Prologue
Yuuhi was stretching when she heard the steps crossing the floor, coming from the entrance. She jumped up curiously, her heartbeat quickening when she saw Kai coming out of the shadows, his direction not the stairs, but towards her, straight to her.
She did not move, waiting for him to reach her. His expression was intense, harsh and her heartbeat even faster, not in fear but in expectation. When he stopped, she felt only a moment's surprise when his hand went to the back of her neck, his finger gripping her hair to yank her head back. She held her breath as his eyes moved angrily over her face.
" Why do you tempt me so? " He asked this not of her but to himself.
" Do I, milord? "
" You do it a purpose, " he hissed before is mouth slashed down over hers.
Yuuhi had waited for this, to know the feel of his lips, to be able to touch him. She had wanted this to happen, but she had not guessed how devastating the actuality would be. Nothing could have prepared her to such a violent jolt of desire, when she had never felt desire before.
His mouth moved over hers brutally in his anger. He gripped her hair, holding her still for this ravishment, yet he did not touch her otherwise. Yuuhi was the one to lean on him, until she could feel the full length of his body and knew the extent of his desire. This inflamed her more. She didn't care that this was not what he wanted, that he was kissing her against his will, and probably hating her more because of it, she wrapped her arms around his back, moving her hands up over the hard muscle there until she gripped his shoulder, holding him tight to her.
She heard him groaned at her complete acceptance of him, and his other hand slipped about her waist, crushing her tighter to him. His tongue plunged into her mouth and she drew on it, capturing it like a price, refusing to let go. God in heaven, this was wonderful, more thrilling than anything she had ever felt before. She would have to let him take her there, in the hall, on the table, at the floor- she didn't care. She wanted to make love to him now before he came to his senses and stopped.
He did stop, and Yuuhi sighed miserably when his lips left hers. He looked down at her, his eyes fierce, filled half with passion, half with fury. She met his look boldly, but this served to anger him more.
With a snarl, he shoved her away from him, " My God, you have no shame, do you? "
" I feel no shame in wanting you, " she told him softly. She smiled then at his snort of disbelief. Deliberately, she added in a teasing tone, " You are my heart mate, Kai. Begin to accept it. You will eventually, "
" You will never count me as one of your lovers, wench, " he stated emphatically.
She shrugged, the sigh she gave louder than necessary. " Very well milord, if that is your wish. "
" Not my wish, the truth, " he insisted. " And you will cease to use your tricks on me. "
Yuuhi could not help but to laugh at this order. " What tricks are those, milord? I am only guilty looking at you, mayhap more than I should, but I cannot seem to help myself. You are after all, the most splendid man here. "
He drew in his breath sharply. " God's mercy, are all Vikings are brazen by you?"
" What you call brazen, I call honesty. Would you rather I lie and say I hate you, that I despite the sight of you?"
" How can you not hate me? I have enslaved you. I keep you shackled and I know you hate the chain. I think you do hate me, that you tempt me a purpose, hoping to have revenge by bewitching me."
Her eyes narrowed at him. " I am through telling you what I hope for, through speaking to you the truth when you not believed it. Think whatever you like."
She turned her back on him, but was tense, waiting for him to walk away. He did not do so immediately. She imagined he was fighting to control new fury that she would dare dismiss him like that. She would have been much appeased if she had seen that his eyes had simply moved over her, revealing for one unguarded moment the yearning in his soul.