Forever Knight [Harmione]

Chapter 10: Duality

Hermione almost rolled her eyes.  Right, of course she has a riding crop.  Any self-respecting dominatrix would…

“You mean, this?” Yasmin held up the whip, smirking.  “Oh, believe you me… when you have as many concerns as I do, your best relief comes from swatting incompetent underlings into submission.”

Hermione did not find that comforting in the least.  It didn’t help either that Yasmin spoke without the least bit concern for flashing fang.  Cicero had been quite tight-lipped, preferring to keep his fangs to himself.  Yasmin, however, didn’t even bother retracting them. 

Yasmin approached her and Hermione eyed the woman warily.

Hermione could feel the Coven Master’s gaze sweeping her as Yasmin prowled around, as if appraising her.  It felt like forever and Hermione was already beginning to feel annoyed.  She was just about to make a snarky comment when the whip came out of nowhere, hitting Hermione with a pert crack at the back of her hand.

“OW!” Hermione cried, stumbling away from Yasmin and cradling her hand.  “What the hell is wrong with you?”

Yasmin cocked a grin.  “That mouth of yours is going to be the death of you, neophyte.  Learn to control your impulses.  Acknowledging power doesn’t have to mean you’re afraid of it.  Understand?”

Hermione glared at her.  “I give respect to those who’ve earned it from me.” 

“Nobody has to earn your respect, Hermione.  Not yet, at least.  You earn yours, and then you can put on airs.  That’s the way it goes.  Right now, you’re nothing but a name, and that earns you shit.  We may be immortal, but there’s no living forever if someone lops off your head to put you in your place.”

Hermione could not believe how offended she was.  “You’re threatening me…”

“I promised you I wouldn’t, didn’t I?  I’m teaching you.  I might be more lenient to your cheek, but it’s a big vampire world out there.  Nobody else would hesitate to do you in for any reason whatsoever… because you’re unaffiliated.”

Hermione swallowed, watching Yasmin for any sudden movement.  “Unaffiliated?  Are you saying that if I join your coven, I’m safer for it?”

“Maybe.  But I’m not exactly recruiting you to protect you.  I don’t offer sanctuary for shrinking violets.  However, if you do join the coven, vampires will think twice about doing you in if you happen to—say… take their parking space.”  A glint of dark humor pricked at Yasmin’s eyes. 

Hermione had had enough.  “Are you going to tell me what it is you do or are you going to lecture me all-night about the vampire pecking order?”

Yasmin smirked, putting a hand to her hip.  “I will most certainly tell you what the Coven of Isis is for, but somewhere more comfortable, perhaps?  Inside your house?”

“Nice try.”

Yasmin’s laugh was melodious and sensual.  “You don’t trust me.”

“I have no reason to.  I don’t know you.”

“You do realize that if you invite me into your home, it’s really not going to change anything.  You’re not the ‘man of the house’ unless you own the joint and you have two balls and a schlong between your legs.”

Hermione stared at her, astonished.  She knew about the ‘man of the house’ rule, but she never realized it was so literal.  She always assumed it was symbolic of who was in charge of the house at a particular time, like now, with everyone asleep, she was responsible, and so she should be the ‘man of the house’.