Talon

by Alice Wade

  Lainey threw Quade a worried look then followed the guards, who shoved her roughly into the hall where another man was waiting. She stumbled.

  The man closest to her pulled her up. “You be a good girl and maybe, just maybe, you’ll live to see another day.” He laughed and dragged her along the walk towards the stairs.

  Lainey’s heart dropped to her the lowest pit of her stomach as she realized just how powerless she was in this situation. Casting one glance back she found Quade’s eyes just before the door closed. Swallowing, she controlled her panic as best she could, focusing on putting one foot before the next.

  Lainey swallowed again. She should have listened to Dace and stayed home. She would not have been in this situation if she had just trusted him and not felt she needed to prove to him she could do this.

  * * * *

  They emerged out of the dungeon and climbed slick stone stairs that wound up from the upper floors. Lainey wiped her face free from the water that dripped from the ceiling and slithered down the walls. It was everywhere Lainey let her eyes land. Thankfully, they were leading her to higher ground.

  Lainey was dragged to an empty room, bare except for a padded table off to the side. The two men holding her roughly turned her away not giving her much time to comprehend what the rings located at the head of the table could be use for. They pushed her into a dark corner where she was told to remain.

  A man approached out of the darkness in the corner. He was shrouded beneath a long black jacket with the hood concealing his face and held a certain level of danger as he moved towards her. She tried to shrink back, but the hold on her arms prevented it. “That’s right; you should fear me, girl.”

  “Who are you?” She tried to sound brave, but her voice cracked.

  “I am Kaen.” As he approached, she saw under this hood and shuddered. His face was shaven clean but there was a wicked red scar which ran from his cheek to his lip, marring his face. “Are you scared?”

  Lainey didn’t answer.

  “You’re not much of a thief, but you aren’t painful to look at, though.”

  In the course of their arrest, her coif was removed and her black curls coiled wildly around her face.

  “What’s your name, girl?” He stood before her and touched her chin with his fingers, forcing her face to meet his.

  “Lainey,” she answered. There was no use in hiding that from him.

  “Well, Lainey, we are going to have a little fun, you and I.” He looked at one of the guards. “Hold her.” He produced a dirk from beneath the cloak and dragged the tip down her chest between her breasts. “Now, I want to see what you’ve got underneath this outfit. Shall we?” The blade caught the fabric, ripping a wide enough opening to free it from her body. She would have thrashed, but the blade was pressed so close to her skin she feared it would stab into her flesh.

  With the last section cut, Kaen replaced his dirk and evaluated the prize he released. Her breasts heaved wildly with her ragged breathing, and they peaked out from between the cut fabric. Kaen pushed the pieces apart to expose her flesh to his hungry eyes and sucked in a breath. “My, my. I would have never guessed from your appearance that such delectable treats awaited underneath.”

  Lainey cringed as his calloused hands fondled her breasts savagely. Kailani’s soothing voice filled her mind, reminding her to remain calm and not to give into the terror threatening to claim her mind at the moment. She heard his breathing increase as his thumb ran over her nipples, enticing them to harden, which they did against her wishes. Her body had a mind of its own, while her mind battled with panic.

  She heard him moan as his fingers felt the hardening of the puckered flesh, which prompted him to pinch the rising nubs and give a little twist. Lainey tried to pull away and found strong resistance as the guards held her firm. “It’s futile to fight me, dear.” Another twist and Lainey screamed, which Kaen found erotic.

  The dirk was back and poised at the seam of her pants. With one slash, the fabric ripped open to expose her body beneath. With similar attention to the back seam, he had her breeches pooled in a pile at her ankles, leaving her naked and bound before this man.

  “I so love a woman’s body,” Kaen whispered as he drank in her form, slowly circling her to see from all sides. Her buttocks were firm, as were her thighs and calves. The pubic region was natural, but by her physique, she must have a lover back home. “May I?” Kaen asked to no one. When she began thrashing again, he grabbed a ball of her hair in his fist and pulled her head backwards. Lainey’s eyes were wild and the whites were showing. A snarl escaped her lips, but he just laughed at her again. “Now now—no fighting.”

  Kaen could have easily subdued her with a word, calming her instantly, but he enjoyed the fight she was putting up. He got a thrill from her screams and her weak attempts to break free. Each sound sent an electric shock to his groin, further arousing his senses. In no time, those screams would be in pleasure. He dragged the terror out for a moment longer before he offered her any reprieve.

  Kaen stepped closer to her and pressed his body against her naked form. He wanted to intimidate her so he’d get the fear he so craved wafting from her blood. So far, she was scared, but not terrified. He inhaled deeply to test her level terror, trembling with anticipation. Even if she didn’t scream for him, she smelled delicious.

  A rumbling chuckle followed his inspection, “You smell good.” That got a response, dragging another chuckle from Kaen’s throat. He sensed her heart race, and it caused his own to chase after. He was consumed with a hunger like no other and snarled at her in frustration.

  The combination of her mounting fear, her perfectly formed body and the sweet blood running through her veins reminded Kaen that playtime was over. “You’re mine now. You realize this, don’t you?” To emphasize his point he thrust his hard groin against her body. “All mine for eternity.”

  Using his other hand, he caressed down her torso again. His hand wrapped around the side of her rib cage and, he guessed if he used both hands his finger would touch. He snorted. She was so tiny, he could crush her if he weren’t careful. He wasn’t ready for a new toy yet so he proceeded more gingerly.

  Lainey felt the hand wrap her body and massage up towards her breast and panicked. “No!”

  Kaen pounced close to her ear, “Scream.”

  He moved up and spent a moment to rub her nipple tight again then continued down her firm stomach, and then her hip. She was exquisite, and he enjoyed the feel of her muscles as they jumped under his hand. What he wanted to feel next was pulling his hand like a magnet and a low growl vibrated his chest as he resisted for one breath.

  “I think you and I are going to be wonderful friends, Lainey,” he purred watching her eyes widen in realization.

  With his foot, he forced her legs apart and pulled back on her head again. “Keep them apart,” he warned before cupping her region in his hand and feeling her warmth. What he did next caused Lainey to moan in panic and she tried in vain to move away from his grasp. Kaen took two of his fingers and inserted them into her body, teasing her to react to his attentions. With the heel of his hand, he ground into her sensitive clit.

  She fought a losing battle. As much as she wanted to fight the intrusion, her body had different ideas and flooded with her fluid in response to both the hand and fingers driving her over the edge.

  “Very nice,” he purred. “You are going to be a nice treat indeed.” The hood of his coat slipped off to reveal a bald head with a large tattoo covering the scalp. From her angle, she could not make out the design and feared she knew what it was—a black drake. She knew instantly this was the leader of the Dûr Falas by that mark alone. Only he wore the tattoo on his head.

  “You feel close, my dear. Shall we finish you off now?” He didn’t wait for her response but ground into her wet body harder that before. He continued to stoke
her until she felt her legs turn to jelly and her mind went blank as the explosion that rocked her to her core. Against her better judgment, a guttural moan leaked past her lips; a tortured sound that caused a light to spark in Kaen’s eye. If it were not for the arms holding hers and the hand in her hair, she would have fallen to the ground as her orgasm claimed her senses.

  “Oh no, no, no, no!” Lainey wailed. She had just shattered for another man who wasn’t Dace. The humiliation and horror of the moment caused a piece of her soul to die because someone else had enticed her body to do that. Dace had been the first and only, and now Kaen? What did that make her now because part of her liked what he’d done? Groaning she dipped her chin in shame as the sensations he’d just released from her body abated.

  Crying, Lainey felt a piece of her mind shut off in defense. There was no other option other than losing complete grip on her ability to remain calm as Kailani had instructed. If she wanted to see Dace again, she needed to survive the conversion and Kaen’s attentions. The only way to do that, Lainey realized, was to go mentally numb and pretend this was all happening to someone else. She could do that for Dace. He was that important.

  “There now, all warmed up.” He released her hair and gave her a little pat. “Now for the real prize. Take her to the table.” He motioned to the guards to do as he instructed and stepped back to watch.

  Before Lainey understood what he said, she was dragged to the table with strange rings at the head. One guard picked her up and practically tossed her onto the surface and the other easily secured her wrists by knotting a rope around each one and then through the rings above her head.

  Lainey craned her head back to see what they were doing and panicked as she realized the purpose of those rings. With her hands tied like this she’d be useless to fight anything Kaen did to her. She kicked her leg in defense to fight, but encountered resistance. As her eyes shifted position, all hope fled her as the second man had her legs secured to similar rings leaving the apex of her thighs very exposed.

  Lainey fought uselessly on the table and pulled at the ropes that held her. The rope was a course material and it didn’t take long for her wrists and ankles to become chaffed and raw.

  One of the men pulled the ropes tighter and this caused her body to lengthen and be further exposed. She could feel the moisture from her release escape, and this added to her humiliation.

  “No!” She thrashed wildly at the bonds but they held, quickly ignoring the soothing words of warning from Kailani.

  Kaen laughed at her pathetic struggles and mumbled a word that suddenly had her stilled and staring at him in wonder. “That’s it,” a wave of calmness washed over her in that moment, and she quickly forgot why she was struggling at all.

  “I’m going to enjoy your body, my dear. You will not fight me.” He cocked his head to the side. “Will you?”

  Lainey numbly shook her head. “Good girl.”

  Lainey felt as if her mind and body were no longer hers. It was as if her mind were suspended in a fog in response to whatever Kaen had said. She felt so detached, that she didn’t even register that whatever was happening was wrong.

  He said another word and she felt a wave of desire which warmed her blood, flushing her pale skin a healthy pink and caused her arousal to blossom. She turned her head to the side to clear the confusion and all she saw was Kaen sneering face watching her. Something wasn’t right but she couldn’t pin point what was wrong until another warm wave of sensation aroused her. Lainey released a slow, deep moan in response and felt she was completely out of control. She had one last fleeting thought of Dace and the guilt associated with what was happening before her mind went completely blank.

  Kaen laughed seductively as he gave her mind one more sensual caress. He smelled the immediate effect as her body responded on its own accord, sending the delightful aroma into the air announcing her readiness. Kaen heard her whine as she became more aroused the more he toyed with her mind. He then trailed his eyes lower and watched her hips begin to swish and squirm on the table in anticipation of being touched. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d anticipated converting someone, but tonight he was eager to complete this. He most definitely desired this woman and relished the next few days he was going to spend in bed with her.

  Her mind was now completely under his control and that gave him such smug satisfaction.

  It was time. Kaen stood arrogantly before her and shed the coat completely. This revealed his firm body beneath, tattooed with the image of the large black drake that wrapped his head, torso and back, talons and wings extended in the act of a deadly strike. He smirked in satisfaction as her eyes traced the design of the drake following the design lower since it trailed down his leg as well. She released a very frustrated growl out of frustration when she paused her evaluation at his groin and struggled to get to Kaen.

  That sound alone was enough to make him laugh.

  “You are so nice, Lainey,” he purred as he continued to caress her mind into a froth and pushed her towards complete domination.

  His erection was impressive, even for one of his kind, and it was right before her throbbing with burning need. “Lainey,” he murmured, “I’m coming.” He circled the table pausing to inspect her spread legs and the pink lips that were exposed to him. “You are quite the perfect little treat, aren’t you?”

  She writhed, begging him to touch her. Begging him to end her torment. There was an irrational need that charred her moral thoughts and in its place held her in a simmering state of arousal until he freed her from this hell. There were no thoughts of Dace, no thoughts of being a slut, no thoughts of her survival. Kaen and his impressive, naked body standing a few feet from her dominated her mind. She wanted it. Now.

  Kaen only smirked at her as he walked around the table and it made her want him more. Damn him for not stopping long enough to touch her. The frustration of being tied up caused her to thrash once more.

  She watched excitedly when he reached out a hand that hovered over her stomach. He just held it there and it drove her absolutely mad. Why wouldn’t he touch her? She became more insane the longer he held out. Three more times he reached out without contact and three more times she lost more control of herself. All she could do was to throw her head back and release the agonized howl.

  “Patience,” he cooed. The sound of his voice alone immediately calmed her. “I know what you want, dear. In good time.”

  Starting at her toe, he dragged a finger softly up her leg and thigh, marveling at her muscle tone and bone structure. His mouth curved into a wicked smile when she sighed at his touch and pulled against the restraints. This was one of his favorite things, getting women on this same table and tormenting them until they scream. Nothing compared to this excitement except the other activity he and Ondre partake in down the hall, though.

  Kaen couldn’t believe what he was looking at. Long, lean and sexy legs that went on and on. He loved his women tall and lean, but this one exceeded all expectations. Oh, the things he was going to do with this body and those legs. The image of them wrapped around his hips while she moved beneath caused him grab the table to steady himself. Oh, he was going to have some fun, and Kaen nearly drooled at all the things he could do to amuse himself.

  She was all legs and spunk. He couldn’t wait to see her fully converted. This one may just be near perfection, for all these fantastic features he admired now would be enhanced. He paused as a thought reminded him of what they did with newly converted women. He growled. Typically, the women who were converted were shared among the coven men. Kaen looked back at Lainey writhing on the table and knew one thing for certain: Lainey was his and he wasn’t in the mood to share.

  It was time to claim what was his. Kaen moved until he stood near her hip, trailing his finger along her skin down to her lower abdominal muscles and groaned when she bucked. He’d come to the area of her body
which enticed him earlier and the one area he was planning on playing with for hours later. For now, he wanted her insane, therefore he planted feather light touches on her over-stimulated clit.

  Lainey practically roared. Her hips bucked wildly on the table. She screamed again as she exploded in a second orgasm which left her shaking on the table, eyeing him with wild, feral eyes.

  “Oy.” He whispered. Kaen had reached his limit of control and knew he was close to unleashing on her. “You are not like the others, dear Lainey. No, not at all.” Using the finger he recently drove her over the edge with, he traced a line up her torso and circled her breast, toying with the nipple. While he did this, he slowly walked around the table, not giving her a clear line of sight to his face. He knew this would drive her further insane and relished the reaction he was getting.

  “Did that little bitch prep you for this encounter?” It was a rhetorical question for he suspected the intervention of Talon’s bitch. Seeing how agreeable Lainey was and how easily he could manipulate her mind, Kailani must have implanted something. Something like ‘don’t fight’ and it was glorious. It only made his efforts easier, for her mind was wide open to his suggestions. Nice. Kaen sent a silent thanks to Kailani with a promise to give her a reward at their next encounter.

  He continued to slowly circle the table while tracing lines on her skin. Kaen enjoyed the way she tracked him with feral eyes as if she were claiming him. This was an obvious sign that his implants to crave his touch were taking hold. His reward was a burning desire for him and him alone.

  Her pert nipples caught his attention next. “What is this?” he cupped her breast with his hand, and used his thumb to drag over the peak. Watching her reaction was priceless. Lainey moaned loudly at the ecstasy his touch generated. It was very gratifying.

  “I’m still surprised you are so full-figured for one so lithe?” Kaen leaned his body over, looming over her. His arms were braced on either side of her torso in a very predatory stance. He then leaned down and pulled one nipple in his mouth, savoring the taste of her skin and the feeling of her puckered, tight pebble against his tongue. Lainey screamed in pleasure.