Black & Carmichael
The Power of Two A short novel of BDSM erotic romance by
Mychael Black and Shayne Carmichael
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The Power of Two
Phaze 6470A Glenway Avenue, #109 Cincinnati, OH 45211-5222 This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental. eBook ISBN 1-59426-618-2 The Power of Two © 2006 by Mychael Black and Shayne Carmichael All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Cover art © 2006 by Silver Blaze Phaze is an imprint of Mundania Press, LLC.
www.Phaze.com
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One A black net shirt molded to his upper body like a glove to a hand. It outlined the movement of muscle as Grif's hand lowered to the front of his pants, brushing away an imaginary piece of dust. Smirking faintly, he took in the sight of the young man kneeling not too far away from him. The slave had the classic, delicate features Grif tended to favor. The slave's chocolate brown eyes were downcast as he waited silently for his new Master's orders. Glancing at the vampire Master standing next to him, Grif said, "You won this time, Dominic." Dominic turned his head slightly towards him, a spark of amusement in the azure depths of his eyes. Looking back to the young man kneeling before them, Dom leaned to the side to whisper in Grif's ear. "Perhaps next time, my friend." He moved slowly to the kneeling man and slipped a hand under his chin, lifting the slave’s head slowly. "And such a pretty prize you lost, Griffith." Grif shrugged and a slow sweep of his gaze wandered over the other vampire Master. Dominic held even more appeal than the slave, though Grif refused to admit that. Dominic possessed a piercing gaze that could look straight into a person's soul, and Grif had felt that effect more than once himself. "There will always be a next time. And I quite agree; he is a very pretty toy." "And what shall I do with my newly-won toy?" It was unclear as to where the question was directed, and Dominic turned to flash a wicked grin at Grif, revealing the slightest hint of pointed teeth. A hungry gaze swept over Grif, as if Dominic favored toying with him over the young mortal for which they had been competing. A brow crept upward and Grif's eyes narrowed slightly as he kept a steady gaze on Dominic. Folding his arms against his chest, he leaned back against the wall behind him. "Is that an offer to share?" Dominic looked back down at the young mortal. "Perhaps." As he bent over to brush his lips across the mortal's, the leather of his pants tightened over his ass, reflecting the light from a nearby lamp. Grif couldn’t help but notice. For a brief moment, a darker gleam of his own interest flared within him, and he figured the action had been deliberate. A tightening to the front of his pants betrayed the slow stirring of his own body. "When you make up your mind, do let me know, Dominic." Dominic straightened and turned slowly. His gaze drifted down Grif’s body before sliding back up to his eyes. "Impatience, Grif?" he teased quietly. "Hardly like you." His blue eyes darkened and he smiled. "Or are you jealous?" A careful calm descended over Grif as he remained utterly still, feeling the drift of Dominic's gaze like a touch. Smiling faintly, he appeared to be totally relaxed against the wall. Even though the sub was the type that generally interested him, he hadn't really looked closely at the young mortal still kneeling near Dominic. "I'm never impatient and you know that. Why would you think I'm jealous?" Dominic left the mortal and slowly approached him. He placed his palms flat against the wall, on either side of Grif's head, and flicked his tongue quickly across Grif’s lips. An almost imperceptible growl vibrated from Grif's throat with Dominic's close proximity. Before Dominic could withdraw his tongue, Grif bit at it. The other vampire
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pulled away then, but not before a darker desire reflected in his eyes. "Please, my friend," Dominic said as he returned to the mortal. "Join me. Between the two of us, I'm sure we can find some use for this delectable young man before us." Lately, Dominic had taken to playing with Grif in an intense game, and it started to draw Grif in. However, he still tried to maintain that carefully unaffected facade. Pushing from the wall, he advanced on Dominic. Once he was close enough, he lifted his hand and cupped it against the outline of Dominic's cock as he leaned in to whisper in his ear. "We'll let your little plaything take care of your problem. I get his mouth." Dominic slid his tongue over his lips, smearing a small trace of blood across them. Unable to resist the urge to taste at that blood, Grif's tongue darted over Dominic's lips, cleaning them. A brief flicker of hunger flashed across Dominic's face, yet it was not directed at the mortal in question. "Very well," Dominic said quietly. He reached down and grasped Grif's wrist. "But do not start something you don't intend to finish." One eye fluttered closed in the quickest of winks before he turned his attentions to the young mortal. "On your hands and knees, young man," he ordered. "Let us see what the rest of that beautiful body looks like." Chuckling, Grif countered, "Don't start something you can't win, my friend." His attention returned to the sub, watching silently. Flashing Grif a dark look, Dominic seemed to choose to ignore that last remark. Returning his attentions to the slave, he stroked his fingertips down the young mortal's spine, drawing a shudder and a catch of breath from the man. As he neared his ass, Dominic drew his hand away. A split second later, the sound of a sharp smack broke the silence, followed by a stifled whimper from the mortal. "Such a beautiful ass you have," Dominic mused quietly. The sub nodded and his voice shook as he respectfully answered, "Yes, Master." As Grif moved slightly closer, he left Dominic enough room to play. The mild expression on Grif's face had a faintly amused edge, though he knew the noticeable scent of his arousal was discernible to the other vampire Master. He couldn't hide that, even though he portrayed himself as unaffected by what he was seeing. Dominic leaned over and slid his fingers through the mortal's hair, gently pulling his head up and back. Kneeling behind him, he lowered his head to lick a slow path over the side of the sub's throat. He looked up and opened his mouth to nick the mortal's flesh with his fangs. Grif recognized the message Dominic sent him. As his own fangs dropped, they became visible in the curve of his smile. The flare of his nostrils took in the rich scent of blood and Dominic himself. From the look Dominic pinned on him, Grif knew he was being toyed with. "Do come play," Dominic whispered before licking the sub's neck to close the wound. He straightened himself back up and released the mortal's hair to slide his hand down his spine. Then Dominic opened his pants and shoved them to the floor. Eight inches of hard flesh sprang forward and he rubbed his length over the crack of the sub's ass. A dark, heated gaze sharpened and focused on Dominic. Staring at Dominic's cock, Grif walked towards the sub's head, kneeling as he unfastened his own pants. This isn't the first time you've played this game with me. Why do I feel like it won't be the last? Dominic's gaze swept over Grif's body. Ah, but you know me too well. He pulled back the slightest bit and reached over to grab a small bottle of lube from the table beside him. After popping up the cap, he stroked his cock slowly, from base to tip, slicking it up. He set the bottle down and rubbed the head of his cock over the sub's entrance. Never start something you can't win. I told you that earlier. Smiling slightly, Grif tangled his fingers in the sub's silky blond hair, drawing his 5
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head down. Feeling the heat of that mouth envelop him, he gasped. At the same moment, a push of Dominic's hips buried him to the hilt in the sub's body and he leaned forward to grab the back of Grif's neck, pulling him into a hungry kiss. Silencing a groan, Grif reacted instinctively, returning the flavor of the unexpected kiss. And who says I can't win? Dominic nipped at Grif's tongue and licked away the droplets of blood before pulling away. Grif's hips jerked abruptly, burying his cock in the slave’s mouth. When Dominic looked down, heat rushed through him as he watched Grif's cock disappear down the sub's throat. Keeping a firm grip on the mortal's hips, Dominic pulled out and thrust back inside. The force of it shook the young man between them, pushing a soft, keening moan from him. Dominic ground his body against the young man's, his gaze pinned intently on the graceful curve of Grif's neck. Every hard thrust of Dominic's body into the sub drove Grif into the blonde's mouth. Groaning softly, he opened his eyes and caught the fixated stare on him. Grif understood exactly what Dominic wanted. The desire that possessed him flared within his own mind, the one place he couldn't deny how much he wanted the vampire Master. He had to bite his lower lip to stop the cry that wanted to call out to Dominic. With a harsh grunt, Dominic ground his cock inside the sub as he leaned forward. Wrapping a hand in the sub's hair, but taking care not to pull him from Grif's cock, he buried his fangs in the mortal's throat. His body jerked as his cock pulsed with his release. When he had finished feeding, he flicked his tongue over the wound before moving his mouth up to join the sub's. With every outward stroke of the sub's lips around Grif's cock, Dominic slid the tip of his tongue along Grif’s shaft, shuddering with the taste. A flicker of alarm ran through Grif as he looked down. Feeling the additional sensation of Dominic's tongue working over his cock with the blonde's mouth, Grif watched both men's tongues play over him. Closing his eyes, he couldn't stop anything as the trembling of his body increased, and with a sudden hard thrust he came as well, crying out in pleasure. As the sub pulled off of Grif's cock, Dominic turned the mortal's head, shoving his tongue into his mouth. He groaned softly and pulled away from the kiss, giving Grif's cock a lingering look before straightening and easing out of the sub's body. The young man shook slightly and whimpered. Dominic glanced down and grinned, noting the poor mortal's distress in the form of a hard cock glistening with pre-come. He licked his lips slowly before looking back up at Grif. Grif's brow rose and he chuckled. "Shall you or I?" Dominic looked at the sub, and back up at Grif. "You do the honors." A wry grin twisted his lips and he waited, leaning back against the wall as he drew his legs up to place his arms over his knees. Grif pulled his pants back up and fastened them. As he sat down on the floor, a gentle hand guided the young sub from his position. Sitting on the floor with him, the mortal leaned back against his chest, facing Dominic. Reaching around him, Grif slowly stroked his fingers over the length of the sub's cock. He smiled as he listened to the soft, moan of need. He looked over at Dominic before he leaned in, burying his fangs deeply to the side of the young mortal's neck. As he silently gave the slave permission to come, the body in his arms suddenly shook with the sub’s release. Warmth spilled over Grif's hand as he drank the sweetened blood. Grif heard the gasp that escaped Dominic, then the low growl rumbling in Dominic's chest. Dominic shifted where he sat, visibly fighting to hide a resurgence of both his arousal and hunger. He clamped his jaw tightly shut. "You're treading on dangerous ground." 6
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"No more than you are," Grif said as his gaze remained on Dominic, taking in that reaction. Lifting his hand to the mortal's lips, he felt the flick of a tongue as the slave cleaned off his hand. Several soft kisses trailed to the warm skin beneath Grif’s mouth before he whispered to the sub, "You perform so beautifully, little toy." The tone of pleasure in his voice was for the boy himself. Turning his head, the blonde gave him a grateful smile as he was released. Dominic looked briefly to the sub, nodding and smiling his approval. "You are free to go. Thank you." The sub bowed to both Masters and said, "Thank you, Masters." Then he turned and walked out the door. Dominic turned back to face Grif. A distinct hunger reflected in his eyes, yet he did not move. He quietly fastened his pants and shrugged off his white poet's shirt. Grif stood at the same time as Dominic, the muscles of his body slowly stretching with his movement. A similar hunger mirrored in him as his gaze roamed over Dominic's bare chest. When he looked back up at Dominic's face, he said, "It seems we both are on dangerous ground, my old friend. Whatever shall we do?" Dominic's hand tightened on his shirt as his gaze swept slowly over Grif's body. It seemed to finally settle on the curve of Grif’s throat. "An impasse. How interesting." Grif gave him an amused smile. "If it is my blood you want, that is easily given, Dominic. Perhaps drinking from me will end this game we have going." Slowly he tilted his head in full and clear invitation. Dominic advanced on Grif quickly. He gripped Grif's shoulders tightly and shoved him back against the wall, sinking his fangs into his neck. As he fed, he ground his hips forward, pressing his body to Grif's. Grif had expected Dominic's reaction. He groaned with the sudden sharp pain and its following sensations. One hand lifted to Dominic's hair, keeping him close as the other slid to his hip, nails flexing into the leather. When he finished feeding, Dominic lapped at the wound softly. He pulled away from Grif and licked his lips. A hunger still lingered in his eyes, but his bloodlust had faded. He lifted his hand to brush his fingertip across Grif's lips. "To see those sweet lips," he whispered, "wrapped around my cock." His grin widened as he stepped back, pulling himself free of Grif's hold. Grif's lips tightened into a thin line. "That's not something I'll ever do, Dominic. You want to control me, and that's not going to happen." Whatever reasons he had for that were his own. Only a faint echo of fear showed in him before it quickly faded. "We shall see, my old friend." With a graceful bow of his head, Dominic walked out the door. He shot a lingering look at Grif before disappearing around the corner. "If you want me in your bed, it will only be as your equal, Dominic. And only that." The fierce determination in Grif's words couldn't be missed; he knew Dominic heard them.
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Two Back in his own room, the night's events played through Grif's mind. He'd known Dominic for way too many years. The first time he'd met him, Dominic had ended up carrying him home because he'd been incapable of walking. He had picked the wrong fight that night and gotten the shit beat of him. After that, it seemed at times that the older vampire had taken Grif under his wing, and they'd been friends since. Dominic had even loaned him money and pointed him in the right direction to invest it. He owed a lot to the man, yet the Master had never made a big deal of it or acted like he was owed anything. Grif eventually outgrew the anger that got him into fights at the drop of a hat. It'd been placed there by the actions of a vampire he once called Master, and it took years to overcome that. The memories were something he refused to dwell on because the pain was never that far away. Since Dominic had taken him into his home, he'd slowly left that behind, and let go of it as best he could. But over the last year, he'd found himself reacting to watching Dominic work with his subs. It was something he tried to ruthlessly suppress because it frightened him, and he knew Dominic had caught onto some of his interest and had started playing with him. Tonight had been the worst, and seeing the slide of that tongue over his cock had put him over the edge. The image still played in his mind and caused an uncomfortable tightening of his pants. Groaning softly to himself, Grif unfastened the pants, pushing them down over his hips and kicking them away as they fell. Tugging his shirt over his head, he tossed it on top of the pants before he stretched out on his bed. Already hard with the thoughts of the other vampire Master, he groaned again as his fingers curled to the base of his cock. In his mind, it was Dominic touching him and the thought made him shudder as he stroked slowly. His feet slid over the covers, pushing his legs up as his hips arched slightly off the bed. Need washed over him and tightened through his gut with the quickening movement of his hand. Knowing the other vampire wasn't that far away, because Grif could hear his movements in the bedroom next to his, Grif closed his eyes tightly. He badly needed to come, yet frustration crept over him as that release refused to be granted to him. His fingers tightened around his length as he focused on the mental pictures. Come for me, my sweet pet. It wasn't until his mind conjured up that familiar whisper that his orgasm rocked through his body and the slick liquid spilled over his hand. Grif fought the prickle of tears behind his eyelids. It had been Dominic's voice that had released him and he was terrified beyond words. Forcing himself to a calm he really didn't feel, he sat up, scooting to the edge of the bed, then stood. Heading to the bathroom, he grabbed one of the towels to wipe himself off. When he returned to the bed, sleep only claimed him with the rising of the sun. *** The next evening, after his shower, Grif headed down the stairs, going straight to the library. When he walked in, the sight seated in one of the chairs sent a shockwave through him. He stared at the man in disbelief as his emotions underwent a rollercoaster slide. Thankfully, he composed himself before anybody looked his way. Forcing himself to step further into the room, he gave Dominic a mild yet questioning look on his way to one of the bookcases.
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Dominic sat on the edge of his dark, varnished oak desk, folding his hands over his thigh. A young redhead was seated in the chair near him, signing his name to a contract. "Ah, Tristan, I'd like you to meet the other Master of the house: Master Griffith." Dominic slid off of the desk. "Master Griffith, this is Tristan. He's just finished signing a slave contract with me." He looked back at the young, redheaded vampire. "Tristan, Master Griffith might occasionally observe, but don't worry. He won't participate unless we have your consent." Tristan stood and turned to Griffith, holding out his hand. A sweet yet odd smile crept across his lips as he said, "I'm pleased to meet you, Master Griffith." Grif hid the dismay he felt as he glanced down at the hand held out to him and back up at Tristan. A slight narrowing of his eyes took in that smile, his own faintly strained. "A pleasure as well, Tristan." Taking his hand, he shook it before letting go. "Wonderful," Dominic said as he clapped his hands. A few minutes later, a middleaged man appeared in the doorway. "Tristan, this is Egbert, our butler. He will show you to your room. Once you've gotten settled, come back here and we'll discuss things in more detail." Tristan nodded and turned to follow Egbert out the door, but not before flashing Grif a dark smile out of Dominic's view. Grif remained utterly still and no reaction showed anywhere on him, other than that frozen moment as he stared back at Tristan. Turning away, he returned to the bookcase as if nothing were out of the ordinary. Inwardly, his thoughts were racing. Dominic closed the library door. "So, what do you think?" "Where did you find him, Dominic?" Grif casually asked as he thumbed through the selection of books at eye level to him. "He found me, believe it or not. Apparently he found the website, although I'm not sure where he found the link. He sent me an e-mail and we set up the meeting. He seems quite enthusiastic." Sliding one of the books out, Grif moved to the couch, settling at the other end. As he spoke, he had to force the words out. "Are you just going to train him for the usual thirty days or are you looking to take on another slave after the trial period?" "I'm thinking of keeping him, although only time will tell if he wants that as well." Dominic looked up from his own book, cocking an eyebrow. "You're in one of your moods again, Grif. What's up?" Since a picture of him was also displayed on that website alongside Dominic's, Grif wasn't at all surprised about Tristan showing up. "Just a bit tired, I think. Mind if I sit in on the next interview with you?" "You know I don't mind, love." Dominic returned his attention to the book before continuing. "I was surprised to find out he likes pain. The last few I've trained haven't wanted it, even as a punishment. I'm beginning to wonder if maybe it's not a punishment tool with him simply because he likes it too much." "You'll just have to work with him to find out what kind of pain he likes and what he doesn't. If you can't find that spot, I'm sure your imagination can punish him just as well." As he slid down into the cushions, Grif appeared to relax against them. The book in his lap remained unopened. Dominic eyed him from over the top of his book. "Yea," he said quietly. His brow furrowed questioningly, but he said nothing more about it. "So, how is Tage doing?" "He's doing very well. I ended up having to use denial of my presence as a more effective means of discipline. Though I generally hate to do that, and would never do it for any real length of time. I think it fucks with his head too much. So I've taken to making him remain in the room with me and keeping his face to the wall when a longer time of discipline is required." 9
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"Sounds like he's giving you a run for your money. What's he done this time?" Chuckling softly, Grif shook his head. "I'm curbing that tendency of his to want to run the scene a bit too much. So far it's working marvelously well. He does love pain a bit too much for it to be considered much of a punishment." "Ah, I see," Dominic said. "I'm still trying to think of new ways for punishing Jason for masturbation without permission." He sighed and closed his book, setting it on his lap. He let his head fall back against the couch. "Men." "If he continues to have a problem with it, possibly a few hours on his knees, unable to see you, might fix that. It beats the standard 'I will not' written a thousand times." "I've tried that," Dominic laughed. "It worked for a while. I'm thinking corporal punishment. I haven't spanked anyone in ages, but it's worth a shot, I suppose." "The humiliation aspect might work just as well. Sometimes it's too damn much of an individualistic thing. Too bad each sub doesn't really come with a trainer's manual. More's the pity." "I'm thinking humiliation, possibly even public. It's a soft limit of his, which is why I'm considering it to begin with. Too bad this stuff didn't have a manual several hundred years ago." "Too bad the manuals they do have don't work for all subs." Grif started to relax, having pushed aside the subject of Tristan for the shop talk. "Then take him to the club and set up his punishment, Dominic. I promised Tage a visit for tomorrow night." "Sounds good to me," Dominic said without moving from his current position. "Until then, I need to introduce them. And get a feel for Tristan. I've never had a redhead, so this should be interesting, I think." He chuckled softly. "I wonder if it's true what they say about redheads and tempers." Grif felt a blankness inside that he carefully kept hidden. "I've never had a redhead either, so I wouldn't know." That he could even say those words was a minor miracle. "Hm," Dominic mused quietly. With a sigh he stood. "Well, I think Tristan has had ample time to get settled." He reached over the desk and pressed a button on a box by the phone. A few seconds later, Egbert's voice crackled through the speaker. "Yes, Master?" "Egbert, send Tristan down, please." "At once, Master." The line went dead and Dominic went to sit behind his desk, settling into the leather chair. "Do you want to stay while he and I talk? We'll probably move to a short session afterwards." No, he didn't want to stay, but that's not what Grif said. "Yeah, I want to sit in on it, though I'll not participate. I have enough on my plate with Tage at the moment." "Understandable." A few minutes later the library door opened and Tristan walked in. He stopped and stood before Dominic, looking like the sweetest angel of Heaven. "Now, for your first lesson," Dominic said to him. He snapped his fingers and pointed to the floor. "Sit down on your knees and rest your buttocks on your heels. Spread your knees apart and place your hands on your thighs, palms up. Straighten your back and look up at me." Tristan quickly did exactly as he was told and Dominic smiled. "Very good, Tristan. This is how I expect you to present yourself to me when in my presence." Grif straightened from the lounging position he'd held throughout their conversation and set the book on the stand beside him. Watching in silence, he poured himself a snifter of brandy and took a sip. "From now on, you will address me as Master," Dominic said as he moved behind Tristan, combing his fingers through the silky red hair. "We are going to have a session 10
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now, and from here on out, you are forbidden orgasms unless given permission." A neutral interest remained plastered to Grif's features as his gaze followed Dominic. He actually couldn't stand the sight of the little bastard Tristan on his knees, but he had no clue how to tell his friend the truth about the sub. They'd both been Quinn's slaves at the same time, and Tristan was nothing more than a manipulative pile of trouble. Dominic came to a stop in front of Tristan. "On your feet, slave. And follow me." He led the way out of the library and downstairs to the dungeon. Setting his glass aside, Grif stood and followed silently behind them. Once inside, Dominic waited for Grif to walk in, then he closed the door. As Grif headed towards the table, Dominic went to Tristan and pointed to the padded, black vinyl cover on the floor. "On your hands and knees, keep your legs spread apart." Tristan did as he was told and positioned himself so that he was facing Grif. A cruel smile crept across the slave's lips and the look in his eyes had its own distinct message. Dominic attached restraints to Tristan's ankles and wrists, binding him to the floor, unable to move. Watching them silently, Grif leaned against the center table, folding his arms over his chest. Not by one muscle did he betray that he remembered all too well another time when he'd been in a similar position. Dominic circled his sub, tracing his fingers over Tristan's body. He stopped at the table beside Grif and picked up a pair of scissors. With careful precision, he began cutting away Tristan’s clothing. When all the clothing was removed, he set the scissors to the side and slid his hand between Tristan's legs. He cupped the slave's balls and tugged gently on them, eliciting a soft moan from him. He lifted his other hand, then lowered it, delivering a sound slap to Tristan's right buttock. A distinct heat flared in Tristan's eyes as he caught Grif's gaze. His tongue snaked out to lick his lips. The look was much like the one he'd had long ago, right before plowing into Grif's body. Biting back the growl that wanted out, it required considerable will for Grif not to go after Tristan right then and there. He knew what the son of a bitch was trying to do to him. In reaction, a vaguely bored look glazed his features, carefully keeping his eyes away from Dominic working. He already felt the beast rising inside him, not wanting Dominic near Tristan. He'd never begrudged Jason his time with his Master, but this was an entirely new element and Tristan was an entirely new slave. Dominic knelt behind Tristan and slid his hands from the slave's balls up to his ass. He teased the puckered hole lightly with his fingertip, chuckling when Tristan gasped softly. "You want to feel more, slave?" "Yes, Master." Dominic leaned over to grab the bottle of lube and returned to where he had been. He popped open the cap and slicked up two fingers. He rubbed them around the rim of Tristan's entrance before swiftly burying them inside him. Tristan let out a genuine moan, looking away from Grif for a brief moment. Dominic twisted his hand and began stroking his fingers in and out, varying in speed and intensity. The movements were meant to set Tristan on the edge and leave him there, unable to come. Unable to help it, Grif's gaze drifted downward, watching the slide of Dominic's fingers and the small shudder that ran through Tristan. He felt insanely jealous and fought to keep that from his expression as he looked back at the slave. He got it under control, but not before Tristan lifted his head to look over at him. There was no way Grif could miss that almost triumphant flare in Tristan's eyes before the slave lost track of the thought to the pleasure Dominic gave him. Dominic added a third finger slowly and gazed up at Grif as he spread them apart. When he pulled his fingers out, he quickly unfastened his pants, pushing them down his thighs. He stroked his cock, slicking it up, then rubbed the head over his slave's hole. "Now I'm going to take my pleasure from you," he said. "If you come without 11
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permission, you will be punished." "Yes, Master," Tristan said breathlessly. Dominic pushed his cock in with one swift thrust. His head fell back and he gripped Tristan's hips, rendering the slave completely immobile as he began drilling into him. Seeing everything in front of him took Grif too far in the past. Only in that time, Tristan hadn't been the one on the receiving end; Grif had been. There had been no pleasure in being raped by the redheaded slave, and Grif fought to bring himself back to the present. One hand slipped behind him to grip at the edge of the table. His body outwardly appeared calm and relaxed. With a firm, steel-like grip on his slave's hips, Dominic leaned over Tristan's back, whispering gruffly in his ear. "You like it, don't you, slave?" Tristan gasped as Dominic's cock slammed deeper inside him, forcing a sharp cry from his throat. "Yes, Master!" The words sent another shockwave through Grif and all he could think about was running. They played over and over again in his mind, taunting him as the same words spoken by Quinn had haunted him. Only he hadn't said 'Yes, Master'; he'd only screamed. His fingers deliberately dug into the sharp exposed edge beneath the padding. The sting of pain awakened him from the dream state and helped him to get a handle on himself. With a guttural sound, Dominic buried himself deep in Tristan's body as his fangs dropped, piercing his slave's throat. Tristan cried out, straining against his bonds and pleading to come. Dominic's body shuddered one last time as he withdrew from Tristan’s neck. He licked the wound and moved his mouth up to whisper in Tristan's ear. "Come for me, slave." The assault mixture of emotional pain, jealousy, and hatred seethed within Grif, but still he remained leaning against the table. Several brushes of his fingers against the raw edge sliced over his skin until he stopped. The cuts healed, but the stain of his blood marred the edge. Bringing up his hand to his lips, he licked the traces of blood away before they could be noticed. His own longing to hear the words whispered by the vampire Master washed over him, reminding him of gaining his own pleasure imagining them the night before. Emotionally, Grif was a mess. Dominic reached under Tristan, wrapping a strong hand around his cock. A few quick strokes were all it took. Tristan gasped as his body shook, his release coating Dominic's hand. When Tristan’s glazed eyes rolled up, a silent thought made its way to Grif. He's good. But it wasn't as good as plowing into your sweet ass. Griff couldn't walk out on a session; he never had before. But God, how he wanted to now. Tristan's silent words caught him off guard before he slammed down a mental barrier between them. His only reaction was to close his eyes, shutting out the sight of the slave. If he didn't, he would kill him. "Clean my hand, slave." The sound of restraints being undone followed Dominic’s words. "You're free to go. Return to your room, Tristan. You did very well." "Yes, Master. Thank you, Master." As he opened his eyes, Grif felt relieved that Dominic wasn't going to keep the session going on any longer. He met the hateful look Tristan directed at him with an expression of stone before the lines of it eased to glance over at his friend. Dominic stood and fastened his pants. "Yes, I think he'll do fine," he said with a grin. Grif smiled, forcing the gesture to appear normal. "You enjoyed him, I take it?" Why was he saying this shit? It only aggravated his own problem. He didn't want to hear in words that Dominic had. Grif had already seen it for himself. "Oh yes," Dominic said as he set the scissors down on the table behind Grif. He looked down then and grimaced. "How did that get there?" He ran his finger over a spot 12
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of dried blood and gave it a quizzical look. "I accidentally cut myself on an exposed piece of the metal, Dominic. You might want to get that edge sanded down." "Shit, I'm sorry, love. I thought I had gotten all the rough edges. I'll send Egbert down to take a look at it in a bit." Dominic looked back up at Grif. "You up for a drink?" "Only if I can drink it from a drunk mortal," Grif chuckled as he started towards the door. "Shall we head back to the library?" "What about a vampire?" Dominic said under his breath. Grif turned his head to look at Dominic over his shoulder. "Is that an offer?" Dominic stilled abruptly and stared at him. "I didn't think you heard me," he said quietly. He remained quiet for a few seconds before he continued walking behind him, answering Grif's question. "It is an offer, should you want it." When they entered the library, Grif turned to face him. For a moment, he was unable to hide the need he felt for Dominic, but it'd been a long time since it'd shown itself. The pain and hurt inside him lingered and wouldn't go away. Veiling it behind a blink of his eyes, he nodded. "Maybe you should make inroads into that bottle of brandy to get you started." Smiling, he turned away to settle back on the couch. Dominic smiled and went over to the wet bar. He picked up the bottle and began drinking the brandy straight out of it. He sat down on the couch across from Grif, twisting so he could face him. He tipped the bottle up again, swallowing large amounts in rapid succession. When he finally set the bottle down, it was empty. "Thank God we don't have to worry about alcohol poisoning," he said. Grif half sprawled against the cushions and watched. None of this surprised him. The other vampire had been there for him every time, and now was no different. Even though Dominic might not understand what he gave to Grif, Grif sure as hell knew. A quiet, grateful look held Dominic for a long moment. "I can always share afterwards. If you need a good binge." Dominic crooked his finger, beckoning Grif to him. His head tipped to the side, baring his throat in invitation. "Drink, love. It will help." His smile was warm as he added, "And I just might take you up on that." As his gaze lowered to the line of Dominic's neck, a surge of hunger rolled through Grif. He moved from his position, folding his legs under him to crawl across the couch. Once he was close enough, his head immediately nudged against Dominic's throat before his fangs dropped to pierce the skin. A gasp escaped Dominic and his hand slid through Grif's hair to hold him. I am always here, love. Whenever you need me, even if it is only to do this. Grif's mouth caught the first spurt of the heavily-flavored blood, then tightened to take more after he swallowed. I need you again, my friend. I'm so sorry. He wasn't sure if he was apologizing for this, for not telling him about Tristan, or what. As he took Dominic's blood, it was absorbed into his system and sent that immediate rush through him. After healing the holes from his fangs, Grif drew back, and the alcohol had already taken effect. "Never apologize, Grif," Dominic said as he stroked a fingertip down Grif's cheek. "In the words of mortals, you are my best friend. I would do anything for you." A smile edged across his lips. "How about that offer to share?" A decidedly hungry gleam shone in his eyes as his smile widened. Grif chuckled, letting his mind settle into the nice relaxing haze that encompassed his head. In answer, he arched his throat for Dominic as his hand lifted to brush back his own hair. A soft pulse of a growl sounded from Dominic as he leaned forward. With a light brush of his lips over Grif's neck, his fangs dropped, piercing into the tender flesh. He 13
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gripped the back of Grif's head gently as he drank. Grif remained still, letting Dominic take what he wanted. Shivers of sensation teased at his senses with the pull of Dominic's mouth and he couldn't hide that. With the last swallow Dominic shuddered slightly before pulling away. He smiled softly before sitting back, licking at his lips. "Mm," he murmured. "Thank you, love." When he settled back, Grif remained beside Dominic. "Anything for you, my friend. Just as you said, Dominic."
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Three Grif had Tage stretched out on a table in the dungeon. The black leather flogger he applied to Tage's back and ass gave a medium sting with each stroke to his skin. The thudding sound and sensation kept the young man moaning, yet he lay immobile beneath the leather tails. Smiling, Grif knew the sub was in his own space. The touch of his hand caressed over the reddened skin, maintaining a physical contact between them. Such a delicious sight before my eyes, even though I fondly remember another in quite the same position so long ago. There were welts on the fair skin of Tage's thighs and ass as well, kissed by the touch of a whip earlier. Grif's head lifted, hearing the soft, silent voice, and he glanced around, looking for Dominic. Not seeing him, he realized he was probably invisible, somewhere nearby. Another? Yes, another, with raven hair and piercing, pleading eyes. His cries of pleasure and pain were music to my ears...and still are. You are playing with me again, and in a way I don't understand, Dominic. The focus of Grif's thoughts stayed with his sub, even as he mentally addressed the vampire Master. He brushed the ends of the tail slowly over his toy's skin, watching the reactive shiver. Lifting the flogger, several flicks of his wrist applied it once again to the cheeks of Tage's ass more lightly. Taking the time to use it as a soft caress, he slowly toned down the intensity of the flogging. Finally laying the flogger aside, his hands smoothed gently over the marked skin, drawing a wriggling from the body beneath them. I am always toying with you, Griffith. And to hear my name on your lips is the sweetest music yet. Do you not remember? A night, so long ago; a party, and you its focus. A tongue teased at Grif's ear. And I was there. Grif shivered in reaction to both to the words and the ghosting touch. Knowing exactly what Dominic was referring to, he pretended not to understand. What party? What night? "You're doing extremely well, Tage," he whispered to his slave, the soft touch of his lips brushing the shell of Tage's ear. As Grif moved to the back of the table, the young mortal slid off down, placing his feet on the ground. Come now, love. Do not play coy with me. Your body remembers the hiss of the whip, the touch of a Master. As Tage's legs parted, Grif dipped his fingers into a small bowl of gel on a tray. His other hand lightly smoothed over Tage's back as he slid two fingers slowly into the sub's tight hole. With those words that seemed to caress to his senses, Grif's body shivered in betrayal of the arousal they brought to him. He remembered too well, and had to submerge the very thing that wanted it. You saw me, didn't you? When? A soft intake of breath sounded near Grif's ear as his fingers slid deeper inside his sub's body. It was long ago. Dominic's whispers paused for a moment. To feel that myself. Tage ground tightly back against Grif's hand as his fingers expertly manipulated within him, and a pained groan of need escaped him. Withdrawing his fingers, Grif wiped them on a cloth. Abruptly he undid his pants, needing to get away from the incessant whispers. The material slid downward and he stepped out of them. Without pausing, he positioned his cock against the crack of his slave's ass and pushed hard into him. The
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tight flesh scattered his thoughts, but within was the desire that it be Dominic. Yes, Dominic purred softly. Open him, Grif. Open him and lose yourself within him. Remaining unseen, Dominic slid his tongue along the curve of Grif's neck, nipping at him but not biting. Then he stilled. You wish him to be me? he whispered, blowing a soft, heated breath over Grif's skin. The low purr through his mind brought a shudder to Grif's body, the thrust of his hips rapidly driving him into the willing slave. As the fast tension tightened his body, he no longer felt sure if he wanted Tage to be Dominic, or if he wanted the vampire Master to do this to him. The slow quiver of his body became harder as he came. His mind cried out with the pleasure rolling through him. A soft growl escaped Dominic with Grif's climax. He nipped Grif's neck just enough to taste the sweetness of his release within his blood. To touch you, he purred in Grif's mind. Would be the sweetest release. "Master, please." The panting whisper from Tage reached Grif through that fog as his body leaned slightly back, trying to feel Dominic's behind him. Slowly Grif pulled out of Tage and placed a light slap of his hand to Tage's ass, giving him permission to reposition himself. Tage quickly turned to face him and shimmied back to sit on the table. Without a word, Grif leaned over and his mouth tightly enveloped the thick cock, his tongue teasing at the slit, tasting. A whimper came from Tage as he placed his hands behind him on the table for support. Dominic slid his hand slowly up Grif's spine and leaned forward, pressing against Grif's body. The hard ridge of his cock, encased in the leather of his pants, nestled along the crack of Grif's ass. Swallow him, Grif. I want to hear him cry out... "Master, I need to...please, Master, let me come." The quick, hard suction of Grif's mouth slid Tage's cock deeper, touching the back of his throat. His backside pressed harder to the feel of the cock digging into him as his lips and tongue worked quickly over Tage. Come for me, Tage. Grif's silky touch to Tage's mind caused the slave's body to shake as he came. Grif eagerly swallowed the taste filling his mouth. Dominic's voice echoed in Grif's mind and he ground himself hard against Grif's ass. Yes... The murmur of approval and the shuddering of Dominic's unseen form hinted at his own fight for control. After licking Tage clean, Grif straightened but remained nestled back against Dominic, feeling the shifting movement of his friend's invisible body. Smiling, Grif said, "Go upstairs, Tage. I'll be with you later." Sliding from the table, Tage nodded to him before moving for the door. Once he was gone, Grif closed his eyes, far too aware of Dominic behind him."You can come out now," Grif said quietly as he remained still. Dominic came into view and slipped an arm around Grif's waist, jerking him hard back against him as his other hand drifted up to toy with the ring in Grif's nipple. He nipped at Grif's neck as a soft growl vibrated from deep within his throat for something far different than blood. Grif tried to still the trembling of his body as he found himself held tightly against Dominic. The touch to his nipple ring shot some of his control all to hell as his head tilted with the scrape of Dominic's teeth. Dominic flicked the tip of his tongue over Grif's flesh, but he did not bite. "I do not want your blood, love." His other hand slid up to cup Grif's chin, turning his head slightly. He lifted his head and licked Grif's lips. "I want you." "I told you, Dominic. I will only go to your bed as your equal. Not in this setting," Grif said as a harder determination settled over his features. 16
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Dominic chuckled softly near Grif's ear. "I want to hear your pleas when I've taken you to the edge," he murmured softly. His hand drifted slowly down Grif's stomach as he spoke. "I want to see the plea in your eyes when orgasm becomes a need." The seductively sweet words held Grif spellbound and they called to something deeper within him. His hand covered the one at his stomach to still the movement. "It's not something I will do anymore, Dominic." There was hesitation within the words, and the determination Grif had was more will over want. Dominic flicked out his tongue to touch the tip to the curve of Grif's ear before pulling away. He walked around Grif to stop in front of one of the tables. Picking up the cat-o-nine-tails, he draped the leather strips over his hand, letting them slip over his palm as he spoke. "Leather makes such a sweet sound on bare flesh. The caress settles into your body seconds before the sting of delicious pain." Trying to still the shiver that wanted out with the deliberate teasing, Grif leaned over and picked up his pants. As he slipped them back on, he caught sight of the leather tails over Dom's hand. The shiver he had subdued found its way out. "I know it does." He seriously tried not to let Dominic's words and actions affect him. Dominic walked slowly over to him, moving behind him once more. He draped the leather tails of the whip over Grif's bare shoulder and the ends caressed softly over his nipple. "Such sweet torment," he whispered. "Setting you free, able only to feel the whip's kiss." Grif knew exactly what Dominic was trying to do, and he tried his best not to show a reaction. The feel of the leather to his skin did bring back memories because he had enjoyed that end of a whip at one time. "Since you've obviously seen me at least once, you know very well I enjoyed it before." "Yes," Dominic murmured as he pulled the whip slowly over Grif's shoulder, letting it brush the bare flesh of his back. "And there is a part of you that still enjoys it. There is a part of you, deep inside, that longs to feel that once more." It had always been almost amazingly easy for Grif to enter that state so highly prized beneath the kiss of the whip, and he'd never forgotten how that felt. No matter how many times he tried. Closing his eyes, a more visible shiver betrayed him with the teasing promise of the leather. The tense flexing of the muscles beneath the strips was an involuntary reaction. "Not for a very long time, Dominic." The leather tails slid up Grif's spine and over his shoulder once again. Dominic brushed Grif's hair away from the side of his neck and slowly drew the whip across his skin. "It calls to you still, Grif. Promises of pleasure beyond imagining, promises of sweet pain." "It's been so long." The words were no more than a whisper and the minute shift of Grif's body tried to follow the caress, wanting its touch. When he opened his eyes, he turned his head to look at Dominic. The look in his eyes made it clear he was already intrigued, and he knew just how damn good Dominic was with the whip. With only a gentle bit of pressure, Dominic slid his hand down Grif's spine, bending him slowly over the table. The tails of the whip followed behind his hand, leaving a tiny tingle of sensation in their wake as they caressed Grif's bare skin. Leaning against the table, Grif trembled as he felt the slow slide of Dominic's hand and the leather. "Just feel..." Dominic drew the whip up Grif's back, the tails splaying out, leaving no inch of his flesh untouched. Drawing in a quick breath, Grif tried to arch into that touch, unable to still the action. "Undress for me, love. Only the whip will touch you." Grif's fingers trembled as he straightened slightly, reaching for the fastening of his pants. Without even questioning Dominic's words, he let the pants fall and he stepped to the side. He wanted very much to feel the thing that he still remembered, yet hadn't felt in so long. 17
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"Lie down on your stomach." Dominic moved to the side, offering a hand should Grif need it. His smile was warm and genuine. Grif trusted him enough to take hold of that hand as he moved to the end of the table. Stretching out, he laid down on it and turned his head in Dominic's direction to watch him silently. A quiver of nervous anticipation ran through his body. "Trust in me," Dominic said. "If I start to go too far, you know the safe word: apple. Do not hesitate to use it if you need to. Only the whip will touch you." Beginning at his shoulders, the tails of the whip slipped slowly down Grif's body. They caressed over his shoulders and down his spine, stopping at his waist. "I'll use it if I need to. Use your hand. I'll need your hand." He'd always needed touch to give him an anchor while he was being whipped. It had been an important part of things for him. As he felt the light drift to his skin, Grif closed his eyes. With pinpoint accuracy, his senses followed the touch. "Then I will do that." The whip trailed slowly down his left leg, from his hip to the arch of his foot. A few moments later, it slid down his right leg, softly caressing the bare skin. Grif could feel his skin becoming sensitized to the slow trails over him. The only movement he made was raising his arms over his head. After that, he completely stilled. Part of him took in a stronger awareness of Dominic and connected to that. Dominic pulled the whip away slowly once it reached Grif's foot. A few moments passed and Grif felt the first kiss. The tails snapped from Dominic's hand to lick at the back of Grif's right thigh, leaving a series of pale red lines. The tingling of that hit warmed Grif's skin slightly and traced through him straight to his brain. In reaction, he spread his legs slightly before resettling again. He focused himself slowly on waiting for the next hit and taking the pleasure from the strike itself. Dominic's fingers played softly over the reddened skin, soothing the heat with a cool, gentle touch. A few moments later, the tails snapped across Grif's right buttock, licking into his flesh. Dominic smoothed his palm over the area a few seconds later. A soft hiss sounded from Grif with the sting and the careful touch. Part of his mind centered on the kiss of the whip, following the outward blossoming of it over his skin. Dominic moved quietly to the other side of the table, drawing the tails of the whip over first one leg then the other. A moment later, the tails snapped just a bit harder across Grif's upper thigh. The cool caress of Dominic's hand followed shortly after, soothing the reddened flesh once more. A soft whimper came from Grif with the sharper strike. His muscles tensed as his hips arced upward slightly from the table. Reaching his hands higher, his fingers gripped lightly to the edge of the table. Dominic shifted position and stood near Grif's head before he snapped the whip across Grif's left buttock. The angle allowed the tips of the tails to touch against Grif's balls with the stronger snap. The sound emerging from Grif took on a pained echo as the pain rippled over his skin and his mind tracked it. The sensation itself quickly blossomed from pain to something else altogether, luring his mind into it. His body remained partly arched, wanting more of that touch. Dominic moved just enough for the next stroke. The whip quickly snapped across the crease where Grif's thigh met his buttock. The ends of the tails snapped lightly against his balls with the stroke. Dominic slipped his fingers slowly along the crease, soothing the skin. His fingertips brushed the soft skin of Grif's balls before pulling away. Grif trembled slightly, reacting to the painful sting of the leather and the soft caress of that hand. The pain and touch connected him to Dominic, and Grif slipped inside the burn that sent skittering heat through him. Dominic's thoughts settled into Grif's mind, allowing Grif to share his joy. Having seen how Grif reacted to slow administrations of a whip, Dominic smiled 18
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and drew the whip away. A few seconds later, a series of five sharp, quick snaps connected with the tender flesh of Grif's other thigh, each one increasing in sharpness. As he watched, Dominic noted through the first of the hits how Grif's body maintained that slight arch. As each successive one got harder, a visible relaxation took place, leaving Grif's body almost limp on the table. Not once did Grif move. His mind was within the pain itself. He knew it hurt, he could feel that; but before he could grasp the concept of the pain, it became a pure sense of pleasure to him. The only thing he could do was sink slowly beneath it. Dominic caressed the stinging flesh gently with his fingers before drawing them back. Seconds later, another five snaps landed low on Grif's ass, covering both buttocks with sharp, intense snaps. Not even those blows made him move. None of his muscles tensed as his eyes remained tightly closed. Within himself, he floated along the stream of sensations caused by the pain that flooded his body. The only thing Dominic noticed about Grif, other than complete stillness, was the expression of calm bliss crossing his features. He knew Grif was deeply inside his own space. As he moved around the table, he let the tails fall where they may to softly caress the vampire's heated, reddened flesh. When he reached the other side of Grif's head, he leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to his hair. We must be wary of too much, too soon. Would you like me to leave now? The silent question was an honest one, as he did not want to disturb Grif from the warmth of his space. He placed the whip on the counter behind him and turned back around. He smoothed his fingers slowly over the last of the red marks on Grif's ass. Grif heard Dominic as if from a great distance, but it wasn't until the question touched his thoughts that a faint panic stirred. No, don't leave. He needed the calm, grounding touches to help him come down slowly so that he wouldn't come crashing down from this. It was always why touch was so important to him. He could feel the heated warmth of his skin and each sting that still spread outward over him. "As you wish, love." Dominic continued to caress Grif's body softly, the touch of his hands sending a soothing coolness to the heated flesh. His fingers traveled slowly over every mark, tracing the lines gently. Grif felt acutely aware of those hands drifting over him, helping him start to surface from the state he'd been put into by Dominic. Underneath the Master's hands, his body started to slowly stir in faint movements. It wasn't until several moments had passed that he actually shifted from his position. He rolled onto his side to face Dominic and scooted closer to him. Each motion sent a bit of pain echoing from his backside. "Do you want me to hold you?" Grif tried to curl himself around Dominic, needing the contact after what he'd been through. "Yes." "Come here. Please." Dominic sat down on an exposed bit of the table and opened his arms. The look in his eyes told Grif that he wanted nothing more than to hold him at that point. It took no more than that to have Grif scrambling up on the table and into Dominic's lap. He still felt extremely sensitive and any other loud or bright stimulation would startle him for a while. Curling himself against Dominic, he laid his head on Dominic's shoulder, reconnecting slowly to the world outside of himself. Dominic circled his arms around Grif, holding him. He leaned his head down to rest gently against Grif's, his cheek brushing Grif's hair. He held Grif close, enveloping him within a sense of safety. *** Heading out of the bathroom, Grif's hair and body were still damp from his shower. Standing in front of his mirror, he had his back to it as he unwrapped the towel from 19
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around his waist. The sight of the bright red strips across his pale skin made him shudder slightly. He'd always loved to see that. "Well, now, isn't that an interesting sight." The words and sound of Tristan’s voice grated over Grif's nerves, startling him. Hurriedly, he fastened the towel around his waist. "Oh, please don't hide them on my account," Tristan said without moving from where he stood, leaning up against the doorframe. Grif simply stared at him with a raised brow. "What do you want, Tristan?" "To look." The answer was accompanied with a shrug of Tristan's shoulders. "So, you finally got that sweet ass whipped raw again. Bet you loved that." "And what would it matter to you?" Grif moved towards the wardrobe to select his outfit, trying to ignore Tristan. A dark laugh came from the slave. "I remember seeing that smooth, round ass getting whipped before. I always wanted to be the one to do that, to pop that ass with a whip." Eyeing him, Grif smirked. "You wouldn't know how to handle it." "Oh, yes. I heard Dominic's pretty good with a whip. But so was Quinn. He could make your ass look like a fucking cherry and you loved every second of it. Doesn't look like Dominic's quite that good, though." The smirk on Grif's lips widened. Quinn had a habit of taking it too far at times when Grif really had been in a place he couldn't protest. Unfortunately, Grif hadn't recognized those small warning signs. "Oh, now there you're wrong. Dominic is far better than Quinn could have ever hoped to be." "I seriously doubt that. Who do you think taught me?" Tristan eyed him intently, a twisted smile settling on his lips. "Besides, you just want Dominic's cock up your ass." The smile widened. "And let me tell you, his cock is good. Feels fucking great. But then you wouldn't know, would you?" A low growl sounded from Grif's throat as he scowled at Tristan. The words about Dominic definitely struck a nerve. "Nothing about Dominic and me concerns you at all, Tristan." "Ah," Tristan said with a nod. "But that's just it, Grif. There is nothing between you, no matter how much you wish there was." "Keep at it, and you're going to push your way on out of here." Grif knew sooner or later the bastard would fuck up, and he'd be right there to shove his ass out the door. "Oh, looks like I've touched a nerve," Tristan shot back. "And to think, I am the one he chose as a sub. Not you. Pity." "Because I choose to be a Master." Shaking his head, Grif fell silent, not bothering to explain anything to Tristan. "Whatever your little imagination wants to concoct, though, go right ahead and believe." "The proof is glaringly obvious. He doesn't want you." "You're reaching." Pausing for a moment, Grif eyed him with more than a touch of curiosity. "Why would that be?" "Because he prefers me. I give him a challenge. You and that pathetic little shit, Jason, are too fucking compliant. No Master in his right mind would want someone like that. A good Master wants a challenge, someone who won't bend over, spread his ass open, and say 'use me.'" Another brow went up as Grif chuckled. "As I recall, isn't that what you did the other night, Tristan? And whimpered too, I believe." "Kinda hard to resist when there's a cock shoved up your ass. As you would well know, having at least...what...five of them shoved up yours in one night?" Grif's features froze as he stared back at Tristan. A sudden tension sprang up, visible 20
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across his muscles. Even though he knew the bastard was deliberately trying to get to him, he couldn't help but react. "I think you must have forgotten how to count." "Oh, did I? I was too busy plowing your ass to bother really counting. You were screaming good, though, so it must have been fun." In a blur, Grif was in front of him, his fingers wrapping to Tristan's throat. "Yes, I remember very well, Tristan, and I still owe you for that." He had to grit his teeth to keep from saying anything more. Tristan's eyes widened for a moment, then narrowed as he pried Grif's hand off of his neck and glared at him. "What, you mean I get that ass all to myself then?" "You aren't getting shit, bastard, except what you deserve," Grif growled. "And we all know, you are not a good little boy." "Apparently neither were you," Tristan said as he reached around, delivering a sound smack to Grif's towel-covered ass before backing out into the hallway. A pained cry escaped Grif with that sudden, unexpected slap across his raw ass. Growling at Tristan, his hands clenched into fists at his sides as he watched him closely. "I will have that ass again." Tristan turned and started walking away. The sound of Grif's laughter echoed in the room, mocking Tristan. He forced himself to do so as if making fun of him. A tug of his hand let the towel fall to the floor before he moved towards the dresser.
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Four Moving down the hall, Grif was lost in thought with everything that had been happening. Sighing quietly to himself, he paused in front of the door of his bedroom before opening it. Suddenly, a body pressed up against him, preventing him from backing up. With a hand on either side of the doorframe, the one behind him brushed his lips across Grif's ear. "Such a sweet, hot ass you have. Makes me want to shove my cock inside you and split you in two." Grif froze, unable to react. A second later, he quickly stepped forward to get away from him. "You son of bitch." He whirled around angrily. "Oh, feisty." Tristan licked his lips. "You're not as compliant and sweet as you used to be. I like it." He advanced on Grif slowly, obviously enjoying the challenge. Given that Tristan was the eldest by far of the two of them, Grif eyed him warily. If he backed up, it would be seen as fear. If he stood his ground, he knew the other vampire wouldn't stop. Snarling, he growled in warning as he refused to back down. A dark laugh sounded from Tristan and he moved a step closer. "How about we see if you growl like that when you're getting fucked?" A smile began to spread across his lips. "You like it, don't you, pet?" Grif still didn't back up as Tristan advanced. He could feel the anger flare inside and the low warning remained a steady sound. "You and Quinn were both deluded." "Oh no, pet," Tristan purred. "We know you like it. We know you loved having several cocks shoved up your ass, one after another. Such sweet screams." "I never wanted any of it and Quinn knew it. He went against everything I told him not to do to me." Grif took the last few steps towards Tristan and curled his hand around Tristan's arm tightly. "Get that through your fucking head." Tristan's gaze dropped to where Grif's hand encircled his arm and back up to him. Within seconds he had Grif caught between the nearest wall and his body. Grif completely stiffened in shock as Tristan pressed a hard kiss to his lips before pulling back. "You fucking loved it, you little slut." Have you seen Trist, love? Before Grif could react, Dominic's mental question reached him. His hands connected to Tristan's chest, shoving him away. He spat out the words as he wiped his hand against his mouth. "Dominic is looking for you." The bastard smirked at him and said, "We'll continue this later, pet." He turned and left the room, throwing another twisted grin to Grif before disappearing out of sight. Grif shut the door before moving towards the armoire to pick out his clothes for the evening out. He didn't want to focus on the annoying presence that kept creeping back into his thoughts. Pulling a pair of leather pants and a black shirt out, he headed to the bed, laying out the clothes. Stripping out of his shorts and T-shirt, he slipped the shirt on and buttoned it up. After grabbing a black tie from his dresser, he slipped it on and tied the knot. A sigh escaped him, finding it hard not to focus on his problem at hand. Tristan was a thorn in his side, and getting worse. He knew he should have said something when he'd first seen him in the library. The longer he waited, the more chance there was Dominic would get more deeply involved with Tristan. If he were mortal, he'd have a headache. Sliding on the pants, he tucked the shirt in and fastened the tight pants.
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When it came to his emotions, he had a hard time controlling the surges of jealousy brought out with the thought of Dominic and Tristan. He'd already admitted that he wanted Dominic for himself; he couldn't deny what he knew to be the truth. It hurt knowing how much he did love Dominic, but he could say nothing about it. Turning back to the dresser, he ran the comb through his hair as he eyed himself in the mirror. The pale face looking back at him had a tight expression, reflecting the pain he felt. It just wouldn't do to show that. Sighing again, he deliberately forced his muscles to relax from the tension brought about by Tristan. Once he felt satisfied that he looked presentable, he turned towards the door. *** Jason shuddered, although whether it was from the slight chill of the room or the touch of his Master, was unclear. His blond hair hung down over his eyes, but a gentle brush of his Master's fingers revealed heavy-lidded blue eyes, hazy with need. Dominic smiled and stroked Jason's cheek softly. "Tell me what I should do with a slave who has been caught pleasuring himself without permission." The young man whimpered softly, lifting a pleading gaze to Dominic. "Punish me, Master," he whispered. Dominic's smile widened and he slipped his fingers under Jason's chin, tilting his head further back. "Yes, I do believe you are correct." He sat down in the chair beside the sub and patted his leg. "Come." Obediently, Jason crawled on hands and knees towards his Master, his gaze never leaving Dominic's. He stood slowly and draped himself over Dominic's lap. With a slight brush of Dominic's hand, Jason's legs parted, revealing perfectly smooth skin. Dominic's fingers danced slow circles over the young man's ass before pulling back. "Count for me, Jason." Seconds later, Dominic's palm connected with that bare ass. Jason shuddered and said, "One, Master." Settled in the chair nearby, Grif tipped his head back against the back of the chair. His eyes were half open as he watched Dominic play with his toy. Tage remained curled to his leg as Grif's hand lazily brushed through the sub's auburn curls. The movement of Dominic's hand drew Grif's gaze. He followed the arc and the strike to firm flesh. The subtle twinge that stirred in him, seeing the punishment, didn't show at all. When Tage stirred restlessly against him, a small tightening within his hair stilled him. Grif's gaze drifted between watching the punishment and watching Dominic's face. By the time all ten spanks had been administered, Jason's bottom was red and it was obvious he was struggling not to squirm as Dominic's fingers traced each red mark. "Perhaps next time you will remember not to touch yourself without permission," Dominic said sternly. "Yes, Master," Jason responded breathlessly. "Please, Master. Can I please touch you?" Dominic helped Jason to sit up, then pushed him gently to his knees between his legs. "Yes, Jason. You did well with your punishment. You may pleasure me." He leaned back in the chair and threaded his fingers slowly through Jason's golden hair, pulling the sub's face towards the bulge in his leather pants. Jason obediently unfastened the pants and a small intake of breath could be heard as Dominic's cock sprang free. Jason’s gasp added a curl of a smile to Grif's lips, and the sight of that cock pulled his gaze downward. Tage maintained his proper position, though he looked up, pleading to his Master as if asking for the same. Slightly shaking his head, Grif returned to watching the other two. Dominic shifted his gaze the slightest bit and settled it on Grif. With only the briefest smile, he returned his attention to the young man before him. With a gentle 23
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pressure of his Master's hands, Jason's mouth slid down over Dominic's cock. Dominic's head fell back as his eyes closed. Grif narrowed an intense gaze on Dominic, watching the play of tension crossing his face. A soft moan of pleasure escaped Dominic's lips and he began sliding Jason's head up and down, fucking the sub's mouth with long, slow strokes. The soft sound drew an unexpected shiver from Grif before he looked downward. His own expression was unreadable as he silently watched. Jason whimpered softly around the hard flesh, but made no other sound. His hands were clasped obediently behind his back, his fingers entwined tightly together. When the muscles of Dominic's thighs twitched, he pulled Jason off of his cock. "Open your mouth, slave." The words were spoken with breathless authority. Grif remained casually relaxed back in his own chair, the half-lidded gaze never straying from the scene in front of him. Keeping a firm but gentle grip on the back of Jason's head, Dominic stood. He began stroking his cock slowly and a few seconds later, he came. Ribbons of white decorated his slave's face and landed on his tongue. When he was done, Dominic smiled down at Jason and scooped some of the semen onto his finger. He slid it into Jason's mouth and the sub sucked it hungrily. Tage licked at his lips, rapt in the sight. He had that 'been there, done that, and I want to do it again right now' look about him. Chuckling, Grif could feel that tension beneath his hand as it slipped to Tage's shoulder. Dominic pulled back and slipped his hands under Jason's arms, pulling him to his feet. He reached between their bodies and wrapped his long, slender fingers around Jason's cock. "Come for me, my sweet pet." As if the words themselves were a trigger, Jason cried out, his body shuddering in his Master's arms as he came. When Jason's breathing slowed down, Dominic drew his hand up to Jason's lips. Jason moaned softly, licking his hand clean. Grif's eyes widened slightly as he shifted restlessly, hearing those words from Dominic. When he looked back at them, he was caught in that insistent tableau that had its own call to him. "You did very well, Jason," Dominic said with a soft smile. He pressed a light kiss to his slave's lips before releasing him. "Go rest upstairs. I will be along shortly and then we'll go home." Jason bowed as he said, "Yes, Master." After fastening his pants, Dominic turned to face Grif. He flashed him a grin before moving towards the door that led out to the bar area. As Dominic moved away, a restless dissatisfaction rustled through Grif. Tightening his fingers to Tage's shoulder, he got his slave's attention. "Consider yourself free for the evening, Tage." His slave gave him somewhat of a surprised look, though he didn't question him. Tage nodded and stood up from his position. Remaining in the chair, Grif's gaze shifted to the door with a pensive look as his fingers drummed slightly against the arm. Come join me for a drink, love. The soft sound of Dominic's whisper pervaded Grif's thoughts. He struggled with his own issues, and it became worse over time. That part of him he thought he had buried surfaced too much at times for his own comfort. He wanted Dominic's attention and that left its own disturbance in its wake. Sighing quietly, he stood from the chair and made his way to the bar. "I was beginning to wonder if you were going to accept my invitation," Dominic said with a faint smile as Grif walked up. "What will you have?" He nodded towards the bar. Grif leaned against the counter and muttered, "Anything that could get me drunk 24
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would be really be good." A bit louder, he said, "A whiskey will do." Cocking an eyebrow at him, Dominic nodded at the bartender. "The same for me, please." Once the drinks were set before them, he paid the bartender and handed Grif a glass. "You look pensive this evening," he remarked as he took a slow sip. Taking the glass, Grif downed it in one gulp and set the glass back on the counter with a snap. "Must just be my mood tonight, Dominic." Dominic flinched the slightest bit. "I'll say." He finished his drink and set the glass down, turning to face Grif. "What's on your mind?" Grif tried to relax when he caught the slight wince from Dominic. "Nothing really. I guess I'm just not in my usual mood. I already freed Tage for the night, so I think I'm in the mood to just hang out." Turning to face Dominic, he smiled a bit. He wasn't the type to take his mood out on his friend. Smiling, Dominic placed a hand on Grif's shoulder, close enough to his neck to massage a bit of tension away with his fingers. "Then let's hang out. And if you feel like talking, you know I'm here." The firm touch helped Grif release that unexpected tension that had set up in him. "How about a quiet place with less...atmosphere?" "Sure. After you." Dominic waved his other hand towards the main door. He gave Grif's shoulder a gentle squeeze before releasing him. As Grif turned, heading for the exit, the sound of a scared whimper stopped him. Frowning, he looked in the direction of the sound and saw a young woman on her knees, trembling in fear. When he saw who was with her, his gaze narrowed on the man. Normally he never interfered in the goings on between the others within the club, but Neirland had tested his temper too many times before with his habits, and Grif wasn't about to let this one pass. "Please, Master, I...can't." The young woman sobbed as she tried to maintain her position and get away from the hand of a man who had grabbed her upper arm. Neirland scowled at her, his own hand quickly reaching for her other arm. "You will do as I tell you, or you will be severely punished." Grif moved in a blur of motion and before the man could grab the sub, Grif took hold of his arm, restraining him. "If the woman isn't game, Neirland, then you'd be better off letting her go." Though his words were softly spoken, a hint of steel lay beneath them. Dominic had no time to think. He rushed to Grif's side, putting himself near the girl to protect her should he have to from what was quickly turning into a nasty situation. His gaze darted between Grif and Neirland. The words Grif had spoken took the situation very quickly out of the realm of play and into what it really was. The sub was being coerced in a way that he found completely unacceptable. His grip on Neirland's arm tightened when Neirland tried to jerk his arm away. A seething anger directed at Grif left him unphased. Grif would tear this asshole a new one, and the tension in his body showed he was waiting for that chance. So did his words. "Give me a reason, Neirland. Right here and now." The tone forced the other man into backing down, but not without his own shot. "You need to stay out of what doesn't concern you, St. James." The terrified look on the woman's face didn't ease, and Dominic edged his way in front of her, crossing his arms over his chest. "Playtime is over, Neirland." "Get the fuck out of my face, or you won't be walking out of this place in one piece, Neirland." Ignoring him now, Grif turned towards the young woman who was still very much terrified at finding herself the center of attention. Glancing between them and obviously realizing he was seriously outnumbered, Neirland turned on his heel and stalked away. 25
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Dominic turned around and helped the young woman to her feet. He rested his hand gently on her shoulder. "Did he hurt you?" Trembling, she shook her head. "Not this time." A quiver shot through the words as she looked at Dominic, then Grif. With her answer, Dominic shot Grif a dark look. His jaw tightened as he clenched his teeth. Grif's expression gentled as he said, "Don't worry about him, little one. He won't be bothering you again." With a gesture of his hand, one of the nearby waiters hesitantly approached him. "Go get Malcolm." The young man nodded and quickly went to find the club's owner. Meeting Dominic's look with an unreadable blankness, Grif said nothing until Malcolm came hurrying towards them. Quietly, Grif explained the situation to him. He'd seen this happen a few times, and he had his own personal experience with it. He understood the young woman's problem. "Make sure she's taken care of until I can get Tage to take her home." Dominic remained silent, aware of a deeper understanding in his friend than Grif was showing. There's more to this than you're letting on, love. And there's absolutely no reason to think that, Dominic. Walking away from him, Grif went to search for Tage in the other room. Another sub would probably be better help to the state the poor woman was in. Taken aback by Grif's response, Dominic simply watched him walk away. He felt a tinge of regret, worried that he had broached a subject that Grif wasn't willing to talk about. A few moments later, Grif returned with Tage and Jason in tow. Dominic waited by the young woman's side, then walked away, forcing the tiny touch of hurt away. Smiling in reassurance to the young woman, Grif said, "Tage and Jason will make sure you're taken home. Is that all right with you?" He waited for her assent before he reached into his pocket, pulling out the car keys and handing them to his slave. The completely unapproachable expression remained on him as Tage, Jason, and the girl headed for the exit. It wasn't until he turned towards Dominic that Grif felt that vague air coming from his friend. Frowning, he realized his track record of lashing out had struck again. Following behind, he laid his hand on Dominic's shoulder. "How about that promised hang out time?" Dominic swallowed hard and nodded. "The offer always stands," he said casually. The look on his face was a guarded one. "What did you have in mind?" Grif felt somewhat helpless, sensing Dominic’s withdrawal. "I thought maybe some place quieter. Maybe just a walk or the library at the house." Pausing, he drew a slow breath before he continued. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to shut you out like that." Dominic stopped with his hand on the door handle. He looked down at the floor and nodded. "It's all right, love," he said quietly. "I'm sorry if I hit a nerve. Let's go home." "No, it's not all right. I'm lashing out at the only friend I have. And it's not your fault, Dominic." Grif dropped his hand from Dominic's shoulder. Dominic pulled open the door. Gripping Grif's hand, he pulled him outside, letting the door close behind them. "We've been friends for a long time, Grif," he said. He looked up at the silver moon peeking out through the clouds. "If there's something you need to talk about, you know you can come to me." Grif needed that element of their friendship to relax, and he needed to get away from the atmosphere of the club. Everything was starting to bring out more than he could deal with. He held to Dominic's hand, casting a side glance at him. "I know. You've been there for me before. It's just that some things aren't that easy to talk about, not even to somebody I know I can trust." Dominic nodded without looking at him. "I know." Their home was only a block from the club, and when they reached the front door, he fished his keys from his pocket 26
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with his other hand. He didn't want to let go of Grif; it wasn't often he got to feel so close to his friend. He pushed the door open and stood to the side. "After you." Releasing his hand, Grif slipped past him into the house. "It seems lately whenever something bothers me, I'm taking it out on you. And that's not something I mean to do, Dominic." Stilling, he added, "And I have to apologize because I think it's been bothering you as well." As Dominic closed the door, he rested his forehead against it, letting out a sigh. "The only thing that bothers me is to see you anything other than happy." Grif watched him quietly. "I think I hurt you sometimes, Dominic. And I'm not really sure why you put up with me." Dominic turned around and leaned up against the door. A rueful smile crossed over his lips. "I won't lie to you, Grif. It does hurt to be pushed away. But I put up with you because..." He trailed off, catching himself before he could say anything he might regret later. "Because you put up with me, I suppose. And I have to admit that the scenery isn't that bad either." "That's what I'm apologizing for. You, least of all, don't deserve that kind of treatment. And I don't want you to think I'm pushing you away." Grif took several steps towards him, his hand moving to rest on Dominic's arm. "The scenery is getting old and feels every mark of time every once in a while." For a brief moment, Dominic reached out, wanting to pull Grif to him, but he let his hand fall back down. "Shall we?" he said as he waved towards the library down the hall. Nodding slowly, Grif stepped back, withdrawing his hand. He'd noticed Dominic's gesture but said nothing, more believing his friend still remained withdrawn from him. Silently, he headed towards the library. Once they were inside, Dominic closed the library doors and went over to the small wet bar. "Want something to drink?" He started pouring himself some brandy and waited for Grif's response. "Just bring me a damn bottle of whiskey or whatever we've got." Grif had the sense things weren't all right between them, and it brought back the helpless feeling he'd had earlier. He sprawled out as he sat down on the couch. Dominic chuckled softly and grabbed a bottle in addition to his own glass. He turned around and stilled, nearly dropping both objects. The sight of Grif stretched out on the leather couch did damnable things to his insides. Regaining his composure, he moved to sit in the chair near the couch, shifting so he could see Grif fully. He handed him the bottle and sat back. "What's on your mind, love? Really." Simply frustrated with himself, Grif reached out, while messing his other hand through his hair as he tipped his head back against the cushion. Taking the bottle, he uncapped it and drank several healthy swigs from it. Not like it would do him any good, but he guzzled it anyway. Setting the bottle on the edge of the cushion next to him, he held onto the neck of it. "Bastards like Neirland." "I can understand that," Dominic said quietly, looking down into the pale golden liquid in his glass. He swirled it once and then finished it in one swallow. He set the glass down on the table beside him and stood. He sat down on the other end of the couch, one foot on the floor and the other on the cushion. With one arm draped over his knee, he reached out with the other, plucking the bottle out of Grif's hand. "I'm not asking you to open up to me," he said as he stared through the dark, golden brown haze in the bottle. "But will you at least tell me if I was right earlier, in that there was more to it than what you were letting on?" Grif turned his head towards Dominic. A brief flicker of a quiet desperation betrayed itself before he closed his eyes. "Yeah, you were right." What else could he say? He couldn't outright lie. 27
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Dominic leaned over and set the bottle on the floor. He slid across the couch to sit beside Grif. Slipping a hand under his chin, he turned Grif's head. "I'm here, Griffith. I always have been." It was the only way he could express the way he felt, without coming right out and saying three little words. Feeling the touch, the words spilled from Grif's lips without real thought. "You have been for a quite a while, Dominic. It bothers me to see somebody force another to do what they really don't want to do. I hate that." There was a distinct vehemence to the last words, though his voice lowered over the rest as he opened his eyes, looking at him. "It's personal to me." "It bothers me greatly too, love." Dominic leaned forward the slightest bit, then sat back, shaking his head slightly. "But just the knowledge that someone hurt you, no matter how long ago, eats away at me even worse." Sighing quietly, Grif stared at him for a long time before he spoke. "Only you would know without me even telling you." Raising his hand, he reached out to rest it on Dominic's shoulder. "And only you would offer comfort to me." Dominic refrained from telling Grif that he had much more than comfort to offer him. Instead, he slid his hand over Grif's. "I do not know the details, but I know you. The pain is there, and..." He closed his eyes then, biting his tongue to stop himself. "I only wish I could make it go away," he said quietly. Grif laughed softly. "It never really goes away. The first time someone violates your trust, it never happens again." A bitter smile twisted his lips. "Neirland would have done to that girl the same thing that was done to me. He would have let others take her against her will and rape her if they were so inclined." He'd gauged that bastard's intent the split second before he even moved on Neirland. Dominic opened his eyes then. "What?" The tone of his voice was murderous. "A Master allowed someone to rape you?" "Someone?" Shaking his head slightly, the bitter feel to Grif's smile echoed in his words. "No, it was more than just one. I didn't want it. It wasn't something I ever wanted." Shrugging slightly, he looked away from Dominic to stare upward at the ceiling. Dominic forced himself to calm down and turned Grif's head gently. "Who? Grif, I'd do anything in this world to help if I knew it would make you smile again." A great distance loomed between them, but it was only in years because Grif was in the past. Grif's voice sounded far away, even to himself. "I think I lost sense of myself after the fourth one, I remember but I don't. Maybe it was the one after him; I don't know. I just know that I couldn't feel anymore, and I was glad." Blinking rapidly, it took a moment for Dominic's question to sink in. "The only Master I ever had was Quinn. After that, I wouldn't let it happen again." Unable to speak, Dominic simply slid his arms around Grif and pulled him close. "I'm sorry," he whispered on Grif's hair. Feeling the contact broke Grif out of that state. As he was pulled closer, he rested his head to Dominic's shoulder. "I didn't mean to tell you that. It's the kind of burden that's better to keep to yourself." "No, it's not, love. That's what friends are for, to be there when you need them, whether you realize you do or not." Dominic swallowed hard, forcing murderous thoughts from his mind. "You've always been there before when I needed you, Dominic. Even when I used to get into fights. And you had to carry me home more than once." Turning his head just enough to see Dominic, Grif smiled a bit. Dominic chuckled softly, nodding as he remembered a few of those nights. "Those nights are hard to forget, love." For Dominic, taking care of Grif always proved to be 28
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harder than getting him out of the fights. Harboring a love for a close friend wasn't easy, and time had only made things harder to hide. "I remember..." His words trailed off as he turned his head, bringing their faces, and inevitably their lips, close together. He swallowed, realizing he had lost his entire train of thought then. When he was finally able to gather his wits about him, he gave Grif a rather sheepish smile. "I lost track of what I was saying," he said quietly. Grif's eyes focused completely on Dominic, being the only thing in his field of vision. He opened his mouth to say something, but then lost track himself with the odd flicker of an expression on the other vampire's face. "I didn't notice." He had to laugh as he added, "I think you blanked out on me, Dominic." "Yea," Dominic whispered. The soft curve of Grif's lips into a faint smile would have had his pulse racing if he had one. As it was, he had to shift position on the couch to hide the growing bulge in his pants. He cleared his throat and nodded. "Yes, I remember now. We were talking about your proclivity for picking fights, and my insistence on keeping you down long enough to heal." Rolling his eyes at him, Grif laughed again. "And you just have to remind me of that, don't you?" He settled into a touch more serious mood. "I do wonder at your patience with me. I really do. At least I grew out of the fighting stage. And I think it had more to do with you, and learning from you." "Me? What did I do?" Dominic asked with a laugh. The thought took his mind off of the urge to kiss Grif, and he thanked every god he knew of for small favors. "You taught me." It was rather a simple answer, but totally the truth. Once he was free of his Master, Grif had come out swinging. Shortly after that, he had become friends with Dominic. He more or less learned his own skill at domination from Dominic, though it was through observance only. Dominic cocked an eyebrow at him. "So that's why you watch me so much during a session," he mused. "And yes, I'm quite glad you grew out of the fighting bit. Anger has a way of doing that to a man, but my fighting stint died out on the battlefield. At least you didn't have to worry about dying on the wrong end of a sword." "Every little thing made me angry back then, Dominic. I think you were the only one who could handle me. And yeah, I wanted the other side of things, and I never ever wanted to make the same mistake Quinn did." Dominic slipped a finger under Grif's chin and lifted his head slightly. "You're an incredible Master, love," he whispered seconds before pressing a soft, chaste kiss to Grif's lips. Coming from him, the words meant a lot to Grif. The soft touch of Dominic's lips drew the press of his own. He really didn't feel surprised by the gesture, though he had to fight himself not to take advantage of it. Dominic pulled away the slightest bit, but found himself pressing another kiss to Grif's lips. Saying a silent prayer, he slipped his tongue out the slightest bit, taking the smallest taste. A low whimper escaped Grif before he could bite it back and his lips parted with the sound. Dominic could no longer stop himself. He opened his mouth on Grif's, his tongue darting into Grif's mouth, tasting him. A soft moan answered the sound from the other Master. This wasn't supposed to be happening, but Grif really couldn't stop himself from responding to Dominic. The low whimper became a soft groan before his mouth tightened around Dominic's tongue, drawing him into a deeper kiss. The flat of his tongue caressed beneath Dominic's in soft touches. A chill stole up Dominic's spine and he shuddered, feeling Grif's response. Stop now, a voice in his mind said. Stop now before you want more than what he's willing to give. With a soft sound of longing, he pulled slowly away from Grif's lips. He didn't want to 29
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and he felt that pain straight into his heart Grif wanted to stop Dominic from pulling away, but he didn't. A tingling of recognition ran through him when he opened his eyes, seeing Dominic's face. Remaining silent, Grif didn't know what to say for a moment as his eyes widened, almost drowning in the need he saw. Instead, he leaned towards Dominic, the open press of his lips wanting to know him again as his tongue emerged to take his own taste. A gasp escaped Dominic as he opened his mouth for Grif. With a soft moan, he let himself go, releasing the last of his resistance in their kiss. His own tongue slid across Grif's as his fingers slid through his friend's hair slowly, pulling him deeper into their kiss. I'm afraid of wanting too much. Grif hungrily accepted that kiss, and his hand slid up into Dominic's hair to insure he wouldn't pull away too soon. I'm afraid of you letting go of me. And he very much was. Keeping a firm but gentle hold on Grif, Dominic fell onto his back on the couch, pulling Grif down on top of him. I don't want to let you go. I've waited much too long for this. Grif followed him, relaxing as he settled his weight on Dominic. He refused to relinquish their kiss, his tongue twirling around Dominic's in slow circles. The traces of his thoughts were ones of mixed need, confusion and desire that he couldn't control, and he wasn't sure he really wanted to anyway. Lost within their kiss, Dominic was only vaguely aware of his own body betraying him. He shifted restlessly without breaking their kiss, part of him hoping Grif wouldn't notice the hardness pressed against him. As long as he kept kissing Grif, he could stop himself from moving things beyond that point. Finally, Grif slowly drew back to take a slow, unneeded breath. His eyes remained closed as he rested his forehead to Dominic's. "Dear God," Dominic whispered. "What did we just do?" He moved his hands down to slide around Grif's waist, not wanting him to move. "I don't know," Grif whispered back to him. "But I don't want you to let go of me." Lowering his head, he tried to tuck in against Dominic. He wasn't taking everything in just yet since he was more focused on the last action between them. Dominic shook his head slowly, still dazed at what happened. "Never." Grif seemed to almost want to crawl into him as he tried to bury himself in against Dominic. "Please, just hold me." That's all he really wanted, and he couldn't think beyond the safety of that. Shifting, Dominic rolled them both onto their sides and drew Grif up against him. With one arm draped over Grif's waist and the other cradling under his neck, Dominic brushed his cheek over his friend's hair softly. "Then that is exactly what I'll do, love." Feeling the back of the couch behind him and Dominic nestled tightly to him, Grif relaxed completely in that harbor. It felt as if he were protected on all sides. Murmuring softly to Dominic, it really wasn't a coherent sound as he drifted quietly within the feeling that came over him. For now, he really did need this to help him heal.
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Five Dominic was sitting at his desk with a bottle of brandy beside him when Grif walked silently towards the desk and settled in the chair across from Dominic. He didn't say anything to interrupt him and waited patiently for his attention. Dominic looked up after a brief moment and cocked his head to the side. "You okay?" Given what he wanted to talk to the other Master about, Grif should have been nervous, but he wasn't. Smiling a bit, he said, "I'm fine. I'm not interrupting something important, am I?" "Not at all," Dominic said as he turned off the monitor. He sat back in his chair and linked his fingers together in front of his chest. "What's up, love?" "I wanted to talk to you about having a session with me." Dominic blinked several times, as if unsure if he had heard Grif right. "Another whipping session? I'd be more than happy to." "If that's what you want to do, Dominic. I call an open session that would include whatever you want to do, except for my own hard limits," Grif said quietly as he continued holding his friend's gaze. Dominic remained silent for a moment. When he finally spoke, there was a distinct note of surprise to it. "I would love nothing more than to have an open session with you, Grif. Are you certain that's what you want?" He stood and walked around his desk to sit on the edge, assuming his usual position when interviewing possible subs. "Because if it is, I'd love to do it." "As long as I'm not raped, tied up, and nobody else touches me, you're free to do what you want." Griff was aware he was giving Dominic a great deal of power over him in this, and he felt that momentary qualm that didn't want to trust. Swallowing it back, he looked up at Dominic. Dominic smiled and reached down to take Grif's hand in his. He pulled Grif to his feet and positioned him between his legs. "You know I would never do anything to hurt you, Grif. And truth be told, I'm not sure I could ever handle anyone but Tage laying a finger on you. Guess you can say I'm overprotective." He slid a hand up to grip Grif's chin and pulled him in for a soft kiss. "If this is truly what you want, then lead the way to the dungeon. I am still Dominic and you are still Grif. No titles; only pleasure." Grif smiled. He had his own demons to lay to rest. With Tristan showing up as he had, Grif realized those demons controlled him a lot more than he wanted them to. A hint of nervousness did betray itself with the hesitant return kiss. Nodding, he drew away from Dominic to turn and head out of the room to the downstairs dungeon. Clad only in a pair of loose black, cotton pants, he'd dressed with this idea in mind. As soon as the dungeon door was closed and locked, Dominic's demeanor slipped easily into the role. He stepped back and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest, a soft but hungry smile on his lips. "Undress for me." Although the tone was soft, the words were clearly a command. Grif turned to face him as he untied the cord of his pants before sliding them down over his hips. As he bent slightly over, he tugged them off his feet and laid them on a nearby chair. It took a lot for him to do this, but he was very determined to overcome things.
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Dominic stood still for a minute, his smile never wavering as he took in the sight before him. He finally pushed away from the wall and stepped up to Grif. With a gentle touch of his hand, he tilted Grif's head up slightly to look into his eyes. "So beautiful," he whispered. "Lie down on the table, on your stomach. And remember that I'm always here." With the touch of Dominic's hand, Grif met his gaze. An almost bewildering array of emotions flared through him before he pulled away from Dominic to do as he was told. As he leaned over the table, he shimmied into place on his stomach. Resting his cheek to the padded surface, he watched Dominic with faintly widened eyes. Dominic walked over to one of the tables and picked up the flogger. He turned back to Grif and leaned down to kiss his ear and whisper, "Remember: it's me." He straightened and dragged the flogger over Grif's shoulders slowly, letting the leather tails fall where they may. "I know. I'm clinging to that very fact, Dominic." Grif continuously reminded himself that they’d had a play session before. This one was a little different because he would allow whatever Dominic wanted. The trail of the leather sent a small shiver through him with its touch. The tails continued their downward slide over Grif's spine. When they reached his ass, Dominic pulled the flogger down, then back up, letting the tails settle between Grif's buttocks. "Spread your legs for me." Dominic's other hand retraced the path the flogger's tails had made, smoothing over Grif's back gently. The already familiar touch had the power to relax Grif as he felt each slide against his skin. Shifting his body, his legs parted for Dominic as he closed his eyes, centering on what was happening. The tails of the flogger settled farther between his buttocks, the soft leather caressing his hole as the tails slid over his ass. Grif shuddered slightly in reaction to the feel of the leather. Dominic pulled the flogger away and smoothed his hand over Grif's skin lightly, the barest tip of his finger touching to Grif's entrance before pulling away. Grif's hips instinctively tried to move with the brush of Dominic's finger. A few seconds later, the slight sting of leather heightened the response coiled tightly in Grif, drawing a low moan from him. Dominic smoothed his hand gently over the reddened skin, the coolness of his touch helping to alleviate the burn. When he pulled his hand away, he snapped the whip over Grif's left thigh, then quickly followed by a snap to his right thigh. He slid his hand over first one leg, then the other, as he pulled the whip away. The barest movement of Grif's body stirred with each snap and its tingling sensation of light pain. When Dominic touched him each time, the motion stilled, leaving Grif focused on the fading sting and gentle feel of his hand. Dominic slid his hand slowly over Grif's ass, slipping his fingers down between his buttocks and brushing them softly over his hole. Seconds after he pulled his hand away, a series of six sharp snaps connected with Grif's flesh, landing along the crease where his thigh met his buttock. Grif's legs tried to part slightly more with the teasing sensation, and a shudder rolled him with the successive strikes that sent more pain skittering over his nerves. His fingers curled to the edge of the table as he whispered to Dominic, "More. Please, give me more." In answer to Grif's plea, six more strikes snapped across his ass and thighs, each one sharper than the one before it. Dominic soothed Grif's skin before snapping a third set of quick, sharp strikes over Grif's ass. With each hit, the pain itself singed along Grif's skin, the pleasure of it amplified and sinking into his body. The only movement this time was when he felt Dominic's hand. He tried to arch to him, needing that connective touch. Dominic rubbed Grif's ass softly as he set the flogger down. Then he leaned down and whispered, "Turn over onto your back, love." 32
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Obediently, Grif quickly rolled over and stretched out on the table on his back. Opening his eyes, he looked up at Dominic. He'd relaxed considerably more than when he first set foot in the dungeon. Dominic smiled and leaned down, brushing a soft kiss to his lips. He then straightened back up and caressed his fingertips over Grif's chest, flicking his nipple ring before moving his hand lower. Grif's gaze never left Dominic, needing the reassurance of sight. A slight trembling betrayed itself with the flick to the metal ring. He wanted to reach up and touch the other Master, but he stilled the urge, letting Dominic play with him instead. "I've always loved to watch you work, Dominic." Grif's voice was no more than a soft whisper. "And I've wanted to know how it would feel to be in your hands." Without breaking eye contact, Dominic slid his hand over Grif's stomach. He slid his thumb over the head of Grif's cock before tracing a line down the hard length of the shaft. "And are you enjoying yourself, love?" he whispered. A soft moan escaped Grif the moment his cock was touched. That shivering ache pulsated through him and flickered into a heated gaze. "God, yes, and I keep wanting more from you." "And what do you want?" Dominic purred softly as his hand slid slowly over Grif's balls. With a touch to the inside of each thigh, he made it clear he wanted Grif to spread his legs more. Grif moved immediately, letting his legs open even further. The angle of his body left him vulnerable and exposed to Dominic, and he was acutely aware of that on a physical and mental level. It made him more openly honest. "I want you to keep touching me and let me feel for as long as I can." Dominic smiled and drew his fingers over Grif's thigh. He slid his fingers across Grif's stomach and back up to his nipple. He tugged on the ring before twisting it slightly. With his other hand he reached over Grif and picked up a set of small clamps. As he licked Grif's lips, he placed a clamp on first one nipple, then the other. Grif's body was already very reactive to Dominic's lightest touch and he remained in that state. The pinch of the clamps to his skin made him draw in a quick breath. Daringly, his tongue darted out, catching at the tip of Dominic's before he smiled. Dominic groaned softly. When his tongue slipped between Grif's lips, he tugged gently on the chain connecting the clamps. The ripple of teasing pain made Grif groan softly as Dominic's tongue gained entry. His mouth tightened around him as his tongue circled with a hungry touch to Dominic's. Grif felt the connection that tied them in his world of sensation. Each one controlled and given by the other Master. Dominic deepened their kiss as his hand slid over Grif's shaft. Do not come. He curled his fingers around Grif's cock and gave it a slow, tight stroke. Grif's hips thrust upward into Dominic's hand, the welter of sensation spreading outward as he quickly tried to control it. His hand reached up to tangle his fingers in Dominic's hair as he answered his kiss. Dominic gave his cock another stroke before releasing it. He reached over without breaking their kiss and dipped two fingers into the bowl of gel on the table. He slid his fingers along the crack of Grif's ass before reaching his entrance. He rubbed the outside, but did not penetrate him. Grif kept his body stilled against Dominic's hand until he felt the slide of his fingers. He squirmed, wanting to feel Dominic's fingers inside him as he lifted his hips slightly. A hungrier element crept into his kiss as his fingers combed through Dominic's hair. What do you want, Griffith? Dominic teased him by pressing his fingers against his hole, dipping the tip of one in the slightest bit. Grif broke from the kiss with a low groan as the writhing of his body tried to push those fingers into him. His words came in a strained tone he had no control over. "Inside me. Please, I have to feel you inside me." 33
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A slow smile edged across Dominic's lips as he pushed both fingers deep inside Grif. He curled them up and stroked them in slow circles. "Oh, fuck." The words themselves became a groan as Grif felt Dominic's fingers enter him. His body shuddered as his hips bore down, feeling the slow stroke. "Fuck, oh, fuck." "Hold it," Dominic whispered. "Do not come, Grif. Hold it until I've given you release." His strokes slowed down and he began sliding his fingers in and out, fucking Grif with them in a slow, deep rhythm. Closing his eyes tightly for a moment, Grif regained a semblance of control as he forced down the riot of need that ran through him. A soft whimper escaped him with the effort as he felt the friction sliding in and out of him. "Yes," Dominic purred. He curled his other hand around Grif's cock once again and began stroking him, tightening his grip with every stroke downward. He added a third finger inside Grif and pushed all three deeper inside him to rub over his prostate again. "Hold it, Grif," he coaxed, keeping his gaze locked on Grif's eyes. "Let it build..." Grif tried to keep his body motionless but couldn't help the movement of his hips as he fucked Dominic's hand. He stared at Dominic for a focus to keep down the rising tide that threatened to cascade over him. As the moments passed, it strengthened, drawing more ragged groans of sound from him as he fought to keep himself from coming. "Move your hands to your nipples. When I say, take off the clamps at the same time." Grif's hands quickly slid upward over his chest to take hold of the clamps. Each touch from Dominic brought him to the point of begging as his body strained with the effort of holding back. "I need to come, Dominic. Now, please, I have to." Dominic's strokes inside him and on his cock increased in speed and strength. He locked his gaze intently on Grif's and whispered, "Take them off, and come hard for me, love." Grif unclamped them, sending pinpoints of pain radiating into a deeper shudder of his body as he came. Spurts of warm liquid spilled over Dominic's hand as his body contracted with the waves rushing through him. The pleasure of it made him scream Dominic's name as his orgasm dragged him under with its pull. Dominic bit his lower lip, causing his fangs to pierce the skin. "Oh, fuck," he breathed. His legs weakened as the sight of Grif coming brought about his own orgasm. When Grif's body stopped shuddering, Dominic pulled his fingers out slowly and brought his other hand up to lick it clean. As Grif finally came down, he stared up at Dominic, dazed. He needed him close now and he reached for Dominic's arm, needing that reassuring contact with him. Dominic slid both arms under Grif and picked him up. Cradling Grif against him, he sat down on the floor. He held Grif tightly and kissed his hair. "Are you all right, love?" Once he was where he really wanted to be, Grif draped his arms around Dominic's neck. Closing his eyes, he buried his face in against Dominic's throat as he sighed. His words came out muffled. "I feel perfect." "Then that makes two of us," Dominic whispered quietly. He tipped his head slightly in invitation. With the arch of Dominic's throat, Grif nuzzled against his skin, the press of his lips brushing soft kisses over Dominic before his fangs sank slowly into him. He hungered for everything about Dominic and he could no more control it than any of what had happened earlier. His mouth tightened to take the first taste, then another just as quickly. Dominic groaned softly and tightened his hold around Grif, moving one of his hands up to the back of Grif's head, holding him to his neck. A shudder ran through him as Grif fed; it was an act that he could never tire of. 34
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The soft pulse of his growl vibrated Grif's throat between swallows as he drank. Oddly, he felt an almost possessive tinge descending over him even as he tried to stop it. The bond between them was growing, only he didn't know if Dominic felt it as he did. Finally, he stopped feeding and rested his head on Dominic's shoulder. Dominic kissed his hair and whispered, "What do you say we go upstairs? The bed is much more comfortable and I'm not ready to let you go." "Please." It was the one word Grif wanted to say and that said it all. He couldn't have let go of Dominic right now if somebody forced him. His arms tightened around him as he kept himself centered completely on Dominic and nothing else intruded upon that. *** Grif took a bottle out of the refrigerator and headed to the sink. He turned on the hot water and set the bottle under it to let it take off the chill. His thoughts were fully engaged on the session he'd just had with Dominic. He could feel the tingling edges over his backside each time he moved. "Well, well, fancy meeting you here." Grif's body completely stiffened, hearing that laughing voice. He was instantly and unpleasantly jolted from the warmth of his own thoughts. Not bothering to turn around, he continued heating the bottle under the water. "Why don't you go slit your wrists or something equally useful, Tristan?" "Oh, such venom," Tristan said coolly. "You always did have a pretty mouth, no matter what came out of it. Or went in." He went to the refrigerator and got a bottle for himself. When he walked over to the sink, he seemed to take great care to press his body to Grif's while he set the bottle in the sink. The minute Tristan was too close, Grif snatched his bottle out of the water and shifted to the side. Opening the bottle, he took a heavy drink of the blood. His sharp gaze remained on Tristan, not trusting him one inch. "What the hell is your game?" "Really, pet," Tristan said as he opened his bottle. "I only want to have a good fuck now and then with your friend. He's really good, you know." He took a drink, not bothering to suppress the twisted smile on his lips. The grip on the neck of the bottle was noticeably tight as Grif lifted it to his lips. As he drank, a low growl started in his throat with the mocking words. "Why did you even come here?" Tristan shrugged and took another drink. "Why not? Maybe to get my hands on your sweet ass again." The tone was casual, but the look in Tristan's eyes told a much different story. "Not on your life. You were a worthless piece of a shit while you were with Quinn. And the stench still stinks to high heaven. So why don't you just go on your own little way." Tristan chuckled and finished the last of the blood before tossing the bottle into the trash. "We'll see, pet." With that, he walked out, disappearing around the corner. There was no love lost between the two of them. As he finished his bottle, Grif's gaze followed Tristan until he went out the door.
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Six A waking awareness slowly returned to Grif, easing the stiffness of his body. He felt the soft press of lips and a slow stroke of a tongue brushing over them, coaxing them open. A hand drifted up his body to hover over his neck. "Dominic," he murmured sleepily. As he slowly surfaced, he whimpered softly and tipped his head back. In his scattered, barely awake state, the touch and kiss aroused him. It flared hotly with each caress, drawing the arch of his body. The tongue probed between Grif's lips, exploring every inch of his mouth. As the kiss deepened, the hand descended on his neck. A soft caress slid over his flesh, but then the hand tightened around his neck, pinning him tightly to the bed. The kiss became hard and demanding and another hand dropped to Grif's crotch, squeezing his cock in a tight grip. When the tenor changed too rapidly, it left Grif confused and struggling to get up. His eyes flew open and he saw it wasn't Dominic above him; it was Tristan. Tristan's hand tightened on his throat and the kiss grew more brutal, crushing his lips. Tristan's other hand released Grif's cock and forced its way under him. A finger pushed inside him and the lack of lubrication created a sharp burning sensation. With one hard push, Tristan drove his finger deeper inside Grif's body. Grif's hands flew to his throat, his fingers gripping Tristan's hand. The deliberate sensation of pain burying inside him scattered his thoughts as his hips tried to jerk away. Just as quickly as he had entered him, Tristan jerked his finger out. He pressed another hard kiss to Grif's lips before releasing him. Without another word, he straightened from the edge of the bed and started to turn away. The minute he was released, Grif came flying out of the bed, tackling Tristan. His fingers grabbed at his head, viciously tightening in his hair to slam his head against the floor. An icy laugh pierced through Grif's mind. Give it up, pet. You can't win this. With a growl, Tristan shoved Grif off of him. He stood and straightened his shirt as he opened the door. "I will have you again." Grif landed back on his ass with the shove, his back hitting against the side of the bed. "Not if I fucking kill you first." Glaring at him, he scrambled quickly to his feet and made another attempt at Tristan. His hands connected to his chest, shoving him hard through the doorway. Tristan landed hard against the wall. He looked down the hall towards Dominic's room, then back at Grif. "You can't beat me. And you know that." He made no further move, simply remaining where he stood. "If you ever come into my bedroom again, I will yell this house down. And if you're not out of my face in the next two seconds, I'll do it now anyway." Tristan laughed and turned, walking away slowly. "Your ass will be mine again," he said without looking back. Ignoring him, Grif walked back into his bedroom, slamming the door behind him. Leaning heavily against the wood, he tried to calm himself. Sooner or later he knew he would have to kill the bastard. It took him several minutes to calm himself before he pushed from the door. After digging through his dresser for something to wear, he put on a loose pair of white pants and tied the drawstring. Going to the door, he opened it and stepped out into the hall. The only place he could get any form of privacy seemed to be
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his and Dominic's private study. Once inside the study, he shut the door quietly behind him, trying to relax in the peaceful sanctuary. Walking to the couch, he stretched out on it, focusing on completely relaxing his body. The only slave allowed in here was Egbert to do the cleaning. If any of the others were caught in here, it meant they would be receiving a serious punishment. Lifting his arm, Grif covered his eyes, letting the darkness sooth over the ragged edges of his thoughts. He had thought the kiss awakening him had been Dominic's, and the shock that it had been Tristan still reverberated deeply within him. He tried not to let himself relive each detail, but it was a useless endeavor. The deliberately painful invasion of his body still left him shaken to the point that he'd instinctively sought out the one place where Dominic's presence felt strongest to him. Dominic's scent lingered in the air and Grif drew continuous breaths to take that in. The need that washed over him held him in a tight grip as he heard the door open. Dominic stepped inside and stopped abruptly, not fully expecting to see Grif stretched out on the couch. He moved into the room and closed the door behind him. For a brief moment, he simply took in the sight before him. "Am I disturbing you?" "Of course not, Dominic. I'm just relaxing at the moment." Raising his arm, Grif looked over at him and then drew his feet up to give Dominic room to sit. Dominic moved to sit down on the other end of the couch, his gaze lingering briefly over the contours of Grif's body visible beneath the thin fabric of his pants. With considerable effort, he pulled his gaze from his friend's crotch and looked up at his face. He settled back onto the couch, the dark red velvet of his robe shimmering slightly in the light of the lamps. "Penny for your thoughts, love." Mostly Grif's thoughts had centered around Dominic as a place of security. It was something Grif desperately needed lately, yet it constantly eluded him every time Tristan was near. His arm stretched out above him, wrapping to the arm of the couch as he resettled his position, one leg straightening to rest in Dominic's lap. "I've been lying here mostly thinking about you and me. Our friendship. And how hard I think life would be without you." Dominic smiled softly, although inside he was a nervous wreck. Every time Grif touched him, it sent an electric current through his body, from his brain to his cock and all points in between. He absently rubbed his hand over the thinly-covered leg on his lap. "Oh?" He traced a slow, lazy line over the curve of Grif's leg, from his knee to the top of his bare foot. "I do that rather often," he said quietly. "I can't imagine living without you in my life." "We've become birds of a feather, even though in the beginning I was a pain in the ass." A slow smile curved Grif's lips, enveloping Dominic in its warmth. "Not sure I've ever told you thank you for taking me in when I needed it." Dominic laughed softly, lowering his gaze. "The greatest thanks you could give me is your friendship, love. And I have that." "That I've gladly given you over the years we've been together. I've always felt safe and wanted here." Grif realized his words might have sounded strange, but his mood was one of great inner reflection in regards to the past and now. "You are very much wanted here," Dominic said quietly without looking up. "You have no idea how much joy you've brought to my life, Griffith." Lately, this room had become somewhat of a safer haven for Grif away from Tristan. Lifting his head, Grif tucked his arm underneath so he could see Dominic better. "I could say the same. I know without you, I wouldn't be what I am now." Dominic opened his mouth to say something, but shut it again. To tell Grif just how much joy he did bring to his life wasn't the best of ideas, he figured. "I'm happy that I've 37
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helped to mold you," he said. "Although in truth, I think you've helped me just as much. You've taught a knight how to care again." Chuckling, Grif eyed Dominic. "We could always debate who helped whom more if you want." Smiling, Dominic finally looked up at him, only to find himself speechless as he looked into those eyes. He cleared his throat and looked back down, resuming his wayward caresses over the lower half of Grif's leg. He resisted the urge to move his hand up further. "A little friendly debate with you has always been entertaining." Grif shifted slightly with the touch of Dominic's hand, and the faint squirming of his body burrowed him into the cushions and a bit closer to Dominic. The other vampire had always been his main line of safety, and now more then ever before, he relied on that. "Sometimes I just don't have the words to tell you how much I appreciate everything you've given me." Dominic bit his tongue to stop himself from saying that he had much more to give. The faint metallic taste of blood filled his mouth and he swallowed as the wound healed. "Just you being here with me now is enough for me, love. It always has been." A slow breath caught the faint scent of blood and Grif eyed Dominic questioningly. "Is something wrong?" Dominic looked up quickly and shook his head. "No. No, everything's fine. I just bit my lip." He smiled what he hoped was a convincing smile, even though it didn't reflect in his eyes. He tried to hide the desire, but it was becoming increasingly difficult. To him, Griffith was everything. He just didn't know how to say that. Nodding slightly to him, Grif noticed Dominic's almost forced smile. Slowly, he sat up, the motion putting him fairly close to Dominic. "I guess I'm just in a maudlin mood tonight. Maybe we need to do something exciting to liven things up." Dominic swallowed hard, meeting that gaze that had him so spellbound. With Grif so close outside of a session, Dominic's mind tended to shut down. "What did you have in mind?" he asked quietly. When Grif stood up from the couch, he stretched slowly as he reached his arms upward, easing the kinks from his muscles. "You in the mood for a night of hunting and dancing?" Dominic was unable to speak for several seconds, watching the ripple of muscles beneath that smooth flesh. He nodded slowly and stood. "Gladly." As Dominic stood, Grif turned to face him, reaching for his hand. A bit of a sly smile curled to his lips as he drew the other vampire towards him. The intimate press of his body brushed slowly against Dominic's. "I've always wanted to dance with you." Grinning, Grif let go of him before he turned towards the door. "Think I should change or just go as is?" "I think you look damn fine as you are," Dominic said under his breath. He shook his head and looked down at himself. "I need to change. I will only be a moment." Grif had the habit of catching those under the breath comments of Dominic's. "Meet you at the front door." Dominic crossed the foyer and headed upstairs to change. As Grif waited for him to get his ass back downstairs, he leaned against the wall near the door, folding his arms over his bare chest. The only thing he'd done was slip a pair of sneakers on. As Dominic started down the stairs, he stopped halfway when he caught sight of Grif standing by the door. The thought of dancing with him, especially dressed like that, had him rock hard within seconds. He groaned softly and tried to will away the erection as he descended the stairs and walked to the front door. "Nice," he said with a lift of a dark eyebrow. A darker hunger sparked to life in Grif as his gaze traveled slowly over Dominic. 38
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The vampire Master looked hotter than hell and far too incredibly edible in the tight black leather pants and the silky, loose shirt. "I'm going to say the same about you." A playful growl vibrated his throat, though it wasn't quite as playful as he meant it to be. "Something tells me this is going to be an interesting night," Dominic said. "I already know it will be." Grif had plans to do some playing of his own with his old friend. Pushing from the wall, he opened the door and headed outside. Tonight, he needed to get out of the house and away from his own problems. Cocking an eyebrow, Dominic followed him out, closing the door behind him. He moved to catch up with Grif and fell into step beside him. The club was only a short walk from the house, which made a night out easy to arrange. As they walked, Grif slipped his arm around Dominic's waist, brushing up against his side with almost every step. His mood had changed for the better and he looked forward to the idea of a night out, away from everything. "Wanna lay bets as to who gets the first meal?" Chuckling, Dominic slid his arm around Grif's shoulder, relishing their closeness. "Sure. What is the wager?" "I could say the loser gets to kiss the winner's ass, but that might be too much fun all the way around." Dominic had to suddenly force the lump from his throat before he could even think to respond to that. "Interesting wager," he mused. "Although I would wonder if there would be a loser at all if that were the case." "Why do you think I said it would be too much fun?" Grif laughed. The sound itself was a good indication of his lightening mood. "I suppose I should think of something not so much fun for the loser." Hugging him close, Dominic laughed as he shook his head. "I'm at a loss, love. But here we are at the club already." A line of others waiting to get in blocked their way, but with nothing more than a nod, the doorman stepped aside, allowing them entry. "Come," Dominic said to Grif as he led the way inside. "I'll think of something later, I'm sure," Grif murmured as he followed behind Dominic, passing the line to get into the club. The club itself was packed, more so than Dominic had seen in a while. They passed by the bar as he searched for an empty table. When he didn't find one, he turned to Grif. "Hm, I haven't seen it this busy in a while. No free tables yet." Grif's hand curled to his, tugging to him towards the dance floor. "Then in the meantime, we dance, Dominic. Later we'll get a drink or ten." Dominic laughed and allowed himself to be taken out onto the dance floor. "I haven't danced in a long time," he warned Grif as they found a small pocket in the throng of bodies. Grif laid one hand casually on Dominic's shoulder, the movement and sway of his body a seductive motion timed to the throb of the music around them. "Just relax and enjoy." "There won't be any problem in that," Dominic said quietly. Allowing himself to simply enjoy the moment, he slipped an arm around Grif's waist, pulling him closer. His own body began to move to the music, and soon, everything and everyone but he and Grif, faded away. If he had a heartbeat, it would have been racing like mad as their bodies rubbed together. As Grif felt Dominic move closer, he slowly closed his eyes, letting himself get lost within the moment. A low growl erupted from his throat. The slow movements of their bodies held him enthralled. As they danced, Dominic angled his head down, brushing his lips across Grif's. Grif's soft sound stilled with the touch. His own lips parted as he increased the pressure 39
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of the light touch, his tongue darting out to flick over the folds to tempt Dominic to open to him. One kiss will not be enough, love. I know. That's all Grif had to say, though he slowly drew back his head, opening his eyes to look at Dominic again. In such lucid moments, he understood the desire between them, and most times he couldn't control it worth a damn. Dominic slid his hand to the back of Grif's head, pulling him into a deep, soulful kiss. A low growl began within Dominic, rising slowly. Unable to resist the pull of Dominic's hand or the influence of his kiss, Grif opened to it hungrily. This wasn't a playful kiss between them and he knew it. Dominic devoured Grif's offering. Having stilled with their kiss, Dominic began to move once more, dropping his other hand to Grif's ass to pull him closer as their bodies ground against each other. He didn't bother to hide the erection and shuddered as he felt their cocks rubbing together between two layers of fabric. "Oh, God." Grif had to pull back from the kiss, feeling the tight grind to his body. A soft groan sounded from him as he laid his forehead on Dominic's shoulder, both of his arms sliding around Dominic's waist. He wanted to keep him close and never let him go. That frightened him as well. "If you do not want more, then I will not go any further, love," Dominic murmured against Grif's hair. His hand remained on the back of Grif's head, holding him close. I know what I want, and I don't. I know what I feel, and I don't. The whispered confusion of Grif's mind reached out for Dominic, trying to tangle to him. The pulse of arousal flooded him as his body insisted on remaining against Dominic. Over the space of less than an hour, he'd undergone so many emotions that he couldn't keep track of himself anymore. What is it that you fear? Dominic held him close, cradling him in his arms as their dance took on a slow, soothing sway. Everything. A sense of the fathomless fear residing in Grif tangled to Dominic. It was something that had no words, and Grif tried to draw himself back together into that lighter mood that had brought him into the club. Dominic moved his hands up to slide beneath Grif's hair, cupping his head and tilting it up to meet his calm gaze. "Then I will give you something to not fear," Dominic whispered. He rested his forehead to Grif's and closed his eyes. Do not fear my love. Hearing the soft words tugged at something within Grif. As he gained the sense of something just beyond himself, he stared at Dominic. The soft mental whisper stilled the struggle with him, calming him as well. I can't fear what I need. Dominic tilted Grif's head back gently, bringing them together in a soft kiss. It wasn't a hungry kiss, but one that spoke of much more, of everything Dominic had to offer him and Grif responded completely to that. As he opened himself, he tried to devour what Dominic was giving him with the need to return what he himself felt. Dominic tightened his hold on Grif and the words slipped from his mind before he could think to stop them. I love you so much. What resided in Grif eased greatly with the soft whisper in his mind. His thoughts entangled themselves in the quiet echo that reverberated through him. You give me what I need. And I could never love you any less. He didn't even think of what he was saying; he simply responded as he needed to. Without breaking their kiss, Dominic backed up, falling back against the nearest wall. He shifted and spread his legs, pulling Grif to stand between them. Feeling the relaxed nestle of Grif's body to his, he pulled slowly away from his lips. His hands rested at Grif's hips, holding him close. "I give you everything within me," he said. "I can no longer keep this a secret, Griffith." 40
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When Grif opened his eyes, an intensity lit within their depths. His own balance felt restored as the earlier chaos of his mind became more peaceful. "Now I know why I love you so much, Dominic. And I couldn't let you keep it a secret. I need everything of you way too much." "Do you have any idea how long I've wanted to hear those words?" Dominic smiled and leaned in for another kiss, this one just a bit hungrier than the last. His tongue teased at Grif's, licking his lips and the inside of his mouth. He slid his arms fully around him, pulling Grif up against him. A soft groan escaped him as his arousal was remembered. I need you, love. I need your touch. Lifting his hand, Grif's fingers caressed to his cheek as he drew back slightly. For a moment, he simply started at him without saying a word. Dominic opened his eyes. "If you don't want anything more, then tell me, love. I won't push you. You know that." "I know you wouldn't." Grif really didn't know how to answer him, nor did he know how to even say what he himself wanted. "I think I need a bit of time." He lowered his gaze to Dominic's chest. He still felt way too confused within himself. Though physically he was aroused, mentally something shut down at the thought of anything else. Dominic slipped a hand under Grif's chin and lifted his head. "I love you. I'll wait forever if I have to. You're well worth it." With the gesture, Grif tried to smile at him. Tonight, he really had gone through too much since he had awakened to find Tristan in his bed. He desperately wanted that balance the Dominic gave him and Grif’s need of it showed in his expression. Dominic's thumb traced over Grif's lower lip softly. "What do you want, Griffith? I'd pull the stars from Heaven for you if I could. I would do anything in this world to relieve your fears." "I want you to stay with me and make everything else go away. I want to be safe and with you, I am." "I wouldn't let you go for anything, and you will always be safe with me. All I ask is that you let me love you. Not only as a friend, but as a companion." Grif smiled slowly. "How could I not, when that's what I from you? I accept your feelings, just as you do mine, Dominic." "Are you hungry, love?" Dominic pulled Grif closer once more. "Perhaps we can pick up that bet?" "Yeah, although we haven't decided the terms of the wager." "How about we just feed and let the winner choose?" Dominic flashed him a quick smile. Grif had to laugh as he eyed that smile. "I suppose we could do it that way." "Good," Dominic said. Casting a last, lingering look at Grif, Dominic moved out into the throng of bodies on the dance floor. Several hands caressed him as he weaved through the crowd, some female, some male. When he found one who looked interesting enough, he stepped up behind the young man. A slight whisper in the man's ear drew a shudder from his body. Dominic smiled when the young man nodded, and he slipped his arms around the man's waist as he began dancing with him, their bodies pressed tightly together. Grif studied some of the others as he moved through the club. He headed towards the bar to get a better of view of what was available for their purposes. A brow rose when he saw Dominic getting a head start on him. Chuckling, he leaned against the counter for a moment, eyeing what was around him. A faint smile creased his lips as a young woman near him gave him an interested smile. Feeding was feeding to him, and he never differentiated on the matter. When she moved closer, he leaned over enough as if to whisper to her, but instead of doing so, he simply sank his fangs into her. A minute 41
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expenditure of energy on his part made her think he was whispering to her. His intent had only been to draw first blood so he took very little. As he lifted his head, the woman moved away, and his gaze went to Dominic. It had been a simple implant and suggestion that changed the woman's memory, and once done, she moved off as if nothing had happened. Gotcha, love. Take a look. Dominic turned himself and the young man around, winking at Grif as he pulled slowly away from the man's neck. The wounds quickly healed and the young man was smiling, leaning back against Dominic and looking like he had just had the orgasm of his life. This time you won. Dominic released the young man, and as the man moved back into the crowd Dominic started for the bar. And what shall I pick for my prize? Leaning back against the counter, Grif's gaze followed him with an amused look as Dominic moved towards him. What is the price you command, Dominic? As Dominic came to stand before him, he slid his arms around Grif's waist. "One night, love. All I want is to hold you as we sleep. I've done nothing but dream of waking beside you since we met. That's all I ask." The amused look faded into a quieter reflection, and Grif's arms found their own place around Dominic. "You would ask me for something I would beg you for. That is not much of a prize." "It is to me, Grif. And it is one that I would do anything to win." Dominic leaned down to press a soft kiss to Grif's lips. Grif could no longer sleep alone. Waking up to Tristan and having thought he was Dominic had done a serious number on him. The potential of being alone and possibly waking to Tristan again terrified him. However, it wouldn't have mattered because Grif would have chosen to sleep beside Dominic anyway. If he hadn't understood that about himself, he would never agree to sleep beside Dominic. He wouldn't use Dominic that way. A light touch of his lips returned Dominic's kiss. Then I will sleep beside you tonight. Dominic pulled back and smiled, stroking a finger down Grif's cheek, the action drawing the faint nudge of Grif's face. "Can we go home? I just want to hold you. I've finally gotten the chance and I want it to last as long as possible." When they'd first left the house, Grif hadn't really wanted to return, but now he very much did. Turning his head slightly, the press of his lips brushed to the drifting fingertip before he answered. "Home is a very good idea. Let's go." The walk home seemed to go by in a blur to Dominic and before he realized it, they were standing at their front door. Since leaving the club, his only thought was the knowledge that he would finally be able to fall asleep beside the one man he loved more than life itself. Grif remained beside Dominic silently, his own thoughts regaining a more peaceful balance just with the feel of Dominic next to him. Dominic opened the door and led the way upstairs. He paused for a moment in front of his bedroom door. "Is there anything you needed to get from your room first?" Grif shook his head. "Nothing I can think of. I just want to relax beside you." Dominic smiled and walked into his bedroom, his hand grasping at Grif's as he went to his bed. "Would you rather I sleep in something? I normally sleep with nothing on." Shutting the door, Grif's hand curled to Dominic's as he followed him and he answered him with a chuckle. "It doesn't matter. I've already seen what you have. Though I really like that outfit. So just keep it on a minute or two more, and let me get my fill." Dominic turned, lifting a dark eyebrow at him. He released Grif's hand and sat down on the bed, leaning back on his elbows. An amused grin curled his lips as his own gaze 42
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traveled over Grif. "I could say the same, love." Grif toed his shoes off beside the bed as he stared down at Dominic, the slow roam of his gaze taking in the clothed form. He greatly enjoyed the clinging sight of those pants. Grinning, he said, "Okay, you can get comfortable now." Grif watched silently as Dominic stood up and unbuttoned his shirt, letting it slip down off of his arms as he unfastened his pants. As they fell down his legs, he pushed his boots off, tossing pants and boots onto the floor. Though Grif felt the strong physical attraction between them, his mind tried more to cling to the safe haven Dominic offered him. As Dominic pulled back the silk sheets of his bed and slid in, he lifted the covers and patted the bed beside him, smiling softly at Grif. Grif slid underneath them without hesitation. He completely trusted Dominic in this and he seriously needed the safe harbor Dominic offered. Dominic lowered the covers and encircled Grif with his arms, pulling him close. "Sleep well, love. And know that I love you." With a quiet murmur of contentment, Grif relax fully against him, burrowing in to the solid, comforting feel of Dominic's body. A bit of a smile played over his lips as he closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of the quiet security surrounding him. For the first time in over a week, he felt completely safe. A quiet whisper reached for Dominic. This is the only place I can be. I'm always here. The tug from the darkness drew Grif towards it and his mind began to shut down, putting him to sleep. His thoughts struggled slightly to remain with Dominic, but the near rising sun won out.
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Seven With a particular vengeance, Grif used the cloth to wipe along the table, cleaning it. He needed to do something to get out the restless energy that wouldn't leave him. For the past two days, Tristan had taken to hanging around Grif's door, waiting for him just so he could make any number of snide remarks. While Grif tried to ignore him for the most part, it was wearing on his nerves. Part of him wanted to run and get the hell out of here while he could. He stiffened then as he heard the door open and close quietly behind him. The distinct sound of a man breathing nervously broke the silence in the room and actually relaxed Grif. He knew it wasn't Tristan. When he looked over his shoulder, he was surprised to see Jason watching him. The young man looked incredibly nervous. Putting down the cloth, Grif turned to face him. "Is something wrong, Jason?" Jason moved to the other side of the room and slid down the wall to sit on the floor. "Something's not right," he said. It was obvious he had been crying, as his eyes were red and his voice was hoarse. He shook his head and closed his eyes. Frowning slightly at his state, Grif moved towards him and crouched down. He reached for Jason's hand, his fingers curling gently around it. His voice had a certain quiet softness to it. "What happened, Jason?" Jason swallowed hard and opened his eyes. "Tristan came to me this morning. He said that Dominic gave us permission. I didn't believe him, but he wouldn't listen. He started kissing me. Then the door opened and there was Dominic, none too happy. Tristan jumped off of my bed and onto his knees, begging for forgiveness. He told Dominic that I said we had permission. Dominic punished me for it, making me stay in my room. He even had my meals brought to me. Tristan wasn't punished." Jason's story really didn't surprise Grif, and it angered him because of his own assumption Tristan would limit the attacks on him. Carefully, he kept his anger hidden, not wanting Jason to think he was angry at him. His other hand moved to Jason's face, his thumb smoothing slowly over the wetness on his cheek. "I'll take care of it, Jason, and I will talk to Dominic about it. I know Tristan well enough to know what he would do, but Master Dominic does not." Jason's eyes widened. "Please don't tell him I came to you. I don't want him angry at me." "He won't be angry at you." Griff smiled reassuringly at him. "He needs to know the truth." Jason nodded slowly. "Why would Tristan do something like that?" "Because he wasn't trained properly, Jason, and he wants the favor of Dominic all to himself. It can be an unpleasant side of slaves if it's not controlled. And unfortunately some Masters encourage it." "But Dominic would never encourage that." Jason looked unsure. "Would he?" "No. It's a not a safe environment for a slave at all, which is why I will talk to him about it. Tristan can't be allowed to get away with it." Grif knew Jason was still being trained and didn't really know all the rules yet, which was something Tristan would have played on.
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Jason smiled weakly. "Thank you." The gentle brush of Grif's thumb glided over Jason's lower lip. "And you know you can come to me if you think something is wrong. Just as Tage is allowed to go to Master Dominic if he believes something is wrong," Grif said. It made a nice system of checks and balances, though most Doms didn't quite operate that way. Nodding to him, a visible touch of relief relaxed Jason's features. "That's nice to know. I've never had a problem before Tristan came." Standing slowly from his position, Grif smiled wryly at him. "None of us did. Now you go ahead and go back to your room, and I'll talk to Dominic." Jason stood up and bowed his head respectfully. "Yes, Sir." He turned and hurried back out the door, closing it behind him. Grif moved to the table in the middle of the room and slid up on it. A quiet message made its way to Dominic. Can you come and see me down in the dungeon, Dominic? On my way, love. A few minutes later, Dominic walked in, closing the door once more behind him. "What's up?" Grif couldn't bring himself to tell Dominic all of the truth, but he had mentally formed enough to outline the potential of what was going on with Jason. Giving him a level gaze, he said, "We need to talk. About Tristan." Dominic stilled for a moment, then pulled up a chair and sat down. "What's wrong?" "I just talked to Jason and he told me about what happened, Dominic. You're probably going to be upset at me for something I didn't tell you before." Sighing quietly, Grif looked away from Dominic, fixing his gaze at a point past Dominic's shoulder as he folded his hands together in his lap. Dominic stiffened immediately. "What?" "I knew Tristan a long time ago. When I first saw him in your office, I wanted to say something, but I couldn't. I believe he's the one that went to Jason, telling him you said it was okay. He used to do things like that, wanting his Master's attention all to himself. I thought maybe he'd been better trained since then. After what Jason said, I'm guessing he wasn't." "Why didn't you tell me before? I punished Jason for that." Dominic's jaw tightened as he closed his eyes. "I really didn't think I had the right and you'd already signed the contract before I could open my mouth." It was the only excuse Grif could hang onto. His gaze slid back to Dominic, figuring he was pissed. "I'm not angry with you. Nor am I angry with Jason." Dominic opened his eyes. "If anything, I'm pissed at myself. I thought I had checked Tristan out thoroughly enough." "I explained to Jason what Tristan had tried to do and that it wasn't something you would encourage, so I had to tell you what really happened. I know Tristan well enough to know that he does that shit if he can get away with it." Grif reached up and ran his fingers through his hair, making it even messier. Dominic sighed as he walked over to Grif and stood between his legs. With a slight touch, he turned Grif's head to face him. "Thank you, love. I'm going to keep a closer eye on Tristan now." Grif smiled a bit as Dominic touched him, his gaze instantly going to Dominic's. "I didn't want you angry at me for not saying something in the first place." Dominic released his face slowly and turned, starting for the door. "Right now, first things first. I have a young man to apologize to." Nodding slowly, Grif added, "I sent Jason back to his room to wait for you." Dominic turned and walked back over to him. He leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on Grif's lips. "Thank you. I don't know what I'd do without you." Then he turned and walked out, closing the door behind him. 45
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Even though he had wanted more than just the soft kiss, Grif didn't say anything; he just smiled. The fact that he still felt troubled only visibly returned when the door closed. "I don't know what I would do without you," he whispered softly in the silence of the room. *** Dominic took a deep breath before knocking on the door. A few seconds later, it opened. Jason lowered his gaze respectfully as Dominic walked in and as he closed the door, Dominic turned around to face him. Slipping a hand under Jason's chin, Dominic lifted his sub's head to see his face. He smoothed his thumb slowly over Jason's lips. "I'm so sorry," Dominic whispered. Jason blinked several times and Dominic saw the shimmer of tears that had yet to fall. "It's okay, Master." "No, it's not," Dominic said as he sat down on the bed. He took Jason's hand and pulled him down to sit as well. "It's not okay. I should have known it's not like you to do something like that." He cupped Jason's face gently and Jason turned his head to press a soft kiss to Dominic's palm. "I know I can be a pain sometimes, Master, but I would never do something that serious." "I know. Look at me, Jason." The tone of Dominic's voice seemed to have its own effect and Jason's gaze lifted to meet his. "I will do anything you wish to make it up to you." Jason remained silent for a moment before answering him. "I want to touch you, but not as a slave. I want you to make love to me as you would any other man." Dominic smiled and instead of answering Jason's request, he leaned forward, sliding his hand through Jason's hair as he pulled him into a soft kiss. Jason's hands slid tentatively over Dominic's chest and Dominic pressed him gently back onto the bed, deepening their kiss. Dominic slid his other hand down Jason's side, gripping at his hip. Jason moaned softly, whispering Dominic's name as Dominic kissed a slow path from his lips to his throat. "Please," Jason whispered, his head tilting back, arching his neck towards Dominic's kiss. "I need to feel you, Dominic." Dominic brushed several soft kisses over Jason's skin before letting his fangs drop to pierce Jason's throat. A strangled cry escaped Jason as Dominic began to drink. One of Jason's hands dropped to Dominic's lap, kneading the hardness beneath his leather pants. Dominic groaned and pulled away from Jason's neck, licking his lips and savoring the last of his sub's blood. The heated desire was clear in Jason's eyes and Dominic stood, undressing as Jason did the same. When done, Dominic knelt between Jason's legs and reached over to the bedside table, pulling open the top drawer. Jason sat up and took the bottle of lube from him and put some on his palm. He tossed the bottle to the floor and closed his fist around Dominic's cock, stroking it slowly as he slicked it upward. Dominic closed his eyes and couldn't help but shudder with the sensation. Jason wiped his hand on the blanket and laid back, spreading his legs further apart and giving Dominic an unobstructed view of his ass. Dominic leaned forward and slipped his tongue into Jason's mouth as he pushed his hips forward, sliding his cock deep inside Jason's body. Jason gripped his shoulders and wrapped his legs around his waist, pulling him closer and deeper. A soft whimper escaped him, muffled within their kiss, as Dominic began stroking in and out of him. His fingers dug sharply into Dominic's shoulders, his body rocking to meet every stroke Dominic made. Dominic could feel the rising tension of Jason's body; it was one he was well used to. He pulled away from their kiss and kissed Jason's throat softly. 46
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"Dominic..." The plea sounded more desperate than usual and with a soft growl, Dominic sank his fangs into Jason's neck once more as he whispered to his sub's mind: Come for me, Jason. Jason's cry filled the room and his body shuddered hard beneath Dominic. Dominic drank deeply and with a throaty groan, his own orgasm hit him, rushing through him as Jason clung tightly to him. When both of them finally stopped shaking, Dominic licked Jason's neck gently, closing the wound. Jason still clung to him and Dominic rolled them over onto their sides, holding him close. "Sleep," Dominic whispered. Jason nodded slowly and soon Dominic felt the rhythm of his sub's breathing change. He kissed Jason's head softly and slid slowly out of the bed. Taking care not to wake Jason up, Dominic gathered his clothes and stepped out of the room, closing the door quietly behind him. A few moments later, he crawled into his own bed, curling his body around Grif's as the sun began to rise. *** Dominic stood in the kitchen, his back to the doorway, as he waited for the water to warm the bottle in the sink. He was bent over the counter, cradling his head in his hands. He had woken up, yet again, and needed to jerk off thanks to a fleeting thought of Grif. More than anything, he wished he could feel Grif's hand instead of his during those moments, but he would never rush Grif into anything. Without a sound, a man's body molded to Dominic's backside, arms snaking around him. "Penny for your thoughts." Dominic reached down, covering Grif's hands with one of his own. He couldn't begin to tell him what he had really been thinking, so he just shook his head. "Nothing, love. Just needed to relax for a bit. Figured a drink might help." Unwilling to move, lest he break their contact, he simply turned his head slightly. "And how are you this evening?" "Other than wishing that I had awakened to you still in the bed beside me, I'm fine." Dominic turned around as best he could and leaned back against the counter. He slipped his arms around Grif's waist and held him close. "I'm sorry, love. I just..." He trailed off, unsure of where to go with that one without making Grif uncomfortable. When Dominic turned, Grif wouldn't let go and resettled against him once he leaned back to the counter. Eyeing him somewhat curiously, he said, "You can be hungry if you want. I can let go of you long enough for that." Dominic looked at him for a moment. "I wasn't exactly referring to blood." Quirking a brow, a slow smile slid over Grif's lips. Without a word, the light brush of his lips touched to Dominic's. Dominic slid his tongue across Grif's. Before he could stop it, he felt himself growing hard yet again. He groaned and forced his hands to stay at Grif's waist, no matter how desperate he was to slide them down. A low, pulsing growl answered the sound from Dominic. The tip of Grif's tongue circled against Dominic's before pushing against it, wanting into Dominic's mouth. Grif had taken everything Dominic offered him and had managed to build stable ground for himself once again. The fact that Tristan had been confined to his room the last couple of nights helped as well. Grif had gained a careful attunement to Dominic's moods and knew what he was doing. Feeling the quick hardening digging into him, his hips pressed in tighter to Dominic. Dominic's mouth opened and he moved a hand up to cup the back of Grif's head, pulling him into a deep, hungry kiss. The press of Grif's body to his drew a deep growl from his throat. Throwing caution to the wind, his other hand drifted down to cup Grif's ass as he rocked his hips forward. He could no longer hide how much he wanted Grif. He only hoped he had the patience to take things slow. 47
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With the rock of those hips and Dominic's hands on his ass, Grif shivered. His need for Dominic had finally returned to the realm of the physical. The arousal of his body became evident and he broke off the kiss, drawing a ragged breath to catch Dominic's scent. "I don't want to rush you," Dominic said quietly. He slid his fingers through Grif's hair, tilting his head gently back. He kissed a slow path from Grif's lips to his ear. "But I need you so much." The soft kisses brought another slow shiver to Grif's body and his head tipped back slightly further. As he opened his eyes, he felt none of the hesitation and uncertainty that had haunted him since Tristan had shown up. "I can't explain why things have been so hard lately, but I need you just as much. And for more than just to be safe." Dominic lifted his head to pin a dark, hungry gaze on him. "If I start now, I might not be able to stop. I want to hear you say it. What do you want, Grif?" "I woke up wanting to feel you in me and that's what I want now, Dominic." Grif's own darkening look fastened on Dominic. The moment his body had stirred, he'd been hard and wanting. Dominic bent down and slipped an arm under Grif's knees to pick him up. With Grif cradled in his arms, Dominic left the kitchen and carried him up the stairs. Once inside his bedroom, he placed Grif gently on the bed before parting Grif's lips with his tongue, wanting another kiss. Stretching out on the bed, Grif drew Dominic to him, opening to his kiss. Dominic stroked his tongue over Grif's as his hand drifted slowly over his chest to brush across his nipple softly. He pulled away from their kiss and moved downward. He circled Grif's nipple with the tip of his tongue, then hooked it in the ring, tugging gently. His hand continued downward to brush over Grif's thigh. A soft hiss of breath from Grif answered the tug to the ring, and with a restless shift of his body he parted his legs. Both of his hands reached for Dominic, his fingers sliding through his hair as he opened his eyes. Lifting his head, Grif relished the sight of Dominic nuzzling into his chest. Dominic flicked the ring with his tongue before closing his mouth over it, sucking gently. Grif watched the nipple ring disappear into Dominic's mouth as Dominic's hand slid up the inside of his thigh, taking care to avoid his crotch. Dominic's wrist grazed over Grif's balls before he trailed his fingers down Grif's other leg. Grif moved his hands downward to the base of Dominic's throat, his fingers kneading against the line of Dominic's shoulders. Slivers of sensation coursed through him with the too brief touch of Dominic's hand. The feel of that caused his hips to jerk slightly. A soft, keening moan emerged from him, wanting to feel more. Without taking his mouth from the nipple within it, Dominic moved his hand from Grif's leg to reach over to the bedside table. He pulled open the drawer and retrieved a bottle of lube, then pushed the drawer closed. Grif's gaze followed him as he released the nipple and moved to kneel between his legs, setting the bottle beside him. He slid his hands under Grif's legs, pushing them up. "I want to taste you." Grif planted his feet on the bed and the upward arch of his hips almost begged Dominic to do just that. One word escaped him with another soft hiss: "Yes." Dominic wasted no time. He lowered his head, brushing the tip of his tongue over Grif's entrance. A shudder slid through him as he pushed his tongue inside. He was rewarded with the slow trembling that took over Grif's body. He pushed Grif's legs up further, wanting to delve as deep inside him as he could. He licked slowly around the rim before plunging back inside, moaning as he savored the taste. The fine trembling of Grif's body became a shudder as Dominic's tongue pushed repeatedly inside his body. His gasping breath turned into a soft moan as his hips lifted, 48
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trying to feel Dominic deeper, and his hands fell to the bed, his fingers curling and kneading in against the covers. The need to feel Dominic swept over him and he called out to him. "Please, Dominic, I need you." Dominic pulled away and sat back on his knees. He popped open the cap of the bottle and began slicking his cock up, stroking it slowly as he took in the sight of Grif with his legs splayed out and need in his eyes. He leaned forward and rubbed the head of his cock against Grif's hole. At the same moment that his mouth opened over Grif's, he slid deep inside him, burying himself to the hilt. Grif's lips parted to cry out and the sound was captured by Dominic's kiss. Quickly, Grif's legs curled over Dominic's as his hands left the bed to skim over Dominic's back. Pulling away from their kiss, Dominic looked down, wanting to watch Grif's face with every motion. When Grif opened his eyes to look at him, a taut mask of pleasure was etched over his features. Dominic began a slow stroking rhythm, rocking his hips with every long, gentle push inside Grif. The hardness of Grif's cock trapped between their bodies drew his attention momentarily downward. He shifted, sliding a hand between them to wrap it around Grif's cock. With every stroke inside Grif, Dominic's hand mirrored it on the hard flesh in his fist. Each thrust drew a corresponding arch of Grif's hips with the strengthening tension of his body. Feeling the stroke of Dominic's hand over him, he cried out sharply as he fell over the edge into his own release. His come spurted over Dominic's hand with the shudder of his body, and his nails drug downward over Dominic's back. "Oh, God..." Watching Grif come and knowing he had been the one to cause it sent Dominic tumbling over the edge as well. With a deep growl and a last hard thrust, he buried himself deep inside Grif's body as he came. His body shook repeatedly, every pulse of his cock sending a fresh wave crashing over him. Grif's eyes remained wide and staring, watching as Dominic's orgasm took over him. When he finally stopped shaking, Dominic moved his mouth to Grif's, kissing him softly as he struggled to come back down to Earth. Grif's tongue sought Dominic's with the touch of his lips, needing to cling to him and ground himself to reality once more. His mind still reeled from the sensation of having Dominic inside him and the ebbing pulses of his own pleasure. "I love you so much," Dominic said as he pulled slowly from their kiss and rolled off of Grif, pulling him close against him. He wanted to hold him. He needed to hold him. "I never thought that dream would ever come true," he whispered against Grif's hair. "Don't leave. Keep your room should you need it. But when it's time to sleep, sleep with me. Please." Grif nestled against him as he listened, and his mind whispered its own soft message. I'm not going anywhere. Not after being with you. I want to stay in your bed. "Our bed." Dominic angled his head to look down at Grif. "Our bed, Grif." Grif smiled. "Our bed."
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Eight As Grif slowly surfaced from sleep, a hazy cloud edged at his mind as he struggled to open his eyes. The first thing he saw was the room, and he wasn't sure why he was in the dungeon. "Well, it's about time you woke up." Sudden shock ran through Grif. He tried to move, but found he couldn't; the shackles held him in place. Looking quickly around, he saw that both Tage and Jason were bound as well, staring at him with wide, frightened eyes. "Such a pretty sight," Tristan said, jumping off of the table. He walked around Grif to stand before both slaves. "Hmm, pathetic little shits." He then turned back to Grif and crouched down. "You know, I forgot how good you look all tied up on your hands and knees. Gives ample access." He landed a hard slap to Grif's ass. "Don't even think about touching them, Tristan." Grif growled out the words in warning as he struggled to get free. It was a useless effort at best, but he had to try. In truth, he was more worried about the other two than himself, and he felt very afraid of what they might suffer at the hands of somebody like Tristan. Neither of them had ever been abused. "Oh, believe me. I'll take care of them later. For now, I want to play with you, Grif." Tristan stood and moved around to the table, picking up the whip. He slapped it against his hand as he circled Grif slowly. "Hm, where to start. Ah, yes." Seconds later, the whip cracked across Grif's bare ass, cutting into his flesh like a razor. The smack of Tristan's hand was nothing compared to the slice of the whip as it cut into him. With no warm up, the pain burned through Grif instantaneously, scattering his thoughts for the moment. "Oh, come on," Tristan said. "I want to hear you scream." Tristan backed up and snapped the whip again. The single tail sliced across Grif's lower back and blood quickly began to run down his sides to drip onto the pad beneath him. Grif had to bite hard at his lower lip, drawing more blood as he fought not to give Tristan what he wanted. Looking up, he focused briefly on the other two huddled against the wall. A quiet brush of his power reached out to them, easing their terror as he deliberately put their minds to sleep. Both of them closed their eyes instantly. He knew Tristan wouldn't touch them now because the bastard hated it when his toys couldn't enjoy what he did to them. Nor could he counter Grif's power in putting them to sleep. Tristan sighed with annoyance. "Now why did you do that? I was hoping for an audience." He moved to Grif's head and wrapped a hand in his hair, jerking his head up roughly. "It's not wise to piss me off." Now that Grif knew, but he did it anyway. No way in hell would he let Tristan touch them or force them to witness whatever he did. He tried to yank against the hand in his hair as he snarled. "Fuck you, Tristan." "Oh no," Tristan said with a shake of his head. "I'm going to fuck you. And you're going to love every fucking minute of it." He shoved Grif's head down, causing it to connect painfully with the floor and leaving Grif temporarily dazed. Then he knelt between Grif's legs. Shaking his head, Grif fought against the chains, desperately wanting free before Tristan could get too close to him. Tristan gripped the cheeks of Grif's ass and spread them apart roughly.
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"Oh yea, I'm gonna love fucking that ass." Grif did scream then. Unable to get free, his mind slipped back to the past, to the place where he still screamed inside. *** Shoving his keys into his pocket and setting his bags in the foyer, Dominic looked around. The house was unusually quiet. Before he could call for Grif, Egbert walked into the foyer. "Master, I didn't expect you until tomorrow night." Dominic took his coat off and hung it up. "The meeting was canceled. Where is everyone?" Egbert shrugged. "Master Griffith has all three of them in the dungeon." "What?" Dominic hurried past his surprised butler and ran down the steps. "Grif?" He paused for a moment outside the dungeon door, listening for any sound coming from inside. He could hear Tristan, but no one else. When he opened the door, the sight that greeted him shocked him to the core. A white hot rage flared immediately within him. "What the fuck!" Tristan spun around then, turning away from a badly bruised and battered Grif. Without a thought, Dominic rushed at Tristan, shoving him up against the wall. One hand closed around Tristan's throat as the other reached for a set of chain restraints hanging from the ceiling. Though barely aware, Grif had heard the roar of the words and recognized Dominic's voice. Relief flooded him as he struggled to get off the table, wanting to go to Dominic, but he ended up collapsing against the metal, incapable of real movement. Skin hung from his frame in bloody ribbons. The table was soaked with his blood and red streams dripped down the edges, pooling to the floor beneath. With Tristan firmly restrained, Dominic rushed to Grif, catching him before he could fall. Moving as gently as possible, he picked Grif up and cradled him against his chest. He hurried out the door, shouting for Egbert. The butler appeared at the top of the stairs and all the color drained from his face. Dominic snapped a quick set of orders. "Go release Jason and Tage. Get them the fuck out of there, and stay clear of Tristan." Egbert nodded quickly. "Yes, Master." Grif's mind wasn't working too coherently, though he was aware of being carried to some place, and that it was Dominic who held him. The pain left his mind fragmented and unable to clearly focus. Dominic carried him upstairs to their bedroom and placed him gently on the bed. Grif, if you can hear me, I have to go help Egbert. You're safe in here. Grif was past the point of taking in the sensations of his own body, but Jason and Tage were still predominant in what was left of his thoughts. Get them away from him. I am. Dominic turned and hurried down the stairs. A brief thought flashed through his mind and he stopped in front of a suit of armor at the foot of the steps. He pulled the sword from the suit's metal hand and started back down to the dungeon. Egbert had managed to drag Jason out into the hallway and was pulling Tage out when Dominic walked up. Dominic cast a brief glance over the mortals to ensure himself they were unharmed, then he walked into the dungeon room. Tristan growled and pulled hard against the chains holding him. "You picked the wrong one to fuck with," Dominic growled. With the sword in one hand, he released Tristan and shoved him to the floor, face down. Tristan struggled under the weight of Dominic's boot on his back and didn't stop until the sword came down, severing his head from his body. Dominic stepped back and 51
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shoved the sword down into his back. Then he turned and walked out. He helped Egbert carry the mortals back upstairs in silence. "What about Tristan?" Egbert asked. "He's dead," Dominic answered dryly. "Take care of them. I have to get back to Grif." Dominic opened the door to their bedroom and hurried to the bed. If you can hear me, I'm going to feed you. You're going to need it. He sank his teeth into his own wrist, then pressed it gently to Grif's lips with a silent prayer. The world of pain enveloping Grif's body was beyond his ability to handle. His mind slipped in and out of awareness as he lay in the bed. Already, signs of healing started to show on the torn flesh as his power tried to renew his body. The numbness swallowed him. His body needed the blood to heal itself and it forced him to attach to the wounds on Dominic's wrist, trying to get as much blood as he could. The beast in him was on automatic now. As Grif fed, Dominic sank down onto the bed beside him. For first time since opening the dungeon door, the tears began to fall. The pull at his wrist was strong before Grif's body shut down, dragging him into the coma of sleep. The need to conserve blood and direct all the energy to healing took over. His body stilled long before the sun was ready to rise. From that moment, Dominic did nothing but lie beside Grif. Many times Egbert had come in an attempt to rouse him, but every time Dominic simply turned away, staring at a point somewhere on the wall. Not even Jason and Tage could convince him to move. He refused sleep, fighting it when the sun came up. He was numb; too numb to do anything. During the time, Grif's flesh had mended and showed no signs of the damage done, but it didn't ease what Dominic felt. Once the sun set, Grif stirred from the haze of sleep as he opened his eyes. Blinking sleepily, it took a few seconds for the memories to come rushing back to him. Only the fact that Dominic had a hold of him kept him still. "Are you hungry?" Dominic asked. He smiled, although it was weak. The weariness was visible in his eyes. Somewhere inside, Grif still screamed, but he silenced that, incapable of dealing with it. He reached up to Dominic's face, seeing the tiredness in him. "I need a bottle. But I want to know if Jason and Tage are all right." Dominic reached over to the table beside the bed. He pushed a button on the intercom. After requesting two bottles, he settled back down, pulling Grif gently to him. "They are fine. It's going to take a while for them to get over what happened, but they are safe. I woke them up after Egbert and I got them to their rooms. They didn't see you..." He stopped and closed his eyes tightly. "Like you were." "I didn't want them to see anything. I put them to sleep because I knew Tristan wouldn't touch them if they weren't awake." If he could have, Grif would have spared Dominic that as well. The soft pad of his thumb brushed over a closed eyelid as he watched Dominic silently. "And I need to tell you some things about me and Tristan." Dominic nodded as a tear rolled down his cheek. The gentle touch of Grif's fingers wiped the tear away before he spoke. "Tristan and I were both slaves to Quinn. The night I was raped, he was one of them." Grif spent the next several minutes filling him in on the things that had been going on. He half expected Dominic to be angry because he wasn't told in the first place. "Oh, God." Dominic didn't open his eyes but instead rolled over, holding Grif tightly to him, as if he were afraid to let go. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry for bringing him here." For the moment, Grif clung just as tightly back. "It wasn't your fault, Dominic. I should have told you. If I had, none of this would have happened." He fell silent as a 52
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sudden anger erupted in him, and he growled out the rest of the words. "No, it was his fucking fault. He was the one that did it all. You're not taking the blame for it and neither am I." He needed both of them to place the blame where it belonged, or it would sink them in their own unnecessary guilt. Dominic nodded slowly. "I'm done, Grif," he said quietly. "I'm pulling the website down. No more training others. We have Jason and Tage. I've already talked to them. I gave them the option to leave and they both refused. They love us too much to leave. But no one else is stepping foot in this house." "I don't want to take anybody else on either. I..." Grif trailed off into silence, closing his eyes and clinging more tightly to Dominic. "Shh," Dominic murmured as he stroked Grif's hair softly. "What is it, love?" He needed Dom to stay close to him, but he lacked the ability to express that without letting the pain out as well. Drawing a slow breath to calm the seething turmoil, Grif finally said, "I love you, Dominic, more than life itself." The tears finally broke free and Dominic buried his face in Grif's hair. Unable to speak, he returned the thought. I love you, too, Griffith. I love you so much.
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Nine As Grif surfaced from his sleep, he knew he was alone. It required a concerted effort for him to even sit up. Moving to the edge of the bed, he stood to make his way to the bathroom. He ruthlessly stuffed down the anxiety he felt. There was no way in hell that he could keep allowing himself to rely so heavily on Dominic. It had been three nights, and it was time to give the poor man a bit of freedom from having to constantly be with him. Sighing, he turned on the hot water so he could take a shower. Grif stepped into the tub and let the spray of water warm his body as he tried to relax. The memories embedded in his mind played in flashes of sensations and images even as he tried to stop them. He'd been placed back in a repeat hell of the past, only this time he shoved it aside and focused purely on his lover. Dominic hadn't left him once while he healed the damage that had been done to him. The vampire master had held him as he cried, as he was lost in the pain, and Grif could do nothing but cling to him. This time he'd had something more solid to hold to. He knew Dominic loved him, and he let that knowledge surround him in its warmth to replace the more agonizing memories. If he didn't have that, he knew he would be completely lost now. Without making a sound, Dominic walked into the bedroom and leaned up against the bathroom doorframe, sipping slowly from the bottle in his hand. He rested his head sideways against the wooden frame, smiling as he watched Grif. The physical healing would be done soon; everything else would take much more time. He took another drink and crossed his arms, leaving the bottle to hang from his left hand. Grif turned, knowing instantly Dominic was there. His senses and thoughts were already acutely trained to him. "Want to join me?" Dominic smiled and downed the rest of the bottle. "Is the Pope Catholic?" He set the bottle on the counter and quickly undressed. He pulled the shower curtain back and stepped in. When he turned around, he crooked a finger, beckoning Grif to come to him. Chuckling, Grif said, "I take that as a yes." He quickly moved closer to Dominic. He still couldn't bear for Dominic to be far from him, no matter how hard he tried. Sliding his arms around Grif's waist, Dominic drew him close and kissed his forehead softly. "I will never be far from you, love." Sighing quietly, Grif completely relaxed as he was drawn closer. "And I can't keep you with me all of the time, Dominic. Even as much as I might wish." "I'm always with you, Grif, even though it might not always be physical." Dominic slipped a hand under Grif's chin and tilted his head up, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. Grif returned the soft kiss, but didn't quite meet Dominic's gaze. "I've relied on that very fact before. Just the last few nights..." Trailing off, he shrugged slightly. He drew slowly away and stepped under the hot spray of water. "Things are already improving," he said as he reached for the soap. Dominic stopped him, picking up the soap instead. He turned Grif around and stepped under the water with him. With his chest to Grif's back, he began soaping Grif's chest up as he kissed his neck softly. "I will never leave your side, Griffith. There will be times when I do have to go into the kitchen or another room though," he said in a softly teasing voice, "but I will never leave your side otherwise." Grif leaned back, feeling the slippery slide of Dominic's hands over his chest. The
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tilt of his head encouraged the nuzzling to his throat and he chuckled. "You know very well I can't be doing that, Dominic. I don't think Siamese twins are the 'in thing' in our world." "Oh, shut up," Dominic mumbled with a chuckle. He nipped at Grif's throat with his fangs. A soft shiver accompanied the arch of Grif's throat to the feel of Dominic's fangs. "Bite me," he quietly teased. Dominic growled softly, seconds before sinking his fangs into Grif's neck. As one hand continued to slide over Grif's chest, Dominic's other hand drifted slowly over Grif's stomach, stopping just below his navel. The press of Grif's body back to Dominic became heavier as he felt the pierce of Dominic's fangs. Slivers of sensations ran through him as his hand reached up to cover the one at his stomach. A soft moan fell from his lips as his other hand reached up to tangle in Dominic's hair. He always did love being fed from. Dominic shuddered as he licked the wound closed. "We're never going to finish your shower if we keep this up." He fanned his fingers out over Grif's stomach. "Turn around," he murmured. Obediently, Grif turned for him. A slow trembling had already taken over his body and he tried to still that. The pleasure was slow in coming down for him and he wasn't hiding his reaction to it anymore. At least, not from Dominic. "If I had the soap, we might get done sooner." Being taller, Dominic held the soap up out of reach. "I think not, love." He grinned. Within his eyes was the clear indication that Grif wouldn't soon forget this particular shower. Seeing the grin, Grif eyed him with a raised brow as he folded his arms across his chest. "You're the one who wanted to finish the shower. I was busy enjoying myself." "I said it won't get finished any sooner," Dominic teased. He reached out and slid a soapy hand across Grif's stomach. Then he moved his hand lower, brushing his fingertips down the semi-hard length of Grif's cock while holding his gaze. "We have to clean everything, you know." Up until this point, Dominic had made no attempts to touch him, but then Grif's mind wouldn't have been able to focus on it anyway. In reaction, Grif hardened fully under the glide of Dominic's fingers as he bit at his lower lip to stifle any sound. It took a few seconds for him to answer. "I'll allow you to be the expert at that." Dominic curled his fingers around Grif's cock and began stroking him slowly, the soap providing the perfect amount of slippery friction. He kept a neutral expression on his face as he watched Grif closely. With every downstroke, he slipped his fingers over Grif's balls before releasing them to slide back up his shaft. Grif's gaze held his as he turned just enough to lean back against the tile wall for support.Closing his eyes, he focused fully on Dominic. The smooth stroking of Dominic's hand caused Grif's hips to jerk into each motion. His words were spoken with a low groan. "That feels so fucking good, Dominic." Moving closer to him, Dominic flicked his tongue over Grif's lips. With one last stroke, he released Grif's cock and knelt down. He began soaping Grif's legs up, taking care to massage every inch of one leg before moving to the other. Each time he neared Grif's upper thigh, he leaned forward and placed a soft, lingering kiss to Grif's leg, taking care to avoid his cock and balls altogether. Grif's eyes opened with the teasing touch of Dominic's tongue and his gaze lowered. The slow massage to his legs relaxed him to a degree, though it kept the anticipation at a higher level. Staring down at Dominic, his expression held a mixture of his own emotions and the slow rising need that was washing through him. 55
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When Dominic was finished with Grif's legs, he looked up and turned Grif around without moving from his own position. He started with the backs of Grif's legs, resuming his massage of the muscles in his calves and thighs. As he worked his way up, he placed soft kisses to each of Grif's buttocks. Grif closed his eyes as he rested his head against the wall. An acute awareness followed each touch. Part of him knew what Dominic was doing and he was grateful for that; the other half wanted far more. Rising up on his knees, Dominic slid both of his hands over Grif's buttocks, kneading them gently. As he worked to massage the muscles, he spread them apart repeatedly. With another gentle parting, he leaned forward and slid his tongue along the crack of Grif's ass, taking care to linger for a brief moment over his hole before pulling away. The massage itself kept Grif relaxed and the slide of Dominic's tongue drew a soft gasp from him as he shivered. His muscles tightened as his hips tried to push back slightly. A heightened awareness kept full track of Dominic, clinging heavily to that sense of him. Without the ability to see who was behind him, it was the only thing that kept Grif relatively calm. Dominic stood slowly and slid his hands over Grif's back, massaging the muscles and then his shoulders. He kissed his neck softly. "Feel better, love?" The faint tension through Grif faded when he realized Dominic was really more focused on giving him a massage. Resting his forehead to the tile, Grif let his mind drift slightly as his body more fully relaxed under Dominic's hands. Slowly he turned towards him with a bit of a smile. "I'm feeling a lot more relaxed than when I woke up." "Good," Dominic said with a smile. He drew back the curtain after turning off the water and reached for a towel. He wrapped it around Grif and bent over, sliding his hands under Grif's legs to pick him up. He carried him into the bedroom and laid him gently on the bed. Grif's expression became a reflection of the amazement he felt and his gaze never left Dominic's face. "Through everything, you've been the only place I could be safe. You know how much you mean to me, don't you, Dominic?" Dominic stretched out on the bed beside Grif, pulling him close as he rolled onto his side to see his face. He propped his head up on his other hand and smiled softly. "The first moment I saw you, that first night I carried you home, I knew I wanted to take care of you. I wanted to shower you with all the love I could, to keep you from harm's way for all eternity." His gaze lowered as he traced a slow, lazy path over Grif's chest with his fingertips. "Your love tells me enough." He looked back up then, meeting Grif's gaze once more. "You mean the world to me, Griffith. You always have." As Grif burrowed more deeply into the bed, he nudged up against Dominic. His mind took in the words, pulling them deeper inside him. Dominic helped him to heal from the nightmare that had taken over his life. He took hold of Dominic's hand and drew it to his lips to press a kiss to each finger. "I need your love as much as I need to love you." "You have always been a part of me, long before our first kiss, long before the first time you let me hold you," Dominic said quietly. "With everything that I am, I love you, Griffith. As a knight, I give you that oath." He pressed a finger to Grif's cheek, turning his head to him. He leaned forward and kissed him softly. "I know that now, Dominic," Grif whispered against the warmth of Dominic's lips before the dart of his tongue slid over them. His mind opened fully to Dominic. I need you to make love to me, please. Erase everything else in me. Dominic opened his mouth to Grif and shifted until he was hovering over him, nestled between Grif's legs as they kissed. With the part of Dominic's lips, Grif's tongue 56
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delved deeply into his mouth, taking a slow, sensual taste. Dominic's tongue made loving circles around his as one of his hands drifted over Grif's side to his hip. He gripped him gently and moaned softly in his mouth as he grew hard from the contact of their bodies. I'll go as slow as you want me to, love. Grif's legs opened to him in invitation as his hands lifted to Dominic's arms, running slowly over them. The only thing he knew that could help was Dominic and to know the depth of emotion that he held for him. Love me. Let me feel your love. Pulling slowly from their kiss, Dominic leaned over to pull open the drawer in the beside table. He then resettled, holding the small bottle in his hand as he began kissing Grif again. I can't stop kissing you. The world could fall apart around me and as long as I had you, I wouldn't care. Without breaking their kiss, Dominic opened the bottle with one hand and tipped it up, letting some of the gel slide out into his palm. He dropped the bottle and slid his hand between their bodies to slick himself up. He then slipped his hand lower and brushed his fingertip over Grif's entrance. The soft whisper eased through Grif's thoughts as a reminder of what was between them. It kept the edge of the nightmare away from his mind and heart. The pain inflicted on him had none of the elements of gentleness and love, and his craving for Dominic's love sharpened. He was barely aware of anything but the slow, loving kiss they shared when Dominic's lips returned to him. A faint tension crept over him even though his body tried to feel more of the touch of Dominic's finger. Don't stop. Don't stop loving me. I could never stop loving you, Griffith. Dominic kept his kiss gentle and soothing as he pushed his finger slowly into Grif. He bit back the groan that wanted out as the tight heat of Grif's body enveloped his finger. He turned it slightly, angling it forward as he began making slow, light circles over the gland deep within him. His only thought was to show Grif true love and true pleasure, and his kiss echoed that need as well, the need to heal him. Grif gasped softly as his muscles contracted around Dominic's finger. The soft whisper of his mind to Dominic became a near incoherent begging, trying to cling to the knowledge of their love with Dominic's words. He badly needed that to fight against the void that had spread through him after being raped. A slow pleasure rippled through him with the pressure of Dominic's finger and he began to squirm. Dominic pulled his finger out slowly and rubbed the head of his cock over Grif's entrance. As he deepened their kiss, he pushed forward gently with his hips. A touch of desperation entered their kiss as Grif felt the slow entry inside him. The progression was made slower because of the protesting tightness even as he tried to relax. Only the gentle insistence of the pressure within him allowed him to let go of enough of his own fear. Once he was buried deep inside Grif's body, the moan lodged in Dominic's throat slipped free and his hand moved to Grif's hip to cradle him gently as he stilled. "I love you, Dominic," Grif whispered as he pulled away from their kiss. "I love you with all my heart and soul." "I love you, too." Dominic rose up just enough to look into Grif's eyes. "You tell me when to move and when to stop." Grif's gaze lingered over Dominic's face, watching him with a fierce intensity. He studied Dominic's features in great detail, seeing the softened expression of Dominic's emotions. Savoring the feel of Dominic inside him, Grif felt nothing but pleasure and the understanding of the depth of Dominic's feelings. "You love me with your heart, Dominic. Now love me with your body." Dominic smiled softly before capturing Grif in a soulful kiss as he began moving his hips slowly, sliding in and out of Grif in long, gentle strokes. He slid one arm under 57
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Grif's waist and the other under his neck, holding him tightly as he made slow love to him. Every stroke within Grif drew another deep-seated shudder out of Dominic. Completely responding to the gentle sweetness of the kiss, Grif let himself become surrounded by the slow-rising pleasure as it built with the friction of each motion. His hands caressed over every inch of the bare skin of Dominic's body that he could reach, memorizing the feel of him again. The enticing sensations began to increase and his body clung more tightly to the inward drive that filled him. Feeling the gentle, loving joining between them kept the worst at bay in him as his senses became swamped in the heightening of the tension. Let it go, love. Come for me, Griffith. Dominic focused his attention away from his own rising need for release, and instead focused on his movements inside Grif, gently driving his lover towards the edge. He broke away from their kiss and brushed his lips over Grif's throat. As his fangs pierced the tender flesh slowly, he whispered to Grif's mind. Come for me. Feeling only what Dominic gave him, the words alone were enough to send a hard shudder through Grif's body. Given release, his orgasm pulsed rapidly through him, sinking his mind beneath its pleasure as he came. His throat and body arched hard to the line of Dominic's body, caught in the repeated cycle as Dominic drank. Feeling the tightening heat of Grif's release and tasting the sweetness of his blood tipped Dominic over the edge. He cried out, the sound muffled against Grif's neck, and his body shook repeatedly with his own orgasm. Tears streamed down his cheeks, yet he barely noticed them as he tightened his hold on Grif. When his body began to slow down, he licked the wound softly before burying his face in Grif's hair, small tremors still causing him to tremble. Only when Dominic ceased to feed, did Grif slowly begin to come down from the heights he'd been taken to. Most importantly, he needed to be held tightly for now and his arms slid around Dominic's neck as he clung to him. He would still have nightmares and the pain itself would take a long time to fade, but he knew he would always find safety from it all in Dominic's arms.
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About the Authors Mychael Black never set out to write erotic romance (or romance or erotica, for that matter). When Mychael first started writing (way back when), it was to be a fantasy author--someone along the lines of Tolkien or Mercedes Lackey. Mychael even thought about breaking into horror. Then, somewhere down the line, Mychael got hooked on gay porn. The rest is history. Born in Alabama in 1976, Mychael is known by many names. At this point, most people in the e-publishing world (readers and authors) know Mychael as Kay Derwydd. The name Mychael Black came about when Mychael started working with Shayne Carmichael. (See Shayne's bio for the progression of that whole thing.) To date, Mychael has written countless works with Shayne, plus several single-authored works as Mychael Black. When not writing, Mychael can usually be found researching anything medieval--arms, armor, history, religion; anything Welsh--culture, language, history; languages--namely Welsh, Hebrew, German; and only God knows what else. Aside from research, writing, and editing, Mychael spends most of the time chasing down two young children and fighting off the plot bunnies left and right. More information can be found at the following places: http://www.geocities.com/mychaelblack http://mychael-black2.livejournal.com Who is Shayne Carmichael? His real name is Shayne Lee Smith. He was born in Itazuke, Japan to American parents. (ie - Dad was in the Air Force). From the age of three to eight, he lived in Taiwan. He's traveled a lot, and only discovered even more he wants to learn about the world. When not writing, Shayne is a self taught PHP and MySql dynamo. Or at least one would think from the number of scripts he's been begged to write for free. With any spare time left to him, Shayne runs ERWI (Erotic Romance Writers International), aggravates his co-author, Mychael, to no end, often drowns under Mychael's plot bunnies, and holds a forty hour a week job. Currently Shayne is working on a six book series, The Legends of the Romanorum. Blood Ties, Blood Magic and Blood Sins are being written by Shayne. The Prince's Angel, And the Two Shall Become One, and Forever May Not Be Long Enough are being written by Shayne and Mychael. Included in the writing list are a few other books, Magic and the Pagan, Night Song, and numerous novellas and shorts.
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Shayne writes under the pen names of Sable St Germain and Shayne Carmichael. Sable was an RP character he used to play. Shayne Carmichael is a combination of his first name and Cian's (Angel/sorcerer in The Prince's Angel) last name. The character Shayne writes for in The Prince's Angel is Mael Black. That would explain why Mychael's last name is Black, and the character Mychael writes for is Cian. Shayne's first official publishing contact is with Phaze for the Power of Two. A vampire D/s, BDSM story written with Mychael Black. The status of Phaze author has been one of their goals. Having achieved that, their next goal is to take over the world. Over the last nine years, Shayne has rped (roleplayed) and written both male and female characters. Gay, lesbian and het (vanilla and non vanilla). You could say he runs the gamut. He's never believed whatever gender he happens to possess dictates what he can and can't write. And he pretty much ignores anybody who thinks that way. Especially since he's never been a vampire, were tiger, ghost or guide, but he writes about them anyway. Hell, he could be a woman pretending to be a man, or a man pretending to be a woman. He might be a 21 year old sex crazed female or a 60 year old dirty old man. It's the world wide anonymous web, remember? In the anonymous vacuum of web space, nobody can hear you scream. They can't tell your age or sex either. In the publication of most of his books and for advertising, his persona is male. In the comic strip The Beleaguered Lives of Mychael and Shayne, his persona is female. Why? He likes confusing the readers. Then again, maybe he's a bit of both. Whether he's a man writing gay, lesbian and kinky het or a woman writing gay, lesbian and kinky het, doesn't matter. If he can draw you into a story with his words, he's done his job. Who is Shayne Carmichael? Does it really matter? Shayne shares a website with Mychael Black, his partner in crime at http://www.theprinceangel.com. Excerpts for other works and several freebie stories are available on the site. To contact Shayne, email
[email protected].
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