13. Reaper

Sleeping on the floor sucks.

But Orcus captured the couch while Flame offered to guard the room by shifting into his jaguar form near the foyer doors.

Meanwhile, our pet has taken over the giant-ass bed in the other room.

I don't mind her sleeping there. Hell, I want her there. She deserves the comfort. But the mattress could easily fit five men Orcus's size, making it overkill to give the petite female the entire bed to herself.

"It's the gentlemanly thing to do," Orcus said last night.

What part of me is considered gentlemanly? I nearly demanded. But I could tell by his tone that he wasn't going to listen to practicality. The Omega has him by the knot, and he's no longer thinking clearly.

Stretching my arms over my head, I wince as my back cracks. This is ridiculous. I could have slept in that bed without Alina even noticing me.

Assuming I kept my hands to myself, anyway.

Which… I probably wouldn't have.

Those smooth curves of hers are pretty fucking delicious. And the way she growled last night… Fuck. I'm getting hard just thinking about it.

I'm not one who typically craves women. I fuck them. Ensure they're pleased with the experience. And move on.

But Alina is something else. She's special. An Omega. I'm not particularly drawn to that aspect of her, though. I'm more intrigued by the conflict I can sense in her soul.

She's a sweet little rebel.

One I want to corrupt with my darkness.

Tempt into sin.

Roll in the shadows with and introduce to my brand of pleasure.

Thinking of that, along with her delicious little growl, has my cock ready to play.

Alas, she's asleep.

Sighing, I roll to my back and glare at the high ceilings overhead. I am definitely not asleep.

I drum my fingers against my chest, my gaze dancing around the room, searching for a distraction. The suite only has one shower. Granted, it's big enough for a party of five or six—just like Alina's bed.

There seems to be a theme here.

I'm guessing the Monster City Queen purposely put us in this room to accommodate our group size.

Which has me wondering how common our sort of dynamic might be here. Are there other trios of monsters who roam the realm and take one mate?

Is that what we're doing?I wonder, glancing at the couch. Are we all going to claim her?

Sharing isn't new to us. But this is a different type of sharing.

A pet, I muse. Hmm.

But does she even want to be ours?

I frown, uncertain of how to answer that.

It seems counterproductive to have a wall between us. How is she supposed to know us if she's sleeping in another room, away from her potential mates?

I sit up, tempted to rouse Orcus and demand that he join me in waking our pet. But I'm not sure he would agree with my idea. He's the only one who insisted on giving her space.

Well, technically, Flame insisted on that, too.

So, fine. They gave her space. And I… I'll just… pop in to check on her.

My body evaporates into the shadows, my ethereal ability tied to my affinity for spirits and death.

I might not be able to travel dimensions the way Orcus can, but transporting myself into the bedroom isn't difficult.

The bed comes into view, followed by the rest of the modern fixtures and plush amenities.

I only glanced in here last night when checking the space for potential threats. It's a pretty nice suite, but my focus is on the dark-haired beauty curled into a ball near the edge of the oversized mattress.

Fuck, it would be so easy to just slide into the opposite side of the bed. She definitely wouldn't notice.

But I'm not all that tired now.

No. I'm… captivated.

Our sweet pet looks so innocent like this, so fragile. It makes me want to take out those two souls who threatened to hurt her, and kill them all over again.

Because how could they harm her?

She's fucking stunning. So damn perfect. So mine.

Gods, that claim is a visceral response from deep within, my soul suddenly feeling oddly at ease by her mere presence.

I take a step forward, drawn to her in a way I can't quite explain.

She's so soft and corruptible. My inky strands begin to unwind, the urge to touch her consuming me.

Just one stroke, I tell myself. Right there against her porcelain cheek.

My smoky wisp gently does what I say, sending an electric jolt through my body.

I want more.

So. Much. More.

But I want her awake when I truly touch her. Awake and willing.

And more than happy to submit.

A growl threatens to rumble in my chest, causing me to take a step backward.

I need a shower. A cold one.

Or maybe a hot one…

She was the last one to use the shower. That means it'll smell like her. All sugar and spice.

Yes.

I don't walk to the shower; I teleport there and inhale her natural fragrance. It reminds me of strawberries and cream, an intoxicating combination that's slightly tainted by the peppermint shampoo she must have used earlier.

I find the bottle and consider throwing it away.

But that scent will actually smell good on me.

I make a mental note to find something more appropriate for our pet's next shower as I strip out of my boxer shorts. All my other clothes are on the floor of the living area, near where I slept last night.

I turn on the overhead sprays—of which there are five—and grin when warm water instantly comes from the pipes.

"Excellent." I step under the showerhead closest to me and groan as the droplets hit my shoulders. It's the perfect pressure. But while it eases my muscles, it does nothing to help with the stiffness below. If anything, I'm somehow harder now.

Probably because I can smell Alina everywhere.

She spent a lot of time in here last night.

Did you touch yourself, darling?I wonder as I tip my head back to dampen my hair. Did you think about Orcus's knot?

I've never met an Omega before, but from what I understand, their sexual appetites are impressive. Especially when they go into heat, something Orcus said might happen now that Alina has met an Alpha.

Everything seems so uncertain as far as her origin is concerned, her mortality confusing the Mythos Fae Alpha greatly.

I don't really mind the bizarre situation, though.

I just want to play.

Particularly with a beautiful little dark-haired vixen.

Fuck, she'll look so good on her knees for me. Taking my cock between those plump lips. Swallowing me down. Growling like she did last night.

I can practically see it all happening right in front of me, the fantasy feeling all too real.

Gods, she'll be so damn amazing. I can practically feel her mouth around me. Sucking. Pulling. Teasing my tip with her teeth.

I groan, my forehead falling to the tiled wall. More, I think. Take me deeper. Take me all the way in. Accept me. Accept us. Accept this.

The words are a chant in my head as I force my hands to move. And not in the way I want to move them. Instead, I wash my hair. Soap up and rinse off my body. All while my dick begs me to finish the fantasy. To grasp the base. To pump.

But I want to live in this moment for a little while longer. To indulge in the vision of Alina naked. Tits covered in suds. Eyes wide as she stares up at me from her kneeling position. Lips quirked up just a little before she licks my bulbous head.

Yes, pet. Just like that,I think as I stand beneath the spray once more. Keep doing that and I'll have to claim you.

I stare down at where I wish she were kneeling, then eye my aching cock.

My tattoos are swimming along my skin, engraving power into my being through their thick and inky strands.

Mmm,I hum, willing the vitality to go to my groin, wanting to see my intended mate's claim.

The tattoos swirl into a cursive-like script, drawing her name along the side of my shaft. Alina.

"Fuck, that's perfect," I breathe, loving the way my pet's name looks on my skin. But it's not long enough to span the whole surface. So I tell the ash-like brand to add a skull to the end.

My lips curl. Fuck yeah. That dark mark symbolizes my pet's future as a Death Fae's mate.

I trace my finger along the tattoo, half in love already.

She's so fucking mine,I muse, wrapping my palm around my base to give myself a good, harsh pump.

The ink beneath my hand pulsates in response, telling me it's there to stay. Because my soul likes the thought of mating this pretty female.

When I agreed to venture into this realm, I would never have guessed this was possible.

But I'm not complaining.

I'm embracing it.

And soon, Alina will, too.

"My pretty little pet," I moan, picturing her tongue tasting the inscription on my dick. In my mind, she smiles, loving that she's marked me with her essence. Because this will be permanent the moment our bond is complete. My cock will belong to her.

And her pussy will absolutely belong to me.

"Oh, I'll share you," I tell my imaginary version of her. "Let them claim you, too. But you'll be mine in every way that counts."

I brace my forearm against the glass, my breathing coming in heavy pants. I'm so damn close. So worked up over a figment in my mind. So ready to claim this woman that I hardly know.

It's insanity.

And I'm so fucking here for it.

"Alina," I growl, my grip practically bruising my tender flesh as I pump myself harder. And harder. And harder.

I picture her choking. Begging me for air, yet trusting me to let her breathe.

Gods, she'll own me like this. Destroy me in the best way. Devour me like I devour souls.

It'll be so depraved. So fucking delicious. "And you'll swallow every damn drop."

I can't help the growl escaping me, the feral sound echoing in the shower walls.

Alina will be mine. Ours.

Because I'm already hers.

Her name pulses on my dick as my balls tighten, a roar ripping from my lips as I come all over the glass. So much fucking cum. Gods, it would have drowned my pet. Made her truly choke. I'll have to remember that before our first time.

She's human.

Fragile.

Mine to protect.

And I will. I'll ensure she's guarded always. Kill anyone and everyone who tries to hurt her. And make her my godsdamn queen.

I blow out a long breath, the vestiges of my orgasm finally subsiding enough for me to calm down. At least a little. But that tingly feeling is still very much there, tugging at my abdomen and demanding another release.

This female has me so fucking worked up.

Swallowing, I lift my forehead away from my arm—I don't even know when it fell there—and blink into the dimly lit bathroom.

A pair of wide eyes stares back at me through the glass, Alina's lips parted in shock as she takes in my nude state.

I tilt my head, my hand still running up and down my cock while she watches.

She says nothing.

She also doesn't make a single attempt to leave.

It makes me wonder how long she's been watching me. Hopefully long enough to be impressed, I think, my lips tilting up a little.

"Good morning, pet," I tell her, my voice low. "Have any nice dreams? Because I just enjoyed one hell of a fantasy myself."

Her mouth parts even more, this time on a yelp before she runs out of the bathroom.

"Was it something I said?" I call after her, right as the door slams.

I chuckle and turn to finish washing myself off.

The little darling can run. She can even try to hide.

But she won't get far.

You're ours now, pet. For better or for worse. Till death do us part.