understand what it is you have done?" Kirill asked.
"No." Ulyssa watched him closely. He turned to her, his gaze dark and poignant. Whispering, she asked, "What?"
"You've declared yourself my mate," Kirill said. "My first half-mate to be exact. It gives you power in my home. All it would take is my declaration and you'd be my lifemate, my wife."
"What?!" Ulyssa nearly screamed as she began bucking anew. "I'll be no man's wife! Now you untie me this instant, you heathenish, savage ... jerk. What's your race's obsession with getting married anyway? Why don't you join the modern age, you primitive ... cat man! Don't you even dare think to--"
"Luckily," Kirill stressed by way of interruption, "for both of our sakes, I'll never make such a declaration. I've no use for a wife. And I certainly don't wish for one that would try to burn me alive every day."
"What? Oooh! I said it was like being burned alive, like ... oh, never mind!" Ulyssa glared hotly at him.
"Either way, I've no use for a wife," Kirill said, hiding his smirk.
"Great, so it's agreed. Untie me and point me to the nearest exit." Ulyssa relaxed against the bed. Her arms ached from her constant pulling. Her finger throbbed from lack of blood and her wrists were beginning to sting from being rubbed raw.
"I'm afraid that's no longer possible." Kirill turned to her and made his way across the room to stand above her.
"What in the hell are you talking about, not possible?" Ulyssa's eyes narrowed, as she stared up at him. Man, but he was handsome. If he weren't so damned frustrating, she'd try to get him to lie on top of her. Tingles erupted all over her skin. Suddenly, her binds didn't seem like such a bad thing. Her nerves reached out to him, wanting him.
"You've declared yourself my first half-mate." Kirill's eyes softened as he looked down at her.
"Yeah, so?" she demanded, growing rigid as she fought to control her lust for the barbaric King. Her lips pressed tightly together. "I take it back. I'm not your woman. There, taken care of. Now ... let ... me ... go!"
"My kind cannot take back such declarations, especially on the same day they're made. To do so would dishonor us both. It would be assumed either you lied or I misused you and later denied it. Either way, it's not a good way to start my reign as King--with scandal."
"Tell everyone I lied. You'll not be looked down upon. In fact, you can say you banished me from the palace as punishment. It'd solve both our problems." Unbidden, her eyes began a journey over his hard body. He was gorgeous to be sure. Her gaze took in his broad shoulders, his slender waist, his perfectly proportioned hips. Seeing the hard bulge pressing against his pants, her mouth went dry. She wished her hands were free so that she could pull open the laces at his hips to better see. But, being as her hands were occupied, she'd gladly use her teeth--if he'd just step closer.
"You'll be dishonored."
Ulyssa's eyes flew up to meet his. His features were lined with vast amusement.
"I don't care what your people think of me. So what I'm dishonored." She widened her eyes and declared mockingly, "I'm sure I'll get over it."
"To be dishonored in my culture is to face either imprisonment or death." Kirill's eyes roamed over her body, devouring her form as she had his. His gaze stopped to leisurely stare at her breasts. He purposefully licked his lips. "If I let you go, you'll be hunted."
"Well, oh dire one, tell me. How do we get out of this mess?"
"There's only two ways I know of," he answered.
"The first?"
"Death."
"I don't suppose you'd be willing to die for me, would ya stud?" Ulyssa asked with a raise of her brow.
"No." Kirill grinned mischievously at her--a truly wicked smile. Tremors again coursed through her at the look. He was really too attractive, just looking at him made her mind wander to naughtier things.
"And the second?" Her voice came out a whisper. His smile widened. Ulyssa grew nervous. "What's the second
"No." Ulyssa watched him closely. He turned to her, his gaze dark and poignant. Whispering, she asked, "What?"
"You've declared yourself my mate," Kirill said. "My first half-mate to be exact. It gives you power in my home. All it would take is my declaration and you'd be my lifemate, my wife."
"What?!" Ulyssa nearly screamed as she began bucking anew. "I'll be no man's wife! Now you untie me this instant, you heathenish, savage ... jerk. What's your race's obsession with getting married anyway? Why don't you join the modern age, you primitive ... cat man! Don't you even dare think to--"
"Luckily," Kirill stressed by way of interruption, "for both of our sakes, I'll never make such a declaration. I've no use for a wife. And I certainly don't wish for one that would try to burn me alive every day."
"What? Oooh! I said it was like being burned alive, like ... oh, never mind!" Ulyssa glared hotly at him.
"Either way, I've no use for a wife," Kirill said, hiding his smirk.
"Great, so it's agreed. Untie me and point me to the nearest exit." Ulyssa relaxed against the bed. Her arms ached from her constant pulling. Her finger throbbed from lack of blood and her wrists were beginning to sting from being rubbed raw.
"I'm afraid that's no longer possible." Kirill turned to her and made his way across the room to stand above her.
"What in the hell are you talking about, not possible?" Ulyssa's eyes narrowed, as she stared up at him. Man, but he was handsome. If he weren't so damned frustrating, she'd try to get him to lie on top of her. Tingles erupted all over her skin. Suddenly, her binds didn't seem like such a bad thing. Her nerves reached out to him, wanting him.
"You've declared yourself my first half-mate." Kirill's eyes softened as he looked down at her.
"Yeah, so?" she demanded, growing rigid as she fought to control her lust for the barbaric King. Her lips pressed tightly together. "I take it back. I'm not your woman. There, taken care of. Now ... let ... me ... go!"
"My kind cannot take back such declarations, especially on the same day they're made. To do so would dishonor us both. It would be assumed either you lied or I misused you and later denied it. Either way, it's not a good way to start my reign as King--with scandal."
"Tell everyone I lied. You'll not be looked down upon. In fact, you can say you banished me from the palace as punishment. It'd solve both our problems." Unbidden, her eyes began a journey over his hard body. He was gorgeous to be sure. Her gaze took in his broad shoulders, his slender waist, his perfectly proportioned hips. Seeing the hard bulge pressing against his pants, her mouth went dry. She wished her hands were free so that she could pull open the laces at his hips to better see. But, being as her hands were occupied, she'd gladly use her teeth--if he'd just step closer.
"You'll be dishonored."
Ulyssa's eyes flew up to meet his. His features were lined with vast amusement.
"I don't care what your people think of me. So what I'm dishonored." She widened her eyes and declared mockingly, "I'm sure I'll get over it."
"To be dishonored in my culture is to face either imprisonment or death." Kirill's eyes roamed over her body, devouring her form as she had his. His gaze stopped to leisurely stare at her breasts. He purposefully licked his lips. "If I let you go, you'll be hunted."
"Well, oh dire one, tell me. How do we get out of this mess?"
"There's only two ways I know of," he answered.
"The first?"
"Death."
"I don't suppose you'd be willing to die for me, would ya stud?" Ulyssa asked with a raise of her brow.
"No." Kirill grinned mischievously at her--a truly wicked smile. Tremors again coursed through her at the look. He was really too attractive, just looking at him made her mind wander to naughtier things.
"And the second?" Her voice came out a whisper. His smile widened. Ulyssa grew nervous. "What's the second
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