by Tawny Taylor
“True. I’ve paid a price once or twice, taken some risks, but this is different. It’s not about investments or business acquisitions. The price won’t be paid in dollars but in a much more valuable resource.”
Unable to resist the temptation, Cy reached for Maks, resting a hand on his shoulder. “You’re afraid. It’s okay to be afraid. Hell, at this point, I’m pretty scared too. We men aren’t made to adjust to commitment easily. But we are Twelfth Knights. We don’t let fear stand in our way, no matter what form it takes.”
Maks shrugged away from Cy’s hand, turning toward the open door. “Maybe if we had, years ago, we wouldn’t have been cursed. We wouldn’t have to kidnap human women and force them to be our brides. Maybe our wives would still be able to produce female children.”
Cy reached again but drew his hand back before it made contact with Maksim’s shoulder. “Sure. You could be right. But that was a long time ago, and now we’re faced with the reality we have.”
“A reality that’s completely fucked up.”
“I like to think we’re better off than that.”
Shaking his head, Maks looked over his shoulder. “Yet another reminder of why this isn’t going to work with us. You don’t have to lie to me. I know you don’t like me. I’m not so weak that it’s going to hurt my feelings to hear you say the truth.”
Angry, or maybe frustrated, Maks left the room.
* * *
After a rough, sleepless night, Maks struggled through a long day at the office. Things were very tense right now, with the company launching a new line of products, targeted to brides of the Twelfth Knights. There were lots of details to take care of, including a supplier that had recently gone bankrupt, leaving Maks without product, and distributors screaming for shipments.
The timing of his taking a bride couldn’t have been worse. He had a lot of money wrapped up in this new line. If it failed, it would be a huge setback.
In fact, he should be at the office right now, not getting ready to play in the dungeon with a bride who didn’t want him and a mate who didn’t like him.
A total waste of time.
And yet, a very small part of him was grateful for the temporary distraction. While he was in the dungeon, his mind wasn’t steeped in thoughts of dwindling margins and pain–in-the-ass suppliers. And his body craved the release found in sexual play. It was therapeutic, in every sense.
However, there was one big problem with all of this. The more time he spent with Cy and Cheryl, the more he felt for them. And the deeper his emotions became, the more vulnerable he felt.
He was trying to keep his distance from them. He really was.
“Ready?” Cy asked, standing just inside his bedroom door. The pheromones Cy’s hard body was pumping into the air were doing their job. Maksim’s body responded instantly, his cock lengthening, his skin warming.
It had been hell the last two nights, playing with Cheryl, training her, while denying himself release. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to hold off again tonight.
“Yeah. I guess.” Maksim headed toward the door, and Cy.
“You know,” Cy said, catching his arm as he walked by. “I don’t dislike you, like you seem to think. I… respect what you’ve been able to accomplish. In fact, maybe I’m a little jealous.”
“You? Jealous of me? You’re a member of the most elite security team in Alyria.”
“Yeah…”
Maksim sensed a but was sitting on Cy’s tongue. Was he unhappy with his career?
They exchanged a strained look and then Cy tipped his head, toward Cheryl’s door. “She’s been waiting a long time to see us. I’m hoping she’ll be well enough to train tonight.”
“Again, this is it, our last night,” Maks repeated, determined to hold Cy to his word.
“Yep. If we can’t work through this thing between us, we’ll cut Cheryl loose, before it’s too late.”
Nodding his head, Maks headed for the dungeon. “I’ll wait there for you.”
Cy went to get their bride from her bedroom.
Maks spent those few silent moments alone steeling himself for one last night with his bride and mate. Maybe he wasn’t being fair to them, not really giving this a chance. But in the long run, he knew for a fact this was the best thing for all of them. He was not a man who could love another person. He couldn’t afford to make the sacrifices love required.
Cheryl looked beautiful tonight. The moment she stepped into the room, his gaze fixed on her lovely face. Despite the flush from a slight fever, her skin shimmered. Her full lips were parted slightly. Her eyes were wide, making her look innocent and sweet and vulnerable.
His heart swelled in his chest and he felt a smile spread over his face. He was over-the-moon happy to see her, but that still didn’t mean anything.
Keeping her would be selfish. She deserved to be happy. Cy deserved to be happy, too.
“How are you feeling?” he asked her.
“I’m okay,” she answered. “I have a little headache. Nothing to worry about.”
Cy glanced at him then turned to Cheryl, ordering her to the St. Andrew’s Cross on the wall. Maksim positioned her standing, with her back facing out. He fastened her wrists and ankles in the leather cuffs affixed to the four ends of the wooden cross. As he worked, he inhaled deeply, gulping the scent of her skin, her hair, her arousal. He wanted to taste her, to hear her sighs of pleasure as he drove his rigid cock deep into her slick heat.
Instead, he’d have to settle on driving her to climax with a toy and relieving himself later, in the shower. He couldn’t afford to take a chance on fucking her, especially now. He’d be too tempted to complete the claiming, make her his forever.
If he did that, he knew they’d all suffer.
Cy stepped up with a basket, set it on the floor at Maksim’s feet. “Tonight, you’re going to train her. It’s all you. And you know what we need to accomplish.”
That shouldn’t have bothered him. He’d trained submissives before. Submissive men. But because it was Cheryl, and his body’s reaction to her was getting stronger every minute, it did bother him. A lot. He would have rather stayed back tonight, let Cy continue to do most of the hands-on training. “Fine,” he agreed, reluctantly. He would concentrate on training her from a distance. Control the scene but still use Cy to do almost all the close work.
“Oh, and there’s one other thing,” Cy said. “I won’t bottom you, but I’m asking you to restrain me too.”
Well, fuck. There went his plan all to hell. He couldn’t deny Cy his demand. Which meant he’d have to be creative, if he was going to find a way to use Cy to train Cheryl.
She still needed to be tested, to see if she’d completed her assigned homework. Also on the agenda, he needed to find out how well she sucked cock, tolerated pain, and prolonged her own orgasms.
He put Cy in shackles, securing his arms behind his back, and used a spreader bar between his cuffed ankles. But instead of securing him to a piece of equipment, he left Cy standing in front of a kneeler.
Then, he turned his attention back to Cheryl, who was trembling, her arms already showing signs of exhaustion.
She would need a lot more training.
“Did you perform your assigned homework, bride?” he asked her, pulling a slender vibrator from the basket.
“Y-yes, Master. I did.”
He moved closer. He ached to touch her, to drag his tongue down her smooth, fragrant skin. To taste her pussy. To bury his face in the crook of her shoulder. “I will test you. If you’re lying, I’ll know.”
She shuddered. “I wouldn’t lie to you.”
He smoothed a healthy amount of lube down her crevasse and tested her hole with his finger. His body temperature spiked the second he touched her.
The tight ring of muscles opened, as he’d expected. He replaced his finger with the tapered end of the vibrator and gently pushed it about halfway in, holding it there and assessing her reaction.
He could feel her body
warming. Could see the muscles of her full buttocks tensing. Her lower back tightened, and she rocked her hips back. What a fucking hot sight.
His hard cock stiffened and his balls tightened even more. His jaw clenched. “Very good, bride. You’re ready to try something larger. But a reward first.” Still holding the vibe in her ass, he stooped down and grabbed a medium sized dildo to fuck her hungry little pussy.
“Yes, Master. Thank you.” She sighed as he slid the dildo in and out of her tight pussy. Damn, she was so responsive. Whether she knew it or not, her body was made for this, craved submission.
He nipped the swell of one shoulder, pleased to see her skin dimple with goose bumps. “Tonight, you may not come until I tell you.”
“Yes, Master.”
He pushed the dildo further inside her tight pussy, telling her, “Don’t let this drop.” Then he eased the vibrator out of her ass and went for the single tail whip.
He’d talked about their bride with Cy, and they’d both determined she probably wasn’t a pain whore. But he did need to test her and see if she could process pain at all, see if she eroticized it in any way.
He had an opportunity to test her pain processing within minutes. As expected, the dildo slipped from her pussy and landed with a bounce on the floor.
“You’ve failed. Now I must punish you.” He had plenty of experience with the whip, and knew exactly how to control it. But he knew it would be different using it on their bride.
She sobbed, her head turned to the side, allowing him a glimpse of her pale face. She was clearly terrified. “Please don’t hurt me. I’m sorry. I’ll try again. It just slipped.”
“Silence.” Battling the urge to throw down the whip and walk away, he went to her, whispered soothing words in her ears and extended some grips down from the cross’s upper arms. She wrapped her fingers around them to support her arms. Then, his body aflame, he refined her position, head, shoulders, back, knees. “You must maintain this position throughout your punishment. I won’t be too hard on you. I promise. Trust me.”
Visibly trembling, she sniffled. “I’ll try.”
He stepped back, his gaze traveling over her lovely body, smooth skin, round ass. He chose his target, lifted his arm and flicked his wrist, sending the end of the whip’s thong sailing through the air. It struck her exactly where he’d meant it to, with the precise nip he’d intended.
She flinched and cried out, her knees bending slightly. But without being told, she corrected her position.
He struck her again, lightly, and once more she fell out of position, crying out. The sound of her voice sent a blast of raw emotion through his system. His arm dropped, and he couldn’t even bring himself to demand she straighten up.
Something was wrong with him.
Confused and angry at himself, he freed her from the bindings. Shaking, she lurched forward, pressing her lush little body against his. He found himself dragging her against him, holding her tightly. She didn’t say a word, just tipped her head to look up at him with teary, bloodshot eyes. “I-I’ve never…”
“Shhhh.” He thumbed away the tears gathered along her lower lashes and gently brushed his mouth over hers. Goddess, she tasted delicious. He kissed her harder, forcing his tongue into her mouth.
She sagged against him, her soft breasts pillowed against his abdomen. Her arms circled his neck and her tongue shyly teased his, sweet torment.
He nearly dropped to his knees. Desire pounded through his body like the heavy beat of a drum. It took him at least a hundred seconds, but he finally found the strength to tear his mouth from hers and push her back.
She looked confused and thoroughly kissed, ready to be fucked.
Not by him. Not ever.
Reminding himself why he had to maintain his distance, he ordered her to the kneeler. Maybe it would be less cruel to Cy if he allowed him to fuck her mouth just this once before they sent her home. It was sweet and hot and that was one kindness he was happy to give Cy.
He secured their bride in position, her fanny high in the air, her upper body supported by the raised rest. He went back to the basket of toys and this time went for a larger butt plug and dildo.
In silent agony, he inserted the butt plug into her pink hole and then drove the dildo into her wet pussy. Her juices coated the toy as he pulled it out, and he nearly threw it aside and shoved his cock inside her in its place.
No. He couldn’t.
“Cy,” he said, motioning to their bride’s parted lips and flushed face. “We need to test her cock sucking. You’re in the perfect position to do that.”
Cy stepped in front of her, squatted down for a minute, whispering something to her before standing again. Maks watched their bride nod her head and then open her mouth to take Cy’s cock inside. His rod burned as he watched Cy fuck her mouth, watched his thick shaft, shimmering with her saliva, glide in and out. Hungry and desperate, Maks watched Cy’s hard body work, hips and ass tighten, as he drove into her mouth, over and over.
This was pure torture, this new and unwelcome, desperate wanting. Suddenly, unexpectedly, he didn’t know which was more painful, his need for their bride or his need for Cy.
“Stop!” he shouted, unable to watch for another moment. “Just fucking stop.”
Cy’s lips curled into a snide smile. “You’re burning up inside, aren’t you? You want to finish this with our rebellious little bride. So do I.” Cy’s gaze narrowed as he silently challenged Maks to lie.
“You’re right. But that doesn’t mean we can. Or we will.”
“Well, I’m not going to stop fucking her until you tell me what’s holding you back.”
Damn it. He’d completely lost control of the scene.
“She’s a hard one to resist, isn’t she?” Cy said, shoving his rod into her mouth. “Beautiful. Fiery. And so willing to learn. Maybe this isn’t coming naturally to her, but she wants this. Look at her, trying.”
He couldn’t deny that. She was trying. And he did feel something for her, admiration. Respect. Longing.
But it looked like Cy was pushing her a little too hard. He wasn’t watching her as he fucked her mouth, forced his cock deeper into her throat. Her eyes were watering and she was struggling, he could see it. Harder he thrust. Faster.
Maks couldn’t stand it anymore. There was a limit to what they could do to their bride. Cy wasn’t thinking of her anymore, he was thinking of himself. At least, that was what he saw. “Stop, damn it!”
“Tell me what you’re afraid of,” Cy demanded.
Their bride’s teary eyes lifted to Maksim’s, a silent plea for him to stop the scene.
“I’ll talk. You fucking bastard. Just stop. Look what you’re doing to her.”
Cy’s cock surged free of her mouth and he turned. “I did my part, now you have to keep your word.”
He quickly freed their bride from her restraints, soothing her with gentle touches and soft words. Despite her assurances that she wasn’t upset, he didn’t allow himself to deal with Cy until he was sure she was okay.
She lifted her little hand to his face, cupping his cheek. “I’m okay. Honest. Cy asked me first. And I agreed, because I want to know too. I want to know what’s holding you back. It means that much to me.”
His jaw tight, Maks unfastened Cy’s restraints.
It was time to set things straight between them. For once and for all. That bastard would never manipulate their bride like that again. He wouldn’t give him the chance.
Maybe he was falling in love with their bride, and even with Cy. Now that he’d trained her, he knew it wasn’t the same with her as it had been with other submissives. He had feelings for her and for Cy. Very deep ones. And maybe he was letting his fear hold him back. So what?
The bottom line was that none of those things mattered. Some things weren’t meant to be.
Their bride would go home tonight. He would make sure of it.
Chapter 9
Cheryl just knew she’d heard Maksim wrong. There
was no way he could have said the words she thought. No way.
Shivering, head pounding, she tried not to show how confused and devastated she was.
“I want you to be happy,” he said, tenderly cradling her hand in his. He stroked the back with his free hand, so gently, sweetly. Who would have thought this was the same Maksim she’d met such a short time ago? It seemed like he’d done a complete one-eighty.
“I am happy,” she admitted. And yes, she was telling the truth. To her total shock, being with these two, spending her days thinking about them, preparing for them, had been a lot more satisfying than she’d ever dreamed. It sure wasn’t the empty, dull existence she’d thought it would be.
And being submissive didn’t mean she had to be a doormat, spineless. There was real power in submitting to her guys. And beauty.
If she had to take a guess why she felt so differently from the way she’d originally expected, she’d have to admit she hadn’t known herself as well as she’d thought.
“You’re saying that now because you don’t remember your life in the human world anymore,” he said, softly. He tugged on her arm, coaxing her toward the door. Down the hall, heading in the opposite direction from where she’d expected.
Slightly confused, she glanced at Cy.
Cy simply nodded.
As she silently followed Maks through the house, down the stairs and along several dark passageways, the same questions kept playing through her mind. What was going on? Had they changed their minds about her? Was that what was happening here, and now they wanted to send her back?
Oh God. And here she’d practically poured her heart out to them. She’d told them she was happy. That she liked it here.
Rejected! She was being turned away, by kidnappers. Even they didn’t want her.
She bit her lip to keep it from trembling. Tears burned her eyes.
While it was true that she’d forgotten quite a bit about her former life, it wasn’t true that she’d forgotten everything. She still remembered the important parts, the heavy loneliness that she’d carried on her shoulders from the time she’d been a small child. It had been like this huge weight on her shoulders. Invisible. She hadn’t really seen it, or even been completely aware of it all the time. She’d simply grown used to it being there.