Page 24 of The Slave in A Princess Disguise

"Then, be that person, My Lord. If it will not be the Grand King, or you, I don’t want anyone else touching me in that way. Especially then, when I will be most vulnerable, a slave to my urges, unable to say no. Unable to make a choice."

Lord Herod took a deep breath, his expression conflicted. "Let us see the healer first. Then, we shall proceed from there, alright?"

"Okay," Emeriel whispered, her voice barely audible.

Every day, her impending full heat scared her even more than the previous day.

The terror grew, settling deeper into her bones, an all-consuming fear threatening to overwhelm her.

Aekeira, along with Amie and other slaves, were nestled deep within the woods. Seated around a weathered wooden table amidst the lush greenery of the forest, engrossed in the art of lantern-making.

Their laughter and chatter filled the air as they carefully crafted lanterns from thin, flexible bamboo, skillfully bent and tied into graceful spherical shapes.

The hours melted away as they worked, but their spirits remained lifted, enthusiastic. They shared stories and dreams,envisioning themselves exploring the festival grounds and perhaps even getting to dance.

Aekeira’s legs were growing numb from sitting for so long, she needed a break.

"I'll be back," she announced, rising.

Venturing deeper into the woods, she savored the refreshing air, the earthy smell of the forest, and the gentle caress of the breeze. What a beautiful day.

Lost in the tranquility, she wandered further than intended. And when she finally came to her senses, she realized she had strayed far from the others.

"Wonderful. Just wonderful, Aekeira," she muttered, shaking her head at her own absentmindedness. As she turned to retrace her steps, her eyes caught a glimpse of movement near the riverbank.

No, a figure.

And Aekeira would recognize that graceful poise anywhere. Grand Lord Vladya.

He hasn't seen me yet.I could turn back and leave.These were her first thoughts, and she was determined to follow through with them.

But her traitorous body simply came alive.

Her heart quickened its pace, a swarm of butterflies erupted in her stomach, as warmth spread through her most intimate areas.

As if her body's betrayal wasn't enough, her mind—which now happened to be her greatest enemy—flooded her with vivid memories of their last encounter. Memories she had fought tooth and nail to suppress.

The bloodfeeding.

A moan nearly escaped her lips, but Aekeira bit down hard to hold it back. Bloody heaven, but that bloodfeeding...

It was her first orgasm.

She had heard other girls whisper about carnal pleasure, but she had never believed such things. It sounded like a fanciful myth.

She would know, right? After all, she was no stranger to the act. Sex was all about pain, punishment, power, and dominance; it had nothing to do with pleasure or release. At best, it brought blissful numbness.

Aekeira never knew carnal pleasure and orgasm was real. Until she had bloodfed that Urekai male.

They hadn't shared sexual intimacy, yet Aekeira's head had spun with the onslaught of pleasure that had swarmed her.

Her treacherous body ached for more. It frightened her, this starving hunger she now harbored. And not just for any male, but specifically for that grand lord standing by the riverbank.

"Stop it," she whispered. "Time to go."

Determined to put as much distance between herself and the object of her forbidden desires as possible, she whirled around.

"Are you aware that I can smell you, Aekiera?"

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