Latex, Leather, and a Pinch of Pixie Dust Read online

  “Got it.” She said. He turned and what he saw was nothing like what he’d been expecting. Whatever he’d been expecting, this wasn’t it.

  “No,” Niki said right away. She was holding up the tiniest pair of latex shorts Niki had ever seen in or out of porn. “No way.”

  Jessica frowned but walked closer. She held them up to him and nodded. “This is perfect. You’re supposed to be Ethan’s pet.” At the word ‘pet’ Jessica smirked, which wasn’t helping anyone.

  “Fine, help me find a shirt.” He said, completely put out.

  “No shirt,” Jessica told him. “Just boots.”

  “Jessica!” Niki whined her name, but she was back to ignoring him. So he followed her to the wall of boots and tried desperately not to imagine being mostly naked in a room full of fairies doing god knows what to their human subs.

  “Here, sit and try some on for me.” She said with authority. He didn’t know where she got such authority, but it was there all the same. So he sat.

  The first pair of boots he tried on were short, ankle height, compared to many others on the wall. Niki sat on the little wooden bench and tried not to feel so out of place. He thought the boots looked pretty good, but Jessica wasn’t convinced.

  “Taller.” She said, her finger going to her mouth as she thought. She pulled down another pair, this one slightly taller and Niki dutifully tried them on, though the thought of wearing them with the shorts made him even more nervous. Jessica wasn’t satisfied with these either.

  Then she pulled down the box under the knee-high boots and Niki could feel his heart sped up. Did she want him in those? They were practically stripper boots. Not that he thought there was anything inherently wrong with strippers, it’s just that he wasn’t one and therefore couldn’t imagine being dressed like one.

  “Just see if they fit.” She urged. So Niki tried them on, and they fit like gloves. She made him stand and walk in them and thankfully he could. They were like tall Doc Martin’s, flat footed mostly, so at least he wouldn’t be off-balance as he walked. But still, they were outrageous.

  “I thought the idea was to blend in, not stand out.” He groused.

  “In these, you will fit in.” She told him. “Now I need to see the whole outfit.” She said, ushering him toward the changing rooms.

  They found a clerk to unlock one for him and Niki entered the small space with trepidation. If he was nervous to walk out in this store in front of Jessica in these tiny shorts, how was he going to go to a club?

  Still, Niki pushed on, changing out of his clothes into the black shorts. He left his underwear on, as one does when trying on clothes, but they hung out from the bottom. He turned this way and that in the mirror and realized that he wouldn’t be able to wear anything under the shorts. He was going to be totally vulnerable in front of Ethan. He sighed, trying not to think about it too hard, and pulled on the boots.

  “You okay in there?” Jessica called.

  “Just lacing up the boots.” He told her. Once he was dressed he couldn’t quite look at himself in the mirror. So he opened the door and walked out instead.

  Jessica looked delighted. She practically clapped her hands together. “You look perfect! Absolutely perfect!” She said.

  “I look like fresh meat.” He grumbled.

  “You look like werewolf bait, which is what we need you to look like.” She told him.

  Niki frowned. Jessica was pointing now at his underwear. “I know, I figured that part out already. No underwear.”

  She nodded. “You got it.” She narrowed her eyes at him, looking him up and down.

  “What?” Niki asked.

  “Something’s missing, but I don’t know what. You still look too wide-eyed and innocent. Your skin is too unblemished or something.”

  Niki crossed his arms over his slender chest and shrugged. “What can we do about that? Have Ethan beat me or something before we go?” He hoped she wasn’t going to say yes because frankly, he was just kidding.

  “No. No. But you need something. A tattoo or a piercing or something.” She said.

  “A piercing?” He asked, but even as he said it, looking into the mirrors there he could picture it. It would finish the look. Maybe there was something to that thought.

  “I’m not going to force you or anything, maybe we can do a fake tattoo just for the aesthetic.” Jessica tapped her lower lip with her polished nail, thinking. “Go get changed, we’ve got to drive back to town and make sure we don’t need anything else.”

  Niki went back into the changing room and peeled off the tiny latex shorts. They were so thin already, without underwear they were going to show absolutely everything. He shook his head at his reflection and started getting dressed.

  “Pass me the shoes and the shorts, I’ll go check out,” Jessica called.

  He passed the boots and the shorts over the door and then went about getting dressed the rest of the way. Once his clothes were back in place he stepped out to find Jessica was finished checking out and ready to go. So they left.

  It was something of a relief to be out of that store. He never wanted to be in that close proximity to so many sex toys with Jessica again. It was too awkward.

  On the ride back to Rush Creek, Jessica made him recite the rules for fairy interactions. Which he did, thank you very much, he was nothing if not a quick study. Then they went over some more ins and outs of being a submissive, this time from the perspective of being a human pet to a supernatural creature. Really the only differences Niki could see had to do with a werewolf’s strength. A werewolf Dom had to keep his powers under control which could be taxing over a long period of time. Hopefully, that wouldn’t be an issue for them though because they weren’t planning on staying that long, and Niki had no intention of being hit by Ethan in any way, shape, or form.

  Back in Rush Creek Jessica dropped Niki off at Michael’s place. He had some last-minute things he wanted to go over with Niki and Jessica was needed to go over things with Ethan. Niki wondered if she would be so bossy with their alpha and then he laughed because of course, she would be. He almost felt sorry for Ethan.

  “Hey man,” Michael said as he opened the door. “You hungry? I thought we could grab a bite and talk.”

  “Sure,” Niki said. After his trip to the adult store to try on crazy almost nonexistent clothing, he thought maybe he shouldn’t be so hungry, but that wasn’t ever how his body worked. He was hungry.

  Michael called his goodbye to Elaine and then they walked back down the stairs to the parking lot.

  “Did you find an outfit?” Michael asked as they got into his truck.

  “Yeah, but I have no intention of you seeing me in it,” Niki said.

  “Depending on how things go, you might not have a choice.” Michael helpfully pointed out.

  “Well, not if I can help it anyway.” Niki amended.

  They picked Chinese because it was good but also because it had these really private booths so they could talk without being overheard. Once they were seated and had ordered their drinks, Michael leaned forward.

  “Look, I know I didn’t say anything at the pack meeting, but I think this plan is a terrible idea,” Michael told him.

  This surprised Niki because usually Michael didn’t have a problem speaking up. He wasn’t the alpha of his own pack for no reason. “Why?” Niki asked.

  “I have two reasons. The first is that I think it’s too dangerous to send you in.” Michael folded his hands before him, adopting his I Mean Business face.

  “And what’s the second?” Niki wondered.

  “The second is more delicate,” Michael admitted.

  Niki pushed his glasses up his nose. “Delicate?” He asked.

  “Yeah. And I feel like I need to apologize for even bringing it up.” Michael said and Niki braced himself for whatever it was. “I don’t think you should go through with this plan because of your feelings for Ethan.”

  Niki smiled, relieved. “Is that all?” He shook his head.
“I mean I’m worried about that too, but I don’t think it’s a good enough reason to offend these Fae.”

  “He’s going to know. He’s going to figure it out and you will be so vulnerable and unable to get away from him if you wanted to.” Michael pointed out. “Not that I think he would purposefully hurt you, but you’ll be in the middle of this mission. There won’t be anywhere to go.”

  “I can keep it under wraps. Besides I’ll be so nervous surely that’s all he’ll notice. We have a job to do, Mikey, and I can do it. I can be professional, and I’m sure Ethan can too, even if he senses something from me.” Niki tried to explain.

  Michael squeezed his hands together until his knuckles turned white. “You’re really not budging are you?” He asked.

  “No, I’m afraid I’m not. In fact, I’m hoping you can help me with something after lunch.” Niki said.

  Michael nodded, seeming to accept this. He released his hands just as the waitress brought their drinks. “How can I help, then?” He asked.

  “I’m going to get my nipples pierced and I want you to come with me,” Niki said.

  “You’ve got to be kidding.” Michael sputtered.

  “Nope. When I tried on my costume it was missing something. If I’m going to pull this off I need to look like someone in the lifestyle. Someone who’s been around the block a time or two, you know what I mean?” Niki lifted his glass to Michael and then drank. “I gotta look the part. Don’t make me do it alone.”

  Michael didn’t make him do it alone, thankfully.

  “Hey boys, how can I help you?” The woman behind the counter asked as they came in. She had a shock of green hair piled on her head and tied back with a white bandanna, looking like someone out of the fifties except way too colorful and tattooed to be someone’s fifties housewife. She was also sort of gorgeous, her tanned skin done in colorful swirls of dragons and fire, but so friendly that she wasn’t intimidating in any way. Niki liked her immediately.

  “I’m here for a couple of piercings.” Niki told her.

  She grinned at him. “What kind are you after?”

  “My nipples.” He said and next to him, out of the corner of his eye he could see Michael’s mouth drop open.

  “This your first time, sweetie?” She was already typing into her computer as she asked.

  “Yup,” he said with a little pop on the p.

  “Well, don’t you worry, I have just the gal to take care of you.”

  The gal turned out to be Sofia, one of the tattoo parlor’s owners. She had black hair and black eyes and her arms were tattooed with red and yellow roses and her lips were painted red and she had a small nose piercing that sparkled when she talked. Normally Niki might have been intimidated by someone so beautiful, but she put him at ease right away with a warm smile and friendly handshake as she introduced herself. Apparently everyone that worked there was good looking, but they were nice so that helped.

  They found a seat for Michael and left him with several of their tattoo books in case he wanted to get something done. He couldn’t because of his werewolf healing, but it’s not as if they could tell them that. Then Niki was settled into a chair, his shirt removed, and Sofia instructed him to look away toward the wall where a mural had been painted. She also warned him not to hold his breath but to keep breathing deep while she got her instruments gathered and then disinfected his nipple in preparation for the piercing.

  The swab was cold and it made him shudder slightly, but beyond that he held very still and practiced breathing while focusing on the motorcycle that was the center of the mural. Then Sofia counted for him, “Three, two, one.” And the needle pierced his skin. It felt like being stabbed, which made sense because it was very much a small stabbing, but Niki was unprepared for his nipple to tighten painfully around the little barbell that was now through the center of it. He was also wholly unprepared to tear up and he didn’t want to cry in front of Sofia who just gently rubbed at his arm for a moment while he caught his breath.

  “That wasn’t so bad, was it?” She asked.

  “It was something.” He answered cryptically.

  “Ready for the next one?”

  “Uh, no. No, I think I’m good.” Niki told her breathlessly. His nipple hurt like hell and there was no way he could imagine going through it on the other side as well.

  Sofia laughed gently and walked him through the aftercare of his piercing so he wouldn’t get an infection and told him to call them or come by if he needed anything or had any more questions.

  “The first one’s always a shock.” She told him kindly.

  He thanked her then found Michael before paying. He felt kind of like a little kid who had gotten his shots and now he wanted ice cream, but he didn’t say as much as they left the tattoo parlor because he didn’t want Michale to make fun of him or tell him he told him so about any of it.

  He was still in pain that night, but he didn’t let that stop him from further research. He threw himself into the internet and the books he had. Jessica stopped by to quiz him again that night and she praised him for his decision on the piercing. She assured him Ethan was also ready.

  Niki went to bed exhausted. He planned to rest all of Friday so he’d be refreshed for Saturday, but resting was hard to do when one didn’t fully know what to expect. Still, Niki tried and before he knew it, Saturday night was upon him and he was at Ethan’s house getting ready with Jessica’s help.

  Chapter Eight

  “Tell me again why I have to be the sub?” Niki was only half-joking.

  He was standing in front of the mirror with his hands on his hips, glaring at Jessica. He couldn’t keep looking at himself or he would chicken out, and that wasn’t cool at this stage in the planning. At least not over his wardrobe or lack thereof. Jessica just smiled that sweet condescending smile of hers that gave the message Niki should just smile and look pretty. He didn’t feel pretty, though. He felt naked and cold. Also, his hair was gelled to the point of being ludicrous.

  Niki started, “But everyone knows Ethan is--”

  “Everyone knows Ethan is what?” Ethan interrupted. His expression looked less than pleased. As usual.

  Niki forgot what he was about to say because - holy shit - Ethan looked fucking awesome in leather pants. And no shirt. Why no shirt? Oh, and a leather vest. God damn. Oh shit. Oh shit. Of course, the bastard’s nostrils flared and he got this satisfied smirk on his face because he knew Niki thought he was hot. Maybe fuckable even. Damn werewolf noses. Reason four hundred and fifty-five out of a million why this plan was seriously flawed. Niki had made a list. It might not be a million, but it was a lot. Still, he’d decided to go through with it for the sake of the town and go through with it he would.

  “Uh…” Niki internally cursed his masterful articulation.

  Thankfully Jessica answered for him, “Everyone knows that Ethan is your Dom because that’s what they expect. So deal with it. We don’t want these Fae looking any closer at you than necessary.” She was busy putting her fancy hair pomade junk back in her bag, but she turned to fix him with a serious look.

  “They all have human subs.” Jessica waited one eyebrow arching. Niki felt like he was supposed to be saying something but he had no idea what it was. “Do you see where I am going with this?”

  He grimaced, realizing she was still talking about why he was playing the sub knowing full well he meant that everyone knew Ethan was more suited to it deep down. So she turned back to her bag. Then Jessica was pulling out a leash and Niki wasn’t at all sure he agreed to be on a leash, but at least he was now distracted from Ethan standing there looking like every leather daddy fantasy Niki wasn’t admitting to ever having.

  Ethan’s face suddenly went blank...

  “When did you do that?” He pointedly asked, looking at Niki’s chest. No, not looking, staring, hard. Nostril flare and all.

  “Oh, I…?” Niki looked over at Jessica for assistance, but she only raised her eyebrows at him with a look of glee that said
this was the exact thing she was waiting for.

  Niki returned to Ethan’s question, “I thought it might help me blend in better. So I don’t look so hopelessly vanilla.” He swallowed and glanced down at the little silver stud sticking through his right nipple. It was still a little on the red side, still a little puffy and sore, but it looked much better than it had the other day when he’d done it. He’d been impulsive, sure. Michael thought he was slightly insane, but the woman who’d done it had cooed over him so much he’d actually begun to believe it looked good. Maybe it looked weird because he hadn’t done both. He’d backed out because that shit hurt.

  Ethan was several steps closer when he looked up. “It’s a little late for me to back out of it,” Niki said. It’s not like he could take the stud out now.

  “If you’re having second thoughts I need to know now while there’s still time to take someone else with me,” Ethan said this like he hoped that was the case. It so wasn’t the case. Ethan needed him, he wasn’t replaceable. Not around shifty Fae who may or may not be involved in human enslavement and trafficking. Weren’t they talking about his nipple piercing?

  “I meant the piercing, it’s too late to back out of that.” Niki watched Ethan’s face lose that glimmer of hope that he was suddenly changing his mind about going. It took on a slightly darker glint. He couldn’t hope to know what it meant, but he felt scrutinized in a way he wasn’t used to.

  “Anyway,” Niki cleared his throat, “I’m not having second thoughts, I’m fine.” Ethan was making him wish he was wearing something other than little latex shorty shorts, knee-high boots, and a collar with a leash ready to be attached, but aside from that he was fine.