Chapter Four

 

 

“I can't believe I'm going to a sex ball in a pumpkin,” I muttered to myself.

My elaborate carriage– which my mother had made from a pumpkin–coasted down the road, led by four, white horses which started the night out as mice. My footman had been a frog, and the coachman a rabbit. Mother made do with what she had available, or so she said. She also transformed my rags into the most exquisite ball gown I'd ever seen; dripping with sparkling diamonds. My hair had been curled and set with more shiny stones, and my face adorned with a radiant glow. At the last minute, she remembered my shoes.

There was nothing left to transform, so she pulled her own shoes off her feet and handed them over. They were a perfect fit, but they were glass. Glass! I asked her if she was mad. Who walked around in glass shoes? One false step and your feet would be sliced to ribbons. But she insisted.

So, there I was, primped and ready for the perverts. I watched the shimmering castle come into view, my heart racing at the thought of what waited for me inside it. Maybe they wouldn't notice me. Maybe I could attend the Ball and leave a free woman, and then my mother would have to concede defeat and find another way to take care of me.

The carriage stopped before the massive set of stone stairs that led into the castle. Right; I'll need to navigate those carefully–glass and stone don't pair well. I got out of the carriage with the help of the frog–I mean footman–and then was escorted up the stairs by a castle guard. The carriage pulled away and parked beside the other carriages as I walked into the castle.

There were people everywhere, but they were all dressed. I breathed a sigh of relief, wondering if all the tales of lewdness had been false. Maybe I was mistaken, and the princes were nice men who were looking for a good woman to marry.

I walked into the ballroom as Prince Ashton strode out of a room behind the thrones. He was escorting a woman who was still tying the ribbons of her dress. As soon as she was at the edge of the dance floor, Ashton started scanning the room for a new victim... er, partner.

“If one of Their Highnesses approaches you for a dance,” the footman at the door said to me with a lifted chin, “follow him into the audition room and perform for him as best you can.” He looked me over and then did a double take. “My lady,” he added. Then he lifted a hand to catch Prince Ashton's attention.

The Prince saw us and his eyes widened. He started moving through the dancers with expert speed. I rolled my eyes. Here we go. I didn't know what the footman had meant by “dance” and “perform,” but I knew I wasn't about to do either of those things. The Prince could just...

It was the first time I had been close enough to see the color of Prince Ashton's eyes. They were a pale gray, like storm clouds, and they were set intensely upon my face. His blond hair was swept back into a club, the pale skin of his throat was just beginning to flush, and his breathing was going ragged.

“My lady,” he whispered–a velvet sound, “I am overcome. Please, tell me your name.”

Oh hell no, I wasn't giving this guy my name. So, I went with my mother's name instead.

“Lily,” I whispered.

“Lily of?”

“The valley,” I said with a smirk.

“And she has a sense of humor,” he said with amazement. “Dear God, this night may not be such a sham, after all.”

I looked him over. He was a virile man, no doubt about that. Muscles strained his jacket, and the width of his shoulders was impressive. But I had gotten over my initial awe and was starting to feel nervous. I hadn't wanted to attract any attention, especially not his.

“Will you dance for me?” He asked me as he escorted me down to the dance floor.

“Dance with you, you mean?”

“No, for me,” he asserted as he continued to walk us past the swirling couples to the dais at the other end of the room. “Did you not receive the instructions? We're auditioning women to be our wives.”

“Auditioning?” I lifted a brow.

“You will retain your maidenhood,” he assured me. “But I need to be certain that I marry an exceptional woman. I require you to dance for me, in any way that you like, but I recommend using every womanly wile you have.” He gave me a wink.

“I think not.” I extricated my hand from his and started walking away.

“Pardon me?” He chased after me. “You're at our Ball, so I assume that you know our court etiquette. Are you seriously surprised by my request?”

“I am not from here,” I said airily. “And I won't perform for you.”

“Fuck,” he cursed under his breath. “All right, just come in the back with me and we can... talk?” He said the word like he wasn't sure it would accomplish anything.

“You want to talk with me?” I asked with a chuckle.

“Yes, actually,” he huffed. “I do. Will you join me?”

“All right, Your Highness.” I took his hand. “Lead me to a room we can converse in.”

Prince Ashton smiled brilliantly and escorted me past his beaming parents, who looked me over as they might a new horse. The Queen nodded her approval, and the King leered. I swallowed past my dry throat and went with the prince into the room he had exited just minutes before.

It was not vacant.

His brothers were sharing the audition room with him, though they each had a separate area to themselves. Prince Weston, with his ebony hair and bright emerald eyes, was to the left, arms spread over the back of the couch he sat on as he watched a naked woman wiggle. He did not look impressed. To the right was Prince Braxton with an equally naked girl dancing before his couch. He was laying on his side, his head propped by a fist. The girl dancing for him happened to be one of my stepsisters, and I nearly turned around and left when I saw her.

“Pay no attention to them,” Ashton led me to his couch, set between the others, and helped me sit.

His brothers looked over at us in surprise, and then they got a good look at me. Each man sat forward and then stood.

“Get out,” Braxton said to my stepsister, Ava.

“What? But, Your Highness, I've just begun,” she protested.

“Leave now,” Braxton growled.

Ava started to cry as she hastily pulled on her clothing.

“You too,” Prince Weston said to his dancer. “Off with you.”

The women protested more, but the princes were too intent on me. I was a little shocked when they descended upon us. I knew that I was pretty, but this amount of attention was ridiculous. Something shimmered over my feet, and I looked down at the glass slippers. Damn her; my Mom had bewitched my footwear!

“Who is this?” Weston asked as he sat on my open side.

“Her name is Lily and she's mine!” Ashton declared. “I found her first. Besides, she won't dance. She only wants to talk.”

“Won't dance?” Braxton lifted a mahogany brow and set his cerulean stare on me. “Why not?”

“I'm a lady, you are supposed to woo me,” I said haughtily. “The only kind of dancing I do is the proper sort.”

The men gaped at me, then at each other, and then burst out laughing.

“Well, if you find that humorous, I'll just be going as well, shall I?” I stood.

“Don't be so hasty,” Braxton stepped forward to block my path. “If you want to be wooed, you shall be.”

He took my hand and lifted it to his lips, kissing it lingeringly.

“I don't believe I've ever seen such beauty,” Weston purred as he eased up behind me.

I tried to edge away, but Ashton caught me.

“Easy now, kitten.” He set his hands to my waist. “No one will do anything that you don't want.”

“Really?” I asked. “Because it doesn't seem that way. Do you three only know how to fuck?”

They gaped at me again.

“Because, Your Highnesses,” I growled, “there's a big difference between fucking and falling in love.”

“Now, she's talking about love,” Braxton declared as if I was the most unusual woman they'd ever met.

“I won't marry a man I don't love,” I threw the words down like a gauntlet.

“Fuck me,” Weston whispered. “I find myself at a loss. What shall we do, Brothers?”

“May the best man win,” Ashton snarled.

“Or perhaps all of the best men,” Braxton mused. “Why divide our forces when we're so much stronger together?”

“Like when you were sixteen.” Weston smiled.

“And we shared that girl. What was her name?” Ashton asked.

“Bess,” Braxton answered. “It's hard to forget our first foursome.”

“You're a bunch of fools,” I snapped. “You're wasting your lives on lust when you could be finding a woman to treasure.”

“Give us ten minutes to work our lust on you,” Braxton purred, “and I'll bet that you forget all about love.”

“Impossible,” I huffed.

“Ten minutes,” Ashton whispered in my ear. “Are you afraid that you might like it?”

“No, I'm afraid that you might hurt yourself.”

“Oh, my,” Weston sighed. “I believe that's a challenge accepted.”

“No, wait.” I held out a hand, and Weston took it, slipping it into the V of his shirt. “I never said yes to this.”

“Are you saying no?” Ashton nuzzled my cheek and pressed against my side.

I could feel his erection against my thigh. Weston shoved my hand downward roughly, popping the buttons off his shirt, and I felt the sleek planes of his chest, hot beneath my palm.

“I ...”

“Yes?” Braxton's hand slid over my shoulder as he began nibbling my ear.

I moaned, closing my eyes and leaning back against Braxton. His hand continued across my chest and then delved down my bodice. I jerked as he tweaked my nipple.

“Shh,” Ashton murmured against my lips. “Just feel the pleasure.”

Then Ashton was kissing me, his talented tongue tangling with mine as his hips pressed forward. Braxton eased my breast free of my bodice and set his mouth to it, sucking hard on my nipple. Weston pressed in behind me, pulling up my skirts to slide his naked member between my ass cheeks. I sighed, letting Ashton explore my mouth as Weston angled himself between my thighs and began sliding against my opening.

I don't know how it happened. I had every intention of saying no, but suddenly, I was naked and spread across Weston's lap. His cock was rubbing against my waist as he angled my head back and my thighs apart. Braxton knelt on Weston's left, his member glistening with desire. He rubbed it across my lips as Ashton set his mouth to me below. I gasped in ecstasy and Braxton used the opportunity to slide his cock into my mouth.

God, it was amazing. Pure bliss. I sucked at Braxton as Ashton sucked at me, and then Weston lowered his mouth to my nipples and sucked me there as well. Hands roamed my hot skin; kneading and clawing. Cocks pressed at me everywhere and tongues lapped. I groaned, my head spinning.

Then Ashton slid into me.

I screamed in pleasure around Braxton's member. Weston moaned and pressed tighter to me, holding my legs open for Ashton. The tempo was a slow slide, but Ashton was close to coming when he'd begun, and the Prince didn't last long. Soon, he was tensing above me, spilling into me, and then rolling to the side.

“At last,” Weston declared as he slipped into Ashton's spot, never noticing how Ashton's eyes were focused on me as if I were the only thing in his world. “What a beautiful pussy.” Weston sank into me with one thrust and groaned. “Sweet mercy, she's so tight.”

“Her mouth is magic too!” Braxton declared.

Braxton's hands went to my breasts as his balls tightened against my face, and he cried out. I drank him down, and he too, rolled to the side, to stare at me with wide, adoring eyes.

“Oh, fuck,” Weston ground out as he pounded into me. “I've never felt so damn good. Look at me, Lily,” he demanded, and I looked up into his ivy eyes. “I want you to come with me.”

He reached between us and rubbed at me. I shivered and moaned, rushing toward the apex of desire.

“Now, Lily,” Weston growled and shoved deeper.

Rapture claimed me, and I screamed as it rocked through me. Then Weston groaned, shouted, and came with a violent shove, trembling over me with the aftershocks.

I caught my breath and stared at the men in horror. What the hell had I just done? I swore I wouldn't let this happen, and there I was, naked and ashamed. I could feel Weston slipping out of me, along with the proof that I had been well used. I pushed Weston off me, and he rolled to sit limply on the couch. I hurried into my dress as the men stared at me. Tears were already sliding down my cheeks, but I wiped at them angrily. I'd be damned if I let them see me cry.

“Yeah, you won,” I snapped. “Well done, boys. Revel in your prowess, but remember this when you lie in bed tonight; you could have had something real, but instead, you gave it up in exchange for one fuck.”

I yanked on my shoes and ran out the door.

“Lily!” Ashton shouted.

He was evidently the first to recover, but he was still naked. I had a head start on him as I ran through the ballroom amid the shocked gasps of the guests. I made it out to the steps and shouted for my carriage. The rabbit coachman pulled it up quickly, and I hurried down to meet them.

“Lily!” Ashton stood naked at the top of the steps, waving for me to stop.

“Son of a bitch,” I swore and tripped.

A shoe slipped off my foot.

“Damn it anyway,” I growled and limped into the carriage. “Go, go, go!” I pounded on the ceiling, and the carriage raced out of the castle gates.

“Lilly!” Braxton and Weston added their shouts to Ashton's. All three princes stood naked on the steps of their castle. “Come back!”