A Gift for the King Read online

  Dante nibbled on her collarbone, trailing kisses down to her breasts. As soon as he began to put his concentration onto her already hard nipples, she groaned as pleasure raced through her. She could already feel herself growing desperately wet for him between her thighs. As Dante thoroughly paid attention to each breast, Lana’s body began to react in wild and shamefully wanton ways. Her hips tried to roll against his, so that she might find any sense of relief. She groaned in frustration as she realized he was holding his hips slightly out of reach.

  Bringing her hands down and grabbing his waist, she tried to make him move closer to her so that she may find some semblance of release.

  “So, my pet, it seems to me your behavior is very naughty. I’m going to have to punish you for that.”

  Lana froze, realizing she had done the one thing he had told her not to do.

  Dante pushed himself off of her and sat down beside her. Before she knew it, he had lifted her and put her face down over his lap. The pants that protected her bottom were quickly pushed down to her ankles, and her backside was completely bared to his view. She tried to squeeze her legs together to hide her arousal, as her wetness was seeping down onto her inner thighs.

  Dante spanked each cheek in fast succession before pausing. The sting radiated throughout her bottom, shocking Lana with its sharpness.

  “Open your legs.”

  Lana quickly complied, her face reddening as she realized it was impossible for him not to see exactly how much she needed him. Jumping as his fingers traced up her thighs, she whined as his fingers slid over her wetness, giving her up completely.

  “You’re going to get spanked now for disobeying me. Then, I’m going to punish your bottom even more thoroughly, so that next time, you will heed my instructions without hesitation. Is that clear, my pet?”

  “Yes,” she whined.

  He smacked her bottom a few times rapidly, and she yelped.

  “Yes, what?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Now, my naughty minx, I want you to ask me to punish you. Ask me to spank you for being naughty and moving your hands when I told you not to.”

  “I can’t!” Lana gasped.

  “You will. Or else I will get up and get your hairbrush. Then I will truly punish you with it. Do you want that?”

  “No, sir.”

  “Then what do you have to say to me?”

  She hesitated and then began to speak, her voice almost a whisper.

  “Please, sir, please spank me for moving my hands when you told me not to.”

  Embarrassment flooded through her, and she was horrified to feel her body betraying her, her wetness growing with each word she uttered.

  Dante didn’t pause any longer. His hand spanked her right cheek, then her left, and he kept alternating, increasing the sting with each smack. Before long, Lana was breathless, her skin heating under his punishing hand. The sound of the spanks reverberated throughout the travel carriage, and she was sure everyone outside could hear that she was getting a spanking. Again her body responded, arousal dripping down her thighs. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to ignore how much her body was reacting to being spanked, to thinking about how he threatened her with being spanked in front of others, and even about how he had threatened to punish her bottom in ways he never had before.

  Each spank stung initially, but every one seemed to jolt her in all the right places. Occasionally, Dante would spank across her the middle of her bottom, so that a delicious tremor would pass through her legs. The knot of pleasure deep within her core grew with each smack. Before long, the pain of the spanking was minute, and soon all she could feel was desire racing through her veins.

  Lana couldn’t help it as her hips bucked under his blows, trying desperately to find any sort of release. She could feel his hardness against her tummy, and she tried in vain to rub herself on his thighs so that her need could be fulfilled.

  Dante stopped what he was doing and dragged his fingernails up her sensitive thighs. Finding her wetness, he dipped his fingers deep into her folds and found her very sensitive bud. He circled it and she cried out with pleasure, her body reacting to his touch.

  His fingers dragged back across her pussy, drenched with her excitement. Holding her breath, she finally realized his fingers were traveling back even further, before they rested on her bottom hole.

  He began to circle it, spreading her wetness around the rim.

  “Bad girls get punished not only by spankings, but by having to take their masters here too.”

  She gasped as his thumb began pressing there with greater urgency. No one had ever touched her there before, at least on Earth. Here on Terranovum, this was the second man to touch her there. He pressed harder and she clenched her bottom, trying to keep him from taking her there.

  “Open your bottom for me, my pet.”

  Lana moaned as her body complied, both not wanting to and yearning to follow his instructions. Relaxing her bottom as much as she could, she obeyed, and he continued to press his thumb into her bottom hole.

  Squeezing her eyes shut, she felt him fully enter her. It was slightly painful, but pleasurable at the same time. She felt fuller than she ever had before. When Dante began to push his thumb in and out of her, she groaned as foreign pleasure raced through her. Rolling her hips, she ground her pussy against his thigh, and he allowed her to. With each roll, she felt his thumb enter her bottom deeper and deeper. Rubbing against him, her moans grew desperate, until at long last, an orgasm burst through her.

  Quivering against him, she stiffened as pleasure and wild desire took over her entire world. He possessed her, his finger entering places no one had ever gone before. When Lana eventually calmed from her orgasm, he lifted her and placed her so that she was facing him. In the shuffle, she realized her pants had come off entirely, and she was fully naked under him. Desire raced through her again at the thought.

  “Put your hands back over your head.”

  Lana quickly complied, her heart racing. His eyes met hers, his own need very much apparent by his hungry gaze.

  “I am going to take you now. Make you mine completely. Do you want that?”

  “Yes, sir. Please. I need you,” Lana panted, her desperation apparent.

  Dante leaned back and unbuttoned his pants, allowing his swollen member to be released. Lana gazed down at it, surprised by how large he was, how hard he was for her. She furrowed her brow and bit her lip, questioning if she could take it all, if all of it could fit inside her.

  He climbed back over her and rubbed the head of his cock against her drenched folds. She moaned at the sensation, the hotness of his touch causing need to build within her once again. He leaned forward, rubbing the length of himself against her.

  Not being able to help herself, she wrapped her arms around his neck.

  “Naughty, naughty,” he whispered into her ear.

  “Please. Take me, sir,” she cried out, feeling wicked in her disobedience.

  He rolled his hips, positioning the head of his cock against her entrance, before entering her slowly, gently, and ultimately, filling her completely. There was a moment of pain, but it passed quickly as her arousal took hold of her body. She looked down, realizing that in her aroused state, she had taken his entire length to the hilt. Groaning at the image of the two of them joined completely, she bucked her hips and rubbed her clit against him.

  Growling, he grabbed her hands and put them back over her head. He grasped her thighs and began to pump his hips with hers, pulling his cock in and out of her quivering pussy. She trembled, her pleasure growing to new heights. He had claimed her bottom, and now he claimed her in between her legs, making her completely his. One of his hands left her thigh and glided across her belly, only to begin circling her clit. Lana arched her back, quivering on the edge of yet another orgasm.

  He slammed into her now more desperately and groaned. She felt his seed pump deep into her and she cried out, finding
her release at the same time.

  She saw stars as her pleasure overcame her once again. Her moans were desperate, until her body came down from the high. She opened her eyes and gazed up at him. He had a soft smile on his face, and she was sure she did too. Still fully connected, she could feel his cock throbbing within her. She wiggled her hips and watched as a jolt of desire passed over his face.

  He crushed his lips down onto hers, quashing any semblance of mischief within seconds. She groaned as the kiss deepened and he slowly pulled back.

  “I love you, my pet. Please don’t scare me like that ever again. Do you understand me?”

  She looked up at him, a delirious smile of happiness plastered all over her face.

  “Yes, sir. I love you too.”

  This time she kissed him, wrapping her hands around his neck, pulling her body closer to him. He drew away for a moment before bringing his lips close to her ear. He had said he loved her. That was all she needed to here because she loved him too. No matter what, she would stay with him, and never run away again.

  “I’m still going to spank you for moving your hands again.”

  “I’m sure you will,” she said, a giggle emerging from her throat as she kissed him. He began to pump his hips into her, igniting the fire that had dimmed into a small flame back into a bonfire. She ran her hands over his firm chest as another orgasm began to build between her legs.

  For the first time in a very long time, she felt alive.

  The two made love again before drifting off to sleep, exhausted from the events of the day. Dante pulled the covers up over them and gathered her close. They slept that way all night, in each other’s arms, unwilling to put more than an inch between the two of them.

  Chapter Twelve

  Lana woke up in Dante’s arms, and slowly realized that the rocking she was feeling was the carriage moving forward. Dante must have given orders to leave shortly after they rescued her, so that they could retreat back to the castle as soon as possible. She blushed, realizing she must not have noticed during their lovemaking last night. Curling deeper into his embrace, she felt his arms tighten around her waist. He must have woken too, she recognized.

  She felt his lips kiss the naked skin of her shoulder, and she snuggled closer. Moaning softly, she arched her back, pressing her bottom into the hardness that was nestled between her cheeks. As she moved beside him, she felt his length begin to throb against her skin. A heady feeling passed through her, knowing that he wanted her so much that such a simple touch stirred him. Smiling softly, she turned back to meet his eyes.

  They were a beautiful icy blue, a strong change from the brilliant red of the day before. Turning into him, she buried her head in his shoulder, smelling his heady manly scent.

  She didn’t want to get out of bed, and most definitely did not want to leave his arms. Thinking about the events over the past few days, she still felt exhausted, but she knew the time had come when she had to tell Dante about everything that happened.

  She lifted her eyes to meet his, swallowing her fear and enjoying his warm gaze for but a moment.

  “Dante?”

  Curiosity bloomed deep in the depth of his gaze, his irises fluttering flames of red, intermingled with icy blue flares. It was an intoxicating sight.

  She took a deep breath before she finally hurtled headfirst into her story. She told him everything and he listened silently. She told him about how she escaped through the woods, found shelter to hide in, and how she’d been captured by the shadow self of Lord Nero. Then, she described meeting him for the first time, and how much he had hurt her when he entered her head. Finally, she told him that Lord Nero had revealed to her about how she was the one spoken of in prophecy, how she looked exactly like Julia, and what he’d done to her and Dante in the past. When she eventually finished, she took a breath and realized her face was wet with trails of tears. Surprised, she brought her fingertips to her cheeks. She hadn’t even been conscious of the fact that she had begun to cry.

  Dante wiped her tears away with his thumbs.

  “Lana. Look at me. Everything is all right. You’re safe here with me. He is never ever going to hurt you again.”

  Slowly, she brought her eyes to meet his, and his emotions crashed into her like a wave breaking on a wall. She felt his concern, his fear, but most of all, she felt his love for her. His power poured into her, trying to calm her of the residual terror.

  “I will make sure he pays for what he has done to you. We will destroy him, no matter what it takes.” Pulling her close, he wrapped his arms around her as her cries quieted. Her breathing calmed, and she eventually sighed with relief. The knowledge she had learned weighed heavily on her shoulders, and she felt tired. Retelling her story had taken a lot out of her.

  “I’m so sleepy,” she muttered softly, her eyelids growing heavy. Dante kissed the top of her head before climbing out of bed. He pulled the covers back up and tucked her back in.

  “My orders are for you to get as much sleep as possible on our journey back to Eridell, and back to the safety of our castle.”

  Lana nodded softly, and Dante swooped down to kiss her lips. He kissed her gently, but so sweetly it left her reeling. Her eyes drooped, and she knew no more for another couple of hours. She slept off the exhaustion of her escape, her capture, her torture, and her rescue. When she finally woke, it was close to midday. She was alone in the carriage. Lana rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and groaned, stretching her stiff muscles.

  Climbing out of bed, she found her discarded clothes and pulled them back on. She began to brew some fresh coffee, pouring herself a steaming cup when it was ready. Pulling out the cream and sugar, she sweetened her coffee and took a sip, moaning as the sweet and slightly bitter taste spread across her tongue.

  She turned as she heard the door click behind her, and smiled when Dante walked in. He carried a bag that smelled strongly of freshly cooked food, and her stomach growled loudly enough for them both to hear. Laughing, she grabbed plates and silverware, and set the table for them both. She moaned in anticipation as he unpacked what looked like spaghetti with meatballs. Sadly, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d been fed a real meal. She had only been given leftover scraps in Lord Nero’s tent. She struggled as the aromas nearly drove her mad to dish out plates for both of them.

  “No need to be polite, Lana. I’m sure you’re starving,” Dante said, clearly reading her body language while listening to her ever-growling stomach. With his blessing, she sat down and hungrily dove into her plate. Before long it was empty, and she sat back and closed her eyes, enjoying a full stomach for the first time in what felt like a long time.

  She looked at Dante as she felt the sway of the carriage moving underneath her. Almost not believing her good fortune, she wanted to pinch herself. Was she really here with Dante again? Or was she actually still in Lord Nero’s tent, suffering under another of his mental manipulations, his own special brand of torture? Could this be a dream? Was this simply Lord Nero’s way of torturing her? To give her happiness she could barely imagine, only to rip it out from beneath her feet to throw her back into a world of agony and despair?

  “You’re safe now, Lana,” Dante said. He must have been able to read the fear written all over her face.

  “It was terrible,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “He was a monster.”

  “I know,” Dante replied, his voice thick with emotion. “I promise you are no longer in any danger. I will keep you safe, my pet. I will protect you. And I will kill him for hurting you.”

  She stood and made her way over to him, needing his touch against her skin. Slowly, she sat in his lap and curled up, her head on his shoulder. She knew she needed to ask him about a few more things she had learned while under Lord Nero’s control. She was about to broach a subject that she knew was close to his heart and caused in a great deal of pain in the past.

  “Dante?”

  “Yes, Lana?”

>   Hiding her face in his chest, she whispered what she felt she needed to ask him, the question that had been burning her mind since she had heard Lord Nero utter the words.

  “Why do I look exactly like Julia?”

  His gaze soft, he met her eyes. She could see some form of faraway sadness nestled deep there, along with a reluctant acceptance of times long past.

  “Honestly? I don’t have the slightest idea. When I first saw you, I was angry, and I wasn’t sure if someone was playing a sick joke on me. I questioned if Wes had something up his sleeve when he presented you to me. But then I got to know you a little bit, and I realized that you weren’t Julia, you were someone else. My Lana. I learned to love you for you, and not for the fact that you inherited the face of my long-lost love. Now, you’re my Lana. Not my Julia. My Lana.”

  Lana pulled back and looked deep into his eyes. There was honesty there, and warmth that she hadn’t expected. He truly did love her, and he was telling her the truth. Bringing her lips to his, she kissed him softly, letting him know that with her simple gesture that she wasn’t angry, but happy, and that she believed every word he had said. He kissed her back just as sweetly, before she broke away and asked the next question that had been plaguing her.

  “Lord Nero said there was a prophecy, and he told me that I’m an important part of it.”

  Dante looked away, avoiding her eyes for a moment. When he looked back at her, he had a strange look in his eyes—one of anger, pain, and if she looked closely, desperation. Confused, she watched him until he began to speak.

  “I don’t believe in prophecy. I don’t think it means anything. We are in control of our own fate, not something that the gods wrote down in the distant past.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I don’t want to discuss this any further. Please do not ask me anymore.” He gently pushed her off his lap and stood, and he walked off, no longer looking her way. Lana noticed his hand covered his face, and his shoulders trembled almost imperceptibly. A sick feeling crept into her at his reaction. Something was seriously wrong.