by Marie Daye
The drow’s expression was livid, and with one swift swing of his arm he crashed a heavy wooden board across Eskil’s face, sending him reeling backwards. Eskil’s weight shifted backwards from the blow, his knees buckling as he fell back down the stairs. His impact with the ground came with a loud thud, his head was pounding and spinning.
He pushed himself up onto his hands and knees as Gaalin slowly stepped down the stairs towards him. His dark expression had changed into one much fiercer, his lips curled upwards in a sadistic smile and his eyes resembling a mad mans. He laughed like a maniac, clutching his abdomen as he hunched over.
Eskil growled, clutching his bleeding scalp. “Bastard, what do you think you’re doing?”
Gaalin’s laughter ceased all at once, and he quickly brought the wooden bat down against his shoulders. Eskil dropped back down to the ground with a curse.
Gaalin’s face beamed in delight. “Let’s have some fun, shall we?”
His arms were tied behind his back around a thick wooden pillar that supported the weight of the floors above, the tightness of the sharp rope threatened to cut off his blood flow to his hands. His legs straightened out in front of him, his chin resting against his chest while his head spun. His mind was weary, and it took all of his focus to keep his mind where it belonged: within himself.
He didn't dare extend his thoughts to Libelle, his precious lifemate would undoubtedly rush to his side and put herself in danger to protect him. She couldn’t do that, he wouldn't let her. It was his job to protect his lifemate, and if keeping his pain silent from her protected her: he’d gladly do it.
Eskil bit his tongue, focusing on the sharp, piercing pain of his fangs while the drow kicked him in the ribs, laughing hysterically.
“Come now, prince. We’re not done playing yet, you can't pass out on me.”
Gaalin’s fingers twisted into Eskil’s hair and yanked his head back, exposing his bloody and bruised face.
“I have a lot planned for you, you monster.” Gaalin chuckled, “I can’t wait to break you, I’ll relish in your screams.”
The mad man thrusted a long blade into Eskil’s side, twisting its jagged edges around. Eskil flinched, but fought the pain, fighting the urge to roar out. He would not give him the pleasure of hearing him wail.
The blade withdrew and he exhaled, glaring up at the dark elf. “You’re the reason that girl is dead aren't you?”
Gaalin was surprised. “That girl? To me it looked like some beast got a hold of her,” He chuckled, “-a beast like you perhaps?”
Eskil bared his teeth, “I know damn well it was you gray skin, there's no sense in denying it. Your scent was all over her corpse.”
Gaalin stood up and shrugged, his wrist limply waving the dagger at his side. “Who’s going to believe that?”
He walked around the room scattered with boxes, lazily kicking his feet out in front of him as he stepped. “Want to know how this all looks?” He asked.
“A strange man shows up in the middle of the city. The man looks and acts like a beast, intimidating all those around him. He even threatened a model citizen in front of a guard, a guard who remembers seeing the horned man in the dark… alone… with a blonde haired lass.”
Eskil snarled, kicking his heel into Gaalin’s shin, causing the man to trip and almost fall. Gaalin cursed at him, taking his own foot and striking Eskil’s sternum, the audible crack from the impact stinging Eskil’s ears.
“That horned man must have taken that poor girl and raped her.” He kicked his ribs, fracturing the ones he collided with. “Then when she tried to run away, he attacked her further. Slicing her up like some wolf!”
This time Gaalin crouched down over Eskil and punched his cheek. “That horned man killed her, dumping her corpse for the buzzards to feast on.” Another series of hits struck Eskil’s body. “Then when a loyal, valiant and glorious servant of the dragon slayer returned home. He found that horned man, FUCKING HER! IN THE DIRT! LIKE A BEAST!”
Gaalin’s sense of reason was lost, “What did you do to her?! What spell do you have her under that you could have done that to her?! Libelle is mine! She is magnificent, beautiful, strong and wise! There’s no way a demon like you could have done that to her!”
He slumped down onto his knees. “What did you do to her?”
Eskil chuckled, rolling his tongue over his teeth before spitting out blood. “I didn't force her if that’s what you're implying.”
Gaalin growled.
“I thought I saw someone in the dark last night, did you enjoy the show?”
Eskil grunted when the man’s hands slammed around his throat. “Bastard!”
“Heh heh, she enjoyed everything I did to her last night, and I enjoyed everything she did to me. Willingly and lovingly.” He groaned when the hands around his throat tightened, but continued to speak with a forced voice. “I should kill you just knowing that you heard her sweet voice. Libelle is mine, my woman, and my mate. There is nothing you’re going to do to change that.”
Gaalin shouted, screaming at the top of his lungs as he wildly flailed at Eskil, striking him with his fists. His sanity was breaking, and Eskil was at his mercy.
Several of his bones were already broken, his belly sliced open and his organs more than likely suffering severe damage. He was bruised all over, deep stab wounds and long slashes covered his body; each bleeding slowly, draining his life essence.
“Libelle will never be yours.” He coughed out when Gaalin’s attacks paused.
The retainer stood, grabbing the burning iron rod from the cellars fireplace. He slowly turned around, the light from the fire casting his shadow over Eskil.
“She,” He raised the iron rod.
“-will never,” His eyes widening and the rest of his mind shattering. “-be yours!”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Stomping across the path, Libelle’s feet squelched in the deep mud that tried desperately to remove her leather boots. The weather had suddenly turned foul and she now walked towards the main entrance of her home. The entire time she was being struck in the face by freezing rain, strong winds taking hold of her long coat and trying to rip her across the ground.
She pushed open the double doors, stepping inside the dark entry room. She shook off her sleeves and glanced around, none of the candles had been lit and with the dark clouds outside: the entire house looked very similar to a dungeon. With a sigh she kicked off her boots, leaving them to dry out on the carpet. She hung her jacket on a hook near the door, feeling around for a candle stick near the washing basin to the right of the door.
Her hair was drenched and clung to her skin, even her shirt had begun to drink in the rain water through her jacket. The storm was treacherous and came out of nowhere. She fumbled around in the dark, blindly knocking several things off the shelves and table tops. Cursing she stood up straight and turned around.
"By the Gods!" She shrieked. "Gaalin, what in Odin’s name are you doing?"
She released the breath she had been holding, Gaalin surprising her when she had spun around. His gray skin blending a little too well in the dark room, he held a candle and the yellow light flickered off his skin.
"You startled me," she said. "-I didn't know you were there. You should have said something."
"My apologies." He said quietly.
She took the candle from him, turning around to resume her search for a candle of her own. She found one beneath a stack of papers, holding the wick to the glowing end of the other, then both began to burn. She handed the original candle back towards Gaalin, turning around and walking into the main hall.
"Why are the candles not lit? It's pitch black in here." She chuckled, bending over to light two more candles on the table top.
Gaalin didn't say a word in response, instead he stared down at his hand with a grim expression. Libelle curiously turned towards him, holding the candle up towards his face.
"Gaalin? What's wrong?" She asked, her gaze traveling to his hand. Wra
pped in his fingers was a blunt piece of wood, splintered and bloody.
She swallowed hard, "Gaalin, what happened? Are you alright?”
Reaching for his face, she touched his cheek and turned his face so he would look at her. Fresh blood was splattered across his chin to his brow. His expression was troubled, his jaw clenched while his teeth ground together. Something was troubling her servant, and that troubled her.
“Gaalin, talk to me. What’s wrong?”
His brows narrowed when his eyes squeezed shut, shaking his head and staring at the ground. She sighed, taking his hand and twisting her fingers with his. “Follow me, we can talk about whatever it is that’s bothering you.” She took a step forward, only stopping when Gaalin did not take a step with her. He cursed under his breath, and she momentarily hesitated before slowly turning around.
“Gaalin?”
My whole body aches… My head is pounding, and my eyes feel heavy. What happened?
Slowly Libelle opened her eyes, the flash of lightning from beyond the window striking pain into her sore eyes. She looked around the dim room with only a few candles lit on the table beside the bedside. What happened? She asked herself again, trying desperately to recall the events from earlier?
She had returned home, then Gaalin had startled her… He seemed upset about something, what was it? Eye’s widening as her heart began to beat faster, the memory came flooding back all at once. She had been attacked, Gaalin had attacked her!? The bluntness of the wooden board had crashed down across her temple so hard she lost consciousness.
Get up, get up now.
She told herself, immediately trying to bolt upright from the soft cushion of her bed. She couldn't, why was she unable to sit up? Realizing that her arms were tied above her head with the remains of her shredded sheets, she began to panic.
“Relax Libelle.” Gaalin’s familiar voice spoke out in the darkness. Another flash of lightning briefly illuminating the room, revealing him lounging in a chair across the room.
“Gaalin, what is the meaning of this? Untie me!”
He stood up, slowly crossing the room to stand beside the bed. “You’ve managed to surprise me Libelle, not in a good way.” He sighed.
“What are you talking about?” The panic in her was slowly being replaced with rage, what in oblivion was going on in his mind?
He moved closer to her, his rough hand caressing her parted lips. “I know about your illicit relationship, with that mediocre brute.”
You what? Libelle trembled at the touch of his cold hand, had he really found out about Eskil and her? He couldn't have, could he? Her thoughts began to race in all different directions, trying to find the answer to a seemingly impossible question. His snicker interrupted all of her thoughts, all at once.
“Where is Eskil?”
He ignored her question, yet a sadistic smile crept over his face.
“Gaalin, where is Eskil? What did you do?”
“I am disappointed in you Libelle. I almost couldn't believe my eyes when I saw you two, you were bedded by a dragon.” He petted her cheek while his expression became more twisted. “My strong and beautiful lord, I’ve looked up to you for so long and you’ve destroyed everything I treasured about you: in a single act. If… if I had known you were so pathetic that you would slut around with that, that creature: I never would have held back.”
Gaalin bent down over her, his lips capturing hers in a forced kiss. “My lovely Libelle, how could you?”
Stunned, she was silent for a moment. Then her lips curled in a snarl, “Gaalin, you-!”
Roughly, his hand clamped down over her mouth with a growl. “How could you?!”
All at once Gaalin removed his hand, forcing her lips to part; while pushing a thick, twisted fabric into her mouth, securing it behind her head in a tight knot. Her expression was surprised and furious, the trickle of blood from her temple trailing into her ear. By the look in his eyes, he had completely lost all sense of reasoning.
What was Gaalin planning?
He stared down at her silently, his own thoughts racing. Suddenly both his hands twisted into the cotton fabric of his shirt, just as fast he ripped the material in half, exposing her bare breasts. She gasped in surprise, her eyes widening and her stomach churning in growing fear. She shook her head at him, mumbling the word ‘stop’ to him through the gag in her mouth. He didn't listen, climbing onto the bed the rest of the way, kneeling over her. His hands slid up her sides and he tried to squirm away, then each hand firmly grasped a breast; the calluses of his hands painful against her skin, his fingers roughly pinching her nipples.
Breathlessly he sighed, “My Libelle, I have dreamed of touching you like this. How I wish I had done so sooner.” His wet tongue teased her stomach, slowly tracing a line from her navel to sternum before his mouth clamped down onto her breasts. Swirling his tongue around each nipple before carelessly biting down onto the tender flesh. Libelle whimpered, trying to move away again. With her hands bound above her head and his weight on her legs, she had nowhere to go.
He suckled the skin on her neck, the suction force breaking the blood vessels beneath. “If only I had done this sooner, you wouldn't have been stolen away by that beast.”
Gaalin shredded the material of her shirt further, pulling the fabric away and leaving her upper body completely exposed. He sat up and stared down at her, her chest rising and falling rapidly with each fearful breath.
Smiling, he spoke again. “I’m glad that beast is no longer a threat.”
Libelle mumbled again past the gag, her legs flailing wildly and trying to kick him in the back. He chuckled, sliding backwards over her knees while simultaneously undoing the leather ties to her pants. “You won't have to worry about him anymore, my dear.”
Seizing the moment when she froze, he slid her pants down to her ankles. She glared at him, and as he pulled the leather pants from her ankles she tried to kick him as hard as she could. Predicting her attack, he grabbed her ankles and twisted them painfully. She winced, mumbling through her gag once again ‘What did you do to Eskil?’
Gaalin chuckled cruelly, “The dragon scum? I took care of him.”
She thought back to the blood on the wood bat she had seen, and despite her will, tears formed in her eyes as she thought the worst. Could Gaalin really have killed Eskil? It sounded impossible, but with the curse still placed on Eskil; he never would have been able to defend himself if he was attacked, it could be possible. No! She mentally cried out.
Kicking at Gaalin again, he chuckled and forcefully flipped her around onto her chest. Her shoulders stung as they unnaturally twisted and her forearms crossed over each other. She glared back at him, and the realization of Gaalin’s perverted intentions suddenly became clear.
No, she thought. He’s not going to- No!
Libelle screamed, pulling on the ties around her wrists and kicking her heels at Gaalin. He grabbed her ankles again, pinning them beneath his knees while pulling his shirt off over his head.
“My lovely Libelle. It will be just the two of us from now on, don’t be afraid.”
He smiled with a sigh, his mind clouded by lust. She screamed again, her tears uncontrollably falling down her face now. “Shhhh,” Gaalin whispered in her ear. “-don’t fret. You’ll enjoy this, I promise.”
Lifting her hips up from the bed, he spread her knees apart with his own. Laughing in enjoyment as she cried out, her muffled pleas going ignored. “Libelle, accept it. This is how it was meant to be.”
He unclipped his belt buckle, untied the leather straps around his waist and maneuvered his pants below his ass. His eagerness exposed when his hand wrapped around his cock and he moaned, the sound filled with desire. Gaalin licked his fingers, then slid them between her legs and found the place he wanted the most. She whimpered and shook her head, trying desperately to break her bonds while he roughly, forcefully ground his fingers inside her.
The feeling of someone other than Eskil’s passionate touch made her
skin crawl, it made her feel ill and want to run away. Please no. She mentally pleaded, praying to the gods that someone might hear her silent plea.
Gaalin’s fingers twisted about inside her, suddenly pulling out from her, leaving her to slowly exhale. Perhaps he had rethought his actions, maybe he would stop. She froze when she felt the head of his cock at her entrance, Please stop this, I don't want this.
Without hesitation, Gaalin forced himself inside her. His groan mixing with her shrill screech.
“Perfect.” He whispered, taking his first thrust inside her.
Someone, please! Eskil!
“-please!”
Who? Urgh, my head is pounding. What happened? Why is my vision all red and blurry?
Opening his eyes, Eskil squinted in the darkness of the cellar. His vision clouded and stained with the blood that stung his vision. Dried blood clung to his skin, and his wounds caused him great pain as he forced himself to look around. He could remember what happened, faintly.
Gaalin had taken him by surprise and struck him on the back of his head. Taking the moment while he lay on the ground with his mind becoming hazy to start beating him into the dirt floor of the cellar. “That damned gray skin.” He snarled.
Blinking, he forced his vision to focus and look over his body. He had been tied up to a wood pillar, his arms wrapped behind it with sharp rope. Another tight band of rope constricting around his neck. He was bleeding all over, a pool of blood around him as wounds from all over his body oozed painfully.
“Eskil!”
The shrill voice pierced his mind and he groaned, his ears ringing as the screech echoed through his head. Why was someone screaming?
“Please!” The voices cried out, “Please, I don't want this.”
Eskil’s head snapped upwards, in an instant his head cleared and the voice became familiar. Libelle, lifemate! I am here, what is wrong?