Orion is a vampire with a tragic past. After running away from abusive parents at the tender age of sixteen, he was turned by a ruthless elder vampire and forced to torture and sexually abuse human feeders and submissive vampires. Though that's all behind him now, he still lives in the shadow of what he was, and it's cost him the loyalty of Xavier, the human feeder he loves. Malagan is Orion's closest friend--the vampire who saved him from brutality all those years ago. Malagan knows the dominant side of Orion--the side Xavier needs--is still there, lurking below the surface. But if Orion's going to find his way back to who he ought to be, he'll need help. And Malagan is just the man for the job.
Excerpt
"I don't think Xavier knows he's being abused," Malagan admitted. He glanced at Orion. "I understand how you feel. I know you love him. But I cannot force him to stay with me." Just as Orion hadn't been able to force Xavier to stay with him.
Marco shook his head. "I don't get why he stays with that animal, even when you gave him an out, Master."
"You've never had the will beaten out of you," Orion murmured. "You've never been coerced, turned, and usedforced to dominate unwilling feeders under threat of death, beaten and starved to the edge of death on the occasions when you refused." Orion lifted his head to stare at Marco. "You've never been so low that nothing that happened to you mattered anymore."
Marco shook his head. "No, I haven't."
And by the time Malagan had found Orion, the damage had already been donehis spirit had been all but broken. Though he'd recovered in part, he could no longer stomach very many of his former kinks, and he absolutely could not wield any sort of power over another. Malagan laid a hand on Orion's shoulder. "That was many years ago. Things are different now."
Marco looked back and forth at them, no doubt trying to puzzle out what laid between the two elder vampires. He settled his gaze on Malagan. "You'll keep an eye on Xavier, Master?"
"As much as I can." He pressed kisses to each of their foreheads. "Come on, let's get something to drink." He walked to the door, expecting them to follow.
"Master?"
Malagan turned at Marco's summons, followed Marco's gaze to Orion, who stood looking down at a smear of blood on the floor. "Orion, come to me," Malagan commanded.
The muscles in Orion's jaw clenched and tightened, but he didn't respond.
"Orion!"
He sucked in a startled breath and turned his face toward Malagan. "I'm sorry," he mumbled. He frowned, the struggle of decision obvious on his faceshould he submit, or stand his ground? He looked back and forth between the floor and his own shaking hands several times, and raised his gaze to the mirror on the opposite wall. He cocked his head and frowned at his reflection, eyes narrowing at the image of his hands, equating himself to Clay, Malagan knew.
