Slave to Sapphire
Chapter 24

That night Iris lay in bed with Samson stretched along her side, his head resting on her chest, his loud purr vibrating through her whole body. She went over the plans for Maddox’s escape. There was no doubt in Iris’ mind that Lucious would attend the public hanging. He was probably disappointed that it wasn’t Iris being executed but he would be there just the same. Iris would have to get to him and separate him from the crowd. If her assumption that he was a conduit was correct it meant she would have to settle for giving Lucious a quick death. Someone else would step into his role as leader of Exodus. But it was her responsibility to end Lucious and ensure that he wouldn’t have the pleasure of tormenting those around him.

Once she had disposed of Lucious, she didn’t know what she would do next. She was likely to be caught by one of the Inspectors or Lucious’ enforcers, but if she managed to escape capture maybe she would flee to the forests at the base of the mountains. She could live hidden in the forest with Samson until what was left in her source stone ran out. Thinking about her plan gave her the uneasy peace that came with resignation. Her friends would be safe in Volos, Lucious would be dead, and she would not have to worry about returning to the mines or continuing to deal azure. She would never experience the freedom of living without the constant nearness of death but she would exact her revenge and be free of Lucious. Lucious’s death was more important than her future. Iris regretted not killing him the day she returned from the mines. When she had come back from the mines, she had told herself that she would use Exodus gang and Lucious’ influence to build a future for herself and that would be her revenge. Along the way she had formed relationships with people she cared for. She had hoped for a future for Maddox, Cora, and Sabine. She had been a fool. Lucious had used her all along, allowing her to expand Exodus’ azure trade and influence. Lucious had always planned on discarding her and those she cared for before she achieved any amount of power.

The sky was dark, the sun had yet to make its ascent when Iris rose. Most of the Palace was still asleep so she didn’t bother to bring her crutch when she left for the baths. She didn’t need to bathe again but it was going to be her last opportunity to take a hot bath. Once out of the bath she took time drying her hair and brushing it, choosing to leave it down. She dressed in the soft leather leggings and her blouse. then made her way to Ezekiel’s study, taking her crutch with her. She was happy that she would soon be done lugging it around. It was strange working in his study without him. It didn’t take her long to collect and copy all of the information that Julian had requested. She managed to fit everything on the back of the paper that she had already filled with notes over the past week. When she was finished it was only late morning. She tucked the paper beneath a stack of papers on her desk.

Iris hated being idle, when she wasn’t busy, she started thinking, and she didn’t always like the thoughts and memories that crept into her mind. Ezekiel had been kind to her over the past couple of weeks, the least she could do was help him with some further organization and double check the more recent transactions from the mines. Iris sat at Ezekiel’s desk and got to work. A servant knocked at the door and delivered lunch for Iris. Iris smiled at Ezekiel’s thoughtfulness. Iris sat on the couch and dug into the lunch.

The door to the study flung open and Imogen blew into the room. She looked as stunning as she did the night of the ball. Her hair was plaited into a complicated updo, she wore a forest green dress that hugged her curves. Imogen’s neck and hands dripped with matching emeralds.

Iris snapped closed her dropped jaw. “Imogen, is there something you need?”

Imogen flopped onto the chair across from Iris. “With Ezekiel busy attending the trial I knew you would be alone today and figured you would want company for lunch.”

Iris gestured to the food in front of her. “Help yourself.”

Imogen leaned forward and selected a piece of cheese and nibbled on it. Samson awoke from where he slept on the couch and emitted a low growl.

“Yours is the first tarvin I have seen. With that missing eye and his dirty coat, I would not consider him a prime example of the species though.”

Iris scowled; she did not tolerate insults leveled at Samson. “Why are you really here Imogen?”

Imogen stood and walked towards Iris’ desk. “I saw my father speaking to you at the ball. If my father replaces someone interesting, I make a point of acquainting myself with them.” Imogen absently started picking up papers on Iris’ desk scanning them before casting them aside for another.

Iris fought to keep her eyes from looking at the stack of papers where her copied notes were hidden. Her heart was hammering in her chest, she didn’t allow her panic to show. It wasn’t likely that Imogen would comprehend its meaning if she saw it, but Iris couldn’t risk it.

“The Grand Ruler. How come you refer to him as your father while Ezekiel refuses to call him such?”

Imogen’s jeweled hand rested on the stack of papers that hid her notes, but she stopped her rummaging and sat in Iris’ chair. Iris cringed when she leaned back and put her feet on her desk, knocking some of the papers to the floor. “Ezekiel resents the privileges that come with being one of our father’s children. I prefer to use the privileges to my advantage. It seems that Ezekiel is using his recent fascination with you to further infuriate our father.”

“How so?” Iris asked. She should be getting Imogen out of the study, but she was curious to hear what Imogen had to say.

“I can only guess that Ezekiel’s sudden passion to improve conditions at the mines has to do with you. Apparently, he discovered the person responsible for stealing from the mines and refused to name the person unless our father agreed to make some changes to the mines.”

Iris looked skeptically at Imogen. “Did it work?”

“I thought he would have run and told you what he did, so he could bask in your approval.” Iris sneered at Imogen’s dig at Ezekiel. Imogen continued on. “My father agreed to leave the iron gates at the entrance of the tunnels open and separate the criminals from the rest of the degenerates who work the mines.”

Iris was taken aback. The changes were small but not insignificant. Maybe Ezekiel could champion change.

“Who was responsible for stealing from the mines?”

“Now why would a servant that my brother scraped from the muddy streets of Scarlet Town need to know?”

“I am just curious.”

Imogen smiled, put her feet down and stood from the desk. She reached into a pocket in her skirts and pulled out a satin pouch and set it on the desk. “I don’t know what your plans are with Ezekiel, but I would prefer you don’t produce another bastard descendent of the Grand Ruler.”

She then walked to the door and placed her hand on the handle. Before opening the door, she looked over her shoulder at Iris.

“I am watching you Iris, and so is my father.” With that, Imogen left the study. The thought of the Grand Ruler watching her caused an icy chill to slither up her spine.

Her encounter with Imogen had made her lose her appetite. Iris returned the papers to her desk, straightening the mess Imogen had caused. She picked up the satin pouch and peered inside. Iris scrunched her nose; it was filled with the pungent herb that one took to prevent pregnancy. Iris closed the pouch and put it in her desk drawer. It was for the best that she planned to leave the Palace tomorrow. She hoped to never encounter the Grand Ruler again. Iris was still amazed that Ezekiel had taken tangible action to improve the mines. If he did nothing else it wouldn’t be even close to enough, but Iris wanted to believe Ezekiel was just getting started.

As the day went on Iris was looking forward to when Ezekiel would come through the doors to have dinner with her. There was no changing the plans that she had set in motion for tomorrow, what difference would it make if she acted on what she wanted. No, she was being selfish, if she did what she truly wanted with Ezekiel it would make her planned betrayal that much worse for him. She would share dinner with him tonight and leave it at that. Sitting at Ezekiel’s desk, she buried herself in the ledgers to keep her mind from wandering to Ezekiel again.

There was a knock on the door and Ezekiel stepped into the study. He was dressed in tailored black pants with a white blouse and black vest over. The top buttons of his blouse were undone and his hair had the tousled look it got from him running his hand through it. His sleeves were rolled up, displaying his muscular forearms.

“I see you have taken over my desk.”

Iris looked up and smiled. “Come over and I will show you, your new system of organization.”

Ezekiel crossed the room and came around the desk. He stood behind Iris and leaned over her putting his hands on either side of her. Iris explained how she had separated each pile of papers. Ezekiel’s closeness was making it increasingly difficult for her to focus on her explanation. When he asked questions, she could feel his hot breath on her neck. She finally finished her tutorial.

“Are you hungry?” She asked, her voice slightly breathy.

Ezekiel enjoyed how flustered she was becoming. “Always,” he responded.

Ezekiel lifted his hands from the desk and straightened. Iris pushed the chair back and stood. She turned to Ezekiel. He had only moved enough to give her space to rise from the desk. They stood facing each other, bodies almost touching. Iris looked up at Ezekiel; he was holding his breath, waiting to see what she would do. Iris’ heart beat wildly, heat pooled in her lower abdomen. Maybe she could be selfish this one time. Once the decision was made Iris moved a fraction towards Ezekiel. Ezekiel closed the rest of the distance with his mouth. There was no gentleness to their kiss, their lips met hungry for one another. Iris parted her mouth and Ezekiel’s tongue entered, Ezekiel groaned pulling her body against his. His other hand tangled in her hair. Iris’ hands were lost in his thick locks. Her ass pushed up against the desk. Ezekiel released her hair and moved his hand beneath her blouse. Her body was on fire with need for him. He stroked the underside of her breast with his thumb, she moaned pushing her pelvis against him. She could feel his hard length against her leg. He moved his hand over her breast and pinched her already peaked nipple, Iris gasped and he took her whole breast in his hand. He pulled his hand from her shirt, her breast ached for the feel of him again. He reached behind her, in one motion he swiped all of his papers from his desk and lifted her up onto it. His mouth never leaving hers in the process.

Iris pulled away from him panting. “That took me all day to organize.”

Ezekiel stood between Iris’s legs while she sat on the desk, his eyes filled with desire. “I wanted to show you how appreciative I am of all your hard work.”

He leaned down towards her, and began to untie the laces on the front of her blouse. Iris’ breathing shallowed. Ezekiel motions were precise and agonizingly slow as he unlaced the front of her blouse. He savored her anticipation. A slickness formed between her legs. Ezekiel pulled apart her blouse to reveal her breast. He bent down and took her breast in his mouth flicking her nipple with his tongue, Iris tilted her head back and let out an animalistic moan. Ezekiel moved from her breast and gave her a kiss on the lips with all the gentleness that was absent from their first kiss. He pulled away and with a wicked grin lowered himself to his knees. All of his previous slowness was gone as he pulled off her boots and stockings. His hands moved over her leggings up her legs and stopped just before the space between her thighs. Ezekiel looked up at her and she nodded. He rubbed his fingers on fine leather of her leggings that lay over her clitoris and Iris was lost to desire; she bucked her hips, increasing the friction of fingers on her, she was close to the edge. Ezekiel moved his hands to grip her thighs.

“Hold on to the desk.” He ordered.

Iris gripped the desk with her hands and Ezekiel ripped her pants from her. His hands gripped her bare thighs, and his tongue ran down the center of her. Iris screamed out in pleasure and then he devoured her. A damn broke loose and she shook with her orgasm. Ezekiel stood and grinned, his lips wet with her pleasure. Ezekiel had definitely learned some skills over the past one hundred years. He lifted her from the desk and she wrapped her legs around him. Their mouths met again, tongues tangling. Ezekiel lowered her down to the plush rug in front of the fireplace. They kneeled facing each other. He lifted her blouse over her head and took in her naked body. Her body was lithe with lean muscle and marred with scars from her life.

“Fuck, you are so beautiful.” Ezekiel exhaled.

Iris looked at Ezekiel hungrily. She slowly unbuttoned his vest, repaying the torment he had done earlier. She untucked his shirt from his pants and pulled his shirt over his head. Iris ran her hands over his chest and biceps, marveling at the hardness of his body and the smoothness of his skin. Ezekiel inhaled sharply as she ran her hands over his nipples. She continued her exploration over his abdomen until she reached the top of his pants. She unbuttoned his pants and slid her hand down wrapping her fingers around his erect penis. She moved her hand up and down his shaft feeling his length. He growled with pleasure. Iris released him and looked into his eyes.

“Take off your pants and lie down.”

Ezekiel eagerly complied and Iris moved over him. The feeling of her naked body pressed on top of his was enough to make her wet again. Iris moved herself over him and took the length of him inside her. Ezekiel held on to her hips and moved her up and down his cock. The feel of him inside of her set her ablaze, the heaviness that she had felt since entering the Palace melted away. Iris cried out in pleasure, her orgasm beginning to build again. Ezekiel kept one hand on her hip and moved his other hand pressing his thumb down on her clitoris and Iris bucked on top of him. She was destroyed by the orgasm that raked through her body. Her body tensed with waves of her orgasm, causing Ezekiel to moan in pleasure at his own release. Iris collapsed on top of him, and he wrapped his arms around her holding her close. Their hearts beat in synchrony. They stayed as one for several minutes, neither one of them wanting the moment to end.

Iris finally slid off Ezekiel and laid beside him. Her stomach growled and Ezekiel chuckled.

“What? I am still hungry.”

Ezekiel pulled his pants on, went to the door and requested dinner be brought to them. They filled themselves on a dinner of roasted vegetables and savory meat. Once dinner was finished Ezekiel removed a blanket and pillows from the couch and laid them on the rug by the fireplace. He lifted Iris from the couch, laying her on the floor beside him. Then he made love to her again. This time he spent time exploring her scars and the planes of her body. He ran his hands and mouth over her entirety as if he were committing her to memory. By the time he moved on top of her she was in a state between relaxation and ecstasy, the movement of his hips and the feel of him inside of her once again pushed her to ecstasy.

They lay naked on the rug together; Ezekiel had his arm around Iris and she rested her head on his chest. With his other hand he absently traced her freshest scar on her shoulder blade.

Ezekiel sighed deeply, looking up at the ceiling. “I feel like I am always about to lose you.”

Iris didn’t know how to respond to the accuracy of his statement and her silence filled the room.

“Iris, I could give you eternity. If you stayed with me and we were to marry I would share with you all the life source that I have access to.” His fingers stopped on her scar. “I want this to be the last scar inflicted on you.”

Iris lifted her head so she could see Ezekiel’s face. “I am not sure I could accept that life source knowing where it came from.”

Ezekiel’s expression was pained, “You are the most noble drug dealer that I have ever met.”

Iris rolled her eyes and rested her head back on Ezekiel’s chest.

“Iris, I am not asking you to commit to anything tonight, but promise me you will think about it.”

“I will think about it.”

Ezekiel gave a satisfied half smile and closed his eyes. Iris felt his breathing deepen and his heart beat slow as he drifted off to sleep. She could back out of all her plans and stay with Ezekiel. Or maybe she could still help her friends and Ezekiel would forgive her. Iris thought about his offer. She had come to care deeply for Ezekiel, but she couldn’t give him what he wanted. He may be able to forgive her for her actions over the past thirteen years, but she couldn’t forgive Ezekiel for his inaction over the past one hundred. Tears silently slid down her cheeks as the truth of it sunk in. She removed herself from Ezekiel and dressed.

Iris went to her desk and retrieved the paper with all of her copied notes. After folding the paper, she stuck it into her boot. She opened her drawer and snatched the pouch of herbs Imogen had left her. Iris moved across the room to the door and looked back at Ezekiel. He slept peacefully, naked except for the blanket draped across him. His left arm was flung out from where Iris had pulled herself from his hold. His gold cuff gleaming with its dark purple source stone. His attempt at opening a kitchen in Scarlet town and the small changes he had made in the mines were not enough to make up for the fact his source stone was dark purple with life source taken from others.

Iris moved back to him, drawn to his source stone. She crouched down beside him, his breathing still deep with sleep. She should hate him for the color of his stone; she had hated him. Iris let the tips of her fingers graze the soft surface of his source stone. Could she take some of it? Extra life source would be beneficial in fighting Lucious and Ezekiel had the means to replenish whatever she took. Ezekiel sighed and shifted in his sleep. The movement pulled her gaze to the relaxed lines of his face. There was a trace of a smile on his lips and Iris felt a tug on her heart. She could siphon off some of his life source, but what if she couldn’t control her abilities, what if she took it all and killed him? A thick curl had fallen across his face. Iris moved her hand from his cuff and brushed the lock aside. She wouldn’t risk the life of another person that she cared for. But she couldn’t stay here with Ezekiel. Iris stood and went to the door. He would awake to her absence and assume she had returned to her room; he would then leave to attend the public hanging. After Maddox’s escape Ezekiel would discover Iris’ involvement. He would regret trusting her. Thinking of Ezekiel’s hurt after what they had just shared caused a well of sadness to rise in her. Iris used her sleeve to wipe her tears and left.