"And what will happen?"
"He'll send a man to get you and I'll kill him. He'll send two and I'll kill them too." He added quietly, "But I cannot fight all of them, Selene. Eventually they will kill me."
"Nasim wouldn't let that happen."
"Perhaps they'd not mean to kill me, but I'm very good. They'd have to kill me to take you against your will."
He meant it. "No, you should let them take me. Coupling is nothing. It would bring them no victory."
"Perhaps not." He added simply, "But I could not bear it."
And he would die trying to prevent it, she realized in agony. "Is there no way to stop this? What if we go to the tower room and do nothing?"
He shook his head. "There's a peephole in the chamber next door that allows Nasim to observe when he wishes."
"How do you know?"
"I've watched too. Many times. Sometimes watching is exciting."
Heat stung her cheeks as she envisioned Kadar's gaze on naked, writhing--"You're as depraved as that wicked old man," she said tartly.
"In this, I may have been more depraved. That's why he wants to lure me back to the sport."
"Sport? With women as prey?"
He swore softly, "What do you wish me to say? Yes, I was hunter and women were prey. But I've never treated you as prey."
"But Nasim hopes you will."
"Of course, and I won't lie to you. I don't know how I'll use you if you agree to Nasim's demand. It's too easy to lose control in the tower room."
"And satisfy that hideous man?"
"And satisfy myself. I probably wouldn't be aware of Nasim or anyone else." He fell to his knees and curled up on his pallet on the floor. "There's no value in talking any more. I've given you your choice. Think about it and give me your decision in the morning."
Choice? What choice? Kadar's death or letting him have her body. She slipped into bed, pulled her gown over her head, and tossed it on the floor. Not only letting him have her body but having that loathsome old man watching them . . .
Her gaze went to Kadar on the hearth. His eyes were closed, but he was not asleep. She always knew when slumber took him from her.
Took him from her.
The thought had come out of nowhere. No one could take what was not hers, and she had rejected him. Thinking of Kadar in that manner was merely habit. They were not joined. She belonged only to herself, and so did he.
But if she went to the tower room, they would be joined in body if not in spirit. He would enter her as he did on that last night at Montdhu. He would touch her and ignite that odd, searing excitement.
But that excitement had not lasted long, and when he had left her body she was still Selene. The world had not changed because they had coupled.
But the world could change if Kadar was killed because she would not couple with him. If it meant so little, why was she refusing?
Because she feared getting closer to him in any manner, feared that the bond she had broken would mend itself. Well, then she would have to reinforce the barriers she had raised, because she could not face the alternative.
"Kadar."
"Yes."
"I will go with you to the tower room."
She saw his muscles stiffen, but he made no response.
