“Then do me the courtesy of showing me that you’ve understood.”His hands rose to his hips, brushing past the flimsy fabric barely providing him with modesty.
She swallowed at his firm tone but settled, the fight in her doused for the time being, and there were no more tears.She was humbled by his power then, a predictable human response, but not too terrified.
That was a good start.
“Good girl, Kristina.”He read the emotion in her eyes carefully while one hand lowered to stroke the side of her face.
She inhaled sharply at the contact, but he was pleased she didn’t physically recoil or turn her head away.
“I will not harm you.”He appreciated how easy it was for him to make such statements while she was silenced and fettered.Reaching for her hairline, he wound a few of those silky strands loosely around one finger.“Remember that.”
How he longed to touch the rest of her, to run a finger over her incredible assets and enjoy the feel of her soft skin, but still, he held back.The stimulus would only encourage his cock to tent the linen he wore, and that would likely be a step too far for his guest.
He’d seen the way she’d looked at him on the street, the hungry glint in her eyes.She wanted him in the way humans always longed for things, in the same flimsy manner that she’d lusted after that idiot mortal, Shaun.She had no clue yet what true carnality was like, or how she’d deal with the wave of sensuality he was about to bestow on her.
What Kristina hadn’t counted on when she’d replied to that flier was engaging something far more potent than a mortal man.She had the attention of a god now, and that brought its own torrent of consequences.His fierce love and protection were an important facet of that focus, but it would also bring her his redirection and discipline when she required it.
He tuned into her heart rate again, noting it had steadied since the last time she’d spoken.Silently, he called on the protection incantation he’d cast to offer her the maximum reassurance, and that meant slowing her breathing back to a normal rate.
“That’s better.”
She was still understandably unhappy at her current predicament, her wide eyes and furrowing brow expressing her dissatisfaction, but he could live with that.What mattered was that he didn’t inadvertently break the vow he’d just made about not harming her by causing her so much stress that her fragile heart simply gave up.
He wanted to tame her, but not to break her.
“I am glad to see that you can be good.”He tilted his head, as though he expected her to do something to counter the point, but she remained still and quiet.It was possible that fear was the factor underpinning her capitulation, but if that was true, her slowing pulse belied the point.His spell was working either way, calming her into submission.“If you continue to be quiet, I shall allow you control over your mouth once more.”
Her brow rose, eagerness flashing in her soulful sapphire eyes.
“You would like this?”
Who was he kidding?Of course she would.No one liked to be gagged.Not even the gods.
She tipped her head into a gentle nod, and he sensed she was doing her best to appear unruffled and in control of her feelings, despite her presumably cascading emotions.That was progress, too.It showed a willingness to appease him that every concubine required.
“Okay.”Releasing the strands of her hair, one of his hands fell to his side, while the other rose over her face.With a simple wave of that palm, her lips were liberated, and he watched her mouth part with relief.“You may talk, but only when you are spoken to.”
Eyeing him warily, she nodded her head again.
“You will by now have realized that I am far more than any mortal man.”
Of course she’d realized, though maybe she had assumed her mind was under the influence of a hallucinogen.She’d seen him materialize from thin air and had just experienced the power of one of his most straightforward enchantments.Any fool would have acknowledged Kronos’ superiority by that juncture, and he already knew Kristina was no fool.
“May I s-speak?”Her voice was laced with tension as she asked.
“You may.”He liked the way she’d sought his permission.There would be much more of that in her future.
“I see that you are powerful, but I don’t understand how.”She pulled in a shaky breath, as if she was expecting him to remove her right to talk again at any moment.She was wise to be concerned.He hadn’t yet decided how long she would enjoy the privilege.
Smiling at the simplicity of her query, he straightened.Humans were always so concerned with the ‘hows’ and the ‘whys’.
“It does not matter how.”Turning, he gestured for the white chair to come to him, and the wooden seat moved, skimming over the floor until it came to him.“What matters is that you accept I have dominion over you.”
She pulled her lower lip between her white teeth, clearly not accepting anything of the sort, yet wisely deciding not to articulate the point.
Clever girl.
“Can I ask who you are…” She hesitated, obviously keen not to upset the looming giant.“Please?”
