Page 22 of Hunted in Holly

“As you wish, my queen.” His laugh was one of pure, twisted joy. “From here on, I will always doexactlyas you wish.”

I cried out as he finished me again, in an overwhelming crescendo of white heat and brilliant ecstasy. I felt his thick cock tense the moment before he released inside me, and our combined fluids soaked my nethers.

Nicholas lingered there, remaining locked in my heat, until he’d fully softened. Then he pulled out, and ran his hand up the slick arousal coating his shaft. He pressed his wet and sticky palm to my stomach, and he spread our mixed come up to my chest. The trail glistened with semen, sweat, and a hint of blood, while he scented me with sex, cloves, cinnamon, chocolate, and ice.

Nicholas looked down on our filthy mess with devilish amusement. I must have been quite the vision, while I still couldn’t figure out what to say or what to do.

So he decided for me.

He picked up a small chocolate ball that had been discarded on the blanket, still wrapped in brightly colored foil. He meticulously removed the red and gold wrapper, placed the ball between his teeth, then he leaned down and connected our lips. He used his tongue to force my mouth open and slip the ball past my teeth.

The chocolate melted slowly on my tongue.

The tranquilizer contained in its center, however, kicked in very, very quickly.

“Merry Christmas, Sweet Noel.” Were the last words I heard before I truly became his.

Chapter 15

It was Christmas morning, and I was sitting up in my bed, dressed in a red silk nightgown I’d certainly not put on myself. I stared idly at the wall, my mind still processing the last few days.

I’d had sex with the man who burned my kingdom to the floor. I’d enjoyed it. I hadn’t protested. He’d played me expertly, and I’d had no ability to stop myself. I was weak, pathetic, and broken.

What had I done? Why had I come here at all? I’d failed everyone.

I’d failed myself.

“Sweet Noel.” Nicholas’ voice pulled me from my thoughts, and those striking red eyes pulled me from rationality. My heart wanted to see him, but my head knew he was the devil in a fine tailored suit.

“Go away.” I said dryly, too angry at myself to hold back.

Nicholas frowned. “Don’t you want your Christmas gift first?”

“No.” I dropped my gaze to the comforter. He didn’t like that.

He moved in close, then he lifted my chin to meet his again. “I’m going to have to insist, my future queen.” The words stung, but there was little I could do to argue. His eyes reflected something similar to compassion as he looked me up and down. “Now come with me. This is important.”

I followed along robotically, as he led me to a spiral staircase. We continued downward, floor after floor, until we reached a basement. At the bottom of the stairs we entered into a wide open chamber. Along the walls were a number of cells with thick iron bars, all of them empty, damp, and unused.

At the end of the row, an iron door was wide open, ready for its occupant.

“No.” I spoke without thinking, and my panic and survival instincts kicked in immediately. “No!” I repeated, my feet backing me towards the stairs.I won’t be his prisoner. I won’t live in a cage. I won’t.

“No?” He asked, always dripping with that evil amusement of his. He glanced at the empty cell, then back at me. I stumbled, but he caught me before I could fall. He took my wrist in his hand and started dragging me towards the open door.

“Stop.” I yanked on my arm, trying to save myself before the moment it was truly too late. “I’ll be your bride. I’ll marry you.” My begging was pathetic, but I had to reason with him. I kept pleading and kept hoping. “I’ll do anything you ask, just don’t lock me in there. Don’t—”

He tugged me into the cell with a hard jerk, and I stopped short, my words arrested in my throat.

He had walked in with me, and he released my wrist. My attention, however, was fixated on the wall.

There, I met the eyes of a monster. A beast of legend, with horns that extended toward the ceiling, bulging muscles, sharp claws, and dark blue skin.

Kill him.The words echoed through my mind, in that voice I’d not heard in days.Kill the Saint.Was this creature…

“What… what is this?” I heard myself whisper in the quiet cell.

“Thisis Krampus.” Nicholas said calmly. “This is the demon that killed your family, your people, your fiancé, and your friends before he burned your home to the ground. He might have taken the North Pole too, if I hadn’t had your little warning.” Nicholas winked.

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