Damned and Desired (14 page)

Tarik grabbed Sakari by the wrist and pulled her out of the room toward the entrance to the lower chambers.

As she moved along the dark, steeply sloping marble hallway, she realized in over one thousand years she’d never been to this part of Anartia. This was Tarik’s private laboratories and the heart of the artificially created world, an engineer’s alternative 75

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universe designed as a love nest. As they walked down the labyrinth of corridors, she thought about all the trouble Tarik had gone through to design this secret place. A miniature world that would later become a prison for them and his lover’s servants.

The air became stale and cool as they moved deeper into the heart of Anartia, down narrow hallways, through doorways. If she turned around right now, she didn’t know if she could find her way back to the great room.

A humming sound emanated from the walls. “Almost there,” Tarik said, then stopped abruptly and swung open a door. “In there.” He nodded toward a room where a bluish glow pulsed. The humming noise grew louder.

She hesitated.

“All will be fine. It’s a good thing really. This is how we will break free of Earth’s magnetic binds.” He pressed a hand to her shoulder and urged her inside.

Sakari walked inside but stopped the moment she saw the objects suspended from the ceiling—the source of the blue glow.

Three giant clear crystals were suspended from the ceiling at forty-five degree angles, their points aiming downward forming a triangle but without the points touching. At one side of the room were three marble blocks, she supposed could be used for chairs. Unless they had other functions. A larger rectangular marble structure stood taller than the blocks and had markings and lights on its surface.

Tarik touched a few markings like keypads on the table and approached one of the marble blocks. “Here, let me show you.”

Sakari took a couple of steps closer and stopped again. She didn’t like this, she didn’t like it at all.

With the slightest touch, Tarik slid the marble block that should’ve weighed hundreds of pounds beneath the three glowing crystals.

“How did you do that?”

Tarik grinned. “It’s not hard once you learn to manipulate natural laws and molecular structure. Sit here.”

She didn’t move.

“Don’t be afraid from what Gwyllain said. She does not understand my work. This won’t hurt you. It may even be pleasurable.”

She took another step closer and stopped. “What does it do?”

He smiled mysteriously. “A collector and amplifier of sorts. It will draw off your chi and reconvert it into energy for Anartia.”

Sakari clucked her tongue. “And isn’t that exactly what you and the demoness do to maintain Anartia? Why is this different?”

Tarik grinned wickedly this time. “Because it takes the power and multiplies it one hundred times as it converts it, something the demoness and I cannot do.”

“Won’t it drain me completely? Make me mortal or kill me?”

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“Sit,” he ordered his tone tinged with grim impatience. “This instrument is our salvation. It has taken me centuries to develop it. Earlier attempts nearly destroyed us.”

Reluctantly, she sat on the marble block, resigned to whatever would happen.

Tarik approached the table and touched a couple of controls. Instantly, a blissful feeling of peace filled her. A vibration and hum emitted from the crystals and the blue color turned a deeper shade of indigo.

Her skin tingled and flushed with a sensual heat. Shifting on the block, she crossed her legs to fend off the throb beginning in her pussy. She glanced up at Tarik, questioning.

“Yes,” Tarik said. “Your nipples are hard and I smell your desire. Remove your tunic.”

Embarrassed for the first time ever as a slave or Drone, she gripped the hem of her tunic and pulled it down to cover her thighs.

Amused, Tarik shook his head and made a few adjustments on the control table.

Her vagina clenched as if tightening around a hard cock. Her juices trickled down between her legs.

“What are you doing?” Sakari said as she wrapped her hands around her waist and leaned forward but the change in position only made her pussy more sensitive.

“Lift up your tunic and let me see how wet you are.” Tarik touched a few more controls then moved closer to Sakari and the crystals, staying just outside the pool of indigo light.

Sakari touched her breasts but hadn’t lifted her tunic.

“Do it,” he ordered.

She pulled up the silky cream material to her hips and Tarik gazed at her moist pussy.

“Spread your sex and slide a finger inside.”

This time she didn’t hesitate. Her body was on fire and needed the attention. Tarik had dropped his own tunic and was stroking himself. “Damn, Gwyllain and her jealousies,” he said.

“Tarik, turn it off.” Sakari tried fighting the sensual heat surging through her body but the influences from the machine were too strong. Thoughts of Brad came to her mind and she was lost in the moment. She began finger-fucking herself to ease the ache and need building inside her. She wished Brad was there, not Tarik.

He checked his instrument panel and smiled. “Don’t come yet, Sakari. I want to take you one more step.”

She groaned. “One more step? But I’m on the edge.”

“Hold it, damn it. I’m not through with my test.” He released his cock and strode over to the control panel and hit another key. The light from the crystals brightened and darkened to a deep purple.

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Sakari cried out and leaned back on the marble block. The sensation of a cock filled her pussy. Pressure tightened around her breasts as if some invisible hand fondled and squeezed them. Even her nipples puckered painfully hard.

Her body felt like it was floating on an intense sexual fog.

“Hold off as long as you can,” Tarik said now from a few feet away. Then he ran back to the controls, checked the table then back to her, his face wild.

Turning her head, she saw he was stroking himself again, as was she. “Every moment adds more energy for Anartia.”

Her head spun and her vision blurred.

“Won’t be long now.” Tarik looked worried.

Her hand dropped away from her pussy even though she was so close to coming.

Sitting back on her hands and spreading her legs, she rode the increasing intensity of sensations assaulting every nerve, on the edge of being too much to bear but so pleasurable she couldn’t fight it.

Her hips rocked and moved to a rhythm of throbbing and clenching as if an invisible lover was fucking her hard and deep. At the same time, all strength drained out of her. Tarik stood at the control panel, frantically punching keys. “This is great.

Quite impressive.” He glanced over to Sakari and frowned. The colors of the large crystals changed to a dark violet, pulsing.

“Just a little more,” he promised, eyes wide. “Anartia needs an increasing amount of chi while I perfect my device. When you return to Earth, you need to be diligent with your collections.”

She was having difficulty keeping her eyes open. Her body shook violently, an orgasm perched on the edge. “I can’t take anymore.”

“Drone, do not come yet. My test is not complete.”

Thoughts of what punishments might arise if she failed to honor his demands.

Sakari bit her lip to stave off the ensuing orgasm. A whimper escaped her lips. “Tarik, I cannot hold back. I feel lightheaded, disoriented.” The room grew dark and from far away she heard Tarik swear.

The humming noise abruptly stopped and she forced her eyes opened, blinking against the bright white light.

She was on the floor. Had she fallen off the marble block? Tarik hooked an arm around her shoulders and lifted her back up onto the block.

“Oh, no, not more, Tarik. I can’t do more.”

He grimaced. “We’re done.” He walked across the room and picked up her tunic then brought it to her. “Here, get dressed.”

“It’s over?”

Tarik nodded. “You’re finished for now. Are you all right?”

“I think so. But I did not give you the offering.”

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Tarik sighed. “Yes, you did and more. Data for my instrument was helpful. I nearly lost you. I’ll need to make some adjustments.”

“Lost me how?”

“Drained all your lifeforce energy.”

She slipped the tunic over her body, which was numb and shaky from the experience and tense from no release from orgasm. “What could’ve happened?”

He shrugged, turning his back on her, he walked to his table of controls and touched the keypads. “Either drained you until you’re mortal again or until you were dead.”

Sakari placed a hand to her head, which began to throb with pain. “How will this affect the Sha Warriors? The mortals? Will they be harmed when you put them in this?”

“I’m not concerned with the consequences of the process, only with the results. And the results will free us from exile and allow us all to return to Prygos.”

“All of us? Even the Drones assimilated from Earth?”

Tarik sighed with annoyance. “The interdimensional trip back to Prygos will consume much power and the demoness may choose a few of her favorite Drones.

Other than that, only Prygosians will be returning.”

“What will you do to all the remaining Drones? There must be about fifty.”

Tarik didn’t answer.

“But there are many Drones who have been serving you and Gwyllain since Anartia was first exiled,” she argued. Still Tarik didn’t respond. “Don’t you think a thousand years of faithful and loyal service to the demoness and you, providing life-sustaining chi doesn’t deserve a reward? Freedom for instance.”

Tarik didn’t meet her eyes. Turning from her, he moved to his control panel and punched a few keys. Lights glowed on the panel. “Freedom isn’t an option.”

She shook her head. “Without these Drones, those of us on Anartia would not have immortality and Anartia could not maintain existence.” Pointing out the obvious probably wouldn’t do any good but she had to try.

Tarik narrowed his eyes, looking down at her in a manner that showed his patience was growing thin. “Without Anartia’s power, these mortals would’ve died a long time ago. As Drones they had a brief taste of immortality. That is their reward.”

“What will happen to the Drones then?”

“At the time of departure, reassimilation will occur. We will need all the energy to break free from Earth’s electromagnetic binds.”

Sakari raised her chin, glaring at Tarik. Something she’d never dared as a slave but as a Drone her boldness came through. “And what will become of me at that time? Will you use your machine to drain all the chi from me until there is nothing left but a hollow shell?” A shiver went through her thinking about sitting beneath those crystals again with Tarik at the controls. If he’d turned the controls all the way up, would every ounce of life be drawn out? A river of energy drained down to the dried dirt bottom.

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Tarik turned back from his control panel, studying her for several moments. “You have always been Gwyllain’s favorite servant. She would have you return with her to assume your role again on Prygos. But do not displease her or me.” A smile twisted his lips in a sneer. “Your fate could easily become the fate of the other Drones.”

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Sakari left Tarik to his instruments and studies as she jogged up the corridors toward the great hall, trying to get far away from the demoness’ consort. She crept into the great hall, searching for the demoness. If at all possible, she wanted to get to her room and avoid the demoness’ jealous rage. “The mistress is taking a walk in her gardens with Dante.” One of the slaves apparently realized her dilemma.

Sakari thanked the young girl and padded across the marble floor as quietly as possible. Most of the slaves or Drones were lounging around the pool or sleeping and ignored her. She entered the hallway and slowed her pace. She was still using the room that had been hers when she had been a slave.

“I see you survived.” Zorian greeted her in the hallway. “How were your first conquests? More intense than one of my sessions?”

Sakari thought for a moment. “I’m not sure if it was more intense but it was a lot more draining. I feel like I could sleep for a week. I want to rest before I return to Earth.”

Zorian laughed. “I don’t think you’ll get much of that with what’s waiting for you in your room.”

“Another test?” Did all Drones have to go through this? Maybe Dante was getting even with her. She clenched her teeth. “Is Dante blaming me for the end of the rest cycles?”

“Why would you think that?”

“Once, when Dante got too personal with one of his quarry, the demoness got jealous—and angry. She ordered me to pleasure him while he was bound until he—”

Zorian laughed. “What mode of pleasure? I’m curious.”

She gave him an impatient look. “My mouth. He spilled his seed and wasted his valuable chi. For a time he was the demoness’s private slave—a position he loathed.

After that incident, all the rest cycles ended and all the Drones had to obtain offerings continuously.”

“Not your fault. Gwyllain is keeping a selected few slaves, requiring the rest to work as Drones. Dante and Valdon may be her favorites but they are also the most valuable Drones.”

“Would Tarik destroy Dante if he knew Gwyllain favored him over all the Drones?”

she asked.

“Probably not. Dante is a valuable Drone and Tarik has his favorites too.”

Sakari nodded in understanding. “When I was a slave I wasn’t allowed to have physical contact with Tarik, but now as a Drone it’s my duty.”

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“Also explains why Dante’s punishment of becoming a slave didn’t last long,”

Zorian added.

“The demoness does like her acquisitions of chi. And she does have her favorites.

Has she ever shown an interest in you?”

Zorian looked horrified. “No,” he lowered his voice. “Don’t get me wrong, I do occasionally enjoy the company of women. I like the delicacies, the softness and how they respond but I favor men—the hard, edgy rawness of men.”