The Sacrifice Read online

  “Absolutely not.” Aiden leans back, resting comfortably in the soft leather seat. “Dominance and submission is not a new game to me, but it’s not one I indulge in often. Usually I like to know that my partner wants such treatment before I deal it out.”

  “Well, I don’t. Want it, I mean,” I say as forcefully as I can.

  “How do you know?” he murmurs, eyeing me with interest.

  I look at him in disbelief. “How do I know that I don’t want to be…be dominated? To be punished and hurt?”

  “Punishment can be a pleasure in and of itself, if performed correctly,” he purrs. His gray eyes are lazy and half-lidded with something like hunger burning far back in their depths.

  “How…how could anyone possibly get pleasure from being punished?” I whisper, feeling my cheeks heat.

  “That depends on the punishment.” Lightly, Aiden brushes my hot cheek with the back of his hand. A jolt of electricity tingles through me at the gentle touch.

  “I…I don’t understand.”

  “I wouldn’t expect you to, Emma. Your earlier modesty tells me that you have very little experience of the sexual world, especially the dark side of that world, which we will explore together.”

  A sudden image flares in my mind like a struck match. I can see myself, naked before him and tied to the bed. It’s a big, four-poster and my ankles and wrists are bound to each of the thick posts with some kind of black cord. Aiden is leaning over me, holding something in his hand…a blindfold. I suddenly know he’s going to put it on me and then do anything he wants…anything at all. My nipples are as hard as bullets and my pussy is dripping, my cunt swollen with a need only he can assuage. There is fear in my hazel eyes, but longing also. Longing to give myself to him completely, to submit in any way he wants, to offer myself to my Master…

  No! I shake my head, trying to clear it of the disturbing vision. Where did it come from? Did I just have a bizarre fantasy or is the vampire somehow feeding me images of what he wants to do to me? Either option seems equally upsetting.

  “But…I don’t want to explore it,” I say, trying to pick up the threat of our conversation.

  He shakes his head. “A great pity—this will be more difficult than I feared. Still, what you want is immaterial in this case.”

  “Why?” I demand. “Why is it immaterial? If you always give your…your partners a chance to say yes or no then why not give me that chance?”

  He frowns at me. “You ask far too many questions. I would prefer you to sit in silence for the rest of our trip.” Before I can protest his high-handed proclamation he adds, “Every word you speak from now until we reach my home will add to the punishment you already have coming to you.”

  “I…you…you…” I sputter incoherently.

  “That’s three more strokes,” he says, sounding almost bored. “Would you care to try for more?"

  Actually, I wouldn’t. I sink back in the butter-soft leather seat and fume silently instead. Arrogant bastard! But the strange vision I had of myself tied to his bed won’t leave my head. And I’m already wondering, what kind of strokes is he talking about?

  Chapter Five

  Aiden’s house is a flat out mansion—no other word fits.

  We have to drive down a long and winding road through some pretty dense tropical vegetation, which tells me the vampire likes his privacy. Either that or he forgot to pay the gardener. The house itself is long and low, all one story, which makes sense in Florida. It’s much more expensive to cool a house with upper floors. It’s a sprawling modern design with lots of outer glass walls—surprising in the lair of a vampire. The lights inside give off a soft golden glow in the deepening night, promising a haven of safety. I am sure they lie.

  “I spent years missing the sun,” Aiden says, obviously seeing me examining the glass walls. “When I acquired the means to reacquaint myself with its light, I didn’t want to waste it.”

  Well, that explains all the glass. And it’s private and secluded back here—the house is surrounded by dense Florida foliage. So I guess he doesn’t have to worry about anyone seeing him walk around naked. If he does walk around naked. Just the thought has me blushing. If the broad, muscular chest I can see peeking out from the leather jacket he’s wearing is any indication, Aiden James naked would be a sight to see.

  Wonder if you’ll be seeing it sooner rather than later, whispers a little voice in my head. I shiver at the thought.

  Before I can speculate further, the limo pulls up to the front door, its tires crunching on the crushed shell driveway. Aiden steps out first and holds out his hand for me. It’s an old world, courtly gesture, one I’m tempted to ignore out of sheer perversity. A single look at my new master’s face, however, tells me that would be a mistake. I take the offered hand without comment.

  He helps me out of the limo, then takes me firmly by the arm. With his other hand he makes a gesture towards what looks like a motion detector or monitor of some kind and the double front doors fly open soundlessly. Aiden marches me inside and they shut just as quickly with a very final clicking sound I don’t care for one bit. Are we locked in? Before I can ask, he is steering me through the house, one hand still clamped firmly on my arm.

  “Hey, wait a minute! Where are we going?” I protest, forgetting his moratorium on talking.

  “To the bedroom,” he growls. He’s walking so quickly I have to trot to keep up and the opulent house is a blur around me. “Your education begins tonight.”

  My education? Is he serious?

  Apparently so because the minute we enter a large master bedroom, he releases my arm and says, “Strip.”

  “What?” I stand there confused and more than a little terrified. The very room we’re in seems built to intimidate. The walls are solid, not glass at least. As for the décor, it’s tres masculine. Big, heavy, dark furniture, thick, deep gray Berber on the floors, and a huge four-poster bed covered by a maroon spread. With a start, I realize this is the bed I saw in my dream—or vision or whatever you want to call it. The one I was tied to while Aiden was about to blindfold me.

  “You heard me,” he says, pulling my attention back to him. He is standing there in the doorway, his broad shoulders blocking my escape and his arms crossed over his chest. “Strip.”

  “I…why do I…?” I can’t finish the sentence.

  Aiden sighs in obvious frustration. “Emma, I know you’re new to this but let’s get one thing straight from the start. A submissive does not ask why. She simply does what she’s told to do, the minute she is told to do it.”

  “So you’re asking for my unconditional obedience?” My voice is quavering but I’m determined to have my say. “That seems like a tall order considering we’ve known each other less than twenty-four hours.”

  Aiden runs a hand through his hair, a very human gesture of frustration. “I will tell you again, I have good reason to demand your submission. And it is not simply my personal preference.”

  “What reason?” I demand. “Tell me.”

  “In good time.” He eyes me sternly. “For now, do as you are told. Strip, Emma, or I will strip you myself. And I promise you won’t like the punishment afterward if I have to do that.”

  He keeps promising to punish me but as yet he hasn’t said how he’s going to do it. How many punishments have I racked up so far? I open my mouth to ask in the most sarcastic way possible but the expression on his face makes me swallow my words. He’s just standing there, waiting for me to obey him. To take off all my clothes and get naked right here and now. I open my mouth again and this time what comes out is, “Do I really have to?”

  His eyes soften a little at my pleading tone. “Emma…” He takes a step toward me and I back up, my thighs hitting the footboard of the tall, four-poster bed.

  “Please,” I whisper. I realize I’m begging now but I can’t seem to help myself. All my sass and sarcasm has leaked away now that I’m pressed up against the bed with the huge, dominating vampire looming over me.