Page 28 of Dark Prince's Captive

He advances slowly and stops so close to me that the buttons of his jacket sweep my lower back.I resist the urge to step away.I hate being a coward.

“You look beautiful, Elsie,” he says in a voice so deep that goosebumps ripple over my skin.

However light the contact, it’s disturbing as hell.

Forget about acting brave and saving face.I turn around, creating a measure of distance between us, and crane my neck to look up at him.“Gaia said something about vows.Please tell me it’s a joke.”

“Alas,” he says with a sharp, disapproving smile.“Saying one’s vows is never a joke.”

“What does that even mean?”The proverbial noose around my neck tightens.“Is it like marriage or something?”

“Marriage?”He tilts his head, his eyes narrowing with perceptive curiosity.“I’m not familiar with that custom.”

“It’s when two people decide to live together and have a family.They give each other rings and promise to be faithful.They sign a contract that’s legally binding.Often, things go wrong, and then they divorce.”When he frowns, I elaborate, “They leave each other.In fact, it happens to one out of two couples, and it can get really messy.If that’s what you’re planning with this whole saying-our-vows-thing, I can assure you that we’ll end up as the one-out-of-two statistic.Surely, that’s not what you want.”I add uncertainly, “Right?”

He watches me solemnly.“On Zerra, each person has one mate only.When we mate, it’s for life.”

“For life?”I shriek.“Like penguins and seahorses?”

“I don’t know your seahorses and penguins, but here, even our dragons mate for life.”

Okay, I admit a world with failproof relationships sounds kind of amazing, but not if the relationship is unwanted or forced.He can’t mean that’s what he wants.For life.With me.Can he?

He only continues to stare at me with an unfaltering silver gaze.

Shit.

He does mean it.

I break out in a cold sweat.Through dry lips, I ask, “Are you for real?”

“Claiming one’s mate is an occasion of great joy.Without a mate, a person is incomplete.”

If that’s what he believes, I’m truly fucked.

Literally.Maybe.

“What does this whole consummation ritual entail?”I ask with my heart beating in my throat.

The color of his eyes darkens to quicksilver.I swear he could melt metal with that flaming-hot stare.

“We’ll bond physically,” he announces in an even tone.

“We have to sleep together?”I croak out.

“Eventually, yes.”No longer limiting his exploration to my face, he takes full advantage of sizing up my body.“After we’ve fucked.”

Oh, crap.

I sway a little, suddenly dizzy.

I think I may swoon—in a bad way.

Double crap.

In a good way too.

The swooning has a distinct note of anticipation.

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