Page 100 of Touched By Moonlight

Control snapped like a dry twig. Damnit, I let no one determine my fate and what Iwanted.

Conditioned to run from threats, for this is how I had survived, I turned to flee. Strong fingers laced around mywrist.

“No. Don’t run, Sienna. Notanymore.”

I tried pulling free from his vise-like grip. Gentle, but unyielding, he would not release me. “Let go, Grayson. I need to get out ofhere.”

“And go where? The pine barrens of Jersey? The mountains of North Carolina? Perhaps the swamps of Louisiana? You’ll always have Kallan pursuing you. And all those places you’ve gone have never offered what we can.” He took a deep breath. “A home. Safety. Love andcompanionship.”

Nothing in life, hell, especially my life, was granted for free. “In turn forwhat?”

“You will stay here, as my queen and mate, and the mate of Stephan and Nicolas. We will give you whatever you wish, whatever your heart wants…” his voice dropped to a hushed whisper. “In turn, all we ask is that you share your power with us. And in time, give me an heir to rule the pack after I amgone.”

So startled at the thought of sharing power with the three of them, I almost didn’t catch the last request. “Have yourbaby?”

My womb clenched hard in sweet anticipation. But sharing power… my kind of powerdestroyed.

The last time someone wanted my power, they ended updead.

“Is that the real reason you want me, Grayson? For my power? You took it from me at the lake and staved off Kallan’s attack. And now you wantmore?”

“It is a request, nothing more. If you shared your power, you would be free of its burden.” Grayson’s jaw clenched hard. “Power can be a terribleresponsibility.”

“Power is a curse,Grayson.”

“You’ve walked alone for so long. You think yourself cursed, Sienna. Power such as yours can be beneficial. You have only seen the dark side of themagick.”

“There is no good side,” I whispered. “I am a freak. No Fae should possess this kind of magick. In the end, it will destroyme.”

“You think that because you were conditioned to believe it. Conditioned to want to get rid of it. It’s stamped into your brain that you’re a force for destruction, but you can be a force for good, Sienna. Your father wanted you to think of your magick as a single-edged sword, not a double-edged one. Because he was the one wishing to wield it for his purpose. We will not do that. Share your magick with us and ease yourburden.”

But Grayson and his men still wanted to use me, even if they wished for a more benevolent purpose. Even if they handed me the world on a silver platter, they did so with velvet ropes tethered to my wrists and ankles. I had not fled my colony and people to become a pet in a pretty cage. Even the most luxurious home can still be acage.

I needed to buy more time. Time to think, formulate aplan.

Orstay.

Are you nuts? The sex wasn’t that terrific. Well, okay it was, butstill…

Can you trust this wolf? And what about the other wolves who think Fae would make a nicesnack?

“You want my magick to empower yourself and becomeinvincible.”

Grayson laughed, but it held no humor. “Lass, I couldn’t absorb all your power. It would kill me. My body isn’t equipped to hold that much magick. No, I want you to share your magick with us to freeyourself.”

“Sounds like a terrific plan, if only your people didn’t hateme.”

He bent his head and nuzzled my ear and heat sizzled between us. “Stay with us. We will convince the pack to acceptyou.”

“I can’t.” I struggled to resist falling into his arms as he kissed my neck. And then I moaned, because he aroused me all overagain.

“Damn, I can’t resist you. Every time you’re near me, my thoughts grow cloudy, my body takes over and all I can think about is fucking you. What power do you have over me,lass?”

Grayson nipped my skin and I moaned, my breasts heavy and full, their nipples hardening, my body soft and pliant and readying itself for penetration once more. My mind might struggle to resist this wolf, but my body would not. My body would always welcome him. Already my legs parted a little as if anticipating the slow, deep slide of hiscock.

He drew his head back so I could see the intent glitter in his blue eyes. “I have a battle to prepare for. I want you in the gardens, where you’ll be safe.” His hot, intent gaze swept over me. “No one will bother youthere.”

Nicolas and Stephan left the livingroom.