Cherise Sinclair - My Liege of Dark Haven

Id like to thank all of you who have put yourselves in my hands, hoping to be taken to a different world for the next few hours. Im honored by your trust, and Ill try not to let you down.

To those of you who demanded a book for Master Xavier (you know who you are), thank you! I hope I did him justice.

My Dark Haven characters and I thank my wonderful editor, G.G. Royale, who noticed Id dressed them in chain-link rather than chain mail. Theyre quite relieved not to be wearing fencing material.

A big thank-you to Belinda McBride and Sierra Cartwright, who started the Dark Haven odyssey with me and generously said that I owned Master Xavier. (I explained that to himit didnt go over well.)

Welcome to Leagh Christensen, my new personal assistant, who jumped right in and started overhauling my life. Youre amazing!

To Bianca Sommerland, Fiona Archer, and Kathy Holtsclaw, who beta-read this book and made it far better than it would have been without them.

For those of you on my new street teammany, many hugs. Your LOL brattiness lightens my day, and your enthusiasm for new books forces me back to the desk. (Pain and pleasure, right?)

A shout-out to the San Francisco Citadel, especially Phil, August, and crew. Despite all the hardships, youve kept alive the dream of a home for lifestylers.

To my two fledglings who are ready to leave the nestmay your wings be strong and your flights long and glorious.

And, as always, my love and appreciation to my Dearheart. You truly do keep me sane.

Bless you all.

~Cherise

To my readers,

This book is fiction, not reality, and as in most romantic fiction, the romance is compressed into a very, very short time period.

You, my darlings, live in the real world, and I want you to take a little more time than the heroines you read about. Good Doms dont grow on trees, and there are some strange people out there. So while youre looking for that special Dom, please, be careful.

When you find him, realize he cant read your mind. Yes, frightening as it might be, youre going to have to open up and talk to him. And you listen to him in return. Share your hopes and fears, what you want from him, what scares you spitless. Okay, he may try to push your boundaries a littlehes a Dom, after allbut you have your safe word. You will have a safe word, am I clear? Use protection. Have a backup person. Communicate.

Remember: safe, sane, and consensual.

Know that Im hoping you find that special, loving person who will understand your needs and hold you close. Let me know how youre doing. I worry, you know.

Meantime, come and hang out with the Doms of Dark Haven.

~Cherise

The thick fog swathed the streetlight, preventing the dim yellow glow from reaching the ground. On the dark San Francisco street, Professor Abigail Bern watched the red taillights of the taxi disappear into the mist. With the enthusiasm of a convict facing a firing squad, she turned toward the infamous Dark Haven BDSM club.

In contrast to the flashing display of the nightclub down the street, this place didnt exactly set out the welcome mat. To the right of the heavy black door, only a small, discreet sign proclaimed DARK HAVEN. She understood the lack of advertising. The BDSM community was in the same position as the gay population in the past. People werent out.

They certainly wouldnt like being studied.

She didnt plan to tell them. Covert participant observation, it was called, in which the subject never knew a sociologist was present. And it makes me uncomfortable. But she wouldnt gather anything that could identify a member. And really, her research on the culture might even help the communityit certainly couldnt do any harm.

She didnt have a choice. Publish or perish was no longer a cute phrasenot with the proposed cutbacks at her university.

It had been a ghastly week. She might lose her job, and shed definitely lost Nathan. Although she would drive him to the airport tomorrow, he was already gone from her life. Her breathing hitched at the emptiness in her chest.

She hadnt been meeting his needs, hed said. His need to tie her up, call her names, order her around. His need to have his precious BDSM in the bedroom. Hopefully, during her fieldwork, shed grow to understand the appeal of such things. Maybe shed even be able to indulge him by the time he returned in August. They could try again.

I dont want to lose him. Her attempt to take a deep, calming breath failed, and she realized shed laced her corset far too tightly. Shaking her head, she looked down at herself, and her spirits lifted. I look hot. After researching BDSM styles, shed bought a calf-length skirt, a fancy corset, and tall vinyl boots. All in black. The corset pushed up her ample breasts and yanked in her thick waist; the skirt hid her wide hips, creating a Barbie figurewell, if Barbie were a size sixteen and a Domme. The dont-mess-with-me effect was amazing.

Nathan called her a submissiveor maybe he simply hoped she wasbut she wasnt convinced. Given the choice, shed dress as a Dominant. Besides, going into a BDSM club looking like aa victim would be stupid. I might not be gorgeous, but smart? Oh yeah.

She headed for the building, anxiety mingling with determination andokay, maybe a little excitement as well. Here goes. She pulled the door open and

A woman barged out, knocking Abby backward.

Clarissa. A familiar-looking, gorgeous man followed her. Are you certain you want to walk out like this?

Im sure. Clarissa glared as she yanked on a coat over her skimpy bustier and thong. Very, very sure, Simon.

Abby took a step back, her stomach unsettled at the womans raised voice and open anger. Dont yell. Dont scream. Please, please, please.

I thought being the receptionist meant Id get some Xavier time, but nooo. Clarissa jerked her coat closed. Instead he offered to find me someone to play with. Yeah, what the fuck good is that?

As the woman edged back from uncontrollable rage, Abby relaxed enough to take mental notes. Xavier time? Was that a technique or a machine or what?

And shed better go in before she got caught watching. She detoured around the man, entered the club, and faced a bulletin board with a huge calendar in the center. Various events were penciled into the squares with yarn running out to surrounding flyers. A tea for Dommes. A Master/slave event. A furry barbecuewhich sounded just wrong. What did a party for littles involve? The busy calendar reminded her of the equally big one her mother had used to track Abbys debate-team nights, Graces soccer games, and Janaes beauty-queen contests.

Hi.

Abby turned at the greeting.

Like an ad for cuteness, a slender young man in bright-red running shorts and a matching red collar stood behind an L-shaped reception desk. He patted a device that resembled a credit card reader. Maam. Swipe your membership card right here, please.

I dont have a card. Membership? Wasnt the club a walk-in sort of place?

Thats okay. Show me your drivers license, and Ill find your number in the computer. He gave the monitor a dubious frown. I think I can look it up.

I mean, Im not a member.

Oh. He dropped into the wheeled chair, making it squeak in protest. Thats bad. See, you cant get in if youre not a member. Not anymore. You have to have a recommendation or take the classes. Theres a bunch of hurdles to jump since Dark Haven turned all private and ex-ca-loosive.

Faint music and the hum of conversation came through the inner door as Abby stared at him in dismay. Exclusive? But