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And what he would do to her if he caught her or Castor alone. Or Gods, what would happen if he found the two of them together, locked in the throes of passion?
Seeing him at the party had chilled Ianora to the bone. If it wasn't for Castor's insistent kissing and touching, she might have descended into a ball of panic right then and there. She thought she'd obscured her fear and worry enough...until Castor sensed her drifting thoughts and became forceful with her.
Now her whole body tingled from the harshness of his bruising touch, spikes of pain on her arms and lower body especially, the remnants of the burning pleasure that had eaten her from the inside out just moments ago. But despite the agony of their lovemaking, she couldn't say that she didn't enjoy it. She's been owned and possessed by men her entire life, but they all hid behind pretty words and lies.
Castor, at least, had always been honest about his dominion over her. About his desire for ownership, especially since she'd fallen back into his clutches. He wasn't shy about wanting her at all.
Honestly, it was kind of refreshing. The thought of it should make her writhe with revulsion. Instead, it only made her want him more. His want sprouted a darker need inside of her, one stemming from the cruelness of the way fate had treated them both.
She had to tell him what she'd been hiding up until now.
"My family has always kept others at a distance," Ianora began slowly. "Because they knew from the beginning that people would attempt to use our power and influence against us. Instead, my father wanted absolute control. Of course, no one would stand for this. People always tried to get closer to us; by the time I was born, my father knew it was impossible to avoid it. Instead, they wanted to expand their power, and I was the perfect tool to do it."
Castor listened intently, his expression intense and focused on her words alone. He seemed utterly captivated by what she was saying, and that was all the encouragement she needed to keep speaking.
"I paraded myself through the kingdoms, catching the eye of kings, queens, and nobles alike. You were but one of my suitors," she said.
"I know that already. I know how desired you are by all the men in Elysium."
"But what you don't know," Ianora interrupted, "is that while I was out and about playing princess, I caught the eye of a dangerous man."
He snorted. "I am more dangerous than any other man out there. Should someone dare touch you—"
She gave him a look that made him go silent.
"Go on," he prompted.
"My father owed him a favor from a very long time ago. I believe owing this favor is what caused my father to distance himself from the other kingdoms, trying not to let another incident like this come back and haunt him. And still ..." Ianora shook her head. "It did. One day, he came to my father while I was away visiting you, and he demanded my hand in marriage."
Castor visibly prickled. "He didwhat?" And then, quieter, "You...you were engaged? To someone else?"
Ianora nodded slowly, the tears welling up in her eyes, making them shimmer like stars in the night sky. "My father said we had no choice, that I would have to comply, or else a reckoning would fall upon us. So, I ... I knew I had to leave. But by then, my heart had already belonged to you."
"Was this the day you left?"
"Days before," she whispered. "When you proposed to me, I couldn't handle it ... I freaked out. I broke your heart and mine. I ripped them both to shreds, hoping the injuries would keep us from longing too much for each other. But then ..."
Ianora was shaking, and Castor clutched her closer. He was so warm and reassuring against her, the patient, loving, and kind man she'd known over thirty years ago. Not the cold, callous monster who'd treated her like an object ever since.
She wanted him to stay that way. To be hers ... and for her to be his, without fear.
But there was still Johnathan.
"But then what?" Castor prompted. "Clearly the wedding didn't happen. Why?"
"The night before the wedding, I disobeyed him. He didn't take too kindly to me speaking back to him, and I tried to overpower him—I—I swear I tried with my whole being, but he was too strong. He beat me to within an inch of my life, leaving me bruised and bloody for my brothers to find the next morning. They had the wedding called off on my behalf."
Castor had grown tense against her as her story progressed, and by the time she recalled this part of her tale, she couldn't tell anymore if she was shaking or if he was. The firmness of his muscles pressed against her as a shield, and regardless of the looming threat of Johnathan over her head, she felt safe in Castor's arms.
"And your father," Castor bit out, "he didn't have this man killed? Fordaringto touch you? To hurt you?"
She shook her head. "My father was afraid of him, and so was I. I think it was hard enough for him to call the wedding off. To take it any further than that...I don't think he was willing to tempt further destruction."
"You speak of this man as if he's the devil incarnate. How can one vampire scare Kel Eroch more than me?"
"There are stories about Johnathan. That he's the son of a witch and a demon who was then turned into a vampire," Ianora explained. "He can do strange things that the rules of our world can't explain. I've seen it."
Castor clutched her closer to him. "Even so...when this was all over, why didn't you come back to me? Why didn't you tell me everything?"
