He blinked once, then nodded and said in a choked voice, “It does.”
My spirit soared at his admission and the courage it took for him to say it.
“Is it the bite that compels me?” he asked, perhaps looking for a place to blame his burden of self-discovery.
“No, the bite is meant to bond us, not enslave you,” I assured him.
“So, I’m just… that way?” he asked with some apparent displeasure.
“You may be submissive,” I told him. “You may like humiliation, to be dominated, to be caged and denied. These are all areas we can explore if you’d like. Or we can put it away until you’re ready.”
“And if I’m never ready?”
“Then that’s your right. But I would feel very poorly if this were our last encounter, Cedrych. Will you come back with me? Please?” I held my breath and awaited his answer. I longed to delve deeper into Cedrych’s submissive side, but only with his enthusiastic consent. And I’d rather have the prince in my fortress as my platonic companion, then to not have him at all.
He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Yes, I will,” he said at last with an expression of renewed determination. “And I want to explore more of… this.”
I nodded, trying to temper my delight. “I want you to sleep in my chambers tonight,” I told him. Perhaps I shouldn’t be making more demands, but I was greedy for his presence now that I’d nearly lost him. I couldn’t risk him slipping away again. “I’ll take the divan if it would make you more comfortable. Tomorrow we’ll go over everything in writing, and after that, you’ll be punished.”
“Punished?” he said, eyes wide. The vanadium bands around his wrists told me that his pulse was racing.
“You violated my security protocol. I was very clear on that point, Cedrych.”
“You were,” he conceded. “You’ll be the one doing the punishment? Only you?”
“Only me and only you, sweet boy. We will wipe the slate clean, and by the end of it, you’ll feel like a brand-new man. Do you consent?”
A look of calm descended over him, and he said to me with complete composure, “Yes, my lord.”
I couldn’t be more proud of him, my courageous boy.
Chapter 10
Prince Cedrych
Vasil didn’t sleep on the divan. I took one look at the tiny sofa and told him he’d been ridiculous to offer. “The bed is big enough for us both,” I said and surprisingly, he didn’t argue.
We fell asleep on separate sides of the bed but by morning, I’d managed to entangle myself with him, my cheek pressed against his bare chest, my thigh flung carelessly over his waist. After a moment of awkwardness, realizing I’d been grinding my morning wood against his hip, I rolled away and visited the toilet, imagining my mother scolding my impropriety in order to dampen my arousal. The lord only looked on with faint amusement, the bastard.
We were now sitting across from each other in his study, having had breakfast already, him at his desk in his opulent leather chair, me on the chaise. Normally I slouched, at ease, but currently I was perched on the edge with a straight back and square shoulders, at attention. I’d forgone my usual training with the guard to review Vasil’s very detailed contract regarding our “sexual exploration.” He’d made it sound as ifwe were striking out into new territory, which I supposed we were. Like his security protocol, the list was extensive, but at no point was I bored. Aroused, yes. Nervous? More than a little. The buffet of offerings seemed endless, not to mention the many words or phrases I’d needed defined. Vasil, to his credit, gave me straightforward explanations without any mirth. The humiliation would have to wait until I consented to it.
Now, the lord was looking over my portion of it, all the things I’d marked as something I’d like to try or investigate further.
“There is not much you’re averse to,” he commented mildly, causing the heat in my chest to bloom and spread outward. Tendrils of arousal teased my cock to stiffness.
“I’m curious,” was all that I offered in return.
“Chastity is a particular interest of mine, as is bondage,” he said without looking up from the sheaf of papers.
“I gathered from your rather detailed descriptions last night.” The little scenario was now branded on my psyche.
“But it’s not a requirement.” He glanced up at me, wanting to make sure I understood. “Nothing in this contract is a requirement, Cedrych.”
“I don’t feel pressured,” I assured him.
“Good. And any of these things you’ve marked as possibilities can easily turn into hard limits if you say so.”
“Are you negotiating against yourself?” I asked, amused by his sudden restraint. Where was the man who’d taunted me last night with certain torture if I decided to stay?
