Forbidden Craving(56)

She gulped. Was that what she had done to herself? Feared the collapse of her relationships so much, everything she said and did ensured the collapse happened?

"Be good," he told her, "and I'll take you into the Outer City when I finish training my men."

"Be good?" She bristled. "I'm not a child, and you are not my parent."

"Maybe not." He bent to run the lobe of her ear between his teeth. "But I spank."

I'm melting into him. I'm actually melting. She straightened with a jolt, snapping, "Well, I bite."

He grinned. "I look forward to having your teeth all over my body, Moon."

He left her then, while she reeled.

Disappointed sighs filled the room.

Trying to slow her erratic heartbeat and cool her heated skin, Shaye found an open corner and plopped onto a pillow.

If she managed an escape, could she really leave these women behind? No! She might have to trick them into going with her. But how?

She racked her brain but the answer eluded her. Feeling as if she were about to give herself an aneurysm, she used her new supplies to make anti-cards. Her version of therapy.

Card one, attempt one: Benefits of dating me? You will be dating me. Enough said.

Yes? No? Too cocky? The nympho attitude must have rubbed off on her. She ran a line of ink through the words.

Card one, attempt two: Let me say this in a way you'll understand-I think your hot.

Would half the population fail to recognize the grammatical error?

She crumbled the paper.

Card one, attempt three: Roses are red, violets are blue. Nymphs.

That one certainly fit everyone in the room, so... Done!

Card two, attempt one: You don't always cheat, but-just kidding! You do. You always cheat.

Or what about: You're cheating? Good news! I am, too! 

Oookay. Two cheating cards in a matter of seconds. Had to be a record.

Card three, attempt one: Some men aren't so bad. I guess.

Ugh. What had Valerian done to her?

"I'm so jealous you were chosen by Valerian, king of the beefcakes." A brunette sat next to her. "Is he as good in bed as he looks?"

Silence descended over the room. Every eye focused on her.

"He even fought over you." The brunette sighed dreamily. "How romantic is that? Oh! I'm Jaclyn, by the way."

"I'm Soshanna," said an elegant black woman. "I've decided to keep Aeson. He takes orders very well."

"I'm Barrie," said a plain brunette.

"Martina," said the plump brunette who'd wanted to fight her for standing too close to Broderick. Not to mention the one who'd summoned the guard for attempting to plan an escape. Now she acted as if Shaye were an old friend.

Jaclyn had to be the ringleader, then. Everyone else followed her lead, introducing themselves. Though most of them had been wedding guests and friends of her mother's-or maybe the new husband's-and though they'd spent the last week together, everyone had been too blissed-out to think of anything but sex.

Maybe humans could build immunity against the nympho pheromone?

"Aren't we the luckiest girls in the world?" Jaclyn said.

Several squeals of delighted agreement erupted.

"Well, is Valerian good?" Barrie asked eagerly. "If he walks like a wet dream and talks like a wet dream..."

"I'm sure he is," Shaye muttered.

A sense of possessiveness rose up inside her, hot and angry; it was a nail-baring, teeth-snarling possessiveness that surprised her with its undeniable force. Other women shouldn't be wondering about Valerian naked. He's taken and I will cut you!

Excited twitters rang out.

"You mean you don't know? You haven't slept with him?"

"What! You would have had to resist him. How could you resist him?"

"Nymphs need sex. You're going to kill him. Give him to me!"

Shaye's nails dug into her knees. She should be happy someone else wanted him. She should play matchmaker.

Valerian, meet the new object of your obsession.

A little voice inside her said, Mine. Only mine.

A sense of greediness held her in a vise-grip.

Barrie and the others soon got tired of awaiting her answer. Actually they forgot about Shaye entirely, planning ways to ensure Valerian "survived."

Whatever. Shaye stretched her legs and propped her feet on top of a pillow. Frustration-for so many different reasons-ate at her. Sexual frustration? Yes. Confusion? Definitely.

Sighing, she set her new cards aside. Enough business for one day. She would concentrate on having fun-like writing her novel. Yes! Excitement bloomed.

First, she had to decide what kind of book to write. A slice from her own life? My Adventures with The Nymphos. Or maybe a modern woman's tale about the hazards of dating and love. Of course, there wouldn't be a happy ending.