by Jaye Shields
Her clit continued to throb and swell with unreleased need as he pushed the smooth rod deep into her core and slowly began pulling back. “I told you I wouldn’t be filling you.” His deep voice sent a shiver down her spine. He continued to push and pull the dildo back and forth in slow motion. It was torture; every centimeter a sweet, erotic pain. “I know how a sex demon craves to be filled. And so I’ll fuck you with your favorite toy until you cry for release. But you won’t have it. You don’t deserve it.”
As pleasure returned the stars to her vision, Lennox’s words faded into the background like a haunting whisper. The buzzing of the vibrator halted, but Lennox began driving the shaft harder, as if taking out his rage on her hot, wet core. Surely he must know she was about to— And then he stopped. Her body curled against the abrupt withdrawal. Zahra shivered as a chill crept into her body. She was weakening.
Lennox leaned over her and the scent of warm coal and cool metal tickled her nose. His face was only inches away from hers, his eyes daring her to rebel. She didn’t flinch under his intense gaze. But inside, her body was warming for him. Why did her psychopath have to be so hot and smell so damn good? Why couldn’t he have plain brown eyes and reek like an ogre?
Though he still held her gaze, the glass rod found its way to her lips once more and glided into her. Deep. She demanded her eyes stay open against the onslaught of pleasure. As Lennox thrust the smooth shaft all the way to the hilt, she was a soldier against the pleasure, playing coy while orgasm loomed near.
“I know your body. You may think to hide your feelings from me, but I can feel your breath still and your heart shudder.”
With the warning, he withdrew the rod once more. Zahra’s muscles tensed with disappointment and her body cried out for release. Her body was on fire atop the cold metal table. Had she been wearing clothes, they would have been molded to her body from sweat. But she wasn’t. She was naked, fully bared for Lennox to witness what he was capable of doing to her.
“You’re easy to please, succubus. Perfect then that you are a professional whore. Curious that you even charge.”
Zahra was too weak to let his words break her even more. She was already broken.
“Admit that you love it, whore.” Ice dripped from his short words.
“I hate it.” But her honesty was an inaudible whisper before she passed out.
Chapter 6
From across the room, Lennox leaned against the wall trying to regain his composure. His intent had been to bring Zahra to near climax, not himself. But he’d gotten lost in the cinnamon scent of her soft skin. Her nipples had been tiny candies in his mouth, sweet and hard with desire. The way she shuddered under his touch nearly led him to cum all over himself like an inexperienced oaf. But as Zahra heaved atop the table where she was restrained, he knew he’d done his job. Already she seemed weaker, her rosy skin pale from withdrawal.
“You don’t understand. I need to get free.” Her soft voice escaped in a whisper. Nothing like the fierce tone he’d first heard her use with Bane in the morning market.
“I know. Your body will wither away if you don’t get release.” He watched her naked body buck against the binds holding her in place.
“It’s more than that. I owe Bane a great deal of money.”
“Let him come looking for you, I’m not worried about the wizard.”
“You should be,” she bit back. Despite her aggression, her tone was worried.
A moment of silence passed before Zahra erupted in a rage. The table shook as her body battled against the bonds. He turned the light and read the pained expression on her face. Her golden eyes, ablaze with fury, narrowed on him with infinite disdain.
Her body hadn’t weakened as much as he’d thought it had. He’d taken Zahra to the brink, and yet she still fought against her confinement like a warrior. “Are you ready for another round then? Your clamoring is giving me a headache.”
She stilled on the table. Clearly she didn’t want round two.
“Please, you have to understand. It’s not just about me.”
“Of course it’s all about you. You’re a succubus.”
“Shut up!” Her desperate roar echoed through the room, catching Lennox by surprise. “You don’t know anything about me.”
Leaning forward, he assessed his prisoner, gritting his teeth to dull his fury. “I know plenty about you. I know you have a brother and he’s just as selfish as you are.”
“How do you know about my brother?” Her eyes glowed deep amber, concern taking root in her gaze. Her immediate worry caught him off guard. She began thrashing against the table once more, her body colliding with the metal. She’d be covered by bruises. “You psychopathic bastard! What did you do with my brother?”
“You haven’t figured it out yet? I’m destroying his only sister.” He searched her eyes for fear, but surprisingly, she relaxed at his admission.
“So you haven’t hurt him?”
“No.”
Silence hung in the room. Lennox used the quiet moment to appreciate the soft curves of her body. After his wife had left him, Lennox had spent weeks traveling, having various women in his bed. But every woman had held the image of his wife. Only now did he really see Zahra. Truly, the succubus before him was a mesmerizing creature.
He needed some air.
* * * *
After Lennox stepped out, Zahra went to work. Her only hope was thrashing the table to pieces. After all, it didn’t seem overly sturdy and she was a woman with a cause. Using every ounce of strength she had left, Zahra threw her body in every direction. The table shook, but not as much as she needed to get loose. The sight of the scissors lying nearby reminded her that this could be her only chance. She continued to toss her body atop the table. Her limbs ached as she struggled against the bonds. But inch by inch, the table scooted closer to her object of freedom.
Okay, now to flip this thing... Leaning her weight to one side, Zahra threw it to the right. The table scooted, but didn’t tip. Again she tried. Again. Just when Zahra thought her arm was going to pop out of its socket, the table tipped and she fell to the ground. The structure landed on its side and Zahra was only inches away from the scissors. Worming her way across the floor, she grasped the sharp tool. After some careful maneuvering, she sliced through one of her bonds.
A creak from the door caused a spike of panic. Her heart jumped into her throat, but when she looked up, no one was in the room. Swallowing her nerves, Zahra went back to work. Lennox could be back at any moment. Even with her hands finally free, cutting through the thick rope binding her feet was no easy task. Zahra realized she was holding her breath. Breathe. The last of her bonds fell away and Zahra bolted upward. In a split-second decision, she decided to flee without looking for something to wear. Have to get to Sephina.
Approaching the front door on tiptoes, Zahra peeked outside. The house was situated in a clearing, but the woods weren’t far. If she could just make it to the cover of the forest she might be able to escape. But where was Lennox? Just run like hell.
Releasing her death grip on the door, Zahra sprinted across the clearing and didn’t look back. The wind whipped against her cheeks like tiny razorblades as she ran like a nymph through the forest. Lennox had carried her a long-ass way while she’d been unconscious and she barely knew where she was going. As she ran, she looked down at the ground to leap over large tree trunks. Her legs were pale enough to resemble a ghost of the woods as they tore through the darkness. If she wasn’t petrified of a handsome psychopath coming after her, she might have stopped to fashion some clothes out of the local flora.
A tiny light loomed in the distance. Squinting, Zahra made out a tiny cottage. Her legs quivered from exhaustion as they continued to sprint through the forest toward the dwelling. She crossed her fingers that a woman lived in the home. As she neared the cottage, she heard the thunk of steel connecting with wood. Zahra looked behind her and saw no sign of Lennox. Up ahead, a large shadowy form chopped timber in front
of the house.
Zahra’s body trembled from weakness. She knew it was wiser to continue on, but her body was too sick from Lennox’s torture to pass up food and water. And honestly, if she could get to safety, she could pleasure herself, and at least regain a small ounce of strength.
“Who goes there?”
A burly voice stopped Zahra in her tracks. As adrenaline fled her body, her legs collapsed from under her. Leaves crunched as boots neared her form. The tree line above her became fuzzy, exhaustion taking over her senses. She vaguely heard grunts as the wood-chopper approached where she lay on the ground.
“Please, help me.” Her voice barely escaped her lips. Maybe Lennox’s plan had worked better than she realized. She could be dying.
“What have we here?” The burly voice loomed over her. The darkened woodsman held up a lantern and Zahra was finally able to make out her savior.
He was larger even than Bane, his form just as massive as the woods around them. His eyes glinted with satisfaction, but as she searched, she found no kindness.
“Luck has smiled on me today, for I have a woods nymph delivered to me.” He yanked her up off the ground, nearly breaking her arms from the force.
Pain exploded, but she was helpless in his grip, weakened by Lennox’s torture. Desperation hallowed out her gut and Zahra felt tears slide down her cheeks. If she was to die, she’d rather die alone, staring up at the canopy. Now she’d die in the arms of a rapist. It would not be voluntary. The woodsman’s meaty fingers dug into her bare ass. His large body slammed her against the nearest tree and she felt the bark grind against her skin. One of his hands left her bottom to squeeze her breast.
She’d never sobbed before, but she did so now. “Please,” she begged.
In return, she only heard satisfied grunts and the vile scent of his body odor enveloped her. The sound of a zipper being yanked open meant he’d sprung free, ready to violate her. More tears left her cheeks wet. She was thrown to the ground and crushed by the woodsman as he descended upon her. His hand went to her fold and spread her for entry. Squeezing her eyes shut, she willed herself to die. Lennox had started the process, now she prayed for it to be over.
“Please!” She screamed now in prayer for the gods to take pity on her and end her existence before she suffered the feel of the rapist atop her.
His palm connected with her cheek. The force cracked her lip and hot blood spilled into her mouth. The ground shook beneath her, the pounding of dirt adding to the horrifying soundtrack in her ears. And then the weight of the woodsman was thrown from her body. Cold night air washed her skin clean of the brute’s dirty fingerprints. God had saved her. She was dying, but had been granted a peaceful death. Her tears began to dry, and finally, darkness covered her world.
* * * *
As Lennox tore through the woods, anger and concern twisted his stomach in knots. The home he’d established on the far outskirts of Zahra’s town was not surrounded by good company. Even worse, her glorious body would be nude, an open invitation for any of the scumbags dwelling within the forest. Fear was a knife to his gut as he tore through the woods after her.
Zahra would be weak. He’d seen to that himself, and now fear infiltrated his body at the thought of what would happen if she fell into the wrong hands. He neared the light in the distance and a scream ripped through the forest. One desperate word reached his ears and sent him into a new fury. “Please.”
Speeding toward a darkened form, Lennox heard Zahra’s horrified scream as the woodsman crushed her body beneath him. Rage shook Lennox’s sanity and he ran faster. Zahra’s cry had been one that begged for death. And now his only desire was for her to live. He immediately wished he could make her see something beautiful. In that moment, he was damned for leading her to such darkness. Zahra, the succubus, was not the evil one. He was. Just as the woodsman put his hands on Zahra, Lennox threw himself into the bastard.
Lennox used his fists to punish his opponent until the desperate need to absolve his own sins was washed away by blood. Crimson from Zahra’s attacker soaked Lennox’s hands. Only her pained whimper shook him from his fury. He had to take her home. The fact that she’d been a captive there pained him. He stepped away from the unconscious villain. Gently, he scooped Zahra into his arms. He’d beg for her forgiveness, but he had to make her better first.
The long walk back through the woods was one of eternal self-damnation. Lennox stepped carefully not to jar Zahra’s injuries. Her skin was deathly pale and marred by a fresh purple bruise left from the woodsman’s meaty fist. She’d nearly been raped. Lennox himself had almost killed her, only to drive her into the arms of a desperate beast. Lennox had become everything he hated.
Arriving home, he took Zahra into his bedroom. He laid her unconscious form upon his bed and pulled a cover over her. He’d make her a hot bath to clean her wounds. After the hell he’d put her though, she deserved to be cleaned of all traces of her nightmare. He wouldn’t beg for forgiveness. But he could draw a bath.
The water steamed as Lennox placed a blazing hot stone into the tub. Returning to his room, he scooped Zahra into his arms. He avoided the sight of her naked body, shame overwhelming him in waves with each bruise he saw. Her wrists were deep shades of purple and pink where he’d bound her. The worst damage had probably come from her desperate attempt to escape.
Gently, he set her into the warm water. Steam rose from the surface and began to dot her skin, but her color didn’t return. Lennox wet a small cloth and began to scrub her arms softly. The bath washed away the blood, but Lennox could still see the nicks on her wrists from where she’d tried to cut away the bonds. Regret gnawed away at his heart. For the first time, Lennox realized he was happy that his wife had left him, for he didn’t deserve a woman. And he wanted to kill himself for it.
Chapter 7
Warm water cradled Zahra’s body as she awakened. Her surroundings came slowly into focus. Sunlight spilled through a window, giving light to a large room. Weakness left her vision hazy, but she made out the form of a man kneeling before her. Not an unusual sight. Water spilled against her chest as a soft cloth moved its way over her shoulder. The man became clearer. Lennox. She almost didn’t recognize him in his current state. His blue eyes were like a bright sky clouded by sadness and his full lips were set in a hard line. He didn’t meet her gaze. Instead, he focused on massaging her skin with the warm cloth.
Never before had her body felt so weak. The warm water caused her open wounds to sting, but she was too weak to care. Zahra parted her lips to speak, but hardly a whisper escaped through her dry throat.
“Was I starting to stink then?”
It couldn’t be possible, but Zahra thought she noticed Lennox flinch. Her gaze shifted down to the floor, and for a moment, she thought he’d drive his fist through it. Okay, probably not a good idea to torment the tormentor when you’re on the verge of death. A wave of hopelessness hit Zahra in a nauseating wave. Sephina. She’d let her down. A tear dripped down Zahra’s cheek, but one of Lennox’s calloused fingers caught it.
“I am sorry.” He met her gaze for the first time. His eyes were a blue that rivaled the shiny steel of his blades. They bore into her and she was left speechless. “Please, don’t struggle.”
Realizing the man was just exhausted, Zahra sucked in a breath of despair. She didn’t move as he lifted her from the water, too weak to struggle even if she wanted. The withdrawal was a tiny monster eating away at her body from the inside.
Her strong captor carried her to another room, but instead of cold metal, Zahra landed on a soft bed. Blankets billowed around her. Her captor left her unattended only to return with a towel. Stunned, Zahra noted the way his eyes averted the sight of her nakedness as he patted away the droplets of moisture left on her body. The towel swept over her breasts, but she felt comforted instead of violated. The gentle way in which he dried her body was enough to usher Zahra into an exhausted slumber. If she would ever awaken, she did not know. Once more, she slipped
into darkness.
* * * *
When she awoke, warm hands were rubbing her arms with oil. Despite the aching in her limbs, the massage brought heat to her cold body. Her normally high body temperature had plummeted and Zahra had never felt so cold, as if death’s freezing fingertips were wrapped around her body.
“You’re awake. Good.”
“Doesn’t that go against your plan?”
Lennox didn’t respond. Instead, he gently rolled her over on the bed and pushed aside the covers. A woodsy scent filled the air, infiltrating her nostrils, and making Zahra very aware of the man straddling her waist. “You still smell of eau de woodsman rapist.”
He tensed, but began rubbing oil on her back. The odor became stronger. “It’s the oil. It’s ground from the sheiba tree, it increases circulation.”
“Half herbalist, half torture expert. I continue to be astounded by the men I attract.” The words were weak, but if they were her last, she’d be okay dying by sarcasm. A painful swelling became fire in her throat and Zahra coughed up blood. A soft cloth was brought to her lips. Zahra looked over her shoulder to see Lennox leaned over her, cleaning the blood from her lips.
Zahra whispered through the pain, holding the haunted blue gaze of her captor. “Blood on the kidnapper’s pillow, score two for the sex demon.”
“Don’t speak.” Lennox glanced down at the blood-dotted rag. “I can see we need to get on with this quickly.”
Warm oily hands glided down her back, thumbs tracing her spine. Zahra relaxed into the bed as her spine clicked into place, her bones becoming a slave to her captor’s expert hands. They were gentler than she expected.
Lennox was agile as he moved farther behind her, situating himself at the back of her knees. His palms slid over the contour of her ass, massaging gently, rubbing the warming oil into her skin. The oil spread across her skin and soon his calloused fingertips were squeezing the insides of her thighs. As he massaged her upper thighs, Zahra felt her core begin to tingle. She hadn’t thought it could be possible in her weakened state, but she was getting aroused. Surely this time, Lennox would seal her fate by taking her to the brink once more only to have her plummet into withdrawal.
