Taken by Passion: King of Hearts (Wonderland Book 1) (6 page)

He gave a slow nod, as though approving of her name. “I am Jarronn, but you may refer to me as Milord.”

For a moment she just stared at him. The bastard was serious.

Something snapped inside Alice. Her dick of a boss, her cheating asshole ex-boyfriends, and now this bullshit? She’d had
enough
.

“Listen, you arrogant sonofabitch.” Alice yanked against her bindings and practically snarled at the man who called himself Jarronn. “You can’t keep me here against my will. There are laws against holding people hostage, you know. My sister, Alexi, is a lawyer and she’ll sue your ass so fast—”

“Silence!” Jarronn’s voice thundered through the room and the candlelight flickered as if a sudden wind had swept in. His features darkened and his eyes narrowed with fury. “You have earned your second punishment.”

Oh, shit.
Alice swallowed and she wished she could drop right through the bed. She’d screwed up big-time now. She should have played along until she had a chance to break free and escape.

Jarronn looked so livid she was afraid he was going to beat her. What if she’d been wrong about her instincts of being able to trust him? What if he was one of those Doms who took pleasure in thrashing the crap out of their subs? One who was into brutal pain and the humiliation of his submissive?

“Don’t I get a safe word?” Alice mumbled as she shrunk away from his intimidating scowl.

His eyebrows pinched together as he glared at her. “Safe word?”

She nodded and ran the tip of her tongue along her lower lip. “You know. If I don’t like whatever you do to me, I get to say the safe word and you’ll stop.”

This time the man’s dark smile scared her twice as bad as his glare had. “No safe words are necessary in Tarok.” Jarronn reached toward her and she flinched, but he merely grabbed one end of her blue hair ribbon and slowly pulled on it. “You will obey my every command.” He slid the satin from her hair. “And you will accept and
enjoy
whatever punishment is dealt.”

Alice’s blood throbbed in her veins as she stared up at her captor and realized what had once been an enjoyable fantasy had suddenly become her reality. Right now she wasn’t sure how she felt about that.

It was like her heart was going to burst from her chest. Yes, she absolutely did know how she felt. Scared as hell.

Very slowly Jarronn laid the satin ribbon across her neck and dragged it over her throat. What if he strangled her with her own hair ribbon?

“Is that clear?” he asked in a low tone that she found frightening, yet the sound of his voice caressed her at the same time. “You will obey and you will take punishments as I see fit.”

She dropped her gaze, unable to look into those fierce green eyes any longer. “Yes.” The word came out in a near whisper.

“Yes, what?”

Choking back more tears of frustration, she said, “I don’t know what you want me to say.”

His features were as hard as carved marble. “I told you once, Alice, and I will tell you only one more time. You will refer to me as Milord.”

Alice forced out the words. “Yes,
Milord
.”

Jarronn contained a rumble of satisfaction. This woman had fire and spirit and would surely make a fine queen once she was properly trained. She would need that spirit and more to help lead his people. Once again they would have a prosperous future with Alice at his side.

He and his queen must lead his people from the storm brewing on the southern horizon.

Yet with his magic Jarronn had sensed something within the maid that troubled him greatly. This Alice did not believe in her beauty or the worth of her body, heart, and soul. She had little self-esteem, which most certainly would not do for the High Queen of Tarok.

Alice’s lips trembled and more tears spilled from her eyes. However, Jarronn sensed her need for domination, her need to be able to give freely of her body, and to give her love with no fear of losing her heart.

This woman would need to learn to trust him completely and to follow whatever orders he might dictate, for her own safety as well as the safety of his people.

But she could not truly love him or his people if she did not first love herself.

A rumbling noise emanated from her belly and Alice turned her head away from him, as though embarrassed her body had revealed her hunger.

Captivity and hunger would serve well to begin her lessons.

“Look at me.” He was pleased when she turned her tear-reddened eyes to him at once. “Your bonds shall be loosened so that you may bathe.”

“Do I smell that bad?” A glint of self-deprecating humor sparked in her gaze. “Milord.”

Her eyes flared in surprise when he lowered his head and filled his lungs with her scent. Perfume of raspberries and arousal, and her own primal heat. He ached so fiercely that his erection might spear through his breeches to reach her.

“Most appetizing.” His words came out in a rumble and Alice audibly caught her breath. He barely restrained a smile as he straightened and spoke in the direction of the darkened doorway. “Kalina. I require your assistance now.”

Alice’s cheeks reddened, an embarrassed look flushing her face as the sorceress stepped from the shadows and moved beside the bed. The crystal charms dangling from Kalina’s nipples sparkled in the candlelight and the soft leather collar suited her elegant throat.

Sparkling red powder glittered on Kalina’s eyelids as she kept her gaze lowered, her hands behind her back. “What is it you require of me, Milord?”

“Free Alice and prepare her body with
tili
oils,” he replied, and heard Alice’s soft gasp of dismay. No doubt it did not please her to be handled by another person as though she were a child or a possession, but she must accustom herself to her body being viewed and touched by hands other than Jarronn’s.

“Yes, Milord.” Kalina reached for a small red bottle of
tili
oil from a table beside the bed. With the grace of a dancer, she climbed onto the mattress and knelt between Alice’s legs. The sorceress set aside the jar and tugged at the scarf binding one of the maid’s ankles. In a smooth and sensuous movement, Kalina slowly removed the tie.

The sorceress kept her eyes lowered, focusing on the future queen’s soft skin. The smell of orange blossoms filled the room when Kalina tipped the jar and poured clear oil through a tiny spout onto her fingers. Once she set the jar down, she began working the substance over the red marks around Alice’s right ankle.

While the sorceress cared for Alice, Jarronn settled himself into a chair to watch the two naked and very delectable women. It was no surprise to Jarronn that he was far more aroused by the luscious Alice than the sorceress.

Alice bit her lower lip as the woman’s small hands caressed her ankle. Her gaze cut to Jarronn and she had the childish urge to stick her tongue out at him. Why was he doing this to her? Why did he taunt her by having a beautiful, skinny goddess remove her bonds and oil her up?

Jarronn simply braced his elbows on the chair’s arms and steepled his fingers at his lips, his eyes focused on the two of them.
Dang,
he was so flipping handsome and so masterful looking. The jerk.

Refusing to look at the bastard any longer, Alice turned her gaze back to Kalina.

With an amused glance of her amber eyes, Kalina smiled at Alice, a genuine expression of friendship on her expression. Even though Alice wanted to hate the gorgeous woman, she couldn’t help but feel warmth in her chest at the woman’s smile.

Kalina rubbed more of the orange blossom-scented oil up Alice’s leg to the fleshy part of her thigh and to her hip. With a casual movement the woman’s fingertips came close to Alice’s mound.

Alice jumped. Embarrassed heat rushed through her once again.

Kalina gave her another smile. “Have you never been with a woman?”

“No.” Alice shook her head and the heat in her face magnified. “Of course not. I’m straight. I like men.”

As Kalina raised one brow, her eyes met Alice’s even as she scooted back down the bed toward the other ankle and freed it from its silk bindings. “In Tarok it matters not if you are woman or man. We simply enjoy one another.”

“What’s this Tarok?” As she asked, Alice couldn’t help but watch the sway of the crystal charms dangling from Kalina’s nipples. “Is this some kind of underground San Francisco cult? Or a bondage club?”

“I have no knowledge of such things. Bondage clubs or cults, or San-Fran-cees-co.” Kalina pronounced the words in the same strange accent Jarronn had as she worked the oil into Alice’s other freed ankle.

Alice became lost in the sensations, her mind wandering from the pleasure.

“Alice?” Kalina paused in her movements and Alice jerked her head up to see amusement in her fiery amber eyes. “Are you not listening?”

For at least the millionth time since waking up, Alice felt embarrassment prickle her skin. At this rate she’d be permanently pink and permanently embarrassed.

“I'm sorry.” She swallowed. “What were you saying?” While she massaged the oil into Alice’s fleshy thigh, Kalina kept her warm gaze on Alice. “You are in the Kingdom of Hearts in the land of Tarok. Milord is our king.”

“King?” Alice felt heat rush through her. “Kingdom of Hearts? Land of Tarok? It sounds like an amusement park.”

The woman glanced to Jarronn, as though seeking his permission to speak, and he gave one shake of his head, as in
no.

“You will soon understand.” Kalina moved her gaze back to Alice.

Before Alice could respond, to insist that they explain, Kalina straddled Alice’s thighs. The woman began working oil into the soft flesh of Alice’s belly. When Kalina started oiling Alice’s breasts and massaging them in slow, sensuous movements, she thought she was going to flip right over the edge. A woman had never touched her and it made her feel strange, like she’d gone to some other realm.

Alice turned her gaze away from Kalina and Jarronn both. Instead she stared at a plum-colored candle on the opposite side of the bed.

Kalina caught Alice’s cheeks in her palms, lowered her face until their lips almost touched, and Alice caught her breath. Kalina’s long hair fell to each side of Alice’s face, like a shimmering black curtain.

The woman’s breath brushed over Alice’s lips, her scent pleasant, like mint and sweet tea. “You have never kissed a woman?”

Alice stilled. Everything around her seemed to fade away, like it did the times she’d been out on a first date and she knew the guy was going to kiss her. Slowly Alice shook her head and felt the whisper of Kalina’s breath across her lips.

“Mmmm. One day you must.” With that Kalina released Alice, leaving her staring up at the beautiful goddess.

“No.” Alice shook her head. “That’s one thing we can be perfectly clear about. I like women as friends, but nothing else.”

“As you wish.” Kalina smiled and scooted farther up to Alice’s waist and focused her attention on the scarf binding Alice’s left wrist.

She was barely aware of her wrist being released and Kalina rubbing more of the oil onto her arm. The woman’s blue-black hair drifted across Alice’s skin, as silken as the scarf Jarronn had teased her with earlier.

As she bit her lower lip, Alice’s eyes met Jarronn’s. His attention was completely focused on her and not on the beautiful Kalina. He was so damn gorgeous that Alice couldn’t help but wonder why he’d be interested in her, chubby Alice O’Brien, when he could most certainly have his pick of any supermodel in the world. Hell, with a body like that he could
be
a supermodel.

But Jarronn’s hands clenched the arms of his chair so tightly his knuckles had whitened. A fierce expression was on his handsome face and she could almost imagine him roaring like a tiger reined back by a tight leash.

No matter his rigid control, Jarronn wanted her. The knowledge settled over Alice like a fine cloak. It was incredible, a feeling of empowerment like nothing she’d ever experienced before.

WHILE KALINA UNTIED ALICE’S LAST BINDING, Jarronn’s muscles tensed and he pushed himself out of his chair. He flexed his hands, fighting back his lust for his future queen before that lust took control of him.

He never lost control and he never would, for any reason.

Turning his back on the two women, Jarronn strode to the long stone table beneath the open window. Moonlight and candle flame illuminated the items he had laid there earlier. The servant’s collar with its silver chain and the nipple rings with crystal hearts. Items to ensure the maid realized she was his to command, his to control.

For a long moment he looked out the window of Alice’s warded quarters to his darkened kingdom. Warm light glowed from cottages below the castle and torches flickered from sentry posts along the expansive curtain wall protecting his people.

Yet the curtain wall could only protect them from physical attack, not mental.

In the distance he heard the rush and roar of the Tarok River and the night sounds of an owl, a wolf’s howl, and a large cat’s scream as it took down its prey. Jarronn scented wood fires burning in his subjects’ cottages, the river teeming with fish, wildlife in the forest surrounding his lands, and the many varieties of flowers in his well-tended gardens. Irresistible A golden moon played over the land, the crops, the fields of grain. And closer, the play of liquid gold caressing the royal rainbow gardens and the glittering white castle walls.

With so calm and beautiful an evening it was difficult to believe that after centuries of prosperity his people were in danger of extinction.

In danger from that bitch to the south.

Jarronn clenched his hand around Alice’s new collar, chain, and nipple rings, so tightly they dug into the flesh of his palm. Gritting his teeth, he forced back his anger, turned, and strode to the women who were now standing beside the bed, waiting for him.

Kalina’s eyes were lowered, her hands behind her back, her stance wide, in the proper position. Alice, however, watched him with her chin raised high, a defiant gleam in her eyes, and her hands clenched into fists at her sides.

Yes, the lovely wench would make a fine queen one day. He was certain she would be a most enjoyable mate.