I nodded into his chest and pulled away from him to sit up. “Let’s go on with the list and I’ll bring stuff up as we get to it. There’ll be some stuff later, when we get to the section on humiliation, but right now I just want to get this anal section over with. Also, if we renegotiate this at some point in the future we’ll be negotiating as equals, which means I’ll look down then if I want to, too.”
He laughed, obviously amused with me. “Of course you will, but if something comes up in a scene you feel you need to explain? You’ll look me in the eyes as you tell me.”
Right. And the bad part was knowing he could smell my arousal at the promise of his words. Okay, maybe it wasn’t necessarily bad, but it was certainly embarrassing.
By the time we finished I was so horny I wanted to squirm and move my hips, but I didn’t. If I wasn’t feeling so submissive I’d have probably jumped him.
Abbott reached for a folder on the coffee table and handed it to me, and I smiled as I opened it to his completed list. It was his turn to talk, now.
You see, if a bottom has hard limits that happen to be a turn on for the Top, then the Top needs to let the bottom know, as it doesn’t bode well for a relationship. Likewise, if a bottom has a particular turn on that she really needs in her life, and it happens to be a hard limit for the Top, it’s better to find this out up front. Either your wants and needs fit with each other, or they don’t.
I breathed a sigh of relief and felt the tension in me relax when he said, “I’m good with all of your hard limits, and as we go through my list, I’ll let you know the soft limits I’ll eventually want to push.”
I liked the word eventually, as it told me he wouldn’t expect me to let them go next week, or probably even next month. After a decade with Master James I don’t have many hard or soft limits left, and the ones we haven’t touched are either a huge deal to me, or something James has zero interest in.
“The only sticking point I see,” Abbott said, his eyes boring into me, “is you thinking you can make anal sex a soft limit. You have to know that isn’t going to fly.”
I let my eyebrows rise as I told him, “I know nothing of the kind. If it’s a dealbreaker for you then let me know and we can stop the negotiations now. If you’re okay with my keeping it off the table, we’ll keep talking.”
Ten minutes later we agreed it would be a limit during ten complete scenes between us, and that playing around a little didn’t equal a scene. On the eleventh scene it would be pulled from being a limit and he would have the option if he chose to take it. I figured once we’d made it through ten scenes, if we hadn’t built up enough trust for me to be okay with it then there just wouldn’t be an eleventh scene. Of course, I didn’t say that last part out loud.
We also negotiated there would be no gags for at least ten scenes, possibly longer, so there would be no restrictions to me saying the safeword. There are other ways to communicate a safeword, especially since I can talk to him telepathically, but he wanted to make it as easy as possible for me to say it until he was more comfortable with my body’s reactions. Also, he told me he’d eventually want to negotiate so he could punish me without a safeword. I’ve reached this point with Master James, and have made it there with a few other longer term Doms, so I told him it would be a while, but we’d likely be able to negotiate it at some point in the future.
“Do you still want someone else present for our first scene?” he asked, his voice casual, but I sensed he was hoping he’d earned enough trust it could be just the two of us.
I thought about it a second and realized I trusted him to not go beyond the agreed upon boundaries, and I trusted him to honor my safeword. I told him so, and the kiss he gave me in response made my toes curl, my insides throb, and my clit scream for attention.
I also brought some stuff up that wasn’t on his list, like the fact I’m getting older and it’s nice if there is something soft under my knees, and how it doesn’t take long for my hands to fall asleep if my arms are bound over my head. He grinned and said he’d keep it in mind.
“Also, I think you kind of figured it out, but my clit is ultra-sensitive and I don’t really like it messed with. It’s okay to work around it, but direct contact with it or my clit hood is too much.”
He nodded. “Yes, I picked up on true distress when I got too close. You aren’t the first I’ve met with this little quirk, and I’m betting you are also super-multi-orgasmic, am I right?”
“Yeah.” I wasn’t sure what else to say, but then I remembered a very important point. “Oh, another hard limit. I’m allergic to latex, so you can only use silicone toys on me, which also means no latex gloves or condoms.”
Which led to us having the condom talk. He can’t catch STD’s since he can’t get sick, and he can’t get me pregnant. So, no need for a condom.
Our timing sucked, as I wanted him to drag me to his bedroom and take charge, but it was time for me to get dressed for the shindig at his house on the mountain. Guests were supposed to begin arriving at eight, and it was six fifteen now and would likely take an hour for us to drive there.
Abbott said he had someone who kept his house running for him, and she was in charge of preparations, so all he needed to do was show up and play the part of the host. He followed me to my house and I jumped in the shower while he sat in my bedroom and we talked through the open door. He couldn’t see me from his angle, but I wondered if he wanted me as much as I wanted him right now. My not being able to smell his arousal, while he could smell mine, both annoyed and turned me on, and I really didn’t need to be even more aroused.
I ran the razor over everything as quick as I safely could, and then exited the shower, dried off, and put a robe on. I walked through my room and into my closet, closing the door behind me before getting dressed. I have a big closet, thank goodness.
Abbott had changed earlier into some snug black pants and a royal blue silk poet’s top with lots of ruffles. It was the first I’d seen him dress in something not currently fashionable, but on him, it worked. The silk and ruffles should’ve been feminine, but he made them seem uber-masculine, and I wanted to run my hands over his torso and feel the silk.
I opted for some lightweight pants with the appearance of dark blue suede, and a dark pink cashmere and silk blend sweater that clung where it was supposed to and draped where it wasn’t.
I looked at my various holsters and belly-bands, and decided against carrying a gun. Supernaturals would smell it, and this wasn’t the message I wanted to send tonight.
I opened the closet door so Abbott and I could talk while I picked out my shoes, settling on some navy flats with metallic gold trim.
We chatted as I returned to the bathroom to do my makeup and brush out my hair, which thankfully decided to behave so I could leave it down.
“I am most impressed,” Abbott told me as I announced I was ready. “From stepping into your bathroom to take a shower until now it hasn’t been quite fifteen minutes.” He leaned in and gave me a peck on the lips, and then put his mouth to my ear and breathed. “You are an amazing woman.”
I didn’t want to show up for the gathering smelling horny, so I stepped away and asked, “Because it doesn’t take me long to get ready?”
“Yes,” he said, his smile more than a little cocky. “Amongst other reasons, of course, but the ability to get ready in under fifteen minutes is pretty uncommon, in my experience.”
I headed down the steps to the foyer, and he followed, saying, “We need to talk about the car situation; you have two options. If you want to return home tonight then you should ride with me, as I don’t want you driving down the mountain at night when you’re tired. However, since you don’t have to come home tonight, if you’d like to sleep at my house then you can follow me in your car, and then drive yourself home tomorrow. I will, of course, be dead to the world when you awaken, and I know you won’t stay up with me all night, but when you get tired you’ll be able to go to your own guest room to sleep, and my houseke
eper will be sure you get a good breakfast tomorrow morning before you drive home.”
“Will it be an inconvenience for you to have to drive me home? I mean, will your guests still be there at, say, one o’clock when I’m about to drop off?”
“No, my other guests will probably be gone by around eleven or twelve, so whenever you’re ready to go home, I can take you.”
“Then I think I’d prefer that.”
He kissed me and said, “Then my chariot awaits us, my darling.”
I realized if they were gone by eleven then there might be time for a scene, and my body reacted with anticipation and lust at the thought. His vampire senses must have smelled it, because he looked at me and asked, “And what just went through that pretty little head of yours?”
“I think I’ll plead the fifth.”
He laughed, and we went out to his car.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Aaron lived right next door to Abbott, apparently, and walked into Abbott’s yard through a gate in the fence between their properties as Abbott opened my door.
I knew Aaron had planned to come early so the two of us could clear the air — we hadn’t talked since the day he’d been my bodyguard and had been furious with me all day.
I assumed we’d fight now, but he pulled me into a hug in Abbott’s front yard, and the first words out of his mouth were, “I’m sorry, Bug. I shouldn’t have kept you away, but you’re human, and so fragile, and I want to protect you. It’s getting harder and harder to figure out how to keep you safe, and I made the wrong call.”
I hugged him back, my arms letting him know I accepted his hug, but my voice was still pissed. “I know you’re technically my boss, since it’s your signature on my paycheck, but I thought we’d turned into a team, where we work together to stop the bad guys. Stop thinking it’s your responsibility to keep me safe, and fucking talk to me. Level with me about what’s going on and then let me figure out how to keep myself safe.” I pulled out of the hug and looked him in the eyes. “You know I listen to your counsel, but the final decision needs to be mine on some of this, Aaron. You’re in charge of ops, I totally get that, but you can’t just keep me away because it isn’t safe!”
Hi sighed. “I know, Bug, but we don’t get do-overs with you. If they kill you, you’re dead. In some cases, if they just hit you hard, you’re dead. I’m the boss, and your safety is important. There’s no way around that. If something happens to you, it’s on me. The problem is, you’d have been safer in the long run if you’d come with us and handled him the first night, so I made a bad call.”
“Yeah, you did,” I agreed. “And you aren’t used to being wrong. I forgive you, but I’m still working on not being pissed at you. We’re good, okay? Just listen to me next time.” I hugged him again, and his strong arms held me in his warmth, though I noted he made no promises about next time.
Abbott had stood off to the side, but now started walking towards the house, and Aaron released me so we could follow.
Where the coterie house was decorated kind of neutral, so it didn’t reflect any single resident, I had a feeling Abbott had personally chosen furniture and colors in his own home. The entire back of the house was made of glass, which would keep him from this part of his home in the daytime, but was magnificent at night. People paid twenty dollars apiece and took a long walk in order to see this view from Rock City.
The living room, dining room, kitchen, and bathroom on this level were designed for entertaining, and I had a feeling Abbott hosted a lot of parties. These rooms were decorated in a modern way, but with old world charm. The colors were bold, the fabrics expensive, and the flow was perfect.
People I already knew arrived first — Gavin, Kendra, and Nathan. I only had a chance to tell Nathan I was glad he was okay, and I made a mental note to try to find a way to spend some time with him in the next couple of days so we could talk.
I’d met Abbott’s third in command, Joseph, only briefly, but when I offered to shake his hand he pulled me into a hug as he said, “If you’re important to Abbott, you’re important to me, and friends don’t shake hands, they hug.”
Bran and Alex arrived together, and I hugged Alex as I said hello to him. It was Alex who introduced me to Bran. I didn’t know if this was politically ideal, but it’s the way it worked out.
“Bran, this is Kirsten O’Shea. Kirsten, I’d like you to meet Bran Petrescu.”
“Mr. Petrescu, it’s nice to meet you at last. I’ve been wanting to thank you for your gift. I’m fond of my left arm, so thanks for letting me keep it all in one piece.”
“Please, you must call me Bran, and think nothing of it. You rid the world of Sutherland, the supernatural community should be thanking you.”
“That’s part of the problem, though,” Aaron said as he approached us, “Kirsten is an unknown, and many in the supernatural community are scared of a human with the ability to wipe out someone such as Sutherland.” He looked at me and then back to Bran. “There’s a European contingent calling for her execution.”
My heart slowed, then sped, as I took in his words. Why had he waited to give me this news now, around people? I knew the answer as soon as I asked it — he’d wanted me relaxed and calm when I met the new people, not shocked and terrified.
Abbott stepped towards us as well as he said, “I was afraid of that. They haven’t voted yet, have they?”
“No. Mordecai and I’ve discussed the pros and cons of inviting them here to meet with her before they vote. Mordecai believes if they meet her they’ll see she has an honorable code of conduct and won’t vote to execute her. However, I don’t believe Mordecai has yet seen Kirsten when her temper fully erupts, and I’m pretty sure the European contingent would trigger her temper, which would be counterproductive.”
“Mordecai is up and talking?” I had a zillion questions for him.
“No, he’s talking, but not up and around yet. If the injury had been made by a normal sword he’d have been up and around in less than a day, but with a sword of light it’s taking him a lot longer to regenerate.”
I took a breath and tackled the subject at hand. “What authority does this European contingent have to order my execution?” I asked. “I’m an American citizen, and a human. I wouldn’t think I’d fall under their purview.”
“Normally, you wouldn’t,” Aaron said. “But since you killed Sutherland with metaphysical weapons, they feel you’ve put yourself under their jurisdiction. Also, since Sutherland, under his other name, is part of the end of the world Ragnarok prophecies, he was supposed to be off limits for killing. Secretly, I think most everyone is glad you did him in, but politically, not so much.”
“Kirsten,” Bran said, “if you don’t mind, I’d like a little demonstration of what you can do?”
I looked at Abbott and Aaron, who both nodded, so I took a breath and pulled in energy as I held my hand out and imagined first the handle and then the sword, solidified the whole thing, looked up at them, and levitated up a few feet. The whole thing took less than about three seconds now.
Bran went pale — a nice trick for an already pasty-white vampire.
Alex looked dumbfounded, and I made a mental note to try get together with him soon, too.
I drifted back down so my landing was gentle, and let the sword absorb back into my arm. I breathed out slowly, hoping to hide any pain. It once again hurt, but I was pretty sure no one realized it.
Aaron smiled at me, happy. “You’ve been practicing. You’re getting faster and you didn’t start out with a solid handle. You did it from scratch.”
Bran stood and walked to the window, his back to the room. When he turned to look at us, he said, “My advice would be for Aaron, Mordecai, and Abbott to go to Europe and lobby on Kirsten’s behalf. Based on what Alex and Abbott have told me of her, I would be willing to go with you as well to vouch for her, though I’d feel better if I spent some more time around her before doing so. Any other leaders you could round up would also be helpfu
l. I understand the wolves have named her a Friend of the Pack? This will help as well, and even more so if the Alpha could be persuaded to go.”
Abbott looked at me as he said, “Bran spent some time as a member of the ruling body and left in good standing. I recommend we take his advice.”
“Aaron, what do you think?” I asked.
“I agree. We should listen to Bran’s advice.”
“Can Mordecai be reached by phone?”
He shook his head. “He was awake a few hours today and pushed too hard. He fell asleep before I left and needs his rest. I’ll have to get his input tomorrow.”
Bran had come with three people — I’d known Alex but no one had introduced the other two, and they’d looked at me with fear while I held the sword. They still looked uneasy, so I turned to them and said, “I guess the two of you know I’m Kirsten, but things got a little crazy when you came in and we weren’t properly introduced.”
“This is Michael and Preston,” Bran told me. “If we had an official hierarchy they’d be my second and third.”
“I didn’t mean to startle you,” I told them. “I take it neither of you knew what to expect from me?”
“No,” Preston told me with an unhappy smile, “but we shouldn’t be rude. You have the respect and backing of both Abbott and Aaron, which means something in our community. However, supernaturals are used to being at the top of the food chain when it comes to one-on-one dealings with humans. Those of us who’ve lived through the inquisition and the professional vampire hunters of old are a little more wary of humans with the ability to cause us harm, which I believe is going to be your biggest sticking point with the Europeans.”
Only Human (Kirsten O'Shea Book 1) Page 33
