Fable of Happiness (Fable #2) by Pepper Winters

I gasped.

I fought to crawl back to who I was.

But it was all too much.

I was done.

My eyes snapped closed.

The smothering tiredness that I couldn’t seem to shake pounced on me.

I tipped forward.

The carpet embraced me with a hard welcome.

And then, nothing.

* * * * *

“Are you cold, little Kas?”

I huddled tighter into my ball on the floor. I wasn’t falling for that bastard’s question. Mr. Liven had a sadistic side that rivaled even Storymaker. He’d summoned me, abused me, then instead of releasing me back to the dormitory to lick my wounds with my Fable family, he’d commanded I slink to the floor by the bottom of the bed and sleep like the dog I was.

That was two hours ago.

In that time, I’d gone from cold to hypothermic.

I did my best to hide my shivers and the blue tinge of my bleeding body.

Snow blew in from the open window, swirling like icy dust and dampening the carpet with white flakes. He’d opened it when he’d worked up a sweat rutting into me. He’d left it open to teach me a lesson. A lesson in humility because I hadn’t begged enough to be abused.

“Seeing as you’ve been a good little puppy, you can sleep up here with me, if you want?” Mr. Liven snickered, yet another question full of blades to slice me with.

I curled up tighter, my teeth clacking with cold and my bones jangling as I shivered.

The bed creaked as he climbed out of the blankets and came to squat in front of me. “Come now, can’t have you dying on me. Stuart would be mighty pissed.”

Dying sounded good.

Dying sounded like freedom.

Snow caped his naked skin as the wind howled louder, sending the room to arctic temperatures. His hand cupped my bare shoulder, warm and strong and awfully comforting.

I wanted to pull away. I wanted to kill him for leaving me marked in his cum and autographed with his lust, yet horribly, I inched closer, drawn to his heat, survival commanding I seek warmth.

He cooed under his breath. “There you go, my stubborn little pup. Let’s get you up, shall we? We can make you beg when you’re all thawed out.”

I had nothing left.

Nothing.

I allowed him to haul me to my feet, only remaining standing because he didn’t let me go. With a kiss to my icy forehead, he guided me back to the bed. Like the father I couldn’t remember having, he pushed me gently under the blankets and crawled in after me.

My mind screamed at me to run.

My body puddled into gratefulness, soaking up the heat.

His arms snaked around me, his hand landing on my flaccid cock.

“I’ll tell you what. Let’s get your blood flowing again and some color back in those pasty cheeks, and we’ll have another good time together. Doesn’t that sound like fun?” His hand worked up and down, pumping me.

I had no energy to pull away. And even if I did, I was too conditioned to do whatever a guest wanted. And even if both those reasons weren’t governing me, the pure fact was, I was beyond cold, and frankly, his hand felt good.

For the first time since I’d entered this awful valley, I felt pleasure from someone’s touch. A reaction of thankfulness and desire instead of the filth and pain that usually ruled my world.

I moaned under my breath as his thumb pressed the top of my cock.

“That’s it.” He laughed. “Get hard for me, little Kas. I’ll even let you come. Would you like that?” He kissed the back of my head, pumping me faster. “But remember, I expect to be paid back for being nice. In fact, I have just the ticket on how you can repay me.” His teeth clamped down on my ear as he stopped touching me and reached for the knife on the bedside table.

The knife that’d already carved me up while he’d taken me the previous three times.

I stiffened.

I tried to get my frozen body to move.

But then his hand was back on my cock, and I gave in.

I gave in because I was weak and broken and disgusted with myself.

I had nothing left. I’d given it all to my family. Every scar, every rape, every scream.

I’d done it all for them.

Was it so wrong to want something of my own?

A split-second release?

A blistering second of freedom?

I gritted my teeth as I forced myself to forget who I was, what I’d become, and embraced the ever-growing blackness inside me.

I needed this.

I needed to come, even if it would be the last thing I ever did.

After tonight, I would end it.

I’d been strong for as long as I could.

I wanted all of this shit to STOP.

Tonight, I wanted to die.

Levin fisted me, making my gag-reflex kick in. “Come for me, little pup. Then it’s my turn.”

And that was the moment I stopped caring, stopped fighting.

I accepted my place in this godforsaken world.

I was worthless.

Empty.

It was almost over.

Soon...I’d be free.

I bared my teeth and threw myself into pleasure. I cried for salvation, I begged for someone to save me, I let monsters rule and—

“Kas?”

A female voice, not male.

“Wake up. You’re having another nightmare.”

A touch on my back, not my cock.

A touch that hissed through my blood and made unbearable hunger roar.

Whatever pleasure Levin had granted was nothing, nothing compared to this new monster. Her touch was brimstone, reaching deep into my aching bones. Her voice was ambrosia, pouring down my parched throat.