Chapter 2

A Gift Horse

'… needs to create a … no … evoke a spectra-what?' Dorian rubbed the bridge of his nose and swore. 'Evoke a … spectracon … spectracon … A whisp? Must be … summon a whisp, then? Oh, yes, of course, best time to interrupt me.'

'You're being impolite.'

Dorian glared over his shoulder at his father. 'I am wading through sludge, trying to study while decrypting this horrible language. Do we have anyone who actually speaks Nevarran around here?'

'Speaks, yes. Reads, no. And talking to yourself may not be the best way …'

'I know how to study, thank you very much. And saying it aloud actually helps me. Or is that something else you want to harass me about?'

'I … may have deserved that. And I apologise for disturbing you, but you have secluded yourself for almost a week now, and there are a few things I wish to say to you.'

Dorian turned around but remained seated. He folded his arms. 'I'm listening.'

'I am sorry for what I said.'

'Which bit? Aberration? Disgrace? Failure?'

'Each and every one of them. You are my only son, Dorian. I do not want this to be between us. I … understand that you are still young and need to break your horns. Feel free to do so. You have time. I will … refrain from trying to find a wife for you. For a time. But eventually, you need to get used to the idea.' Dorian made a non-committal sound. 'Well. I … also brought something back for you. A gift, an apology, and a peace-offering all at once. If you do not approve, I can still return it, or so I am told it says in the contract.'

Dorian didn't want to be intrigued, but he couldn't help it. Curiosity was as much in his nature as his sexuality. Both would one day be his doom. 'I … Well. I shouldn't have … run away. It wasn't an adult reaction.'

'An adult reaction might have been hitting me. I prefer running.' Despite himself, Dorian smiled. 'Come and see.' Equal parts apprehensive and eager, Dorian followed his father. 'Isn't Gereon working on something else? I'd have thought you have learned all you can about necromancy.'

'There is no branch of magic where you can ever say you know all there is.' He smiled. 'And I cannot tell you what Gereon is working on. Maybe I never can.'

His father stopped in his tracks. 'Oh? He was quite excited, wanted to present his results in some sort of demonstration.'

Dorian considered his next words carefully. 'Yes. He was. And he is still thrilled about the research, as am I. But … we are almost positive that this can never become anything beyond theoretical work and access to the knowledge should be very limited. There is an incredible potential for disaster. The kind that can destroy the world without much exaggeration. But perhaps,' he smiled, 'there will be some small-scale demonstration one day. If so, that's Gereon's call and I wouldn't spoil the fun for him.' He spotted an unfamiliar elf standing in the corridor and halted. 'Oh?'

'Know him?'

Dorian swallowed and looked at the figure. Lean, beautiful, and unique. 'Sure. What is he doing here?'

His father made a face. 'He is a little useless as a bodyguard, after … certain drastic measures.'

'Drastic measures?'

'He had to be brought in line. Apparently that only worked by wiping him clean. He can talk, nothing so basic has been touched, but he has apparently forgotten how to fight. I allege that this has been done on purpose when all else failed. Now he's been trained as a pleasure slave.'

'Which brings me back to my first question.'

'Ah, yes. He is ours. Yours, to be precise. With one caveat. Should he die, his body is to be returned to Danarius.'

'Mine … to do what with?' Dorian's voice was husky as he took the figure in. 'Why?'

'I take it that is the real question. As I said, I was too harsh with you. We will find a solution we can both live with. Yelling at you … insulting you was not the way to get there.'

Dorian shook himself. 'I didn't expect any of this. Thank you.' He even meant it. Licking his lips, he addressed the elf. 'Meet me in … say, an hour. Knock and wait until I call you in, in case I need to wrap something up.'

'Yes, Master.'

Dorian grinned. 'Come prepared.'

Ϡ

The hour trickled by incredibly slowly. When the soft knock on the door came, Dorian's erection was painfully obvious. He was glad he had told the slave to come prepared. He could just plunge inside and cool off the immediate ache. There would be time to find out just how well trained this slave was later. 'Come in,' he called.

In came the elf. Dorian knew that he had been subjected to whatever treatment he had received because he had run away and wreaked havoc. The very one Danarius had brought back from the Free Marches. His name, Dorian remembered, was Fenris. But there was nothing about this man that reminded him of a wolf.

His eyes were cast to the floor, a trait he had noticed before when Danarius had paraded him about. This was something some masters demanded. What was less usual were the obvious signs of abuse. And the fact that he had come stark naked.

Dorian swallowed and struggled with something primal and hungry inside him that wanted to jump the miserable creature. Something Dorian instantly checked and ignored. On Fenris's nipples there were metal clasps that had to be horribly painful. His sex was similarly trapped in a ring so tight it was probably dangerous. The only reason for the swelling of the organ was the inhibited blood flow. There were fading bruises on Fenris's sides and he held himself in a manner that screamed pain. He also looked half starved.

Dorian's expression must be one of horror because the beaten creature flinched under his scrutiny and knelt. 'I displease you. I await your punishment.'

Whatever Dorian wanted to say came out as nothing more than an incoherent whimper. He cleared his throat. 'Take … these things off. I don't want you to harm yourself.'

'I do not believe that I can.'

'Fasta vass.' Dorian rubbed a hand over his face. Gently, he plucked the clasps from Fenris's chest. 'Sit, legs parted. How did you usually get rid of this?'

'They were removed for me. With ice magic.'

Dorian responded with a few choice Nevarran swear words he had encountered in his studies. 'No fucking way,' he said finally. Carefully, he placed his hands on Fenris's sex and let magic flow into the tissue. Cooling, soothing, and at the same time warming the ring around him to make it marginally wider. It worked. Slowly, but it worked. 'Next time … prepared I mean … ready to be taken, lubricated and stretched, but not this. Please. And don't you dare to apologise. This isn't your fault.'

'Do you wish me to leave?'

'Yes. Wait. No. Talk to me.'

'Nothing I can say could be of any value to you, Master.'

'I'll be deciding that, thank you very much. Tell me … is there anything you ask of me?' For the first time, Fenris really looked at him. The only thing Dorian could bring himself to feel for the wretch was pity. His arousal had died, but he fully intended to fuck him later.

'Nothing I could ask.'

The answer was bolder than Dorian thought he would dare to be. He smiled and patted his cheek in approval. 'Tell me anyway.'

'The only thing I want is something no-one can give me.'

'Do I have to give orders twice?'

The dark green eyes went wide. 'No, master. I want to know what I was and what I did to make my former master hate me. If I don't know how I displeased him, I fear I will do it with you again. If I fail you, too, and you return me, my life is forfeit.'

Dorian shook his head. 'You won't fail me. I cannot return your memories, and I'd rather not relate what I heard around three corners. I probably know less than half of it, and less than half of what I know is likely to be true. This I cannot grant you.' He stood and turned away. 'Please leave me. I need a moment to compose myself and … stop myself from writing Danarius a very angry letter. I want you to have something to eat and most of all to drink. I can tell you that you used to be a body guard. I'd like that look on you.' He squinted. 'Would you like to be a body guard as well? Most pleasure slaves have additional functions if they serve only one individual, and I am not going to share you.'

'I cannot fight. I have been told that I could, but I do not remember.'

'You'll be trained, of course. I'll take that as a yes. Now leave. I need to work.'