The Power of Two
a vampire BDSM novella by Shayne Carmichael & Mychael Black
Phaze
As a vampire Master, Dominic has been eyeing his old friend, Griffith
for quite a while. But being a Master in his own right, Grif resisted
the notion of Dominic controlling him in any way. With startling skill,
Dominic sets out to change that refusal. He has his own deep interest
in him, born of watching Grif's submission at the hand of another
Master. Even though Dominic can't help but toy with his old friend, in
truth, he wants him only as an equal. But how to convince Grif without
letting his guard down is Dominic's biggest issue.
Aware of some of that interest but not the reason for it, Grif
has his own secret. His trust had been violated by his own vampire
Master, and since that night, he's refused to let another dominate him.
And he'd sworn to himself that no one ever would.
: :
Excerpt:
Once they were inside, Dominic closed the library doors and went over
to the small wet bar. "Want something to drink?" He started pouring
himself some brandy and waited for Grif's response.
"Just bring me a damn bottle of whiskey or whatever we've got." Grif
had the sense things weren't all right between them, and it brought
back the helpless feeling he'd had earlier. He sprawled out as he sat
down on the couch.
Dominic chuckled softly and grabbed a bottle in addition to his own
glass. He turned around and stilled, nearly dropping both objects. The
sight of Grif stretched out on the leather couch did damnable things to
his insides. Regaining his composure, he moved to sit in the chair near
the couch, shifting so he could see Grif fully. He handed him the
bottle and sat back. "What's on your mind, love? Really."
Simply frustrated with himself, Grif reached out, while messing his
other hand through his hair as he tipped his head back against the
cushion. Taking the bottle, he uncapped it and drank several healthy
swigs from it. Not like it would do him any good, but he guzzled it
anyway. Setting the bottle on the edge of the cushion next to him, he
held onto the neck of it. "Bastards like Neirland."
"I can understand that," Dominic said quietly, looking down into the
pale golden liquid in his glass. He swirled it once and then finished
it in one swallow. He set the glass down on the table beside him and
stood. He sat down on the other end of the couch, one foot on the floor
and the other on the cushion. With one arm draped over his knee, he
reached out with the other, plucking the bottle out of Grif's hand.
"I'm not asking you to open up to me," he said as he stared through the
dark, golden brown haze in the bottle. "But will you at least tell me
if I was right earlier, in that there was more to it than what you were
letting on?"
Grif turned his head towards Dominic. A brief flicker of a quiet
desperation betrayed itself before he closed his eyes. "Yeah, you were
right." What else could he say? He couldn't outright lie.
Dominic leaned over and set the bottle on the floor. He slid across the
couch to sit beside Grif. Slipping a hand under his chin, he turned
Grif's head. "I'm here, Griffith. I always have been." It was the only
way he could express the way he felt, without coming right out and
saying three little words.
Feeling the touch, the words spilled from Grif's lips without real
thought. "You have been for a quite a while, Dominic. It bothers me to
see somebody force another to do what they really don't want to do. I
hate that." There was a distinct vehemence to the last words, though
his voice lowered over the rest as he opened his eyes, looking at him.
"It's personal to me."
"It bothers me greatly too, love." Dominic leaned forward the slightest
bit, then sat back, shaking his head slightly. "But just the knowledge
that someone hurt you, no matter how long ago, eats away at me even
worse."
Sighing quietly, Grif stared at him for a long time before he spoke.
"Only you would know without me even telling you." Raising his hand, he
reached out to rest it on Dominic's shoulder. "And only you would offer
comfort to me."
Dominic refrained from telling Grif that he had much more than comfort
to offer him. Instead, he slid his hand over Grif's. "I do not know the
details, but I know you. The pain is there, and..." He closed his eyes
then, biting his tongue to stop himself. "I only wish I could make it
go away," he said quietly.