9. Toby

Iheld Blaise there until the tremors had subsided and his breathing had returned to normal. My hand on his throat had a dual purpose—it reminded him I was in control, but it also allowed me to monitor his pulse. I counted in my head, and something in me eased when it hit a resting rate.

Blaise's grip on my arm was awakening all sorts of strange feelings, ones I had no business feeling during a temporary contract such as this one.

Focus, Toby.

"Are you ready to talk now?"

"I'm such a fuck-up," Blaise whispered. "I ruin everything. Fucking useless."

Sympathy rippled through me, but I couldn't let this slide. If Blaise didn't see me following through, we'd never build the trust we needed to succeed. "Blaise, remind me what the first rule is."

His eyes flew up to meet mine. "What?"

"The first rule of our contract. What is it?"

I felt him swallow under my palm. "Fuck."

"That's not it, but something tells me you've remembered it."

"No negative self-talk." His shoulders slumped in defeat. "You're going to be punishing me a lot for that. I can't see myself ever stopping."

"That's why it's a rule." I crouched down so we were at eye level. Even with the movement, I didn't remove my hand. Blaise didn't move his either, keeping us connected. "Your neural pathways need to be redrawn. You're currently caught in a pattern of thinking because of what's happened in the past. By punishing you when you fall into it, we can try to rewire your brain so you don't default to that way of thinking in times of stress."

The corner of Blaise's mouth twisted in a wry grin. "I think you're fighting a losing battle."

"Good thing I'm not a quitter and have an unlimited imagination when it comes to punishments." I smiled at him kindly. "Before we get to that though, this is why I'd like you to go to therapy."

Blaise flinched, automatically trying to pull out of my grip. I tightened my fingers, raising a brow warningly. "Nope. You're going to stay right there."

He huffed and rolled his eyes, but stopped trying to escape. I had to bite the inside of my cheek to contain my grin. Fuck, I loved a brat. "From the little I know about you and your past, it's clear you're fighting a lot of demons in your head. And not the fun kind, the ones who won't stay down no matter how hard you fight them."

A film came over Blaise's eyes, but he didn't say anything as I continued. "For the next year, I'm going to fight right alongside you, but we can't do this alone. There are things you need to work through with someone independent from us."

"I've never been to a therapist. How can I…how can I even explain what's happened? No human could understand."

"Which is why I'm recommending a supe," I said calmly, my thumb stroking his neck. "Tyler is an old friend of mine, and has been doing this since before it was even recognised as a medical profession. Trust me, there's nothing you could say that would shock him or make him judge you."

Blaise shifted uncomfortably, his fingers trembling against my arm. "Can I think about it? I'm not saying no, but…"

"But it's a lot to take in. That's fine, Blaise. I've given you a lot to think about over the past twenty-four hours. I'm not expecting you to be on board with everything straight away. Fair warning though, this is a topic I'll be returning to. Frequently."

"Yes, Master."

A shiver went down my spine and I had to remind my cock that now was not the time to be getting excited. "Now, about the other point on the list?—"

"I can't," Blaise said immediately. "I can't be part of the group."

"You can and you will," I said firmly. Before Blaise could spiral again, I distracted him by dropping a kiss on his forehead. The brief taste of him reinforced that my no kissinglimit was a smart one. One I'd put in place in the hope it'd remind my heart not to get involved. "But not yet. Unless you tell me this is a hard limit, I'm going to keep encouraging you to do this. I won't force you, but I will continue to invite you along."

Blaise opened his mouth and my hand shot up from his neck to cover it. "Before you decide you want it to be a hard limit, you have to remember that River is part of the group now. Do you really want to spend the rest of eternity avoiding him? Not spending time with him and those he loves?"

It took a long time for him to respond. "No, I don't want that. River's all I've got left."

I frowned. "What about your clan? The rest of your family?"

"The last of our clan died in the basement a few weeks ago," Blaise rasped, referring to the night I'd met him. The night we'd fought to save his twin. A mage had been there, one who'd delivered a strange prophecy before giving up his immortality. "Wilson was the only one left, aside from me and River. The ghasts have taken us all."

A chill went down my spine as something occurred to me. Something I should definitely have thought of before now. "Wait, what if the ghasts take you again?"

Blaise had been kidnapped once before. The ghasts took mages while they slept as that was the only time they could overpower them. Blaise had been on the brink of death when Mori and his brothers rescued him.

"I mean, they could." He shrugged. "I hope they don't, for River's sake. Both times one of us has been attacked by them, the other was also affected. I don't want to risk River being hurt."

"What about you?"

Blaise opened his mouth before shutting it and giving me a rueful smile. "You almost caught me there. I can't answer that without earning myself a punishment."

I forced a smile onto my face to pretend I didn't feel the blow of Blaise's words. Even without him explaining, I understood the context. Blaise didn't care if they took him again.

He thought he deserved it.

"Oh, you've already earned a punishment," I said mildly, finally letting go of his throat and getting to my feet. "But we'll get to that in a minute."

"Wait, I have?"

I tapped his nose. "Oh yes. You might've been panicking, but you still broke the rules. What kind of Dom would I be if I didn't follow through?"

Blaise knelt up a little straighter, a keen awareness in his eyes. Was that because he thought he was getting what he deserved? Or because he respected me for sticking to my word?

"First though, I want to discuss your sleeping arrangements. How would you feel about sleeping here every night?" This wasn't something I'd planned on bringing up this early, but mages were only at risk when sleeping. I needed Blaise to be doing just that, which meant he'd have to do it under my watchful eye.

"Here?"

"At least until the ghast situation is sorted. I don't need much sleep, and thanks to our little excursion a few weeks ago, I know how easy they are to kill. We could stay at your house if you'd prefer, but this place is safer. Being above the club means it's warded with the same protection. Can't get more secure than somewhere warded by four demons, an archangel, and a vampire."

"An arch? Who?"

I chuckled, shaking my head at the unforeseen development. "Dimitri. Him and Dagon have been dancing around each other for centuries. Turns out they share a human mate who works in our bar."

Blaise's lips twitched. "That seems…convenient."

"Doesn't it just. Suppose that's the bonus of having fated mates. The universe will lead you to your perfect match, whether you're ready for it or not." I rubbed at my chest. As a vampire, I didn't have the luxury of knowing fate had a plan for me.

"Nah, I don't like that," Blaise said thoughtfully, staring into the distance. "I don't want someone lumbered with me, especially because something as bullshit as fate has declared it so."

He might not have considered that negative self-talk, but unfortunately for Blaise, he wasn't the one who got to decide what the definition was. That was down to me. My hands itched to pull him over my knee, but he'd perked up way too much at the mention of spankings for that to be used as an actual punishment.

No, I had a much better idea. One that would leave him frustrated and wanting. Something that would show him the kinds of consequences he'd be facing.

And they certainly wouldn't be ones he'd enjoy.

Laying the groundwork, I ignored his comment as I stretched in front of him, raising my hands high up in the air. My shirt rode up a few inches, and Blaise's tongue darted out over his lips as his gaze fixed on my abs.

Fighting my smirk, I continued to stretch out my arms in front of him. Every movement had the heat in the room rising as Blaise became noticeably more aroused.

When his cock was stretching his shorts, I knew I had him where I wanted him.

"So, until the situation with the ghasts is settled, you'll stay here. That way I can protect you while you sleep and we can get to know each other better."

Blaise licked his lips, apparently having forgotten about his impending punishment. "Is that code for getting to touch you?"

"Is that something you want, boy?" I cupped his chin, forcing him to look up at me. "Do you want to touch me?"

"More than anything," he rasped. "I want to feel you. Wanna taste you."

"Hmm, I bet you do." I thumbed at his plump lips. "Bet you'd love it if I pushed my cock past these pretty lips. Filled your mouth until you couldn't taste anything else but me."

"Fuck yes." Blaise palmed his cock.

I tsked, tapping his hand with my foot. "Nope. Hands behind your back."

He pouted, but did as I said. "Yes, Master."

I stroked myself over my trousers, giving myself the pleasure I'd just denied Blaise. His gaze snapped to my crotch, hungrily tracking the movement. "How much would you like that? Would you want me to hold your face still while I fucked it? What about if I forced myself into your throat—pinning you there until you were about to pass out? Would you let me do that?"

Blaise's eyes were hooded. "Fuck yes." I raised my brow until he hastily added, "Master. Yes, Master."

"Good boy." I shoved my trousers down, releasing my aching cock. Blaise's breath caught on the inhale as he stared at my length. "Do you like what you see? Is this what you want to touch? What you want to taste?"

Blaise's shoulders were straining like he was having to physically stop himself from touching me. "Please, Master."

I stroked myself idly, catching the precum and using it as lube. "How badly do you want it?"

"More than anything, Master."

I tightened my grip, noting how the temperature in the room had gone up a few notches. "So, you're saying I could just use you to get off right now? That you'd touch yourself as I used your throat like a cock sleeve?"

Blaise whimpered, but didn't move his arms from behind his back, showing me how determined he was to please me.

Which, don't get me wrong, I loved. But this wasn't about pleasure.

This was a punishment.

I leaned down over Blaise, close enough that he could feel my breath on his ear. "Shame you broke the rules earlier."

I straightened up, chuckling at the dawning horror on Blaise's face. "Yes, we could be having a lot of fun right now. Instead, I'm going to go inside the bedroom and fuck my fist instead of your throat. You're going to stay right here. You're not to touch yourself or move even an inch. You're going to listen to me getting myself off, knowing you've not earned the right to even watch me. Understood?"

A muscle ticked in Blaise's jaw. "This is how you're punishing me?"

"It is. And it doesn't stop there either. You won't be allowed to come until I say so. Your orgasms belong to me now, boy, and you won't be getting one until you've earned it."

With that, I turned my back on the mage and stalked from the room. Once I was behind my closed door, I let my fa?ade crack a little. Fuck. It was hard to walk away from him. But this was all part of being a Dom, punishing my sub sometimes meant denying myself too.

Well, at least I wasn't denying myself as much as I was Blaise. Spitting in my hand, I wasted no time in getting down to it. Wrapping my hand around my shaft, I jerked myself hard and fast. After the way I'd edged myself over the last twenty-four hours, this wouldn't take long at all.

I was always vocal during sex, but I forced myself to be extra loud. Every moan was exaggerated, small curses added in between. Even without his supe senses, Blaise would have had no issue hearing me.

It was the thought of him kneeling out there that sent me tumbling over the edge. His name slipped from my lips as I sprayed all over my hand, the force making me slump back against the door.

Fuck. That was intense.

There was no need to exaggerate my breathing as I came down from the orgasm. My panting gasps were loud, like I'd run a fucking marathon instead of just getting myself off.

This was what happened when you denied yourself. When you got yourself worked up over a period of time before finally allowing yourself to give in. The explosion was always worth it though—something I couldn't wait to teach Blaise. I wanted to edge him into oblivion. To take him to the brink until he was begging me for release. A shiver went through me as an image of Blaise tied up popped into my head, silver gleaming around his soft cock. Would he let me cage him?

Despite my orgasm, just the thought of him in chastity had me starting to stiffen again. I ignored it though and marched through to the bathroom to wash my hands.

My sub was waiting for me, and it was time to see how well he'd weathered his first punishment.