by R Phoenix
“And things already are pretty fucking difficult because of him, so he shouldn’t set his expectations too high. And yeah, you’ve told me, he gets whatever the fuck he wants, or whatever the fuck kind of fae bullshit you wanna try to impose on me,” Ackerman said. “But I can’t do fucking magic like you guys, so if I can’t fucking do it, I can’t fucking do it. He can eat my fucking scrotum while I watch. It won’t change a fucking thing about how much I can do. Yeah?”
The detective talked entirely too much, and the shit he was saying wasn’t going to go over well with Leandro. He’d censor it a little before he passed it on, if only because he didn’t want to have to contribute to Leandro’s growing instability.
“Are you done?” Gideon asked.
“Yes,” Ackerman said with a sense of mock cheer. “I’ll go see if Dave is too, so you can be on your way back to your master,” he said, pinching out the cigarette and getting up from the chair.
Gideon bristled, but then, it wasn’t like Ackerman was entirely off base. He did serve his master, doing whatever Leandro wanted… Except he sure as hell wasn’t doing Leandro’s bidding by trying to help Kolt as much as he had.
He watched Ackerman move, his expression impassive. At least this wouldn’t take much longer — and he had something to tell Leandro, even if it wasn’t particularly good.
Chapter Twenty
True to his word, Leandro had ensured that Kolt hadn’t been left alone anywhere but in their rooms. Either he or Gideon had been at the incubus’ side every time he’d ventured into the casino. If anyone had thought about defying him — which would’ve been foolish, considering what he’d done to Barsum — they hadn’t tried.
It disappointed him.
He’d been enraptured by the idea of keeping Kolt safe at first, and he’d eagerly anticipated the next person to try to touch his pet. No one had been brave enough. He knew Gideon was satisfied with that, but Leandro wasn’t. It had been too long since he’d been able to let loose his powers in truth. It dissuaded would-be challengers and it added to his reputation, but when they were properly wary of him, it was less…
Fun.
The consolation prize, that he had a needy incubus draped over him almost every hour of every day, had lost its luster. Kolt was doting on him in a way he hadn’t in a long time, and Leandro both appreciated it and resented it. It should’ve been like that at all times, not simply… now.
It was too perfect.
It was boring.
Leandro smoothed his fingers over Kolt’s braid, inspecting it. “Beautiful work,” he praised, but all he wanted to do was unfasten it and let the hair fall about that beautiful face. “Are you ready to go downstairs?”
He hadn’t told Kolt yet that he’d be leaving him alone for a time. No one had misbehaved; it wouldn’t be an issue.
Unfortunately.
“Hmm,” Kolt hummed drawing in a deep breath. “Not sure I like it. It was just a lot of work,” he complained, tugging at the braid a little while looking in the mirror. “But if you like it…” the incubus said, a question in the words. He leaned his head back to look up at Leandro with his eyebrows drawn up. He was like a proper pampered pet now, and it suited Kolt, even if it was dull.
“I do,” Leandro said. “But I like it better down.”
“Down? Really?” Kolt asked, pursing his lips and looking back at his reflection.
Leandro didn’t answer, and despite his words, he beckoned. “Come along. I have a meeting to get to, my Kol’tso.” Maybe while he was gone, something interesting would happen again. He could hope.
Kolt loosened the hair tie, and carefully began to undo the braid, even though he did follow him like a good pet.
Leandro settled an arm around his incubus’ shoulders as he guided him down to the casino floor. Before going through the doors, he stopped and looked at Kolt again in the dim light of the staircase. Even without the glamor and sparkle of the casino lights on him, the incubus was beautiful. With his hair undone — even if Kolt was still finger combing it to get the last of the braids out — he looked more otherworldly than an incubus had any right to.
“What?” Kolt asked, questioningly.
“Nothing,” Leandro said. “Should there be something?” he asked, pressing a careful kiss to Kolt’s lips to keep him from answering. He didn’t want to hear what he had to say, really. He just wanted to make sure he was as beautiful as ever, as enticing as ever, before he’d leave him all alone.
His arm slid down, and he took Kolt’s hand instead. He gently led him to one of the comfortable couches in the main room, half-hoping someone would take the bait with the incubus on display, as it were.
As soon as Kolt sat down, Leandro leaned down to kiss his forehead. “I have a meeting, Kol’tso,” he murmured gently. “Gideon will be along shortly. No one will bother you. They know better.”
“Okay,” Kolt said, gripping his hand briefly for reassurance, but beyond that, there was no sign of fear, or stress, or anxiety in his slave.
Leandro wasn’t sure whether to be tickled or disappointed by that development. He had expected something, but not blind trust.
Leandro’s fingers tightened briefly on Kolt’s, and now… Now he didn’t want to go. What if Kolt was okay with being left behind because he wanted to be around someone else? Had the fickle creature grown tired of belonging only to Leandro?
His eyes darkened, and he gripped Kolt’s chin, tilting his head up and searching his incubus’ surprised eyes. He didn’t offer an explanation for his actions, only nodding and turning for one of the meeting rooms, leaving his pet on display without looking back.
The meeting was a complete and utter waste of time. Leandro had wanted to get away for a few moments to dote on Kolt and make him especially aware of what he was getting out of all of this. The incubus hadn’t had the privilege, care, and protection to this degree before. He might not have appreciated that Leandro had taken him completely for himself, but he was going to appreciate it now, after being left exposed. Like chum in the water...
The slave would never again forget how much he relied upon his master.
He sought out Kolt immediately when the meeting ended, only absently responding to those who spoke to him on the way back to his pet. He was eager to see what his little ploy had begotten, but as he drew closer, the sense of another’s magic made his hackles and ire rise.
Kolt was still where Leandro had left him, on the soft couch, but now by his side was Nero. They’d had a few run-ins, and Gideon had mentioned something about him misbehaving. Yet, there he was, fingers in Kolt’s long, beautiful hair. And Kolt— Kolt was grinning at the other fae.
It was one thing to hope for a challenge. It was another thing entirely for that challenge to come from a fellow fae, from Nero.
His rage swept up like a tsunami, and he felt his power surge to the surface immediately.
“I suggest you get your hands off my property,” Leandro told Nero tersely, but his eyes never left Kolt or the seemingly genuine smile on his lips. How dare he!
“Leandro.” Nero smirked. “It’s been a while.” The other fae’s hand pointedly left Kolt’s hair, and he sat back, looking up at Leandro.
Kolt sat back too, suddenly creating a lot of space between the pair of them. “It’s okay, Leandro. We’re just talking. He doesn’t want anything,” Kolt said.
“Is that so.” Leandro didn’t even pretend to smile. “I highly doubt that.” No one could resist the incubus, not for long, especially not one who had had him before.
Nero just smirked at him, as if he knew something Leandro didn’t. He should’ve barred the fae from the casino after Gideon had reported his actions.
“We’re just talking,” Kolt repeated. “Calm down…” His incubus said, taking a hold of Leandro’s hand like he was a child.
“About his beautiful hair, and how he should wear it down more often,” Nero supplied with a sticky sweet smile.
Leandro’s eyes remained cold. How dare
Kolt tell him to calm down, like he was the master, and Leandro was the slave!
“Do you want him, my Kol’tso?” he asked.
Are you tired of me?
Not that he’d ever utter those words aloud, especially not in front of another fae. Then again, his kind understood the value of possessions, even if they occasionally tried to seduce them away from whatever fae was perceived as weaker.
“What? No!” Kolt said, shaking his head.
“He could be the one touching your hair tonight, exploring your body, experiencing that talented mouth of yours. He would pay well for you, I think.” He glanced at Nero, fury radiating off of him, but he wasn’t going to lose this. If killing for Kolt had only left a temporary impression, and his incubus didn’t appreciate him, then maybe he needed another lesson in why he should.
“You said I wouldn’t have to anymore,” Kolt hissed under his breath — trying to be discreet, but Nero laughed anyway, a deep, low chuckle before he rose from the couch.
“You’re like an old married couple,” Nero said dryly. “I didn’t intend to cause trouble, little Kolt,” he added, though there was a sneer on his lips.
Leandro knew that he was toying with Kolt. Unacceptable. “You’re finished here for tonight,” Leandro announced, tugging at Kolt’s hand to pull him to his feet before his slave could respond to Nero. “Upstairs. Now,” he ordered.
Kolt made a sound that didn’t seem altogether pleased, but he would deal with it later. He waited until Kolt was on his way to obey him before he shot a look at Nero, unamused.
“He belongs to me,” Leandro hissed at the other fae. Under their laws, he could damn well kill Nero without consequence if he erred too much.
With long strides, he quickly caught up to Kolt, his hand settling on the incubus’ neck as he pushed him towards the doors leading up to their loft.
Theirs.
Like Kolt had the privilege of even pretending like he possessed even a small part of it.
He closed the door behind him and turned the bolt, wards slamming into place so quickly that the air rustled the curtains. “Come here,” he snapped, pointing down at the floor before him. “Kneel.”
Kolt stalled a moment, staring at him. “Lee,” he began, taking a tentative step closer to him but not doing as he was told.
“I said kneel!” Leandro snapped, advancing on him. “Now.”
Kolt flinched away from him, but sank to his knees all the same, looking up at him with those eyes glistening with such beautiful misery. “I didn’t do anything wrong,” Kolt said quickly. “He was just keeping me company. Gideon didn’t show,” he had the gall to say.
“What, exactly, is your point?” Leandro demanded.
“I don’t know why you’re mad!” the incubus snapped.
“Stay there.” He stalked over to the kitchen drawer, grabbing a pair of scissors then returning to Kolt. He entangled his fingers in his incubus’s perfect hair. “Don’t. Fucking. Move.”
Kolt froze, staring up at him with big eyes.
“You don’t know why I’m mad,” Leandro mocked. “Cozying up to another fae, letting him play with your hair, and you don’t know why I’m mad?” he snarled, voice rising in volume with every word. “I know you’re a slut, but I didn’t know you were stupid!”
“I’m not— I’m not stupid!” Kolt choked out, and there were tears in his eyes now, threatening to spill. “I used to suck his cock for you, and now I can’t even talk to him?” the incubus asked, his voice sounding tight. “He asked what conditioner I used. That’s all.”
“You let him touch you!” Leandro’s voice was suddenly loud — somehow wounded and furious all at once. How dare he. How dare he! “But that’s fine, my Kol’tso. I’ll remove the temptation.” He yanked up on Kolt’s hair, making the incubus wince and gasp. He opened the scissors to cut those beautiful locks off. “How dare you make me do this!”
“I’m sorry,” Kolt snapped. “I’m sorry!” he repeated a second time, as tears slowly spilled down his cheeks. “I’m sorry. Okay? I didn’t mean anything by it!”
“Don’t be sorry. Just don’t fuck up!” Leandro hissed. “Why am I never good enough for you, Kol’tso?” he demanded. Without waiting for an answer, he sheared off the hair he loved so much, grabbing the handful as his own eyes welled up with tears. “I was gone perhaps fifteen minutes. Who else did you let touch you? Alter you?”
“No one!” Kolt sobbed. “We were just talking,” he repeated again, his arms coming up to clutch at his hair. “Please stop, please. I only want you, I only want you!” Kolt continued hysterically.
“Of course you’d say that now,” Leandro snapped, but there was something so enticing about watching Kolt sob that he couldn’t take his eyes off of the sight of the incubus kneeling before him.
Vulnerable, desperately at his mercy, begging him for forgiveness. He wanted to savor the moment, to capture its essence and keep it for future reference.
“Of course you’d say that now,” he said again, his voice a little calmer as he tossed the scissors aside. He pulled the incubus into his arms and tried to nudge the protectively positioned arms aside. It took a moment longer than he’d have liked before he could press a kiss to Kolt’s temple, but he would forgive him for that. He nuzzled against Kolt, kissing and licking away one of the tears from his cheek. “It’ll be fine now. We’ll make sure you don’t give me reason to doubt you again.”
Kolt sobbed harder, his lithe body rigid against his, even when he rubbed the hunched back.
“I’ll forgive you,” Leandro shushed, provoking a strangled noise from Kolt, like that of a wounded animal. He rocked Kolt gently, pleased that his pet was so affected.
His anger slowly dissipated, though he was dismayed that he’d had to destroy something that he’d loved — to take away a part of his incubus. He’d have to get that hair evened out, but it would grow back soon enough to match Leandro’s tastes.
He urged Kolt to the bed hushing and shushing him, placing several kisses on the top of his shorn hair. “Rest, my Kolt,” he said soothingly, the storm within him finally starting to subside. “Everything will be better when you wake.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Gideon didn’t know why, but Leandro had stopped telling him when he would or wouldn’t be around. He hadn’t thought much of it at first, but he’d seen Kolt downstairs multiple times over the past week or so… alone.
Alone, and with his hair no longer reaching past his shoulders. The haircut had been ragged at first. It had been neatened out soon enough, but it was odd. Gideon had never seen the incubus’ hair that short, and he wasn’t sure he liked it — or rather, he wasn’t sure he liked what it signified.
Whenever he noticed Kolt alone, Gideon made a point of making sure he could see the incubus at all times. It was an old habit, but lately, it seemed to consume his time and thoughts more and more. Before, he’d only made sure Kolt wasn’t actively being hurt, just as he made sure no one damaged anything belonging to the casino. Nowadays, he intervened if anything looked uncomfortable or unwelcome.
Leandro didn’t seem to be interested in ensuring his slave was safe at all times anymore. That hadn’t stopped him from kicking out the last person who’d touched Kolt and making sure they knew to stay out, but the fae didn’t dote on him as much as he had.
Gideon didn’t understand it, the relationship between the fae and his incubus. How was it that Leandro could remain so possessive and yet not want to protect him as well? Perhaps he simply thought it was enough to stick his security on Kolt — namely, him. But it clearly wasn’t. The shock of Barsum’s demise was starting to wear off, and with Kolt out alone again, the sharks were beginning to circle once more.
Tonight was a quiet night in the casino with very few sharks, thankfully, and Darcy was working security alongside him. No one would say a word if he went to talk to Leandro’s pet.
“Bourbon,” he told Arla.
She quirked a brow but didn’t argue, pouring h
im a glass.
He nodded his thanks and took it, heading over to where Kolt sat alone at one of the game tables. He offered it out to the incubus. “Thirsty?”
Kolt glanced up at him, and only then did Gideon see the already empty glass before him. Kolt took the bourbon without a word. He didn’t offer for Gideon to join him at the craps table.
He wanted to ask what the fuck was going on, but he didn’t even know how to start that conversation. He didn’t think it would be a good idea to tell him that he’d gone to speak to Ackerman either. Then again…
He leaned forward, closer to Kolt. “You know where your contract with Leandro is?” he finally asked in a conspiring tone of voice, taking the risk.
Kolt cast him a look that bordered on hostile. “What do you care?” he asked.
Gideon shrugged, but he cautiously took a gamble. “Someone wants to see it, see if they can help.”
If he’d thought Kolt looked hostile before, he was positive of it now. The incubus glared at him before drawing in a deep breath and letting it out in a huff. “Fuck off, Gideon. No one can help. No one wants to help either. They don’t give a fuck. Why would they…” Kolt answered, sounding glum and dark.
“Yeah, I just risked my ass twice now because I don’t give a fuck,” Gideon hissed sharply.
“You sent someone to the fucking bathroom. You poor fucking thing,” Kolt answered, his voice cold and sharp. He sounded suspiciously like Leandro again.
He reined in his temper. There were too many ways this could go wrong. He could see blood, nightmares, pain… There was so little joy in the possible futures that it made him sick. “What the fuck is going on, Kolt?” He lowered his voice further, his eyes searching the incubus’ expression. “Why are you down here without anyone watching out for you?”
“Because you weren’t fucking there!” Kolt snarled at him. “You should’ve been there, then everything would still be fucking fine.”
Gideon bristled. “Who do you think has been looking out for you all this time?” he demanded, anger seeping into his own voice.