The Truth About Cinder Read online

  Donte took hold of her hair and yanked her to standing. The sting to her scalp had her yelping in surprise more than distress. He then released his grip of her hair and gently placed the tresses over her shoulder. His fingertips caressed her spine, moving lower down until he made small circles on the cheeks of her ass—each caress languid and easy. He had a masterful touch, demanding compliance before the first sting of correction. Cinder stared at the marble floor, readying herself for the punishment in store.

  She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as the first slap made contact with her bottom. A fire broke out over her flesh as his hand showered a spanking very different than the first one. This one hurt. This one hurt in the most shocking of ways. All control she thought she possessed escaped her as she begged for mercy. Her cries, mixed with spank after spank, rang off the walls. His heavy breath merged with her sobs as his hand landed over and over against the inferno of her behind.

  "Please!" she called out. "Donte, please. It hurts."

  "Yes, Cinder. A punishment does."

  Spank after spank flooded upon her, each one building in intensity. The power of his hand rivaled any wooden paddle or leather strap.

  Just as she was sure her body had reached its maximum capacity to accept his discipline, the thunderous waves of punishment ceased. She stared at the floor, watching her own tears cascade down into a puddle.

  But after the briefest of moments, the punishment resumed and she understood. This was meant to break her. She could tell.

  She could feel.

  He swatted her naked ass as she remained in the corner. The searing spanks shocked her, weakening her legs, threatening to buckle her knees. Still, he continued to spank as her face remained inches from the wall.

  "This time, I will only use my hand against your flesh. But if you dare sneak out at night again, you will feel the sting of leather." He spanked with each syllable of his spoken words.

  She cried. Not because of the hurt, but because she desperately wanted to feel his warmth beneath her by being placed over his knee. Standing alone in the corner was far worse than any form of correction she could have imagined.

  The spanking seemed endless, swat after swat, each one growing harder than the one before. "Please… please, sir!" The sniveling wasn't comely and she knew it. He reminded her of it by withdrawing his hand and walking away. She could hear him move across the room, could imagine him turning his back to her. She started to cry even harder, and the weight of his silence only made it worse.

  He returned and stood behind her. His body was so close that she could almost feel his heat. Cinder gasped when he grabbed her butt and spread her cheeks. He placed a moist finger at her anus and pressed firmly but without entering. "If I wanted to claim your ass right now, could I?" He pressed his finger past her tight entrance.

  Cinder tensed and bit her lip to not cry out.

  He thrust his finger deeper. "You understand that I can punish your asshole for your actions tonight as well?"

  Cinder nodded, because finding words was impossible in her heated state.

  Donte pumped his finger in and out a few more times and then withdrew it completely, replacing it with the cool glass of a butt plug. He inserted it without pause. The stretch to her anus caused her to clench, which only elevated the biting sting.

  "You are dismissed, Cinder. The next time you try to sneak out at night, I won’t be so merciful. Remember that. Return to the harem." His dismissive command stabbed at her heart.

  She wasn't sure how she was going to walk out of the room, but she managed to. Just barely. She staggered up and went for the door at a near run, all the while pawing at the loose wisps of her hair and the tears that streaked her face. She didn't look to see him—but she didn't want to. It would have hurt entirely too much. His lack of comfort, or a soothing embrace, was by far the worst punishment she had yet received.

  9

  It wasn't the sunlight peeking through the window, or the stirrings of the women of the harem that woke Cinder from her slumber. It was the soft shaking of her shoulder. It was Donte hovering over her. She had been punished by him rather than the mistresses, and now rewarded by his morning presence.

  "Good morning, Cinder." Donte spoke her name with a soft intimacy.

  "Good morning." She moved her body just enough so she could look into his eyes.

  “I would like you to join me for breakfast this morning,” Donte said.

  Glancing around, she could see the other women still fast asleep. Their punishments had been harsh and each woman was sobbing in pain as she had reentered the room last night. It took them a long time to settle down and finally fall asleep.

  She nodded, feeling special. “All right.”

  A loud knock at the door had both of them jumping up in surprise. Donte directed, "Stay where you are." He walked to the door as the rest of the harem still slept soundly. It didn’t appear as if the knock had disturbed their slumber.

  He opened the door, but stood in the doorway blocking Cinder's view of who stood on the other side. The loud voice from the hallway surprised her in its urgency. "We just got word from the scout. It’s as we feared."

  "How many?" Donte asked. His spine stiffened against the doorframe.

  "Enough. More than we could handle."

  "Start our plan in action."

  "Sir, we did not take into account the sheer numbers."

  Cinder's heart skipped. She pulled the satin sheet she slept with up to shield her nudity. Something scared her about the concern in both the men's voices.

  Donte nodded. "I understand that. But for now, move forward with the plan, and we’ll address the rest later." He closed the door and made his way back to where she slept. "I’m sorry you had to hear that."

  "Is it Jaden?" Cinder asked, not considering that her question could be crossing a line.

  Donte's eyebrow rose. "I am surprised your mind went straight to Jaden."

  "Is it?"

  Donte paused, studied her for a moment, and then nodded. "Yes."

  "Are they coming to attack us?" Fear paralyzed her.

  Donte patted her arm reassuringly. "No need to worry."

  Cinder pulled away, not remembering her harem rules of submission. "Please don't coddle me like a child. Is Jaden and its army coming here?"

  He stood as a storm washed over his eyes. "It’s not your concern."

  "But I can help. I was there. I might have information that can help you prepare."

  Donte ran his hand through his tousled hair. "It is time you wake the harem." He walked to the door and looked over his shoulder. "I have matters I need to attend to. I am sure you can manage with your own breakfast." The door slammed behind him as fear roiled in her stomach.

  Cinder sensed his presence the moment he walked in. Donte—the man she hadn't been able to get out of her mind since she arrived at the harem—was staring at her as she did her morning exercise with Maysa. Up and down the courtyard stairs had become their usual routine. Maysa had lightheartedly informed Cinder that a firm butt was a necessity. Cinder didn't mind the climbing of stairs unless a larger than normal plug was planted firmly in her bottom. Regardless, she and Maysa never faltered from their habitual workout.

  She picked up her pace a little, her emotions getting the best of her. There was something about him that made her heart beat faster, her core seemed to heat up, and she couldn't control her need to stare. She knew she was here for the prince, but after last night, Cinder wanted to give her body fully to Donte. As she watched him stride across the courtyard to where Mistress Krin stood, she nearly stumbled on her next step.

  "Careful there," Maysa warned. "Why are you going so fast? The plug in my behind is demanding I take this a bit slower."

  Cinder watched the pained expression on her friend's face and giggled. She slowed her climb with a wink.

  She couldn't help but stare at Donte as he discussed something that seemed of importance with Mistress Krin. Cinder’s gaze dropped to the bulge
in his pants. She wished she had been able to please him after she had been punished. Cinder had researched what women do to please a man before she had set out on her journey to the palace. Though pure in body, she had trained her mind in what would be expected once she arrived. She understood the workings of a man in both body and thought. She could almost taste the saltiness of his sex at the wicked thought. The image of his cock, inches from her face, would become her new fantasy.

  What was wrong with her?

  Why had this obsession become so all consuming and powerful?

  She was here to be part of the prince’s harem. Not to be with Donte.

  Swiping at her loose hair, her pulse sped as she glanced his way. Donte's steely eyes made contact with hers. He stood with his arms across his chest as he studied the way she marched up the steps. Never taking his eyes off her, he leaned and whispered something to Mistress Krin. He appeared… angry. Had she done something wrong?

  He took large strides her way and stood at the bottom of the stairs. "Cinder, I would like a word with you."

  She stopped and made her way to where he stood, noticing that Maysa continued her climb, no doubt wanting to avoid Donte's wrath.

  "Follow me." He turned and headed to the palace. Cinder hesitated for a moment, but quickly followed step.

  They entered a part of the palace she had never been in. Donte opened a large wooden door and motioned for her to precede him. A quick scan of the room informed her they were not alone. Hovering by a large table were two uniformed men who had swords hanging from their sides. They appeared different than the guards she had seen around the palace. They scanned her body, making Cinder grateful she wasn't nude though their razor-sharp glares made her feel as if they were cutting away the delicate silk of her wrap. Fear crowded in. She stopped walking and waited until Donte stood beside her.

  His hand pressed firmly against her lower back, not giving her the reassuring feeling it once did. Something was wrong.

  "We have some questions we need to ask you," Donte said evenly as he led her to a chair. "We want to know why you came to the Palace of Lazar," he continued.

  She took a seat, desperately wanting to escape the men's stares. "I told you. I wanted something different from what most communes offered."

  "Why did you leave the commune of Briar?" one of the uniformed men asked. Even though it was a question, it sounded as if it were an order.

  Her heart stopped. She didn't want to talk about her past. She looked down at the ground. "It was overcrowded."

  "So your family left?" the man continued.

  Cinder shook her head. Tears welled in the backs of her eyes, but she willed herself to keep them at bay.

  "You left alone?" the man pressed.

  She nodded.

  "So, you are saying that as a young woman, you left your birth commune all alone because you felt it was too crowded?"

  Cinder hated the tone of this man's voice.

  She nodded again, refusing to look at anyone.

  The man walked over and slammed his hand on the table, causing Cinder to jump in her seat. "Look at me when I speak to you!"

  Donte closed in and pushed the man back. "Enough." His order was sharp, direct and unyielding. "Address the lady with respect."

  The uniformed man glared at Cinder, but walked to the other side of the table.

  His suspicious eyes examined her closely as he spoke. "Briar is further than most men can journey. Tell me how a young girl, all alone, trekked her way through the desert and landed here."

  Cinder looked at Donte who nodded slightly, giving her the strength to answer. "I didn't have a choice." She took a breath, now feeling like a weight rested on her chest. "Briar reached capacity and began to evict the sick, weak, and old. I wasn't any of those, but my grandmother was. I couldn't allow an old woman to be cast into the desert alone. How would she survive? What would she do?" Cinder swiped at a fleeing tear. "So I gave her my space in the commune. My chances of surviving the desert were greater than hers. I at least had a chance."

  "So where did you go?" the man pressed.

  Cinder looked down at the ground but continued. "I traveled the desert for two days when I reached the commune of Luge. I stayed there for a few days and then journeyed to the commune of Salen." Cinder looked up and met his stare. "I've been to thirteen communes, with one goal. My final destination was the Palace of Lazar."

  "What about Jaden? How long were you in Jaden?" He continued with the interrogation.

  She looked at Donte who studied her every move. She remained silent.

  "Answer the question," Donte encouraged.

  "Why are you asking me these questions?"

  The man slammed his hand on the table again. "Answer the question!"

  Donte glared at the man. "I won't warn you again. You will not speak to her in any way but with respect!"

  The man huffed, but acquiesced by sitting down.

  She studied the interrogating man and realized what was happening. "You think I'm a spy for Jaden. They're getting ready to attack, and you think they sent me. Don't you?"

  She looked up at Donte whose stare never wavered.

  "You think I was sent here to help them take over. You don't believe my story. Do you?"

  Her gaze was turned to the man when he spoke, venom dripping with each word. "I don’t think a young woman could possibly travel the distance you claim. I also don’t think it’s possible that you could have survived the journey from even Jaden, let alone Briar, without help."

  Cinder looked back at Donte. "What about you? Do you think Jaden sent me?" Panic almost paralyzed her. What would they do if they thought she was a spy? Would they kill her? Cast her out into the desert? What would happen if they didn't believe her story?

  "How long were you in Jaden?" Donte asked.

  "A week… a little over a week. I was there long enough to see that they were building their army. But I wasn't part of it. I swear!" Fear caused her voice to crack.

  "Tell us what you know about Jaden," Donte ordered softly.

  Cinder watched each man as they studied every move and every word she released. She could tell they thought she knew more than she was letting on. She knew this was her only chance to convince them her actions were true.

  "Every man and woman of strength was being turned in to soldiers. Jaden was one of the few communes actively requesting new residents. The word spread fast in the other communes. Jaden became the destination of many pilgrimages. When I arrived, I soon saw that Jaden was no different than any other community. Overpopulation, disease, hate, crime—just like the rest of them. But what Jaden had that the others didn't, was structure. The militant environment frightened me. Power-hungry soldiers stood on every corner." She paused to take a deep breath. "Tents were being set up outside the city boundaries to house even more soldiers. Blacksmiths were brought in to create more weapons. I've never seen anything like it. Jaden was by far the largest commune I had seen."

  "Did you ever see a water source?" Donte asked.

  "What do you mean?"

  "Did you see a lake? A river? A large well of some sort? Where did the residents get their water?"

  "There was a lake in the middle," she said. "There were large pumps coming from the lake, so I guess they got it from there."

  Donte began to pace the room. "What type of weapons? What were the blacksmiths making?"

  Cinder pointed to the sword on the uniformed man's leg. "Swords like that one. It seemed that there were more weapons than food."

  Donte's eyebrow rose. "Food? Was food scarce?"

  Cinder nodded. "Just like every other commune."

  The uniformed man added, "And yet they were taking in more residents…"

  "What about horses? Did they have horses?" Donte asked, worry washed over his face.

  Cinder shook her head confused. "Horses? I told you that food was scarce."

  "Were they riding horses?" he asked.

  Cinder didn't know what he was talking ab
out. Why would they ride on their food source?

  "Cinder, did you see any of the soldiers riding horses?"

  Cinder shook her head. "I didn't see any animals, but then the first time I've seen any animals is when I got here." The Palace of Lazar had livestock grazing, peacocks roaming the grounds, sheep in the distance. For the first time, Cinder had seen animals not just used for slaughter.

  Donte nodded. "That is enough for now." He looked at the men. "Gentlemen, I believe Cinder has been asked enough questions."

  He reached for her hand and assisted her out of the chair. He placed his palm on her lower back and escorted her out of the room. She could feel the glares of the men, but with Donte's touch, she no longer had any fear.

  10

  Cinder walked down the hallway and mentally prepared herself for what would come next. Did they think she was a spy? Was Donte going to ask her to leave the harem?

  Donte's tall frame towered over her. If she had any doubt of his strength, the way he conducted himself with the other men proved he was a man not to mess with.

  His gaze found hers, his eyes as blue as the water that cascaded out of the fountains blanketing the palace and so piercing at the same time.

  She caught her breath, not being able to control the yearning that sliced through her at his nearness. He led them toward his private quarters.

  "I have some further issues to discuss with you," he said as he led her past the entrance.

  "Do you believe that Jaden sent me?" she asked, her voice not much more than a whisper.

  "I believe you came here on your own free will."

  Cinder swallowed hard. He didn't fully answer her question.

  Donte reached up to caress the smooth line of her jaw. "I believe you are the strongest woman I have ever met. I believe you managed to do things and travel distances that no man could do. You sacrificed yourself for the sake of a loved one. I have not met anyone who would do that."