by Tracy Lauren
The first thing I notice about her are her eyes…or the lack thereof. In the place where her eyes belong are thick and nasty black stitches. The skin beneath them looks long since fused shut. Her skin is pallid, reminding me of death. She wears no top and her breasts hang free. Around her neck and coiling down one arm is a long, thin snake. I cannot see where it begins nor ends, but I can see it moving nonetheless. Her hair is long and dark as night. On her head she wears a crown of horns, dead and blackened in their appearance. Her only garment appears at first to be a skirt, falling at about knee length, but upon further inspection I see the true horrors that clothe her. Affixed by some type of crude belt, the witch wears dozens of human arms around her waist. With every jerky motion that she makes, the arms sway, seeming to move on their own accord. I swear I can see the fingers twitching…
The closer she gets, the farther I back away until I’m pressed against one jagged wall of the cave. I pray that she can’t see me, but still she draws ever nearer. Brom’s name is on my lips as she reaches her hand out toward me… The hands around her waist seem to follow. I clench my eyes shut and cringe, turning away from her, ready to scream for help.
“Hush…” she whispers. “Do not be scared, little one.” Her voice is soothing and serene enough to make me peek over at her, but despite her gentle tone she still looks like a walking nightmare.
I garner my courage. “I’d like to make a deal with you. My companion needs magics—simple potions. I…I ruined the ones he had and wish to replace them.”
“Potions?” a soft smile graces her lips. “A love potion perhaps?”
“No, nothing like that. More like healing, things for protection…I don’t know exactly what he had, I just…” I trail off, not knowing what to say.
“A simple enough request.” She reaches for me again and I watch her hand slowly approach, feeling unable to stop it. She grips my arm. Although her touch is gentle, her flesh feels like needles on my skin. I want to pull away but feel powerless to do such a simple task. Instead I let her guide me away from the wall. She poses me, holding both my arms out, and she begins to walk around me, getting close enough to sniff at my skin and hair. I feel more than one set of hands inspecting me and bile rises in my throat. I’m on the brink of tears when she comes around to face me again, putting precious distance between us.
“They tell me you like the blood of virgins,” I say.
“You are no virgin,” she replies, crossing her arms over her chest. The tilt of her chin almost makes her look amused, but I can’t imagine what she must be thinking. Hells, I can’t imagine what I was thinking coming here to make a deal with a being such as this witch. Angry Adelaide, so far from home…
“It doesn’t matter,” the witch tells me. “You possess something I value even more.”
Swallowing hard, I dread what she might ask. I grip my arms, hugging myself and wondering if she’ll request my appendages to add to her hellish skirt. As my fears mount, a tiny wisp of fire appears near the witch’s shoulder. I recoil when I see it, averting my gaze.
“A wisp!” I cry out.
“My friends in the wood,” the witch explains, cocking her head to the side to listen to the whispers coming from the wisp.
“You control them?” I question, my voice blatant with accusation.
“I did not send them after you, if that’s what you mean to ask,” the witch supplies. “I only listen to the stories they tell. They do tell the most wonderful stories.”
“Angry Adelaide, so far from home. You started this journey all alone…” she says, her voice taking on a sing-song like quality.
“Why did you say that? I was just thinking the same thing…” I say, growing increasingly wary. She ignores me though and listens instead to the soft, humming whispers of the wisp.
“I still want your blood, little one,” she says abruptly. The way she uses Brom’s pet name for me is unnerving and it feels perverse coming from her. “Not much, just a few precious drops.”
“You do? Even though it isn’t virginal?”
“Like I said, you have something inside of you I value even more. There is but one thing I need you to do for me first however.” I consider her meaning…something inside me she values even more? What am I but my anger and grief? It isn’t like I’m pregnant and there’s a first-born child to steal.
“What is it?” I ask, my voice cracking.
“I want you to make love to the troll.”
“You want me to do what?” I gasp. Not that I don’t want to make love to Brom, but I don’t fully understand what the witch intends to get out of it. “And you’ll…watch us?”
She laughs at that. “No, not at all. I prefer you have your privacy. There are rooms in the catacombs.”
“What is your purpose?” I demand. “Do you wish to steal a child or corrupt my womb?”
“Those are dark thoughts for such a fiery thing,” the witch tells me, that soft smile looking out of place on her harsh face. “Once you give me your blood it will hold no link to you or the troll. I have no intention of causing either of you any harm. Your blood will simply be a useful ingredient in the strongest of my spells.”
I stare at her, disbelieving, but not knowing what else to say.
“Go, speak with your troll.” She waves her hand once and the wisp turns from orange to a cool blue and falls silent. “Follow the wisp and it will lead you to a room. Whatever your decision, you may rest here for the night. Bring me your answer in the morning.”
I nod, wanting nothing more than to get as far away from her as possible. Without even realizing it I’m already backing away and I stumble over a stalagmite and fumble to catch my balance. When I look back to the witch she is gone.
“BROM!” I yell.
The sound of his heavy footfalls bounces off the stone walls as he rushes to me. He’s got his axe in hand and he pulls me close to him, searching the cavern for the witch.
“Where is she?” he growls.
I take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. “Come on, we can rest here for the night. She offered us a room so we can make a decision about her offer.” I tug at him, indicating we should follow the blue wisp. Still, he rakes the room with his gaze before he narrows his eyes on our fiery guide.
“Fine,” he says, moving to follow the cold flame. Brom never releases me. The entire journey down the dark catacombs is done with one arm wrapped protectively around my shoulders, and even though we are in the belly of the beast, somehow I still feel safe with Brom.
Eventually the little blue light comes to a halt, hovering just before a worn wooden door. Brom pushes it open. I’m surprised to see sconces lit on the walls inside, their flames whipping happily. The stone walls are smooth and rounded, almost looking as if they were carved out naturally by the gods. The cold floor is blanketed in a plush rug, with terracotta hues. There is a table along one wall, stacked with food and drink I wouldn’t dare lay a finger on, lest it be cursed. Brom, too, eyes it with dismay. The only other feature in the room to speak of is a large bed topped with thick blankets and fluffy pillows. As inviting as it looks, Brom and I both still consider it suspiciously.
Brom latches the door behind us and stalks around the room, searching it for dangers. When he finds nothing, we both make the tentative journey to the bed, taking seats on the plush mattress.
“What does she ask for?”
I take a deep breath, ready to tell him everything. “She still wants my blood, but with one caveat.”
“Which is?”
I steel my expression and look Brom in the eyes. “She only wants it if you and I make love first.”
“What is her trick?” Brom growls.
“She says there’s no trick, only that a few drops of my blood will be a good ingredient in her spells.” I shrug, not knowing what to make of it all.
“Does she think we might make a child? Is she planning to steal it?” Brom asks, clear worry lacing his voice. I take his hand in mine. It’s so large and ro
ugh, still, he holds on tightly as if seeking comfort from me.
“I asked her that. She didn’t seem to have any interest in us or our children. She only wanted my blood, after we make love.”
“I don’t trust her, Adelaide. This deal isn’t worth it.”
“Maybe it is,” I counter. “If she’s telling the truth, she’s only asking for what we came here to give in the first place.”
“But how do we know she’s telling the truth? If we make love and a child comes from our union, I would go mad with worry, always fearful that the witch might one day come for our child. Or for you, while it still grows within your belly. There is no question in my mind, Adelaide, this is a deal we will not make.”
I nod, agreeing with Brom but still unable to shake my guilt. “But your things, Brom. I ruined them. And this whole damn journey—it’s been a waste. Ever since I came into your life, I’ve done nothing but cost you—”
“Stop, Adelaide,” Brom urges, rubbing at his forehead with his free hand. “I don’t know why I even brought you here. I don’t make deals with dark ones like this witch …I think…” He sighs heavily, “I think I only sought to buy more time with you,” he confesses. “But it was a thoughtless decision on my part.”
“You wanted more time with me?” I question, somehow finding it hard to believe. “Even after how ugly I was to you in those early days?”
“Temper or not, a man or beast would have to be mad to not want more time with you, little one.”
“I’ve always been suspicious of your sanity now that you mention it,” I tease. But Brom shows me his sincerity by pulling me into a kiss. It’s short and his lips are gentle against mine. He ends it by settling me into his lap and wrapping me in a hug. He feels so comforting and safe. A part of me never wants him to let go.
“It isn’t fair for you to take me all the way to Pontheugh and get nothing in return,” I say against his neck, reaching around behind him to toy with his thick ponytail.
“I suppose it wasn’t fair that I tried to make you my slave,” he counters.
“Does seem foolish in retrospect, doesn’t it?” I agree, burying my face in his neck and breathing him in.
“Indeed it does.” He sighs heavily once more and runs his thick fingers through my hair. “I suppose I was just lonely and then I saw you. Before I even saw the orcs trailing you, I noticed this beautiful hair of yours, wild around your face like a halo.”
“I must have looked crazed with fear.”
“You looked like…a woman. Soft and feminine. It seemed like you needed me and I thought that maybe if I helped, you might feel indebted to me. That maybe after a while, you would even want to be there.”
“You were truly that lonely?” I ask, furrowing my brow at the thought. “What about the fae?”
“Enough about the fae,” Brom chides. “They are loopy and boring creatures. I wanted someone to talk to, someone who could make me laugh and help me pass the hours.”
“Why not go to the village, spend time with your cousin and the others at The Cocky Bull?”
“I was chosen to guard the bridge. It is an honor to have such a role, but it can sometimes make me feel alone. It sets me apart from the others in more ways than one,” he says, and I get that. I know what it’s like to be part of a community and yet still be on the outside of it.
“What will you do once I’m safely in Pontheugh?” I ask, thinking of Brom returning to his lair all by himself, coming in to light the fire and being surrounded by lonely silence.
“I’ll be fine,” he promises. “I have all our fond memories to keep me company,” he laughs.
“There are so many,” I say sarcastically, joining his mirth. “I can hardly imagine which is your favorite. Maybe the time I spilled hot soup all over your cock?”
At the mention of his sex I feel it twitch and harden beneath me, poking against my ass. It sends shivers of anticipation up my arms.
“There are a few hot things involving you and my cock that I promise to think of long after you’re gone.”
“Brom,” I ask, pulling away to look at him. “Since I’m not a virgin anymore—”
“Apparently you haven’t been a virgin for some time.”
“True…but since now you know I’m not a virgin, what’s stopping us from making love?”
“I won’t make this deal with the witch,” he reminds me firmly.
“No, I know. I’m not talking about her though. I’m talking about us. We could still make love, we could even do it here, tonight.”
“Don’t tempt me, Adelaide.”
“Why not?” I ask, trailing my fingers across his hardened jaw. “I want you, Brom.” I wiggle on his lap. “And I can tell you want me too.”
He groans and pinches his eyes shut.
“How long until Pontheugh from here?” I ask.
“Four days.”
“Let’s make the most of our time together,” I urge. “I don’t want to miss this chance,” I tell him. And I realize I really don’t. I want to be with Brom, more than anyone I’ve ever known. And even if I never see him again, I know I still want this.
Still, he’s silent. I angle his face to look upon me and he opens his eyes. The look in them is pained, desperate almost, and I want to kiss it all away. “Brom, make love to me,” I tell him, searching those sad eyes. He almost looks like he’s going to push me away, but instead he twists us both until my back is on the bed and he is raised above me.
“Ask me again,” he urges, his voice as needy as his eyes.
“Let’s have sex?” I offer, unsure of what he’s looking for.
“No. Ask me to make love to you.”
I soften at his request, smiling up at him. “Make love to me, Brom,” I beg, pulling him in for another kiss. Again he is nothing but gentle with me. It calms me, slowing down my usually rushed pace. In his kiss he makes me feel everything, every swipe of his tongue and even the breath playing between us. I luxuriate in it.
Together, we work to peel off each other’s clothing and we take our time, admiring one another’s bodies. Tonight our foreplay is the look of reverence reflecting in our eyes and hungry kisses on sensitive flesh. This is nothing like our frenzied sex play back at the inn. This is something more, something that touches me on a deeper level. Emotion swells inside of me, and when Brom presses the head of his cock against my entrance, looking into my eyes for permission, I bite my lip and nod to him, blinking back tears. My heart is full. Every cell in my body is alight, charged with this electric thing that’s been building between us. For so long, all I allowed myself to feel was anger and so suddenly I find myself at the other end of the spectrum. Now the dam is broken and all these feelings come rushing in. It’s a shock to my system.
Slowly, he presses into me, his thick shaft stretching my body around him. It doesn’t hurt, it just feels so good to finally feel again. Still, Brom’s careful with me and he watches my expression for any signs of discomfort.
“It feels good,” I assure him, his cock half buried in me.
“Gods, Adelaide, it feels so fucking good,” he groans, resting his forehead on mine.
I grip his ass, the muscles there tight and firm, and I pull him toward me, giving him allowance to become fully seated. He sucks in his breath as the final inches of his cock are sheathed. By the time it is, we’re both gasping for air.
“You’re so tight,” he tells me, his voice strained.
“I love the way you feel, Brom,” I confess. He pauses to look into my eyes, caressing my cheek. That simple touch might be the most intimate moment I’ve ever had with a man before…or a troll for that matter. Then he kisses me and for once, I let him lead.
His kisses match the rhythm of his thrusts. With each swipe of his tongue he pulls back, only to bury himself within me once more. The place where our bodies join is slick with our shared arousal, and despite his size, Brom moves with ease. Soon, I lose myself to the sensations, throwing my head back in ecstasy. Every time I manage to
open my eyes, I see Brom’s attention is locked onto me, searching to learn the things I like best.
“You’re so beautiful,” he tells me, and the way he says it makes me feel like it’s true.
There are words on the tip of my tongue. I want to say something, to let him know what this means to me…what he means to me. “Brom,” I start, but I don’t quite know what to say.
He takes my hand and presses it to his lips, kissing my palm and each fingertip. “You will give nothing to the witch,” he warns. “Not a single drop of blood. Until we reach Pontheugh you belong to me, Adelaide, every part of you. You’re mine.” His words are desperate and the pace of his thrusts quickens.
I nod, agreeing with him. “I’m yours.”
He presses close to me, so that we are chest to chest, skin to skin. His body grazes mine and my nipples pucker at the contact, but he’s also causing friction against my clit and I bite back a shriek of pleasure. To be honest, though, it isn’t just the physical sensations affecting me so. It’s the way Brom claims me. It isn’t like it was before. He isn’t a master declaring me his slave. No, the way he talks makes me feel like we belong to each other.
“And you’re mine,” I whisper into his ear, my lips grazing the golden rings there.
“Until the end of time,” he professes, his sharp fangs brushing tenderly against my neck. My brain hardly has a chance to process the weight of his words before I start to see stars. My climax rocks me, turning my world upside down and inside out. I call out his name as my body spasms and grips onto his rock-hard cock. I know he can feel me cumming by the way he growls, wild and with reckless abandon. He sounds like a beast. Hells, I sound like one too. And then he’s cumming right along with me, filling me with a blossoming heat. A second wave of my orgasm hits as he delivers short, finishing thrusts into my pussy with his steely rod. With each earth-shattering movement, I feel more of his cum spilling out of me, slickening us until the sounds our bodies make are perverse and ungodly enough to stroke myself to for the rest of my days.
