Page 157 of Taken By Touch and Torment

“Started everything,” I said, praying it was close enough to what I really said to be believable. “I meant what I said when we were reunited. I’ve missed my Master. I admire him. When I was away from you, I was plagued by obsessions. I’d wished I’d been able to learn more about you and your powerful mind. I’ve never met someone more intelligent.”

“You’re far more talkative than usual,” he growled, caught between basking in my ego-stroking and his drive to make sacrifices with my flesh for Lillian—his compulsion to reclaim me.

Even still, his eyes flashed at my declarations. He’d relaxed slightly, as if pleased the obsession had been mutual.

As if I enjoyed his grand romantic gestures of slaughtering innocents in my name and writing paragraphs upon paragraphs about the power of my blood and pain.

“It’s an honor to serve the second most powerful vampire in the realm,” I murmured.

Durian’s eyes flashed, his blade suddenly pressed against my ribs. “What the fuck did you just say?”

“I’m sorry, Master,” I said, wincing. “I meant second only to King Earle, the ruler of all vampires.”

A tremor racked through his jaw. He gritted his teeth. He slowly withdrew the blade, taking a deep breath and rolling his neck.

“King Earle is on his way out, pet,” Durian said. “I am his successor. Did your puny little brain fail to understand the meaning of future king of all born vampires?”

No. No, it hadn’t.

I pretended to be the most vapid, mystified bimbo anyway. “What an honor, Master. To fill the shoes of someone you admire. Was he your inspiration growing up?”

Durian made a feral noise of rage, finally cutting into my stomach. I cried out, tears leaking from my eyes as blood trailed down my torso.

“I do not fill anyone’s shoes, whore!” Durian spat, stray spit splattering across my face. “Earle is a failure. It is because of his own weak leadership that the mortals have risen against him, creating new races of bastard vampires. Lillian has sent me to make this whole world right again and restore her natural order. I do not aspire to be Earle. He should aspire to be me.”

Durian licked the tears off my cheeks. He carved into my chest next as I screamed.

And I was thankful for the pain, welcomed it, even. Because without it, I might’ve let another smile slip.

When I’d reached my threshold and began to black out, Durian finally licked my wounds. And in my venom drunkenness, I slurred a series of whispered words together.

I ended them with thank you, Master.

Durian barely acknowledged me, too busy reciting prayers to Lillian and indulging in her daughter’s addictive blood.

In my mind, I heard the song I’d performed for Rune. I remembered how it felt to sing in front of him, his warm eyes swimming with reverence, like I was a goddess in the flesh. My heart, once fast but slowing the deeper I fell into the music, rested in those broad hands.

I was held by our love, this understanding that no matter the leap or fall, I would be caught. Forever.

How beautiful it was to be free to soar, wings spread wide, after two decades of allowing myself to be shot down every time I brushed the clouds.

I needed out of these chambers. Now.

My collar was too tight, and I was desperate for air as I crawled in a futile attempt to escape Durian as he beat me with anything he could find. My thighs and ass were a rainbow of color, and not once had Durian allowed me to be healed.

Bruises decorated every part of my body, and my flesh was in various stages of healing from bites and slices.

“There’s nowhere for you to run, pet,” Durian said, his voice frighteningly crazed. “My lamb must repent for every day she spent away from her shepherd.”

I had to write to Rune. If I didn’t, he would come for me before all of my pieces were in place.

I’d slept at Durian’s feet for two nights now. Sometimes he’d awoken in the middle of the night to hold me down and feed from me. He fed me blood replenishing potions only when I was close to death. When he had to leave, he chained me to his bed by my collar.

Brennan was nowhere to be found. No one was allowed to see me.

And Durian’s obsessive need to isolate and punish me was putting a wrench in every single one of my schemes.

My work with Durian was finished. I’d gotten everything I’d needed. It was time for his destruction.

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