Page 11 of Kings of Blood and Ruin

He strides past me to my closet, opening the door with more force than necessary. Drystan doesn’t move to grab anything, not that there’s anything to find. All my items are still in my suitcase because I refuse to unpack them. I won’t give them the satisfaction of thinking that this is long term. It’s not. It’s temporary. My brother will either pay the debt, or I’ll find a way to escape.

Slamming the door closed, he turns his attention to me. I see his jaw clench beneath his salt-and-pepper beard. Like he’s fighting back an instinct. Is he that upset that I haven’t unpacked? It seems rather silly, to be honest.

“I want all of your things put away by tomorrow afternoon,” he tells me, his eyes lit with fire. I scoff at his demand, watching as his hands flex at his side.

“No.” It’s such a little thing to be disobedient about, but it’s the one thing I have control over. The easy route would be to do as he says. Unpack. It isn’t like it won’t be easy to pack it all back up when he’s not looking. Not that I’ll be running away with a wheeled suitcase behind me. I’ll just have the clothes on my back and my small bag. The thing is, I’m tired of being obedient. First to my father, then my brother, and now this man and his cohorts.

A low growl escapes from his chest. It’s primal, like an animal. I always wondered why vampire lore saw fit to attach them to bats. It doesn’t seem like a fitting animal for a bloodthirsty predator. They’re more like wolves. Swift, powerful, and deadly.

Drystan moves so fast that I barely register him until his hand is wrapped around the back of my neck and he’s bending me over the bed.

“That’s the second time you have refused to do as you’re told, little lamb.” He’s bent down, his large body covering mine as he whispers in my ear like a seductive lover. “I won’t tolerate disobedience.”

“Fuck you,” I snarl at him, thrashing my body against his in a vain attempt to get loose. He’s much bigger than me, stronger. His hand goes to my hair, yanking it back until I’m stretched out, my back bowing beneath me.

“Is that what my little lamb wants?” he purrs. “You want me to fuck you? Stick my cock in your pert little ass? Keep disobeying, and that is exactly what I will do.”

I freeze, my muscles tensing at his threat.

His lips curl at the edges. “You are ours, Thalia. If you push us, we will be unkind.” He eases his body away from me, pushing my face into the mattress. “Don’t test us, little lamb.” Drystan removes his hand from my hair, and when I don’t move from my position, he praises me. “Good girl.” I’m going to need to be psychoanalyzed for the way my body reacts to those two words.

I jerk when I hear leather slipping through his pants.

No. He wouldn’t.

“Now, take off your leggings and put your ass up so I have a clear target for my belt.”

When I don’t move, he fists my hair again and pulls. It hurts, but the pain sends a jolt of something I don’t want to name between my thighs.

“All right!” I shrilly cry, pulling at his wrist with my hands. Drystan lets go of my hair, and I sigh at the reprieve. When he backs away from the bed, I slowly stand and shove my leggings down my legs, removing my ballet slippers as well. Reaching down, I ball my pants up and throw them at him. They miss by a mile, but the tantrum makes me feel marginally better.

“Let’s go.” He points to the bed with his belt, the jangle of metal causing my pussy to clench.

Traitorous bitch.

Clenching my jaw, I crawl into position on the bed, on my hands and knees. I reach for a pillow and drag it to myself. He doesn’t say anything when I bury my face in it. I don’t want anyone to hear me scream. Especially not his men in the dining room, although I doubt they could hear me from up here.

But his brothers will.

Vampires are known for many things. Strength, vitality, agility. They also have keen hearing, and there is not a doubt in my mind that Weylen and Asher have heard every word we’ve uttered up here.

“This is surprising,” Drystan drawls, running the back of his hand down my bare ass. “No panties. What a naughty little girl.”

The blood rushes to my face at being completely exposed to him. Panties might not provide any protection from the leather of his belt, but they would have protected what little dignity I have left. It’s a pretty low bar. I don’t like wearing undergarments with leggings because of how fitting they are. Most of the time, you can’t hide the panty lines, and cotton on cotton makes for a very unhappy coochie.

“Why are you being punished, Thalia?” he asks as he trails his fingers over my ass again.

Because you’re an ass.

That’s what I want to say, but I can already tell that if I push him too far, I’ll be in for more than just a belting.

“I didn’t do as I was told.” My voice sounds weak and pathetic. Like a chastised child.

“And what happens to little lambs when they don’t do as they’re told?” He digs his fingers into the soft flesh of my ass. I hiss at the contact, the fire in my belly blazing.

“You punish them.” Tears spring to my eyes at how my body is betraying me. How humiliating it is that I’m getting turned on by something so debasing.

“Good girl.” Fuck those two words from his perfect mouth. I hope he chokes on them. “Let’s hope this will be your only lesson.” I don’t have to see him to know he’s smirking, the smug bastard. “Although I highly doubt that.”

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