Page 13 of Contract Marked (Interdimensional Beings #1)

Chapter Thirteen

Erin

“M y contract will be up tomorrow,” Rowan announced as he opened another bottle of wine.

The four of us humans were gathered on Dez’s sailboat in the middle of the lake, the waves crashing leisurely against the sides of it. Lucille and I lay flat on our backs, gazing up at the night sky. They’ve all gone stargazing before, but it was my first time, and it was beautiful. There was too much light pollution back home to appreciate the stars, but here, it felt as if I could reach out and grab them. They were so vibrant.

“Congrats!” Saya smiled, taking a sip from her glass flute. Her pale cheeks were as flushed as the rest of us. That’s what happened after several bottles of wine.

“I can’t wait to see my family again, but I’ll sure miss you guys.” His brown eyes lingered on Saya, almost similar to the look Megan had given me when she had agreed to leave with Dez. As if she had wanted to bring me with her but knew I wouldn’t or couldn’t go.

Saya rubbed his shoulder. “I’m so happy for you. When I first arrived here, I remember you telling me stories about your sisters, how you couldn’t wait to see them all grown up and living the lives they chose.”

Rowan’s smile was the brightest I’ve ever seen. “It’ll have made all of this worth it to see them happy.”

Lucille rolled over onto her stomach. She wore a jumpsuit with an attached skirt that extended on the sides and had frills. When I asked her if she was going night swimming with the rest of us, she gave me a dull look and pointed to her clothes as if that answered anything. When I removed my robe to reveal the yellow two-piece bathing suit underneath, courtesy of Dez, her eyes nearly bulged. However, they weren’t nearly as wide as when Rowan and Saya had stripped naked entirely before jumping off the sailboat with a cheerful yell into the freezing cold lake. Megan would’ve loved these people.

“I know it’s against the rules,” Lucille started as if she could feel a lecture coming on from Rowan, “but since you’ll be leaving tomorrow, tell us: what were your contract terms?”

Rowan skipped the glass and swigged from the wine bottle itself before offering it to us. I took it, the white wine was too sweet as it hit the back of my throat. I preferred my wine dry, but the others enjoyed it.

“I guess I can share that now.” He peered around us as if Dez was hiding behind the lowered mast or would come up from below decks. He had joined us earlier, partaking in a few glasses himself. When we got to our second bottle and talked about taking a dip, his expression grew distant, and he excused himself. He hadn’t returned, even after the sun had completely set and the pink and blue sky was replaced with a starry one.

“I come from a place where it was expected of our women to be sold off into other families to bear children. It wasn’t always bad, but most of the time, they weren’t treated well and had no say in the matter. My father passed when I was a babe, and my mother didn’t have much money left from his savings. I didn’t make very much as I had still been a young boy at the time. Too young to protect my sisters from being taken or supporting the six of us. My oldest sister was very bright and wanted to pursue an education, but that was unheard of for women in our village. When she tried, they had beaten her to death and tied her body to a stake in the center of the village as a reminder.”

We all sat in stunned silence except Saya, who continued to rub Rowan’s shoulder in consolation.

“I didn’t want my remaining sisters to share a similar fate. I wanted them to live a full life, one they chose, but what could I do? I was a scrawny nobody with no money or power to help them. Then, one night, one of the older women in the village visited my mother. I hid in the dark, listening as she told a story that had been passed down for generations of a magical being that would show up and give you anything you wanted—in exchange for your soul.

“My mother had yelled at the woman to leave, that she would bring more bad luck to the family, but the woman’s words stuck with me. Desperate at this point, I snuck out of our home that same night and went to the woman’s home, whose house was far nicer than ours. She smiled as if she already knew why I was there and helped me draw the summoning circle, telling me what to say. That’s when Master showed up. He listened to my pleas and offered me a contract. We agreed that if he helped free my sisters from this place, I would work for him in The Higher Realms for the same number of years, it would take for my sisters to get an education overseas.”

That seemed awfully nice of Dez to do that. Rowan’s price to pay must have been steep, but I didn’t dare ask.

But Lucille did when she said, “What kind of work?”

Rowan shrugged. “Whatever he needs. Mostly it’s just errands where he’ll send me to the shopping dimension to pick up whatever is on his list. Books, clothes, different sweets, and on occasion, things I’d never seen before, like staffs that would turn into a gold snake at times, or pendants the size of my palm that made me dizzy with a strange fuzziness in my brain. I assumed Master was able to use those items better than I could.”

That’s surprisingly tame compared to what I had been thinking. Had I gotten Dez all wrong? “He can’t go himself?” I asked, handing the wine bottle to Lucille, who grimaced and poured herself a glass.

“He never left the house, or at least he didn’t for the longest time. I worked up the courage to ask him one day why he didn’t leave, but it was as if I had lit a fuse. We had been in his study, and books started to fly off the shelves, windows shattered, and the floor had started to collapse. Meanwhile, Master had stood frozen in the center of it all. I don’t even know if he saw me. It wasn’t until a piece of glass cut across my arm that he snapped out of it and warped me back to my room. After that, I was given a set of rules to follow, and I didn’t dare step out of line again.”

I glanced at Saya. It could have been because I felt we had all grown more comfortable with one another, or simply just the wine talking when I asked, “What about you, Saya?”

Like the last time this topic was brought up during tea time, she bowed her head and averted her gaze, a vulnerable pain there I hadn’t noticed before. I cursed myself for asking and told her to forget about it. To lighten the mood, Rowan suggested we all take another dip in the lake. This time, with the confidence boosted by the wine, we all stripped naked and jumped in.

The night sky was spinning, the once normal stars became shooting ones. After skinny dipping and another bottle of wine, the energy began to die down. Lucille had gone below deck to sleep in the only single bed on board. Rowan lay on his side using his arm as a pillow by the steering wheel, his snores loud and consistent with the gentle laps of water.

My back was against the mast, and my leg had turned into a headrest for Saya to lay on. Both of us gazed into the vast night. The world had gone quiet except for the waves and Rowan’s snoring. For the first time in my life, I felt as if I’d finally found what I had been searching for: peace, beauty, and a community of friends. If only Megan were here, everything would be absolutely perfect.

“Erin?” Saya asked after a moment. Earlier in the evening, I had admitted my real name, giving Rowan a sheepish smile.

“Yes?”

“I’ll tell you my … story, but you have to promise not to tell the others. Especially not Rowan.”

“Of course.”

She sighed, her short black hair slicked back from swimming earlier, her face slightly sunburned. “I blocked out the worst of it. I try not to go back to that dark place, but it’s important not to forget who these beings really are. To not pretend they’re like us.”

Through the pleasant buzz of alcohol, I felt the weight of her words. It echoed my own and the guilt I felt at times when I acted as if this was just a temporary vacation instead of a rescue mission.

“The being I made a contract with wasn’t Dezmandaro and he wasn’t nice. I can’t even remember what the contract was about, if I had sold my soul for something silly like beauty or fame, or if I had done it to help my family like Rowan. If I even had a family. It’s been so long I sometimes wonder if I was ever human to begin with.”

I couldn’t imagine being here, in this world, long enough to forget my life on Earth. Just how long has she been here? How was she still alive if we’re supposed to be tied to our human life spans?

I must’ve spoken aloud because she said, “I’ve been alive for a long time. A very long time. Rowan was lucky to have found Master and not someone else. He doesn’t know what it’s like to live in a hell that feels never-ending. To watch the world flow on without you. To constantly wish for a death that would never come.”

I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. Sometimes, an ‘I’m sorry’ just didn’t suffice for the raw pain some people experienced.

“When Rowan’s contract is satisfied, he’ll be returned to his time period after the given time he’d spent here. When a contract isn’t fulfilled … the offending party is forced to serve the contractor for fifty realm cycles. A rough equivalent of a hundred years. The slur used for these people … for me, are con-bond slaves. Contract bound slaves.”

I grimaced at the derogatory title. “But that’s an entire lifetime for a human.”

“Yes, which is why the exact terminology for humans is ‘the remainder of a Lower Realms’ beings’ life span,’ but there’s a loophole. One I learned the hard way.” She went quiet, Rowan’s oblivious snoring at odds with the seriousness of Saya’s words. “Do you know why blood is used to bind contracts?”

I shook my head.

“It symbolizes life and connects both Lower and Higher Realms’ beings to something greater that we humans can’t see. Like imaginary puppet strings that are controlled by the universe itself.” Her nostrils flared as if in remembrance. “A Higher Realms’ being can give their lifeblood to us, gifting us more time. My contractor knew this and continually fed me his blood, and in return, he took my freedom, my body, and my spirit. A hundred years had come and gone, but I was still forced to serve him, as the rules have ordained. I was to serve for the remainder of my life span, but there were no limits if that life span was extended.”

My hands shook. “That’s … No. They can’t do that. That’s so …”

“Cruel,” she finished, her eyes tracing the patterns of the stars. “I thought my punishment would be eternal until I met Dezmandaro. I thought he’d be like my old contractor and his friends who had done similar crimes to other humans. Instead, he bought out my contract, and in return, he would owe a favor. I still don’t know why he did that. He never asked anything of me. Just one day told me to live out the rest of my days as a normal human being. He hasn’t fed me a single drop of blood, and once more, I can feel the passage of time on my body.”

She held up her hand, her fingers delicate, her skin as pale as the moon that now appeared from behind a set of clouds. “But not all of my scars are healed and some I’ll never escape from for as long as I live. I still hear his voice, the feel of his hands, and whips in my dreams. I still live in fear that all of that will change suddenly. That this life of pretend will fade away, and I’ll be back in that dark room surrounded by sounds of laughter from him and his friends as I scream repeatedly.”

I shuddered, the wine threatening to come back up.

She lowered her hand, twining her fingers with mine. “I tell you this not to frighten you but to warn you. You still have the chance to finish out your contract and return home. No matter what they say, even Dezmandaro, you can’t trust them. There’s another side you, Lucille, and Rowan haven’t seen, but I have.” She closed her eyes, her chest falling into a slower pattern.

I brushed back the hair from her cheek, reassessing the seemingly shy girl I once thought she was. She had dealt with so much horror and cruelty—a lump formed in my throat. I would never forgive myself if Megan met the same fate while she was trapped here.

Between the gentle rocking, it wasn’t long before I nodded off, my head leaned back against the mast with Saya asleep on my lap.

I don’t know how long I was out or when I was moved, but I woke up in my temporary bedroom with a glass of water beside me. The curtains were closed, but it was still night when I peeked out. I was in my silk pajamas, the buzz of alcohol still swarming as I chugged the entire glass of cold water. Did Dez tuck us all into bed? That would be oddly nice of him.

The mysterious second door that appeared days ago on the other side of the room remained closed but beckoned my curiosity. It had to lead to Dez’s room; why else would it be there? There was a chance he would be inside, but if not … it would be the perfect opportunity to snoop.

The silver knob turned easily, and for a moment, I stood frozen. The part of my brain that would usually warn against this—especially after Saya’s story tonight—was turned off. Only curiosity and a case of liquid courage, courtesy of the wine, were left.

I opened the door.

The room was triple the size of mine, with a bed bigger than any king I’ve ever seen and a section of the room dedicated to seating with a white loveseat and two chairs circled around a black fireplace, all tied together with a black and white area rug. The entire back side of the room was covered in windows overlooking the lake and sailboat we’d just been on earlier.

With no dangerous beings in sight, I shuffled a few steps in, the black marble cool beneath my bare feet. A glass chandelier hung in the center of the room, but its light was replaced by the moon’s glow streaming in through the unbarred windows, clashing against the orange hues from the crackling fire. The overall space was immaculate—something out of a designer magazine.

I hadn’t made it more than five steps in when Dezmandaro emerged from the shadows next to me wearing only black boxers. My hands flew to my chest as I let out an embarrassing squeal.

“I was wondering when curiosity would get the better of you.” His expression was unreadable but his eyes darkened as they roved languidly down my body. Heat rose in my already flushed cheeks as I took a step back.

He followed.

“I was just …” I scrambled for a lie, a plausible excuse, but the fuzziness from the alcohol made it hard to think.

Dez’s hair was damp, as if from a shower, and slicked back, looking almost a dark brown in the fire’s glow. His arms were crossed showing off firm muscle that could easily carry me back out of this room if he didn’t have the power to warp me. I traced the outline of his masculine figure, past his ripped stomach to where his black boxers hugged every part of him.

I swallowed.

“If I’d known the sight of me shirtless would make you speechless, I’d have done it earlier.” A smirk teased the corner of his mouth making him look almost boyish, except nothing about his figure screamed adolescent.

My heart thundered against my chest, the growing unease at being alone with Dez—in his bedroom—beating back the alcohol-induced stupor. “Well, I didn’t mean to intrude. Goodnight.”

I turned to leave when the door slammed shut behind me, undoubtedly Dez’s doing even though he hadn’t moved.

Shit .

“Why did you come here tonight, Erin?”

I avoided his gaze, which suddenly felt too heavy. Too sharp. As if he was gauging my every move. Instead, I focused on the generic painting hanging above the massive bed. It looked as if someone had thrown a bucket of black paint at a white canvas. “You said it yourself, curiosity.” That wasn’t a total lie. “Isn’t there anything in this house that shows your personality?” I said, forcing a laugh despite the bundle of nerves in my stomach.

“I know you’re not here to discuss interior design.” His words were pitched low, so low it made my toes curl against the marble.

I crossed my arms, more so to hide the shaking than to feign indifference. “Oh? Why am I here then?”

A slow smile spread across his face. “Do you really want me to answer that?”

I gritted my teeth, leaning on my anger to help fight against the icy dread that crept up my limbs. “I’m not in the mood to play games, Dez.”

“If anyone is playing games here, it’s you, dear.” His eyes slid up and down my body once more, his tongue flicking out to lick his lips. My cheeks were now on fire, and I was suddenly burning up.

“You act as if you want nothing to do with me, but we both know that’s not true.” He sauntered toward me, like a cat stalking its prey, as I mirrored him in the opposite direction. “Every time I look at you, your heart beats just a bit faster.” Another step. “Every time I say your name, your cheeks redden with desire.” Another. “And whenever I touch you, I can smell the sweet scent of your arousal no matter how hard you try to hide it.” He paused until he was an arm’s length away, and my back was against the door. “I can tell you the real reason you’re here, but are you ready for that truth?”

Mortification climbed up my throat, stealing my words.

His gaze lowered to my lips. “You want me to fuck you.”

Reactively, my thighs clenched together, betraying me. His smile grew.

“You want me to bend you over that bed and fuck you until you can feel every part of me deep inside you, stretching you and filling you completely. You want my hands between your thighs caressing you, teasing you as I take you from behind. Edging you until you’re screaming my name.”

“Cut it out.” I tried to sound indignant but it came out hoarse, my throat dry.

He closed the distance between us, leaning in until his usual fragrance of vanilla and sandalwood mixed with fresh soap scented the air. “And I wouldn’t stop there, Erin. No, I wouldn’t let you go until I’m done with you. Until you’re dripping in my cum and drowning in a kind of torturous pleasure you never knew existed before me.”

I turned to leave, but he grabbed my shoulders and pinned me against the door. I gasped at the sudden movement.

“Stop it, Dez.” My whole body started to quiver.

He looked down at me, his fingers reaching out before pausing inches from my cheek. For a moment, his eyes grew distant as if lost in thought.

“Let me leave, and I promise I’ll never enter your room again.” I lowered my voice, trying to sound rational even as I shook. “Please, Dez.”

He inhaled sharply, snapping from his reverie. “Fuck.” He tilted his head back, his eyes drifting shut. “I love it when you say that.”

Without the weight of his eyes on me, I slowly felt for the doorknob probing at my lower back. Drops of water still clung to his hair, and the darkened strands slicked back aside from a few loose locks, brushing his sharp jawline. The flickering orange and red hues of the fire danced off the hard planes of his chest down to where the length of him was unmistakably hard and far larger than I thought possible. My mouth peeled open, and I jerked my gaze back up to find him staring at me with a half-lidded look.

He pressed closer. His hardened length drove into my lower abdomen as my back flattened against the door, his arms caging me on either side. I quickly racked my brain for a distraction, anything to diffuse this situation.

“Why did you leave tonight? Back on the sailboat?” I asked a bit breathlessly.

Hurt flashed across his features before fading into indifference. “I didn’t want to ruin everyone’s fun.”

“What—” My reply was cut short when he cupped my cheek, his thumb resting against my parted lips, silencing me.

“Don’t try and change the subject now, Erin.”

His other hand caressed the skin just below the tips of my shorts. For a delirious second, I soaked in the feel of his fingers grazing my thigh, the gentleness of his touch surprising me. It had been a long time since anyone had touched me so intimately.

“Stay with me tonight,” he whispered. It almost sounded like a plea.

My body still shook, but I wasn’t entirely sure it was out of fear anymore. His fingers continued to tease the edge of my shorts with soft circles until he slid them beneath the band of silk, sliding up the curve of my thigh and grazing my hip—dangerously close to where Cal’s ‘C’ branded my skin.

It was like I had been doused in a bucket of cold water.

I shoved him away, so suddenly he stumbled back. “I’m sorry,” I blurted without an explanation, snatching the doorknob.

Dez didn’t move, staring at me with a blank expression. Whether in disbelief or something else, I didn’t know, and I didn’t dare stay to find out.

I slammed the door shut behind me and locked it—not that it would keep Dez out, but it made me feel better. After several beats, when he didn’t follow me, I ran a hand over my face, cursing myself for being so stupid. If he’d seen Cal’s mark, he would’ve known where I went. It would’ve ruined everything.

Guilt ate away at me as I shuffled off to bed, Dez’s empty expression haunting my thoughts. What would his expression be if he knew I was actively working with his enemy to ruin him? If he found out, he’d sooner have me dead than between his sheets.

I tucked the covers tighter around me, hoping tonight wouldn’t come back to bite me on the ass.