The Elfbitten Trilogy (A Taryn Malloy Fantasy)
Page 2
“Maybe we should go out there together, we’ll get more attention that way,” Roxy suggested, tossing back a large swallow of her drink.
“I need a minute.” I laughed, thinking about my time on the dance floor just moments ago, a new flush arching through my body.
“No rest for the wicked, darling, and by the time I’m done with you tonight, you’ll be just as wicked as me.”
“Roxy! I just danced, I need time to recover.”
“Nope. You need to pounce while the magic is still alive inside of you.” She reached out and brushed my thigh lightly with her nails; I shivered again.
“You are a terrible influence.”
“Aren’t you glad I made you come out tonight?” Roxy teased as she chewed the tiny straw from her drink. “I tell you, if Cillian could see you now, he’d be eating his shoes over leaving you for that fairy whore.” Roxy gave me an appraising look, her eyes lingering on the hint of blood still clinging to my skin. I’d have to find her a guy soon.
“Yeah, let’s not talk about him or the fairy bitch tonight, okay?” Just the mention of his name and my mood crashed. I felt my shoulders slump and the smile slide from my face. Even the lust induced magic faltered inside of me.
“Sure, sorry,” Roxy set her already empty glass down and hopped off her stool. She turned and held out her hand for me. “Come on, dance with me and help me find a guy.” She raised her eyebrows imploringly, trying desperately to move past bringing up the man that had so recently broken my heart.
“I think I’ll just sit here for a bit,” I started to turn back towards the bar, but before I could get half way there she reached out and grabbed my wrist with both hands and pulled. She yanked me off of the stool and led us towards the dance floor.
“No, you don’t. You have been wallowing at home for weeks now,” she said over her shoulder, weaving through the cocktail tables. “You are going to have a good night if it kills me.”
“I have had a good night!” I protested even as I walked willingly with her. I wasn’t sure I was ready to go back out to the dance floor, but I also didn’t want to ruin Roxy’s chances at a good time by causing a scene like a child throwing a tantrum. More than that, I had managed to forget about Cillian for a moment; I wanted that back.
“Not good enough,” she said as she stopped at the edge of the crowd and spun to face me. Roxy began to move to the music, waving at me to join her when I hesitated. I glance around at the nearly naked crowd, all lips and hips, not a care in the world except this one moment of ecstasy. I felt the searching tendrils of power reach out for me, begging for me to come back. I watched Roxy dance, realizing what I must look like as her almost twin. Her round hips swirled back and forth, the swell of her breasts swayed invitingly, tiny beads of sweat traced the curve of her skin. I hoped I looked half as good as she did.
She reached out and took my hand, pulling me into her. Her right hip fit into me as mine did into her, our legs nearly tangled together and our fingers twined as we began to find our rhythm. Her magic called to mine, reawakening it as our eyes began to shine and glow in the dim club. Because we were both in flats, we were the exact same height. Our breasts brushed against each other; tiny sparks of energy snapped at my skin. We gripped each others hands tighter, bending and swirling into each other. Roxy pressed her face next to mine, her cheek soft against mine before she bent forward and licked at the bite on my shoulder. A flare of pain shot through me, adding heat to the primal magic singing through my body.
I felt my blood respond to her seeking tongue and demanding lips as she closed her mouth around the wound in a deep kiss. Blood was power in our tribe. The magic in my eyes lit my face as she gripped my body, pressing me as close to her body as our meager clothing would allow. I gripped the swell of her hips, grinding into her as her pull on my bite began to make things low in my body respond. I could feel the press of the crowd around us, welcoming our new magic as we gave over to the molten energy.
When Roxy finally broke her fierce kiss, I felt male fingers fighting for room on her hips. I glanced up and saw a fairy looking down at me. The right side of his full mouth lifted in a half smile, making a dimple appear in his cheek. In the dim light, I couldn’t decide if his eyes were blue or grey since fairy eyes didn’t shine like ours, but his skin practically glowed. His hair was dark, long on top and close at the sides. His shirt was hanging open, exposing lean muscles.
Roxy glanced over her shoulder to see who had joined us and looked back at me with a huge smile on her face, clearly pleased with the results of our efforts. I inclined my head towards him and let my fingers slip away from Roxy’s hips. He pulled her back into him. She arched willingly, wiggling her hips until she found the measure of his body. I backed away, moving off of the dance floor, and found a seat at one of the cocktail tables not too far off so I could keep my eye on her.
Unlike me, Roxy didn’t waste any time with foreplay. In moments she had spun around to face her suitor, reaching up to grip his shoulders and let him lift her off of the floor. His hands cupped her round ass and Roxy threw her legs around his waist, making her soft mesh skirt slide up her hips until you could see her ass completely and the fact that she wasn’t wearing anything underneath. I chuckled lightly at her abandon while a small part of me envied her for it.
I watched while they danced, leaning back in my chair, crossing my legs to enjoy the show. He reached under her leg, awkwardly fighting with the fly to his pants, but when his hand came back out, I knew he had been successful. He kept both hands cupped under Roxy’s thighs, holding her up with his Fae strength. Roxy wrapped her arms around his neck and lifted her body up just a couple of inches; she hesitated a moment before thrusting back down. His hips rocked forward as he sheathed himself inside of her. Roxy threw her head back, arching her back until I could see the swell of her breasts. Her mouth was open in a moan and her eyes were fluttering. I could practically see the magic swirling around their joined bodies, filling them as much as he was filling her. I bit my lip as my breath became shallow, my legs rubbing together.
He bounced Roxy up and down, slamming into her. Her nails bit into the skin of his shoulders as her hair whipped around in time with the music. I could almost hear her screams as the pleasure ripped through her body. She arched again and grabbed at her shirt with one hand and tore it off over her head, throwing it away. It landed just a few feet away from me. Her full, eager breasts bounced in time with her body, her nipples pink and hard with excitement as they glistened with sweat. The fairy bent his head forward, biting at the soft skin before he caught one nipple between his lips and began to suck hungrily. Roxy howled her pleasure at the ceiling, pressing every part of her body closer to him. Her hips began a fast circle as he pounded into her, letting her rub her clit against his base.
He moved his attention to her other breast, his tongue teasing the tip of her nipple with every other bounce of her body. I found my body responding to them, aching to join them, but I stayed put, gripping the sides of the chair. Soon I saw the tale tell sign of their rhythm faltering. He forgot her breasts and gripped her thighs so hard I could see Roxy’s skin turn red through his fingers. Roxy slammed down on him one last time and he held her there, his body trembling against her as the orgasm held him frozen. Roxy thrashed against him, rubbing frantically until she reached her edge and the orgasm tore through her body. She shook with pleasure, her breast and legs trembling.
After a moment of gathering himself, the fairy carefully lowered Roxy to the floor, slowly pulling out of her. She giggled and pulled on her skirt. He bent forward to press a kiss to her lips, but before he could reach her, she spun around and scampered away from him. He stood there, blinking stupidly after her. He caught me smirking and quickly adjusted himself and zipped up before turning and disappearing back into the crowd. I watched as Roxy bounced and jiggled all over as she rushed to me. Her body was singing with magic and her eyes were glowing so brightly her whole face lit up.
She practi
cally crashed into me, rocking my chair back dangerously before she grabbed my shoulders and pulled me into the kiss the fairy had been denied. Her tongue slipped through my lips and teeth, seeking mine. Her lips were hot and wet with pleasure as they formed around mine. I felt her tender breasts rub against mine, her nipples still hard with attention. When she broke the kiss, we both gasped for air. Roxy laughed again, spinning on the spot. She loved the feral magic that lust filled us with.
“It was good, I take it?” I teased as she came to twirling stop.
“Not bad,” she grinned.
“Do you want your shirt back?” I asked, quirking a brow at her. Not that she would stand out topless, not in this club anyway.
“Oh!” she glanced down, only now becoming aware she was topless. “Yeah, probably should, huh?”
“It’s there,” I nodded towards the discarded garment a few feet away and she hurried to scoop it up before anyone stepped on it. She shook it out and examined it for floor nastiness. Finding it unharmed, she pulled it back on.
“So why didn’t you kiss him?” I asked when she was situated and sitting across from me at the table.
“Huh?” She glanced at me, taking a moment to hear my question. She obviously wasn’t trying to saddle the magic she’d absorbed to save for later. Letting it remain feral inside of you was dangerous; it could overpower you with its own will and use you as it saw fit.
“The fairy, he tried to kiss you?” I prompted.
“Oh, eh,” she shrugged. “I don’t really like to kiss strangers, it’s really intimate. Don’t want to give them the wrong idea.” I blinked at her, my mouth gone slack with confusion.
“You just fucked him in the middle of a crowded dance floor, Roxy.”
“No, we danced,” she corrected me. “It’s practically a business transaction. What if I run into him again sometime and I gave him the wrong impression by kissing him like we’re a couple? He’ll always expect something of me. Now he knows it wasn’t personal.”
“No, nothing personal about what you just did.” I shook my head, but I could tell there was little point in arguing with her about it. I didn’t see how one kiss after a dance like that would convey the wrong message to a guy. But Roxy was far more experienced in these things than I was, so who was I to tell her she was wrong?
“Oh, Taryn, you have so much to learn about men,” Roxy teased.
“I am not a child, Roxy,” I shot back. “I know plenty about men.”
“Not in the way I mean. You are a serial monogamist.” She shifted in her seat to look at me. Her eyes were still shimmering with magic, but it was softer now. “You need to learn to get what you need, but not be saddled all the time. Live a little!” I huffed at her. Roxy tore through men like a tissue box. What did she know about relationships? Clearly she saw the look on my face as she tsked at me and shook her head.
“What?” I demanded.
“You just don’t know what you’re missing. Wouldn’t you, just once, like to get what you need from a man, but owe him nothing in return? Not need to check in with him whenever you wanted to do something?”
“Well,” I started to say, but Roxy pushed on.
“And what about when you want to just be alone? Hm? Or what if we had come here tonight and that Hunter had asked you to dance? How would it feel to have had to say no to him?” She fired the questions at me so fast I couldn’t get my answers straight. But that last question, about the Hunter, made me stop and think. That was the most fun I had had in a very long time. Just thinking about rejecting him irked something inside of me.
“Maybe you’re right.”
“And what about the rest of the night?” Roxy pressed. “What if some other tasty treat approached you and that Hunter had the impression you were his property now and said ‘No, you can’t do that.’ What then, Tare?”
“I just met him!”
“Yes, but it’s all the same thing. Me kissing that fairy after we were finished gives him the impression we had more than we did and I am obligated to him.”
“I guess I see your point,” I finally conceded. “I’m just so used to being in a couple.” I shrugged lamely.
“I know you are,” Roxy reached out and patted my hand reassuringly. “We’re gonna fix that tonight.”
“Not like Cillian’s sitting at home worried about being promiscuous,” I muttered.
“We’re not talking about him tonight, remember?”
“Right, so what now?”
“Don’t suppose you want to dance again?” Roxy arched her slender eyebrow at me and grinned devilishly. I laughed lightly and shook my head. The elf was insatiable! “Fine then, let’s go outside and get some fresh air, they have a roof top patio.”
“Uh,” I glanced down at what we were wearing and back up at her.
“Don’t worry about it, there are fire pits up there,” Roxy jumped off her stool and held her hand out for mine. I slid off my seat, catching the hem of my skirt and tugging it back into place before taking her hand. She led us through the mix of tables, chairs, and warm bodies to a door in the back I would’ve never noticed.
A doorman held open the door for us. We climbed a spiraling metal staircase, making me doubly happy for the stolen, flatfooted boots. Once at the top, we pushed open a metal door and stepped out onto the tiled roof. A biting wind swirled around our exposed legs, snaking up the meager skirts, sending chills all over. I stepped closer to Roxy, still warm from the feral magic she was letting run freely through her body.
One look around and I saw that the roof was almost as popular as the inside of the club; there were plush couches and chairs situated around fire pits and heat lamps and a full bar up here. But up here almost everyone was fully clothed, talking to each other more than anything, so the few who were otherwise engaged stood out all the more. The sounds of light laughter mingled with whispered moans and clinking glasses. Roxy pulled on my hand as she started forward, angling – unsurprisingly – towards the bar. I had only ever been at this club once before when Cillian and I had first started dating and I had never been on the roof. Because it was so much more subdued up here than inside the club, I couldn’t help but stare at those engaged in some carnal act. There was a woman laid out by a fire pit completely naked, her head thrown back in pleasure and her perky breasts reaching for the sky as a man knelt between her legs, his face lost from sight between her thighs. All the while another couple sat and watched, idly sipping from cocktails. I could tell there were a few humans in the mix, their presence a magical void amongst the pixies, fairies, and elves. I nearly collided with the bar top when I spied a vampire hidden in the shadows of a corner.
“Roxy,” I whispered urgently, pulling her close. “There’s a vampire over there!”
“Yeah, okay?” She blinked her confusion at me.
“‘Yeah, okay?’” I repeated.
“Oh, you’ve never seen one have you?” She smiled at me in such a way that it made me feel like a child and that more than anything else made me blush.
“No,” I said, trying very hard to keep my voice even. He was merely sitting in a chair, a brandy glass balanced between his long fingers, his eyes glowing faintly as he watched the crowd. He was far paler than Roxy and me. His face was all sharp angles, drawing the attention to his full, red lips. I wondered if they were so red because he had already fed for the night. But what made him stand out more than anything was how much clothing he was wearing. The only skin he had exposed was what showed through the gaping V in his shirt from a few unbuttoned buttons. He caught me staring, locking eyes with me before I could look away. I saw him lift one eyebrow and his nostrils flared subtly. I looked away.
“I’m sorry, Tare. I thought you’d seen one before.” For once, she sounded sincere. We slid onto the stools at the bar, turning to people watch. “I should warn you then.”
“Warn me about what?” I was afraid to ask.
“There’s a shapeshifter over there.” She nodded to another cluster of couches a
nd chairs. I didn’t need her to tell me which one he was. Among the petite pixies, skin shining in the moonlight, was a tawny colored man with shoulder length hair that foamed around his face in a honey cloud. His back was a crisscrossing of scars, muscles, and tattoos. He was also totally naked. There was no mistaking that for a Fae.
“Wow,” I gulped.
“I know, right?” Roxy snickered, ogling the shifter.
“What kind of shifter is he?”
“No idea,” she shrugged. “Don’t see many, so I never figured out the tell tale signs.”
“Something big I guess.” We both laughed.
“May I help you?” I turned in my seat to face the bartender and found myself regretting the club’s strict rule about employees not fraternizing with the clientele. He was a Shadow Elf from the North. With jet black hair, left long on top to drop into inky spikes around his face, and near translucent skin, his blue eyes glittered in the firelight. He was just a few inches taller than we and, rather than having big curving muscles like the fairy inside, he was long and lean, all taut lines. I sighed sadly and shook my head.
“I wish you could,” I propped my chin on hand, unable to look away. Shadow Elves didn’t venture south very often, not being accustomed to our warmer climates, so even to ones as fair as Roxy and I, he was quite exotic.
“Let me make it up to you with a drink, shall I?” He grinned and went about pouring various jewel colored liquors into a shaker before pouring us each a glass of his secret concoction. I picked up my glass, eyeing the deep purple color with a little measure of suspicion. I swirled it and took a light sniff.
“What’s in it?” I asked.
“I promise, you’ll like it.”
“I don’t drink that much, that’s her scene.” I tilted my head towards Roxy before I realized she wasn’t sitting next to me anymore. I turned to look for her and saw her in the middle of the group of pixies, smiling up at the shifter we had been admiring.