Page 10 of The Arcane Taste of the Witchwood Boys (The Witchwood Boys #4)

Marlowe

“It wasn’t bad luck,” Kate placates gently, backing away. It’s my turn to fuck, and I let her go. Brooks cants me an odd look and Tanner is pissed, but I won’t let either of them down. I’ve got this. “It was the best thing that ever happened to me, Marlowe.”

I laugh at her, and the sound is hysterical.

I’m going crazy over here. She’s not supposed to keep jumping headfirst into hell to save me. I’m supposed to be saving her. At the same time, I keep thinking holy shit, I can’t possibly love her any more than I do right now. Keeps happening though. Over and over and over again.

“Of course it isn’t. You’re too good for me. We both know that, but goddamn, I’m in love with you.” I sweep the veil of poisonous flowers back from my face, annoyed by them. They’re blocking my view of Kate.

“Let me have a second to explain better. If you guys just let me talk without sticking your cock in me, then maybe I can make my points.”

I frown.

“Turn around and take this dick like a good girl. You’re not about to fuck them and leave me standing here. I mean it, Kate.” I take another step toward her, but she’s already calculating her escape route. Her eyes say she will, in fact, do just that.

She really will leave me here like this.

My lips part in shock.

“The hunger is so bad, Lo,” Kate whispers, backing up in the direction of the door. I allowed her to move around the room with her back to the wall. I allowed her to get near that door. I want to see what she’ll do.

I want her to run.

She glares over at Brooks. Looks warily at Tanner. Turns back to me.

Kate runs and she’s fast , but she’s not far enough ahead of me for it to matter. The time it takes her to open the bedroom door gives me a chance to catch up, and I snatch her by the back of the neck, slamming the front of her body into the wall.

“No,” I growl at her, keeping her locked in a firm grip. “Settle down.”

“ Honey, do you know where I left my jacket?” Kate mutters in someone else’s voice, and I go still. Tanner and Brooks are right behind me, and I feel them freeze, too. Her wings tuck in close, feathers brushing my naked skin. I refuse to let them get between us, shoving one out of the way. I pin it to the wall with my right hand, my left still on the back of Kate’s neck.

She shrieks, and that doesn’t sound like Kate either. Sounds like a goddamn owl.

“Victim’s last words?” Brooks muses, and I throw a nasty look back at him.

“You think?” I whisper, switching my gaze to Tanner. “You know anything about this?”

He shrugs and holds his hands out.

“Stumbled over a woman in the street earlier with her throat torn out. I had no idea if Kate killed her or if something else did. We had a good chunk of time there when both worlds were awake and mixed.”

“ Honey, do you know where I left my jacket?” she asks again, thrashing around as I hold her still. Poor Kate. I don’t give a fuck who she eats, but if she finds out about this, she’ll be upset.

She comes to with a gasp, digging her nails into the opulent wallpaper and shredding it. Glowing orbs float down the hallway, but I don’t hold any resentment toward them. Probably easier to deal with Kate’s curse with the worlds mixed and asleep than it would’ve been trapped in the Witchwoods with shit trying to kill us.

“This is payback for not letting us die,” I whisper to her, my own witch claws digging into her throat. She’ll heal. It doesn’t matter what I do to her, does it? “Weren’t you told on more than one occasion to let that happen?”

She saved my life on day two, when I was pinned under the Hag with my bow. How could I have treated her so poorly? Been so mean? So cruel?

I won’t make that mistake again. Well, just one more time tonight and then never again.

“I seem to remember explicitly going over the rules before we left.” Brooks calls out from behind me. “And letting us die was number one on the list.”

“I’m going to rip your throats out and drink your blood,” she growls, kicking at me. I hold her down, fighting against the superior strength of the Hag Wytch. Tanner and I exchange another look, and he helps me drag her away from the wall. “So don’t worry: if you don’t let me go, you’ll get your wish. You’ll be dead, and your souls will be trapped inside of me.”

I use my hold on her neck to steer her back into the bedroom as she digs her heels into the floor. Tanner’s got her arm. Brooks is blocking the hallway.

“Stop, Marlowe,” she declares, and I do, glancing down at her with a raised brow. “Stop.”

That word, the one I asked her to say when I violated her that first night. Two birds, one stone. I’m such a broken, fucked-up individual. What is this adorable, little witch wife that I’ve been given?

We’re both breathing so hard that I can taste every one of her exhales on my inhales. We’re standing so close. My mind is a tumble of images, a mess really.

With a growl, I turn back to her, drag her lower lip down with my thumb. Kate knows exactly what I’m gunning for here.

“No,” she murmurs, trembling in my arms. I’m trembling, too, but I’m not playing around.

“Yes.”

I bite my tongue, and I spit blood into her mouth. We lock eyes. I let her see it all, every horrible memory lodged inside my brain. Kate, throwing herself between Brooks’ legs and in front of the Hag Wytch. Kate, free-falling without an arm. Kate, throat slit and bleeding all over me as I lunged to cushion her fall.

Kate, dead. Kate, alive again. Kate, leaving under the thrall of the Hag Wytch’s song.

She shares memories with me, too. How scared she was when she thought she might lose Brooks. Dying is okay, but losing the people I love is not. Her thought or mine, I’m not sure. I feel the overwhelming pain she experienced when she came back to life surrounded by our ghosts.

I see her conversation with the Hag Wytch.

And I see this moment: me, standing over her looking mean and ruthless and angry.

“I love you,” I tell her, the spell cracking and falling away around us. I’m looking down at Kate as she is now, small and bloody with wild hair and wings and tears on her face.

“I love you, too, Marlowe.” She steps close to me, reaching up to touch my face with tattooed hands. The way she touches me, I’ve never been touched like that before. Like I’m a relic. Like I’m a treasure. Like I’m everything. “That’s why you guys have to let me go. I’m losing control, slipping away. I’m not an expert at this, but at some point, I may not be able to stop the violent urges. Please, fix the gate. Put me on one side. Put yourselves on the other. Then you can work out a way to break this curse.”

I tighten my arm too hard around her waist, crushing her against me, and she makes this feminine oof that drives me insane. When I first saw her in the woods, I was stunned. I was shamelessly attracted to her. I didn’t want to be, but I was.

Maybe I let that girl, Talia, go because I’m a nice guy.

Maybe I let her go because I’m as terrible as Tanner and I wanted something better.

Katelynn might have stumped Brooks at first. Might not have been Tanner’s type. But physically speaking, she’s perfect for me. I couldn’t design a hotter woman. I couldn’t have picked a set of traits for the bedroom that fit better with me than she does.

“Why the fuck do you keep looking at me like you think I’m the one that’s easiest to break? Kate, I let Talia go because I didn’t want a platonic coven. And I took you because you’re mine.” I turn to Tanner. “Hold her still for me, East.”

Kate yelps when he latches onto her shoulders from behind—so dramatic. So sexy.

I spin back to the bed, grabbing the couple that’s already there and dragging them onto the floor by the ankles. Might wake up with a headache if they wake up at all. Don’t give a shit.

I commandeer the bed, steal Kate back from Tanner, and throw her onto the mattress while she fights at me with kicks and claws.

“After this, you have to promise!” she chokes out as I straddle her, pinning her between muscular thighs wrapped in leather. I reach up to adjust my hat, an imperious expression on my face, that annoying veil of flowers draped over the tousled pillows.

“Fine.” I sniff, running my finger along the brim of my hat as Brooks busies himself with prepping a spell in the background and Tanner provides security. With both worlds asleep, there aren’t all that many threats—except for Kate herself. So he keeps his creepy, obsessive gaze fixed on her the way they both like, and the arrangement suits us all just fine. I forgive him. I forgive Brooks. I can have with them what I should’ve had with Dennis, and I love that.

The future is bright if only we can get past this.

“Fine?” Kate echoes, putting her hands on my hips because she just can’t resist being a little whore, and I just can’t resist being a brute.

“I promise to never let you go. I promise to commit suicide if you run from me. I promise to be the best goddamn husband, father, Westwoods, and friend. I promise that you’re not leaving this space until you’ve repented fully.”

“You’re so toxic,” she gasps as I slip my jacket off and toss it aside. I unhook my belt, wrap it around her wrists, and tie her to the headboard. “You can’t say things like that, about suicide and everything.”

“I can say whatever the fuck I want.” I ignore her as she squirms, turning to Tanner and holding out my hand. “Borrow your belt?” I ask dryly, and he obliges, sliding the black strip out of his pants with a hiss of leather on leather, and tosses it over to me. I don’t even have to ask Brooks for his. His antlered shadow delivers it with a formal bow, and I grin, utilizing my own shadow to yank Kate’s legs apart and lash her ankles to the footboard.

There. Much better. I’m fucking her against her will, but not without her enthusiastic consent.

Consensual non-consent. My favorite thing. Our favorite thing.

I hurt Kate in the forest, and she gave me a second chance that I didn’t deserve. Now, she trusts me enough to play dark games with her. She peers up at me from behind thick lashes, her orange-and-black hair tangled around her face. Stray feathers sprout from her white skin in various places. On her legs. Her arms.

I run my thumb across her lower lip and she turns her head away from me. I grip her hard and turn it back, frowning. I have the lowest body count in this coven. I’ve only ever slept with two people in my entire life, and one of them spit in my face (metaphorically speaking, Miriam was a shit lay, no other spitting involved).

And this one … this woman … I …

My hand slips down from her lips to her neck, caging her in place.

“This is fun,” I begin, running my tongue over my teeth, “but I don’t like knowing you could get away from me if you wanted. It’d be more exciting if you were truly trapped here. Let’s play this again later, shall we?”

She spits at me, hitting me in the cheek, and I work my jaw. Oh. Oh, yes. I bend down and take her mouth, even as she writhes and growls and tries to use her wings to hit me. But I have wings of my own, and I use those shadowed appendages to pin hers to the mattress.

“Kiss me,” I demand, but she shakes her head.

“I don’t want to bite your tongue off.” Kate closes her eyes tight, and I curl my lip, using my hand to force her jaw open. She tries to bite me, and I love it. I hold her neck a little tighter, and she submits, letting me in even as she pleads. “Marlowe, don’t—”

Our kiss rocks me so hard that my stomach muscles contract and I drive my clothed pelvis against her naked one. Cum smears across the front of my pants. A little bit of Brooks. A little bit of Tanner. A lot of Kate.

Premature ejaculation, it’s happening. Can’t help myself.

I unload into my pants with a shudder, pumping my hips against Kate and forcing my tongue down her throat. She resists me at first, trying to turn her head away and finding my inked fingers locked on her chin. We’re both glowing, our coven sigils lit up with shared magic. Green and red and silver and blue.

I’m all wet and sticky now, rubbing and grinding against Kate to chase that last bit of fleeting pleasure. I sit up again, reaching down to flick my fly open with my fingers. I bare my half-hard, dirty cock to her, letting her watch as pearly, white fluid drips down the length of it.

My thumb finds one of the piercings on the underside, a small bone from some Witchwood animal’s dick. We all have similar gear on our cocks. Metal rings and balls embedded beneath the delicate skin for bigger loads. More fertile loads. Easy erections. All in the name of magic, but they work perfectly for Kate’s pleasure, too.

“Please,” Kate whimpers against my lips, and I taste both her tears and mine. “Please, Marlowe.”

“Please what?” I ask, and even as I’m trying to be an asshole here, my voice cracks at the sound of hers.

“Please stop putting yourselves in danger to protect me.” Kate closes her lips tight against my tongue, blocking me out again. I fight my way in a second time, consuming her mouth with my own. Eating her up. Feasting on her like something starved. Her shadow is held back by Brooks’ and Tanner’s shadows. Her wings are locked down by my own.

“Not a chance in hell,” I growl back at her, rising up to my knees and peeling the leather down my hips and thighs. Kate thrashes against her restraints, but if she wants to escape, she has the physicality to do it. I can’t hold her here, not really.

I wet my lips, rising to my booted feet above her and causing the mattress to squeak. Love that. We’ll make beautiful music while we fuck. I kick one boot off and then the other, sending them flying into the wall to leave a dent. My pants go. My bone necklace.

“Then at least don’t get me pregnant,” she adds, unintentionally coy. “That’s just plain cruel, to both me and whatever baby would result. I’m the Hag Wytch, Marlowe. The Hag Wytch. ”

I cock my head at her, staring down with my fingers tickling the brim of my hat. The annoying flower veil is gone, at least.

“What’s your favorite flower, Kate?” I ask, going slowly to my knees on either side of her, butt-ass naked in nothing but a witch hat, tattoos, and some blood. Her blood. My blood. Our blood. All of it. I lick my lips and Kate closes her eyes, like she can’t bear to look at me. “Flower.”

“Um. California poppies?” she says, and I smile. Nice and slow and mean. Flashing fangs and waiting for Kate to open her eyes. I need her to look at me for this trick. She doesn’t disappoint, cracking her lids to see what I’m doing. I reach up and flick a single finger against the brim of my hat. Kate gasps as I pluck a silky orange poppy from the brim and present it to her. “Oh, Marlowe …” she sniffles, blushing a sweet pink color.

“Doesn’t change anything,” I say, trailing the petals across Kate’s cute little nipples. She gasps and bites onto her lower lip, but she doesn’t bleed. Her wounds heal too fast. “I’m going to breed you right now and see if a baby can break the curse. Seems reasonable, doesn’t it, Brooks?”

“Perfectly plausible for us to get you pregnant for a spell. Childbirth is rough. That would yield an immense amount of power—maybe enough to break the curse.” He sounds smug about it.

I look over my shoulder to see him stirring a wooden spoon in a small, portable cauldron that was attached to his belt. Before he gave it to me to tie Kate up with, that is. I turn back to our wife, catching Tanner’s eyes on the way. He’s supportive of the plan, too. Good to know.

“I’m in favor, too. Sorry, honey, but whatever it takes.” Tanner doesn’t sound sorry at all.

“See? No contraceptive spells after tonight.” I’m such a cocky bastard. Nasty, too.

Kate tries to summon another protest, but I shove my way between her tight walls with my dick, killing any further arguments. Ahh. She strokes me just the way I like. I let my head fall back, poppies swaying on my hat, eyes nearly rolling back into my head.

“Oh,” she breathes, and I love the pleasured wisp of her voice. “Oh … I … that feels so good.”

“Yeah, it does.” I close my eyes and drop my head back, a smile working its way onto my lips again. For a minute there, I just savor it all. The feel of her. The heat. The silk of her insides. And then I drop my chin and catch her gaze again, hoping she enjoys both the affection and the punishment in mine. Hey, it’s not like she won’t try to return the favor later.

I’m going to pay heavily for this—Kate gives as good as she gets.

I cage her neck in loose fingers, using my thumb to stroke her throat while I fuck, churning up that sopping cunt with my dick.

“It’ll be a good memory for you, when you try to recall how you conceived our first child.”

“Marlowe,” Kate moans, but she’s arching into me and pulling at the restraints until they squeak with protest. Wood splinters, but I just laugh, putting a little extra pressure on her neck.

“Don’t do that,” I whisper, nuzzling into her and biting her again. “I’ve got this. I’ll get us close enough together.”

“But we …” Kate’s voice hiccups and she makes these sounds that are so unhinged and shameless that they absolutely break my entire brain and then put it back together again. “Don’t stop, Marlowe. Please, for the love of all things, don’t stop.”

All I do is laugh at her, covering her body with mine and taking her mouth at the same time. She continues to struggle with the restraints, like she’s reaching for me, and I love it. Torturing her is so goddamn satisfying because she loves it so goddamn much.

“Blindfold and gag me next time,” she breathes into my ear, and that’s it.

I grab onto the headboard, and I end it by punching my hips into her until she comes so hard that she screams. No clit action. Just vaginal penetration. She didn’t deserve the orgasm, but I gave it to her anyway.

Biting the right corner of my lower lip, I wait for Kate’s breathing to slow and then I start again.

It’s not over until I’ve filled her with plenty of cum, until I’ve made her call my name so loud that the sound cuts this entire silent world in half.