Round Two

by Eden Wildblood

  He drew a third mouthful and watched her with hungry, lustful eyes. He saw the smallest curve of her bottom as she passed them and ground his jaw against the flesh between his teeth.

  Jack let out a cry of pain but Marcus did not yield. He settled his slave with a wave of power through their bond, exerting control over his body with ease, and Jack fell silent. He was giving off fear in droves though, only exciting the vampire more, and he took another gulp.

  Marcus then looked up and caught sight of Wynter in her bedroom. She had the door wide open and was parading around in just a bra and knickers. Did she know they could see her? Marcus had to wonder if she’d thought she’d closed it enough to obscure her from sight, but it was the exact opposite.

  Even so, he watched her, desperate to touch that flesh and to taste the delicious nectar coursing beneath it. He gulped harder and harder, ignoring the struggle from the slave beside him. Marcus was ravenous for more and would not relinquish his hold.

  He took another gulp, and another, watching as Wynter slid a pretty dress over her head and then let it cascade down over her slim body. It bunched at her curved waist and she wiggled her hips to release it, making him laugh.

  The curve of his mouth separated man from monster and Jack’s arm fell into his lap with a limp thud. He had been drained to a dangerous point, but would live, and so Marcus left him to rest. Instead, he went to her, his perfect slave, and blocked the doorway with his huge frame.

  Wynter turned to glare at him and then looked behind to where Jack lay slumped and half-dead on the sofa.

  “I thought you said you only take a little bit from him?” she asked, her voice barely more than a whisper. “He looks half-dead.”

  Marcus licked his lips and he saw her eyes dart to them. Her cheeks then flushed as some sordid thought went through her mind and he grinned. So, her dreams hadn’t been nightmares after all. She was hot and giving off a needy vibe that told him she’d had dreams of a steamy variety and not offloaded any of that need herself while in bed or in her shower.

  Why wait? He wondered, and then got his answer when he walked inside her room and closed the door behind him. Wynter tried to hide it, but she was definitely scared. Not necessarily of him, but of the closed door. That was why she’d left it open rather than maintain some modesty after her shower, and probably why she’d not felt comfortable enough to take care of business after her long rest.

  “You need something, don’t you, my sweet?” Marcus asked, stepping closer, and he adored the flush of Wynter’s cheeks as she tried to lie to him.

  “No, now would you please open the door.”

  “No,” he echoed, sauntering closer. Wynter backed up like she had earlier that morning and he advanced, closing the distance in no time at all and then boxing her into the corner.

  Without a word he then lifted her skirt and pressed the flat of his palm over her mound. Wynter groaned and sucked in a breath, like she was going to say something, but Marcus put his other hand directly over her mouth and pressed it closed. His thoughts were wild and frenzied, but his actions smooth as he slid his thumb under the waistband of her knickers and then pushed them down. The sheer fabric glided downwards and slid around her ankles with ease, leaving Wynter naked at the waist. She moaned again when he stroked his way down over her barely-there tuft of hair towards her clit.

  Marcus shushed her and pinned her harder against the wall, teasing open her thighs by splaying his fingers wide and Wynter followed his command without complaint. She even arched her hips to grant him easier access, and Marcus laughed to himself as he thought about all the times she had defied him. Told him she hated him. And now here she was, soaked and ready for him to be inside of her.

  He started slowly, teasing his way in and out and then taking a second to rub her clit with each withdrawal. Wynter was breathing hard through her nose and began arching her hips in time with each of his plunges, as if she’d figured out his rhythm, so Marcus altered it. He pressed his long fingers all the way inside and pushed against her g-spot, making her moan and buck and tense around him, and laughed again. “I can do this for you every day if only you be my good, good girl,” he whispered against her temple, running his teeth over the top of her forehead as his desire to take a bite grew stronger. He pushed in again and tickled that same spot, this time offering relentless pressure that he knew would force her over the edge.

  Wynter’s eyes grew wide and she suddenly gripped Marcus by the wrist of the hand between her thighs and pushed it against her, deepening his intrusion. She writhed against it and then came, and he watched her with relish as she reached her climax and came utterly undone.

  But it wasn’t good enough. He wanted more. Marcus removed the hand covering her mouth and kissed her, ravishing her lips with his wild mouth and then he bit down on her bottom lip, drawing blood. He then drank her down and continued to kiss her, while Wynter’s body went into overdrive and she began to shudder with another almighty release. Her core clenched around him, but Marcus continued to push in and out at the speed Wynter still dictated thanks to her hands doing the guiding.

  When she was finally over that precipice and fully spent, her hands fell limply at her sides and she trembled against him. Marcus wondered if she would fall in a heap should he let go, and again he contemplated doing so, but then thought better of it. Instead, he ordered his hand to retreat from within her still throbbing body and pulled his mouth away from hers.

  Then, he scooped Wynter up off her feet and carried her to the bed, where he laid her down atop the duvet and watched as she basked in the euphoric afterglow of her releases.

  ***

  Wynter wanted to tell Marcus to leave, but not for any reason other than because she felt vulnerable and laid bare in the aftermath of what’d just happened. She didn’t want to admit it to him, but she’d enjoyed that. Like, really enjoyed it. It’d been so long since her last proper session in the bedroom that she felt like she’d forgotten what a penis looked like, but couldn’t deny his hands had worked some serious magic in place of her having had a proper seeing to.

  He’d been right, she had been horny as hell, but hadn’t known how best to deal with it. The bathroom had reminded her of her embarrassing attempt to seduce Marcus the week before, so she hadn’t felt like getting herself off while in there, and so she’d figured the bedroom would have to do. But then she’d emerged and found Marcus feeding on Jack on the sofa rather than the privacy she’d anticipated. It was a strange sight and something which had stirred a variety of emotions in her. Yes, there was the usual shock and sense of yuk, but there was something else too. Marcus’s eyes had been full of heat and she’d felt them on her, but there was also a certain kind of sexiness to watching him feed. Something she’d never considered before. He was powerful and like a gory king among men. Wynter had gone to her room and thought of nothing more as she’d gotten dressed and as soon as he’d appeared in the doorway, she knew he’d figured her out.

  The big bad wolf had come to claim his prize, and for some reason, Wynter had wanted nothing more than for him to take it.

  “You fed from me,” she whispered, licking her swollen lips and breaking the silence at last.

  “Yes, it appears I did,” Marcus replied in a mirthful tone, “how very naughty of me…”

  “You should be punished,” she teased, watching him from under her lashes. Wynter felt tired again in spite of her having gotten an entire nine hours of sleep, but knew it was just her body’s way of enjoying the aftermath of her sexual release. It would pass, and so too would their moment of playing nice, and so Wynter was determined to enjoy both while they lasted.

  “I could drink from you every day,” he replied as he lifted her dress and gazed down at her still naked core. “And I could touch you like that every day too. If only you’d be mine and no other’s. And if you proved your loyalty to me and did everything I asked without argument.”

  “Never gonna happen,” she replied with a smile, but then faltered
when she realised he was being serious. Wynter lifted herself up onto her elbows and peered down at him, watching as he covered her back up and then plucked her knickers from the floor.

  “Put these on,” he ordered, and was back to being icy cold again.

  Wynter did as he’d asked, and then she clambered off the edge of the bed and blocked the door, staring up into his immense blue eyes.

  “Whatever you think and whatever you do, I will always be my own person, Marcus. What you have to realise is that it’s not a bad thing to let a woman have her own thoughts and feelings. You might actually like being part of the modern world if only you’d give it a try.”

  He moved her out of the way by physically lifting her up by the shoulders and placing her back down a couple of feet away.

  Marcus didn’t seem to be angry with her, but he also appeared to have considered the conversation over with, so Wynter let him go and she instead took off for the bathroom to freshen up again and do her hair and makeup. She also had to finish packing, so got straight to it, putting the thoughts of him and his promise of some kind of future aside, for now.

  Thirteen

  Wynter wasn’t sure exactly what she’d expected of their trip, but a drive to the other side of the city in a blacked out minibus wasn’t exactly it. She had to admit though, it wasn’t a thing like the tin can style old buses she’d been in before. This one was state of the art and more than comfortable enough, but she’d figured Marcus for more of a sports car type. Or maybe one of those huge armoured cars she’d seen diplomats drive around in. Something exciting and that reeked of importance, not a standard human mode of transport.

  She tried not to watch him as they drove, but it was hard given how they were sitting directly opposite one another in the back. Jack was to her left and Bryn to her right, but Joanna had been quick and had made sure she’d taken the seat beside their master before anyone else could.

  Wynter hadn’t minded one little bit, but now wished she had chosen another seat because all she could feel was his gaze on her. The look in his eye brought back all kinds of sordid thoughts and memories of what’d just happened in her so-called bedroom and she found herself growing warm. Marcus had touched her in ways he hadn’t ever before. He’d been soft and gentle, and oddly adoring. He’d touched her like a lover, not a controlling oppressor, and she’d come away confused and still scared, but also eager for more of that touch.

  When they arrived at their destination—the location of Marcus’s new nightclub Bound—they were each given a hard hat and a high-visibility jacket to wear, and then were shown around the new club. It was so close to being done that they were already stocking the shelves behind the bar area, but upstairs there was still building and decorating work going on and the team trailed along behind Marcus as he led them around, pointing to each of the departments and offices explaining what they were to become. Wynter couldn’t understand why he felt the need to though, as it was almost an exact replica of the offices back at Slave. She knew before he told them which were the HR offices and such, and recognised the four private offices along the hallway as soon as they arrived beside them.

  “My dear managers,” Marcus barked as he came to a stop, “you will oversee both clubs so might have to visit with me again on a regular basis. Here are your offices should you require some private space. Your key will open both locks.”

  “Master,” Joanna jumped in, sidling closer and fluttering her eyelashes up at him. “Will we stay here some days too?”

  “You, my darling,” Marcus answered, and Wynter hated how she felt a twinge of jealousy in her gut when he placed a hand against the small of Joanna’s back, “shall come with me. Wherever I am, you managers are to follow. Plain and simple.”

  “As will I, I presume?” Bryn asked and Wynter had to hide her smile at the jealous edge to his tone. So, someone else had felt that twinge too?

  “Indeed,” Marcus agreed and then he led them upstairs to where the final touches were being put on his office. It was the same setup as he’d originally had back at Slave and Wynter had to swallow a lump in her throat when she looked down at the ground at where David’s body had lain in a crumpled heap in the other, previously matching office. Everything was exactly the same and Wynter hoped Marcus would change it like he had the other one. She didn’t much like being reminded of what’d happened, even if it hadn’t been here.

  “Ladies and gents,” chimed a woman’s voice from across the huge room and they each turned to watch as a tall brunette came sauntering towards them, teetering on ridiculously high heels considering the place was still technically a building site. She came to a stop in front of their master and kissed his cheek. “Marcus, darling. I wasn’t expecting you until tomorrow morning. I had intended to lay on a feast in your honour. My sire will be most displeased with me.”

  “You know as well as I do, Claudine that I do not feed from the slaves in my employ, only my managers.” He beckoned to the three of them with his hand and Claudine, presumably a fellow vampire, turned to eye each of them in turn.

  Wynter picked up on the woman’s distaste for the four of them and refused to look away when under her scrutiny like the others had done. As far as she was aware, she had no orders to act timid or fearful of the others of Marcus’s kind. She would give respect to those who reciprocated it, but she wouldn’t shy away. He’d protect her and keep her safe, she was sure of it, and so stood her ground.

  “This one reeks of self-importance, Marcus,” the woman told him with a sneer, “makes me sick.”

  “Yes,” he replied without a care for the insult she’d just administered. “And Jack there is heartbroken and desperately lonely, while Joanna is an insufferable bore who adores me so much I can beat her within an inch of her life and she’ll always come back for more. They each serve their purposes, dear. Much like you serve yours.”

  Wynter felt like applauding him for the comeback but settled instead for the tiniest of smiles. She didn’t want to push her luck, after all.

  She then stared down at the bracelet still around her wrist. The gift from the Priestess. She’d never taken it off and didn’t want to either, and thought it odd how it had just become part of herself. Something she was so used to she forgot it was even there. It had to be magical. The black mist swirling within the single dark bead was mesmerising and Wynter had often found herself staring into it. It was marvellous. Like now, was it somehow getting darker? It seemed so.

  “Ah yes, back to the task at hand,” Claudine then said, and Wynter snapped out of her reverie at the sound. She then watched as the vampire turned her attention back to Marcus and ignored both his answer and his slaves. “The last of the work is due to be finished well ahead of schedule and Camilla has agreed to your request for funding of her hordes’ feeding days. She does wish to speak with you to go over the terms, though, and has requested that you visit with her immediately.”

  Wynter watched as a frown encroached on Marcus’s usually so carefully stoic guise, and she got the feeling he didn’t much fancy going to visit this Camilla, whoever she was. Wynter thought back to the apparition she’d seen, though. Could that be her? Or perhaps, someone associated with her? She was willing to bet this trip had to be the first step in her being set free of Marcus, though. It was too much of a coincidence otherwise.

  They were finally away from Slave and due to travel with him for however long he determined, and while things had indeed changed between them, Wynter still yearned to be released from his tight grip. Still wanted to meet the woman who had appeared to her and find out the truth behind her promise of an option-number-three.

  Claudine then took the small group through the last of the walkthrough and finally she ushered them all into a small office just inside the main front doors. There, the humans were offered refreshments while the two vampires talked in private over to one side of the room.

  Wynter wasn’t sure why, but something about the set up didn’t feel right. She sipped on her freshly brewed coff
ee and stared out the window to the foyer beyond, watching as the workmen went about their business as usual. None of them appeared to be hiding anything or watching from over their shoulders, so she turned her attention back to the room and realised the source of her unease was in there with them. Claudine. She had been employed by Marcus to be Project Manager of the new club’s opening, so he had to trust her, but there was something off about the vampire. Something that made Wynter’s blood run cold whenever she looked at her.

  As she continued to watch, an odd sensation began to creep up her spine and she suddenly felt lightheaded. She tried to shake the feeling off, but then looked around at the others and realised that they too seemed to be reacting in the same way. It was like when Marcus had drugged her using his cronies at the bar. One moment, Wynter was with it, and the next her legs were so tremendously tired they buckled and she slumped to her knees. The others each did the same as well and it wasn’t long before they were in a heap together on the floor of the office, barely fighting to stay awake.

  The last thing Wynter remembered was watching as Claudine turned to them with a smile, while Marcus was grimacing.

  ***

  “About time,” Claudine told Marcus, who was seething at her audacity but had decided to keep his cool, at least for the time being. “My witch cast that spell before we’d even walked into this office. Your humans are strong to have taken this long to succumb.”

  “And you are on dangerous ground,” he answered curtly, “I do not appreciate my staff being mistreated this way. It’s not how I like to do things.”

  “Oh really?” Claudine responded with a smirk, “Jakob tells it a little differently…”

  Marcus sneered. Of course that little sneak was behind this coup. His information regarding what he’d seen at Marcus’s office had clearly gone back to his mistress, who had now sent her witch across during his visit to ensure he accepted her request for an audience.