CARNAGE CASTLE

CHAPTER 32

"I'm afraid that I got just a little carried away," Lanecea whispered as she reached for Thorson's hand. "I thought my neck would be on the chopping block for sure, so was delighted to see it was you, but the truth is, I have no idea how to manage slaves, although I feel establishing hierarchy is very important right out of the gate. I think that I should have run it by you first, but I was just going by last-minute instinct and that was the first thing that popped into my head when I considered establishing rank by forcing the captains to do something they wouldn't be comfortable with that didn't include torture."

"I wasn't complaining," Thorson grinned as he reassured his stepmother while herding the captains back upstairs, although he was eyeing the cage that Lani had been rubbing with her thumb as though it were a genie lamp as it dangled from her fingertips.

"It's unacceptable," Lani declared as she re-considered everything that had transpired in the past hour. "I'm atrocious at making decisions, especially ones made on the spot. If I'm being perfectly honest, I need you, Thorson. I always have. I need you to remain at my side as my confidante and set my head straight when you see my brain starting to go a little wonky. Reel me in, as it were, and set me straight please."

"There is no need, but I'm always happy to help. So...does that mean you have reconsidered that contraption as well?"

Lani laughed then kissed Thorson's cheek, "I need to be able to count on you. Besides, I like you to set an example, especially now that I have promoted you to slave master. Oh, I should probably clarify that as well. You are in charge of the male slaves. The others are out of bounds."

"Fair enough," Thorson lowered his voice but he didn't release Lanecea's fingers. "I'll catch up with you in a bit. I have another surprise for you after supper, but I need to see to the slaves and then have a word with Dad. Will you be alright?"

"Of course...I have things to attend to as well."

Lanecea stepped away from Thorson before heading out to her gardens. 

"Mrs. McLean, I've returned. Thank you for watching the children for me. Please, I would like to have a few more minutes without being disturbed and then you may let the children out into the gardens. There is something I need to deal with first."

Mrs. McLean nodded from where she was sitting, then resumed singing to the Littles who loved their new grandmother.

Lanecea closed the glass doors behind her before taking a seat on the grass beside the lilies, then wrapped the chain around her wrist while attempting to collect her scattered thoughts.

"Lay across my lap, Ignacy, with your butt directly in the centre. That's a good slave."

The hybrid had taken quite a pounding as he learned the hard way that he was at the bottom of the slave totem pole. Without saying a word, Lanecea tenderly stroked his buttocks, the breeze teasing his skin.

"I expect greatness from you, just as I expect greatness from my children."

"Why? Why did you command them to..." Ignacy didn't finish his sentence, gritting his teeth.

"It is not your place to question your mistress - ever," Lanecea's voice was soft even as the whip hanging from her wrist came down across both of his buttocks before he knew he was about to be whipped. 

The sudden crack of the leather against his skin sent the birds that had been chirping in the nearby bush soaring into the sky, but Lanecea couldn't have cared less at that moment. Yes, she was soft and sweet for the most part, but that ten percent of vampire blood brought out the darkness in her soul that lay hidden most days. Ignacy would learn not to overstep his boundaries. He, unlike her Polish slaves and breeders, wouldn't be given second chances as long as a single drop of vampire blood remained in his veins. Great kings had learned that lesson the hard way, their kingdoms falling when they were too soft with vampires. Lanecea, an ardent student of history, would never make the same mistake.

Lanecea barely glanced down at the vampire's stinging ass before tilting his chin, "I have great plans for you, Slave, and expect greatness from you at all times. You are never to question my reasoning or any decision I make but obey me immediately whether what I demand is pleasant or uncomfortable. I expect devotion from you, nothing less. If you fail me, I will not hesitate to give you as a gift to my king and trust me, you will not be shown mercy once he knows why I no longer have any use for you." Lanecea paused, letting her words sink in as she looked over at Storm who was across the field from her gardens, building a forge. She doubted that Storm would use fire to kill her slave, but he was just as creative as herself. Lanecea licked her lips as she imagined her king dropping Ignacy head-first into the flames the second after she whispered, "he disappoints me. I have no use for that creature." Perhaps she would at last discover if vampires crackled and popped when they were burned alive. Lani shivered as she took control of her runaway, morbid thoughts.

The vampire didn't raise his head as he looked over at the flames snapping in the distance before whispering, "Yes, Mistress. I won't give you cause to be disappointed."

"Good Slave. I have every intention of making you my most prized hybrid slave, but if you betray my trust even once, I will end you. Now, relax, I'll make your ass feel better. Mr. McLean?"

The elderly man approached where Lanecea was seated a few minutes later.

"Yes, My Lady?"

"Will you please ask Storm to fashion a snake cock cage and matching buttplug? Make the buttplug large, if possible. It would please me if he made that set first as my slave needs a reminder that I own his body and whatever soul he may possess."

"I'm sure he will be happy to," Mr. McLean turned to bring Storm the message from Lanecea, but not before seeing the hybrid shiver.