Review - DARK DESIRES: KEPT by D. Cristiana

Dark Desires: Kept
by D. Cristiana
Publisher: DelSin Publishing
Release Date: January 13, 2012

Leah and Kiyoshi have been inseparable since they were children. As best friends they turned into lovers and eventually soul mates. Life was beautifully simple until Kiyoshi had to go back to Japan and become heir to the same aristocratic family that disowned his mother over 20 years before for marrying his American father.

Even though Kiyoshi brings Leah to Japan with him, the distance between them is growing ever wider. Confused, lonely, and abandoned, Leah runs away from her beloved, only to have Kiyoshi catch her and force her back into her pretty cage. Soon familiar arguments turn into blazing passion as they seek to find their way back home in one another’s arms. . .

WARNING: This 8,000 word short story is intended for open-minded adults. Crude language and explicit descriptions of sexual acts are contained within.

I’m not normally a fan of short stories but I loved this one. I had a sense that something wasn’t quite right the whole time I was reading Dark Desires: Kept and that pulled me through this strange love story. 

The glimpse into Leah and Kiyoshi’s childhood was revealing. Kiyoshi takes on a bossy dominant role very early in their friendship and Leah does everything possible to make him happy. Their plans of marriage are put on hold when Kiyoshi is summoned back to Japan to take over the family business. When there are no more heirs left to take over, the forgotten son is summoned home. He has always disliked his Japanese family but duty and honor leave him no choice. He takes Leah with him but she is immediately homesick. Kiyoshi keeps her in a separate apartment as if she was his concubine. She feels like his dirty secret and arguments ensue every time they are together. Kiyoshi assures Leah that soon they will be able to live together again but she has to be patient with him. But Leah runs away from him time and time again. 

When Kiyoshi is gone for long periods of time the tether holding her to him begins to fray and Leah begins to wander away. It’s as if Leah disconnects from their co dependant relationship and her mind starts to unravel. She rages at him and begs him to take her back to America. But of course he cannot leave. He is both domineering and loving as he tries to calm Leah and make her see reason. The domination seems to calm her and she is appeased for a short while. But eventually her flight response is re-awakened and Kiyoshi must make time to calm her with his love words. 

The sex scenes are exquisite and the couple’s relationship is extremely emotional. D. Cristiana does an excellent job of expressing their deep love for one another through her writing. I was in love with the ending because of the mystifying subtext that was pervasive throughout this love story. As always this author amazes me with her uncanny ability to weave beautiful love stories around unusual characters and unconventional situations. Dark Desires: Kept is one of my favorite short stories from the mind of D. Cristiana/Claudia D. Christian.