S8: Chapter 12: The Dark Lady

“Good morning,” Drake said with a smile in his voice. He pressed his lips to my neck and brushed the hair from my face.

“I just woke up!” I replied listening to his thoughts and feeling him push his arousal against my thigh.

“I know I’ve been waiting all morning for you! I would have woke you but I figured I’d let you rest because of what I had planned.” His kisses increased in passion as he spoke, his hand rested on my side and he pulled me towards him. “Well?”

I turned towards him with a smile, his lips quickly met mine indulging himself in a sensuous kiss. I obliged, giving in to his need and rubbing my hands across his back. He moved further on top of me, balancing himself above my tummy afraid of pressing too hard against me.

“She’s fine Drake,” I smiled pulling my lips away. “If you are so worried why are you attempting this?”

“Because I want you; I need you. I thought I could go the rest of the pregnancy but my willpower is fleeting whenever I look at you.”

“Then you better figure it out.”

“Trust me, I’m willing to explore all options!” he sucked my mouth into his once more, drowning me in his taste.

CJ came charging into the room and bounced into the bed separating Drake from me. He backed away quickly trying to think of something to cool off and I laughed.

“Mommy look what I made for you!” he said waving a piece of paper around excitedly.

“I can’t see it unless you hold it still Chris!”

He dropped the paper in my lap and I smiled seeing his drawing of the five of us; him, Drake, Jazz, me and the huge baby bump. “You think Mommy looks that big?”

“I think my baby sister is going to have Daddy’s head,” he laughed.

“Like you?” I asked.

He pouted and rubbed his forehead. He had paint all over his hands, face and clothes as though he were really working hard on the art all morning. “If I have Daddy’s head, what did I get from you?”

He rolled over moving closer and snuggling in my arms. “Hmm…you have my hair color.”

“But your hair looks like Daddy’s!”

“Well now it does. But it did look like yours. You also have my talent for art!”

“Now hold on, Zoe. I’m an artist too!” Drake chimed in from his spot at the foot of the bed. “He could have very well received that artistic flare from Daddy!”

“Pfft! Please! You’re a sculptor! He works in my media! This is SO my footprint!”

I brushed the hair from his forehead and blew a kiss on his face. “Ew…Mommy cooties!”

“Cooties? Is that so?” I said tickling him and holding him tighter as he wiggled and laughed trying to escape. His laughter was contagious and Drake joined in.

I released him and he straightened up.

“You’re filthy little Booger.”

He smiled and wiped more paint from his hands on his face.

“Yeah, that helped!”

“Mommy what are we going to call my sister?”

“That’s a great question. What do you think?”

He put his finger to his lips as though he were really deep in thought. “We can call her Mommy!”

“Mommy? But that’s what you call me! Why would you want to call her that too?”

“Because she should be named after something I love!”

“Aww Christopher!” I said hugging him tight. “That’s such a wonderful thought. But she’ll need a name that’s all her own.”

“Yeah, he definitely has the old Steele charm,” Drake said puffing out his chest. “He totally sucked you in with that, Zoe.”

“Yeah you Steele men definitely have my heart! What do you say we have Daddy get us breakfast and we discuss your sister’s name more?”

“Ok Mommy!”

Karver led Jade into the room he had specially made for her.

“Nothing has been moved, I made sure of it.”

She immediately dove into the silk sheets and rested her head on the mink pillow cases. “This I missed the most!”

He smiled watching her roll around in the covers and moved closer. She looked up and caught the expression. She pulled up to her knees and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Thank you,” she said between pecks on his lips.

“Are you hungry?” he asked pulling away.

Her stomach did flips thinking about the catered food she was pampered in and she nodded her head vigorously. He reached his hand for her and took her to the dining hall. “What’s your wish?” he whispered against her neck.

“A nice juicy steak with all the trimmings!”

He laughed and nodded towards the cook.

Pulling out her chair he kissed her cheek and strolled to the other end.

As she waited for her meal to finish cooking she eyed Karver. He was watching her every movement, waiting for her to say something, anything to kill the deafening silence.

“With Evelyn gone,” she started. He sat forward as she spoke encouraging her to continue.

“With Evelyn gone, we will need someone here to keep order in the torture room.”

He took a sip from his glass as he thought over what she said. “Do you have anyone in mind?”

She shook her head no but secretly she knew exactly who she’d like to have in that room. He was a close friend and confidante; someone that could help her remove herself from Karver’s clutches. She hated having to pretend she wanted to be here; wanted to remain at his side as her family lived on without her.

“The best person ever in that position was Drake,” he said to her unspoken desires.

“There’s no way he’d ever return here,” she said. “Not after everything that happened with CJ.”

“Christopher, yes. I’m sure I can convince him to return.”

Her meal was placed in front of her and she immediately dove in. Her ravenous moans and grunts as she enjoyed the smoky flavor reached Karver’s ears. He sat back and watched her tear into the tender meat as she savored every bite.

“From your reaction, I take it the meal is satisfying?” he smirked resting his arm behind his head. The sounds reminded him of the noises she makes when she was completely satisfied with the way he touched her. She was making his groin react whether she knew it or not but he held down the urge to rush over and ravage her on her plate.

She looked up with a smile but didn’t give pause to the fork. “Mmmhmmm!!” Jade nodded licking her finger clean then running her tongue along her lips as she savored every bite. It was the first real meal she had since returning and couldn’t deny the extra time and effort she could taste in each dish.

“And for dessert,” Karver motioned at the cook.

He brought over two slices of Baked Angel Food Cake loaded with glaze and topped with whipped cream. She started in on hers and he watched her, enjoying the way she licked the spoon after every bite. She noticed his lustful gaze and played with him. Placing her fork on the table she opted for her finger. She started with whipped cream and she kept her eyes on him as she cleaned herself slowly; moaning with each taste.

She stood before he had the chance to make up his mind and slowly moved towards him. “Desserts on me,” she said slipping a finger in the cream on top of his cake and seductively licking it off. He felt his groin react again and tried to stand. She pushed him back in his seat and straddled him. She grabbed the treat and began having her fill of it as her hips grinded into his lap, forcing his hard on to ache against his zipper. He watched and let his mind wander with the many positions he’d take her in once she was done with the teasing.

“You know what you’re doing?” he asked.

She nodded and pressed her lips to his. She watched him kiss her back before she stood from him.

Placing the cake back to the table, she took his hand and led him to her room. He gripped her hard and tight in his arms and slowly removed her shirt. His hands ran up her neck, tilting her head to the side he brushed the hair from around her shoulders. He sucked the soft flesh of her exposed neck.

She pushed him away and turned to face him. She grabbed him just as hard as he had pulled her and pressed her lips to his. “Your blood, may I have a taste?”

He stepped back in surprise.

“How about Kenzie?” Drake said over his shoulder as he prepared breakfast for Jasmine.

“I knew a Kenzie once. She could bend her body completely around herself. Daddy tried to hire her as a pretzel girl act but she never quite made it. I don’t remember why.”

“Kenzie’s out!” I smiled. “I’m looking at names that start with the letter ‘R’. Something simple yet fitting what she’ll be.”

“Rebecca?” Jasmine asked.

“Too simple, I really actually hate that name,” Drake said flipping the eggs in the pan.

CJ sat quietly coloring over my sketch book and humming that incessant song again. I smiled. That man song is very annoying you know Drake? I asked him ensuring CJ could not hear me.

I know but it makes him happy that we have something to share.

“Rayne?” Jazz continued.

“Not bad,” Drake said moving the food to a plate and sitting it in front of her. He handed Chris and I a pack and kissed my cheek before sitting beside me.

“No…that’s not bad. But it doesn’t really say anything about her. And don’t forget, our last name is Steele. Rayne Steele?”

“Ok, how about…”

“Raven,” Chris said happily.

“Raven? You want to name her after a bird?”

“No Mommy! Raven!”

I turned my gaze to where he pointed; outside the window was Midnight and Macbeth. “Crows, Sweetheart, those are crows. Drake?” I said in cautious surprise as he approached them. “What are they doing here?”

“I don’t know baby.”

“Can you still talk to them?”

He focused on the feathered duo but couldn’t communicate as he had.

Chris hopped up from the table and opened the window to let them inside. “Look Mommy! They remember me!”

“I don’t like this Drake. They shouldn’t be here and they shouldn’t be attached to Chris. You don’t think…”

“No. No Karver didn’t…”

“How can you be sure?”

“Chris,” Drake started. “How do you know them?”

“I met them when I was with the man. They said they used to play games with me and watch me as a baby!”

“You can talk to them, Honey?” I asked.

He nodded and smiled. “Can I go color in my room?”

Without an answer he rushed up the stairs with the birds following.

“That was weird,” Jasmine said standing. “I’m going to go practice in the magic room. Call me for dinner!” she quickly gave Drake and I a peck on the cheek as she scampered off outside.

“If you’re going to use Chris, you have to show Drake you’re serious and not just threaten him. Make him realize that you can and will fuck his happy little world up.”

Karver smiled at her choice of words and the seriousness filling her eyes as she spoke. “What do you have in mind?”

“Me.” She smirked back at him running her hand seductively down his chest, “Show Drake what CJ can become through me. They knew me as sweet, funny, honest Jade. If I’m standing by your side they’ll see what I’ve become and are more likely to comply just to protect their child.”

Karver looked away as he considered her words. She wasn’t stupid enough to try anything with him being right there but chancing it wasn’t an option.

“I won’t run. I can’t.” She answered his unspoken thoughts. “You have something I want and need.” She traced circles on the skin of his neck silently placing her request.

Karver smirked pulling her closer, “You’re making it a nasty habit out of feeding from me.”

“I can’t help it!” She pushed him onto the bed, held her lips over his and whispered, “You taste so good!” Jade pulled his lower lip into her mouth biting down gently as she ran her tongue across it with faint moans. “Give it to me!” She whispered releasing his lip and catching his eyes.

“Keep teasing and I’ll give you much more than blood!” He yanked her closer pressing her hips down toward his erection. Jade slipped out of his arms and backed away with a grin.

She stood at the end of the bed swaying her body back and forth like a snake with her hands in her hair, pulling it over her shoulder the way he liked it. “You want a tease right?” She bit down on her lip gliding her hands up and down her body. Jade’s left hand squeezed her nipple the way she knew he liked it, applying enough pressure to make herself moan while her other hand slid between her legs. “An eye for an eye, Karver.”

She inched closer to him with their eyes locked intensely as she removed her shorts. “I bite you and you bite me here,” she pointed to the base of her neck, “here,” she slide her hand down to the valley between her breast, “here,” she circled her navel, “and here,” she brushed her fingers against her inner thigh dangerously close to her sensitive spot.

Karver eased from the bed with a smirk silently agreeing to her request. Jade pulled away moving quickly to the other side of the bed, “I have other plans in mind…” She mimicked with a smirk of her own placing the chair at the end of the bed motioning for him to sit.

Karver was growing agitated with lust, his eyes burning the deepest red she’d ever seen as he stepped toward her, “Enough with the games Jade!”

“But I thought you wanted a tease?” she smiled innocently. To her surprise Karver sat down in the chair confirming that she in fact had him where she wanted him. Jade smiled throwing one leg over his lap as she wiggled above him pushing his head back with gentle kisses that teased him further.

He gripped her hips tight pulling them toward him once again but she stopped him with a hard kiss while prying his hands from her. “Feed me!” she whispered licking at his lips as she backed away.

Karver stood surprised by her persistence but offered her his wrist.

“No, not there,” she smirked and stepped towards him. She softly brushed the hair from his shoulder and leaned towards him. She bit him, hard enough to break the skin on his neck.

She’d seen the sensual act done by Drake to Zoe and hoped it would only seduce him further as part of her scheme.

After she got her fill, he led her to the bed. She smiled at him as she straddled his lap and began removing his pants.

“Zoe please, don’t worry yourself about Chris and Karver. At least let me try and figure things out with him first.” His hands felt great as he massaged the ache from my back.

“How are you going to do that?”

“I don’t know. But I’ve been thinking more about the plans Vincent and I came up with. Maybe it is best if I returned to working in the Pit. We can not only help Jade and get her home but I can figure out if he’s done something to Chris.”

“What if Mom was right? What if he really is being consumed by power?”

“If that were the case then he wouldn’t listen to you or me when we tell him not to use magic freely. He’s not corrupted and he never will be.”

I nodded and he kissed my cheek, pulling me closer into his arms.

Karver appeared in the room with Jade standing closely behind him. She stepped forward with an evil grin and blood red eyes. “Well now isn’t that sweet,” she hissed.

“Oh Jade…” I mumbled taking in the image of what used to be my friend.

She took a few steps forward, closer to Karver until her hand was nearly touching his. She noticed the sorrow in my eyes and waved at me tauntingly before blowing a kiss. Karver smirked at the gesture looking from, Jade to me.

Drake stood in front of me with flames sparking from his hands, “Why are you here Karver?”

“Because I owe you a heartbreak.” He turned his attention to me and my growing belly.

“Come near her and…”

“And what?” Jade cut in. “You’ll kill him?” a menacing laugh slipped through her nose. “You don’t have it in you! Even if you did, you’d have to go through me first and trust me Drake, you don’t want to fuck with me!” Electric bolts began sparking from her fingers until Karver calmed her placing his hand on her shoulder.

“What she said!” he smirked stepping closer to Drake.

“Do you like?” He motioned toward Jade, “I have to admit that I am very pleased with the outcome! It gives me hope that Christopher too will become the spectacular monster I’ve created him to be. Maybe,” he glanced over Drake’s shoulder at Zoe, “Just maybe this new baby will be valuable to me also.”

“Leave my family out of this Karver! Your deal was with me and I no longer work for you!”

“The Lichhouse is still yours Drake. It is in your best interest to accept. I still have access to your wife and…children through the wonderful magics she passed on to me.” His evil grin widened as Drake’s body was visibly heating up. “I’ll remove the hellfire from you Drake. You’ll burn out this time and never return, that is, unless you’re interested in redeeming yourself.”

“Fuck off Karver! My work for you is done! Stay the fuck away from us.”

Karver shrugged glancing over Drake’s shoulder at me once again, “Have it your way Drake. Christopher will come to me soon enough.”

Karver turned to leave pulling Jade by the hand. She turned towards us and mouthed the words “I’m sorry”.

“Drake did you…?”

“I saw it,” Drake said pulling away from me. “Karver wait. I’ll do it,” Drake sighed. He looked over at Jade again, her eyes unyielding as she stared him down.

Karver caught her angry scowl and smirked. “What do you think, Beautiful?” he asked pulling her hair from her shoulder and kissing her neck. “Should I bring him back or let him suffer?”

Jade rubbed his hand and turned to face him. “Bring him back. That way we can watch his torment in the Lichhouse and keep order in our home.”

“Beauty and brains,” he said kissing her hand. “Alright Drake, you have work to do. Get to it.”

They disappeared and Drake turned to me, “We’re getting her out tonight!”

“Tonight? That’s not going to be possible Drake.”

“Zoe did you see her? Did you see what she’s become?”

“Yes! I saw it and that’s why I know you won’t be able to get her out from under him. Not without Chris and not without me,” I glanced down at my stomach.

“No, not happening!”

“Exactly what I thought you’d say. She has hellfire in her now Drake! You know how easily that can be manipulated!”

“And what about you?”

“What about me? He may have touched on the source because of what I did when pregnant with Chris, but he can’t control the magics in it and he has no control over me whatsoever!”

“And our baby? What type of strain is that going to put on her? I’m not doing this, not again. I won’t risk her life!”

“So we leave Jade down there to rot?”

“I’ll think of something.”

“I already have Drake. You ask that I trust your decisions, this time you have to trust me. We’ll be ok.” I kissed his forehead and walked upstairs.

“Jasmine? Are you ok?” Drake asked as she approached with a look of fear in her eyes.

“My Aunt! Was she just here? I felt her!”

He nodded.

“She was with someone? Was it the man that killed my Dad?”

“Yes, Jazzy. I’m sorry…”

“Where did she go? Is she coming back? Did she say anything?”

Her fear turned to panic and Drake did his best to try and settle her nerves. “She is working on a plan. We’re getting her out of there don’t worry. She wants me to join her there again and once I’m inside again, I’ll be able to see where he keeps her and we’ll be able to get her out.”

Jasmine quickly brushed away the tears that were forming in the corners of her eyes. “That man…he’s in love with her! He won’t let her go easily! Not with what he feels.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I felt it! He wants to keep her forever! He won’t let her go, Drake! Please promise me we’ll get her out!”

“I promise Jasmine. We’ll bring her home.” He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her fears away.

As I neared Christopher’s door I overheard him talking in hushed tones to someone.

I leaned closer and thought he was making plans to see someone Vanessa? Does he miss her enough to run away? I entered the room but didn’t see anyone around.

“Honey? Who were you just talking to?”

“No one Mommy. I’m just sitting here,” he smiled.

“Ok snot monster! I came to tuck you in but you’re not even ready for bed. I thought I told you to get your bath. What have you been doing?”

“Nothing Mommy,” he said climbing down from his bed and hugging me.

Something wasn’t right and I know for a fact I heard him talking to someone. “Go on and get ready for bed ok? I’ll have Daddy come and read to you.”

He rushed off to the bathroom and I walked downstairs to find Drake.

He was pacing and talking to himself, the scene reminded me of the time I found him in the backyard and I approached with caution. “Honey?”

He looked up at me, his eyes blazing red. They returned to their normal hue and he smiled at me. “It’s me, Zoe. Just thinking about this thing with Jade. What’s up?”

“Chris. He was talking to someone in his room but just like you appeared normal. I’m worried. Hearing what Karver said about him ‘coming to him’. He’s never wanted to talk about what happened in the two days Karver had him. What if…?”

“No. Don’t even think it, Zoe. I’ll go talk to him.”

“He’s getting ready for bed, I told him you’d read him a story.” He kissed my cheek and rushed up the stairs.

Drake knocked before walking into Chris’s room. “Hey Champ!”

“Hi Daddy.”

“Ready for bed?”

He nodded as Drake walked over to the bookcase.

“What would you like to hear tonight?”

“Daddy? Is Mommy mad at me?”

“No of course not. Why do you think that?”

He shrugged.

“She’s concerned. You won’t talk about what you saw in the Pit and she just wants to make sure you aren’t scared or that you weren’t hurt while down there.”

“I wasn’t. I got to use magic!”

“What?”

“The man let me use magic on people! It was fun!”

“Is that all that you did?”

“I froze people and I made this one man hit himself in the face!” CJ’s eyes lit up with excitement as he spoke.

“Did the man make you do that?”

“No Daddy, he told me that I was a magical person and I should use it when I wanted!”

“Get into bed; we’ll talk more about this later. Ok?”

“Ok Daddy!” he climbed up into the bunk and listened to Drake read.

Drake sat near his bed listening to CJ edit the storybook as he did so many times before, worry setting in; he started thinking perhaps there was more to what took place than he knew.

He finished the book and watched over him until he fell asleep.

Continued—>