Cruel Union (Brutal Universe #1)

4. Slade

4

SLADE

I was both stunned at her bravery and dismayed that she thought I was such a fucking monster. The curvy little human was offering to let me maim her to save her people from going to the quadrach mines! As if I could ever wound my Fated Mate .

But I was also glad—this little scenario was going just as I had planned. Months ago a dealer in one of the Clan Cruel casinos had sent me a notification that King Roderick of L’Crist had become a regular customer. Apparently the newly minted King wanted to gamble and he didn’t mind doing it with the hard-earned credits he’d collected from his people for the tribute they owed.

I gave the sharp-eyed dealer a bonus and instructions—watch the King and see how much he spends—how much he loses and wins. And when the reports of his Majesty’s massive losses started rolling in, I knew I had finally found a way to claim my Fated Mate . For years I had been watching the curvy little princess, waiting for this opportunity and now it was finally here.

As Rath had stated, it was against Clan Laws to simply take any woman you wanted. We Brutes might be sons-of-bitches but we believe that females have rights, the same as males. Also , if Clansmen started swooping into other Clans ’ territories and scooping up women, the resulting gang wars would consume our galaxy. So I had to find a different way to get Aurora for my own.

This was it.

“ You do have something I want,” I said again, looking down into her big brown eyes. Gods , she was fucking gorgeous! With her long, honey-brown hair and her full, curvy figure she was everything a male could want. I fucking burned for her.

Too bad she wasn’t going to feel the same way about me.

She shook her head, looking bewildered.

“ What …what are you talking about?” Her musical voice was soft and breathless as she looked up at me. I could smell her fear and uncertainty and under that her own scent, unbearably sweet and feminine.

“ I think you know,” I told her. “ It just so happens I need a wife, Princess . A wife and an heir. I’m soon to inherit my father’s place as the Head of our Clan . I must have a son to carry on after me.”

“ But what…what do you expect me to do about that?” she demanded. Either she was being willfully ignorant or she was simply too innocent to understand what I was saying.

“ I expect you to marry me and give me an heir, of course,” I said, stating it outright. “ In return, I’ll forgive this particular tribute payment.”

She looked up at me, clearly shocked to silence by this proposal. I half expected her to go running from their shabby little Throne Room or else to faint with fear.

Aurora did neither.

“ You can’t expect me to give up my entire life, and my virtue for a mere six-month tribute payment,” she said at last, lifting her chin. “ You undervalue me greatly, Sir . I am insulted.”

I tried to smother the amused smile that wanted to rise to my lips. So she wanted to bargain? Very well, we could do that.

“ All right, you have a point,” I said, nodding. “ As I am offering to forgive a six-month payment, I will only ask you to stay with me for six months. In that time, you will do your best to conceive my heir. If you get pregnant, you’ll stay until you have the baby and then hand it over to me to raise.”

I had no problem making this offer to her— I knew if I could keep her with me even for a little while, I could win her over. We were Fated Mates —as soon as we started spending time together, The Need would grow in her and she would turn to me. We just had to have a few days in close proximity to make it happen.

Aurora’s big brown eyes were uncertain. I was still holding her hand and I could feel her pulse racing—it reminded me of a tiny bird’s wings fluttering in my grasp—but she still didn’t back down.

“ And …and if I fail to conceive?” she asked in a voice that trembled just a little.

I shrugged, as though it didn’t matter much to me.

“ If you don’t get pregnant I’ll grant you a divorce and let you come home, back to L’Crist . No harm done and your tribute will still be forgiven.”

Aurora was still looking up at me with wide eyes. She opened her lips to speak, but at that point, her idiot brother decided to shoot off his fucking mouth.

“ Royal siblings aren’t allowed to marry!” he whined, frowning up at us from his throne. “ Their heirs could be rivals to the sitting monarch. That’s me. ”

I drew my eyes reluctantly from Aurora’s and looked down at him contemptuously.

“ Anyone with half a brain would be a rival to you, boy,” I told him. “ But don’t worry—any baby conceived by your sister will belong to Clan Cruel . They’ll grow up in my world and have nothing to do with you or any dealings with anyone in L’Crist .” I turned my attention back to Aurora . “ Well ? Do you accept my terms?”

I tried to keep the impatience out of my voice—tried not to let her see how I burned for her. I couldn’t overplay my hand—she couldn’t know how much was riding on this. She mustn’t have any idea that I had waited years for this exact moment—years to claim her as mine.

She bit her lip and I could see the fear and indecision in her eyes. She was afraid I would hurt her—if she had thought I would cut off several of her fingers for use in the clone farms, she surely thought I’d have no problem raping her.

“ Aurora ,” I said softly. “ Listen to me carefully— I don’t hurt or force women. I will bed you very thoroughly and very often, but I’m not going to injure you.”

Her cheeks, which had been pale up to this point, suddenly turned pink and I smelled a new scent coming from her—a feminine heat that let me know her body wanted exactly what mine did. Even if her mind still didn’t quite agree.

“ You …you should not speak to me in this way, Sir !” she exclaimed in breathless voice, pulling her hand out of mine. “ It is most improper!”

“ I just want you to know I won’t hurt you. Though I will pleasure you until you moan for me.” I let her see some of the lust I felt for her in my eyes, giving her sweet, curvy body a slow, once over that made her cheeks go even pinker.

“ I have heard…” she began haltingly. “ Of artificial methods of conceiving a child without actual, um, physical contact. If you just wanted me to carry your baby and you were willing to?—”

“ No ,” I growled, cutting her off. “ No , I want you under me every night. Don’t think I’m just looking for an heir— I want the pleasure of your sweet, curvy body too, Princess .” I cupped her flushed cheek in my palm and looked down at her, letting her see the full extent of my lust for her. “ I want to fill you with my shaft and plant my seed deep inside you while you moan for me. I want to breed you and get you pregnant.”

Her face went pale again and I knew then that she must be a virgin. It made sense if she wasn’t allowed to wed. I had always wondered why she had never married a human male—now I knew. It was her kingdom’s antiquated laws that forced her into celibacy.

It was fucking ridiculous but I couldn’t help feeling grateful. If another male had tried to claim her, I would have had to kill him and take her and break all the Clan Laws —it would have been a fucking mess.

“ Well , Princess ? What do you think?” I asked, because she still hadn’t answered me.

“ What if I say no?” she asked.

I frowned and dropped my hand.

“ Then your people are off to the mines, I’m afraid. Or maybe I’ll just take your brother and cut him up for cloning.” I gave the new King , who was still shrinking back in his throne, a contemptuous look. “ His clones won’t be much use in the brothels, but I’m sure we could make use of them somehow. Maybe as slave labor in the mines or the pain-nettle fields.”

“ No , please!” her brother mewled. He was nearly curled into a ball by now and was shaking with fear. “ Please , Aurora —don’t let him take me! You told Father and Mother you’d look after me—please!”

His cowardice made me fucking sick but I could see that it was melting Aurora’s tender heart.

“ Very well,” she said. Her cheeks grew pink again as she looked me in the eye. “ I accept your offer, Enforcer .”

“ Call me ‘ Slade ,’” I told her and then gave her a wicked grin. “ Or better yet, ‘husband’—since that’s what I’m about to be.”

I thought she would protest, but after a moment, she nodded.

“ You must give me time to prepare—time to pack,” she said at last.

I raised a finger.

“ You have one hour.”

Her eyes went wide.

“ What ? Only an hour? I thought at least a week…even a day?—”

“ One hour,” I repeated. I gave her a slow smile. “ I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long fucking time, Princess . I’m not going to wait any longer.”

She gave me another wide-eyed look and then turned and left the Throne Room . I left as well—but I didn’t go far. I pulled out my communicator and called my First Lieutenant , Rize .

“ It’s time,’ I told him. “ Have everything ready. We’ll be there soon.”

“ So she said ‘yes?’” Rize asked eagerly. Aside from my cross- Clan crew— Rath and Drake and Turk —he was my closest friend and confidant.

“ She said ‘yes,’” I confirmed. “ And I want to have the ceremony over and finished in time for my honeymoon.”

“ You got it, Boss ,” was his reply. He ended the call and there was nothing for me to do but pace and look at my chronometer…and imagine how I would spend the night holding my new bride in my arms.