“We need to turn him over.” It was difficult to keep the tension from his voice. There was no accusation in Coryn’s eyes. He nodded.
“I’ll untie him.” Coryn circled the bed, loosening then releasing Dominic’s bonds. “Help me roll him. Dominic, sweetheart, we need to turn you over now, okay?”
Dominic moaned but didn’t resist as he was maneuvered onto his belly. The pillow was now beneath his hips, keeping his ass in the air.
“Spread his legs as wide as possible,” Gregory said.
Coryn pressed his lips together in a tight line but did as he was asked. Soon, Dominic was bound in place once more. Gregory began the process over again. Curls of color patterned the length of Dominic’s spine then intensified over the swell of his ass. When the first lines traced his balls Dominic jerked then went still.
“He’s blacked out,” Gregory observed. He looked at Coryn across Dominic’s prone body. He smiled his relief. “Thank goodness. I never thought he’d last that long. The pain must have been excruciating.”
“He’s very strong.” Coryn undid the gag then checked Dominic’s breathing was unimpeded.
Gregory watched as the last slivers of green slipped inside Dominic’s channel. He was very glad Dominic hadn’t been awake to experience that part of the process. Delicate patterns now covered a significant percentage of his body. The silvery green lines seemed to sit just below the surface of his skin, catching the light when he moved.
“You can untie him now. The painful part of the process is over.” Gregory rolled his shoulders, releasing some of the tension he hadn’t realized had built there.
Coryn walked around the bed, untying the restraints. “His wrists and ankles have been rubbed raw despite the soft bonds.”
“We’ll let him sleep now. He’s going to hurt everywhere when he wakes up, so let’s give him some respite while we can. I’m sure there will be some salve downstairs that you can use on those rope burns.” Gregory pulled a quilt over Dominic’s sleeping form, the lines of pain now smoothed from his face. “He really is beautiful, isn’t he?”
Coryn nodded. He pushed a strand of dark copper hair away from Dominic’s closed eyes. “Beautiful and brave. Evrain is lucky to have him.”
“Just as I’m lucky to have you. They remind me of us a few years ago.” Gregory took his partner’s hand and gave it a squeeze.
“Only a few?” Coryn chuckled. “And neither of us was ever that good looking. I fell for your charm, obviously.”
“Still a brat even after all these years.”
“And you wouldn’t have me any other way.” Coryn pulled Gregory from the room. “Salve. Come on. Then we’ll take turns sitting with him.”
* * * *
Dominic tossed and turned in sleep colored by vivid nightmares where patterned snakes crawled over his body, sinking their fangs in where they pleased. Every now and again he was aware of a cool cloth resting against his burning forehead and the press of a glass against his lips. When he finally regained full consciousness, Coryn’s smiling face was the first thing he saw. The silver in Coryn’s hair glittered, giving him a halo of light.
“It’s sunny. What time is it?” Dominic got the words out despite his dry tongue.
“Around nine,” Coryn responded. “How do you feel?” He offered a glass of water so Dominic heaved himself into a sitting position.
“Like I’ve been chewed on by a bad tempered gator then spat out in small pieces.” He took a long drink before handing the glass back. “Thanks.” He lifted the quilt to look down at himself. “Holy crap!” He prodded his thigh experimentally. “Well, at least it doesn’t hurt anymore.”
“Just think about the upside of this,” Coryn said.
“There’s an upside to being covered in magical doodles?” He raised his eyebrows in question.
“Evrain is going to have to touch every bit of you in order to absorb the potion.”
Dominic’s cock jerked. Heat flooded his body and he knew he must be blushing from knees to neck. He yanked the quilt a bit further up his body, ignoring Coryn’s laughter.
“You need to get yourself ready to leave then come down for some breakfast. Gregory is charcoaling some toast, I believe. No showering for obvious reasons.”
“Okay, I’ll see you downstairs.”
“Oh—and you might want to consider other preparations…” Coryn suggested.
“What do you…? Oh.” Realization dawned and Dominic’s skin heated even further.
“You passed out before the potion worked its way inside you. As Gregory mentioned yesterday evening, at some point it would be useful if you can persuade Evrain to make love to you. The transfer of the agrimony will work much quicker that way. I doubt you’ll have easy access to lube.”
“How the hell did I get myself into this?” Dominic muttered. “I understand, Coryn.”
Coryn’s expression was a cross between apologetic and amused. “Gregory wants to be away around mid-morning. He has another plan to make your capture seem more realistic.”
“I can’t wait to hear it,” Dominic mumbled but found he was talking to a closed door.
* * * *
Coryn wasn’t kidding about the quality of Gregory’s cooking. Dominic ended up tossing his efforts in the trash then constructing poached eggs on toast for all of them. Shadow wound around his ankles, purring. Nathaniel made coffee as his contribution, not hiding his interest in the patterns over Dominic’s skin.
“You can look, Nathaniel. I know you want to,” Dominic offered.
“An offer I can’t possibly refuse.” Nathaniel traced his fingers along Dominic’s arms. He examined his neck then lifted his shirt. “They’ve taken incredibly well, Gregory. You did good work here.”
“Dominic did the hard part.”
“It wasn’t fun,” Dominic admitted. “I hope it’s something I never have to go through again.” He slipped around Nathaniel to take his seat at the table. “I have an appetite, that’s for sure.” His stomach rumbled in agreement.
After they’d eaten and Shadow had consumed a sizeable dish of canned sardines, Dominic gave Gregory an enquiring glance. “So, what’s the plan?”
“Coryn and Nathaniel are going to leave first. I want Symeon to think we are trying to trick him into believing you’re leaving. Nathaniel will borrow some of your clothes. It’s fortunate you have similar builds and not too much of a height difference. Do you have a hooded top, because your hair is a complete giveaway?”
“Sure, but Symeon’s not going to fall for it.”
“I don’t want him to. I want him to think he’s being clever by not following Nathaniel and Coryn. We’ll wait a half hour or so, then leave. We’ll act as if we assume he’s gone after the others. You pretend to have forgotten something. I’ll continue on to the car. That’s when he’ll take you—if he’s going to.”
“He will,” Nathaniel said. “Symeon’s arrogance is one of his many weaknesses. He’ll believe he’s outsmarted us and he won’t be able to resist taking his chance. He has too much riding on delivering Dominic to Octis not to.”
Fifteen minutes later, wearing their makeshift disguises, Nathaniel and Coryn stepped into the sunshine. It was just before mid-morning. They hurried down the path, trailed by Shadow, and Dominic soon lost sight of them.
“I hope they’ll be okay.”
“Nathaniel will keep a close eye on Coryn, don’t worry. I wouldn’t send him out there if I didn’t know Nathaniel could wipe Symeon off the face of the planet without even breaking a sweat.”
“So why hasn’t he?” The question came out before Dominic could stop it.
“Because he, like me, is not a cold blooded killer.”
“Sorry. I should connect my brain before I open my mouth.”
“It’s a natural question. If I, or Nathaniel, had dealt with Symeon years ago then you and Evrain would have been saved a great deal of trouble. We’ve come close a few times, I can tell you, but I’ve never used my power to kill, and I h
ope I never will. I imagine Nathaniel feels the same. That’s the difference between us and Symeon. He has the ethics of a rattlesnake on crack.”
Dominic nodded. “I get it. What do you think is up with the fur-ball? That’s the first time since she arrived that she’s shown any interest in going out.”
“Call of nature?”
“I don’t believe that any more than you do,” Dominic said. “You know something about that animal. Evrain did too. She’s not what she seems.”
“Talking of… She’s back.” Gregory opened the door just enough to let Shadow back inside. She immediately jumped into his arms, uttering a series of meows.
“So what does she have to say for herself?” Dominic asked, half joking.
“It’s warm. The mice are sleeping. Symeon is still in the woods waiting and there’s someone with him.” Gregory was absolutely serious.
Dominic had no reply. Shadow turned her green gaze on him and he could have sworn she was smiling. He had no time to debate the merits of a supernatural pet because a few minutes later he and Gregory slipped down the path from Hornbeam Cottage, then into the lane. They moved quickly, keeping to the edge of the path, using the shadows of the trees to conceal themselves as much as possible. About halfway to the main road Dominic stopped, patting his pockets. He tapped Gregory’s shoulder then whispered urgently in his ear for a few seconds. After some gesturing and frustrated signing from the older man Dominic turned and jogged back toward the cottage. He’d lost sight of Gregory around a bend in the path when a branch seemed to dip in the breeze to snag in his hair. As he pulled away, the cord holding his protective amulet worked free and dropped the ground, nestling amongst the soggy leaves.
Dominic kept going as if he hadn’t noticed, though he was acutely aware of what was happening and how defenseless he now was. He listened hard but he didn’t hear anyone approaching. He reached the cottage gate wondering if all Gregory’s plotting and the pain he’d been through had been for nothing. It was only when he had one hand on the gate that he noticed the sudden silence. There was no birdsong and even the trees seemed to have stilled. The snap of a twig was disproportionately loud. He whirled around to get the briefest glimpse of Symeon’s evil smile. He tried to scream, but a gloved hand closed around his mouth, crushing his lips. He tasted the iron of his blood as he bit his tongue. Someone, or something, grabbed hold of his arms, the grip like steel bands around his biceps. A dark hood was pulled over his head, cutting off his sight and stifling his breath. He fought hard, pulling away only to be captured again and pushed against the gate. He tried to wrench his arms free then collapsed to his knees, becoming a dead weight. It did no good. He was dragged along the ground, stones digging into his back and shoulders. A pinpoint of pain pierced his thigh and within seconds the taste of blood and fear was replaced by comforting weightlessness.
Chapter Eleven
The low hum of an engine was the first sound to penetrate the fog muddling Dominic’s thoughts. He battled the confusion, trying to work out where he was and why he couldn’t see. It all came back in a rush. Being captured. The hood. He jerked but his body was restrained not just by a seatbelt but by something else. He guessed some kind of strap had been fastened around his chest and the seat, pinning his arms to his sides. It was effective. He could move his head and his legs but not much in between. He forced his rigid muscles to relax. It was pointless struggling when he wanted to be taken to wherever Evrain was being held.
“He’s awake.”
The voice came from behind him. There was someone in the back seat and Dominic knew who it was. He banged his head back against the seat rest in frustration. “You son of a bitch.”
“Keep your mouth shut.” This time it was Symeon’s oily tones he heard. “Then I won’t have to hurt you. For now.”
Dominic clenched his fingers into fists, wishing he could use them to inflict some damage.
“We will reach our destination shortly. You will behave…that is if you want to see your lover again.” Symeon said the word lover as if he had a nasty taste in his mouth. Dominic imagined he had absolutely no understanding of love unless it was of the narcissistic kind. Symeon probably masturbated to his reflection.
Gravity pressed Dominic against his seatbelt, telling him the vehicle was heading downhill. It was moving slowly so he guessed they were heading into an underground parking garage. The grating clank of metal shutter rolling up confirmed it. He didn’t know how long the drug he’d been given had kept him unconscious but several clues told him it hadn’t been long. He wasn’t hungry or thirsty and his bladder wasn’t screaming at him. The vehicle stopped. A metallic grinding signaled the rise of a door before it moved forward again. This time when it stopped, the engine was silenced. Rustling and the heavy clunk of car doors told Dominic that Symeon and his companion had left the vehicle. There was a blast of cool air when the door next to him opened. He tried not to cringe as his seatbelt was unfastened and the strap around his body released. He was manhandled from the car, held upright by someone as his knees buckled. It was hard to balance without his sight.
“Don’t try to run,” Symeon said. “A bullet in the leg tends to offend.”
Dominic didn’t doubt Symeon would use a gun and probably enjoy it. He stayed pliant, allowing himself to be tugged along. He listened, detecting the slide of elevator doors then the stab of a button being pressed. The elevator rose smoothly. It had to be a large building because the ascent took a while. When the doors opened again he was guided out and this time there was plush carpet beneath his feet rather than concrete. He counted thirty paces in a straight line before he was jerked to a halt. There was a click before he was pushed into another area. A kick buckled his knees and he dropped into a chair.
He found he was breathing fast and attempted to draw in air more slowly. The bag was yanked from his head. He blinked as his eyes burned in the bright light. He assessed his surroundings. He was seated in a leather office chair in front of a console desk upon which sat a state-of-the-art monitor, keyboard and hard drive. The room was small and there was no other furniture. Symeon stood next to him and he was alone. Dominic found it difficult to meet Symeon’s eyes. They glinted red and seemed to contain pure hatred.
“I want you to take a look at some footage I filmed earlier. I think you’ll enjoy it.” Symeon’s smile chilled Dominic’s blood. Facing the monitor was an improvement on having to look at him, but it displayed images that Dominic didn’t want to accept. Evrain hung helplessly in the center of a pure white room. His eyes flickered open and closed, his face deathly pale and drawn. Streaks of blood ran from beneath the bindings around his wrists. Cuts and grazes decorated his bare arms.
“Let him go, Symeon! You can’t do this.”
Symeon just gave him a malevolent glare before zooming the picture in. “He deserves every second of the pain he’s experiencing.”
Dominic half stood. Symeon shoved him back into the chair.
“Behave. Your time will come but I need something from Evrain first. Then you and I will be spending some quality time together.”
Bile rose in Dominic’s throat. “He’s not going to give you anything. Symeon, you’re deranged.” Dominic whispered the words almost to himself.
“Oh, I’m sure that now you have joined us Evrain will be a little more compliant. He’ll give me what I want, thinking he can save you. He can’t, of course. I can’t wait to tie you down and fuck you until you scream.”
“What happened to make you so evil, Symeon?”
Symeon brushed a hand through his long white hair, blinked once then hit Dominic hard across the face. “When I start torturing you in front of him I’m sure Evrain will be only too willing to give me anything I ask for.”
“That is not going to happen, Symeon. We are not animals, unlike you, it seems.”
Dominic hadn’t heard the door open. He twisted around to see who had spoken. The woman who stood in the doorway was so nondescript in appearance that she could have
faded into any crowd, but she radiated authority and power. At her shoulder, two other women hovered attentively.
“Dominic Castine, I presume? My name is Imelda Krenick. Mr. Malus works for me. A situation that will continue no longer. I must apologize as he seems to have, yet again, overstepped his bounds.” She moved forward and stared at the monitor. “What you’re seeing happened a while ago. I put a stop to it. Mr. Malus was told to contain Mr. Brookes, not torture him. This is the live feed.” She pressed a couple of keys and the image in front of Dominic changed.
“He’s too dangerous to pamper, Imelda,” Symeon whined.
“You are dismissed, Symeon. I don’t want to see you again. Do you understand me?”
“We have an agreement.” Symeon seemed to shrink in stature beneath Imelda’s withering glare.
“One I have more than fulfilled. You, however, have flouted my orders and abused my trust. Our relationship is over.”
If Symeon had possessed a tail, it would have been tucked between his legs as he slunk out of the room, casting one last threatening look in Dominic’s direction. Dominic ignored him, turning back to stare at the screen, which now showed Evrain lying on a low cot in his white cell. His hands were cuffed but he appeared to be sleeping.
“Now. Perhaps you and I can have a sensible conversation, Dominic. I may call you Dominic?”
Dominic swiveled his chair around to face her. He gave a brief nod. It was a concession he could afford.
“I know you want to go to him, but we need to have a little chat first.”
She turned to her colleagues. “The two of you may leave. I’m not in any danger from Mr. Castine.”
Dominic didn’t know whether to feel insulted or threatened. Imelda leaned against the frame of the still open door. Her smile didn’t reach her eyes and Dominic knew he was facing someone just as ruthless as Symeon, albeit rather more civilized.
“I’ll get straight to the point, Dominic. My requirements are very simple. All I want is a vial or two of Evrain’s blood, given while he channels. Once I have my supply then you will both be free to go.” She pursed her red-glossed lips. “I know he has some old-fashioned values when it comes to use of his power and that is why you are here. I’m going to give you one hour to convince him to cooperate with me. I’m sure you can be very persuasive. I hope you can be, because if you don’t succeed then I will be forced to bring Symeon back to do things his way and I can assure you that his methods are far less pleasant than mine.”
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