Chapter Two
Kade escorted Morgana by the leather leash out of the examination room and into the hallway. He didn’t jerk her forward, but instead led her calmly down the stark corridor, allowing her to keep pace with him.
She didn’t question the collar and the leash; she knew why he found the need to use it. He didn’t trust her, and she didn’t trust him. No matter that he made her body jump at his touch, crave it even, he was still a member of the enemy. He reported to Lord Nero, one of the slimiest, most horrifying men she had ever had the chance to know. She also knew nothing about Kade. He was a mystery. His yellow eyes hinted at abilities she couldn’t even guess at. Who knew if when they arrived at his cabin, he wouldn’t throw her on his bed and claim her as his without her consent? He could just as easily be lying to her too.
If he wanted to, he certainly could take her. It was a terrifying thought. Would he take from her what she wasn’t ready to give? For all she knew, he was trying to get into her head, so that he could tell Lord Nero all he knew. She would have to be careful, especially in what she told him about herself and her home kingdom of Legeari, and especially what she told him about King Dante.
Following him, she tried to keep her resolve strong so that she didn’t falter. Watching him saunter away, never looking back at her, she narrowed her eyes. She wouldn’t fall for his dubious antics, no matter how much her body craved him.
His back muscles were tense underneath his clothes, and he walked with such purpose that she struggled to keep up. He led her to an elevator before guiding her in silently without so much a glance. He pressed the first floor button and looked straight ahead, not meeting her questioning gaze. By the time they reached the first floor, she was beginning to get annoyed.
He led her across the floor of the first story of the building, outside into the cool night air. From there, he hailed a passing airship, which stopped so fast that Morgana nearly ran backwards in order to escape. The leash pulled hard on her collar, and she froze, wild panic slowly disappearing from her eyes. Slowly, Kade turned to face her, his features softening at her terrified reaction.
Gently, he took her hand and led her into the small ship. There was a seating area in the back, large enough for two or three people. Kade drew her in beside him, and she begrudgingly allowed him. Feeling his warmth, she closed her eyes and pretended he was someone else, someone from Legeari, who would support her service to the king and Lana.
Opening her eyes and glancing up at him, she knew, at that moment, that he wasn’t that person, and it would take a hell of a lot of convincing to change his mind. She noticed he was looking at her too, his eyes a strange mix of ice and warmth. What was his deal? Finally, when she felt like she couldn’t take it anymore, she whispered into the silence.
“Kade? Are you angry with me?”
“Morgana, when I ask you a question, I expect an honest answer.”
“I couldn’t. I don’t know you, nor can I trust you.”
“Well, with time, I hope to change that. Until then, I still expect you to be honest with me at all times.”
She looked back up at him, meeting his eyes. He was a mystery to her, a strange man who had been given responsibility for her captivity. Still, she didn’t quite know if she could trust him. He seemed kind, if not fair, and she couldn’t help but blush at the memories of what he had done to her on that metal table. Her body growing hot, she had a hard time quelling the attraction she felt for him.
Looking away, she couldn’t be sure if he wouldn’t turn her in to Lord Nero at the slightest bit of information about her home. She made a vow to herself to remember that he was the enemy, no matter what he said to her and how much her body yearned for him.
Before she knew it, the ship was coming to an abrupt stop. Kade held her close to him in order to keep her from jerking forward. He helped her out of the small ship, taking her arm until she was settled on the ground. Gently tugging on the leash, he led her into a small building. It was two stories high and made up of mostly glass windows, but strangely enough, she couldn’t see inside. Upon further inspection, she realized the glass was mirrored.
He led her into the front door, locking it behind her. Looking around at the entryway, it was clear she was looking at a bachelor pad. There wasn’t a feminine touch in sight. Everything was neat and put together well, but she got a distinct simple and stark impression from the place.
“Is this your home?” she asked, her voice soft.
“Yes.”
“Is anyone here with you?”
“No, I live alone.”
“What do you plan to do with me?”
There was little she could do to keep her nerves from edging into her voice. He turned back to her, his gaze softening a little. Moving toward her, her unclipped the leash from her neck, but the leather collar still hung heavy on her throat. His fingers grazed against the skin of her chin, and it took everything she had not to lean into his touch.
“Are you hungry?”
“What?”
“When was the last time they fed you?”
“I… I don’t remember.”
“Come on. Follow me,” he said, walking further down the hall. Following him, she realized he had led her into some form of a kitchen. It looked similar to one from her days on Earth, but there were a few things she didn’t recognize. She first noticed that there was no oven or fridge like in a traditional kitchen. There were plenty of light gray cabinets, and a beautiful countertop made of a dark gray rock with veins of white snaking through it, which matched the cool smoky color of the tile floor. It was an extremely modern-looking kitchen, but clean and decidedly masculine.
“Where is your food?” she asked timidly, still looking around.
“I don’t cook. I bought a meal synthesizer long ago. You simply tell it what you want to eat and it will make it for you.” He pointed at a large, square metal box on the counter that looked much like a microwave, but with much more complicated controls.
“A meal synthesizer? I’ve never heard of such a thing.”
“You mean you don’t have them in Eridell?”
“I have never seen one. Does it use a lot of energy?”
“I’m not sure. Maybe.”
“Doesn’t Lord Nero limit your use of dark matter?”
“No. Never in my time here.”
“Have you always lived here, Kade? I mean, have you ever been outside the city and seen what it’s like?”
With a heavy sigh, he looked back at her, his eyes meeting hers, yet somewhere still seeming like he was far away.
“I used to live on the border of Legeari and D’Lormere. When I was very young, the D’Lormerean army raided my town. My father was killed trying to protect us, and my mother was forced onto an airship. I never saw her again. They took me as well, only they placed me in a medical training program and I’ve been here ever since.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
“I know what it’s like out there. I know how different it is. The people living here have no qualms about wasting anything, but for many people, it’s because they feel that the capital owes them something. In my case, D’Lormere killed my family.”
“I didn’t know,” she said, her voice lingering.
“I know. Legeari was once my home. You have more allies than you think here in the capital. My people knew you were coming; there were whispers about a great sorceress prisoner to be trained and bred by us for Lord Nero’s use. I made sure he was aware of my presence and that I was perfectly willing to take you in hand, and as a result, he ended up giving you to me.”
Morgana looked back at him, assessing his eyes in order to figure out if he was telling her the truth. There was not even the slightest hint of a lie in his eyes. Still, she felt reluctant to trust him based on a simple story, even if it tore at her heart just a little. She had seen his sadness, and felt the loss of his family through his words.
Regardless of what Kade said, Lord Nero had still trusted him to keep her prisoner, to watch over her, and most worrisome of all, to breed her. She couldn’t rely on him.
Dropping her eyes to the floor, she wrung her hands, choosing not to respond to his revelation. She heard him begin to open cabinets and heard her stomach growl. Giggling, she pressed her fingers to her stomach, almost as though her touch could stop the sound from being heard.
Blushing furiously, she looked up at Kade. A smirk hinted at his lips as he turned away toward the meal synthesizer.
“What would you like to eat?”
“Anything I want?”
“Yes, whatever you like. I can program whatever I’m craving into it and it will be ready in just minutes. It’s really incredible.”
“Even Earth things?”
“Actually, it does make things from there. What would you like?”
“I would love a plate of lasagna. I haven’t had that in the longest time,” she said almost shyly. She watched as he pressed a few buttons on the keyboard.
“Coming right up.” The machine whirred to life, humming softly for a few seconds before quieting down. Kade opened the door to the contraption, and removed a steaming hot plate of lasagna that looked freshly cooked, drizzled with sauce and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. Morgana felt her stomach growl even louder as she breathed in the delicious aroma. He put the plate on the large wooden table in the center of the kitchen, and pulled out a chair for her.
“Sit.” She obeyed without question, her mouth watering at the sight of the food. He retrieved silverware and a napkin for her, and she dug right in.
He returned moments later with what looked like a large steak, some sort of green vegetable native to Terranovum, and a potato. Sitting down in the seat across from her, he took a small bite of meat before looking up at her, his expression one of curiosity.
“Tell me about yourself. You’re from Earth, right?”
“Yes. I am.”
“Well, what was your life there like?”
Morgana watched him for a moment before deciding it was a safe enough question for her to answer. She sat back and finished chewing a bite of her meal.
“I haven’t been on Earth for over five years now. I used to live in the United States, on the east coast in Rhode Island. It’s such a tiny little state. The city I lived in was called Providence. I had a mother and a father there, but we weren’t terribly close. I had gone off to college in New Jersey and my father went off to try to start a career as a comedian, with my mom as his manager. They died in a car crash when I was seventeen. Dante found me late one night a year later wandering on the beach and I woke up in the holding cells. Fortunately, I wasn’t there long. The Terranovum air had awakened something deep within my genetics, and I developed my magical powers. From there, I was appointed a very high position within the castle. For years now, I have helped watch over the city of Eridell and its people.”
“I didn’t realize you’ve been here on Terranovum for that long. It must feel awful after losing your powers to that bracelet.”
She touched the heavy band on her wrist, its metal a constant reminder of what Lord Nero had taken from her. The intricate tribal markings around the bracelet inscribed a heavy spell, which locked down her magical abilities so that she had no access to them. She was nothing but a simple human girl without them.
He watched her closely, his eyes warm. Morgana almost felt safe for a moment, until she remembered that he was still an enemy.
She took the last few bites of her meal and sat back, feeling completely full. He finished his steak and moved onto the sides. Before long, he was finished, took their plates off the table, and put them in a device that looked much like the dishwashers she remembered back on Earth.
“Thank you. That lasagna was delicious. Just like the real thing!”
“I’m glad you liked it. You should get ready for bed though; it’s been a long day. It makes my skin crawl knowing how you were likely treated in Lord Nero’s care.”
“I don’t remember much. I do recall being pretty hungry for much of it. For some reason, I think they gave me some sort of sleeping drug in my water for the majority of the trip. I only remember small flashes of a cart early on, and then he loaded me onto a ship. I don’t remember anything after that until I woke up on your table.”
His face darkened, and he looked away for a moment before turning back to her.
“All the more reason to get you tucked into bed. Come on, follow me.”
“Where am I going to sleep?”
“In my bed.”
“No, I can’t do that,” she answered firmly, the shock freezing her in her seat.
“You can, and you will. This is not up for discussion,” he replied, his voice stern.
“Please, Kade, don’t do this,” she pleaded, her voice beginning to edge into fear. Was he about to force himself on her? Was this it?
He looked back at her, seemingly sensing her distress. His face softened, and he placed his hands on her shoulders.
“Morgana. I’m putting you in my bed so that I can keep watch over you. I would never force a woman to be with me, but I do hope, one day, that you will beg me to take you. But, that day will not be today.”
“You promise you won’t?”
“I will never break my word. I promise you, I will not force you in this.”
“Thank you,” she whispered as she felt relief pour over her. Kade dropped his hands from her shoulders and took her hand, gently prodding her to follow him. She looked down at his fingers, his broad hand swallowing up her much smaller one. He was so much bigger than she was, and he was even large for an Erassan male. She would have to take him at his word. No matter how much she fought, if he wanted to lay claim to her, he could, especially since she didn’t have her powers to protect her.
They reached a door at the end of the hall and Kade opened it, leading her into his bedroom. He looked back at her before motioning her inside. Once the two of them entered the room, he helped her undress and Morgana didn’t fuss, but watched him with a certain wariness that she couldn’t hide. Before long, she was once again naked in his presence. He pointed to a door in the corner and told her that was the bathroom.
“Come. I will draw you a warm bath, and you can relax until bedtime.”
Morgana padded after him into the bathroom, and was surprised by the warm red and beige colors that decorated the room. The largeness of the room surprised her. It had a shower, a toilet, and a set of double sinks. She gasped at the size of the bathtub, complete with a number of jets. She sat on the ledge while he fiddled with the water, testing the temperature and pouring in a variety of beautifully scented oils. When the water reached a high enough level, he turned it off and helped her to climb inside.
Groaning as the warm water enveloped her legs, she sank down into the tub. Once her body was fully covered, she leaned her head back as feelings of relaxation poured through her.
“You have one hour. I will return after that so that we can get you into bed.”
“Yes, sir.”
Looking back at him, she saw he was smiling at her, almost as though he was proud of her. She beamed back shyly, blushing at his response.
He turned on the jets and she moaned as they pounded into her sore muscles. This felt like heaven. Closing her eyes, she melted into the heat and the soothing pulse of the jets, and just let herself relax. After what felt like only a few moments, she forgot everything. She forgot how she was a prisoner in the enemy territory, about Lord Nero’s cruelty, and how she was going to help King Dante destroy D’Lormere. At that minute, nothing else mattered but the warm water melting away her worries and the scents of the soothing oils Kade had poured into the bathwater.
She heard Kade come back into the room and opened her eyes to look up at him.
“Has it already been an hour?”
“Yes, it has. Did you enjoy yourself?”
“Yes, very much so. This tub is heavenly.”
“Come, let me help you stand.” He gripped her hand and assisted her as she climbed out of the tub, then wrapped her in warm towels as soon as she stepped out of the water. He picked her up and carried her back into the bedroom. Morgana was too weary to fight, and just let him. He placed her on the bed and rolled her onto her belly so he could take the towels off her.
His hands began to massage her all over, further melting her into a relaxed puddle of goo. She hardly noticed when he began to touch her bottom cheeks.
“Now that you’re relaxed, Morgana, I’m going to give you some medicine to help you sleep, and some extra vitamins to boost your system after your journey here.”
“Alright,” she answered, looking back and extending her hand so that he might give her the pills to swallow, but he pushed her hand away. Instead, he parted her bottom cheeks and squeezed something cool against her tight rosette.
“What are you doing?”
Her buttocks clenched as she tried pushing herself up on the bed, but a few sharp spanks to her backside stopped her from going any further. She jerked a little when his thumb invaded her bottom hole, spreading something slippery around the rim. Feeling him begin to push a rounded object inside her, she whimpered until it popped into her bottom. With a whine, she realized it was a suppository.
Feeling her face flame in embarrassment, she hid it in the nearest pillow. He followed the suppository inside her with his finger, situating it deep inside her channel. She groaned as he followed the first one with a second, and then a third, until she felt impossibly full. After each one, he would insert his finger into her bottom hole to situate the capsule, making her blush each and every time.
Finally, once all three were inside her, he showed her a small purple butt plug.
“You will wear this so that your medicine will be fully absorbed inside you.”
She didn’t even have time to answer before she felt the tip of the plug nudge at the entrance of her bottom hole. He began to press it into her, the slippery fluid allowing it to slip inside her with ease. With a pop, it sat deep inside her tight little hole, ensuring that the suppositories would not slip out
With a start, she realized how warm her body had become, and she could feel her arousal beginning to moisten her thighs. How could something so shameful make her body react that way?
His fingers stroked across the flesh of her inner thighs, up toward her dampened nether lips. As soon as he made contact with her pussy, she moaned at the sensations that shot deep into her core.
He began to rub her clit, circling his fingers up and down, and then around until she was shaking with need, her desire beginning to overwhelm her.
“Do you think you deserve to have an orgasm?”
“Please, sir. Please,” she begged, her voice sounding desperate, her hips following the deft movements of his fingers. He didn’t answer her, but instead began to increase the pressure on her needy bud. She ground into his palm and cried out when he pinched the folds surrounding her clit.
“You may come for me, Morgana.”
His words allowed the coil tight inside her to snap, as feelings of intense satisfaction took over her entire being. Her legs quivered as loud moans escaped her lips. He held his hand over her pussy until her body quieted, his touch incredibly possessive and delightfully firm.
“Thank you, sir,” she whispered, her voice a bit hoarse.
“Let’s get you settled into bed now. It’s been a long day.”
She allowed him to pull up the covers around her, and before she knew it, her eyes were drifting closed as sleep quickly overcame her. The last thing she remembered was the warm look on Kade’s face as he sat on the bed beside her.