Prisoner of Darkhaven (2 page)

plea. An unexplainable feeling settled in the pit of her stomach. It

felt like a pull, urging her towards the door. How strange, she

thought. Nevertheless, the feeling was undeniable. Again, the voice

called out to her...

Darkhaven ... he will help. Go now!

Elise looked anxiously around the room, fearing that someone had

snuck into their cottage and was now playing tricks on her mind.

However, the only two people there were she and her father.

"Father! Did you hear that?"

Her father turned to look at her perplexed expression. "Hear what

child?"

8

"The voice it came from the window in the wind. It told me to go

to Darkhaven tonight that he would help! Please, Papa tell me you

heard it! I'm not going mad!"

The old Miller stared at his daughter for a moment. He slowly got

up and grabbed her by the shoulders. "It is a sign. The Lord must

have changed his mind. He is sending us a message. Quickly you

must be ready! Let the voice lead you! Come quickly!"

His demeanor complete changed as a sense of hope gleamed in his

eyes.

Grabbing Elise's hand, he practically dragged her to the pantry. He

pulled down a loaf of bread and a small jug of water.

Elise stared incredulously at her father. He was seriously

considering sending her to Darkhaven Castle at this time of night.

She twisted her hand free from his grasp and eyed him tumultuously.

"Papa you can't actually think to send me out at this hour to

Darkhaven Castle. Have you not heard of the evil that exists there?"

He turned abruptly. Grabbing her by the shoulders once more,

"Yes, that is exactly what I intend for you to do."

Without another word, he packed the food items, pulled her fur-

lined cloak from the hook on the wall, and held it up for her to put it

on.

* * * *

journey to Darkhaven. He had been curious when the Miller left.

Why would a man risk his life to ask someone like him for help?

Most humans he dealt with were greedy, opportunistic, and arrogant.

Yet, this miller only wanted to save his daughter.

Most people that dare venture into his castle were there to bargain

for their own perverse needs. He conjured the vision of the Miller and

his daughter shortly after the old man left. Curiosity turned to interest

when he caught his first glimpse of the girl.

Long ebony curls framed a pretty round face with luminous green

eyes, pert little nose and full heart shaped lips. She was small and

fragile, though elegant. How long has it been since he had had any

feminine company. Too long, he decided.

9

Trapped so long inside Darkhaven, he had become more of a

fixture than a flesh and blood man. Well not quite a man in the mortal

sense. A small evil smile spread across his lips. Still watching the

Miller's daughter, his thoughts turned lustful and his smile broadened.

"That's it little maiden come..."

10

The moment Elise stepped out of the cottage a whirling gust of

wind encircled her. She cried out as the funnel of wind started to lift.

It ascended into the sky. Clawing at unseen bindings, she screamed

repeatedly for help. She could barely hear her own voice and doubted

anyone else would have.

Some unseen force wrapped itself around her body, keeping her

immobile as the funnel lifted higher. Fear paralyzed her. She shut her

eyes tightly, silently praying for God's mercy should the wind

suddenly decided to drop her to her death.

Elise...

The whisper came from the wind itself. The voice soothed her

panicked mind as it penetrated through her clothes warming her from

the inside out. Suddenly her cloak loosened. Invisible hands untied

and pulled the garment from her body.

She opened her eyes and watched it flutter in the wind, slowly

descending like a dark pall against the sky. She should feel

frightened; however, the seductive whispers caressed her senses.

Wonderful sensations erupted below her waist.

No matter how much her mind tried to fight the sensual hold, her

body sagged against the wonderful feelings ignited by the seductive

voice. His voice.

Yesss ... Elise ... let me take you...

Take her where? The invisible bindings keeping her still, released

allowing movement. Her body undulated with the motion of the wind

encircling her. A soft touch on the exposed skin of her neck sent

shivers down her back. . Gentle fingers kneaded and stroked her

slack muscles. Tingles traveled down her abdomen, making her sex

contract with pleasurable pulses.

A sigh escaped her lips and she tilted her head to the side allowing

another caress. What was happening to her? This was wrong ... isn't

it? Her mind dulled, and her body came alive.

Yesss ... Elise. Elise...

11

There was no mistaking the sexual tone of the voice. Deep,

masculine, and erotic, it spoke her name, and hands she couldn't see

slowly slid up her legs. Looking down she watched the hem of her

skirt lift higher. Her head swam with the sudden knowledge of

something, someone touching her so intimately.

Open your eyes...

She obeyed. Before her stood a large cloud, forming into the shape

of a man. A tall well-built man, strong and handsome.
Him.

His muscular body floated up, over her.

Her sex flushed with more heat.

At first, she sighed because of the sudden loss, wanting to reach

out. To touch him. Her knees trembled. A knot formed in her lower

abdomen. It drifted down in tiny pulses of pleasure to moisten the

flesh between her thighs. Sweet sensations penetrated deep into her

body.

Suddenly her clothes were much to constricting. A small whimper

rose from her chest, her breathing became shallower. Powerful arms

encircled her but she didn't bother to look down, because no one was

there. Or was there? The thin line between reality and her

imagination blurred. Lust heated her. Need tightened her belly. The

warm caress of masculine hands massaged her bare skin. She looked

down.

Her dress slowly peeled away from her breasts, down over her

rounded hips. Eventually it too fell away leaving her completely

naked.

Her breath hitched and she squirmed trying to cover her private

areas.

No ... keep still ... mine Elise ... all mine!

The disembodied voice, commanded her to abandon herself to its

tantalizing touch. She could do nothing else, as the caress grew

bolder, more enticing, kneading every inch of her flesh.

Her head fell back against a solid chest. So real. She could even

feel the warm smooth skin, the rapid heartbeat against her naked back.

So strange, so good.

12

She moaned, licked her lips, let her body succumb completely to

the wicked pleasure overwhelming her. Instinctually, she spread her

legs wide, waiting for that touch.

A hand answered brushing through her nether-curls. Her sex

swelled and juices flowed out eagerly. In a moment, pressure from

her lover's finger entered her gently, surprising her. She tilted her hips

up, using her own hands to separate the slick folds of her pussy. "Oh

please!"

A low male growl rumbled in her ear. At the same time, his long

finger plunged deep into her passage. Another unseen hand stroked

her clit in tight circles, giving just enough pressure to send small

vibrations into her tight sheath.

Two long fingers pleasured her now, stroking inside her faster and

faster.

Elsie ground her pelvis against the, hand. His hand.
Who are you?

Her writhing body tried to swallow those wonderfully long hard

fingers in as deep as they could go. Tension built. Pure rapture

ignited in her sex. Tantalizing vibrations traveled through her body,

accelerating towards something Elise never felt before.

Nothing else matter. Elise let go and screamed as her vaginal walls

convulsed sharply around the still pumping digits. Rolling waves of

pleasure shook her until her body went limp from the intense release.

Confused and sated, Elise let the wind carry her to wherever it wanted

her to be. She heard a deep masculine chuckle as sleep eventually

claimed her.

* * * *

was snuggled safely in her bed, wrapped in her grandma's quilt she'd

had since she was a child. Sighing happily, she tightened the throw

even more around her body, enjoying the scent of evergreen and

clover. Evergreen and clover? Elise inhaled deeply and couldn't

mistake the pleasant clean scent of clover.

Instantly she opened her eyes and sat up. Oh dear lord ... she

gasped, the room was enormous and not her tiny loft that barely fit the

stuffed pallet she had sewn together to make her bed.

13

Speaking of beds, the one she was in was large enough to

comfortably sleep five persons. Four large wood posts rose from each

corner of the bed.

A deep red velvet canopy hovered over her, draping elegantly over

the edges for several inches. The four opposite ends of the canopy

had longer pieces of fabric that spiraled down each of the posts.

Intricate carved designs of demons and angels decorated the wooden

posts in circling patterns from top to bottom. Her heart beat faster,

this must by his.

The lord of Darkhven, she was in his castle. Fear gripped her.

She tamped it down. He called for her; surely, he didn't mean to

kill her. Her cheeks reddened, remembering how he had summoned

her. No, he did not mean to kill her, at least not in the fatal sense.

The realization made her sink into the covers. She looked down;

saw the red coverlet on top of her. Slowly she let the blankets fall

away from her body. Inching to the edge of the bed, she swung her

legs over the side and hopped down.

Finally, on the floor, she marveled at the height and width of the

bed. The lord must be a very big man, if this was indeed his room.

A large fireplace took up most of the far wall to her left. The fire

burned brightly, giving the room enough light for her to survey the

room. The fur hide of some large animal, she assumed must have

been a bear, lay sprawled on the floor in front of the fireplace.

She turned around slowly taking in the room's décor. Only four

sconces decorated the bare stone walls at each corner.

With the exception of a single tall armoire, the bed, the rug and a

small round table, there was really nothing else of comfort in the

room. She wondered if the Lord of Darkhaven ever even slept in his

room.

Wrapping her arms around her chilled body, she looked nervously

around the room.

Click, click, click! Something raced past her. It sounded like nails

scurrying across the stone floor.

"Hello! Who's there?"

Silence.

14

Elise took a step back. Her pulse raced. There was something in

the room with her. Shivers that had nothing to do with the coldness

crept up her spine, freezing her to her spot.

"P-please, show yourself! I'm not afraid of you!"

Her false bravado was pathetic. Fear gripped her chest. . Dark

shadows danced along the walls. They moved as though alive.

"Stop it! I won't let you scare me!"

Her voice shook, at odds with her words.

"Oh I have no intention of scaring you."

It was the voice in the wind.

He whispered in her ear. Elise felt a solid form behind her. She

swallowed. The heat of his body, seep into her chilled flesh.

His strong arm encircled her slender waist, pulling her against a

hard male chest.

Her breath quickened. She pulled away from his embrace and

turned around. "L-Lord Dontaleone?"

His black eyes slowly slid down her body, and then back up to her

frightened expression. His eyes spoke to her with raw lust, maybe a

touch of evil.

Elise swallowed and averted her attention, preferring to look down

at her naked feet instead. She then realized her state of dress or lack

of. Her cheeks flushed with heat and her heart pounded rapidly.
Why

aren't you covering yourself you ninney?
Shock and panic cramped in

her gut..

A cold hand brushed her breast. "I prefer you this way."