of his hard body before me, his manhood mere inches from my face. I lost all fight.
The monster began palming his length, bringing himself closer to me with each stroke. When it was in line with my mouth, I fluttered my eyes to look up and almost sobbed at the determined expression on his face. His dilated eyes glittered in the dim light and he reached out to grip the back of my head.
“Please, Valentin,” I said loudly, trying to break through whatever had him in its control. “Fight it. Don’t do this to me. Don’t hurt me. You don’t want to hurt me anymore.”
His hand on his manhood stopped, and his head dropped to the side watching me. His darkened eyes studied me curiously. My heart beat faster. “Valentin?” I tried again. “Fight it. For me … Zoya.”
The monster’s entire body suddenly stilled and I thought I caught a flash of recognition in his stare. But he took a step forward, gripping my hair in his hands. Tears fell down my cheeks and I closed my eyes. I didn’t want to see his face as he took my mouth against my will.
Then, on an abrupt deafening roar, the monster threw my head back back, his hands falling away.
Opening my eyes, I shook my head, trying to clear the water from my eyes, when I saw him stumbling back. My heart beat furiously as I watched him gripping his head. Pained groans and growls emanated from his lips; then his hands moved to his collar.
Hope soared within me as his fingers dipped below the slackening metal and he began to pull. The monster’s face reddened until his entire body shook at his attempt to free himself from his collar. But no sooner had he attempted to rip off the collar than he gripped his head again, the pain obvious as he hit the side of his skull with a balled fist.
He fell to the floor, and I waited expectantly to discover what he would do next. I prayed that when he eventually lifted his head I’d see bright blue eyes. But I wasn’t so fortunate. When the monster did raise his head, his pupils were still full and bleeding into the crystal blue irises. With fisted hands he pushed himself from the floor and approached.
I swallowed at the expression of pure hate on his face and cried out when his hand slipped and slammed on the rope above me. His hand then dropped to my stomach and made its way to between my legs.
“No,” I whispered.
The monster’s fingers ran along the top of my pubic hair and he hissed, “Name.”
It was strange, because even terrified, I noticed the difference between Valentin’s voice and the monster’s. The monster’s was colder, no feeling in its timbre. In contrast, in Valentin’s his subtle notes would change, the tone expressing his change in mood, his feelings, his regret.
No sooner had those thoughts entered my mind than the monster pushed his fingers closer to my folds. I squeezed my eyes shut, praying whatever he would do next would be over quick. Then suddenly the monster’s hand stopped before he broached me. My eyes snapped open. I fought for breath as I panted through the fear. My attention was solely fixed on the monster, once again gripping his head, falling to the floor.
His body jerked. Pained groans wrenched from his throat. Sweat poured from his body. Just like before, his hands lifted to the collar around his neck. His hands pulled and pulled at the metal ring caging his neck, until every muscle in his arms shook with the effort.
He panted and panted, until his head lifted. Staring through me were crystal blue eyes. My heart pounded in relief, and managing to find my voice, I rasped, “Valentin.”
Valentin shook his head. Then his unfocused eyes fixed on mine. I saw him drink me in. I saw his face contort on seeing me tied up. I winced when I imagined how I looked, strung up this way.
A sudden gut-wrenching roar came from Valentin’s mouth and he jumped to his feet. He released his grip on the collar and walked to the chest at the side of the room. I held my breath, praying that the monster hadn’t regained control. When Valentin stood back up, he held a knife in his hand. My stomach fell as he approached, but when I saw his eyes were still crystal blue my heart jumped in relief.
Valentin winced with every step he