QSFer Wendy Rathbone has a new MM alternate Earth slow burn romance out, book one in the Kingdom of Slaves series: The Slave Palace.
Conquered. Captured. Sold as a pleasure slave.
After being taken as a prisoner of war, Wulf fights his captors and is sold as a One-Night Thrall to be used and abused, then put to death. He is purchased by a high ranking master of the famous Slave Palace. Why Locke buys him, Wulf has no clue, but something about this master is intriguing. Instead of abuse, Wulf is plied with luxuries he has never known by a man who actually seems to respect him.
Jaded. Looking for a challenge.
Eminent Master Locke takes on a bet with his best friend that he can’t train and tame a dangerous One-Night Thrall in ten days. But something about this slave stirs him like no other before. All bets aside, Locke has the urge to keep Wulf, as well as save his life. But Wulf is fierce, unwilling, and his consent papers have been forged. If Wulf doesn’t soon submit to his role as a slave, he will be sent to death as a prisoner of war.
A sweet, slow-burn love story taking place on an alternate contemporary Earth where owning pleasure slaves is legal.
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Excerpt
“Who’d have guessed Parcival would come up with this as his final auction item?” Malik whispered. ”A One-Night Thrall.”
”Parcival’s outdone himself this time,” replied Locke. His eyes never left the creature in front of him. He was close enough that he could smell him, the sweat of anger and fear, the salt essence of a man who knew he was on the way to the gallows and wasn’t going to make it easy on the ones leading him there.
Malik chuckled. ”Still bored?”
”Not in the least.”
”Well, it’s entertainment, I’ll give Parcival that.”
Several people were already lined up to examine the specimen before Wulf even climbed the two steps to the stage.
Locke didnt realize his mouth was open until Malik gave him a friendly smack on the shoulder.
”Want to go up there and see him for yourself?”
Locke finally looked away. ”No.”
But he couldn’t understand himself in this moment. His heart hammered in his chest. His stomach filled with little shivers.
Locke had come far in his job. He had been doing this for fourteen years, two of them as an apprentice trainer. Now he was an Eminent Master. He’d learned to keep his emotions at bay. The hardest lesson was to enjoy his work but keep himself distant at the same time. Trainers who found that perfect middle ground produced exceptional slaves which went for high dollar amounts. Slaves responded to reward and affection, but keeping a slave from imprinting on a master was what it was all about. You couldn’t be too cold, but you couldn’t be too hot, either.
Right now, Locke was feeling the heat. He watched as potential buyers handled the merchandise, some simply feeling the tenseness of Wulf’s bulging muscles, others crudely examining his ass, testing the weight of his balls. Hands gripped the man’s cock, squeezing, which put Wulf into a tight rage. He pushed forward all of a sudden, scattering the buyers, and half-fell off the stage before his four handlers could even react.
At the front and center table, Locke was up from his chair in seconds, catching the weight of the man against his chest and shoulder, holding him upright.
Hot. So hot to the touch.
”There now,” Locke said. ”These tiles are hard on the knees.”
Wulf tossed his head forward, then back. His tangles of hair nearly hit Locke in the face. His bright eyes met Lockes for a second, then the gaze twisted away and the man yelled behind his gag.
”Got your balance?” Locke said calmly.
The blue eyes sought his again. The golden brows narrowed.
”All right, then,” said Locke, and he moved back and sat down in his chair which put his eyes level with the enemy warrior’s hips and impressive genitalia.
The handlers surrounded Wulf and forced him back behind the stage and the velvet curtain.
Malik leaned forward, handing Locke a newly filled glass of wine.
“Locke took it and drank a deep mouthful.”
”What was that about?” Malik asked.
Author Bio
I love to write.
The reason I write romance these days is because the overwhelming power of falling in love (which has been proven to heal even cancer) is a game-changer. It makes sad people instantly happy. It makes bleak reality look sun-warmed and friendly again.
I have written in all genres: scifi, fantasy, horror, paranormal, contemporary, erotica, romance. But I keep coming back to romance. Gay romance. Male/male romance. The idea of two men falling in love in a society that has winced at that sort of thing for far too long (when in ancient times and other cultures it is considered normal) is alluring. Many of my themes involve abduction, pleasure slavery, indentured servitude, and imprisonment. It’s like, with my writing, I’m constantly breaking out of some self-imposed cage and letting my wings unfurl until I can finally fly.
This is why I write. This is what makes me burn.
All my books are available on Amazon and in Kindle Unlimited. So if you have the urge, go take a look. See what’s on the shelf.