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I’ve read everything I could find about the dark Bond that can link an Aurelian triad to a human female - and what I’ve read both scares and excites me more than any other thought I’ve ever had.

And the worst part? I feel it could be true, too.

I’m already starting to understand what the words inOn Aureliansmeant about drawing out a woman’s deepest, darkest desires.

Even without the Bond – even if I am nothing but a wet and willing human for these Aurelians to satisfy themselves into – they’re having a powerful and undeniable effect on me.

There’s something within me – a secret desire I didn’t even know existed – thatcravesthe feeling of being so small and helpless; and nothing satisfies that craving like these three huge, powerful, intimidating men.

Could it be true?

According toOn Aurelians, if Iwastheir Fated Mate, these feelings of mine – these cravings to be dominated and owned – would only grow stronger and more intense; rushing over me until they overwhelmed all logic and restraint.

But would that be a curse, or a blessing?

I’m frozen, just like I was in my home when Brennan first caught my gaze from across the room. Thoughts are racing through my mind, wild and unbidden.

If I am their Fated Mate?

The dark, erotic appeal of that aside, it’s an incredible thought.

If I was the Fated Mate of these Aurelians – and such a thing is so unlikely, I almost feel guilty indulging in such a fantasy – it would mean that time would open before me.

According to what I’ve read, I’d be granted the incredible lifespan of Aurelians – fully thousands of years. I’ve seen how true this is in Queen Jasmine, who has remained looking in her mid-twenties for the last couple of centuries.

But what would one do with thousands of years of life? I don’t even know what I want from the century or so I’ve got ahead of me right now.

Would I be able to find such a purpose in the time granted to me by the Bond? Or would that link corrupt my mind completely – filling me so fervently with my deep and dark desires that I’d forget all about ever beingmyself?

I push that thought out of my mind. It’s stupid to dwell on such a thing. To be the Fated Mate of this triad? There’s less than a one-in-a-million chance – one-in-a-billion!

And Fated Mate or not, it doesn’t change my current situation.

I’ve been warned that I’ll be punished – and there’s a seven-feet-tall, angry alien about to deliver on that promise. The anger is the most unsettling part. The look in Brennan’s eyes scares me.

“Brennan – what are you going to do to me?”

His full lips curl upward into a smirk.

“I’m going to teach you not to try and escape, little one. Youneedto learn your lesson.”

My mouth goes dry. Shirtless and magnificent, Brennan stands towering before me, and his biceps flex. Suddenly, I’m reminded of the power he has in his arms alone. They’re already massive and muscular by human standards – many times larger than any steroid-jacked bodybuilder could hope to achieve.

But the fibers of those muscles are deceptive – stronger still, pound for pound, than a human could ever be. Brennan was able to lift me up and carry me as if I weighed nothing – so, I know there’ll be no escaping him if I’m foolish enough to try.

Not to mention, the look in his eyes warns me Brennan won’t go easy on me. When he disciplined me the day before, back in that hotel room, he was already on the verge of snapping – oftakingme.

His bold promises aside – regardless of whether I’ve smothered myself in peppermint to disguise the scent of my arousal – I know now that Brennan’s going to be unable to hold back.

I can’t stop him with my arms if he does – it would be as futile as banging my fists against a mountain.

I’ll have to hope my words work, instead.

“Brennan,” I warn him. “You’re going to lose control – you know you will.”

Aurelians pride themselves on their mastery of emotion – but Brennan does a bad job of it this time. He stiffens when he hears my words, and then something flashes in his eyes – irritation, both at me, and at himself.

He’s irritated at me, because I’ve insulted his pride as an Aurelian; by suggesting he wouldn’t be able to control his desire for me…