Blood and Spice

by Lilah E. Noir

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Warning

  I

  II

  III

  IV

  V

  VI

  VII

  VIII

  IX

  X

  Author's Note and Other Work by Lilah E. Noir

  Unorthodox Dom

  Unorthodox Therapy

  Unorthodox Chemistry

  Unorthodox Union

  The Unorthodox Trilogy Boxed Set

  Copyright © 2019 Lilah E. Noir

  All rights reserved.

  Kindle Edition

  Written and published by: Lilah E. Noir

  Cover art: Lilah E. Noir

  Editing: Proofreading By The Page

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author. You can find more information on http://lilahenoir.com.

  WARNING

  This book was originally published in 2019. The copy you're reading right now has been re-written and edited. If you had purchased the old version of the book, you should that there are no significant changes to the original story except for improved writing.

  This is a work of erotic fiction. My characters engage in BDSM, hot and steamy, explicit sex, male domination, female submission, female domination, spanking, humiliation, oral sex, anal play, punishment, discipline, heavy level of sadism and masochism, and dubious consent.

  All characters are over 18 years old.

  This is not a light-hearted romance or sugar kink and neither it is an example or tutorial of how you should conduct your BDSM relationship. If you expect that every story involving BDSM should be safe, sane and consensual, you'd better skip that book. It's a dark erotic fantasy. The author of the story doesn't condone the actions of the characters. There are elements of dark erotica, and scenes of violence, mental abuse and past trauma that some readers may find disturbing or triggering. If you find any of this offensive or objectionable, you'd better not buy this book.

  Read and find out if this story has a happy ending for my characters.

  I

  The boy picked up the book Laurel had left for him on the counter. He ran his thumb across the beautiful, bright cover and wrapped his hands around it, as if holding a treasure. His dark eyes were tracing the intricate ornaments of the title and the illustration that jumped off the page. A knight in a silver shining armor next to a fair maiden in a long white dress and flowing auburn hair. Classic fantasy cover.

  "Thank you, Miss Laurel but it wasn't necessary..." Mark stuttered and smoothed his dirty blonde curls back. "You're too kind and anyway, I'm not a big fan of fantasy."

  "Why don't you open it, Mark?" Laurel reclined against the counter and her cinnamon perfume caressed his nostrils. No, it was more than just cinnamon. His acute senses caught vanilla, caramel, sweet autumn apples, mulled wine and a thousand other fragrances that swirled in a magical concoction. Every time he was close to her and watched the green flames of her eyes, Mark caught something new about that fragrance. He stopped trying to make sense of it and let it enchant his senses.

  It's the candy... and all those spices... and her.

  Cinnamon Bookshop had that effect on him ever since he passed its threshold for the first time. However, today the place was glowing with a pure Halloween magic. Miss Laurel loved changing the interior based on the season and her whims but this fall, the old house looked like a place out of a different world. Mark could sit here for hours and he'd never get bored.

  Yellow and red leaves were crawling up the tall wooden columns like poison ivy. He had to touch them to make sure they were artificial. She had what looked like hundreds of little Moroccan style lanterns of black iron perched on the walls and on top of the bookcases. Mark had an acute sensitivity to fragrances rather than colors but those tiny sources of light and magic were hard to miss. The multicolored glass was glowing on the inside with all the nuances of red, orange and golden, like millions of little fairies that danced on the lacquered old wood.

  Delicate webs covered the staircase that led to the reading corner on the top floor. They sparkled like silver under the lanterns' light. Laurel could tell him she had summoned a thousand little spider helpers to spin and weave those webs. He'd believe her. There was also a huge carved pumpkin on the counter next to the cash register. Mark brought the candy to his nose and he nearly had an orgasm out of the sweet, sour and spicy scents he caught.

  The old bookshop and café always had that fragrance in the air, of the millions of drinks from her menu. She said the recipes were all hers but the person who prepared them was Corwin, her right hand and assistant.

  Mark had always been attracted only to girls and women. He couldn't deny how alluring Corwin was, though. The man behind the counter exuded raw sexuality, and that made Mark feel intimidated and slightly turned on.

  Corwin was probably the tallest person he had ever seen, easily over six feet and ten inches. He often joked he was lucky that the "boss lady" picked up a house for their shop where he didn't have to hit his head on a door frame. The tall ceilings and arched doors of the bookshop suited him... just like the petite, mysterious Laurel when she was next to him. Corwin was definitely not a man fitted for narrow spaces with his muscular body, broad chest and arms. He was more fit to tie heavy knots on ships than prepare spicy tea and coffee. His athletic figure was useful when he had to climb the ladder to get books from the upper shelves.

  Corwin had intense hazel eyes and a rugged face that gave him a menacing appearance. It was a big surprise for Mark once he got to know him better. Laurel's assistant was both intelligent and sweet. He was probably one of the smartest people Mark ever met. He knew every book at Cinnamon Bookshop by heart and could give lengthy recommendations about all genres, from young adult fiction to philosophical studies. There weren't many topics he didn't have an encyclopaedic knowledge of.

  He was also part of the reason the bookshop was often full of giggling teenage girls who tested their flirting skills on him. Oh well, Mark couldn't really judge them for that, could he? He had a mad crush on Laurel from the moment he saw her.

  "Come on, Mark, open it and read just a few lines." She interrupted his thoughts, laughed and her honey voice caressed him. A warm feeling was growing inside him, like the first fires of the golden fall.

  He took his sweet time to admire Laurel before he flipped through the pages. How could he keep his eyes from her? Her pretty, pale face framed with a veil of raven hair, a kind, yet mysterious smile and plump, ruby lips allured the gaze even when she was out of sight. Right then she had tilted her head in expectation for his next move and played with the frills of the bright red poncho scarf wrapped around her...

  ... and those green eyes amazed him.

  Funny thing, he never fantasized what she'd be like without her long skirts and scarves. They were part of her mystery.

  Mark knew he was too young for her but he was helpless to her little cloud of enchantment. No matter what he did during the day, his inner compass always led him up the hill to Cinnamon Bookshop. It wasn't just her... the entire house was drawing him.

  It was that lazy, seductive environment with a thousand different spices lingering in the air, the paper and ink. New books that smelled as if they had just come out of the print with snow white pages and slick covers. First editi
ons with heavy leather bound covers whose fragile yellow paper brought him back to the past with a mere touch. All the tiny details, the silver bells at the front door, the old furniture of the cafe, the lacquered wooden shelves made for a little heaven in his mind.

  Sometimes Mark wondered if his attraction for Laurel was even sexual. It was a pleasure for him to be around her and enjoy her presence. Corwin provoked the same sensations in him and he couldn't imagine the old bookshop without the tall man.

  Corwin and Laurel were a gorgeous couple. Mark felt thrilled to watch them together. Laurel suited his towering, muscular figure so well with her soft femininity. They rarely acted like lovers in public but Mark sensed their connection with every fiber of his being.

  It was strange that woman was so alluring to him but he didn't really feel a physical desire for her. Well, Mark had always been a little strange.

  His grandma would warn him against visiting the ancient house on the hill.

  "It's an unnatural place," she'd say and drum the tip of her walking stick on the floor. "That woman's a witch and we shouldn't trust her... and that man with her is no good, either. Don't go there, child, they'll put their evil spell on you."

  It was too late... and if that was an evil spell and dark magic, Mark didn't mind their influence.

  No one knew Laurel's true age, where she had come from or why she and Corwin moved in their little mountain town. Crescent Moon Springs was a spa resort and had its fair share of tourism but it was hardly the most exciting place in the world. It was also a weird choice for a bookshop.

  Whenever Mark tried to ask her anything of her old life, she'd get away with a poetic and elusive answer. Then she'd let out more smoke to make him stray from the path of curiosity and distract him with something. A new book, new herbal tea, new delicious blend of coffee or a fragrant oil.

  There was never a shortage of distractions in Cinnamon Bookshop.

  His fellow citizens didn't have a clue who those beautiful strangers were but over the last few years they cared less and less. All they knew was that Laurel and Corwin arrived on one misty morning three falls ago with nothing but a pair of matching suitcases. On that morning, Crescent Moon Springs woke up with the rumor that a beautiful woman with a red cloak and a tall, long-haired man in a leather jacket got off the train and headed straight for the old abandoned house on the hill.

  The house had been decaying for years. The town council often thought about tearing it down. Nobody bothered to go through with demolition, as it was far away enough from any populated areas. Laurel Stone bought the place for peanuts. Corwin and her didn't waste a lot of time before they started its renovation. Everyone thought the weird newcomer would just give it up when she saw how much money that project would cost her.

  It's been three years since then. Laurel invested a lot in her passion project to turn the abandoned house into a bookshop. Cinnamon Bookshop was a huge success, and she was one of the most successful business owners in town. Even the biggest skeptics applauded her for her entrepreneurial spirit. Her bookshop/café was just as much of a tourism magnet as the mineral springs and spa resorts. Some even suggested that she should be a member of the town's council. Laurel contributed to the area's reputation, so in time nobody questioned her origins.

  Well, except for people like Mark's grandmother.

  He finally focused on the dark letters before him. The moment he read the first sentence prickles ran down the back of his neck and his face turned red with excitement.

  "Is that..." Mark swallowed and raised his head to look into Laurel's smug eyes. She nodded and reached out to pick something from the pumpkin.

  "Yes... may it remain our little secret, right, Mark?"

  His heart was beating too fast now. It was too much to handle, the sweetness in the air, her siren voice and the images the words in the book conjured in his mind. Mark pressed his lips together and whispered weakly.

  "I... I don't know how to thank you..."

  "Then don't. Just make sure that your parents don't read it and you return it once you're finished. Remember, you can always borrow it again in the reading corner." Laurel smirked and pulled something out of the pumpkin. A small block of chocolate with an exquisite little spider of sugar and spice was hanging from the red ribbon between her fingers.

  "Happy Halloween, Mark."

  "Oh..." He took the little bright red ribbon and twirled it. "I'm a little too old for trick-and-treating, Miss Laurel. Besides, you treated me enough already..."

  Her face fell, and she made the cutest pouting expression ever. He hated when his little sister did that to get what she wanted but it looked so sweet on Laurel.

  "That's the saddest thing I've ever heard in my life. Nobody is too old for candy, Halloween and trick-or-treating. Keep the magic for as long as you can, kid. Take it, I'm sure you love dark chocolate."

  "Yeah... I'm too old for trick-and-treating but not old enough for your Halloween party." He nibbled the dark chocolate and his mouth overflowed with delicious mint cream.

  She is a goddess... is there something she isn't capable of?

  "Don't be in such a hurry. You'll be eighteen in a few months, who knows, you might even help me prepare the party."

  "That will be so cool." Mark smiled, hugged the book to his chest and nodded to Laurel. "Have a great party tonight, Miss Laurel, I look forward to the pictures on Facebook."

  When he walked out of the bookshop, he was on cloud nine and didn't notice the tall blond stranger who passed him by.

  II

  The group of teenage girls at the tables giggled when Corwin brought them their tray of pumpkin spice lattes with cinnamon whipped cream. They whispered to each other and hid their flaming faces behind the paranormal romance novels they were reading. He chuckled under his breath when he noticed what they were reading and gave them his most charming smile.

  "Enjoy your drinks, ladies." His voice was deep, with a little growl whenever Corwin got angry, and it always made women weak in the knees. He'd never even think of laying a finger on some of those girls but he used his charm to make them feel special and welcome.

  More giggles followed. It was kind of cute.

  "Hey girls..." Corwin pointed out to the books they held. "We expect to get the last book in that series next week. Laurel might even get you signed copies from the author if you order in advance."

  The girls gasped and thanked him, gushing with excitement. It gave him some joy to look at their shining eyes and listen to their gratitude. Sometimes it was still hard for him to believe he made people happy. His presence no longer frightened them and it didn't make them reach for their pitchforks.

  All thanks to her.

  Corwin walked away from the ecstatic girls and approached Laurel. She was going through the orders on her laptop behind the counter with a happy little smile.

  "What did you give to Mark that made him so flustered?" He ran his fingers over her pale wrist and played with the beads on her bracelet.

  "Something hot..." Laurel raised her head and let Corwin hold her small palm in his. "Maybe after he reads that book, he'll work up the courage to ask a girl out."

  "Don't tell me you gave him an erotic book." Corwin bowed his head to whisper in her ear. She said nothing and gifted him with one of her irresistible smiles. He groaned on the inside and shook his head. "Laurel, you love playing with fire, don't you?"

  "Oh, come on." She rolled her eyes and reached out for one of the hard-bound copies on the counter, right next to the pumpkin. "I gave him a piece of candy and a sexy book, not drugs or alcohol. He's been asking me for steamier romance novels for the past year."

  "Really?" Corwin raised his eyebrows and laughed a little. His rough fingers were brushing Laurel's delicate skin. "Well, it shouldn't surprise me but... he's the mayor's son. They love us now but if we give them any reason to..."

  "Shh..." Laurel grabbed the pendant around his neck and used her softest voice on him. "Relax, nothing bad will happen. Once I to
ld you I'd always protect you. Have I ever broken my promise? We're at a place that feels like home... as for Mark, you shouldn't worry. He's a good boy... besides, I did a little trick on his book."

  Her words and small signs of tenderness always tamed the fear in him better than any of her herbal teas or magic tricks. Laurel kissed his fingers and pulled away with a wicked grin. She scanned the bookstore with a gaze to make sure nobody was watching. The girls were far away enough and too lost in their favorite paranormal world to pay attention.

  When she flicked her fingers across one book, Laurel muttered a few words under her breath and the image on the hard cover switched to something different. Corwin winced. He had been by Laurel's side for so long and yet it was so difficult to accept her ways and how easy it was for her to twist reality. He sighed and nodded, still staring at the altered cover.

  "It will be fine... I meant to talk to you." Laurel said and rested the book on the counter. She did her magic trick again and the cover went back to its normal state. "I'm considering hiring a few interns starting next summer. I'm sure Mark would be a great fit and he'd love to work here until he goes to college... I'll need at least three people to help us out here."

  "Really?" Corwin furrowed his eyebrows and drummed his fingers. "Why? I thought both of us were doing fine?"

  "We are." Laurel nodded and turned her attention back to the computer screen. "I could never run this shop without you."

  "Please." He said with a soft smile. "You'd be fine without me, you're a force of nature. You'd find another big, strong man to wrap around your finger just by showing up at that bar downtown."

  She laughed and gave him a stern gaze. "Don't make me punish you, Corwin, and don't make jokes. I don't want you to think I don't appreciate you and I haven't been showing that the past few months. Our business is growing, though, and we need all the help we can get during high season. It'd be a relief to have someone help you out in the cafe. I'd need another person who can process the orders on the website."