“Oh, thank you Solomon, this is wonderful,” I gushed looking around at the neon signs and the wait staff dressed up as old movie stars. It was all a bit out of focus but the classic car booth we were sitting in couldn’t have been clearer.
He slid a plate holding two slices of cheese pizza towards me. “There’s one more surprise before we start the movie.” He waved his hand and a tall glass appeared beside my plate. “I thought you might like a five dollar milkshake to wash the pizza down.”
Mia ordered a five-dollar milkshake in the movie and Vincent had to taste it to see if it was really worth five dollars. It was one of the best parts of the entire movie.
“This is the best surprise ever. Way better than some lame luau.” I couldn’t stop smiling.
“I’m glad you like it,” he told me, his eyes shining bright as he leaned in to kiss me. It was short and sweet, but the love I felt was anything but.
“How did I get so lucky?” I asked, not realizing at first that I’d said it out loud.
“You’ve got it all wrong Renee,” he whispered, pressing his lips to my forehead. “I’m the lucky one, because I get to love you for the rest of my life.”
He hit play and the opening scene of Pulp Fiction came on the screen. It was my favorite movie, and even though I’d probably seen it a thousand times, I could still watch it a thousand more. Tonight though, I only had eyes for Solomon.
I ate my pizza at his insistence, and even finished the milkshake because it was really, very good. After that, I curled up close to Solomon and just enjoyed being with him. This was how it had always been with us until the mating frenzy made everything crazy. Was that why he planned this whole thing? To show me we were still the same people we’d always been? Whatever his motives were I knew that I would always treasure the memory of this night for as long as I lived.
I awoke alone in my bed wondering how I got there. I’d fallen asleep on the couch with Solomon so he must have carried me upstairs. Why hadn’t he stayed?
A noise caught my attention and I turned towards it. Solomon was sitting in a chair lacing up his boots. His hair was damp and his clothes were clean.
“Were you going to leave without saying goodbye?”
“No, I was just about to wake you.” He came over and gave me a quick kiss. “You’re not scheduled to fight until later tonight but I have a maze to build in about thirty minutes, then I’m in the first round of sword fights. We can meet up for lunch during the marksmanship competition.”
He opened a portal and left before I could get a word in.
“Chicken!” I shouted after him, but he was already gone.
He was running scared because the pull of the mating frenzy was getting stronger by the minute. I wasn’t sure how these things worked, but if I had to guess, I’d say the spell had been blocking more than just our emotions. The need I felt yesterday was nothing compared to what I felt now that my body was well rested. Katerina’s comment about a ticking time bomb suddenly seemed a lot more accurate, and if I was about to explode, then Solomon likely was too.
Maybe it was time to light a match and enjoy the fireworks.
~ Solomon ~
At one end of the stadium there were two small booths. One was for the announcer and the other was reserved for whichever sorcerer was actively casting spells over the arena. From that vantage point, we had an unobstructed view of the entire stadium, which allowed us to monitor our spells and make adjustments as needed. To keep things fair we weren’t allowed to cast any spells aimed at the competitors. They could only be taken out by traps already embedded in the mazes. Otherwise, the sorcerers could pick and choose who to trap and who to help. The prey was another story. We could blast them with anything and everything imaginable to make sure they didn’t escape the mazes alive.
Sergio was currently inside the booth and I was waiting for my turn in the narrow corridor just outside the door. The crowd in the stadium was cheering for the hand-to-hand contestants as they made their way through Sergio’s maze.
Leaning back against the stone wall, I closed my eyes and thought about Renee. Leaving her lying in that bed this morning was one of the hardest things I’d ever done. Somehow, the desire I felt for her had multiplied over the last twenty-four hours until it was nearly unbearable. I’d thought my fox was going easy on me for her sake, but now I realized it was probably the spell dulling the effects of the mating frenzy all along. We’d only made it to second base so far, but it wouldn’t take much tempting for me to forget all about our agreement. Thankfully, there wouldn’t be many opportunities for her to temp me with the tournament in full swing.
Outside in the stadium, the crowd went wild and I opened my eyes just in time to see Sergio emerge from the booth. His gaze swept over me like he was taking my measure, then he walked right past me without saying a word. Deciding it wasn’t the time or place to clear the air between us; I pushed off from the wall and stepped towards the open door. Before I reached the entrance, I heard Sergio behind me.
“Have you ever considered how different our lives would have been if Ephraim hadn’t exiled me from the clans?”
I turned to face him and saw that he was leaning back against the wall as if he hadn’t a care in the world. I told myself I should tell him to fuck off, but something compelled me to answer him honestly.
“Of course I have. If my father hadn’t cast you out, you most likely wouldn’t have helped Travali during the war. But considering the depth of your betrayal, and the reasons you were exiled to begin with, I believe you would have poisoned the clans with your evil had you not been cast out when you were.”
He cocked his head to the side, studying me like a bug. “What if the reasons for my exile were not nearly as heinous as you were led to believe? What if Ephraim was simply too human to accept our ways? You must know how stubborn he could be. Is it not possible that he cast me out because I refused to bend to his will? Not because I had actually done anything wrong?”
“It matters not Sergio. Your actions during the war and since have erased any goodwill you might have garnered from the clans, or from me.”
“I’ve often wondered whose son you would turn out to be - Ephraim’s or Gwendolyn’s. I suppose I have my answer now.” He opened his mouth, then closed it and considered his next words before asking, “Did she ever tell you what happened to your brother Ezekiel?”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “My father told me Ezekiel was killed when he challenged another clan member over a female and lost.”
“I’m sure he did, but did you ever hear that story from your mother’s lips?” Sergio asked, watching me intently.
When I didn’t answer right away, Sergio smirked. “That’s what I thought. Gwendolyn was honest to a fault. She’d let Ephraim make up whatever lies he wanted to tell, but she would never repeat them herself.”
Hearing him talk about my mother as if they were old friends was too much for me to take. “You don’t know the first thing about my mother.”
“I know a lot more than you think,” he countered.
Outside in the stadium Kasper announced, “The next round in the hand-to-hand competition will begin momentarily.”
He was probably wondering why I wasn’t already in the booth setting up my spells.
“I understand that you have to go now, but if you want to continue this conversation some time, I’m sure your security people will know where to find me. The tracking spell you made for them is quite good; almost completely undetectable.”
He turned and walked away before I could respond.
I shook my head and entered the booth, shutting the door firmly behind me. I’d worry about Sergio and his questions later. In the meantime, I sent Rook a quick text letting him know Sergio was already aware of the tracking spell.
A few minutes later my maze was up and ready to go. The elaborate system of corridors and tunnels was constructed mostly of thick dirt walls, but I used shrubbery here and there to temp the contestants or t
he prey into wandering off the path. Anyone who thought pushing through the hedges would be easier than winding through the labyrinth would soon discover the pitfalls of taking shortcuts.
The prey for this round was a fire demon that was imprisoned almost two centuries ago after kidnaping Doyle’s sister. She was rescued unharmed before he could auction her off to the highest bidder, and then the fire demon was thrown in the dungeons where he has been enjoying our hospitality ever since. Now he could be free to live his life as he pleased. All he had to do was get past the four contestants and all of my magical traps.
Too bad for the fire demon Doyle was one of the contestants competing in this maze. The other contestants were Noah, Danarius, and Kaleb.
When Kasper called for the round to begin, I thought about the worst hurricane I’d ever witnessed, and then I unleashed its torrential rain and devastating winds on the maze below. That would take away any advantage the fire demon had over the competitors. Of course, it would also make the entire maze a slippery mess as the dirt turned to mud and the water flowed like rivers through the passageways.
The competitors started at the four corners and worked their way towards the middle while the prey tried to find his way out from the center. Usually supernaturals relied heavily on their noses to warn them of danger, but with all the rain and wind, they likely couldn’t smell much of anything. As a result, everyone down below moved slower than they otherwise would have, but I knew their caution wouldn’t be enough to avoid my traps.
Noah was the first to fall prey to my magic. He was right around the corner from the fire demon when he stepped into a portal and found himself back at his starting gate. He roared like the bear he was and attempted to barrel through the nearest line of hedges. The shrubs took offense and immediately pinned him to the ground with their thorny branches and thick roots.
I chuckled to myself and focused on Danarius who was about to spring another one of my traps. If he wasn’t careful, a steel cage was going to come down over his head and he’d have to spend precious time breaking out of it.
“You seem to be really enjoying yourself.”
I spun around to find Renee smiling behind me. She was wearing the requisite black leather pants but today she had on a halter-top that would show off the fox eye on her back. She’d also worn her auburn curls long and loose so that they hung around her face and over her shoulders. She was a stunning mix of danger and beauty that never failed to make my heart beat faster. I hadn’t felt her coming though, and it made me wonder when our emotions would start flowing continuously through the bond.
“I always enjoy myself when I work my magic,” I told her, opening my arms so that she could cuddle up close to me. She molded her body along the length of mine and rested her head against my chest.
I glanced down at the maze and found the fire demon nearing an exit. He quickly changed directions when I sent a bolt of lightning down in front of him.
In my distraction, Renee had started kissing my neck and was now rubbing my back with her hands beneath my shirt.
“What are you doing Renee?” I asked, trying to maintain my focus on the maze.
“I’m stealing third base,” she whispered, nipping at my earlobe.
I was instantly hard and couldn’t find the strength to protest.
She continued exploring my neck and ears with her mouth while her hands caressed my back and chest. Then she added the occasional scrape of nails and I knew I was in trouble. I kept my eyes glued to the maze but my mind barely registered anything I saw. Renee had my full attention as she kissed, and licked, and sucked, and rubbed her warm body against mine.
She rolled the hem of my shirt up and pulled it over my head. Then her hands slid around to the front of my pants and she started undoing my belt while her tongue teased my nipple. When she popped my button free, she moved to my other nipple and swirled her tongue around it a few times before kissing a trail down the center of my chest. By the time she reached my stomach, my zipper was down and my erection was throbbing with anticipation.
“This might not be the best time for this Renee,” I managed to choke out as she pushed my pants halfway down my thighs.
“I think it’s the perfect time for this,” she breathed, her eyes fixed on my aroused flesh as she went down on her knees before me.
I had just enough time to make sure the fire demon wasn’t anywhere near an exit before her tongue slid up my shaft from root to tip. A tremor ran through my body and I leaned forward to brace my hands on the short stone wall in front of me.
The noise from the crowd suddenly grew to deafening levels and I looked down to find Doyle and Kaleb tearing each other apart near the center of the maze.
Renee’s lips closed over the swollen head of my cock and my vision blurred as unbelievable pleasure pulsed through my entire being. Thankfully she took it slow at first, teasing me with swirling licks around the tip as she caressed the long length with her soft hand.
My vision cleared enough for me to check the maze. Danarius was in the cage, Noah was wandering around in a time loop that Rook helped me create and Doyle and Kaleb were still going at it. No one was actively pursuing the prey, but the fire demon was still nowhere near an exit.
Renee’s mouth slid down the length of my shaft hard and fast, spreading a thick layer of wetness to ease the slide of her hand. Up and down her head bobbed, fingers squeezing, tongue swirling, mouth sucking. Time flew by as I lost myself to her rhythm, to the mind-blowing sensations ravaging my body.
The roar of the crowd broke through my pleasurable haze and I looked down just in time to see that the fire demon was only three steps away from an exit. I opened a portal that brought him back to the center of the maze where Doyle and Kaleb were still battling it out. I thought surely one of them would finish off the prey and end this round in no time.
Renee’s fingers dug into my ass and she pulled me forward, ramming my hard length all the way down her throat. She held me there, letting her throat convulse around my cock while I shuddered above her. Then she urged me to move, pulling me and pushing me until I was thrusting into her mouth with forceful strokes. Harder, faster, she swallowed me, devouring me with her hot, wet mouth.
The maze was nearly forgotten but I glanced down just in time to see the fire demon almost escape yet again. Where the fuck were all the damn contestants? I tried to think of a way to stop the fire demon but nothing came to mind as Renee sucked harder and the wave of orgasm crashed over me.
Spasms of pleasure racked my body sending spurts of semen jetting into her throat. Inspiration stuck me and I pushed the fire demon back from the exit with several short spurts of water jetting with the force of a hundred fire hoses.
When the pleasurable spasms finally stopped, I reached down to caress Renee’s head while I looked for the fire demon. Thankfully, Danarius had finally escaped from the cage and he now had the fire demon in his grasp. With a quick twist of his hands, the fire demon lost his head and Danarius won the round.
I released Noah from the time loop and sent a deluge of water to separate Doyle and Kaleb. Whatever Doyle’s wolf had against Kaleb it was obviously more important than winning the tournament because he’d spent the entire round beating on Kaleb instead of the intended prey.
Renee stood and looked over the edge. “Everything go okay down there?”
I couldn’t speak. I just grabbed her and claimed her lips for a devouring kiss.
Moments later, I was about to reach down and rip off her pants when Grayson came through the door. His face turned bright red and he turned away from the sight of my naked ass. “I’m sorry; I thought you were alone up here.”
Renee froze in my arms and I knew I had to get a grip on myself. No matter how much I wanted her in that moment, I wasn’t going to fuck her with Grayson standing a few feet away, and he needed to set up the chambers for the next round of sword fights - in which I was expected to participate.
I closed my eyes and drew in a long, deep breath. The
n another, and then another before I was finally able to put my pants back in order and grab my shirt off the ground.
I took Renee’s hand in mine and turned to face the other sorcerer. “No need to apologize Grayson, the booth is all yours.”
He stepped aside to let us pass and closed the door behind us. In the corridor Renee said, “That was fairly awkward.”
I tucked her hair behind her ear. “It could have been worse.”
“True,” she agreed, grinning. “He could have shown up a few minutes earlier or later. Either way would have been a lot more embarrassing.”
“For you at least - and probably him.” I shrugged. “I personally don’t give a damn who sees me having sex. In some situations I actually enjoy knowing people are watching me give and take pleasure.”
Her eyes widened a bit. “I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to give you that Solomon.”
“I know,” I told her, caressing the side of her face. “I don’t expect you to do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable, but don’t ever hold back just because we’re not alone. If you feel the time is right, then it is and I’ll be happy to go along for the ride.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” she promised. “Do you have to go now?”
“Yes, I have to get ready for the next round of sword fights.”
“Then I won’t keep you.”
She gave me a quick but very memorable kiss, then she wished me luck and left me there to find her friends in the stands. I pulled my shirt over my head and hurried down to the locker rooms. The next few hours would not only be a test of my sword fighting skills, but also of my strength of will as I fought the urge to forfeit the tournament and track down my mate.
Thanks to her, third base was behind us, but waiting twenty-four hours to keep my word seemed like an impossible feat. Especially when I allowed myself to remember how soft she felt beneath my hands and how responsive she was to my touch. I wanted to spend hours exploring every inch of her body, giving her so much pleasure that she’d never want for more, but all that would have to wait for just one more day.
M&L03 - SS Page 20
