Chapter 3
MALIN
The set’s hand pressed cold against my palm despite it being summer.
Out by the pool there was a stage. Industrial music blared. Six omegas danced to the beat wearing the horrible outfits that left nothing to the imagination. Cut, uncut, low hanging, tight… you could see it all.
Upon seeing the partygoers in the crowd look up at my arrival, most of whom I knew, I wasn’t happy like I should have been. My heart beat harder as if it was in the wrong place in my chest.
I needed a drink but when I turned towards the bar, friends approached.
“Malin, good to see you.”
“You made it.”
“Aren’t you hot in that getup, Malin?”
“Who’s your date?”
Bish came forward. Instead of saying hi, he quipped, “Hey, that’s one of my omegas I hired.”
I let a smile tease my lips. “Yes, he is. And thanks.”
His eyebrows came together. “What do you mean thanks?”
“You hired them. You know they take tips for special services.”
He held his hands out in surrender. “Right. Confused me for a sec. He’s not wearing the uniform I provided.” He huffed. “I thought you hated sets.”
The cold hand in mine twitched.
Bish didn’t know the whole story about why I avoided sets. The only people who did, and ever would, were Dad, Kirion and my therapist. I only actively hated one set omega. The rest were of no concern to me. Until today.
Bish went on to criticize me for my wardrobe. I had such great friends indeed. I barely heard him. My mind was already moving on to the next task at hand. Drinks.
As I led Cassius—I’d heard Klonis call him by that name—to the bar, the music stopped. I noticed the six omegas come off the stage and grab water bottles.
“Want anything?”
“Water,” came the monotone answer. Cassius wouldn’t look at me. It was ridiculous. Hadn’t I already done him a favor?
No. You did all of this for yourself.
My dragon, Malinekan, was not above being snarky with me. We’d had words in the past. But then, I’d had words with pretty much everyone in my past.
I made the bartender put a lime in the water to pretty it up. Not for Cassius. No. I did it because I could.
I dropped his hand so we could grab our drinks. “Don’t wander. You’re with me tonight.”
“I know.”
I found a couple of unoccupied lounge chairs with a low table between them. I set my drink on the table, then undressed. First the jacket. Then the turtleneck. Finally, my boots. The pants would stay.
Already I could feel the relief of the early evening breeze on my hot shoulders and chest. When I sat, Cassius stood unmoving, staring at me. When caught, his gaze shifted away.
I motioned to the other lounge with one hand. “Well? Make yourself comfortable and enjoy your water.”
Cassius sat, slowly bringing his feet up and stretching out. Here in the daylight, his hair was even more burnished, if possible, a mesmerizing molten gold. I forced myself to look away. The pool was full of alphas splashing, dunking each other, yelling and fighting over pool toys.
“You can swim if you want,” I said, glancing at Cassius’s wide-eyed look.
“No, thank you.”
“They look rough but you belong to me tonight. I wouldn’t let a single one of them touch you.”
He shook his head, staring past the pool at the expanse of lawn. By the far hedges, a group of alphas were smoking. And passing around white packets of what was probably cocaine.
I nodded at Cassius. “Interested?”
“No, sir. No more drugs, please.”
“You mentioned Klonis had spiked your drink.”
He pressed his chin to his chest and glared, saying nothing.
“That happens, then.”
His eyes lazily closed. “All the time.”
“Better than being sober in this fucked up world.” I spoke before thinking, not wanting to show any vulnerability.
“Sometimes.”
Before I allowed my mind to consider his life at Brimstone as an alpha sex toy or breeder or both, nonconsenting, I held up my glass. “My drug of choice. Maybe even too much at times.”
“What is it?”
“Vodka.” I lowered my lashes. “Highly recommended.”
His only reply was a grunt.
My mind began to consider things that I didn’t think I cared to know. Did Cassius get used often? Did he have any kids? How did all that work? Did they tie him down during his heats?
I’d avoided anything to do with sets, so my ignorance about them, the ranches, the auctions, the sex trafficking was nothing unusual. Plus, this was the first time I’d ever known my friend Bish to hire any. I didn’t swing with those crowds and preferred to play with alpha on alpha.
I grabbed my drink and downed it, then got up. “I need more of this.”
At the bar, I ordered two vodkas, one straight, one with cranberry juice.
When I returned, I saw a few alphas eyeballing Cassius, their tongues practically hanging out.
I rolled my eyes at them, causing a few snarls.
Dragons didn’t actually snarl, but in human form they made a variety of unseemly sounds.
“Here.” I handed Cassius the pink drink. “Try this.”
He took the icy glass and sniffed.
“Just a sip. Believe me. It will help.” I let out a heavy sigh as I sat back down.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw him put the lip of the glass to his mouth. The ice clinked. When the glass came away, I turned to watch. His lips were glistening pink.
“Good?”
He shrugged. At least that wasn’t a no.
The music had stopped but now it started up again. An exaggerated bass pounded through my chest and head. Like the vodka, it drowned out my thoughts. Most pleasant.
“So, your name is Malin?” The set’s voice sounded like a bell coming from deep inside me. The music nearly drowned it out.
I didn’t open my eyes. “Yep.”
“We weren’t introduced but I heard your friends call you that.”
I was such a rude bastard. I’d forgotten the etiquette part about meeting someone new. But then, Cassius hadn’t introduced himself, either.
“I heard Klonis call you Cassius,” I said. “Is that your correct name?”
“Yeah.”
I opened one eye. “There. Introductions all around.”
For a minute, all was well. Then came a sudden question.
“How much did you pay?”
Both my eyes opened. “What?”
“For me.”
“Enough.”
“Klonis never gave you an amount.”
“Don’t worry. It’s enough for the whole night.”
The music still pounded, so Cassius had to speak louder to be heard. “If it was my money would it be enough for me to go away and live the way I want?”
It was. At least to get him by for a few months. But I wasn’t going to tell him that. “You have no rights. You can’t.”
“I mean far away where no one would find me.”
“You could be chained up for even thinking that.”
He lifted his head, face scrunched up. “How am I supposed to not think it? That should be my money.”
“Well, it isn’t, angel.” I reached for my glass.
“Duh!” Cassius’ head flopped back and his arms crossed over his chest.
“If you’re going to be unpleasant, I’ll give you back to Klonis.”
“What kind of threat is that? Do you think I care? You alphas are all alike.”
What was I supposed to say to that? Things were going from unpleasant to unpleasanter, which wasn’t a word but should be.
“Don’t worry. I’m not going to give you back,” I said heatedly.
He may have been pouting, but his body visibly relaxed. The earlier fight with Klonis was going to get him punished and he knew it. He was better off with me.
Cassius was quiet again, which was good, because having to yell to be heard over the music meant others might eavesdrop. For myself, no big deal. For him? He could be in even more trouble.
“Why are you doing this?” Cassius asked. “To fuck me? I assure you you could get it cheaper and better elsewhere. Probably even free. You said you wanted your friends to be jealous. Is that really why? Is it working?”
Without a word, I got up and walked away. I didn’t look back. I went to the pool and curled my toes over the edge before giving a hop and dropping like a stone straight into the water.
For a moment, the liquid swirled and drowned out all sound. The sensory deprivation transported me to another world. For a moment, time stopped. For a moment, there was sweet and utter peace.