by Jade Oliver
Can I really have them all? What would it feel like to… My thoughts get interrupted by Thad’s mouth as he gives light kisses and sucks along my collar bone. I moan and lean up into him. In response he presses me further into the mattress to show me who is in charge, but I can’t help but tease him. He did say he likes my fire. I thrust my hips up to rub myself against his hardness, which gives me the slightest pressure against my throbbing clit.
The whole time I do this, it’s not Thad I look at but Jasper. His eyes flare with yearning, and it looks as if he wants to both groan with longing and chuckle at once from me teasing Thad. Thad follows my line of sight to Jasper and they have a silent conversation I can’t yet read. Thad presses his hips against me with more force, slides against my wetness and in between my lips, which causes me to groan at the needed friction against my clit.
After a few slides, he stills and thrusts into me without warning. I continue to look at Jasper as he watches us, his ecstasy clear by how eagerly he strokes his thick cock in time with Thad’s thrusts. I’ve never felt more helpless yet powerful and turned on as I do in this moment. Our pleasure is so fully intertwined we have no need to touch. As Thad thoroughly ruins me with his demanding love making, my eyes stay connected with Jasper’s until we all find our release together.
I’ll never forget the pleasure on Jasper’s face as we do.
Thirty-Four
July 1, 1785
Early Evening…
Thad
I seclude myself from the party in a darkened corner to study the people milling about Vanessa’s home. Brax and Adair stand together and talk to the dressmaker while Toby and Jasper scope out the house and where Vanessa’s guards are positioned. I loathe being here and wish we could have avoided it.
The villagers are nice but so gullible to her manipulativeness. When we arrived a short bit ago, they greeted us with the island hospitality that I had mentioned to Adair and she has seen in her previous visits to the town. It is one of the main reasons I love living here. But Vanessa… she ruins everything. Hearing her voice, I turn towards her and make eye contact to wait and see what evil she will spew next.
Vanessa’s voice rings out. “Everyone, please join me in raising your glasses to honor our most delightful guests. They have journeyed from interesting, far away lands to join us in celebration.” Her evil eyes glow a green so manic and bright they seem to shine with a wickedness I have never seen.
Her mouth contorts in a smile so big and fake it makes her look like a life sized doll that came alive to haunt and kill us all as she continues. “We hope their stay to have been gratifying…” She pauses for dramatic effect and a gives a conniving smile before finishing. “… and their journey home is swift. Drink well until you cannot anymore. Salute.”
The crowd follows her not realizing the threat in her words. My brain starts to go into overdrive trying to understand the riddled threat. I cannot lose her, my little bird. No. I refuse to lose my heart again when I just rediscovered it and that I can love. My heart belongs to her, to our family we have built.
My resolve grows but my gut churns with foreboding. I follow Vanessa with my eyes as she leaves the room. Before she walks out the door, Vanessa turns to me with those glowing evil eyes and a confident smirk like she is trying to convince me I am too late. I refuse to believe her lies and I will let her know her games are not going to work this time, that she must accept that she has lost.
I begin to follow her and spot Toby and Jasper in conversation out of the corner of my eye. They look to me and I know without words they have the same feeling of losing control as I do. I make eye contact with first Jasper then Toby before I nod my head towards the door in which Vanessa exited. They both nod back in understanding before Toby subtly motions toward our girl and Jasper toward the back room indicating he will continue to gather what information he can, then we move our separate ways.
Vanessa stands in the entryway, waiting for me it seems, and upon our eyes locking in an unspoken battle of wills, she moves toward the abandoned hall. I follow her and her back is to me as I finally reach the end.
I clear my throat before I speak. “Vanessa. You surely must know you have lost. I will never love you. Never want you. My heart is taken and your little acts of revenge need to stop. I refuse to allow you to control me anymore.” She turns to me, her eyes slit in anger and her lips pucker into a determined look of hate. But it doesn’t deter me. “You will stop your threats to take everything away from me. Try one more time and I will leave. You shall have nothing then. You will have to find someone else to turn your unhealthy obsession on.”
The look upon her face is so menacing I start to feel fear tingle down my neck. In this moment I realize how much I have underestimated her delight in torture and the extent she will go to win our feud, to punish me for not wanting her. I begin to turn but her hand grips my shoulder and stops me. She releases a high pitched laugh that echoes down the hall and causes the hair on my arms to rise. She quickly wraps her arms around me in an intimate lovers embrace.
My anger crests to the point it overflows and I can no longer think or be rational. I push her from me and make her back hit the wall. I cage her with my arms and lower my mouth to her ear. I’m breathing heavily as I try to control the urge I have to choke the life from her. I whisper with a horse but demanding voice, “You will not ever come near Adair, myself, or anyone…” Before I can finish my threat I hear a loud gasp and cry. It’s pure pain and anguish and I know who it is before I even turn.
The footsteps of my love become faint as I punch the wall next to Vanessa’s head in anger. I don’t raise my voice when I look into her satisfied face to tell her, with the hate I firmly feel threaded in my tone, “You will pay for this. If I cannot fix this with Adair, I have nothing else to lose and my mission will be to make every part of your sad existence a living hell before I end you.” I walk away before I do anything I may regret later.
I hope when I find Adair she will understand. She has to realize she’s the only woman left in this world I can and will ever love. I will do whatever it takes to keep her mine, even if that means leaving everything I know, love, and have worked so hard for behind. My life is worthless without her by my side. I’ve shown her this in our times together, right?
I feel a tug to my arm as I enter the ballroom and turn to see Jasper frowning and eyes laden with emotion and concern. He tells me of the increased presence of danger with Vanessa’s men everywhere. Brax walks to us with anger clear upon his face. Our agreement is unanimous. Vanessa is definitely up to something and we vow to find out what before it is too late. The one clear thing is Adair must be protected and she has to leave. After the cruel but perfectly planned incident by that wench it makes me question if my beautiful little bird will still want me, but I shake my head of the unthinkable thought. Her face tore deep into my soul, but I trust she knows I could never forsake her. She is everything I have ever wanted and will ever need. I will not lose her and all of us would die to protect our woman.
Our plan is not foolproof but it’s all we can figure out with the immediate threat lingering. It’s a dread with the weight of a 1000 pounds. Brax goes to find Adair and Toby to ensure she is protected in person and I fully trust they’ll allow nothing or no one to get to her. Jasper will head home to gather what few belongings we’ll need to escape but it shouldn’t take long. We already have the satchels packed and ready because it’s dangerous not to be able to flee at a moment’s notice. I will continue to monitor Vanessa and her men.
Thinking of our little bird, despite our dire circumstances, I smile. I am grateful to know there are others that love and care for her as much as I do and that together she will never lack for love, protection, or care. It has been her greatest wish to be loved and wanted so thoroughly and I am happy I can be part of it.
Ten minutes later I hear Vanessa’s voice, which sounds like it comes from the kitchen and I lean against the wall and tilt my head toward its open door. She
doesn’t even attempt to whisper as she spews orders. My breath catches as I hear, “Has Priscilla left yet? I want to ensure that trollop Adair gets the drink into her system with enough time for Priscilla to see the effects before she does.”
She’s interrupted by someone I cannot fully hear to understand but what Vanessa tells him strikes me with terror. “Of course they won't know she got sick here. She will start to feel ill and sluggish but the poison is slow acting and she will not die for a day or two. We were careful to make sure the dose was just right for her slight build so that it wasn’t instantaneous or would make her very ill right away, but enough that it will eventually kill her. We need to show that pompous bastard exactly who he has betrayed. We might need the ingredient parchment again, so hide it in the special place.” With the last order given, Vanessa leaves the kitchen.
I sneak into the kitchen to see one of Vanessa’s men holding a rolled paper tied with twine. He must hear me but I’m too fast and my fist meets his face before he turns completely. I crouch down and grab the paper from his hands knowing we’ll need this if we have any hope of saving her. I pray I am not too late as I run to find her.
Adair
I’m angry about Thad, but I still notice Brax’s weird behavior. Ugh! What is wrong with these men tonight. It must be a fucking fool moon. I sigh as I look up at Brax intending to give him a stern talking to because he has been drinking and eating everything I wanted before I could, but when I see his face I know something is wrong. I reach my hand up and force him to look at me. He feels unnaturally warm, his skin clammy and slick with a thin sheen of moisture. “Brax. Are you okay?” His eyes look back at me but lack focus. He looks as if he could puke at any moment and that’s not something I want to deal with any time soon.
Toby has been near me all night scanning the crowd vigilantly, which I thought was overkill until now. I remember Thad and my anger morphs to concern in seconds. I’ve not seen him or Jasper for a while. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up and my gut twists in the worst sensation of nervousness because I know something is wrong. Something big is happening and I need my guys, all of them. I refuse to lose any of them now that we’re beginning to realize what we have is exceptional.
I look at Brax and know in this moment I forgive him. I always knew I would from the time those icy blue eyes met mine across that pub and I saw the regret, desire, hurt, and love reflected back at me. He just needed to know he could never hurt me again and now he’s in danger. I refuse to go down like this. He took the food and drink meant for me tonight knowing there was a chance it could hurt him. He did that to protect me. I feel the tears fall from my eyes even as my core becomes steel. Bring it, sea bitch, you have no idea.
Thad barges through the door and his face is haggard, which distracts me from my thoughts. The worry starts to leave his face when he sees me, until our eyes meet. His jaw ticks and his face tightens in apparent anger and concern. I shake my head and motion to Brax who is now pale and visibly ill. He is there in seconds, which brings Toby’s attention back from the party goers to us. I see the moment Toby realizes something is wrong.
“Bloody hell. What happened?” Toby asks, equal parts agitated and concerned.
Thad answers before I can. “That sneaky, evil Vanessa. She poisoned Adair’s wine. I have a copy of the ingredients, so hopefully we can reverse the effects. Brax is much larger than Adair, so I hope he will only be sick and the poison isn’t fatal to him, but…”
“But?” I grind out, before I demand to know where Jasper is. Brax sways, and Toby and I catch him before he falls down. I clench my teeth to contain my anger and worry about Brax and not knowing what is happening. I can’t believe that two of my guys could be hurt.
Thad takes a deep breath to steady himself before he answers. “But the poison has already shown itself, so I have concerns that he might be particularly sensitive. We need to leave. Now. Jasper went to the farm to get what we need to escape. We will meet at the cave to decide where to go from there.”
Thad and Toby hold Brax between them as we leave the party. I relay to the party goers, some concerned and some nosy, that he ate something causing him to become ill and we must go so he can lie down. Somehow I hold back my tears, but all I want to do is lie in a bed with my arms wrapped around Brax while surrounded by my guys, my family. The only family I have and will ever need. I am willing to fight for what is mine. Only I have no idea how much I — we — will have to fight soon.
Thirty-Five
July 1, 1785
Late that night…
Jasper
I try to open my eyes but my head feels like I was kicked by a horse. It only takes me a moment to realize I am not in my bed or at the farm because of the forest smell and lack of sound around me. Plus, I can feel my hands above me where they are tied together, which forces me into a standing position, and I know I am in some sort of trouble.
Since I discovered how the life of a slave, free or not, really works I have learned how to develop every sense and hone every part of me to be alert. I still don’t understand how I was captured, only that I allowed myself to get lost in my thoughts of what our lives were going to be like when we left. A life together that can still happen but only if we can figure out the dilemma that feels so out of control currently.
I continue to pretend to be unconscious so I can gain as much information as I can, then I can start to develop a plan of escape. I must save myself and get to the others, but I need to remember exactly what happened at the farm. Closing my eyes, I regulate my breathing to allow myself to sink into my mind while I desperately try to pull the recent memory from my addled brain.
Already having accomplished what I needed in the house by grabbing the bag, I walk through the house just to make sure I have not forgotten anything, and end up adding some essentials to my hidden pocket in my britches. I even manage to fit some of those scandalous clothes of Adair’s into the bag before making my way back out of the house. My gaze wanders to the barn once more.
Before I’d gone into the house, I’d taken a few minutes to ensure all of the animals had at least a few day’s food. We’d made an agreement when we first arrived with the farmer next to us that if he didn’t see us after three days he would come feed the animals and after so long he could take over the farm. At that time we were still unsure if we were safe from the ghosts or sins of our pasts. Now I’m not so sure this is the right thing.
Lost in the thoughts, I feel someone behind me and I turn to see who it is when it all goes dark.
Disappointment crawls up me and breaks me from my relaxed meditation. Just when I think things cannot get worse, I hear that vile woman’s voice and the distinctive giggle of her friend Priscillia. I open my eyes and realize I hang from a tree branch by my hands. In front of me are both women and two of Vanessa’s men that stand near the entrance of the cave to guard it. I look at Vanessa and I think, How can something so beautiful be so ugly? A soul that is rotten and withered like long forgotten fruit left to sour and stink in the sun. Such a waste.
I tense as Vanessa walks behind me before she presses into my back and rubs her breasts against me. The feel of her tight, hard nipples shows how much she gets off on the power and the pain of others. She licks my ear before whispering, “Give in, Jasper. Let me have you. I can take care of you in so many ways. You don’t need Thaddeus. You certainly don’t need that little girl. You need a woman that can please you. Give you the pleasure you have never known. As long as you behave, that is.” As she finishes, she licks the length of my neck and pinches my ass hard. I hold back the bile in my throat while desperately trying not to show how much she is getting to me.
Everyone knows I have a hard time with touch. She is trying to break me but she has no idea. She doesn't know what I have endured or how much more I will endure for Adair or the other men. I will not break because they are my family. The only family I have ever known and the only people I have ever loved or been loved by. I will fight Vanessa and her
men with every ounce of my being or die before I allow her to win.
Suddenly, I hear the almost silent approach of more people. My body stiffens as I try to figure out if it’s more of Vanessa’s men or my family. But I somehow just know that it’s my family that has come to get me, and I start to think of how I can alert them.
This is going to hurt.
Using all of my force to pull against the rope, I manage to break it apart on my left side, which is fortunate since it is my dominant hand. I know I will not last long in a fight against them since I am already hurt, but it should at least allow me enough time to wear out the two men Vanessa and Priscilla brought with them.
The men begin to holler and rush toward me as I get lose. I scream, “Vanessa! You, Priscilla, and these two henchmen will never win.” I am able to get a few good punches in before being restrained again, but I still fight them with words and desperate struggles. This time, though, I am not just restrained but also beaten as the men take turns punching me with their fists, hitting me with fallen tree limbs and even the last of the rope they’ve tied me with.
They continue to beat me as Vanessa begins to lash me with a whip. She and Priscilla shrill with cackles that cause my skin to crawl. I can’t help but to sink back into my past and I lose the last of my bravado. My body collapses to the ground and the world around me once again goes black before I even know if my warning proved successful.
Adair