He grabs a fistful of my hair and pulls me to my feet. “I said stand up,” he hisses at me. I avoid his intense gaze on purpose as he pulls my head back to lift my eyes to his. “What are you doing?” he rasps.
“Giving you what you want, Master,” I mumble.
He closes his eyes in pain. “No. Don’t do this. Not today,” he forces himself to say as he steps back. I step forward staying in his space.
“Let me be this for you,” I say.
“No. Don’t push me. You might regret it,” he says, his eyes still closed.
“Not likely.”
“Aefre,” he enunciates my name in the strong Old English ‘Ah-vuh’ instead of his native Latin, which he usually lapses into causing him to pronounce it ‘Ai-vuh.’ This tiny thing that would mostly go unnoticed by everyone else, shows me how focused he is on this conversation.
“Constantine. I am a thousand years old, and stronger now with this new Power. You will find it difficult to hurt me. But try your best,” I coax him.
“It’s not about the physical pain. I know you can handle anything I throw at you. But I don’t want to. I don’t want to hurt you and I don’t want you to see that side of me,” he whispers.
“Do it. Or I walk,” I say. It’s an empty threat, but it has the desired effect.
He opens his eyes as he Shifts, leaning forward to sink his claws into my throat. “Do you really want this?” he whispers to me, focusing his now jet-black eyes on mine.
I nod painfully but try not to show the pain he is inflicting on me already. An Initial Vampires claws can subdue a human into paralysis, makes for easy prey. On other Vampires they don’t paralyze, but fuck, it stings like a mother. He knows that he is hurting me, but no way will I let him see. He sinks to his knees, bringing me with him. My blood dripping down my throat has him mesmerized.
“Stay,” he says as he gets to his feet, releasing me.
I breathe in deeply as I heal slowly. I want this. I know he wants this, regardless of all of his words of not wanting me to see him like this. I want to. We have played in the past, but it has all been in fun. This is serious. I want to see his depraved side in all its glory. He thinks I can’t handle it, that I won’t want him anymore. I am going to push him until he can’t do anything but show me his inner monster that he reviles but cannot get away from. I am strong and not afraid of what he will dish out. The gods know it won’t be any worse than what Lance inflicted on me.
I wait for a while. Time ticks away and I can hear my phone buzzing away on the bedside cabinet. I know it will be either Cole or Devon, but I ignore it.
“Answer it, goddammit,” CK snarls at me from across the room.
I don’t move.
“Christ, Liv. Just stand up and answer it.”
As I stay where I am, he stalks over and answers it himself with a very brusque, “Yes?”
After a pause, he says to me, “It’s Devon. He senses your…whatever it is you charges feel for your sires.”
Gritting my teeth at his dismissal of our feelings, I say, “I will call him back. Tell him I’m fine, and I will call him back.”
“Speak to him.”
“No.”
Into the phone, he says, “Your sire is a stubborn fool, but she is fine. I will make her call you back when we are done.” Abruptly he hangs up. I can only imagine Devon’s face after those words, and it makes me smile.
“Something amuses you?” CK asks, catching my mirth.
I straighten my face instantly. “No, sir.”
He moves to stand behind me. I am desperate for him to touch me. I can feel his energy vibrating just off the surface of my skin and it is driving me wild.
Ever so slowly, he wraps a silk tie around my throat. “You catch me off guard, my sweet. None of my usual tools are here to hand.”
“Take me to the dungeons,” I manage to get out, before he pulls so hard on the tie, I choke out loud to my own disgust. Bearing in mind the lack of air won’t kill me, the reality of being strangled is most unpleasant. Bringing my hands up to my throat in an automatic response, I make myself relax. I am fine. It’s all good.
“Do you really want me to take you down there?” he asks in disbelief.