Both were still dripping as he left her for a moment wrapped in a robed cocoon on his massive four-poster bed, while he padded back into the other room. A moment later he came back with a towel in his hands and one already wrapped around his lower half. Adam sat on the edge of the bed, bringing Isabelle into his lap unwrapping her from the robe.

Slowly, torturously he took the time to dry her legs, her arms, her torso, fingers grazing over the long scar, over her chest and back. He rubbed the towel between the ends of her damp locks and her belly coiled, thighs rubbing together, trying desperately to quench the fire between them. Was she the only one succumbing to this? It wasn't fair.

Frustrated, she yanked the towel from him, mimicking his previous movements, slowly wiping down his chest, reaching around to dab, a rumble, like a hum vibrated in his chest. But she wasn't satisfied. She wanted to explore more, to have him continue the sweet torture he delivered in the bath.

Her hands went to the towel wrapped at his waist and in a flash he turned her over. Isabelle blinked disoriented at suddenly lying on her back, the image of a powder blue sky painted with

sweet angels floated on feather wings on the ceiling above her. This was not a sight for their eyes tonight.

Adam hovered over her with his hands on either side of her head, trapping her legs between his.

"Does it still hurt?" Adam thumbed at the angry scar just below her breast. Isabelle shook her head. Her body already filled with so many other sensations that she barely registered the dull throb of the wound.

They started at one another, both committing each line and curve to memory. No more words need to be spoken between them. His head dipped down once more and he captured her lips in a searing kiss. Slow. Gentle. Passionate. She could feel his earnest heart with every brush of his fingers, every languid stroke of his tongue. She moaned and writhed beneath him as he took time exploring her virgin flesh with hand and mouth before settling at the heat between her legs.

He parted them gently open and she complied, her embarrassment flushed across her face as she wondered what his head was doing down there. That is until his tongue curled out to lap at the wetness dripping from her slit. She screamed out her delight. Fingers twining into his hair as her nails dug into his scalp. She thrust her hips up trying to draw him deeper. He came up for air, licking his lips as he did with a devilish smile.

"Your cunt tastes delicious."

Isabelle's face flushed red at his crude language. Though she would be a liar to say it didn't excite her further. He crawled up her body once again, giving her a taste of herself as he placed a chaste kiss on her lips.

"This might hurt," he warned, Isabelle nodded in understanding as he removed the towel around his waist. She had glimpsed him before in the bath but it seemed somehow even larger now and fear filled her momentarily. He steadied himself at her entrance, and she gasped as he teased her slowly pushing in and out. Her eyes hooded with lust and want as her hips rose to greet his swollen cock.

"Isabelle," he breathed her name, before quickly sheathing himself inside. The pain was sharp. She cried out as her walls stretched to accommodate him and the pain of her womanhood being broken. His head dipped to the crook of her neck planting sweet kisses up to her cheek and finally her swollen lips.

"Relax" he commanded.

Adam stayed still for a while. Letting her get accustomed to his length before slowly starting to rock his hips back and forth, in and out. It was still painful as he slowly slid back and forth. Isabelle forced herself to breathe, to relax as he had instructed, and slowly the pain started to fade as a new sensation built inside her.

She rolled her hips with him setting the pace faster and he readily complied. Pumping in and out as he stroked over her sensitive bundle of flesh, the heat built up like a wave, higher and higher. Her breath came in shallow pants as she gripped the silken sheets to keep her grounded as the feeling took her higher.

"Adam, I- wa-wait-" she panted a warning as her body tightened around him.

With one deep thrust she tipped over the edge, screamed out her release, walls clamping around him.

Adam nipped at her neck groaning as he too rode the wave of ecstasy, spilling his seed inside her.

He stayed still for a moment both basking in the afterglow of nirvana, before sliding out and rolling over to lay on his back beside her.

Adam drew her close into his arms, her head on his chest. She could hear the thrumming of his rapid heartbeat as they curled into one another.

"If I had known it would be like that..." Isabelle trailed off and he chuckled the sound vibrating in her ear, rich and warm and all of a sudden she was tired again. Her eyes dropped, heavy with exhaustion.

"I am honored to be your first," Adam murmured into her hair, kissing her forehead, "And I wish to be your last. If you would have me." Her heart tickled at what he was subtly proposing.

"Yes," she whispered, fighting the sleep that dragged her eyes down; her body heavy.

He hummed into her hair, kissing her forehead once more. "Isabelle, my Isabelle."

Thoughts of tomorrow, far away in their minds as both fell into the warm embrace of sleep, cradled in each other's arms against the backdrop of a crackling fire.

🌙

When Isabelle's eyes slid open once more it was still dark. Her fingers feeling across the sheets at the empty space where Adam had been. The spot was still warm.

She heard a groan from the other room. The sound of bone popping. No. Isabelle slid from the bed. Her legs were shaky, as the flesh between them throbbed painfully. A small dark stain splotched the sheets where she had laid. Blood. Her blood.

She brought a finger tentatively between her legs, they came out wet. Was she still bleeding? Isabelle grabbed a towel, wiping herself quickly staining the white sheet a rusted color. It didn't seem fresh. Hopefully, his bloodlust did not come on right after the transformation. Isabelle spotted her discarded red dress on the floor and shrugged it on. The fabric swallowed her slight frame and she had to pick up the front of it, so as to not trip.

"Adam?" she called into the room. When she peered in he had already changed. Paws where feet had been and large fangs that jutted from where she had kissed soft lips.

When he looked up at her again, his gaze hardened once more with the layer of fur that coated him. And just like that the magic was gone.

He still reached a clawed hand to stroke her face, though it was more reserved, fleeting, and she knew he was struggling once more with the darkness of the beast. It's hunger.

"It's okay. I'm not afraid. You are the same in my eyes in both forms," she promised.

He dipped his large head nuzzling into her neck. "Please. I want you to run. Now."

"I can't." Isabelle's heart was heavy with the weight of those she wanted to protect. She had no home to return to. "All those that I truly care for are here. If I am to die, it will be beside the ones I love."

He sighed heavily, "I will find a way."

"Open up!" The loud banging on the door made them both jump. Adam cursed under his breath pulling her behind him.

"Stay here."

"Open, in the name of the king!"

Adam strode into the other room, pulling on a pair of trousers from the dresser before unbolting the door cracking it open.

Isabelle could see the scaly face of a guard from between the crack.

"What!" he growled at the guard.

"I-I am sorry to disturb you my Capitan but it's the king- he is looking for the girl, your blood maid."

"She's not here here," Adam snapped, slamming the door on his face. The pounding continued, frustrated he ripped it back open.

"I said she's not-" the words died on his lips as the King himself pushed Adam aside, bullying his way through the entryway.

"Oh, I have reason to believe she is," the king smiled. Rachelle's dark eyes and black hair peeked from behind the king's back wide with fear. And Isabelle knew they had been caught.

"You're too late brother," Adam spat, still blocking the path forward. "She is not fit to be a sacrifice for the Sabbot anymore."

The King's lion-like muzzle scrunched into a snarl. "Finally put that prick of yours to use, did you?" he taunted. "It does not mean she will not suffer the punishment of insulting the king. Now hand her over!"

"No!"

"Captain please," the lizard reasoned behind the king.

"Give me an excuse to run you through with my sword." The king unsheathed the blade at his hip and Adam stiffened where the tip pointed into his chest.

"Don't!" Isabelle could no longer watch, coming into the room behind Adam. She would not put him in harm's way for her actions. "I will accept the punishment, your Highness."

The king grinned and Adam turned, his eyes begging her not to, but she had already made up her mind. Isabelle reached up as he bent to meet her, planting a kiss on his furred cheek.

"I'll find a way." he whispered his previous words, and she nodded, swallowing the fear in her throat as she stepped over the threshold allowing the guard to take her away.

Adam watched from the door and she looked over her shoulder trying to mouth that it would be okay.

"Oh, I thought you should know," the king added as two more guards came up to meet them. "I decided on her new punishment. Fifteen lashes should do." Adam snarled, "And she will be a participant in the hunt."

"How dare you!" Adam roared, lunging forward. The two new guards stopping him at the point of their spears, "You have no grounds! She is not a criminal."

"Of course she is. She insulted the king, one of the worst crimes of all."

"You can't do this!" Adam snarled, pushed back by the spears as they herded him back to his room. "Brother please!"

Participant? Hunt? Isabelle's heart raced. What was the hunt? What would become of her?

"Place him under house arrest,'' the king ordered as the first lizard guard grabbed her by the wrist, dragging her down the hall toward the stairs.

🌙

"Ah!" Isabelle screamed as searing white fire tore across her back. She had bit her lip raw and the metallic tang of blood coated her tongue. She whimpered as another lash came down, peeling the flesh from her back.

Fifteen, she counted in her head, as her vision spotted yellow and brown. She just had to hang on a bit longer.

The lizard had dragged her down into the bowels of the castle. Through the main foyer and down a long hall to a door she had never been through, that led down deeper. Into a cold clammy darkness only meant for the dead to rest in. Torches ran spaced out too far to provide any constant light, just glowing patches between darkness.

"No. No!" Isabelle struggled against the iron clawed grip of her captor. "Where are you taking me? Let me go!"

Her body prickled with fear as it dragged her into a chamber that seemed to be where nightmares were birthed. Chains hung from the walls of the dim torch little room. Its solid gray walls boxing her in with the creature as the door shut behind them. There was a wooden box filled with spikes that ran inward like jagged teeth. Rows of sharp looking objects were scattered on a long table. Shelves lined the back of it, holding grim covered jars, concealing the contents.

A worn table to the left held leather straps at both ends meant to bind hands and feet. He shoved her harshly against the wood, knocking the air from her stomach as she fell over onto the rough wood. The hand grabbed her once more, dragging her up before she had time to catch her breath and strapping a wrist in before grabbing her other. She tried to thrash and kick her feet out, but he held her limbs down firm, with a practiced sort of swiftness.

She twisted her head to the left at the squeak of a door, cheek scraping against the rough wood.

"What's with the blood maid?" A bored voice asked, accompanied by heavy foot falls. Isabelle tried to crane her neck but all she could make out was the long shadow that stretched up the wall to her right, as the footsteps came up behind her. It looked oddly human.

"Fifteen lashes. King's orders," the other voice hissed, sounding like it came from the scaly thing that had dragged her here in the first place.

"Seems like it takes less and less these days to rile him. Poor thing," the stranger's voice sighed audibly. It was deeply male, horse almost, like he had spent the night coughing or yelling...or both.

"The king wants her alive for the Sabbot,'' the creature warned before she heard footsteps disappearing down the hall.

"How am I supposed to do that?" The voice mumbled coming up to the left and into her line of vision. "She is nothing but a bag of bones."

It was a man. A human man! The light was dim but she could still make out his lean frame and the back of a dark brown mop that flickered shades of auburn from the torch casting dancing light across the room. He wore a pair of baggy tan trousers that seemed ill fitted and a loose black tunic that was frayed at the edges, a common man and maybe an ally?

"Please, can you help me?" Isabelle whispered roughly hoping it was loud enough to grab his attention but not the guards.

The man ignored her. Or perhaps hadn't heard as he rummaged through various torture tools on the long table to the right before picking up a long whip what looked like tiny barbs on the end. Isabelle's mouth went dry. He would be the one to carry out her torment. It made sense. Creatures went mad over the smell of blood. She would be nothing but a tasty meal in the hands of that lizard.

"Please. You don't have to do this!" She squirmed and wiggled desperately, furiously.

The man turned and for the first time she caught a glimpse of those coal-black eyes. They held a tired weight, dragged down by heavy bags and filled with misery of his own. His mouth twisted into a pitying frown.

"How could you?"

The man shrugged, "I got a family to feed. If I don't whip you good it's my neck on the line. Sorry, love."

And with that he raised the whip in his hand driving down the first lash.

Isabelle screamed as white hot fire tore through her dress, searing the flesh down her back. And like an animal caught in the jaws of a predator she went limp, giving into the torturous pain until it finally, inevitably ended.

Barely conscious, the man carried Isabelle down the dark hall slinging her over his shoulder like a sack of flour. His shoulder was boney and it dug uncomfortably into her stomach with every step. She wanted to puke. To faint. But most of all she wanted to wake up from this nightmare by the warm fire in the kitchen. To see John and Anna's smiling faces.

The sound of a door squeaked open and Isabelle was deposited roughly on a dirt floor.

She sat against the hard dirt floor, head lulling to the side as she surveyed her surroundings. It was a small cell with stone walls covered in a damp dark green moss that creeped up along the edges, the only color that stood out against a pallet of grim gray and brown. Her back sat against cold earth and damp stone, the cold soothing on her torn flesh. A barred window lined the left of her cell and she heard a rustle and rasping cough from the other side. At least she was not alone, it was the final comforting thought before the lizard shut the steel door behind her, encasing her in her living tomb of darkness.

Exhaustion sunk heavy into her limbs and the pain numbed as sleep claimed her. 

PROCEED TO CHAPTER 23