The Duke And His Mate

PROLOGUE

"The beast in me thirsted for her. The human in me loved her. And now it was down to nothing but a battle between destroying her or ...protecting her,"

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His eyes were the darkest, most sensuous shade of brown that she had ever witnessed in a human. He didn't even look like a human. No ordinary human could be this mesmerizing. As she gazed into his dark eyes, paralyzed and enthralled by their beauty, she knew this was one of the stupidest things that she could ever do in her life.

This was so forbidden...

This was scandalous...

He was her brother's best friend...

He was so way out of her reach...

And yet, even after knowing all this, even after knowing how easily this could destroy her life, she wanted him.

He was silently staring at her. The night sky glowed with a million stars, gazing down at them, a witness to this singularly most forbidden and intimate moment of her life. And as she met his gaze, she could feel nothing, no inhibitions but just the anticipation of getting to have a taste of him.

"What do you want, sweetheart?" His voice was soft like the petals of the tulips that surrounded them. His dark eyes brimmed with desire and yet there was an innate warmth in them.

"You," She answered. "I want you...Maxwell," He smiled softly, and, oh dear, he was the most beautiful disaster that has ever been heard of.

"You know that I come at a cost, right, Emelisse?" He whispered, gazing back into her eyes. He was so inexplicably close. There was not enough air in her lungs or around her. She was a breathless mess, captivated by this man of whom she should be steering clear.

"Yes," She whispered and closed her eyes as he pressed his lips on her throat while his hand glided inside her gown at a deliciously tormenting pace. His touch ignited a fire inside her that she had only experienced in stories that were as forbidden as this moment between them. Her entire existence thrummed with the need for him. Need that she had kept hidden inside herself all these days.

"I will destroy you," he warned, moving back and gazing at her with an intensity that made everything inside her recoil. "You don't know who I am. You don't know the truth. Do you still want me even after that?"

"Who are you?" She asked, reaching out to caress his handsome face. "Who are you, Maxwell? What is it that you hide?" He moved away from her reach and shook his head.

"You will never look at me the way you do if I tell you..." He answered. "Tell me, Emelisse, one last time, do you still want me?"

She blinked at him and nodded her head. She was no longer in control of herself. He had her captivated and enraptured in his grasp from the very moment she laid her eyes on him. She would do anything for him. That's how strong the pull towards him was.

"Yes," She answered without a second thought.

In his eyes, there was both sadness and seduction and his full lips stretched in a smile as he moved back a little and sat up on his knees.

"Your wish is my command, Ms. Featherstone," he replied, and her heart stopped, excitement spiraling through her senses as he slowly started to unbutton his shirt.

One by one, as the buttons came off, all her wildest fantasies started to materialize into reality. And they did him no justice. Because there was no way one could ever remotely imagine such a fine piece of masculinity with their ordinary brains. As the last button came off and he shrugged off the shirt from his shoulders, she was paralyzed with appreciation and desire for him. His body was sculpted by the best artisans of god, every muscle crafted to perfection, every line and every curve, a sinful delight for her eyes.

"I want you to touch me," he commanded. "Come closer, Emelisse. I am all yours. Touch me,"

That was all the encouragement she needed. She moved closer and her hand shook as she placed it on his chest. His skin was warmer than a summer night and smoother than satin. Her skin danced with the inexplicable feeling as her dreams started to transcend into reality. She slowly gazed up at him and he was watching her silently. With every second, his eyes were turning darker and darker. Her breath hitched in her throat as he pulled her face closer and, in the anticipation of what was coming, her eyes closed reflexively.

His lips touched hers and her heart skipped, ready to lurch out of her mouth. They were everything she expected and more. So much more. Warmth washed over her as he kissed her with a passion that she didn't think could be justified in words. His strong hands cupped her face and, fueled by desire, she hooked her finger into his soft hair. They were a dream to touch. She was slowly spiraling and colliding as he weaved his magic, his lips like satin yet laced with fire.

"I want to show you something. Keep your eyes closed a moment," he whispered, and she felt him move back. Anticipation and disappointment curled leisurely in the darkest depths of her stomach as she waited. But as seconds turned to minutes and an eerie silence enveloped her in its grasp, she couldn't help it anymore.

Slowly, she opened her eyes and froze. Blood drained from her face and she could feel the warmth that his lips rendered slipping away and being replaced by cold, deadly fear. The dark eyes were replaced by burning red. And the man who sat in front of her a moment ago was replaced...

What was this?

It was huge, almost camouflaging into the darkness of the night because of its inky dark coat. Its red eyes appraised her as she sat frozen to her spot. She had not the wildest idea what this was. What terrifying creature was this?

"Ma...Ma...Maxwell," She whispered, moving back. Its red eyes flickered dangerously and her heart stopped as a loud howl escaped its throat. It was so terrifying that tears sprang into Emelisse's eyes with fear.

"No..." She begged as the thing approached her with a decided grace as if it knew her. As if it recognized her. "Please...no," Its fangs bared and it was a sight that was enough to give someone a coronary. A terrifying scream escaped her mouth and before she knew it, slowly everything turned dark in front of her eyes.

When she opened her eyes again, the darkness felt familiar and even comforting. Her breathing was frantic as Emelisse sat up and blinked around. There were no flowers, no meadow, no terrifying creature, and no...sweat trickled down her forehead as she realized what she was dreaming of. It startled her but also comforted her because, as beautifully as it started, that was one bloody terrifying end to it.

"Just a dream," She whispered, rubbing her eyes. "It was just a dream, Em," She flopped down on her bed and closed her eyes and as she drifted off once again, she had no idea...

How real her dream was about to get...