Tastes Like Winter

by Penny Wynter

"I was thinking more of I'm the boss, and you're going to do exactly as I say when I say it." Oryn shrugs, as he stops in front of a door that he opens for me.

  Yikes. I've seen rooms in mental institutes more charming. The walls are painted white, but this hardly lifts the mood since the room is completely empty except for a bed with a heavy-looking metal frame. A tiny pillow and thin blanket cover the equally thin mattress, yet I'm not going to complain. It's free and warm, so I'm happy.

  As I turn my head, I spot the small dresser and a narrow door.

  "You'll have your own bathroom through there. My room is at the other end of the hall, but there will be no need for you to go there."

  "Got it." I nod and put my backpack down.

  "Get dressed and meet me downstairs in fifteen minutes."

  I turn to him, slightly confused. "I am dressed."

  "You're wearing a flimsy summer dress, my sweater, and a pair of Converse sneakers—that's hardly appropriate attire to bury a corpse in the woods."

  So that's what we're going to do. Exciting.

  Clearing my throat, I look at him, embarrassment burning in my cheeks. "Maybe I should explain that this and the pair of jeans I was wearing yesterday are the only clothes I have left. Since I figured I'd be dead by now, I gave everything else away."

  He rolls his eyes. "I might have a few pieces from my sister stashed away. Wait here."

  I know I should keep my mouth shut, but I can't help myself. "You have a sister?" I just blurt the question out, knowing full well that it's none of my business.

  "She's dead. Killed by her ex-husband for leaving him."

  "I'm so sorry."

  "You don't need to be. You didn't know her, and it's hardly your fault. Plus, I got my revenge when I killed that piece of shit, making sure to do it very, very, very slowly. Not that it brought my sister back, but it made me feel a lot better."

  He leaves my new bedroom, and I wish I didn't ask. Oryn is pretty intimidating already when he's smiling and in a good mood, so seeing this side of him made me a bit anxious.

  I should probably try to follow his rules and get this thing over with.

  It doesn't take long for him to return, and he's carrying a small box. He puts it down and opens it, revealing a couple of sweaters, leggings, and tennis shoes. The shoes are my size, everything else is a bit too big, but I don't care since an oversized sweater can't hurt with the temperatures outside. At the bottom, I find a black field parka that looks pretty worn but will still keep me warm.

  "Thank you very much." I smile up at Oryn.

  He simply grunts while shrugging. "Fifteen minutes."

  And with that, I'm alone in my new room. Since I won't need that long to change, I decide to take everything from my backpack and the box and put it into the dresser.

  I check out the bathroom and place my toothbrush and the remaining toothpaste on the sink before I quickly brush my hair and put it into a high ponytail. That seems more practical for what we're planning to do.

  For a moment, I stare into the mirror before I decide to wash that makeup off. It's not like Oryn appreciates it anyway.

  After that I'm basically sitting on the edge of the bed, blowing raspberries while waiting for the time to pass.

  He's already waiting when I'm finally walking downstairs. Taking in my outfit, consisting of a pair of leggings, a shirt, a sweater, the tennis shoes, and the field parka, he nods. "Good choice, and thanks for taking the war paint off."

  I want to flip him off, but since I don't know how he might react, I decide to simply frown.

  I follow him to the garage and sit down on the passenger seat. Oryn pushes a button for the garage door to open and pulls out of his driveway. I'm a bit nervous considering our cargo, but other than that, I feel fine.

  "So, why do you want to die anyway?" Oryn obviously isn't one to beat around the bush.

  "It doesn't matter." I shrug and turn my head to stare out of the window, although it's dark, and I can hardly see anything.

  He clicks his tongue. "The rules also included that you answer my fucking questions, little ghost."

  There it is again, that annoying nickname. But I assume at this point I can save my breath since correcting him doesn't seem to do anything.

  "Let's just say I'm kind of on a lifelong streak of bad luck, and I've finally had enough."

  "Because your fiancé died?" Oryn seems to be hellbent on talking about this.

  "Yes. No. Among other things. Look, I really don't want to pour my heart out right now."

  "That's too bad because that's exactly what I want to hear."

  I sigh. "Why are you like this? Do you interrogate all of your victims beforehand?"

  "Only the pretty ones. Talk to me, little ghost. Tell me what happened."

  "My life sucks, and it has always sucked and will always suck, and I'm sick of it."

  "That sounds overly dramatic. Give me something more concrete."

  I'm clenching my teeth, trying to stay calm until Oryn puts his hand on my knee. "Don't make me retort to blackmail just yet. Share your pain. I told you about my sister too."

  "I don't even know where to begin." I look at him, but he's busy driving, his unusual eyes directed at the street in front of us.

  "Start at the beginning. What's the earliest sucky moment you remember?"

  "When my junkie mother drove her car into oncoming traffic, killing herself and leaving me with severe burns on my back and thighs. I would be dead too if I hadn't learned to buckle myself in being only three years old."

  "Okay, that's tough. What else?"

  "Are you kidding me? That's already enough for most people to pity me."

  "I'm a professional assassin, little ghost. I know neither pity nor mercy, so keep talking."

  My scalp tingles while I try to decide exactly how scary does he sound at this moment. I have to swallow since my throat is tight. "A fireman saved me from the burning car and proceeded to adopt me since he and his wife couldn't have kids of their own. They were good parents until she died when I was seventeen. He started drinking, and one night decided that I could repay the favor of him taking me in by fucking him. I politely declined, and when he sobered up, he obviously was very embarrassed. So embarrassed that he burned his own house down while we were both in it. I made it out, he died, leaving me with new scars on my back."

  "That's awful, Celeste. I'm sorry. What else?"

  At this point, I've accepted that arguing with Oryn is fruitless. So, I simply rack my brain for more tragedies from my life. "I'm a paralegal, and I've lost my job seven times in ten years because the lawyers either retired earlier than expected without telling me, got killed because they worked for the mob, or they went bankrupt. Of course, I found new employment every time, yet the uncertainty caused nothing but stress and anxiety."

  "A lot of people lose their jobs without wanting to kill themselves."

  I cross my arms. "Excuse me, are you judging me?"

  "I'm merely trying to understand what's going on in that pretty head of yours."

  "Well, there were a few other things, but I guess what really tipped the scale was my fiancé's death." I hold up both hands because I can see Oryn opening his mouth. "Save your condolences. I'm not exactly sad that he's dead. See, what no one who pitied me at his fucking funeral knew is that he died after I kicked him out. I came home from work and found that asshole balls deep in his cousin—in our freaking bed. I scared her away and broke up with him since I was already pretty agitated because only hours before I found out that he had maxed out all of my credit cards and forged my signature on a loan." The memory still makes me so angry that I raise my voice.

  I take a deep breath. "Anyway. He drove off to buy me some cheap-ass flowers and got hit by a drunk driver on the way back. Everyone thought that he was on his way home after buying flowers for me—what a great guy. Of course, I didn't have the heart to tell his grieving mother what a piece of shit her son was. So I smiled through that damned funeral, and when e
veryone gathered in our house afterward to pity me for my loss, while I knew damn well that I wouldn't be able to keep said house because of the debt he had amassed. And now I'm just so sick of it."

  Oryn is quiet for a moment as he leaves the main road and pulls into a narrow street to leads up to the forest.

  "I don't know. This all sounds like you could fix it."

  "Maybe I don't want to fix things anymore. Maybe I'm just tired of it all."

  "Or you're a pussy."

  "What?"

  "Save your anger. You might need that strength to dig the grave."

  "You know what? I'm done talking to you." With a huff, I lean back in the seat; my arms crossed once again.

  "That's good. We're here." He stops the car and immediately gets out.

  Since I promised to assist him, I have no choice but to follow him. He has already opened the trunk.

  "Help me. You take the ankles."

  I'm groaning as we lift the plastic-covered body from the car. "How do you do this on your own?"

  "I'm much stronger than you." With a wink, he leans forward and pulls a shovel from the trunk. "Here."

  I take it and weigh it in my hands. "Okay."

  "I'll be back in about three to four hours. Make the hole big enough for two bodies, maybe three. I'll have to see how it goes."

  "You're leaving? You can't be serious."

  "I am and don't forget, little ghost, that you asked for this."

  7

  As I'm standing under the hot shower I'm still shivering with exhaustion. At least Oryn kept his promise and came back. By then, I was nearly done digging the grave and gained a new appreciation for people who do this kind of physical labor every day.

  I just hope we can get rid of the next body by shoving it into a meat grinder or something like that. My hands feel numb, and I have at least two blisters on my palms.

  I can barely muster the strength to rub my hair dry and pull the shirt over my head that I picked to replace my pajamas. My only pair of panties are hanging to dry right now, so I'm going to sleep without any, but who's supposed to care about that?

  Switching the bathroom lights off, I flinch when I come back to my room and find Oryn sitting on the edge of the bed—completely naked.

  Pressing my palm against my chest, I let out a shaky breath. "Are you trying to scare me to death? Because I assume that's a shitty way to die."

  He simply smiles. "You promised me sex to sweeten the deal. Remember, little ghost?"

  "I was under the impression that you'd rather have me help you, and to be honest right now, I'm fucking tired."

  "Well, I want both. And I always get what I want. Why don't you take that shirt off?"

  Looking down at myself, I sigh. "Let me at least switch off the light."

  He laughs as if I said something funny. "Why would you do that?"

  "I told you that I have scars, and they're not pretty."

  "Yes, burn scars. What good will switching the lights off do you if I can still feel them? Besides, I need to see where to not hit you with a crop or cane, so I have to get familiar with your body anyway." He shrugs. "Undress."

  My breath is hitching in my throat. Familiar with my body? A crop? A freaking cane? What did I get myself into?

  He's right, though. It was my idea to throw sex into the mix. Damn it.

  "I'm really not sure if that's a good idea." Shifting my weight onto the other foot, I wonder how to get him to leave.

  "It's pretty simple." He stands up, and even naked, his presence is impressive. Almost as impressive as his thick cock. I really must stop staring at it.

  Oryn stalks closer, puts a finger under my chin and makes me look at him. "You're going to do as I say, or I will not kill you. Got it?"

  This is a really bizarre conversation. Normally one would be threatened with being killed. Instead, he makes me compliant with the prospect of keeping me alive.

  Grabbing the hem of my shirt, I pull it over my head. It's not like I'm really opposed. I've been thinking about sex with him ever since I saw him fuck that other woman.

  With a smile playing around the corners of his mouth, Oryn leans in and kisses me. His tongue plunges into my mouth. Lips crushing against lips, tongues dancing, he makes me surrender. I want to give in, and I want him to take charge.

  When I open my eyes again, he's staring right into my soul. "You taste like winter, my little ghost. How rough do you want me to be?"

  Such a loaded question. And I can barely think straight.

  I lick my lower lip, and Oryn follows the movement with his hungry gaze. My nipples are hard, my pussy wet.

  "How rough do you want to be?" I reply.

  "As rough as my little ghost can handle." He grabs me by the throat without any prior warning. "And then a little more." His second hand comes up as well, and he lifts me off the ground until I'm at his eye level. "Are those scars especially sensitive?"

  I shiver with need. "No. They're old and mostly numb."

  Oryn smiles like a predator, and I can feel his hot breath on my mouth. Somewhere in the back of my head, panic flares up since I have trouble breathing, but at the same time, I really don't care. All of this is way too intoxicating.

  My limp body offers no resistance because I don't want to resist. I'm curious, and this will only help to pay off my debt even faster.

  "Put your legs around my waist, little ghost."

  I obey without thinking, wrapping myself around this strong man, enjoying feeling his soft skin and hard muscles underneath. He lowers me, slowly letting go of my throat, his arm around my waist instead, and I cling to his shoulders as he fills my pussy with his cock. His other hand touches the scars on my thigh, getting a feel for them. He doesn't seem to be disgusted or turned off as he takes inventory of the burned skin.

  Oryan groans through clenched teeth as he slides deeper and deeper into me. Or maybe it's because I'm digging my nails into his strong shoulders because I have no idea how else to deal with everything I'm feeling.

  "Kiss me," he grunts while fucking me, pushing me up and down over his thick cock. "Kiss me like you mean it, little ghost. Your life depends on it."

  I'm shaking badly as I put my hand around his cheek. The stubble is rough underneath my palm, the friction creating the most delicious feeling ever. His silver eyes are gleaming as I lower my head and press my lips to his. My tongue slips into his mouth, and I hum with need as he hits the perfect spot deep inside my pussy with his magnificent cock. If I die tonight, I die a very happy girl.

  Or a very happy little ghost. Because that's what I am now, living in his spare bedroom instead of in the attic, unseen from the world.

  I gasp at his mouth as his thrusts become harder. My back crashes against the wall as Oryn braces his hand next to my head, fucking me in all earnest now. Clenching down on his thick cock, I can feel the heat inside me rise. My orgasm is near, everything inside me coils tight, ready to burst.

  I can't resist and lick Oryn's neck. "Like this," I whimper. "I'm going to cum so hard."

  He slams into me, his fingers holding me tight, while he breathes heavy next to my ear. "Cum for me, my little ghost. Cum on my cock."

  The orgasm hits me like a tsunami. I find myself moaning his name, my muscles quivering, my toes curled.

  It doesn't take long for him to follow me. His cock twitches inside of me as my pussy clenches down on him. Oryn sounds deeply satisfied as he chuckles and kisses the top of my head. "This is not what I had in mind."

  "What did you have in mind?"

  He lets me down carefully, holding my upper arm to make sure I don't simply drop to the ground from exhaustion. "To make you suck my dick and spank your ass because you watched me and annoyed me. But I had to fuck you first to get this out of my system. There's something about you, little ghost, that I can't seem to resist." He guides me toward the bed and pats on the mattress. "Get some sleep now."

  I sit down and am only partially surprised that he leaves my room, closing the d
oor behind him. No problem. I have no intention of getting emotionally invested anyway. This was a mere transaction, and there will probably be a few more of these before we get to the final deal.

  Still, I find myself smiling for the first time in a fucking long time as I slip under the covers.

  8

  It's a weird situation I'm in right now. I don't even know how to describe it. It's like . . .

  "There he is." Oryn snaps his fingers to get my attention. "Focus, little ghost."

  So, this is apparently my life now. After having my brains banged out by Oryn, I slept almost all day, my first restful sleep in weeks, if not months.

  And now we're somewhere downtown, waiting in a parked car for a guy that Oryn wants to kill. I'm supposed to help him because . . . Well, because this is our deal.

  Yet, actually killing a person that's still alive seems way more intense than burying a corpse. Of course, I know that the man I buried yesterday was alive at one point too, but I didn't have to deal with that personally.

  Earlier, I tried persuading Oryn to keep it that way, but he simply cocked his eyebrows and told me to get my ass into the car.

  So, here I am, completely out of my element.

  The killing part is not the only thing that worries me though. It's how fucking great the sex was and how casually Oryn handles all of this, like it's a normal business day for him. It probably is, now that I think about it, but that doesn't mean I'm used to all of this.

  "Tell me again what you're going to do." Oryn turns to me after the man we're here to kill disappears into the seedy night club.

  I pull the hem down of the flimsy dress, that Oryn gave me this afternoon, and shrug. "You want me to follow him inside, get his attention, and make sure that he leaves the club in a couple of minutes through the exit in the back so you can kill him."

  "Good, little ghost," he praises with a lazy smile and something deep in my core clenches.

  "I'm still not sure I'm qualified for this job."

  "You're more than qualified. Pretend that you're drunk and willing to fuck, and any man will follow you anywhere, Celeste. Just make sure that you don't guide a herd of eager men outside."