Series: Willow Winters
Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 94417 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 472(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94417 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 472(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Does she feel them yet? What thoughts ravage her mind in this moment?
Donned by my cloak of darkness, I can watch her all I want and she will not even know where I am.
Persephone’s eyes circle the room, then swing toward me. Her mouth presses into a thin line, what was fear morphing into anger.
Goosebumps run down my spine. Persephone cannot see me, not with my cloak removing sight from all those in my wake. But she seems to feel me, and a fire in her eyes makes me feel that she can see through the darkness and straight into my soul.
I want her to know she is looking at me. I want her to know exactly where she is, and who has possession of her now.
Still, I wait. As she rises, Persephone tugs at her bonds, her lips firming even more. Her body trembles a moment as she tests her ankles, making her gown ride up another few inches on her thighs. I want to lean down and kiss that newly exposed skin. I long to mark her with my teeth.
Instead, I drop the darkness that surrounds me, the hood falling back and the vision of myself forming in front of her in a single heartbeat.
This time, her gasp is much louder. Persephone’s mouth falls open in her shock, only making my cock harder. Color floods her cheeks. It’s a beautiful combination of surprise and anger, and the flush of her skin mirrors the heat within me.
Her body stiffens as she pulls back against the bonds that tie her to my bed.
I’ve never been more delighted at the defiance in someone else’s eyes. Never. It’s so bright, like a flame, and I want to feed it, to test it until I pinch it out between my thumb and forefinger. And I will pinch it out. She will be mine. She burns at my command.
But she burns with her own fire, as well. As sweet as Persephone may turn out to be, as submissive as she will one day find herself, she has strength inside of her. She has will, like the many forces of nature.
Her eyes locked on mine, Persephone pulls hard at the bindings at her wrists and ankles. She grits her teeth and yanks harder, the magic darkening and increasing its hold. The sounds she makes are addictive. They grow softer as she realizes that the magic will not release her.
Persephone gives one more hard tug, her delicate muscles straining and her face growing red, then lets her arms fall to the blankets, breathing hard.
I can’t help it, I show my delight with an upticked pull at my lips.
“Stop it!” she shouts. “Let me go! My father-”
“Your father will not intervene.”
“Yes, he will!” she screams. “You will regret this!”
“He will not. You are to be my queen,” I murmur, displeased at the hint of what came before me earlier returning. The concern, the doubt. I must extinguish it before it creeps and buries itself into something else. I keep my voice level, though the words are as good as a promise. It hangs in the air between us like the magic of the chains. She does not understand fully, yet, but she will. This is my kingdom, and she will rule with me.
“Let me go,” she insists, her eyes sweeping around her, the strength dimming so very quickly. Fight me, Persephone, my plea is unspoken and yet, the powerful Goddess stirs weakly, searching for an escape but she will not find one.
“As if you have anywhere to run.”
Persephone glares at me. “Then why chain me?”
Again a smirk threatens but I resist. I hesitate.
If they know she is here, Zeus might intervene. Considering the state of our last conversation and what I’ve done in the cloak of the night. I do vaguely wonder if he’s aware yet. And if not at this moment… when. And if he were to intervene, he will not do so alone. It’s not his way to approach without several other powers at his back. Zeus is known for playing his little games, and he keeps his people close.
He might gather a few more to his cause and come for Persephone.
As my thoughts race and I debate on what to allow her to know, she lets out a scoff that drips with frustration and disgust, her eyes burning into mine.
Persephone is smart enough to know that Zeus could come from her. It’s as if she’s reading my mind. Looking into the future workings of my plans.
I saw that anger in her, and that defiance. Now I see her quick mind and her cunning. Fucking beautiful, if not deadly.
Yet, she’s already broken.
She blinks slowly, then stares at the ceiling, her eyes sparkling with tears. I do not think they are tears of despair. Not yet. They are tears of rage.