Chapter 3 – Atlas
Chapter Three
Atlas
A li’s long, blondish-pink hair falls around my shoulders as I tote her toward her office. My hand on her ass tightens as I hike her up higher on my torso.
Fae females are tall and willowy by nature, but Ali has curves. I enjoy each and every one of them.
“I think we need a new profession,” she mumbles, running her fingers over my neck.
“Things will calm down once Dread settles into his bond,” I assure her.
“If he doesn’t murder Arsyn.”
I laugh.
No shifter is going to risk causing that amount of pain and suffering to their mate.
Arsyn is safe, no matter how badly Dread wishes to demolish him.
“Have you eaten recently?”
The soft tips of her hair brush over my arms as her head shakes. I already knew that, but I’ve learned that asking and gently guiding Aline is always better received than barking commands.
Being a horde leader in a previous lifetime, I’ve had to retrain myself to interact with my female.
She grew up much differently than I did.
Cultural differences have made themselves known on more than one occasion.
However, I’m adaptable. I never would have listed that as one of my personality traits prior to meeting my flame, but I’d do many things to keep her content.
Including murdering the next person who asks for anything.
Ali is off the clock for the next eight hours. I don’t care who I have to slaughter to make that happen.
I twist the knob on her office door and walk us inside.
“You ordered food?” Her nose twitches adorably as she catches the scent.
“I did. It’s what I came to tell you in Dread’s office, but your luscious ass distracted me, and then we got sidetracked even further.” I bump her face with mine playfully until she grins up at me.
If Ali and I had known each other in Faere, I would have been seen as beneath her. Even as a Highborn leader among my people.
I don’t often focus on the reasons I left my home realm, but when I recall how heartbroken I was, it’s hard to fathom.
Being rejected by the mate my family intended me to take to unify our clans ended up being a gift rather than the curse it felt like at the time. She was unimpressed by my giant heritage and wanted a full-blooded orc for a mate.
Back then, it felt worse than a death sentence.
As I place myself down on the couch with Ali on my lap, I can recognize it for the gift it was. I would have married Draena to solidify our hordes. And I would have been miserable in my immortality.
Ali snuggles into my chest, and I stretch to grab the take-out container. She’s a typical fae, at least as far as her eating preferences. She’ll occasionally eat white meat, but she’s far from my mostly carnivorous diet.
“A veggie burger from Jim’s?” She lights up and it makes my heart flame in response.
It’s how I know she’s meant to be mine. Well, that and the fact I’d burn down the world to keep her safe and happy.
I’m fucking starving too. I spent a long night manning the door and ensuring no assholes got into it over at Venom.
Feeding Ali fills me with an unmatched level of pride and satisfaction. I can wait a little longer to stuff my own face. I offer her bite after bite, carefully watching to ensure she’s getting enough calories.
Recently, I’ve seen her go entire days without eating anything until I push the issue.
It’s the busy season at The Den. Once winter rolls around, things will settle down.
Many of the aquatic and cold-blooded monsters will move farther south to stay in a more temperate climate during the colder months.
The fact that Dread found his mate hasn’t helped matters. Usually, the owners are so far stuck up our asses that you can’t turn around without bumping into one of them, but they’re all infatuated with Emerson at the moment.
Their priorities have shifted, something I understand. I had a similar reaction when I met Ali.
I came to Haven, intending to blow off steam and enjoy the club. The pink-haired fae stumbled into me as she took a corner too fast and, suddenly, I had new plans.
I needed an excuse to stay in Haven, and she was stressing that a member of the security team quit without notice.
Do I financially need to work at The Den?
No.
I was able to bring quite a bit of my own wealth when I entered the human realm.
I still come to work every night, because that’s always been my ticket to getting close to my heart’s flame. It took me close to three years to get her to say more than a handful of words to me at a time, but all my effort is finally starting to pay off.
Once she slows on letting me feed her bites, I exchange her food for mine. It doesn’t exactly take long for me to down the double bacon cheeseburger.
She groans when I offer her a couple of fries from my container, but she eats them from my fingers.
A wide smile crosses my face. There’s nothing in the world comparable to caring for my mate.
It fills my chest with a warmth I’ve never experienced.
She grins up at me, licking the salt off my finger as she grabs the last fry I hold out.
I smirk. She’s definitely growing bolder and more confident in our connection. She might not fully recognize it yet, but this little fae is mine.
“You’re spoiling me, but I’m stuffed,” she groans, rubbing her stomach over her silky dress.
“Caring for you isn’t going above and beyond.” I grab my drink, holding it out so that she can have a sip. She might not love human food, but she does have an obsession with carbonated beverages. Perfect pink lips wrap around the straw, and I stifle a growl.
My cock isn’t nearly as controllable, and it pulses under her ass.
She grins, bringing her face back to rest on my shoulder as I take a quick drink before setting it aside. I shove the food containers on the small table and kick off my boots. Stretching out on the couch, Ali lies on top of me with no fight or hesitation.
It makes me feel like a goddamn king. In the fae realm, she was the untouchable princess. Even here, she’s gained a bit of a reputation as the ice queen.
I believe it’s a facade she uses to protect herself, or maybe the way she was raised is to blame. It’s taken considerable effort to end up where we are now. I revel in every second of the contact.
I haven’t slipped inside her tight little body yet, but I have dreamed about it many times over the years. As she runs her fingers over my clavicle, it’s hard to remember I’m letting her lead the pace.
I ache to lick and kiss every inch of her skin, but instead, I concentrate on how easily she’s accepting my care. Over the last few weeks, especially, she’s gotten more affectionate, and she puts up less of a fight when I do things like braid her hair or feed her by hand.
It’s progress, and it gives me hope.
My past may not have given me many advantages in the human realm, but it did teach me the value of never giving up. I’m slowly melting the walls around her heart, and one day soon, they’ll thaw to me forever.
She’s my heart’s flame. I’m sure she feels a connection to me, the same as I feel drawn to her, but she’s been hurt.
I left before she did, but monsters talk, and I’ve heard rumors.
I’ve spent the last few years ensuring no one can put her at risk. Before she did more than shoot timid smiles my way, I was going out of my way to protect her.
Recognizing Ali is one thing.
I’m not quite that deranged, but if they pose a risk to her safety or don’t know how to keep their mouths shut, then I have, on occasion, had to end a few lives.
Fine, twenty-seven monsters who didn’t know how to maintain a respectable code of conduct have died by my hands.
I’ve killed thousands more during my time in the horde. I lose no sleep at night.
I’ve done what had to be done to protect my flame, nothing more and nothing less. The fact she’s not emotionally prepared to recognize our connection doesn’t change the truth of it.
“Knock, knock,” Nadia’s sunny voice calls out as she pushes inside Ali’s office. The witch is far too chipper this morning.
I grunt.
My eyes ache like they do when I don’t get enough sleep. My cock is definitely awake and jabbing into Ali’s lower stomach.
I sigh, sliding my hand from the bottom of her dress and palm her head with the other. She wiggles around like she’s mentally willing me to leave her alone.
“I think you’ve got an appointment with Nadia,” I murmur against the top of her head.
“Aww, crap,” she mumbles sleepily.
“I’ll head out and grab us some breakfast...” I glance around for the clock. “Or lunch, because it’s late afternoon.”
Ali groans, kneeling over me. “Well, apparently, they survived without a supervisor for at least a few hours.”
“Saber is looking for you,” Nadia says. The face she makes indicates it’s time for me to clean house again.
With a sigh, I sit up and give Ali a kiss on the forehead. “You two take care of what you need to. I’ll check in with Saber, grab some food, and be back before you know it.”
“I need a vacation,” Ali mumbles, snuggling deeper into my chest. “And this feels useless. You shouldn’t get your hopes up.”
I purposely avoid drawing attention to what their sessions are for. Nadia is a fertility witch. I know why she sees Ali every week, but more than anything, I just want her. I’m not opposed to a yard full of kids. That admission aside, I’d live a happy and fulfilled life without them.
“If five years’ worth of treatments haven’t worked by now...” Her lower lip trembles and she glances away.
“Enough.” I swat her ass. “Losing hope won’t help anything.”
“These things can take time, especially since it’s due to magical backlash,” Nadia says, setting down two take-out cups of coffee on the table next to the couch.
I nod to the delicious-smelling coffee. “I’m chopped liver, I see.”
“I probably should have figured you’d be here.” Nadia takes a seat next to the cups. “You can grab some while you’re out.” She nods to the door. “I’d check the main bar.”
“This early in the day?” Ali sighs.
Nadia chuckles.
I lean over, kissing Ali’s forehead once more, then make a quick exit.
The word immortal is a bit of a misnomer in some instances.
There are types of beings, like demons, whose souls are truly immortal.
Kill them on one of the other planes, like the earthly realm, and they’re simply resurrected in Hell.
Although there is some controversy about how quickly that process takes.
The same is true for sentinels. Their bodies on earth might be damaged beyond repair, but they resurrect in Heaven.
The only saving grace I’ve found is that the paranormal council loves to send easily dispatched creatures to do their bidding.
Baby vamps, shifters who age extremely slowly but can be killed if you remove their head or their heart, and many of the other species, like trolls, siren, the occasional ogre, or orc—all of us can die under the proper circumstances.
Saber catches my eye as I step into the room. He nods to two men standing at the bar talking to Charity. I’m surprised to see her working so early in the day, but I suppose she could be covering for someone.
The guy on the right wears a duster jacket like this is the Wild West. I imagine it’s hiding an entire arsenal of weapons. The one on the left is dressed normally, but his focus is solely on Charity’s tits.
She bounces on her toes as she gives them a grin. All the employees know exactly how to play the game to maximize their tips.
I roll my shoulders back and paste on a friendly smile. Considering I’m half orc, I’m not sure any smile looks particularly chummy on me, but I give it my best go.
I make my way to the bar and stand next to the one on the right. Just by sight, it’s clear he’s the one who takes his job seriously.
“Atlas, what can I get you?” Charity asks, giving me a tight smile.
“Something strong.” I chuckle, glancing at the newcomers. “She knows just how to mix them.” I wink at Charity. “Make it three specials.”
Charity is on the newer side for bar staff. She goes stiff for a fraction of a second before she staggers back, giving me a nod of understanding.
Her eyes get comically wide. “Yes, sir.” She’s not very covert, but she’ll learn, or she’ll be moved to one of the other bars. She spins around, preparing the concoction that will knock these two assholes on their dicks.
Saber comes over and joins us on the left side.
Poor Ali.
She really does think she’s managed to stay completely anonymous.
The darling Princess of Faere didn’t even think to change her name.
It’s okay. One day, she’ll realize that we’ve got her back.
Haven protects its own.