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)
“I want you under me,” he had said. “I want to fill you with my shaft and my seed—I want to breed you.”
Goddess of Mercy, how could I go through with this?
But then I thought of Pansy and all the people I loved being rounded up and sent to the mines to be worked to death. Or my brother—as foolish and short-sighted as he was—being minced up to grow clones that looked exactly like him but were five times stupider, if that was even possible.
I couldn’t let any of that happen. I had to do what was best for my kingdom and if that meant sacrificing myself to Slade’s dark lusts for six months, well…what else could I do?
I tucked the little tray of pills into the lining of my luggage and started packing. I might have to submit to his lusts, but I wouldn’t have his baby, I told myself.
That I would never do.
6
AURORA
Slade’s ship was grander than anything I had ever seen. It had a sleek silver design and the interior was all butter-soft Frellian leather. It was also quite high off the ground. I was still looking for a way to get into it when he put his hands on my waist and boosted me up as though I weighed no more than a feather pillow.
“Oh!” I gasped as he got me settled in the passenger seat.
“Sorry, Princess—did I scare you?” he rumbled, raising an eyebrow as he strapped me in.
“I’m not used to being grabbed and lifted like that!” I told him, trying to keep my dignity. Honestly, I couldn’t think of any human male I knew who could have done it—I’m not exactly light. “I’m not used to being touched at all without my permission,” I added frostily.
“Better get used to it.” His eyes were half-lidded as he spoke. “Once we have our Binding Ceremony, you’ll be mine to touch if I want to. And I promise you, Princess—I want to.”
I bit my lip, feeling a shiver run through me. Goddess of Mercy, he was going to take me tonight—I was sure of it! Should I swallow one of the baby-stopper pills right now? Or at least as soon as I got someplace private? I wished I had thought of that sooner and asked Pansy about it. Would the pills still be effective if I took them at night instead of in the morning?
I had no idea and there was no way to find out.
“Where are we going?” I asked, to cover my confusion as he fastened his own harness and started the ship.
“Sin World of course.” He flashed me a dark grin. “I promise not all of it is sinful, Princess. In fact, we’re stopping by a Holy House before we go on to our honeymoon.”
“A Holy House?” I said blankly. “What for?”
“For our Binding Ceremony, of course. Have you been through a Space Gate before?” he asked, before I could comment on the ceremony to come.
“Uh, no,” I admitted. “I’ve never been off of L’Crist.”
“Such an innocent little bird,” he rumbled. “You should know that it might make you feel a little funny but the feeling doesn’t last. As soon as we get through the gate, you’ll be fine.”
As he spoke, the ship rose into the air and then into the blackness of space. Not far from us, I saw the Space Gate he was talking about. It looked like a vast blue sphere revolving in the air before us. Around it was a golden halo of light that was so brilliant it was almost blinding.
“This will take us right to Rigelis Nine,” Slade rumbled and then we were flying right into the swirling blue sphere.
I felt my stomach rise and then drop—then, for a moment it almost felt like I was floating. The sensation reminded me of the coaster ride I’d gone on once when a traveling interstellar carnival had come to L’Crist.
But I barely had time to gasp before we were flying out of the sphere and a new sight appeared on the ship’s viewscreen. It was an enormous black planet that seemed to be shrouded in shadows. And yet its surface wasn’t black—it was covered in tiny specs of light like golden freckles on a dark face.
“That’s Sin World,” Slade told me as we flew closer. “We’re headed for the night side right now because that’s where my family’s Holy House is located.”
“It’s strange to think of a Brute Enforcer having a family Holy House,” I remarked acidly. I wondered if my flippant words might make him angry—I barely cared. Or so I told myself.
But Slade didn’t get angry. He just shrugged, his impossibly broad shoulders rolling with the gesture under his expensive suit coat.
“Why not? Just because I’m part of a Brutal Clan—one of the Four Families—doesn’t mean I have no morals.”