by Marian Tee
“I will always love you, Alexandru. Even if you find your heartkeeper, even if you allow your heart to be snatched by another woman, I will always love you.” She said the words, knowing that Alexandru’s own honor would make him believe she said them to free him. But that had always been his flaw. He had always thought she was someone good, but she was not.
She looked at his eyes and knew that he believed every word, knew that Alexandru didn’t suspect the truth. She said the words to bind him to her forever. To prove to those who were against them that no matter what happened, this hunter would be hers. Forever.
When the enforcers officially declared the murder case solved, Zari was startled to feel someone squeezing her hand.
It was Rhapsody.
She asked immediately, “Are you okay?” It was not like her new friend to display any kind of emotion.
Rhapsody slowly released her hand. “Thank you for clearing my name.” She added solemnly, “My Master and I have also thought of a way to return your kindness.” Her voice lowered. “If you ever wish to leave and be alone, he can have it arranged, even just for a while, and there is nothing – not even your Master or the headmaster – can do about it.”
As they joined the queue of people filing out to leave the courtroom, Rhapsody stressed, “Anytime, Lady Zari. You just have to say the word.” They stepped out of the room. “I must go now. I still have to write to my Master about what happened today.”
And then Rhapsody was gone before Zari could even say goodbye.
Suddenly, the hairs on her nape started to prickle.
She whirled around.
There, standing out in the crowd of students, was Alexandru. Her Master. Even though it had only been days since she had last seen him, last night’s events had made it feel like an eternity. Had he always this been gorgeous, she wondered painfully. It was weird, but somehow it felt like he became more and more irresistibly beautiful in her eyes each day.
She started to call out for him, but then she heard another voice calling his name. Her head whipped around. It was Katarina, hurrying towards Alexandru.
When Alexandru saw the light in his pet’s eyes fade, he started for her immediately. Dimly, he heard Katarina – his Katarina – calling his name at the same time. Everything in him wanted to answer her. It had been so long since he had heard her voice, so long since he had last seen her. Touched her.
But right now, he knew that it would be the gravest sin to do so.
Right now, he had to focus on his pet.
Zari was already walking away, but he caught up to her easily, spinning her around to face him. The pain in her gray eyes made Alexandru flinch. There were just so many times he had hurt her. He had promised to cherish her, to protect her. And he had meant it. So why did he keep hurting her in the end?
“Zari…” He found himself strangely lost for words. His feelings no longer made sense. All he knew was that he just wanted his pet to stop hurting.
She wanted to answer, but again she saw her. She said tonelessly, “Someone wants to talk to you, Master.”
Alexandru refused to turn around. “I’m here to talk to you.”
Behind him, Katarina said his name again, making him freeze. The Katarina he knew was not like this, drawing attention to herself – to themselves. She had been the opposite in the past, doing her utmost best to hide the fact that they were together.
So what made her change now?
“Alexandru—”
“Not now, Katarina.” His gaze never wavered from his pet as he said the words.
“I understand.” Her voice shook, making Alexandru’s conscience sting with guilt. He hadn’t meant to sound so dismissive, hadn’t meant to hurt Katarina.
“I will wait for you to speak with me. I want you to know I understand your responsibilities to your pet. And I would never want you to abandon her.”
Alexandru heard Katarina inhale, as if trying to manage the pain without giving up. “But I also want you to know that I’m here to stay. That I came back to fight for you.”
****
Her Master had been talking all this time. Nothing in his demeanor showed that he minded how she hadn’t said a single word since they had left the courtroom together. He told her how worried he was, let her know that he had flown as fast as he could from the mainland to get to her. He talked and she listened, and if he asked a question, all she could do was nod or shake her head.
It was not revenge.
It really was all she could do so as not to break down.
Inside his rooms, Zari remained silent as she watched her Master draw a bath for her and didn’t murmur a single protest when he took her hand and slowly undressed her.
His arms were strong and gentle as he carried her to the tub, and then he sat on the edge before slowly soaping her body.
Realization dawned, and she found herself looking at him. He was pampering her. Why? Was it because she was his pet? Or was it because he felt guilty?
Suddenly, she remembered the words he had told her.
I won’t let you go unless you ask.
Zari looked at him.
Alexandru froze when he saw his pet’s eyes. One look, and he knew exactly what she was thinking. One look, and his heart felt so damn raw and exposed. When she started to speak, he knew he couldn’t let her.
He just…couldn’t.
“Master—”
Alexandru shook his head.
Don’t ask it.
Her body jerked at the words.
Her Master’s face was pale, but his voice inside her mind was fierce and tight.
Don’t ask it.
I beg of you, pet.
Don’t ask it.
One, two, three teardrops started to fall. And soon it was countless, tears raining down her cheeks. You’re so unfair, Master.
His heart bled at the sight, but still he couldn’t find it in him to take the words back. When he reached for her, she closed her eyes, laying her cheek against his palm. A sign of trust, one that had his heart bleeding even more.
Alexandru knew there were so many things they had to talk about. But in the end, all he could say hoarsely was, “I’m sorry, pet.”
“I’m sorry, too, Master.” A tear-clogged whisper, one that revealed just how vulnerable she was feeling, and it was all his fault.
He said fiercely, “My loyalty is to you, pet.”
“I know, Master.” And she did. But that had never been the problem, Zari thought. What she wanted was her Master’s heart, but what she wanted, he had already given to another woman.
The End
Book #3: Unclaimed (Available for pre-order soon!)
Thank you for reading Reviled. I hope you enjoyed it and if you did, perhaps you could leave a review for the book. I would really love to hear about what you think. Please let me know if you did by emailing me or dropping me a line on my website, Facebook page, or Twitter. I’d love to thank you personally for it!
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Meanwhile, I thought you might be interested in reading an excerpt of Wolf Fight, another paranormal romance of mine but set in a different “world” from Beholden. It’s the first in a trilogy and is FREE to download.
I need werewolf prince Alejandro Moretti as my bodyguard, but he wants my body in exchange for his services.
Pack princess Calys Adelardi can only be alpha with a Cavaliere - that means champion, P.R. guy, bodyguard (and maybe even potential husband) all rolled into one. The world thinks he's but an irresponsible playboy, but for Calys, he's her superhero.
Prince Alejandro fights hard and fucks harder. It's his only way to dull the rage inside him. But then he meets Calys, a princess also known as the "human monster". She's innocent in all ways, but when she's mad she can kill dozens with her bare hands.
Despite knowing an affair with him will break Calys' heart, for Alejandro it's too late. One sweet taste of her body and
he knows he has to make Calys his, whatever it takes.
Download Wolf Fight for free now.
crazy_kat
Enjoy an excerpt of WOLF FIGHT
Even as my body swayed towards him, a silent plea for Alejandro to continue pinching my nipples, I tried valiantly to reclaim my thoughts. “I wanna tell you that…you are no ordinary…Lyccan.”
Boy oh boy, but he wasn’t, not when he was so masterfully good at making my body melt. Those wonderful fingers of his were pulling on my nipples now, plucking and plucking them like a flower with an endless stream of petals.
I found myself gripping his shoulders. Hard. I had to. My knees had practically given out at his relentless attack on my senses. A whimper escaped me as Alejandro lowered his head. Oh, no. He couldn’t—
He did. His mouth replaced his fingers, his lips closing over my nipple like a favorite candy meant to be savored. It felt so good, but I couldn’t let myself be swept away by it. If I didn’t speak my piece now, I must forever hold my peace.
When I felt his teeth actually scraping against my nipple, I knew I was this close to losing my mind. The words tumbled out. “You can restore your family’s name. You’re not Alejandro Moretti for nothing. But you have to remember…aaaaah…”
He bit my nipple.
I gasped, “You have to remember that with great power comes—”
Alejandro stopped biting my nipple. He raised his head and asked, “Did you just quote Spiderman to me?”
Voices coming from another approaching group of shifters saved me from the embarrassment of replying. Before I could figure out what was happening, Alejandro had swiped my costume from the floor and got me into it. And then we were speeding away.
When he finally stopped, the world spun around me. Although the shifters in my family could be as fast, I didn’t really make a habit of letting them sweep me into their arms and using them as mobile cars. When the world stopped moving, I realized he had brought me to my dressing room.
My eyes flew to him in surprise.
“I traced your scent back to this place,” he said simply. Looking at me with a hooded gaze, he said, “I’ll be your Cavaliere.”
That stunned me even more. “Y-you will?” He couldn’t even be bothered to defend his own pack’s reputation, but he was willing to give me his allegiance? It didn’t make sense, and I found myself blurting out, “Don’t you care that I’m…”
He raised a brow. “That you’re what?”
“That I’m…” That I’m a human monster, I wanted to say but couldn’t.
Understanding dawned in his gaze. “Do you mean when you transitioned from kitty to hellcat?”
I choked. Never had I imagined my abilities described in such a way.
“Am I right then?”
I nodded.
“If you want me to be honest…I find it a fucking turn on.”
My eyes widened.
He shrugged. “I told you, little kitty. You’re the kind of girl after my cock. You intrigue me.”
“A-and that’s it?” I asked incredulously even as I did my best not to blush at his words. How easy it was for him to say such things. “You’ll be my Cavaliere because of that—”
He said coolly, “I will not be for free, little kitty.”
Oh. He wanted money. I told myself I wasn’t disappointed. “You want payment.” I hadn’t heard any rumors about the Morettis being poor, but maybe he had been disinherited recently for his wrongdoings.
“Yes. I want payment. Every time I help you, I get to do whatever I want with your body.”
Download Wolf Fight for free now.
Other Books by Marian Tee
Standalone Novels
His Fair Lady – Prince Julian knows the blind fortune teller Cass is everything he wants in a woman, but she can never be his bride.
The Greek Billionaire and I – Curvy schoolteacher Velvet says ‘yes’ to a marriage of convenience but is too proud to let her Greek billionaire husband know she’s doing it for love and not for money.
Catch You If I Can – College student Ianne is a self-confessed coward, but now that Alex, her best friend and the typical strong silent Texan, is single again, she’s determined to change and first thing on the agenda is seducing Alex.
Greek Billionaire Romance Serials
24-year-old school teacher Mairi, a hopeless romantic, thinks all her dreams will come true with Greek billionaire Damen Leventis. Problem is, he only wants her as a mistress.
The Art of Catching a Greek Billionaire (FREE!)
The Art of Trusting a Greek Billionaire
The Art of Loving a Greek Billionaire
The Art of Forgiving a Greek Billionaire
The Art of Wedding a Greek Billionaire
Warning: Love Moderately (BBW Billionaire New Adult College Romance)
Derek and Jaike have always hidden the truth about themselves. But when they meet – it’s not just explosive chemistry. One look, and it’s undeniable. Even if they’re too young, they know. He’s meant to be her Master, and she’s meant to be his Sub.
Unwillingly Yours (FREE!)
Meant to Be Yours
Heart Racer: BIKER Romance Series
Leandro & Bobby’s Story (2 parts) – A young billionaire biker chooses a snarky do-gooder to be his pretend girlfriend.
Heart Racer (FREE!)
Driven by Love
Helios & MJ’s Story (3 parts) - Even though he's commitment-phobic, the aloof president of a billion-dollar bike racing club finds himself jealous of the "secret crush" of a tomboyish camera-wielding first-year student.
Swish (FREE!)
Burn
Click
The Art of Claiming an Alpha: My Werewolf Bodyguard (Paranormal Romance)
Human-slash-pack-princess Calys is a toughie, but she still needs the help of the powerful, dominant, and gorgeous werewolf Alejandro Moretti to be an ‘alpha’. Unfortunately, he wants her body in exchange for her help.
Wolf Fight (FREE!)
Wolf Games
Wolf Kisses
The Master and His Soul Seer Pet: New Adult College Vampire Romance
Life isn’t easy for 18-year-old Zari. As a soul seer, she sees visions of dead people as well as those who are about to die. As a human pet, she struggles to control her feelings for her Master, the powerful, gorgeous, and mysterious vampire Alexandru, who’s in love with someone else.
Beholden
Reviled
Also Available for Free via Kindle Unlimited
Ensnared (Prequel to Beholden) – Find out why Alexandru, vampire and greatest hunter of his race, has never gotten himself a human pet…until Zari.
My Werewolf Professor (Billionaire Paranormal Romance) – Kassia’s decided to confess her feelings for Professor Alessandro Moretti, who responds…with a bet?
My Werewolf Husband (BBW Billionaire Paranormal Romance) – One day, Misty’s the beloved wife of werewolf prince Domenico Moretti. The next thing she knows, she’s single and broke again, and Domenico doesn’t even remember who she is.
The Rockstar and His Fangirl (Billionaire Rock Star Romance) – Saffi thought being married to rock star Staffan Aehrenthal means living happily-ever-after. But why has he suddenly become cold to her?
The Rockstar I’ve Loved for So Long (Hot New Adult European Billionaire Romance) – Bree has always been in love with French rock star Dylan Charbonneau. He’s promised to be with her forever as long as she’s okay with just being his best friend.
That One Time (Hot European Billionaire Romance) – 23-year-old Ayah Chandler believes in love at first sight, which is exactly why she believes her long-distance relationship with Nic de Konigh will have a happy ending. Or will it?
About the Author
Marian Tee is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of steamy romantic comedies. She is Filipino-Chinese, has lived all her life in the Philippines, and is a frustrated mangaka. She is addicted to horror flicks, misses hip hop dancing, and love
s all things Japanese.
Table of Contents
Reviled
Copyright
Author's Note
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Excerpt of Wolf Fight
Other Books by Marian Tee
About the Author