Bound by Leather

Raphael lifted his hand and gestured for Nathaniel to join him. Swallowing hard, Nathaniel stood and walked across the room to where Raphael sat. Unsure of what to do, considering Raphael was not his Master, Nathaniel opted for the respectful approach and knelt before him.

"Thank you, Master Raphael," he said quietly.

"Not necessary, Nathaniel." Raphael motioned to the chair beside him. "There is nobody here you have to kneel before until you make the decision for yourself. I simply wanted to talk."

Nathaniel sat down in the chair and smiled at Raphael. "Thank you, Master Raphael."

"You enjoyed the demonstration? Mistress Candida is well-known for her skill, as are many of the others here at the club."

"Yes," Nathaniel said. He cleared his throat. "I did. It was very…stimulating."

"You can relax, Nathaniel. There's no reason to be nervous here." With a light touch, Raphael reached out and patted Nathaniel's hand reassuringly. "You can observe everything that happens here and decide for yourself if it's for you. Nobody expects anything from you."

Nathaniel sighed and slumped back into the chair. "I wish it were easy," he said as he watched the others mingle. Jacob had one of his subs at his feet, fingers through the young woman's hair. "Do you know what an empath is?"

"I do. Would you prefer a quieter atmosphere?"

"I don't wish to take you from anyone. I imagine there must be several waiting for you."

Raphael stood in answer and held his hand out to Nathaniel. "Nobody is waiting for me at all. We can go to the library for a quieter discussion."

"Thank you. There are things I don't wish to be overheard."

"Then I would be the one to talk to about such things."

Raphael led Nathaniel into the library and shut the door. He sat in one of the chairs near the fireplace and motioned Nathaniel to sit in the other. Settling himself in the plush leather chair, Nathaniel already felt more at ease. While he didn't mind crowds so much, the situations presented in the other room were almost too much to handle. He let out a slow breath.

"This is much better. Thank you."

"I generally talk privately with new members, so it's no problem. You can speak freely to me. Nothing said will go beyond these walls."

Nathaniel bit his lip again, wincing when a tooth broke the tender skin once more. "I…" He trailed off and sighed, staring into the fireplace. "I am more sensitive than most, to many things. As an empath, I can feel emotions, yes. But I can also feel physical sensations: pain, pleasure, and anything in-between. I suppose you could say my senses are razor-sharp."

Raphael gave him an understanding look. "It would probably be easier for you to attend our social gatherings without the displays."

"Yes, I imagine so." Nathaniel looked over at Raphael, judging if he could read the man enough to tell him more. "There is something I think you need to know, if only for background purposes, about me."

"As I said, whatever you say goes no farther than me." Raphael didn't appear surprised, and he waited patiently for Nathaniel to explain further.

"Do you know what a lycan is, Master Raphael?"