Chapter 46
Vivian’s Point of View
Rule forty-six: When exploring your inner sex goddess, remember, Uno reverse is a power move.
The small college town where I spent the last few years of my life had a single pub. It was nothing fancy, but they had great live music and amazing fish and chips. As such, I’m not prepared for the assault on my senses when we step inside the Rusty Dagger.
The music hits me first. It’s a deep, reverberating bass that pulses through my bones.
The lights are next. It’s dark at the coat check, but further down the corridor, green strobes pierce through fog, moving with the music.
It smells like sweat, sex, and something musky.
Once we apparated back to the Beast Realm, Sin warned me that we were entering a fetish club. He explained that he might say or do things that are explicit in order to blend in, and he reminded me of our safe word.
His expression was so serious, and I couldn’t stop myself from batting my lashes and giving him the same warning.
He was still laughing when he led us inside.
Tonight’s main mission is to find the Harvester, but I’ve decided to tack on a second mission for myself. Namely, I’m going to seduce Sin.
Sure, my skills of seduction are painfully lacking, but given the way my friends got me ready, I think I can fake it till I make it.
Sarah helped with my makeup, giving me winged eyeliner and gushing about how ‘her little bookworm was finally finding her inner sex goddess.’ She also warned me not to walk by Conner while looking like this, since he’d probably cum in his pants, and then Sin would end up kicking his ass.
Arianna got my hair pin-straight, leaving it to hang loosely down my back. Rosie supplied my outfit, and after wrapping me in a thick cloak, the girls accompanied Sin and me to an apparition area. They wanted to make sure he didn’t see what I was wearing until we were in public.
I let them have their fun.
Sin could use some positive shocks in his life.
He’s holding out his hand to me now, waiting to help me with my cloak. Before he put on his mask, his eyes kept traveling back to the kitten ears on my head. He smirked every time he saw them.
Giving him a wicked look from behind my lace mask, I peel off my cloak.
I’m not sure he’s breathing as I shrug off my covering and place it lightly over his outstretched hand.
He doesn’t move.
Wait, that’s a lie. His head is moving painfully slowly, taking in every last inch of me.
The low-cut black crop top and incredibly short skirt feel like they’ve been painted onto my skin. They look like latex, but they’re charmed to feel breathable.
I’m pretty sure the underside of my ass is visible, and he lingers there for a moment, face slightly tilted to the side, before traveling down my legs to take in my black thigh-high boots.
He can’t see the daggers tucked inside my boots, but I promised him I was armed before we left the Otherworld.
Finally, he takes a breath, thanking the gentleman at the coat check as he hands him my cloak. His hand finds the exposed skin on the small of my back as he leads us deeper into the club.
Something inside me tingles. As usual, he’s wearing all black, only now he also has silver chains wrapped around his wrists. Initially, I thought that was the extent of his outfit, but just before we entered the club, he slipped on the mask.
My heartbeat has been going haywire ever since.
It’s black, with glowing red X’s for eyes and a glowing, creepy red smile.
He leans over to whisper in my ear, and the cold plastic brushes over my temple. “Did you want me to kill every creature who looks at you tonight? Because I’d be perfectly happy to do that, especially if it means I get you alone.”
My indrawn breath hitches, but I manage to remember my seduction plan. Striding forward, I look over my shoulder with a smirk. “Who says you need me alone for what you want to do to me?”
Am I bluffing?
Yes.
But Sin already said he isn’t going to fuck me, so why not?
He lets out a low growl as he prowls toward me, and his hand bands across my stomach just as the hallway opens to a massive club.
I freeze, trying to take it all in. Green lights shimmer across thousands of threads in the ceiling.
Long silk ropes dangle, and above us, people hang from them, dancing erotically.
A few look a bit human, while some are completely…
other. One man is covered in glittering rainbow scales, and his long reptilian tail helps to balance him as he does the splits.
He’s completely naked.
Oh boy.
“New patrons,” someone calls from above us.
Looking up, I lock eyes with a woman. She’s upside down, and I watch as she uses a dangling thread to approach us.
“Welcome to my humble establishment.” All eight of her dark eyes take us in, gleaming with curiosity – or maybe hunger.
“We cater to all manners of desire here at the Rusty Dagger, so please, don’t be shy, and tell me what you’re here for,” she says, and I wonder if this is some kind of screening, done for all new patrons, or if there’s something about Sin and me that is setting off alarm bells.
I’m crossing my fingers for option A.
Sin’s hand brushes against my neck, sensually caressing me. I’m not acting when I immediately close my eyes and lean back into him, craving more.
He strokes my throat before his touch is replaced by soft fabric. There’s a click, and my eyes flutter open.
He’s in front of me now, his masked face tilted and unmoving. He’s utterly fixated on me.
My heart kicks up a notch, and the light reflects against something in his hand. He’s holding one of the chains from his wrist, and the other end is attached to something around my neck.
My eyes flare.
A collar.
That sonofabitch actually managed to get me in a collar.
He watches me for another moment, no doubt taking in the fire in my eyes. Even though I can’t see his face, I’m certain he’s grinning.
“A VIP booth, top floor. I have a little kitten who likes to watch,” he finally answers, holding out a satchel. “This should cover our visit.”
The woman’s eyes light up, and she shifts. One of her arms takes the bag.
One of four human-looking arms.
She also has four human-looking legs.
Spider shifter.
She’s a spider shifter who’s hanging out partially shifted.
Don’t freak out. It’s not okay to be afraid of people because of how they look.
“Of course, the stairwell is across the dance floor, and I’ll be sure to alert our security of your arrival. Please have a delicious stay.” She starts back toward the ceiling, and her back legs bend at impossible angles as she climbs.
Terrifying.
Sin pulls me closer. “Told you I’d get you in a collar,” he purrs.
I flush. Of course, he also came prepared to mess with me. Silly of me to assume I’d get the jump on him.
He gives a light tug on the collar, humming low. “Come on, kitten. Show me how well you walk on a leash.”
There’s a playful challenge in his tone, and it beckons me. If he’s here to play, then I’m going to win.
Sweat-drenched bodies dance around us as Sin leads us through the room. But instead of meekly following, I stride past him, running my fingers along the length of the chain.
My hips feel fluid, swaying to the beat of the music. Committed, I ignore the heat in my cheeks and wrap my fingers around the metal, using it to lead him.
There’s a slight resistance when Sin doesn’t immediately follow. Looking back, I give him a wicked smile and tug on the leash as if to ask, ‘you coming?’
That seems to snap him out of whatever trance he was stuck in, and he follows.
Only now, it feels like a predator is stalking me.
Accurate, really.
Still, his response helps dampen any lingering self-doubt, and I pause when we reach the center of the dance floor. His body is immediately flush against mine, and his hands come to my hips.
I grind back into him, feeling his thickness press against my ass. Tilting my head back, I all but purr, “Who’s wearing the leash again?”
At his sharp inhale, I step out of his grasp, tugging on the leash again. I giggle as we continue.
I’m pretty sure I’ve found my inner sex goddess.
“You’re playing a dangerous game, kitten.” His whisper rumbles over me as we reach security at the bottom of the stairs.
The guard immediately opens the ribbon, nodding deferentially. “Lounge seven has been prepared for you.”
Continuing up the stairs, I turn to grin at him. He’s a step below me, leaving us eye to eye. “Why would this be dangerous?” I ask innocently, brushing my fingers down his exposed neck.
He growls, catching my fingers, and in one fluid motion, he spins me so that my back hits his chest. My hands are locked in his, and goosebumps break out over my body when I hear his dark chuckle against my ear.
“Go ahead. Keep teasing, sweetness. It’s only going to make it that much better when you’re begging me to let you come. ”
Heat shoots to my core, and I forget how to breathe.
He lets me go just long enough to spin me back, only to hook an arm around my thighs. In the next heartbeat, he lifts me over his shoulder, slapping my ass once. His hand settles at the junction of my ass and thighs, shielding what my skirt doesn’t cover.
I giggle. “This isn’t very sex club behavior.”
Sin’s voice is as rough as gravel. “Kitten, if I look at your ass for another second, I’m going to bend you over these stairs and fuck it, and then I’ll have to kill everyone here for watching.”
He strides through the upstairs hallway, only putting me down when he reaches the door for lounge seven.
My mouth goes dry as I take in the space. The entire room is black, save for a red velvet wall that’s covered in an assortment of whips and other toys. Black leather couches line the walls, and the far side of the room opens to a balcony overlooking the dancefloor.
Sin shuts the door behind us, and I clear my throat. “We should try and spot our target,” I note, ignoring the wall of sex and walking over to the balcony.