Desecrated Beauty (Twisted Fairy Tales #1) by Kyleigh Castronaro Page B

dryly, staring at him. “So you living on the fringes of society is a self-preservation technique?”
    “Yes, and I have no interest in making my identity known to the council so that they might annoy me to join them. I have no wish to be in that sort of position. It is not true power.”
    “No, nothing like the power of lordship.”
    “I’m not a lord, but I took that title by earning it.”
    “Earning it?”
    “I might not be well known amongst my kind, but I have a reputation. Originally it stemmed from my father’s but I have created one more myself. I am a whisper in the back of my kind’s mind. My cruelty and viciousness are well known amongst the others, but only a few have actually seen it. That’s true power.”
    “Because it makes people fear you without even being there to give them something to be afraid of.”
    “Exactly.” She pursed her lips, thinking of her father as she spoke before looking back up at him again. “What’s the council?”
    “It’s our governing body. They create the laws for our kind, they enforce them and they ensure that we are never discovered.”
    “This council sucked at their job then didn’t they?”
    “They were presented with an opportunity and for now it is working for them.”
    “For now, you said it yourself, there is a growing chance that one day the humans will fight back unless you kill them all off by then.”
    “Or enslave them.”
    “Is that an option?”
    “An option I would consider if necessary.”
    “And what does that mean for me?” Nero stared at her for a moment before moving to the bed and sitting down at her feet.
    “Nothing. It means nothing to you because my original claim will always stand.”
    “So your rules mean nothing to me.”
    “No, that’s not what I said. I made you a promise and I intend to keep that, but there are some rules I expect you to respect while you’re here.”
    “Which are?”
    “Some rooms you will not enter, no matter how curious you are.”
    “Because they’re where you kill people?”
    “Perhaps.” Nero smiled dangerously before shaking his head, “because I will respect your privacy so I expect you to respect mine.”
    “Okay, what else?”
    “You cannot go out during the day, obviously. You are not to engage in any sexual activities with anyone under my charge in this house…”
    “You’re telling me who I can and can’t sleep with?”
    “Yes. Because first and foremost you are mine.”
    “I’m not.”
    “You are and they will know that. So no matter what amount of effort you might exert to try and attract them to you, they value their immortality a lot more than a romp in the sheets with a woman like you. No matter how beautiful you may be.”
    It wasn’t the first time a man had called her beautiful, but something about Nero saying it made all the difference in the world. She looked away from his shyly, combatting the residual anger she was still feeling over his so-called rules.
    “What else?” she finally said, trying to detract from her shameless behaviour.
    “Nothing else. The rest is up to you. My rules are simple.”
    “And what do you get out of me being here?”
    “The pleasure of your company.”
    “It can’t be that easy. Nothing in the world is that easy, there has to be a motivation for you taking me in and expecting nothing in return for sheltering me, clothing me and feeding me.”
    “You took my Rose so your presence will pay off that debt.”
    “Rose was here as your meal and I’ve already told you that I am not going to replace that position for you.”
    “I am aware of that,” he said as he rose from the bed, moving back toward the door. “This bedroom isn’t actually your assigned one. If you’d like to come with me, I’ll show you your chambers.”
    “Chambers,” she snorted, bemused by his archaic terminology.
    “Yes,” he said lacking any amusement in his tone.
    “You’re still avoiding answering my question. There has to be something in it for