by Crymsyn Hart
Chapter Three
A week passed and every time Lila went to approach Draig, he was always surrounded by other women. They threw themselves at him, but unlike some of the other fetish masters at the club, he never disappeared with a client. In a way, she was glad for that. He was one of a kind, the way Leah had said. And he also had a temper.
All week long she had hoped to approach him, to return his vest, maybe get an apology from him for being an ass. Lila ran her fingers over his vest as she held it to her chest. She brought it close to her nose and inhaled his smoky clove scent. That alone made her warm and fuzzy, leaving her weak-kneed. She’d tried to get him out of her head. Each night she thought about Draig with those other women, a little bit of resentment crept into her being. It hurt her a little more each time for him to touch the women he tied up. It shouldn’t have been like that because he was only handling patrons. And yet the caresses he laid on the small of a customer’s back or touching a cheek drove her mad. It was even worse when he whispered in their ear, pulling them close. The women snuggling against him gave his body long looks and she could tell they were trying to entice him, fantasizing about him. That made her angry. She wanted it to be her that he was nestling against.
At the end of the night, Lila shook off the envy. It was no use thinking about the customers. I just need to get him out of my head. I’ll give his vest back and then he can go on his merry way. But damn, why am I so nervous? Why do I want him so much? Her feet were tired and so was she. Once she got this over with, she was going home.
Outside of Draig’s door, her heart thundered in her chest. She wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans from the anticipation of her encounter. Lila lifted her hand to knock, thought about it for a moment, and then made the decision. Her knock echoed in the deserted hallway. She listened, but no footsteps came from behind the door. After another rap, Draig still hadn’t answered. She gritted her teeth. Figures. Probably in there with a woman. Counting to three, she then knocked for the last time. The door opened. Draig stood on the other side dripping wet with a towel wrapped around his waist.
“Oh, it’s you. What do you want?”
Lila stared at his chest. His nipples were pert from the cold air. Beads of water clung to his tanned skin and dripped down the sides of his face. It took everything in her not to reach up and brush those drops away and feel his sharp cheekbones. She sucked in a breath and gathered her wits. As her gaze traveled downward, she was well aware of the bulge pressing against his white towel. It would be so easy to yank that piece of cloth away and see how well hung he truly was.
“Earth to Lila. Did you get a good enough look, or can I help you with something?”
She shook herself from her daze and plastered on a smile, remembering why she had originally come down to talk to him. It wasn’t about daydreaming over getting him into bed. “Sorry. Long night. I don’t mean to bother you. I’m sure you’re tired from tying up all those women. I wanted to give this back to you. I had it cleaned so you don’t have my germs to deal with.” She held out the vest and waited for him to take it.
Draig sighed, but he didn’t retrieve it. “Keep it. I was meaning to throw it out anyway. Is there anything else? Or are you going to continue gawking at me?”
Her heart crumpled as she drew back the vest. Tears stung her eyes from the rejection he offered her. She got the double meaning of his saying that she was trash too. Lila hugged the garment and looked down at the floor. “Nothing else. Sorry, I didn’t know you were in the shower. I won’t bother you again. Forget I came down. I-ah…never mind. I’ll see you around.”
“Shit. Wait. I’m sorry.”
Draig grabbed her arm when she turned to leave. His fingers wrapped around her forearm. An electric charge traveled along her flesh. She drew in a quick breath and waited for the pain of the charge to hit her, but it didn’t. Stealing a glance at him she saw that a silver fire burned in his eyes. The instant attraction she had for him flared to life. He pulled her into his room and closed the door. He backed her up against the wall and placed his hands on either side of her head, trapping her in between his arms. The Celtic knots on his forearms undulated when he flexed his muscles. The blaze in his eyes had increased and it stopped her heart.
“What do you want?” she asked softly. “I thought you didn’t want anything to do with me after the last time we were in here. You haven’t talked to me all week. I’ve seen how you’ve been ogling those other women.”
He slammed his hand close to her head against the door. The whole wall rattled. Lila jumped from the impact of his palm on the wood. “Damn it, woman. Why the hell do you care if I appreciate the women who I offer my services to? From what I hear, you don’t get involved with anyone at this place. So why are you so interested in me and my personal life?”
“I’m not concerned about your personal life. Do whatever the hell you want. And if you’re so interested in asking around about me, then why don’t you ask me instead of going behind my back?”
“I wasn’t going behind your back. Leah mentioned you aren’t into any of the fetishes here. Tig said you didn’t play well with others.”
She leaned forward until her nose was almost touching his. That fury that suddenly ignited within her veins surprised her. It seemed her blood was boiling, and yet so close to him she craved to have Draig in her arms. It took all of her self-control not to lash out at him. “Tig enjoys spreading rumors. It’s what he gets off on. And Leah is right, I don’t care for what goes on here, but I like my job and I get paid well for it. Besides, I know to keep my mouth shut about who and what I see. If you want to ask questions about me, next time ask me yourself!”
Draig’s expression darkened. “So you’re aware of the strangeness of this place?”
A cold breeze brushed past Lila’s arm. She shivered. Draig seemed to notice it too because he backed away and a small growl came from his lips. “Damn you, get out of here!”
Lila ducked out from under his arm and threw the vest at him. The sadness and anger she felt spiked her heart and nailed it to the wall. “Fine. Just forget I ever came down here. Thanks for the help with the bar the other day. Good night.”
In a blur, Draig had wedged himself in the little space there was between the door and her. “No. I wasn’t talking about you. Please don’t leave.”
“Why shouldn’t I? You made it perfectly clear you didn’t want me around.”
He backed off and gave her a little breathing room. He ran his fingers through his hair. Then he looked at her. The anger in his eyes was replaced by sincerity. His face smoothed out and he seemed tormented by something Lila couldn’t name. Some of her temper cooled as well. The breeze returned and sent a tremble up her spine. It wove around her and then rushed through the room, knocking over a candle on Draig’s dresser before the temperature returned to normal. That encounter only confirmed that the club was haunted.
“I want you around. I can’t stop thinking about you,” he said softly. Draig went to touch her cheek, but stopped. “What spell have you cast over me? What witchery have you bound me under? You must be some enchantress. Caught me unaware when I wasn’t even looking.” This time he touched her skin and ran his knuckle down it. The warmth of his flesh made her gasp from the chill that had occupied the room.
“I’m nothing of the sort. I’m just a bartender. You’re the one who put some kind of hex on me. I never get involved with anyone at work. Tig’s wrong, I’m not a cold fish. But when you kissed me the other night, I felt this connection to you. Now I can’t get you out of my head. That’s not normal. I find myself jealous watching you with those women you tie up. Instead of you touching them, I think…” She stopped, knowing how ridiculous it sounded. Her cheeks burned from what she was discussing with him. “Just forget I ever said it. I’m being stupid.”
His eyebrows scrunched together and a small frown formed on his lips. “You’re not stupid. Why would you be envious of those women? They’re just customers. They don’t mean anyt
hing. You should know that.”
Lila searched his gaze trying to find an answer in those alluring silver eyes of his. She reached up, with a shaking hand, and placed it on his face. Draig hissed in a breath. That contact between them blazed along her nerves. He leaned a little closer until he was only centimeters from her lips. His hot breath blasted against her mouth. The little lines etched into his mouth were luscious to look at. Draig’s top lip was fuller than the bottom. They had been one of the parts of him she had daydreamed about. The image of him kissing the other women made her stomach turn when she thought about it. Being with him now, her fears were wiped away. It took all of her willpower not to kiss him again. Last time had turned into a disaster and she didn’t want to blow her chance of raising his ire once more. His scent was clean, mixed with the smoky musk she recognized as his.
“I do. I mean… it’s none of my business who you’re with or what you do. God, this sounds crazy. I must be insane.”
“You’re not crazy. Tell me what’s on your mind.”
“So you can make fun of me? I’m sure you think this whole thing is a joke, or that I am.”
He slipped his fingers into her hair. A small sigh escaped her lips. She thought she would die from the simple pleasure of his touch. Her stomach tightened from being so close. His eyes burned silver. “I wouldn’t make fun of you. I know better than that.”
Lila saw the truth in his eyes and felt compelled to tell him. “This sounds cliché, but I’ve been dreaming about you.”
“What are your dreams about?”
“Can we sit down? My feet are killing me from standing behind the bar.”
Draig nodded. “Right. How inconsiderate of me. Sit. Are you hungry?”
“No. Are you going to move so I can get by you?”
“Sure.” Draig unwound his fingers from her hair, backed away, and let her slip by him. Lila collapsed in the chair, grateful to be off her feet. Her host sat across from her on the bed. The towel still covered his lower half. She hoped it would ride up and show some of his toned calf. “Tell me about your dreams.”
“I don’t know if I should, after you were such an ass to me last time.”
“I’m sorry about that. You caught me off-guard. I assumed you were taking advantage of the situation after our first incident at the bar.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Yeah, I’m sure that you’ve had that happen many times. Having half-naked women in your room, and you just so happen to enjoy them kissing you. If I remember, you were also groping me.”
“Lila, I normally don’t go around feeling up women. I got a little worked up and my temper flared. I shouldn’t have taken it out on you like that. Now what’ve you been dreaming about?”
“Why is it so important? Look, I came here to give you back your vest and…”
“Please.”
She heard the soft plea in his voice and saw the desperation in his eyes. Her sleep had been filled with visions of them together. Of his solid form above her and riding her all night long. She’d woken up every night in a pool of her own desire. Sweat dripping on her body so she’d had to take a shower every morning, which was killing her latest dye job. She studied the beige carpet. “I’ve been dreaming of us together. Going at it like rabbits.” Her cheeks burned. That was another driving factor on why it had been so hard for her to stay away from Draig. What she was experiencing was not the normal wet dreams that she had gotten from another man.
“Was there anything else that struck you odd about the dreams?” His soft touch on her cheek made her look up. She hadn’t heard him get up from the bed and cross the small space to her.
“Fire. Not burning, but at the end. When we climaxed, I could see silver flames around the edges of my vision. Then I’d wake up.” She bit her lip and dared a chance to touch his face. He must have just shaved because there was no stubble on his cheeks. “Why do you ask?”
“Because I thought you were impossible.”
“I’m not sure I follow your meaning.”
“You know what this place is, right? What Hell’s Gate really is besides a fetish club? What the performers are?”
“I know many of them aren’t…normal. Like I said, I know to keep my mouth shut at things I see.”
“True. Leah wouldn’t have kept you around if she didn’t trust you enough to keep secrets. So you realize that many of the employees here aren’t human.”
Lila nodded. Most of the others in the club who had private rooms or did shows were all some kind of supernatural creatures. The club was the one place where they could be themselves and not have to worry about being hunted. As long as they followed the rules, they weren’t thrown out. She didn’t know the specific rules, but she did know that Leah was very strict about them. There were a few humans on the staff. Leah had made them off-limits unless the staff initiated something.
“So what are you?”
“It doesn’t bother you that I’m not like regular guys?”
She giggled. “What’s ordinary? I’ve seen too much in this place to know what normal is anymore. Besides, some of the people that frequent these halls are weirder than any beastie or ghoul I’ve come across.”
“That’s very true.” Draig slid his hands over hers. She could feel the calluses on his hands. Probably from all the ropes. Why does he tie women up? Where did he come from? Why does he have so much power over me that he can compel me with just a look? If he only knew, then we wouldn’t be having this conversation. We’d already be on the bed going at it.
“You didn’t tell me what you are. Why didn’t you think I wasn’t possible? Keeping me in the dark isn’t fair.”
Draig trailed his finger along her lips. She flicked her tongue across the tip of it before sucking it into her mouth. His eyes widened the deeper she took it in. He tasted of soap and burned wood. She leaned into him more so that her breasts pressed against his chest. He walked his fingers down her neck and over the top of her breasts. Lila released his finger and then moaned. He pulled away before she could feel more of him.
“I don’t want to jeopardize this before I answer your questions.”
“Then answer me so we can both get what we want.” She nipped the side of his neck and waited to see if he would pull away from her again or if his temper would flare. Draig pulled her to the floor. She landed on top of him and trapped him between her legs. His hard cock pushed against the seam of her jeans. Lila slowly began to grind along his shaft. He gripped her upper arms. A small gasp escaped her lips, but she worked through the pain.
“I’m stronger than you.”
“Prove it.” She placed her palms on his pecs, feeling the steady heartbeat underneath it. A mischievous grin turned up the corners of her mouth when she pinched both of his nipples. He cried out and released her arms. Then the world switched and she found herself in Draig’s position on the floor and he was on top of her. A triumphant smile adorned his lips.
“Does that prove it for you?”
“Kiss me again.” She leaned up, waiting for his mouth to connect with hers, but he held her down.
“Will you listen to me now? Please.”
”Okay.”
“I’m the last of my kind. I’m originally from Ireland. My kind were slain over five hundred years ago. I only escaped because I’ve been stuck in human form. My wings haven’t touched the sky in almost eight hundred years. I was enslaved by a cruel sorcerer who made it impossible for me to switch my shape. He used my powers for his own gain. When I felt the last of my kind fall, I begged to be released, but to no avail. Although I did learn some of his magic. My master came to an untimely end. With his death, I was freed from his curse. But I was alone. My kind are near immortal and I have roamed this earth in search of a way to end my nightmare, for death to claim me, but the dark angel has not seen fit. So I exist in this form, without the hope of ever meeting another of my kind.”
“How did you get to Hell’s Gate?”
“Through my travels I met Lea
h. She told me if I ever needed a haven to come here. I am bone weary and there is much my tired eyes have seen. At the end of my rope, I ventured here. I wasn’t expecting to find you. When I first touched you, I thought it had to be a mistake. To think my torment had come to an end. I couldn’t dare hope. Here you are.” He took her hand and kissed the sensitive spot over her wrist.
“What makes me so important?” Lila touched his face.
He guided her hand to his shoulder. “There was a reason why I got so angry last week. When you touched my back, it sent a shockwave to my very soul. I panicked. Something stirred within me that hadn’t in so very long. I need you to touch me once more. I have to be sure.”
“Where do I have to touch you?” She bit her lip and snaked her hand under his towel and along his inner thigh. He jerked away.
“Not there. At least not yet. I want you to touch the dragon on my back.” Draig rolled off her and knelt on the carpet.