Free The Column Racer by Jeffrey Johnson Page A

in-between her breasts, and down her stomach. He gently caressed her arm, starting at the tip of her shoulder to her hand. He lifted her fingers to his mouth and kissed them gently before politely laying them next to her side. And then, violently, he grabbed her by the back of her hair, bringing her so close to him that their noses were touching.
    “I have one rule, Miss Roberts,” said the Emperor, “you win. You win, and your parents live. You win, and your dragon lives. You win, and you live. Do we have an understanding?” Areli nodded her head. “Good.” The Emperor let her hair go, but grabbed her wrist, and pulled her up to his throne. Areli stared back at her parents. Her mother had fallen to the ground. Her father had kneeled next to her, trying to encourage her back to her feet.
    Once up at the throne, the Emperor reached behind his chair and pulled out a crossbow.
    “BRING THE PRISONER!” yelled the Emperor to one of his female whores. The one closest to them walked to one of the far gold doors, exchanged a few words with whomever was on the other side, and returned with a pretty young woman, bound at the back and gagged at the mouth. She had been drugged. Areli could tell by the way the whore had to steady the woman, her eyes hardly able to stay open.
    “There is one thing I need to be sure of,” said the Emperor, taking an arrow, and placing it in the bow, cocking it back, “I need to know where your loyalties lay, Miss Roberts.”
    “With you, Emperor,” said Areli, scared, “of course, they’re with you.”
    “Then prove it,” said the Emperor, “prove your obedience to me. Prove your allegiance.” He placed the crossbow in her fingers, laced her finger against the trigger, and positioned the butt of the weapon against her shoulders. “That woman there. She’s a follower, Areli. She’s a deceitful little tramp that had taken residence in the bed of Degendhard’s. I want you to kill her for me. I want you to punish her, for her crimes against her Empire.” Areli looked at him, bewildered, with eyes that screamed, you can’t be serious!
    “If you don’t. Then I will have no other option than to assume you have been taken to Degendhard’s bed as well. You will do this, Areli. You will punish her. Prove your worth.” Areli took a deep breath, feeling the smoothness of the wood and the coldness of the trigger for the first time since having the harsh weapon thrust into her hand.
    The Emperor, sensing her hesitation, forced himself upon her. Her lifted her arms, and steadied the weapon into her shoulder, his chest pressed up against her back, his lips rubbing against her ear. The crossbow shook. The woman’s head lulled back and forth as she was stuck in a drug rendered dream-state, not knowing that her body faced impalement.
    “Stop shaking!” said the Emperor. Areli’s finger kept going back and forth between the trigger and the wooden body of the bow.
    “She’s moving too much!” cried Areli.
    “Fine,” said the Emperor. He turned Areli’s body to face her mother, the arrow aimed at her chest. “Maybe this will be an easier target.”
    “No!” screamed Areli, “no, please, I beg of you. I’ll do it, please. Please!” The Emperor moved the aim of the arrow back to the prisoner.
    “Hesitate now, Areli . . . this arrow will be lodged between your mother’s eyes. I can promise you that.” Areli’s whole body shook. The woman’s head continued to move as if it was a board on water, caught in a wicked storm.
    “I’m so sorry,” said Areli, under her breath, “I’m so, so sorry.” Her heart caught in her lungs, as the Emperor slid his fingers on top of hers.
    “All you have to do is pull, Areli,” said the Emperor, “just pull the trigger.”
    Areli closed her eyes, the Emperor held himself firmly pressed against her, steadying her convulsing body, and kept the weapon pointing true. She pulled her finger towards her body. She felt the kick of the bow, as violent as