Part III: Sarah's Dreams
Sarah's breath was heavy as she stood waiting for Jareth to act. Though he stood motionless, she felt a sensation as though he was running his fingers over her lips, trailing down to her neck. A silent reminder of his power, she mused. "So that is how you wish to be. I cannot say I expected otherwise." Though his face feigned pity once more, the edge of anger in his voice caused shivers to travel up and down her back. She tried to tense her body more, hoping to defend herself against any impending attack or magic, but she was still unable to move. It startled her when he suddenly gave her a satisfied look instead, a grin that showed his teeth. His fingers shot out and suddenly he was waving a crystal before her eyes, dangling it to rest only an inch away. "Last time you refused it. What do you think now, Sarah?"
Sarah almost refused to look, but curiosity got the better of her. Initially squinting at the brightness, she was able to see a clear image once her eyes adjusted to the sight. Jareth took her hands and put them over the crystal firmly, immediately restoring her freedom to move. She backed away from him to look and held the crystal down so she could gaze at it from above. There she was in her gown from the masquerade, running through the corridors of the labyrinth. She tripped and a hand extended itself to her. She grasped it tightly and was now standing before the Goblin King. Without hesitation, this Sarah fell into his arms.
The real Sarah backed away, averting her eyes from the image. The crystal seemed glued to her hands and she was overwhelmed by a sudden heat emanating from its core. In frustration, she flung her hands downward with a cry. The crystal separated from her palms at last, but did not fall to the ground and shatter as she had hoped. Instead, it came right back into the hands of its master, who stood in silence, watching her. Sarah's breath was heavy from the exertion. "Don't tell me that's one of my dreams."
"How defensive you are. I've said nothing." His eyes trailed down to the crystal slowly, and he was clearly enjoying what he saw. Blinking a few times to prepare herself, she glanced back again and saw that the Sarah in the crystal was kissing the Goblin King. Immediately her eyes shot away, her face burning. He chuckled loudly, causing her to furrow her brow in disgust. "Crystals show you what you want, Sarah. You can deny it as much as you desire, but it doesn't make your declarations true, now does it?"
Angered by his gloating, she said mockingly, "Well, that doesn't seem to be something I'm into, now does it?"
"Because you find me so repulsive," he replied. The smirk on his face revealed so much. She had hoped to even wound his pride, but he clearly didn't believe she had a low opinion of him, at least not in regard to his appearance. "So confident. And at the same time, so desperate to deny. You back away, avert your eyes." She resumed eye contact challengingly, her eyes flashing in fury. "Dreams never lie, Sarah."
"Those aren't my dreams. They're lies you created to manipulate me."
Sarah suddenly heard little sounds in the distance, both screeches and moans. A horrific noise then filled the air, one she imagined to be a growl. It reminded her of movies she'd seen about dragons and large creatures, who of course roared and made ghastly noises. But this wasn't a movie. This was real and whatever it was sounded more monstrous than anything she had ever heard before in her life. Worst of all, it seemed to be coming closer, as the resonance of its snarl was getting louder. Her confidence immediately waned. Her body chilled and she moved a little closer to Jareth in response. "What is that?"
The noise stopped, but then she could hear a minute, pitiful shriek ensuing through the forest. In a moment, there was only silence. As she looked down to see if anything was visible below them, Jareth's voice grew sharp. "How ungrateful you are. Do you know what kinds of creatures are in my labyrinth? Many more than you saw last time. Many, many more. And as mine, I shield you from all the terrors, all those things that would destroy a little human like you. Last time, my generosity kept you from that fate. I made certain you would encounter none of them on your little journey." Of course, Sarah's mind ran rampant, trying to figure out what sorts of creatures he could possibly be referring to, what they looked like. "Think of all your folklore, Sarah. The possibilities are endless. What you thought were mere myths may not be so." The noises resumed and she almost jumped into Jareth's arms because of how much this approaching creature now frightened her. She knew whatever it was had to be hideous and predatory. She almost wished to cover her ears at the sound of its cries. Angry, vile, and prowling. Even the Bog of Stench would be far better than to face whatever this thing was. "So what is it to be, Sarah? My protection or for me to 'leave you alone?'"
Sarah remembered the creature in the box at the masquerade. Even that had scared her and it hadn't been so menacing, like whatever this distant sound belonged to seemed to be. How many creatures were within? What hadn't she seen? The Goblin King was looking down on her challengingly, so she raised her chin and asked, "Is this a test?"
He gave her a smoldering glance, one eyebrow raised. "I'd like an answer."
Bracing herself, she said, "You know the answer well enough."
"Do you really think you can best me?"
She hesitated, wishing with all her heart for the confidence she'd had at fifteen to return. She didn't want to arouse his anger, but she'd be damned if she let him win. Trying to banish the thought of monsters from her mind, she declared, "I won't give in."
The shimmering treetops ceased to be and she stood alone in utter darkness.
Before she could speak, a light seemed to have been switched on after a mere moment. She was now stuck in a strange room that was long and circular, utterly bare and made entirely of wood. Way up toward the ceiling, there were small windows. Spinning around, she could see two large openings at the ends of the corridor, the only exits. Light shone through one end and she took off running for it. Just as she reached the end of the long hall, the exit became a wall. She turned and ran for the other side. Once she reached it, it became a wall, leaving her almost in the dark but for the windows. She raced back to the center of the room. I refuse to believe that my life belongs to him, no matter what he says about the book. I refuse! He can put me through these tests as much as he likes, but I'll never agree to stay!
Suddenly, she realized something awful; the ends of the tunnel were moving closer and preparing to crush her. Now Sarah was panicking, unable to think calmly. He wouldn't crush me…right? Then she heard the sound of the monster again, loud and screeching, enough to make her cover her ears. Is he unleashing something on me?! Though she knew it to be foolish, she attempted to scale the incline and get to one of the windows. Then she balked, realizing immediately that she wasn't wearing her dress anymore. She had on the exact same clothes she had worn when she had first entered the Labyrinth all those years ago. Shaking her head in exasperation, she managed to find footing and worked her way up in a running start, her shoes creating the perfect traction to prevent her from falling. Ha, his plan to trouble me ended up helping. She grunted when she finally managed to get a hold upon one of the windows, clutching to the sill. She cried out when she lost her footing and was forced to cling desperately to stay there, suspending in the air. Her shoes were suddenly feeling slippery upon the wood and she could no longer support herself on it. She was sweating profusely, having a difficult time supporting her body weight. Somehow through sheer force of will, with one hand she quickly made certain the window held no glass, and saw that if she could get her weight up, she could slip inside, just barely. The moving walls were only about twenty feet away on either side at this point. She pressed down hard, barely lifting herself up and preparing to stick her head into the window. When she started to do so, Jareth was there to greet her, his sneer harsh against her eyes and gloved hand extended. In a split second, he turned into a horrible creature, a demon with red eyes and claws that now touched her desperate hands. In astonishment, she screamed a sharp, quick cry, almost certain she was staring into the eyes of the devil himself. Before it was completely out of her throat, she began to fall, letting go in fright and in what felt to her to be slow motion. She hit the side of the wall with a thud and shrill groan, then rolled the rest of the way down. As she was certain she heard Jareth's raspy laugh, she hit the floor with her back on the hard ground, stunned. Her eyes felt glazed and she just knew she was going to lose consciousness as her body felt numb and the ceiling began to spin, the sound of the approaching walls rumbling in her ears.
"Sarah."
Sarah looked up from her book to see Elle standing in the doorway, dressed for a party."Nice dress. Are you going to that frat party?"
"No, we're going."
"I can't," Sarah said, facing her desk again. Her fingers still held her place in the book. "I've got a midterm tomorrow."
"Come on, just this once at least. Everyone has to go to a frat party once."
"It's not my thing."
"Sarah, you do nothing but read and study when you're not rehearsing. It's junior year already. Don't you want to meet new people?"
"I don't have time." Sarah tucked her hair behind her ears, feeling a bit like a child being lectured by an adult. "I have so many things going on right now."
"Pleaseeeeeee."
"No."
"You'll be even busier after graduation." Sarah put a bookmark in her textbook, knowing this was going to be a long argument. When Elle didn't give up right away, she could push for a good ten or fifteen minutes for Sarah to do something.
"Everyone will be there. You might even find a boyfriend."
Sarah scoffed. "The last time you said that, Zach Roberts was following me home."
"He's nice."
"He's an alcoholic."
Elle laughed before sitting on Sarah's desk. Elle had the remarkable talent of persuasion, but even she hadn't managed to get Sarah to go to a big party yet. She'd succeeded in getting Sarah to do many things out of her comfort zone, including trying alcohol (she'd liked it well enough to indulge occasionally), a cigarette (never again), and joining her for events on campus she would never have dreamed of going to without Elle prodding her. But never had she gotten Sarah to go to the biggest party central on campus, where all the action took place. In Sarah's mind, it was just a place where people drank themselves silly and went into the spare bedrooms for impromptu one night stands.
Sarah rolled her eyes. "Ten minutes." Elle squealed and Sarah immediately regretted saying yes. But it was that night that she met Alex.
Their eyes had met during New Order's Blue Monday (another song she couldn't listen to after the breakup). They'd gravitated to one another at once. She had found someone who was intelligent with a sense of humor. She thought him more attractive than anyone she'd met at university, that was for sure. Some of her friends disagreed, but the sight of him took her breath away. Part of the attraction was that he wasn't drinking himself into a slobbering mess like so many of the guys around. He also genuinely seemed to care about what she was saying. After talking for most of the evening, he invited her to a rave the following week and she'd gone without hesitation along with Elle and some friends. "He got you to come to a rave?" Elle asked in disbelief on their way over. "Who is this magic man?!" Sarah's brow furrowed a bit at the word "magic," but she pushed aside any thoughts of the labyrinth as soon as they started to emerge. The memories of the rave were a whir, but she certainly recalled when Alex looked at her tenderly and said they had to meet up again. "But this time, I don't want to wait a week, Sarah." She nodded in exhilaration. That was when he bent down and kissed her. For a solid minute, there had been a connection both physically and emotionally, the latter lasting much longer. How sweet it had been, his fingers gently running over her hair and hers on his sides, just to be sure that this was real and to feel the security of his presence. She'd had kisses before, but had never felt this sort of link to anyone.
Alex, as it turned out, was only a couple of years older and had already graduated from the same university, still dropping by to see friends at parties every so often. He now held an office job. He started dropping by the university when he was off the clock and when her classes were out. Sometimes, he would wait for her weekly night class to finish and walk her home. She could even remember the sound of the crickets along the trail each time... She would stay up late to spend time with him. Never mind that they both had to get up early. Studious Sarah Williams had changed. She felt already she could speak to him about things, things she hadn't told anyone else. She could always confide in him, that she was certain of... Sarah recalled running alongside him, that time they'd taken a drive down to the beach. It had taken two hours but had been worth it. Sarah had prepared a picnic basket and they'd waded in the water after rolling up the pant legs of their jeans. The blur of memories hastened...He wasn't the type to get upset when she splashed him; he splashed back. When she slipped, laughing, to the ground, she rolled over and lay on her back in the sand. He slid to his knees before leaning above her to give her a kiss, their bodies touching.
Sarah tilted her head almost instinctively, as though to return his kiss. But that was before the rest of the memories rapidly came back to her, at an even more dizzying pace.
They had been at his apartment one day, speaking of her big play that night. He wasn't going to be able to go because of business, but had promised to take her somewhere special once they were both free. As she sat on his bed, he was organizing his desk and work files. He turned to her with a smile. "What did you want to do tonight?" She shrugged and asked, "Do you have anything in mind?" His hands on the bed on each side of her, he kissed Sarah as she leaned back. She was intending to stay in the air, but Alex climbed on top of her. His kisses became urgent. His hand rested on one of her breasts. It felt so good to be under him, to be in his arms. "This?" he asked softly. "After your show?" She nodded, finally ready. They'd dated for months and he had been incredibly patient with her. She knew the time was right now. After they parted ways, she'd had her play. The performance went well and once the theater was cleared out and the cast free to leave, she sauntered over to a payphone. She called his office only to get no answer. She dialed again, this time to his apartment. He answered, but something was wrong. Her smile froze and her voice died before she could reply. She could hear something in the background. Alex lived alone. "Hello?" he asked. "Who is this?" She didn't say anything, didn't say those words she'd been planning to say about the play being a success and her excitement to see him. She was certain she could hear a girl laughing in the background. She hung up and went right over. He kept a spare key under a flowerpot and she walked right in after putting it to good use. Quietly, she shut the door behind her. The living room was dark but the door to the bedroom had light streaming beneath it. She swallowed hard and flung open the door. There he was, having sex with another girl. The girl gasped. Alex looked up and their eyes met. "Sarah!" She ran out, refusing to look at him, refusing to speak. "Sarah, wait!" He'd drawn her out of her bookworm world and she retreated right back in until long after graduation. As she recalled it now, she almost thought she could hear Jareth laughing again…
Her vision focused. She was still in that strange room and the walls had stopped on either side of her, boxing her right in. She felt dizzy and uncertain. Had she only been dreaming this whole time? A rapid succession of memories, things she'd never wanted to remember again. Gasping slightly, she sat up and pulled up her shirt to reveal a large bruise on her hip. She pulled her leg back. It hurt, as the impact had been so hard she thought she had broken a bone. Indeed, her ankle was throbbing, and to stand hurt it far too much. When she tried, she hobbled backwards into one of the walls, sliding to the ground while biting her lip to quell the pain. She looked at her ankle, which was bright red and swollen. Her frustration mounted, as she could never run on it in this condition, nor even walk. "Always on your back, Sarah." Jareth's laugh echoed throughout the room and she buried her face into her knees, too terrified to look up. She knew he was there standing right before her and she could not force herself to look. She was afraid the demon would come out again. He made all of the goblins look like princes. Her breath was shuddering and she nearly let tears take her.
Jareth touched her then, but it was a comforting caress to her hair, which he continued to stroke gently while speaking. "At last you see you cannot fight me. But I commend you for even attempting it."
She looked at her knees listlessly.
"You've been out for so long. I wondered if you had given up."
Sarah raised her head, just to show him that "giving up" was not in her vocabulary.
"I could take you," he continued, looking down upon her as she felt a bit nauseous at the reference he'd just made. "For I am the king. I should, to prove my power and hold over you. But it can be proven with more tasteful methods. No…when I have you, you'll be just as willing as I am."
At least I know that will never be true. "You sent me that dream."
"They were only memories. What is so objectionable about that?"
"You bastard," she said at once, feeling pain as she thought about what she'd seen again.
His laughter was piercing. "You hid yourself away from the world. You reached into your imagination, your fantasies. You did it because of your dissatisfaction. And he was one of many." Jareth pulled her to her feet and held her arms firmly. Immediately, she responded by trying to hit him. He seized her wrists and said, "You are in denial, Sarah." His words grew thicker and harsher as he worked to restrain her. It was an easy task for him, but her denial was frustrating him. She felt her back against the wall and her wrists held by her head, which she turned away from him, those ever-lingering tears threatening to leak out. "You feel you can pretend I have no power if you keep fighting. But that will not make it true. You are not a child anymore; and pretense will not send your problems away. Did you really think forgetting about me would make me go away?" She looked up at him fearfully. Even when watching a movie, he knew, he was observing her. Had he ever actually left?
She felt a small tear trail down one cheek. Her wrists pulsed with new energy and he quickly subdued them.
"Or did you prefer Mephisto?" The demon. "There are many more like him. I could summon them, if you like."
Heaving back tears and the sick feeling in her stomach, she said, "Do you mean to tell me that all of those creatures I've read about, all mythological beings, are here?"
"Did you expect such an intricate place to be sparsely populated? I won't say 'all,' but I can tell you that far more creatures than you can imagine reside here. I will show you. On my arm, you'll be safe…" The coo of his voice reminded her of their dance together, the intoxication of his magic. She tried to tear herself away again. Jareth was amused. Slightly, he tapped her injured ankle with one foot and she winced. "You don't like pain. No human does. So do this for your own sake, my dear. Precious thing. It will just be one test after another, never ending. You will grow tired, eventually." And he doesn't just mean things like that room. He'll torment me with those dreams…invade my mind, my sight, my hearing…
Sarah sniffled as he moved closer. He wouldn't allow her to look away from him as his body pinned hers to the wall. She felt extremely worried, knowing there was no way out with him to restrain and the wall to block any flight. She felt her vision blur with fresh tears and felt like a child, lost and helpless. Little pulsations of pleasure then started to fill her body. Incredulously, she arched her back as she stood against the wall, pressing into him all the more. It had to be another illusion, she was certain. That was the only explanation possible in her mind. She used her strong foot to hit the wall behind her, but nothing happened. Her body filled with pain; no, this was not as the ball was, where all she needed to do was break through to the outside world. Sarah finally stopped caring about showing weakness and was unable to stop the gasp that tore through her throat, a cry of hurt. Jareth was really here in front of her. She was really feeling these things in reaction to him. Torn heart, complex thoughts! Her thoughts were everywhere, darting wildly as she started to fall straight down, both out of the pain and the terrible pangs of dread in her body. She had never known what fear was until this moment. Its true face was before her.
Jareth held her, keeping her from falling to the ground by pushing harder against her with his hips. She could feel it. The terror accelerated. She felt trapped, all the while refusing to release any sign of fear from her lips. "Splendid try. But that won't get you anywhere this time. I'm afraid you've hurt both of your ankles and won't be able to run. Pity."
She gasped sharply when he bent closer to her, tightening that hold upon her wrists as she grimaced. He aimed for her lips as she struggled, her mind beating wildly. The bulge in his pants scared the hell out of her. He wouldn't…would he? "Jareth!"
He laughed boisterously, so full of cheer that she felt herself pale even more than she already had. "Now you call me by my name. Only now you treat me this way, for you feel that I will spare you. I am not human, but I am still very much a male." She closed her eyes as more hot tears spilled over her cheeks, feeling the profundity of his magic, his menacing stare even through her eyelids. "Do you understand how it feels to restrain from quenching your thirst for eight years? Of course you don't. That's not even a third of your life, and eight years ago you were still a child. To me, time is a much different matter. However, that does not make waiting any less…aggravating. You are quite lucky your first greeting into the Labyrinth wasn't me satisfying myself." His force was harder. She felt it was becoming difficult to move at all, and she wished so that it was an illusion. But his presence was real, as was his infatuation. She hadn't really comprehended the desires of the Goblin King, the full meaning behind his intentions.
"Take your spells off me!" she managed to croak out through her tears, the heat quickly becoming too intense for her. She could still move, still speak. But as she fought, it became harder, as each struggle inflicted the punishment of higher gravity. The pain in her ankles was so intense that even had he stood back and let her come away from the wall, she couldn't have walked far, much less run away from him. She squeezed her eyes shut tighter than before to stop the disorientation, but it only seemed worse, the sound of blood pumping now whirring through her ears. She cried out, digging her nails into his gloves when he put a hand on one of her breasts.
"You're shaking, Sarah. Can it be this sense is unfamiliar to you?"
She felt her spine chill amidst the warmth of the magical pull. More taunts.
"Of course. " He feigned concern. "Of course it is. For dear, innocent Sarah."
Sarah shook her head, grimacing and letting her head rest against the wall. This time out of shame, she refused to say anything. She would not satisfy his questions.
"You deny it? Then how many men have you been intimate with?"
He was laughing beneath those words, for he knew full well the answer. Sarah said nothing. It was something she would not admit to easily. Even most of her closest friends didn't know. She was ashamed, felt like a freak for it. The magic became heavier and she couldn't stop from crying out slightly as the force intoxicated her.
"Answer me, Sarah, or I shall make it thicker." He did so slightly and she nearly collapsed. He took hold of her hair, forcing her to look into his face. "If you know so much of the world, then why not just be honest? If you truly know everything…"
It's none of his business! She thought angrily, but to no avail. The magic became suffocating and frightened her into submission. Finally, she whispered the truth, for to lie would have been useless and obvious. "None."
He chuckled and immediately the force grew lighter, though still bound her where she stood. "You couldn't have hoped to keep it a secret from me. I know. Of the few men you've seen you've had little success, little satisfaction. You've been frustrated, Sarah, as much as I have been. And you have refused to conform to the standards of others. I believe you lost your last man because of that issue. What was his name? Alan, was it?"
"Alex," she said bitterly, her voice rough through tears and anger at his mentioning the subject.
"He grew so tired of waiting, didn't he?" Jareth was smiling, intent upon her reactions and emotions. Is he insinuating that it was my fault?! " He didn't even try very hard to hide his unfaithfulness, did he? Even when you planned to give him everything, he couldn't even give you one day of faithfulness." She sniffled, the tenderness of that wound still raw. The Goblin King caressed her face. "And why not with the others?"
She refused to answer, to even acknowledge his questions. They angered her. She was infuriated that he had been spying on her all this time, was trying to cause her so much agony. He would have her or break her will trying.
"Did you fear that he would leave you right after? That your childhood would be gone forever?"
She continued fighting to move, but her arms remained at her sides, stiffly.
"A piece of enlightenment for you, my dear girl: It would have mattered little even if you had felt otherwise." Her eyes pierced his with just as much ferocity. "Do you really think I would have let any other man have you?" Sarah felt her body start shaking, through no force of magic. It was her body's instinct, reacting in defense, vulnerability. "But before you jump to any of those wildly-concocted, imagined deductions of yours, he betrayed you in his own right. I had nothing to do with that."
A surge of expletives filled her mind. "I already knew that."
"And you fought so hard to hide, to burrow away from the world so you could avoid disappointments like that forevermore."
"Enough," Sarah said, her voice cracking. "Enough." She felt nothing but pain listening to him speak, humiliated by his analysis of her. His arrogance only made it worse.
"I thought you had said you could stand by your words."
"What will you do now?" she asked in frustration. "Make me undergo another test? I'll just do them again and again. I'll never stop."
She felt a tear slide down her cheek and he said—so close to her, face-to-face, so commanding!—, "Do you still assert that, even after what you have seen?" Who knew beauty could be so imposing, so horrifying? She felt it hard to even breathe for a moment as she stared into those magnetic eyes.
Remember, she told herself, he made you dream of Alex's betrayal. He made you remember what you never wanted to think about again. He's intentionally tearing you apart. As defiantly as she could, she said, "Yes."
He moved his face towards her and she shut her eyes again, unable to look any longer. "I can make you come to me with open arms, a young woman besotted."
She shook her head. "It won't really be me…"
"But it will, Sarah. It will very much still be your body and mind, just not as you yourself would have acted without my input. Thanks to your arrogant pride." She felt anger in her blood. The King of Arrogance had just called her arrogant!
"Bastard." Flickers of frustration and helplessness filled her mind and she really feared that he was going to make her give in. Make her fall into his bed by her own will, so he could taunt her about it later. You didn't seem to object to it at the time, did you, Sarah? she imagined him saying as they laid in bed together. She felt sick.
His body was rubbing harder into hers now, obviously his response to her words. She sniffled and he stopped, smiling indulgently. "But all in good time. Time…yes, that is something we have very much on our hands here." She opened her eyes and looked at him, tears still flooding within. "And we shall both have a great deal of amusement."
The magic increased and she gasped. She could see her heart, pounding brightly, so blinding that she nearly screamed at the intensity of it. She could hear it pumping within her and the voices in her head began chanting, Kiss him, kiss him. She had never expected it to happen so quickly. Already the compulsion to remove her clothes and wrap her body around him was strong enough that she felt her hands began to shake with desire to comply. She had to fight with every bit of her strength not to submit.
"Do you still think besting me is 'a piece of cake?'" He caressed her face as her pupils shrank in her haze, her mind foggy. Her breaths grew rapid and shallow. His lips upturned as he eyed her struggle. "Oh, Sarah. This time, you have no choice."
She couldn't make a sound when he kissed her. It was so powerful, more so than one could have ever hoped to imagine. It wasn't like kissing a human man. When sharing her lips, he seemed to be releasing magic into her, willing or not. But he was also siphoning her strength. She was unable to move or speak and was forced to endure the movement that made her feel completely powerless, as though he were sucking her energy away. He was kissing her so hungrily she couldn't help but be reminded of how Alex had tried to be when attempting to get her to become intimate. She didn't like those sorts of kisses, the ones that were urgent and almost forceful. She liked the ones that were slow and passionate, full of pure emotion, how it had been in the beginning, when she had started to fall in love. She was certain she had been over him for some time now, but that didn't make the reminders hurt any less. Jareth, of course, had the embodiment and touch of an older, knowledgeable man who was confident in his sexuality. No doubt he'd had many women over the years of his reign. He was in no way hesitant or uncertain and would have no qualms taking from Sarah what she valued so highly. That was what frightened her most of all.
Why me, why me, why me? Her mind repeated in a dizzying torrent of thoughts. Who wrote that damn book, who selected me, who bound me here?
Who knew this is what you wanted? A voice hissed at the back of her mind. The magic? Her own internal voice?
He tasted of something sweet, though it seemed to her to be almost a sort of drug, trying to draw her in. She didn't like the invasion of her mouth, the depth of his power over her. She could feel his ardor. He made her feel like a lost little girl, alone and afraid. He was shoving her innocence into her face, rubbing in that he knew more, that he would make her know more than she ever wanted to learn now. It was impossible to break away. His hands rubbed down her back, over her belly and finally caressed her breasts while she began to panic. Unable to move, she could only let out a noise of pure upset and sheer helplessness. He smiled in his kisses, laughing but enjoying her strong will. He squeezed harder until she thought she would burst with emotion. Finally pulling back from her swelling lips, he put his hand beneath her chin to force her to maintain eye contact. "Eight years has done wonders for you," he said again, this time much more softly. She reddened, wanting to move, to get away. She didn't want to give in, but didn't want to be attacked, either. She raised her eyes to look into his, one dark as forbidding pitch, the other icy.
His hands came on either side of her face, fingers working into her hair and suddenly she felt some pleasure…and she began to moan, feeling ashamed all the while. No! He's evil! She began to resist again. He didn't need magic to put a stop to that. I'm screwed. I can't fight an immortal. But when I was fifteen, I thought I could do anything…as much as I hemmed and hawed and whined, the thought of losing didn't scare me like it does now. I just never gave up. Even as he made declarations of love and desire, I pushed right through like a stone through glass…but now, I'm falling apart. Just like he wants me to do.
"Please." Her voice was hoarse. "Please…"
"That word may get you far in the human world, but it means little here." He traced her lips with his thumb, his eyes nearly closed with the implication that he was going to kiss her again.
"Please," she said anyway, inhaling a gasp as the magical force thickened. "Allow me to move. I can't take this weight any longer!"
Jareth stepped back, grinning shrewdly, and released her. Just moments later, the force was gone and she fell on her side upon the grass, at last relieved. She sighed in relief, at last feeling light and free, at least right now. She coughed a little, trying to regain her composure. When she went to stand, pain grimly reminded her of what had happened to her ankles. She somehow managed to stay on her feet despite the throbbing.
Silently, he stepped forward, not touching her. She stepped back, receding until she hit the wall again. She held her wrists to chest, too afraid to move any more. He closed his eyes and dug his lips into hers; this time, Sarah did not fight, however sick she felt inside. Obviously, he was taking this as payment for releasing her from the magic bonds. For some reason, she felt compelled to put her arms around him, as she had when they'd danced in her illusion. The touch of magic seared into her. His mouth still slightly open in an aroused gape, he leaned over toward her ear to speak, in that voice that sounded almost like seductive music. "Love...is not an entirely human concept. We have hearts in the Labyrinth. We have passion." She felt her body heat and a strange trickle of pleasure as he moved his lips down her neck, onto her shoulder. His arms embraced her, fingers pushing into the skin, almost cradling her. Kiss him…the magic was speaking again. Embrace him…She realized that her mouth was open in enjoyment and he pulled back, looking at her longingly for a moment. She stared back, feeling heat and primal longing herself. No…He filled his hand with one breast.
"No!" The scream became a whisper. He was doing something to her again, some sort of enchantment.
His hand remained in place, caressing her. "Don't fight it, Sarah. Listen to your body."
Immediately, she felt the tingles of arousal, a strange sensation, fill her. She cried out, her mind still very much her own, "Stop, Jareth, please!" She had never screamed so desperately at anyone. The only time that could compare was when Toby had nearly stepped off the curb once when a car was coming. He had listened. This time nothing was stopping. Jareth was still doing something to her. Perhaps she had thought using his name would get through to him. If she called him King, he would be irritated and never listen. But now she was starting to go mad with the realization that he probably wouldn't stop anyway. He was tantalized, and so insanely driven to her, trying to entice her body to respond, which it did. She felt hot and receptive, and had her mind not been thinking clearly she very well would have given herself over to the pleasure and allowed him to have his way. He sought to push her to the edge, over the edge. And that made it all the worse. He wasn't going to force himself on her. He was going to force her to give into him.
"YOU HAVE NO POWER OVER—!" Sarah was perplexed that the last word hadn't come out. "What?" she tried to say, but nothing happened.
Jareth removed his gloves, very slowly as Sarah stood in horror and pain. "Now you yourself must admit how much you wanted this. You didn't even try to say the words until now, just now," he laughed as she tried again and again to speak. "I doubt you can explain that, Sarah. If you did, you'd be giving away your true feelings."
"No," she tried to say, but only silence emerged from her lips.
"In any case, the words would do you no good even if you did finish them. Because you have to believe it." His fingers pierced her shoulders. "Will you dare to argue that I have no power over you now?" He must have increased the magic, as now her body was pushing itself into his. She tried again to fight and scream, but it was all for nothing.
They were suddenly no longer in the circular room, but back in that room he had taken her to, and upon the bed. She was sprawled beneath him. Several candles lit the room, all too far away to use as weapons. She had nothing to grab and even if she had, she wouldn't have been able to do anything. Her body was on fire, begging for him to enter and fill the void, to push and be rough. Her mind was a whirl of neon lights, the city back in the outside world, of the flamboyant sensuality that many possessed. She looked up at him. He was a monster in her eyes, however attractive and appealing. He was looking at her smugly, as though knowing she would give him what he wanted. I am terrified, she thought, and yet my body calls for him to enter and take me. But I don't want him to! He worsened the tension with his hips, that irksome bulge touching her. Worst of all, she was back in that dress again, making it easier for him to attack her. It was a sickening way to show Sarah that she had gone from innocent childhood to the dark adult world.
At one point, the pleasure turned to such yearning that not quenching the thirst gave way to extreme pain. She cried out. The Goblin King kissed her more passionately, his lips hungrily moving to the area above her breasts and then below. She gasped, as her body fought for her to give in.
Jareth was enjoying every minute and yet had become impatient all the same. He cupped her legs in a forceful motion that made those damn pangs go crazy with anticipation while her heart was wounded yet again. She jolted, as this was his actual hand, no longer covered by leather. Skin to skin…Sarah arched her back, now wondering if it really was all of the magic's doing that it felt so good.
NO.
Her eyes shot open. She stopped moving.
Jareth pulled back to look down at her face, which was covered in tears, her eyes red. He seemed a bit surprised, perhaps considering the spell. "Really, Sarah." He was quite venomous now, agitated at not getting her to yield. "One would think you were still a child." But he had removed the spell at last. Sarah was immediately perplexed at the tingles remaining below her hips, angry with herself for them.
"It is your pride that inhibits you," he insisted with not one hint of shrillness in the protestation. Instead, his words were harsh and biting. He was still mostly leaned over her. "It will not do, Sarah." His hand seemed that it would pat her with the gentle stroke he made directly against her shoulder. Instead, she was shoved back down flat.
"I'll never give into you," she almost choked on the words, pricked by the stifling pressure, trying to be strong.
"How long do you expect to be in the Labyrinth, Sarah?" he chuckled darkly. "You were very close to the edge. And within the next day or so, you will give in. Should you seek to prove me wrong, I will be delighted at your strength of will. However, I will then have to resort to other methods. Nothing too violent, I assure you. This will be a testament to your maturity. Step beyond those barriers of childhood and you will be delighted with the results." He traced her lips. "I told you I wasn't evil, Sarah. I seek to show you that now that you are here." She almost laughed. This display was meant to show her that he was good? It made little sense in her eyes. He smirked. She felt the bed rise a bit as he lifted himself off and left her where she lay. "I suggest you rest. You have had quite the first day back." He put one hand on her forehead and again she felt a startling sensation at the feel of his bare skin. "Rest for me." She looked into his eyes, desperately trying to stay awake, to remain alert as his thumb seemed to burn into her skin. His eyes returned the stare with a nurturing gaze. "Good night, Sarah."
When she finally awoke, it was daytime again, the sky a dull gray. Immediately, she sprang from the bed, rushing for the doorway and desperately trying to turn the knob. Nothing happened. She stood, breathing heavily as her mind went back over everything that had happened thus far. Her ankles had been healed, she was now alert. But she felt no relief even in his absence. What do I do now? Seemingly in response, the clouds moved and a ray of light came bursting forth through the window. Sarah's eyes traveled to the door leading into the garden. The bit of visible sunlight sparkled through the glass and she felt a yearning to go out there. It was then that the realization hit her: She had to go back into the maze itself to find the author of the book. Somehow, she felt certain that whoever it was sat now, waiting for her.
