Born

The look on his face, the intimate tone of his voice made her sex clench even as shame washed over her.

“That shouldn’t have happened. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

He moved in closer, until she felt the heat from his body. The scent of male perspiration and spice invaded her senses until she could almost taste him.

“You were not thinking, you were needing, letting your body dictate your actions. Too bad you didn’t let me finish.”

Unlike the first time he touched her, his hand didn’t shake as he reached out. Allora sucked in an unsteady breath as he cupped her breasts, one thumb stroking over her beaded nipple. Pleasure so intense it almost brought her to her knees spiraled from that small movement, rippling outward.

“I’ve marred you now, Task Mistress, left my filthy Bred mark on you.” He caressed the smear of what looked like ash on her pale breast. She glanced over to the unlit fireplace, where the grate had been removed before meeting his clever gaze. “You’ll never be the same.”

“Why are you doing this?” And why am I allowing this madness to continue?

He shrugged the gesture of a man who had no cares. “I have very little time left. Might as well go out with a bang.”

“So you plan to rape me?” Such an act was punishable by death but Cormack was right— they could only kill him once.

His eyes glittered as he pressed his palm against her flat belly. “I plan to seduce you, Task Mistress. I plan to imprint myself on you so deeply that I will still live within you long after I am gone.”

She swallowed hard, swaying on her feet, lust clawing deep rivets on her. “We can’t. It is forbidden.”

He pulled her closer, nuzzling the hair by her ear.

“Everything worth doing is.”

Allora had never thought she was the sort to give in to temptation. Yet Cormack redefined the word for her. Was it the lure of the forbidden like he said? Or the burning desire to know exactly what she’d been missing?

His hands reached around to grip her ass, pulling her flush against him. The coarse fabric from his thermal shirt abraded her aching nipples. “Your maid said you need a Bred lover, to ease you in. I’m volunteering for this assignment, Task Mistress. Use me in any way that pleases you.”

The feel of his rock hard body and throbbing erection pressing into her, making her ache and yield to him as a woman’s flesh was designed to do, blotted out all thoughts of anything else. Until reality called out to her.

“Allora, have you finished with your bath yet?”

Mel asked from beyond the curtain. Cormack’s eyes dared her to shout for help, betting she would betray him instead of take him up on his offer.

Did she really want to save herself for Gaul? Let him be the one to capture her maidenhead? She envisioned his globular body dripping sour sweat as he rutted atop her. Would that be her only acquaintance with sex?

Not if I can help it.

Staring into his eyes, Allora raised her voice. “No Mel, I plan to linger here for some time to come. I will not require anything more from you tonight.”

6

Allora. Cormack’s lips twitched as he studied her from the crown of her head to her delectable little toes, and all the luscious bits in between. She certainly was alluring, with her flashing amethyst eyes and thick mane of red hair. He wanted her, was determined to claim her this night.

“Are you sure, milady?”

Cormack froze. As soon as the damned nursemaid leaves.

“I don’t mind staying, if you wish to talk. I know how difficult you find it to eat whilst by yourself. ”

Allora glanced up at him, a beautiful heat staining her cheeks. He stroked his thumb along it, mystified. How could a Born female ever want for company? The Borns gathered in great clusters to eat and entertain one another, so why would this angelic creature take meals with her Bred servant?

She cleared her throat. “Not tonight, Mel.”

The chit would not leave well enough alone. “Are you angry with me, about spoiling your plan?”

Allora’s eyes shut, her shoulders slumping. Low, so only he could hear she whispered, “She is like a dog with a bone. She will not be satisfied until I go out there and talk to her.”

“Then go,” he murmured back. “For I will not be satisfied until I have you all to myself.”

She shivered and bent to scoop up her discarded shift, covering the smudges he’d left on her pale flesh.

Cormack faded back into the shadows, as she parted the curtain and stepped into the adjoining chamber.

His genetically enhanced Bred senses let him hear every step as she padded across the floor, the scrape of the chair she sat in.

“Do you not wish to don clean clothing?”

A pause, as if she took a sip of some liquid and required time to swallow. “I plan to continue my bath after I have finished here.”

His cock throbbed, imagining helping her clean every inch of her perfect body.

“What is on your face?” Mel asked.

Shit. Cormack glanced down at his filthy hands.