“Not in my room. Giselle, Graca and Sabin are still sleeping. And you do not want to wake that little girl. She has strong lungs.”
Cyprian smiled at Kagan’s comment as they walked to a sitting area at the end of the long hall. Cyprian waited for Kagan to sit before he began.
“As Aculus said, there was a competition to win Riley. However, he didn’t mention that for the competitor to win, they had to either mount Riley, or kill her as a trophy.”
Kagan growled hearing about the barbaric game.
“I was the second male to reach her. The first male was a nasty parasitic worm. It killed me to think what the creature was doing to her, but the access door was timed to only let one of us in at a time.” Cyprian started to chuckle as he thought about how he found Riley in the maze of tunnels.
“What is amusing?”
“It’s not really funny,” Cyprian sobered. “When I found Riley, she was taunting the slug. She managed to slice off the creature’s tongue, and had it cowering on the ceiling.”
“Good. I’m guessing you put it out of its misery.”
“I did.”
“And you mounted her,” Kagan added.
“Yes. But that’s not all.” Cyprian took a deep breath before continuing. “Riley didn’t fight me, but her body wouldn’t relax. It resisted me. I didn’t have time to ease her into accepting me.” Cyprian hung his head as he admitted his greatest shame. “I didn’t want her to hurt, so I gave her the conjugo mark.”
“And she responded.”
Cyprian nodded. It was a strange conundrum he’d been forced into. If Riley hadn’t been compatible with him on a deep level, she wouldn’t have responded to the serum in his bite. Because she did, it eased her, but it also meant they were bonded.
“This puts you in quite a position.”
“It does,” Cyprian replied seriously.
“I think under the circumstances you did what had to be done. However, half of your problem can’t be solved by my forgiveness.”
Cyprian appreciated the pardon for breaking the law by bonding Riley without her permission, but that wasn’t all his sins. And Kagan was right. Only Riley could absolve him of that transgression.
“I had to make her believe I was her master,” Cyprian admitted. “In the beginning, I didn’t understand how incredibly strong Riley was.”
“Damn humbling, isn’t it?” Kagan sympathized.
It was humbling. Cyprian had learned the true depth of Riley’s strength. If he was in her position, Cyprian wasn’t sure he would’ve fared as well.
“Aye. I couldn’t risk the mission. I thought the strain of keeping my secret would add to the burden she already suffered. And I worried that if Mave learned the truth, he’d take it out on her. I assumed that if I treated her well and protected her, Riley would be okay thinking she was my slave for a few days. Except that female tested my patience. She could’ve cared less that she was supposedly my slave. She was so defiant.”
Cyprian shook his head as he thought about how he worried when Riley was caught in the hotel room by Mave. If Vintor hadn’t been there, who knows what would’ve happened before he got out of the washroom.
“She hid from me the details of what Exo passed on to her. She then hid her association with Aculus. I had no idea the weight of her secrets, or I would’ve trusted her with who I was. I knew she was hiding something, so I attempted to coerce her into telling me, but she refused.”
“Please tell me you didn’t use your sire’s teachings on the female,” Kagan asked sternly.
Cyprian sat quietly for a minute. He didn’t know if he could admit what he had done, or even explain how it happened.
“Not quite,” the general continued. “I’d tried to question Riley, but every time it turned to shit. The bonding unleased the beast in a way I never saw coming, and it took the reins. That female twists me in knots.”
“Let me stop you,” Kagan interrupted. “You weren’t around when I first met Giselle, so you don’t recall how crazy she made me. I know you are an honorable male. As long as Riley has no complaints, I won’t judge you.”
“I crossed the line, but unbelievably Riley responded in kind.” Cyprian smiled at the memory of Riley kissing her way down his stomach, the last time they were together. “Although I was able to tell her about the mission, I haven’t explained the conjugo bite.”
“I think I’ve got a better picture of what happened. I wish I could solve this for you,” Kagan commiserated with Cyprian. “You understand Riley will have the right to choose you, or not, once she awakens?”