Read Online Soul Catcher by E. L. Todd - Free Book Online Page A

killed the man who snuck into the palace a few weeks ago. It cannot be the same man. This is someone else. Do you have any further descriptions?”
    “No,” the soldier responded.
    “We will travel to Orgoom Forest,” the duke said. “I suspect she will head there. I want every soldier, in every province, to search for her.” He walked to his desk and sat in his high backed chair, blending in with the dim lighting of the room. “We will find her,” he announced. “We leave in the morning.” The soldiers exited the study and closed the door behind them, leaving the duke alone with his thoughts.
    Accacia belonged to him. The idea that she tried to escape was almost amusing since she knew he would find her—eventually. Drake hoped it wouldn’t be too long before he located her; his happiness depended on it.
    He stared at the fire as his mind reminisced to their past encounters, all the countless times he ravaged her innocence, stealing her virtue; and how he enjoyed every moment of it. She fought back, screamed, and tried to kick him off, but that only aroused him even more. When he pressed his heavy body on top of her tiny frame and pinned her arms to her sides, he enjoyed her loud screams as he continually thrust himself inside of her. His desire for her never faltered, even through all the years he kept her in captivity. He retained a monogamous relationship with her since no other woman could fulfill his needs as she did.
    Drake could feel the heat in his groin when he reflected on the past. When he spotted her in Orgoom Forest years ago, tilling the earth and pampering the plants under the warm sunlight, he knew he would have her. She looked exquisite in her tight clothing and cascading hair as she smiled in the fields and enjoyed the beautiful spring day. Against Father Giloth’s protests, he whisked her away from her home and forced her to become his primary courtesan.
    For the first few weeks, all she did was cry. The duke became so annoyed, he beat her senseless and demanded she never make that irritating sound in his presence ever again—she never did.
    At first, he locked her up in her bedroom, only coming in to have his way with her, but Drake became frustrated traveling back and forth so he forced her to share his bedroom. She slept alongside him every night, and he wrapped his arms around her until morning. When he awoke, he would take her roughly before beginning his day.
    The screaming and kicking eventually stopped and was replaced by indifference. He would press his body on top of her, and she would lay there, unresponsive. He would thrust inside of her repeatedly and she would look away, her mind somewhere else.
    Drake, infuriated by her behavior, devised a plan to manipulate her and bend her to his will. They were having breakfast on the terrace, as they did every morning, when the duke’s soldiers brought in a frightened boy.
    Accacia spotted his trembling movements and outstretched her hands to him. He ran into her arms and hugged her. Accacia ran her hands through his hair and whispered encouragement into his ear. She turned to Lord Drake. “What is he doing here, Drake?’ she asked.
    The duke continued to eat, his eyes focused on his plate. “I am going to kill him, of course.” He drained his glass of juice.
    She turned away from the boy. “Why?” she demanded. “He is just a child.”
    “I am aware of that.” He smiled.
    The boy began to cry and Accacia returned to him. “What has he done?” she yelled.
    Drake swallowed his eggs and wiped his lips with a napkin before he spoke. “He has done nothing, Accacia.” He leaned back in his chair. “You are the one who is misbehaving. Unfortunately, he will be the one to receive the punishment. Very sad, isn’t it? To know the boy will be executed because of your doing.”
    “Kill me instead,” she said.
    The smile disappeared from his lips and his crystal blue eyes faded to gray. “That isn’t how it works, Accacia.”
    “Then