He smiled with satisfaction as she jerked away from him, there and quickly gone. Her fluted wings, the shocked gasp filled with honest and gut deep pleasure, the sudden uncontrolled jerk towards him, and the involuntary clutching at his chest and collar, proved her first and obviously orchestrated gasp for what it was, a lie. He didn’t mind, not at all, it was all part of the game, and he had just won the first round. She obviously wasn’t finished playing this particular game though as she was still straddling him, still so very close, still pinning him to the chair. Her lips were just a breath away, as red, inviting and as dangerous as an apple in Eden. He wanted to taste them, to nibble and taste that forbidden fruit but doing so now would only give the lead in this little side game of theirs back to her. If she wanted to continue the game, he would play; most assuredly as his arousal was real; as was hers but, if she wanted it to progress further than she would have to come to him.
He pulled away from her slightly, leaning back in the chair, his eyes filled with desire but fully away of the game they played and where they stood in it.
He was also aware he was doing exactly what she demanded. Telling her the how’s, the when’s, the why’s. It irked him, this feeling as if he needed to answer to someone, to seek their approval, their permission as if he belonged to them, submissive to them. he understood she needed to know whether he was worth backing, worth working with but what exactly did she want? Was she looking for a guarantee? A sure bet? Eternity and life held no guarantees. There was him or there was her, alone, holding onto her position by kissing vampire ass, by kneeling at their feet, waiting for them to allow her to keep her power or take it away as they chose. Surely she must see that they were stronger together then apart, but he understood…she needed more if she was to risk what she already had.
He picked up his scotch and took a sip, his grey eyes watching her from over the rim. They were narrowed slightly as he thought on how best to answer, but they also gleamed with challenge, a knowing, self-satisfied awareness that he had caused her to respond so sensually, so uncontrollably so genuinely to his touch.
“I’m not going to kill them or force them. Doing so would only make them rebel, make me no better than that filthy undead upstart, nor do I have any leverage or information to use as a leash” He shook his head slightly, his hair shifting around his face with the movement. He really wanted to get up off of his wings, to ruffle them, open then, stretch them. He hated been trapped in the chair but that too was part of the game, the forced discomfort, the restraining of him. It added another flavor to his arousal, another edge to this mild, sensual, battle of wills.
“I have nothing but the reality of the situation. I will simply point out the truth. The city is in turmoil and the territories are obviously up for grabs proven by Jake’s murderous land grab. They have no-one to stand up to him if he decides to take the north and as Jake as their District leader they were most likely as good as dead, that, or neutered, collared and caged.".
He placed the drink back on the table beside him and continued
“I will point out that their former leader has betrayed them by abandoning them, left them weak, too weak to take their territory back. If they weren’t, they would have done it already. Their former leaders’ abandonment has allowed them to be slowly hunted down and killed.” He smiled sharply
“ I will make it clear, their choices ere simple; Jake, demons…or me. I at least will let them live in peace, let them regroup, grow strong. I am not interested in running or taking over their pack, but I will offer them and the northern territory community security, and all they need do to get it is support my claim as their District Leader, to stand behind me and answer my call if and when I need them.”
In a way it was the same deal he was making with her. Work with him, work together. Who else did she have to watch her back? To guard her flank? Who else could she trust…be herself with?