Playing Cupid at the Pleasure Club

Almost full-moon howls, shapeshifter lovers. So, I was suddenly struck by the idea of a cupid pretender. Maybe, my muse considered it to be a good ha-ha jest and she shot one of those Valentine’s Day arrows through my writer’s brain. But then, I always have been overly curious. What would it be like to play cupid? Sorta...

Playing Cupid at the Pleasure Club

Sliding deeper into the steam-hot, bubbly spring water, Kessi muttered, “Playing cupid isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”

Why she’d ever let Pietro, a full-fledged cupid, talk her into taking over part of his flight route on Valentine’s Day...well, all too obviously, she’d been a gullible mark. Fun, he’d said, and oh-yes! Oh-so joyfully rewarding. In her defense, Pietro did own a silver tongue and could sing so beautifully Kessi vibrated to the ceiling every time.

And, okay, so some of the couples she’d arrowed had made her own heart all shimmery with delight. While invisibly hovering above them, she’d been filled with an utter sweetness and a lightness of being, as she watched them realize their love for each other.

Still, Kessi hadn’t been this frazzled and definitely undazzled for a long, long while.

Momentarily rising, she shook her small wings like a songbird, then folded them against her back. Luxuriating, she gazed around the love-nest room Dante had provided for her.

The werewolf had caught her shooting a heart-activating arrow at that humping-wild beast called Nick. Well, sigh-sadly, although her aim had been true for the rest of her Valentine’s Day targets, she’d only managed to deliver the pink-fire potion to Nick’s rump.

At the last second, the crazed werewolf had triumphantly raised a wooden ruler. Why, she wasn’t exactly sure, except it had to do with some manner of bizarre sex fetish.

Her archery expertise had been foiled. The arrow glanced off the ruler, boinged off a mirror, flashed off a glass window. Then, the tip stabbed into the thickest part of Nick’s left butt cheek.

Some part of Kessi had secretly hoped, as she watched the pink-fire pulse streak toward Nick’s backside, that it would strike one of his furry swinging nuts. Alas, her curiosity about the consequences of love-arrowing a male’s family jewel remained unsatisfied.

Scissoring her legs, Kessi delighted in the over-large, brass tub that had been designed to look like a blooming tulip. Given she was a fae-angel, she’d adored the flower tub and the pillow-opulent room on sight.

Dante had appeared pleased with her air-whirling gratitude, and the tiny kiss she’d pressed to his cheek for his obvious generosity. He’d even had a fruit basket delivered by a polite beta, proving he knew what her kind preferred to eat.

Kessi shimmied her petite body, and let her eyelids drop shut. She yielded to the warmth deliciously seeping into every muscle and tendon. So what, if the werewolf merely wanted her to spread the word about his pleasure club. Right now, his hospitality was exactly what she needed.

How long Kessi floated, drifting in and out of a light slumber, she didn’t know. She only knew the fragrance of daisies, her favorite flower, misted inside her nostrils from all the petals she’d strewn in the swirling bath water.

“Lovely one.”

Startled out of her dreaming reverie, Kessi splashed like mad as she attempted to sit up. With her soaked wings flapping, spraying droplets of water everywhere, she grabbed the edge of the tub to push herself up, and make her escape.

Instead, she met chocolate-brown eyes that glowed with what could only be called extreme desire. She also smelled the oak-tree, potent blood of a fae man. However, not a full blood.

“I am Zhallin.” He offered a nut-brown hand as if he would assist her out like a gentleman.

Kessi stared at his slim, but strong hand, and knew what House of Fae he belonged to. Unless he was estranged, or had been banished from the Scottish Highlander clan.

Inwardly, she sighed. There was no need to ask how he’d gotten inside her room. He’d simply phased through the wall as she could do -- but, would not have done.

“Your ethics are not to be admired. You were not invited,” she tartly snapped. Shoving herself upward, she managed to slide down the tub’s tulip-petal side.

“You would have invited me. If you had known about my presence.” His cock-of-the-walk tone grated on every fibre of her being like a badly played harp.

As she began to slip on the wet tiles, his hands surrounded her waist, steadying her. With her wings still too wet for a fast getaway, and her phase ability sluggish, Kessi zapped his hand.

The sparks from her fingertips bounced, probably only tickling him. Drat!

“Copper,” he explained, amusement coloring his voice.

“Oysters?” she swiped, then resisted the urge to fight his hold.

Her wings would serve her well if she could stall his lust, as evidenced by his trunk-like cock. With only the thin suede of his breeches between them, it happily leaned like a tall piece of lumber against the curve of her hip.

“Oysters with parsley, thyme, savory,” he poured into her ear, “all foods high in copper.”

“Fleeing from giants...are we?” Kessi eyed the copper cuff bracelet he wore, and noticed the copper studs lining his knee-high boots.

“Giant hunter.”

Kessi stilled, and became so unmoving she couldn’t feel the rise and fall of her breath. Only the bravest of fae, and other kindred beings, hunted rogue giants.

“I don’t intend to become a giant’s hors d'oeuvre,” he added.

“No,” she murmured, knowing giants avoided copper like the plague. There was another thing Kessi knew as her blood hummed quicker. He told no falsehood. “Let me go,” she calmly demanded.

“You have the most beautiful gold and white wings, lovely one. I could stroke and kiss each feather.”

His breath hotly fanned her ear as he caressed her waist. Even though, his touch was compelling, almost arousing, Kessi folded her arms. She tightened her jaw with resolve.

“Lout. You’re interrupting my time of much-needed rest. I’ve spent all day flitting about the world...to, to bring love into bloom,” she hesitated, since she’d promised not to reveal her cupid like activities to anyone. Dante had seen her, so that didn’t count.

“I promise to make you bloom. Several times.”

His seductive growl clued her in, as did his feral mating scent. A wolf lived inside him. Could he shift?

Kessi dismissed her curious thoughts. “You’re forcing me to use the last of my energy to escape you. Go...go kill some giants.”

He stepped back so fast, Kessi swayed slightly. She clutched the tub’s rim, her head awhirl. And, to her surprise, her body complained about being abandoned.

“Forgive me, lovely one. I misunderstood my cousin. He told me to guard you.”

When he paused, Kessi gazed at him fully. Entranced by his magnificent mane of seal-brown hair, she stared. It was so glossy and thick in texture, she had erotic visions of it gliding all over her.

After sweeping a low bow, he took another few steps back. The glow of his eyes dimmed as he fought to control himself.

“Guard me?” Kessi swallowed, and didn’t loosen her grip on the rim.

“Yes.” He loosed a ragged and hungry breath. “I believed Dante meant that you wished to be -- pleasured. I realize now, he meant for me to watch over you. Protect you.”

“Oh.” Kessi’s head hadn’t stopped whirling. “This is a Pleasure Club. I guess I understand why you believed...” Her words deserted her.

“May I sing you into slumber? I know the ancient songs.”

His sincerity rang through her, the crystalline tones of an angel’s bell. Kessi nodded after a moment, then offered him her hand.
~~~~~~

HAVE A HAPPY SHAPESHIFTING DAY!

Savanna

Savanna Kougar

~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~