He was instantly out of the water. Stalking naked across the short expanse of moss and flowers to my hiding spot. Catching my arm, he hauled me out. "What are you doing here?"

"You thought you had everyone fooled. But you don't fool me. I knew you weren't what you were pretending. You're a witch yourself."

"Men are not witches." His lips twitched in annoyance as he held my elbow nearly above my head.

At such an angle it hurt my shoulder a little. I wasn't a tiny woman, but he was far taller than me.

"You, who've accused so many women of being witches, is one yourself! We'll see what happens to you when I tell the whole village!" I glared up at him. Furious he'd deceived us all for so long.

And I'd lost friends he'd accused of witchery. Friends which I'd never seen again after they were taken to the WitchFall Dungeons.

His dungeons.

"What did you do with them all? Sacrifice them to feed your power?" I accused.

He lifted a brow. "Something like that."
***
He yanked me sideways two steps.

I stumbled to keep up with him. Glimpsing the wrath on his face even in the darkness.

He's furious.

A wave of his power coursed over me and I suddenly wanted to curl into a ball. His fury was like being caught in a whirlwind.

I felt like I couldn't breathe. He shoved me back against a tree and caught my chin.

"You think you're a clever girl but let me be very clear. You open this pretty mouth of yours..." He trailed a thumb roughly over my lips. Dragging over the bottom one. "Not only will I have you thrown in WitchFall, but everyone you care about."

My eyes narrowed on him. "Are you threatening me?"

"You've no idea." He scoffed. "The things I'd do to one as pretty as you, would give you nightmares."

"I know what you are! I'll tell everyone."

"And I'll have your pretty friend in my dungeon by noon tomorrow."

***

"You can't." I spat.

He's bluffing.

"I can." He smiled coldly. His other hand shoved the shoulder of my dress down and jerked on the bodice of my dress. Ripping it down enough he could slip a hand beneath the neckline and cup my breast.

"No!" I struggled. Trying to get footing against the roots of the tree he held me pinned to. But I couldn't get a foothold or a grip on anything. I kept sliding along the tree trunk and could find nothing to give me enough leverage to get away from him.

"Let go of me!"

He chuckled coldly. "I don't think you get it."

He pinched my nipple between his thumb and forefinger. The bruising touch making me yelp.

"Ouch!" My hands shot up to grab his wrist. Trying to pull him free of my breast.

But he held tight to what he gripped. "Mmm...That's my favorite sound. The cry of a woman in duress."

He thrust against my thigh and I realized something was hard against my leg.

I cried out, but he pulled his hand from my dress and made a catching fist as though he'd just snatched an insect from the air. I tried to yell but could only croak in my throat.

"Ah. Ah." He wiggled his finger before me. "No screaming."

I clawed at my throat and finally landed on the wrist of the hand gripping my jaw. Forcing me against the tree.

Keeping me from escaping him.

He reached down to catch my skirt and roughly ripped it from the ribbon at my waist. Tossing the brown skirt aside to bare my creamy thigh.
I was beginning to panic. My heart thrumming in my chest.

He's going to violate me.

"Not quite." He laughed. "Not yet. But perhaps later..."

He'd read my thoughts.

I swallowed. It felt like a rock rolling down my neck. I was terrified.

He adjusted himself and pressed against my thigh. I felt a hot rod of flesh stiff against the outside of my leg.

My breath caught.

He could hurt me with it. I was suddenly very sure of that.

Though I didn't fully understand how yet.

***

He ripped the neckline of my dress completely on the right side. Baring my entire breast and part of my ribcage.

His callused hand scooped the weight of it. Molding it against me as he felt its shape. His thumb running across the pink nipple sent vibrations pulsing through me.

He was rolling his hips against my thigh methodically. In a way I knew mimicked what he'd do if he could get inside me.

I can't let him. I thought determinedly.

"It matters little if you think you'll let me or not." He said dryly. Leaning so close to my lips that he spoke nearly against them. "I always get what I want eventually. Always."

Then he pressed his lips to mine in a light kiss.

I tried to jerk away but he was inescapable. Having every inch of me effectively pinned against the slick tree while he toyed with my breast and used my thigh to stroke his cock.

"Stop." I gasped.

"You're a witch. You don't tell me what to do. Warlocks don't obey witches." He pushed harder against me until he groaned deep in his throat.

"What-what?"

He chuckled. "You'll find out."

He stepped back and abruptly let me go.

"Remember..." He put a finger to his lips. "Ssh. Not a peep."
He took a few steps back. Fading into the shadows of the forest. Grabbing his wig and clothes as the darkness swallowed him.

"You won't know if I do until it's too late!" I cried defiantly. Clutching at my clothes to cover myself. Feeling as though I'd done something dirty.

"Sure I will...A piece of you is mine already...Now that I know how to get to you." He lifted something fine and shining and twirled it in his fingertips.
What's that mean?

How could he get to me? My body was shaking from what he'd done to me.

For the next few weeks, it was all I could think about.

Dreaming of that haunting, forceful, touch had me waking up damp between my thighs. Remembering the twinge in my back when he'd pinched my nipple and his lips pressed to mine.

Why can't I get him out of my mind?

"Because I'm in you now..." His haunting voice whispered in my mind.