by Renee Rose
“No, you're not,” she said with mock tartness. He put an arm around her as they walked out the back door, and he led her out to his silver Mercedes, which was parked in his private parking space.
“Listen,” he said with a hesitating tone, spinning the keyring around his finger.
Oh God, what? Her red flags went up with that tone.
“I don't want you to think this errand running gig is contingent on you screwing me. I just realized that it might seem that way. What just happened… well, I hope you didn't feel like you owed me.”
She snatched the keys from his hands. “Don't be ridiculous,” she snapped. She was offended. As if she would have sex with someone just to use their car. Please.
“Sorry,” he muttered and shook his head, as if realizing he had blundered. He climbed in the passenger seat, making her nervous as he silently watched her familiarize herself with the instruments on the dash. After she adjusted the seat and mirrors, she backed out carefully. She was overly cautious, checking and double-checking her progress in all the mirrors. She felt like she was having her driver's exam all over again.
“So I'm driving you home?”
“No, drive to your place. I have my own way of getting home,” he said, winking at her when she looked over.
Waiting at a stoplight, he said, “Do you text and drive, Kate?”
“No,” she said immediately. Then shrunk a little in her seat.
He was looking at her as if he knew she was full of shit. She kept her eyes on the road.
“I mean, only if I need to…”
“Yes or no?” His voice was quite stern.
“Sometimes.” Hers was quite squeaky.
“I spank for lying, too,” he said casually.
Her heart did a double beat. God, he had the ability to flip her world on its end with a simple turn of phrase. And stealing a glance at him, she could tell that he totally knew it.
“When you drive my car, your phone will stay in your bag the entire time, okay?”
“Yeah, sure,” she said, trying for a casual tone. “If you say so.”
“I say so. And if you disobey me you're going to find out how a spanking with my belt feels.”
Her belly jumped into a knot at those words. Dom looked at her for a long moment, then leaned back as if he was satisfied.
She drove in silence, waiting for the inner quaking to fade. Then she ventured, “Dom?”
“Mmm?”
“I was just wondering… I mean, I'm just curious—when Stella said you spank hard, was she just saying that or was she speaking from… personal experience?”
Dom shifted in his seat. He seemed uncomfortable. He took a deep breath. “Stella and I used to be a couple. A very long time ago.”
She already knew that from Fox. She wasn't trying to pull a jealous act or anything. She just wanted to understand Dom's past. With spanking. Like, why was he so good at it? And who else had he spanked? And was it a turn-on for him? Or had it been in the past?
“I know. And you guys… you spanked her?”
Dom seemed even more uncomfortable. He tugged at his earlobe. “Well, it was not that kind of spanking. It was more for punishment, not for play. I mean, sometimes it ended up going in a sexual direction, but mostly it was the other kind.” He shifted nervously around in his seat again, twisting to face her. “You have to understand, Kate, that it was hundreds of years ago. At that time it was common for a man to discipline his woman when he thought she required correction.”
Oh. God. Her internal muscles spasmed at that in a spontaneous mini-orgasm. Dom must have known it because he started chuckling in a low rumble.
“Shut up!” she snapped.
“Don't be rude,” he said, but there was no sternness to it, and he was still smiling. “Does that turn you on?”
She didn't answer. She could feel the blush on her face. She was totally and completely embarrassed.
Suddenly he sat forward a little, his smile gone, his brow furrowed. “I wasn't laughing at you, Kate. Did you think I was?”
“Right, you're laughing with me,” she muttered.
He brought his hand to her nape and ran his thumb along her cheek. “I would never mock your desires. I'm sorry if it seemed that way. To be honest, I feel… privileged that I know how to turn you on.”
She ventured a sidelong glance at him. He was looking at her intently.
“You can trust me with your quirk,” he said softly. “And I never, ever kiss and tell,” he added as an afterthought. “In case you were worried about that.”
It was unnerving how well he got her.
“Oh, well okay,” she said, shrugging like it had been no big deal. “Thanks.”
She wanted to ask him why. Why he had effectively broken up with her two weeks ago and now was acting like a long-term boyfriend. She wanted to ask, but she was afraid of opening that can of worms. She was happy enough with the way things were going and she didn't want to mess it up. She parallel parked the car in front of her house, jockeying it forward and back, nervous about her audience.
He got out and walked her to the door and suddenly was all business. “Okay, so here's my library card. I reserved some books online and they're ready for pickup. Himmel branch.”
“Sure, no problem. What else?”
“I'll text you if I can get you an appointment for the body work. You'll enjoy it, whether you feel stiff tomorrow or not. It's great stuff.”
“Thanks. When do you need the car back? For the evening?”
Dom shrugged. “I'm not sure I do. I'll text you. You playing at Congress?”
She nodded.
“Okay.” Then he leaned forward and kissed her—an undemanding, tender sort of kiss. “Thanks for the sex.”
Her eyes flew up to his. He was looking at her a little wistfully, which she didn't understand. And then he dematerialized before her eyes.
* * *
He materialized right in front of the stone Kate. His Kate. He sucked in his breath. Damn. Was he really so undisciplined that he couldn't stop fucking a mortal when he'd decided it was necessary? He stared at the marble image for a long moment. His chest was filled with such a strong warm feeling that he couldn't deny—he loved this girl. His instinct to protect and care for her was so strong, there was nothing he wouldn't do for her. Well, if that were true he would've kept his hands off her, wouldn't he? Because he already knew that a relationship with him would only cause her pain.
He sighed and went into the kitchen and sat down at the breakfast bar, where his laptop was set up. He checked his emails idly for a while, then pulled up the site for Victoria's Secret. He owed her a pair of panties, didn't he? Except… jeez. What to pick? He didn't want to overstep. He wanted to buy what she would want, not what he would want to see her in. Except he wasn't really sure. He should have grabbed the shredded panties from her.
Maybe it would be better to just get her a gift card and send her out to buy her own panties. Yes, that was a good plan. Except now he wanted to present her with it tomorrow. How could he get a gift card tomorrow, unless he sent her to pick one up? Should he just leave her money in an envelope? He rubbed his forehead. God, he was such a sap. All this thought over a pair of panties.
In the end, he put a hundred dollar bill in an envelope, sealed it up and wrote on the front of it: “One more errand—to be completed by Friday. Please go to Victoria's Secret and buy yourself some new panties. You must spend the entire amount on yourself. Bring me the receipt as proof.”
Satisfied, he materialized to the passenger seat of his car and set the envelope down on the driver's seat. He glanced up at Kate's place—it was a small guest house or casita, as they called them in Tucson, set behind a larger main house. Old adobe architecture from the 1930's or 40's. The lights were off. He found himself wondering what position she slept in. Curled up on her side? Sprawled on her back? Or was she a belly sleeper? He shook his head. He was totally losing it over this woman. He flashed back to his place, dis
gusted with himself.
He woke the following day around noon, arranged for Kate's body-work session, and then picked up his phone to text her. Fox and Stella had forced him to learn to text, and now that he'd adopted it, it was hard not to appreciate the ease cell phones—and internet for that matter—had brought to their lives. When he texted her with the information, she replied, “Thx 4 panty $$. Does it have to be Victoria's Secret? How bout Target instead?”
He snorted a short laugh and texted back, “Victoria's Secret. Bring receipt to prove.”
His phone buzzed with her quick reply. “ALL panties? What if I want pjs?”
He texted back. “Pjs?”
“Pajamas.”
“I know what pjs stands for.”
“U want me 2 buy 100 $$ in panties???”
He smirked as his thumbs typed, “Changed mind. Williams-Sonoma. 100 $$ in wooden spoons.”
Her reply came instantly, “Panties it is!”
He chuckled and texted back, “Get at least 1 pair panties. Then treat yourself—however.”
“But has 2 b @ VS?”
“U want those panties pulled down, don't u?”
“No.” Then a second text came through, “Yes.” Then a third, “Kind of. :)”
He smiled at that and sent her a smiley face back.
He spent the rest of the week inventing quick, easy errands for her to run for him. He wanted her to feel like she was helping him out, so that it wasn't just a big, fat favor he'd done for her. But he also knew she was extremely busy with her graduate studies, so he didn't want to add to her stress level. He was able to limit his contact with her by having her drop off the goods she'd picked up for him at the bar before he got there, and swearing he didn't need his car during the nights.
She showed up early to perform on Friday and plopped down at the bar. She was wearing a small, fitted t-shirt with a picture of a dachshund that said “I
He brought her a ginger ale with lime and she tossed a slip of paper across the bar at him. He picked it up. It was the Victoria's Secret receipt. She had a little bit of a naughty-girl smirk on her face and he couldn't help but grin.
“Do I get a fashion show?”
She nodded, waggling her eyebrows suggestively.
“Mmm… lucky me. Tonight?”
“Yep. It's all in the car.”
He lifted and lowered his lips quickly to show her what she'd just done to his fangs and she giggled. “It's a date, then,” she said, sliding off the bar stool.
He left Stella in charge of locking up after closing time because Kate looked absolutely wiped out. She'd put her all into her performance, as usual, and didn't look up for anything but bed by the time they had turned on the fluorescents to shoo customers out. “Come on,” he said, putting an arm around her waist and leading her out to his car. “I'll drive you home.”
“Thanks,” she sighed. She stared out the window as they drove in silence for a while. He could feel tension coming from her, but he wasn't sure what it was about. Then she volunteered, “My master's thesis proposal is due on Monday. I'm supposed to meet with my committee.”
Ah. That explained everything. “How's it coming?”
“It's not.”
“What is your thesis about?”
“Something about how music boosts mathematical abilities in children. Except I haven't worked out what my angle is, exactly.”
“Well, what are you thinking?”
“I don't know!” she snapped defensively.
“You must have some ideas,” he pressed.
“I don't, okay? I don't have a clue!”
“Just tell me where you want to head with it.”
“Jesus, Dom, would you leave it alone?” she snapped. “This fucking conversation isn't helping!”
He swung the wheel and pulled the car over to the side of the road, turning off the engine. She looked at him in astonishment. If he could have worked out how to make it happen in the front seat of his car, he would have spanked her right there. But it seemed impossible.
“I'm going to ask you to try that again,” he said coolly.
Her eyes were wide and he could feel her nervous tension galvanizing into fear. Her face flushed. “I-I'm sorry,” she stammered. “I'm just stressed out, that's all. I didn't mean to take it out on you.”
“Rephrase your previous statement,” he prompted her.
“Okay…” she said slowly. “I'd rather not talk about my thesis right now because I'm wound up about not knowing what to propose.” She blinked a few times, like she was trying to keep from crying.
He started the car. “Better.”
He let her sit in silence for the rest of the ride, fidgeting under the pressure of the tension between them. When they got to her place, he walked her to the door and paused in the doorway after she entered.
“Vampires need an invitation to enter,” he said. “Wait—” He held up his hand to silence her when she opened her mouth. “You should know that if I come in there, I'm going to spank you. So if you invite me in, you're giving your consent.”
Chapter Five
She swallowed. “Come in,” she said, her voice a little hoarse. She felt both fear and thrill at the same time. He looked around as he walked in and she found herself embarrassed that it was such a cluttered mess. He sat on the sofa and patted his lap. “Come here.”
Her belly jumped. She was nervous—very nervous. Her palms were sweating and her heart was pounding in her chest. She crossed the room and stood in front of him. He pulled her gently down, so that she was lying across his lap. He adjusted how he was sitting so that her face didn't hit the armrest of the sofa and then he tucked a pillow under her face.
She lay there in the completely submissive position, waiting. The anticipation was killing her. Her bottom clenched. Ouch. His hand came down on her upturned bottom. She gasped. He started spanking her slowly. Then, as it started to get intense and she started wriggling, he increased his speed and force, sending her into a near panic with the inescapable pain. She reached back with her hand to try to protect her offended cheeks, but he caught her arm and bent it gently but firmly behind her back, holding her easily in place. She was gasping for breath.
“Stop! Dom, please! Stop! That's enough! I'm sorry, okay?”
He stopped spanking and rubbed her sore bottom. “Who is in charge, here?” he asked softly.
“You are, Dom.”
“That's right. That means it's not over until I decide it's over.” With that, he started paddling her again, his hard slaps unrelenting in their intensity and speed.
“Stop, Dom! Dom! Dom, stop! No! Dom!” It was not the pain so much as the helplessness and her inability to get away from the pain that caused her to panic. She started struggling wildly to get off his lap. She couldn't breathe. She felt like she was having a panic attack. Just when she was at the point of completely freaking out, he stopped spanking, flipped her over and cradled her in his arms.
“Shhh, shh. You're all right. You're just scared. You can trust me, Kate.”
She struggled to get off his lap.
“No,” he held her easily. “You see, that's why I wasn't finished.”
She didn't see anything. She couldn't see what the hell he was doing, or where he got off hurting her like that or not stopping when she asked him to. She was scared. And she was pissed. And she wanted to get the hell off his lap.
He pressed a hand firmly over her sternum, his eyes studying her with concern. “You're okay, Kate. Do you want me to take the pain away?” he asked gently.
She swallowed. That would be with vampire hypnosis. But yes, he needed to take it away right now. She nodded.
“Look into my eyes.”
She obeyed and the pain was instantly gon
e. The pain was gone but not the swirling emotions. He was still watching her closely. “Please let me go, now,” she said in a small voice.
He blinked at her. Then he shook his head. She felt panic and rage rise up again. “Are you going to do that to me again?”
He shook his head. “Not unless you want me to.”
“I didn't want you to do it in the first place!”
“I know.”
Then why did you do it?
“Why did I do it?”
She hadn't asked the question aloud, but somehow he'd heard it. She stared at him sullenly.
“I did it because I know you like to be dominated and there's a certain release that can result from getting spanked to tears. You seemed pretty wound up, so I thought it might help. Obviously we didn't get there.” He shrugged. “I don't know, I probably shouldn't have tried it—we don't have that kind of relationship established. There's not enough trust between us.”
She stared at him open-mouthed as that sunk in. She was shocked. She had expected some sort of lecture about her bad behavior. Somehow hearing that he'd been doing it for her changed things.
“You're not mad at me?”
He shook his head. “No, bambina. When I'm mad, you'll know it,” he said, dangling his index finger and middle finger down in front of his mouth to indicate fangs.
She smiled reluctantly. She considered what he'd said. “What kind of release?”
“I don't know—spanking can be a way to let go of stress or guilt or even self-loathing you might be holding.”
“Catharsis.”
He nodded. “I would say it's one part catharsis and one part surrender. You must trust me enough to know I'll take care of you when you let go.”
“Do I get a safe word?”
He shook his head. “No. It's about surrendering your control. You have to believe I know how to read your limits.”
She looked at him, considering that.
“I got it right this time, didn't I?” he challenged.
That was true. He had stopped exactly when she had panicked completely.
“I want to feel it again.” She was nuts. Certifiably crazy.