Chapter 47
Horatio
Horatio was at the bottom of a well with his brain floating somewhere high above him, like a helium balloon on a string. He tried to grab that string, but his arms wouldn’t move. Something flapped against his face—a hand, maybe. Curious, he tried to pry his lids open, but they wouldn’t budge.
“Wake up, slut.”
“Gregorio,” Horatio slurred, certain it was his brother, “you taped my eyes closed again. Not cool. Imma tell mom.”
Phantom fingers pried one of his eyes open. Although the image was fuzzy, he saw a demon staring back. Why was Gregorio wearing a mask? And expensive cologne?
“Is it Halloween?” Vague memories tripped through his head: ringing doorbells, a pillowcase bulging with candy, adjusting his mask while his sister Penny shrieked, “Dad, don’t let him be Batman again!
The neighbors already think he’s nuts.” But he wore the same costume every year anyway because fuck the neighbors.
“Fun to know a little sedative can take down the mighty Guitar Slayer. You’re weaker than you look. Maybe that’s why Snake Vinter dropped you like a hot rock.”
That voice. That whiny, grating voice.
Horatio’s eyes snapped open. There really was a mostly nude demon kneeling at his side, perched back on his heels, as if waiting. This one wore black contact lenses and a wide leather strap across his nipples that matched his hair.
Meridian.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
“Why the hell am I here?” Horatio blinked. “With you?”
“You don’t seem happy to see me, and that makes me really, really sad,” Meridian drew an imaginary tear down one cheek of his horned devil mask. “Boo hoo.”
Horatio’s mind scrambled through the plan, but ten seconds in, he realized they never added a Meridian clause. No one even considered the freak would make an appearance, let alone drug him and tie him up in his sex dungeon.
“What’s your plan, weirdo?”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
Lifting his head, he found himself dressed but bound spread-eagle on a padded platform. Adult toys of all sorts were displayed on mirrored shelves, and… was that a sex swing hanging in the corner? Horatio sucked in air when he remembered Sugar describing this same room.
Why the hell didn’t the prophecy save me from this?
“If you touch me, Meridian, I’ll rip your face clean off!”
His giggle had an evil edge. “Says the man who’s at my mercy.”
Horatio wriggled against the ropes to test them, surprised they had a little give. If he worked at them, he could probably get free, but then what? Meridian would sic his Reptilian goons on him, and he’d never get to Komodo. Or Juno.
“Struggle all you want, but you won’t get away from me this time.”
“Come on, Meridian. You and I both know I’m destined to kill you. Do you think your little rope play is going to stop fate?”
It was impossible to read his expression through the mask, but Horatio noticed a slight flinch before he turned his face away.
“No one can kill me,” he mumbled, barely audible.
“What? It’s hard to hear you around that stupid mask.”
“You’re the one who’s stupid. And helpless. Some rock god you are.” Meridian stared through his black contact lenses, giving nothing away. “I have to say, this is exactly how I envisioned our first meeting, with you on your back, looking absolutely tragic.”
“That’s funny. I always thought our first face-to-face would include more of you sucking my dick.” Horatio rolled his hips. “Get started.”
“The only one who will be doing any sucking is you. Actually, you’re already doing that right now. Sucking—at life.”
“You can’t get a guy up here unless he’s comatose, so who’s sucking at life?”
“I only drugged you so your high-pitched wailing wouldn’t frighten any castle guests. And last I checked, my playtime waiting list had a thousand names on it.”
Meridian unfolded those endless legs—ghostly pale—capped with clunky red boots laced to mid-calf. He had the lean muscle of a ballet dancer, but the skin tone of someone who’d been raised in the basement of a mushroom farm.
“Right. You’re a Dom-for-hire. How much does that gig pay?”
“Not for money, you simple bitch.” He tossed his hair off one shoulder. “I do it because I enjoy breaking men.”
“Keep telling yourself that, Red. But I know what you really want.”
“Your severed head on a plate?” He snarled.
“To be owned by a big cock. Hard and often.”
Meridian shrank back as if burned.
“You are—ugh—so absolutely… tedious!” He stood, graceless and wobbling. “You don’t know me.” He patted his chest. “Men drop to their knees and beg for a single slap of my hand. I’ve fucked barons and kings. Princes and presidents—”
“With that?” Meridian’s dick hung limp, like it had given up on life ages ago.
“I’m a grow-er, not a show-er. Maybe if you lived up to your hype, I’d be hard.”
“Climb aboard and take a ride.” Horatio wriggled his hips. “I’ll get you so hard you’ll be able to drill through a brick wall.”
He stared, stroking his collarbone, leaning in just a little. “I told you, I’m a top. Not a bottom. Besides, you’re not my type. I prefer men from royal bloodlines.”
“Tell your body that. Because right now, you’re acting like one of my lovesick fans. Licking your lips, batting your lashes, I’ve seen this act a thousand times.”
“Full of yourself much?”
“I’m pretty sure you want to be full of me.” He shot Meridian his most seductive look, the one that even worked on Suki. "First, you’ll want me to fuck your mouth. Bet you like your hair pulled while you deep-throat a dick, too. And of course, you swallow.”
Meridian tried to hide his trembling bottom lip behind his teeth.
Horatio tipped his head to the side. “How do you like to get fucked? On your back with your legs in the air? Or bent over something solid and held down with a strong hand?”
The way he gasped—eyes as big as dinner plates, glossed lips in a wide O—was almost comedic. “You are absolutely… revolting!” He stomped to the door, lush red tail swishing in time with his hips.
“Running away so soon? You must be terrified of me.”
As Meridian turned back to look at him, Horatio noticed a fat bead of precum dangling from the tip of his cock.
“I just need a break from your… stupid face. But I’ll be back. Slut!”
The door slammed behind him.
Head swimming from the sedative, Horatio managed to pull both hands free, but when he sat up, the room spun, and he tasted metal. The ropes at his ankles were tight. He wasted a full five minutes before remembering his voice.
He sang a little Dio under his breath, and the knots tore like paper. “Fuck yeah.”
Limbs unsteady, he crawled to the sex toy display and found four leather restraints that he tucked inside his jumpsuit.
Using a spreader bar hanging from the ceiling, he pulled himself upright.
He shuffled forward, eyes focused on the door.
This was his only chance, and if he failed, the mission was over.
And maybe his life.
One step became two, then three. Beyond the walls, the stomp of boots drew closer. Just as the door creaked open, Horatio tucked himself behind it.
“What the fuck?” Meridian paused at the empty platform.
Horatio grabbed him from behind. “Couldn’t stay away from me, huh?”
“Let go of me!”
Fueled by pure adrenaline, Horatio dragged Meridian to the platform and wrestled him down. The redhead put up a good fight, but his slender muscles were no match, and Horatio pinned him easily.
“What are you going to do to me?”
“Tie you down.” He pulled the first wrist restraint taut.
“Don’t you dare try and fuck me.”
He finished tying down Meridian’s other wrist. This close, he smelled like exotic spices and cinnamon, with just a hint of vanilla.
“Keep your dick out of my ass, pervert.”
His protests sounded more like requests, and by the time Horatio had both ankles bound, he’d stopped struggling altogether.
Breathless, Horatio sat back. “Those look much better on you.”
“Keep your hands off me.” Meridian panted. Mouth soft. Lips wet. Quivering from fear. Or something else? Either way, Sugar was right.
Meridian was fighting a war against himself.
Horatio did a plank over his body—leaving their mouths a few millimeters apart. The urge to lick the gloss off his lips was overwhelming.
Sugar’s right. We’re all turned on by this redheaded bitch.
“The weak protests aren’t fooling me, Meridian. You and I both know what you want, but I don’t take things without permission. If you want me to fuck your tight ass, you’ll have to ask. Loudly. Like you mean it.”
The desperate whimper that tore from Meridian’s throat sent chills up Horatio’s back, and in that moment, he felt sorry for him. He stood slowly, giving him a chance to respond, but he lay still. Lips clamped.
Chest heaving.
“Sleep tight, little demon,” Horatio said as he turned away.