Sold to Serve: The Dark Brothers Book 1

by Kyra Alessy

  ‘Aye.’

  She heard them leave and then she was alone with the Brothers.

  She slowly removed her thick, ermine cloak and draped it on a chair before sitting down.

  ‘Things have changed here,’ she commented.

  ‘Aye,’ Mace said, sitting down as well. ‘After Davas … we decided to get some men from the village to finish the repairs to the keep.’

  ‘And the woman who answered the door?’

  ‘Tess.’ Kade said, also sitting. ‘She’s a … What is it again?’

  ‘Housekeeper, fool.’ Lucian drawled and Kora almost smiled. Gods, she had missed them.

  ‘Housekeeper,’ Kade repeated.

  ‘So what now?’ Mace asked, cutting through the small-talk.

  She opened her mouth to speak, but found she didn’t know what to say. ‘I don’t know,’ she finally said. ‘I’ve missed you,’ she confessed.

  They all eyed her, stony-faced, until, finally, she looked away, heaving a breath as the weight of sorrow settled heavily over her. So it was finished, then. Her time here was done and it hadn’t meant anything to them. Gazing at the floor, she pulled what was left of her pride over her like a threadbare blanket and turned to go as sadness threatened to fell her. But fingers tangled in her pinned hair before she’d even taken a step.

  She was pulled back against a hard chest and gasped as heat flooded her.

  ‘We missed you too,’ Kade murmured in her ear, letting go of her hair and wrapping a thick arm around her middle. She sighed in relief even as her heart began to thud hard in her chest.

  Mace stood in front of her and grasped her chin, forcing her to look at him. ‘What of your uncle?’

  ‘No one has a hold over me now,’ she said breathlessly. ‘My uncle has gone back to his ship. The estate is mine to do with what I will.’

  ‘You would stay here with us? Is that was you propose?’ Mace growled, sending such an enjoyable thrill through her that her knees weakened.

  She met his eye. ‘Yes … if you still – ’

  He kissed her hard and she closed her eyes. He pulled back a moment later and rested his forehead on hers, heaving a sigh. Gods, she’d been so afraid they’d turn her away. She hadn’t known what she would have done if they had.

  ‘Never,’ Kade whispered in her ear and she realised she’d spoken her thoughts aloud.

  Suddenly Lucian was in front of her. He looked relieved. ‘Come.’ He took her hand.

  Kade’s arm fell away and Mace allowed them to pass.

  Lucian took her from the hall, leading her up the worn stairs to the room where they’d spent so many hours together. He opened the door and ushered her inside, the smell of the books like a balm to her senses. This was what home was. The harp leant against the wall and she picked it up, realising with surprise that the strings had been replaced. She set it back down gently as she heard the latch, her heart racing.

  LUCIAN

  Lucian pushed the door closed and turned to take her in, in her forest green gown. How had he ever thought any dress too fine for her? He’d been such a fool. She finally turned to him, looking suddenly timid and shy. He could hardly believe she’d come back to the keep.

  He stalked towards her slowly. She didn’t look frightened per se but he was what he was and he’d done what he’d done.

  ‘Just you?’ she asked in trepidation.

  ‘For now. I needed to speak with you, Kora. I – ’ He let out a long breath, rubbing his jaw.

  He’d thought about what he was going to say to her if she ever returned a hundred times in the past weeks. Lies, truths, a combination of the two. He’d concocted ways to manipulate her into staying, stories about his past that would pull on her heartstrings. But now she was here and in front of him and he couldn’t remember any of the machinations he’d practiced.

  ‘I was a Dark Brother. I was practically born to be callous and unfeeling. I’ve done many, many things that I’m not sorry for and never will be, but I am sorry for how I treated you. All that time you were here … for most of it I despised you or at least I thought I did.’

  She stood in front of him in silence, letting him speak. So he did.

  ‘I’ve never cared for anyone except for my Brothers and Lori. I hated that you made me feel anything for you. So I tried to make you hate me even as I had to talk myself into loathing you. I’m sorry for that too. I should never have taken my tricks so far and I promise you that I will never treat you so cruelly again.’

  He advanced one step at a time, making her retreat from him until her back was at the large table. He closed in on her, trapping her and excitement shot through him.

  He lowered his tone. ‘But what I’m mostly sorry for,’ he murmured, ‘is that I’m not sorry I tricked you into bed and I’m definitely not sorry that I bound you to me. To us. I should have talked to you about it before, I know that, but, after we … I found, selfishly, that I couldn’t possibly let you go. I realised that you were our Fourth, just a bit later than the other two.’

  She was staring into his eyes so intently that he felt as if she could see into his soul. He wondered if she’d see it for the putrid, dark mass that he feared it was. She was going to laugh in his face, he was sure, and then she was going to leave them.

  ‘I want you, Lucian,’ she breathed, shocking him. She fingered his tunic, looking down, he knew, to hide the distress she felt when she remembered her early weeks here. He swore to himself that he would replace those memories with much, much better ones. ‘But no more tricks,’ she said, ‘no more malevolence towards me, or I swear to all the gods I will leave here and never come back, blood binding or no.’ She looked back up at him, apprehension in her eyes.

  ‘Are you certain you want to do this? Stay here?’ he asked quietly. ‘We aren’t good men. We try, we pretend, but we aren’t. We will love you, yet shackle you to us, Kora, and you’ll never ever get away.’

  ‘I don’t want to get away. I’ve been … hollow and now that I’m back here, I feel ...’ she closed her eyes and let out a breath, ‘so content. Like I belong in this keep with you.’

  ‘You do belong here,’ he rumbled, kissing her hard. He pushed his tongue past her lips and pulled her dress down roughly at the same time to free her breasts and imprison her arms.

  He made a low sound of anticipation as he touched her softly, feeling her nipples harden under his fingers. He could hardly believe she had returned, that she wanted him still.

  Unable to help himself, he delved under her skirts and into her small clothes, caressing between her legs and finding her ready for him. With a groan, he thrust a finger into her, mimicking the movement of his tongue in her mouth.

  She made a sound of surprise as he ripped the lacing of the dress’s bodice and quickly loosened it. He pulled the dress away, leaving her in nothing but a shift that was already pulled down to her waist. He divested her of that as well, throwing it behind him as he finally looked his fill of her.

  He eased her up onto the table and laid her back as he opened her thighs. She let him move her where he willed, passively watching him with hooded eyes. He couldn’t stop looking at the dark curls nestled between her legs. He spread her wide, taking in the pink flesh that came into view.

  ‘The times I imagined doing this when we were in here alone together,’ he murmured, ‘bending you back on this table, forward over the chairs, on the rug before the hearth, against the wall. I’ve dreamt about fucking you a thousand times in this room.’

  ‘Then do it.’

  With a growl, he ground himself against her as he took off his sword belt. A wicked thought crossed his mind as he looked at the rounded pommel of his sword. He grinned teasingly at her as he brandished it. She looked delightfully confused and his smile widened. He kept forgetting how innocent she really was.

  He winked at her as he lowered the sword, still in its scabbard, of course, and eased the cold metal of the ridged hilt into her slowly. She gasped and jerked at the sensation, rising up
on her elbows to see what he was doing.

  He pushed her back gently. ‘I’ll not hurt you much,’ he said softly, holding her gaze as he slipped it out. He thrust it back in with a bit more force and her eyes widened. He would enjoy baptizing all his weapons in her cunt, he thought.

  A cry of pleasure erupted from her and she closed her eyes, one of her legs moving to rest on his hip. She gripped him with her ankle, pulling him closer as he pushed the hilt of his sword into her again and again. She moaned and twisted until he pulled it from her body and threw it to the floor with a clatter, unable to wait any longer. He pulled out his hard cock and plunged into her hot, swollen channel with a groan. He’d been wanting this for so long.

  She squealed as he gripped her hips and pulled her to him. He took her by the waist and picked her up, impaling her deeply. She cried out, wrapping her legs around him as he moved her body up and down on his hard length.

  He heard the door and was dimly aware that his Brothers had found them. They watched from the shadows as Kora came apart on his cock, mewling and whimpering, but he didn’t finish – not yet. Instead, he eased her into Kade’s waiting arms.

  ‘We must finish the binding ritual,’ he heard Kade tell her. ‘Until it is complete, our unit is weakened.’

  She looked at each of them before nodding.

  KADE

  Kade gave her a cup of wine mixed with just a drop of his and Mace’s blood. Without hesitation, she swallowed the contents and he smiled. The beast was happy as well, in a way he’d never felt before. The past weeks had been difficult. He’s spent many hours roaming the vale in his other form. But now she was here – with him. With them.

  She held her hand out for the knife and pierced the tip of her own finger. She made to put her blood in the cup as they had done, but Kade took her hand and brought it to his lips. He licked the drop of blood with a grin and then held it out to his Brother who did the same.

  It was done. They all heaved a collective sigh of relief. She was theirs.

  ‘What will happen now?’ she asked in a small voice.

  ‘A subtle change you’ll likely not notice. The meaning of the ritual is what matters. We are bound to you and you to us,’ Mace said. ‘Forever.’

  Kade turned Kora to him and kissed her lips as his hands roamed over her naked form. She unbuckled his sword belt and it fell to the floor with a thud. Then she took his dark tunic and undershirt off, fully baring the scar that covered his shoulder and half his chest and face.

  He wanted to cover it. She’d never seen the extent of the damage the accident had wrought upon his flesh and, though he knew she wouldn’t turn away from him, he didn’t like anyone seeing it, if he was truthful. But she barely looked at it as she caressed him, closing her eyes as she found the ridges of it with her tongue. She licked the length of it from under his ribcage to his shoulder, and the sight of her doing so was the most erotic thing he’d ever experienced.

  He eased her away and kissed her again as his hand found her core. He traced circles over her bud and pushed a finger into her as Mace moved behind her, easing a finger into her back passage as well. She squirmed at his invasion.

  Kade shook his head. ‘You know better than that,’ he admonished, impaling her on his finger so deeply that she rose onto her toes with a low cry. He kept her balanced there, unable to avoid what Mace was doing as he readied her to take him.

  When Mace had stretched her enough, he nodded to Kade, who eased out of her as well, letting her down. He led her to the hearth and lay on his back, placing her on top of him. He smiled at her anxious face.

  ‘Don’t worry,’ he chuckled, sliding his cock into her hot passage slowly. ‘You’ll like it.’ He let his head fall to the rug with an animalistic sound when he was buried inside her. Then he heard her small cry of pain as Mace eased his well-oiled staff into her other entrance. Staying still for a moment, they waited until she was used to both their cocks inside her at the same time. Only then did they begin to move slowly.

  It wasn’t long before the little whimpers of pain gave way to the enjoyment he’d promised. She was gasping and moaning on their cocks, making small sounds of pleasure deep in her throat as she was alternately filled. Mace caught his eye and Kade nodded, changing his pace. She bucked, screaming in pleasure as both of them entered her at once, slid out and shoved into her again.

  Lucian, who’d been watching from the side, knelt down on one knee by Kora. She took him in her mouth without hesitation and he looked to the heavens in delight as her body sheathed his cock as well.

  ‘Let us see you touch yourself, Kora,’ Kade murmured. To his surprise, she did as he asked without needing to be cajoled, using her fingers to play with that part of her that was instrumental in finding her own release.

  Suddenly she tensed, legs shaking, as her passages began to undulate around them, practically forcing their staffs from her spasming body. She cried out in ecstasy as both Mace and Kade did the same, spilling their seeds in her. Though clearly well-pleasured and sleepy, Kora continued to work Lucian with her tongue. When he was close, he took her hair and began to thrust past her lips, hard and fast, until he suddenly threw back his head, grunting as he filled her mouth.

  Sated, they lay together on the rug by the warm hearth and dozed until they heard a timid knock on the door.

  ‘My lords,’ came the muffled voice of Tess, their new housekeeper, ‘forgive me, but will the lady be staying the night?’

  They all chuckled, even Kora, though she was practically asleep on Kade’s chest.

  MACE

  ‘Aye,’ Mace said fondly, not taking his eyes off Kora. ‘She will be. Have a plate of food brought, would you, Tess? Oh, and see to the lady’s guards as well.’

  Later, after they’d eaten their fill, they all went down to the bathing pool, taking turns seeing who could bring Kora to climax the fastest while washing her delectable body; Lucian’s game, of course. And though Mace had rolled his eyes, the lass had well enjoyed it, half-hearted protests aside.

  She fell asleep not long afterwards, exhausted, and they took her to her chamber. Kade and Lucian retired, but Mace sat on the bed for some time, just watching her. He’d missed her much more than he’d let on even to his Brothers. A part of him couldn’t believe she had returned and stayed of her own free will. They were truly lucky to have such a woman.

  There were moments when he was afraid that he was still in that dungeon, that this was all just the elaborate imaginings of a madman. But now that Kora was here with them, he knew that those memories would fade in time as new ones took their place.

  She opened her eyes just a bit and yawned, reached out to him with a contented murmur and pulled him down next to her. Happy to indulge the fourth member of their unit, he took her in his arms and held her close, wondering when she would realise what Kade had discovered upon tasting her blood. His hand moved down to her abdomen and he smiled. It had already been a few weeks, so she’d notice soon, he was certain.

  He’d never thought of them as fathers, but, with Kora, he wanted everything and he knew the others did as well. For the first time, they could all truly imagine living – really living. They’d be happy and content and ensure that Kora was as well, he vowed. Nothing would ever part them.

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  Bought to Break (Sneak Preview)

  Lana

  ‘I know you’re here. You’re always in here. I know you’re hiding from me. When I find you, do you know what I’m going to do to you?’

  Lana gritted her teeth as a bit of straw brushed against her nose. She pinched it shut, willing herself not to sneeze. She was crouched in a small hollow space amongst the hay bales. He couldn’t see her, but she couldn’t see him either. A horse snorted and stomped and the others followed suit. They didn’t like him here.

  She heard him swear. He was very close. He’d hear the smallest sound from her, no doubt about that. If he found her now … she shuddered … losing her only hiding place would be the least of her worries. She held her breath, praying to the gods for deliverance, and, finally, she heard the door bang closed as he left.

  Lana breathed out slowly and extricated herself from her hiding place. The stable was quiet and the horses calmed as soon as she appeared. She began her usual duties; feeding the mares and rubbing them down after their long days. Some she’d known since she came here. They worked the fields during the day and came in at night. Others belonged to travellers who were passing through. All were doted on, though, whether she knew them or not. Lana loved horses; always had, even as a child. She remembered that her mother had had high hopes for her, but they had never come to fruition. After an illness had ravaged her dear mama’s body for three long weeks, she’d finally succumbed in her sleep. Lana had been twelve and her stepfather had sold her to Dirk, the stablemaster, long before the pyre was cold. He hadn’t wanted Lana underfoot. Her mother’s property was the most valuable in the area, more so without a child to feed and clothe.