Spot A Leopard E-Book

Kirro Burrows

• Herausgeber: Next Chapter
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

Agreeing to become Kisten’s mate was only the first step for Raiven. Even though she’s excited to move forward in her future by the Alpha’s side, other worries plague the Immortal’s mind.

It seems that she and Kisten still cannot reconcile their differences, but she hopes that with the Oath gone, they may be able to work through their issues. Their plans are halted, however, when the Hunter Whistleblower comes to the Americas in search of LeAlexende. He claims to be Kisten’s long-lost father, and Raiven is forced to use her dormant necromancy to keep him from stealing her mate.

Doing so causes her to learn that her power is not what she thought it was, and that it could be more dangerous than the Hunter himself. As they race against the clock to destroy this new threat, will their differences bring them closer together, or push them apart?

Leseprobe

The Grimm, creatures that were neither human nor animal, created by Mater Vitae for one purpose – to kill anything that moved. The same creatures that had ripped my tribesmen apart in front of me and were the ones responsible for killing my sister. The man walking with them now was the same one who had commanded them then and my body began to shake with anger and fear. I spoke through clenched teeth, the sand around me starting to shake as I summoned my power.

“Whistleblower.”

Spot A Leopard

SEALED BLOOD

BOOK TWO

KIRRO BURROWS

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Kill A Dove

About the Author

Notes

Copyright (C) 2022 Kirro Burrows

Layout design and Copyright (C) 2022 by Next Chapter

Published 2022 by Next Chapter

Edited by Terry Hughes

Cover art by Lordan June Pinote

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the author's permission.

To Viv Andromeda,

For supporting me through every step.

To my beautiful daughter,

Who teaches me to enjoy the little moments.

1

I leaned against the pier, looking out over the ocean as the sea breeze blew through my hair and shirt. I didn’t visit the ocean very often, and as I looked over the blue expanse, I was filled with a longing for a home I barely remembered. Somewhere, across all that water, was my first home and the place where my sister’s body was buried. I held her locket in my hand, trying to encourage her to speak, but the wood remained hard and silent.

‘…Sis?’ I tried to reach out to her with my thoughts but there was no response to my query, no subtle indication of my sister’s presence. I couldn’t help tightening my hold, sighing heavily as I forced myself to loosen my grip. It was my own fault that she didn’t have the power to answer me, and my heart twisted in my chest.

I gently let my hand fall from the wood, still watching the expanse of blue as the waves flowed across the sand. Watching the water was calming, and I closed my eyes as the breeze blew the salty particles against my face. My chest ached with emotion as I opened my eyes, and I glanced up as I heard a seagull fly above, screeching as it searched for its next meal. I was unable to help my slight chuckle as the bird dove to disturb some of the beachgoers, the couple upset at having their walk interrupted.

“Are you alright, Rabe1?” I turned to see Kisten walking up to me, using one of his many pet names. The Alpha was wearing a sheer white shirt, the fabric hanging loosely around him as it blew in the wind. His shorts also flapped in the breeze and I couldn’t help my excitement as he grew closer. I turned around completely as he reached me, a bright smile gracing my face.

“I am now,” I smiled, leaning up to kiss him as he wrapped his arms around my waist. My mouth exploded with the familiar pain as our lips touched and I ignored it as I stroked his face with my gloved hands. Kisten purred into the kiss, his hands gripping my shirt tightly as the pain fully radiated up my face. He pulled up from me, his eyes bright with his smile as he tightened his hold on me.

“I’m glad,” he glanced down to my collarbone, where his necklace sat around my neck. Kisten was pursuing me as his mate, and the necklace was a part of the courtship process, essentially marking me as his. From what I had experienced so far, most of the process included many gifts, including clothing I had to wear at certain times to symbolize his continued pursuit.

It was all building to a declaration, finally asking me to be his mate in public and I was both excited and scared of that moment. Although I had already given my yes at the beginning of the process, it would be then that I would have to reveal my relationship with Kisten to my job. Only the Director knew about me being more than human, and while I was a member of the Overseer’s Coven, I had to maintain my distance from the rest of the supernatural community in order to avoid a conflict of interests. Agreeing to be Kisten’s mate would no longer allow me to keep that distance, and I still hadn't heard from the Director what would happen next.

I gently pulled away from the Alpha, leaning against the wood of the pier again as I watched the many bodies move back and forth beneath us. The decorations were already being set up behind the hotel and all in preparation for the wedding that would be happening tomorrow night. It was the union of Arkrian and Shannon, a snake shifter from Kisten’s pack and my boss Brandon’s daughter. I leaned over more as I sighed, allowing my hands to hang over the wide rail of the pier.

“Are you excited for tomorrow?” Kisten enquired, his words pulling me from my thoughts as he leaned next to me.

“As much as I can be,” I muttered, closing my eyes as I enjoyed the breeze that started up again. Kisten hummed, placing his arm around my waist and I leaned into him as he stood, the shifter purring as he held me. “My whole team is going to be there unofficially as security and I’m not particularly excited about them hearing your declaration.”

“They were going to find out eventually,” he shrugged, laying a gentle kiss on my braids. I sighed again; he was right as usual, but it didn’t erase the worry in my chest. Kisten pulled away from me and started to lead me down the pier. “C’mon, we need to find the happy couple.”

As the Alpha of The Capital, Kisten had a vital role to play in the ceremony. Apparently, it was tradition for him to preside over the event, officially joining the new couple. After learning I was to be Kisten’s mate, Shannon offered me a spot as one of the bridesmaids, but I refused, not wanting to intrude on her special day any more than we already were. Both she and Arkrian were honored that Kisten wanted to make his declaration at the reception and eagerly agreed when he asked them.

The ceremony was already something unique in its own right and an upcoming trend in mixed marriages; similar to what her brother had done with his wedding, Shannon was mixing human traditions with shapeshifter ones. Her take on what traditions to use had upset her father somewhat, as Brandon wasn’t exactly fond of shifters or Supernaturals, but he conceded in the end. I was happy that my boss had finally started the process of putting aside his prejudice against Supernaturals, and I could only hope that it would soften his reaction to finding out the truth about me.

“Raiven!” Shannon called out to me, a giddy expression on her face as she ran up the pier, distracting me from my thoughts. Kisten released me as we collided, the petite girl nearly knocking me over as I was forced to take a step back. Shannon was a perfect copy of her late mother: long blond hair, bright brown eyes, a petite hourglass figure, and the attitude of someone twice her height. There wasn’t much that could deter her from having her way, and that included her future husband.

Her fiancé walked up to us slowly, shaking his head at Shannon’s behavior. Arkrian was much more stoic than his bride-to-be: in a lot of ways he reminded me of Kisten. He wore a cool head on his shoulders, polite to a fault, but also a fierce fighter for what he wanted. He was the Omega to Kisten’s Alpha and next to take Kisten’s place, an honor he had earned on more than one occasion.

“Shannon,” Arkrian sighed as he reached us, pausing to greet Kisten. His deep brown waves blew in the wind, and he took a moment to brush them from his face. “Don’t jump on Raiven like that.”

“Oh hush, Ark. Raiven can easily catch me.” As if to prove her point, Shannon jumped up on me again, wrapping her legs around my waist. I moved my arms to hold her, unable to help my laughter at her antics. Being part undead had its advantages, such as having a degree of inhuman strength and I carried Shannon easily. Kisten laughed as Arkrian shook his head and I gently put the girl down on the pier, our laughter subsiding. Arkrian moved as if to apologize, but I stopped him with a smile.

“Don’t bother,” I beamed, moving next to Kisten as Shannon returned to Arkrian’s side. “We both know it won’t do any good.”

“That’s… true,” Arkrian conceded, kissing his bride’s cheek as he brushed the wild hair from her face. She glowed at the gesture and leaned into him, clearly happy and excited. My chest hurt at their display of affection, but I kept the smile on my face while Arkrian questioned Kisten about the ceremony.

Despite my future at his side, Kisten was still bound to Lucius and Evalyn via the Oath of Loyalty: a promise made with blood that kept others from touching him intimately. Even the slightest display of affection would cause me intense pain, and I rarely got to experience the intimacy others took for granted. Kisten had promised that the Oath would be released at some point during the courtship, as he had to be released from it before I could become his mate. However, he had never told me when, and the longer I had to wait, the more unbearable it became to deal with.

“Well, Shannon wants to double-check the preparations for tomorrow with the hotel, and then we still need to pick up some things,” Arkrian went on, and I returned my attention to him as he hugged his bride-to-be tighter. “We’ll see you both at dinner tonight?”

“Of course, der Welpe2.” Kisten smiled and we watched as they walked up the pier, both hand in hand. Kisten looked down at me, and I must’ve shown my longing on my face, as he grabbed my hand and laced our fingers together. The gloves I wore had been a courting gift, and he lifted my hand to his mouth, kissing the fabric.

“Soon enough,” he promised as he lifted his gaze to mine, his chartreuse eyes bright with his love for me. Despite the ache in my chest, I smiled back, closing my eyes.

“I know, Kisten,” I stroked his face with my free hand, leaning into his embrace again as he buried his face into my body. I held his head against me, loving the feel of him. “I can’t wait.”

“We could get joined here too,” he offered and I chuckled, tapping his head playfully. The shifter responded by burying his face deeper into my chest, causing me to laugh again. “It could be quite the romantic wedding.”

“You really want to copy them?” I jested and it was his turn to laugh as Kisten lifted me into the air, setting me on the rail of the pier. He pressed his face into my midsection, taking in the scent of me that he enjoyed so much. I rested my hand on his head, lightly stroking his hair. “Never took you as one to enjoy the beach.”

“I can’t say I’m completely fond. I grew up far from the ocean and honestly it scared me when I first saw it,” he admitted, looking out towards the sea and a sad look crossed his face before disappearing. “Besides, crossing the Atlantic in the 1800s was not as luxurious as it is now.”

“I’d imagine not,” I agreed, looking back over the calm ocean. I could see the faint shadow of a ship on the horizon, and I watched as it drifted further along the expanse of blue. I turned back to see Kisten looking up at me, his expression quizzical.

“Now that I think about it,” he started, his eyes meeting mine. “You’ve never told me where you came from. You had to cross the sea at some point.”

I shrugged, not answering his question as I looked back over the water, holding my locket through my shirt. Kisten watched my hand, not pressing me for an answer. After agreeing to be his mate, I confided in Kisten, making him the only person alive who knew the truth about my sister and the locket. Most assumed it was a collar from my time with Mater Vitae, not understanding the true value it held to me. Kisten had insisted he would help me if I wanted to give my sister peace, but it still wasn’t something I was ready to do.

My phone started to ring inside my pocket and I awkwardly reached for it as I frowned, hopping down back onto the pier. My team and I were still technically on call if any case was passed on to us, but the Director had already said he would do his best to “let Brandon have his day”. The number my phone displayed was not one I recognized and my frown grew as I silenced the call.

“Unknown number?” Kisten offered and I nodded, watching as the call ended and saw the flashing light indicating they were leaving a voicemail. I waited until the light stopped, finally unlocking my phone and playing the message.

“Hey Rai–” The moment I heard the voice, I deleted the voicemail, not even trying to hide my annoyance. It was Aurel, another member of the Coven and a lich I was beyond tired of. We had once been friends, but when I told him I didn’t want to be more than friends, Aurel took the rejection poorly. He took finding out that Kisten wanted me even worse, and was making it his life’s mission to try to separate us.

“I’m getting real sick of this,” I muttered, scowling as I blocked the new number, angrily shoving my phone back into my pocket. I heard as Kisten hummed softly, shrugging as he looked down the beach.

“Honestly, I’m surprised he didn’t find a way to come along,” the Alpha admitted and I rolled my eyes, shaking my head in my frustration. Aurel had done his best to try to get me to stay behind in Decver while Kisten oversaw the wedding, insisting there was no real reason for me to accompany him. It wasn’t until I pointed out that I was required to be present with my team that he gave up, and even then, it felt as if he still wanted to argue the point.

‘Raiven…’ I nearly jumped as I finally heard my sister’s voice, soft and barely above a whisper as she responded to my emotions. I was unable to help as my hands instantly flew to the locket and I gripped it tightly as I felt its usual warmth.

“Sis?” I spoke quietly, and Kisten looked up to me, concern flashing across his features. He reached to touch my locket as well, allowing him to hear her voice as she continued, the strain obvious in her tone.

‘Just… checking in. Harder to stay awake now.’ She sounded far away and my heart ached as she continued to speak. ‘Kisten, keep taking care… of her.’

“Of course,” he smiled and I felt the warmth fade as my sister drifted away again, unable to continue holding on. His hand slowly slid away as I released the locket, tears forming in my eyes.

“She’s going to fade soon,” I lamented, my voice full of the tears I refused to let flow. “I don’t have much time left with her.”

“What do you want to do?” I met his gaze as he spoke, his voice full of concern. I closed my eyes, pulling him into a tight hug as I held back my tears. I shook my head against him and he tightened his grip on me, pressing comforting kisses into my hair.

“I don’t know,” I admitted, speaking into his chest. “I… I don’t know.”

“C’mon,” he coaxed, gently pulling away from me. His hand caressed my face, the gentle act marred by the pain it caused. “We’ve got some time before the dinner. Let’s walk around for a bit.”

As Kisten gently led me down the pier, I chanced one last glance at the ocean. It gently lapped in my direction, as if reminding me that I would one day have to cross it again. I forced myself to look away, squeezing my partner’s hand tightly.

2

“Thank you so much! We’ll see you tomorrow!” I waved as Kisten and I walked out of the restaurant, Arkrian and Shannon seeing us off before turning to attend to their other guests. I stepped into Kisten’s Mustang and settled in as he accepted his keys from the valet and began to drive us back to the hotel.

Dinner had been quite the affair, with all of the bridal party, plus family, in attendance. The restaurant was thrown off by having the Alpha present, but Kisten was as humble as ever, doing his best to soothe their worries about him. Being a part of the main Three had its downsides, and Kisten’s presence often rattled those around him, especially members of the pack. They often seemed to think he was there to judge or test them, and he always had to reassure them that he would do no such thing. For my part, I felt a little out of place with so many faces I barely knew, but Kisten had navigated the dinner perfectly, greeting the many members of his pack and being particularly charming to Brandon.

Brandon usually kept his distance from Kisten, refusing to interact with him unless we needed his help on a case. Considering the wedding, however, he had done his best to put aside his issue with shapeshifters and enjoy the dinner for his daughter. He even greeted his daughter-in-law for the first time, Shannon’s brother Mark having brought his wife with him. As Shannon had wanted to get married at sunset, Mark and Vanessa would unfortunately miss the ceremony, as Mark couldn’t wake from death until afterwards. They had insisted they would be at the reception, however, which seemed to be more than enough for Shannon.

“Enjoy yourself?” Kisten reached over to touch my exposed thigh, his gloved hand pushing my dress up further. Kisten was wearing black dress braces, his tie and gloves matching the suspenders. His dark-green shirt matched the color of my halter dress, and I rested my hand on his before taking it into my own. I looked over at him, watching as he kept his eyes on the road. He chanced a glance at me, smiling when he noticed me staring. “Well?”

“It was a bit awkward for me. Doesn’t help that I still don’t know most faces in the pack,” I admitted and the Alpha laughed as he released my hand, squeezing my thigh. “I was pretty sure that poor server was gonna have a heart attack when she saw the necklace.”

“Honestly, same. The poor darling almost lost her human form right there,” Kisten sighed, shaking his head as he paused at the light. “Good thing Arkrian was able to calm her down. It would have been awkward to try to get her to the beach.”

“What will we ever do without him?” I joked, earning myself a side look from Kisten as he rolled his eyes. He turned his gaze back to the road as the light changed, sliding his hand higher into my lap. Most of the servers had been merfolk, who were well known for losing their forms when their emotions were heightened. Kisten and Arkrian both usually walked on eggshells around them to avoid issues, but all of us had forgotten that Kisten’s pursuit of me wasn’t officially announced to the whole pack yet. Most of the locals in Decver already knew, but it wasn’t surprising that news had yet to spread to the coast.

“After tomorrow, everyone will know anyway,” Kisten sighed, not trying to hide the excitement in his voice and my heart pounded as I thought of his proposal. “I can’t wait to introduce you as my mate.”

“I–” I was interrupted by my phone ringing and I immediately sighed, assuming it was Aurel again. A glance at the number made me smile however, and I gave Kisten an apologetic look as I answered. “Hello?”

“Raiiiiveeeen,” Justina’s voice whined through my phone and I did my best to hide my giggle as I put the phone on speaker. Being ten months pregnant had taken its toll on the sorcerer and, despite her many pleas, Kisten had forbidden her from using magic to deal with the pains and aches, lest they affect the baby. “I can’t do this any longer.”

“You’re almost there, sweetie.” I cooed, doing my best to sound sympathetic. I could hear Crispin in the background, doing his best to comfort his lover, but Justina was having none of it. I could hear her push him away before she turned her attention back to the phone.

“Can’t I just have the baby now, Kisten? I know you’re there,” she whined, and Kisten chuckled, leaning over as he drove. “Wrist feedings would be better than this and it’s been tenmonths.”

“Now, Justina, we talked about this before I left,” Kisten answered, and I had to cover my mouth to hide my own giggles as he did his best to sound professional. While the pain she was going through was real, we all found her whining a bit amusing after hearing it for so long. “If you go into labor while I’m gone, Dennis will perform the procedure. But since the child has Nosferatu Syndrome, we want to avoid a premature delivery. She may take a little longer than you would like, but you already know she’ll be here soon.”

“But Kisten…” Justina sounded desperate for relief and for a moment I sympathized with her. With vampire fathers, Nosferatu syndrome was a common condition: the fetus would drink the mother’s blood, requiring regular transfusions in some cases and premature deliveries could often kill the baby. The severity of the condition could be the difference in carrying the pregnancy to term or having to terminate early and, luckily for Justina, her case was slight. Her baby girl barely drank any of her blood but the discomfort from the sparse feedings always made Justina anxious and she constantly begged for an early Cesarean.

“You’ll be holding her soon enough, Justina,” I offered, doing my best to turn her discomfort to excitement. I heard Crispin echoing my sentiments and it must have worked, as I heard Justina sigh. She always came around in the end, insisting the pain wasn’t that bad.

“I know, I know,” she conceded and it sounded as if she was shifting her weight on the bed. “I just want her to be here already. It seems the closer I am, the longer this is all taking.”

“Well, you know who to blame,” I laughed and she laughed with me.

“Да1, I do, but he is doing his best to take responsibility,” her voice was soft as she spoke, and I could only imagine that she was looking at Crispin lovingly. The vampire had severely cut back on chasing other women, making Justina his main concern as the pregnancy progressed. Although I still couldn’t bring myself to like him, I did have to give him credit for giving up his own desires to take care of Justina.

“Soon enough,” Kisten echoed, stroking my leg again as he spoke. He had an unusual look in his eye as he drove and I wasn’t sure what emotion he was feeling. “She’ll be just as beautiful as her mother.”

“She will,” I finally heard Crispin’s voice as he kissed Justina, still comforting his lover. “Get some sleep, beautiful.”

“Alright, sorry Raiven…” Justina sounded a moment from passing out and I smiled, blowing her a kiss through the phone.

“Don’t be. Have a good night,” I hung up the phone, leaning back in my seat. Kisten’s gloved hand was still on my lap as he turned into the hotel’s parking garage and he leaned back as we waited for the elevator to take us to our floor. The words “Ocean City Luxury” flashed by us as Kisten stroked higher into my lap, sneakily trying to get his hand in between my legs. I lightly tapped his hand, laughing as he withdrew.

“We’re almost there, you can wait a moment longer,” I giggled, pushing my dress back down as he drove off the elevator onto our level. Kisten also chuckled, pulling into the first free space he found before quickly pulling my face to his. The kiss he indulged in burned more than usual, but I leaned into it, the pain only serving to increase my desire. Kisten slid his hand between my legs again, pushing his fingers against my underwear and he did little to hide his growl as he spoke.

“I can never wait,” Kisten quickly unbuckled his seat and mine, pushing over his console and practically was on top of me as he kissed me deeply. I lifted my hands to his shoulder, gripping his suspenders as I pulled him onto me more. Kisten stopped the kiss briefly to pull his glove off his hand and watching him peel the leather off with his feline teeth aroused me more than I wanted to admit. The shifter knew it, grinning as he shoved his hand back between my legs and I loved the pain that shot through my body.

“Kisten…” I moaned, pulling the glove from his mouth as I kissed him again, not caring that we were still in the parking garage. Anyone who walked by would see the fogging windows, would hear my loud moans and I didn’t care. Kisten pulled back, his eyes already changed to their cat-like appearance and his fangs clearly visible in his mouth.

“Raiven…” he echoed, growling as he pushed aside my underwear and I moaned loudly with the pain as he slid his fingers inside me. Every movement set my insides on fire and I melted into my seat, torn between leaning into his touch and squirming to escape. But the Alpha had me trapped and we both knew it as he buried his face into my neck, pushing his fingers even deeper inside me.

“Kis, I–” My voice failed me as he explored me with his hand, pressing burning kisses into my exposed neck as I moaned. Despite the awkward position, Kisten worked me knowingly, releasing moans of his own as my sounds only served to arouse him more. I shivered in my seat as I saw his spots start to appear on his skin, the dark marks seeming to pulse with his voice. The fire was starting to radiate all through my waist and I squirmed more to escape the pleasurable pain.

“Soon,” he growled against my skin, tangling his free hand in my braids. Despite how short they were, I had styled them in an updo for the dinner, but he quickly undid this, the hair cascading to my shoulders as he indulged himself on my scent. “I can’t wait to be inside you again.”

“Neither can I,” I moaned as I clung to him, his fingers still inside me as I gripped his suspenders tightly. Kisten had only fully embraced me once, a wonderful night in which he had been released from the Oath. He had been free to love me without consequence and I couldn’t wait to have that level of intimacy again. Kisten grinned knowingly before he removed his hand, letting my underwear cover me once again. He brought his hand to my mouth and I sucked his fingers hungrily, as if I was dying from thirst. Slowly, he pulled away from me completely, leaning back into his seat while adjusting his outfit. I reluctantly let him slide his fingers from my lips, the pain fading with them.

“Let’s go,” He opened his door, stepping out and, after taking a moment to catch my breath, I followed him. I echoed his steps as we made our way through the brightly lit parking lot, when a car alarm behind us suddenly went off. I whipped around quickly, my eyes glowing as I summoned my power and my heart was pounding loudly in my ears. Kisten turned, holding open the door that would take us inside.

“Raiven?” he called me after as I walked off, heading to the still-echoing alarm. I could barely breathe as I moved, the air damp and heavy as I walked. Ever since LeAlexende’s visit, I found myself constantly on edge, ever watchful for any sign of Hunters. I had already resolved myself not to flee, but I had no intention of being caught off guard as I circled around the car slowly, trying to see what had disturbed the silence. The alarm blared as I made my way around, not seeing anything that could have set it off. I considered getting to my knees and checking underneath, but decided against it, forcing myself to release my power. I looked up to see Kisten walking toward me, a worried look on his face.

“What is it, Raiven?”

“It’s… nothing.” I glanced back at the screaming vehicle before walking away, meeting Kisten as he embraced me. He sniffed the air above me before kissing my hair and grabbing my hand. I squeezed his fingers tightly, trying to ignore the uncomfortable feeling in my chest as the alarm finally stopped.

“There’s nothing here,” he affirmed, returning my gesture. “Probably someone in the rooms just setting off their alarm by accident.”

“Yeah…” I faltered, allowing my voice to fade as Kisten guided me back towards the hotel. I closed my eyes, doing my best not to glance back into the quiet parking garage.

3

“Now where were we?” Kisten rounded on me as soon as we were in the hotel room, quickly pressing me into the door. He removed his other glove as his hands played with my skin, sliding my dress back up my body. Each touch set my skin ablaze and I moaned loudly as he explored me, the shifter not trying to hide his desire. I swiftly pulled his face to mine for another kiss, loving the pressure as he pinned me to the door with his body. He openly growled into the kiss, sending a shiver through me as I pushed him back, unable to help my grin as I met his swirling eyes.

“You are quite the sadist now,” I grinned, grabbing his suspenders again, reaching down to unfasten them as he lifted me into the air. I wrapped my legs around him as he carried me to the bed, managing to release the straps as he laid me down on the soft material.