by Sahara Kelly
“I’m glad…” His voice jammed somewhere around his tonsils. He coughed and tried again. “I’m glad it worked. You saw him, did you?”
The color on her cheeks deepened and she pulled herself upright. “You could say that, yes. It was a very—strong interaction this time. More powerful than I’ve ever experienced before.” She glanced at him and her eyebrows drew together in concern. “You look—pretty damn awful, if you’ll pardon my saying so.”
There was an answering flutter from the corner of the room as Jakob settled on his perch and carefully preened his ruffled feathers.
“See? The bird agrees with me.” Renny frowned. “I think you need rest. And to be honest, I’d like to see if I can sleep now, too. After what I just went through I’m hoping that for tonight I might be able to get a little uninterrupted shut-eye.”
Grey nodded. “All right. Let’s adjourn for this evening. I think we’ve made progress, Renny. Tomorrow we’ll take a longer look at this Raven of yours and see why he’s in your dreams.”
She stood with difficulty and grabbed one arm of the couch for support. “Um…okay. I’m good with that.” Wincing a little she walked tentatively across the room, holding her robe tightly across her body.
Grey was struck with the notion that she was holding herself together. That if she let go of the purple silk her nerve endings would explode into more orgasms. He sympathized. Just watching her hips sway beneath the soft fabric was every bit as stimulating as seeing her naked in the ocean.
Heat unfurled in his gut and in spite of his rigid control, he hissed in a breath through his teeth. He stood, refusing to allow the weakness in his legs to prevent him from acting normally. “Good night.”
Renny dipped her head and left the room. Her scent, sweetly blooming with the fragrance of her arousal, remained behind to tantalize Grey’s nostrils.
He dropped back into his chair like a stone, only to have Jakob flutter from his perch and land across from him on the edge of the sofa. The bird’s squawk was eloquent, soft though it was.
“I know, I know. Too much too soon.” Grey stared into the fire. “I couldn’t stop it. Once I saw her, touched her—there was simply no other choice.” He rubbed a hand over his face. “It’s drained me. Drained us. We must rest.”
Another squawk greeted that statement. “No, I mean it. Really rest. We have to sleep. She’s here now, close enough to us for the next step. She’s touched us, been with us, fucked us. Now it’s time to find out if she can dream-wander.”
Grey gritted his teeth and managed to move from his chair to the couch. It still bore the heat of Renny’s body, the soft lingering traces of her perfume. He sighed and settled himself. “I can’t make it to my bed. This will have to do.”
He closed his eyes and tugged a soft blanket across his legs. “Bring her to me, Jakob. If she comes to me, then I shall regain some of my strength by taking hers.” He felt a weak chuckle bubble in his throat. “She might not like it, but I surely will. My little Ren’na’ila is in for some medieval discipline.”
Jakob rattled his wings and made that odd little sound that told Grey his bird was wiping his beak on his perch. He had no idea why Jakob—or any bird for that matter—would do that, but they did. Jakob had never explained the reason behind it, so Grey let it go. And now he took comfort from the familiar noise, since they were both about to go into unfamiliar territory.
It had been so long.
Renny’s dreams had become home to Grey, a place where he could at least play with the object of his desires. Fucking her tonight had been an achievement of historic proportions—the culmination of centuries of foreplay. For “Raven” it was a dream come true at last.
For Grey it was a step along the road to his death.
But he did not care. Nor did he care that should Renny manage to invade his dreams, she would also weaken. She’d had so long to build her psychic muscles, that one night together in his otherworld would scarcely harm her.
Or so he hoped.
It was all part of an overall plan, a pattern of events that had been started so many generations ago and so far away. They would have to return there—to the beginning. If there was to be any chance for them at all, it would be there that they would find it.
But for now, Grey had somewhere more—risky in mind. Somewhere he could explore the darker parts of their relationship. And somewhere he could harvest enough strength to last for these next few days.
Because if he died too soon, all would be lost.
And that would be a really, really bad thing.
*~~*~~*
Renny sank onto her bed in the guest room with a sigh of contentment. She was tired, relaxed and thoroughly fucked out, not to mention a little stiff in an assortment of odd places.
Tonight she really would find those elusive z’s and with a smile on her face she closed her eyes and tumbled happily into the arms of Morpheus. Where she stayed for a while until she began to toss and turn. Groggily, Renny punched her pillow and snuggled back under the tumbled covers. Once more she fell asleep.
Only to dream.
But this time, it was an extraordinary dream, detailed and vivid. And it was so much more than she’d ever imagined a dream could be…
“Here’s the bitch now.”
“Oowwww…” Renny’s knees hit stone with a thud that rattled her eyeballs. If this was a dream then it had some pretty damn realistic effects to go along with it. Tears flooded her eyes and she had to blink them away to look around her.
She was in a shadowed chamber, lit by only a few torches flickering weakly high on grey stone walls. She was on her knees before a dais on which there were two chairs, both occupied.
Behind her somebody held her down, her wrists shackled by hard cuffs linked to a heavy chain that dragged at her shoulders. She felt her hair loose around her and a quick glance told her she wore little more than a torn and dirty tunic of some sort.
“Why not kill her now, my Lord?”
Renny blinked and looked at the woman who sat in one of the two chairs. Her hair was a fiery red, her lips lushly pouting and her body voluptuous. A jeweled neckline barely covered white full breasts, pouring a river of glitter down past a small waist and onto a lap where hips that could kindly be described as “child-bearing” spread comfortably. The woman was staring at Renny with contempt in her gaze. “Or better still, let me do it.”
She turned to the man in the other chair. “Please, my Lord? ‘T’will take no more than an instant. I will be merciful, quick with my knife…” The tiny transparent veil fluttered around the woman’s head as she leaned to her companion. “Then we can retire to my chamber. I find this sort of thing…excites me…”
A white hand caressed the valley between the magnificent breasts and the woman’s tongue flickered across her lips in an invitation that was unmistakable.
But her intended lover did not respond. And as Renny turned her head to look at him, she realized why.
It was Raven—her Raven. And he was staring at her with all the hunger she’d seen in his eyes for so many of their dream nights together. As she watched, he shook off the woman’s arm. “You are too ready to kill, Avrille. Why waste a life? There could be value in it.”
The pout returned. “She is naught but a slave. And a traitorous one at that. She would slice your throat as soon as look at you. I know the type.”
“I’m sure you do.” Wry humor crossed his lips for a moment as he stood, but was wasted on his companion. “Leave us. I shall deal with this woman.”
“But my Lord…”
“Leave us.”
His tone of command left no room for argument and within moments, Renny found herself alone with this version of her dream man—Lord Raven.
He walked around her as she knelt on the cold slab. “You have been accused of being a traitor. Of attempting to collaborate with the enemies of this castle.” His hand drifted to her hair and played with it, letting it fall over her face.
She half
-turned. “Not true.”
A savage jerk on the lock of curls he held brought tears back to her eyes. “I did not give you permission to speak, slave.”
Renny gasped. This felt extremely real. Real enough to make her bite back a cry of pain.
He ignored her, but did release her hair. “I’m advised to dispose of you.” He shrugged. “Not a deed I would willingly do, since I happen to believe that life—all life—matters to somebody, somewhere.” Once again he walked around her as she lowered her gaze, watching his soft leather boots appear and disappear before her eyes. “But I have been presented with sufficient evidence to support the claim that you conspired with my enemies. Fucked your way into the garrison of Lord Seule—perhaps even to his very bed.”
His hand crept from her hair to encompass Renny’s neck—and tightened. “Did you, Ren of the Doves? Did you give away secrets to Raven Castle? Did you spread those white thighs of yours for my enemy? Offer him what should, by rights, belong to me?”
This is just too damn freaky for words. Renny gulped. She had no idea where all this medieval shit was coming from. She didn’t read that many novels, certainly not historical ones, and her archaeology expertise was much earlier than this period. Yet it seemed so detailed, so realistic, that she could well have believed herself at the mercy of some feudal Lord.
One who was, at this moment, gently rocking her back and forth with his hand on her neck. A hand she could sense was quite strong enough to snap her bones like twigs should he so desire.
“I…I…” She struggled for words.
“You may speak, little dove-girl. You tend my dovecots. It seems you may have tended business beyond the birds. Tell me your secrets. I would hear your confession.” His grip on her neck tightened and he drew her up to her feet, turning her so that her face was inches from his chest as he stared down at her, never releasing his hold.
“I have nothing to confess, Lord. I would not betray you or this castle.” Renny devoutly hoped that the woman whose life she’d accidentally stepped into was innocent.
Wandering over her body, Lord Raven’s gaze was hot and dark, caressing her with a look as silky as his black hair. Almost casually he reached for her tunic with his free hand, ripping it from neck to hem and pulling it away from her naked body.
She flinched, but he held her fast, that hand around her throat nearly tight enough to hurt—but not quite.
“Very nice, little dove-girl. Very nice indeed.” He cupped a breast. “You are as white as the doves you care for.” He stroked her skin and teased the nipple. “And as soft.”
She shivered as his thumb continued to flick the sensitive bud. “Thank you, my Lord.” What else did one say to a man who had just stripped one naked in a medieval castle chamber?
His grip on her breast tightened and his thumbnail caught her nipple sharply. “So—I ask again. Did you betray me?”
She winced as he scraped her nipple. A tiny and arousing pain that made her shiver. “No, my Lord. I did not. I would not. I…I could not…”
“We shall see.” He released her breast, his fingers leaving red marks where he’d gripped her so tightly. Stepping back he pulled his own tunic off his body and kicked away his boots. “Perhaps I shall fuck you tonight. I might find out that your body has been well used. What do you say?”
He stripped, leaving Renny with a mouth turned dry and a mind that had blanked out the minute she’d seen his chest. Hewn from slabs of hot marble, he had the muscles of a warrior. It was no stretch of the imagination to see him wielding a mighty sword with ease. His shoulders rivaled a Clydesdale for sheer rippling strength and although Renny had seen Raven in many times and many places, it was as if she was looking at him for the first time tonight.
Nude, he stepped back to her, letting the hairs on his chest brush her nipples. “Oh yes. I think I will fuck you, little dove-girl. But first you will tell me the truth about you and Lord Seule.”
Renny found the chains behind her seized and pulled painfully away, her arms stretched taut backwards and she nearly stumbled as Raven half-dragged her to one wall. There, he lifted the chains, leaving her wrists no option but to follow. Her bonds were secured to a hook above her head and she found herself chained, naked, before him.
The stone was icy cold against her back, but his gaze was fire on the rest of her. And when he picked up a strip of leather, her pussy flooded hotly. What would he do? Would he beat her? Hurt her?
Or would he arouse her, the way he seemed to be able to do with just a look?
His arm lifted, the thong cut through the air with a tiny shriek and she jumped, crying out as the leather slapped firmly around her hip and caught her ass.
Oh God. She shuddered.
Oh God. Please let him do it again…
*~~*~~*
Raven flicked the whip with loving skill, enjoying the sound of the leather as much as the shivers that racked Renny’s flesh. She was there with him, knowing what he might do to her, anticipating it with a need that was inescapable.
He could smell her scent, hot and arousing, as her pussy flowered and shed tears of excitement to dampen her thighs. Jewels of moisture sparkled on the hair between her legs, clear evidence that she was ready and willing for whatever punishment he chose to administer.
Carefully he flicked just beneath one full breast, savoring her moan of pleasure like a goblet of the finest wine. “It’s arousing, isn’t it, little one?” He flicked the other breast. “Like the tongue of a lover, the hard tongue that lies between teeth ready to nip that sweet tit of yours…”
Renny sighed out a broken gasp. “Raven…”
He flicked downwards, caressing more than striking, letting the leather wander where it would on her silky white skin. He watched as tiny red lines bloomed beneath the surface, only to fade away as quickly as they’d risen.
He had his rhythm working now, a steady stream of light blows from her knees up the outside of her thighs to her belly and her breasts, only to return the same way. She was glowing, the blood rushing to the surface of her body, responding to his touch, melting as he heated her with his punishment.
Her hips were moving—an automatic response she probably was unaware of—and he broke his swing to let the thongs lash between her parted thighs and into the shadows of her pussy.
She screamed, a cry of pleasure and pain. “God, Raven…” Her legs spread wide, opening herself, inviting more of the same. “Yesss…oh lord, yesssss…” Her chains clanked and jangled as she begged him to continue.
He obliged, stepping nearer and flicking the leather firmly between her legs. He knew he was catching her clit and her pussy lips—he could see the fire burning behind her gaze. He was arousing her, letting the delicately painful licks of the whip do what another man’s tongue would do. Letting the tiny bolts of lightning he knew were fluttering around her belly awaken a deep desire in her.
She was wet, her juices shining on the soft skin of her inner thighs and turning them to glazed marble. He could smell the tang of her pussy and the sweetness of her sweat—as much of an arousal to him as her nudity and helplessness.
He wanted her, wanted to fuck her hard and long and make her scream out his name. He wanted to ram his cock into her as she crashed against the hard wall and feel her thighs clamp around him as he thrust deep.
And he would do all those things. Very soon.
He stepped to her and grabbed her shoulders, turning her in a quick and rough move to face the wall. “Press your tits into the stone. Feel the cold against you.”
She hesitated a moment too long and he lashed the whip across her buttocks, a blow not tempered by delicacy. She grunted out a smothered cry and moved to the wall, pressing her breasts into the slabs as he’d ordered.
“Good.” Once again he struck her ass, watching with excitement as red lines marked his claiming blows. “I will not harm you.” It was a promise he knew he could make, even though the force behind these lashes was stronger.
“I know.” He
r answer was confident.
Her ass could take it, take the strength of his need. His cock swelled painfully as she pushed her buttocks back toward him, a silent acknowledgement of her ability to withstand whatever he chose to give her. She would not surrender—only acquiesce. Raven understood the difference in that moment. She would give him what she chose to give him, let him do what he chose to do.
It was a collaboration of equals driving down a road to sexual fulfillment.
Or was it?
Raven licked his lips. Perhaps it was time to give his little dove-girl a surprise she wasn’t anticipating. He reached for her hips and pulled them away from the wall, making her slide her ankles apart even more and bend at the waist.
Her luscious ass glowed whitely in the candlelight, the cleft a dark line of shadow between the two rounded globes of her buttocks.
Oh yes. This would be perfect.
Chapter Six
Renny’s brain whirled and jerked with each blow of Raven’s whip. She had no idea this would turn her on like wildfire, but it did—she was so ready to explode into an orgasm that her teeth were thrumming with the force of it.
Her toes curled frantically against the stone floor and when he turned her and forced her breasts into the wall, she had to bite down hard on the inside of her mouth to stop the shudders from erupting.
She didn’t want to surrender until he gave her permission to come. It would be at a time of his choosing if she could hold it back until then. And it would be one helluva gift, too.
The lashes across her ass hurt, but she was so sensitized now to every breath of air, every movement he made, that he probably could have bruised her flesh with a sneeze. She whimpered and writhed, her pussy aching and her sheath empty—waiting, both waiting for the moment when his cock would fill her void.
His hands were rough against her skin as he grabbed her and pulled her away from the wall. She stumbled and almost fell but he held her firmly, positioning her so that her ass was toward him and her arms outstretched within the manacles.
He was going to take her from behind. A rivulet of hot honey trickled from her pussy at the thought. He’d go deep, deep into her darkness, touching places that only he could reach.
