Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Corvus…
She was tight, wet, but her skin was so cold beneath my hands. I’d been tracking her and watching her encounters with my brothers – as many as I could anyway, and yet I’d missed the one with Specter and the one with Death.
Specter would pay for that. Hangman had gotten with me and told me he’d cleaned her up, but I wanted desperately to get her home and into a hot bath once our fun was through.
It was wild to me, how proud I was of her for following through, and for trusting me and the rest of the Iron Wraiths… and yet, now that I’d captured my prize, all I could think about was getting her home, getting her warm, and loving her right.
I fucked her over the bench at Johnny Mercer’s grave, and she panted, doing her best to keep quiet, even as both of our orgasms built and crested.
When she came, it was a beautiful thing, her willpower and desire an earth-shattering thing, the pieces of her falling like stardust from her lips as her feral little groan left her body.
I was shaken to my foundation by the beauty of her, as I felt her clench around me rhythmically and I smiled to myself, pleased.
She’d lost the game, but she’d won. I pulled from her, and she sat down, making a small sound of protest as her pretty little ass hit the cold marble.
I got myself handled, tucked back into my pants, the perfume of her essence on my body reaching my nose as I shoved myself back in my fly.
I stooped and picked her up, arm beneath her knees, the other around her back, her arms twining around my neck as she held herself close to me.
I’d carried heavier by way of packs, backpacking across Europe; but a man couldn’t do this forever.
I made our way to the front, where Hangman waited with a blanket.
I set her carefully on her feet, and we wrapped her up.
I lifted her once more as he unlocked and opened the gate for us to slip through.
Spooky waited in the Land Rover, just steps outside.
“Syn said to drive you back to your place,” he called through the open and waiting back door.
“Good looking out,” I called, and Hangman held the rear door as I helped Savannah down to her feet and urged her to crawl into the back. She did and settled in the rear driver’s side seat, holding out a hand to me to join her, which I did swiftly, pulling her into my arms.
“She alright?” Spook asked as I settled into the back seat with her.
“I’m good,” she mumbled, spent.
“Good deal,” he said turning back front, Hangman shutting the door on us, closing us into the vehicle the warmth enveloping us as Spook had the heat blasting.
Spooky drove us home, pulling up to the side gate and hopping out to unlock it for me as well as the French doors leading into my kitchen.
“Upstairs, get a warm bath running for me, Prospect.” I told him when he came back and opened up the back door of the Range.
He nodded and jogged back into my place, went upstairs, and did what I asked before coming back down.
It was nearly two a.m. and the streets were empty, so we didn’t sweat the Rover being out there for a few.
“Anything else?” he asked.
“No, see yah,” he gave a nod and went out, closing things up behind him.
I had settled in my chair with Savannah wrapped in the soft blanket across my lap.
“How you feel, Kitten?” I asked her softly.
“Exhausted,” she said. “But happy.”
“Yeah?” I asked her.
“Yeah – that was fun. I want to do it again some time.”
I laughed, softly and asked, “Can you make it upstairs?”
“Mm, hm.” She slid from my lap and stood, holding the blanket around her. “I’m cold,” she complained.
I said, “I got a bath going, come on upstairs and let’s warm you up, get some of these scratches and scrapes taken care of.”
“Oh, shit. I hope nothing is too bad. I have work tomorrow.”
I laughed, and said, “We’ll figure that out. Even if I have to do both your job and mine tomorrow… or later today as it were.”
I followed her upstairs and she laughed softly and said, “Anyone asks me, I’ll tell them I fell off one of the rental bicycles. They aren’t very well maintained, you know.”
“Never used one,” I said.
“I fell off one once when I first moved here.”
I helped her into the bath and she hissed, and I couldn’t tell if it was because it was too warm or if it was her bare feet.
“Sit, let me get you cleaned up so I can have a look at you – I heard Specter got a little rough.”
“I didn’t expect a full body tackle to the ground,” she said, “but I’m fine.”
“You’re tough,” I praised and she smiled, leaning back in the bath. I plucked a twig and some bits of Spanish Moss from her hair and she wrinkled her nose at me.
I got my comb off the side of the sink and sat down on the stool behind her and carefully started picking the tangles and debris out of her hair while the tub finished filling and she hugged her knees.
“You okay?” I asked slowly.
“Death really scared me,” she murmured.
“Oh?” I asked.
“Yeah,” she whispered. “Don’t be mad at him, though, Revenant explained—”
“Did he now?” I asked mildly.
She told me what was done and what was said, and I nodded slowly. “Not mad at him, baby. I promise. I’m sorry he scared you.”
“It’s okay, he sent Revenant relatively quickly. I was safe, I just didn’t know it. Like at a haunted house, just like you said…”
I chuckled softly and felt more relaxed than I had in a very long time.
She was in that vulnerable state, her voice soft and lilting, almost childlike in her fragility.
After some rough and tough play like that it was only natural, and aftercare was an important part of the process.
So, I made sure she was warm, and I gently combed her hair, and took my time doing it.
She was quiet, and I realized she was very nearly falling asleep.
I had intended to wash her hair, but it could wait until morning.
What I did do, was gently wash out her scrapes, took stock of the rest of her, a bruise on her hip, some chafing around her delicate wrists, and then took the time to wash her feet really well so I could doctor them up as needed.
She rose from the bath with lightly perfumed skin, as soft and supple as I’d ever felt, thoroughly warmed, and cuddled into my chest as I rubbed her gently through the towel that I’d wrapped around her.
“I don’t know why I’m so tired,” she murmured and I chuckled.
“You had quite the workout, and the adrenaline crash is always a bitch.” I kissed her forehead and led her to bed and told her not to cover up just yet.
I switched on the bedside lamp and looked at her feet.
They were in surprisingly good shape, just a small cut on one of her little toes.
I put a little antibiotic ointment on it and wrapped it in a Band-Aid while she giggled and tried to pull her foot from my hands, complaining that it tickled.
I tucked her in on my side of the bed, closest to the bathroom and whispered that I would be back soon.
“Where are you going?” she asked.
“I need to get your things from the club, you left your purse, remember?”
“Can’t it wait until tomorrow?” she pleaded and I smiled and asked, “You don’t want me to leave?”
“No,” she reached out a hand. “I want you to cuddle me.”
“Okay, can I at least grab a shower first?”
She sighed, and said, “Okay, but hurry up.”
I laughed, kissed her, and took myself into the bathroom to shower.
I texted the guys while the water warmed and Requiem offered to run the things by and leave them on my kitchen counter.
He was headed to the riverfront anyway. I thanked him, and got in, letting the hot water sluice down by back and over my head.
I washed up, warmed up, and went to bed. Savannah drowsing already by the time I crawled in behind her, and pulled her back into the curve of my body.
She was so beautiful, brave, and tolerant. She’d given me exactly what I’d asked for and had been a good sport. Excellent sport in fact. I held her tightly and she turned in my arms, holding onto me.
I loved her. There was no going back on that. I guess when I told myself never again, I really should have never said never…
I snickered at the thought and she held me tighter and I kissed her forehead.
I didn’t know exactly how any of this was supposed to work, but I figured that honestly, one day at a time was the best way forward.
She was tired the next morning, fairly exhausted, but she insisted on toughing it out and going to work.
I asked her if she wanted a quiet night in at my place or hers, and she cocked her head and said hers if I didn’t mind.
That she wanted to get used to the new place, finish unpacking.
I smiled and suggested ordering in. She liked that idea.
I just liked the idea of spending a quiet evening alone with her.
I took the Porche and drove down to the riverfront, got through my day of writing up contracts and reviewing listings, spoke to the odd brother that called to crow about how much fun last night had been, and had a heart to heart after reaching out to Death.
He apologized for scaring Savannah, but he hoped I understood why I did it. I did, and I thanked him, even though it had been wholly unnecessary.
Truth be told, everything felt different with Savannah.
Easy in a way I couldn’t define. I just felt comfortable with her, it was like this extra sensory knowing that we were on the same page, and that there wasn’t really anything to fear.
She wasn’t going anywhere… which was honestly something that I didn’t deserve.
I knew that, and I felt very fortunate indeed that she was a part of my life.
I think she felt it; this draw or this pull… While I know she was perfectly capable, strong, intelligent enough, and certainly had been doing the damn thing for a year or two now; I also knew she was a sweet and submissive soul who craved guidance and to be told what to do.