by Piper Stone
“Yes, my prince,” she whispered, her back arching, straining at the twisted rope holding her in place.
I spanked her again and again, the ravenous beast I’d locked away for centuries clawing its way to the surface. There was no holding back as I shredded her shackles, yanking her into my arms. As I cupped and twisted her nipples, I tipped my head back and roared.
The images were powerful, but a mere taste of what was to come.
If I was successful, there would be no further question about my superiority. I would simply take what was mine. My decision wasn’t without caution, but there was little else I could do.
Still, there would always be a question about her loyalty.
I’d been close enough several times to rip her away from humanity, forcing her into my world, but I’d waited on purpose, even destroying her memory of the event three years before. I was required by honor and duty to make certain of my decision. As if I hadn’t known from the first time I set eyes on her that she would change everything, altering even my way of thinking.
Good versus evil.
Still, the contest was one that I was destined to win, serving alongside my father as my brothers could never do. When my father finally succumbed, as the curse from God predicated, I would be the one picking up the pieces. I was far more cunning in my abilities, hiding the majority from every member of the council. Even as a mortal. Once I took my rightful place, there would be hell to pay. However, I would have a queen by my side, a woman who would alter the course of my family’s kingdom.
Of course, I knew as much as anyone about her lineage.
Sadie Mullins had no idea that from the day she was born she’d been watched, admired from afar, her bloodline as pure as the fire burning in hell. She was the single brave descendant of the most powerful female demon, a creation molded from the very fires morphing Lucifer into a king.
My mother had been the one to explain certain aspects of the goddess of fire, a belief she’d had since she was a mere mortal child. Then the visions had started, years of dreaming about Sadie long before she’d been born. We were connected in ways no one could understand, not even my father.
There were those who wanted Sadie’s very soul saved and in doing so, they could alter the course of the End of Days. The council refused to allow that to happen. My protection of her had meant keeping her location secret from everyone, including my father, giving humans additional time. It would allow those fighting the truest form of evil to develop additional methods to fight the inevitable.
Somehow, he’d known all along. I’d never been able to get anything past the formidable man.
Perhaps I deserved the harsh punishment.
I couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought.
I’d watched Sadie for two days after my arrival. She was perfect in every way. And she had no idea just how special she truly was. Unassuming, intelligent, and inquisitive. She stirred the demon lurking inside, creating an almost violent wave of heat and desire building within me. I had such magnificent plans for her, vile things that would be done to every inch of her luscious body. She’d grown in so many ways, quietly confident in her strength and abilities, able to break free from the vile chains wrapped and suffocating her.
She was ready.
There was no way out, no method of salvation. The time was almost right.
I hovered in the darkness as the snow began to fall, standing far enough away that no one in the sleazy diner would pay any attention. This was no place for a queen, her attention needed elsewhere.
Exhaling, I ignored the sound of my cellphone. Right now, my attention was directed on another step in sealing her fate. I wasn’t a patient man, preferring to take what I wanted without hesitation, but this girl was everything to me.
Including my path to snag the throne.
A deep chuckle left my mouth. I would soon enough be vindicated. I moved closer, studying the way her graceful hands positioned plates, riled when she was ignored or even worse, pawed by men who were little more than animals.
And some said I was the beast. How little they knew.
She was pensive, her face shimmering from perspiration as she performed the menial tasks, feeding the pigs wallowing in a trough. I had no room for extravagant people, humans who had no right to enjoy all they’d achieved. They were nothing to me. With a simple wave of my hand, I could alter their future, snuffing out their useless lives. At least I had that much power left. While that wouldn’t be well received, and could even lead to my banishment on my father’s and the council’s various mood swings, the longing weighed heavily on my mind.
Still, I had work to do, tasks that could no longer wait. I peered through the dirty glass, lifting and twisting my fingers, longing for my omnipotent power. But this simple act would do. A simple slip of her hand, a plate falling. I could hear the crash even from where I stood.
I loathed forcing her to go through something like this, a shattering moment ripping away at her confidence, but it was necessary. I waited, allowing her to settle, then repeated the move. Everything was in chaos, much more to my liking.
The snow continued to fall but I felt nothing touching my skin, no shiver thwarting my actions. I was impervious to the cold. Only her touch would excite the beast dwelling within. Within seconds, the third and final mistake was made, her horrified face tugging at what could be considered emotions somewhere in my blackened soul. The vehemence of her temporary boss would garner him a one-way ticket to hell and I would be the master of ceremonies for his repentance. As she ran out of the door, struggling to slip into her coat, I could hear her sobs, the ache coming from deep within.
She considered herself a failure, as she’d done so many times, a crack in her demeanor. A part of me wanted nothing more than to burn down the building, consuming everything and everyone in my path, but I would control my rage, using my skills for something much more important.
Capturing her.
Again.
Soon, she would heed my dominance, accepting and even begging for discipline, the harsh punishment that would mold her into a queen. I would shower her with the kind of raw and brutal passion that few people would ever know, erasing her fears.
As she settled into the protection of her car, allowing the tears to flow, I slipped further into the shadows, finally making the return call.
“Have you reached a decision?” My father’s grating voice had always pissed me off, his gruff demeanor suggesting hatred for his own flesh and blood.
“I have.”
“And?”
“As far as the terms of the deal, they have been accepted.”
He laughed. “As I knew they would be. You are well aware of what must be done. You are also aware your brothers will fight in order to achieve your glory. Find the key. Then you must bring her to us. At that time your powers will be restored, and you will eventually become the king of darkness, but be prepared for battle, my son. Judas and Cain will stop at nothing to destroy you.”
“I am well aware of my brothers’ actions and will accomplish my task. Of that you don’t have to worry.” Father. I ended the call, immediately heading down the vacant street, disappearing into the darkness.
Soon, the people of this town as well as the rest of the world would understand my all-consuming power, and they would bow down or face the fires of burning hell.
Chapter Six
Sadie
An act of true sin, the kind of blatant darkness that few could stomach actually doing but almost everyone craved the taste of. My dreams were filled with such nonsense, longing for a foray into the unknown, the forbidden fruit. Dreams had tempted me, longing unlike anything my friends had ever mentioned. A dark man. Rugged, massive hands. A huge cock.
Pain and pleasure.
Agony and ecstasy.
The room was cold, frigid in fact, allowing me to see my breath as I gulped for air. I was lost in a catacomb completely within my mind, desire and rage shoved together, clamping around my neck li
ke a tight vise. I clawed at my skin, terrified of the unknown.
Terrified of what I’d find in the shadows.
But I hungered...
“Come on, baby. Hold on just a little while longer,” I hissed and tapped the plastic oval on the dashboard, praying what little gas I had would last. I should have known I wasn’t qualified to be a waitress, the stint at the pizza joint a damn disaster. After dumping the third plate on a customer, the owner had simply pointed to the door. So much for extra cash during the school year. I’d never been that clumsy in my life. The plates simply slipped from my white-knuckled fingers, spaghetti and sauce flying all over.
Clunk...
The little car rattled and sputtered, forcing me to pull over on the side of the road. At least I was within walking distance of my dormitory. Dropping my head on the steering wheel, I contemplated all the reasons I’d fought so hard to get into this school in the first place. Oh, yeah, getting far away from home, making good on a promise I’d made to myself over three years before. Everything was going so well, moving into my second semester, making straight A’s. Even taking advanced classes.
But I was poor as a church mouse.
I’d remained behind after the ‘event’ as my father called my disappearance, helping my parents regroup as much as possible. My father had been disillusioned after the fire, convinced that the very hand of the devil had played a role in the catastrophic destruction.
I hadn’t been able to disagree with him.
What little memory I had of the time spent in the woods had been a voice and a promise. Some creature or soul had made certain that my father didn’t have an opportunity to turn his church against me.
Between issues with the insurance company and unnaturally strong rainy seasons, rebuilding had taken almost two full years. At that point, I was far removed from the church and his teachings, working my various jobs and funding my bank account. The single time my father had asked that I come to a service had been met with rather frank words from my mother.
Thank God, she’d acquired a backbone during the course of the... adventure.
Had a promise actually been made? And why was I even thinking about it now? This was my life and whatever crap I had to face I was doing it alone. I’d made certain of that fact the day I’d walked out, two suitcases in hand.
Tears slipped past my lashes for the third time, falling aimlessly onto my lap. This wasn’t going to do any good and I couldn’t afford a gallon of my favorite ice cream. Woe is me.
Do you hear me, precious one? Do you know I’m coming for you?
I jerked my head until I was able to stare out of the windshield into the cold, black night, my heated breath forming ringlets of steam across the glass. My vision played tricks on me, creating a bluish hue in the distance. I was far more despondent than I’d thought. I was a fighter and had always been. This wasn’t going to do me in. No. Fucking. Way. I’d secure another job. Somehow.
Nope. This wasn’t going to deter me in any manner. Maybe I could get one of the jobs on campus, assisting a professor. While they were difficult to come by and sought after like nobody’s business, I had certain attributes, abilities to research. The plan at least sounded plausible in my mind.
For now.
Sniffing, I grabbed my purse and keys, careful to lock the doors. As if anyone would want to steal the ugly POS. Maybe I should just leave the doors wide open with a sign: Help Yourself. Laughing, I took off walking, shuddering as the light snow continued to fall. At least the limited lighting from what few streetlamps there were highlighted the beauty of the ice crystals dancing in the whipping wind.
If I hurried, I could still make the festivities of the night. Maybe that would ease the pain of being fired.
For the third time.
What was my problem? Authority? Male dominance? Yeah, there was that. I’d had enough brainwashing my entire life that women were required to submit to their husbands no matter the cost to last me a freaking lifetime.
Sighing, I pulled my purse closer, taking long but careful strides. I’d figure something out. I had to. I had somewhere in the neighborhood of fifty-eight dollars left in my bank account and I refused to beg my parents for anything, especially money. Three years I’d saved money for this, arriving at college long after the other kids. Three hard years of living with my parents and working at a hardware store in order to attend the college of my dreams. But of course, I’d miscalculated some of my expenses. Now this shit. I was furious with myself for anticipating any of this would be easy. Right.
Another chill swept through me as I trudged on, fighting the increasing wind as well as my aching and tense muscles. I was used to despondency but tonight just about did me in. All the strength I’d built, fighting my inner demons as well as those swirling around me from my father’s pulpit had made me stronger.
Or so I’d thought.
Keep going. Keep going. Keep going. The mantra pissed me off enough I walked a little faster.
After a few minutes, my muscles tightened, my heart racing. A single sound came from behind me, stopping me cold. A sliver of fear trickled down my spine, images of every horror movie idiot flashing into my mind. This was ridiculous. The campus was well protected, off-duty police scouring the grounds for bad seeds. Granted, the majority of kids wouldn’t be back until the weekend, which left many of the dorms and buildings darker than normal.
And my particular building was on the outskirts of campus, nearer to the row of professor houses, all quaint streets with little traffic.
Get a grip and keep walking. This wasn’t some B-rated horror flick. There was no terrifying ghoul hell bent on dragging me into the darkness. Christ. My imagination was getting the better of me.
I could just see the lights from the building up ahead. Thank goodness since I could barely feel my toes. Another crackling noise sounded and I could swear a long and husky growl. I darted a glance over my shoulder, seeing nothing. Of course.
Still, I took off running. Seconds later, I was flat on my back, the patch of black ice unseen to the naked eye. “Shit. Shit. Shit!” A different sound filtered into my ears. A crunching of the ice. I almost let off a primal scream.
“All you all right?”
The voice was gruff, husky in a manner that alluded to delicious kinky things. I bit my tongue from the thought alone. A random serial killer could be standing over me and I was romanticizing about his sexy voice. Fabulous. I was headed to hell in a handbasket. “I’m... fine.”
I couldn’t see his face in the darkness as he crouched down beside me, but his scent infused every red blood cell, igniting a fire. Exotic, masculine, and woodsy, the fragrance filled my nostrils, intoxicating me to the point I was stunned.
“Let’s get you up. Do you think anything is broken?” He leaned further down, yanking off his glove and gently easing the strands of hair from my eyes. I was able to detect a slight accent, adding to the sexy quality and so very aristocratic. Worldly.
There was no possibility I could see the color of his eyes, but I knew they were a deep blue, the color of the Aegean Sea, and luminescent in a way that kept me from speaking. I was aware he’d eased me from the road, pulling me into his arms and against his massive chest. I was also aware I’d clutched onto him, arching my back as I struggled to see his face. He was much taller, well over six feet and the hint of light did allow me to see his angular jawline, the single dimple in his chin and his rounded, full lips. “I’m... Perfect.”
He chuckled, managing to keep me steady as he reached for my purse. “Do I need to get you to a doctor?” The baritone was rich and vibrant, the vibrations shifting all the way into my pussy. I was wet and hot from this encounter alone. He had such an engaging smile, seductive but comforting at the same time. He rubbed his thumb across my lips, the move so provocative that I whimpered. Then I realized he was simply brushing snow from my face.
“I’m... fine. Really. Thank you.”
“I’m happy to give you a ride,” he off
ered, tilting his head as he studied me. The man was definitely European, but I couldn’t place the country. I imagined one that was very romantic; a beautiful countryside, rolling hills and stone patios meant for indulging in wine, as well as other fantasies.
Whew. Where the hell was my mind going?
Finally, a level of rationalization settled in and I released my hold, taking a careful step away. “Thank you, but I’m almost to my destination.”
He took a calculated glance at the building behind us and in the hint of a streetlight, I could swear the color of his eyes changed, shifting to black—cold black. “Well, if you’re certain you’re all right.”
“I am.”
He leaned down until our lips were almost touching and I could swear he was going to kiss me. “Be careful, beautiful lady. There are always evil creatures whose desires have no bounds. They enjoy hunting on a night like this.”
I watched as he walked away, disappearing into the shadows and another chill trickled down my spine.
You will be mine...
* * *
“Do you believe in good versus evil?”
The question was one I’d dealt with for my entire life. I wasn’t certain I even cared any longer for the actual answer. I folded my legs, studying the closed eyes of all five of my college buddies before considering the answer. “Without a shadow of a doubt.” My reply was benign, not even a textbook answer, including one I’d dealt with for my English thesis paper in high school. I gazed at my best friend, her face shimmering in the candlelight as she sat directly in front of the game board. Jenny seemed more serene than I’d seen her in months.
“Yes,” Kallie whispered.
“I can buy it,” Carter mumbled, laughing as he usually did during our adventures, a true nonbeliever.
“I guess,” Ashley said, a tremble in her voice.
“Do you believe in the prince of darkness?” Jenny asked, waving her hands across the Ouija board, as if she was a guru of the game’s dark abilities.
I swallowed, biting back a completely inappropriate laugh. My father would say that the prince of darkness had presented his evil tyranny during the last fifty years, leading the human race toward a path of destruction. I chose not to believe in his insane views, the pontificating he did every Sunday in front of his flock of followers. His proffered exorcism had failed on me and while he’d never attempted again, I’d never been able to trust him.
