by Sarah Bale
“Tell me what you want and then get the hell out of here,” he demanded.
His voice held false courage and he knew that they knew. Three women appeared in front of him and he shrank back. No, not women. They were the Witches and they would never let him go. They stood before him in their black lingerie, making their green skin stand out. Though they were pure evil, they were also beautiful, forever frozen in time as temptresses.
Before giving their lives over to magic, the three had been ordinary triplets with dark hair and decent breasts. Their once ivory white skin turned a jade color with their powers. Their eyes turned from sky blue to a black as dark as their hearts.
Their magic had made them irresistible. So irresistible that Horace felt himself getting lost in their soulless eyes once more. It was pointless to fight them, a lesson he learned years ago. Fighting them only led to more pain. And while pain was good sometimes, they would hurt him until it became too much.
One reached out and stroked his face.
“Horace, someone is coming to take all your corn,” she purred.
Another stepped up and rubbed her hand down his chest. “Yes, Horace. Two travelers head this way.”
The third reached out and grabbed his cock through his pants. She squeezed and Horace groaned as he grew hard. This one…he could never resist her. She was the leader of the three. She was his master, too, commanding his every breath.
A green hand unzipped his pants. Horace closed his eyes as his temptress pulled his cock from his pants, kneeled and put it in her mouth.
She sucked it just the way he liked, letting her tongue roll around the head. Horace gasped for air. Her mouth felt like a million mouths and he pumped his hips against her.
“Yes,” one moaned. “Let me have a taste, sister.”
His cock went into the mouth of another Witch. Horace reached out and stroked a pair of breasts. It did not matter which one it was. They were all the same to him. They were all the death of him.
“Horace,” purred a voice. “We want you to kill them.”
He panted. Their mouths seemed to be everywhere. Against his neck, his ass, his cock. He closed his eyes and tried to block their evil faces from his mind. His body had other ideas though. His balls tightened and he knew he was about to come.
“Horace. You will kill them.” a firmer voice demanded.
Horace cried out as he came. He opened his eyes slowly, wishing it were just a dream. The three Witches played with their nipples as they waited for him to speak. They knew he could not resist them, not like this, with their areolas a deep hunter green against their jade skin. A green he wished to have in his mouth again.
“I will kill them. No one takes Horace’s corn.”
The Witches smiled at one another. He always saw things their way.
“You are so smart. When the task is done, you can enjoy our bodies for as long as you desire.”
“Yes,” chimed in another. “You always know how to make us happy.”
The third Witch said, “Make sure they suffer.” Then she added, “And we will be watching so try not to fuck this up.”
With those words, the three vanished from his room. Horace stood with his pants at his ankles. The Witches’ words were more than a threat. They were a promise. If he fucked up, they would make him pay with his life. Horace pulled his pants up and went to his gun rack.
Oh yes. Those corn-stealing travelers were going to pay.
Chapter Four
Lexi silently followed Ian. She watched as he glanced around with an alert eye. With each step they took, his shoulders tensed up to the point that it looked painful. She took the time to look him over. His damp shirt clung to the muscles in his back. His butt was tight in his pants and she fought the urge to grab it. She shook her head. Now was most definitely not the time to be horny.
She grinned at the thought and covered a smile with her hand.
“What’s so funny?” Ian asked as he turned around.
“Nothing,” she said innocently. “Just enjoying the scenery.”
She giggled softly to herself. Sunrise drew near and she could see everything better. She needed to focus on something other than Ian. Glancing down, she noticed the path was made of yellow and beige stones. A loud snort escaped her lips as she tried in vain to cough it away.
Ian stopped in mid-stride.
“What?” he demanded.
“It’s a brick road. You know, like in the movie,” she said with a grin.
She then wondered if they even had movies or TV in Sinoda. Come to think of it, there hadn’t been a set at the compound.
His smile held no humor as he replied, “Sadly, we are not in a movie. So take care. And. Be. Quiet.”
Her face fell. She glared at him and muttered, “Party pooper.”
Ian suddenly turned toward the cornfields at the same time she realized the birds weren’t chirping and it was far too quiet.
“Fuck. Horace must know we’re on our way.”
“How would he know?”
He replied as he crept forward, “The Witches know we approach.” He pointed to the sky. “They have spies everywhere.”
Her senses went on high alert with his words. Goose bumps ran up and down her arms and she rubbed them away. The gently blowing winds were now still, as if holding their breath.
With the arrival of dawn, the sky turned different hues of red and pink. For a moment, it almost looked like streaks of blood. She prayed it wasn’t an omen but she knew better. Even in Oklahoma, the skies could warn of things to come.
Ian crouched and pulled her down next to him. He pointed to the cornfields.
“We have to run through the fields. When we come out on the other side, we’ll be at the forest. Run until you get into the safety of the trees.”
Her heart beat violently. “I thought we were going to crawl.”
He shook his head. “It’s too late for that. We have to make a run for it. It’s our only hope.” His expression stilled and grew serious. “When I give you the word, I want you to run down the path between the corn rows. Don’t stop. Don’t look around. Don’t wait for me.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to cover you.” He stood and pulled her up. “If you see a man, run. Run, Lexi, with all your heart. I promise, he won’t think twice about killing you or worse so don’t give him the chance.” He paused and then said, “And if you see three Witches, get the hell out of there. Do whatever it takes.”
She nodded as icy fear twisted around her heart. She looked into his eyes, never fully appreciating how beautiful they were. Reaching, she caressed his cheek. He growled and took her mouth with a savage intensity that took her breath away. She kissed him back, loving how his kiss did not become softer. It almost felt like goodbye.
Ian pulled away.
“Run,” he commanded. “Run, Lexi.”
Without looking at him, she gathered her skirts above her knees and took off. She ran down the small path between two rows of corn. Stalks hit her face but she ignored the stinging and kept moving. She vaguely heard Ian behind her.
A gunshot echoed in the distance. She cried out and ran faster. Her heart pounded with each step she took. A rock jutted up from the soil and caused her to stumble and fall to her knees. She could feel blood trickling down her leg but she didn’t care.
Getting out of the cornfield was all that mattered. She pushed off the soft soil and got to her feet. Another gunshot blasted and she realized just how close it was. Pure adrenaline ensured that she did not grow tired as she ran this time.
“Get her,” a woman’s voice howled in the distance. “She’s almost to the forest.”
Lexi didn’t look to see where the voice was coming from. It didn’t matter. It was one of the Witches and that was not good.
“Come on legs,” she cried out. “Move. Move. Move.”
Her lungs burned with each breath she took. She could see the line of trees just ahead and they waved to her lik
e a beckoning oasis.
“No,” another woman’s voice screamed. “She’s going to make it.”
“I’m going to make it,” she breathed out. “I’m going to make it.”
She ran from the cornfield toward the forest. As she ran, the sun rose behind her, bathing her in a burst of morning light. Another bullet whizzed past her. It was so close that she could hear the whistling noise it made.
“Come on.” she told her legs. “Almost there.”
Footsteps came behind her and a branch broke on the ground. She didn’t have any more energy to run faster. If this was Horace, then she was dead. An arm went around her waist and she screamed.
“It’s me, Lexi.” Ian said into her ear. “We need to get behind that tree.”
He dragged her toward a tree. Another bullet flew past them and shattered the tree into a million pieces. Ian cursed and led her deeper into the forest. The gunshots stopped and she heard a man screaming in despair.
“No.” he roared. “I did what you said. Don’t hurt me.”
Ian pulled her behind a large tree and fell to the ground. He held onto her tightly and she could feel his heart pounding. She closed her eyes and waited for her own heartbeat to return to normal, if that would ever be possible.
“Are you hurt?” Ian asked softly. “When you went down all I could think was—”
“Shhh. I’m fine,” she said as she nestled closer. “What do you think happened to him?”
“Come on. We’ll look and see.”
He stood and offered a hand to help her. She took it and smiled in thanks. He peered around the tree to make sure it was safe. He then pulled her around so she could see. The sight before her eyes sickened her.
Throughout the cornfield, scarecrows were strewn about. They weren’t normal scarecrows made of straw, though. They were the bodies of people who Horace killed. They had been left to decay in the heat of the fields, their scent as frightening as their appearance. Lexi put her hand over her mouth to hold back her gag.
In the center of the field, a man stood on a platform made of wood. He wore a coat and pants, much like his scarecrows. His long, thin hair blew in the wind as he howled in anger. He waved his gun and batted imaginary things away.
Lexi watched the madman in silence. In pity.
“He was once a good man,” Ian spoke in a broken whisper. “They made him this way.”
Ian raised his gun.
“I don’t want to do this but Sinoda will be a better place for it,” he said with a grim expression on his face.
She could not turn away. A single shot fired from the gun and hit Horace square between the eyes. He fell to the ground and did not stand up. Horror spread throughout her body. She had just witnessed a man die and didn’t know what to say. Ian touched her arm and she jumped, pulling away.
He finally spoke, “We should go. We still have a great distance to travel before this day is over.”
Needing to comfort him, she reached up and took his hand into her own. He squeezed it and began to walk, this time with her at his side.
* * * * *
The sun overhead indicated that they were three hours into their journey and that it was nearly nine in the morning. Since leaving the cornfields, no signs of the Witches were present. Ian imagined they were preparing retaliation for the death of Horace. It would be a blow to the Witches’ forces in that area. Horace had been a good pet to them and they would want blood in return.
He clenched his jaw. Deep down, he thought that Horace would thank him if he could. His death freed him from being under the power of evilness. If it were Ian, he would want the same thing. In fact, he had told Andrew not to think twice about killing him if the time ever came.
“I thought you were brave back there,” Lexi said, breaking into his thoughts.
Brave? He would never consider himself brave. Not after what he had done all those years ago.
He replied, “You weren’t so bad yourself. I’ve never seen a person run that fast before.”
She laughed and he loved the sound of it. It soothed his troubled mind. For a moment, he considered telling her a little more about the Witches so she could understand the worst was yet to come but he couldn’t bring himself to. Speaking of the Witches was like treading on thin ice—it was only a matter of time before the ice broke and he fell into the icy waters of his past.
“I used to be on the track team in school. I wasn’t too bad if I do say so myself.”
They settled into a comfortable silence. He meant what he said. Lexi impressed him with her running skills. Not many people would have been able to remain calm enough to get to safety. Many of his soldiers were not as lucky and had ended up as Horace’s scarecrows. He tried not to think about the familiar faces he had seen in the field, or what was left of them.
The gentle bubbling of a stream ahead caught his attention. It would be a nice place to rest.
He pointed ahead. “We’ll stop in a bit to eat some breakfast.”
“That sounds great.”
He led her to the stream. Large trees were scattered up and down the banks making a shaded retreat. In some areas, the clear water pooled deep enough to take a dip. He sat down on the grass near a tree and Lexi sat next to him. Inhaling, he smelled the familiar scent of cedar.
It reminded him of his youth and a much simpler time, before the king had summoned him. He had been sad to leave his life behind but when a boy was called to become a guardsman, there was no turning back. His only regret was not being able to contact his family. Once he took the oath of the Royal Guard, they became his family.
In his bag, he found some bread and handed Lexi a piece. He was glad Andrew had prepared the bag. Others may have packed the dried meat and he didn’t think he could handle eating that again.
“Can I ask you something?”
He replied, “Sure. No promises I’ll answer, though.”
He wasn’t trying to be a smartass. It was the truth. Part of his pledge to the king was to never speak of anything that may hurt the Realm. He lived by that pledge and would die by it.
Lexi asked, “Why did it make you so angry that we had shared the dream last night?”
At the mention of the dream, his cock sprang to life. Figured she’d ask that question. How could he explain that she was under his skin? How it felt as if he’d known her all his life. Like maybe…just maybe she was his soul mate? Sinodaians believed that each person had one perfect mate and they would know upon meeting that person. And Lexi kind of felt as if she might be his…
“I’ve been trained to block my mind from everyone. No one has ever been able to get into my mind before unless I allowed it. Not even the king can see my thoughts unless I grant him access.”
Learning to control your thoughts was pure torture. Blinding headaches, nosebleeds and blacking out were just some of the side effects that he had experienced. It was a test anyone who wanted to lead the Royal Guard went through and wasn’t even the worst part of the test. He had always known he was meant to lead so it had been worth every moment of pain.
“Well, how do you know you weren’t in my mind?” Lexi questioned. “I was attracted to you so it could have been my dream…”
Her admission set his blood on fire. So she had been as attracted to him as he was to her? Could she be sensing that they were indeed soul mates?
He looked her straight in the eyes and said, “Because everything that happened in the dream was something I thought about doing to you since I found you.”
Her lips parted. “Oh.”
He was tired of ignoring his hard-on. He reached out and pulled Lexi into his arms. His arousal pressed against his pants and she rubbed against him.
“All I thought about yesterday were your nipples,” he said as he ran his finger over her breast. “How I wanted to suck them. Lick them. Bite them.”
Lexi moaned as he pinched a nipple through the corset.
“And then there is your pussy.” He reached under her skirt with his ot
her hand. “You are always so wet for me.” To prove his point he ran his finger through her juices. “I could eat you out all day and never get tired of it. In fact…”
Without saying another word, he flipped Lexi onto her back. He lifted her skirt to her waist, baring her flesh. He could smell the musky scent of her arousal and he loved it. He lowered his head and began licking and teasing her.
She sighed and urged him on. He used his tongue as he had used his dick the night before. Lexi panted and lifted her hips to meet his mouth. He grinned against her.
“Ian,” she moaned. “It’s not your tongue I want.”
He laughed aloud this time. He kissed her one last time and sat up. She looked at him with heavy-lidded eyes.
“We shouldn’t be doing this now,” he said as he unzipped his pants. “We should be on the move.”
Lexi pulled him down toward her and wrapped her legs around his waist.
“We can run to make up time,” she said as she raised her hips.
He caught her lips with his own and kissed her. His dick throbbed and he held Lexi’s hips as he entered her. He purposely slid into her very slowly. He wanted her to feel every inch of him. He wanted her to know who was in charge.
Lexi moaned and tried to lift her hips to take him all the way. He grinned and began to pull out. He then slid into her soaking depths again. Lexi squeezed her inner muscles and he moaned. Damn, she knew how to work her body. And she drove him crazy with desire.
“Ian,” Lexi said in a hoarse voice. “Do it now.”
He pulled out again. This time he slammed back into her with a force that made her gasp. This was how it should be all the time. No one else made him feel this way and he knew he’d never get enough of her. He hammered her pussy repeatedly until he felt his dick erupt at the same time she reached her climax.
He caught her lips again and thrust one last time. Lexi’s body writhed beneath his and he knew she was just as sated as he felt. Shit. That was amazing.
She looked up at him and smiled coyly. He stood and helped her to her feet. She was beautiful, with her lips pink and swollen. He knew her nether lips were just as pink and swollen too. His cock jumped, already hard again. No one had ever turned him on as much as she did.
