Stolen Melody (Snow and Ash #2) (4 page)

My world explodes. I give a shuddering cry as the walls of my pussy clench and contract, and I mash my hips against his cock. He’s still rubbing my clit, and my orgasm goes on and on until at last I collapse, exhausted.

He pulls back and shoves himself deep into my pussy. Again it hurts. Not as much as last time, but still I cry out. I’m raw. Tender.

“Legs up, just like I showed you,” he pants.

Afraid not to, I do as he says.

“God, I love your cunt. So warm. So deep.”

The smell of our sex fills the room, and I arch my neck and breathe it deep inside me. I wince at the rough word, though, and he takes my head between his hands and forces me to look at him. He pumps me once, twice, three times. “This is what you’re made for, Melody. Never forget it.”

He clenches his jaw and begins working his hips furiously, slapping his flesh against mine as I wince at the sting. I move a little, trying to find a more comfortable position.

“Yeah. Oh yeah!” He gives a shout, and once again he empties his load inside me.

When he withdraws, I feel a little of him trickle back out of my opening. He straightens to his knees, and the look of satisfaction on his face is intense. “You can put your legs down now.”

He gets to his feet and blows out a breath. “Goddamn, but you’re a hot little bitch. I could fuck you all night.”

Something latches on to my neck, and instantly I’m awake. It’s Axel, and he’s sucking hard.

I try to push him away, but he pinches my nipple.

“Stop. Axel, you’re hurting me.”

But he doesn’t stop. He just moves his lips to a new spot and does it again.

He’s—he’s giving me a hickey! Is he crazy?

I shove harder, and he pinches the other nipple until I cry out in pain.

“What are you doing? What are you doing?” I arch against him, trying to throw him off, but he pins my hands up over my head.

“It’s going to leave a mark.” My voice rises in panic. “Everyone will see. Axel, please! You promised.”

I buck against him, but it’s no good. I can feel him drawing blood to the surface of my skin with every bite.

“No!” I cry.

Axel reaches down between us and grabs his cock. He positions himself, then shoves inside me. Despite everything I’m wet, and he’s balls-deep in less than a second. He gives a long, guttural grunt, but he doesn’t stop sucking.

It still hurts down there. He’s torn me open with that huge dick of his, and I don’t think I’m supposed to take anything that big inside me. I don’t know what’s worse, the raw scrape between my legs or the bruising kisses on my neck. I feel so powerless, but I feel something else too: passion. His chest rubs against my breasts as he works in and out of me, and soon I’m actually feeling that ache in my belly. Without meaning to, I arch up to meet him, but I’m greeted with another flash of pain. Axel goes nuts. He lets go of my hands and grabs my hips, and he works me hard against his cock. He moans with every breath, every push, and when he comes, finally, he gives a cry that sounds like surrender. Or victory.

Breathing hard, he sits up and pushes the hair away from my neck. He inspects his work and bends to add another bite.

I can’t stop crying. The whole town will know what I let him do. How can I face anyone after this?

Finally he stops, a look of deep satisfaction on his face. He climbs off me and gets to his feet.

“Why?” My life is over now. No one will believe it when I say I didn’t invite him in. Once they know about Melody, they’ll think as they please.

He grabs my hand and pulls me to my feet. His seed leaks from me and drips down my leg.

“Come on,” he says. “Let’s get your things.”

Get my things? What things? Why?

“It’s part of our code,” he says. “I got first pick, first-night rights, but after this you’re part of the town, and the town’s our property now. Everyone gets a share of that.”

I choke on my own air. “You—you mean all those men…”

He jerks his head in a nod. “Twenty men out there and each one of them taking his turn on you.”

“You bastard!” I haul back to punch him, but he catches my wrist.

With the other hand he brushes my hair back and caresses that place on my neck. “But you’re mine now. I tagged you. When we get to the others, I’ll claim you formally, show them my mark. They can’t touch you once I’ve marked you as mine.”

This is barbaric. Just three years ago I was riding in an airplane.

“Unless you want twenty men between your thighs.”

Horror seals my lips shut, and I shake my head. I’m actually dizzy and I wonder for a moment if I’m going to do a face plant.
 

Still gripping my wrist, he hauls me up the stairs. He enters the bathroom where there is a five-gallon chest of water waiting. He points to the side of the tub. “Sit. Spread your legs.”

I am getting so tired of being ordered around. “You cannot possibly want to do it again.”

He flashes me a smile, and his teeth are white, perfect. “I always want it. Sit.”

I am in hell. I perch on the end of the tub and spread my legs. Maybe I can find a knife somewhere and stab him in the neck.

He takes a cloth from the counter and moistens it with water from the spout. I’m forced to remain still as he proceeds to clean away the layers of blood and cum between my legs. When he’s satisfied with his efforts, he tosses the cloth in the sink.

“Now me,” he says.

I swear there’s a twinkle in his eye. Grudgingly, I get to my feet and reach for the cloth.

“Not with that,” he says. He indicates with a nod that I’m to drop it. “With your tongue.”

My mouth sags open. Is this guy for real, or is he a demon straight from hell?
 
“I am not going to put my mouth on your…on that thing!”

“You’re mine. You’ll do as I say. Now get on your knees and get to work.”

Still I hesitate until he gets up, bends me over the corner of the sink, and issues a series of sharp, painful slaps to my backside.

Trembling and humiliated, I get to my knees.

“The balls.” His voice is guttural.

I lift his cock, which is only halfway erect, and I catch the musky scent of him. I press my tongue to his ball sac.

“Lick it,” he says. “Lick it clean.”

I do, and I detect the salt of his sweat and the acrid taste of my own blood. I lick each of the balls, front and back, and I press my tongue deep into the crevasse just underneath.

“Oh yeah,” he breathes. “Now my cock.”

He never does come fully erect. He never shoves that thing into my mouth. He brushes the hair back from my face, and he seems content to let me caress him with my tongue until all evidence of the night is gone.

Eventually he sighs, tilts his head to the side, and cracks his neck. I get to my feet. I feel like I’ve just lost my soul.
 

He touches my face, shakes his head, and presses his thumb to my mouth. “Beautiful,” he murmurs.

Jerking my head away, I try to swallow but my throat closes up. I wore a thong on live television and now I’ve entered hell.
 

He lifts his chin and takes a step back. “Now go get your stuff.”

It’s not a long walk to the church. Really it’s just around the corner. We could cut through the yard if we wanted to wade through three feet of snow. I want to. Axel puts his hand in the small of my back and urges me to the sidewalk. His touch is light, polite even, but it feels like I’m wearing a leash.

Out of the corner of my eye I see others approach the church as well. It’s not just the gang members. It’s townspeople, too. I don’t know why I thought I’d only have to face the gang. My heart chugs as I hear my name called once, twice.

Axel sighs. “Don’t act like they’re better than you. They’re not.”

“Mia Lavely read a book with sex in it. I actually did it.” I try to breathe normally, but my chest flutters.
 
They’re going to see.
 
They’re all going to
know
.
 

He shrugs. “Who gives a shit? I’ll bet half the town’s fucking the other half.”

I bite back a sharp retort. “This is not America, Axel. You don’t conform; you die.”

“Conform, my ass,” he says, and he grips the back of my coat like it really is a leash. “You’re mine now. It don’t matter what they have to say.”

I spot Mrs. Glaros staring at me like she’s trying to catch my eye. Shit. I jerk my head away, and after that I keep my eyes to the sidewalk.
 
Somehow someone must have soaked my cheeks in oil and lit them on fire.
 
If I don’t look at them, it’ll be like they’re not there.
 
Right?
 
Oh God. I can’t believe I’m leaving. I’m going
out there.

I’ve always known I had a good thing going here in Sadie’s Bend. It might not be a perfect place, but I’d bet my left arm that most of the people who’ve survived so far would love to live in a place like this. The population might be a little judgmental, but if you follow the rules, you get along just fine. I’ve been locked in time here, and I pictured myself going on as the pastor’s adopted niece, playing piano for the church and helping out in the gardens forever. I never imagined leaving.

But I am. He’s going to “claim” me before his gang. When he leaves, he’s taking me with him.

“Wait,” I say as we approach the entrance. Outside stand six of the biggest horses I’ve ever seen, and they’re all loaded down with packs. The town’s most prized possessions.

“What now?”

“Please, just, can’t we wait out here for a bit?” A gust of wind sends my hair flying about my face. I capture what I can and stuff it into the collar of my coat, effectively hiding his mark.

“What the hell for?”

“Uncle…Pastor North is in there.”

“Christ, Melody, we’ll look like the reception line after a wedding.”

I draw in a sharp breath at the mention of weddings. This is
not
a wedding. This is
not
forever.
 
“Fine. Whatever you want.”

I press my lips together as we move into the vestibule. The whole town seems to be in the nave. “Why do we even need to go in there? Can’t we just leave with your friends?”

His eyes narrow. “No.”

“I’m not going in there.”

His jaw works. His eyes go cold then, and he seizes me by the forearm and hauls me into the nave and up the center aisle.

Bugger.

I can’t look at anyone.

Axel stops just short of the pulpit and spins me around. I refuse to look up, but I sense that every eye is focused on us. I feel every bruise, every tear, every bite of the last twenty-four hours, and I’m sure that everyone out there can see just by looking at me what I let him do. Especially the guys at the perimeter. The ones who want to be next.

I stand silently and block out everything—the mumbling, the tears, the suppressed anger of just about every person in the room. I lock my eyes on a knot in the pine-wood floor. The knot is safe. I make it the only thing that’s real.
 

A few minutes later that leader guy shows up with the pastor, and like Axel did with me, he marches Uncle Mike to the front of the room. I can feel him, literally feel the faded blue eyes seeking me out, trying to get my attention. No way. No.

Tears press at the back of my eyes, and it takes several swallows before I feel like I’m in control again.

“Listen up!” Leader Guy’s voice is sharp, loud, and terrifying.

The room falls silent.

“I just want to thank you all for your hospitality. That flag we hung over your gate marks this as our territory, so if other gangs make their way to your merry little town, they won’t be tempted to bother you. They do, they’ll have us to contend with. You take that flag down, though, and I can’t promise you anything. Make sure you put plenty aside for us.” Here he smiles. “We’ll let you know when your taxes are due again.”

A murmur of protests erupt from the pews.

Leader Guy takes out his handgun and points directly at a young mother. “Shut the fuck up!”

The room goes silent. “As I said, you will put aside a portion of your food and supplies. Taxes will be due whenever I goddamn say they are. Is that understood?”

This time no one says anything.

“Good.” Leader Guy holsters his gun. He takes a deep breath. “Just to show you we are men of our word, all hostages will be released once we are half a mile outside the gates.”

Everyone just sits there staring at him, including me.

“That’s it,” he says. “That’s all I have. Everyone move out.”

At the first stirring of movement, Axel steps forward. “One more thing,” he says in a loud, piercing voice. He looks to his leader, who nods.

Axel pulls me forward until I stand in front of him. Tremors hit me so hard my limbs shake with it. I can’t help it, and I squeeze my eyes against the coming ugliness. I can hardly breathe. I feel him pull the hair out from my collar and sweep it to the back. He undoes the first three buttons of my coat, then my shirt, and forces my head to the side.