Carrick could see that his slave was flagging, but when he looked into Liam's face he saw not defeat but a grimness and a tenacity that intrigued him. The boy's eyes were fiery, and the vampire could tell that his slave would fight on as long as he was able to.
The vampire did not relent on the strength of his attacks, but he slowed very slightly. His aim had become to see how long Liam could keep going, and whether his sword or his body would drop first. Carrick suspected that he already knew.
He was toying with Liam now, goading him with tiny nicks in his skin from the very point of the sword, designed to provoke him into losing his temper and charging like an engraged bull.
The boy fascinated him. He had rare strength and the determination, and an ability to fight on through pain and exhaustion that the vampire had not seen in his slave boys for years. What an immortal he would make. The thought arrived without warning, and dissolved just as quickly.