Chapter 16 – Atlas #2
“Oh, little one,” I murmur. I grab the food, shoving it on the nightstand before pulling her to lie on my chest. “I understand the importance of survival. Sometimes, you do what you can to get through, until you have time to heal.”
She runs a finger over the deep gouge on my chest and, yes, that could be one meaning. But it’s not the only one.
“I think that’s what I did,” she admits.
“You’ve had your time of hurting.” I run my knuckles over her cheek, tilting her face to mine. “Now it’s time for healing. In all ways.”
“That might not be?—”
I swat her ass, cutting her off before she can finish. “Enough.” I kiss her, pouring every inch of my love and devotion into the slow meeting of our mouths.
Ali pushes up on her hands to look at me as her chest heaves under my tee.
“Now, let me care for you.” I stretch an arm back, grab the plate, and feed my sweet fae by my hand like a dutiful mate should.
“We have a problem,” Saber says, late the next night.
“Don’t we fucking always?” I swipe a hand through the long hair on the top of my head.
“Yeah, but it’s not the type we can easily dispatch,” he mutters, leaning against the wall.
“It would appear I made a mass invite to several friends on the council.” Kash’s voice fills the air, but it’s clearly Malice. “It rather slipped my mind, but they are expecting a good show.”
“What?”
“Vivie and Laz are off for a few days, figuring out their situation,” Saber says, taking over the conversation. “And there are six fucking council members expecting a kraken, a fae, and an undetermined third party to give them the show of a lifetime in theater three.”
My gaze cuts to Malice. That fucking demon wants my foot up his ass.
“And you conveniently forgot this until right fucking now?” I snarl.
“I’ve had a lot going on,” he says cryptically. “It’s almost like someone other than me made the invitation.”
Strangling him would be useless, because the fucker would simply turn to smoke and spill right out of Kash’s shell.
“So, I know Aline hasn’t been on stage since you came to town, but now that the two of you are boning, do you think maybe you could take one for the team?” Saber asks.
That fucker is on my last nerve too. Ever since the Vivie debacle, he’s been overly sullen and despondent. He should’ve made a move when he had the chance.
“My thoughts exactly,” Malice chimes in, in Kash’s voice. “We happen to have a beautiful fae of similar bone structure and a kraken. Do you understand how rare that is—for Haven to currently house two of their kind?”
“If Laz doesn’t up and leave because that siren breaks his damn heart,” Saber mutters.
“I don’t make that call. Ali is the only one who can decide if she’s comfortable on stage with Hex.” I state the obvious hitch in that plan.
“His monster has no ulterior motives,” Malice says. “Well, outside of breeding her, but I’m pretty sure he understands that will take time and some finesse.”
“How do you even know that?” Saber asks, eyeing Kash carefully. “You’ve been weird as hell lately, man.”
My blood runs icy as my mind races on ways to distract Saber. “Does Vivie know about this? Is she okay with Ali pretending to be her? Is Laz?”
Saber nods. “She’s never had a problem with it in the past when they swapped to appease the council, but I’ll reach out and double check.” He sounds elated to have a reason to touch base with her.
“Do we have a backup plan if Ali is against this?” I ask to further deflect. I don’t see Laz or Vivie being offended by the idea.
“Not a single one,” Malice says, chuckling darkly.
“I’m going to make sure the guests are good and liquored up,” Saber says, pushing himself off the wall and aiming for the main welcoming area of The Den. “It wouldn’t hurt to get them some amenable company for lap dances and maybe search for backups in case this goes to shit.”
Once Saber is out of earshot, I shove Malice against the wall. “You did this on purpose,” I growl. Sure, I’m looking at Kash’s face, but that asshole never had the twinkle in his eye that Malice has.
“I didn’t.” He shoves my hands off his chest. “Truly. I understand why it may seem suspicious, but I was as shocked as you are. I received a call from a colleague late last night, informing me they’d be in town today.”
“What the hell was he trying to pull?” I swipe my hand through my hair. It’s a nervous tick that only seems to show itself when I can’t fight a problem head on.
“Fuck if I know,” Malice says. “He liked to showboat. Perhaps he simply enjoyed the show and wanted to share the fuckery.”
I snort, shaking my head. “How much longer are you going to be stuck in there? How long can that thing even last?” I gesture to Kash’s body.
“If all goes well, I’ll be free to assist with Ali’s quickening. Do you know her dreams have been pure filth lately? I love it. Although, I am quite hungry.”
I chuckle. “You’ll live. I have to check in and see if my flame is interested in revisiting the stage.”
“Yes, I’m sure it’s such a hardship to claim her juicy little cunt while an audience watches with rapt fascination,” he says, laughing. “Have you seen Silence? I need him to provide assistance during the show.”
“Check the bar in The Den. If he’s not there, he’s likely serving in one of the high-roller rooms.” I pat him on the shoulder, then head off to see how this plays out.
“Want to run away together, just me and you?” Ali asks, nuzzling her nose to my throat.
“You should know, I’ll follow you anywhere at any time.” I run my hand down the back of her head as the other teases up the hem of her silky slip dress. “Is that a no? We’re under no obligation to fill in.”
“Is that right?” Warm breath puffs out against my throat as she grinds over my thickening length. “You seem interested in the possibility.” The naughty little fae is spitting out so many pheromones as she gyrates her hips just right that it’s very difficult not to sink my teeth in.
“Am I down to make sure everyone in The Den knows you’re mine? Yeah, I am. But I’m not going to push because of the circumstances.”
“There’s also the fact that I try to stay out of the council’s periphery.” Her tits press against my chest, and it suddenly doesn’t seem so appealing to share her with others.
“I can help with that,” Silence says, stepping out of the shadows with Malice, who’s in full demon form.
Ali jolts, but my hand tightens on her ass, keeping her in place.
“How?” I ask.
“My magic extends beyond simply viewing events from the past and being able to sense truth.” He comes over, wedging himself between me and the armrest of the couch. “I can influence how others see you for short periods of time, essentially glamoring you.”
“How long would it hold?” Ali asks.
“I’m not fucking her while she looks like someone else,” I growl.
“That’s very sweet.” She pushes up on her knees, kissing my cheek.
I tease my other hand down, flipping up the back of her dress.
Malice groans. “Fuck my life. I want to participate.”
“Sucks to be you.” I chuckle, pulling her ass apart as my pinkies brush her lower lips.
“The quickening is definitely coming within the next several days,” Silence says. “And to get things back on track, the glamor will hold for no longer than an hour or two, considering the number of people. It will drain me more quickly than if it was only for one or two guests.”
“Is that long enough?” Ali asks me.
It does wild shit to my brain that she looks to me for an answer. She finally trusts me as she should after so many years of effort. My shoulders pull back as my chest puffs up.
“Don’t stroke his ego,” Silence grumbles. “He hardly needs it.”
I tease her pussy over the scrap of material she calls panties. “I suppose that depends on how well you let me use your tight little body.”
Ali snorts, shaking her head.
“Hex will honor your boundaries,” Malice says, his face appearing out of nowhere. “But they will expect him to participate.”
“What does that mean?” she asks, looking at him over her shoulder.
“Everyone knows Laz is in the doghouse with Vivie,” Malice says. “It will be a closed show, only witnessed by the council and a few tables stacked with employees Saber has deemed trustworthy.”
“Okay. Get to the point.” Ali huffs.
“You and Hex will appear to be Laz and Vivie during the performance—” Silence starts.
I cut him off. “I’ve already said I won’t fuck her if?—”
“I’m aware,” Silence says, cutting me off in return. “I won’t glamor their appearance to us. It will also help to conserve my magic.”
“How much participation are we talking about from Hex?” Ali asks, worrying her lip in her teeth.
“He’ll suspend you with his tentacles while Atlas has his way with you. You’ll pretend to be Vivie, and she’s not pleased with Laz, so feel free to torment him,” Malice says, grinning widely.
“Got it,” she says, blowing out a heavy breath. “Are Vivie and Laz aware this will be happening? If I’m not just pretending to be her, and I’m actually glamored to look like her...”
“We’ll have Saber verify that it’s okay prior to the two of you taking the stage,” Silence says.
“Okay, let’s do it.” She worries her lower lip again but pulls her shoulders back.
“Will you retrieve Hex the same way you did for me?” Silence asks Malice. “That way, it’ll appear they never left her office. Also, pass on the information to Saber about the glamor.”
“This is all very covert,” Ali grumbles.
Malice nods, heading back to the dark corner. “I will.”
“The process will take a few minutes for each of you,” Silence says.
“Well then, get to it.” I lift Ali, tossing her down on the couch on the opposite side.
“I’ll need access to her face,” Silence says, and although I can’t see him, I can hear the frown in his tone.
“That’s fine.” I wiggle my eyebrows at her. “I’ll be preoccupied farther south.”
She gasps, pulling her hands to her face as I tease my way up her thighs. I quirk an eyebrow, asking if she’s going to let me have a taste. She nods behind her palms.
“Sorry, love. I’ll need these here.” Silence brings her hands down to her sides. He takes a seat on the edge of the cushion, facing her head.
I’ll bet that’s a certain kind of torture on its own. I rip off her panties, tucking them away in my pocket, then pull her dress up around her tits.
She’s pink and glistening, but I’ve done very little, so I’m going to attribute that to her approaching quickening cycle.
My cock jumps as I shoulder my way between her thighs.
Fucking hell, what I wouldn’t give to bite her during her time of hyper fertility.
Then I’ll give it my best go at fucking her full of that baby she’s so desperate for.
At the end of it all, I’ll be there to hold her if it doesn’t go the way we both want.
I shake myself out of those thoughts, kissing my way from her knee to her hip before teasing across her stomach. She laughs, yanking at my hair, and I scrape my stubble over her again.
“Atlas,” she squeals in that playful tone that I love so much.
I grin, pulling apart her plump cunt, and I feast. Her slick little pussy tastes like heaven as I slide a thick finger inside. She writhes around, trying to strangle me with her thighs.
“Fuck my face, dirty girl,” I growl, lapping at her clit.
“I’m in Hell,” Silence mutters. “There’s no other explanation. I was taken out by Iron Ice on our wedding day, and I’ve spent the last twenty-plus years in Hell without ever realizing it.”
“Stop being so dramatic,” Malice says, rolling his eyes. “Hell is boring and far less enjoyable than this.”
“Oh fuck,” Hex growls.
Well, I guess they’re back. Hopefully, they enjoy the show. My cock hardens even further. I’m absolutely an equal opportunity sadist, and they fully deserve a little suffering.