The Taming

It Is

"You said you'd never be wed again..." Sebastian said to Elsabet. Hoping that just once, she'd give a little ground. "Who was he to you? Did you love him, once?"

Tell me. Tell me the truth...

Without a word, she dragged dark blue eyes from him and climbed the stairs. From his library, he heard the door slam above. And the subsequent crashing of furniture against the walls.

It's fine she's conflicted. Understandable that she would be.

"You don't have to be angry that you're both my lover and my captive. I am honored. I would never shame you, ever judge you. Tease you perhaps, but only to goad you into, perhaps, touching me. But never to hurt you."

She drew a calming breath. Her claws withdrew as she eased. "I'm going, Sebastian."

"You could tell me about him. You could tell me anything."

"I've no desire to."

"Let me be close to you."

"I cannot."

"Why?"

She sighed. Her shoulders straightened and her hands falling. "Enjoy your morning, Sebastian."

"So, you intend to not be part of it?" That was a bit disappointing.

"Clearly."

"Don't be like that."

"Like what?"

"Like a splinter of ice."

"It's what I am."

"It's not."

"This is all I'll ever be." She strode past him. Purposely bumping his shoulder as she went.

He reflexively caught her wrist. Not wanting her to go.

She gave him a quick look and he released her. Not wanting to make her feel anymore threatened, than she already did.

***

Sebastian was beyond frustrated. He paced his chamber. Dashing his fist through his hair. Finally, he snatched a vase and pitched it toward his bedroom door. But to his shock, he found his dark alpha standing there. His blue eyes vicious and the vase clutched in his fist. Where he'd caught it.

Sebastian was grudgingly impressed that he'd not shattered it.

Deragan's strength was unmatched. To him, catching something like that vase required him to use the amount of strength it would take Sebastian to grip a feather.

"Easy..." Deragan warned. "What has you afire?"

"Her!" Sebastian paced. His chest crawling. Bulges swelling and sweeping across the taut skin of his chest and along his ribs. Their claws scraped over bone and muscle as they moved. Making him hiss between his teeth.

"You need to settle." The alpha asserted. "Before you send them all crawling out of you."

"You do know that's damn near impossible?" Sebastian paused pacing to lean over. Clutching his knee with one hand and holding his abdomen with the other.

Trying to keep them in.

"How long has it been now?" Deragan closed the door and crossed the room to sit on the chair near Sebastian's bed.

Sebastian snorted. "Too long."

"Two decades or more, I'd wager." Deragan remarked.

"You'd win that." Sebastian straightened to point out. His beasts calmed in their alpha's presence.