Free Princess of Lust (For the Love of Evil) by Ann Mayburn Page B

Natalia was the only woman he’d ever met who was a potential blood mate and it got harder every day not to just bond her against her father’s wishes.
    Kirin cleared his throat, bringing Raum back from his dangerous thoughts. “Normally, jealousy isn’t an issue for any demon, especially one serving the Court of Lust. Then again, normally we aren’t faced with the concubine of our beloved trying to kill us and doing everything he can to tear our relationship apart.”
    She swallowed and toyed with the silver knife, turning it end over end rather than looking at him. “This is hard for him—”
    He slammed his palms on the table, causing the wood to groan and the place settings to jump and jingle. “Do you think this is easy for me? Every minute I’m around you, I have to fight my instincts to blood-bond you, to make you mine as you are supposed to be. I love you, Natalia, with all my heart, but I love Kirin as well and I can’t share him with someone who hates me.”
    She carefully set the knife down. “I asked my father to allow me to blood-bond with you today.”
    Even though he already knew the answer had been “no,” he couldn’t help the hope that filled his heart. “What did the high prince say?”
    “He said after the ball, we will discuss a timetable.”
    “What ball?” Kirin asked from the other side of the table.
    Still keeping her gaze on Raum, she shook her head. “That doesn’t matter right now. What does matter is if you and I are to be married, I mean blood-bonded, Kirin and Gregor will be joined with us as well. I know concubines don’t normally have a say in who their master or mistress mates with, but I love Gregor and you love Kirin and neither of us wants to see them hurt.”
    Kirin stood and walked behind Raum’s chair, laying his hands on his shoulders and rubbing gently. Raum placed his hand over his concubine’s and held it. “Why Kirin? Out of all the men and women in Galina’s coven, why Kirin? Does he think he can woo my concubine away? That if he gets Kirin on his side, maybe he can finally convince you to leave me? Does he think you are that weak?”
    Anger flashed through her eyes and the air chilled as her displeasure grew. Kirin’s hand tightened on his shoulder and he gently squeezed back, letting his concubine know he was just as surprised as the other man was by this physical manifestation of Natalia’s power. Usually only full-blood demons had the ability to affect the environment around them with their emotions. He used a small amount of his power to form a shield of warmth around himself and Kirin, careful not to challenge her demonic side by extending that warmth to her.
    As she leaned forward in her chair, the goblets of water on the table near her began to develop a skin of ice on the surface. “I promised Gregor I would not blood-bond with anyone without his consent. Yes, he had the chance to kill you but he didn’t. Not out of love for me, certainly not out of love for you, but out of his love for Kirin.”
    “He said he loves me?” Kirin asked in a startled voice.
    She glanced over Raum’s shoulder at Kirin and her anger softened. “You are the only person in Galina’s coven we both trust.” She looked back at Raum and narrowed her lips. “Besides, haven’t you been guarding him for some time now from all the assassination attempts? You know, those assassination attempts no one thought to share with me?”
    Raum stroked Kirin’s hand on his shoulder, keeping his body language relaxed and easy even as he seethed on the inside. “I would rather have that bastard alive and trying to sabotage our relationship than dead and causing you pain.”
    Her eyes widened and the temperature of the room returned to normal. Condensation formed on the outsides of the glasses as the ice within melted, but the flowers that had been so carefully arranged around the chandelier wilted after the sudden freeze and thaw. Natalia appeared to notice none of this as she