Excerpt from my new self-published Erotic Romance Kindle ebook, Shadows of the Night.
Looking forward to your feedback, if there is enough interest, I would like to post the non-published backstory, or "Prequel" per the request of many readers. Enjoy!
BD Ryder
Update 3/1/15- I've moved this story to the Twilight fandom, instead of Fifty Shades. Please let me know which fandom you think is more appropriate. Both books inspired me to write Shadows of the Night…
Update 3/4/15- I'm new to the fanfiction world, so I feel kind of silly to admit that I just found the 'Vampires' fandom under Books. I'm going to move the Prequel there for now... still looking forward to more feedback as I continue to write both the Prequel to post here on fanfiction, as well as the sequel to Shadows of the Night which will be ready for Kindle this fall! Wish me luck as I am burning the candle at both ends!
Excerpt:
Brenna was in the metal dog cage, cold, wet and terrified. She looked up and saw Quinn, standing next to one of her demonic captors. The demon picked up a stick and hit the cage, demanding that Brenna spread her legs.
Quinn looked at her with pure disgust and sneered to the demon, "I wouldn't go near that one if you paid me. You must have someone else. Anything is better than that filthy whore."
Brenna's captor grabbed the metal chain attached to her collar, slamming her head against the metal bars of the cage. The spikes dug deeper into her skin, causing her to cry out in pain.
He laughed, "I told you nobody would want you, you are filth and no one will ever want to touch you again." His laughter filled her ears as she curled into a ball and cried, watching Quinn turn his back on her and walk away.
As she laid shivering in the freezing cold cage, overcome by despair, she felt a warm hand on her back, rubbing her gently. She tried to turn over, drawn to the simple act of kindness, but her terror had paralyzed her, and she could not move. Just let me die, she thought. Please, I can't go on anymore. God, just let me die… she repeated her plea over and over, barely noticing when one warm hand became two.
Finally she realized that someone was shaking her gently and then she heard Quinn's voice, the disgust gone, replaced with desperation and angst, "Bright Eyes, god, please wake up. You are having another nightmare."
Hearing Quinn's voice, she was at first afraid that he had returned to mock her as she laid in the cage. Her body stiffened, trying to stay in her fetal position.
Quinn's voice became more urgent. "Please baby, please listen to my voice. I'm sure you can hear me. Whatever you think is happening, it's not real. God in heaven, wake up!"
Out of pure desperation, he started kissing her, wanting to give her something good to feel while she was reliving yet another horrific moment. She was deep in this nightmare, and he felt helpless that he could not stop her suffering. Hearing her begging to die was ripping his heart to pieces. He kissed her firmly on the lips, marveling at her taste even in this dark moment. One kiss became two, and he let himself go, releasing his deep need for her, hoping it would be enough to combat the hell she was experiencing.
Back in her cage, Brenna felt an unfamiliar sensation. Soft warm lips, filled with tenderness and passion, were pressed against hers, plying her with kisses. Her body responded, and she began to return the kisses, starved for any morsel of kindness in her living hell. Her eyes opened, and, finding herself gazing directly into mesmerizing blue eyes, she was momentarily disoriented.
Quinn swept his hand across her cheek, his voice raw with emotion as he spoke in a hushed tone, "You are safe, beautiful girl. You had another bad dream. It's not real, you are here, with me. Those bastard parasites are gone, they will never hurt you again." He blinked furiously, trying to hide the tears that were threatening to fall. He held her tight as her own tears fell, from both fear and relief.
Quinn continued to hold her long after her tears stopped. He was becoming more and more desperate to find a way to help her, but he was running out of ideas. They had developed a 'routine' since their first intimate encounter, now nearly two weeks ago. Quinn would work during the day, conducting most of his business from his office down the hall. When finished, he would go to the kitchen and pick up their dinner, which Marci, his sister-in-law, usually had ready. They would eat together, Quinn usually feeding her several more bites himself before he would accept that she was 'full'. It had become almost a game, and secretly they were both frustrated and delighted by it.
After dinner, they would enjoy a hot bath, and then each other, in bed. Quinn tried to keep to the routine as much as possible, hoping that Brenna would feel comfortable if she did not have any 'surprises'. To some extent it seemed to be working, her bad dreams were far less frequent, she was able to sleep for at least four hours at a time before waking up in a cold sweat, or worse… But Quinn wanted her nightmares to end for good, not just lessen. And he was still frustrated that Brenna still avoided engaging in any 'real' conversations with him. She rarely initiated conversation, and always answered his questions in as few words as possible.
He was aware that she talked to Evie, and even to Alden, although at least his brother had the good sense to downplay it. He was glad that she felt safe talking to them, she desperately needed that. However, that didn't stop him from being slightly jealous, and wounded. He wanted her to come to him for anything she needed, and especially to confide in him. In short, he wanted her to rely on him for everything. He knew that was selfish and domineering, but those were two of his strongest traits. His beautiful bright eyed girl had gotten under his skin in a way that no one ever had, and he cared about her in a way that he had never cared about anyone.
His life was not conducive to a normal relationship, and therefore they could only be together on his terms, which of course included him being in complete control of not only himself, but her as well. He knew it was wrong, but he didn't care. His need for her grew every time they were together. It took every ounce of his strength to stay away from her during the day. He did so only because he did have a company to run and, more importantly, she needed time away from him, to rest.
He did take some measure of comfort in the fact that she seemed glad to see him, and did not pull away or flinch when being touched, as long as he avoided her 'forbidden zone'. He continued to bind her arms during sex, no longer asking for permission. In the last few days, he had noticed her blushing as he slowly untied the silk scarf from her neck prior to their bath. Her body responded further when he gently positioned her on the bed, raising her arms above her head. Her pulse would quicken and her nipples hardened as he secured her wrists to the headboard with the scarf.
Now, feeling helpless once again, he watched the beautiful woman he held in his arms, exhausted and still recovering from her terrifying dreams. Her tears had stopped, but she continued to clasp his hand with hers, as if afraid to let go for fear of returning to her nightmare.
She never talked about her dreams, refusing to give him any details. However, Quinn did not have to stretch his imagination to have a fairly accurate idea of the hell she was forced to continually relive.
Lost in his thoughts, he nearly missed her whispered words, "I'm so sorry I woke you up."
Quinn sighed in exasperation. Every time she woke him due to her nightmares, she apologized for doing so, as if she was to blame.
"Bright Eyes, this is getting ridiculous. I'm not going to tell you again that you have nothing to apologize for. Please stop, it's really beginning to annoy me."
"I'm sorry."
To his utter amazement she had managed to apologize for apologizing, again. He leaned back, holding her so that she was forced to face him.
"Really? I tell you to stop apologizing and you apologize? For crying out loud woman, are you intentionally trying to make me crazy?"
He tucked the covers around her before standing up and pacing the room. He needed to control his frustration before she shut down on him.
Watching him, Brenna was reminded of a tiger pacing in its cage. She wanted to say something to calm him, but all she could think of was another apology.
In order to give him some space, she decided to make a quick trip to the bathroom. She was still naked from their latest activity and did not feel comfortable enough to parade past him completely unclothed. Looking around, she saw his discarded white button up shirt and slipped it on, then headed to the bathroom.
Quinn was returning from getting some fresh air on the balcony in the pre-dawn light, an open bottle of water in his hand, as Brenna emerged from the bathroom. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw her. She had freshened up, her hair a glorious mass of unruly golden curls. But it was the sight of her wearing his shirt that had him awestruck. She looked like an insanely sexy angel.
Quinn had never experienced the pleasure of seeing a woman wearing his shirt, and stared in wonder at the erotic look. His body responded immediately, pulsing as flames of desire started in his belly, then spread like wildfire. He swallowed the rest of the water in one mouthful, tossing the bottle aside as he headed to intercept his enticing bright eyed angel before she made it to the safety of the bed. Brenna had her head down, not yet ready to face Quinn, and hence was caught off guard as his arms encircled her waist, pulling her against him.
Quinn tilted her chin up, his voice huskily, "My God Bright Eyes, you look like an angel, you are so beautiful."
Before Brenna could respond, his lips were on hers, kissing her passionately. Without hesitation, she ran her hands along his hard smooth chest, reveling in the burning heat radiating from him. He groaned at her touch, sweeping her up and wrapping her legs around his hips. His movements were swift and strong, and Brenna clasped her hands around his neck to steady herself.
Quinn pressed her tight against him, feeling her heat against his hips as his lips explored hers. He tickled her tongue with his, and when she moaned softly, he forced his tongue in deeper, exploring her mouth for the first time. He had been teased with mere samples of her exquisite taste each time they kissed. Now, with his tongue exploring her hot wet mouth, he was no longer sampling, instead enjoying a full feast of her taste. His body trembled as he took her tongue into his mouth, sucking on it to get the maximum effect.
Quinn found his way to the bed, sliding out of his soft cotton pajama pants while holding Brenna tight. His hands were now holding both sides of her head, steadying her so that he could continue his feast. She ran her hands through his hair as she continued to moan softly, her mouth opening wider, encouraging him on.
Quinn's mind was devoid of any thoughts other than tasting more of her. The monster was making his demands loud and clear, he wanted more, much more. The pulse in her neck throbbed, forcing her dark rich blood through her veins.
As the monster began to exert its control, Quinn's mouth left Brenna's and found the soft skin of her neck, where her pulse was strongest. He licked her and then sucked her skin, catching it between his teeth. He could actually hear and feel the blood coursing through her veins, and he growled deeply, the bloodlust overtaking him and setting the monster free.
Without any conscious thought, he opened his mouth wide on Brenna's neck while spreading her thighs. He thrust deeply into her as his sharp teeth swiftly bit through her beautiful soft skin, reaching the pulsing vein beneath. His abnormally sharp teeth served their purpose by puncturing the vein, and immediately Quinn's mouth began to fill with Brenna's precious blood. He growled deeply as his darkest primal urges were finally set free, his thrusts hard and deep, matching the tempo of his sucking.
Brenna moaned in pleasure, aware of nothing but Quinn's heat inside her. She didn't think it was possible for him to feel any hotter than he had during their past encounters, but he was on fire like never before. She took advantage of the fact that for once she was not bound to the headboard, and continued to run her hands through his unruly dark hair. She briefly wondered if she would burst into flame as Quinn's unnatural heat ignited her own intense fire.
Her breasts were throbbing, nipples hard, begging for Quinn's attention. Brenna felt him sucking at her neck, and was overwhelmed with the erotic sensation. Suddenly he growled deeply then groaned, interrupting the tempo of his sucking. Brenna felt something warm run down her neck and Quinn growled fiercely, licking her neck where she had felt the wet warmth trickle. The realization dawned on Brenna that he was drinking her blood.
The thought did not terrify her, instead it stoked her internal fire and she cried out in pleasure as she gave up any thought of maintaining control. She rocked her body with his, waiting anxiously for each thrust. Subconsciously she spread her legs wider, accepting Quinn deeper into her.
Quinn the monster was vaguely aware of Brenna's body moving to accommodate him, and he no longer felt the need to anchor her head, now knowing that she would not fight him. He moved his hands to her neglected breasts, kneading them and rubbing her firm nipples with his thumbs. His throbbing intensified with every moan and gasp from her. He loved that he had that kind of power over her. It was what he had wanted all along. From the moment they met, the monster in Quinn had coveted her like no other. Now it claimed her, taking what it wanted without asking, with no warning. He had control of her body, deciding when and how to pleasure her…
Quinn's primal urges drove him on as he filled her with his liquid heat. His only thought was to take more of her, and he spun her around, her back now pressed against his chest. As he continued to drink, his hands explored her body. Consumed by the bloodlust, he grasped her hips, grinding her against him at a frenzied pace. Quinn the man was lost, only a faint echo trying to make himself aware that he had crossed a forbidden line, putting Brenna in extreme danger. But there was nothing he could do to fight against such monstrous urges, his thirst not yet sated.
He continued to thrust upward, meeting Brenna's body as he forced her down on him. She moaned and writhed in pleasure as he growled his desperate need. He filled her again with liquid heat, her body shuddering in delight as her own desire fought to escape from between her legs. Quinn was drawn to it, like a moth to the flame.
As if having a mind of their own, his fingers probed her, desperate to reach her heated core, and the liquid heat she had not yet revealed to him. His thumb found her hard nub of pleasure and began to rub it, wanting her to release the liquid she kept locked away.
Like Quinn, Brenna had been lost in ecstatic pleasure, unlike anything she had ever known before. She too had given up control to her body's demands, and she felt as though she were flying. She wanted to stay there forever, but was forced back to earth as she felt his fingers probing her 'forbidden zone'.
For a moment she tried to convince herself that it was okay, that Quinn would never hurt her or humiliate her. But her attempt was futile. Her ordeal was too recent, and her demons were far stronger than she was. She tried to pull Quinn's hand away, but her strength was no match for his. He continued on, and icy cold fear engulfed her. Panicking, she pulled against his hands, moving her hips in a desperate attempt to break their contact.
Quinn's rhythm became uneven as warning bells went off deep inside him, telling him that Brenna was in distress. She continued to squirm and in sheer desperation, found her voice.
"Please Quinn, god please stop. You promised you wouldn't do this. Oh god, PLEASE STOP!"
The pure terror, as well as the increased volume of her voice was just enough to break the monster's hold on Quinn. He was able to focus enough to know that Brenna was terrified and crying, obviously injured, and the thought sent chills through his body, instantly extinguishing his fire.
He pulled his head back, forcing his mouth away from her neck, taking several deep cleansing breaths. He turned Brenna to face him, leaning away from her to give them both some space as his body shuttered at the sudden loss of contact with its quarry.
Quinn gently laid her down on the bed, trying to put more space between them. It had taken every ounce of strength he had to wrest control back from the monster and, with the taste of her blood still on his lips, he didn't know how much longer he would stay in control.
He let out a deep growl as he saw the puncture wound on Brenna's neck, her blood already clotting, the skin around it red and inflamed. His keen eyes noted bruises on her hips where his fingers had dug into her flesh. There were faint bruises on her breasts, and her nipples were swollen.
He was horrified at the damage he had inflicted on his angel as he had violated his family's most sacred vow. He had taken another human being's blood directly from them, not just revealing the monster, but actually releasing it in all of its hideous glory.
Brenna saw Quinn's look of pure disgust as he looked at her and was horrified, assuming it was directed at her. As was her habit when traumatized, she curled into a fetal position, drawing silent breaths and trying desperately not to make any sound.
Quinn, on the other hand, realized she was traumatized and assumed he had wounded her. Her scream for him to stop still rang in his ears. Having already lost control, and still tasting her blood on his tongue, he knew he could not be anywhere near her. Not trusting himself to get her safely to Alden, the only option he had left was to bring Alden to her.
Quinn flew down the hall toward Alden and Marci's wing of the house. He skidded to a halt in front of their bedroom door. Not bothering to knock, he burst into the room, startling Marci, who sat bolt upright in bed.
"Quinn, what in the..." Her voice trailed off as she saw the look of horror on his face.
"Where is Alden? Brenna needs him, now!"
Alden emerged from the bathroom, looking concerned.
"What is it Quinn?" His concern turned to fear at the horror in his brother's eyes.
"Alden, Brenna's hurt, you need to go to her immediately. I can't stay, she's not safe if I'm anywhere near her."
Alden grabbed his brother's arm in an attempt to focus him. All he knew was that something bad had happened, and something was wrong with Brenna.
"Quinn, I'm going now, but you need to calm down and tell me what happened."
His brother roared, "NO! Listen to me god damn it! I'm leaving, go to her, now!"
Quinn turned and ran down the hall, away from Brenna, trying to put as much distance between them as possible.
Alden appreciated the fact that his wife tried to mask her thoughts, even though her attempt was in vain.
"Later Marci, you were right, but not now, there's no time…"
He ran down the hall, toward Brenna, his beloved wife right behind him.