Chapter 30: THIRTY

THANE

Pain was familiar. It had always been there, lurking beneath the surface, waiting to remind me that I was never truly free.

I barely registered the cold metal biting into my wrists, stretching my arms wide.

The sharp sting against my skin was nothing compared to the memories clawing their way to the front of my mind. I had been in this position before. Too many times.

My body ached. Bruises marked my skin, old wounds reopened, fresh golden blood dripping down my chest. 

Darkness clung to me. My body felt cold, weightless. The sharp taste of blood lingered in my mouth, mixing with something bitter—pain, exhaustion, maybe both.

When I opened my eyes, I wasn’t free. My wrists were bound, arms stretched wide, chains cutting into my skin.

The cold air brushed against my bare body, sending a shiver down my spine. I was only in my underwear, just like before—just like the memories that haunted me.

Then, I saw her.

Lyrita stood in front of me, draped in a black catsuit that clung to her every curve. The fabric gleamed under the dim light, emphasizing the sharpness of her body. In her hand, she held a whip, twirling it between her fingers like it was an extension of herself.

She smirked. “You’re completely under my mercy now, Thane.”

I already knew that.

She stepped closer, tilting her head. “If you want me to take your pain away, you have to submit to me. Fully.”

I met her gaze, unflinching. “I know.” My voice was rough, strained from everything I had endured. “Just begin. And go extra hard.”

Lyrita let out a pleased hum. “Good boy.”

Then, without warning, she splashed water onto my skin.

I gasped at the icy shock, my body jerking against the restraints. The water dripped down my chest, soaking into the wounds and bruises that already marked me. But that wasn’t the worst part.

The scent.

It filled the room, thick and intoxicating—a mix of something sweet, something sharp, something that burned. It curled around me, seeping into my lungs, making my head swim.

Seduction and pain.

Lyrita leaned in, trailing her fingers across my forehead, then down to my lips. Her touch was light, teasing, but her eyes held something darker.

“What are you so afraid of, Thane?” she murmured.

I clenched my jaw, refusing to answer.

The whip cracked.

Pain seared across my chest, sharp and immediate. I let out a strangled groan, my muscles tensing against the chains.

The memory crashed into me like a tidal wave.

The electrocution. The screaming. The agony.

My father’s voice echoed in my skull. “Never submit. Never kneel. Never break.”

I shuddered, trying to push it away. But Lyrita wasn’t done.

She leaned in, her long tongue flicking across the fresh wound she had just given me. The sensation sent a shiver through my entire body, mixing pain with something else—something dangerous.

She straightened, watching me with dark amusement. “You’re hesitating, Thane.”

I didn’t respond.

The whip struck again.

Another groan slipped past my lips, my head falling forward as the pain sizzled through me. My breaths came out ragged, uneven.

Lyrita chuckled. “You need to learn your place.”

She traced a finger down my jaw before gripping it tightly, forcing me to meet her gaze. “Say it,” she ordered. “Tell me who you belong to.”

I didn’t move.

The whip cracked—once, twice, three times.

Pain erupted across my skin, each strike slicing deeper. My body tensed, my chest heaving. The taste of blood filled my mouth again, warm and metallic.

And then, the word tore from my lips.

“Master.”

Lyrita smiled, pleased. She ran her tongue over the bleeding wound, tasting it like a victory.

“Say it again,” she purred.

I swallowed, my voice barely above a whisper. “Master.”

Her grip loosened, and she stepped back. “Good. But I need to see how much you can endure before you earn a reward.”

I let out a shaky breath. “Do it. Torture me however you want.”

Lyrita’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “That’s what I like to hear.”

Then, she raised the whip and brought it down hard.

Over and over.

Each strike sent fire through my body, the pain so intense it blurred my vision. My skin burned, my muscles trembled, and the metallic tang of blood grew stronger. My breaths turned shallow, my head spinning.

The memories were gone. My father’s voice had finally disappeared, drowned out by the overwhelming agony.

And then—nothing.

The pain faded. The room dimmed. My body sagged against the chains, too weak to hold itself up anymore.

Lyrita stepped forward, reaching for the cuffs. She unchained me, and the moment my arms dropped, I collapsed.

I barely felt her hands on me. Barely registered when she tilted my face up, pressing her lips against mine.

Blood smeared between us, but she didn’t stop.

I was too weak to fight back. Too drained to react.

She pushed me down, straddling me, her eyes burning with desire and control. But my vision blurred again, darkness threatening to pull me under.

I barely felt Lyrita bouncing up and down on me as she let out a loud cry, throwing her head back and scratching my chest. 

“Fuck!” she cried. 

Shortly after she found her release and she continued bouncing on me a small smile forming on her face.

“Don’t pass out on me, Thane, I still want more,” she groaned. 

I nodded, waving my hands at her, “Carry on, Lyrita,” I managed to say. 

I drifted out of consciousness and only woke up when I heard Lyrita screaming as another wave of orgasm crashed into her. 

Her face changed and she smiled when suddenly something happened. 

I blinked, certain that I was imagining things but I wasn't. 

Lyrita’s face flickered.

And when I blinked again, I didn’t see her anymore.

I saw Aurora.

Her soft eyes. Her gentle features. The warmth I had almost forgotten.

My lips parted, my voice barely a breath. “Aurora…”

She leaned closer.

And then—

Darkness.

Everything faded.