8. Stiff as a Board
Leni
It’d been a couple days now since I’d taken Archer to my place, and we’d already settled into a rhythm.
We hadn’t completed our bond yet. But, the need to do so was building. The want was tangible between us, and I knew he felt it too. The pressure to make him mine.
I’d lost track of the number of times we’d had sex. I couldn’t keep my claws off him. We’d finally emerged for an early dinner, both starved for a hot meal. The food was perfect, and between the two of us, we ate a lot.
Of course, at some point Archer would probably want to go home and get more clothing . . . Maybe I’d go with him. Maybe we could go shopping together. Maybe I’d even stop by Creature Cafe and thank the Barista.
It was amusing now, given how disgruntled he’d been to see me. As if I were the only monster who’d ever shown up on his doorstep and demanded my mate.
It was interesting though, how suddenly I’d known. I’d woken up one morning a little over a week ago and every single part of me demanded I find the Barista to set me up with my mate.
The Barista had been around for thousands of years, matching generations of monsters and humans.
I was old enough to remember that part of the reason he’d started doing it was because he wanted to spite his ex and use his powers for more than taking souls to other realms. Being a grim reaper sounded exhausting to me.
I was happy fate had not given me that role in life.
“Here’s your water, Mistress,” Archer said, setting a full glass in front of me on the table. “Please drink all of it.”
Well, I couldn’t argue with that. After the amount of times I’d come in the last few hours, I needed to stay hydrated. Plus, we’d been on the beach for a few hours today, so that had drained us both.
I took a sip as Archer gathered all our plates and started doing dishes.
I raised a brow as he started humming to himself.
I’d never considered how wonderful it would be to have a house husband until this moment.
After he’d grilled us steaks and made a delicious chopped salad and fresh focaccia, I was ready to pounce.
“I feel like you should be naked in an apron while doing this,” I chuckled.
He wiggled his naked butt at me. “We could make that happen. Collared, in an apron, naked and needy.”
“Naked and doing dishes, you mean.”
“Naked and pleasing you.”
“That’s the same thing.”
Archer chuckled. “Really, I think you could take more advantage of me.” He glanced over his shoulder, his smirk sending butterflies through me again.
I got them almost every time he looked at me now, and then wondered how much longer we were supposed to wait before mating.
“You could have me do your laundry and wash you in the bath and . . .”
“Be my footstool.”
“Yeah,” he said, his cheeks turning red. “You could have me do whatever you want, Mistress.”
There it was again. The air simmered between us as I drained my glass, and the scent of his heat hit me with full force.
“Archer,” I whispered. “Are you ever going to get sick of me?”
“No,” he said immediately. “Never.”
He said it with such conviction, and I . . . I believed him. I swallowed hard and stood up, rolling my shoulders. Archer blushed as I caged his body in my arms, my hands planting on the counter to either side of him. His breath caught and he dropped the sponge.
“Finish the dishes, little demon,” I whispered in his ear.
“Yes, Mistress,” he rasped, fumbling to pick it up.
I stayed just like that, allowing my tail to slip around his hip. I dragged the tip over his growing bulge, enjoying the way the dishes clattered together as he clumsily cleaned them.
“Hurry up,” I chided.
“Yes, Mistress,” he groaned.
I almost rolled my eyes at him, but only because he was so easy to tease. I grabbed the drying towel from my oven handle right as he finished the last one and put it in his hands. His cheeks were scarlet now as he dried them and placed them neatly to the side.
The moment he put the towel down, I wrapped one arm around him and threw him over my shoulder. He gasped as he draped over me, his muscles going limp. I smirked. I loved the way he let me throw him around like this. That made me wet. His complete trust and submission.
I carried him to my bedroom and went to my armoire, opening it up and letting out a hum as he dangled over me. I could feel his hard cock pressing against my shoulder, the scent of his pre-cum making my mouth water.
So many options for how to fuck my little slut.
Archer let out a low whimper, and I knew the anticipation was killing him.
But I took my time as I picked out a collar and a leash, eyeing my strap-on.
I definitely wanted to fuck him again, but we’d start with the collar and see where we went from there.
I finally put him down on his knees, tipping his chin up. Archer stared up at me as if I were the center of his universe, and I reveled in feeling like I truly was.
“Stay just like that,” I whispered.
“I’m not going anywhere.” His eyes were dark, almost completely black, his pupils swallowing up his irises. He dragged the tip of his tongue over his bottom lip as I held up the collar. “I want it.”
“I know you do.”
I put the leather collar around his neck, buckling it slowly. He continued to look up at me with pure adoration in his eyes, his scent begging me for touch. I couldn’t help but steal a kiss before stepping back. I picked up the leash I had and attached it to the collar, giving him a tug.
He fell forward a little, his cock bobbing as he landed on all fours.
“Mistress,” he whined.
“What?” I asked. “Don’t tell me you’re already so needy. Just how pathetic are you?”
“The most pathetic, Mistress,” he whispered, leaning down to kiss the ground right in front of me.
Fuck. The act of pure submission made my mind short-circuit. I pulled his leash, dragging his face to my lap. He rested his chin on my knee, his big brown eyes looking up at me.
He was in a full sub state, and it was beautiful.
“Look at you,” I mumbled. “You’re so perfect like this, on your knees for me. I love the way you look when you’re submissive.”
He shivered as my praise showered over him.
Gods, he was perfect. Maybe it was finally time we mated.
I’d been thinking about it nonstop—wondering if he wanted it as badly as I did, if he would accept me as his mate so quickly. Was rushing into something like this such a terrible idea?
I tightened my grip on his leash, giving him a gentle tug.
But then the hair on the back of my neck stood up.
You’ve got to be kidding me.
My head whipped up, a low growl leaving me.
Someone else was on my island.
I felt the ripple through the barriers and hissed. Who the fuck had the audacity to show up unannounced? How the hell did they even know where I was? What did they want?
“What’s wrong?” Archer asked.
“Someone is here,” I hissed. “Get dressed.”
“Damn it,” he groaned. “I’m going to kill whoever it is.”
“You’ll have to beat me to it.”
I pulled on my clothing and then grabbed his leash, leading him through the house as he dragged on his shorts, buttoning them right as we entered the living room.
Oh gods.
I caught a scent I hadn’t smelled in a long time and sighed, trying to put a cap on my rage before it poured out. This was going to either be good for Archer or I was going to leave him with just one father.
“Archer,” I said. “Did you tell your family where you were?”
“What? No.”
“Did you tell them you were safe?”
He hesitated. “I haven’t even texted anyone . . . We’ve been so preoccupied.”
The door rattled with three knocks, a voice calling out.
“Eleni—do you have my child? Where is my son? I know you’re in there.”
Archer paled. “Oh, you’ve got to be fucking joking me right now.”
“Not a joke,” I growled, stalking to the front door.
I unlocked it angrily and the door flew open.
Dante, Archer’s demon father, stood on the other side.