by Lora Darc
Danielle turned back to him. “You can make up to me as well,” she whispered in a seductive voice.
Lord Torquel stilled, taken back by her sudden sharp confidence. “Yes…” he said in a low voice. “Perhaps I could.” Danielle let him draw closer this time and his cool hand grazed her face.
“Torquel!” snapped Prince Morgin. Lord Torquel flinched and drew away from her. They looked over at Prince Morgin who had set the nightwoman off his lap and was glaring at them. “Take our prisoners away. This night is finished.”
Lord Torquel bowed and moved away from Danielle. The princes watched him carefully as he signaled for the soldiers to take the Night Lords away. The Night Lords looked to Danielle one last time before being pushed out of the room. Their glances showed their concern and longing. She almost nodded to them but knew the princes watched and so didn‘t move.
The princes announced the festivities were done and the people cheered to them and bowed. The massive door was opened again and the people of the Nightlands were guided out to return to the city.
When everyone had left, the servants were ordered to clean and the nightwomen to leave. Prince Xaris came up to the stage and ripped away the webs and Danielle crumbled at his feet.
“It wasn’t so bad was it, little pet?” Prince Xaris asked, looking down at her, smiling. “It was beautiful to watch.”
Danielle found she couldn’t stand though she tried. She was too weak, too tired. Her body shaking in frustration from not being given release. Beads of sweat glistened along her back and chest and her thighs were wet. She clamped her legs together to keep from showing.
“She looks rather spent, poor thing,” came Prince Cyre’s amused voice, enlaced with a drop of pity.
“It seems she may need to be carried out…” spoke Prince Sethris in a low voice.
If Danielle didn’t know any better, she would have thought they actually seemed a tiny bit concerned for her. But she dared not think they cared for her in such a way.
Prince Morgin came to hover above her as well. She knew he was looking down at her, observing her carefully.
“Melina,” he called. Melina stepped off from the wall where she had been waiting patiently and bowed. “Have her carried back to her room.”
Melina bowed again and waved over a few servants to help pick Danielle up. As they carried her away Prince Morgin stopped them one last time.
“See to it that she is ready to serve us tomorrow before moonset,” Prince Morgin commanded.
“Certainly, your highness,” said Melina. “Would you like us to train her properly for your service beforehand?”
“No.” Danielle didn’t need to look to know Prince Morgin was smiling. “She is perfect as she is.”
Chapter 4
Danielle woke up at high moon groggy and sore, but surprisingly relaxed. The servants came and drew her bath and put out a tray of food, as usual, leaving her to ready herself for the night’s festivities. Melina came to her not long after to inform her that she would be serving the princes for a private dinner party and must be dressed and prepared by moonset like Prince Morgin commanded.
Danielle could barely dwell on what her role would be that night. As she laid out in the warm bath, her thoughts returned to the night before, remembering in detail the people’s eyes on her, the sharp pain of the paddle, and of the princes watching with delight. She was becoming deeply confused by her feelings toward them and the situation she was now in. Only a month ago, in Nightland time, she had been utterly terrified, unnerved, yet enthralled by her first encounters with the princes. Now, she felt... oddly compliant to their whims. Her fear was growing into a desire she still didn’t fully understand. The pain she had experienced had been... thrilling.
It was like how Sheek had said it would be. And now she was beginning to see just what the witch had been talking about.
But, despite these strange, new feelings, Danielle was still determined to remake the key orb and find a way back to her world. Even if she felt drawn to the princes—and even caring for the Night Lords who were now imprisoned somewhere in the palace—she missed her friends and family. She missed home.
As her thoughts continued to wander, Danielle took a bar of soap and began to lather her body. As she washed the sides of her arms, she turned her right hand over and stilled. On the inner side of her wrist, she caught bluish-black ink spots—or were they bruises?—marking her skin. Frowning, Danielle took soap to it and scrubbed hard, but they didn’t fade. She pressed lightly on her skin but felt no pain. She washed the soap away and looked closer and thought she could see tiny scales forming under her skin. She touched the spot again and it felt rough like leather.
The door opened and Melina stepped into the room.
“You’re still bathing? Ah, come now, girl, we must get out dressed. The princes will not tolerate lateness.” Melina gripped Danielle’s arm and gently pulled her out of the bath.
Servants came in to dry and dress her. Her hair was styled into a braid and her makeup was made dark and alluring just like the night before. This time the delicate little chains she adorned were black with white and purple gems dangling down her back and thighs. A headpiece of gems crowned her head and silver bangles adorned her ankles and wrists. When she looked into the mirror, she looked very much like how she had at the ceremony only now in darker shades.
When she was deemed ready, Danielle followed Melina out of the room with the other servants. As they walked the corridors toward the dining hall, Melina was kind enough to give her a hint at what to expect and advice on how to act.
“The other servants will be standing at the back, along the walls, awaiting any instructions,” she said. “But you will go directly to the table and await the princes’ orders.”
The closer they got to the dining hall the more people they encountered. Nobles strolled about as the palace was opened up for them to wander at their leisure, similar to how things had been within the mountain. In the open rooms they passed, people drank and conversed; little parties and gatherings that were spread out all around the palace. In the dining hall, they found the most people; eating and drinking as they so pleased. They walked down the way, to the other end where a stairway led up to a dim hallway beyond. Guards were seen standing to each side of the hall as they silently walked passed. At the end, they came to a tall, black door and stopped. Melina looked Danielle over then signaled for the guards to open the door. As they opened, Danielle glimpsed a tall, windowless room with a long table and a fire at the back. Paintings aligned the walls, similar to the ones she remembered seeing in the room she‘d woken up in her first night in the palace. Snarling, hungry beasts feasting on their prey.
Melina walked in first and bowed, announcing to the princes and their guests of Danielle’s presence. She returned to Danielle’s side and gestured for her to enter. Danielle stepped inside and immediately lowered her gaze. She heard the door close quietly behind her. She stepped up to the end of the table where no one sat and waited as she had been told.
The princes didn’t acknowledge her, nor did the others who sat with them. They were in heavy conversation. Danielle peaked around making sure not to catch any of their eyes and saw to the left of her Prince Xaris, Prince Ferien, and Lord Torquel. To the right was Prince Sethris, Prince Cyre, and—to her surprise—Lord Tyris. At the other end, directly opposite her, was Prince Morgin.
The table was set with plates for each of them but no food had yet been brought out, only goblets of wine were placed near them.
When she was finished observing what she could, Danielle began listening to their conversation.
“The rogue sorcerers in the East are becoming very troubling from what I’ve heard. Bringing up the dead. Perhaps they think to make an army?” said Lord Torquel.
Prince Sethris snorted. “A lot of good that will do them. We’ve tried that once before and the dead only stumble around like bumbling idiots.”
“Can’t expect the dead to be thinking much,�
�� Prince Cyre said. “Without minds left to do so.”
“Still, it is an annoyance I’m sure we’ll soon be dealing with. They always end up wandering into the kingdom,” said Prince Xaris.
“Then there’s the issue with the werewolf packs to the North,” Lord Torquel added. “I’m sure Lord Grabril has something to do with it…”
Danielle couldn’t help glancing over at Lord Tyris who sat quietly. He glanced over at her and she quickly looked away. When she dared look ahead of her, Danielle saw Prince Morgin also sitting silently, sipping at his wine. She didn’t see his eyes but suspected he was watching her.
Doors to the right opened and several servants entered the room pushing in carts with trays of food. They placed the carts on each side of Danielle and she glimpsed over to see one tray had an assortment of red fruit and the other had thick stacks of meat. The servants came back and filled each plate with a dark red sauce that looked almost like blood. They then took their positions against the far wall.
“Let us worry about these little issues later,” spoke Prince Morgin. “Our pet, I’m sure, is eager to serve us.”
Danielle bowed as she was told to and said nothing. As Melina had instructed her, she went to the tray of fruit first and began picking it up with two hands.
“No, not like that.” Prince Morgin stopped her. “You will keep the tray where it‘s at.”
Danielle tensed and set the tray down. She looked for a spoon or fork but found none. The princes began to laugh.
“You aren’t to use your hands at all,” Prince Morgin commanded. “You serve us using your mouth. If you fail to so you will be punished.”
Danielle’s heart fluttered. Sweat began to perspire at the center of her back and down the nape of her neck. Heat rose in her face, but her expression remained unchanged.
Humiliating. But I won’t let them think I’m embarrassed.
She looked to the tray of fruit. The fruit was called a blood peach and had an extremely soft outer layer while the innards were filled with sweet red juice. If she bit too hard the juice would burst and spill out.
Thinking quickly she took up the round piece of fruit in her mouth then climbed on to the table. On all fours, she went to Lord Torquel first who was seated closest and placed the fruit carefully on his plate. After she went back to the tray they continued talking about other matters she didn’t care to listen to. She took up another piece of fruit and went to Lord Tyris next.
Lord Tyris’ hands were placed on top of the table where Danielle could see cuffs around his wrists. As she lowered her head down to his plate, she felt his hand graze against her own. Subtly he caressed her hand then remained motionless as she carefully dropped the fruit on his plate and lifted her head back up.
She dared not look him in the eye in fear of the princes—especially Morgin—seeing. She went to the tray again and picked up more fruit in her mouth, trying to bite down hard enough to keep it from slipping, but gently enough from biting all the way through and making a mess.
Carefully she took the fruit and crawled down to Prince Ferien. She could taste the sweet juice of the fruit in her mouth as she set it onto his plate. She licked her lips and raised her head and saw the fish prince lift his hand to her face. He clicked at her softly and wiped away some of the juice spilling down her chin with his thumb. He brought it up to her mouth and Danielle knew enough of what he wanted. Carefully she took his thumb between her lips and licked away the juice with her tongue. The prince growled with satisfaction and she again turned away, crawling back to the tray of ripe fruit.
She went to Prince Cyre next and glimpsed him grinning at her. As she went to lower her head, his hand shot out and gently curled around her neck; talons pricking at her skin. Danielle flinched and stilled, juice began to trickle down the corners of her mouth. He plucked the fruit from her lips and set it onto his plate. Danielle again licked her lips and instinctively lifted her hand to wipe away the juice now beginning to seep down her jaw to her neck. The crow prince gripped her wrist, however, and stopped her, shaking his head.
“No hands,” he growled in her ear and released her. Danielle bowed her head and let the juice continue its course down her neck and chest.
Her jaw trembled as she brought fruit to Prince Xaris at the other end of the table. He too was smiling as he watched her, his long fingers drumming the top of the table. Danielle stiffened before him, waiting for him to strike, but the spider prince did not move to touch her as she dropped the fruit onto his plate. The red juice dripped from her chin and more spilled down her neck and chest, turning sticky as it dried on her skin.
Danielle took up another fruit and carefully made her way to Prince Sethris. As she placed herself before him, she glimpsed his hands on the table and watched them slowly turn into fists. As her jaw trembled, Danielle feared to drop the peach and so quickly lowered her head and placed the succulent fruit on his plate. But, as she lifted her head to turn, the vampire prince shoved his plate away then caught her arm and dragged her to him. Danielle gasped as he took hold of her braid and made to twist her head to the side so that her throat was exposed before him. Growling, he came down on her and licked and sucked at the drops of sweet liquid that clung to her skin.
Danielle heard the princes laugh low as they watched while Lord Tyris and Torquel remained silent, still as statues.
“Impatient and impulsive as always, Sethris.” Prince Morgin sighed. “Let the poor thing go, you’ll have your chance with her again soon enough.”
Prince Sethris growled again and released his mouth from her neck. He bared his fangs and Danielle quivered under him. “Damn all this waiting, I want to finish what we started before,” he hissed down at her. “I want her sweet taste again…”
“You’re not the only one…” Prince Morgin said, his expression turning dark. Danielle understood what he meant. He still hadn’t had his turn with her and she could only imagine his intense frustration.
Prince Sethris released her and Danielle righted herself, keeping her head bent downward. She paused for a moment trying to regain her composure.
“Well, don’t just sit there, girl,” Prince Morgin suddenly snapped, the frustration seeping now into his voice. “Get on with it and move quicker, we don’t have all night.”
Growing tense, Danielle quickly turned and accidentally hit Prince Xaris’ plate with her foot. Thankfully nothing spilled out, but Danielle nearly cursed under her breath and made to hastily, but carefully, make her way back to the other end of the table to retrieve the final piece of fruit.
Shaking worse now, it took her a few tries to pick the fruit up with her mouth and grip it well enough to not drop it. The trembling in her jaw grew so bad she had to pause for a moment in the middle of her crawling as the peach began to slip. She lifted her head up to keep it in place and blindly crawled down the rest of the way. The conversation by then had turned quiet as they watched her, tension cutting through the room like lightning. She stopped before Prince Morgin and hesitated, fearing the fruit would fall. Instead of lowering her head, Danielle made to lower her shoulders and upper body, leaving her rear up and exposed.
Too afraid of dropping the fruit at the wrong time, Danielle didn’t catch Prince Cyre and Prince Xaris smile at each other nor see Prince Cyre lean forward and lift his hand to her rear.
The crow prince’s talon sliced across her backside and Danielle jumped and cried out as the sudden, quick shock of exquisite pain shot through to her core. The peach fell from her mouth and plopped heavily on to the edge of Prince Morgin’s plate, juice splattering the table. Danielle looked down in horrified silence and noticed a small drop already staining Prince Morgin’s neatly made suit jacket.
A hissing sound filled the room and Prince Morgin slowly stood up from his lavish seat. His hands turned to fists at his sides and Danielle was afraid he might hit her. She clenched her teeth and closed her eyes, waiting for the blow, but it never came. Instead, she heard the sharp crash and clanging of dinnerwa
re as Prince Morgin threw his plate to the ground.
“Clumsy... careless... unacceptable!” Prince Morgin seethed before her. “Turn around... now!”
Danielle flinched and did as told. She swerved around hitting several of the other plates as she did so. The princes growled at her and she felt the heat rise to her face once again. She felt Prince Morgin grip her thighs and pull her toward him and force her legs open. She didn’t see the narrow paddle he took out but certainly felt it as it cracked hard against her rear several times in quick succession. Danielle was too stunned to even cry out and before she could even register the pain twisting into sweet pleasure, Prince Morgin flung away the paddle and had her turn around to look at him.
“Get on your back,” he hissed.
Danielle did as told. She turned and flipped around and Prince Morgin pushed her down so that she lay out on the table before them.
“Sit back down, Lord Tyris, there’s nothing you can do for her,” Prince Morgin said to the dragon lord who had stood from his seat as if contemplating lunging at Prince Morgin from across the table. He hesitated at first and looked down at Danielle.
“It was an accident, Prince Morgin, there’s no need to resort to such measures. Why not leave her be…” Danielle could sense the hostility in Lord Tyris’ voice despite trying to remain calm.
“She is ours to do with what we please. Now sit back down and watch in silence if you don’t care to participate,” Prince Morgin said. “As for you…” Morgin looked down at Danielle and shot her with a wickedly playful grin. “If you so much as move we will only make it harder for you.” Danielle heard his brothers laugh. “If you can’t properly serve us, then I suppose you’ll do better as a main course.”