Page 13

CHAPTER 12

J essica

Fun.

Sinner whispered the words in my ear, his heated breath tickling my skin. I close my eyes, fighting nerves and frustration. Why wasn’t I offered any sense of what the goal was? If I just had that I’d know what to do.

Instincts.

I had to use my instincts.

The masked man spun me around, still fisting my hair. His hold was tight, the ache intense.

He flicked his finger across my pulse and my entire body twitched. This was so real, every sensation electrifying. I’d never experienced anything that so perfectly matched real life one could lose their judgment completely.

Very slowly Sinner slipped his hand down my side, thrusting his fingers between my legs. I froze, yet felt as if every synapse was exploding from the red-hot, molten lava flowing deep inside my pussy. My breath skipped, the neon glow of his lights more mesmerizing than before.

“I can smell your fear,” he whispered, his husky voice skimming over me like smooth velvet.

“Fuck you.”

“Oh, we’ll get to that. I have other plans in store for my little lamb.” He stroked my jeans, making me even wetter. As he took a deep inhale, I fought to get out of his hold, managing to knee him in the crotch.

He roared from anguish, jerking away from me.

There was no time to rest on my laurels. I smashed the flashlight across his face and took off running again.

I came to another jerking halt from another, more rancid stench. I flashed the light, gasping from the sight of a man tied to a tree. He was naked and it appeared had been in the forest for days, eaten by wild animals.

Just like a fucking scene in the horror movie. Just like something I’d mentioned in one of the forums.

Well, fuck.

Don’t be scared. It’s not real.

“Are you certain about that, Desdemona?”

He slipped in front of me, jarring my attention. A scream erupted from my throat. The evil grin was even wider than before. He was even bigger. How was that possible?

Because anything was possible in the world of virtual reality. Anything.

I tried to smash the flashlight in his face again, but he knocked it away. The light suddenly disappeared altogether. Every move seemed at lightning speed. He wrapped his fingers around my throat, yanking me off the ground as if I weighed nothing. I could swear he was laughing at me behind the mask, thrilled that he was able to grab the upper hand.

“I need your soft lips wrapped around my cock.”

“Over my dead body,” I hissed out and he squeezed his thumb and fingers, making it difficult to breathe. I managed to punch him in the chest, but was rewarded for my efforts by his shoving me onto my knees. He peered down at me as the brooding monster I knew him to be. But he wasn’t scaring me.

He was enlightening my mind while exciting my body. I tried to beat him at the game, wrapping one hand around the thick bulge between his legs.

I could almost hear his slight groan of surprise, so I continued my naughty actions, using both hands to unfasten his pants, taking my time to ease the zipper all the way down.

Every breath he took was labored and I used that to my advantage, immediately reaching inside and freeing his cock. He wore no underwear. Why bother in a game where reality meant nothing. Only how you played.

As I blew across the tip, he placed his other hand on top of my head, digging his nails into my scalp.

“Be careful, little lamb. I might be too big for you.”

He was huge, several drops of pre-cum already forming across his sensitive slit. He dug his fingers into my throat and I choked briefly as the air was driven from my lungs. That was what he wanted. I concentrated on regaining control, finally darting my tongue across the silky string of pre-cum.

The taste of him was sweet. Of course it was. He’d willed it that way. I slipped my hand between his legs, capturing and rolling his balls in my fingers. His sac was large, filling my hand. I licked my lips and tipped my head, offering him my most salacious smile.

“If you think this is just a fantasy, Desdemona, you’re wrong. So very wrong. You’re not only my prey. Soon you’ll be my captive.”

His words further excited me and I pulled his cockhead into my mouth, immediately swirling my tongue around the tip. Almost immediately I felt out of breath as his cock pulsed in my mouth. My heart raced, my entire body trembling, but I did what I could to concentrate on the task without falling into the treachery of accepting what I was doing was so very wrong.

“Do you think me sick, little lamb? Isn’t that what you tell yourself when you dream about me at night, about all the dirty things I’m going to do to you?”

His words reverberated in my mind, images and thoughts of the twisted fantasies I’d had filtering into my mind. Maybe I was the sick one.

“Take all of me, Desdemona.” He didn’t wait for me to respond, thrusting more of his cock into my mouth. My jaw muscles stretched, the ache instantaneous.

My stomach fluttered all over again as I thought about all the filthy things I’d admitted while playing different games. I cringed from the thought, fighting for air as he jammed his cockhead against my throat.

He squeezed again, laughing softly as he did. He thought he was winning, beating me like some venomous snake. To hell with him. I sucked and licked, squeezing his balls with the same amount of pressure he was using on my neck.

Now completely lightheaded from his brutal hold, I closed my eyes, thinking about my options. I had control whether he knew it or not.

“You think you’re in the lead, don’t you, little lamb? Are you even wetter from the belief? Don’t you know what I’m capable of? Does that turn you on? Are your nipples rock hard from anticipation of how I’ll abuse them?”

Damn the man. I was experiencing a rush of electricity like I never had before, now enjoying sucking the man’s cock. God, I was into this and it wasn’t real. But with every whisper of wind, every growl he emitted and the firm hold he had on my neck forced me to question my sanity.

He threw back his head and roared as if some primal beast, taking over fucking my mouth with rapid thrusts. I was locked in his grip, incapable of doing anything but taking his savagery. I almost allowed tears to form in my eyes, but stopped them just in time.

Goddamn it, I wouldn’t allow the man to win under any circumstances.

His victorious stance became annoying and I stroked the base, doing my best to regain control. I could tell it was working, his actions slowing down. But when his body tensed, I had had no idea what to expect.

“I want to feel you swallow every drop, my sweet Desdemona. Take all of me. Lick me clean.” His body shook and seconds later, he erupted into the back of my throat.

His cum filled my mouth and I did my best not to gag on the sweetness.

He remained in the throes of release and I used that to my advantage, shoving both hands into his stomach. I drove him back by several feet, the bastard stumbling on a log that hadn’t been there before.

“You will not win.” I jerked to my feet. Instead of running like he wanted and expected, I searched the ground, willing a weapon to appear.

As if by the grace of God, a perfect sized stick appeared right at my feet. As luck of the hand would have, the end was sharp. I didn’t hesitate for a second, jerking it into my hand. With every ounce of strength I had in me, as he lumbered in my direction, I drove it into his chest.

I could feel victory and I was determined to see my opponent.

My savior.

My stalker.

Yet the moment I touched his mask, the game was finished, both the forest and the man disappearing.

Gasping, I stood right where I was for a few seconds before ripping off the headset. I blinked several times until I was finally able to bring the room into focus just as the lights became brighter.

A game.

A fucking fantastic yet horrible game. So realistic. So incredibly vibrant that my heart continued hammering in my chest.

But still just a game.

I licked my lips and instantly froze. The taste of his cum lingered. How was that possible?

Xander

Zachariah chuckled as soon as I walked into the hallway. “Well, only three made it through that test. We’re losing them like flies.”

“Three. A new record.”

He nodded, his eyes fucking sparkling like the guy was on speed. “Your girl made it through. Pretty impressive score for not being provided a clear set of rules. They’re coming out now if you want to see her in person.”

What I should do was shift the position of my cock. The zipper was biting into my skin. Even my balls remained tight. The virtual game had exceeded expectations.

So had the woman.

I adjusted my jacket as I followed Zach down the length of the hallway toward the specialized gaming rooms. We’d learned much from allowing players to enjoy the process of our creation. However, they’d been supplied with notes regarding the game.

Only the top contenders could anticipate what would unfold with any sense of accuracy.

Elizabeth was standing with the three young women, debriefing them after the finish. Perhaps the other two had done equally as well, but I couldn’t give a shit. While I’d expected Jessica would do very well, I hadn’t known the outcome until she’d picked up the spear she’d unlocked during the fellatio I’d required her to perform.

She’d become the aggressor. Not a surprise in the least.

“Ah, ladies. These gentlemen are two of the three moguls behind our incredible games,” Elizabeth started the moment we walked into the room. “The fabulous Blackwell brothers, Zachariah and Xander.”

We’d been twenty-one, twenty-two, and twenty-three respectively when we’d found each other. Wilder had reached out first after hiring a private investigator to find any records containing our birth name along with any other information locked away. Each of us had tried once turning eighteen to determine our heritage, only to be shut down as if our parents didn’t exist.

From the stories Wilder had told us years before, the PI had used very unscrupulous methods in locating sealed records containing only our last names.

And that we’d been born in Chicago. But there’d been no hospital mentioned on the sparse forms. We’d decided collectively to use our correct surnames.

When a snarky prosecutor had attempted to place a cease and desist for unknown reasons, Wilder had handled the problem. I made a mental note to ask him how the poor man had ended up skewered on a steel post at a construction site.

Chuckling, I nodded toward the other two women who were both acting impressed that we’d come to see them off.

When I turned my attention toward Jessica, there was nothing but contempt in her eyes. Yet I instantly knew it had nothing to do with knowledge of my extracurricular activities. She was genuinely unimpressed by our accomplishments.

“Mr. Blackwell,” she said as she extended her arm. “Sophie Turner.”

Ah, yes. I had to remind myself I would play the name game for a little while longer. “Ms. Turner. I heard your scores were impressive.” I took Jessica’s hand and the instant our fingers touched, I was brought back to the night I’d met her officially. Or I should say the first time I’d tasted her. The jolt of electricity affected both of us, Jessica hating herself for it.

“Very impressive,” Elizabeth answered for her and that annoyed the fuck out of me. I gave my employee a stern look. “So did Ms. Jeffries and Ms. Markum,” she added.

“How were your experiences?” Zach asked. While I didn’t need to glance in his direction, I could tell he was paying close attention to my sweet Desdemona.

Jessica pulled her hand away first. Her eyes narrowed as she gave me a heated onceover that lingered.

Fascinating. The woman didn’t like me very much. Likely given my rather disturbing reputation. All three of the Blackwell brothers had been labeled demented by various news sources. We held the title with pride. None of us cared about what others thought of us. We weren’t into a popularity contest unless it had dollars attached to it.

“Incredible,” one of the women said.

“Honestly? The most terrifying game I’ve ever played, but I loved it.” The second was very enthusiastic.

But I was barely paying any attention. I tipped my head to the side and Jessica noticed, lifting her chin almost immediately.

“And your thoughts, Ms. Turner?” I asked, rather off the cuff.

She brushed the hand she’d shaken mine with down her jeans as if touching me had been reprehensible. Every action she took only made me want her that much more. “I believe you have a decent product that will ultimately sell well after you’ve worked out the kinks. I’m certain you’re eager to have Dark Nights be the star of the show, not fall underneath your second class works.”

I’ll be damned if the woman wasn’t baiting me.

The other two candidates distanced themselves from her physically. It was quite comical actually.

I was certain Elizabeth would have a heart attack based on the way she was staring at me. No, I wasn’t known for handling such open criticism well. It wasn’t like I’d expected Jessica to evangelize all we offered, but usually the women in her position were interested in getting the job.

Not pissing off the owners.

Zach was highly amused. “I understand not only do you work for one of our competitors, but you’ve also developed a couple games yourself.”

“Yes, I do and yes, I have.” She was quite proud of herself, but wasn’t interested in providing any clues about her thoughts.

The woman was shockingly able to get under my skin. However, the strongest feeling was one of desire.

I had the urge to ask her if she knew how horrifyingly easy it had been to pick the locks on her house. Maybe I should offer her security advice while she was in the process of bashing my company.

“What would you do differently, Ms. Turner?” I threw out just to see what she would do.

She was smart enough to know I was challenging her. I was more than impressed she’d found a unique way of calling my brothers and me hacks.

Her smile could be described as more of a smirk, as if she knew something I didn’t. “Well, I don’t think I need to offer you any advice. You believe you know what you’re doing. I wouldn’t dare challenge that.”

“Oh, please do. I adore hearing from my fans.” Why not toss the arrogance back in her direction. I was eager to get to the bottom of why she hated me so much.

“Why don’t you take Ms. Turner into your office so she can provide you with some recommendations, Xander?” Zach asked.

I flashed him a look and nodded only once. When I returned my attention to the prize standing in front of me, I gave a challenging gesture of my hand. “Would that be acceptable to you, Ms. Turner?”

She seemed uncomfortable that I’d used her name so many times, but she’d need to get used to it. I felt the full enjoyment of making her squirm.

She looked at her watch as if I wasn’t aware she had nowhere else to be. She’d been bold enough to call in sick, a brave move for someone who always followed the rules. “Fine. I can take a few moments. Thank you, Mrs. Reynolds, for your time.”

My little lamb was generally courteous to everyone, which was why I was determined to get to the bottom of her immediate dislike, and even repulsion, of me.

I didn’t say a word to her as I led her the long way around to my office, waiting in the doorway on purpose. As she brushed past, I sensed her body tensing.

My office could be quite oppressive.

But she would try with everything in her existence not to let her emotions give her away. I closed the door behind her, immediately heading toward my desk. I eased down onto the edge, using my open hand to gesture to the chair.

She hesitated before walking closer. “This won’t take long, Mr. Blackwell, as I’m meeting friends for drinks in a little while.”

I checked the time on my watch myself, wondering if she noticed I was curious that it was only three in the afternoon. If she did, she didn’t react in any way.

Whereas I’d wanted to fuck her before, my feelings were already turning more sadistic. To some it would seem needy. In my world, the next phase was simply a matter of course.

“Then by all means, go ahead. What’s wrong with the game?”

“First. Let me ask you a question. Are there controls on the game so minors aren’t allowed access to the violent, sexual content?”

“Of course there are, Ms. Turner, as there are with all our games.”

“But this isn’t just any game. What you’ve created is… monstrous.”

Her choice of a word to use to describe it couldn’t be more perfect. Perhaps that’s what was missing from the marketing campaigns. “Monstrous. Predatory.”

“Yes, blood and gore.”

“Yet horror movies where men who wear ski masks and use chainsaws are allowed to be shown at various theaters across the country.” The flicker of fear that I’d seen before immediately formed in her eyes.

She blinked it away, doing her best to remain undaunted.

“But your thoughts are used against you. Right?” she asked, a tightness in her voice.

“To some degree, yes. Once the brain of the game determines what kind of person you are, the suggestions offered will allow for a more satisfying experience.”

She shuddered at my words. “Artificial Intelligence.”

“How did you think we managed to accomplish such an incredible goal, Ms. Turner? We’re not mind readers, as evidenced by our required questionnaire. How do you believe we knew what tormented your every dream?”

I could almost smell her desire. My cock twitched from the thought.

“I’m suggesting you should be very careful. You could turn people into monsters.”

“Or monsters into men. Although it’s my belief monsters are created by the composition of their DNA and upbringing, not fictional realities.”

“Yet the game goes way beyond fictional realities, Mr. Blackwell. It’s a training ground for psychotics and sexual predators.”

“Yet you enjoyed yourself, calling it a fantasy fulfilled. Yes?” I could tell I was getting under my little lamb’s skin.

The flush had returned. So had a new nervous tic in the corner of her lush lips. “I’m a professional. I knew what to expect.”

“Did you?”

“Yes,” she stated with utter defiance.

“I’m glad to hear that. What other recommendations do you have for me? Please, don’t hold back.”

Perhaps she wanted to shock me with her even more provocative suggestions, but little did she know there was nothing on this earth capable of shocking me any longer. I’d done far too many of the repulsive things she was likely thinking about.

Worrying about.

But on which level? The fact a masked man had seen through her defenses or that she wanted to either experience so many of the devious acts?

I folded my arms, enjoying the flow of her words, the suggestions she made, and the way her lips pursed into small but perfect o’s when she spoke. When she was finished, she locked eyes with mine, both smart enough and self-confident to the point she willed herself not to look away or even blink.

Impressive.

But she would look more impressive when I had her on all fours, begging me to fuck her tight little pussy.

When I said nothing for almost a full minute, I could sense her apprehension increasing. The slight squirm as she shifted from one foot to the other was far too appealing.

“I do appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts with me. They are invaluable.”

She wasn’t certain what to make of my comment, the slight blush cresting across her clenched jaw an indication she couldn’t ascertain if what I’d said was a compliment. “Well, I’m glad you think so and I very much appreciate the opportunity.” She turned toward the door, taking confident strides.

“Ms. Turner, I didn’t tell you that you could leave, but I understand you have a prior commitment. However, you’ll need to let your friends know you can only spend two hours with them. Two. Hours.”

“And why is that, Mr. Blackwell?”

“Because as should have been explained to you, either myself or one of my brothers always spends some time with the three top candidates prior to going into the final competition.”

My words forced her to turn around. “Does that mean…” She also wasn’t committing to either being excited or annoyed at my demand.

“I believe you’ll find out soon enough. Tell me where you’re meeting them, and I’ll pick you up.”

“That’s not necessary.”

I lifted my head, this time the one locking eyes with her.

What did my good little lamb do?

She obeyed me.