possible?”
Drusus told him of what was discovered and that she was being brought home for lineage testing.
“I must say, Father, the possibility that offspring of The Unfortunate One Hundred could be roaming the Earth has me intrigued. Kallon is hoping this is not simply a matter of a rogue Insedi mating and failing to return home. If she is proven to be progeny of the lost, I’d like to gather a committee to determine how to find any others. The only clue will be the faint mark. It requires some thought.”
Speechless, Lucien listened with growing interest while his son provided a few scenarios for location. His mind swam from the possibilities.
“Drusus, if anything, we need to know how she survived without her descendants living on the home world. Even if she is from a rogue, how is this even possible?”
Shrugging, Drusus’s eyebrows rose. “It’s beyond my comprehension and I’m very glad that Kallon will be testing her. I’m sure he’ll come up with a plausible explanation. I’ll let you know as soon as I hear something.”
“Yes. Even if conjecture, please inform me.”
“Certainly. I’ll leave you for now, Father. I’m off to review the diagrams of the proposed mall that Avelina and Cassie have been fussing over for the last several days. Word is getting out to the other mates and has caused great excitement.”
Lucien snorted. “What an odd name. It sounds like a place to be torn asunder.”
Drusus nodded and laughed. “Yes. I thought the same until Avelina corrected me on the spelling. The females will probably stampede the place and maul each other over the hard-to-get Earth items. I look forward to witnessing the grand opening, even though it’s months away.”
“As long as it keeps the mates happy and our warriors homebound, then I have no complaints. Give Avelina my love and tell Cassie to keep her purple menace out of trouble.”
“I will, Father. Let the command center know when you’re close to docking in Messor. I worry for you.”
Lucien’s heart warmed. “I shall. I love you, my son.”
“And I you.”
The image feed darkened and Lucien smiled from deep happiness at the increased contact with his only child. He was mated now and he had never seen him so content. Despite the pall over the last senate hearings regarding the slow progress of mate pairing, Lucien knew it would get better with time. Just within the last several weeks, Severus and Cato had found theirs. Perhaps this was a sign of prolific times just around the corner. He could only hope.
Lucien transferred the training proposal to his handheld and glanced at a few of the entries. A section on “Informal Speak” caught his eye. He remembered Cato mentioning this social paradigm as something extremely important for the males to blend in with Earth society. He had noticed that Drusus and Severus were sounding more like Cato every day. Shrugging, he opened the section and began perusing the subject of contractions and their use in informal situations.
“My, how diverse the human race has become,” he mused. “Positive contractions, negative contractions, and other contractions. Why would eliminating letters be so important?”
Shrugging, Lucien began sounding out the samples Cato provided. He was surprised how easily some of them rolled off his tongue. Perhaps there was something to this shift in language after all. He selected another section regarding “slang” and was laughing heartily at the various names for a penis when the room plunged into darkness.
* * * *
Lucien navigated the long corridor outside his quarters by touch until the reserve lighting finally engaged. He felt no surprise to see his legati, Eryx, standing two steps away with his laser pistol drawn in one hand and the other sliding along the wall. Even within the dimly lit passageway, he could see that his protector’s dark brows were drawn together in concern and his jaw muscles clenched with tension. Familiar golden eyes widened for a quick beat then narrowed again. Lucien chuckled.
“Relax, my friend. I do not believe the darkness had plans to attack me.”
Eryx snorted and slipped his pistol back into his
leg harness. “You let me worry about what is friend or foe, amici. You should have stayed in your quarters until I came for you. We have spoken of this many times, yet you still ignore me.”
Lucien smiled and clapped his childhood friend and personal guard firmly on the shoulder. “Yes, and you still believe that I will listen to you. I will not cower in a corner and await rescue. It is not in my nature.”
Shrugging, Eryx smiled and turned back the way he had come. “True, but I can still hope for a miracle.”
The main power reengaged and they both looked up. Lucien halted and raised his hand when five concerned Insedi warriors rounded the corner at a dead run.
“I am fine. You can stand down. I am interested in going to the flight pod and the more that fill this hallway, the less chance I have of doing so.” He smiled and their collective faces relaxed.
As was protocol of the royal guard, three filed in line behind him, and two others took position in front of Eryx while they escorted him to the front of the ship.
Despite his outward protestations, Lucien knew he was fortunate to have this group with him on the mission. Sotarios, Altair, Geleon, Haemon, and Keos were the cream of the elite guard. Each was incredibly powerful and cunning. If one did not know better, one could easily mistake them as having the same father.
Each was taller than the average Insedi male, wore his hair in a thick braid falling to the middle of his wide back, and kept his body in peak condition. The only difference was in their eye color and personalities. They had been around him for years, but over the last several days, he had personally spent time with each while he searched for something to bide his time on the long trip.