Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 85203 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85203 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
“You see me now.” Xaren turns his head from side to side, making sure I get a good look at the ruined left side of his face. “Is this what you want bedding you?”
“I…I…” I don’t know what to say. I’m too frightened of him…of his strength…of the way it’s clear he’s not quite human anymore. The wound that made that scar would have blinded an ordinary man—what it did to Xaren was to let his Drake come partially out. His other half is staring at me…and his expression isn’t exactly friendly.
“Tell me!” he snarls, glaring down at me. “Tell me you want me to take you now—tell me you want me to fuck you—to breed you. Tell me you want me to fill your pussy with my cock and your belly with my baby! Say it—say it if you really mean it!”
His wild, crude words make me even more afraid. I shake my head, shrinking back from him. He’s huge—he could kill me with a single blow. And he’s in a rage like nothing I’ve ever seen before! The Drake’s eye blazes at me menacingly.
Don’t lie, it seems to say. Don’t you dare lie to me again!
“Please…” I put up a hand to ward him off. “I don’t…I can’t… I’m sorry!”
“I thought not.” He lets the hair fall back into place, hiding the scar once more. All the anger seems to leak out of him at once. “Go now, little dove. I want none of you—no more than you want me,” he says and his voice is low and dull.
His mood swings are making me dizzy. I don’t know what to say.
“But…” I clasp my hands together at my chest. “But I can’t just leave.”
“You can and you will,” he says firmly. He cups my cheek in one big hand and I notice how warm his skin is before I flinch instinctively away.
An expression of self-loathing twists the side of his face that I can see and he withdraws his hand. But instead of getting angry again, his voice is gentle.
“I won’t rape you, little dove. I don’t care what my Mother says. I won’t take a woman who’s unwilling. Now, go.”
“I can’t.” I’m starting to cry a little now, my eyes burning and my chest tight with emotion—with fear and frustration. “Your mother sent a servant to come and watch and be sure I stayed here all night with you. If you throw me out, I’ll get into trouble!”
He sighs harshly and shakes his head.
“She always was an overbearing bitch. Very well—you can stay here. That’s your side of the bed…” He points to the left side. “And this is my side.” He points to the right. “You stay on your half and I’ll stay on mine. All right?”
I want to protest again that he has to take me…that he must get me pregnant. Because what will I do if he doesn’t? Eventually, the Queen will find out!
But I don’t have it in me to offer myself again. Having him looming over me, growling, and showing me his scar is too much. Yes, it’s ugly, but that I could deal with. It’s the sight of his Drake coming out—coming through—that truly frightens me. I saw no pity in that golden, flaming eye. Only an animal hunger that scared me near to death.
“All right,” I agree at last.
“Good. And you can go back to your rooms in the morning and if my mother’s servant asks, you can truthfully tell him you spent the night in my bed.” He shakes his head. “That’s all I can do for you.”
“Thank you,” I whisper, though I don’t know what I’m thanking him for. Am I saying thank you for sparing me? For not taking me? That’s what it feels like, but I know this is only a temporary reprieve. Eventually I must get pregnant.
I just don’t have any idea how that is to be achieved since neither one of the men I’m apparently married to wants me.
I settled down on my side of the bed, shivering. It’s cold down here in the dungeon lair of the Dark Prince. And though he’s letting me share his bed, I doubt he’d let me share his warmth. Not that I would dare to cuddle up to him now. He was so angry with me for lying and saying I wanted him. But what else could I do? It’s my first time. I know it’s going to hurt and he’s so big. What woman wants that? It’s frightening. But you can’t say any of that, of course—you must pretend you want whatever your husband dishes out. That’s how I was raised and trained, anyway.
I don’t know what I’m going to do…I just don’t know. I curl myself into a ball and try not to think about the future. At last, I drift off into a thin, troubled sleep.