Cassie propped her foot up on the dashboard of Kristopher’s car and adjusted the heels so they weren’t digging into her skin. He audibly sighed.

“I wish you wouldn’t put your feet up there, sweet pain in the neck Cassandra.” After sleeping well, with no nightmares or other dreams of memorable status, she felt much better. She looked over at him and flashed her smile.

“You don’t mind when I do it when we are driving home. Showing a little leg for my main man.” She leaned over and planted a kiss on his cheek. He pulled up to the college that was only a few blocks away from their house that Cassandra attended only a few nights a week. She climbed out, bent over to make sure Kris got a good view while pretending to fix her other shoe. She then stood up, straightened her tight skirt and professional looking top before reaching in the car to grab her backpack. She heard a groan from Kris and she laughed.

“Stay out of trouble, will you?” Kris looked at her with a smile and she waved off his words before walking away. She heard the roar of his baby, the sports car. She walked into her first class and sat down. No one was in the room yet since class had a good 10 minutes before starting so she just pulled out her laptop and surfed for a while before students started to filter in.

“Hey, Cass! How is it going? Got that paper done?” She looked up and saw her friend Meredith. Meredith dropped her backpack next to Cassie and sat down. Cassie smiled at her.

“Yeah I got it done last minute, like always! Partied a little too much this weekend for otherwise! Didn’t get to bed last night until around 3 in the morning.” Meredith nodded and a chuckle escaped.

“I feel you! I feel like I’ve been running around like a mad man lately!” They continued with idol chatter until the professor walked into the class and started. Cassandra didn’t pay much attention, just surfed the web mindlessly and whispered to Meredith for some laughs.

Class wrapped up with a few assignments and Cassie and Meredith were back to talking about random things. They laughed about the teacher’s habits of repeating some words as they packed up and walked out.

“So what other classes do you have today?” Meredith asked Cassie as they were walking down the hall. Cassie shrugged.

“I have two more classes but I think I’m going to head home. Not feeling so hot, you know?” Meredith nodded and watched her stop. Cassie dropped her backpack and reached in and grabbed a paper, then handed it to Meredith asking if she would turn in her homework assignment for her. Cassie continued to talk to Meredith as she reached back into her bag to straighten up her papers when she got a paper cut on her index finger. She hissed and yanked up her hand and looked at the slice. It was a good-sized cut that was already dripping blood. Cassie swore and Meredith looked at her hand wide eyed.

“What happened?” Cassie shook her head and zipped up her backpack, doing the best she could to avoid dripping blood on her items.

“Just a paper cut.” Meredith shook her head and Cassie let out a short laugh. “Just hasn’t been my day! I’m going to go ask the professor for a Band-Aid or something, so I’ll talk to you later, okay?”

“I’m sure your luck will turn eventually!” Meredith waved as she walked off. Cassie picked up her backpack and walked back into the classroom she just came from and dropped her backpack by the door. When she walked in, no one was there. She sighed, frustrated that the teacher left so fast. She suddenly noticed the room going darker, even with the sunlight pouring through the side windows. Every hair stood on end and she took a step back. She whipped around and ran for the door and ran straight into him. She opened her mouth to scream and he clamped one hand on her mouth and another on the back of her neck. She grabbed at his hands and pulled. Wide eyed and terrified, she started to breathe in shorter breaths.

“Calm down, Cassandra. It’s okay. I promise everything is going to be fine.” He cooed at her until she started to breathe normally. She continued to stare at him with wide eyes. “I’m going to let go. You can speak to me, but do not run. Understood?”

She nodded stiffly and he relaxed his grip and let go. He dropped his hands to his side and offered a smile. Suddenly Cassandra whipped her cut hand up to slap him, but quick as lightning he grabbed her wrist, twisted it behind her back and shoved her into the wall. He fisted his hand in her hair and pulled her head back and little bit. She shoved at the wall with her other hand but to no avail. She let out a cry of defeat and he just smiled. He let go of her hair and wrist at the same time and flung her around and pushed her back up against the wall right next to the door. His hands were on both sides of her head and his legs were slightly spread to on each side of her legs, effectively trapping her in. She breathed heavily and pulled her skirt back into its proper place and straightened her back. The man laughed at her attempt to show she isn’t afraid and she shot him a glare.

“I find you more and more amusing each time I see you. You have spunk, guts and you don’t give up. How beautiful.” He brushed her cheek and she reached up and grabbed his wrist. He looked at her hand and reached with his other hand and grabbed her wrist, successfully yanking off her hold on him. He looked at her finger and saw the blood. He furrowed his brow and stared at it.

“A paper cut is what makes you speechless? Who the hell are you anyway? Why won’t you leave me alone?” He looked up at her and smiled.

“Finally, the million dollar question. Well, my lady Cassandra, you can call me your Lord. That is all you need to know for now. Now more importantly, you should be asking what am I?” She furrowed her brow, unsure, and he stared into her eyes as he brought her finger into his mouth. She widened her eyes and gasped. She pulled at her hand but he had an iron grip of it. She could feel his tongue run along the cut and for some reason there was actual pleasure in the act. Scared at her own mind’s betrayal, she let out a cry and she pulled hard and he released her. He ran his tongue along his lips and then let out a large laugh.

“My God…what are you?” Cassie held her hand and looked down to see that there wasn’t a cut anymore and she let out a few tears of terror. He reached out and she flinched. He wiped away her tears with a large smile on his face.

“Your brother and lover know. I can taste that they have been sneaking you herbs for years that are supposed to repel me. I’m too strong for that. They have no idea what I am capable of and they want me to leave town? That is laughable.” Cassie widened her eyes at another secret exposed about the men she trusted. She placed both hands on this man’s chest and pushed with all her might and he stumbled one step back in shock. She reached for the door handle and he grabbed her by her hair and made Cassie face him. She let out another cry and grabbed at his hand. Tears streamed down her face.

She opened her eyes and terror ran through her at the look in his eyes. She sobbed as she saw in his eyes that he was trying to reign in his anger. After a moment he reached into his pocket and grabbed a pocketknife, then opened it. Her eyes went wide as she watched it, not even blinking.

“You don’t even understand how strong I am. Now grab it.” She looked at his face and then back to the knife and slowly reached down to grab it from his outstretched hand. She felt the weight of it and looked back up to him.

Suddenly she felt her phone vibrate in her skirt pocket. She closed her eyes tight as it kept on vibrating, surely to be her brother or Kris. Moments went by as they both stood still and silent until there was no more ringing. The man smiled at her and loosened his grip on her hair and stroked her cheek. Tears were heavy in her eyes as she fought to stay calm. The heavy weight of the knife calmed her a little, as if to give her some power. She looked up at him and he smiled and stroked her cheek again.

“Now, I’m sorry, sweetheart, but you need to understand who you are dealing with.” The terror returned to her eyes as she stared at him. He stroked her cheek almost lovingly and smiled. “I want you to cut your throat, but only shallowly.” She shook her head and he tightened his hold in her hair and made her look at him. He stared into her eyes “Cut your neck shallowly.”

A sudden pressure filled her head and she closed her eyes tight. She groaned and tried to shut out the pressure. She felt a little slice of pain and opened her eyes and saw he hand at her neck, with the knife pressing against her skin. The knife slowly dragged across her neck and she was dumbfounded. She tried to pull her hand away but she had no control over it. She couldn’t move her other hand and the pain became more intense. She shut her eyes tight and felt him let go of her hair but started to pet it, as if she was being a good girl. She sobbed as the knife continued its journey to the other side of her throat. As soon as it reached the other side, she dropped the knife and grabbed her neck with both hands, terrified of the blood. The man cooed at her continued to pet her hair.

“I’m sorry, love. But now you see. I’m so sorry.” Her anxiety kicked in and she couldn’t breathe. He let go of her hair and grabbed both of her wrists, putting them in one hand in a tight grip. He placed his hand back onto her hair and pet a few times before grabbing firmly without hurting her. He tilted her head back and she tried to yank her body free. He leaned down and licked all along her neck. She moaned and closed her eyes to the feel of his tongue. She shot open her eyes as soon as she realized it and opened her mouth to scream. That pressure was back in her skull and she found she couldn’t scream. He lifted his mouth and she saw the blood on the corner of his mouth. She groaned while watching him lick his lips slowly. Cassie felt weak in the knees and closed her eyes. Her knees started to buckle under her anxiety and she felt herself being picked up. She looked at him and he looked back and stroked her face. She clamped her eyes shut and forced herself to stop breathing so heavily and then looked back at him.

“Put me down. Now.” He smiled and obliged. She stumbled back and leaned against the wall. She laid her head back against it and closed her eyes. She opened her eyes again and he was still standing in front of her with a red scarf in one hand. It was a beautiful scarf with threads of gold running through the weave and the infinity symbol was embroidered onto one end.

“Put this on. You have a scar on your neck. It will go away by tomorrow. But I’m sure that you don’t want to be asked questions, am I correct?” He smiled a cocky one at her. Cassie glared at him and snatched the scarf from his hands, refused to look at it to give him the pleasure of what she thought about it. She wrapped it around her neck. He stepped up to her and she looked at him, guarded. He adjusted the scarf a little bit and then ran the back of his fingers against her face. She pulled away and he laughed. She stepped out of his reach, closer to the door.

“I am leaving now.” He nodded and shot a smile.

“Just remember, watch your step with me, darling. I can make your fear yourself.” She turned. He appeared in front of her, making her jump. He grabbed her hand and placed the now closed pocketknife that she dropped into her hand. “Makes me laugh that your brother’s futile attempts to protect you with those herbs. Don’t worry, you are safe under my watch.” Cassie became angry.

“The only place I am safe is under my own watch. You can all go to hell for all I care right now! You can take your damned knife back!” She slammed the closed knife against his chest and he grabbed her wrist painfully and she gasped. He narrowed his eyes.

“Do not test my patience, Cassandra. It is short and limited. You will take that knife and stick it in your bag before I make you. Is that understood?” He squeezed her wrist for good measure and she let out a cry as a few tears fell. He let go of her wrist and she dropped to her knees and held her wrist to her chest. She rocked back and forth for a few moments until the blood stopped making the area throb. He stood in front of her the whole time. She reached out and grabbed the dropped knife, stood up and grabbed her bag and walked out without looking back at the man. The school hallways were so bright compared to the room that she had to blink for a few moments until it no longer hurt her eyes. She shoved the blade into her bag, threw it on her back and walked briskly out the door of the school and then walked the way home.