Chapter 40 Kip
KIP
The next three days passed without another message from the Pied Piper.
I’d insisted on staying with Holland because even though she said she was okay, I knew she was upset.
Her moods tipped from what the fuck is happening to I’ll hunt the motherfucker down.
What she didn’t understand yet was that the Pied Piper was smarter, darker, and a lot more cunning than she realized.
Maybe since she was his daughter, she could outmaneuver him.
After I’d explained more to her about the Pied Piper and the ties to Death and Ella, I’d told her I needed to bring them and Dope into the loop. At first, she’d said no, but then she’d agreed that we were stronger in numbers.
“Hey,” she said, approaching me from behind and sliding her small hands down my chest. She kissed the top of my head.
I leaned back in the kitchen chair, but didn’t take my attention off my phone screen. “Hey yourself.” I nodded to my cell, watching. “She hasn’t moved since yesterday.”
“Is that normal or do you think she’s gone?”
“I think she’s gone, but I need to go make sure. Cynthia will be back from vacation in a few days, so I need to make sure everything is in its rightful place, including evidence that we were there.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem.” Holland straightened. “I was there without you, then we both set the scene for her to die.”
“I wanted it to look like we were there with her, and she wasn’t alone.” I patted Holland’s arm. “I should go.” I stood, the kitchen chair sliding back, and she moved away.
Dark circles framed her blue eyes, and her red hair was piled on top of her head in a messy bun that begged me to pull it down.
Even in her baggy sweatshirt and black yoga pants, she was beautiful.
Mine. Every fiber in my being refused to leave her, but I had to make sure Mother was dead.
I considered taking Holland with me, but I needed to do this on my own.
I would ask if Ella might be able to keep her company while I was gone.
Ella along with Holland could handle any shitshow.
Ella was as lethal as Death when she needed to be.
“I’ll see if Ella can swing by and keep you company.” I retrieved my phone from the table and tapped the screen, not waiting for Holland’s response. It wasn’t an option for her to say no anyway.
The phone rang, and on the third ring, Ella answered.
“Hey, how are you?” she asked, her voice chipper.
“Good. I need a favor, though. Are you around today?”
“For you? Of course. What do you need?” she asked.
“Would you be interested in hanging out with Holland at her place? I can explain when you’re here, but it would help me deal with some things today and not be so distracted.
” I rubbed the back of my neck, my thoughts returning to Mother.
She hadn’t moved, but I wouldn’t believe the evil bitch was really gone until I touched her cold, lifeless body.
“Give me half an hour.”
“Perfect. Thanks, Ella. I’ll text you the address.
” I winked at Holland as I disconnected the call and messaged Ella the details she needed.
“You two have the ability to get into a lot of trouble together.” I reached out and placed my fingers under her chin, forcing her to look at me.
“Promise me, little ghost—promise me that you won’t take any matters into your own hands. Be a good girl for me while I’m gone.”
She smirked. “I promise.”
I arched a brow at her. “What I mean is you and Ella stay out of trouble.”
Her lower lip jutted out in a playful manner. “You’re no fun, baby. I thought we could help Death and Dope find the next victim, or something to pass the time while you’re gone.”
I chuckled. “That’s not a call I can make. That’s up to Death. Once you earn his trust, which will take a while, he might let you help. Build that friendship with Ella first. That’s your best bet if you want in on the action.”
“Yes, sir.” She grabbed my sides, bunching up the fabric of my gray T-shirt.
I gripped the sides of her jaw and squeezed, my cock springing to life with her words. Yes, sir was exactly what I liked to hear.
“You’ll be my good girl?”
“Of course.” She fluttered her eyes at me.
I quickly leaned down, scooped her into my arms, and carried her to the kitchen counter. She yelped as I tugged her yoga pants and thong down her legs, discarding them on the floor.
“Kip, Ella will be here soon.”
Her words cut off as I parted her legs and buried my face in her pussy, licking and sucking. Her lips parted as I feasted on her wet cunt, her gasps and moans of pleasure driving me to continue.
She threaded her fingers through my hair and tugged. I reached up and pulled on my necklace, the cross breaking free.
I dragged the cold silver cross across her skin as I kissed up her stomach, up her ribs, her sternum. Fuck, I wanted to mark her. I wanted to fuse the memory of me into the marrow of her bones so that when I was gone, she’d never be able to exorcise it.
Straightening enough to wipe my mouth, I then pressed the crucifix to her entrance and then slid it in and out. Holland squirmed and lifted her hips off the counter.
“Who do you worship, little ghost?”
“My monster.” Her words were breathy as I continued.
I leaned down and ran my tongue over her clit, sucking and nipping as she fucked my cross.
In the back of my mind, I realized that Ella would arrive soon, but I didn’t care.
I needed my little ghost before I left her.
I needed to fill her with my cum, mark her skin with my teeth, and leave my scent all over her.
Removing the cross, I placed it on the counter next to Holland. I lifted her and set her feet on the floor, then flipped her around and bent her over, pinning her cheek to the counter. Her legs parted, her wet cunt begging for me to bury myself in her.
I ran my fingers over her soaked slit, then eased two inside her before I curled them, hitting her sweet spot.
“Fuck me.”
“Say it,” I demanded.
“Fuck me, please.”
“Who owns you? Who owns every piece of you?” I slowed my pace, waiting for her to respond.
“My monster. I will always belong to you. Every part of my soul is for you to ruin.”
“That’s it, Holland.” I removed my hand and ran my knuckles from her pussy to her asshole, spreading her juices. Lining my cock up at her cunt, I shoved inside her and then eased a finger into her ass. Her gasps filled the room as I fucked her, claiming her. All of her.
She took every inch like she was born for it, her hair in a tangled curtain across her face. I watched the curve of her back, the twist of her shoulder blades, and felt the animal inside me claw for more. Every thrust was punishment and worship, absolution and sin.
Her cunt and tight asshole clamped around me, hot, greedy, defiant.
I bent over her, teeth to her neck, biting down as I pumped my hips, reckless and unrestrained.
Holland keened, the sound muffled by her arm, and I knew she was close.
I reached around and pressed tight circles on her clit.
She bucked, nearly unseating me, but I pinned her harder.
“You’re mine,” I growled, and it came out rough. “No one else will ever touch you again.”
She nodded, trembled, “Yours. Always yours, Kip.”
She spasmed, walls fluttering, and her legs shook.
I rode her through it and didn’t let up even as she cried my name and slumped into the countertop.
I couldn’t stop, not when I was so close to falling into the same abyss.
I fucked her like she was the only thing anchoring me to the earth.
I cursed and shuddered as the tension built, and I trembled uncontrollably.
The release was overwhelming, a wave that crashed over me and left me feeling hollowed out and struggling to catch my breath.
My chest rose and fell rapidly as I lay there, spent and panting.
I collapsed over her, kissing the sweat-slickened curve of her spine. We stayed fused together, chest to back, the aftershocks rippling through us both.
I stood and eased out of Holland, and she turned toward me.
She kissed me—desperate, hungry, tasting herself on my tongue.
She bit my bottom lip, hard enough to draw blood, and I laughed into her mouth.
Pain meant she was real and not a fucking hallucination.
I loved her so fucking much it scared me.
I wanted to burrow inside her again, take up residency in her body, never let the world outside touch us again.
Her hand crept down to my cock, half-hard and sticky, and she stroked me back to life with lazy pulls.
I moaned as she hopped onto the edge of the counter and guided me back into her.
We moved together, slow now, a dance instead of a battle.
She wrapped her arms around my neck, pressed her forehead to mine.
She was trembling, still coming down, but her eyes never left mine.
“My monster,” she whispered.
I nodded. “Always.”
There was a sound in the hallway—the front door opening, then Ella called into the house. “Holland? Kip?”
Holland smiled, unfazed, and kept riding me, never looking away. We finished together, silent and secret, a truce in the ruins of the kitchen. When she climbed off me, she pulled up her pants but left the cross on the counter, smeared with both of us. She looked back, tossed her hair, and smirked.
“Hey, Ella. We’ll be out in a minute.”
“Take your time,” Ella responded, a hint of laughter in her voice.
We hurried to the bathroom to clean up before we saw our friend.
“You’ll be in good hands,” I said before brushing my teeth with the extra toothbrush I’d found in one of the drawers.
“Let me know about your mother.”
After we freshened up, I kissed her. We headed to the living room, where Ella had made herself comfortable on the couch.
“I need to run. Holland can fill you in.” I kissed Holland one more time. “Thanks, Ella. I owe you one.”
“No, you don’t. We’re family. Go take care of business.” She smiled at me.
I nodded once before I turned to leave.
Holland grounded me. Calmed the monster. And now I was walking away with blood on my hands and fire in my chest—because we all knew the Pied Piper was out there. Watching. Waiting. And if he made his move while I was gone? I’d sacrifice every last piece of myself if it meant she’d come home again.
I returned to the kitchen and picked up the cross. I debated washing Holland’s mark off it, but I didn’t. Instead, I reattached the necklace, the heavy metal kissing my chest—still warm from her, like a brand. A warning. A prayer.
Let the next monster come. I was fucking ready.