Grayson’s arms were still bound in front of him, and Keld still held the end of the rope. The Alpha led him down a short hall, where a security guard watched from a seat in the corner. He seemed to be a normal human—too bulky to be an Omega.
Grayson met the man’s eyes and nodded slightly.Yes, I’m doing this of my own free will, for reasons entirely unknown.
The guard leaned back in his chair and watched the pair disappear into a room. Grayson had been expecting some kind of black-walled room with whips and cages and faux leather, but what they entered seemed more like an odd hotel room. The bedding was white and perfumed the room with laundry detergent. Despite the space being underground, a window well permitted some natural light through the gap in a pair of satin curtains. There was a gothic dresser, painted a distressed black with a large, ornate mirror hanging above it.
Now that he was looking more closely, he noticed the high-backed chair at the far side had wrist and ankle restraints, andan odd contraption hung from the ceiling in one corner. Keld was quiet, observing as Grayson took it in.
“Not what you expected?” the Mer asked. For once, there was no trace of mockery or teasing in his voice.
Grayson shook his head.
“This is the most vanilla room at the club.” Keld glanced over his shoulder. “Usually more comfortable for beginners. You still want this? You can say no. I won’t be an ass about it if you change your mind.”
Grayson bit his lip.
“Want me to untie you?” Keld offered.
Grayson looked down at the rope, the way it gently pressed into his skin. “No.”
A familiar smile tugged at the corners of Keld’s mouth. “Want to leave?”
Grayson took a deep breath. “No.”
Keld moved closer, gathering the rope around his hand as he did. “So what do you want, Grayson?”
Slick now joined the ache in Grayson’s cock. The scent of rich soil and vetiver filled his lungs, heating his blood with desire.
“You,” he whispered.
Keld caught Grayson’s chin. “You want me in charge, little Omega?”
“Yes,” Grayson breathed.
Keld’s hand ran along Grayson’s jaw, down his neck, then fell to his hip. “Is there anything you know you don’t like?”
“Like…” Grayson swallowed hard. “Like what?”
“Degradation, pain…”
Grayson winced. “I wouldn’t like degradation. Pain… choking…”
Speaking the words aloud spurred a dark blur of shameful encounters, of fingers under his jaw, of teeth marking his skin—
The Alpha kissed him, lips soft and gentle. “We’ll start slow. If you don’t like something, or you want me to stop, say ‘red’.”
Grayson nodded.
Keld’s fingers dug into his hip. “What is your safe word? Say it.”
“Red.” There was a tremor in Grayson’s voice.
“Good. Now, if you want me to slow down, say ‘yellow’.” Keld’s mouth was on his again, more urgent this time. Lips and tongues explored one another, and Grayson’s bound hands found Keld’s chest. His skin was cooler than a human’s, and his scales were smooth under Grayson’s touch.
“Say it,” Keld murmured against his lips.
“Yellow,” he whispered.
Slowly, Keld backed toward the bed without breaking their kiss. Grayson’s cock throbbed under his jeans, pleading to be released, but Keld ignored it. Instead, he pulled back. The rope he’d wound around his hand was in a coil on the floor.
