Page 12 of Lycan King's Captives
He takes a step closer toward me, his deep dark eyes staring into mine, framed with thick lashes I am jealous of. His hand reaches out to cup my cheek. Instead of pain and anger, he is quite gentle, and I gasp, feeling slight tingles prickling my skin with heat.
“It’s the mate bond,” he tells me softly. “The closer you get to shifting, the stronger it will become.” The thought frightens and excites me simultaneously, leaving me confused about what lay ahead. I don’t want to be with this man. I don’t even know him, but with his scent clouding my mind in this closed-in space, all I want to do is give in to the foreign urge to touch him.
The steam-filled shower seems to amplify the scent of his body. As I look him over, my gaze travels across every hard-cut muscle, I feel desire so strong stirring within me it makes me hold my breath.
He must sense the tension between us because he steps closer, leaning in until our faces are only inches apart. “You don’t know if you want to run to me or from me,” he murmurs in a low voice that sends a shiver down my spine. His hand on my face moves as he runs his thumb along my lower lip before tracing his fingertips lightly down the line of my jaw.
The air seems to spark and zap around us as we stand there, locked in each other’s gaze. The energy between us slowly builds until it feels like it will consume me. His hand then moves slowly down my arm until it finds its place on my waist, where it begins to trace circles around my hip bone in an almost hypnotic rhythm that has my senses on full alert.
His voice then drops another octave as he steps closer, and his breath sweeps over my neck. My heart races erratically at his closeness, my mind foggy as my senses become overloaded by his mere presence.
Instinct wins over me as I blink rapidly, trying to fight the urge to move closer, to touch him. He seems to be enjoying watching me struggle by the smirk on his lips. The next second I slam against his hard chest, and tears prick my eyes as my lips crash against his chest.
His hand slips into my hair while my brain fights with my body, which suddenly feels alien to me. My nails rake down his flesh like I’m trying to carve my way inside him. It didn’t feel like this when I woke up. Only fear enveloped me then. Now burning lust has taken over.
A strangled noise leaves my lips, caught between a moan and a whimper of frustration.
“It is natural for you to feel this way. My scent is strong in here from the steam. You’ll learn to fight the urges. By then, you won’t want to fight them, though.” He chuckles.
My heart races as he pulls away slightly. He leans down so our faces are still close together as I peer into his eyes, searching for answers I can’t find within myself. He gently caresses my cheek with the pad of his thumb before speaking again.
“It’s normal, Sienna. If you want to touch me, you can,” he whispers softly before leaning closer and pressing his lips to my forehead. The action sends shivers down my spine without warning. “Don’t worry; I feel the same. It’s distracting and antagonizing. I want you more than anything. I can barely control myself around you.”
His words are both darkly seductive and frightening at the same time. This causes a rush of emotions I don’t know how to process or express except through the intense heat pooling in the pit of my stomach. When he steps away, I step closer, and he chuckles, reaching for the soap beside me.
The smell of the soap replaces his scent, and the effects of his addictive scent fade away like background noise. My mind’s fog lifts instantly, and my eyes go to his. He watches me for a second. His eyes scrutinizing.
“You’ll get used to it. Get used to me,” he tells me. Now, with some distance between us, I see him for what he is, the monster that kidnapped me—poisoned me, turning me into a monster like him.
I step away from him slowly, my back hitting the wall as I stare at him. He gazes at me with something akin to disappointment and understanding; it quickly passes, leaving only the monster in his place once again. He offers me a small smile before turning around and stepping out of the shower without another word. Xandros snatches a towel off the rack on the wall, tying it around his waist
While I’m left feeling confused and scared of the intense emotions coursing through me. It feels like something inside me has changed or is missing. My eyes dart to his back. No, whatever that missing piece is, he took it.
Something twisted and dark has awakened within me, something unfamiliar, almost seductive. All I can do is stand here as my mind reels from it all.
“I’ll send for someone to get clothes for you. Don’t leave the bedroom, or there will be consequences,” he says, his voice returning to cold and authoritative.
He leaves without another word, and I’m left struggling to wrap my head around what just happened. I had been so close to succumbing. Had he not stepped away from me, I’m sure I would have done anything he requested, drunk on his presence.
The memory of his touch still sends shivers down my spine, like a reminder that something inside me has changed irrevocably, awoken by some carnal desire I’m not sure would save me or end me.
The shower runs cold by the time I finally emerge from its depths, more determined than ever to fight against these newfound urges. I just need to survive long enough to escape.
I step out of the shower. The bathroom is bright and airy, with white tiles on the walls and floor. I wrap a fluffy white towel around myself, and I can feel the fabric’s softness against my skin. The room is filled with steam from my shower, and the air is heavy with the scent of my body wash.
A large mirror hangs over the sink. I wipe my hand across it, removing the steam, and peering into the mirror at myself. Only the moment I do, I take a step back. My eyes burn brightly back at me, almost glowing.
“Where is Xandros?” comes a feminine yet harsh voice that has me jumping to look at the door. I find a woman in a flowing white gown that hugs her curves. She is tall and beautiful, and I suddenly feel like a gutter rat in her presence. “Are you mute?” she snaps, her face twisting in disgust.
I shake my head, and her lips pull into a snarl, revealing sharp, pointed fangs. Vampire! I stagger back away from her, and her eyes sparkle evilly. She laughs, a sound that sends a chill down my spine. The vampire steps closer, and I can feel her cold presence. She stopped a few feet away from me, her eyes still sparkling with amusement. “Well then, since my fiancé isn’t here, I suppose you’ll have to do.” She smiles, revealing her sharp fangs again.
“Fiancé?” I gasp. “So, you’re engaged?” I ask, appalled he could claim me while having a fiancé. My curiosity is piqued as to who she is because I swear she looks familiar. She continues to smile, her sharp fangs gleaming in the dim light. She laughs, the sound sinister despite how beautiful she is.
“Princess Carina Dresden, or I suppose it’s now Zeppelin. Legally, we are married already,” the woman taunts before stepping closer. I suck in a breath, tripping over the shower mat when she reaches for me. She clicks her tongue and grabs my hair.
“I’m being considerate enough to allow him to keep his side whore. The least you can do is offer a fucking vein slut!” she snarls as she drags me toward the bedroom. She shoves me, and I hit the ground hard.
She stalks me, and I crawl back on my hands and feet to escape her. She grabs my hair and pulls me closer to her. I can feel her cold breath on my face as she hisses, “You better keep quiet, or I’ll make sure you regret it.” I’m terrified, my heart pounding in my chest. Her fangs elongate, and I try to get away from her. My hand moves quickly, and I slap her. Her face twists to the side, however, her grip on my hair doesn’t waiver. She growls. The sound is a low ticking in her throat.
