Master of Desire

by Kinley MacGregor

Overview

With the success of Kinley MacGregor's latest New York Times Expanded and USA Today bestseller A Dark Champion, we are in the perfect position to republish her backlist gem Master of Desire.

A Dream of Desire Awakened . . .

Beautiful Lady Emily dreams of the rapture of love and the joys of marriage. The youngest daughter of an English lord at war, she is shaken by the arrival of a mysterious stranger to her father's castle. Could this breathtaking man be Emily's yearned-for lover? Indeed, Draven de Montague, Earl of Ravenswood, has come for Emily . . . but romance has nothing to do with it.

In the Tender Embrace of an Enemy . . .

Draven would never have entered the home of his most hated adversary had not the King himself ordered him to take in his foe's daughter for a year to forge bonds of peace between their two feuding houses. Worse still, here is a lass whose exquisite loveliness could tempt Draven to betray his sworn vow never to let anther close to his heart. Emily knows the searing heat of her passion could burn down the defenses of this proud warrior. But will the surrender of the sweet nectar of his lips and his bold, sensuous caress ignite a blaze so hot it consumes them both?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780061747397
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	03/17/2009
Series:	MacAllister Series , #1
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	384
File size:	817 KB

About the Author

#1 New York Times and international bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon also writes as Kinley MacGregor. Since her first book debuted in 1993 while she was still in college, she has placed more than 80 novels on the New York Times list in all formats and genres, including manga and graphic novels, and has more than 70 million books in print worldwide. Her current series include: Dark-Hunters®, Chronicles of Nick®, Deadman’s Cross™, Black Hat Society™, Nevermore™, Silent Swans™, Lords of Avalon® and The League®. Over the years, her Lords of Avalon® novels have been adapted by Marvel, and her Dark-Hunters® and Chronicles of Nick® are New York Times bestselling manga and comics, and are #1 bestselling adult coloring books.

Read an Excerpt

Chapter One

"All a woman ever needs know about men is that they are creatures of their codpieces. Appeal to their chausses and you will have complete control of them, for when their male piece is in control, their brain is not."

Emily sat on her bed beside her sister Joanne, trying not to offend Alys by cracking a smile at her proclamation. She pressed her fist to her lips to hold back her mirth.

Then Emily made the unfortunate mistake of looking at Joanne, and the two of them burst out laughing.

Who wouldn't laugh? Especially given the image in her mind of the overexaggerated codpiece Joanne's betrothed wore.

Why, Niles paraded around like the god Priapus at a virgin festival.

Her maid, Alys, however, didn't look so pleased by their merriment. Clearing her throat, Emily pressed her lips together and did her best to sober.

Alys set her hands on her hips and grimaced at them. At barely five feet in height, the maid was hardly one to intimidate. Still, they had been the ones to ask after the matter. The least they could do was listen without laughing.

"I thought my ladies were serious about this?" Alys asked.

"Forgive us," Emily said, clearing her throat and folding her hands primly in her lap. "We shall behave."

Indeed, they had no choice for they were conspiring to gain Emily a husband, and since neither sister had any idea how to seduce a man to marriage, Alys had been the only woman at the castle they dare ask. Any other would have made straight for their father with the news.

But luckily, the earthy and often corruptible Alys could be counted on to remain loyal to the ladies she served

Alysflipped her black braid over her shoulder and shrugged. "Well, as Lady Joanne can attest, the seduction part be easy enough. Ms the keeping part that is difficult."

Joanne's face flushed deep red, highlighting her blue eyes. "I did naught but enter the room. Niles was the one who seduced me."

Alys raised her hand, palm upward, in triumph. "As I said, the seduction —"

"But what if he doesn't want to be seduced?" Emily asked, interrupting her.

Alys returned her hand to her hip. Though Alys was in fact two years younger than Emily, she had been around all sorts of men and was considered by all the young women in the shire an expert.

"Milady," Alys said, her face one of studied patience. "I had my flower plucked when I was scarce more than a girl, and I can assure you there's not a man born who isn't randy. The only reason you've never had to fight them off is because of His Lordship's sharp sword."

Emily couldn't argue that. Her father kept watch over his daughters as if they were his most prized falcons, and he dared any man to look.

And if one dared to touch ...

Well ...

She was quite surprised Niles had anything left beneath his codpiece.

Another thought struck her. "But what if I want him and he wants another?" Emily asked.

Alys sighed. "Lady Emily, you are always so full of what ifs, and ands, and buts. Let us say for argument that he might have interest elsewhere. AH you must do is keep yourself in his presence. Flash him a little smile, a little ankle, a —"

"An ankle!" Emily gasped. "I should be mortified."

"Better mortified than an old maid."

Perhaps there was some truth to that, and at this point in her life she was becoming quite desperate. Her father wouldn't listen to reason, and if she had any hope of finding herself a husband, then she'd best be on with it.

"A little ankle," Emily repeated, her face growing hot at the mere thought. "Anything else?"

"Always make him wait," Alys said. "Anticipation makes a man appreciate you all the more."

Emily nodded.

Joanne folded her arms over her chest. "Now, the next question is where do we find this man?"

Emily frowned in frustration. "Aye, that would seem to be the crux of the whole seduction thing, wouldn't it? How can I make a man marry me when there's no desirable man to be found?"

"Well," Alys said. "My mother always says you'll find your rose where and when you least expect it."

Later that day, Emily left the kitchens and headed back to the donjon. She'd no more than taken two steps when she found her way blocked by Theodore, the cousin of her sister's betrothed, and the man they had disaffectionately dubbed the "demon from the devil's most odoriferous pit."

They must have inadvertently summoned him with their words that morning, for Alys had no sooner finished her lecture than Niles and Theodore had shown up on their doorstep.

A great big bear of a man, Niles had rudely taken Joanne off on a picnic and left his cousin behind. From the moment her sister and Niles had vanished, Theodore had done nothing save make a nuisance of himself as he hung about her skirts while hying his best to get beneath them.

Emily's patience had long worn thin, and all she wanted was peace from her pestilence.

If Theodore be the rose Alys had referred to earlier, then Emily decided spinsterhood had great possibilties.

He rushed to her side and immediately readied for her hand, sending a wave of revulsion up her spine.

Why could he not leave her in peace?

The man might be considered passably handsome, if a woman were desperate enough. And Emily prayed she never became that desperate.

But he lacked basic hygiene. If it was true cleanliness was next to godliness, then this man had to be a heathen through and through, for his balding blond hair looked as if it seldom saw a comb and had never known soap.

Editorial Reviews

I love Kinley MacGregor's books! They brim with laughter and love. Master of Desire is her best yet!

Cathy Maxwell

Master of Desire was the perfect mix of passion and pageantry, tenderness and humor. Every page was a pleasure! The witty and talented Kinley MacGregor just shot to the top of my 'must read' list.

Teresa Medeiros

Warm, witty, and wonderful, Kinley MacGregor weaves a magical. . .tale.

Stephanie Laurens

Master Of Desire proves once again that humor and passion are the trademarks of any Kinley MacGregor book.

Christina Dodd

Convinces us of Ms. MacGregor's talented writing. This exciting tale is filled with humor, tenderness, and passion. Totally enjoyable.

Rendezvous

Engaging characters, a colorful backdrop...romantic love story...You'll smile, sigh and enjoy yourself immensely.

Romantic Times

King Henry II lectures Lord Draven de Montague and his neighbor Lord Hugh that the raiding between them is over as His Highness demands peace between them. To insure this occurs, Henry asks Draven's younger brother what does his sibling treasure most. Simeon responds that Draven values honor above everything else. Using the wisdom of Solomon, Henry makes Draven vow not to raid Hugh's lands and forces the latter to hand over one of his daughters to spend a year at Draven's home as a guest who is not to be harmed or shamed.Reluctantly, Draven welcomes the gentle Emily to his abode. Emily believes in chivalry, but finds her host is a brooding anti-hero. She sets three goals to achieve before her year is over. Draven will laugh and smile, and learn how to truly love. Neither one expected the heated passion of love to flow between them, but he must not bring shame on her. Master Of Desire is an amusing medieval romance that provides the audience with much enjoyment because of the battle of the sexes that replaces the feudal squabble between lords. The story line is fun because the lead characters and their supporting cast seem genuine in their disputes, and the picturesque setting filled with detail are interwoven into the plot. This enhances the Draven-Emily relationship. With novels like this compassionate tale and Master Of Seduction, Kinley MacGregor is quickly becoming a historical romance fan favorite.