Desiree Holt - Caught in the Middle

Tension poured off each man. They stood just a few feet from each other, facing the council. Technically they faced her too-although they were so caught up in hating each other, she doubted they’d even noticed her small, naked presence in the middle of the room.

“Hayden Griffith, you understand why you have been called before the council?” a voice asked over her head.

“Yes,” a deep voice said, betraying a trace of a Welsh accent. The voice came from above the scuffed trainers-from the werewolf.

The other man tensed, obviously perceiving an insult in being addressed in second place. A moment later the council asked him the same question.

“I understand,” he said coldly. “And is the lady the prize? Rather inappropriate, don’t you think? They might have to live like animals, but perhaps the more advanced species could try to maintain a higher standard?”

The werewolf, Hayden, crouched down. Jasmine caught the movement out of the corner of her field of vision and looked towards it. For the first time in years, she made a novice’s mistake and looked a dominant man straight in the eye during a scene.

Hayden held her gaze. Jasmine caught her breath, unable to look away from the deep blue eyes. He tilted his head to the side, a shaggy blond mop of hair falling across his forehead as he studied her. His chest rose and fell as he inhaled deeply, taking her scent from the air. He smiled at her.

“She is not the prize,” a voice said behind her. Still trapped in Hayden’s gaze, Jasmine couldn’t focus on the words well enough to work out who the speaker was, but whoever it was went on. “She is a participant in the challenge. She has been selected from all the humans to represent the part they have played in this mess.”

Hayden frowned and looked away, gazing over her head to meet the eyes of those who he might consider his equals. “I’m not fighting her,” he said.

“If the pup is scared a woman can call him to heel too easily,” Stafford said. “Then he is more than welcome to forfeit.”

“A female wolf would not be a problem. Humans are too fragile to fight. They break too easily. I won’t fight her,” Hayden repeated.

“And I do not fight women,” Stafford said. “Of any species.”

Sure no one in the room was paying the least bit of attention to her, Jasmine glanced up and stole a look at Stafford. He was dark, aristocratic and perfectly styled. Like Hayden, he was well over a decade younger than her. He was also looking down his nose at Hayden, as if the werewolf were something he’d scraped off his designer shoes. A glance at Hayden, still crouched down to bring his eyes to a level with hers, showed he was making a great show of ignoring the vampire. He caught her eye and smiled at her again.

“You said there would be a contest between us,” Stafford snapped at the council. “What are the terms?”

“Stand,” Mr. Washington ordered.

Jasmine rose to her feet, each movement made graceful by effort of long practise and knowledge of the appropriate punishment sloppy movements earned. Naked, with not even a collar to show for her submission, she stood before them, long blonde hair trailing down her back in loose waves. As Hayden also rose to his full height, Jasmine extended her hands, palms up, the way she had been instructed to do.

“ Stafford, Hayden, step forward. Extend your hands. Each of you, put one hand into hers.”

Stafford ’s right hand and Hayden’s left hand were duly placed on her palms. She could tell by the way the two men stood, by the way they moved, that each believed they were undertaking the start of some sort of challenge ritual. They faced each other solemnly across her as Mr. Washington walked around them and took up his place facing her.

Jasmine knew the dominant was good at what he did. He could be quick when he wanted to be. He took one step forward. A flash of silver, a flick of his wrists and a set of handcuffs had secured two wrists together.

Hayden and Stafford ’s reactions were both a fraction too slow to do them any good. A moment after the cuffs clicked closed, the two younger men reacted, trying to pull their hands apart, to pull away from each other.

Jasmine, unable to step away from them without permission was, caught in the middle of the struggle. She braced herself for a fall as the cuffed hands, swung towards her. Her training failed her and she stepped back, all thought of permission temporarily forgotten.

As if someone tripped a switch inside them, both men reached for her the moment she moved. One hand grabbed her arm, another caught her wrist and each man pulled her towards them.

“What is the meaning of this?” Stafford demanded.

Jasmine looked up at him, thinking he spoke to her, but he stared beyond her at the council.

“If keeping you apart cannot appease the differences between you, we will keep you together. The human woman belongs to both of you for the rest of the night,” one of the council said.

“A slave?” Stafford spat. “Even the damn dogs know better than that. What the hell do you mean, putting the girl in this position?”

Jasmine turned her gaze to Hayden. He frowned. “We don’t own people,” he said. In a silly way, it felt he was saying it to her-as if her opinion was the only important one to him right then.

“If neither of you will accept charge of her, I will take her back with me, there are plenty of human men who would jump at the chance of spending the night with her,” Mr. Washington said.

He made it sound as if the prospect didn’t appeal to her-as if she hadn’t chosen this way of life of her own free will-as if she hadn’t spent the last months and years looking for a master. His tone of voice made the statement barely better than a lie, but it did the trick.

“ I will take guardianship of her,” Stafford began.

“Mine,” Hayden growled at the same time.

They glared at each other.

“Very well,” Mr. Washington said. “The rules of the challenge are very simple. She is yours to do with as you please. Make whatever use you want of her-but you will stay in this room and in those cuffs until you reach an agreement, so don’t waste all your time screwing her.” His tone of voice changed to the one he only ever used when he was addressing a submissive. “They are your masters-do as they command without exception.”

“Yes, sir,” Jasmine whispered in return.

The council filed out of the room. For the first time in a long time, she felt nerves as well as desire peak inside her at the thought of the scene she was about to take part in. Not sure what else to do, Jasmine lowered her eyes and waited for an order to be issued.

For several long minutes the two men just glared at each other.

The tension in the room doubled over again and again, but in spite of all that, Jasmine felt something settle inside her. She had her orders, she knew what was expected of her. If only for one night, she belonged to someone-to two someones actually.

Finally, one of those two someones moved.

Stafford released his grip on her elbow and put his arm lightly around her shoulders. Hayden slowly let go of her wrist. He stepped to the side to let Stafford lead her to the edge of the bed, but followed them closely.

Jasmine’s training prompted her to lower herself to the floor at the side of the bed.

Stafford ’s light grip around her shoulder’s tightened. “No, on the bed,” he corrected, guiding her to sit on the edge of the mattress.

Jasmine did as he commanded, and waited for another order.

“You have nothing to be scared of,” Stafford told her. “I’ll see no harm comes to you.”

As Stafford stood in front of her, Hayden crouched down next to him. He shouldered the side of Stafford ’s leg until the other man moved slightly to the side and made room for him to face her too.