Temptation: A Dark Sci-Fi Romance (Alpha Unknown Book 3)

by Penelope Woods

  He didn't say a word, but he carried me down the stairs, lowering me onto the floor when he got to the last step. He turned and opened Kahn's cage. That was when I saw how hurt Lucian was. He had taken care of his bullet wound, but that was the least of his worries. His back was a mangled mess of skin and exposed muscle. It was horrible.

  "Your father did this to you?" I asked.

  He nodded but remained silent.

  "But… why?" I asked.

  "We are his tragedies," Kahn grunted.

  Lucian sighed, hands clenching at the mention. His muscles bulged, and for the second time, I saw him as someone handsome. My emotional state was not to be trusted. "You were right about us. We are impure. We are earth's evil," he said.

  "Brother…" Kahn muttered, but fell short.

  "Enough of this talk. These are the last days of punishment," Lucian said, kneeling before me. "I will end my father, end the Great Divide, and ruin Earth. All humans must die."

  Kahn stood and growled. "You touch Father, and I'll end you myself."

  "Stop it!" I yelled. "Please. I'm begging you. I can't take it anymore."

  Their faces were menacing, and it was hard to gaze at them for more than a quick second. Still, the emotion behind their eyes was there, and I started to forget about my situation.

  I wondered how they came to be. Were they just like me? Impossible, right?

  "He will be gone for the night, shacked away in the city," Lucian said. "He goes there almost every night."

  "You don't know that," Kahn urged. "He could be back any minute. Put her back where she belongs."

  I looked around the basement and tried to find a way out. My fate seemed out of my control, but there was one thing I could do.

  Hesitantly, I reached out and touched Lucian's abdomen, swallowing hard. I felt dizzy and confused. Fear had taken over, but I knew this was the only way. "Wait," I said. "There's something I can give you, in exchange for my freedom."

  I couldn't believe I was about to do what I was about to do, but when trapped in a death zone, anything must be done to survive.

  We are survivors. The only ones built to last…

  A single tear rolled from my eyes, but I prayed he didn't see my dismay.

  I lowered my hands down. Each ripple of impossibly strong muscle took me by surprise. I felt something inside of me change as a natural heat swept through my core. I wanted to be held and protected, taken and controlled. I yearned to have what I wasn't allowed to have.

  Love, lust, and passion were all things a woman craved, but I never thought it would happen on the other side of the Great Divide.

  I touched the top of his pants, clenching my fingers around the silver zipper. Slowly, I pulled it down, and his cock nudged out, a massive piece of flesh rising in front of my face. He tilted his head back and let out a deep moan. It grew harder and harder until it pointed directly at my lips. "You know what I need," he moaned.

  Kahn ducked back in his cage. "He will be back," he said. "And when he does, I will tell him what you've done to her."

  His cock was hypnotizing, but I instantly worried about the size. It looked impossible. "Is this why you’ve been stalking me?" I asked him. "You want to fuck me?"

  His breathing intensified, and he brought his hands to my cheek, feeling the softness of my skin. "Dirty slut. I've been dreaming of this day for ages."

  Trembling, I closed my eyes. "If you promise to give me my freedom, I will give you your pleasure."

  "I promise nothing," he growled and smacked my cheek. I pushed away, but he just laughed. "You have nowhere to run. Who will you scream to for help?"

  My chest tightened and more tears formed in my eyes. "I have no one anymore."

  The realization hit me like a ton of bricks. "You will feel what we feel every single day," he said. "Submit to me, and we will find a new life together. Open your sweet mouth, and I will give you everything."

  "Yes…"

  But as I was about to handle him, I heard the heavy thump of their father's boots against wood. Next came the sound of keys jingling, followed by the door.

  "Fucking bastard," Lucian murmured. "Get in the cage. Hurry."

  "What?" I asked, frantically eyeing the staircase. A part of me wanted to scream, but then I remembered how that man talked to them outside. There was a high chance of worse punishment if he caught me down here.

  Lucian took hold of me, tossing me in himself. Using a rusted nail, he pried it into the floor below him and removed a piece of concrete. Underneath was a small enclosure. "In," he commanded.

  "No, I can't. I—"

  He smacked my face and brought me close to him. "Shut the fuck up and hide. You will die, otherwise."

  Above, their father's footsteps stopped near to the storeroom where I’d been kept. I heard the keys drop. "Stay down and stay quiet," Lucian said through clenched teeth.

  Without thinking, I cowered, and Lucian closed the concrete over my head, shrouding me in complete darkness once more. Again, I was trapped, but this time, it was by someone who seemed more inclined to help me. Still, he wasn't exactly on my side. I couldn't trust anyone in this house, and it took all of my effort not to break down.

  Their father's voice broke the air above. "Who took her?" I could hear him rummaging across the room, smashing everything in sight. "Where the fuck did you put the bitch?"

  Lucian shielded the piece of concrete, and I held my breath, praying to be kept safe from harm.

  "I let her go, you sack of shit," Lucian growled. "She's probably miles away from here now."

  "Brother!" Kahn yelled. "Do not disobey—"

  "Boy, shut the fuck up, or you'll get the worst beating of your life," his father yelled at Kahn.

  Kahn did as he was told, and the room fell into silence once more. The stillness was only broken by the penetrating thump of his boots.

  Then I heard the cage open. "Stop talking to him like that," Lucian growled.

  "You monster. Back in your cage. Get back,” his father said.

  "You don't own us anymore, Father," Lucian said. "It is time for our revenge."

  "The agents will find you. They will take you back for testing. You know what they do to people like us," he said.

  But from what I could hear, Lucian wasn't breaking. "I thought I'd never have the courage to stand up to you. I thought I'd never be free. But now, I can see what you've done to us. You've shamed us for what happened, but it was your fault. All of the blame is yours to own."

  Lucian screamed, and I heard him jump. I pushed on the concrete lid and peered out, watching as he tackled his father to the ground. The old and scarred man kicked and bucked, but he was far too weak to fight against his son's strength.

  Lucian grabbed a leather whip from the wall of tools and lashed him, over and over again. Horrible cries rang across the room, so terrible that I ducked back under and wept.

  I was taught to survive, but I hadn't seen anything like this before. Their familial bond was shattered, and I had a feeling it was never good to begin with.

  There was no hope for me here.

  When Lucian opened the concrete roof above my head, he peered inside and started to laugh. "Now, you are truly mine."

  Lilly

  "My father needs me," I whimpered.

  I was covered in soot, and I curled up in a ball underneath the floor. Tears streamed down my cheeks. I was at my least decent, but as the beast lent me his hand, he looked at me like I was his everything.

  It didn't make any fucking sense. His help coupled with his intense lust messed with my head. I didn't believe any of it, of course. How could I? I got lost for a second in his size, but that didn't mean I felt for him.

  No, I couldn't feel for someone like him. He was as bad as they came. And no amount of time spent with the beast would get me to think otherwise. Love did not live inside these walls, nor did it live within the forest. Not on my side. Not on his.

  Realizing my escape was still in his hands, I reached up and l
et him pull me out of his hiding place. He walked past his father's lifeless body. Was he dead? He sure looked like it, but I didn't gaze for too long.

  Kahn, his brother sat with rage in his eyes, watching as Lucian started to walk up the old staircase. I shut my eyes and held onto his rock solid arms, leaning my head against his shoulder, inhaling his masculine and oddly alluring scent. It reminded me of my father, and that was exactly why I couldn't leave him—he knew more about what happened to my family. He had been involved.

  "If you leave, they will find us, brother," Kahn called out from below.

  Lucian paused at the doorway and looked back. He sighed but ultimately turned back to the exit. Their relationship seemed complicated. "You are free to wander now. You don't have to see me again."

  That was the extent of their goodbye. No hugs. No tearful exchanges. There was only brute force and the disintegration of the familial bond. I couldn't believe it, but I was too fearful to speak up about anything. I merely closed my eyes and let him carry me.

  He held me for miles through the forest until we reached a great cliff that looked over an endless amount of trees and mountain ranges. I had never ventured this far away from home, and it was, by far, the most beautiful image that I had seen. The stars seemed to sparkle in the sky, and the full moon shone brightly over our heads. I wished I could have seen it with my mother, wished we could have all witnessed it together as a family. Instead, I was with him.

  "Please, set me down. We've moved far enough, haven't we?" I asked.

  He lowered me to my knees but held me close in case I decided to run. "He didn't tell you who she was," he said, staring into the distance with what looked to be a sad truth buried deep in his eyes. "Have you ever wondered why?"

  I swallowed and felt my body turn stiff. Keeping silent, I looked away, but he brought my attention to something in his other hand. It was my Walkman. He pressed play and listened to my mom's voice. "…There's a sanctuary for all of us. Eyes on the prize, kiddo. You're almost there…"

  He pressed stop and handed me the device. "I believe this was yours," he said.

  I pocketed it and forced a thin smile. "Um, thanks," I muttered and took a deep breath.

  Behind us was a large boulder. Taking my hand, he forced me to sit with him, but he did not harm me. Instead, he was gentle but distant. "What do you think she meant by those words?"

  Sighing, I kept my mind focused on my mother and who she was. She was an overworked scientist working for some corporation called Onyx Labs, or something. I didn't know anything about them, and the more I asked my father, the angrier he grew. He told me he despised their existence, and the people who controlled them should have been taken out and shot.

  He said they were the reason for the mess the world was currently trying to tackle. His shallow and irritated responses didn't answer any of my questions. I was always kept in the dark, so I stopped asking.

  "I don't know. I never got the chance to know my mother," I said, frowning.

  He nodded knowingly. "I knew mine, but only for a few years. Kahn had less time with her than I did," he said.

  Though I wanted to know more, a part of me still didn't want to talk about any of it. It hurt to think I would never see her again. "Well, you're lucky," I said.

  He shook his head and seemed to look inward for a moment. "Sometimes, I wish I never knew what life was like before the change."

  "The change?" I asked.

  He looked at me and raised his hand in front of his eyes. He moved each massive finger individually, examining himself. "The change in my body," he said.

  "You…" I hesitated before speaking. I didn't want to anger him, but he seemed open to the conversation. Strangely, I was too. "You were a—"

  "Human? Yes," he said. "But now, I am a monster. I am someone who lives on the outside in shame. Eternally, I bear the weight of my mutation."

  He stood and walked toward the edge of the cliff, growing more irate while managing to keep composure. "If they want to shame me, then I will unleash my fury upon the world. I will set the world on fire and watch the embers spread and consume the lively cities. And as the last light shines above my head, I will leave this world as countless others have before me."

  Strangely, I felt pulled to him again. I jumped off of the rock and walked toward him, stopping when I could touch the wounds on his back. He twisted and roared, picking me up by my waist.

  Though I was afraid, I didn't show it. I put my hand on his heart and felt the heavy thump of life. This was my chance to persuade him to set me free.

  "Choose goodness," I said. "Choose a new way of life."

  He brought me to his chest, forcing my legs around his waist. Staring deep into my soul, he shook his head. "But I can't get the thought of you out of my mind," he said. "I can't let you go."

  He lowered his head, and I instinctually closed my eyes, allowing for the closeness I first prayed would never occur. "I just can't let you go," he said before crushing his lips against mine.

  The taste of him mesmerized me. I was locked in his grasp, in the swift and rough bed of his tongue. His power was obvious, but it was chaotic, savage, and threatening. Dominant and horrific. Yet, I couldn't help but feel like I was the counterpoint. I could be the one to calm him, and then he'd tell me more about what had happened.

  I wrapped my arms around his neck and inhaled his scent. His kiss consumed every negative thought.

  I wanted love. Was that so wrong? Perhaps he was a monster. A beast, banished to the dark and sinister woods. So fucking what? I was banished too. I knew what that felt like.

  We kissed near the edge of the forest, lowering onto a bed of leaves. In the distant cities, families were sound asleep, unaware of what lay in the middle of these trees. I couldn't believe their ignorance. Then again, I was ignorant too. I didn't know about Lucian's family, nor could I understand the real connection between us. There was still so much I had to learn, but I felt a level of gratitude for what I had already been shown.

  Was this what Mother meant by a sanctuary? Probably not. But as I tasted him and felt his strength double down, I felt safe.

  He pulled away and gazed into my eyes. "I met your mother. She was as wonderful as women come."

  Shock pounded through my heart as I brought myself on top of him. I forced my fingers into his shirt, ripping the fabric over his chest and head. I ran my hands over his rugged chest hair and the incredible muscles that formed his protective body. I held him and leaned my head against his.

  "My mother?" I asked.

  I wanted to ask so many questions, but as soon as I opened my mouth, he lay a finger against my lips and whispered, "Not now. Later."

  I fell into the passion of the moment, hearing my dad's words echo in my mind: Fear is the catalyst for taking control of your life. Well, I was finally taking control. Maybe it wasn't the way he’d intended, but I was making my own choices with someone who seemed to understand the problems of living the way we were forced to live.

  Lucian ran his hands up the underside of my shirt, loosely dragging his fingers around my ribcage, up to my breasts. He traced his palms over my nipples, and I felt a rush of excitement penetrate through my stomach.

  A breath of air ran through me, and I felt something deep and warm inside. I grew wet, and I mean wet. I was soaking through my panties, heavy and dense as the wetlands to the south.

  I ground my hips back and down, feeling the undeniable urges take over my actions. With haste, I tore my shirt off and unbuckled my jeans. He wasted no time in zipping me down and rolling the denim past my ankles. I undressed him, and we sat for a moment staring at the sex appeal of our bodies.

  "Is this what you want?" I asked.

  He didn't nod or react. He just stared into my eyes with evident obsession. I didn't have to ask him what he needed from me. He was just going to take it.

  The lust was breathtakingly strong. Nothing else seemed to matter except the power he could show me.

  He tipped me o
ver on my back, and I felt the leaves and sticks poke my flesh. I was as free as nature could allow me to be. I was almost his, but I was so fucking worried about what that might mean.

  "You are the most beautiful creature in the world," he said.

  "I'm not. I'm—"

  His palm fell flat against my mouth. "Shut the fuck up and let me adore you, slut."

  His words shocked me, but I was so overwhelmed by his adoration and reverence I quickly closed my mouth and took in a deep breath from my nose. Spinning with my thirst for him, I felt his cock rise against my thigh. The severity of his girth was startling, but I took him in my hands and stroked, submissively spreading my legs open for his entrance.

  "What's happening to me?" I asked.

  Moaning deep, he smiled. A jewel of lubricant ran from his crown, down his mighty shaft until it fell onto my hand. "Mmm," he grunted. I spread the slippery substance around my pussy, though I clearly did not need it. Raising my hand, I licked my fingers clean and fed one into his mouth. "Dirty girl."

  I felt the heat in my cheeks grow as I stroked. I was ready for him, but he took more time to feel my body, cup my tits and kiss around all of my curves until my mouth lay unhinged for him. Then, he lowered down and grabbed my hips, forcing his mouth against my inner thigh, kissing delicately.

  "Oh, God," I whispered. "Yes… Please, Lucian. Fucking eat me."

  The words that fell from my mouth, while coming from a real place, were unexpected. I never used to talk this crudely, and I never really thought about what it would be like to dive into something so filthy. Yet, as his tongue slithered and waved over my lips, I wasn't sure why my mind had been so preoccupied on anything other than sex.

  I had never been tasted before. I had never felt a cock, nor had I felt the touch of a man's tongue or kiss. The only source of pleasure that I knew was my hand. I was a virgin, a—

  "Virgin whore," he growled and devoured me more. "Why didn't you tell me what I was getting into?"