"Please restrain me, Sir."

Eric walked to the wall and flipped the switch to lower the winch, and motioned for her to stand beneath it. A spreader bar with cuffs already attached was on it, and he kissed her forehead before gently fastening the cuffs around her wrists.

"These don't look like suspension cuffs, but Abbott a.s.sured me they are. If there's a problem, let me know."

"Yes, Sir, but Abbott is right, these may not work to suspend a human, but they're fine for vampires. Remember, they're made specifically to hold a vampire when most cuffs can't, Sir."

Eric flipped the switch and the bar went up. He stopped it when her feet were around five inches off the floor.

He put ankle cuffs on her, and then used heavy chain to spread her legs, attaching the last link to hooks embedded in the floor. When he was done she may as well have been bound to a Saint Andrew's Cross, but she was in midair, suspended, and he could get to all sides of her.

He pulled a superslim b.u.t.t plug and harness from his bag, and Kendra closed her eyes and sealed her mouth to keep from begging him not to use it.

"Open your eyes and watch, Kendra."

He was standing in front of her when she opened her eyes, and he gave her a gentle smile before inserting the plug in the harness and then lubing it.

"Permission to speak, Sir?"

He tilted his head, considering the question, and said, "Yes, I'd like to know what's going through your head."

"You like the ritual, the show. Letting me know what's coming, to build up the fear."

He shook his head. "Apprehension, maybe, but not fear. Though, I believe the build-up is more a reminder of the power exchange. I'm going to do things to your body you'd rather I not, but my wants supersede yours. You've given me permission to use your body for my pleasure, and this is what I choose to do." He held the plug up, now lubed and in the harness. "I intend to prepare you so I can one day f.u.c.k your a.s.s. I like knowing no one's been in there for a millennia."

He walked behind her, and without further ceremony pressed the plug past her outer muscles, and then kept pushing, slow and yet relentless, and Kendra had to remember how to access her a.n.a.l muscles before she could even consider relaxing them. The pain wasn't terrible, but it certainly pa.s.sed mere discomfort, and she held back a whimper as he buckled the harness around her waist and tightened the crotch strap, ensuring the plug would stay in. Filling her.

A breathy moan finally escaped her throat as Eric fiddled around with the front of the harness, arranging the double straps until they held her p.u.s.s.y lips open. She not only had to deal with the fact her legs were spread and she couldn't bring them together to protect herself, but with her l.a.b.i.a forced open as well, she could feel cool air on her most private, sensitive tissues.

Eric pulled four floggers from his bag and lined them up. Kendra closed her eyes as she looked at the one on the far right and knew he'd hurt her bad with it. Nothing she couldn't heal from, but the pain as it happened would be terrible.

However, she trusted him, and knew he wouldn't use it right away. Eric would make sure she was ready for it.

The first flogger was made of soft leather and he moved in a circle around her, striking her a.s.s and thighs as well as her back a while, then cycling around front to hit her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, lower abs, the front of her thighs, and occasionally her p.u.s.s.y.

This might be the nice flogger, but she still yelped and squealed when he hit her nipples and c.l.i.t.

She didn't realize when he switched to the next flogger until the much harsher leather strands struck her a.s.s, and she yelped in a near-scream at the sensation of a dozen bees stinging at once. Before long he was flogging her in a continuous loop, figure eights back and forth from her upper back in a line to her upper thighs - he didn't have to avoid Kendra's kidney area, but did anyway. Everything else was fair game, though.

She screamed and writhed when he came around front, and thankfully he didn't stay long before circling around to her back once more.

By the time he made it to the third flogger she couldn't tell the difference between pain and pleasure as she alternately fought the restraints and relaxed into them.

Her eyes were closed when he jammed multiple fingers into her p.u.s.s.y as he flogged her b.r.e.a.s.t.s with the final flogger, and she jerked in her restraints.

"Come for me Kendra," he ordered. "Come on my fingers. Come while I flog your t.i.ts with that b.u.t.t plug invading your lovely a.s.s."

Kendra's mind imploded on itself and she ceased to exist. She was just the pain, the pleasure, the o.r.g.a.s.m. Her world consisted of Eric's fingers, the flogger, the plug filling her bottom, the cuffs and chains spreading her wide, and nothing else mattered as she shot through her bliss and lost herself in the ecstasy.

When it was over she went limp in her bondage, and Eric quick-released her ankle cuffs from the chains, lowered the winch until her feet touched the floor, and held her as he released her wrists, letting her body fall forward over his shoulder. He stood with her in the fireman's carry, walked her to the large padded bondage table, and gently settled her onto it.

"We're not done yet, Kendra. On your hands and knees."

Kendra watched in a haze as Eric took his pants off, and then closed her eyes as she felt him climb behind her. She a.s.sumed he'd tease her a little, first, but he plunged into her p.u.s.s.y with no warning and f.u.c.ked her doggy style, her l.a.b.i.a still held open by the harness, her a.s.s still filled with the plug.

"Arch your back," he ordered, his voice harsh, strained.

Kendra complied, but he demanded, "More, put your chest on the table, arms out to the side. That's good. Excellent. Now, arch your back even more, offer your p.u.s.s.y to me. Oh, yes, that's it."

Kendra couldn't believe what this was doing to her. The plug in her a.s.s was still letting her know loud and clear it was there, but she was floating from the flogging, and now being required to put herself in this position... and he was f.u.c.king her so hard and fast and, oh, G.o.d.

"I'm going to come, Eric, Sir, Oh f.u.c.k, I'm-"

"Go ahead Kendra. Come whenever you want, as much as you want."

When her o.r.g.a.s.m hit, it was too much for Eric and he came, too - their auras fighting and battling instead of merging and mixing, but it only upped the sensations battering Kendra's psyche, and all she could do was writhe under him and scream her bliss.

When it was over, they collapsed on the table in each other's arms a good five minutes. Kendra finally asked, "Are we done, Sir, or..."

"Yeah, let me get the plug out of you, and the cuffs off."

Once the horrid plug was gone, and the cuffs were off, he brought a half-dozen baby wipes back from the warmer, cleaned her up first, then himself.

He threw a blanket over her, climbed back on the table, and spooned her into his body before covering them both. Normally, she'd insist the blanket be between them, but he was so warm, and felt so good.

His breath caressed her ear as he said, "Just float for a while."

"Thank you, that was, that was... incredible." She sounded a little drunk, even to her own ears.

"You're very welcome, but it was pretty incredible for me, too, so the thank you goes both ways. I won't ever take your submission for granted, Kendra."

Chapter Thirty.

When Eric realized she was floating again and likely done talking, he contacted Abbott in his head.

Abbott?

Yes Eric. I'm here. You've created a good bit of bewilderment tonight. I've had most of the house contact me to be sure I know what's going on, and the knowledge I knew about it already, and I'm fine with it, has upped the confusion. I've made it clear to all of them you're an employee of mine and are under my protection, though I'm not sure it's been necessary as of yet. They know she Topped you the other night, so the idea of a switch relationship seems to be taking the edge off things.

So, that's good?

As good as can be expected, yes, but I haven't spoken with everyone so the real test will happen over the coming nights.

Okay, thanks. She's resting now, and we'll probably be in here at least another hour, since you want her at full mental and physical capacity before we unlock the door. Thanks for everything, Abbott.

You are very welcome, Eric. Kendra is my friend and I believe you're good for her. I like you, and I hope the two of you can find a way to make this work satisfactorily.

Eric put the dishwasher-safe items into the small dishwasher, added soap, and turned it on. His personal toys went back into his bag, and he made sure everything else was cleaned and put away. He left the bleach solution out for the bondage table - he'd have to take care of it last thing.

He climbed back on the table and held her, petted her, soothed her. Eventually, she began to rouse, and then came out of it quickly, so within another twenty minutes he was helping her into a silky robe.

"Have a seat for a minute while I wipe the bondage table," he told her. "I'll have to come back later and get my stuff out of the dishwasher. Are you hungry?"

Kendra smiled. "Starving."

His eyes twinkled at her. "Well, we can't have that, can we?" He didn't mind feeding her - loved it, actually. The idea she got her sustenance from him was heady, and the adrenaline rush and pleasure he received from the bite was something he never wanted to give up.

"No, we can't," she agreed with a grin. "Grab a condom from the stash on the shelf and put one on so you don't make a mess when I feed from you."

"My, my, my - you sure shifted into bossy mode easily enough," he said with a playful grin.

She laughed. "h.e.l.lo? Hungry vampire? Get your d.i.c.k in a condom and get your a.s.s over here."

"Umm, I don't think a condom is going to go on without some encouragement."

She took a look at his very limp c.o.c.k and said, "Oh, well then grab a towel or something, figure it out."

"Grumpy."

"Keep it up and I'll decide to play a little game called chase-the-food."

Eric grabbed a handful of paper towels and headed towards her, unzipping his pants to put them around his c.o.c.khead so they'd catch whatever mess he made. He walked to her, sat beside her, and reclined backwards into her lap, looking up into her eyes. "I'm all yours."

"I know you are, Eric," she said, her voice soft. "Just as I seem to be all yours. Tilt your head for me, offer it... oh, yes, such a beautiful, mouthwatering pulse."

Kendra leaned into him and breathed in his scent - one hundred percent man. She licked his neck, teasing herself, and then lined up for the bite, slowly sinking her fangs into his flesh. After releasing the pain killer and some bliss, she drank slowly, savoring his flavor and his essence. Finally, his aura joined and merged with hers, not just mixing, but merging - the core of human and vampire blending into one nucleus, with one aura. She slowed her drinking even more, wanting to bask in the glorious sensation as her pulse synched with his and it felt as if they shared one heart. She relaxed and enjoyed the marvel of it as long as she could, but finally released the o.r.g.a.s.m c.o.c.ktail as she neared eight ounces and pulled out, taking care to run her tongue across the bite holes.

Now, Eric was the one zonked, so she took charge, cleaning him with baby wipes and zipping him back into his pants, and then just holding him.

A few moments later he opened his eyes and said, "That was... different."

She nodded. "Our auras merged. More than just our auras, our essence, we became one for a little while."

He reached for her hand and kissed the center of her palm. "Yes, I felt it, but I didn't know how to describe it. I've never felt closer to anyone in my life, Kendra. I would've gladly let you drink me dry, if you'd wanted, just to make the feeling last. That's a little scary, actually. Are you sure you've never killed anyone giving them that kind of pleasure?"

The truth with him, always, she reminded herself before taking a breath to admit, "Other than enemies who deserved what they got - in the past thousand years, I've killed one person by feeding on him, but it wasn't an accident. It was intentional on both our parts: Death by o.r.g.a.s.m."

His eyebrows drew together just the least little bit. "That's supposed to make me feel better?"

She shook her head. "No, but it's the truth. I care far too much about you to ever let anything happen to you. Never fear, Eric, I'll always remain in control when I'm feeding from you."

His eyebrows rose into his forehead, and she sighed. "It's complicated, and it happened a long time ago. He was going to be killed anyway, and there wasn't anything I could do to save his life, so I decided if he had to die, I could at least make it as pleasant as possible. I wouldn't turn him without his consent, and he wouldn't give it, plus he didn't want me to kill anyone guarding him just so I could get him free. He was scheduled to be hanged the next day, and I could get into his cell and out of it again, but I couldn't get him out of it without... like I said, it's complicated, but the night before he was to be hanged I injected way too much of the o.r.g.a.s.m c.o.c.ktail, and drank from him while he came uncontrollably. I kept at it until his heart stopped - a combination of blood loss and too much non-stop stimulation. I also put lots of bliss into it, so I think it's fair to say it was a much more pleasurable way to die than a public hanging." She sighed. "And then I left that d.a.m.ned village and have never been within three hundred miles of it again."

"I'm sorry, Kendra, for bringing up such a sad memory."

"It's okay, you didn't mean to, but when you asked, I had to answer honestly. I want your trust, and that means being honest even when the truth's difficult. It is possible to kill someone that way, but I'm not giving you anywhere close to what it would take, and I have no intentions of ever drinking enough to compromise your health."

"I trust you, and the question was actually kind of in jest... but there's a period of time when, it's like I'm not me anymore, it's like I die and I'm reborn, or something." He paused, reconsidered, and said, "No, that's not quite it. I'm not sure exactly how to explain it - it's an o.r.g.a.s.m times ten, I guess. But this time, the part before the o.r.g.a.s.m is where I felt so close to you."

Kendra smiled and caressed his cheek. "Why do you think the French call an o.r.g.a.s.m la pet.i.te mort? It translates into the little death, and it's what a really good o.r.g.a.s.m feels like. What I do for you is better than even an exceptionally good one, so it surpa.s.ses a pet.i.te mort. The next time I feel our auras joining I won't do the o.r.g.a.s.m part, so you can be clear which feeling is which, okay?"

Eric looked at her a few seconds and finally said, "Okay."

"You aren't going to freak and need time away from me again right after I've submitted to you, are you?"

"Nope, I'm going to be stuck to you like glue for days, just to be sure you don't get that idea. I have some eggs and bacon in the kitchen fridge - walk upstairs with me so I can cook them. It's time for me to eat, now."

Chapter Thirty-One.

Kendra and Eric got dressed in her room before they headed upstairs. She sat on the island and watched him cook - he still had his shirt off, and she loved watching his back and stomach ripple as he moved. A few vampires came in and made small talk, but none brought up the fact she'd submitted to him. It was the elephant in the living room, or kitchen, at the moment, and Kendra wondered who'd finally bring it up.

It wasn't until Eric had cooked his food and they were sitting at the table together while he ate, that the back door flew open and in stormed Leon. As soon as she saw him, Kendra knew this would be trouble, and she was out of her chair and standing between Leon and Eric before the other vampire had a chance to start spewing his venom.

"This is unacceptable. I challenge you, Kendaline."

He wanted to use old names? She could do it, too. She opened the mental pathways so Abbott could hear, and said, "What's the matter Leonisio? Is your ego wounded because you weren't strong enough to make me submit to you? The idea there's a human out there I'll submit to, when I wouldn't kneel to you... does it bruise your fragile little ego?" She dropped her voice, spoke with authority. "Be careful before you issue challenge, be sure you want to do this. You've challenged me before and it did not go well for you, Leonisio."

"When you lie bleeding at my feet I will then drain your human, too. Not to turn him, but to kill him. Who does he think he is, making a Vampire grovel?"

"Careful, Leon," she warned. "Eric works for Abbott. You bring harm to him and Abbott will punish you for a thousand years. There are things worse than death, and since this will be your third challenge to me in less than a hundred years, when I win I'll have a number of options available. But first, let's get the proper people here to officiate a challenge."

Fawne spoke up behind her. "Josef and Abbott are on their way. Gavin's upstairs and will be down shortly to prepare the bunker for a challenge."

Kendra knew she was going to have to be harsh with Leon, and she didn't want Eric to see. "Fawne, can I get you to take Eric away from the house until this is over, please?"

"Kendra, please don't send me away for this."

Eric's voice was more demand than request, and she didn't take her eyes from Leon as she spoke in her head to Eric.

I'm going to have to... this is going to be more than you'll want to see. Because Leon has challenged me twice before, I can legally hurt him - even come close to destroying him - without getting in trouble. This means I kind of have to, in order to make it so no one else f.u.c.ks with me about you. I need to make an example of him to keep you safe, and it would kill me if you were afraid of me.