Chapter Six #3
Happiness rose, swelling inside her while he thrust and withdrew, taking his time, despite her urging him to haste. She gasped at his next harder stroke, and gasped again when he reached between them to finger her clit.
“Please what?”
“I need you to…to touch me.” She groaned his teasing strokes. “Yes, yes. Right there.”
He glanced at her, and his breath caressed her face, knocked her equilibrium hard.
A dream. She had to remember even though she was drowning in desire, a little confusion too because she didn’t understand the purpose of these dreams. Part of her was still resisting while the other part of her thrilled to each of Leo’s touches.
“Don’t drift off. Stay with me.” While his voice was harsh, his hands stroked with skill, keeping her on edge.
“I’m here.” Even if she wasn’t sure why.
Her nub pulsed, pleasure spiking sharply. Hungry little noises escaped her throat, and her orgasm exploded through her, taking her like a meteor storm. The spasms hadn’t come close to tailing off when Leo climaxed too. For long seconds, he slumped against her, a heavy weight even in her dreams.
Betrys savored his sweaty body against hers. Any second now, she’d experience a falling sensation, and she’d wake on the floor. The fall explained her bruises, but it never enlightened her as to the lingering soreness between her legs.
Worst of all, she had no idea what the dream meant.
It never changed, never varied.
She arrived in the colorful room to discover Leo waiting for her. They made love, and soon after she climaxed, she’d find herself back in her room.
A burst of pain had her jerking away, and with a groan, she picked herself up off the bungalow floor. She glanced at her deck of oracle cards and sighed while she rubbed her aching hipbone.
Reading her cards shed no light on her dreams, and nothing changed. Nothing. She was still Iseult’s instrument, the one that would send Leo to his death should Iseult ever learn he was still alive.
Betrys gave up eating her dinner of figus fish, shredded greens, and redmatoes. Even the signature dessert, the pavlova, tasted like dirt in her mouth, but she made a mental note to tell Ricci about the dish. He would have eaten her unfinished meal without difficulty.
“Excuse me,” she said to the women at her table, and she headed outside for her usual walk. She stood aside for two Tigrus women dressed in their best sexy outfits.
“Did you see the blond man, long hair, big, big…shoulders?” The Tigrus’s amusement came out chuff, chuff, chuff.
“No, no, no. I too busy ogling the two duplicates. I couldn’t tell one from the other.”
Betrys scowled down at her robe and wished it was pink rather than white so she’d blend better with the plants and trees. Her cheeks heated when she heard the Tigrus women’s chuff, chuff, chuff again, this time at her expense.
On reaching the beach, she stooped to remove her shoes and ambled along the damp sand in bare feet.
If Corrin hadn’t died during the war, her life would’ve been different.
And her parents and younger sister who’d all succumbed when dissidents ransacked their house for food and valuables.
If she hadn’t lost them as well, she wouldn’t have stumbled into Iseult’s skillful trap.
If only. If only.
A lot of people had lost family during the war on Petros, and many of the refugees had ended up in Dalcon city, desperate for jobs, for food, and shelter. Some of them were reduced to begging in the market.
At least she had a roof over her head and plentiful food, even if she was essentially a prisoner.
Even though Iseult kept threatening to harm Ricci, the truth was she had the luxury of time.
Ricci wasn’t old enough, and even Iseult never stooped to assault minors.
But when Ricci came of age, things would change.
Betrys knew this as well as she knew her last name.
Iseult didn’t pay her enough to buy her way out, not until this latest astonishing offer.
A cash bonus.
Her son versus Leo or one of his siblings or friends.
Goddess, she hated herself, yet she had to save her son, save herself. She couldn’t worry about the man.
She sighed hard. Hindsight was such a bloody thing.
Maybe she should have stuffed her pride in the depths of her robe pockets and offered her body in exchange for money to live.
At least it was an honest living. In her present position, she offered her soul and in the future, her son would become part of the deal.
A pained cry escaped. If she had her life over, she’d do things differently.
A grunt came from behind, and she whirled to see a black cat loping after her. It skidded to a halt and rubbed against her legs. The creature seemed to have taken a liking to her and followed her around all day.
If it weren’t for Iseult, she might have tried to purchase the feline because her son would adore having a pet.
“Where have you been, kitty-cat?”
The creature lifted its head and stared at her with bright-green eyes. Her heart skipped a beat. Leo had green eyes of almost the exact shade.
She put on a burst of speed as if trying to outrun her turmoil. She’d dreamed of Leo yet again. A whoosh of heat bloomed in her face. Goddess. Her dreams still held the power to embarrass her and shove warmth to her cheeks.
They taunted her since she’d never have Leo in that manner.
Leo belonged to Iseult.
She came to her favorite spot and settled on the grassy patch that overlooked the beach and the rush of the green waves during the solar day. While she had picked at her dinner, darkness had fallen and strategic colored lights lit her way.
The cat sprawled beside her, seemingly content to doze while she tried to hide from her conscience.
Leo.
She hadn’t seen him, although he had to be here somewhere.
Tomorrow, she’d ask at reception, spin them a story about meeting him on Dalcon.
Despite her abhorrence, the truth was she had no alternatives.
Time to start her gruesome task. A sour taste in her mouth had her swallowing.
Once. Twice. It did nothing to relieve the bitterness or halt the uneasy heaving in her belly.
Tomorrow, she’d attempt to sign up one of the Mitchell brothers. If they refused, she’d turn her attention to a male relative.
She stood abruptly and hurried to her bungalow, desperate to jump into the sanitizer to bathe the unclean sensation from her skin.
Then, once she was spotless, she’d take a potion so she could sleep throughout the night, undisturbed by the vivid dreams of Leo plunging into her receptive body.
Betrys flung open her door and let the big cat inside, since the creature seemed determined to enter.
She slammed the door shut and unfastened the woven cream belt that secured her robe in place.
Nimble fingers pulled the clips from her hair and let it topple down her back.
She stepped out of her robe and left it in a heap on the tiled floor.
Purify. She needed to wash her skin to get rid of this itchiness. A pity she couldn’t scrub her mind too.
“Water medium-hot.” She stood in the sanitizer for ages, hot steam and a fine spray pounding her skin. Yet no matter how high she ordered the temperature, or how long she stood there, she couldn’t seem to get clean.
Finally, she switched the unit to dry. Naked, she wandered to her sleep-bed. The cat rested on the end and lifted its head on her entry to the bedroom. Its green gaze seemed to drill inside her—her imagination working overtime for sure, but she gave an uneasy laugh.
“I bet you lead an uncomplicated life. Sleeping, eating and playing on the beach. I wish I were a cat like you, then I wouldn’t be stuck in this impossible situation.”
The cat’s gaze followed her as she pulled a tonic from the storage drawer containing her few belongings.
After shaking the bottle, she opened it and drank the contents before pulling back the covers and crawling into the sleep-bed.
Blissful sleep, free of Leo dreams and thoughts of Iseult. Her wants were small.
Leo watched her toss and turn and gradually succumb to the liquid she’d drunk. An uncomplicated life. Huh, she’d tossed him into a hellish existence, one full of pain and nightmares.
He shifted and went to the door to retrieve the clothes and his com-circle he’d hidden before he’d gone to find her. His scar started to ache, and he massaged his stomach with his free hand.
“I’m ready, Saber. She’s out. Drugged herself with some sort of sleeping tonic, which makes things easy for me.
” Leo stalked to the bed and poked her side with his finger, grunting when she didn’t stir.
“I doubt she’ll surface for hours. Meet you at the shuttle.
” He disconnected the call and scooped Betrys off the bed.
At the last minute, he grabbed the sheet.
She wouldn’t need clothes where they were going.
Five minutes later, he met Saber at the shuttle. He’d carried Betrys through the resort and not a single person had attempted to stop him. They thought it was a game or some sort of role-playing and smiled and wished him good luck.
“Is she still out?” Saber asked.
“Yeah. She hasn’t stirred.”
“Are you sure about this?”
“I haven’t changed my mind.”
Saber opened the shuttle door so Leo could strap Betrys into a seat. “I asked Scarlett to do some last-minute research on her. There was no information on the computer. Nothing except her place of residence and the fact she works for a woman called Iseult Orna.”
Leo nodded.
“Is that it?” Saber demanded. “Doesn’t that strike you as strange? Everyone has a history of some sort. Scarlett can find anything, yet not on this woman.”
“It doesn’t worry me.”
“Do you know more about her?”
“No,” Leo said.
Saber cursed before climbing into the pilot’s seat. He waited for Leo to strap into the seat beside him. “Three nights. I’ll ping your com-circle when I’m about to land to pick you up or you can contact me earlier if you change your mind.”
“I won’t change my mind.” Not in a million years.
The woman was getting off easy, but maybe after he’d finished with her she’d think twice before snaring another man in her trap.
Soon she’d know the fear, the sense of helplessness, experience a taste of the pain that came with forced sex.
And he’d make sure she knew the shame of experiencing pleasure in the encounter, despite willing it otherwise.
Reality wouldn’t resemble his weird-ass dreams. His mind’s method of coping with his ordeal, yet it didn’t explain the way he woke afterward, feeling the throb of well-used muscles. He shoved the thought away, having no traction with stupid dreams. They meant nothing.
“I wasn’t going to tell you much more about your destination, but Eva told me I should give you the basics.”
“You listen to your wife?”
“I love her,” Saber said, not rising to his taunt. “And she’s wise beyond her years.”
“All right. What’s so incredible about this place? I know you and Eva sneak away there for privacy.”
Saber grinned. “We have the best sex there.”
Leo shot his brother a look of censure. “I don’t want to hear about your sex life.”
Saber’s grin widened, and it took years off his face. While Leo wasn’t happy with his life, it pleased him to see the pleasure Saber and Felix took in their mates.
“While the village appears uninhabited, it is in fact inhabited by an incorporeal race. They feed on sexual energy, and this fuel makes them visible if they wish. They’re very appreciative of any efforts on our part to feed them and are generous in return.”
“You’re shittin’ me.”
Saber shook his head. “Not this time.”
“So they watch you have sex and absorb the energy from the act?”
“That’s what I said.”
Leo eyed his brother, and although he grinned, he didn’t swerve from the facts of his tale.
“Don’t believe me? You’ll see for yourself.”
Leo sank into his own thoughts and stared out the shuttle window to the darkness of the land below.
“If you leave the ruins of the village for any reason, make sure you watch for those big birds. We haven’t seen any near the village, but take precautions.”
“I’m not gonna argue,” Leo said. “Those birds are scary.”
“There’s the village to the right.”
Leo glanced in the direction his brother pointed and frowned at the lights. “I thought you said it appears deserted.”
“They always seem to sense our intention to visit and prepare for us.” Saber landed the shuttle and waited while Leo retrieved Betrys. “I’ll show you the way.”
Leo carried Betrys with little trouble. She was a tiny thing and could do with more weight on her bones. Not that he cared. Their break together would be a one-off. The woman was probably frigid and nothing like the passionate woman who stalked his dreams.
Saber opened the door to a scruffy-looking building and stood aside for Leo to pass. Instantly, soft light filled the interior, and Leo gaped, almost dropping Betrys in his shock.
This was the room from his dreams.
“Does it always look this way?” he asked.
“No.” Saber blinked and turned in a slow circle to take in the bright hues. “During our visits, the room is full of pale colors, yet it feels cozy. All this vivid color reminds me of a sultan’s tent.”
“Greetings, friend,” a masculine yet musical voice said.
“Caspar, this is my brother, Leo.” Saber grinned. “He’s brought a friend with him and intends to stay for three nights.”
“You are welcome, brother of Saber,” the masculine voice replied. “We prosper under your care and thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Saber turned to Leo. “Three nights. I’ll be back early on the fourth day to pick you up. If you need anything, contact me with your com-circle or ask your hosts for help. They are very hospitable, especially if you please them.”