Open World (20 page)

She looked up
at him
,
puzzled. Didn’t all men want a woman on her knees in front of
them with their dick in her mouth?

“Don’t you
like me anymore? Don’t you want me?”

“Of course I
want you. I love you. Always have. I wouldn’t mind making love to you
,
but I
don’t want to take advantage of you and your purity.”

“Purity.
Yeah,
right.”
She chuckled. “I’m not that pure anymore.”

“What?” Alden
bellowed, his face twisting in ire. “Did he penetrate you? Did he taste of your
blood?”

“God, no,” she
said appalled. “I’m still pure in the true virginal sense.” She filled him in
on the details of her time spent in Buzz’s world—how she always had to please him
,
how he never
satisfied her, and what he did to her body in place of regular sexual
intercourse. “He did mention once it wasn’t
time yet for him to take my
innocence.
Whatever
that meant.”
Hope rolled her eyes. “Then there was his friend, Clive, the one who told me
about the portal. He said he understood why Buzz wanted me even though I wasn’t
the strongest in my clan.” She contemplated what she had just said and gasped.
“Oh, no.
Faith.
Cassandra.
We have to warn them that Buzz may be after them as well.”

Alden stopped
her before she jumped up and started to cause a scene. “Your family is fine. T
hey’re okay. Cassandra and Faith
have their own protectors.”

“Do
I know them?”

“I’d
rather not say. If Buzz isn’t on to them yet, I wouldn’t want the information
getting back to him.”

“Who
would I tell? Besides, he knew about you so who’s to say he doesn’t know them
already?” She narrowed her eyes at his exasperated expression. “Alden, what’s
really going on?”

“I
can’t explain yet. I will though. Hopefully, I’ll be able to soon.”

“I
think I can convince you to talk.”

“Oh, really now.
And how do you propose to do
that?”

She
unfastened
her bra, let it dangle and fall to the floor to rest upon her shirt. Her
nipples immediately peaked and hardened in the cool, conditioned air. She
reached out and freed his cock again.

Alden’s
breathing increased. She was happy he didn’t stop her and allowed her to
gratify him. The last few nights of being up on stage naked, dancing for the
men, had driven her crazy. She had become so used to performing oral sex acts
and obtaining some relief from them herself that she seemed to be experiencing
a kind of withdrawal. Her wanton need to touch and please a male hit home the
moment her mouth went around the head of his phallus. He was still hard from before.
It was easy for her to rim the underside of its head with the tip of her
tongue.

He shuddered under her touch. Hope looked up at him. His hooded,
passion-filled gaze met hers. She smiled slyly, and with her gaze still
connected to his, gave the tip of his cock a quick flick of her tongue. He
threw his head back. A heated sigh escaped from his lips. She stroked his penis
from its base to its tip, tightening her grip ever so slightly on the up slide.

Skimming her thumbs along the top of his clothing, she
maneuvered him to a position where she could rid him of his pants and
underwear. In a few swift tugs
,
she had his apparel down to his ankles, revealing his manliness
in all its glory. The long, thick length of him
,
no
longer inhibited by any attire
,
waved freely in the
air. She lightly traced the backs of her fingers along the bottom of his well-defined
abdomen, loving the light bit of fluff. She trailed her hands down along his
hips and
thighs,
then smoothed them up his legs and
into their juncture to cup his balls.

Leaning forward
,
she placed his cock back in her mouth. One hand gently massaged
his sack.
Her head bobbed up and down rhythmically, enticing him to
greater heights.

“Honey, stop, please,” Alden pleaded in racking breaths moments
later. He pulled out of her and moved her away. Bending down, he grasped the
top of his pants, pulled them up and walked into the adjoining bathroom.

Slightly
confused as to why he didn’t let her finish and having a feeling their little
interlude was over, Hope slipped on her bra and tee-shirt. From her closet
,
she pulled
out a pair of jeans and donned them as well. She was sitting on the bed,
running her fingers through her hair, when he finally came out of the bathroom.

“Sorry about
that.” He pulled her into his arms and held her close. “I didn’t want to
subject you to what was about to happen.”

“It would have
been all right, Alden,” she murmured against his chest.

“Maybe so, but
I didn’t feel comfortable with it.” He stroked her hair. “And you’re right. You
do need to know what’s going on
,
but let me make sure you’re safe first. Okay?”

“All right,”
she agreed and led him from the room.

Out in the
kitchen Ruby sprang from her seat at the table. “There you are! I thought you
were going to sleep all day. You didn’t bother the poor thing, did you?” She
looked at Alden with a brow raised.

“No ma’am. I
let her sleep.”

“Well, thank
God,” the blonde stated as she slumped back into her chair. “Thanks
,
Alden.”

An older woman
at the table with Ruby cleared her throat.

“Oh, me and my manners.
Hope,
Alden, this is
Aithne
, one of my closest and
dearest friends.”

“I’m so glad
you didn’t say oldest this time,”
Aithne commented in a crackly voice.

“Fire.”
Alden bowed and took a seat opposite from her.

“Yes, my boy, quite right. Come
,
my dear,”
she said to Hope. “Have a seat next to me and let me tell you what I find.”

“What you find?” She questioned
as she sat.

“Aithne fancies herself a
psychic,” Ruby supplied, joining them at the table.

“Fancy,
schmancy.
I am a psychic,” Aithne retorted. She homed in on Hope
with slit eyes.
“Hmmm, interesting.
Your parents are
mystics, record keepers even, as are you and your sister, though you and
her
would rather play.
You and
yours led a privileged life and found favor in the high court. Your cousin, she’s
trained to be a high priestess. Good for her. Good for her.”

Hope quirked an eyebrow at Ruby
,
then at Aithne.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Bah,” the
older woman flapped a hand in Hope’s direction. “That man has you in a spell.
Bad spell.
Bad poison.
Did it so your family would
have to accept him and so he
could have his way with you. He’s a powerful one, he is. His enemies will
eventually take care of him, but to be free you have to break the spell.” From
her bosom she pulled a small packet. “Here are herbs. Steep them as you would a
tea and drink a glass each night for the next several nights. It will help to
break the curse, though you’ve been slowly cracking away at it already.”

She
winked at Alden. “And when this bad man comes back into your life, you’re not
to eat or drink anything from him. You’re most definitely not to taste of his
blood or he of yours. You also need to repeat the Lord’s Prayer to him.” Aithne
removed a necklace with three stones in its center and handed it to her. “The
green-yellow stone is peridot and provides a shield of protection around the
body. The glassy textured, dark stone in the middle is obsidian and is a
protective stone. It stabilizes energies and shields against negativity. This
purple stone here is amethyst. It’s a stone of peace and strength. It protects
against anger, hate, envy and fear. Wear it at all times.”

Aithne
looked to Alden and smiled. “You, my boy, are a good soul. You will be rewarded
someday. You have to tell the lass what is going on. It’s okay to do so. She’s
started the enlightening.”

Alden
leaned back, crossed his arms over his chest, and dipped his head once.

Hope, more perplexed than ever,
darted her gaze between the two.
She passed the leather strap of the necklace over her head, letting it settle
at the juncture of her neck and shoulders.

Aithne
glanced back at Hope. “Even though you’re considering contacting your family, I’d
advise you not to do so. That man is looking for you. It would be best to have
the spell broken first before you reconnect with them.” She rose from the table
and Alden followed. She turned to Ruby. “My mission for the day has been
completed. I will now go home and meditate.” She looked down to Hope. “You’re
a strong
lass with great powers of your own. You have to
stop stifling them and realize their potential. But beware the man’s clout.
He’ll find you and come after you sooner than you want.”

Chapter Eighteen

Hope
and Alden strolled down the grand sidewalk of the boulevard in front of what
used to be a five star hotel, enjoying the evening twilight and the cooler
breeze that came with it. Music blared from hidden speakers and a boom from the
pond signaled the start of a water show. Currents of water jetted toward the
sky, swaying and pulsing to the song. The streams danced gracefully. She’d
learned the jets were one of the first things that’d been fixed after the war.

“Are
you happy, Hope?” Alden asked, circling her waist with his arm.

“Yes,
I’m happy. Being with you this past week, free from the watchful eyes of my
parents and that madman, has been the best of my life.”

He
held a black box in front of her. She took it and opened it. A string of
beautiful pearls with hues of pink attached to a braided leather band and
accented with sterling silver stations gleamed up at her. “What’s this for?
It’s not my birthday.”

“Just
because,” he replied, shrugging his shoulders. “I love you and your strength
and wanted you to have something pretty.”

She
wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him. “Thank you. They’re lovely.”
Her
eyes gazed into his soulful depths. A quick intake of breath whistled through
her teeth. A tremor rippled through her as he lowered his head and touched his
lips to hers.

A light breeze drifted by and the music
seemed to dim and play in the distance. Her senses became heightened by his
slow, thoughtful kiss. A brief shiver ran through her. His kiss became more
persuasive. She met his command by parting her lips and letting him taste her
more fully. His teeth nicked her lips, his tongue caressed hers. Warmth
blanketed her body and enveloped her spirit. He brought her desires and passion
out, making her feel alive and sensual. He cupped her head. His other arm
wrapped around her. She was grateful for the support.

Nearby, people whistled, clapped and
cheered.

“So, Alden,” she said when the two of them
resumed walking. “What did Aithne mean by what she said? Nothing made sense to
me.”

“It’s hard
to explain. It can be hard to understand
as well if one’s soul hasn’t become more open and receptive.”

“Whatever. Just do your best.”

He
led her up onto the skywalk over the street and stopped half way across. “When
people look up into the night sky, most will only see the stars. Others, though
they may not see more, will sense there is something else out there and come to
understand they belong to something greater. These are the people who
eventually become enlightened. They realize everything is connected, is
repeating. When they fully realize who they are, they see their pasts, their
now, their futures with greater clarity and knowing. You and your family come
from great clans. We’ve been linked through them since time began. That’s why
you feel so connected to me and why I’m protecting you. But you and your family
have repressed your gifts and not allowed yourselves to know the truth. You all
have been too immersed in your human natures.”

Den
paused and studied her. “I see you’re looking at me like I’m crazy so that’s
all I’ll say for now. We should get back to the apartment so you can get ready
for work.”

“I
don’t have to work, but we could go back anyway,” she said seductively.

In
her room, she held up a scarf taken from her bureau. “Can I tie you up?”

His
eyebrow rose as he looked from her face to her hand and back. “I’m intrigued.
Sure. Let’s go for it.”

With
a devilish smile, she retrieved a few more scarves, laid them on the bed and
provocatively sauntered over to him. Staring into his eyes with the smile still
on her face, she stripped him of his clothes and pushed his naked body onto the
bed. In an unhurried, casual air, she positioned his limbs so he
lay
spread eagle. Hope tied his wrists and ankles to the
four corners of the frame, then lightly slapped the sides of his ass, making
them a pale shade of pink. When his cock responded to the indirect stimulation,
she stroked it with her hand and her tongue.