Page 17 of The Alien's Cruel Starfrost Domain

At least until the time came to put my own plan into action.

I would hide her away in my household, make her unremarkable. Invisible. And then I would stay away from her. At the end of a year, once I had her sister as well, I would implement my plan. Until then, I would ignore her.

Easy enough.

I gave a decisive nod and stepped away.

But as I settled into my own cryocasket, I knew I was lying to myself. I could no more ignore Lara Evans than I could cut out my own heart.

No.

The next Earth year was going to be sheer agony—a torture I wasn’t certain I could endure.

And no matter how I protected her, that year would end with Lara’s death.

CHAPTER 5

LARA

Sometimes I feel like nothing ever changes in this domain of ice and snow. Everything is frozen into a permanent stasis. And if I don’t get out, the cold will freeze me, too, keeping me from ever leaving. Worse, it will grab Izzy as well, encase her in ice, starting with her ankles and moving up her body until she’s as trapped here as I am.

At first, I tried to refuse to become a maid in Ivrael’s mansion. And for the first couple of days, Adefina allowed it. She told me every morning what my duties were, then reminded me what I was supposed to be doing every time she walked by. At least, unlike the other Caix, she was kind, albeit relentless in her instructions.

After three days, though, the duke made his first appearance in the kitchen, flinging the door open and stepping through, all haughty grandeur and aristocratic bearing.

“Adefina tells me you haven’t been performing your duties.” He stared down his nose at me.

I scrambled up from where I’d been sitting on the hearthstones,staring into the fire. “Yeah, that’s because I don’t have any duties here.” I crossed my arms. “I’m a prisoner, not a servant.”

Ivrael stepped closer to me. For all that he was tall and slender, his presence filled the room, and he loomed over me. I could smell the crisp linen of his shirt and the scent of him underneath.

“You are whatever I say you are, princess,” he growled low in his throat. “And I say that until I have your sister, you’re my servant.”

I glared at him through narrowed eyes. “You can’t make me clean your fucking house. I won’t do it. I’m not a maid.”

This time he moved so close I scrambled back automatically, until my heels hit the slightly raised stones of the hearth. I tripped and lost my balance, my arms windmilling as I began to fall backwards.

The duke’s hand whipped out fast, like a serpent striking, and he snaked his arm around my waist. In one smooth motion, he hauled me up against his chest, holding me there, almost dangling me, with my toes barely touching the floor. “You are lucky cleaning is all I’m requiring you to do.”

My mouth gaped open, and Ivrael’s lips curved into a wicked grin. “I could always have you delivered straight to my bed.”

I jerked in surprise and began to pull away. His other hand snapped up toward my face, and I flinched, but he simply coiled a single curl of my hair around his forefinger and leaned in toward me to whisper, his breath brushing against my cheek.

“But if you don’t start attending to your more official duties,” he rasped out, “that will have to change.” His long, dark lashes swept downward, casting spiky shadows on his cheeks. “Unless, of course, that’s the kind of service you’d prefer to perform?”

My whole body tightened at his words, chills sliding in and through me, and I wasn’t sure if the sensation was born of terror or lust—or both. I shivered against him, and he made a satisfied sound in his throat.

Between us, the length of him hardened. My nipples tightened, and the response speared through my entire body, landing in my core.

My mouth dried, and I tried toswallow—but I couldn’t.

“I know I’d prefer that,” he rasped out. “And if you’d prefer it, I could arrange for it.”

From somewhere behind the Duke, Adefina cleared her throat noisily. “If His Lordship would excuse us,” she said, her tone pointed and dry, “Lara and I have work to do.”

“Of course,” Ivrael replied smoothly, setting me back on my feet and steadying me with one hand on my hip. Releasing the curl, he traced the edge of my jawline with a feather-light touch, holding my gaze captive with his own. “It’s entirely up to her.”

Determined not to show any weakness in front of him, I locked my knees and remained standing as he took a step away from me.

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