by Lacy LeRoch
“Nix, when you say take you from me. What do you mean? And don’t lie to me, I feel your emotions as my own.”
My body rumbles as Nix sighs. “Okay little sister, I won’t lie. But be ready for the truth. If we are here to be drained, and they take me, they will take a piece of you. Without you, I am nothing. Not a thought, not anything. But without me, you are empty and lost like a piece of your soul is missing. If they take me, they take a piece of you that you will never get back. You will be an empty shell, never happy, never sad… just empty. Do you understand what I’m saying to you, Lucy? Without me you are nothing but a gray speck, living in a world of Technicolor. Just a normal, everyday mortal being.”
Annnd… I wasn’t expecting that. She didn’t hold back the truth, and I’m grateful for that, but what happens next? Where do we go from here? I can’t let them take her. Not because I will be empty, but because I need her. I finally feel as if I have something that’s completely mine. Something to define me from everyone else.
Nix continues, “If we really are here with the Buzzock, we need to find a way out of here, and fast. Little sister, you forget that I can hear your thoughts. Don’t ever get it wrong, we need each other. I need you just as much as you need me. We will always work together.”
I hear the tell-tale pounding of boots coming closer, they stop just outside the door. A set of keys rattle and the door suddenly swings open. Closing my eyes quickly I pretend to be passed out. I’m hoping that they don’t notice that I’m conscious. I might be able to use it to my advantage.
The air around me stills—almost as if it’s afraid to even exist—as whoever it is approaches. My eyes remain closed, and I even out my breathing to mimic myself sleeping. I feel a rough touch, as someone grabs my brown hair, and pulls my face up in line with the intruder.
“Good. You’re finally awake. I was beginning to think you’d been seriously hurt,” a male voice growls, breathing his disgustingly vile breath heavily on my face.
My mind and body freeze. Suddenly, I forget how to breathe, until I hear Nix with me. “Breathe, deep breaths, Lucy. I’m here.”
I draw in a deep lung full of air and turn my attention to the voice. It’s eerily gentle, concerned… familiar somehow. I want to scream, afraid as I am, but I just freeze.
After a few moments, my voice trembles as I say, “Who are you?” He doesn’t answer me. So I try a different question. “Where am I?” My voice seems to be on some sort of delay like I’m drunk.
Silence, I don’t know what I was expecting I should’ve known he wasn’t going to answer me.
“Mistress wants to see you.” He presses his cold hand against my sweat-slicked forehead. Acid fear eats down my body giving off the warning signs of danger. My mind, body, and soul scream at me to try and run away from this beast.
I give into fits of hysterical crying. I can’t stop the fear that has taken me over and left me hollow.
“Calm down, little one. Breathe.” Nix sends a blast of heat that warms my bones and gives me some comfort. It helps to know I’m not alone in this. “Never alone, you hear me, you are never alone. Now you need to listen to me very carefully, only talk to me in your mind. He cannot know I am here. Understand?”
I understand her need for the quiet and the secrets. My body heaves with aftershocks from the crying. I use every ounce of power I have left to start talking to Nix telepathically.
“What… what is that Nix?” I stammer.
He stands over six feet tall, this skin shines a stormy gray, his eyes are as black as the night sky. I hide the shiver that I get from looking at him. He really scares me.
“You’re looking at a turned Watcher, Lu. This is where the myth of gargoyles come from.”
Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle. Are you kidding me? I only just find out about Phoenix shifters and Watchers, and now I get told that there are gargoyles. The ugly gray thing steps up close to me. I try to toughen my stance and show him my crying was a moment of weakness on my part. I won’t break again.
“You could really use a breath mint, asshole,” I snap.
“Oh, you think you’re funny. Ha. Ha. But you’re not very funny at all. You’re all the same. All talk when you first come, then you become ours. I think I’m going to have a good time with you. I might have to ask the Mistress if you can be my play thing.” He brushes the hair off my neck, leans in and nuzzles against my sensitive skin. “Hmmm, a virgin... I like that,” he growls.
He leans into me, grabbing my backside with both his hands, and brings me in close to his body, forcing my breasts to push up hard against his chest. I feel his erection pushing into my stomach and I want to vomit. I try to pull back but he holds me tighter, lowers his head and bites me hard in the crook of my neck, drawing blood. I scream at the top of my lungs, but he laughs and slaps me across the face.
“I can’t wait to make you mine. But the Mistress wants to see you first, and I can’t say no to her.” The vile creature leans over and unshackles me from the wall. I spit in his face when he grabs my boob hard. He brings his arm back and mechanically hits me across the face, stars exploding behind my eyelids from the force of the strike.
Oh, screw this. I can’t take it any longer. If I’m going out, it will be on my terms.
“What the fuck is wrong with you? Keep your fucking hands off me.”
I’m so mad that stupid takes up residence in my mind and begins to take over. My mouth speaks before my brain has had a chance to catch up. He slaps me again. Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything. Do they really need to keep hitting me in the same place? Does my face look that bad, they find the need to correct it?
“Breathe, little one. We will get vengeance. Bide our time. We look… we wait,” Nix coaches.
“Nix, I don’t know how much more of this I can take. I’m not as strong as you, or my sister. I never have been.”
“I will hold you together, I will keep you moving. You are me and I am you. Together they fear us, we are strong. Don’t you see these chains they use? Don’t you see the room they hold us in?” Nix says.
All her talking of being one doesn’t stop the feelings of loss, of anger and shame.
“Nix, I just—” I stammer.
“No, little sister, you stop this right now, you hear me,” she growls effectively cutting me off. “Together we do this. Hold on little sister. Rafe will come. I know he will, I feel the bond. He will kill them all for harming you.” Her words bring me a small comfort. A little shimmer of hope in a dark time.
“Come on, you disgusting Phoenix, move.” The creature starts to drag me out the door and up the hallway. I can’t remember him unlocking the chains. Why can’t I remember things that well? I try to take note of all my surroundings, but it’s hard for me to see. Between my busted up face and the pain I’m in, I start drifting in and out of consciousness.
Everything around me is a blur of corresponding colors. The flesh on my back burns from being dragged along the ground. The gargoyle drags me behind him as if I’m nothing but a sack of potatoes. I can’t move my legs because he has them shackled together by my ankles. My back is becoming sliced up from the jagged rocks. My shirt not offering me any protection as it’s ripped to shreds. It feels like having a stockwhip crack against my back.
The walls along the side of the hall are made of river stones, I can smell the salt in the air, so I must be near the ocean. I must remember everything I can like Nix told me, needing to do this to survive. Like a mantra, I repeat this over and over in my head. I’m stronger than they give me credit for. Well, this is what I try to tell myself anyway.
Breathing has become harder than I imagined. I’m worried that every breath I take will be my last. The burning in my chest increases the more I work myself up. All this will heal with time, bones mend, but I fear my heart will always be broken. My father, oh dear Lord, my father is gone. And I have no idea if Lacy is safe.
What if Mom got to her as well?
“Little sister, you are a
live. That’s the most important thing right now. We will grieve when we can. Right now, we fight. We stay strong in our mind, I will always be here for you.”
Nix always the pessimist. How can she believe such things when we’ve never had good come to us? But for her sake, I will try to be positive. I hope that Rafe will find us in time.
“I know, Nix,” I tell her trying to be positive.
I send all my love inwards to her, needing her to know that I do care for her, and I appreciate everything she does for me. It’s just so hard right now.
“Feel my power flowing through your bones, little sister. We’re together don't panic, allow me to help you, feel for me. Call me forward as much as you can. Let me help you, let me help both of us. I know what must happen.”
Nix floods my mind with thoughts that scare me. They scare me more than this thing that drags me along the ground, they scare me more than what lies ahead. She can’t be serious. No, no, I won’t allow it. Nix keeps the flow of images flashing my mind’s eye. She shows me all the torture that could happen. The one she keeps repeating over and over is a scene of that ugly thing raping me again and again. I can’t allow that to happen, I’ve seen what being raped did to my sister, feeling her pain and anguish.
Wait, oh Lord, wait... that’s it. Why didn’t I think of this before? I can try to use the connection I have with her.
“Nix, how do I do this?” I beg her telepathically. “Do you have to drag me over so many fucking rocks? You asshole,” I yell aloud.
The gargoyle looks back over his shoulder and stops. He turns around and throws my body hard against the wall. He wraps his hand around the front of my throat and squeezes so tightly, I think I’m going to have his fingers embedded in my throat. I grab at his wrists and frantically start trying to pry them off me. Even with all my thrashing around, he doesn’t move an inch. I reach up as high as the chains will allow and push on his torso, but I’m met with the stone wall at my back as he smashes my body over and over into it.
“Deep breaths, little sister, here I come.”
I feel Nix coming forward, she fights for dominance of my body. I scream at the top of my lungs as the burn takes over my senses. I don’t recognize the voice that leaves my mouth. “Let me go or I can and will fry you… nice and crispy.”
Nix, it’s Nix. Thank the heavens for small miracles. Nix gently pushes my soul deep into my body, protecting me while she pushes to the surface.
“Relax, little sister, give control to me. Once you hand over control, the burn will stop.”
I hear her in my head. I trust her, she won’t ever let me fall, so I let her know that she can take the lead. I’m too tired and hurt way too much. I can’t breathe or think clearly. I’m nothing but a voyager on this journey, this is Nix’s game now.
“Rest, little sister, and try to sleep. I have enough strength to stay here for a while. Let me take care of you. I will protect your soul for a while longer. Just rest.”
“Yes Nix, yes.” The words slur even in my own mind.
Oh, Lord, this is bad. But even as I have the thought, I feel myself drifting off, the pain leaving me and my soul is at peace.
“That’s it, little sister, hand over control. Let me take the lead from here.” Nix wraps me up in the warmth of her voice.
Chapter Ten
“I’m going to go take a shower, okay Lace?” Bevan says, kissing the top of my head.
“Okay,” I tell him, watching as he turns and strides out of the room.
Mom sent Bevan and me to the city to run errands for her. I rang to tell her I was finished and we could come home, but she laughed and told us to stay the night. It feels strange having Bevan in the same house as me, and not having to worry about someone walking in.
I walk up the hallway and stand just outside the guest room, eyeing the door. Longing to press my lips against Bevan and kiss him, to touch him, and to… well, shower with him, I could do it as we have the house to ourselves.
I’m desperate for at least one glimpse of Bevan naked, I figure I should probably make sure that he has enough towels. That would be the proper thing to do, right? Although, you usually make sure that your guest has the towels before they head for the shower. But I’d be a bad host if I didn’t take care of his needs. Bevan has been staying clear of anything sexual. His kisses are light, his touches almost nonexistent. It’s starting to give me a complex.
I’m meant to be his mate, right?
So why’s he avoiding me like the plague?
Walking over to the linen cupboard, I grab a couple of towels and some wash cloths with every intention of just leaving them on the bed. It wouldn’t be a sin if I got a little bit of a look at Bevan. I knock on the door and it’s probably a little lighter than it should have been. I start to feel guilty that I’m trying to catch a glimpse of him, so I call out his name. When I get no reply, I slowly open the door. As I enter the room, I hear the shower running, and notice the door to the adjoining bathroom was left open, causing steam to flow out into the bedroom. I tiptoe over to the door and sneak a peek through the crack.
I have a perfect view of Bevan standing in the shower with his head lowered. His strong arms bulge as he washes himself all over. He slows his movements, as he motions the cloth over his erection. Dear Lord, what an erection. With a low groan, he brings his hand back up and over the tip using his left hand. He reaches the rail right above his head and leans it against the tiled shower wall. I’m mesmerized by the movement of his strong muscles as they bulge and contract at the shifting of his hand, motioning up and down his delicious length.
My own breathing starts to come in gasps and pants as I watch him work himself to a peak. I’m so turned on by seeing him play, that I reach down into my own panties and start to rub my clit. I let my mind drift and imagine that it’s his hand touching me, his fingers that rub over my throbbing clit. I picture my hand rubbing up and down this length, the way he’s doing it now.
I’m lost to the sensations, the visual and the physical. When I hear Bevan moan, it’s almost my undoing, especially when I hear my name fall from his lips on a gasp. His hand moves harder and faster. My own fingers working myself over in time with his. I close my eyes and wish that it was my hand on his body bring him to completion. I’m dragged out of my wicked thoughts when I hear Bevan cry out.
“For the love of all that is holy. Lacy, fuck. I mean… oh Goddess, holy shit….”
I’m embarrassed at being caught, so I move my hand as fast I can, and try to come up with some sort of explanation as to why I’m watching him shower while I play with myself.
“Bevan, I umm…”
Shit! Real smooth, Lace, real smooth.
Chapter Eleven
Great Goddess, just when I think I can’t handle it anymore Lacy goes and does this. Shit, her watching me while I showered is enough to make me want to lose control all over again. It’s why I had to go for a shower in the first place. I want her with a passion that I have no control over. And fuck it, but tonight I will completely claim her as mine. She just made sure of that.
For a split second, I think about backing off and not making love to her, but that thought quickly vanishes by the all-consuming need to possess her as mine. I’ve wanted Lacy from the first time I laid eyes on her. But getting to know the real Lacy underneath all that, made me fall in love with her even more. I want her and I have to have her.
I walk over to Lacy, not giving her a chance to run from me and pick her up in my arms, then stride with her into the guest room. I slap her on the backside and throw her down onto the bed.
“Strip, now,” I demand, my voice rough with need.
Lacy sits up, her face flushed. With shaky hands, she starts to remove her clothing.
“Good girl, stand and strip.”
Like the good girl that I know she is, she stands at the foot of the bed. I walk over and take a seat in front of her, not bothering to try and hide my nakedness from her. Lacy raises her hands and starts to unbutto
n her top, unceremoniously letting it drop to the floor. The bra joins the shirt in a pile on the floor.
“You’re perfect,” I groan.
I’ve dreamed of this moment for a long time. Finally, she will be mine. All mine. Lacy shakes with nerves.
“Why are you so nervous being with me, Lace?”
Lacy is hesitant to answer me. She shrugs her shoulders. “I’m worried I won’t please you. You know about—”
No, I won’t have her thinking that way. I jump up, and take hold of her wrists, running my thumb over her pulse in a soothing motion.
“Stop baby, please stop. Tonight it is Bev and Lace, no one else. There’s only the two of us in this room. You know I’d never do anything you’re uneasy with.”
Lacy looks down at the ground shyly. “I know, I’m just—”
“Scared,” I finish for her.
“Yeah, in a way you scare me, Bev. I don’t mean for you to, but you do.”
My lips lift in a slight smile. “I should, but not in that way.”
I want to move slowly with her. I need her tonight and can’t hold out any longer. Linking my fingers with hers, I bring them up to rest on my chest.
Lacy takes a shuddering breath. “Bevan, you have more experience than me.”
My eyes capture hers. “Yes, but love, we can do this slowly.”
Lifting Lacy into my arms, I set her down on my lap. My hands are immediately moving up to hold her in place when she tries to move away from me.
“No, Lace. Trust me,” I groan.
Having Lacy in my arms makes it all worthwhile. No man will ever hold or touch her again. I slide my lips over hers, nibbling at her trembling mouth. I want her to lose herself in the touch.
“Open your mouth, Lace.”
I run my hands over the skin of her bare back. Lacy finally complies with my command and she shudders as my hands and mouth devour her like my last meal. I move my hands upward, cupping Lacy’s beautiful full breast with my fingers. I watch her face as I pull and pinch on her hardened nipples while leaning back and taking her with me. I lie her down on the silk duvet that covers the queen sized bed.
