0748469001330321113 slavetoherdesires jillmyles (8 page)

The possessive heat in his voice made my heart thump. ―David,‖ I said, resisting the urge to blush. I felt like a schoolgirl again in his presence – no, like the young, relatively innocent demimondaine I had been back in 1889. Trained in the arts of the bedroom but sheltered at everything else. ―You are not familiar with this time. Many, many things change in a hundred years—―

―Sweet Olivia,‖ he said softly, leaning in toward me. His hand brushed my cheek, caressing my jaw, his gaze on my face. He leaned in, as if unable to resist the pull of my body. ―I have learned over my very long, sometimes painfully
boring
life that not that much changes in a hundred years.‖

―And are you bored now?‖ I couldn‘t resist asking.

He leaned so close that his mouth was almost on mine, and I felt a flush of heat shimmer through my body. ―I am never bored in your presence, Olivia.‖

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And he leaned in and kissed me. A gentle kiss, his mouth coaxing mine open. After a moment, I responded, rewarded with the stroke of his tongue against mine. A delicious heat began to unfurl in my body—

Someone knocked on the car window, interrupting us. We broke apart, and I looked up to see Noah standing outside the car, his face grim.

―Will they let us stay?‖ David asked.

―Yes, and no,‖ Noah said. His mouth was a tight line of anger. ―Come. They want to see you and Olivia.‖

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The doors of the monastery opened slowly, and a figure bowed.

I looked into the face of the man at the door as he straightened. To my surprise, he was young – no more than fifteen years of age. His face was youthful and soft, but he easily topped seven feet and his shoulders were a broad, sharp triangle that had not yet filled out with muscle.

He‘d be a massive man once he grew into his size. He wore a long, plain white robe like a penitent, and his light brown ponytail was long enough to make me wonder if it had ever been cut. His expression was tranquil as he shut the door behind us, then gestured that we should follow him in.

The corridor was long and freezing cold. If this place had central heat, they weren‘t saving it for the visitors. Then again, maybe they didn‘t get many visitors. I watched the bare feet of our guide pad down the cold marble hallway and rubbed my arms, giving an involuntary shiver. Something about this creeped me out. It shouldn‘t have – the ceilings were vaulted and windows covered the walls, filling the place with light. But there were no furnishings – just bare empty halls. The entire place felt…cold. Barren. Lifeless.

The boy showed us in to a large audience chamber, then bowed and exited, his pale eyes flashing. A man sat across from us, seated at a plain wooden table with an equally plain chair. It was the only furniture I had seen in the building so far. There were no other ornamentations in this room – no paintings, no rug in front of the large hearth that took up one wall. Nothing except sunlight and barren rooms.

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The man was clearly a Serim. He wore the same simple cloth robe that the younger man had worn, without a bit of ornamentation. His hair was dark and pulled into a short queue at the base of his neck. His skin was tanned a deep olive, his silver eyes bright in his face. His features were perfectly sculpted, and he looked like an archangel of old.

Probably because he was,
I told myself.

He gave our party a welcoming smile that struck me as insincere. He gestured at the floor. ―Sit.‖

My hackles arose at the sound of his voice. This was a man used to giving orders. I stared at him, the coldly silver eyes. This was giving me a bad, bad feeling.

David didn‘t move, just frowned at the man. I looked over at Noah and noticed he was looking at me expectantly. Well, damn. The order to sit on the floor was only for me. I could guess why – this man wanted to debase me for what I was.

As if it were somehow
my
fault that I was a succubus.

I sat, though I wasn‘t pleased about it. Everything in me was protesting against this set-up. Serim were just as manipulative as vampires. They just pretended to be nice while controlling your life. At least vampires didn‘t pretend.

David put a hand on my head, smoothing the short hair of my wig. I didn‘t need comfort, and I nearly bit out a nasty response until I saw the expression of the Serim who sat across from us. He‘d noted David‘s possessive gesture and I could see the wheels turning behind his eyes as he calculated our relationship.

The room was silent for a long, uncomfortable moment. Then, the man steepled his fingers and gave a brief nod to both Noah and David. ―Greetings, brothers. It has been many, 63

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many years since I have seen either of you. I go by the name of Julian in this age.‖ He inclined his head. ―I am pleased that you both have decided to visit.‖

―This is a visit of business, not pleasure,‖ Noah said.

―I see that.‖ Julian‘s cold gaze dropped back to me. ―You do have a succubus with you after all. What brings you to our monastery?‖

His voice was smooth, even, and low. But his silver gaze watched me with an avarice that made my skin crawl. I wanted to leave right then and there, go back down the mountain and take my chances with Aloysius. At least he was the devil I knew. I had a sneaking suspicion that there would be a catch for our stay here in the monastery, and I was afraid of what it might be. Whore to vampires or whore to Serim? They were both equally awful. My hands clenched in my lap.

David‘s hand stroked over my wig again, as if trying to calm me. ―We wish sanctuary for a few days for our small party,‖ he said, his crisp, strong voice cutting through the jumble of my thoughts. ―We can pay you for room and board and your protection.‖

Julian smiled. ―David. You were once one of our brothers, many, many centuries ago.

You know that we do not accept money.‖

My gut clenched, a sick feeling. They were looking for a service, then…

―Then what is your price?‖ David‘s voice remained calm. His hand continued to stroke the fake blonde hair perched atop my head. ―Name it. Olivia is being hunted by her vampire master and I have sworn to protect her.‖

The Serim‘s gaze went to David, then back to me. ―She is your creature, then? That is very good news. We will require…a favor. A deal.‖ A cold smile touched his mouth. ―It is not often that a succubus appears on our doorstep, but they have their uses.‖

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―No,‖ I said in a low voice. My hands clenched, my fingernails digging into my palms.

―Absolutely not.‖

―We are not interested in deals,‖ David said.

The Serim ignored me, his gaze moving to David. ―I was under the impression that you wished our assistance? You know as well as I do, David, that choosing the monastery does not come without its price. All must give up something to escape behind its doors and hide away from the outside world. It does not matter if you wish to stay here only temporarily, or permanently. You can pay the price, or you can turn around and leave. Those that stay in the monastery all give their dues.‖

David‘s jaw tightened, but he didn‘t disagree with the man. I looked over at Noah, and his face was equally tight. He wouldn‘t look at me. A sick feeling began to wash through my body.
A succubus had her uses
, Julian had said.

I‘d just bet. Servicing all the Serim on a monthly basis? Use me as a lure for vampires?

Or…worse? What if they had worse in mind? I got to my feet. I‘d turn around and walk out right now, then. Whatever protection they could offer me? Wasn‘t worth it.

The Serim folded his hands, waiting. Watching.

―We‘re not paying your price,‖ I said. ―Let‘s go, David.‖

He looked at me, then back at the Serim. ―Wait, Olivia.‖

Hot rage splashed through my body. Wait? Did he just command me to wait? ―You cannot tell me that you are considering wagering me in order to stay here?‖ I said furiously. ―I won‘t be a party to it.‖

David‘s clear gaze met mine, his jaw firm. ―You are not safe on the outside. I know you‘re safe in here.‖

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―Safe from vampires,‖ I spit at him. ―Not safe from anything else.‖

―Olivia,‖ he began again.

―No,‖ I said furiously. Panic shot through my body, hard and fast. My hands curled into fists and I tested the command he‘d given me, but it didn‘t stop me from marching toward the door, and I did so. ―You can stay here, but I‘ll take my chances with the raping vampires rather than the raping Serim--‖

―Olivia, stop right there.‖

I froze in my tracks, two steps from the open door. The teenage boy stood there, waiting, his mouth slightly open with surprise as he stared at me, helpless and stuck in place.

Rage washed over me. David was betraying me. I knew it. I
knew
it. He was too good to be true. He was just like the others. I‘d been a fool to go to him for help.

―Olivia,‖ David began. He reached for me.

I lashed out, backhanding him. The snap of my hand on his jaw was deafening in the room. I snarled again, reaching for him, desperate. My feet were anchored to the ground because of his command, but my arms were free, and I reached for him, clawing. I‘d kick and scream the entire way down if I had to. ―You will not fucking use me! No one gets to use me!‖

―Olivia!‖ David said sharply. ―You are hurting yourself. Stop it.‖

The look on his face was as cold as I felt. I snapped back into place, unable to even protest anymore. My eyes glittered with tears of fury but I blinked them away, nostrils flaring with rage.

He stared at me, and I didn‘t know what he was thinking.

―It‘s very good that we have her master here,‖ Julian said in an emotionless voice.

―Clearly she needs to be kept under control.‖

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The rage burned through me again, and I closed my eyes, willing myself to breathe calmly. Wait for the chance to strike. Then I‘d kill that goddamn asshole. David too, for betraying me like this. My wild thoughts spun faster and faster, full of fury and rage and fear.

David‘s voice cut through the whirl of my thoughts. ―Olivia. Listen to me.‖

My ears strained at the command and I bit my knuckle hard, wanting to scream and unable to.

―You will follow the boy to our room,‖ David said, his voice soft, the command clenching through my body. ―You will sit there and wait for me. Quietly. You will not move until I arrive, and you will not hurt yourself. Understand?‖

It didn‘t matter if I understood. My body locked into the command and my heart shuddered to ice inside my breast. Forced against my will, I followed the boy out into the hall and down another corridor. Rage and anger blinded me. I could see nothing beyond my tears of betrayal.

David was using me like I was nothing. Like I had no say in the matter. Whatever the Serim wanted, he‘d force me to do in some misguided attempt to save me. I knew what they wanted. It was a monastery full of creatures that needed to have sex once a month to live. I wasn‘t dumb. I was a succubus – I could fulfill their needs. I‘d heard darker stories, too. Of succubi raped by angels and forced to bear their children. I stared at the back of the boy in front of me, but I could ask him nothing. David‘s command wouldn‘t permit that.

I‘d trusted him, and he was using me. The thought hurt worse than any razorblade.

Seething with rage and betrayal, I almost didn‘t notice that we arrived at a large room.

The boy opened the door and stepped aside, waiting for me to enter, and my compelled body had no choice. I stalked forward on wobbly legs and saw that the room was empty. Two twin beds, a 67

Slave To Her Desires

large empty floor, and a table and chair off to one side. A large window let the sunlight wash in.

Stiffly I turned and, just like I‘d been commanded, sat and waited in silence.

Waited for the master who had betrayed me to come back.

You will not move until I arrive
, he‘d commanded.

So I waited, and plotted. Thinking of a way to escape the new man I‘d put myself in the control of. I felt shattered, made of broken glass. I‘d let my guard down. Allowed myself to like David. To actually…care for him. To feel the same flutter of adoration that I‘d felt 120 years ago when I‘d first met him. Allowed myself to think that maybe I could find someone to spend my Afterlife with after all.

Now I recognized his real face, and it sickened me with disappointment.

Time passed. My betrayal didn‘t abate as the minutes ticked by – it only grew stronger, the pit of acid burning in my stomach flaring with new hatred every few minutes. David had misled me. He‘d led me to believe that I was safe with him, when I was no more than an asset with legs to be used for his own benefits. I clenched my fists, my fingernails digging into my palms.

Why had I thought it would be different with David? I had trusted him, and his betrayal hurt worse than anything Aloysius had ever done to me.

The door opened. I closed my eyes, sucking in a deep breath and waiting for the next stage. If it was torture, I could live through it. Rape, I could live through it. I could live through anything.

I only had to endure.

The door shut. I waited. Footsteps crossed the floor, heading toward me. I waited, muscles coiling as I tensed.

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Warm fingers brushed my cheek. ―Olivia?‖ David‘s voice was a husky question. ―Are you all right?‖

I opened my eyes and flung myself at him, now free of his awful commands. I attacked, knocking him to the ground. Either I‘d surprised him or he was a terrible fighter, but within moments I was straddling David‘s body and he stared up at me in surprise. I struck him with one hand across the face, then the other, my blows precise.

He didn‘t fight back. My blows became wild with fury. I hammered at him, snarling with anger and rage each time that I struck at him. My palm slapped against his flesh, and when it began to sting, I attacked him with my fists. He didn‘t fight, just waited as I attacked him over and over again. Every slap, every punch, every scratch I delivered, he took with a grim look on his face.