Page 7 of Haunted By the Highwayman (Halloween Temptation #9)

H and in hand, we creep over to the door.

I peer inside first, hardly able to believe my daring.

I don’t know what I was expecting, but this isn’t it.

The room isn’t dark or creepy. It feels warm and lived in.

There’s a fire in the grate, and an old-fashioned oil lamp burning on a table.

A large four-poster bed stands against the far wall, and a writing table faces the window.

The faint scent of woodsmoke fills the air.

The highwayman is sitting in a chair, staring into the fire. I tap lightly at the door.

“Enter,” he says.

“Well, what have we here?” he says.

“I’m Arden and this is Rick.”

I swallow as he transfers his gaze to me. His eyes are so sharp, piercing me to the core.

“And what are you two supposed to be?” he says.

“A demon and a vampire,” I say. He should know what a demon is, but I’m not sure when the cloaked, fanged image of the vampire entered public consciousness.

“Indeed? Well, you both look absolutely stunning.” He gives us a dashing bow, hitting us with those old-time manners. Rick laughs nervously while I just stare, enthralled.

“I have been sorely starved of company,” the highwayman says. His firm gaze falters. Then he smiles, his first smile, and his eyes are bright again. “But you’re here now.”

“We’re here,” I say. Something makes me desperate to comfort him, to give him connection.

“Pray tell me, what’s this?” he says.

He points to my neck. I feel around and find that my pink collar is showing. In our quick descent up the stairs, my cloak must’ve moved.

“Oh, this… it’s a game Rick and I have been playing,” I say. “I have to follow his orders for forty-eight hours.”

Where am I getting the courage to be so open about this? The guy is from the 1700s . He’s going to be shocked for sure. But he breaks into another smile, warm and wicked this time.

“And what has he made you do?” he says.

“I… pleasured him. I was willing,” I add quickly.

“He really was,” Rick says, sounding defensive.

Is he a little afraid of the highwayman? Despite his powerful gaze that seems strong enough to crack through rock and the fact that he’s an honest to goodness ghost , for some reason I’m not afraid of him at all.

“But he has held the reins of power?” the highwayman says to me, pointing to Rick.

“You could say that,” I admit.

“Would you like me to turn the tables?” the highwayman says.

“What do you mean?” Rick still sounds nervous.

The highwayman strides closer, arms folded across his chest. A ring glints on his index finger. The spoils of a hold-up?

“I’m inviting you both to join me for a private party,” he says. “The rules are simple. You will both follow my commands.” His ice-blue gaze flits between us. Desire flickers though my chest. “Do you know, I believe it would amuse me to be a little harder on Rick than on Arden?”

“It would amuse me too,” I say.

“I’m not sure it amuses me ,” Rick says.

The highwayman laughs. He sounds so alive, as alive as he looks in the painting downstairs.

“You will enjoy yourself, little demon, have no fear on that score. My days of inflicting cruelty are long gone.” He crosses to the dark window and looks out, but there’s nothing there that I can see.

I wonder if he’s thinking of the people he robbed.

Did he ever hurt them? “All I desire now is to inflict, if that is the right word, joy. I am told that I have a talent for command. I have been told that it can be quite pleasurable for those who submit.”

Rick and I look at each other. Rick still has that stunned, exhilarated look on his face. Plus obvious arousal. This whole thing is crazy. But he wants to stay right here as much as I do. Still, I haven’t had a total personality transplant, no matter how hot the highwayman is.

“What… what if we want to stop?” I say. Ghost or not, there’s no way I’m agreeing to anything without a safe word.

“The door will not be locked,” the highwayman says. “You may leave at any time.” He squares his shoulders as a proud, haughty look takes his plump lips. “But I very much doubt you will want to.”

“If we say the word champagne , everything stops,” Rick says.

The highwayman shrugs, a gesture that looks both casual and dashing. “As you wish.”

I glance at Rick. His neck is flushed, his hand sweaty in mine. He doesn’t seem as self-assured as usual. He’s too turned on. As am I. The highwayman’s arrogance is to blame, much as I hate to admit it.

“You sure?” I whisper to Rick, like the highwayman isn’t right there listening in.

Rick nods, his pupils dilated, and not just because of the dim light. I nod back, squeezing his hand. The highwayman watches us make up our minds.

“You two are quite adorable together,” he remarks. “Now, are we ready?”

“Ready,” we say together.

My heart thumps so hard I fear it’ll explode. Are we actually doing this? Having a threesome with a ghost? Those dare cards have opened up a part of me I didn’t know existed. Risk-taking. Dangerous. And the best part is, Rick is right here with me sharing every moment. Every breath.

“Disrobe, my pets,” the highwayman says.

My knees weaken. Looks like my body enjoys being called pet .

And that body, currently trembling with curiosity and want, would never forgive me if I walked out the door without finding out what’s next.

My hands fumble as I obey, unbuttoning my shirt.

As I peel back the fabric and expose my torso in the light of the fire, the highwayman’s eyes begin to heat up.

His pale fists clench as he watches. I let my pants drop to the floor and stand before him in my underwear.

His eyes linger on my pink collar. He licks his lips.

“ All of your clothes, pet,” he says. His voice is a low purr, with a center of commanding steel.

I strip off my underwear for him. Rick submits too, losing his clothes with haste.

The black pants with the tail and the tight waistcoat fall to the floor.

Soon he stands beside me, naked except for his mask and horns.

I’m naked except for my mask and collar.

Both of us are hard. Completely under the control of the highwayman.

So far, he hasn’t made a move to touch either of us.

“Now tell me what happened earlier,” the highwayman says. “Your little game.”

“I sucked Rick off and he didn’t reciprocate,” I say. “I’ve been waiting to come ever since.”

The highwayman lets out a low chuckle as Rick flushes.

“Did he indeed? The beast,” the highwayman says. “My poor pet.” He strides back and forth across the room, thinking, long coat trailing behind him. Firelight sends shadows dancing over his strong jaw, his black mask. “Well, now I want you to take off this collar and put it on the little demon.”

“Wait, what?” Rick says.

“On your knees,” the highwayman whispers.

I expect Rick to refuse. But he falls to his knees, cock thickening as he stares up at the highwayman with big eyes.

His chest rises and falls rapidly as his arousal builds.

I take off my collar. Throat tight, I lean over and place the leather around Rick’s neck.

His eyes are so deep and trusting as he looks up at me, full of desire.

His neck is more muscular than mine, and I have to make the collar much looser for him.

His eyes never leave mine as I fasten the buckle.

My hands are shaky, desire building to an intense smolder.

The atmosphere in the room gets thick with anticipation and the fire in the grate seems to flame higher, more intense, as Rick and I look at each other.

The whole time the highwayman stares at us, darkly intent.

I realize I like being watched. His attention makes this feel like a ritual.

“It becomes him well, doesn’t it?” he says.

Rick puts a hand to the collar, feeling it.

“Don’t touch,” the highwayman snaps.

Rick’s hand falls obediently to his side. Seeing him so docile and eager to please is weirdly hot. I didn’t think I’d like it so much; I’m so turned on my cock is throbbing. Drips of precum leak from the tip.

“My little vampire is getting eager,” the highwayman observes.

“Yes,” I whimper.

“Would you like me to order him to please you?” he says.

“Yes,” I say, as Rick makes a needy keening sound deep in his throat.

“Not quite yet. First he will crawl as a punishment for being so unfair to you earlier.” The highwayman clicks his fingers. “All around the room, little demon. Go.”

Without a word of defiance, Rick puts his palms flat on the floor.

Ass up and head down in shame, he starts to crawl.

The sight of Rick creeping submissively around the room on hands and knees, naked and horned, is one I’ll never forget.

His cock strains; he’s so turned on by this.

So am I. I loved being collared and bossed by him, my body burning up under his taunting command, but I didn’t expect to find it so hot with the dynamic reversed.

He finishes his lap of shame around the room and approaches me, still on all fours.

His muscular body is just a plaything for the highwayman now. The ghost has put him at my disposal.

“Good, pet,” the highwayman says. “How do you feel? Humbled?”

Rick nods at the floor.

“Good. Now thank me for teaching you this lesson.”

“Thank you,” Rick whispers.

The highwayman smiles at me. “He is much improved, don’t you think? Now would you like to feel his lips on your cock?”

“Yes, yes .” At the thought of Rick’s red lips around me, I can barely get the words out.

The highwayman snaps his fingers. Rick scurries forward, on his knees, raises his eyes to mine, and takes my dick so sweetly between his lips.

His expression is a question. His eyes surrounded by the dark mask are so soft and vulnerable.

My heart melts; he hopes he’s good enough.

Why did I never notice before how vulnerable he can be?

“It’s perfect , Rick, I love… it.” I only just manage not to say I love you as he starts to work me. My breath shortens. Pure pleasure flickers through me.

“Not fair, you get carpet and I was stuck kneeling on asphalt earlier,” I say, trying to lighten the intensity of the moment.

He gives a soft laugh, which just sends even more pleasure rippling through me from the tightness of his mouth.

I go beyond speech. Senses stolen by his hot tongue, the eagerness of his lips.

It’s like coming in from the cold on an autumn day to a blazing fire.

Rick speeds up his rhythm, bobbing his head on my dick, both of us carried by the same flames, our chests heaving.

With one hand he teases my balls. With the other he reaches for his own throbbing dick.

“Don’t let him,” the highwayman says. “He didn’t allow it earlier.”

Very true. Even so, I couldn’t refuse him if it was just up to me.

The highwayman is more hard-hearted than me.

But we both agreed to follow his orders.

So I hold Rick back from pleasuring himself, and he lets me, letting me cup both of his strong wrists together in one hand.

He could so easily escape me but he doesn’t, looking up at me, his eyes sweet and submissive.

He takes me deeper into his mouth, eyes closing in surrender.

The sight sends me flying over the edge.

My guts tighten. I climax with a feral groan, whole body tensing and wracked with pleasure.

Rick finally coming good on his promise to play an active part in my climax.

It’s worth every second of the wait. As I go limp, I look over at the highwayman.

His eyes blaze with a hunger that seems to be fed and satisfied by our joy.

“Good, pets,” he whispers. “And now for the next round.”