After another month, Integra descended into the sublevels and approached the heavy bolted door. She peered inside. Integra unbolted the door and swung it open. "Was that vulgar remark worth the extra month of being alone and hungry?"

"Mmmphhh," the chained vampire replied miserably, his mouth gagged, his wrists bound behind his back, a leather collar securing him to the wall.

Integra walked over and unstrapped the leather clasp around his head that kept the silver coated gag in place. There was a leather covering over the gag itself that kept the silver from burning Alucard's mouth, but the silver had been necessary to keep Alucard from simply chewing through it. Once expelled, Alucard gasped and flexed his jaw, long strands of drool spilling from his mouth, his lips cracked. "Master…"

"Think very carefully about the next words that come out of your mouth," Integra cautioned. "Another smart remark and this…," Integra wiggled the gag, "…goes right back inside you." With that she smiled, putting her finger under the vampire's chin and nudging his face up so she could look at him. "Now, what did you want to say to me?"

"Thank you for taking the gag out, master. Will you…will you please feed me…?"

"Why, you are very welcome servant. Of course, that's not what I wanted to hear. I wanted you to say, 'I'm sorry I broke your laptop,' or 'I'm sorry I asked to have relations with you,' or…well, really, 'I'm sorry' of any kind would do. Which leads me to believe you are not sorry for what you've done, just that you're sorry you are here." With that, Integra stood up. "I'm inclined to let you think about it for another month."

"No! No!" Alucard shouted. "Please, I am sorry. I am!"

Integra fiddled with the gag in her hands. "You aren't as sorry as you are hungry, though. I'll check back on you in a few weeks and see if you've really seen the error in your ways."

Alucard lunged after her desperately. "Don't leave me down here, please! Not another month! Please!"

Integra lifted the gag. "You will stop shouting now."

Alucard stilled. After a moment, he crawled on his knees back to the wall. "Please," he said, quieter now. "Please."

Integra bolted the door behind her as she left.

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