Free Starved For Love by Annie Nicholas

things. I didn’t think Daddy was interested in lifting garden boulders today. “Do you know what you put my daughter through? I expect better control from an incubus of your experience.”
    “Control? She opened herself up to me, she fed me willingly, I never tore a drop from her.”
    “She doesn’t know better. You were her first.”
    Val leaned to glance at me with a raised eyebrow; his stare traveled over my curves in a show of possessiveness. “I didn’t know. Why didn’t you stop me?”
    Because I didn’t want to . I kept silent, pretty sure that response would make things worse.
    Stepping closer to Val, my father forced him away from me. “You don’t understand her and you will only break her. Stay away.”
    “Everyone keeps explaining how I don’t comprehend things yet no one will enlighten me on what. So I fed. It was unexpected. It rocked my socks off. I want more and I’m willing to marry her for it. It’s what our kind do.”
    I watched as everyone’s gaze shifted from them to me and prayed for the ground to swallow me whole. Did we have to hang my dirty laundry out for everyone’s enjoyment? I wrung my hands and searched for the other members of my family, but none could be seen. My people thrived on weakness and they smelled it here, waiting to see which incubus would come out on top. Dad couldn’t afford to lose face in front of them but neither could Val.
    “She won’t feed on just any kind of prey. I had to bend house rules and force her to use Hoel last night.”
    Val moved into my view, a puzzled expression on his face. “Force her?” He glanced at me. “I know you have suitors. Why not use one of them?”
    I cleared my throat. “None of them were available.”
    “Of three males, not one could service you last night?” He met my father’s glare and stood his ground. “You’re not monitoring her properly. When we first met about a possible marriage between our houses you mentioned Pia’s eating disorder. That didn’t daunt me then or now.”
    “You think you can manage her better?”
    “Yes.” Val extended his hand toward me.
    My gasp was swallowed by the crowd’s. Clenching my hands together, I pressed them to my chest. I couldn’t let Val destroy my father’s influence but agreeing to this courtship could mean my destruction instead. I stepped between them. “Let him court me?” I met my father’s gaze and pleaded.
    “Pia,” he whispered my name, with all the dread he held in his heart contained in that one word.
    “Doesn’t mean I have to marry him, right?” I whispered back and pointedly stared at the crowd. I watched as comprehension reached his eyes.
    He gave his head a weary shake before turning to the crowd. “Looks like we might be adding a son to my family.”
    The party erupted in applause.
    Val’s hands skirted around my waist as he pressed himself against me from behind. “I’ll send Hoel this evening to retrieve you for dinner at my hotel.” He pressed a tender kiss to the back of my neck and joined my father at the main table.
    Would food be served on this date or would I be the main course?

Chapter Eight
    I stood in front of my full-length mirror and stared at the minx in the reflection. My short curls were pinned into a semblance of a French twist with a few left artfully free. Adele had done my make-up and the dark, smoky eye shadow brought out the blue in my eyes. It made me seem older and more serious. The black silk dress Rose chose oozed around my curves, outlining every inch of my body. The spaghetti straps didn’t offer any support and both my sisters threatened to burn all my bras if I wore one tonight. The loving bitches had transformed me into a sex goddess.
    They sat on my bed, a pile of discarded outfits on the mattress behind them. Someone sniffed.
    “Rose, you promised no crying. If you start, then I will, and then Adele will have to redo my make-up.” I pulled on the straps to hide some cleavage.
    “It’s not me.” She