Demon Possession (7 page)

“Why would you want to do that?” His voice was rough and ful of venom.

“Why wouldn’t I?” she whispered, refusing to elaborate.

“Wel ?” He demanded.

Ful realization hit her. Eyes closed briefly, her body slumped in defeat. He was going to keep her alive. “Do what you wil with me, but I don’t have to tel you anything.”

Without warning, he hooked large hands around her waist and threw her over his shoulder. She gasped with surprise. She thought she should scratch, scream, or bite him to get away, but what good would it do? She felt the strength of his arm around her legs, his hand on her thigh tightened as if he had read her thoughts. If she could get away she wouldn’t get far, and it would only worsen her situation. In defeat she al owed her body to fal against him.

Carried al the way back to sickbay, she was once again placed in the little room, force field in place. He stood there for a moment—she refused to look at him. The doctor said nothing at their reappearance, only watched with silent reserve.

Final y Sebastian left the room and she remained where he’d dropped her, fil ed with a dul detached feeling.

Her little room consisted of only a smal cot protruding from the wal with a thin but plush mattress, a lightweight soft blanket, and a pil ow. The pil ows softness consumed her as she laid her head on it. Laughing without humor she realized these were the best accommodations she’d ever had. A few hours passed before she al owed herself to drift into sleep.

Sometime later she woke to a woman entering the room, a tray in her hands. The force field was removed briefly and the tray set down on smal protruding shelf. The woman who broughtit smiled at Analia expectantly. The aromaof foodfil ing her lungs, it smel edsogood. Her stomach grumbled with an impatient demand.

She raised her body into a seated position and grabbed for the offering.

At the first bite Analia’s taste buds were swimming with delight. On The Hel Ship she was only given a smal amount of sustenance, always ruined scraps,or a brown-green blob of something unrecognizable,whichtasted horrid. This was nothing like she’d ever tasted before. Each flavor sang in her mouth. She eagerly shoveled in another mouthful, and another.

“Analia, right?” The woman was stil standing there, staring at her. Analia realized she was shoving food in her mouth like a starved beast. Making an effort to slow herself she nodded at the strange woman.

She had hair much like Sebastian’s, similar in color, styled in two pigtails draping down her front. She had horns as wel , though more dainty, which were poking out of her black hair. There was even a similar magenta hue at the base of them. She wore a deep purple strapless top and a short black skirt.Is that a tail?Analia marveled as the thin tail swished back and forth. The woman’s footwear—also strange—were spiked at the heel.

“I’m Sonya.” The woman said. “It’s nice to meet you Analia.”

Analia swal owed her food, this woman knew her name. She must have spoken to Sebastian. Her guard instantly went up. “Thank you for the food Sonya.”

She said not sure what else to add, and not wanting to be impolite.

Sonya offered another sweet smile. “You’re welcome. Although it’s not the best stuff, prisoners are only al owed whatever is leftover.”

Analia eyed the food again.This was the leftovers?She focused on Sonya, who continued to closely inspect her. Anya felt her cheeks heat at the unusual scrutiny that made her acutely aware of the fact that Sonya was in clean tailored fabrics, while her own clothing was ripped and filthy.

“You’re pretty.” Sonya exclaimed. Analia nearly coughed up her food. “No wonder you have his panties in a wad.” She laughed then.

Panties in a wad?

“You know, you’re the only person to ever sneak onto our ship … ever,” Sonya emphasized.

Anya’s internal alarm went off. Was Sonya here for information? Sebastian had obviously sent her. But Sonya wasn’t asking for specifics and she was looking at her with something like … respect?

“That’s pretty impressive.” Sonya continued, cementing Analia’s confusion at this odd conversation.

“Thanks?” It sounded more like a questions than a term of gratitude.

Sonya laughed at her reply, a carefree sound that was almost foreign to Analia. Pointing to the food Sonya added, “Next time I’l sneak you something better than leftovers.” With a wink she turned, and left Analia to gape after her. No one had ever spoken to her in such a way. She decided it must be another of Sebastian’s tricks. He was determined to know where she’d come from, and that did not bode wel for her.

After finishing off the rest of the food Analia relaxed into the little bed, enjoying her ful stomach. The bed was astoundingly comfortable. Even in the brightly lit space she easily fel asleep.

After Analia woke sometime later, the doctor kept asking how she felt, and if she needed anything. She just assured him she was fine and curled into the warm blanket, prepared for a long duration of captivity.

She thought she had recovered from the devastation of Sebastian’s trick, until he entered the room and her outrage returned in ful force. She should be grateful in a way. Instead of attraction, the sight of him now fil ed her with rage.

Sebastian almost laughed at the look Analia gave him. Without a doubt she was imagining scratching his eyes out at this very moment. Though amusing, that was going to make what he was about to do a little difficult.

Sonya had come to him earlier to convince him to, as Sonya put it,give the poor girl a break. Saying shelooks harmless. He considered her words throughout the day and decided to fol ow Sonya’s advice. The chit seemed harmless enough.

Standing just outside the smal cel he disengaged the force field. “Come with me,” He said, as if he were commanding any of his crew. Her mistrust of him showed because she didn’t move from her spot.

“What are you going to do with me?”

He shook his head. “I’m taking you to another location. You don’t need the doctor anymore.”

She gathered up the blanket and pil ow and stood, clutching them as though she expected them to be ripped away from her.

“You won’t be needing those.”

Her grip tightened for a moment, then, eyeing them with sorrow, she reluctantly dropped them on the cot. The strange action made him even more curious about her, but he refused to let himself get involved. Someone had to have treated her badly. He ignored the ire that arose with the thought.

What did he care?

Because of the wards he was stuck with her for a time. Once the mission was over he would put her off his ship and out of his mind. The wardsseemedto be intact, so she must have been on the ship before they went up.

Once again she fol owed close behind as he led her out of sickbay. This time she didn’t marvel at anything. She kept her eyes to the ground. Lost her vitality so easily? He was irritated that he might be somewhat responsible for the change in her.

After walking for some time he stopped in front of a door and opened it, waving her inside. Hesitantly she peered into the darkened room, unmoved. She didn’t trust him. Why should she? He entered the room, which il uminated instantly at his presence. Analia just stood at the door. A tiny spark of interest lit her eyes, but stil she didn’t enter.

The room was of decent size, a bed against the wal to the left, couch and table near the center, through a doorway to the right was a personal bathing chamber. It was one of the nicer rooms on the ship. He told himself he was offering her this room because it was one of the only ones available. But that wasn’t true. There were a few smal er unoccupied rooms. For a reason beyond his comprehension he wanted her impressed.

“This can be your room as long as you vow not to hurt yourself. You’l have this room al to yourself.”

Final y entering, she peered around the room but didn’t respond.

“If you can’t promise me that, then I’l take you back to the doctor and leave you there til I find a place to drop you off for good.”

Hereyes blazed at that. “Drop me off?”

“Yes, we have a task to complete first, but after that I’ve decided I’l leave you at the nearest spacecity.” The smile she gave him weakened him, as wel as doubled his interest in her. Did she not care where she’d be dumped? “Uh, can you promise me that?” He ground out.

“Yes.” She rushed out, smiling wider. But then her face dropped and she eyed him with sadness. “Is this a trick?”

“No.”

Studying him for a moment she shook her head. “This is just a trick. You don’t just give a trespasser room and board. What do you want with me?”

Sebastian let out a breath. “This is not a trick. We have a long way to go and, no matter where you came from, you’l need to stay on the ship til we’ve reached our destination. Where would you rather be? Here? Or lying on that cot for months?” As she gave the room a second glance he proceeded to show her around. When he got too close she skittishly backed away from him. “I won’t hurt you.” Warily she continued to watch him. For now, he decided to let it go. “The bathing room is in here. I’l leave while you clean yourself and return with something for you to sleep in. In the morning I’l show you around the ship before you begin your new job.”

“Job?”

“Of course, this isn’t a free ride. You’l work for your room and board, just like everyone else.”

“What kind of job?” She raised an eyebrow.

“I haven’t decided yet.” He moved to leave. “I’l be back with clothes for you, soon, so if you don’t want me here while you’re stil naked and wet you’d better hurry.” With that, she rushed into the bathroom closing the door behind her.

Amused, Sebastian left the room. Unfortunately his teasing had backfired, hardening his already painful y stiff shaft. Imagining her damp body glistening with dripping beads of water, her blond locks the only thing clinging to her as they wound down her shoulders and around her naked breasts. He imagined himself licking and sucking those breasts between his lips, licking the wetness from every inch of her. His hands cupping her ass, her soft moans of pleasure in his ear as he drove into her.

He found himself rushing to get back.

Analia studied the shower stal . She’d never seen one like this before. The wal s were decorated with a mosaic of color andahazy translucent door separated the stal from the rest of the washroom. Bottles of cleaning liquids rested on a smal shelf. She noted a smal button on the wal just outside the stal . It could either control the shower or the waste disposal unit.

Click.

Waste disposal unit.

After searching the room for a way to activate the spray, and finding nothing, she stepped into the shower stal to look there. Warm water instantly bombarded her. Shocked, she jumped out of the stal , the flow immediately stopped.

Water? Real water?

Every time she bathed in the past, it was in a smal bland cubical with a powdery enzyme spray.

With delight, she tore off the old ratty dress and dove back into the stal , al owing the water to wash over her. It soaked her hair, then the rest of her. The sensation of it running down her body tickled and soothed her skin. The spray was rough against her back but it was like a hundred fingers massaging.

She sighed loudly as her muscles began to relax from the heat. A cocoon of steam rose up around her. Closing her eyes she al owed herself to become immersed.

Taking her time with the soap she scrubbed every inch of her skin from head to toe, washing her hair twice. Then she stood there and reveled in the feeling of the water splashing on her skin, committing it to memory.

Stepping out of the shower she had never felt so clean in her life. A fluffy white cloth draped nicely against the wal . She dried off thoroughly before wrapping it around herself, noting the softness of it. Everything here was soft,and cozy,and warm. These were the kinds of thing others enjoyed, not her.Wait,that’s not true, she corrected. She was free now. Sebastian had told her he would let her go free.

Reflecting on what Sebastian had said she stil didn’t trust him and wasn’t sure if she should believe him. Would he real y set her free? He’d lied to her already. But what choice did she have?

When she left the bathroom Sebastian was already back, standing next to the tan colored sofa. When he saw her his golden eyes flared, turning to liquid amber. She shivered at the sight, her mind going blank. It wasn’t til Sebastian began to stalk toward her that she recal ed her situation. She was wet and half naked, in a room, alone, with a strong brutish male with unknown intentions.

He was upon her before she could react, backing her against the wal . His body pressed against hers, a thick thigh settled between her legs.

Analia froze in a panic and was confused to find her nipples growing hard at his touch, a shiver escaped her. Sebastian moved his leg against her core, rough but with the touch of an expert. After letting a smal moan slip she pursed her lips closed.

“Anya.” Sebastian nearly growled. The epithet and his breath at her neck caused another shiver and liquid pooled between her legs. She sucked in a harsh breath, grasping for control. “You’re scent is intoxicating.” His husky voice whispered next to her ear.

She should have been terrified at his words but she found her body relax against his, a single compliment melting her completely. His strong arms surrounded her, his hands seeking the smal of her back. The heat of his lips on her neck reunited her with her sanity.

“Se … Se … Bastian,” She squeaked.

“Hmmm.” He rubbed his mouth against the line of her jaw, almost making her forget herself again. She quietly whimpered and found she was gripping his shoulders.

How could this feel so good?

“You must stop.” The words came out as a whisper.

A low,slow growl rose from somewhere inside him, reverberating through her core. With his hands pressed firmly against the smal of her back he pul ed her against him with a possessiveness that both startled and excited her in a primal sort of way.

Analia almost let out another needy moan. She could feel the strong muscles of his chest while his thigh pushed further against her wetness. She gasped as he opened his mouth to her neck and nibbled.