On Her Axis Read online

  “You’re turning what I said around. I was being honest with you. This is all new to me and I’m a little confused here. You’re just making it worse, adding guilt onto everything else. I can’t help how I feel about Marre, and I won’t let you make me feel guilty for it either!” I glared, crossing my arms over my chest, my mouth pursing like I’d just sucked a lemon.

  “Can’t help it, huh? So when another fella comes along and ‘does it for you’," he smirked that smarmy smirk of his, making air quotes, “are you going to play musical beds with him too?” he growled, his ridges rising up along their spines.

  That hurt. That was my only thought as his comment hit its mark. This is... whatever it is between Perre and me, is different, with Marre too.

  Crazy, hard to explain, almost impossible to deny, but it’s there.

  I feel a pull towards them that I’m finding hard to resist, an irresistible tie to them I can't undo.

  For him to cut it down, making me seem so shallow... fickle...loose...

  Didn't he feel the pull towards me too? That magnetic attraction that drags us toward each other?

  I searched his expression for any sign of remorse, anything to help me deal with the bomb he'd just dropped on me. Ass-sumed of me.

  His face turned carefully blank at my searching looks.

  So, it's like that, huh?

  “Is that what you really think? What you think of me? That I’m a whore?” I said slowly as I started stalking towards him.

  “I didn’t say that exactly...” he replied quietly, examining his finger nails, like he wasn’t the world’s largest ass, like he hadn’t just torn me down and implied I’m a floozy.

  He came on to me! Initiated sex with me!

  I paused in disbelief as I wracked my brain for answers I obviously wasn't going to get from the pink, bottled up, man child.

  My demon lord keeps himself buttoned up tight, emotions kept under lock and key, I thought, pondering this new development.

  I replayed everything leading up to this point and a thought hit me suddenly, like lightning had come crashing down out of the sky and struck me.

  “I get it,” I muttered as realization dawned, “You’re jealous of Marre, and you're mad because I hurt your feelings.”

  It was a shot in the dark, as far as guesses go, but I just had a terrible feeling that’s what it was. It would make sense, explain his sudden flip of the switch.

  His suddenly cherry red face confirmed it.

  “No!” he insisted vehemently, shaking his head in denial. “Why would I be jealous of him? Technically it would be like envying myself, now wouldn’t it?” he grumbled, his tone clipped and unfriendly.

  Deflect all you want, buddy, I’m so on to you now!

  “No, it wouldn’t, because you’re not the same. You two couldn’t be more different if not for the fact that you look similar.”

  My anger started to fade a little as I tried to put myself in his position, see it from his point of view. It would be really hard to begin to care for someone, only to have to deal with them also having feelings for someone else. Even scarier if you feel a click with someone you know, but don’t exactly know.

  I’m in a similar boat with you Perre, but I don’t have to worry about sharing you with anyone else.

  I think that would be a tough pill for anyone to swallow.

  I walked towards him to comfort him a little, reassure him, let him know I care for him too, but he dodged me and went to the other side of the bed.

  I don't even know why I feel like I have to, need to try. We barely know each other! So why do I feel like I've known him forever? Like I've been waiting around for Marre and Perre to waltz in and sweep me off my feet.

  I eyed Perre and snorted at the idea of him letting a single romantic bone in his body loose long enough to sweep me anywhere, except maybe against a hard surface to rut me wildly.

  My body shivered at the mental image, a small smile playing at the corners of my lips.

  “What are you doing?” he asked curiously, eyeing me like he thought I was plotting to play a trick on him.

  “I’m walking to you,” I said nonchalantly, smiling at him a little more, my eyes twinkling at him playfully as I advanced towards him.

  “Why?” he asked warily.

  “To hug you,” I answered, chuckling at the tone of his voice.

  “Uh-huh, why?” he asked, sounding unconvinced.

  “You look like you need one.”

  His face darkened, anger shadowing his ruggedly handsome features.

  “I don’t want or need your pity, princess,” he spat, glaring at me.

  “I don’t pity you, you stubborn ass! Now quit moving!” I shot back, hopping onto the bed to try and gain on him.

  “Ah, yes, poor Perre. I’ll make nice with him and maybe I can fuck him and his brother,” he sneered, his expression freezing me on the spot.

  “What happened to the fun Perre from a little bit ago, where the hell is he hiding?” I demanded, ignoring his nasty barbs.

  Trying to, anyways...

  “Is that what you want, Magenta, a threesome with the two Cardanians? Wanted to see what it was like? See how fun it could be? Two males rutting with you at the same time...”

  “No!” I barked, cutting him off. Is that what he thinks I want? What I’m doing here?

  “What, you didn’t think you could get in good with Marre, sex it up with him, and then see if I was willing too?” he continued, his angry face making him seem almost sinister as he kept baiting me. “You said you were confused? I thought you could tell us apart? Wanted to try each of us out and see which one rode better?”

  “Stop it,” I hissed, my hands shaking as I hugged my middle, his barbs hitting their mark. It felt like they were dipped with acid.

  He kept going, his voice condescending as he laid into me, twisting my words around to suit himself, laying into me full force.

  I didn’t want to hear him spitting any more of his poison at me, so I ignored him, covering my ears with my hands as I tried to rush out of the room.

  He grabbed me and cupped my hands with his upper ones, lifting them away from my ears and keeping them at my sides.

  I kept my head down, feeling ashamed for the way he’d made me sound, the bits and pieces I could hear of him degrading me, tearing down the nature of what I'd stupidly thought we’d just shared.

  He’d turned it into something ugly, something snapping inside of me, making me feel really vulnerable right now.

  “Truth hurt?” he whispered fiercely, bringing tears stinging to the backs of my eyes.

  I blinked them back, refusing to let myself cry in front of him

  What would cause someone to lash out at someone this way? I feel like he's not even really talking to me anymore, just taunting the ghost of some unseen wound that's still bleeding for him.

  Baggage much?

  Anger, jealousy, trust issues, pole up his rump...

  Hmm... All signs point to a woman.

  The pink shaving cream and pink razor popped into my mind and it all clicked into place.

  Ahhh, I thought after a moment, old wounds are getting ripped open. Unintentionally, of course, I wouldn't hurt Perre. I don't think I'm even capable of it where the touchy, pink, prickly demon lord is concerned. No matter how crazy he makes me.

  Looks like I have my work cut out for me here.

  Seems to have a brick wall wrapped around himself, quick to snap whenever he shows any vulnerability, shutting you out and down before you get the chance to do anything to him first.

  I can’t take it back, though, admitting my feelings for Marre, and I wouldn’t have lied to him anyways.

  Could I have done it over again, I would’ve done the same exact thing- told him the truth. I need him to know where I'm at, how I feel about all of this.

  Hell, I'm still not even sure exactly how I feel about all of it. This is all a lot to digest.

  But, for now, I'm going to set it aside and get s
ome things straight right now, before we can go any further.

  “Whoever she was, you can’t hurt her by hurting me. I didn’t do anything,” I said after a long pause, finally looking up at him.

  His eyes grew wide and then narrowed dangerously.

  “Marre tell you that, did he?” he accused. "She was a whore, didn't mean a damn thing to me. Don't even know why you’re bringing it up. Want her number to compare notes, see how we add up?" he sneered.

  His jaw twitched as he clenched it tight, eyeing me, assessing me. "You know what they say,” he just had to add, “birds of a feather..."

  A 'crack' echoed through the room as I slapped him hard across the face, boring imaginary holes into him with a killing glare.

  “Marre didn’t tell me anything! You obviously have a chapped ass about something, or you wouldn’t be jumping to so many conclusions!” I shouted, my blood boiling, temper spiked to the umpteenth degree.

  “So then it’s normal to mate with a woman, and then she tells you she wants your brother... do I have it all down right?” he bit out coldly, a huge red welt spreading out and welting up on his face.

  “You know what,” I clipped out, walking over to the bed and rummaging through the sheets for my torn up clothes as I started in on him.

  “What? Tell me, I’m just dying to know!” he shot back sarcastically, throwing his arms up.

  “I don’t know what I ever saw in you! I thought you were the quiet one, everyone did," I raised my hands up, gesturing around wildly. "I thought you were different. I thought I could be honest with you, that you’d understand. I thought it was for a good reason, not because deep down you’re still a silly little boy who can’t handle anything and still needs his mommy!” I ranted, flinching as he pounded his fist into the wall, plaster and drywall flying everywhere.

  “Maybe I don’t want a mate who will fuck anything with a willing dick! Maybe I don’t want to have to deal with you! Maybe you’re full of shit and you just want to make a god damn sandwich with me and Marre, going on your merry way, when all is said and done!” he bellowed, his ridges whistling, the sound almost as loud and deafening as his voice.

  I ground my teeth in frustration.

  “Well I have news for you, heathen, you just mated me! Crash course, sweet heart,” he ground out through clenched teeth, “Cardanian’s only release their mating appendage when they claim their intended! Now you’re stuck with me, Forever! So there, how do you feel about that?!!” he finished, his voice rising to a shout at the end.

  Mated! Mated! He can’t just... mate me! I have a choice in this! Erm, don’t I? Or did I forfeit that when I agreed to the sex?

  No!

  I refuse to be pinned down by an over bearing, untrusting, sneaky... He mated me! On purpose! Didn’t bother to tell me!

  I felt my blood pressure rising at the unfairness of his underhanded tactics.

  I will not be chained to him for the rest of my life like a... a... like a dead weight! To such a... a selfish bastard!

  He should have told me, my mind wailed.

  “YOU! ARE SUCH AN ASSHOLE!” I screamed, finally snapping inside, throwing things at him, not caring about the suddenly shocked look on his face.

  “A smarmy,” I screeched, throwing his alarm clock at him, “inconsiderate,” there went a jar of change, “flag pole up his ass,” I panted, chucking a porcelain figurine of some kind of naked woman with too many arms.

  “Hey! I liked that!” he protested, ducking it as it missed his head and hit the wall, smashing into a million satisfying pieces.

  “It was ugly!” I shrieked, “Looked like you with huge tits!” I sneered, snarling at him when he attempted to move towards me, effectively stilling his advance.

  I threw his athletic cup at him, knocking him with it in the chest.

  Perre just gaped at me as I continued my rampage.

  I picked up the condiment bottles that had tumbled out of our clothes when he’d ripped our pants off earlier and chucked them at him too, yelling colorful expletives at him as he batted away all the hard plastic missiles.

  “What the hell is going on in here?!” Marre barked from the door way, his jaw dropping as he took in all the carnage.

  His gaze scanned the room and stalled on me, taking in my naked, raging, condiment covered body, and his eyes gleamed hotly at me, but his mouth was a concerned, grim slash.

  “It’s all his fault,” I snapped, pointing at Perre.

  “Like hell, woman! This is all your fault!” Perre bellowed, crossing his arms belligerently over his chest.

  “Mate, remember, husband!” I screeched at him, picking up another bottle, winding it up and letting it fly, hitting him right between the eyes with it.

  His stunned expression was priceless as the bottle bounced off of his forehead with a meaty thwack, leaving a smear of mustard right between his eyes.

  A direct hit! I crowed in my head.

  Marre looked back and forth between us, watching our exchange avidly, quietly taking it all in.

  He silently started taking off everything he wore except his snug fitting boxer briefs, setting everything into a neat pile on the hallway floor.

  He swooped in and tossed a screaming me over his shoulder, smacking my ass hard when I grabbed onto the door frame, so I could finish telling Perre exactly where he could stick his dick the next time he felt the need, because he wouldn’t be getting any from me!

  I yelped and released the door frame at his slap, trying to reach my hand around to protect my bottom from his stinging palms.

  That shit smarts!

  “Clean this up!” Marre barked at Perre as he took off with me down the hall.

  I used one hand to cover my bum while the other shook wildly in the air as I cursed Perre to planet China and back.

  Marre was silent, toting me along like a sack of potatoes, his sexy ass flexing and tightening becomingly in those skin tight briefs as he made his way down the hall, ignoring my tirade.

  He walked into his room and kicked the door shut with the heel of his foot, not even pausing as he made his way into his attached bathroom.

  Nice digs, I thought appreciatively as I admired the tasteful yet masculine furniture in his room from my awkward position over his shoulder.

  He walked into the bathroom and secured my legs with his upper arms, turning on the taps with his lower one.

  When he was satisfied with the temperature, he slid me down his torso slowly, oh so slowly, setting me gently on my feet in the shower.

  He stepped back and left the bathroom, leaving the bathroom door open behind him. I heard the door to his bedroom click open and snick shut a second later, signaling his departure.

  Slumping dejectedly, I let the warm water cascade over me, soothing my frayed nerves as I took deep, even, calming breaths.

  I stood there for a moment, bowing my head and staring at my feet, watching as all the mess I'd been covered in washed down the drain, swirling down it in a colorful mess.

  I didn't even realize I'd been crying until I felt hot tears rolling down my cheeks.

  I closed my eyes and let them fall, silently crying as each and every remark jabbed at me, eating at my soul as if I'd really done it, as if I was every demeaning thing Perre had thrown at me.

  I really shouldn't care what he thinks... or should I? According to him, he claimed me. I don't even know one hundred percent what that means, exactly!

  A solid, comforting warmth pressed against my back and Marre was there, his lower arms wrapping around me protectively as his upper arms smoothed over my hair, rubbing my back and neck gently.

  “Shhh,” he soothed as I tried to talk and it came out choked.

  I turned in his arms and let him comfort me, wrapping my arms around him too, his voice low and rumbling in his chest as he whispered to me softly.

  "You alright, sweet heart?"

  "I don't know," I told him honestly.

  "Want to talk about it?"

  "No," I mumbled bell
igerently, burying my face in his abdomen, since I'm not tall enough to pillow against his man boobs.

  He chuckled and pulled me away a little bit, looking into my eyes as he caressed my shoulders and smiled at me reassuringly, encouraging me to tell him what was wrong.

  I sighed and looked off to the side, worried about how he might react. Biting my lip, I peeked up at him.

  "He thinks I'm a whore for having feelings for the both of you," I muttered quietly, while I looked down to stare at our feet, the water swirling down the drain my focal point as I avoided the urge to see his reaction.

  "Look at me," Marre said after a long moment, his voice low but firm.

  I swallowed and closed my eyes, tears pricking the backs of them again.

  He grasped my chin firmly in his hand and turned my face up to meet his.

  "Open your eyes, Ah Cah Eema," he demanded, holding my chin still when I would have pulled away.

  I opened them slowly, grudgingly, and looked at him, expecting the worst. He ran his fingertips over my cheek, looking me over intently, his expression giving nothing away.

  "Do you care for me, Magenta?" he asked, staring at me intently.

  "Yes," I admitted quietly, my breath catching at the delight that broke out across his face.

  He leaned down and kissed me, his lips hot and hungry on mine, devouring me as he pulled me towards him, sliding his lower arms around my waist to smooth over my hips distractingly.

  "I care for you too, sweet heart," he murmured, his voice muffled against my neck as he placed gentle nips along my neck. He reached one of the spots where Perre had bitten me and I yelped, jumping as he accidentally nipped the bite mark.

  He pulled my hair back and frowned as he examined my bite wound.

  "It's really not that bad." I cleared my throat awkwardly and blushed, cupping my hand over it to hide it from him.

  "He broke the skin," he gritted out, glaring at my cupped hand.

  "I don't think he meant to do it that hard," I chided, then shut up, realizing what I was doing.