do something stupid. Absolute power over women for almost three hundred years had bred a low tolerance for disobedience in Rriodan. Then again, from reports he had over the years, even the most submissive of women found themselves in an abusive situation with Rriodan.
Before Bracken could open his mouth, Rriodan grasped the woman’s upper arm and jerked her to him. Bracken tasted the fear and outrage the woman failed to suppress. He lost his hold on the beast within. His vision shifted from the world of colors and turned to one of red monochrome. Rriodan became a white shadow -- prey.
Bracken’s growl of pure fury reverberated through the room. It reached every ear, though only his kind could hear the clear threat it contained. Bracken caught Rriodan’s questioning gaze as he released the woman’s arm. Too little, too late. A row of sharp teeth burst though Bracken’s gums. “She is mine.” His voice was hardly above a whisper, but was more effective than a shout.
“Not in this fucking lifetime,” Taylon said, spinning around. She caught sight of the cocky beast who dared to issue such a statement and lost her breath. Her heart seized up and a cool breeze chilled her as blood drained from her face.
She knew Changelings were handsome. But handsome did not begin to describe the man before her. His face rivaled the chiseled perfection of the statues throughout the hall. Ebony hair curled close to his head. His full lips drew her gaze down. Once she started lowering her eyes she could not stop. His tight pants showcased his muscled thighs. Heat raced up, burning her face at the sight of the bulge pulling at his pants.
“You heard it, Brac. She turned you down also,” the loathsome bastard said from over her shoulder.
“Rriodan, are you issuing a challenge?” Although the words were spoken through smiling lips, no warmth accompanied them.
“Bracken, you know the law. Hell, you wrote it. She turned you down. She cannot be forced.”
The creature at her back put his hand squarely on her ass squeezing it hard in warning. She could hear the compulsion in her head. It invaded every crack, resounded from every crevice in her brain. The punishing sound of his voice drummed a steady beat inside her head.
“Get your hands off me, you bastard.” Taylon turned away, bending to escape his hands.
A roar erupted behind her. Bracken flew at Rriodan, knocking her to the floor in the tussle. The wind whooshed out of her lungs, leaving her momentarily immobile. From her vantage point on the floor she watched Bracken’s fingernails elongate, sharpening into the largest talons she’d ever seen. They pierced the skin at Rriodan’s neck. A tiny trail of red ran down the bird-like talons.
“I am ruler here. All obey me.” At his booming voice the hall quieted. The women stopped flirting and the men quit responding. It seemed as if even the air stopped moving.
“She is naught but a piece of meat. An enjoyable meal and a quick fuck, at most.”
“Did I issue you leave to speak?” Bracken dug his claws deeper into Rriodan’s neck. “If I tell you to slit your own throat, you will do so without question.”
The claws pressed so deep into the man’s neck, Taylon feared she would see them poke clear through to the other side. Panic laced through her at the thought that he would kill right in front of everyone.
“She is one you cannot control. How it is possible, I do not know.”
Bracken retracted his claws. They shrunk, flesh turning in on itself until they once again took on human form. He stood, leaving Rriodan to crawl from beneath him. “She is mine.” Bracken’s voice reverberated through the hall. There was no mistaking the possessive statement.
Dread ate at Taylon’s courage. Bracken strode to her and outstretched his hand to help her. Taylon ignored him, pushing herself up into a standing position. What was she going to do now? He’d almost killed one of his own for not doing his bidding. What
Before Bracken could open his mouth, Rriodan grasped the woman’s upper arm and jerked her to him. Bracken tasted the fear and outrage the woman failed to suppress. He lost his hold on the beast within. His vision shifted from the world of colors and turned to one of red monochrome. Rriodan became a white shadow -- prey.
Bracken’s growl of pure fury reverberated through the room. It reached every ear, though only his kind could hear the clear threat it contained. Bracken caught Rriodan’s questioning gaze as he released the woman’s arm. Too little, too late. A row of sharp teeth burst though Bracken’s gums. “She is mine.” His voice was hardly above a whisper, but was more effective than a shout.
“Not in this fucking lifetime,” Taylon said, spinning around. She caught sight of the cocky beast who dared to issue such a statement and lost her breath. Her heart seized up and a cool breeze chilled her as blood drained from her face.
She knew Changelings were handsome. But handsome did not begin to describe the man before her. His face rivaled the chiseled perfection of the statues throughout the hall. Ebony hair curled close to his head. His full lips drew her gaze down. Once she started lowering her eyes she could not stop. His tight pants showcased his muscled thighs. Heat raced up, burning her face at the sight of the bulge pulling at his pants.
“You heard it, Brac. She turned you down also,” the loathsome bastard said from over her shoulder.
“Rriodan, are you issuing a challenge?” Although the words were spoken through smiling lips, no warmth accompanied them.
“Bracken, you know the law. Hell, you wrote it. She turned you down. She cannot be forced.”
The creature at her back put his hand squarely on her ass squeezing it hard in warning. She could hear the compulsion in her head. It invaded every crack, resounded from every crevice in her brain. The punishing sound of his voice drummed a steady beat inside her head.
“Get your hands off me, you bastard.” Taylon turned away, bending to escape his hands.
A roar erupted behind her. Bracken flew at Rriodan, knocking her to the floor in the tussle. The wind whooshed out of her lungs, leaving her momentarily immobile. From her vantage point on the floor she watched Bracken’s fingernails elongate, sharpening into the largest talons she’d ever seen. They pierced the skin at Rriodan’s neck. A tiny trail of red ran down the bird-like talons.
“I am ruler here. All obey me.” At his booming voice the hall quieted. The women stopped flirting and the men quit responding. It seemed as if even the air stopped moving.
“She is naught but a piece of meat. An enjoyable meal and a quick fuck, at most.”
“Did I issue you leave to speak?” Bracken dug his claws deeper into Rriodan’s neck. “If I tell you to slit your own throat, you will do so without question.”
The claws pressed so deep into the man’s neck, Taylon feared she would see them poke clear through to the other side. Panic laced through her at the thought that he would kill right in front of everyone.
“She is one you cannot control. How it is possible, I do not know.”
Bracken retracted his claws. They shrunk, flesh turning in on itself until they once again took on human form. He stood, leaving Rriodan to crawl from beneath him. “She is mine.” Bracken’s voice reverberated through the hall. There was no mistaking the possessive statement.
Dread ate at Taylon’s courage. Bracken strode to her and outstretched his hand to help her. Taylon ignored him, pushing herself up into a standing position. What was she going to do now? He’d almost killed one of his own for not doing his bidding. What
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