5. ASH & HAPRER At the Club
ASH & HAPRER: AT THE CLUB
Note: this short takes place after the events of Demon’s Heart, and includes characters and locations mentioned in that story.
HARPER
Harper and Ash said good night to Ollie and Dante and headed up to the roof of Harper’s apartment building.
Ash held the door open to the roof. “You’re excited, aren’t you?”
Harper threw an uncertain look over his shoulder. “Yeah. Is that weird?”
Ash released the door and pulled Harper close. “What you want is never weird. You know that.”
Harper relaxed into Ash’s firm embrace.
He did know that, but appreciated the reminder. Which Ash knew. His mate spoiled him in every way, and he would always be thankful Ash understood his need for reassurance.
Tonight he was doubly thankful for his mate because they were off to Rowan’s strip club. Harper was bubbling with anticipation. But he also felt a smidge guilty.
“You don’t care that I want to watch other men dance and take their clothes off?” he couldn’t help asking.
Ash smiled with so much warmth that Harper’s worry cracked and began to crumble. “Not at all, sweet. Being excited to see naked men is natural. I want you to embrace yourself without restriction. You like men, and I don’t have to be the only one who turns your head.”
“Really?” Harper was both surprised and not. Ash was deliciously possessive, but he’d never strayed into controlling or restrictive.
“Yes, really.” Ash brushed a stray strand of hair from Harper’s brow. “Put it this way: would you be upset if I find the men at the strip club attractive, or if I enjoy watching them?”
“No. I know how much you love me, and thinking someone else is hot doesn’t take anything away from us or what we have.”
“Exactly.” Ash kissed the tip of Harper’s nose. “Your excitement for tonight only makes me excited to share the experience with you. It’s hot watching you enjoy yourself.”
Harper let out a shaky laugh. “I shouldn’t have worried.”
“Worry all you want.” Ash released his wings and hauled Harper into a bridal carry. “I love taking care of you, and I promise if I ever have a problem with anything, I’ll talk to you about it. But watching men strip will never be a problem. Believe me.”
The mysterious glint in Ash’s dark eyes piqued Harper’s interest. “Why’s that?”
“The Eternal Realm isn’t a conservative place. I’ve seen men strip, fuck, and do all manner of things.”
All manner of things? A jolt skittered down Harper’s spine. “You’ve seen people have sex, like you watched rather than participated?”
Ash’s eyes flashed. “Yes, there’s a certain pleasure in watching.” He paused. “We’ve never talked about my past like this. Do you want to?”
Harper nodded, his grip tightening on Ash’s nape. “It’s exciting.”
Ash’s brow furrowed. “You don’t feel jealous.” It was a statement, not a question.
This was one of those times the mate bond came in handy. Even earlier, Harper knew Ash hadn’t minded going to the club. The bond would have given away if he had. It was Harper’s own insecurity causing him worry.
“I’m not jealous that you have more experience than me.
I mean, I doubt I’d be totally comfortable hearing details about how much you liked fucking other guys.
But…” Harper squirmed in Ash’s hold, out of pleasurable embarrassment rather than discomfort.
“I like that you know what you’re doing, and your skill comes from practice. ”
“Some of it is experience, you’re right. But our chemistry is what makes us explosive. Being with you is special.”
Harper bit back a grin, then gave up and smiled. “I like being special, but we don’t have to pretend you were a virgin before we met.”
Ash barked a laugh. “If you change your mind and ever want to role-play, let me know.”
There was something Harper hadn’t considered. “I’ll keep it in mind. Though I’d rather role-play you taking me for the first time again.”
Ash kissed him with an appreciative rumble. “Deal. Now, let’s get you excited by Rowan’s hot dancers, and see where the night goes.”
“Hell yeah.”
Ash launched into the air and flew to Rowan’s club. They had to enter through the ground floor this time, and Harper enjoyed the full experience of the vampire bouncers looking them over.
“Welcome back,” said a gruff vampire who Harper vaguely recognized as being around the last time he was here with Ollie. “Will you be at the casino or the club tonight?”
“Club,” Harper answered eagerly.
“Remember, no magic on site. The club is a human-friendly zone.” The bouncer stepped out of the doorway so they could pass. “Enjoy your night.”
“Thanks.” Harper grabbed Ash’s hand and pulled him inside. “Let’s go upstairs.”
They headed up to the men’s stage, and another bouncer nodded at them as they entered.
Music pulsed and lights flashed.
“Oh, damn. The carpet is glowing.” Harper pointed to their feet where swirls of luminescent color twisted around them.
“Trippy,” Ash agreed.
A group of women sat near the stage, showering the man dancing with tips. Another dancer gave a lap dance to a man off to the side, and others watched on the sidelines as dancers milled around.
Ash handed Harper a stack of cash. “Want to sit by the stage or get a lap dance?”
“Stage.”
They sat across from the group of women. The man on stage was built, his abs rivaling Ash’s. He wore nothing but a thong, his ass bouncing to the beat.
Harper threw money on stage, his insides fluttering. The way the dancer moved was amazing. His body shimmered with glitter, and when he peeled off the last of his cover, Harper’s heart pounded.
The man was completely smooth. He must wax. Harper had never seen anyone like that outside porn.
The dance ended, and the man collected his tips. He left the stage, and Harper turned to Ash.
“Damnation, he could move.”
Ash pumped his brows suggestively, sending a jolt down the bond.
Harper’s cheeks flamed.
A new song started and another dancer strutted onto the stage. He was much slimmer than the previous man. His eyeshadow glittered in the club lights, his outfit sparkling to match.
Harper sucked in a breath.
The dancer wore the most fabulous stripper heels Harper had ever seen. Not that he’d seen many, but still. They were clear with silver straps lacing up to his thighs, and the bases seemed to be filled with a glowing liquid glitter.
“Satan.” Harper was transfixed as the dancer swung around the pole.
Ash whooped and threw money on stage. Harper did the same, in awe of the dancer’s fluid motion. The shapes his body made. Fuck, he was beautiful.
“I need to learn to move like that,” Harper said to Ash.
He growled, the bond sparking. “You’d be gorgeous, sweet.”
Damn, the strength it would take to move like that, spinning and arching, holding onto the pole with nothing but a bent elbow and knee. Harper was more impressed than he’d ever been watching traditional athletics.
And the shoes. Harper might have a thing for heels. He needed a pair, even if he couldn’t walk in them. Whatever. He’d practice. The thought of being able to strut around like the man in front of him filled Harper with bubbles of joy.
When the dance ended, Ash leaned in close to Harper’s ear. “Should we see if he’ll give us a private show?”
“You’d like that?”
“Very much. He’s gorgeous, and you’re radiant when you’re focused. I don’t think there’s much that could beat watching him dance in your lap.”
Harper swallowed a moan, his cock swelling.
Ash chuckled. “You interested?”
“Very. But I want to see him dance for you, too.” Harper would never have guessed he’d be into watching another man that close to his mate, but he couldn’t stop imagining the two of them together.
For a flash, Harper wished this was another kind of club. He didn’t want to watch Ash and another man having sex, exactly. But if people were having sex around them, while they got a lap dance…
Harper had to stop that thought before he got fully hard.
“Your imagination is running wild, isn’t it?” Ash asked.
“I’ll tell you later, otherwise I’m going to need to excuse myself.”
Ash chuckled and slung an arm around him. “Can’t wait to hear, but let’s snag our dancer before anyone else does.”
They left the stage and wandered around the club. When the dancer came onto the floor, Ash caught his attention.
He sauntered over, hips swaying. “Hey boys, you like my moves?”
“Very much,” Ash replied.
“Aww, thanks. Hope that means you’re having a good night.”
Ash agreed that they were, and asked how the private dances worked. The dancer—whose name was Jay—gave a rundown, and Ash booked a private room, handing over the fee.
Harper followed Ash and Jay into a curtained off space with a cushioned bench seat.
They sat, and Jay began to move. Harper felt hypnotized.
He’d been right. Watching Jay perform for Ash was one of the most erotic things he’d seen, and when Jay turned his attention on Harper, his brain went offline.
The hour passed in a blur, and soon Ash was handing Jay a tip. “Thank you. Maybe we’ll see you again sometime.”
“I’d love that,” Jay gushed.
“We’ll definitely be back,” Harper agreed, catching Ash’s eye.
The bond was wound so tight, Harper feared they wouldn’t make it home before they combusted.
Back in the main club area, Jay wandered off, and Harper pulled Ash close. “I think we should get out of here.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
Ash led Harper out of the building, but before he could head down the street, Harper pulled him into the adjoining alley.
“Can you make us invisible?”
Ash’s eyes flashed and magic washed over them. “Done. No eyes or ears will get through that.”
“Perfect.” Harper pushed Ash against the wall and claimed his lips in a frantic kiss.
Ash moaned and gripped his waist. Harper was already hard, and Ash didn’t take long to follow.
“I need you, Ash,” Harper groaned into his mouth. “I don’t care if anyone sees. I need you. I wish you could have fucked me in the club.”
Ash growled. “Is that what you were thinking about?”
“One of the things.”
Ash undid Harper’s jeans. “You like the idea of people watching us?”
“I don’t know if I’m ready for the real thing, but yeah. It’s hot thinking of someone watching you own me. Hot thinking of other people getting off around us while we have fun. While someone puts on a show for us.”
“Fuck, flower.” Ash spun them around and pressed Harper into the wall.
Harper turned his back to Ash and stuck out his ass.
Ash pulled Harper’s pants to his knees, revealing his thong. “I’d put you on a stage under all those lights so everyone could see you in nothing but this.” He snapped the G-string.
Harper moaned, rubbing himself through his panties. “And heels?”
“Mm. Heels too. Then I’d strip you bare and fuck you. Open you on my cock while they all watched, jealous of how perfectly you take me.”
Satan, Ash was good at this. He knew just how to feed Harper’s fantasies.
“Please, Ash.”
“I’ve got you, sweet.” He pulled his thong down and with a tingle of magic, lube slicked Harper’s hole.
Harper imagined someone coming down the alley and stopping to watch. He imagined being on a stage, and his blood burned with wanting.
Ash worked Harper open roughly, magic tingling as more lube slicked his hole and ran down his balls. Then, Ash lined up his cock. “That’s it, sweet. Take this dick. Let everyone see how much you love it. How much I love it.”
Harper moaned as Ash slid inside him.
“What will they do when they see you fuck me?” he panted.
“The audience? They’ll take their cocks out and get off. Stroke themselves raw while they watch you get dicked down, taking it like a good boy for your mate.”
Harper clawed at the alley wall, trembling as his muscles tensed. Ash’s cock brushed his prostate. He imagined a room of people watching them like this, and he came.
“Shit, baby, you love that. Don’t you?” Ash thrust into him and soon he was coming too, their bond so hot that Harper whimpered. Ash’s pleasure surrounded him, taking him higher than he’d ever gone.
As they came down, Ash pressed in close, panting in Harper’s ear. “That was damn good.”
Harper relaxed boneless against his mate. “You can say that again. I think I have a few new kinks to explore.”
“I’d say so. Let’s buy you some stripper heels.”