Lust (2 page)

"Come, my sweet princess, my sweet whore. Tonight you will serve your new emperor and your new princes of hell will drink from your sweet quim." He carried her warm naked body and smiled as her eyes opened, her heartbeat rising, her juices flowing freely.

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I
f I die before I wake, pray the Lord my soul to take.

That single sentence kept running on a loop in her brain. She didn’t know why. Even growing up, her faith had been iffy at best. Elizabeth struggled now even more. The facts remained. If there was a devil, then there was a God.

There had to be.

Right?

Her fingers tightened on the steering wheel as she pushed that last quarter mile into the town she was to meet Jared, the only person on her side in this whole sordid mess. At first Elizabeth had been going to stop, but things had changed after she saw the devil in his true form. Her brain couldn’t reconcile the monster that had threatened her with the handsome man that threatened her. Somehow it seemed less real, and easier to survive this bullshit if he was just that handsome man. The monster was harder to stomach and it felt like a daunting task to escape him.

It was going on the seven-hour mark. Elizabeth had stopped for gas twice, and ate a small bag of chips. This was slowly catching up to her as she nudged the gas pedal to the floor. The road turned from concrete to dirt the closer she got to the small seaside town of
Polignano A Mare
. Her heart started to pound faster and her knuckles were white as she clenched the wheel. Elizabeth could see the small turnout. She jerked the wheel to the right and the back of the car fishtailed as she kept up her speed and pushed forward. The car quickly righted itself and she released an ugly, loud sob of relief as the quaint two-story building came into view.

It looked like a simple modest home. Its outside walls were a light tan with dark markings that looked like water damage. Grapevines climbed up to the second-story windows. They all looked as if they were open. It appeared the home was on a large, expansive property. Miles of grape vines spread out up a hill behind the home and overlooked the glittering blue blanket of liquid paradise to her right.

Elizabeth couldn’t even enjoy the view. Her vision was blurred from her sudden rush of tears. She'd held back the whole way, distracting herself with the one focus.

Get to Jared.

She unclenched her fingers from the steering wheel and slammed her palm against the horn. The loud wail brought forth two monks that seemed to be racing from the back with another person. Elizabeth fought for breath and vision and she saw a young man around her age come running for the car from the back of the home.

Without further thought, she slammed both her feet on the brakes. The seatbelt locked and momentarily knocked the wind from her. The car pitched sideways and slid until it finally stopped. Elizabeth couldn’t move. Her body seemed to take on a tremor as her forehead pressed against the wheel and she allowed the ugly tears to flow with abandon. She figured she had refrained from breaking down this long; why not have a good cry?

A mixture of relief and sadness poured through her soul and out of her tear ducts. She knew deep down that this was only a reprieve. Like he said, he would find her again. She couldn’t hide. Elizabeth was simply delaying the inevitable.

The driver door being jerked open distracted her internal musings. She heard panting breaths. Her own and someone else’s. Out of the corner of her eye, she spied the young man crouching next to her. A tentative hand reached out and rested on her knee.

“Bethy?” The masculine whisper held a note of promise that brought her head up and her gaze over to his.

For that moment she stopped breathing. In this minute of despair she felt the corner of her lips curve up at the devastating man gazing back at her with a look of such heart-pounding concern she could die now and know that someone gave a shit.

“Jared,” she sobbed.

Half of his lips quirked up and she released a highly unattractive laugh/sob. Elizabeth’s chest heaved as the odd spasm took over and her trembling fingers reached for the belt.

“Here, I got it,” he whispered.

He was perfect.

Beautiful.

He was all man, with longish dark hair that reached his shoulders. The natural waves throughout made him look like he was from a different time. His deep brown eyes were like black pools that reflected her own pain, yet had a hint of playfulness. His jaw was speckled in a few days’ worth of growth. His face, oh that handsome face. He wasn’t chiseled like Asmodeus; no, he was natural, unblemished. His jaw was strong and wide. A boyish charm glowed from him that made her wish for a life she would never have. A life that was easy, where she could date men like him. Where men like him could even break her heart. The white t-shirt he wore hid nothing. He was broad, with muscles that rippled as he reached over her body and released the seat belt.

Jared carefully reached in, sliding an arm under her knees and behind her back, pulling her from the car. She felt all that strength—sinews, muscles, and power—as he tugged her against his chest. Elizabeth nuzzled against his neck and allowed his warm, fresh scent to consume her. She memorised him in that moment. He smelled like fresh air, sweat, and man. He didn’t coat himself in anything fake. He was just—Jared.

Her fingers fisted the front of his shirt and she heard him chuckle.

“Happy to see me, Bethy?” His laughter pierced her heart and she wished with all that she was that she could have him.

Elizabeth knew in that moment. Her heart wouldn’t be allowed his. She couldn’t doom him to this life. She would stay out the month, figure out a way to break this bullshit debt, and give him his life back.

“You have no idea.”

With that she snuggled in closer as he took her into the home.

***

E
lizabeth felt the heat of the sun on her lids. The warm body she rested on didn’t shift as she snuggled in closer. His arms were already tight around her. Her fingers grazed his bare chest and the tips of her digits glided along the defined abdomen. She’d known the guy was ripped but when he had pulled off his shirt before getting in bed with her... yeah, nothing could have prepared her for Jared.

She felt like she had been sleeping for weeks, but she knew it was just the day. At some point during the night she remembered Jared getting up. He had been gone for hours before he returned and slipped back into bed.

That hadn’t been the original plan. He was just supposed to drop her in the bed and leave. Elizabeth recalled some heavy begging and more tears. Embarrassment colored her face as she nuzzled into the crook of his arm. That belly-deep laugh that she was getting used to as his brought her head up to look at him.

He was awake.

Reality was kicking in and the fact Jared was the hottest man she had ever slept with—in real life.

“Mornin’,” he mumbled before stretching out his body.

Elizabeth eased away from him but he quickly tutted her. His strong arms wrapped her back up and he pulled her close until she was splayed on top of him. She felt a telltale nudge of something against the thin fabric of her cotton panties—is some point she had lost her pants and was only in the t-shirt she’d driven in, and her panties—and she sucked in a breath.

“Sorry. It’s a daily habit, love.” He nudged her chin with his index finger.

Her cheeks burned and she felt thirteen again, crushing on Matthew Leonard, the hottest guy in school. Matthew had not-so-subtly rejected her in the middle of her entire English class when she’d asked him to the seventh-grade dance.

This moment felt similar.

Only it came with morning wood and a hot body under her.

Jared’s finger continued its silent exploration as it skimmed up her jaw, dancing slowly over her burning cheeks. Her eyes fluttered and she gazed at anywhere but him.

“I had no clue...” He paused.

Her eyes found his and she froze. The only other person to look at her with that much heat in their gaze was Asmodeus. With Jared it was different, though. It wasn’t just hot burning lust that reflected in his deep pools. It was awe, respect, compassion, and lust. It flickered like a tiny flame. Yet the stiff sign of that lust nudging her damp panties wasn't so tiny.

She felt her face heat further and diverted her gaze.

"OH! I have something for you." Jared shifted her off him carefully and reached over into the drawer of the bedside table.

Elizabeth peeked over the top of his shoulder. She watched the muscles in his back work as he shifted things around in the drawer. Jared made a slight sound of triumph with his throat before flipping around and facing her again. He pulled himself up to sit back against the headboard. Lifting his hand, he dangled between his fingers a silver chain. Hanging from the beautiful links was a light blue stone that looked oddly like her blue celestite, although hers was much larger. This one looked about the size of the circumference of the tip of her thumb. As it swayed slightly, dangling from his large hand, it caught the light. The refractions glittered all over the walls and small rainbows danced on the simple surfaces in the room. Elizabeth reached for the stone but he pulled it away from her.

Her eyes went wide as she looked at his playful expression.

“Now, I got this for you. I told myself if you really made it here I would get to put this on you myself. This is my reward for patience and getting you here safe.” He gestured with his head for her to turn around.

Elizabeth shifted on the bed, turning her back to him. She gathered her hair and draped it over one shoulder.

“Funny you say this is your reward. I thought it was the whole sleeping in the same bed nearly naked,” she teased.

She could feel the heat from the stone; it was nearly uncomfortable as it rested right between her cleavage. Elizabeth felt the slight double pump of her heart when it fell against her skin. Her gaze locked onto the beautiful stone and it was then she realized it wasn’t just the stone; it was set in an elaborate handmade setting. The silver wire swirled around it, with intricate designs along the stone and making up the finding that latched it to the chain.

Elizabeth hadn’t realized Jared had moved in front of her. His voice jerked her from her careful examination.

“They say you have to keep blue celestite next to your heart. I read that an angel is linked to each stone and that when you wear it an angel will be watching over you.” His voice was low and lulling. It seemed to rumble from his chest and the deep vibrations settled right between her legs.

Good grief, give it a break. He’s just keeping you safe.

Elizabeth glanced up at him through her lashes. She watched his body visibly tense and he leaned closer.

“I thought you could be my guardian angel,” she whispered.

He winked, surprising her a little. Jared jumped up and, walking across the room, reached for a t-shirt hanging over a chair in the corner. He slipped it on quickly, covering up all that male perfection.

“Oh, I am, Bethy. Make no mistake about that.” He paused, opening the door. “Your clothes are in your bags at the foot of the bed. I’m savvy enough to know that girls don’t like their things touched. Get yourself dressed and come on downstairs. The monks aren’t as uptight as I thought they would be.”

He leaned his body against the doorframe, shoving his hands in his pockets. Jared watched her as she slowly slid from the bed, making her way over to her bags. His eyes on her were like tiny fingertips sliding over her flesh. Gooseflesh rose all over her and she muffled a whimper.

“Well, there is the guy who runs it. He is mute, but he knows his shit. He’s the only man to ever break a deal with the devil.”

She froze.

Halfway to her bag of clothes, she felt her whole body go rigid before she glanced at him over her shoulder. Their eyes met and he nodded, his expression suddenly all serious.

“Yeah, so get dressed and get downstairs. He is the one that told me to get you that stone. I’m confident that we can make this a home base as long as we make no mistakes.”

Jared pushed from the frame and made his way over to her. He was so close she felt his body heat radiate through her flesh. The stone resting between her breasts seemed to pulse with the beating of her heart. He pushed her hair out of her face, and the pads of his callused fingers brushed over her cheek, sending a shiver through her body that seemed to rise right in that tight little unused nub between her legs.

No, shut it off. Shut it off right now, Beth!

He tucked the hair behind her ear.

“I will keep you safe, if I have to die doing it. He will have to walk over my dead body to get ahold of you. I swear that to you now,” he promised.

Sucking in her bottom lip, she nodded. His gaze had become too intense. He leaned in, his lips pressed hard against her forehead.

“Get dressed and let’s get this started.”

He left the room, throwing her another wink over his shoulder and she couldn’t help but smile. Once he shut the door behind him, Elizabeth let the weight of everything descend upon her as she collapsed on the edge of the bed. She toyed lightly with the pendant as she mulled over the last forty-eight hours.

Too much had happened way too fast. All she wanted was freedom. Her free will had been destroyed the moment her father fertilised the damned egg in her mother’s womb.

Her parents.

They were a totally different issue altogether. She had no clue if she would ever speak to them again.

No.

She would.

The day she broke the curse. Destroyed all this bullshit, including her family’s incredible wealth obtained by this ‘deal’. She would knock on their door and watch them lose it all. Elizabeth got the sinking feeling her parents only had her to continue their ‘good fortune’.

She took a deep breath and got to her feet. Enough wallowing and more action. All out of tears and sick of running, she needed to figure out an attack. If they were the people and the place where she would plan that battle—so be it.