Carrick allowed his lips to linger on Hermes' own, his hand slipping into the blond hair and stroking it as the kiss lasted on. He never realised how easily he was being manipulated by his beautiful slave boy - how the wide eyed smiles and sweetly given kisses would have been as freely relinquished to any Master. In the vampire's mind, Hermes was devoted to him out of love and not merely duty. His swollen and vicious pride would allow him to believe nothing else.
Carrick's arm slipped around Hermes' waist. "I'm always pleased with you," he said. "You're everything I could ever want in a slave boy. You make life..." he searched for the right word. "Interesting." He frowned a little. "That's not the right word, but I'm no poet."