Taken

By Gwendolyn Casey

He stole me in the night, took my virginity like a beast, and held me captive.

He says that I belong to him, that I am his mate. He's a madman. I should hate him with a passion but all my passion is reserved for his pleasure. I feel myself changing and my resolve is waning with every passing hour as he pulls me further into his world.

I've never felt anything like this before and I don't want it to end. He has enslaved my body and bewitched my mind. It's only a matter of time before my heart is taken.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Evernight Publishing
• Release date: Sep 15, 2017
• ISBN: 9781773394190

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Published by EVERNIGHT PUBLISHING ® at Smashwords

www.evernightpublishing.com

Copyright© 2017 Gwendolyn Casey

ISBN: 978-1-77339-419-0

Cover Artist: Jay Aheer

Editor: CA Clauson

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

TAKEN

Gwendolyn Casey

Copyright © 2017

Chapter One

"Please," I whisper as roughened hands move over my naked skin, making me shiver and writhe. My arms are bound above my head and I can only see a fire burning near the corner. Everywhere else is darkness. Even the man touching me is darkness. His hands and mouth are setting me on fire wherever they wander.

His touch moves slowly over my body, learning and exploring, but also possessing. I feel him grasp my hips and squeezing for just a moment before moving on. Then I feel lips on my belly, kissing lightly.

I arch my back as his fingers come near my chest, wanting him to grip and pinch my aching breasts. But he simply brushes up the sides. I whimper. He never touches me where I need it the most.

His hands come to my neck where he gently wraps them around my throat. I feel his hard body press down on mine and his breath warms my lips. He growls and I moan in response, my lower half bucking into his, begging to be taken. I feel his thumb brush my lip and I gasp. I look up into his face, the fire light playing tricks so I never see the whole thing at once.

"Please," I beg again.

"Soon," he responds, his voice deep and rumbling. He bends to kiss me...

I jerk awake when I feel something on my shoulder.

We’re here, Brandon says. I look down to see his hand on my arm. I turn my head and pain shoots up my neck. I’m slumped awkwardly in the backseat of Rachel’s car with my head against the door. I must have fallen asleep somewhere in Montana. That is the last state line I remember crossing on our way from Minneapolis.

I give Brandon a sleepy smile and lean away from the door to push it open. The scent of forest invades my nose as I exit the vehicle and look around our camp site. The clean air is refreshing after the last few days. Our road trip has the car and the passengers stinking of fast food and potato chips.

I look at my best friend who just climbed out of the driver’s seat. Finally, Rachel comments, as she puts her arms over her head to stretch. Brandon and Chuck are out of the car as well, doing their own small stretches.

We’ve come all the way to Wolf’s Head for a music festival being held to support the national park with the same name.

And now that we are here, I’m eager for a couple minutes alone. I’m going to take a little stroll to wake up, I say to Rachel as I walk down the small road cutting through the campground. I try to walk fast so no one has time to join me. I slow down once I’m out of sight of the others so I can take in my surroundings.

I walk a little way down, passing other occupied campsites. The campground is so packed that it feels more like a trailer park than a woodsy get away. But I find a walking path that leads me into the forest just a couple yards down the road. I’m only a few feet down the path when I come to a ridge overlooking the grand Wolf’s Head Valley.

The land is blanketed in evergreens and the clear blue sky beyond makes it the perfect picture of nature’s splendor. I can see the small town of Wolf’s Head off to the right, but even that seems to be a production of nature. I half expect an American eagle to fly into the scene to make it complete. I send silent thanks to the US National Park Service.

I take a deep breath through my nose and exhale through my mouth. I’ve been looking forward to this road trip for a while.

My last year of college has been rough. I’ve been having trouble focusing, feeling restless and out of place. I’m a forestry major and I know conservation is what I want to do but something feels wrong, like I’m doing something wrong.

And I keep having these dreams. I can never remember what happens, but I know there is a man. I always forget what he looks like or even why he’s there. I wake up confused, frustrated, and … wet. I’m sure most women are prone to sex dreams every now and then, but these are different. This man is intense, dark and powerful.

I shiver slightly and then shake my head. Stop thinking about him.

I look out at the valley below and wonder what history it holds, what secrets. We have plenty of parks back on the east coast where I grew up and the University of Minnesota certainly has its fair share of local lakes and forests. But I’ve been longing to see the northwest for a while, as if there is something different about this place than all the others.

I’m so enamored with the view that I jump when I feel hands on my shoulders.

Sorry, Mac. I didn’t mean to scare you, Brandon says. He puts an arm across my chest and pulls me back against him. What a view, huh? he says and leans down to kiss my cheek.

Yeah, I utter, trying to relax against him. We’ve been on a few dates, but I am still not quite used to Brandon touching me. I’m not even used to him calling me Mac. Mackenzie is my name and it’s the one I prefer people use. Only my close friends and family call me Mac.

Our dates had been fun, but I’m not ready to change my relationship status quite yet.

Bringing him had not been my idea. Rachel insisted on bringing her boyfriend, Chuck, and he told Brandon. I couldn’t exactly say no.

To be clear, Brandon is a great guy. He is fun and easy to talk to, not to mention handsome, tall and built. He is the All-American boy with stylish dirty blonde hair and green eyes that would make any girl melt.

But not me. I couldn’t seem to get comfortable with him, with any guy, in fact. There is always something holding me back. Now I am almost twenty-two and still a virgin. I need to figure out why my girly parts don’t get excited around a man like