Mira's adorable gift

—Lucius

"Bad girl!" I tore Mira's dress from her while she both moaned and shivered in sadness and Depravity gave a soft cry. "Very bad." I sat on the edge of her bed, with a switch I had gotten outside of my gates, before I pulled her over my lap.

"Oh, please!" She squealed when I brought the switch against her and I made sure to make my strike not nearly as hard as she would like. "Oh, I'm sorry! I am, I really am."

I didn't bother to answer. Instead I snapped the switch against her ass again and again, making each strike a tease of punishment. It was just depraved enough to bring her to need and not enough to satisfy.

And I was cruelly quick about it too, stopping after only ten strikes that were far too soft.

Depravity sobbed when I went so fast and quit so easily and she did too, her body quaking at my feet as I stood. "I want you to shower and clean yourself of this mess. After you're done, I want you to stay in here and I don't want to see your face until tomorrow evening. You sleep separately from me tonight."

"No! No, please!" Her tears flowed freely and Depravity was whimpering, trying to beg with me.

"Quiet and stop those tears right now. You've earned this. And I'm not going to give you the satisfaction of seeing me command you either."

She sniffled when I turned away and then whispered, "W-wait. Please, I have to tell you something. Y-you commanded me to, please." I turned back without saying anything and lifted my eyebrow, waiting.

Mira swallowed nervously and then finally said, "My mouth is dry. May I drink, please?"

I had to work to keep the anger from my expression because she didn't deserve the brunt force of it. No, the demon inside me was far more deserving and I cursed at him in six different languages while he apologized pitifully.

All that blood, you fucking spawn, and she didn't even nourish herself, thanks to your goddamned breakdown.

Out loud, I spoke gently. "Come here." I bit into my wrist, held it to her lips, and sighed when she latched onto it, pleasure filling me. "Drink as you need."

I kissed her hair, irritably acknowledging the thought that she was probably going to be taking her food in that way for as long as I lived.

And I wasn't really upset about that fact. Not truly. Okay, actually I was jealously gleeful that I would be able to keep this s*xual experience all to myself and enjoy it again and again, but I wouldn't admit it out loud.

When I bade her goodnight, she was a little more subdued, even if she did shoot me a baleful little stare while curling up on her bed. But she obeyed, despite the fact that I hadn't actually given her a command.

I didn't see her for the day or even the next night. For a moment, that made me frown in concern because I felt her leave and go outside for a bit, though she didn't leave the property.

Was she sulking or upset or angry at me? Eventually I got curious enough that I left my own room to find her... and stopped as soon as I pulled the door open.

She hadn't been any of those things. She had gone hunting, perhaps in an effort to show me she had watched and listened.

A dead wolf was in my doorway, in much the same manner a cat would bring mice to its owner. I couldn't help myself, couldn't help but throw back my head and laugh with warmth. It was so simple and basic, so cutely animal like. "Mira."

She appeared beneath the balcony, looking up at me from the first floor. "Y-yes, Master?"

I inclined my head, feeling playful despite the bad events and their consequences. "Thank you for the gift." I'd have to dispose of that somewhere, but it was kind of adorable anyway and my pleasure made her grin.

"Come on. I have a feeling we'll see some company tonight. Let me show you how to dress in a way that fits your status in the Dark Court."

***