Chapter 1 TEASER

• I whimpered in objection as I fought for control of my suddenly disobedient body.
• "It obeys me now." He murmured down to me, seeing my frustration on my face.
• There was something hypnotic about the dark blue of his eyes. Making the pupil seem like it was at the bottom of a deep whirlpool. His black hair was long and waving. Reaching his shoulders and making him look as much the villain as he was.
• This man that'd openly told me he 'wholly' intended to ravish me. That my body was here for his pleasure.
• That gave me something to cling to.
• "I'll tell the king!" I squawked triumphantly.
• Warlord gave me a dark smile which revealed glowing white teeth. "How will you manage that, while locked in my personal chambers?"
• "I-I-I-"
• "And what would you tell him?"
• "That you lied!" I decreed. "That I'm not at all powerful."
• "And what do you think that'd get you?"
• "Put down. Before you can have your toy." I leaned forward to hiss acidly up at him. Glad that I finally had some bit of fierceness to claim again.
• "You're already in his castle." Warlord chuckled. "He'd as soon give you to his men. Or to my Mage's Guild."
• "The Mage's Guild?" I said fearfully.
• "Yes. Do you know what happens to a Mage when he can exchange energy with another during Mating?"
• "No..." I said worriedly.
• His hand fell from my chin and he gestured to his table. "Get atop it."
• He changed the subject so quickly, I was struggling to keep up.
• "What?" I blinked at him.
• "Get on my table. And stop trying to bide time."
• I turned, glad to give him my back. Working my fists into the hem of my short chemise since I couldn't get my arms to cover me again. I walked on numbed feet toward that table.
• It looked very much like an axe to cut off my head from where I stood.
• "Have you had a man before?" He asked from behind me.
• "Yes." I said. Hoping it might make him not want me.
• No. But I didn't want him to know I was so vulnerable. That I know nothing.
• As I reached the table, the herbs began rolling atop themselves and floating across the room to the windowsill.
• Windowsill? I could jump. It occurred to me.
• "You'd never make it to that window before I got to you." He said dispassionately.
• I felt his eyes burning into my back as I stared at that table.
• The vials scraped along the surface as they moved to line the same wall the window was on. Sitting on the floor haplessly until the table was bare.
• Awaiting me.
• "Climb up." He directed.
• I looked over my shoulder at him and he was holding his hand out toward the table. "Don't make me do this.
• He smirked. "Do as your bid, Woman. This shouldn't be new to you since you've had a man afore."
• The mocking way he said it told me he knew better.
• Knew I was lying.
• How does he always know what I'm thinking?
• He can sense it. I guessed. From the expression on my face.
• I'd always been told I was very easy to read. By Clements. By my aunt and uncle.
• "I haven't." I admitted.
• "I'm quite aware. You're by far the worst liar I've ever met."
• "I don't know how."
• "It wasn't an insult." He remarked. Taking a seat to pull off his boots. "It's fine. We'll discover your body together."
• "What does that mean?"
• "It means get on the bloody table, before I make you." He growled. Losing patience with me as he stood back up. Peeling off his black shirt and tossing it aside. I noticed it left that same filmy smoke that his cloak had.
• But I was fixated on his bare torso. His chest was well molded and defined. His shoulders and biceps corded and wound with thick muscles and veins. His stomach was flat with slight ripples of muscle. and just above his hips there was a line carved in his flesh that trailed along the upper side of his hip and down beneath his belted breeches and I was suddenly very curious where it led.
• I was in trouble.