Page 11 of Bottoms Up
“I get that. It’s nice when I meet someone and they don’t know I’m part of Mythic Beast. What we know of the old gods comes from the people who worshiped them, so I understand them wanting us to get to know them organically.”
“Marco kept Julian busy with work last night, both to keep him from worrying about you, and so he’ll be able to spend more time with you when he rises this evening. Also, I believethey powered him up right before dawn, so he might rise a little earlier.”
I looked at my watch. I’d thought I had four hours until he rose, but it might only be two or three hours. “Thanks for letting me know. I think I’m gonna zone out on video games until he rises.”
Chapter 4
Julian
Life came slamming back into me, and I sucked air in despite the fact I don’t need it. I immediately sent my senses out, and was relieved when I came across Silver’s brain, completely immersed in a video game. I’d beensoworried about her. Kirsten had assured me Mordecai would keep her safe, but still.
You’re up!Her voice came into my head clear as a bell, and I smiled at the affection in it. After her rebuff the night before, relief flowed through me, tension uncoiling in my chest when I hadn’t realized it was there.
I am. I can’t wait to hear about your time with Mordecai. I’m so relieved you’re back and safe.
He took me to a jeweler in Italy, but I don’t think he wants me talking too much about what we did just yet.
Okay. I’m hoping it fixed the situation?
It may or may not have fixed part of the situation, but probably not the whole thing.
I realized she’d saved her game and was walking to me, so I got out of my hidey-hole.
My bedroom has moved, so I’m in a section of the underground Silver can come to. Also, I have a suite now and not just a bedroom.
It’s been a while since you fed from me, she reminded me. Like I could possibly forget the plan had been for me to feedfrom her after the Grammys. A full feeding, not a taste. The kind that leaves me sated and alive with the energy of her aura, her life force — not to mention her lust.
My Silver marks it on her calendar every time I drink fully from her, so she knows the next date it can happen again. She’s also started working out more, so she builds her blood back faster.
She stripped before she came into the bedroom and walked in bare and unashamed. Casual. A graceful drop to her knees, not a seduction but an offering. Submitting to whatever happened within the walls of this room. Head bowed, hands loose on her thighs.
Our current arrangement is simple: she submits to me in this space, and nowhere else.
My mouth watered at the sight of her. Venom welled instinctively, tingling behind my gums — not from hunger, but from anticipation.
Her scent was neutral today, as were her clothes — before she shed them. Neither male nor female, and yet, plenty of both. A perfect equilibrium. I think Silver is happiest when Silver doesn’t have to decide. Sometimes she dresses to emphasize one side or the other, but when she walks into my space like this, fluid and centered, I value her trust.
“Okay, my Grammy Award–winning guitar player. Bend over the bed while I decide whether you need the belt or cane today. Legs together to start.”
The second I said it, I knew it would be the belt. The cane increases stress levels while the belt seems to do the opposite. She’d had enough stress in the past days to last a lifetime.
When Silver is neutral, I tend to still think of her asshe. It’s like, my brain insisted I pick one, so I did. Mostly, I think it’s because she has a cunt. I mean, sure, she has a dick too, but I don’t make much use of it once we get beyond foreplay. She hasholes my dick conveniently fits into for sex, so I guess it makes sense that, in my head, I tend to think of her assherather thanhe. A whole lot of languages don’t differentiate between genders with their pronouns. English does, however, so I’d work with it as best I could.
But none of that mattered in this moment, because her scent told me she was waiting for pain, waiting to be filled, and most of all, waiting for my fangs to sink into her so I could drink of her essence.
Her blood washummingfor me.
* * * *
Silver
I used to think it was the submission I was attracted to, and the pain just came with the territory, but with Julian, I don’t just crave the surrender, I need the pain, the way it roots into my body, anchoring into the nerves, shocking the pain sensors until I think I might fly apart.
The first stripe landed sharp on my ass, fire and bite, leather embossing skin — the strike and then the slide of it carving his claim onto me. The second cracked across bare flesh before I’d come to terms with the first. Heat and intensity poured like liquid fire across my cheeks.
The next was on the backs of my thighs, and I nearly pushed forward on the bed, up and away, but I managed to stay in place.
What I hadn’t known back when I wasn’t comfortable with bondage yet, was that Julian can use his magic to freeze me so I can’t move. He doesn’t need ropes or chains.
