Soul Of A Woman (The Dark Souls) Read online

  When Rhys finished, he dried himself off before going back to his room, not bothering to cover himself. She was sitting on the edge of his bed, her dark brown eyes widening when she saw him naked.

  “Don’t worry, I’m not going to touch you,” he said, getting into his bed.

  “I wasn’t afraid you would. From what that other man said, I’m taking it I’m being saved until Saturday.”

  Rhys yawned, seeing no reason not to tell her the truth; she would find out soon anyway.

  “Once a month, we divvy up the spoils. That way it’s fair and no one gets pissed off enough to kill each other over something they want.”

  “It doesn’t bother you I’m not willing?”

  Rhys didn’t avoid her condemning gaze. “No. I won’t be participating. You won’t be the first or last woman they’ve stolen, either. What were you doing in this neighborhood?”

  “I was lost.” She turned her gaze away from him. “I was trying to find my way back home.”

  Rhys settled back against his pillow. “Well, you found it. Welcome home. If you need to take a piss, go ahead. If not, turn out the light. I’m tired.”

  She stood up before going to the bathroom and coming back, turning out the light. Then she lay down on top of the covers next to him.

  “You better get some sleep. One of the women will come and get you in the morning to put you to work,” Rhys advised. “Keep your mouth closed and do what they say, and you’ll be all right. Most of the brothers won’t drag their asses out of bed until late afternoon. By then, I’ll be around.”

  “I’m not worried about them, I can handle myself.” Her voice was filled with confidence in the dark room.

  “If you believe that, you’re stupid. These men aren’t eagle scouts, and Adam barely controls Tank—stay away from him unless you’re ready to fuck him.” Rhys gave her the only warning he was going to about Tank. She could take it or not; he really didn’t give a shit.

  “I’ll stay away from him.”

  Rhys didn’t believe her, but sometimes the new bitches had to learn the hard way, and he had a sick feeling in his stomach that Broni was just that type of woman.

  Chapter 2

  Broni lay on the bed, trying not to tremble. She wanted to roll over and beat the shit out of Rhys for letting his life deteriorate to this level. She didn’t like it, but she wasn’t surprised his soul had sought to hide from the pain this life had dealt him.

  From the first moment of seeing him when she was a young girl, Rhys had captured her attention. This wasn’t his first life—he had first caught her attention when he had been a Viking. His bravery and courage had become legendary. She had been there to observe a battle to make sure the Vikings had lost, but the beauty of the warrior had distracted her until it was almost too late. She had barely been able to accomplish her goal in time.

  After that, whenever she managed to slip away from her mother’s watchful eyes, she had observed him throughout his various lives. His soul had been easy to find, especially with Zerina as her confidant. He was always a warrior, each lifetime his bravery was spoken of in awe by others. Even the Gods had begun to whisper about his bravery, which was not always a good thing. Jealousy of his exploits had become a bone of contention, and it was only his loyalty to the Gods that had saved him.

  Times changed, though, and wars became fewer. Eventually, the world had no need of a barbaric warrior. He had become civilized, learning to fight with his mind instead of that glorious body.

  He’d become even more formidable when educated, learning to use his mind instead of his brawn, becoming tame. In this time, he had allowed himself to love, something he had never permitted himself before. It had broken her heart to watch him fall in love.

  The woman was everything that Broni was not—petite and curvy, femininity pouring from her. Broni had stopped sneaking away as often to watch him; it had been too painful. She was unable to bear seeing him with his new family.

  It wasn’t jealously or envy, just pain at seeing him so happy and in love, knowing how it would end for him. With each child, her heart grew heavier. When their time came, Broni had done everything in her power to aid their passing.

  Afterward, Cara had come to her room, crawling into bed with her as they shed tears of sorrow for the beautiful family. Broni and Cara often comforted themselves after difficult battles, drawing strength from the other. Zerina would always know when her sisters needed comforting and would find them huddling together and then join them. Hugging each other close, giving support when needed, developed a bond that had held them together for centuries. Broni desperately needed her sisters now as she watched Rhys completely ignore her, turning his head away from her then going to sleep with a conscience that refused to feel any need to help her.

  The deaths of his family had changed Rhys into one that no longer cared about right or wrong. She was going to have to realize the man he was in this life was different. She had to learn how to deal with the life he had enmeshed himself into. She had no choice if she wanted to stay alive.

  * * *

  The next morning, there was a knock on the door.

  Broni cast Rhys a look, and when he didn’t move, she got out of bed and went to answer the door.

  “Hi, I’m Dee. Adam sent me to get you. You’re supposed to work with me today.” She wrinkled her nose at Broni’s wrinkled clothes. “Come with me. You can borrow some clothes until you get some of your own.”

  Broni followed her to a room two doors down. “Wait here.” Dee went inside the room for several minutes, eventually coming out with a handful of clothes. “Here, take these. You can give them back when you’re finished with them. I’ll tell Adam you need some clothes, and he’ll get them on his next run.”

  Broni didn’t question how Adam would get her clothes. She somehow didn’t think he was going to go to a store to buy them for her, though.

  “After you get changed, come to the front. Don’t take long,” she warned. “Layla’s working, too, and she’s already pissed off at you because of Rhys.”

  Broni nodded her head before going back inside Rhys’s room. She took a quick shower then dressed in the short, blue jean skirt and a t-shirt. Broni eyed the platform scandals with a wary eye. She had spent most of her life in boots and the heels looked difficult to balance in. She sat them back down, putting her own tennis shoes back on, not caring how it looked with the provocative outfit. She then hurried to the front, heeding Dee’s advice.

  Dee and the woman she recognized as Layla, as the one that Rhys had made come in front of her eyes the previous night, were cleaning the large room with another woman who looked like she was still feeling the aftereffects of the night before.

  Layla threw her a dirty look. “You can do the dishes,” she said, then went back to cleaning the table she was wiping down.

  Broni went behind the bar counter, seeing a sink filled with dirty glasses. She began doing the dishes, and every time she thought she was done, one of the women would bring her several more. Finally, she completed the chore, watching as the women worked quietly together, making no attempt to chat with each other.

  “If you’re done with the dishes, you can get started on mopping the floor. The mop is in the closet.” Layla pointed to a closet at the end of the counter.

  Broni got the mop and bucket. She didn’t argue with the domineering woman, following all her orders. She rinsed out the mop when she finished, placing it and the bucket back into the closet.

  “Take a seat. I’ll go next door and get us some lunch,” Dee offered.

  Broni sat down at the table with Layla and the other woman.

  “I’m Nikki,” the other woman said.

  Broni introduced herself then felt both women’s eyes sizing her up.

  Layla leaned forward in her chair. “We need to get something straight. Rhys is mine.”

  “According to what I heard last night, I don’t think Rhys would agree,” Broni rebutted the woman’s statement.

&
nbsp; A stinging smack to her cheek was delivered before Broni could move.

  “You stupid bitch, it doesn’t matter what he says. I’m telling you, he’s mine.”

  Broni was never one to let someone intimidate her, so she didn’t let the smack silence her either. “I didn’t see you in bed with us last night,” Broni goaded.

  This time when Layla went to strike her, Broni was ready. She caught her hand mid-strike and then twisted her thumb into a painful hold, which had Layla falling from her chair to her knees by Broni’s chair in agony.

  “Let her go.” Broni recognized the voice behind her back as Adam’s. She immediately released Layla and the woman started to go for Broni again.

  “Stop it, Layla,” he snapped.

  The woman stopped, retaking her chair with a look of promised retribution. Broni didn’t have to be told she had made an enemy.

  Adam took a seat at the table of women, giving each of them a hard glance. “I won’t have trouble between the women. I have my hands full enough dealing with the brothers’ shit. Layla, you know the rules. Rhys hasn’t claimed you, so you sure as fuck don’t have the right to claim him.”

  Broni watched the woman slowly nod her head.

  The door opened then with Dee coming back inside, carrying a large bag and a carrier with cups. She set the items down on the table and the women ate quietly as Adam drank a cup of coffee. Broni cleaned up the trash when they finished, wondering what they expected of her next.

  She didn’t have to wait long for her answer. Men began coming in, expecting to be fed. Dee took her behind the bar.

  “When the men come in, they’ll tell you what they want to eat or drink. Get it for them then come back to the bar. The kitchen is out back. Nikki does the food orders, so tell her if there’s anything you need.” Dee pulled out several beers, opening them and then taking them to the men who had sat down at the table.

  When she came back to the bar, she told Broni, “We’re here to give them what they want, so if one of them touches you don’t say anything. They all know you’re going up Saturday so they won’t go too far. I’ll wait on Tank.”

  As several more men came in to stand at the bar, Broni poured their drinks for them, ignoring their suggestive comments. She couldn’t believe the arrogance of these people; they actually thought she would willingly give in to their demands. Right now, it suited her to pretend she was compliant, but when it came time, she was going to introduce her sword to several of these assholes.

  The women were completely submissive to the men, who disgusted Broni with how they were allowed to touch and fondle the women in front of each other. The men all looked and spoke suggestively to her, but so far, she hadn’t had any trouble with any of them.

  She noticed Rhys when he came into the room, Layla immediately taking him a bottle and glass. Unlike the others, he didn’t try to sit and interact with anyone.

  Nikki went to the kitchen, coming back with several plates of food for the bikers. Broni noticed that Rhys didn’t get up to get any of the food for himself. Instead, Layla took him a burger then sat down at the table next to him.

  “She has it bad for him,” Dee said, coming up next to her, seeing she was watching Rhys and Layla.

  Broni wiped up the spilt beer on the counter. “How about Rhys?”

  Dee shrugged, her loose t-shirt falling off her shoulder. “Rhys doesn’t care about any of the women. We’re all just warm holes to him,” Dee said matter-of-factly.

  “That doesn’t bother you?” Broni asked, studying the young woman’s reaction. She was very pretty, however Broni’s sharp gaze saw several bruises around her neck and arms.

  “Fuck, no. Rhys is one of the easy ones. He just wants to get off and be left alone.” When a door banged opened then crashed closed, Tank came walking to the bar toward them. “Tank, on the other hand, gets off by hurting whoever he’s fucking. All the girls hate it when he picks us for the night.” Broni could tell from the look Dee was giving her that she thought Broni would be finding shit like that out on her own. Dee was mistaken; she would kill the big bastard before she would let him touch her.

  “Bitch, give me a beer.”

  Broni set a beer down in front of him and bit her tongue to keep from snapping at him, knowing it would cause a confrontation if she treated him the way he deserved. She moved away from him without making it obvious, unconsciously moving closer to the end of the bar closest to Rhys’s table.

  A biker standing on the other side of the bar grabbed her arm. “Where you going? Keep me company for a while.” He tugged her from behind the bar, his arm sliding around her shoulder, pulling her close to his side. Broni stood stiffly beside him, remembering Dee’s words. However, when the biker’s hand moved to her butt, she jerked away, only to be hauled back. An arm around her waist forced her against him, her butt pressed to his hardening cock.

  “Don’t piss me off.”

  Broni nodded. She turned her head and saw Rhys watching, but he didn’t try to intervene. She swallowed her anger, deciding it was better not to antagonize the man further. Adam was still in the room, and he had told his men they had to wait until Saturday. She could bide her time.

  “Take it easy on her, Rucker. She’s new,” Dee said, bringing the biker who held her in a tight grip another beer.

  “Is that so? She needs to learn the rules quick then, and that means doing what makes us happy,” Rucker said harshly into her ear, rubbing his whisker-laden cheek against hers. “Adam said no fucking until Saturday; that doesn’t mean we’re not allowed to touch. I want to know what I’m buying if I decide to spend my points on her.” He tugged her forward, pushing her through the crowded bar toward a stage that sat against a wall, before he lifted her up onto it.

  “Take your clothes off. Give us a show.”

  Broni paled when all the men in the room turned toward the stage. Someone turned on some music as the men started yelling at her to take her clothes off. She attempted to jump off the stage, but Tank blocked her retreat with an evil grin. Her eyes found Adam watching her, seeing the warning in his eyes that he expected her to behave. Rhys, on the other hand, was still sitting at his table with a bored expression on his face.

  Broni wasn’t about to strip in front of the men. She was going to try to jump off the stage again to the left, despite Tank’s threatening presence when Dee and Nikki climbed on the stage beside her. Both women started dancing seductively, motioning with their heads for her to do the same while Dee danced closer.

  “Broni, if you don’t, it’s going to be bad. Don’t piss them off,” she warned, tossing her head in Tank’s direction who was still staring furiously at the stage.

  Broni slowly started moving to the music, promising to herself that each of these men would pay for humiliating her. Dee and Nikki both pulled their t-shirts off, their naked breasts swaying to the music, titillating the bikers further as they tried to distract them from Broni’s lack of action.

  Broni’s fingers went to her shirt, pulling it up to bare her belly, angry that she was caving to their demands. She swallowed hard before she could change her mind, jerking her top off then throwing it down angrily on the stage.

  “Shake them titties,” Tank yelled. The bastard grinned up at her like she was trying to entice him while all she wanted to do was grab her top and disappear.

  “Show me that pussy!” Rucker yelled, dancing in front of the stage.

  Dee pulled her shorts down and kicked them away from her feet just as Nikki did the same. Broni could tell it wasn’t the first time the women had entertained the men by stripping. Both women wore thongs, unconcerned by their nudity.

  Broni bit her lip, tasting the mortal blood on her lips. The taste was a vicious reminder she was at their mercy without her powers and without the sword she had hidden behind the clubhouse mere moments before she had been found.

  Her trembling hands tugged down her skirt until it fell at her feet. Copying Dee’s move, she kicked it away then continued to dance t
o the sultry music. It wasn’t long before Tank reached forward, yanking Nikki down from the stage and carrying her back where the bedrooms were. Adam then stood, motioning to Dee. She paused before leaving the stage. “Keep dancing. At least up here they won’t be touching you.”

  Broni watched as Dee jumped down, going to Adam, who jerked her down onto his lap. She quit watching when he took her breast in his mouth at the same time everyone at the table used coarse descriptions to urge him on.

  Broni kept dancing and eventually the men returned to their drinks while the other women kept their glasses filled. Broni’s anger grew higher each minute she stayed on the stage, but Dee was right, no one made an attempt to touch her. They were content to sit and watch her dance as they talked or played cards.

  A scream above the music drew her attention to a blonde woman she hadn’t met. She was leaned over the pool table at the back of the room with Rucker behind her, pulling his cock out of his jeans. He impaled the woman as he entered her from behind while his friends stood at the table, avidly watching.

  Broni leaned her head forward, her hair obstructing the sight of the man ruthlessly taking the woman without regard to her feelings, urged on by the others. She thought she would vomit when he stepped away, another taking his place.

  She had to find a way to escape. She could see what her life was going to be like after Saturday, and if she had to kill every biker in the room to prevent that from happening, she would without the least bit of guilt.

  Her legs were about to give out when Dee came back to the stage, gathering her clothes from the floor before handing them to her. By that time, Broni no longer resented dancing after witnessing the poor woman’s treatment on the pool table.

  “Adam said that’s enough, that you can sit for a while.”

  Broni didn’t have to be told twice. Taking her clothes from Dee gratefully, she dressed on the stage wanting her body covered as quickly as possible.

  She then walked on shaky legs to Rhys’s table, taking a seat without asking for permission. He raised a brow but didn’t say anything.