Dark Promises 5: Tarnished

by Elisa Adams

  She swallowed hard. “Really?” The word squeaked out before she could pull it back.

  “Really.” He leaned in and, in a more than intimate move, brushed a kiss across her stomach. “I have other plans for you. It isn’t often I can get a woman into this position, and I think I’m going to take full advantage.”

  Arousal rushed through her system, trying to push aside the fear and anger. “What are you going to do to me?”

  “The better question would probably be what am I not going to do to you.”

  She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, bracing herself for the worst. But he didn’t touch her again. “Open your eyes, Becca. You need to watch this. I need to know you’re watching.”

  She shivered at the sensual tone in his voice. He wouldn’t hurt her. He had other things in mind. Her eyelids drifted open and she found him standing near her feet, his expression dark and unsmiling. Then again, maybe hurting her was exactly what he had in mind.

  “I’m watching,” she told him. “What do you have planned?”

  Wil’s answering laugh was a rugged, sexy sound that nearly turned her inside out. Anticipation beaded her nipples and sent a wash of goose bumps over her skin. Her hands clenched into fists, her body awaiting his touch.

  He stripped out of his pants and boxers and dropped them to the floor. “I have so many plans for you right now.”

  With a heated smile he climbed back onto the bed, straddling her chest. His cock bobbed in front of her face and she licked her lips. She leaned her head up to taste it, but he shook his head.

  “Not quite yet. Soon.”

  Then he cupped her breasts in his hands and squeezed them together, sliding his cock between the mounds of flesh. She let out a ragged sigh. The heat in his eyes was almost enough to make her come. She pressed her back into the soft mattress, trying to will her body to relax, but her helpless position only seemed to increase her arousal.

  He pulled his cock back and slid it forward again in slow, measured strokes as he fucked her breasts. His thumbs skimmed over her nipples and her back arched toward his touch. A few rough flicks of his thumbs had her whimpering and moaning. And then he pinched the sensitive flesh between his thumbs and forefingers and her whole body bucked.

  “You like that?” he asked, his tone taunting.

  “You know I do,” she bit back.

  “Good.” He continued playing with her breasts, stroking his cock a little further forward. She opened her mouth to accept him inside, swirling her tongue over the head to catch the drop of pre-cum that had formed there.

  Wil hissed out a breath, his grip on her breasts tightening before he gave up all pretense and moved up to thrust his cock into her mouth. He tasted as good as he had the first time. Hot and musky and all male. And hers, if even for just a little while.

  He pulled his cock away too soon and moved to kneel next to her on the bed.

  “Why did you stop?” she asked, panic filling her at the thought that he might walk away now and leave her in such an uncomfortable position.

  “I have other things in mind for now. The cool thing about the way I have you tied is that I’ve given you a little more mobility than you gave me.” He demonstrated his point by rolling her over and flipping her onto her stomach almost effortlessly. Her cheek came to rest on the cool satin of the pillowcase. Then his hands were at her hips, lifting her lower body up. “Bend your knees for me, sweetheart.”

  She bent as he lifted, and she ended up with her ass sticking up in the air in an undignified position with her pussy probably just about shoved in his face.

  “Wil, this is a little embarrassing.”

  “Why is that?” He trailed the tip of one finger down her slit, making her body shake. “You don’t want me to be able to look?”

  She blinked. “I don’t know.”

  He laughed. “Maybe there’s something I can do to make you more comfortable.”

  His hot breath fanned across her skin just before he drew his tongue along her slit, following the path his finger had taken moments before. She cried out, her arms jerking against their bonds and tightening the thigh-highs around her wrists.

  “Is that better?” he asked. He didn’t give her a chance to respond. Instead he spread her labia with his fingers and found her clit with the tip of his tongue, concentrating all his efforts around that tiny bundle of nerves. Her back arched, pushing her shoulders harder against the mattress.

  “No. Yes.” His tongue pressed hard against her clit and she moaned. “I don’t know.”

  She’d never let a man tie her up before. Had never been able to give any of them that much trust. But then Wil had come along and taken the choice away from her. She supposed she deserved it after what she’d put him through those first two nights. She wasn’t nearly as angry with him as she should be, and that was what worried her. Being tied to the bed, helpless, unable to even see what he was doing to her, turned her on. In a big way. And with his face buried in her cunt, he had to know what he was doing to her. She shuddered at just the thought and a flush crept from her center out to her extremities.

  He brought a finger to her slit again, driving it into her waiting pussy. Her muscles clenched around him, fluttering, readying for her impending release. Her nipples ached, mashed against the mattress since most of her weight was on her upper body. Wil’s teeth nipped at her clit, not hard enough to cause her any pain. Just a shimmering, shuddering pleasure that burst inside her. She rocked her hips back against him, pressing harder and harder into his touch, but still he held her back from the release she so desperately sought.

  “Please, Wil. I need more.”

  He laughed again, but this time the sound was strained. “I wouldn’t want to keep a lady waiting.”

  He moved away from her body and rolled a condom onto his cock, something he had forgotten to do before. Her pussy wept the loss of contact until she felt his cock prod her entrance before sliding inside. The position gave him freedom to touch her wherever he wanted, and he took full advantage. His fingers slid down to her clit and plucked at the throbbing knot of nerves. That single touch was enough to send her body shooting into a climax that stole her breath away. Her body fell forward as much as the position would allow, straining her shoulders and pushing her breasts harder into the mattress. She writhed while he continued to stroke her clit, continued to thrust that hard cock into her spasming cunt.

  His groans echoed through the room, mingling with her whimpers and the sound of his flesh slapping against hers every time he thrust into her. When her tremors stopped he brought his hand back up to her ass, his palms caressing the soft globes. He squeezed them tight, his body hard against her, and cried out her name as he pumped his hot seed into her cunt.

  After what seemed like an eternity he pulled out of her, helped her roll onto her back, and flopped down on the mattress next to her. She glanced at him, expecting to find smug satisfaction in his eyes. The worry she found there instead surprised her.

  “Are you okay?” he asked, smoothing a strand of sweaty hair away from her face.

  “I’m fine,” she told him, though she wasn’t sure if that was the truth. She’d had the best sex of her life in the past two days, had allowed him to do things to her that she’d never tried before. She should be feeling wonderful, but in her mind confusion reigned.

  She had a sinking suspicion that, after this was all over, things would never be the same again.

  Chapter Five

  “You wanna let me go now?” Becca tugged a little at the thigh-highs to make her point, wincing as the stretchy fabric tightened around her wrists even more. She’d have to get him to teach her to tie those knots. They might come in handy someday.

  Wil cracked his eyes open and smiled. “Nah. Not yet. You’ve had me going for far too long. Excuse the bad pun, but I’m about dead on my feet. I need a full day’s rest to recover, so I think I’m going to have to keep you tied up. Sorry, sweetheart. It’s the only way I know of to keep you from hur
ting me while I sleep.”

  She fumed inside, but fought to keep her expression in check. There had to be another way to get him to set her free. Promises wouldn’t work, and she was no longer in a position to make threats. But she did have one more weapon in her arsenal. One women had been using since practically the beginning of time and getting away with it. She was a woman, perceived as weaker by chauvinistic pigs like Wil, and that right there could be her ticket to freedom.

  If she played the submissive little female role, at least until he untied her, would he buy it? Somehow she doubted he would. But she had to try. It was the only choice she had left.

  “Um, I understand what you’re saying and I don’t blame you for not trusting me, but I have a little problem.”

  His fingers stroked a sweaty curl away from her face, his expression bordering on tender when he probably didn’t even realize it. She trembled inside, and then chastised herself for feeling a moment of weakness. She had to get out of there—now—before they both had a problem. She’d all but kidnapped him, tied him to her bed, and threatened his life. She couldn’t start liking the guy now. Just because he fucked like a dream didn’t mean he was one of the good guys. She’d made that mistake once before, and she damned well wasn’t going to make it again.

  “What’s the problem?” Wil asked, his fingers still stroking her skin. “Are you cold? Want a blanket? Something to eat?”

  “No. I have to go to the bathroom.”

  His hand froze, his expression surprised for a second before it turned to contrition. “I’m sorry. I should have realized sooner. You humans with your constant need to hydrate. Okay. I’ll let you out. For just a few minutes, and then you’re right back here on your back.”

  He slid off the bed, facing away from her, and stretched his arms over his head. His position afforded her a look at the play of strong muscles stretching under his skin. Her mouth watered. He really was something to look at. Her gaze drifted from the backs of his hard thighs, to the ass she wanted to cup in her palms again. But when she continued on her visual journey, those scars she’d noticed earlier caught her attention again. Long, thin white welts peppered his back, at least fifteen or twenty of them running across the skin from shoulders to hips. Her breath stuck in her throat. Had someone beat him? Whipped him? She couldn’t be sure, but that’s what it looked like to her. A pain slashed through her heart at the thought, but she shoved it away. Whatever had happened to him, he’d no doubt deserved every second. Must she keep reminding herself that vampires were not the good guys?

  “Wil?”

  His arms dropped to his sides and he spun around. “What?”

  His tone, and the coldness in his eyes, told her he knew what she’d been doing. And he didn’t like it one bit. She licked her lips and drew a deep, steadying breath. “It must have hurt.”

  “Sweetheart, you have no idea. Absolutely none.” Pain filled his eyes and her heart went out to him.

  He glanced away, and when he looked back at her the pain was gone. “Didn’t you say you needed the bathroom?”

  She nodded. “But I want to talk to you first. Why won’t you tell me what happened to you?”

  “It was in another lifetime. One I moved beyond a long time ago. Sometimes the past is better left in the past. I’m sure you understand that.”

  She had a feeling there was more to the story than that, but she didn’t press him. If she made him angry, he might storm out and leave her helpless. Once they were on even ground, though, all bets were off. She’d ask all the questions she wanted to. If she had to face her past, he should have to do the same thing. It was only fair.

  That is, if she ever saw him again. Once he had her untied she wasn’t planning to stick around long.

  “Okay. Fine. Don’t talk about it.” She rolled her eyes for effect. “Believe me, I really couldn’t care less. I just thought the pattern was kind of neat.”

  Temper flared in his eyes. “Neat? No. Not even close. Is this some sort of joke to you?”

  She shrank back against the mattress. Maybe now wasn’t the ideal time to antagonize him. It would have to wait until she could run if necessary. Only a few more minutes. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you. If it was another lifetime, though, why is it getting you so upset?”

  “Because it’s none of your business. End of story, damn it.” He let out a harsh breath and shook his head, leaning over to untie her hands. In less than a minute he had her free and she pushed up into a sitting position.

  Her back ached, her arms feeling ready to dislodge from her body at the shoulders. She rolled her shoulders a few times, which only made tingles run from them to the tips of her fingers. Her chest muscles throbbed and her wrists pinched where the thigh-highs had surrounded them. Deep red welts circled the tender skin and rubbing them to get some feeling back only made the pain worse.

  “Ouch.”

  “What hurts?” The concern was back in Wil’s eyes, but it was gone almost as soon as she’d seen it.

  “Everything.”

  “I’d say I’m sorry, but I just can’t manage to do it.” He laughed. “Now you know what it feels like to be tied up for so long.”

  An involuntary shiver ran down her spine, not from the reminder but from the memories of what he’d done to her when she’d been tied up. She’d never tell him, but he could do it again. Anytime he wanted. She wouldn’t even put up a fight. At least not much. As long as he untied her as soon as he was finished.

  She got up from the bed and rubbed her hands down her face. “Thanks.”

  “Don’t thank me yet. You’re going right back when you finish in the bathroom.”

  “Can I at least have a shower?”

  “No. Not yet. I told you I need my sleep.”

  She sighed. “Can’t handle a little sleep deprivation?”

  “You don’t want to see me like that. Trust me. You wouldn’t like it.”

  Given his demeanor when he’d been fully functional, she had to agree. “Okay. Give me just a few seconds.”

  She walked over to the bathroom, stepped inside, and started to shut the door behind her.

  Wil put his hand against the door. “What do you think you’re doing?”

  “Closing the door. So I can pee in private. Is that okay with you?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  For the love of God. What was the matter with him? “Where am I going to go? I have no clothes on. Do you expect me to run around my neighborhood naked?”

  He glanced into the bathroom, his gaze scanning the room, before he gave up with a shrug. “Okay. Fine. But you have two minutes before I come in after you.”

  “Thank you.” She beamed at him as she closed and locked the door.

  And then she leaned against it and her smile widened even more. For a smart guy, he was awfully dense sometimes.

  She took care of business, both because she needed to and because it would give her story some validation. Then she turned on the water.

  “Almost done?” Wil called through the door.

  “Just a second. Let me wash my hands first.” She opened the hamper and searched for something wearable, finally deciding on a pair of soft cotton pajama shorts and a baggy black sweatshirt. No underwear—she had to draw the line somewhere. She pulled the clothes on, paired the mismatched outfit with the white terrycloth slippers she kept in the bathroom, and glanced at herself in the mirror. She nearly laughed. She wouldn’t win any beauty awards, but at least she’d be safe for the time being.

  She opened the window, giving silent thanks that the windows were the quiet vinyl kind, before she slipped outside into the bright sunshine of the morning. She hit the soft ground below with barely a thump. She didn’t dare take a minute to adjust to the brightness after being in semi-darkness for so long. Even though Wil was a vampire, she’d heard stories that sunlight was only fatal with prolonged exposure. Once she got far enough away from the house he wouldn’t be able to search for her. And she could wait for him to fa
ll asleep before she headed back to the house for her purse and keys. Then she’d be able to get her car.

  * * * * *

  Wil gave the bathroom door a hard shove. The lock gave, the doorknob clattered to the ground and the door slid open on silent hinges. The room was empty, the window open, the curtains blowing in the breeze.

  “How Hollywood cliché,” he muttered. And exactly what he’d expected to find. Had she really thought she was fooling him with her little bathroom game? He stepped inside, squinting from the bright sunlight that streamed into the room. It tingled across his bare skin as it touched him, but he ignored the small pain. It was nothing compared to what he’d felt in his lifetime.

  He walked out of the bathroom and shut the door, pacing to the bedroom window. He parted the curtains an inch just in time to see Becca run across the street, turn the corner and walk out of his sight. Wearing that baggy, faded sweatshirt and threadbare shorts made her look like a harried mother running to the store after she dropped her kids off at school. She wouldn’t attract much attention, not unless she wanted to. But would she go to the police?

  He was betting she wouldn’t. Vampire hunters as a general rule were a secretive bunch. Moving from place to place every few months, staying at the edge of society. Loners. Their line of work required it. If they were discovered, everything would explode in their faces. If the masses found out about the vampires walking among them, that would start a chain of reactions no one wanted. But it would also be bad to the hunters who sought and killed the vamps. There was no medical explanation for what they did, as there was with vampire. The hunters would be very likely be tried for crimes. Vampirism, after mostly extensive research, would be found to be exactly what it was. A genetic mutation of human DNA. But vampires were, in a way, human.

  Wil smiled to himself. There was no crime in being different. And Becca was smart enough to realize that. She wouldn’t go to the police, not after she’d tied him to her bed. Even if she did decide to get help, it would be her word against his. And he could be very persuasive. So he didn’t worry, not about that. The only thing he worried about was that she might not come back. But she’d left without her car keys, without her purse. Women carried their lives in their purses—she wouldn’t be able to survive long without it. So instead of chasing her, he decided to sit tight and wait. She’d come back. And when she did he’d be more than ready.