“Tori…”
“Don’tfucking call me that.”Itried to search for my rage, but allIfelt was the bottomless pit of despairIhad worked so hard to hide from myself these last weeks.Moresobs escaped me, “Abraxas, please,Ineed to go to him.”
“Thisisn’t howIwanted to see you beg,Princess.”ButIcouldn’t take his bait,Iwas too far gone.Moresobs. “Hewill kill you, and he won’t hesitate.”
“Whydo you care?Justlet me go, let me fight.”
“Ican’t do that.”
“Whynot?”
“Becauseyou are mine to protect.”Iwas suddenly aware of how our bodies had settled together.Howmy legs had opened in my struggle, and he now lay between them.Howvery close his face was to my own.Howvery natural it felt.Theneed to escape cleared my mind.
“IthoughtIwas yours to break?”Guiltflashed in his eyes.Ishoved at him again, and this time he let me.Weseparated, both still sitting on the floor.
Hesighed, “Youcan’t fight him,Tori, not like this.Especiallynot while he has that collar onJun.”
“Whatis it?”
“Iimagine it's some sort of enslavement enchantment.Veryold magic, powerful.Verydifficult to break.”
“Butyou know how?”
“No, just that it can be done.”Fuck.
“Theparty tonight, take me to that.Ineed to see him again, maybeIcan learn more about it.
“No.”Hisface was blank.
“Whatdo you mean no?”
Herubbed the bridge of his nose. “Youwill stay in your room tonight.Noexceptions.”
“Whathappened to ‘I’mnot a prisoner here?’”
“Tonight, you are.”Iwas stunned into silence, and his face was pure ice. “Fuckyou!”Imade a dash for my door, but as always, he was too fast and had me pinned to the ground belly down again.Iscreamed, but he just lifted me over his shoulder like a sack of flour, and then tossed me on my bed.Iscrambled to get up, but he was already out the door, closing it behind him with a firm slam.Iran to the door just asIheard the lock slide into place.
Islammed my fists into the wood over and over, but it was useless.Iscreamed, “Fuckyou!Fuckyou.Fuck… you…” but the words quickly turned to sobs.Myfists slowed, my knuckles bleeding, andIslowly slid down the door.Myshoulders shook, and my legs collapsed under me.Ilaid my forehead against the hard grain of the wood, “Ihate you.”Iran my hands over my neck, and for a momentIcould almost feel the weight ofJun’scollar, as ifIwere him instead.Butmy neck was decidedly bare, only the smallest of scars remained from whereAbraxashad bitten me.Darknessswallowed me, but not beforeIknew whatIhad to do.
Chapter26
Abraxas
Afterthe party, a small group returned to my room, as was often the case.Mosthad already left, butNaluxlingered as he often did.Inormally didn’t mind his company, butIwas in no mood tonight.Ipulled on my robe and slunk away from the bed, trying to signal as much to him, but he followed after me.
“Areyou going to tell me what is wrong,Abraxas?”Iturned to him, to find him staring me down, arms crossed.
Isighed and walked to pour myself a drink of malt ambrosia from the crystal decanterIkept near my fireplace then poured a second forNalux.Thegolden liquid caught the firelight asIwalked over to the half-naked man.
“Whatmakes you think something is wrong?”Ihanded him his drink.
“Tonight, you were acting much more…intense.”Iraised a finger to his swollen lips, tracing their pillow soft surface.Pleasureand pain had always been somethingIhad enjoyed mixing, butIprided myself on my control.
“Nalux, ifIwent too far tonight, you should have said something.”Hebatted my hand away.
“No, no.ButIknow you better than you might think,Abraxas, andIcan tell there is something on your mind.”Itook a sip from my drink.
“Idon’t know what you are talking about.”Nowit was his turn to sigh.
