Carrick had plenty of experience in handling sobbing slaveboys, normally when they were stammering out apologies and begging for their punishment to be over, but this was the first time Hermes had ever shown himself as anything other than the happy, mischievous and devoted boy that Carrick had grown so fond of.
The vampire let Hermes cry for a while, one arm wrapped around his shoulders and drawing the golden head close into the crook of his neck.
When Hermes' tears had finally subsided, Carrick pressed a light kiss to the boy's forehead. "Go and wash your face," he said softly. Then comeback and tell me what just happened." He cupped the boy's jaw almost gently. "This isn't like you, Hermes."