The Penance, page 7
Thomas bawled louder.
Mason closed the door and locked it, his heart squeezing painfully as he heard ass mutt shout for him to not leave him alone, that he was sorry, and that he loved Kendrick.
When Mason turned around, Bakzel stood six feet away, studying him intensely.
“What?” Mason asked.
“The incubus is very angry that you are hurt. He is bound by the contract he also cast that day on the plane, but it didn’t include him feeding.”
Oh shit.
“An even older contract was in place first. The one that binds him in you. His one promise to co-inhabit your body is to protect you. Anything else will be upheld as long as it doesn’t compromise you.”
And a broken heart that the incubus didn’t understand was powerful. Considering the pain Mason was in at least, then ass mutt wouldn’t be safe until Mason’s human side figured out a broken heart.
“Thank you for helping me subdue him.”
Bakzel nodded. “But I can’t be here all the time while you get your...human heart figured out. So...this is a bad idea but the only one available to us at the moment. The necklace to suppress the incubus that Cecil’s grandmother gave you. Wear it whenever you’re not in the feeding room. And, when you feed...pick from your kill list.”
Fear closed in around Mason. “No.”
“It’s them or ass mutt until you two humans figure it out.”
“Oh, God.” Mason fell back against the wall, feeling trapped. He’d contemplated what mentality he’d have to be in to beg Bakzel for death, and this was the first time it seemed like a good idea. But it was a frigging broken heart, not the end of the world. Every sad love story ever described these emotions as normal.
The only difference was that Mason would end up really hurting someone to make sure a boy he loved wouldn’t get hurt.
Listening to ass mutt cry behind the door and shuffle around in front of it hurt, so Mason nodded and went to the chest in his office that he’d hidden the necklace in. He felt the incubus growl at him.
“This isn’t to punish you, incubus. It’s because there’s an aspect of human life you don’t understand. Something that’s currently wrong with me. You protect us. But in this case, there’s nothing to protect us from because it’s something in me that’s broken. No one else is the threat.”
“Do you think he listens?” Bakzel asked, puzzled. “He can’t hear you, only feel you.”
“I know.” Mason put the necklace on, feeling nauseated and full. “That was for me.” He looked at Bakzel. “Will he hate me for this?”
“He won’t be your greatest fan, but you are linked. So...when you’re done fixing your love thing with ass mutt, you’re going to have to grovel and make up for the exact same thing with the incubus. Because it really is the same thing, he just doesn’t understand it. He is raw and primal and not a conscious being who can learn very much. Yet. So, to him, I imagine this feels like a betrayal. Just like he feels ass mutt has betrayed you by hurting you.”
“Which is why I need to stop feeling betrayed by ass mutt before I take this damn thing off again. It’s heavy, it’s nauseating, it’s painful, and I hate it.”
“That makes two of you.”
Tonram stepped through. “This will weaken you at a bad time. Your allied factions will have to work harder now to secure you. It is not in their favor to back a weak king.”
Mason closed his eyes, feeling even worse. “It’s funny how locking a demon to grow inside its original human is what makes him powerful enough to become a king, yet the human was never made to survive growing him. Still, I think I’ve done pretty well so far. So, excuse me for being human.” Tonram growled at the insolent tone. “And that’s human, too. Being an asshole when we’re hurt and sad.” Tonram grabbed Bakzel and crossed him through the veil. “Shit!” Mason punched a hole in the brick wall.
Perfect.
Heath walked through the door and stopped there, staring at the missing bricks. “You okay?”
“No.” Mason sighed. “Show me that new toy and screamer you got. I’m going to have to change out my feeding for a while.” Heath gaped, yet his eyes widened as Mason turned, allowing him to see the necklace. “Samaaron?”
Sam stepped out of a shadow, looking like he’d been eavesdropping. “Yes, Master?
“Any of you two know any good books on couple counseling?”
“We will study it immediately, Master,” Sam said.
“Thank you. And divide a schedule to keep an eye on ass mutt. He’s been suicidal before.”
“We already have, Master.”
Mason felt for the incubus inside, but he felt hollow. Not being able to feel the incubus, Mason had to remember roughly how often he fed since hunger wouldn’t announce itself.
“Joey, Byron.”
The two underlings arrived. “Yes, Master?”
“Help me compile a kill list, and let’s hunt.”
“Yes, Master.” They raced ahead.
A slender hand slipped into Mason’s, and he turned his head to find Willow looking at him. “I’ve stood by your side for many years, and I’ve watched you struggle and overcome great adversity. I’ve never felt inept at helping you until now.”
“Don’t blame yourself, dear wife.” Mason kissed her forehead. “No matter what, this was never an area you could.”
“May I try?”
“I’d never deny you that.”
She smiled. “Go hunt so you can keep the incubus happy. We will overcome. We always do.”
Her confidence warmed his heart. Her trust in their strength to overcome helped him meet the dread of the feedings that lay ahead.
If he tried to suppress the incubus, he’d lose, and ass mutt would most definitely bear the brunt of that.
He couldn’t allow that.
Chapter Five
Another night gasping awake at dreaming about a pissed-off incubus’ feeding pattern. The kill list had been assembled, and they’d had to borrow a few from the buffet for the Lillian feast. Throwing that feast now, considering the incubus, would be a terrible idea, so Mason was happy they hadn’t set an official date yet.
Anyone on the kill list didn’t last many rounds with the incubus at the moment. Not that they died, but they’d never be anything but underling fodder after that.
Arms snuck around him, and Mason jerked in surprise.
“Shh, it’s okay, Mason. It’s a dream. It’s okay.” Aaron insistently pulled Mason back down and wrapped him in a protective grip, stroking his back. “It’s okay,” Aaron continued to whisper. “It’ll all be over soon.”
It was Mason’s own fault. Still, since it had been Bakzel who saw no other way around suppressing the incubus’ anger and attempt at removing a threat against Mason, he had to wear the necklace given to him by Cecil’s psychic grandmother, Ester.
He only took it off when he had to feed, and the incubus roared to the surface every time, anger seeming more and more predominant. But an unwilling hole close by made him attack that and fuck it with a vengeance.
Mason still tried to find another way, but ass mutt would be in danger from the incubus who saw a broken heart as a threat. It hurt worse than when ass mutt had shot him in the heart, so he could kinda understand the incubus’ reasoning for seeing the heartache as a big threat.
So far, Mason had left ass mutt alone in his room, too overcome by sadness and fear that the boy couldn’t reconcile with the fact that Mason could never be with only him. Consensually, even.
But it wasn’t the same. Being with Aaron soothed Mason’s human side, and he bonded harder with Sam, strengthening his underling by filling the host body with his semen. It also strengthened Sam’s ability to feed on pleasure. Mason loved that transformation.
But ass mutt was whom he, the human, was allowed to love by the incubus. He needed to care for what the incubus destroyed in order to balance himself. Aaron couldn’t be that.
And there was more. Ass mutt loved Mason—purely enough to see past the spell—and Mason begged whatever goodness there was left in the world that the boy could love him and accept the responsibilities Mason had to the incubus and also the incubus’ responsibilities to the underlings.
He’d thought ass mutt could since he was able to see the difference between Kendrick and Mason. But he’d seen Kendrick be with Aaron. He didn’t see the demons bonding at the same time. Mason understood ass mutt’s confusion and why he saw it as cheating, yet Mason had lived with sex as being anything but love for so long that the two weren’t even in the same category.
It wasn’t often that Mason felt this impotent of taking care of his own problems, but being loved, truly loved, had certainly knocked him for a loop. So, he stayed away and let the underlings tend to ass mutt.
He had for three days now.
On top of that mess, he’d managed to piss off Tonram, and his allied factions were not pleased with him at all. He had to grease some wheels, yet he was still debating how to do that.
“Sleep, Mason, or I’m going to go downstairs, crunch up some sleeping pills in a glass of warm milk, and force it into you.”
Mason chuckled at Aaron’s bossy tone. “My brain won’t stop.”
“That’s because you’re letting it be boss. Now I’m boss. Listen to my breathing.” Aaron took a deep breath and let it go. “Focus on it,” he whispered, then drew another, letting it go as loudly as before. “Follow it.”
Mason complied and counted the breaths to help his focus.
THE NEXT MORNING, MASON had no idea what he’d counted to, but he woke up alone. His clothes had been laid out next to the dog walking clothes, and a note that Willow had moved his first meeting until eleven on the customer’s request.
It was almost eight in the morning, and the thought of the incubus’ breakfast already drained him.
“Ass mutt’s safety, ass mutt’s safety, ass mutt’s safety,” Mason mumbled to himself as he got out of bed and went to the bathroom.
Sam entered the moment Mason had closed the door to the dogs. “Good morning, Master.”
“Good morning, Samaaron. Thank you for staying with me.”
“We’re happy to help Master through his difficult times.”
Mason turned and cupped Sam’s face. “The incubus’ feeding is currently selfish and doesn’t tend to you and Helena. How can I secure you best to not suffer under my problems?”
Sam smiled the way he did when Mason was being a good master. “You did. You told us that Heath had passive energy to be shared.”
“Oh, yeah.” But that news had been ten minutes before Mason’s otherwise wonderful morning had been screwed over by a petulant mutt full of jealousy that left Mason feeling accused of being a liar. Mason stepped back, thinking. “Is it something I can replicate for you to feed better on in the future?”
“Yes.” Sam grabbed Mason’s toothbrush and put paste on it, wetted it, then handed it over for Mason to get moving with his morning routine. “Twice a day, we help disinfect self-inflicted wounds. With rubbing alcohol.”
Mason blinked, brushing his teeth. His brain wasn’t even up for imagining how self-inflicted wounds were made under those parameters. He spat and rinsed the toothbrush. “I better go see what he’s up to.”
“It’s a marvelous idea. Far outside what Master likes, though.”
That didn’t surprise Mason, so he turned on the cold water and splashed some on his face. No need to do more since he’d probably have a messy feeding before a bath and a meeting.
“Would Master like breakfast before or after feeding?”
“After. If I retain an appetite.”
“Yes, Master.”
Mason dressed, tended to his dogs, and walked, with heavy feet, to the basement.
The last time he’d been this trepidant was when the incubus had fucked a pedophile to death with a massive strap-on dildo.
So far, the damage done included dislocated shoulders from being held in a bent-over position by hoisting back-tied hands toward the ceiling. Or a torn Achilles tendon because apparently, tying a guy up upside down gave for a fun angle when fucking him. It had been, and the pain was fun, but maybe not when tied up with steel wire which easily cut through skin and ligaments. Oh, and not to forget, ruptured testicles.
But Mason needed to build upon what he had been doing with Brian that day, so he couldn’t put off checking on the brothers.
Mason went into the feeding room, finding Byron pouring kibble into a bowl by the limp mutt’s cage.
“Good morning, Master.”
“Good morning, Byron.” Mason took a stool and carried it to the twins’ pen to sit. He had no idea what to say.
“Did I make you angry, Master,” Brian asked.
“No, mutt, you didn’t. Other stuff went wrong. That’s why I’ve come by today. I hope to soon pick up again where we left off so that you get the opportunity to earn what I promised. I just wanted to make sure you were still helping your brothers, and now you know I intend on keeping my word. I always do.” Which was why ass mutt’s question had hurt so much. “The incubus is in a dark place, so I’m not in here because he could hurt you. That’s not the point since I want you to be my prized mutts. So...keep working, and when he’s no longer hellbent on...maiming everything, I’ll come back, and we can have fun.” Mason tried for a smile, fully aware that their idea of fun was far from his or a good-mood incubus’ idea.
With the necklace on, the incubus was suppressed enough for Mason not to be able to smell their emotions, but he’d been around fear long enough to spot that.
“Thank you, Master,” Brian said.
Mason smiled and winked at him, then stood as Byron came over with kibble. “Give them bacon, eggs, and sausages.”
Byron looked into the bowl, then smiled. “Yes, Master.”
“I’m sure you’ll get a stellar blowjob from the twins for it.”
“Yes, Master!” Brian and Jess said.
Mason left, smiling, feeling hopeful. But it fell as soon as the door closed behind him. Twenty yards down that hall and to the right, someone was going to get hurt today. Or more hurt. And he’d have no idea before he went in there and took off the necklace.
“Master.”
Mason turned his head to find Gary waiting by the wall. Diligently. He, too, knew that the incubus was no frigging fun at the moment. And he didn’t share. “Gary.”
“The incubus seems to favor pain at the moment.”
“Selfishly, yes.”
“Heath’s underlings have helped pick a fun one for him today.” Gary held out his arm for Mason to lead the way.
Mason appreciated his underling’s attempt to make it all easier. “I wonder how long regular heartbreak lasts.”
“Trust me, we’ve been reading romance novels to figure that out.”
“Seriously?” Mason chuckled, hardly capable of imagining it.
“Yeah, and so far, consensus is that nothing fits a master and a mutt. Actually, there are loads of puppy play kinks out there, but throw in an angry demon, and nope...no luck.”
Mason stopped and looked at Gary. “Puppy play stories?”
“Yes. Interesting thought patterns. Some agree with your idea of isolating his one side to have to miss the other, but...don’t go too long because then new habit and acceptance of the new reality takes over, and you’d have to break him all over again.”
“If that’s what it takes, we’ll do that.”
“But will his love for Kendrick survive then?”
“Good point. What’s the time frame idea?”
“By the estimation of amateur guesswork by housewives with a naughty streak and no degree in psychology?”
Mason snorted. “Okay.” He’d even stayed away from the surveillance footage. “How does he react when you feed him?”
“He asks for you. How you are. If you’re angry or sad or if you hate him now.”
That hurt, too.
“What do you say?”
“Nothing. It’s not our place.”
And that was downright cruel.
“I’ll...actively do something when I come home from my meeting.” Mason rubbed his face. “This can’t go on.” The news hurt more than the fear of the incubus feeding, so Mason stalked to the room, noticing Gary set into a jog to get there first to grab the handle and wait. “Do you want to know anything about the one waiting?”
Mason stopped. “Sure.”
“An uncle who gained custody of his fourteen-year-old nephew, and for the next three years, he used him as a labor slave, starved him for days, beat him multiple times a week, and in a once-off drunken haze, he raped him. But he was too drunk to remember that.”
“He was too drunk to remember, but not too drunk to get it up? Sounds fishy.”
“He used a beer bottle. Apparently, it was to scare the scrawny kid straight to grow up a big man.”
“Easy when starved. Helps growth so well. Do we still have those silicone casts of bottles?”
“Multiple, yes, Master.”
“Sam, please get me some bottle dildos.”
“As Master wishes.” Sam dashed off, and Mason took a final breath for courage.
Gary opened the door, and Mason walked in, finding a guy shackled by one foot to the wall with four feet of chain.
“Do you know who I am?” the man shouted.
Mason stopped to stare at him. “Do you know who I am?”
The guy stared a moment, then his jaw slacked. “Mason Bailey.”
“Does Mason Bailey care who you are?”
“Why am I here?”
“Because of what you are. An abusive uncle who raped his nephew with a bottle.”
“No! He made that up! I never would.”
“Hmm...” But Mason wasn’t the only one mumbling that. Gary, too.
Sam entered with the aluminum briefcase and set it down on a small table in the corner—the only piece of furniture in the room.
