The Sacrifice Read online

  “No, it’s not all right.” He raises my chin again. “Look at me. Tell me which part you liked the most. If you don’t, I’m going to take you into the study and we’ll watch it together until I know simply by observing you.”

  Oh Goddess, I’m going to have to tell him. “I…” I clear my throat. “I liked the part where he went down on her.”

  “Intriguing,” he murmurs. “And what exactly did you like about that? Have you ever had it done to you before?”

  “No, never.” My voice has dropped to a whisper but I still keep talking. “I’ve never…never had a guy do that to me but I liked the way it looked. The way he was so…so masterful with her and yet so gentle at the same time. He was…was touching her, tasting her, and she couldn’t do anything about it because she was tied down.”

  Then I look away again, my heart beating and my cheeks burning. Goddess, I can’t believe I just admitted that! Aiden is right, I am turned on by this submission stuff.

  It’s a revelation to me, but he doesn’t seem surprised at all.

  “Good, very good. You see, you can obey orders when you try.”

  “I shouldn’t want to try,” I mutter, still looking away.

  “But you do want to, don’t you, darling?” He kisses my flaming cheek and I shiver with nervous tension. “You don’t want to admit it, but you long to give yourself to me. To open yourself and let me master you, just as the Dom mastered his lovely submissive in the movie you watched.”

  “I…I…” I can’t quite bring myself to admit it out loud. But I know that he sees the truth in my face.

  “That’s all right—we’ll talk about it later. Right now we still need to tend to your punishment.”

  “What?” I look up at him uncertainly. “But I thought—”

  “Darling, your tears roused something in me I haven’t felt in years—compassion,” he murmurs. “But a submissive still has to take her punishment.”

  “What…what are you going to do to me?” I ask, my voice quavering. “I’ve been thinking about it all afternoon, wondering…”

  Aiden frowns. “I can see that with you anticipation turns quickly to anxiety. That was never my intention.”

  “I can’t help it,” I say. “I’m a worrier.”

  “So I see.” He sighs. “Very well—this once I’ll tell you exactly what I’m going to do. First, I’m going to bend you over the bed. Then I’ll give you exactly five strokes with my belt.”

  “Your belt?” I look down, studying the black leather belt around his lean, muscular waist nervously. It has a very hard looking silver buckle.

  “I’ll strike you with the belt, not the buckle,” he says, as though reading my thoughts. “My intention is to punish you and teach you a lesson, darling—not to injure or disfigure you.”

  “Oh.” I swallow hard. “All right. Then what?”

  “Then I’ll get you ready for dinner,” he says lightly. “Am I right in assuming you barely touched your lunch?”

  “Yes,” I admit. “I…I was too worried.”

  “You never need to worry like that, Emma,” he murmurs, stroking my cheek. “I will punish you often but never in such a way as to harm you permanently. In fact, I hope in time you will look forward to being punished.”

  “Look forward to it?” I look at him, wide-eyed. “Why would I possibly do that?”

  “Because, darling…” His voice has dropped to a low growl and his gray eyes are hot. “In this contest of wills we are involved in, punishment is as likely to include pleasure as pain. Do you understand?”

  I bite my lip, feeling my body grow hot with some unspoken need. “I…not entirely.”

  “That’s all right,” Aiden murmurs. “I’ll teach you.” He stands, pushing me gently off his lap. “Now run down to the pool like a good girl and get your collar. When you come back, I want you to assume the position and get ready to take your whipping.”

  My heart thuds so loudly in my ears I can hardly hear my own reply. “Yes, Master,” I whisper. And then I turn to do his bidding.

  Chapter Twelve

  I’m tempted to take my time getting to the pool and back but something tells me Aiden won’t wait for long. And if he has to come find me, five lashes with the end of his belt will be the least thing I’d have to worry about. So I rush through the mirrored corridors, relieved when I find the pool on the first try. Maybe I’m finally getting to know my way around this funhouse maze of a mansion.

  When I get back with my collar buckled in place, Aiden is sitting on the side of the bed, long legs crossed and the black leather belt held casually in one hand. He has the buckle end wrapped around his palm and the other end of it trails down to the floor, looking like a long black snake. When I see it, I feel my entire body break out in gooseflesh. How much is this going to hurt?

  “Assume the position, Emma,” he says softly, rising from the bed in one fluid motion. He’s all grace and power—all vampire. And I feel like a frightened little nothing of a witch as he strides around the bed to loom over me. “It’s all right, my darling,” he murmurs, perhaps seeing the fear in my eyes. “After the pain, the pleasure—remember?”

  To my shame, a hot current of desire runs through my veins. Goddess, what is he turning me into? Will I actually crave this kind of treatment, look forward to being punished in time? I don’t have time to answer these questions. All I can do is bend over the bed with my hands on the mattress and my head bowed.

  But apparently this isn’t the right position. “Lower,” Aiden instructs me sternly. “Get your entire upper body on the bed, Emma. Then lift your ass into the air and spread your legs for me.”

  Goddess, it’s almost like he’s getting me into position to fuck me! The idea makes my cheeks burn and I do what he says quickly, hoping he can’t see me blush.

  The bed is waist high on me so it’s not hard to simply rest my chest and arms on it. I even nestle my cheek to the maroon duvet, trying to take comfort from the feeling of cool satin against my face. Then I press my ass outward—which makes the phallus still strapped inside me move in a most disturbing way—and spread my legs for him.

  The position makes me feel hot and vulnerable in a way I didn’t think was possible. I can feel my insides clenching with a mixture of lust and fear as I wait for the first stroke to fall.

  “Are you ready, Emma?” he asks, his voice low and stern. “Ready to take your punishment?”

  I bite my lip and am hardly able to reply. But I force myself to whisper, “Yes, Master. I…I think so.”

  “Let’s see—shall we? This is for forgetting your collar and snooping where you don’t belong.”

  From the corner of my eye I see the blur of his arm and then with a flat, smacking sound the belt falls. I gasp as it strikes me, flames of pain licking over my exposed skin, marking me for my Master’s pleasure. I let out a muffled cry and grip the satin duvet in trembling fists.

  “That’s one,” Aiden murmurs. “You’ll have three more like it so brace yourself, darling.”

  Three more? But I thought he said he’d give me five?

  The question is driven out of my head as the belt licks over my skin again…and again and again. The pain is much sharper than it was when he spanked me with his hand and yet, somehow I like it. Maybe it’s the feeling of being so open for him, so helpless but the pain of the belt starts a fire between my legs, making me want to shift from side to side and ease the growing pressure I feel in my swollen clit. I don’t dare move though—not until the last blow falls.

  But after four sharp licks with the belt, he pauses for a moment. “Spread your legs wider now, Emma,” he commands softly. “You’ve had four on your ass. You need one more between your legs to teach you a lesson.”

  “B-between my legs?” I stutter, turning my head to look at him in disbelief. “But—”

  “Do as you’re told,” he says sharply. “At once, Emma!”

  Biting my lip, I open my legs even wider and tense my body for this last blow. The le