“Come back with me, Baby Girl. Don’t make me make you.”“Hell will freeze over before I go with you!” I shrieked up at him.“With the amount of ice coming off your little black heart, should happen soon enough.” He braced himself and caught my other wrist despite my efforts to wave it out of his reach. Adjusting his grip so both were in one of his large fists. He reached one thick thumb to swipe under my eye and collect the dampness from the outer corner before it could slip down my face.“You really did have a rough morning, didn’t you?”“I just want left alone.”His face flashed with what might have been sympathy. But it was gone as fast as I’d thought I’d seen it. “That’s never going to happen. You know that. There’s nothing I can do...”“You could leave me alone.” I softened. Pleading. “You could take your army and go back to the king. Tell him I’m dead.”Gray hesitated a moment. “He’d never believe that, Fiere. Everyone knows you’re surprisingly resilient. I’m not sure, at this p
I was trying to make this venture as miserable for him as possible.The Pyre Army completely surrounded me, and Gray now had a rope tied around my wrist and his. Making me walk next to him.So, I walked as slow as possible.In-fact I’d tripped over a rock and now limped, slowing my pace even more.Purely by accident, of course.He was giving me several annoyed, sideways glances.The knights were looking at me like they planned on having me for their next meal. All of them watching me. Their eyes boreing into my back.I thought about taunting them, flirting with them to see if I could get one to turn on Gray. But logic kept me from doing that.There’s no guarantee if they can overpower him, I wouldn’t end up being entertainment for the whole army.That thought made me a little queasy, my stomach heaved.“Stop looking around for a way to escape.”“Fine.” I looked up at him sullenly. “Just tell me how than.”He snorted. “Since when do you consider me an ally?”“I don’t.”“Then why would
What if he wants to take me here, in-front of all of them? That thought was petrifying.They’d all want a turn.I knew there was as many of them as the road was wide and straining back for as far as I could see until the next hill dipped.Too many.I’d never survive.My breaths were ragged, and I stared at him fearfully.Don’t break me. Not here. Not with them watching.His thumb rubbed over my cheek. “Surrender to me, Baby Girl. You may be surprised what happens.”I yanked backward shoving his touch away. “Nothing you could ever do would surprise me anymore. If you’re going to take me to your vile king, let’s just get there and get this over with.But that wasn’t what I was thinking.I was thinking I had to get away from him before dark.I knew how deceptive Gray could be. Sweet touches, tender kisses, every soft word that’d have a woman melting and then the twist of the knife.It was a lesson I’d never forget.Not after I lost everything.He stole it all from me.***We topped the n
Staring at the bush as I waited for a bit of movement. I looked up at Gray. “Can I pee before we continue?"His suspicious look burned into my soul.“A woman has to pee, Gray. Not everything is more complicated than that.”“It is with you.” He wasn’t fooled for a moment.He nodded toward the trees behind us.I lifted my wrist. Pointing out that his was still hooked to it.“I’ll go with you.”“No!”“Yes.”“Leave me a hint of dignity, Gray.” I demanded.His brow lowered. Distrust written over every corner of his features. His jaw ticked and I sensed he had something cruel to say.I waited for it. Prepared to deliver a scathing retort. I had no intention of giving ground on this.He reached into a sheath under his right arm and pulled out a curved blade. Twirling it in his fingers before catching it in a fist. Giving me a dark look as he swept it up between our lists.My gaze didn’t waver on him, knowing he was too precise to ever nick me.There was a sudden, painful flash of a sunlit tr
I ducked behind a wall of bushes, peering over them to see Gray was a few trees away with his back turned. I could just see the blue of his cloak and one shoulder, visible around the tree.He was the only one that wore the blue cloak, so I knew it was him.I turned around and adjusted my clothes enough to squat down to pee. Figuring he could probably hear me from the distance away he was. I finished peeing and put my clothes back on. Staying low as I went to a nearby puddle and quietly scrubbed my hands.Just when I was expecting Gray to call to me asking what I was doing, he was suddenly next to me.“Time to go.” He snapped just as a howling wind swept through the trees. Snatching my upper arm he began dragging me further into the trees.I leapt from my skin. Pulling at his grip because it had startled me.And because it’s Gray.But his head turned to look at me and I noticed his movements were slower. More stilted and rough.Gray always moved like a predator. His head whipping, when
Ouch. That was my first thought upon waking up. My head throbbed.I was on the back of a horse. Strung over it and tied at my ankles and wrists. I recognized the mount as the one that had been friendly enough to tolerate me before.A nice horse really.My head was humming. And I could see a bit of blood on my shoulder from where my head had seeped.They’d hit me with a rock. That much was clear.I lifted my head as much as the pain would allow and saw that we were surrounded by more horses. At least two skins rode horses nearby.“Why did she send them?” Verias was asking his brother.“She didn’t trust we’d bring her back.” Reimus said from next to me. Nodding toward me, I assumed.“I don’t want to give her to the woman.” Verias said.“I, neither.”“How are we going to get rid of the Skins?” Verias whispered.“We’ll have to kill them when we get a bit closer. Right now we need to keep moving as far away from the Pyre Army as we can. Soon as the horse’s have rested a bit more, we’ll run
The mage lifted through the water. His long hair draping his face and over his shoulders as his watery frame lifted from the water.Brown and clear water rolled down over him, completely outlining his shimmering frame. He swung his arms and created a strange whirlwind which created a dust storm from the dirt around us, sweeping it up between the Feral Fey and I in a way I could escape them.“Come to me, Spark. I will tend you, keep you! Come to me!” He pleaded. Reaching out toward me.I just barely ducked his reach. “Orin, no!”I dodged another hand trying to grasp me as I fled from his reach.“Come back, Spark. I’ve missed you…” I knew that haunting note in his voice. Knew that he was every bit as bad as the King Eternus.Except I have been in Orin’s dungeon. His plaything for nearly a fortnight.“Orin, don’t!” I’d gone from the pan to the fire. Now he was intent on driving me back into his clutches.Into that trough.***Orin sent up a wall of water next to me to cut off my way to t
Catching one of her black ringlets, Kareni wound it around her finger thoughtfully. Wrapping her other arm beneath bountiful breasts. The dark ebony hue of her shining skin drawing attention to the tops of the globes which nearly spilled from the loose bodice of her dress. “I must admit, I can see why Orin was fascinated with you, perhaps not why obsessed…But interested…”“I don’t want Orin, Kareni.”“You were his lover.”I sneered at the word. Couldn’t be further from the truth.“I wasn’t his lover. I was his prisoner.”“You are all he speaks of.”“That is not my doing.”“You are all he desires. He can no longer attain his passions with me. He must have skinnier girls with pale flesh.” She purred. “Ones that he can imagine are you.”“Again. Not my doing.”“Wouldn’t it be nice if you could return things to the way they were. Between he and I.”“I know you loved him.”“Yes, you did.”“I thought he was my friend.”“Until he took you captive?” She said a bit askance.“That is generally t
I put my faith in John Thomas.I put my faith in the Captain of the Blaze.And I climbed onboard.Ready to go to Haven Island.The Blaze was a massive ship. The wood was polished darkly but had been worn in some places, to a lighter color, by the sun. Making it seem even more striking. The words along the front were done in emblazoned orange lettering with flecks of blue emerging as though it were afire.The figure head was a flame.Well-done.It was certainly unique.Making it easy for those seeking sanctuary to find.Yet, Dock Patrol had no excuse to stop the ship. For despite all the rumors that it harbored fugitives, they were unable to come up with a proper reason to stop it.Or so the lore tells.It was a formidable ship.The mast was tall and it was sleekly built with high rails.Making it both beautiful and fierce.I was duly intimidated and impressed.
I couldn’t believe it. We’re truly here. A part of me, had thought that I would never make it to Center City, much less to The Blaze. I’d had to stop my horse and stare down the hill, at the city. Looming so long before us. Gray huts stretched far into the distance. Their stone structures worn from the pummeling of sea splashing. Thatched rooves showed much patching from constant repair. The sea was hard on residents’ and shops in the areas. People were moving in every direction pushing carts of wares. Booths began at the bottom of the hill and stretched as far as I could see along the main path. It was an impressive sight. It reminded me of how Pyre had once looked. Before Gray destroyed my world. Mist wafted up from the sea and lingered over the length of it. Filling my nostrils with its damp aroma. I could hear children hawking their shells and metal workers offering
The Present I banished all those painful memories. Bringing myself back to the present. Reminding myself that I was just about to escape my daunting past. Nearly a breath away now. I couldn’t believe we were turning onto the road in Center Country, aimed straight for the dock. Finally. We’re almost there! “Not much further now.” John Thomas reiterated. “We’ll be there before you know it.” I looked up at the sun. “We’ve just got to get there before him.” “We will.” But I wasn’t so sure. I knew Gray traveled faster in daylight. Because the others are sleeping. When he had to travel with the whole army it slowed him down. Alone, he races. He was the fastest hound I’d ever met. And I’ve met many. Gray was relentless. He rarely sleeps. When he has a scent he runs
I moved to walk past him but he caught my arm and turned me about. I was immediately irate. “Where are you taking me?” “To the tavern up the hill. Calm down.” I was breathing quickly. Wondering if the army would be up there. Expecting to take me to the king. But when I got there, he pulled the hood of his cloak up. Handing me a blue one. “Put this on.” I did. Reluctantly. When we stepped into the tavern, no one paid us much mind. We walked to the counter and I set my hand on the counter. The tender immediately began staring at it. Reaching slowly toward my fingers. Gray casually brushed my hand off the counter and payed for a cask of wine and a huge lump of cheese. Catching the bottom of two goblets between his fingers as he turned away. We took it and went to a back table. I was frowning at him from beneath the hood. He waited for me to sit and then took the bench across from me.
The next time, Gray would not be so kind. But that was the last thing on my mind today. I was hiding in the abandoned cot of a hayloft. Trying to suffer through the heat of another miserable afternoon. I didn’t dare sneak out to try to steal a bit of food from the main house until after dark. That won’t be for a while yet. So, sleeping through the afternoon was the best call. But I was finding that rather hard to manage. The heat was making my hair stick to my brow and shoulders in sopping strands. And sweat from my armpits made the oversized tunic I’d found in the loft stick to me. I could hear the stable boys below working. They had newer quarters built next door and no longer slept up here. So, despite the tremendous heat, I’d taken sanctuary here in the hopes of having some peace. But Craven had come. In the throes of my sweating sleep, I felt the first groping touch sliding over my belly an
I was at the pivotal point in my life where I now had to make a choice. Hate him as I knew I should, or accept some human kindness…Which I desperately wanted. “I’m not going to forgive you.” He nodded. Saying nothing more as he handed me more food. I couldn’t help dropping my head to his shoulder. Letting myself rob some warmth from him to heat my aching bones and banish the chill that had crept in. He didn’t object, nor did he drop his head over mine, as he would’ve before. He just let me be there. Handing me food. And I took it. He kept it coming until I’d eaten so much that my belly felt as if it were twisting. I put a hand to it and lifted my head to give him a betrayed look. I slid to the ground. Groaning as I clutched it. “Did you poison me?” I drew my legs up. I wondered if this was it. He’s finally ready to kill what remains of the Pyre line. He crouched over me.
I’d quickly learned that no matter his intention, the moment a man’s hand met my skin, he was aflame for me. Awash with lust and desperate to possess me again. I’d put together there was something powerful in the pheromones generated by my pores, which could drive a male wild. I didn’t want to see Gray like that. And I didn’t want him pretending to be sweet to me ever again. Not after he killed my family. And betrayed me in every way possible. He was the last one I expected tonight. Having built my fire near the road, in the hope that monsters would stay at bay. But here he was. The cruelest of them all. His metal jangled as he materialized from the darkness to sit on the log across the fire from me. I stiffened. “How’d you find me?” “Fiere.” He sighed. Shaking his head wearily as if I were a nuisance child. “I’m always aware where you are.” There was long silence between he spo
“Gray.” I said dully. A wary way of acknowledging his intrusion into my path. “Baby Girl.” He dipped his head in greeting. So still, he’d almost appeared a statue before that moment. Just like he might have months ago. Before he destroyed me. “What do you want, Gray?” He frowned. “Jackson. You’ve never call me Gray.” “Well, I’ve learned since then that your heart is as gray as the charred ash in the bottom of a mantle just before a maid takes it out.” He flinched. “You would think so.” He visibly paled. “I didn’t come here to fight with you.” “No? Just to kill me?” I asked acidly. Knowing I was trying to be defiant while barely clad in an oversized chemise stolen from a wealthy matron’s fence. Where her undergarments had been drying. Now they flowed around my small frame. Making plain that she was surely more substantial than I was. Most people are. By now I was half-st
Three Months after Pyre I dutifully opened. Feeling the hard ridges of his rod jamming into my mouth and too far back into my throat. I promptly gagged and pressed back on his thighs to try and get him out of my neck. I can’t breathe! What is he doing! He tasted like ash and smelled unwashed. I felt myself gagging, even when he was barely in my mouth. “Mmm.” His head fell back as I caressed my tongue along the side of him. “I love you, Little Slave…” I made a fake pleasured sound around him. Making him groan and jerk. Using the distraction, I sunk my teeth into him hard enough I was sure it’d leave scars. He screamed. A pained shout, retracting his hand from my head to wave it helplessly around me. I twisted once for good measure and whirled on my knees. Hoping that blinding pain would keep him from blocking my exit. It did. I ran through that d