Page 58 of Beauty

Lach’s hand pulls my skirt up, and I feel his palm on mythigh. Rough skin, so unlike the slimy feel of Micha’s hand on my flesh. Thistouch thrills me.

“I’ll negotiate, brother. While I take care of our mate. Showme her breasts.” Lach’s voice is low in his throat, the rumble deep andcommanding.

“Touch her. She needs hands on her.” Shim pushes the bodiceof my dress down while Lach’s hands climb up my leg.

My nipples peak in the cool air. Where am I? I’m not in theWhite Palace. Why did my dreams bring me to this place? It’s small, the bedmade of straw and ropes. A merchant’s bed. Do I know this place?

“I’ll take her body first,” Lach offers.

“Only if I get first blood,” Shim shoots back.

Blood? Why are they talking about blood?

My breasts brush Lach’s chest, aching nipples chafingagainst the rough wool of his tunic. Lach’s fingers slip under the gatheredband of my undergarment. I tremble as his fingers tease at the outer edges ofmy pussy.

“First blood, then.” Shim agrees to whatever they’re talkingabout and then cups my breasts in his hands, holding them up for his brother’sperusal. “These are ours. You’re gorgeous, a chumann. So fuckingbeautiful.”

His words are as seductive as the hands on my breasts. Ionly ever touch myself there, pretending to be one of them. I cup my breastsdeep in the night and pull at my nipples, imagining it’s Lach or Shim tuggingat them. I dream they call me beautiful, though I know it isn’t true. But intheir eyes I’m lovely because I belong to them. Now, in the most vivid of allmy dreams, I truly feel beautiful.

I open my legs and try to force those teasing fingersinside.

Lach abruptly pulls away. “Stay still, Bronwyn. You agreedto be mine. That means we play things my way in the bedroom.”

I push away from him. What’s he talking about? I’m in agonyand he wants to place rules on me? So many fucking rules. Don’t tell anyoneyour name, Bronwyn. Don’t get too close, Bronwyn. Don’t say a word. Don’tfight. Don’t fight. Don’t fight.

Lach grabs my wrists, pulling me close. “Don’t do that,love. Don’t push me now. I’m on the edge. I killed twenty men to get to you. Idon’t want to lose control again. Obey me and everything will be fine.”

“Touch me and everything will be fine,” I demand.

He lets me go and turns away.

Shim wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me back intohis arms. “Hush, Bron. He doesn’t understand. He can’t feel you like I do, butI promise, he’s not trying to hurt you. He’s worried that if he loses control,he could hurt you. It’s his nature. He’s the dominant half, but I have my job,too. I know what you need.”

Shim’s left hand makes its way to my thighs and straight tomy pussy. He doesn’t tease or play. He goes straight for my clitoris, rubbingthe plump nubbin.

Blessed relief. I’m not completely there yet, butoh, I feel so much better. I can’t help it. I roll my hips, rubbing against hisfingers.

“Then tell me what she needs, brother.” Lach stands aboveus, staring down. “I’m so close to the fucking edge. She can’t fight me. Itwill send me over. I already want to tie her up and spank that ass of hers. Ineed to dominate her. It’s like a fire in my gut.”

I let my head roll back against Shim’s shoulder. Everythingsounds good now that he’s touching me. The drug is still in control, runningthrough my system, but now I’m getting the antidote. Shim’s long fingers slidearound my pussy, rubbing my clit and then foraging inside. It feels so good. Itcalms the fire. I’m moving toward something wonderful.

“And you can dominate her, after she gets what she needs.”

“Just fucking tell me, Shim. I can’t read her mind the wayyou can.”

Shim kisses the shell of my ear. “I can’t read her mind. Webonded too far away. We need to be close like this and rebond. Then I’ll knoweverything, but I know this much. She needs to come. She can’t think or obeyuntil she comes. Whatever they forced on her, it was partially an aphrodisiac.”

“Ah, like the vampires make for their orgies so a woman cancome for hours.” Lach’s eyes narrow.

“Yes,” Shim replies. “But the vamps got it from the Seelies.If we can give her a few orgasms, I think you’ll discover she’ll be deeplysubmissive.”

Lach nods. “Let me help.”

His hands find my nipples, rolling them between his thumbsand forefingers. I whimper at the sting of pain that shoots like an arrowstraight to my pussy. I can’t breathe. I’m right on the edge.

“Come for me. Come for us.” Shim’s thumbs rotate on my clitas his fingers plunge deep.

I trip over the edge. That wonderful word “orgasm” finallymeans something to me. It means relief, pleasure, and an overwhelming sense offinally belonging.