Page 56 of Master Wolf

“Witchcraft you mean?” Drew vaguely recalled some talk a few years ago of Wynne coming from a family of witches, but he hadn’t known Wynne was a witch himself.

Lindsay nodded. “He began practising again recently—he has quite a talent, it seems.” Lindsay chuckled. “And since sexual congress seems to enhance his abilities, we’ve spent the last year fucking our way through Greece and Italy. Christ, I can hardly keep up with him, and him a mortal of two-and-forty—it’s mortifying.”

“Oh, I’m sure you do tolerably well,” Drew said flatly, trying to ignore the writhing snakes of jealousy in his gut. “Do you know where he is, or not?”

Lindsay eyed him for a moment, then shrugged. “Follow me,” he said.

He turned on his heel and began walking. And Drew followed, eyes fastened on his lean, colourful figure.

Lindsay led him past the orchestra and into a side chamber where—well, there was no other word for it—an orgy was taking place.

“He’s in here somewhere,” Lindsay said cheerfully. “Why don’t you see if you can spot him?”

The room was very dim, but Drew could see well in the dark and after a while, he was able to make out Wynne’s figure in the roiling mass of bodies. Wynne had his face buried between the pale thighs of a writhing woman, while someone else—a man—had Wynne’s erection buried down his throat.

“Do you want to interrupt him?” Lindsay asked innocently. “I’m not sure that I care to.”

Drew shook his head. He cleared his throat. “He’ll be done soon enough, I daresay,” he muttered. Which made Lindsay laugh.

It was, however, true. Within a few minutes, Wynne’s body was tightening, then seizing as he came. The man servicing him swallowed his spend, then moved away, casually stroking his own hard prick as he sought another partner, while Wynne continued with the woman.

She gripped his hair in her fists, urging him closer, then seemed to climax dramatically, back arching, soft breasts heaving, before easing back, a look of sleepy ecstasy on her face.

Wynne rose from between her thighs, leaned over her, kissed her mouth, stroked her hair, then fully straightened and turned.

Which was when he spotted Lindsay and Drew.

He didn’t appear the least embarrassed. Simply raised a hand in greeting and began walking towards them, wiping the dampness from his face with the heel of his hand, seeming quite unconcerned by his own nudity. He looked oddly alert for a man who’d just spent. Rather than being sleepy and loose-limbed as Drew would have been, he had the bouncing step and bright-eyed mien of a man setting out for the day after a good night’s rest.

Wynne was not the lissom youth he’d once been, but he was wearing well, for a human. His thick brown hair was untouched by any grey and his body remained trim and tight. Idly, Drew wondered if his appearance owed anything to witchcraft.

“Drew Nicol,” Wynne said when he reached them, his curious and not-quite-friendly gaze flicking between Drew and Lindsay. “I did not expect to see you this evening. It’s been a while. When did you arrive in Venice?”

“Only a few hours ago,” Drew confirmed. “Marguerite sent me here to fetch you both.”

Wynne’s expression did not change, but the quiver of irritated excitement that the mention of Marguerite provoked did not escape Drew.

“Why?” Wynne demanded.

“I don’t know,” Drew admitted. “Only that she wants you.”

“Oh, well we must jump and answer her whistle, I suppose,” Wynne said coolly. “Give me a few minutes to get dressed.”

“We’ll meet you outside,” Lindsay said and tugged at Drew’s sleeve, drawing him away.

They left the orgy chamber, strolling back out into the main ballroom.

“Do you want to say goodbye to your friends?” Drew asked as Lindsay led him past crowds of masqueraders.

Lindsay shook his head. “No need.”

“Won’t they wonder what happened to you?”

“My dear, if they never saw me again, they would not wonder what happened to me. They are not my friends, merely… playmates.”

He led Drew out of the ballroom and down the long, narrow corridor to the stairs, which they descended, side by side. The two men at the front door nodded a polite farewell and let them out.

Outside, the night air was cool. The ballroom had been warm and oppressive, and Drew breathed in gratefully. Pulling off his hat and mask, he welcomed the evening breeze that ruffled through his fair hair.