Nb: Hello everyone! Thank you for the views! I am also glad that you are enjoying the story so far A Meta Nephilim! Please note that this chapter is the cut version, I have posted the uncut version on Ao3 =) Also, in terms of the next chapter, I will be unable to post anything after the 30th for a while due to circumstances.. So I am going to see if I can get it posted sooner to make up for lost time.. I cannot promise anything, but I shall try =)
'It's not that you should never love something so much that it can control you. It's that you need to love something so much that you can never be controlled it's not a weakness. It's your best strength.'- Patrick Ness, the Ask and the Answer
(Robert's Pov)
Robert was not sure what to expect as he was led down the secret passage way by his employer, Lord Alfred Ashford. In some ways he was not sure he wanted to find out, but he knew that if he wanted to survive, he would have no choice but to obey.
'Maybe this is my own fault?' He wondered fearfully. 'Maybe this is my punishment for attempting to seduce Alfred. Maybe he isn't going to spare me and he's actually leading me to my death?'
He stopped walking and was suprised when Alfred turned around with a slight look of amusement on his face.
"Dorson, I would advise you to keep on following me. This passage is one of many that I have had constructed upon the Island, and while I know my way around perfectly, you would simply get lost. I would rather not waste time tying to find you. Or could it be.."
He flinched as Alfred stepped towards him briskly. "Could it be that something is unnerving you? As long as you do I as say, you have nothing to fear."
"Lord Ashford..I have something I need to tell you." He whispered as he looked on the floor, the guilt that he felt was eating away at his soul and he could no longer bare it.
"Yes, yes, Dorson." Alfred began in a bored and almost indulgent tone. "I understand that your infantile mind is scared of the dark, you have no need to elaborate."
Robert opened his mouth to speak and then shut it again when Alfred wordlessly offered out his hand. For a moment the two men simply looked at one another in silence, until Robert reached over and took Alfred's hand.
...
They stopped walking when they came to a dead end. Alfred released Robert's hand and strode over to the wall, much like the wall in his office, Alfred began to touch certain parts of it. Robert could not help but think that whatever mechanism was used to operate the wall, was not nearly as elaborate as what Alfred made out.
When the wall slid to the side, Robert cringed as a sudden ray of light hit his eyes. He heard Alfred began to walk once again and followed him with half closed eyes. Once they were inside, the wall closed behind them.
As his eyes adjusted, he saw that he was in what appeared to be an office. It would have being a magnificent office, with it's large bookcases and sleek desk. The chair alone costed more then what he made in a year, but what stopped the office from being majestic was the grotesque gathering of stuffed animals that filled the office. The walls were decorated with insects of various varieties and the floor next to the desk was covered in a rug that was sewn together from various animal hides.
The indulgence of such over exaggerated cruelty was enough to make Robert almost collapse, he stepped back timidly and nearly jumped out of his skin when Alfred spoke.
"As you can see, Dorson, I enjoy hunting. The bugs and fish you see are from when Alexia and I were children, as are the smaller stuffed creatures you can see."
Alfred strode towards a stuffed lion's head and gazed at for some moments. "But as a man, I began to hunt for more dangerous game. Worthy game, until eventually I began to hunt down the apex predators" He affectionately patted the lion's head before he turned his gaze back to Robert. "But do you notice the one Trophy I am lacking, Dorson?"
Robert shook his head. "No, Sir.." he replied in a quiet and and subdued tone.
Alfred smiled at him. "I am surprised, although you are a coward, you are not a dullard.. But I will humor you. The one trophy I am missing, the most glorious and loveliest of trophies, is a human. But not just any human, a worthy human. An interesting opponent that posses both an excellent intellect and a keen sense of survival, once I find such a person.. I will have them stuffed and my collection will be complete!" Alfred finished speaking with a disturbingly light hearted chuckle.
Robert's mouth was dry with fear and he felt a slight tremor in his shoulder blades, he wished he had the courage to tell Alfred that what he intended to was wrong. But he could not, he did not dare.
He noticed that Alfred was looking at him intently, as though the other man was willing him to say something. When Robert kept his silence, Alfred gestured to the door. "Go and freshen up, Dorson. I will show you to the room where you will be sleeping once you have showed."
Alfred walked over to a cupboard. "But before you leave, Dorson, I do believe that we should have a toast." As he spoke, he prepared the drinks with his back to Robert. When Alfred turned around, he held two glasses of water in his hands. The glasses were elegant and had patterns that were very similar to each other, as if they had come from a set.
Alfred handed him one of the glasses with a slight smile. "That glass has a name, Dorson. It is called 'Venus'. Quaint, do you not think so? Anyway, do drink up. I do not wish to keep you."
Robert gulped the drink down and placed the empty glass down, he was glad to get out the room and away from Alfred. He nodded his thanks and walked out was quickly as he could, it was only when he had exited the room did he realise that Alfred had not told him where the bathroom was.
...
(Alfred's pov)
He watched Dorson scuttle out the room and sighed to himself, although he found the man's body attractive, the man's personality was starting to agrivate him.
'Granted, your personality was amusing back when you were simply my secretary.. But now..' Alfred paused in mid thought and walked out of his office, he marched into his bedroom and quickly undressed. 'But now that I am going to have you in closer proximity, Dorson, that is one trait you need to lose.'
'And the Aphrodisiac that I have placed into your drink should assist with that." Alfred thought to himself with a chuckle.
He knew that Dorson would not have gone far, not without directions. It was the perfect opportunity to tease him and control him even before they got there, and once Dorson was almost half crazed with lust.. Alfred would show him who was in control.
Alfred threw on a bathrobe and strode out the room, with a slight grin of excitement upon his face.
"Onwards, Brother!" Alexia shouted in his ear and made him jump.
He nodded made his way to where he thought Dorson was.
...
He did not need to look very far, he found Dorson milling around. Alfred noted with satisfaction that his handsome secretary already looked 'Hot Under the Collar.'
"Do you need help, Dorson?" He called.
He hid a smirk when Dorson turned and flushed a deep shade of red. He felt the other man's eyes on his body, the body that the bathrobe barely concealed.
He walked over and placed his hand on the upper part of Dorson's arm, he squeezed gently and felt the secretary's muscles tense under his fingers. He heard Dorson moan softly from the simple touch and stepped away from him. He slowly removed his bathrobe and beckoned as he spoke. His voice was almost a purr.
"Dorson, the bathroom is this way."
...
(Robert's Pov)
Robert felt exhausted as he walked by Alfred's side, but it was a good kind of exhausted. He was not sure what came over him, but he did not regret it. He was surprised however that his employer let him take the lead in the end, it was not in Lord Ashford's nature to give up control. Not that Robert knew what Alfred was like during relationships, but he always pictured him to be very controlling and almost taunting. Yet, for some reason, after the the first bout of almost playful teasing something had changed.
Robert wondered if Alexia had something to do with it.
Alfred looked at him with a grin that was not his own and spoke in the voice that was slowly becoming less strange to him. "So, mister Doorson, have you loved my beloved Brother for long?"
Robert sputtered. "What? No.. I."
"Oh, you're so darling!" 'Alexia' laughed and patted his arm. "You can tell me, you know! Alfred won't hear us!"
Robert could not help but smile, he stopped walking and looked down at his feet. "I..For a long time I suppose I have..Yes.."
"Dorson, why have you stopped walking?" Alfred snapped at him, all traces of 'Alexia' had vanished.
Robert looked up sharply and blushed. "Oh..No reason, sir. I was just wondering about how I can be of more use to you."
He noticed that Alfred had stopped next to a door and pointed at it. "Dorson, this is your new room. The one opposite is mine and Alexia's, do not get them mixed up. I will expect you up bright and early, Dorson. Tomorrow I will teach you how to shoot."
"But.. I.. Can use a handgun." He replied meekly.
Alfred chuckled. "Well, I will be giving you an upgrade and I want to make certain that you know how to use it."
Robert watched as Alfred began to walk away and then paused as though a new thought had occurred to him. "Oh, and Dorson? Let us sort you out a bathrobe tomorrow, hmm?"
He blushed when he realised that while Alfred had donned his bathrobe with an almost regal air as they left the bathroom, he had to make do with a simple towel.
"Good night, sir!" He said quickly and rushed into his room.
...
(Alfred's Pov)
Alfred shook his head in bewilderment as he watched his secretary run into the room like the devil himself was chasing him. 'Why the devil is he embarrassed now?' Alfred wondered as he walked into his own room and shut the door behind him.
He slowly walked over to his bed and floped down upon it in exhaustion, he began to chuckle quietly. "Alexia, you little minx! So.. You have always loved me, have you...
...Robert?"
(Chapter end)