Archives

Beauty-Beast 47: ♪ Thnks fr th Mmrs ♫

Jan26

First – Previous – Landing Page – Next

Here’s the third of three chapters of Beauty-Beast thanks to Anke’s commission!  

🔒

Ctirad found that he was smiling at Signy the way he probably hadn’t smiled at a woman in years.  Lifetimes. Generations.  Like a peer.  Like a friend.  It couldn’t last, but he liked the feeling.

Of course, they had more important things than him making friends right now.

“But, uh,” he cleared his throat.  “Maybe when this is done we could set up a time to talk about all that stuff? Keeping, being Kept, being young and ignorant fae? Right now, I think we’re supposed to be talking about – well, important things.”

“This is important!” Signy protested.  Then she looked at Sara Florentia and Timaios. “But I, I see what you mean.  Let’s talk about Ermenrich and this – Nedetaka priest.  Ctirad, you said you saw him, yes?  What can you remember?” Continue reading →

Beauty-Beast 46: Clarity Arrives

Jan19

First – Previous – Landing Page – Next

Here’s two of three chapters of Beauty-Beast thanks to Anke’s commission!  

🔒

There was a moment of silence.  Not the whole lounge, thank whoever might be listening, just their little corner.  Signy was staring at Ctirad in obvious horror.  Timaios squeezed him tighter to his side, a quick gesture and still clearly affectionate.  Sara Florentia was looking at him as if he’d just gotten interesting.

“Ermenrich liked to make sure I wasn’t going to slip and say anything,” he explained to Signy’s horrified look. “Because I – because he didn’t think I was that bright.” It took effort to phrase it that way, to put it in Ermenrich’s court and not on his own shoulders, but he knew it would make Timaios happy that he hadn’t put himself down, and he thought it might explain things better to Signy. Continue reading →

Beauty-Beast 45: Unknown Knowns

Dec18

First – Previous – Landing Page – Next

We have a couple chapters of Beauty-Beast thanks to Anke’s commission!  Welcome back to Ctirad and Timaios et al!

🔒

Ctirad was struggling to stay awake. 

Although Timaios had said that’s what we’re here about, it had been almost forty minutes, and they – mostly Sara and Timaios, with Signy putting in on occasion and, more rarely, Ctirad having something he felt was useful to say or, slightly more commonly, Timaios asking him a question – still hadn’t gotten to doing something about Ermenrich.

He was daydreaming while they talked about mergers and acquisitions, contemplating what he would do if he had Ermenrich under his collar. He had gotten as far as ordering the asshole to never speak again when Timaios brushed his hand over his hair, bringing his attention back to the conversation. 

“I’m sorry.”  Ctirad looked up at his Owner.  “What was that?” Continue reading →

Beauty-Beast 44: Acting

Oct18

First – Previous – Landing Page – Next

🔒

Ctirad was almost letting himself relax when Signy bowed her head – just a little, but it was a bow – at him.  At him.  “I apologize.”  She seemed to be thinking about what to say next, but decided on a smile that was unlike the predatory expression he’d seen on her at other times and sat back down.

Ctirad turned to Timaios, hoping his expression successfully conveyed enough what the fuck that his owner understood without relaying that message to the rest of the room.

Timaios pulled Ctirad into a one-armed hug.  “Let us go sit and talk with Sara, shall we? There’s some issues I want to bring up with her.  And, as it turns out, with Signy. I hadn’t expected her to be in town today. You’ve been out for a while, haven’t you, jae’Xanthus?”

“Yes, sa’Slingshot, for several months.  But I flew in just the day before yesterday.”  Something about her demeanor had changed completely.  “And since sa’Single-Blossom wanted to talk to me,” she tilted her head at Sara Florentia, “here I am.  I didn’t realize that I would be disrupting plans,” she added, sweetly but with an edge to it.

Ctirad was still reeling from the apology, but he sat where Timaios indicated – at his Owner’s feet, which was a very nice place, as long as Signy didn’t want her feet rubbed – and leaned against Timaios’ legs.   Continue reading →

Beauty-Beast 43: Introductions

Oct9

First – Previous – Landing Page – Next

🔒

Ctirad had no expectations as he followed Timaios down a very nice hallway.  The art here was different, less bland, all of it of the skyline, of the city, but from many different eras. It had feeling, he thought, even if you could see the style evolving over the centuries.

Timaios nodded to a man with shoulders so broad he could probably carry Ctirad across them easily; the man nodded back.  “Mr. Kaprinsky . Anything you need, sir?”

“No, thank you, Eddy.  Ah. This is Ctirad. He’s with me, and is okay to enter without me as well.”

“Very good, sir.”  The look Eddy gave Ctirad appeared to be scanning him, taking in everything from his height to his haircut.  “Is this what you normally look like, sir?”

Ctirad did not blush, but only because he had very good control over his Mask.  He cleared his throat. “The face, yes. You’ll have to ask Himself here about the rest.”

“The hair will probably be growing out, but the rest of him is as you see it, yes.”  Timaios chuckled. “On the ball as usual, I see, Eddy.” Continue reading →

Beauty-Beast 42: Public

Aug29

First – Previous – Landing Page – Next

🔒

The drive was not all that long, although it went through five minutes of the sort of traffic where it would have been quicker and probably easier to get out and walk. Ctirad shifted a few times in his seat, but for the most part, he was still.  He wanted to find a place where he could be what Timaios wanted of him, even if I want you to be you was the least helpful advice ever.  

He opened his eyes when Sal pulled into an underground garage that, while not hidden, was not exactly advertised, either.  The bar that raised when Sal swiped a card was far more intense than the normal wooden gate, too, and there were two of them and a metal roll-door before they reached the actual garage.

“Secure,” Ctirad murmured.

“People who work here take such things very seriously,” Timaios agreed.  “And I admit I like it, or at least, my public persona likes it.” Continue reading →

Beauty-Beast 41: Bitch

Aug11

First – Previous – Landing Page – Next

🔒

Sal drove without chit-chat, at least at the beginning, but after three blocks, the glass between the two sections came down.  “Boss. Your boy is shifting back and forth like someone’s sending him to the principal’s office.”

Ctirad froze.  “Am not.”

“You were,” Sal countered.  “You’re going out in public with the boss for the first time.  You have a pretty good idea what’s expected of you in private. But now you’re in public.  What does wearing the boss’ collar mean for you when you’re out there, in front of other fae?  Other than us that work for him, I mean.”

“…Yeah…” Ctirad muttered.  “I mean. I’m his bodyguard.  Your bodyguard, sir. That happens to also be your boyfriend.  It’s not like people don’t have bodyguard-lovers. I mean, Lex Luthor…” He trailed off. Continue reading →

Beauty-Beast 40: Yourself

Jul31

First – Previous – Landing Page – Next

🔒

“…We should do what we have to with our day.”  The look on Timaios’ face had nothing to do with business and everything to do with business.  But his words… he had to pay attention to his words.

Ctirad cleared his throat.  “As you wish, sir.”

Timaios’ expression, if anything, became more lascivious.   “Oh, oh Ctirad, you are delicious right now.  Can you smile a little for me?”

“For ‘delicious,’ sir, I can smile more than a little.”  He let his lips turn up in a broad smile and lowered his chin, not out of shyness but to look up at his owner through his eyelashes.  “I’m glad you the way I look in the clothes you bought me, sir. Timaios.” He shifted one hip, posing. “And when we are done with business I hope you like taking them off of me too.” Continue reading →

Beauty-Beast 39: Clothes

Jul20

First – Previous – Landing Page – Next

🔒

Ctirad stood while his Owner walked around him.  He found that he had closed his eyes and settled into a waiting position. It was comfortable.  It was more than comfortable; it was pleasing. He liked being here like this.  He liked waiting for what Timaios would do to him.

That was new.  So much about all of this was new, but that was definitely a novel sensation.  He liked it, he realized; more than liked it, he was looking forward to more of it.

A hand brushed over his ass and he shivered.  “I want to show you off. Here, come with me and we will dress you in your new clothes.”

“They’re here already?”  He didn’t open his eyes, but there was a hand on his collar and that was enough to move with. Continue reading →

Beauty-Beast 38: The Right Way

Jun18

First – Previous – Landing Page – Next

🔒

“Ctirad.  Ctirad, my darling.”  A click; the screen went blank.  Another moment; there was a hand over his eyes, another hand on the back of his neck.  “Ctirad. Hear me.”

He swallowed.  He could breathe.  “I. I hear you, sir.  I hear you. Master.”

“No, my darling.  Not that. Your sir, I will take that.  But Master is a title I haven’t earned, not from you.”

That was strange enough to shake a bit of the fog away.  “Sir?”

“Ah, well.”  Timaios’ tone was… rueful?  “I did say I’d accept that. Ctirad.  I’m going to move my hands. Can you tell me what happened?” Continue reading →