Frost (Queens of Hell Book 1)

by Liza James

  “If you think for a single second, you can simply run away little kitty,” Aggie laughs against my ear in a tone that’s arrogant and starved. “You will spend the rest of the week in far more pain than you could even imagine.” Her hands quickly grip my wrists as she pulls me against her, dragging me across the floor of the room until I’m standing up against Na’amah and Lilith once again.

  My heart sinks, that heavy feeling in my stomach twisting into a stab of disappointment and surrender. Mother fucker, with every passing moment comes another notch against my hope for freedom.

  Na’amah turns to look at me, her icy eyes glazing over in vacancy. It’s as if she isn’t even here, but her physical form remains near. Her fingers immediately launch forward and wrap around the nape of my neck, sliding into the back of my already tangled and distraught strands of hair. She tightens her hold, twisting me around and in front of Lilith while Aggie steps away from us.

  My eyes shift her direction, the pain at my scalp cementing my head perfectly still as Na’amah holds me. Aggie’s smile is brilliant, and I get a vague memory of Cheshire Cat glimpsing my mind. That’s exactly what she reminds me of—crazy and yet all knowing. Arrogant and with a reason to be. Her fingers are laced in front of her waist as she rolls back on her heels before swaying forward again. Her bright eyes bounce around all of us and I can see how eager she is to observe whatever is going to happen next.

  When I move my focus back to Lilith, I find her eyes watching me intently. Her gaze is the most toxic, the most powerful out of the four, even while her body seems weak and frail at the moment. I know this isn’t her usual demeanor. I can tell she’s the one in charge here. In the simple way everyone moves around her, their steps are dictated by her initial passages around the room.

  Their eyes follow hers, while she follows no one.

  Suddenly, her own frail hands lift in front of me. My eyes hone in on the movement, observing the way her skin seems papery and thin. I watch intensely, wishing I could anticipate whatever is about to take place.

  Is this it? The moment when I die? Has my existence here already been deemed worthless and unnecessary?

  So much for writing my own fucking story.

  Her fingers graze against my cheeks, and the instant chill I feel when she touches me reminds me of Na’amah. Both of them share the same kind of absence in their flesh. No warmth radiates from their forms, I find no comfort in a heated brush of their skin against my own.

  Slowly, she trails them along my jaw and my body responds uncontrollably by tilting my head slightly upwards. I give her even more access as she works her way down the slender column of my neck, delicately tracing the line of my vein pulsing in sync with my rapid heartbeat.

  Calm down, Skilla. Breathe for fuck sake.

  My eyes never leave hers though, because if I can do one thing in the midst of all of this, in the final moments before my death, I’ll at least prove to her I’m not afraid of what’s coming. Not a single chance in Hell will I let them have the satisfaction of my own fear while they kill me.

  The hand nestled tightly at the back of my head forces me to the side, elongating the right edge of my throat while Lilith drifts even closer. Confusion pulls at my features in narrowed brows and wide eyes. Her soft lips come closer, and my chin tilts toward her while Na’amah continues controlling my movements. I can practically feel Lilith’s breath against my mouth, and as my lips part subtly, I swear I can almost taste her.

  It's sweet. And stagnant. A seductive moment laced in death.

  I can’t even explain it, but I’m breathing deeply and something tugs inside of me, urging me to take whatever it is she’s offering.

  Her lips kick up in a slight grin, as if she’s getting the exact reaction she wants from me.

  Goddamn it. How the fuck do I fight these women off?

  She inches closer, and I try to pull back when Na’amah holds me completely steady. A soft whimper escapes my mouth, and I can’t help but notice the way Aggie moves forward as soon as I make the sound.

  She giggles, and her quiet voice breaks out in a tone that clearly depicts how much she’s enjoying every moment of this. “Sister, sister, keep it together while Lilith takes what’s hers.” She moves closer to us, coming to stand next to Na’amah and moving out of my line of sight. “She’ll never be yours.” She whispers the last portion in such a hushed voice I can barely make it out.

  But I do…I think. And my mind wanders in what she could possibly mean.

  However, my spiraling thoughts are suddenly cut off mid-stream as Lilith’s lips crash against my own. Her chest comes flush against mine, her frame towering over me while Na’amah holds me tightly against her.

  Both of them surround me, my smaller figure breathing so rapidly against both of them while they consume me. Or what feels like they’re doing. I swear, their energy immediately whips through the space, wrapping around us like vines twisting and pulling and straining against my flesh.

  My heart is thundering in my chest, my skin pulling tight while my fingers quickly grip Lilith’s forearms as she holds my face. Her lips are hungry, moving against my mine as she devours me completely. My head falls back against Na’amah, and I find myself in a space of wanting to breathe, but almost desperate not to.

  I want to drown in this, whatever it is. My body is lighting on fire in sparks of lust and hunger for the both of them. Na’amah’s hands fall to my waist, her greedy fingers tugging on my body and pulling me against her while her lips fall to my neck. Lilith continues kissing me, her tongue slipping out and crossing the seam of my lips, urging me to open for her.

  I do. Easily. Willingly. Gravely.

  Every ounce of self-preservation abandons me and I swear I feel Aggie move even closer as well. God, I want this. As more hands fall to my body, moving over my stomach, my chest, brushing along my tits and back over my ass. I can’t tell who is who anymore, and I’m tasting Lilith on my tongue in a way that has me whimpering and moaning against her touch.

  A hand slides around the front of my throat, fingers dig into my skin until I’m being yanked back and away from everyone around me.

  I gasp and my own hands fly up to rip away the hold and clutch my own skin. My lungs are on fire, it feels as though they are collapsing in my chest, grasping at every bit of oxygen they can fucking manage.

  “What—What the hell happened?” I try to speak, but the words won’t even form on my tongue. I fall to my knees, still clutching my own throat as I struggle to catch my breath.

  Lilith’s feet come into view in front of me. Black heavy boots are laced all the way up to her knees. The black silk of her dress cascades around them. Slits decorate the sides of her gown so I can see the intricate tattoos decorating her thighs and disappearing under the hem of fabric.

  “She’ll do.” She responds simply, completely ignoring my question and looking down with a gaze that penetrates my very bones. “Go slow. She can hardly handle this as it is. The Bite will eat her alive if she isn’t prepared.”

  “Eat her alive.” Aggie laughs again, followed quickly by a satisfied sigh as she climbs the steps and plops back down in her throne. She throws her legs over one arm and lets her head fall back as she watches me. “I see what you did there. That was clever, sister.”

  What kind of mad house is this?

  Na’amah is abruptly at my back, her hands ripping into my hair and on my shoulders as she drags me back up and turns us around without a word to her sisters. She shoves me forward and I nearly fall to the ground again. But even in the midst of her harsh movements and cold demeanor, I notice the soft touch her of her fingers once they make contact, or the way her chest is pressed tightly to my back as she leads me away.

  Is this a show, Na’amah? What walls do you have built up in the presence of your sisters?

  Logical thinking. That’s what I need right now. Ignore feelings, tuck them away, compartmentalize.

  Get the job done.

  Work.

  Wor
k.

  Work.

  That’s what this all is.

  So why does it feel differently? Why did that rush of jealousy and possession swell inside of me when I watched my sister with Skilla?

  She is nothing. How ironic, truthfully, that I was trying to force her to admit that herself, and now I’m the one reminding my own embarrassingly fragile existence that she truly is worthless.

  God, this isn’t me. It’s easy for me to handle these girls, train them, break them, turn them into exactly what we need for however long we need them. And then it’s even easier for me to end them.

  So, while I’m urging Skilla ahead of me, toward the small doorway at the front of this room, I’m intentionally forcing myself into a space of detachment. Get this fucking straight, do what needs to be done.

  Don’t get attached.

  "Where are you taking me?” she snaps out, and I ignore her, just as I use my other hand to shove open the large wooden door and allow us entry into one of the stone corridors. I’m tempted to take her directly to the dungeons, I can only assume that’s where she’ll end up eventually.

  But that’s not protocol, and every submissive is given their own space and room to decompress and relax in-between feedings.

  They build a life here, after being stolen away from their own. I’m not sorry about it, they learn to love it here. They learn to love us. And I feel a room to themselves works in my favor.

  A little sweet before the sour. Something to make them believe they’re being well taken care of here.

  “Wow, you truly live in another little world inside that rage filled head of yours, huh?” Aggie’s voice cracks from behind me and I falter, being completely caught off guard as my hand bites into Skilla’s waist and she hisses in pain. I release, only slightly though, because I know Aggie’s here for her own benefit.

  “What are you talking about?” I respond, and we round the corner into a smaller space that houses a set of spiraling stairs.

  “You know exactly what I’m talking about. Stop pretending like these girls mean nothing to you. We get it, we get it. You’re wildly emotionally unavailable.” Aggie jumps ahead of us and leads the way up the staircase as she speaks. Her cheerful and playful tone is laced with condescension.

  “Get the fuck out of my head,” I bite back, keeping my hold on Skilla’s frame as we make our way up the staircase. She remains quiet, but her eyes follow Aggie’s swaying hips with each step.

  Jealousy and irritation spark in my chest but I ignore it, focusing on the task at hand and telling myself I absolutely have to feed when I’m finished here.

  My sister giggles, and one we reach the last step and move into a second hallway, I hear the quiet gasp in Skilla’s voice as she observes. This space is far different than where we came from. Ornate carpets and tapestries cover the floor and walls. Beautiful, hand painted portraits of myself and my sisters hang on the walls, and magnificent furniture lines that large room as a common area for the girls when they’d like it.

  But several doors are lined across the round room, each one belonging to one of Lilith’s harem. These are all submissives I’ve trained and gotten to know on a deeply personal level. As soon as we enter their area, I immediately notice three of the girls lounging about.

  Sera.

  Lilac.

  Fira.

  They turn their heads our direction, and out of immediate respect, tilt their gazes down at my feet.

  “Alca,” Lilac speaks out of the three of them, keeping her head down and her hands clasped in front of her waist as she should. The other two have taken the same stance, all three facing me directly as I usher Skilla farther in.

  “Oh come on, drop it for now,” Aggie chirps, skipping into the center of the room and then turning to wave her hand over Skilla as if she’s displaying her.

  The girls lift their heads only an inch, their brows raising in confusion as they look Aggie’s way. But ultimately, they surrender to the responses they know, the ones they are familiar and comfortable with. They drop their gazes once more and await my command.

  “Ca-g gah,” I speak strongly. As you were.

  Lifting my chin, I watch as each of them meet my eyes and relax their shoulders. It’s then that they finally look to Skilla, dropping their gazes and raking back up over her body as they take her in. “This is Skilla. She’s new. You’ll have to show her how life commences here. She’s preparing for the Bite, but we’ve got to take things a bit slower with her. I’ll begin her training in the evening.”

  All of them remain silent, but part ways as they open the space for one of the empty rooms in this part of the castle. I wish I could taste each of them in this moment, run my tongue along their skin and get a sense of their thoughts or feelings regarding Skilla. I want them to accept her, honestly, and I’m not sure why that’s initial worry while bringing her here.

  “Hello,” Sera offers first, smiling sweetly at Skilla as we walk forward. But she doesn’t respond, and I can feel her body tense under my hands as she watches them. Finally, she nods, keeping her mouth shut but turning her gaze to the right when another door suddenly creaks as it opens.

  Brielle. Shit.

  I move us forward, refusing to meet her wandering eyes as she watches us. Brielle is my latest submissive, and one that feels emotionally attached to me even now. I have to admit that her training was long and intense, an absolute fire cracker when I found her on the streets of Los Angelos. Submissive now, but only to me and Lilith. She puts up a fight with everyone else and they all know the attention I give her is…different than the other girls.

  There’s a final stage in my training, the most important one truthfully. Each of my girls undergo a full week of staying with Lilith. By her side, in her bed, at every meal and function and outing. During this time, they bond with her, they feed her, they fuck and sleep and talk and fuck and feed again.

  They grow closer. Lilith takes the lead on their ownership, and their allegiance falls with hers over my own. This time is absolutely crucial to their role in her harem.

  It’s also in this stage that I get everything I want and need from this. I get to release them, forgo dealing with their emotions and attachments and mental stability. Lilith takes over all of this, and I can move forward without a single bond holding me back. They easily feed all four of us, but their true connection lies with Lilith and Lilith alone.

  Except Brielle. She’s a been a difficult break in shifting her true draw to my sister.

  “Uh oh,” Aggie giggles quietly, turning on her heels and skipping toward the door ahead of us. There’s a single stone in the center, just like each of the other seven doors lined across the wall. Each stone is different however, holding various facets and characteristics unique to them. Skilla’s door contains Lapis Lazuli, which encourages love, intuition, inner truth.

  My favorite stone of them all.

  A strange spark of relief hits my chest at the notion of this specific room belonging to Skilla. But there’s no reason for that, and I blame these unfortunate thoughts on the fact that I’m starving.

  “Ahead,” I say, holding back every ounce of emotion I could possibly feel. “This one is yours.”

  Skilla moves silently, not meeting a single gaze as we pass the others. Aggie opens the door first and steps inside, a wide smile spreads across her face as she turns to face us and tucks her hands behind her back. “Well? What do you think?” she asks brightly, but Skilla doesn’t even have the chance to look around yet.

  Nonetheless, she answers her, and the severe bite to her tone doesn’t go unnoticed. “What do I think of what? The prison in which I’m being held against my will?” She looks around and steps deeper into the room. Turning toward Aggie, her voice is laced with sarcasm. “The pretty sheets will make my death much sweeter. Thanks, girl.” She matches Aggie’s smile, big and wide and showing her teeth.

  A mix of entertainment and humor ripples through me. I like this bit of fight in her, and sarcasm has strange ef
fects on libido. I love a girl who bites back. But Aggie’s reaction is different, and the smile immediately falls from her face as she stalks toward Skilla.

  I shut the door behind us quickly, noticing just at the last minute that Brielle was stepping toward us. I close her out, and the others, but as I turn my attention back toward my sister and Skilla, I find them pressed against one of the posts around her bed. Aggie’s chest is tightly up against Skilla’s, her hands around her throat while her face is tilted back and her eyes boring into my sisters.

  “Do you think you can hurt me?” Skilla asks, as if she has no idea what we can do to her. God, she has to be lying to herself. She knows she isn’t in Kansas anymore.

  “Oh darling, I know I can.” Aggie hisses dramatically. “Now, I designed this entire space for you. I washed the sheets, I picked out your pillows. I filled the fucking potpourri in those dishes over there you ungrateful bitch.” She nods to the grand dresser on the left side of the room. Black and gold, with a dish of said potpourri and also a vase of white and blue roses decorating the top.

  White and blue. I roll my eyes at the obvious gesture. I swear, Aggie is always one step ahead and is outrageously talented in reading emotions.

  “All right, you two. Come on.” I step forward, my hand gripping my sisters upper arm as I pull her back and free Skilla from her hold. I turn toward Aggie, “Let us be. You’ve done a fine job here and I’m sure Skilla is beyond thankful for what you’ve done.”

  “No, I am—” she starts, but I snap my angry eyes toward hers in a way that has her shutting up instantly.

  Aggie huffs, crossing her arms over her chest as she turns toward the door and stalks away from us. “She better be, or I’ll have my own fun with her the next time I’m hungry.”

  The hell she will. My mind instinctually reprimands, but I shake the thought free and give her a half smile instead. “Leave, I have work to do.”

  Aggie’s face splits into that grin again, she leans slightly, so she can look around my frame and meet Skilla’s eyes. My sister lifts her fingers in a little wave as she departs. “Have fun!”