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Savage Urges
By: Poppy Deveaux
Table of Contents
Savage Urges
HERE IS YOUR SPECIAL BONUS!!!
Love In An Elevator
Con Job
Closing The Deal (Part 1)
Laid Off
Cowboy Seed
Caribbean Menage
Creaming On The Law
Sexy Beast
Passion Wolf
Eternal Menage
Young Prospects
My Bucket List Series – I Kissed A Girl
My Bucket List Series – Then Comes Marriage
My Bucket List Series – Holy Moly!
My Bucket List Series – Girl On Film
Bearback Mountain
Battle Menage
Better Than Doing It With Myself
Billionaire Magic
Billionaire Stepbrother
Fresh MILF
Go Cougars
Hot For Teacher
Island Hot Swap
Menage In The Attic
Menage With My Vampire Boss
Dark Temptation (Book #1)
Dark Temptation (Book #2)
Dark Temptation (Book #3)
My Immortal Amour
Oh Holey Night
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Savage Urges
Chapter 1
It had been a year since her husband died yet still Amelia could feel his presence in the mansion. Sometimes when she closed her eyes she could have sworn that he was standing directly behind her. Never had she believed in ghosts or the spirit world but there was definitely something lurking...perhaps it was simply her own longing for the past. Night terrors plagued her, and often she awoke in a cold sweat, the sheets sodden, and the moonlight pouring into the room, bathing her in an ethereal, silver glow. Her new husband, the young and handsome Tom, slept peacefully, and as she looked at him she wondered what he was doing with her.
He had been helping around the house before Edward had died at sea, and when news of Edward's passing reached Amelia, Tom was there to be the rock that she could lean on. He was attentive and kind and although she knew that he had harbored a secret desire for her (she was in her forties now and during that time she had become quite the expert at knowing when a man desired her) she had never actually expected it to lead to marriage. He was barely out of his teenage years and it had caused quite the scandal when she chose him to be her second husband, but it seemed the perfect match at the time. He doted on her and she felt safe with him. She wasn't fooling herself though. It wasn't love, at least not on her part and, she suspected, not on his either. There had been rumblings from her friends that a young girl in town had captured his attention and was trying to tempt him away from her. Amelia liked to think of herself as above petty jealousy yet still there was a pang of pain in her heart, especially when she passed a mirror and saw herself getting older every day.
There were lines on her body that had never been there before and there were some days where she seemed so weary, as though the energy was being sapped out of her. Tom seemed happy enough but there were moments when the disparity in ages between them was apparent. Still, they lived in a huge mansion on the outskirts of town and she had developed ways to keep him happy, and he certainly kept her happy, although her libido wasn't what it once was. In truth, she had to admit to herself that if Tom was casting admiring glances to another suitor it was probably Amelia's own fault because she still hadn't gotten over Edward's death. At first the pain was cold and numb and distant, surreal and almost not even there. Then, one day, it hit her and she wept endlessly until there were no more tears left in her body. Everyone said that it would take time but eventually she would move on because that's what Edward would have wanted, and it was what was healthy. 'The best thing you can do is live a full life and be happy, that's the greatest way you can honor his memory,' everyone said. It sounded like good, wise advice and Amelia had intended to follow it, but everywhere she looked there were reminders of the husband, and the love, she had lost.
People had advised her to sell the house and move on but Amelia would never have considered that. It was too perfect. It reminded her of an old stately English mansion, which is what had first attracted Edward to it since his family originated from England (although he had been born there he had grown up in America and had no trace of the accent from his homeland). It covered a vast amount of land and in their heyday as a married couple Amelia and Edward had entertained many guests. The garden stretched out into a forest, lending itself to fantastical tales of fairies and other enchanted beings that captured the imaginations of young folk, and came in particularly useful at Easter and Halloween, when the would have themed parties. The mansion was filled with various artifacts from Edward's travels around the world. He had been a collector of antiques and had quite the assortment of a collection, most of which Amelia knew but there were some things that escaped her notice. They stayed there as a reminder of Edward's passion. Artwork hung on the walls, in the library hundreds of books rested on the shelves. But since Edward died much of the joy in the house had gone with him. The parties were far more infrequent. Tom wasn't suited to be a host. He always felt inadequate when compared with Amelia's peers, since he had been born into a lower class and had only risen to these heights because of his marriage to Amelia. He was a simple man and that was one thing that first attracted Amelia to him, the fact that he was part of a different world to her and was awed by everything that she had built with Edward.
Her patience for high society had waned over the years as well. It used to be that she loved throwing herself into the middle of a party, sharing in the gossip and chatter that went along with the fine wine and good food. But when Edward had died something inside her had died as well, a spark of light that once shone brightly. No longer did she find it effortless to smile and weave her way through a multitude of conversations, and it didn't seem worth the energy, especially when she had to endure everyone's pity. Sympathy was one thing, and it had been overwhelming when she was in need of it, but now she was met with pity above all else. Most of them thought that she was with Tom for a mere ego boost, and that he was only with her because of her wealth. The sniping and sharp judgments that she had once reveled in were now being directed at her and Amelia simply didn't have the time or energy for it. So the house that had once hosted vibrant social events was mostly quiet. Shadows danced in the dim corners and sometimes the wind would howl through empty hallways, and at night when she couldn't sleep Amelia would walk like a ghost through the house, remembering the past and all that she had lost. Despair and hopelessness had taken root in her soul and it was difficult to shift, although these bleak feelings of melancholy were concealed from Tom.
Chapter 2
As it did every morning, the moon relinquished its seat on the celestial throne to the sun, which spread its golden glow over the house and sparkled through the window, warming the bed in which Amelia and Tom lay. He never noticed when she got up in the night, and she always returned in the small hours of the morning to finally sleep. Tom stretched his long arms and yawned, then rubbed the sleep out of his eyes before leaning
over to kiss Amelia on the cheek. She stirred and for a moment she thought it was Edward waking her, because he would always wake her with a kiss in the morning. This happened too often and she felt a harrowing guilt because Tom didn't deserve to put up with it, but thankfully she caught herself in time before she made a grave error.
“Did you sleep well?” he asked.
“About as well as usual.”
“Have you thought about seeing a doctor? I hear they have a number of things to help with sleep. You should find a way to calm the mind, it can only be a good thing.”
“Perhaps I will. I shall add it to the long list of things I have to do today,” she said, smiling ironically. Their lives were ones of luxury. In his life Edward had made some smart investments and Amelia was now reaping the rewards. He had also been an only child and the sole beneficiary of his parents' estate, so Amelia and Tom had no worries of running out of money. “Are you going into town today?” she added.
“Probably. I was thinking about stopping by my parents' house and running a few errands.”
“I may join you. It has been a while since I have journeyed into town and I feel as though I should make an appearance now and then, just to remind everyone there that I'm still alive.” The idea was said with good humor but Tom's eyes flinched a little, and Amelia noticed immediately.
“Is something wrong?” she asked.
“No, not at all, I'm just surprised. Usually you like to stay here,” he said. But Amelia thought it was something more than that. Perhaps there was some truth to the rumor that he was meeting this other girl. Well, it would be fun to see this girl for herself and see if there was any truth to it. They bathed and ate breakfast and then Amelia got dressed. Ever since Edward's death, Amelia had incorporated something black into her attire, which again gave her a gloomy air. When she emerged and was ready to get into the carriage Tom sighed.
“Is something the matter?” she asked.
“No. Let us go. The day is growing short,” he said. But Amelia could tell that something was bothering him so she pressed the matter as she climbed into the back of the carriage. The driver yelled at the horses and soon enough the carriage was rumbling along the road to town.
“Tom, if you have a problem then we must talk about it. It does us no good to let these things fester.”
Tom looked out of the window at the world rolling by and chewed his finger before he answered.
“It bothers me that you are still wearing black,” he said. “I know that losing Edward was traumatic for you and that you still mourn him but it wounds my pride when we appear in public and you wear something that brings up memories of your old husband. We both know that there are those in town who think that our relationship is not real, and I know that I will never garner the same affection that you held for your husband, but I feel it is disrespectful to me to make such a show of your grief. It has been a year now. Will this ever change?”
“I am sorry you feel that way. I had no idea that it affected you so deeply.”
“I merely dislike the fact that people see our relationship as a joke, and that Edward's death hangs over our happiness like a shadow. I had hoped that by now you would see that there is another chapter of your life and you do not always have to be so concerned with the past.”
“I do Tom, perhaps when you are my age you will understand how much the past can haunt you.”
“There you go again, speaking to me as though I am a child! Sometimes I wonder if you married me for desire or to fill a gap in your life, to be a husband and a son to you.” There was a bitter tone to his voice and Amelia was aghast at what he was saying. Had she really been so cold to him? A chilly wind blew through the carriage and Amelia remained silent. Tom could be a brooding figure sometimes, and it was best to let things lie. There was much to occupy her thoughts though. Perhaps it was time to finally let Edward go. He wasn't coming back, and grieving over him for too long would only push Tom away, and she would be left alone again. The feeling of complete isolation she had experienced after Edward had died was something that she never wished to feel again, and as she looked across at Tom she knew that she didn't want to lose him. She reached over and took his hand, then squeezed it affectionately as they rode into town.
Chapter 3
Since Amelia's forays into town were few and far between her arrival was met with whispering murmurs from those who recognized her. Her withdrawal from society meant that those who still maintained strong contact with each other saw her as outside their circle, and she was subjected to the same disparaging remarks as anyone else they deemed worthy of such attention. On top of that the marriage to a man practically half her age was ripe for discussion among the people she used to call friends, so when she arrived in town more than a few people glanced her way. Some came up to her and mentioned that it was good to see her again, although she took these comments as false, as she knew that behind her back they must have been gossiping about her.
Still, she walked around town with Tom, who still seemed tense after their earlier dispute. But she wanted to make it up to him so linked her arm in his and never left his side. They went to a number of stores and gathered up some supplies. Many people met her with kindness and told her that she was looking well, and she appreciated their kindness. As their trip wore on she noticed that Tom was becoming more and more agitated, and when they entered the final store she saw why.
The girl in the store lit up when she saw Tom. She was beautiful and young, with a heart-shaped face, wide blue eyes, and soft, full lips. Her smile was radiant and she skipped over, quickly losing face when she saw that Amelia had joined him. Tom introduced the two of them but his voice was terse. Amelia was amused more than anything. They were two children playing childish games. Soon enough the young girl would realize the pain of heartache and numb herself to it, just as Amelia had done. The intense swirl of emotions was a game for the young and she had no time for it now. And Tom, well, it was only natural that he would be attracted by such beauty, especially if he felt neglected by Amelia, but she knew him well enough to know that he would not have jeopardized his standing with her. It was evidently harmless flirtation on his part, and in fact he probably quite enjoyed the attention, which Amelia mentioned mischievously as they left the store. Tom did not seem so amused, however, and wore a grim look on his face as they made their way to his parents’ house.
Tom was very close with his family, which Amelia admired because she and Edward were not. Edward's parents had died a long time ago, and Amelia had left hers behind when she had married Edward. When she and Tom had revealed their plans to be wed, it had been met with a bemused response from his parents since they were the same age as Amelia, and even now they found it rather strange to be contemporaries of their daughter-in-law. But their son seemed to be happy and that was the most important thing to them. Amelia appreciated their kindness. They were good people and lived in a completely different world than Amelia. Their home was small and humble, and they didn't have much in the way of material things. Both of them worked to maintain their home even though Amelia had offered them a small stipend to help pay the bills, but they had declined on the grounds that they didn't want to accept charity. The meal they offered was in no way extravagant but it was made with care and love, and Amelia appreciated it a lot. It was also good to be around people and have a conversation again. Often she and Tom would separate in the house and tend to their own things, but here Amelia felt wanted and loved. They began by speaking of normal things. Tom updated them on the house and a few little projects that he had begun, and Amelia told them of some of the latest books she had read. There was a slight tension in the air, for Amelia knew that Tom's parents were disappointed that they would not have grandchildren. Edward and Amelia had never been blessed with the joy of children and now she feared that she was too old to be a mother, which was another reason why she was wondering if, at some point, Tom would look elsewhere for a younger wife who could give him the things that she could not
. But soon matters turned to the latest happening in town.
“Have you been keeping up to date with the news?” Tom's mother asked.
“No, I can't say that I have. I don't visit town that often anymore so the news often passes me by. But I don't mind that too much, I often find that it's depressing,” Amelia replied.
“You mean that you haven't heard about the terror that has been lurking?” Tom's mother said, her eyes wide with fright. Amelia met her question with a look of confusion.
“You didn't tell her?” Tom's mother said, turning to her son with a look of admonishment.
“I didn't want to worry her. It's probably nothing. People just like to think the worst,” he replied nonchalantly. His mother gasped and looked disappointed.
“Nothing! There's something strange going on and you should have told Amelia! I hate to think of the two of you so far out there alone when things like this have been happening.”
“Oh mother,” Tom said, rolling his eyes, “You are too quick to believe everything you read. Have you actually seen this thing?”
“Seen what thing?” Amelia asked, intrigued by this sudden argument. Tom and his mother looked at each other, while his father remained silent. His mother went to speak but Tom quickly interrupted her.
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