The Soldier's Hostage

Chapter Twenty-One

I managed to get through all the questioning and other such chaos without completely losing it. Arthur's steady presence certainly helped. But it stressed me enough to set off a delayed reaction.

By the time Arthur had gone to bed and the sun was rising through the sky, I was fast slipping into a trembling, shuddering wreck. I panted in distress, knowing what I needed but not sure where to go to get it. Whenever I got too stressed, a little time under someone else's control helped to even me out.

The Vampires did it often enough I didn't typically get too stressed out. On the odd occasion I did, Max or Juliette could work me through it. The only difference, of course, being that I trusted my friends and could attain a sort of inner peace rather than simply de-stressing and moving on.

Unfortunately, Arthur was not in the habit of tying me up and I couldn't just go next door to the other humans cells to get them to help me. At Sophia's, we could roam among the other human's rooms freely. Here, all my friends were in other peoples places. I just couldn't work up the courage to go knocking on someone's door and waking them up just to ask to see my friends.

But I was going to have to.

I licked my lips and slid out of bed. I couldn't deal any more. Katty's door was always open. Maybe I could wake Max without waking the rest of them and he could help me. I crept down the hall, hoping Arthur was a deep sleeper and I could get out and back without him knowing.

My hope was never answered positively, it seemed.

I felt the soft fur under my foot right before Angel screamed. She went careening away from me as I leapt off her tail and I heard the heavy thump of feet on the floor behind Arthurs door. I dropped to my hands and knees, shivering in stress as the office door jerked open and the weight of Arthur's shadow filled the frame.

"I'm so sorry. I'm sorry Arthur, I didn't mean to wake you I just needed to- I mean I was only going to be gone for a few minutes. I swear I wasn't trying to run, I just-"

Every muscle in my body went tight with fear when a hand dropped on my shoulder. Arthur grumbled, his voice rough with sleep and sounding mildly irritated. "Go back to bed, Tucker."

I bit my lip, eyes watering as I felt the weight of his order warring with the greater need of binding. "I- I can't."

"Why not." The irritation was deeper now.

"I need to be..."

"What do you need?"

I supposed there was another way to get what I needed, if Arthur was serious about giving me what I needed. "Punish me." I could feel him stiffen next to me and explanations started pouring from my mouth. "Please, Master Arthur. You've been so kind to me and taken such good care of me but I can't ever repay all that. I have to do something to repay you or else this all feels wrong to me. I don't know how to live any other way. I can't be your equal. I've messed up so you have to punish me."

Arthur sighed deeply and his hand dropped away from my shoulder. "What? You want me to take you over my knee or something?"

I swallowed and my heart stuttered in my chest. That had never been my favorite method of punishment, but it would work. Arthur grunted and stood, muttering to himself about punishments fitting crimes. I listened carefully as he moved into the bedroom, and I caught the drawer sliding open and some shuffling before I heard the metallic sound of the cuffs.

I let out a breath as he came back and halted behind me. I felt his hand starting on my elbow before skimming down to my wrist and giving a light tug. Shifting my weight, I let him take my wrist while remaining bent over my knees in a bow of submission. I lifted the other hand behind my back before he could ask me for it and let him cuff my wrists together.