Wolf Women (The Madison Wolves Book 10) (22 page)

"Oh god," I said. "Ready."

"The timer starts when the first food or drink passes her lips," Michaela said. "You aren't allowed to tell her what you are giving her, except whether it's food or drink."

Monique played it up. "Hello, baby," she said in a sweet voice. "Aren't you a sweet baby? Are you hungry, baby?"

I gurgled at her, as best I could.

"Oh, what a good girl. Open up! Here comes the rabbit, hop-hop-hopping into your mouth."

I opened obediently, and she popped something in. It tasted like mint.

"It's baby food," she said, "you can just swallow it, little Zoe. That's a good girl."

I swallowed. "You pre-chewed my food?"

"Those are big words for a baby," Michaela said. "Stay in character."

But everyone else laughed.

Whatever it was, she gave me two more, then she stepped up and said, "Head back, big drink." She didn't wait but pressed the mouth of a soda bottle to my lips and began to pour.

I swallowed as fast as I could, but some of it drizzled down my face. I was going to be so sticky. I recognized the diet coke.

"Time," said Michaela. Monique removed the bottle from my lips, and then she pulled me into her arms, my head over her shoulder, one hand under my buns to hold me there, and she began patting my back while bouncing up and down.

I couldn't believe she was strong enough to hold me like a baby, but it felt effortless for her.

"Burp for mommy," she said. "Big burp now!"

And darn if I didn't just do that, a rip-roaring burp of epic proportions.

Well, maybe not epic proportions. It was, I'm sure, a very dainty, lady-like burp.

"First try! Well done, Monique."

Then I let out another burp. And a third.

Yeah, who doesn't like a good burp laugh? The wolves sure did.

Monique carried me to the sofa, set me down, and then removed my blindfold before sitting next to me.

Sitting on the coffee table was an opened package of Mentos and a two-liter bottle of Diet Coke.

"Please tell me those Mentos are vegan," I said quietly.

Michaela smiled. "Don't you trust me, Zoe?"

I eyed her then nodded.

We were up to the last players of the second round, Evangeline and Scarlett for this round, when someone's phone began to beep. The sound was coming from Michaela.

"We'll finish this round," Michaela said.

Five minutes later, the round was over, everyone in high spirits, and the score counted. Monique and I were in third place of five teams.

"Punishment time," Michaela declared. Everyone grew still. The coffee table was still pulled out of the way, but Michaela dragged a chair over so she could sit in front of me. She leaned forward. "For wolves, the physical punishments begin right away, and that was true for my second ransom night. But for my first, my kidnappers had a list of other things they wished to do to me first." She peeled her hair away from one ear. "They pierced my ears."

"Mine are already pierced."

"Yes."

"We did things to her that Lara would enjoy," Angel said.

"Your tattoo."

"The one on my butt," Michaela said. "That was later in the evening, but yes." She gestured to her chest. "You have seen these, as well."

I nodded.

"They were things that hurt," Angel said, "but only a little."

"Well, these hurt more than a little," she said, gesturing at her chest. "And so did the tattoo and a few of the other things they did, but relatively speaking, yes, only a little."

"We didn't really know what to do," Angel said. "Except we had a list of things we thought Lara would like."

"I don't think Portia wants my nipples pierced."

"No, I don't believe she does," Michaela said. "So unfortunately, we don't have a list of those types of punishments."

I didn't want to tell them, but I wanted a tattoo. I thought Portia would like that. But I wasn't going to suggest it.

"Ransom night is about showing your strength. And so, this is your punishment," she said. "You must describe in detail at least five things you do not like about Portia. We will be recording it and sending it to her."

I stared at her.

"For every item that you are short, or if we are dissatisfied in your level of forthrightness, we are going to hurt you."

"Oh god," I said. "Is there an alternative?"

"Hurting you is the alternate," Michaela said. "Scarlett, start recording."

Scarlett held up her phone, pointed at me. She moved around slowly, shooting from different angles and distances.

"Why the phone?" I asked. I gestured with my nose. "You're already recording."

"We can send these right away without editing," Scarlett said. "Start talking."

I watched her for a few seconds, but then I looked back at Michaela. I stared at her for a good fifteen seconds, not saying a word, then I looked around. They were all watching me. "Well," I said finally, returning my gaze to Michaela again. "You're going to have to hurt me. Portia is perfect. She is strong and beautiful, with all the right curves. She treats both Ember and me exceedingly well. She is thoughtful and kind, and while she seems quiet when you first get to know her, she opens up and is quite intelligent and witty. And while I don't like that her job sometimes keeps her away from me, I am proud of her. I wish the job she did wasn't necessary, but she keeps you safe, and I do not begrudge that of her. I love everything about her, and I don't have five things to tell."

I paused. "But even if I did, I would either keep them to myself or discuss them with her. They would be no one else's business. And so, if there are a few niggling, inconsequential things I wish were different about her, I wouldn't share them with you." I closed my eyes. "Go ahead."

"Do you wish to beg Portia to ransom you instead?"

"No."

"Well, we must give her a chance, anyway." There was a pause, and then Michaela said, "Hello, Portia. We've been playing a fun game, but it's time for a punishment. She refuses to ask you to ransom her, but perhaps you would like to hear what we're about to do." Then she stood up and walked away, and I couldn't hear the rest of the conversation. A minute later, she came back.

"Portia declines to ransom you at this time," Michaela said. "Hold her."

Evangeline and Angel were seated next to me, a shift made during the movement during our game, and they grabbed my arms through the tape, and then pressed a hand onto my thighs. They also wrapped an ankle in front of mine so I couldn't kick, and from behind me, someone else also pressed into my shoulders, holding me firmly in place. "Zoe, this stops when you agree to do what we have told you to do, or when I decide. Monique, you're first."

My eyes were still closed, but I heard someone knelt in front of me, presumably Monique.

She grabbed my feet in her hands, curling her fingers so they were pressed into the bottoms of my feet. From beside me, Angel leaned closer and whispered into my ear, "Strength, Zoe."

And then Monique began to dig her fingers into my feet.

It hurt immediately. I let out a gasp then clamped my lips together, breathing heavily through my nose. It went on for perhaps a half minute, and I felt tears begin to leak from my eyes, but other than rapid breathing through my nose, I didn't make a noise.

"That's one," Michaela said, and Monique released my feet. A moment later, I felt lips pressing a kiss into the top of each foot, and I opened my eyes in time to see Monique kneeling upright again.

She leaned forward, held my cheek with her hand, and said, "We love you, Zoe."

I smiled halfheartedly and nodded. I didn't trust my voice.

"Lindsey," said Michaela.

There was no pause. It was Lindsey who was holding my shoulders, and she immediately began digging fingers into one shoulder. I gasped in surprise, and this time I didn't have the control to clamp my lips closed. I panted loudly, gasping several more times, but I slammed my eyes shut and vowed to hold on.

"Harder," Michaela said.

Lindsey began pulsing her grip, and each pulse brought forth a fresh gasp. I began to whimper, and a moment later, Michaela said, "That's two."

Lindsey immediately relaxed her hold. I realized I was trembling. Then she leaned over the couch, wrapped her arms around me, and kissed my tear-stained cheek. "We love you," she said into my ear.

"There are three more," Michaela said. "I'm sure you can come up with three things to tell us."

"No!" I said.

"You can beg Portia to ransom you."

"No!"

"Iris."

Iris did it differently. I heard movement, and I watched her move around the front of the sofa. Then she climbed on top of me, straddling my legs and sitting back on them.

"What are you going to do?" I asked her.

She didn't answer, but she leaned forward and wrapped her left hand in my hair then yanked back savagely, tilting my head to the ceiling. I yelped in surprise.

I was, of course, completely helpless and unable to resist even the slightest amount. They could do what they wished to me, and my only defenses were my words. My heart was pounding now, and I could feel the fear begin to creep in.

But I realized I trusted them, and they wouldn't carry this too far.

Iris leaned over me, staring down into my face, then I felt a knuckle begin to press into my chest.

I didn't close my eyes this time. Instead, I stared into hers. She began to press harder, twisting, and it began to hurt. I gasped again, and she increased her efforts.

What Lindsey had done to my shoulders had hurt worse, but I felt even more helpless and vulnerable being held like this, and I began to whimper nearly immediately, the whimpers turning into keening. Still she didn't let up until Michaela said, "That's three."

Immediately her knuckle relaxed, and she held her hand flat against my chest instead. Her fingers relaxed in my hair as well, but she didn't release my head right away. Instead she leaned closer and whispered, "We love you, and we're proud of you, Zoe. Thank you for doing this." She kissed my ear, and then she released me, her touches gentle as she climbed from me.

"You're not going to make it through two more, Zoe. Give us two. Only two."

"No. None."

"Evangeline, I don't think she realizes we're serious."

Evangeline moved to my feet. "She will," she said. And then she was squeezing, but she ground the bones of my feet against each other.

"Stop!" I said. "Stop! Stop! Stop!"

She didn't stop, and my demands turned into more keening. Tears were flowing freely from my eyes. But I didn't scream, and I didn't beg to be ransomed, or even to talk about anything I didn't like about Portia.

I couldn't think of any, anyway.

"That's four," Michaela said calmly some time later.

Evangeline immediately stopped what she was doing, but the pain lingered for a while, and I gasped for air, slowly calming down.

"Angel is next," Michaela said. "Evangeline is just a student and not into her full strength. Angel has nearly reached her full size, nearly two hundred pounds of werewolf." I looked over at the woman. "Give us one thing you don't like about Portia, and Angel doesn't have to hurt you. Zoe, if you don't give me what I want, she isn't going to go easy on you."

"Portia is perfect," I said. I took two deep breaths and closed my eyes. "She's perfect."

I won't explain what Angel did to me, but it hurt a great deal.

When I began to scream, she stopped immediately.

I sat there, panting for a long time. Finally I opened my eyes and looked around. The wolves were watching me, looking on with various degrees of concern.

But when my eyes settled on Hadley, she was smiling, and she nodded, almost imperceptibly, just once.

I offered a halfhearted smile. "What is the price for something to eat, and are we still playing Fear Factor, or is there another game?"

* * * *

We played Fear Factor through several more punishments. They went easy on me for the next one, ordering me to describe ten things I liked about Portia. That I was happy to do, and it wasn't punishment at all. I talked at length.

The nature of the Fear Factor challenges changed. The first set was based on food. But then Michaela refilled the slots with new notes and put all the nails back in. This next set was based on beauty treatments, with one of us dolling up our partners in various ways. The challenges had names such as Unusual Mascara and Green Eyed Monster.

Michaela reassured me everything we were using was vegan.

We got pretty raucous.

I especially liked when Cassie used lipstick to draw two big hearts on Hadley's cheeks. She turned to us and asked, "Is it me?" We assured her they were.

I had to make up Monique, but with my hands full, I could only hold things with my mouth. People were laughing so hard I saw tears running down a few cheeks. I had a hard time doing it, as I was laughing, too, and kept dropping the instruments of Monique's discomfort.