18. Grace

Chapter eighteen

Grace

I found myself snuggled under a thick comforter, my arms wrapped around a pillow that smelled like marshmallows and toasted almonds. It took me a few minutes to fully emerge from the dream I was having. It was already fading from my memory, but there had been a lot of hands involved, and it left my core throbbing. I shifted to get comfortable once more, and I realized I was still wearing my dress from last night. Everything came flooding back to me like a bucket of cold water over my head, and I sat up quickly, groaning as I covered my face with my hands. Oh my god, I'd just… and he'd… in the car! In front of everyone, oh god. Oh god!

Warmth flooded my body, from my core down to my toes, as I relived the car ride home. What had gotten into me? I wasn't like this… or was I? Was this me, freed from the confines of my family's stifling home? I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. I swung my feet over the side of the bed and stepped down, only to land on something a lot softer than hardwood. The something grunted in pain, and I yelped as it moved underneath me. I slid and landed in a heap beside the bed, searching for the source of the sound. "Levy?!" I squeaked.

"It's me," he grunted, and I heard the sound of him shifting, the floors creaking underneath him.

"Why were you lying on the floor?" I whisper-yelled. I sent out a wave of light, watching him flicker into view in the darkness of the room. I kept forgetting how big he was; even sitting, he loomed over me like a giant. He wasn't wearing a shirt either, so all his muscles and scars were on display.

"You were on the bed," he replied softly as if that was a perfectly acceptable explanation. He held out his hand and helped me to my feet. "Where were you going?" he asked.

I bit my lip, glancing toward the bathroom. "I don't know, I was… I thought I should…" I looked down at my rumpled dress, feeling the stickiness between my thighs. "Clean up a bit, I guess," I replied. He nodded and walked to his closet, grabbing one of his giant tee shirts out and holding it out to me.

"Thanks," I mumbled, scurrying off to the bathroom. Could I get through one day in this godforsaken house without embarrassing myself in some form? God… he'd seen the whole thing, what Erik had- What I'd let Erik do… My cheeks burned, and my core throbbed—what was I, a cat in heat? I cranked on the shower, stripping off my dress and my underclothes as quickly as possible and stepping into the freezing cold water. The shock stole my breath away, but also froze the panic in my chest, giving me time to calm down while the water heated up. I'd allowed Erik to do that—in fact, I'd wanted him to—and it had felt amazing. There was no shame in something consensual. I'd told Levy something similar, and I wasn't about to become a hypocrite.

By the time I finished washing my hair, I calmed down enough to no longer consider running away on foot in the dead of night. Clearly, there was a different dynamic going on in this house, and I was just learning how my being here fit into that. I stood in front of the mirror, drying my hair with the towel and staring at my fogged-up reflection in the mirror. I just couldn't fall for any of them. That was the most important thing. In the end, I was just a pawn in the game they were playing against my brother. I was a means to an end, but if I could prove myself useful… well then, maybe, I could carve away a little piece for myself. Enough where I'd have my own money, and I'd never have to rely on anyone else for things again. In the meantime, I could have a bit of fun. I was overdue for some of that in my life.

I pulled Levy's shirt over my head and crept back into the room, watching my feet. "Levy?" I called out, worried I'd step on him again.

"Down here," he replied, from the same place as earlier. I crawled up onto the bed and looked over the side, noticing a pillow on the floor as well.

"This is silly. There's plenty of room up here," I replied, patting the bed. He sighed, and I heard the floor creak as he moved. I made some room for him and felt the bed sink as he sat down beside me. I tried to send out some more light, but I was exhausted, my reserves tapped out after last night.

"If you'd be more comfortable, I can go sleep on the couch?" I offered when he didn't move. "Or we can put a pillow down between us if that would help?"

The mattress dipped next to my thigh, and a strand of my hair moved on its own, brushing off my face. "I was just trying to give you some space, that's all," Levy murmured. I smiled, a warm, comfortable feeling settling over me.

"That's very sweet, but I don't mind, honestly. After what has happened the last couple of days, I think we're a bit beyond that, don't you?" I told him, raising an eyebrow. Levy chuckled quietly, and I pulled back the covers, tucking myself down inside of them. I felt him settle next to me, and his hand brushed the back of my neck, the touch barely a whisper against my skin.

When I finally drifted off, I was facing the bathroom door, but I had always been a bit of a wanderer in my sleep. Sunlight filtered through the window as I blinked my eyes open, and I buried my face back in my pillow to try and get a few more minutes of rest. When my pillow started moving underneath me, I flinched and rolled off of it in a flash, looking around the room. My sleep-addled brain wasn't putting the pieces of the puzzle together fast enough. I dropped back down onto the bed, trying to get comfortable, and my elbow collided with something hard.

"Shit, Levy!" I winced, reaching for my light and tossing it out toward him. He appeared to me, his face pained as he held his side.

"S'okay, I'll live," he mumbled, giving me a half smile.

"We should have put a pillow down. I'm a restless sleeper, I'm sorry." I sighed, dropping back onto the bed.

"It's alright, I liked it when you curled up against me," he replied, smiling as he ran a hand over his short hair. "Although you make some, uh, interesting noises when you sleep." I moaned, covering my face with my hands.

"What noises?" I asked, cringing as I braced for the answer.

"Well… sort of like the one you just made." He chuckled, and I swore if there was a God, he'd set me on fire right now and put me out of my misery.

"I'm going to sleep in the basement," I announced, rolling off the bed. It was too early, I couldn't take any more embarrassment this morning. My pep talk at 1 AM wasn't holding up in the harsh light of the day. I swung open the bedroom door and nearly collided with Anders, who was blocking the doorway for some reason. I was forced to back up as he stepped inside, and I was annoyed at how put together he looked first thing in the morning. Did he sleep at all? Or did he just stay up all night like some sort of broody vampire?

"What's wrong with you?" he asked, because good morning was too boring, I guess. "You look annoyed. Did our resident ghost do something untoward?" He smirked, glancing over at Levy.

"No!" I snapped, crossing my arms over my chest. "I was just… going to find my clothes," I lied. Levy climbed off the bed, coming to stand behind me, and I felt a little better with his steady presence close by. It was intimidating to be the sole focus of Anders's gaze.

"Really? Interesting. I thought for sure that after the show last night, he wouldn't be able to help himself," Anders mused, and I ignored the prickle of heat burning my cheeks as I kept my chin up.

"So what if he did? He has my permission to touch me," I told Anders sharply. It was true, weirdly enough. They were all basically strangers, but Erik had promised that none of them would hurt me, and I believed him. Plus, they would have done something by now if they were truly evil. Probably.

"Oh, I see. Well, that's nice to hear." Anders smiled, his gaze sliding behind me. "So you learned your lesson last night then?" he asked me, taking a step closer.

"You mean about the other guy at the club?" I frowned. "Yes, I did, thank you. I won't let anyone else buy me drinks or dance with me while I'm here," I replied tartly. He smirked, taking another step closer, forcing me to step back and bump into Levy behind me.

"Touch you. No one else gets to touch you while you're here. The next time someone does, they lose their fingers. Understand?" he asked, his voice full of deadly warning. I sucked in a sharp breath, and Levy's hands curled around my waist, holding me steady. I managed to nod, because words seem to have escaped me for the moment.

Apparently happy with that for an answer, he switched his attention to Levy, his eyes narrowing as a smile hinted at the corners of his lips. "I thought you might like to play this morning," he murmured, ignoring me completely now. Levy tensed around me, and I twisted to look at his face. His pupils were huge, and he had a conflicted look on his face.

"What does that mean?" I asked softly, watching as he flickered in and out of view. Levy's mouth opened, but no words came out. He shuddered, pulling me against him as Anders stepped closer, stopping right in front of me.

"I have some fun, and Levy here gets a release that he sorely craves." Anders smiled, glancing down at my lips. His eyebrow twitched up, and Levy grunted behind me, his hands gripping me tighter.

"Levy, do you want to do this?" I asked, watching Anders suspiciously. Levy's hands relaxed around me, letting me go.

"Yes," he whispered hoarsely, and Anders grinned, his eyes shifting briefly down to meet mine.

"What about you, Kitten? Or did your little show in the car last night take care of things?" It wasn't quite a taunt, he was just… blunt. I was starting to realize that there was no subtext with Anders, or much politeness for that matter. I bit my lip, caught between my curiosity and my timidness. His eyebrow arched in a challenge, and that pushed me over the fence.

"Alright," I murmured. Anders nodded brusquely, his eyes glinting with a predatory sharpness. He walked over to Levy's dresser, opening the bottom drawer and pulling out a few bundles of thin black rope.

"Pants off, on the bed, kneeling," he ordered Levy, his voice low and full of authority. Levy's movements were robotic as he slid his sweatpants down to the floor, kicking them off and climbing onto the bed. He knelt in the middle, his eyes unfocused as he stared at a point on the floor, waiting patiently. I was still where they'd left me, rooted to the spot as I tried not to look at, well, him. But it was hard not to. Levy was only half-hard and it was already a sight to behold.

"Come here, Kitten," Anders called out, gesturing for me to join him. He was kneeling behind Levy, one of the bundles of rope unraveled in his hands. I climbed up slowly, kneeling beside him as I watched Levy stay motionless in front of us. "I'm going to teach you an Arms Behind Head tie. Follow along with me," he told me. "Turn around," he barked at Levy, who obeyed him immediately, his eyes downcast. "Hands out." Levy's hands rose in front of him, wrists together.

I was holding my breath, watching as Anders began to tie the rope around Levy's wrists, showing me how to make sure they weren't too tight or too loose, keeping the tension even throughout. The finished product was simple enough, Levy's hands bound in front of him. "Turn around," Anders ordered, and Levy did as he bade. Once Levy was facing away from us once again, Anders tugged on the rope, pulling Levy's bound arms up and over his head at an awkward angle, like he was surrendering.

Levy was beginning to shake, small tremors rippling over his skin. "Focus, Kitten," Anders drawled, drawing my attention back to his hands. He showed me how to create the intricate knot system that would keep Levy's arms elevated and trapped above his head, forcing him to hold that position until we untied him.

"Now his legs," Anders announced, after testing the tension of the ropes around Levy's arms. I crawled after him as he slid off the bed, grabbing another bundle of rope and wrapping it around Levy's thigh, just above his knee. He showed me the metal bar installed along the bed frame, and how I could secure the ropes around it however I pleased.

Anders made me do the rope on Levy's other leg, then to redo it when I fumbled the knot and lost the tension. The finished product was… well, beautiful. Levy was secured in the middle of the bed, his legs forced open as he knelt, with his arms up and his hands pinned behind his head. He looked like a work of art.

Levy was breathing heavily now, small tremors rolling through his muscles, his eyes half-closed and unfocused, like he was somewhere else in his mind.

"Is he okay?" I murmured, as Anders observed him with a casual appraisal that unnerved me.

"He will be," Anders replied, shooting me a quick smirk. "Want to see a handy trick?" I was not sure I did, but I nodded anyway, watching Levy from the end of the bed. Anders flicked his wrist at his side, and Levy groaned, the first sound he'd made since we started this.

"Oh," I breathed, watching him squirm against his bonds, his cock growing hard as we stared. His hips flexed, testing the strength of the thin ropes. He started panting, and Anders smirked, walking out of the room. I blinked, staring out the door that he'd just left.

"I- what?" I glanced at Levy, who was moaning softly, his cock twitching against his stomach. I was frozen on the spot, unsure if I should follow after Anders or do something to help Levy. I couldn't take my eyes off him or his plaintive struggle. Every sound he made shot straight to my core, and I had to clench my thighs together as my arousal grew.

It took over five minutes for Anders to return, holding a book from his shelves. Levy had quieted slightly, sinking into the bed as far as his bonds would allow. "Well?" Anders asked, sitting down with his back propped up against the wall.

"Well, what?" I demanded. "You didn't tell me what to do!" He had the audacity to chuckle, flipping open his book and propping it up in his lap.

"Edge him," he told me, making Levy groan. "Work him up until he can't take it anymore and then leave him wanting."

I opened and closed my mouth, trying to come up with the words I needed. Anders waited for a moment and then rolled his eyes. "If you can't do it, I can. I just send some blood flow straight down," he explained, flicking his wrist. I turned to look at Levy, but my own body flushed with heat, my core clenching as a sudden dampness gathered between my thighs.

"Oh, fuck!" I breathed, nearly dropping to my knees. Anders waited until I collected myself, a sly smirk on his face.

"See? Now do that to him. Play with him, touch him, get yourself off if you want. But he doesn't get his release until I say so," he warned. I bit my lip, the throbbing between my legs ten times worse than it had been after my dream last night. Carefully, I crawled up onto the bed, approaching Levy and gauging his reaction. His eyes fluttered open as I neared, his pupils blown with lust.

I rose up onto my knees in front of him, studying him openly now that I had the chance. "Can I touch you?" I asked him softly, and he nodded, swallowing. With a featherlight touch, I brushed my hand down Levy's chest, eliciting a soft whimper. I went lower, down toward his hip, and his cock jumped, hardening as I stared at it.

"Please," he whispered, and I brushed the end of my finger across the tip of his cock. He tipped his head back, so I did it again, this time capturing a bead of pre-cum on my finger. I lifted it up to my lips and licked it off, the salty flavor bursting over my tongue.

Levy shuddered roughly, watching me with hooded eyes as I smiled, stretching up until I was nose-to-nose with him. "Can I kiss you?" I whispered, and he let out a shaky breath.

"Yes." His voice was rough, and I could see his arms straining as I leaned in and brushed my lips against his. Levy's lips were pillow soft, yielding to me immediately, so beautifully pliant. I slid my tongue into his mouth, deepening the kiss so he could taste himself. I pulled away too soon, but I had to see the way his body reacted to my touch. He was leaning toward me like gravity itself was pulling him into my orbit. I saw how every muscle in his shoulders heaved, trying to break the bonds that held him away from me. I wondered what it would take for him to break free, unable to resist touching me for a second longer.

It was intoxicating, this feeling of control. I wanted him so badly, my pussy ached, clenching around nothing when all I wanted was to sink down on top of him and ease his pain. I didn't think Anders would allow that, yet. I brought my own hand between my legs, my fingers stroking through the mess they were making without even touching me. I gathered up some of the wetness on my fingers, using it as lubrication when I wrapped my hand around his cock.

"Fu-uck," Levy moaned, jerking against my hand. I felt the bed dip beside me, and Anders appeared at my side, watching with a casual indifference.

"Squeezing the base can help hold off an impending orgasm," he told me, shifting my hand down and showing me how tight to squeeze by wrapping his hand over mine. Levy groaned loudly, and Anders showed me how to stroke him in a way that would tease, but not actually get him off all the way. He said things with such a clinical detachment, it was almost like a school lecture—‘Handjobs 101' or ‘The Art of Edging'. If my tutors had taught me this instead of algebra, I would have been way more attentive to their lessons.