1. The Deal
The Deal
Malcolm
Four Years Before Bk 1
“ Y ou must be the wolf that they were telling me about.” A languid feminine voice said, accompanied by the sound of clicking heels. The smooth voice was like thick liquor to his ears. He’d heard so many rumors about the witch who ran the Shade that he wasn’t sure what he would find when he finally went, only that he had no choice but to go.
Like many of his kind, he suffered from heat. This period was tough for both Werewolves, male and female alike. Both sought out their mates to impregnate them or be impregnated. Without a mate, his rut was hard to get through, and most werewolves would be in so much pain they’d lose complete control over themselves, resulting in them harming innocent bystanders. In his tribe, it was tradition for a male wolf to hold off on sleeping with anyone until they met their mate. Not everyone adhered to this, but Malcolm had taken pride in holding back for so long.
It didn’t help that he’d had little time to find a mate, especially when working for that conniving fox Tiller. The time he’d thought about returning to his land to hunt had passed his mind a thousand times, but he knew he wouldn’t be welcomed.
His jaw tightened. After everything he’d done so far, it was surprising to him that he balked at doing this—mating with one outside of his race and someone he had no feelings for.
He took in the woman in front of him. Her skin was shiny mahogany, and her black hair was long and loosely curled. She rubbed the side of her index fingers against the black cigarette between her fingers; her nails were a bright red that matched her curved lips. Under her right eye, there was a beauty mark. “How can I help you, puppy?”
The smell of dark magic leaked off her, the scent acrid to his nose. He squinted; how could the council accept having such a high-level witch so close to them? Then again, when many males are in key positions, the women who use them usually thrive.
Her black eyes looked him over before she pointed to the right with her free hand. “The hall of my business isn’t where we should perform such transactions,” she said, walking away.
He reluctantly followed her, surprised when he entered a generically decorated office with primarily dark grey and soft teal color schemes. She took the love seat with its back to the wide window. With a flash of flame, the cigarette in her hand disappeared.
The door shut behind him, causing him to flinch before he walked over to the couch and sat down. Malcolm couldn’t shake his tension; his kind had always been uneasy around magic.
“So, I ask again, what do you want from me?”
“A Women. I need someone who can endure the heat,” he said gruffly, not bothering to beat around the bush.
“You want me to give you one of my girls?”The witch’s lips pursed. Her eyes twinkled in the dim light of her office. “Why should I give you anything?”
Clasping his hands together, he tried to quell their nervous tremble. “I heard you provide women for money?”
“Yes and no,” she said with a chuckle, her eyes brightening. “For those who only have money, I make them pay.” She brushed imaginary dust from her pants. “For those who have something more, I ask for it.”
Malcolm narrowed his eyes. “What are you trying to say?”
“I’m saying you’re a dog for Tiller.” He stiffened, “And we both know that sneaky fox has been cleaning closets of many of those who’d appreciate their secrets kept hidden. So.” She smiled, her eyes curving. “Bring me information about the ones he’s captured, and you can sleep with any of my girls or…boys.”
The hands he had clasped in his lap tightened until his skin turned pale where his fingers pressed into them. “Is that all?” he questioned, his voice low.
“Yes,” she said as she stood and snapped her fingers. A contract dropped before him, as well as a pen that plopped on his lap. “Sign it, and we’ll get you your first girl.”
Malcolm weighed the pros and cons of working as a double agent for this witch. He owed his brother's loyalty, but Tiller? He grabbed the pen and signed the contract. That fox could go to hell. He’d endured two years of heat, and if he did it again, he’d hurt someone.
Once he finished signing, the contract vanished.
Lanias walked towards the door. “Well, since that’s done, ah, one more thing.” she half turned to face him. “This means I now have you on a leash.” Her iris took over her eyes. "And if you betray me, I’ll destroy you.”
“I’ll be loyal and won’t let it slip to Tiller; what you really have going on here.” Malcolm agreed, his tone relaxed. “The sex, gambling, and blackmailing, he knows about, but I know that’s only the tip of the iceberg, especially if one were to take a look at what you provide the vampires and werewolves?—”
“You have a lot of guts,” she said, her eyes returning to normal as she turned around fully to face him.
Malcolm cursed at the flash of lust that hit him as he smelled her womanly scent intermixed with her magic as it spiked
He bit back the words he wanted to say as she walked towards him with long strides. “I wondered how long it would be before one of you, Jackals, came here demanding things,” she said, stopping an arm's distance from him. “One would think you’d be a bit more concerned with the security of Veil City and not,” she drew her eyes down, “your dick.”
Lanias grinned, “So be it.” She walked around him, “Come with me.”
With that, she faced forward and waved her hand; the office walls wavered before they fell away and were replaced with a comfortable room with cushy couches and black-painted walls. People lounged here and there. The most glaring thing about the place was how each person was barely dressed and the glowing prices hovering in different colors over each person's head. They also all carried with them a folder. Malcolm wasn’t sure what was inside of them.
Madame Lanias was greeted warmly by men and women alike. She walked over to a feminine-presenting male with light blue hair. The man was occupied with speaking with a waitress when said waitress pointed to something behind him. He flashed them an irritated expression until he seemed to realize who was behind him; with a gasp, his feline eyes widened, and his annoyed expression turned into fondness.
“Madame Lanias, darling, I wasn’t expecting you to inspect us tonight?” His voice held a weary note as he leaned forward to kiss her cheek.
Madame Lanias popped her lips in amusement.
“Linc, no need to worry. I’m not here to rip you a new one for changing the fabric for their costumes yet again.” She drew back and motioned to the slightly confused Malcolm, who’d remained where he’d been standing. “I have a werewolf who needs someone who’s okay with the physical demand of a heat,” She gave a cursory look around. “Do you have anyone?”
He crossed his arm, his brow creasing as he thought over it. “Male or female? Because Bianca is out tonight, she got invited to Senator Ressen’s orgy. And you know how he can be?”
“Oh, honey, you don’t have to explain.” Madame Lanias waved him off, “He’s just a typical asshole. Anyway, I will assume our werewolf here would prefer a female.”
She spotted one of the women near the bar. “How about Tasia? She’s accustomed to serving on heat nights.” She quirked a brow when the lithe female sighed. “And she looks like she needs dick.”
Linc followed her line of sight and nodded. “Yes, lord, her boyfriend broke up with her. I told her not to mess with those humans, and here we are. I’ll book her.”
“I can pick my own mate for tonight,” Malcolm said, drawing the attention of both Linc and Madame Lanias. He wasn’t expecting the two to give him a look of dismissal.
Madame Lanias spoke up first, “Darling, as amusing as watching you approach my staff would be. They wouldn’t give you the time of day.” She gave him a long once over. “You’re handsome, and there is certainly a wild element that makes even me interested, but It’s not enough. They like one thing and one thing only.” She snapped her fingers, and a wad of bills appeared in her hands. Her brow popped up, “and you’re lacking it.”
She held it out to Linc. “Take care of our little puppy.”
“Of course,” Linc drawled as he took the money from her. “Anything else?” he asked, slipping the money into his pocket.
Malcolm's fingers curled into fists; he had nowhere else to go to scratch this itch from his unanswered mating call. He hated his need to sleep with strangers, and it was clear from the exchange of money that happened right in front of him that he’d been brought lower than ever before. “I wish for her to come to my bed willingly.”
An odd emotion flickered across Madame Lanias’s face, and she looked away from him, her eyes darkening. “Malcolm, I know you’re still adjusting to Veil City, but these girls and boys are here for their own reasons. They aren’t dragged here and given no choice; they are doing this because they want to, so—don’t worry about it too much.” With that, she turned on her heel and left him standing there as the Linc fellow went to approach the female at the bar.