Bound to the Vampire's Heir

In the gritty light of the workroom, Isaac Astor's pallor shone like a beacon. His icy eyes and fair hair were unnatural against the rising smog. Behind him, a group of men with batons stood stoically. Despite their broad shoulders and gruff looks, they seemed to offer no real threat when compared to Isaac's otherworldly presence.From a high table in the back, Lavinia Devon watched with unchecked interest as the young man stopped to greet the foreman. She could tell that while she had never seen this man before, his presence here was routine. The girls on either side of her moved nervously, their work becoming sloppy as they glanced between the well-dressed man and their own hands. Isaac pointed to a girl near where he stood and one of the men behind him seized her upper arm, dragging her to stand face to face with Isaac. The smile that flashed across his face as the girl recoiled was cold and cruel, but Lavinia could not look away. As Isaac tilted the girl's chin up she felt

As it got later, some of the girls started to go to sleep, exhausted from the day's ordeal. Lavinia noticed that Helen and the other two women sat uneasily on the edges of their beds. She caught Helen's eye about to ask something, but Helen shook her head. So Lavinia stayed put, letting Rosie repetitively braid and unbraid her hair.From the hallway came the sound of several pairs of feet. The door was thrown open and two guards stepped through. Helen looked between the guards as the two other women sat forward."It's my night I think," said the tallest one. "That it is. But Mr. Astor said he wanted to try something. Something new." With a swift motion, the guard on the left seized the wrist of one of the new brunette girls. Having been asleep in her bed, she yelped. The guard to the right extended his hand towards the tall woman who stood and took it, resigned. She and the new brunette were ushered quickly into the hallway. As the door closed the girls could see the d

Lavinia lay splayed on Isaac's bed. Her corset was unhooked and thrown open over her slightly torn chamise. She breathed slowly, taking stock of the sensation coursing through her body. Across her body were marks of reddish-purple bruising surrounding pairs of pinpricks. The pain of each blended into a strange sense of total relief and euphoria. Lavinia felt weak and drained. She knew that even if she wanted to she would not be able to stand or even sit up. Her body felt light and somewhat numb, but not in an unpleasant way. Her eyes fluttered open. The room was darker than before as the fire had died to a low crackle. From her vantage point, she could see some indistinct movement by the door. Turning her head, she saw Isaac standing in the slightly open door. He was facing out, speaking softly to someone beyond the view of the door. In reply came a high, almost musical voice. In her delirium, Lavinia could only register the bare minimum of their conversation. It see

As Lavinia lay with the sheet over her head, the whispers around her got louder, until she could no longer tune them out. She could hear the snide comments from Annette worming their way into the other girls. What started as a light suggestion bloomed into an assumption, one that not even Helen seemed to argue against. Only Rosie stayed out of it. She climbed into the bunk above Lavinia's and hung her feet over the edge.Lavinia lay in bed the rest of the day, keeping out of sight of the other girls. She did not want to engage with their accusations, nor did she want to give them any more fuel. The sheet hid the marks on her neck and chest, marks that under closer inspection, did not all contain punctures. Some were merely bruised and broken blood vessels like Lavinia had seen on factory girls who had a husband at home or a bit on the side. Lovers marks.She had not realized how long she had been in bed when the door was opened once more. The girls swirled into an uproar.

Isaac's touch was at once softer and rougher than Lavinia could have imagined. For such a doted-on heir his hands were surprisingly calloused. He was not shy about his grip of the authoritative way he moved Lavinia. He easily shifted her, arranging her limbs to suit his fancy. Yet, he was also remarkably careful. Lavinia knew that with Isaac's demeanor and strength he could easily hurt her, shatter her. And she almost wished he would. Her loathing had not instantly let up when Isaac spoke about his own begrudging feelings. She still thought him to be a monster. But that cruel nature served only to enhance the experience. Lavinia had known many girls that worked outside of the factories for the satisfaction of others. The needed to mind their men, making personal concessions to satiate that evening's employer. Here, Lavinia had no limitations. She was able to explore and experience at her discretion. Isaac regarded her in much the same way. While their pleasure was mutual