The Prey: A Dark Enemies to Lovers Romance (Oakmount Elite Book 3)

I swallow thickly and nod my head. “You know I trust you.”

“Trust me not to hurt you?” His voice carries a hint of amusement, and I’m not sure I like where this is going.

“What are you going to do?”

I keep my gaze on him as he watches me so intensely through the features of a snarling fox. I’m left suspended in anticipation.

“Are you sure, Elyse? Do you really trust me?” he questions once more, heightening my fear.

“Yes. Yes. I’m sure.”

He takes a step back and grabs the crotch of my bodysuit, pulling it away from my skin. With his other hand, he brings the knife in a downward motion, slicing into the fabric like butter. It parts down the middle, leaving two flaps against my rib cage and my bottom half bare. His gaze lingers over my skin, and I can hear how hard he swallows, mixed with the heavy pants of breath that fill his lungs. He’s consumed by me, and I can’t say I’m not every bit as consumed by him.

“Get on your knees.” It’s an order, not a request, and I startle at the darkness in his voice. Doubt flickers in my mind, but I push it away. You’re safe. Without thinking of the why or the what, I drop down to my knees, trying not to cringe at the cold, damp leaves that stick to my skin.

Sebastian takes a step forward and presses a hand to my chest, pushing me backward. “Lie down and give yourself to me, Prey. Let’s see if you trust me as much as you say you do.”

I let him guide me to my back and watch curiously as he drops to his knees, the night sky above blanketing us with its stars. I notice the way his hands are clenched tight, braced on his thighs. He looks downright frightening, but somehow I know I’ve never been safer than I am right now.

There’s a slight tremble to my voice, more from the fear of anticipation than actual fear of him. “What are you going to do to me?”

“Whatever I want, Little Prey, and you’re going to let me because you’re mine. All. Fucking. Mine.”

I swallow past the lump forming in my throat and try to wrap my head around the onslaught of emotions that are barreling into me. He grabs me by the ankle and pulls me closer, but instead of putting my leg back on the ground, he rests it on one of his shoulders and maneuvers me, my legs spread wide open to him. The desire to snap my legs closed is overwhelming and not because I don’t want him to touch me, but because it makes me feel vulnerable to show the most sacred, untouched parts of my body. Not that he knows they’re untouched.

I consider telling him the truth—that I’m a virgin—but snap my mouth closed before any words can come out. I don’t want him to reject me for that simple reason alone. I don’t want this moment between us to end. By the time he finds out, it will be too late to stop.

I keep my gaze on him, watching intently so I don’t miss anything. The air in my lungs stutters out when the knife returns to view.

“Keep your leg against my shoulder, and don’t move it. I’d hate to accidentally hurt you.” Thought his tone is teasing, I know he’s serious from the dead-ass look in his eyes. My body involuntarily shivers at his confession.

What the hell is he going to do with that knife? Even though I question his motives, I don’t make a move to get up or stop him.

“Mmm, so fucking perfect,” he murmurs, staring down at my pussy. “I can’t wait to see how she looks stuffed full of my cock.”

Slowly, he lifts the mask up to rest on top of his head. Then it’s like slow motion as he brings the hilt of the knife to his lips. Using two fingers, he holds the steel blade and wets the hilt, pressing it deep into his mouth.

It’s fucked up, but also strangely erotic to watch. When he pulls the hilt of the knife from his mouth, it’s wet with saliva, and I stare up at him, confused. His fingers gently stroke against my inner thigh, and when he drops his hand, the knife disappearing from view, I freeze.

“Wh-what are you doing?”

“Remember, keep very still, Little Prey.” His voice is a whisper, and my nipples harden to stiff points as his fingers brush against my wet, sensitive skin.

Holy shit. My body heat rises to a combustible level.

Lifting my head to get a better look, I watch as he flips the blade around the hilt end toward my entrance. Fuck no. He isn’t going to do what I think he is…is he?

“Sebastian.” I’m trembling now, my gaze ping-ponging between where he touches me and his face.

“Yes, Little Prey?”

The hilt brushes over my clit, and every nerve ending comes alive. I can barely breathe, let alone form a coherent thought, but my worry for him overshadows that pleasure. The blade is sharp, and if he’s going to put the other end inside me or touch me with it, he’ll need to be holding the blade to maintain complete control.

“You can’t…” The air escapes my lungs as he slides the end back over my clit, and I whimper from the onslaught of sensations.

“What was that?” He chuckles darkly.

“Stop. You can’t. You’ll cut yourself.” My response comes out in a rush.

He gives my clit one more stroke, and then I feel him slipping through my soaked folds, trailing down to my entrance. I can’t move for fear he might accidentally cut me, but I can touch him, which is exactly what I do. Placing a trembling hand on his arm, I use the connection to make certain he both sees and feels me.

“Unless you’re choosing to use your safe word, I’m not stopping.” His penetrating gaze is back on me, flicking across my face, reading my features. I can’t put into words how much it means to me for him to take my feelings into consideration. Especially when I know it’s not something he’s used to or even does. And a tiny smile tugs at my lips because while he says he won’t stop, he doesn’t penetrate me with the knife either.

“No, that’s not it. I don’t want you to cut yourself.”

His eyes warm at my admission. “Ely, that’s just it. I don’t think you understand how fucking far gone I am for you, but let me spell it out.” I feel him tug against my clothes, the sound of fabric ripping, but I don’t care what he does to this stupid costume. “Pain doesn’t scare me; it only intensifies my pleasure, and if I have to endure a little pain to witness that euphoric look in your eyes, to watch your pussy pulse around my knife, to hear that sweet little mouth of yours beg and plead, then I will endure any fucking amount of pain to be a witness to that.”

I swallow thickly. There are no words for that response, nor does he wait for me to give him one. Instead, he drags the hilt through my sopping folds one last time before he brings it to my entrance. I shiver from the contact. There’s a slight burn as he slides the matte handle inside me, slowly, so fucking slowly. I feel every little ridge in the grip as it enters me. All the way until the colder part touches right at my opening.

I watch until he takes his free hand and places it flat on my belly, forcing me to lie flat on my back. War wages in my mind because I’m torn between watching him and lying back and letting him do whatever he wants to me.

“You look so fucking hot right now, Little Prey. Dripping all over my knife.” He speaks slowly as if he’s hypnotized by what he’s watching.

I sink my fingers into the dirt and use it to ground me as my pussy clasps around the hilt. He moves it in and out of me, fucking me slowly, sending little tremors of pleasure through my core. Is Sebastian crazy, or am I, for allowing him to do this?

“Are you going to come for me, Little Prey?”

“Yes,” I gasp as he thrusts the knife a little deeper.

“Fuck yes, you are. I need to feel that tight cunt pulse and ripple with pleasure.”

“Sebastian,” I whimper as he ups the pace, fucking me faster. I tip my head back against the dirt, the pleasure carrying me higher and higher. Oh God. I’m close.

“Give me your fucking eyes, Little Prey. I need to see your pretty eyes when you shatter around my knife.”

My gaze snaps back to his, and I swear his eyes are the darkest shade of green I’ve ever seen. Emerald jewels glittering in the sun. I’m mesmerized by him, and I couldn’t look away even if I tried. The muscles in his jaw jump; his features are tight, his nostrils flared. He looks every bit of the unhinged man he hides beneath that emotionless mask he wears. It wouldn’t take much to make him snap. To lose complete control.

I want it, want to see him let go.

A low growl emits from his lips, and I feel something warm splash against my skin.

Was that blood?

“Are you bleeding?” I gasp, and lift my head, peering down the length of my body.

It’s too dark to see if there’s any blood, but I can hear the wet sounds my body makes as he fucks me faster, pumping in and out, setting my nerve endings on fire.

“Don’t worry about me, Little Prey. Worry if this tight pussy can take my cock. Fuck, I’m going to stretch you and make you take it, even if you can’t.”

“I’m close…” I cry out, my toes curling into the dirt.

“Yes! Come for me, Ely. Soak my blade with your juices. I want to see how pretty my blood and your cum look when mixed.”

Sebastian’s filthy words spur me on, and I explode in a cosmic way, my heart soaring out of my chest, my back bowing. The tension snaps out of me like a rubber band pulled too tight. The ringing in my ears grows louder, drowning out all other noise, and for one moment, I’m weightless, falling deeper and deeper into the darkness.

Will he catch me?

“Beautiful, fucking beautiful,” he praises, fucking me through the orgasm with the knife. My pussy clenches on to it tightly, refusing to let it go.

Once I’ve finally floated back down to earth, he pulls the knife out, and I whimper at the loss, the sudden emptiness I feel without it there. I peer up at him, my chest heaving, and watch as he brings the hilt of the knife to his face, surveying it in the dim moonlight. I catch sight of our mixed fluids, his blood and my juices. Normally, I’d be turned off by such a sight, but something about seeing it makes it all the more real.

Once he’s had his fill of staring at the knife, he licks it clean. His eyelids flutter closed as he moans around it, and when he blinks his eyes back open, I see him for the predator he is.

“It’s time to claim what’s always been mine.” He smirks and places the knife on the ground beside me. Need and excitement twist deep in my gut. I’m not ready for this night to end. When he reaches to undo his belt, I take the heel of my foot and shove him backward.

Caught off-balance, he lands on his ass. I scramble to my feet, dirt and leaves cascading to the forest floor, shaking free from my trembling body with the motion.

“Oh, you still want to play?”

“If you want to fuck me, you’ll have to catch me again.”

“Hmm. Playing hard to get. That’s fine. I like a good challenge. Just know, the next time I catch you I’m fucking you. Hard. Deep. Owning you and your pussy. My pussy.”

It sounds like he’s trying to scare me away, but little does he know I’m not scared. I’m excited, ready for him to do all the things he’s promised, but first, he’ll have to catch me, and this time, I’m going to make him work for it.

Snagging the knife from the ground, I turn and take off between the trees with a smile on my lips.

“Catch me, if you can.”