Page 27 of Nice

He looks at me, his expression wary. "What's wrong Caitlin?"

"What's wrong? What's wrong? What isn't wrong? You kidnap me, have your dirty way with me, and now you ask me what's wrong when I finally stand up for myself?"

Asmon's eyebrows dip down into an angry frown. He reaches for me, but I pull away before he can make contact. It's like I'm having an out of body experience. Inside I'm screaming, trying to get myself to stop acting this way, to stop saying these things, but I can't. I'm trapped in my own head, and it's a nightmare I'm not waking up from.

"We can talk about this at the house. Now sit down and eat your dinner."

I look over at the other reindeer and note their shocked expressions. Their eyes are wide as they watch this drama play out, but not one of them is trying to stop it. Do something! I scream in my head, my anger building. Not one of them is stopping this abuse. He doesn't deserve any of it, and yet, they're all just letting it happen.

Smirking, I trail my finger up Asmon's goblet before pushing it over into his lap, watching with glee as the red liquid splashes onto him. "Oops. I guess you'll have to go home by yourself and clean up."

"Caitlin," he growls, "this isn't like you. What's going on?"

Yes! I scream. It's not me. I would never do this. Would I? I search deep down inside myself. True, if pushed, I had a mean streak, but Asmon did nothing to me. Not on purpose at least. And if I'm being one hundred percent honest with myself, I rather enjoyed everything he did to me. So, what the hell am I doing? Helpless, I watch as I ease around him and make my way to the head of the table.

No. No no no no. Anyone but him. This will kill Asmon. I know this, and yet my body keeps walking towards his perceived enemy, my hips swaying with each step. Please, I beg, trying to regain control over myself. Someone please stop me. Not one person comes to my aid. Instead, they all sit there transfixed, their eyes, the males at least, watching my body as I put on this lewd display.

Asmon growls low and deep from his end of the table. I long to run towards that familiar sound, but I can't. My brain and body are at war with each other. I see and feel everything, but I can't change the outcome. Kris stares at me, his blue eyes darkening as his pupils eat his irises. Dear god but he's getting turned on by all of this. This is wrong. Every bit of it is wrong!

He slides back from the table, his eyes still glued to me as I saunter over. Without skipping a beat, I plop myself down into his lap and smile up at his face. I can feel his erection against my hip, and my body grinds against him. Nausea rolls through me as Kris tilts his head back and gives a small moan. If I could cry, tears would be streaming down my face. As it is, I can only beat against my brain and beg for all of this to stop.

"I never did get to sit on Santa's lap and tell him what I wanted," my body whispers, the deep, throaty voice enough to make me gag. Leaning over, I set my lips against his ear and let out a long string of lascivious actions. Based on how he twitches at my side, Kris is all too keen to take me up on that wish. Luckily, the shifters with their amazing hearing say nothing and instead concentrate on their meal. The only one paying us any attention is Asmon.

His hot glower burns my back as he stares at us, his anger building. I don't even have to look at him. I can feel it. On the inside, I'm trembling with fear. He seems so close to snapping, there's no way this will end well. My body casts a haughty glance over to Asmon, a wicked smile curling my lips.

"You shouldn't have been so abrasive Asmon. I might have chosen to stay with you. As it is," I look over at Kris and slide a finger against his full lips, "It looks like you're losing yet another woman to the better man."

With a pained howl, Asmon leaps up from his chair, sending it clattering back against the floor. Some nameless elf scurries behind him to pick it up and move it out of the way. "Caitlin, you can't mean this."

The pain in his eyes, his pinched expression, it's too much to bear. I try my best to look away, but my body won't let me. I am stuck watching this play out, my heart ripping from my chest with each flit of his eyes between Kris and me. I scream and wail, fighting so hard to break free. There's no use. Nothing that can be done.

Red eases from his chair and looks between Asmon and I. His hands clench and release as he measures the tension between us. "Asmon, I think it's best if you go."

Asmon turns his murderous gaze onto him, and for once since I've seen them together, Red seems to wither.

"Please. This can't be easy for you -."

"What the fuck do you know? What do any of you know?" He whirls back towards us, his eyes blazing. "I don't know how you did it, but you will never take another woman away from me again."

His body ripples with malice as he heads our way. Red lays his hand on Asmon's bicep, only to be met with a snarl and snap of teeth. Red relents but follows close behind. With each step, he transforms back into his beast. The horns are out and deadly, his tail whips back and forth with agitation. Stopping just in front of the chair, he snarls at Kris. Inside my shell, I quiver beneath his wrath. What can I do to tell him it's not me? How can I convince him? His eyes are pained as he looks me over. It's like he believes this horrid charade.

"You will give me my woman," he grinds out, his eyes piercing Kris.

Behind me, Kris heaves a sigh and drops his hands onto either side of my lap. "I don't own her Asmon. She's here of her own free will. No one is stopping her from going with you."

His ice blue eyes snap to my face, waiting for my response. My body smirks and snuggles in deeper, practically purring as it stretches against Kris's chest. "Why would I want you when I could have Christmas every day? You're more pathetic than I thought you were. Chasing after me when there's clearly another that's more adept at meeting my...needs." I lean up and poke Asmon in the chest. "You're just jealous that someone actually wants the spirit of Christmas instead of your measly offerings. Now, be gone with you so I can salvage what's left of my trip here." It turns back to Kris and runs a hand through his hair. "Besides, Kris has a lot to make up for the hell you put me through."

Asmon just stares at me, his entire face falling. Each breath is ragged and shallow. My heart breaks as I sit there watching his world fall apart. Why am I saying these things? Why am I acting this way? Fists clenched, he gives us a small bow before turning and storming out of the room. My entire being shatters as I watch him leave. Wailing, I beat against this barrier. Please! Please come back! Don't leave me here! As he leaves, my entire world turns black. It feels as if I've fainted, but I don't take the time to suss through it all. All I can think about is sweet oblivion taking over, so I don't have to feel the agony running through my soul.

Chapter Nine: Asmon

The hallways pass by in a blur as I storm out of the dining room. Who was I kidding? It was just a matter of time before she realized her mistake and chose Kris over me. It was bound to happen. But why does this time feel even more awful? With Angelica it stung, and yeah, I was pissed off. But with Caitlin? It's like the other half of my soul is being ripped away from me.

The beast paws within me, roaring and snorting, demanding I go back in there and take her by force. It's with every ounce of power that I'm walking away instead of killing Kris with my bare hands. She chose him. Nothing I do will change that. Even if she wakes up a week from now and decides he really isn't the one, she still chose him. I can never forgive her for this.

As much as it pains me, I let her go. My beast thrashes about, refusing to come on board. Even as I get further and further away, he fights me. Fur sprouts and recedes as we fight our internal battle. Growling, I stop in one of the hallways and start tearing down all the Christmas crap cluttering everything up. The first to go are the boughs. Roaring, I snag a dip in the line and yank hard, bringing the whole thing down. Next are the lights. With the same ferocity, I rip them from the walls. Greenery and decorations fly about as I completely lose my shit.

I've always found it a bit excessive. Now, I just find it repulsive. It doesn't matter if this makes me a Grinch, but nothing about Christmas will ever hold any wonder for me. What little spark I found with Caitlin died the moment she sat on Kris's lap. Dropping to my knees, I howl up to the ceiling. When will this torment stop? Get the girl and she will fix it, my beast snarls in my head. But I can't. I can't see her face without thinking about her betrayal. Hell, I could have handled her getting frisky with one of the reindeer better than her practically fornicating on Kris's lap.