Offering

Standing at the entrance to the big, ornate room Skyler set her long hair over one shoulder and took a deep breath. Her body's craving for nourishment and power had again reached a point impossible to ignore. She couldn't escape her need. It was time.

The offerings stood in a row of showing platforms in the huge, ornate space. Human males, in a variety of sizes, shapes and ethnicities. They were dazed but aware. Waiting. Their masculine scent, combined with the scent of fear, a ready cocktail in the air.

Mistress Penelope greeted Skyler at the doors with a practiced bow. "My lady. It's lovely to see you again. I hope your trip was pleasant and the accommodations are to your liking?"

"Thank you Penelope. Yes, everything is lovely, as always..."

"We have a great selection waiting for you, my lady. I'm sure you will find something this time. Would you like to sit down and see the list?"

Ignoring the offered tablet and the mistress' annoying chatter Skyler walked into the room and started studying the offerings. By all accounts, she should be looking forward to this. After all, pleasure and satisfaction awaited her in the near future. Yet, even with that knowledge, she just could never bring herself to enjoy this step, the process of choosing a mate... It was tempting to just send her keeper to pick for her. All the offered were carefully selected, so personal tastes and desires apart, there was really no wrong choice. But that seemed somehow wrong, so here she found herself again.

Maybe I will just point one of them at random and see what the faiths send me, or maybe I wont choose one at all again... The idea of skipping the whole thing was always appealing once she got to this point.

Skyler was trying to access if her hunger would hold yet another month, for the next shipment of mortals, when her eyes landed on him.

Oh...

The aura of power surrounding this male was like a physical force. His jaw was clenched tight, his hands fisted so hard inside their force manacles, she could see every thick, strong vain radiating from them.

Mmmm... Ok, promising.

His whole body was a taut display of rebellion. There were tattoos covering most of his right arm and some on his back too. His chest was marked by a long scar on the right side, running all the way from his shoulder to the waistband of his trousers. Strangely, he was wearing jeans, not the usual garment the offerings wore for the presentation.

While the men around him were all eyeing Skyler, just about drooling as they stared at her, their desire obvious, despite their fear and confusion. Her angry-boy was staring right through them all, his chin slightly tilted up in defiance, his scowl showing a quirk of arrogance that brought a smile to her lips.

Not wanting to show him her intentions just yet, Skyler took her time studying the man right in front of her. He was a very nice specimen. The poachers knew what the princesses liked and always delivered. Humanity seemed to have an endless supply of strong, handsome men to offer! This one was a delicious blond. His blue eyes so clear, they reminded her of the icy slopes of her home. The wild, uncontrolled emotions warring on his face were too bare thought. His heartbeat a fast fluttering in his neck. Inhaling deeply, Skyler savored the scent in the air around him. Mmm he would probably be tasty, once all the fear ran out of his system... But no.

Stepping away from blondie, Skyler smiled at the whimper of sorrow that left his lips. Aw, he would have been willing and eager from the get go...

Maybe she should tell Stella about him. Her twin sister had a thing for blonds, and it was probably past time also for her to take a mate again.

"Leave this one on call for Stella, please." she told Penelope quietly, while walking purposefully past the next two displays to get to her Mr. Gloom.

Skyler stood in front of him and took his whole figure in. Dear Goddess, how delicious!

His hair was dark brown, full of copper highlights, and it curled softly, all the way to his shoulders, while a patrician nose and powerful brows called attention to his deep set eyes. Skyler couldn't quite see the color of them, as he kept his stare stubbornly down once she approached. But she would guess probably blue or green, to go with that flaming hair. His face was chiseled perfection, sensuous lips offsetting the hard line of his jaw in almost exaggerated contradiction.

There was stubble on his face. What humans would call a three day shadow. That was also unusual... Tradition dictated a practice of grooming the offerings carefully. A stubble was unheard off!

"Why isn't his face clean?" She asked the mistress quietly, her eyes still on bad-boy.

The slightest hint of a smile played on his lips and his eyes met hers, in a challenge so open, Skyler felt moisture seep into her thighs. She pressed them together slightly, trying to alleviate the pulsing need, and saw his nostrils flare, the pulse on his neck, that had been a steady beat up to now, fluttered a bit. His frown grew even deeper and he broke eye contact immediately. Ah... Bad boy likes the look of me, maybe even my scent...

Skyler made no effort to hide her smile this time.

The absolute blackness of his eyes had been a shock to her. They were so dark and mysterious, making him look even more dangerous.

"Err... This one has been a bit of a challenge, my lady... He just arrived today. We were in two minds to even offer him here, in view of his... err... unruly behavior... the poacher almost sent him back. But he is virile and of remarkable genetic makeup... So I thought maybe Lady Agatha would be interested. She should be here any moment..."

Oh... Lady Agatha was a princess from the north lands, she was notorious for her practices. According to the gossip, she enjoyed watching men fight. So she would choose two or three offerings, tease them delirious with desire and then have them battle for the chance to feed her. Mating the winner. Quite barbaric really... But northern princesses like Lady Agatha didn't have much to do. Boredom inspires mischief and cruelty.

Sorry Agatha... I may have to deprive you of this particular pleasure...

"What is your name?" She asked the man directly. He met her eyes again and said nothing.

The mistress made to speak, but Skyler stopped her with a gesture.

"Human. Will you tell me your name, please?"

His eyes flared and his deep, growly voice resonated through the room, even though he spoke quietly and bitingly.

"What does it matter? I have been told you are going to choose a new one for me, if I am so lucky, and that I am supposed to accept it and love it."

He was right, the princesses usually renamed their chosen with a standard name. Stella called all her previous boys 'Trent', only the good heavens knew why... But Skyler had let her mates keep their name. She wanted to encourage them to keep their identities for the time they spent together, not to turn them into sex toys.

She gave him a smile "Well... I will call you Mr. Gloom if I have to... But, if you tell me your name, I might reconsider..."

His look was full of contempt, he held her gaze for a long moment before saying "My name is Duncan. Duncan MacArthur."

"Hello Duncan MacArthur... I am Skyler, Ice Princess of the South." she so very rarely referred to herself by her full title, but he gave his full name, it was only polite for her to do the same.

"I am sorry, Skyler..." Mr. Gloom said from between clenched teeth, "It seems I will be unable to offer you my hand in greeting at this time..."

"It's My Lady to you mortal! Show some respect!" Mistress Penelope scolded the man, ridiculously.

Skyler waved the mistress quiet and smiled at him. "Yes... that. I apologize for the restraints..."

His raised eyebrow look was a little less hostile as she continued "They are necessary for now. Just a precaution, until we have a chance to explain the situation to you..."

His eyes flashed down, not before she could detect the first hint of confusion showing on them. He hadn't been expecting an apology it seems.

Skyler stepped up into his showing case, putting herself mere inches away from him. His height was somewhere around six foot five or six. Taller than her by a few inches.

Mistress Penelope exclaimed "My lady! That is not advisable!"

Skyler ignored her and took in a deep breath of the air surrounding him. Duncan's scent invaded her senses fully, spiking her need even higher. Running one long fingernail down the center of his chest, Skyler watched his face as she took in another deep, delicious lungful of him. Her touch reached his midriff and she splayed her hand flat over his taut abdomen. His erection was suddenly clearly visible, even through the thick material of his pants. His breathing hitched and he pressed his lips together, to stifle a moan that she knew was not the product of fear.

Skyler's fangs elongated slightly, a shiver running through her body in anticipation. She was careful to hide them from him for now though. No need to scare the boy before he understood what was going to happen.

"I would like to take you home with me..." she said softly.

"Doesn't seem like I have much of a choice in the matter." he bit out. There was anger in his voice, but his eyes traveled down her cleavage and his abdominal muscles rippled under her touch, as she leaned closer for a sniff of his neck.

"True... But I would rather you agreed to come."

His eyebrows raised again and he met her eyes.

Still speaking softly, Skyler explained "If no one claims you, Duncan, you will be sent back to the place where you were taken from. Maybe missing a day or two, a little confused, but just as you were found. You can go on with your life, as if all of this never happened. You will only vaguely remember it as something of a bad dream... that's what will happen to most of these men." Skyler slowly walked around him on the showing case, running fingernails lightly over his skin, wiling him to want to stay "but... If you stay, if you agree, I will take you home with me." she stopped in front of him and looked inside the black depths of his eyes again "You have my word I won't do anything you don't want me to..." after a pause, she shrugged her shoulders slightly and continued "Of course, there is always the chance that, if I don't take you, someone else might..."

Skyler could see his mind working. Weighting in his options. Calculation, curiosity and lust warring with confusion, anger and rebellion. There was no fear though, that made her want him more.

His eyes drunk in her curves while he took a lungful of her scent, and that seemed to settle the battle. "What happens when you are done with me?" he asked huskily, making her skin prickle.

"That depends... you may choose to spend the rest of your time here. Like they did, for instance." Skyler nodded towards the human guards who always accompanied the mistresses "Or you may chose to be sent back. Again, without really remembering any of this clearly, of course." that wasn't exactly the whole truth, and Skyler shot mistress Penelope a glance, to stop her from saying anything before Skyler herself, hopefully, had a chance to explain it to him. "Or... I may never be done with you..." she whispered in his ear, her fangs throbbing with need, so close to the pulse on his neck she could almost taste him. Her tongue darted to the skin she wanted so bad to break in a quick lick, the smallest contact almost enough to make her moan out loud.

Duncan let his breath out all at once, goose bumps appeared on his arms. He shifted his stance slightly and croaked "OK."

Skyler stepped away from him. "OK?"

His eyes were stormy, but there was a hint of mischief in them "Yes... I'll go with you, my lady." he said the last bit sardonically. With a slight bow of his head.

Skyler was not fooled, he probably did not believe a word she said about being sent back, and just thought his chances of escaping from her were greater than from here. It didn't matter, he would learn the truth sooner than he expected. "It seems I have made my choice, Penelope." Skyler said without breaking eye contact with Duncan.

"Of course, my lady. I will have him prepared and sent to you in the morning..."

At these words, Duncan looked at the mistress and his face closed up again completely. Hmm, he obviously didn't like the prospect of being 'prepared' for her. "That won't be necessary Penelope." Skyler said, still watching his face "I would like to take Mr. MacArthur with me tonight."

He flashed her a look but didn't show any other reaction.

"But... My lady... He was not cooperative... He is clean, of course. But we still need to groom him, and check for parasites and other impurities..."

Ah... That explain the stubble. "Do you carry any parasites Duncan?"

There was humor in his face now "What? You mean like lice and fleas?"

Penelope responded "Yes... We know you are perfectly healthy, our scans have shown that. But humans have been known to arrive here carrying all manner of... creatures..." She shivered theatrically, sounding disgusted.

Duncan almost smiled when he shook his head.

"I believe Mr. MacArthur to be free of parasites Penelope. I'll have him join me in my chambers as soon as possible. No grooming or drugs, I want him just as he is now."

The mistress seemed ready to argue some more, but Skyler's look silenced her.

"Of course, my lady." she said with a deep bow of her head.

---

Duncan accepted the manhandling from the guards stoically. At her request, they took him to the antechamber for her bedroom, freeing him from all but the manacles on his hands. She held the control to those in her hands now. Left alone, he stood with a firm stance. Legs slight apart, back erect, head held high. His eyes traveled the room curiously. She tried to see it from his perspective. It was a lavishly appointed room, even for her standards. Silk, and brocade, and plush carpets in dark, seductive colors.

Skyler couldn't remember ever feeling this excited about a mate. He was facing away from her as she walked slowly into the room, the sound of her bared feet muted by the plush carpet. He still heard her, somehow, and turned around.

Duncan glared at her from the center of the room.

Straightening her back, Skyler glided the rest of the way, coming to stand a few steps away from him.

His eyes traveled her body appreciatively, then settled on her face.

Skyler gestured towards the sofa "Would you like to take a sit? I have sent for some food for you, it should be here soon..."

Duncan chuckled then shook his head "I have to say, you are the most polite monster I have ever met." his eyes traveled over her body again before he added "And the best looking one by far..."

Smiling, Skyler said "For a lowly mortal, you are quite brave... And you don't look too bad either."

He laughed now, musing to himself "God... someone must have slipped me one hell of a rufie!"

"Rufie?"

He shrugged his shoulders "Last thing I remember is ordering a pint. I wake up being shepherded around some crazy, Dali version of a prison shower room, with a bunch of dazed looking men, being told I'm supposed to shower and let some weird looking, blue skinned freak 'groom' me... Everybody acting incredibly surprised when I put up a fight! Then I black out again, to wake up and find I'm standing in a fucking invisible cage, and I can't move! While some madam is going on and on, laying down crazy rules and telling me to stand straight, because her highness is coming!" Duncan swayed slightly and tried to lift his hands, to cradle his head it seems "I better be in a drug induced hallucinating binge!!"

Skyler felt bad for him "Please have a sit Duncan. I promise, you are safe here."

He looked at her for a long moment, then stepped back and took a sit on the edge of the couch right behind him.

"I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news, sweetie, but you are not hallucinating..."

His black eyes stayed on her, then he scoffed "Yeah... I figured as much, when you touched me." he looked around himself again "Where am I?"

"Well... Technically, we are still on what you call earth. In what you call London. Just a different version of it. My world."

He stared at her, processing this.

"Would you like a drink? I don't have beer but maybe some of what you call whiskey?" She walked to the bar on the opposite side of the chamber and served a good measure of the amber liquid. Human food she could barely tolerate but their spirits were good! It would distract from the thirsty, long enough for her to settle his fears at least. When she turned back Skyler caught him watching her.

"That's some amazing ink." he said appreciatively.

"Ink?"

"The tattoos on your back, and on your legs..."

"Ah... Thank you." She had changed into a nightgown made of black silk. Actually, calling it a nightgown was a bit of a stretch. The garment was more like long wisps of black silk strategically placed to partially cover her breasts and legs, leaving her back completely bare. "They are ceremonial tattoos..." she continued "I'll tell you their stories if you want. Some other time..."

Skyler walked to him, until she stood within arms reach, and sipped the drink. He was trying hard not to stare at her voluptuous curves, his eyes seemed specially drawn to her hard nipples, clearly visible through the almost sheer silk of the nightgown.

"Would you like a taste?" Skyler whispered.

His eyes flashed to her face and he swallowed hard.

"Of whiskey, Duncan." she smiled "for now..." hiding her fangs was becoming increasingly difficulty, the scent of his obvious desire was playing havoc with her self control.

"What do you want from me?" he asked huskily, the first hint of fear showing in his voice.

There was no point in lying "I want to feed from you, sweetie. I need your life force, your energy, your desire, and your blood, to survive."

"Wow..." he looked away, taking a few deep breaths "Vampire? Really? This is it then? You are going to drink me dry?" he chuckled, continuing before she could say anything "it's a testament to your hotness the fact that, right now, that doesn't sound like a particularly bad way to go..."

Skyler laughed. Goddess she liked him! His boldness in the face of this situation, despite his fear, was endearing!

"I have no intention of drinking you dry, Duncan. This will not be a bad experience for you, in any way. I promise. And it's not going to be your last one either." She brought the cup to her lips and took a sip of the delicious liquid, then she took another step closer, putting her body within easy reach. His hands flexed where they lay on his thighs. Skyler touched his hair, running her fingers through the silky curls.

He looked at her breasts and swallowed hard again, shifting in his seat to accommodate what must be a painful erection at this point.

"Tip you chin up." she said when his eyes came back to her face.

After a second, he did. The pulse on his neck going through the roof in anticipation and fear.

She took another sip of the drink, keeping some of it in her mouth this time, and brushed her lips to his, letting a little pass into his mouth. Mmm the touch of his skin was heaven! His lips were warm and soft, just like she thought they would be.

Duncan swallowed then licked his lips with a sigh.

It was almost her undoing. The lovely, yielding skin of his neck called for her and Skyler's fangs elongated all the way. She was this close to just going for the feeding when his eyes went to her mouth and she saw them widen. Oh... She knew the very tip of her fangs would be visible.