To Collar and Keep Read Online Free

of her blood. It was her greatest fear, to be held by a man who had nothing but contempt for her. Someone who used her blood with no thought for her mind or feelings, or worse a Satyr that didn’t use her at all. She felt the old panic settling in.
    ”Oh gods, he’s old, isn’t he? And cruel and is surrounded by collared women. Damn father, he’s cursed me to my mother’s life.” Wailing, she collapsed next to him.
    “Hey, Mom’s life isn’t all that bad. She told you that herself.” He offered her a consoling pat. “Once he binds other women, he’ll all but forget you, and you’ll have your life to yourself. You can even come visit me, wherever I end up. Besides he’s not old…he’s quite young.”
    “Really?” she asked, feeling hope return despite Sebastian’s prior attempt to help.
    “Yeah, and he didn’t look swamped by other women. Actually he looked about as rattled as you, well maybe not as rattled. Bells, you’re a neurotic mess.” He sat up, bouncing on the bed, testing it.
    “Am not.” She pouted as the bed swayed.
    “Are too, plus you need to hide this.” He plucked the book of formulae and calculations from her hands. “If Mom finds this, she’ll freak. She still hasn’t forgiven you from that stunt in uni.”
    “We don’t talk about that.”
    “Fuck right, we don’t. I’d get it almost as bad as you. I’m expected to screw up and take my eye off the ball that much. You could have landed yourself a one-way ticket to being the pet of wild Satyrs and not just one. They like to share their toys with the others.” He shuddered. “You know that thought might not bother you, but fuck. It’s bad enough he’s bartering you to Americans, but—”
    “So what was the prince like? Did you talk to him?” she cut off his tirade, snatching her workbook back.
    It was one she’d heard a few times and didn’t care to hear again. The incident was over with and it hadn’t been as bad as her brother and mother liked to make out. Trying to win a fellowship grant for her ideas on genetic splicing and succeeding, would have done any other family proud, but not the family of a female Satyr. Women should be seen, and heard only when they are moaning, or screaming the praises of her Satyr. Luckily her mother and Sebastian had covered it up. Of course she wouldn’t test her father or other brothers with the tale. It wasn’t something she dwelled on.
    She’d learned exactly what she was, out amongst the humans. She needed a Satyr to satisfy her needs and her cravings. Thankfully that was just what she was getting, her own Satyr, and she couldn’t wait despite her nerves. She just wished she could see him, or at least talk to him first, to know what he was like to prepare herself for him.
    “Like I said, he wasn’t old, and he looked preoccupied. I didn’t talk to him. Father watches me, you know, and no, I’m not passing messages or photographs…”
    “Do you think he’ll want me?” Rolling off the bed, she put her book safely away from her mother’s prying eyes.
    “Want you? Why wouldn’t he? Look, Bells, you might be my sister, but even I can see that you’re desirable. If he didn’t want you, he’d have no taste in women whatsoever, and as a Satyr not having that is a genetic impossibility. Trust me, we know women…and exactly what we want to do with them.”
    “I guess, but if I could just see him, even once before…” She chewed on her bottom lip, trying to look as downtrodden as she could. Sebastian would help her, he always did.
    As if he’d read her thoughts, he glared at her. “No, I can’t help you.”
    “Please? Just to escape Mom for a few hours…you don’t have to know where I’m going. Just that I want to be by myself for a few hours.”
    “Hours? You think I could achieve that? You’ll be spotted.”
    “One hour then? Please? I’ll make it up to you. I promise. I won’t get caught. I’ll wear one of the handmaid’s dresses, and I’ll tie my hair