Dominion of The Beast Masters

Chapter 157: The Night of the Debt



Mercury coordinated the entire rescue mission from afar, armed with her phone, translation apps, and fierce determination.

As Eratz struggled to navigate the foreign port city, Mercury guided him step by step, sending him translated phrases and instructions.

Communication was a chaotic mix of digital messages and Eratz flashing his phone to puzzled locals. Despite the confusion, Mercury managed to strike deals remotely, using online transfers to generously 'motivate' the various helpers who agreed to assist Eratz.

From securing directions to the nearest airport to negotiating for a local guide, Mercury's payments kept the process moving, albeit at a steep price.

By the time Eratz finally boarded a flight, a good number of the city's inhabitants had received a nice bonus for their troubles. As night fell over Lugina, Eratz landed, exhausted but triumphant, back on familiar ground after a whirlwind ordeal and a digital spending spree courtesy of Mercury.

The airport was buzzing with the typical chaos of a busy night, but in the midst of it all, Eratz and Mercury found each other easily. They stood a few feet apart, facing each other in silence. Mercury had her hands on her hips, eyebrows raised, lips twitching as if suppressing a smile. Eratz, on the other hand, had a slightly sheepish grimace, bracing for the scolding he knew he deserved.

Without a word, Mercury stepped closer and gave him a firm pat on the shoulder.

"Don't worry," she said, her voice low and reassuring. "I won't tell anyone, but now you owe me a world."

Eratz let out a mock sigh, glancing away.

"I give you my soul," he muttered.

Mercury burst out laughing. In one swift move, she wrapped her arm around his neck, pulling him playfully into a headlock, ruffling his hair with her knuckles.

Eratz grunted in surprise but couldn't help but laugh along.

"Because I don't have it already?" she teased. "You really want your scolding, don't you?"

Eratz chuckled, playfully swatting at her hand.

"Maybe?" he replied, feeling the tension of the past few days dissolve in the moment.

They shared a brief look before she released him. Side by side, they walked toward the exit, the cool night air of Lugina welcoming them home.

Mercury had arranged a private taxi for the way back. The driver kept a steady pace, weaving through the streets of Lugina as the city lights blurred past the windows.

Eratz leaned back in his seat, his exhaustion from the trip slowly fading as he launched into an excited recount of his adventure.

He talked about the difficulties of communicating, the odd foods he'd tried, and, most importantly, the massive find he had made for the agency. He leaned closer to Mercury, grinning.

"You won't believe it. I wanted to get it for later, but then I though it would be..."

He paused, noticing that she was barely responding, only making small acknowledging noises while her fingers tapped quickly on her phone screen.

"Hey," he said, a teasing edge to his voice. "Are you even listening to me?"

Mercury glanced up briefly, her eyes meeting his with a casual smile.

"Of course I am," she answered offhandedly, her attention back on her phone in the next moment.

Eratz sighed and rolled his eyes, letting his head fall back against the seat. He turned his gaze to the window, watching the city pass by.

But then something felt off.

He frowned, noticing that the familiar streets leading home were nowhere in sight. Instead, they were moving through a part of town he didn't recognize.

"Uh, excuse me," Eratz called to the driver, sitting up straighter. "You're going the wrong way."

Before the driver could respond, Mercury cut in smoothly, her tone light but firm.

"Relax, it's the right way. Don't worry about it."

Eratz turned to her, a skeptical eyebrow raised.

"What do you mean? Where are we going?"

Mercury didn't answer immediately. Instead, she angled her phone toward him, showing her chat screen. It was a message thread with Cassie.

He looked at the screen quickly, catching Cassie's last message: Safe travel.

Eratz's confusion deepened.

"Wait, who's leaving?" he asked.

Mercury grinned, putting her phone away.

"Me," she explained calmly. "See, tonight I'm on my way to Solmir for a big marketing meeting, and meanwhile, you're helping with recruitment in Alder Grove. Both of us are 'busy' tonight and won't be back until tomorrow."

It took Eratz a moment to piece it together. He opened his mouth, his eyes widening in shock.

Mercury's gaze was fixed on him, but it was different now. Her sharp eyes now burned with a dark, sultry intensity. Her lips parted slightly, curling into a slow, teasing smile playful and predatory, daring him to understand.

Eratz swallowed hard, feeling the sudden shift in the atmosphere like a lightning strike. He turned back to the driver.

"Man, step on it. Wherever you're taking us, make it fast."

The taxi stopped in a district alive with flickering neon lights, their soft glow reflecting on the damp pavement.

Signs for love hotels loomed overhead, their promises of luxury and discretion written in bright, enticing characters.

Eratz and Mercury stepped out, hiding their faces as much as possible.

As they entered the hotel lobby, they didn't speak much. Mercury leaned casually against the counter while Eratz scanned the options displayed on a digital panel.

He reached for a room, preparing to pay for a single night, but Mercury stepped forward,

dropping a significantly larger sum on the counter.

"Tomorrow afternoon," she said without hesitation.

Eratz glanced at her, momentarily surprised, but her self-assured smile drew his own.

"Alright," he said, matching her grin, "tomorrow afternoon."

They rushed to their room, their footsteps echoing in the quiet hallways.

When they opened the door, the room looked like something out of a dream: plush bedding

on a king-size bed, a chandelier casting a soft glow, and a sleek bathroom.

Mirrors lined the walls, while soft ambient music hummed faintly in the background.

Eratz let out a low chuckle, stepping inside and turning to Mercury.

"This is... a bit more than I expected."

Mercury smirked, running a hand over the edge of the bed.

"What? You're afraid of being eaten alive?"

He chuckled, closing the door behind them.

"Last time I checked you're the one who almost passed out."

As they moved further into the room, their initial curiosity turned into playful exploration.

Mercury ran her fingers along the smooth bedding, her eyes lighting up as she spotted the control panel for the lights and music, Eratz watching her with amusement.

"You seem pretty comfortable," he said, raising an eyebrow.

"I've been training for this," she replied simply, her tone bold but her cheeks getting hotter.

Eratz stepped closer, the space between them shrinking. His voice dropped slightly, teasing.

"I wondered when you'd finally make the first move, you made me wait a lotng time for this

round 2."

"Why wait? You know it's whenever you want, right? You just have to ask, anytime... I'm all yes for you," she whispered, her smirk softening into something more genuine. The silence stretched between them, their hearts pounding in unison, the reality of the moment sinking in. This wasn't their first time, but the weight of it felt monumental.

Mercury stepped closer, her eyes fixed on him.

"You're not scared, are you?" she teased, though her own voice betrayed a slight tremor.

Eratz raised an eyebrow, his confidence returning.

"Maybe a little," he said.

He reached out and gently cupped Mercury's face. His thumb brushed against her lower lip,

his touch tender and warm.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"It's getting hard to live without you," he murmured.

Mercury's breath hitched, her eyes fluttering shut for a moment before opening again to meet

his.

Without breaking eye contact, she opened her lips slightly, letting her tongue brush against

his thumb. Slowly, she took it into her mouth, sucking gently.

Eratz's breath caught, his composure faltering for the first time, then, she released his thumb slowly, her lips curling into a mischievous smile as she tilted her head.

"Really? You can't live without me?" she asked softly.

Eratz's eyes softened, and he nodded, his voice firm but gentle.

"Yes," he said simply. "It's getting harder every day. I feel like... I'm not doing enough for

you. Like I should be giving you more, somehow."

Mercury's smile faltered for a second, replaced by something raw and genuine. Her fingers curled around his wrist, holding his hand against her cheek.

"You're already enough," she said. "You don't have to prove anything to me, Eratz. Just... be

here, like usually. That's all I need."

For a moment, neither of them moved, their gazes locked. He leaned forward slightly, his

forehead brushing hers.

When their lips met, the kiss was slow, deliberate, savoring each second.