She had barely been Viper's slave for an hour and here she was battling the urge to rip off his clothes and guide him into her.
She might be in this man's power, but that didn't mean she had to be a willing victim.
Did she have no pride at all?
Sucking in a deep breath she attempted to gather her lost senses.
"No," she at last rasped.
It was a mere thread of sound, but it was enough to make Viper stiffen above her.
"What did you say?" he demanded against her lips.
Her body shuddered in disappointment as she forced herself to press her hands against his chest in silent denial.
"I said no."
She was prepared for him to laugh at her weak protest. Or at the very least ignore it.
She was his slave and he was in a position to do whatever he wanted with her body.
Besides which, she had never met a man yet who didn't think that a no was just a yes waiting to happen.
Astonishingly, however, the elegant form was lifting off her with fluid ease. Shay blinked as she watched him settle back in his own seat with cool composure. There wasn't even the faintest tremor of his slender fingers as he picked up his wineglass and lifted it to his lips to reveal he had been at all affected by the last few moments.
"You..." Straightening Shay impatiently brushed away the handful of curls that had strayed from her braid. "Why did you stop?"
He regarded her over the rim of his glass. "You said no. I assumed that meant no, did it not?"
"It did, but..."
"I'm a vampire, not a monster."
"You say potato, I say potato..." she muttered.
"What?"
"Does it matter what I want? I'm your slave."
He abruptly set aside his glass. "But not my whore. Not ever."
Her eyes narrowed. He sounded sincere. But then, he was a vampire. Deception was perhaps their greatest skill.
If they couldn't enthrall you with their eyes, they would enthrall you with their gilded tongues.
"So all I have to do is say no?"
"That's all you have to do."
"I don't believe you."
The dark eyes flashed at her blunt accusation, but the ivory features remained unruffled.
"That is your choice, of course."
Her hand reached for her braid as she regarded him with wary distrust.
It was a trap. It had to be.