Taken by the Minotaur Read online

  Taken by the Minotaur

  By

  Adrian Blue

  © Copyright 2017, Adrian Blue, All Rights Reserved

  Chapter One

  Chloe shifted in the cart, peeking from beneath her eyelashes to look at the many faces staring back at her. The ropes around her wrists and ankles were rough and they rubbed painfully against her skin with every bump in the road. Chloe ignored the small discomfort. She had much more important things to worry about.

  The road grew busier as they approached the city center. Wagons full of local goods lined the streets, vendors and patrons pausing in their haggling to stare at her as she passed. The driver of the cart had not looked at her a single time. To him, and most others, she was as good as dead already. She appeared to be a curiosity to the rest.

  It had been several years since the king had demanded a tribute. Many thought those days were passed. There were whispers about the king’s beast. Most thought the creature had died, others said the beast was immortal. The only agreement among the citizens of the city, and her own small village, was that the tributes were food for the beast.

  Despite what everyone had hoped, the tributes were obviously not in the past. Soldiers had come to her village and demanded an innocent. All of the unmarried girls had been gathered in the village center to be looked over by the soldiers. Some of their gazes had made her skin crawl.

  It was one of the younger girls, beautiful and sweet, who had caught their eye. At the sight of her tears, Chloe had volunteered herself. All of the girls were younger than her, most of them already being courted. The village had no need of a headstrong female nearly past her girlhood.

  There was no one to argue with her, her parents long since passed on to the afterlife, and the soldiers seemed content that their duty had been done. Chloe climbed into the back of the cart without any fuss and left everything she had ever known behind. She was a dead girl from that moment on.

  Chloe mentally shook herself. Everyone else may have given her up for lost, but if there was a way to survive, she would take it. She looked toward the palace gates ahead. Somewhere inside the palace, the tyrannical king waited to feed her to a beast. She would not be easy prey.

  The gates opened as the group approached. There were people waiting just inside the gates, all of them focused on her. Chloe fought the urge to duck out of sight. The cart driver followed the line of soldiers through the gates to stop in front of the small crowd. None of them looked happy to see her.

  “This is the girl?” a man asked.

  Two soldiers dismounted and came around to stand near the cart. They glanced toward Chloe and nodded.

  “She’s filthy,” the man scoffed. “Are you certain she’s pure?”

  Chloe’s eyes narrowed at the insult. Before she could say anything, one of the solder’s grabbed the rope securing her wrists and pulled her out of the cart. She stumbled and nearly fell.

  “Pure enough for the creature,” one of the other men murmured. “What does it matter?”

  “The king said—”

  “Enough,” another man interrupted. “Get her to the baths. The king will want to see her before the ceremony.”

  The soldier turned away from the men and started toward the palace, jerking Chloe behind him. Two more guards flanked her, as if she had any chance of escaping them. The bottoms of her bare feet scraped along the stone ground as she hurried after the soldier. She barely had time to glance around, before the soldiers were shoving her forward into the hands of several women.

  “Get her ready,” one of the soldiers barked.

  Chloe watched the men leave over her shoulder. When the doors closed, she was alone with the women. They converged on her with excited whispers. The oldest woman gave the instructions and the three younger women rushed to strip Chloe of her dress and untie the ropes.

  For a brief moment, Chloe considered running. She eyed the doorway across the room from the bath. The older woman frowned at her and motioned for the other women to get her into the water. Chloe sputtered as they dumped bathwater over her head, roughly scrubbing at her bare skin.

  When the older woman was content that she was clean, the women let her struggle up out of the water. Her pale hair hung in tangles down her back and she shivered. She expected them to give her a towel, but they dropped a white undertunic over her head. The fabric immediately slung to her wet skin.

  The women tugged on her arms, and Chloe had no choice but to let them lead her away from the bath. She left wet footprints behind her all the way down the hall, deeper into the palace. There were soldiers up ahead, lining the hallway and wearing dark, forbidding scowls.

  Suddenly, one of the men who had been with the group outside stepped into her path. He gestured to nearby soldiers.

  “The king has no interest in seeing her. Take her to the gates.”

  “But the ceremony—” one of the soldiers said.

  “Are you questioning the king’s judgement?” the man cut in.

  The soldier fell silent.

  “Take her to the gates and feed the beast,” the man ordered. “The king does not fear the gods’ wrath.”

  Chloe watched him stomp away with wide eyes. If the sacrifices were not to appease the gods, why continue them? Before she could voice her thoughts, a soldier seized her arm and jerked her toward a massive, black door. Inlaid silver formed the shape of a bull’s head.

  Suddenly, it all seemed too real. When her death was in the future she could pretend everything was happening to someone else, but at the sight of the door, her knees buckled. Two soldier hefted her up by her arms and carried her through the door and into the darkness beyond.

  Chapter Two

  Chloe hit the ground and crumpled. She ignored the pain to squint up at the trapdoor above her. From the faint torchlight around her, she could see the outline of the two soldiers looking down at her. One of them muttered something and they both laughed.

  Chloe held her breath, helpless to do anything, as the trapdoor slowly closed with an ominous thud. She immediately glanced around. The pale stone walls reflected the light of the torches that hung on the walls. At least it was not dark. Chloe was not sure she could have handled being trapped in the darkness with the monster.

  She glanced both ways down the corridor. The high ceiling kept the space from feeling like the tomb it was. It seemed to go on forever it both directions. Once she moved from the spot, she would never find the trapdoor again. Chloe glanced up. The door blended in with the rest of the ceiling.

  Maybe, there was another way out. A weak spot in the construction. But if there was, surely the beast would know of it. Chloe started to take a step away from the door and paused. Was that a voice? For a moment, it sounded like someone calling her.

  She frowned down the passage. “Hello?”

  “Come to me,” a voice whispered.

  Chloe shivered at the tone. The voice was deep and commanding. The voice of someone who was used to being obeyed. Chloe hesitated. Good sense told her to run the other way.

  “Come!” the voice ordered.

  Chloe stumbled forward.

  “Good.”

  Warmth bloomed in her belly at the pleased tone. She hurried down the corridor until she came to another hall. Chloe glanced both ways. Again, the two directions looked identical.

  “Left,” the voice said.

  After several intersections of hallways, Chloe fell into a comfortable daze-like state. Her body followed the voice’s orders, as the rest of her mind wandered. How many others were trapped in the Labyrinth with the beast? And who was guiding her?

  Tentative hope bloomed in her chest. Perhaps, the voice knew of another way out. Chloe rounded another corner and paused. The corridor opened u p into a large chamber. The space was alight with the light of a hundred torches, and at the center of the room, stood a towering figure.

  Chloe’s mouth went dry. No. She searched the room for anyone else, but there was no one. As she stared with wide-eyes, the figure turned to face her.

  “Welcome,” the voice purred.

  Chloe stumbled back a step. The voice was not coming from the creature’s lips. It was spoken in her mind. The beast was exactly as the stories said, the body of a tall, muscular man and the head of a bull. As she stared, the beast cocked his head at her curiously.

  “What are you called?”

  Chloe balled her hands into fists to still their shaking. “Chloe.”

  The creature took a step toward her, his single step easily the size of two of hers. She could not keep her gaze from moving over him. It was not difficult to imagine his powerful body breaking the other sacrifices. He was built far larger and stronger than any man she had ever seen.

  “And you are my sacrifice,” he said. It was not a question.

  Chloe’s mouth opened and closed, no words escaping. Her feet felt like stone holding her in place. She could not move, as the beast stalked toward her. His muscles bulged under his smooth tan skin and his eerie red eyes did not leave hers.

  She wanted to scream, or run, or do anything other than stand frozen waiting for him to reach her. Chloe gasped when he stopped in front of her. He towered over her. His inhuman nostrils flared wide as he seemed to take in her scent. Chloe could not hold back a faint whine of fear.

  “We shall make a bargain, you and I,” his voice said in her mind.

  Chloe licked her lips nervously. “A-a bargain?” she stuttered.

  The creature’s eyes burned into hers. “The same choice I gave the others.”

  Chloe blinked at his mention of the others. Her gaze left him long enough to scan the large chamber again. There was no sign of anyone else. Was there a way out? Had they escaped? She felt a surge of hope fill her.

  “What choice?” she asked.

  “Sate my hunger with your flesh or sate my hunger with your blood.”

  Chloe tried to back away, but the beast’s hands closed on her arms like iron. She shook her head in denial. Death was death. What did it matter if he fed on her blood or flesh first? She thrashed in his hold, shouting to be free.

  “I hunger for your innocence, girl,” his voice growled. “Not your life.”

  Chloe went still. Confusion warred with fear. He could not mean what she thought he meant. Her gaze dropped from his glowing eyes to his bare chest. He was close enough that a deep breath would make her chest graze his. Could she truly give herself to the beast?

  She could not pretend a small part of her was not curious. Chloe had often heard the village women whisper about what happened between men and women. The pleasure to be found beneath a man. Chloe bit her bottom lip.

  “If I agree…” she began.

  She paused when the creature’s hands tightened on her arms. Chloe shifted closer, letting their bodies brush together with each breath.

  “What happens after you have had your fill of me?”

  “I will show you the way out of the labyrinth.”

  Chloe searched the beast’s inhuman face for any sign of deceit. Would he truly let her go free? She knew she had no hope of escape without his help. His large hands slid down her arms to fasten around her wrists. Chloe did not resist when he raised her hands to his chest, pressing her palms to his hot skin.

  Would it truly be such a horrible price to pay?

  “I agree,” she whispered.

  Chapter Three

  The beast pressed her back against the high, stone altar. With a sweep of his arm, he cleared the surface, sending plates, goblets, and vases crashing to the floor. His hands immediately returned to her, cupping beneath her thighs to lift her onto the altar. Chloe gasped as a hard jerk ripped her dress down the middle.

  The heat in his glowing eyes gave her courage to shrug the ruined dress from her shoulders. His gaze fell to her bare breasts. One large hand cupped one of her breasts while the other tangled in her hair. A sharp jerk to the blonde strands bared her throat. Chloe moaned in confused pleasure.

  She never thought she would be one who enjoyed rough handling, but the tight grip on her hair went straight between her thighs. She shamelessly spread her legs for the beast. There was only the thin cloth of her dress between her bare sex and his body. He moved to press against her and she gasped.

  His manhood was large and hot even through his pants. The beast’s blunt teeth raked over the exposed skin of her neck. The dull pain made her body clench and she felt the first hint of wetness on her thighs. The creature’s nostril’s flared and a rumbling growl vibrated the chest pressed against hers.

  Chloe grasped at the beast’s broad shoulders, her nails dragging over his bronze skin. He let out an inhuman groan and his thumb brushed over her nipple. Chloe arched into the pleasure. The hand in her hair tightened and she whined.

  “Beautiful creature,” he purred in her mind.

  The words drew a shuddering gasp from her. They seemed to feed the heat growing deep in her body, a gnawing hunger for more. His thumb circled her sensitive nipple, as the blunt teeth dragged down her chest. She felt a gust of hot breath on her other nipple a moment before it was seized between blunt teeth.

  Chloe cried out. The light pressure made her thighs tremble and her nails dug into the beast’s shoulders. She pulled him closer urging him on. A burning hot tongue lapped over her nipple and she squirmed. It was good, so good, but she needed more.

  She hooked her hands into the front of the beast’s pants and pulled his hips tight against hers. Chloe shuddered at her own daring. In answer, one huge hand pressed down on her chest, laying her flat on the stone altar. The fist in her hair kept her from doing more than arching into the rough licks that travelled down her belly.

  Chloe felt the light fabric of her dress drag across her womanhood, as the beast bared her to his gaze. She had a brief moment to feel his breath on her wet folds before his fingers parted her and his wide tongue slipped inside her. Chloe’s mouth fell open in a wordless cry.

  She had never imagined such things. The beast’s tongue swirled through her wetness, easing inside her virgin body to sip her arousal straight from her body. She shook from the pleasure, moaning and moving her hips like a wanton. His tongue slid in and out of her, so hot and slick she sobbed for more.

  “Does this please you?” his voice growled.

  Chloe blindly grabbed for him, her hands settling on his horns. With her legs over his shoulders there was no way to escape the pleasurable torment of his mouth. One of his thick fingers slipped inside her along with his tongue and she gasped. The stretch was a dull ache that only made her want more.

  “Please!” she whined.

  His mouth left her, blunt teeth dragging over her pale inner thighs, as a second thick finger slipped inside her where she was wet and open. His wide hand on her belly was the only thing that kept her from squirming off the altar. His fingers stroked deep inside her, finding all her most pleasurable spots.

  A third finger eased into her and his tongue returned to her womanhood. Chloe arched, pleasure rolling through her like thunder. She was vaguely aware of crying out as the beast urged her through her peak with firm licks and his deep thrusting fingers. She collapsed back against the altar with a weak moan.

  “Open yourself to me,” he growled in her mind.

  Chloe spread her legs wide, dazedly staring up into his glowing eyes. One hand fisted in her hair, forcing her to arch her back as his thick manhood eased into her. She whined at the size of him. Even soaked from his attentions, her virgin body could barely fit him.

  She gasped when he shifted her leg over his shoulder and suddenly his manhood sent a shudder of pleasure though her. Chloe clutched at any part of him she could reach, squeezing her eyes closed when he began to thrust in and out of her. Her body was on fire, the blaze c entered where he moved inside her.

  His grip on her hair kept her back in a high arch. The position made his manhood bump into that pleasurable spot with every jerk of his hips. It was an ecstasy so strong she could do nothing but moan and cry beneath him. He bent his head to lap at her heaving breasts with his wide tongue, another layer of pleasure that threatened to overwhelm her.

  Chloe grasped his horns as the pleasure finally peaked. Every muscle in her body snapped tight and she screamed in ecstasy. Her inner muscles fluttered around his thrusting manhood. Every movement of him inside her only drew her own peak out longer. She begged for harder, faster, more.

  The beast pushed her through one peak into another. She could do nothing but moan in pleasure beneath his unrelenting passion. When he finally reached his own peak, she was too overcome to do anything but moan weakly at the pleasant heat of his seed spilling deep inside her.

  He gently released her and pulled his hips back from hers, slipping from her well-used body. Chloe went limp. She did nothing to stop the creature from scooping her into his arms and carrying her to a nest of furs in the corner. She had questions, so many questions, but her mind felt sluggish.

  A cup pressed to her lips and cool water filled her mouth. Many things she thought she knew about the labyrinth and the beast inside it were wrong. The creature had not devoured her, not harmed her. Instead, she had found pleasure she had only dreamed of. And the beast had promised to free her.

  Chloe accepted another sip of water, before she turned her face away. When the monster of the labyrinth lay down beside her, she curled into the heat of his body. Despite his promise, Chloe found she was in no hurry to leave.

  One of the creature’s muscular thighs slipped between hers to press against her swollen womanhood. Chloe gasped into his chest. Her nails left faint lines on his skin, as his hand settled on her hip and urged her to move her hips. Her breath stuttered as her pleasure peaked.

  She cried out softly, her inner muscles clenching so hard it was almost painful. She panted against his chest, slowly relaxing. As his fingers combed through her pale hair, Chloe sighed in pleasure. Perhaps, it would not be so terrible to be a captive of the beast.