Chapter 7

When Mari awoke the next morning, Cisco was already up and gone. Rio snuggled against her back with an arm thrown over her hip. He murmured sleepily against her shoulder when she started to move, his hand sliding slowly down to rest between her legs. She arched into his touch, sucking in a breath when his fingers stroked over her clit. She was sore and aching, but she still wanted more. He worked up and down slowly until her power flared.

"Mmm," Rio purred into her ear. "That gets more delicious every time."

She wiggled her ass against him, enjoying the way he hardened against her. "So does your cock."

Rio chuckled. "You're turning into quite the little vixen." He slid his fingers down and into her while nuzzling her neck. "I like it."

Mari rocked her hips gently, impaling herself on his fingers. She was sore from the thorough fucking she'd gotten the night before, and that made her remember all they'd done. She moaned softly as she rode his fingers. "Do you like it enough to start my morning off right?"

He stroked in and out of her a few times while nibbling on her earlobe. "As much as I'd like to watch you ride my dick right now, you're only allowed mouth and fingers."

She groaned in frustration, knowing that wouldn't be enough to even take the edge off her current arousal, never mind if she let Rio really rev her up. Mari reached behind her and wrapped her fingers around his cock, smiling when his strained breath caressed her ear. "And what are you allowed, Rio?"

He stroked her slowly with his fingers a few more times. "I'm only allowed to come inside you."

"Sounds like he set us up with conflicting orders." She worked her hand over him with a rough touch, just how he liked it.

"He's a sadist. Of course he did," he whispered and bit her earlobe, his sharp teeth scoring her delicate skin. "If you keep that up, I'm going to fuck you exactly as hard as you deserve, princesa. Is that what you want?"

"You know it is."

She gasped in surprise as he flipped her onto her belly and slid one knee between her thighs. His hard cock nudged against the meat of her ass. "Tell me how you want it."

"Hard and fast and right fucking now."

He didn't make her wait a moment longer, lifting her hips with casual strength before plunging deep. He wound his fingers in her hair and tugged. She arched back into him, a low moan escaping her as he stretched her, sparking the soreness between her legs perfectly.

He gave her the hard and thorough fucking she wanted, driving her to two climaxes in quick succession before chasing her with his own. He bit her shoulder as he came, hard enough to leave a mark that would last the day, though he didn't draw blood. Her magic curled languidly in her belly. The frantic coupling had only released part of the growing power, and the rest continued to burn in her like the embers of a fire.

"Fuck," she grumbled into the bed.

Rio laughed as he withdrew from her and rose from the bed. "Hard and fast doesn't seem to satisfy you. Being a sex witch isn't all fun and games, I guess."

She turned to watch him dress. "What do you think Cisco is going to do to me for defying him?"

"Whatever it is, I'm sure it will be delicious. And annoying." Rio grinned and tugged on a sky blue T-shirt that clung to him in a thoroughly satisfying manner. "Come on, you've got an appointment in fifteen minutes."

"What? With who?" She was up in a flash, headed for her closet.

"Someone you don't want to keep waiting." He didn't offer any more than that.

When she opened the door, an outfit was hanging there. She smiled to herself. She liked being dressed by him. "Is this what I'm supposed to wear?" The white silk camisole was slinky, barely there. The red skirt was extremely short, very breezy, and hung low on her hips. Today's panties were as frilly as yesterday's, but this time, they were red.

"Yup," Rio said as he tried to straighten his hair. "Shoes from yesterday. He really liked those on you."

She dressed in a whirlwind and managed to braid her hair over her shoulder while Rio tied the laces of the sandals up her calves. He led her out of the pool house with only a couple of minutes to spare.

Rio lifted her up into his arms because crossing the yard at the pace that was needed would be impossible for her in the high wedges. He jogged with her as if she weighed nothing at all, thanks to his shifter strength. After shouldering open the back door, he set her down on the tiled kitchen floor just as Cisco was checking his watch in the hallway beyond.

Cisco took her in from head to toe in an instant, an easy smile on his lips. He stood still as a statue as she crossed to him. When she was standing next to him, he lifted a hand to the back of her neck and leaned to whisper in her ear, "You look delicious." He inhaled a long, slow breath. "And you smell even better." His eyes rose when Rio stepped up behind her and put a hand on her hip. "Can you grab something for her to eat? She shouldn't go into this with nothing in her stomach."

"Sure." Rio leaned down to kiss her cheek. "I'll be in there in a few minutes." He started to move away.

Mari glanced between them. "Where exactly are we going?"

Cisco grinned. "It's a surprise." He passed his hand slowly down her spine to the small of her back and nudged her down the hallway.

She leaned into his touch for a moment, enjoying the feeling of his large, warm hand on her, and then headed the way he was indicating with her head held high. Whatever he had in store for her, she was going to walk into it like the queen she was.

Cisco grumbled with approval. "I wish we were walking into the meeting with Esmé right now."

"Well, you won't tell me what's happening, so I thought I should be prepared just in case."

"Self-possession looks good on you." He slid his hand up under the back of her shirt and stroked her skin. "We're having dinner with her tonight. You'll find a dress for the occasion in the room."

Mari nodded. The idea of dinner with their biggest competition didn't exactly ease her anxiety, but that was a problem for later. "So what are we doing now?"

"Originally, it was supposed to be just nipple piercings, but then you decided to defy me before you even got out of bed."

Mari almost stumbled, but Cisco's hand moved to her hip and held her steady. "How did you know?" she asked in a whisper as they continued down the hall.

He glanced around briefly before slipping his hand between her legs and cupping her pussy. "I can smell him on you."

She swallowed hard. "Maybe he's the one who defied you."

Cisco smirked and slid his hand around her waist again to continue walking. "Rio doesn't defy me if he can help it and certainly not within twenty minutes of waking."

Mari considered what he was saying. "You knew this would happen."

He turned them down the hallway that headed to the solarium. "I had a pretty good idea given your increasing appetites of late."

"Why, then?" she asked, her voice getting as prickly as she felt. "Just to frustrate me?"

He pulled her to a stop and stared down at her. "Mariana, I have no interest in stifling you to control you as your father did. Quite the contrary."

"It sure seems that way to me right now."

"You don't know much about how to harness and use your power. I'm trying to help you learn about both while balancing your father's business and making sure we don't get killed by his enemies." She couldn't doubt the sincerity in his voice and the openness of his expression. She'd known him too long.

The tension building in her shoulders eased. She moved closer to him. "I appreciate your help. I don't know how I'll ever repay you for all of this."

"My payment is having very hot sex with you at every possible opportunity." He smiled brightly. "That, and getting to run this operation as it always should have been run, with less cruelty and violence."

Mari regretted doubting him. If there was anything she knew about him, it was his kindness. She pushed up onto her toes expectantly, and he chuckled as he leaned to meet her. His mouth was tender and unhurried as he kissed her. The magic that she had banked since her tryst with Rio flared to life. He growled and pulled her against him with one wing curled around her, deepening the kiss.

When his lips finally broke from hers, she was panting for breath. He lowered his mouth to her neck, sucking gently before baring his teeth and biting her. She gasped at the pain from the sharp nip. He straightened and touched the mark that Rio had left, which was still slightly tender. "I also knew he'd fucked you because I saw the bite."

She grinned up at him. "Guilty."

"From what I just felt, it doesn't seem like it helped much. Do I need to punish him for not letting you finish first?"

"I did. Twice." Mari shook her head. "It didn't help at all. Only made the craving worse."

"So quickies only rile your power more." His smile showed the tips of his fangs. "Good to know."

"If only I could figure out what to do with it aside from releasing it when I get off."

"I certainly don't mind that usage of it at all." He leaned to kiss her forehead, closing his hands around her hips. The points of his sharp talons barely scraped her bare skin where her shirt and skirt didn't quite meet. "And we'll figure it out."

Mari nodded. "Okay. Well, if you want me to look at the wards right now, we're going the wrong way."

"Nice try." He turned to lead her toward the solarium again. "You have an appointment with some needles."

"Oh. I thought you said we weren't doing the piercings anymore."

His grin was sly. "I didn't say that at all." He opened the door and held it for her.

Mari passed into the solarium in front of him. The clean, slightly humid air within instantly set her on edge. The tropical plants housed in her father's solarium were as perfectly tended as they had always been. These plants were perhaps the only things her father had ever loved. Mari held no illusions that he had ever cared for her mother one bit. Her mother was just a means to an end, discarded as soon as she accomplished her task.

Mari herself was also only a means to an end, the control he asserted over all of Las Vegas for providing the magic that protected the entire city. She had only rarely been allowed in the solarium with his precious plants.

It smelled pleasant, though, despite all her bad associations with it. And the waterfall in the far corner burbled pleasantly. Down one of the walkways, someone had set up a padded table with one side inclined. Next to the table, a woman with a shock of pink hair stood, dressed in a midnight black tube top and skintight jeans. The woman turned and aimed a lopsided grin their way when she heard them. "Hey, Cisco. Miss Reyes."

Mari didn't know the woman, but her manners remained as perfect as the day her father had beaten them into her. She extended her hand and smiled. "Mariana, please. It's so very nice to meet you."

"Mariana," the woman corrected and shook her hand, all business. "I'm Greta. I work at your"—she hesitated for a moment but recovered quickly—"at your club."

Mari nodded. "Of course."

Cisco stepped forward to take Greta's hand. "Thanks for coming out on such short notice, Greta."

"No problem at all." She grinned again, her eyes sparkling. "I've never worked on royalty before."

"Did you have any trouble getting away?" Cisco asked.

"Argento has locked everything down with no explanation as to why, but everyone knows what happened." Greta bit her lip. "He asked me where I thought I was going, and when I said I was coming here at your request, he kind of glared but didn't say anything else and didn't try to stop me."

Cisco grumbled. "We're going to have to deal with him sooner than I'd hoped." When Mari turned to him, looking for more explanation, he waved her off. "Later."

Greta nodded. "He's been sketchier than usual since we got the news."

"Greta is a life witch," Cisco offered by way of changing the subject. "She's the best body modder at the club."

"Body…" Mari began and looked between them.

"Piercings, tattoos, implants," Greta filled in enthusiastically. "That sort of thing."

"Oh," Mari said. "Right." Nerves fluttered in her belly. "I've never had one before."

Greta looked at Cisco with a question in her expression.

"Exactly as we discussed," said Cisco in response.

"Four piercings and one tattoo." Greta turned away to look in the wheeled case she had set up next to the table.

Mari just caught herself from asking incredulously what exactly that was supposed to mean. Cisco saw her difficulty and winked. She'd always wanted piercings, but it wasn't something her father would have allowed under any circumstances. A tattoo wasn't something she'd considered, but she'd seen the puma Cisco had tattooed on his chest and admired it.

"Did you do Cisco's tattoo?" Mari asked after watching her for a few seconds.

"Cisco's? No." Greta glanced toward him briefly before turning back to her tools. "I did Rio's."

"Rio doesn't have any tattoos." She had occasion to know. She'd seen every inch of his body multiple times.

"He does," Cisco murmured.

"What? Where?"

Greta whirled around. "At the top of his back. It's ultraviolet. My specialty." She flashed that crooked grin again. "Only a couple of paranormals can see it without a black light." She lifted a sharp-looking implement in her hand to gesture toward Cisco.

He stood watching with his arms crossed over his broad chest and didn't offer any insight.

Mari couldn't contain her curiosity. "What is it?"

"Just a word," Greta supplied with a shrug. "Gato something?" She said gato like someone who had no idea how to pronounce the word.

"Gatito," Cisco corrected with the proper pronunciation. He still hadn't moved a muscle.

Mari lifted her eyebrows in question. When he didn't respond, she turned to Greta. "So who's getting tattooed today?"

"Rio again." Greta picked up a drawing pad and showed her the sheet where she'd been sketching. "Two cuffs with a design that matches the other one." The drawing was lovely. The words "para siempre" were rendered in a gracefully arched font and looked elegant. "Unless you want some too?"

"Not sure I'm ready for that yet." Mari laughed. "And no one will be able to see it but Cisco?"

"Other gargoyles, vampires, a couple of other rare species." Greta waved her hand as she spoke. "But mostly no, not unless they're shining a black light on them."

Mari smiled. It was so hopelessly romantic. "How long is that going to take?"

"A while. Maybe two hours." Greta looked up from her tools. "Any questions for me?"

"You're a life witch, so that means you can manage the pain?"

Greta nodded. "Yes, but I normally wouldn't for a sex witch. I know this is a special circumstance though. Do you want that?"

Mari had no idea. "Why not for a sex witch?"

"Pain and pleasure get a little mixed up for you. In a good way." Greta paused, blushing. "If I take the pain, I might take the pleasure too. It can be a little distracting for both of us."

Mari didn't know any of that, but she supposed it made sense. She'd realized during their exploits the night before that her pain was linked to her arousal in ways she didn't understand. "I'll try it without first, I guess."

"Sure, I can always take it away after I heal the wounds." Greta turned to regard Cisco. "Any special instructions?"

Cisco shook his head. "She's allowed to come as many times as she can to manage the pain. Rio can help."

"Generous." Greta grinned. "We ready to get started?"

Rio strolled in, holding a pair of bowls mounded with cut fruit. "Just as soon as she gets some food in her." He passed one bowl to Mari. "Hello, Greta."

"Hey, Rio. Yeah, better not to go into this with no breakfast." Greta picked up a square box that had been sitting on the table since they entered. "Beam sent this for you." She handed the box to Cisco.

"Send her my thanks." Cisco took the box with a nod. "And thank you again for making a house call. I've got to head to a meeting now." He leaned to kiss Mari and then took a piece of cantaloupe from the bowl she held to slide it between her lips. On his way out of the solarium, he paused to kiss Rio.

"Any idea what's in the box?" Mari asked Rio.

"Not a clue," Rio answered.

Greta shrugged when they both looked at her. "I didn't look. Beam threatened to remove my fingers if I did."

Mari finished chewing on a grape. "Who's Beam?"

"Gem witch who works at the club," Greta offered. "She does custom jewelry. Beautiful stuff. She gave me the hardware to use for your piercings too."

"Ooh, can I see?" Rio stepped closer, munching on a piece of fruit.

"Sure." Greta picked up a box from her case and put it on the table. "Don't touch. They've already been sterilized."

Mari moved toward them to see as well, leaning around Rio as she snacked on some fruit. The pieces were all bright silver with sparkling rubies set in the beads. "What goes where?"

Greta pointed to the two matching rings. "Nipples." She gestured toward a curved barbell that was almost a circle. "Clitoris." Then a second barbell that was larger and less curved. "Cock."

Mari jolted straight. "What did you do?"

"Mine is a reward." Rio winked. "I'm going first."