“It was nice meeting you, Grixis, but—” I say as I draw myself into a kneel.
“I’d like to mate with you,” he says bluntly.
I fall back on my rear and stare at him in shock. This can’t be happening. There’s no way—no way—I’m going to agree to that.
But then again, he might not give me a choice.
He’s not making a move to force me, and with how he’s conducted himself, I’m not sure he would.
His hard eyes stay locked on me. He’s expecting me to speak, but what am I supposed to say?
No. That’s the only reasonable answer.
But…there is a small nagging part of me that wonders if I should perhaps keep an open mind. And as much as I’d like to act like I’m above the act of fucking for survival, it’s not like my whole life hasn’t been one of servitude. At least he’s not expecting me to wash his plates and breeches. Well, I don’t think it’s part of the deal.
“Um…I’ve never done the whole mating thing,” I say, unable to control the waver of my voice.
His face looks surprised. Apologetic, even.
“I thought that since you had breasts, you were an adult. My apologies. I’d never mate a child.”
“I’m not a child…I’m eighteen.”
“Are you so weak that your men refuse to mate you?”
“No—I mean, some girls marry at sixteen, but that’s largely frowned upon and done to get a title, like lady or princess. Peasants are known to marry young as well.”
“Marry, as in mate?”
“Sure. The age of eligibility is eighteen, but that’s usually when courtship begins. Marriage comes at around twenty.”
“Age of eligibility?”
“When a noblewoman is marked eligible by her parents, they receive an invitation to a celebration thrown each season. First, the women meet and discuss womanly things. Then, later, they are joined by men that are of an age to marry. That’s why all those girls back there were taken. Their party was raided before they joined with the men.”
“So you are now eligible?”
“Um…I wasn’t at the party, but I am no longer a girl, being eighteen, which would make me so.”
This seems to please Grixis greatly. He grabs a large bucket off to the side. It’s full of water, and he begins washing the length of his arms with a pebble of soap. His muscles are so hard, they look like they never go slack.
Suddenly I realize he means to mate me right the hell now.
And I have no idea what the hell I’m doing.
8
ELENA
What the hell have I gotten myself into?
I eye Grixis as he meticulously lathers his muscles, and while I admit he is stunning, I’m not convinced this is a good idea.
“I don’t know if this whole mating thing is an option for us. I mean, just look at your size…and my size…it’s just not a good idea.”
“I will get you ready and make sure you can accommodate me. You have nothing to worry about.”
Nothing to worry about,he says. I almost chuckle.