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A Gift for the King (Terranovum Brides Book 1) by Sara Fields (3)

Chapter Three

 

 

Lana woke in a dark room. She blinked, her eyes struggling to find light while her mind wrestled to make sense of what had happened. Last she remembered, she had been with Jake, and had run off. She shivered, remembering his cold rejection. A vision of the tall blond-haired man crossed her mind, and she jolted out of her semi-aware state, suddenly fully awake.

She found herself in a big room, which was actually a cell made of massive stones. Strangely, it reminded her of something out of the Renaissance. Other women were in the cell with her, but everyone was silent. She didn’t dare make a sound either, but she did creep toward the bars of the cell to peer out. Continuing to observe her surroundings, she saw the man who had taken her from the beach talking to a few other men, all of them oddly gorgeous. Every man was well built, like something out of a male review calendar, and each one exuded a power she could only guess at.

She looked at the other women trapped in the cell with her. They were all beautiful, ranging from pale and blond to tan and brunette. There were even a couple of redheads as well. She noticed that all the women were young, in their early to mid-twenties, just like her.

Lana looked back at the men, and noticed the blond man watching her. Narrowing her eyes, she stood boldly, courage coming from someplace unknown.

“Why am I here?” she yelled in his direction, her anger getting the best of her.

The other women gasped and shrank away from her, terror in their faces. A dangerous look came over the man’s face. He looked at the other men he was talking to and smiled.

“My my my, what do we have here,” he said, walking up to her cell. “We’ve got a brave one, men.” He paused, and his eyes perused up and down her body. “The king is going to like that.”

Suddenly his arm snaked through the bars and his hand grabbed her throat. He lifted her off the ground while she struggled for air. Her hands tore at his fingers but to no avail. She couldn’t breathe. His fingers felt like they could crush her throat with any more pressure. She kicked and tried to struggle, but it was all for nothing.

“The king is going to enjoy breaking you. He likes them feisty,” he warned, sternness dripping from his every pore. He threw her backwards and she landed on her back. The blow was harsh, and she struggled to take in air, making her panic a little. When she was finally able to gulp in as much air as possible, her eyes focused to realize the man was smirking at her. Oddly enough, she could have sworn she saw the slightest hint of a sad warning there, like he was imploring her to keep quiet. He eyed her as she shrank away. None of the other women came to her aid, but kept their eyes strangely averted. She wouldn’t make the mistake of challenging that man again.

Lana made her way toward the back of the cell and sat down, pulling her knees into her chest. She hid her face in her hands. Who were these strange men and why did they have these mysterious powers? Why was she here? Why had she been taken?

It seemed like hours before someone came to the cell again. This time, it was a beautiful woman with porcelain-like skin and thick waves of blond hair. Blue eyes pierced into the cell as the woman looked from face to face. The other women were careful not to meet her eyes, but Lana did so out of sheer curiosity.

“Open the cell,” the woman ordered.

The man who had threatened Lana procured a key and opened the cell gate while making a point to look in Lana’s direction. The woman walked into the cell, her shapely body swaying with each step. She pointed at a few of the women, and the men filtered into the cell, roughly leading the group out of the cell. Lana noticed she picked a variety of women, from brunette to blonde to redheads.

Lana gulped down her fear as the woman’s eyes fell on her. “This one too.”

The man with the blond hair made his way toward her. Not wishing to be forced to her feet, Lana stood bravely and walked to him. His hand slowly touched her shoulder, and she flinched as his fingers gripped a handful of her hair at the nape of her neck. She whimpered softly at the sudden pain as it blossomed across her skull.

He put his mouth close to her ear, and began to whisper to her. “Keep quiet. Don’t make me be harsher with you than I need to be.”

She nodded slowly, as much as his grip on her hair would allow. Why would he be telling her this? Did he not enjoy hurting her?

He led her out of the cell and up a flight of stairs, into a well-lit room.

Lana blinked, not believing what she was seeing. It looked like a Roman bathhouse. There were steaming pools everywhere, beautiful tile lining every surface, and attendants in long robes waiting by each one. She was guided to one close by.

The man finally let go of her hair and she breathed a sigh of relief as the pain drifted away. Her hand rubbed the back of her neck as she met the eyes of the attendant he had brought her to. She seemed normal and wasn’t extraordinarily beautiful like the rest of them. Lana let her eyes flicker between the blond man and the woman in the robes by the bath. She appeared human. Lana’s eyes shifted back to him. He looked otherworldly, or at least very different.

Other girls were led up from the cell in much the same fashion, with each one brought to a separate bath attendant.

Lana’s attendant tapped her shoulder, and Lana turned to face her.

“I need you to remove your clothes now.”

Lana looked at her, confused, if not defiant. She shook her head and instead started asking her questions.

“Who are these people? Why have we been brought here? Where are we?” Lana cried out frantically. Her desperation increased with the sound of her voice. The attendant shook her head urgently, trying to quiet the girl, and her eyes flickered over Lana’s shoulder. Lana looked back and the blond man was marching toward them. She turned to run, but her body stilled, his strange power suddenly coming over her again. Her muscles felt like cement, frozen solid.

He grabbed her, spun her around, placed his foot on the ledge of the pool, and threw her over his leg so that she was jackknifed over his firm thigh, her bottom high in the air. Shock radiated through her at the sudden attack. He smacked her ass a few times before Lana knew what was really happening. He was spanking her, for God’s sake!

When her disbelief eventually wore off, Lana realized how much her bottom was burning and that his spanks actually, really hurt. The room was silent, and the sounds rang out through the room, echoing with every smack. She cried out as the spanks got harder. Pausing, the man reached underneath her torso and unbuttoned her jeans. She tried to fight, but he quickly tore them down so that her panty-clad bottom was on display for everyone in the room. A blush crept over her face. She couldn’t believe this!

He spanked her soundly with his hand until she stopped trying to fight him. He then pulled her panties down, baring her bottom to the entire room. She cried out in shame. Lana’s poor bottom was on fire; she couldn’t remember the last time she had been spanked. It hurt, and it hurt a lot. She kicked and tried to fight, but his spanks met the mark every time. His other hand held her firmly against his leg, and she realized that escape was impossible. When he next focused on the tops of her thighs, tears came unbidden. Her body submitted to his painful assault, and she began to cry.

She felt him stop, and his hand glided over her punished skin. She slowly calmed as he held her there, secure over his knee. His hand rubbed her spanked flesh, bringing a small shred of relief to ease the pain. He helped her up and slowly began undressing her. She no longer fought, her red and punished bottom bare for all to see. She kept her eyes down, unsure of what to do as he pulled her jeans and panties off her legs, as well as her now-wrinkled t-shirt and bra.

When she was naked, he silently helped her climb into the water. His face was firm, but calm. The attendant got to work, and began to wash her hair and body.

The blond man stopped the attendant for a moment, gazing at Lana warmly, which was strange because he’d only seemed to glare at her thus far, almost like she had passed some sort of unique assessment of his.

“Take good care of this one. She’s special, meant for the king.”

The female attendant nodded and continued to scrub Lana’s head, massaging in a variety of shampoos and oils.

Lana looked up at the man who had just spanked her, realizing he was still watching her. He began to walk away and she found herself calling out to him.

“Wait,” she said softly. He turned around to face her, acknowledging her with a raised eyebrow.

“May I ask your name?”

“Wes. Now behave yourself or you’ll earn another trip over my knee. Next time, I won’t be so nice.”

Lana’s eyes grew big and she nodded almost imperceptibly. Wes smiled and turned around, walking to the edge of the room. He seemed to be waiting to see if any other girls needed his special brand of discipline in order to follow the orders they were given. None of them fought after the demonstration of authority at Lana’s expense, and they all quickly shed their clothing and climbed into the baths to cleanse themselves from the dirt of the cells.

Lana allowed the woman to do her work, primping, cleaning, and shaving her. She turned her eyes to watch the strange powerful people. Something was very off with them and she intended to find out what it was. Each one of them was gorgeous, with porcelain-like skin no matter the shade, be it dark or light. Each of them had icy blue eyes and an air of confidence she had never seen before.

Shuddering, she thought about the raw power Wes had shown her so far, and she speculated who this king was and why he would like her so much. Question after question swirled around in her head, until it felt like she was going mad.

The attendant led her out of the bath and onto a nearby table, where she massaged oils into her skin and her hair. It felt so good that Lana allowed herself to relax a little bit and enjoy the feeling of the woman’s fingers on her skin. She felt a blush rise over her cheeks when she realized how very naked she was. Lana worried that the marks of Wes’ punishment were still apparent on her backside, and guessed that her bottom was still likely pink. Embarrassment kept her eyes closed so that she wouldn’t know who was looking at her and her recently spanked backside.

Filled with a deep sense of shame, she opened her eyes when she was offered a towel, and the attendant used another to dry her off. All the while, the woman never said a word, her eyes darting fearfully about Wes and the others as she did her work.

Lana didn’t ask her any other questions, and did her best to stay silent. It was clear that she wasn’t going to get any more answers here. She wrapped the towel around herself and enjoyed the softness of it and the cover it provided over her body.

Clutching the towel close, she and the other girls were led out of the bathhouse and down an opulent hallway to a room that looked a lot like a theater. There was a stage in the center, and tiered seating all around. It was dark, except for a single spotlight focusing on an item at the center of the stage. A large table made out of steel stood ominously under the light.

Upon further inspection, she noticed the table had ties at the sides, with leather cuffs attached. A sickening feeling began to bubble in the pit of her stomach. Wes lined up the girls, and with a strangely intense look, focused on her. He sauntered over to her and grabbed the back of her neck. Roughly he pulled her forward and she stumbled, taking a moment to find her balance as he pushed her in the direction of the table. The other girls were herded away with the blond woman, leaving her alone with Wes. Lana hadn’t seen where they had gone, leaving any possibility of escape next to impossible since Wes was blocking the way they had come.

“This one first,” Wes said, his voice low and commanding. Grabbing the towel, he whipped it from her body, leaving her stark naked once again.

Multiple hands came out of nowhere and Lana was quickly lifted and placed on the table. Her arms were pulled high over her head. Struggling, she tried to kick, punch, or wiggle out of their grips, but it was all in vain. She felt the leather shackles tighten on her wrists with a click. Her legs were bent and her feet were placed at the edges of the table. She felt another set of leather restraints clamp around her ankles. The whole thing was like a gynecological visit, without the chair part. She felt so exposed.

Voices sounded all around her, and she realized that during her struggles, the auditorium had filled with people, all finding their seats to watch whatever show was about to happen. Cold terror flooded through her.

She noticed another man standing in the center of the arena, who seemed to be commanding the attention of the entire audience. Silence quickly took over the room. Faces locked onto the two of them in anticipation.

Lana tried to focus on the lone man in the center of the room, so that she didn’t look at all the people in the crowd. Long white hair flowed down his back, almost to his waist. He wore no shirt. His back was layer upon layer of muscle, all of them rippling as his arms rose up to shoulder height. He wore pants that were a simple cream color. Even without seeing his face, everything about him screamed nobility. Every single eye in the audience was on him.

“Good evening, my great people of Terranovum. We are here to inspect the most recent batch of humans captured from the faraway planet of Earth. As your high priest, it is my honor to perform this duty for you, in preparation for the bidding that will occur tomorrow morning. Please take note of the female that catches your interest, so that you may bid on her tomorrow. Now, without any further delay, I will begin with the first woman brought before you.”

He turned around, and Lana gasped out loud at the sight of him. His eyes were completely white, with no colored iris, or even a pupil. The visual was entirely unexpected and strangely chilling. He wore a gold band around his forehead that extended to a point between his eyebrows, and the band held a gem in its center that almost looked like an eye. The blue of the gem matched all the ice blue eyes in the crowd, she realized with a shudder. The high priest’s tan skin almost glowed under the spotlight. Strange black tribal-looking tattoos circled his upper arms, surrounding chiseled biceps.

As he walked toward her, she pulled at her bonds, but it was no use. The restraints were in no way loose enough for her to escape, only to put up a small modicum of resistance. Her muscles tensed, quivering in fear at the events about to unfold. A whimper escaped her lips. Her heartbeat sounded loud in her chest, pounding louder with each and every step he moved toward her.

The high priest walked to the side of the table and ran his hands over her body, gliding over sensitive skin. Small bumps of gooseflesh prickled across her arms, and all the hair on her limbs raised in fear, intermingled with something else, something that she thought she identified as pleasure. That couldn’t be right, she thought. Rough callused hands brushed over her nipples and she felt them harden in response. Every touch was oddly tantalizing.

He began to focus on her nipples, flicking and pinching them, and brushing them with his thumbs, causing shocks of desire to shoot down into her core. What was wrong with her? Why was she reacting this way to this cruel treatment?

He circled the table, settling at the end where her feet were. Lana was excruciatingly aware of the fact that he could see everything between her legs, and she felt her body grow hotter. She began to tremble as she watched him take a long lingering look at her, his eyes zeroing in on what was between her thighs.

Next, the high priest’s white eyes focused on hers and held her gaze steadily. Once again, she found that she couldn’t look away. His power seemed stronger than Wes’. Her body grew even hotter as she felt his control overtake her small frame. Fiery desire coursed through her veins. Whatever he was doing to her made the urgent need deep within her core even worse, like she could implode at any moment.

She could hardly think. All this was so new to her. Even in college, she’d still been a virgin and no one had ever looked at her in this way. Her legs began to tremble and wetness pooled between her thighs. Her thoughts were a jumbled mess of shock, desire, and confusion, intermingled with fresh lashes of fear.

Lana jumped as she felt his fingertips trace from her ankles to her knees, to her inner thighs. She tried to close her legs, but her bounds held them too far apart for her to make any significant leeway. His white eyes seemed to capture hers as he once again began to explore her most sensitive places. Gliding his fingers across her moist flesh, the high priest began to smile and circled around the bud where all her desire seemed to center. That single touch caused Lana to release a moan so loud it startled even her. Sliding his fingers down even further, he circled around her vaginal opening before slowly inserting one finger inside, and then two.

Lana moaned aloud again, unable to control herself.

“This female,” he began, his voice steady, “is a virgin. Bidding will start at a much higher price due to her value.” He began to pump his fingers slowly in and out of her. Lana arched her back, her nipples hard and her breath shaky, panting in little gasps. She was very near to losing complete control, and she knew that this man was fully aware of it. She felt her hips roll, and another moan escaped her lips.

The high priest continued to move the tips of his fingers in and out of her, until Lana felt she could hold back no longer. Just before she felt her orgasm overtake her, he took his fingers away and she breathed a sigh of relief, with a twinge of disappointment.

He smiled softly and trailed his fingers down her wet lips, further down her cleft. Shame rushed to her face as she slowly realized his intentions, where he was going to explore next. He couldn’t mean to, could he? She wanted to squeeze her eyes shut, but he still controlled her with his strange power. No matter how hard she tried to move, he controlled every muscle in her body. His fingers continued to drop further until they grazed over her bottom hole. He circled it, seeing her discomfort and shame and relishing it. Anxiety flew through her, and she whimpered. She wanted him to stop, but at the same time, her body didn’t want him to. Wicked, shameful desire seemed to come from deep within her, its source unknown. His smile grew as he observed her reactions.

“This female is also an anal virgin. Her price will rise even higher.” The priest reached into his pocket and took out a packet of sorts. Breaking eye contact, he tore it open and ran it over his fingers. When he touched her again, she realized that it must have been some sort of lubricant. He returned his attentions to her bottom and she tried to shrink away. Spreading the lube around her bottom hole, he slowly pushed a finger inside her.

It felt foreign, stretching her in the strangest of ways. After he had worked one finger in, he pulled it out and worked a second in. Lana cried out at the invasion. It was such an uncomfortable feeling, and as the priest pushed his two fingers in farther, he left them there for a moment.

She was able to look away into the audience since he had broken eye contact. Every eye in the audience was trained on her, on her naked body, and how this man was violating her. Strangely enough, her nipples peaked and her body grew boiling hot, her bottom full with his punishing fingers. Shame passed over her at her body’s wanton reactions. Her heart throbbed so loud, she wondered if the whole room could hear it.

With a sudden finality, his fingers left her, leaving her feeling empty and bereft. Using a cloth, he wiped off the lube and all traces of her. He barely even glanced back her way.

He walked away from the table, leaving her utterly alone in her humiliation. Her gaze raced across the crowd, embarrassment overtaking her at her wild and wanton reaction to what this man had done to her. She blushed, and wished she would wake up from this terrible dream. Shutting her eyes, she tried to imagine she was somewhere safe, like in her bed back home.

Rough hands unshackled her arms and ankles, lifting her as if she were but a child. She opened her eyes and realized the man holding her was Wes. Oddly enough, his eyes seemed to contain some sort of warmth rather than the usual anger, like she had passed a test and done well. Allowing herself one simple comfort, she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face into his shoulder, not wanting to see the faces of anyone else. Closing her eyes again, she held back tears of frustration at her lack of release. Her pussy throbbed, unused to such attentions, as his strong shoulder muffled her cries. Lana wasn’t sure if they were moans, or sounds of fear. She felt so confused.

“It’s alright,” he whispered in her ear. “That’s the hardest part.”

Quickly, he whisked her out of the theater into a room that she hadn’t noticed before when they were led in. Vaguely, she realized another girl was being restrained to the table, and did her best to ignore it.

Wes lowered her onto a soft couch and untangled her arms from around his shoulders. He left her for a moment, in order to fetch a glass of water. The moment he presented it to her, Lana realized just how thirsty she was. Gulping it down, she felt the spinning emotions in her head calm a little.

“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice hardly audible. Wes knelt in front of her and nodded, placing his hands on her knees.

“You did well. It was necessary for you to be inspected to make sure you were worthy to be gifted to the king. I chose you especially for him.”

“Where am I?” she asked, her confusion still overwhelming.

“We are on the planet of Terranovum,” he said, his voice laden with softness, almost with a twinge of understanding. “I took you from planet Earth.”

“How is that possible?” She looked back at him, her face painted with disbelief.

“We put you in a form of stasis for some time during our travel from your home planet. It is entirely safe, and is the easiest way to transport humans while on our ship as we travel through space.”

Lana looked at him in disbelief. This wasn’t possible. It was insane, too crazy to even imagine or dream about.

“You’ll understand more with time. I don’t want to overwhelm you even further than you are already. I will leave it to the king to explain everything else to you.”

“But…”

“No buts. My advice to you is to do your best to obey any command our people give you. If not, you will face punishment.”

Wes reached aside and pulled a blanket over her.

“We will wait here until the inspections are complete. I must go assist with the other girls. I want you to stay here. Keep the blanket over you so you do not catch a chill.”

She nodded, curling the blanket over her body up to her neck. The soft fleece felt intoxicating over her sensitive skin. Trying not to think about anything she was just told, she closed her eyes as sleep quickly overcame her.

 

* * *

 

It felt like only moments later when Wes was in front of her again, gently shaking her awake. Confused, she gazed up at him, and he offered her his hand. Hesitantly, she took it and he helped her to stand. She noticed the other girls had lined up, their naked bodies quivering at the harsh treatment they had just endured.

Wes ushered them out of the room and into what could only be described as a movie star closet. He exited the room and left the group with a team of women with ice blue eyes. When she saw the room, Lana gasped at the sight.

Racks upon racks of clothes lined the walls, from short dresses to long gowns to even jeans and t-shirts. Astounded, she watched as the beautiful women with ice blue eyes meandered through the clothes, glancing from the lineup of girls and back, grabbing pieces of clothing as they went. A fiery redhead approached her with a shorter dress, an ocean blue lace covering a nude slip. She held it over Lana’s head, a no-nonsense look masking her emotions. Lana decided not to speak and held her arms up as the redhead pulled the stretchy club-style dress over her head. The woman stepped back to admire her decision with a dangerous smile. A sense of foreboding fell over Lana. What else was she being prepared for?

Another woman brought a pair of nude heels to her, and put them on her feet. Lana was then led to a mirror, where she could see what they had done to her. She gasped softly, surprised at the reflection that stared back at her. She gazed in the mirror, barely recognizing her lush dark brunette hair, shiny and full, her piercing blue eyes accentuated by the blue of the dress. The cloth hugged her every curve, showcasing her tiny waist and full hips, as well as her bust. Her legs looked long and graceful. Her face appeared flushed, and her lips were swollen. She was a vision of sensual beauty.

Lana looked around to see many of the other girls dressed in finery as well. Some girls wore gorgeous silk gowns, while others wore dresses that looked like they belonged in a club, just like hers. Every girl looked beautiful in her own way. They were lined up and evaluated by the strange women accompanying them, when more men walked in, Wes included.

“Are they ready to be presented to the king?” Wes said, his voice low. Lana narrowed her eyes at him, trying to understand what was happening.

“Let’s get them into the throne room and alert him,” the redhead answered decisively, taking one last assessment of her lineup of girls. Nodding, apparently satisfied, she led the line out of the closet and back into the hallway.

After a series of turns and heading through a few closed doors, they reached the throne room, and Lana gasped once again. The room was huge. High ceilings rose up above them, and floor-to-ceiling windows were bathed in massive dark wine-colored curtains. Ornate carpets lined the floor, all leading to a single throne at the front of the room.

The throne looked like something out of the medieval era, red velvet lining the seat and back. It was made of gold and stood at least six or seven feet high. Gold thread lined the red velvet, sewn in intricate royal designs. It was a throne indeed meant for a king, and certainly the grandest one Lana had ever seen.

Lana and the other girls were lined up facing the throne. They were told to stand still and to continue to look forward. She decided to listen for now, but allowed her eyes to dart about, evaluating her surroundings for escape, or some kind of clue as to why they were there. Startled, she jumped when she heard a door open up behind her. Instinctively, she turned to look, but Wes quickly came up behind her and swatted her backside harshly. Lana yelped, as the spank awoke the soreness from her earlier punishment, and she quickly looked forward again, not wanting to anger him any further.

Wes moved in front of the line of girls and met her gaze. Lana felt like a block of cement came over her, her muscles stiff and unyielding. Fear bubbled through her as he refused to leave her line of sight. His eyes narrowed and an authoritative smirk came across his lips. The warmer Wes from before had seemingly disappeared, to be replaced by someone much more commanding and no-nonsense.

Voices murmured behind her, and she felt a presence towering over her, but she couldn’t move her head to look. She felt helpless. Fingers touched her hair, moving it aside, baring her neck. The touch glided across her skin, moving past her shoulder and down her back, brushing against her bottom cheeks. When the hands left her, other girls cried out in fear and were quickly reprimanded with harsh spanks. She assumed that they were being touched too.

Wes continued to gaze into Lana’s eyes, and she still couldn’t move or look away. When a man walked around the line of girls and stood in front of them, Wes finally moved aside and broke eye contact with Lana, releasing her from his mental prison. She gasped as the power flowed away, and she was able to move her fingers. Bowing her head, she began breathing deeply.

After she calmed, Lana was able to lift her head and focus on the man who stood in front of them. She caught herself before she took a step back at the sight. He was tall, extremely well built, and wore dark blue jeans and a black button-down shirt that did little to hide his wide shoulders, strong arms, muscled chest, and the raw power that seemed to be straining to escape. His brown hair looked intentionally messy, and his face was smooth with a strong jawbone and a harsh gaze, as he stared out at the line of girls. Frighteningly, instead of the blue eyes Lana had gotten used to, his eyes were a bright blood red.

His eyebrow wrinkled as his gaze meandered about the girls, until he noticed Lana and an unexpected look of surprise came over him. He moved toward her until he stood directly in front of her. She felt tiny under his scrutiny, as he stood about a foot taller than her small frame. His fingers touched her throat and grasped her chin, forcing her to look up at him. Searching, his eyes met hers, and a strange sensation came over her. She felt a complete loss of control of her body, similar to what Wes had done to her before, but this was somehow very different.

Warmth passed through her limbs, and a sense of calm settled over her. Her fear all but melted away as she stared into the red of his eyes. Studying her, his eyebrows furrowed and he smiled dangerously. Lana felt as though she should be afraid, but couldn’t bring herself to be. She couldn’t look away, almost like his eyes had a strange power over her.

What the hell was he?

There was something decidedly different about the man standing in front of her. He had all the traits of a normal human, but he was so big, and there was something very strange with his eyes. What was it about his gaze that seemed so off to her, almost unnatural, so alien? They seemed to have the depths of ages hidden within them.

His smile grew larger, as if he could read her thoughts. That couldn’t happen, right? Was he enjoying this?

“This one is mine. She is not to be auctioned tomorrow,” he said, his eyes never leaving hers. “Go kneel by the throne,” he ordered.

It felt like he was talking to only her. His eyes reluctantly moved away from hers, his gaze lingering over every inch of her body.

She nodded, her body moving of its own accord. Step by step, she made her way to where he told her to go. She climbed the many stairs, turned and knelt beside the throne before she knew what happened.

Lana continued to watch him as he walked down the line, assessing the other girls for something unknown. He showed little interest in the others and waved most of them away. She saw him mutter something to Wes, and a dangerous smile came over his face. Whatever the man had told Wes had pleased him greatly.

Wes looked up and down the line, and chose a pretty blond girl in a long silk red dress. The girl reminded Lana of a movie star or a model. Clearly scared, the girl took his hand as he led her out of the room. She looked back at Lana with desperation before being taken out the door.

The other girls were led away as well. Lana was left alone with the man with red eyes, and the rest of the strange people.

The man turned and made his way back toward her, up the steps and to the throne. He stood in front of her, taking in the sight at his feet. Lana felt small, kneeling in front of him, and she could feel his dominance as he towered over her. This was an extremely powerful man, who had just claimed her as his property. She squeezed her eyes shut, willing her body to wake up from this crazy dream. When she opened her eyes, she looked up, and the man was still staring at her, standing above her.

She lifted her chin, willing herself to be strong for whatever was about to happen to her. Nervousness flittered across her face, and she tried her best to keep it neutral.

He knelt down, bringing his face to her level. “What’s your name?” he asked softly, his voice warmer than she expected.

In response, she simply stared. For a moment, her mind went completely blank. She couldn’t concentrate on anything but his eyes. They had faded from the bright angry red to something entirely different. His eyes were blue, just like the other strange people, but they seemed to go on forever. Flecks of red still stood out in his irises, but the depth of his ice blue eyes was striking. Surprising herself, she yearned to know the story his eyes held.

“Answer me,” he said, his voice hardening slightly. Quickly, she broke eye contact with a gasp, and forced her voice from her throat.

“My name is Alana, but my friends call me Lana,” she answered breathlessly.

“That’s a pretty name. It means beautiful maiden, an offering. Seems accurate thus far, doesn’t it?”

“Who are you?” Lana asked, curiosity overtaking her caution.

“My name is Dante,” he answered simply.

“Why am I here?” she pushed, her curiosity slowly morphing into bravery.

“My subjects have captured and given you to me as a gift. You are now my very own personal slave. I can do with you whatever I wish.” His eyes glinted dangerously. Speechless for a moment, Lana stared back at him.

“Your slave?” she whispered, her voice bathed in disbelief. Her mind raced, thinking of all the possibilities of what that meant, including an image of him atop of her, claiming her for himself. Strangely, her body warmed at the thought. Horrified, she pushed herself back and rose on unsteady legs. He rose from the squatting position and stood by her, still towering over her. She stepped back, only to find her back against the wall. She looked desperately from side to side for some semblance of an escape route. Dante placed both hands on either side of her head and leaned down toward her. Gulping, her fear kept her silent.

His eyes met and held hers, all the while strangely calm as he released his power into her.

“Relax,” he ordered softly. Her body obeyed as her mind fought.

“Please,” she begged. “Don’t hurt me.”

His gaze remained composed. A look of confusion seemed to come and go as quickly as it came.

“Why do you think I would hurt you, Lana?” he asked, his voice gentle.

“You’re… I don’t know what you are. And,” she paused, trying to continue. “Wes told me that you would break me.” Her voice faded away.

“Always the troublemaker, that Wes. But he’s right; I will break you. But I expect you will enjoy every second of it. And you will soon come to understand exactly what I am, but I digress. Now calm, my beautiful Lana. I must now put my mark on you, so that you will be mine, and only mine.”

Lana wanted to shrink back, but her body continued to quiet along with her mind. She should have been afraid, but her fear had seemingly washed away. Dante pulled her into his arms and moved her hair aside, baring her neck to him. He lowered his lips to her throat, placing a soft kiss there that ignited her skin. She felt him pull away, and his breath tickled her flesh.

“It’s going to be alright, my Lana. I will take care of you.”

He moved back and pushed the right shoulder of her dress down over her arm. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw someone hand the king something, and before she knew it, Dante was pressing it into her skin. A sudden pain blossomed under her clavicle. The burning agony grew to dizzying heights before she realized what was happening.

She was being tattooed. The sounds of the mark being etched into her skin buzzed in her head.

Her world pulsed with the beat of her heart as it rang in her ears, louder and louder. She wanted to scream, wanted to escape from his arms. Lana had always hated needles, and had an intense fear of them since childhood. She could feel herself beginning to weaken from her panic, and her grip on him slackened. His arms hardened as she felt him pull her body in closer. He knelt slightly and picked her up, taking her full weight upon himself as though she were as light as a feather. She cuddled into his chest, weariness making her limbs heavy, and her tattoo burning with heated torment.

“Sleep now,” he said warmly. Lana closed her eyes, and the last thing she saw was his gaze looking down on her. She noticed a strange softness lay behind the angry red color, which had once again overtaken the blue.