She relaxed slightly. Malek removed the warding medallion and pulled her closer. Lowering the neckline of her dress past her shoulders, he kissed her collarbone and then traced the pattern of the magical etchings on her skin. He treated every inch of her like she was something precious, kissing and nibbling along her skin as he explored her body with expert hands.
He lowered his head and took her breast in his mouth, and she gasped at the erotic rush of heat that strummed through her body. She threaded her fingers through his hair and squeezed her eyes shut, unable to do anything but ride the waves of pleasure he sent through her. Her hands clenched the bedding and she thrashed, blinded with ecstasy as he continued to send surges of pleasure through her with his draconic power.
Sabine responded in kind with her magic, wanting to bring him to the same heights he was taking her. It worked. The rest of their clothing and weapons disappeared, and she ran her hands over the hard lines of his body, wanting to touch every inch of him. When he finally slid inside her, she whimpered and threw her head back, needing more. He was everywhere all at once, inside and outside. Her heart pounded in time with his as the passion between them became explosive.
He grabbed her hands and held them over her head as he brought her to heights she’d never imagined were possible. Needing more, she incited him, using her magic to touch him as intimately as he was touching her.
“Please, Malek!” she cried, unable to think beyond the sensations. Her skin glowed as he pushed her to even greater heights, and he enfolded her in his power. The pace he set was consuming. She couldn’t stop. Her magic was fused to him, and his to her. She couldn’t tell anymore where he began and where she ended. They were one: one body, one heart, one purpose. The mark on his wrist pulsed in time with their racing hearts and her marks of power, one more indicator they were irrevocably entwined.
“Sabine, with me!” he shouted, continuing to drive into her at a relentless pace.
She screamed his name as he destroyed the last of her barriers, fracturing her thoughts and overwhelming her senses. His head dropped onto her shoulder, and he held her tightly against him. Struggling to catch her breath, she couldn’t even form a coherent thought, much less speak. He’d completely destroyed her.
He rolled over, taking her with him. She sprawled across his chest, too shattered to protest even if she’d wanted to. They lay like that for a long time, neither able to speak.
Normally, intimacy was a way for the Fae to renew or gift their magic, but Malek hadn’t used her for her power. The idea left her strangely disconcerted. Dax had always siphoned off her magic when it surged to the surface, but Malek offered her a balance of mutually sharing power. For the first time in her life, she had a glimmer of what had been missing in her life.
Malek trailed his hand down her naked back and murmured, “I don’t think I ever want to let you leave this bed.”
Sabine made a noise of agreement. She kissed his chest and lifted her head to gaze down at him. “Why didn’t you take any of my magic?”
Malek arched his brow and frowned. He reached up to tuck her hair behind her ear and asked, “You thought I would?”
Sabine hesitated and then nodded. “I’ve never done this without gifting power.”
His brow furrowed. “I would never take your magic, Sabine. You need it.”
Her heart melted at his words. Pressing her hand against his chest, she kissed him deeply, putting everything she was feeling into the gesture.
When she eased back, he cupped her face and murmured, “If you kiss me again like that, we’ll miss joining that troupe in the morning.”
She smiled and trailed her fingers along his well-defined chest. Part of her was in complete agreement; she never wanted to leave this bed. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so safe and treasured. It was strange to think a dragon had been responsible for this new awakening.
“Oops!”
Sabine turned to see Blossom had flown inside the room. The pixie was grinning widely, not the least bit troubled by what she’d walked—or rather flown—into. Blossom clapped her hands in delight and exclaimed, “I knew it! I knew you were going to take him as your lover!”
Malek grimaced. “So much for knocking before entering. I suppose we should have closed the window.”
Sabine laughed, reapplied her glamour, and kissed Malek lightly. “Her timing could have been worse. Next time, we’ll lock the doors and windows.”
“As long as there’s a next time.” Malek chuckled and continued to trail his hand up and down her back, completely unabashed by their nudity. She’d been around humans for too long, and his nonchalance was refreshing.
Blossom landed on the edge of the bed, her gaze darting back and forth between them. “I saw you dance and sing, Sabine. I’ve never seen you dance before!”
“I should have known your timing wasn’t a coincidence,” Sabine said and climbed out of bed. She walked to the window and latched it. The night air was cooling considerably.
Turning back toward Blossom, Sabine picked up her discarded dress and asked, “I didn’t notice your presence downstairs. Is your glamour getting better?”
Blossom grinned. “Nah. It’s only because you were too busy watching Malek.”
“I was watching him so he could warn me about my magic,” Sabine said with a laugh. “I’m glad you’re back. I was starting to get concerned.”
Blossom’s smile faded, and her expression became worried. “I think we should leave right away. This is a bad place. They’ll try to hurt you if they find you.”
Sabine’s hands tightened on her dress, and she sat on the edge of the bed. “What did you learn?”
“I listened in on the Kiervan. They’re getting ready to start the burning festival. It’s bad, Sabine. Really bad. You can’t be here for it.”
“We heard they were moving the festival sooner,” Malek said, picking up his discarded clothing and then walking to the window to peer outside. “We’re planning on leaving before they seal the city.”
Blossom shook her head. “You can’t wait. You have to leave now. Tonight.”
Sabine frowned and started to dress. Blossom had a tendency to overdramatize certain things, but her dust was tinged with red, a sign of stress. “What exactly did you hear?”
Blossom flew to the nightstand where Sabine had placed the decorative box. She’d packed the rest of her belongings, but she’d decided to leave the box for Blossom to sleep in that night. It was still lined with the flowers Sabine had cut from the desert.
Blossom picked up one of the flowers and buried her nose in the petals. Sabine waited, knowing the pixie needed a few moments to collect her thoughts. Whenever pixies were stressed, they always retreated to nature. There might be some plant life in Karga and the desert, but it was all foreign and lacked the same reassuring qualities of their homeland.
After taking the opportunity to finish equipping her weapons and Ilwan’s necklace, Sabine glanced up to see that Malek had done the same. He nodded toward Blossom with a question in his eyes. She held up her hand and shook her head in a silent request for him to wait. Some things couldn’t be rushed. Pixies were resilient, but this entire journey had been taxing on Blossom. Malek nodded in understanding and turned back toward the window.
“They burn people alive, Sabine. Young, old, babies… It doesn’t matter to them. They were laughing and cheering about it.” Her wings drooped. “They have a special dwarven crystal that can detect magic users. They’re going to use it for the first time this year.”
Sabine’s eyes narrowed. “That is why they refer to it as a burning festival? They’re burning them alive?”
Blossom clasped her hands together. “The Kiervan are going to kill a bunch of people. They were testing it out on a few people tonight. I had to leave because I didn’t know if it would detect pixies.”
Furious, Sabine paced the room. “This is outrageous. Magic has always been present in our world. If they think to destroy it, they�
��ll further weaken the balance. I’ll destroy the Kiervan outright before I allow this to come to pass.”
“Hey,” Malek interrupted, grasping her shoulders to stop her. “What they’re doing is wrong, but we run the risk of getting caught up in their politics if we intervene. I don’t want to see anyone die either, but how many more will die if that portal opens again? We need to find those artifacts.”
“I will not sit by and allow them to murder innocents.”
Malek studied her for a long time and then nodded. “All right, but we’ll need to be covert in our efforts.” Turning back toward Blossom, he asked, “How many crystals are there?”
Blossom’s eyes widened, her gaze darting back and forth between them. “Just the one, but it’s bigger than me. Are you really going to stop them?”
Malek nodded. “At the very least, we’ll destroy the crystal so they can’t use it against these people. Do you know where it’s located?”
Sabine paused, staring at Malek in surprise. “You’re willing to help me destroy the crystal?”
Malek’s gaze softened. He reached and tucked her hair behind her ear. “Your desire to protect people is one of the things I admire most about you, Sabine. You’re loyal and fierce, with a passion that’s inspiring. I saw it the first time we met when you offered that kid a chance for a better future.”
Her heart melted at his words. She wound her arms around his neck and kissed him. All the emotion she poured into her dance downstairs surged within her. Malek wrapped his arms around her, drawing her close as he returned her kiss.
Gratitude and desire rushed through her in equal measure. Bane and Dax had never understood her determination to protect the innocents in Akros. They would have agreed to help with the crystal, but only because they’d likely find it entertaining to cause mayhem. Yet here was a man who was willing to stand by her side, not because it might benefit him in some way but because he had a good heart.
Running her hands down his chest, she continued kissing him, telling him without words everything she was feeling. Malek’s kiss became more demanding, and she responded with equal passion. She needed this dragon and everything he offered. He was her balance in so many ways. She’d been blind to it before, clouded by the terrifying stories of her youth.
Blossom giggled, interrupting the moment.
Sabine ended their kiss and smiled up at Malek. “It’s been a long time since I trusted someone to stand by my side simply because it’s the right thing to do. I can’t tell you how much it means to me.”
He cupped her face and kissed her again, this time a light pressure against her lips. “You can always trust me.”
Sabine turned back toward Blossom and asked, “You know where they’re keeping the crystal?”
Blossom perked up and nodded. “Yep. It’s in the Kiervan’s headquarters. It’s going to be hard getting close to it. You can’t use the shadows to hide. It will probably detect you. Dwarven magic is tricky like that.”
“What color is the crystal?” Malek released Sabine and walked to one of the bags he’d brought containing additional weapons.
“It’s purple.”
Sabine frowned, trying to remember everything she’d learned about the dwarves and their magic. “Their crystals are naturally clear when they’re dormant, but they infuse magic into each of them. Each color denotes a different characteristic.”
Malek nodded. “They use the red ones for offense. It’s what we use on our lances on the ship.”
Sabine sat back down on the bed. “Have you seen purple ones before?”
“Yes. In Razadon. They act as a warning system or alarm. They’re attached to the entrance of the city and also over the gates to the different quarters. They glow purple and also make a strange wailing noise when magic users get too close.”
Sabine considered him for a long time and then stood. “Did you ever set them off?”
Malek shook his head and gestured at the medallion around his neck. “No, but I was always wearing this. The rest of my abilities are a physical manifestation of my nature.”
She reached up and ran her fingertips over his metal necklace. It was cool to the touch, but it had likely been calibrated specifically to Malek’s type of magic. “I don’t think either one of us could get close enough to destroy the crystal without being detected. Together, we might have a chance. It won’t stop this burning festival, but it may help protect some innocents.”
Malek nodded. “Let’s pack up the rest of our belongings first. They’ll seal the city once they discover it’s been destroyed, and we need to escape without raising any suspicion.”
Sabine walked beside Malek down the darkened streets of Karga. At this late hour, they were mostly deserted. An oppressive weight fell over the city as though even the buildings held their breath against the future threat of violence. Sabine shivered, both from the chill in the air and from the sense of foreboding that filled her.
“You’re cold?” Malek asked with a frown.
“I’ll warm up soon enough,” she said quietly, recognizing the street they were on. “We need to make a stop.”
Without waiting for a response, she walked up to the door of the bathhouse and knocked loudly. Blossom hugged her neck and said, “This is where you came earlier, right?”
Sabine nodded, dimly hearing movement from the other side. She took a step back just as the door opened.
Zaverza held up a lantern and frowned, glancing back and forth between her and Malek. “You’re back already? Did you not meet up with the person who would take you to your friend?”
Sabine shook her head. She didn’t want to alarm the elderly woman, but there wasn’t any good way to share her news. “You were true to your word, Zaverza. We’ve made arrangements to leave in the morning. I need to speak with you about a related matter, and I’m afraid this won’t wait. May we come in?”
Zaverza’s frowned deepened, and she stepped aside to allow them to enter. “Men are not permitted into the bathhouse by Karga law, but we may talk in this chamber or I can take you to our living quarters.”
“That’s not necessary. We won’t be staying long. Is your son here, or is there a place we can speak privately?”
“My son is out for the evening. He will not return until the morning. You may speak freely.”
“Grandmother? Is everything okay?” a girl’s voice asked from another doorway.
Sabine smiled at the young girl she’d agreed to take on as her charge. “Rika, this concerns you too. Please come in here for a moment.”
Rika moved closer into the firelight, and Sabine gestured toward Malek. “This is Malek, the captain of the ship I was telling you about. You can trust him just like you’d trust me.”
Rika gave him a shy smile. “Well met, Captain Malek.”
“You as well,” Malek said gently. “I’m looking forward to having you travel on our ship.”
Rika blushed, obviously charmed by Malek.
Sabine glanced at him and asked, “Do you have a coin or other piece of metal you won’t miss?”
His brow furrowed, but he nodded and withdrew a pouch. He pulled out a coin and handed it to her. Using a trace of her magic, she quickly transmuted the metal into wood and then traced her initial into it. When she was finished, she handed it to Rika.
The girl’s eyes widened. “You changed it. It was silver, but now it’s not. I didn’t know you could do that.”
Sabine nodded. “Yes. I have an affinity for nature, but we can discuss more of that later. I need you both to do something very important for me.”
Zaverza’s face turned ashen, and she wrapped her arm around her granddaughter’s shoulders. “What’s brought you here to do magic in the middle of the night? The Kiervan have been watching everyone closely.”
“I know, and it’s why I’ve come. You both need to leave the city immediately. We learned they’re planning to use a dwarven talisman to seek out magic for this next burning festival.”
Zaverza inhale
d sharply. “What are the fools thinking? The Kiervan are sworn to destroy any source of magic, yet they are willing to employ the same? This is a blatant disregard for our oldest laws.”
Rika looked up at her grandmother. “They’ll discover both of us.”
“Hush, child,” Zaverza said sternly. “Sabine wouldn’t have come here to warn us if there wasn’t any hope.”
Sabine nodded. “Your grandmother’s right. There’s a way out, but you both must act quickly.”
“What would you have us do?”
Gesturing at the coin, Sabine said, “Take that and the stick I gave you to Malek’s ship. It’s a few hours north of the city. There’s a demon overseeing the crew and repairs. You need to give him both of those items and relay a message for me.”
Zaverza inhaled sharply and made the sign to ward against evil. Rika’s eyes widened in fear, and she clung to her grandmother.
Sabine straightened, and she snapped, “Enough. Both of you. If you want to survive, you’ll put aside the foolish superstition that’s plaguing your city. You more than anyone know how destructive such practices can be.”
Zaverza’s eyes narrowed, but she didn’t argue.
Sabine sighed. Rubbing her temples to stave off her headache, she said, “The night grows short, and we have much to do. You need to give that coin to Bane so he’ll know you’re acting on my behalf. You have my sworn oath he won’t harm you.”
Rika’s hand closed over the coin. “Truly? A demon that won’t hurt me?”
Sabine nodded. “Bane has been my protector and friend for many years. Demons aren’t inherently evil. They’re just different. But I need you to give him an important message for me.”
Rika bit her lip. “What—what do you want me to tell him?”
“Let him know Malek and I found a lead on Pearl. We’re leaving the city at first light and heading out the south gate. If he needs to find me, tell him to avoid the city at all costs.”
By Blood and Magic Page 16
