“But you drugged the food I stole.”
He shook his head. “Not drugged. The berries I placed into my sack were meant for you. I admit they are called Sexual Berries for their seductive qualities.”
He had a funny way of thinking those Sexual Berries weren’t drugs. What was he, stupid or something?
“Females crave sex. First they fall into a deep sleep, and then they have sensual, sexual dreams. The dreams seem so realistic they think the visions are actually happening.”
“Then you didn’t…” He didn’t finger-fuck her? She let the sentence die as disappointment laced her voice.
There was no way she was going to tell him he played the hot sexy stud in her sensual, berry dreams. Damn him, but dare she believe him? He was licking his fingers, for crying out loud. He had fucked her with his fingers!
“Yes, I did touch you. You were whimpering in your sleep. I knew you needed release.” The sides of his mouth drew wide in a knowing smile.
How embarrassing. Her cheeks grew hot and she accepted the canteen, cleaned the rim with her palm.
The cool liquid tasted heavenly as it splashed down her parched throat. She couldn’t get enough. Simply could not stop drinking. That is, until his hand wrapped around her wrist like a band of steel and he stopped her.
“Enough, you must eat something.”
He took the canteen from her and handed her some dried meat. It smelled pretty good and tasted even better. Salty and sweet at the same time.
They ate in silence, him handing her some dried fruit that looked like figs, which he allowed her to follow with the rest of the water from the canteen.
When she finished, she found him studying her again with those dark, dangerously sexy eyes. Eyes that made her breath catch. He was looking at her like he wanted sex.
“Hand me the fur blanket,” he instructed in a cool, commanding voice that instantly made her bristle with anger. She didn’t like the way he ordered her around, and truth be told she didn’t want to lose the security of the blanket on her shoulders. It had kept most of her body warm and hidden from those penetrating, I-want-sex-now black eyes.
He snapped his fingers. “The blanket.”
Setting her teeth, she reluctantly whipped off the blanket and threw it at him. His eyes blazed in momentary anger, but then the tips of his mouth once again tilted upward ever so slightly. The bastard was amused?
However, he said nothing as he stood and laid the blanket on the stone floor near the fire.
“Come here and lie on the blanket,” he said as he grabbed more wood and settled it in a teepee over the coals.
Orange and yellow flames burst and tangled around the sticks, illuminating the cave even more. When she didn’t move from where she sat, he frowned.
“I said come and lie here.”
“I’m fine right here, thanks.” She smiled, but inwardly nervousness rocked her.
Would he rape her now? Take her up against the rock wall, rough and hard…or gentle and tender? What kind of a lover would he be?
“If you wish to argue, I can easily argue. But by the way your nipples are hard as pebbles against your cloth, I believe you wish relief. Lie down on the fur and you will get relief from the chains and clamps.”
Relief. Oh baby, he didn’t know half the relief she needed. All that walking and tugging and pulling on her labia and nipples, not to mention the erotic rubbing on her clit from that chain. She had to admit she was sore.
It was an odd soreness. An arousal that she liked. She wanted him to rub those sore spots and make her very happy.
“Unless you need to go first?” he asked.
Go first? Oh man. Okay, she got it. The bathroom.
Her cheeks flamed at his question. “Um, where is the…um…ladies’ room?”
He frowned in puzzlement. “Ladies’ room?” he repeated.
“Powder room, bathroom? Pee?”
“There is an area to the right, an alcove that we use.”
We? Kinley frowned. She bet he brought all his captive women here. Asshole!
“Just point me in the right direction and I’ll go it alone.”
“I will accompany you. Stand.”
Kinley swallowed her frustration. The last thing she wanted was for the guy to watch her, but she really did need to pee. Thankfully when he led her off to an alcove, he had the decency to turn his back while she did what needed doing.
Then he led her back to the fire.
“Why would you care about my comfort?” she snapped, more comfortable with her anger toward him than her unexplained arousal.
His eyes flared in the darkness. “Do as I instruct, female. Lie down or suffer the consequences.”
Oh big, tough bully. She wanted to ask what he meant by consequences, but figured she just might be better off not knowing. Besides, she was getting really tired.
“How long do these types of acid storms last?” she asked instead. May as well get as much information out of him as possible. She would need to know how to keep from becoming charbroiled after she escaped.
“Lie on the blanket,” he growled.
His penetrating gaze made it clear he expected her obedience.
The musical tinkle of her chains sang through the air and all her clamps tightened as she first sat, and then lay on her back.
Not wanting to see the lusty apprehension in his eyes, she closed hers and tried to steady her fast breathing.
“Lift your garment above your breasts,” he commanded, his voice husky and low, aroused.
Her pussy creamed wet heat and she struggled to keep her thoughts in check. She was both nervous and excited as she did his bidding and lifted her top, fully exposing her upper half to him.
For a moment all was quiet except for an occasional crack of thunder.
The clamp released from her right nipple, and then her left. Her nipples tingled, but strangely the burst of pain one would normally get after having worn clamps for so long was merely a mild soreness.
Now, how would I know that? But her thoughts disintegrated and she moaned softly as he smoothed cool soft cream over her tender nipple.
“I had not intended for you to wear these for this long,” he whispered as he sensually rubbed.
“I’m sure the storm interfered with your plans for me.” She couldn’t help but whisper.
Exactly what are your plans? she wanted to ask, but the intoxicating way he rubbed the cream into her nipple had her already hot for more of his touches. The tenderness eased. Then it was gone.
She almost popped her eyes open when cool cream smoothed over her other nipple. The soreness lessened and disappeared just as with her other breast.
His breaths seemed to grow heavier as he moved his fingers away. A moment later, he touched both her nipples again. His featherlight, tender brushes against her flesh were like flames licking her and she found herself sinking into a pit of want and need.
Her pussy clenched.
Oh damn him.
He remained silent, but she believed he knew what he was doing to her.
He was priming her. This was foreplay.
Heat and wetness dripped from her core. A burning, aching agony erupted deep inside her vagina, and when his fingers left her nipples and splayed over her belly, she didn’t hesitate to lift her hips.
Shameless! Wanton! But she just couldn’t help herself. She needed…release…from him.
He removed one hot palm from her belly and fiddled with the tie at her right hip. The cloth loosened and fell away. Mild air breathed against her flesh. A moment later the tie at the other side loosened and she held her breath as her skirt fell away from her body.
“That’s it, female. Spread your legs nice and wide for me.” His voice sounded far away and she automatically spread her legs for him.
She forced herself to open her eyes, to fight the electrical heat zipping through her body as she anticipated his next touch. When it came, she jolted. Tender fingers trailed a line of white-hot fire up alo
ng the insides of her thighs.
Oh yes!
She closed her eyes. Pretended he was her lover. The man she loved. The man who would help her remember who she was and how she came to be here, lost and all alone.
The clamp on her right labia tightened briefly and then was gone. The other quickly followed. Hot, tingling agony swept through her pussy lips. Lips that were swollen and aching and aroused and sore. The hand on her lower belly pushed down and tension blossomed deep inside her.
An aching need to be filled.
God, she loved the tender, alluring way he stroked her. The way he made her want sex even though she shouldn’t want it. Not like this. But God help her, she did.
She moaned as cool cream touched her fiery pussy lips. In her mind’s eye, she pictured how his callused fingers were sliding over her flesh. He smoothed the lube over her outer labia, pulling gently as he drew one lip aside to touch her clit.
She moaned again. Clamped her mouth shut in defiance. No, he couldn’t know how much she wanted this. She struggled to keep her hips from moving, from gyrating.
Her need for sex was trapping her into doing what he wanted. And he wanted to fuck.
She didn’t have to open her eyes. She could feel it in the air. Sensual electricity blazed between them, pulling them closer and closer.
His hands left her body and he began removing the chains. They tinkled and soothed her rattled nerves. The leather belt with the cuffs around her waist was the next to go. The collar he left on. As well as the leash.
“You will leave your garments off. Do you understand?”
She nodded, her legs trembling as she anticipated his next move.
“Lie on your side, front toward the fire.”
She didn’t even think to say no. If he wanted to fuck her spoon style, then so be it!
Just fuck me please, sir, and thank you very much!
That was the least he could do after getting her all hot and bothered with his sensual touches.
She turned on her side and he lay down behind her. Disappointment rocked her as his clothed cock pressed intimately against her ass cheeks.
“We must sleep,” he muttered, his voice heavy with unmistakable lust.
Oh no, fuck me! Fuck me!
Panic zipped through her. She thought about begging him. That’s what he wanted, right?
She froze when his arm slipped over her waist and a hand slipped up her belly to cup her breast.
Oh yes. He was just teasing her! She made a move to reach behind her and undo the ties of his loin cloth.
“Lie still,” he snarled. “Sleep!”
Oh God. No, not sleep. Sex. I need sex!
Beg him, Kinley. Beg him.
No, she wouldn’t…couldn’t.
Her pussy yearned for him. Ached to be filled. Her nipples were so taut, her clit way too swollen and angry with need.
Then came his low, knowing chuckle that smoothed over her nerves like seductive silk. He did want her to beg. He wanted the satisfaction of seeing her reduced to do his bidding because he knew a female’s weakness. Hadn’t he said that? He wanted her to beg him.
Screw you, stud! A roll of defiance mingled with her arousal. Screw you!
She bit her bottom lip to keep herself from begging. But she was close. So damn close.
* * * * *
It was a beautiful sunset. Taylor caught glimpses of the clear, blue sky overhead while they walked in the river. The earlier gloomy, gray sky and the dark, rolling clouds in the distance signaled it would only be a matter of time before the stormy season hit this area.
The ominous clouds were located toward the Acid Zone. He knew better than to go there unless absolutely necessary. Not much vegetation grew in that rocky area and if it did, it disintegrated during one of the storms.
Taylor stifled a shiver at remembering finding the remnants of some poor soul who must have been caught out in the open during a storm in the Acid Zone. Nothing had remained of the person except white bones.
He nodded toward the sky so the female could get a look at the beauty. When she lifted her head, appreciation sparkled in her eyes. The sky had turned a deep, pure blue, the white, puffy clouds streaked with gold as the sun sprayed against them. In the far distance ahead of them, the trees gave way to a lush plateau, then to purple hills. In those hills was the Outer Limits.
The Outer Limits was a place forbidden to most. Yet after escaping his enslavement with the women and then leaving the Death Valley Boys, he and his friend Jarod had made it a point to explore that area. They came up with nothing truly significant except for a giant stone female statue, falling apart. Its crown and the torch she carried were pitted with rust and holes. The statue was rumored to be chiseled from stone after the original Goddess of Freedom, a woman who’d raised an army against males, enslaving them all.
But now some male slaves were free, thanks to Jarod and Jarod’s sister, Virgin, the woman who had educated them. Some males had taken their education and turned evil, stealing women, enslaving them and taking on the name the Death Valley Boys. Other males, such as himself and Jarod, were harmless.
At the thought of soon seeing Jarod, Taylor’s heart warmed. He and Jarod had lived here for a while. Hidden in the jungle, they’d built shelters in the treetops. The tree house was where Piper and Jarod had been many days earlier, when Taylor had left to search for her sisters. It was where he hoped to find Jarod and reunite them all.
It would be good to see the fear melt in this female’s gaze when he reunited her with Piper. Perhaps then the woman wouldn’t look at him with alarm and she would trust that he wouldn’t hurt her.
As the river meandered closer to the area of their tree house, he led her from the river and down an almost invisible path. His heart picked up in excitement, but moments later he noticed footprints near the water’s edge. Normally a set of footprints would not alarm him as he would recognize them as Jarod’s. This time, however—if Jarod were around—there would be two sets.
His and the female’s.
But there were more. Three males and two females and none of the footprints belonged to Jarod or his female.
So who had come by here? No one knew of the tree house except for Jarod, Piper and the Hero brothers. Yet the Hero brothers and their women would not dare to venture far from their own village. Not with the stormy season so close at hand. Unless there had been some emergency…
If the prints didn’t belong to a friend, then there was definitely trouble in the air.
“Why have we stopped?” the female asked. Ordinarily with her standing so close, he would have been able to think of nothing else but breathing in her sensual scent and taking her up against a nearby tree. But sex would have to come second now that his survival instincts were in peak mode.
He pointed to the footprints in the mud. “Three males and two females,” he whispered.
Excitement flared in her eyes. She’d misunderstood. “My brothers and sisters?”
“I do not think so.”
The happiness was dashed from her features and it irritated him that he was so disappointed by her devastation.
He did not have time to dwell on his reaction. They were standing out in the open. Easy prey for any enemy. For all he knew, the footprints could belong to the two women who’d enslaved them. They may have brought along slave male trackers to hunt him and the female. He didn’t want to frighten Kayla unnecessarily, but it was best to keep her safe.
“There may be trouble. We need to get out of the open and to be very quiet.”
He’d expected an argument from her or, at the very least, for her to look frightened. She was neither.
Instead she merely nodded as her eyes blazed with a seriousness he’d not seen in her. Most of the lust fever had gone and he believed she could now think clearly, without the thoughts of him fucking her.
Fucking her had done good. So had the rest and food and drink. He liked that she had a cool head under pressure. A hot body and cool head, a v
ery enticing combination. His attraction for her grew several notches.
“Keep pace with me. Do as I tell you without hesitation. Are we clear?”
She nodded.
“We go.”
He did not take her hand to lead her, to keep her close. Instead he opted to keep his and her hands free. Just in case.
With ease, they moved into the cover of the jungle. He made sure not to keep to the tiny trail he and Jarod had allowed themselves to the tree house.
In the years since coming here to hide, they’d grown lax. Their error showed in the weave of trails they’d created.
His heart sank. They would have to part with their tree house and move deeper into the Outer Limits. They’d enjoyed their freedom here. Had worked hard to create the shelters in the trees.
He caught the scent of smoke as he neared the area of their tree shelter. It had grown dark, but his eyes had become accustomed to the dim light. But he was still too far from their shelter and could not tell if Jarod and Piper were alone, if they had company or if—Goddess of Freedom forbid—they might have been captured.
He dared not bring Kayla any closer, just in case. Urging her behind a boulder, he slid the knife from the scabbard he’d woven out of leaves and held it up to her.
Her eyes widened in the gloomy darkness.
“In case I do not return,” he said as she accepted the weapon. “Stay here and do not show yourself under any circumstances. Only I will return for you. If I don’t, leave. Follow the river. Stay in it so you leave no tracks. Go down river for a day. You will see a meadow. It is the second one to your right. At the far end of that meadow you will find a shelter that Jarod and I built. It will be hard to find, so look closely. Stay there until the storms are over.”
“How will I know when they are over?”
“You’ll know. Near the shelter you will find a swamp. There will be a boat. It is well-hidden, so you will have to search hard. On the morning of the second day without storms, follow the sun through the swamps. Continue until the very end where you will see a river. Stay at the mouth of the river until your brothers find you.”
He hoped the Heroes had not grown lax in their posting of a lookout near the tiny village they had created. For if they did, Kayla would most likely perish. But he could not think of that possibility. Dared not consider it or his heart would break.
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