Page 6

Chapter 6

Sunday Murder Club – Episode One

HARLOW

M y gaze swept over the assembled demons, vampires, mages, and wolf shifter. “Right, now we’re all here, we can get started with our inaugural meeting of the Sunday Murder Club.”

Cal sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Do we really need an official name?”

“Yes.” I nodded determinedly. “It’s more official with a name.”

“Is this something we want to be official?” Dagon asked, exchanging a significant look with Dimitri. “When our mates find out about this, we’ll be in the shit as it is. Having it sound more ‘official’ will just be throwing fuel on the fire.”

I sighed. Honestly, a bunch of supes shouldn’t be so shit scared of their human mates, but who were we kidding? We were whipped and we knew it. Hence why we even needed this club in the first place. All of us had someone we wanted punished for hurting our mates in the past. The idea was that we would nominate them, and then one of the others would carry out the punishment on our behalf.

Simple.

“Speak for yourselves.” Mori smirked, throwing an arm over River’s shoulders. “I don’t need to hide any of this from my mate.”

“Because your mate is just as psychotic and bloodthirsty as you,” I pointed out.

River shrugged. “Some people have gotta die and that’s the end of it.”

A round of murmurs broke out around the table. All of my brothers were there, along with Dimitri, River, Ferry, Toby, Blaise, Danny, and Sebastian. We were in a room in the back of Mori’s club, and our mates thought we were having a supe bonding session.

Which, in a way, was true.

“We aren’t hiding anything,” I said carefully. “We’re simply spending time together by taking part in activities our mates might not understand.”

Ferry’s lips twitched. “Like murdering people.”

“Not just murder. For example, I made a deal with Bailey that I wouldn’t allow any physical harm to come to his ex.” Although I strongly believed that deals made during sex shouldn’t be upheld, but that wasn’t how our powers worked. “Doesn’t mean I can’t arrange for him to suffer in other ways.”

“Gotta love a loophole,” Dagon said, fistbumping his previously angelic mate.

“Exactly.” I clapped my hands together, happy they were seeing things from my point of view. “Sometimes justice needs to be served, and we are the ones to do it.”

At the end of the day, our mates believed us to be good and worthy men. For the most part, this was true.

But we were also demons. Well, half of us were. River, Blaise, Toby, Sebastian, and Danny just held the same beliefs we did.

That bad people deserved to be punished.

“If Oscar asks me outright what we’re doing, I can’t lie to him,” Cal reminded us. Like me, he also had a deal with his mate.

“I’m not asking you to. I’m not asking any of you to lie to them. Hell, you can go home tonight and tell them exactly what was discussed.” I tapped my fingers on the table. “I personally don’t like the idea of hiding this from Bailey. If he asks me what we’re up to, I’ll be honest, but I’m not going to volunteer the information until then.”

Everyone murmured in agreement. Our mates came above everything and everyone else. The point of this group was so we could dole out justice on behalf of our mates…without being the actual ones to do it. My thinking was that if we intervened for each other, maybe there was a chance our mates would be a little bit more forgiving.

“I’ve got a candidate.” Sebastian threw a folder on the table, speaking for the first time. “Kevin Hale, ex-manager of the rock band Caffeine Daydreams.”

“Hang on.” Dimitri sat forwards with a frown. “How come you get to go first?”

Sebastian smirked at him and tapped the folder. “Because I came prepared. Inside here is everything you all need to know about Kevin. His crimes. His current location. His fears. Do any of you have that for your candidates?”

I rolled my eyes as the others glared at Sebastian. “Okay, message received. We’ll all do our homework next time. So who’s Kevin and what do you have in mind for him?”

Sebastian gave us the CliffsNotes version of why Kevin deserved to die. His research was thorough—even if he weren’t guilty of stealing huge amounts of money for a number of years, his homophobic and manipulative behaviour justified our attention.

“Why him?” I asked curiously. “I’m not saying no, I’m more than happy for him to be on the list. I’m just wondering…why. You don’t strike me as someone who cares about some rock band getting fucked over.”

“Usually I’m not.” Sebastian sniffed. “But they’re Matty’s favourite band. And when I helped the drummer out recently he was…kind to Matty.”

That made more sense. None of us were rational when it came to our mates, but Sebastian took it to whole new levels of delulu.

“Kevin definitely deserves to die,” River added. “I’m friends with Jack, who’s engaged to the drummer, Arlo. From what I gather, the two of them would’ve sorted their shit out much sooner if it weren’t for Kevin and his interference.”

“And Ollie and Luca,” Danny added, scratching at his stubble. We all swivelled to stare at him, confused as to why he was just casually name-dropping the most famous rock star in the world. “What? Ollie works with Riley. Riley gossips.”

We all chuckled, knowing that to be true. Mind you, none of us had a leg to stand on there, not considering the amount of shit we chatted on a daily basis.

I tapped the table to bring everyone to order. “Okay, so Kevin dies. Any requests as to who takes it on?”

Sebastian smirked at me. “You.”

“Excellent choice.” I beamed at him. “You know, I’m starting to like you.”

Sebastian’s lip curled, but I could’ve sworn there was a hint of amusement behind it. “Please stop.”

“We can’t all request Harlow,” Dagon said. “I know he’s the most creative, but the rest of us want some fun too.”

“Don’t worry,” I sang, grabbing the folder. “There are plenty of bad guys for us to kill. You guys can fight it out for the next one.”

* * *

B reaking into the prison that housed Kevin was disappointingly easy. Being incarcerated for fraud had landed him in a category C prison, meaning Kevin got to enjoy free education classes and extra recreational time.

See? This was why our brand of justice was required. Kevin had ruined, or attempted to ruin, multiple lives. Yet was he being made to suffer? He was not. Sure, his freedom had been curtailed, but not enough.

To be honest, him being alive was too much leniency, hence my presence.

Kevin’s cell was empty when I arrived. I made myself at home on his bed, using the time to sharpen my daggers. I’d asked Sebastian if I could borrow Bessie, but he’d refused. Stubborn git. You’d think he’d be more generous considering this was ‘his’ murder, but apparently not.

The man who entered the cell had the aura of a powerful man who’d gone to seed. His jowls hung loosely from his jaw, massive bags under his eyes.

“My my, prison really doesn’t suit you, Kevin.”

His eyes bulged. “Who the fuck are you?”

I wriggled on his bed, whacking one of the pillows. “Honestly, this bed is so lumpy I’m considering letting you off. Sleeping on this must be torture.”

“Letting me off? Off of what?”

“Oh, how impolite of me.” I scrambled to my feet, giving a low bow. “Harlow, son of Lucifer, at your service. I’m here today to carry out your death sentence. Any questions before we get started?”

“Wha—” The gormless expression on his face was priceless. I contemplated getting my phone out and taking a photo.

“Yes, I should probably tell you why,” I said, even though he hadn’t managed to form a complete sentence. “You’re being sentenced to death for defrauding the band Caffeine Daydreams, blackmail, manipulation, coercion, interference, and lying. Basically, you’ve been a very naughty boy, and now it’s time to pay the price.”

He blinked slowly. “A…very naughty boy?”

“That’s right. You’re not the messiah, you’re a very naughty boy.” He continued staring at me. I sighed. Cal would’ve understood the joke. “As such, you get the honour of being killed by the most terrifying son of Lucifer. Aren’t you lucky?”

Finally, Kevin’s brain seemed to catch up. “You? Terrifying? Do me a favour. Fucking Casper is scarier than you.”

Okay, so it had caught up, but not to the right place. That was fine—he’d be singing a different tune in a few minutes.

Assuming I didn’t remove his tongue first. Really, it was down to his next choice of words. “Haven’t you heard the saying, appearances can be deceiving?”

His bulbous eyes swept over me witheringly. I wasn’t sure what he was more offended by, my perfectly manicured nails or my crop top. “What’s a homo like you gonna do to me? And how the fuck did you get in here in the first place?”

“A homo like me? And there I was, thinking you enjoyed your tongue being in your mouth.” I flipped my dagger in the air, relishing how his skin blanched. “Now, let’s get started.”

* * *

I t was late when I got home. Kevin had managed to get a few more jabs in before I relieved him of his ability to speak, meaning I’d decided to give him the full treatment.

“Finally. I was starting to wonder if I needed to call the cavalry. Dinner’s been ready for like, an hour. Thankfully it’s salad but…” Bailey’s voice trailed off as I rounded the corner. His eyes narrowed, suspicion zipping along the bond. “Do I want to know what you’ve been up to?”

“How do you know I’ve been up to anything?” I said innocently, winding my arms around my mate’s neck.

If I’d thought he’d be distracted by my cute behaviour, I was wrong.

“Well, you’re not wearing any make-up, your hair is wet, and this isn’t the outfit you left home in.”

Balls. Trust fate to give me a mate as astute as Bailey. My time with Kevin had required me to stop off at Mori’s to shower and change. Greeting the love of my life while covered in gore wouldn’t go down well; something I knew from experience. “Maybe I got caught in a rainstorm.”

Bailey chuckled, kissing the side of my head. “Maybe I’d believe that if it wasn’t sunny outside…or if I hadn’t felt the bond humming with excitement all afternoon. You only ever feel like that if we’re having sex or you’re torturing someone. Seeing as I was here alone, I’m going to guess it was the latter.”

I pouted. “I have fun doing other things.”

Bailey’s lips twitched. “Oh, so you weren’t torturing someone?”

“Well…”

Bailey chuckled. “It’s a good thing you’re so cute. I trust he deserved it.”

“He did. Called me a homo. I mean, I was planning on killing him regardless, but that really sealed the deal.”

Bailey’s eyes darkened, his fingers tightening on my waist. “I hope you made the fucker suffer.”

“You know I did. He even said I wasn’t scary.”

Bailey smiled as he kissed me. “Bet he wasn’t saying that by the end.”

“Nope.” I’d keep the fact that he couldn’t say anything by then to myself. Bailey didn’t like the finer details of my adventures. “Idiot.”

“Indeed.” He squeezed me tighter. “Now, how about you take me upstairs and show me how scary you can be.”

“I’m not scary with you.”

He grinned, walking backwards and tugging me along with him. “I dunno. You get pretty intense when you’re railing me and those big wings come out.”

I backed him up against the wall, boxing him in with my arms. “You like my wings.”

“I do…especially as I only see them when you lose control.”

I licked up the side of his neck, drawing a groan from him. “Is that what you want, baby? Want to see me lose control?”

“Fuck yes, Low.” He bit his lip, his lids dropping low over his eyes. “I want you to use my body to drive yourself crazy. Until you can’t think straight. Until there’s no control left for you to hold on to.”

I stepped back, heat licking at my wrists. Gravel filled the one word I managed to eke out. “Upstairs.”

Bailey smirked before walking backwards, unbuttoning his shirt as he went. He didn’t look away from me the entire way to the bedroom, casually stripping off his clothing as he went. Honestly, if I weren’t so horny, I would’ve been impressed with the surety of his steps. He didn’t knock into any furniture or anything, just confidently strolled backwards, with me trotting along after him like a dog called to heel.

I was pretty sure I was drooling as I took in every delicious inch of my mate. Under my adoration, Bailey’s self-confidence had bloomed. He no longer tried to hide or minimise his body, instead proudly owning it.

“What do you want first?” Bailey asked, slowly stroking his cock. “Want me on my knees?”

“No,” I said, dropping to the floor before him. “I want to be on mine.”

Batting his hand away, I licked a broad stripe along the underside of his dick. It bucked, leaking precum that I lapped up with a groan. Already the bond between us was throbbing with lust. It only climbed further as I took Bailey down to the root.

“Fuck, Low!” he groaned, his hands fisting in my hair. “That’s so good, baby.”

I sucked hard, making sure to look up at him from under my lashes. My mate was staring down at me intently, his full lips parted. Fuck, how did I get so lucky?

Reaching behind him, I slid a finger between his cheeks. The hard nodule had me pulling off him in surprise. “You’re prepped and plugged?”

Bailey blushed furiously but didn’t look away. “Well, you always get… excited after a day of torturing, so I wanted to be ready to take full advantage of it.”

Be still my beating heart. “You really are perfect. You know that, right?”

He grinned down at me adoringly. “I think you’ll find you’re the perfect one, Low.”

I resumed blowing him, working him over until his release hung on a knife’s edge. Then, just as he was about to fall, I pulled off.

“No fair,” Bailey grumbled, but we both knew he didn’t mind. He’d be mad if he came before I got inside him.

“On the bed,” I said, getting to my knees. “Spread your legs for me, baby. Let me see what you’ve got ready for me while I strip.”

Bailey gave a lust-filled groan before collapsing back onto the bed. With his feet flat on the mattress, he opened his legs wide. Nestled between his cheeks was the plug I’d felt earlier. “Beautiful. Every inch of you is utterly beautiful.”

“Stop flattering me and get inside me,” Bailey said. “It’s been torture waiting for you to get back, knowing what mood you’d be in.”

“I’m genuinely delighted that you consider this torture.” With me in his life, Bailey would never know true torture, and I couldn’t be more grateful for that.

Now as naked as Bailey, I knelt between his spread legs. I grabbed the end of the plug, easing it in and out of him a few times.

“More,” Bailey panted, writhing on the bed. “Give me your cock, Low.”

“I’ve got you,” I murmured. Chucking the plug to one side, I grabbed the lube from the bedside table and dribbled it over my cock. After adding a little more to Bailey, I lined myself up. “You ready for me?”

Bailey gave an impatient huff. “Low, if you don’t hurry up, I’m going to pin you to the bed and ride you instead.”

Tempting as that was, I had other plans. Pushing forwards slowly, I sank into the warmth of my mate.

Both Bailey and I groaned as I bottomed out. I swear, we must’ve done this thousands of times by this point, but every time felt as brilliant as the first.

“I love you, Low,” he said, cupping my face. “So fucking much.”

“I love you too,” I murmured before capturing his lips with mine.

I fucked him slowly for a while, too lost in drugging kisses to want to finish this quickly. But it wasn’t long before need started to pull at us both. Bailey’s nails started to scrabble at my back. My hips began to move faster.

The bed was shaking from the pounding I was giving him. It was his fault—he felt too fucking good. I tried to hold back but my body wasn’t having any of it.

Fortunately, neither was Bailey’s.

“Yes, yes, yes, ” he panted, his pupils blown. “Please, Low. Make me come.”

“Soon, baby,” I promised, slamming my hips forwards again. “You can hold on. Just a few more minutes.”

“I can’t,” Bailey whined, flushed from his chest all the way to his ears. “Feels too good, Low.”

We were both dancing along the precipice now, but I refused to let either of us fall yet. Bailey had asked for one thing, and one thing only.

For me to use his body until I lost control.

So that’s what I did.

Instead of fighting with my demon, I let him rise to the surface. Let him power my thrusts until Bailey was a wailing mess beneath me. Let him manhandle Bailey so that my cock was brushing over his prostate repeatedly.

I wasn’t sure who was being louder now, me or Bailey. One thing was for certain—my control had been lost.

My wings tore from my back, spreading wide. Just the sight of them was enough that Bailey’s release took him. His hole clamped down on my cock as his pleasure roared along the bond. I fucked into him twice more before holding deep, my cum flooding into my mate.

It was a long time before either of us caught our breath enough to speak. When we did, it was Bailey who spoke first.

“Gotta say, I don’t know what you’re doing at this Sunday Club of yours, but I’m a big fan.”