by Khloe Wren
As her brain began to come more fully back online, it registered she was still unchained. He must have thought she wouldn't be able to move for days from the pain, so he'd left her on the stone cold floor to absorb her agony and ponder what her future would hold. Sadistic bastard. What he didn't take into account was that with the knowledge he planned on raping her repeatedly from tomorrow on, she had all the motivation she needed to push past her physical pain. He was always telling her how strong she was, but he had no bloody idea just how strong she could be. He would. She vowed to herself she would escape or die trying--he was not having all of her.
Decision made, she began the struggle of convincing her body to agree with the plan. It took her probably an hour or so to get her limbs to listen to her mind's commands, but eventually her body began to move. She knew she had to get out now, while he thought she couldn't move. She would be chained again as soon as he woke up. She knew with all her soul if she didn't get out now, she never would. She sluggishly pulled herself over to his discarded t-shirt and gradually pulled it on. He'd worked up quite a sweat beating her so he'd taken it off, obviously forgetting about it.
Slowly but surely she dragged her tortured broken body to the door. Agony tore through her as she worked her way up the stairs. Every movement, no matter how small, hurt like all hell. Even breathing sent jagged waves of pain through her chest. Wincing, Kelly suspected he'd cracked her ribs again. Shivers racked through her as the chill invaded all the way to her marrow. The t-shirt didn't provide much warmth, but she didn't have any clothes left.
She made the top of the stairs, sighing in relief. Kelly paused for a few moments to catch her breath. She strained but all she could hear was a loud snore coming from his doorway. Kelly ground her teeth; the bastard had worn himself out beating her. She grimaced, realizing suddenly that on the up side, the racket of his snoring should cover any noise she might make. Normally, she could move without making a sound quite easily but injured like she was, she wasn't so confident of her skills.
Desperation boosted her energy. Kelly made the most of it and began to crawl over to the front door on all fours. Her eyes caught sight of Cole's shoes by the door. She glanced back to Cole's bedroom door; she knew she wouldn't make it far bare foot. Deciding the few moments to put them on were worth it, she wiped her sweaty palms on her t-shirt before she put the way-to-big shoes on. Closing her eyes briefly, she prayed her feet wouldn't blister too badly. With adrenaline pumping through her veins, Kelly pulled herself upright and began moving. Breathing steadily to get past the pain, Kelly staggered out the front door as quietly as she could. Making sure to shut the door softy behind her, the last thing Kelly needed was for the cold night air to wake Cole up. At the end of drive, she tightened her fists and clenched her jaw. With determination Kelly started walking one baby step in front of the other--to her freedom from hell.
The night air was cool against her skin, making her tuck her hands under her arm pits to ward off the shivers that were trembling through her limbs. It wasn't all that cold, but the fear of Cole finding her was still coursing through her system. Staying in the shadows, just to be sure not to attract any attention, she made her way to the clothing bin she used to raid for her and her mother. Tears of relief pricked her eyes as she saw the bags sitting against its red side. She doubted she had the strength to break through the locked door. While sending a silent thank you to the heavens, she began pawing through the bags until she had a jumper, track pants and socks added to her body. The feel of material against her skin felt foreign, in a good way. With a renewed sense of inner calm, Kelly rose and continued on her way. As she was heading out of town, she saw a big green sign that read "Rosebery 67km." She smiled as she strode down the road.
She was finally free.
~ * ~
"I cannot believe I caved in." Adele grumbled as she tugged on her hiking boots.
Kit chuckled, "You've given that man the slip for how long now? You've done well to last this long without caving in to his charms, doll."
"You're not helping, Kit. You know why I can't give in."
"Adele, your mother wouldn't want you hiding away from life because of the choices she made and were made for her. She would want you to live." Kit wrapped Adele in a hug as she continued speaking. "I know where you're going today, keep your phone close. If you feel threatened at all, call me and I'll come running. You know I will."
Adele hugged her friend back.
"I know, Kit. Thanks, what would I do with out you?" She was so grateful for everything Kit did for her.
"Let's see, you'd be staying home getting bored out of your mind because I wouldn't be pushing you to accept the attention of a hot man who's chasing you down?" Kit said on a laugh.
Adele couldn't help but chuckle along with her.
"You're totally insane, Kit, but you know I love you for it, right?"
"Oh, don't go getting mushy, doll. You know I love you like a sister and let's leave it at that."
Their sisterly bonding moment was broken by the doorbell.
Adele headed to the door to greet Dominic; he had been avoiding her for the last three days. She was certain it was because he didn't want to give her a chance to back out, but she found she missed not seeing him every day. He always found ways to see her during the day; he really was very sweet and attentive toward her.
She opened the door and froze as she drunk in the beauty that was Dominic. From his lean waist and broad shoulders to his ice blue eyes and cheeky grin... Adele blushed as she realized she was staring and he'd busted her. She felt his heat warm her as he stepped up to her. Wrapping one arm around her waist, he began to whisper in her ear.
"Good morning, beautiful, you look radiant this morning." He kissed her cheek which she was certain still showed her blush. He pulled back slightly, loosening his hold so he could look down at her face.
Adele gazed wide-eyed up at Dominic. She was going up in flames from his kiss and his touch. Why did this man affect her so when no man had ever before even caught her eye? Dominic's arm was still wrapped around her waist; her neck still tingled from where his hot breath had been while he had whispered in her ear. He had told her she looked 'radiant' but no one had ever called her that. She was average height, had average brown hair and a larger than average body--nothing a man would find appealing she was sure. Kit thankfully saved the day by coming up behind her to hand her a small backpack.
"Here you go, doll. Don't let him whisk you away without your stuff. Hi, Dominic." Without taking his eyes from hers, he reached out and took her bag from Kit. She guessed he must have missed her too.
"Hey, Kit. How are you going?"
"I'm doing okay, Dominic. I'll leave you two be so you can get going. Catch you both later." Kit walked back into the house, leaving Adele alone with Dominic.
"I've got everything covered for today, Adele, you don't need to bring anything but yourself."
"It's just habit, I guess. I always take a first aid kit and water with me everywhere. It's kind of like a security blanket," Adele said quietly while she felt her face heat further with embarrassment. Dominic seemed to pick up on it and let it go, slinging her bag over his shoulder.
"Okay, so we're all set. Let's get moving. It's going to be a hot one later this afternoon, so the earlier we get there the better."
With his arm still firmly around Adele's waist, he led her down the drive to his metallic blue Toyota Rav 4.
"I'll be able to get fairly close to where we're going in the Rav so we won't have to far to walk later when it gets hotter."
Adele watched out the window for the whole trip. She loved Tasmania. All the lush green scrub and trees, even in the height of summer, it was magnificent. She snuggled back into the seat as the sun shining through the window warmed her skin. She felt so calm, and her head was filled with the scent of Dominic. A fresh woodsy scent mixed with all male spice. The smell alone seemed to ease her mind and soul. Before she knew it, Dominic stopped the car.
/> "Hang tight a sec," he said as he hopped out and prowled around the bonnet to her door, drawing her gaze to him--hmm. Adele could watch that man move all day and not get bored. Opening her door, he held his hand out to help her out of the SUV. She decided he was like a magnet. It would have been so easy for her to step away from him, but instead she moved into him--her brain didn't get any say in the matter. Dominic kept his hold on her hand, while the other went to her hip then swept up her spine to her neck. A tug on her ponytail tilted her head back, as his mouth descended toward hers, her eyes slid shut. He nibbled at the corner of her mouth before gently swiping his tongue along the seam of her lips.
With a gasp she felt sparks fly through her, all the way to her now curling toes. He took her invitation and plunged into her mouth to take her over. Raising her free hand up to his hair, she buried her fingers into the black softness. A wave of intense pleasure rolled through her, she pulled back and gulped air into her lungs before uttering a "wow." Opening her eyes slowly, looking up at him, she saw him studying her with passion soaked hooded eyes. A flash of red drew her attention to his mouth; he slowly licked his lower lip like he was savoring the taste of her, not wanting to waste a single drop. Her eyes tracked the movement. Watched as he lent down and nibbled the edge of her lips again while whispering to her.
"You taste divine, my sweet Adele. I will never be able to get enough of you, but for now I must stop. I have somewhere special I want to show you."
Pulling away from her slowly, Dominic headed to the back of the Rav. He was walking a little stiffly. She chuckled. She felt like he looked. She was getting very hot--and it had absolutely nothing to do with the sun. He returned a few minutes later, with his ruck-sac and her small backpack. He handed over her bag with a wink as he strapped his ruck-sac onto his back. Oh boy, the way his muscles flexed as he put that bag on just about had her drooling. She watched as he locked up the car. She noticed he stretched his hand forward like he was going to reach for her, and she moved her own hand out and took hold of his, linking their fingers together. She risked a glance at his face. He was grinning like a fool. He looked so happy. She couldn't help but smile back as he began to lead her up the path into the scrub.
"We only have to hike for about five minutes to get where we're going then we can sit back in the shade and relax for a bit." His deep smooth voice still affected her whole body the same way it had that first time.
Adele continued to smile as they strolled up the path holding hands. She wondered to herself why she wasn't afraid. She should be running in the opposite direction. She did not want a man in her life, but Dominic obviously wasn't going to go away any time soon, and to be perfectly honest, even if only to herself, she didn't want him to. Dominic was divine. He was tall, had short ink black hair, ice blue eyes and a body so muscular and defined she had trouble not drooling every time she saw him--and he wanted her, Little Miss Average. She shook her head at her thoughts, shifting her focus from inside herself to her surroundings.
How bizarre, trees and rocks started to look familiar, but she knew she'd never been here before. The hairs on her neck stood up as they came out into a clearing. She froze to the spot, unable to move. Dominic kept walking a couple paces before her hand slipped from his, alerting him to her having stopped. He spun around on her, looking worried.
"What's wrong, Adele? You've lost all your color." She felt him at her side a moment later, but she wasn't really tracking. He wrapped her hand around an open bottle of water and told her to drink. She did as she was told because her mind was reeling, and she couldn't think of a reason not to. The only thing missing from the scene before her was her chaton. This was the field in her dreams, the field where she met her chaton and found comfort. She slowly turned a full circle before facing Dominic again. He had turned his back to her as he bent to spread out the picnic rug over the grass. He stood, now facing her and still looking worried; he held his hand out toward her.
"Come here, Adele. I think you need to sit down before you pass out. You are looking very pale."
She put her hand in his, taking comfort in the warmth that spread from his hand up her arm. He guided her to the rug and helped her sit down. He sat behind her so that she was cradled between his large muscular thighs; his knees were bent and level with her shoulders. She leaned her head against his left knee, closed her eyes and took some deep breaths, taking his sent deep into her lungs. She instantly felt calmer. His touch calmed her further, but her world was still spinning. She opened her eyes as she felt him lean forward then felt his nose softly run up her neck toward her ear and jaw. He nuzzled her just below her ear. It felt familiar, right. She closed her eyes again and let go of all the remaining tension in her body and sighed into Dominic's embrace. She felt so warm and safe. She felt something else too, something she wasn't sure of--and something she was way too scared to name.
~ * ~
Dominic's eyebrows drew together in concern. Adele's face had drained of color the moment they'd stepped into the field, her body rigid and tense. He'd expected her to react to seeing the field in real life but not like this. He followed his instincts that demanded he comfort and care for her. He'd curled himself around her as best he could as a man. When she leaned her head against his knee, exposing her long elegant neck, he simply couldn't resist. He'd run his nose gently up her neck while breathing deeply of her scent, taking it into his soul. When he started nuzzling her below her ear, she finally let her tension go. He felt it pour out of her body and drain away. Now he sat with her, all soft and relaxed in his embrace. His leopard wanted to purr in satisfaction. He had a job and a half to keep the sound inside himself. He was damn sure if she heard purring, she would totally freak out and he didn't want to lose this moment that felt like pure heaven to him, so he stayed silent. He lost track of time as he sat there slowly, gently nuzzling his mate's neck and delivering small kisses and licks to her soft sweet skin.
He felt her inhale deeply before she twisted her head around, nuzzling her nose against the soft denim covering his knee. He grinned. She didn't know it but she was covering herself with his scent, showing him her acceptance. Dominic moved his mouth up to her ear. In a desperate voice he whispered to her, "Please Adele, don't keep pushing me away. I need you to let me in, please."
"I can't--" a sob escaped her "--can't keep pushing you away any more. I'm not strong enough." She whispered, so quietly that if he'd been wholly human, he never would have heard her as she continued to nuzzle her face against his knee.
Dominic gently lifted and turned her around in his lap while putting his knees down, crossing his legs so she ended up straddling his waist with her bottom in his lap. He took her face between his hands.
"My sweet Adele, you are the strongest woman I know."
He gave her a quick kiss before he continued.
"Letting someone in, having someone to lean on, isn't a sign of weakness, Adele. We will both be so much stronger together."
Dominic lowered his lips to hers again, except this time there was nothing quick about his movements. He slowly, thoroughly devoured her mouth, making sure she felt him all the way to her soul just like he felt her all the way to his. Everything else faded out of his mind as heat and passion spread over him and into her. He felt her curl her arms tighter around his neck, holding him to her. As the tips of her nipples came into contact with his chest, they both groaned. He had never felt like this in his whole life. He could smell her arousal, feel her burning up in his arms and she was taking him right along with her.
Dominic couldn't stop his head from spinning, the taste of his mate surrendering to him, the feel of her body willingly pressed up against his. This day was turning out better than he could ever have imagined. He couldn't hold off any longer. He had to touch her--skin to skin. He pulled back slightly from her lips then whispered against them. "I need to feel you. Adele, please will you let me touch you?"
He felt her head nod slightly under his hands, heard her murmured "Yes". He released
the breath he was holding in a rush of relief. He moved to nuzzle her neck and placed reverent kisses along her collarbone up to below her ear. He hovered a moment just drinking in her scent. When she sighed, he pulled back a little then trailed his hands down her face, over her jaw, down her neck and onto the collar of her shirt. She had on a thin cotton button-down shirt, perfect for hiking as it kept the sun off but wasn't thick enough to make her hot. He loved that his mate was so practical. His hands slowly undid each button, brushing his fingers against the flesh he revealed as each one popped open. By the time he had all the buttons undone, both of them were breathing hard and he was aroused as all get out. He was as hard as steel, the heat radiating from her core that rested over his erection burned him through the denim of his jeans. He moved his hands up to her neck and slid them under the material, down over her shoulders, taking the shirt down with them. As it tumbled to pool at her elbows behind her, he took a sharp breath in.
"Oh my sweet Adele, you are so beautiful."
Dominic watched as her blush spread over her cheeks, down her neck and across her breasts. She reacted so innocently to his compliments. She truly didn't see herself as he did. Her white lacy bra was stunning against her pale skin, and he could just see the darker color of her nipples through the lace. Sparks flew up his fingers as he gently ran them back up her arms then down her sides. He ran the tips of his fingers over the underside of each breast, up the center then traced the edge of her bra back up to her shoulders. He hesitated after he slipped a finger beneath each strap. He would go no further than she was comfortable with, even if he was about to explode, he was that turned on--especially now that Adele was very slightly rolling her hips, inadvertently rubbing her hot core over his erection. He tried to calm down his desire; he couldn't push her too hard. He could undo all his progress with Adele with one false move. He’d held his breath, waiting to see if she would allow him to remove her bra and was so relieved as he watched her eyes dilate further and she whispered, "Hmm, please" so quietly he wouldn't have heard it if he were simply human. He released his breath, leaned forward and nibbled at her lips.
