I felt pain in my wrist and I tried to change my sleeping position. When I tugged on my arms, I couldn't bring my arms back to my side. My eyes flew open, and I saw I was handcuffed to the bedpost above me. Atlas sat on the edge of the bed with his back to me, but when he felt my movement, he turned to me. I was completely naked, but he had a pair of black trousers on.

Although it was dark in the castle, I could see how incomprehensible his crimson eyes were. He stood up and crawled onto the bed.

"Atlas?" I wasn't afraid, but this was an unusual behavior for him.

Grabbing my ankles, he yanked my feet down. I gasped at the sudden jerk as my bare body stretched in front of him.

"There is something I need from you." His voice was low and daring.

"What are you doing?" I questioned. "What are we doing?"

He crawled up and trapped my midsection between his legs.

"Atlas?"

His rough and large hands slid up my abdomen and towards my breasts, where he cupped them in his palms. I inhaled sharply. He pinched my nipples, and I bit my bottom lip from making any sound. Leaning down, he sucked on my nipple. His tongue flicked the hardened tips till I couldn't think straight.

Then he licked and kissed his way up to the curve of my neck. He sucked and nibbled on that piece of little sensitive skin. I felt his fangs dig in slightly until he pierced the piece of skin. The smell of blood entered my nostrils, but the euphoric sensation overpowered everything in my mind.

While sucking on my nipples, his hands slid down my body and cupped my ass. He lifted it off the mattress and the apex between my legs met with one of his muscular legs. The friction was instant, and I released a breath of surprise.

"Close your eyes," Atlas whispered his way down my abdomen.

I held my breath, but my eyes fluttered close.

His mouth feathered, kissed on my stomach while his hand slid up and grasped my breasts. He squeezed it and twisted the nipple between his forefinger and thumb. I moaned while twisting beneath his torture.

Feeling every single light touch with every rough touch set my body aflame. I wanted more, and I ached to feel him between my legs.

"Atlas, I can't wait any longer."

"Not yet."

"Please," I breathed.

I felt his hot breath between my legs and I ached for him to take me into his mouth, but his firm hands on my inner thighs stopped me.

"There is something I want from you first and you're gonna give it to me one way or another."

"What?" I opened my eyes to look down at him.

His dark crimson eyes were heavy with desire. Every single muscle in his body tense. His jawline was rigid, as if he was fighting with his inner beast and desires.

"How do you break the curse?"

My heart stopped, and I shook my head in refusal.

His jaw clenched even more, and he punished me with a hard nip on my clit. I cried out at the sudden painful, but intense, feeling. I clenched my fists above me and begged silently for willpower.

Atlas wants the truth, but how could I tell him that in order for me to live, I needed to kill him?

His mouth covered my clit and sucked away the sudden sting. I moaned and arched my hips on impulse. He held down my legs.

Atlas pulled back immediately and cupped me with his palms. I felt his finger at my entrance. He caressed and circled the opening. Slipping in, but not truly slipping in. It drove me insane.

"Tell me, Ophelia."

"No." I was surprised at the amount of strength that came from me. My entire body was a muddy mess.

He stuck two fingers in and stretched me inside. I moaned louder and rolled my head back. I felt his lips on my neck and he sucked hard.

"Tell me." I felt his breath on my ear.

"No."

It angered him because the next time he twisted me over onto my stomach. The handcuffs squeaked at the sudden change. His lips trailed down my spine, and I shivered at the contact. I felt his hands clutch my butt cheeks. A second later, he slapped it hard.

I hissed in pain.

"It will not work," I gritted between my teeth.

"We'll see about that." He slapped me several times more until I was sure my cheeks were red with his handprint. Then I felt him palming and caressing my bottom before slipping my legs.

"You're so wet, Ophelia. How much longer can you take? Don't you want my cock inside you? Stretching you deep?"

I bit my lips to stop me from begging. Never in my three hundred years have I ever begged and I won't start now. His fingers brushed over the apex of my legs and I inhaled sharply. The breath of air stretching my lungs to the max.

"So damn stubborn as expected of my mate." Atlas's lips touched my back shoulders and he bit down hard. I felt that bite to the core. It was like a sizzle that electrified all my senses. I couldn't stop the moan and my eyes from rolling back.

I felt his fangs pull back and his tongue licked over the fresh bite. I fisted my hands and gritted my teeth. He flipped me back onto my back.

"Tell me, baby. I can make you feel so good." He slipped two fingers and then three fingers inside me.

My head was in a disarray. I couldn't think straight because the sensation that flowed through me blocked all kinds of rational thoughts. I struggled against the restraints and Atlas stopped his movement.

"Don't move," he commanded.

A plea developed in my throat. I wanted to beg and ask him to stop this. I wanted him to continue and bring me to the brink of ecstasy. I stopped moving, but it was the hardest thing ever.

Atlas wanted something from me, but telling him this secret will destroy me. I couldn't and I wouldn't. I wasn't a woman who broke easily. Torturing was something I'm very familiar with in my lifetime. I lived 300 years tortured by the red crystal.

Atlas swapped position. He unbuttoned and unzipped his black trouser before pulling his hard erection out from his pants. The tip of his erection slid up and down my slit, and my pussy clenched at the feeling.

"Ophelia, tell me."

I shook my head. Words were impossible at this point. I couldn't trust myself not to say what I didn't want to say. I had to keep my mouth clamped shut to prevent myself from saying something I will regret.

"Fuck, Ophelia." Atlas's conflicted and tortured expression told me he was also holding onto the last of his resistance. He slipped the tip of his erection inside me and I bit my lip, arching my hip for more.

I watched his hands curl into fists, and his hard crimson eyes settled on me. Anger and obsession warped his hard features. His body fell over mine. Atlas boxed me in with his hands on both sides of my head. The tip of his erection is still at the entrance.

Our eyes met and tears slipped down my face. I felt so many emotions flowing through me. Both good and bad. One of his hands came up to swipe away a tear drop before his lips came down on my lips. He kissed me gently, but desperately. Almost as if he was begging me to tell him what he wanted to hear. He pleaded silently through that kiss, but also comforted me through it as well.

Suddenly, he plunged inside of me and hit me to the hilt. His grip on my cheek tightened as he pulled out and slid back in hard. The bed shook. I gripped the chains on the bed. I was more than prepared for whatever he was giving me. He was punishing me, but loving me. This lovemaking was both torturous, but comforting.

Atlas gave in to me. He would not keep torturing me for the answer. He began this game, but will lose for me.

His rhythm increased. The bed squeaked louder, and he broke his kiss to bury his face in the crook of my neck. His arms wrapped around my entire body as he continued to plunge deep inside of me. My eyes rolled back. I felt his harsh, hot breath on my shoulder. His groans and pants driving me close to the brink.

Atlas pulled out and flipped me back onto my stomach. He held my hips and lifted me off the mattress as he plunged back inside me. His cock stretching me in a different kind of way. I moaned as he fucked me from behind. I tried burying my face into the mattress, but Atlas pulled on my hair. His hot breath on my cheek.

"I want to hear you when I fuck you."

I obeyed and kept my head up. Cries and whimpers escape me loudly.

Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. Pushed to the edge faster than I could breathe. I cried out his name and clenched hard around his cock as I came.

Atlas grunted and removed his hand from my hair to grip my hips to plunge in and out of me. His movement was less controlled, and I knew he was almost there. His fangs pierced my back shoulder, and he sucked hard as his cock pounded deeper than ever. I orgasmed again. Crying out loud and clutching at the bedsheets, I begged him repeatedly to go deeper. He grunted, and I felt his hot seed spill inside of me.

His movement lessened but still jerky. I can still feel his hot cock pulsing inside me as we both collapsed onto the bed. I felt his panting breath on my spine. Sweat covered both of our bodies.

We stayed that way for a while until we both caught our breath. Silence replaced our heavy breathing and a sense of sadness filled the air.

"I'm sorry." Tears began flowing hard.

Atlas moved to remove the chains, and he gathered me into his arms. Cradled me like a baby. I cried into his shoulders, hugging his body, praying that I could hold him like this forever.

"I'm so sorry," I cried louder into his shoulder.

"Shh. It's okay, Ophelia." His heart was pounding fast.

"I love you. I love you so much."

"I love you too, baby."

I fell asleep in his arms this way.

I'm sorry I couldn't tell him the truth. Atlas has the entire world weighing on his shoulders. While he was the world to me. He was all that I had left. He was my only family, and I wouldn't sacrifice him for anything. I wanted him to keep living, even if it was without me.