me frown in question, which ended in wide eyes when his hand came to the front of me. This was when I saw the true nature of that statement was as literal as his words. Because the armour on his right hand started to turn from solid to a thick, oily liquid that dripped down from his fingers. It flowed from his fingertips in long streams that clung there, hanging like a rope and increasing in both length and thickness as more of his armour liquified adding to it. Then when it reached just an inch from the floor, it started to take shape, starting at the bottom as if it was being poured into an invisible mould.
This happened quickly and before long I could see a length of metal links that made up a chain of the likes I had never seen before. Its links looked more like that of a black metal spine that once belonged to some human sized fish, with each bone shaped section ending either side with hooks. Wicked looking spikes, which thankfully were curled inwards, so I assumed were not to cause damage to his ‘Mortal Pet’. This was my hope anyway.
But it was little wonder why the very thought of it had me narrowing my eyes in outrage and this even more so when I was suddenly spun around to face him. Because finding him now holding out the last part of my leash in his hand, I could see what was attached to the end of it, this being of course...the collar. I could also see for myself now where the creation of it had been born from as the two shoulder pieces of his armour was what he chose to sacrifice to make it. Not his gauntlet like I first assumed, seeing as his hand had been bare when making it.
I became startlingly aware of his face staring down at me, when I felt the side of his talons raising my chin up so as I was forced to look in the cold eyes of my new Master. This was when he warned in a dark and dangerous tone,
“Cast your scowl elsewhere, Pet, before you receive your punishment for escaping me in front of an audience, instead of behind closed doors like I intend!” he snapped making my eyes widen in shock before I could hold back my secondary reaction when my scowl deepened. I also opened my mouth ready to tell him to go fuck himself when something in his eyes quickly stopped me. It was a flash of emotion that gave way for only a second to the grey blue beneath the blood, and in that moment, I couldn’t help but feel as if he may have been communicating something deeper with me.
Besides, even if I had been seeing what I wanted to see and that fleeting moment between us had been nothing but foolish hope, then did I really want to see how far this version of Lucius would go? How far he would go to enslave me in front of his people, all for the sake of throwing sass and saving the face of my ego? The answer was no, I was not that stupid. So, I did as he said and lowered my gaze submissively, despite how hard that was to do, as inside my blood was boiling in rage.
“Good to know all my training was not lost in my absence,” he said making me want to growl back at him, but I bit my lip to stop myself, something I think he knew as the bastard chuckled. Then I felt the cool, smooth metal as it was about to be placed around my neck, but something unexpected happened as he paused.
Then that was when I heard it…
A very angry demonic growl.
It was such a dangerous sound, that I couldn’t help but flinch. Especially when it was joined by the grip he suddenly took hold on my chin as he lifted my face up to inspect it. This time when my eyes met his, they weren’t scowling, but asking him a silent question. It was one however he answered without being prompted to do so by me, as his gaze was solely on my neck. A gaze that hardened in anger, with the ring of metal he had been about to place there, now hanging, at the ready in his grasp, the coil of the spine leash curled on the floor like a skeletal snake.