ChaoticArmcandy

  Monarda loped along the narrow underground service corridor towards the basement of Stormcroft dormitory, pulling me haplessly along. As her gaze swiveled yet again to scan our backtrail, her grip flexed tighter around my upper arm, and I shot a sideways gre at her, biting back a compint.

  I was still crimson-cheeked and shaky from the rush of our narrow escape. The corridors had been flooded with a jostling sea of students on their way to lunch, and my trembling grip on Monarda’s hand had been my only precarious lifeline on our way down the crowded spiral staircase. My vulnerability to her, my sense of exposure, and my ck of underwear had all somehow combined to leave my nerves shot, my temper frayed and my sex a hot, wet mess.

  Both my patience and my gratitude were at the point of wearing thin. I saw no reason for the punishing pace Monarda still seemed so intent on setting, now that she had guided us out of danger and we were safely back in the service tunnels. Unfortunately, she’d hit on a particurly effective technique for keeping my tongue in check, one that had quickly turned my apologetic sheepishness into smoldering frustration, in more ways then one.

  A slight draft brushed through the sticky curls between my legs and I tugged the edge of my skirt firmly down.

  “Stop squirming,” she muttered at me.

  “I’m not—you’re the one who took my underwear.” I retorted. “So why don’t you—”

  She rolled her eyes, then her arm fshed out and tilted my head back with a short, sharp yank on my hair. “Still a little mouthy for my tastes, Ellie,” she warned.

  “Ohh,” I gasped up at the ceiling, stumbling, lightning jolts of pleasure storming through my sex. Predictably, the rest of my words failed to reach my lips and tumbled right out of my mind, unsaid.

  Monarda paused for a moment to steady me. “I still cannot believe that’s the easiest way to shut you up,” she marveled, the corners of her mouth curving up slightly.

  I groaned resentfully, my cheeks a dull throb of heat, my clit unmercifully sensitive and swollen. I could feel a fresh coating of my juices slowly drying on my inner thighs. I wanted to gre but I could barely stand the thought of meeting her gaze.

  “Don’t like it? Stop talking back to me, then.”

  I nodded jerkily, more embarrassed and aroused than I could stand.

  “Much better.” She sounded amused.

  Her grip on my hair released and I stumbled forward again, fuming internally. I had the distinct feeling that she wouldn’t hesitate to use force against me if I made some attempt to bolt—and get a kick out of doing it.

  Pulling out a ring of keys, Monarda finally stopped in front of a nondescript looking door. It swung open with a click and she steered me inside, finally letting me go as she turned to lock it from the inside.

  I rubbed my arm absently, my mind still softened with heat, gncing around at the table and chairs loosely positioned in the center of the small room. A cot in the corner, cupboards. I turned to look at Monarda questioningly.

  She raised her eyebrows. “What?”

  I hesitated, flushing. “Can I…speak?”

  “Good girl, asking permission,” she said with a smirk. “Go ahead.”

  I managed a frosty gre, trying to repress the shiver that her words stirred in me. How in the Nine hells had she figured out so quickly where my buttons were and how to push them?

  “What is this pce?” I snapped. “What are you going to do with me now?”

  “I’m so gd you asked.” Monarda narrowed her eyes at me. “This is where you’ll be staying until you tell me what you were doing in that Tower.”

  I stared at her, lips tight, mind racing. I’d known this question was coming, but I still didn’t have a good answer.

  Monarda leaned forward, a predatory glint in her eye. “Ellie, I’m not sure if you’ve figured this out yet, but bullying you is really fun. I’m not in a hurry to stop, and I guarantee you’ll grow tired of it before I do.”

  Oh, fuck. My eyes widened and I took a shaky step back as she began to slowly unbuckle her belt.

  “I’ve actually been looking forward to this part. You see, I’ve had several tense, harrowing detours today, and you’ve been the cause of—hmm…” She frowned thoughtfully. “Oh, that’s right. Every. Single. One.”

  “Um, Monarda—”

  She stepped forward. “What were you doing in the Tower, Ellie?”

  I gnced at the door.

  Then she was on me, faster than I could believe. I squeaked in fear as she tripped me, then I was spun around and bent over the table, both hands scrabbling at the wooden surface.

  A cool draft brushed my lower lips as she flipped my skirt up. “W-wait,” I pleaded. “What are you—”

  Smack!

  I yelped as her leather belt nded with fiery sting on my bare rump.

  “Too loud,” she said matter of factly. “Must I gag you?”

  “N-no, please,” I gasped, struggling against her. She was so strong. I couldn’t stifle a squeal as another blow nded.

  “Not good enough,” she said briskly, pinning both my arms with one of hers, her other hand ying the belt over my smarting rump long enough to fish around and come up with a stiletto.

  I blinked at the leather-bound hilt she waggled in front of my face. “Y-you can’t be serious.”

  Looking down at me, she arched an eyebrow. “Bite. Or I will gag you with something much more embarrassing.”

  She didn’t wait for me to make up my mind. I whined, flushing, as she pushed the hilt into my mouth and took up the belt again.

  “Brat,” she muttered.

  Smack! Smack! Smack!

  I flinched and mewled as the stinging spread. My sex pulsed hotly and convulsed with each blow, blurring the sensations of pain and pleasure into one glowing ache.

  “I should have known you were trouble.”

  Stretched out on the table, I whimpered and writhed and tried to twist away from the flurry of blows.

  “Infuriating—”

  Smack!

  “Disobedient—”

  Smack!

  “Spoiled—”

  Smack!

  “Little—”

  Smack!

  “I can’t believe I gave you the benefit of the doubt.”

  Smack! Smack! Smack! My ass was raw, red fire, my pussy a swollen, leaking mess. I squirmed and bit down harder on the hilt, tasting the salt of her sweat in the leather, all my pleading garbled into broken gibberish.

  “You shouldn’t have made a fool out of me, Ellie.”

  Smack! I whined around the hilt, begging up at her with my eyes. My face was flushed scarlet with the certainty that the gleaming wetness coating the insides of my legs could not have escaped her notice.

  “That wasn’t just your own life you risked in some foolish gambit,” she hissed in my ear, breathing hard. “Understood? The ripples of your choices have dire impacts. The stakes are higher than you know. Is that clear or do you need me to give you another lesson?”

  I groaned and nodded frantically.

  She narrowed her eyes at me. “Are you ready to answer my questions, or do I get to keep taking out my frustration on your stupidly cute butt?”

  I nodded again and almost cried with relief as the belt dropped and she eased the hilt from my mouth. “I-I was trying to follow her!” I blurted, almost sobbing for breath.

  “Follow who? Aralia?” Her nails brushed slowly down my fming rump—a warning. I flinched.

  “Um.”

  “Ellie.” Her tone was unmerciful.

  I squeezed my eyes shut, trembling as her fingernails dug deeper into my skin. “Y-yes.”

  “Better.”

  Her hand squeezed one sensitive globe, then the other. I shuddered and mewled helplessly as a symphony of molten fire shed my nerves and stoked the heat in my sex—a reward? I was so confused.

  “Monarda,” I choked, arching. “Please, what are you—”

  “I’m asking the questions here,” she interrupted, her hand sliding between my legs. I gasped, my whole body tensing as she cupped my slick and aching sex. What was going on?

  “M-Monardaa—”

  She tightened her grip on the back of my neck, pressing me down harder onto the wooden surface. “Why were you following Aralia?”

  I tossed my head, bleating, as the tip of one finger lightly tapped my clit. I felt so incredibly vulnerable.

  “Tell me, Ellie.”

  “Please, I-I-I can’t,” I begged.

  Monarda snorted and then she pulled her hand back and spped my pussy.

  Spt.

  “Nnghnn—” I whimpered, eyes rolling, feet kicking.

  Monarda bore down with her grip, pressing my upper body ft against the tabletop. “Why? Or you get another one.” She ughed. “Slut.”

  “I-I was going to eavesdrop,” I choked out, trying desperately to think past the hot ache radiating from my nether regions. I needed a convincing lie—something close enough to the truth. This was all so mixed up and confusing.

  “There we go,” she chuckled, wiping her hand casually on my skirt. “Good girl. Why?”

  I moaned, my mind hazed with humiliation and bewilderment. This girl was simultaneously bullying me and pying me like an instrument, pulling secrets out of me with frightening ease. Why couldn’t I resist her?

  Maybe because she just saved my life. Multiple times. At the risk of her own. The realization brought a sudden jolt of crity. Depending on people for survival made me emotionally vulnerable to them, whether or not I wished it. I’d opened my guard and let Monarda in and depended on her and now she was fully using that. How long could I resist her? I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to think.

  Monarda released me, stepping back and beginning to pace. “Come on, Ellie. What did you stand to gain from eavesdropping that was worth the risk you ran?” Her voice was patient, ruthless in its inquiry.

  I hesitated, then flinched at the sp of the belt sounding against her palm. I needed to choose either Aralia’s protection, or Mi. I’d finally been caught. I could no longer have both.

  “Ellie?”

  I chose Mi. If that burned my bridge with Aralia, then so be it. And I would just be honest about why.

  “Very well. Now let’s see, where were we—”

  “I needed leverage, okay?!” I blurted, my voice rising with a sudden, raw surge of unbidden emotion. I staggered up to face Monarda, fists clenched at my sides. “It’s too one-sided, the power you all have over me, and you all know about kuffa and halia, secrets I need to know, but none of you will tell me anything and I can’t do it anymore!” I gestured wildly. “I’m too close to the edge! You can’t just—just keep me in the dark like this and tell me it’s for my own protection and just expect me to survive on that, alone!” My words ran out and I stared at Monarda, breast heaving, throat raw, blinking.

  Silence.

  Monarda sighed, crossed the room to a wall cupboard and retrieved a fsk of water from inside. “Here, drink this. Replenish your losses.”

  I blinked at her.

  She shook it. “Go on.”

  I approached her slowly, skittish as a deer, and plucked it from her hand, then retreated a few steps. A single sip was all it took to awaken my thirst. I tilted back the fsk and gulped, warily watching Monarda as she wiped the hilt of her stiletto off on her pant leg and frowned at it.

  “I don’t bme you for not trusting us.” She shrugged. “Makes perfect sense to me.”

  I stared. “So?”

  Monarda cocked an eyebrow. “So what?”

  “That’s it?” I hesitated. “You believe me?”

  “‘Believe’ is a strong word, between you and me right now.” Her dark eyes watched me for a long moment and I forced myself not to look away. “But I am satisfied that you weren’t acting on anyone’s orders. I don’t think you’re compromised, in that way.”

  “Oh.” I tried not to fidget under her gaze. “So, what happens now?”

  “We wait. I babysit you.” Monarda rolled her eyes. “Until Aralia gets here and decides what to do with you.”

  I bit my lip. “What to do with me?”

  She sighed. “Yes, Ellie. After today, you sure as seashit can’t hide in pin sight as a maid anymore. We’ll have to figure something else out and honestly I am not sure what options we have left anymore. Your rebellious little wild card escapade couldn’t have come at a worse time.”

  “Monarda…” I swallowed, feeling suddenly winded, gut-punched by a slow panic. “Is she going to—to turn me in?”

  Her dark eyes fred sympathy, but her mouth only made a thin line. The air between us, braced with tension. Inside me the endless abyss, reopening.

  “I’ll say this, Ellie. Whatever you tell her to expin yourself, it better be good.”

  ChaoticArmcandy