A Captured Spirit

by Dakota Black

  He refused to let her go, his tongue plunging into her very core.

  “Zach! I…”

  Rubbing his mouth across her thigh, he whispered, “Come for me.”

  She swallowed and licked her lips before nodding and letting go. “Aahhh!”

  The moment she squirted, cum flowing, he opened his mouth wide. Holding her steady, he licked with wild abandon, taking every drop.

  “Oh… yes,” she whispered, her head lolling down.

  When she stopped shaking he rose to his feet, holding the back of her head against his chest. “My beautiful submissive.”

  Cassandra was aware he’d laid her down and crawled on top, easing his legs between hers. She purred as he brushed his fingers across her cheek and neck, his eyes imploring.

  “I do love you.” Wiggling his hips, he thrust the entire length of his shaft into her pussy, his upper body shaking the moment he was inside. “Yes! So wet. So tight.”

  Lifting her legs, she positioned them around his waist as she caressed his chest. As he began to pump, harder and faster, she locked her feet together. The feel of his cock, the way he filled her left her breathless.

  Pulling out so just the tip was inside, he held his arms straight, leaning down so their noses could touch. A laugh pushed past his lips as he moved back and forth, teasing. “You are a bad girl.”

  “And you love me for that.”

  “Mmm… Perhaps I do, but you will need to be trained.” He moved again, pumping just the tip inside.

  She slapped at his chest, giving him an evil eye. “And you’re nothing but a tease.”

  “Am I now?”

  “Yes!”

  “I guess I’ll have to see about that.” A wry grin on his face, he shoved his hips into hers, the force knocking the wind out of both of them. Repeating the move, he ground his groin into hers, the sound of their bodies slapping together floating between them.

  As he began to thrust in and out, every move practiced, deliberate, she squirmed beneath him, her body quivering. Harder and faster he plunged, using his upper body strength to hover just above.

  Grabbing her leg, he pulled back her knee, changing the angle then rolled her onto her side.

  “Oh!” The way he pushed her leg up and began to fuck her from behind, every move becoming more savage, created waves of heat, beads of sweat. She clawed at the blanket, fisting the thick material and as he wrapped his body over hers, his hand covering her fist, she pushed back against him, clenching her pussy muscles.

  “Fuck!” Zach continued thrusting, yet his movements became erratic, matching his heavy breathing. “I… am going to…”

  Cassandra clamped down on her pussy muscles again until his body stiffened, his panting sounds becoming guttural.

  “Yes!”

  She could feel hot cum rushing into her cunt, filling her with his seed and for a few seconds, nothing else in the world mattered. Closing her eyes, she nestled against him, more comfortable than she’d been in her life.

  And yet the danger remained.

  Zach watched her sleep, her body curled in a fetal position, and couldn’t help but touch her soft skin, brushing the tip of his finger up and down the length of her arm. He didn’t have to lie with her, pretend to be something he wasn’t. She understood, embracing the damaged man inside, a darkened soul. Easing a strand of hair from her face, he let out the strangled breath he’d been holding and turned his attention to the water. Perhaps having her here wasn’t wise, but he was on his ground. Would the asshole dare to break the solace?

  He remained surprised he’d told her about his father but the burden of keeping the secret had been slowly killing him. She hadn’t condemned nor judged him in any way. For that he’d be forever grateful. As thoughts about the picture slithered into his mind, he growled under his breath. He’d been a fool not to follow up on the group of men who’d worked with his father. Maybe he’d been naïve in thinking he could simply vanish, start a new life.

  His mother had left him very little information about his father, but he’d researched the monster, putting pieces of his life prior to his death together. Thomas had betrayed everyone, including his tribe. The spirits were ready for their own level of retribution. The fact Cassandra was tied to visions from his past remained intriguing and a question requiring an answer.

  Leaning over, he kissed her on the cheek and rose to his feet, sauntering toward the water. He crouched down, running his fingers back and forth in the water. The cooling effect was instantaneous. He narrowed the names of the men down in his mind but sadly, even the picture might not help in his endeavor. He’d never met two of them and only the third by accident. Was it plausible to think that one of them remained alive and hell bent on revenge? At this point, anything was possible.

  At least he had an understanding of what he might be facing. Instead of being the hunted, he’d become the hunter, breaking the rules as well as the boundaries established by the asshole. And, he would stop at nothing to find the person responsible.

  Hearing the ring of his phone, he chuckled and decided to ignore it. Whoever was calling certainly couldn’t have good news. His anger and frustration swelled to the boiling point. “Think. You have to figure this out.”

  Dropping his head into his hands, he mulled over the possibilities. New Horizons was the key. He was certain of it. He was going to find out who Jeff Parker really was and where he’d gone. When his phone chirped again, he snarled and reached over, grabbing his jeans. After yanking the phone into the light, he shook his head. No fucking way. He had nothing to say to the man. He stopped the call from even being able to leave a voice mail and shoved his cellphone back into his pocket.

  “Penny for your thoughts.”

  Hearing the lilt of her voice, the way she was purring the words gave him another shiver of longing. As her hand rubbed around his neck, resting on his shoulder, he inhaled the sweet scent of their combined cum. “Penny won’t get you very far, lady. Might have to do better.”

  “Hmm… I guess I’ll have to owe you.” She lowered her head, allowing her long hair to drag back and forth across his upper torso. “I’m good for it.”

  “You are? Let me think.”

  “Who called?”

  “Mitchell and no, I’m not going to talk to him. I’m not ready.”

  “You’re going to have to at some point. He’s your friend.”

  “He doesn’t know me, not the real me anyway and enough of that.” Zach gripped her wrist, rubbing his fingers across her skin then yanked her around him, pulling her over his lap as he thumped down on the grassy knoll.

  “What are you doing?” Her tone playful, she swatted at the ground.

  “I think it’s time for another round of discipline. Don’t you?”

  “But I was a good girl.”

  “Who said good girls don’t need hard spankings?”

  Crack! Slap!

  “You’re terrible!” Cassandra kicked out her legs as she tossed back her arm.

  “No, you don’t. Stay in place or the punishment will be much worse.” Pushing her arm down to the ground, he patted her on the ass before beginning again.

  Whap! Pop!

  “Oh!”

  “Shush. The neighbors might hear,” he admonished, biting back a laugh.

  Crack! Pop!

  She continued to struggle but remained quiet, hissing as the spanking proceeded.

  Smack! Pop!

  He peppered her ass with hard spanks, savoring the way her skin reddened with every strike of his hand. A chill resonated deep in his spine, an admittance of his very intense desires. He wanted this heightened domination, his full control of her. The thought was both riveting as well as disconcerting. Could he turn into a monster like Michael? Like his father?

  Like father. Like son.

  No! He refused to think about the bullshit. This was right. This was… him.

  Crack! Pop! Slap!

  Moaning, she kicked her legs once more then eased both down and d
ropped her head.

  Smack! Slap!

  One after the other, he whipped her ass until his hand tingled, his breath skipping. For a few seconds, he was drawn into a dark cloud, a foggy moment as his vision faded, images flashing. No! He refused to fall into a wave of despair. He would prevail. He would find the asshole. He would save her.

  Pop! Crack!

  She seemed to sense his discord and pushed up with both hands, tipping her head and looking into his eyes. “Are you all right?”

  He was having difficulty breathing and pulled her into his lap, cradling her body against his. As he smoothed down her hair, allowing his fingers to become tangled in her long locks, he rocked back and forth. The light breeze had picked up in intensity, creating a swirl of smells, fragrances of flowers and grass. If only he could find peace. “I’m fine. You’re here with me.”

  Pushing back, she kissed his chin. “We’ll get through this.” She took his hand into hers, holding his fingers against her heart. Her smile faded as her fingers dug into his skin.

  “What’s wrong?” He could tell she was envisioning something, a flash or a vision. “What are you seeing?”

  She opened her mouth, croaking as her entire body began to shake. “I don’t know. Something is wrong. We need to get back.”

  “Where? To the house?”

  Nodding, she struggled to climb off his lap. “We need to go now.”

  He watched as she collected her things, dressing quickly. A wave of knowing filtered into his system. She was right. There was a problem and for the few seconds they were connected, he could see the same vision. A man was coming.

  When they were dressed and on the horses, he moved the gun, securing it behind his back before wrapping his hand around Jackson’s reins. “Why do I feel like I’ve known you my entire life?”

  She smiled but her eyes remained filled with sadness. “We were meant to be.”

  Allowing the reins to flow through his fingers, he remained sitting on Jackson as she trotted off. Whatever was coming to a head would change both of their lives. He only wished he could see into the future instead of the past.

  They rode in total silence, both lost in their respective trains of thought until they reached the area just before the end of the trees.

  Cassandra patted Luther, her eyes scanning the horizon. “I had a wonderful time. You are so very special.”

  This time, the words seemed to sting, as if she knew their euphoria couldn’t last. The moment they broke free of the forest, he could see what appeared to be the front of a vehicle. He held back, studying the car, a sickening feeling pooling into the pit of his stomach. There was no avoiding the inevitable.

  As they neared, he could make out the make of the vehicle as well as the official lettering. The police had arrived. He swallowed hard as they entered the corral.

  “What are they doing here?” she asked as he helped her off the horse.

  “The car accident. I was followed by two men who tried to run me off the road and they succeeded. Perhaps they have some information.” But he knew better. His gut told him otherwise. This was entirely something else.

  “Zach. You should tell the police everything, including your suspicions. You have no idea how much danger you’re facing.”

  “I don’t even know what those are as of yet.” His entire world had been about danger.

  She touched his arm. “You do. I can see that. Talk to them. Perhaps they can help.”

  Zach guided the horses into their stalls and pulled her in close. “Just remember, things are not always as they seem.” Kissing her lips, he walked out of the barn. Two officers were standing just outside the fence, waiting. Watching. “Officers. What can I do for you?”

  Officer Gentry took two steps forward. “Afternoon, Zach. Miss. We need to have a talk privately.”

  “There is nothing you have to say that Miss Jeffries can’t hear. Did you find something regarding the wreck?” Zach looked from one to the other. Both men remained in dark shades, their faces pensive.

  Officer Gentry exhaled and inched closer, holding up a warrant. “I’m going to have to ask you to come down to the station.”

  “For what reason?” Zach pressed.

  Officer Gentry took another step forward. “Would you like to tell me about the amputated finger we found inside your house?”

  Cassandra opened her mouth and tipped her head. “What are you talking about?”

  “Another gift from the asshole,” Zach said under his breath. “I have nothing to tell you. The package was sent to me a couple of days ago by an unknown sender.”

  “Uh-huh,” the second officer said, the single word exaggerated.

  “So, you were being threatened, Mr. Goodman? Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?” Officer Gentry exhaled and scanned the perimeter of the ranch. “That’s not something I’d want to keep a secret, especially given the fact supposedly two men were chasing you, shooting into your car.”

  “Zach. Christ,” she whispered between clenched teeth.

  “I had a feeling you wouldn’t understand.” Zach realized what a horrible position he’d placed himself in. “Why the warrant? You had no other information, no reason to obtain a warrant. I’ll need to speak to your superior.”

  Officer Gentry removed his sunglasses, his eyes darting back and forth. “I assure you, you’ll be given all related information down at the station.”

  “I’m not going,” Zach stated.

  “Yes, you are. Mr. Goodman, I’m afraid we’re going to have to place you under arrest,” the second officer said as he moved to Zach’s side.

  “What? What in the hell are you getting at?” Cassandra huffed and flanked Zach’s side.

  “For the murder of Sandra Mullins.”

  Zach heard the words, the inflection as the second officer read him his rights, but his mind went straight to another location, a darkened cesspool of anger and hatred.

  “What do we have here, Mr. Goodman?” The second detective pointed to the gun. “Hand it over, right now. Right now.”

  The same chill remained as he eased the gun from his waistband, holding the barrel with two fingers. “For protection.”

  “Of course,” Officer Gentry took the Glock, checking the safety then shook his head. “You’ve got a hell of a lot of questions to answer.”

  “I didn’t kill that girl,” Zach insisted. He was going to be framed for another murder. Perfect. Karma coming full circle.

  “Save it for the detectives. Hands behind your back.”

  “You can’t do this. On what grounds?” Cassandra barked as she got in Officer Gentry’s face.

  “Ma’am, I can’t divulge the evidence. Please step out of our way.” The second officer snapped the handcuffs in place.

  “It’s okay. Call Mitchell. He’ll know what to do.” Zach knew he was saying the words but had no idea if they made any sense. One thing he did know, this had been planned.

  “Let’s go over this again.” The detective glared down at Zach as he paced back and forth. “You meet Ms. Mullins at a local club, a kink club and you had sex with her.”

  Zach lifted his head. “As I told you, I didn’t know her outside of the club and it’s called Club Ravage in case you’d like to check on the credit card I used. I met with her once and that was it. We performed acts of kink and nothing more. I have no knowledge of who would try and hurt her.”

  “Why did she have your business card in her apartment?”

  He looked up at the detective, regretting the single ridiculous deed. “Detective Waters. She seemed like a nice girl and not one who would frequent or work in a club of that nature. I thought I could talk to her outside of the club and possibly influence her to find another line of work. Nothing more.”

  “Uh-huh. Right. And why would you be frequenting a place of this nature, Mr. Goodman?”

  Hearing the chiding tone, he grimaced. “Many people, including several officers of the law frequent those types of establishments. There
is nothing either immoral or illegal about doing so.”

  “Of course.” The detective rubbed his jaw. “What about the gun?”

  “I’ve owned that piece for years. I have it for protection only.” Zach gritted his teeth. Time to ask for an attorney.

  “Then, there’s the finger. An interesting find I must admit. I don’t suppose you’d happen to have any idea who it belongs to?” Detective Waters snickered.

  “That’s it, Detective. I’m not answering any additional questions. I’m an attorney and what you have is circumstantial at best. There is no reason for you to be holding me. I demand to be set free,” Zach stated, his tone harsh.

  “That’s where you’re wrong, Mr. Goodman. We do have additional evidence.”

  “And what the hell would that be?”

  Detective Waters grinned and inched closer, lowering down and placing his hands on the table. “We have your fingerprints all over her apartment.” When the words sunk in, he continued. “In fact, you’re our number one suspect.”

  Cassandra waited until they’d left before heading for her car. In shock, she had no idea what to think. The moment she opened her car door, she remembered the picture and headed back into his house, snagging the photograph from the counter. This was given to him for a reason and she was going to find out why. While she didn’t have Mitchell Rush’s phone number, she did know approximately where he lived.

  Five miles away.

  And the man was going to come clean. She also had to get Zach an attorney. The statements from the police were confusing. If Zach continued to be sent threatening letters, photographs and a human finger, then whoever was torturing him was preparing for an end game. She refused to be a participant.

  Her grip on the steering wheel remained tight, leaving her fingers aching and the drive proved to be futile. She went up several roads, all leading to dead ends. There had to be an area or a street she was missing. Pulling over to the side, she slammed her hands on the steering wheel. Why did she have a terrible feeling that she was going to be too late to help him? Her hands shaking, she pulled out her phone, checking her location and the surrounding map.