My new wife is sleeping now, tucked snugly under the furs in my bed. Her sleep is fitful. Sometimes she whimpers, a sound that tears at my heart even as it makes me coldly enraged at whoever hurt her in the past.

Even when our passion nearly overcame us, and I could feel the pleasure coursing through her, she looked terrified at the idea that I couldn’t control myself.

The idea of taking her against her will, of having her anything but red-hot, panting and ready, leaves me feeling empty. I want her, and because of the tests performed by TerraMates, I can be readily assured that I will always desire her.

I cannot tolerate the idea of forcing her.

After I convinced Perri I would do her no harm, she was so relieved that I thought she would cry. She welcomed the chance to climb into the bath and wash off the grime from her journey. More than that, I suspect that she was relieved to have a locking door separating us.

While she bathed, I collected documents from around my quarters and a few communicators belonging to families scattered across the continent. I was relatively confident my bedroom was not accessible to anyone else, but things had changed. I stowed the items into a small safe set into the floor, covering it with a rug.

When my wife Perri stepped out of the bath, wrapped entirely in a fluffy black towel, she looked so frail and lovely that I almost took her into my arms again.

Almost.

I am not a fool. I know spirit when I see it, and whatever else Perri was, no matter what else anyone had done to her, she had spirit. She was strong enough to seek a better life for herself than she could find on Earth, and apparently, she had struck my brother when he got too close.

I wish I could have seen that.

I have to smile when I think of her with the vase over her head, bare-breasted like a goddess from a legend. I believe she might have tried to kill me if I had laid a hand on her.

She is yours, completely yours, whispers a smoky voice in my mind. Take her, for she is yours.

I ignore the voice, and I show her to my bed. She thanks me cautiously, only smiling when I give her one of my shirts to sleep in. She has no idea how adorable she looks wrapped in the shirt that hangs past her hips, or how enticing her bare legs look.

Despite the fear and strain of her unfortunate arrival at the palace, Perri falls asleep in a matter of moments, her breathing soft and regular. She must be exhausted. I reach over to brush the brown hair from her eyes. She is dark-haired and pale, something rarely seen on Arietus. With my golden hair and violet eyes, I must seem strange to her as well.

We don’t tell TerraMates the entire truth. The tests they run for us promise a match. There’s a certain amount of guaranteed genetic and biological compatibility. At the minimum, their matches are always fertile.

The women who come to Arietus sometimes receive a powerful shock when they realize the males here are no better than the men they left. There is happiness to be found, but it takes work to get there, and neither side of the couple necessarily wants to put in the effort.

When it comes to Perri, I sense something else is at work. There’s a pull between us a blood test cannot explain away. The more I look at her, the more I want to touch her. The closer I am to her, the closer I want to be.

Unfortunately, Perri is a luxury I cannot afford right now. If she had appeared five years in the future—perhaps only a single year from now, things would be different. At this moment, she is untried in the ways of court and unaware of how dangerous Arietus could truly be. Her weapon of choice is a vase. She is a liability in the perilous game I am playing, and I can’t afford to lose.

All of these things are true, and yet I cannot stop myself from stroking her hair and running my fingertips down her soft cheek while she sleeps. She turns to me even as she slumbers, nuzzling my fingers in a way that makes me smile. Entirely by accident, my fingertips brush against her soft lips, making them part. The slight dampness of her lips and the way her little pink tongue flickers out to lap at my skin make me stifle a groan.

The Earth girl, with her vulnerable mouth and her blazing spirit, is a threat. I cannot forget that.

My exhaustion catches up with me. I finally give in to it. I wanted to be asleep hours ago, but instead I got married. I strip and climb under the covers with her. At first, I intend to give her space, but the pull to press against her, pulling her back against my chest, is irresistible. She’s small and beautifully formed. She fits the curve of my body as if she were made for me. When I settle one arm over her wide hips, she murmurs with satisfaction.

I have a few moments to relish the feeling of her body pressed against my own, with only my old shirt between us, before sleep carries me down into the darkness.

I can’t see, but I feel the thick hot gush of blood over my hands. It will not stop no matter what I do to staunch it. In my ears, the voice of someone I care for is calling my name. His voice drops off to a whisper. When he falls silent, it will mean he is dead.

I work desperately, urging him to keep shouting and to stay with me. I know I will not succeed. I am in a battle and I am destined to lose. When I fail, I will lose the best friend a man could have.

I wake with a start, every muscle tense and my heart pounding hard. Perri still sleeps beside me, untroubled by any screams or cries I might have uttered. I fall back into the bed with relief. I close my eyes, even though I know there is little chance I will be getting back to sleep. Almost as an afterthought, I pull Perri to me, taking comfort from her warmth and scent.

In her sleep, Perri presses against me willingly enough. It takes me a moment to realize she is not seeking comfort from me. Her back fits firmly against my chest, but I can also feel her round ass pressing against my cock. A few moments ago, I was the farthest thing from aroused, but it doesn’t matter. When she starts grinding against me, my cock hardens, coming to erection so quickly that it startles me.

“You are nothing but trouble,” I murmur in her ear.

A good man might pull away, letting her work out her restless dreams before returning to the bed. I was never a good man, even before I began my charade. I stay where I am. My hands shift to her hip, and I can feel how well-rounded her curves are. I slide the hem of her shirt up so I can curl my hand over her bare skin. She’s beautifully warm, and when my hand tightens, she shifts against me again, making a soft longing sound deep in her throat.

When I bury my face in her thick dark hair, I can smell the perfumed oil she used. Underneath that is her own scent, skin, sweetness, and spice combined. The nape of her neck is tender as I nuzzle it. When I rake the edge of my teeth gently across her, she shivers just a little.

“Rasulus?”

It is the first time she has said my name without yelling. For some reason, it sends a shudder through me. TerraMates was right—I can feel the pull between us. Right now, though, it is far more important for me to lean over, press my face against her neck and lap at her skin.

“Oh! That feels good.”

Her voice is a soft purr with none of the panic or pain she had expressed before. In the darkness, in bed with me, she’s different. Sensual, curious but not alarmed. She gasps when she feels how sharp my teeth are against her skin, but she doesn’t pull away. Instead, almost shyly, her hand comes back to settle tentatively on my thigh, craving reassurance. The gesture tugs at my heart, almost enough to make me stop and kiss her until she knows she is safe again.

Almost.

Her soft ass is still pushed against me, and when she feels how hard I am, she presses back. There’s a rhythm to her shifting. She’s arousing herself as much as she is arousing me, and a little more of my control slips away.

“Beautiful Earth girl, perfect woman.”

She responds to the words muttered in her ear, and she makes no protest when I bare her neck and shoulder to my mouth. The scent of her skin is intoxicating, and my hands tighten on her as if I’m afraid someone is going to take her away from me.

Her body stiffens as my teeth close on her flesh. A sharp cry escapes her lips when I bite her. It’s both sensual and instinctual. Just as the pendant she wears marks her as my woman, so too does my bite on her skin. It’s brutal, but my world can be. It’s better for her to learn from me.

Drawing my teeth back, I suck on the skin of her shoulder, pulling the blood to the surface. When I draw away, I see the dark oval bite mark. She’s mine, and all that’s left is for me to claim her.

“It hurts.”

I feel a pang of compassion for Perri, but then I realize that she’s still rocking against me, her body understanding even if her mind doesn’t yet.

“My poor darling. Let me make it better for you.”

She flinches when I nuzzle the bruise, but I’m gentle as I lap at it. I want every part of her to belong to me. Right now, I soothe her, making her relax again.

Soon enough, she lets me roll her over onto her stomach. I kiss a path along her spine, making goosebumps rise on her skin. She’s beautifully sensitive, and when I drag my fingertips along the sides of her breasts, she whimpers in pleasure. I sit back so I can tease my fingers down between the dark crevice between her buttocks, teasing at the rear hole for just a moment. She tenses up, almost ready to push herself up and away, but I comfort her with soft kisses. My free hand rests on her head. I tangle my fingers in her hair.

There’s a little fear in her eyes now. That’s not what I want. I want her wrapped around my cock, writhing in pleasure, calling my name the way she had before.

“Don’t worry, perfect little one. I promise you there will be no pain tonight.”

There is no reason in the world for her to believe me, but Perri relaxes, tilting her head to glance at me. I realize her eyes are a gorgeous pale blue. She is trusting me. I cannot betray her.

With one hand on the small of her back, I shift around so I’m almost completely behind her. A little bit of coaxing encourages her to raise her hips. When she’s presented for my gaze and my hands, I think I have never seen such a beautiful sight.

She shivers when I run my fingertips up her thighs. Her hands clutch at the furs underneath her as if she is braced for something. When I trace my fingers along her full cunt lips, Perri utters a short cry. She tenses again, expecting some kind of assault, but I keep my touch gentle. In a matter of moments, as I run my fingers along her slit, she becomes even wetter. Her juices soon soak my fingers, allowing me to part her lower lips with a little more pressure.

She’s hot and wet in a way that makes me want to take her right then and there, but instead, I continue my motion, moving deeper with every pass.

Soon enough, I have two fingers pumping in and out of her depths. Bracing herself on her elbows and knees, she thrusts back against me. Her groan is a sound of pure pleasure. When I draw my fingers away, she cries out in frustration.

There will be a time where I arouse her to the edge of her limits and make her beg for completion, but now is not the time. Instead, I press my fingers forward between her legs, taking the liquid from her cunt to the sweet knot of her clit. My fingertips slide perfectly against the aroused flesh, rubbing at first gently, and then with more force.

Perri’s spirit comes out again when she does not shy away from my touch. Instead, she rides my fingers, her knees splayed. She’s open to me, and I can smell her arousal rising off of her. Her need is dark and longing, and in less time than I would have believed, her body tenses, legs clamping tight.

“Oh, my god!” she cries out, burying her face in the pillows.

She shudders when she comes, her whole body tightening in response to the overloaded nerves and the power of her climax. I can almost taste how perfect it is. My body needs her like it needs water. Fortunately for both of us, I am far from done.