As my body began to relax, I felt movement low in my pelvis near my left hip. I put a hand over it and felt a small lump which seemed to be jerking. No. I lifted my nightdress to examine the area in the slivers of morning light creeping in through the shutters. I saw the tiny dark egg and wisping black veins emerging from it that I’d seen on so many of those women dangling in the WitchFall dungeons. Mathis’ seed. The thought sickened me. Making my whole world seem darker as I realized I was already infected with his evil. I dropped the back of my wrist against my forehead in frustration. Feeling so hopeless that I felt the heat of a tear trailing my cheek. And another soon after that. It wasn’t long before I released the tidal wave and let them pour from my eyes. Finally in a safe sanctuary I was able to grieve who and what I’d lost. Who I was before Mathis began his tormenting. So many names rolled through my mind. Mathis, Bethanie, Veline, Udora…And countless others whose name
Both were in the throes of passion. The woman was riding the man forcefully. Jamming herself down on him so roughly that he grunted at each angry dropping of her weight over him. “Harder!” He growled. Commanding her. Mathis’ voice. “I can’t.” The girl whimpered pitifully. Her brown hair thrown back and waving down her back as her head was tipped back. Contorted in pain. “You came to me!” Mathis growled. “Now finish what you’ve began, Witch. Harder!” And he caught her hips and dragged her down and forward over him. Making their bodies smack together brutally and the bed rock beneath them. Creaking in objection. “Ah. Ah.” She said raggedly in pain each time he slammed her down. Clearly pushing himself too deeply in her. Her frame was small. Seeming too little to accept a man so forcefully. But something about her shape was familiar. “Please, stop. You’re hurting me.” “Then hurt yourself.” He laughed. Moving his hands from her hips purposefully and then crossing them under the p
I could feel his breath on me as he’d somehow, impossibly, moved even closer to my side. Blocking off the edge of the door that would’ve opened if I could’ve pulled it. Now he’s leaned against it. “They,” He cupped the rounded mound on my pelvis toward my hip. Cradling it almost violently. “do all the work for me. Bring you straight to me…” “I’m not here for you.” I said resignedly. “I’m here for them.” I nodded over his shoulder toward where I could see the outline of Bethanie’s body. Now silent on the bed as if she’d passed out from the exhaustion and pain. It is mostly true. But my words sounded weak even to my own ears. I don’t even know how I got here. Or why he’s all I can think about. Right alongside the lust growing in me was the hatred. I was resenting him more and more. And disgusted by the power he had over me. “Are you?” He glanced over his shoulder and back at me. Beaming so broadly that his white teeth gleamed in the darkness. “And what are you willing to do for t
“At your summoning you mean.” I said bitterly. “I am not forcing you.” “Not physically.” “Ah, now, Saria. Let’s not pretend you’re not already moist.” He reached down and touched the crux of my thighs over the fabric of my dress. Making me jump. My eyes rounded as I realized I was already soaking the fabric. He’s right. I didn’t even know it! I swallowed disgust at my own reaction. “Now take off your dress before I rip it off you.” I glared at him impudently but when he took a threatening step forward, I jumped from my gown. Stretching my arms over myself to cover my body. His gaze thinned on me. “What did I tell you about that?” *** “About what?” I knew very well what he was talking about. But I was stalling. I didn’t want to get in his wash bin and have him watch me scrub myself. “Shame.” “I don’t recall.” “You very much do.” His tone hardened. “Don’t play games with me.” He wrenched my arms away from covering me. Then he twisted and lifted me. Tossing me into the gia
“You think I’ve another man?” I didn’t want him. Much less any other after all the torment I’d experienced at his hands. “Who knows what you do when you’re not with me?” “Do you worry about it?” I was stunned at this hint of vulnerability. A strange note that may’ve been jealousy seeped into his voice. “I don’t wish to think on it.” “It disturbs you?” “Because you’re mine.” He said matter-of-factly. “It won’t matter. Soon enough your skin will be marred with my seed, and you’ll no longer be as fair as you are now. No longer be so desirable to the village lads. And I’ve plans for you one day. When you submit to me wholly.” “And if I don’t?” “You will.” “But if I didn’t?” “Then I’d likely pursue you forever. You, one woman, could probably charge me all I’d need with your power and the force of your will...If you were capable of that.” He ended quickly as if he’d given away too much. He dropped to his knees behind me and pushed one of mine forward so he could access my most in
My fear of what would happen to me down there was building. What if he didn’t let me go this time? What if he kept me here forever and no one ever knew where I was? Not that anyone would’ve come and got me anyway. It seemed that once Mathis claimed you were a witch you became his forever anyway. No one looks for you. No one yearns for you. No one mourns you. And God knows how long he keeps them to torture them. As we neared the doors to the dungeons, two of his huge lumbering ogres appeared. They were clothed loosely in what looked like servant’s clothes. But they barely spanned the length of the creatures’ hulking shoulders. The pants were torn around their calves. No one can believe there human. Not even close. But when they’d come to the Dining Hall, Mayor Marx hadn’t batted an eyelash when he saw them. Was he seeing something different then I did? Like how Mathis manages to disguise himself to every eye but mine. But, I reminded myself, there had been a time when I too
“Go to it.” He said in a coaxing voice. Immediately, my instincts were screaming. I can’t do this! I knew what happened to people in the stocks. They were left out in public. Forced to be bent at the waist or on their knees. Their neck and wrists pinned between the notched wood and locked closed. And sometimes cruel people threw rotten food at them and persecuted them for whatever crime had led them to be there. Or for simple entertainment. It looked painful on one’s body to be in that position for so long. Terrifying to be locked in. And horrifying to have the indignity of being made into a public mockery. The last thing I wanted was to be in that thing. “Do you know what it’s for?” Mathis asked me darkly. “Public shaming.” My voice sounded choked even to my own ears. “You, who are so afraid of feeling shame.” He chuckled. “What an exciting experience, aye?” Exciting was the furthest thing from my mind. Terrifying. He was starting to circle me like a hungry vulture. His ch
Mathis clearly had no intention of letting me go. He was still behind me. Straining to reach over me as he finished pushing down the locks that secured me into the giant block of wood. I reflexively pulled at it like a caged animal, but it had no give. The width of my head was far too large to let me pull backward. And it only brought me closer against Mathis’ chins. He growled in pleasure. Taking the time to circle around the front of the stockade, tugging my red hair from within the hole until it all poured down the side of my face. He caressed my cheek. “So, beautiful…” “Open.” I looked up at him. Unable to lift my head far enough to look at him. And resisting the urge to beg him to let me go. I knew he was talking about my mouth. But I didn’t want to open it. He lightly pinched my bottom lip and my chin. “Open those pretty lips for me, Spitfire. I want in that mouth.” I whimpered in objection. I jerked at the stockade, but it only resulted in causing rough splinters to scra