Page 8 of Nice

"Yes," I murmur. "I came to see you."

"Excellent. Just follow me."

I fall into step behind him, wordless in our trek to his home. Thankfully, the sights and smells are not as strong as in the center of NPP. Everything feels much more muted. More calm somehow. The closer we get, the worse the wind howls. It feels like there’s a gale surrounding the house. What sort of magic does this warlock wield? A small part of my brain lights up, warning bells sounding just in the edge of my mind, but I brush it aside and enter his home. If he lives in the actual NPP, then he's no threat to me.

The door gives way to a small alcove with offshoots to other rooms. The whole place feels small and cozy. Safe. The word overrides the warning bells, forcing them to be quiet. My whole body relaxes the moment I step over the threshold, like my entire being held its breath then let it go in a whoosh. I sag for a moment, letting the feeling of relief wash over me. When was the last time I ever felt this safe? Tears prick my eyes, but I quickly wipe them away. Such sentimentality is for children and saps, and I am neither.

"Make yourself at home while I fix you a drink."

I open my mouth to refuse him, but the words don't come out. Instead, my mouth says, "yes, thank you." I stop, my breathing quickening, then dropping back to a rhythmic cadence. What the hell is happening? My feet amble forward, taking me into a room filled with lights, crystals, ornaments, and other various bottles and objects. A pair of thick chairs, separated by a small, round table, fill the center area. I walk over to the one closest to the door and sit down, the plush cushion swallowing me up as I sit there. Within a few minutes, Marcus makes his way into the room, sets down a stein in front of me and one in front of the empty chair before sitting down.

I eye the stein for a moment, not wanting to drink its contents; however, my hand reaches out, grabs it, and brings it to my lips. The faint smell of chocolate and peppermint sting my nostrils as it gets closer. Unbidden, my mind flashes back to my human, her body stretched out on the table, her thighs glistening in the candlelight. My cock stirs back up to attention, and I shift in the chair. With a wink, Marcus downs his drink in a few gulps, his eyes never leaving mine.

"Drink up son."

Flavor explodes onto my tongue and burns its way down my throat. As I drink gulp after gulp, something shifts inside of me. Something dark and primal. My beast prowls around its cage and paws at the cracks in my foundation.

I feel him in me, restless, agitated, and very hungry. Only one thing will satisfy him, and it's that one thing that brought me to Marcus' doorstep. I stare at the man before me, his mirthful eyes driving me insane. I want to just smack that jolly look from his face.

He leans back and twiddles his thumbs a bit as he watches me. He's waiting for something. I can feel it. But what does he want? After staring me down for a few minutes, Marcus leans towards me and smirks.

"What did you come to see me about, son?"

I shake my head as confusion fills my mind. Why am I here? Where even am I? With a snap, the cup in front of me is refilled. I try to resist. My hand shakes with the strain as I force myself to remain immobile, but regardless, the cup is once again brought up to my lips. As the liquid flows down, I get even woozier. Everything starts spinning. The lights merge into one, bright blur. Before I can mutter a word, I collapse onto the table in front of me.

Bright lights pierce my skull as I attempt to open my eyes. The cacophony of Christmas songs assaults my ears bringing my headache up to the forefront. Squinting, I make out the Mistletoe Lodge, the flashing lights bringing a roiling nausea to my stomach.

I close them again and breathe deep, letting the air kiss my checks and drive out the ill feeling. Rolling to my side, I lay there, panting as the world continues to spin. After a few moments, it dies down, allowing me to finally think. What the hell happened to me? Looking back up at the sign, I shake my head, only to send pain ricocheting through my brain.

I know better than that. Though I honestly don't know the last time I ever got that drunk. And I almost never get drunk at Mistletoe Lodge. I owe it to my girls to remain alert and sober. So, what happened tonight?

"You look like shit."

Groaning, I close my eyes and turn away from the sound. "Fuck off Vixen."

Her scent wafts under my nose as she hunches down in front of my face. Great. This night is just getting better.

"Why are you here Asmon?"

"Checking up on me? I'm not your prisoner. I'm allowed in The Proper whenever I choose."

Her black boot taps up and down in front of my face.

"You're correct. But it doesn't mean you're exactly wanted around here. We've had some complaints."

I snort and roll over onto my back, taking stock of my head before easing my way up. Thankfully, the spinning doesn't seem to be coming back. I crack my eye open and spear Vixen with a look.

"If that were true, Red would be here instead of you."

She examines her nails for a moment, flicking off invisible dust motes before sliding her chocolate gaze to mine.

"He had more important matters than dealing with you."

"Dealing with me?" I grind out, narrowing my gaze. "And just what, pray tell, is there to deal with?" I ease up to my feet and stare down at the shifter. “Am I on the NPP most wanted list?"

She slides her gaze to the side. Exultation flows through me at her small show of submission. The beast in me rises and shouts. After a moment, her gaze softens as she looks back up at me.

"You know you shouldn't be here," she whispers.