I stood there staring, not at all surprised at Raven's pronouncement. He was the sort to enjoy owning a slave. It was no wonder really I had such a hard time loving him. The man was impossible to love. He wasn't made for it.

The silent mocking glint in his eyes made  my palms itch with the urge to slap it right of him. It was strange really. Apart from him, he was all I thought about. But when we were near he brought out the blood thirsty side in me that I was ashamed I even had.

Taking a deep breath, I resolutely put all thoughts of wrangling his delicious kneck out of my mind.

"Come here," my master ordered.

My feet shifted of its own accord. Defying the pull that held me in place with surprising ease. At the startled look in Raven's eyes, I didn't think he expected me to comply so soon or so well. But I was his slave now. I was his to command.

The sorrow that hit his eyes unawares had the impact of sending me doubling over once more.

I hurt him.

He hurt. He hurt. He hurt.

My eyes watered at his pain. My heart developed a dull ache that I was sure in no way matched his own. He didn't want me as his slave. He wanted me as his love. But we both knew, he needed me as his slave. It was the only way really I would be willing to comply with his every command. It was the only way he could make me fight for a cause I hated. A cause that took so much from me before it even started.

No, we both knew this was the only way.

I stopped right before him and felt his warm breath caress my face on inhalation. I stared up at him expectantly and couldn't help the shiver of reaction that sped down my spine as his hand reached out to run his fingers through my ebony hair.

"You do know don't you," he murmured consideringly. "No good deed goes unpunished."

His light cyan eyes flickered with wanton anger. I could tell he was torn between love, lust and deep sorrow. Unrequited love and my enslaving myself to him was a volatile mixture as far as Raven's emotional response went. The hair sliding caressingly through my hair tightened to fist up a hand full and wrench my head back.

I stared up at him unable to help my own body's reactions revelling at our closeness. Love I might not feel but lust...

Lust I felt plenty. Especially for this man.

Only for this man.

"Punish you I will," he gritted out before deliberately covering my lips with his in a slow and sensual open mouthed onslaught. I was weak kneed and clinging to his lips with my arms uselessly wrapped around his waist.

It was Raven who held me up, who held me still to his relentless plundering. I merely moaned giving him all I could and taking as greedily as he gave.

With a muffled moan of his own, I was wrenched tight into his embrace and barely breathing as his lips worked mine furiously... desperately... cravenously.