EXTRACT FOR
Burning Love From a Queen of Snow
(Ashley Berry)

Determined to meet the Queen's challenge, Elena took a breath, blocked all doubt from her mind, and stepped into the bath. She bit back a hiss as the scolding water lashed against her thigh, then plunged her other leg inside. She walked forward, down the stone steps in the bath until the water reached the base of her ribs.



The Queen looked at her with approval. She leaned back against the other end, her golden hair lazily trailing the water, and made a "come hither" gesture with her fingers. "Let me see you swim to me. I want you wet all over."



Elena Florentine ducked until the water was to her shoulders, then gently swam through the steaming pool towards the Queen. When she was close, the Queen held her hands out. Elena clasped them with her own, their dark and light fingers intertwining.



"You continue to impress me, Elena Florentine," she remarked, her cheekbones rising as she smiled. The fires around the chamber reflected an orange, twinkling warmth in her eyes.



Janice pulled her in until the two women's faces were inches apart. Elena could see the subtle freckles that dotted the bridge of the Queen's nose, and she fought back a compulsion to kiss every one of them. Janice's cheeks were like small, enticing apples. Her little pixie nose stood in sharp contrast to Elena's sharper one.



"Do you love my son?" Her Highness asked with a seductive air that couldn't be ignored.



Elena would say anything to please her. "Yes, my Queen."



"If he were yours, would you love him as only a dutiful wife could?" Janice's mouth drew closer to hers as she asked this.



"Every day, my Queen."



"Show me, Elena Florentine. What does your love for my son look like?"