"Would you like another?"

"Yes, mistress."

Amber had raised the crop to strike again but froze at his words.

"Y-you would?"

The darkness in her had dimmed a little. He could sense it better now. It was definitely male. A dark energy demanding dominance. A lust for women.

No wonder Amber is so fucked up! he realised with clarity. He knew what he had to do and hoped it would work.

"Yes, mistress. I would like another. Take it out on me. I can take it for you. For the circle. For us."

Rage flew across her face, and she started striking him randomly.

Lash after lash. Daniel gritted his teeth and refused to cry out.

She struck and struck, screeches high and painful in her throat.

"I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!"

She didn't relent. Many times Daniel came close to using the safe word, but at this point he wasn't sure it would work with her state of mind. Amber was getting more riled up and judging by the expressions crossing her face, she was hurting more than him. He could see that now.

“Amber? Can you hear me? Please stop. Fight it! For the circle!"

But she continued until she no longer had the strength to continue.

She stood bent over, gasping for air. Daniel looked down at himself and saw he was covered in welts. But none had struck his privates.

Not a single one. That gave him hope for her.

“Amber. Look at me, please. Just look into my eyes."

Slowly, she raised her head to look at him. Her mascara had run and was smeared all across her eyes, giving her the look of a bandit.

She wiped at the spit on her lips and smeared her lip paint across her cheek.

Daniel used his sight and gasped. Roiling behind her eyes was a deep darkness. A smoke that sparked and swam. It fed off violence. A need to dominate. To take what it wanted. It had been fully awakened in her, rising to the surface to roil like a smoky oil. He could see it fed a lust for violence. To inflict pain on him and never stop until he was dead.

“I see you," he whispered to the darkness.

Amber recoiled as if slapped. The darkness swirled behind her eyes.

"Come to me, little darkness. Feed off me. Take me like your mother took that other. You were made for this. Come on. Are you frightened?

Look at me! Tied here. Weak. Pathetic. Take me. I dare you!"