by Cara Adams
Karen arrived early and parked close to the track leading to the starting point. Hmm. That was something she hadn’t even thought about. The Thousand Steps didn’t start from the lower parking lot. The parking lot just led to a walking track. Oh well, just as well she’d said to meet in the parking lot or that could have been a mess.
She got out of her tiny compact car, put her keys in her pocket and zipped it up, then leaned on the hood. Only a few minutes later Toby arrived. He parked a white truck a couple spaces down from her car, then climbed out. He was wearing athletic shoes as well, but with jeans and a sweater. As he walked she noticed he had a bottle of water in the back pocket of his jeans. She’d left her water in the car. Fuck! Should she get it out or not? Would she really need it? Karen decided she’d rather look silly now opening the car again, than appear even sillier later being really thirsty and not having her water.
She opened the trunk, rifled through her gym bag, and grabbed a bottle of water, wishing she had a pocket to put it in. She’d just have to carry it.
“I’m glad I saw your water bottle. I almost forgot to get mine out of the car,” she said.
“It’s quite steep. I reckon we’ll be glad of it before we get all the way back down again,” he said.
Karen almost swooned at the sexy caress of his deep voice. God, it was enticing. She swallowed hard and nodded. Augustus pulled into the parking space next to them then, and they got themselves organized to begin walking.
Even though it wasn’t officially dawn, the parking lot lights were bright and the sky was gray, not black, so it was very easy to find their way onto the track. Besides, it was well signposted.
“It must be half a mile from the parking lot to here, and we haven’t officially started yet,” she complained.
“And it’s uphill.” Toby was clearly teasing her, but it was uphill.
By the time they reached the steps themselves, the sky had lightened further, making it easy enough to see. “Are we counting them?” asked Dom Augustus.
“Of course. That’s your job,” she replied. Then she asked another question that had been burning in her brain. “What do you like to be called?”
“You mean outside the dungeon?”
“Yes.”
“Gus is fine.”
“What about inside the dungeon?” asked Toby, picking up on another question that had just arisen in her mind at Gus’s comment.
“Sir or Master, either is fine.”
“What about you, Toby? Is that short for Tobias? What’s your real name?”
“Real name?”
He sounded quite hesitant to Karen. Almost as if she’d asked him something frightening. How could his pet name be scary? “Yes, your real name. What’s on your birth certificate? Toby or Tobias or something else?”
There was silence as they climbed three more steps, then he said softly, “Just Toby.”
“I like that. It’s a friendly name.”
“It’s Hebrew. It means ‘the Lord is good,’” said Gus.
“Really? I didn’t know that,” said Karen.
“Do you know what ‘Karen’ and ‘Augustus’ mean as well?” asked Toby.
“Ah I see you’ve uncovered my secret. Yes, I looked up ‘Karen’ and ‘Toby.’ ‘Karen’ means ‘pure.’ ‘Augustus,’ on the other hand, means ‘great.’”
Chatting about names and meanings, they climbed steadily up the steps. No one passed them, either by overtaking them from behind or coming down from the top.
After a while it was Gus who gave her the opportunity to start asking questions. “That was step one hundred fifty-three. So why did you summon here today, Karen?”
“You really are counting?” Toby sounded surprised.
“Yes, I’m good at counting in the background of my mind while doing something else in the foreground. It comes from dungeon training,” explained Gus.
“Neat trick.”
“Are you going to answer my question?”
“Oh yes. I just thought it’d be good if we got to know each other as people. There’s obviously plenty of chemistry between us, and I really like that and want to do it again. But I want to know you both as friends as well. So let’s start with your favorite color.”
By the time they reached the top of the steps, Karen was hot and sweaty, having taken the top of her sweat suit off long ago, and her leg muscles were feeling the journey. They walked across to a big patch of grass and dropped down onto it. They all had some more water, then just relaxed and looked at the view. It was worth the trip, a beautiful panorama of hills and trees as far as the eye could see.
“Nine hundred and ninety-three. We need to do seven more to make it truly one thousand,” said Gus.
“In your dreams,” groaned Toby, massaging his calf muscles.
They were quite comfortable in each other’s company, and Karen felt brave enough to say, “I’m sure you’re human, Gus, but are you a shape-shifter, Toby?”
An almost-panicked look flashed across his face before it went blank, and he laughed half-heartedly. “What makes you ask?”
Karen looked around them, but no one was within hearing distance. Most people were going directly from their cars to the steps. “You know I’m a wolf. Twice now I’ve seen a hawk that reminds me of you.”
She watched him closely. His reaction had been very strange for a human. He had to know she was a wolf. He hadn’t reacted to her comment, and she was positive he’d already known that. But if he was a shape-shifter, especially something as unusual as a hawk, his reaction made sense. He’d be worried about being outed in the community. Most shape-shifters were very keen to remain unknown in the general world.
“I—” Toby looked around them just as Karen had done. Then he stood up and paced backward and forward. Finally he stood still, looked around himself again, and said, “I never should have watched you from the gate. That’s what gave me away I guess.”
“Maybe for Karen it did, but there are other hints as well. Your piercing gaze, the mottled colors of your hair. You truly are a hawk, Toby,” said Gus quietly.
Toby sat down again. “I’m not in the habit of telling people, but sometimes they seem to work it out, as you did.”
“Because you’re relaxing and being yourself, and that’s good. We’re all friends together, and you should be able to just feel free instead of trying to hide,” said Gus.
“It’s kind of a relief that you both know. It clears the way for us to be more natural together,” said Toby.
“Absolutely. I want to know all about you as a person. Once we know each other deeply we can go on and build a relationship,” said Karen.
The steps were more crowded on the way back down, with people overtaking them from above and passing them from below, so nothing of a private nature was mentioned. But Karen still felt pleased that she was learning more about them both all the time. The three of them were very comfortable in each other’s company, meshing well in interests and personalities, and although her legs were going to kill her tomorrow, she was certain it had been a good decision to come here today.
But she still wanted to know a lot more about Toby. What had it been like growing up as a hawk? Where was his pack—or whatever a group of hawks was called? And how could a hawk, a wolf, and a human really come together as a triad? Was such a thing even remotely possible?
* * * *
Toby had almost run away when Karen had asked him about being a shape-shifter. She’d shaken him off balance with that question about his birth certificate, although he seemed to have gotten out of that situation all right. But when she’d guessed he wasn’t human, all the fears and terrors of a lifetime of running away from human society rose to the surface. He’d jumped to his feet and been about to flee, before he’d managed to calm down and understand neither Karen nor Gus was condemning him in any way. Rather, they were accepting him as himself. Of course, Karen herself was a shape-shifter, but she’d grown up in the heart of a pack, with the entire pack to help
and support her. Nothing could be more different from his position as alone and friendless.
Except now he wasn’t friendless anymore. He had Quinn, Rainer, and Wynter at the farm, and Karen and Gus were making it quite clear they accepted him as himself, human or shape-shifter. Neither of them had even commented on the fact he was a hawk, not a wolf. Besides, it seemed both of them had guessed, rather than that he’d given himself away.
Which meant they cared about him, and were interested in him. A warm feeling stole through Toby’s body. Friends. He really did have friends and people who would support him. Living with Quinn and his partners had been such an eye-opener to Toby. Even though they lived in the farmhouse and he stayed out in the farthest barn, he’d seen the threesome at various times of day and night, and when Wynter was not well, recovering from her surgery, and always they’d been a united little group, loving each other so obviously. But in some way they’d opened their hearts to include him, accepting his need to be solitary, yet including him in their daily lives and always making it quite clear he was a friend, not a burden.
Now this acceptance had been widened and deepened with his relationship with Gus and Karen.
Toby knew he was falling in love with Karen. Everything about her appealed to him. She was strong and smart, fun to be with, keeping him on his toes mentally as well as physically. And Gus was a truly caring Dom, yet one who let others, such as Karen, plan things. But Toby knew Gus truly held the reins, and if Karen overstepped the mark Toby knew Gus would gently pull her back into line. Gus gave them their freedom, but he was always watching out for them.
This was so new to Toby. It’d only ever been himself and his mom, and more recently, himself alone. To be cared for, appreciated, opened up such a deep longing for a family he could hardly bear the pain. He wanted Karen and Gus with a force that almost exploded inside himself. Fortunately it appeared this was what Karen wanted, too, and since Gus was letting her have her way, Gus must agree.
Of course it wouldn’t last. Nothing ever did in his life. Sooner or later the authorities would want papers from him he couldn’t provide, had never owned, and he’d have to run away again. There would never be peace for him. Always he’d be an outcast, an outsider, looking through the windows at other people having families, being happy together.
Was it even worth getting to know these people when all that was ahead of him was the immense pain of having them ripped out of his life, leaving his heart torn open and bleeding to death?
Chapter Five
Gus sensed there was a lot more about his heritage than Toby was saying. If they were to develop bonds, each of them would have to share at a deeper level. Fucking was good, BDSM was good, but there had to be genuine sharing of their personalities, or this would all fall apart. Gus already had the next part of the day organized. Karen might think she was in charge, and Gus enjoyed letting her plot and plan, but his was the power of veto, and if things started heading in the wrong direction, he’d exercise his Dominant power.
By the time they all reached the lower parking lot, though, he knew they’d be more than happy to agree with his plan. When he estimated there were only one hundred steps still to descend he said, “I’ve booked a hot tub room at the BDSM club for this afternoon. I thought after the thousand steps, or more accurately nine hundred ninety-three steps, we’d appreciate soaking our aching muscles.”
“It should be called the nineteen hundred eighty-six steps,” grumbled Karen.
“Yeah, but people always round things off. Remember the Hundred Years War? That went for like one hundred sixteen years, didn’t it?” said Toby.
“Huh?” Gus had no idea which war that was. He hadn’t paid much attention in history class, although he had learned the names of all the presidents in order because there were always questions about them on tests.
“Oh that’s right. They sort of took time off during the Black Death, didn’t they?” replied Karen.
“Black Death? Are you talking about like medieval times or something in Europe?” Gus asked.
“I loved reading about battles and kings. I can’t remember all the details now, but England and France were fighting on and off for the hundred years. And they did take a break when the plague was bad.”
“I think it had something to do with Eleanor of Aquitaine. Weren’t they originally arguing over Aquitaine?” asked Karen.
“That’s right. Edward inherited Aquitaine and refused to obey the King of France. He said he was King of France,” said Toby, happily bouncing down half a dozen steps in one jump.
Gus shook his head. They were both mad. That was fine by him. It was a good kind of crazy.
Once they reached the parking lot he led the way across to Karen’s car. “Right. You’ll both follow me to the BDSM club now and we’ll use the hot tub? Everyone okay with that?”
He knew they wouldn’t argue. He’d spoken firmly and he was certain they’d agree. It wasn’t like he was asking anything unusual of them. They’d all seen each other naked before.
“Sure. Soaking in hot water sounds like bliss,” said Karen.
Toby just nodded and jogged across the lot to his truck. Gus watched him go. The man must be very fit. They’d just been up and down a thousand steps—more or less—including walking a couple miles to and from the starting point, yet here was Toby with enough energy left to jog.
I’m looking forward to learning more about you, my submissive.
Gus climbed into his car and led the way back toward town and then through it to the entertainment district and the BDSM club. He parked in his regular space, but waved to the others to go down another level to the regular client parking spaces. Karen nodded and kept driving, and Toby followed her. Gus locked his car then took the fire stairs down one more level and stood by the elevator.
“I hope those are the last fucking stairs I have to climb for a few days,” he muttered to himself. But he hadn’t wanted to call the elevator, thinking the others might have been able to reach the foyer while was still standing waiting in the basement. He wanted to take them straight up to the correct floor himself. He already had the passkey in his pocket.
Toby and Karen soon appeared, walking briskly. Toby’s head was down, his hands in his pockets. Karen had a gym bag slung over her shoulder.
So she half anticipated this. Very good.
He pressed the call button on the elevator and the doors opened immediately then he swiped the card for the sixth floor.
“I didn’t know the club had a hot tub,” said Karen.
“Only the rooms on the sixth floor do. The luxury suites.”
“Oh, that explains it then. I’ve only been on the public floors.”
“Yeah, me, too,” agreed Toby.
Well that was good, too. It was nice they’d be doing something different together. Of course, climbing the Thousand Steps had been different, but now was the time to relax and take the conversation to a deeper, more personal level. Then sex.
He swiped the passkey again to let them enter the room, then stood back while Karen headed straight into the bathroom, turning the light on and stopping dead in the doorway.
Gus stayed well back and hid a grin. The bathrooms for these suites were enormous, and the shower was big enough for three as well if they decided to use it later. He knew the hot tub would be full of water and bubbling already, as they were deliberately left that way after the room was cleaned, to entice clients to use them.
Karen turned and looked at him. “I’ll wash the sweat off in the shower then get in the hot tub, okay?”
“Good idea. Likely we’re all a bit sweaty right now.”
“Do you need someone to scrub your back?” asked Toby.
Karen gave the hawk a huge grin. “I wouldn’t mind that at all, but I want to get into the tub today. Once you start touching me, I’ll be much too likely to get sidetracked.”
Toby laughed and peeled out of his clothing, folding it neatly, with his shoes on the bottom of the pile, socks tuck
ed tidily inside them, his sweater and jeans on top of his shoes, then his T-shirt, and his underwear on top. That was exactly how he’d gotten undressed in the dungeon. It was obviously a habit, but why? Why that exact order? Gus could understand neatness. Some people hated mess. But he was willing to bet good money there was a reason for the particular order Toby placed his garments in.
Karen showered quickly, and Toby was even faster. Gus didn’t plan on taking long either. He was undressed and ready by the time Toby stepped out of the shower and climbed into the hot tub. Once he took his turn in the shower he soaped his body briskly, watching the tub. Karen seemed almost asleep, her eyes closed, her head tilted back on the side of the tub. Toby, as seemed to be his standard pattern, was looking down at the surface of the water.
Gus rinsed off, turned the water off, shook himself to remove the worst of the water from his skin, then crossed the room and joined the others.
The tub was huge. There was easily room for six people in it, so the fact both he and Toby were tall didn’t matter. He sat down equidistant from the other two, careful not to intrude on their personal space. He planned to ask some intrusive questions, but he’d work up to it obliquely, once everyone was warm and relaxed.
“I’ve remembered from Karen’s questions earlier that her favorite color is red, yours is gold, Toby, and mine of course, is black. I’ve also remembered that Karen likes to watch ice-skating and dancing, and Toby prefers baseball. What I’d like to do now, while the heat and bubbles are untangling all the knots in our bodies from those stairs, is for us to talk a bit about our pasts and how they’ve formed us. I don’t mean an elementary school style show-and-tell, but more the why and how than the what. I’ll start so you understand what I mean.”
