pressed deep. Dane hadn’t taken her, but perhaps his touch had done the deed. A flush filled her cheeks. “I’m not a virgin anymore. My mate has seen to that.”
His dark, slashing eyebrows went up. “Has he? Still, it is up to me to test all of my women before they are sold.”
Her heart slammed in her chest at the thought of this man taking her virginity, of using her. She couldn’t hold back a shiver.
“Please just let me go and I won’t tell my mate what happened and he won’t kill you.”
He grunted and said nothing. Perhaps she’d continue to play ignorant. Throw the man off guard.
“This Drakus,” she said, determined to make this man think she had no wits at all. “Why is he taking women for slaves?”
Bantu sighed. “You truly are a dimwitted girl, aren’t you?” He scoffed. “Everyone has heard of Drakus. Where have your parents hidden you? In the cupboard? Very well. Drakus wishes to bring peace to our land. To build our world by taking Magonian women and breeding with them.”
Hearing this from a slave trader chilled her blood. Dane’s description of Drakus’ plan felt more real to her. She knew what she had to say. “I’m not Magonian. I cannot help you.”
He leaned over her, breath putrid, smile evil, his eyes glowing red once more. “Maybe you are. Maybe you are not. I don’t give a shite. You’re mine for tonight. If Drakus wants you after that, so be it. I can always find another wench, Magonian or Dragonian.”
She couldn’t help her reaction as she practically hissed at him. “That will never happen because my mate is going to come for me.”
Oh god, if he only would. Did he think she’d run away? Would he just assume she had and not think to look for her?
He laughed, and once more his laugh echoed in the chamber. “Tell me who your mate is.”
She was tired of playing with Bantu. “Dane Charger.”
Bantu’s eyes widened, but she saw no fear with their dark depths. “A formidable foe. But not unbeatable. You shouldn’t feel so much confidence in him, little girl.” He scratched his stubbled chin. “Then again, a Daryk One’s mate is precious to him. He won’t be able to resist the need for you.”
She doubted his assertion—after all, Dane saw her as property to seduce. To trifle with. Emotions ran deep within him. She’d seen that.
She decided to switch tactics. “Draconus cannot find what you do admirable. Are you not worried about repercussions from the god?”
He laughed again. “You jest, little lady. I don’t believe in Draconus. Few people in Dragonia do. Are you religious?”
She almost said no. “Yes. Very.”
He stared at her, eyes narrowed, and sudden fear threatened to overcome her bravado. He smiled. “Dane Charger. Do you know his past, Ketera?”
She swallowed. “Of course.”
He grunted then left the bed. He crossed to the window, separating the thick curtain to look outside. “Tell me his past.”
She drew in a slow, tortured breath. “Why?”
“Where was he born?”
“He didn’t tell me.” Lying was coming very easily to her now.
“Who is his family?”
“What?”
“Drakus’ father kidnapped a woman from Magonia who had a child by him. That child turned out to be Drakus. That same woman escaped Drakus’ father and was rescued by Dane’s father.”
She swallowed hard. “And?”
Bantu turned back to her. “Dane and Drakus are half brothers.”
Shocked, she wondered if Dane already knew this.
He returned to the bed, his eyes glittering. “Enough of this other talk! A good fuck is a good fuck.”
Repelled by his rough talk, she wanted to turn the talk away from coupling but couldn’t think of another subject. “You Dragonians think of nothing but…” She could say it if she tried. “Fucking.”
He laughed, throwing his head back with mirth. “The god! You are a strange woman. It’s a wonder Charger has the least interest in you. He’s always liked lusty, bawdy women.”
Hot fury spread inside
His dark, slashing eyebrows went up. “Has he? Still, it is up to me to test all of my women before they are sold.”
Her heart slammed in her chest at the thought of this man taking her virginity, of using her. She couldn’t hold back a shiver.
“Please just let me go and I won’t tell my mate what happened and he won’t kill you.”
He grunted and said nothing. Perhaps she’d continue to play ignorant. Throw the man off guard.
“This Drakus,” she said, determined to make this man think she had no wits at all. “Why is he taking women for slaves?”
Bantu sighed. “You truly are a dimwitted girl, aren’t you?” He scoffed. “Everyone has heard of Drakus. Where have your parents hidden you? In the cupboard? Very well. Drakus wishes to bring peace to our land. To build our world by taking Magonian women and breeding with them.”
Hearing this from a slave trader chilled her blood. Dane’s description of Drakus’ plan felt more real to her. She knew what she had to say. “I’m not Magonian. I cannot help you.”
He leaned over her, breath putrid, smile evil, his eyes glowing red once more. “Maybe you are. Maybe you are not. I don’t give a shite. You’re mine for tonight. If Drakus wants you after that, so be it. I can always find another wench, Magonian or Dragonian.”
She couldn’t help her reaction as she practically hissed at him. “That will never happen because my mate is going to come for me.”
Oh god, if he only would. Did he think she’d run away? Would he just assume she had and not think to look for her?
He laughed, and once more his laugh echoed in the chamber. “Tell me who your mate is.”
She was tired of playing with Bantu. “Dane Charger.”
Bantu’s eyes widened, but she saw no fear with their dark depths. “A formidable foe. But not unbeatable. You shouldn’t feel so much confidence in him, little girl.” He scratched his stubbled chin. “Then again, a Daryk One’s mate is precious to him. He won’t be able to resist the need for you.”
She doubted his assertion—after all, Dane saw her as property to seduce. To trifle with. Emotions ran deep within him. She’d seen that.
She decided to switch tactics. “Draconus cannot find what you do admirable. Are you not worried about repercussions from the god?”
He laughed again. “You jest, little lady. I don’t believe in Draconus. Few people in Dragonia do. Are you religious?”
She almost said no. “Yes. Very.”
He stared at her, eyes narrowed, and sudden fear threatened to overcome her bravado. He smiled. “Dane Charger. Do you know his past, Ketera?”
She swallowed. “Of course.”
He grunted then left the bed. He crossed to the window, separating the thick curtain to look outside. “Tell me his past.”
She drew in a slow, tortured breath. “Why?”
“Where was he born?”
“He didn’t tell me.” Lying was coming very easily to her now.
“Who is his family?”
“What?”
“Drakus’ father kidnapped a woman from Magonia who had a child by him. That child turned out to be Drakus. That same woman escaped Drakus’ father and was rescued by Dane’s father.”
She swallowed hard. “And?”
Bantu turned back to her. “Dane and Drakus are half brothers.”
Shocked, she wondered if Dane already knew this.
He returned to the bed, his eyes glittering. “Enough of this other talk! A good fuck is a good fuck.”
Repelled by his rough talk, she wanted to turn the talk away from coupling but couldn’t think of another subject. “You Dragonians think of nothing but…” She could say it if she tried. “Fucking.”
He laughed, throwing his head back with mirth. “The god! You are a strange woman. It’s a wonder Charger has the least interest in you. He’s always liked lusty, bawdy women.”
Hot fury spread inside
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