A Few Sips

Author's Note:

Dearest readers, I wanted to take a moment and thank you for the amazing and very helpful feedback that I have received through email, as well as the comments that are posted as I bring out new chapters! It helps me so much to know that I have people's attention with my stories, and it makes me work harder to make these chapters compelling, to make the characters come more alive! THANK YOU!

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"Seriously? There are centaurs here? That is so cool." Domino gave Samir a dirty look when he laughed at her later in the day, they were sitting together on a couch in front of the television where they'd just been watching a movie as they waited for their dinner to finish cooking. Samir had made a casserole.

"Yes, they're certainly cool. But they're moody and when they mate, it's not exactly timid." Samir shook his head at her, the small blond had asked him what types of non-humans worked for Mr. Hughes. Yet another conversation topic that didn't involve the angel that they had both been thinking about throughout the day.

"I don't think any of you non-humans are timid when it comes to mating." She muttered as she crossed her legs in front of her, her back resting comfortably against the couch.

"Not really." He nodded, he couldn't think of any.

"So besides centaurs, who else?"

"There's a female vampire that comes here, and I suppose Mr. Hughes will have to hire a new male vampire. He already hired on a new pack of werewolves from the Boston area."

"Do non-humans want to get a job here?"

Samir shrugged, "There are a few places like this around the world. This is the only one in North America, though, and I think it's probably the one with the most rules. But that just makes it safer for our guests, and our non-humans."

"What kind of rules do the other ones not have?" That made her curious.

"No pain, Mr. Hughes is big on that one, no injury to anyone involved."

"That's a good rule."

"No pregnancies, the women who come here are given a meal each morning that contains birth control. Only Chrysanthulus can make a woman pregnant and take her to term."

"What is Chrysanthulus?"

"A plant creature...who lives at the bottom of the lake. He fucks women and within six hours or so, they give birth to his little baby plant creatures." He smiled at the look of wonder in her eyes.

"Which is why I can't swim in the lake."

He nodded, "Precisely."

"We also aren't supposed to tell personal details to the clients, or try to get involved with them." He told her.

"So Anya broke that rule big time, huh?"

He grinned mischievously, "Yeah, she did. But it was only partially her fault, light sirens make us all go a little starry eyed. When she left, everyone around here moped around for weeks. But she didn't really break the rules until after she left. She found Grigory's phone number in her lawyer's office and tracked him down to find him and the rest of his pack."

"Her lawyer had a werewolf's number?"

He nodded, "Mr. Bricker was the one who sent Anya to us. He's an incubus."

"A lawyer who is really a sex demon. That's funny."

"He hears that all the time." Samir ran a hand through his blond hair.

"Any more rules?"

"Let's see, the clients only get one appointment with each of the non-humans that they visit. They also don't choose who they see. Some places, you can make appointments with certain non-humans."

"Self-serve sex." Her words made him chuckle again and he shook his head at her.

"Sometimes you remind me of Anya, she talks like that sometimes."

"I don't know if I like hearing that, I'm not really happy that she made Mr. Hughes disfigure himself over her." She frowned, turning slightly so that she could face him more easily on the couch.

"We're not talking about that, remember?"

"Oh, I know, but I can still be upset to see him go through so much pain. At first, when I got here, I didn't really like him, he seemed like sort of a sourpuss. But he is trying to help me have this baby. I didn't realize that his shitty mood was because he had a broken heart and that he had cut off his wings, Jesus, he cut through bone, Samir."

He shook a little beside her and nodded, "Did you know that we have a male and female dragon working here?"

"No fucking way, those are real, too?"

"Yup, and elves are real, there are a bunch of different kinds of them, actually, and they don't all get along, nor are they all light or dark. I've met some real jerks over the years. Mermaids, satyrs, fauns, you name it, most of the non-humans you've read about over the years are real." Samir was glad he got her off of Mr. Hughes again, he really wasn't ready to discuss how he felt about what the angel had done to himself.

"So like, we're talking Chronicles of Narnia menagerie. That is so amazing. But, if you all want to remain so secret to humans, how come there are so many books and things out there about all of you?"

"You might be surprised to realize, or maybe not, that some non-humans have a sense of humor, or a desire to spread truth or lies, about their own kind, and many have penned books on the matter."

"Oh really." She thought, wondering suddenly what kind of non-human C.S. Lewis might have been, or Tolkien.

"Hold the phone. Dwarves? Please tell me there is a Kili and Fili running around somewhere, that would be, oh. Yeah, I would totally get in trouble with Alexandru if they were real, I totally would." She rushed out excitedly and Samir laughed at her again.

"They are books, Domino, not non-fiction about actual non-humans. There aren't hobbits, there are no dwarves that look like any of the characters in the movies, orcs are totally fiction."

"Aslan? Big adorable lion?"

"Domino, that was a lion with a voice, an allegory for Jesus." Samir chuckled, standing when he heard the timer go off.

"I know that, but he was my favorite character in the books." She stood up too, and pulled her pole with her over to the dining room table.

"Just don't believe everything that you read in books, or see in movies about non-humans. I'm sure you've already guessed that there is a ton of misinformation out there, seeing as how you're pregnant by a vampire and all." He winked at her as he pulled the casserole out of the oven.

"Yeah, I get that, Samir. I'm sure all the ambiguities and misinformation are actually helpful, and keep your identities a secret." Domino watched him dish some food onto two plates. He did eat more than her. She'd watched him down a pizza few hours ago and she'd been able to only eat a slice after the large lunch they'd had earlier.

"They help, but every once in a while, when you hear someone claiming they saw Bigfoot, or seeing someone fly, they really did see Bigfoot, or see someone fly." He chuckled as he sat down after putting a plate of food on the table for each of them.

"I feel like I stepped into a Grimm tale or something."

"A really really sexy Grimm tale." He said under his breath and Domino giggled at him as she forked some of the casserole into her mouth.

"Wait, you said that Mr. Hughes has a rule that you can't get the girls here pregnant. There are places like this where the girls get pregnant?" That surprised her.

"Well, humans can't birth all non-human babies, so sometimes, it just isn't feasible, like with satyrs and centaurs and vampires. Except you, rule-breaker. But some non-humans can mate and sire children with humans. Werewolves, elves, witches..." He took a bite of his food instead of finishing his sentence.

"Can giants have babies with humans?"

"Giant women can. Giant babies in human girls, that can be a little tricky." He cocked an eyebrow at her and she thought about it for a moment. If the baby morphed inside of the woman, that could be catastrophic, she supposed.

"Yeah, that doesn't sound like a lot of fun. So...have you had any children with any other colossus?"

"That kind of goes in the private details category." He said before putting more food in his mouth.

"Well good thing I'm not a client then..." Domino smiled at him and he chuckled.

"There are times I wish that I'd procreated every chance I got, and had built up this veritable army of giants that could help guide, by force if necessary, humans into making decisions that didn't cause so much harm, but I suppose it's too late for that now. I've only sired three children over the years. One girl and two boys."

"Are they nearly as old as you?"

"My oldest is about 1500 years old. The other two are younger. They don't all know each other. Different moms." He told her with a shrug.

"Do you see them?" She prodded, knowing that he didn't want to say more, she could tell by the way he spoke to her.

"Not really. My youngest is still a little attached. It fades over time, that need to see a parent, to check in at home. We've been around for such a long time that, not to sound heartless, because I will always love my kids, but the need to see them just isn't there. It's the same for them with me. It's hard to explain to someone who is mortal."

"Well, I won't be forever. Alexandru is going to change me after the baby is born." She told him and watched as he paused his hand, fork near his mouth as he thought about what she'd just said.

"You want to be a vampire then?" He asked quietly, prodding her just as she had him a second ago.

"I want Alexandru, and if I live through having this baby, I will want to be his or her mother forever. Being a vampire will allow me to do that."

"And the way you have to feed? You're okay with that?" He asked, it wasn't from disgust, he was only curious, she could tell it by his tone.

"It totally gives me the heebee jeebies, but I suppose once he changes me, I won't care." Domino shrugged, she hadn't really given a lot of thought to what her diet would be when she became a vampire. She could only think about how complete she would feel with her new family if she were one of them.

"So it's not a romantic thing, the idea of being one?"

"Oh, gosh no. I just want to be with Alexandru, I romanticize him, but not because of what he is."

Samir smiled, "That's good. I suppose it's the best reasoning for making a change like that. I've heard vampires in the past talk about humans asking to be changed. Some of their reasons would surprise...even disgust you, I'm sure."

"Well, no one ever said people are smart. We're obviously pretty dumb if we've let you non-humans pull the wool over our eyes about your existence for the entirety of mankind." Domino stood up and picked up her empty plate only to have him rise and take both over to the counter to wash.

"Do you work today?" She asked as he started scrubbing on one plate.

"No, I don't. I need to go soon, though. Mr. Hughes should be here shortly, and I promised to take Shi and Deandra to the theater tonight." He winked at her and she smiled, two women, of course, Samir the ladies' man.

"I'm here now." A deep voice sounded behind them and Domino turned to see the owner of this mansion, impeccably dressed as always, standing just within the doorway of the room that they were in.

"You're ready for me?" She asked with a shy smile on her face, was she really going to let this man tie her up?

He nodded, "You'll want to use the restroom first, and prep yourself with the lube that Alexandru provided you with first."

She blushed crimson that he said that in front of Samir and stepped a little farther away from the giant who was putting dishes on a rack to dry.

"I apologize, I forget that you're not here as a client, Domino. I did not mean to embarrass either of you." He told her as he stepped into the room.

"No, no it's okay. I'll just go get ready." Domino sped past him into the hall as fast as she could drag the pole behind her.

She made quick work of the restroom and then she was back with Mr. Hughes, walking up the staircase with him towards the first floor.

"Where are you going to tie me?" She asked quietly, he was holding the pole since the pump on it made it a little heavy for her.

"In the room where the doctor saw you before. There are suspension hooks in the ceiling in there." He said, making her blush again as they made their way to the foyer and then up the left staircase.

"I've only been tied up once before, by Alexandru. But he didn't hang me up, I was on my bed." She told him, this was very very new to her.

"It won't hurt, there won't be unbearable pressure, and none on your abdomen. I won't tie you in any way that makes you uncomfortable. I want you to let me know if you are." He told her as they entered the room and he walked her and her pole over to the center of the empty area of the room, between the bed and the dresser on the same wall as the outer door to the hallway.

"You will want to undress now. Again, I promise to behave myself with you, Domino. I am doing this as a favor to Alexandru. He doesn't have the patience, or the experience that I do. But he enjoys the end result." He gave her a little hint of a smile and Domino felt warmed suddenly, there was a bit of something in Mr. Hughes that could maybe find happiness one day, and it made her hopeful.

"All right." She nodded and slowly began to take off the clothing that she'd worn during the day she'd spent with Samir.

While she stripped, Mr. Hughes had moved over to the dresser and opened a drawer. She'd thought maybe there would be clothes inside, or towels, or sheets, but he began pulling out ropes and other items and setting them on the top of the dresser. When she was naked, standing nervously with her arms at her sides, he finally turned back to her and she watched as his turbulent gray eyes moved over her body from her feet up to her face, which she was sure had deepened in shade at his perusal.

"I can see why Alexandru is so smitten with you. Not only do you have a wonderful personality that plays well off of his own, you are quite a looker, Domino." His timber made her shiver a bit and she smiled.

"Thank you, Mr. Hughes."

"Archimendes. Or Arc, if you will. You have helped me at my most vulnerable, and I would like to think that we are friends." She widened her eyes at hearing him say that and nodded quickly.

"I would like to be your friend, Arc. I think maybe you need one." Domino knew he had employees he could talk to, like Samir, who she knew had been very concerned about him, but she wondered if he was ever comfortable enough to ever talk to anyone about himself, or the veritable shit storm that she figured was his relationship with Anya. She definitely wanted to know more about that, but she also knew that she was perfectly happy not knowing, and focusing on helping him get better. She didn't know when she stopped looking at him as just a miserable wreck and more of someone who desperately needed a little pick me up, but she definitely was in his corner now. Wait, she did know when it happened. The minute she walked into that room and saw that he'd cut his wings off.

He nodded and approached her, a bit of something in his hand that she couldn't fully see.

"Alexandru requested that I suspend you fully in the air, but I won't be doing that. There are too many risks involved with you because of your pregnancy, so it'll be a semi-suspension." He told her.

"I don't know what that means." Domino arched a brow at him.

"You'll always have one leg on the ground."

"Oh, okay." That didn't sound too bad.

"I should warn you now, some women, when they are being tied up, the sensation of it, that feeling of trust and helplessness mixes with arousal, and they find themselves reaching orgasm on their own." He spoke more softly as he moved a little closer to her.

"Oh, really..."

"As your friend, I promise to completely ignore it, if it happens." His eyes bespoke the truth of it and she smiled, a little embarrassed.

"Hot guy tying me up, unintentional orgasm, check. I may never be able to look you in the face again." Domino chuckled nervously as he smiled a little more, the left corner of his face lifting more than his right.

"Are you ready to begin, Domino?" His question sounded extremely loaded, but Domino gulped down her nerves and nodded, yes, she definitely wanted to see how this would go.

"Yes."

"Close your eyes." His request confused her, but she did it anyway, she wanted him to trust her, so she would show him that same trust.

A satin blindfold was secured around her face and she gasped a little, she wasn't going to get to watch him as he tied her. She had not expected that. But she figured it might make it easier to not focus on the fact that it was Mr. Hughes, Arc, that was tying her up and she could pretend it was her lover. His hands had moved down to her PICC line and she knew he was disconnecting it.

"While I tie you, I'm going to unhook you. Once you're tied, you won't be going anywhere, so I will hook you back up right before I leave." He explained and a few moments later, she felt the absence of the plastic tube against her arm that led to the IV pump, and she heard her pole roll across the room, out of the way.

His warm, calloused hands moved up her forearms towards her wrists and she felt him move her hands together to clasp in front of her body. A rope was first tied around her chest, one line above and one line below her breasts, and then it was moved upwards, as were her arms, to tie the two together at the elbows. Once the ropes were secured there, he extended the length of the rope again and tied her wrists together, as well. Domino could feel his body brush fully up against the front of her as he moved in to raise her hands above her head, and eventually, he had connected those ropes to something on the ceiling above them, and she felt the ropes tighten, forcing her arms skyward. He smelled like peppermints and pine and vanilla and the mingled scents sparked her arousal and she felt her pussy slowly start to warm and throb, and moisten little by little.

The feelings continued inside of her as he stepped away, and she heard him walking around the room.

"How does that feel, Domino?" He asked from across the room, and she couldn't tell if there was a catch in his voice or not.

"Good. I have a feeling that this is a pretty tame tie for you, huh? I saw your work outside the other night, and that looked way more complex."

"Even what I did to that girl was pretty tame, Domino. I have been tying women up for centuries, and it can be very beautiful work that takes days and days to finish." He was walking back over, she could hear his foot steps.

"That sounds extremely, extremely, sexy." She muttered, his chuckle making her skin burn suddenly as he ran a hand down her back from her shoulder to her right ass cheek.

"I'm going to lift your leg into the air now." He said softly and she dropped her forehead against her arms and breathed in, she totally knew what he meant when he said that women found this arousing, he wasn't even doing a complicated tie, and she was wet.

His hand moved to the back of her right thigh and he lifted her leg, then moved the hand up to straighten her knee before clasping his fingers around her ankle for a moment as he grabbed the rope he'd connected to one of the ceiling hooks and lowering it to tie her ankle securely into the air. She was rather flexible, he found, and was able to scissor her legs apart at about a 120 degree angle, though when he tied her leg up, he only forced her open at about 100 degrees. Once the ankle was secure, he looped the rope through the ceiling and then brought it down again to tie her at the knee and thigh, as well.

Domino wished she could see herself, and Mr. Hughes as he worked on the ropes, she was shaking with desire and knew that her pussy was begging for release already, a line of cum was already trickling down the leg that went to the floor under her. She was open now, not as exposed as the woman the other night, but she knew her pussy was on display to the man in the room with her, and that he would be able to see the shiny line of moisture that he'd created by simply using ropes to tie her with.