:) (sneak preview of something to come)

Armand is used to being the most powerful person, the most powerful being in the room. People have often and continue to defer to him. It’s natural. Sure, there were times when he had let Louis take the reins, but only when he let it happen. His control was absolute and unyielding.

Who would dare question it?

Only a fool would do so, for it would almost surely spell certain death or dismemberment for whoever the guilty soul was.

Enter her. That goddamned assistant. From the moment she entered the penthouse, from her first breath in this space, there was a new air about them all. An air of challenge, of taunting, of ‘I dare you’. It’s something he’s seen before, but it had always been easy to bring to heel. A few words here and there and they’d be eating out of his hand.

This situation, however, is different. He’s with Louis (though their relationship is certainly tenuous at times, they do have an understanding about the occasional dalliance) and given the circumstances, this is a purely professional relationship.

But the road to hell is paved with good intentions, so they say, and Armand has walked this road a thousand times before. Her gaze, the way she walks, the lilt in her voice, tugging at his self control, begging it to slip.

She’s gotten good at guarding her mind, he’ll give her that. Even when he pokes around, only the briefest of images slip through. It’s been established she likes pushing buttons. To get a reaction, attention, for someone to play with her perhaps.

And the fire rages on inside her, no matter how many metaphorical buckets of water he’s dumped into her to try and snuff it out. No, it seems the more he tries to put it out, the more it burns. Consumes, flames licking up at his heels.

He likes to think he’s shed his old ways, the theatrical flare of his absolute control exercised over the coven. The pleasure he felt in their submission, their bending to his will. But he knows this is a lie.

How lovely she would look on her knees, eyes shining and dazed, chest heaving, out of breath from the fight she’d put up. Though was it really a fight against him if she was getting exactly what she wanted?

Her mental defenses were good, but not that good. Every now and then, a flash would leak through the cracks, particularly when he was volleying whatever taunt she’d thrown his way, or when he startled her, challenged her back, made her…nervous. The flashes of heat, of himself through her eyes. The unbridled want that bubbled there beneath the surface.

She may have been composing a profile on him, but he was doing the exact same thing. And one day, he’d subdue her, and oh what a pretty sight that would be.

He looked SO STUNNING!!!!!! His cocky arrogant ass was so hot the fucking head tilt????? Still think about it.

That’s the ALLURE of him. He’s a dangerous apex predator and yet…he’s still gorgeous. I also stand with my canceled wife.

Rip to Daniel if he wasn’t having a good time that’s his fault I would’ve been totally fine

You are SO welcome friend.

Listen. I have thought long about this. He’s so. He’s SO. He has the capacity to be so gentle and kind because he has known so much cruelty and despite all of his flaws I don’t think he’s inherently cruel and evil (like holy shit the things he went through no wonder he is the way that he is).

And yet

He’s just so captivating when he’s mad!! He scares me with his sheer magnitude of presence and it’s HOT. I am in awe of the power he has and it intrigues me so much I want to be on the receiving end of it just a little.

it's not problematic at ALL my friend I'm firmly on your side. Him being mean and authoritative had me feeling some type of WAY i SWEAR.

Just the subtle condescension and the fact that he knows he's the most powerful bitch in the room.

EXACTLY. EXACTLY!!!! We are mind melding you get it my friend!!

Oh to be handled so gently by a creature who could kill you in a second.

Oh to have your life in the hands of a dangerous vampire who knows exactly how thrilled you are to be at his mercy.