Valerian smiled, slow and wicked. “I can hear you getting interested, don’t try to pretend. So? My uncle’s going to come back, that’s what’s so, and when he does, you’re going to want allies. Seeing as how I’m stuck in this cage, I thought I’d do you the favor of telling you about the others. But.” He shrugged and feigned boredom. “I guess I’ll just keep the escaped redheaded girl to myself.”
“What girl?”
“Ooh,” Valerian said, eyes springing wide again, “and did you know that Dr. Talbot has a daughter? And that she’s sick?” His grin was awful. “That’s a useful tidbit, to be sure.”
“Val…” Fulk sighed.
The vampire grew serious. “I’m telling the truth, you know. About Uncle Rom. Now that Vlad’s awake…” He shuddered. “You woke him up, curse you.”
“I didn’t have a choice.”
He smiled again. “A romantic lie. You chose your wife, and your own hide, just like I chose mine, a long time ago. There’s no shame to it, but things have consequences.” He jangled the cuff on his wrist to demonstrate. “This doctor is dangerous.”
“He’s an idiot.”
“That’s what makes him dangerous.” He sighed, looking old and tired suddenly. But there was a certain spark in his eyes, a grim satisfaction. “Just you wait, Baron Strange. You’ll want my help, and you’ll want it soon. You’ll unlock that door, and you’ll unchain me.” He smiled again. “You’re going to turn the devil loose, and trust me, when you do, you’re going to want to be on my good side.”
And the worst part was…Fulk knew he was right.
THE END
~*~
The Sons of Rome Series will continue in Book II:
Red Rooster
Coming Soon
AFTERWORD
This novel, indeed this whole series, has been a long time in the making. It combines some of my favorite elements, among them real life history…and real life geekery.
In this particular installment of the Sons of Rome series, several real historical figures are introduced, or referenced. They include:
Monsieur Philippe – an advisor to the Russian royal family and practitioner of magic who gifted the tsarina with a magic bell, said to alert her to the presence of “dark forces.” He also predicted that the royal couple would meet a new “Friend,” which proved to be Rasputin.
Grigory Rasputin – devoted advisor to the Romanovs, traveling holy man, or starets, in Russian, and intriguing figure of the time.
Tsarevich Alexei – hemophiliac son of Tsar Nicholas, killed along with the entire royal family.
Commander Beria – known pedophile and Chekist commander under Stalin’s rule.
Vlad Tepes – the Impaler, referenced by Fulk le Strange in the epilogue.
Fulk le Strange – First Baron Strange of Blackmere.
It’s safe to say that I’ve taken great creative license with these figures, and the depictions within the book are all fictional.
~*~
During the writing of this novel, I conducted over a year’s worth of research. The books most notable to my efforts are:
The Enemy at the Gates by William Craig
Rasputin by Douglas Smith
The Romanovs by Simon Sebag Montefiore
The First Socialist Society by Geoffrey Hosking
Travels in Siberia by Ian Frazier
Lauren Gilley is the author of twenty novels and several short stories. She lives in the South.
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Email: authorlaurengilley@gmail.com
Books by Lauren Gilley
Sons of Rome Series
“The Stalker”
White Wolf
Dartmoor Series
Fearless
Price of Angels
Half My Blood
The Skeleton King
Secondhand Smoke
Loverboy
American Hellhound
Lean Dogs Legacy Series (Dartmoor spinoff)
Snow In Texas
Tastes Like Candy
Russell Series
Made for Breaking
God Love Her
“Things That Go Bang In The Night”
Keeping Bad Company
“Green Like the Water”
Walker Series
Keep You
Dream of You
Better Than You
Fix You
Rosewood
Standalones
Whatever Remains
Walking Wounded
“Love Is…” – Walking Wounded short