5 STARS: "At this point, I’ve just given up deciding on which book in this series is my favorite. Ms. Prater has once again surpassed my expectations. I immediately fell in love with both Tana and Lucien. In previous stories, Lucien made limited appearances and always seemed to loom in the background as this strong, untouchable figure that had a name, but not an overabundance of character, which made sense as it wasn’t quite his time. Here, he’s the star and boy, what a powerful one he is. While he’s certainly older than the main characters of previous installments—he’s the father of one, in fact—I finally got to see the youth in him. Suddenly, I removed him from the category of being “older” and placed him in the arena of the other Insedi males whose very presence commanded my attention because on their physiques, their emotions, and their alpha temperaments, and not simply because of their political status. Quite simply put, I fell in love. Again. I believe that if Ms. Prater were to come to me and offer me any one of her Insedi men, I’d have a near impossible time choosing. But it’s not just their gorgeous bodies that have me swooning, I think it’s the deep-rooted need and determination to protect their women. Call me a bit old-fashioned, but I yearn for a guy to make me feel like the most precious gem on the planet. Having him crave my body with insatiable desire doesn’t sound too bad either. Put them together and you just don’t get any more perfect than that. I’m afraid Ms. Prater has ruined me for the common man. While I don’t expect I’d find someone who can mist or live for hundreds of years—never say never—surely there’s a few guys out there who might come close to the perfectness of the Insedi male. Book one caught my attention, book two had me hooked and asking for more, book three caused my addiction, and book four fed my habit. Now I’m left sitting here hoping for more, like a junkie strung out on alien men. Once again, Ms. Prater, I believe you have a few stories left to write. Leaving any of these mouth-drooling guys without a mate just seems downright wrong. And if you’re in need of a willing female, I’m your gal. Sadly, I’ve reached the end of a story about one of Ms. Celeste Prater’s wonderful Insedi men. I could probably come up with a fancy way to say how great it is and why everyone who loves a little science fiction with their warrior should read it, but when it comes down to it, quite simply put, I loved it. No ifs, ands, or buts. Ms. Prater has weaved a magical world with memorable characters and meaningful dilemmas and I’d like to thank her for being so spectacularly creative. Her stories have touched my heart from many different angles and I’m so grateful I’ve gotten to read them." -- Verbena, Long and Short Reviews
5 STARS: "I am absolutely loving the Fueled by Lust series by Celeste Prater. Before Lucien, I thought that Cato was my favourite. Everyone's best bad boy made me go all gooey inside. But along came the Emperor and changed all that. Lucien has been an interesting character in the three previous books - a warm, caring father obviously still grieving for his lost wife. Well, with this being his book, we get more chance to see what makes him tick. He is simply wonderful. He has a sense of humour that had me chuckling as I read his witty comments. He cares about his guards and basically all the people of his land. Does this make his a sap? Not at all. Does this make him perfect? A big fat no! I have been chuntering "dumbass" to my kindle more times reading Lucien than I have with the three previous books. He thinks he is doing the right thing but I just want to kick him. Luckily, he has some good friends, including unexpected ones, to sort him out and then it's down to him to try and sort things out with Tana (which I won't go into detail with as you REALLY need to read this series for yourself!). So many things to mention in this book but I will limit myself to a very short comment. Ulixes and Kallon!!!! Oh my!!!! I'm thinking my house must be a tad dusty at the moment because my eyes have leaked on more than one occasion during the reading of this. I wasn't crying though, honest. It was dusty, yep, dust got in my eyes. Lucien is sinfully sweet with smokin' hot scenes. Definitely the best Sci-Fi series I've read in a long time! And to answer the question at the end of the Synopsis - I definitely want one of these males!!! Love them." -- Merissa Sheppard, Archaeolibrarian
4.5 STARS: "The 4th in the Celeste Prater’s Fueled by Lust series is Lucien’s story. If you’ve not read any in the series, then you’re missing out because this is a fun sci-fi, PNR, otherworldly – whatever you wanna call it good time. This could probably be read as a stand-alone, but there are so many overlapping characters from one story to the next that I think each should be read as part of the whole. If you’ve read any of my reviews from the previous stories you’ll know that I like what Prater is doing so far. This review will have some spoilers from the previous books. Lucien Rion Tarquinius, Sovereign Elite and Emperor of the Insedivertus Empire, has been a part of all the stories. He’s the father of Drusus whose mate is Avelina ‘Lina’ from Fueled by Lust: Druses, the first in the series. This father and son are very close and they look a lot alike. So expect the alpha male, pumped up look of a male dancer and the good looks. His character is also a lot like his son. He’s honorable and always puts his people’s welfare ahead of his own. He’s a good father and a good leader and ruler. So what’s not to like? Nothing I’ll tell you. I appreciate a story where the hero is a good guy without drama. He’s got a bit of baggage, but who doesn’t? This story picks up directly after Cato’s story where we find Lucien on his way to Messor to find Basilius‘s (the crazy nutter who killed all of the Insedi women for some stupid, insane, nonsensical reason – you know typical bad guy stuff) brother. The plan is to bring the sane (and good-looking I might add) brother, Bellator, back to hopefully create some kind of order for their people. While on their way, Lucien’s ship is abducted by slavers. Being held prisoner is bad enough for Lucien and his warriors, turns out that their misting powers have been also disabled and it’s almost like their every weakness is known to their enemy. Thank goodness for old-fashioned ingenuity by the name of Tana Jameson. While on assignment in the Atlantic, Tana’s ship is taken. She’s taken from Earth and transported to the same slavers ship that abducted Lucien and is eventually taken to the planet where all of the slaves are being held. Tana is FBI; she’s smart, fearless and deadly with her skills. If you’re familiar with the Insedi, you’ll know that the guys tend to recognize their mates right away. That doesn’t mean that they’re idiots about it and Lucien was no different than his fellow warriors. He recognized his attraction to Tana but with his history of a fallen mate he’s hesitant to pursue Tana. Once I got to know and understand why he was hesitant, I completely understood and I was rooting for him to get his girl and find his HEA. Up ‘til now I was Team Cassie (Fueled by Lust: Severus) but then I was introduced to Tana. I jumped ship to Team Tana because she is one bad mama jama – totally kick butt awesome without being obnoxious. There were certain things I thought she accepted too easily but I didn’t see her reactions when she was initially abducted to know how much she actually did (or didn’t) freak out. Together Lucien and Tana worked very well as a team during their abduction and Tana proved she to be worthy of Lucien’s affection and vice versa. There’s a new group of Insedi for us to get to know – Sotarios, Altair, Geleon, Haemon, Baruch, Makar, and Keos. The guys from the other books make their appearances and that continues to be enjoyable for me. I’m not sure whose story is next but I’m sure I’ll be reading as I’ve enjoyed Praters stories so far." -- Shelly, Red Hot Books
4 STARS: "Lucien is the fourth book in the series, and he's the father of Drusus, hero from the first book. Holy crap! Lucien has been mentioned sporadically in the series so you know his back story and that he and his son look A LOT alike. And since once mated the men stop aging there is not much disparity in their, shall we say, physical appearance. The man is ripped. He is now widowed, like his whole planet, and supports the men finding brides from Earth but doesn't see himself as being part of that. Until he meets Tana. Tana is an FBI agent in the wrong place at the wrong time. As in abducted by aliens and enslaved on another planet. When Lucien and his cadre show up, the chemistry is instant and undeniable, though they both try. Lucien flirts and enjoys Tana not knowing of his noble occupation as Emperor. And Tana is just liking the hot man being totally into her, even though she thinks he doesn't have much choice since she's the only human female around (or so she tells herself). I enjoyed the perspective that the author shared of Lucien's dilemma of wanting to be open with Tana, but wanting to be wanted for himself and not his position. Lucien was a gem and a keeper, although Tana had problems when she found out what he was. And Lucien had himself convinced they couldn't be together based on his assumption of what Tana wanted out of life. The sex was steamy, the story engrossing, and the wooing at the end very romantic. I'm really enjoying this series and look forward to more." -- Chris, Night Owl Reviews
More From Fueled by Lust
STORY EXCERPT
Lucien navigated the long corridor outside his quarters by touch until the reserve lighting finally engaged. He felt no surprise to see his legati, Eryx, standing two steps away with his laser pistol drawn in one hand and the other sliding along the wall. Even within the dimly lit passageway, he could see that his protector’s dark brows were drawn together in concern and his jaw muscles clenched with tension. Familiar golden eyes widened for a quick beat then narrowed again. Lucien chuckled.
“Relax, my friend. I do not believe the darkness had plans to attack me.”
Eryx snorted and slipped his pistol back into his leg harness. “You let me worry about what is friend or foe, amici. You should have stayed in your quarters until I came for you. We have spoken of this many times, yet you still ignore me.”
Lucien smiled and clapped his childhood friend and personal guard firmly on the shoulder. “Yes, and you still believe that I will listen to you. I will not cower in a corner and await rescue. It is not in my nature.”
Shrugging, Eryx smiled and turned back the way he had come. “True, but I can still hope for a miracle.”
The main power reengaged and they both looked up. Lucien halted and raised his hand when five concerned Insedi warriors rounded the corner at a dead run.
“I am fine. You can stand down. I am interested in going to the flight pod and the more that fill this hallway, the less chance I have of doing so.” He smiled and their collective faces relaxed.
As was protocol of the royal guard, three filed in line behind him, and two others took position in front of Eryx while they escorted him to the front of the ship.
Despite his outward protestations, Lucien knew he was fortunate to have this group with him on the mission. Sotarios, Altair, Geleon, Haemon, and Keos were the cream of the elite guard. Each was incredibly powerful and cunning. If one did not know better, one could easily mistake them as having the same father.
Each was taller than the average Insedi male, wore his hair in a thick braid falling to the middle of his wide back, and kept his body in peak condition. The only difference was in their eye color and personalities. They had been around him for years, but over the last several days, he had personally spent time with each while he searched for something to bide his time on the long trip.
Sotarios was the jokester of the bunch and eerily similar to Maxim in build and character. His dark blue eyes continuously twinkled while he thought of some way to irritate or prank one of his brethren. They had all threatened to kill him at one point during the trip, but he could tell they only pretended irritation and enjoyed his antics.
Altair was Sotarios’s favorite target. He carried a continuous scowl that appeared even more sinister by the neatly trimmed facial hair he allowed to grow on his upper lip and chin. His jet-black eyes gave away nothing of his emotions while Sotarios worked diligently to make him laugh. The best he could accomplish was a slight twitch of Altair’s upper lip.
Haemon was slightly taller than them all and considered a gentle giant. Despite the ever-present peacefulness shining within his turquoise eyes, he was wickedly deadly with a sword and showed no mercy to those that would dare to harm his companions.
His cousin, Geleon, had the same temperament, yet he was quieter and more contemplative than Haemon. If asked a question, he would stare through your skull with his soulful green eyes and only answer after putting great thought to his choice of words. One would be wise not to misinterpret his quietness for docility. Lucien had seen his training sessions with Altair, and he was lethal with a set of matched short blades.
It was Keos that kept the group engaged at all times. The alpha male was a veritable powerhouse of frenetic energy. Lucien could even now feel his essence vibrating through the corridor and tingling against his back. His intense aquamarine eyes constantly assessed everything around him. He missed nothing. Lucien was more than happy to have this ball of energy shielding his flank.
Eryx and the guards lined the curved wall of the flight pod while Lucien stepped toward the pilots. He raised his palm when they swiveled around in their seats and attempted to stand.
“No. Please stay. Just let me know the status and what happened.”
Baruch’s golden eyes widened and he glanced over to Makar, the ship’s pilot. These two were life mates, and after losing their shared female, one was never seen without the other. Makar cast Baruch a comforting glance then turned his calm, gray eyes back to the group standing anxiously before him. His voice rang confident and professional.
“There was a sudden strain on the engine core and we briefly lost control of navigation. Noncritical lighting was shut down by the computer to compensate. Analysis shows all equipment performing to expected levels once reserve power returned control. Internal diagnostics shows no equipment damage or failure. Our scanners have not identified any abnormalities outside of the ship. It is unexplainable.”
ADULT EXCERPT
Squeaky clean, Tana pushed languidly out into the open water. Flipping over to her back, she paddled lazily around the pool and dreamed of the day she’d get off this godforsaken planet and away from that extremely confusing Insedi.
Long minutes drifted by and her anger began to dissipate. Why was she mad? It wasn’t his fault. They weren’t compatible and that was the bottom line. Hell, he was over three hundred years old. He needed a mate that could extend his life. Even if he had been interested, she didn’t want to think she’d caused his early death for being selfish. She felt sad at the thought of him with another woman. Whoever it was going to be, she immediately hated her.
Tana almost drowned herself when a deep, growly shout echoed around the enclosure and sent her skittering underwater. When she bobbed back up for air, she wiped her face and stared at an extremely pissed Lucien glaring at her from the edge of the water. His chest was heaving as if he’d been running at a fast clip and his fists were clenched at his side. A shiver went up her spine at the words slipping slowly out of clenched white teeth.
“You defied me. I told you not to leave.”
Whatever empathy she’d been having for his plight left in an instant. She was amazed at how fast he was able to shoot her blood pressure into the atmosphere.
“You’re not my boss. In fact, if I’m not mistaken, you assured me not too long ago that you’re not my boyfriend, my husband, my lover, or my friend. You’re just a big lug who thinks he can command everyone to do what he wants. Oh, and I’m certainly not one of your warriors. I answer to no one.” She swallowed hard when he didn’t budge, but she did see his eyes darken to a deeper green before narrowing into thin slits. That didn’t bode well.
“Get out of the water and come to me.”
Tana raised her brows. “You don’t listen too well, do you? I’m not going anywhere just because you said to do it.” She lifted her hand out of the water and flipped him off. She frowned when he sat on the ground and started pulling his boots off.
“What are you doing?”
“What does it look like I’m doing?”
“You better not get in this water. This is my place. I call dibs since I found it. Now leave.”
He didn’t say a word and continued to peel his socks off and tossed them to the side. When he stood back up and removed his sword and leather scabbard, she started back-paddling in the water.
“Stop, Lucien.”
“No.”
Her mouth unhinged when he peeled his black pants off and practically posed for the cover of Hunky Warrior Monthly in all his naked, beautiful glory. She swallowed a mouthful of water before she could control her arms again.
Tana’s mind flashed back to the Dar Kan shower and remembered how silky his skin had felt sliding across her palm. She’d gotten a cursory glance at his body before they’d been taken away, but nothing at this level. He’d released his hair, and the slow breeze caught the tail and whipped it gently to the side. Son of a bitch. The whole package was just too much to take, but she couldn’t pull her eyes away.
His cock was at full mast and she could see it glistening at the top. She realized too late that his big hand was wrapped around the base, as if holding the massive beast up for her inspection. The bulbous tip almost reached his bellybutton. He was huge. She tore her eyes away and watched his thigh and calf muscles harden as he walked slowly into the water. The long muscles running along the outside edge of his abs and extending down to his groin bunched and stretched as he moved closer.
When he extended his arms out and knifed fully into the water, Tana swiveled around and starting swimming as fast as she could to the other side. She hadn’t made two full strokes before he caught her around the waist and pulled her backward to his chest.
She pried at his arm, but it was a solid band of steel and wasn’t budging. He easily pulled them back to the opposite shore.
“Lucien, why are you doing this? You made it perfectly clear that you didn’t want anything to do with me back there.” He grunted next to her ear.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about. You scared the hell out of me when you weren’t at the camp. Now, you’re going to pay.”
“Pay? What do you mean?”
“If you’re going to act like a child, then I’ll treat you like a child.”
Tana felt a nervous shiver run across her skin. “You’re the one acting like a child.”
“Nope, I’m acting like a fully grown male that’s about to spank your ass for misbehaving.”
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