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  The therapy was working. Sort of. While Socia religiously visited Augusta once a week and had her on speed dial in case of emergencies, she was able to keep her inner need to tempt and toy with men in check. Some would have called her a slut and a tease. That was indeed the characteristics of a Siren. But unlike her predecessors, Socia had a conscience and it battled with her natural instinct to do harm to the male species. So she harmed herself instead with men like Sholto who ravished and tortured her body before slamming their dicks deep inside and blotting out any feelings she had. Vicious sexual sessions like the one she had just endured with Sholto would keep her quiet and non responsive to any man for days. That was good.

  Augusta never mentioned anything about the cuts and bruises she saw on her patient’s body. She just calmly talked to her about simple things like her work at

  ‘Hoodoo Guru’ the occult bookstore Socia owned, what the weather was like and what plans she had for a vacation. The store was surprisingly profitable due to the public’s fascination in walking on the wild side, the weather was as always warm in Cairns and Socia could not trust herself to go on vacation. Staying at home was safer. Keeping to routine meant no unsuspecting man got hurt. Being fucked hard and mercilessly by brutal men was painful but it kept her in check and her natural instincts subdued.

  Socia crawled off the bed and made her way to the bathroom. She wanted to wash Sholto off her. While it was her choice to allow him to do what he did to her, she wanted to wash every trace of him, but for the pain, off her. She stepped into the shower, turning on the spray so the heat of it scalded her skin. The cuts to her skin stung but it felt good. Pain was like a magical pill to her.

  She dropped her head forward and leaned her hands on the white tiles, allowing the water to run down her back. Socia thought about Sholto. He was a sadistic bastard. While she accepted what he did to her, there was no way she was going to allow him to do the same to the woman he called Mary Dalton. Socia had committed that name to her memory the minute Sholto had gloated over doing to Mary Dalton what he had just done to Socia. It was to teach her and her boyfriend a lesson.

  What did she do to you?

  Nothing. It’s him that I want to kill.

  Why?

  He wants to destroy me. I can’t allow that. I have too many plans for this world.

  Socia had long ago discovered Sholto was a time lord. He had stepped nonchalantly out of her broom closet in the store one day announcing that it was a time portal and that he had heard about her and her perversions and he wanted to play. Neither his entry into her store or world surprised her. Since opening Hoodoo Guru lots of strange people had appeared and disappeared. The real estate agent who rented her the property told her some people found the shop haunted. He had laughed uneasily and offered her a huge reduction in rent if she took it. Socia did.

  The cheap rent she needed. Hauntings she would deal with. And she did. Besides, on the whole, paranormal beings were pretty easy to live with. Most were just passing through while others liked to chat and explain their lives to her. Either way it was no skin off her nose and the extra paranormal flavor gave her shop a certain cachet that drew people in. As for the time portal Sholto had come through? Her landlord was unconcerned when Socia explained the water heater originally located in the closet had blown up, sealing off the closet. He just wanted to make sure she stayed on renting. Sholto hadn’t been pleased. When he had found out what she had done, he had beaten her hard and left her bleeding.

  “Mary Dalton, Mary Dalton,” Socia murmured as she lifted her head and pushed back her long, black, wet hair. “I need to find you.”

  Ten minutes later, Socia, wrapped in a black, Chinese silk embroidered robe, was on the Internet, searching for the woman in question. There was no phone listing for her nor did she appear on Facebook. “Smart woman.” Too many people were enslaved to that form of social media. Socia was not one of them. She liked to keep her private life private.

  A Cairns Post newspaper wedding announcement caught her eye as she thumbed through the on-line edition.

  June Dalton is thrilled to announce the engagement of her eldest daughter Frances to Will Williamson, only son of Wilma and Wilbur Williamson. Frances’

  sisters Mary and Clare Dalton will be in attendance at the wedding at the Forever Room at 96 Mulgrave Road, Cairns on Saturday 2pm.

  Socia nodded her head. She planned to be in attendance too. She had to warn Mary Dalton what danger awaited her.

  Chapter Five

  “Oh, how did you know where I lived?” Mary wasn’t happy. It was two o’clock in the morning. The insistent knocking on her front door had driven her out from her nice, cozy bed to beat up whoever was insane enough to be at her door. When she opened it to find Simon Mayhew smiling at her as if it was perfectly normal to be there, she was amazed . How? Why?

  “Pleased to see me?”

  Yes. No. I don’t know. It had taken Mary a long time to get to sleep. Her thoughts had been solely on the man who was now at her door. She pulled at the simple, long pale pink cotton t-shirt that barely covered her thighs. She had no bra or panties on. Mary felt suddenly very exposed. And wet. So damn wet for cock.

  “Let me in. I want to talk to you.”

  “Why?” Mary knew if he crossed the threshold they would be crossing a barrier that they could not return to. While she enjoyed sex, it was usually the hot, horny and meaningless kind that required no more from her than opening her legs. She didn’t want her mind opened as well. Mary had a feeling Simon would want more than an orgasm from her.

  He leaned against the door jamb. “You know why.”

  “No, I don’t,” she responded, knowing she sounded perverse but not caring that she did. Mary knew she had to maintain some cool distance between them or she would be giving into the wild urge to press herself against his body and just stay there.

  “Mary—”

  “Swerve, Simon or whatever the hell you call yourself, I want to go to bed.”

  With you— I mean alone. Aw hell, I don’t know what I mean any more.

  “Me, too.”

  “I’m not having sex with you.” I’m pretty sure I’m not.

  “Did I ask?” Simon smiled widely at her as he kicked shut the door behind him.

  “Well, no.” Mary felt stupid at the assumption. She was hardly the sort of model-like diva he was reported to go out with. “What do you want then?” The look that answered those words, made Mary feel hot all over.

  “I want to lie beside you and feel at peace.”

  The simple way he said it, in such a world weary way, spoke to Mary. Once again she asked herself who was this man? Why did he need her when there were dozens of women who would happily give him comfort? “Why me?”

  “Because I need peace.”

  “With me?” The idea that she could bring anyone peace, surprised Mary. She was not the restful sort.

  “You know it’s true, Mary.” Simon pushed his way gently yet insistently inside and took her hand. “I can feel how you shiver when we touch.”

  Mary’s gaze locked with his. She could feel the warm, strong essence of the man seep into her skin like a balm. “I feel like I want to—”

  “Jump my bones and make wild passionate love to me?”

  That was exactly what she wanted to do. “How did you—”

  “—know? I just did. I’ve always known you, Mary.”

  Mary was speechless. This was usual for her. Normally she had a response for everything but with this man? It was like she had no control. He was in charge and she would follow and learn. “About the Gypsy Queen—”

  “All true, she was a friend of my mother’s and she told my mother that a woman called Mary Dalton would be my love and I would take no other.”

  “No other? You mean you’ve never—”

  “—had sex before?” Simon laughed in wild amusement.

  “Oh, yeah, well…” Duh. Forehead slap. Of course he would have.

  Simon lifted her han
d to his lips and kissed it. “I would take no other as my wife.”

  “Oh, right…” Wife. Me? Married to him? Somewhere in Cairns right now my mother is hysterically happy without knowing why.

  “Invite me to stay over, Mary.”

  By the way he looked at her Simon could have asked her to shave her head and she would have willingly done it. “I have a spare bed.”

  “I need to be beside you.”

  She looked up into his eyes. “Why?” Mary found herself leading him into her bedroom before she realized what she was doing

  “I need your strength, Mary.”

  That surprised her as he looked stronger than any man she knew. “I—er—”

  “Please.” Simon lifted her hand to his lips.

  The gently kiss on her knuckles made her legs wobbly. “You’re my boss.”

  “I’m your man.”

  “I’m confused.”

  “No, you’re scared and that makes you deny reality, but that’s okay.” Simon came to a halt beside her bed.

  “No, it’s not. I’m always in control.”

  “You never will be with me.” Simon pushed her down onto the bed.

  Mary sat there watching him start to take off his clothes. “Does this work with all your women?” She was surprised at how breathless she sounded. There was an air of anticipation that was scary, yet sweet.

  Simon chuckled as his shirt hit the floor. “All my women? Does that mean you recognize yourself as one of them?”

  “I didn’t mean it that way.” Besides she didn’t want to be just a number in Simon’s life. Mary jumped at that thought. What do I want to be? She looked at the taut, hair roughed planes of his chest. The urge to lick his chest was overwhelming.

  “Yeah you did, and there was some jealousy there.” He kicked his shoes off.

  “Me jealous? Of who?” Mary scoffed, knowing at that moment if another woman tried to tempt him away she would scratch her eyes out in the time old feminine way.

  “Exactly. No one will ever be able to compete with what you and I have.”

  “You’re odd.” Mary had never met any man who spoke as Simon did. Her gaze dropped from his chest to where his hand tugged at his trouser zipper. Oh boy. “Um, you should—”

  He arched an eyebrow? “What? Keep my clothes on? You’ve seen me naked.”

  Yes. It was an image she had sandblasted into her mind, never to forget. His body wasn’t the issue. Mary was worried how she would react to seeing him naked again. Control was hard to keep when you wanted to touch and play with a long, stiff dick knowing it would soon be buried inside you. “I just think—”

  “That’s your problem. You think too much, Mary.” Simon dropped his trousers to the floor, kicking them free of his feet. He held out his hand to her. “Come, get naked with me.”

  Mary’s gaze ran over the beautiful, muscled body of the man before her. “I, er

  —” She swallowed hard as she saw his dick twitch upward. Knowing it reacted so for her was exciting. “The thing is, I don’t do naked well. Actually, I’m really bad at it.

  “Says who?” Simon sat down beside Mary and enfolded her hand in his.

  Ohhh… “Lewis.”

  “Well, there’s your problem.” Simon reached his other hand over and tweaked her nose. “You can’t take anyone called Lewis seriously.”

  Mary knew she was visibly trembling all over but she couldn’t help it. Need and excitement were pushing away any rational arguments against having sex. “And you I can take seriously?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  Simon pushed some hair back from her face. “Because I understand you.

  You’re a part of who I am.”

  “If that’s a pick up line, it’s pretty good.”

  That Mary was nervous was sweet and endearing. It had been a long time since Simon had experienced that. It made him feel strong and that she needed him. And Mary did, but like all strong people, giving in to need was hard. The first step was getting her to trust him. “Please take off your clothes.” Nudity was a barrier that needed to be breached. If she had body issues from some idiot called Lewis, and Simon planned to hunt him down and scare the crap out of him, then he was ready to help her through that. “I will never hurt you, Mary.” Her eyes were enormous on his. Part fright. Part wonder.

  “It’s just that my thighs—”

  “—will be perfect wrapped around my waist.”

  “My ass—”

  Simon winked at her. “I want to come just thinking about it.”

  “My breasts are kinda—”

  “—perfect for sucking.”

  “My feet—”

  “Your feet?”

  Mary smiled at him. “I just wanted to see what you would do with them.”

  Her smile made Simon want to declare he would scale any mountain and fight any dragon for her. “I want to suck your toes one by one before licking my way up your legs and parting your sweet thighs.” He pulled her close against his body.

  Simon sighed. This was what he needed. Other women could scratch the proverbial itch but only Mary would ever be perfect for him. The tips of her unbound breasts rubbing against his chest made his cock jerk, eager for action.

  “You’re mad.”

  “And you’re bodacious,” Simon responded in his best Swerve voice. “Get naked with me, my lady.” His hands slid up her bare thigh to the edge of her nightshirt.

  “Simon—”

  “It’s okay. I just want to see you.” He pulled the fabric up. “And touch you,” he added as he moved in so his lips were almost touching hers. “And love you,” Simon murmured against her lips. Her soft, warm breath against his face was his undoing.

  His lips descended on hers and he kissed her, pulling her close to his body. This was no slow kiss of careful lovers. This was a full on seduction of her lips and senses.

  He wanted Mary to feel and understand him and his needs and to give into what she craved. Kissing Mary was like finally coming in after a storm. It was a haven of peace and warmth with the promise of finding a home in her heart and her body.

  Simon pulled his lips from hers.

  “What? Why?” Mary was dazed.

  “This is why.” Simon yanked her t-shirt up and off. He flung it against the wall and let his gaze rest on her naked body. “Beautiful.”

  “Are you saying that because your friend here is desperate?” Mary reached out and circled one finger around the head of his cock.

  Simon growled low in his throat and nudged Mary so she was flat on her back.

  His eyes traveled down her body. He was amazed that any man could look on her and not be turned on. He wanted to suck and lick and explore every luscious inch of her body. He pressed his body down on hers. It felt like heaven and home. The silky softness of her skin melted into the roughness of his.

  “I’m saying it because I have such a desperate need to be with you.” His finger traced the shape of her lips. “I need you, Mary. I want to be inside you. I need to be inside you.” Simon smiled at the wonder in her eyes. That no man had ever loved her properly pleased him. Mary is mine. She has always been. I just need her to know it.

  “Simon—”

  When her tongue flicked his finger, he let out a deep breath and told himself to keep in control. But it will be so hard. “I want to taste every inch of your skin. I want to tease you until you beg me to take you. I want you to come screaming my name and pleading for more.”

  Mary was amazed. So much so that she started to cry. She was overwhelmed by the man and his words. Simon wanted her. He made her feel special and Mary hadn’t ever felt that. “Simon, I—”

  Simon brushed away her tears. “What, lovely Mary?”

  Her eyes were wide with wonder on his. The depth of understanding she saw in them warmed her. “I don’t know why I’m crying. I’m not usually like this.” But then she usually wasn’t naked in her own bed with a man who both dazzled and understood her.

 
; “Yeah, you do and that’s okay. You’ll never have to explain yourself to me.”

  Mary could feel his dick poised at the entrance of her cunt. She wanted him inside her and yet the good girl with rational thoughts wondered about the fast madness of the moment. “Maybe, we shouldn’t do this.” The words sounded wrong even to her. Mary’s hands settled on his ass. She sighed as she felt the taut muscles jump at the contact.

  “Why not?” he breathed against her mouth. “Is it too soon for you?”

  “No.” The wide rush thrilled her.

  “Are you scared?”

  “Yes.” Mary could honestly say that. She was crossing a barrier that she could never get back from. That was always scary.

  “Do you want me to stop?” Simon’s gaze locked with hers

  “No.” She lifted her thighs up to aid his entrance.

  “Then say yes, Mary.”

  She licked her lips. “Yes, please.” And then he was driving his hard cock up inside her and whatever fears Mary had were gone as she wrapped her legs around his waist and held on for every deep, long thrust that shook her body and claimed her as his. It went for ever. It was raw, primal and perfect. Later she would swear it wasn’t long enough and beg for more.

  Mary kissed the lips that were hungry on hers. The taste of his tongue was better than chocolate and she urged him. “Harder! More! And ‘for god sake don’t stop!”

  But Simon did. “I have to.” He pulled out from inside her, his dick wet, pink and stiff.

  “Oh, why?” Mary blew out a long sigh and looked at the man who sat back on his heels.

  “No condom.”

  “I don’t care.” She didn’t. Mary wasn’t stupid. She knew what he meant, but she also knew what was right for her. Besides she was on the pill.

  Simon smiled. “I love that you don’t. That means so much to me, but I don’t want to get you pregnant yet.”