"It's not all I want, Tage." Jason's fingertips ran down Tage's spine.
Unable to still his shivering response to the touch, Tage straightened with a box of chocolate candy in his hand. Closing his eyes, he stepped back toward Jason.
Arm snaking around his waist, Jason drew Tage back against him. "Do you fear me now?" His breath warmed Tage's skin, just below his left ear.
"No. You won't hurt me, Jason." Tage knew that without any doubt whatsoever. He just wasn't sure what he was to Jason. Being part of the food chain changed things, but then again he'd never been sure of anything with Jason. Feeling the stirring against his skin, he tilted his head slowly.
"You're right," Jason whispered. "I would never do anything to hurt you, Tage." He brushed a soft kiss to Tage's neck, but he didn't bite.
As his hand lifted to Jason's head, Tage pressed lightly against it, encouraging him. Come whatever may, he couldn't deny Jason's effect on him. He'd come to rely on Jason's calming presence in his life. "Go ahead."
"This isn't about feeding, Tage." Jason raised his head and turned Tage around. "I will only do it if you ask me to. I want nothing more than to please you in every way possible."
Tage smiled. "You need to feed, and I want to feed you, Jason. Please."
Jason kissed him softly. Then Jason tipped Tage's head and kissed a slow path over Tage's jaw, down his neck, to the nape. "For you." The words were breathed across Tage's skin. Then Jason sank his fangs in.
After the sharp pain faded, Tage held on, pressing his body tightly to Jason's as his arms slid around Jason's neck. It felt different somehow, in a way he never expected, as Jason drew life from him. Closing his eyes tightly, Tage swayed slightly, feeling the hungry pull of Jason's mouth on his skin.
Jason finally pulled away, licking the wounds closed. "I want you. I will always want you."
Dazed, Tage lifted a hand to his throat, rubbing against the spot where Jason had bitten him. His words were very simple, yet eloquent in their truth. "I need you, Jason."
"You have me." Bending, Jason slipped an arm under Tage's legs and scooped him up. He carried Tage upstairs to his bedroom and closed the door with his foot. After laying Tage on the bed, Jason stood up and pulled his shirt off.
Tage had meant far beyond the obvious, but he didn't think Jason had understood him. Without hesitation, he wiggled out of his pants and took his shirt off. The slight arch of his body to Jason was a clear signal and invitation. He had his own hunger for Jason to appease.
As the last of his clothes dropped to the floor, Jason crawled onto the bed between Tage's legs. "I don't think you know how much I need you, Tage." He hovered over Tage and kissed his lips softly, parting them with his tongue.
Tage opened immediately to him, his arms drawing Jason down to his body, wrapping his legs around Jason's. The slow rock of his hips rubbed their cocks together as Tage let himself go to the sensations beginning to race through his body. Anchoring his knees firmly on the bed, Jason devoured Tage in the kiss, rocking his hips slowly to drive their need up several notches. As desire sharpened within Tage, his hips bucked, begging to be entered. Without looking, he grabbed for the lube near the bed and opened it.
Pulling from the kiss, Jason stared down at him. "Show me how much you want me."
Obeying Jason, Tage squeezed some of the lube out onto his fingers. Spreading his legs wide, he slid his hand down and pushed his fingers into himself. It took very little for a groan to escape him. He wouldn't stop until Jason told him to, and he desperately wanted Jason to take him. "Please, Jason."
Jason sat back on his heels and stroked his cock, gaze drifting between Tage's face and his fingers. With Tage's plea, Jason slicked himself and tossed the lube to the floor before leaning over Tage. "Let me in, baby," Jason whispered on Tage's lips as the head of his cock nudged against Tage's hole.
An upward thrust of his hips impaled Tage fully on Jason's cock, and his body clenched tightly as he fucked himself on the hard flesh. His hands held on to Jason's head as he parted his lips, pulling Jason's tongue in his mouth. Groaning, Jason dove into the kiss as he started stroking in and out of Tage's body with long, deep thrusts. Jason's hands slid under Tage's shoulders and tugged Tage down with every thrust, Jason growling into the kiss.
With a shift of his hips, Jason changed the angle of his thrusts, nailing Tage's prostate. Breaking off the kiss, Jason moved his mouth down to Tage's throat. "Come on. Come for me, baby."
Tage's orgasm rolled over him in the crashing waves of pleasure, leaving him mindlessly shaking beneath Jason. Jason's name became a chant until Tage lost his breath as Jason pinned him to the bed. With a deep growl, Jason slammed into his body as fangs pierced Tage's neck. Every pull at Tage's throat sent another shockwave through them both, Jason rocking against him. Tage couldn't stop the trembling and each tug of Jason's mouth flooded him with the overwhelming sensations. All he could do was hold tightly to Jason as incoherent moans rose in his throat.
When he'd taken enough, Jason licked the wounds and slowed the rhythm of his hips. "Damn, baby…"
Tage couldn't answer. His eyes remained tightly closed as everything faded, leaving him exhausted. The only movement was the faint nod of his head. Jason eased out of him and collapsed onto the bed. Sliding an arm around Tage, Jason pulled him close.
"You okay?"
"I'm okay," Tage murmured as he burrowed in against Jason. His body felt like a limp noodle. He nudged his head under Jason's chin to press a kiss to the base of Jason's throat. So many parts of Tage were becoming intricately woven around Jason. He couldn't even sort himself out anymore. Given his own personality, Tage wasn't certain if it was a good thing or not, but he couldn't control it. Sighing quietly, he nestled, completely relaxed for once.
"Sleep, baby. We've been through Hell the past few days."
* * * *
During the nights as Dominic busily attended to the aftermath with the Counsel, Grif sought sanctuary in their private study. With so much on his mind, he wasn't sure where to start anymore. After pouring himself a brandy, he went to the couch. Settling into the cushion, Grif sprawled out, staring morosely at the dark amber liquid in his glass. He tried to keep his mood shifts hidden from Dominic, yet he now constantly questioned himself.
Anger rose too quickly to the surface in him with just with the thought of the state Quinn had put him in. He had yet to deal with Quinn's influence on him, didn't want to deal with it. The fucking man was dead and could do no more damage. A short bark of bitter laughter escaped Grif with the thought. Quinn could do damage and still continued to do so. He played havoc in the recesses of Grif's mind, taunting him for being unable to stand up to his previous master. Everything that had occurred had yet to be sorted out and Grif forced himself not to focus on anything that had happened. When the phone on the desk rang, instead of answering it, Grif let the machine get it.
"Love, I know you're in there. You've been hiding out in the study for a while now. I'm on my way home. When I get there, I expect you to be packed for a weekend away. Tage, Jason, and Egbert all know we're leaving for a few days. I love you, Grif."
Dominic's voice penetrated the haze of self-disgust in Grif's mind and he frowned slightly. He really hadn't realized Dominic knew he was hiding in the study all this time. Reaching for the glass, he drained it quickly, then set it down with a snap.
The door opened a moment later and Egbert stepped inside. "Master Grif, I've brought out your suitcase and it's in your bedroom. Master Dominic will be back soon and you need to have everything packed."
"You're all plotting against me, aren't you, Egbert?" With a wry smile, Grif stood.
He left the study and went upstairs, grumbling the entire time. Why couldn't Dominic just let him seethe about it? He'd eventually get over it. Or at least…that's what he tried to tell himself. Sighing, Grif entered their bedroom and began tossing clothes randomly into his suitcase. When he was done, he closed the suitcase and left the bedroom, turning out the
light as he went. The sound of raucous laughter came from the direction of the kitchen as Grif descended the stairs. He could hear Tage and Jason playfully arguing with Egbert over dinner. Setting his case down at the bottom of the steps, Grif walked silently toward the main room. A few minutes later, and without fully realizing it, he had managed to drain the contents of half a bottle of brandy. Before he could finish the bottle, however, it was plucked right out of his hand. Then he was turned to face a loving but serious blue gaze.
"Egbert," Dominic called without looking away from Grif, "take Master Griffith's suitcase out to the car, please." Then Dominic smiled slowly. "We're taking a little trip, love. Far away from everything but us."
"And where are you stealing me away to?"
Egbert appeared in Dominic's wake and picked up Grif's suitcase, taking it out to the car.
"A little cabin in the woods," Dominic chuckled, arm sliding around Grif's waist. He steered them out of the house. Looking up, Dominic nodded at Egbert. "Thank you. We'll be back in three days."
"Yes, Master." Egbert bowed to them both and went back inside, closing the door behind him.
"In the car. I'm kidnapping you." Dominic kissed Grif softly and released him to walk around to the driver's side.
"As long as you're there, I don't really give a damn where we're going. Though why all of a sudden?" Grif asked as he got into the car.
Dominic glanced over at him as he started the car. "Because you need it, we need it." A grin slowly spread across Dominic's lips. "And because, as your Master, I command it."
One brow quirked and Grif eyed Dominic. "Oh, I have a weekend session with you, Dominic? That has possibilities."
"You could say that," Dominic said as he pulled out into the street. "Consider it a purging, Grif." He looked over at Grif briefly. "Of everything."
Somehow Grif got the feeling there was more behind Dominic's words than he actually wanted to handle. Looking away, he stared out the window for a long moment, watching the buildings along the street pass by. "Purging, Dominic?"
"Purging. The doubt, the self-abuse, the hiding—it all stops this weekend, Griffith. Come Hell or high water, I'll break you out of your shell."
"I can deal with it, Dominic." The words came out through gritted teeth and Grif didn't look at Dominic. "There's no reason to drag you into it as well."
"Hiding in the study with a bottle in your hand is not dealing with it, Grif." Dominic came to a stop at a red light and turned right. "I'm not trying to be a bastard; I'm trying to help."
Grif drew in a deep breath to ease his own tension and the air escaped him in a sigh. Finally he looked back at Dominic. "I know you are. I just really don't want to focus on anything to do with him or what happened. I know I have to, but I don't want to."
"Sometimes we must do things we don't want to do," Dominic said calmly. He reached over and took Grif's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "But it's just us, love. We can do this."
Uncertainty filled Grif's thoughts, but he trusted Dominic. Turning his hand, his fingers curled over Dominic's. A great deal of his own self-doubt echoed in his next question. "Why do you even still want me around, Dominic?"
Dominic stopped the car abruptly, leaned over, and tugged Grif into a bruising kiss. When he finally let go, Dominic's gaze was stern. "I've waited longer than I care to remember: wanting you, needing you. You were taken away from me once. I'll be goddamned if it'll happen again, Grif. I killed Quinn, and I will kill anyone else who dares to get in our way."
After the reeling effects of the kiss, Grif found his voice. "If I had any ounce of sanity or stability, I'd see why. But I'm not sure I ever will."
Dominic pulled back onto the road and started up the mountainside. "When I get done with you, you will."
Tristan had started Grif on the roller coaster descent and Quinn's return only sped the disintegration of Grif's mind. Grif more than understood the chaos in his head, but coming out of it in one piece was the ultimate question. His fingers tightened in a painful hold on his lover's. "You have more belief in me than I do, Dominic."
"Give me three days to change that." Dominic turned down a leaf-littered dirt road. "I'm not letting you go until I know it worked. Half-hearted reassurances won't be enough."
"You have my trust." Grif smiled faintly and his gaze never wavered from Dominic's. "I'm not sure what you have planned, but I'm willing to let you do it."
"Good." Dominic stopped the car in front of a rusting gate. "Because for this, a safe word doesn't apply." He got out and went around the front to unlock the gate. When he got back in, he drove through the gate before getting out and locking it once more. "We're almost there," he said as he got back in and started up the long driveway.
Grif remained silent, though a faint vibration of tension returned as they continued. Staring out the window, he watched the small cabin come into view. The wooden log home fit perfectly in the rustic setting, surrounded completely by trees. When Dominic stopped the car, Grif glanced uncertainly at him before getting out.
"Everything's ready." Dominic took Grif's hand and led him up the steps. Then he stopped. "Undress."
"Am I to be without clothes for the whole time?" The tone of command in the one word had Grif instantly obeying. Taking hold of the edge of his shirt, he pulled it over his head before he slipped off his sneakers. Unfastening his pants, he let them fall before he caught the waistband and stepped out of them.
"Yes." Dominic took Grif's clothes and unlocked the cabin door. He stepped to the side and directed a stern look at Grif. "Once you step through that door, it begins, Griffith."
It said a lot about Grif's trust in Dominic as he slowly took that first step into the cabin. Looking around, Grif saw the entire front room had been converted into a dungeon and he couldn't suppress a shiver. Stilling several steps inside the door, he turned to face Dominic, keeping his gaze directly on the floor.
Dominic closed the door and stepped up to Grif, pushing him gently to his knees. "We will not leave this house for three days. During our stay, you will refer to me as 'Master.' You are permitted orgasm only with my permission. There are two bedrooms: one for us and one for you should you need it. However, you must ask for it. This won't be easy, on either one of us. Do you have any questions?"
So easily Dominic drew Grif into the mindset of a submissive. The authoritative aura of control flowed through Grif, leading him to a place where hiding would become impossible. Grif spread his legs in the proper position, resting his upturned hands on his upper thighs. Looking up at Dominic, he said quietly, "Yes, I understand, Master, and I have no questions. It will be your will."
"Very good." Dominic stepped around Grif and pulled open a drawer. A moment later, he returned to stand before Grif. "I have something for you." He opened the box in his hands.
Glancing into the box Dominic held out to him, Grif's eyes widened at the sight of the black leather collar. Everything prior to this had only been play sessions; the rest had been on equal balance. The simple collar changed the dynamics and was something Grif didn't think Dominic really wanted until now. Grif looked back up at Dominic questioningly.
"We will always be equals," Dominic said, taking the collar out and setting the box down. "You are my life, my heart, my soul, and my lover." Dominic unhooked the collar and opened it, giving Grif the choice as to whether he would take that step. "But in this, I am your Master. Do you accept me in this?"
Grif knew they both would retain their equality, but the collar itself meant Dominic was fully willing to take on the complete responsibility for who Grif was inside. The dynamics of the play itself would deeply change, and the collar would bind them akin to marriage within their relationship. In his heart Grif had no doubt of his answer. "Yes, I accept you fully as my Master."
Dominic crouched down until he was level with Grif, then he slid the collar around Grif's neck. "I love you," Dominic whispered. As he buckled the collar, Dominic kissed Grif softly.
It took no mor
e than the feel of it around Grif's neck to awaken the total sense of his own position to Dominic. Daring to return the soft kiss, he whispered back, "I love you, Master."
Gripping Grif's chin, Dominic deepened the possessive kiss. When he pulled back, he stood. "On the table."
Dominic could and would do whatever he wanted, and Grif sank deeply into his own need. It was a part of who he was, who he had always been before it had been nearly destroyed by Quinn, and for the first time Grif truly gave that part of himself to Dominic. Quickly, Grif rose and went to the table, sliding back against the leather to lay on it.
"I don't want you to remain silent," Dominic instructed as he pulled out two stirrups at the foot of the table. Hands on Grif's hips, Dominic pulled him lower. He placed Grif's legs in the stirrups and strapped them securely. "I want to hear you." He moved to Grif's head and drew his arms up, securing Grif's wrists at the top corners of the table. "The safe word is only for physical needs. Trust me: I will know the difference."
While Dominic tied him down, Grif shifted, leaving his ass near the edge of the table. Though it did make him uneasy, Grif didn't protest being restrained. His gaze followed Dominic the whole time, giving himself a visual reminder that he was completely safe. "Yes, Master, though I don't think I will be using it for even that."
"I know your limits well enough that I don't think you will either."
Once Grif was secure, Dominic walked over to the table set up nearby. He rummaged through a box and returned to Grif's side with a jar of clear gel and a set of small clamps. He tugged off his shirt and smiled down at Grif as he rolled one of Grif's nipples in his fingers.
"What are you thinking about right now?"
Grif's chest arched slightly, encouraging Dominic to play with him. "I'm scared, but it's a rush. Right now, I want you to do whatever you want without listening to me."
Dominic nodded and without warning, closed the clamp on Grif's nipple. "Now what are you feeling?"
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