by Aubrey Ross
Steep and freaking cold! She hurried after Anthony while Jacob ambled along behind her. The corridors were dank and gloomy, an occasional torch the only illumination. Anthony ignited each torch as they approached and extinguished it once they reached the next, creating an enchanted ambiance.
They passed into a newer section of the castle. Carpet runners cushioned her steps and ordinary light bulbs replaced the torches. A quick scan confirmed her casual observations. This level had been occupied more recently. Even so, the castle felt as if it had been vacant for some time, or was only occupied sporadically. The emotional echoes were muted and indistinct.
Anthony stopped before a door and pushed it open. He led her into the darkened room then waited while Jacob closed and locked the door. Crossing to the nightstand, Anthony turned on a lamp. Soft yellow light spilled across the massive bed and revealed the rest of the room. Ornate and exotic, this room possessed everything the tower room lacked.
The four-poster bed was hung with antique lace, which pooled on the highly polished floor. A large dresser and matching vanity were situated against one wall, a writing desk and two chairs against another. Crimson and gold, with a mixture of tasteful patterns, the décor appeared more Victorian than medieval.
“Do you approve?” Anthony asked after she’d had a moment to look around.
“It’s charming.” She raised her hands and rattled the chain. “But it’s still a cell.”
“I’d like to transition you from prisoner to guest. Unfortunately, that requires your cooperation.”
Refusing to be cowed by her nudity or her restraints, she moved toward him with slow, steady steps. “I’ve been nothing but cooperative, if you haven’t noticed.”
“Then let’s play a game. You’ll enjoy it, I promise.” Anthony closed the distance between them, his expression every bit as determined as hers.
“Will you remove the cuffs?” The collar wasn’t even an option. Without it she’d fly out the nearest window and they both knew it.
“The game I have in mind could allow for that sort of thing.”
“Then let’s play.”
He smiled, his gaze narrow and bright. “There will also be opportunities for punishment, so pay close attention to the rules.”
“I’m listening.”
“Have a seat on the foot of the bed.”
She started to ask if she could have a robe or a shirt, but thought better of it. The request would indicate anxiety and she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. Mustering as much dignity as she could, she sat on the bed and rested her hands on her legs. She kept her thighs pressed together and her back straight. The metal was cool against her skin, but the cuffs themselves were not uncomfortable.
Prompted by a nonverbal directive, Jacob brought one of the chairs from the writing table and placed it facing the foot of the bed. Anthony sat in the chair and Jacob took up position directly behind him.
Interesting arrangement. Was Anthony reminding her Jacob was his man or simply offering her a pleasing view?
“Have you ever played Truth or Dare?” Anthony asked.
“Of course. Is that what you have in mind?”
“Basically, but I have some additional rules. Number one, you cannot dare me to set you free.” He held up his fingers to indicate the count. “Two, if you refuse either a truth or a dare you will be punished. Three, you must agree to a minimum number of rounds before we begin. Four, once you’ve selected either truth or dare, you cannot change your selection.”
“Do the rules only apply to me or am I the only one playing?”
“I thought you and I would play.” Speculation overtook his expression, though she suspected the transformation wasn’t spontaneous. “If you’d enjoy having Jacob in the mix, I’ll allow it.”
She wasn’t fooled by his nonchalance. If he’d wanted this to be a private game, he would have stationed Jacob in the hallway. “Having Jacob play will make this even more entertaining. And we all abide by the same rules or I won’t play.”
“That’s only fair,” Anthony said. “I agree to the stated rules.”
That seemed to settle things in Anthony’s mind, but Monique wasn’t quite satisfied. “Jacob, do you agree to the rules?”
His gaze met hers and lingered, the green deep and velvety in the mellow light. “It might be better if I didn’t play.”
“She wants you to play,” Anthony asserted. “I want you to play.”
Monique shook her head. “He has to agree. I don’t want him to play because you gave him no choice.”
“He is not my thrall. There are very few things I require of him.”
Jacob came out from behind Anthony and stood at his side. “He’s right, lass. I serve him by choice not obligation. If you honestly want me to play, I agree to the rules.”
“Then we have only to decide on the minimum number of rounds.” Monique scooted to the edge of the bed as possibilities spun through her imagination. The first thing she’d do was dare one of them to remove these bloody cuffs. “I propose three rounds with a true rotation. You two are not ganging up on me.”
“I think I understand what you mean, but explain how you want it accomplished.”
Anthony’s passivity was making her nervous. Why was he giving in to all of her demands? “When it’s your turn you will accept a challenge from me and from Jacob, and when it’s Jacob’s turn he will accept a challenge from me and you. That way, I don’t get two challenges while you two only get one.”
“I have no objection.”
Jacob chuckled. “I welcome the opportunity to make my employer squirm.”
“Three full rotations,” Anthony affirmed. “Our guest may choose who goes first.”
“How kind of you.” Uncertainty melted into excitement, and she licked her lips. “I might as well get it over with. I’ll go first.”
“Truth or dare?” Anthony used a dramatic tone to announce the game’s official beginning.
“Truth.” Did he think she held some damning secret or was this just a clever way to break the ice?
“Have you ever been in a serious relationship?” he asked.
“That’s a rather pointless question. Your sense of smell told you the answer already.”
“The scent of a mate can fade if the mate dies,” Anthony pointed out.
“I’m one hundred and thirty-one years old. I’ve been in several relationships I considered serious.” Yet none of them created the emotional upheaval she was experiencing right now.
“Were they vampires or of some other race?”
Monique shook her head. “That’s none of your business. I answered your question.”
Jacob tried to disguise his smile, but amusement made his eyes sparkle. “Truth or dare?”
She hesitated. Without the possibility of repercussions, Jacob was likely to be more daring. Still, she sensed no threat from either of them, only banked desire and tense awareness. “Dare.”
“Thank the gods.” He grinned. “I dare you to let me suckle those beautiful breasts.”
Her nipples tingled in anticipation. She pushed to her feet and crossed to Jacob. “These make things a little awkward.” She lifted the cuffs toward his face. “I don’t suppose you’d take them off.”
“No,” Anthony said before Jacob could answer.
“Never hurts to ask.” She raised her arms, careful to clear Jacob’s head with the chain, and placed her hands on the back of his neck.
Jacob pulled her closer and eased his knee between her legs. He paused to outline her lips with his fingertip then lowered his head toward her breasts. She arched and rubbed her mound against his thigh, her feet barely touching the floor.
His lips closed around one of her nipples, as his hand cupped the other. The strong suction sent pleasure lancing through her body. She let her neck relax and dropped her head back, savoring the heat and the thrill.
Jacob worked one nipple into a tight, aching peak before he switched to the other. His fingers caressed and sq
ueezed, while his tongue flicked and circled.
She dragged her lids open and glanced at Anthony. The lust in his gaze seared her and made her anxious to experience the intensity promised by his devouring look.
“Enough,” Anthony growled. “It’s my turn.”
With obvious reluctance, Jacob lifted her arms back over his head and released her.
Monique stepped away, but remained on her feet. “Truth or dare,” she said to Anthony.
“Dare.” His gaze smoldered and the tip of his tongue touched his bottom lip.
The cuffs felt oppressive and obvious. Their release was what he would expect her to negotiate. For a reason she didn’t quite understand, she chose another path.
“I dare you to kiss me with all the restraint and tenderness contrary to your nature.”
“Tenderness is not contrary to my nature.” He stood and moved toward her with deliberate control. “Restraint, on the other hand, is debatable.”
Her pulse raced and she could barely stand still beneath the weight of her desire. “Do you accept the dare?”
“You tell me.” He pulled her against him and dipped her backward until her reflexes triggered. She clutched his shirt with both hands, clinging to him as his lips brushed over hers. “So soft,” he whispered.
His breath warmed her lips, and his strong arms supported her weight. She was off balance and vulnerable, unable to do anything but accept what he chose to give. His tongue teased her lips, stroking and caressing without venturing into the interior of her mouth.
Restless and dizzy, she murmured against his mouth and tried to still his wicked wandering. She needed the bold thrust of his tongue and the solid seal of his lips. She wanted his weight pressing her, holding her, while his cock filled her, stretched her, claimed her…
“Restrained enough?” With a chaste peck on the cheek, he stood her up straight and slipped his hands into his pockets. His gaze blazed with suppressed desire, promising all the things she imagined and more.
“I suppose I asked for that.” She blew out a frustrated sigh, unable to ignore the ache building between her thighs.
“You specifically asked for that,” Jacob reminded with a smile. He looked at Anthony and begun the next turn. “Truth or dare.”
Anthony thought for a moment and then said, “Dare. You already know everything there is to know about me.”
“I seriously doubt that, but I won’t complain.” A moment of communicative silence passed between the two men. So much for them not ganging up on her. “I dare you to kiss Monique with all the passion and desire she denied you.”
“Hey, that’s not fair!” Monique darted to the side, but not fast enough. Anthony caught her wrists and reeled her in, ignoring her halfhearted resistance.
When his arms circled her the second time there was no strategy, no forethought. He clasped her to his chest and claimed her mouth with fierce demand. His lips settled over hers and his tongue parted them before she could decide whether or not she wanted to struggle.
Closing her eyes, she accepted the aggressive kiss. It was more honest than the teasing, more Anthony. She opened wider and his tongue stroked over then curled around hers. Their breaths mingled, and his unique, woodsy scent filled her nose, stirring her imagination.
His hands cupped her bottom, dragging her up until their bodies aligned. Desire rushed through her veins and pooled between her thighs. She moaned, wanting to wrap her legs around his waist and feel the reality of their joining. Gods, she’d never needed a man so desperately!
“I think it’s her turn to challenge me.” Jacob’s voice sounded tense and throaty.
Anthony kissed his way down the side of her neck, his hands squeezing her ass. “Let’s finish this in bed.”
Retreating behind a soft chuckle, she used the emotional reprieve to push him away. “That’s up to Jacob.” She turned to the handsome Scot, doing her best to disguise her wobbly knees and flushed skin. “Truth or dare?”
“Definitely dare. If you need some suggestions, I’ve got many.”
Her laugh was warm and genuine this time. Jacob was so damn likeable. He was the perfect contrast to Anthony’s stormy seduction. “I dare you to take off your clothes and join me on the bed.”
“Are you going to offer me the same dare?” Anthony muttered, looking downright miserable.
Jacob tugged off his boots with such enthusiasm one went flying across the room. Monique crawled onto the bed and arranged herself on her knees, spreading her feet enough to maintain her balance with her hands bound in front of her. The rest of Jacob’s clothing followed in quick succession, revealing sculpted muscles and highly defined sinew. He paused at the foot of the bed, offering himself for her approval.
She’d already enjoyed the near perfection of his features so she savored the breadth of his shoulders and the impressive expanse of his chest. His torso tapered dramatically to narrow hips and long, solid legs. She admired the strength so obvious in his limbs before focusing on his sex.
His cock rose long and thick from the apex of his thighs. Below the shaft, his balls appeared heavy and tight. Had he really been hard since he walked into Station X?
“May I join you, Mistress?” Though the words were respectful, his voice growled with passionate demand.
“Please do.”
The comment set Anthony in motion as well as Jacob. Anthony climbed onto the bed without asking for permission, but he remained at the edge of the mattress, allowing Jacob to complete his turn.
Jacob crawled toward her like some great jungle cat, his hair partially obscuring his face. His moist breath touched her first, dancing along her inner thigh as he moved steadily closer. He pressed his face against her silk-covered mound as his hands grasped her hips. Though he steadied her lower body, her torso was thrown off balance. She felt herself falling for one weightless moment, then her back pressed against the warm, solid wall of Anthony’s chest.
“Are we still playing the game?” Anthony drew her arms up and back, hooking them behind his head as she’d done with Jacob.
“No.” She was breathing too fast and her brain refused to focus beyond the two amazing men touching her. “I want… I mean…”
Jacob grasped the sides of her panties and paused, looking up into her eyes. “Dare me to eat you. Dare me to lick you and suck you until you scream from the pleasure of it all.”
How had she lost control of the situation so completely? She’d intended to manipulate each round to her advantage, to recapture some semblance of power. She parted her lips, meaning to voice her unwillingness, but the lie transformed into a needful groan.
“Do it. Make her scream.” Anthony wrapped his arm around her waist and scooted backward as Jacob pulled her legs out from underneath her.
They positioned her effortlessly, their movements fast and organized. Jacob drew her panties down then tossed them aside. Anthony caught the backs of her knees and pulled her legs up and out, draping them over his naked thighs. When had he undressed?
Jacob spread out on his stomach, taking advantage of the space Anthony created. Anthony cupped her breasts, teasing her nipples with his thumbs. Jacob ran his thumb over her smooth mound, an approving sound rumbling in his throat.
“Lick her, or I will. Her scent is driving me crazy.” Anthony buried his face in her hair and inhaled deeply.
Using only his tongue, Jacob explored her silky outer lips. He seemed fascinated by the hairless flesh. He didn’t zero in on her clit as most men would. He licked from the arch of her pelvic bone to the inner curve of her ass cheeks and everywhere in between.
His muffled moans were almost as loud as hers as he ventured deeper. He traced her crease, parting her flesh a bit more with each pass. His hands stroked up and down her inner thighs, his thumbs occasionally assisting his questing tongue.
Her core melted and her clit tingled, protesting his patience. She murmured a wordless complaint and arched toward his mouth.
He slipped his hands beneath her a
nd lifted, pushing into her cunt as his lips moved over and against her sex. It was a teasing hint of what she really wanted. She rocked into his caress, taking what she could get.
Tension gathered within her, heating and pulsing with the start of an orgasm. He pulled back and she moaned, collapsing against Anthony’s chest. “You bastard,” she hissed.
“That didn’t sound like a scream.”
The amusement in Anthony’s tone only made her desperation feel more -- raw. “Let me come!”
Jacob pushed two fingers into her passage as he licked her cream off his lips. “And what do you offer in return?”
Exasperation burst within her and Monique’s temper took control. She screamed and twisted, kicking out at Jacob as she slammed her hands into the back of Anthony’s head.
With an infuriating chuckle, Anthony rolled, sweeping her beneath him in the process. She ended up on her hands and knees, ass sticking up in the air. Anthony yanked the chain in between her wrist cuffs, pulling her arms out from under her. She yelped, and jerked her head to the side as her chest collided with the mattress.
“If you’re not willing to barter with Jacob,” Anthony’s tone was ominous and dark, “then you’ll deal with me.”
Chapter Four
Anthony snapped the chain on Monique’s wrist cuffs into the anchor in the headboard while Jacob pulled individual ankle restraints out from under each side of the bed. She remained on her knees, but the restraints drew her legs apart, exposing her damp pussy and the delicate opening to her rear passage.
A furious glare was her only response to Anthony’s ultimatum. Her struggles all but subsided, yet he could sense the frantic whir of her frustrated mind.
“From this point forward, silence will mean acceptance.” He searched her gaze, unsure if she was just angry or a bit overwhelmed. Keeping his mental touch light, he scanned her mind and absorbed her emotions. Anger floated on a churning sea of lust. Her spirit rebelled against her helplessness, while her body anticipated every tantalizing possibility. Oh yes, she wanted this every bit as much as he and Jacob did. He sensed a tinge of uncertainty, but no real fear. Assured that he wasn’t pushing her too hard, he lowered his tone and added, “Be as stubborn as you like. You’ve already earned one punishment.”
