Bedded by the Headmaster

Susie & Arken's Duet #1

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Book 1 of Susie & Arken's Duet
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Pub Date Mar 31 2024 | Archive Date Oct 26 2024

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Description

◆The vampire headmaster craves it all:
Her blood.
Her body.
Her love.
She's powerless to resist his demands—except when it comes to her heart.◆

When night falls at Volmasque Academy, vampires visit the beds of wolf shifter students, craving more than just their blood to satisfy their dark desires.

Hiding in her dorm room and watching over the first years, wolf shifter Susie is stunned when Headmaster Arken arrives to knock on the door of a vulnerable student. Haunted by her own trauma, Susie faces a difficult choice: to protect another, can she bring herself to invite the monster into her room—and into her bed?

Haunted by his tragic past, Headmaster Arken seeks solace in drink to numb his pain, trudging through the daily grind at the academy. But when Susie catches his eye, she shatters his monotony and offers a glimmer of hope for the future. Inspired by her vision to transform the academy, Arken finds himself longing not only for her blood, but her companionship as well. But to win her heart, he must confront the toughest challenge of all: transforming himself.

As darkness looms over Volmasque Academy, Susie and Arken's forbidden bond exposes them to danger. Will Susie be the one to redeem the besotted headmaster, or will his love doom her to be a victim forever?

Indulge in this HOT, emotional Dark Fantasy Romance featuring a forbidden teacher / student love story that pushes the boundaries of morality and desire. Set in an 18+ castle academy where wolf shifters are subjugated by vampires, this addictive tale will keep you up all night with fiery tension, steamy spice scenes, dangerous secrets, court intrigue, and a battle for redemption.

This is Book 1 of Susie & Arken's Duet, which serves as the prequel to Collared by the Vampire Prince (but either series can be read first).

◆The vampire headmaster craves it all:
Her blood.
Her body.
Her love.
She's powerless to resist his demands—except when it comes to her heart.◆

When night falls at Volmasque Academy, vampires visit the...


A Note From the Publisher

CONTENT WARNING: Themes explored include Nonconsent, Dubcon, Consent, BDSM, Pet Play, Anal, Plugging, Vampire Feeding, Praise, Gore & Moderate Fantasy Violence, Explicit on-page SA (not by MMC) that spans multiple page with a chapter summary provided for those who wish to skip this.
This book is intended for 18+ New Adult audiences. All characters are adults.

CONTENT WARNING: Themes explored include Nonconsent, Dubcon, Consent, BDSM, Pet Play, Anal, Plugging, Vampire Feeding, Praise, Gore & Moderate Fantasy Violence, Explicit on-page SA (not by MMC) that...


Advance Praise

"Another well written escapist fantasy from Darcy Fayton!"


"WOW! I wasn't expecting all that had happened in this book! To start with this book had a hold over me! Between the character development and the plot of the story, I was engaged and did not want to put it down. I thought Darcy did a fantastic job with the details in the book and drawing your attention. I have read books similar to this and this one by far takes the cake!"



"If you enjoy twisted dark romances with gripping storylines, a FMC who isn't afraid to be both submissive and dominant, and confront monsters, and a MMC who is hopelessly besotted, eager to satisfy and intensely possessive, this is the story for you!"
"Just when I thought I liked Nathaniel the most from [Collared by the Vampire Prince], here comes the alluring headmaster of Volmasque Academy, Arken, to take the first place... I love how Arken’s character manages to combine in him the most gentle goodness and at the same time viciousness birthed from all that he went through."



"[Bedded by the Headmaster] is a steamy paranormal romance involving wolves and vampires. When Susie (a wolf) invites the headmaster at their school to feed from her to save another student, she has no idea what she is in for. This book is full of little plot twists and also illustrates the corruption of their world under the vampire king."

"The story revolves around Susie, a wolf shifter, and Arken, a vampire, navigating their complicated relationship at Volmasque Academy. It's a world where wolf shifters like Susie are at the mercy of vampires, and let me tell you, the power dynamics are intense! 
While there's some world-building sprinkled throughout, the main focus is on the romance and, let's just say, things get pretty heated. If you're into fast-paced dark romances, then this book is for you. I'm already itching to dive into the sequel!"



"This is a very spicy book, that focusses on the exploration of Susie’s goal of bringing more equality and choice to the lives of wolf-shifters and Arken’s exploration about himself and his inaction. If you liked [Collared by the Vampire Prince] I think you will like this duology as well. My personal opinion is to read this after [Collared by the Vampire Prince] , however [this] duology is considered a prequel, so the choice is yours."



"This isn’t a book I would typically pick up! But I was so glad I got the opportunity to read this eARC! Definitely a dark romance/fantasy. Liked that there was an option to skip over the very dark part!"

"Another well written escapist fantasy from Darcy Fayton!"


"WOW! I wasn't expecting all that had happened in this book! To start with this book had a hold over me! Between the character development...


Available Editions

ISBN 9098320978062
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Featured Reviews

*Bedded by the Headmaster* by Darcy Fayton is a tantalizing dark fantasy romance that dives deep into the complexities of forbidden love and power dynamics. The story is set in the eerie and alluring world of Volmasque Academy, where wolf shifter Susie finds herself navigating the treacherous waters of an age-gap relationship with the powerful vampire Headmaster Arken.

The dynamic between Susie and Arken is intense, with the narrative exploring themes of vulnerability, dominance, and transformation. Susie’s courage and ambition to improve the lives of her fellow students make her a compelling FMC, while Arken’s struggle with his dark past and growing feelings for Susie adds depth to his character. Their relationship is undeniably spicy, with tension and passion leaping off the pages.

The story does an excellent job of setting the stage for the Kira & Nathaniel Duet, giving readers a taste of the dark and seductive world that lies ahead. However, some readers might find the power imbalance between Susie and Arken unsettling, and the dark themes may not be for everyone. Despite this, the chemistry between the leads and the intriguing plot make it a captivating read for fans of the genre.

Overall, *Bedded by the Headmaster* is a bold and seductive tale that fans of dark fantasy romance will likely enjoy. Just be prepared for the intensity of its themes and the steamy encounters that follow.
#NetGalley #BeddedByTheHeadmaster

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I got this for review on netgally.

Before the rest of the review I want to highlight that I'm very grateful for a particular chapter coming with a warning before the book start and before it begun and the ability to skip it but get a good summary so I could follow along with the story just as well. Don't think I've seen this done before.

I found the story to be very gripping and easy understanding the world and getting invested in the characters. It's very dark at times and very intense way things works in the world and the academy. I'm very interested to continue with the series.

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I thought it was a great book. I loved the characters and I loved the story. Great character development.

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This was a captivating story retelling the forbidden romance of a vampire headmaster and a wolf student. The trigger warning before the chapter about the SA, and the summary at the end for those who are not comfortable reading about it was a nice touch. I also liked that we aren’t pretending SA is something a person can easily move on from and continue living their life like it didn’t happen. The author acknowledges the traumatic effects of the act on the person and doesn’t pretend that Susie is fully healed and whole again after having one conversation about what happened.

I enjoyed the character portrayals. Arken is protective. He isn’t jealous that someone else is touching Susie, he simply doesn’t like that the act is making her uncomfortable, so he wants to end it for her sake. Susie is strong. She stands up for others who can’t protect themselves even though she knows she will get hurt in the process, but she does it anyway so that the other person wouldn’t have to face it alone, despite having no one protecting her. However, I liked seeing her starting to put herself first as the story progresses. I also enjoyed how the story doesn’t t reveal the answers to readers’ questions right away, but makes the reader search for it in the book and exposes it later.

Arken is supposed to be directing this school for 10 years, but I asked myself multiple times while reading if he knew what was happening in his own school. He seems very surprised to learn about the dynamic between his students, what his teachers are doing in the classrooms, and the curriculum which he apparently designed himself. 10 years is a long time and it is a bit odd that he does not know about these things already. I didn’t like that all of the text was written in the same font, it made it very difficult to differentiate characters’ thoughts from the storytelling. And I found the pause between the incident and when they finally talked about it very long. The stretch slowed down the flow of the story and made me lose interest.

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. The overall flow of the story was really good. It made me want to delve deeper into this universe and read about the other characters. I would rate it a 4 out of 5.

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Bedded by the Headmaster is book one in the Susie & Arken's Duet by Darcy Fayton.
This intriguing romance is filled with vampires, wolf shifters and magic.
The world-building was amazing and so well done.
I was really drawn in by the premise of this book, and I feel like it really delivered on everything I was wanting and more!
It had a unique plot and magic system, and a well built world.
A satisfying blend of fantasy and romance. Escape into a world brimming with magic while getting swept away by the romance.

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For the book-lov of smut! Darcy Fayton you are defently the in the top of the spicy empire! This is full of TW aka lot's of trigga warnings and it's DARK romance!

Post review on IG (one_fairy_tale_at_the_time) on 29. Oct 2024

3 very spicey stars! And not the first or last book I have read by Fayton ;)

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Bedded by the Headmaster is a seriously addictive and spicy romance! From the start, the chemistry between the characters is electric, and it keeps you turning the pages. The headmaster is the perfect blend of mysterious and brooding, while the heroine is strong yet relatable, making their connection even more exciting. Fayton does a great job balancing steamy moments with sweet ones, so you get the best of both worlds. The story moves fast, keeping you hooked, and the forbidden romance element adds just the right amount of tension. If you’re into passionate, fast-paced reads with a dash of forbidden love, this one’s a total must-read!

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I really enjoyed this read. The book is set in a vampire/werewolf academy where vampires are superior. The book has some very dark parts but the romance and friendships included are very endearing. I will definitely be picking up the next book and the other linked duology

It is at times very dark and intense so please check the trigger warnings if you think you might be impacted.

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📚 ARC Review: Bedded by the Headmaster by Darcy Fayton 📚

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Trigger Warning Alert! It's really important to read the trigger warnings in this book, as one chapter has a clear warning and even gives you the option to skip it. There's a helpful recap at the end of that chapter so you don’t miss out on the main plot if you decide to skip.

Now onto the story—it’s a vampire and werewolf forbidden romance with plenty of spicy action that keeps you hooked from start to finish! I absolutely loved Arken, his character is so intense and intriguing. The chemistry between Arken and Susie was undeniable, and the tension is off the charts! And just when you think you’re safe, it ends on a cliffhanger that’ll leave you wanting more.

This was a great start to the series, and I can't wait to dive into the second book!

Big thanks to NetGalley and Darcy Fayton for the ARC!

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I finished this book in 2 days, I just couldn't put it down. The actual story pulls you into just as much as the spicer content and there is a balanced amount of both. This book, like many books of this type, has trigger warnings in the beginning but it goes one step further. There is a chapter with a reminder warning and a summary at the end of all the major plot points in case you do not wish to read the chapter. That is a feature I wish more books had as it allows readers to enjoy the book and not have to either read a whole chapter they are uncomfortable with or skip a chapter and miss important information. I cannot wait for the sequel!

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I really enjoyed reading this book! It was smutty, interesting, and I was hooked from the first chapter. Darcy Fayton has an amazing way of writing that just draws you in and doesn’t let you go!
The smut was some of the best I’ve read!! It was so intense and fun.
The book has some very serious topics so definitely check TW. The list is at the start of the book.
All in all it was such a good read!!

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This is my second Darcy Fayton book and it was also really good!! I loved getting to know Susie more in thks book, and I love her dynamic with Arken. The growth they have as people and their development feels really authentic.

I appreciated the content warnings in the beginning of the book as well as before an event.

Thanks to Net Galley for the opportunity to read this one!!

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You may enjoy this if you like:
🖤 Dark Paranormal Fantasy Romance / Romantasy
🖤 Steamy Vampire Romances
🖤 Age Gap Romance
🖤 Professor/Student Romance
🖤 BD$M dynamics

Bedded by the Headmaster is the first book in Susie & Arken’s Duet. The second will be available in December 2024. This duet is a prequel to Collared by the Vampire Prince, but you can read either one first. All are set in her sexy paranormal world where vampires, wolf shifters, and witches (though they are all but extinct) exist, but their rights are far from equal.

Susie and Arken’s story is both powerful and shows a redemption arc that has their love story being very passionate…. and will grip you by the throat like a good little girl. I very much liked seeing Susie and Arken’s character growth and seeing both of them overcome their past traumas. I can’t wait to see what happens in the conclusion of the duet!

This book has many triggers. Read the warnings.

Thank you to the author, publisher and @netgalley for this copy! All opinions are my own and I reviewed this voluntarily.

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