The Stolen Valkyrie: Broken Bonds (Part One) (Fantasy Erotic Romance Novelette) Read Free Page A

selected mates to rise. The two women stood with hands covered in the colorful dust.
     
    Johan spread his arms, allowing them to trace his marking. After imprinting the outline of the phoenix in their mind, the women turned to their chosen bond mate and drew the Jihn mark from memory onto their partner’s chest. When the outline was complete, a warrior cry rang through the air.
     
    The new warriors swept their mates into their arms. Once Johan declared them bonded for life, he bid them a fruitful night and turned to signal Tani and Ziki.
     
    Both froze but the clanswomen pulled them to their feet, “We must bathe ye now.”
     
    They stumbled after them into the night. Asta could hear them splashing in the tiny stream. On one level, she was happy for them but her pride still stung severely.
     
    Johan made his way to Asta’s side as the clansmen, all in higher spirits than he had ever witnessed, disbursed and headed toward their individual shelters. Having chosen Tani on purpose, he glanced toward the stream while knowing Asta watched him out of the corner of her eye.
     
    Even though she was stung by his request, Asta refused to let him know how much. Lifting her chin in the air, she gazed at a star in the distance while watching the firelight flicker over his face. So focused on keeping her expression neutral, she failed to notice everyone ducking into their respective dwellings. Johan’s hand whipped out and caught her around the wrist as he growled, “Are ye ready to watch your Grand Master and learn your true place?”
     
    She pulled her arm, trying to break free, “I will readily watch ye Master over others. There is no need to bind me when our vows are enough.”
     
    He yanked her to him and called out, “Our vows bind us but ye still rebel. The ropes will surely help ye remember that ye are a Gojicia, Grand Mistress Gojicia of Zajihn, and not a warrior. Tani, bring the rope forth and kneel before me, The Grand Master of Clan Zajihn.”
     
    Caught in his tight grasp and held by his challenging stare, Asta’s pride demanded that she not make a scene in front of her un-bonded friend and the chosen female. Noticing her jutting jaw and prideful stance, Johan lowered his face to hers and breathed, “We are well-matched in pride as well as spirit. Ye are Mistress of my heart , Asta Gojicia, and I intend to have ye submit no matter what it takes.”
     
    She quickly lowered her gaze, fearing that he would detect her hurt pride at the coming scene. She had spoken the truth to Tani when declaring that she cared deeply for him. Asta could not begin to understand her own reluctance to surrender completely to him. Despite respecting him more over the years, there was something still missing that she could not pinpoint. Knowing the imminent punishment would not be diverted no matter what she said, she remained quiet as Tani handed him the rope.
     
    In no time at all, she was bound to a tree with a clear view of them in front of the fire. With heated cheeks, she avoided looking upon the trio as Johan commanded the kneeling females to disrobe. Seeing that she refused to look in their direction, Johan did something unheard of for someone of his status.
     
    He knelt beside her and explained, “Ye surely cannot expect me, your bonded Master and the Grand Chief of Clan Zajihn, to ignore such disobedience.” She still refused to look at him so he snapped, “Look me in the eye, my Grand Mistress, and explain your actions to your Master.”
     
    Her gaze lifted to his and, with fury in her voice, asked, “Why must your tone always be apologetic, Grand Master Johan Gojicia-Zajihn—Jihn Ruler by birth of the Great Shire?”
     
    Hearing her defiantly spit his complete title back at him, raw anger and confusion leapt into his eyes. Asta immediately regretted her words but could not take them back. He quickly rose and shed his own clothing, barking at the nude females in the process, “Crawl on your knees and lavish me. I