Taken by Passion: King of Hearts (Wonderland Book 1) (13 page)

That feeling of empowerment rushed over her again. To know she affected this man so strongly made her feel exhilarated. He seemed so genuine.

Maybe she was as beautiful as he said she was. And maybe with Jarronn as her Dom she could love her body and be happy with who she was.

Just maybe.

Hunger for his mate and anger at those who had hurt Alice drove Jarronn to ravage her mouth. While his tongue plunged inside her, he gripped her buttocks, pressing her full length tight against his hardness, forcing her to acknowledge what she did to him.

It took all his control not to throw her upon the pool’s grassy bank and take her until she saw sense. Until she realized how beautiful and desirable she truly was.

Before he released her, Jarronn bit her lower lip, hard enough to draw blood and cause Alice to cry out. A feral rumble rose within his chest as he lapped at the spot of blood, savoring yet another of her unique flavors.

When he pulled away, Alice appeared dazed, her eyes filled with confusion. And definitely lust.

Yes, there was no doubt she wanted him. But would she love his people and his kingdom if she could not even love herself?

Damnation but he’d make her see herself for the beauty she was. And she would fall in love with him.

“You have earned your most important punishment,” he said softly, and watched as her eyes widened. “Already you have broken your promise to love your body and yourself.” He brushed his knuckles against her cheek. “Do not make me have to punish you yet again for this.”

“Yes, Milord,” she whispered.

He took her hand in his to help her from the glowing pool. “Come. Let us be done with it.”

Alice’s wet body glistened in the golden light of the moon as she walked beside him onto the grassy shore. He breathed in the rich scent of her arousal and he hardened even more. “You are truly a goddess,” he murmured.

“I—” Alice dropped her gaze to the grass. “Thank you, Milord.”

Jarronn’s jaw tightened. If it was the last thing he did, he would set this maid free of her heart-wounds.

He stopped when they reached the middle of the clearing and released her hand. “You will walk behind me with your head bowed and your hands behind your back.”

“Yes, Milord,” Alice responded, and he turned away from her without another word.

ALICE’S HEART POUNDED AND TEARS THREATENED to rise as she followed Jarronn. She’d been through every range of emotion during the past day or so, however long it was that she’d been gone. And now after she had spent such a wonderful time with Jarronn in the pool, he was taking her to a punishment supposedly more severe than being flogged.

Why had she given in so easily to his demand that she follow him in a subservient manner? Was it just the fear of punishment? Or was it because deep down she enjoyed submitting to him?

Alice bit her lip and flinched from the pain of Jarronn’s predatory and possessive bite in the pool. Maybe it was both, her fear of what kind of punishment he might dole out and because a part of her loved being completely dominated by him.

Was that too weird? Was there something wrong with her for getting off on all this?

Even as she trailed after Jarronn with her head bowed, she couldn’t help but sneak peeks at his tightly muscled ass and broad shoulders. He walked with power and purpose in his fluid stride, as though completely comfortable in his nakedness. Which, no doubt, he was.

When they reached the castle, Jarronn took her inside and opened a small wooden door to their left. She followed him as he ducked through the door and into the darkness. A moment later a torch flickered on the wall and he started to climb up the steep, spiraling staircase inside a very high, circular room.

Her heart sank to the pit of her stomach. This wasn’t good. She was in some kind of castle turret, and he was going to take her to the top and lock her away like Rapunzel.

As they trudged up the creaking staircase, torches magically lit along the way. A serious case of butterflies began bouncing around in Alice’s belly. Her wet hair felt cold on her naked skin and she sneezed from the musty smell of the stairwell.

The fine chain hanging down her back from her collar seemed to weigh more heavily on her, and the nipple rings felt as though someone was pulling on them as she walked. With each step she felt like a prisoner coming closer to meeting her doom.

Trust him, Alice,
a voice whispered in her mind.
Trust him.
God, it was so hard after all she’d been through with men.

Thanks to a lifetime of climbing up steep hills and countless staircases in San Francisco, Alice was only partially out of breath by the time they’d climbed at least ten flights. The stairs ended at a tiny landing in front of a wooden door with a silver keyhole.

This
really
wasn’t good.

Jarronn produced a large silver key out of nowhere and inserted it into the hole. She didn’t know what to expect, but when the door swung open and she saw the big silver ring fixed in the wooden floor at the center of the round room she almost turned and ran back down the stairs.

Instead, she swallowed back her fear and followed him inside. Torches flickered to life around the spotless room and she saw that there was one window and nothing else but the big silver ring.

He stopped beside the ring. “Kneel,” he commanded.

Hoping against hope that he wasn’t going to lock her up and leave her here, she kept her head bowed and obeyed. The wooden floor was smooth and hard beneath her knees as she widened her thighs and clasped her hands behind her back. Through the lone window a breeze swirled through the room and caused her damp hair to stir about her shoulders.

A rumble came from her stomach and heat rose in her cheeks.

“Do you trust that I will care for you?” Jarronn knelt in front of her and hooked his finger under her chin, raising her face so her eyes met his. “You must ask for whatever you require.”

“I trust you, Milord.” Alice turned her face away from him, but he took her cheeks between his palms and forced her to look back to him. “I—I’m hungry.”

“There is no shame in asking for what you need, Alice.” With his thumb he stroked a strand of damp hair from her eyes. “And certainly there is no shame in hunger.”

“Yes, Milord,” she whispered, unable to look away from those green eyes.

He reached around her neck and she hoped that he would kiss her again like he did after she had that incredible orgasm. That kiss had been like nothing she’d ever experienced before.

But instead he grasped the chain and brought the end to the metal ring. With frightened fascination, she watched as he pressed the ring on her chain to the one in the floor and they melded somehow so her chain was now hooked to the floor.

He was really going to chain her up and leave her here.

Tears burned behind her eyes and she bowed her head to avoid his gaze. A part of her wanted to rebel and scream at him. Why didn’t she?

Because he’d only punish her more? Or because she wanted to please him?

Probably both.

“Look at me, Alice,” he said in a firm tone.

She raised her gaze and met his.

“Do you understand why you are being punished in this manner for your disobedience?”

“Yes, Milord.” Her lips trembled as she sorted through her feelings and thought of an appropriate response. “Because I disobeyed when you made me promise to love my body and myself. And you said the punishment would be far worse than being flogged.”

Jarronn gave a slow nod. “I will leave you here so you will have time to think about this, and only this. You are a beautiful woman, Alice.” He raised his hand and cupped the side of her face. “Free yourself from the prison of your mind and you will be free of this room.” Her head swam with one thought battling another until she thought she’d scream.

“Turn, so your back is to me.”

Alice bit her lip to keep from crying and did as he bade her to, the floor hurting her knees as she moved. When her back was to him, she felt something cold clasp around her wrists, and then her tears fell for real.

Oh, god.
He’d just manacled her wrists together.

“Face me again.”

Hot rivulets rolled down her cheeks as she moved back. She kept her face lowered and tears splashed onto the wooden floor.

“Drink this.” Jarronn held out his hand and a small blue bottle appeared on his palm. “This will assuage your hunger, and allow you to think clearly about your punishment.”

An absurd giggle rose up in Alice as she stared at the bottle. The strange purple lettering on the bottle probably said:
Drink Me.
Maybe when she swallowed the fluid in the bottle, like
Alice in Wonderland
, she’d shrink down until she was only ten inches high and then she’d slip right out of her collar and manacles. Hell, the hearts would drop right off her nipples and she’d be totally free.

But did she really want to be free of him?

“Tilt your head back,” Jarronn commanded as he uncorked the bottle. She had to struggle to keep the look of manic giddiness off her face as she raised her chin and parted her lips.

The fluid rolled over her tongue, and immediately heat spread throughout her body. The warmth started at her mouth, flowed to her scalp, and then flushed over her breasts, waist, and between her thighs, on down to her toes. The elixir tasted of berries and cream with a hint of mint mixed with a good dose of whiskey. By the time she’d swallowed every drop, she felt downright tipsy and not at all hungry any longer. She was unbelievably even more aroused than she’d already been.

Curiouser and curiouser.

Alice snorted back a laugh but quickly lowered her gaze and assumed the damned position of respect.

He moved so close to her face that his erection was up close and personal.

Watch it, buddy. Might put an eye out with that thing.

With a low purr, the king grabbed Alice’s hair and pulled back on it so she was staring up at him. Damn but he looked wild and gorgeous.

“You are here for my pleasure, wench,” he murmured. “I wish to enjoy some of your treats now.”

She licked her lips and her pulse rate increased. “Yes, Milord.”

“Lie on your back.” Jarronn gestured beside her, and when she looked she saw that there was now a large, round cushion, like a giant red papasan cushion
,
near the ring. How did he do those magical things?

Alice tried to be graceful but didn’t even come close as she fell onto her side on the cushion. She rolled onto her back, her manacled hands trapped behind her, but surprisingly it didn’t hurt her wrists.

Fortunately, too, her collar chain that was attached to the ring in the floor was long enough that she didn’t choke herself.

Excitement swirled within her as Jarronn straddled her waist. He was finally going to take her. He moved up so his delicious cock was nestled between her large breasts and he purred.

“Perfection,” he murmured as he grasped her breasts in his hands and pressed them tight to him. “I am going to fuck your lovely breasts and spill my seed upon your face, wench.”

Alice shivered. “Yes, Milord.”

Jarronn teased her nipples with his thumbs while he slid his erection between her breasts, pushing so far up that its velvety soft tip brushed against her lips. “Lick it,” he instructed, and every time he neared her lips she flicked her tongue over its head. She tasted the salty sweetness of his essence and she moaned with pleasure at the feel of his thumbs rubbing her nipples and his erection brushing her lips.

“It pleases me to have you bound and at my command.” His eyes were fierce with passion and his long black hair wild about his face as he thrust his hips and moved between her breasts. “It will please me even more when you are truly free, Alice.”

Alice didn’t question his words. She wanted him more than anything or anyone she’d ever wanted before. She couldn’t move her gaze from his, watching the savage enjoyment he took from her body. To think that she was responsible for his pleasure made her even more excited.

It was an exchange of power. She turned all control over to him, yet she had power over his pleasure.

When he finally came, it was with a roar like a jungle beast. She licked his delicious taste from her lips as he came. A sheen of sweat glistened across his massive chest and shoulders, and the smell of his musk added to her lust. The man was gorgeous beyond belief.

Alice squirmed, wanting him to take her, but instead he produced a red silk scarf and wiped away the come. When he finished, he eased off of her and knelt with his arm propped on one knee.

“Please, Milord.” Alice widened her thighs, inviting him to slide between them.

“Shhh.” He caressed her cheek, rubbing his thumb over her lips. “It is not about your pleasure. It is about mine. When you have pleased me by learning your lesson, then you will have earned your release.”

As he rose and then walked toward the door she could only stare at him, trying to make sense of what he’d just said. Her lust-filled brain kept coming back with
doesn’t compute.

When Jarronn reached for the door handle, he turned back. “Do you trust me, Alice? Do you believe you will be safe by yourself in this room?”

Alice wasn’t sure if it was the high the elixir had given her or the fact that she was so horny she couldn’t think. Or maybe it was that she did trust him to not leave her in an unsafe situation. Whatever it was, she found herself nodding. “Yes, Milord. I trust you.”

He smiled then, pleased with her admission of trust. With a flick of a finger the torchlights went out and the room went dark save for moonlight pouring in through the window and caressing the floorboards.

In a low voice he said, “You are beautiful, Alice,” and then he closed the door behind him.

He still ached and he longed to slide into Alice’s luscious core and take her time and time again. But it was necessary for her training that she realize she would be fully punished for disobedience, including withholding her sexual release. He was certain she would be prepared to leave the turret’s confines come morning. It pleased him greatly how quickly she learned and how well she was made for him.