Page 77 of Taken By the Aurelian Warriors

I still can’t believe what I’m hearing, though.

Lazar is an Aurelian warrior – a towering, keen-eyed man who’s survived a hundred years of mandatory service in the Aurelian Military; fighting the darkest scourges the universe can throw against him.

He’s a man who’s had hundreds of years of experience with women – who’s probably broken so many hearts. He’s lost count…

…and yet, I can hearvulnerabilityin his voice.

And, when I hear his words, I realize with a shock I don’twantto go back.

I don’twantto go back to that illusion of safety, behind the stone walls of my father’s manor. I don’twantto go back to the confines of that estate, surrounded by nothing but faceless Sentinels.

My kidnapping? It should have been the most horrific event of my young life – and it’s certainly been a wild, terrifying experience…

…but I’d never expected to find it thisexciting.

I’m a prisoner. I nearly bled out last night, after cutting my leg trying to escape this captivity…

…but now my leg is healed. Instead, it’s my bottom that’s painful – sore from Otho’s strict hand cracking down across it – and it’s a pain Icrave.

Somehow, as the prisoner of these three Aurelians, I feelfree.

Otho turns to look at me, seeing how Lazar is protectively towering over me.

He grunts, taking a step forward.

“Iwon’t lose control,” he promises.

Lazar snorts derisively.

“I felt your aura, Otho – you barely held on yourself.”

Otho bristles when he hears that, but he doesn’t seek to argue the point.

Lazar nods.

“Evenyouwill snap, Otho. You’re the most disciplined warrior I’ve ever met, but even you will lose every shred of honor you have left if we keep Natali here.”

Lazar’s shoulders stiffen.

“We’ve already done terrible things to get where we are right now – but we haven’t crossed that line yet, and the Empire will soon have need of us again. We can’t break the last rules – we can’t throw away all we’ve done, even for…

He turns and looked at me.

“…even forher.”

I get the courage to speak.

“You’re too hard on yourselves.”

I receive three incredulous looks – and I can hardly blame them. These three Aurelians just punished me – Otho spanking me with merciless focus and determination. And yet, after I’d received my punishment,they’rethe ones I’m consoling?

But console them I do.

“This is all…” My voice cracks as I speak – painfully aware of the three pairs of slate-grey eyes staring at me. “This sounds strange, but before you guys took me…”

Took.

Such an innocent term.

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