Page 13 of Kazzon's Human Bride
“Please,” she begged again, and a dark part of him liked it.
He liked hearing her beg.
“You will become my bride tonight, Caylee, and we will consummate our marriage. This decision is final.”
Her lips curled in a sneer, even as fresh tears glittered in her eyes. “You’re a barbarian,” she said. “All of you are. Heartless barbarians.”
He knelt down in front of her, so their eyes were level, and he peered straight at her, not allowing her to look away when she attempted to turn her head. “Barbarian or not, you are about to become my wife. And I am about to become your husband—your master.”
Chapter 9
Disbelief swirled through Caylee.She stood next to Kazzon before the video comm and listened as five red-robed Tarrkuan priests bestowed a marriage blessing upon them. Usually, marriages between human females and male Tarrkuans occurred in a mass nuptial ceremony right after theZenalliabrought the yearly shipment of human females to the capital city of Ashorr.
Oh, how she wished Kazzon hadn’t been able to connect with the priests via a video comm, then perhaps she would’ve had more time to come to terms with all that had happened in the last few hours. Right now, she was equally angry and grief-stricken. Soon she would have to leave New Leesburg, never to see her family and friends again. And she would have to mate with a huge Tarrkuan who scared her.
One who’d promised to be especially strict with her.
But despite her fear of Kazzon, she also found herself inexplicably drawn to him. She couldn’t stop glancing his way and admiring his strong, masculine profile. She also couldn’t stop the heated pulses that gathered between her thighs.
Not my fault, she told herself.
She’d undergone treatments to enable her to conceive children with his kind, so it made sense that she would find herself sexually attracted to a handsome Tarrkuan male such as Kazzon, even if he was a domineering barbarian.
Her face heated when she recalled that he could apparently smell her arousal, and as he turned to peer down at her, his nostrils flared and a heated look entered his dark eyes.
Was he reading her mind? Did he have any idea what she was thinking about?
He breathed deep and the lustful gleam in his eyes flickered brighter.
She imagined that as soon as the marriage blessing ended, he would shut off the video comm and proceed to ravage her like the alien brute he was. She resisted the urge to turn around and look at the bed.
The priests ceased speaking and a second later, a bell rang, the noise reverberating through the speakers and around the room. Once the clanging faded, Kazzon thanked the priests and turned off the video comm.
Caylee’s heart raced.
Oh God. This is it.
She thought about fighting him but quickly dashed that idea aside. He was well over seven feet tall and made of pure muscle. No way would she stand a chance against him. Besides, angering him on their wedding night probably wouldn’t be the smartest action on her part, particularly given the seriousness of her crimes against his people.
She thought about Julie and how she’d succeeded in making Varro fall in love with her. Since she was unable to conceive children with a Tarrkuan, Julie had known Varro would eventually discover that she’d switched places with another human female. In order to remain on planet Tarrkua and be near her sister Nova, Julie had set about trying to make Varro fall in love with her, so when he inevitably discovered her deceit, he wouldn’t send her back to Earth. Julie had tried to be as sweet and submissive as possible, at least that was what she’d told Caylee, in hopes that her compliance would help Varro develop feelings for her.
Apparently, it had worked, because Varro and Julie seemed as though they were madly in love. She’d spoken with both of them via a video comm and recalled how happy they appeared whenever they looked at one another.
As Kazzon took Caylee’s hands in his and turned to face her fully, she couldn’t help but wonder ifhewas capable of any tender emotions. She swallowed hard, past the dryness in her throat, and prayed he wasn’t as cruel and unfeeling as she’d first taken him for.
“We are mated now,” he said, his voice a deep rumble. “As you know, my people mate for life. That means you belong to me forever, Caylee.”
She opened her mouth, prepared to offer a sharp retort, but quickly pressed her lips together and fell silent. What would happen now? Would he pounce on her and claim her, even though they barely knew a thing about one another?
Her heart leapt in her chest as her shaking increased. She lowered her head, unable to maintain eye contact with this huge Tarrkuan for a moment longer. Everything about him frightened her, and she felt conflicted about her apparent attraction to him.
Kazzon stepped closer and started running his fingers through her hair. It seemed he had a particular fascination with her golden locks. Perhaps because Tarrkuan males and females alike always possessed black hair.
She was a novelty to him, and a possession.
His prize for years of service to his people.
He tipped her chin upward, forcing her to meet his dark, unfathomable gaze. “I will be a fair husband to you, little human.” His deep voice resounded through her. “But know that I will require your obedience.”
