Beneath the Shadows of Evil... Taken Read online

  Sliding his hands on her arms, Mikhal took the straps of her gown in his fingers and slowly drew them downward, the tips brushing her bare arms as he pulled them over her elbows and let them fall over her fingertips. The material caught up on her hips and in a sudden show of impatience, Mikhal ripped the fabric away, tearing the white gown into two pieces, leaving her bare before him.

  He moved to walk around her again, circling slowly, eyes taking in every detail of her creamy skin and luscious curves. The teardrop birthmark beckoned him and he leaned in to lightly kiss it, making Alliana gasp. The pulse in her neck fluttered wildly and Mikhal brushed his thumb against it then moved both hands to cup her face. He looked down into her luminous eyes so full of fear and uncertainty, and whispered one word. “Beautiful.”

  Alliana squeezed her eyes tightly shut and moved to cover herself, but Mikhal would have none of it, and gently moved her hands back to her sides. “I shall see all of my wife, Alliana. You are to obey me in this and in all things. Isn’t that what your dear mother told you?”

  “Yes, Mikhal.” The use of his given name surprised and pleased him, though part of him knew he should be cross with her for forgetting her manners. Mikhal liked the sound of it on her tongue. It told him she was feeling the intimacy between them.

  Alliana herself was surprised at her use of his name. Where had that come from? All she felt was hatred for him. Perhaps it had sprung to her lips in hopes of gentling him, perhaps because the honor the title ‘My Lord’ bestowed wasn’t befitting one so low as he. She looked at him with frightened eyes, sure he was going to slap her for her insolence, and was relieved to see him staring at her with pleasure.

  “Yes Kitten, it’s all right to use my name when we’re alone. I quite like it. Don’t be foolish and show such disrespect when we are in public though, that cannot be tolerated. Understand?’ Alliana bit her lip and nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She was feeling oh so vulnerable and all of her bravado had fled. It seemed as if it had been discarded like her flimsy gown, upon the floor.

  She stood there, naked, in the glow of the firelight, creamy round breasts tinged pink by its glow, nipples tightening under the heat of his eyes. Mikhal reached out to brush a thumb over one and Alliana shied away, frightened. He looked up and gave her a stern stare that broached no argument, and she stepped forward once more. Her maman had said to obey. He was her husband and she must obey. It was a wife’s duty, regardless of how she felt. Besides, he had done nothing to hurt her physically. Why anger him now?

  “Good girl.” The term made her bristle but she stood still. Mikhal cupped one breast in his palm, stroking it gently, running his thumb over the nipple until it hardened under his expert touch. His skill as a lover had been perfected over many years, and he knew just how to stoke the fire she so desperately wished to deny. He again stroked the hard little bud then cradled her breast as it strained against his palm, then moved his hand to the other for similar ministrations, smiling as the pulse in her neck jumped in response to his touch. Everything he did was expertly done with precision, made to fan the embers he knew dwelled deep inside his wild Gypsy bride.

  Alliana felt that flutter in her belly once more and was filled with confusion. His touch was abhorrent... wasn’t it? How could her body respond? She truly hated him, knew that she did with her heart and soul, but that didn’t stop the stirring of warmth in her belly. He continued to stroke her body gently; one breast then the other then pulled her to him for a searing kiss. Her bare form was suddenly pressed against his silk shirt and her sensitive nipples brushed his rock hard chest making them ache as his arms wrapped around her. He stroked her back, her bottom, making little circles, and everything was smooth, tender, gentle, and soft, causing the yearning to grow stronger, and she hated him even more for it.

  Alliana’s confusion grew along with her desire, as his lips took possession of hers over and over. His fingers entwined in her hair, and he pulled her head back as he moved his mouth to open hers, gaining entry for his talented tongue. He swept it from side to side, slowly caressing her cheeks, then tangled it with her own, darting it in and out, pressing harder with his lips, becoming more demanding as his desire grew.

  His leggings could not conceal his hard manhood as it swelled and pressed against her belly. Feeling him, feeling it, Alliana panicked and tried to break away, but Mikhal refused to let her go. He broke the kiss and looked down into her terror filled eyes, his own a blazing dark blue filled with the fire of desire.

  “You’re mine little one and I intend to have all of you. Don’t fight me and it shall be a sweet taking.” Mikhal scooped her up before she could give into the panic he knew was raging inside her, and held her close, crushing her naked body to his chest and claiming her lips once more until she quieted, then he rained kisses on her neck and chest, finally taking a sweet nipple into his mouth. She gasped then, as he pulled on it gently, a rush of warmth flooding her loins, even as a curious dampness wet her thighs.

  Alliana’s head was spinning, her mind was screaming that he was a monster, but his arms were everywhere. They were the hardest of smooth silk against her nakedness. His fingers were skimming lightly across her body, stimulating, touching, and building a pressure she didn’t understand deep in her core. She writhed under his touch, not wanting to yield but yearning for more all the same, arching into his hands then moving away as her head screamed out her hatred for him. Her body and brain were in a fierce conflict, her mind knowing it was all wrong, but her entire being singing under the stroking of his touch just as he said it would, and when his lips joined his hands, Alliana knew she was doomed.

  When she was quivering, not with fright, but with desire, Mikhal laid her out on the bed and began to undress. She lay there, motionless, the soft fur beneath her body brushing her naked skin, until she felt his hand caress her cheek. “Open your eyes and gaze upon your husband, Alliana.” She bit her lip and shook her head, pleading silently with him. “No Pet, you shall see all of me. There shall be no secrets between us, no modesty or shame. You will come to know every inch of me as I will come to know you.”

  Alliana opened them, and stared, wide-eyed, as Mikhal removed his shirt. She marveled at the way his muscles rippled under his skin, and thought he looked much like a statue in motion, all hard and smooth, pure perfection. Danger lay there though, she surmised, for he could easily crush the life out of her. When he came to the ties of his leggings, she sorely wanted to close her eyes again, but knew it would infuriate him, so she simply bit her lip and stared, her breath held, silently waiting.

  Mikhal quickly made haste of the strings and pulled his leggings down, his manhood springing forth, hard, pulsing, aching and ready to claim his bride. Alliana squeaked at the size of it, knowing it would surely render her in two, and began to scramble to the other side of the bed but Mikhal caught her around the waist, falling on her, pinning her down, holding her wrists in a crushing grip as he yanked them over her head. He snarled, angry, his beast rising to the surface because of her struggles.

  “It doesn’t have to be like this Alliana. Be good, do as your mother said, and I shall take you sweet and easy. I wish to give you pleasure, but my beast would relish your pain. It is your choice pigeon, either way you will be mine.”

  Alliana continued to fight him, as his body lay heavy upon hers. She felt as if he was going to crush her, and she could feel his hard pulsing manhood lying against her belly. How? Oh how was it to ever fit inside her? The thought terrified her and caused her to buck up under him in a futile attempt to throw him off. “Be still I said. I know you’re frightened but I’m warning you girl. If you fight me, you won’t like the results.”

  Alliana looked into his eyes and saw the flash of amber there that gave truth to his words. She forced herself to lay unmoving, remembering the last time his eyes had taken on that glow. She was naked and vulnerable and completely at his mercy, being taken by Mikhal the Merciless was bad, being raped by his beast was unthinkable.


  “That’s a good kitten, easy now. Close your eyes Pet and I’ll be gentle. I don’t want to hurt you, not now. You are my bride, Alliana. You’ll carry my child.”

  Mikhal began to kiss her again; little fluttery butterfly kisses all over her cheeks and chest. He kissed her eyelids closed then released her hands when he felt her relax under him, stroking the underside of her arms as he drew his hands downward towards her body. Holding himself above her, Mikhal nudged her legs apart and knelt between them, staring down at his golden treasure. Her curls had come free from where they’d been pinned on her head and they now fell in a shiny mass around her face, gilded golden strands in the firelight that captured each flickering glow from the hearth. Her cheeks were flushed from the heat and from his ministrations, and her lips were swollen from his kisses and from Marishka’s blows.

  He kissed her mouth gently on the corner where it was most bruised, scowling at the thought of her being struck. “Poor Pigeon, there will be no more of that.” Then he began to stroke her body, softly, sweetly, relishing in her silky skin, loving the supple warmth of her living flesh.

  Over and over his hands danced across her body, strumming her like a mandolin, until sweet sounds spilled from her lips like music in the air. Alliana’s eyes flew open at the quiet moans that escaped her. Had the noise truly come from her lips?

  Mikhal kissed her eyes closed once more then moved beside her, stroking her inner thighs, making her feel comfortable with him touching her there, moving ever closer to her most intimate of places, and watching as shivers of pleasure danced across her skin. He brought his hand up and brushed his fingers over the downy hair that covered her womanhood, feeling a drop of dew, smiling a lazy satisfied smile, at the discovery.

  Alliana started at his touch but he placed one hand on her belly to still her and murmured soft words to calm her, then began to add fuel to the fire burning deep in her core once more. Mikhal wasn’t angered in the least by her natural fears and tiny protestations. He knew he was a very skillful lover and was patient enough to overcome them little by little. He’d had years to discover how to bring pleasure or pain, and he fully intended to make his wife tremble with ecstasy in his arms.

  Holding her still oh so gently, with the pressing of his palm on her belly, Mikhal moved his hand to her folds once more, brushing lightly over her opening, wetting his fingers, grazing her nubbin, teasing, arousing, making her need something he knew she didn’t understand. Bit by bit his hand pressed harder until his fingers were sliding in her wetness, slipping across the opening of her passage and circling her nub with each stroke.

  Alliana moaned and twisted on the bed. What was he doing to her? It felt so very wonderful, but how could she like it? Part of her still screamed that he was evil and wicked and she should feel nothing but loathing for his touch, but his talented fingers told her otherwise. The hand on her belly moved to her breast, teasing one nipple, stroking in time to the wonderful rhythm he’d set between her thighs. Alliana could feel the heat building, the fire blazing, deep within her, it was frightening, it was wonderful, it was shameful, but if she kept her eyes closed she could ignore the voice that screamed it was wrong. He was her husband, not a hideous beast. He was her husband and this was her duty. He was her husband, he was her husband, he was her husband! She didn’t have a choice because he was her husband! It didn’t make her a whore.

  Knowing she was ready, unable to deny himself any longer, Mikhal moved between Alliana thighs and lowered himself slowly until his hips met the soft flesh of her upper thighs. Her eyes flew open when the hard insistent head of his cock nudged against her opening, and Mikhal brought his mouth down upon hers, cutting off her words of protest. There was nothing to be said. No words of reassurance would take away the shocking pain of his initial thrust.

  He grasped her hips and surged forward, making her twist and buck beneath him as her hands beat upon his back. When this got her no results, she dug in her nails, clawing at his skin as the pain knifed through her. Mikhal rose up and caught her hands, pinning them above her head, breaking the kiss for a moment. “I will have you wife. Just let it happen, your body will accept me and the pain will fade.” That said he surged forward once more, sheathing himself in her depths, completing their joining, as he captured her lips once again, breaking her maidenhead and burying himself deep within her blazing core.

  She screamed into his mouth, hot tears spilling from her eyes at the tearing agony inside her. Mikhal lay still, and gentled his kiss, then hushed her, letting her body grow accustom to his girth. “Easy my little Gypsy luv. Easy now. The pain will fade, and the pleasure will return. I promise.”

  Mikhal lay unmoving upon her as Alliana struggled, fighting his inner beast. He brought his lips to her ear and crooned soft words, peppered with tiny kisses. He had to make her quiet, had to make her stop her futile resistance or his demon would rise up and claim what was his in a way that would horrify his new bride. Mikhal knew he didn’t want that. He liked her like this, all soft and yielding, full of a mixture of confused emotions as she did battle with her heart. If he let his monster take over, her moans of pleasure would be replaced with piercing screams, and she would never be able to come to his bed without terror. That wasn’t what he had planned for their future.

  Rising slightly, Mikhal grasped both of her hands in one of his powerful ones, and reached between their bodies. He stroked Alliana's belly as he continued to place sweet kisses on the fragile shell of her ear. His fingers strummed with a silent melody, stroking lower and lower until they reached the tiny bundle of nerves where the utmost pleasure could be found.

  Alliana twisted, fighting him, fighting herself, but Mikhal persisted, stroking, fingers dancing, sliding in her wetness, circling her nub and drawing pleasure from deep within her core. The heat inside her began to spiral up again, overshadowing the sharp pain, dulling it, then driving it away, until it was but a distant memory.

  When Mikhal felt the walls of her passage begin to flutter, he began to move above her and within her, burying himself in her molten depths and drawing out slowly, over and over, angling up to hit that sensitive spot deep within her womb that made her body quiver and little cries of delight escape her lips. Deeper and deeper Mikhal drove into Alliana's soft and pliant body, relishing in her blazing heat and virginal tightness that gripped him like the tightest of fists.

  Alliana responded in kind as his cock swelled with pleasure within her walls, her body learning the steps of the age-old dance with ease. He claimed her lips for a deep, searing kiss, joining them completely as his arm slid under her, to hold her to him. Her hips rose off the bed to meet his every thrust, and she mewled into his mouth as his tongue danced across hers, teasing and sliding then darting in and out in time to the thrusts of his body. Building, building, sliding in and out, Mikhal brought her to the precipice of pleasure, leaving her gasping and writhing under him, as fire burned inside her.

  Her eyes were bright green orbs that blazed with the heat of passion. Her cheeks were flushed scarlet; her mouth was open in a silent plea for the completion that would leave her untried body breathless. Mikhal thought she looked like the most precious of jewels and relished the fact that she was all his. She was his treasure, his shining golden Gypsy bride, and knowing he was the one who was making her body come alive for the first time gave him a surge of masculine pride.

  When she was on the brink of release, he moved to hold both hands down again and kissed her eyelids closed, whispering sweet words of reassurance. Surging ever harder, driving down, crushing her body beneath his, Mikhal took her with the primal abandon his inner demon longed for. Alliana's knees came up, her legs wrapping around his waist, allowing him deeper entrance, and he roared out his pleasure, almost spilling his seed, but knowing he had to wait just a bit more. She had to be ready.

  "That's right, Kitten. That's a good love." The words grated on her mind and sent shame soaring through her soul. She was acting the part of a whore, his whore, but she could do noth
ing to stop the tide that was sweeping through her core. He swayed his hips from side to side, rubbing her nubbin as he drove in and out, and then plunged in and rocked, putting immense pressure on her clit as his cock filled her. Alliana cried out, shocked, stunned, breathless, as her orgasm overtook her and molten fire exploded from her womb, rushing through her body to singe every nerve.

  Feeling her reach the pinnacle of pleasure, knowing it was finally time, Mikhal snarled and allowed his beast to rise up. His face shifted, eyes flashing amber, fangs elongating, as he lowered his head to Alliana's neck and pounded into her scorching depths.

  "Mine" The word reverberated through the chamber as he slid his fangs in her throat, drawing deeply of her blood, as his own orgasm rocketed through him. His cold seed shot deep into her womb as her hot blood flowed over his tongue and Mikhal's entire body spasmed with the intensity of his climax. He drew another mouthful of her potent elixir, pleasure roaring through him, stunned to his core at the powerful pleasure his Gypsy bride evoked in him.

  Alliana cried out at his assault, shocked, then stunned, as another orgasm, even more intense than the first sent her world spinning out of control. Her entire body shook as Mikhal thrust into her, the pull of his mouth on her neck matching the rhythm of his thrust. She screamed in pleasure and shock as her eyes flew open. Mikhal looked up at the sound, howling in bestial delight, blood trickling down his chin. Seeing him like this, shocked Alliana back to reality and her eyes snapped shut once more, but he wasn't done with her. He took both her hands into one of his, then bit his own wrist and put it to her mouth, the blood smearing her lips as she thrashed her head back and forth, repulsed.