Free Fae Dominance by J. B. Miller Page B

joy.”
    The bartender silently turned over the hourglass and sat it upon the marble bar top as we took our first swallow.

    Chapter Seven
     
    The last grains of sand trickled through the neck of the hourglass. Each tiny grain exaggerated into high definition detail by my wolf’s vision while I watched it fall to nestle with its brothers below.
    Not long into our drinking contest my wolf came out to join us. I had no control over him at all. At first all I noticed was the increased vision, then my senses began to peak. In all honesty, at this stage I was surprised I was still human shaped.
    “You’re fucking sexy as hell like this, you know?” Robin murmured against my ear. “So damn hot and feral,” he whispered. “You, my ferocious mate,” he paused, “you are so human but your beast is riding you hard, just beneath the surface. Damn, do you know how hard I want to ride you right now?”
    A lopsided grin tilted the corners of Robin’s mouth. If I had not already swallowed, that last sip of wine would have been all over the poor bartender. As it was, he watched us with amazed horror.
    My poor Robin looked more than a little drunk. I had to admit I did not feel to steady on my feet myself. I had to stifle a chuckle as Robin waxed poetic in front of the entranced crowd.
    All the patrons of the club had stopped to watch us as we drank, laughed, and joked this past hour. I do not believe they had ever seen the almighty Puck behave in such a raucous way.
    I sighed while he nibbled my chin but just rolled my eyes and listened as he carried on.
    “From the moment I met you, puppy, I knew. So bloody proud and arrogant,” he purred. “When we stood in that office glaring at one another, I had planned to play with you then. Then Dianthe walked into that room.”
    Molten silver swirled when our gazes met then. “She’s perfect, Kale.”
    My brows lowered, that had sounded clear as a bell without a single slur.
    “So fucking perfect,” he drawled. “That’s when I knew. She was ours and you were mine, we all belonged together…one happy little family. The trisky, trikly,” he frowned before carefully forming the words. “The tricky part was to get us all together into one happy unit.” He nodded his head decisively before continuing, “Did you know, my handsome wolf, that this whole monogamy thing is one of those new-fangled ideas?”
    I snorted before answering, “Is it now? What do you consider new-fangled, Robin? Mate, marriage, and one to one relationships have been around for as long long time. I know you’re an old man, but I’m starting to wonder if you have had too much to drink?”
    I was buzzing hard and felt so loose it wasn’t a sure bet I could make it to the door in a straight line. But I wasn’t too worried, Robin may not make it off his stool at this rate.
    “Pftt,” he said in disgust. “Marriage, the thing that you know it as, is barely more than an infant. It was hardly more than four thousand years ago that people lived in family groups. Several strong males, a couple females, and their children. It was not until all this rubbish on succession came about that anyone even gave a damn. Then the contracts started! Not a Danu be damned inkling about love. Now that is only a few hundred years old,” he rambled. “Marriage for the sake of love, what nonsense.”
    Robin stood up unsteadily and threw out his hands.
    “My sisters and brothers, tell me truth. If you were blessed with a babe this night would any of you care who fathered it? Would you love it less not knowing from whose loins it sprung?”
    A deafening shout filled the air and a chorus of no’s rang out. A couple stepped forth and the male bowed formally in front of Robin.
    “My Lord, Iliana and I have been together for nearly three centuries now. In that time, we have never been blessed to bear a child. In all honestly, I would welcome every male in the courts to our bed if it gave us that chance. If I were ever given the