Page 7 of The Monster’s Obsession (A Monstrous World #5)

Chapter Seven

Laz

S aber watches Vivie with a pained expression throughout the entire meal. It seemed uncivilized to stay in partially shifted form, so I risked changing back. Luckily, my system must have metabolized the copious amounts of alcohol because I’m not even tipsy anymore.

“I texted Samson your list of preferences,” Saber says, clearing the table after the most silent meal I’ve ever eaten. “He’ll make a vegetable and fruit tray for you tomorrow.”

“I don’t eat much during my quickening, but I appreciate it.” Vivie smiles tightly. “I’ll try to nibble if I can.”

“So, what’s the plan?” I ask Saber. “Did you call out of work for the next week or two?”

His back is covered with expansive black wings that could have something to do with a binding spell, or they could be a simple tattoo.

Huh, maybe I’ll ask him one day.

His black hair falls around his shoulders as he spins to face the table after dropping the plates into the sink. “I told them I’d need a few days off. How long does a heat last for a fae?”

“Five to seven days, but if you fuck her during her quickening, it’s expected that you’ll be around to take care of her the week after?—”

Saber frowns and opens his mouth.

But Vivie speaks. “That won’t be an issue this time. Menstruation only occurs if conception isn’t achieved during the quickening.”

“Gods,” Saber mutters, like he’s really starting to question what he’s gotten himself into.

“We are not making any rash decisions.” I grin at Vivie to take the sting out of my words. “Remember, precious?”

She runs her hand over her stomach. “I’m already attached, and I think the rash decisions were already made…” She rolls her eyes, looking at me. “Like, last night when we were on stage.”

Well, that’s true enough.

I clap and push myself out of my chair. “It’s late, but I bet we could get a swim in before dawn. Who’s up for a dip with me?”

I think it’ll be the perfect way to break the ice between those two.

Vivie lounges in the hot tub while Saber and I stand near the steps in the shallow end of the heated pool. My sweet fae always likes to soak first, then move to the pool if there’s an option for that.

Normally I would be at her side, but I’m too big to fit in the hot tub. I wouldn’t be in human form. It’s just that I prefer to be at least partially shifted if I’m in water.

Saber and I need a quick opportunity to chat, marking the other reason I didn’t join her in the Jacuzzi.

My tentacles stretch out, enjoying the water, even if the chlorine aggravates my skin.

“Ready for the basics?” My head rests on the edge of the pool deck, and I roll it to the side until Saber comes into view.

“Contrary to whatever you might believe, I do not need a lesson in how to fuck,” Saber says, looking even haughtier than usual with his hair up in a tie.

“That’s still up for debate,” I say, chuckling. The glare he shoots in my direction has me shrugging. “What? I can neither confirm nor deny that piece of information. You’ll have to prove it.”

Vivie has ridiculously high expectations, but he has that whole fated mate thing going for him, if my hunch is right.

“I don’t need to prove shit to you. I still don’t understand how you get off on watching Vivie fuck other monsters.” He shakes his head. “Are you bi?”

“Ehh, I consider myself more pan. Not that I want to fuck you, so don’t go getting any ideas.” I crack a lazy smile just to annoy him. “How are you a monitor at a sex club if you’re about to kink shame?—”

“I’m not shaming anything,” he growls. “I asked a question that I’m genuinely curious about because, for the life of me, I can’t figure out why you put up with that shit.”

“It’s no hardship to enjoy a sexy live performance,” I say, keeping my tone low to hopefully indicate to him to do the same. I’m going to have to throat punch him if he says anything shitty and Vivie overhears. “It’s like live-action porn.”

“Are the two of you not fated?” he asks, resting his arms against the pool deck as he floats in the shallow water. “I always assumed that you were, but I can’t imagine Dread standing by and watching strangers fuck Emerson.”

“Do you not stand around monitoring Vivie’s shows?” I counter, quirking an eyebrow.

Let him stew on that for a minute.

I laugh, pulling a tentacle from the warm water to brush back my hair that won’t stop falling in my eyes. “At least I get to participate.”

Maybe it’s weird to him, but if I was unhappy, I’d tell Vivie that.

She’s skittish.

Whatever happened to her in Faere fucked her up emotionally. Hell, most days she looks panicked if I call her my girlfriend. That’s gotten better the last few months, but it’s taken time to build that level of trust.

And honestly… It’s her job.

It’s not like she’s out fucking other people and lying about it. Now that would bother me. I’m more chill than most, but I still have to curb some of my possessive instincts. It’s a small price to pay to have her, and more than that, she needed that level of freedom when we first met.

It’s impossible to explain, at least to someone like Saber, but she didn’t have to tell me. I just knew, and I always do my best to make Vivienne happy.

She gets a bad rap around The Den, but they don’t see how sweet and attentive she is. They don’t see behind the mask she puts on to come to work. It’s all a defense mechanism, and none of them put in the effort to see past it.

“I don’t know if I could be with anyone, even my fated mate, if it meant I had to watch them fuck other people five nights a week,” Saber mutters.

He must forget that live performances were what Vivie did before I ever came into the picture.

Yeah, she could move in with me or vice versa.

Without the added cost of a second apartment, we could cut down to doing only solo shows, but I think it would be shitty to ask her to give up a significant portion of her income.

If she didn’t have baggage, I would have made the suggestion to go to solo shows months ago, but I don’t want to take away her confidence that she’ll always be able to financially provide for herself.

My eyes narrow as I start to wonder if she’s been waiting on me to bring it up.

I’ve jokingly said that we should move in together to save money and free up an apartment for one of the other monsters looking for housing in Haven. But every time I bring it up, she laughs it off.

I can’t help but wonder if she knows how sincere I was about that.

If she decides to allow the eggs to be fertilized, I’ll need to let her know that I won’t be comfortable with things continuing as they have been.

My kraken won’t stand for his pregnant mate to be with anyone but him. Saber, too, possibly. It depends on if he gets his shit together and lets her in on their connection.

Once bonds are in place, they’re supposed to limit jealousy and territorial issues.

Whatever.

I can guess how things will play out, but there’s no point in worrying about them until they come to fruition.

“All right,” I say to get us back on track. “We need to talk hard limits.”

“This isn’t a show.”

“No, but they’re still off the table where Vivie is concerned.

” I smile tightly. “No covering her eyes, mouth, or nose. Choking is fine, as long as it doesn’t block her nose or mouth.

No ass to mouth. No hardcore degradation.

She loves the light stuff, but keep it playful.

” I move closer so he can hear me when I barely whisper, “Things like that’s my dirty girl.

Look at you, you’re a dripping mess, aren’t you?

are fine. Saying you’re a dirty slut who was just asking for it is a hard no. See the difference?”

Saber’s eyes widen, and he nods.

Water splashing fills the air, and Vivie climbs out of the hot tub completely nude. She’s tall and willowy and sexy as sin with her long pinkish-blond hair falling around her shoulders.

She makes her way toward the pool, and I lick my lips.

She just does it for me.

I’ve got a type and it’s Vivie.

She circles the pool deck to get to the stairs and steps into the water.

My kraken stretches a tentacle over, wrapping it around her ankle. He’s convinced the small curve on her lower stomach is evidence of our eggs, but I ignore him. He’s probably delusional.

Then again, there is a rounding that wasn’t there a few days ago. My eggs are about the size of a small lime… Vivie is carrying three.

Oh, fuck me.

It might be proof that she houses our eggs, and the thought makes my cock throb.