Ransomed to the World

by Stacey Brutger

  Annora shoved the gem down her bra, worried that if it lost contact with her skin, the recognition and love in Mason’s eyes would fade once more.

  Her heart couldn’t take it again.

  Swallowing the lump in her throat, she gathered up the rest of the stones. Mason handed her a shallow bowl—no, not a bowl—a second looked showed it was a part of a shattered skull. She hesitated for a moment, then piled the stones inside. As she walked toward the exit, she hesitated when they came upon the trolls who’d attacked them.

  As one, they bent down on one knee and bowed their heads.

  Annora stumbled away from them…only to collide with Mason. She whispered to him out of the corner of her mouth, unable to take her eyes off them. “What are they doing?”

  “You hold their stones.” His huge, gentle hands came to rest on her shoulders, and he gave her a reassuring squeeze. “You hold their future in your hands.”

  Annora glanced at the troll in front of her, then down at the stones. Some of the gems were so black, they looked like a lump of coal. Any magic in the stones were completely absent, and she knew that whomever they belonged to was long gone.

  As she thought of the troll in front of her, one of the stones shimmered brighter than the others. She plucked it out and offered it to the troll. The troll’s jaw dropped, her pale, violet eyes turning liquid as tears shimmered in them, and she hesitantly accepted the gem. One by one, Annora went down the line, selecting the stone that spoke to her and handing them back one after the other.

  Which still left her with two dozen or so remaining.

  The trolls slowly rose to their feet, looking at each other with furrowed brows, their stones clutched in their fists, when one of the larger males spoke.

  “Why?” His voice was a low grumble, his expression puzzled as he peered down at her from his heavy brow and deep-set eyes, his powder blue skin making her stare a little bit longer.

  Annora looked down at the bones scattered around the cave, the loved ones that they had lost, and shook her head. “You already lost too much.”

  “But we attacked you.” One of the women stepped forward, cradling her fist against her chest, the stone practically glowing between her fingers. The troll was bruised and battered, one of her eyes nearly swollen shut, her lip busted, her leg bleeding heavily where a small bone stuck out of it.

  Annora couldn’t tell if the troll was happy or pissed or just plain suspicious. She studied each of them, picked up some distrust, curiosity, and a load of apprehension, but no outright hatred.

  “Why did you stop trying to kill us?” Annora finally asked.

  The trolls glanced at each other, as if not understanding her question.

  Mason snorted, a protective presence at her side. “I can answer your question. The instant you stopped attacking, she stopped seeing you as a threat. She has no use for you or your stones.”

  One of the smaller, dark purple males scowled at them. “No one would give up that kind of power. If you kept the stones, you’d have an army of trolls at your beck and call.”

  Annora looked up at Mason for reassurance, and he smiled down at her. He snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her against his chest, then answered the question without looking away from her.

  “What you saw…she was holding back. My guess…she didn’t mean to actually kill Flora. She just wanted my heart stone. When Flora threatened me, she signed her own death warrant.” Mason straightened to his full height, his head held high, pride shining on his face. “It’s just a fraction of what she can do. If she wanted, she could’ve destroyed the whole village in minutes.”

  Annora glanced at the others, expecting to see fear…and was shocked to see only admiration.

  Trolls—she didn’t understand them.

  Aggression was revered. Do a nice thing, give them back their gems, and they look at you with distrust. Kill one of them, and they respect you. She shook her head, beginning to worry about how phantoms would view her.

  Based on Sadie’s reaction—one of the few phantoms she’d encountered—Annora was going to be lucky if they didn’t kill her outright like they did other half-breeds. Thanks to her dear old dad, she was protected to a certain extent…until he got what he wanted.

  All she had to do was find his dead wife, who was now a reaper, and kill her.

  Easy-peasy…yeah, right.

  “We should be heading back.” She sighed, not wanting to leave the safety of his arms. “The others are waiting for us and probably worried out of their minds.”

  Mason grunted his agreement, his arm tightening around her for a moment before he released her, then held her back while the rest of the trolls trudged out of the cave.

  Not quite trusting them not to double back to harm them, Mason and Annora waited until they could no longer hear them before heading back themselves.

  When they reached the big cavern where they both entered, Mason stopped her, took the small bowl of stones, and carefully placed them on the ground. His movements were controlled and measured. He straightened, then turned her and began to inspect every inch of her for injuries. Annora held still, letting him do what he wanted, knowing she wouldn’t be able to dissuade him, not until he could confirm for himself that she was okay.

  She shivered at the way his fingers glided over her skin. With each touch, each caress, the troll in him ceded back control. When he took a deep breath, his chest expanded and dark lines shimmered on his chest like liquid metal. Annora peered through the gap of his shirt, then gasped in surprise.

  The mating tattoo on their wrists was now etched into his chest, directly over his heart. The roots almost appeared to be digging into his skin. As if basking under her attention, it almost seemed to glimmer in the dark light, the branches swaying. “What…?”

  Mason tore off the remains of his shirt, then touched the mark reverently, a huge smile crossing his face, his lavender eyes shining bright with awe. “Trolls must earn their tattoos, each meaning something different. The darker the lines, the more tattoos, the stronger the troll. The mark directly over the heart is saved for our mate, when we’re deemed worthy.”

  Annora leaned closer and lightly traced the lines, the thing the size of her hand. As soon as she touched the tattoo, the connection between them hummed to life, and a pleased sound vibrated in his chest. “When you had the chance to kill me, even under the influence of the potion, you stopped. You actually fought to save me. You were always worthy in my eyes, long before we entered the caves.”

  His chest expanded, his smile more relaxed than she’d ever seen it. Annora reached inside her shirt, then pulled out his stone, rubbing her thumb over it before she held out her hand and offered it to him. “I think this is yours.”

  His smile faded as he glanced down at the stone in her hand. He reached out, but instead of taking the stone, he curled her fingers over it. “Keep it.”

  Her brows scrunched at his soft tone. “But I thought…I don’t want to control you.” She shuddered and thrust her hand out to him, wanting nothing to do with it. “Take it back.”

  “It’s a claim of ownership, a thing of pride, similar to how humans wear wedding rings. It’s also a sign of protection. No other trolls will touch you.” Mason gave her a crooked smile, then lifted up her hand and kissed her palm next to the stone. “Think of it as a piece of my heart. When we reach topside, we’ll stop by the bazaar and find a ring to set it in…if you want it.”

  The idea of wearing the stone, holding a part of him close, thrilled her, and she closed her fingers around it. Her throat tightened with emotions, so she could only nod. Not wanting to lose it, she shoved it into her front pocket. At the hopeful look on his face, her heart swelled, joy spilling through her, and she smiled. Her voice was firm when she said, “Yes.”

  She’d never been so sure of anything in her life.

  Even battered and bruised, he was magnificent.

  And he was hers.

  Not wanting him to ever doubt it, she let h
im feel her emotions through the mark.

  He sucked in a startled breath, his lavender eyes darkened and latched onto hers. His hair stood upright and proud.

  He finally believed her.

  With a growl, he leaned down and kissed her.

  Her world blurred as he swept her off her feet and into his arms. His mouth was hungry and demanding, and she had no desire to resist. Craving more, she wrapped her legs around him, humming her approval when she felt his massive erection between them.

  When a rumble of pleasure escaped him, her whole body tingled, and she was helpless to resist rubbing against him. He gave a growl of approval, his arms tightened around her, and the rest of the world fell away.

  She slid her fingers into his hair, pausing when she felt the hard ridges of his horns. She’d swear they were bigger. Then she gave him a devilish smile and very deliberately ran her fingers from the tip to the base of one horn.

  Mason shuddered and stilled in her arms. He lifted his mouth from hers, and their gazes clashed, his eyelids heavy with lust. His hair tangled with her fingers, stopping her…then tugged her hand closer, urging her to continue stroking him.

  “You play a dangerous game.”

  The rough tone of his voice tingled along her skin, her nipples hardening at the sound, and it was all she could do not to squirm in his arms and rub harder against his erection.

  Fuck it.

  She traced the horn again, lightly, giving him a wicked smile. “I play to win.”

  His hips immediately slammed against her, and it was her turn to groan, all thoughts of the game vanished. “Mason. Please.”

  Instead of complying, he tore his mouth away from hers, his breathing ragged, his lavender eyes nearly violet with need. She tightened her legs around him when she feared he would pull away and glared at him, not liking the stubborn tilt to his chin. “Don’t you fucking dare say I’m not ready.”

  A growl of pained laughter came from him. He dragged one hand over his wild hair, static crackling through it, and it sprang right back up. “I want our first time to be perfect. You’re my one and only love. There will never be another. I want to shower you with chocolate and roses, take you out on a date and show you off. I want—”

  “Mason…I don’t need any of that. Anywhere with you will be perfect. You can give me romance later, when the danger is over. Don’t take away what could be beautiful memories for a time that may never come.”

  He looked troubled by her response. He pressed his forehead against hers, trembling slightly and whispered, “I want it to be perfect. I want you to enjoy it. I’m afraid I’ll hurt you and scare you away.” Strands of his hair stretched forward tentatively to caress her face.

  “Never.” She untangled her hand from his hair and ran it along his jaw. “You could never scare me away.”

  He bent, carefully setting her on the ground, and she struggled to stay upright on unsteady legs. When he knelt in front of her, he still remained slightly taller. She should be intimidated as hell, but it took all her control not to crawl up his body and stake her claim.

  Fuck it.

  Annora threw herself at him, then let out a startled squeak when he tipped over backwards. Mason swept his arms around her, dragging her with him, cradling her close, until she ended up sprawled across his chest. She looked down, studying every nuance of his face, then gave in to the urge to do what she wanted and kissed the daylights out of him.

  Any hesitation on his part vanished. His arms tightened around her, crushing her to his chest, and she moaned at the delicious pressure of being caught close. His skin was slightly rough as she explored him, and she pushed away, needing to see all of him.

  As she straightened, his erection was big and thick between her legs, and he froze beneath her, barely breathing. Wanting him to forget about his fears, she grabbed the hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head, then quickly unlatched her bra and dropped it.

  After years of confinement and abuse, she’d lost what little shyness she had about being naked. Wonder sparked in his eyes as he caressed her exposed skin, and she shivered, amazed at how much she’d been missing in life.

  Until now.

  Until them.

  Desire sizzled along her nerve endings, and she couldn’t stop herself from squirming against him. A moan, part pleasure, part pain, escaped him, and she stilled. His eyes immediately snapped open to meet hers, and she squirmed again, deliberately this time, watching as lust dilated his pupils.

  His hands came to settle carefully on her hips, guiding her as he gently thrust against her.

  It was her turn to moan this time.

  He sat, still guiding her hips to keep time with his thrust as he leaned forward and captured her nipple in his mouth.

  Unable to help herself, she fisted a handful of his hair, a thrill shooting through her as she felt the scrape of his horns against her palms.

  With each caress, his control wavered more, his grip becoming rougher, his mouth more insistent, and it was all she could do to hang on for the ride.

  Her orgasm took her by surprise, and she closed her eyes as her world exploded into a shower of pleasure. His fingers swept up and down her spine, and she reluctantly straightened.

  The first thing she saw was his beautiful, smug smile.

  Not near done with him, she licked her lips and gave him a smoldering smile that made his own falter. “My turn.”

  Even as she scooted back to put her plan into action, he grabbed a hold of her pants. “Off.”

  Unable to resist his gruff command, she stood, using his shoulders for support, and stepped out of her clothes. She stood in front of him naked, shivering at the way he devoured her with his eyes. Feeling bold, she grabbed what remained of his jeans and tugged them off.

  Before she had a chance to get more than a glimpse of him, he drew her close, lifting her until he buried his face between her legs. All thoughts of taking advantage of him vanished as he devoured her. It took only one sweep of his tongue to bring her to the peak once more, and when his fangs nudged at her core, she couldn’t hold back a whimper. Then his fingers were there, stretching her, the pleasure-pain of it pushing her over the edge yet again.

  She was so relaxed, she’d swear that she didn’t have a bone left in her body.

  Even as the orgasm began to fade, he eased her down his chest and lower.

  That’s when she felt his erection at her core.

  As the tip of him eased into her, stretching her, he shuddered. He was sitting on his heels, her legs on either side of his hips, the position leaving her open for him while they were nearly eye to eye. Wanting him to enjoy himself, she leaned forward and kissed him, burying her fingers into his hair and stroking the crown of horns from base to tip in a way that seemed to set him off.

  A groan escaped him, and he shook as he tried to hold himself back.

  Not having any of it, Annora used her legs to begin easing herself up and down his shaft, each thrust going a little deeper until she was fully seated on him. It was almost uncomfortable to be so full…until he began to move with her. There was a hard nub at the base of his shaft that rubbed deliciously against her every time he thrust, and she began to arch against him, helpless to resist chasing the pleasure.

  The pleasure-pain swirled together until her whole body tingled.

  When she came this time, she couldn’t hold back, his name a breathy whisper. His grip tightened on her hips, and he picked up his pace, his thrusts growing more erratic, until he joined her and bellowed his own release a few moments later.

  She gently floated back to earth, she didn’t know how much later, and found Mason cradling her against his chest, running his hand up and down her back. Every time he so much as breathed, a little shiver went through her, and she knew it wouldn’t take much for her to be ready again.

  Fuck if she wasn’t beginning to crave his touch.

  When she was about ready to do just that, he caught her hips, his chest shaking with laughter.

>   “Easy, there.” He smiled down at her when she glared up at him. “As much as I would give anything to take you again” –-fuck if he didn’t twitch inside her when he said it— “you’re going to be sore enough. We need to ease you into having regular sex…if you want.”

  Annora snorted. “I’d like to see you stop me.”

  His smile was blinding, a rumble of laughter vibrating in his chest, and she nearly groaned while he rubbed against her deliciously where they were still connected. Before she could investigate more and try to convince him she was strong enough for a second round, the chittering of a ferret interrupted her devilish thoughts.

  She glanced up to see Prem pawing the air, obviously annoyed, as if he was exasperated and had been trying to get her attention for a while.

  Time was up.

  She heaved a sigh, able to feel the guys’ worry through the connection, and tried to stifle her guilt at the delay. She refused to feel bad about stealing a few minutes alone with Mason. After their brush with death, she needed the reassurance that he was okay.

  Mason stole a slow, thorough kiss, then released his own sigh. “It’s time to go back.”

  She winced when he helped her stand, and her eyes widened when she saw his cock for the first time. Fuck if that thing wasn’t massive. It was very much in proportion to his overall size, and she could now understand his hesitation. If she had caught sight of the damned anaconda he had earlier, she might have had reservations about having sex with him.

  She gave a sigh of appreciation, thankful that he knew how to use the thing with such skill. And damned if he didn’t have what looked like a small horn at the base of his shaft that made her shiver as she remembered how he could make her breathless in just a few seconds.

  He caught her look, but the twinkle in his eye said he didn’t mind. “Trolls only like one thing more than fighting.”

  Fucking.

  She didn’t bother to hold back her chuckle at his boast.