Familiar with the Warlock (Stand Alone Tales Book 14) Read online

  “Of course, we are. We simply have two hours to distract ourselves. The driver is ours for the night.”

  She nodded. “Okay. I was really looking forward to it.”

  Olmin kissed her hand again. “If you want to inhabit your role, you can try and run.”

  She looked at him as he absently licked the palm of her left hand. “What?”

  “You can run. Argo is already in costume, and it won’t take me long to change.”

  She licked her lips. “You are going as wolves, right?”

  He smiled. “Yes.”

  “And I am red riding hood.”

  “Correct.” Fur was starting to grow on his face.

  “And I am supposed to be headed to grandma’s house?”

  “The cottage at the north end of the property.” His voice was growling instead of speaking.

  “Ah, well, I suppose I had best be on my way then.”

  “I do look forward to eating you.”

  She nodded and eased away from him, slowly moving toward the door to the stone patio and moving outside as he shook his head as the fur continued to sprout.

  Maven waited until she was away from the windows, and then, she sprinted full out across the manicured grounds. She heard the howl from the nearby woods, and her heart thudded in her chest as she raced for the cottage she could see in the distance.

  She was struck from the side and lifted up before she was tumbled to the ground. The upper part of Argo’s head was a wolf, but his lips were still his. It was a mask that had grown out of his face.

  “My, such a bright little thing sprinting through my territory. Whatever shall I do with you?” He opened his mouth, and his fangs gleamed. They were thicker canines and not his usual feline teeth.

  She looked into his eyes. “I was only trying to get to Grandmother’s house.”

  He grinned. “Then, I shall only eat you a little.”

  He put his fangs to her throat, and she let her head drop back. His teeth gnawed at her as he worked his way down her body, and then, her skirts were shoved up, and he applied his mouth to her sex. He teased her with lips and fingers until she screamed. He disappeared a moment later, leaving her twitching, wary, and her groin still throbbing.

  She heard another howl and winced. She staggered to her feet and focused on the cottage once again. She moved to the treeline to be less visible and managed to get within ten meters of the cottage before she felt hands on her hips. “Where are you going, little one?”

  She shook at the low growl of the tone. She tried to make her voice as innocent and girly as she could. “To Grandma’s house.”

  “Well, I don’t think you are going to make it.” He leaned in and licked her neck.

  “What are you going to do with me?”

  He chuckled and lifted her in his arms. “Oh, the possibilities loom before me.”

  He moved quickly, so fast that she couldn’t see them move. One moment they were next to the cottage, the next they were back where she started. They were soon outside the manor in the hedge maze that she had studiously been avoiding.

  He carried her to the center of the maze, where a flat bench of stone had been set up next to a pond.

  The water rippled, and the moonlight covered the stone. This looked ominous.

  Chapter Six

  Olmin placed her on the bench, and she heard a slithering in the hedges. Her arms were pulled above her head, and her feet were spread wide.

  She groaned. “You are cheating.”

  He chuckled. “You know what I am or, at least, most of it. Of course, I am cheating.”

  He slid his hands up her thighs and got her skirts out of the way. He bit her inner thigh, and she shivered.

  He covered her sex with his mouth, and his tongue and teeth pressed against her. She gave her voice to the night and twisted against the vines that held her when she came.

  Maven was limp and sweaty when he dismissed the greenery that held her. His eyes were glowing, but it wasn’t as glaring as the previous encounter.

  He gathered her and looked at her wrists. “Ah, sorry. I didn’t think you would cum that hard.”

  She was still fighting for breath. It was tricky in a corset, even if she was half out of it.

  Absently, she tucked her breasts back into her corset, and he chuckled. “How did I miss that?”

  “You were distracted.” She muttered it softly and leaned against him.

  “Ah, little Maven, you are all tuckered out.”

  “I am fine. I just need a shower and a change of clothes. It’s a pity. This outfit was fun.”

  “If you allow it, I can freshen you up.”

  “Does it involve me getting naked or on all fours?” She looked at him with a glare.

  “Sadly, no.”

  “Fine. Go ahead.”

  He smiled, and she felt a cool band of something move from the crown of her head down to her toes. Her outfit freshened and fluffed out a little, the green grass stains were lifted and dissipated, and the slick coating on her thighs was gone in the same cool wash.

  She looked at her wrists, and the abrasions healed.

  “Okay, so I am bright and fluffy now. Can I get a cup of tea or a snack or something?”

  Olmin lifted her up and carried her out of the maze. “I do look forward to chasing you through there in the costume of your choice.”

  She shivered. “I was not anticipating anyone catching on to my fetish.”

  He chuckled. “I was not anticipating running into a sex witch with endless storage at her disposal. We must adapt.”

  She put her head in her hands. “This has gotten so weird.”

  “There, there. You will get used to it.” Olmin smiled. “By the end of the first century, you should be able to tell us anything.”

  Maven looked up with her hands still posed. “I wasn’t planning on living that long.”

  “Well, it is a side effect of the energy exchange. You won’t burn out now with all that energy being regularly drained from you. The transfer removes signs of aging as well.”

  She frowned. “I didn’t sign up for that.”

  “It is what you are made for, so accept it.” He glanced down and saw her gaze. “Or don’t. It is your body, your choice.”

  She snorted in surprise. “Really?”

  He smiled. “We have tried to convince you to play, but it is up to you.”

  She thought about the first night and that they had indeed worked to convince her but that she hadn’t directly said no. “Holy shit.”

  He laughed. “The worst thing I did was confine an intruder who broke into the private party.”

  She was slightly shocked and muttered, “But Argo broke into my house.”

  “He transported there. There was no breaking and entering.”

  She made a face. “You are all about semantics, aren’t you?”

  “In today’s day, it is a fun game to figure out what is and isn’t acceptable. A challenge of the modern age.”

  She sighed as he opened the door and carried her into the kitchen. The scent of tea was in the air, and Argo, in his wolf costume, was preparing a tray.

  Olmin sat with her in his lap, and Argo put the tray down in front of them with hot towels and a finger bowl.

  Argo took her hands, unfurled a hot towel, and cleaned her hands for her. “Um, thank you, but I can manage to wash my own hands. I am not a doll or a child.”

  He nodded. “I am aware of that, but you are also under our care for the evening. We are attempting to take care of you so that you will have a favourable impression of us.”

  She spluttered. “You chased me across the yard.”

  Argo leaned in and kissed the tip of her nose. “You are dressed as red riding hood with two wolves in the area, and you ran.”

  She blushed. “Ah. Yeah. Right. Fair point.”

  He chuckled and stroked her cheek. “I love that the games only go so far with y
ou.”

  Olmin took a hot towel of his own and cleaned his hands before using the finger bowl and doing it again. “In an ideal world, we would be using you as the table, but tonight, time is a factor.”

  She balked at the initial idea, but when Argo winked, the idea for how that would work started to run through her mind, and she started to figure out the logistics while she dipped her hands and wiped them off again. She took one of the finger sandwiches and nibbled cautiously. When she didn’t find any flavours she didn’t like, she kept eating.

  Argo chuckled and poured the tea. “What were you expecting? When I dropped you off, I checked your freezer. You have a very limited flavour profile.”

  Maven blushed. “It is just me, so I just eat when I am hungry.”

  Olmin chuckled. “He has described your eating habits. I am amazed that you have managed as long as you have if you eat like that.”

  She nibbled at the next sandwich. “I eat lunches in restaurants. They have vegetables.”

  Olmin whispered against her ear, “But do you eat them?”

  She shrugged. “Sometimes. Occasionally. Well, carrots. I like carrots.”

  Argo snorted. “Your diet sucks.”

  She couldn’t really argue with him, and she picked up her teacup and sipped at it.

  The liquid was welcome, and she poured herself some more tea as well as topping up Argo’s and Olmin’s. She wrapped her hands around the cup, and she asked a question she had tried to avoid. “What was in the drink me potion in the car? It tasted like water.”

  Olmin chuckled. “A sympathetic magic solution. You have lost a lot of fluid. Drink up.”

  She raised the cup to her lips, and Olmin blew softly across the tea in his cup. She felt a ruffling column of air between her thighs, and she swallowed slowly. “What’s that?”

  Argo dropped a lump of sugar into his teacup. She sighed in relief. Nothing happened. He dipped his finger and stirred slowly. She could feel a finger inside her moving just as slowly. She put her cup down with a clatter and gripped the table. “Sonofabitch.”

  Olmin brought his cup to his lips, and she felt a tongue on her clit. He chuckled when she mewled and squirmed on his lap.

  “How long does this last?” She shivered as Argo’s finger went around and around.

  Olmin chuckled. “Until magic leaves your system.”

  She shuddered and tried to move away from Olmin. He wrapped his arm around her and held her in place. Argo handed her another sandwich, and she ate it savagely while he slowly eased her toward orgasm.

  Olmin sipped at his tea, and she rocked back against him, holding the hand he had around her ribs while she shuddered. Argo removed his finger from the tea and sucked it, “I would qualify that as a successful spell.”

  Olmin finished his tea, and she flinched and murmured as more soft aftershocks pulsed through her at the spectral touch.

  She shivered and twitched for several minutes before slumping back against Olmin. “You bastards.”

  Olmin chuckled and kissed her cheek. “Ah, but you sing so sweetly for us. Finish your snack, and we will be on our way.”

  Maven looked at him and noted that the chiffon she was wearing had stuck to her skin. “I look like I just washed onshore.”

  Argo spluttered into his teacup.

  Olmin stood her up in front of him and rubbed his chin. His wolfy aspect reminded her of why he hadn’t been facing her during the last little tease episode.

  He took her hand and narrowed his eyes, he whispered softly, and she couldn’t quite make the words out, but the light, fluttering clothing was replaced with heavily beaded fabric, a black corset covered with trees and leaves, her boots crept up her thighs, and the skirt was made with two panels of heavy silk held in place with an overskirt of beadwork that fell to mid-calf. Her new cloak was red silk with heavy embroidery as trim.

  She looked down. “Um, this is rather fancy.”

  He grinned. “Good, this is a fancy event, and we want you comfortable.”

  He got to his feet, and his work shirt and trousers turned into a coat and tails. His were all black, Argo’s shirt was white, and each of them had a beaded rose in their lapel.

  She looked from one of them to the other as red ties took shape to complete the look.

  Olmin smiled. “Argo, you have the tickets?”

  Argo reached into his pocket and fanned out three tickets.

  “Excellent. Then, I believe it is time to go to the ball.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her.

  Argo snapped his fingers, and a basket appeared. “You have to complete the outfit.”

  She looked into the black and glossy basket. She pulled the dark gingham to one side and blushed at the collection of cuffs, toys, and objects she couldn’t identify. “I am not sure that I want to be carrying this around all night.”

  Argo leaned in. “You won’t need to hang onto that all night. I am sure we can find somewhere to put it.”

  She exhaled in a gust. “Right. I still have work in the morning.”

  They both paused, and then, they spent the ride to the ball trying to convince her to call in sick the following morning.

  “No. I am not parting with my sick time.” She crossed her arms and crossed her legs. When Argo gave her a narrow-eyed look and reached for a water bottle, she shrieked and lunged at him to get it out of his hands. Hydration had never felt more inappropriate.

  By the time they were at the event, Olmin had to press a kiss to her forehead to extend her mask down so that she wouldn’t be identified. The magic crept over her skin, and even makeup was evident as her lips felt slick. She touched her lip, and the crimson was apparent on her fingertip.

  “Wow, you really went all out.”

  Olmin grinned. “It will help us be on our best behaviour.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “Let’s see how that works out.”

  Argo smoothed a hand over her back as he preceded them and handed over their invitations. Their costumes were assessed, and the host nodded. “Please, enjoy yourselves.”

  He turned to Olmin. “There is a private party at table sixteen who wishes a private word.”

  Olmin raised his wolf brows and then nodded. “Thank you.”

  Argo took her inside and steered her to the bar. He ordered a cherry cola for her and handed it over with a lot of ceremony.

  Maven smiled. “Thank you.” She fished out the cherry, dangled it into her mouth, and after a few seconds, she took out the knotted stem with a smirk. Argo looked like he was going to break into a sweat or grab her and haul her off.

  She asked him if he was going to have something to drink before a sly expression overtook him. After he had ordered, she grabbed the front of his suit. “Let me get seated, or I will beat you to death with the ball-gag in my basket.”

  He was laughing his ass off as they walked through the party and walked near table sixteen. Olmin was sitting and talking earnestly to a man who wasn’t a man to Maven’s vision. She blinked and stared, but there were two people in the space occupied by the one body. Weird.

  The woman sitting next to them was listening with a rueful smile on her face, and to Maven’s astonishment, she knew her. It was Krys from work, which meant that the man next to her must be the CEO in a demon mask. Krys was dressed as an angel with a gauzy dress and some shockingly realistic wings. Her mask was a soft overlay of feathers. It was her six-month pregnancy that gave her identity away.

  When their eyes met, Krys paused for a moment, looked at the man speaking to Mr. Danforth, and then to the man next to Maven. Krys smiled and beckoned for Maven to come over. It was a very polite invitation.

  Chapter Seven

  Maven sat next to Krys with Argo watching over her.

  Krys chuckled. “So, that was what I saw the other day. You got tapped.”

  Maven’s cheeks went scarlet. “What?”

  Krys cover her mouth, and then, she cleared her throat.
“Uh, you two hooked up, and he lit up like a Christmas tree?”

  Maven blinked. “Yeah. That sounds familiar.”

  Argo chuckled.

  Krys smiled. “Ah, you three hooked up, and Olmin lit up like a Christmas tree. Right. Threes do seem to be appropriate when one of the members has to do something with the extra power.”

  “So, I was seeing two people in one body.” Maven exhaled in relief.

  “Yeah. Kel isn’t exactly camera ready in his normal state, so he and Nen share Nen’s body until we get home and he has room to stretch his wings. I have been working for him for ten years and didn’t know what or who he was until a few months ago. He’s what your fella summoned the other day.”

  Maven frowned. “How?”

  “Time is funny across space. He set himself up so that he would be in the right place when I was ready.” She drummed her fingers on her abdomen. “He was.”

  Maven chuckled. “Wait. Whose is it?”

  Krys shrugged. “Ours. We will figure out what kind of warding or disguises it needs as it grows up.”

  “What are you going to do about work?”

  “I think I am going to be busy, but I can commute from home until there is some kind of trusted childcare in place.” She waved off the concern. “I am also learning magic, so it is a lot of fun.”

  Maven looked at her boss and Olmin. “That isn’t English.”

  “No, but it’s fine. They are just talking about you and how he spiked your drink earlier.” Krys’s expression was cheerful, but Mr. Danforth and Olmin looked at her in shock.

  Argo was snickering.

  Mr. Danforth took Krys’s hand in his own and brought it to his lips. “Dearest, how long have you been able to understand the language of the drakes?”

  Krys held up her hand and ticked off four fingers using her left thumb. “Four months. I learned it four months ago. Right after I was brought to your office.”

  He looked at her with his mouth showing his stunned expression. “Four months.”

  “Sure. You left me alone at your place, and that is where Nen kept his grimoires. Languages are pretty easy once you can get a hold of the logic that drives them. The drake languages are spoken with time as the focus.”