Chapter 36
DAHLIA
Fuck it. I down another glass of cherry wine the second I’m far enough from Tauren that he can’t stop me.
It’s my fourth, maybe fifth, glass, and it goes down easier than the others.
It douses my nerves along with that awful voice in the back of my mind that seems to be getting louder by the minute:
You’re leaving tonight.
You’re going home to Father.
Tauren will forget about you the moment you’re gone.
When the servants brought in a tray of sparkling wine while we were getting changed into our costumes, I drank the first glass within minutes, then downed both Eden’s and Blossom’s. Anything to not think about the carriage that’ll be waiting for us. The carriage I know I have to be in.
Like my sisters said, I can’t stay married to the monster who kidnapped me.
No matter how much I may want for him to break down that carriage door and kidnap me all over again.
“May I take your glass, Your Highness?” I almost stumble into a servant carrying a tray of crystal wine glasses.
“Yes please.” I drop my empty glass onto her tray and help myself to another full one.
The servant’s eyes widen. But before I can tell her to mind her own business, the real reason her eyes are so wide slides up behind me.
“I told you no more wine, my love.” His voice rumbles through me. “Are you trying to test me?”
“I’m thirsty. Dancing is hard work.” I bring the glass to my lips, but he swipes it out of my hand before I can take a sip.
“Then allow my staff to bring you something other than wine.” He waves his fingers at the servant, who dips her head politely. Before she can leave, I snatch up another glass and down it in seconds.
The wine slides down my throat like juice. “I can drink what I like.” I slam the new empty glass onto the servant’s tray. “If you want something other than wine, go drink it yourself.”
Tauren’s smirk turns dangerous enough that my shoulders droop.
“You’re right, sweetheart. You can drink what you like.
” His fingers brush my neck, curling around my throat.
“But it won’t change how I treat you tonight.
” He drags me towards him, kissing my forehead.
My breath catches. “If you want me to take you while you’re drunk out of your mind then I will,” he purrs.
“Makes it all the more easier for me to take what I want from you.”
I push away from him, stumbling enough that he has to catch me by my elbow. “I’m going to see Tamryn.” I dive through the party crowds, ignoring the heat of his gaze on the back of my neck.
Half an hour and several more glasses of cherry wine later, I’m lying on the grass behind Tamryn’s easel, babbling at her while she paints.
“And then she found out Father had auctioned her off to Prince Orion, and so she had to kill him and then fake her own death, and that’s why my eldest sister now lives with an assassin! Isn’t that insane?”
Tamryn nods, smiling at me while she dips her brush into her palette. She does that a lot now. Smiling. I’ve never seen someone look so happy without using any words at all.
I’m about to ask her how she’s doing when she lifts the parchment from her easel and spins it around to show me.
My hands clap over my mouth. “Tamryn!” I wobble to my feet, squealing giddily. “You painted me!” I grasp the parchment, careful not to smudge the wet paint.
The girl in the painting looks just like me, with her hair in the same swan-feather-decorated bun and wearing the same fluffy white tutu. She’s mid-leap on a stage that looks just like the one Tauren set up for us tonight.
“You’re so talented!” I grin.
She bites down on a smile, blushing. When I try to hand the painting back, she waves her hands, gesturing at me.
“You want me to keep it?” I gasp. “Are you sure? It’s so beautiful.”
She nods, and I can’t help my squeal. I throw my arms around her, tears blurring my vision.
“I’ll miss you so much,” I whisper after a few long moments.
When I pull away, her brow is furrowed. But before I can explain that I’ll be leaving soon, my feet are swept out from beneath me.
The world flips over. Two arms carry me bridal-style as I’m held against a warm chest.
I grab my painting before it flutters to the grass.
“How many glasses has she had, Tamryn?” a lovely voice asks.
The girl shrugs, holding up her hands like she’s showing off her fingers. All ten of them.
I giggle. She has nice fingers.
My captor sighs as if I just said that last part out loud. “Thank you for keeping an eye on her. Will you lay her painting somewhere to dry? I’ll see to it that she gets it tomorrow.”
Tamryn nods, taking my painting. She passes me a little wave, and I wave back. Then I’m being carried away from the party and towards the looming, dark castle.
“My husband is going to kill you.” I snuggle against my captor’s chest.
“Will he now?” he chuckles, stroking my thigh with his fingers. The moon disappears behind a ceiling of stone. We’re walking through the castle, I think, but my eyelids are so heavy it’s hard to stay awake.
“Open your eyes, sweetheart.”
I don’t want to. I try to roll over, but my wrists catch on something along with my feet. Groaning, I ease my eyelids apart. But then they snap open.
I’m in a dingy room, completely naked, my thighs spread wide in front of me. My ankles are bound to two separate chain loops, holding my legs in the air. My wrists are bound either side of my shoulders while my back arches against some kind of bench.
It looks like a torture device, except the only torture I feel is the needy throbbing between my hips.
It doesn't take me long to figure out why. Two horns peek up from between my thighs as his tongue drags over my centre, over and over again. Someone moans. It’s me. A desperate whimper flies up my throat, and I squirm against my bindings. Stars close in on my vision.
“You will not come.” His magic steals my orgasm before it crashes over me.
“Are you out of your mind?” I pant.
Pain whips across my clit. My head tips back as I bite down a cry.
“You forget yourself, pet.”
Whimpering, I glance down to see Tauren standing between my thighs. He’s not holding his usual favourite riding crop. Instead, he holds a black whip with nine leather tails.
“Do not make me strike you again,” he growls, letting the tails of the whip stroke my sex.
I nod breathlessly, but my tingling entrance is already craving another strike.
“Where are we?” I whisper. I need to get it together.
Smirking, he places a large hand on my abdomen. “My personal dungeon. Do you like it?”
I blink the heaviness from my eyes and look around the room. We’re in some kind of cell. There are bars on one wall, while the rest seem to be made from packed dirt. The only light comes from the wall sconces outside. And there’s a musty smell, like we’re underground. “Are we under the castle?”
“Yes, little monster.” He strokes his thumb against my belly. “And we’ll stay here until I’m finished with you.” He lowers himself to kiss my breasts.
My head spins, and I let it fall back against the bench. “D-did you drug me again?” I rasp through my dizziness.
He laughs. “You drugged yourself with all that wine you drank at the party. I told you to stop drinking, but you wouldn’t listen to me, and now look where it’s gotten you.” He tips my chin down to look at him, but I can’t see straight. “Helpless thing,” he tuts.
“A gentleman would help me into bed and leave me there,” I snarl.
“My darling, a gentleman is the last type of man a wicked thing like you needs.” He smirks, then swipes a stray hair from my face.
It’s no longer in a ballet bun. He must’ve taken my hair out while undressing me.
I try not to think about what else he did while I was passed out. The thoughts make my sex throb.
“Tauren…” I plead.
“Shh.” He presses a finger to my lips while his other hand slides between my thighs. I can’t help but moan as he pushes two fingers inside me. “I know what you want, Dahlia.”
I squirm pointlessly against my bindings. “And what is that?” I whimper as he cups my cheek.
“You want something more than just love from a husband.”
My lips part. “What?”
“You want someone to care for you.” He strokes my walls.
“Intimately.” He kisses my forehead. “You don’t want to be controlled, but you want someone who can control you, who can discipline you when you desire to be disciplined.
” He slides his fingers from my sex, and I whimper needily.
“You want someone to praise you when you’ve been good.
” His voice darkens. “And you want someone who isn’t afraid to punish you when you’ve been bad.
And let’s face it, sweetheart, you love being bad. ”
I feel the whip teasing my entrance again. He brushes it over my folds, towards my clit.
“Tell me I’m right, little monster.”
I nod, without thinking. “Yes.” I moan as he teases my clit. “You’re right.” There’s no point hiding it, he can see it in my hardened nipples, the flush on my cheeks.
He watches my body, smirking. “I’m going to punish you now, sweet thing, for running away from me after our wedding.
” Excitement flutters through me. “You’ve known this was coming so I can only assume you drank so much tonight because you wanted me to treat you like the helpless fuckdoll you’ve let yourself become.
” His fingers slide lazily over my entrance.
“That will be your punishment. Do you understand?” He swats my clit, and I gasp.
“I’m going to use your pretty body however I desire and you’re going to let me. ”
I nod. “Yes. Please.”
He grins in a way that makes my belly flip. “There’s my good girl.”
Warmth tingles through me. He leaves my side for mere seconds while my arms hang limply from their bindings. When he returns, I don’t see what he does, but I feel it. Something thick and cold slides shamefully easily into my entrance.
I moan. My back arches as he pushes it into place. Its wide base covers my sex. “What… is that?” I rasp.