Dimitri POV
She looked so beautiful like that, on her hands and knees, facing him. He caressed her hair, admiring the silkiness. "I'm going to show you who you belong to," he drawled. "Be a very good girl for me."
He stroked her neck, loving the involuntary little shudder that went through her. "Your skin is so soft. I'm going to touch you in places you never expected, and you won't know where I'm going to touch you. Do you understand, pet?"
Her eyes flashed with outrage, but all she said was, "Yes, Daddy."
Those words ignited a fire inside him. "Good. Now, stay perfectly still, and let me touch you. Let me bring you pleasure. I'll show you whom you belong to."
His hands cupped her breasts, rubbing seductively.
This was a pleasurable exercise, but it also served a purpose. She couldn't risk everything he wanted to achieve because she wanted to go off and save her people like a modern day Joan of Arc.
His family had terrorized people with their excessive cruelty for centuries. A reign of terror that Vlad the Impaler would have been impressed by. It was holding the kingdom of Merak back, even among vampire nations. It certainly wasn't allowing them to become a power to be reckoned with.
He'd seen the opportunity handed to him in the planned sacrifice of Ariana, and he'd seized it with both hands. The same hands that fondled her sensitive flesh.
"Does that feel good, pet?" he murmured.
She whimpered. "I thought this was supposed to be a punishment."
"Now, where would be the fun in that? No, my pet. Pain is my family's game, and no one plays it better. I prefer a more delicate way. One that requires more finesse and thought than just making people suffer." He smirked, offering humor. "I prefer to make you moan in delight, not in pain. Now, stand up."
She leapt to her feet, looking at him with big eyes.
"Take your clothes off. Slowly."
It amused him how she obeyed, following his instructions like she would one of her professors giving a homework assignment. She pulled off her clothes with care and dropped them on the thick pile carpet of his study.
He grinned. "Excellent. Now turn around. Slowly. So I can see you. All of you. From every gorgeous angle, sweetheart."
She rotated, adding a little twirl to it, which impressed him. Her breasts gleamed in the light, and her hips looked particularly curvy. She'd clearly kept her figure trim. The beauty of her creamy skin enchanted him.
"That's good, sweetheart. Now, stop."
She stood still, awaiting further instructions, her breath coming in shallow spurts.
"Relax," he ordered. "I'm going to bite you, and it's better if you're relaxed. It improves the taste substantially."
He watched her will herself to relax, her breathing slowing.
Closing the distance between them, he ran a fingertip over her collarbone, caressing the hollow of her throat. "You make the cutest little shudders when I touch you like this."
Leaning in, he inhaled her intoxicating scent, and prepared to bite her at the angle he was partial to. "I love the way you taste. I'll have to keep feeding you, maybe put some weight on you. I don't want you to get anemic."
When he sank his fangs into her sweet flesh and felt the warm blood fill his mouth, he moaned in ecstasy, savoring her exquisite flavor. She trembled with pleasure--he deliberately gave her that. He held her quivering body until he finished feeding.
"You know, sweetheart, vampires will feed on a hypnotized or even unwilling victim when they're hungry. But it's just like humans when they have to eat fast food or junk food to satisfy their hunger. It's a different experience than eating a lovingly cooked meal. And you are a gourmet home-cooked meal. All mine."
Ever the questioning student, Ariana responded, "But no one eats junk food to satisfy hunger. Not really. You eat junk food because they add stuff in it to make you crave it. I know that people sometimes don't have any healthy options, either because they're not available or they're too expensive. But junk food definitely has sugar and additives to make people want more of it."
He growled, even though he appreciated her mind. "This is not a classroom and I'm not asking for a debate over nutritional options. I was giving you a compliment. Just say thank you when a vampire says you taste good."
"Thank you."
"Thank you ... what?"
"Thank you, Daddy."
He made a pleased sound. "That's my good girl. But not entirely good."
He smacked her on the behind, and felt her jump. "That was for distracting me from healing the bite wound for you."
His tongue darted out to lick the puncture wounds, healing them with his saliva. He ran his fingers over the smooth skin. "There. Even if I bite you more than once a day, which I just might, it'll always be as if it's the first time."
She bowed her head. "Thank you, Daddy."
"Anytime, sweetheart. Now, are you ready for your next instructions?"
* * * * *
Ariana POV
Even if his family were horrors, Dimitri was taking advantage of her predicament! He was treating her like a toy, a mistress.
But wasn't she his mistress?
She lived with him, accepting his generosity and the lavish lifestyle he provided. And she benefited from his protection. That probably went above and beyond what a mistress generally received.
"Yes, Daddy, I'm ready."
He cleared his desk, moving papers to one side. "Sit on the desk with your legs spread."
She pulled herself up and backed up, her behind resting on the cool wood surface.
"Legs apart," he reminded her in a sultry voice.
She opened her knees a bit and sat before him, exposed.
"Wider," he growled. "I want to see all of you. I want to see the delights between your thighs."
Gritting her teeth, she spread her legs as wide as she could.
His hot gaze devoured her, and she fought the urge to cover herself. Especially when she felt the wet hotness between her legs. Her body liked his commands.
He just stared at her for a moment, his eyes roving over her. "So beautiful. You're completely exposed, and you'll let me do whatever I want with you, won't you?"
"Yes, Daddy. Anything."
But she wouldn't enjoy it. Somehow, there had to be a way to escape the Merak family's clutches for good and help the people of Trenholm.
"Good girl."
His hand brushed the flesh between her legs, and she gritted her teeth again. D*mn her own body for betraying her. She had to control her responses!
"Your aunt and uncle will be here tomorrow morning at the latest," he purred.
A shriek escaped her lips. "They're really safe?"
"Oh yes. They're on a flight here as we speak. They're on my private jet, not the family jet." He smiled smugly. "My family doesn't know I have that jet, and my pilot and crew all know not to tip them off. They'll fly to a private airstrip in Greece, then drive across the border. Would you like to be there to greet their plane?"
D*mn him again. He was good.
"Yes, please, Daddy," she whispered.
His smoldering golden gaze met hers. "Then be a good girl and do exactly as I say. Tell me, how wet are you for me?"
"Dripping," she whispered.
His fingers slipped inside her, and a growl of satisfaction escaped him. "Very good. I like to when you want me. Want my touch. Now, lie back on my desk and let me touch you. Close your eyes. Keep them closed."
The desk felt hard and cold against her spine. She squeezed her eyes shut as his hands worked their wicked magic. She lay, completely at his mercy, ready to do whatever he wanted. His whims ruled her life and her body.
At his touch, her thighs quivered. He lit her up like New Year's Eve and the Fourth of July combined. In no time, she was writhing on the desk, thrashing from side to side, moaning from the sensual onslaught.
"Do you want to come?" he asked. "Say it."
"I want to come, Daddy. Please."
He nipped the sensitive skin of her inner thigh. "Beg me. Again."
"Please, Daddy, I want to come. Please."
"Again."
"Please, Daddy. Make me come."
His warm breath bathed her. "And how hard will you come for me?"
"The hardest I ever have in my life," she whispered, gripping his soft silver hair.
"And after you come, will you obey everything I ask without question?"
Without question?
Just be a submissive? No opinions of her own?
Could she do that?
"I'm waiting for your answer, pet. What's it going to be? Either say yes ... or be punished."