by Sarah Kent
It felt like an eternity before he heard Blane’s heavy footsteps at the door. He heard Beth’s gasp of shock as she saw the gaping cavern filled with lights but he didn’t’ even turn to her. He knew what he had to do.
“Take her up to the tower,” he said. “I will deal with her myself.”
CHAPTER 11
Beth couldn’t speak. She could barely breathe as a tall devastating warrior called Blane heaved her over his shoulder and carried her up the circular stairs into the tower as if she was little more than air. She could hear another set of footsteps, heavier and slow. She knew who those belonged to without having to look.
Blane threw open a door and she caught a glimpse of an empty stone room. The room was dark but Beth could see a series of metal rings bolted into the wall. Some hung from the ceiling and there were a few more in the floor. In the corner was a rack hanging from the wall with a series of whips laid out on it.
A thousand outraged comments were on her lips as she stared, open-mouthed at the archaic room. This room was for punishment. Instead of windows it had just slats in the stone, letting the icy winter air flood the space. Jesus, this had got to be some sort of crazy joke. But Beth knew, with a hard thudding beat of her heart, that this was actually happening. The breath caught in her throat.
“Leave now.”
Melchior’s voice sounded behind her, shocking her out of her paralysis. “I will do the rest.”
She felt the floor beneath her feet as Blane set her down on the floor. She felt his hand steady her for a second but she was determined not to grab onto it. It took all her strength to find her balance and stand. The she heard him move away and the door close behind him. She readied herself to swing around and confront Melchior.
“I will forgive you if you kneel before me now.” Melchior’s voice was in her ear.
Beth didn’t move. She wanted to snort with laughter. Was he actually joking? Forgive her?
“Did you hear me?” his voice was a low menacing growl. “I am Lord here. Kneel before me and ask for forgiveness. Otherwise I will be forced to punish you.”
Beth didn’t move, she couldn’t. A paralyzing, humiliated rage flooded her body. Who the holy hell did he think he was?
He had assaulted her in the forest, stolen her phone and then kidnapped from her hotel room. Then he had vanished right in front of her. She was pretty sure he wasn’t actually human entirely. What had he expected? Hadn’t it been her prerogative to try and escape?
But far deeper, buried in her heart, she knew that it had been a half-hearted attempt at the best. Hell, it was more shame than anything that had sent her scrambling to get out of his room. Shame and the desperately unwelcome terrible need she was feeling for this man. She desired him, craved him. He did something to her body that she had never experienced before with any other man. Something entirely female had wanted to see if he cared enough to find her.
She had literally thrown herself at him, an experience that was entirely unfamiliar to her. Almost ever other man lusted after her, and she wanted nothing to do with them. She had tried a few relationships, but none had lasted more than a few weeks. But this man was different. He wanted nothing to do with her. He had practically bolted from her. Actually it was humiliating. And that was something Beth had sworn she would never allow again.
“Kneel”
His voice lashed her now but still she stood.
She should probably just do what he wanted and get the hell out of here. But not even a crowbar would get her knees to bend now. No man was going to tell her what to do. She had learnt that at age thirteen when she was at her third foster home. Night after night her foster father Dan Patterson had locked her in the pitch-black basement to get her to obey his house rules. She had slept there for three years until she had run away at sixteen and moved into the small room above the kickboxing dojo where she worked and trained for her keep.
“Beg.”
She shook her head and had the satisfaction of hearing him take in a sharp breath.
His voice was right beside her now, just inches behind her. His breath was hot on her exposed neck.
“Jesus Beth, just do it.”
“No. Fucking. Way,” Beth heard herself say.
She heard an oath and then her arms were wrenched over her head and she felt the cold metal close over them as he locked them into the iron rings hanging from the ceiling. Beth heard herself gasp as her body was stretched up taught, her toes just touching the floor. The pull on her arms was a dull ache and the long shirt of his she had grabbed out of his room pulled up on her thighs, threatening to lift right up and expose her totally to him. She was wearing nothing but her thin strip of silk underneath and she could feel the cold air brush her buttocks and creep up her stretched stomach. She bit down hard on her lip.
She felt his heat behind her, then he kicked both her legs open spreading them wide between his massive thighs. She almost lost her balance, dangling off the chains.
A rough hand ran down her leg all the way to her ankle. With a jerk Melchior wrenched her one leg open and clicked a clamp around it. He moved across and locked the second clamp into place.
Her legs were spread wide now and her body stretched taught and open. The shirt was riding high on her buttocks, almost reaching her waist now and Beth knew that she was shamelessly exposed.
To her horror she felt herself grow wet instantly between her legs. A low simmering heat that had been building inside her from the second he closed the door began to lick at her now.
She knew Melchior was standing behind her now, a whip in his hands.
“Beth, I don’t want to do this. Just ask me for forgiveness.” His voice was tight in her ear.
“No”
His voice changed, thickened. It was lower now and husky, an understanding coming over it.
“You want this,” he breathed into her ear, a deeply male understanding in his voice.
God she did. Everything had changed from the second he had closed the door. She had craved this from him.
She heard him walk over to the wall and run his hand through the whips hanging there. Then the slide as he pulled one out. He was moving slowly now. She heard his steps move across the room towards her. Her body was stretched taunt as she lung there, exposed and aching for his touch. A thick heavy desire spread between her legs.
The first stinging slash came out of the blue down on her buttocks. Her stomach clenched and a fire raced over her rear. She was silent, biting down hard on her lips but she did not make a sound.
All she could feel was a rush of arousal. It started like a flame at her core and turned her boneless. Her core was pulsing in shock and desire. The heat shot up her, as she gasped. She felt a shameful slick wet between her legs and drench her panties.
The second slash came fast across her flaming cheeks.
This time she couldn’t help herself, she let out a scream and her entire body thrashed. Behind her she heard a deep feral groan.
Oh god the delicious pain of it. For months she has shut out all feeling. Years, if she was honest with herself. Her body was numb with only the pain of a hard workout allowing her to feel anything. Nothing could penetrate her carefully controlled world. But this was feeling. It was unbearably intense and deeply personal. It was pain and pleasure all in one, and there was only one man who could give it to her.
He stood close behind her now.
The whip came down again and her entire body convulsed, arching against the restraints as felt herself rock back and forward, moaning shamelessly as she sought her own release. Her eyes were closed shut tight now and she could do nothing but feel the waves of pleasure move up her body.
“Beg me Beth.”
Melchior’s voice was so tight she was sure he was about to snap. It was in her ear now, so close she could feel him right beside her. Beth knew her body was jerking back and forth in a shameless ride of desire.
She shook her head.
Then she felt him step in front of he
r.
Through her haze Beth could see the blaze of desire in his eyes. His green lids were half-mast and his face tight with need. His shirt was off and beads of sweat were pouring down his rock hard chest. She could see a massive erection tenting out in front of him. It was as impressive as she had imagined in her dreams and the sight of it almost sent her over the edge.
The whip swung from his hand as his eyes raked over her. This was a man who knew exactly what he was doing to her.
His eyes were lowered, heavy with raging need he was trying to control.
He walked closer.
“You know what I am going to do to you next,” he said.
Beth shook her head.
“Ask me,” he ordered.
She couldn’t bring her lips to move. She was teetering on the edge of oblivion.
“Ask me,” he commanded.
She forced her lips to move.
“What are you going to do next?” she breathed.
“Strip you,” he said.
He lifted his hands to up to the collar of her shirt. With one movement he ripped it off her and she stood almost naked before him, she knew her swollen sex was red and slick with need. Oh god she was shameless and wanton. But she had nowhere to hide. Her body was stretched out before him as he stood before her like an avenging angel.
Then he snapped the front of his pants and let them fall to the floor. His body was so incredibly beautiful. It was huge and powerful, with bands of muscle under golden skin. His stomach was taunt with control and his sex rose from his hips, swollen and ready.
Whatever else was going on in his impenetrable head, she knew that his body wanted her. And she wanted to push him over the edge.
She bit down hard on her lip.
“More”
He stepped closer and the whip snaked through her legs and against her swollen skin. Her head dropped back and she arched towards him.
Her breath was coming in pants now as he teased her, gently slapping the leather against her aching bud.
She was bucking now so he eased off a bit, teasing her out. She wanted him inside her so badly that he felt as if she was losing all sense of thought.
Then he dropped to his knees on the floor.
“I am going to put my mouth on you now,” he growled. “But I want you to say my name first. And I want you to say it as you come.”
“Melchior,” Beth groaned. She was like putty in his hands. She would do anything for him. Anything he asked.
“Again.” A deep glean was in his eyes.
Melchior. It was a whisper now.
His tongue closed over her hard nub and he slipped three of his fingers deep inside her, stretching her wide. Her mind checked out.
Beth heard herself let out a scream. His name was coming from deep within her lungs as the wave of pleasure started to roll over her. Her body bucked against him as she convulsed, her orgasm slamming into her over and over again. His mouth kept moving and he lapped up every drop of her arousal.
“You,” she gasped, stilling his mouth. “I want you. I need you inside me.”
Ripping his pants down he stood up in front of her and palmed himself, moving is hand up his straining cock.
“No,” she groaned. “I need you.”
He shook his head and stepped away, sweat pouring off him with the effort.
He froze.
“I can’t,” he said. “I can’t finish inside you.”
Beth paused for a second, a flash of doubt reaching into her mind. A million questions rose to mind. But she pushed them aside. Her need for him was greater.
“Then let me touch you,” she said. “I need to taste you.”
Melchior didn’t need her to ask twice. He reached up and snapped open her arm restraints. Beth sunk to her knees in front of him. Her tongue flicked out and she put her hot mouth over him. God he was so thick she was not sure she would fit her mouth around him, but her lips took him in. As her tongue moved over his silken head he arched, his legs contracting as a deep groan rose from his chest. His eyes closed as he dragged head her closer.
Then he started to thrust into her mouth, his body moving on its own accord. Slowly at first and then his hips moved faster. His hands were buried deep in her sweat-drenched hair. She looked up at him. He was raw power, his beautiful body rising above her like a dream. He had taken her like no man had ever had her before. She felt raw in his presence, exposed and vulnerable.
Beth felt tears spring to her eyes as he moved against her, shooting into her as he roared his release. She took him in her mouth and he tasted his hot seed shoot deep inside her. Right into her soul.
Dazed she sank bonelessly to the floor with him, still riding out her own waves of pleasure. He rolled below her, allowing her to fall on his body. He was holding on to her so tight she though he may never let her go. As she lay on the hard floor with him she felt his hand stroke her hair and she felt her eyes close.
At last. At long last, she was safe.
CHAPTER 12
What the hell was he going to do with her?
Melchior stalked out of the room and headed towards the kitchen to grab some food. But right now he didn’t want to think of that. He just needed to eat and he was going to take some food up to Beth for when she woke. He wanted to get straight back into his bed where he had carried her and fall asleep with her soft body pressed against his. He just needed to eat first.
The thought of her taught and strong body kneeling in front of him as she pleasured him with her soft mouth was playing over and over in his brain. She was a fighter, his Beth. In her own way. He had tapped into her thoughts, just for a second in that room. He had seen pieces of her life. Just the thought of her locked in a dark basement killed him. It had almost sent him to her knees. He wanted to kill that man. Kill him to avenge her.
He had known that she had needed him to do that. She had needed to stand up to him. Fight him. She was fighting for herself. She had always stood alone.
He wanted her next to him. The thought hit him straight in the gut.
Not possible. The gods had made sure of that.
He shook his head and let out a bitter laugh as he opened the heavy door into the tower kitchen.
The very last thing he needed right now was to face his warriors, but Blane, Aslan and Shara were sitting at the kitchen table when he walked in.
“Jesus,” he cursed, sidestepping them and heading straight to the storeroom. “Haven’t you got anything better to do but wait for me around here?”
Aslan leapt to his feet following Melchior to the storeroom.
“What the hell happened?’ he asked.
“Beth’s sleeping,” Melchior said.
“And the Priest?” Aslan asked. “He is going to want to speak to her. Have you told him yet?”
Melchior knew he had to face their questions at some point, both the Priest as messenger of the Gods and his own warriors. He owed it to them. The problem was, he didn’t know what he was going to do. He chose to face the easiest audience first. Better now than later.
“Yes, she is a Dreamwalker,” he said and pulled a chair up to the table and sat with them. “I figured that out earlier just before the fucking Priest hit town. But I am pretty sure she is not working for Niyan.”
Blane frowned.
“How can you be sure?”
Melchior sat down with them and started tucking into a side of beef.
“I saw her dream and there is no way they are on the same side. He had her tied down and was about to kill gut her with his favourite weapon.”
Shara froze. Then speared a delicate strawberry with a long talon.
“Not the stone knife.”
“You got it,” Melchior nodded.
She bared her fangs in a quick hiss. All three men leapt up, chair flying as they stepped quickly back from the table. Shara’s venom could spit as far as her arrows, and the result was far more deadly. Her eyes were narrow yellow slits as she looked down. After a few seconds he retracted
the fangs and started to gently nibbling on the fruit.
The others slowly moved back to the table, exchanging glances as they righted their chairs and sat back down. Something dark had gone down in the days that the Dark Lord had held Shara his prisoner before he had left her on the rocks for the birds of prey to tear her apart. She had never spoken of that time, but the damage was all over her like a scar that would never heal.
“How is it possible she is alive?” Aslan said. “When the Dark Lord killed them all decades ago. How is it that she has just appeared out of nowhere?”
“It could have something to do with the fact that she clearly no idea what she is, or what sort of danger she is really in,” Melchior said. “It doesn’t seem possible, but it appears that she grew up all alone and doesn’t know her own powers or what they mean. But the gift is passed down from mother to daughter, so her mother must have been a Dreamwalker as well. But she has never know her so it may have seem as if the bloodline had died out. That’s possibly why she is still around.”