Day 1: Spanking

The air between them was thick, charged with tension. Violet's chest heaved, her body still humming with the adrenaline from the battle that had just ended. Xaden stood across the room, his dark eyes locked onto her like a predator zeroing in on its prey. The command in his stance, the rigid set of his jaw, the intensity of his gaze—it all screamed dominance, control, and power. Violet had known it was coming. The second she had disobeyed his orders in the heat of battle, the moment she had taken that reckless risk, she knew there would be consequences.

She didn't care.

"You're testing me," Xaden growled, his voice low and dangerous, vibrating with a fury that matched the storm outside. "I told you not to engage until the signal, but you couldn't wait, could you?"

Violet clenched her fists, forcing herself to stand tall, even though the weight of his presence pressed down on her like gravity itself. "I saw an opening. I took it. We won, didn't we?"

Xaden's eyes narrowed, and before she could blink, he was on her. His hand gripped her arm tightly, not enough to hurt but more than enough to let her know who was in charge. He pulled her flush against his chest, her breath catching at the proximity. The heat radiating from his body was almost unbearable, his rage simmering just beneath the surface.

"Winning doesn't justify disobedience, Violence ," he hissed, the nickname sharper than any blade, cutting through the silence like a whip. His fingers slid up her arm, trailing fire in their wake, until they settled at the base of her neck. He leaned in, his breath hot against her ear. "And you're going to pay for it."

Her pulse quickened, the reality of the situation crashing into her all at once. Xaden wasn't bluffing. He never bluffed. And despite the clear threat in his tone, a part of her—one she wouldn't admit even to herself—thrilled at the promise of what was to come. It was the part of her that craved this, craved him in ways she couldn't control, ways that set her entire body aflame.

"I'm not sorry," Violet whispered, her voice barely above a breath, though she knew he heard her loud and clear. She tilted her chin up, meeting his gaze defiantly. "I'd do it again."

Xaden's eyes flashed with something dark and primal, his lips curling into a smirk that sent a shiver down her spine. "Then I guess I'll just have to make sure you learn your lesson properly this time."

Before she could even react, Xaden spun her around, pressing her firmly against the cold stone wall of his quarters. His hands were on her wrists in an instant, pinning them above her head with one hand while the other gripped her waist, holding her in place. The rough stone bit into her skin through her clothes, but it was nothing compared to the heat of Xaden's body pressed so close behind her.

"Let's see how defiant you are after this." His voice was low, a growl, and his free hand moved from her waist to her ass, fingers trailing down deliberately slowly, as though savoring the moment. Violet's breath hitched, her body betraying her, responding to his every touch.

Without warning, his hand came down hard on her ass, the sound of the slap echoing through the room. Violet gasped, the sudden sharp pain sending a shockwave through her system. Her eyes squeezed shut, and she bit her lip to keep from making a sound.

"Count," Xaden ordered, his voice as smooth and dangerous as ever.

Violet swallowed, the heat of the sting spreading across her skin, and she clenched her fists against the stone. "One."

Another slap, harder this time. The sound louder. Her breath caught, but she forced the word past her lips. "Two."

"You should've listened," Xaden growled, his voice close to her ear again, his hand trailing up her spine in a way that made her shiver. His lips brushed the shell of her ear as he spoke. "You keep making the same mistakes, over and over."

The third slap was swift, firm, and the jolt of pain mixed with the heat growing in her belly. Violet bit back a moan, her face flushing, but she managed, "Three."

Xaden paused, his hand resting on her ass, the warmth of his touch both comforting and torturous. "I can feel you, you know," he said, his voice dropping even lower. "Your body's betraying you. You like this, don't you, Violence?"

Violet's cheeks burned with the accusation, but she stayed silent, refusing to admit anything. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction, no matter how right he was. The truth was, every slap, every moment of his control over her, was awakening something deep inside her, something primal and dangerous. But she wouldn't let him win that easily.

Xaden's grip tightened on her wrists, pressing her harder against the wall. His breath was hot, grazing her neck as he leaned in, voice dripping with dangerous intent. "You want to be difficult?" he whispered, the rasp of his words sending a shiver down her spine. "Fine. We'll see how long that lasts."

Violet's heart raced as her mind flitted between the raw intensity of Xaden's words and the dull ache of each spanking. She was caught between her own stubbornness and the undeniable pull of his dominance. In a moment of brief defiance, she mentally reached out to her dragon, Tairn, hoping for some kind of intervention.

Tairn! she shouted in her mind, trying to steady her breath as Xaden's fingers gripped tighter. Why aren't you helping me?

There was a pause, and then Tairn's deep voice echoed back in her thoughts, sounding more amused than concerned. This isn't life-threatening. You're far from danger. I only intervene in real emergencies.

Violet clenched her teeth, her frustration bubbling over as she felt another sharp smack from Xaden's hand, her body jerking in response. This feels pretty serious to me!

I can tell you're enjoying it, Tairn replied dryly, his rumbling laugh filling her mind. Don't call on me when you're busy with your mate. Not my business.

Her face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and irritation. That is not what's happening, Tairn!

Oh? Tairn's tone was light, almost dismissive. I know the difference between a battle cry and whatever sound you're making right now. Handle your own lessons. Call me when you need real help.

Violet groaned inwardly, trying to shut off the mental connection with her dragon before he added another sarcastic quip. He was no help at all, and even if she hated to admit it, he was right. She wasn't in real danger, not in the traditional sense, at least. The truth was, her body was reacting, her nerves on fire in more ways than one.

Xaden's voice broke through her scattered thoughts, pulling her back into the present. "You're getting distracted, Violence," he purred, his hand sliding up her back as if sensing her mind had wandered. His lips grazed the side of her neck, just a whisper of contact, but enough to send a spark through her.

The next slap came hard, more precise than the others. It made her gasp, her body tensing as the sting spread through her skin. She could feel the heat radiating from where his hand had connected, but it wasn't just pain—it was pleasure, mingling in the most dangerous way.

"Uh….fifteen," she whispered, her voice half a question.

Xaden's hand paused, resting on the curve of her ass, his fingers flexing lightly against her skin. "Oh, so you weren't paying attention," he mused, his tone filled with dark intention. He leaned in closer, his breath hot against her ear. "Did you think I wouldn't notice you talking to Tairn? He can't save you from this. Start from four."

Violet bit her lip, her mind spinning. How the hell did Xaden always know? She should have known better—nothing ever slipped past him.

Without warning, Xaden's hand came down again, harder than before, the sharp crack of the slap filling the room. Violet gasped, her body jerking against the restraint of his grip, but this time, the sound that escaped her lips wasn't purely from pain.

"Four," she managed to say, her voice barely steady.

Xaden's lips brushed against her ear, his low chuckle sending a shiver down her spine. "You're learning, but you've got a long way to go, Violence."

Another slap, harder still, followed immediately by another. Each impact was a reminder of her disobedience, but each one also sent a wave of heat pooling low in her belly, betraying her.

"Five… Six…"

Her voice trembled as she counted, her body caught between the sharp sting of the spanking and the deep, primal need building inside her. Xaden didn't miss a beat. His hand continued its steady rhythm, and with each strike, Violet's breath hitched, her resolve unraveling.

"You could have gotten yourself killed today," Xaden said, his voice low, vibrating against her skin as his hand gripped her wrist tighter. "Do you have any idea what that would have done to me?"

The raw emotion in his voice caught her off guard. It wasn't just fury—it was something deeper, something that tugged at her chest in a way she hadn't expected.

Before she could respond, his hand came down again, a sharp slap that made her entire body jolt. "Seven," she whispered, her voice almost a plea now, the sensation overwhelming her.

Xaden leaned in, his breath hot against her skin, his voice a low growl. "This isn't just about punishment, Violence. This is about me keeping you alive. You don't get to throw yourself into danger like that."

His words echoed in her mind, mingling with the sharp stings of each slap and the fire burning beneath her skin. He wasn't wrong. She had been reckless, and part of her had known it. But hearing the raw concern in his voice—it made everything feel heavier, more real.

"Eight," she gasped as another slap landed, her body shuddering under the force. She could feel the heat radiating from where his hand had struck, and yet, despite everything, she craved more. She craved him .

"I'm not done with you yet," Xaden murmured, his voice dark and commanding. He pulled her back from the wall slightly, just enough to feel the heat of his body pressing against her, his breath brushing her neck. "You need to understand something, Violence."

He didn't give her a chance to respond. Another slap landed, harder than before, and Violet's knees nearly buckled beneath her. "Nine," she breathed, her voice cracking.

Xaden's hand slid up her back, gripping her shoulder as he whispered in her ear. "You're mine. And I won't let you forget that."

The final slap landed with a sharp crack, the sound reverberating through the room. Violet gasped, her body trembling as she forced the word past her lips. "Ten."

Her skin burned from the heat of the blows, the sting still fresh, but it was the ache between her thighs that consumed her mind. Her breath came in ragged gasps, her forehead resting against the cool stone wall, trying to ground herself in something—anything—that wasn't the overwhelming need coursing through her veins.

Xaden's presence behind her was suffocating, the heat of his body pressing against her, his hand resting on the curve of her ass as if daring her to defy him again. He leaned down, his breath hot against her ear, his lips brushing the edge of her skin as he whispered, "What do you say now, Violence?"

Violet bit her lip, her mind spinning in a storm of desire and defiance. She knew what he was asking for—submission, an acknowledgment of his control, but a part of her still clung to her stubbornness, refusing to give him the satisfaction. But as the silence stretched between them, the weight of his hand on her skin, the heat radiating from him, she couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Please," she whispered, her voice barely more than a breath.

Xaden's grip on her tightened, his fingers digging into her skin as he growled low in his throat. "What?" he asked, his voice dark and dangerous, daring her to be clear.

Violet swallowed hard, her body aching for release, for him . The words tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop them, her need too overwhelming to deny any longer. "Take me," she gasped, her voice trembling. "Please, Xaden… I need you."

The moment the words left her lips, Xaden was on her. His hands moved with a possessive hunger, spinning her around to face him. His dark eyes locked onto hers, burning with a primal intensity that made her heart race. He didn't say anything—he didn't need to. The look in his eyes, the raw desire etched across his face, told her everything.

His lips crashed against hers, fierce and demanding, and she met him with equal force. It was a battle—a fight for dominance that neither of them was willing to lose. Their tongues collided, tasting, exploring, as his hands roamed her body, gripping her hips, pulling her closer until there was nothing between them but heat and fire.

Violet's fingers tangled in his dark hair, pulling him closer, needing more. Xaden's grip tightened on her waist, lifting her off the ground as he pressed her back against the wall. His body was a solid wall of muscle against hers, his heat consuming her, and she couldn't get enough. Her legs wrapped around his waist, pulling him in, desperate for the friction, the connection.

He broke the kiss just long enough to tug her shirt over her head, his hands already moving to the waistband of her pants, yanking them down in one swift motion. His own clothes followed quickly, and then there was nothing between them but skin and fire.

Xaden's mouth was on her again, his lips trailing down her neck, biting and sucking as his hands explored every inch of her body. Violet's breath hitched as his fingers slid between her thighs, teasing her, driving her to the edge.

"Tell me what you want, Violence," he growled against her skin, his voice rough with desire.

"I want you," she gasped, her body arching into his touch. "I need you… now."

He didn't need any more convincing. In one swift motion, Xaden lined himself up with her, the head of his cock pressing against her entrance, and with one hard thrust, he was inside her.

Violet cried out, her head falling back against the wall as he filled her completely, his cock stretching her in the most delicious way. The intensity of it—of him —was overwhelming, her body reacting to every inch of him, her senses on fire.

Xaden's grip on her hips tightened as he began to move, each thrust hard and deep, his cock pounding into her with a force that made her breath hitch. His lips were back on hers, their mouths clashing in a battle of wills, their tongues fighting for control even as their bodies moved together in perfect rhythm.

Every thrust sent a jolt of pleasure through her, her body trembling as she clung to him, her nails digging into his back as she tried to hold on to the sensation. His pace quickened, his hips driving into hers with a primal urgency, and Violet could feel herself spiraling, the pressure building inside her, coiling tighter and tighter with every movement.

Xaden's mouth left hers, his lips trailing down her neck, his teeth grazing her skin as he whispered against her throat. "You feel so good, Violence… so fucking good."

His words only fueled the fire burning inside her, the raw desire that had been building from the moment he'd put his hands on her. Violet's body arched into him, her breath coming in short gasps as she teetered on the edge.

"Xaden… I'm—" she gasped, but the words caught in her throat as he thrust into her harder, the force of it pushing her over the edge.

Her climax hit her like a wave, crashing through her with a force that left her breathless, her body trembling as the pleasure washed over her. She cried out, her fingers digging into his shoulders as her body clenched around him, pulling him deeper, needing more, needing him .

Xaden wasn't far behind. With a few more hard, deep thrusts, his grip on her tightened, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he buried himself inside her, his body shaking as he reached his own release. He groaned against her neck, his cock pulsing inside her as he spilled himself into her, the intensity of it almost overwhelming.

For a moment, neither of them moved, their bodies still pressed together, their breath coming in short, ragged gasps. Violet's head rested against Xaden's shoulder, her heart racing as she tried to come back down from the high.

Xaden's hand slid up her back, holding her close as he kissed the side of her neck, his lips soft and tender now, a stark contrast to the raw intensity of moments before.

"You're mine," he whispered, his voice low and possessive, but there was a softness to it now, a vulnerability that made her chest tighten.

Violet nodded, her lips brushing against his shoulder as she whispered back, "Always."