A Centaur for Libby Read online

  She was still contemplating the scorpion’s ominous words as he heaved her up onto his back. His shell was hard and warm to the touch. She was forced to spread her legs as wide as they could go. The experience was not joyful as with Markos and yet she could not help but feel something.

  The sense of helplessness in the hands of this monster, perhaps. Chains on her body as he took her, leashed and collared into this strange castle in this strange world.

  The castle itself was beautiful inside. The main door opened into a huge open space, three stories high, walled with colored bricks, bright as a rainbow. The roof was vaulted and the chamber was lined with columns. The roof was painted blue and there were depictions of stars, with carefully drawn lines and patterns.

  Banners hung on each of the columns, which were made of colored marble. One showed a green dragon, another a centaur with a long spear. He looked something like Markos.

  At the back of the chamber there was a dais and above it a yellow and gold banner hung on two poles and featured a lion wearing a crown. She was reminded of the symbols of Earthly royalty. Was this a representation of the king they had spoken of, the one who was dead but still lived in the hearts of his subjects?

  If Libby had any hopes of exploring further they were soon squashed as Zinox took her quickly across the green marble floor to a wide bronze door on the side of the chamber. It opened with a loud creak that did not bode well.

  “I hope you like your accommodations,” said Zinox. “This underground cavern has only recently been converted to a dungeon.”

  “You shouldn’t have gone through all the trouble for me,” she quipped as he ambled down a dark stone ramp leading straight into darkness.

  Zinox laughed, at least she assumed that was the meaning of the strange noises it was making. “You are a clever one,” he said. “I shall enjoy breaking you.”

  “Are you sure that’s wise?” she wondered, trying not to sound terrified. “Considering all the allies I have?”

  “They are nothing,” he spat. “They are as good as vanquished.”

  At the bottom of the ramp more scorpions were waiting with torches. They were in a tunnel made of rounded stone. Zinox took a left turn. They passed a series of wooden doors with small openings, barred with metal. She thought she could hear breathing within.

  Was Markos nearby? Oh god, she needed him.

  One of the doors was open. It was wide enough for Zinox to fit through. Oh, goodie, she thought.

  Two other scorpions came into the cell. The floor was stone and the walls and ceiling, too. The stones were rough-hewn and encrusted with white and purple jewels. It was like being inside a geode.

  Zinox took off her shackles and hoisted her in the air like a rag doll. The two scorpions took her arms and attached them to cuffs hanging from the ceiling. They had her on tiptoes now, utterly at their mercy.

  Taking buckets filled with unusually warm water, they poured them over her, washing away the blue liquid. She was left feeling like a drowned rat.

  “Leave us,” said Zinox.

  The other two hastened out of the cell, closing the door behind them.

  “At last,” he said. “We are alone.”

  “Whatever you want from me,” she said bravely. “You won’t get it.”

  “Of course I will.” He approached her, extending his vicious-looking stinger. “I always do.”

  She gasped as he leaned forward, pressing the tip of it against her belly. “Did you know that the venom of a Constellian scorpion has the power of hypnosis?”

  Assuming the question to be rhetorical, Libby remained silent.

  “Are you very frightened of me?” he wanted to know.

  “Compared to facing Judge Waller before he’s had his morning coffee? Not really,” she quipped.

  “You have answers for everything, don’t you? But here you know nothing. You are nothing. Constellia has been weak for too long. The old king missed his opportunities, his wife has her head in the clouds like all the Aquarians. The centaurs are useless too, wrapped up in their games and traditions as they are. And I won’t waste my breath on the rest, sentimental crabs, pigheaded rams and weak-willed fish. Only scorpions are fit and only Scorpos can lead.”

  “Sounds like you’ve got it all wrapped up. Why do you need me?”

  “Because.” He ran his stinger along her hip, causing some very unwelcome stimulation in her nether regions. “Scorpos has enemies. We have rounded up many of the lions and centaurs who would oppose us but others are hidden away. Even in the court there are naysayers. The queen herself vacillates. Scorpos is working on fully seducing her. We know Argos is behind a lot of it but he would never talk. Crabs pull into their own shells under pressure. But Markos, he knows too, and you’re just the one to get him to talk. Yes, I am going to win great favor with Scorpos once I make you my spy.”

  “I won’t cooperate, I hope you know.”

  Zinox moved the stinger along her thigh, just enough to make her squirm. “Once you are stung, you will do anything I say. You will be anything I say.”

  “No,” she defied, but it was too late. Prick went the tip into her skin, like a needle, surprisingly quick and painless. He withdrew, sounding like a nurse who had just administered a hypodermic needle. “There, that wasn’t so bad, was it?”

  Libby blinked. The scorpion was going out of focus. She opened her mouth, the words were slurred.

  “It’s very fast-acting,” he said. “And potent. I didn’t give you a lethal dose, but it will take your freedom quite quickly.”

  She writhed in her chains, trying to get away. She was sweating, a collared prisoner. He waited for her to exhaust herself and then he began. She couldn’t hear exactly what he was saying, not at first.

  Whatever it was, it was making her hot. She could feel her pussy throbbing, juices dripping. She needed to be filled, conquered.

  She turned her head, not wanting Zinox to see her eyes. If he should guess her desire, her incredible, irrational need for this horrible creature to touch her, to invade her, she would be lost.

  Zinox gave no quarter. “Look at me,” he ordered.

  Libby’s nipples were tight, her breath short and ragged.

  “You are a natural slave, aren’t you, Libby?”

  She tried to shake her head no.

  “You like being chained, you like that I can do what I want with you. You would come for me if I told you, wouldn’t you?”

  “F-fuck you,” she spat, finding it terribly difficult to get the words out.

  “You’re fighting so hard,” he lamented. “It’s easier, so much easier to give in and be a good girl. A good little pet. You would like to be my pet, wouldn’t you? Crawling on all fours for your master?”

  Oh god, she did want to give in, to plead and beg for the scorpion to use her body, to reduce her to a sex animal. Wasn’t this the point of her sex dreams? To get her to surrender her inhibitions? Wasn’t this her most secret desire, to be the plaything of a forbidden, evil creature, to be taken in ways that would shame even a therapist?

  What would Aggy say?

  It was her sudden thoughts of her quirky therapist that saved her. She could picture Aggy, sitting across from her, encouraging her to play, to have fun. But not to surrender her soul.

  Especially not when Markos needed her, whole and free.

  Summoning all of her embattled, stung and poisoned will, she gave the scorpion the answer he deserved.

  The creature shrieked in shock as her spit landed in his eye. Apparently these creatures did not like water any more than they liked disobedience. Cursing at her, he retreated. “You can rot in here,” he said, opening the door for his escape.

  To solidify his point, he slammed the door closed.

  Libby tried to keep her head up, but things were foggy again.

  She must have passed out because the next thing she knew she was dreaming of Markos.

  He was calling her name and taking her down from her chains, cradling her in hi
s arms. A wonderful dream, indeed. Or was it real?

  Chapter Six

  Markos was holding Libby so close. Never, never again would he let her out of his sight. How had she managed to follow him here in the first place? No human should be able to get to Constellia on their own.

  “Markos,” said Argos as gently as possible. “You must take her back to your cell. I have only bought you a little time with her. Your trial has been delayed by her arrival as your lawyer, but the judges still demand we start before lunch.”

  “You heard him,” growled one of the scorpion guards. “Get her out of here, human, or we will.”

  Markos’ anger welled from a place deep in his spirit. He might be stuck in his human form but he was still a centaur at heart. The look he gave the scorpion made the creature skip backward into the corner. “You will not touch her,” Markos said, his voice steady and dead-on. “Or I vow, by my ancestors, I shall tear you and your entire kind limb from limb.”

  The scorpion gave him a wide berth as he walked out of the cell and into the corridor of the dungeon. How dampened his spirit had been since he had been returned to this place upon his reappearance in Constellia earlier this morning.

  To begin with, he had not reassumed his natural form. To his great humiliation, he was still stuck on two legs, a mere human. Whether this was permanent or not, who could say.

  Making no attempt to hide himself or to implicate his three friends whom had aided secretly in his escape the day before, he had walked up to the castle gates, surrendering himself to Scorpos’ guards.

  They threw him in irons at once, placing him in the dungeon. He had expected, even welcomed his trial and subsequent sentence of Dissolution to the Four Winds, but then Argos had shown up at his cell door with an urgent, if temporary reprieve from the twin judges, Pollus and Prios.

  It seemed he had a lawyer now, Libby. By rights he should have a week or so to prepare a case with her, but the judges wanted everything done by lunch so they could eat and go to the theater this afternoon. Fine regard for the law that they had.

  Argos offered final advice as Markos and Libby were locked in his cell. “You have an hour, more or less. You must use every minute to tell her the details of your case.”

  Markos nodded. Admittedly, his mind was not on the case. Not with Libby looking so desirable, nude and wet, a collar of silver around her neck. And she was aroused too, he could smell her. The stars help Zinox if he had abused her in any way.

  Laying her down on the straw which served as his own bed, Markos knelt beside her. “Libby,” he called out her name. “Can you hear me?”

  She stirred in her sleep, making little sounds with her mouth. She was on her back, lost so peacefully in dreaming. He hated to wake her, hated to disturb her rest.

  She sighed, arching her back. He wanted to devour her breasts. His cock swelled to full erection as he saw just how stiff her nipples had become.

  Libby opened her eyes, squinting. There was half a second for recognition followed by a lighting up of her face. His heart swelled that she should be so happy to see him.

  “Markos.” She sat up throwing her arms around him. “Oh god, Markos, I love you, do you know that?”

  Markos wasn’t sure what he knew, except that he was never so happy himself to see another living being. “You should not have followed me,” he chided. “I am not pleased with the risk you took.”

  “It was worth it. I am going to defend you, Markos, all you need to do is tell me about your case.”

  “It’s useless.” He shook his head. “I cannot win.”

  “How can you say that? How can you be so pessimistic?”

  “I am a realist, Libby, and you know it.”

  “What you are is one moody son of a bitch. If you can’t control everything, you want to throw in the towel.”

  “What towel?” He wrinkled his brow.

  Libby laughed. “I think I know what you need.”

  “What’s that?”

  “A quick dose of dominance.”

  He didn’t follow.

  “Take a look at me, Markos. I am naked and collared. I’m a prisoner. Doesn’t that give you ideas?”

  “I, too, am a prisoner, Libby. And I don’t even have my own body.”

  She put her hands on his cheeks. “Oh, for heaven’s sake, will you ravish me already?”

  Libby gave him her lips as an offering. He could not refuse the soft warmth of them, nor could he turn down the rest of her. Still, he did not want to break her heart. “Libby, I am unlikely to be alive in a few hours.”

  She handed him her leash. “You’re alive now. And you are the one I want, in this or any world.”

  “We don’t have any of your little rubber things,” he reminded.

  “I’ll make an exception,” she said with a wink.

  He took hold of the chain, pulling her close. One by one he devoured her breasts. She moaned, her body falling limp.

  Markos followed her down, covering her body with his own. “You must tell me.” He pinned her in place. “What Zinox did.”

  “He did nothing.” She shook her head. “Except to mess with my mind. He wanted me to be his slave…but I can only be yours.”

  “Show me, then,” he said. “Open for me.”

  Libby spread her legs obediently, wide as she could manage. Markos slipped inside her, claiming her warm, wet canal. “You should be spanked again,” he growled. “For coming to Constellia.”

  “I’m a willful little wench,” she said with a grin. “Aren’t I?”

  He thrust himself deep and hard. “My wench,” he said.

  Libby clutched at his shoulders, digging in with her nails. “Oh, Markos, yes, claim me, mark me.”

  Markos pumped her as he held her wrists down above her head. “I never did get to tie you to the bed.”

  She pressed herself hard against him. “You did…with your mind.”

  “Come for me, my lady,” he rasped, feeling his cock swell in anticipation of climax. “Come hard.”

  His words induced the reaction, which in turn confirmed his own power. They exploded together, rolling over and over on the floor of the cell. He couldn’t let go of her, even as his cock began to flag. He was holding so tight, he mustn’t release her ever.

  They settled at last, side by side, facing one another.

  “You need to tell me about the case,” she said, her eyes all business.

  He reached over to give her ass a playful slap. “You need to mind your manners, slave girl.”

  She scooted back, avoiding his hand. “Sorry, buddy. Play time is over. I’m your lawyer now and I need facts. Plenty of them and fast.”

  Markos went after her, taking hold of the leash. “We’ll talk,” he said. “While you’re on top of me.”

  “Markos, please. I’m trying to save your life here. Besides your cock isn’t even hard.”

  “You’ll have to address that then, won’t you?” His hand took hold of her nipple. “Won’t you?” he repeated.

  “Yes,” she moaned, her eyes glazing over. “I…have to…”

  He guided her head between his legs. She breathed over his cock, swishing her head, letting her long silky hair fall across it like a curtain. “May I suck you?” she whispered, soft and sweet.

  “Yes,” said Markos. “You may worship my cock.”

  “Thank you,” she sighed, offering him a kiss. “I will try to please you.”

  “You could never fail me.” He stroked her hair.

  She administered a second kiss, more lingering. This time she applied her tongue. At once he began to stiffen.

  Libby licked the length of him, along the bottom. He was half hard. Opening her mouth wide, she took him in, sliding her mouth all the way down, as far as she could manage.

  He groaned, swelling to full thickness. She worked him with her saliva, sucking on him with vigor. When she came up for air he was like a rock, as though he hadn’t climaxed in a year.

  Libby wanted to suck him mor
e, but he couldn’t wait. Lifting her, he took hold of her hips, positioning her across him. She was easily impaled, more than willing and eager.

  Her palms pressed down on his chest. “You’re incorrigible,” she said through gritted teeth. “Do you have a death wish?”

  He put his hands behind his head, feeling like his old self, even better. “Not particularly,” he mused. “I simply do my best talking this way.”

  “I’ll bet you do.”

  “Start moving,” he told her. “And we’ll begin.”

  Libby lifted herself, very slowly. Her face was contorted. She was trying to keep hold of herself. “I’ll never be able to concentrate like this.”

  “I thought lawyers could handle pressure?”

  She lowered herself again, eyes closed. “N-not like this.”

  “I have great faith in you,” he said. “For the record, I am accused of murdering the king’s Royal Astrologer. Theonicus the Wise. He was a crab, like Argos.”

  “Can…can you tell me the circumstances?” she asked, rocking her body along the length of his cock as if she had some terrible itch inside her.

  “You mean do I know what really happened to the man? No. All I can say is I was patrolling the castle one night, a month or so after the king’s death. I heard noises in Theonicus’ chambers, scratching noises. I knocked on his door, there was no answer. I went in to check and found him lying on his back, with a number of arrows though his shell. I bent to check on him and saw he was dead. Almost immediately Zinox arrived with a squad of his scorpion guards. I was taken into custody and charged with the crime.”

  “That’s it?” Libby’s eyes bugged. “That’s all they have? No witnesses? Nothing?”

  “Not that I know of.”

  She shook her head, settling herself on his chest. “They can’t possibly prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Not given the obvious motive of Zinox and the fact that he showed up so conveniently.”

  Markos shrugged. “I’m not a lawyer, I couldn’t say.”

  “Well, I am,” she said. “And I know a frame-up when I see it. What is it that makes you so dangerous?”

  “I was Commander of the Guard before my arrest. After the murder I was decommissioned along with all the centaurs. We helped most of them escape, and the lions who were the allies of the old king.”