Emerald Dungeon (2 page)

After working in a security company for thirteen years, force of habit had her

scanning the castle walls for security cameras or spotlights. No cameras, minimal

lighting, no motion sensors. She hoped the park had a better system in place inside,

considering the castle was supposed to have fifteenth- and sixteenth-century

furnishings.

Why did the castle have to be closed today? Just her luck. She walked up the

drawbridge and tried the door and sure enough it was locked.
Crap.
Maybe it wasn’t so easy to break into a castle.

Walking around the building, she ran her hand along the rough stone. Five

hundred years old. What would it have been like to live here centuries ago? What was it going to be like to entertain here? She hadn’t practiced in over two weeks since she’d 10

Emerald Dungeon

shipped her harp. Even though the audiences for the dinner shows would be small, her

stomach knotted up as if she was about to perform at a huge symphony hall.

She was three-quarters around the building when she discovered a small alcove

and a wooden service door at the end of the narrow walkway. Dana tried this door and

it opened. She shook her head.
Very poor security
. She should mention this to Jack and make some recommendations while she was here.

A narrow curved stairway led up. The castle was huge and she preferred to know

the layout of the place since the first show would be in a couple of days. One flight up opened onto a great hall. A few tapestries hung on the walls between giant windows

and heavy dark chairs and one table took up one wall. They’d need more tables to seat guests. There must be another room.

Dana crossed the hall to another doorway that led to a different stairway and was

about to climb, when she saw a flickering glow from the darkness below.
Fire?
Could the castle be on fire? Wiring or the furnishings could be. She trotted down the circular stone stairs.

Darkness crept in around her except for the golden, flickering light from the

basement. Walking through another doorway, she thought she heard voices but she

wasn’t sure. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up.

As she rounded a stone partition, the room brightened. Flames flickered within a

half dozen wrought iron sconces, a fire burned in a small stone fireplace. The room

smelled of sweet burning wood and damp stone. At the far wall two people hovered in

shadows. Dana remained in her circle of darkness at the bottom of the stairs, unable to take her eyes away from the sight.

The woman was naked, her wrists and ankles bound with straps that hung from the

ceiling. Her arms and legs were spread wide in a V shape. As Dana took a closer look, she saw the woman was cradled in a narrow hammock rigging that supported her back

and bottom. Her pussy and anus lay open wide and metal clamps were attached to her

nipples. Dana winced at the distended tips protruding from the tight clamps. The

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woman was also wearing a blindfold. The other person, wearing a hooded robe, was

male. She could tell by his bare legs and feet. His back was facing Dana.

A rush of heat, then cold crept through her. Wrapping her arms around her waist,

her first instinct was to escape and call for help. Then she stepped back and searched for a weapon, planning to do some damage to the guy if the woman needed help. Instead,

Dana froze at the bottom of the stairs. Attacking this man was not a good idea if the woman was a willing participant. She would watch long enough to make sure the

woman was okay.

There were people who got into this kinky stuff. Why this woman would allow this

man to do these things, Dana couldn’t fathom. “More, slave?” the man in the robe asked the woman.

The woman nodded. “Yes, Master, if it pleases you.” His fingers stroked the narrow

thatch of dark hair between her legs, avoiding the glistening folds of her pussy. The woman squirmed and tried lifting her hips.

Dana managed to breathe in teaspoon-sized portions of air. People did this for fun?

It didn’t look like fun. Was the woman in trouble? Should she stop this? Go for help?

Move, dammit
.

“You want me to touch your clit, don’t you?”

The woman whimpered and arched her back. “Yes Sir.”

“But I hadn’t given you permission to move.” He continued to tease her, his fingers

trailing along her inner thighs, across her ass and back up to the thatch of hair.

The woman moaned in pleasure. “No Sir. You didn’t. I forgot.”

His hand moved to her breast and adjusted the nipple clamps until she let out a

little yelp and sharp intake of breath. “I’ll have to punish you for forgetting.”

“Yes Sir.”

He swung a flogger in the air several times. The woman’s chest rose and fell quickly

as if anticipating the blows that would come. Dana held her breath. The robed man

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struck her ass and she cried out and jerked against her bindings. Her feet pointed and legs tried to spread wider.

“Yes, Master, again. Please.”

Biting her lip, Dana clamped a hand over her mouth. Good lord, the woman
was

enjoying this.

“Not just yet. You’re being an ornery slave today.” He chuckled as the flogger

swatted her bottom and the underside of her thighs.

Dana’s blood chilled with the sharp crack of leather hitting the woman’s bare skin.

As he hit her again and again, the woman slumped in her restraints, her head hung to

one side. He approached her and brushed her long dark hair from her face and kissed

her forehead tenderly. Whimpering, the woman leaned into the kiss. Dana stared at the couple shamelessly. She should leave quietly but couldn’t pull herself away.

“Good,” he said. “You ready for more?”

The woman nodded and leaned into his hand. He walked over to the wall and

pulled an object out of a tote bag then came back to the woman.

“You remember the safe signals with a gag?”

“Yes, Master. Three quick grunts or open and close my hands.”

“Yes.” He bent down to kiss her. “Now open.” A ball gag was secured in her

mouth. He tied the straps around the back of her head. Now the woman couldn’t

scream if she needed to.

Dana was unable to shout or run. Should she trust this man or do something?

“You’re such a pain slut, my love.” The man stroked her hair then he swung the

flogger in a circle. Turning to the side, the man faced Dana, and she noticed his robe was open. He was naked underneath. His hard cock jutted out from the draped fabric.

“I think you like pain as much as coming.”

The woman made a mewling sound as she nodded.

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“You want to come, don’t you?” His hand slipped between her legs, then he

plunged a finger inside her.

She nodded and moaned, trying to raise her hips.

“No, stay,” he ordered, pulling his hand away. He then swung the flogger and

swatted straight across her breasts.

The woman gave a yelp as much as she could with a gag in her mouth.

Dana bit her lip as heat flowed through her followed by a throbbing in her pussy.

Lord, she was wet and getting turned on by this. The man lapped at the woman’s

clamped nipples, then took a swollen tip between his teeth. The woman jerked against

her restraints. “Too painful?” he asked.

She shook her head and arched her back, offering her breasts to him. He bit harder

this time and the woman cried out beneath the gag. Dana’s nipples hardened too and

her pussy was sopping. How could she stand that kind of torture and appear to beg for more?

“Are you ready to be fucked?” he asked as his hand dipped down to her slit.

She nodded, writhing in her restraints.

“I’m going to fuck you, but I want to taste you first.”

The woman let out a groan and looked up at her right hand. She had her pinky

finger sticking up. He looked up. “You’re signaling you’re on the edge?”

She nodded.

“Good. I’ll go slow.” He cracked the flogger in the air. The sound made the woman

and Dana jump. “But don’t come until I give you permission. I still wish to taste you so you must remain in control.”

The woman nodded slightly and whimpered. Stroking her breasts, the man then

moved his hand lower, circling her pussy. His mouth positioned between her legs and

Dana could see he was blowing across her clit and labia. The woman groaned. Dana

held her hand over her mouth.

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Obviously, these were lovers, strange as it was, and she needed to get out of there

before they saw her. Slowly, she took a step back and another, but somehow managed

to trip over her own feet in the darkness. Stumbling, she fell back against the wall. The movement and noise caught the man’s attention. He jerked his head toward her.

Taking a step closer, he frowned and studied her for a moment. He didn’t make any

move to hide his cock or the flogger he held out at his side. Sliding the hood back off his head, he let the robe hang off his shoulders, giving her a view of his face and body.

Straight black hair fell past his shoulders. Dark, intense eyes lingered on her breasts, then he locked his gaze with hers with an intimidating smile. “You like to watch, I can tell.”

The woman hanging from the straps moaned.

“It’s all right. We have a visitor, my love, but I don’t think she means any harm.”

His eye narrowed. “Do you?”

Dana shook her head. “No. I saw a light. I thought it might be a fire.” As if that

explained why she was in the castle when it was closed to the public.

“Except you pulled my lady out of her sub space.” His smile was grim. “Never

interrupt a session.”

She wasn’t sure what he was talking about. “I didn’t mean to disturb you. I wanted

to make sure…” She was going to say make sure the woman wasn’t tied up against her

will, but she’d figured that out the first minute. Then why hadn’t she left sooner?

“That something ominous wasn’t going on here?” He laughed. “I can see your

nipples through the bra. You like to watch. It’s in your eyes too. My lady likes to be watched. You can stay if you wish, but you can’t interfere and you must remove your

clothes.”

The throbbing in her pussy was almost painful at the thought of his suggestion. Her

panties were soaking wet. This was turning her on, and scaring the hell out of her too.

“I think I’ll go. Sorry to disturb you.”

He looked annoyed. “Suit yourself.”

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She backed up the spiral stone steps. As soon as she couldn’t see him anymore, she

turned and ran the rest of the way. Running across the main hall on the first floor, she found the door to the outside, yanked it open and raced toward the front of the castle where her car was parked.

A fine misty rain cooled her heated face but her body was on fire. She kept glancing

behind her, expecting to see the naked man in the black, hooded robe chasing her. As

she came around the front turret, she crashed into him.

Dana screamed and tried taking several steps back. Strong, muscular arms enclosed

her.

“Easy now, miss. Are you all right?”

She looked up into calm, blue eyes that held concern, not the intense annoyance of

the man in the castle’s dungeon. “Let go of me.” She pushed at his chest. Despite the cool air, he wore a short-sleeved shirt that showed off decent-sized biceps.

He released her and she took a step back. “You running from a ghost?” the guy

asked, smiling. Not the man in the black, hooded robe. He was taller, his hair shorter and he was wearing jeans, not a robe, thank God.

She held a hand to her chest while she sucked in air, trying to catch her breath.

“Who the hell are you? You scared the daylights out of me.”

“I’m Jack.”

“Jack Murray?”

He nodded, smiling with a glint of mischief in his eyes. “And you are…”

He was much better-looking than she’d imagined him. During months of email

she’d made her own fantasy image. Thick, dark hair was combed back but a wavy lock

fell low over his brow. He was a few inches taller than she was and about the same age.

“I’m Dana. I just got here.”

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“Dana, hello.” His eyebrows went up. “Got here. From where?” He was giving her

an odd look, probably trying to figure out what she was doing running from behind the castle.

She hesitated. Glancing over her shoulders, she half expected to see the naked guy,

robe flowing behind him as he chased after her. Her heart still pounded.

Jack looked past her as if he too expected to see someone.

“Dublin. I drove in from Dublin.” She’d rather get as far away from the castle right

now. What if that guy came out and saw her? But Jack was the one who’d hired her or

recommended her for the job. She took a deep breath and let the air out slowly, willing herself to relax. She glanced back again. If the robed guy was chasing her, he would’ve been out by now.

She turned back and met Jack’s eyes and her stomach did a twirl. Actually, he was

damn hot, no question there. God, she didn’t need the inconvenience of a summer fling, not that he’d be interested. Even if he was, it wasn’t worth the trouble or pain. Imagine the awkward moment when she had to return to the states.

“Something wrong,” Jack asked.

“No, I’m fine.”

He gave her a look of disbelief and the corner of his mouth quirked in a grin.

“Did the other harpist have her baby?” she asked.

“Don’t think so.”