Changeling Winds: Episode Two (The Bachelor Battles Book 2) (35 page)

“Fall in and set up a tighter perimeter.”

There was no hesitation, no hostile, suspicious faces now. These dozen females were once again in awe. Rankin had been dragged away from a watch post, and escaped to return the next morning with her stolen bachelor in tow. It was impressive.

“Get in the tent. Stay there.”

I moved toward the dusty, center vinyl, head down, and eyes on the ground. I could feel the guards staring at my injuries, their approval of my punishment as I went. I hated them for it.

“We head for the Depot at dawn. Get us set.”

More activity at Rankin’s next order, and I let the flap close with a pounding heart. I was the Head Defender’s whore again.

I turned when Rankin stepped in behind me, scared again but no longer in terror of her… Then, I saw the anger on her face, the true pain she couldn’t wait to cause me…

I ducked too late.

Her fist slammed into my forehead and I staggered back, dazed.

“When you wake up, you belong to me!”

She swung again, this time from the hip.

Blinding pain and then darkness rushing up…

Jason

The train chugged over a rough area of track, and I woke abruptly to find it was night. The tiny light from the hatch window said it was cloudy, preventing the moon from peeking through, and I felt panic start to rise. I was alone, on the train, with Rankin… And I was bound by both wrists to the head rails.

I had that realization an instant before the one telling me that my body was painfully hard. Soreness in my arm confirmed I’d been injected with something, and from that heavy, familiar throb in my groin, I could guess what it was. Rankin had gotten me ready to provide the service I’d promised.

For a brief moment, I wondered if it might already be over. It would be hard to tell. Once the chemicals started working, they kept on for hours, even after pleasure was reached. The Network wanted to be sure those renting us were satisfied, and I took stock of myself. Had the Head Defender gotten her a pound of flesh before I woke?

No. She liked the panic, the loss of my control. She would wait til she knew I was awake.

Scratch…

My head spun, searching the darkness.

Scratch…

Glowing red eyes appeared in the far corner.

“Angel?”

The answering growl of rage confirmed my fear, and I watched those angry red orbs move closer.

“You’ve caused a lot of trouble.”

Rankin’s cold hand slid along my leg, tugging the sheet down to bare me to her Changeling gaze and I shivered at the look in her eyes. I saw her recent scars and wounds - the nasty knife-line in her shoulder, the trimmed hand, broken nose, clawed face – all caused by the Pruetts, and tried not to panic.

Much like the bachelors she had a fondness
for,
Rankin knew how to manipulate the human body, to make it turn against itself in quivering sessions of hot lust and painful denial. Her hands had been able to draw reactions and drug my brain with need like I’d never felt. Now, she had to work for it.

I wasn’t being denied anymore and her frustration was clear as she growled, mouth on mine, hand between us. This was the position she liked to torment me with the most, but after the train ride with my Angel, this held no power over me.

Without thinking, I opened my mouth. “I don’t feel you anymore.”

Rankin snapped in a matter of seconds, snarling, foaming in rage as the Change took over.

“I’ll make sure you feel me forever!”

She sliced into my shoulder and I locked down on a reaction. This was how it always started.

I felt her body swell, nails fully extending against my chest as she straddled me. When I began to struggle, her claws slid into my thigh, very near the groin. I hissed at the pain, feeling it blossom with warm heat, but managed to keep from twitching upward.

I thought I had myself under control, though my physical condition was beyond that, but my pleasures, my secrets, were my own.

Rankin knew them.

She leaned close, soft braids falling over my naked skin. “You can have me tonight.”

Those words!
I’d begged for them for years and there was an instant of fury that had me stiffening.

Rankin quickly raked her nails over my chest while I was wounded and I shamed myself by responding. My hips went up in that instinctive thrust. Her eyes narrowed.

“You’ve been keeping that from me…” Her tone became crueler than usual. “Oh, honey. We can play as rough as you like!”

Her hand immediately found my wrist and traced a painful, fiery path down my arm that didn’t break the skin but still stung enough to make me snap my eyes shut. I wouldn’t break. I wouldn’t…

Her mouth moved on me, stole any rational though. The drugs were always my curse and I jerked angrily on the ropes.

Rankin’s laughter was full of heat. “I’ve always known what rings your bell, Jason.” Her hips slowly began lowering against me…

“I know, because it’s what your father liked. He wasn’t bleeding just for my pleasure.”

That sent me into a rage like I’d never felt and I swore if I got the chance, I’d see her dead. It was something I’d wanted my owner to do, but now, that would be my joy.

Rankin’s fast swipe took a layer of skin from my hip, and drew a shudder.

“Does she know your weakness for pain, how it sets you off?” Rankin punctuated her question with a tight fist in my hair and hips poised above my throbbing length.

I refused to answer and she tilted those cheeks to slide me between them. It was another flash to our sessions, where she never let me in but made sure I rubbed every inch of her slick heat.

“Does she?!”

“Yes!” I ground out, trying hard not to move. All I had to do was thrust up and I’d have her!

Rankin didn’t like my answer. She leaned down to lick at my lips, hands holding my head in place with stinging grips on his silken hair. “You were supposed to be unbroken!”

She lunged for the fresh tattoo on my neck, biting, and lava flooded my stomach. She felt my spasm of need and ground against me.

It pushed my throbbing length against her damp folds and I lost control, arching upward, thrusting into her.

“
Aahhhh
!”

Her growl of pain and triumph was a vague shame as I got in as deep as I could. I’d wanted this for a long time, too, and as long as I was here, I would have my fill.

“
OOhhh
…” Rankin was nearly incoherent above me. Apparently denying herself had backfired and I used my knees to spread her legs further. It made her drop down onto my chest and gave me a smooth thrust-line. I used it ruthlessly, the lust and drugs firmly running the show. As the hormones surged, the frantic pace increasing, I broke free of my ropes… only to grab her hips and thrust deeper.

Her smug laughter burned me, but I wouldn’t stop. This time, I would get what I needed!

As I stroked harder, jerking her down to meet me, Rankin started to struggle, maybe sensing my determination to win this battle. I rolled us over, my grip on her hot body unbreakable. I shoved forward and arched in sharp waves of lust.
I was taking her!

Those claws I loathed slid down my leg as we struggled, and raked brutally over my shin bone, spilling scarlet drops.

Using my other training, I put my hands to work and started to bring Rankin up the levels with me, but there was darkness in my heart.

“Stop now!”

I dropped my full weight on her instead, hands pinning her wrists. Pleasure seared us both at the motion, and I tightened my hold.
So close now…

“No!”

Rankin’s scream set me on fire. How many times had she gotten me to that point? I thrust harder…

Uuggg
!”

Her body arched as she flew into the abyss, and I used the distraction to yank the knife from her belt.

I put it to her throat, hips still shoving in, straining to get deeper.
“You move, you die.”

She snarled back at me but didn’t move, and I flipped my hips harder, sliding into that tight little notch at the top where our bodies were matched perfectly. Her claws ripped into my shoulders and she cried out.

“Yeah!”

 
As I reached that forbidden summit, I then did something I’d only dreamed of in careful fear. I stood up and used my hand to finish without permission. As I exploded, standing over her, the blade didn’t leave my other tight grip.

I gasped for air, and Rankin’s pleased laughter filled my ears.

“Again, Jason, but this time, we’ll use the cuffs. You’re bleeding too much.”

She held her wrists out in submission, and I shuddered. The drugs were in full effect now, and I jerked her blood-smeared body off of the bed. She was cuffed seconds later.

Angelica

Rankin’s screams kept me outside the door.

During my talk with Daniel, I’d learned too much about the Head Defender’s methods to ever think Jason would just get over her. There was still a note in
Daniel’s
voice that I didn’t care for, and I’d spent long, hard hours trying to figure out how to free my mate.

This
, had never come to mind, but now that it was happening, I saw it for what it could be - the key to his chains.

I hated what was happening, but I hated her being between us even more. If Jason never got what she’d withheld, he would always want it, wonder about it. Maybe, he would even see her when we were in bed together, and I couldn’t stand the thought of it. This was easier. It was also justice.

Rankin’s pleasure wasn’t quiet. And later, when her hoarse shouts came again, telling him it hurt, to stop, I shivered but still didn’t interfere. She deserved whatever he wanted to dole out.

                                                           
Jason
    

Rankin trembled against me, almost sobbing as I finally let her cum.

I was done now, though the drugs would have given me another session if I wanted it. I didn’t. Feeling Rankin soften under me was revolting compared to my Angel, and the Defender’s smells! Yuck.

I moved back, dislodging our bodies. If the rebel plans for the refueling stop went badly, I’d have to kill Rankin, only now, I didn’t mind the thought as much. Whatever poison she’d marked me with was gone.

“Unlock me.”

She sounded angry, and I was surprised not to feel terror as I did it. Had a few hours of bad sex freed me?

I watched her dress by the dim light of the moon now peeking through the clouds, naked and thinking hard. She held no power over me. What did that mean?

Eager to test it, I met her sated black eyes. “From now on, you’ll ask for a service, and I’ll make the choice.”

“And if I don’t?” Rankin snarled, telling me
yes, I’d won this round
.

“Then you’ll have a cold, empty toy to ride, but not a speck of the fire we’ve shared tonight. You only get me if I’m
willing
. Understand?”

The club from her belt slammed into the wall by my head.

“Yes! I understand, you lying, backstabbing traitor!”

She stalked toward me, and drew no response. I was braced, though, prepared to protect the part of me still hanging freely.

Instead of a blow, Rankin’s hand went to my hair and curled into it. Her face fill with an emotion I knew well - fear.

“You’re supposed to kill me.”

I jerked, giving away the truth, and her fingers held me tightly.

“Make it quick?”

I hadn’t thought she’d been affected by the Network’s betrayal, but Rankin had learned she was nothing to them, that her life’s work had no value. And I didn’t care enough to give her the secret to happiness… did I?

Rankin stepped back. “She’s on the train.”

“I know.”

Her face tightened as she understood. “You have a different plan than the rebels.”

I shook my head, not smiling like I wanted to. “Angelica has a different plan, one that may save your life, as well.”

Rankin considered. “Whose is better?”

“Too soon to tell.”
I shrugged, turning toward the washroom. “But they’re Pruett plots, so I’d bet on both of them working.”

Angelica

Rankin didn’t look at me as she came out of the compartment and moved down the hall. Good thing. My jealousy was endless. Not taunting was smart, but it had only delayed the next fight. She was the enemy, and I wouldn’t ever forgive or forget that.

It was awhile before the door opened again. Long enough for me to wonder if Jason was all right, and start considering a knock.

His head turned, searching. He knew I would be close. What did he make of the gift I’d given? Did Jason understand why, or did he think I would hate him? …perhaps he no longer even wanted me, now that he’d had Rankin.