In the Arms of the Beast

by K. A. Merikan

  Laurent crossed his arms. “I just want to point out any issues with Magpie’s plan. Our lives are on the line.”

  Beast had to take a deep breath. “When the trees bear fruit, Magpie will use the ruby, and lock Baal out of this realm. It really is that simple.”

  In the past couple of months, he’d let Laurent do all the research he wanted, but this was the time of making hard decisions based on the knowledge they had. And he would be the one to have the final word.

  Still, he didn’t want to argue and reached out to Laurent’s shoulder. His husband stepped back with a grumble, but as he moved, Beast spotted a flicker of light on the sooty wallpaper and focused on the rubble beneath their feet. The burn of annoyance was instantly replaced by fear, and blood drained from his face when he saw a disturbance in the black dust. Half a second later, air blew from the floor, scattering the light debris, as if it originated in bellows operated in hell. A dozen pieces of broken glass unraveled, glimmering in the ashes between charred pieces of wood like bloodthirsty grins.

  Beast tugged on Laurent’s hand. He sped up and wouldn’t stop until they passed the yellow tape and entered one of the rooms that remained unaffected by the fire. His palm was damp with sweat, but he offered Laurent a tense smile, pulling him into the safety of his arms.

  “He knows.”

  Laurent put his forehead against Beast’s chest and stayed completely still. They had been careful all along, only talking about such things when Magpie or Vars, whose body was Magpie’s domain, were there to counter Baal’s influence. Baal could have been suspicious about some of their activities, but before tonight he likely didn’t have proof the club was plotting against him.

  Laurent might believe they were all in the same boat, but as the leader of the MC, Beast carried a disproportionate amount of weight on his shoulders. By choosing to make a deal with the devil for Laurent’s sake, he’d become a cog in the machine that could ultimately turn the world into nothingness. And even now, knowing what Baal’s end goal was, he would have chosen the same. Their love was worthy of any sacrifice in the world.

  “He cannot affect us from the Other Side. His power lies only in making pacts with humans,” Laurent said.

  Beast inhaled, shutting his eyes as he took in the familiar scent of pine shampoo in Laurent’s hair. “There’s plenty of people passing through the clubhouse during parties. Those parties that I need to throw if I want to keep my end of the deal with him. Because if I don’t, he’ll take you back to your own time to make sure you’re safe. We need to be vigilant.”

  Laurent exhaled, hugging Beast more firmly, but they both knew it was Beast’s fault that they’d been heard by Baal. He should have bitten his tongue and waited for a trip off the premises. But no, he couldn’t wait to tell Laurent just how much he disliked his attempts to undermine Beast’s decision.

  Beast licked his lips and glanced over his shoulder, half-expecting to see the tall horned figure looming in the empty corridor. He felt as if he should’ve been more shaken by being found out, but the fact that Baal had chosen to reveal his presence was a sign of the demon’s weakness. A man could only take so much stress until it got reframed into annoyance. Beast was too tired of this to be afraid anymore.

  Chapter 3 - Beast

  Nothing related to sex should ever feel like a chore, and while Beast wasn’t physically participating in the orgies he organized, he didn’t even enjoy watching anymore. Before he’d met Laurent, the decadent parties had made him self-conscious about his burnt skin, but he used to appreciate the loose atmosphere and sights, to some degree. Now that Laurent’s very existence hinged on whether there was enough fucking, drinking, and brawling under their roof, Beast wished he could spend his evening reading a book.

  Here was hoping that once the portal was closed forever, he wouldn’t have to fulfill the conditions of his pact with Baal any longer. The orgies were still a club tradition to uphold, but maybe he once Baal was done with, he could leave the organizing to the other guys, because if they fucked something up, it would be their loss.

  On the stage, Nao and another hangaround were engaged in a fellatio contest, but what were the rules and prizes? Beast didn’t know and had no interest in finding out. The jade glow cast by lamps placed around the space slid over bodies twisting like snakes swarming in a pit.

  Past the door, some of the guests jumped around to music so loud it prevented Beast from thinking clearly. Some were dressed in complete outfits, others—not so much, but with minds stunted by alcohol and drugs they trembled and jerked in the primal mating dance that would end with cum on skin, walls, and floors.

  So instead of getting a thrill while looking at the handsome, naked metalhead stretching his arms to the ceiling as he danced in a world of his own, Beast could only think of all the cleaning that would need to be done after the party if they wanted their guests to come back. Jake was pulling his weight in that department despite now being a full patch, and some of the hangarounds treated it as their job, but it was still a hassle.

  The mess left by the parties, added to the daunting amount of renovations needed, particularly in the wing that had burnt down a couple months prior. Just last year, Beast had been pondering the option of moving somewhere else. Someplace that wouldn’t require so much maintenance. At least now he knew that part of the issue with the building, its electricity, its darkness, its rats, and constant breakdowns was the entity residing underneath its floor. Or really, wherever it wanted to reside within club grounds

  Once the portal was sealed, maybe the fucking energy-saving lightbulbs would last longer than a month. For the first time in his life, he would have complete freedom, and while nothing was certain until Baal was banished for good, Beast’s thoughts kept drifting to plans he didn’t dare to previously harbor.

  He would optimize. The building was way too big for their needs, and they only ever used parts of it. They could demolish those neglected parts and sell the rubble. Use the cash for renovations. Improve the essential parts of their home.

  He could take Laurent on a long vacation, maybe they could even visit France, so Laurent could see how his homeland had changed in the past two hundred years. Sure, Beast would have to still mind the business of the Kings, but if their arrangement with Magpie was to stay in place, then cash flow would remain steady. He could dedicate more time to building a future, rather than fighting tooth and nail to keep the status quo.

  Maybe once he took a breather from the endless parties, he wouldn’t mind them as much. It wasn’t like he hated orgies or concerts. It was the relentless pace and the explosive violence that tired him out.

  Club life was all Beast knew, and he wouldn’t mind developing the concert venue side of things. The building attracted people with its infamy. If they improved the security of the clubhouse itself, gigs and parties could remain their go-to method of laundering cash.

  Beast even had ordinary business ideas, which had always been blocked by King, like selling club merch, or doing two or three large-scale events per year instead of the constant parties that drained their coffers and burned out some of the members. They could still have their fun, but smaller gatherings could be all about their needs as a club, not about the threat of the entity that lived on the other side of a mirror.

  But renovations needed to be prioritized if they didn’t want someone falling through a rotting floor and impaling themselves on a broken window. With how vast the building was, that poor sucker would have been half-eaten by rats by the time someone found them.

  Sweat glinted on the naked body of the handsome metalhead, whose eyes briefly met Beast’s. There was nice definition to his muscles and perhaps, in another life, Beast would have gravitated the man’s way, tempted by the matted long hair and the flush on his body. But before the guy could have made a more blatant gesture of invitation, Joker appeared behind him, twisting his hand in the brown mane and leading him away like a man taking his dog home.

  Beast exhaled, wondering whethe
r the pretty boy knew what he was in for, because Joker could be one rough fuck. Then again, the people who pined for bikers usually weren’t the fragile flower variety.

  Elliot passed in front of him, still dressed like when he’d arrived a few hours back, in a dark blue frock coat based on historical designs. Laurent and Elliot had disappeared somewhere following the strange reunion between ghosts—Beast couldn’t believe he was even thinking of it as a fact—but perhaps Elliot’s return meant Beast’s husband was done asking the entities unnecessary questions about Baal. He’d already been rude enough to Magpie, but Beast didn’t want to school him. They were married, and he didn’t want to stifle the personality he’d fallen in love with. No harm done. Surely Magpie had already forgotten about the quiet insults, thanks to the handsome man he’d earlier taken to one of the private rooms downstairs.

  It was all about hospitality.

  Beast found himself in an empty corridor to take a breather, but solitude came at the price of having to deal with wind howling through broken windows. Old leaves and dirt littered the floor, and a glass bottle startled him when the wind pushed it along. So much work still to be done.

  He looked out of the window, at the building that housed their gym, and Gray’s apartment. Beast could only imagine the storm of emotion going on in his friend’s head. The ruby they’d found with the ghost had turned out to be miniscule, and their efforts would need to double if they wanted to keep Shadow alive after the next new moon. While Beast was feeling tired and melancholic, Gray was surely focused on other ways to grant Shadow a future.

  The whole club would rally around them and help, but there was only so much they could do. No matter how helpful Shadow had proved to be, how much Gray cared for him, the future of the entire world was more important. Tomorrow, they would assess Shadow’s options and come up with new ideas. Beast would never turn his back on a brother in need, and neither would the others.

  His phone rang, and he took a deep breath when he saw Laurent’s name on the screen. No matter how much he loved his husband, he wasn’t in the mood for ghost drama.

  He still smiled at the sound of Laurent’s voice when he picked up the call. He had this strange phone manner where he would just start talking without a greeting.

  “Has Magpie left yet?”

  Beast sighed, but one look outside confirmed their guest was surely still here, because he wouldn’t have left without his drivers. “Why? Do you want to accuse him of something again?”

  A short silence gave Beast the satisfaction he craved. “No, I wish to apologize.”

  Beast leaned against the wall but frowned when his shoulder managed to chip some plaster. “Oh. That’s… unusual… good to know. Meet me in the kitchen?” he asked, knowing Laurent wouldn’t have appreciated anything about the orgy.

  “See you there.” Laurent hesitated for a moment, but his voice remained upbeat. “Beast? I love you.”

  He disconnected, making Beast stare at his own reflection on the screen. That was nice, but… dramatic? Maybe Laurent felt guilty over starting the conversation that had been overheard by Baal. Oh well, Beast wouldn’t be complaining. His husband was the most beautiful man in this whole fucking building, and Beast doubted there would ever be a time when he’d tire of hearing sweet words from him.

  It wasn’t as if Laurent used love declarations sparsely, but never quite as casually, which gave Beast high hopes for the upcoming night. No orgy could equal the closeness, intimacy, and intensity of making love to Laurent.

  He asked Knight and Vars to mind their guests and went straight to the club’s private kitchen upstairs. His veins buzzed with heat and kept him warm, despite the faulty heaters and the damp radiating off the old walls.

  Laurent was already waiting for him, holding two glasses of red wine, his hair back to its immaculate state.

  This was getting better by the second.

  Beast took one of the drinks from Laurent’s hand and gave him a kiss. “Hi there.”

  Laurent smiled when their mouths touched. He always looked at Beast as if there wasn’t a scar on Beast’s body, up to the point where it didn’t matter that Beast would never regain his former self. In Laurent’s eyes, he could see himself the way he felt on the inside.

  Laurent clinked their glasses. “To a safe and prosperous future,” he said as if he was a mayor celebrating the erection of a monument.

  Beast snorted and put his arm around Laurent before sipping from the glass. He wasn’t a wine kind of man, but Laurent thought it was a celebratory beverage, so Beast complied.

  “To us. To the future. To a great, long life together,” he said, playing with a strand of brown, wavy hair.

  Laurent wrapped his arm around Beast’s waist. “I know we fight sometimes, but you don’t know how happy you make me even in those trying moments. When I made my pact with Baal, I had no idea what getting everything I thought I wanted would mean, yet I got much more. These modern times aren’t perfect, but they offer unlimited possibilities.”

  Beast’s chest pulsated with warmth, as if he were breathing Laurent’s compliments in the form of air. “I’m sure once... the problem is dealt with, all the sacrifices will be worth it. You said you wanted to see Magpie?”

  “Yes, please.” Laurent tipped his glass and gobbled up the contents in a manner so unrefined Beast laughed. But he was quick to finish his own wine as well and led Laurent downstairs, toward the loud noise that made the floor under their feet tremble with each beat.

  Laurent’s hands were so small when compared to his, yet their fingers—a set of thick stubs and another of digits that were long and graceful—fit together so perfectly it sometimes took Beast’s breath away. He imagined some men in his position would have found such a strong attachment dangerous, too close, but throughout years of solitude, he’d realized that money, and even respect, were secondary to the happiness of having a truly close bond with someone. He’d made sacrifices for Laurent, and he’d make them all over again, were it necessary.

  Knowing his lover’s discomfort with the public sex, he steered him around the party area, and while that didn’t spare them the view of casual lovers here and there, they reached the guest room without much issue.

  Malachite looked up at them without a word, his face remaining hidden behind mirrored shades, even though it was dusky in the hallway.

  Beast put his hand up in greeting. “I know he’s with someone, but we’ll wait until he’s ready to see us.” He didn’t enjoy having to offer Magpie that much courtesy, but they were partners now, and Beast hoped to continue the mutually beneficial relationship even after Baal was long gone.

  Malachite exhaled, his sunglasses reflecting their faces yet hiding what the bastard was thinking. How long had it been since the poor guy had gotten any sleep anyway? Beast imagined that this man might be among the few humans Magpie had made pacts with. The question was whether he’d signed away his life, or agreed to a certain number of years in service.

  After a moment, Malachite knocked on the door without turning around.

  “What is it?” came Magpie’s voice from inside, but he sounded relaxed rather than annoyed by the intrusion.

  Once Magpie loudly declared they were to be let in, the guard opened the door wide, and Beast walked into the small chamber where air was thick with the scent of sex.

  On the large modern bed with a leather-covered headboard lay Magpie, and the guy he’d taken out of the orgy space earlier was curled by his side like a dog satisfied after a long walk.

  “Ah, Laurent, my favorite,” Magpie said, and Beast didn’t miss the sarcasm in his voice.

  Instead of making a snide remark in return, Laurent smiled, pretending the naked guy wasn’t there, and staring straight at Magpie. “I was hoping you could spare us a moment before you leave.”

  Magpie tapped both his hands on the bedding. “Ah. Of course. More requests. I’m such a busy man.” He looked at the naked guy with a smile. “That’s your cue to leave, precious.”r />
  The young man groaned, but his face didn’t show hurt feelings, and he stretched before sliding off the bed. He only managed to put on his top when Magpie urged him, “You can dress outside. We have more pressing issues to attend to,” he said, adjusting his frizzy curls by patting them down.

  Beast wondered if he was being offensive on purpose or genuinely didn’t understand how inappropriate it all was. But the young man soon left with his butt still naked.

  Laurent approached the bed as if Magpie’s naked chest didn’t bother him at all. “First of all, I wanted to apologize for my earlier inquisition of your character. It was rude of me to insinuate bad intentions when we all strive for a common goal.”

  Magpie raised his eyebrows high. “I’m happy to see you come to your senses.”

  So was Beast. Bad blood between the club and the man who’d brought them so many lucrative contracts over the years was the last thing he needed.

  “It’s been a difficult time for him,” he added, patting Laurent’s back in encouragement.

  Magpie adjusted the heap of pillows behind him and leaned back like a king accepting his underling’s tribute in the comfort of his bedroom. “I understand. And perhaps I’ve been too hasty to judge your character, Laurent. The truth is that we wouldn’t have gotten the ruby without all of you, and for that I am grateful. My existence depends on this just as yours. I would like to offer you a reward for all those efforts.”

  Beast’s cheeks heated. Magpie had so much cash he wouldn’t have even noticed if a million was gone from his account. If they had hard cash to invest in development—

  Laurent spoke first, taking a step forward. “Oh, no, that is too generous. We all worked for a just cause. We would have never asked for material goods, but to be honest, there is a matter that only a being of your kind could help us with.”