Page 45 of Beauty

I shake my head. I don’t want to argue. I can feel theconnection waver. I grab it with my mind. I don’t want the dream to end. Idon’t want to leave this place where I can feel Shim. All that’s waiting for meis pain and heartbreak and death. This is where I want to be. If I could Iwould sink into this place and never leave them.

I send him an image of what I want. Him. The other him. Oneand my Two. Shim cuddles to my front and my other at my back. I want a name forhim.

Lachlan.

It whispers through my body, like a cool thrill going up myspine.

Shim and Lachlan. My Dark Ones.

They would surround me, making me feel so petite. I don’thave to be a princess with them. I don’t have to be strong. I only need to betheirs.

I can feel Shim’s deep pleasure with the image. It’s what hewants, too. The three of us together. The halves of his whole finally combinedthrough my mind, my soul connecting theirs.

We almost flow into one another, our pleasures combining.

Shim takes over. His breathing picks up, sending my heartracing. He’s close. His balls, so heavy and aching and infused with power. Theydon’t swing anymore. They’re drawn up, ready to spill inside me. He wants that.He wants to fill me.

There’s a tingling at the base of my spine, so wild I jerkslightly, but then I know what’s happening. Shim is coming, finishing,completing the cycle we began.

My heart nearly stops at the pleasure. Relief cascadesthrough me like a giant river as he spills his seed. I can feel Shim’s joy inthe act. In his mind’s eye, he pumps in and out of my pussy, grinding againstme, giving me everything he has. He squeezes his cock, wringing every ounce ofpleasure.

I drag air into my lungs, blood pumping through my body in apleasant pounding rhythm. I’m happy and lethargic and I feel so, so good.

And then a hard voice echoes in my head. He practicallyscreams as though he isn’t sure I can hear.

Stay where you are! We’re coming for you.

I wake. I sit straight up in my cell, the moonlightstreaking through the high bars the only illumination.

My head hurts again. Am I actually sleeping? It’s sodifferent. They spoke to me, telling me their names. I felt his pleasure.

Symbiotic twins. I laugh a bit ruefully. Well, of course, Idreamed up a set of symbiotic twins. I miss my brothers. I’m in a horribleposition and symbiotic twins are powerful. Tears squeeze out of my eyes. I’malone again. I can still feel my nipples throbbing and the wetness of my pussy.I acknowledge for the first time that I might be a little crazy.

“Uhm, are you finished with all that… Whatever you weredoing?”

I gasp and sit up, pulling the flaps of my bodice together.Dear goddess, I was caught masturbating. I look up and see a guard staringthrough the cell door. There’s a small window that opens from the oppositeside. The guard shoves a tray of food through the slot in the door.

I remember him from the day before. I fed him while he stoodguard for the mayor. Now he’s my jailor. So much for kindness.

I pull my dignity around me. Well, whatever dignity I haveleft. Now he probably thinks I am a whore along with being a witch. I carefullyschool my features. No matter what I’m accused of, I’m still Bronwyn Finn. IfI’m going to be burned tomorrow, I won’t let my fear show.

I force myself to stand and walk across the cell. My legsfeel wobbly, like a newborn lamb learning to walk. Crossing the cell floor withsmall steps, I hold my head high. I grasp the wood tray. There are slices ofbread and an apple that’s been quartered. Nothing else. Still, I take it.

“Don’t forget this, Isolde.” The guard regards me seriouslythrough the small window, his hand pressing through the slot. He offers me asmall, folded piece of parchment.

I take it, placing it under the tray so anyone else lookingwon’t be able to see it.

“Eat well, witch. Tomorrow you burn.”

The window slams closed, and I hear the guard’s boots ringdown the hallway.

I force myself to eat the bread and the apple. I let an hourgo by and then two. When I’m sure no one is watching, I finally pull out thatslip of paper.

Trust Niall. He’s working with us. I won’t let you burn.G

Niall? I stare at the door. The guard. The one who lookedpissed when the mayor talked about purification. The one who told me to hidethe brownies.

The one who passed me the note.