The Keeping of Lena Ch. 01

"It's been ten years, Renz," Ilise began. He could see her begin to reach for him again, but she wisely chose to stop.

Her hair had slightly darkened to more of a blood-colored red over the years, and the slight youthful plumpness in her cheeks had faded. Her skin seemed a bit paler, but other than that, Ilise had only slightly aged. She was just as poised, just as beautiful, and Renz was certain, just as cruel.

"I wouldn't want to see you in one hundred. Why are you here? Have you already managed to squabble the overly generous sum I paid you for our divorce?" Renz asked.

Ilise slightly cocked her head to one side, and lowered her eyes, before slowly bringing her gaze to meet his. It was a subtle move that had managed to halt his wits when they were newly married.

But now, it had no effect.

"I thought...perhaps you would have forgiven me, after all this time. I was young, and I was...deeply hurt," she said. Renz rolled his eyes, not at all wanting to revisit their marriage.

"Yes, I enjoyed other women while we were married. Lots of others. And you decided to kill our child right before he was to be born. Your score is more than settled," Renz replied dryly.

"I am sorry, Renz," she replied. Renz shook his head.

"Why are you here? Has anyone seen you?" Renz asked. Ilise absently strolled around the lounge, her movements graceful and rehearsed like a dance.

"I was very discreet, I assure you. I know Schloss Wolfenbarger just as well as you do. No one saw me and I have spoken to no one," Ilise replied.

Renz scrutinized her for several moments, unsure of whether or not she was telling the truth.

But for now, he chose to believe her.

"Why are you here?" he asked again.

"I never forget your birthday. And...I've heard about Ludovic," Ilise said. Renz frowned and turned away from her.

"What of him?" he asked, curious about how much she knew.

"I've heard he's been missing. When is the last time you saw him?" she asked. Renz swallowed hard.

"We haven't spoken in years," he replied quickly. Ilise had always been able to detect his lies when they were married. He wondered if she still could after ten years.

There was a prolonged silence for several moments, and then he heard her faintly sigh.

"That new woman of yours is quite lovely," she mentioned. Renz felt his spine stiffen, wondering what she was getting at.

"Her name is Lena," he replied. He heard Ilise release her airy laugh behind him.

"What family is she from?" Ilise asked.

"None you would have heard of," Renz replied. Ilise gasped.

"So she's common? That's certainly new for you. Do you plan to marry her?" Ilise asked.

"She has accepted a ring," Renz replied.

"Is she pregnant?" Ilise asked.

Renz turned around then, anger beginning to build.

"Why is it any of your concern?" he demanded. Ilise arched one of her eyebrows, and she gazed at him humorously.

"You needn't be so defensive, Renz. My intentions are pure, I assure you," Ilise

replied. Her tone had lightened, almost as if she were teasing him.

"And what exactly are your intentions? This conversation has gone on long enough," Renz said. Ilise lowered her eyes and quickly brought her gaze back to his, and for a moment, Renz was momentarily trapped. This was her serious gaze, her cruel gaze, the look of a snake just about to pounce upon prey.

Renz shook his head and turned away from her. He'd allowed her to manipulate him when he was younger and foolish. Now that he was older, she did not have the same kind of power.

"I only wanted to advise you...if Lena is pregnant, do not do to her what you did to me," Ilise said. Renz laughed dryly.

"Lena does not need you to worry about my loyalty to her, I assure you. There have been no other women since we met, and there will be no others. She knows that," Renz replied. Ilise smiled her secret smile, the comical look she gave when enjoying a private joke.

Or when she was politely making fun of someone.

"Arrogant as always, aren't you Renz? I wasn't talking about your fidelity...I was talking about hers," Ilise replied.

Renz froze. Surely Ilise wasn't witness to Lena's immature little cry for attention with the soldier earlier...

"What are you talking about?" Renz asked. Ilise smiled her pitying smile.

"Renz...you turned thirty-seven today. But Lena...she can't be older than nineteen or twenty I imagine," Ilise said. Renz slightly balled his fists, not at all liking the turn the conversation had taken.

"She's eighteen," Renz replied quietly. Her laughter was full and mocking then, and Renz brought his hand to his forehead in irritation.

"You're not a young man anymore, Renz. But Lena? She is on the cusp of her prime. With the right schooling and guidance, I imagine a girl as beautiful as she is could learn to charm any number of young lords and princes. What makes you think she'll want to remain with a man twice her age?" Ilise asked.

Renz crossed his arms in front of his body. He'd never really thought about their age difference that way, and he hated that Ilise's words could still affect him.

"I love her. And she loves me," Renz replied. He said it partially to remind himself. Lena had only just told him that she loved him earlier that night...and it was during sex. Hearing her say it was still new and unfamiliar. He hadn't yet reached the point where he could instinctively believe it to be true.

Ilise approached him then, and her gaze was focused and lively, the snake going in for the kill. She stood right in front of him, and placed a soft, cold hand on his cheek.

"My darling Renz...we both know that without your wealth, and without your...sexual skills...there is nothing about you that will keep her interested, much less in love," Ilise said softly.

Her voice was sickly sweet, and her final blow stung terribly. This was the Ilise he knew best, the beast with multiple heads who could be poised and sweet one moment, and cruel and heartless the next.

"Don't come back here again," Renz said darkly. Ilise chuckled lightly and placed a soft kiss on his cheek.

He watched her carefully as she reached for the ring on her finger, the rare sapphire he'd purchased for her while hunting in India on a university holiday. She placed the ring in his front coat pocket, and smoothed the material of his jacket with her fingertips.

"Your sex and your money are the only assets you possess that might keep a woman half your age occupied, for the time being. My advice to you is to exhaust those assets at every possible opportunity. Pregnant women need to be indulged, you know," Ilise said softly.

"Get out. Now," Renz said coldly. Renz had a sudden violent impulse to strike her, but he had promised his mother at a very early age that he would never hurt a woman the way his father had hurt her.

Ilise was the only woman who had ever managed to test that resolve.

"I'll leave soon enough...I wouldn't want to keep you from your brandy for too long. But I imagine I will be seeing you again soon...the sum you paid me ten years ago will soon be depleted," Ilise said pleasantly, lightly running her fingertips along his jacket pocket. Renz snorted and rolled his eyes.

"And what makes you think I'll ever be inclined to give you another solitary mark?" Renz asked. Ilise's dark rouge lips, nearly the shade of her hair, widened to an almost manic smile, and she suddenly leaned forward on her toes, so close that he could feel her breath on his face.

"How quickly you forget that I carry a dark secret of yours that I know you want to want to keep buried...especially from Lena," Ilise whispered.

Renz was immediately frozen, and his head began furiously pounding.

"Happy birthday, Renz. With many, many returns," Ilise whispered, directly in his ear.

******

******

It was past three, and the party was finally beginning to quiet. Most of the guests had already gone, and Lena found herself outside on the rolling hills overlooking the lake and the gardens with Ava, and two new companions. She'd finished several more glasses of champagne and wine, and with each sip, the encounter with Ilise became more and more distant.

A firework show lit up the night sky, and Lena wondered where the host of the glittering celebration was.

"Lena dear, I simply will not have you looking so forlorn on a night such as this. This display is simply superb!" Ava exclaimed.

"She's missing her future husband, is all. I was equally forlorn when Edvard and I were apart before our wedding," Karolina said with a wink. Her new husband looked up at her with a silly grin, and Karolina playfully twisted his reddish-brown curls in her fingertips.

She was an heiress, the daughter of a wealthy German banker, and her new husband was a member of the royal court. Lena admired how loving they were together, even the sweet way Edvard kept his head in her lap as he admired his new bride.

"You don't suppose I should go and look for him?" Lena asked. Edvard snorted playfully.

"He's most certainly pissed-drunk in a corner by now. I believe it is forbidden by the Wolfenbarger credo to remain sober for long during any kind of celebration," Edvard answered.

Lena slightly reclined on her elbows as she admired the booming light show over the lake. The world was pleasantly spinning, and Lena couldn't resist the urge to slightly rock back and forth.

"I think Lena is certainly following in the tradition and she's not even married yet!" Karolina exclaimed. Lena began giggling, fully admitting that she was certainly beyond a bit merry.

"I've never had this much champagne before," Lena admitted, giggling again as her words slurred.

"I'll look after you, Lena dear. I've already decided I think of you as my baby sister," Ava said, gently placing a hand on her head. Lena was warmed by the phrase, and she reached to embrace Ava, but ungracefully lost her balance and felt herself tumbling down the hill.

She landed with a gentle thud, and felt relatively unscathed apart from a slight throb on her head. She looked back up to where she'd fallen to three curious, concerned gazes.

"Lena! Are you all right?" Ava called. Lena slightly wobbled as she tried to stand up.

"I'm all right," Lena called back. She noticed Ava's gaze widen at something in the distance before looking back down at Lena with an excited gaze.

"And you have successfully summoned the devil, Lena dear. Look," she said, pointing towards the darkness.

Lena had to squint for several moments before she could focus on the slightly staggering figure out in the distance.

Her heart began to race by the time she was able to fully make out his form, and once she saw his face, Lena was breathless.

"We were just talking about you, you're missing your own party!" Karolina called.

"My sincerest apologies if I have been a poor host, Frau Krüger," Renz replied. Lena felt her body coil in pleasurable tension as she watched Renz. His voice sounded deeper, and his words were just slightly slurred. His hair was looser than normal, and Lena noticed he'd removed his tie. When he looked at her, his gaze was devilish and playful, and Lena found tipsy Renz to be incredibly attractive.

"It has been a splendid party, Herr Wolfenbarger," Karolina called.

"And a profitable one, I hope?" Edvard asked. Renz briefly looked up at Edvard and nodded.

"Very profitable. Now if you'll excuse me, I may need to continue being a terrible host," he said, returning his gaze to Lena.

Lena bit her lip, unsure of what he meant, but before she could respond, Renz quickly hoisted her into his arms and over his good shoulder. She was too excited by Renz to care about how indecent she appeared with her rear facing Ava, Karolina, and Edvard up on the hill. She could only focus on what he planned to do with her.

She squealed when they began to move, and Lena held on tightly to his good shoulder to keep from becoming dizzy. She was very high off of the ground on Renz's shoulder, and his movements were slightly unbalanced.

"Where are you taking me?" Lena asked.

Her question was answered by a hard, swift slap on her bottom. Lena squealed in shock, wondering if anyone had seen. Her body shook in time with Renz's thunderous, playful laughter.

"Somewhere secluded so I can play with you, my little nymph. It is my birthday after all, and I am quite eager to enjoy the gifts you have for me," Renz replied. Lena frowned in confusion.

"Sir...I haven't any money to buy you gifts," Lena said sheepishly. The hand that had just spanked her returned to her rear, but instead of smacking her again, his fingers began gathering the material of her gown, squeezing insistently.

"You are a playground of gifts, Lena," Renz said devilishly. His fingers slipped between her thighs on the outside of her dress, and he began teasing her pussy with the silky fabric of her gown.

Lena squirmed and gripped his shoulder harder. She was completely bare underneath, for Renz had ripped her undergarments beyond wearability earlier that evening. The cool air of the night mixed with his firm touch through luxurious fabric was beginning to arouse her to dangerous heights.

"Sir, people can see!" Lena exclaimed.

"That's highly unlikely where we are, Lena," Renz said. He suddenly stopped moving and grabbed her by the waist, placing her back on her feet. Lena squinted in the darkness, and it took her several moments to process where she was. They stood alone at the edge of the forest adjacent to the Wolfenbarger gardens.

For a moment, Lena was speechless. The chandeliers lit up the estate beautifully in the darkness of night, making the large windows almost appear as if they were smiling. She could faintly hear the sound of laughter and music as the party continued to quiet, and she couldn't help but admire what a truly beautiful party Renz had thrown.

When she returned her gaze to Renz, he was staring at her seriously. The humor had faded from his face, and he appeared entirely...predatory.

Lena felt her knees begin to shake as her breathing quickened, and as Renz approached her, she found herself involuntarily backing up, until she was pressed up against a tree.

She looked up at him timidly as he towered over her, his palms on either side of her body, keeping her trapped.

"Shouldn't we go back inside?" Lena asked softly.

"I can't wait Lena," Renz growled. Immediately, Renz pressed his body against hers, crushing her against the tree. Before she could speak again, Lena lost her breath in his mouth. His kisses were hard and wild, his tongue sinking so deeply that Lena was certain that any moment, she might suffocate.

Lena felt dizzy and aroused as his tongue aggressively probed into her mouth, circling her tongue as she struggled to keep up with his pace. His hands were soon gathering the fabric around her dress, and Lena whimpered in desire and impatience as her sore inner walls clenched in excitement...he couldn't get her undressed fast enough.

Lena exhaled in heady desperation when Renz finally released her sore lips, mouth trailing down her neck. He brought one hand in between her legs, and Lena pressed her knees tightly together when insistent fingers began stroking her rapidly moistening sex.

"Mmm...you are dripping, Lena," Renz murmured as he nibbled on the sensitive skin of her neck. He stroked his long fingers against her with a hard, commanding pressure, causing a surge of pleasure to pulsate throughout her entire body. His kisses lowered to her chest, and Lena threw her head back, slightly bumping herself against the tree.

With one single, swift tug, Renz yanked the bodice of her gown down around her waist, exposing her breasts to the cold air. Her nipples hardened to a painful point, from her arousal and from the chill, but the sensation was forgotten once Renz covered her sensitive nipple with his hot mouth.

Lena couldn't suppress her moans, and she whimpered softly as Renz teased her nipple with his tongue. He kept stroking her sensitive flesh with his fingers as his mouth played with her breast, and before long, Lena felt the sensation of an orgasm beginning to build.

"Renz...please," Lena said breathlessly. Renz raised his head from her breast, and he gazed at her seriously. His eyes were dark and slightly threatening, and Lena began feeling slightly nervous. Suddenly it seemed as if Renz wasn't just a bit drunk...he actually seemed slightly angry.

She felt him roughly grip her knee, bending her leg so that it was nearly pressed up against her body. Lena struggled to keep her balance, and with his free hand, Renz gripped both of her wrists, trapping her arms in front of her body.

"Sir?" Lena asked, beginning to grow fearful. His grip on her wrists was beginning to hurt, and Lena wondered if Renz was planning on being rough with her again. As exciting as it sounded...she wasn't entirely sure her body could handle it again so soon.

But instead of impaling her, Renz suddenly sank to his knees, and Lena squirmed and wiggled in anticipation. He kept his grip on her wrists and hooked her leg over his shoulder, and she felt him roughly pushing apart her nether lips, lewdly opening her up to the cold air. Her skin tingled in excitement as his hot breath coated her pussy, becoming warmer and warmer as his mouth approached.

He finally pressed his tongue directly against her clit, and Lena's moans quickly turned into loud screams. He licked her quickly, roughly, and greedily. It seemed as if there wasn't a single part of her pussy that his mouth left uncovered.

Lena arched her back and rotated her hips, completely overwhelmed by the intimate kiss. Even the sounds that Renz made were exciting her. In his drunkenness, Renz was primal, more ravenous. There was nothing arrogant or practiced about the way he licked her. He was unpredictable and slightly unhinged, fully devouring her.

The pleasurable sensations were becoming too much to bear, and Lena tried to squirm away from him for a moment's rest, but Renz only tightened his grip on her wrists and fully locked her leg around his shoulder. There was no escaping the ambush from his mouth.

She felt Renz close his lips around her clit as his tongue continued pulsing against the sensitive button, and Lena's back arched sharply.

"Renz...please...I need rest," she begged, but she was only answered by the loud sound of his sucking, his assault on her sensitive pussy.

The suction only increase in intensity as she felt Renz pushing his face forward, grinding his mouth roughly against her. The pressure was unbearable, and Lena screamed loudly as she burst, body completely overwhelmed with pleasure.

There wasn't a moment's rest as Renz suddenly stood, releasing her sore wrists. She felt him hoist her legs up around his waist, and he slammed her up against the tree roughly.

Lena was about to speak, but he covered her mouth with his palm, continuing to stare at her dangerously. He gazed at her unblinking as he quickly unfastened his trousers, and positioned his cock against her opening threateningly.

"I love you too much to ever hurt you again, Lena. You know that right?" Renz said seriously.

Lena was surprised by the sudden change in his voice, and she wasn't entirely sure how he expected her to answer with his hand covering her mouth. Not knowing what else to do, Lena nodded.

Renz leaned forward then, and pressed his forehead against hers. She could feel the tip of his cock begin to slip inside of her, stretching her open, and Lena slightly winced and moaned against his palm.

"Good...because I'm very drunk right now, love...and I really, really need to fuck you," Renz said. His palm was still over her mouth, and Lena was limited to merely nodding as her response.