My horns punch back out, adding to the agony in my hands. It centers me, brings me back to where I need to be. An eerie calm descends over me as I watch him grab hold of her chain before loosening her wrists and ankles. He lifts her up and eases her over to the entrance and out of view. Luckily for him, he didn't linger on her body. As of right now, that's the only thing saving him. I leave the water running and slip out to towel down. Water sluices off my skin and puddles on the floor, but that's the least of my worries at the moment. Wrapping the towel about me, I stalk my way downstairs. From the sounds I'm hearing, they're just off the side of the kitchen. I pause at the base of the stairs and cross my arms. No way they can miss me when they come out.
A few moments later, I hear the toilet flush, and a slight niggle of guilt assails me. I never thought to attend to her basic needs. What type of mate am I? Shaking that off, I force myself to be gruff. Fredrick may have been trying to help, but he still overstepped his bounds. A lot. They both come hobbling towards me, and Fredrick is the one that spots me first.
"Now, Master -"
Caitlin looks up at me, her eyes wide and wet with tears. I firm my resolve. She's here to be punished, and no amount of crying is going to change that. I push off of the wood and stalk over to her. She backs up a step, but I'm right on her before she can get far. Fredrick, the interloper, pushes his way in between us, blocking my path to my human.
"Move, or I will move you."
"Master."
I tear my gaze away from Caitlin and pin it on Fredrick. For the first time in the decades that I've known him, his eyes actually widen in fear. Good. I want him to be afraid of me. He deliberately broke my rules. For every step they shuffle back, I step forward until they're backed up to the wall. Caitlin whimpers and cowers behind her "protector." I ignore her for the moment and let all my ire wash over Fredrick instead.
"Asmon, be reasonable."
The rational part of my brain howls at me to see reason, to show mercy, but my beast is having none of it. "How do you address me, elf?"
Fredrick lowers his gaze to the floor, but not before I see a spark of defiance light his eyes.
"Master, Sir," he grounds out between his teeth.
"And do you touch what belongs to your master?"
"No Sir."
"Very good. Then hand her over."
Caitlin bursts into a flurry of movement. "Please. Please don't let him take me. Please, I'll do anything."
I yank the chain from Fredrick's grasp and motion for him to step aside with a flick of my eyes. Head bowed, he moves over until it's just Caitlin and me. Her eyes fly up to meet mine for just a moment, then she looks down to where my hands are winding the chain in a slow, methodical manner. She can see her doom with every link that disappears in my fist. The struggle gets even more intense as she yanks back on the length closest to her, but it's no use. This human cannot outmatch my strength.
Inch by inch the chain slips further from her and closer to me. Her scent assaults my nose. There's fear, yes. It's an acrid smell that taints everything. However, for me, it's that dark bit of char that heightens the scent of her arousal. Inching my way forward, I eat up the rest of the gap until she's flush against my body. Her small frame fits so perfectly in mine. Her curves are soft against my hard planes. With each gasp, her hardened nipples brush up against my chest, drawing a shudder from her lips. I draw the collar forward, tilting her head back and forcing her to look up at me. There's a wary look to her eye, but her pupils have all but eaten up her irises.
"Who gave you permission to leave, little mortal?"
Caitlin licks her lips and looks over to Fredrick. Tsking softly, I yank on the chain, forcing her attention back to me. "He will not help you. He, like everything else in this region, answers to me. And that, my dear." I pause to slide my thumb across her bottom lip, before pinching it between my thumb and forefinger. She squirms but stays silent. "Includes you," I continue, staring down at her, willing her to succumb to my command.
"I will ask you again. Who gave you permission to leave?"
"No one, Sir."
"Correct. So then why did you go behind me to enlist the aid of my right-hand man, knowing full well you did not have permission to go anywhere?"
She remains silent. Her refusal to answer me sets my teeth on edge. Gritting them together. I turn and drag her behind me. Her feet dig into the floor as her hands wrap around mine. Nimble fingers dig into my wrist and hand, her nails almost breaking my skin. Hissing at the discomfort, I stop short and whirl around, pinning her with a glare.
"We can either walk down these steps together, or I will drag you down them. The choice is entirely yours."
Caitlin's face scrunches up for a moment before she sticks her tongue out at me. Shocked, I stand there and look at her. Judging by her face, she didn't intend to let that happen. She jerks it back up into her mouth before wetting her bottom lip, as if that was her initial plan. Nice try. Dropping the chain, I swoop down and catch her about the middle, tossing her over my shoulder. Finally, she makes some noise. It's as if the jolt finally sparks something in her brain. She thrashes about and screams at the top of her lungs. I scent the air again, and there it is, that subtle scent that I crave. For as much as she's carrying on, her body is loving every minute of this.
I hold her tight against my body, keeping her jostling to a minimum. Her warm skin imprints itself on me like a brand. The further we descend, the cooler her skin becomes until she's shivering just a touch. But at least she's not hollering any more. I run my hands up and down the back of her thighs, trying to bring a touch of warmth to her. I don't like smacking cold skin. As my fingers skim up her ass, everything in her holds still. Is she remembering my tail? I twitch at the thought. Already we both want to be buried back inside her.
I continue sliding up her ass before bringing my fingers down in between her cheeks, just skimming the surface of her skin. She shudders in my arms and her arousal spices the air even more. The spanking bench is cold as I set myself down on it. I pull her off my shoulder, stand her in front of me, and grab the chain before reaching over to the gas fireplace camouflaged inside the wall. Within moments, it roars to life, taking the slight nip out of the air. Caitlin stares at me, trembling as the seconds tick by.
"Are you going to punish me now?" Her voice is tremulous as she shifts about from foot to foot.
"Don't you think you deserve it?" I raise an eyebrow as I stare her down. Pink dots her cheeks as she looks away.
With a sigh, she looks back up at me, her face drawn and resigned. "Yes. I do."
Her whispered words send electricity down my spine, but I remain cool and calm. I can't lose face now. "I want to make this absolutely clear. What I'm punishing you for right now is for you kicking me and you leaving here without permission." I smirk and tap her lips. “And that cute little display you did up there with your tongue. After that's settled, we will start in on the punishment that brought you here in the first place. You've been very, very naughty Caitlin. Luckily for you, I am more than up to the challenge of setting you on the right path."
Her brows furrow in thought. Is she really going to play dumb with me? Someone that high up on the naughty list must have a sheet as long as my house. But, no matter, that's the fun of not knowing. I get to discover her sins as they spill from her repentant lips.
Chapter Six: Caitlin
My brain starts spinning. Besides fighting for my life while he had his way with me, what did I do wrong? Small snippets of the holiday party come creeping in, and I wince. Yeah, maybe I shouldn't have done some of that stuff. But that still doesn't give him the right to handle me like this! Even as I think the words, my body knows it's not true.
Every cell comes to life at his touch. If I have to deal with him being scary just to get those fleeting moments of pleasure, then, I'd be stupid not to. It's not just that though. Until meeting Mr. Candy Cane, I had no idea that I even liked this kind of stuff. I've heard whispers about it as coworkers p
ass their smut back and forth in the office, but it never appealed to me before.
But why now? Why him? I stare up into his crystal blue eyes and shiver. They say the only thing different between a kidnapper and a love interest is how hot they are. Is that true? Am I really that shallow? The man, creature, kidnapped me and did horribly delicious things to my body. Why am I not running?
A smirk tilts up his lips as he watches my face. This is crazy. This is absolutely insane. Forget sleeping off a bender, I must be in a coma. There's no way I would let him do those things to me otherwise. The swish of his tail catches my attention. Everything in me clenches with need. Yeah. Hopefully, the doctors can sign me up for a psych evaluation once I wake up, because I have questions.
"Are you going to take your punishment like a good girl? Or do I need to restrain you first?"
His words wash over me, sending a shudder through my body. I can't help it, but I'm drawn to him like a moth to a flame. But punishment? A small flare of panic rises up and chokes me. Even as a kid, I was never really punished. I was always the good one, the dependable one, I slump my shoulders, the boring one. Shaking that thought out of my head, I square my shoulders and look at him dead on.
"You're going to punish me for defending myself? That doesn't seem fair."
He rubs a hand across his jaw and tips his head in thought. "And yet, the sole reason you're in this house is to atone. I don't think kicking me and sassing me is a proper way to show repentance."
Exasperated, I throw my hands up into the air. "What exactly do I need to repent of? You kidnapped me! If anything, you should be praying I don't throw your butt in jail."
A smirk tilts his lips and my stomach flops.
"Oh really? And on whose authority. Tell me, human, who will actually be able save you?"
I hesitate as I mull over his words. None of them are making sense. Is this all some elaborate role play? My coworkers flash through my mind. None of them even came close to resembling this hot man in front of me...but they could hire him. Relief floods through my body, making me weak. That makes way more sense than anything else my brain is cooking up.
Cocking my hip to the side, I look him up and down, trying hard to not let my gaze linger on his bobbing erection. "Did Jamie put you up to this?" Out of all my coworkers, he'd be the most likely to arrange something like this. His Saturdays were spent in combat with his role-playing friends. The whole thing sounded fascinating but wasn't really my thing. It took too much effort, too much socializing. Perhaps that's where they found the hunk? His tail flits around, the movement distracting me for a moment.
That one was a little harder to explain, but animatronics can do amazing things. This guy may be geeky and loaded. Not a horrible combination. Thankfully, I was fired before all of this happened. If not, I'd have to face Jamie after this little foray. That is if his buddy didn't already spill the beans about what he did. My cheeks warmed again at the thought of perfect strangers knowing how I fell apart in this man's arms. And with his fake tail no less. Clearing my throat, I toss my head back and pin him with a stare.
"Look. I appreciate everything you're doing for me. Your acting is superb, and I'll be sure to recommend you if I ever come across an agent. But this is going super far into the creepy territory. I never asked for some romantic, thriller weekend, and it was sweet of Jamie to think my love life needed spicing up. This is too much though. I hope he didn't pay you. I'd hate to be party to a prostitution situation."
For once, the man appears stunned. He just looks at me for several moments, blinking every so often. "Are you seriously accusing me of prostitution?"
His voice startles me as it booms about the room. Crap. I've offended him. Not my intention. "Not like it's a bad thing. But if he paid you to have sex with me." I raise my hands and shrug. Did me enjoying it cancel it out? "Not that I was objecting, mind you. You certainly know your way around a woman. But I just can't in good conscience let this go any further.”
A loud rumble of laughter assaults my ears. He throws his head back as his chuckles vibrate through his body. For a second, I want to reach out and touch him, to feel the vibrations flow into me. I refrain, however, because as hot as he is, there's no way in hell I'm going to encourage him. Enough is enough.
After a few more moments, his hand snakes out to grab my wrist. I pull back, struggling with all my might to free myself. "Look! I said I'm done. Please, don't do this to me. Is there a safeword or something I need to use? Jamie never gave me one. Uncle, mercy, apples, something!"
In a smooth, practiced motion, he drags me across his lap until I'm balanced precariously over his thighs. The polished wood floor gleams up at me as I float just inches above it. I squirm about, trying to free myself, but his arm is like iron around my midsection, holding me fast against his hard body. After positioning me just how he wants me, he shifts his leg until I'm scissored in between them. My ass is high up in the air and my legs are trapped. I slap my palms against the wood, hoping, praying that someone is downstairs to hear the commotion.
When my captor makes no move to stop me, I slump down in defeat. There's no way he'd let me carry on like that if someone could hear me. His warm hand brushes my low back, sending tingles racing through me. I sigh into his touch, willing myself to relax. If Jamie paid for all of this, I might as well enjoy it. After a moment or two, his large hand lifts off of me, sending eddies of cool air across my skin. Instantly, he brings it back down hard on my ass. The zip of pain fires up my brain and sets my body into motion. I struggle. Hard.
There's no way he paid for this guy to hurt me. Thrashing about, I curse his thick thighs. I plant my hands against the floor and push up, seeing if that will help dislodge me. Nope. My heart races as my brain tries to process what's happening.
"Jamie wouldn't ask you to do this. Stop and let me go. Please! I promise not to have you arrested. Just please."
I hate the tremble in my voice. It shows just how scared and weak I am. Biting down on my lower lip, I try to keep from sobbing out. I'm trapped in the middle of nowhere with a madman. Everything comes down to a razor focus. What the fuck am I going to do? As my brain whirls about, my kidnapper smacks the other ass cheek with the same vigor, sending a sharp spike of pain exploding over my skin. Shrieking, I toss my hand behind me to stop him from smacking me again, but he simply gathers it into his hand and pins it to my back.
"One," he punctuates with another smack. "I don't know any Jamie. "Two," another hard smack. Tears start to roll down my face and drip onto the floor. "I am not a prostitute. Call me that again and you'll get way more than a spanking."
Is that what this is? A spanking? The few times my parents spanked me, it felt nothing like this. Then again, I was fully clothed and not completely at their mercy. In fact, knowing my mom, she was probably holding back.
"3," two swats this time, one on each cheek in rapid succession. "You have earned this spanking, and I will not repeat why. If I have to, I will add to your punishment. 4," these swats land just where my ass meets my thighs. Pure fire races up my body and I buck hard against him, trying to flee the pain he's inflicting. "You are completely at my mercy. No one is going to rescue you. The sooner you accept that fact and submit to my will, the better it will be for you."
I snort, completely unable to help myself. "Submit? To you? I don't even know you!"
His hand rests again on my lower back, his thumb drawing maddening circles over my spine. "I'm Asmodeus Josef Alberic, better known by the title of Krampus."
My body freezes. What. The. Fuck. Does he really think he's some mythical creature? Fear flows through me and I process his words. He must be mad. I'm stuck here with a delusional psychopath! This can't be happening.
He starts back up with the spanking, his hand firm and unyielding as he metes out his punishment. The more I struggle, the harder he grips me. His cock brushes against my side, an ever-present reminder that this monster is actually enjoying himself. Closing my eyes, I note the moisture gathering
between my thighs the harder he smacks me. I just don't understand. He stops for a moment and brushes his fingertips across my blazing backside. Liquid heat fills my body at his touch. The small scrapes of skin against heated flesh does something odd to my insides. They twist and churn, begging, no, demanding more.
Until now, I never understood the women who enjoyed pain in their lovemaking. Now, I have a very intimate understanding. The more he touches me, the more desperate I become. I writhe at his touch, silently begging for him to stroke lower, to ease my torment. His dark chuckle sends shivers racing up and down my spine.
"Well well, looks like I snagged myself a little masochist," he murmurs, his fingers pinching and plucking at my skin. "Already drenching wet for me I bet."
Gritting my teeth, I shake my head and squeeze my thighs together. I don't think I can bear the mortification of him knowing how turned on he's making me. Hell, I don't even understand my own reactions to him.
Asmon grips my ass cheek in a painful grip. "You're not lying to me, are you?"
Yelping, I buck against his hand, trying to loosen his grip, but he just bares down harder. "If I'm counting correctly, that's twice you've lied to me, isn't it?"
I slump forward in defeat. Who the hell am I trying to fool? Sniffling, I turn my face up as best I can to look at him. "I'm sorry."
He shakes his head and leans closer. "I must have misheard. It sounded like you just apologized."
"Yes. Okay? I lied. I don't know why the hell you're turning me on, but you are. Satisfied?"
"Oh, my dear little human, I'm not even close to being satisfied."
His words send a shaft of fear into me. I can't be falling for this psycho. He doesn't even think he's human. What the hell will he do to me? "Please don't wear my skin as a suit." My whispered words hang heavy in the air. Fuck. Did I just say that out loud?
Nice: A Dark Christmas Duet book 1 Page 7
