Page 73 of Taken By Touch and Torment

Ihadn’t told Kole nor Brennan about Durian’s late-night visit. I worried if I did, they’d never even attempt to steal me away. I had to trust they were intelligent enough to ensure Durian was preoccupied when they finally came for me.

I spent the evening in Durian’s lap, or at his feet, or by his side, or bound to a demented altar. He didn’t allow me to entertain Kole. He alternated between feeding from me, hurting and humiliating me, and offering me the strangest, barest forms of comfort. Effectively fucking with my head more than it had already been scrambled.

By the end of the night, I was exhausted and weak, and I genuinely feared what that meant for my abilities to escape. I’d hoped I would be my strongest self when Brennan came for me, but it appeared that would be far from the case.

“Silly pet,” Durian said, licking closed my latest wound on my upper chest before dragging me by the collar through the hall. “Tell me who you live for.”

“You, Master,” I slurred.

He moved my body how he wanted it. He demanded I speak the words he wanted to hear. He made me feel so worthless that I could hardly even sense my powers anymore.

After I’d been sufficiently traumatized, I was left on the floor in my room. The wood was cool beneath my cheek.

Someone was calling for me, but I couldn’t answer. I couldn’t even lift my eyelids.

“She’ll wake up,” a voice floated up from the darkness. Rosalind’s. “Just let her nap. Then she’ll be well-rested and back to her bright and perky self. She’s going inside a bag, anyway. It’s probably better that she’s out of it.”

“She needs to get in her disguise,” Brennan said. “She needs—fuck, she needs blood replenishing potion.”

I wanted to laugh. Of course, Brennan’s chief concern was my ability to service him as his own personal blood bag.

“I’ll handle the disguise part,” Rosalind said. “I’ll get her ready once we get there.”

“The poor thing,” Kole drawled. “Are we sure this is still the best idea?”

“Urgh,” I might’ve said. I wasn’t sure if I’d managed to make a sound.

“There will be witches at Black Sapphire,” Rosalind said, her voice oozing calm authority. “Potions will be floating around.”

“For a hefty price,” Brennan muttered.

“She’s worth it,” Kole declared.

“Well, yes, of course, she is,” Brennan said quickly, irritation in his tone.

“Gentlemen, darlings, the most handsome men in Lillian’s favored palace…” Rosalind’s voice was sugary, lyrical and commanding. She giggled. “We’re about to go have some fun! This is the teensiest, tiniest little drawback, and it will be remedied as soon as we make it to our destination. Think about how sad our favorite human would be if she knew you were debating leaving her behind.”

“We’re not leaving her behind,” Brennan said at the same time Kole said, “No, never.”

I forced my eyes open. “Bag?”

They literally stuffed me inside a duffle bag. I was kept company by dildos, a flogger, lingerie, and a short blonde wig. Rosalind’s perfume nearly suffocated me in this enclosed space, which may have been the point, another way to cover up my scent.

I’d heard them discussing how Rosalind was going to use her magick as a diversion. It would also be believable that my scent would linger on Kole since I’d been serving him all week. This was only if we were stopped by anyone, which was unlikely, as neither Kole nor Brennan were bound by any rules. And surprisingly, neither was Rosalind. It was apparently typical of her to leave with elites to spend a night on the town. It baffled me that she was free to go anywhere and chose to stay here.

Brennan, Kole, and Rosalind snuck through the castle using routes less likely to be monitored or used. They preferred not to be spotted, especially by anyone close to Durian. Guards weren’t ones to gossip, but courtiers were snakes.

I drifted in and out of consciousness the whole time. Rosalind had been right. It was for the best, given every time I awoke, I wanted to have a very dramatic panic attack.

My mind drifted back to Crescent Haven. I missed the forest, its tall trees, and aboveground roots. I missed Jaxon. I knew that I hadn’t been happy there, but it was still home. I missed having a home.

It was actually quite easy to imagine Rune growing up in Crescent Haven. Sitting outside somewhere, thumbing through a book, dreaming of a better life for himself and his sisters. Staring up at the stars as he envisioned faraway lands. Playing in the forest as a young boy, seeing himself as the fiercest knight, the most virtuous protector.

I tried to imagine him younger, without his shadow magick tattoos. Still broody and intense, frighteningly intelligent, harboring the ambition of becoming a writer rather than a warlord. It was a vision that made me smile in a secret, sleepy way, as I was jostled around in the sex toy bag.

“Almost there,” Brennan said, maybe to me.

I made a feeble, unseen thumbs up. I needed Rune’s secret forces to get Rosalind and me the hell out of this place as soon as possible. Kole and Brennan weren’t thinking clearly, too lost under the careful spell I’d cast with powerful succubus magick. Even in my weakened state, I knew the truth. Durian could discover I was gone at any point. No matter how careful they’d been, it wasn’t going to be impossible for Durian to connect some dots and go on a vicious rampage until someone pointed him in the right direction.

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