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I want to bite into his hand again – to make him feel pain, just like I do at losing Gerard…

…but I know it’s futile.

I sunk my teethdeepinto the Aurelian’s hand earlier, until I tasted the coppery tang of blood, and the beast didn’t seem to feel pain.

He’s got me pulled tightly against his hard muscles – crushing me in his huge arms. He’s breathing hard, that huge chest rising and falling – almost rasping. It’s like he’s exerting himself…

…and then I get it.

He’s rasping forme– the proximity ofme.

I’d read so much about the infamous mating frenzy of the Aurelians – and I’ll admit, those descriptions left me breathless and trembling…

…but only in my darkest fantasies did I ever imagine being the object of an Aurelian’s lust, exactly what I’m experiencing now. I’m crushed in this Aurelian’s arms and I canfeelhis need for me. It terrifies me that this beastly alien aches for me so much.

I can only hope these three Aurelians kidnapped me to use me as leverage against my father…

…and not for more nefarious reasons; like to claim me and force me to be their pleasure slave.

I shudder at the very thought.

As I do, the Reaver swoops from the sky. My stomach lurches as the vessel touches down on a landing pad. Through the plexiglass windows, I see that we’ve landed on the top of one of the tallest buildings on Marn.

The doors to the Reaver slide open. I look out and my heart plummets. There’s no one to help me–no rescue in sight. This is a private landing pad, attached to a private penthouse on the top floor of one of the most exclusive hotels in the capital city.

Of course, the Aurelians would stay somewhere this ostentatious. If they have fourteen billion credits to secure the deal with my father, they have more than enough to splurge on luxurious accommodations like this.

But why would they be foolish enough to bring me back to where they’re staying?

That makes no sense. My father will report my kidnapping – and it won’t take long to track down the only three Aurelians staying on Marn.

But maybe by bringing me here – so openly and so brazenly – my Aurelian captors are demonstrating that they’re not afraid of anything; least of all my father.

The leader of the Aurelians hauls me out of the Reaver. I kick and struggle, but there’s nothing I can do to escape his grasp. It’s as futile as trying to escape from a giant. The leader of the Aurelians is so much larger and stronger than me that I’d have better luck wrestling one of my father’s Sentinels.

I’d probably have better luck pleading for mercy with one of those robots.

Huge and powerful, the leader of the Aurelians throws me over his shoulder and strides into the huge penthouse, carrying me effortlessly.

I look around as we enter. One of the walls of the main room is a full-length window, giving what would be a majestic view of the city – if it wasn’t for the pollution that eternally shrouds the capital.

I barely have time to look, though. I am carried across the room and then into a bedroom – where I’m thrown unceremoniously onto a huge bed. The leader of the Aurelians stands at the edge of the bed, studying me as I sprawl across the bed covers.

I roll over and look at him. The beastly alien is breathing hard – though it was clearly no exertion at all for him to pick me up and carry me.

It’s not exertion that’s making his breath quicken…

It’sme.

The Aurelian stares at me with untamed, undisguisedlust.

I’m alone with this huge alien – one of a species known for their mating rage.

Through gritted teeth, the leader of Aurelians finally speaks to me.

“Here’s the deal,” he growls. “You shut up, you stay alive. Don’t dare try to escape. We set the penthouse to only allow exit with keycards–cardswehave. No one knows you’re here. No one is coming to rescue you. We’re going to keep you safe until your father accepts our offer of purchase.”

I stare up at my captor.