Vibe (Pandora's Box, #1)

by Liza James

Zale has conversations with the Omega daily, and then on Sundays we gather around the biggest wooden table I’ve ever seen and commune together. Our entire colony, our Nation, joins to celebrate the fact that we’re different from everyone else.

Oh girly pops in a cult..

We’ll be saved. We’ll be alive. We’ll be protected. That’s really what I want—protection. Especially now that I’m thirteen and my day of induction is upon us.

Not the age I thought this book would start with but ok

I’m excited too. I don’t know exactly what takes place during the Induction ceremony, anyone under the age of thirteen isn’t allowed to attend. But everyone raves about the ritual, saying it’s absolutely life changing.

Probably gonna get raped by the leader

One night, when mom was leaving work, a man hid behind her car and then attacked her, holding a gun in her face and demanding everything she was carrying. Her purse, her money, the earrings she wore. He didn’t know they were fake and from the clearance aisle in Wal-Mart. He wanted anything he thought might be of value. But Malin saved her, and I’m so thankful for that. He stepped in and helped my mom when she was almost killed by evil.

Was probably a set up to gain her trust

This is all I’ve ever known, and I couldn’t be more thankful. Because on the outside? That’s where the evil is. That’s where the sinners and wrong doers are; the rapists, and druggies, and homosexuals. They don’t get into the City like I will, they won’t be protected like I am.

OOH GIRL JUST YOU WAIT

“Dance with me, wildflower.” His voice is dark and husky and just as he says it, little flowers literally spring up around my feet from the grass.

Welp its definitely lsd

Malin’s lips drop to my jaw line in a touch that sends shivers down my spine. He’s been touching me like this for years now. In a way I didn’t think was allowed but I’ve been assured it is. Even my mother says it’s okay, and I trust her above anyone else. She’s always protected me. Besides, Malin has always made me feel good. And right now? It feels the best it’s ever been. His hands fall lower, slipping over my bottom until he grips it tightly and pulls my hips against his erect length. He’s shown me how to touch him there, how to give a man pleasure when it’s time I marry someone of The Nation.

Wtaf. Her mums fucked

My mother says that it’s okay for her and me to share him. That we were especially given to him by the Omega as gifts for his perseverance and dedication to the faith.

Shes fucked

Have you had those moments, when you meet someone and have an instinctual draw to them? Like you know you both will be instant friends—companions. When you meet another person, and you immediately relate to a certain topic, or style or friend group, and you know that you’re going to impact each other’s lives in some way?

Jes 🫶🏻

I glance back to find Hawk examining the newcomer, but I laugh, knowing that he genuinely dislikes most of the guys Bethie brings around. The three of us are so close, such good friends, that he feels protective over her as well.

Lol they fucking, bet

Have there been a couple random drunken nights where she’s ended up kissing another woman? Yeah, of course. But who hasn’t had those? I haven’t, but I don’t think I’ve lived a normal life compared to a lot of other people.

Its giving "everyone experiments"

She’s different from any other stripper I’ve seen here tonight because she isn’t dressed like any of them. She’s rougher around the edges, with her ripped up shorts and vintage shirt, her minimal makeup, and the fact that she isn’t even wearing heels. What stripper doesn’t wear heels? Nah, she’s wearing converse, actual black converse tennis that shock the shit out of me while drawing me in even closer.

Ooft yeah ok

I need to remember this isn’t who I am, even if I’m not a part of The Nation anymore, I’ve always been attracted to men. Always. That has never changed. This is some one-off fluke because I’m confused by the memories of my past and my already apprehensive thoughts of coming here tonight.

You spent your whole life being groomed to cater to men by a homophobic cult...

“Fuck no, not her.” Bethie’s voice bites out in frustration next to me and suddenly long, slim fingers slip across the back on my neck in a confident touch.

Fuxk you too Bethany

“Because she can’t handle someone like you,” Bethie argues, and a quick burst of anger flashes across my chest. How dare she say something like that? She has no idea of what I can and can’t handle. Not that I want to handle this. I don’t. Of course not. The dancer smiles, and leans even closer to me as she replies to Bethie, “Why don’t you let your friend decide what she can and can’t handle? If she wants me to stop, she can fucking tell me herself.”

Fuuuuuuck that cunt

“Your friend is a little desperate, don’t you think?” she whispers against my ear and my eyes fall shut for a moment while I focus on steadying my breaths.

And a lot cunty

“Liar,” she says darkly, just before her teeth bite down on my ear and she pulls. I jump in surprise and quickly lift my free hand to her waist in order to push away, but that was a mistake. Because now I have her skin under my touch, I’m holding her against me while she continues moving, dancing, grinding against my body and now I want more. I flex my fingers, gripping her even tighter when my back arches involuntarily and I press myself harder against her.

Clenches thighs

He may or may not have thrown one of the girls’ heels against the mirror before his ass was hauled out. What did I do? I kept the heel, of course. Shoved that shit in my bag and took it home to add to my collection of douche-bag mementos. Every time some guy or girl is a raging cunt, I steal something that represents what they did. Tuck it away and then display it in my tiny apartment in order to remind myself that it’s only me out here.

Amazing haha

Don’t get me wrong, I love rough sex. I even love being the one who leans towards the more dominant side—especially with women. Because I enjoy both men and women, alone or together. Gender doesn’t register on my radar anymore because as I’ve gotten older, the more I’ve realized how important the connection actually is. Even if it’s a one-night stand, or a quick hook-up, I intentionally feel out the energy coursing between myself and whoever I’m with before I really let go.

Yesssss

Her head absently drops closer to mine, her lips just inches away from my own. I can almost taste her breath on my tongue, and I’m tempted to lean forward and suck her bottom lip into my mouth, drag my teeth across her flesh until it’s red and swollen from my touch.

Ooft yes

Bethie turns towards Ruby and continues speaking. “And you? Are you okay?” she asks as she lifts a hand and drops it to her shoulder. Her thumb brushes against Ruby’s shirt in a kind way, but that doesn’t stop my eyes from zeroing in on the action.

Mm no thats not a kind way, its a possessive sexual advancement kind of way

Chad can go home with you and Hawk, I’ll take Ruby home and I’ll meet up with you guys when I’m done.” “Wait, I have no problem riding with you and Rubes, babe. Not one problem at all, you both could use the protection of a man.” Chad is joking, being sarcastic, but the comment immediately sets me on edge because I know what he actually wants. It’s pretty clear in the way his eyes drop down Ruby and Beth’s figures in a seductive gaze before his eyebrows kick up and he smirks. “One, don’t call me Rubes. Two, I don’t need any man’s fucking protection. But by all means, continue spouting sexist bullshit and we’ll see how far that gets you.”

Fuck i love her

Fucking Dom. He saw her and it took everything in me to reach for Beth in hopes that it would keep his attention off of Aura.

Ahh i was wondering wtf that was about

I hear Beth slam her car door shut and dash after us, but I don’t spare her another glance. She’s disgusted me for tonight already and I truthfully, I want nothing to do with her.

Beth is giving huge rapist vibes

“Besides, I’m surprised you’d even entertain the idea of kissing her after how The Nation raised you.” Beth’s words sound around me in waves of vague memories. It feels like a dream, like something cryptic and haunting all at the same time. It pierces through my mind in sharp stabs of agonizing pain and at the same time, wraps around my shoulders in bolts of nostalgia. “What did you just say?” I ask quietly as I slowly turn my gaze towards Bethie. My skin is icing over in rage while my heart loses control in its rhythm and practically breaks through my chest in order to escape. No one mentions my past. No one brings that up. It hits me differently than people realize, and I’ve avoided talking about this for years now. “What is The Nation?” I hear Ruby ask behind me, but all of a sudden it’s so quiet in this room that I can hear every individual heavy breath of each person. “It’s the colony that Aura was—” I slam my hand forward, wrapping around Beth’s neck as I shove her against the wall.

Cut her throat

I can practically see it happening with my own eyes but all of a sudden it’s like I’m having an out of body experience. I can’t fucking stop myself, can’t control the rage that’s boiling inside me at the mention of my past. So fucking freely she brought it up. So fucking easily. A casual mention of something so traumatic, like it means nothing to her. But it means everything to me.

Because shes a fucking narcisstic snake

I stumble backwards, releasing Bethie’s neck and dropping my hands to my knees as I try to catch my breath. “I’m sorry,” I say breathlessly. “I’m sorry, Bethie.”

Do not fucking apologize to that bitch

“Has she been opened?” Zale asks beside me, and I assume he’s addressing Malin. “Yes, of course. I’ve been claiming her for the last five years,” he responds. It’s true. It started when I was eight, when he’d show me how to make him feel good and when he’d reward me by making me feel good.

Fucking disgusting

Her arms tighten around my waist as she drags me against her, our joined hands barely slip under the hem of my shirt, but it’s enough to have her skin against my own. Her fire burning through my icy body. I can feel her tits pressed against my back and while I would never have thought that would be something erotic—it absolutely is.

Yesit is

She takes my other hand and shifts it down to my thigh, slipping up and towards the center where my pussy is already wet and pulsing. “I’m not fucking good for you. You should have never stepped inside my club tonight.” “I don’t care,” I say breathlessly as I pull and tug on my nipple, rolling it between my fingers while she continues controlling my touch.

Fuuuuuuuu

“Yes,” I moan while I feel her hips roll against my ass. I’m grinding against her and she’s doing the same to me while we both work to get off on this vague line of what we shouldn’t be doing. “Yes, what?” she asks as she takes my hand and slips it under the hem of my shorts. Fuck, she wants me to finger myself. She wants to control me fingering myself. “I’ve wanted you to touch me,” I admit, just as she guides my fingers to my clit. I touch myself, feeling how wet I am against her.

This is so much hotter than 99% of straight smut

She’s working me up, slipping up to run over my clit once before sliding back down and circling around my core, not moving inside me. Not yet. “You’re so fucking wet, Aura. God, I want to taste you. Sink my fucking tongue inside your wet cunt. Are you going to come for me when I fuck you?” Just as she says the words, she slips my own fingers inside of me, shoving my own hand so deeply that I cry out in both surprised pain and pleasure, but her other hand is quickly covering my mouth, muffling my moans as she continues fucking me with my own fingers.

Melt

I gasp as she stretches me, knuckle by fucking knuckle until she picks up the pace and I instinctually move to shut my legs. “Don’t fucking do it. Or I’ll yell for Hawk and force him to watch while I give you the best orgasm you’ve ever had—with my fucking hand.”

Hahahahaa

“Good news for you, big boy. I have no intentions of stealing your plants.” I turn away, walking back towards the living room before I turn on my heels again and continue speaking to him. “I’ll let Aura take care of those when she dumps your ass and moves in with me.”

Hahahahah

“I don’t know, how long do you plan on sneaking into your kitchen in the middle of the night with Aura’s best friend?” I say it, I fucking confront it. Because it wasn’t lost on me last night. Why in the Hell would Bethie and Hawk be together at three in the fucking morning? He’s an idiot if he thinks he can get away with that for long.

Noooooo shit

“Stay the fuck away from my girlfriend. I let you have last night, but that’s all you fucking get. I don’t know who the Hell you are, but I’m done being kind. Aura has work to finish.

That was you being kind? Lol also what "work"

“Exactly. Baby, you know I wouldn’t go for someone like her. She’s a stripper for fuck’s sake. I like my girls a little more modest, a little more wholesome than that.” He steps towards her and pulls her against his chest, embracing her as his arms slip around her small waist. “Jesus Christ, you’re kidding me, right? You do realize that thought process is fucking misogynistic and disgusting? Go back to the fucking 1500’s with that bullshit.”

Faaaaaacts

“I needed to restore you.” His last words are muffled and I can hardly make them out but immediately, I throw my head back and try to put a bit of distance between our bodies. Those words, if it’s what I think he said, that phrase. It’s too familiar. Too strange to be a coincidence. His arm anchors me to him though, and I’m caught against his frame.

Duh. Hes obviously a plant from the nation

We know of your rungs, my sweet girl. I'll cleanse you, restore you, and all will be forgiven. Come back to us. We know of the vile girl, the one who's made you sick and tainted you with evil.

Because hawk and bethie told him.

allowing it for now and shaking his hands in dismissal.

I dont understand this

“You, new girl, if you want a job, let me know. You’ve got a spot here.” I pause and look back, my eyes clashing with his as he lifts his chin in acknowledgement.

Please do

“She doesn’t want a goddamn job here, Sal. For fuck sake,” Ruby shouts out and a bolt of frustration rushes through me. She doesn’t get to tell me what to do in this instance, not after I’ve been riding this fucking high of power and control. Hell no, I’m in a good fucking space right now, so I do the only thing that feels natural in the moment. “Yes, I do. When do I start?” I shout back,

Good girl

My lips lift up only slightly and I shift my body towards her in the seat. I lean forward, letting my lips brush against her ear as I speak. “You going to fuck around with my girl in front of me, and then offer to get me off in the same breath? You’re so fucking sweet, but I’ll pass.”

Love her

He’s dressed strictly in white, and an eerie lump builds in my stomach at the sight of it because I somehow feel like we’re associated with each other. It doesn’t make sense, I realize that. But his supposed purity is so far from white that’s incredibly black. It’s evil and all the energy around him seems to suck any potential light from the room.

Malin or Zale?

Her hands falls to my shoulders as her fingers begin kneading the tension out of my body. “I can help you. Relax, you know? I wouldn’t mind taking care of you.” My eyes dart up to meet hers as I try to understand her intentions. Is she hitting on me right now? In the midst of my fucking discomfort? Or is she trying to be a genuine friend?

Definitely hitting on you 🤢

Nova. “What the hell did you just say?” I ask, taking a slow, small step towards him. “Nova Callis, that was your given name, correct?”

Aura and Nova, you’re kidding right? Lol

But my heart sinks and even more fears are confirmed as Malin shoves me towards Dom, who reaches out and catches me in his own firm hold. “Dominique, sir. Take her, continue your sessions. I don’t think it will be much longer now.”

Oh. Not where i thought that was going..

I look up quickly enough to catch the imprints of teeth I left at the base of his cock and I’m fucking glad. Happy to have inflicted any sort of painful mark on his body while he tortures my own.

Sucked in cunt

“Always such a pervert,” he mutters as he continues pumping inside of my dry core.

Huh? I dont get it

Little reminders prick through my mind constantly now, telling me I need to leave him. That our relationship isn't what I need it to be, isn't what he deserves.

Its better than he deserves