Seduced by Pain

Daring Books Publishing

Copyright © 2013 Kimberly Kinrade

Cover Art Copyright © 2013 Dmytry Karpov

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Edited by Dmytry Karpov

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Disclaimer:

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and
incidents are products of the author's imagination, or the author has used them
fictitiously.

For all the star-crossed
lovers of the world who think it's impossible.

It's not.

Never give up on love.

Chapter 1 – What Fools These
Mortals Be - Blake

Chapter 2 – Your Bitter Foe -
Rose

Chapter 3 – Obscenely and
Courageously - Rose

Chapter 4 – Sympathy in Choice -
Derek

Chapter 5 – Form and Dignity -
Blake

Chapter 6 – Love Looks Not With
The Eyes - Rose

Chapter 7 – Cupid is a Knavish
Lad - Blake

Chapter 8 – Night and Silence -
Rose

Chapter 9 – What Graces in my
Love do Dwell - Derek

Chapter 10 – Hot Ice and Strange
Snow - Rose

Chapter 11 – What Angel Wakes -
Blake

Chapter 12 – A Dream Past the
Wit of Man - Derek

Chapter 13 – Make a Heaven of
Hell - Rose

Chapter 14 – You are All the
World - Rose

Chapter 15 – This Hallowed House
- Rose

Chapter 16 – Lovers and Madmen -
Blake

Chapter 17 – Here Come the
Lovers - Rose

Chapter 18 – It is Not Night -
Rose

Chapter 19 – The Eye of Man Hath
Not Heard - Rose

Chapter 20 – Reason and Love -
Derek

Chapter 21 – She is Fierce -
Rose

Chapter 22 – The Wildest Heart -
Rose

Chapter 23 – Met by Moonlight -
Blake

Chapter 24 – That Yet We Sleep -
Rose

Chapter 25 – Do Not Desire to Go
-Derek

Chapter 26 – The Jaws of Darkness
- Blake

Chapter 27 – The Course of Love
- Rose

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Books by Kimberly
Kinrade

Acknowledgements

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Lord, what fools these mortals be!

—William
Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream

THE EARTH TREMBLED
under my feet, and bright light
pierced my vision, blinding me. Shafts of golden rays warmed the fragile flesh
that covered this new body. I studied my hand—strong, callused by hard
work—as my eyes adjusted to morning. Flexing it, I wondered what it would
feel like caressing a woman's body. Would she enjoy this skin? This unpolished
strength?

Hunger stirred
in me. It had been many decades since I'd last inhabited a human host, many
decades of starving in that prison, unable to feed on the lust of others, but
hunger would have to wait. I hadn't been sent here to satiate my unending
appetite.

She walked in,
and despite the years pulling her skin down, she smelled of desire. I'd seen
her through the portal, knew the stink of her soul, and her flesh did not tempt
me, but mine would tempt her now.

Stopping
short, she caught her breath, showing admirable restraint in my presence. "Blake?"

I shook my head.

An evil smile
curled at Rainbow's lips. "It worked, then?"

"It did."

"Do you
have a name?"

None her human
tongue could pronounce. "Just call me Blake. Keep it simple."

I worked my
own tongue around the words as memories returned to me. Languages and technologies
and sciences unique to this plane, knowledge gleaned through spying and living.
I flexed my muscles, stretching my limbs as I gauged this new body's physical
limits.

A residue of
Blake's consciousness lingered in this form, coating my own experiences with
his impressions. This was to be expected, but always a nuisance.

"What
happens to Blake while you're here?" the coven leader asked.

"Do you
really care?" I knew she didn't. This one had a blackened heart, corrupted
by greed and the lust for power. Even my kind was loath to partner with her,
but she offered us the surest way of accomplishing our own end, and so it was a
necessary evil.

"He's
been loyal, as few others have been. I'd rather he not suffer for his service."
She had already shoved away the initial desire she'd had for me, and though I
despised her, I admired her strength of will.

"He's safe,
bodiless and contained in a prison, of sorts. You call it the demon plane. Do
you wish me to undo this and send him back?" I knew her answer, just as
she did.

She shrugged. "What
must be done, must be done. Let's get to it then, shall we? I need you to keep
an eye on my daughter, Rose. She's shown unexpected rebellion recently, and
that won't do for our plans. She's instrumental to all of this."

"You'll
have to manage the affairs of your family yourself. I didn't just travel from
the demon plane to play babysitter to your children."

"You
insolent slug." She took a menacing step forward, pointing her finger as
one might to a misbehaving child. "How dare you speak to me that way after
what I've done to bring you here."

The rumbling
earth that had first awakened me started again, and rock and dirt fused
together and reached for me.

I moved with
what must have seemed like super-human speed, though felt sluggish for me,
dodged the unskilled attack, and clutched her arms. Pinning her to the wall, I
glared into her eyes. "I am not your lackey. Do not look at this body and
mistakenly think of your errand boy. I may not have all of my powers, but I'm
still more powerful than you, and we share no love or loyalty. I'm here to
serve my own interests. You're a tool toward that end; that is all. If I find
that you are no longer useful, I will kill you myself, do you understand?"

The fight didn't
leave her blue eyes, but she nodded, and I released her.

"Now that
we're clear on who's in charge," I said, "what plans have you for
retrieving the rose bush from the Druids?"

She tugged at
her jacket and straightened herself to full height. "We failed. My daughter
sabotaged us." She spit the next words out with evident distaste. This was
not a woman who enjoyed admitting weakness. "We're not strong enough to
fight them alone, that's why we need you."

Her daughter
sounded intriguing. I made a mental note to get to know her better. Something
inside me, something left over from my host, awakened at the mention of this
girl.

"I cannot
singlehandedly win you this victory. You go up against powers greater, even,
than my own. But I might be able to help in other ways."

She crossed her
arms over her ample chest. "Such as?"

"There
are objects of power that can aid us. I just need to locate one and negotiate
the right deal to retrieve it. In the meantime, you need to prepare your coven
for the solstice ceremony. Without every piece in place, this will all be for
naught."

A gleam
brightened her eyes. "I'll do my part, Demon. Just be ready to do yours.
You'll have what you need for the transference of power. I've waited too long,
toiled for this for too many years, to lose it all now. David O'Conner and his
family will fall, and upon their ashes, I will be raised up into the power I've
always deserved."

Oh why rebuke you
him that loves you so?

 
Lay breath so bitter on your bitter foe.

—William
Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream

Dear Diary,

Visions of soulless eyes haunt me while I sleep. Memories of the same
haunt me while awake. I cannot escape the evil I have done, albeit
unintentional. Whether intended or not, the results are the same; I've destroyed
the lives of others, and in so doing destroyed my one chance at love.

If a heart can fall in love, what does it fall into when that love is
lost? Does it fall into grief, or something darker, perhaps? I fear I'll never
climb out of this pit in which my heart now lives.

The simple comfort of hope has been denied me, and I weep for the days
yet to come.