7. Dominic
Dominic
Allowed the opportunity, Onyx would break their agreement, Dominic knew. The witch had been fierce in his exhilaration, raining down destruction as he lit target after target on fire. The embers in his eyes hadn’t just glowed; they’d been an inferno. Beautiful. Deadly.
There were always tales and stories of witches with immense powers, and the elemental powers always held extra fascination, even among humans.
But there were few factual records anywhere, and with as much as tales liked to grow in the retelling, it was hard to say what those witches’ powers had actually been.
In the known living record, there had been a number of pyromancers. Not many, but some. And even among the noteworthy names, Onyx’s powers would stand out.
The fact that Onyx had broken through the wards on one of the targets after spending an hour showing off with his magic was impressive. Dominic knew without a doubt that if Onyx was sufficiently motivated, he’d be able to break through even the strongest of Dominic’s personal defenses.
While the wards that he’d used on the targets hadn’t been terribly strong, they also hadn’t been weak.
Ah, what a Sword of Damocles Onyx would have made.
It was a pity he might never take a swing again.
Still, Onyx’s reaction to being collared again would be bad. If he could, he would undoubtedly attack, which Dominic could not allow to happen. Not like this.
In the early years of the Takeover, many collared witches had died when those who could not be tamed and contained were frequently lost to despair.
Dominic had known that he would need to find some solution to that problem, but he had expected to have much more time before it became such a pressing matter.
Allowing Onyx to have his magic again had been a move wrought of desperation, no matter how calculated it was, and Dominic was well aware of it. Collaring stole not just magic from a witch, but a fundamental part of who they were.
Having had a taste of his magic again, the backlash Onyx would feel could well be worse than his initial collaring.
In his state of vulnerability, Dominic was sure he could bind the younger witch to him.
If he failed, however, Onyx would break.
His Rayne witch looked peaceful in slumber. He had a softness that never persisted into wakefulness. Dominic ran the backs of his fingers down the side of Onyx’s face as he released the sleep spell.
“‘Tyger, tyger, burning bright,’” he murmured, quoting the poem as Onyx roused. “‘In the forests of the night, what immortal hand or eye, could frame thy fearful symmetry?’”
Onyx came awake all at once, thrashing even before Dominic could finish speaking.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Onyx snarled.
“Let me go.” He tugged at the chains keeping his wrists bound to the bed, lightly at first then with more strength.
“I’m fucking serious right now, Dominic. Let me out of this bed.”
The corner of Dominic’s mouth curled in a slight smile. “‘In what distant deeps or skies, burnt the fire of thine eyes?’” he continued. “‘On what wings dare he aspire? What the hand, dare seize the fire?’”
“Let me up,” Onyx demanded. “I want a shower. I’m filthy.”
Maybe that was all that Onyx wanted — or thought that he wanted. But his eyes were too wide, and his body was trembling.
“The Tyger, by William Blake,” Dominic said after a bit, for all that the boy hadn’t asked. “Late eighteenth century poem about the fierce and beautiful tiger. This is why I call you my tiger, you know. The beautiful pairing of the great cat and the burning flames.”
“I. Don’t. Care.” Onyx was breathing more quickly, on the edge of losing control, Dominic was certain.
Dominic hummed thoughtfully. “The supernatural species don’t care to assign any value to human achievements, for obvious reasons, but one does have to appreciate the words of the great poets, philosophers, theologists.
And others, as well. Not all of them can posthumously be declared a supe, though there has been plenty of that that’s occurred. ”
The words were valueless, filling the space so that there wouldn't be silence while the tension in the Rayne witch built to the point of breaking.
Dominic wouldn't allow him to break. Crack, yes, but carefully, in the ways that would suit Onyx while he cradled the pieces so they wouldn't come apart.
“Dominic…” Onyx’s body was coiled tight. “Stop it. Just stop it. I don’t know, I don’t care, I don’t fucking care, just let me out of this bed and stop talking.”
“Shh.” Dominic traced his fingers over Onyx’s face again. “We’re not going anywhere yet, my tiger. You burned as brightly and fiercely as I knew that you would.”
“Stop touching me!” Onyx snapped, jerking his head back, away from Dominic’s fingers. “You’re doing this on purpose. You’re trying to… to… I need to be alone. I need to be away from you. I need you to not be touching me right now!”
“Trying to what, my tiger?”
Dominic was curious how much Onyx did understand, even at an instinctive level.
The desire to flee, to escape the wounds that were pressing on him, was an expected response.
But was it only the primal desire to flee to safety that the Rayne witch was feeling, or did he sense the trap lying in wait around him? Ready to catch him and reforge him?
But whether it was distance, space, or escape that Onyx sought, Dominic would not allow him those things.
Onyx growled, just like a tiger might, the sound feral and dangerous — or as dangerous as it could be, coming from someone who was bound against the headboard of the bed, unable to lash out with fists or magic.
“Trying to fuck with my head? I don’t know!
It doesn’t matter. I don’t want to hear you talking.
I hate the sound of your voice. I hate your condescending bullshit! ”
“Those are things that you want. Those are not things that you need. Not right now,” Dominic remarked.
Onyx glared at him. “You’re wrong,” he snarled. “I think I know what I need better than you do.”
Dominic hummed a sound of agreement. “I know you hate me,” he murmured. “I don’t expect otherwise, especially now. It’s hard to have that breath of air, that moment of freedom, of epiphany, before feeling the bonds tighten again. The terrible tragedy of reality.”
“You fucking asshole,” Onyx hissed. “What do you think you know about bonds? You should let yourself be collared and see what it fucking feels like! You should let your freedom be taken away from you and see that, too! Don’t tell me what I want or need when you’re the reason I feel like this!
” He thrashed against the bonds keeping him cuffed to the bed.
“Let me go!” he shouted. “Or get away from me! For five goddamn motherfucking minutes, leave me alone!”
“All freedom is an illusion, Onyx,” Dominic stated, using just enough pressure and weight to keep Onyx from being able to gain any significant leverage without pinning him down completely.
He hadn’t bound the Rayne witch’s feet to the footboards of his bed, but if he had to, he was willing to do so to prevent Onyx from escaping.
“A fallacy that we sell ourselves in the effort to pretend that we are not beholden to others. That the fates don’t burden us with strings and play us as marionettes to their whims.”
“Shut the fuck up with that!” Onyx snapped. “Just stop it! Stop trying to sound all… all… Stop acting like you know anything about anything, you inbred, spoiled, insane psychopath!” He tried to kick Dominic, but the position was awkward.
It was an easy matter for Dominic to throw a leg over him and pin him. Onyx’s breath caught, and he struggled even harder. Perhaps it was good that he hadn’t given Onyx vampire blood before their outing.
“Fuck! Off!” Onyx yelled, his eyes blazing with the flames Dominic had feared might be lost forever.
“You’re where you’re meant to be,” Dominic murmured. “Onyx Rayne, my beautiful tiger, burning so bright. Let those fires rage, let them free.”
“I’m not!” Onyx shouted. “I’m not supposed to be with you, and I don’t belong to you, and I will never belong to you. No matter what you do to me or how much you try to break me, I will never, ever be yours!”
“But don’t you see, Onyx?” Dominic asked softly. “You already are mine. Every part of you belongs to me, and when you accept that, this all will be so much less painful.”
Onyx screamed, a visceral sound that came from deep in his throat, and his eyes were wild as they took in Dominic.
“I am not yours! You’re just some fucking psycho who thinks you can own a person, and you can’t, you can’t own me, you can’t.
” His eyes grew glassy with unshed tears.
“You’ll never own me. You can’t. You can’t. ”
“You are mine, Onyx Rayne." For all that the words were said softly and almost soothingly, there was a finality in them as well. “You are mine, and I will never let you go.”