A Fiery Warning

A couple of days had passed, and to her surprise, Lucian hadn't summoned Visenya to satisfy his sexual urges. She couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy at the thought of him seeking out other slaves. She scolded herself for caring about it, blaming the stupid mate bond for her irrational emotions.

On the bright side, Visenya had been excelling in the kitchen. Despite receiving no praise from Lucian, he consumed her meals without any complaints. He had even instructed Emi to prepare Visenya's meals more tastefully, putting an end to the scraps she had been given before. Yet, he still insisted on serving her in a dog dish.

Visenya knew that Lucian wasn't rewarding her with better meals out of kindness. He was deliberately taunting her, trying to break her spirit. But no matter how tempting the aroma and appearance of the food, Visenya remained steadfast. She refused to give in and let Lucian win whatever twisted game he was playing.

With each meal, she maintained her dignity, kneeling beside him with her head held high, paying no attention to the degrading dog bowl placed in front of her. After the other slaves had finished eating the delicious meals prepared by Emi, Visenya would help herself to the meager leftovers that remained.

Late in the evening, as Visenya diligently scrubbed the pots and pans, she was startled by the sound of muffled cries. Intrigued, she followed the haunting echoes, leading her to a secluded storage room at the far end of the kitchen. With a mix of curiosity and growing concern, she cautiously pushed open the door, only to be met with a sight that ignited a fierce rage within her: Cylis was shamelessly lying on top of Emi, attempting to force himself upon her.

Revulsion welled up within Visenya, her eyes stirring with a yellowish-orange glow, a clear indication that her wolf too had awakened from the same mixture of anger and protectiveness. "Get off of her, you disgusting pig!" The words erupted from Visenya’s lips like a war cry.

Summoning every ounce of her strength, Visenya gripped Cylis by the throat and forcefully pulled him off of Emi. In that moment, she wished she wasn't weakened by malnourishment, longing to have the vitality to rip out his throat. However, Cylis managed to break free from her hold with ease, and delivered a powerful smack across Visenya's face.

The impact was so strong that she tumbled to the ground with a violent thud. Despite the pain, Visenya quickly positioned herself between Emi and Cylis, forming a protective barrier as he menacingly approached with fury blazing in his eyes.

"How dare you poke your nose where it doesn’t belong!" Cylis sneered.

"You better stay the hell away from her, or else!" Visenya warned.

"Or else what?! What are you going to do, slave?! Just wait until the Dragon Lord hears about this!" Cylis threatened.

"Perhaps, we should wake him, so he can see that you struck me when he clearly told you never to lay a hand on me!" Visenya suggested.

Cylis flinched uncomfortably. "It was self-defense! You attacked me first!"

"I was protecting her, you sick fuck!" Visenya shot back.

"She is a slave! I can do with her or any other slave as I wish! And you... you just crossed the line, mutt!" Cylis retorted.

"What the hell is going on in here?!" Lucian's voice thundered as he stood at the door, his eyes scanning the chaotic scene before him.

"My Lord…" Cylis's voice trembled with reverence as he fell to his knees. "I was simply enjoying the company of this lovely maiden when your slave burst in and viciously attacked me."

"You fucking liar!" Visenya's voice dripped with anger. "He was assaulting her! I caught him, forcefully holding her down against her will, with his hand covering her mouth to stifle her cries!"

Lucian's gaze shifted to the torn clothing that Emi desperately clung to, seeking refuge behind Visenya. His eyes then settled on the vivid red handprint adorning Visenya's cheek.

With a seething glare, Lucian directed his fury towards Cylis. "I am well aware that Lazarus may have condoned such tasteless treatment of slaves, but as Dragons, we find it rather pathetic. There are countless slaves willing to share your bed willingly... yet, you choose to force yourself upon the one who resists?"

"My Lord," Cylis asserted, "I assure you that she desired me just as much as I desired her."

"That's not true!" Emi interjected, her voice trembling with tears. "He has been persistently making advances towards me for weeks, and I pleaded with him to leave me be!"

With a hint of arrogance, Cylis inquired, "My Lord, do I not have dominion over these slaves?"

Lucian looked almost too tired to care anymore as he pondered Cylis' question. "I did grant you dominion over all the slaves, except one. Perhaps, had she received proper training, she would have known better than to deny you access."

"My sentiments exactly, My Lord," Cylis affirmed.

"No...” Visenya's voice cut through the tension. “Look at her, she's terrified! I freed her from slavery when she was only nine years old. Do you expect her to simply lie here and let him defile her body?! Master, you yourself have acknowledged that there are other slaves willing to share his bed. If there are unwilling slaves, they should not be coerced. You are a Dragon Lord, and your kind has never stooped to exploiting your slaves in such a manner. If you discard that principle now, then you are no better than the night stalkers.”

Lucian gazed into Visenya's pleading eyes, seemingly unaffected by her words. However, beneath his composed facade, he carefully weighed every word she uttered. "Go to your quarters," Lucian commanded Emi, and she swiftly scurried out of the storage room. Turning his attention back to Visenya, he instructed, "And you... go and wait for me in my bedchamber."

With a hesitant step, Visenya rose to her feet, her mind filled with worry about the consequences she might face from her master. As the room emptied, an undeniable tension hung in the air, causing Cylis to grow increasingly uneasy.

"Follow me," Lucian uttered, leading Cylis towards the sink in the kitchen.

Lucian broke the silence, his voice mingling with the sound of flowing water. "Is there something alluring about a woman you cannot possess?" He inquired, his eyes fixed on the filling sink.

"No... I mean, maybe... I don't know. Why are you asking me this, My Lord?" Cylis hesitated, unsure of how to respond.

"I’ve seen the way you look at my slave," Lucian stated. "You may think I don't notice, but I do."

Cylis quickly recovered, his voice laced with amusement. "Emerald just likes to play hard to get, My Lord."

Lucian's gaze hardened. "I'm not referring to that slave."

Cylis couldn't help but snicker. "You're referring to your dog? You think I want her?"

Lucian raised an eyebrow, his tone tinged with surprise. "You don't? Because I was actually considering giving her to you."

Cylis' eyes widened in disbelief. "You were?"

"Yes, but if you don't want her..." Lucian's voice trailed off, leaving the offer hanging.

"I do!" Cylis exclaimed, almost too eager.

"But you just said that you didn't want her a second ago," Lucian remarked.

"I admit, my previous statement was fueled by anger because she infuriates me, but I must confess, I would relish the opportunity to teach her a lesson, if you catch my drift," Cylis said, his smile laden with insinuation.

Lucian's gaze hardened, his eyes fixed on Cylis. "I'm not quite following... perhaps you could enlighten me?"

Cylis responded with a sly smirk. "Well, to put it frankly, I'd love to bend her over and fuck the obedience right into that untamed mutt. And the fact that she's a virgin only adds to the appeal."

"How do you know that she's a virgin?" Lucian inquired, his curiosity piqued.

"Because I'm a vampire... and I can smell the purity of her blood," Cylis responded.

"Hmm... so, you want to be the first to break her in?" Lucian remarked.

"Yes, and I won't hold back either. I can assure you of that," Cylis declared. "I'll make her scream until she begs me for mercy, and once I'm done tearing up her little twat, I'll fuck her ass just as rough."

If Lucian were a boiling kettle, he would have erupted at that very moment. The fire of his dragon blood surged at the disturbing images conjured by Cylis' sick fantasy. "I suspect you've entertained this idea for quite some time. I bet it arouses you just to talk about it.”

Cylis chuckled with a thrill in his eyes. "You have no idea, My Lord."

Lucian nodded as he closed his eyes. "That's what I thought."

He seized Cylis by the wrist, hoisting his hand into the air. When Lucian reopened his eyes, they blazed like a raging hellfire. Cylis knew what was about to transpire, but before he could plead for mercy, the Dragon Lord released a scorching blast of fire from his mouth, searing the flesh on Cylis' hand down to the bone. Cylis screamed in raw agony, even as Lucian swiftly plunged the burning appendage into the sink to extinguish his burning flesh.

Cylis fell to the floor, writhing in misery. "What have I done, My Lord?! What have I done?!"

Lucian's repugnance grew as he looked at him. "You attacked two of my slaves tonight, one of whom I explicitly told you never to touch. You're fortunate to still be breathing, so let your fried hand there be a reminder that I don't speak just to hear the sound of my own voice."

With that, Lucian turned and left the kitchen, leaving Cylis on the ground, weeping and cradling his burnt limb.