Dangerous Illusions

Chapter 16

The colors of the room did not match her bedroom. She sat up quickly, gasping when she saw Erabus sitting on the edge of the bed. She felt the sheets caress her skin and realized she was naked. She clutched the sheets to her chest, pushing herself up against the headboard.

"Where am I?" She demanded. "Where have you taken me?"

It was impossible that he took her to another country, yet the architecture of this place suggested just that. The style was too old, the things that filled it too ornate and beautiful even for a modern day home.

"This is my home, Leila. Your new home." He answered. He lifted her chin, forcing her mouth to his. She clenched her teeth together, trying to push away. But he held her, coaxing her lips apart. He pushed her back onto the bed until he lay on top of her.

"It is no use fighting. There is no where you can go."

"Why did you bring me here?" She shouted. "If you're going to kill me, why didn't you do it in the alley? Why bring me here?"

"I'm not going to kill you, my love." He said harshly. He stilled her hands at her sides and frowned at her. "I wouldn't harm you. Ever."

"You're insane." She announced. "Is this what you do with your money? Kidnap women and pay others to look the other way while you rape them?"

"It will not be rape with you," he murmured, lowering his head once again to kiss her. His lower body pressed to the junction at her parted legs. She could feel his arousal and gasped. The only barrier between them was the robe around his waist.

"I have waited an eternity to feel you beneath me."

His words only made her heart beat faster. Men didn't really say these things to women. Coming from Erabus, it sounded so natural, so genuine.

He brought his hips forward, pressing himself closer and Leila arched to him. Her body betrayed her mind without a second's delay. His fingers twined with hers as he moved with her, showing her exactly how his touches wouldn't lead to rape. The things he made her feel were too strong to fight, and some part of her wanted to feel it -- to feel him. She'd never slept with a man before and just once, she wanted to experience it.

"What are you doing to me?" She whispered, desperate to break from this spell he had over her. His eyes flashed, as they never left her face. He let one of her hands go and trailed it over her body, exploring every inch of her.

"All will be explained to you once I have you."

His other hand came to join the other, leaving a trail of heat with each inch of flesh he touched. Her full breasts were soon cupped in his calloused hands.

She couldn't tell when her hands started to wind around his neck or run through his thick, black hair.

"Erabus," she whispered. The need within her burned like fire, leaving her mindless and alert. He was her only succor.

His robe was discarded and she felt the heaviness of his c**k rest between her thighs. His hand moved over the smooth plane of her stomach, down to her waiting s*x. She whispered his name again when he touched her there, separating the slick folds with his skilled fingers.

The sensations he brought her were so intense, so new. He traced the folds gently before plunging a finger inside her.

Something more blunt replaced the finger. Alain opened her eyes to see him loom over her as he pushed in.

She moaned when he thrust into her deeply. The pain cut her moan off and she dug her nails into his back.

With each thrust, she was aware of his slick flesh sliding against hers. He filled her so deeply, stretching her until she thought she could be stretched no more. Something wound tightly within her as he moved. It was hot, unbearably wonderful. She wrapped her legs around him, wanting to bring him in deeper still.

They kissed, their moans fusing as their bodies did. She breathed him in, his musk, that erotic scent of the unknown.

He started moving faster, each thrust burying him as deeply as he could within her. Her wet muscles clamped around him and soon, she was falling off the edge of pleasure and crying out his name. A second later, he followed, filling her womb with his seed.

He remained inside of her.

"Now take me home." She demanded. Anger flashed in his eyes as he rolled them to their sides so they faced each other.

"You would dismiss what we just shared?"

"It was practically rape! We shared nothing!"

She tried to push at him, but he grabbed her wrists. "I was saving myself, too." Tears welled up in her eyes.

"You were saving yourself for me, Leila." He said in a hard voice. "You are mine, you were always mine."

"Why do you keep repeating that? I'm not your possession."

"I own you body and soul, Leila. As you own mine. It was meant to be, preordained by the stars, by the Fates or whatever you like to call it. But it remains true. Your place is beside me."

"I want to leave this place. Take me home, please." She pleaded, feeling a tear slide down her cheek. She had always thought when such words were spoken to her, she'd melt and confess her own love to that man. Yet these very words only scared her.

Erabus de D'Alessandro was a stranger.

"You cannot leave this place because it's a different realm."

This made her stop. "A different realm."

"It has no name or direction. One only senses where it is in this universe."

She stared at him. "You're insane."

His handsome jaw tightened. "I am sound of mind, I give you my word, Leila. Just listen to me if you want answers."

When she gave no indication of fighting him again, he let go of her hands and propped himself on one elbow.

"Are you immortal?" She couldn't quite believe she'd just voiced such a question.

"I'm a demon."

Upon hearing those words, she started to bolt, but he held her down, calming her fears with a loving hand.

"I told you I wouldn't ever harm you." He murmured. "Not all demons look like monsters or kill mercilessly or possess such evilness that everything around it dies. That is stereotyped by your Hollywood."

She swallowed. "Then what sort of demon are you?"

"It is complicated to explain...you could say I rule over the chaos of the world -- several worlds. In life there are paths and with each decision one person makes, there is a counter-decision. My powers preside over both paths -- both decisions -- so whichever an individual makes, their fate is controlled by me."

"But doesn't that make you god?"

He laughed. "No, I am no god. I control the fate of chaos and bad things. All the good is controlled by beings of a pure-soul."

"Then you...kill?"

He shook his head. "I control only the decision to kill or be killed. These things coordinate with the intentions of the pure-souls."

"So you work together then?"

He thought for a moment. "It is more of instinct than of actually working together."

"Why am I here? What does any of this have to do with me?"

"Because you were meant to be mine."

His words were too tempting, yet it was all too surreal. She pushed at him and this time, he let her go. She grabbed the sheet and pulled it around her.

"I can't do this. Just take me back, please. I've done nothing to you, Erabus. Just let me go back home."

He stood up, naked and stalked toward her. "This is your home, Leila. You must remember this. Your place is beside me now."

"Am I to kill others, too?" She asked, the very thought completely ludicrous. He was a demon, she a human. Demons were evil and grotesque, yet Erabus stood before her as the perfect example of a male beauty.

She moved from him, her feet padding along the heated marble floor as she pushed through the double doors of the bedroom into a wide hall, as richly decorated as the bedroom. Busts sat on consoles along the hall, more paintings hung on the walls.

It was so strange that there were no windows, yet light seemed to illuminate the rooms, light that was more powerful and natural than from the oil lamps and candles.

The halls were empty, but her eyes searched for someone -- anyone -- to help her. Still naked, Erabus followed her, jerking her around to look at her. Temper flaring in his eyes, he held her.

"You have no where to go. The rooms in my palace are endless, each leading back into the other."

"Why me? I didn't ask for this. I didn't ask for you." She yanked her hand away and stared up at him.

His dark eyes lit with suppressed passion. He held himself stiffly, his jaw clenched tightly. He was angry that she still rejected him.

"The pure-souls said you were to be mine."