Tears of Tess (Monsters in the Dark, #1)

by Pepper Winters

I wanted a new label. One that said: girlfriend who will do anything to be tied, spanked, and fucked all over rather than adored.

My mind fractured, literally unthreaded, splitting into two entities. The girl I was: my hopes and dreams, aspirations and love for Brax all blazed bright and true. My insecurities and need for love saddened me. I saw my own fragility. But that didn’t matter, because the other part—the new part—was fierce. This girl had no brokenness or issues. She was a warrior who’d seen blood, stared monsters in the face, and knew without a doubt her life would be hers again.

It was a cell, for all intents and purposes, but thankfulness swelled at having my own room with a hygienic bed. After a week in the Mexican trafficker jail, this was five stars.

Now I was here, in the destination of my fate, I lost strength. I wanted to stay angry and strong, but pity and loss swelled. The simple contact of a caring woman unbuckled me. I sobbed. Into my hands, into a pillow, into sleep.

He didn’t even blink at my outburst. Deliberately, he ran a finger along his bottom lip, glaring coldly. His face shadowed with authority, and to my utter shame, my nipples hardened. My body recalled the way he kissed—responding to every part I dare not acknowledge, parts I wished didn’t exist. It made me feel as if I led him on—invited all of this to happen with my twisted desires. Holy hell, did I invite this by wanting to be rougher with Brax? Did my fate decide I had a life too perfect and granted my sick desires in the worst way possible? I couldn’t breathe.

Q froze, watching the tear trail down my cheek, tickling heated skin. Eyes flashed to mine, and for a millisecond, I saw something human—compassion, remorse, then hunger reclaimed him and he ducked. His tongue swept over my cheek with gentle tenderness, capturing my salty remorse, then ran over his bottom lip.

Tears erupted, and Q growled. “No point crying. You knew I’d be furious, yet you did it anyway.” He stalked forward, kicking the door shut. He stopped a metre away. “Tears won’t save you.”

This was wrong. God help me, I’d broken myself with battling two conflicting things. Run. Fuck. Run. Fuck. The trance sent wetness gushing from me. I’d never been so turned on and never hated someone more.

My body twitched as tears flowed. I needed help. I needed saving. Everything I felt suddenly boiled over, steaming with no outlet…then something happened. Everything… stopped. My mind shut down, body turned numb. Everything I battled… disappeared. I was left an empty shell—uncaring, blissfully vacant.

“What is your fucking name?” he muttered, French accent warbling the curse. He should swear in French. It sounded better.

Oh, I had to answer. He asked a question. I had to obey. “Esclave. My name is Esclave.”

In that moment, in my fragile and broken state, my feelings for Q changed. He morphed from monster to saviour. He did what Brax hadn’t done in Mexico: he found me, killed for me. He rescued me from horror and protected me from the bastards who hurt. Q was no longer the devil. He was my master and I belonged to him.

“What are you?” he clipped, face hard and unreadable. The question anchored me and I looked into his pale ferocious eyes. I knew the answer he wanted. “I’m yours.” He sucked in a heavy breath, body jerking. “Say it again, but not in English.” Q intoxicated me. My lips parted, and I wanted to stay captured by him, forever. An ancient connection linked us together. I looked into his soul—it churned with agony and demons, but he wasn’t evil. Q dropped his gaze to my lips. “Je suis à toi.” Something feral heated his features; he pressed his mouth against mine in one fast kiss. “It means, I am yours.”

He startled, raising an eyebrow, before reaching up and securing my wrists with the G-string. The lacy material bit into my skin, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as being chained in the sparrow room. At least my feet were on carpet, and no guests saw my suffering.

“Ah, esclave. Tu m'excites comme c’est pas croyable.” You excite me beyond belief.

“I’m the only one who can give you what you truly desire.” His fingers dug into my cheek, spreading my scent. “But I refuse to take it.”

“I want to own all of you, esclave. Including your name.” My heart raced. Truth rang in his words. He would deny both of us because he wanted to know my name. I didn’t have to fake the answer: “You’ll be dead before that happens.” I was furious with him.

Pale jade fire blazed with demons he kept locked away. They flittered ghostlike, swarming, urging him to lose control. He growled and thrust once. Twice. Three times with ecstasy.

“Master…Q…Quincy… ” He sucked in a huge gust of air, suit rustling as he shifted. “My name is Tess Snow. Not Sweetie, or Tessie, or Honey. I’m a woman only now realizing what she’s capable of. I’m no one’s daughter. I’m no one’s girlfriend. I’m no one’s possession. I belong to me, and for the first time, I know how powerful that is.”

“You must never ever let me break you so completely. I need your fire, your temper. Your unbreakable will.” I slid off the desk, standing on crinkled paperwork, no doubt for another building merger. “I’ve already given you my promise, and you didn’t have to steal me. I returned.”

Vivid excitement gleamed. He stood taller, light tempering his darkness as he finally understood what I offered. Finally understood I was powerful enough to stand up to the beast he lived with and collar it. I would let it hurt me, but never ruin.

“I promise to protect you, ravage you, hunt those who hurt you, and give you the life you deserve. My fortune is yours. My secrets are yours. And I will give you the corpses of the men who hurt you.”

Then my world flipped upside down. Esclave fifty-eight arrived. The moment she stumbled across the threshold, all those dark needs roared and raged inside. I wanted to throw myself down the stairs and take her then and there. I fucking wanted, wanted, wanted. She was different. She wasn’t broken. For the first time, a slave came to me spitting and alive.

I went wild for her blood. It was the best drug. The elixir of the beast inside.

I gently smacked her belly, aware her ass was beyond punishment after the belt. “You think I’m done with you, esclave?” I nuzzled her ear, licking softly. “I’ve only just begun.”