Transformation by M J Marlow (new reading TXT) 📖

the gardens. “I need to think.” “Princess,” Bastian said as he came up to Zenand bowed. “Your sire wishes to speak to you in private. If you would come with me.” Darenand Marek made to followand found themselves cut off by guards. They were shown to a laboratoryand put into separate cells. Zoran had not changed as much as his words might prove. They closed their eyesand tried to find Zen; only to realize that their minds could not reach beyond the walls of the room. Zen went to her father’s quartersand he turned from the windows, his powerful frame covered in silk robes. His expression was no long the kind, loving, repentant one he had shown in the audience. “Please sit down, daughter,” he said, as he nodded to the bench at the foot of the bed. “We need to talk.” She remained standingand he shrugged. “I do not blame you for your wariness, Zenyssa. I have never done anything to earn your trust.” “You’re not going to start now,” Zen stated, knowing this to be truth. “So what are you up to, Father?” “I have chosen two women,” Zoran told her bluntly, “who will go with your mates in your place.And you, my darling child, will remain here with meand the man I choose for you.” He saw her mutinous expression. “As long as you obey me, your matesand your darling son will remain alive. If you do anything to displease me, or your new mate, the women who take your place will murder your true matesand your son will be brought to us here to be raised as I see fit. Is that clear enough for you?” “You expect me to agree with these demands of yours, Father?” Zen exclaimed. “You are insane!” “They are good men, Zenyssa,” Zoran said as he pulled her to him. “It would be a shame to destroy them because you were being childish.” “Why is it childish,” Zen asked him, as she pulled free of his hold,and backed away, “for me to want you to stay out of my life?” He clamped his hand on the back of her neckand she was pressed up against the wall. “Let me go!” “You are my daughter,” Zoran said coldly as his fingers dug in painfully. “You will do as I say.” He leaned against her. “What is it to be, Zenyssa? Do your mates get to live?” “Father, please…” “You do not beg, Zenyssa,” Zoran exclaimed as he slammed her into the wall again. “You are my daughter. You do not beg!” The slaves came inand he let Zen go. She collapsed to her knees, sobbing. “See to our daughter. Keep her here in this chamber.” He left the roomsand went to the laboratory. The women he’d chosen were strapped down on tables in front of Darenand Marek. The men had been shackledand drugged,and were wearing programming helmets; being led to believe that Zen had chosen these women for them. She had decided she no longer wanted to be with either of them. Zoran stroked the wings on the one womanand looked down into her tear-streaked face. “I am making you a Queen, Seelia,” Zoran smiled at the womanand eased her terror. “You should be thanking me.” She smiled up at him warmlyand he kissed her on the forehead. Then he went to check on the men. They were fighting the lie, but not much longer, he saw. He wondered why he hadn’t thought of this earlier. It would have saved everyone a lot of painand loss. He didn’t really want to hurt anyone, he thought, as he left he laboratory; he just wanted them to do as they were told. Why couldn’t they see that he only wanted what was best for them? He went back to his roomsand saw that the slaves had been subduedand were boundand gagged. He was impressed. “Bastian!” he sent out the mind call. “The princess is loose. Bring her back before she hurts herself.” Zen hurried down the stairsand was headed across the gardens when guards cut off her path. She turned awayand saw more of them moving in. She looked upand saw that fine netting had been spread across the open space above to keep her from flying. She head soft laughterand turned to see Bastian coming towards her with a net in his hands. He was smiling happily, as if he had caught a fine prize. “You are just wasting time, princess,” he said as he came towards her. “Your sire has thought of everything. Your mates are on their way home with new females,and you are going to be mine.” He saw the shock on her faceand laughed. “I know, “he said, his green eyes filled with understanding. “I am not the stuff dreams are made of, pretty one; but even I know how to make a woman happy.” He saw the mutinous expression on her face. “I can take you back nettedand bound like a slave, or you can come with me on your feet.” Zen strode past himand he bowed his head to her. Then he followed her back to the throne room where her father sat waiting. He saw the angry expression on his daughter’s face; the pleased smile on Bastian’s face,and knew he was winning. She was not happy with his dictate, but she now knew she had no choice. He held his hand out to herand Zen remained where she was. Bastian pushed her forwardand she slapped him across the face. He laughedand caught her wrists in his hand, pulling her to himand kissing her roughly. Zen tried to strike him againand he pinned her arms behind her backand forced her to her father, made her kneel before Zoran. “I have only ever wanted what was best for you, my daughter,” Zoran said as he reached out to stroke her hairand she turned away. He grabbed her chin in his hand and turned her eyes back to his. “Bastian is the man I have chosen for you. He will never be swayed by your pretty face or your powerful mind,and he will remain loyal to me.” He placed his hands on either side of her headand kept her eyes on his. “Now that we have dealt with your body,” he smiled at her; “we shall deal with your mind.” Zen whimpered in protest as his mind slammed into hers. She fought him at every turn, but he was too fast for her. She could see him chaining her abilities to his control. She would not be able to use them unless he allowed it. Once he had done so, he slipped a compulsion into her mind without her being aware of it. Tears flowed down her cheeks as pain began burning through her. She knew what he was doing to herand she fought him. But he triumphedand her wings fell off; her back sealed shut, with no sign she had ever had wings. She had to find a way to free herself of this chaining, of this enforced bonding. “I am giving you a great gift, daughter,” Zoran said as he stroked her hair. “You will have a life free of the burden of your talents. You will be a dutiful daughter, an obedient wife,and a loving mother.” “You took all choice away from me,” Zen cried out in protest. “I don’t want this! I don’t want you!And,” she continued as she glared at Bastian, “I don’t want him!” Her eyes were blazing as she pulled away from her father’s touch, shaking with weakness at what he’d done to her. “I will find a way to free myself, Father. I am not going to let you chain me like this!” “You would not be my daughter,” Zoran laughed in delight, “if you accepted this gracefully.” He looked at Bastian. “You have your work cut out for you, lord Bastian.” “I accept the challenge in delight,” Bastian bowed his head. “The bonding ceremony will take place in three days,” Zoran smiled. “Until then, my daughter will be locked in her room with only her attendants for company. You are free to visit with her there. Tell them she is to be kept drugged to the point of docility.” He looked at Bastian sternly. “You will see to it that the guard is doubled from this moment on. We can not risk losing her now.” Bastian bowed his headand yanked Zen to her feet. She went with him, her mind still aching from what her father had done to her. It wasn’t right! How dare he take away her ability to control her own gifts? It was not his place to decide for her when to use them.And it was not his place to tell her who she should bond with. She looked over at Bastian as he took her to her roomsand she had to admit he was a strong man. He had a core of iron. He would not be a man one could sway easily, but Zen knew that she would have to find a way or she would be his property until she died. They got to her roomsand he kissed her hand and left her to her women, relaying her father’s orders exactly as they had been given. “No!” Zen protested as they prepared the drugsand added a dose to her water. “I am not drinking that poison!” “We can not disobey the Emperor!” the women both cried together. “He will have us beaten, Princess.” Zen continued to refuseand found them backing her into a chair. They tied her arms downand then forced the liquid down her throat. Zen could feel it beginning to go to work as her limbs grew heavier. She could barely move once it had taken hold. They released her braidsand combed out her hair, leaving it loose as they prepared her for bed. Zen could do nothing to fight them. They put a robe on over her sheer night dressand took her out into the garden for some air, letting her sit by the waterfalland pool. She dipped her fingers into the pool, smiling weakly as the warmed water soothed her. “So sad, my lady,” Bastian said softly as he came to join her. The women moved off a distance to give them privacy. He sat down next to Zenand took her chin in his large hand, looking down into her eyes. “Is it really so bad,” he asked as his fingers stroked her skin; “the thought of being mine?” “I was not given a choice, lord Bastian,” Zen told him honestly. Her voice was softand sad; she didn’t have the energy to show him the full heat of her true feelings. She looked up at him. “Why are you agreeing to this?” “Why would I not, Princess?” Bastian asked her honestly. “You are a very beautiful young woman. Your father has honored me greatly by giving you to me.” He opened her robeand let it fall off of her, gasping in delight as he saw her beautiful body illuminated in the moonlight through the sheer gown. “I was lost the moment I laid my eyes on you, my lady,” he sighed as he pushed her down on her back gently, his lips claiming hers as his hand cupped her breast. “I do not deserve such a gift.” “It does not bother you that your ‘gift’ has no wish to be yours, lord Bastian?” Zen asked him bluntly. “Please let me go,” she whimpered. “I am not a common slut for you to use at your leisure.” “No, Princess,” Bastian acknowledged. “You are not.” He helped her to her feet, bringing her hand to his cheek. His eyes were warm with an honest affectionand Zen frowned. Was she misjudging this man? “I did not mean to dishonor you.” Zen watched him go, wondering why she suddenly felt as if she had wronged the man. He had accepted her censure without