Dare to Defy (19 page)

His question was punctuated by inserting an oil-covered finger into her bottom hole, generously covering it with the special oil. “I would like to take you here, my sweet. As proof of my ownership to you. But you must ask.”

“Never would I ask to be fucked in the ass like a common whore!”

He added more oil to the tight hole and the surrounding areas, rubbing it in deeply, around the tight, puckered edges and up and down the crevice. Daynel moaned, pushing herself toward the invading finger and Draiken pulled away, a huge smile on his face as she bucked her body in protest.

“I will see you in the morning, my love. Feel free to relieve yourself on the cloths beneath you if you have need.”

“You…You bastard!”

Ethan lifted his head from the pillow of the blood-stained bed in which he had slept. Next to him was the body of the follower whom he had met the evening before. Her anger with Ilesbet had stirred his loins, and he promised vengeance in return for a night of unrestrained pleasure. Eager to please the powerful leader, the woman agreed. Her screams were silenced as he first stuffed rags into her mouth, then wrapped his hands viciously around her throat. Her faced turned blue as he squeezed air from her lungs. He savagely ravaged her unconscious body and, once sated, ran his knife cleanly across her throat. Drenched in her blood, he collapsed beside her with a smile. Ahhh, the perfect woman, he mused, completely silent and forgiving. He thought of Ilesbet and Daynel, those whose screams he would enjoy hearing as he plunged both his cock into their pussies and his knife in their throats.

“Beg pardon, Highness.” A guard entered the room, pausing only to take in the sight of the splattered blood, the woman’s corpse, and his crown prince with his fat, stubby cock in his hand, caressing it with gusto. “Your general wishes to speak with you.”

“He can wait,” Ethan panted, his hand moving faster over his organ, spurting his seed into the air, aiming for the dead woman’s face. “And tell him not to whine about it. I will be in when I am ready.”

“As you wish, Your Highness,” the guard nervously gulped, leaving the chambers as quickly as he could. Ethan stood up, wiping his hand off on the tangled hair that was spread over the pillow.

“I hope you had as good of a time as I, my faithless follower,” he said to the body as he plunged his face into a large bowl of fresh water. He viewed himself in the mirror as he wiped off the traces of her blood from his face, and then changed into clean robes. He issued orders to “clean up the mess she made” as he exited the room.

The general of war sat impatiently at the table, swallowing his third goblet of wine as he waited for his commander to arrive.

“I thought you would have left by now,” came the statement from the front of the room. The general dropped to his knee, bowing before his prince and future king. “What news have you for me today?”

“Sire,” The general kept his head bowed as he stayed upon the floor. “I have news from the east. The longboat we believed to be carrying the princess Daynel was found crushed to pieces on a nearby island. There has been no sign of her whereabouts. The villagers stated that bodies crushed in the inlet become food for sharks.”

“Did you attempt to force information from these…unfortunates?” Ethan snarled.

“They are guarded by the eastern priesthood, Highness. It is well known that for every warrior priest we see, twenty more lay in wait in the bushes. Four were seen upon our vessel’s arrival. They yield dragon power, and…”

“How is it that you were not crushed by the sea rocks?” Ethan interrupted sarcastically, snatching a goblet of wine from a trembling servant.

“We exercised caution on our approach, Majesty,” the old man said calmly. “I have seasoned sailors who know how to bypass barriers.”

“How did you know where to look? There are hundreds of islands in the Eastern Sea.”

“We followed the storm’s path and the currents. They led to ten different islands and we explored each one. This one was the only one that showed wreckage and…”

“You
assumed
it was from my longboat? Let me guess, the villagers denied seeing anyone washed ashore.”

“They said the only person they had seen after a storm was an old fisherman. And he had been floating dead for many days, half eaten by fish,” came the response.

Ethan glared at the man. “Do you think she is dead then?”

“I see no way that she could have survived that storm. The island we found wreckage on was at least one hundred leagues from our course, and crossed several black currents which a longboat and a single rower could not have countered.”

“Did you follow the direction of the black currents? Where would they have taken her?”

“Straight into the Cliffs. It is littered with the bones of old ships and there are no paths to lead a survivor up the seven-hundred–foot climb. I am sorry, Your Majesty, but I fear your betrothed is dead.”

Ethan growled before throwing his goblet across the room. “The gods shat upon me once again! She was to be the key to infinite power! I have a new job for you, General. One you best not fail.”

“What would you have me do, my lord?”

“Bring me the high priestess.”

“As you command.” The general stood to take his leave.

“Alive and unharmed, General. She gains her power by pain, so make certain that she is cared for gently. I do not want her to have the opportunity to harm us.”

“She will be heavily guarded. What shall we do?”

“I wish her absence to be viewed as normal. Do not raise an alarm or give warning. Take the time you need to discover her routine and snatch her without anyone noticing immediately.”

“This might take time. Especially if we are not to kill her husband or anyone in her order,” the general warned.

“Her husband will only add power to the Darkness as I bring his royal blood to sacrifice. I am a patient man,” Ethan growled. “Another season will not change my path. In fact, it will only give me more time to gain strength in my numbers. Go now. Contact me only after you have hunted down my prize.”

Ethan watched the old man leave and turned toward the blazing hearth. He opened his pouch and pulled out an ear. Tossing it into the fire, he stared at the flames as he inhaled deeply. There was nothing more delightful to him then the scent of burning human flesh. And he was willing to bet that Ilesbet would smell delicious.

* * *

Daynel wriggled painfully, her limbs still held in the invisible restraints as she lay in the darkness of Draiken’s room. He had returned once to fan the fire and check on her comfort, even permitting her to use the chamber pot and sip some wine. She had snarled angrily when she found that he had placed a barrier around her waist, prohibiting her from reaching between her legs to calm the disconcerting ache that demanded relief.

“All you have to do is ask for me, you stubborn girl,” Draiken laughed, returning her to the bed and restraining her once again. Daynel shouted obscenities at him, confused as to how he was able to control her urges, yet she had none over his. She shook her head when he brought out more of the special oil and proceeded to once again anoint her entire body with it.

The second layer of the potion dissolved into her flesh rapidly and she began to cry with her need. It was torture…a beautiful, profound torture of her body that could cease if only she gave into her desire. She shook her head wildly, denying herself as she denied him.

Draiken leaned across her, kissing her lips. “I have placed a charm upon this dose. It will not wear out as did the first one. The need will grow by the hour. It will only be put to rest by you breaking the spell.”

“You are a cruel man! Why do you treat me so?”

“Because you give me no choice, beloved. Should you decide to call upon me during the night, adorn your wings and join me in flight.”

“I cannot enter the dream state suffering like this,” Daynel cried out. “Noooo, don’t go!”

Frustrated tears streaked down her face as the potion magnified her ache for him. Nothing else mattered but her carnal desires and the quenching of the fire that burned within her loins. She lifted her voice and screamed loudly, demanding that the gods release her.

Nothing happened. Desperate now, Daynel struggled to sink into her mind and attempt escape from her body’s demands. She focused as Draiken had taught her, allowing her mind to shift to a place of peace. Slowly, she felt herself drift away to an unknown place and time.

She stood within a quiet grove in which a gurgling stream and tiny falls sought refuge. Her feet sunk into the cool, wet grass as she walked toward the brook. She cupped her hands under the cold water and brought them to her lips. It was sweet and gave her strength to continue. She looked down, seeing she was naked. Of course, she realized, she was in a sacred place of worship. She stepped toward the Prayer Pole and placed her hands upon the Runes. She began to chant, asking the god for the gift of Flight.

Daynel clung to the pole as she felt her wings burst from her shoulders, burning so intensely that she almost released her hold. She forced herself to embrace the pain, feeling as it seared down both sides of her back and then changed direction, sending agonizing fire up through the center of her spine. She allowed a scream of anguish to pass her lips, but still clung to the pole as she continued to chant. She felt her wings unfold, stretching behind her as they filled with blood and grew solid. They were part of her now. She drew them around her body, stroking the snow-white feathers tipped in pure black. They were truly beautiful to behold, but they were not of a Dragon. She wore the wings of a Night Hawk.

Daynel stretched the wings behind her and moved them carefully, not certain as to how to raise her body from the ground, or how to guide her flight once airborne. It did not stop her, though, as she willed her feathered appendages to flap with purpose. She felt herself lifted off the soft grass and soon looked down from the dizzying heights of the sky. A shadow appeared by her side.

“How can I come to you when I don’t know how to find you?” she asked aloud.

“I have found you, beloved. Come, let us fly together,” Draiken’s low voice announced. She followed him, discovering the grace of her wings as he led her over mountaintops, skimmed the surface of the seas, explored the thick forest canopies, and soared over the man-made kingdoms. Daynel’s eyes grew wide as they traveled over her father’s realm.

“May we go see my family?” she asked, her heart longing for home.

Draiken kissed her cheek. “We are in dream flight, Daynel. Even if we landed, they could not see you.”

Daynel’s eyes snapped opened and she found herself back in Draiken’s bed, her body covered with sweat as it struggled to be released from both the bounds that held her tightly and the sexual pressure that surged within her. Draiken stood over her, watching.

“Take me,” Daynel begged. “Bring me to fly with you as you pierce my body with your cock. Enter me, husband, Now. I beg of you.”

Draiken released the bounds and smiled as she wrapped her arms and legs around his body, pulling him close to her as her lips crushed his eagerly. His massive rod was already rigidly hard and ready, but he knew she had to take him first for the spell to cease.

“I am yours, Daynel. Show me that you desire me.”

Daynel snarled, shoving him onto his back on the bed. She roughly climbed upon his torso and straddled his waist. She suddenly felt the burning along her back as though her wings would explode from her.

“You are
mine
,” she hissed, feeling the power of her magic rise like a bubble within her body, lust shooting from her eyes. Draiken gasped in disbelief as he felt his wrist and ankles being restrained by invisible bounds that he could not break. “I will take you as I desire. I will ride you like a stallion as I fly to new heights.”

Draiken was speechless as Daynel reached between his legs and grasped his hard shaft. She aimed it to her dripping womanhood and introduced it into her body, Slowly, she allowed herself to sink down upon it, throwing her head back as it filled her completely. She lifted her body up and then sunk down again, plunging his rigid manhood deep within her. She pumped him faster and deeper, finally reaching down to bring herself pleasure as she rode him hard.

Her time of fulfillment came at last, and Daynel threw back her head and released a guttural cry of relief as the orgasm catapulted through her body. Filled to the hilt with his presence, Daynel slumped over his chest.

Draiken felt the bounds evaporate and slowly wrapped his arms around the tiny shoulders of the vixen still riding his rigid cock. He had not been brought to relief yet. He found the bottle of oil tucked next to the bed and began to rub it into her bottom and along the crease between her cheeks. Daynel moaned as the oil penetrated her bottom hole.

“Fuck me from behind,” she demanded, perching upon her hands and knees. “Take me as would a mighty dragon. Fill me with your power.”

Draiken ran his hands along her back, tracing the burned outline of the giant wings that had been seared into her skin when she entered her dream state of flight. Like him, she also had a prayer pole of Runes that covered her spine. These were proof that she had taken wing, and that she had been chosen as the dragon’s mate.

He ran his finger between her bottom cheeks, probing gently in the tight, virgin hole that had never known the sensation of being truly filled. He lifted his shaft to her, carefully pressing the thick, round head against the reluctant opening. Daynel cried out, the pressure of him uncomfortably intense. He dribbled a little more of the oily potion around her sphincter, knowing that it would affect him as well, and carefully began to ease the mushroom-shaped head into her tight entry.

Daynel’s hunger was greater than any pain she had to endure, and she shoved her body toward him, forcing him within. She released a loud cry, pausing only to catch her breath before she began to move in long, slow, rocking motions to work him in deeper. Draiken swallowed heavily, and began to coax his body to match her rhythm, filling her with an uncomfortable sense of plenitude. She lowered her head to the mattress, lifting her bottom higher to accept him completely. Draiken clutched her hips as he quickened his plunging, aware that Daynel’s hand had snuck between them and that she was again seeking her own relief as he drew near to his.