Chapter Eight: Set Me Free

Two Weeks Later

"Your boyfriend seems to be guarding the gate rather obsessively as of late." Severus mutter, having just returned from checking the gate.

"He was never my boyfriend." I object defensively, not looking up from the potions book I'd been reading for the last hour or so.

"He claimed he loved you, if I recall correctly. Perhaps not in those exact words, but it was very much implied." Severus replies mockingly, sitting down on the other side of the table. I close the book and lay it on the table in front of me, the conversation catching my interest.

"He also claimed he was trying to help me get out of here." I counter.'

"You have a point. However, I question whether you once believed him…before he brought you here." He points out.

"I'd know him for about a week before he brought me here. He was very flirtatious, but he never really implied it…from my point of view. I was never really that interested in him. He was a friend of a friend. They said I needed a vacation. He told them he was going to France. I've never been there, but if this is France, I don't think I'll be coming back anytime soon." I inform him.

"I think we're in still in Britain, actually…somewhere close to London." Severus replies.

I nod and stare down at my book, allowing myself to get lost in thought. Severus has been checking the gate every night since I'd chosen Jake over him, a mistake I'm not likely to make again. Apparently, Jake knows what we're up to, and he's not allowing anyone to slip past him. Severus had gotten caught close to the gate several different times. A few times he didn't make it back until sunrise. Other times he managed to escape, but he came back injured. Fortunately, another gift the form has given him is to heal faster.

"Are you alright?" he demands, noting the far off expression on my face.

"Of course, merely wondering how much longer you're going to keep going to that damn gate.

"As long as it takes…I was under the impression that you wanted through it. And then there's the fact that I'm not sure how much longer I can stand your presence. You're a nuisance!" he teases.

"And you're a stubborn, arrogant git." I counter, laughing softly.

He smirks, but grows serious as he studies me. I meet his gaze confidently.

"No," he says finally, "I'm in love."

He looks away, crossing his arms, almost defensively, over his chest.

I stare at him for a moment, surprised at the confession. After a moment I move closer to him, pushing myself into a sitting position on the table in front of him. He meets my gaze, studying me for a moment before speaking.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you not to sit on tables?" he teases softly.

I smirk, placing my hand on his neck and coming dangerously close to kissing him. Warring with his self control and desire, he reluctantly holds me back.

"Stop." He murmurs breathlessly, "Stop."

I pull back and study him, frowning…rejected.

"I don't understand…"I snap, "You say you love me, but you won't kiss me? So, what? You love me as a daughter? Really close friend?"

"You don't want this!"He snarls, pushing his chair back and standing up, moving to stare out the window. "I have nothing more to offer you than pretty words and an escape attempt."

He goes silent. After a moment his body tenses. He frowns. "Jenna…" he says hesitantly, breaking off.

"What?" I reply in confusion.

He quickly pushes himself away from the window and towards the wall, opening the door to the hidden room.

"Get in here," He snaps quickly, "Stay away from the door. Don't make any noise."

"What's going on?" I demand, but doing as he says.

Nothing you need to watch." He answers quickly, "Stay away from the door, and keep quiet."

I flinch, startles as the door downstairs bangs open. Severus quickly shuts the door, locking it from the outside and leaving me physically, and mentally, in the dark.

I quietly move a bit further back into the room, sitting down and leaning back against the wall as my eyes adjust to the dark. There's just enough light, pouring through the peek hole in the door, for my eyes to adjust comfortably, casting shadows on the room around me.

The walls are thin enough for me to listen in on what's happening in the main room. There are two different voices. The male voice belongs to Severus, but there's another…a vaguely familiar female voice. Allowing my curiosity to get the better of me, I stand up and move towards the door, peering through the hole. I gasp, shocked as I recognize the swamp witch.

Her voice is low and seductive. Hell, her entire figure has seduction written all over it. A fierce anger and a sense of betrayal rise up in me, much to my surprise, as I watch Severus respond to her every movement, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her into him. His voice becomes low and husky, though his words remain curt.

"You know why I'm here, Severus?"She asks running her hands down his chest.

"I've done this enough times to know exactly what you want, Love." He replies, moving his face close to hers. He moves his lips close to her ear and smirks, "But this time it's different, isn't it? This time you want more. I can sense it."

I gasp as he captures her mouth in a fiery kiss, running his hands down his bum and pressing himself into her.

She breaks the kiss just long enough make her request, "Fuck me, Severus…"

"Yes," he moans in response, picking her up and laying her on the bed. He kisses her one last time before he starts taking her clothes off.

I quickly back away from the door and against the wall, pressing my knuckles into my mouth to muffle my sobs. I lower myself to the floor and pull my knees to my chest, crossing my arms and burying my face in them.

This is impossible! I can't possibly be this hurt over the fact that a monster I don't love is screwing the bitch who tried to kill me.

I don't love him…right?

I spent the night listening to them shag. It was hours before the noises stopped, and hours still before the door opens, letting in sunlight from the window. By now I'm curled up on the floor, my face tear stained. I hadn't gotten any sleep. Needless to say, I'm thoroughly pissed off.

"She's gone." Severus says smoothly. He tenses as his senses pick up on my emotions.

"Obviously," I snarl

"Are you alright?" he asks, concern flickering over his face.

"Of course I am." I sneer sarcastically, picking myself up off the floor, "I'm just fine and dandy. Oh, and have I mentioned yet how much I thoroughly enjoy listening to you two have the time of your lives while I was trapped in the bloody hidden closet?"

I slip past him and into the main room, heading straight for the door, unable to bring myself to looking around. It sounded as though they must have used every bloody piece of furniture in the room.

"Jenna, wait…"he requests, grabbing my arm.

I jerk out of his grasp. "Don't touch me!" I yell angrily, moving through the doo and down the stairs.

He quickly follows me. The chains on the entrance door lock themselves at his arrival. I whirl around to face him just in time to see him placing a stick back into his robes.

"If that's the key, give it to me."I order angrily.

"Tell me what I've done." He demands, "If you're angry with me, I have the right to know why."

"You slept with her!" I yell, fighting back the tears "You're just like the others…the man you claimed was insane for letting me slip through his fingers!"

"You think I did it willingly?" he snaps, taking a step towards me, "I had no choice, Jenna!"

"Well, it didn't much look like you were struggling to me. Back where I came from, we call that throwing yourself all over her." I sneer.

"I told you to stay away from the door!" he hisses dangerously, angry now.

"I had every right to know what was going on. You don't just lock people in the dark and expect them to be ok with it."I object. "And guess what? I don't make the same mistakes twice either."

"I'm not your ex-boyfriend. Furthermore, the last I heard you had to be with someone before it's considered cheating on them." He snaps, forcing himself to control his anger.

"You said you loved me!" I yell at him.

"Who's the jealous bastard now?" he snarls, furious that I would use his words against him. "Might I point out the fact that it's a love you don't…" he breaks off, realization dawning on him"…return." He finishes softly, studying me.

"Let me out." I demand again, fear gripping me as I realize he's figured out what I've yet to even be able to admit to myself.

"Jenna, talk to me." he pleads, his anger vanishing.

"I am talking to you," I reply coldly, "but you don't seem to be listening…I just asked you to let me out."

He hesitates before taking out his wand and pointing it at the door. I hear the chains fall aside, unlocking the door.

"And now," I add in the same tone, "I'm telling you not to bother coming after me."

She's not gone an hour before he starts searching for her. Feeling almost afraid for her when he doesn't find her at the lake, he slowly makes his way through the swamp, returning to the lake at least three times checking the river twice. It's late in the evening by the time he gets back to the building he's forced to call home. He makes his way back upstairs and sits down at the table, crossing his arms over them table. He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, thinking back over their argument this morning. Maybe his assumption was off. She couldn't possible feel anything more for him that companionship…and he's perfectly aware of the way he looks…but on the other hand he can't deny that there are signs pointing towards it…but she couldn't…could she?

He lays his head down on his arms, exhaustion overcoming him…the bitch had ridden him hard last night…

I watch as Severus lifts his head and blinks open his eyes. It takes him a moment for my presence to register to him…he must have been tired to fall asleep at the table like this. He leans back in his chair, studying me cautiously.

"I'm sorry I over reacted." I tell him before he can say anything.

"If my assumption this morning was correct, I'd hardly say you were over reacting." He objects softly.

I shake my head, refusing to let him shrug off my actions so simply. "I know you were with her against your will. If I had stopped to think…I should have been asking you if you were alright, instead of the other way around."

"Where were you?" he asks curiously.

"At the river…I saw you a couple of times…you didn't stay long…I assumed you were looking for me, so I hid." I answer.

He hesitates before continuing. "I've yet to hear you deny it." He points out.

"…I will not deny that I want what she has." I reply, choosing my words carefully,"For the life of me, I can't figure out why, but I do."

"Do you have any idea what that sound like to me?" he sneers, almost losing his temper again, "She has control over me, power to do anything she damn well pleases. She has a play thing that would rip her throat out if I could." He runs his fingers through his hair. "She has a prisoner…a lover that doesn't actually love her. Is that what you want?"

"You were…passionate with her…you wouldn't even let me kiss you…even after claiming to be in love with me." I reply defensively.

"Are you implying that you desire the same intimacy you saw last night?" he asks, almost teasingly.

I study him, but don't reply.

"Do you desire me, Jenna?" he prods seductively, "Do you want me to seduce you…" he breaks off, watching my expression carefully.

I stand up, and he quickly follows, moving so that he can pull me away from the table and into him, wrapping one arm around my waist, moving his mouth close to my ear, "Do I tempt you?" he questions "…even a little bit? Do you want to know what it feels like to be with a monster?"

I move so that I'm doing the same thing before teasing, "I'd be surprised that you even had the strength to kiss me after last night."

"Another perk of this form…I can go as long and as hard as you like." He murmurs before pressing his mouth to mine, slipping his tongue into my mouth and rubbing it against mine. I moan and his hands slide down lower than I expected them to, pulling me into him, letting me know exactly how badly he wants me.

"Tell me to stop." He requests, breaking the kiss, but not letting go of me.

I shake my head, "Don't stop…please."

He spins me around and pushes me back against the wall, his mouth back on mine as he grinds his hips against me. I gasp into his mouth, heat flooding my body. He slips one hand up my shirt and rubs his thumb over my nipple until it's hard. His mouth falls to my neck, teasing with his tongue and teeth before pressing kisses along my collar bone. I run my hands down his chest and past his past his pants line, rubbing against his erection, already creating a bulge in his pant. He gasps and jerks his hips into my touch, breathing hard.

"Please…" he objects as I pull my hands away from his erection.

I smirk and unfasten his pants.

"What are you doing?" he demands, uneasily.

"Take them off," I request, pushing his pants and his knickers down, letting him fall free

He studies me hesitantly before waving his hand, magically removing them. I kneel down in front of him, nuzzling his member.

"Jenna, you shouldn't…" he says, breathlessly.

"I think your body's objecting to that thought." I tease,"…did she do this to you…did she take you like this?" I hesitate, looking up to meet his gaze.

He studies me calculatingly. "Honestly? No. She never bothered."

"And do you mind if I bother?" I question, taking him in my hand rubbing the tip of him with my thumb.

He gasps softly before replying, "It's your choice…" he breathes, watching me as I lick and nip at him, "However, you should not, that if you choose to continue, and I will not hold myself responsible for my actions."

"That's right…you think you'll lose control…" I tease, "Let's test that theory."

I take the head of him into my mouth, teasing with my tongue and sucking gently, he jerks his hips forward, tangling his fingers in my hair as he moans. I inch him further into my mouth until I have him all, sucking hard.

"Bloody hell!" he gasps, tightening his hold on my head. He leans forward and rests his head against the wall, watching me as I start moving my mouth back and forth along his length. After a moment a low growl erupts from the back of his throat and he starts thrusting into my mouth, his eyes rolling into the back of his head. He leaks into my mouth.

"Enough," he moans, tugging on my hair to get me to stand back up and struggling to regain control of himself.

"Severus?" I murmur, confused.

He presses his mouth, and his body, against mine, only to pull away a moment later.

He meets my gaze, studying me. "Do you want me?" he asks, forcing his breathing back to normal. "Jenna…will you set me free?" He hesitates before adding, "You pretend again…you have my word that I won't be angry with you…"

"I don't want anyone else," I object, and then smirk, seeing the look of relief and an almost disbelieving happiness. "I'll do it…on one condition."

"And what's that?" he questions, narrowing his eyes at me.

"You undress me with that little magic trick you do with your hand."

He smirks. "You mean like this?" he asks teasingly, waving his hand and making my clothes disappear.

Before I can reply, he shoves his cock up into me. I gasp in both surprise and pleasure, and grab his shoulders to steady myself. He pauses, moaning as he adjusts to the feeling.

After a moment he starts pumping himself into me, his black eyes holding mine. I move my hands down his chest, teasing his nipples. He groans, leaning into my touch and moving one of his hands down between our bodies, rubbing against me and driving into me at the same time. I lean my heading back against the wall, the pleasure building inside of me. My vision blurs and I close my eyes as it explodes within me, setting me on fire and causing my muscle to clench around his shaft. He clenches his jaw, driving into me one last time before reaching his climax, calling out my name as he spills himself inside of me, breathing hard and feeling as though electricity's shooting through his body.

"Jenna…" he murmurs, burying his face in my hair.

After a moment he pulls away, capturing my mouth in a deep kiss before pulling back completely.

I study him, frowning, "Why didn't it work?"

"I don't know." He answers honestly. "He pushes his fingers through his hair."I'm sorry…"

I hesitate for a moment before replying, "I'm not…do you want to try again?"

He studies me, "I can't ask you to do that."

"Then it's a good thing I'm asking isn't it." I counter with a smirk.

"Jenna-"

I cut him off, suddenly unsure of myself, "You said you could go as long and as hard as I liked." I remind him.

"If it didn't work the first time…" he breaks off a realization dawns on him, but hesitates unwilling to let himself get his hopes up just to have them crushed. "Are you saying you want me?"

"Are you rejecting me?" I demand.

He starts to take a step towards me but freezes when he sees me press myself back against the wall, away from him.

I frown, hurt and embarrassed. "I was a fool to think you wanted me for more reasons than just that one…" I look away.

"That's not true." He objects.

"Which part?" I demand bitterly.

He studies me, wanting to move closer, but not wanting to force himself."Let me touch you…let me show you."

I frown again, unsure how to take that.

"Were you saying that you wanted me?" he demands, moving closer and holding my gaze.

"Were you rejecting me?" I counter.

"No," he answers finally, "I was merely under the impression that you were only shagging me to help me remove the curse…Do you want me?"

I shake my head no.

"Is it because you felt rejected?" he questions softly, running his hand down the side of my body."Can I make you want me?"

I smirk hesitantly before teasing him, "You can try."

I gasp as he picks me up and carries me to the bed, lying me down and capturing my mouth in a deep kiss, before pulling back and positioning himself of the bed next to me.

"Lay down," he request.

"No," I smirk, keeping my position propped up on my elbows.

"Spread your legs." He requests, catching me off guard with his forwardness.

"What?"

"Let me sit between your legs..." he smirks.

I study him before offering, "Alright, but if you fail to make me want you, you have to go swimming with me again tomorrow."

"And if I succeed in making you scream my name, you shag me again." He counters.

"To see if it will break the curse?" I question, meeting his gaze.

He studies me, hurt flashing in his eyes, but leaving just as quickly. "If I say yes, will you agree to our bet?"

"If I accept the bet, will you be honest with me?" I counter.

He hesitates for a moment before replying, "I want you…to be inside of you…to see the look on your face when I please you to the point that you're not sure whether or not you can take anymore…feeling you against me…if it breaks the curse, I'll be immensely grateful to you and absolutely delighted by the thought of having my freedom returned to me, but not nearly as…fulfilled as I am by being with you."

I meet his gaze and smirk before spreading my legs. He moves to sit between them, but moves up to whisper in my ear, "Did I mention the fact that you have an absolutely breathtaking body?"

I lift my hips, rubbing myself against him, "Keep talking like that and I'll shag you anyways." I tease seductively.

He groans, feeling his cock rubbing against me. He grabs my hips and pushes them back to the bed."You don't think I can make to scream my name?"

I smirk," I think you can try."

He moves back down my body and places light kisses from hip bone to hip bone, letting his fingers play in the hair between my legs. I arch my hips up into his touch, my skin sensitive to him. He moves his mouth down between my legs, teasing me, sucking on my skin before slipping his tongue into me tasting me. I tangle my fingers in his hair, holding him to me while he brings me to the breaking point. I gasp and moan beneath him, careful not to say his name.

"I think you tried to cheat again."I murmur, curling up next to him.

"I think I failed." He mutters, wrapping his arm around me.

"You wouldn't have if I hadn't been trying so hard not to scream your name. If it had just been me and you, without the bet, I'd have been all over your name." I smirk.

"Is that so?" he smirks arrogantly, "I guess that means you cheated then, doesn't it."

"I do that sometimes." I murmur, using his words against him.

"Sometimes…like when you don't want to shag me?" he asks, meeting my gaze.

I move so that he's flat on his back and I'm straddling his waist. "I think you're asking for it." I tease.

"Maybe I am." He smirks, running his hands down my legs."You have beautiful legs."

"Severus?" I murmur, running my hands down his chest.

"Hmmm?" he replies simply, running his hands over my body.

"I love you." I finish.

His eyes dart up to meet mine, studying me.

"Do you?" he whispers, cupping my face with his hand.

"And you realize that if the curse isn't broken, you'll have to leave without me?" he points out.

"I'll come back for you." I promise. "My friends work with some important people. They'll come and make sure you can leave. You can stay with me until we find a way to break it and you can be in 'normal' society."

"You can't do that. Once you leave, I don't want you coming back here." He orders stiffly.

I go silent, unwilling to argue with him right now.

"Promise me." he demands.

"Severus…" I object.

"Promise me!" He repeats.

"Or what?" I snap, "What can you do to me?"

"I can refuse to touch you again." He threatens, studying me calculatingly.

I move off of him and bury my face in my hands, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly.

"Even if you never speak to me again, I'll make sure you don't stay trapped here." I promise him.

He sits up, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me back into him, pressing his lips against my shoulder.

"I can't change your mind?" he questions softly.

I shake my head. "Not even a possibility. I'll set you free."