Rune

by H. D. March

  “Jessalyn, I haven’t given you permission to touch me.”

  “Please?”

  “No, this is going to be all about you, what I give.” He took her hand and led her to the play room.

  Rune paused before the cross of St. Andrews. He turned her so she faced him, her back against it. Taking her wrist, he manacled her and, reaching down to her ankles, repeated the process.

  “Are you sure you’re up to this?” Yet he continued to clip the cuffs in place.

  “My leg’s fine, I can’t feel a thing now.” The words tumbled out, please, Rune, don’t back out now, just fuck me.

  “Good.” A ghost of a smile creased his lips. He stood back and flicked the button of his trousers, sliding them down to pool on the floor.

  Jess forgot to breathe, her interest lay on his beautiful erection. It pleased her that he wore no pants, and it was pretty obvious he wanted her with the same driving need. Her whole body shivered in anticipation. She followed his steps to the large walnut cabinet, intrigued when he turned to the small freezer, and delved inside. A shudder broke over her at the wicked wink he gave on his return.

  Jess jumped at the ice cube that chilled her nipples, a scream of shock broke out of her throat when a nipple clamp hugged it. The short shaft of pain mellowed into a purr which in turn sent hot alert signals to her clit that was pounding, performing a drum solo. He repeated the action and hooked another one. This time she was ready for the delicious tingle, and welcomed it.

  With a slow teasing touch, his fingers teased over her body, across every inch; his palm stroked her stomach and he snatched at the thong, tearing it. The black material fluttered to the floor, Jess sucked in a sharp breath when his fingers rubbed between her legs.

  Her body arched back.

  “Please, Rune, I need you now.”

  “Not yet, Jessalyn, you need to be taught a lesson; you’re not a very obedient sub are you?” He raised his hand, and licked across his fingers. “Have you forgotten?”

  “No, er, sir?” She tried to think, to keep focussed, but at each touch, every action, he sent a squall of heady emotions ram raiding through her.

  “That’s better, Jess.” He leaned forward and pressed small kisses across her throat, following them with a long lick. “You remember your safe word?”

  Fuck, what is it? She wished she had a good memory. And nodded in silence, praying he wouldn’t ask what it was.

  “I’m waiting.”

  Oh bollocks! “It’s, it’s, oh God, I’ll remember it now.”

  He shook his head, the despair clear on his face. “I’ll give you a clue, the name of my club?”

  “Caprice!” she yelled with relief.

  “Well done.” His sarcasm dripped over her.

  With a bone-mushing intensity, he traced her lips with his finger; curling his hands over her face, he leisurely kissed her. His tongue searched out her mouth, he seized, demanding, whilst his heavy erection pressed into her stomach.

  Jess groaned in despair when he moved back. Please, Rune, I need you now, dammit. Picking up a long feather, Rune dusted it over her body; the sweet tingle swept down her arms across her stomach and further. He knelt before her and Jess closed her eyes, the blood roaring through each pulsing vein electric, the fact she couldn’t reach out, to touch him intensified with each stroke. She bit down on her lip when his mouth replaced the feather, and he nipped and laved his way up the inside of her thighs.

  Again, she arched into him, hoping he would feed off her throbbing mound. Instead he bypassed her pussy and stood before her. With a flick of his wrists, he freed a nipple clamp, and she shrieked at the shocking blast of pleasure that burst over her.

  “Rune, please, I’m going to come, I have to, er, sir.” She tried to speak but the words wouldn’t come out clear and concise, her heart hammered it thumped loud against her chest.

  “Not yet, sub, or I’ll be forced to punish you, to withhold what you want.”

  Fuck!

  Unexpectedly, darkness obscured her vision, and the soft sensation of satin crossed her eyes.

  Again, his hands roamed over her body, tweaking at the other clamp he unclipped it, and a rush of blood blasted over her. The shiver of his fingertips coasting over her skin sent ripples of lust through her. She bit back a squeal when his lips suckled on her nipple, a mixture of a soft teasing tongue that tormented and razor sharp teeth that nipped with an intense edge.

  Rune’s body torched hers, the heat scorched off him.

  “I need—”

  “Yes, Jess, I know exactly what you require.” His hands clutched her hips, holding her still, and inch by inch he thrust up.

  “Oh yes, that’s it, I—” Again, her words filtered away. She swallowed and attempted to snatch in oxygen, the dizzy sensations he’d aroused caused her to tremble. Her heart beat in an erratic rhythm.

  “Hell, you’re so damn tight,” muttered Rune, his muscles clenched taut. “I’m going to take you to the brink.”

  “I’m already there. Arggh, that’s it.” At last, he filled her, with not a centimetre to spare. He took stretched and devoured, whilst her sex gripped him tight. She responded to his searching mouth covering hers, his tongue snuck in, his words muted.

  “I’m not going to hold back, tell me now if you want me to.” He tunnelled slow and leisurely.

  “Don’t.”

  He stopped. “You don’t want this? Then tell me the safe word.”

  Christ no! “Rune, shit, please, I mean don’t stop.” Panic laced her words; she needed him, what he could give her, with a sudden desperation.

  She grunted when he drove in deep and hard, his arms banded around her waist, holding her tight, his hips writhed against hers. Rune pounded without mercy, his lips seared over hers, and Jess melted beneath his assault. She knew he meant to take everything from her, but he wasn’t, because she was giving herself to him.

  She didn’t know if it was the clit clamp, the fact she was tied to the cross, or the savageness with how he took her. There was no gentleness, and she loved it. A deep roll began to blister in the pit of her stomach. It careered and raced out of control, the pulsating throb that coursed over her fanny more than she could bear.

  “Come for me, Jess.” Rune’s deep voice sounded in a tunnel. A strange eerie echo, and she launched into the most cataclysmic orgasm of her entire life. It roasted over her, she couldn’t breathe, her chest hitched and spluttered.

  “Fuck!” Rune’s grumble as he came was the last sound she heard.

  §§§

  Rune froze; he stared in horror as Jess’s head tilted to the side. “What the hell?” At once, he pulled free and, releasing her shackles, along with the blindfold, cradled her unconscious body. Rune carried her to the bedroom and lay her body gently down on the bed. His hand trembled slightly stroking her head, the stickiness of perspiration from her forehead clung to his fingertips.

  She groaned; her eyes flickered open and blinked. “What happened?”

  “You fainted.” He stroked the back of his knuckles across her cheek. “I’ve heard of it but never experienced it first-hand.”

  “What?” She tried to sit up, until she was pushed back down by Rune.

  “An orgasm so intense it causes a woman to faint.”

  “Fuck, I won’t argue there.” A squiggle of a cheeky smile tickled her lips. “That was unbelievable.”

  “I didn’t hurt you?” He needed to know because he’d never taken anyone that hard. Yet he’d wanted to stamp his mark on her, and he had. Not even Storm had he fucked with such a forceful desperation. She’d sucked him dry, every inch of his cock had thundered into her.

  “No, the opposite in fact, I loved it.” A deep, red flush coloured her face.

  He studied her and, slipping his hand down her body, removed the clit clamp.

  “Ah shit!”

  He had an urge to kiss it better. And, giving into to his lusty thoughts, joined her on the bed and slid down her body. She’d never had a ma
n, and no one else had given her tongue across her pussy. The thought gave him a glow of pride.

  He grinned when she opened her legs, welcoming.

  “You’re a greedy bitch, sub.”

  “Yes, master.” She gave him a saucy wink.

  A ball slammed into his stomach, at her words and how natural she appeared in his bed, with him. Already, he counted down the hours and knew she’d be leaving him soon. Yet, somehow, he needed to discover what she’d seen, who she was running from, and, more important, who wanted to see her dead.

  Chapter Ten

  Rune leaned back into the soft pillow, Jess curled into him, where she nestled like a kitten. Her long hair filtered over her body, the strange red lights glinting in the early morning sunshine. She was an enigma to him, his virgin wild child. Whatever he gave her, she came back for more. And the fact she took him, and in a way that turned him on, amazed and made him as randy as hell.

  He recalled how she’d held his head whilst his tongue had flickered across her pussy. She’d thrust into his mouth, her excited little whimpers along with her delicious taste had sent an exquisite blast pushing him over the edge. A sense of pride filled his chest, that he was the first to introduce her to love making with his tongue, and it torched his soul.

  A haunting melody filtered in the air. He reached out for his mobile, a smile slid over his features, Wolfe.

  “Hi, mate, what’s up?”

  “Don’t fucking ask.” The dark mass of testosterone paced around the room. “I’m babysitting a spoilt brat and her crazy PA.”

  “So, she’s not a child?”

  “No, but she might just as well be with her tantrums when she can’t get her own way.”

  A loud crash sounded. “Fucking hell, are you for real?”

  “What happened?”

  “She threw a vase at me.”

  Rune raised a brow; he hadn’t pulled her into line? Because Wolfe, while he was one ornery bastard, he wouldn’t physically hurt a woman, but he would bring her to heel. And yet he hadn’t? Interesting.

  “Is she a looker?”

  “Yep, both of them real good; well, the one is, and then there’s the whacky PA, Eleri.”

  Another smash exploded.

  “Right, that’s it, you bitch, now I take you down. Catch you later, Rune.”

  He grinned as the call died.

  Rune rose and took a leisurely shower before dressing, and still Jess remained asleep. However, he wasn’t surprised, because he hadn’t let her rest and had fucked her hard. He was still debating on anal. He knew a blow job was out of the question, yet maybe they could come to a compromise.

  She shuffled and turned over, her hand slapped out, and her eyes flicked open. Searching for him. Relief washed over her features, and she pushed her hair back. “Morning.”

  He sat on the edge of the bed, leaned over, and welcomed her with a bruising kiss. Her head fell back, and her arm curled around his neck, fetching him closer.

  “I need to go out, stay here and don’t go wandering, understand?” He drew back, tilting her chin. “Answer me.”

  §§§

  “Do I look as if I’ve got a hearing impediment?” Oh fuck, why did she say that? One glance at his face, the harshness of the planes, told her he was pissed with her. The blissful night was as if it had never existed.

  “When I’m out, I will think of a suitable punishment.” His palm cupped her breast and squeezed her nipple. “Now, answer me.”

  “Yes, I understand.” At his questionable glare, added, “sir.”

  “I preferred it when you called me master.” Rune rose and, in long loping strides, crossed the room. “I’m not locking the door, I trust you to listen to my orders.”

  “Anytime, master!” She hurled the words as he closed it behind him. Rolling onto her back, a wicked smile tugged at her lips. Jess thought back to the night and what he’d done with her; now, that was magic, she decided.

  She just wished his personality was as passionate and willing to please as his body and cock.

  A flush coloured her face, recalling how she’d tasted herself on his lips and decided she loved a muff dive. It had been unbelievable what he’d achieved with his tongue. And a wicked ache grew between her legs. She hoped to God there’d be more of that before she left.

  Throwing the sheet back, Jess rose and noticed a few dark bruises on the inside of her thigh; she guessed there’d be some more elsewhere after their bedroom acrobatics. Jess hadn’t realized there were so many sexual positions. He took no prisoners, and she adored the way he made love: hard, rough, and with the force of a tsunami.

  An hour later, she was showered, dressed, and bored. Her attention flicked to the door, he wouldn’t know, one quick sortie that’s all. And it was daylight, not that anyone was intent on killing her, for Pete’s sake. Rune had a vivid imagination that’s all it was, and he shouldn’t try to scare her.

  Again, the image of grey eyes rose and she gave herself a pep talk. They were a film cast, idiot, not a crowd of murdering vampires. Vampires don’t exist. She felt like kicking herself at the sheer panic that had invaded her. One that she’d allowed to rise and suffocate all common sense.

  Gripping the handle, she slipped out of the room and made her way down the stairs.

  §§§

  Rune’s black Lamborghini pulled up outside the police headquarters. He wanted to know as much as possible about the killings because he was convinced that Jess had witnessed it. The image of grey eyes had shuddered over him before she blanked his probing. Yet he couldn’t ask her outright in case she hadn’t, and Rune was aware he dare not take the risk of revealing any information. So far, they had managed to keep the murders under wraps. Somehow, he had to get her to speak about what had happened, why she was being chased prior to the crash, and played with a variety of ideas on how he’d fetch it up.

  He strode past the duty desk and pushed the door open to Jim’s office unannounced. As usual, he was propped behind his desk. He held a steaming coffee in one hand and a cheeseburger in the other. Rune noticed he hadn’t wasted much time in finding another fast food outlet.

  Jim indicated to take a seat, his jaws clamped around the roll, he chomped and swallowed. Rune poured himself a coffee, and dropped down into the chair; he watched and waited.

  “So, what brings you back so soon?” Crumbs blew out of his mouth, and he scrubbed his mouth with the back of his hand.

  “I need to know if you’ve got any more details.”

  “You could have rang for that.” He slurped his coffee; a dark brown drizzle dripped over his chin.

  “Could have, but I was kind of hoping that Phillips would be around.”

  “What is it between you two?”

  “Personality clash,” said Rune and hitched one heavy thigh across his leg. “So, what about leads? Anyone see anything?”

  “No, by the time Phillips arrived, nearly every one of them was dead. The only person alive couldn’t speak; it was the young waitress and she died soon after.”

  Rune unfurled himself and rose; he shifted around the room, a tenseness radiated in each step. “Yet there were no other cars, no customers?”

  “Well, if there were, I reckon they’d be dead.”

  “Let me have a copy of the report. I need to read it, the account, time everything.”

  Jim pressed an intercom button. “Marnie, print off the information on the last killing; yeah the one at the diner.” He raised his brows, large, squiggly, grey caterpillars that hedged over his eyes. “Shit, she’s hard work.” He glanced up to Rune and pressed the intercom continuing to speak. “How many diners have had a slaughter taking place? Yeah, it’s for Rune.” He disconnected the call. “Christ, but that woman is a fucking nightmare.”

  “Just a shame you married her then,” winked Rune.

  Jim scrubbed a hand over his eyes. “Tell me about it.”

  §§§

  Jess tiptoed down the quiet hall and paused; somewhere she could hear the
steady thump of weights. The clang of metal rang out, and she moved towards it.

  Pushing at the door, she discovered herself in a gym, and LeBron lay on a bench pushing at weights. He wore a snug pair of grey pants and an indecently tight T-shirt. His huge biceps bulged and glistened beneath the sheer exertion. Jess trod forward, determined she was going to make it clear he needed to see Kitty.

  She could see how wary he was, how his expression instantly charged with distrust. Did she dive in or use feminine wiles and play to his softer side? Jess nibbled thoughtfully on her lower lip; he slammed the weights down and, rising, moved towards her. He had the same snake hipped rolling stride as Rune but without that sexy edge. The one that so turned her on.

  “What do you want?” Animosity bled through his words, and he challenged her with a heated glare. Taking a short towel, LeBron rubbed at the sweat trickling down his neck.

  “I was just wondering who was working out.” she hedged, drawing him in. “How come you’re here at this time of day?”

  “I live at Caprice. My quarters are at the other end of the house.” He continued to swipe the towel over his face. “A few of us find it convenient to stay here.”

  “So, how long have you worked for Rune?” Jess tried to work out how to have a go without seriously pissing him off. She hadn’t forgotten his quick temper.

  “A while.” He paused and studied her. “And now how about you tell me what you really want.”

  “For you to face the truth? She’s hurting LeBron.” Jess crossed her arms in front of her and stared through him.

  “Leave it the hell alone. Kitty is better off without me.” He picked up a bottle of water and drizzled the contents down his throat.

  She sucked in a low hiss of anger, heck, but he was a stubborn critter. Then recalled how he was worried, if she were ill. “She’s dying.”

  LeBron spun around, fear and horror on his face. “She can’t be.” He stepped close; taking her arms, he shook her, hard. “Tell me what’s wrong with her!”

  Shit, she’d underestimated his emotions, what he felt for Kitty, and still couldn’t work out why he wouldn’t go to her.