Page 104

She covers her beautiful body with her hands, and shame floods through her aura.

Now that she’s no longer in the throes of passion, Natali is back to the mindset in which she’d been conditioned from childhood – that of an innocent, inexperienced young woman who I’ve stolen from her home.

I should look away, but I can’t. I drink in the sight of her naked beauty.

“Do not be ashamed, Natali. You’re perfection.”

Natali shivers. I can feel the anxiety in her aura. This is all so new to her.

I wish I’d had the strength to hold back. I wish I could have been slower, and more gentle with her when we claimed her innocence. I lost control – and I fear I will do so again.

Iacheto do such filthy things to her, and I can’t believe the extent of my vile desires. Seeing her here, so anxious and nervous, should inflame my protective urges. Instead, it just makes me want to pull her over my lap and make her cry for mercy with spanks of my huge hand.

I have toforcemy eyes away from her.

I’d never felt sadistic before. My Fated Mate is so tender and vulnerable right now, and so I force myself to draw on the protective instincts of my battle brothers; which I feel through the Bond.

That’s the power of a Bonded triad. Three warriors are not just more deadly than one – but with the shared Bond, we can each draw on each other’s mental strengths, and compensate for our individual weaknesses.

So, I draw from their protective aura, and it calms my dark desires.

I don’t want to hurt Natali. Idowant to absolutely and completely dominate her, until she is mine for eternity, but that is an adventure for a later time.

Otho’s eyes are narrow as he considers my expression. I can’t hide anything from my battle-brothers, and I know he can feel my dark urges through our aura. If he can, then so too can Natali. My cock surges at the thought. I ache for her – and when I feel her aura answer back, that ache just grows.

Natali wants it, too. Some part of her wants absolute surrender to my domination. She wants to be a part of what I desire so strongly; and that is how I know we were destined to be Bonded.

I shift my gaze back to her, and she slowly puts her hands down.

She aches for my gaze.

I stare at her – at her body, and every inch of her ripe fertility. There’s no other woman in the universe who can give my life meaning like Natali can. She’s theone. She has given me hope for the future. I have more to live for now than just the ideals of my Empire – ideals that once led the course of my life, yet now seem so small and meaningless compared to her.

She has made me whole. Powerful.

Now, I can do the impossible – I can contribute to the Aurelian bloodlines.

Generation after generation ofmetook their last breath in one of our Aurelian cryo-chambers, wishing desperately that the next in line would be the one to find their Bonded Mate and be given the gift of propagating our species.

I’m the lucky one.Ihave found her. Now, I bear the responsibility to bring that opportunity to fruition.

Natali is nervous, but she loves the way I look at her. She canfeelmy desire. She knows she’ll never have to question my need for her. She’ll never have to doubt my adoration for her. Natali looks at me with those big eyes of hers, and I feel more connected to her than I have anybody else, except Otho and Lazar.

Her voice cracks.

“I must speak to my father.”

Her words jar me out of my fantasies.

“How will that help?”

“He outmaneuvered you by calling on the Aurelian Law Enforcement,” Natali breaths. “You didn’t plan for it. I suspect he’llknowhow to get you guys off the hook – he didn’t want to burn his bridges, even with you.” Her eyes burn with belief in her father. “I just need to convince him to work onyourside, notagainstyou.”

Otho growls. “Not a chance. Once Law Enforcement have the scent, they’re like bloodhounds. Your father started this – but now, it doesn’t end until we’re behind bars.”

Natali bites her lip. “Then, where does your plan end? If you don’t try, it’s always going to deliver the same result. If you don’t trustyourselfto keep me safe, how canI?”

Her words sting me, because they’re true.