Excerpt:Erik opened his mouth- to say what he wasn’t sure- and at a raised eyebrow from Martel, he closed it again. There was no way that Martel didn’t know what he was doing. He was sure of that, now, and all the claims the man had laid on him were like chains, or cords wrapped tight around him. Binding him to Martel in thought and deed.Strange how his heart leapt at the thought.Martel tucked the box under his arm, and pulled something out of his coat pocket. It was a narrow strap of black leather with a clasp at one end, and he hooked it to Erik’s collar with a snap. A leash, Erik realized dizzily, and Martel gave the other end a sharp tug. “Come, wolf. Follow me.” Erik got about three steps after him when Martel gave him a smile- a thin thing, and pleased. “On your knees.”Martel led him out into the hall on his hands and knees, collared and naked and crawling just behind the hypnotic sway of Martel’s jacket-hem. He tugged at the leash when Erik fell behind, and his disregard- his utter confidence in Erik doing exactly as he was told made Erik want to obey him all the more, in some roundabout way. It made him want to roll over at Martel’s feet, sit mindless and still with his chin on Martel’s knee.
