Darcy Branwyn

…She shook her head, not understanding him, and then the doorbell rang. She looked at him, once more and stood. “I’ll just go into the bedroom and close the door,” she volunteered.

“Thank you.”

He waited for her, then went to the front door, opening it. “Come,” he commanded, unreasonably angry over the intrusion, as if it was somehow the man’s fault that Jonas couldn’t satisfy his needs fully on Catherine and not be forced to curse her afterward.

The man walked in under compulsion and Jonas closed the door. He was a thirty-something businessman who’d treated Catherine like she was disposable, nearly running her down on the sidewalk just so that he could get to the nearest liquor store a little faster.

It was too bad he wouldn’t remember what had happened to him. Well, maybe, it wouldn’t draw too much attention if Jonas left him with a vague memory. Jonas was leaving the city anyway.

He backed the man against the far wall from where Catherine was, then removed his power over the man just enough that his eyes widened in fear of the monster bearing down on him. Jonas grabbed him harder than necessary, the man crying out.

“Cease,” he ordered, and the man fell silent.

 Jonas suddenly wanted to kill him. It hadn’t been his habit in some time but Catherine was doing something to him. He felt angrier than he should have. He wanted more than to drink too much of this man. He wanted to take his head in his hands and snap his neck. He’d done it before, as a mortal. He’d gutted men with his bayonet, emptying them onto the ground. He’d witnessed the execution of traitors, watched as the floor dropped out from under them and the noose tightened around their necks.

War was never pretty, no matter what side you were on.  

He turned the man’s head to one side and sank his fangs in his neck, not bothering to summon the venom that subdued a victim. The man’s futile flailing didn’t give Jonas much satisfaction, but it took the edge off his longing for Catherine.

Finished finally, Jonas let him go. He reached out to steady the man as he stumbled, and then let go again in aversion.

Jonas opened the door. “Get out of here,” he growled.

The man left without a word, blood on his neck since Jonas hadn’t been very careful when he’d pulled free.

“Cover you neck,” he commanded.

The man pulled his coat collar up and Jonas closed the door behind him. He was still connected with the man, and waited until he knew he’d made it to the elevator, then severed the control he had over him altogether…

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