Soul Broker

by Tina Pollick

  “This is very nice.” Drew said, as he moved a little closer to her.

  Mackenzie’s heart raced, she needed some fresh air. She was standing outside. She had all the air a girl could ever need. Her clothes felt tighter. She needed something, but it definitely wasn’t more air.

  They stepped back through the door. Mackenzie pointed to the archway. “The kitchen’s through there.” Then pointed to the hallway. “Bathroom is first door on the left.”

  Drew took a sip of his wine. “You sleep on the couch?”

  Mackenzie’s pulse quickened at the question.

  “No, my bedroom and the guest room are down the hall.” Mackenzie felt her cheeks warm. “Are you hungry?”

  “Yes, I am.” Drew approached Mackenzie and guided her to the table. He took her glass, and set it on the table as he pulled out a chair.

  “Thanks, but I need to get the food. Besides, you’re my guest. Please sit down and I’ll bring dinner out.”

  Mackenzie watched Drew clean his plate, while she took a bite here and there in between talking. When her hand grazed his, she felt electricity course through her. Drew didn’t seem to notice. Maybe it’s the wine? Or maybe it’s the fact it’s been a year since I’ve made love to anyone. Her thoughts drifted back to her ex briefly, before she cut them off. I will not let that asshole ruin this evening.

  Drew ate to be polite, but he didn’t care about it. He could barely take his eyes off Mackenzie. She wore a light pink camisole, and skin-tight blue jeans. Her oval shaped face enhanced a dimple on her right cheek; he loved to watch it peek out. Her chestnut hair hung loose down her back and he noticed a single curler dangled from the end.

  He laughed and Mackenzie glanced up. “What’s so funny?”

  He reached over and pulled the roller out, handing it to her. “You forgot one.”

  Mackenzie’s cheeks turned red. “Thank you.” She placed it on the table, under her napkin.

  “Don’t be embarrassed. I’m flattered that you thought enough of me to fix your hair.” He reached over and caressed her hand. “You didn’t have to though. I thought you were beautiful even with the wind whipping it around earlier.”

  “Thanks.” Mackenzie’s lips curved in a half smile as the red spread to her ears and neck.

  When her fingers brushed his hand it took everything he had not to take her, right there on the table. The electricity from her touch caused his dick to engorge. Add to that he could see the swell of her breasts every time she reached over, it made him want to explode. It had been a long time since he had sex, and the woman before him was driving him crazy.

  She gazed at him with glassy eyes. Her eyes ventured across his chest and then down to his lap. Mackenzie nibbled on the tip of her finger. Drew watched every movement, and found himself licking his lips as she pulled her finger into her mouth. I wish I was the food on her finger.

  “The food was delicious. May I turn on some music?”

  Mackenzie nodded.

  Drew wiped his mouth with his napkin and scooted his chair from the table. He walked over to the radio and turned it on, searching until he stopped at what sounded like elevator music to Mackenzie. He held out his hand to her.

  “I don’t dance,” she giggled. “But then again, I don’t drink.” She lifted the empty wine bottle and laughed. She teetered to the side as she stood, grasping the table and laughing.

  “Come on, dance with me.” He met her halfway and wrapped his arms around her. He pulled her hips close so she could feel his need. This was her chance to run.

  Mackenzie rested her head on his shoulder and whispered, “I don’t usually do this kind of thing.”

  “What kind of thing? Dance?” Drew asked with a wink.

  Mackenzie met his eyes. “Unless the hard-on you have in your pants isn’t for me, then yeah, I was talking about dancing.”

  Drew laughed, “Oh, it’s for you. If you want it.”

  He placed his palms on the arc of her back, pulling her closer, running his fingers up and down her back before settling at her hips. He grasped them and her closer. She arched her back and a small sigh escaped.

  Mackenzie’s fingers danced across his back, alternating between squeezing his shoulders and running her nails up and down. The feeling was pure torture without the pain he was accustomed to. His hand followed the edge of the hem of her shirt, tracing small circles across her belly before finding her breasts.

  He lifted the scrap of lace, rolling the peaked nipples between his fingers. She leaned back, eyes hooded, and let out a moan.

  “It’s been a long time,” Mackenzie said, grinding herself into him. “Maybe we should take this into my room.”

  “The one down the hall?” Drew asked, lifting her up. Mackenzie wrapped her legs tight around his waist, and locked her ankles. He closed his eyes, bent down, and inhaled her scent along her neck. Roses. Drew’s tongue traced her lips, urging her to part them. Mackenzie complied and he thrust his tongue inside, matching the rhythm of his hips.

  Mackenzie ran her fingers through his hair, and nibbled at his neck. He pressed her against the wall. She reached down between her legs, unzipped his jeans, and took his erection into her hand. It pulsed and throbbed, begging for release. He groaned against her mouth as she wrapped her soft, smooth palm around it and started stroking him, slow at first, then increasing the speed. Heat filled his veins as her small hands squeezed gently, and his sack drew up. He was going to spill his seed in her hands if she didn’t stop immediately.

  “Stop, or I won’t be able to,” he grunted between ragged breaths.

  “I want you now.” Mackenzie trailed kisses across his jaw and down his neck.

  Drew froze. She kept kissing down to his collar bone, biting and sucking as she went.

  She doesn’t see or feel the collar? He released the breath he held.

  He plucked the button of her jeans free, and set her down long enough to free her from the confines of the tight fabric. He slid the jeans down her smooth legs, tracing his fingers along her thigh as he went. Drew slid his fingers under the lacy fabric and ripped it away.

  He traced her ear lobe with his tongue, and then whispered, “Are you ready for me?”

  Mackenzie withered under the assault and nodded.

  He inserted one finger then another into her slick opening, moving them in and out as her muscles clenched down with each swift stroke. He withdrew his fingers, which glistened with her dampness.

  “You are so tight,” Drew hissed, imagining how her walls were going to squeeze his dick.

  “It’s been a long time.”

  Drew placed his thumb against her swollen nub, rubbing in small circles. Mackenzie let out a soft moan, and shifted her hips lower to align with his dick, throbbing painfully.

  “Are you sure?” Drew wasn’t sure he could stop now if he wanted to, but he felt something for this woman he hadn’t felt in a long time. He needed to give her the chance to say no, the chance to save them both.

  Mackenzie placed her hands on his cheeks and pulled his mouth closer to hers. She moved her right hand, and traced his lower lip with her fingers. That touch sent a spark through him. Damn, there’s no stopping now.

  He pressed her back against the wall, driving into her, allowing her to adjust as he filled her core. Her sheath squeezed his dick. The sensation bordered between pleasure and pain.

  Mackenzie buried her face into his neck, kissing, licking and sucking. She gasped as Drew increased his rhythm. “Don’t stop!”

  Sweat formed on his forehead as he thrust himself in over and over, each time burying the base a little further. Every thrust faster, deeper, causing her to scream out. Her cries drove him to slam harder until his cries joined hers and his seed was pulled deeper by her spasming muscles.

  Drew leaned against Mackenzie as he caught his breath.

  “Wow. That was amazing,” Mackenzie said.

  “Where is your bedroom again?”

  “You want to go again?” Mackenzie nibbled
on his chin.

  “Baby, I can do this all night.” Drew carried her into the room and closed the door.

  The sun shone through her bedroom windows. Mackenzie rolled over, feeling the best kind of sore. She thought about the things she had done and felt her face warm. She did things she didn’t think were humanly possible. She giggled at the thought of her feet touching her cheeks. Mackenzie rolled over to where he had slept. Empty, but sheets still warm.

  She put on a robe and checked in the bathroom, living room, and kitchen. Drew was nowhere to be found. She walked back into the bedroom in search of a note. She rifled through the contents on top of her dresser, her nightstand, and then searched the bathroom and the rest of the house, before returning to her room. Nothing.

  Mackenzie’s heart sank. She’d never had a one night stand before. She thought back, and Drew had never promised her anything. They were practically strangers.

  She smacked her forehead over and over. “Stupid, stupid, stupid.”

  Anxiety and fear filled her as she thought about STD’s she may have contracted. Tears began to flow, bile filled her throat. She ran to the bathroom and puked.

  Mackenzie wiped her mouth. She walked into her bedroom, grabbed the lamp, and threw it. “Drew, whatever the hell your last name is, you’re an asshole!”

  Three years later

  Blood dripped from his wrists and neck where the shackles and collar cut through his skin. His skin raw, and tender, his limbs and mind numb. Olesha chained all Soul Brokers in her throne room. She liked to display them for all the Under-Lords of Hell to see, her prizes, her trophies. Drew hadn’t moved from the spot in three years.

  His thoughts drifted back to the night of passion he had spent with the chestnut- haired beauty. She lay asleep, wrapped in his arms when the collar burned through his skin, like a torch cutting through flesh. The pain increased until Olesha ripped him from the Earth plane back to his home. He tried to put out of his mind the feel of her hands caressing his chest, but there was something special about her that wouldn’t allow him to forget.

  Olesha approached him. “I have a job for you,” she said in a screeching tone.

  “Why are you sending me to Earth soon?” Drew held his head up so he could look down at the fiery red-head.

  She ran her nails across his chest, watching the rivulets of blood they left behind. “Aww, I thought you’d be happy. I could send another to do it, but this is something special. Something I want you to do personally for me.” She jerked his head and ran her tongue across his cheek. Drew pulled away as Olesha laughed.

  “What is it?” Drew’s shoulders tensed, wishing he could wipe the foulness away.

  “There’s a girl, I want you to bring her back with you.” Olesha pranced back and forth, swaying her hips from side to side. Her long red dress was cut down to her navel, exposing her breasts. The sides of the dress were slit up to her waist, allowing nothing to the imagination.

  “We don’t take humans from that plane. It’s forbidden.” Drew spat the words out.

  She grabbed Drew by the chin. He struggled to pull away, but his insides burned. She used her power of fire on him. His body ignited from the inside out, unable to breathe, unable to move. Her cold eyes never looked away as she watched him smolder from the inside-out. He stopped struggling and Olesha smiled. Her nails dug into his cheeks, warm blood following in their path. “Uh-huh. Be a good boy and do as you’re told.” She released his face and licked the blood from under her nails. “Mmmm, you taste good.” She laughed.

  Drew realized that she said girl. Not a woman, but a child. Anger surged through his veins and he yanked at the chains binding him. Fire ripped through his body, but he ignored the pain.

  “I can’t steal a human, let alone a human child. It’s forbidden!” Sweat dripped from his brow as his Master increased the burn. He would have crumpled to his knees if it weren’t for the chains binding him to the wall.

  “Tsk, tsk, Soul Broker. I never said steal. This child belongs to me.” Olesha brought her lips to his ear. “She is your child, and whatever belongs to you also belongs to me.”

  Drew yanked his head away. Thoughts raced as he tried to figure out what the hell she was talking about. The realization smashed into him. “Mackenzie,” he whispered.

  “Yes, the whore I had to drag you from on your last visit has bore a daughter. I want her.” Olesha cupped his chin. “And you will bring her to me.”

  “No. No, I will not.” Drew glared at her. He would not allow a child to be raised by this bitch, especially not his child.

  He had a child. Rage, fear, excitement, all clashed into each other. He tried to sort them out, but now was not the time. He would have plenty of years dreaming about the daughter he’d never know.

  “Oh, but I think you will.”

  “If I don’t, what are you going to do? Make me your slave in this hell for eternity?” Drew sneered, “I’m already here, so fuck you.”

  Olesha sashayed over to the pool in the center of the room. It was dug into the ground, and all of her slaves could view it. She waved her hand across it, and a picture appeared. A little girl giggling, a dimple on her right cheek, blonde curls bound in two pig-tails bouncing as she walked. She climbed up the stairs of the slide. She reached the top and slid down into the arms of the woman who waited at the bottom. Mackenzie scooped her up and twirled her around, the girl’s screeches of laughter echoing in hell.

  Drew would never forget the sound of his daughter’s laughter. In that moment, he was prepared to do anything to protect the two beauties whose reflections shone in the pool.

  Olesha turned as she moved around the pool, addressing all the slaves. “Who would like to go retrieve this child for me?” The throne room remained silent. “Okay, whoever volunteers to retrieve this child for me, can have the woman to do as he or she pleases.” None of the other Soul Brokers answered her call.

  Drew glared at Olesha. Foolish woman, all of the people were not here by their own free will. Nobody would do this unless she offered freedom, and she wouldn’t. Olesha smirked. Christ, no, she was going to do it. If she offered someone their freedom to bring back his daughter, Mackenzie was dead.

  “I’ll do it,” Drew called out, pulling against the chains.

  “I know you will.” Olesha approached him. “If the woman agrees to sign a contract, you may bring her back as well.”

  “I have a few conditions.”

  Olesha’s laughter echoed in the room. “What conditions could you possibly have?”

  “I need seventy-two hours, and a guarantee you won’t pull me back early.”

  “Why should I give you anything?” Olesha moved toward him.

  “Because if I can’t convince her mother to let me have her, it’ll attract attention. Non-demonic attention. And I thought we were to avoid that at all cost.”

  “Hmmm, you may be right, but how are you going to convince a human to give up her child?”

  “I convinced her to sleep with me after a few hours of meeting. Besides, I only need to convince her to let me get to know the child. When I take her, it’ll be by the girl’s free will.”

  Drew hoped this would work. He kept his face like granite. If he betrayed his feelings, it would be the end for his daughter and Mackenzie. No, he would not let them down.

  “Very well, you have seventy-two hours.”

  With a wave of her hand, Drew was dressed and back at the park, where he had made his last deal.

  He glanced at the watch on his wrist. The countdown had begun. “Stupid bitch, she could’ve at least told me where to look.”

  He stopped in his tracks at a familiar voice, one he’d only heard moments ago from Olesha’s pool. Drew turned his head toward the sweetest sound he’d ever heard, his daughter’s laughter.

  Mackenzie sat on a park bench while Sophie played on the playground with the other kids. She brought a book with her, but couldn’t take her eyes off Sophie long enough to read. Her little one ran after the oth
er kids, laughing.

  A shadow blocked the sunshine. Startled, she turned to see who or what it was. Her mouth fell open. It couldn’t be him. He approached her slowly, like a cat stalking its prey. Tall, muscular, blonde hair tied back in a pony- tail, and piecing gray eyes.

  “No. It can’t be!” Mackenzie stood and backed away from him. She wasn’t scared, she was pissed.

  “Mackenzie, I don’t have a lot of time, we need to talk now.” Drew strutted towards her. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

  “I’m not afraid of you… you idiot! I’m afraid what I’m going to do to you.” Mackenzie backed herself against a large oak tree. She tried to edge around the circumference of it, but Drew followed her like a cat stalking a mouse.

  “Please stop. I really need to talk to you.” Drew continued to shadow her every move.

  “It’s been three years, Drew! Three fucking years without a word from you.” Mackenzie turned to the side, trying to keep her eyes on Sophie.

  “I didn’t leave by choice. If you stop I’ll explain everything, but Mackenzie, we’re running out of time.” Drew moved ahead of her and pinned her against the tree.

  “Let go of me!” Mackenzie struggled against him.

  “Stop! The other parents are staring.”

  “Then let me go.” She kicked her feet, but Drew dodged them. His arms were long enough to keep his body safe. For now.

  “Our daughter’s in danger.”

  Mackenzie stopped fighting, and her heart sped up. “What do you mean? How do you know Sophie’s your daughter?”

  “I’ll tell you everything. If I let you go, will you listen to me?”

  “Yes, now let me go.”

  Drew removed his hands and took a step backwards.

  Mackenzie smoothed out her shirt, brushed her from her hair from her face, and walked up to Drew.

  She spoke low.

  “What? I can’t hear you,” Drew said.

  Mackenzie said it again, a little louder.

  “I still can’t you hear you, Mackenzie.”

  Mackenzie motioned for him to lower his head, Drew did.