Takedown: An Enemies to Lovers Dark Romance

by Lana Hartley

  And I'm guessing none of us wants to admit that...except maybe Derek. When it comes to women, his mouth is looser than a wizard's sleeve.

  Snow covers her mouth in a yawn, and I look at my watch. It's been a long night. I didn't realize how late it was already.

  William notices too. "We have quarters prepared for you in the west wing of this fortress," he says.

  "Thank you," she smiles. "I could use a bed about now."

  For some reason, hearing the word 'bed' tumble from her lips makes my cock twitch, and I try to suppress the desire that's creeping through me as I picture her slipping her body in between her sheets tonight. Does she sleep naked? I find myself wondering.

  I can't be thinking about fucking the Princess.

  Not now. There's a job to do.

  "But what happens if Queen Moira's soldiers find us?" Snow asks.

  "This place is impregnable," William says. "We've made it impossible to breach. Rest assured that not a single soldier is making it through these walls. And should they find us, or have us blocked in, we have enough provisions to last five years without having to so much as open these doors a crack to the outside world."

  "Impressive," Snow says. "How did you know to create this hideaway?"

  William smiles. "We've been doomsday prepped for this very moment for a while now. We never trusted Moira. We could always tell that she was up to something bad...we just didn't know how bad exactly.

  "No one did," Snow mumbles, wishing she had a better explanation.

  I see a new expression on her face. Is it regret? Guilt?

  "At least we're safe...for now," William says. "This bunker will give us the leverage we need to remove the Queen."

  "Thank you again," Snow says, and then turns to the rest of us. "All of you. This means more than you all know. Tomorrow's a new day. I take comfort in that. Until then, I better get some sleep."

  We all nod in agreement and William points her in the direction of her sleeping quarters with the wave of his hand. But before she leaves, he says, "We will restore the throne to its glory, Princess. You can count on us."

  Once again, her expression changes and this time I can see that all of her sorrow has been replaced by something new.

  She's visibly impressed.

  Snow

  Falling back on the mattress, I sprawl my limbs and take a deep breath. Just a few hours ago I was in the palace, safely hidden inside my bedroom, and now here I am, somewhere in a fortress deep in the Lost Wood.

  Not that I can complain; despite the military austerity of this hideaway, I’ve been given chambers that rival those of the palace. Maybe my father kept this place just because of a situation like this, a hidden camp where he could regroup in case something happened to the kingdom? That’s probably why I’ve never heard of it.

  Sitting up on the bed, I swing my legs off the mattress and look at the door to my side. It’s open, and it seems to lead into an ample bathroom. On the walnut chest at the end of the bed, someone left me a folded cotton towel, pants, a shirt, and a jacket. Well, it seems that my days of beauty pageants are over—out goes the princess dress, in comes the Rebel outfit.

  If the situation wasn’t so dire, it’d be almost funny to think about what happened to me. Princess one day, running for my life the next...Well, at least I have the protection of the Seven Freedom Fighters, probably the most handsome men of the Kingdom. I wonder if being as handsome as they are is a kind of prerequisite to enlist in the Special Forces, or wherever the hell these guys came from.

  “I’m so screwed,” I whisper to myself, sighing heavily as I remember the situation the country’s in. And, really, how wise is it for me to put my life in the hands of seven men I barely know? Sure, they’re hot and all that, but you can’t read political intrigue from a man’s chiseled jaw.

  I have to admit, though, all this adrenaline kinda makes me excited...Sure, beauty pageants and parties might be nice, but it all gets a bit tiring after a while. But this...this is new and dangerous. Yeah, it’s one mess of a situation, but at least I’m trying to look at the bright side.

  Thinking of the way Richard held me in the Lost Wood, I throw myself back on top of the mattress. God, I threw my fists against his chest and it felt as if I was punching a concrete wall...a very sexy concrete wall. I know it might be wrong to think of stuff like this right now, but I can’t help it. After all, my betrothed interrupted my moment of relaxation back at the palace.

  “Mm,” I sigh, replaying in my mind the moment all seven men encircled me in the Lost Wood, the long shadows of the decaying tree branches making them look like wild creatures. But, more than wild creatures, they looked like Men—and yeah, the capital M is on purpose.

  Broad-shouldered and with a serious expression, they came for me silently. If they hadn’t jumped out the shadows, I’d have ran past them without ever noticing them. But they grabbed me and, Jesus, I was terrified when it happened. Even when Richard told me who they were, I couldn’t dispel that terror completely. I mean, there I was in the middle of the woods, surrounded by seven men I didn't have a chance of overpowering...They could've done anything they wanted to me, and all I’d be able to do would be to protest, which between you and me, I might not even have done at all.

  God, I must be crazy to even think like this...but they’re so hot, I simply can’t control myself.

  Biting down on my lower lip, I slide one hand down the front of my dress and, without a moment’s hesitation, press it against the wetness growing between my thighs. “Mm,” I sigh, flicking my wrist and moving my hand back and forth.

  Imagining the way the seven of them would handle me, I then slide my hand under the hemline of my dress. The moment I feel my fingers brushing against the drenched fabric of my thong, I simply flick it to the side. With two fingertips now pressed against my clit, I start rubbing it while my mind starts spinning at full speed.

  Would I even be able to handle the sight of seven naked bodies like these? No, my brain would probably explode the moment the clothes left their bodies. But, ah, even if that happened, wouldn’t it be such a sweet way to have my brain explode?

  Now moaning, I slide one finger inside my wet pussy, pushing it past my inner lips. Fingering myself while I keep my thumb firmly pressed against my clit, I let a parade of sinful images waltz behind my eyelids. I imagine their naked bodies surrounding me, their large hands tearing my dress apart, their big cocks standing up to salute me...

  “Oh, God,” I whisper, my voice strained. I already feel my muscles tensing up, my breathing becoming more ragged with each passing second...And my fingers are moving faster now, hard at work.

  I finally snap when I slide one more finger in, curling it upward until it meets my G-spot. Once that happens, my tense muscles start to twitch, and my eyes feel as if they’re rolling in their orbits. There’s a wildfire raging inside my head and, God, it feels so good!

  Panting, I slide my fingers out of my pussy and, still with my eyes closed, I try to catch my breath. My lungs are working overtime to get the air in, and even my heart seems to be working a double shift right now. I’m an experienced gal but, even though I just used my hand, this was probably one of the most intense orgasms of my life.

  It kinda makes you wonder what would happen if the real thing happened, doesn’t it?

  Funny thing though, Prince Gladrell was nowhere to be found in my fantasy. I guess that even a prince doesn’t stand a chance when you have seven sexy gods at your disposal, huh?

  Tyler

  I look at the supplies in front of me—a cast iron skillet, aluminum foil, potassium nitrate, and sugar. Four simple ingredients to cause confusion. Four ingredients to potentially save the Princess' life and our lives, and distract Queen Moira—no, not queen...she'll never be my queen—she's just Moira...and anyways, this should keep her soldiers away. These ingredients will create a smoke bomb that'll sting the eyes and blur the air faster than a topsy-turvy carnival ride.

  The foil crackles benea
th my fingers as I fashion it into a boat. Then I place the cast iron skillet atop an open flame and combine the other ingredients—potassium nitrate and sugar.

  The flame burns blue as the heat intensifies and I stir the white concoction, watch it change from a fine, white, mountain to a sticky, brown, puddle.

  It starts to smoke at its edges and I turn the flame down. If I'm not careful, I'll burn this and start a smoke bomb right here in the fortress' dining room.

  I can just imagine the amount of shit I'd get from all the guys if I let that happen. I'd never hear the end of it.

  I stir and stir until the ingredients resemble caramel. If someone didn't know any better, they'd be tempted to eat this.

  As soon as it reaches the perfect consistency, I carefully pour the mixture into my foil boat and smile, taking a step back to admire my handy work.

  And then it dawns on me. If I add some powdered dye into this before it hardens, I can taint the future smoke with red—a color to signify just how much passion we have with this cause. That'll really send a signal.

  I dig around in my supply box when I hear footsteps behind me. I lift my head and turn around, and then I see her.

  It's Snow...and fuck, she's hotter than the flame of any blowtorch I've ever held.

  Immediately, I extend my hand.

  "We've never met, Princess, but I know who you are," I say with a grin. "The whole kingdom knows who you are. You're going to be instrumental in helping us bring democracy back to this country."

  She shakes her head.

  "No," she says, looking down at her feet. "I'm not a Freedom Fighter. I'm just a scared girl."

  By the look on her face, I know she's speaking honestly, but I can't help but feel a sense of desire course through me as she says this. I want to protect her. To touch her. Hold her.

  "That's not true," I say, stepping toward her and daring to brush a strand of her hair behind her ear. "You're no girl...you're a scared woman, but we can show you the way."

  I take her hand lightly in mine and I can feel her tremble under my touch, and the close proximity of our bodies ignites the space between us with electricity that seems to supercharge the air.

  "What are you making?" she asks, trying to lighten the growing intensity of the moment.

  "Oh this? It's a bomb."

  "A bomb-bomb? Like a real bomb?" she asks, suddenly surprised. "You say that so casually."

  I laugh. "I didn't know bombs could be fake," I say. "Of course this is real. As real as a rabid raccoon."

  "I don't think I've ever seen a bomb up close before."

  "Well," I smile, spacing my words with a slow, pregnant silence, "there's a first time...for everything."

  She lifts her head and holds my gaze—her eyes are like the blue of a photo-shopped ocean. There's a slight hesitation in the way she looks at me, and I continue.

  "This," I say, pointing down to the tinfoil boat and its caramel-colored concoction is going to be stiffer than a steel pipe in about an hour, and when it comes time to throwing a lit match at it, it'll erupt into something spectacular."

  She's still holding her eyes to mine, and her hesitant expression has been replaced with the hint of a smile.

  Then the tone of my voice changes; it's deep and deliberate.

  "That isn't the only thing capable of giving you a spectacular surprise," I say.

  The shirt I'm wearing is half unbuttoned, and I run my fingers through my hair as if it's the most casual thing in the known world.

  Princess Snow eyes my hard pecs and the hint of my chiseled eight-pack abs, but she doesn't allow her eyes to linger long.

  She swallows what seems to be a growing lust in a slow, steady gulp. Watching the way her throat trembles like a butterfly caught in a breeze, imperceptible to anyone not paying attention, makes me want to run my lips from her cheeks to the ridges of her collar bone.

  I can feel my cock twitch in my pants.

  "Just what kind of spectacular surprise?" Snow asks me with a quiver in her words.

  "Why don't we show you…?" I say, and I take another step toward her, closing the distance between our bodies.

  My eyes fall down to the tops of her breasts. I watch as they tremble slightly under her increasingly beating heart and it makes me want to take them in my mouth.

  "Are you promised to Gladrell?" I ask, knowing full well that her answer will change the course of the evening.

  Her eyes blaze bright. "No," she purrs. "I'm an independent woman."

  Just then, the other Freedom Fighters—Malcolm, Derek, Richard, Lucien, Nicholas, and William enter the room. She notices them all entering the room from different angles, and takes them in, one by one.

  She turns to each of us, and says again, "I'm an independent woman."

  It's as if she wants us to understand that Prince Gladrell doesn't own her...that no man owns her.

  I move toward her, and cupping her cheeks in my strong hands, I make the first move. The entire room is on edge as they watch me.

  I lean down and press my lips to hers. She reciprocates by parting her lips and taking me in.

  When I pull back I say, "Show us just how independent you are."

  Snow

  The others circle closer to us and I start to feel an electricity running through me, like prey cornered by a pack of wolves...and I love the thrill. I look at Tyler’s lips for just a second. My tongue flicks out to lick my bottom lip and then Tyler’s lips are on my own again. I gasp in surprise against his mouth and he takes the opportunity of my parted lips to slide his tongue between them. His tongue strokes my bottom lip and then my top. I moan softly in response. When he parts from me, I see that the other men are watching us silently and I'm momentarily speechless.

  “Alright Snow,” Tyler says with an unreadable grin, “we’re waiting.”

  Something in his tone ignites a fire in me. I put my hand on his chest and push him back a step. My fingers run up my legs, catching the hem of my dress and lifting it off of me, my palms running up the curves of my body as I do so. As my dress falls to the floor, a murmur runs through the crowd, fanning the flames growing inside me. Taking off my bra and thong, I bite down on the corner of my lower lip, boiling lust taking over me. My pussy is already pink and swollen, my nipples hardened to points. I look from face to face, loving the ravenous looks on my protectors' faces.

  The moment of awe is over as quickly as it began. I can tell by their expressions that these men won’t be satisfied by devouring me only with their eyes. Tyler sweeps me up into his arms and places me down onto the table. The others clear away the parts on the table and push chairs out of the way hastily and he runs his hands up my body and pushes me down onto the cool wooden surfaces. His skin is dark and rough, contrasting against my soft, pale torso. I love the feeling of those hands on me, holding my waist as his lips dip down toward my body. He captures one of my nipples in his mouth and sucks it between his lips. He traps it between his teeth and flicks his tongue over the tip, making me gasp again. The others have circled around the table. I look up and William is standing overhead. I reach above me and slide my hands up his sides and over his hard body, curling into his shirt and tugging him down toward me. He descends on me and his lips are on mine, his hands holding the sides of my face and curled under my chin. I open my mouth for him invitingly, eagerly sucking his tongue between my lips.

  I feel Tyler making his way down my body with his mouth, tasting my skin all the way down to my thighs. I shiver under his eager mouth, my legs parting for him. He kisses the inner curve of my leg and sucks on my skin, raking it with his teeth gently. When he runs his tongue up my slit and flicks it over my clit, I moan loudly into William’s mouth. Tyler grins between my legs at my reaction.

  “She’s sensitive,” he says as he slides his fingers inside me, “and wet.”

  Someone takes my hand and kisses my wrist, making his way down my arm. I curl my hand in thick hair. Another set of lips is on my ribs, slowly working up to my nipple.
I don’t know who is where, and at this point, I don’t care. I want them all. Another hand takes my leg and sets it on a strong shoulder, massaging my calf and thigh with wonderfully firm hands, raking fingers over my skin and kneading my flesh. Tyler starts to pump his fingers inside of me and all the sensations mix into full body pleasure. When his tongue starts to make slow circles around my clit, I have to break away from William’s kiss to gasp for air.

  “I need to taste those beautiful lips for myself,” Lucien says and kisses me hard. He nibbles on my bottom lip and then pushes his tongue into my mouth, swirling it around my own. The relentless barrage of lips, tongues, and hands leaves me feeling delirious. As Tyler starts to suck on my clit and flick his tongue over it rhythmically, I can already feel the heat building up in my body. His fingers drum against my inner walls maddeningly. I moan my pleasure into Lucien’s mouth now, and he greedily fucks my mouth with his tongue.

  I turn my head to the side suddenly as I feel the little throbs in my pussy building toward a crescendo.

  “Tyler, you’re going to make me come!”

  Lucian’s teeth nip at my ear and then he speaks into it, his voice low and sexy.

  “Come for us, Snow. We’re all waiting to see that beautiful face when you come.”

  Knowing that all eyes are on me is enough to send me over the edge. My hips lift off of the table with the intense ripples of pleasure that spread all the way to my toes. My mouth drops open and I scream with every thrust of Tyler’s fingers. He doesn’t stop until I collapse limp against the table again, my skin still buzzing in the afterglow. He straightens up again with that irresistible grin and licks his lips.

  As soon as I can move again I sit up, and my eyes lock on Richard. He was the first of them to speak to me, the one who snatched me out of my fear and brought me into this world of rebellion. The way his beautiful eyes hold my gaze say that he is ready to have me. I grab his shirt and pull him toward me, tugging it up over his head. As I drop it to the floor, he wraps his arms around me once more, and this time I feel his bare skin against mine. My legs wrap around his waist and my fingers fumble clumsily with his belt. He reaches down to help me, tugging it open in two quick motions. I waste no time in sliding my hands down his pants. I gasp at the prize I find inside, his cock already hard and almost too thick for me to wrap my entire hand around it. The look of shock on my face must be pretty clear, because he gives me a smile and looks me up and down slowly.