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Haunted House 12: The House That Eats People

Apr9

First: A story featuring a male keeper and a female Kept.
Previous: Be Our Guest

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The back stairs took up half of the space between the dining room and the kitchen.  “There’s also the grand stairs in front, but those are not safe to walk on. This place has an excess of staircases – not that there’s anything wrong with that,” he added hastily, as the stairs seemed to creak and shift under their feet.  “This isn’t the full tour, not by far, but it’s enough for the time being, I think. You’ve had a long day, after all.” He brushed his hand over her sleeve. “Do you want to sleep in my bed tonight, MĂ©lanie?”

She looked at his face.  “What happens if I say no?”

“If you say no, then you sleep in your own bedroom, and both of us have slightly cold and lonely beds.” His smile took of the slight sting of his words.  “That is to say, nothing bad happens. I’d rather you be honest with me and take your time about coming to my bed then do it just because you think I want you there.” Continue reading →

Yoshi Gets a Friend

Apr8

Fae Apoc, Post apoc by a generation

Yoshi was loitering.

He was leaning on a fence, looking at the new Addergoole​ graduates, a little surprised and a little relieved not to see his mother here.  He’d heard she’d quit – but then again, you heard all sorts of things. He remembered coming home one time to find a new Kept who was absolutely certain that Yoshi’s mom was a serial killer and he was her latest victim.

Yoshi might have trolled that one a bit, although he’d never admit it to anyone who asked.  But he had gotten the boy to get a new vegetable patch dug…

Today, he was here for his own Kept, although he had to rely on luck, since he didn’t have his mother’s ability to Find just the right person.  He was looking for someone with spark but not too much anger, pretty but not too delicate, the sort of girl he could keep around for a couple years.  He was looking for a companion who happened to be collared, not a pet. The last time he’d had a Kept, she’d ended up being more of a pet. Neither of them had been all that happy with that arrangement, and it had led to bad feelings and, eventually, finding her someplace safe to be. Continue reading →

Purchased: Boyfriend Experience

Apr7

First: Purchased: Negotiation
Previous: Purchased: Introduction

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Seven

Leander was surprised to find himself smiling, but let the smile fade quickly.  “I don’t do guys. I already negotiated that with your father.” Before she could say anything, he held up a finger.  “But if you want me to hold down some college boy for you while you have your way with him, I might find that entertaining.”  

Was he flirting?  He hadn’t known he’d even remembered how to flirt.

“I’ll keep that in mind.  Do you think you could do that?”

“Pretend to be an overprotective boyfriend? Depends.  Are you going to pretend to enjoy it, or are you going to pretend to hate it and push me away all the time and sulk?” Continue reading →

Spoils of War II: Shelter

Apr6

First: Spoils of War I: Surrender

Their horses were tired but not injured; they were tired and they both had their share of injuries. They moved at a steady pace rather than rushing, doing their best not to look like they were running away.

Nikol heard Aran mutter Workings two more times.  The second time, the words trailed off into a string of cursing.

“Just a little while longer.”  The man had tried to hamstring her.  Still. “Just hold on a bit longer. It won’t do us any good to have survived that battle if we end up at the Mountain.”

“Aren’t the people running the Mountain your people?” Continue reading →

The Haunted House: Be Our Guest

Apr5

First: A story featuring a male keeper and a female Kept.
Previous: The Tour

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MĂ©lanie was doing her best – with only moderate success – to not look too nervous or act too worried as Jasper led her into the next room.

The dining room was quite nice, beautiful in a way that looked like it probably belonged to the rest of the house, with well-polished furniture and not a speck of dust anywhere in sight.  Two chairs pushed out from the table as they walked by, and the china cabinet’s doors popped open.

“Oh!”  MĂ©lanie couldn’t help a little gasp.  “That’s-” she took the hint and, as soon as Jasper sat down, did the same herself. Continue reading →

Beauty-Beast 32: Want and Need

Mar31

First – Previous – Landing Page – Next

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He didn’t want me anymore.  The words still hurt.  Ctirad willed them not to, but his will and his pain were not listening to each other.

“Some day,” Timaios growled, and Ctirad’s misery only increased, “I am going to take that man and pin him to a wall until he has some idea what he put you through – no.  Until he is sorry what he put you through.  He bargained very dearly for you indeed, Ctirad, and cared a great deal to have you be taken from him, but such is the nature of a bastard like him that he would rather have you believe that you are un-valued, begging and pleading for every bit of attention and praise, than have you know that you are valuable to him.”  He cupped his hands around Ctirad’s chin and looked down into his eyes. “You are very valuable to me already, Ctirad, and were you to serve me as long as you served Ermenrich, I believe I would consider you a treasure beyond worth. And he certainly had some small idea of what you could be worth…. I’ll stop, I’ll stop.”  He released Ctirad’s chin and wrapped his arms, instead, around shoulders that seemed to be shaking. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. Could you tell me what it is that I said?” Continue reading →