was as helpless as a rabbit caught in the gaze of a serpent. He knew it and his mocking laughter filled the tent.
‘Look into my eyes, Amira. Look deep into my eyes and tell me what you see there.’
She moaned and her eyes flew wide with horror.
‘I see people; no, they are not people. They are monsters, hideous monsters! Ah by mighty Solus, what blasphemies! My lord I beg you to stop this. Please I beg you!’
Her pleas were ignored.
‘Tell me what they are doing, Amira’
‘They are dancing.’ she sobbed,’ Oh such shameful dancing.’
‘Can you hear the music they dance to?’
Her body stiffened and her eyes were dilated as the ghostly music grew louder in her brain. She screamed in torment and loathing and Demos, his black eyes glittering with malice, cried out.
‘Dance, Amira, dance to the music for your master.’
‘No!’ she cried, ‘I will not dance for you. I am Amira, princess of Torr. I will not do this.’
Demos merely grinned at her and watched as she fought with every fibre of her being to resist his will but it was no use. He was too strong for her. A moan of rage and shame escaped her as she felt her hips begin to sway. Slowly her arms rose into the air and her silken cloak fell to the soft carpet with a soft rustle.
She stood before him now, naked save for a hands breadth of silk about her swaying hips. Gold and silver bracelets around her wrists and ankles clashed and tinkled as she began to dance to the hellish music in her mind.
Wantonly, as abandoned as any tavern harlot, the princess swayed and leapt and gyrated before him, faster and faster until her shapely limbs were but a blur of spinning, leaping movement. Her hair whipped about her face and her body glistened with perspiration as she danced and Demos laughed as he watched her. She moaned and cried out, still fighting against his power but the demonic music held her captive. A helpless, beautiful puppet of her masters will.
No man with red blood in his veins could have watched her dance without being inflamed by her beauty and Demos, even though he was steeped in evil, was yet a man and felt desire start to burn within him. He raised his hand and said,
‘Stop.’
Instantly the music in her mind vanished and she sank, gasping, to her knees. His voice was harsh now, choked with passion as he commanded.
‘Crawl to me, princess. Crawl to me on your knees and beg me for my favours.’
He watched as her body obeyed his command, relished the fear and shame burning in her desperate eyes. She reached him and her hands caressed his body hungrily. Her eyes blazed with fury and despair but her voice was no longer hers to control.
‘My lord, I am your slave. I beg you to use me as you will. I beg you my lord, I beg you,’
He reached out and curled his fingers through her long dark hair. They closed cruelly and he drew her face towards his.
His lips drew towards hers, closer and closer until he could feel her breath upon his cheek. He drank in her helpless beauty and his lips drew back in a cruel, rictus smile.
‘I am going to take you on a journey such as you would never have believed possible Amira. You shall suffer for my pleasure and you will beg for more. Aye, how you shall suffer.’
His eyes glowed inhumanly red now and she shrieked with terror but still she could not summon the strength of will to escape his dominion of her. He laughed and ripped away the silk from her hips and she moaned and cried out yet again as this inhuman thing caressed her nakedness with cruel hands.
As he drew her down beside him she vowed to herself that this would be the last time she would suffer so at his hands. When she had control of her body back once more she would take her own life. She closed her eyes as he clutched at her body and steeled herself against the torment to come.
A horn blared out. Again and yet again the harsh notes sounded and it was answered by the sound of voices raised in anger and alarm. Amira found herself cast aside as Demos rose cursing to his feet, pulling on his robe as he did so. He pulled aside the tent flap and demanded an explanation of the soldier who