Chapter 4
Archer
Valen was more than happy to allow me to lead him through Pigeon Forge. I had no idea where I was going of course, but I knew what to look for when wanting to have a good time without getting caught. And judging by Valen’s accent, he wasn’t anywhere near home out here in the mountains.
We wandered away from the tourist strip, the neon lights and crowds gradually fading behind us. The further we got from the main drag, the quieter it became, until we could actually hear each other speak without shouting over the music and chaos.
“You know,” Valen said, his voice carrying that hint of amusement I already liked too much, “most people would consider this the part where I should be worried about following a stranger into dark alleys.”
“Are you worried?” I asked, glancing over at him.
Even in the dim streetlight, he was striking.
There was something almost otherworldly about his features.
They were sharp and perfect, almost like he’d been carved by someone who understood beauty on a fundamental level.
I assumed it was just his European flair that made him so sexy.
“Not even a little,” he replied, and there was something in his tone that made me believe he could handle himself in any situation. “Though I have to admit, I’m curious about your endgame here.”
I spotted what I’d been looking for, a narrow gap between two buildings that led to what looked like a small park or courtyard behind the main strip. The kind of place that would be completely hidden from the street but still close enough that we could hear if anyone was coming.
“This way,” I said, taking his hand and pulling him toward the opening. His fingers were cool against mine, and when he squeezed back, I felt that same electric jolt I’d experienced in the bar.
The space opened up into a small pocket park, probably meant for employees of the surrounding businesses to take smoke breaks.
There were a few benches, some overgrown landscaping, and most importantly, it was completely deserted.
The sounds of the tourist strip were muffled here, creating an intimate bubble of relative quiet.
“Perfect,” Valen murmured, and before I could respond, he was pressing me back against the brick wall of the nearest building.
The kiss was immediate and intense, his mouth claiming mine with a confidence that made my knees weak. He tasted like mint toothpaste. I must’ve caught him before he’d even gotten a drink for the night. His hands found my hips, pulling me closer until there was no space left between us.
I could feel the hard line of his cock pressing against my thigh through his jeans, and I groaned into his mouth. My hands tangled in his dark hair, marveling at how soft it was despite looking so perfectly styled.
“Fuck,” I breathed against his lips when we broke apart for air. “You don’t waste any time, do you?”
“Life’s too short,” he replied, his amber eyes practically glowing in the dim light. “Besides, why waste time when we both know exactly what we want?”
In a normal situation, I might’ve hesitated when someone made a claim like that.
But somehow, here in the dark, it just made me harder.
There was something about Valen that felt wrong in a way.
I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but I knew my parents would never approve.
And that just made me kiss him harder. Tonight was about breaking the rules and I wasn’t going to miss the opportunity.
His hands moved to the hem of my shirt, fingers trailing along the skin just above my waistband. “Is this okay?” he asked, and I appreciated that he was checking, even as his touch was driving me crazy.
“More than okay,” I managed, already reaching for the button of his jeans. “But if we’re doing this, we should probably move fast before someone decides to walk up on us.”
Valen’s grin was wicked. “I like the way you think.” His hands made quick work of my belt, and I bit back a moan as he freed my cock from my briefs. The cool night air against my heated skin was almost too much.
“Christ, you’re gorgeous,” he murmured, wrapping his long fingers around my length and stroking slowly. The praise went straight to my head, making me thrust into his grip.
I fumbled with his zipper, desperate to return the favor, and when I finally got my hand around his thick cock, it was his turn to groan. He was bigger than I’d expected, uncut and already leaking precum that I spread with my thumb.
“We need...” I started, but he was already reaching into his back pocket, producing a small bottle of what looked like expensive lube.
“You came prepared?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. “Were you expecting this to happen?”
“Hopeful,” he corrected, popping the cap open with his teeth. “Turn around.”
The command in his voice sent a shiver through me, and I found myself obeying without question. He pressed me face-first against the brick wall, his body covering mine from behind. I could feel his cock sliding between my ass cheeks as he slicked his fingers.
God, how long had it been since I’d done this?
How many times had I woken in the middle of the night, rock hard and wishing someone was there beside me?
And how many times had I fingered myself, begging in a whispered tone for my imaginary lover to fuck me harder?
Finally, I didn’t have to wait any longer.
“You sure about this?” he asked, his breath hot against my ear as his finger circled my entrance.
“Fuck yes,” I gasped, pushing back against his touch. “Please fuck me.”
He worked me open with a patience that was both torture and bliss, his fingers stretching me open little by little.
More than once he made me gasp, his fingers brushing over my prostate with practiced ease.
By the time he was pressing the head of his cock against my hole, I was practically begging for it.
The stretch as he pushed inside was intense, and I had to bite my lip to keep from crying out. He was thick enough that it bordered on too much, but the slight burn only made it better.
“Fuck, you feel incredible,” Valen groaned, his hands gripping my hips as he seated himself fully inside me. “You should see the view from back here. It’s incredible.”
“I’ll—fuck—take your word for it,” I moaned back.
He gave me a moment to adjust before he started moving, slow at first but quickly building to a rhythm that had me pressing my forehead against the cool brick. Each thrust hit that sweet spot inside me, sending waves of pleasure through my entire body and making me tingle down to my toes.
I could hear the distant sounds of the tourist strip, the knowledge that anyone could walk by and catch us adding an edge of excitement to everything. But Valen’s hands on my skin, his cock filling me so perfectly, made it impossible to care about anything beyond this moment.
“Harder,” I gasped, and he obliged, his hips snapping forward with enough force to make me brace myself against the wall. The new angle was perfect, and I couldn’t hold back the moan that escaped me.
“Shh,” Valen whispered against my neck, one hand moving to cover my mouth while the other gripped my hip. “As much as I love hearing you, we don’t want to attract an audience, darling.”
I bit down gently on his fingers, earning a sharp intake of breath from him. His pace became more urgent, and I could feel the tension building in both of us. The hand covering my mouth moved down to wrap around my cock, stroking in time with his thrusts.
“You’re going to make me cum,” I warned, my voice muffled against the brick.
“Good,” he growled, his teeth grazing my ear. “Cum for me, darling.”
It didn’t take much more than that. The combination of his cock hitting my prostate with every thrust and his skilled hand on my dick sent me over the edge. I came hard, spilling over his fingers and onto the ground, my entire body shaking with the intensity of it.
Valen followed seconds later, his hips stuttering as he buried himself deep and filled me with his cum. For a moment, we stayed like that, both breathing hard and trying to come back down to earth.
“Fuck,” I breathed, my legs shaking like they were made of jelly. If it weren’t for Valen’s body pressed against mine and the wall in front of me, I probably would have collapsed.
“My thoughts exactly,” he said, pressing a soft kiss to the back of my neck before carefully pulling out. I winced at the loss, already missing the feeling of being filled by him.
He helped me get cleaned up and dressed, his touch gentle now in contrast to the urgency from moments before. When we were both presentable again, he cupped my face in his hands and kissed me softly.
“That was fun,” I said, then trailed off, not sure what else to say.
“Fun indeed,” he added, and I nodded.
“Yeah.” I looked into those amber eyes, wondering what happened now. This wasn’t exactly my usual territory. Random hookups with strangers in back alleys weren’t something I had a lot of experience with.
“So,” Valen said, seeming to read my uncertainty. “Want to go back to the bar? Or...” He left the question hanging, but there was something hopeful in his expression.
I glanced back toward the direction of the tourist strip, where I could still hear the distant sounds of the bar crawl continuing. The responsible thing would be to go back, find Amelia, and pretend this had been nothing more than a moment of rebellion.
But looking at Valen, still slightly disheveled from what we’d just done, I found I wasn’t ready for this to be over.
“Or,” I said, echoing his earlier words. “Definitely or.”
His smile was brilliant. “I was hoping you’d say that.” He held out his arm. “Can I buy you a drink, darling?”
“Only if you keep calling me that,” I grinned, looping my arm through his.
As we walked back toward the main strip, I couldn’t stop stealing glances at him.
There was something about the way he moved that seemed almost predatory, like he was aware of every person around us without even trying and I found it oddly comforting.
Like I was walking with someone who could handle whatever the night threw at us.
“So what’s your story, Valen?” I asked as we approached the first bar on what I assumed was going to be our own personal crawl. “What brings a guy with your... particular skill set to the mountains of Tennessee?”
He laughed, a rich sound that made warmth spread through my chest. “My particular skill set?”
“Don’t play coy,” I said, bumping his shoulder with mine. “That wasn’t your first time fucking someone in an alley. You knew exactly what you were doing back there.”
“Guilty as charged,” he admitted, holding the door open for me as we entered what looked like a slightly more upscale establishment than the first bar. “Though I have to say, you weren’t exactly inexperienced yourself, darling.”
I felt heat creep up my neck. “Yeah, well, college is a time for experimentation, right?”
“Right,” he agreed, but there was something in his tone that made me think he was holding back laughter. “College experimentation. Of course.” He paused for a moment. “Does that mean I’m the first man you’ve been with?”
Now that made me laugh. “Oh my god, no,” I smiled back at him. “As much as my parents would like me to be straight, I don’t think I could get it up for a woman if I tried.”
“I should have known,” he nodded. “You took my cock far too well for a beginner.”
We found a quiet booth in the back corner, away from the main crowd but close enough to the bar that we wouldn’t have to shout to be heard. Valen slid in across from me, and even in the dim lighting, those amber eyes of his seemed to glow.
“So what are you studying?” he asked, signaling the waitress with a subtle gesture that somehow immediately got her attention.
“Uh… communications I guess,” I said, remembering the rules for tonight. Valen was a human, so there couldn’t be any talk about magic or Widdershins Academy or anything paranormal. Those were the rules. “But I don’t really want to talk about school.”
“What would you like to talk about then, darling?”
I scooted closer to him so that our thighs were touching. “I want to talk about you kissing me again,” I said, sliding my hand over his thigh and, very obviously, letting my thumb brush over his growing bulge. “And perhaps a round two when we’re feeling ready for it?”
“You are insatiable,” Valen cooed, leaning down to press a cool kiss to my lips. “I like it.”