Page 5 of Lured By the Dus
I boltedinto a musty hall with pools of flickering candlelight. Unable to guess where the exit might be, I picked a direction at random and ran.
I did not get more than a few feet when a weight landed on my back, knocking me down. I fell with a grunt, limbs flailing as he effortlessly flipped me on my back, pinning my legs with his thighs and holding my arms with his hands.
“You shouldn’t have run,” he hissed, those sharp teeth mere inches from my face.
“You’re the devil. I had to try,” I retorted, fury overriding my fear.
He clicked his tongue behind his teeth. “You’ll learn,” he whispered, as if he wasn’t even talking to me. Louder, he added. “A shame, since I was considering taking you home.”
Home. Yes. It’s what I wanted. I held my breath, unable to look away from his penetrating gaze. His weight on my body was stirring up sensations better left alone, and I wanted him to move. When he bared his teeth, my breath caught and something I could not explain happened. His amber eyes glazed as he bent nearer to me, his nose close to my neck, as if he were breathing in my scent.
The Piper of Dowler held me down, and instead of fighting, I lay there and let him bring his teeth close to my neck. I swallowed hard, struggling against the temptation that grew within, a rash decision ready to cloud my mind. Again. Sometimes I sabotaged myself with my impulsiveness and now was such a moment. In the low light, I inhaled, aware of the male body rising above mine. This was inappropriate. Wrong. And yet a stir of something that wasn’t fear rose with me as his breath kissed my bare skin and his teeth sank into my neck.
It was just a nip, not hard enough to draw blood, and yet enough to jolt me out of my hazy thoughts. Was the Devil of Dowler trying to seduce me? “What are you doing?” I demanded, bucking underneath him, which was a mistake. It only made him clasp me tighter as his wicked eyes skated over my face, lingering on my lips.
A bolt of carnal lust went through me again. Why wasn’t my brain working? I should be screaming, begging, not thinking of furious kissing.
“Give me your name,” he coaxed, as if he hadn’t just tried to taste me.
“Tanith.” I spoke between clenched teeth.
“Tanith,” he purred. “I don’t trust you. Give me a reason I shouldn’t tie you up and take you home.”
I bit my lower lip, heart racing. This was it? He would not punish me? “If you’re taking me home, I promise not to run. But …”
He arched an eyebrow. “You have a question?”
“Yes. No. You don’t have to come with me.”
“Mm. It would be reckless of me to leave you alone in the woods. The creatures that roam at night will not hesitate to take what they desire.”
It sounded as though he were warning me about himself, not other nocturnal beasts. “Shall we go then?” I asked, hoping he’d get off me.
“In a hurry to escape my lair?”
“I snuck out,” I admitted. “I don’t want anyone to see me sneak back in.”
“Ah, a resourceful little thief.”
He sprang to his feet, catching me by the arms and pulling me up. As soon as he let go, I stepped away, eager to put distance between us.
Darkness shrouded the halls as he led the way, the candles lighting as we near and extinguishing themselves when we’d passed. Magic. I would have been enchanted if I hadn’t been worried about whether the Piper would remember his so-called punishment. But he seemed to forget about it as we walked side by side, our arms occasionally bumping. I wanted to add more distance, but didn’t want to give him any reason to change his mind.
Tight-lipped and silent, we left his castle, stumbling out into pine-scented air and rows of trees, branches overhanging the path like claws, twisting away to who knew where. It was only as we left the courtyard behind that I wondered if he was truly taking me home, or just to another place deep in the forest where he could peel the flesh from my bones and hide the evidence.
A tic of fear bubbled up, but I repressed it, turning my thoughts to Carter and Kinder. Had they escaped? The treasure would have helped them leave Dowler and start somewhere new, but now they were just as stuck as I was. That bitter thought stung like needles. Tonight was supposed to be my great escape from the abuse of Lord Faren.
The first time he’d hit me was when I’d decided to explore the vast palace. It had more rooms and layers than I could count. I’d found my way down, somewhere where the sunlight did not shine, to a curious set of double doors which vibrated. I’d walked up to them, admiring the intricate design—swirls of vines and flowers, and what looked like waves. My uncle had come out of nowhere, fingers digging into my arm as he dragged me away. “You’re not supposed to be down here,” he growled.
“I was just exploring,” I’d retorted.
That’s when the slap came, cutting across my cheek like white fire, so intense I flinched back.
“You will speak to your elders with decorum. Now don’t let me catch you down here again.”
And that was only the beginning of my insight into his temper. There were more areas off limits than I could count and no explanation why. In my parents’ house, I’d been free to come and go as I pleased, and they’d kept no secrets from me. In Dowler, I was a nuisance, even more so because I was the past the marrying age, and my aunt and uncle wanted to secure a match so I’d no longer be a burden. I wasn’t worried about marriage. I just wanted to be in control of my life again.
4Tanith
