Twisted Secrets (Twisted Fates Book 1)
Page 1
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Author’s Note
Dedication
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
About the Author
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidences are either products of the author's imagination or used fictitiously.
Copyright ©2020 by Jeze Xyn. All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the express written permission of the publisher.
Published by Bayou Queen Publishing
Cover by Natasha Williams at DAZED Designs Graphic Art
Author’s Note
There are several scenes in this book that may be triggering to some. While this story is dark and kinky, it also shines a light on a healthy way to participate in kink. The characters practice SSC (Safe Sane Consensual) as well as RACK (Risk Aware Consensual Kink).
As with any form of edge play, be sure to know how to keep yourself and your partner/partners safe before you play!
As a proud member of the BDSM community, I truly hope you enjoy this book!
P.S. I fully intended to wrap everything up in a pretty bow by the end of this book, but the characters decided otherwise. As a result, Twisted Secrets ends in a cliffhanger and everything is tied up in book 2, Twisted Lies, coming November 30,2020. I apologize now for my characters not cooperating!
To all my fellow kinksters out there, stay kinky and stay true to yourselves!
Prologue
For as far back as I could remember, every few years, on my birthday, Aunt Kiki came to visit. and we did this silly little blessing ritual she has. When I was a kid, I thought it was fun, but at twenty, not so much.
“Is Aunt Kiki okay?” I sat across the table from my parents as we finished my birthday dinner.
“Of course she is. She just had something come up at work last minute, but she promises she’ll be here in a day or two. Why would you think she wasn’t?” my mother asked, a frown on her face.
“I just thought...she’s always here at least a day early. I was just worried.”
“She’ll be here soon, I’m sure. No need to fret.”
At my mother’s words I shrugged it off. I was sure she was right. I was kind of glad, really, because I didn’t want to be rude to Aunt Kiki and I just wasn’t up to her silly game anymore. I also didn’t know how to tell her I’d grown out of the ritual without hurting her feelings.
Two days later, Aunt Kiki arrived looking frazzled with bags under her eyes. “Hello sweet girl.”
“Hi, Aunt Kiki. Wow, are you okay? You look exhausted.” I gave her a hug and she even felt like she’d lost weight since we’d last seen her.
“I’m fine, sweet girl. Work has just been running me a bit ragged. I’m so sorry I missed your birthday.”
“It’s okay. It was just a quiet night in.” I found myself sitting on the sofa with Aunt Kiki filling me on her life since she’d last visited.
“You know, Aunt Kiki, I’ve always wondered something. Why is it you only visit every four years?”
There was a heavy silence in the air for several seconds before she breathed out. “Oh, it’s my job. Getting away is almost impossible. I keep saying that one of these days I’m going to quit and find something with real vacation days. They know I’ll never do it, but it’s always fun to tease them.”
I studied her face. If not for the way her eyes shifted away from me, I might have believed her, but I got the strangest feeling that she was hiding—lying—and it made me feel uneasy.
“I’ve been thinking about the little blessing we’ve done whenever you’d visit. When I was a kid, it was fun but now...I don’t know. I think it’s a bit silly. Don’t you?”
“It’s become our own little ritual, something that’s just ours. You wouldn’t deprive an old woman of something that makes her happy, would you?
Laughter erupted from me as I stared at her. “Old woman? Oh, please. You don’t look like you’ve aged a bit in years!”
“Magic, dear girl,” she teased with a wink. “You’d be surprised the magic doctors can perform these days.”
I shook my head at her. “Fine. Goddess forbid I deprive an old woman of some joy.”
“Hush, you. I’m the only one allowed to call myself that.”
That evening, beneath the swaying branches of the weeping willow in the backyard, we spread out the faded gold cloth she’d brought with her each time she’d visit. Upon it, she placed a small silver bowl within which she placed some herbs. We sat across from each other, and I held out my left hand to her. As we spoke the words of blessing together, she wrapped a silver ribbon around my wrist.
“Upon this day,
At this hour,
Goddess of Earth I beseech thee.
With your magic,
With your love,
Guide me and protect me.
Magic strands,
To keep me safe,
Magic strands,
To keep me bound.
Magic strands to wrap around,
Magic strands keep me Earthbound.
Upon this day,
At this hour,
Goddess of Air I beseech thee.
With your blessings,
With your love,
Guide me and protect me.
Blessings upon me.
Blessings around me.
Blessings within me.
Goddess of Fire lend me thy strength.”
“Thank you, dear heart, for humoring an old woman.”
I rolled my eyes once again. “You’re far from old, Aunt Kiki.”
She visited with us for a few days, and then she was gone again, and life went on as it always did.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to call you a cab?”
I’d been invited out for drinks for my twenty-first birthday. Yes, I may have had a little too much to drink, but it wasn’t like I was driving home. “I’m sure, Nina. It’s not like I live ten miles away. It’s five blocks. What’s the worst that could happen?” I rolled my eyes at her, gave my friend a hug, and left the bar we’d gone to. She’d found some guy she wanted to hook up with, and me, I was just ready to call it a night.
“Text me to let me know you got home safe, okay?”
“Yes, Mother,” I replied with laughter.
One block from the bar, I felt like I was being followed. Every time I looked over my shoulder, no one was there. “Quit being so paranoid,” I muttered under my breath.
Two blocks from the bar, I thought I heard footsteps, but again, when I looked no one was there. I shrugged it off as my imagination.
“You should have listened to your friend.”
I was two blocks from home when the words were whispered on the wind. I felt breath on the back of my neck and the fight or flight instinct kicked in. Too damn late.
Arms came out of the shadows, wrapping around me, pulling me tight against a hard chest. One hand clamped down over my mouth to stifle my scream. Two more shadows descended upon me and I felt my clothes being torn. Then, searing pain erupted from my wrists and a third bite of pain at
my neck. My mouth opened to scream against the hand covering it, but no sound came out.
“You taste good,” a voice growled before I felt like I was being ripped in half by something that was shoved into my pussy. It took my shocked brain several seconds to realize what it was. Pain and terror filled me, but soon it was replaced with something else. Something darker. Rage unlike anything I’d ever felt before filled me and my skin felt like it was on fire. Screams rent the night air, and at first I thought they were my own. Orange light engulfed the shadows and I realized the screams came from my attackers. All three fell away from me as their bodies writhed in agony before slowly turning to ash.
I stared in horror at what remained of the trio of night stalkers—vampires—who’d attacked me. By the time I made it back to my apartment, my entire body was shaking with tremors. The instant the door closed behind me, my breathing increased and my heartbeat accelerated, as blackness ate at my vision. My mind refused to accept what my eyes had seen. It wasn’t me. I didn’t do that. I couldn’t do that. I was just a girl. Just a normal girl. A nobody. My last thought was There isn’t a magical bone in my body, and then the blackness pulled me under.
As the months passed, it became apparent someone was stalking me. I didn’t know who. I didn’t know why. I just knew that they were.
The night of my mother’s accident, the night that changed her life—and mine—forever, I came home to a note taped to my front door.
‘I know who you are. Remember that what is to come, it is all because of you’.
When I got the call about mom’s car accident, I knew. Whoever was stalking me was behind it. They had to be. What else could their message have meant? In order to keep my parents safe, to make sure no further harm came to them, I packed a small bag and disappeared into the night.
Chapter 1
Arianna
Four years later
A pounding in my head gently pulled me into a state of muddled consciousness. I was lying on a hard, flat surface, surrounded by darkness, and a gentle vibration almost lulled me back to sleep. It took several precious seconds for my foggy brain to realize that I was lying in the trunk of a moving car.
I tried to think back to my last memory before waking and everything was disoriented. I remembered being at the party but the memory of how I wound up in the trunk of a car eluded me.
When the car suddenly came to a stop and the vibrations ceased, I steeled myself to fight to escape. Unfortunately, the moment the trunk was opened, I wasn’t given that chance. There was a sharp prick in the side of my neck and within seconds blackness sucked me under once again.
The next time my eyes opened it was to a different kind of darkness. I could feel something on my face, and I knew that I was wearing a blindfold. I was also bound to what felt like a solid wooden chair. I tried to move my arms and legs, and neither would budge.
The sound of fabric brushing against a surface assailed my ears seconds before I felt breath on my skin. Something wet touched my neck and I realized whoever was standing behind me had just licked me.
"Mmm, I can practically taste the power in you."
"Okay, crazy dude, that's just gross. Don't lick me again."
An almost animalistic growl came from behind me that made the hairs on my arms stand up.
"Enough. Leave us."
The sound of footsteps faded away before the blindfold was suddenly gone and I found myself looking into a pair of steel gray eyes.
"I do apologize for Zachariah. He never learned manners. He's not wrong though your blood practically sings with power."
"Oh, great. Just my luck, I happened to be kidnapped by two crazies. Look, if you two are planning on torturing me and then killing me let’s just get on with it because the foreplay is already getting tedious."
The laughter that came from the man in front of me wasn't quite the reaction I was expecting.
"I do enjoy your wit. Oh, where are my manners? Allow me to properly introduce myself. Zaine Devonshire, at your service." He actually bowed when he introduced himself. Who was this guy and what year did he think this was?
"I'd shake your hand but mine are a bit tied up at the moment," I snarked.
"It was purely precautionary, Sweetness."
He stepped forward, knife in hand, and I flinched.
“Relax, Sweetness, it's just to get you free.” As he knelt beside me, he gave me a dark look. “I will start with your hands, but if you try to get away, you'll be tied right back up, understood?”
My eyes narrowed at him as I nodded. “Fine just get these fucking ropes off me. I might enjoy a little rope play now and then, but that’s only after a bit of negotiation.”
“Girl, watch your mouth. That's not the proper language for a young lady.”
I couldn't help the snort of laughter that escaped me. “Please. Young lady? You are barking up the wrong tree if you think I'm going to use proper language. Fuck is one of my favorite words.”
I kept my word and as soon as my bonds were cut, I sat there patiently waiting to see what he had planned.
Zaine stood and turned his back to me. “Come we have much to discuss. And don't think about trying to run there's nowhere for you to go.”
His overbearing attitude should have pissed me off but for some reason it didn't bother me as much as I would have expected. After making sure the blood was flowing properly to all of my limbs, I slowly rose to my feet and followed him from the room he had me bound in, down a long hallway, and into yet another room. This one was obviously a study. Three walls were lined with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves over-loaded with books. The fourth wall had a fireplace with a fire burning in it to keep the chill out of the room. There was a large mahogany desk in front of the bookshelves while a sofa and chairs sat near the firep0lace. Judging by the lack of windows, I was fairly certain that we were underground.
“Where are we anyway?”
“We'll get to that. Sit,” he demanded as he sat behind the desk. This time, the command in his voice had my hackles rising, but I decided to let it go because truthfully, I wanted to see what was going on and why I had been brought here. After I sat, I waited, watching him as he rifled through some papers on the desk. When he finally spoke, I wasn't expecting what came out of his mouth.
“Tell me, Arianna, how much do you know about your family?”
The question startled me because no one knew my real name. I’d changed it over six months ago when I moved to a new city. As far as everyone who knew me was concerned, my name was Scarlett. How did this complete stranger know anything about me? “Before I answer your question, you're going to answer mine. Who are you and how do you know my real name when no one else does?”
His chuckle sent a shiver down my spine. “I know quite a few things that might surprise you. But, to answer your question I have watched your family for many years. Dark secrets are hidden within your family. Secrets you are unaware of. Those secrets put your life at risk. That is why I have brought you here, so that we can discuss ways to keep you safe.”
“I don't know what you're talking about. I come from a family of nobodies. The only reason the people in my life don't know my real name is because I had someone stalking me a few years ago so I moved to a new city and changed it.”
“Oh, you sweet naive little girl...he was after you because of the power in your veins.”
“There you go again talking about power. I don't have any kind of power.” Yes, I knew that things like witches, fae, vampires and shifters existed in our world, but I wasn't a member of the more Supernatural denizens of our society, so I had no idea what he was talking about.
The sound of the door opening drew my attention and I stared in shock. A woman sauntered into the room, her body encased in leather that showed off every curve. That wasn’t why I stared. No. I stared because, other than the fact her hair was blonde and mine was a mousy brown—thanks to the dye I used when I changed my name—I could have been looking into a mirror.
“
Ah, Calix, thank you for joining us.”
The sound of Zaine’s voice shook me from my stupor and I turned, my eyes narrowing at him. “What kind of sick fucking game are you playing? Having a witch use a glamour to make herself look like me? You must have left out the part that my hair is brown, not blonde.”
I wasn’t expecting the woman, Calix, to speak up. “Wait. Zaine, you haven’t told her?”
“Told me what? Some bullshit story about me having power? Yeah, he tried to feed me that line already.”
Vibrant green eyes, so much like my own, widened at me. “Gods damn it, Zaine. What have you been doing? And why does it look like her wrists have rope burns?”
“Oh, I don’t know, maybe because his sick fuck of an associate kidnapped me and I woke up bound to a chair?” There was more than a little sarcasm in my voice.
“Zaine. Seriously? Fucking hell!”
The blonde growled then approached me. I arched a brow at her, but I wasn’t about to flinch in front of her.
“It isn’t glamour that makes me look like you, Arianna. I look like you because I’m your sister. Your older sister, by about twenty minutes, according to the birth record I found.”
I stared at her even as the world seemed to fade away. My breathing became ragged and my entire body began to shake. I felt lightheaded, a bit nauseous, and my heart raced so hard I thought it was going to beat right out of my chest. I hadn’t had a panic attack this bad in several years, but I knew from experience that I was mere seconds away from passing out.
Chapter 2
Arianna
I awoke slowly to the feel of something warm and soft beneath my cheek and fingers running gently through my hair. My eyes blinked open and I frowned. Four pairs of pants—of various types—filled my vision as I sat up.