“Diogenes, I cannot move a muscle like this. I am completely at your mercy. Please be gentle.”

He gave her a condescending smirk, seeing right through her plea. “Gentle? That's not what you really want,” he purred, the tone of his voice dropping as he leaned in closer, eyes fixed on hers. “Or need.” Their lips almost met in a kiss, but he pulled away at the last instant, laughing as she strained against her bonds to follow. “I may hurt you, but you'll beg me not to stop.”...   read more »

“Aloysius, I cannot move a muscle like this. I am completely at your mercy. Please be gentle.”

The fine, pale eyebrows go up slightly in surprise. “Gentle? My dear woman, you have my word I will cause you no pain. However, I do believe the goal here is to make you scream.” The soft buttermilk drawl ended in just a warm breath, a whisper in my ear....   read more »

I had watched cats play with their prey before, and the languid, deceptive grace with which he turned my own strength against me reminded me of nothing so much as a cat getting ready to take its time. I tried to move again and he chuckled quietly, so close it was almost more felt than heard.

Out of the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of something lying next to us and recognized with a start that it was a small pile of weapons—my weapons, in fact—taken from various concealed places on my body. Some of them I had thought well-hidden but apparently he had found them, even removed them, without my being aware of it.

“What the hell...?” I panted, outraged in spite of my predicament.

His eyes were on mine now, glittering faintly, his tones measured, honeyed steel that conveyed a pleasant yet tactical menace. He glanced briefly at...   read more »