Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 99485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
As Rath had stated, it was against Clan Laws to simply take any woman you wanted. We Brutes might be sons-of-bitches but we believe that females have rights, the same as males. Also, if Clansmen started swooping into other Clans’ territories and scooping up women, the resulting gang wars would consume our galaxy. So I had to find a different way to get Aurora for my own.
This was it.
“You do have something I want,” I said again, looking down into her big brown eyes. Gods, she was fucking gorgeous! With her long, honey-brown hair and her full, curvy figure she was everything a male could want. I fucking burned for her.
Too bad she wasn’t going to feel the same way about me.
She shook her head, looking bewildered.
“What…what are you talking about?” Her musical voice was soft and breathless as she looked up at me. I could smell her fear and uncertainty and under that her own scent, unbearably sweet and feminine.
“I think you know,” I told her. “It just so happens I need a wife, Princess. A wife and an heir. I’m soon to inherit my father’s place as the Head of our Clan. I must have a son to carry on after me.”
“But what…what do you expect me to do about that?” she demanded. Either she was being willfully ignorant or she was simply too innocent to understand what I was saying.
“I expect you to marry me and give me an heir, of course,” I said, stating it outright. “In return, I’ll forgive this particular tribute payment.”
She looked up at me, clearly shocked to silence by this proposal. I half expected her to go running from their shabby little Throne Room or else to faint with fear.
Aurora did neither.
“You can’t expect me to give up my entire life, and my virtue for a mere six-month tribute payment,” she said at last, lifting her chin. “You undervalue me greatly, Sir. I am insulted.”
I tried to smother the amused smile that wanted to rise to my lips. So she wanted to bargain? Very well, we could do that.
“All right, you have a point,” I said, nodding. “As I am offering to forgive a six-month payment, I will only ask you to stay with me for six months. In that time, you will do your best to conceive my heir. If you get pregnant, you’ll stay until you have the baby and then hand it over to me to raise.”
I had no problem making this offer to her—I knew if I could keep her with me even for a little while, I could win her over. We were Fated Mates—as soon as we started spending time together, The Need would grow in her and she would turn to me. We just had to have a few days in close proximity to make it happen.
Aurora’s big brown eyes were uncertain. I was still holding her hand and I could feel her pulse racing—it reminded me of a tiny bird’s wings fluttering in my grasp—but she still didn’t back down.
“And…and if I fail to conceive?” she asked in a voice that trembled just a little.
I shrugged, as though it didn’t matter much to me.
“If you don’t get pregnant I’ll grant you a divorce and let you come home, back to L’Crist. No harm done and your tribute will still be forgiven.”
Aurora was still looking up at me with wide eyes. She opened her lips to speak, but at that point, her idiot brother decided to shoot off his fucking mouth.
“Royal siblings aren’t allowed to marry!” he whined, frowning up at us from his throne. “Their heirs could be rivals to the sitting monarch. That’s me.”
I drew my eyes reluctantly from Aurora’s and looked down at him contemptuously.
“Anyone with half a brain would be a rival to you, boy,” I told him. “But don’t worry—any baby conceived by your sister will belong to Clan Cruel. They’ll grow up in my world and have nothing to do with you or any dealings with anyone in L’Crist.” I turned my attention back to Aurora. “Well? Do you accept my terms?”
I tried to keep the impatience out of my voice—tried not to let her see how I burned for her. I couldn’t overplay my hand—she couldn’t know how much was riding on this. She mustn’t have any idea that I had waited years for this exact moment—years to claim her as mine.
She bit her lip and I could see the fear and indecision in her eyes. She was afraid I would hurt her—if she had thought I would cut off several of her fingers for use in the clone farms, she surely thought I’d have no problem raping her.
“Aurora,” I said softly. “Listen to me carefully—I don’t hurt or force women. I will bed you very thoroughly and very often, but I’m not going to injure you.”