by AJ Merlin
“He is?” I was surprised-even without my wolf ears, my hearing was very good, and I would’ve thought that I could hear him moving around on the floor above.
“He’s still in bed,” Indra added. “But Akiva’s right, he is awake.”
“Telepathically connected lovers was not something I was expecting from you three,” I told them both.
“It’s not that,” Indra replied. “Not exactly like that.”
I didn’t miss the way Akiva watched him intently, his eyes narrowing like he was trying to guess what Indra would say.
Was there a secret here that they weren’t telling me? This wasn’t the first time they’d made me wonder.
It really wasn’t my business, and I didn’t want to make it a big deal. I smiled, then ran my fingers through Akiva’s coarse black hair. “It’s fine,” I laughed. “You don’t have to explain anything to me.”
Their eyes met for half a second, and it occurred to me that Akiva was not so good at controlling his expressions as much as he might think.
But it still was not my business. I would keep repeating that until I convinced myself not to chase my tail over yet another puzzle.
“Why don’t you let me practice on you?” Akiva offered. “Have you ever done any rope bondage before?”
“No,” I admitted, distracted from their secrets.
“He’s better.” Akiva nodded to Indra. “And he’s the only one of us who knows anything about true shibari, but I get by.”
“That hardly seems fair,” I replied as Indra started to undo the knots on his arms. “Why is it I’m always the one on the bottom?” My protests weren’t genuine. Being in Akiva’s position seemed a lot more fun than being the one doing the tying, though that didn’t mean I had no interest in learning.
“Because, George,” the lich sighed, flexing his wrists slightly. “You are such a submissive. You live for being on the bottom.”
“Maybe I’m a switch.”
They both looked at me, with Indra’s fingers pausing on the rope.
“Okay, you–school your expression better,” I said to Indra. “You, stop smirking.” I pushed Akiva’s face away from me lightly.
From above me, I heard footsteps, finally audible to my human ears and signaling to me that Cian was awake. The steps went from the bedroom to the bathroom, and a second later, I heard the sound of the shower going full blast.
“Do you think I should leave?” I asked, listening to the sound of the water.
“Why?” Indra pulled more of the knots free, working quickly but gracefully.
“Well…if he’s tired from vampire stuff and whatever, I don’t want to bother him.”
The truth was that, of the three of them, Cian was the one I understood the least. He seemed more distant than Akiva or Indra, and not quite as willing to get close to me.
Sometimes I couldn’t help but wonder if half the reason he let me come around was because they had more interest in me than him.
The night in the bayou hadn’t exactly helped. Even if he had apologized after telling me to stop helping and that I’d only end up getting hurt.
Akiva, now free, turned to push my knees to the floor and straddled my lap. Surprised, I blinked and met his gaze.
“You don’t need to leave unless you want to,” he said. “We aren’t doing anything today, and if Cian wants to be grumpy-which I very much doubt he does-then he can stay in his room.”
“Which he won’t,” Indra added, coiling the rope around his arm.
“Which he won’t,” Akiva agreed. “Now, would you like to get tied up, George? So that Indra can critique my work? I know how much you enjoy it when someone is not complimenting me, rare as the occasions are.”
I hadn’t expected him so close so quickly, and heat coiled low in my body. I sucked in a breath, wanting more. I always wanted more when it came to them.
“Oh, I suppose,” I told him, leaning back slightly to rest my weight on my hand. The other I pressed to his cheek, smiling when he turned his face into my palm. He kissed my skin lightly, then stood in one fluid motion to step back.
“Take your shirt off, and your shorts,” he ordered in a low, husky tone that sent goosebumps racing along my skin. He took the rope from Indra and considered it. “Did you bring out any more rope?”
“No,” the hellhound said, getting to his feet. “You want more?”
I saw Akiva nod as I stood to remove my t-shirt, which I carefully laid near the door with my shoes.
I didn’t want to throw my clothes all around their house, and the windows by the door were securely blocked off by the heavy red curtains.
Some petty part of me, however, wanted to open the window to see if the old ladies were still there. If they were, I would wave.
I refrained, however, and slid my shorts off so they could join the pile of my belongings. On top of those, I laid my keys and phone, which had previously been in my pockets. Finally, I took off the jawbone necklace and put it down as well.
Akiva’s eyes dropped to my black panties when I turned to close the distance between us.
A smirk tugged at his lips.
“You have something to say?” I asked sweetly, his eyes still on the pink, cursive meow that was spelled out across my black, lacy bra.
“I guess ‘awoo’ was sold out?” He asked, face so close to mine that I could feel the tickle of his breath against my skin. His scent enveloped me, a heady mixture of cinnamon and something unfamiliar but sharp that I could never tire of.
I took in a deep breath. “No. Clearly, I am a cat.”
“Oh? Then come here, pretty kitty.” The lich hadn’t put his clothes on either, which I wasn’t complaining about.
I pressed close to him, my breasts brushing his chest as my thigh slid between his. I grinned, and he leaned down, pressing his lips to mine for only a moment.
“Bad kitty,” he told me a second later. “Trying to distract me when I want to tie you up.”
I rolled my eyes. “My bad. You want me to sit?”
“No, stand there for me. And stop talking back, little cat.”
Indra sat, back against the coffee table as both of us watched Akiva find the middle of his rope.
“Arms up?” The lich requested. I bit my tongue to bite back a sarcastic reply that might delay his hands on my skin. I reached up quietly, his arms going around my body to skim the middle of my back, just under my bra. His fingers were cold against my skin, but still sent shivers down my spine that had nothing to do with temperature.
“First I find the small of your back…” He held the middle loop of the rope there, and twined the other around me, just under my breasts.
I tried to watch, but it was very difficult when half of what he was doing was out of my visual reach.
Finally, I gave up with a soft huff, instead staring at the white ceiling and finding myself focusing more on the slide of the soft rope on my skin when he looped it over my shoulders and around my chest. He never tied it too tightly, though I could feel the slide and pull of the silky material constantly.
I forced myself to remain impassive. He was clearly focused, and I wasn’t sure me telling him how nice it felt would be what he wanted to hear. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.
My wandering eyes found Indra’s, and he grinned at my expression. Always so intuitive. He had to know exactly what was going through my mind.
“I think you’re turning her into a rope bunny,” the hellhound remarked.
Akiva glanced at him, then straightened to look at me. I schooled my face to blankness once more.
“Oh? Do you like this so very much?” He asked, running his fingers over the two sets of ropes that crisscrossed under my throat.
“I suppose it’s okay,” I downplayed.
He didn’t look very convinced.
“What do you think?” He asked a moment later, stepping back so Indra could see.
“I think you’ve been watching that guy’s knot tutorials a lot lately, a
nd it’s paid off.” Indra stood, coming over to run his fingers over the rope.
“These are a lot better,” he remarked, testing a knot. “And it’s not too loose.” He walked behind me, hands stroking over the knots and my skin.
It was a lot to pretend to ignore, and I bit my lip. “What’s it look like?” I asked finally, when Indra had stepped back. But he wasn’t the one who answered.
“Come see?” Before I could agree, Akiva hooked a finger in the looped tie just under the center of my chest. He pulled me to the first floor bathroom, flipping on the light when he stepped through the door.
“Oh wow,” I murmured, surprised at what I saw. The ropes looping over my body were done so in a near-perfect pentagram pattern. “Akiva, this is so cool.” Unable to help it, I ran my fingers over the ropes that made up the lines of the red pentagram on my pale skin.
“You like it, then?” Standing behind me, he wrapped his arms loosely around my waist and rested his chin on my shoulder. “I don’t just mean the look of it.” His grin was mischievous.
“I like it,” I replied quietly, wondering if his hands would move from my hips to explore other places that I’d like him to touch.
“Shall I remove it so you can be more comfortable while you spend time with us? Unless you’re…leaving soon?” He asked innocently, like he wasn’t deathly curious.
“I’m here for anything. Not like I have plans until later,” I said.
“Oh? You have plans tonight? He dragged me back to the living room, very attached to using my new pentagram harness as a, well, harness.
“I do. Are you jealous?”
“Do those plans involve Yuna?” Indra inferred with a soft smirk.
“No,” I admitted after a few moments of consideration. “I have some work to do tonight.”
“That sounds terribly suspicious,” the lich pointed out.
“Does it?” I batted my eyes at him sweetly. His own narrowed.
“You aren’t in trouble, are you?” Indra asked doubtfully.
Again I hesitated. “Remember the other night? When I visited, uh…” I hadn’t quite explained it to them. I didn’t want to start now. They had their own problems to see to, and I didn’t want them worrying about mine. “Bullet point version is, some other magic users helped me with my summoning. In return, they asked me to check something out with them. I’m going to go do that tonight.”
“Where are you going?” Akiva’s voice was carefully neutral. I wasn’t fooled.
“To do a thing,” I replied. “Look, it’s fine. I’m really not in any danger, I promise.”
They traded a look that I didn’t need to read more into.
The two of them didn’t trust my words.
“I could leave it on,” Akiva lifted one shoulder, then let it fall. “We could tie her up very easily with it.”
“Oh, take it off,” Indra chuckled. “You aren’t leaving soon, right?”
“Right,” I reaffirmed. “Unless you or your vampire king up there are going to kick me out.”
“The vampire king has no intention of kicking you out,” Cian called, his footsteps sounding at the top of the stairs.
I looked up, lifting my arms when Akiva gestured for me to do so.
As the lich undid the ropes, I eyed Cian. He looked so tired and….normal.
Usually, the vampire was the very embodiment of authority and dominance. It was hot.
Now it seemed he’d decided to grace us mere peasants with his unpolished self.
His black v-neck fit loosely, and the fabric was worn as if it had gone through the wash one too many times. His grey sweatpants were barely any better, and were baggy on his frame.
On second thought, the outfit didn’t dim his brilliance whatsoever. He could still put me on my knees, no matter what he wore or how messy his hair was.
Akiva slid the ropes off of me, giving me a quick pat on the head that made me snort.
"Thank you for letting me practice my profound skills upon you, George,” the lich said theatrically as he coiled the red rope around his arm. “Perhaps next time I shall hang you from the rafters.”
I turned, my eyebrows lifting in interest. “Oh?”
“No,” Indra remarked, taking the rope from him. “I’m not letting him hang you from the ceiling.”
Akiva and I looked at one another. He wiggled his brows. I smirked.
Fingers combed through my hair, surprising me into glancing upward at Cian’s smile.
“It’s been a little while,” the vampire purred, leaning down to kiss my cheek and nearly turning my knees to jelly. “I hope Akiva isn’t succeeding in chasing you off?”
“If I say yes, will you punish him?” I asked solemnly.
Cian’s grin grew. “I might.”
“I’ll like it,” the lich reminded me, sinking down onto the sofa.
“I’ll like it more,” I promised. Unwilling to keep my hands to myself, I rested them lightly against Cian’s chest, if just to touch him.
“Do you guys want to get some lunch?” Cian asked, placing his hands over mine and stroking his thumbs lightly across my skin.
“Depends,” Indra said, coming back to sit next to Akiva on the sofa. “Are we cooking, ordering, or going out?”
“I don’t think I’m dressed particularly well for going out,” the vampire chuckled. “And I won’t ask you to cook after last night.”
Dear Goddess, I’d never seen such a suggestive smirk. I turned, following his gaze to see Indra very carefully looking anywhere but at us.
I needed all of the filthy details, if Indra was willing to share.
When Cian drew away from me and made for the kitchen, I wandered over to sit down beside Indra, not very convincing in my act at being casual.
“So,” I began, leaning my bare shoulder against his.
The hellhound’s eyes landed squarely on mine, then dipped lower.
“So,” he agreed, lifting a hand to run it over the edge of my bra.
I fought a shiver. “You have to tell me. I’ll die if you don’t tell me.” I batted my eyes at him.
Akiva snickered on his other side.
“Oh yes,” the hellhound agreed airily. “I can practically see you wilting from the pain of not knowing.” He tried to look solemn, but failed miserably when a friendly smile curved his lips upward. “Fine. But only because you’re cute.”
Chapter 8
Shifting so I could look up at the starless sky above the city, I inhaled deeply as I waited for Nathanial outside of his voodoo shop.
I could smell the rain in the air, even though I’d only been outside for a few minutes.
Rain, and something else.
But I couldn’t place the something else.
The door opened and closed behind me, the sound of a key sliding in a lock loud to my sensitive ears. I’d packed away my wolf ears for the night, after letting my hybrid features fly free all afternoon with the guys.
While I couldn’t be sure, I didn’t think flouting my heritage around in the voodoo community would be my best bet. At the very least, it would draw the kind of attention to me that I had no need for tonight.
Nathaniel stood beside me, hands in his pockets as he looked over the street in front of us. “Do you smell that?” He asked, voice quiet.
“The rain?” I asked, getting to my feet and dusting off my leggings. I’d forgone the usual jeans and t-shirt combo tonight. Instead, I wore a black skirt over leggings, ankle boots, and a long-sleeved red shirt. My hair was in a messy bun on top of my head, and I didn’t carry my usual thigh bag with me tonight.
“No. The other thing.”
I inhaled again, easing my control on my wolf self and filtering through the scents of the city in my nostrils. “I don’t know what that is,” I admitted, unable to place the sharp, hot scent that seemed to almost burn.
“It’s voodoo. The bad kind.” Nathanial’s voice was grim.
I looked at him, eyes wide, to see that he was already looking at
me. “Then we should follow it,” I assumed. “If it’s dark voodoo–“
“We’d never find it,” Nathaniel explained. “At any given time, there’s all kinds of bad things going on in this city. Voodoo, witch magic, and everything else you could dream up.”
“But not like this,” I argued.
“Not like this, sure. But that doesn’t mean we could find it. You might be able to follow the scent for a block or two, but it’ll shift. I guarantee it.”
I wasn’t sure I believed him, but I also had no notion of how to track down dark magic if it wasn’t hitting me upside the head.
“What do you think it is?” I asked, following him off the patio of the shop and along the sidewalk.
“It’s bad,” he said flatly, adjusting his suit jacket.
I was very glad I’d dressed better than normal, now that I saw him in his fitted dress pants, shirt, and jacket. I didn’t want to stick out more than I already would tonight, being a witch amongst voodoo practitioners.
As we walked, the familiar parts of the city fell away. I’d never gone much further than Marin’s shop, and now the shops had melted into residential buildings and small houses.
He was right about not finding it. While we traversed the streets, the scent of bad magic lessened, strengthened, or became indiscernible entirely. One moment I’d be sure we’d stumbled into something bad, while the next I had nothing in my nose except the scent of the river and the harsh smells of the city.
Finally, he stopped, resting a hand on a small, white fence that bordered a very square property. The threatening rain still had not come, though the air was cold and damp with the promise of it.
The house that sat back from the street was also very square, and very tidy. Pillars appeared to raise the front up, and large windows shone with golden light. The siding had to have been light colored as well, but in the darkness I could barely make it out.
Two people stood on a small balcony that overlooked the path leading to the house, and from the light behind them, I could see that they were looking straight at us.
“I thought we were going to a funeral,” I mumbled, my ears catching the occasional sound of upbeat music from inside the house.