Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 28150 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 141(@200wpm)___ 113(@250wpm)___ 94(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 28150 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 141(@200wpm)___ 113(@250wpm)___ 94(@300wpm)
“You are home!” he roared.
She flinched. Pushing his buttons wasn’t her intention, but this was something she had to know. “I only wondered—”
“Then stop wondering. I will never let you go, so get it out of your head. What’s so important back home anyway?”
“Someone more precious than you’ll ever know,” she muttered, her temper getting a hold of her. She didn’t care if he didn’t like the topic. Thoughts of being reunited with her child gave her the courage to question him.
Blaze’s green eyes narrowed and his body stiffened. “Did you have a mate back on Earth? Not that it matters to me one way or the other because you belong to me now.”
Tears sprang to her eyes at the offhand way he dismissed her old life. It may not have been the best life, and there had been constant struggles, but it was her life. To hear him belittle it angered her beyond belief. She attempted to get up again, only for him to hold her until the air was nearly squashed from her lungs.
His next words surprised her. “I’ve upset you, haven’t I?”
She pursed her lips mutinously, not wanting to say another word to him. This was beyond enough.
“If I have, I apologize.” He let go of her. “If you wish to return to your own place of rest tonight, you may go.”
Maybe she was a glutton for punishment because instead of scrambling off the bed as she’d originally wanted to, Callie paused. “I think I’m the one who upset you, but we’re on different sides of the issue. When I was on Earth, I had a life of my own, friends, a career, and I was free. My life changed when I was taken by the Adieaens. They told me I’d be sold on an auction block as though I were an object and not a being with feelings and thoughts. You can’t expect me to forget about the life I was snatched from, and then turn around and kiss the ground you walk on. It doesn’t work that way. Or at least where I come from it doesn’t. If the tables were turned and you were literally kidnapped from all you know and love, would you be happy about it?”
He paused for a moment, seeming to take in all she’d said before answering. “I can see your point, and I suppose if the roles were reversed I wouldn’t be too happy either. This has, however, been the way of my people for a long time. What do you expect me to do about it?”
“Aren’t you the king? You say your word is law. Change the laws.”
“What laws do you propose I change?”
“The one about purchasing slaves.”
“What would you know about it?”
“I know that on Earth my ancestors were slaves. Many countries outlawed the practice, and soon the rest of them followed. Granted some people only abolished slavery to cripple the economy in certain regions, but other people realized it was just plain wrong. They realized how inhumane it is to own another human being. Maybe you could outlaw the practice of purchasing and owning slaves. At least in your kingdom,” she suggested.
He rubbed his chin, and for a moment, he appeared to give her words some thought. Then his expression went stormy. “If this is an attempt at getting me to release you, then forget about it. You’re just going to have to accustom yourself to belonging to me.” He yanked her back to him. “I’ll never let you go. Never!”
CHAPTER 7
Blaze walked down the hall toward the harem’s chamber. He couldn’t wait for dinner tonight. Never had he been more eager for the warmth of one woman, but with Calliope, he just couldn’t help himself. Each night their bodies joined it was just as explosive as the first time. He wasn’t getting the least bit tired of her. In fact, the more he had her, the more he wanted her.
After that first night when he’d made it clear to her that there was no escaping him, she never brought the subject up again, but his conscience was pricked. If the truth were known, he wasn’t crazy about the institution of slavery either, preferring the paid servants and the robots to tend to his needs.
Most of his harem members were there voluntarily. There had been many times when he’d thought of outlawing slavery on Thibius, but that was before the beautiful human came into his life. If he outlawed slavery, he’d be forced to let her go. He couldn’t do it.
When she was with him, he couldn’t get enough of her, and when they were apart, his thoughts were consumed with her. Everything about her pleased him, from her gentle smile to the way she’d dance for him. Every now and then she’d share little glimpses of herself with him. There was still so much she kept to herself, but he hoped she’d eventually trust him enough to open up to him.