The Demon and His Plaything

20| The execution

Like watching a funeral procession, they watched as the demon contingent left, waiting until the large cars were out of eyeline before picking up the unconscious Tyler. Derek was the one to put him in the back seat of the car. He looked at Samantha once done. The horror she saw in Derek's eyes settled in her chest. She held her lips tight together.

"I'll walk back," Samantha said and turned on her heel not waiting for anything from her father. Derek said nothing to the two older men and followed her.

They walked in silence. The weight of their actions dragging them down.

"Is this the right thing to do?"

Samantha looked over at him. "What is the alternative? We tell everyone the truth and the pack is torn apart?"

Derek shook his head. The impact of the Alpha and Beta doing something like this. If his mother found out, if she didn't already know…

When they got back to the packhouse Samantha continued on to her room, not saying bye.

Derek stood on the ground floor looking lost. He looked around at the pack members as they walked around oblivious to what had happened. The buzz of the execution that was going to happen that night permeated through the place. It was set at the same time as the attack was believed to have started.

It left a bitter taste in his mouth.

~*~

Her parents were in the suite when Samantha arrived.

"Samantha," her mother stood motioning for Samantha to have a seat.

She sat and waited for what they were going to say.

Her parents glanced at each other first. Her father started, "There are decisions you have to make sometimes, for the benefit of the pack that you aren't always going to like."

She snorted, forcing the derivative reaction specifically to irk her parents. She hadn't been a bratty teen but she knew the moves.

Alpha Andrew pursed his lips and her mother took over. "Our pack is very prosperous and we have been expanding more than our lands can bear. This was a necessary evil."

"And if Tracy hadn't gotten caught up in it, justice wouldn't have mattered."

"We had the rogues to pin it on," Alpha Andrew explained. "There would have been justice for the survivors."

"False justice," Samantha stated plainly.

"You'll understand when you are Luna," Rachel said gently. "Of course, you know you can't speak of this ever again. After tonight, it's done."

"And Derek? He getting this pep talk too?"

"Ben will speak with him, yes." Her father confirmed.

"I'm moving into my own apartment. I'll wait until the refugees are resettled–I'm going to be coming and going from the pack as I like." Her parents started to object, shocked by the two swift demands. She stood. "I will put the pack first, and I hope I can find more palatable solutions than the two of you when I take over."

She walked into her room and gently closed the door. She walked to her window and looked down. The hill where they were setting up to execute Tyler loomed up from her vantage point. They also had two rogues they had found that they were claiming had organised it with him. There would be no trial. No recorded testimonies.

~*~

Samantha and Derek stood together with his parents. He had his arm around his mother, who was crying softly. There were lanterns lit, but it was dark and the crowd was sombre.

When it was time, Luna Rachel faced the crowd while Alpha Andrew went behind a screen. Almost all the adult refugees were here and a number from this pack where they either knew someone or had family from the destroyed pack.

Samantha forced herself to watch as the three men were brought out. Her heart hammered. Their hands were tied behind their back and they had black sacks over their heads. They were gagged under it. They all fought and cried out around their gags as they were pushed to their knees.

Luna Rachel stood tall and addressed them all. "A great crime has been committed and while we can't punish all those responsible, we have the three orchestrators of this egregious act." Her voice rang across the grounds.

The pack's Alpha came around behind her in wolf form. He was enormous, the same colour as Samanthas but he had a white chest and his eyes were a golden brown.

"The punishment is death and will be carried out immediately," Luna Rachel concluded.

She felt Derek tense beside her. She glanced at his face seeing his eyes were cast down.

Samantha looked back to where her father stalked up to the prisoners. One by one he decapitated each one. His maw encircled their heads and his massive paw pushed their bodies down as he tore their heads clear.

As the last body dropped Derek turned his mother to his father and walked away.

Samantha backed up and followed him, meeting her parents' eyes briefly first.

She followed at a distance. His hands were balled into fists. They were halfway to the packhouse when he swung around. "I'm done."

His tone was a punch in her gut. Samantha faltered. He didn't stop walking, turning again and continuing on.

She followed him to his apartment, taking the stairs as he was already in the lift by the time she arrived in the building. He had left the door open so she continued to follow him.

She found him in his room packing a bag. "Where are you going?"

"I don't know, but I can't be here."

"Can you stop for a minute?"

"No."

Samantha crossed her arms. "You'll need somewhere to stay. Do you want me to book a hotel for you?"

He looked at her with a furious expression on his face. "Would you leave me alone?"

"No," she said simply. "I understand you're upset and you need some time–but you need somewhere safe you can be and I am going to make sure that happens."

He growled, "So f*****g logical."

She remained unflinching. "I can get Godrick–”

"Don't you dare." He zipped his bag up with more force than necessary.

"Grim?" She suggested. Derek hesitated and begrudgingly agreed.

"But wait until tomorrow. It's late."

Derek rubbed his face, she was right. "Okay."

She messaged their new friend. She was thankful they'd thought to trade numbers. Derek didn't have a phone. She'd have to order him one. She then messaged Godrick that she would come to see him the next day. She was going to start using her new privileges straight away. She understood Derek's need to leave, she felt it too. And so was going to as well, at least for a night.

"Do you want me to stay with you tonight?" She asked.

Derek dropped his bag and turned away. She walked up behind him, stopping a hairsbreadth so he could feel the heat of her presence. He leant back inviting an embrace she was more than willing to give.

~*~

Derek could barely breathe. He was sitting in the front passenger seat and was stewing with the knowledge Samantha was sitting back there with Godrick–who would occasionally whisper something flirty to her and Derek could hear it. Because he's a freaking werewolf.

"I got you the type of rope you like."

"Shhh."

Derek was sure he was doing it deliberately.

"You okay if we grab a drink first?" Grim asked him.

"Sure," Derek grumbled.

"You two want to come for a drink?"

"Hell no," Godrick replied in a light voice.

Derek had held Samantha as they slept the night before, no words between them. Her only question was how long he thought he needed. He had no answer. Knowing she would be in Godricks arms tonight, he wasn't sure he wanted to leave her at all.

She organised a phone with Grims help, it sitting in Derek's lap, loaded with her number.

It felt like both forever and too soon they arrived at Godricks apartment building. Samantha stopped by his window. "Message me if you need anything."

He couldn't think of anything to say so he just nodded, looking straight ahead. He felt her eyes on him for a few more seconds before she turned, Godrick putting his arm around her as he steered her into the building.

Derek looked at his phone. He had no idea what he was doing. He had just wanted to get away and he had wanted to get away from her too, but as the car pulled away from her he felt nothing but loss.

"We're here," Grim announced joyfully less than a minute later.

Derek looked around, "I thought it'd be further."

"Nah, Godrick lives around the corner. Come on."

Derek followed Grim into the brick building. It looked non descript outside. Inside it had a dive bar of a front room and a night club in the back. Black and silver reigned supreme though looked at least ten years worn.

Grim motioned to the two areas. Derek's vote was resoundingly for the bar.

Grim shrugged, "Maybe next time."

"Hey Grim," an insanely hot redhead sidled up to them. She sized Derek up.

"Oh. Hi Zara."

"You going to introduce me to your friend?"

"Nope." He moved Derek to a spot at the bar. He motioned to the bartender who served him immediately although there were other customers waiting. He dropped two beers in front of them.

Derek looked back at the woman. He caught her eye and she purposely licked her lips at him.

"I'd steer clear," Grim cautioned, seeing where his eyes had gone. "Don't put your d**k in crazy, plus you don't want to be double wang brothers with Godrick."

Derek faced the bar, drawing on his beer with a scowl. "He god's gift, or something?"

Grim grinned and slapped him on the back. "The ladies do love him. He's pretty. He looks dangerous. Chicks dig that." Grim hoisted himself up to a stool next to him.

The drone of rock music and the conversations of patrons of the bar wrapped around Derek. His thoughts chasing each other all while he tried to quash and push them all down. He wanted numbness. Needed distraction.

"It's not so far-fetched," Grim said suddenly.

Derek looked at him. "What isn't?"

"I've heard of heaps of multi partner relationships in the shifter world. Is it just 'cause Godricks is a Demon?"

Derek thought about that for a second. "Not just because…" he shook his head. "She's going to be Luna. The pack won't accept it."

“What about you?”

“What about me?”

Grim gave a half smile. Clinking his beer against Derek's. “Do you accept it?” He took a swig as Derek absorbed the question.

Derek felt strange talking to someone he barely knew about something like this. But he hadn't been able to talk to anyone about any of this. Tom was too wrapped up in his new relationship and Derek hadn't wanted to burden him–or share information about the pack's future Luna with him.

"I heard that the new Queen of the Netherrealm has two guy mates. And they're both shifters and they're all each other's mates. One of them is the dragon prince."

Derek looked up, surprised. They didn't get much news from outside the human realm so he hadn't heard, but he'd met the young dragon prince.

"No s**t?" Derek thought back to the encounter. The dragon prince had been impressive, broader than even Derek or his father. The energy from dragon had been awesome. The Prince had another man with him, his second in command. Thinking back Derek definitely had gotten a vibe there between the two of them.

“The twin heirs to the Alpha King in Therein shared their mate,” Grim added, his face lighting up as he recalled that tidbit of information.

“Those are all fated though,” Derek said absently, but his mind was definitely ticking over.

Grim watched his face. Grim seemed satisfied that he'd got the young man thinking about things less binary.

"And with the proximity and size of your pack and our presence here in the city," Grim shrugged, deciding to push his luck, "could be a boon for all of us if we can find some beneficial alliance." He took a sip of his beer. "I've been wanting to get into more legitimate s**t. Being abducted and almost killed has really solidified my resolve."

Derek laughed. "I'll think about it."

"Good man " Grim slapped him on the back. "Now, let's get drunk."

~*~

Samantha relished in complete surrender.

Her legs were tied bent in a shibari leg tie, with her hands tied together at the wrists. Godrick had her on her back, her arms restrained up above her head.

Godricks teeth scraped along her flesh as his mouth travelled down her body. She had her hood on, a gag on that held her lips open drawing her mouth into an o.

“Did your body miss me?” He asked between rough kisses against the hood of her clit.

She moaned low, it clipping off to a growl. He glanced up, seeing her flashing eyes.

“Maybe your wolf missed me?”

She rocked her lower body, a growling rumble coming from her chest.

He flashed a cocky grin and then went to work. His mouth was unrelenting, his fingers seeking all her favourite spots. Reaching up her body to tease her n*****s or plunging into her, first her weeping p***y and then her wanting passage.

He moaned in concert with her, frequently drawing his hand up and down his erect shaft.

He pulled back, not letting her fall just yet. He edged her a couple of times, wanting to build her up as high as he could.

His mouth sucked and kissed against the skin of her inner thigh after a particularly close release. Her cries had died down to mewling pants, begging him to finish her.

Godrick shifted her position in his bed, dragging her towards the center. Her needy moans picked up speed, excited what the adjustment meant.

They both froze as they heard a knock at the front door.

~*~

Godrick opened the door in surprise. "Derek. What's up?"

"Can I come in?"

"Of course." He stood to the side. It was obvious that Derek had been drinking.

"Where's Samantha?"

"She's… tied up at the moment," he smirked as he said it and the look on Derek's face as he realised it wasn't a turn off phrase was priceless.

Derek rubbed his face, "I don't know why I'm here."

Godrick clapped the man on his shoulder. "Of course you do. You love her too and maybe you're thinking I'm not such a bad guy to be part of a relationship with."

Derek looked at him with surprise and Godrick laughed at having guessed so close. He assumed Grim had given Derek some sage advice tonight for Derek to have come here. Likely he'd have to thank the Demon later–always the wingman.

"Does she even want me here?" He asked. Godrick was surprised by his uncertainty.

"Samantha doesn't do anything she doesn't want. If she told you she wants you then you should trust it. Trust it by the things she does," Godrick said, he tried not to be condescending, but hadn't this guy known her their whole lives?

Derek stirred and Godrick assumed the two had just mindlinked. He felt a slight pang of jealousy. He'd love to have her voice in his head.

"What did she say?"

"That she is happy I'm here. She asked to send you back in so she can see me…"

Godrick puffed and headed to his bedroom, leaving Derek in the living room.

She was laying on her side waiting for him.

"You want me to untie you?"

She nodded, the gag still in place.

"Mmmm." He ran his hand over her smooth arse. "What if I just f**k you quick?"

Her eyes flashed. He could tell she liked the idea but she was worried about leaving Derek waiting. He sighed and started to untie her, removing her gag first.

"Does he look okay? He sounded sad."

"He looks like he's been drinking. You okay with how this might go?"

She looked at him, absorbing his words. "I don't think Derek would be into that…"

Godrick removed the final pieces. "You might be surprised."

She pulled a dress over her head. It was a dark green and thin material, sitting at mid thigh. He could see the peaks of her n*****s. He grabbed her for a quick heated kiss.

"God I love you."

She smiled at him. "I love you too."

There was no other explanation for what she felt for Godrick. It had to be love. And she felt it for Derek too.

He held her hand as they walked out. Derek was looking out the sliding door to the balcony over the night cityscape.

He turned. Godrick noticed the wolf sniffed the air. He'd noticed they always did that when people entered the room or they were somewhere new. It tickled him. He'd thought Demons were wild, but Werewolves were even more alien to humans.

"Sam," Derek breathed out. It was obvious her presence had soothed him.

She released Godricks hand and took a few steps closer to Derek, but didn't touch him, waiting to see what he wanted.

"You okay?"

Derek's face twisted a little. "Not really. I can't get you out of my head–or my heart–and I don't know if I want to."

She took another step and raised her hand, still not touching him. "Oh Derek. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I'm like this."

Godricks head turned sharply. "Hey! Uh uh. You're amazing Samantha. Don't ever be sorry for who you are." He pulled her back to him. "Derek here thinks so too. He's just so hung up on a fantasy he built in his head about you, isn't that right?"

Derek had tensed as Godrick spoke. "Maybe."

"No f*****g maybes. I went through the same thing. Get over it or move on."

"Godrick…" Samantha cautioned and looked back at Derek.

Derek returned her gaze. "I want all the things we were going to have together–" He took a breath. "Now I don't know what that all means–if this is our relationship." He motioned between himself and the Demon.

"We can work it out together," she suggested. Still holding Godricks hand she stepped to Derek. The other man reached his hand out for her and closed the distance. He took her free hand, bringing his other to cup her face and kiss her.

Godrick watched the kiss with interest. He released her hand and she flowed it up and into Derek's short hair.

"I'm willing to try," Derek's voice was thick with emotion. He stared down into Samantha's face, a mixture of worry and hope there.

Godrick licked his lips as he came up behind Samantha. "Now that we have that out of the way, you kind of interrupted something, so…"

"Godrick," Samantha chastised but she smiled wickedly over her shoulder at him. Derek saw it too. His expression turned to one of curiosity, seeing this side of Samantha. Like the woman he'd seen her be at the ball when she distracted the bartender.

Godrick laughed and pulled her back against him, her body coming willingly, her hands still on Derek.

Samantha turned her face back to Derek. "You want a drink? We can stay up for a bit and talk some more."

Derek shook his head, his eyes trailed to where Godrick was rubbing her, at her waist on her right side and just at the side of her left breast. "No, I've had enough… okay if I sleep on the couch?"

Godrick and Derek made eye contact. Godrick knew Derek wouldn't make the first move. Derek wasn't going to suggest it, so he did. "Come to bed with us."

Derek's eyes widened and he looked at Samantha. She bit her lip, but just the thought had sent a shiver down her, landing in her core. Godrick had felt her body tremble when he said the words.

"I…" Whatever Derek wanted to say was stuck in his throat

Samantha flowed her hands down from his arms to his hands. "Only if you want to."

"You want me to?"

"Yes." There was no hesitation.

Godrick amped up his touches. His hand cupped her breast, his thumb brushing against her n****e. His other hand spread wide and moved over her pelvis, pushing her back against his new erection. She bit back a moan.

Derek seemed to hesitate, but Samantha opened her arms to him and he came forward for her embrace. Godrick watched as their mouths met. He moved his right hand as Derek grinded up against her. He could feel his movements through Samantha–how her ass grinded back against him.

Godrick made a little moan and placed his mouth at the back of her neck, at his mark. As Derek kisses went down her neck, Godrick took the opportunity to twist her to him and kiss her. He released her as Derek's mouth traveled back up and to her jaw.

Derek pulled back and Samantha rolled his shirt up, Derek taking it up and over his head. He looked at Godrick, an unreadable question there.

Godrick took a moment to absorb the sight of the other man half naked. Dereks arousal was apparent in his slacks. He was a tank in every sense. "Let's go to the room."

~*~