Chapter 121 – Torture – Raine's POV

I followed Marku out to the terrace where we had spent the evening before. It was just as beautiful as I remembered. Lush greenery, trees and flowering bushes, bathed in hues of silver and grey from the moon. The night was cool with a north-easterly breeze. My eyes landed on the large couch-bed and anxiety wound through my belly. I needed to delay, but was hesitant to bring up any topic after yesterday's fiasco. Every time I asked a question, we had ended up talking about sex. And sex was the very last thing I wanted to chat about now.

Rather than let him lead me to sit down, I walked to the edge of the pool, while he settled Queen Ileana in a distant chair. He never let her out of his sight. Even though she had shadowed our every move, she never spoke or uttered a sound, and I forgot about her presence most of the time.

She followed him obediently and took a seat where he motioned. He wrapped the chain hanging from her collar around a nearby tree, like she was a puppy needing to be contained. But she wasn't going anywhere. She kept her usual position, sitting cross legged, with her head down, her pain obvious. My heart went out to her. Even after everything she had done, I could so plainly see that her mistake had been loving Armand, when he had no love to give her in return.

I had a plan, a way to get Queen Ileana out from under Marku's ever-present watch and keep him occupied for the length of time it would take for Cage to break free, and collect the queen. Once Cage and Echo were free and Queen Ileana out from Marku's grip, Marku's leverage would be gone. At that point, it would be a fair fight.

When Seraphine returned to me in the morning, I would know if Cage could do his part. I hadn't just given Seraphine to Echo, for the night, to punish her. No, I had compelled her to give a message to Cage to let him know my plans. And I was certain Cage would compel Seraphine with a return message for me, advising if he was able to break free at that time.

Marku interrupted my plotting. With his intimidating form at my back, his hands captured my hips, holding me to him. His breath was hot on my neck, as he leaned down to my ear and whispered, "I want you out of those clothes."

"Yes, I know," I chattered, spinning around and placing my palm against his chest. "But why can't we talk like normal people?" I backed up a few steps, trying to maintain distance between us.

He snorted, "Which one of us do you think qualifies as normal?"

"I used to be normal. Boring, even." I bit my lip. My old life seemed so far away. Like a distant memory.

"I find that hard to believe. I wish I would have met you first, been the first to introduce you to our world. Things would be different now if I had." His mouth turned into a frustrated frown, and a sigh escaped his chest.

I stood in stunned silence. What did I say to that? He was being real again, showing me a layer of vulnerability. It made me uncomfortable. It was much easier to deal with him when he was being his normal cocky obnoxious self. I didn't want to think there was more to him.

I refocused my attention to the task at hand and remarked on the twinkling lights in the trees with enthusiasm, "The lights are pretty!" Surely, that comment couldn't bring us to the topic of sex. And if it went well, maybe the weather would be a perfectly boring topic to engage in next.

He rolled his eyes and took a deliberate step in my direction. "You're stalling."

I stepped back. "What? No, I'm just acknowledging the pleasant landscape."

"The pleasant landscape? Really?" Another step forward.

I shuffled two steps back.

He purred, "You like it when I touch you. Why are you stalling?"

"Do you really have to ask me that? You're just going to tease me."

"Okay, so you'd want to get undressed if I told you I was going to make you come?"

Shit, that wasn't what I meant. "Um, no...I—"

He interrupted. "You like to be chased and pursued. But it's a dangerous game to play with me, to encourage my predator side, the primal part of me that enjoys the hunt just a little bit more than the kill," he warned silkily, his stance shifting just a little bit lower.

I held out both hands, trying to ward off whatever he had in mind. "No! Wait! I'm not trying to play games."

Abruptly, the glint in his eyes changed and his mouth curved into a wicked smile. Oh shit. I didn't think I was going to like whatever he was thinking about. He purred, "It looks like I'm going to have to take matters into my own hands."

Wait, what? What did he mean by that?

Before I could wonder further, he made his intention crystal clear when he snaked forward, snatched me...and tossed me into the pool!

Instinctively I gulped in a breath before my head went under the water. The water was deep and I wasn't able to touch the bottom. I flailed about, trying to orient myself correctly and finally made my way to the surface. When my head breached the water, I stuttered, "I can't...believe you...threw me into the pool!"

He laughed, his whole body shaking in amusement, completely enjoying the look of shock on my face. I didn't think it was funny at all. I pushed the dripping strands of hair away from my face and grumbled, "I must look like a drowned cat."

He licked his lips. "Hmm...yes, a sexy little pussy cat."

"Must you always think about my pussy?" I huffed in annoyance.

"You have a beautiful pussy. Why wouldn't I think about it?"

My eyeballs rolled up to my forehead. There was no getting through to him.

"Now, out of the clothes," he demanded.

Shit. He had me there. The clothing was heavy and uncomfortable in the water. I began to unbutton my blouse while treading water. He nodded in approval and pulled his Henley t-shirt over his head to reveal his muscular chest and rock hard abs. I pulled my arms free from the shirt and tossed it onto the grass. The jeans were a bit harder to navigate. I chewed on my lip as I focused on trying to undo the button and work the zipper.

A splash interrupted my concentration. I snapped my head up. Marku was nowhere to be seen, just a pile of his clothing where he had been standing a second ago. I twisted my head around, searching the water. Fuck, where had that man gone to?!

Even though I knew it was going to happen, I couldn't stop my squeal of surprise when his large hands grabbed me from behind, as he came up right beneath me. He pulled me into his body, and effortless ripped the jeans right off of my body.

"Hey! I liked those jeans," I whined as he tossed the remnants of them out of the water.

Laughter rumbled through his chest. He turned my body around to face him. His voice was husky and deep as he commanded, "Wrap your legs around me."

I did as he requested, but kept some distance between our private parts. My effort for a little bit of separation was rendered futile when with one hand on my butt, he pulled me tight. I shuddered hard, thankful for the remaining barrier of my panties, when I felt his naked erection between my thighs. A low growl rumbled through his chest. His free hand trailed up my back and found the enclosure of my bra. With a quick twist of his fingers, he released it and slid it down my arms, away from my body. The bra joined the spattering of discarded clothing on the grass.

The sound of fabric tearing and the sudden movement at my waist confirmed my panties were now in shreds. Shit. There went the last barrier between us. Now there was nothing separating our bodies. He pulled me even closer, nestling the edge of his hard cock between my lower lips and hummed in pleasure, "Much better."

I gasped at the intimacy of the contact and pushed against his shoulders to separate us. I gained a little space, which just caused his lip to curl into a smirk. His hands moved to my hips and he lifted my body slightly so that he could gather my nipples between his teeth. He played with each one, showing no favoritism, licking and sucking and nipping. Shocking heat wound through my body. I bit my lip hard, trying to contain my body's response. Fuck, he was good with his mouth. My head fell back and I forgot about fighting him, a moan slipped from my lips.

In one smooth movement, he shifted the hand that was holding me up, and pushed a finger inside. It was like electricity shot through every cell in my body. I let out a high-pitched whine.

He growled, "Fuck, you're tight." He plunged his finger in deeper and curled it, stroking my interior walls. Without conscious thought, I rocked against his hand. He whispered his approval. "So wet for me."

"We're in water. Of course I'm wet," I panted.

"Really? Is that why your pussy is dripping?" he challenged.

"Uh huh," I grunted, trying to maintain my composure.

He thrust a second finger deep inside, and masterfully played with my hot core. Blinding pleasure ricocheted through my body. I couldn't stop myself and cried out.

"I thought so," he goaded me, his voice steeped in satisfaction.

He gently rocked my body, my clit rubbing against the side of his slick manhood, his fingers in and out. But somehow he knew. Every time I came close to release, he would slow down and back off.

It was torture.

I needed some space. I loosened my legs from around his waist and tried to wriggle out of his grasp. Before I realized what was happening, he stopped keeping our bodies afloat and slipped under the water, taking me with him.

I hadn't had time to take a breath and panicked. I locked my legs around him and clutched him tighter. I technically didn't need to breathe, but the sensation was painfully foreign and I didn't like it.

He brought us back to the surface, with me holding on for dear life. I inhaled sharply, feeling blessed air refill my lungs and gasped, "What did you do that for?!"

He smirked, "Stop fighting me."

I narrowed my eyes. I hadn't even begun to fight him. Determination pushed hard through me. With renewed strength, I placed my hands on his head and pushed him down under the water, breaking his hold and slithering out of his grip. I swam over top of him, using the momentum from my push to propel me away.

His head bobbed back up and he spun around to find me, his eyes radiating lust and desire. But I was ready for him. I gave him a victorious nod and dove under the water toward the opposite side of the pool. Adrenaline coursed through me, leaving my arms and legs tingling, as my body shot through the liquid at incredible speed.

Just not fast enough.

He somehow found a way to not only catch up, but slither beneath me and roll his body, like a damned sea serpent, so that he was facing me. His powerful arms locked around my chest and shoulders as he brought us both to the surface.

I squealed the instant my head came out of the water and thrashed in his arms. This time, there was no getting away. We were in shallow water and he stood to his feet, with me still wrestling to get out of his arms, as he walked toward the stairs. With one arm locked around my body, he used his other hand to smack me on the ass, none too lightly I might add, and commanded, "Hold still."

I froze, breathing hard, and stared up at him with wide eyes, my pussy twitching.

He growled in the back of his throat. "Fuck, I knew you would like that."

Of course, I hotly denied it. "No I didn't! And our arrangement includes touching, not spanking!"

He set me on my feet and spun my body around, facing me toward the large couch and patio area. He whispered a warning in my ear, "Don't lie to me or I will bend you over my knee." He swatted me on the ass again, this time much lighter. "Now go."

"Of all of the arrogant—"I huffed loudly and stomped off in the direction he had pointed me. But I halted in my tracks when three of his staff emerged onto the terrace with trays of food and wine. Anxiety and embarrassment ran through me. I didn't want them to see the ruined flesh on my back.

Instantly, Marku's demeanor changed. I felt him press his body against my back, and his hand came up to gently smooth the hair away from my face and shoulder, so he could whisper in my ear. "Shh, love. You have no reason to hide. You are beautiful, every inch of you. But I will be right here." His hands moved to my waist, letting me know he would shield my back with his body so they wouldn't be able to see the ugly scars. When I still didn't move, he promised softly, "Let them serve us. And then they will go."

I took a step forward, and then another, walking the remaining distance. True to his word, Marku positioned himself discreetly behind me as the wait staff placed various covered trays of food and wine on several tables around us. When they finished, they stood motionless, waiting for his orders. He dismissed them with a nod.

Talon came out the doors as they went in. Relief washed over me to see him safe and sound. He stopped and averted his eyes when he saw I was naked. I whispered, "Are you okay?"

His head came up and he met my gaze. "Yes." His eyes were sad, but he seemed to be holding up. "What about you?" he questioned pointedly, his glance shifted to Marku.

"I'm fine. It's okay for you to go. Get some rest. I will see you in the morning."

He hesitated for a long moment and then murmured softly, "Goodnight," before he turned and walked back inside.

Marku pulled me down to the large couch with him, settling me between his legs while he sat sideways with his legs on the couch and reclined. I sat stiffly, choosing not to rest back against his chest. He reached for a nearby glass of wine and handed it to me. "Relax love, I'm just going to feed you."

He wanted me to relax? That wasn't happening, particularly when I could still feel his arousal behind me, which told me he had no intention of relaxing. I pointed out, "You're still hard."

He chuckled. "Yes, and I'm going to stay that way. But I can eat with a hard-on. You're still wet, but I'd wager you can still manage to function. Just relax against me. I'll let you know when I plan to make another move."

I leaned back against his chest, took a large sip of wine and muttered, "I'm certain you will."

He chuckled again and uncovered a tray filled with an assortment of bread, cheese and meat, parsley and cheese stuffed mushrooms, bruschette with chopped tomatoes, and savory empanadas.

"Oh," I murmured. It all smelled wonderful. I leaned over him to snatch a mushroom. I popped it in my mouth and let out a low moan. It was good. Damn good.

He stiffened behind me and I realized my mistake. I had to remember not to vocalize my appreciation with moans. I muttered, "Sorry."

His voice was low and gravelly. "Don't be. I love the sounds you make, even if you're getting off on an appetizer and not my tongue on your clit."

I bit back a whine. My clit was still swollen from my lack of release earlier. I drew in a few calming breaths. Okay, I could do this. I could force my rebellious flesh to behave. I took another sip of wine, and ate a few more of the finger foods, while he uncovered a tray of fruits. I twisted around and reached again, selecting a handful of strawberries, so sweet and juicy. It was all fabulous. I eyed an uncovered tray just out of reach, and asked Marku curiously, "What's on that one."

His lips curled into a wicked smile and he purred, "Oh, we'll get to that in a little bit."

I narrowed my eyes, but let it go. If he didn't want to tell me, I didn't really care. My belly was full and I was finally relaxed, sipping my wine and watching the stars twinkle in the sky.

Marku absentmindedly rubbed my arm and remarked softly, "You trust me."

Not only did I find his comment odd, it was also wrong. "I don't trust you."

"Yes you do, not fully, but to some extent. If you didn't, you would have kept Talon by your side."

I thought about it. He was right, but I argued, "What if I just didn't want him to see me naked?"

"No, you and Talon aren't like that. Out of respect, you avoid each other's nakedness or sexuality, but if confronted with it, there would be no unease. I'm not sure the best word to describe it, maybe it's a sense of family, but I sense the relationship from watching you together."

Marku was way more intuitive than I gave him credit for. I was silent for another moment and then asked, "How did you know?"

"How did I know what, love?"

"That Talon needed to fight those guards himself." After I had cooled down, I realized Marku had been right to stop my attack. Talon had needed to stand up for himself. It meant something. But Marku didn't know Talon, so how could he have been so confident and decisive?

"Easy, he's a man. No man wants a woman to fight his battles for him. Even if that woman is you."

"Humph...what a male chauvinistic thing to say."

"Regardless, it's how we're hardwired. If he couldn't have handled the fight, it would have made sense for you to step in. But he is more than capable of physically defending himself now."

I sighed. Again, he was right. Talon had swiftly dropped those vampires to their knees. He hadn't needed my help. I was curious what Marku thought of his abilities and commented, "He's strong, isn't he?"

"He could be a beast if he wanted to. He has the potential."

"What does that mean...be a beast?"

"I meant it figuratively, not literally. With training, he would be hard to beat for any vampire."

"Even you?"

He snorted, "Of course not me."

It was my turn to snort. "Your arrogance has no bounds."

"Hmm...maybe," he growled low, his hands beginning to move purposefully again, stroking my flesh, his mouth tasting the skin of my neck.

I stiffened.

"Face me," he commanded.

Uh, no. Facing him meant his cock would be closer to my pussy. I disagreed, "No, I like this position."

He chuckled, the sound deep and dark. "So disobedient. You are just begging me to punish you."

Anxiety wound through me. I didn't like his tone and insisted, "No, I just know what I like."

His lips burned a trail down to my shoulder. He murmured against my flesh, "Yet again, you defy me. And yet again, you lie. This position isn't what you like. Isn't that the truth?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." My unease was growing. "And I thought you appreciated my defiance. It's the only reason you are attracted to me...I'm a challenge."

Without warning, he lifted my body and spun me around so that I was straddling him. I yelped in surprise. His eyes glittered dangerously, "Oh I do appreciate your defiance...because I will thoroughly enjoy taming you."

I scowled, "First, that's not possible. And second, you wouldn't like me if I was tame, even if...oh!—"

His fingers had found my clit. My pelvic floor clenched and I tried unsuccessfully not to pant. I was sitting on his thighs. He lifted them, bending his knees slightly, and spread his legs further apart, giving him open access to