I have a little secret about the inspiration
of the Bayou Magiste Chronicles. Okay, well, some people know how it came
about, and I do mention it occasionally, though it's pretty common knowledge that I am a HUGE fan of the Harry Potter books and movies. Still, it's not widely known that a few characters from the Harry Potter
series gave me the motivation to attempt a genre I had always enjoyed reading
and never attempted writing. Say what you will about fan fiction, I came across
quite a few very talented writers when I played in it, and some of them have
gone on to do the same thing I did – take the inspiration JK Rowling and her
books provided and create our own unique worlds and characters.
When Claimed by the Devil first started, it
was only supposed to be a diversion from the vampires I was writing at the
time. Just to see if I could make a story hot enough. I broke all the rules, I
just wrote, imagining each scene and trying to convey what was in my head onto
the damn screen that kept freezing up (still does - be glad you're not my
neighbor listening to me lose my mind all day long! lol).
Before I started my fic, my love scenes,
while sensual, didn't make pulses race. When I finally found my groove writing sex
and love scenes in a way I never had before, I found it really freeing. Along
the way, the characters I'd used for my experiment suddenly became completely
different from the canon. The next thing I knew, an entire plot sprang up in my
head, complete with a multitude of subplots, that stretched the
"diversionary dabble" into a 300K word year-long project that taught
me so much about what worked and what didn't, and how to bring what worked to
its fullest potential. BTW, there are parts of it in all four of the books,
though clearly more in some than others. No doubt I was definitely over-wordy,
which my critique partners will tell you has ALWAYS been my problem, and still
is (I like to talk, okay? I'm a Gemini, and I embrace it! ;p). There were also some things included in the
opus that will likely never again see the light of day – they are quite dark
and I am still somewhat surprised I shared them in that realm. My beta reader, who was usually unfazed about many things,
was quite disturbed by the content in at least two chapters.
Anyway, as I moved through the world I had
created, so much about its origins came to life in my head. I recorded every
bit of it (yep, on my famous spreadsheets), and found myself anxious to go back
to the roots of the Magiste – at least as far back as how they came to reside in
what is now the Gulf Coast of the US (I have notes that go even further back in time, almost to ancient times, but it'll be a while before I tackle that!). And that's when my need to incorporate
something real into my fantasy world took over. I've spoken of the Inquisitions
here before, and I will probably address it again – I have more books planned
for the founding of Terre Nouveau. It was easy enough to find just what I needed and
incorporate it into Claimed by the Zyndevine. There were a few coincidences
along the way, and a few shocking surprises I'd never imagined when I started,
which I happily took advantage of, and Henri and Chantal's story came to vivid
life, at least for me. I hope it does for you, the readers, as well.
And here's a little more about Claimed by
the Zyndevine, Book 4 in the Bayou Magiste Chronicles:
In 13th
century France, attacked by those carrying out the Papal Inquisition, Magiste Enchantress Chantal Belliveau is
thankful for rescue from certain torture and death. But she never expected it
to be at the hands of Henri Marchand, one of a powerful pureblooded line of
ancient Magiste, the Zyndevines.
Henri holds the key to her survival, but the danger he poses to her heart and
soul could turn out to be even more perilous.
Henri is part of Il Resistasse, a handful of powerful Magiste fighting the atrocities the
Catholic Church inflicts on their race. Saving Chantal becomes more than a
simple rescue - the innocent young woman with half-trained powers enchants him
more than he has ever been before. That she enjoys the dark side of pleasure he
inflicts on her makes him question his determination to never give another his
heart.
Chantal is
horrified when Henri invokes an ancient spell, the Possede Puissant. The incantation leaves her little more than his
possession. While she finds herself enjoying his dark and wicked sensual
delights, she determines to free herself. Still, the security she finds with
Henri encourages her to stay by his side, claiming spell or not.
Resentment toward
her from Henri's family convinces Chantal she must ultimately break free of
Henri's possession. But when the Inquisitioners attack, Henri convinces Chantal
to embark on a journey to a new land, a journey that may well mean the survival
of the entire Magiste race but the
loss of her freedom forever.
** Contains lots of explicit Magically
Kinky! sex of the paranormal kind, including magical sex toys, potions, bondage
and spanking, and more!
Near Toulouse, France
1255
Henri adjusted his cloak, striding quickly toward the
stables, thumb turning the ring on his left hand in a nervous motion. The stone, set in nearly pure gold mined from
the caves near Limoges, warmed. He took
a deep breath, teeth grinding in anger.
He had little time to reach his destination, and waited impatiently as
the groom finished saddling his horse.
If he made it in time, he'd need the animal to help with the task that
lay ahead.
Word had come that a family near Toulouse had been targeted
by the Inquisitioners. Each passing
second seemed somehow a waste, spurring his impatience, the message arriving
only minutes before. In his mad rush to
reach the stables, he'd avoided his parents, knowing they would disapprove of
his actions. While Edouard and Marie
Marchand preferred dealing with the minions of the Church using dark arts,
Henri feared such measures only served to increase the rabid urges of men who
held power and hungered for more. While
he appreciated the use of sinister magic to bring his enemies to their knees,
the brutality of the Inquisitioners far exceeded anything he'd witnessed from
the Magiste.
Today's victims were a minor noble family of Magiste.
They'd lived peacefully for centuries on their land, alongside their
neighbors. What had changed to turn the
evil eye of the Inquisition toward them?
The question lingered and he finally accepted the reins of his horse
from the stable boy. Thunder rumbled overhead. Henri mounted. Closing his eyes, he clenched his fist, the
ring near scalding.
"Portalus."
Beneath him, the horse pranced as the compression of the
traveling spell took effect, sending Henri and the animal through distance and
time. When the pressure eased, Henri
found himself in the middle of a lush forest, damp with a recent rain. To his right, shouts sounded, and he wheeled
the horse around. Beyond the tree line,
fire illuminated the night. Henri's heart
sank to see flames erupting from the windows of a large farmhouse. Even from this distance, he could hear the screams
of those trapped inside. Merde! Too late!
Smoke quickly wafted toward the forests, the acrid stench
burning his eyes. A flurry of movement
in the brush nearby drew his attention.
He dismounted and fastened the horse's reins to a tree. He held his hands above the animal's back.
"Cachevois."
His ring warmed and the horse vanished from view, concealed
by the spell. No Mortals would find his
mount. Henri stood motionless for a few
moments. While the shouts of the
Inquisitioners echoed around him. He ignored them, concentrating on the
immediate area.
The tingling awareness of someone else possessing magic
grew stronger to his right. He turned,
his ring warming further and leading him closer to the source of power. Another rustle of foliage, this time
accompanied by a choked sob. The flash
of movement almost eluded him, but he headed in the same direction. His ring grew hotter and hotter, nearly
scorching his skin. There, up
ahead.
A woman ran, her long fiery hair catching on low-lying branches. He picked up his own pace, desperate to reach
her before the Inquisitioners. He just
about came even with her when she stumbled and fell, more sobs and gasping
breaths reaching his ears, even over the din of chaos at the edge of the
forest.
Aware of two of the Inquisitioners closing in, Henri
hurried to the fallen woman as she struggled to rise. He held out a hand.
"Come with me!"
She froze, a shriek escaping before she scrambled away from
him. Damn, she thought he was one of
them.
"If you want to live, come with me now!"
