Captive Beauty: Harem of Redemption 1, page 16
“Yes, ma’am,” I said, deciding I liked this woman. She shot me a wink.
“Come along.” Zane led her away, and they exited through the french doors.
Cade quickly followed them, tossing a glare my way as he left. I stared after him, having no idea why he’d hated me from the start. From the moment he entered that cell I’d been locked in, he’d loathed me. I supposed pressing his buttons all the time wasn’t helping him to like me any better. But he, more often than not, started it.
“Ignore him,” Lucas said.
“Why does he hate me so much?”
“He doesn’t.” Lucas adjusted his grip on my fingers. “Not really, anyway. He only thinks he hates you. Do you hate him?”
I huffed. “He’s a real bastard. What’s not to hate?”
“He’s not so bad once you get to know him.”
“Which will be never.”
“Never is a dangerous word.” Lucas swept a strand of hair behind my ear. He leaned in, his lips brushed against mine like a question. I answered by capturing his mouth in a full kiss. Letting go of his hand, I grasped his broad shoulders and pressed closer.
Our tongues explored one another, tasting and sparring. He tasted like he smelled—wild and hot. His pine scent surrounded me and I breathed him in. I was lost in the heat of his large, warm body.
Suddenly, kissing him wasn’t enough. I wanted us skin to skin, our scents intermingling, and the fullness of his cock buried deep. I needed him to mark me as his own, and for me to do the same in return. A voice, that was a growly version of my own, whispered in my head: Mate.
I pulled away and abruptly stood. “It’s late. I should go.” I rushed toward the doors, my heart pounding and mind whirling. Only shifters had mates. What was going on with me?
Lucas caught my upper arm, spun me around, and crushed me against his chest. “You’re not going anywhere.”
“Let me go.”
“No.” He gripped my chin and angled it up. “We’ve danced around this long enough. You had your chance to leave in the woods, but you didn’t. You stayed for me.”
I glared at him. “I didn’t—”
“Don’t deny it.” He kissed me hard. “Now, I’m going to show you why you stayed.” Lucas lifted me, and my legs automatically wrapped around his hips. He stepped forward until my back hit the wall and he had me pinned. Then his mouth moved over mine, slow and deliberate. For a few seconds, I was able to retain a clear head as he savored me. But that vanished when he rocked his hips and his thick erection stroked against my core.
I moaned and shuddered as an overpowering lust raced through my blood. At that moment, I wanted nothing more than him. His mouth, his hands, his cock, I needed all of him. I laced my fingers through his soft hair and pulled him closer, deepening our kiss. Sweeping my tongue into his mouth, I explored and tasted him more thoroughly.
He broke away, breathing heavily, to trail his hot mouth down my neck, over my cleavage, and took one fabric-clad, peaked nipple between his teeth. My back arched as much as it could against the wall. I fisted his silky hair and moaned again.
Lucas released my thighs, letting me slide down his chest to stand on wobbly legs. His liquid gold gaze met mine before he dropped to his knees and hiked up my skirt. A tearing sound split the air. My skin stung where Lucas had ripped away my panties. What a beast!
With a feral grin, he stuffed them in his trousers pocket. He dipped his head, and sharp teeth nipped at my inner thigh. He blew against my folds, making me shiver. Lucas firmly gripped my hips, then his mouth and tongue were devouring my pussy.
I held myself up by bracing my hands on his wide shoulders, my head tossed back in ecstacy. Holy fuck! Lucas pleasured me like the savage beast he was; sucking, licking, and biting. I panted and muttered curses as my knees grew weaker. The fucker chuckled each time he brought me close to orgasm then deftly eased off, only to do it again and again.
“Lucas, please,” I finally begged.
He hummed against my clit. I groaned. He released his hold on one of my surely bruised hips, and plunged two fingers into my cunt. I cried out. My body quaked as I climaxed. My vision blurred, my throat felt raw, and my skin tingled. Lucas squeezed every last spasm from my pussy with his fingers and tongue.
When my knees gave out, he caught me and lifted. Once again, I was sandwiched between him and the wall. I wrapped my legs around his hips, and he entered me with one, fluid thrust. His cock buried to the hilt, he paused and kissed me. I tasted myself on him.
Using my heels, I urged him to move inside me. He obliged by grabbing my thighs, then taking me fast and hard. I held on as another orgasm built and shattered. My screams pierced the air, echoing in the dining hall.
His razor sharp teeth grazed my neck. I tilted my head to the side, giving him full access to my throat.
“Please,” I murmured, not entirely sure what I was asking of him. All I knew was I wanted his teeth in my flesh. I craved for him to mark me. Would it feel as good as Zane’s fangs drawing my blood? Better? Ugh, I couldn’t believe I was thinking about another man right now.
I gripped the back of his neck and brought his face closer to my throat. “Please,” I said again.
He nipped, not breaking the skin. Abruptly, he pulled away. One of his large hands encircled my neck. “Don’t,” he said. “You don’t know what you’re asking for. And I can’t.” He gritted his teeth. His golden eyes wild as he continued to fuck me. “I won’t. Not right now. Not this time.”
His fingers squeezed and I gasped. Another orgasm raced through me, and this time he followed me over the edge. He growled low and deep as he emptied himself in my pussy. The sound struck a chord in the center of my being, enticing me to answer the call.
Pulling out, he braced himself against the wall with one arm. “Hold on to me.”
I hugged his neck and crossed my ankles at his back. He carried me over to the roaring hearth. There, he lowered us to the plush rug. He stretched out on his back, positioning me half on top of him, encircled by the iron bands of his arms.
I slowly came back into my body, noting the delicious throbbing in my core. My hips and thighs ached with bruises, and my lips felt swollen. Sex with a wolf shifter was…intense.
I wiggled closer to him, then froze. My thighs were slick.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“You didn’t wear a condom.” I pushed against him to free myself from his hold. “You came inside me.” I glared, appalled.
He peeked up at me through thick, black lashes. “You’re not fertile, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“Ugh!” I slapped his chest. “How the hell would you know that?” I scrubbed my face. Supernaturals didn’t have to worry about most diseases, but still… “I wasn’t thinking. Usually, I have my wand and casting a protection spell is automatic before…doing that.” I frowned down at him. “You’re a—eep!”
He flipped us over, so I was on my back and his body hovered over mine. “I know you’re not fertile because of your scent.” He trailed his fingertips over my blushing cheeks. His brow furrowed. “Are you saying you’ve never had a man’s seed in you before?”
I scoffed. “Of course not. I’d never risk getting pregnant.” Until now. I left those last words unsaid. My head was never on straight around Lucas. This just proved it. I was fucking responsible—always.
His eyes blazed with that wolfish light. “Good.” His hand brushed between my legs. He cupped my pussy. “I didn’t mark you, but you’re still mine. In time, you’ll come to understand that.”
I clenched my jaw. “One quickie against a wall doesn’t change anything or make me yours.” Even if it was not particularly quick, and the most amazing sex of my life.
“If you think that was just sex, you’re greatly mistaken.” He pressed two digits into my core.
My eyelids fluttered and I spread my legs wider to allow him better access. Meeting his gaze, I searched his eyes. “What was it then?”
His fingers moved in me, languidly. “Destiny.”
I opened my mouth to protest. My big, bad wolf was getting philosophical on me now. Lucas captured my lips and my argument fled.
My wolf. I liked the sound of that.
24
Emma
I sprawled on my bed in my underwear, with numerous books open to different pages, and the magically blazing fireplace keeping me toasty. According to everything I’d read, hybrids were created from a rare—and deadly—genetic mutation. In short, they were possible but they never lived for long after birth. All of this reconfirmed what I’d been taught at the academy.
Yet… Zane had admitted to handing over a hybrid to 5th Circle. Apparently, the man had been dangerous, destructive, and too much even for Penumbra Syndicate to handle.
The fact that 5th Circle even existed, and their purpose, pointed to hybrid adults existing in the world. My questions now were: How? Why did the academy deny the possibility? And what the hell did all of this have to do with me?
I switched my focus to another of the open books. This one was a history of dark witches. I had no idea such a sect was within the witch community. At school, and in my life experience, witches were pretty much all the same. There was no light or dark.
Running my finger over a line that caught my attention, I read it aloud. “The dark witch philosophy revolves around power, ambition, and fear.” I grunted, and continued reading.
Dark witches believe magic is more than a gift, it’s a means to rulership and order. They embrace the knowledge and use of dark magic, often teaching their young, pre-magical children in their ways. Thus, most dark witches are found within certain families. The tradition is passed down from generation to generation.
While dark magic users have been around since the beginning, in recent decades rumors of one specific group has surfaced. They call it The Circle. This would indicate that the dark witch families are more organized and unified than previously assumed.
I hummed. The Circle, and 5th Circle, could be one and the same.
For several hours I scanned through the rest of the book. It included a lot of conspiracy theories, but nothing concrete. No names of suspected dark witches, just a bunch of vagaries. The book wasn’t even written by a dark witch.
Annoyed, I tossed it aside.
My mind immediately latched onto what I’d been avoiding for hours. Lucas. Sex with Lucas. More sex with Lucas. Destiny.
My body ached, but my stomach felt light and fluttery. I couldn’t stop smiling, which was ridiculous. The rational part of me insisted he was still my captor and I should continue to hate him. Another part whispered that I’d had the chance to run, I wanted him, and maybe, just maybe, what was between us wouldn’t end in a flaming pit of agony.
He wasn’t particularly a talker, so he had not elaborated on that single word that made my insides flip-flop. Destiny. Did he really think we were meant to be together? I didn’t see how. Wolves had mates, sometimes determined by fate. But I wasn’t a wolf. If I pursued a relationship with Lucas, one day his fated mate could show up and that would be the end.
Rolling over onto my back, I groaned. What the fuck was I thinking? I needed to get out of here, not become some crime lord’s girlfriend.
Pull it together, Emma. Sheesh.
I got up and dressed. Not for the first time, as I stepped into one of these designer silk or satin garments, I felt like a princess trapped in a tower. These clothes were not my own. This life was not my own. I wondered which fairytale I was living in. Did they all end happily? I couldn’t remember.
There were certainly no Prince Charmings around here. Perhaps I’d gotten stuck in the villainous version of the story. Fuck, I was starting to go insane.
But seriously, this place wasn’t right. Earthquakes? Secret blood dripping hourglass? Roses in the middle of winter? Everyone in this mansion was keeping the truth from me. I could feel it.
I pulled on a knee-length, fur-lined coat, grabbed the books, and stepped into the frigid hallway. Voices reached me from the bosses’ office at the far end, growing louder as I drew closer. I ignored them and walked on by. Turning the corner, I strode to the library’s double doors across from the staircase without running into another soul. I was in desperate need of distraction. Books to the rescue.
The library flared to life as I entered. Wall sconces lit and the hearth awoke. I replaced the books I’d borrowed to their empty spots, then moved to a different section. Scanning the titles, I found and pulled out a couple of classics I’d been meaning to read forever. The first was The Three Musketeers, and the other was Pride and Prejudice. I hoped at least one of them held my attention enough to get lost in.
While the library was magnificent and airy, I actually preferred reading in my bedroom where it was warm and cozy. I took both books and climbed the staircase to the exit. I turned toward my room but halted as two broad forms approached from the dim corridor. They emerged into the light on the wider landing at the top of the staircase and I recognized them both. Samuel, the witch who had accused me of being a spy for Eclipse, and Ash, the fae who’d slapped my ass, and in return I’d knifed him in the throat. Looking back on it, that might have been a bit harsh.
They both regarded me with wariness in their eyes as they strolled to the stairs. To my surprise, Ash halted on the top step and spun around to face me.
“You’re either going to be the one who saves us or destroys us,” he said, touching the faded scar on his neck. “Keep that in mind with every decision you make.” With those bizarre and ominous words, he and Samuel descended out of sight.
Okay… Was he telling me I held more power than I thought? Yeah, people were definitely hiding something around here. Something big.
I waited for the echo of their bootsteps to disappear before making my way along the hall. In the unlit corridor, lost in thought, my foot caught on a shadow and I caught the wall to keep from falling. Who kept turning off the lights in this corridor?
Turning around, I went to investigate what I’d tripped over. The shadow moved, then grew taller, materializing in the petite form of Maeve.
“What are you doing here in the dark?” I asked her, one hand on my pounding heartbeat.
“Sorry, miss. I dropped something.” Her clothing rustled. Suddenly, a bluish light illuminated us. She held her wand up to my face. “Didn’t mean to startle you.”
I stared at the shiny, black tourmaline wand. A thought flickered through my mind. I could overpower her, take the wand, and teleport out of here. Unless the mansion was warded, which it probably was, so that killed the idea. My gaze latched onto Maeve.
“It’s okay.” I caught sight of a glint near her shoe, stooped down and picked it up. It was a strange little device that looked like a USB drive with a crystal stuck to the end of it. “What’s this?”
Maeve snatched it away. “Nothing.”
That didn’t sound suspicious at all. I cocked my head to one side.
She tucked it in her pocket, then said, “It stores and plays audiobooks. I like to listen to them while I clean.”
“Really? Can I see it again?” The device had been magically altered and I was curious of how it worked.
Maeve picked up a metal bucket. “Perhaps later, miss. I need to get on with my chores.”
The idea of keeping this mansion clean was daunting. “You have help, don’t you?”
“Of course I do.” Her smile seemed strained. “I take care of the third floor, but other staff see to the rest of the mansion, and of course, we have kitchen and maintenance people too.”
“That’s good.” I backed away. “I won’t hold you up then.”
Maeve headed in the opposite direction, her wand light extinguished when she reached the landing.
I went past the office again, this time it was quiet. The door stood ajar. A long fingered, umber-skinned hand curled around the edge and pulled it further open. Zane’s hard features softened when he saw me.
“Were you speaking to someone?” he asked.
“Yes. I ran into Maeve.”
“Ah.” He gripped the door hard, his knuckles turning a paler shade. “Meet me in the parlor for a game of chess. I need to think.”
“Okay,” I said as he retreated into the office. After dropping the books off in my room, I knocked on the parlor door. No answer came. He’d said to meet him here so I entered, finding the room unoccupied.
The parlor, as he called it, was an L-shaped space with the dining table near the fireplace taking up most of the shorter section. The chess table stood against the opposite wall near one window, and at the far end was a daybed. Plush carpets, heavy drapes, and clusters of ornate decor made the place cozy—in a completely old world, lavish sort of way.
I peeked out the other window, the one that didn’t have a table in front of it. The view showed snow covered terraced gardens in the back of the mansion, and the dense forest beyond. It would look beautiful in the spring.
A warm hand wrapped around my neck from behind. I went rigid and bumped into the solid body at my back.
“See anything interesting out there, sweetheart?” Zane asked in my ear. I hadn’t heard him come in.
“It’s pretty, even in winter.”
“I suppose it is.” He took my jaw and turned my head to face him. “But not as pretty as you.” His mesmerizing black eyes drew me in, then dropped to my mouth. My lips parted.
His fingers threaded through my hair as his mouth came down on mine. His tongue swept inside, tasting and teasing. I turned my body toward his and pressed against him. Kissing him back, I lost myself in his cinnamon-vanilla flavor.
My captor, a vampire who claimed to own me shouldn’t taste this good, be this tempting. It was wrong—unfair.
I broke the kiss. “No. I can’t. I had sex with Lucas,” I blurted.
“Hm, I know. I can still smell him on you.” He angled his head to kiss me again. I placed my hands on his chest to stop him.
“Doesn’t that bother you?” I asked.
