The first rays of dawn crept through the gaps in the heavy curtains, casting long, pale fingers of light across the opulent chamber. The air, still thick with the lingering scent of sex, was now tinged with the freshness of morning. Alaric lay sprawled across the large bed, his body relaxed but his mind already active, replaying the events of the previous night.
His gaze drifted down to the bedsheets, his eyes lingering on the small, crimson stains that marred the pristine white fabric. A faint smile touched his lips. He knew those stains were from Kara. He had known, with a certainty that bordered on arrogance, that she was a virgin. She was fiercely loyal, almost worshipful of him, and he knew she wouldn't have offered herself to any other man. The thought brought a surge of satisfaction, a feeling of possessive triumph.
