Darkness In The Flames (71 page)

There was no sympathy or understanding here, realized Thérèse as her heart sank to her feet. She remained silent for a moment, remembering the power of the Montreaux estate and the “close” relationship it had with this particular Bishop.

She was most probably condemned already. Yet her spirit refused to surrender. “I know nothing of potions, my lord. Or sensual skills, other than those Simon taught me. All I did was
love
. As I said before, it is clear I was unwise in my choice of men.”

“And you never danced without your garments beneath the moon?”

“Of course not—” She paused, as a memory flitted across her mind. “There may have been times when I was with Simon—we found a small place in the forest—” Her voice tapered off.

The Bishop scribbled something on a paper. “What about this animal business?”

Thérèse jerked her thoughts away from Simon’s betrayal. “A simple blessing from the Lord, no more than that, sir. A neighbor’s cow was suffering while delivering her calf. I helped the farmer turn the poor thing within the cow’s womb so that she might be safely delivered. Anyone would have done the same thing.”

“
Anyone
?” The Bishop’s voice was sardonic. “Would it surprise you to know that this self-same farmer has described your actions as supernatural? That his cow was destined to die until you laid hands on it and—I believe his testimony was that you
sang
to it?”

“I-I…” At a loss, Thérèse stared blankly at the Bishop. “It seemed to calm her. I never thought—”

The Bishop placed his quill carefully on the desk. “I have heard nothing to change my opinion that you may be possessed of some gifts that could only come from the Devil. You will be held for further questioning. I would urge you to confess your sins quickly, woman. Allow God into your soul that he may redeem you.”

The old man rose and spun on his heel without looking at her again.

“But—I—” Thérèse was stunned by the abrupt judgment.

Hands touched her from behind, turning her away from the massive and now empty desk.

“You are to accompany us.” Dark’s voice was expressionless.

“Where?” She vaguely felt some response was called for.

“Does it matter? We will begin the questioning. It is our task to discover what devilish arts you possess. And how you were able to seduce Simon Montreaux into making such an enormous mistake.”

“
He
made a mistake? Oh sir. You have that quite wrong.” Thérèse snapped back her answer. “
I
was the one who made the mistake.”

Grey held her other arm as the two men began walking her from the room.

She darted a glance from one to the other. “How can I prove my innocence? How can I possibly convince you that I know nothing of devilish arts?”

Dark and Grey finally stared at her simultaneously, then looked at each other over her head, their expressions hard to decipher.

Grey spoke. “
You
need say nothing. Your body will do the talking.” He paused. “To
us
.”

Chapter Ten

The chamber to which the two men escorted Thérèse was starkly bare of furniture with the exception of a long wooden box bench along one wall. What caught her attention were the chains dangling silently from the beamed ceiling. Smeared sooty stains marred the joists, evidence of the fire that smoldered in the depths of the hearth. Two sconces above the plain mantel held tapers that Dark carefully lit, yet these did nothing to ease the somber and menacing atmosphere of the room.

The sun was already setting, so little in the way of light filtered through the grimy opening high in the stone wall.

Adding to the menace was the continued silence of her two captors. They had led her here without further conversation and now were efficiently closing the door, lighting the tapers and removing their outer jerkins—all without comment.

Uncertain, Thérèse stood quietly, waiting for what might come next. She managed to choke down her surprise when both took off their shirts, heedless of the rippled muscles and gleaming bodies they revealed.

One by one they sat on the bench and toed off their riding boots, arranging them neatly beside shirt and jacket, one tidy pile for each man. When they stood and reached for the fasteners on their breeches, Thérèse finally broke the silence.

“Sirs,
please
. I do not understand this at all. Pray cease your actions. I would not have you remove any more of your clothing.” She tried to sound calm and collected, suppressing the quiver she knew threatened her composure.

“God made us. He knows what we look like. That is all that matters.” Grey spoke matter-of-factly, dropping his breeches to the floor and stepping out of them.

Dark, as before, followed. They were both naked now, naked and aroused.

Thérèse could not help looking at them, even though the heat of a blush warmed her face. They were well built, handsome and solid, both ignoring the cocks thrusting from their bodies.

Confused by the desire they revealed, Thérèse frowned, then sucked in air as they approached her and ripped her clothes from her body, untying her bonds at the same time. Her freedom was transitory, however. Within seconds her wrists were re-chained, pulled high above her head and clamped by manacles attached to the chains.

She was now as naked as her captors, restrained by bonds she could not escape, open to the surveillance two pairs of eyes. Helpless, she stared at them, breasts thrust forward by her stance, feet barely managing to stay firmly on the floor.

She was stretched taut, her arms linked above her, the iron biting into the soft skin of her wrists if she dared let her weight rest on them. Tense and embarrassed, she dropped her gaze to the floor and let her hair fall forward, hiding her shame at being stripped bare before strangers.

Grey stood before her, letting his stare wander where it would, lingering on her breasts and pussy. She peered from beneath her eyelashes, wondering at the stirring of his hard cock.

“Are you a witch?” Dark growled the question from behind her, startling her.

“No.” Thérèse answered firmly, pouring all the certainty she still possessed into the one word of denial.

A sharp slap echoed around the chamber as Dark’s hand lashed across her buttocks. She cried out in shock—once. Then clenched her teeth and vowed to make no more sounds. She would not permit them to know they frightened her, or hurt her. To do so would be to give them power over her.

Grey moved close, lowering his hand to her mound and running his fingers through the curls to find her pussy. He stroked her, learning her and—in spite of her fears—starting a tiny curl of excitement within her belly.

“Soft.” He muttered the word. “Are you a witch?”

“No.” Once more she repeated her denial and once more a sharp slap rang out. Dark had smacked her again sending hot blood rushing to the skin of her backside. Ready this time, Thérèse swayed with the blow in silence, although gulping as the movement pushed her further onto Grey’s exploring fingers.

“She’s wet.” Grey’s voice was impersonal, yet Thérèse could see his cheeks color a little as he fondled her. His eyes met hers briefly, a flash of contact, no more than a second, but it was enough for her to catch a quick impression of heat behind his gaze.

He withdrew his hand, lifting his fingers to his nose. “And scented—like cream and flowers.”

“The Devil’s work.” Dark murmured the words. “As are these.” Arms surrounded her, Dark’s hands reaching for her breasts and lifting them. “Too perfect. Too tempting for any mortal man to resist.”

Again Thérèse fought for control as Dark kneaded and cupped her breasts in a strong grip, finally finding her nipples with his thumbs and forefingers. He squeezed and tugged on them, playing her like a master fiddler with a fine instrument. Always sensitive there, Thérèse could not repress a moan as her body flooded with desire.

“I would taste this Devil’s honey.” Grey knelt on the floor and gripped her thighs, roughly parting her legs and pulling her pussy toward his face.

“Be cautious. She may bespell you.” Dark spoke but did not cease his play with Thérèse’s breasts. “She cast her wiles over Montreaux.”

“I did nothing, I tell you.
Nothing
.”

The words were wrenched from her throat past the lump of lust building there. These two men knew a woman’s body—knew how to arouse it and probably how to use it as well.

“You made enemies. Powerful enemies.” Dark pinched one nipple then the other. “That was your mistake, witch.”

Grey nodded then leaned forward, burying his face in her pussy, licking ferociously at her juices.

Beside herself, Thérèse could not help but cry out in pleasure. She struggled within her bonds, only to find her wrists chafed harshly by the manacles and her breasts clamped tight within Dark’s hands.

She could only hang there and endure the rapid movements of Grey’s tongue as he found her clit, smeared her liquids over her sensitive flesh and sent shivers of horrified delight from her scalp to her toes.

It was a sensual torture she would have fought, tooth and nail, had not her body eagerly welcomed the attentions. Her innate sensuality relished the treatment, responding with natural pleasure and arousal to the two men.

The pain caused by her chains, the stinging that even now lingered in her buttocks—all contributed to the heightened awareness that flooded Thérèse.

When Grey lifted her thighs to rest on his shoulders, she moaned. When he delved into her sex with his tongue, she whimpered. And when Dark pulled her roughly into his chest, twisted her head around and kissed her, she almost surrendered.

His mouth was cool but his lips parted hers rapidly, his tongue mimicking the actions of the other man as he plunged deeply past her teeth to duel with her. She was twisted between them, trapped, excited by this savage play and trembling now with the onrush of a climax she knew was building deep in her sex.

Dark ripped his mouth from hers. “Not yet.”

Grey pulled away from her pussy slowly, licking his lips. “’Tis sweet indeed. Clean and sweet.” He looked past her at Dark. “You first?”

She felt Dark’s head as he nodded. “Very well.”

Once again her feet touched the floor and she staggered a little as both men withdrew their support. Dark came around her while Grey replaced him behind her. It gave her a moment to catch her breath and fight down the desires shimmering through her.

Thérèse was stunned at her responses. How could she react so willingly to her inquisitors? How was it that even under these circumstances a woman’s body could moisten and heat to such levels?

Her attempt to control her emotions evaporated as a sharp pain lashed across her buttocks making her gasp once more. This was no smack from a hand, this was a blow from a leather strap of some sort.

Pain and heat mingled across her ass, intensified as Grey pulled her against him and rubbed his cock along the cleft between her cheeks. Dark watched for a moment or two, no expression on his face but a flicker of something in his eyes. Then he reached for her and pushed her tumbled hair to one side of her neck, baring her shoulder to his gaze.

Grey took advantage, nipping the soft skin where it curved upward toward her face. “Did you let Montreaux take you here?” Hardness pushed between her buttocks finding the tight muscles hidden within. “Did you,
witch
? Did you let him take this virginity too?”

She stifled a sob along with her memories of Simon and his betrayal, merely nodding.

“Pity. I would like to have been your first.” Grey found her pussy once more, spreading the honey all over her this time, paying attention to her ass.

“Please, no…” Vainly, Thérèse protested. “I do not wish for this. I am not a witch.”

“Are you not?” Dark’s question was casual. “Your body certainly betrays all the lustful responses of a witch.” He reached for her breasts, swollen and reddened already from his attentions. “These are too beautiful for a mortal woman.”

“Here.” Grey passed something over her shoulder to Dark and Thérèse felt her eyes widen at the sight of a short riding crop with a soft trail of leathers on the end.

“Ah, thank you.” Dark took it and flicked it over one nipple. “Yes. Very good. Very good indeed.”

Grey’s cock remained pushed against her cleft, touching nerves that were already tingling and alive from his spankings. Dark moved his wrist lightly catching her other nipple with the leather thongs, harder this time.

“Oh
God
—” Thérèse bit off the cry almost before it was uttered.

More lashes followed, each a little harder than the one before, making her breast sting and throb with a pain that should have been insufferable. Yet in spite of the punishment, Thérèse felt the overwhelming rise of her body’s passionate response as it took the pain and turned it into a fire of need burning within her.

“So hot.” Dark whispered the words as he bent to suckle one reddened nipple deeply into his mouth.

The sensation of his wet tongue against her sensitive and abused flesh drove Thérèse nearly mad and her hips moved urgently, searching for the relief only these two men could provide.

They drove her higher and higher, Grey’s teeth grazing her skin along the muscles of her neck and shoulder as his cock began to ease inside her ass, an agonizingly slow process that stretched her to her limits.

Then he withdrew again, a movement that nearly brought tears of frustration to her eyes. “You must do it now.” He spoke roughly from behind her, his hands fastening hard on her hips.

Dark stepped back from her breasts and nodded. “Indeed I must. Let’s see if this Devil’s tool can take me. ‘Twill be proof of her guilt if she can.”

Thérèse’s gaze dropped to Dark’s cock, huge and flared, seeping drops of his own arousal from the tiny slit on its head. He was enormous, just how big she’d not realized until this moment.

Until he let Grey lift her from the floor.