“What is this place?” I murmured.

He had driven me out of the city, all the way to the industrial side of town. Our surroundings had grown more and more dangerous-looking, with the number of squatters on the streets increasing. I half expected to see more gang activity out here, and there was a slight uptick for a few streets, but then it suddenly thinned out and Christian stopped at an abandoned construction project. He killed the engine and stepped out of the car, and if I was being honest, I was afraid to follow suit. Why had he brought me out here? Was this where it all came to an end? I was finally going to pay for all the attempts on his life. He wouldn’t leave a drop of blood in my body, and then he’d toss my drained body off the building to be scraped up for evidence in an unsolved murder.

He opened my car door, a small smile dancing across his lips, hand held out to escort me to my death. I managed to ask my question, unable to hide my terror. He was right; I was a hypocrite. I didn’t want to die. I would’ve been alright with knowing I’d done my best to rid the world of him, but seeing Gladys like that tonight had rattled me.

“Come with me and find out,” he rumbled.

Get it together, Anna. Surprised that he wasn’t mocking my fear, I took a deep breath and steeled myself. He wanted me to be scared of him, and I didn’t plan on giving him the satisfaction. Ignoring his hand, I got out of the car on my own. Smirking, he closed the door and led the way into the project. This wasn’t the only construction site around, but for some reason there wasn’t a soul in sight. Not a single hobo around? And was he just leaving his car out on the side of the road like this? We were gonna come back to find it jacked up on cinderblocks.

He brought me into a cage elevator, though I was surprised to find that the walls were all sealed off with sheet metal, as if modified. The cage door shutting got me apprehensive again, and I had to calm my nerves as we began to ascend, the rhythm of the passing floors helping somewhat. As we came to a stop at our destination, the top floor, we were plunged into complete darkness. I heard the cage door open with a loud rattle, followed by a metal shutter, the kind used for storefronts, and Christian set off again. In the profound darkness, I was hesitant to proceed in case I tripped over any leftover construction materials, eventually reaching for my phone for illumination.

“Ah, right. The lights.” He was a few steps away from me, his voice soft and even a bit doting. “I only have lights at all in case I have company. Which… I never have, so I suppose I’m glad I was stubborn enough to keep them.”

I had just dug my phone out of my purse when he plucked it out of my grasp. Instead, he gently took my hand and led me into the space. All I could hear was our footsteps, my breathing, and the thundering of my heartbeat. After several steps, we stopped and he drew me close. His cool skin gave me shivers, especially when he cupped my cheek. My chest was heaving now, and after tilting my head up, I felt his lips brush mine before capturing them in a kiss. I bit him, and he bit me back, and suddenly my tongue was in his mouth. His carnal nature drew out reciprocating feelings in me. It was the only explanation. It had nothing to do with how much I loved how softly he kissed me.

All too soon, he broke off the make out session, and I felt his fingers slip away from mine. “Close your eyes, pet,” he whispered. I did as instructed, and suddenly lights hit my eyelids, prompting me to peek as my eyes adjusted. Our surroundings left me breathless.

It was a high-end studio apartment, located in an abandoned construction project in the middle of the bad side of town. Lots of furniture upholstered with expensive black leather, white marble tile floors, and solid metal shutters sealing off all the windows. It had an overall monochrome color palette with splashes of red, courtesy of rugs or art pieces.

“You live here…?” I asked, marveling at everything. Despite the stark colors, his lights were off-white and lended just a little bit of warmth so as to not give the impression of a cold palace or dungeon. Had he designed this himself? If so, I liked his taste, though matching black and white wasn’t exactly difficult. Still though, I was half-expecting a coffin, though on second thought that was unnecessary with the metal shutters.

He touched a button on the wall, and the shutters rose up to reveal the view outside. We were a ways from downtown, but this was the tallest building around and we had a clear line of sight to the cityscape in the distance. “Do you like it?” he asked quietly, almost as if he wanted me to. I walked over to the window facing the big city, my fingertips brushing the glass. The lights of civilization were so beautiful, yet so far away that it was hard not to feel… isolated. Alone.

“I guess,” I said reluctantly. I gave the thought of him living all the way out here some more consideration before voicing it. “You didn’t lock your car. There are no security measures on the elevator, and you don’t need a key to get in here either. Yet there’s not a single straggler loitering anywhere near here, when the streets should be rife with homeless people.” He walked up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, kissing my temple while grunting an affirmative and as a signal to continue. “Because they know… it’s dangerous here. Here there be vampires.”

“Well done, pet.” He kissed my other temple before resting his cheek on the top of my head. “You’re on a roll. Try not to ruin it with another of your stupid questions.”

“I’m not stupid,” I protested, and he chuckled and gave my nose a light flick. “So why did you bring me here? To serve you as your pet?”

“Another astute conclusion,” he said mockingly. Turning me away from the window, he walked me over to the bed. It was a California king, the sheets blood red, most likely to hide the stains of his victims. But wait, he said he never had company. Even as my nerves shot through the roof at the thought of being his sex slave for the rest of my life, another realization wriggled its way into my mind: I was the first girl he’d brought home. How annoying, it seemed my brain had decided that was the only part that mattered. My self-preservation appeared to be at an all-time low.

I tried to speak, but it came out as a croak. “I have a job. I have a life. I have–”

“Nothing without me,” he whispered as he began to strip me. “Don’t worry, you can go live your pathetic mortal life. Sigma grindset, drawing pretty little pictures, securing that bag. Holding meaningless conversations with your besties, socializing with people who don’t actually care about you. Living life ‘to the fullest,’ and all that.” My shirt and jeans were on the floor, and he flicked the clasp of my bra open with expert ease. His chest was against my back now, a finger hooking into the waistband of my panties. His lips skirted my ear, tantalizing words barely audible as he breathed the truth for me to hear. “But none of it will ever make you feel more alive than when you’re here, with me.”

His fingers slipped into my underwear and began rubbing, slow and hypnotic circles over my bud and petals while his other hand fondled my bare breast. He was crooning my name now, and I actually felt my eyes cross a bit as he lulled me into his trance. “Christian…”

“You’re mine, Anna. I’m never letting you go.”

Why did surrender feel so good? Why did being owned like this, desired like this, touched like this… trump all my other wants? He pushed me onto the bed, and the smooth silk of his sheets reminded me of him: beautiful, captivating, cool to the touch, and perhaps delicate. There was still something he was hiding from me, something he hid behind all his bluster. But that could wait. He pressed my face into the mattress then lifted my hips, rending my panties with one quick stroke. 

“I’m going to rape you all night,” he declared, and I rolled over and aimed a kick at his face. He caught me by the ankle with ease, yanking my legs apart to reveal my dripping cunt. How was I ever going to win against him when even my body opposed me? With a devilish smirk and a hungry grunt, he mounted me, fangs digging into my neck while he penetrated me with one stroke. My hymen was once again torn by his savagery, the pain dulled by the rapture of his bite.

As I cried out in anguish, I realized in horror that he had a giant mirror on the ceiling above the bed. But he was a vampire, so I was treated to my naked form alone on the bed and the sight of my pathetic expression of bliss as he fucked me. It was so surreal; my hands on his shoulders appeared to push against nothing, and he had my legs parted generously, giving me a full view of my pussy being stretched by an invisible force, offering a view of my insides if I looked closely enough. God, this was humiliating.

“Stop… please…” I begged, my voice quivering from the virgin pain and the distress of seeing myself in such a state. I squeezed my eyes shut and threw an arm across my face to block it all out, but he took me by the wrists and held me down.

“Open your eyes, Anna.” His hypnotic voice was back. If I looked at him now, I’d find myself face-to-face with his golden irises, ready to brainwash me. Yet the sound of his words were pure temptation. Was his compulsion really limited to eye contact? His voice was a weapon in itself. I obeyed him and sure enough, those mesmerizing eyes caught my soul in their clutches. “I want you to watch me defile you,” he instructed, bringing tears to my eyes.

To be honest, this is one of the hottest things to ever happen to me. I was left helpless, clutching his back while he drank from me, watching my pussy stretch open from his massive cock as he pounded me. My nails dug into his skin, teeth grit to hold back my cries of pain. Bit by bit, he began coaxing moans out of me, and I dragged my nails across his back. Christ, he was too thick. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from my reflection, from my gaping arousal struggling to accommodate him. My breath hitched as an orgasm crashed into me, making me dig my nails in further as spasms took hold of my legs. He chuckled, licking my bite marks closed and straightening enough to look at me, to watch me cum on his cock.

“You’re lucky I can’t get you pregnant,” he murmured ominously. “Otherwise there’s no chance you walk away from tonight without my progeny growing inside you.” He was implanting thoughts of getting knocked up during my climax, ever the twisted manipulator. On cue, I felt him unload cool jism into my depths, which only enhanced the sensations.

When he pulled out, I put a hand to my pelvis, catching my breath while aftershocks pulsed through my body. He used a fang to nick his thumb, then dipped the digit into my mouth. I sucked on it obediently, still groaning from the sex with heavy-lidded eyes. Feeling the now-familiar itch of my virginity regenerating, it occurred to me just how sick this was. My hymen had just healed back behind all his cum.

If only it would be able to plug me properly so that I could hold all his cream in.

I shook my head in a desperate grab for clarity. Holy shit, snap out of it! He was getting in my head again. Don’t let him win!

Christian withdrew his thumb to rub my lips sensually. “Good girl…” he whispered, and I felt the fight in me melt away again. It was hopeless. It was me versus both him and my own body, an unfair fight. He flipped me over and pulled my ass up, giving it a solid spank and making me jerk forward. Hooking his hands under my hips, he pulled me back onto him, deflowering me again and sending pain shooting through my nerves. My arms collapsed under me and I gripped the sheets as I held back my screams. But it was too much. I was still sensitive from the last round, and the pain of being made a woman anew was breaking me down.

“Please stop…” I gasped. “Please… Please stop…” I tried clawing away from him, but I was too weak and he was a vampire. The firm grip he had on my hips was unyielding, slamming me back against his infernal cock. Tears began spilling out, rolling down my face and soaking into the scarlet sheets. “Please… Please…”

“That’s it, pet. Beg more.” He reached forward and wrapped his fingers around my throat, lifting me up by the neck just enough that my arms couldn’t reach the mattress and I was choking in his grip. My pussy clenched harder on him, driving me wild. “You’re just a pathetic little rat caught in my trap. You can’t resist anymore, so just give up.” Pushed to the brink, my mind entertained the thought of giving in to him. It felt strangely comforting, bringing a terrifying peace from not having to defy him tooth and nail. It took everything in me to scramble back from the edge of that abyss of pleasure.

But that was just the mental side. He still had me ensnared with physical rapture, his hips clapping against my ass while his member pulled me inside out. I sobbed as I came again, and he pulled me upright and kissed me savagely. My arms flailed weakly at my sides, sapped of strength from everything he was doing to me. My walls closed around him, yet he kept hammering into me, kept hurting me, kept pleasuring me. “Please…” I choked out.

His grip tightened as more cum was forced into me, and my eyes rolled back as I gasped for air. He was pulling me down, shoving himself as deep into me as he could, knocking on the door of my womb with thick creamy gifts. Finally releasing me, I fell back forward and crashed into the tender red silk, insensate. But he had other plans for me.

I was still panting from my ordeal when he flipped me over and dragged my head to the edge of the bed, until it was hanging off the side. I was left eye-level with that monstrosity of his, yet was too exhausted to even be intimidated. Through heavy-lidded eyes, I watched him sink his manhood into my open mouth, moaning pitifully as he pushed past my tongue.

“Mm, you look like you want it, pet,” he commented, the grin evident in his voice. “How does that taste?”

You mean the vampire cum and virgin blood? It’s vile. My tongue lazily licked the top of his cock clean while he fucked my face, each stroke going deeper down my throat. I’d just finished gulping down the delicious filth coating his shaft when he blocked my airway completely. My hands had been busy squeezing my nipples, but were now forced to feebly push against his thighs. Wait, I’d been teasing myself? Any thoughts on the matter were dashed from my mind when I began choking, my lungs heaving and pulling him deeper into my mouth. He reached down and wrapped his fingers around my throat, making certain there was no chance I was breathing past his meat. The feeling of getting throatfucked was enhanced a hundredfold, and tears trailed up my forehead as my eyes rolled back and my vision blurred. The last thing I remembered before passing out was musky stickiness shooting down my punished gullet.

I woke up to the taste of blood, droplets of vital essence landing on my tongue, then felt a familiar itch in my loins. He slipped his thumb into my mouth and I sucked on it obediently, and no sooner had my hymen regenerated than he was penetrating me again. I was still sensitive and came in short order, riding high on the feeling of him bottoming out in me before passing out again. The next time I woke, I was on my neck and shoulders while he pounded down into me from above. The view the mirror offered looked right down the length of my insides.

“Christian…” I slurred weakly. “Master… please stop… I can’t… cumming…!”

He just cackled victoriously while I faded again, this time opening my eyes to be greeted by his lips on mine, tenderly kissing me while he grinded his hips against mine to a slow and sensual beat. My crotch was killing me, having been left at his mercy during my mental absence. I felt him release inside me again, and he gave me one last kiss before rolling over with a sigh. I was drained, both from the endless sex and from literally being fed upon. I touched my neck and it was covered with bite marks he hadn’t healed yet. Still delirious, I cast a glance at the windows to find the shutters down. He must’ve closed them between rounds. Jesus Christ, he’d fucked me all the way ’til morning.

I tried to get up but my legs wouldn’t cooperate. His assault had crippled me, still involuntarily trembling every now and then. I almost curled up from how sore my womanhood was. He didn’t care that I wasn’t conscious; he’d just kept fucking me while I was passed out. If this is what awaited me every night for the rest of my life… No, I couldn’t keep doing this.

Kill him.

It seemed he was asleep, his breathing slow and deep. It was daytime, after all. I was in fight or flight mode, but my nerves were completely shot. Even my arms quivered when I tried to exert myself by pulling myself to the edge of the bed, likely from the orgasms he’d inflicted on me. With great effort, I slowly pulled myself onto the floor, groaning and moaning at the pain radiating from my pussy and the numbness of my legs. When my feet finally fell off the mattress, my pelvis hit the ground and sent a bellyful of cum squirting out from between my legs. I cried out in pleasure and collapsed, spasming from an aftershock of that pseudo orgasm. Warm jism oozed out of me, and I laid there for a moment to recover. Cold, naked, on the ground leaking cum, I must’ve been quite the sight. In fact, when I turned my head, I could still see my reflection in the mirror on the ceiling. Was there any shame more potent than this?

Trying to get my legs under me, I made an attempt to rise to my knees before toppling back down. Still too weak. Panting, I swept my gaze back up to the windows, then at the button that controlled them. All I had to do… was hit that button, and I would be free. Crawling desperately toward the wall, my arms were put to the test of pulling myself upright enough to reach the panel. And yet when I reached for it, my finger lingered on the button for almost a minute. What the fuck are you waiting for?!

And suddenly his hand was on my wrist, yanking it away as he glared down at me. The movement had pulled me off balance, sending me tumbling into his arms. “You really do want to destroy me,” he whispered. His eyes were on mine, filled with pain and bitterness.

Despite my weakened state, I clenched my jaw and scowled back defiantly. “Can you blame me?” I murmured. “You didn’t leave me with much choice. I… can’t live like this. You’re right. I…” Gulping, I decided to just go all in. I needed answers out of him. “I like how you make me feel. Despite everything, part of me still enjoys these moments between us.”

“‘These moments’ again,” he scoffed. Yet instead of rolling his eyes, he narrowed them as if trying to follow where I was going with this, why I was admitting to this.

“But… you’re a monster. And it’s so hard reconciling the man in front of me with someone who’s killed hundreds of people.”

He grit his teeth, shaking his head. “You really think I’ve killed so many people. You really think I’m that heartless.”

“Well, at dinner you said–”

“No, you. You said I killed over a hundred people.”

“And you laughed.”

“Because your guesses were going in the wrong direction.” He sighed, then chuckled once. “Yes, I suppose that’s my fault that you think the worst of me.”

“Then how many people have you killed?”

A dark look passed over his face, and he looked into the middle distance as he brooded. “Three,” he finally said.

“Who… were they?” I prompted hesitantly.

He swallowed and looked away, trying to take a few steps to put some distance between us. My legs buckled and he caught me, sighing as he picked me up and brought me over to the bed. It was the first time I felt… safe around him since being bitten on the first night. Wait, that wasn't true. I’d felt this way at the cemetery too. After laying me down, he fed me some blood to heal my bite marks, then sat down at my side with his back to me. His head was bowed, a clenched fist resting on his knee.

For a long moment I thought he wasn’t going to elaborate, until he finally uttered, “My best friends.” My eyes widened, and I felt chills at the lament in his voice. “I assume you meant murder, since we were all soldiers at the time. I am not ashamed of my duty.” He looked over his shoulder, and I nodded my answer. He nodded as well and turned away again, looking up at the ceiling while he cast his memory back. “We were fighting the Turks at the time, pushing them out of our lands. I was an orphan, a street urchin fighting to survive until I was old enough to put on a uniform and continue fighting.

“One night, I saw our captain violating one of the girls from the village we were camped at. He saw me see him, and I fled, hurrying to tell my friends. Friends I’d known since childhood, friends I’d been through hell with. If our captain was caught, he’d lose his head, and perhaps we would too. We had to get out ahead of it, rescue the girl and report the crime before punishment found us first. Yet when I told them…” He lowered his head again, and I mustered enough strength to sit up, my chest tight for the impending dread of what came next. His hand hovered over his chest, the flawless skin bearing not a single blemish or scar. “One of them stabbed me in the back. When I fell and they saw I was still alive, the second drove his sword into my gut. Then they pressured the third to slit my throat, so that they would all be in it together. Because they were with him. They were doing the same heinous things as him, together.

“They dumped my body in a field. They didn’t… They didn’t even bury me. Just left me out for the birds and the rats. I was still alive when the vermin came for me…” His hand moved to hover over his eye, the implication painting a grisly picture. I couldn’t help myself, reaching for him and wrapping my arms around his waist while resting my cheek on his shoulder. His words at the cemetery echoed in my mind, haunting and sorrowful. To be buried is to be loved. “So… when I came back as a vampire…” The fist slowly clenched in front of his eye, and he took a deep and resentful breath. “…I made sure to bury them.”

His story took the breath out of me, and we stayed as we were for a long time while we processed. I had a feeling, back at the cemetery, that he was harboring a sad tale. There was another half that was missing, the part about how he was turned, but that could wait. I gently turned him around to face me, looking into his somber eyes while touching his chin. He met my gaze with unexpected vulnerability, as if glad that I was here to share his story with. Then his eyes darted to the side, scowling slightly.

“I don’t need your pity,” he groused.

I gave him a small smile, and he didn’t fight me when I leaned forward and put my lips to his. He reached up to sink his fingers into my hair, holding my head and pulling me closer. Slipping my tongue into his mouth made him passionately reciprocate, and suddenly he had pulled me onto his lap for a better angle to kiss me from.

“Wait, wait,” I mumbled, breaking off. “Christian, I really can’t go again. Please. Last night was…” Some feeling was returning to my legs, but not much, to speak nothing of how my loins were aching.

He smirked, the bastard. His walls were back up, as was his playboy side. “Were you not touched by my sob story? Besides, you liked what I did to you. No need to deny it.”

My mouth twisted into an annoyed pout. “Can’t you at least show a little moderation?”

“Well, you know vampires; they’re well-known for their moderation,” he quipped, and I sighed.

“So you’re just gonna leave me paralyzed with copious sex? You were serious about not letting me leave.”

“Did I not say you were free to leave during the day? I know I have you enthralled now, so you’ll always come back to me. So go, if you want.” He glanced at the metal shutters over the windows. “It’s morning, after all. I may be a vampire, but after all that cum I shot into you, I do in fact have to rest.”

“I’m too weak to even stand, Christian,” I said sternly. “It’s a Tuesday. I have work. How am I supposed to get there?”

He smirked a bit at my dilemma, probably proud that he’d debilitated me to such a state via sex, before seeming to genuinely ponder the problem at hand. With his arm still around me, he used a nail to slice open his other wrist, then held it up to me. “Drink.” Seeing me hesitate at the gory sight, he brought the wrist even closer. “Drink,” he insisted, with more kindness than impatience.

I gulped and leaned forward, wrapping my lips around his bleeding injury and beginning to feed. To my surprise, I began falling into the same sensation as when he drank from me. A quick peek up at him revealed that he had a similar euphoric expression. This sharing of blood seemed to elicit a very real connection between us, as if we were baring our souls to each other and bathing in the beauty of becoming one. It felt like… what I imagined love would feel like. Was that why I was falling for him so hard? Whoa, we’re not falling for him. Maybe a little bit.

I was yanked out of my trance when he did the same with his wrist, licking the wound closed before playfully pinching my thigh.

“Ow!” I yelped, then giggled a bit before realizing I could feel it just fine. My strength was back, and though my privates still stung a bit, it was nowhere near the crippling soreness it was mere minutes ago.

“Better?” he asked, and I nodded. “Good. Now go. Take my car if you want. Try not to wreck it, I paid a pretty penny for it.” As I got to my feet, he pulled the covers over himself and rolled over, going back to sleep with all the casualness and familiarity of a boyfriend. Not the first time the b-word had come to mind, but I did hope it was the last. Unfortunately, I was sliding deeper and deeper into the pit named affection for this vampire.

I stood and took a step toward the bathroom, stopping and shivering when a glob of cum was forced out of my pussy. Fuck, last night was really hot. Steeling myself, I went about getting ready for work. Had to get out of this sex trap before it melted my brain.

—

“You’ve been in a good mood all morning,” Tina commented. “Is it safe to say that the heroine is making progress with the sexy vampire?” I could only blush and pretend to focus on my work. “And speaking of, how’s things with your own ‘vampire’ boyfriend? You two acting out all the scenes from your book?”

“Things were rough for a bit,” I admitted. “But we had a talk, and now…” I pulled my lips into my mouth as I thought about my feelings. “I dunno. Maybe something could… I dunno.”

Tina laughed quietly, just in case our boss heard us. “For all the nothing you just said, it sounds like a good thing. Do you have any pics together yet? Oh wait, he’s supposed to be a vampire, no pics.” She spun back and forth on her chair, playing with her hair while she pondered. “Hm. Wonder if vampires can make phone calls. You can’t see them in mirrors and photos, but can you record their voice?”

“Huh. Maybe I could give it a try.”

She snorted. “You really make it sound like it’s something your BF can help you experiment with. But I’m happy you two are enjoying yourselves and making progress.”

“He took me back to his place last night,” I added, and her jaw dropped.

“And… you’re only saying this now?!” she stage whispered.

Lunch and the rest of the day was spent being interrogated by Tina, who seemed more than interested in the mirror above Christian’s bed.

—

I sat in Christian’s car outside the construction project that served as his home. Lair, rather. He was a vampire, vampires had lairs. And all I could ask myself was why I’d come back. It was like he’d said: I really was drawn back to him. As much as I hated to admit it, he hadn’t compelled me, and I wasn’t simply returning his car. I…

Groaning, I lightly headbutted the steering wheel. There was no denying it. I’d been fascinated by this vampire as soon as I’d gotten over the fear of discovering what he was. Some girls liked serial killers. I guess I wanted something more spicy. I groaned again. How did I get from being a hesitant virgin to here? Well, it was because I was figuring out that Christian wasn’t exactly the big scary monster he’d made himself out to be. He’d been murdered because he was trying to save girls from being raped by his comrades. He was a good man, all the way back then. I’d caught glimpses of that man, but something had happened that turned him into the same thing he’d condemned. Whoever he was before, he was now a person who ravished anybody he wanted, regardless of consent. Which brought me back to my original question: why the hell had I come back on my own?!

“Because you’re trying to fix him, you stupid bitch,” I sighed to myself. Yeah, this was gonna go super well.

Resigned to just see where this journey took me, I got out of the car and rode the elevator up to his de facto penthouse. He was still asleep, even though it was getting dark outside. Tina and I had had coffee, and I was hoping – Jesus, was I? – that he and I could have dinner together.  Hm, didn’t have a chance to call him on the phone. I took my phone out and opened a voice memo app, then started a recording. If I got a whole lot of nothing, that would answer that question. Plus, if I did manage to get something, maybe I could convince Tina that he was a vampire from things that he said. In case I ever really needed to, that is.

I put my things down and got more comfortable, then went about looking around while I waited. He had all these little curios about the place, things that looked fairly valuable and rare. True to his beliefs, not a single one of them could be considered fragile.

Except one, I noticed. I walked up to a shelf, eyeing a beautiful vase, the single sore thumb in this pile of durable souvenirs. Porcelain, not glass. No flowers in it, it was purely decorative. So what was so special about it that he, of all people, would keep it around?

I picked it up to study it, tracing its intricate designs with my finger, before noticing that it had a lid on it. How odd. I reached to open it and found myself on the ground, my shoulder and side, burning with pain. Christian stood over me with the vase cradled in his arms, his expression blazing with fury. His lip curled back as he gave me a snarl.

“Never touch this.”