PrimevalPassion (2 page)

“Thanks, Billy.”

“No problem, Miss Julia. It’s nice to have a longtime
resident return. Most everyone else has sold out.”

“Not on the south shore. It still looks good.”

He shook his head. “Not for much longer. I heard that
Reardon and Breyette are both selling.”

“What?” There were only three private camps on the south
shore. If they sold, she’d be the only one left. What had her grandfather
gotten her into?

Billy nodded. “Yup. Your grandfather was the only holdout.
You let me know if you need anything else.” Billy released the rope and backed
away from the dock. Julia stood for a long moment, looking across at the
developed shore before she turned and made her way up the path to the cabin
that belonged to her as long as she fulfilled the terms of the will.

Julia pushed open the screen door and winced when it
screeched. She entered the screened porch area and set down the box of
supplies. She’d put them away in a little while. First she wanted to see the
cabin. As expected, the front door wasn’t locked. She couldn’t ever remember
her gramps locking a door. The lake just wasn’t that kind of place—or it hadn’t
been. Julia supposed that she’d have to start locking the door if there were
all kinds of strangers around. Maybe she ought to fence her property and set
out some No Trespassing signs too. The thought jarred her. She didn’t want to
have to barricade herself.

The cabin smelled musty. She went around opening windows. It
didn’t take long. The ground floor consisted of eight hundred square feet. It
was sectioned into different areas, and steep stairs led to a loft for
sleeping. Not surprisingly, the fireplace in the living area was cold. Someone
had taken the time to brush out the ashes and lay new wood though. A match was
all it would take to get a fire going. Julia eyes teared in sadness. Her
grandfather must have fixed the kindling before he died.

She moved to the kitchen area where she found a letter on
the table. Her name was written in large block letters. She hesitated then
picked up the envelope. It wasn’t sealed—the flap was just folded over. She
smiled as her heart broke. Gramps always said he hated the taste of the glue.

Dear Julia,

Sorry to throw you into this mess without a warning but I
thought I could handle the situation. Suppose you’re wondering about the
conditions of the will. If I had just given you the cabin, that bastard
Alexander Thornton would have targeted you just as he’s targeted all the other
owners on the lake. He already owns the north and west side. Now he’s working
on the south side. I don’t think Reardon and Breyette will be able to hold
out…Thornton is offering too much money. Besides, as they told me, the lake isn’t
the same now. They miss the quiet. They miss the people who came here to be
close to nature. These summer people are different. They plan on staying on
their terms. I won’t say more. You’ll find out.

Anyway, that’s why I didn’t give you the cabin. Now, no
one can buy it for a year. If you chose not to stay, I’ll understand. I just
hope the conservation group can hold out against him. I doubt it though. I’m
sure he’ll offer them a lot of money or a trade in some other rural area. They’ll
sell too.

Not sure what will happen in a year but I’m hoping that
you inherited my backbone. I know you’re strong. I know you love the area. Be
brave. Don’t let the bastard win and watch out for him. He’s not ruthless.
Ruthless I know you could fight. No, he’s more dangerous because he’s
intelligent and charming. He and I enjoyed each other’s company so much that we’ve
worn a path between the cabin and the mansion. He’s an unusual man. I’ve spent
many a night playing chess with him. He always wins. Everyone likes him even as
they hate what he’s doing. I know he has a plan but I don’t know what it is. I
know he needs to be here for some reason, something that drives him. Be
careful. I’d like to say stay away from him but I doubt he’ll stay away from
you and that’s why I think you’re the one to defeat him.

Love,

Gramps

He always wins.
The statement shocked Julia. She’d
played chess for years and she’d rarely been able to beat her grandfather. The
fact that Alex always won didn’t bode well for her chances of success. And what
did Gramps mean by his strange statements? These summer people are different. She
was the one to defeat Alex Thornton. What did Gramps think she could do? Julia
shook her head. Leave it to Gramps to set her an impossible challenge and to
explain it all without explaining anything.

She wanted to be angry. The terms of the will had certainly
surprised her, especially the part about the conservancy getting the land if
she failed to live here for a year. That was shocking and upsetting. She’d
always thought she’d inherit the cabin. She was the only one in the family who
cared about it and up until a couple of years ago she’d visited for a month
every summer. Gramps was right, she did love the place and given her current
circumstances, she was delighted to move here. She hadn’t expected this kind of
problem though.

Now two people had warned her about Alex Thornton. If both
Maggie and her gramps thought he was bad news, what could she do? How could she
fight him, or would she even want to? The smart thing to do would be to ask for
his help to survive the year and then sell to him. If he gave her enough, she
could buy another cabin at a different lake. She looked around and her heart
nearly broke. She loved this shabby cabin. She didn’t know how she’d survive
the winter but her grandfather had managed the feat. She owed it to him to make
a valiant effort. Alex Thornton wasn’t going to defeat her.

Charlene had been waiting ten minutes when a group of four
men headed toward her. Charlene kept her head down but she couldn’t prevent her
eyes from glancing up and evaluating the men. The blond was muscular and must
be over six feet two inches. The others ranged from five feet ten inches to six
feet. The blond dominated the group. Charlene hoped she’d have at least one
session with him. His athletic build and sharp blue eyes promised a memorable
experience.

The men reached her. “Charlene?” asked the blond.

She nodded.

“I’m Alex. Welcome to Primeval Lake.”

Charlene smiled. “Glad to be here.”

Alex reached out, grasped her chin, stepped close and gave
her a hard kiss. “Let’s hope you still feel that way next week when you leave.”
He nodded to one of the other men. The man grabbed Charlene’s suitcase. Alex
held her arm and helped her. High heels weren’t made for climbing in and out of
a boat. They made her helpless even if they made her feminine. Within a few
minutes, they were on their way.

Charlene gasped at her first view of the mansion. It was
centered in the woods at one end of the lake, like a jewel sitting in the midst
of an ancient forest. She’d never seen such a beautiful residence. Huge windows
soared to the sky and reflected the lake and clouds. She could just see balconies
on one of the other sides.

The boat came to a smooth halt next to the dock. Two of the
men jumped out and tied off the vessel. Once again, Alex helped her.

“Thank you,” she said.

Alex suddenly took her by the shoulders and forced her to
her knees. “As per the contract you signed, you are now on my land and required
to fulfill the terms. Thank you what?”

Charlene blanked for a moment. Alex’s quick action had
startled her.

“Thank you what?” he prompted her again.

She gulped and remembered. She looked up and said, “Thank
you, Master.”

“Much better.” He nodded toward the shortest man. “Mark will
take over now. Obey him.”

“Yes Master,” she said, proud that she’d remembered this
time.

Alex and the other two men moved away. She saw Mark cast a
quick, startled glance at Alex before he moved to take Alex’s spot.

Mark stood in front of Charlene for a long moment. “Charlene,
have you ever done this before?”

“No Master.”

He sighed. “It shows. You have a lot of work in front of you
if you expect to please me.”

Charlene’s heart sank, was she doomed before she even
started? “Yes Master.”

Mark held out his hand and helped her up. “Let’s get you
settled.”

Mark led Charlene around to the back of the house. A doorway
led to basement stairs. She hesitated for just a second. She’d hoped to have
one of the rooms with a balcony. As if he read her thoughts, Mark said, “The
upstairs rooms are for the guests. You are not a guest. You’ve agreed to be a
submissive. Your room is down here.”

“Yes Master,” she said in a faint voice.

Mark led her down a dark hall until he came to a door with a
large number six on it. “This is your room. It’s number six but you don’t need
to remember that. I’ll make sure you’re always in the right place.”

“Yes Master.” She noticed that the door just had a plain
handle. There was no lock on the handle and then she saw a slide lock near the
top. Was she going to be locked in? She gulped. Was this really what she
wanted? It was too late now. She moved forward but paused at the entranceway
and looked at the paper posted outside her room.

“It’s your listing of dos and don’ts,” Mark said. “We wouldn’t
want there to be any misunderstanding. For the next week, you are required to
be in this room unless a Master lets you out. Do you understand?”

“Yes Master.”

“Good. Take a shower and stay naked. I’ll be back soon.”
Mark opened the door and ushered her in.

“My suitcase—”

“What did you say?” Mark roared.

Charlene cringed. “I’m sorry, Master.” She hoped those were
the words he wanted to hear. When he didn’t say anything, she dropped to her
knees.

“Better,” he grudgingly admitted. “I’ll answer your question
because you’re new here but never again ask me a question without permission.
Do you understand?”

“Yes Master.”

“Good. You won’t need your suitcase while you’re here. Take
a shower. Stay naked. I’ll be back.”

He closed the door and Charlene heard the slide bolt click into
place. She slowly stood and looked around. There weren’t any windows but there
was a nice plasma display with a forest scene on it. The walls looked funny so
she leaned forward for a closer look. Acoustic tile…the room was soundproofed.
Well, of course it was, other guests wouldn’t want to hear sex noises. That was
the only reason it was soundproofed, wasn’t it? She shook her head and
continued her inspection.

There was no dresser, no nightstand, only one straight-backed
chair. It didn’t look very comfortable, unlike the bed. The bed was a king-size
four-poster with a thick mattress. Charlene bounced on it and fell onto her
back. She sighed in comfort before continuing her explorations. She looked up
and noticed the canopy had strange webbing on it. Unusual design but what was
on the posts? She rolled onto her knees for a closer look. It took her a minute
to realize the posts had rings and chains attached. A thrill raced through her and
she fought to breathe as she realized their purpose. She lay back on the bed.
What had she gotten herself into?

* * * * *

Alex smiled as he remembered Mark’s response to the gift of
Charlene. He’d covered well but Alex had known him for too long. No one, least
of all Mark, had expected to be first. Everyone knew Alex broke in the new
submissives. And Alex had originally planned to initiate Charlene since he’d seen
her flick her blonde hair in the video the lawyer had sent. She was a nice
little piece of tail but nice pieces of tail were easily come by and he had
another target in his sight.

He wanted to know about the woman at Tilman’s camp. He
wanted—no, he needed—to know everything about her before he paid her a visit
and started her seduction. And he had to seduce her. He had no choice. The compulsion
was profound and strong. How deep were her reserves? How long could she last? His
need seemed to grow the longer he was away from her. He’d never known a craving
quite like this.

Alex strode through the front door and took a quick look
around. There were a few people in the living room to the right and he could
hear a few more people in the kitchen at the back of the house. Everything
seemed quiet. No one claimed his attention as he strode to the tempered-glass
spiral staircase on the left, ignoring the matching one on his right. The dual
staircases led to the south and north wings of the house. The northern wing was
for guests. The southern wing belonged to him alone. At the top of the southern
stairs were two doors.

The right door was heavy steel and wood, designed to keep
out most people. Once a month, he let the cleaning staff in but only with his
supervision. He wasn’t worried about a little dust and the rest of the area he
kept picked up. He’d rather not share his bedroom and private dungeon with very
many people. He usually used the basement rooms. Only a couple of women had
made it to his upstairs dungeon.

A door at the left led to his office. He’d set it up as a
combination office, den, library room. It was wood paneled and masculine. A
large bookshelf lined one wall. Another wall held a bank of video monitors. The
third wall held artwork and the fourth wall had an interior balcony he rarely
used. The door to the balcony was usually left open. It looked out over the
entryway with a view of the windows at the front of the mansion. He ignored the
view as he powered up his computer. The satellite dish on the roof allowed him
to connect to many different databases, including a few secure ones he’d gained
access to through his government contracts. He didn’t think it would take long
to find out everything he wanted to know about the woman.

Not having her name wasn’t insurmountable. He was guessing
her name would be in Tilman’s will. Since he’d been involved in the process of
buying the two other south-side properties, he hadn’t paid too much attention
when Ben had died, although he missed the chess games. It had been a long time
since anyone had challenged him. Alex had always won, but he’d had to work for
the wins. Ben had been an interesting character. He’d continually surprised
Alex and that was an accomplishment. Alex only hoped the woman could do the
same.

It didn’t take him long to find the will. He whistled when
he realized what Ben had done. There was no way for Alex to purchase the cabin
for at least a year. He’d been a crafty old bastard. Alex had been trying to
buy but Ben had stalled him at every turn. Ben wasn’t interested in money. He
refused to bet the cabin on any game of chance. He’d continually blocked Alex’s
plan to own the entire lakeshore. Alex wasn’t happy about the will but he was
certain he could use the information to help gain the woman’s trust. As he
expected, he’d found the woman’s name in the will—Julia, Julia Theresa Tilman.
Now he could find out more.

He checked every social network. He was startled when he
found nothing. Everyone in the world was on at least one social network. Julia
was on none of them. Maybe she took after her grandfather and had his distrust
of technology.

Alex widened the search. He found an engagement notice. Alex
raised an eyebrow as he read. The marriage had been planned for May. This was
June. Was she married? He searched for a marriage document and couldn’t find one.
Broken engagement? He wondered who’d called it off. He dug deeper. There! He
found a brief notice in a society gossip column. Julia had called it off after
finding her fiancé with another woman. Excellent!

He stumbled upon the second notice by accident. Julia and
forty other people had been laid off from the Cambris factory in New Mexico.
New Mexico? What had she been doing there? Her engagement notice had been in a
New York paper. Strange. He did a little more digging and found that her
parents lived in New York. They’d posted the notice.

Alex leaned back and itemized the information he’d found.
Julia was twenty-six with a broken engagement. She’d been laid off from her job
and her grandfather was dead. She seemed to be estranged from her parents. No
close friends or at least nothing that indicated close friendships.

His smile was predatory. She was alone. She was probably
reeling from all the changes in her life not to mention the codicil in her
grandfather’s will that demanded she spend a year at an isolated cabin if she
wanted to keep it. Good. She was vulnerable. He’d pay her a visit this
afternoon and start his campaign. He’d really like Julia in his private dungeon
by the end of summer. She’d be the perfect addition.

* * * * *

Mark went to his place after he left Charlene. Cabin number
five belonged to him now. He’d bought into Alex’s plan just last month and he
was still excited to have his own dwelling. Maybe in a few days he’d move
Charlene here. In the meantime, he needed to take care of his tools.

He pulled out a whip and flicked it in the air. It was a
little stiff. The whip was new, just like him. He’d never whipped a woman but
he liked the idea of threatening a woman with it. Luckily Charlene wouldn’t
know the difference since she had zero experience. Mark pulled out a jar of oil
and went to work on the whip. Charlene could wait while he took care of his
tools. He knew she’d get nervous. He wanted her nervous. A nervous submissive
was good. She’d make more mistakes that way.

He couldn’t believe Alex had given him the woman. He’d
expected Alex to play first and that would have been fine with Mark. Mark loved
watching Alex work. Alex dominated everything he did. It seemed to come to him
effortlessly. Mark had seen Alex take other Doms and make them submissive to
his will. The man was that good. He always got his way in everything.

Mark had bought into Alexander’s scheme early. They’d met
eighteen months earlier, when both had been at a bad BDSM club. He and
Alexander shared the same philosophy about sex. All that was necessary was the
consent of the people involved. No one else had the right to censor a
consensual sexual experience.

Mark, like Alex, was tired of trying to play sex games in
cities. There were too many neighbors, too many nosy people who wouldn’t just
let them play. The sexual games Mark liked were perceived through the societal
filter of domestic violence. Alex and Mark didn’t get angry when they played.
Anger created the risk of real hurt and neither one of them wanted to damage women
that way. Their games seemed violent to people who didn’t understand. There was
the very real risk of being jailed for their preferences.

That was why Alexander’s plan was pure genius and luckily he
had the money to make it happen. A lawyer vetted every guest. All signed
contracts, very explicit contracts. The guests couldn’t argue later that they
hadn’t understood what they were getting into. Alex had too much documentation
and too many people were involved. Not to mention the fact that every room had
cameras. There was always a record of what went on in a room. Speaking of
cameras, Mark walked to the console and flicked a switch. His eyebrow rose as
he realized Charlene hadn’t taken a shower yet and she was still wearing her
clothes. He’d made a mistake, he realized. He should have had her strip
immediately, while he was still there. Well it would only take a few minutes to
rectify that mistake. Oh this was going to be so much fun. He’d finish the whip
later. He set it aside and he headed back to the mansion.

* * * * *

Later that afternoon, Julia unpacked her supplies. She’d
just sat down to make a list of all the things she had to do the next day when
there was a knock on the porch door. She startled a little. She wasn’t
expecting anyone. Townies always waited a day before visiting and there really
weren’t any close neighbors left on the lake. Who could it be? She shook her
head. There was only one way to find out.