Temptation’s Embrace

Lily.

I wake to the sound of metal clanging. A rush of cold air invades my lungs making me cough at the sudden intrusion in my windpipe. My mouth tastes like shit but my nostrils are happy; there’s a strange mix of citrus and smoke in the air.

Swallowing a lump in my throat, I scan my environment.

My vision is hazy and I have to blink severely before my eyes adjust to daylight bursting into the room through an open French window. The golden curtains are drawn revealing a figure with thick dark hair which is left to the wind as a plaything.

My thoughts whirl as I narrow my eyes at the figure. I discern a swirl of dark ink against pale skin, only to realize it's a man clad in nothing but a towel around his waist. I leap to my feet, only to be hindered by restricted movement, tumbling to the ground with a soft thud. A low moan escapes me as pain shoots through my arms, causing me to wince with relief that I saved my head from hitting the ground. My legs are bound by a metallic chain, my hands cuffed, and a neat black cloth tightly wrapped around my mouth.

Shit.

The French doors rattle and I still, my eyes snapping to the source of the sound.

It's just the wind.

My captor doesn’t know I’m awake yet. I have no fucking idea how I got here and the last thing I want is to be discovered, ruining my only chance at escape.

Seconds tick by, worsening my fears.

Where am I?

It's a Victorian-style room with tapestries, pot plants, and fucking vines crawling up the bedpost. Above me is a boat-shaped chandelier that shimmers in the light and on the ceiling is the painting of an unclothed woman on all fours with a man towering above her like a god. He’s holding a whip in his hands. The woman’s face doesn’t show fear, rather it looks like she’s expectant of the whip about to meet her flesh.

She looks like she wants it more than anything in the world like it’s a moment she has waited for all her life.

A chill runs down my spine. No one can see me looking at this image but my cheeks burn red. I revert my gaze to the ground before it gets imprinted in my brain.

Below me is a neatly woven rug, the same golden color as the curtains. I lift my head a fraction to find that I’d been sitting on a king-sized bed. On the left, there are lamps placed on a hanging mirror. My eyes travel faster, past a vase filled with plants on a champagne-colored stand, more draperies…and finally, I find the door left slightly ajar.

Perfect.

I try to still my rapid pulse, focusing on finding my breath.

Breathe in. Breathe out, Lily.

My mind’s telling me to relax—It’s probably a prank from the boys—but my legs are thinking differently. The last thing I remember is attending a secret party to celebrate my 20th birthday in the cellar. I remember going down the stairs with my fifth brother, Nikolai leading me into the room. It had been his idea to drink some alcohol, get high, and goof around before heading to bed. He’d gone as far as to buy me a black dress worth millions and a feathery mask for my face to complete the look.

I remember having fun. I remember winning a trivia game against my second brother, Damien. I also remember Lev forcing a cigarette to my lips while the rest of my five stepbrothers cheered me on. They hooted when I took my first drag and coughed into my hands then I proceeded to challenge Lev to another round of drinks and…