“Hans will clear your way.” Goldilocks knelt down and yanked Red’s knife from the dead guard. She handed it to her. “It has been an honor to battle with you, Blood Red.”
Red nodded and sheathed her knife. “And you, Golden Girl.”
Goldilocks laughed. She unsheathed a blade from her leg. She rose both sword and blade up to the heavens. “C’mon, boys, let’s have us some fun.”
She ran into the swarming guards, swinging her blades back and forth. Junior and Papa galloped into them, projecting their swords as they rode.
Hans rode up to Red. “Follow me. I’ll get you there.” He kicked his horse and rode toward the looming castle. He swung his mace back and forth, clearing a path.
Red kicked her horse and followed him. Wolf rode up next to her. She glanced over at him. He looked at her, eyes blazing. Red knew he would go the distance with her. To the death, if need be. She realized at that moment that he had always been there with her. He had always been a part of her life. He had come into her life when she was just a girl and he hadn’t left. He had watched her grow into the woman she was. And God willing, she knew he would stay with her until she faded from this life. As the castle loomed grandly in front of them, she wondered how soon that would be.
Two guards with spears guarded the large ornate doors. They advanced, their spears held out as they saw the trio galloping toward them. Hans swung his mace, breaking one of the spears. The other spear pierced his leg and his horse’s flank. They fell sideways, crushing the other guard.
Red and Wolf jumped over the remaining guard and burst through the doors, splintering the wood.
The guard followed them in. Wolf was off his horse and swinging his ax before Red could even turn around. He quickly disposed of the guard.
Red dismounted and scanned the grand entrance.
No other guards approached them. “Why are there not more guards?”
Wolf looked around, concern furrowing his brow.
“I think something else approaches.”
A thin layer of fog lifted from the floor. It began to swirl around their feet. As it grew and circled up their legs, Red felt it seep through the fabric of her pants. It felt cold and wet against her skin. Shivers climbed her spine and wrapped around her throat. She knew what was coming.
The fog thickened like a hazy smoke from a heavy forest fire. It curled around their bodies and over their faces. They coughed. The smoke tickled their noses and clogged their throats.
Red saw movement in the gray smoke. She saw the red of his eyes before she saw the rest of him emerge.
Drake stepped out of the fog and stood before them.
He was smiling, like a man greeting long lost friends.
“Welcome back.” His voice floated over them.
Red shook her head. She was feeling faint.
“Step aside, sorcerer, and you may live.” Wolf raised his ax.
Drake laughed. It was rich, deep, and full of humor. The sound wound its way around Red. It curled around her br**sts and caressed her ni**les.
They grew erect and throbbed painfully, as if she had been in the cold too long.
Drake turned his crimson eyes on Red. “I think not, little Wolf.” He held his hand out to her. “Come to me.”
Red felt the pull. It tugged on her body. Her sex started to ache and she felt wet and hot. She wanted to move to him, to feel his hands on her. But she knew that that was wrong. Her mind told her to stop, while her body stepped forward.
Wolf watched in shock as Red moved toward Drake. He grabbed her arm and tried to pull her back.
She raked her nails across his hand. Blood welled to the skin. Wolf pulled back his hand.
Drake smiled as Red stepped into him. He put an arm around her. “You see my friend, Red is happy to be back.” He leaned down and took her mouth with his.
Red felt his lips touch hers. An electric shock was sent down her spine as they kissed. She desperately wanted to push him away, but found she could not.
His lips felt too good on hers. His tongue was too wet and hot to ignore, the taste of him too wild to deny.
“Red, he has bewitched you. Fight him.” Wolf obviously itched to attack, but knew he might not be able to save Red.
Drake pulled back from her mouth. He pulled her over to stand in front of him. He wound his arm around her and caressed her neck with a long slender hand. He stroked up and down her skin.
“She does not want to fight. Do you, my dear?”
His hand traveled down her body. He molded his hand around her breast. He squeezed and pulled at her ni**les through the thin cotton of her shirt.
Red closed her eyes and moaned at his touch. She leaned back into him, wanting him to move his hands over her. To touch her, to pull at her. She burned inside for his touch. The ache throbbing deep inside was almost too painful to take. She whimpered as he moved his hand lower.
He snaked his hand under the waistband of her pants. He moved his fingers over her smooth mound.
She groaned loudly as he dipped his fingers into her cleft. He slid them in and out slowly, savoring the feel of her silky wetness. He brought his fingers up and licked them clean.
* * *
Wolf watched in horror as Drake touched her intimately. He knew she was under some sort of spell.
Drake must have cast it on her while she was in his capture. Her body had betrayed her. He could see the confusion and conflict twisted on her face and clouding her eyes. He would have to be strong now, if they were to get out of this.
“Red, fight him. He has cast a spell on you. What you’re feeling is not real.”
Red looked at Wolf. He could tell she wanted to go to him. To feel his strong arms around her, comforting her. But her body would not move. She was trapped against Drake, his hands exploring her.
“Oh, but it is real, Wolf. Very real. Come and feel what I mean.” Drake held out his hand to Wolf, beckoning him.
Wolf felt the pull instantly. It was like a rope was attached to his waist and he was being tugged forward. He tried to fight, but it was too strong. He stepped forward. He dropped his ax and moved closer. He was soon nestled against Red’s warm form.
He gazed down at her. Her face was contorted with pleasure and her eyes clouded with pain. He concentrated on those emerald eyes.
She looked up into his face and pleaded with him to stop this. She had not the power to control herself.
Drake laughed and pressed himself closer into Red, his erection hard against her buttocks. “Is this not pleasant? Is this really worth fighting against?” He rubbed his hand over Red’s crotch, brushing his fingers against Wolf’s growing erection. “We could be like this forever, if you wanted.”
* * *
Red swallowed the saliva pooling in her mouth.
She could barely contain herself. She wanted to grab onto Wolf and rip his trousers apart so she could grasp his hard cock. She wanted to push back into Drake and impale herself on him. The ache deep in her sex grew, painfully so. An itch so great she had to scratch it. To not do so would be mad. She knew in her mind that it was a trick, an enchantment, but still her body responded. The fight was almost gone from her.
“Touch her, Wolf. Do not be afraid. I can see in the smoldering of your eyes that you desperately want to.
Give in to those feelings, Wolf. Release your animal and take her. Take us.”
Wolf squeezed his eyes shut. He tensed his muscles. He tried not to move his hands, but they moved regardless. He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her to him. He ground his erection into her.
She felt Drake’s hand on his crotch. Wolf shuddered.
His body betrayed him and responded to the touch.
His c*ck grew harder, like rock.
Red moaned as Wolf ground into her. She grabbed onto him, tearing at his shirt. She needed to feel his skin, his hot flesh against her fingers.
Wolf moved his hands down her arms. He moved them over her br**sts. He squeezed and molded them. His hands continued down to her hips. He held her there as he bent down to her lips.
Red tilted her head to meet his mouth. She closed her eyes. Wolf skimmed her chin with his lips and bent to her ear. His hot breath blew across her lobe.
“I love you. Now run.”
Red’s eyes went wide as she felt the knife at her leg slip out of its sheath.
She felt Drake’s body stiffen as the knife was plunged into his side. The spell broke. Red ducked down and moved out from between the two men. She stepped back and watched as Wolf drove the knife further into Drake’s body.
“Run Red! Fulfill the prophecy!”
“No! I can not leave you. I…I love you too much.”
Drake pushed back on Wolf, causing him to stumble backwards. He grabbed onto the knife’s hilt.
“Go. You must follow your destiny.” Wolf glanced at her.
“No, I fear I have seen the future. I do not want to lose you.”
“You will not. I promise you. Now go!”
Red picked up her sword from the floor and ran.
She glanced back one last time before she disappeared into the hall. Drake had pulled out the knife. He held it up to his eyes. Blood dripped from it. Wolf stood before him, his ax ready in his hands.
Red closed her eyes against the well of tears. She turned away and ran down the hall to her destiny, but somehow she thought she was leaving her true destiny behind.
Chapter Sixteen
The hall was the same. It had the fabric hangings and wall mirror just like the one she remembered from her dreams, her memories from her childhood. As Red crept down the hall the first stirrings of fear swirled in her stomach. The large wooden doors loomed up ahead. She did not want to near them, let alone go through them. For the second time in her life, she was mortally afraid.
Red stopped in front of the doors. She could feel the power through them. It was like they were a living-breathing thing. She was afraid to touch them in case they moved. What if they opened up and swallowed her whole?
She shook her head to toss away the fearful thoughts. She was no longer a little girl. She was a grown woman, with a body of iron and a heart of steel. She had remade herself into a warrior, a fighting machine. Fear was not an option.
She had to open the doors. She needed to see, to know if her dreams were real. She reached out and touched the brass door handle. She thought it would be hot to the touch, searing her skin. But it was cool, not a thing of flesh. She pulled the handle and pushed open the door.