Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Alexis

“Aren’t you gleeful?” Will asked, passing me a smile as he drove on the interstate that headed to New York.

I just couldn’t help myself. We were out of Fiddler’s Green, and for me, that was occasion enough to be happy. Granted, we were headed towards something unknown and potentially terrible, but how bad could it really be? Compared to the weight of the horrible memories that I had in Fiddler’s Green, how bad could the future really be?

“It’s a nice night for a drive. We’re going to the greatest city on this side of the country. And, if I remember correctly, the whole court appearance thing isn’t until tomorrow. Do you know what that means?” I playfully placed my hand on Will’s thigh and ran it up to his pelvis.

“Someone’s in a fine mood,” Will said, still grinning, but his eyes fixed on the road. “You do realize that if they charge us with some crime that we haven’t committed, it could make things complicated for us and the pack. We may get banished, and in some cases, they can even pass the death sentence.”

“Please,” I said, scoffing and waving my hand. “They have zero precedence to do something like that. Think about it for a second. We haven’t taken any innocent lives. The things we have done are just to defend ourselves. Our existence is still a secret that we’ve guarded well. Not counting Maliha, of course. But I doubt that they’re going to bring that up in the court hearing tomorrow. My intuition is right about these things. They don’t have anything solid. No leg to stand on, as they say. We’re going to be fine.”

“I wish I had your confidence,” Will said. We were now passing through the Lincoln Tunnel and heading towards downtown Manhattan.

“Will, aren’t we supposed to be uptown? I booked rooms for us for the night in that Airbnb,” I asked. It had been a while since we’d entered New York and were now heading toward Broadway.

“See, I was thinking along the same lines as you,” Will said. This time, he pulled his car to the side, parked it by the curb, and looked at me as he revealed his big surprise. “I kinda wanted to surprise you. You’re right. The court session’s tomorrow. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t have a fine night.”

“Sweet!” I said cheerfully as we got out of the car. “So, are we painting the town red? What’s the agenda? It’s been so long since we were last in New York. I want to visit Central Park, see the Grand Central Station, and maybe even take a few pictures in Times Square. We can catch a show on Broadway. Aah! There’s so much to do.” I was letting my excitement get the better of me. In my defense, New York was like this bustling microcosm where all the good things seemed to happen. Everyone was either busy in their daily hustle or enjoying the wonders that this great cultural capital had to offer.

For me, it was the polar opposite of Fiddler’s Green, where nothing exciting ever happened, and everything was monotonous.

“Easy, easy,” Will said, taking my hand and guiding me to the inner sidewalk under the scaffolding. In New York, it seemed like there was always scaffolding around on the streets. “We’re going to this secret Michelin-starred restaurant called Captain Black.”

“Where’s this coming from?” I threw him an inquisitive look. I was pleasantly surprised by this. Everything that had happened in the recent days had been so tumultuous, bearing the air of finality, especially that last part with the emissary from the Clandestine Order. But this was nice. This brought to memory all the wonderful times that Will and I had shared throughout our relationship. Times that had been completely unburdened by the tenebrous things happening around us.

“I realized something earlier tonight when we were driving to New York,” Will said, taking my arm as he led me past the scaffolding and into a seemingly abandoned building. When my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I noticed that fairy light hung from the ceiling of the foyer. Compared to the rush of the traffic and the people outside, this place was in stark contrast with its dim lighting, quiet atmosphere, and the soft trailing smell of delicious food. When I stepped further in, I could hear faint music playing in the background.

“What did you realize?” I asked, taking his arm as he led me past the entrance hall and up the stairs.

“I felt that because of everything that was happening around us, we lost sight of what was truly important. Each other,” Will said. “We’re engaged to each other. There’s a very real possibility that we’re going to be married to each other in the next few months.”

“Why is that a real possibility?”

“Because I can’t wait more than a couple of months. I don’t want this engagement to hang over our heads forever. I want to be married to you as soon as possible. Together, we’ll start our new life. And that’s a promise,” Will said.

Now, a waiter appeared from behind a door and greeted us as we stepped onto the rooftop, where the whole sitting area was decorated with wooden paneling, gazebos, and palapas. The whole place had a tropical feel to it. Miraculously, even though we were out in the open, there was no noise coming from below. It was as if magic was at work here.

“Will, is this place sort of like enchanted?” I asked, feeling a bit worried that he might have led me to some magician’s den or a sorcerer’s lair.

“Relax. It’s just a little bit of acoustic engineering. Nothing else. The only thing magical about this place is their food,” he said, taking my arm and guiding me to the far side of the rooftop, where a table for two was reserved for us. Candles were lit atop that table in tiny glasses.

“Fancy!” I cheered as I sat, clapping my hands twice to show my appreciation for the interior décor and the table presentation.

“Would the monsieur and madam like to try our red wine?” the waiter asked, bowing in front of our table with a bottle in his hand. “It’s a Chateau de Frost, aged a hundred years. Straight from the French vineyards.”

“We would like it if you left us the bottle, my good man,” Will smiled at the waiter, who obliged and placed the bottle at the center of the table.

“Our menu tonight includes the chef’s special of roasted duck served with an exquisite oriental gravy. If you’re in the mood for something vegan, we have an excellent Greek salad topped with vegan cheese, nuts, and Italian seasoning,” the waiter said.

“Ooh, I kinda feel like eating an entire duck,” I said.

“What else do you have?” Will asked, perusing the menu.

“We have wagyu steak seared to medium rare perfection, served with some of the best organic vegetable sides that are available in New York. We recommend serving it with our Neapolitan cocktail that contains fifty-year-old Glen McKenna whiskey. The aroma of the whiskey brings out the cocktail’s finer tastes and goes perfectly with the steak.”

“Then I’ll have that because I’ve worked up quite the appetite tonight,” Will said, handing him over the menu.

I promptly handed the waiter the menu back and poured myself some wine. I wasn’t in the mood for whiskey. Whenever I’d drunk anything that contained whiskey, I felt immediately energized. Tonight was all about relaxing with my mate.

“I must thank you for treating me to this fine dinner,” I said, raising my glass to him.

“No thanks needed, my love. I am your mate, and such are my duties,” Will said, clinking his glass with mine.

“I know we’re not supposed to talk shop while we’re on this nice date, but what do you think will happen tomorrow?” I asked. It was something that was at the forefront of my mind, and no matter how much I tried to tether myself to the present, I couldn’t help but think about it.

“I am not worried about it all. Whatever happens, I know that my mate is with me. Our bond has never been stronger than it is now. Besides, the Clandestine Order is nothing but medieval bureaucracy. They’ve been too out of touch with the real world. They literally sit in their ivory tower and judge the world from on high. It might open their eyes to our troubles if we take a stand tomorrow instead of just letting them berate us,” Will said. “And that’s why I’m not worried. I intend to give them a piece of my mind. So should you.”

“That’s good advice,” I said, mulling his words in my mind. “Maybe they need to know how lax they’ve gotten.”

“Exactly, and I’m afraid that’s enough work talk for now. It seems that our waiter has arrived.”

I looked around and saw our waiter arriving with two big trays balancing on each arm. From the moment he set the trays on our table to the moment we finished eating, it was all a fantastical blur of great taste, excellent drinks, good times, hearty talk, and cheery laughter. It was exactly what I needed.

After that, Will and I got into our car and headed to the Airbnb that we’d booked. The night was still young when we checked into our cozy little crafty one-bedroom apartment, but I had some ideas in mind as to how to remedy that.

“Nightcap, my love?” I asked, standing at the kitchenette where the Airbnb host had graciously left some wine in the decanter.

But instead of replying, Will came behind me, wrapped his arms around my waist, and kissed me deep on the neck. It was so sudden that a moan escaped me as I felt his coarse beard brush against my smooth neck.

For a second, it seemed as if this was our life. That everything we had left behind in Fiddler’s Green was just a dream. In reality, we were this couple who lived in a small loft-like one-room apartment with brick walls and overflowing indoor plants. I closed my eyes and imagined myself deeper into this fantasy.

But Will’s hands were on my hips, making them gently sway, and his lips on the back of my neck brought me back to the real world, a world where I was feeling sexually charged. There was no more anticipation about what would happen tomorrow. Tomorrow was tomorrow’s problem.

Right now, I wanted to make love to my man.

I reached behind me to where he stood, my hand tracing the outline of his rock-hard cock. It throbbed against his tight jeans, begging to be let free. I slowly turned around and found myself staring into his intent eyes, his face all huffed up with sexual excitement, his arms wrapped around my shoulders, snuggly fitting me in his tight embrace.

“You have been by my side every step of the way,” Will whispered into my ear. “And I cherish you for it.”

“I am your mate. It is my duty, my desire, and my honor,” I whispered back, caressing the back of his neck with my fingers, then lowering my fingers past his waist, grabbing his firm butt.

“I love you,” Will said.

“I love you too.”

What happened next was truly magical.

He lifted me off my feet, holding me in his arms as he took me to the bedroom, kissing me on my lips all the while. I felt protected and safe in his embrace. He laid me down on the bed, then, while towering over me, took off his shirt and his jeans.

I cast a glance to the window on my right, seeing the rain clouds gather over the city, those rain clouds rumbling low with their thunder, lightning shining in their gray vastness. The first of the raindrops began pattering on the windowpane as Will lowered himself onto me.

It was warm in this room. Against that infamous New York coldness outside, being with him, sharing this warm bed, rubbing against his warm body—it all felt supremely wonderful.

I reached out to Will, grabbed hold of his shoulders, and pulled him closer. He looked battle-worn, his body covered in muscles and scars. But there was a quiet sort of dignity in the way his naked body shone in the light of the lamp. A subtle attraction.

He slowly positioned himself between my thighs, his dick prodding against my vulva. I was already wet down there after everything that had happened tonight. The dinner, the talking, the slow drive to the apartment, and the cresting of the sensual tension between us that had been teetering towards a climax all night long. That climax was so near now.

Part of me wanted to skip the foreplay and go down to the heart of the deed. The sex itself. But the other part of me wanted to touch that glistening cock, rub its shiny tip, and play with it. Stroke it. Suck it.

I slid down from under him till I was facing his penis. It looked so tempting, hanging there all erect, veiny, and pulsating.

Gently lifting my face, I slowly took it in my mouth and heard Will moan as I swallowed the entire length of his cock into my mouth, sucking it vigorously, all the while running my tongue down its length and cradling the balls in my hands as I blew him.

We picked up a slow rhythm where he thrust his cock, and I took it deeper into my mouth, allowing him to get pleasure from the insides of my cheeks, my tongue, and my throat. But while I was doing this, Will turned around such that his face was between my thighs. With his cock still in my mouth, he bent down and licked my pussy, making it tender with his lips, spit, and tongue.

We lay in bed, comfortable in this dynamic position where I was sucking his cock, and he was cradling my clit on the tip of his tongue, and it wasn’t until I had my first orgasm from his exquisite oral sex that we stopped.

Panting, I let go of his bulging dick and propped myself on the bed, ready for the taking. He came over me again, stooping below to kiss me on the lips, rubbing his tongue against my tongue, and then gently sliding his cock down my wet vagina.

A loud moan escaped me as he went balls deep into me, his cock pounding inside me like a hammer, and then I was all right. His sturdy, warm, and long length inside me brought me sexual ecstasy. It was as if all my pleasure sensors were being engaged a hundred percent.

And then, just as I had wanted it, just as I had thought of it in my mind, he became rougher. He grabbed my shoulders and laid on top of me, vigorously plowing me, causing me to wrap my legs around him and buckle up for what lay ahead.

Here, in this anonymous neighborhood where we were staying for one night, I didn’t mind letting myself go and moaned loudly, truly equating my vocality to the pleasure that I was experiencing. It was something that I’d never been able to do in Fiddler’s Green.

I let myself come as he thrust himself hard into me one last time. There I lay, splayed, tired, sweating, orgasming as Will gushed into me, his ramrod cock pulsating inside my pussy.

After everything that had happened—the appearance of the emissary, the sudden travel to New York, that exciting dinner, and the passionate sex—I was too exhausted to stay awake.

The last thing I remembered was being cradled in his arms as sleep lulled me off into the world of the unconscious.

***

“Hurry, Lexie! We’re going to be late.”

Those have always been the worst words to wake up to, but coming from Will, the harsh implication of those words was lessened. He was only looking out for me.

I took a shower and got dressed at warp speed. The next thing I knew, we were both in our Jeep, racing down downtown Manhattan.

“Where exactly is the Clandestine Order located?” I asked, feeling hunger pangs clamor in my stomach. Perhaps they were panic pangs, but there was no way of telling.

“All the way to the top of the Empire State Building. On the 103rd floor,” Will said, his entire focus on making it past the deluge of traffic clogging the roads.

“But the Empire State Building only has 102 floors.”

“That’s what’s known to the public. There’s a secret floor at the top, one that has been concealed by great magic. After all, it wouldn’t be the Clandestine Order if they didn’t exhibit the first part of their name in everything that they did.”

At nine sharp, we reached the Empire State Building, where in front of the parking, a disappointed-looking Rogelio was standing, looking at his timepiece. He resembled some gothic character that had popped out of a Bram Stoker novel, wearing his gigantic top hat, wielding a cane, sporting jet-black bifocals, and wearing a long coat that went beyond his knee-high leather boots.

“Late,” he said, shaking his head.

“Not late,” Will said. “We were supposed to arrive at nine. It’s nine.”

“Moving on, the Order will not tolerate such tardiness,” Rogelio said. “Now, please follow me to the Convergence of the Order.”

“The Convergence?” I asked, feeling out of the loop.

“It’s what the Order calls their headquarters at the top,” Will looped me in.

We followed Rogelio as he took us to the lobby, then pressed an invisible button nowhere near the panel, causing the elevator to shoot upward at breakneck speed. I held onto Will for support.

Suddenly, the elevator came to a halt, and we came out into a hall made of pure white marble. The roof was at least a hundred feet high, with everything about the place spelling luxuriousness and grandiosity. At our right was a receptionist behind an ornate alabaster desk. She smiled at us and then winked at Rogelio as we headed toward her.

“This one has a court appearance in less than ten minutes,” Rogelio said, pointing at me.

“And the other one?”

“The other one has to wait until his mate gets done with her hearing.”

“So we were on time,” Will said, a victory in his voice.

“Well, here at the Convergence of the Order, early is on time, and on time is considered late,” Rogelio said, his tone completely disaffected.

It was now—when I was led to a giant black door—that I felt the grip of panic stifling my throat. Will let go of my hand after squeezing it once. I looked at him.

Nodding slowly at me, he said, “Whatever happens, know that I’m with you on the other side of this door. I shall wait. And after this, everything will be okay.”

I gave him a brief kiss as Rogelio let me in through the door. As the door closed behind me, I caught a glimpse of Will one last time. He was smiling at me.

Turning my attention to the room I was in, I saw an elevated platform at the far end with five seats on it. I could not see the people seated there on account of their faces and bodies being covered by a luminescent white shield. Will was right. They were really big on being secretive.

“Alexis Richards appears before the Clandestine Court,” Rogelio called out, then bowed, and then walked out of the room.

I cleared my throat, standing there on the shiny white floor in the middle of this gigantic room, wondering how on earth it was architecturally possible for the Court to have so much space in a building with limited space.

“Greetings, Alexis Richards,” a female voice spoke from the platform. Because they were all being guarded by that white shield, I couldn’t narrow down who was speaking. “Welcome to the Convergence of the Clandestine Order.”

I took a deep breath, knowing very well what was about to happen, then closed my eyes, visualizing Will standing on the other side of the door. Suddenly, I wasn’t afraid anymore. Whether or not he was in the room with me, my mate was with me in spirit.