His soft looking lips curve up into a wicked smile. “You look like an angry kitten.”
Indignation floods my veins. How fucking dare he!
“Now let’s get you dressed,” he says.
My attention snaps to the three strange fey creatures standing by his side. When the hell did they get here? I never heard them come in. They look like little green goblins. My gaze flicks down to the piles of soft silks each servant is holding.
Oh my stars. The clothes look so soft. So clean. But I do not want to dress like a fey. I’m not wearing the enemies’ clothes.
“Unless you would prefer to remain naked?” says the prince with a delighted, hopeful gleam in his eyes.
I swallow. My old clothes have vanished. Besides, I’d rather die than have to put those filthy rags on again.
Scowling, I hold out my hand for the stupid fey clothes.
The prince grins. “Let the servants dress you. Court robes are complicated.”
Fine. Whatever. I can stand here and be dressed like some giant toddler. It is no skin off my nose.
The creepy servants work efficiently and in no time at all, I’m fully dressed. Holy smokes. Fey clothes are frigging comfortable. I hate it. I want to swish my hips and watch the emerald green silks swirl. I’m itching to run my hands over the layers, but I’m not going to. I have my pride.
More servants traipse in. These ones are holding plump red velvet cushions in front of them. Placed on each of thecushions is a selection of collars. Like ones for a cat or dog. But bigger. Human sized, in fact.
“I, Prince Tristan Y Mabinogi, claim Ollie Evans as my pet.”
The words that the prince spoke back in the town square, echo around and around my mind. I stumble backwards and clench my fists. Pet. He wants to turn me into his pet.
“You are not fucking putting one of those on me!” I growl.
The prince says nothing. He simply picks up a silver collar and steps towards me. I step back. He isn’t smiling now. There is nothing mocking in his eyes. His expression is deadly serious.
I swallow and take another step back. He steps forward after me, devouring the space I had made between us.
Fuck. He is tall. And damn strong. Fighting him is going to be hard. And no doubt painful. But no way in hell am I letting him put a fucking collar on me.
He steps towards me. An involuntary squeak escapes me as I scurry back a step. Shit. I need to stop running away. I need to attack. Go for his balls. Or his eyes.
He moves again, and so do I. Suddenly something hard and unyielding presses against my back. Oh fuck. It is the wall. I am well and truly cornered.
I gulp and ready my fists.
He leans down. Soft lips press against my mouth. Oh my stars. What is happening? He can’t be kissing me? I’m so confused.
His lips move gently over my own. A coaxing, tender caress. Tingles alight along my lips. They spread down my body in waves, all the way down to my belly, where theypool, warm and golden. A strange noise echoes around the tiles. It sounds like a whimper. It can’t be mine. I don’t fucking whimper.
He keeps kissing me. I can’t think. I can’t breathe. I can only feel. Sensations I have never experienced before are rushing and swirling through me. Deep inside my soul, something stirs. It awakens. Some intense yearning for…I don’t even know what. All I know is that Iwant.With every fibre of my being.
A faint click reaches my ears. A second later, my mind processes a soft weight around my neck.
The prince pulls away. He abandons my mouth. He leaves my lips cold and alone.
He stares down at me and smiles. His ruby eyes are all hazy and soft.
“Perfect,” he purrs.
Motherfucker.
Chapter four
