Page 17 of His in the Dark

I command everything about her life now.

Can she feel it, even as she wakes? Can she feel the depth of my control?

Wrapped in darkness, I approach the side of the bed.

Her pale blue eyes are wide and steadily watch me, although her body remains still. Panic drifts from her frail body. Fuck, the power she gives me in this moment is heady.

If not fueled by fear, I would drink it in.

“Persephone,” I murmur, tasting her name. Uttering it out loud for her to hear what it means to me. Her mouth rounds into a shockedo.She gasps, then bites down on her lip, attempting to control herself. The sheets rustle as her fist tightens around the cloth.

Her self-control is nonexistent in comparison to mine. Persephone is a lovely thing. Young in the world of the Gods. Pure. Untouched. No matter how much she wants to rein herself in, she will not be able to do it for long.

I relish the idea of breaking her. Of teaching her the art of control.

I relish it even more against this display—against her attempt to have some power, even as she lies in chains forged from my power.

Does she feel them yet? What thoughts ravage her mind in this moment?

Donned by my cloak of darkness, I can watch her all I want and she will not even know where I am.

Persephone’s eyes circle the room, then swing toward me. Her mouth presses into a thin line, what was fear morphing into anger.

Goosebumps run down my spine. Persephone cannot see me, not with my cloak removing sight from all those in my wake. But she seems tofeelme, and a fire in her eyes makes me feel that she can see through the darkness and straight into my soul.

I want her toknowshe is looking at me. I want her to know exactly where she is, and who has possession of her now.

Still, I wait. As she rises, Persephone tugs at her bonds, her lips firming even more. Her body trembles a moment as she tests her ankles, making her gown ride up another few inches on her thighs. I want to lean down and kiss that newly exposed skin. I long to mark her with my teeth.

Instead, I drop the darkness that surrounds me, the hood falling back and the vision of myself forming in front of her in a single heartbeat.

This time, her gasp is much louder. Persephone’s mouth falls open in her shock, only making my cock harder. Color floods her cheeks. It’s a beautiful combination of surprise and anger, and the flush of her skin mirrors the heat within me.

Her body stiffens as she pulls back against the bonds that tie her to my bed.

I’ve never been more delighted at the defiance in someone else’s eyes.Never. It’s so bright, like a flame, and I want to feed it, to test it until I pinch it out between my thumb and forefinger. And Iwillpinch it out. She will be mine. She burns at my command.

But she burns with her own fire, as well. As sweet as Persephone may turn out to be, as submissive as she will one day find herself, she has strength inside of her. She haswill, like the many forces of nature.

Her eyes locked on mine, Persephone pulls hard at the bindings at her wrists and ankles. She grits her teeth and yanks harder, the magic darkening and increasing its hold. The sounds she makes are addictive. They grow softer as she realizes that the magic will not release her.

Persephone gives one more hard tug, her delicate muscles straining and her face growing red, then lets her arms fall to the blankets, breathing hard.

I can’t help it, I show my delight with an upticked pull at my lips.

“Stop it!” she shouts. “Let me go! My father-”

“Your father will not intervene.”

“Yes, he will!” she screams. “You will regret this!”

“He will not. You are to be my queen,” I murmur, displeased at the hint of what came before me earlier returning. Theconcern, the doubt. I must extinguish it before it creeps and buries itself into something else. I keep my voice level, though the words are as good as a promise. It hangs in the air between us like the magic of the chains. She does not understand fully, yet, but she will. This ismykingdom, and she will rule with me.

“Let mego,” she insists, her eyes sweeping around her, the strength dimming so very quickly.Fight me, Persephone, my plea is unspoken and yet, the powerful Goddess stirs weakly, searching for an escape but she will not find one.

“As if you have anywhere to run.”

Persephone glares at me. “Then whychainme?”

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