Waking The Dragon Ch 05

Matayla stumbled, but quickly regained her steps and led the warrior down the dark, quiet halls. They stepped outside into the brisk night air. The girl was suspended from a gallows on a small ledge. Her arms were stretched above her head, the rope looped around her wrists and tied to the crossbar. The balls of her feet barely touched the cold, sharp rocks below. She was naked except for a black hood that completely covered her face. There were no holes for eyes, nose, or mouth. The wolf was on guard at her feet, keeping the posted solider away from the girl. The animal growled low as Matayla entered, and only relaxed slightly when Bane followed.

The soldier blanched when he saw Matayla with no clothing. He quickly looked away, mumbling, "Your Highness."

"What is this animal doing here?" Matayla demanded, striding across the area without looking at the solider.

"It's been quite a bother, Mistress. It hasn't let any of us get close enough to her to carry out the rest of her punishment."

Bane passed Matayla, pulling a rapier from the belt at her waist. She cut the rope with one swipe, holding one arm around the girl as she collapsed forward. The girl slumped against Bane's shoulder, mumbling deliriously. Bane whispered soft assurances to the girl, scooping her into secure arms. The warrior glared at the Queen as she walked away. The wolf followed, staying close to Bane's heels as she marched to her bedroom. "Bring food and water to my chambers," she barked as she passed Gryph but she did not slow down until she gently laid the girl on her bed. Her fingers worked the hood open, peeling it away from the girl's face.

Bane tucked the girl into the bed, covering her with the warm blankets. Her skin had a chill to it and Bane did everything she could to raise the temperature. She added blankets to the bed and stoked a fire in the mantle in the corner. She bent and touched her lips to the girl's, giving her a slow kiss. After a moment, the girl shifted and began returning the kiss. She opened to the warrior and Bane slipped her tongue between the girl's lips. The girl brought her hand up and rested it on Bane's cheek, tilting her head so that Bane could delve deeper with her talented tongue.

They didn't break the kiss until Gryph came into the room. Bane wiped the girl's face, gave her water to drink, and forced her to eat some of the fruit and cheese that the servant boy brought. When she finished, Bane undressed and curled close to the girl, sharing the warmth of her body. "Lilith," the Dragon said. "My name is Lilith." The girl smiled, but did not say anything. Bane stroked her matted hair away from her pale face. "The Queen said you would not leave with me. Why?"

The girl laid in silence, her breath warming Bane's neck. "She holds my father captive. I accept my punishment to prevent her from hurting him."

Bane contemplated the girl's words for a few moments, listening to the chirping of crickets outside. "Why does she keep your father?"

"Because he was the King," the girl answered without hesitation.

Bane sat up, looking down at the girl. "You are the Princess?"

The girl sat up, laying her fingertips against the warrior's lips. "I don't remember what it is like to be a Princess. I was just a child when Matayla took our palace and our kingdom and my innocence."

Bane lay back, her eyes focused on the ceiling in the dark. "Are you certain your father is still alive?" the warrior quizzed.

The girl waited so long to answer that Bane suspected she had fallen asleep. "He must be. If he were dead, I would have no reason to survive."

Bane knew about survival. She also knew about lost innocence. At that moment, she hated Matayla with more intensity than she had hated anyone since the day she had fled Nyte. She only had to close her eyes to remember the sound of the dogs baying. She could smell the fires burning. Nyte's words burned in her ears. "Run, my precious, run far and run hard."

"I was eight," Bane said into the darkness. "We were merchants and lived out of our wagon. Highwaymen robbed us, raped my mother, and killed them both. I was spared because I was hiding in the woods."

Tiny Lilith had cowered in the woods for three days, fearful that the highwaymen would return. She had been wasted to nearly nothing when Lord Donnellson's carriage had come upon the smoking remains of the wagon. Donnellson's men had rummaged through the wreckage. Lady Donnellson had moved about the edge of the clearing, her crisp eyes sweeping the woods. Lady Donnellson had been the one to spot the little girl trembling in the bushes. The Donnellson's had taken the little girl to the castle and cared for her as the child they had been unable to have.

No amount of time would erase from Bane's memory the first time that her eyes had met Lady Donnellson's. There had been an instant connection between the child and the woman. Lady's eyes had been gray, her smile welcoming, and her arms warm. Their bond had been deeper than any mother and child could be. As Bane's had grown, Lady had revealed to the girl that she had once been a member of the elite fighting force known as the Dragons. A tattoo on Lady's breast displayed a dragon wrapped around a dark moon. The dark moon was symbolic of Lady's warrior name, Nyte. Lilith had caressed the tattoo, studying every tiny detail of the artwork.

As the years stretched, Lilith continued to be fascinated by the tattoo. Nyte had taught Lilith the skills of the Dragon and Dracona's Law. During times of mediation, Lilith had returned her focus to the tattoo. Her fingers danced and caressed over the intricate work. But as the girl had passed the teenage years, her attention had shifted from the tattoo to Lady's stiff nipple. Under Lady's quiet encouragement, Lilith had finally taken the nipple in her mouth and suckled it.

"That's it, my precious," Lady had whispered, stroking Lilith's cheek with her soft fingertips. "Use your tongue, too." Lilith had been powerless to do anything but obey Lady's hypnotic voice. She had used her tongue to rub against the hard bud, circling the rough areola and smooth skin as she tried to draw nourishment from the dry breast. Lady bowed her head and watched the young girl's lips quietly.

Lady had opened the girl's tunic, revealing the firm, pale breasts of a young woman. She had rubbed her thumbs over Lilith's nipples until Lilith had moaned softly. The vibration of the moan sent gentle waves through Lady's skin, causing the noblewoman to tremble. "Go to the other breast, my love," Lady ordered softly as she slid her hands down to Lilith's slim hips.

Bane minded the heated words, trailing her mouth over to Lady's other breast. She clamped her teeth around the rigid bloom, thrilled with the sensation that Lady's sounds of pleasure shot through her awakening body. She fastened her teeth harder, tugging, no longer following orders. She moved on instinct as Lady offered herself to the hungry mouth.

Lady reached down and began rubbing Lilith through the tight leathers that the girl wore. Lilith began rocking her hips in time to Lady's firm stroking between her legs. She latched onto Lady's breast, concentrating all her pleasure on that tender spot. The woman and girl were both breathless, switching between moans and gasps. There were few words. Lady gave soft commands but Lilith said nothing.

Lilith shuddered and jerked away when Lady's rubbing built her body into a fever. She trembled and cried out in surprise and pleasure. Her eyes widened. Lady smiled, massaging faster and harder until another wave crashed over the girl. Lady sat on the edge of the bed and opened her thighs, sliding her fingers between her slick lips as she watched the girl experience her first and second sexual peak.

As Lilith recovered, she began to watch Lady's fingers as they moved in and out of her pink nether lips. Lilith settled on her knees, scooting close so she could watch. Lady held open her swollen lips so Lilith could see the swollen bud and wet channel inside. Lilith leaned forward, not waiting for a command from Lady before she lapped lightly against the nub. Lady moaned, lying back on the bed as Lilith's tongue began moving quicker. She rode the waves that Lilith's quick tongue created, unable to form any sounds of encouragement.

Lilith didn't need words or instruction. She knew what to do. Her tongue was a powerful tool, silencing her partner and forcing her to submit to the intense gratification. Lilith's tongue curled and thrust into the tight canal, pumping in and out rapidly, forcing Lady's crests higher and higher. Lady locked her thighs around Lilith's head and pushed into the girl's talented tongue, begging silently for completion. Inexperienced Lilith even seemed to know how to prolong Lady's journey. Lady held on as long as she could before giving herself to the mindless explosions that rocked through her body.

Lilith laid her head on Lady's stomach, feeling the aftershocks as they radiated through the woman's body. Lady gently stroked Lilith's sweaty hair. "You shall be the Bane of my existence, my precious."

Lilith's new education began that night. During the day, Lady continued to train the girl in the ways of the Dragon. At night, Lilith learned how to touch all of Lady's buttons. She learned to use her tongue to make Lady moan and quiver. Lady even taught her how to use the thick phallus as a weapon on other women.

Then darkness had descended and Lord Donnellson had been killed in battle. Lady and Lilith had defended their home as best they could without revealing that they were Dragons. Their enemies, an order known as Hydras, hated the Dragons. Revealing their knowledge would guarantee death for them both. Their home had been taken over by a violent man known as Kel. Kel had forced himself on Lady, tying her to the bed and pounding her repeatedly. Lilith had struggled to go to Lady's aid but two massive guards had held the young woman in place. When Lilith had finally managed to break free, she had climbed on the Kel's back, scratching and clawing with all her fury. He had effortlessly thrown her against the wall, knocking her unconscious. The guards had imprisoned her in a dark, damp cell for two weeks. When he had finally released Lilith, Lady had been a broken woman.

Lilith had become a slave to Kel and his men. He had treated her as nothing more than a possession. He had ordered her branded with the Hydra symbol, a coiled serpent with two heads. Lilith had screamed as the red hot iron had pressed into her flesh. She had twisted as the brand had pressed, so the shape was never perfect. Lady had been forced to watch. The warrior inside the noblewoman had been infuriated but incapacitated to do anything in retaliation. She had lovingly nursed Lilith's wound as it healed, Lady's soft tongue washing away the memories as the brand became scar.

Kel had not discovered the truth about Lady for sometime. Lady continued Lilith's training whenever they could get away from Kel and the guards' watchful eyes. Kel had not learned the truth by finding Lady and Lilith in combat. Instead, he discovered Lady's shrine to Dracona. When he had realized that Lady was a Dragon, Lady had arranged for Lilith's escape. "Run, my precious, run far and run hard."

Lilith had obeyed, knowing that Lady would be captured. The punishment for being a Dragon was death by fire. The young woman had lingered in the woods, watching from a rise as Kel had tied Nyte to a pole and lit the byre beneath her. Lilith had run hard, determined not to think of the pain Lady experienced in death. The young warrior had attempted to join the royal service. She wanted to lead an attack on Hydra. She couldn't bring Nyte back to life, but she could reclaim her mentor's world.

Unfortunately, Bane's single-mindedness had been her downfall in the royal service. She had been dismissed. Lilith had taken the name Bane and roamed by herself, avenging Nyte's death with every injustice she encountered.

No longer a child, she had infiltrated Kel's army. She rose quickly in his ranks and attracted his attention. He wanted to bed her and she had allowed him, knowing the closer she could get to the evil man the easier it would be to kill him.

She had become Kel's lover, waiting for the appropriate moment to destroy his whole empire. The night the fall had begun, she had killed him in bed and torched Lady's palace. She had cried as she watched Lady and Lord Donnellson's beautiful home burn, but not until she had taken advantage of the chaos and panic surrounding the fire. None of Kel's guards had escaped the grounds with their life.