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Category: Erotica/Erotic Fantasy/Fantasy
Description: THE MASTERFUL CONCLUJSION OF TERRI PRAY'S GRAND SAGA OF BONDAGE, SUBMISSION AND CELESTE! Since first being enslaved by Lord Despite a brief passionate kiss from a mysterious highwayman, proud, confident Celeste had never been touched or even stirred by a man. Then, one she was taken captive by Lord Davien Blood, who enjoyed training women to become his obedient slaves. Under his harsh tutelage, Stripped, beaten, nameless and reduced to a beast, Celeste, had one choice, submit completely or face endless punishments and degradations. Then despite herself Celeste felt herself falling in love with Davien, only to be torn away by the bold highwayman known as the Raven, a man who, once he had beheld Celeste's beauties, could also only think of dominating her until she was completely submissive to his will. And for the Raven too Celeste feels something that may be love. For months Celeste has been torn between and forced to serve as their submissive sexual chattel by each man several times over, drawn to both but unable to tell where her heart lies, which is her true Master. Now in the flaming conclusion to her saga Celeste's heart speaks clearly and she learns at last which of the men is truly master of her soul. But to pay the price of this knowledge, Celeste will have to let herself be marked in blood.
eBook Publisher: Renaissance E Books/Sizzler Editions,
eBookwise Release Date: October 2008

7 Reader Ratings:

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Available eBook Formats: OEBFF Format (IMP) [134 KB]
Words: 30048
Reading time: 85-120 min.

Chapter One

Celeste blinked and peered out into the darkness. He was there, somewhere, talking to the guard that had betrayed the Lord of the Island, but he'd return soon enough. Right now escape wasn't an option. He'd be watching for that, and she couldn't make it alone in the dark away from him. She'd be walking into danger. Worse, into punishment that she wasn't ready to face.

He'll come for me. I know he will. He's not going to let Tearlach snatch me like this.

Tears burned in her eyes. She knew, somehow she knew, that he'd come for her. He'd followed her this far, why not further? It wasn't in his nature to give up. The problem was that Tearlach wasn't going to simply hand her off either. They'd fight and this time only one of them would walk away. The only reason it hadn't gone this far already was because of the laws of the Island.

Tearlach had already broken the laws, he wouldn't be allowed to use them to save himself now. Nor would Davien allow it.

Snap. Something cracked in the darkness. A foot on a twig, or something else, she couldn't be certain, but if Davien had already found them--then there'd be some signs of a struggle soon enough. She tensed, listening in the darkness as she sat close to the edge of the small cave Tearlach had forced her into.

Nothing.

No raised voices, no signs of a fight, not even the cry of an owl. Fine, she'd wait. What other choice did she now have?

Celeste sighed and rubbed her fingers over her eyes only to find herself glaring at the bonds about her wrists. He didn't trust her. Even after her declaration, he didn't trust her. And he has every reason not to trust me, I'm getting out of here, away from him. I have to find a way to...

"Resting, my slut?" Tearlach's voice broke through her thoughts.

"Yes, sir." I'm not yours. I'll never be yours.

"Good, you'll need the energy with the journey ahead of us. There's a small fishing boat going to meet us in the bay. We'll need to head out soon. The guards will be alerted and I don't want to have them on my tail when we make our way down." He reached down and grabbed hold of the bonds between Celeste's wrists. "Up, now."

"Sir? I thought..."

"The guard need's paying."

The color drained from her cheeks, he couldn't--god, he did...

"He wants the use of your mouth and you'll serve him, please him and do so quickly, we have no time to waste. The boat will be here soon enough. Now, hurry, get out there slut."

"You're--you're whoring me out, sir?" Shock filtered through her words, she'd known what he was like, what he was capable of doing to her, yet it hit her hard and fast like a punch to the gut.

"You're mine, I can do with you as I wish, remember that." His voice little more than a growl, the anger she knew all too well now bubbled close to the surface and threatened to spill out of his limited control.

"Yes, sir, I--I understand." Her voice shook, she'd been through this before. Used to service others, but she'd hoped that all of this was behind her. Except--except it wasn't.

"Get out there, and don't displease me, or him." He shoved her hard out of the entrance of the cave and into the darkness.

"Her mouth, right?" The guard stood within sight.

"Yes, only her mouth, the rest of her belongs to me, I've got to retrain her, being away from me has done a lot of damage." Tearlach followed her out of the cave. "I'll be right here, if she doesn't please you tell me, and I'll take my belt to her. She's going to learn what it means to be owned by a real man, not that waste of space, Blood."

"Yeah, well you two have your feud, I'm only interested in her sweet little mouth." The guard took hold of the bonds between Celeste's wrists and yanked her close. "Such a pretty little mouth. I'm going to enjoy using it. Get on your knees, slut." He didn't even give her a chance to think before he yanked her a little closer and then pushed her to her knees.

Celeste struggled not to whimper. With Tearlach watching and the guard about to use her, she wasn't going to give them any more pleasure than she had to. Her thoughts, her emotions, her desires, were hers and hers alone. No one else had the right to them. She wasn't going to share them.

"I don't think she likes you," Tearlach laughed and settled down on a rock.

"I don't care, she's just a whore."

No, I'm not. I've never been that. She bit back the words. She wasn't going to be a whore, no matter what they planned on doing to her. Davien had forced her to serve others, though not like this. Not in payment to someone else, he had more pride than that, and money, but Tearlach was nothing more than a thief. A man with neither true honor, or courage, and that was something she could never forget.

"Open your mouth, whore," the guard tugged on her hair.

Pain lanced through her scalp. She gasped, her hands clenched into tight fists. It hurt, there was no shutting it out, it hurt. Celeste half hissed in pain. She tried not to let it take control of her as she let him move closer to her face. One hand unlaced his pants, releasing his cock, barely giving her a chance before he thrust the head of his cock into her mouth.

She didn't want to think. To feel. To taste the man, but she had no way of ignoring it. Sweat coated his cock. He needed a bath. But it wasn't up to her to say such things. She had to focus on what he wanted from her, not on what she wanted. Not on what she needed to find some level of pleasure in all of this.

Think of something else, someone else, better times. I just have to find a way to get past this before things get out of control. If I don't please him, Tearlach's going to take that damn belt of his and use it on my arse.

Celeste took a deep breath and focused past her fears and disgust. She wasn't here. She wasn't with this man. She was with someone else. In another time. Another place. The hand in her hair was Davien's...

Fuck. No, I don't need this right now, they'll think that I'm aroused from--from being forced to act this way. Heat flashed through her core, coating her inner walls with a liquid desire she struggled against what was happening to her.

"Use your tongue. Do it, slut. You know what you need to do, and what will happen if you fail." The grip in her hair tightened further. "I'm not in the mood for your little games, you're nothing more than a slut and a whore, all of the women in the castle are whores, too good to service a man like me."

Too good? It had nothing to do with that, and everything to do with the fact she'd been a free woman in the castle. No, wasting her time in trying to correct him would have been pointless. She wasn't going to make that mistake. Not this time. Better to focus on the job she had to do. On using what she'd learned under Davien's tutelage to now please the man she knelt before.

Celeste closed her eyes and shut out where she was, her fears and angers pushed to one side. Nothing mattered. This was just a training exercise. Davien was watching her, not Tearlach. If she had to belong to someone, she wanted to be with Davien, not the coward who had snatched her.

She wrapped her tongue around the head of the cock in her mouth and purred, sending shivers into his erection. He growled above her, tightening and releasing his grasp in her hair as he began to thrust into her mouth. The leather of his pants brushed against her face. She tried not to smell him, to taste him, but traces seeped through her shields.

She couldn't use her hands, not like this. Nor did she want to. She'd been ordered to use her mouth and only her mouth, and that's all she'd do. All she'd give him. Celeste whimpered and suckled on his cock, flickering her tongue over the thick erection. He thrust, hard and deep into her mouth, his balls slapped against her chin as she struggled to adapt to his usage of her.

The guard filled her throat, blocking off her air for a moment, just enough that she wondered if he'd pull back.

Her thighs tightened, panic washed through her being and then it faded as they pulled back and gave her the chance to gulp for air. Her nipples tightened beneath the bodice of her dress, her legs and buttocks half exposed from the way Tearlach had sliced open her dress earlier in the day. The cold, damp grass caressed her buttocks, the marks Tearlach had left on her flesh only made her all the more sensitive to the change in temperature.

Welts, she could feel the welts, the way the grass tickled them, teasing them, reminding her of all the pain and pleasure she could enjoy in the right hands. She tried not to sob as she suckled and licked on the cock in her mouth. The scent of his arousal grew with each passing moment, he wouldn't be long before he would come. He was just using her, taking what he wanted and then it would be over, she could live through this. She just couldn't accept that a part of her was--was aroused through all of this.

The taste, it wasn't easing up. He was going to come. The guard growled, thrusting harder, faster, not caring if he hurt her or not. It didn't matter, all that he cared about was getting himself off.

"Yes, fuck it yes!" His balls slapped, hard and fast, against her chin. "Swallow it, bitch! Swallow it!" His seed filled her mouth in thick ropes, forcing her to swallow even as she struggled to take it all. She knew what would happen if she disobeyed, Tearlach would make her pay for that and she wasn't ready to go through that. Not this time. Not with a trip ahead of her. She needed to be able to move quickly if something went wrong.

If Davien didn't come for her, she needed to find a way to escape again.

Only this time Tearlach would be watching her. Looking for some sign that she was escaping. That she was doing something wrong. No, she had to make him believe that she had accepted being his again. That she wasn't going to be a problem. No matter how hard it was for her, she'd go through with this. She'd look for Davien and chances to be free, but would play the game.

It was only a game.

She barely even noticed when the guard pulled back from her lips and let go of her hair. It didn't matter. She'd completed the order, and the man hadn't made any complaints, so she'd done well enough. It was over.

"Up, slut, we've got to get to the bay before we miss the tide and the boat." Tearlach grabbed her hair and used it as a means to force her back to her feet. "Move, now!"

She didn't argue or fight him, instead she quickly wiped her hands across her mouth and let him lead the way across the open land. She half stumbled in his grasp, he wasn't going to let go of her hair, but she knew that was how he was. She'd escaped from him once, humiliated him by his words, that she had dared to run from him. Worse, she'd succeeded, now he wasn't going to let it happen again.

She bit back a growl when he yanked her closer to him. It hurt, he knew that, she knew that, but telling him about it would serve no purpose. She had to fight to ignore the pain. She wasn't going to make things worse for herself.

"I'll need more than a blow job to pay for all of this."

"The rest of your payment will be waiting for you in England. You know where to find me." Tearlach snapped as he continued to walk.

"Gold, I need some now. Then I'll find the rest from you later, or I can take the woman back to the castle and claim I rescued her from you."

"Don't even fuckin' go there!" Tearlach snarled and turned to face the guard. "I've killed better men than you."

"Yeah, but you need me. You won't find the bay without me." The guard smirked.

Tearlach growled but didn't say anything more as he followed the guard in the near darkness. The stars pierced the heavens in sharp points of brilliant light. If the circumstances had been different Celeste might have stopped to enjoy the view. Taken a moment to allow herself to rejoice in the beauty of the night.

She wasn't allowed such luxury. Instead she half stumbled along side of Tearlach and tried not to lose her balance in the dips and holes in the ground. It wouldn't have taken much to fall and sprain her ankle or worse. Tearlach would be pissed if she hurt herself in a manner that would slow them down.

His punishment wasn't something she wanted to live with.

"There, we've got to make our way down the path. It's steep, so watch your step."

"Fuck, we'll break our necks down here!"

"Not if you watch where you're stepping. Just take it slow. It's easy enough to do." The Guard stopped for a moment, looking back at Tearlach. "Unless, of course, you're afraid?"

"Shut your mouth, before I do something about it."

Celeste barely hid a smile. It was just like Tearlach to pick a fight at the wrong time. One started at the top of a cliff face was sure to end in disaster.

"Keep close, slut, I'm not in the mood to have to waste time saving your arse." The man who had stolen her didn't even give her a backwards glance. "I don't want to miss the boat."

And she'd care if they missed the boat or not? The longer they were on the Island the greater the chance that Davien would find them. She glanced back over her shoulder, hoping she'd see some sign in the darkness.

Nothing.

Her heart sank, but she kept moving, knowing if she didn't that Tearlach would be easily angered. She had to believe that Davien would track her down. Even if Tearlach dragged her to the ends of the earth, even to the New World, Davien would come for her. It wouldn't take much to find out where the ship had come from. The few fishermen who worked off the shores would be all too willing to answer a few questions in return for gold.

Had Tearlach even taken the time to think this through?

She glanced at him briefly. No, of course he hadn't. It was about the here and now. Besting Davien and Jamezen to take what he wanted. He hadn't thought about it any further than that. He never did.

They made it down the steep path with only two small mis-steps. No one was hurt. Not badly at least. Tearlach had wrenched himself, but Celeste had been unharmed. Even so, it wasn't a trip she wanted to repeat any time soon.

The path had been slippery. The rocks unsteady in places. Tearlach had sworn and a dozen small rocks had fallen to the shore below in the long trek. Now they were on the beach she frowned and looked around, knowing that Tearlach would be looking for the same thing.

"Where's the damn boat, I thought you said it would be here by now?"

"It was on the shore when we started down the cliff. Something must have forced them back." The guard walked closer to the water's edge. "They'll be back soon enough. We just have to be patient."

"I don't have time to be patient. We're going to get cold out here, and setting a fire will alert the castle as to our location. Not a risk we can take." Tearlach let go of Celeste's hair and began to pace near the edge of the shore. "The alarm would have been raised by now. They'll be searching the castle, it won't be long before Blood is aware of the problem. They won't know where we are, but I know him, he'll start thinking about the coast line, checking any ships that have docked."

Celeste barely hid a smile at the words. Looking at him wasn't a good idea, not right now, he might see the humor in her eyes. Not a wise idea. Her backside would feel his anger and she could still feel the welts from the earlier beating.

"Look, there. I can see the boat." The guard pointed into the darkness.

"You're wrong, it's not large enough to be a boat," the Raven snapped. "Just a fuckin' shadow on the water, nothing more."

She had to keep calm, it was so easy to see that Tearlach was losing his grip on his temper. He was the type of man who exploded easily, she'd seen that before. Hell, she'd been on the receiving end of his temper before, and it wasn't something she wanted to experience again. However, if she could nudge him toward losing his temper with the guard, or even the one's in the boat if they ever showed up, then she'd buy a little more time.

They'd not let him into the boat if he was a danger to those within it. Yes, it was a chance she had. Not a big one, but it was the only one she had until Davien showed up again.

He might never find me. I could spend the rest of my days with Tearlach and then what?

No, she couldn't believe that. She had to hold onto a thread of hope. Davien wasn't going to give up and she'd finally learned that he was the lesser of the evils out there. No matter what she thought of him, he didn't change. He'd remain the same. Davien Blood would always be exactly the same brute he had been on the day he had snatched her from the side of the road. He'd always be an unyielding man that would refuse to back down to her no matter how deeply she protested, or how loudly she screamed and for some odd reason that was reassuring.

"What has you so amused, slut?"

Celeste tried to wipe the emotion from her face, and kept her voice calm as she turned to look at the man who, for now, owned her. "Just a memory from childhood, sir."

"Hm, it had better be nothing more than that, whore."

Her hands clenched at the words, but she said nothing. Instead she ducked her head and tried to appear to be submissive. It was nothing more than a self defense move and one she'd embrace if it meant keeping out of reach of his fists.

"Look at me, whore."

She tensed at the words but looked at him, even if it meant avoiding his gaze. "Yes, sir?"

"Don't lie to me. It won't work. I know you, Celeste. I know more about you than you can ever understand. I've watched you for a lifetime..."

"Yes, sir, I'll remember that." A lifetime? He'd been watching her for a couple of months before Davien had snatched her, nothing more. "I'll do my best not to disappoint you, sir."

"Good, I don't want to deal with your silly little games, slut. I'm watching you, don't ever forget that." His voice was cold, hard and without mercy.

"Yes, sir," play the game, say the words, and survive another day. "I understand."

Tearlach glared at her, but didn't add anything to discussion.

"It's the boat, I was right, they'll be here soon enough." The Guard called out and stepped into the edge of the water. "Tearlach, if you want to use the boat, and get the ride to the ship, then you need to get over here now. They won't wait around for you."

"Yeah, I know."

Celeste watched as he finally moved toward the Guard. The boat. God, was she out of time now? She glanced up at the line of the cliffs, searching for some sign of Davien. Nothing.

"Get over here, now!"

No, I don't--I can't--god, where is he?

"Now, slut!" He snatched hold of Celeste's hair, tangling his fingers into the long, white blonde lengths. "We're leaving."

"Yes, sir." She winced, the pain not as bad as she'd felt before. Her scalp hurt, but she could handle that, keep it under control. "I'm sorry, I half fell asleep."

"Hm," he frowned but said nothing more as he dragged her toward the waiting boat.

Tired, that wasn't a lie, she was exhausted after everything she'd been through so far. Her thighs hurt from the climb down the cliffs. Her calves protested from the way they'd been stretched with the effort of the journey. Her buttocks burned from the welts he'd laid across her flesh. She'd been through more, emotionally and physically, than she'd been through in a while.

Her balance wasn't completely settled, but she moved with him, given no choice with the grip in her hair. The salt water soaked into the edge of her dress. The further out into the water they got the more it soaked into her dress and body both. She whimpered, the sand unsteady beneath her feet. She wasn't fighting him, yet she found herself struggling to keep up with him.

"Don't fuck with me!" Tearlach shook her hard.

"I'm not. It's the waves, sir. They're tugging on the dress."

"Just get in the damn boat!" He yanked her hard enough that the only thing holding her up was the grip in her hair.

Celeste tried not to scream. Tears burned in her eyes as she reached for the boat and let the oarsmen help her into it. The water had soaked through her dress, forcing it to cling to her body even as she shivered and struggled her way into the boat. Tearlach wasn't far behind her.

"The gold, Tearlach," the guard reminded him, his grip tight on the side of the boat as he stood in the swells. "I've got to get back to the castle before they realize I've gone."

"What, I thought you were coming on the trip?"

"No, I said I'd come after you if you didn't pay me," the guard didn't let go of the boat. "The gold, now. Remember, I know where the ship is going. I'll spill that information without hesitation if you piss me off."

"Fine, here, take it and go," he shoved a small pouch into the man's. "If you come after me again, for anything, I'll kill you."

The guard smirked and turned before he headed back toward the shore.

Had she missed something? The guard had been planning on going with them from what he'd said earlier, so why the sudden change?

"Bastard's going to turn us in, get us out of here, now. I don't need Blood on my tail. He's going to be following us soon enough as it is." Tearlach pulled her into his arms, his voice cold and sharp. "I'll face him when I'm ready and not before."

Which means never.