Succumb (Book 1: Hierarch Series) [Sample]

Chapter 3

Luka stayed on her knees near the base of the bookshelf. She wiped the tears off her cheek and recomposed herself to her usual serene equanimity as Sebastian stepped towards her. His back was covered by a tattoo that ran the length and breadth of its muscled expanse. It was the depiction of a Scramasax Viking sword with rune markings running around the plain hilt and a Viking knot in the pommel. Curled around the blade of the sword was a black dragon with a silver tail, making it evident the sword and dragon went hand in hand.

I had seen a similar diagram in my studies of ancient mythical creatures but couldn't remember what it represented. The tattoo shimmered, in a way that even the most modern tattoos can't do, but of course, now I knew Sebastian's wasn't modern. Luka's eyes stared up at him. Despite the mask of confidence, her eyes belied her fear.

Sebastian breathed deeply but it barely expanded his defined v-pack. It wasn't the modern day, gym-created bulging v-pack. This was the natural definition and musculature caused by the heavy physical labor and activity of his human life. He was a glorious sight to behold. Even half-naked and despite everything that had just happened, I felt a flash of the usual desire for him drive through me.

Luka was totally composed, eyes locked on him. All signs of anything out of the ordinary having just happened had vanished. Sebastian walked forward and stood right in front of her. "Luka? Tsk, tsk." His tone was full of disappointment as he adopted a relaxed soldier's stance. I'd seen Sebastian calm, his hands in his pockets, shoulders relaxed - this was not Sebastian at-ease.

Luka dropped her eyes to me; she seemed to be looking for a sign of life, but all I could offer her was a dying stare. The slightest look of regret crossed her eyes before she hardened her face into insolence, raised it to meet his gaze and spoke steadily. "You had no reason to harm her, no right to do that."

I didn't see Sebastian move but I heard Luka's shriek when his right hand whipped out and grabbed her hair, lifting her a centimetre. His anger exploded through the room like a scorching westerly during bushfire season. "Right? I don't have the right? You presume to tell me who I can take to my bed? You have no claim over her, she isn't yours!" he growled. As she tried to reply, Sebastian thrust his left hand around to grip her throat.

Luka's eyes popped with fear, her hands gripping his left wrist and trying to push him away. I could hear her gasping for air, her throat working hard against his grip as she tried to suck sustenance through the narrowed windpipe. He held her there for no more than a minute, staying still, and gaining gratification in her discomfort. Then he relaxed his hand just enough so she could take a breath, his back muscles tense. When he let her go she fell to the ground, gasping for breath and choking, her eyes glazed over, almost white.

Sebastian took a deep breath, rolled his shoulders, and walked over to where I was on the couch. He collected his tie from the floor before walking back to where Luka knelt wheezing. He reached down and grabbed her by the hair again, her hands clasping around his wrist trying to ease the hurt. He pulled her up to a standing position and moved the few steps to the desk before turning her to face me. He leant against the desk and pulled her back against his hard body. Releasing her hair, he ran his right hand down her neck, his thumb reaching around over her bottom lip. Luka's tongue wrapped around his thumb.

When he spoke, his voice was like the most beautiful song you had ever heard. "Do you know, until this day I have never been refused?" He was now glaring into my eyes. "It...angered me. It must be centuries since I have felt that emotion."

Luka opened her eyes wide to look at me. As a nymph, she could feel someone's desire if she was touching them when it burnt through them. She knew what Sebastian had always done to me.