Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 85794 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 429(@200wpm)___ 343(@250wpm)___ 286(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85794 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 429(@200wpm)___ 343(@250wpm)___ 286(@300wpm)
The exam room door opened and Dr. Olivia appeared. She had her arm around Phoebe, who was taller than her but somehow still managed to look vulnerable and frail.
Sirex went to her at once.
“Phoebe? Are you well?” he asked anxiously.
“She will be—if you’re willing to help her,” Dr. Olivia said firmly.
“Help her? How? I’ll do anything!” Sirex exclaimed. “Please, just tell me what to do!”
The blonde doctor gave him a little smile.
“I think Phoebe prefers to tell you herself. Phoebe?”
Phoebe looked up and Sirex could see that she was blushing—there was so much heat in her face that she was practically glowing. What in the universe could be making her so embarrassed?
“All right—let’s hear it,” he said. “Phoebe, what can I do to help you?”
But this only made her blush harder.
“Please—could we go someplace private to talk about it?” she asked in a low voice. “Like maybe your place or mine?”
Sirex frowned.
“Is it safe for you to leave the Med Center?”
“Yes, perfectly safe as long as you can help her,” Dr. Olivia said. “If you feel like you can’t, bring her back here. But I don’t think it will be a problem,” she added, smiling again.
“All right. My suite isn’t far from here,” Sirex said. He looked at Phoebe. “Should I carry you?”
“What? No! No, I’m fine—I can walk,” she protested, straightening up with an obvious effort. “I just need to—” She took a step and nearly fell.
“Here!” Sirex caught her just in time and swung her into his arms.
“Hey, put me down! I can walk!” Phoebe protested.
“No, you can’t, baby,” Sirex said firmly. “Come on—I’m taking you to my suite.”
“All right.” Phoebe sighed and relaxed against him. She put her arms around his neck and pressed her face to the side of his neck, inhaling deeply. “Mmm, why does your scent make me feel so much better?” she murmured.
“I don’t know, but I’m glad it does.” From the corner of his eye, Sirex saw Dr. Olivia and Sylvan exchange a knowing look, but he ignored them both.
Right now his focus was entirely on Phoebe and helping her get better—no matter what he had to do to achieve that.
36
SIREX
A little later, in his suite, Sirex was beginning to wonder about his resolution.
“I’m sorry,” he said as he paced in front of the couch where she was sitting. “But you need me to what?” He was sure he must have heard her wrong.
“I said, I need you to breed me.” Phoebe’s lovely face was a mask of embarrassment and shame. “I know it’s a lot to ask,” she added quickly. “But the Head Priestess, Nadia, said it’s the only way to cure the Breeding Fever caused by touching The Finger of the Goddess. She also said to tell you that it’s not necessary for us to Bond if you don’t want to. Which I’m sure you don’t—”
“I never said I didn’t want to Bond with you,” Sirex interrupted, frowning.
“Really?” She looked up in apparent surprise.
“Really.” He knelt by the couch and cupped her face in his hands. “I would love to Bond with you, baby—I wish I could.”
“You wish you could? Why can’t you?” she demanded.
Sirex sighed and withdrew his hands.
“Because I don’t trust myself. I’m afraid if I was Bonded to a female, the Scourge side of me would come out—perhaps even take over entirely,” he growled. “I’m afraid I would eventually hurt any mate that I took.”
“Because you think you’re a ‘Broken One’—right?” she asked, frowning.
“I don’t just think it—after this last mission I know it,” Sirex said heavily, rising to sit beside her on the couch.
“Why? Because you spanked me?” she demanded, turning to face him.
“No, because I enjoyed spanking you,” he admitted in a low voice. “I enjoyed punishing you. Only a Broken One would enjoy that—punishing a female.”
“Did it ever occur to you that I enjoyed it too?” she demanded.
“What?” he frowned at her. “What do you mean?”
“Just what I said. My pussy was wet as hell after that spanking and I think you know why—because I like punishment as much as you do!”
“No, you don’t,” Sirex growled.
“Yes, I do. People do enjoy this kind of thing you know—we humans even have a name for it—BDSM. There are clubs where you can go to practice it on Earth.”
Sirex frowned.
“That doesn’t do a damn thing to change my mind—I know what bastards human males can be. I’ve heard how they rape and beat their females whenever the desire takes them!”
“Not all human males do that,” she protested. “And anyway, true BDSM is all about safe, sane, and consensual sex…damn it, you’re not hearing a word I’m saying, are you?”
Sirex shook his head. If she thought she was going to convince him he wasn’t a Broken One by offering examples of humans who clearly were also Broken, she was wrong.