Page 71 of Barbi and the Villain

“Where did you take the dogs? They weren’t here when I woke up.”

I give them something to eat while I brush their coats to make sure they don’t get any matting. I spotted a toothbrush in the bathroom…

I sneak a glance at Nykander. It’s likely his. But he’s my mate now so he will have to share, which implicitly means he needs to share with PomPom and BonBon since they need to have their teeth brushed.

“You were sleeping. They were loud,” he answers matter-of-factly from the bathroom.

My hand stills on PomPom’s beautiful white coat as I churn his words in my mind. He took them somewhere else because they were loud and I was sleeping?

That sounds awfully…nice.

The sound of the water running from the shower fills the small cabin. I glance at the closed door, my cheeks heating up as I imagine him inside…

I need to purge these thoughts out of my head. Especially now that we find ourselves in this predicament.

We’re mated.

I thought that only happened in my romance books where a strong male claims his reluctant mate and woos her until she gives in.

My situation, unfortunately, is far removed from that. Nykander is too good-looking for his own good, but he is in no hurry to claim me. And no matter how reluctant I’d like to be, the truth is that I’m yearning for a deep connection like that far too much to not give in under the right circumstances.

All my life I’ve wanted to belong somewhere.

I never fit my mother’s culture and always underperformed for her standards. My father’s side of the family wasn’t much better, since he married my mother against his family’s wishes, which meant that my relationship with my paternal grandparents was always strained.

At school, things weren’t different, and making friends became more and more difficult as I grew up. And based on my track record with friends, I’d say it’s another failure to add to my résumé.

I was always the odd one out.

The one chance I get at seemingly belonging somewhere turns out to be nothing but a sham—an accidental one at that.

Mated.

I scoff aloud.

In less than a week, I have gone from pink Barbi who did role-play with her PomPom to red-blood Barbi who is stranded in a not-so-fictional world and accidentally mated to a rude and domineering god/demon. But hey, at least now I have not one but two dogs. I should look at the bright side.

The door to the bathroom opens and Nykander strides out. I don’t think he realizes his own appeal because he’s only wearing a towel draped around his waist. His bare chest is on display, as well as that mark that we now share over our hearts. The striations of his abdomen and protruding biceps make me swallow hard and avert my gaze.

This is not fair! Why couldn’t he be an actual ogre so I didn’t have to actively lust after him? I wonder if this is a side effect of the mating—the fact that I see him as the most appetizing food.

Yes, this must be it. I can’t be that foolish to still want someone who clearly doesn’t want me if not for supernatural influences.

“You may have the bathroom. Do not take long,” he says as he throws a towel at me.

I barely catch it, sputtering some nonsense. As I walk to the bathroom, I stop to grab one of the dresses too, and I can’t stop my mind from going places.

“Whose dresses are these?” I ask as I half turn to watch him.

He’s leaning against the wooden wall, the dogs chasing each other playfully at his feet—perhaps hoping for some attention from him. He watches me intently with those icy eyes of his and goose bumps erupt on my body.

“They are yours,” he replies.

“Now. But what about before? I don’t want to wear another woman’s dresses,” I say as I cross my arms over my chest.

The corner of his mouth curls up.

“They are new, bought just for you.”

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