A Mate for York(40)

Brant didn’t say anything for the longest time. York had to work to keep from fidgeting.

“Where has my sensible leader gone? I don’t even fucking know you. Sneaking around in order to get into some human female’s pants. Breaking rules. Not to mention that you fucked Griffin up royally. Might have even killed him if the guards hadn’t pulled you off and for no reason other than that he was touching that human. Do you know how this looks?”

His king didn’t wait for a reply. “Bad, York. Fucking bad. I should demote you and kick you out of this program but I’m going to give you one last chance. I must be mad.” He mumbled.

York wanted to thank his king. Brant was not one for granting favors…ever. He couldn’t though, the words stuck in his throat.

“I’m sending the human away.”

“No.” York growled, earning himself a hard slap. He didn’t flinch, didn’t move a muscle. He welcomed the sting. The taste of his blood from his inner cheek as it was crushed against his teeth by the force of the blow.

“Yes,” Brant growled back just as harshly. “She is making you crazy for whatever reason. She goes…today…right fucking now and as we speak. I will pay her out in full since this isn’t her fault.”

“Thank you.” He meant it. At least Cassidy wouldn’t be punished for his fuck up.

“This is for the best. Trust me. Once she’s gone you can go back to being my dependable leader again.” He walked the length of the room before turning back to York. “Stay away from her. The humans intended as future mates will be here within a few days. I am sure that there will be one amongst them that draws your attention.” Brant smiled. “It was your first taste of a human. They are sweet and will fire a vampire’s blood. I don’t really blame you for getting carried away, but it stops now.”

Brant was probably right. Although he hated the thought of Cassidy leaving, it was for the best.

“One of the other females will be just as delicious, you will see.” Brant smiled.

What his king said made sense.

York nodded and took a deep breath. “I am ready for my punishment.”

Brant raised a brow. “You will still get twenty lashes.”

York felt his brow furrow. Brant’s eyes darkened. Here it comes. There has to be more. His king would never let such a blatant ignoring of orders go unpunished. “Sasha and Lea will join you. I’ve decided to go easy on them…five lashes each.”

York couldn’t help the low growl that erupted. It was very rare that a vampire female was ever punished in such a way. “No,” York growled. “It’s my fault. I talked them into letting me watch.”

“They broke the rules and need to make amends.”

“There has to be another way, my lord. Five lashes is too much.” York implored his king with his eyes. Surely Brant would not be that cruel.

“It should be more than five, I am going easy on them and you know it.”

Like hell.

“They are going to be fucked off at you. That’s for sure.” There was no humor in Brant’s expression, or in his voice for that matter.

“No. It is too much for a female. It’s not right.” York growled. “I will take their punishment for them.”

“Thirty lashes will put you down for a while.” Brant’s eyes darkened.

“I don’t care. It is my fault, therefore I will accept the punishment. I insist.”

Brant kept his eyes on York, his expression was unreadable. “Fine.” He finally shrugged. “Whatever makes you feel better. This is that last time I let you off easy.”

Easy.

Hardly. Thirty lashes would leave his back a raw, bloody mess. There was one thought that would get him through the next few hours of excruciating pain though, he had hurt Cassidy. He hadn’t meant to do it, but he had. York couldn’t help but to feel that he deserved everything he had coming.

****

Another loud crack sounded. It caused her to start, it had her breath seizing in her lungs.

“Please don’t tell me…” She let the sentence die as her voice hitched. York may be a jerk but he didn’t deserve such harsh treatment. It was downright barbaric.

Gideon sighed loudly. He moved Cassidy’s bag from one hand to the other. “Yeah, I’m afraid that it’s exactly what it sounds like.”

Another hard crack. Louder this time.

Cassidy held her breath. The harsh noise was followed by eerie silence.

“Thirty lashes.” Gideon sighed again. “York will take a day or two to recover.”

Crack.

“I thought he was only getting twenty,” Cassidy blurted.