I was staring at Udora’s silhouette in her cage. Not even completely certain it was her since I couldn’t see her at all. It could be his dark magic. But part of me knew this was just me trying to talk myself out of doing what he was about to ask me to. Something horrible. I remembered what he’d said twice now. I don’t lie. “Is it really her.” “Every inch.” He affirmed triumphantly. Beginning to back up, in the opposite direction Pulling my hand with him. Forcing me to follow on stilted feet. As we passed the stairs and reached the darker side of the dungeon, things grew astronomically more dreadful. I bumped into something I thought was a pillar and jumped forward. Nearly slamming into Mathis who laughed cruelly as his hand swept my lower back. “Have a look at what you’re so callously bumping into.” He laughingly directed. Opening his other hand allowed a red and orange fire to bloom to life in his palm. Brightening this bleak corner. And I realized that the slight creaking I
“It’s what I’m feeling right now.” “Yes. But why?” “Because what you’re going to do to me is wrong.” “Ah, ah.” He tsked. Strolling around the table and dragging his hand along it as though it were the most perfectly formed thing in creation. “Let’s be honest, shall we?” He gave me a chiding look. “It’s not merely what I’m going to do to you.” His voice rose in a pleasant, friendly way. “It’s what you’ve invited me to do.” “Invited?” My voice rose on a shrill note. I massaged the bicep I gripped in an effort to soothe myself. Still standing naked and fighting the urge to fully cover myself. “I’ve invited nothing!” “Haven’t you?” He tilted his head thoughtfully as he rounded to stand next to me. Facing the table but nearly shoulder to shoulder with me as he peered sideways. “Wasn’t it you that followed a man into the woods, alone?” “I-I…” “Wasn’t it?” He demanded. “I did but-” “And did you not sit behind that bush and watch me unclothe and climb into that water. Did you not st
Panic tore through me and I gave him a panicked look. Straining against leather straps which bound my neck, biceps, waist, thighs and ankles. There was nothing I could do. Nowhere I could go. I was completely at his mercy. “Don’t do this to me, Mathis.” He scoffed. “Where’s all that fire now?” “I can’t do this.” “It’s too late. You’re here. And you’re mine. And I’m going to draw what I need from you.” “What you need?” I was panting in terror. Making my breasts raise and drop. I was positioned horribly awkwardly. Tilted up so my weight was resting along my lower back against the backrest and my thighs which were parted and braced on the parted leg boards. I writhed trying to find a better position, but I was completely immobilized. Unable to find any leverage. “As I said…” He was using that dreadfully soothing voice again. Circling away from the lever and caressing a hand lovingly on my body as he followed the edge of the wood frame pinning me. “The man can only be what he is by
Suddenly the clouds moved over the light above and it turned silvery in the hollow chamber again and I could see Mathis lowering slowly out of view. His gaze meeting mine as he crouched low to the stone floor. “What are you doing?” “Beginning to kill your spirit, Spitfire.” Suddenly I felt something long and hot enter the corridor of my body. It was wet and smooth and far too thin to be what he’d put in me before. I leaned up as much as I could but could see nothing. I felt the limb inside me curling upward and stretching me in different directions. Sifting through my soft folds to find the tender skin in every hollow. Lathing it until I felt my body tensing and my stomach straining against the buckle as my back tried to arch but could not. He adjusted his position and leaned up enough I could see that his eyes were now just dark hollows in his skull. Seeming empty of any eyeball. And a long thin tongue stretched from his mouth to disappear from view. A In me. I realized. Starin
Soon I saw the dark filmy fingers of his energy creep into that corner and sap even the light from the mouse. Leaving him shriveled. The tiny animal exhaled a last wispy breath which frosted in the cold air as he died. When had it gotten so cold? Is that what I’ll be like when Mathis is done with me? Mathis’ head fell and he peered down at me through all that black hair. Clenching the rough wood on each side of my hips as if to hold the table even more steady wo he could ram into me. Battering my cervix with his hard length. He took me so roughly the leather creaked, and the wood of the table rattled with each violent thrust. I gritted my teeth, tucking my head against the pain as I felt like my body was being boiled while he stole my spirit from me. Everything ached and I wasn’t sure how much more I could take without giving up. Finally, he tossed his head back. Black hair rolling down his back and roared an inhuman sound. Filling me with his cum and making the burning within m
I was beyond relieved to be leaving that horrible place and couldn’t wait to hear Udora’s voice. To see her face. And to get her out of here. “Here.” Mathis moved his hands around behind me, and just suddenly he was putting a blanket over my shoulders. I didn’t know where it’d come from or where it’d been, but it was around me now. I cringed a little at the thought. We headed out of the chamber through the press of dangling bodies. I brushed close to one and noticed that there were black veins marring her skin and strange egg-shaped lumps under her flesh. All the women looked at me with pleading eyes. Their mouths moved but no words came out. And the heat…that incredible heat. It made it hard to breathe in here. The sense of suffering was so heavy that it was almost a dank feeling in the room. Grief, pain, mourning what they’d lost. I hadn’t felt it coming in but now it seemed like my senses were heightened. All I wanted was to get out of here with my friend. We came to just
I stared at his profile, disgust written over my face. He yanked the chain, and it pulled the cap open. Dousing her in cold water. A raging outpouring that hit her roughly enough to make her body dip under the pressure. He dragged rough hands over her body. Smearing away the dirt and filth that had stained her skin so darkly. She put her forehead against the tile. Feeling some deep emotion, she wasn’t expressing. Fear? Disgust? Revulsion? I couldn’t tell. All I saw was submission. He caught her shoulders and flipped her around. She pulled her head back from the water and tipped it to evade having the cold water flooding into her face. He roughly scrubbed down the front of her. His hands brisk enough that her whole body moved with each scrubbing touch. Her small breasts bobbing and the soft tissue of her belly adjusting. He’s being far from gentle. He acted more as if this was an inconvenience than something that was bringing her pleasure. It seemed very different from how h
I had plenty of time to consider Mathis on the long trek to Beddinton. I’d never met someone so evil and conniving. How could someone possibly become that? “What did he say to you?” I blurted. Bethanie gave me a fast look. “What?” “In the Wash Room. Right before we left. What did he say to you?” She looked at me and for the merest moment I’d have sworn her eyes turned even darker. Shining as they flooded with tears again. Whatever it is. It’s too much for her to repeat. “I couldn’t describe it to you.” She said in her rough voice. “It’s something you’d have to know to understand.” What the Hell does that mean? I didn’t want to know. *** We somehow made it to Beddinton before the early hours of the morning. I was jumping at the sound of every rustle. Wondering if some dreadful creature was going to take a bite out of us, or worse, Mathis had changed his mind and come for us. I saw the edge of Beddinton. Where rock walls bordered the road into the village. Signalling that yo
“What about Udora? How did you come by her.” He sobered. Drawing a long breath as he twirled me twice more. Considering how to tell me. I guessed. But he was unwilling to stop dancing. So, far anyway. “She came by me, more or less. Drawn to my dark magic, I suppose. After I crawled out of that oubliette, I stumbled across her. Greedy, morose and feeling hollow, I fed on her.” He quieted. And I sensed there was guilt in that memory. “And then?” “Then she was mine. From that day.” “How so?” “She wanted to spend every moment with me. Wanted to be mine.” “And did you want her?” “I did not. But I fed on her just the same.” “Through joining.” “That’s the only way I’ve learned how.” He said, a bit taken aback, as though he’d never before considered if there were other ways. “It was how Kasha taught me.” “She was wicked.” “She was. But I never tho
When I knocked on the door of the WitchFall fortress, it was with a resolute expression. Mathis ripped open the door as if he himself had rushed to it. No servants. And when I stepped inside, I felt how empty it was. And there was something wrong with him. He looked disheveled. Fraught with worry. “What’s wrong?” I asked. Eying him in his uncharacteristically mussed state. He lifted his chin. His chest swelling. “What have you come to tell me, Spitfire?” He’s prepared to fight. Or he wouldn’t be calling me that. “I’m going to ruin you.” I said coldly. “Then you’ve already decided to refuse me?” He seemed to visibly deflate. I held my silence a long time. Surprised that he seemed so genuinely broken. “No. I’ve decided to marry you.” He blinked rapidly. Tilting his head in interest. “For revenge?” “No.” “Then why would you destroy me?”
Veline caught my hand. Wrapping hers around it and looking at it as though it were a foreign thing. “Do you know, we shouldn’t be able to touch.” “Why not?” “Because I am pure spirit now.” Veline reached out and touched my chest. “While you are still bound in your skin.” Bound. A strange word for it. “You know in this land there are far more creatures than you ever guessed. You’ve been very sheltered in Drimidan.” “I guess I have.” I admitted softly. I wasn’t even sure my parents knew of all the things out there. “There was a time, long ago when the land was predominantly Fey.” “But as Fey darkened some lost their power and became human. Others became twisted and their power darkened to make them other things.” “Like Mathis?” She nodded. “They become what we know as demonic. Or what the people of Drimidan might call a witch or warlock.” I blinked slowly. I’d heard of such things, but they were s
Only as The King of Creatures stood facing me now, did I realize how tall and imposing he was. He wore a masquerade mask over his eyes, which seemed to change from blue to orange like flames burned in them. His hair was blonde and waving back to his collar but as he moved. It shed small sparks at the tips from the tresses that hung loosely over his forehead. He was lean and tall. Towering well above me like one of the trees in this forest. The strangest man I’d ever seen. “They brought you here?” “They summoned me, yes.” He nodded toward Veline. “They advise me you’ve discovered the root of evil in Drimidan.” “Yes…” I said slowly. Mathis. “Tell me what he is?” “I don’t know for sure…He was once a man but now a demon.” “A form of changeling then…Hmm.” He murmured thoughtfully. “Well now that we know, killing him should be easy enough. We’ll just need you to get me into the fortre
“Because of Kasha?” He lowered his head in admonition. His hands linked behind his back. To keep from touching me? I wondered. “Despite all I’ve done, I have deep respect for you, My Spitfire. And ultimately, I wish to see your laughter return. And that is what I’d spend the rest of my days striving for. But if away from me, is how you can regain it, then that too I’d learn to appreciate.” “You’re so contrary. A moment ago you were declaring I’m yours. Now you say I have a choice.” “You’ve always had a choice. Even when you believed Udora was at my mercy. You had the choice of forsaking her.” “That wasn’t an option.” “Not with you. Just because it wasn’t an acceptable choice, doesn’t mean it wasn’t there. But,” He lifted his finger. “I do caution you, you can’t change me, Sweetheart.” “You just said you have changed!” He smiled almost sadly. “I have. Because I wished to change, to become something more
He dressed in more finery. Smoothing his black hair back into a tether and wearing a cream undershirt with a silver vest and long overcoat. Once dressed, he offered me his hand. “Let’s get you home.” I took it. Wondering why it felt like every time I took it, I was making some kind of promise to him. Vowing to trust him, when I should not… Blowing a relieved breath, I let him help me into the carriage. Relieved to see the driver sitting atop the bench this time. He’s making an effort at normalcy. We took the winding drive down the hill and into the village. Quickly arriving at my house. I blew a steadying breath. Letting him help me down from the carriage. “Are you ready?” He tucked me under his arm. “To be home?” I peered up at him. But he wasn’t acknowledging me as he kept me sheltered next to him and we headed for the front door. Mother rushed out and embraced me. “Dear Heaven! You’re okay.”
Mathis made almost no sound. Barely the flutter of clothing and I saw his feet leave the floor as he must’ve leapt. I heard a thump and a horrible wet, wrenching sound. Next was the sopping thunk of a head lolling along the stone floor. The grip on my neck went slack. Dark nails slipping from the wounds they’d created as the heavy body collapsed next to me. Headless. I screamed. Leaping to my feet in panic. By the time I managed to scramble to my feet, he was already there. Eerily still in that way that only he could master. Where he only watched my skittering movements with those intelligent green eyes. But once I steadied myself on swaying legs, his hands snatched out to catch my upper arms. Jerking me against him as he wrapped sheltering arms around me. “What did you do to her?” “Killed her.” “Her head.” “Parted from the rest of her.” He said flatly. I flinched and tucked my face into
“Why did you bring me here?” I swallowed the pain rolling through me. He’d said he’d break me. Now he’s perilously close. I felt weak, betrayed and entirely alone. The two people I’d thought closest to me were both traitorous wretches. “I should think that painfully clear.” Udora said snidely. Taking another step towards me. “Enough, Udora!” Mathis put up a staying hand but she continued speaking spitefully. “The demon thinks he loves the girl...And that she might ever love him back.” “Shut up!” He roared. “He wants you to know what I am. So he’s the one you trust.” “That’s only partly true.” He approached in several strides to catch her arm. Pulling her further back from me. As if he’s worried what she might do. “I wanted you to know what you’ve really been so loyal to.” “Why?” “Because, though I have never denied I’m harmful I thought
I froze in the blackness. Horrified that I was trapped. “Come on.” I could hear amusement in his voice and realized he was right next to me. He closed the door as he came down behind me. He knows I was petrified. He caught the back of my arm and held on as we went down the stairs, as if worried I might trip. I called him out. “Is that so I won’t fall or run?” “Both.” “Mathis?” I heard Udora’s soft voice calling. “Is that you? You’ve left me down here far too long this time!” She sounded annoyed. I paused on the steps in confusion. What’s she mean by that? Mathis turned his hand, I could just barely see the outline of it in the dark. A cool green flame burst to life and stretched aobut a foot up from his palm. Illuminating his features. He put a finger to his lips to indicate I should be quiet. I gave him an incredulous look. Wondering why I would obey him now.