Prologue
The girl opened her eyes.
It was obvious from the way she blinked that she had no idea where she was. Perhaps she had been beaten or someone had slipped her a sleeping draught before the sale started, perhaps both.
Wolf frowned. Her face was unmarred but that didn’t mean her body was not covered in cuts and bruises and anyway, the man offering her for sale did not deserve praise for not hurting her.
If he had not mistreated her it was only because he had not wanted to diminish his profit by presenting her in less than the full glory of her beauty.
For the girl was exquisite.
Wolf understood why she had been kept last. She stood out from the other slaves as surely as a finely chiseled piece of jewelry amongst rough iron collars.
One of her braids had come undone and luscious hair covered her left shoulder in a cascade of shimmering copper.
Her eyes, framed by long, velvety lashes, appeared dark, almost black, an unusual trait in someone so fair of complexion.
Her face and throat were pale as a swan’s plumage, and looked just as temptingly soft. As to her body…
Her body was perfection, a beguiling combination of soft curves and elegant limbs barely hidden under a delicate shift. It was a body made for hot, passionate lovemaking. The woman was temptation, sensuality personified. Where on earth had the slave trader found such a jewel?
As if he’d heard his inner musings, the man spoke, addressing the crowd in front of him.
“Well, what say you? You will not have seen the like of her often. That beautiful hair is softer than silk, and smells like flowers.” He took a handful of the copper tresses and brought it to his nose, making a point of rolling his eyes as he inhaled its scent.
The woman jerked her head but there was nothing she could do to prevent him from rubbing it against his cheek.
“Pale skin, dark eyes, and a body any man would give his right arm to possess. You don’t believe me? See for yourself!”
Without any warning, he reached out to her shift and ripped it open from throat to navel, revealing two perfect ivory breasts and a soft stomach. The men jeered. Wolf clenched his jaw.
Unsurprisingly, the girl let out a cry of outrage at this new provocation but, bound as she was, she could not do anything. Or…
To Wolf’s intense surprise, she spat in the man’s face and cursed him. A feisty one then… His interest in her increased tenfold. Spirit was always something to enjoy. The man, however, was less impressed. He lifted a hand, ready to strike in retaliation.
Immediately, Wolf called out an extravagant sum of money, diverting his attention away from the rebellious girl. The slave trader turned to him, a slow grin on his face. Clearly, he was not a man to miss an opportunity.
“Sold,” he said in a dark voice.