Chapter Thirty-Four

Crossbody vs. The Ghastly Boys

Crossbody

I was in such a good mood when I got home from work that evening that I baked some cat treats for Lady Potato. She lounged on the dining table at the other end of the room and watched me with a bored, unimpressed gaze. She’d been particularly standoffish today, seeing as I’d abandoned her again last night, so I was hoping to butter her up a bit. It seemed to work. Once the treats were out of the oven and cool, I fed her a couple and she started purring madly.

And then, when I sat down beside her on the sofa after cleaning up the kitchen, she didn’t immediately move away. She waited a whole twenty seconds before jumping down and slinking off, lifting her tail high in the air to display her anus to me for some unknown reason.

Work was better than it had ever been before. My rehearsals with the Ghastly Boys were going well, which was promising, seeing as the new wrestlers’ big debut was coming this weekend. Plus, Vince had snuck into my dressing room a few times to kiss me senseless.

We hadn’t met up at the motel again yet. We’d both been too tired after work on Tuesday, and he’d mentioned that he had a roller derby bout on Wednesday evening. And then the shows began on Thursday, which meant gruelling days and late nights.

My match against the Ghastly Boys was Thursday night’s main event, so we spent all morning getting in our final rehearsal. By the time I’d eaten and showered after we were done, it was time for me to start getting ready.

At around 8.30 p.m., when I knew the doors had opened and the audience had started arriving, Vince slipped into my dressing room. He was already in his wrestling outfit, minus his skates, and my gut tightened with arousal as I took in the lean lines of his body under his tight-fitting shorts and halterneck crop top.

I’d been leaning down in front of the mirror to check my hair one last time, already dressed in my gold briefs, and I saw Vince’s eyes flare with heat as he approached, his gaze locked on my ass.

I smiled and straightened, turning around as he reached me. Automatically, he leaned up to give me a firm kiss.

“Just wanted to say good luck.” His cool fingers trailed down my stomach to fiddle with the waistband of my briefs, making my cock twitch in my jockstrap. “God, I really want to fuck you while you’re wearing these. Just push them to one side and bend you over something.”

A wide smile stretched my mouth. “We can do that. Would you keep your skates on for it?” I added teasingly.

He snorted with laughter, shifting closer and smoothing his hand over my ass. “I kind of want to try now. See how good my balance is.”

“I have the utmost faith in you,” I told him seriously. I adjusted my cock in my jockstrap, which made him groan and lean in to kiss my neck. “Ready for your match?”

Vince was fighting Kit tonight, and they were first on the line-up.

“Yeah, Kit is easy to work with.” He waved his hand and reluctantly stepped back. “You going to watch?”

“Yes. I got ready early so I could.”

He grinned at me, looking almost proud. “Cool.”

“And you’re performing again on Saturday, yes? Against Susan.”

“Uh-huh.” He nibbled his lower lip, eyes tracking down my mostly nude frame, and shifted closer again. “But maybe on Monday, we can make Pervy Incubus Guy very happy again.”

I grinned wide, showing off my short fangs. “I think that’s an excellent idea.”

It was probably perverse of me to find it arousing that the incubus at the motel lusted after us both, knew what we were doing all night every time we checked into room 15 and probably got himself off to it, but it filled me with smug satisfaction to know that even if no one else did, he knew that Vince wanted me . That Vince fucked me in that motel room. I was the one who got to be with him that way. Be on the receiving end of all his wild, furious lust and domineering nature and mind-blowing skills in bed.

Me. I got to have Vince that way. He didn’t.

Vince was mine.

—

My match with the Ghastly Boys went very well. Their wrestling style was unique and the audience loved it—lots of shooting across the arena to hide in dark corners and pounce, clashing with me in the air and sending us tumbling back down to the ring for a dramatic crash, briefly splitting apart to swirl around me in a cloud of shadows.

I was worn out but exhilarated by the end of it. I’d won our match, because Holt had decided that the Beast of Burden would be the only newcomer to beat his opponent this weekend. Corey had been delighted, calling it ‘The Fall of the Tasselled Tussler,’ and he’d already begun workshopping ideas with Holt for a long-running and very dramatic feud between the two of them.

When I got into the backstage area, covered in sweat and still catching my breath after our match, most of the wrestlers were gathered to wait for Holt’s nightly ‘good job’ speech.

“Great job, Crossbody,” Carl said with a fanged grin, tilting his blood-tinged protein shake in my direction.

I tried not to let my smile grow too wide. “Appreciate it.”

“That was fucking amazing,” Vince blurted, which made several of the others glance over at him in surprise. He ignored them, grinning at me. “It was really good. Super entertaining.”

A blush bloomed on my cheeks. “Yours and Kit’s match was excellent too.”

“What the fuuuuck?” Gabe muttered to Biff. “They’re being nice to each other. This is creepy.”

“It’s because of the progress we’ve made together in therapy,” Corey declared. “I’m really quite good. They’ve come on leaps and bounds in just a couple of weeks. Haven’t you?” He beamed at us with pride.

Vince’s mouth twitched. “Yes,” he said solemnly, “those ‘good morning’ exercises are really helping. Thanks, Corey.”

“Just doing my job as our mother hen,” he said airily. He tossed back his long braid, then laid a hand over his chest and looked around the room as his eyes glimmered. “I love all of you. And yes, that includes our newest colleagues.”

“I love all of you too,” Gabe said quickly, darting a lusty look at Beast and then the Ghastly Boys. “Just full of love over here. Got a whole load of it inside me, just waiting to shoot out—”

“Gabe,” Val interrupted flatly, but the incubus was not deterred, looking at Biff with a wicked, fanged grin.

“I’m talking about my spu—”

“Fucking fantastic show, everyone.” Holt saved us all by striding into the room with Taylor. “Rafe said our online numbers shot up tonight. Amazing job on the marketing campaign, babe,” he added to his human partner, giving him a dopey smile.

“Thanks, honey.” Taylor blushed, tangling his fingers through Holt’s.

“Barney, Ken, that was an incredible first performance,” Holt told the Ghastly Boys, who had slunk into the room at some point and were standing in silence in the corner. “Really electrifying stuff.”

“Thank you,” they whispered as one.

“Crossbody was amazing too,” Vince piped up, which made Dan stare at him in disbelief.

“He certainly was.” Holt nodded at me. “Great job, Crossbody. You coached the Ghastly Boys through their first match wonderfully.”

I cleared my throat and lifted my chin, trying not to blush. “I appreciate it.”

“I have high hopes for the rest of the weekend.” Holt looked around the room, grinning wide. “You’re all going to be fucking fantastic, and when the show’s over on Sunday, I’m taking everyone to Gargy’s to celebrate.”

“What’s Gargy’s?” John-o’-the-Wisp asked.

“Oh, just a darling little dive bar where we can all let loose after a show,” Corey told him, then brightly added, “And it’s usually frequented by the most rugged men.”

“Oh yeah?” John grinned, then shrugged. “Alright, I’m in.”

“You ain’t gonna have the energy to get laid after our match on Sunday, buddy,” Dan said jovially. “I’m gonna put you through it.”

John smirked. “Watch me, mate.”

“Alright, everyone, go home and get some sleep.” Holt tugged Taylor into his side, wrapping his arm around his shoulders. “Let’s go and get in the hot tub, babe.”

“I want a hot tub,” Gabe grumbled.

“We’ll get a hot tub, baby.” Biff kissed the side of his horn.

As Holt and Taylor left the room and everyone started dispersing to get ready to go home, I walked over to the kitchen area to get some water, parched after my energetic match. I felt a presence beside me as I filled a glass at the sink, and I knew it was Vince. A secret smile tilted my mouth.

“Good job, your highness,” he murmured, shooting me a quick grin as he refilled his water bottle.

And as he turned to walk away, his fingers brushed over my hip in a hidden touch, meant just for me.

—

When I woke up on Friday morning, I had a text from him waiting.

I opened it as I wandered into the bathroom, skirting around Lady Potato, who was stretched out in a patch of sun on the hallway floor.

I was thinking on Monday, we could devastate Horny Incubus Creep by not going to the motel. Maybe I could come to your place instead.

A bout of nerves filled my belly at the thought of Vince coming here. When I’d first moved to this world, I hadn’t been all that sensible about my spending. I’d sold the jewels I’d brought with me for a very large amount of cash, which had let me buy my house and a nice car that I hadn’t even been able to drive at the time.

Of course, after filling the house with everything I needed, I’d been left with very little. Fortunately I’d already had my job at Goliaths—securing that had been the catalyst for me finally plucking up the courage to flee Otherworld and make a life for myself—but I’d had to quickly teach myself how to manage my money.

Suddenly, I’d had bills to pay. Every single month. I’d had to work out a food budget to make sure I didn’t overspend. I’d spent many, many months paying for driving lessons, because I had taken much longer to learn than I suspected most other people did.

We were paid very well at Goliaths, but I’d never had to worry about any of those things before. I’d simply… had what I wanted. And when I didn’t, I’d told a member of palace staff and it had usually appeared within hours.

My point was, I’d spent rather frivolously at first, and I may have purchased a house that was a little nicer and bigger than I actually needed. It wasn’t ridiculous by any means, just a decent size with four bedrooms, though the yard was much smaller than I would’ve liked. I suspected its hefty price tag was largely down to the fact that it was somewhat remote. There were neighbours nearby, but I couldn’t see them. Woodland ringed my house, keeping me secluded. It had been the main reason I’d bought it.

I worried, however, that Vince would judge me for it if he saw it. Start thinking of me once again as the spoiled, rich fae he’d despised for so long. At the same time, the thought of him here—in the house that was always empty except for me, and now the demon cat—filled me with sharp longing.

As I brushed my teeth, I texted him back.

Yes, let’s do that. Make him suffer a little.

I was smiling as I walked back into the bedroom to get dressed. I didn’t have to be at work for a few hours—I wasn’t performing today, so it would be an easier day for me—so I put on some linen trousers and a loose-fitting shirt, intent on doing some gardening now that the sun was out.

Just as I was drawing back the curtains, Vince replied.

What’s your address, your highness?

My belly fluttering with excitement, I went to reply, but movement out of the window caught my attention. My house was set quite far back from the road, and the tree-flanked driveway was long and twisty. It looked like something was approaching—I could see flashes of reflected sunlight between the trees.

Then a sleek black car rounded the bend, followed by another, and a third bringing up the rear. The windows were tinted, so I couldn’t see the occupants, but dread began to churn in my stomach.

The three cars parked in a line, taking up my entire driveway. The middle one was positioned directly in front of the porch steps, but no one emerged from it. Instead, in sync, four people climbed out of the front and back cars, two from each.

My stomach dropped to my feet.

They all wore their hair long, tied back into sleek braids, and they were dressed in matching tan linen suits. They were in their human skins, so there were no fangs or pointed ears or wings, but I instantly knew who they were.

Fae.

Guards from the palace.

One of them strode to the middle car and opened the back passenger door, his face blank but his eyes sharp and assessing as he looked around my driveway.

My heart began to pound when a tall, slender figure climbed gracefully out of the car, fingers delicately placed in the hand of another guard who helped her. She was wearing gold silk gloves and a sleek gown, with a fox fur stole draped over her narrow shoulders, the teeth on its lifeless face glinting in the sun.

Her expression was one of utter disdain as she looked at my house. A circlet of spring flowers rested atop her head of long golden hair, which hung loose down her back. I’d never seen her in human form before, and it was jarring to see her with pale, rosy skin and her enormous iridescent wings nowhere in sight.

Lifting her chin, face still painted with disgust, she began walking regally toward my front porch, still resting her hand in her guard’s as he accompanied her. Two of the others strode up the steps to flank my front door, while the rest fell into step behind her.

My breath shuddered out of me as I stumbled back from the window, almost toppling onto the bed.

My mother was here.