To Collar and Keep (7 page)

“I do…very much. Feel.” She glided herself over his shaft, grinding, teasingly coating him with her honey. “See?”

His eyebrow shot up. He didn’t think he would like his woman so assertive, but Ben definitely had the right idea with Minerva. She was happy and loved, and did what she wanted. Arabella would be the same from the looks of it, and he looked forward to it. “So take what you want, Bella. I will never deny you something that’s for our mutual pleasure.”

“I would hope not.” She kissed him, their tongues intertwining as she shifted, sinking tightly down his shaft.

Harley was once again tumbling into bliss. The woman riding his cock was lethal in her single-mindedness, singular in her passion for him and his body. He moved his hands to her waist and guided her, sliding deeper into her wet willing body.

“Fucking sweet hell, Bella, this body was made just for me.” He punctuated each of his words with a deep thrust. “Let go, and show me your pleasure.”

She did exactly as he asked, losing herself to their rhythm. Her nails found his abs, furrowing into them as she rode him, her eyes rolling back with pleasure.

This woman was everything he wanted. She was sexy and wild and took her pleasure like she owned it. Being bound to this woman was not going to be a hardship. “That’s it, baby…come as you like,” he hissed.

She came bucking wildly on him, thrusting him deeper and deeper into her core.

Harley rolled them, and Bella was quickly on her back, her legs around his waist as he reared up on his knees, his hands on her hips, keeping himself seated inside her, feeling the little tremors her sheath was gifting him with. He smiled down at her and licked his lips.

“I swear, Bella,” he groaned and lifted her hips, taking her hard and fast.

She was greedy in her lusts, moaning for him, moving her body to meet him with every thrust, but her eyes never left his.

“Touch yourself, Bella. Play with those perfect breasts.”

She cried out, her back arching as she toyed with her breasts. Her fingers pinched at her nipples twisting and pulling at them making them larger.

Harley watched her and grinned. “That’s it baby,” he growled. “Sweet Christ, you’re wet.” He worked her deeper, lifting her hips as he reared back on his haunches, taking her at a different angle.

“Harley,” she screamed, coming hard, her body pumping his cock.

He groaned and set her hips down, grabbing her shoulders to pull her up to him, and he set the collar to make her blood flow. It slid down her breast, and he licked it up, concentrated harder and let the ruby liquid flow more freely. It wasn’t enough. He had heard that some Satyrs needed more of their women and biting wasn’t uncommon. He turned his head and bit down on her exposed shoulder into the meat on the other side of her clavicle and moaned in bliss at the taste of her blood.

She came again, feeling his tongue slip over her body. “Gods, Harley!”

He drew deeply of her life force, then pulled away and kissed her, letting her taste her blood on his tongue. He pulled her hips up again so she was sitting on his lap completely and smiled, then set her to moving on his cock once again. She rode him hard, and he slapped her ass hard as she did.

“Bella,” he panted, “once more, big one for your Satyr.” He leant down and pulled a nipple into his mouth and sucked hard.

 
She came again, her orgasm exploding though her. “Harley, gods!”

With a roar, he followed her over the edge of ecstasy and panted into her shoulder. Her sheath milked his shaft, the little tremors slowing.

“Not bad, Arabella.”

“Oh,” she sighed, “not bad at all.”

He licked at the bite on her shoulder, which was slowly healing before his eyes. “You have pleased me greatly.”

She shivered on him, nuzzling him. “Mmm, and you please me.” She chuckled, nipping his lip with her teeth. “Very much.”

“A bonus, pet. Now sleep… I will have need of you again soon.”

Chapter Six

Harley walked out into the morning sunshine and squinted. He then slipped on a pair of sunglasses, stepped off the front porch of the main building and strolled towards where Ben’s cottage sat.

Satyrs were everywhere—in tennis clothes, hiking gear, business suits and riding clothes—and they all nodded to him as he past. Now that he had a female of his own, he was noticeable, as it always happened. Once a Satyr had women of his own, collared and submissive, the others always respected them more. The ability to bind and hold the female made them powerful, and if you didn’t have that yet, well, you were under society’s notice.

As Harley now had Arabella in his stable, a female from a powerful and influential family, Harley would be in demand. Not that he cared. Bella, his stunning and perfect Beloved, was not to be used to further another’s gain.

He smiled as he thought of her and discreetly adjusted his groin as the phantom memory of her moans and whimpers assailed his mind from the night before. Gods, she was a fantastic specimen of female.

He had left her in their room, getting ready for her day out with the other Beloveds. She was going with Minerva, her mother Ellen, his own mother, and several of the other Beloveds from Rummer to a shopping trip at an outdoor outlet mall, so he had his day open for the business that he had to conduct with Ben.

It was interesting how seductive the pull to Tempest was to him, not that he would leave his own clan, but Ben had some progressive ideas and was gaining the memberships through his charm and charisma, as well as his promises. Ben was a born politician, and Harley knew it was from his years at the Strigo courts growing up. He was also a born leader, and he was the only Tempest left in the world. Ben had a lot to live up to, and it was looking more and more like he was going to surpass his father and his ancestors before him.

As Harley walked up the cobblestone lane to the door, he was greeted by Minerva as she was exiting. Harley bowed and smiled.

“Lady Minerva,” he said and kissed her cheek.

“Lord Harlequin,” she said and slipped her sunglasses on. “Ben is inside with Jared and Alexander. You’re just in time, his appointments are starting soon.” She looked down at her Rolex. “And if I don’t hurry, I’ll miss the party bus. Everything okay with your Beloved?”

He smiled. “Yes, cousin. She’s happy and collared and looking forward to spending my money. Look out for her, will you?”

Minerva nodded. “We are going to be best-ies, you’ll see.” With that, she left and hurried towards the main hotel.

Harley opened the door and slipped his glasses off, allowing his eyes to adjust quickly to the darker interior of the cottage. His skin prickled, like it did when they’d found the demon portal to the grotto, and Harley knew he was witnessing Ben exercising his powers. He shook off the creepy crawly feeling and turned the corner from the foyer, only to find a craftsman style entryway, the columns holding up the doorway. He felt the portal there and the power that swelled from between it. He took a breath, passed through and entered Ben’s room back at his place.

He found Alex and Ben there with Jared in his swing chair, chewing on a cookie. Harley smiled at the baby, who looked at him and gurgled.

“A portal? Really, cousin, that’s just blatantly showing off. And cookies, Ben? He’s going to be a little fat Satyr, soon enough.”

Ben beamed at him. “Showing off?
 
That doesn’t sound like me at all.”

“Right. And I’m the queen of
England
.” He sat in an overstuffed chair and sighed. “So what’s on the damn agenda today? You getting Alex here to be your steward or babysitter?”

“Both.” Ben grinned. “He offered. Bastian said he was popping around early. So that’ll give me a break from turning musty old bastards down.”

Harley shook his head. It looked like these young Satyrs would do anything to be a part of the powerful Tempest clan, and Ben wasn’t above a slight hazing. “Fair enough. So who is on the docket today, and how many of them are coming to apply for a spot in the clan?”

Harley liked his cousin’s study. It was old world, one of those rooms you would expect in a hunting club with plenty of dark woods, overstuffed chairs and tables. Ben’s desk was a cherry monstrosity—one that Ben had told him could fit two women comfortably, engaged in a good scrumping. Ben always had the best ways of explaining things.

“Six or seven, if I can be bothered.” He looked at a piece of paper on his desk. “Nobody really jumps out…well, maybe one.” He reconsidered. “A wild Satyr named Corbin, reasonably old and has a reputation for ruffling feathers. A good few of his wild brethren want his head for poaching.”

That made Harley sit up. “Very interesting. Wild, eh? So was he once clan?”

“No clue.” He lifted the paper looking on the back. “It doesn’t say.”

“And when is he due in? I don’t wanna miss this. Wild Satyrs rarely petition to be part of the already established clans, and it’s even rarer that they are allowed at the events. Mr. Corbin is getting more and more interesting every second.”

“After Sebastian. So in about,” he looked at his watch, “half an hour.”

“Son of a…” Harley heard the muffled curse and laughed, seeing Bastian fixing his hair as he dusted himself off. “Leave it to Ben to put a portal where there’s a step down. Almost broke my goddamn ankle.”

“You know, I never noticed that before.” Ben smirked, standing to lift Jared.

“Sure you didn’t.” Harley shook his head. The only reason he hadn’t fallen was because he knew where the portal was likely to lead, and he had been there several times before. He knew how Ben liked to operate.

Bastian frowned as he walked in and bowed to Ben and to Harley. “Princes, little Prince.” He wiggled his fingers at the baby who was still munching on his cookie. “Alexander.”

Ben nodded his greeting to Sebastian. “So I trust things went well last night. You know I want details.”

“A gentleman never tells, luckily I’m not a gentleman, and she wasn’t a lady.” Bastian winked and sat down. “And you? How was my sister?” He frowned at the question, seeming to think better of it. “Never mind the details. I trust she’s wearing your collar and content to be a Beloved?”

Harley laughed. He had to give it to Bastian. He was a Satyr with heart. Her own father hadn’t even asked about his daughter when Harley saw him in the elevator before making his way down to the meeting, yet her little brother wanted her happy and content where she ended up.

Harley nodded at his newfound friend and smiled. “Bella is indeed happy and off to spend a good chunk of my money. Stunning creature in all aspects, and a mind to rival mine. I still have to thank your father.”

Bastian scoffed. “Don’t bother, he won’t care. The treaty is cemented and now she’s your problem. Father never enjoyed her extracurricular activities.”

Which was probably why he didn’t even speak with him in the elevator earlier. He had no use for Harley anymore. “No? He didn’t like her bettering herself?”

“No, he felt she should be more interested in the length of a Satyr’s cock than in the contents of a vial in a lab. Not that she’s not interested in the former, I’m sure, it just wasn’t a priority.”

Harley nodded. He appreciated that his Beloved wasn’t a nymphomaniac, but enjoyed him thoroughly. The woman was the best of all worlds to him, and steps above his former pet. “Then fuck him. The less I have to talk to your family, the better. No offence, Bastian.”

“None taken. So Prince Esben? I figured I should call you that because of the official nature of the visit, I wish to petition to join Tempest.
Greece
and the family business holds no appeal for me.”

“And I’ve got a place for you here if you want it. I need a liaison between Tempest and the other clans. You’d get to travel about a lot.”

There was no doubt in Harley’s mind that Ben would take Bastian into Tempest. Ben wanted clansmen he could trust and like, ones young enough to help him stick it to the council and help change the course of Satyr history. Bastian had potential for all that.

Bastian blinked and chuckled. “Wow, I didn’t even have to grovel. I would be happy to serve as clan liaison, Prince.” He bowed. “That was far too easy.”

Ben laughed. “You think that now, just wait till you see what I’ll have you doing.”

“Anything is better than the shit they have me doing at home.” He smiled at everyone.

Harley shook his head. “Bella will be happy to see you’re going to be on the same shores as her. So that makes what, Ben? Two? Three?”

He nodded. “It’s not bad really. Of course I wish you’d reconsider your stance on joining us. We could really use your…,” he trailed off with a frown. “What is it you do again?”

“You have no use for my expertise, unless of course you’re opening a business venture where you send hookers to the moon by way of rocket science. I’m not saying no, you know that, but I have a place I should be in Rummer. Provided my father decides that it’s time to give up his seat.”

“Yeah, cuz, that’s gonna happen.”

Harley had his suspicions as well, though he didn’t really want to voice them. Boris was not forthcoming with anything involved with Rummer International yet, and even though he kept dangling the position over Harley’s head, he never once stated anything. It was something that he would have to look into.

“Regardless. You know I didn’t say no. So now that your little talk with Bastian went quicker than anyone thought it would, how long do we have till the wild Satyr shows up? I could use a drink. Anyone else?” He looked at the clock on the mantle and shook his head. “It’s five o’clock somewhere.”

Ben grimaced, glaring at the clock. “Way to change the subject. We’ve got a little time. I highly doubt a wild Satyr will be early.”

“You don’t? If he’s here to petition you, cousin, then he will be not only on his best behaviour, but prompt as all hell.”

“And that is prompt,” said a deep voice from the doorway as the Satyr walked lightly into the room, the step down not fazing him. “Princes,” he greeted with a smile, his eyes taking in the study. “And in such an interesting setting.” He looked over the old
oil paintings
of the Tempest leaders and families.

“You think? I keep meaning to have those burned.” Ben waved a dismissive hand at the paintings. “This place needs to be modernised.”

“Truly?” The wild Satyr flashed a wicked grin. “Can’t say I disagree with you there, but the paintings are your heritage. Says a lot about a man who wants to burn all of that.”

“Why not burn them? He knows nothing of them anyway, as I’m sure you know. Welcome, Corbin, is it?” Harley smiled and cocked his head at Ben, who handed off his son to Alexander. “Your promptness is commendable, but then again something tells me you’re of the old guard anyway.”

“Once.” He smiled, bowing his head politely. “And burning them denies you the chance to learn, and I believe they are your family as well, Prince Harley.” He pointed to a painting of a young man next to an older Satyr. “Your father next to his.” He then pointed to an older painting of a large group. “Your great-grandfather and his concubines. Along with your grandfather, his three sisters and his younger brother.” He finished pointing to a young boy around fifteen. “And that group again.” He motioned to another few paintings as the children grew up, this time the little boy was missing.

Harley looked over at Ben and raised an eyebrow. “And the child?” He smirked, figuring it out. “So you belonged to Tempest or to Rummer?” he asked and sat back. “You’re obviously well versed. But can you read Puckish?” Harley asked so Ben didn’t have to.

There were several journals left in
Missouri
at the Tempest compound that led up to the birth of Ben and the mysterious disappearance of his clan. If Corbin could read Puckish, it would be invaluable to Ben and would do much in swaying his decision to accept him into Tempest.

“The young Tempest prince ran away with his father’s youngest concubine,”
Corbin
said with a smile, tapping the image of a beautiful young woman that looked to be younger than the boy. “As for my Puckish, it’ll be rusty, but I’ll be able to manage it.”

“I see.” Ben nodded thoughtfully.

“Interesting. They couldn’t have been more than thirteen. Though times as they were back then…” Harley looked over at Ben. “So what is it you hope to gain being here for Olanis and at this meeting?” Harley asked.

“What do I hope to gain?” Corbin repeated the question, considering the words. “I believe Ben here is interviewing for positions within Tempest. Life, as it is, holds little appeal to me anymore. I’d like to try for something different. More structured.”

“Not to mention that almost all of your wild brethren want your head,” Ben added from where he stood at the liquor cabinet, pouring himself a drink.

“There is that.”
Corbin
flashed a smile. “But the accusation of poaching has been taken grossly out of context. Those women came to me of their own free will. I mean seriously, who would want to live in a tree?” He sneered at the thought. “Little or no amenities, exposed to weather and hygiene leaves much to be desired. Give me luxury and
fast cars
any day of the year. It’s not my fault their women agree.”