by Shari Dare
Clarity started to lie down and spread her legs, but Kill pulled roughly on the chain. “Stupid bitch,” he shouted in her ear. “On your hands and knees.”
“Back off, Kill. I told you I would tell you what to do. Lay her down on her back. The first thing you’re going to do is to brand her with a mark that will not fade.”
Rowan forced Clarity to lie back against the blankets. As soon as she did she thought she was going to retch. The smell of urine and sex assaulted her nostrils. Trying to ignore it, she watched in horror as Kill attached chains to the cuffs and pulled her into a spread-eagle position.
“Human women are much different from what you are used to. Her training will be yours as well. The mark will be made with your claws across the top of her left breast. You will scratch just deeply enough to break the skin and leave a scar. Once you have marked her, you will suckle at her breast. Human women, as well as Elites, have what are called erotic zones.”
The thought of Kill’s vile mouth on her tender nipples made tears form in her eyes.
“Your tears will become ones of joy,” Rowan predicted. “I know how to make you come without ever penetrating you. Watch me, son, and learn.”
Clarity held her breath as Rowan ran his callused fingers over her nipples, pinching them. From her experience, she knew her pain would turn to pleasure. Other lovers had played the same kind of games with her in the past. And she cursed herself for enjoying them.
“Watch her cunt. The pain is making her wet. In humans it is called foreplay. Such bitches need to be made ready for sex. They are not like our kind. They enjoy it when the man does things like this.” Rowan put his mouth over one of her nipples and sucked hard and noisily. When he finished, he trailed-kisses down her belly until he reached her navel. She squirmed as he stuck his tongue into the indention and swirled it around.
“Do you see how she reacts? The next thing for you to see is her clit. She has not been circumcised like our women.”
He pulled her pussy lips apart so the nub of her womanhood was visible. She closed her eyes, unwilling to see what he planned to do next.
“Open your eyes, bitch,” Kill ordered.
When she did, she saw the two men examining her cunt closely. “That little thing can’t be too important,” Kill observed.
“Watch,” Rowan said, just before he lowered his head so he could suck her clit as he had her nipple.
The betrayal of her body was evident as she rushed headlong toward a violent climax.
“You did well, my pretty,” Rowan said, as he shoved three fingers into her cunt. As he imitated the art of lovemaking, stroking in and out, he turned to look at Kill. “It is now your turn to taste her nectar. I have tasted it during my training of her and it is indeed sweet.”
Rowan slowly removed his fingers and allowed Kill to take his place. The smile on Kill’s face told her he found the predicament she was in to be quite exciting. Like a dog, thirsty after a long run, he began to lap up her cum with his tongue while manipulating her clit with his fingers.
“That is enough,” Rowan declared. “It is time to again inflict pain. In time you will find that pain will make her more than ready for lovemaking.”
“Please don’t do this to me,” she pleaded.
“Once you are branded,” Kill said, “it will not be necessary to do it again ‑‑ that is, unless you are disobedient and then my punishment will be severe.”
She watched as his nails began to grow until they were claws. The moment they made contact with her breast and broke the skin she felt Rowan begin to manipulate her clit. Pain and pleasure became one as she tried to hang on to conscious thought.
Chapter Six
The group was getting ready to teleport from Tom’s apartment to the area where Clarity disappeared when Charles and Justin arrived to say that Clarity’s car had been found at the bottom of a steep ravine at the far edge of the Brey Forest. The state patrol assured them they were certain there were no survivors and they would send a team down to the wreckage at first light to retrieve the body.
The news shook Tom to the core. What if the telepathic conversation with Clarity had been wrong? What if Rowan had sent her over the cliff in her car rather than back in time?
Can you hear me, Clarity? he silently implored
Tom, is that you? I thought I’d lost my connection to you.
Relief flooded his body and mind. Yes, it’s me. Where do they have you?
I’m five years back in time. To get here, I passed through the time warp to the main den as they called it. From there Rowan dragged me to the right through the breeding room and continued on to a more secluded room he called my den. I’m chained here. Please help me, I’m frightened and…
“Are you ready to go, baby brother?” Tan asked, breaking the connection with Clarity.
Tom shook his head, trying to regain the connection, but it was broken. Was Clarity gone forever? Had Rowan come back and broken her concentration? He didn’t know. “Almost. I just contacted Clarity. It’s the first time I’ve had contact with her in hours.”
“Well, don’t keep us in the dark, Morrison. What did my daughter have to say?” Charles demanded.
Even though Charles’s impatience irritated the hell out of Tom, he repeated the directions he’d received from Clarity.
“Does that mean anything to you, Lucas?” Tym asked.
“It sure does. If the time warp Clarity passed through leads to the main chamber, we have to go to where she disappeared and then move to the right in order to come out in the place where they have her.”
“How can you be sure if you open another time warp you’ll get to where you want to be in time?” Charles asked.
“It’s hard to explain, but it’s all in the way the warp is opened. They’re not counting on anyone figuring it out. I’m not even supposed to know about it, but my friend, Bruno, told me about it a long time ago. The two of us even practiced it. Once a warp is opened, it closes within three hours and any who have passed through are trapped. It’s best if we open our own warp in a different place.”
“She’s frightened, I gathered that much, but who wouldn’t be?” Tom continued. “Just before Tan interrupted us she was starting to say something more. She said ‘please help me, I’m frightened and…’ I’m afraid they may have harmed her.”
Lucas ran his tongue over his lips. “I’m certain they have harmed her. If she’s in a private den, they have already begun the breeding training.”
“What are you talking about?’ Charles asked.
“When a bitch is trained for breeding, the first thing that is done is that she is circumcised by the other females. Because of Clarity’s age, I doubt they will do that, but…”
“What do you mean circumcised?” Travis asked.
“A young bitch is held down by the women while their clit is mutilated. In that way they receive no pleasure from the breeding experience.”
Tom thought he was going to vomit. “How can they do something like that?”
“It’s the way of the Betas. They breed the females from the day they are mature enough to conceive until the process kills them. No one really knows which whelp belongs to which male because they all take turns. A bitch’s life expectancy isn’t very long.”
“Then how does Rowan know that Kill is his?” Justin questioned.
“As the Beta leader, he has private bitches. From the time they are born, they are groomed to be his wives. When I left he had three wives and still visited the breeding room on occasion.”
“I don’t care about that,” Tom said. “What are they doing to Clarity?”
“It’s unlikely they’ve had her circumcised, since Rowan knows her clit is what will give her the most pleasure. To begin with, they will mark her.”
“How?” Tan and Tym asked at the same time.
“One of them will drag their claws across her left breast. It’s not done with the bitches because there is no need. I remember Rowan did that to my mother beca
use my father often talked about it. He did it after he raped her. She got a terrible infection from it and never recovered. My father didn’t want anyone to know about the rape. She died during the raid when Rowan kidnapped me, but it wasn’t because of the infection. One of Rowan’s underlings ripped out her jugular vein. It infuriated Rowan, and once we were back at the den he had the man castrated. He bled to death from the procedure.”
“Then we have to get to her quickly,” Tom said.
“We do, but you’d better hear the rest of this and decide if you want her back. After they mark her they will explore every inch of her body. Rowan knows how to make a woman come without ever entering her. It is likely they have already done that to her. If so, the old bastard will enjoy watching Kill lick the cum from her pussy.”
“Then why are we standing here?” Tom asked. “The sooner we get to her, the less chance we have of losing her completely.”
“Agreed,” Travis said. “I’m anxious to see this damnable time warp for myself.”
Tom jerked to attention. “You aren’t going, are you?”
“We’re all going,” Justin replied. “When the five of you bring Clarity out there could be trouble. Invisibility is great, but it doesn’t last forever. It leaves you in a weakened state, especially when you’re not used to it. With the four of us watching your back, we should be all right.”
Tom had to agree, even though he didn’t want Travis and Charles put in danger. He knew he would have been much more comfortable driving to the Brey Forest, but everyone assured him teleporting would be quicker, easier, and less likely to draw attention to the fact they were anywhere near the time warp.
The talisman Travis gave him not only provided him with the power of invisibility, it also allowed him to teleport himself from place to place. In the amount of time it took to close his eyes, he felt his body dematerializing in preparation for the journey. When he again opened his eyes, he stood in the forest and saw the members of the rescue party materializing.
“How was that for a rush, brother?” Tan asked. “It’s even better than that pot they were passing around in college.”
“You tried that shit when you were going to school on my money?” Travis questioned.
“No harm, no fault, Pop. It was just once and I knew it couldn’t compare to the powers I had naturally.”
Everyone laughed, while Tom took a moment to compose himself. In the darkness he wished he had the night vision of the other members of the group. Instead, he headed off blindly. He’d hardly taken more than two steps when he stumbled over something blocking the path. Thinking it was a log; he put his hand on it to steady himself as he got to his feet.
“Holy shit!” he exclaimed. “It’s a body!”
His companions gathered around the body. Contrary to his earlier thoughts, he was glad he didn’t have night vision. He certainly didn’t want to see what was left of whoever lay dead in the forest.
“It’s Bruno,” Lucas said.
Remembering his description of his friend earlier, Tom felt sorry for Lucas. It was one thing to know what Rowan did; it was another to see it first hand.
“He was a good kid. I wonder what he did to piss Rowan off? The way his throat is ripped out is that old bastard’s trademark.”
“Some things don’t change,’” Charles said, his voice hardly more than a whisper. “I guess if you find something that works, you don’t change it. How long do you think he’s been dead?”
Tom was amazed at how quickly Charles’s demeanor changed. His first words were fearful, as though he was remembering some personal tragedy that involved Rowan. His last statement sounded as though he was addressing the board of directors of Langford & Langford. There was more to what Charles saw when he looked at Bruno’s body than he let on.
“If I know Rowan, Bruno crossed him and he was going to send him back through the time warp. If he did that, Bruno would have been confronted with himself, only five years younger. It was a death sentence. I’m willing to bet he pushed Clarity through the time warp alone and then ran. Rowan did this as a warning to any who would cross him in the future.”
“I know you’ve lost a good friend, Lucas, but we have to move on,” Justin cautioned. “If we wait much later we won’t catch them off guard.”
“You’re right,” Lucas agreed. “Their day runs from noon until three in the morning. As we all know, they’re more wolf than human. As such they’re nocturnal. If what Clarity communicated to Tom is correct, we need to go in about a hundred yards to the west. It should take you to the area where they’re holding her. While you’re gone, I’ll bury Bruno. Even a Beta deserves better than to be devoured by scavengers.”
“How can we be sure we’ll end up in the right time?” Tom asked.
“Like I said before, as Rowan’s son and Bruno’s friend, I learned the mystery of the time warp. When I open it, you will be where you need to be. Remember, you need to get in and out before the warp closes. You have an hour at the least, three hours at the most. Try not to go over the hour if you can help it. If they have her chained…”
“Don’t worry about that,” Tan interrupted. “I haven’t come across a lock I can’t pick or a code I can’t break. It’s why my baby brother knew he needed me along on this raid.”
Tom fingered the talisman his father had given him. He couldn’t help but worry about what they were about to do. What would it be like to travel back in time and become invisible? Would any of them get out of this alive or would the Betas be expecting a rescue mission?
“It’s time,” Tym said, putting his hand on Tom’s shoulder.
Tom looked up at his oldest brother. “I’m sure it is. I hope we can pull this off. I can’t lose Clarity. I’ve looked for her my entire life. I…”
“Don’t go getting emotional on us, kid,” Rom teased. “We need to communicate with Clarity, and to do so you have to be with us in all aspects. If we don’t we won’t be able to get her back.”
Tom nodded. Taking a deep breath, he watched as Lucas opened the time warp. With Tym in the lead, they all stepped inside, prepared to be taken back to the past.
* * * * *
Clarity knew fighting against the chain that held her was futile. Having heard Tom’s voice within the confines of her mind was soothing. It helped her relax; knowing that if it was at all possible he’d come to save her.
The attack on her body as well as her mind seemed to last for hours. She was mentally, physically, and emotionally drained when they finally left her alone. Even though she’d tried to sleep, the fear of their return kept the rest she required at bay.
At last they had the decency to release her hands and feet so she could curl up in a somewhat comfortable position. She’d even gotten used to the stench of the blanket she pulled over her shoulders to ward off the damp chill of her surroundings.
Are you all right? the strange voice she’d heard earlier asked. I saw Rowan and Kill take you to a private den. Did they harm you?
I’m afraid they did. Kill marked my breast with his claws. Is there anything you can do to relieve the pain?
I’m not allowed to go to the area where you are, but if I can, I will alert the healers. They will ask Rowan if they can bring you capac root. It is the only thing that will counteract the poison in Kill’s claws.
Poison? Why would they poison me?
They don’t realize its poison.
How do you know this?
My father allows me to be with no one but the healers. There is a reason it is taboo to mark the bitches. It makes no sense to poison the females. Of course they do not know this. They do not do it because they observe the ancient taboos without knowing why.
Why do you tell me this?
You are the first person who has been able to hear my thoughts. You fascinate me. I do not want to see you either sick or dead because you did not receive the proper treatment for your wounds.
The man’s concern for her brought tears to Clarity’s eyes. He didn’t know
her and yet he was not only able to receive her telepathic connection, but he cared enough to comfort her.
Clarity? Can you hear me, Clarity?
She immediately recognized Tom’s voice in her mind. Yes, Tom, I’m here. I’m going to die. Kill has marked me and there’s poison in his claws. I’m scared.
I know you are, but we are coming through the time warp to get you. You won’t see us because of the cloak of invisibility. You will know we are with you when I touch you.
I don’t think you want me back. What kind of a wife will I be if I’m going to die?
You will not die, Clarity. We’ll get the best doctors.
She knew he was only telling her what she wanted to hear. She would die in this den, but not before Rowan and Kill put her in the breeding program.
Someone touched her leg, causing her to open her eyes. Seeing no one, she took a chance that Tom was with her. “Tom?” she whispered.
“I’m here. Hold still while my brother removes the chain. Once he does, this talisman will render you invisible.”
She could feel Tom press something into her hand. It felt like a smooth coin, but in the semi-darkness she couldn’t actually see it. She was barely aware of Tom closing her fingers around the small object.
Exhaustion mingled with the pain she’d been trying to ignore. Tom’s touch told her she had no need to worry or be concerned with putting on a brave front. The tears she’d been afraid to allow Rowan and Kill to see rolled freely down her cheeks.
The tension of the chain was suddenly gone and she, like Tom and his companions, became invisible. Once she did, she saw Tom and the others standing around her. In so doing, she knew no one else could see them.
She followed them as they made their way to the time warp that had opened not far from her imprisonment.
The sensation was like it had been when Bruno had pushed her through by herself. It was a heady feeling, as though the forces of nature were pushing on her body in order to help her pass back to her own time. Even though she was invisible, the assault on her body was the same as it had been before. It made her lightheaded and she soon found herself falling behind the others.