9. Bone Daddy
Bone Daddy
Ryn
The sun streams in through the cracks in the thick curtains lining my windows like rays of golden light.
I blink open my eyes and stretch in place slightly, trying to orient myself after all the events of the past twenty-four hours.
A smile flits across my lips as I glance over at a very naked Seth, still sleeping next to me.
He’s sprawled out on his back, his head tilted toward me, and his cock is standing rather gloriously at attention.
Butterflies dance in my stomach, and a comforting warmth radiates through my chest.
Aside from the imminent threat and all the bullshit with Darro, yesterday was like a fever dream.
It’s been a very, very long time since I’ve wanted to be monogamous with anyone.
To be honest, I’ve never been good with relationships.
They’re terrifying and a bothersome amount of work.
I scooch closer to Seth and snuggle into his side.
He reflexively folds me into his embrace and presses a kiss to my forehead. Yup. See? Worth it.
“Morning, girlfriend.” His croaky morning voice is relaxed, and the mundanity of the moment makes me smile.
“Good morning, boyfriend.”
He moans happily and squeezes me in a hug, his hand rubbing slowly up and down my back.
“You have the best ideas ever.”
A small laugh escapes me even as I feel myself tense at the little voice in my head reminding me that some of my ideas fucking suck.
Seth notices and pulls back to look down at me—really look.
But it's there—in all the things he doesn't do that I truly feel safe and seen, possibly for the first time. He doesn’t ask questions, or poke into shit he knows is sensitive.
I don't feel like I need to tell him, or he’ll be holding it against me in some kind of cringy guilt point tally.
Maybe it’s because he doesn’t ask, I’m not really sure, but I find myself kind of desperate to tell him the entire truth.
“You already know the details of my Lazarus project. I needed the permit rushed so that I could start clinical trials, one in particular. There’s this little half-orc girl, Eilidh.
She’s so young. She was dying." I wipe at a tear as it slides down my cheek, and Seth's orbs glow a little brighter as I continue.
"She was wasting away right in front of us, Seth. If you hadn’t approved the permit as fast as you did, she would be dead right now.”
I can feel his gentle, empathetic gaze watching carefully as I explain, “I was so busy worrying about the project itself, and the trial participants, and the godsdamned funding, that I forgot to think about anything else.
I forgot one of the most basic rules every Unseelie Court member is taught from birth. "
His brow ridges furrow, and a sneer blankets my face as I recite, "How can it be exploited?"
Seth takes a sharp breath, and I meet his steady, glowing orbs. “My sister, Saskia—she’s been working on her own project. Kier thinks in part to spite me, and as much as it pains me to admit it, he’s probably right.”
“What is it? Her project.”
“Soul stones.”
Seth curses vehemently. The concept of a soul stone isn’t anything new in the paranormal world, but the application has always been fantasy. Necromancers and other magic folk have tried for centuries to create soul stones or vessel artifacts. It’s just never worked, until now.
“And they work? Her soul stones?” His voice is uneasy, and it’s not hard to imagine why.
I’m sure that the Reapers Guild will have more than a few things to say about Saskia’s little project, considering they help with the strict control of the substance.
I imagine working soul stones would be a very big area of concern to the soul harvesters.
“Kier seems to think so. At least, he’s worried enough that he’s willing to force his help on me.”
“Shit.”
I nod. Seth’s hands resume their small circular patterns on my back as he thinks, and the sweetness of it sends a gentle ache to my heart. Shit might be falling down around me as far as my life’s work and ambition go, but at least now I don’t have to watch it crumble alone.
“Maybe, eh—” He hesitates, and I can feel his leg shake with nerves.
“What?”
He takes a deep breath before starting again, “Maybe you should talk to her. To Saskia. You said you had a connection with her once. Maybe she’s just trying to get your attention?
If she’s really loyal to the Unseelie Court and Darro doesn’t actually want her to make these soul stones, then why else would she be doing it? ”
I jolt at that revelation. “Y-You may have a point. Saskia has to know that Darro is working against her. It’s not like he’s trying to hide his support for my project. His name is all over the paperwork he's given to Sam.”
He hums, “I could, like, come with you, if you want. You don’t have to go alone. I know how you feel about the place. I wouldn’t have suggested it if—”
“No, Seth, you’re right. It’s worth a shot.
” I tilt my head up and wait for his lips to close around mine.
He doesn’t keep me hanging long, claiming my offered lips in a sweet kiss that helps to set my resolve on this new plan.
“As much as I appreciate the offer and wish I could take you up on it, I haven’t seen Saskia in years, and I'm an outsider to the court now. One outsider is probably better than two if I have any chance of getting her to talk to me.”
Seth nods slowly, “Okay.” His orbs flash a brilliant blue as he tilts his head to the side and smirks, “But she doesn’t have to see me, or know I’m with you.”
I feel my eyebrow quirk as I take in his eager expression and say, “Explain…”
“I’m a Shadow Daddy,” his orbs practically spark with amusement as he whispers, “I can stick to the shadows. Plenty of those in the Unseelie Court.”
Hope flares in my chest, and I laugh because he’s right, “Shadow Daddy, huh?” He hums, and I lean in to kiss his bony cheek, “I like it.” My voice comes out breathier than I intended, and I can feel his excitement growing from where I’m lying pressed into him.
My eyes drop to the tented sheets, and I smirk.
Seth clears his throat and purses his lips, “Honestly, I’m surprised it took that long.”
I roll my eyes, but my cheeks are starting to ache from the atypical amount of smiling. “You had one when you woke up, Seth.”
He shrugs nonchalantly, “My girlfriend is ungodly attractive. I’ll be lucky if I don’t end up being used as a coat rack, honestly, with how often I’ll be sporting one of these.”
“Oh, I think we can find much more appealing ways to use that.” His orbs flash black, and I can feel my heart rate kick up at how responsive he is to me.
It’s honestly the biggest power trip I think I’ve ever had, to have a powerful being like Seth so undone because of my presence. I absolutely fucking love it.
“But first, we should probably go try to stop my sister and all of her evil genius bullshit.” There’s a delicious ache in my core that sends heat drumming through my veins.
I’d love to stay in bed and impale myself on the otherworldly cock leaking pre-cum on my skin like a brand, but something about drawing this out turns me on.
I’m not masochistic enough to hold out long—maybe just long enough to make Seth desperate for it.
He’s already nodding as he leans down to drop a quick kiss to my forehead before snapping his fingers to spell his discarded clothes into his waiting hand.
I smile as I get up and pad to the bathroom, pausing at the door to glance back over my shoulder.
“Care to join me and see who can soap the other faster? My hands are smaller than yours, but I’m sure I could rub them over every…” I slow down and emphasize each word, Seth’s orbs glowing brighter with each word. “Naked…inch.”
His cock bobs, the bright blue head of it swelling as it pulses with desire.
I ache in the best possible way as I turn and head toward the shower, one hundred percent confident that he’ll be following close behind.
The thought of his big hands running over my body, cupping and kneading my breasts, dipping between my legs—Mmm, yes please—has my pussy clenching pitifully around nothing.
Okay, maybe I am a little bit of a masochist after all.