Eventually he moved his hand as the silence between them became more. It dropped from her face as he let out a long, murmuring sigh that extended and exposed all the feelings he had. Stare herself - well, she was caught between awe that Avin was alive, at least sort of, and that she was … alive too. Her eyes were still large, staring wordlessly at the man before her whom she knew she trusted now, despite what he had done to her. The innate trust was so obvious when one looked at it, to both of them. Nevin had seen it as a form of love, that was one explanation.

Vitruvion then suddenly seemed to notice his position. He was still straddling her, his knees on each side of her hips. Beneath him her small but gentle form was bound and his for the taking, if he so wanted. He felt a leap of joy in his chest at the potential, because, he had to admit it, his sex drive was rather high, which is partly why he had built the Hollow. His lips parted, and the idea formed in his head as he remembered the actual pleasure he had had taking her before and he-

A sharp intake of breath. Glancing up, he saw that Stare had noticed the same thing. Except in her eyes … there was a weariness, a fear. Something he prized in other girls but for her, well. She would always have to be willing from now on. Always.

Quickly he moved off her before any of his more obvious signs of arousal made themselves known. It was very highly likely that because he could feel something that she had too, and he avoided looking at her because of the disgust in her mind she was hastily trying to cover up and pretend was not there.

“I will return … later,” he said. “For now, just …”

“Sit tight?” she muttered, a weak line of sarcasm working its way out.

Glancing to her once he raised an eyebrow and then smiled slightly. “I will have Desrian bring food and drink.”

“Do I need to be kept like this?” Stare asked, blinking. “I get for the first bit, as I was confused and violent but now ….?”

“I … that we need to discuss this matter further, Stare. But right now, is not the right time. I am not risking you running off right now, so just … yes.”

He adjusted his clothes and waved a hand at her. “I will return. Try to calm down more and … yes.”

He twisted and started marching out. Leaving her in his wake, trussed and chained and entirely at his pleasure. For his taking if he had wanted, but he had refused. Kept to his promise never to have sex with her unless she gave permission and she had not wanted that all. She had felt his presence, his desires and then rejected them with disgust.

Her jaw tightened and she glowered, but he opened and shut the door behind him with no other words. Stare huffed, blinking a few times as she sat there, now irritated. By all her reckoning her cuffs were of stronger stuff than steel, likely dehlar, and that meant she was not going anywhere just quite yet.