25. Ace of…
Ace of…
Rumor Malefic
Spade walked me back to my room.
I kept expecting him to drop my arm and turn down a different dark hall, but he never did.
The statues turned, the paintings moved, and the grandfather clock kept quiet save for the tick, tock, tick, tock.
With a touch of baffling reluctance, I pulled my arm from his when we reached my door.
“Goodnight, Rumor,” Spade said plainly. Without waiting for my reply, he stalked back into the night. Down the dark halls I didn’t know, into a mysterious midnight.
“Goodnight,” I whispered, long after he’d gone. On wobbly knees, I entered my room and leaned against the door. At last, I let out a long, bewildered sigh, and my shoulders eased.
Bed.
I’d process this confusing day in the morning.
Just then, a light flicked on in the corner of the room. Twenty sat in a plush chair, looking up from a book. “Where have you been all night, young lady?”
“Oh, am I in trouble, daddy? You were less nosy as a cat.”
“No, just as nosy and judgmental, only quieter.”
“Well, go back to that, please and thanks.”
Twenty cleared his throat and sat down his book. Waltzing over to me with all the prowess of a feline, he assessed me with slitted eyes before dropping his nose to my shoulder and inhaling.
“Are you sniffing me?”
“You’re wearing Spade Blackthorne’s coat.”
“Yes, I am.”
“Why?”
“Because it was cold.”
Twenty arched a gray eyebrow. “Cold where ?”
“Sorry, but I’m not going to be interrogated by a cat-boy.” I huffed in annoyance, making to move to sit on the bed, but Twenty put an arm on the door above my head, pinning me in. Breath locked in my throat as my skin tingled, my gaze dropping to his full lips.
“Riot came knocking, looking for you a couple hours ago. Begging—pleading that you open the door.” Twenty lightly nuzzled the top of my hair, taking in my scent.
For some reason, the sensation made my pulse quicken and my thighs clench.
“You have Riot pining for your attention, meanwhile you smell of Spade and wear his coat.”
“Yeah, so? Maybe I have a way with the Blackthorne Boys,” I replied, my tone heavy with implications.
Twenty cocked his head in a feline way. His gray ear twitched.
“I’d say you do. However, I must caution you.
My brothers are not what they seem. They are dangerous…
and they’re concealing a great many things from you right now.
You may think you’re playing them, but they are most certainly playing you. ”
“Thanks for the advice. I’d like to go to bed now.” I made to move, but Twenty didn’t budge.
He lowered his lips, the lips I’d been staring at the entire time he spoke, and whispered roughly in my ear. “As your familiar, it is my job to protect you. To look after you, take care of you, and… provide you with everything that you need.”
“Everything?” I asked, sliding my palms down his wide, hard chest.
Twenty let out a low growl that was half man, half beast. “Everything.”
My breath was ragged, and I don’t know if it was the way Spade’s scent and magic lingered on my skin, the way knowing Riot had come looking for me that had made my heart flutter, or the sharpness of Twenty’s jaw, his slitted jade and copper eyes, and the tall strength of the shifter having me pinned against a wall … but I needed a release.
“Well.” I ran my fingers down Twenty’s rippled abdominal muscles. “Are you going to kiss me or are you going to keep fantasizing about it?”
Twenty’s slitted eyes flashed with both surprise and triumph, right before letting out a small groan.
“The possibility of this is the only reason I’m not clambering to become a beast again.
” His lips hovered over mine, the sweetness of his breath intoxicating me in the dim candlelight.
“First,” he purred. “Take this off.” He shoved Spade’s coat off my shoulders, letting it fall to the floor.
“I don’t want to smell my wretched, undeserving brother on your perfect skin. ”
He gripped my throat then, pushing my jaw up with his thumb and fingers.
Before I could react, his lips were on mine.
Twenty’s kiss was claiming and rich with desire.
My tongue searched for his, wanting his taste, but he pulled away before I could make contact.
Picking me up in one easy swoop, he carried me to the bed and laid me down.
Sitting up on my elbows, I reached behind my back, fighting to undo my corset strings, when Twenty climbed onto the bed and sat on his knees at my feet.
“No, I want you wearing this little red dress. I want to disappear beneath your skirt and know I’m tasting you in the ensemble that drove my brothers to madness tonight. ”
“That’s quite petty and evil,” I said, looking up at him through my lashes. “I love it.”
“I thought you might.” He smirked. “Now, spread your legs. I know you’re dying for it.
I can smell your need for me.” Twenty reached under my skirts and hooked his fingers around my panties, yanking them down.
Scrunching the fabric in his palm, he pressed them to his nose and inhaled. “You smell like a whore.”
I arched a brow. “You’re my familiar, right?” I parted my knees. “Serve me, then.”
“With pleasure, witch.” Lifting my dress, Twenty sank lower, his slitted eyes disappearing, leaving only his cat ears poking up over the fall of my crimson skirt. I ran my hand through his silky gray curls, my thighs trembling with anticipation.
Twenty’s grip wrapped around my hips as his heated breath landed on my wanting center.
I wiggled in amorous suspense. He chuckled darkly.
“My foolish brothers have left you so needy and neglected. For some reason, they’re trying to treat you like a lady and not the seductive little witch that you are.
” His tongue quickly swiped my slit, and I let out a gasp at the unexpected feel of it.
“Don’t worry, I’ll pick up their slack. I’ll show you why I’m better than they are.
I’ll show you why you only need me, not them. ” His tongue swiped me quickly again.
With a small moan, I sat up on my elbows. “What—what the hell was that?”
Twenty looked up, meeting my gaze with his dark and twisted stare.
“It would seem that your hex opted to keep the feline attributes you’d be most inclined to benefit from.
” He twitched his gray cat ear. “Advanced hearing, for example.” With a wink, he continued.
“Slitted eyes to see in the dark and entice you with their sinister disposition… And this…” He lowered, hovering over my nakedness.
Slowly this time, he trailed his tongue from my opening to my clit.
With a mouthful of me, he mumbled, “My sandpaper tongue—to extract every ounce of need from your exquisite body. How’s that feel? ”
My head lulled back as a moan escaped my lips. “So good. Don’t stop.”
“How could I stop?” Twenty murmured. “I’d resign to inhabiting my human form for a lifetime if I received the pleasure of eating your pussy every evening. Being a familiar isn’t so bad. I don’t know why the others complain.”
“Shut up and get to work.” I squeezed his head with my thighs.
Looking up at me with slitted eyes and a devilish smirk, he replied, “Whatever you wish, my witch. My . Witch .” His sandpaper tongue moved in rhythmic motions against my center then. Up and down, dipping inside me, teasing me with its rough, wet texture.
My release built and built. I tangled my fingers in his hair and grabbed at his pointed ears, pulling him closer.
Thrusting my hips at his lapping, I needed him, needed my familiar to give me what I wanted.
Maybe if I got this sexual energy out of my system in a controlled environment, my mind could regard Riot and Spade with clearer thoughts.
They’d each been muddling my mind, toying with my senses, and confusing my desire.
If Twenty went down on me every night… well, it could only benefit us both in every way.
Yes, I believe I quite liked having a familiar.
“Don’t stop,” I demanded, pulling his ears.
“I’m so close.” Twenty vibrated a purr against my sensitive center, nuzzling his nose into me in a gentle tease.
“Please,” I begged. “I need it so badly.”
With a small growl of desire, he obliged, picking up the pace.
His rough tongue circled my clit and plunged into my depths, inviting pleasure I’d never known before.
Arching my back, I cried out as a powerful orgasm shook through me.
Stars danced across my vision as another release followed after it, and another, and another.
Twenty didn’t stop at one, or three, his tongue kept working, extracting every bit of need from my body—like he promised he would.
After I’d had my fill, I pushed on his face, telling him to stop. “One more?” he asked. “I don’t want to leave yet.”
“Okay,” I agreed, breathless. One more orgasm? Twist my arm. Two more wrecked through me, rendering my body limp and useless.
Twenty pulled back, assessing my destroyed state. “That’s better, isn’t it? Sated, finished, just for me.”
I nodded weakly. “I could get used to that.”
“Get changed into your nightgown. I’ve got something for you.”
Normal me would argue with anything a man told me to do, just for the principle of it, but thoroughly sexed up me… Yes, sir.
Disappearing out the door, Twenty left, and I did as I was told and pulled off my gown.
Slipping on my soft nightie, I crawled into bed and pulled the blankets over my bare legs.
My body felt relaxed for the first time in ages.
For brief moments that night, I’d actually forgotten my plight.
It was exhilarating being able to forget Prism’s screams, if even for fleeting instants of short lived distraction .
Sleep beckoned me and almost pulled me under just as Twenty returned, climbing into bed with me. He placed a tray of warm sweetness on my lap. I picked up a treat. “Cookies?” I asked, delight filling my chest. “I haven’t had a cookie in so long.”
“Chocolate chip and some milk. I promised you I’d have them waiting for you tonight. I can still pull strings with the bones in the kitchen. The great thing about skeletons is they don’t talk and can’t snitch.” Twenty smiled, dunking a cookie in milk and bringing it to my mouth.
I took a moist, delicious bite. “Thank you, Twenty. For everything.”
“Like I said, it’s my pleasure. It brings me joy pleasing you, caring for you.”
“Will you stay with me while I sleep?”
“I’ll be at your feet all night.” Twenty smiled softly as I finished my treat. “Every day, I’ll keep you safe. Every night, I’ll give you what you need. You are my witch.”
After taking a sip of milk, I passed along the plate and cup. Sinking into my pillow, I felt Twenty’s presence at the end of my bed, sitting at my feet as promised. “I remember that’s where you’d sit as a cat, too. Which form do you prefer more?”
Though my eyes drifted closed, I felt his gaze on me like the warmth of candlelight. “This one, now.”
Sleep found me under the watchful gaze of my familiar. Dreams danced with nightmares as my tired mind waltzed with thoughts of the enigmatic Blackthorne brothers. Each so different from the other… each pulling me toward them in ways I never could have anticipated.
Where would I fall?
Where would I land?
Who would catch me?