Bound to the Prince by Deborah Court

had never desired elven maidens this much,
even if they were so much more graceful than any human could be. It
was surprising how happy the mortal looked in her slumber,
seemingly content just to lie here with him. He had to acknowledge
her courage to stay with him while he slept. She knew how much he
hated humans, how effortlessly he could kill her with his bare
hands. It was never wise to sleep too close to a warrior. He used
to sleep with his weapons near, in case someone attacked him while
he rested.
    His manhood hardened when he recalled how
Igraine had bathed him, her small, curious hands all over his body.
It had not been easy to restrain himself. How much he had wished to
press her against the rough stone wall and enter her hot wetness,
wrapping her legs around his waist and thrusting into her until she
cried out with pleasure. When she had washed his scarred back, it
had not only been with the solicitude of a servant. He had felt her
touching him lovingly, so eager to explore him.
    Then she had pressed her soft curves against
his back, molding herself to his body as if she was made only for
him. Her hands had lathered the soap over his breast and stomach,
coming too close to his shaft. He had been rock hard and throbbing
for her, waiting for her touch. Yet it angered him how much he
wanted her, how weak he felt with desire for this human woman. Her
skillful hands all over his body nearly drove him mad with need. It
didn't help that she fondled his backside, obviously enjoying
herself. But she really shouldn't have dared to giggle at the same
time. The sweet, joyful sound made him furious, and he’d thrown her
into the lake. She needed to be taught a lesson, for her audacity
in mocking him. And he needed to cool down, urgently, before he
simply pinned her against the cavern wall and pounded into her like
a wild beast.
    Damn, she had taunted him, this impertinent
human. But she had made it up to him afterwards. He couldn’t
complain about that. He had never felt so desired by a female
before. To feel her soft lips around his length, licking and
suckling like he was the most delicious dish, had made him lose
control completely. Her uninhibited passion had taken him entirely
by surprise.
    But she had thoroughly enjoyed the power she
yielded over him, the little wench. So now it was his turn to be
the one on top. And this time, surprise would be on his side.
     
* * * * *
     
    Igraine woke up in utter darkness. The cool
night air caressed her naked skin, and she realized that she was
lying on something incredibly smooth. It didn't feel like the
sturdy wooden bed with the crude woolen blanket she usually slept
on. When she moved her back slightly, she realized that there must
be silken sheets, seductively gliding along her body. She was
completely naked. She sighed, not knowing when she had last felt
such a luxurious material on her skin. It was as if her old world
with all its comforts that she regarded as a matter of course,
simply didn’t exist anymore.
    Her arms were raised above her head. Igraine
arched her back like a cat before stretching to her full length,
enjoying the tension of her muscles. The hard training lessons had
made her body strong and flexible. It was unbelievable how good she
felt. She just wanted to slide to the end of the bed, when she
noticed that she couldn’t move further down. Her hands were bound,
and she was tied to the headboard. She hadn’t noticed because the
material connecting her wrists seemed to be soft as silk, too, so
light she had only felt it when she tried to get away.
    Elathan. He wanted to punish, probably even
kill her. Maybe this time she had pushed her luck too far by
teasing him. Wide awake now, she struggled to sit up, but couldn’t.
When she tried to swing her long legs over the side of the bed, she
didn’t even reach the edge of it. Rolling around, she struggled to
escape her silken bonds with all her strength, but her efforts were
in vain. Now she cursed the fine