And then he remembered the effect that alcohol had on Mya. Thankfully, she was taking small sips. They stared at one another and nodded, turning as one to confront the crowd of demons at their back.
Well, they confronted the one, single demon who stood behind them, an enigmatic smile on his handsome face. He was dapper and genteel in appearance, but something about the demon hit David like a fist to the gut. Power crawled over his skin, and his cock spiked hard.
The demon extended a business card; it was heavy and embossed, not the sort that you could print from your home printer. David accepted the card and held it where Mya could read it as well.
J. W. Worth, Esquire. Attorney at Law.
That was it. No phone number, no office address. He looked up at the man in the impeccable black suit, and his heart dropped.
The man doffed the fedora that he wore and gave a slight bow.
“Jedidiah Wormwood Worth, at your service.”
* * *
Jedidiah had tracked their progress through the bar, coming to the conclusion that his little couple were both shapeshifters of some sort. Feline, judging by their grace. And that hair was nothing that a salon could produce; only Nature herself had that artistic gift.
Tigers?
On the one hand, they oozed sensuality, yet both were uptight and nervous with each other. As they approached the specialty bar, his arched brow rose. Perhaps they’d been unable to consummate? Perhaps a virgin drink was in the making?
His cock grew hard thinking about the games he could play with a virginal pair. He then reminded himself that he was here on leisure, not business.
It was sometimes unfortunate that he enjoyed his job so very much.
He sighed and sipped his whisky.
They arrived at the bar and took their seats, ordering immediately from the menu. The bartender looked concerned, which piqued his interest even more. It took only seconds to discover why. His puritanical couple was looking for a Devil’s Advocate.
In a heartbeat, every demon in the bar had converged behind them, and it delighted Jedidiah that they ignored the little crowd at their back. He gave it a few heartbeats and then stood, slipping his hat back onto his head. He thought of manifesting an elegant cane, then discarded that idea as being a bit stuffy. He brushed his lapels and sauntered to the bar, smiling wickedly as one by one, his competitors caught his gaze and fell away.
It took less than a half a minute to dispatch even the most challenging of the crew, a tall, stunning female with silver-white hair. Jedidiah knew her well; in her natural form, Natalia had the lower body of a serpent and the leathery wings of a bat. He’d long wanted to fuck her just to put her in her place in the great demonic order. Not tonight, though. He was interested in different prey.
He waited, hands folded as the two worked up their courage. When they turned to him, he smiled at their surprised expressions. Jedidiah Worth was the master at clearing a room when necessary.
After handing them his card, Jedidiah examined them closely.
They were equally stunning and well matched in their very differences. The woman’s eyes were blue, angling up at the corners. Her nose was straight and slightly arched, not enough to look aristocratic, but still strong. Her mouth was pink and full and oh… so delightful. Her floral frock couldn’t hide her lithe, lush body.
The man was tall. Jedidiah had to look up slightly to meet his eyes. He was exotic in his coloring, yet had the same upswept eyes as the woman. They were green and slightly dangerous. His Asian background was apparent in the sensual lines of his face, and yet there was a smile lurking there, even in the midst of caution.
He ignored Shelly, who was hovering at their side, glaring at him.
“And you are?”
He didn’t miss their hands clasping tightly together. He seemed to make them nervous. Smart kids.
“David and Mya.”
“No last name then?” He smiled benignly.
“Jed, what did we just speak about?”
He glanced at Shelly. “I told you, my dear, I’m here for leisure tonight. Even demons get a night off now and then.”
She snorted and rose from her stool. “Listen, you two, he speaks double-speak. Think very carefully before accepting any offers.”
“But they’re the ones offering the deal here, Kelly.”
She glared at him and continued. “Just remember, the place is warded, but if he gets your willing consent to do something, the wards won’t protect you.”
He gave a sad sigh. “Nelly…”
“Shelly.”
He was getting to her! Jedidiah stifled a grin. “Shelly, did I not make a solemn vow to you earlier? No soul hunting. No contracts. Just drinks and entertainment.”
“Yes, Jed, I recall. I also know that you have a liberal interpretation of entertainment.”
He turned to the young couple. “Shelly is very correct to warn you about me. And just to set her heart at ease, I suggest that we negotiate our evening here and now, before you take that keycard and leave the bar.”
“What if we want to talk to some of the others?” Mya’s pretty cheeks were flushed pink. He tuned in that psychic nose of his and detected clean, pure lust emanating from them both.
Delicious.
“I don’t see any others, do you?” He turned and looked at the crowd on the dance floor. The space behind them was completely clear.
“There were several demons here tonight. Where did they go?” She looked stubborn, yet still a bit frightened.
“They tucked tail and ran because he’s their alpha dog. He’s the fucking hero of all demonkind.” The redhead leaned on the bar for a moment. “You wanted a Devil’s Advocate, and guess what? You got him. Satan’s personal land shark. You can bet all of his clients have signed over their souls.”
“Oh, Shelly, you know I prefer to be called something more folksy. Maybe his legal eagle, or his mouthpiece.”
She smiled. “Yeah, he’s one of those shysters who represent the underground types. The real underground types, I might add. And he’s never lost a case. I suppose he’s never had an innocent client, either.”
Jedidiah laughed and leaned in to kiss her cheek. “I have missed you this past year, do you know that?”
Shelly shook her head and paused before leaving. “Much as I hate to admit it, I’ve missed your ugly mug around here too.” She then spun on a boot heel. “Just remember… be good. Or you’re out for another year.”
“Your wish is my command, lady vampire.”
She snorted and walked away, leaving the trio in relative privacy at the bar.
Jedidiah pulled a stool between the two, forcing them apart. “Now, down to business. What service are you in need of, and what sexual services are you willing to negotiate with?”
He leaned back, resting casually against the low back of the stool, looking from one to the other. They were clustered in a tight little circle, and without really thinking about it, Jedidiah cast a net of privacy around them.
His knees were between theirs, and Jedidiah felt the heat of their flesh against his. Sighing in pleasure, he indulged himself in an eager, aroused shiver. Mya’s eyes flared red, and a small growl escaped from David.
But they didn’t leave.
Chapter Three
“I assume that there’s a problem with your sex life?”
Mya felt her cheeks go warm in embarrassment. David was stifling his cat’s fury as well as his own jealousy. She took a deep breath and prepared herself to explain their situation to this stranger.
He was far from what she’d expected from a demon. He was of average height, slender with a nice build. His forehead was broad with a lovely hairline; his cheekbones were high and etched, and his nose was slender and aristocratic. He certainly didn’t look evil, which was undoubtedly part of his dangerous charm.
He wore the fedora at a rakish angle; thick, dark hair tumbled down to the top of his shoulders in lush waves. She particularly liked his goatee. The sle
nder mustache framed his perfectly shaped lips; the slight point to the small beard gave him a wicked expression.
“It was a curse.” Her lips felt stiff as she spoke. “Years ago, one of my ancestors angered a witch. She cursed the family. But it had been so long since it manifested that I didn’t think…” Helplessly, she glanced at David for support.
“Am I incorrect, or are you a feline shifter?” She nodded. “Tiger?”
“Yes. David is, as well.”
He nodded. “And this curse plays on that?”
“Yes, in a way. On very rare occasions, it manifests in my family. We grow up normally as tiger shifters. But when we meet our mates…” She broke off in embarrassment. She stared at the floor, reluctant to continue.
“When you met your mate?” he coaxed her gently.
Looking at him, Mya could see the interest in his eyes. Curiosity. And oddly enough, compassion.
A compassionate demon? Wasn’t that an oxymoron?
“Yes, well, I’m not a virgin, and when David and I decided to marry, we decided to save our first time for our wedding night. And when I got aroused, another beast manifested.”
“It seems to respond to our sexual arousal.” David looked at Mya, giving her his gentlest smile. The tight band around her heart eased just a bit.
“Ah, that would explain the lovely gleam in your eye.” He thoughtfully stroked his beard. “A beast? What sort of beast?”
Mya shrugged, feeling a bit more relaxed. “It’s not feline. The aggression is overwhelming. It’s bloodthirsty. I’m very afraid that it would hurt David if it overcomes my tiger.”
“I’m afraid that I’d hurt Mya if the creature challenged my cat.” David frowned down at the point where their knees met, though Mya didn’t really think he was seeing anything.
“I don’t have the capability of lifting an old curse.”
“We know that.” David looked up and stared intently at the demon. “But you do have the ability to talk to the witch who cursed Mya’s ancestor. Perhaps if you act as our mediator, she’ll lift the curse.”
“I’m the only surviving member of my family. I will offer my apologies on behalf of my ancestor.”
The demon remained in his relaxed, slightly pensive posture. “I assume this witch is dead?”
She nodded. “Many years ago.”
“And what if she’s not in Hell?”
“My understanding is that many demons have access to all platforms of the afterlife, not just the levels of the damned.” David sounded sure of himself.
“Actually, demons rarely have access to the souls of those who aren’t tainted. However, I am an exception to that rule.” A smile played at the corner of his mouth.
“You wish to hire me to negotiate on your behalf with a long-dead witch. Your form of payment is sexual access to your bodies?”
As one, she and David nodded.
“And you offer her apologies on behalf of your family? Do you even know what crime was committed against her?”
“I don’t really know.” Mya nibbled at her lip. “I’m fairly certain it was sexual in nature. My family rarely spoke of it, beyond mentioning the names of those who were afflicted. It cursed their matings and rendered them incapable of bearing and raising young. I have a few distant cousins still alive, but there have been so few babies born in our family over the last century, our Golden Tabby line will soon be extinct.”
The demon crossed his arms over his chest. His dark eyes held a hot gleam. Glancing down, she saw the bulge of his erection pressing against the seam of his trousers. She wasn’t certain if his arousal was for her, for David, or simply for the situation. He seemed to be the sort who appreciated a challenge.
“You do know her name, don’t you?”
“Yes. Yes, I do. It’s Leticia Louella Burnside. This happened during the nineteenth century, on the east coast of America.” He probably didn’t need to know the era or location, but as far as Mya was concerned, the more he knew the better.
He didn’t answer; instead he stared first at Mya, and then at David. She felt her skin prickle under his attention. To her alarm, her belly tightened, and her pussy grew warm and damp. When she felt the beast rouse, a pulse of power squeezed within her chest, forcing it into submission.
She gasped.
“Mya?” David turned to her in alarm, but she simply coughed and shook her head.
“What did you do?” David ran a soothing hand over her back.
The demon gave a tiny smile. “Just put the beast in its place. Unless I’m mistaken, I am exactly the man for this job.”
He shot a look at David. “What will you do when I fuck her?”
David went very still next to her. They’d just discussed this, yet his reaction was extreme.
“What will you do if I want you to fuck her with me?”
Without waiting for an answer, he looked back at Mya. “And you, little girl. What will you do if I decide that it’s your husband that I want instead of you? Will you like watching us together?”
His voice was barely above a whisper, and she leaned in closer though she heard him clearly. “I warn you, my tastes are… eclectic.”
Her cunt throbbed; next to her, she felt the heat of David’s arousal. The three of them could very well be in their own little circle of fire.
“We will submit to anything so long as you promise to mediate for us.” David’s voice was hoarse with emotion. She didn’t want to guess what that emotion might be.
The demon grinned at them. The smile did nothing to make her feel any better.
“Tempting as that offer is, I made certain promises to our hosts tonight. I can only take what you offer freely.” He reached into the inner pocket of his suit and drew out some papers and ink pens.
“Take these to the bar and fill them out. Do it separately, and don’t look at each other’s pages.”
“Shelly said --”
He interrupted her. “This isn’t a contract or an agreement. These are limit lists. Just read the questions and mark whether it’s a yes, a maybe, or a hard limit. It will prevent me from violating the confidence that you are honoring me with.”
He rubbed his lower lip, drawing her attention to his mouth. “And be honest. Please.”
She turned away and glanced down at the list. David was quickly filling his out. Rope play? Bondage? She checked the “maybe” box. Floggers? Thuddy or stingy…
She swallowed and quickly ticked off the answers, leaving some blank for reconsideration. Oral? Anal? Double penetration? Objectification and humiliation? Those last two were a definite “no.” Mya didn’t do humiliation, and her tiger’s ego would never allow it to be objectified.
When she finished, David took her sheet and handed it back to the demon. He neatly folded them and returned them to the inner pocket of his jacket.
“Wait, aren’t you going to read them?”
He smiled at David. “I already know your answers. You just needed to know as well. And later, we might have room for more negotiation.” He winked. “I’m not really into what the mortals call ‘The Scene,’ but I do like to play. And I do like to play hard sometimes.”
He leaned past them to the bar and with the tip of a finger pulled the keycard into his hand. He rose and smiled benignly at them both.
“Shall we proceed?”
Mya shivered as though someone had stepped on her grave.
* * *
Jedidiah wondered who’d chosen the décor of the room. If he’d had his way, it would have been a spooky dungeon, just for kicks and giggles. Fear was always good to spice things up. He suspected that either David or Mya would choose a natural setting, someplace their cats would feel comfortable. He didn’t want them comfortable.
Instead, the room looked like an old-fashioned bordello, with rich red velvets on the bed and walls, dark leather-covered furnishings, and a roaring blaze in the fireplace. The walls were studded with subtly placed hooks and loops, and all the toys he could dream of were discree
tly placed around the room. Immediately his mind raced, deciding on the proper setting for their first little adventure. His little tigress needed binding, not just for kink, but for safety.
The bed was conveniently orgy sized, made of heavy, dark wood with thick velvet drapes at the head. He spotted more metal loops for securing the willing -- or unwilling -- partner. There was a velvet upholstered bench at the foot of the bed, and Jedidiah took a seat on the padded lid. He wondered what was stored in the bench. Curiosity brought him to his feet to peek inside. It was a treasure trove of condoms, lubes and various massage and stimulating oils. Which reminded him…
“There is no need for condoms, unless you wish me to wear one. My body does not carry disease, and I cannot impregnate you.”
David nodded, glancing down at the floor. “Thank you.”
“Yes… I’d appreciate that.” She was pink with embarrassment, yet again he scented a spike in her arousal. Exhibitionist? Or perhaps she was simply true to her species. Even as he pondered, Jedidiah saw the red gleam of the other beast slide behind her eyes. It was time to assert a bit of control.
“Mya, please remove your clothing. There is a robe hanging on a peg near the door. David, take a seat in that chair.” He nodded in approval as the other man settled in a large, leather wingback chair. “Now as she begins to undress, touch yourself.” He looked up at the woman who was undressing at a snail’s pace.
“Mya, make it lovely for your husband.”
Panic flared briefly over her face, and Jedidiah could fairly taste the beast. It was wonderfully familiar and he welcomed the kinship. As Mya’s face contorted into a snarl, he gently pushed power into her, forcing the beast to retreat. He followed that with a smart psychic slap. Her head jerked, her eyes grew wide.
“You made it stop.”
“You two are so afraid of it that you’ve allowed it to take control.”
Last Call Europe Devil’s Advocate Page 2