Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 101147 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 337(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101147 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 337(@300wpm)
That isn’t exactly correct, as my dick will attest. “I would love to fuck you, sweetheart. But we don’t know each other well enough for me to think I’ll never, ever want to fuck anyone else. In fact, I can pretty much guarantee that I will. I’ve never been good at keeping it in my pants, so to speak.” I give her a smile, trying to coax one out of her. “It doesn’t mean we can’t have fun. We’ll be married, but we can do as we like. I need for you to live at home with me for a while, but after that I’ll buy you someplace nice.”
It’s a good plan. There are still places on my plane that are wild. Once my father decides to scoot his unsuitable daughter-in-law out of the family, I’ll be allowed to buy some land and settle her there. I can still visit. We are married, after all. Besides, if she’s on the surface, there will be little chance of her encountering another royal who might decide to take his chances with adultery. It’s strange, but I don’t like the idea of my wife fucking around. “There are some nice places. Most of Canada is still a brutal hellhole, excuse me, lovely wilderness. We can get you a nice cabin up there.”
She stands suddenly and grasps the towel.
“Hey,” I protest, pulling at her hand. “I thought we were talking.”
“I’m tired. It has been a long day,” Kaja says without a hint of emotion. “Which corner is mine?”
“What do you mean which corner? There’s a perfectly fine bed here.”
She shakes her head. “I am not First. You will have the bed, and I will find a corner. I prefer a corner.”
I have a sudden flash of intuition. She prefers a corner because she will only have to protect her front. I get the feeling Kaja sleeps with one eye open. I sigh inwardly. I made a mess of this. I should have been less honest. It would be kinder. I could have eased Kaja into the life I want, but no, I bungled it. “You sleep with me. I’m your husband.”
She shakes her head, a wealth of sorrow in the gesture. “No, you are like the rest. You would use me and cast me aside when you are finished. I cannot risk it. If a pup were to be born, she would be outcast, too.”
I still. I haven’t even thought about children. The women on my plane use birth control until such time as they desire children. I never have to think about it. Kaja isn’t on anything. If I sleep with her, I could make her pregnant. If I’m not ready to be a husband, I’m really unready to be a father.
She wraps the towel around her middle. Her eyes study me, and I have a bad feeling she can almost read my mind. “See, you do not wish for my pups.” She steps out of the tub. “I will speak with your Second. I’ll go to these woods of his and be alone. I will cause no trouble.”
I’m on my feet in an instant. I don’t care about my nudity. I’m not about to let her run off to some faery forest. “You are not going anywhere with my cousin. I bought you, and you’re coming home with me. I’m sorry I’m not Prince Charming, but we’ll find our way. If, and it’s a mighty big if, you become pregnant, I would never deny our child. Our child would be a royal. He would have the best of everything. He would not be outcast.”
I’ll attempt to avoid it, of course. I doubt I can live apart from her if we make a baby. I won’t have my child grow up in the wild, and I can’t imagine having to separate a child from his mother. Kaja will have to adapt. I reach out and grasp her hand. I’m surprised to find it’s shaking. “Kaja? Are you all right? Sweetheart, you’re burning up.”
“No,” she says, shaking her head. Her knees buckle, and I have to catch her. Her eyes go to the glass of water.
Reeve said he put the medication the demon gave for her in the water. Damn it. I should have made it clear I don’t want her drugged.
Kaja begins to shake all over.
I carry her to the bed and think maybe I’ll let her eat Reeve after all.
Chapter Seven
Dante
“Son of a bitch,” I curse as the computer reports on the “medicine” the demon gave to the gnomes. “It’s colloidal silver and a freaking aphrodisiac.”
The gnome pales, his ruddy cheeks turning stark white in a second. “I did not know silver was in the solution. I was only told that it would keep her weak. She was frightening, even in a weakened state. If I had allowed her to achieve her full strength, I feared she would kill us all. I was only following instructions. I certainly didn’t know it contained silver.”