Bound to Seduction

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2012 by Elisabeth Naughton

Cover art and design by Patricia
Schmitt/Pickyme

Editing by Linda Ingmanson

This book is a work of fiction. References to
real people, events, establishments, organizations, or locations
are intended only to provide a sense of authenticity, and are used
fictitiously. All other characters, and all incidents and dialogue,
are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed
as real.

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced,
scanned or distributed in any printed or electronic form without
permission. Please do not participate in encouraging piracy of
copyrighted materials in violation with the author’s rights.
Purchase only authorized editions.

PRAISE FOR

ENRAPTURED

“
Filled
with sizzling romance, heartbreaking drama, and a cast of
multifaceted characters, this powerful and unusual retelling of the
Orpheus and Eurydice story is Naughton’s best book yet. Starred
Review”—
Publishers Weekly
, starred review

“
Creative
worldbuilding and ever-present danger pull the reader into this
mesmerizing tale. 4 1/2 Stars”—
RT Book Reviews

TEMPTED

“
Endlessly twisting plots within plots, a cast of complex
and eminently likeable characters, and a romance as hot as it is
complicated.”—
Publisher’s Weekly
, starred review

“
Dark,
dangerous, and absolutely addicting.”—
NY Times
bestselling author Christina Dodd

“
Ms.
Naughton has taken the Greek Argonaut myth, turned it on its head,
and OWNED it!”—
Bitten By Paranormal Romance

ENTWINED

“
An
action-packed creative wonder guaranteed to snag your attention
from page one.”—
Fresh Fiction

“
Do NOT
miss this series!”—
NY Times
bestselling author Larissa Ione

MARKED

“
Naughton
has tremendous skill with steamy passion, dynamic characterization
and thrilling action.”—
Publisher’s Weekly

“
Elisabeth Naughton’s MARKED gives an incredibly fresh spin
on Greek Mythology that is full of humor, action, passion and a
storyline that keeps you from putting down the
book.”—
Fresh
Fiction

STOLEN SEDUCTION

“
This
third book in the Stolen series is full of intrigue, secrets and
undeniable love with characters you can’t get enough of…an awesome
read!”—
Fresh
Fiction

“
An
adventurous story of twists and turns, this story will keep you
guessing until the very end. And the chemistry between Hailey and
Shane is sizzling hot. Naughton combines passion and danger in one
fast-paced story.”—
News and Sentinel

STOLEN HEAT

“
This
book has got it all: an adventure that keeps you turning the pages,
an irresistible hero, and a smoking romance.”—
All About Romance

“
Stolen
Heat is an awesome combination of deadly suspense, edgy action and
a wonderful romance with characters that you’ll laugh, cry and yell
with.”—
Night
Owl Romance

STOLEN FURY

“
A rock
solid debut…Naughton’s intelligent adventure plot is intensified by
the blazing heat that builds from Lisa and Rafe’s first erotic
encounter.”—
Publisher’s Weekly

“
Naughton
deftly distills deadly intrigue, high adrenaline action, and
scorchingly hot passion into a perfectly constructed novel of
romantic suspense.”—
Chicago Tribune

WAIT FOR ME

“
This
book blew me out of the water.”—
Cocktails and Books

“
Wait For
Me more than met my expectations, it was downright delightfully
angsty with a great big dose of scorching hot scenes between two
characters who could not have been more made for each other. The
unraveling mystery is compelling all on it’s own but the chemistry
between Kate and Ryan will keep you truly
captivated.”—
Paperback Dolls

Titles by Elisabeth Naughton

Firebrand Series

(Paranormal Romance)

BOUND TO SEDUCTION

SLAVE TO
PASSION
(Coming Soon)

POSSESSED
BY DESIRE
(Coming Soon)

Eternal Guardians Series

(Paranormal romance)

ENSLAVED
(November 2012)

ENRAPTURED

TEMPTED

ENTWINED

MARKED

Stolen Series

(Romantic Suspense)

STOLEN SEDUCTION

STOLEN HEAT

STOLEN FURY

Single Titles

WAIT FOR ME

(Contemporary Romance)

Anthologies

BODYGUARDS IN BED

(with Lucy Monroe and Jamie Denton)

For my good friend,

Darcy Burke,

Who’s always looking for a little more
smexytime.

The clank of the cell door opening echoed
like a thousand cannons exploding across the night sky.

Tariq lifted his head and gazed through the
strands of hair covering his eyes, only to experience the rush of
blood boiling in his veins when he saw the condescending face
peering down at him through the bars.

“Sleep has not done you well, Tariq,”
Zoraida mocked, the opulent blue silk of her gown swishing as she
moved into his dingy cell. Behind her, three guards, armed to the
hilt, remained outside the bars, ready to strike at a moment’s
notice. “I fear your will to live hangs in the balance.”

His arms ached from being held above his
head as he’d leaned against the stone wall and tried to sleep, and
he was weak from lack of food, but he pushed to his bare feet, the
chains cuffed to his wrists rattling against the bar embedded waist
high in the cold stone at his back. With some unseen force of will,
he contained the fury whipping through him at the sight of the
sorceress who’d imprisoned him in this hellhole. But smiled to
himself at the knowledge his misery would soon be over. And with
it, her reign.

“
The
only life that hangs in the balance is yours,
sayyeda
. I’m willing to die for my cause. And when I do,
yours goes with it.”

Her
superior grin faded. Those emerald eyes, as dangerous as chipped
glass, narrowed with a hatred he felt burn all the way to the
depths of his soul. “You will continue to do my will. As you have
for ages. That is the command of your
sayyeda
.”

“Fuck your command,” he growled. “I’m done
being your slave.”

She moved closer, until the sweet, powdery
scent of her assailed his nostrils. Close but not close enough for
him to reach. Even with his powers bound in this dungeon, she knew
better. “Such aggression and hostility from a fierce Marid warrior
is not unexpected. But I wonder this. How long will your resolve
last when the lives of all you love are on the line?”

“You hold no power over my tribe. My kingdom
will persist. Your immortality dies with me.”

Her gaze traveled the length of his bare
chest, hovered on the amulet against his throat, then dropped to
the scrap of dirty cloth tied across his hips. She looked down his
bare legs at the food he refused to eat, still sitting on the tray
on the hard, stone floor at his feet, then back to his face. A
malicious grin spread across her bloodred lips. “No, djinni. My
immortality will continue to thrive. And you will continue to fuel
it.” Without looking away, she called, “Guards?”

Shuffling echoed behind her. Tariq’s
attention slid from her to the dark corridor outside his cell and
the two men being dragged across the dungeon floor. Both wore
nothing but scraps of cloth, like him, and both were bloodied and
bruised as if they’d been beaten to within an inch of their lives.
Long, dark hair fell across their faces, shielding their eyes, but
on each, a fire opal—similar to the one he wore around his
neck—reflected light into the dank room.

“Bring them closer so he gets a good look,”
Zoraida said, still focused only on him.

Both men grunted as they were shoved
face-first up against the bars. Then the guards grasped their hair
and lifted their heads so Tariq could see his brothers’ bloody,
dirt-streaked and swollen faces.

The fury born into his tribe from the
beginning of time erupted inside him. He lurched forward, ready to
tear Zoraida’s throat out with his bare hands, but the chains
clanked again, stopping his momentum. “Release them, you
bitch!”

Zoraida
stepped so close he could see every tiny pore on her disgustingly
perfect face. “You will not stop me, Tariq. And you
will
do as I command, or I will slit
their throats and end their meager existences. The Kingdom of
Gannah now rests in
my
hands, not
yours. Continue down this road of so-called honor and everything
you hold dear will fall to ruin.”

Blond hair fell over her bare shoulder, the
soft curls brushing her milky cleavage as she lifted a finely
manicured finger and ran it down the length of his cheek. She was
beautiful—blindingly so. But her beauty was a farce. Underneath,
she was aged and decrepit. As aged and decrepit as Tariq felt from
the years of his imprisonment.

Her expression shifted from enraged to
amused. “Of course, if you were to cooperate, I might be amenable
to releasing…one.” She shot a look over her shoulder toward his
brothers. “Even if he is now…stained.”

The need for revenge enflamed Tariq from the
inside out, but he let his gaze drift past her to his brothers.
Both were strong djinn warriors, princes of their kingdom, as was
he, but they weren’t ruled by fate. They exercised free will. And
as such were open to corruption, as he had been. If he—the eldest
and strongest of the brotherhood—had fallen prey to the seductive
sorceress, then he’d been a fool to think his brothers were
safe.

Nasir’s
chest rose and fell with his labored breaths, but in his eyes,
Tariq saw determination. And the unspoken words:
Do not break,
brother
. His gaze
shifted to Ashur, who could barely keep his eyes open. He would not
last through another beating by Zoraida’s guards.

Tariq
ground his teeth and looked back toward the sorceress. And though
it took every ounce of strength he had left, he forced the words
past his teeth when he said, “What would you have me do,
sayyeda
?”

Nasir opened his mouth to protest, but the
guard kneed him in the kidneys. Nasir groaned and slid to his
knees.