12. Chapter TwelveDaria
Chapter Twelve
Daria
N o, stuck couldn’t be right. There had to be a reason for this. But also, I was still in my heat and very distracted. “I have questions, but…” I trailed off, now hyper-aware of the feel of him inside me.
He grasped my hips and began to grind into me again. I had to say; I was enjoying how he knew what I needed without me having to say anything. And just as expertly as before, he made me come. Twice.
When I recovered, I wiggled again to see if that would loosen things up. His knot was still not going down, but perhaps having sex again didn’t help.
I grabbed a pillow and brought it over my chest, feeling exposed, although I knew it was a bit moot now. But we were about to get serious, and it felt weird having this discussion with my boobs swinging around. “What’s the longest that you’ve had a knot stay up, if that’s the right word?”
Marcus frowned as he watched me cover up, and I cut my eyes at him, willing him to stay focused. “An hour has been the longest, and that was in my rut. It didn’t happen all the time then, either. Thirty minutes is the norm.”
I lifted my shoulders, frustrated. “Well, it’s three hours and counting. You even fell asleep, and nothing changed. Should we call 911?”
He looked up at me, eyes neutral, but I knew he was too stubborn to give in now. “You know I can’t do that.”
“What if this doesn’t go away and Death Mask calls? How will you explain that? I can’t resurrect someone stuck on you with my hooha and ass a flapping in the wind for everyone and God to see.”
He had the audacity to snort. “That’s not going to happen.”
“How do you know that? This is new territory. What if I have to use the bathroom? What if you have to use the bathroom? This is how women get UTIs.”
He lifted a brow. “From men peeing in their vaginas? Is that a thing?”
I hugged the pillow tighter. “For some reason, you don’t seem to be worried. Why is that? Did you do this on purpose?”
“What? Why would I do that? This isn’t great for me either. What if I wanted to do a number two?”
I dropped my mouth open. “Do you have to do a number two?”
He narrowed his eyes, face exasperated. “I said what if, not that I had to.”
The horrifying thought sent another surge of panic through me. The very last thing I wanted was to use the bathroom in front of him. I couldn’t even figure out the mechanics, nor did I want to. I slapped him on the stomach. “Get out of me!”
He winced, although I was sure I caused him no pain. “Calm down. I thought you were the positive thinker.”
“That was the old me. The pre-kidnapped me. Lockup has changed me. I’ve seen things.” I squinted at him, giving him my toughest stare that only made him respond with an amused smile. “Do you have a phone or a laptop? You can look up what this could be. It’s possible it’s happened before.”
He nodded. “My phone is on the floor in my pants pocket.”
I looked behind me to the floor near the door. It was close but not so close that it seemed easy. It was going to take a lot of strength on his part. I looked back at him. He looked like he was up for the job.
He tapped the pillow. “I’m going to wrap my arms around you and sit up. I need you to wrap your legs around my waist. Let go of the pillow. Our bodies will keep it in place if you have to keep it, but I need you to hold on to me with your hands as well.”
I nodded, and he sat up. As he scooted to the side of the bed, I wrapped my legs around him and threw my arms over his shoulders, locking my fingers together behind his neck. He then got up slowly and began to walk toward the door. His strength really was impressive. And kind of hot. I wasn’t a light girl, but he didn’t seem strained at all as he walked. And the movement was already igniting my core, his pelvis rubbing against my clit.
However, the real test was when he lowered down and grabbed his phone. His thigh and calf muscles were putting in the work.
“Good job,” I complimented him.
He chuckled. I wished I could see his face, but my head barely came up to his neck, even in this position. He then dropped to his knees, and I felt him jerk between my thighs. He tossed his head back, groaning, and I soon felt his release inside of me. I gripped him tighter, my body spasming to another orgasm to match him.
“Sorry,” he began in a whispered voice. “I couldn’t help it.”
I nodded, unbothered. “It’s expected. In theory, we haven’t stopped having sex in three hours… and counting.”
His hand went to my lower back, just above the crack of my ass, and I wouldn’t have been mad if that hand went lower. “Mind if I stay like this for a minute.”
I understood that, too. Having me lay on him couldn’t have been too comfortable. Also, the bed was a sticky mess. “This is fine, can you still do a search on your phone?”
“Yeah.” He then went silent as I felt him move his hands behind my back. Since he was a giant, he had no issues with me obscuring his view because he could easily look over my head.
I sat patiently, waiting for him to come up with a solution. “Think butter or oil would work?”
He shook his head, eyes still on his phone. “I don’t think this is a tight ring-on-a-finger situation. So, the only thing I can see is that this is psychological.”
I frowned. “Huh? So, nothing to do with me being claimed and in heat?”
“I saw one case where a guy was in his rut, and she was in her heat at the same time, and that knotting lasted 8 hours.”
“Not cool. I can’t imagine being stuck like this for another five hours.”
“Hopefully that won’t happen. Also, I’m not in my rut. So, it’s not the same thing.”
I gnawed lightly at my lower lip, thinking. There were only so many things this could be if he wasn’t in his rut. “And this couldn’t be magic?”
He looked up at the ceiling, yawning. It was still late, and we hadn’t slept long. I was also exhausted, but my mind was still too wired up. “I wouldn’t know if it was magic, but I can tell you I didn’t do this. So, if someone put magic on us, I don’t know who it would be or when it could have happened. I haven’t left the house since we’ve been here either. Well, other than getting you from my neighbors.”
“Someone could have bespelled you some time ago.”
“Why would they do something like that? I’m sure I have enemies lurking around, but there are better ways to seek revenge.”
My lower back began to ache, a persistent issue I’d had for years. I moved my upper body from left to right and arched my back. Marcus groaned, startling me, his lids drooping. “If you keep moving like that, I will come again. Fuck it, I’ll probably come regardless.”
Jeez, it was so weird to feel him still hard inside of me, but also my body was in a constant state of teetering over into orgasmic delight. It wasn’t the worst feeling. Maybe it was because I was claimed. “Yeah, this would be the weirdest spell ever. So, probably not a spell. Then I guess we’re left with this being psychological. I’m not keeping you trapped in me. Don’t know how I could. Guess that leaves this being a you thing .”
He sighed. “I’m thinking you’re right. But I don’t know why.”
“Could it be because you’re trying to prevent me from escaping again? Maybe it’s your subconscious chaining me to you.”
Marcus rubbed at his temple, lips turned down in a frown. He really did look disturbed. That did make me feel a little less angry with him. This wasn’t his plan. “There were other ways. For instance, using actual cuffs. That would have been a hell of a lot easier.”
I sucked in a breath, trying to avoid the rising panic. There had to be a way out of this. “Maybe it’s due to the stress of the situation. You seem to be the kind of guy who acts without thinking first, no offense.”
He cut his eyes at me. “None taken.”
“I mean, you claimed me without even talking to me about it. And you seem unapologetic about it. That was a desperate and mean move. And you know I don’t like you. So maybe you’re scared that the woman you claimed, the woman you’re now tied to forever, wants to leave you. And so, your body is reacting to that fear.”
He ran a hand over his hair, looking away. “I’m not saying that doesn’t make sense, but how would we fix that? You’re angry with me and don’t trust that I will protect you. You’ve tried to escape twice, not counting the time I caught you looking for a knife in the kitchen.”
He spoke as if I was the bad guy here causing him stress. He wasn’t the one plucked from his life by a stranger to be given to a group of demon thugs. I bared my teeth at him, knowing I must have looked crazy. “Right, I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m at a beautiful beach house, and you’re paying for everything. It’s not like I got drugged and kidnapped or anything. Oh wait, I was. I don’t think I can pretend that things are all good so your knot can get itself together. At least not convincingly. You clearly have a conscious issue going on. You’ve done something bad, but you’re not so much of a jerk that you don’t feel bad about it. So, while it’s good that you’re not evil incarnate, it’s bad because I have no idea how you can reconcile this situation. It can’t be all on me to do that.”
He rose to his knees. “I need to go lay down. Gotta think.”
I wrapped tightly around him again. “Okay, can you grab me a shirt to put on? I rather Pooh Bear it than be totally naked.” That reminded me of his earlier hallucination of the dancing bear. I was rather disappointed I hadn’t found a bear tattoo on him.
He stood us up, chuckling as he did. “You’re funny, you know that?”
“It’s how I get through awkwardness and stress.”
He grabbed my shirt from the foot of the bed, and when we got settled again, this time under the covers, I put my shirt on. I was still in my heat, but the cramping hadn’t returned yet. I suspected part of that was because of my situation.
Marcus turned on the TV, and I pouted. “I can’t see it.”
He lifted his brows, still watching the TV. “I could shift us on our sides.”
“Let’s try it.”
He moved us again so that we could face each other on our sides and watch TV near the end of the bed. It wasn’t the most comfortable TV-watching position, but it was better than nothing.
As we silently watched TV, I tried to think of a way out of this situation. I wasn’t sure if Marcus would come to some A-ha moment to unlink us, but maybe I could in some way that didn’t require my forgiveness. “Maybe if you stopped caring about all you’ve done to me that would free up your mind. Take some of the stress off. You’re getting all that you want. A way to save your brother and an omega. Don’t worry about me.”
He grumbled, still looking at the TV. “That’s not how my mind works. I may do things you don’t understand or agree with, but I’m not a psychopath.”
“I might believe that’s true. You certainly have a fan base around here. What, did you save the whole town from an evil conglomerate? If I had knocked on another door for help, would my outcome have been the same?”
“Most likely.”
I leaned back to stare up at him in shock. “You helped that many people?”
“I try to right wrongs that I see. Always have.”
I tapped him lightly with the leg I currently had tossed over his thigh. “What are you like, The Equalizer ?”
He smiled, glancing down at me. That smile pinched my heart a bit. I was more than attracted to him. Then again, it could be the claiming. I simply wasn’t in my right mind. “I wasn’t exactly a secret operative, but I guess I have similar experience,” he began. “I’ve done some bad things, but I didn’t hurt innocent people, even when my family asked me to. I had limits, and when I see people in need, I help them, even when they don’t ask for help. Maybe deep in my mind, it balances all the bad.”
That fit with what he’d shown himself to be to me, but it didn’t improve the situation. Maybe it pushed me a smidge toward trusting that he would protect me, but the forced claiming wouldn’t allow me much forgiveness for him. “So, you’ve helped a bunch of people out here?”
He nodded slowly. “In different ways. Some smaller and some larger. Others just have my back through word of mouth. Hearing about the things I’ve done.”
I closed my eyes, the heaviness of exhaustion winning the battle over panic and horniness for the moment. “You’re so The Equalizer . Except for when it comes to me.”
A deep hum emitted from his chest, vibrating into me. A blanket of calm relaxation fell across my body, and a feeling of peaceful weightlessness pressed into my mind. I’d never heard this sound in real life before—the alpha purr. I knew what it could do. It would make an agitated omega compliant. That’s what asshole alphas used it for. The nicer use was to be a center of peace and help calm an omega, connecting the pair almost in the same way the omega whine might.
I leaned up on an elbow, looking at him. I was supposed to be upset. Everything was too much. The kidnapping, the claiming, the trying to escape. Yet, I felt at ease. I enjoyed it. A lot. I wanted to rub myself all over him, snuggle closer if that was possible. I knew it was his purring, and I wanted to be mad, but I was exhausted, still in a dazed state because of my heat, and worried about the knotting.
“Are you purring to calm me down?”
He ran his hand slowly up and down my back. It was a tender action, a peacefulness in his eyes. He touched me as if we were long-time lovers. With that and the purring, it felt like heaven. “Yes. You’re tired, and you need to rest. You’re only in the middle of your heat. I’ll think of something to fix this. Don’t worry. Do you want me to not purr for you?”
He was such a conflict. He behaved like the perfect boyfriend, but it was insane to give in. Give in to him. I shook my head and rested back down on my pillow. “It’s okay, I like it.”
I liked him. Damn it.
***
The next morning, I woke up still knotted to Marcus and more of my heat. We had another round before I declared I needed something to eat. I was also dehydrated, but I was terrified to eat because I could not use the bathroom, well, on him. Not that I felt like I had to pee, which was odd.
Marcus lifted us, and we decided to wash our faces at least and brush our teeth. “Are you sure you don’t want to try to pee? We can stand in the shower, and I can turn the water on. I won’t know the difference.”
I quickly shook my head, mortified, although it was a sensible idea. “I don’t have to go. Do you?”
He sat me down on the edge of the counter. “Nah. We probably both already went unintentionally with how much sex we’ve been having.”
I closed my eyes, horrified. He was probably right. Not all of our releases were sex-related. This was so embarrassing. “We definitely need to replace the bedding.”
“Yeah, and we can stay in my bed, also.”
We freshened up and carefully went down the stairs to the kitchen. Although I was mostly covered now, switching to a casual T-shirt dress. Marcus was still stuck completely naked except for a shirt. There wasn’t a logical way to get him dressed with me wrapped around his waist. I did carry a towel with me, so he didn’t have to sit down on his bare ass.
We kept things simple with breakfast, heating up a frozen pizza, and sat down at the dining table, my back to the table. It felt weird eating, well, on Marcus. I leaned to the side so I didn’t drop anything on him, and he did the same.
“So,” I began, “any ideas on how to settle your mind so we can unlink?”
He looked down at the food, brows furrowed with worry. “No. I tried meditating. I even looked up spells.”
“Oh, my detective friend’s fiancée has mind magic. She could help.”
“I wish I could trust you wouldn’t say anything to them if she came to help. And you don’t need to convince me you wouldn’t. It won’t work. But we’ll keep that option as a last resort.”
I sighed, slightly satisfied that he hadn’t totally ruled out that idea.
He reached for another slice of pizza. The man had an insane appetite. “Talk to me more about your gift.”
“Why?”
He lifted a shoulder. “I want to know you. You have a detective friend, so you work for the police?”
I rested my back against the edge of the table, pausing from eating. “I consult with them. I come from a potent family of necromancers. We’ve made it a business. I give the cops a steep discount, though.”
“How’d you end up at the bakery?”
“I found the consistent necromancy work depressing and sad. For a while, I thought it was uplifting. Having people come back to say final goodbyes to loved ones. But the money is in raising the dead for fighting or using them as spectacles in horror movies and museums or cheap labor. It felt cruel to use people like that. Sure, their surviving families were paid for their work, but it was pennies on the dollar. It didn’t affect my family. We got paid for raising the dead, not what happened to them. All the positive work we do is still pricey. My family thought I was taking too many low-paying jobs, but those were the ones that made me happiest. The ones where I was helping people for the good. They started limiting what I could do for the business, which got too much for me. Plus, I loved to cook and bake. It’s my stress reliever.”
Marcus leaned back in his seat, no longer eating. He rested his hands on my hips, and I didn’t mind them there. Honestly, it didn’t feel awkward being connected to him. The discomfort came from wrapping my legs around him for so long. He wasn’t exactly narrow. “Do you want your own place?”
I nodded. “One day. I was hoping the owner would sell the business to me. She’s pretty much married and living in the fae realm now.”
He thrummed his fingers on my waist. “Tell her you want the business. Don’t wait for it. You can’t expect people to think of you on their own. Sometimes, you have to put the thought in their heads. If you don’t ask, the opportunity might not come.”
He had a point. I was so bad about asking for such stuff. I didn’t want things to be weird between Lila and I if she didn’t want to sell it, but hoping she would give me the chance on her own wasn’t assertive either. Lila was a good person, but the business was her baby, and she did come back to our realm to check in every other month.
I took a sip of water that he had convinced me to drink earlier. I could be scared to pee or pass out from dehydration. I picked my poison. “You’re right. If I survive all of this, I’ll ask her.”
He smiled, seeming to believe that I would make it out of this to ask about the bakery. Either he was delusional, or he really had a plan he thought wouldn’t fail. Or he was a liar trying to make me less scared of what was going to help me. “Either that or start your own business. I have some funds to help you with that. I owe you something after all of this.”
“I’ll hold you to that,” I replied, not really meaning it. I couldn’t see myself ever asking him for money, a loan, or anything else. I prided myself on being able to make it on my own. Suddenly, I felt a resurgence of wanting to survive this. To be stronger.
Marcus lifted his hand and brushed several strands of curls from my face. My hair was mostly piled on my head in a messy ponytail, but it needed a wash. I shivered against his fingers when he brushed the side of my face. He was being gentle. He was constantly being gentle. I wanted to fight against it, but then again, if I gave in for a moment, maybe that would settle his mind and allow for us to unlock.
“This work you do,” he continued. “You bring the dead to life and get them to answer questions about crimes?”
“Yup. It’s dark, but I get to help people.”
“How do you know the dead aren’t lying to you?”
“The dead aren’t as complex as living humans. They don’t know how to lie. Their brain won’t work that way anymore. Only on rare occasions have I heard of an undead being lying. That’s usually a paranormal being who had enormous magic like a witch. If we know that about the person, we factor that into how we question them.”
I tried to adjust on him, my thighs aching a bit from being wrapped around him. He groaned. “Little flower,” he said in a warning tone. “Do you want me to fuck you right now?”
I wasn’t opposed to that. He jerked inside me, and I could feel myself slick with desire again. “I’m sorry. My legs were hurting.”
He stood up and walked us to the living area, sitting down on the couch. Resting my shins on the couch eased some of the burn in my legs. “Thank you. Marcus, I’m not sure I can take this much longer. What are we going to do?”
He didn’t respond, wrinkling his nose. He didn’t have a plan and was avoiding telling me such. Since we were mates, I could read him like a book. “Talk to me. I feel like I’m missing something. You’re an experienced alpha. Despite this situation, you seem well-adjusted. What’s really happening? This is more than a desperate attempt to keep me from escaping, right?”
He lowered his head so I couldn’t see the expression on his face without leaning back. “I think I know why this is happening. I haven’t been honest with you, Daria.”
My stomach tightened and not from pleasure. I had really hoped he was a good man despite the insanity of the situation. Perhaps I had been a fool. And now I was going to learn the truth about my kidnapper.