Page 27 of Bonded to The Boo Hag

This room was tamer than the one Syd gave us last time, a room more suited to vampires, with easily wipeable black furniture and plush red accents. Gatlin walked us over to a couch and sat, running a hand through his curly blond locks. “When did you last feed, Palmer?”

“Three days ago, I should be fine,” I said, closing my eyes for a moment to block everything out and assess the hunger. “Yes, I should be fine for another day at least.”

Gatlin reached for me, and I gave him my hand. He tugged me, bringing me closer before putting his hands on my hips. “I’d feel better if you were topped up,” he said quietly.

I straddled him. We had been getting closer and closer to my species' natural feeding position over the last few weeks. Feeding like this got me a little riled up. I sat further back on his lap, giving him distance, but he wasn’t having any of that. He pulled me close so that the juncture of my thighs rested on his abs.

Which had me remembering how I had enjoyed the texture of his abs on my clit as I rode his hand last night.

Maybe he was thinking of that too when his hand dived into my hair and brought my lips down to his. I savored the kiss, enjoying the feel of his firm lips against mine until he gave me a little nip on my bottom lip. Taking that as come on already, I carefully began to draw lifeforce from him. Our sexual… compatibility with one another had grown, and it was harder to pull lifeforce from him without affecting his libido. I did not want to send my husband to the council chambers with a hard-on.

He was becoming adept at knowing how much enough was, so I didn’t worry with holding back. I carefully, slowly drew his lifeforce from between his clever lips until he withdrew, kissing me along my jaw and sucking me hard under my ear, making me moan in pleasurable pain.

“I have,” he said, his voice low with arousal, “this irrational need to mark you so everyone knows you’re mine.”

I chuckled, carding my hands through his hair, not caring what people would think of his appearance when they came and got us.

“I suppose that’s the cleanest way to do it. As long as you don’t mark your territory like a dog does, I am amenable.”

Pulling back suddenly, he quirked a brow in horrified disbelief. “Do Hellhounds piss on their mates?!”

A peel of laughter left my lips, and the sheepish look on his face made it worse. His hands stroked the sides of my thighs while I mastered myself.

“If Soros ever hears you allude that Hellhounds are anything like Earth dogs.” I start chortling again.

“Well fuck, I can see why that would be offensive. Promise you won’t tell him I asked that question.” He expelled a breath.

I kissed him reassuringly. “I promise, your secret is safe with me.”

“Hmmm… I never had any doubts,” he said before kissing me back.

12

Gatlin

Palmer finished our kiss with a happy sigh, running her fingers down the white buttons on my dress shirt. Then her face changed, and a pucker at her brow had me unconsciously reaching out to smooth the skin.

“About what Attwater said…” she stopped on a button low on my chest. “He––”

“If you don’t want to talk about it, I don’t need an explanation.” I interrupted her, afraid she was telling me because she felt like she had to.

“Oh no, it's not, well…” She clenched her fingers tightly together.

“I was betrothed to Attwater when I was sixteen,” she said, looking at me to gauge my reaction.

“Sixteen?” I asked, sounding angrier than I should. I took a breath. “I’m sorry, that was a different time.”

“It was, and perfectly legal, although his preference has not matured with the rest of the planet.” She bunched up the fabric on my shirt in agitation. “It was an agreement between my parents and him to expand our territory, and it made sense. I had foolishly thought, as a lot of young girls do, that we would fall in love and live happily ever after.”

“Go on.” I gently took her hands in mine, rubbing circles with my thumbs on the back of them.

“The closer we got to the wedding, the more he revealed his true self. He took many beings to bed while demanding I only receive my energy from him or my mother. Yet when I needed to feed, he wasn’t around, making me wait well past what was safe. He nitpicked what I ate, how I behaved, and what I wore, claiming that he just had my best interests at heart. The final straw was when he backhanded me one afternoon. I can’t even remember what I did––” She gripped my hands tightly, though her face never betrayed any emotion.

“It doesn’t matter what you did,” I growled, pulling her close. “There is never a good enough reason to harm someone you are supposed to love.”

“No there isn’t,” she agreed, her voice strong. “My father was furious and called off the marriage, and Attwater was barred from our lands. Nothing more could be done. When my parents died, I assumed our family’s seat on the council. I have done my duty for the last seventy-five years alongside that snake. He’s been squeaky-clean in regards to me the entire time, until now.”

“Until you had the audacity to get married,” I said, making the connection. “He sounds like a narcissist. He can’t stand that you’ve moved on.”

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