| Copyright
© 2006, Belita
Renn Reviews For DOUBLE YOUR TROUBLE by Belita Renn "I can not say how tasty this morsel of a book is, vampires, Carpathians as well as the local small town people make this book worthy of the look. Immersed in the book, I was sorry to find I had read the whole thing. A nibble a lick, make this book your pick! Double Your Trouble is just the book
you need in this cold weather to heat you up. Coldness is not is this
hot book of an erotic tale worthy of the look. Belita Renn is on my
must have list as all her books are a tempting teasing and oh so pleasing
look into erotic romance." I would have enjoyed reading more of their plight together, but was thoroughly pleased with this exciting, emotion-filled, well-written story. Morgan Grey Double
Your Trouble is double delicious with its spicy blend of heat. Belita
Renn has created a wonderful vampire fantasy that will surely delight
all paranormal fans. Double Your Trouble is double delicious with its spicy blend of heat. Belita Renn has created a wonderful vampire fantasy that will surely delight all paranormal fans. Sensual Read.net Sample Chapter For DOUBLE YOUR TROUBLE by Belita Renn Gana Gordon squatted in the dark corner of the castle that had been abandoned since before she could remember. Only it was no longer empty. If the reports of attacks were to be believed, then this killer was a vampire. In her opinion, this was the location the fiend would hide. The derelict place was dark and eerie; the perfect location for a vampire to make its lair. However, no one thought the deaths were caused by vampire attacks, aside from her. Mentioning her theory to a group of villagers, she had received blank stares, derisive snorts, and it had been snidely referred to as “woman’s thinking.” Luckily, she didn’t allow the majority to rule her opinions. Once she had been convinced she was correct, she began making plans that didn’t involve seeking help. Therefore, unknown to the villagers, she huddled in the dark waiting to attack the fiend. The raging mob of the hanging party had been tipped that the killer was hiding in the castle dungeon by an anonymous note using the name Anne, which was common in the village. These were her people, and she wasn’t going to sit back and allow them to be killed one by one when she might be able to save them. She wanted there to be enough of a distraction that the vampire wouldn’t hear her racing heartbeat before it was too late, and the villagers were supplying the ruckus. Cries of outrage accompanied the pounding of a log being rammed against the dungeon door. The steel bands holding the door intact prevented easy access to the angry villagers. They were searching for a mere mortal, a vicious murderer. The recent attacks had left them nowhere to hide. Their homes, their work in fields, as well as the shops, and now the jail, were all preying grounds for the killer. Had the villagers suspected the truth, none of them would have braved the castle in the dark. They didn’t suspect it was a vampire they hunted, nor had she wasted breath trying to convince them. It didn’t matter what the villagers thought, Gana was convinced she was correct and she had a plan. It was the ease with which the villain had slipped into the jail that convinced Gana it was a vampire. Suddenly the ridiculous theory that had formed in her mind held the ring of reality. The killer had murdered poor drunk Stanton as he was sleeping it off in the holding cell, ripping out his throat and severing his head from body. It was also a good way to cover a bite, and prevent the victim from rising as a new vampire. All the dead had been decapitated, and she believed a tremendously strong female vampire had done this on purpose. The element of surprise had helped the evil female control the situation until she prevented an escape or call for help. The first had been killed in his bedroom in the early morning. The second was found in the field where he had worked until dark. The third was found dead in the stockroom in the rear of the millinery, and the fourth had been locked up in the building used to punish the unruly. Thankfully, the stock was no longer used to embarrass the person before the whole village. It was nearing dawn. The vampire would be returning to its lair only to discover its hiding place was invaded. It was logical that it would come in this direction through this windowless hall to reach another section of the castle to wait through the daylight hours. Clutching a bottle of blessed water in one hand and a stake in the other, Gana waited. Her heart pounded so hard, it shook her whole body. Hearing the sound of a deep giggle in the hall, she straightened in the corner. Her muscles were tense and ready to spring. There could be no hesitation, or it would be her last mistake. If she was wrong, the only harm she would do to the villain was wet them down—and perhaps seal her fate at the same time. Either way, she could die, but she was willing to risk everything to save the innocent lives the vampire was stealing. Rushing into the room, the woman dressed in black was a blur of shadow. Gana determined her height and build thanks to the dark red glow of her shoulder length hair within the waning moonlight spilling through the doorway. Sensing her presence too late, the female vampire spun around, fangs extended, hissing. Her hands rose and curled into a claw of long pointed fingernails to rip out Gana’s throat. The fiend prepared to leap on the current threat—Gana. Terrified, Gana reacted. Jerking her arm, she sent the holy water flying onto the female’s fierce countenance. Her black eyes glared with hatred one moment, then melted as the holy water dissolved them. The creature’s fierce screech of rage rent the darkness. The gory sight made Gana’s stomach clench in revulsion. She didn’t have time to worry if the sound carried, or if the villagers would come searching for the person screaming. It did flash in her mind that the villagers would think she was the killer and hang her if she was found standing over the dead vampire’s disfigured body. It was a worry she didn’t have time to contemplate. Shoving the thought aside, she moved quickly to finish the task. Gana didn’t know how long it would take for a vampire to regenerate damage, or if it could. She rushed forward, tugging the hammer from beneath her arm. Holding the stake up, she positioned the hammer, and struck a fatal blow into the faceless creature’s heart. She struck the hammer against the stake with all her strength. The wood easily entered the chest as though there were no bone cage protecting the heart, and the vampire, moving with incredible speed, was able to strike Gana, her fist connected with Gana’s jaw. Sparks flew in all directions in her mind. She flew across the room, and crashed into the wall. The impact knocked the breath from her lungs. Her head connected and it felt as though her skull cracked open and splattered against the wall. Everything went black. When she awoke, it was dark. Her head throbbed. She felt for blood and open wounds, and found a tender lump. Touching it gently, she massaged the lump she found. She pulled her feet beneath her and rose on trembling limbs. Immediately, she felt a rush of relief that she had killed the vampire at dawn. However, she wasn’t pleased to be in the castle after sundown. There was a possibility that the vampire had made a cry for help when she screeched, or sent a silent signal to another of its kind before Gana had driven the stake into the thing’s fiendish heart. She didn’t know if they defended or avenged each other, but it was safest to assume they would. Seeing no sign of the vampire’s body, she assumed it had turned to dust as the legends claimed. She was certain the stake had found its mark and pierced the vampire’s black heart. The stake lay on the floor several feet away. She had to pray the stake had done its work and the vampire hadn’t crawled off to heal while she had been unconscious. She had no way of knowing if a stake would actually kill a vampire, as she was relying on legend. Either the female or one of her kind could still present danger. Gana needed to get out of this castle. Only time would reveal if there were more vampires in the valley. Wondering why the vampire had chosen her village, she decided to get out of this place. Moving on swift feet, she hurried down the hall to the staircase. Bits of stone had crumbled onto the floor, so she avoided stepping on it when possible with the aide of moonlight. Hearing a scratching noise, she froze with her foot dangling above the top step of the staircase. While the debris offered assistance in allowing her to hear approaching footsteps, it also gave away her location. She grasped the handrail, and hurried down the steps. At the bottom of the stairs, she heard the crunching sounds of movement similar to the sounds she was making among the strewn fragments. Praying it was a mouse rattling around the rubble, and not something else, she hurried across the great hall toward the entrance. Reaching the door, she heard the pounding of running steps behind her. Dear heaven, there is another one; and it was following her. Her heart pounded hard in her chest as she ran down the front entrance steps and across the stone-strewn courtyard. A swooshing sound above her head attracted her attention. A breeze fluttered her hair around her face. Do vampires really fly? She was vaguely aware of the clear night and bright stars were sprinkled across the black blanket overhead. It was too beautiful a night for danger to be prowling. This evil isn’t lurking; it is flaunting itself. She turned and weaved in a different direction. Panting, she ran from the cart path toward the tree line. Another swoosh of air buffed the right side of her body. In the distance, she heard a deep male chuckle. God, he is playing cat and rat with me. Changing directions, she ran back the way she had come and broke from the trees. Turning sharply to the right, she ran toward the road, and hoped she might find help in town. She feared there would be no help. Who might possibly believe her tale about vampires? No one knew about the woman Gana had killed. She hadn’t told anyone about her conviction that a vampire had taken up residence in their little town after they had mocked her initial theory. A male chuckled behind her. Gana ran as hard as she could holding her painfully throbbing side. She heard a sound similar to clothing flapping in the wind overhead. Refusing to give in to her fear, she kept her eyes on the moonlit road ahead. She felt as long as she could keep the road sighted, she had a chance of reaching it. If it weren’t for the large moon, she didn’t believe she would have made it as far as she had. A male figure stood by the side of the road as she turned the next bend, his arms crossed over his chest. His ankles were crossed, and his legs stretched slightly out before him for balance. He appeared to be leaning against a boulder protruding from the bank. A multi-caped coat reaching his ankles hung open at his sides revealing his body dressed in black. She wasn’t able to see his shape because his clothing was much darker than the moonlit night. His body was a black shadow. Going by the size of the stout shadow, he appeared to have a muscular frame. Gana had to keep moving, and risk running past him. He didn’t appear interested in leaving his comfortable position. Perhaps he had tired of the game and merely wanted her to know he could have won if he had wished. Casting her gaze to the road, she gauged the distance to the far side from his location. There was room to pass, as long as he didn’t move to block her path. Not slowing her pace, she ran on the opposite side of the road from the man toward the village and salvation. It was too late to turn and go in a different direction. The banks on the roadside prevented her from making a new path that would veer away from the male. Puffing breaths, her heart pounding rapidly, she continued to run. He didn’t move as she advanced along the dirt road. She intended to remain beyond his arm’s reach, so she hugged the roadside. There would be nowhere to go should he decide to lunge for her. Gana wasn’t going to merely run into his arms and give up. He was, at the very least, going to be forced to come to her. She ran past him and kept running, too afraid to look back. His deep, amused chuckle followed her down the road. Monster! Her mind screamed. She hoped he could hear her thoughts; she wanted him to know how despicable she considered him to be. She struggled for air to keep her body going. As she rounded another curve, the man was waiting for her. His arms were tucked behind his back, holding the sides of his coat away from his large body. Swerving to the side of the road, again he didn’t attempt to stop her as she ran past. Her heart felt like it was going to explode in her chest. Her lungs burned with each rapid breath she sucked in. The stitch in her side hurt, and she held it with her hand. She stumbled over the rocks scattered across the road. He was playing with her, and she hoped he was foolish enough to wait too long before pouncing on his prey, which would give her time to escape. Would he enter the village if she were yelling for help? Could she yell? Did she have the breath? Reaching the last stretch to the village, she saw the light from the first house ahead. Relief blossomed in her chest. Perhaps he had only intended to frighten her. He had certainly succeeded if that had been his goal. She didn’t think she would ever again venture out at night. Of course, she would need to make her home secure, then convince the villagers the danger was real. Suddenly, she was jerked to a halt. Her body was slammed against a hard wall of muscle and bone. The hard band of his arm about her waist prevented her from stumbling to the dirt at his feet. No longer were her toes touching the earth, although she stretched them downward. “Lady, if you keep running, I do believe you’re going to kill yourself,” an amused, deep-timbered voice said behind her head. She would have known it was the voice of evil, even had she not been aware the vampire was chasing her. No human could sound that good. It was rich with seductive temptation, urging her to give everything over to his care. It was a voice that could convince the unsuspecting that this person could be trusted completely. It was a voice that could lure many an unsuspecting fool to their deaths. Had she not known what he was—or that he was going to kill her—Gana felt certain she would have been as susceptible as anyone. She swung her fist at his face, knowing as soon as she did that she was too exhausted to cause him any pain. He captured her clenched hand in his large palm. “Now that isn’t polite when I just saved your life.” He released her, and she crumpled to the ground at his feet. Gana stared at the smooth leather of his knee-high boots as she tried to lift her body from the ground. She struggled to catch her breath, too exhausted to run any farther. She slid her hand into her pocket, and pulled out a cross to ward him off. She held it up so the moonlight reflected off it. He quickly covered his face with his arm, and stepped back from her, shying from the holy relic. “Stay away,” she gasped between struggling breaths. Pushing with her arm, she managed to sit up, and prepared to stand. She held the cross before her, braced a hand on the ground and got up. An arm, coming from behind her, knocked the cross from her hand and quickly encircled her body. “Now that was rude.” Grasping her nape in a large cool hand, another male with a deep, sensual voice rudely lifted Gana to her feet. Dear Canaan, two! Of course, there could be more, but there were definitely two of the monsters standing here terrorizing her. Her attempt to escape had failed miserably. The weight of her failure sat on her chest like a stone pressing against her heart. Why hadn’t she taken the time to discover there was more than one vampire? Why hadn’t she been wise and warned the village? Now, it could be a long time before someone else discovered the killer’s secret. If only she had told Saul. Even if he had thought her crazed, one person may have been enough to save lives. But it was too late for worrying over that now. Too late for the villagers who would die because she had been foolish in thinking she could handle the situation without help. She would be responsible for all the deaths that would follow. Each death would mark her soul for further torture in hell’s fire. He drew her against his chest, and lifted her against his hard torso. “Lay your head on my shoulder,” he ordered. Dropping her head onto his shoulder, Gana saw him smile, as she accepted her fate. She only wanted it to be over. They lifted into the air, and Gana would have fallen had he not held onto her, for she didn’t have the strength to save herself. Her side felt as though a nail had been stabbed through it. Her lungs burned and strained to do their job. Although she knew any effort she made was a waste of time, instinct forced her to continue struggling for her life. If she had a knife, Gana would have killed herself to rob them of their victory. Thoughts of being used as a meal flashed in her mind. How long could they keep her alive and feed from her body? The horror of constant torture, while begging for death, made her shudder with terror. She prayed they would kill her quickly, and thought to remind them that the female’s death had been swift. When he landed, they were in the castle courtyard again. She struggled slightly, which was all the feeble strength she had. Her captor hefted her onto his shoulder, knocking the air from her lungs. Gana struggled to catch her breath as she dangled like a rag doll over his shoulder. The second vampire followed with long, graceful strides. She was able to see his long legs gliding behind them in the moonlight. The castle’s dark walls seemed to close in on them, and blocked the light until they passed into a beam of moonlight entering through a high window. The dungeon door was swept open by the creature carrying her, and they passed through the opening. Grasping the back of his coat, she pushed her body up. Able to see the shadow of the beast behind her, she wondered if they were both going to feed from her before she died. Would it hurt? The beast swung her off his shoulder and held her dangling before him, then he pressed his lips to her mouth. “I don’t believe I have ever seen a human run as hard, or as long, as you did. You are a courageous woman. I admire that quality in humans. Humans’ belief that they have a chance against unbeatable odds is an admirable trait I quite enjoy.” He considered her for a moment. “You are quite lovely. As you killed Destra, I think you should take her place as our mistress.” “No, I don’t want to be a vampire. Kill me,” she puffed out in a strangled whisper. “We aren’t going to kill you.” A light flared as the second vampire lit an oil lamp in the dungeon. When she glanced in his direction, she saw he wasn’t holding anything to have lit the wick. “I’m Valo, and that rude fellow holding you is Cader. Destra was our mistress. Admittedly not a friendly vampire, still, she had strong sexual desires. Your presence here is proof we should not have brought her to this small village. Too late, we discovered her penchant for killing, which is why we left our previous home. This was her opportunity for a new start, and a chance at a different kind of life. Obviously, she failed, and for this, we apologize. It was not our intention to bring death to your people. “We are Carpathians, slightly different from vampires,” the man with chocolate hair continued. He wore black clothing, making it difficult to determine exactly what he was wearing. It appeared to be different from the clothing the men in the village wore. The oddity of his clothing attracting her attention, she didn’t bother looking at his shadowed face. “Definitely less violent,” Cader, the angelic vampire holding her, injected. The second vampire, Valo nodded. “I don’t know if a human can serve us as well as a vampire or Carpathian, but I am willing to give you the opportunity to discover the complete extent of your sensual nature.” “How generous.” She mocked his confidence, although she admired it. Both vampires were remarkably handsome. Valo had dark brown hair, black eyes and strong features with a light stubble of beard. Cader had black hair, black eyes and smooth, soft features. Their skin was a pale pink and their frames large and muscular. Both appeared as virile as Valo had boasted. He didn’t sound as if he had been in love with the female vampire, but she had been their mate. How like an unnatural creature to have an unorthodox sexual pairing. The thought of a pair of males making love to her teased her mind with possibilities. She had never been overly interested in coupling. But the thought of two…it titillated the imagination. A couple of nude bodies touching her at once…it teased. Two sets of hands…it enticed. A pair of mouths…it tantalized. Her pelvis pulsed with desire. If only they were human, I would be pleased to be their mistress. “I have no sensual nature.” Rudely, she challenged their assumptions. It was true that she hadn’t had a sensual nature before meeting them. She had tried sex and her body hadn’t responded. Why was it reacting now? “Then you will not mind if we discover if you speak the truth? If you are lying, I could be persuaded to punish you,” Cader warned. “Do you enjoy being punished?” He sounded as though he were looking forward to punishing her. Advancing across the room, he approached a long horizontal rack used for torture. A mattress had been placed on the flatbed between the huge wheels with thick rope wrapped around them. Two dangling ends on each side of the wheels had loops for holding limbs captive. He gained her full attention. “Punish me? You said you were definitely less violent than a vampire.” “True. And I meant it. There are pleasurable ways of punishing.” Valo’s black eyes seemed to flash fire in their depths, convincing her he was totally serious. “Pleasurable for whom?” “Us, of course. And you.” The vague sentence could mean almost anything. However, they did have a mattress in the dungeon. It was lying on the bed of an instrument of torture. A rack for stretching the arms and legs with ropes tied to wheels. “Some women experience intense sexual pleasure from punishment.” “I don’t think I am one of them.” Her gaze touched the mattress they were advancing toward. Will they tie me with the ropes and stretch me until I scream? Or will they fondle me…without my permission? Images of them touching, and arousing her, in spite of her determination to resist, while she was unable to defend herself popped into her mind. Her sheath pulsed with excitement. “Very well, we won’t punish you unless you decide you want to try it. Ah, I see by your expressive eyes that mattress interests you. I hear your rushing blood, and smell your scent of arousal. I believe you would like to discover, if twee mannelijks kan plezier jij meer dan een.” He shifted into Dutch. Although she didn’t know the words, she had heard the language spoken by a traveler not more than a month ago. “English, Cader, English. He said he believes you would like to discover if two males could pleasure you more than one. Is he right?” His smooth features made Cader appear angelic. Appearing so sweet made him more deceptive than his companion. His beauty was so perfect, she felt drawn to his innocent appeal, in spite of knowing that it was deceptive. Not that Valo appeared demonic. Although his dark brown hair was a lighter shade than Cader’s black locks, Valo’s features revealed his aggressive nature. He appeared commanding and determined. Still, he was beautiful, and she was drawn to his masculine appeal. Knowing they were evil made it harder to resist the emotions flooding her body. She denied the fact that their irresistible beauty appealed to her. They were waiting for a response. Gana had an instinctive feeling that the question was merely meant to tease her sexual appetites. Any fool would assume two could pleasure more than one, unless that one was indeed skilled in the art of carnal knowledge. Even if she was curious to discover the answer in practice instead of theory, she wasn’t about to admit it to these two arrogant creatures. Blast it all, how did she end up having a discussion about sex with these two, when they weren’t even human? “No. You are wasting your time, unless you intend to force me,” she retorted. “She has fortitude. No, we won’t force you, but we know you are aroused by us. I do believe being helpless arouses her.” Cader sounded as though he approved. Placing her on the mattress with care, as though she were a precious child, he smiled at her. “Are you still frightened? we can calm you.” Stepping forward, Valo queried seriously. He spat on a finger, then shoved it between her lips. She jerked her head away in revulsion and turned to face the opposite side of the bed. She exposed the pulsing vein in her neck to Valo’s view. Should he choose to give in to the temptation to bite her jugular, it would put an end to her torture. The taste of his saliva was in her mouth; surprisingly sweet and fresh. The scent of rain filled her nostrils; it was their scent. Cader stood on the far side of the bed and shoved his finger into her mouth. Her eyes caught sight of the spittle on the pad a moment before the finger entered her mouth. A shudder of repugnance shook her body. His free hand caught the back of her head and held it in place. What are they trying to do to me? The sweet flavor of their saliva flowed over her taste buds. The band of fear squeezing her lungs eased. Her head felt oddly light, as though she had drunk a large goblet of sweet wine. Her mind felt detached from her emotions. Fear no longer controlled her thoughts. Instinctively, she relaxed and began licking the finger in her mouth. “See, she wants us,” he told his companion, then groaned with desire. “God, that makes me want my cock in your sweet mouth.” Their crisp scent was in every breath she inhaled. “What have you done to me?” Gana demanded, sliding her mouth back from his finger. She thought this was part of a ritual, and they were changing her into a vampire. Her heart lurched, but steadied into a slow beat in her chest. Their saliva kept her calm. “Nothing to be afraid of, my dear, it will calm your fears, nothing more. The affects take only a moment to work. It has done all it is going to do.” Leaning over her, Valo looked into her eyes and smiled. Perhaps she was feeling slightly stimulated by the possibilities of pleasure two males could provide. It didn’t naturally follow that the two men had to be these two males. They were handsome devils, and something about them seemed to pull at her soul, making her long to touch them. It was as though they emitted a form of sensual lure to entice her. Still, she could never admit this, and her curiosity could be satisfied by two men in the village, should she choose to indulge in discovery. The smile proved to be as deceptive as she had expected. Taking her hands in one large grasp, he tied her wrists together with a piece of rope he had lying at the end of the mattress. “Why are you tying me?” Breathing between parted lips, her arousal increased. Her body tensed with anticipation. “So you will not hurt us, or yourself, while you are frightened. Once you trust us more, we will release you.” Laying her hands above her head, he tied the end of the rope to the spindle at the end of the bed. At the same time, Cader tied her ankles, and fastened the rope to the end of the bed. “We are doing this because if you were to draw blood, it might entice us, and bring out our aggressive natures. We don’t want that to happen. We only wish to be able to discuss our proposition with you,” Cader enlarged on Valo’s explanation. She had to twist, and strain her head
to see how they were fastening her down. “Rest easy and enjoy your arousal, we are not going to hurt our new playmate,” Cader assured her, raking a hand through his black hair; he disheveled it in an attractive manner. She wondered if anything could make him unappealing. “Somehow, your words don’t make me feel safe. I would prefer to die than live as your prisoner.” She conveyed her feelings of disgust. Some of that abhorrence was self-directed for being tempted by two unnatural creatures. Her breasts rising above her body with each deep drawn breath, was her body’s way of thrusting them up to tease them. Valo’s dark brown eyebrows arched. “A more persuasive reason to keep you alive I cannot think of at the moment, as we do not plan to keep you prisoner,” he said with an easy grin. “We want it to be your choice to stay and be our lover. There can be many advantages to being our mistress.” He really did have a mischievous expression when he grinned as he was now. She found it appealing. Damn! Stop it! Must I fight myself as much as these males? With fear no longer filling her thoughts, she was susceptible to the lust she was feeling for them. Shaking off the wayward thoughts, she forced herself to focus on the truth that they were not men. “Then why force me to come here?” “We want you to come live here in the castle with us. You couldn’t know this unless we talked to you. You wouldn’t have an opportunity to meet us, if we hadn’t made ourselves known to you. Plus, we had to prove we wouldn’t harm you to gain your trust.” Smiling, Cader ran his hand up her thigh. His cool fingers felt like a chill running up her flesh, but it landed in her female core, making a hot shiver of desire course through her pelvis. “Valo is right. You enjoy being helpless. I can tell by your expressive eyes. Your crotch is growing wet with your juices about now,” he stated. Stubbornly, she refused to acknowledge his comment. She marveled at how soft and supple his flesh felt. It was almost as though there was no material concealing, or protecting, her flesh from the caressing touch. He stroked over her stomach through her clothing, admiring her form. His touch caused her muscles to clench and quiver with awareness. As he continued upward toward her breast, her breathing grew rapid, her flesh tightened in anticipation of Cader’s fingers against the sensitive flesh. Her nipples embarrassed her by rising from the smooth mound into a hardening nub. It was a relief, as well as pleasure, when his hand covered her breast. His thumb and finger plucked the swollen nipple, turning it into a hard pebble. She felt each tug deep in her vagina as an ache of desire. She heard the soft moan of passion a moment before realizing it had come from between her parted lips. Heat burned her cheeks, as she felt embarrassment that he could draw these feelings from her body filled her mind. Walking his fingers up her chest, he slid his hand up her neck to cup her jaw. Fastening her eyes on Cader’s adorable face, she felt longing tug at her insides. He stroked his pale index finger over her lips and smiled, revealing two white canines. Those extended teeth reminded her beyond any doubt that this was not a normal man. They brought home to her the reality that this angelic looking creature was evil. She would be foolish to believe herself safe merely because they chose to tell her that she was. There was no guarantee that could force them to honor their words. “You like me touching you, I can tell by the dilation of your eyes, your shallow breath, and your rapid heartbeat.” Cader cast a glance at his companion. “Did you notice she has a perfect oval face, Valo, and full, kissable, heart-shaped lips?” Puckering, he mocked kissing her. “And look at those flashing green eyes? We are not making fun of you, sweetheart. We are totally serious in our interest. Forgive our habit of talking about you, we mean no insult. It is our way. Over many years of spending time together, Valo and I have formed patterns that are difficult to break.” “How do you expect her to believe you, when you are acting like a boy with his first girl? We have found ourselves a real treasure. Treat her properly,” Valo admonished, smoothing his hand over her hair. “She is a beauty. I particularly admire the soft curls in these lovely honey colored tresses.” Standing on the other side of the mattress, he lifted strands of her waist-length hair and ran his fingers through the soft tresses. “As soft as corn silk.” “Forgive me. I am as excited as a randy boy. I am as keen to see your pubis curls as I was with the first woman I bedded,” Cader admitted. Gana knew he was watching her to enjoy her shocked expression over his bold words. Cader was titillating himself, and teasing her mind with the anticipation of the youthful feelings he described. While she did believe he was excited, she didn’t feel inclined to oblige his mischievous fun at her expense. They had experience in seduction, but she wasn’t going to be an easy conquest. Instead, she snorted, and shifted her eyes away from him in a haughty manner. She schooled her features to reveal nothing of her excitement. It was new for her to be so aroused and she wasn’t comfortable with it. Perhaps she did enjoy being bound and at their mercy. Sliding his hand down her throat, Valo moved his fingers down the narrow lapels at the front of her gown. Deftly, he opened the buttons to her waist. Skimming his finger up the parted lapels to her ribs, he slipped his fingers inside and cupped the bottom of her breast. “I am aware of your arousal.” Although there was a chemise between her flesh and his, she felt every movement of his cool fingers as he gently squeezed. His thumb rasped across the tip of her turgid nipple. The sensation was so intense, her back arched up off the mattress, seeking more. “At dawn, I will release you. We want you to stay and live here with us, but we understand you must have time to consider. While we sleep, you will find adequate food in the kitchen. Please clean up after yourself, we have no servants. I believe you already know you can never tell anyone about us. If you leave, we want you to return before dark to be our lover, but you won’t, will you, my beauty? You are the type who needs a strong hand in control, just as you are enjoying being bound and having us touch you. It titillates you to be stubborn, and have someone insist.” She shook her head. He stared intently into her eyes, taking control. “I will not insist that you obey and come to us. If I am wrong and you truly don’t want us, you will go where there are people and stay. If I am right and you are stimulated by us and only wish to be stubborn, you will forget what I have said.” Pressing a soft kiss upon her lips, Valo was smiling when he released control of her mind and pulled away. “You will be easy to love. So sweet and kindhearted, you were willing to risk your life to protect your people. I wonder if they appreciate you like we will?” His fingers stroked her cheek with a delicate touch. “Your skin feels like the petals of a rose.” Pressing a feather light kiss on her lips, he straightened and moved away. Cader was standing on the opposite side of the rack where she lay on the mattress. Slipping his hand beneath her chemise, he cupped her breast. A part of her mind acknowledged that Valo had moved aside to give Cader a few moments alone with her. The two males had to be finely tuned to each other’s desires to work so smoothly together. It was unusual to meet males who were sensitive to another’s needs. There had to be a strong bond between them, but did vampires love? Could they feel tender emotions? Valo had spoken of loving her, but he could only have meant physically. Boldly, Cader stroked his thumb over her smooth nipple. The darn thing tingled, and rose to attention. Glancing down, she saw his fingers surrounding her naked breast. Using his wrist, he had pushed the material aside to expose her globe to his view. “Your body welcomes me,” he spoke reverently, as though he were honored that her body responded to him. Perhaps he was; she had to wonder if most people would be repelled by the fact of what they were. Certainly, they were male creatures of their kind, but they weren’t men, and she was having trouble remembering that fact. Was it difficult for other humans to remember they were evil? Did their unnatural beauty make them impossible to resist, or was she the only one affected this much? Leaning close to her breast, Cader slid out the tip of his tongue, and stroked it across her nipple. It felt as though his moist tongue stroked her whole body. Her head fell back as the shocking sensations shook her insides. Her breast arched up with her back, and unable to control it, she groaned deeply in her throat. It was embarrassing that they could pull these reactions from her, in spite of her desire not to respond. Valo stepped to her side and smiled, but his intense gaze locked with her eyes. “Are you a virgin?” “No.” She felt compelled to admit. What kind of power did they wield that allowed them to force her to admit things when she didn’t plan to speak? She had never told anyone such an intimate thing about herself. “Good. Virginity is for children, and much overrated in an adult relationship. I am pleased you are no longer afraid of us. We do not plan to kill you, so you may rest easy. We really would like you to be our mistress. You are responsible for the loss of the one we had, and as we both find you desirable, it would be a perfect arrangement for us.” His persuasive voice had a seductive quality that pulled at something deep inside her. “We could make it the solution to all your worldly needs.” She actually wanted to agree. It was true; his words drew her attention to her present physical condition. Her body was shaking with tension, and vibrating with anticipation. Never had she had a sexual nature, yet they were building desire in her with barely any effort. They were enjoying playing with her body, and she was so aroused, she wanted it to continue. Being tied relieved her mind of guilt. Being helpless, she couldn’t control her body’s reaction and ensuing desire for two unnatural creatures. “We need to feed. I’m hungry,” Cader reminded his companion, although he didn’t move away from her prone form. Her heart leapt. She was uncertain if the jump had been caused by fear, or excitement surging through her body. Cader’s hand covered her mons, then pushed his fingers between her relaxed thighs. The pressure caused her female core to ache sharply. Pushing her dress deeper between her thighs, he stroked over the pouted lips of her labia. Without conscious thought, she parted her legs to give him better access to her private area. She didn’t understand why they aroused her into wanting their hands on her body. It had to be the saliva they had put in her. There was no other logical excuse for such odd behavior. She hadn’t even voiced an objection to their touching her intimately. Perhaps she was more perverse than she thought. Forgetting he was a vampire, she had parted her thighs for a total stranger. Even now, she wasn’t attempting to press her thighs tightly together to prevent his invasion. Her body welcomed Cader’s touch, and longed for Valo to take advantage of her weakness also. Valo returned to her side. “I believe we have proved that you desire us.” He spread open the lapels of her blouse, then tugged down the neck of her chemise to beneath her breasts. The two round globes protruded into the cool air for their avaricious gazes, to be stroked as they wished. Secretly, she was hoping his tongue would lick across her nipples as they hardened and pouted in the cool air. “I can hear the rush of your blood
through your veins, and sense the throb in your vagina. You do ache
for me to slide my long, hard shaft into your soft fragrant cunny, my
dear. I can smell intensely growing desire. There is little you can
hide from us. You waste strength upon useless attempts. It is better
to accept, and revel in your lusts. Taking what is available is one
of the few important things I have learned in the past two hundred years.”
Biting her bottom lip, she struggled to resist the longing rising in her flesh. Her breasts were thrilled by the caress of Valo’s large hands, as they gently fondled the pale flesh. He worked in slow circles toward the pink disks, and the pebbled flesh at their centers. The sensations were shattering the strength of her control. Had it been an illusion that she had control over her body’s responses? Cader’s hand was also doing wonderful things to her lower body. He lifted her gown and stroked her labia through the thin chemise that covered her body. She had never been in a situation where two men assumed control of her body. It was exciting and frightening, because she didn’t know if she could trust them. It was her skin betraying her; it felt alive, and longed for more. Silently, she mourned the loss of his touch when Valo removed his hand from her breasts. “We will leave you now. I suggest you sleep while we are gone. I want you to have sufficient strength for some long loving sessions,” Valo said persuasively. Her eyes grew heavy, but she struggled against sleeping. Valo had suggested she sleep, he hadn’t ordered it. Surely that was a loophole she could slide through. The vampires laughed at her struggles. She was nothing more than a play toy. She had to prove she was worthy of some respect. Cader gave her mons a final pat before withdrawing his hand from beneath her skirt, then stepped from her side. The men sauntered out, acting full of pomp over capturing and seducing her. The lamp went out, yet there had been no gust of air to extinguish it. After a few minutes, the urge to sleep passed. Although her hands were bound, she dragged her fingers together above her head. Her thoughts were growing confused. Without their presence, she was no longer certain she wanted them touching her body. Would they force her if she said no? As they weren’t human, if she enjoyed it, did that make her a freakish creature? Obviously, she was odd if two males could arouse her when one, her lover, had been unable to get more than a mild response. Even when she had been willing to be seduced, Saul had never made her feel as desirable as these two. The room was a true dungeon with chains. There were arm and leg shackles on the wall. “Oh heavens, I am in trouble.” Now she had an idea how they would punish her should they change their minds. They had a complete dungeon at their disposal. Rusty chains with cuffs hung from the ceiling. There was a triangle shaped rounded box with eye slits that had pointed spikes inside and a bench seat. It stood open and waiting for an occupant to punish and torture. Lastly, there was the wheel with arm and leg cuffs for spinning, or if someone wished, standing a person on their head with arms and legs spread. At present, she was comfortable lying on the mattress, even with her hands and feet tied. At least they hadn’t tied her to the wheels and stretched her out until it pulled the bones from their sockets. “Yet.” Fear gripped her. Whatever had helped her remain calm was fading, and natural fear flowed through her body replacing desire. Panic raced through her muscles. Her blood pumped fast through her veins, shaking her body with the vibrations. Sweat beaded from her pores, cooling her flesh. Gana puffed out some breaths, and forced herself to calm, then she took a serious look at her situation. The moonlight coming in the open door allowed her to make out shapes in the room. She glanced at the black walls and sighed. This was the dungeon the villagers had broken into last eve. Shadows made it difficult to see, but the door was hanging at an angle. It had been broken from its hinges. If they truly untied her in the morning, she would run back to town as fast as she could. Once there, she was going to inform the whole village of the danger lurking on the hill. There were no coffins visible in the dungeon. Perhaps she had been wrong about their resting place. If the villagers had not discovered them, it had to mean the vampires resided in another area of the castle. But would she be able to convince the villagers to return for a more thorough search of the castle? There had to be someone who could protect her, or some way she could protect herself from their temptation. Perhaps she had been a fool to kill the lady vampire. No, she had been a fiend who killed people with heartless glee. She didn’t know if these two were killers, but she had to assume they also had no conscience. Look how they have taken me prisoner. They are all uncaring heathens. She didn’t know why she had given them credit for being sensitive creatures. It must have been a crack in her mind where insanity had leaked in. Time passed, and finally, she dozed. The sound of their voices drifted toward her from beyond the doorway of the dungeon. They had returned. Was dawn coming soon, or did they have time for her first? They had gone out for blood. Did that mean they had no intention of biting and feeding on her blood? Had they killed one or two persons in the village? The oil lamp flared with light again. Valo sauntered into the dungeon; she recognized him by his brown hair and beautiful masculine features. The loose style superfine wool coat floated around his legs. Tension tightened her throat as he approached, but he didn’t appear threatening. “What are you going to do with me?” Her voice was laced with fear. “I believed we had cleared that up. You will replace our mistress.” Stopping at her feet, he quickly removed the ropes, then stepped to her side and released her hands. “I am retiring now. There is fresh food in the kitchen. You should eat and find a comfortable room.” He turned and walked away. “I am thrilled to have a mortal lover. It makes me feel almost as though we have a place in this world,” he said in a lilting manner. Gana sat up and watched him leave the room. Did they feel like outcasts, since they were so different from humans? His words made Gana feel sympathy for them, which she quickly banished. Their problems were not her concern. She could not take care of everyone. Right now, her main concern was saving herself from becoming one of them. A tense Gana stayed where she was, while giving him time to retire to his lair. She didn’t know where they slept. Should she attempt to discover it? Fear warned her not to search for them. She scooted off the mattress and dropped to the hard stone floor. Thoughts of running chased around in her mind. She needed wings on her heels to get away quickly. However, she couldn’t leave now,
first she had to eat. The need to do as he had bid was stronger than
her will. Gana bit her lip as she walked past the entrance, gazing at
it with longing, then she went in search of the kitchen. I am starving,
and would have no energy to run until I eat, she justified the delay
in her mind. Finding the kitchen, she prepared a quick meal. While she
ate, she thought of how she was going to run home as soon as she finished. |