by Terri Pray
His jaw tightened, lips pressed into a tight, thin line. His eyes were now so dark that she could not even see herself reflected in his gaze. “You will learn how wrong you are, little slut. And you will learn it well in my hands.”
Celeste fell silent and lifted her chin, waiting for his next move. There was nothing she could do right now except wait for whatever he intended to do to her. He didn't move though, he just stared at her, his cold, cruel smile chilling her to the core.
When he moved she tensed. He lowered down, claiming her lips, his tongue sliding between them with a low growl. She tried to pull away, to stop him from kissing her, but there was nothing she could do. He covered her mouth, one hand tangled in her hair, holding her in place.
She whimpered, his lips bruised hers with the brutality of the kiss. She tried not to respond to what he was doing, but her body shivered beneath his.
No, I won't react to him.
Too late. Her body heated beneath his. Her nipples tightened into hardened pips. Heat rippled between her thighs. Her inner walls clamped. Her clit ached. Slick heat threatened to coat her sex and she trembled within his kiss. A soft jolt played through her hips, and his growl vibrated through his lips.
His tongue probed between her lips, tasting her, testing, threatening to conquer her if she didn't find a way to fight back against him. Except a part of her craved this, even if she could only take it from him. Davien had made her this way. He had opened the flood gates in her and now, now she was trapped with a need she had little or no control over.
“That's it, give yourself to me.” He broke the kiss and growled down at her. “You want this. You need it. You need me.”
No, I need Davien, I'm stuck with you. God, how she wanted to tell him the truth, but it would have done her no good. She wasn't going to answer and it didn't appear to matter to him. Just as long as she responded to him, that was all he cared about.
With one hand still tangled in her hair he forced her head back, tipping her chin upward. His free hand moved down to her dress, grasping her dress at the neck. She knew what was coming even before he yanked it down, ripping the dress from her body in one, long, strip.
“Beautiful. You still haven't allowed the sun to touch your body.”
Why would she? Celeste was no fool. The sun would have left her skin red and raw in places, not something she wanted to experience. She hadn't done it for him. Ignorant asshole.
He growled, biting at her neck, scraping his teeth across her sensitive skin. She groaned, trying to fight the wave of sensation that now played over her body and into her core.
Don't fight it. Use him, don't let him know it, just use him. Let him have what he wants and then it will be over and done with.
What other choice did she have?
Submit to him? That wasn't an option. Not anymore. She'd never do that. It wasn't a part of her nature to want to submit to him. Davien was the only one who had ever made her feel like that...
Tearlach bit at her breast, easing his way down her curves until he locked his teeth around one firm nipple. She tried not to groan, her body tightened beneath his, heat rippling through her body, her thighs tight as she struggled not to give into desire that he triggered in her being. It had been too long since she had been truly dominated.
“Yes, sweet, hot and ready to writhe for me. I can feel it in your body, in the way you move.” He licked across her trapped nipple. Her body ached beneath his. Her core coated with a liquid heat. “You will be mine again. Fully. A few days at most and you will be ready to kneel to me in public, as it was always meant to be between us.”
Meant to be? Nothing was meant to be between them. Not if she had anything to do with it.
So why did her body have other ideas?
Her thighs parted at his insistence. The firm nudge of his knee between them giving her no choice but to let him slide between her legs. Davien, I need Davien for this. But he wasn't here. Nor could she imagine he would just walk into her room. No, he was...
A loud rap on the door jolted them both and Tearlach growled, looking at her. “Who is that?”
“How the hell should I know?” Celeste hissed, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. “I can't see through walls.”
He growled, glaring at her and rolled off the bed. “If I've found you've set me up... ”
How could she have set him up? She hadn't even known he was going to be at her door, let alone try and force his way into her room like this? Celeste scowled and rolled off the bed, grabbing a robe to use to shield her body. Whatever was about to happen she wasn't going to make it look as though she was a willing partner with Tearlach.
“Who is it?” Tearlach didn't open the door, but asked through it instead.
“Davien Blood.” His voice carried through the heavy wood and sent a shiver down Celeste's spine. “Open the door, Tearlach.”
“Why should I?” Tearlach growled, his entire body tensing as Celeste watched him. “You're not welcome here.”
“Either let him in, or leave.” Celeste raised her voice enough that she was certain Davien had heard her words.
Tearlach turned enough to look at her, his gaze narrowed. “This isn't over between us.”
“I didn't think it was.” Celeste tied her robe and lifted her chin, watching the door closely. “Now, let him in. It's rude to keep someone waiting.”
Tearlach yanked the door open and glared at Davien. “What did you want?”
“To talk with Celeste, obviously.”
“Well, talk with her then, but I'm staying.”
Celeste sighed and shook her head. “You're both enough to drive a woman to drink.”
“Or to her knees.” Davien swept into the room, barely even looking at Tearlach. “Something going on here that I should know about?”
“Tearlach was just pressing his luck.” Celeste waved to the chairs in her room. “Sit down, gentlemen, please.” This was her room, her rules, they would accept them or leave. That was the only choice they had.
“And just what was going on here?”
“Does it really matter right now, Davien?” She replied as calmly as she could, though her voice shook softly. “There are matters that need to be discussed if you are both going to insist on hounding my every step.”
“It does matter, I walk in to find you nude but for a wrap and Tearlach in your room.” His voice was oddly calm as he sat down, and Tearlach followed him, his gaze dark, hate filled, silent as he slumped into the other chair. “Has something happened between the two of you that I should know about?”
“No he just... ”
“She's agreed to be my bitch.”
“Like hell I did.” Celeste growled, staring at him. “I never agreed to any such thing!”
Tearlach smiled coldly. “Prove otherwise.”
“No, I think you miss the point, unless I agree with you, publicly, Jamezen will not believe you. Something both of you should keep in mind. And with that it would be best if you left, Tearlach. I don't want you in my room.”
“Yet you'll allow Davien to remain when you've submitted to me?”
“I have not submitted to you, and if I had then you'd have the right to tell me what to do, nor would I be able to say who stayed and who left my room. Now leave, before I have Davien call the guards.”
“That won't be needed. I'll see him out myself.”
The two men glared at each other for several long minutes before Tearlach finally stood up and walked out of the room without a backward glance.
“Now, it's time you told me just what was going on between you and Tearlach before I jump to conclusions... ”
Chapter Eight
Celeste stared at the closed door. With Tearlach out of the way one wave of pressure was eased, but another remained, and a third in the form of Davien. Her body was still suffering the play of arousal through her being. What was she supposed to do about that?
Oh, she was certain Davien would have an answer if she mentioned it t
o him.
“You look unsettled... ”
“Just, it wasn't pleasant... ”
“How did he get into your room, I presume you didn't invite him, Celeste?” He settled back down into the chair, his voice oddly quiet.
“He forced his way in.”
“And you didn't call the guards because?”
“I couldn't when he was forcing his way in and after that it was too late, the laws— well I'm sure you're aware of the one I mean.”
“Yes, I believe I am.” He nodded, his voice oddly calm. “So there was no one around to see him force his way into your room?”
“No, if there had been I don't think he'd have done it, too risky.” Celeste's throat tightened. “He's angry, but not a complete idiot.”
“That's a matter of opinion, Celeste. What I've seen of him, the way he acts, the blustering and stomping, those are signs of a fool as far as I am concerned. He let you escape simply by turning his back on you and when you were barely in his grasp to begin with. At least I had a reason. I became— complacent.”
Celeste nodded, relaxing as he spoke. There was something soothing about the way he spoke right now, tempting the tension from her being until she couldn't view him as a potential problem. Mistake number one, don't let it slip to number two. “Perhaps it would be best if you left as well, Davien.”
“No, I don't think so.”
“And why is that?”
“Because you don't want me to leave, or you'd have told me to go. You didn't. If you truly didn't want me here you'd tell me to leave directly instead of simply suggesting it would be a good idea for me to leave.” He pushed, slowly, to his feet and looked down at her. “You want me here.”
No, I don't! So why hadn't she told him to leave? She had the ability, the words, he'd leave, she had a feeling he would just walk out of the door if she told him to. So why couldn't she form the words?
“Stand up, Celeste.”
“Why?”
“Because I'm asking you to do so.” His voice hardened, a sliver of steel running through his words. “And you need my touch.”
“No I— please... ”
“Please what, my Celeste?”
A shiver ran down her spine. She couldn't understand why he thought she still belonged to him, or why she hadn't protested how he addressed her. “I'm not yours, Davien.”
“A part of you still is, it's why you didn't protest when I said I'd make sure Tearlach left. You need to lean on me. It's a part of your nature now. You can't help it. You're submissive to me, Celeste.” He didn't raise his voice as he spoke, he didn't need to. The steel she heard, she felt in his voice, only reinforced her need to have him stay with her.
No, stop it before it goes too far. First Tearlach, now him, I can't let this happen to me.
“Deny it, if you can, but you need me.” He leaned down, taking her by the hands. “Stand up, Celeste.”
She moved, slowly, out of the chair. Her body shook, breath catching in the back of her throat. This wasn't right. She wasn't supposed to want to be with him, not with everything he'd done to her. He'd taken her, abused her, destroyed her life and now— now she craved him?
It just didn't make sense.
Yes, it does. I need him. He made me this way.
“Leave, please... ” She didn't get the chance to finish what she was saying to him as he pulled her close, into his arms fully. His lips closed on hers. All memory of the kiss Tearlach had forced on her faded from existence. She groaned as he wrapped his arms about her, pulling her closer, his chest pressed against her breasts. Her nipples hardened against his chest. Her pulse raced. She didn't know what to expect next and yet wanted it all from him, all and more besides.
His tongue teased between her lips, parting them in a kiss she had desired since he'd first walked into her room. How could she want him so badly? Need him with every breath when she knew he was bad for her. Dangerous. Even deadly.
Yet she craved him.
His tongued dueled with hers, tasting her. Sending her into the bliss of his touch. Her body tingled, arching to him. She knew she should fight this, or at least lay down the ground rules.
Now, before it's too late!
She pushed against his chest, breaking the kiss, gasping for breath as she did so. “Wait. Please.”
“For what?” He slid one hand into her hair, holding her tight.
“We need to talk first.”
“Do we?” He arched one eyebrow and looked down into her eyes. “And just what do we need to discuss, my submissive lady?”
She tensed at the words, but she couldn't deny the fact that she was submissive to him. “I just don't want there to be any misunderstandings over this. Whatever this is... ”
“This is you and I taking what we want and need.”
“And that's all. No commitment to be yours. No promise to kneel. No line about becoming your bitch.” She kept him at arms length, hoping it would sink in with him. “I am not going to let this be an excuse for other things, Davien.”
His brow crinkled, lips tightened. “And you think I would do that?”
“A part of you has already declared I belong to you, but it's not how I view things.” Her heart pounded, lips drying out as she forced the words into life. “This is nothing more than a moment, or two, of fun. Understood?”
“Yes, it is. Fine, then this is on my terms.”
“Yours? But won't that mean... ”
“Nothing that happens here will be discussed outside of this room, or my room, with anyone, but you are mine in this time. Mine, is that clear?”
“I— I... ”
“Yes, or no, Celeste.”
No, say no, get him to leave. He's not to be trusted. I know what he wants from me! “Yes.” The word slipped through her lips before she had a chance to stop it.
“Good.”
Celeste let out a sigh of relief.
“Mine,” he growled and grabbed her robe with one hand, his free hand snapped across her face in a loud crack.
Bright stars of light danced across her vision. A low moan of pain filled the air. She couldn't stand up straight, only the grip on her robe kept her upright, and then only until he threw her across the room. Celeste hit the bed hard and fast her thoughts in a whirl. How could he think it was all right to treat her like this?
“You humiliated me by running in the way you did.” He moved toward the bed, not giving her a chance to roll free of it. “I walked back into the room, expecting to find you there and you'd gone. It wasn't long before every guest at the party knew what you'd done.”
She tried to scramble out of the way, her robe open and half tangled about her body. He didn't give her the chance. He reached out and grabbed her robe, yanking her back across the bed toward him.
“You— you hit me.”
“As a start. You owe me for how you made me look in front of everyone at the party.” He rolled her over onto her stomach and yanked the robe from her body. “You will pay for that.”
“Please, don't!”
“You will accept this, slut, you have no choice as you agreed this was my way within these walls.” He growled and she tensed, hearing something pulled free. The sound of leather sliding free from cloth. A belt? He held her against the bed, giving her no way of escaping, only to then bring the leather down, hard and fast against her now bare ass.
Celeste screamed. She couldn't fight the pain she was being put through. The leather left a burning welt on her tight ass and all she could do was lay there and cry out. She tried to wriggle away from him, hoping to avoid the next blow but there was no escape from it.
“Stop struggling, slave.”
“I'm not a slave!” She struggled, trying to break free of him, but it was impossible. He was stronger than she was, she'd always known that.
“You are for now.” He growled, locking one hand tightly about her ankle, keeping her from breaking free. “Whilst we remain together within this room you are my slave, you will obey me and
you will accept the punishment that you so richly deserve.”
“I ran because it was the right thing to do.”
“And I paid the price for it, in the way I was humiliated, publicly, by your actions.”
“You'd have done the same thing if you'd been in my position.”
“I wouldn't have then allowed myself to be trapped in a room with my one time owner, knowing full well how angry he'd be at my actions.” He growled, and cracked the belt back down on her bare ass.
Celeste cried out, arching in pain from the blow. The new welt marked her buttocks and her thighs tensed. She couldn't believe she was letting him do this to her. Why hadn't she told him to leave?
The new strike of the leather pushed her thoughts away. Her body arched with each new harsh caress. She sobbed, clawing at the bed, trying to find a way free of him, of the pain, of everything that was going on. She couldn't let him do this. She couldn't put up with it.
She shuddered, trying to gain control of her body, but he had control of her. Her body was no longer her own. She was wrapped in pain, humiliation and pain.
“Sweet little colors and patterns. Yes, it's been a while since anyone put you in your place, Celeste.” Davien traced one hand over her welted ass, touching each welt gently, though it didn't stop her from whimpering in sheer pain. “You're a sweet little slave when you want to be, but a lot of that depends on the hand that controls you. You need a strong hand, Celeste. You always will do. Without it you will take control and destroy that person.” He lifted his hand and brought it down hard and fast on her already welted arse.
Her hips rolled, a low whimpering moan filling the air as she lay on the bed, trying to catch her breath. Heat built between her thighs. Despite everything she wanted him. Wanted more. Her core craved his touch. Her body ached for something she had no name for and yet knew all too well to begin with.
“Crawl up onto the bed fully. Put your head to the pillows, lift up on your hands and knees and part your thighs.”
Her body shook. She didn't want to move just yet. Her body ached, and she wanted time to recover from how she felt, but he wasn't giving her that option. Celeste groaned and pushed to her hands and knees, the welts tight across her buttocks. Shaking, her limbs weak, she climbed up the bed and lowered her head down to the pillows. Slowly she parted her thighs, her breathing faltering, fear grasping her soul for a brief moment.