I couldn't think or speak, James' words opening a part of me I'd buried and vowed to keep close. He...still loves me. He did this all for me? But why? Why couldn't he just tell me?
"I'm hanging up, James. Remember, we're meeting at Storm's grave in two hours." She didn't wait for his reply before hanging up the phone.
Erica threw the device to the floor, giving me a fake smile as her tears slowly subsided. "Guess you've figured it out now."
"Figured what out?" I questioned.
"Hmm. You're not as smart as I thought. I guess you haven't seen all of Storm's memories."
"All of her memories. How do you even know about that?!"
"If you researched hard enough, you'd know that anyone who has a bit of someone else's magic essence inside of them will experience the memories of said person. I guess yours need a trigger." She sighed. "I'll be generous this once and tell you."
She walked to her chair and sat down, crossing her legs and placing her chin in her hands while staring at me.
"What's your opinion about Storm and me?" Erica asked.
"You hate each other," I replied with confidence. I lifted an eyebrow when she laughed loudly, wiping away fresh tears that formed from her laughter.
"People still think that? Wow, we did a good job."
"What...you mean...that's how it felt!" I snapped.
"That's what her magic wants you to feel because that is the lie Storm Yuna took to her grave," Erica revealed. She crossed her arms over her chest and reclined to rest her back against the chair.
"As far as anyone knew, Storm and I were the typical mortal enemies who hated each other. We fought whenever we could, competing against each other. But of course, she always was better," Erica began, appearing deep in thought. She smiled, the expression looking pure, unlike her usual evil grins and smirks.
"She was my first crush. I knew the laws and our culture were against it, but that only made it more daring. I knew she felt the same, and when she was sixteen, I took the scary initiative and kissed her." Erica lifted her gaze to look at me. "And I loved it. I was amazed at how soft her lips were and how wonderful it felt to run my hands through her long silver locks, and her eyes! Those beautiful jewels that made all the boys beg for a glance, were locked only on me...but what excited me the most? Storm kissed me back." Erica whispered the last part, tears forming in her eyes.
"She felt the same love that I did for her. She loved me, this crazy side of me, and I almost thought we could have a future together. We'd keep our dirty little secret hidden, and once Storm played lover with those men of yours for a while, she was going to feign her disappearance and run away with me. That was, until James killed her."
"Wait...so you’re saying you two were together before she was with the guys?!" I was horrified, at a loss for words at what I was hearing. Storm...cheated?
"Are you shocked to find out that Homatomashi’s idol mage wasn't loyal to the men she claimed to love? I guess I don't blame you. I can see you love them. You look at Yoshimitsu with love, just like you do the others. Sadly, my Storm only had eyes for me. She needed her guards to be loyal to her, so she manipulated them one by one to ensure they would never betray her. Shocking, yes, but not everything that glitters is gold."
Erica stood up and walked towards me. "Storm Yuna was my lover. It was a hard secret to keep, especially with that perceptive quiet boy with those mismatched eyes. He was a snooper, which I guess makes sense considering he was once an assassin," she revealed.
"Haru..." I whispered.
"Ah yes, him. He almost caught on, or maybe he did, who knows? Poor guy probably didn't say anything for the sake of not hurting the team. A bunch of broken, scarred men who were willing to come together because of their love of a woman who was just using them. Quite entertaining if you ask me." She giggled.
"I didn't," I muttered, glaring at her. "Don't talk about my men like that."
"Oh, there's that fierce side of you. I like,” she hummed. I opened my mouth to speak, but then a loud noise echoed through the room. My left cheek burned from the impact of her slap.
"I think you forget who’s in charge here."
"Maybe, but I don't care if you're fucking in charge. Don't talk about my men like that. Maybe Storm was a manipulative bitch like you, but I'd never stoop so low to use those men who were willing to risk their lives for her! They loved her, and all she did was manipulate them! Fuck, she acted like an angel when she was the devil inside!" I screamed.
Erica frowned. I braced myself for another slap when she raised her hand, but she paused.
Her expression changed as if an idea had popped into her head, and she lowered her hand. "Sit up,” she ordered.
I didn't want to comply, but I knew it would just backfire on me if I refused. I sat up on my knees, my wrists still bound in place. I noticed the wounds on my legs; the lash marks were red, and others were crusted with dried blood.
"Have you ever been pleasured by a girl?" she asked.
I frowned, glaring daggers at her, and she grinned. "Guess that's a no," she purred, reaching out to wrap her hand around my neck. I braced for her to clench my throat, but she didn't.
Instead, she pressed me against the cement wall behind me. Her ruby eyes darkened and filled with heated desire as she looked at my lips, licking her own in anticipation.
My body froze and I trembled, tears rolling down my flushed cheeks as I felt her hand trail down my body to my legs.
She grinned in satisfaction, and I closed my eyes, not wanting to see the pure joy on her face with what I knew she was about to do. Just let it be over...please.
"Hm...I have some time to spare,” she whispered. I opened my eyes to see her wide grin. "I'd love to shove my fingers inside that pussy everyone seems to be so crazy about and make you cry out because of me, but I'll hold off. Well...only if you do something for me."
I gulped and stared into her eyes. "What?"
"Bite me."
"What?" I asked, feeling I must not have heard her correctly.
"Bite my neck."
"Why?" I asked, staring at her with a look of confusion.
"I've heard when a Kitsune shifter bites their lover, the area becomes so sensitive it's like having an orgasm with a simple lick. I want to experience that."
"I...won't..." I trailed off, unsure what to do. She slid her hand between my legs and I gasped, feeling her fingers tug the silk fabric of my underwear to the side, two of her fingers positioned at my entrance.
"Crimson. Either give me what I want, or I'll be more than happy to play with you all evening until you beg to bite me,” she threatened.
"Fine..." I whispered. Sadistic bitch!
My Kitsune came right to the surface, and my ears and tails appeared within seconds. "It....may take a few tries...I've never done it before," I confessed, playing innocent.
"Sure. A little pain is always fun during sexy time." Erica giggled with joy. I bit my lip, slowly leaning in to lick the nape of her neck. I closed my eyes and bit her hard, making sure I wouldn't make her bleed, but allowing my pent-up fear to spike through me. Please work.
Erica flinched, clearly in pain, but she let out a soft giggle and sighed. "Now, try again, my love." She hummed.
I pulled away and went to the other side of her neck, taking a calming breath. I closed my eyes and thought of the guys, wishing I was safe in their care.
My mind drifted away from the reality I was currently facing, imagining myself in a big bed with all of them instead.
We'd talk and tease Malachi and enjoy one another in a more intimate way. I'd take turns being taken by all of them...or maybe even two or three at a time.
Our moans would bounce off the walls, and I'd make sure I satisfied every single one of them until we were all spent and ready for bed.
Before falling asleep, I'd kiss each of them, one after another, and we'd talk about having more fun together again in the near future. Most importantly, I'd tell them how much I loved and cherished
them individually.
I bit her with those images coursing through my mind, the scene running on replay as I sank my teeth into her flesh. This time she moaned loudly, and I opened my eyes slightly to see her head fall back and her eyes drift closed. Her blissful expression told me it worked, and I licked the spot a little before moving away, listening to her pants and soft moans.
Erica smiled in satisfaction as she tried to catch her breath, lowering her head to stare at me. "That was a lot more than I bargained for." She moved her hand from between my legs and released me.
She stood up and laughed. "No wonder Kitsune shifters are sought out and sold in the sex market. You'd make me millions."
She twirled around happily, clearly in her own little world. After a moment, she stopped to stare down at me. "But I'd like to keep you all to myself. The fun we'd have. Maybe I could love you just like I did Storm." She clapped her hands excitedly.
"You're crazy...and Kitsune shifters are being sold to sex trades?" I had never heard of such things.
"Ah, you wouldn't know about that seeing as you were just a human until recently. Why don't you ask your so-called lover? Yoshi's best friend?" she suggested. Aki...?
"Anyways, I think that's enough talking. I'll leave the more pleasurable fun for tonight. In the meantime, we can do something else."
I gulped as I watched Erica walk back to her chair and pick up the whip. She snapped her fingers, releasing the bonds that held my wrists together. I didn't move though, knowing if I didn't comply, my punishment would be double, or even triple what I was about to experience anyways.
"Compliant, are we? Good, Crimson. That’ll make both of our lives easier. I'll go easy on you, I promise. Now remove your clothes and stand in the corner with your back to me,” she instructed.
I struggled to my feet...biting my lip hard as I tried to ignore the rage coming from my Kitsune. We could kill her just like that. But if she threatened to kill the guys who were in the area, I couldn't afford it. I'd die if anything happened to them, so I had to just risk it.
I stripped and walked to the corner, taking a deep breath when I heard her slap the cement with her leather whip, the sound echoing through the cell. I closed my eyes and zoned everything out. They will find me. They always find me.
"Let's have fun, starting with 100 lashes!" she said gleefully. "One..."
"Haru, it's a business trip. I'll be fine without guards, just like all the other times I've attended."
I stopped at the door of my hotel room and turned to face Haru, who didn't look convinced. "But-" he began, but I pressed my finger against his lips. He blushed, making me smile at his innocence.
I removed my finger from his mouth, replacing it with my lips. He pressed back, responding to the tender kiss with one of his own. We stood in the hall, making out with each other like we weren't going to see each other for a while. His hands moved to rest on my hips, and I moaned when he deepened the kiss. He didn't know what I was imagining to help me respond the way I was. He'd never know.
I allowed him to break the kiss, knowing if I ended it first, he might question my motives for rushing. He pressed his forehead against mine.
"Storm...you love me, right?" Haru asked.
I gazed into those vulnerable mismatched eyes and smiled. "Of course I do. Why would you think otherwise?" I asked, giving him a hurt look.
"It's not that...just...never mind. I'm just being silly,” he mumbled.
"Haru. I love you, just as I love the others. I'd have it no other way." I gave him a wide smile. I gripped onto his orange t-shirt and leaned up to kiss him again. He moaned quietly into my mouth and within seconds had me pinned to the door and was slipping his tongue between my lips.
I groaned, hoping the fake sound would quiet any suspicions he had of me. He pulled away when we were both out of breath and he blushed. "Sorry..."
"You didn't do anything wrong, silly. You should be more daring like that. It’s a big turn on," I whispered in his ear, giggling when his face turned bright red.
"I'm going back. The others and I are going to prepare for the peace movement meeting with the Council. We'll prepare everything, so when you return everything will be set for the signing of the peace contract."
"Excellent. Arigato, Haru. I'll see you soon, and don't worry." I slid my arms around his neck and leaned in to whisper into his ear. "When I come back, let's have some alone time. Just us." I used my teeth to tug his earlobe gently, something I knew he enjoyed.
He shivered, closing his eyes slightly and nodding. "Okay."
"Daisuki," I whispered.
"I love you too, Storm. Be safe. I’ll see you when you come back," Haru said, hugging me tightly. He pulled back and kissed me one more time before letting me go. I waved goodbye and watched him walk down the hall. He turned and gave me a final wave before stepping into the elevator. The doors came to a close with a ding a moment later.
I frowned, needing a moment to try and ward off an oncoming headache. This is getting risky.
I turned back to my door, pulling out the card key and pressing it against the entrance pad. The click of the door made me smile and I quickly slipped inside, shutting it behind me.
Closing my eyes, I activated the soundproof spell, ensuring no would hear our conversation or the activities I knew would follow.
"That one is SOOO clingy."
I grinned, looking over my shoulder to see my love. "Evening, Erica."
She got up from the sofa, wearing only a red lingerie set, which complemented her gorgeous slim build.
She made her way over to me, pulling me into a warm embrace. "I missed you,” she whispered.
"Me too. I'm so sorry. That assignment took longer than I expected. I couldn't leave right away due to those men having their issues. I had to keep up with my role." I sighed dramatically.
"C'mon, let me give you a massage?" Erica suggested. "You've had a hard two weeks. It's about time someone pampered you."
"How about we do something more exciting?" I purred.
She pulled back to meet my gaze. "Whips and handcuffs?"
"Anything you want. You've been patient and deserve a little reward." I hummed.
"You spoil me." Erica grinned.
"That's because I love you."
"Just a few more days. After the peace contract is signed, we'll finally be able to disappear and live our lives as a couple," Erica whispered against my lips. I closed the distance, giving her a firm kiss before pulling back to nod.
"We'll fake my disappearance and make our way to America. After enjoying a nice vacation there, we'll head to Switzerland. I have a house there ready for us. All it needs is our signature."
"A house?!" Erica squealed.
"Yes, a house for me and my loyal lover who I'll marry. Then we'll live happily ever after without wasting our time on assignments and this broken system. A stupid contract won't maintain peace here. We might as well go to the land of neutrality and start fresh."
"You sure? What if, you know, things come out?" Erica asked hesitantly.
"It won't matter. It'll be too late, and with my powers and connections, we shouldn't have a problem finding work anywhere. We finally have decent enough technology to make video conference calls, so if anyone questions anything, I can always do that," I suggested.
"I can't believe we'll finally be together...no more hiding. Just us," Erica whispered.
"Yes, just us. It may break those guys’ hearts, but it is what it is. They were only a stepping stone for what I wanted," I admitted.
"What about your familiars?" Erica asked.
"They're bound to this watch. They have no say in the matter. They're mine and if they don't like what I need to do, they can stay and rot. I already have issues with four of them. Urufu is only loyal to me because she was my first familiar. Even if she doesn't like my tactics, there's nothing she can do about it. I'm their master and they'll do what I ask, even if I have to force some of them," I declared.
"You know
, you're really hot when you get all serious," Erica purred.
I blushed, glancing away. "You're silly."
"Bedroom?"
"Hmm. Yes please," I whispered, putting my hand in hers. I knew people would get hurt and hearts would be broken, but I wanted to find happiness.
That wasn't with those men who'd protect me with their lives. It was with my female lover, and soon we'd be able to enjoy the life I’d worked so hard to finally achieve.
Very soon.
"I'll be back in a few hours. Don't be crawling all over the floor. We're in a secluded area and there's no way your boyfriends will find you. Your magic is temporarily locked thanks to that poison I injected. I’ll give you another dose when I return," Erica announced.
Her heels clicked against the cool cement floor and I heard the door close. My Kitsune whimpered, her body curled up in a ball as she trembled. I bit my lip to muffle the sob that escaped me; the pain that pounded through me made it hard to breathe.
I need to move. Must go...
Tears rolled down my cheeks, which were already drenched from crying and stained with remnants of blood. I tried to avoid looking at the floor beneath me, knowing I'd be greeted by a pool of blood. My blood.
I glanced at the single hair ornament on the ground a few feet away. During my long hour of torture, Erica thought it would be amusing to pull out the hair ornaments I’d gotten from Itsuki. She broke one of them after I tried to fight back, which only led to me being more battered than I might have been if I'd cooperated. I'm too stubborn for that, though.
I could barely move, but the sight of the ornament not too far away made me want to crawl over and take hold of it. Just to feel a piece of the guys. I began the very slow process of crawling along the floor. Each movement made me scream and sob. I had to pause several times when shocks of pain vibrated through me.
Erica had done something I never thought I would have to endure. I would have rather died on the mountain than have to deal with her sickening idea of pleasure. This was the woman Storm loved? She chose that crazy bitch over my men...those lovely men who'd given her their hearts.
Calming the Storm (Crimson Storm Chronicles Book 2) Page 19