Property of the Fae

by Laxmi Hariharan

  He growls again, and the sound tugs at my nerves, simply rolls over me and surrounds me.

  It's like nothing I have ever heard before.

  Moisture pools in my core. The scent of slick bleeds into the air. I gasp. No, not now. I can’t be heading straight into a heat cycle, not when I am here on a mission. Is it the adrenaline of the attack that has brought on this sudden wave of need?

  His lips, those sensuous lips, tighten.

  A pulse ticks to life at his temple, and his cheeks flush, as he looks down at me from his superior height.

  I should feel emboldened that I am having an effect on him, the most powerful alpha in all the land, but all I feel is a writhing need to challenge. To ask. To give in to his every demand. And that confuses me.

  "You are omega, but not a submissive?" He frowns.

  The hackles of my neck rise. I had not expected this alpha to figure that out.

  Genetic mutation brought on by climate change has divided the human race into three sub-species: alphas, betas and omegas; and I just happen to belong to the weakest of them. But the warring sides of my personality have made me an anomaly in this world where alphas take and omegas are raised with the expectation of being bred.

  "It's why you should let me go. I am not suitable for reproduction." My stomach trembles, my palms begin to sweat. I am trying to rationalize with a savage.

  Cellular transformation over the generations has equipped the alphas with the ability to knot the omegas. It increases the chance of impregnation in a single copulation.

  As for omegas, the onset of heat cycles at puberty compel most to seek out an alpha to rut them through it. Heat suppressants having been outlawed, it is the only way to break these cycles.

  I’d managed to hide myself away during the worst of these phases; had never felt compelled to lay with any alpha; not until this monster.

  I need him, yet I want to fight him.

  I must show him he can’t just take. Not without paying a price. Not without begging, pleading, making me scream.

  Anticipation stretches my belly.

  It's as if there is this instinct inside me that is tuned into him.

  The images in my head are so vivid that my knees quake, and I push my boot-clad feet into the dirt for purchase.

  He angles his head and peels back his lips. "On the contrary, it promises to make the entire process so much more interesting."

  There is so much cruelty in his look…so much lust…so much everything.

  My skin tightens.

  Every single emotion that I have fought against my entire life, denied myself, all of it drips from his gaze.

  I can’t look away.

  I clench my fingers, my muscles strain, and I try once more to move. It only sends another pulse of pain through me. It is as if simply being in this particular alpha’s presence is weighing me down, making me feel like I am already in his control.

  How is that possible?

  The General takes a step forward, and his scent slams into me. Earthy, woodsy, and liberally laced with pheromones.

  I am sure he can see every single emotion, every nuance of the feelings that tremble over me right now.

  My belly clenches. My womb spasms. Slick pools between my legs and slides down my inner thighs.

  His nostrils flare. He leans back on his heels. One side of his lips rises in a smirk.

  The alpha knows exactly what he wants. His eyes gleam. His features flush.

  Fear twists my insides. My limbs tingle.

  It's as if I am watching everything unfold in front of me as if from a distance.

  Setting my jaw, I square my shoulders, only for another burst of pain to radiate out from my center.

  I arch my back, thrust my breasts out at the keening need that grips me.

  I wrap my arms around my waist and cannot stop the groan that ripples up my throat. Even to my own ears it feels more like an invitation, a call to the alpha to do what he was born to do to an omega. To mate me, knot me, and make that pain inside me go away.

  To fill that emptiness that is once again writhing, gnawing, and tearing at me; growing inside me with every passing millisecond until it feels like I am just one big mass of yearning that will not stop. Not until he slams into me, and no, no, no! This can’t be happening.

  I’d starved myself of food for days to make sure my libido was at an all-time low; I'd also calculated the time of the month to make sure I am between heat cycles…I hadn't counted on the proximity to this particular alpha sending me straight into one.

  My head spins with the overload of endorphins that my overwrought nervous system is dumping into my blood. All brought on by his presence. Him. He’s the reason why my body is responding with such primal need. The omega in me recognizes him. Only him.

  My pulse thuds in my head; my vision blurs.

  Pain cramps my womb, and I double over.

  The shortage of omegas has led to alphas exploiting them, taking them at will. As he no doubt intends to overpower me now.

  I will not let him do that. I straighten in time to see the General stalk toward me. His masculine presence, tugs at my nerves, pushes down on my skin, sinks into my blood and makes my head spin.

  Heat sweeps over my skin and heads to my lower belly. My core weeps.

  All my life I have tried to deny that I am an omega: the receiver, the nurturer whose insides are starved of an alpha’s touch, who has been deprived of the sensory stimulation that only comes from an alpha’s rut. Now, his scent, that concentrated testosterone, sinks into my blood, forcing a reaction.

  The General growls.

  It’s a long, drawn-out purr that seems to emerge from the very depths of his masculine body.

  The hair on my neck stands on end.

  Liquid need radiates out from my womb, bleeds through my skin, and flares up in the air around me.

  My womb cramps, and a fresh burst of slick gushes down between my legs to wet my pants. I don’t dare look down, don’t dare acknowledge the liquid pooling under me.

  I should be mortified, ashamed at my public display of what I am…an omega meant to be mated and bred, who cannot physically hold back her reaction, not in the presence of this prime male specimen, and yet the survivor in me says I need to fight. Fight! My shoulders shudder, and I straighten my spine.

  The General slams his fist to his chest, "Leave us." He roars. The aggression comes off him in waves, surrounding me, cocooning me as if he's trying to shield me from the sight of his own men. My knees threaten to give out from under me.

  Around me I hear murmurs, footsteps sound, then fade away.

  The doorway to the warehouse slams shut.

  "You scared?" His voice murmurs through the space.

  I shiver, I don't speak, I don’t need to speak. The scent of my fear is so strong I am sure he can smell it. "What do you think?" I intended to snarl at him, but the words come out on a groan.

  I try to stagger away from him, trying to put space between me and that lethal coiled powerful male, only for my feet to tangle in the carpet. I go sprawling on my back and stay there.

  "Get up." He snarls.

  I blink then slapping my palms onto the carpet for leverage stagger back to standing. Thrusting my chin forward I meet his gaze. Those startling blue eyes burn into me. Concentric circles of aquamarine, teal and a wild blue, that draw me in, makes me want to lose myself in them.

  "Kayden sent you to kill me."

  It's not a question, but a statement. And not one that demands a response.

  My chin quivers and I ball my fists at my side.

  His jaw firms. "I should kill you right here omega, for daring to burst into my stronghold and trying to assassinate me.—"

  "But you won't." Yeah that would be too merciful of him. He's a monster and I don't expect any pity from him. But every alpha has an ego. And this predator more than anyone else I have met. Perhaps it's that I need to appeal to. The thoughts skitter through my head, and I force my brain cel
ls to knit the words together in a coherent sequence.

  He tilts his head. "Feisty, aren't you?" His voice is soft, almost casual.

  My stomach churns. Whatever he has in mind for me, it's not good.

  "You bet," I set my jaw.

  His gaze narrows.

  My stomach twists and not just with arousal. My heart hammers and a bead of sweat trickles down my spine.

  "You are a big powerful alpha, me, I am just a helpless omega." I flutter my eyelashes.

  I know I am overdoing this, but what the hell, I keep going, "why don't we make this more exciting for you?"

  He angles his head.

  What do you know? He bought it. A flicker of hope sparks in my chest.

  Then, his lips widen in a smile, and it's so predatory. I know then, he's not going to let me go, not that easily. There's a heavy feeling in the pit of my stomach. My heart begins to thud, and I almost lose my will to resist, almost.

  "I agree." He thrusts out his chest.

  "Huh?"

  Why am I having this conversation with him? Just delaying the inevitable, that's all, but what the hell, I have to try, have to.

  His nostrils flare, "Run, you have until I count to ten to get a head start."

  "What do you mean?" I gulp down a breath.

  "You are losing precious seconds."

  No, it can’t be. This is not exactly what I had in mind when I had suggested to make things more exciting. Not.

  "Nine."

  The alpha is toying with me? He's going to hunt me? My palms begin to sweat. It can mean only one thing. He wants to increase the anticipation of whatever is to come. The violence, the ultimate conclusion to this game is only one and it's not going to be in my favor.

  I close my fist so tight, my nails slice into my skin. The scent of copper leaks into the air.

  "On the other hand, perhaps you'd rather we conclude this farce right now?" His eyes gleam.

  The bastard no doubt thinks that I don't have a chance of outrunning him. It's that which makes me square my shoulders and thrust out my chest. I will not submit, not so easily.

  His gaze sweeps over my breasts, down to my core and he stares at the space between my legs. There's no mistaking the anticipation that laces his features.

  It makes me want to scratch that look of satisfaction off his face, to deny that my insides tremble in response. More moisture gathers between my legs. What is wrong with me? I am here to kill him. Not to mate him. Not. To. Mate. Him.

  My pulse begins to race.

  I turn on my heels so fast I almost stumble, then find my balance. A scream boils up and I bite down on my lips to hold it back.

  "Run omega." His voice mocks me.

  My legs feel weak, yet I force myself to move, to put one foot in front of the other. Keep going. Don't stop.

  Reaching the exit of the warehouse, I throw myself against the doors.

  Want to know what happens next? Get this passionate, action and suspense filled Dark Romance here

  Read the RONE Awards nominated, AMAZON top 200 bestselling, INCEPTION (Dragon Protectors 1), HERE.

  "★★★★★Primal, sexy and so very satisfying! Sizzles from page one with toe curling and tummy tingling heat!" -InD'tale Magazine, Crowned Star of Excellence

  Read an excerpt...

  Hope

  Twenty-four hours into her break from being a sentinel of the dragons of Mauritania, Hope had walked into that bar.

  She wasn't supposed to be in Bombay.

  The dragons had flown under the radar for so long. They'd kept away from people until they had all but faded from memory.

  She was taking a major risk by being in that city, but she hadn't been able to resist.

  The city had always called to her, and for once, Hope couldn't soothe her dragon out of the urge to visit.

  A few weeks more, and she would be bonded to a fellow dragon shifter. She was looking forward to it.

  Liar.

  Sweat trickled down her spine. The scents of the shifters, vampires, and humans in the bar, entwined with the smell of her desperation.

  She tightened her fingers around the glass. It shattered, the liquid splashing onto the bar counter.

  As one of the seven born to the dragon who’d founded her clan, it was her duty to mate with another dragon and continue her bloodline.

  No other species could survive the psychic impact of bonding with a dragon shifter. She was screwed.

  Likely, this was her last night of freedom, and she had to make the most of it.

  When she was out flying through the air or winging through the seas on her boat, she could be herself. She felt free to do what she wanted, without fear of letting down her family.

  It was also the reason she kept breaking the rules of her clan.

  It was childish of her, but these occasional bouts of rebellion were what kept her dragon sated. Enough to allow the woman to stay in control in human form.

  "Non-alcoholic ambrosia, please." She peered up at the bartender from beneath lowered eyelashes.

  The man's eyebrows flew so high they disappeared under the hair that fell over his forehead. "Let me guess. You're a dragon shifter, the only species who don't like alcohol."

  A jolt of fear ran through Hope. The heat of the enclosed space inside Alex's bar weighed down on her shoulders. Had she been found out?

  Then she saw the teasing glint in his eyes.

  She relaxed and raised her fingers to her mouth, pretending to yawn. "Do I look like a dragon shifter?"

  The bartender looked over her features, down her chest, to her waist, then back. "Hmm. You're curvy and tiny and too sexy to be one."

  She recognized his harmless flirting and decided to play along. "What does a dragon shifter look like, anyway?"

  "Large, fire-breathing, with wings." He flapped a palm in the air. "Never seen one. They're almost extinct, right?"

  "Right." She flashed a smile.

  Had the satisfaction of seeing him blink.

  Oh, he was interested all right, and cute and friendly. Only… she wasn't looking for any complications.

  "By the way, it's not like dragon shifters don't like the occasional alcoholic drink. But when you’re a fire-breather, alcohol tends to add fuel to the flames. Know what I mean?"

  Hope clamped her lips shut. Hell! She shouldn't have said that. But her dragon had insisted she set the facts right.

  Dragon 1. Woman 0.

  Stupid game! But it was so much more fun to keep her dragon and woman in balance this way.

  Her animal was too damn close to the surface. She never had managed to rein it in. Very early, Hope had realized that unlike the others, her dragon took a lot more to control.

  The bartender didn't seem to hear her muttered comment. He was too busy shaking up a concoction.

  A crash from the other end of the bar had her turning that way. The hair on the back of her neck prickled. Both dragon and woman were riveted.

  The clinking of the glasses, the conversation of the couple next to her… all of it faded. All she saw was him.

  The man who had her attention rose to his feet, only to stumble.

  She didn't even realize she was moving until she found herself next to him.

  The feel of the rock-hard muscles of his shoulder bunching under her fingers sent a thrill of awareness rippling through her.

  She was in so much trouble.

  To find out what happens next, get Inception here

  FREE BOOKS

  Claim your FREE book, click HERE

  Order of reading

  Knotted Omega Series

  Dark dystopian Captive romance

  Wanted by the Alpha

  Taken by the Alpha

  Claimed by the Alpha

  Fae’s Claim

  Dark Paranormal Romance Series

  Stolen by the Fae

  Property of the Fae

  Taken by the Fae

  Dragon Protectors Series

  Dragon Protectors Boxed S
et (8 books + exclusive prologues and epilogues)

  Inception (Hope and Aaron)

  Obsession (Eve and Cain)

  Deception (Pandora and Rage)

  Forbidden (Freya and Axel)

  Seduction (Neo and Trinity)

  Ascension (Mira and Zach)

  Revelation (Arjun and Naya)

  Temptation (Vance and Serena)

  Many Lives

  Paranormal romance

  (Prequel to Dragon Protectors)

  Awakened (Ruby and Vik)

  Feral (Maya and Luke)

  Taken (Jai and Ariana)

  Redemption (Mikhail and Leana)

  Claimed (Kris and Tara)

  Many Lives Box Set (6 books including Fated, with FREE bonus scenes, prologues and epilogues)

  Many Lives Origin Stories

  Origin

  Chosen

  Contemporary Romance

  Love, Caution (Jace) - Bad Boy Billionaire Romance

  Get all Laxmi’s books here

  Connect HERE for more free books and giveaways.

  About the Author

  Laxmi is a New York Times Bestselling Author. Happily married, she lives in London.

  PS. She insists that you call her Lax :)

  Connect on messenger to claim your FREE book here

  Follow Lax on AMAZON here

  Follow Lax on BOOKBUB here

  Join Lax’s Reader Group for exclusive sneak peeks

  Claim more FREE BOOKS by email here

  All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.