This is so wrong, but I am enjoying every minute of his deviousness.
My fingers sink into his hair as I hold his mouth to my breast, and I feel his free hand slide down to my inner thigh, urging me to open. He’s not resting his body on top of mine tonight like before. Instead, he’s lying beside me.
I’m curious what he’s going to do next, so I open for him. His hand brushes my bare stomach, and my abdominal muscles clench. I feel him smile against my breast before he skims his teeth along my nipple, making me groan.
Just a little more. One more minute, and then I’ll make him stop.
His hand slides down beneath my panties, and I go completely still. Do I want this? While I’m trying to decide, his finger brushes the sensitive bundle of nerves between my legs, and my breath quickens as a new kind of pleasure builds. His finger begins to move in a tiny circle, rubbing the distended tissue, and I gasp.
Then, Lethe changes his tactic.
His mouth begins to firmly suck on my nipple, and he applies more pressure as he increases the pace between my legs.
Oh my…
My lips part as I draw in short, raspy breathes, and I feel my hips instinctively moving against his hand, eager for more. This is going too far, but I’m helpless to stop it. Something is building inside me, and my body feels like it’s on fire. My limbs begin to shake as a sense of desperation takes over.
“Lethe…” I say, my voice unrecognizable in the darkness.
“So close,” I hear him whisper against my breast.
My body tightens, and as the pleasure builds, my fingers tense in his hair. Then my lower body explodes with sensation, and I feel my inner muscles spasm as I release a long, drawn out moan of ecstasy.
The last thing I expect is for him to sink his finger into my depths, and I feel my muscles clenching at it as my eyes widen in the darkness. I’m aching for more, and I can’t help but thrust my hips.
Lethe’s finger withdraws, and then I feel him tugging my panties down and slipping them completely off me. His lips leave my chest, and my hands fall away as I try to figure out what he’s going to do next. Clothing rustles, and when he comes back, I feel his bare chest carefully easing onto mine. It dawns on me that this is going to lead to sex if I don’t finally put a stop to this.
Knowing that this can’t happen again, because it went way too far tonight, I decide it’s time to turn the tables. His lips come down upon mine, and I run my hand down his bare chest, and then lower as I feel his hardness probing my entrance. I wrap my fingers around his erection before he can figure out what my intentions are. I grip him tightly and painfully, squeezing hard enough to get the point across that I’m wide awake and done playing this game.
He hisses in pain as his lips break away from mine, his breath brushing my cheek as his entire body tenses. He immediately tries to pull himself out of my hand, but I won’t let go.
“Did you really think seducing me would work?” I ask softly in the darkness. I feel his hand wrap around mine, but he hesitates. I have nails, so prying my hand off his dick might just cause him more harm than good.
“Let. Go,” he growls warningly.
“You climb into my bed uninvited, you get what you deserve.”
“You were enjoying it.”
“It felt good, and it was a great way to ease the tension I’ve been feeling lately, but you’re still not going to get what you want.”
“You’ve got five seconds,” he threatens.
“What are you going to do? Hurt me?” I taunt.
His eyes begin to glow in the dark, and I stare up at him, knowing that the eerie fire in his gaze should frighten me. Instead, I feel triumphant that for once I’ve beat him at his own game. He needs me too much to hurt me.
“You have no idea how tempted I am,” he says through gritted teeth.
“So do it,” I challenge. “Pain doesn’t frighten me.”
He’s silent for a long moment as he stares down at me in the darkness. “Let me go,” he repeats in a carefully controlled voice.
I know that I’ve gotten my point across, and even though I enjoyed what we were doing, I don’t think he’ll be sneaking into my bed again. I release him.
He pushes himself off me.
I don’t trust him, so I lean over and turn on the lamp as I hold the sheet to my naked body. I blink a few times and see Lethe standing by the bed. He’s shirtless, and he’s zipping up his jeans, his movements abrupt and angry.
Damn.
The man has a body that I’d known was exquisite, but actually seeing it… I bite my inner lip and force myself not to let my eyes roam over those abs.
Lethe’s eyes shift to me, and his eyes are still glowing—his handsome face set. “That was a bad idea, Arista.”
I sit up. “Bad idea or not, you don’t scare me,” I say defiantly.
“You’ve gone too far.”
“No further than you,” I retort.
He gives me a chilling look before turning and walking towards the door.
My eyes widen at the sight of the tattoo on his back, and I store away the image for later. “Oh, and Lethe?”
He pauses, not turning around as he reaches for the door handle.
“I’m not a virgin, so if you have visions of taking an untouched innocent to your bed, you can forget it,” I warn.
He turns back to face me, and his lips curl in the corner in an alarming manner that has my gut tightening. “Thank you for that information. Now I can break you in as I see fit.”
That arrogant… “I’ll castrate you when you least expect it if you come near me again,” I threaten.
He gives me a deliberate smile. “No, you won’t. You’re going to crave my body with every breath you take, and you’re going to beg for it. I’ll make certain of it,” he promises. With that said, he turns and opens the door, leaving my room and locking me in.
I release a loud exhale now that I’m alone. I knew he’d be pissed that I’d taken what he was offering without giving him what he really wanted, but he’s really pissed. Maybe I did take it a little too far, but it was worth it. I am not some meek, naïve woman that’s going to let him bulldoze right over her. I have the right to make my own choices, and I’ll be damned if I give up my rights simply because it’s what’s expected.
Twenty
Lethe
I’m more than just a little furious as I leave the women’s quarters behind and take the elevator to the first floor. I reach down and adjust myself in my jeans, unable to believe that she’d threatened my dick.
Giving into my temper is going to accomplish absolutely nothing, so I draw in a deep breath and slowly exhale. All I want to do is pound the shit out of someone or butcher the first person that dares look at me the wrong way. The urge is strong, but I force it aside and try to focus on the situation that caused this anger.
I recall the look in her eye as she’d divulged the information that she’s not a virgin, and I find myself feeling amused. Little does she know, I don’t care. It’s a relief not to have to worry about going slow or causing her pain. I’ve never been with a virgin, and I don’t care to.
Much calmer than a moment ago, I enter my study and close the door. After pouring myself a strong drink, I sink into my chair and decide to look at the situation logically. As much as I’m pissed, I need to figure out how to handle Arista, because seduction clearly isn’t working.
Davina’s also running out of time, and her child can’t be born in that abusive stronghold. Nearic made it very clear that Gavril’s still knocking her around even with her being pregnant.
Feeling moody, I take a drink and then set the glass down. It’s becoming apparent that I can’t seduce Arista into giving me what I want. I can’t force her to have sex with me, and I won’t drug her.
That leaves manipulation.
Twenty-one
Arista
I am bored to death.
There’s only so many sit-ups and push-ups that I can do to keep myself b
usy. And pacing does absolutely nothing for my mood, but that doesn’t stop me from walking back and forth as I think over last night. Lethe was incredibly angry, and I’ve been half expecting to be punished today.
Instead, everything has been normal.
My breakfast and lunch had been brought to me on time, but unfortunately, it was Cassius who’d delivered them. I’d been hoping for Tenley.
My body warms as my thoughts shift back to Lethe, and I recall the sensations he’d evoked within me. I’ve never experienced an orgasm before, so that was new and definitely much better than I could have imagined. Truthfully, if I weren’t so adamant about wanting my freedom, the idea of being Lethe’s mate might not be so bad. The man is annoying and controlling, but in bed…
I draw in a deep breath and slowly exhale as I continue walking the length of the room, biting my thumbnail as I think. I have to stop ruminating about what he did to me, and I definitely have to get the image of his dragon tattoo out of my head. I’ve never considered tattoos to be sexy, but Lethe’s takes my breath away. It’s a stunning design of a dragon in mid-flight. Its wings had framed its body as it snarled and blew flames from its mouth. The wings had spread along Lethe’s shoulder blades, and the tail had curled along his hip. It was so detailed that I’d been able to see the scales on the dragon’s body, and the glow of its eyes.
I shake my head and mentally curse myself for allowing him to be the focus of my thoughts. I’ve been trying all afternoon to erase last night from my mind, but I’m failing miserably.
As much as I hate to admit it, I think my plan backfired. Sure, it had pissed Lethe off, which had been the entire point after all. But now my body aches for his touch.
Damn it.
For the next hour, I continue to pace, but the walls begin to close in on me, and I find myself desperate for a reprieve from this prison. The very last thing I want to do is ask a favor, but I feel like I’m going to lose my mind if I don’t at least try to get out of this room.
I walk to the bed and sit down, my eyes locked on the call button on the wall. There’s no way Lethe is going to allow me out of here, so it’s probably futile trying. Then again, he may not want anyone to know what went down last night, and if that’s the case, Cassius might be willing to compromise with me. It’s worth a try.
Before I can change my mind, I shove my index finger into the button.
I hear a click before a familiar voice comes across the speaker. “Yes?” Cassius asks.
“I can’t go anywhere, not with the elevator and stairs secured with a code. It doesn’t make sense to keep me locked in here,” I say as calmly as I can.
“Your isolation was ordered by Lethe.”
“Like I said, I can’t go anywhere.”
“I’ll speak with Lethe.” Click.
Damn, I was afraid of that. I already know that Lethe won’t approve it, so I turn and flop back onto the bed, staring up at the chandelier. I wonder if I request to have it taken down, would Cassius consider it?
Brin and Andi enter my thoughts, and I wonder what they’re going through right now. I can’t help but smile as I think of Brin. She would have tried to do everything that I’ve done, I know she would. That one is a fighter, and wherever she is, I’m sure she’s giving whoever bought her hell. As for Andi, I’m not sure how far she would go to gain her freedom. She’d accepted her situation in the cell without tears, but I get the sense that she’s not a natural fighter.
A brief knock on the door startles me, and I scramble into a sitting position as Cassius opens the door. “You may leave your room during the day, but at night, it’ll be locked,” he informs me.
Lethe had agreed to let me out? After last night, he should have shot down my request immediately. He’s up to something, but I’ll worry over it later. I rise to my feet and nod. “What about these?” I ask, holding up my hands as I refer to the bracelets.
“What about them?”
“I don’t want them to be permanent. I want to embrace my ability.”
“You have to accept your place here and accept Lethe before he’ll consider it,” he tells me.
I should have known that would be his response.
“Anything else?” he asks.
I shake my head.
He turns and walks away, and I’m right on his heels as I leave the room. As much as I hate the living quarters, the luxurious living room is a welcoming sight. Evie happens to be sitting on the couch with one foot propped on the glass table. She’s painting her toenails, and she doesn’t bother sparing me a glance.
I can hear someone in the kitchen, and I assume that’s where Tenley is. Sure enough, she’s at the sink rinsing cucumbers. She looks up, and her face brightens when she sees me. “Hi! No longer in isolation?”
I shake my head and glance at the cucumbers. “Want some help?”
“Sure. Can you slice these for me? I’m going to make a salad to go with our meal this evening.”
“It feels good to finally be doing something,” I admit as I walk across the kitchen to where she’s placing the cucumbers on a cutting board.
She hands me a knife, her fine eyebrows knitting together as she peers at me. “I’ve never met anyone who gets in as much trouble as you.” Her eyes search mine. “Was it worth the punishment?”
I accept the knife. “Absolutely,” I say without hesitation.
She gives me a small smile before moving to the refrigerator. “Nor have I met someone as stubborn as you,” she adds.
“I’m not stubborn; I’m just determined,” I reply as I begin slicing the first cucumber. I glance at her as she pulls a package of chicken from the refrigerator and walks to the sink. “Can I ask what life was like for you before you ended up here?” I ask lightly.
“Sure.” She opens the package and begins rinsing one chicken breast at a time before setting them in a pan. “There weren’t that many females in our clan since ours was really small, so when I was born, I was promised to a drakon male from another clan.” I see her lips turning down as she rinses the chicken. “You see, when we were to become mates, our clan would become a part of theirs, securing our safety. But bad things happened within that clan before I could be mated, so my family decided to relocate since the clan wasn’t as stable as they’d thought. Through extended family, we joined a different clan, and that was fine for a while. They seemed nice enough, and no one was forcing me into a mating. But then one of the men took a liking to me.” Her shoulders stiffen. “He was in his forties, and he terrified me.”
I’m silent as I listen to her story while I continue slicing the cucumber.
“I was soon betrothed to him, and two days before we were to be mated, our clan was raided.” She glances at me, a haunted look in her green eyes. “There wasn’t much security, because the clan was just barely scraping by. Us women were taken and sold. So here I am.”
Pain stabs my left index finger, and I look down to see blood dripping from a cut and spreading onto the cutting board. “Shit,” I curse. I quickly move to the sink, and blood steadily drips as I turn on the faucet and rinse the cut.
Tenley hurries over and takes my hand in hers, studying my finger with a critical eye. “I don’t think a bandage is going to fix this.” She grabs paper towel with her free hand and wraps it around my finger. The blood immediately soaks through. “Hold it tight, and I’ll go get Cassius.”
“Honestly, it’s just a little cut,” I protest.
Tenley gives me a look that says otherwise. “It’s going to need stitches.”
She’s just exiting the kitchen as Evie wanders in, and her eyes rest on the finger that I am holding tightly. “What are you doing?” she asks.
“It’s just a cut,” I reply.
Her eyes narrow on me suspiciously. “You’re worse than I originally thought.”
“Excuse me?” What does she mean by that? Maybe now we’ll have an actual conversation, and I’ll learn the real reason behind her hatred for me. Not that I care, but I am curious
.
She folds her arms over her breasts and tries to stare me down with a haughty look. “It’s not going to work, you know.”
“What’s not going to work?”
Evie just shakes her head. “You’re going to learn the hard way.”
Tenley re-enters the kitchen and walks to my side. “Cassius is on his way,” she tells me.
Evie rolls her eyes with exasperation. “It’s a stupid cut.”
“A cut that needs stitches,” Tenley calmly corrects.
“Whatever.” Evie turns and walks out of the kitchen.
I stare after her before turning back to Tenley. “What’s her problem? Is she that way towards you?”
“No. She’s nice most of the time.” She grabs fresh paper towel. “Here, use this.”
I exchange the bloodied paper towel for the fresh, and wrap it around my finger.
Cassius strides into the kitchen. “Let me see.” After I pull back the paper towel, blood begins dripping to the floor. “You definitely needs stitches. Hold it tight,” he orders.
Tenley hands me a fresh set of paper towel, and once the cut is covered, Cassius ushers me out of the kitchen and to the foyer. He types in the code, and the elevator doors slide open.
As soon as we step inside, Cassius pulls out his phone and puts it to his ear. “Arista needs a few stitches,” he tells someone. “Her finger,” he adds. He pockets the phone and glances at me. “Anton will stitch you up.”
I nod.
Cassius shakes his head. “You’re not even out of your room for thirty minutes and trouble finds you,” he says dryly.
I roll my eyes and shift on my feet, feeling annoyed by the entire situation. “It’s not like I planned it.”
“This better not be a ruse,” he warns with a hint of sternness in his hazel gaze.
“What am I going to do?” I ask with exasperation.
He just looks at me. “With you, one never knows.”
I decide it’s wise to not waste my breath replying. Cassius is in charge of my freedom on the third floor, and I don’t want to mess that up over a stupid argument that won’t gain me anything.
Captive (Igniting the Flame Book 1) Page 12