Chapter 39 The Favour
“Have a good day at work, Red. I’ll be sure to look at these pictures over…and over… and over...and over...”
I roll my eyes and try to ignore the shiver scattering over me at the very thought of Sai looking at those pictures of me, at him aching with need, desperate to touch...
Squeezing my eyes tightly, I remind myself why I came to get my phone in the first place.
“I have my request.”
I hit send instantly, refusing to give myself time to think it over. I’ve just perched myself onto the edge of a large, narrow unit which contains two bronze sinks when my phone flashes.
“I’m all yours, Red.”
I smirk, then quickly force it away and begin tapping my fingers upon the screen.
“I need you to convince Ezekial to let Kacey, and me, inside the dragon’s cage so she can feed him.”
When I re-read the sent message, I chew my cheek as I realise just how insane it actually sounds.
It seems Sai agrees because his self-composed nickname is suddenly flashing upon the screen.
I take a deep breath and remind myself that this is for Kacey before clicking ‘accept’.
“What the fuck did I just read?”
And exhale.
“You said I could ask for anything, that’s what I need,” I respond, keeping my voice casual, as though this was a simple, mundane request.
“Ah, you see, I was thinking more along the lines of multiple orgasms again, not putting you and Kace in a cage with a fucking dragon, Red.”
My cheeks instantly heat when he says ‘orgasms’, he doesn’t even say it in a dirty way but everything sounds dirty when it falls from Sai’s lips .
But then the heat turns into something deeper, something sour. Jealousy. Kace .
She has a nickname . Sai has given her a nickname.
“It’s not happening, Red.”
I take a very slow, steady breath. “You said anything. This is what I want, Sai.”
I hear him mutter a string of curses down the line, it sounds like he’s walking and seems to pull the phone away from his face for a moment too. I patiently wait, my heart aching when I see Kacey stroking the glass.
“Maybe, and I mean maybe, I could convince him to let Kace in.” My teeth grind over the nickname, my power lashing out inside of me. “But there’s no way in hell he’ll let you go in.”
“You said…” My tone is too defensive, angry, and I know this won’t work. This isn’t how Sai works. I close my eyes and indulge the calmer emotions trickling into me. “You’re failing to complete our arrangement.”
There’s a soft chuckle before he speaks again, “Looks that way.”
I bite my tongue, considering how to play the next part. “Well, in that case, if you’re not able to fulfil my needs , there’s no reason for us to continue this or any future discussions. If I need any further assistance, I know to seek it elsewhere.”
A lick of electricity runs up and down my spine, crackles erupting over my skin in teasing nips of pleasure. I have to grip the table edge due to the heat rushing through my veins. I’m just catching my breath when Sai finally responds.
“Baby, I’m on a job right now and when you’re speaking to me like that , you’re making it extremely difficult to concentrate,” he practically purrs the words and the deep sound runs all over me. “Can I not persuade you to consider an alternative option, one which would be beneficial to both parties?”
The dark, teasing tone of his voice calls to my power which pulses wildly, it causes another hum to rush over me. I wait for the sensation to fade out, steadying my breathing, before responding.
“If you could feel what I can feel right now, you’d know why I want to help,” I urge, swallowing after hearing the slight rasp of my voice. “The dragon won’t eat and I know it’s because he doesn’t trust anyone. I can feel his fear, his uncertainty, even through the cage walls. If it doesn’t eat soon, the dragon will die and I hate to think what that will do to Kacey.”
I pause, wait to see if he has another sarcastic response, before glancing over at the pair again.
“There’s something more here, Sai. I can’t explain it, but there’s almost a bond between them.”
“A bond? Between Kace and a dragon?” I can immediately envision the scepticism covering Sai’s face and his half-laugh only confirms it.
An irritated growl slips from my lips. “Forget it.”
I’m about to hang up when he interjects, “Wait, Red.”
I chew my lip, feeling the tight ache in my jaw, but I do as he says.
“After our call, send Zeek a text about the dragon. I suggest you word what you just said to me in a tad more... sensitive manner.” He chuckles softly before continuing. “Then give me a couple of hours. It won’t just be Zeek I’ll have to convince. You’re asking for an awful lot here and I can’t promise anything but I’ll try. For you, Red. How does that sound?”
I sigh. “It sounds like a long-winded way of saying ‘no’.”
His loud laughter is so contagious that my power buzzes in delight as the sound rushes over me. A small smile passes my lips safely with the knowledge he can’t see it.
“ Fuck , Red, what are you doing to me?” The deep, sensual tone of his voice makes my smile drop. This sudden switch has my skin erupting into tingles and I bite the inside of my cheek. “I can’t stop thinking about you, about us .”
I squirm upon the metal table, pushing myself back so I can lean against the wall and tilt my head back, trying to physically push down the erotic images that flood my mind, ones of Sai and I bathed in his markings’ light.
“It can’t happen again,” I whisper, the sound isn’t nearly as stern as I needed it to be and I silently curse myself for it. “We both know it can’t. I need to go, Kacey’s—”
He tuts disapprovingly and the sound somehow makes my entire body heat. “You’re underestimating me, Red. You should never do that. Go somewhere quieter, where no one can hear but you.”
"Why?"
"Do it, Red."
I quickly glance over at Kacey who is still completely enamoured by the dragon, wondering if I should just end the call now.
I’d gotten what I’d wanted, hadn’t I ?
Instead, I drop down from the counter and begin making my way to the hallway we first entered, surrounded by narrow walls, the glass doors to my back.
“OK, now what?”
When Sai’s voice drops another octave lower, I realise, too late, that I should have hung up. “If I was there, right now, you think I wouldn’t be touching you?” he murmurs sinfully and I know my eyes have darkened. “You think I wouldn’t have you backed up against a wall with my hands under that tight, little skirt?”
“Sai…” I warn but my voice is soft, heated. I lean against the wall for support.
“That’s exactly what you’d be saying in soft, hushed pleas.” There’s a rumble lacing his tone now, his darkness tinging each word. “I’d take my time, kissing every single inch of smooth, bare skin, hitching up your skirt whilst you beg me to stop, telling me we shouldn’t , we can’t . Do you know how hard that makes me? When you pretend you don’t want it but your entire body screams at me to take you?”
This is too much, this is completely inappropriate, this is… the hottest thing I’ve ever had anyone say to me and I clench my thighs as I envision everything.
“You’re imagining it now, aren’t you, baby? You’re listening so well. Do you want me to reward you for being such a good girl?” he purrs, voice rumbling, dripping with need and hidden promises. I can’t stop the whine that leaves my lips, its barely audible, but he hears it. “That’s it baby, that’s a good fucking girl, you’re so responsive to just my voice. Let me come to you, let me come take care of you, baby.”
“You’re fucking insane.” I grip the phone so hard the plastic casing creaks.
“I’d be on my knees,” he continues, completely ignoring my lacklustre insult and I hang onto every single word like the sick fuck I am. “You’d be gripping my hair, begging me to stop as my tongue runs up your thigh. You know I’d make you wait, Red. Like now. I’d be so close but I’d barely touch you, watching you shake with need, battling yourself, like right now.”
“Why are you doing this?” I practically cry, because I am shaking with need because, somehow, he has a power over me without even being here and the urge to beg him to come to me is becoming harder to fight .
“I’m just giving you a taste of what you do to me,” he growls, the sound so feral, filled with desire and frustration, and so unlike Sai it makes my heart pound even harder. “Those pictures. Your voice. The way you speak to me. The sounds you make. How your body feels beneath my hands. Fuck, even work can’t distract me.”
I take a shuddering breath, closing my eyes as I think about his words. “I shouldn’t have sent those pictures, I’m blurring the lines, we—”
His dark chuckle slices through me and, somehow, his power dances over my entire body, making every nerve alight with heat and pleasure.
I bite my lip and sink back into the wall, forcibly stopping any sounds from escaping as he continues his onslaught.
“There’s no lines to blur, Red. The line was fucking eradicated the second I laid eyes on you.”
Whether those words were the truth or not, they were pretty words indeed. Ones that had me questioning my morals, loyalty and obligations in one fast flash of heated desire as the image of our first meeting flickers through my mind.
“Help me! Please, please, someone help me!” A distant cry echoes from the phone and my desire is immediately fractured.
“Sai, what was that?” I calmly ask, feeling anything but calm, as I push the phone closer to my ear like I’d be able to hear more.
Instead of responding, I hear movement, something being dragged, muffled and a large clang of something heavy accompanied by silence.
“What was what, Red?” The fake innocence tinging his voice, like a child being caught trapping a spider, would have made me laugh in any other circumstance.
“Where you… are you with someone, right now? Whilst on the phone with me?”
“Well, I did tell you I was at work.”
I grit my teeth and lower my voice to a hiss. “I can’t believe you’ve just said all of those things with someone there!”
“ Baby , don't be mad. He’d passed out before I called you. I thought the fucker would be out cold for a while but, alas, it seems he can’t get enough of me.” He dramatically sighs before I hear a loud crackling followed by a muffled scream. “You know I’ll share, Red, but I’m very select. If I thought this heap of shit had even heard a gasp from you, I’d implode him. Instantly.”
Why did that make my heart flutter and stomach swirl?
Was there something innately wrong with me?
The thought of Sai killing someone for hearing me breathe had my power pulsing and flaring with pure excitement.
“And if it gets me more points in your favour, I’m doing this for you.” Sai’s voice dips back into a huskier, darker tone.
I frown, my anger from Sai’s public dirty talksuddenly twisting with curiosity and pleasure at torture being inflicted for my behalf.
“For me?” My voice has lowered, my eyes darken and my spine begins to heat.
“It’s all for you, baby,” he murmurs, he sounds enraptured too, as though he somehow knows I’m enjoying this new power dynamic at play.
“Jasmine?” Kacey yells from the main room.
Hearing her voice helps to clear the haze again and I quickly readjust my skirt and straighten my blouse, ensuring everything is in order.
“Just finishing on the phone!” I call back. “I need to go but I look forward to you trying and failing to fulfil your end of the agreement,” I mutter to Sai as I round the corner and give Kacey a small smile. She’s still at the cage but she’s turned to face me.
His chuckle sends a crackle over my spine. “Tell me I’m in the lead, at least.”
“In the lead?”
“I mean, I already know who’s at the bottom, like rock bottom, pit style bottom.”
I arch a brow and point at the phone, shaking my head to indicate to Kacey whoever I’m on the phone with is crazy. Her lips flicker at that.
“You seriously think I’ve got some type of rating system in place?”
“If you don’t, you should, we love a good competition. And I should be right at the top.” I can hear his smirk and I imagine the flare of his intense gaze as he speaks with utter confidence.
“Get me and Kacey into the cage, and we’ll see.” Kacey’s eyes light up with this, she steps off the stool and starts taking quick steps towards me.
“Can I remind you there’s always a prize for first place?” he adds, the teasing lilt making me smile which only makes Kacey’s violet gaze brighten. “And seeing as you’re so good at surprises, Red, I’m eager to win this. ”
“Uh huh. Well, we’ll see. Bye.” I end the call before he can say anything that would have me blushing in front of Kacey.
She doesn’t waste any time bombarding me with questions, her eagerness and excitement soothe the initial worry drenching her. But when my stomach grumbles in between her happy interrogation, her mouth pops open and her delicate brows shoot up.
“I forgot about lunch,” she says, worry spikes into the positive emotions floating between us. She nibbles her lip, rubbing it back and forth between her teeth until the worry becomes something deeper. “I knew you were coming, they told me over and over, and I still forgot!”
“It’s fine, I forgot too.” I smile reassuringly. “But I know where the canteen is so I’ll just go and—”
“You don’t need to go!” she squeaks, the loud sound making herself flinch. “We could… we could just share my sandwich, it’s not exactly big but we can add some of the veggies to it or even make a salad, I just don’t have any dressing so I guess it would be quite a dry salad…”
I allow Kacey to ramble for a little, watching her expression become sterner and sterner as fear begins to dip into the air.
“Kacey, seriously it’s fine. Ezekial showed me the canteen on the way over here, it’s not far. I can go there, it’s not a problem,” I explain, hoping to ease her panic but seemingly adding to it when her mouth drops open in shock. “Or is it a problem?”
She considers my words for a moment, her mouth closing. “No, no, sorry.” She shakes her head slightly, and I note the harsh, red mark staining her lip making my skin sting with concern. “I forget sometimes, sorry.”
I frown. “Forget what?”
She inhales through her nose, briefly closes her eyes and plays with the fingers of her gloves before finally settling her gaze with mine.
“I don’t like the outside. I don’t like leaving the atrium. I come here early and I stay late. Recently, I’ve been sleeping here because… well, I do anything I can do to avoid… everyone… anyone. The thought of being around so many people, being so close.” She pauses, her gaze glassing over in thought. “I just forget normal people aren’t like me.”
I study Kacey’s nervous ticks as she continues to pull at her gloves.
“You are normal, Kacey.” She instantly scoffs at my words and she suddenly reminds me of someone else. “My friend Lou, she’s a little like you.” Kacey looks intrigued now. “Work is— was her safe space. She has a very difficult relationship with her family, strong cultural expectations and societal roles, things Lou doesn’t really fit into. She’s also not a big fan of people, her brother says she never has been, and it took her the longest to warm up to me.”
I huff in remembrance of the harsh words she spouted during our first week together, a sad smile forming as I imagine the murderous expressions Lou used to greet me with.
What I’d give to just see her now, even if I had to relive those days again. She was a glacier that only began to thaw after watching me for three years, three years of her silent stares and sporadic outbursts. Now, she was like my little sister.
“Jasmine?” Kacey’s soft voice pulls me back.
“Sorry, can I ask why you don’t like to leave?”
She sighs. “You know people don’t like me, right? Like, they hate me. You must know that?”
The way Kacey speaks implies I was an idiot, as though it was the most obvious fact in all the realms. As though it was information parents told their children as soon as they could understand it.
I simply shake my head, watching Kacey’s expression soften before the hardness returns.
“You said you didn’t know much about necromancers, right? Well, I’ll give you the quick notes. We have a pretty bad reputation. Normally, people are either terrified of us or they hate us. You know there’s only dark necromancers, none of us come from the Light?”
I raise my brows to indicate my surprise, thankfully, it encourages her to continue but her eyes drop to the ground.
“So, there’s that, but also… people specifically don’t like me . Sometimes, I get nervous. I have a thing about being touched and if someone gets just to close… well, when that happens… people get scared.” Her eyes gain that glassy appearance once more as she stares past me. “The last time I went out there.” She nods her head in the general direction of the exit. “There were so many whisperings… so many whispers and so many people, it felt like they were screaming at me. I tried to go back to the atrium but people kept crowding me and I couldn’t breathe and, well, when I get scared, I—I can’t… I mean…”
“You lose control,” I say softly, pushing the mutual sensation between us, gently coaxing her to see I understood without saying it aloud .
Her eyes shoot up to mine, remembering my presence and seeing the understanding and acceptance in my gaze. She simply nods.
“Ever since then, when Ezekial had to flit in and practically paralyse the mob, people hated me a lot more and I just can’t…”
I want to place a reassuring hand upon her shoulder but I know I can’t. Her entire body is closed off, tense and the larger distance she always gave me now made sense.
“Listen, I’ll send Ezekial a message about our dragon problem, grab some food and, by the time I’m back, we’ll be preparing to get in the cage.”
I try my best to sound reassuring, adding a smile and waiting for Kacey’s fear to dissipate as I amplify every positive feeling I can claw into.
“I’m used to being around lots of people, I used to work in a club and, trust me, I know what it feels like to be hated. Nothing will happen and I’ll be back in no time. OK?”
She still seems uncertain, her purple eyes flickering frantically over me. Her body only eases when I all but remove the fear that hangs between us.
“OK,” Kacey finally replies, her soft voice tinged with concern that I quickly eat into.
“OK,” I repeat for confirmation, smirking at the number of times that small word has left our lips.
I analyse her face and emotions for any remnants of fear and when she nods her head, she turns away, returning to her spot upon the stool.
Then I amplify the positive emotions of excitement and joy once more before leaving.