Control

Chapter Five

He grabbed a copy of The Picture of Dorian Gray and settled down in the chair in front of her. He was half way through the book when she woke up.

“Hi.”

“Hello,” he nodded. “How do you feel?”

“Drained,” she said. “I guess that statement isn’t appropriate in present company.” She sat up and looked around before turning back to him. “I’m curious, you live alone, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Why is your house so big?”

He shrugged. “I had always hoped to fill it with children,” he confessed wistfully. “It just never happened.”

“If you want kids no one will believe that you took me to be your mate.”

“Vampires can have children with mortals,” he said. “They’ll think I’m delusional but they won’t doubt me.”

“What are we going to do?”

“Right now I figured that we’d go downstairs and get you some food.” Her stomach growled and she blushed. He smiled standing and leading her out of the room and back downstairs. They ended up in a huge kitchen. She was shocked when he started cooking.

“You cook?”

“Ah, there’s something she doesn’t know,” he smiled. “We can eat human food if we wish.” He set the table and served spaghetti with garlic bread.

“Myth?”

“Yes,” he said with a smile. “A rather odd myth. Why would garlic repel a vampire?”

“It has purification properties?”

“Ah, and we’re inhuman monsters,” he said. She looked away. “I’m just teasing, little one.”

She looked at him for a few seconds as he twirled some pasta on his fork. She mirrored his actions. “You are not what I had pictured,” she confessed.

He looked up with a warm smile. “You aren’t exactly normal yourself. That’s good though, I’d get bored awful fast if you were to fawn all over me and obey my every order.”

“And I mean, no offense when I say I’d rather die.”

His lips twitched. “None taken.” They ate in silence. Locke was content to watch the obvious rapture on Hope’s face as she ate.

“This is amazing,” she told him.

“Thank you, sweetheart.” He put the dishes in the dishwasher when they finished eating. “Come, I’ll give you the grand tour.”

“Okay,” she said standing and following him. “That woman, who was she?”

“She’s… well… I hope you’ll forgive me cursing in front of a lady but she’s an evil bitch.”

“I gathered that,” Hope said. “But why did she want me?”

He laughed bitterly. “Oh, you are innocent.”

“I figured that she wanted something… sexual… but she has two slaves.”

“The more the merrier,” he said. She blushed averting her gaze. “The twins are as twisted as she is. For their thirtieth birthday she’s going to turn them. It’s coming up and to be perfectly honest the thought of those two lose upon the earth frightens me. I’m getting off point. They want you and she spoils them.”

She gave a nervous laugh. “Why would they want me?”

“You don’t see yourself very clearly. You just have an air about you. Something innocent and pure. To creatures like them it’s something to destroy and corrupt.”

“Will they come after me?”

He wondered that himself but worrying her wouldn’t help anything. “I’m older than Selena. She won’t touch what’s mine.”

Hope frowned, he didn’t sound a hundred percent sure. “Yours?” she asked rather than comment on that.

He had the good grace to look embarrassed. “Well, that’s how vampires view humans, not my personal view.” He led her into a room. “This is the ballroom… I don’t use it very often.” She smiled a little. He was almost shy. It was endearing. He led her all over the house, they ended up outside walking through the garden which was when his cell rang. He took it out of his pocket and answered it. “Yes?”

“Bad news,” Salem announced.

Locke winced. “Is there any other kind? What happened?”

“Selena decided that she wants your girl. She’s sent an email to the elders. I don’t think they’ll take her away but they may grant Selena a night or two.”

“Are you fucking serious?” Locke demanded. Hope’s eyes widened and she took an unconscious step back, scared of his anger. “What is she telling them?”

“That your slave isn’t properly broken.”

“Of course she isn’t! I’ve started the paperwork. She’s to become my mate.” Hope’s eyes widened but she didn’t say anything.

“I know, but you know the elders, Locke. They say that a disobedient slave is dangerous, and no one breaks people like Selena.”

“Fuck,” Locke muttered.

“So the way I see it you have two choices. Teach her proper slave etiquette and hope that’s enough. Or you can pray that Selena goes easy on her. Good luck. Call if you need me.”

“I will. Thanks for the heads up.”

“No problem. Watch your back.”

“You too,” Locke hung up. “Fuck.”

“You’ve said that,” Hope said, she was still a little nervous due to the anger on his face. “What is it?”

“That was Salem. Apparently, I was wrong. Selena has told the elders that I have a disobedient slave. She want to take you.” He met her gaze blue eyes boring into green. “I have a plan if you’re willing to work with me.”

“What’s your plan?”

“We’re going to turn you into the perfect slave.” He led her back into the house. “I’ll teach you everything that you need to know and we’ll show them a good, obedient little slave.” She winced. “There are two other options.”

“What are they?” she asked hoping that they’d be better.

“One: we just hope that the elders do nothing or two: I try to help you escape. One… is possible but if we’re wrong won’t turn out well. Two… I can try, little one, but if I fail we both die. Plus, I’m going to be honest, I really don’t want to risk my life needlessly.” He shrugged. “If you have any other ideas, I’m open to hearing them.”

She knew that she couldn’t ask him to risk his life further for her. “What do I need to know?”

“First, you must trust me.”

“I’ll try.”

“We’ll work on it,” he assured her. “When I tell you to do something you need to do it. No questions, no hesitation. You will refer to me as master and only speak when spoken to. Your existence is only to please me.” He saw her wrinkle up her nose and smiled. “That’s your lot in life as far as their concerned. You need to act the part.”

“What about the others? Do I have to obey them?”

“If they give you an order look at me and I’ll tell you whether or not to obey.”

“This is just for show, right?”

“Yes.”

“I hate the thought of someone controlling me.” There was something there but he didn’t bother asking, knowing that she wouldn’t answer anyway.

“It’s just an act, but it has to be convincing. Let’s practice.” He picked up a pillow and tossed it onto the floor. “Pick that up.” She grabbed it but he saw the look of annoyance on her face. “Are you disrespecting me, little girl?”

She flinched. “Sorry.”

“Sorry…?”

“Sorry, master.”

“Wow,” he said unable to stop his smile. “Could you sound any less contrite?” He took the pillow from her and threw it onto the chair. “If you disrespect me in front of them I’ll have to punish you.”

“Punish me how?” Hope asked.

“Selena would have you whipped.” Hope’s eyes widened and Locke felt a little guilty, but it was important that she know what he was protecting her from. “But I don’t want to mar that gorgeous skin. If you slip up I will have to do something, so I’m thinking a spanking.”

“Ugh, I’m not a kid,” she said, but couldn’t argue that spanking was much better than whipping.

“No,” Locke smiled faintly. “I take it that your experience with kink is limited.”

“Try nonexistent,” she said blushing.

“Well, spanking is about power and humiliation. Some couples find that arousing.”

She wrinkled up her nose and a motion he already found endearing. “That’s sick. Do I have to pretend I like it?”

“No, and if we do this right you won’t have to. Kiss me.”

Her cheeks flushed and she stepped up to him. “Where, master?”

His cock stirred and he cursed. “My lips, little girl. For now.” Her cheeks reddened even more. She leaned in and he backed up. “That’s good. It’s late, you should get some sleep.”

“Where? I mean, do I have to sleep with you or do I get my own room?”

He considered that for a few moments. “It should be safe for you to have your own room. I want you to know that I’m putting a lot of trust in you.”

“I’m putting a lot of trust in you as well,” she said.

“I guess so,” he said with a small smile. “Come, I’ll show you to your room.” She followed him up the stairs and to the room beside his. “I’ll have to lock you in but your room joins mine through the bathroom. So, if there’s a fire wake me.” His lips curled up slightly and she realized that he was teasing her.

“Thank you, Locke.”

“Thank you, for being so good about this.” She started to open the door. “Hope?” She turned back. “Sweet dreams.”

“Thank you, goodnight.” She walked into the room and he locked the door. He went to his own room and retrieved the discarded picture. The details were perfect but the quality of the materials was clearly subpar. Still, there was something about the woman, as though he had seen her before. Shaking that thought off he walked next door going to Salem’s. He knocked.

“What’s up?” Salem asked answering the door shirtless.

“I have a favor to ask.”

“Ask quickly.”

“Can you recreate this?” He showed Salem the picture.

“Yeah, it doesn’t look too hard. The kid, she’s your girl.”

“I’d prefer that you not notice that.”

Salem nodded. “I notice nothing. I’ll get to work.”

“Thank you.”

“Locke, I know you have a plan, but what will you do if Selena get her wish?”

“I don’t know,” Locke confessed. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Yes. They want another raiding party Tuesday.”

Locke rolled his eyes. “Fantastic.”

“You know, if she were pregnant no one could touch her and it would cement your claim,” Salem said casually.

“I’ll keep that in mind.” He walked away. By the time that he got back and fed it was close to dawn. He checked on Hope, she was fast asleep cuddled up to a pillow. He realized with a twinge of amusement that he was jealous of a pillow. He shut the door going back to his own room and getting undressed before crawling into bed.