(Sorry for the wait, everyone; I actually wrote a good portion of this quite a while ago, but I couldn't round out the end without adding a lot more. I managed to make it work though, so I have something to update in between writing the next long chapter. Enjoy!)

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Cedric's fingers trembled as he arranged the multitude of small printing plates on their trays. He was glad that the noise in the workroom was just loud enough to drown the small sounds that unconsciously slipped past his lips every now and again. The pain was making standing at his workspace difficult. His entire lower spine was aching, and his insides felt, for lack of a better equivalent, like they had been repeatedly punched and bruised. He gave a grim smile as he realized this was not actually far from the truth. He had a stool that he could sit on if standing became too tiring, but he found that sitting was even more painful. Either way he was miserable. When he woke that morning he had hoped that last night had been a terrible nightmare, but one small move and his body confirmed that it had been real. The creature that called itself 'Claude' was right about what he had said; Cedric could tell no one without them thinking him insane. He had a good job here, and didn't want to do or say anything that could compromise his position. So he bit his lip as a movement caused pain to throb through him, breathing through it and continuing his work.

"Morning beautiful," Said a voice, and Cedric groaned inwardly at the presence that closed in on him, "you're so quiet today. Usually you're singing up a storm, just like a pretty lark."

A large hand rested on his shoulder, and Cedric flinched involuntarily. This did not deter his visitor, and the man stepped up even closer behind him and placed his other hand on Cedric's slender waist.

"You didn't really think I'd give up just because you huffed and puffed at me yesterday, did you?" He asked, and his breath rushed past Cedric's ear. The boy continued to arrange the printing plates with trembling fingers, trying to keep calm, even though his nerves were on edge and terror was racing through him. This was different than all the other times. This time he was reeling after a rape. So when he spoke, his words sounded weak even to his own ears.

"Leave me alone, Theo. I've warned you enough times."

"What's with that shaky voice?" Theo asked, pressing up close to his back, "usually you're so passionate and angry when you refuse me."

"Leave. Me. Alone." Cedric repeated, and Theo scoffed.

"Don't push me away; you look so gloomy today I think you need cheering up. What's all the fuss about?"

Theo raised a hand to brush his cheek, and Cedric jerked away.

"Don't touch me."

"Aw, I'm sorry, would you rather I kiss you instead?"

At the feel of the lips on his neck, Cedric snapped. He lashed out blindly, his fists and elbows making severe contact with he knew not what part of Theo's body. He was only aware of the sickening sound of flesh beating flesh, and then a loud thump. He came back to himself as he looked down at Theo, curled up on the floor. He was gasping, his eyes wide and frightened, unable to process what had just happened.

"What is the meaning of this?!" The Print manager and owner asked, coming out of his office. He must have seen it all through the window in his office wall. He came over to the pair of them as the other lads helped Theo to his feet. He was groaning and holding his middle.

"Cedric, explain yourself."

Cedric swallowed hard, looking completely lost as he answered,

"He…he was messing with me sir…"

"And for that you knock the wind out of him?" The man asked, incredulous but not angry. Cedric had made him aware of Theo's advances in the past so his sympathies for the other man were less than lacking.

"I'm sorry, sir. I…I don't know what got into me."

"Well, you'll have to figure it out. My office, now. Lads, take a break and make sure Theo's alright."

Cedric followed the man into his office, trying to ignore the moans coming from behind him. He sat sheepishly in the seat before his master's desk. The man in turn drew the blinds over the window to give them privacy.

"Well?" He asked, standing to one side of his desk, hands behind his back, "I'm waiting."

Cedric took a deep breath and explained. The man listened as he always did, but a slight frown appeared as Cedric finished his story.

"Cedric, my lad, the way I see it, if you wanted to thrash him you have had many more opportunities before today. You said he even grabbed your family jewels and you did not knock him flat! What set you off today?"

"I just…had enough." Cedric answered.

"Look at me, Cedric." The boy found it curiously hard to obey this request, but did so after a second or two. "You have not been avoiding my eyes during this entire conversation." His master pointed out, softly. "Cedric…did Theo do something else to you? Something that has made you very afraid of him?"

The question and its implied meaning were not lost on Cedric. He swallowed hard, wanting to tell the truth but knowing how it would sound. It was difficult to keep his eyes fixed on his master's as he answered simply,

"No, sir."

His master probed his eyes carefully for a few more seconds before he sighed and ran his fingers through his thinning hair.

"I'll trust you on that, Cedric. But I can't have you behaving this like; whatever is going on, sort it out."

"Yes, sir."

Cedric was dismissed, and went eagerly back to his post, avoiding the little huddle of people around Theo, who was sitting down in the corner. As they all drifted back to their stations, Cedric began to feel calmer. He knew that there wasn't another soul there who would blame him for what he did; they all despised Theo and his vile ways, but he did such good work and behaved himself so well in all other manners that the master had kept him on.

Cedric was the only apprentice out of the three other lads working here who actually lived in the shop. The others had homes and families in the town, but Cedric was not so fortunate. When he came seeking the position, he was squatting in an abandoned building on the outskirts. His parents had been so poor that when he reached sixteen, a little over a year ago, he had struck out on his own to try and alleviate their burden as well as create his own fortune. He had been fortunate enough to attend a school growing up, so he knew how to read and write very well. With this skill set he was able to eventually acquire the job at the printers. The business was run by an older man and his wife. When they found out where he was living, they opened their kind hearts and all but demanded that he come and stay in the spare room above the workshop. They were not so foolish as to offer a stranger a room in their own house, which was directly beside their place of business, but it was still a very kind gesture. Cedric had finally found a stable place in life, people who trusted him and gave him employment. He was making his own fortune. Then Claude came.

Cedric could not believe that he had barely been here six months before something had to come along to shatter his contentment. He didn't even know what to call it. Monster? Beast? Ghost? No, he had felt too real to be a ghost. Cedric was terrified about going to bed that night. He paced his room back and forth, despite the pain, as if trying to find a way out. He wished he could go somewhere else, somewhere he might feel safe. But Claude had told him that he would find him wherever he was. Cedric wanted to put that claim to the test, but there was nowhere else for him to go. He kept the fire up in his little fireplace, sitting by it on the thin rug when he was tired of pacing. It was common knowledge that fire repelled most predators, but Cedric didn't know if anything could repel Claude.

As the night grew deeper and darker, Cedric found it harder and harder to keep his eyes open. As frightened as he was, and as eerie as the ticking of the German clock in the hallway was, he grew weary. The fire began to die out as he sat by it, and eventually he eased himself onto his side, staring into the hearth. His body began to relax, and he was listening to the sound of his own steady breathing-

"Afraid the bed is going to bite?"

Cedric jumped, then lay perfectly still on the rug, feeling his muscles trembling. He had come. Somehow, silently, he had returned. Soft footsteps approached him, and he heard the rustle of clothing as Claude bent over him.

"I suppose you are too frightened to say 'hello'." Claude said with a chuckle, "Though I did not expect much of a greeting, this is quite rude, I must say."

Cedric jerked as a large hand stroked his shoulder.

"Don't touch me!" He cried, curling into a tight ball, his breathing becoming ragged.

"Now, now," Claude muttered, petting Cedric's hair and nuzzling against his ear and cheek, "that won't do you any good. You're not a porcupine. The only barbs you can stick me with are your words, and I can brush those off easily enough, and close that mouth of yours in an instant."

His hands began fondling Cedric's waist and thighs, making the boy shrink further into himself. Unlike the incident with Theo, he knew lashing out now would be more harmful than if he just lay still.

"Please…" He whispered, "don't hurt me again…please…"

Claude growled contentedly in his ear, licking it slowly with his hot tongue.

"I believe I told you last night; I don't need to hurt you, you just need to behave yourself and it will feel good."

Claude gave the back of his neck a little nip, and then quickly and easily pulled him up onto his feet.

"No, please! Let me go, I beg you!" Cedric began pleading like a man going to his death as Claude forced him toward his bed. "Don't hurt me, don't hurt me…" He ended up flat on his back, eyes squeezed shut, and arms crossed over his face. The bed creaked as Claude climbed over him and pulled his arms down.

"Hush, Cedric. This is quite unlike the fierce battles you gave me yesterday. What changed?"

Anger bubbled up amidst Cedric's fear, and hot rage hit his chest.

"You raped me, you monster!" He cried, and Claude grinned, stroking the back of his fingers down the side of Cedric's face.

"What a nasty phrase for something that ended up making you whine and moan like a whore."

"That's not the point!" Cedric rebuffed, feeling his cheeks heat. With the fire still burning in the corner he could now see Claude's face. The night before it had been too dark for him to truly see what he looked like, making him all the more terrifying. Now that he could see him clearly…the impression was quite different. His face was very handsome framed by long dark hair, his body trim and strong, clad in black. Only his gleaming golden eyes gave the impression there was something…unnatural about him.

"Oh, I think it is." Claude answered him softly, lowering his head. "Now give Claude a kiss."

So saying, he pressed his mouth to Cedric's, and the boy responded out of fear. The kiss was slow and deep, almost affectionate in a strange way. Cedric felt his body relax again, and he knew in his mind that he should be more on guard than ever. But really, what could he do? He had learned quite thoroughly last night that there was no possible way to keep this creature from what he wanted. Creature…man…now that he could see how human he looked, Cedric was having even more trouble affixing an appropriate noun to the being.

"Hmm, it's been a long while since I've kept a pet." Claude mused when he pulled back, and began kissing Cedric's cheeks.

"What did you call me?" Cedric asked, still frightened but unable to keep his rage completely at bay. "I'm not your pet!"

"Oh, but you are, my little one." Claude said, sliding a hand under Cedric's nightshirt and feeling the softness of his skin, "You're mine to play with as I please, to pet and hold when I want. What else would you call it?"

"I'm a victim!" Cedric answered for him, shivering at the feel of the man's warm hands on his cold flesh. It actually felt nice. Those golden eyes were staring right into his, swaying his resolve with their intense lust.

"Ah, there you go again using such unpleasant terms." Claude said, quickly pulling the shirt all the way up so he could kiss Cedric's nipples, "Ah, these are my favorite."

Cedric gasped at the wet heat that was applied to his sensitive nubs, and writhed beneath the sensation, trying to convince himself that he didn't like it. He was scared, he really was, but…it felt good. Something about knowing that this was going to happen, as opposed to the previous night where he had been caught unawares, made it different. Not easier, just different.

"Please…" Cedric tried again, unable to finish as Claude clamped down with his mouth and worked his tongue furiously against the hardened peak, rubbing at the other with his finger tips. Cedric arched, helpless to stop the flood of excitement that rushed south through his body to pool between his legs. He could see it. He could see Claude, the man, sucking on his nipples like mad…and…god…it was hot. He cautiously tried to free his hands, being overcome by an urge to bury his fingers in that thick black hair. His wrists were pinned beside his head, however, and Claude did not release him.

"God…" Cedric breathed out, arching again and letting out a small whimper. Claude withdrew slowly, giving his nipple a long slow lick before looking down into his face.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were enjoying yourself." He said cheekily, nuzzling his face into Cedric's wild golden hair and giving out a low, contented sound like a purr.

"What are you?" Cedric asked, repeating his question from the night before. Claude let his wrists go, bringing his hands up to run through the wealth of Cedric's hair while he inhaled its scent and kissed it.

"I'm a demon." Claude responded simply, his voice muffled in Cedric's waves. The boy stiffened, feeling fear engulf him again. Demons; the epitome of evil and deceit. Little wonder Claude looked so handsome. Cedric began to tremble once again.