by Layna Snow
“God, this place is a mess. But we sure weren’t going through things methodologically when we weaponed up. We’ll get to it tomorrow, Phie. For now, you should rest. Huh? Then you can tell us what happened. Okay, you sexy thang?”
Soph looked over at him, seeing his beautiful lips pulled up into a half-grin. If she ignored his eyes, she would have said that he was back to his normal teasing self, but there was a dark look in the depths of his gaze, shadows that she didn’t understand, that told otherwise. And she had no idea what it meant.
And because she was so tired, Sophie just nodded.
This time, she didn’t try to go to the couch, she knew that they didn’t want her to sleep there. And she knew that they would sleep where she did. It wasn’t a question, and she didn’t really mind. Right now, it’d be nice to cuddle a little.
She still felt a little anxious. On edge, like she was waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Sophie managed to trudge into the bedroom, not even bothering to turn on the weird-tweaked light between the beds, or to get undressed. She simply flopped into Thane’s bed and shut her eyes. If it wasn’t for the boys, she was sure that she’d have spent the night on top of the covers, but they tugged and pulled until the blanket was out from under her, before settling it over her.
She kept her eyes closed, wanting to block out the rest of the world. She knew that if she opened them, she’d see that one of the guys had turned on the light, the pink hue of her eyelids attested that fact.
She knew that she’d see the at least one of them was looking down at her. She could feel the stare on her face.
Was it Thanatos, with his emotionless expression? Or Adrian with hunger, and probably annoyance, in his eyes? She really didn’t want to find out.
Just go to sleep. Deal with it tomorrow. It will all still be there.
And maybe that’s what she was afraid of. She didn’t really want it to still be there. She didn’t like this stress. It was different from the anxiety she felt in real life. And she didn’t know how to handle it.
Soph felt the bed dip, felt the warmth of a body slide under the covers with her. And then a hard, hot arm slid around her, pulling her into an equally toasty and musclebound body.
She curled into Thane, soaking up all the comfort she could get. And then the other side of the bed shifted, and another body pressed against her back. They were naked, and she could feel that Adrian was excited. But he didn’t try anything, just cuddled against her, his breath in her hair and his hand resting possessively against her hip.
“G’night, sweet cheeks,” Adrian’s teasing voice whispered against her ear. Sophie just nodded, shifting a little to get comfortable, and forced herself to think about something other than them, other than her sister, and other than that deal she made with the Devil.
She just prayed that she could sleep.
Because Lordy, did she ever need it!
20
As much as Sophie wanted to sleep. As exhausted as she was, she just couldn’t shut her mind off. She couldn’t quiet all those doubts and fears in her head.
What would happen after she left, would she have to find her way back to New Mexico on her own? And then how was she to make it back to Canada? She hadn’t thought about it, but now she realized that she didn’t have her passport anymore. It was in her backpack with the rest of her belongings.
And of course she was worried about her sister. What would happen if she couldn’t find the Devil’s daughter? Would he get his revenge on her by taking back what he gave?
It was all so horrible that she just couldn’t rest. It was like a churning of anxious ideas mixing in her head, like darkness whirling about in her mind.
At this rate, she was going to get an ulcer!
Not even the steady beats of Thane’s heart against her ear, or the gentle sway of Adrian’s chest against her back could lull her into sleep. It had been hours since the boys’ breathing evened out, until they drifted off to sleep and she couldn’t stop thinking about the what-ifs that had taken up her life.
And of course, even while thinking about going back to her old life, she couldn’t help but think about them. She’d miss the men, even if she had only been with them a short while. Even though she knew that they couldn’t possibly be as invested in her.
She wanted the relationship that they had now, and to grow, to know them more. She wanted to keep them, but pushed that possibility away. She had to go, at least for now, and she doubted that they’d want to go with her.
Knowing that she wouldn’t get to sleep, Sophie waited until Thane rolled over onto his other side before making her break. She shifted slowly, until she lay on her back and then inched her way down the bed until Adrian’s arm dropped away from her. There, she tiptoed into the bathroom to do her business before making her way to the kitchen.
She only turned on lights that she absolutely needed. It wouldn’t do to wake them up. She didn’t want to talk to them yet. She didn’t want to have to reveal her feelings. She needed some time first.
Soph opened the fridge to look inside but a shuffling noise stopped her.
Turning back, she had to admit that maybe she hadn’t been so stealthy after all.
“Hey, hot-stuff. Couldn’t sleep?” Adrian asked, coming farther into the kitchen. When she shook her head he smiled. And it was just as devilish as always. It was a smile that sent sparks through her system, made her want to rub against him.
It probably didn’t help that he was naked! His skin like caramel, so creamy and delicious. His scarred chest on display, making her want to kiss ever imperfection. She wanted to follow it with her mouth.
Right to his hard erection, which was long and thick. “Maybe you’re too strung up. Hmm? Need a little... release?”
Just his words were enough to make liquid heat fill her tummy, to cause her nipples to tighten into hard points. She could imagine his skilled hands on her body again, ringing an orgasm out of her. And she wanted more this time. Wanted him inside her. Where he belonged.
Belonged? Soph gave herself a mental shake. He didn’t belong to any one girl. No matter what she yearned for.
But she needed a distraction. From all her worries, all the possible futures.
She wanted one last time with him. One special thing to hold onto into tomorrow.
“It’s too bad that you can’t follow orders, isn’t it? You know how to greet one of us when we come into a room. And this is not it.” Disappointment.
He sounded disappointed in her, and that cut her to the core.
It took a moment for her to understand what he meant, to push past the hurt.
Slave position!
But it was too late. Either he would punish her now or withhold sex. And she could really use the distraction of sex right now!
Withholding sex is a punishment!
Sophie sighed and wrapped her arms around herself, careful of her sensitive breasts.
“Oh, well you did have a hard day. I’ll forget about the punishment this time. But you have to remember for next time, kay? Can’t have you thinking that you can get away with all this crap! Can’t get naughty if you don’t play nice!” Adrian laughed at his own joke, shaking his head a little.
Soph stared at the fall of his silky dark hair before thinking about his words. He’d give her another chance?
Not that you’ll be here long!
But she wasn’t going to think about that!
“Now,” Adrian was saying, “you will go into the play room and great me properly. I’m going to make some food and then I’ll be right in. You better be ready!”
Soph wasted no time—she didn’t have very much of it—and raced into the play room. She couldn’t see the great room from here, and so she had no idea what Adrian was doing. Had no clue when he’d come in.
And that uncertainty excited her!
She removed her shirt quickly, folding it and putting it on the floor beside her, and then removed her bra. Her pants followed close behind an
d for the first time since he took them, she was happy that she didn’t have her panties. It would have just been one more thing to take off. And she was sure they’d be wet by now.
Her body ached, and not just her muscles. Her breasts were swollen and she could feel her nipples begging for attention. Her skin felt extra sensitive, and her clit throbbed, needing something!
Not to mention that she felt so empty. She needed Adrian, needed him to fill her up with his hard warmth. Oh gosh did she ever need him!
Looking around, she found the best spot to display herself.
It made her nervous, thinking about how he’d respond. He seemed to like her and her body but she was still self-conscious. She’d never done this before, posed so that when someone entered they’d be seduced. It felt scandalous, and at the same time enthralling. She felt like some sort of concubine, trained in the arts of seduction. Because even if she didn’t know if he’d like her body, she knew that she was doing something that was bound to please him.
Sophie knelt down in the middle of the room. Her knees digging into the soft carpeting. She opened her legs wide and placed her hands at her back. She felt open, and vulnerable. She was eager and nervous. And the position made her all the more aware of her dripping folds and how much she wanted to touch herself there.
She’d never wanted to do that before, had only tried to see what it was like. But now she felt the urge, and couldn’t. Because she knew that if he came in and saw, Adrian would be annoyed. And she needed this too much to risk it.
With her head tilted down, she couldn’t see when Adrian came in, but she did hear him. His feet slapped against the stone floor, and his low growl of appreciation filled the room. It made her womb spasm with desire. And she worried about what he thought about her!
Oh goodness! The things he does to me!
“Good girl! You look so delectable! I can see your juices, smell them. I want to lick you everywhere before I thrust into you so hard and deep that you can never get the memory of me out of your head and body. Shit! I could almost come just looking at you!”
When he got close, she noticed that he was still naked. And boy, was she ever glad.
His bare legs came into view and she wanted to look up, reach up and touch that hard part of him that she had tasted. She hungered for it, wanted to feel the velvety skin against her tongue as she heard him groan in pleasure. Wanted to taste his salty release and know that a part of him was inside her.
She knew better than that, however. If she reached up and touched him, or even looked at him, he’d stop before they started.
“Good, now we can start. You should be quiet though, wouldn’t want to wake Thane up.” He laughed, and then gestured her to stand. Soph stood awkwardly, unused to getting up from this position. And it wasn’t like Adrian helped her!
Now that he mentioned it, Sophie looked towards the door. She expected Thane to be here. She hadn’t had sex with just Adrian, and didn’t realize that he’d be missing. She must have gazed at the door too long, or maybe her wistful look bothered him before Adrian growled.
Hearing a clang, Soph turned around to look where Adrian was, and saw thunder in his expression. “What? You don’t want to be with me? You’d rather he be fucking you? You want St. Thane, the goody-goody with the giant dick? Fine then. Go wake him. Fuck this!” He growled, his every word dripped poison. Every word cut like a dagger.
Gasping, Sophie shook her head quickly, needing to let him know that he had it wrong. It wasn’t that she wanted Thane more, she just didn’t know how this worked! She didn’t realize that they’d want her by themselves too! Besides, how could he blame her for wanting both of them?
But he wasn’t looking at her. He was making his way to the door.
And she moved to stop him. It was the only thing she could do. She couldn’t explain if he wasn’t going to look at her! She couldn’t do anything!
She didn’t want to hurt him, didn’t want to make him mad. And she didn’t want him to think that of her. She’d be leaving and she wanted to leave him with a good memory of her, not something horrible. Not this.
She didn’t even know that tears were leaking from her eyes. She didn’t notice anything but the overwhelming panic that if he left this room, she would never have another chance.
Shoot! How could she care so much about him already? How could she care this much about his feelings? And how could her heart hurt this much!
She cut him off at the door, standing in front of him so that he couldn’t leave. Then, she looked up into his eyes, seeing the darkness that swirled in the depths, seeing the mixture of fury and a thousand other emotions that she couldn’t separate, couldn’t name. But he didn’t seem to be receptive to her, didn’t seem to care what she had to say.
“Get out of my way, Phie. I don’t care about your delicate feelings, or your morals. You feel bad that you don’t want me? Fine, whatever. I don’t give a shit. You were an easy lay. You came to us, remember? Feel free to go to him. I’ll find someone else when you’re gone. Someone who knows what’s up and who would do anything for my touch. They’d be better anyways, know what I want and can’t wait to give it to me. The sooner the better, actually.”
Her body felt like it was ripping in two. Her soul was withering and dying, so quickly yet it was agonizingly slow.
Her mind wept, heck! Her body wept too. Her eyes burned, and she was having trouble looking his at face as the horrible words were flung from his Angelic mouth. She hoped that he didn’t mean them, that he was even now regretting his words. But he didn’t seem to care.
All she could do was shake her head, over and over again. “Why are you still in my way? What do you want?” he ground out.
What did she want? She wanted him! She wanted him to care about her! Wanted him to look at her with hunger again, to touch her body and make her forget everything he said. But she couldn’t tell him that. So she reached out a shaky hand and touched his chest with one, trembling finger. Gosh, she felt so cold, so damaged, the sharp pain in her chest expanding, skewering her internal organs.
“Me?” he scoffed. “You want me? Are you serious? Try again, hot-stuff.”
But she did want him. And she wasn’t going to back down now. She wanted to prove that she was the person he needed, the person she always wanted to be.
She had just complained that she couldn’t direct her life, but now she could! And she would. Swallowing back her nervousness, Sophie trailed her hand down his chest, feeling the raised skin, and finally getting to follow the line that bisected his lean muscular body until she reached the part of him that couldn’t lie, couldn’t resist.
He thought with his member before, he will do so now! She was determined. When she could finally feel his heat, she wrapped her fingers around his dick. It felt like she remembered, if a little softer. And she longed for it to be rock hard again, engorged with blood and ready to erupt. She wanted him shaking with desire until he wasn’t thinking anymore.
Adrian gasped, groaned and shivered. And she knew that she had him. Some of the tension released when she felt his penis thicken, felt it start to elongate again. She could have sighed as he let her stroke him, feeling his skin stretch under her hand.
Just feeling him getting excited was making her wet. She felt the desire rise back up in her, and she was relieved. If she got him ready, she didn’t want her body to give him doubts. Her mind was willing and now she could feel her heart beating faster, pushing hot blood through her, pushing lust to her hungry core.
“You want me, huh? Show me.” He demanded, the sound gravely.
Soph didn’t want to move her hand from him, liking the evidence of his desire. With her other hand, took his, feeling the muscle flex in his wrist, and guided it to her cleft.
At the searing touch, she gasped, pressing her wet flesh closer to his relaxed fingers. And she hoped that he’d take over soon, because she was about to orgasm just from this light touch alone. Because the feel of it, the sight of it while she move
d her hand up and down on his ridged flesh, was one of the most erotic thing she had ever witnessed.
She was overwhelmed.
She felt too much inside. Felt too much outside.
It gathered in her until she felt like she would burst.
“All this cream. Is it for me?” he asked, his voice coming from very close to her ear, as if his head was bent towards hers. She wasn’t going to look, too mesmerized by his dark flesh against hers. By him pleasuring her, and her pleasuring him.
Soph nodded. Of course it was for him. He was the only one she was thinking about right now. As much as she liked Thane. As much as she cared and desired for the unemotional sexy giant, he wasn’t here right now and this wasn’t about him. It was about Adrian and her.
Adrian was the one who started this. The one who pulled her into the cave and covered her with his hot body. He was the one who woke this desire in her, one she didn’t know was even possible.
And she would show him how ready she was for what he wanted. Whatever he wanted.
Sophie pressed her hips closer to his hand, rubbing the tight nub of nerves against his fingers and gasped in pleasure. She didn’t know that her hand tensed on his shaft, squeezing him tightly, until he pulled her hand away. “Nah, you won’t make me go off in your hand. Not again. I’m going to be in you this time. I brought food. I was going to feed you but that will have to wait. You want me to fuck you. I will. Go to the St. Andrews Cross.”
The… OH! Sophie took a breath and looked at the cross across the room. It was a giant X with straps. She had noticed it before, had contemplated it, but now she’d get to use it. She didn’t know if she was excited or petrified. Maybe a little of both.
And it seemed to keep the lust building, expanding exponentially until she felt that her body was melting with need.
It took a lot for her to walk to the cross. She wasn’t sure that her limp legs would hold her up, but her curiosity and cravings were greater. Once at the cross, she turned back to see Adrian looking at her. “No, the other way. Turn around.” He demanded, stalking across the ground towards her.