Chapter 50
The forest becomes a blur as I dart between trees, their gnarled roots and low-hanging branches mere obstacles in a game that’s suddenly all too real. My breath comes in ragged gasps, the cool night air sharp in my lungs, but I push myself harder, driven by apprehension and anticipation.
Behind me, the night is quiet except for the sound of air rushing past my ears. I strain to hear any signs of Xavier moving through the darkness. He’s not just following me.
He’s hunting me.
The occasional rustle of leaves or the snap of a twig heightens the tension streaming through me.
This isn’t like the Bride Hunt. This time, I want to be caught. Well, my body does. My mind isn’t sure that submitting to Xavier is the wisest decision. And my heart… is confused by what he makes me feel. By the things he makes me yearn for.
I weave through the trees, my heart beating unsteadily, the pain in my knuckles forgotten. Every shadow that moves causes adrenaline to flood me until every sense is heightened and my skin tingles with the sensation of being watched.
I swear I can almost feel him closing in, his steps measured and silent, a ghost in the night. Until he catches me. Then he’ll be completely flesh and blood.
Suddenly, he’s there, staring at me through his mask. He emerges from the trees with a grace that belies his size. He doesn’t grab me, doesn’t try to stop me. Instead, he matches my pace, running alongside me.
I flip him off and take off, pushing my body to the breaking point. My breaths are short, sharp bursts, and each one has pain streaking through my chest. Dots appear in my vision, and I rapidly blink them away.
Unsure if I’m successful in my getaway, I chance a look over my shoulder. The absence of his presence throws me off-kilter. I slow to a jog, glancing around, wondering if I’ve lost him or if he’s given up the chase.
Until he wraps his arms around me from behind. My scream bounces off the trees, getting lost in the night. The thrill and surprise of being caught are quick to wear off when he drags me backwards.
This is a test of wills between predator and prey, where the lines are blurred and the outcome is uncertain. Does he really plan on fucking me, or was that an empty threat to scare me into obedience?
I dig my heels into the ground, losing one shoe and then the other. My struggle doesn’t deter Xavier in the slightest. He continues taking me to an unknown destination.
Until the ceremonial altar comes into view.
I fight him with everything I have, my movements fueled by a panic brought on by my past experience in this place… and the arousal building at his domineering touch.
Xavier tightens his grip, and I thrash harder. He growls and flips me around to face him, his hand gripping my wrist. Still, I struggle.
“Let go.”
When he doesn”t answer me, I try to hit him again. My fist connects with his shoulder, but he doesn’t loosen his hold. He grabs the back of my neck and pulls me close, his body pressing into mine.
“You played the game and lost,” he says. “Now be a good girl and let me fuck you.”
Xavier pushes me until the backs of my thighs hit the altar. He grabs my waist and lifts me up to set me on the stone, his gaze hot and hungry. My heart is a violent thunderstorm, the blood pounding through my veins. I’m both frightened and turned on by the intensity in his gaze, by the way his breathing has deepened.
Faster than I can blink, he grabs my throat and slams my back onto the flat surface, the air whooshing from my lungs. Before I can draw breath, he crawls on top of me and straddles me, his knees on either side of my hips, his face inches above mine. I have no idea what to expect, and he gives me no time to contemplate the possibilities.
He snaps a manacle in place.
My breath hisses between my teeth, and I tug against the restraint. “Take this off.”
He answers me by securing my other wrist. I lie on the cold stone, staring up at the man responsible for my current situation.
Xavier leans over me. “This is supposed to be a consequence, but I don’t think you’ll feel that way by the end.”
He removes a knife from his pocket, the blade glinting in the moonlight. My muscles clench as he trails the tip along my lace bodice, his gaze locked on mine, his other hand still on my throat. With a flick of his wrist, the blade slices through the delicate material.
He uses the knife’s edge to peel back the fabric, and I gasp as the cold air hits my newly exposed skin. My nipples harden under his gaze, and I squeeze my thighs together to ease the ache building inside me. He continues running the knife over my dress, slicing through the layers until I’m in nothing except my bra and panties.
“Those are pretty,” he says.
I hold my breath as Xavier traces patterns on my skin with the tip of the knife. But he never breaks the skin. He’s playing with me, using my fear to heighten my arousal.
It’s working.
Finally, he cuts through the remaining scraps of lace covering me and tosses them onto the ground. He sets the knife down next to me and runs his hand over my bare skin, his eyes on mine, his pupils contracting with lust.
I can’t breathe. My breasts are heavy, aching for his attention. My pussy flutters, wanting to be stroked, to be filled. He’s got me craving things I never imagined.
He drags his fingers down my stomach, over my clit, and along my pussy. I can picture him smiling behind his mask when he finds the dampness between my legs.
“You’re so fucking wet for me.”
He eases down my body, and I spread my thighs in invitation. It’s not begging, but it’s close.
“If I don’t stretch you, you won’t be able to take me,” he says.
Xavier slides his finger inside, up to the first knuckle. I stiffen at the new sensation. He doesn’t stop, just continues forward, until the heel of his palm is flush with my pussy.
“Fuck,” he says. “You’re going to kill me.”
I can’t get the words out to ask why because he starts moving his finger in and out, caressing the inside of me. I close my eyes and arch my back, my hips following the rhythm of his hand.
He adds a second finger and scissors them, stretching me further than before. He continues adding more force and power with every thrust. The chains on my wrists rattle in time to his movements.
“You like that?” he asks.
I open my eyes to look up at him and nod.
“Use your words, Delilah.”
“Yes.”
I moan when he hits a particularly sensitive spot inside me. My orgasm builds quickly, jolts of pleasure skittering through my body. The sensation becomes more intense with each passing moment, as does my desperation for relief.
“Xavier, faster.”
“Not yet, pretty girl. We’re just getting started.”
His words are the only warning I receive before he inserts a third finger. I freeze until he starts fucking me with them. Of their own accord, my hips buck. His fingers are relentless, but he never increases his pace like I want.
“I need…” I say between pants. “More.”
He lifts his head and withdraws his fingers from me. I stifle a groan of frustration. He’s the one who has my body under his control, leaving me helpless to do anything except follow his orders. He’s unraveling me, destroying my will with every touch and every kiss.
“Are you ready to beg, little raptor?”