Desires of the Soul

by S. L. Carpenter

“I didn’t do anything. You, though? My friends are all a little different now. And Iris…”

  He interrupted Tasha. “What about her?”

  “She’s really different—not sure what you did to her. It’s like she has amnesia. I asked her about that night you said you met her, but she can’t remember any of it. She does seem to be a lot happier and definitely stronger. She took up painting as a hobby and she’s working at the deli down the street. Doing really well I heard. Josh, the owner, gave her a job after I told him about her. He’s real pleased how well she’s working out for them.”

  “That’s good. In fact, that’s great.” He dug into his pants pocket and pulled something from it. “Here, this is for you. I made it. The stone is from volcano lava. It has a special feel to it.”

  Tasha held out her hand as he draped the necklace with a black stone on her fingertips. “Holy shit. It’s warm, in fact it’s hot.”

  “It will always be hot to your touch. But only your touch.” He looked at Tasha and when she looked up to meet his eyes, he kissed her.

  Tasha’s legs went weak. His hands held her hips and moved up to the side of her breasts. With a gentle lift her breasts pushed together and he groaned into her as his tongue danced in her mouth.

  Pulling back, he whispered, “I’m going to really miss snuggling between those breasts and eating your sweet-tasting pussy.”

  Her head fell against his chest, her hair hanging along her face. “You don’t play fair. My God, I’m so fucking horny now. You sure you don’t have time for a…you know…here in the stockroom? Nobody will notice.”

  He put his hand along her jaw then outlined her lips with his finger. “Not now.” He opened the storeroom door and walked out.

  Tasha lifted the necklace, held it in her palm. It was a dark black shining stone with a beaded strand to wrap around her neck. The black stone had an oblong shape but was flat with small divots carved into it. It was beautiful—when the light hit the surface, it flickered in her palm. She felt a coil of sadness creep through her as he left and closed her hand tight around the stone.

  Her body began to shake and her eyes fluttered. The heat from the stone began to pulse in her palm. “Oh you bastard, not again…” Tasha held one hand on the counter while the other firmly clutched the necklace. She squirmed and clenched her thighs together as tight as she could.

  *~~*~~*

  He walked to the back exit door to leave the bar and heard a familiar moan echoing through the air. Pausing for a moment, he let a wicked smile cross his lips. Then he left, closing the door behind him.

  *~~*~~*

  The mist filled the cemetery and he took his usual stance, wet but motionless. Like every other time he’d visited this spot, he said nothing and simply laid a rose on the grave, then stood as still as the statues that surrounded him. A light rain began to fall, adding to his somber mood.

  “Why couldn’t you tell me? You knew and yet you made me go through that again.” His head hung, water dripping from his wet hair.

  “How did you know I was here?” The woman’s voice came closer as she cleared the shadows.

  “Maya, you are a messenger, but I knew your mother. She was more powerful than any simple messenger. You knew who that lost soul was and yet you knew I’d do whatever was asked to appease the elders. You knew I wouldn’t find out who it was until the transference was happening, and it was too late to stop it.”

  She felt guilty. “I couldn’t tell you. The elders said you had to do this yourself.”

  He turned, looking over his shoulder at Maya. His eyes were dark and there were shadows beneath them. “I watched Kelly die in front of me. She told me we’d meet again, but I thought that would be when I passed over to the other side.”

  “What you did was right. Her soul was lost without you. Now she can have what was taken from her. You gave her a life again. One with sight, one that she can begin again with…because of your powers.”

  “That may be true, but I know it means I can’t go back to her. She has no memory of me or what happened before. The slate is wiped clean. It means I’m alone now. Completely alone.”

  Maya stood next to him, her umbrella sheltering him from the rain. She looked down at the grave and saw Kelly’s headstone with a metal plaque attached. The year of death had been etched away. “You have never been alone, Pilan.”

  He looked down as Maya took his hand.

  THE END?

  If you missed the debut of the Dark Lord in Desires of the Flesh, here’s a preview…read at your own risk…

  DESIRES OF THE FLESH – S.L. Carpenter

  You can’t hide, Claudia. I will always find you.

  Claudia ignored the dark whisper at the back of her mind and laughed as she sat with her friends at the nightclub. The place was bouncing and vividly alive, echoing with its own heartbeat, filling everyone with its pulse.

  But his words still echoed in her mind.

  In her own way, Claudia had become alive lately. Her personality had been awoken by an experience she had kept secret. Her girlfriends noticed her newfound zest for life and now wanted to include her in their activities, instead of shunning her as a solitary soul with nothing to offer.

  It had all changed the night she met him.

  “I need another drink. Be right back.” Claudia walked toward the bar and ordered an apple martini. She looked idly around as she waited, noticing an attractive man looking her way. Her façade of shyness peeled away and the flirtatious inner slut took over. With one slight twist of her lips she caught his attention. She also noticed him signaling to the bartender that he was buying her drink.

  Then he picked up his glass and held it high as if to toast her. She responded and smiled.

  She was cookin’.

  She sipped, not wanting to seem too eager. Her eyes scanned the club and froze as her gaze clashed with a reddened, glowing stare.

  “Oh fuck.” She spun around, tense and suddenly terrified. Her thoughts whirled as someone pried open her subconscious mind.

  He was there.

  Sitting in the corner. His gaze sliced through the smoky air, glaring straight into her soul.

  She felt the instant wetness between her legs. This man made her lose control with a simple look.

  Claudia had her share of worthless relationships. Men would come and go, usually before she did. But this man…he was different.

  She covered her eyes with her hand for a moment, and shivered as a cocoon of warmth enveloped her. He was invading her mind again. She was helpless to stop him—his voice sounded silently within her brain.

  She heard him as if he were standing right beside her. I told you that after you let me in, your soul belongs to me.

  “Don’t… I said no.” Her eyes closed tighter as she whispered aloud, but the voice continued to beckon her to his needs. Carnal needs. Sexual urges with boundless pleasure.

  Her long hair fell around her face as she bent her head downward, unable to avoid the source of this dark craving.

  A tumbling wave of sensation caressed her spine, quickly followed by a chill that made her moan. She grabbed the bar and gasped, feeling a hot clamp on her wet pussy. Like the strong hand of a man clasping her body, it made her shudder and wove fear into her heart.

  “Stop doing this.” She was still answering the voice in her head. “No, no, no. I can’t again. Not here, not now,” she answered him, speaking aloud.

  Clutching the long, thick wooden edge of the bar, Claudia felt her cheeks flush as her body burned with arousal. She begged him, “I can’t do this. Stop, stop.” Her eyes glazed with passion and her breath quickened.

  “You gave it to me. I just…” Crossing her legs, she leaned over, bending at the waist.

  Losing her grip on reality, she turned toward the man at the table, long strands of her hair falling down the lines of her face. She saw him sitting alone. An aura of heat surrounded him.

  His table was small, holding half a bottle of rum and a shot glass. Beautiful
women walked by and sighed, captured by his masculine vibrations. But his eyes were fixed on Claudia. She knew why but didn’t care. Inside she was salivating at the thought of him, her sex drooling and eager to feel him again.

  He sat motionless. But that glare.

  The wicked, tantalizing, powerful stare cut to the bone and made her blood boil with a lustful heat. He understood her—and fulfilled her every need.

  The mystery of him was what had attracted her at the beginning. That, and the first time she saw the flicker of light on that large, golden medallion he had hanging around his neck. He wasn’t wearing it now because she had taken the medallion and hidden it so he would belong to only her.

  “Get your fucking fingers out of me. Oh fuck, oh, oh fuck.” She muttered the words, mumbling beneath her breath, fighting the scream that choked her.

  The other customers at the bar glanced at her and laughed at how she seemed so out of it. Except for one guy—the one who bought her the drink.

  “You okay? I’m Joe. I bought you the drink.” He stared as she held one hand on the bar and the other pressed at her pelvis. “Shit, you seem pretty fuckin’ hot.”

  “Get me out of here. He’s going to take me again. I can’t handle him tonight.” Claudia was breathless and desperate.

  Jackpot. Joe’s face made his thoughts clear. He figured he had found a sure thing for the night. “Well, baby, my place is really close by. We can—”

  “She’s mine.” The deep voice was just above a whisper and sent a wave of pleasure through Claudia.

  “Hey, asshole, I got first dibs.” As Joe turned, all he saw was shoulders and a neck like a tree. Long black hair hung loose and shadowed the face above it. Joe stepped back with an audible gulp, and the huge, dark man glared at him, his eyes revealing a strange flash of red.

  “Well, uh…have fun…” Joe fled.

  Claudia fell into the man’s arms and her nails tore at his shoulder. “Damn you, fucking damn you. How did you find me?” She was limp and weak as he walked her firmly away from the bar.

  Stopping for a moment, the he pulled her closer, bringing her mouth to his.

  She stifled back a moan when their lips met. His tongue slid into her mouth and the heat from his kiss melted her heart. She shivered as her pussy became engorged with wetness. He had her again.

  “No, no, I’m so sore from last night—I can’t.” Claudia’s words fell on deaf ears. She knew she had taken something from him and there would be a price to pay.

  He led her by the arm toward the restrooms. She was a kept woman, chained to his demands. With an abrupt push, he swung the VIP-only door open. A woman stood inside, obviously shocked at the sight of a massively muscular male specimen filling the opening. Her eyes seemed to be dragging his image into her mind. Every inch of him. Every single inch. She blinked in disbelief as she looked down at the leather pants clearly outlining his cock.

  He held Claudia firmly with his right hand. Bending closer to the woman, he brushed his nose against hers, letting his black hair flow against her face. Parting his lips, he kissed her neck between her jaw and her earlobe. She stood motionless.

  Then, with a shudder, the woman closed her eyes, her face heating with a soft and surprising sensuality.

  Claudia watched as he whispered something to her, lips barely moving. His words weren’t spoken aloud but she knew the woman would hear them.

  He traced the back of the woman’s ear with the tip of his tongue and pulled away.

  The woman sighed and smiled. “Nobody enters.” She licked her lips and looked back up into his eyes. The rush of pleasure flowing through her body was almost visible on her skin. She shivered and began to giggle.

  With a tug, he pulled Claudia behind him through the door and let it swing shut.

  Do you dare read more? Find Desires of the Flesh at Amazon.com, or read with your Kindle Unlimited Subscription.

  About The Author

  S.L. Carpenter is a born and raised Californian. And yes, he IS a guy in case you were wondering. The creative gene　got a double whammy when he came along, since in addition to writing wickedly warped stories, he’s also the creator of countless magnificent cover art images. Both skills travel comfortably together with him wherever he goes, since not only do readers recognize his name from his off-beat backlist of nearly thirty novels, but writers welcome him as a friend who clothes their ‘children’ and helps sell their books.

  Married to the same wonderful woman for over three decades, and the father of three kids, Scott describes his wife as his “inspiration”. High praise indeed, since he’s been inspired to write some of the most unique erotic tales, ranging from the misadventures of lustful cavemen, to improbable goings-on in outer space. His favorite genre is that of contemporary romance, and in that section you’ll find humor (always), alongside a touch of heartbreak and a strong helping of redemption. And sizzling hot sex, of course. Scott’s realistic characters and unusual storylines have helped him develop a voice that stands out from the crowd. He’s not afraid to take chances, keep his characters real and deal with things like the after effects of burritos during intimate encounters. Yep, that’s real!

  If you’d like to know more about S.L. Carpenter and his writing, he’d like to invite you to check out the following resources:

  His website:

  S.L. Carpenter (List of books, biography, odds and ends...the usual stuff, but helpful if you’re looking for anything in particular)

  His Facebook page

  (Feel free to “friend him” and enjoy some of the funniest stuff out there.)

  When looking for (and buying) any of Scott’s books at Amazon.com, you can “follow” his Amazon page. It’s a great place to pick up any or all of his currently available books and being the helpful folks they are, Amazon will let you know if he has a new release you might have overlooked.

  Books by S.L. Carpenter

  (All books available at Amazon.com. Please note: At the present time, Scott is working on updating his older works which have been returned to him. If you’re looking for a favorite of his and don’t see it, drop him a line? Odds are good it will be back out in circulation soon, but possibly with a new title.)

  Desires of the Flesh

  Wicked Winter Anthology

  Letting You In

  Chasing Dreams

  Big Book of Lust

  Happy Endings*

  Feels So Right*

  Full Service

  Whole Lotta Love Series*

  So Into You*

  It’s Alive

  Remember When

  Hired Help (Working Stiffs Book 1)*

  Showing Off*

  *Co-written with Sahara Kelly.

  ~~~*~~~

  Several years ago, Scott and Sahara Kelly collaborated on another endeavor – they began their own graphics company.

  P and N Graphics produces cover art, various designs for logos, brands and promotional materials, and offers authors and others in the world of books a chance to develop their own graphic projects. Please feel free to visit them online at

  http://www.pandngraphics.com/