Now he smiled, his lip curled in a smirk, he informed her, “Regarding the punishment, I’m partial to spanking. You that is, not me. I’m thinking of tying you to the bed, on your stomach, ankles and wrists, you know, spread eagle,” his grin rose nasty at her eyes widening in disbelief, anger, shock, then fright.
“Oh, and completely naked of course, there would be nothing between my hand and that sweet, plump ass of yours, or anything else of yours.” The dark eyes were now almost bone white. His brows lowered and the smile hardened. “If you don’t believe me, just go ahead and try me.”
Taking a step back from him, her voice hushed, “You wouldn’t dare.”
He moved a step to her. “Go ahead and say sire or Dravidian, call my bluff.”
Her arms crossed protectively over the front of her, she looked up at him, saw the long black hair of a warlord drying past his shoulders, shoulders bunched as he set his big hands arrogantly on his hips, and she could see he was no longer angry. No, pure lust gleamed at her from his dark eyes like white torches, daring, wanting her to say it. Her mouth opened in an O, then it snapped shut.
“I didn’t think so,” he said smugly.
Scowling, Sveti tightened her crossed arms replied belligerently, “It’s not fair, you are using your brute strength to control me.”
“Ah, precious, no one said life was fair. Aye, I do have the strength over you, and therefore I do have the upper hand. I am stronger, so I rule.”
“Oh! That’s- so archaic!” She couldn’t believe what he was saying.
“So? I am archaic, honey, you have no idea how much. You are mine to do with in any way I see fit.” At her swift inhale of disbelief, he said, “Now, unless you want to have sex with me right now, and I’m okay with that in case you’re not sure,” stroking his erection, his mouth quirked facetiously.
“I’m going to go change, I have things to do before tonight.” He waited but she remained mum. With a shrug, he turned and started down the hall to the living room.
Sveti stared after him, then, she ran after him. He was at the door. “Wait a minute, Sire- uh, Devilos.”
He pivoted with a smile, his hot gaze raking her, his hands went to his belt buckle. “You want to fuck? I’m ready, babe.”
She came to a rigid halt with a frown. “You are crass. No. I told you we are not having sex again.” Her lids levered down over angry eyes. “You said Bowie bought a dress. That means you have been planning this- this, uh, seduction.”
The realization continued to climb with her voice, “You didn’t just happen to be here and stop me from going and getting a prince on my own, you- you planned all along to- to trick me into wedding you.” The blue orbs paled, turned bleak. “But why? Why would you do that?”
Grabbing up his holster, he opened the door with an exasperated sigh. “For mercy sake, Svetiessa, I have already told you. I wanted you, and you were going to run off and let some fucking alien animal screw you and likely hurt you or pass you around to others, or kill you afterwards. And if you didn’t do it yourself, your brother was going to. I did you a fucking favor.
“So get the hell off the trip, woman. Bowie will be here to bring you at seven. I have a captain ready to complete our vows,” solidifying her suspicions that he had planned the entire seduction.
His voice hard but his eyes were tender, before she could speak he said, “There will be no more arguing about this, Svetiessa, none. Mara will come to help you dress. Be ready at seven. You don’t come willingly with Bowie then I will come and get you. Consider how embarrassed you will be slung over my shoulder as we march through the station.”
She said with a sad grunt, “I’m supposed to be happy about that? Being forcefully dragged to my wedding, with no talk of- love, how am I supposed to accept that?”
Dev closed the door, his lips pulled in then he blew them out.
“Svetiessa, if I had the time to romance you, I would. I don’t know how, because I’ve never romanced a woman before, but I could have gotten pointers from that rogue Bowie. But, you pushed the issue by going after danger.
“I knew it was only a matter of time before you fled. Between that and your séantóir bráthair, uh, your perverted brother, time was running out. I,” he rubbed his hands over his face, scrubbed his fingers down over his whiskers.
Now he looked bleak. “Svetiessa, I am not capable of drogaste, ah, love. It isn’t in my makeup. I told you, I come from a vicious, coldblooded stock. But, as I also told you, you know that I adore you, and I will take care of you, protect you, and, you already know the sex is out of this world with us. Isn’t that enough?”
She said quietly, “No.”
They stared at each other for several silent seconds, then he said coldly, “Well, it’s going to have to be.”
Uncaring it seemed, of her desolate expression and feelings of entrapment, he opened the door.
Keldon was standing to the side, he didn’t move a muscle. Dev had told him previously, with his fists, that he was not to look at Sveti unless necessary and was never to be alone with her or touch her. His presence dashed Sveti’s hope of fleeing after Devilos left.
Dev told her, “Get your shit packed. You will stay in my suite. There will be no further discussion that you will not be in my bed every night. And,” his lip rose at the corner, he closed the door slightly in Keldon’s red face, “we will have sex, daily, undoubtedly more than once or twice or more a day. You will spread your legs for me whenever I say. Hopefully, you will come to me wanting it.”
“But,” his smile harsh he went on, “I will never lose my desire for you, Svetiessa, never. You make me hard just thinking of you. So, get over your hurt feelings at being deceived and accept that from now on, you are mine and our lives will be spent together.” Forever. She didn’t even know the half of it yet.
His gaze swept her shocked, irate, and unhappy face before he stepped out and closed the door.
Chapter Twenty-One
Hours later, Sveti opened her door to Bowie. His cheerful grin did nothing to lighten her morose mood.
“Hey, Sveti, how’re you doing?” The affable blond lieutenant entered her living room with a garment bag on a hanger slung over his shoulder. He hung it on a hook by the closet door. Glancing around, he saw a suitcase by the door. “Oh, good, I see you’re packed. I’ll get that to, uh,” his voice softened seeing her misery, “uh, Dev’s suite.”
“He’s given me no choice.” She scowled at the suitcase.
Bowie was well aware of what transpired between her and Dev. Dev had told him everything when he saw him earlier.
His commiserating with her would do her no good and make him somewhat disloyal to his best friend, so he changed the subject. “I’ve, uh, brought your dress.”
Her lashes lowered covering her eyes but not before he saw how crestfallen she looked. Bowie started to go to her when she put up a hand as if to protect herself.
He stopped and raised his palms. “Hey, honey, come on, you must know I would never hurt you. We’re shopping buddies for Pete’s sake.” He tried a little levity with a half-grin. Then sobered. “Please don’t be afraid of me, Sveti.”
Her body was partially turned away from him, she wiped her eyes then turned to face him. Seeing his expression so earnest and worried, and hurt that she feared him, her stiff lips softened into a small smile.
“I know, Bowie. I’m sorry, it’s just…him. He’s so…cold, and lethal, and domineering, I’m afraid all of you are just like him. But I know you are not.”
He nodded grimly thinking, well, I kinda am. Thankfully she wasn’t his woman so he could treat her like a friend. Of course, Bowie realized, if she was his, he would be just as dictatorial, it was in their blood, and he already is nearly as lethal, and he hid his innate coldness behind the affable demeanor.
Pulling on a smile he said cheerfully, “So, don’t you want to see your dress?” Her skin darkened so quickly and the blue in her eyes deepened. Oo-kay, not happy about the wedding. “S
veti, you need to-”
“He tricked me, Bowie, into giving myself to him. He is forcing me to marry him.” A tiny tear slipped out, she dashed at it.
“He said he would never love me, Bowie. What girl wants to be chained to a loveless marriage with a domineering brute? I’d have been better off being sold to a horrible creature who would rape me and then kill me, at least it would be over.” She wiped at more tears.
“Hey, come on,” Bowie coaxed, moving to her, “you need to give Dev a chance. He thinks he’s incapable of loving but he would do anything for one of us, his friends, he would die for us, and he would suffer immeasurably if one of us died. Sveti, he charged into that dungeon and dove into that river to save you. Hell, he carried you on his back up a damned mountain. He cares for you, it’s just in a cold, violent way.” He smiled at the description.
“Bowie, really,” she snorted, “he wanted to get the warrant fee for me, I was dollars rolling away with the current or down the mountain.” Sveti didn’t mention the dungeon.
She still couldn’t figure that out. She assumed he took her to punish her, but he had yet to set an injurious hand on her. Dev told her he’d been obsessed with her, he came to save her. It was all so confusing, he was deceitful, nothing he said could be believed.
Bowie folded his burly arms over his buffed chest shaking his head. “No, it wasn’t that. He is wealthy beyond all means, trust me. He was only picking up your warrant case because he wanted to safely see you to your brother. A less savory type would have done you harm, trust me, before delivering you.”
“But he did just that, Bowie, he did me harm. He took my…” pink deepened on her cheeks, “virginity. Knowing full well it would tie me to him. He wanted to…own me. He wanted to punish me.”
His lips bunched. “But, Sveti, aye, he did what he did, but did he hurt you? No. Not physically. Another male would not have been gentle and, uh caring. You were with the Amphicyonids, those fucking, beg your pardon, grizzly-canines, you can imagine what a creature from another galaxy could have, would have, done to you. Seriously, he has your best interests at heart.”
“That’s just it, Bowie, he knew what my brother planned and was still taking me there. If he cared at all about me he would have figured out a way to-” She broke off thinking about what she was saying.
“Aye, you see? There was little way out of your predicament, Sveti, and he wedded you to save you.”
“Ha! He said he wedded me because he wanted to bed me. He just coerced me into doing it so I couldn’t cry rape or foul play later and try to get out of the union. Which I still don’t understand why he would want to bind us together.” One brow lowered over a squinted eye. “So, then who saves me from him?”
They were quiet for a few minutes. Then Bowie said, “Honey, you need to get dressed. Dev will be waiting.” He glanced at his wristband to check the time.
She snorted again. “So? What will he do if I’m late? He’s already threatened to spank me.” Pink suffused her cheeks at his description of how he would spank her. Naked, tied spread-eagle on her stomach.
Matching red streaked across Bowie’s sharp cheekbones. “Uh, TMI, honey. Just, let’s just go. Get dressed. It’s a pretty dress, I told Dev I bought the one you admired, but,” his shoulders bumped with a grin.
“I thought it was too modest for your wedding, so I purchased a different one. Don’t worry,” he said at the look on her face, “Dev will love it. He may be cold-blooded, but he is a red-blooded male, and you will be a knockout in the dress. Of course,” he grinned with a sly wink, “you would still be a living doll wearing a paper bag, and he would still want you.”
Before she could respond, he went and took the dress off the hook and brought it to her and placed it in her arms. “Go on now, I’ll take your stuff to Dev’s,” he hesitated at the mutinous curve of her mouth and lowered brows. Dev had told him Sveti did not want to stay with him,
“Uh, that will give you some time to get ready. Okay?”
A knock at the door gave him some reprieve. Letting out a heavy breath, Bowie opened it and Mara, Sveti’s maid came in.
“Oh, good, you’re here,” Bowie said in a rush, “I’ll be back in a few,” and he raced out the door.
Mara beamed at Sveti. “Hello, miss, I mean, I guess that’s missus now.” She gave Sveti a big grin avoiding the bleakness in Sveti’s sad eyes.
Mara was aware of the prințesă’s reluctance to marry the Dravidian, he had warned her before he’d sent her to tend to Sveti. And, she didn’t blame her one bit. He was big and tough and rough, hard as steel, lethal aggression radiated out of his very essence.
She’d heard the rumors about how he was in bed, she shivered half in fear, half in desire, they said he was violent, very violent. Not hitting the females, just his, acts were violent.
But, Mara shrugged, she heard the ones he’d been with begged him for a second shot but he always refused. The little prințesă was the only woman he had ever had stay in his chambers. And, Mara swooned just a tad, he was marrying her.
Everyone that knows him said they didn’t believe it, not the powerful, cold, brutal spawn of Satan. Women had been trying to snag him for centuries.
She peered at the young woman with the flaming hair. She could see, if it was anyone, it would be her. The prințesă was the polar opposite of the Devil warrior. He was all tough iron, arrogance and icy masculinity. Whereas she was soft and sweet, kind and elegant.
Studying Sveti, Mara smiled. They had some things in common though. They were both courageous and stubborn.
“Come, Prințesă, let’s get you ready. Mr. Bowie got you shoes that will be perfect for your gown.”
Wearing his dress uniform, a black tunic and slacks with almost imperceptible filaments of gold threading through, his hair in warlord braids as befitting his status, Dev stood waiting for Sveti.
He couldn’t believe he wasn’t fraught with nerves, not that he has ever been in his life, but still. He was binding himself to a woman, one woman, forgoing all others forever. The thought did not bother him a whit. Sveti was more than enough woman for him.
He had only lived with men before, Brahms and his lieutenants, his friends. He couldn’t believe he was about to share his residence, his bed, his life, with a female.
Aye, he should be totally freaked, but he only felt utter calm, peace. It hadn’t been easy, but he’d gotten what he wanted. Svetiessa was about to fully become his.
She already was, from the fluids that now surged through her beautiful body, but they were to be lawfully joined in front of the world. Zues, he wanted to wake up every morning with her in his arms.
It would all be perfect if not for that one pesky little thing, she did not want to be married to him. Ah, she will get over it, she will get used to him. It was a chauvinistic, self-centered thought, but he had never pretended to be otherwise. Although, he did feel a tiny twinge in the back of his heart that the woman he chose, did not want him.
The grins of his closest friends, Tomi, Lukas, Connar didn’t help the matter.
To the background tune of quiet chattering and light music, Dev fought to not look at his timelink on his wrist. He already knew she was late. A frown pulled his dark brows down, she better not be refusing to come with Bowie, yet Bowie would have sent him a message on his link if she had.
His brows slashed down further, unless Bowie was struggling to argue with her to get her to come on her own. His hands fisted, well, if that little female, his fucking wife, thought she would refuse her husband- the chattering diminished as the crowd took in the groom’s black countenance.
Alarm twittered throughout the chamber at the brutal anger in warlord’s hard face. Sympathy sprouted from a few for the little bride he was marrying. No one wanted that fierce anger directed at them.
His features harsh and jagged with ire, Dev started down the steps then stopped abruptly.
She was here.
The room was decorated in lavender, pink and white, and
filled with all of the personnel on his ship, his warriors, their wives, girlfriends, a grand hush fell over the room.
Bowie was grinning like a buffoon at Dev, but Dev only had eyes for Sveti. A shiver literally ran up his spine.
Her dress was a soft, sheer, shimmering pearl. Faint embroidered flowers and a curved design danced over the voile. Tiny pearls strung sewn along the low bodice, although fully transparent almost to her nipples, it was embroidered with a lace and curlicue design, as were the cap sleeves also trimmed with miniature pearls.
The middle section slightly opaque showcased Sveti’s hot little figure, the design ended just past her thighs then flared out to elegant, sheer chiffon in a mermaid style.
Dev knew that wasn’t the dress Sveti had admired. Bowie had described it, said it had been blush and nowhere near as damned risqué as this one. Freezing the frown that threatened to make his face even stonier, there was no way Sveti would be wearing this dress again.
It was so light and delicate, his big thick fingers would have it in shreds no matter how careful he was. And he would be taking it off her, his dick flared right along with the sheer skirt.
She was so sexy in it, it was all he could do to keep from striding to her, throwing her over his shoulder like a troglodyte and carrying her to the nearest closed room, tear the dress off her and fuck her up against the wall. His mouth quirked up at the corner, Bowie, the bastard, had gone to the store and made his own choice.
Dev glanced at his friend. His grin as big as ever, Bowie winked at him. Bowie knew exactly what Dev was thinking, the bastard. Dev shook his head at him, then returned his attention back to his stunning bride.
Sveti’s flaming hair was swept up to a soft twirl to the side of her head with three fat, loose ringlets, one rolled down the front of her, the other two down the low cut back of the dress. The lowlights shimmied off the dress and her fiery hair, and over her lush breasts that molded above the bodice.
Feeling his erection swelling, Dev quickly raised his eyes from her glorious tits that Bowie had decided to put on display for every asshole present to enjoy, and looked up to her face.
Devil's Prince (Satan's Brood Book 1) Page 19
