by Ashley Black
An angry breath later, shaking, beating angrily upon the window, I watched the military folk and Brett retreat.
I could barely look at Brett when he tumbled into the jeep beside me.
I was a mess.
An angry, frightened mess.
“Sweet Jesus, El,” Brett tried to touch me.
I recoiled.
My Brett had turned into a bully of a man before my very eyes.
I didn’t know this person any more.
“El, before you get pissy with me woman, you should answer me this. Why in the fucking hell after all he has done to us. Why do you still want Thornton Darko?”
Seventeen
My mouth gawped, empty of words.
Brett’s mobile phone rang as the jeep hurtled at an insane speed onto the freeway.
He tilted it toward me and rolled his eyes. A huff of disgust parted his lips. “The prick lives after all.”
“Yes,” he snapped and slammed a hand over my mouth.
I glared at him in shock.
He switched the phone to loud speaker. “Done it.”
Thorn’s rage soaked voice exploded the tense air of the military jeep. “Elena is mine. You have no claim to her asshole. Give her back to me, now. I mean to take her as my wife.”
“We tricked you, dumb ass mother fucker,” Brett laughed harshly. “Check your phone later, you will see after that charming little video you sent of you trying to fuck my piece of ass. Elena called me. We agreed I would rescue her from your insanity in 24 hours, and she would see what answers she could get out of you. She doesn’t love you, you dull prick. You were a ride. She has chosen to get the fuck off.”
Thorn was silent for a moment.
I could almost see his face.
It wasn’t pretty.
“What?”
There was not a trace of anger in Thornton Darko’s voice.
“She tricked you, you dumb fucking rock star. You got played. El already promised herself to me. You mutilating her ass doesn’t change that!”
“No. It isn’t true,” Thorn barely whispered over the line.
I stared hard into Brett’s eyes. Let me speak
“It’s true,” Brett affirmed coldly.
“No!” Thorn roared senselessly. “NOOOOOOOO!”
My man laughed and cut the call.
“Fuck yes!” he licked his lips, dropped his hand from my stinging mouth, and stared at me, brown eyes glittering. “Come on, tell me that didn’t feel good El?”
I trailed my fingers along his bulging arm muscles. “What is this, Brett?” I asked instead. I couldn’t answer his question.
I wouldn’t.
“What is going on with you?”
“Side effects,” he grunted, gaze sliding away from mine. “From that experimental drug that healed my burns.”
“What?”
“My testosterone levels are higher. I am still me. I’ve taken something to stabilize it.”
“How is your art doing?” I asked quietly.
Brett’s brown eyes shone with tears. “Fucking terribly. I am up 24/7 practically, but I can’t get it up for my art. The blank canvas haunts me.”
“We’ll figure it out,” I reassured him. “We always do.”
He fell into my arms. “You ask my buddies. I’ve been so fucking distracted since he killed our wedding El. He turned our special day into a freaking circus. I am so sorry I didn’t pull the trigger when I had the chance. Not that it would have mattered. He lives as long as you want him. He dies, when you don’t.”
The enormity of that responsibility. My affection, my favor being the reason someone either lived or died was too much to think about sober. Then again, Thorn got himself into this mess didn’t he? I shivered, remembering his original intention. He had intended to use the necklace as a tool to break me. Because that is just want he did to powerful women like me. Because he couldn’t control himself. Then, the Warlock had fucked him over and cursed the thing and given me the power to break him instead.
“This is so fucked up,” I groaned.
A faint smile twisted Brett’s shining lips. “I missed you so much,” he breathed, dipping his head and dropping a soft kiss on my cheek. “I love you so much.”
I let him gather me up in an urgent hug. I pressed my head against his hot chest.
I felt it in my heart.
It was so warm, a blast of heat infinite.
I was home with this man.
I didn’t realize I had fallen asleep until I heard Brett’s voice arguing in quiet urgent tones with another. “Not yet. I can’t. She’s been through too much. I can’t ask her to help us. Just … leave us a bit all right.”
I felt his energy and shape plop down in the darkness beside me.
He fumbled with something.
I stared, blinking as light exploded around us.
We were lying in a white bed in a rain forest. I heard every little creature. The air was fragrant, cool and fresh.
There was even the majestic thunder of a waterfall.
“You like?” Brett was lying on his side, in just a pair of black board shorts.
I drew up into a seated position, still wearing the silver compression tights and one of Brett’s white singlet’s. I stared, amazed around the room.
It was truly magnificent. So bone aching in its beauty.
“How?” I breathed. It seemed too real, to be manufactured.
“We are at military base,” Brett murmured. “Well, one of them. When I have secured our security team, we will return home El, en route to Hawaii.’
“Hawaii sounds wonderful.” I smiled.
Brett rolled his shoulder in the direction of my laptop sitting on a moss covered stone. “I noticed you hadn’t finished your book yet? Stage fright El?”
I blinked at him, unsure how to answer.
“Too scared to vanquish the beast?”
His hot hand slapped against my thigh and slid up it.
“Vanquish doesn’t mean what you think it means, Brett,” I said quietly.
He leaned over and poured me a strange turquoise drink from a crystal decanter. “You going to yield or give in to him then? Or he to you?”
I accepted the drink, sniffing it. Wow. It smelled like a very nice high-end vodka. “Nice bar in this rainforest,” I complimented.
He laughed.
I had always loved the sound of Brett Argosy’s laugher. So giving and booming loud. I took a grateful sip and straightened on the bed.
“How is your ass feeling?” he asked liked he truly cared.
“Surprisingly wonderful.”
“Let me help you out of those.” Brett drew me into his arms, set me on the ground before the bed and began to gently pry me out of my silver tights.
As the cool fragrant rainforest air hit my very exposed ass, I sighed.
I felt him lean against me. He peered over my shoulder, looking straight down at my butt. “Well it’s less red and angry. I want that hideous brand removed El. I know a very skilled cosmetic surgeon connected with the military here who can do it.”
“No one else is touching my ass,” I growled warningly.
Brett sighed. “I cannot bear it. I love your ass. This is the ultimate fucking insult from this man. He is like a feral animal that has pissed all over his territory.”
I flinched. So true.
My mind exploded with an image of Thornton Darko’s cock exploding all over my ass.
Fuck off mind!
‘Brett,” I said gently.
“I am so angry El,” he gasped, eyes shining with tears. “So very angry at you woman right now.”
I pulled his sweet tormented face to mine and brushed my lips over his determined mouth.
It opened and he surprised me by parting my lips wide with his tongue as drew me into a rough kiss.
He pushed me down to the bed.
“I want to have angry sex with you,” he hissed into my mouth.
My hips flicked greedily toward the
energy I felt seething in his shorts. “Yes.”
He cocked a brow at me. “You sure?”
I nodded. “Let me have your fucking wrath Mr. Argosy.”
He grunted, as he started pulling down his shorts.
Yessssss! I felt that he had every right to be angry at the mess I had invited into our lives.
I wanted Brett to fuck it better.
Pour that bitter soaked energy into me and heal us. I was a weak, despicable, fucked up person. I didn’t deserve a man like Brett Argosy. His blind devotion. His … everything.
He sighed as I reached up and flicked his nipples in the way I knew drove him wild.
Yummy, his cock was now looking full and heavy as it arced between his legs.
“I love you so fucking much woman,” he hissed as he straddled me with his thighs. Thighs that appeared to have grown in equal measure with his arms. He opened my mouth with his fingers.
I tried to suck on them, but he spread them wider, stretching, forcing my jaw wide open.
Tiny ripples of pain ran along my chin. My entire mouth ached.
“Brett,” I moaned in protest.
He shoved his cock into my mouth.
Hard.
A quick downward motion, made me splutter and choke around it.
I tried to suck on it, draw on it. Something, anything to get some kind of semblance of sexual control back here.
His hand fell to my shoulder, long thin artistic fingers squeezing, pressing me down and away.
I was forced to lay back helpless.
Shit!
I really didn’t have any control over this I realized. Brett was making the strong brutal thrusts himself.
My stunned wide eyes fell shut as I focused on the sensation of his cock burning my throat. It bruised my lips as it slammed repeatedly into my mouth.
As he fisted my hair I felt myself fall apart around that raging hot cock.
He drew out on a surprised gasp.
He drove into my pussy in the very next motion.
Hard and scorching.
I screamed, head falling back.
The surprise of it ripped me apart.
My back arched rigidly as he pumped me full of cruel mindless thrusts.
“Hey!” I protested.
Our hips met as I grinded against him. Me meeting him stroke for stroke.
I was warm and wet now.
But not pleasured.
He was insane. Rough. It wasn’t about us. It was about him.
I couldn’t slow him down. He was mindless. Gone. I could see it in his eyes. So angry. The sexual energy charging from him was heart breakingly dark. Really fucked up. This was not my Brett.
I had done this.
It broke me
Shattered my pussy.
Exhausted, he exploded inside of me.
I lay there stricken.
Devastated between the legs.
He said nothing as he got up from the bed, moved to a tree.
I stared in surprise blinking as the tree appeared to open.
A bath room I presumed.
He paused at the door and stared at me a moment, lips twitching in a smile that bathed my heart in hope because it reminded me of Brett.
He disappeared through the opening.
Follow him
I did.
I heard the shower rushing but he wasn’t in it.
He was on the floor.
Head in his hands.
Crying.
Shit!
“Brett,” I fell to my knees before him.
His big shoulders were shaking. “El, please leave me alone.”
“I want to help you paint again,” I whispered. “Come into the rainforest, I’ll show you.”
His head rose from his hands as he stared at me. “What?” he croaked.
I gently tilted his chin, mouth descending swiftly on his, as I started to kiss him.
He would be so angry if I used my powers against him. I wouldn’t do that. Damn it though, I wanted to help him through this.
Brett and art were intertwined.
Brett without art was just fucking scary.
I didn’t want to be in that reality.
I loved him so much.
I felt responsible for the choking dark pain inside of him.
I had put it there in that big, giving heart of his.
“Yes,” I murmured against his lips.
Gently, with exquisite subtlety, I found his energy thread, carefully, I sent it a ripple, just a vague hint of pleasure.
I frowned as I sucked his salty lips and tried to mend the chaos, the testosterone scars. I wanted to heal him, I did what I could in my limited newbie range of Enchantress ability.
When he parted from my lips he looked like my old Brett again.
“El,” he breathed. “I would love that woman.” His arms around my neck and pulled me up with him, so my legs gripped his hips.
I cried out as he slammed me against the tiles of the shower wall. He balanced me on his shoulders as he lowered himself.
“What are you do- ”
He plunged between my thighs and licked me hard, cutting off the rest of my question that died on a happy sigh.
He smiled so sweetly. His brown eyes sparkling clear and bright between my wobbling thighs. I didn’t expect what he said next
“Let me slay your cunt with my tongue.”
Eighteen
“Fuck this! Fuck all of this!”
I heard a violent commotion downstairs.
The sound of my man raging. His primal roar, was eye wideningly scary.
We had moved back into our house (we had only just put it up for sale) en route and bound for Hawaii.
Things had been strained between Brett and I to say the least.
He was deeply hurt I still wanted Thornton Darko after everything he had done to us.
He was deeply hurt at the things I had done to get the truth about the raven necklace. I groaned softly at the memories of my fucked up interludes with the dirty wizard. Brett was cut up that I had let Thorn inside of me. What he didn’t know, was that Thorn was still inside of me. I hadn’t shaken his erotic, magnetic, dark, sensual energy yet. It stained my tiny soul.
For two nights Brett insisted I bathe before my skin touched his. I was mortified, hurt, but didn’t protest.
I wanted to help make us better. I was trying to hard, but;
It didn’t help I was in love with Thornton Darko.
It didn’t help that Brett saw this plainly on my face.
It also didn’t help that Thorn continually tried to access me. Our security regularly intercepting, and heading him off at the pass. He text messaged Brett’s phone every few hours, with just one infuriating phrase.
‘Elena is Mine.’
I had a new mobile phone and number so I hadn’t been bothered by him … yet.
Aaron had called me the other day hysterical, because he had had a visit from him.
Thorn only said one thing.
‘Elena is mine.’
“It’s like he’s stuck on that one phrase, like one of those damned toys,” Aaron had ranted. “You’ve fucking broken him, Els.”
Clarissa had tried talking me into a girls’ weekend before Brett and I went away to Hawaii but I said it would have to wait. She insisted that I needed to be away from both Brett and Thorn to stabilize my magical firepower. The cock thrall was too intense, according to my newfound witch bestie.
That had made me laugh too hard.
But perhaps she was right.
Because it was so hard to tune into myself, to trust my instincts, my inner compass, with so much crazy cock and bullshit going on.
Brett was still bitter about my mutilated ass. After we sought Clarissa’s opinion on the matter he was slightly less angry. There was a modicum of good news about the affliction.
Clarissa’s pretty hazel eyes had popped wide when she stared at it. “Whoa, that crazy asshole. Elena this is a big deal. You’re protecte
d. That bad ass mother fucker Snake Father won’t kill you now if it means taking out his beloved devil son.”
“So she is protected from that cult leader and his following, is that what you think the honourable Thornton Darko has achieved by mutiliating her gorgeous ass?” Brett looked faintly amused.
Clarissa had nodded. “But not every one,” she cautioned. “There are still some in the magical community who want her dead. They may find mortals to carry out the execution. Thornton will only die if Elena is killed by someone of magic.”
“Actually,” Brett sniggered. “That fuck up won’t die at all because Elena wants him. If she dies wanting him, he lives. So he branded her ass for nothing!”
“Even still, not every one knows this Brett. I doubt snake father does. As fucked up as this sounds, that brand on her ass is a powerful deterrent against any one of magic wanting to kill her.”
I shivered, seeing the strange look that passed between Brett and Clarissa.
They looked nervous.
Uneasy.
I also shivered for the dizzying lows of the mind fuckery of Thornton Darko. If he knew as long as I wanted him, nothing could kill him. Well, he really had branded my ass for his own sick, demented amusement.
Even still, I had stared at Brett in shock. How could you know that?
Whenever I asked him this after the visit with Clarissa, he would grunt ‘research.’ It was pointless to press further, because he gifted nothing put tension and a bad mood. So I dropped it. But I was worried about who he was getting his information from. I was worried about …him.
The sound of glass breaking pulled me out of my reflection.
I lighted the stairs from our bedroom and found Brett smashing up our kitchen.
He had emptied the fridge of food. The floor was covered with milk.
His face was smeared with paint. He was wearing nothing but his familiar grey sweats he went running in. His bare, slightly sun burned chest was also splattered with paint. He looked like he had gotten into a fight with a paint can.
“Baby, “I reproached softly at the mess. “What’s wrong?”
His hands raked over his closely shaven hair. “I still can’t paint. Not how I used to. I have some pieces due at a big show soon and I can’t,” he beat his fist down on the bench with frustration. “Get it out!”
