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This seems to snap Brennan out of his trance. He’d clearly been expecting the opposite reaction, and he turns to Otho to demand: “And why not?”

Otho shakes his head, but doesn’t answer. Yet from the facial expressions of the two towering warriors, it’s as if words are being exchanged by them – just words I can’t hear.

It’s that damned telepathic link between them! It lets those Aurelians talk without me listening.

What is Otho saying?

I don’t know – and I can only hope the conversation is enough to convince Brennan to step back, because otherwise my clothes are going to be torn off my body before he’s even delivered his first spank across my ass.

9

Otho

Natali is wearing some of the clothes Lazar brought for her – but as with everything this girl does, she’s refused to wear them as intended.

Instead, she’s taken two of the dresses purchased for her and assembled them into a single outfit – if you can even call it that. It’s not really an outfit – Natali’s instead wearing torn shreds of thin fabric, tied one on top of the other. The makeshift outfit is presumably intended to hide the curves of her youthful, fertile body – but it’s no good.

Natali can attempt to hide her beautiful body, but she can’t hide her scent. Spiced with peppermint, her need assaults my nose.

Iknowher.

I only met this beauty yesterday, but already Iknowwhat she wants.

Natali Carani aches for hard discipline. She aches to be punished. She aches to be claimed by the three of us.

That much will be inevitable if I’m the one to deliver punishment. I’ll lose control – I know it. The moment I hear her gasp in pain, or moan in need, I won’t be able to hold back the animal need to claim her.

Ever since the first time I smelled her scent – just a day ago – I’ve thought of nothing but the ecstasy of mating with Natali – of discovering if she is my Fated Mate or not.

I know she is. Ifeelshe is. Perhaps I’m wrong, but I’ve never been so sure of anything in all my hundreds of years of life.

That belief nearly got me killed last night. I lost my focus in combat, and some cutthroat human scum nearly got the better of me. Imagine the humiliation – a blooded, veteran Aurelian Warrior killed by an opportunistic human scavenger…

But until I am deep inside of Natali, I’ll remain sloppy and unfocused. My thoughts will remain in torment. I need to know – wealldo.

So does she.

Last night, Natali nearly died. She gouged her leg open – an injury that could have killed her from infection or blood loss if it had gone untreated.

Worse, if Brennan hadn’t have stopped her, Natalie might have been kidnapped or killed by the same thieves who my lack of focus nearly left me vulnerable to.

We’ve been in possession of this human female for less than a day, and already we’ve almost lost her once.

Sheneedsto be taught to stay under our protection…

…but I know I can’t be the one to teach her.

Her last words stung me.

She accused Brennan of turning Rogue – which means she accused all of us.

And the worst part? She might not be wrong.

I maintain my loyalty to the Aurelian Empire, but as much as we tried to fight it – as much as we don’t want to admit it – we’ve already crossed a line.

We’ve done things to secure Orb-Material for the Empire that have pushed the envelope of decency and honor. Things so dark they tore the fabric of our being apart. We’re from a species that prides itself on nobility, honor, and order…

…but in the desperation of the oncoming storm, we’re now on the verge of losing those last shreds of our cultural identity.