Blood Mate by Kitty Thomas

perhaps your offspring would as
well.”
    The horror on her
face made it clear he didn’t have to continue with the sordid
concept he’d concocted, but he continued anyway. August indicated
the man in the far cage. “I could put him in with you. He could
impregnate you. If it’s a girl, and she can’t be enthralled, I’ll
wait for her to mature, and then she will give herself to me. It’s
longer than I’d like to wait, but it’s better than an eternity of
this.”
    “I won’t hurt
her,” the man said.
    August stood and
walked over to his cage. “Look at me.”
    Though he tried to
resist, he was unable to keep his face from turning toward August.
When their eyes locked, the vampire took full control of his
prisoner’s mind.
    “When I put you
in Nicolette’s cage, you will fuck her until I tell you to stop.
And you will continue day after day until she is pregnant. Won’t
you?”
    “Yes.”
    August turned back
to Nicolette, expecting her to beg him. If the threat got her to
consent to the mating bond, nothing else mattered. But her expression
grew more stubborn.
    “I’ll stop
eating. I’ll starve myself. I’ll die. You won’t make me give
you a child, definitely not one for you to feed from and do God knows
what else with for eternity.”
    August turned back
to Nicolette’s cage. He unlocked the door and stepped inside. The
move had her backing away. He always stayed on the other side of the
bars, trying to give her space, to make her feel safer in spite of
her circumstances.
    “I will force
feed you if I have to. I won’t let you die so easily, poppet. You
will be mine. Or your progeny will. It’s your decision which it’ll
be and how much you’ll have to suffer until then.” She cringed
when he brushed her hair behind her ear.
    She was so close
to snapping. He was determined not to fill these cages again. And he
wouldn’t go hunting each night, either. One way or another, tonight
she would give him what he demanded. Whatever he had to do. However
much of his soul or hers he had to eradicate. It had to be done. This
simply could not go on. If it took her a century to forgive him,
eventually she would… for anything, because they would each be all
the other had that lasted. Everyone and everything else would grow
old and die and leave.
    August went to the
other man’s enclosure and transferred him to Nicolette’s cage.
The vampire stood just inside the door so he could stop things as
soon as she consented. She wouldn’t let this happen. He’d seen
the way she was crumbling. Another small push and she’d be his.
     
    ***
     
    Nicole had run out
of room to back up. The other prisoner lurched toward her like some
kind of unstoppable zombie. There was no emotion on his face. No
anger. No malice. No pleasure. No desire. He was just following
orders. But that didn’t dilute her anguish.
    She nearly threw
up when he ripped her tattered top away. She moved to cover her
breasts. “A-August, please… please don’t do this. Stop him. If
I mean so much to you, stop him.”
    She struggled
against the man, but she was no match for the combination of his
strength and a direct hypnotic order from the vampire.
    “Will you give
yourself to me?” The vampire’s voice was steady and demanding.
How could he do something so vile to her? And he expected her to give
him anything ? After something like this?
    She was convinced
she’d suffer anything he doled out. Rape, torture, anything to
ensure she died and never allowed him freedom. The fear of a
pregnancy clawed at her mind. A child he could take and twist. He
could raise her in luxury, letting her think he was good. When she
grew to adulthood, he could reveal his true nature and take what he
needed. It would be a much different setup than the one Nicole had
endured.
    She would have to
starve herself before then. She’d have to be too weak to get
pregnant, or barring that, too weak to give birth, and pray
desperately for a boy as the final salvation from