“Are you hiding from me?” The voice is further away, echoing in the darkness. A shiver of delight runs over my shoulders, his voice still doing unholy things to my insides.
This bond is horrible. My feet go in the opposite direction, because all I want to do is to turn back.
“Kitten, do you want to be chased?”
It echoes to my left and I turn sharply, going right. The more distance the better.
I try to ignore how my heart beats like a heavy drum in my chest, at the desire that courses through my lower belly. At how my knees shake and lust so tangible strikes me.
At how wet I grow.Fucking Dey.
“I remember in the halls. You smelled absolutely divine. Practically begging for me to take you. Is that what this is?” He inhales loudly, making a show of it. “You don’t smell afraid. In fact, you smell… lustful.”
For the love of all the Gods, I’m in trouble.
I hate him. Hate that he stole me away, pushed me into this union, thisbond. He’s taken everything from me. There’s no way I truly want him—want this.
The dampness between my thighs says differently.
There’s a rustling behind me and I dart quickly behind another tree, my toes catching on roots. My shoulder slams into the side, breath puffing from my lips as pain radiates up my arm.
“You know, Max.” His voice is closer, a deadly purr, and I stop, clamping my lips closed to remain silent. “You’ve broken my control.Obliteratedit. Turned me into some weak Fae, a droolingbeastfor you.”
I snort quietly. Nothing breaks his control.Not even me.I might be able to push him, rile him up, but there’s no way I canbreakhim.
Something snaps behind me.Too close. He’s too close. Pushing away from the tree, I run further into the darkness, the trees thicker, growing together into a tangled mess of limbs and trunks. I’m completely off track from the path, but right now, I just need to stay away fromhim.
Tripping, I fall to my knees, jagged rocks stabbing into my palms, slicing them open. The scent of blood hangs heavily around me and as I curse mentally. I know the heir can smell it.Oh Gods…
A dead weight crashes into the trees behind me as if pulledby invisible threads and I yelp, covering my head as splinters fly by my face. The impact is deafening as a growl echoes along my back.Seti’s Hell, he’s found me.
“Do you like knowing you do this to me?” He stalks closer, voice more animalistic than I’ve ever heard. His fangs clash together and my body shudders. “Turned me into some shriveling mess, begging for scraps from you?”
“Begging for scraps?” I ask, turning to look back at him, mouth twisting. I barely see his outline. “You’ve taken anything you can get. When have youbeggedme?”
Wrong move as he surges forward. His eyes are black, hair wild, still naked save for the undergarments. His lean, powerful body is coiled with tension. Every muscle clenches as he fights whatever impulses lie under his skin.
His razor-sharp fangs glint and his black claws scratch against the bark. Swallowing loudly, my body hums with delicious dark need. There’s a trickle of fear, to be sure, but that’s not what causes my knees to tremble or dries my mouth.
I stand, planting my back foot.
“I would beg, if you let me.” His chest heaves, body still. “If you would listen, obey me when I try to tell you things. Instead, you’ve left me like this.” He gestures to his perfect physique and I snort.
“So, this is my fault?” I dust the mud from my legs and dart my eyes around. We’re surrounded in shadows and I don’t know which way to run for freedom. “How very royal of you to place blame on someone lesser than you.”
“You wanted me to claim you. Admit it, Max.” He steps closer. “You told me how you wanted my marks on you, you wanted others to see whoownedyou. You practicallybeggedmeto take everything,” he spews. “So I did. You offered your heart, so I took it. You offered your soul, so I have claimed it. You wanted me to mark your body, so I did. You have no one to blame but yourself.”
“And what did you do with it?” My heel digs into the dirt. “Used it against me.”
“I had little choice,” he pleads. “And now I’m begging for your trust, your love again. Things I’ve been trying to get back.”
My ankle twists, ready to spring into action. Forget not being able to see, I just need to leave.
Because everything he said is right. I offered myself to him, consequences be damned. I can rage against him until I’m old and wrinkled, but I wanted this.
I won’t say it aloud. “You need to earn those things,” I insist, lifting my chin.
“Maybe I just need to take it back.” He smirks, looking down at my legs, the blood that drips. I grow wetter, nipples pebbling. “Don’t run, kitten. I won’t stop what happens if you do.”
