Empowered [Sexual Magic 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (8 page)

“Don’t stop, Mistress, I beg you. More, I need more.”

Kay continued to lay into him with the whip. The loud, harsh snaps set Gabriel’s teeth on edge, but each blow sent Oscar into a higher euphoric plane.

“Mistress,” he gasped. “May this slave come?”

She stilled, her arm falling to the side, and planted the spike of her high heel against his back.

She must have pressed hard because Oscar winced and arched away from her.

Her laugh was harsh and derisive. “No, pig, you may not come. Get up, I’m done with you.”

Oscar’s face crumpled into such a pitiful expression Gabriel had to look away, both repulsed and uncomfortable.

“But, Mistress,” Oscar wailed.

She ignored him. “Anyone else want a taste of my whip?”

There was silence then unbelievably, the small timid woman next to him stepped forward.

“Yes, Mistress. Whip me.”

Gabriel pushed away from the tree and matched the girl’s steps, halting a few feet away. He met Kay’s glowing green gaze.

“Enjoying yourself, Gabriel?”

He didn’t answer and she shrugged.

“Take your dress off,” she ordered the girl.

“Uh, Mistress, I’m not wearing anything underneath.” The girl’s skin burned bright red with embarrassment.

“So? You’re a filthy whore, nothing more. You want to feel my whip, take your fucking clothes off and kneel. Otherwise, quit wasting my time.”

The girl trembled. Her lip caught between her teeth and then she tugged her cotton sundress up and over her head. She tossed it to the ground. She was small and built like a dancer with lean muscles, flat breasts, narrow hips, and little pubic hair to speak of. Her physique did nothing for him. He much preferred the lushness of Madelyn’s exquisite body.

A breeze caught the light material of her dress and skittered it across the sand where it wrapped around Gabriel’s ankles. He picked it up as unease continued to bite at him.

He should put a stop to this.

The blonde dropped to her knees in the sand where Oscar had just been, bent her head, and presented her bare back to Kay.

“How hard?”

“Be merciful, Mistress.”

Kay barked a laugh. “Doubtful. Safe word?”

“Franklin.” The word caused a titter to run through the crowd.

“Franklin?” Kay asked and sneered. “Sounds like the pussy name of some ex-boyfriend. You still carrying a torch for him?”

The girl shook her head, and without warning, Kay brought the single-tail lash down hard along her shoulders.

The girl screamed and almost fell forward, caught by Oscar’s strong arms. He pushed her upright.

Again the whip hit her and again she yelped loudly.

Gabriel gripped the dress tight and stepped forward. “Kay,” he began.

“Shut the fuck up, Gabriel, or you’re next,” she snapped, panting heavily as her arm worked the leather over the tiny woman.

He narrowed his eyes. Fuck this, he didn’t need it.

He tossed the dress at the girl’s feet and started to walk away, sick to his stomach at Kay’s vicious display.

The experience taught him one thing. He was definitely not the kind of guy who liked to inflict such massive pain on anyone.

What had happened with Madelyn had been an accident. Surely his arousal had been due solely to the lust he’d felt previously, not when he’d struck her.

The blonde still howled as he reached the tree-covered path.

“Franklin!” came her plaintive wail.

Another loud crack of the whip rent the air.

Gabriel froze then spun on his heel.

Krista landed another blow and then another.

“Franklin, Franklin, Mistress, Franklin,” the girl sobbed and sobbed the words.

The people milling about murmured to each other, but no one stepped forward. Fear and unease littered their faces.

Kay raised the whip again, and he caught the scent of blood on the wind.

“Fuck,” he whispered then sprinted forward.

Kay got two more solid blows in before he reached them and grabbed her arm. “Enough,” he shouted. “She used her safe word. Stop!”

The redhead’s green eyes were full of fire and lust, and she shook hard, struggling against his strong grip. “Let me go, you son of a bitch, I’m not done.”

Oscar pulled the girl off her knees and spirited her toward the trees.

“Come back here,” she yelled wildly.

“Kay, stop it,” Gabriel ordered. He finally wrested the whip from her tight grasp and threw it away in disgust. He dropped his hands and backed away from the crazed woman.

She breathed hard and deep, her eyes wild and furious. “Damn you,” she bellowed and stepped forward. “She was mine.”

A tingle wrapped over his skin, and Gabriel shook his head. “She gave her safe word. You had to stop.”

“That’s always been this bitch’s problem,” Noah spat from beside him. “She doesn’t know when to stop.”

Gabriel stared at Noah, shocked at the absolute venom and fury in the man’s voice. Beside him, Madelyn’s face was ashen and fear flickered in her eyes. He immediately felt protective toward the dark-haired woman.

“What the hell are you doing back here, Krista?” Noah spit out.

Kay, no Krista, still breathed so heavily that one breast had slipped out from her shirt and hung bare for all to see. Her gaze fastened on Madelyn, and a new light came into her eyes.

Casually, she tossed her hair, adjusted her clothing, and flicked a nail toward them. “Hello, darling. So good to see you again.” Her voice dropped to an eerie, husky rumble. “I’ve been looking for you.”

Madelyn shivered beneath Krista’s piercing, single-minded stare. “Too bad,” she muttered but slid closer to Noah and snagged his hand.

His reassuring squeeze eased her fears a little bit.

When Gabriel appeared at her side and wrapped his hand around her other one, she relaxed even more.

Krista’s green eyes narrowed and flicked between the three of them. She opened her mouth, but Noah cut her off. His anger was palpable.

“You have one hour to get off this island, Krista.”

“Or what?”

Noah leaned forward, teeth bared. “Try me.”

Her laugh was low and disturbed. “Oh, darling, it’s not
you
I want.” Again her gaze pinned Madelyn. “Come with me. We’ll leave together. I will show you just what a true pain slut you are. Take you to heights of which
he
is not capable.”

“
Non
, last time was more than enough.”

“Last time?” Gabriel asked.

He sounded taken aback. Madelyn squeezed his fingers but didn’t answer, keeping Krista firmly in her sights. Palpitations wracked her heart and goose bumps broke out over her legs and butt. She knew the reaction was due to the vile woman’s presence and fought against it.

“Time’s wasting,” Noah said. “I will escort you to your room then to the ferry and off the island.”

Krista’s beautifully smooth face crumpled into a mask of fury. “I’m not leaving, Noah. I paid same as you.” She kicked off her heels and picked them up, dangling the stilettos over her shoulder. She glanced at the silent crowd, most of whom would not meet her eyes. She shrugged. “Amateurs. Always out to ruin a true artist.”

She stepped forward, and both Gabriel and Noah closed ranks, their broad shoulders nearly squashing Madelyn’s head. She could hardly see Krista now, which made her feel ridiculously better.

“If you ever change your mind, little one, I’ll be happy to take you on.”

The words were like poison and Madelyn shuddered. Acid surged in her throat and she choked the bile back.

Then Krista was gone and with her the nearly unbearable tension threading Madelyn’s body. She almost collapsed as the men parted. She grabbed at Noah and buried her face in his shoulder, hot tears slipping from beneath her lashes.

“It’s okay, love, she won’t hurt you again.” Noah stroked her hair and curled his arm around her waist. “God damn that bitch,” he said viciously. “I’ve got to let the Council know she’s here. How in the hell did Clarissa let that slip past her? Don’t we have someone down here?”

Madelyn sniffled and rubbed her nose on his shirt. Another presence crowded her back, emanating warmth, comfort, and security. A second later, a large palm smoothed up and down her back.

Gabriel.

God, they owed him such an explanation. She sniffed again and pulled free, dashing the lingering tears from her eyes. She met Noah’s concerned gaze and cupped his chin. She rose on tiptoe and pressed a soft kiss to his tight mouth, remaining until he gradually relaxed.

Then she turned to face Gabriel, keeping firmly within the safety of Noah’s arms.

“How’d you meet up with her?”

A tall man in a ridiculously small speedo interrupted their discussion. “Hey man, good save.” He grimaced and held out his hand to Gabriel, who took it warily. “I swear I had no idea she was a freaking loony tune.”

Gabriel’s expression showed his skepticism. “Yeah, you seemed to enjoy it when she whipped you.”

The man colored and scuffed at the sand, looking behind him at the few remaining bystanders. “I ain’t gonna lie, it was fucking awesome. I’ve never been whipped that hard. I liked it. A lot.” His face fell. “But I messed up when I asked to—” His dark brown eyes settled on Madelyn, and he blushed even deeper. “Well, I messed up.”

“She was pretty tough on you,” Gabriel commented.

Despite his obvious attempt at neutrality, Madelyn caught the tremor of distaste in his voice.

“Yeah, but she was just getting started. I feel bad, ’cause if I’d held on, that girl wouldn’t have stepped up and Mistress would have finished me off.”

Madelyn shuddered. The young man had no idea what Krista was capable of, that much was obvious.

“You got off lucky,” Noah finally spoke. “My advice is to steer clear of her from now on. She’s off-kilter, dangerous.”

“Nah, she just got a little into it.”

“Oscar,” Gabriel said. “Trust him, he knows what he’s talking about. She ignored the most important tenet of the lifestyle by ignoring the girl’s safe word.”

“I’m telling you, that was heat of the moment,” the young man said hotly.

Madelyn stepped in and clasped his forearm. “
Non
, it was not. Such things are the way she operates. I know because she did it to me, too.”

Gabriel inhaled sharply, but she didn’t acknowledge him.

“She would not stop when I used my safe word, continued to wail and hack at me until my back opened and I bled.” Her stomach lurched again.

“The bitch is crazy, Oscar,” Noah cut in. “Stay away from her.”

“How’s the girl?” Gabriel asked.

Oscar’s gaze bounced from one man to the other and back to her. She gave him an encouraging smile, hoping he’d heed their advice.

“Oscar, yo man, let’s go! There are some hotties up at the Port Plunder bar. I heard there’s a gorgeous switch up there.”

He looked back at his friends and waved. “Yeah, look, I gotta go. The girl, her name is Winslet. She’s fine. A little shaken up, but I got her to the infirmary.” He turned away, and Madelyn sucked in a deep breath, shocked by the deep red stripes, some near to breaking the skin, littering his back.

Krista was definitely on a tear when she whipped this one.

Madelyn prayed the young man would truly stay away, but she had her doubts. Krista was incredibly charismatic. The characteristic was part of what made her so damn dangerous. A sub didn’t realize the danger they were in until it was too late.

The remaining people left as soon as Oscar joined them, leaving Madelyn alone with two very tense men.

She sighed. “You’re not going to be reasonable about this, are you?”

Noah didn’t say anything, but a vein in his temple throbbed.

“What about you?”

Gabriel shrugged, hands shoved deep in his pockets. He looked slightly uncomfortable. “Are you okay?” he asked softly.

She smiled. “I’m fine. Not a scratch on me.”

Noah grunted.

“Ignore him,” she said and looped her arm through Gabriel’s. “He’ll calm down in a little bit.”

“This is no joke, Madelyn,” Noah snapped. “We need to contact Clarissa then get the hell off this island. I won’t be here while she is.”

“No!” Madelyn said. She glared at him. “I will not live afraid of her, Noah. We know what she’s like. I’ll not be in a position again to be under her whip. The best we can hope now is to alert the Council as well as the management of the Isles. I doubt they’ll turn her away. She’s right about the money. But rest assured,
chéri
, I will stay well away from her.”

“Is someone going to fill me in?” Gabriel asked.

“It’s a long story.”

His grin, though forced, still made her heart flutter, and Madelyn blinked a few times, startled at the unexpected reaction.

“Good thing we have nothing but time, isn’t it?” He lifted his chin in Noah’s direction. “And from the look of him, he could use a stiff drink. Or thirty.”

“This is true,” she replied. “Come along, Noah, and let us sit and drink and talk.”

Dark shadows still clouded his face and eyes. She hated that haunted, pained look in them because she knew
she
was the cause of it.

“Please,
mon coeur
,” she pleaded.

He sighed and raked a hand over his black hair as his eyes snapped shut. “I don’t like this, Maddie. Not one bit. Something’s wrong with her.”

She urged Gabriel forward. “Yes, there is, but we can’t do anything about it except report her to the Council.”

She relaxed as she heard Noah fall into step behind them.

“Gabriel and I will find a quiet table in the bar while you call Clarissa.”

“I’m not leaving you alone,” Noah snapped.

“I’ll take care of her,” Gabriel said.

Madelyn curled her fingers on his arm, grateful for his quiet, solid strength. “I trust him,” she said before Noah could spew off. “I’ll be perfectly fine.”

They crested the end of the path and moved toward the main building. She was sure Noah would not give in without more of a fuss.