Wolfsbane

by Nathalie Gray

  A flare of rage wafted up his chest, tightened his throat. Fredrick would love nothing better than to wrap his hands around that man’s throat. He could well imagine the sort of things he’d done to Scarlet. Concern for her welfare threatened to cloud his judgment. If he lost control for one second, Katrina would see it. And if she saw how much he cared for Scarlet, there’d be no end to this.

  “Hard, my love, like you do it best,” his cousin said, looking back over her shoulder.

  After he pulled out of her, Lothar pressed the tip of his member high along her cleft and sank all the way into her ass. A ragged cry escaped Katrina. Before he could go on, she bucked back and pulled away. “Do not spill yourself yet. You still have another to satisfy.” Sweat covered her back and thighs. Deep red handprints marred her pale flesh on either side of her pelvis. “Now,” she went on, looking at Fredrick and standing, “on to our affairs.”

  Hope left Fredrick, fell to a thousand jagged shards around his feet. He had no way out of this one. If he told his cousin to go to Hell, she’d drag Scarlet there instead of him. If he acquiesced to Katrina’s demand, everything was lost, but Scarlet might be spared. Yet what else could he do? Let them do to her what he’d just witnessed? Fredrick doubted he could live with that sort of guilt. He carried enough as it was, he didn’t need the extra weight of having caused such debased torment to the one person who’d shown him so much kindness. It was enough he’d let it happen to others…the thought of Scarlet’s days ending in a shallow grave somewhere on his land repulsed him to the highest degree. She’d become precious to him in the span of a few weeks. Like he’d found an overlooked treasure and would guard it jealously. He felt a kinship with the wounded young woman, for she too had lived her life constantly looking over her shoulder, her soul concealed, her heart guarded. Pain had visited her often, as it had him. His soul called to hers, his body ached for hers, and his heart…it stopped for a full second every time she entered the room. Those were real, what mattered. She liked him, even a little, for she wouldn’t have allowed him near if she hadn’t. And he wasn’t about to betray her heart. Nor his.

  Katrina circled the table and stood at one end. She caressed Scarlet’s fiery hair with a shaking hand. Female musk reached Fredrick’s sensitive nostrils and he cringed in disgust. He couldn’t believe von Innsbruck blood filled those foul veins.

  “Sign the deed.”

  Despair muted Fredrick.

  Katrina nodded to a grinning Lothar who stood between Scarlet’s legs.

  “No!”

  Fredrick’s growl froze everyone, even Scarlet.

  “No?” Katrina asked, crossing her arms. “No, what? You do not want Lothar to taste what you have already tasted yourself? I never knew you were so selfish.”

  At this, a look of white-hot hatred flashed in Lothar’s hazel eyes as he looked from Scarlet to Fredrick then back again. He angrily pulled himself back in and buttoned his trousers. But Katrina didn’t seem to notice the danger lurking in her lover’s face as she sat on a corner of the table. Her hand still stroked Scarlet’s curls. “Should we stop, then? Is this what you want, Fredrick?”

  Fredrick forced his mind to clear. All Katrina wanted was to break him. He’d assisted, impotent, to this sort of thing before. To much worse, in fact. If he betrayed his feelings, his cousin would recognize it for what it was, and Fredrick doubted even giving in to Katrina would save Scarlet. Not if she knew she could use his love against him.

  Love.

  The word shocked him. He hadn’t even thought of it in so long, if ever. Throughout his long life, there hadn’t been many women and definitely no one like Scarlet. She brought out defensive feelings he didn’t know he had. Impotent rage flared, and he feared for a second he’d lost control. But no, the change didn’t come.

  Yet Katrina still must have sensed the subtle shift for she stared at him long, her pale, icy eyes narrowing to slits. A grin pulled her lips to one side. She slid off the table and stood between Scarlet’s knees. After a quick kiss for Lothar, she indicated the other end of the table.

  “I shall take this end. Meanwhile, while we have Fredrick’s undivided attention,” she stopped, rested the cane against the table before caressing Scarlet’s outstretched knees. “You fuck her mouth.”

  At Katrina’s command, Lothar smiled widely.

  Fredrick would’ve taken a step but was prevented by the chain cutting at his ankle. “No.”

  But the man didn’t listen and circled the table, stopping near Scarlet’s head. She turned to look at him, a confused expression on her face while he reached for the twin rows of buttons on his trousers.

  “Cousin, there’s no need for this,” Fredrick said, the warning in his voice plain as salt on a wound.

  “Why not? She would enjoy it.”

  With Lothar looming threateningly over Scarlet, a deep sigh swelled Fredrick’s chest. He’d lost. Might as well finish it all right now. “Stop it.”

  Katrina froze, motioned for Lothar to do the same. “Only you can stop it, Fredrick. But are you really willing to?”

  Fredrick nodded curtly.

  “I do not think you mean it,” she replied. “Lothar.”

  Cradling Scarlet’s chin in his large hand and turning it to the side, the man leaned over her.

  The sight drove a knife in Fredrick’s heart. He couldn’t even bring himself to look anymore. “I’m telling you. Stop it.”

  He realized too late his tone wasn’t what his cousin wanted. “You are telling me?” Katrina demanded.

  Lothar grinned. He undid two buttons on his trousers. Scarlet mumbled something as she pressed her hand against the man’s muscled belly.

  “For Christ’s sake, Katrina, stop it!”

  “You think you can order me?” she snarled, spreading Scarlet’s trembling knees even wider apart. “You will have to beg me, Fredrick. Beg me.”

  Fredrick fisted his hair. “She has nothing to do with us,” he began then gritted his teeth when two more of Lothar’s buttons came undone. The mere thought of this man’s cock in Scarlet sickened Fredrick. “Leave her alone, you filthy swine!”

  The force of Fredrick’s voice froze Lothar. His expression changed from excitement to malice. He reached down and pinched one of Scarlet’s nipples. A little cry escaped her.

  “Katrina,” snarled Fredrick.

  “Enough,” Katrina said. Lothar reluctantly released Scarlet’s chin. “You were saying, dear cousin?”

  “I’ll do it,” Fredrick replied softly, hoping the whole sickening affair would just go away.

  “I said you would have to beg.”

  Fredrick gritted his teeth. The hated bitch. “Please,” he said, putting emphasis on the word. “Stop tormenting Scarlet.”

  She grinned, motioned to the floor in front of Fredrick. “Beg.”

  Keeping his gaze locked with the woman’s, Fredrick slowly went down onto one knee then onto the other. There, kneeling, he took a great sigh through his dilated nostrils. Fight it down, he told himself when he thought he could feel the first signs of transformation. Control it. But he couldn’t control the tears welling up his eyes. “Please, Katrina, I beg you, stop tormenting Scarlet.”

  “I don’t know about you,” Lothar said, “but he’s not convincing me.”

  Katrina nodded. “I agree.”

  Panic and bile rising in his throat, Fredrick said, “Please, stop it. I’m begging you.”

  “I loath hurting her, Fredrick, believe me. I rather like my little apple. But I do not think you understand how…resolute I can be. So,” she said as she retrieved the cane, poising its handle right over Scarlet’s belly and waited. “Convince me.”

  Fear and horror filled Fredrick’s gut. “Katrina,” he snarled, unable to keep the tremor from his voice. Silent sobs of rage choked him. “Please, please don’t do it.”

  The silver butt rubbed against Scarlet’s skin, threateningly lower and lower.

  As though his soul had been ripped apart, Fredrick let out
a long, anguished growl. “I’m begging you, please! Katrina! No!”

  She straightened, leaned the cane across Scarlet’s thighs. She shook her head a couple of times. “He actually did it.”

  Lothar sniggered while he rubbed back Scarlet’s hair with one hand. “I am still not convinced he means it.”

  A look of surprise, of shock tightened Katrina’s face. “You do mean it. You would beg for a servant?”

  Though he said nothing, Fredrick knew his tearing eyes told the whole truth. Instead of feeling ashamed of it, he marveled at the strength it’d given him, the renewed hope he could somehow turn this situation into something good. Yes, he would beg for a servant. He would beg and grovel for Scarlet. He’d kill for her as well and if there was a God, if there was a shred of good fortune lying about, something he was definitely beginning to doubt, he’d get his hands on Katrina. She’d be the one going to Hell.

  “Have you finally seen the light, Fredrick?” Katrina asked, coming closer to him than she’d ever been…while he could do something about it anyway. She never shied away from rubbing herself against him or performing the vilest act on him while he was drugged and unable to wring her neck for it. “Have you finally seen that we would be a perfect match, you and I? That our heir would take the family name to new heights? Well…my heir, anyway.” She winked.

  He couldn’t even talk for the fear twisting his insides. Fredrick nodded.

  “And are you prepared to do what is necessary?”

  “Whatever is needed to stop this. You won, Katrina,” he murmured.

  “Very well,” she said after a while. “Give her something to wake her,” she added for Lothar’s benefit.

  The man looked as though someone had just demanded for both his hands. He buttoned his trousers back up. Throwing a venomous glance at Fredrick and Katrina, he went to his tunic, rummaged in it and produced a small vial. Keeping Scarlet’s head immobile with a hand much too rough for Fredrick’s taste, he let a single drop into her mouth.

  “She should feel better in a short while,” Katrina offered, uncharacteristically showing a soft expression, even patting Scarlet’s thigh.

  Utterly spent, Fredrick sat on his heels, raked shaking hands through his hair and closed his eyes. He felt as though the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders. Although he knew he’d pay for it later. Pay with his life. But dying would be easy compared to the guilt of having caused Scarlet pain. He could hardly stomach the thought. Katrina would’ve killed her. No doubt about it.

  “Poor kleiner Apfel,” Katrina murmured. “So young. So foolish.”

  Dread seeped into Fredrick’s heart. He stood slowly, his gaze riveted to his cousin’s face, searching for…he wasn’t sure what.

  After sitting on the table and letting her legs dangle, Katrina shook her head. “You two think you had me fooled? That I had not noticed?”

  “There’s nothing to notice. I just don’t want someone else’s death on my conscience.”

  “God knows your conscience never bothered you before,” she snorted derisively. “I am talking about you having a soft spot for my kleiner Apfel and she having one for you in return.”

  Something broke in Fredrick’s heart. Breathing harder, he shook his head. “She doesn’t—”

  “Oh please, you insult me. Did you think I would not see that special glow in her eyes?” Katrina demanded, clearly irked. “I was hoping she would liven things up for you, but still.”

  “Don’t make her sound like a whore.” Fredrick knew she may be a thief, but Scarlet was no whore, even if his cousin made her sound this way. Actually, of everyone in this room, he’d no doubt Scarlet surpassed them all in virtue and honesty.

  “So territorial.”

  A look of deep frustration flashed in Lothar’s hazel eyes. He looked down at Scarlet and shook his head. “So you’ve fallen in love with a monster. Such a waste.” His face tightened into an odd combination of disappointment and cold fury.

  By God, Fredrick thought, repulsed beyond words. He’s jealous.

  While they talked, Lothar kept brushing back Scarlet’s hair. Her eyes had lost the confused glaze. Something else now shone in her dark gaze—awareness. And fear. Fredrick’s heart squeezed at the thought. Perhaps she should’ve remained drugged. At least she wouldn’t have heard all of this.

  “Let’s end this. I told you I’d do what you want. Just give me the damn deed so I can sign it.”

  Katrina shrugged. “Although I enjoy watching you beg—and believe me I did—I do not think I will let you keep her. I love winning too much.”

  He pointed an accusing finger at her. “Keep your end so I can sign away every damn pebble on this land. You won. Don’t you like the sound of that? You waited damn long to hear it, haven’t you? Well, Katrina, you won. I yield!”

  Anger was rising. Old, seething rage. He couldn’t hold it down forever. And Scarlet, who was awakening, her knees coming tighter together as if she were cold. Or ashamed.

  A lift of her ruby lips showed gleaming white teeth. Katrina spread her knees farther apart, which parted the robe she wore, revealed herself to him though he wanted nothing to do with her. She inserted a lacquered finger, hummed some soft tune to herself, as though pondering her next move. She’d always been devilishly good at chess.

  “I like the sound of it. ‘I yield.’ But you know me, I do not enjoy just winning. What I like best is breaking my opponent, utterly crushing him.”

  A vicious grin spread on Lothar’s face. When Scarlet turned to face him and started to recoil, he grabbed her hair and pulled her so she knelt on the table. “She’s awake now,” he said to Katrina.

  “We agreed on your terms. I’ll sign everything to you.”

  Fredrick sounded desperate and he knew it. But the sight of Scarlet, clearly frightened and close to tears drove all other thoughts away. His anger bubbled even closer to the surface. He breathed harder, felt his nostrils dilate. Just a little while longer. Just until Katrina let Scarlet go. God, please, give me strength, he prayed for the first time in his life, needing to ask help from the divine.

  “Yes, you would. I can see it.” She sighed. “But it will no longer be enough.”

  “What do you mean?” he snarled through clenched teeth. It was gaining—the rage within. The beast.

  “I mean I want to see you grovel at my feet, begging me to stop while Lothar gives your little thief his special attention. You have been dreaming of it, have you not?” she asked of her companion.

  A look of sadistic pleasure crossed Lothar’s face. He forced Scarlet back so she faced him, and kissed her hard. The skin of her lips looked red when he pulled away. She still looked too weak to fight him off. Not as though she’d much chance, given his stature.

  Fredrick knew he’d lost. He’d been tricked again by this demon. Only this time, he wasn’t the only one who’d suffer. And this, more than anything Lothar or Katrina’s thugs could have done to him, broke what little resolve he still managed to cling to. He felt it breaking as though something physical had just fallen and crashed on the stone floor. Smells became more acute while his vision sharpened. His hands hurt when they began to curl in with his swelling knuckles.

  “Katrina, you lying bitch!” Fredrick roared.

  He collapsed back onto his knees, though this time, he wasn’t begging. He was changing.

  Chapter Ten

  A cry of pain escaped her when Lothar fisted her hair. “I can’t wait to hear you scream,” he murmured in her ear.

  His fingers were rough as they searched her, invaded her. Scarlet tried to squeeze her knees tighter but couldn’t quite yet control her body. Tendrils like smoke still clouded her vision, slowed her mind. Her head throbbed.

  When Fredrick roared, Scarlet froze to watch him. Something was wrong with him, in the way he knelt on all fours, his spine clearly visible through the long velvet tunic. When he looked up, she gasped. His eyes were completely bloodshot.

  “Did you think you could win ag
ainst me?” Lady Katrina demanded. She sat near Scarlet’s knees, pleasuring herself with her hand. “Did you, for one second, actually trust me?”

  For reply, Fredrick roared again, though this time, the sound couldn’t possibly have come from his throat. No human could make such a sound. A high-pitched wail laced with a raw, feral growl. The sound a predator would make. It triggered an instinctive reaction in Scarlet, as if the primal cry had awakened parts of her brain long dormant. A fear-induced thrill rushed through her veins. Scarlet shivered. Even Lothar seemed transfixed with the transformation, and he stopped pawing at her.

  Scarlet heard what she hoped wasn’t bones crunching but knew was when Fredrick arched his head back, his face contorted by pain. Bloody cuts appeared along his neck, at the corners of his mouth, as though something was pushing out of him from inside.

  “You lied,” he snarled, obviously having difficulty speaking.

  “Do not act like such a bloody virgin,” the lady snapped. To Scarlet’s shock, she saw the woman insert the butt of the cane in her, thrusting in and out with abandon.

  A violent jolt shook Fredrick. “Let her…go.” The last word sounded like a growl.

  Scarlet’s heart squeezed in pain at his plight. Whatever was happening to him must have been agonizing. Blood dripped from his nose and into his mouth. His hands had curled in on themselves and split over the knuckles.

  “What’s happening?” she managed to ask, though her tongue was thick, her throat dry.

  At the sound of her voice, Fredrick’s blood-glazed eyes locked with hers. Time seemed to stop.

  For a split second, Scarlet could see the man within, still struggling for control. She could see clearly through the heart of the man, could see his soul through those predatory eyes and knew he was still Fredrick—only for some reason, was becoming different. The old driver’s words filtered into her shocked brain.

  “Master Fredrick’s different, Scarlet,” Frank had said. “Has a dark streak in him. Once in a while, he’s…” Then Frank had stopped, had shaken his head sadly. “But he’s a good man. Never forget that, no matter what happens.”