A Cruel Jest?

23

Mori goes inside the cabin angry and hurt worse than she's ever been before. She was being treated just like another female slave.

"Mori-" Lord Terrance tries to say.

"Get out! GET OUT NOW!" Mori refuses to listen, and when Terrance leaves she slams the door shut and locks it. After that she starts her dinner in an effort to keep from thinking of what she has to choose from this night. It makes her sick but she forces it down.

Since she is so full of anger she decides to do more than her normal simple meal. Soon she has vegetables out and starts chopping them as if they are a certain vampire's head she was cutting off. Then she starts on a sauce and loves the rich red color that reminds her of the blood that she wishes was flowing from said vampire right now.

The best sauces take time for the seasoning to cook and blend and Mori has the sauce simmering for some time before she finally starts cooking the pasta that she made to go with it. Unfortunately her anger hadn't diminished as much as she wished it had. But it has enough for her to eat, although she's not sure that she wants to with what will happen tonight. It might be better if she doesn't.

It happens while she is cleaning up she feels the arms encircle her and pull her to him. "Smells good." He says as he nuzzles her neck. "I wish I could stay Mori, but I've already left things too long. You need to eat. Whether you choose to take Jerus to your bed or not is up to you, but you do need to eat. As do I."

"Go ahead, it's what you want isn't it?" Mori's voice is bitter and pained. But at the same time she wants to have him closer to her than she already is.

"Yes." Nocturne leans down once more and kissing her neck pleasures her until he comes to the artery he desires. He's careful to not take too much he'll eat elsewhere to get his fill, but he's not about to leave without marking her just to remind Jerus just who she belongs to.

When he's done he says, "Mori, I know you don't like the idea of bedding Jerus, but I guarantee you'll like what I'm going to do even less. I'm not happy about sharing you. Under normal situations I'd kill him for him having touched you earlier. I'd rather do the bedding, but I must be the one to deal with the traitors. I've been waiting for a very long time to deal with some of them. It's going to be bad Mori and I don't want you to see that. I don't want you to feel that or have any part of that. If you didn't matter to me I'd bring you and have you watch."

"So because you want to protect me from this aspect of you you're willing to have another bed me? That's twisted Nocturne, even for a vampire." Mori says letting the bitterness out.

"If we weren't bonded Mori this wouldn't be an issue. The problem is the bonding is too strong. I should be able to cut it off so you couldn't see or feel, but I can't. Somehow and someway you've made this bond incredibly strong." Nocturne tries to explain and is caught a little off guard when Mori explodes.

"So this is my fault? This whole damn bond thing? You're blaming me?" Mori struggles to get out of his hold and at first Nocturne refuses then lets her out. She steps away and then turns back to him furious.

"I didn't ask you to come to my house. I didn't ask for you to suck my blood and I sure as hell didn't ask for you to take me to bed. You chose to do all those things and I couldn't deny you by law. And even if I could have you still would have taken what you damn well wanted. And you dare say this is my fault that we are bonded?" Nocturne doesn't like the look in her eyes, it's like how he looks when he gets angry.

"I know the bond isn't your fault Mori. What I said wasn't meant to be taken as an accusation. Everything that you've had to go through is directly linked to MY actions. I take responsibility for those actions. And no I don't blame you for the bond Mori, we don't know why or how the bonds are formed. There have been too few and no one to study them. If I get the chance to do so I will, but taking care of the traitors comes first." Nocturnes says going up to Mori and caressing her face loving the feel of her skin on his hand.

"Threats to my throne cannot be ignored, I have a chance to take out my brother once and for all, I have to do this." Nocturne says so softly his voice is like the sighing of the breeze through the trees.

"I know." Is all Mori says but the fire is gone from her eyes and she's closed herself off so Nocturne can't tell what she feels or is thinking.

"I won't force you to be with Je...."

"I know."

"He will give you pleasure Mori. The clean pleasure of the bed whereas I will be taking a great deal of pleasure with the torture I have planned..."

"I know. Just stop Nocturne. I hate having to choose between which of the two are the greater evils. If I take Jerus to bed there is no guarantee that I won't still see and feel what you are doing. So whoring myself out.."

"Stop right there Mori. You won't be whoring yourself out as you say. You are no whore and I won't let anyone say otherwise." Nocturne is starting to get angry with her.

Mori looks at him confused. "Well then Sire, what would you call it when someone gives their body in exchange for something?"

"That's how you see it?" Nocturne says surprised.

"Isn't that what it is?" Mori demands wiping the tears that manage to slip her control.

"No." Nocturne says before he lets himself do what he'd been wanting to do for hours.

He leaves Mori sleeping and gets dressed quickly. He gives Mori one last lingering look before leaving the cabin.

"She's sleeping now. I want you to wake her in about an hour Jerus. Feed her she has to eat. She's already eaten the human food she needs. And Jerus anything other will be decided by her not you. Do you understand?" Nocturne says as he prepares to go.

"Yes, sire. Are you sure that you want..." Jerus says but cuts off when Nocturne looks at him and Jerus sees death promised in his eyes.

"I'm already angry at this whole damn situation Jerus. Don't make me regret what I'm about to do. She is far more important than you. Do you understand?" Nocturne lets his voice grow cold and lets his anger show just briefly to his underling.

"I understand." Jerus doesn't dare say anything else.

"Two things Jerus. If she decides to allow you to touch her make sure that she doesn't regret it. Don't let her feel anything else. And second, if she doesn't, make sure she gets to the bathroom and help her clean up. This is going to be a hellish experience for her if she goes that route. And you will not touch her."

"I understand. I will do my best to help her in whatever way she will let me." Jerus says much humbler than he had been earlier.

"Terrance." Nocturne states.

"Yes, I understand." Terrance. Nocturne nods once and leaves.

"He doesn't trust me does he?" Jerus says softly.

"Do you blame him? No. And he likes the idea of you touching her even less.

"Nocturne?" Mori calls from inside.

Terrance leaves Jerus and enters the cabin. Jerus after hesitating follows. Lady Mori needs to eat.