Warning: this chapter has graphic depictions of sex.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Labyrinth or any of the characters associated with the Labyrinth. I do not own the Beauty and the Beast either.

Note: character backgrounds from my notes have been added at the bottom end of Chapter 1.

Chapter 12: Cruelty


The winged woman, Zepara, walked over slowly and stood next to me. Placing her hand on the back of my chair, she leaned down as she assessed me with her coal black eyes. "She looks like a regular human. I doubt Deimos will be intrigued enough to try anything that might upset the Goblin King." She said, directly speaking to Jareth while looking at me. I noticed she did not formally greet Jareth or Amer. Hell, she did not greet them at all. I suppose there was some solace in the fact that she was rude to everyone, not just me.

"Calestos wove himself into her dreams," Jareth spoke, his voice flat, as he looked at her with his cold eyes from the head of the table.

"Really," Zepara said, her voice holding exaggerated interest. She looked me over again, trying to determine what she had missed. She bent down low enough to place her face on the same level as mine, as she trailed her fingers down my face. "I will admit, she is beautiful, but I cannot feel any magic on her skin." Her fingers lingered on my lower lip.

Well. Fighting to keep a neutral expression on my face, I quickly glanced at Jareth with the corners of my eyes, trying to ask him what I should do—he was grinning at Zepara, completely oblivious to my question. Hadn't he said their kind was more conservative than the rest?

Jareth raised a brow. "She absorbed a complete measure of the Labyrinth's power. I can assure you, she has a tremendous amount of magic within her at the moment." This was news to me. He eyed her with slight derision, "You should have been able to pick up at least a faint trace of magic."

Zepara didn't react, she tilted her head at an angle that was impossible for a human—it gave made her look like striking bird of prey. Looking at me with her big, dark eyes, she kept reading my reaction to everything that was going on. "Perhaps we will agree to ally ourselves with you at court." Her fingers traced my lips slowly. "But what would we gain by joining an alliance with you?"

"You will have my expertise in analyzing Xertios," Amer spoke from his seat, his eyes fixed on her every move.

Turning back to look at the General with amusement in her eyes, Zepara smiled, her teeth flashing. "The honor driven Ifrit is finally willing to speak against his king?"

"Xertios was never my king."

Zepara let out a raspy laugh, throwing her head back in abandon. "It has taken you a long time to betray your former lover General, why should we trust that you will keep your word?" Turning her birdlike eyes back onto me, her fingers kept tracing my lips softly.

Standing up abruptly, Amer stared at Zepara, I noticed his hands were clenched and his eyes had turned into liquid fire. He had challenged Brijit because he had been annoyed, with Zepara, it looked like he was losing his temper. "Xertios was never my lover," he spoke in an eerily calm voice. "You may let Azael know that the Buqahari army will attack the Zephyrs of Pyranos soon. It would be wise to gain knowledge of his enemy to prepare for war." He turned to Jareth, his hands still clenched, "I shall retire if you do not need me."

"You may leave," Jareth replied, his eyes hardened as he focused on Zepara.

Amer nodded his head towards me, "Lady Sarah," he said softly before disappearing in flash of fire.

Sighing loudly with mock annoyance, Zepara turned towards Jareth, "Does your General not discuss anything other than death and war?"

Jareth grinned viciously, his sharp teeth in full view. "During the Court Wars, the Ifrits burned Pyranos to the ground. They used to burn the wings off of Zephyrs that were captured, and torture them for days. How would you feel if your wings were subjected to slow burning Ifriti fire?"

Zepara blinked, her crescent shaped lashes sweeping her cheek bones. "I shall inform Azael," she told Jareth, but her eyes were focused on me. "So much trouble for one human," she said, leaning into me, close enough that her nose brushed mine. "Sarah Williams, First Vessel and Defeater of the Labyrinth, I shall see you at court," she whispered and placed her lips on mine for a soft, feather light kiss before pulling away.

I hadn't expected that. I gawked at her, wide eyed. "Is that how Zephyrs say goodbye?"

She grinned instead of answering me and turned to Jareth. "I would recommend ciphering through Calestos's eyes, you may see Deimos on the other side." Saying that, she nodded curtly at Jareth and disappeared, leaving behind black smoke and mist.

"What in the world was that?" I asked Jareth, genuinely bewildered.

Jareth's expression had turned grim, his eyes were narrowed and his lips pursed into a thin line.

I took a sip of the cider, "Jareth?"

Jareth slowly turned to look at me, his eyes still deep in thought. He did not say anything.

"Is everything okay?" I asked, taking a big swig of the cider. Things were most likely not okay, so I figured I may as well get drunk. The tumbler was automatically refilled with the reddish drink once I had guzzled it all up.

"Come here, Sarah."

I nearly jumped out of my skin. Jareth was suddenly standing right behind my chair, holding out his hand for me to take. His voice was deceivingly quiet and his eyes glittered with an emotion I could not identify.

Okay. "So…where are we going?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.

"My apartments."

I raised my brows.

He frowned at me, his face beautifully angled. "We can go to your room if that makes you more comfortable."

"And why are we going to either place…together I mean?" In the middle of the night.

"You do not trust me, Sarah." Jareth smiled slowly, his voice low.

Not in a million years. "Not until you tell me what is going on."

"Very well," he said, grinning with a flash of teeth, "I will cipher through Calestos's eyes and gain some understanding of Deimos's plans."

"Why can't we go to the atrium?" I asked bluntly. There was no way I was going to his apartments if I could avoid it. "Or your study…or some other spare room in this gigantic castle?"

"All rooms are warded and sectioned off."

I hesitated, trying to think of some solution. Any solution.

Narrowing his eyes, Jareth spoke coldly, "Do not try my patience, Sarah." The warning in his voice was clear. "Take my hand."

Technically, it wouldn't make a difference where we were—we would still be alone. And technically, it wasn't that I didn't trust him. I didn't trust myself around him.

"Take my hand, Sarah," Jareth demanded.

I sighed. "We can go to your apartments," I said, resignedly taking his hand. I figured that his room probably had more furniture than mine.


Jareth's apartments were just that—actual apartments. We sifted into a massive sitting room that had a few more doors on the side that probably opened up to different rooms. As with all other rooms, there was a roaring fireplace situated at the far wall—two arm chairs sat beside it. Woven, silk and woolen, rugs were placed throughout the floor and there was a large sofa set, made of carved black wood and leather, at one end of the room. As with Jareth's room in the castle beyond the Goblin City, there was a portrait hanging in above the fireplace—I walked over to the fire, curiosity getting the better of me.

The closer I got, I realized that there were two portraits hanging above the fireplace in carved wooden frames. The portrait on the left was of a man dressed exactly like Jareth in full battle regalia, except he was far more terrifying. He looked broader and taller than Jareth and his skin was as white as the Silver Lady's and his eyes just as iridescently, icy blue. The portrait on the right was of a woman, much smaller and delicate, with rich brown hair that cascaded all the way to the ground. Dressed in a gauzy white gown that made her look like a forest nymph, she was smiling widely, her pine colored eyes glowing with happiness.

"My mother and father came from different backgrounds as well."

Alarmed, I turned to see Jareth looking at me with a neutral expression on his face. I tried thinking of something to say, but could not think of anything that would not be intrusive. "Your mother is beautiful."

He made an unaffected gesture with his hand. "I never knew her."

Okay.

"Sit."

I sat down on the leather arm chair on the right, eyes still focused on the painting of Jareth's mother. Removing the multi-stranded pain of a necklace, I hung it off the side edge of the chair, along with my earrings. He stalked across the room and sat across from me, sinking gracefully onto the arm chair, his knees almost touching mine. Having removed his jacket, Jareth was dressed in a tailored white shirt and the pants he wore at dinner. "Sarah?"

I looked at him, eyebrows slightly raised, shoulders tense.

"Give me your hands." Jareth held out his long fingered hands, looking at me expectantly.

I did as he asked, my breathing increasing slightly as I felt his warm fingers clasp mine. "What exactly does ciphering through Calestos's eyes entail?" I asked, nervousness coating my voice. If the gods were kind, Jareth wouldn't be able to see himself in my dream.

"You need to recall his eyes."

The gods were kind. For once. "That's all?"

Jareth smiled slowly. "What makes you so nervous, Sarah?" He paused, looking at me keenly.

"Many things. None of which I wish to share with you." I spoke very sweetly, giving him a wide eyed look.

Jareth's smile widened, showing a full set of wolfish, inhuman teeth. "Aren't you innocence personified," his tone suggested anything but that. "I need you to picture Calestos's eyes," he said, getting back to the task at hand. "Close your eyes if you must." His fingers tightened around mine.

I took his advice and closed my eyes, trying to recall the exact moment I had seen Calestos's face in my dream.

-"Come for me. Don't look away now."

-I implode with pleasure. I shut my eyes.

-"So you're the intriguing human Jareth has locked away." It's not his voice.

-My eyes fly open and I stare at a pair of sea-green eyes, peering down at me.

-It's an olive skinned man with short, curly brown hair and a classically handsome face.

-I rush to cover myself and he laughs. "So modest."

-I want to ask him who he is, but no words come out of my mouth.

-"We shall see you in the Dark Court soon enough."

I focused on the pair of sea-green eyes, a dark shade of aquamarine with a few specks of gold in them. Nothing happened for a few seconds until I felt a sinking sensation all over my body.

-I heard laughter. A male and female voice speaking in the background.

-"We should be able to enter her mind whenever we wish," said a high pitched, musical female voice.

-"Fortunate discovery," a deep male voice, deeper than Jareth's. A flash of dark gray eyes that turned increasingly green around the pupil, non-human eyes. Straight black hair that came down to his chin.

My vision turned back to dark aquamarine color.

Opening my eyes, I was startled to find Jareth looking back at me. There was a gleam of silvery mist in his dual colored eyes that dissipated slowly. He kept looking at me for a few seconds without moving a muscle, his face perfectly impassive…and then, I felt the immensity of his rage—raw and biting, icy fury engulfed the room.

My skin froze and my fingernails turned blue. My teeth chattered as the roaring fire died, leaving the room dark. "Jareth," I stuttered, shivering violently. "Please stop."

Just like that the fire was back.

Jareth gave my fingers a squeeze and let me go, lounging back on his chair. My body warmed up instantly as I felt the hum of his magic tingle on my skin.

"I'm guessing that was bad," I said, a prickle of fear shooting down my spine.

Jareth kept looking at me, his eyes containing the icy rage that I knew lingered beneath the surface. "We do not know how or why they can invade your mind easily."

"The dark haired man, that's Deimos," I stated. "Who is the woman?"

"Reyerjis."

"And she is?" I asked loudly, raising my brows. The taciturn shtick was getting old.

"Deimos's High Counselor who gives the term 'sadistic' a new meaning." Jareth's voice was laced with anger.

Yep, it was bad alright. "So Deimos, someone you would call depraved, and Reyerjis, his sadistic Counselor have easy access inside my head?"

A harsh grin. "Am I not a credible source, precious?" He leaned back, completely at ease, and threw a leg over sideways. His wild silvery hair feathered around his face and his mismatched eyes glinted with amusement. Raising his hands to his collar, he slowly started unbuttoning his tailored, form fitting shirt.

My breath caught in my throat. "What are you doing?"

Jareth raised a brow. "I am relaxing after a long day," he said slowly, opening the second button at the base of his chest before letting his arms fall on either arm of the chair. "This may be difficult for you, but do try and keep your hands off me."

I flushed red. Arrogant ass. "You did not answer my question."

"Yes, as you say, they have easy access inside your head. The wards I placed should stop them, for the time being at least."

I sighed with relief. For a second, I had believed that they could watch my every move.

Jareth eyed me with a hint of amusement that quickly turned cruel, his head tilted slightly. "You are mine to protect, Sarah dearest," the familiar derisiveness was back in his voice. "I will not allow Deimos to defile what is mine." He sat up straight as he spoke, his cold eyes boring into mine, both feet planted in front of him.

This wasn't remotely the most insulting statement that Jareth had said to me. Nor was it laced with sexual innuendo like his other comments. But I suppose it was analogous to the straw that broke the camel's back. I had had enough of Jareth, of the Labyrinth, of the Dark Court, and the Underground. Of everything.

Something inside me snapped—everything in my head went really, really quiet as my body pumped adrenaline into my system. I had been in an utterly powerless, pathetically helpless position ever since I had arrived in the Underground, and I was fucking sick of it.

Standing up calmly, I walked over to Jareth's chair and kneeled in front of him, my body between his legs. His eyes widened just a tad. I smiled coldly, feeling a surge of adrenaline and power at his reaction. "What if I want to be defiled?" I asked, keeping my voice husky. Placing my hands on his knees, I slowly raised myself so that my face was inches away from his. I brushed my lips against his, a soft kiss.

Slow, rumbling laughter reverberated around the room. I could almost feel his power pulsing along my skin. Almost. "I suggest you stop whatever game you're playing, precious."

"Do you not trust me, Jareth?" I said smiling lazily, imitating his tone and manner of speaking from earlier. I looked directly into his eyes, brows raised, before swooping in for another kiss. Jareth took in a sharp breath as I traced his lower lip with my tongue and ran my fingers down the erection straining against his tailored pants. Pulling back, I gave him a challenging look.

Jareth looked at me for a few beats before replying, his eyes completely dispassionate. "Are you aware of what you're doing, Sarah?" His baritone voice was dead serious.

"Possibly." Two could play the taciturn game.

A predatory smile spread ear to ear. "I shall try to dissuade you one last time, Sarah dearest. Be aware that the third time is your very last chance to escape."

"I cannot escape, Jareth. Not from you."

I was probably the stupidest person alive, but I didn't care. I was too far gone.

Looking at him, my eyes hooded with an insatiable hunger for power, I sank down on my knees in front of him. My fingers worked nimbly, opening the hooks in the front of his pants, freeing his impressive length. I held him with my fingers, stroking him slowly at first, and then slightly harder, smiling in triumph as I saw Jareth lean his head against the backrest.

Keeping my eyes hooked on his, I took him in my mouth, slowly licking along the underside and swirling my tongue along the tip. My nipples peaked as I leaned into him and a dull, throbbing ache pulsed in my core. Jareth murmured something in response as I took him in further, my lips working their way up and down his length. Tangling his hands in my hair, he guided me, not too gently.

Jareth's half shut eyes were dark with lust when I looked at him through my lashes, my lips still moving up and down, forming a tight ring around him as I sucked. His breathing had become labored and his hands were becoming forceful. I felt drunk with lust and power—that I could render the great Goblin King defenseless, even if it was only for a few moments. The gentle throbbing at my core magnified into a wet, painful need. I was sopping wet enough that my arousal drenched the fabric of my panties.

Placing his hands on around my upper arms, Jareth lifted me to my feet. And in another second I stood against the wall, my forehead touching the cool stone, with my hands flat against either side of my head and my legs apart. I could feel his heat disperse into me as he came close enough to trail his fingers down my body, dipping playfully down the curve of my back. It was only then I realized that he must have magicked away my dress and his shirt, but my shoes and panties remained.

"Where did you learn to use your mouth so well, Sarah dearest?" His breath was hot against the back of my neck. Using the tips of his fingers, Jareth slowly circled my nipples as he placed open mouthed kisses on the back of my neck and shoulders, causing a low moan to escape from the back of my throat. His fingers trailed down to my stomach and hip bones.

"Filthy and corrupt enough for you?" I asked between breaths.

Low, echoing laughter. "Cruel," he whispered against my ear, licking the spot below my earlobe that made my entire body shiver. "I did not expect cruelty from you, dearest."

"Maybe I wanted to hear you scream my name when I made you come, using my mouth." My breathing was ragged as I tossed his words back, adrenaline still pumping through my system. I was either very brave or very foolish.

Jareth ran his fingers down my slit, through my panties, the fabric causing just the tiniest bit of friction that I so severely needed. I could feel him, hard against my lower back, pulsing as he pressed himself against me tightly. "So fucking wet, aren't you, precious?" He breathed against my throat before plunging a finger inside me.

I cried out, pressing myself further into the wall, my nipples now pushed against the cool stone.

"Perhaps I'll keep you here until you beg me to fuck you," Jareth said, his voice low against my ear, his finger moving agonizingly slow inside me. My panties, along with the rest of his clothes, were gone, and arousal dripped down my thigh. My shoes, however, remained on my feet, making me feel like I was standing on my toes. "After all, cruelty is my domain far more than it is yours." His thumb pulled the hood at the apex of my thighs, exposing my clitoris before encircling the bundle of nerves with his index finger.

I threw my head back and moaned loudly, his words and his fingers had set me on fire. Knowing that I was losing control of the situation, I spoke, trying to keep my voice steady and cool, "I'll beg you to fuck me right now, if that's what you want Jareth." His movements slowed down a bit. "I thought you were more creative than that." He resumed his ministrations, placing two fingers inside me, pumping them in and out. My body tensed as a voluptuous pressure built up, higher and higher and a series of low, throaty moans escaped my lips.

So close.

Deep, reverberating laughter. "Not at the moment, dearest" he tangled his other hand through my long hair and pulled, hard enough to cause some pain. Kissing the corner of my mouth, Jareth smiled against my skin, pulling my hips as he placed himself at my entrance. "Perhaps another time." Saying that, he entered me, slowly- filling me to the brim. Clasping my hands with his, he pushed me further into the wall as his lips and tongue suckled my neck.

I gasped, my voice hoarse from moaning, he was moving constantly but far too slow. Desperately needing more friction, I pressed back against him with my hips, trying to get him to move faster—but I couldn't. He had positioned me in such a way that he had complete control.

"So impatient. Let me fuck you slowly," Jareth's voice rumbled against my ear, his lips barely touching my skin. "I need to hear you cry. You will cry out for me, won't you, Sarah dearest?" His lips returned to my neck as his hands moved to cup my breasts, fingertips gently skimming over my nipples until they peaked into hardened nubs. "Dearest?" he asked sharply, pinching my nipples hard enough to be painful while simultaneously biting down on my neck with his sharp teeth.

My breathing quickened to a frenzied pace as my chest rose and fell to Jareth's rhythm. "Y- yes," I stuttered between breaths, my eyes shut in anticipation.

I was so close.

Jareth pushed me further against the wall so that my clit came in direct contact with the cold wall.

I came hard—my orgasm crashed through my core, my inner muscles contracting around him, wringing him and triggering his release. Just like he said, I cried out as he came deep within me, pleasure tingling along my entire body, to the tips of my fingers and toes, enough so that my legs gave out. If he hadn't been standing behind me, I would have fallen onto the ground.

In a flash, we were transported to a massive, canopied, bed with deep indigo covers, the animalistic smell of our coupling surrounding both of us. Breathing hard from my orgasm, I scooted away from Jareth instinctively, trying to take in my surroundings. I couldn't see the rest of the room courtesy the thick canopy around the bed.

"Where the fuck are we?" I was glad my voice came out hoarse but steady. I knew we were in his room, but I asked regardless.

An amused laugh. "Not so friendly anymore, dearest?" Jareth made no move to come towards me.

I was suddenly very aware that I was naked, in a cage with a tiger and I had to get the hell out. The canopy around his bed felt suffocating. "Could you dress me and send me back to my room, please?"

Jareth widened his mismatched eyes, genuinely confused before amusement took over. "Here I thought you wanted to get to know my creative side."

"Not today, dearest."

Deep rumbling laughter. "If you insist, Sarah." One moment I was sitting on Jareth's bed and in a blink, I was dressed in my outfit from dinner, complete with the shoes and jewelry, sitting on the armchair by the fire—Jareth was seated across from me, wearing a fur lined robe. Holding out his hand and he looked at me expectantly. "Come along, then."

I took his hand, shutting my eyes as I felt the icy wind whip through us, opening them only when I knew we were standing outside my door.

Looking at him through the corners of my eyes, I smiled to myself as I saw confusion still clouding his eyes. Perhaps my power play had worked. "Goodnight, Jareth." I said as I stepped into my room.

"Goodnight, Sarah dearest." Jareth disappeared from my view without trading any suggestive quips.


AN: Reviews? PMs? I'm up for all feedback—except insults directed at other reviewers and/or calling women sluts/whores/bitches etc.

AN2: Wimbledon finals today! First Canadian player to boot. Go Raonic!

Onto reviews:

First- Ellen Weaver—sorry I missed your review for chapter five the last time around. Lol, I've never seen Eyes Wide Shut. Tom Cruise is…icky (in my view)…just cannot imagine him in any sexual scenario. Hope you're still reading!

Kellyn—I write for my Jareth fix so there's no worries there. I thought the story wasn't too dark as well—I thought many fairy tales had people dying in the woods, children getting baked and eaten, hearts getting cut out to be eaten, etc.

Sazzle—thanks! Will keep writing.

Farisiya—thanks hon. I wanted to write Sarah as a person who goes from being the weakest to being among the strongest.

Honoria—thanks. This is going to be a fairy dark story, I can understand that it's not everyone's cup of tea. A major part of the story is going to focus on the court so I can't introduce a million characters all at once. I also hate introducing characters without giving some sort of background info.

Cheesypooh—thanks! I think my updates are going to be once a week as work's resumed. But I'm definitely itching to finish this fic so I'll keep updating at the earliest.