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Chapter 1: The Proposal

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“Explain to me again why you’re marrying him?” I said. “He’s a total creep and raging misogynist to boot.”  I stared at Lynn with set shoulders as I waited for her response. Lynn glared at me over the laptop. I met her gaze and refused to blink. Lynn was my best friend. We had known each other since kindergarten. We shared nearly everything in common, except our taste in boys. Rain pounded on the windows of the girl’s academic dormitory, and I could actually feel the wind shifting the building. Outside, lightning spiderwebbed across the sky, and then the thunder rattled the windows. I hadn’t had time to draw a breath between lightning and thunder.  Lynn shook her head. “I’m marrying him because that’s how it is. That’s who I marry. Period. No way around it.” I picked up my wine glass and paused. Was it my wine glass? It couldn’t be Lynn’s. She was holding hers. But we were the last two girls standing tonight. Lindsay was asleep on the couch. We had held Sophie’s hair out of th...
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Captive of the Crimson Countess, Chapter 8: The Barghest and the Hunter

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Blair stayed in her room and slept from the witching hour until dawn had broken into morning. She didn’t love the idea of working on less than a full night’s sleep. But the countess might not move around during the day. That meant Blair would not squander that time. She dressed herself in full hunter garb, armor and weapons ready. And then she headed to the dining hall.  Blair found the dining hall empty, save for Nadia. The Thulean princess sat at a table nibbling at some egg-toast and apple pancakes. She looked up and her gaze met Blair’s. Nadia looked away and down at her meal.  Blair grimaced at this. Was Nadia mad or something else? It didn’t matter. Blair had decided to befriend Nadia, if nothing else. And if possible, Blair would become more than friends with Nadia. Blair found herself blushing at her own thoughts. She put her expression in order, and then approached the table. “May I join you?” Blair asked.  Nadia’s head jolted up. For a moment she said nothing, s...
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Captive of the Crimson Countess, Chapter 7: My Little Bird

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The Countess Battoria reclined on an overstuffed chaise lounge. She held a wine glass of thick opaque red liquid in her hands. She sipped at the liquid as she stared out the window at the predawn blush spreading across the sky. A chill hung in the air, but the immortal countess did not notice. At his desk, Tristan scratched away with a quill pen. The man suppressed a shiver. Then he cursed under his breath at the shaky line of ink he had produced. The countess did not respond to his whispered profanity. Minutes passed in silence. The blush of dawn spread to a bloom of burnt orange, and a spark that set the mountain peaks ablaze. “I must get to bed soon.” The countess said.  “Am I to accompany you?” Tristan asked, not looking up from his writing. The countess shook her head. “No. I need you to keep working.” Tristan nodded and wiped a hand across the dark circles under his eyes. “What would you like me to do?” “Why did our little hunter attack the caravan, Tristan?”  Tristan lo...
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Captive of the Crimson Countess, Chapter 6: In Bed with the Viper

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Nadia watched Blair as the countess did her vanishing trick. Blair looked around, eyes wide. She hadn’t been able to follow the countess’ passage. That worried Nadia. She thought it worried Blair too from the woman's expression. Blair had fought immortals before. Nadia suspected Blair was unprepared for one as old as the countess.  Nadia wrestled with her feelings, trying to sort out her anger about Blair’s lack of trust. The mistrust made sense. Why would Blair trust Nadia? But why did it matter? Why did Nadia want Blair to trust her in the first place? And Nadia did want Blair to trust her.  “That wasn’t good,” Blair said into the silence.  Nadia nodded. “I did warn you. You can’t defeat her.” Blair dropped her head. “I know. This is not going to be pleasant.” Nadia’s eyes widened. “You still intend to try and fight?” “I’m dead either way. I’d rather die a hunter.” “But she’ll make you suffer so much,” Nadia said. “She’ll torment you. She’ll torture you. She’ll play wit...
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Captive of the Crimson Countess, Chapter 5: Not Jealous

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Nadia waited at the edge of the dining room, watching as the other women pawed at Blair. It didn’t matter, Nadia told herself. A relationship was impossible. She was not jealous, she chided herself. They’d only now met. It would be silly to be jealous.  She crossed her arms and looked away from the circle of women.  It took more than twenty minutes before Blair extracted herself from the circle. She approached Nadia looking bewildered. Nadia found herself surprised. She hadn’t thought that Blair would want to talk with Nadia after meeting the other girls. None of the other girls had a link to the countess like Nadia did. None of the other girls were from Northern Karshvar. And none of the other girls had immortal blood in their veins. But here was Blair, looking awkward and adorable and, Nadia noted, looking apologetic.  “That was a lot.” Blair said. “I thought you got new girls pretty often.” “We do.” Nadia said. “We don’t get big muscular monster hunter women very often...
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Captive of the Crimson Countess, Chapter 4: The Thulean Princess

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Blair found herself intrigued by Nadia. The Thulean princess was polite and charming, in addition to being beautiful. Blair imagined running her fingers through Nadia’s hair.  She imagined pulling the princess in for a kiss. But that was a bad idea, Blair knew. Nadia survived by allowing herself to serve as the countess’ favored pet. The other girls likely had good reason not to trust Nadia. And of course, Nadia was a Thulean. And not any Thulean, but a Thulean princess.  Then a thought struck Blair. “How did you end up here, a prisoner? And how did you end up the Countess’ favorite?” Blair asked during a lull in the small talk.  Nadia huffed, “My father sent me to Agartha to serve as a lady in waiting for her majesty Queen Elke. The goal was for me to secure Elke’s eldest son, Bernard, as my husband.” “Do you like men?” Blair asked. Nadia shook her head. “That doesn’t matter in Thule.” Blair grimaced, “You should live in Ys. You can play with all the girls.” Nadia smiled...
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Captive of the Crimson Countess, Chapter 3: The New Girl

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The new girl intrigued Nadia. Her skin was dark and her hair black with tight curls, so unlike the people of Thule. Perhaps, Nadia thought, she was exoticizing the hunter. But Nadia couldn’t keep her eyes off Blair. Nadia found herself staring at Blair’s armor. Metal plates stitched onto a heavy leather jacket. Blair looked dangerous.  The new girl had said she planned to attempt to flee and even fight the countess. Nadia eyed the pistols and saber that Blair wore. Nadia didn’t think Blair would succeed. But a part of Nadia hoped she would. A small part of Nadia prayed to the gods that Blair would survive. And, she prayed, Blair would save Nadia as well. That thought made her shiver. A brave knight saving a princess, like the stories. Nadia liked the idea of that.  She couldn’t see Blair’s physique with the armor in place. But the other woman was taller and broader than Nadia, at least five foot ten. Nadia allowed herself to imagine Blair sweeping Nadia into her arms. Then she...
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