"That's risky, Madam."
"I know."
"He's livestock. You can't afford to see him as anything more."
"I know that too." But even as I say it, I know it's a lie. I already see Oliver as more. That's the problem.
Corvask moves toward the door, then pauses. "What do you want me to tell him? About tonight's feeding?"
Tonight. My first session with him. The thought sends heat through my body, anticipation and nervousness warring inside me.
"Tell him nothing. I'll go to him myself when it's time."
"As you wish, Madam."
He leaves, and I'm alone again with my thoughts.
I have hours until evening, hours to prepare myself. But I already know that no amount of preparation will be enough.
CHAPTER FOUR
OLIVER
I’m counting down the hours until nightfall.
Until she comes for me.
My stomach has been in knots since Corvask escorted me back to my quarters hours ago. I've paced the room so many times I've probably worn a groove in the floor. Tried to sleep and failed. Tried to think of anything other than what's coming and failed at that too.
When I finally wrap my hand around you and milk you for the first time, you're going to come so hard you'll forget your own name.
Fuck. My cock stirs just remembering her words again. This is what I've been dealing with all day. Constant, aching arousal that won't go away no matter how much I try to ignore it.
I should be planning my escape. Studying the window locks, the door mechanism, mapping out the guard rotations I've observed from my vantage point. Instead, I'm standing here touching myself and thinking about her hands on me.
Coward.
I throw my own word back at myself. I shouldn't have said that. Pushed too hard, too fast. I saw the fury in her eyes, the wayher control snapped. She holds my life in her hands. I need to remember that.
A servant brought food an hour ago, but I haven't touched it. I can't eat, can't settle, can't do anything but wait.
The light outside shifts from gold to amber to deep orange. Sunset. My heart rate kicks up another notch.
She'll come soon.
I move to the window, pressing my forehead against the cool glass.
The door unlocks.
I spin around, my pulse hammering. But it's just another servant, a human this time, an older male. He sets down a pitcher of water and a clean towel, then leaves without a word.
Not her. Not yet.
I'm going insane. This waiting is worse than anything she could actually do. The anticipation crawls under my skin, making me want to claw out of my body.
I grab the pitcher and drink directly from it, water spilling down my chin. Anything to cool the heat building inside me. It doesn't help.
The sky outside darkens further. Purple bleeding into black. Stars begin to appear.
