Dark Possession - Aja James Page 0,13

Three

Eveline considered her new surroundings a little deflatedly.

King Alend Ramses was not quite what she expected.

For all his overt sexuality and dominance, when they sealed the Blood Contract at the cabin in the woods, he only took the barest of sips from her throat before lapping the small wound closed and pulling back from her. And except for the shallowest penetration of his fangs into her jugular vein, he hadn’t touched her anywhere else.

From there, they rode back to the City in a gigantic, armored black SUV that was waiting for them on a deserted road half a mile from the hideaway. For the entire length of time that they walked through the woods and during the ride in the vehicle, Ramses said not one word to her. Moreover, he maintained enough distance between them at all times that she could barely feel his body heat.

It’s as if he purposely banked the flames of his internal furnace. Or maybe she’d somehow doused it. After all, she wasn’t the sort of female males like him pursued.

Logical, sensible, plain, boring.

And what had her new-old friend, life-of-the-party-Amazon-warrior-supermodel Aella called her recently?

Uptight.

Put that way, Eveline well understood why she might not be a viable candidate for seduction.

Nevertheless, she was extremely put out.

She didn’t know why she felt so disappointed by the Dark King’s sudden reticence after he’d stirred her feelings to uncomfortable heights. This was what she wanted, wasn’t it? For him to stay far away from her? So that she could remain her sensible, even-keeled self.

Surely, she hadn’t expected him to take one drink and fall upon her like a savage, lusty brute, seduce away all her prudish reservations and take her body so rough and hard and deep and thoroughly that her mind would forever be silenced in its feeble protestations?

Well…

Perhaps that had been exactly her wish.

What would it feel like to lose herself in sexual euphoria? To be mindless with lust for another person? For that particular male? To relinquish control, to decimate boundaries, to become the possession of another? And yield unconditionally to his every whim?

Eveline sighed.

It was all for the best that Ramses had only been playing a game with her. Maybe he’d take it easy on their Contract too and not demand much of her. Perhaps they could agree upon a schedule for blood consumption—three times a day, ten minutes each time, sounded reasonable.

She should be happy that she’d managed to avert disaster. As a bonus, she was looking forward to taking a peek inside the Cove’s enviable archives. Two birds with one stone.

And, she wasn’t without friends here. Though she didn’t know the Chosen well, she’d interacted enough with Ava and Ryu to be comfortable around them. She’d had brief virtual meetings with Devlin and Grace as well, though they’d never exchanged more than a few words.

From Jade and Inanna, Eveline had heard enough to feel safe and secure at the Cove. These were not your average bloodsuckers. The Chosen were fierce, just, honorable Dark warriors. Even though they now supported Ramses, in many ways they were still loyal to Jade. Or at the very least, they counted her as a friend. That meant Eveline could count on them too.

She hoped.

All this was to say: The frustration she felt was childish and stupid. Maybe after a good night’s rest, she’d regain her equilibrium.

She’d sent a short message to the Shield earlier on a wrist-com that Ramses had given her in the car ride to the Cove. She told the Dozen not to worry, that she’d give them a thorough debrief tomorrow morning.

Seth had immediately replied with a succinct Take care. To which his Mate added, Don’t let Ramses push you around. He only respects those who stand up to him. But be careful to read his limits. Remember that the bear responds better to honey than vinegar.

Too bad Eveline didn’t have a clue about the “honey” part. She wasn’t the “vinegar” sort either. She was rather bland and tasteless.

Like water.

And not even the fizzly, sparkling, carbonated kind. Just lukewarm, unfiltered, unbranded tap water.

Most definitely, that’s why the sex-on-steroids Dark King didn’t bother to seduce her.

Eveline made a face at her own ridiculousness and determined to shift mental gears, focusing back on surveying her surroundings.

Her room (if one could call a one-thousand square foot split-level space a mere “room”) within the Cove was far more luxurious than her private quarters in the Shield. Though her chamber back home was equipped with all the necessary conveniences, and she made