The Violet Line by Bilinda Ni Siodacain

nature; it’s what he has done over and over. So you will let me go and I will tell Jade. Then I will meet you when the time is up and she will either accompany me or not. Is that fair, Oskaar? It’s the only deal I’m willing to give you.”

Oskaar’s voice was grave as he answered. “Very well, I agree but you had better hope for her sake and yours that she accompanies you. You will meet us on the pier; you know the place, Sam. I am giving you two nights and three days to persuade your love. When that time is up and if you have not succeeded, I will use you to trace her and I will let Raphael track her with Marianne to keep him in check. Her rebirth from this life will not be pleasant, if that is the course of action I am forced to take. As for your insolence in this instance, I will not tolerate it.”
    Sam watched as Oskaar’s face lit up in anticipation once more. “Cassiopeia.”
    Sam hadn’t noticed that she was still in the room. He glanced around for her and watched as she melted from the shadows at the wall; she couldn’t do that when he had known her.
    “ Darling Cassie, could you escort our rebel Samuel here to the dungeon and teach him a few lessons in respecting his elders?” Oskaar turned to look at her as he spoke.
    She nodded. “Of course, Oskaar.” Her husky voice purred over the words and as she turned back to Sam, her lips curled into a twisted and cruel smile. “It would be my pleasure.”
    Sam watched without feeling as she grabbed him by the upper arm, curling her long fingers around the muscles that were corded under his shirt.
    “ Come with me, Sam; it’ll be just like old times.”
    He refused to show her any sort of emotion as she led him away to the darkened dungeon, but he knew that by the end of his time with her she would have dragged at least one scream from his lips.
    * * *
    Sam drew in a deep breath from the cool night air. It caused him to grimace. His back was a bloody mess from his time spent in the dungeon with Cassiopeia and it would take time to heal. She had used silver in his open wounds; this allowed her to keep the slash marks open for longer. She had enjoyed running her tongue along the inside of his open wounds, probing and biting him whenever it had taken her fancy.
    Cassiopeia always did like to have full control. She could never control Sam. Their powers were too similar; except hers was forever and her victims did not fall into a trance, they simply bent to her will. Whatever she wished them to do, they would do it and somewhere inside their heads their real personality would sit locked away, unable to stop or refuse her anything she asked. She became mistress of their minds and she enjoyed watching the pain and torment she could inflict upon them. Anyone she could not control in this way, she would have chained up and she would unleash all her frustration and fury upon them.
    Sam tried to block out the memories of what she had done to him that day; hours upon hours, he had endured her taunts torments and sexual advances. She could not understand why he would not simply give in to her allure; she had tried to persuade him that if he just gave in, they could indulge in each other’s bodies for old times’ sake. She had told him the pain would stop if only he would admit that he still wanted her. He told her he couldn’t do that and at first she had thought it was stubborn pride. That was until he had told her that to him she was ugly.
    Sam would not betray what he and Jade shared. He could never be unfaithful to his soul mate; it would kill him to touch Cassiopeia or any woman in that way ever again. Sam had known what it would do to her and Cassie had flown into a rage. She had very nearly killed him, but Oskaar had intervened and stopped her. Sam had hoped she might kill him at least if that had happened, Jade wouldn’t be in danger anymore. But then he wouldn’t be able to see her one last time, hold her in his arms and tell her how much he loved her. If