The Fire Within (9 page)

“If you love to fuck women, why bother becoming a preacher?”

His eyes glazed over with remembrance. Sky poised herself ready to run for the door.

“I did it for the nuns. They thought if I became a preacher I’d stay with them.”

Okay, this guy was nuts. His whole background was loony.

“And you could forgive them for their carnal sins during confession?  I bet they thought you would be the closest thing to making love to God, am I right?”

His eyes twinkled with amusement.

Sweet heavens, he actually thought she was serious?

“Actually, yes. You’re right.”

She needed to get out of here. Now!

She dashed toward the door. Her back prickled in warning and she screamed as Loverboy’s strong hands curled around her waist.

*****

Damn, his head hurt like a son of a bitch. The last thing he remembered was Sally Green holding him around his waist. And Carmella’s perfume. Then excruciating pain as someone bashed him over his head. And his cover being blown by one of his own Sex Squad team members.

He tensed and opened his eyes.

Directly above him was a thick beamed ceiling with a lit bare light bulb. The air smelled musty. Damp. They must have dumped him in one of those other rooms in the basement. He tried to turn his head to get a better view of his surroundings, but something had been strapped over his forehead, preventing movement. Panic hummed along his nerves.

He smelled leather. Leather restraints.

A band was across his forehead. Another velvety strap pinned down his neck.

He tested his arms. Restraints pinned his elbows and his wrists. He noted his arms stretched outward at ninety-degree angles. He wiggled his fingers. At least something was free. It gave him a glimmer of hope.

Mentally he checked the rest of his body. His legs were spread-eagle. Bands lashed over his knees and ankles. Everything was secure.

He lifted his hips up and then down, gasping at the sharp needle pricks of pain biting into his ass cheeks. What the hell? He repeated the maneuver.

When he lowered his ass, this time ever so gently, the same thing happened.

Ouch.

Okay. So he was supposed to keep his ass still. He could do that.

He was totally defenseless. And totally naked.

Great. Just great.

What the hell did they plan on doing to him down here? Were they going to turn him into one of those sex slaves? Pump drugs into him like they’d done to Sally Green?

Making love to strange women wasn’t his cup of tea. He wanted only one. Sky. And now that he’d experienced the sexual side of her, he wanted her in his life even more.

A soft sexy moan drifted to his ears. A woman’s moan. A man’s grunt.

The light bulb overhead swayed slightly. Mattress springs creaked making Jim’s pulse begin to hammer.

Was the moaning woman, Sky? Was Loverboy fucking her?

White-hot anger flared.

The moans grew louder. They didn’t sound like Sky. Her moans had been distinct. Sweet and sexy and innocent.

This had to be someone else. Maybe his kidnappers?

Jim rolled his eyes. His kidnappers could be having sex right over his head. More grunts and moans followed. Whoever was up there was certainly going at it. Good and hard.

The stairs creaked and he held his breath. Someone was coming down the stairwell. He winced at the sound of a heavy bolt screeching across a metal door. A key grated in the lock.

Having him trussed like a Thanksgiving turkey and held under lock and key meant they didn’t want him going anywhere. His heart cracked against his chest as the door opened. Footsteps echoed as someone entered the room.

Carmella hovered into view. Shit! He couldn’t deny she was a beautiful woman. He’d had a hell of time getting her attention when he’d started to frequent the Sexy Toys Shop she owned, but to his surprise she’d invited him to the farmhouse. He should have known he was being set up, but he’d been blind with worry for Sky and a chance that she may not have backup. So he’d done a few things he was ashamed of doing like participating in a couple of those lessons, before Sky had turned up. Hell, truth was, he would have done anything to get into Loverboy’s slave course to be Sky’s backup.

Carmella blinked down at him. Soft brown curls caressed her heart shaped face. Her full mouth pouted sexily.

“I’m glad to see you’re awake.” Her voice sounded soft and delicate and deadly.

He flinched as her soft fingers caressed what he suspected was a goose egg sized lump just above his temple where pain radiated.

“I see I hit you a little too hard. I do apologize, Jim.”

“What’s the big idea strapping me down like this, Carmella?”

“Just relax. Let me massage away your headache.”

He wanted to protest but when her fingers began massaging his temple with tiny, gentle soothing circles, the pain ebbed away almost immediately. It appeared she was an expert on whacking people and bringing relief.

Despite the tenseness of the situation, he calmed under her ministrations. With the relaxation came curiosity.

His gaze dropped from her pretty face and followed the slender column of her neck to the curve of her shoulder. A very naked shoulder with a dusting of rust colored freckles. He followed the trail of freckles down to…

She was naked. Not good.

Two very large breasts jiggled not too far away from his mouth. Dusky rose nipples poked straight out at him as if to say, here I am, have yourself a taste.

He swallowed nervously. He didn’t know why he should be so surprised to see her nude. He’d seen her naked as he’d watched her entertain the students during lessons over the past couple of nights since arriving here.

“What do you want, Carmella?”

The tip of her tongue peeked through her slightly parted lips and her hopeful gaze raked down to his penis. “You are very well endowed.”

“I’ve no complaints so far.”

“Most women say size matters. I tend to agree with them, but the man must know what to do with his hands, mouth and cock, in order to bring about the utmost pleasure in a woman.”

Suspicion whipped through him.

“Exactly what kind of game are you playing?”

“Curious, mia cara? That’s wonderful. It means you’re open to new and exciting things.”

“Listen, if you’re searching for a fascinating fuck, I can oblige you. Just untie me.”
Then I’ll leave
, he added silently. There was no way he’d let this woman introduce him to “new and exciting”.

“I don’t want to untie you, darling. I prefer a…captive audience.”

Lust sparkled in her eyes.

He swallowed nervously. He needed to get out of here. Pronto.

“Carmella? What are you planning to do to me?”

“Please don’t be frightened, Jim.”

A shiver of fear crawled up his spine. Past experience had taught him to be scared when someone told him not to be. His breath caught as a warm fingertip pressed delicately against his lips.

“Shh.” Her finger began to massage the left corner of his mouth with soothing little circles like she’d done to his temple. Slowly. Gently. Erotically.

The corner of his mouth began to loosen. She switched to his other side and she massaged until the tightness evaporated.

What was she up to?

“It won’t work,” he growled, getting pissed off at being a captive.

“What won’t work, darling?”

“Whatever you are trying to get me to do. It just won’t work.”

“What is it I’m trying to do?” she asked sweetly.

“You’re trying to seduce my mouth into doing something for you. I’m not playing your games, Carmella. I’m a new student here. I haven’t been introduced to all the new exciting things yet. Why don’t we wait until I’m more…experienced?”

“Jim, you’re way too experienced for this place. You are after all, a Sex Squad detective.”

“Quit the crap, Carmella. What are you planning to do with me?”

She pouted. “Oh pooh, you Sex Squad detectives need so much work in loosening you up. I can see you aren’t interested in playing with me tonight. But there is something I do have to tell you before I release you…”

Jim frowned. The coolness in her voice told him she was about reveal something he wasn’t going to like.

*****

“Don’t be frightened, Sky.” Loverboy said as she struggled in his arms.

“Frightened? Me?” She tried to laugh. Couldn’t. “I’ll show you how scared I am. Would you care to join me in my bedroom?”

Hopefully at the invitation, Loverboy would let go of her and she could escape. To her relief his grip loosened slightly.

“I’d prefer to do you right here, Sky. Right here on the cot. Except I won’t make love to you with my fingers, like Jim did at Sex Squad Headquarters.”

Sky froze.

Loverboy chuckled.

“Oh come on! Don’t look so surprised, Sky Kelley, Sex Squad Detective. You honestly think I don’t keep track of my incoming virgins?”

“You better be careful, Loverboy.” Sky warned. “I am a government agent. People know I’m here. It can get quite sticky if I should disappear.”

“Oh Sky, ye of little faith. Nothing’s going to happen to you. That is, nothing that you don’t want to happen.”

Sky swallowed, her throat suddenly went dry.

“What do you mean?”

“It means we’re going up to your room, Sky.”

Dread grabbed hold of her. There was no way in hell she was going to have sex with Loverboy. No way in hell!

On the other hand…The cuffs! She had handcuffs stuffed in a secret compartment in the lining of her purse. The purse was in her room. But she didn’t remember seeing it when she’d searched for her clothes. Panic welled again.

No! Wait a minute. She’d left her purse in the bathroom. By the sink. They might have missed it when they’d taken her clothes. She’d already had a fictional story ready too in case the cuffs had been discovered. She enjoyed bondage.

“Let’s head up to your room, Sky. Nice and slow. No funny moves. When we get there, if you’d like we can have drinks and I can slip something in, like in the bar.”

Jim had been right
!

She could scream. She should have done so already, but she’d never been the screaming type. Now would be a good time to change that.

As if sensing what she was about to do, his hand clamped over her mouth.

“I don’t want my students disturbed, Sky. Not that they would come to your aid anyways”. His palm remained over her mouth and his arm stayed snug around her waist as he led her from his office. They entered the dark living room.

Frantic, she searched for Jim. He was nowhere in sight.

As they ascended the stairs, her mind tumbled with escape ideas. The thought of pushing herself backward against Loverboy was foremost. One swift shove would send him falling. But with the tight grip around her waist, she’d roll down with him.  Her best bet lay with the handcuffs.

At the top of the stairs, her legs wobbled as she poised to break loose when Jim jumped out to her rescue. Nothing happened. A drop of perspiration dribbled down the side of her face. Another one dripped down her back.

The hallway was long. The longest hallway she’d ever walked down in her life. She didn’t know how she managed to keep herself together. Didn’t know how she didn’t bolt and run.

As she passed the open doorways, men’s groans and women’s sensual whimpers mingled with creaking bedsprings. Fear encased her, making her only thought of escaping Loverboy, finding Jim and getting the hell out of here.

When they reached her room, Sky stopped in the doorway and blinked in shock.

Candles flickered everywhere. The distinct scent of lilac permeated the air. Filling her room with candles meant only one thing. He meant to have sex with her.

Chapter Six

Terror at the prospect of an attack made her dizzy. Her insides shook. Her legs wobbled like jelly. The door closed behind them and Loverboy uncapped her mouth but he didn’t let go of her waist.

“No screams, Sky. You don’t want any harm to come to Jim do you?”

Instinctively she knew his cover was blown too.

“What have you done to him?”

“He’s…tied up at the moment, but you’ll see him shortly. I promise.”

She needed to get to the cuffs. Now!

“I have to use the bathroom,” she said tightly.

“I’ll accompany you.”

“I…I can go myself.”

“No,” Loverboy said firmly.

He walked her into the bathroom. Her anxiety mounted when from the candlelight flickering through the open doorway she spied her purse on the countertop, exactly where she’d left it.

“I have protection in my purse,” she said as she reached out and grabbed it.

He yanked the purse out of her hand. Sky almost screamed in frustration.