“No you don’t,” Absolon says. “You want to. And you should. But you don’t.”
He straightens up, watches as Wolf digs his fingers into my hips, his tongue continuing to work at a frenzied pace. I’m coming again and again and it’s still not enough. It’s not enough.
“You want him to properly fuck you with his cock, or is this good for now?” Absolon asks, his voice tepid, as if he’s bored.
I cry out through another wave, back arching, limbs shaking. “I thought vampires were territorial,” I manage to say.
He gives me a quick grin that doesn’t reach his eyes. “Only when we’re planning to keep you.” He starts toward the door. “Give her whatever she wants, Wolf.”
The candles go out as he passes by them, smoke filling the air.
I’m coming again.
Chapter Eight
I’m lost in the darkness.
Turning inward, trying to understand, trying to hold on to any innocence I have left. I’m drowning in it, torn apart, until I’m nothing but a shadow.
Who am I now?
What will I become?
Was I ever really me?
The darkness begins to fade, dreams turning into curls of black smoke, growing brighter and brighter until…
I’m awake.
I open my eyes.
I’m underwater.
Staring up at the wavering image of Absolon, who is holding me down.
Trying to drown me.
My mouth opens in horror, water entering my lungs, and I start thrashing against him, his hands holding my head and chest below the water and I’m going to die like this, he’s going to drown me.
I keep fighting and fighting, water splashing over the sides of the tub, and Absolon doesn’t falter. His force remains as strong as ever. Poised and determined.
To kill me.
But I won’t let him.
I fight for moments, then minutes.
I’m not getting tired.
I’m not…dying.
Finally, he lets go of me and I sit straight up out of the water, gasping for air and choking, realizing I’m naked in a bathtub filled with ice cubes. I start to cough, water rushing out of my lungs, trying so hard to breathe, breathe, breathe.
I steal a horrified glance at Absolon, his black clothing wet, crouched beside the tub like a gargoyle, staring intently at me.
“Hello,” he says politely, a hint of a smile.
A growl roars from my throat, and without thinking, I suddenly lunge for him, propelling myself out of the tub, hands around his neck, trying to knock him to the ground.
But it’s futile.
My new strength surprises me, but it’s nowhere near enough to match his. He catches hold of my wrists with ease and deftly flips me over until I’m smashed against the tile floor. He pins me down, hands above my head, the weight of his massive body crushing me. I’m acutely aware that I’m completely naked, while he’s completely dressed in black pants and a dress shirt.
“Easy now, moonshine,” he says to me, his face close. “Your impulsiveness won’t do you any favors.”
I writhe beneath him, trying to move, and to my surprise I realize he’s turned on; big, thick, long, and hard as steel.
He gives a delicate sniff, eyes closing briefly. When he opens them, his pupils are massive. “Still in a bit of lust, aren’t you?”
“You’re the one who’s hard,” I snipe, though my hips involuntarily buck up against him, wanting more.
God, I hate myself.
His eyes close again at that, his lips parting, and now I’m fighting the stupid, ridiculous urge to kiss him. I want nothing more than to reach down and unzip his pants, make him fuck me right here on the floor. I didn’t even think he was attracted to me, but I can feel the evidence very clearly.
“Hard not to be when you’ve got a gorgeous creature naked beneath you,” he says, peering at me. “You women are funny, aren’t you? You think if a man isn’t throwing himself at you, he mustn’t find you attractive. Assume they must be gay.”
“Are you?”
“Gay?” he asks, a brow cocked. “Not particularly.” He grins at me. “Aren’t you at all interested in why I had you in that bathtub, or is the lust still ravaging your brain?”
“You were trying to kill me,” I manage to say.
“You’re partly right,” he says, adjusting his grip on my wrists. It still feels like he could crush all the bones with a simple twitch. “I wanted to see if you would die. Luckily, you didn’t. You were under there for ten minutes before you came out of it. Didn’t need a single breath.”
“Came out of what?”
“I can compel you, on occasion. I get you to do exactly what I say,” he says, voice rich with pride. “You often fight back, prevent it from happening, something other people, even vampires, can’t easily do with me. But sometimes, you’re just so … vulnerable. And so I take advantage.”
The idea of him controlling me makes me shiver with unease. “What did you make me do?”