by Dana Isaly
Gods, he was beautiful. I mentally traced each sharp angle of his face before my attention snagged on his lips. I let that familiar warmth spread through my body and settle low in my stomach. His nostrils flared, and he looked at me. His eyes darkened and met mine. I smirked, daring him to say anything. Before he could, I held on to my tiara and tilted my head back, letting the wind tousle my hair, and laughed into the open air.
“Hold on, my little wildling,” he murmured into my hair and then angled down. My stomach dropped again, but instead of being afraid, I trusted him and let myself enjoy the experience, smiling the entire way down.
We landed in an alley, and he barely let my feet touch the ground before he backed me up against the wall of the building. He grabbed both sides of my face and stroked my cheeks with his thumbs. His emotions flooded my system, making my vision blurry with a need I had never experienced before. My breath caught in my throat.
He wants me.
I leaned into his want that he was letting pour into me and locked my eyes on his. They were the color of the smoky quartz on my tiara and burned into mine. His wings encased us against the wall, and his jasmine-scented shadows danced playfully over my skin. That warmth in my stomach broke into a wildfire and made my knees weak, but his body was flush against mine, holding me up. His nostrils flared again as he leaned closer, running his nose up the side of my throat, breathing me in.
His hands fell to the fabric at my waist, and he curled it in his fists, pulling me even closer against him. I tilted my head back until it hit the wall behind me, giving him access to my neck. The mark he left on my body flared to life under his breath, and all mine left me as I felt his lips skim his dust.
“I can smell myself on you,” he whispered against my skin. “You can feel what I’m feeling now, can’t you?” I swallowed but didn’t answer. I felt a sharp pain on my shoulder.
“The fuck?” I pushed him away and saw blood on his smirking lips. His wings snapped away, but his shadows stretched out, still clinging to me. “Did you just bite me?” My hand went to my shoulder and came away with fresh blood on it. But I could feel it healing and closing up already. He grabbed my wrist, and that need assaulted me again. I groaned against it, trying to fight it with my anger.
He fucking bit me.
He took a step closer and brought my fingers one by one to his lips and licked the blood off each one. If I hadn’t been so angry at him for biting me, I would’ve been a puddle of goo at his feet for how he was making me feel.
“Mm,” he purred against my hand. “You even taste like chocolate.”
I ripped my hand out of his and, with speed I didn’t have a week ago, grabbed the dagger from under my dress, and pressed it harshly against his throat. “I will use this dagger on you, High Lord. Don’t push me.”
“Why didn’t you tell me that you can feel my emotions now, little duck?” He pushed into the blade a little more, and I rolled my eyes. I sheathed it back under my skirts.
“Because,” I said, grabbing onto his arm and leading us out of the alleyway, “I didn’t want you to be afraid of what I could do with it. You’d keep your distance, and I need you to trust me.” He moved his arm and linked our hands together, our fingers interwoven. We stopped outside the door, letting others pass us and go inside.
“Do you feel anything in me that says I can stay away from you?”
I met his eyes and sifted through his emotions like folders in a filing cabinet. His usual sadness and anguish was still there, but the wantedness I felt just a few minutes ago was so strong it plowed over everything else.
“No.” I took a breath. “I don’t think so, at least. You’ve got a lot going on in there.”
He smiled, and with his free hand, he pushed my hair over my shoulder. His lips touched my shoulder where the bite mark had now fully healed.
“Good. Let’s go eat, then.” He led me inside without letting go of my hand, trusting me with every single fleeting emotion that flowed through him.
As we found our seats, I could tell that Asher holding my hand made a much bigger statement than me being on his arm. This looked way more intimate, and it did not go unnoticed. Asher pulled my chair out for me as we took our places at the same table as the night before. Leona was already there, her eyes locked on Asher’s impressive frame as he settled in next to her. I couldn’t blame her. He was perfect. But the jealousy it caused me to feel was overwhelming.
“Try not to break it this time,” he said loud enough for others to hear as I poured his wine.
“Try not to piss me off this time.” He laughed and filled both of our plates with food.
I downed my entire glass of wine and then poured myself another and began nursing that one. When Leona grabbed his attention away from me, the darkness that hid itself just under the surface came rushing up again. My hands shook at the raw power it brought along with it, but I took deep breaths and tried to focus on eating. I sat on my left hand, keeping it safely tucked away while my right pushed food into my mouth at an alarming rate. I was just trying to keep myself from falling apart and breaking the entire table.
When Leona finally had to take a breath, Asher turned his attention towards me and grabbed my hand out from under my thigh. It tingled with the loss of blood. When I turned towards him, mouth still full with food, he poked my cheek playfully with his other hand and then began eating. He lightly massaged my hand until it didn’t look like it was going to fall off my arm anymore.
The darkness ebbed but didn’t disappear, and I wondered if he could feel it or sense it. I wondered if he knew why it made itself known when I wasn’t the one receiving his attention. I had to remind myself that just because I knew he wanted me didn’t mean I had any sort of claim to his affections or his attention. That was a role I was very much used to. Tom had made me very well acquainted with fleeting touches and smiles just for me. And also the distance that came after it. I was used to taking what I could get and being happy with it.
“That’s a lovely little tiara she has there,” Leona said, begging for Asher’s attention to be returned to her. I downed the rest of my glass of wine before leaning in front of Asher to get a good look at Blondie.
“Who’s she? The cat’s mother?” Asher snorted. “My name is Lyssa. And thank you for the compliment.” I sat back in my chair. “Asher surprised me with it.” He smirked and gave my hand a small squeeze as he filled my glass again.
I threw that one back as well, and the room tilted a bit. I could feel a few people at the table gawking at me, but it was hard to care when the alternative was to listen to the darkness and slam her head into the table until it cracked. Her head or the table, it didn’t really matter.
Everyone finished their meals while making small talk and avoiding eye contact with me. Once people began to finish and filter out, I leaned over to Asher and rested my chin on his shoulder.
“I’m going to go get some fresh air.”
“Someone is feeling tipsy,” he said, pushing strands of hair out of my face. “I don’t like the idea of you being out of sight,” he whispered for only me to hear. “I’ll go with you.”
“I’ll be right outside the door. I just need a minute to sober up.”
He reluctantly nodded and let go of my hand as I stood and made my way on wobbly legs to the door. I couldn’t feel how cold it actually was thanks to the alcohol coursing its way through my veins. I turned to my right and saw Zemira leaning against the wall, smiling in my direction.
“High Lady,” I said and stumbled into a shallow curtsey. She laughed softly and patted the wall next to her. I leaned my back up against it and took a deep breath.
“Hello there, Alyssandra,” she said in a low voice. It took me a couple of heartbeats before I jerked my head towards her. She had called me by my real name. She knew who I was. Lead filled my stomach, and I knew she could see fear in my eyes.
Kill her. Kill her. Kill her.
I pushed back at the sliver of darkness creeping into my
thoughts.
Zemira laughed.
“I mean you no harm, and I’m not going to tell anyone,” she said as she lifted her eyes to the night sky. I felt like I could breathe again. “How stupid does Asher think I am?” Her smile grew wide then. “Rumors were circulating between the High Fae about a little human girl Theron was searching for. And then we hear she gets swept out from under his nose, supposedly by the High Lord of the Night Court himself. When Asher showed up here, a pretty woman on his arm…” She trailed off. “I love Asher like a brother, but he can be such an idiot sometimes.” She sighed and looked back at me. “It seems you’re not human any longer, though.”
I met her eyes and sighed. “That’s a long story.”
“Well, it’s a good thing I have nothing but time.”
Chapter Eighteen
I stared at her for a moment, weighing my options. I was torn between keeping the past few weeks a secret and letting it all tumble out of me like a high schooler with hot gossip. I hadn’t had a friend to confide in in so long that my brain was begging for me to explain everything. But I had no idea if she was actually a friend.
“You’re going to need an ally in your corner, Alyssandra. You and Asher both will. I’ve always been there for him. I can be there for you, too.” She turned so that she was facing me and leaned her shoulder against the wall. Her hand reached out and touched my forearm in a comforting gesture, but the second her skin made contact with mine, I could feel her sincerity. Her affection for Asher made my heart swell.
So, I told her.
I started from the beginning, that night in the bar, and took her through my day-to-day life at his court. I explained how Emric taught me how to fight and trained me to make me stronger. I told her about the night I changed, and I even told her about Nyxa. I unloaded everything so quickly, partly thanks to the alcohol, I was sure, that I was afraid she hadn’t been able to take it all in.
When I finished, she was quiet and took a moment to digest everything I had told her. When she started to respond, her mouth snapped shut, and I felt more than heard Asher walk out of the door behind me. I knew when his eyes landed on me, and I looked at him over my shoulder.
“There you are,” he said, swinging both of his arms over my shoulders and crossing them over my chest. He was doing a good job of keeping up the plaything act.
“How dumb do you think I am?” She reached up and smacked him across the head. I snorted very loudly and turned around in his arms to see his face. It was worth it. “I know who she is. And I’m on your side, so if you need help, ask for it.” When she walked past us, Asher still speechless, and she gave me a pointed look. “Keep him in line, Lyssa.” And then she walked off in the direction of where the music was coming from.
“I’m still tipsy,” I stated matter-of-factly. “And I would like to dance.” I wrapped my arms around his waist and soaked up his warmth. He looked down at me and finally closed his mouth.
“Did she just hit me, or did I hallucinate?”
I smiled. “I like her. Now take me dancing.”
The building where the dancing was happening was a few doors down, and music and laughter poured out of it. When we walked in, low golden light and heat from all the bodies moving on the dance floor wrapped itself around me. I turned around and gave him a hard stare.
“Very funny,” I said over the music. “Complicated dancing? Looks like everyone is just grinding on each other. Did you think it was funny to watch me sweat it out?” He just laughed his warm, masculine laugh that sent shivers across my body.
It was so familiar to going dancing back home that, even though I was in a completely foreign world, I comfortably started to pull Asher with me to the middle of the floor. I grabbed a glass of champagne off a server’s tray and downed it, feeling heat rush to my face and my stomach churn with butterflies as I sat it back down.
“I like seeing you like this.” I felt his breath across my cheek.
“Like what?” I asked as I pulled him closer to the throng of Fae dancing in the dim candlelight.
“Happy.” A kiss was left on my neck. “Carefree.” And another.
“Drunk.” I cut him off with a laugh. His sudden intimacy had my legs wobbling.
“It does bring a sinful blush to your cheeks,” he said as his hand left mine and instead snaked around my waist. He pulled me close, and his shadows twined themselves snug against my skin.
I knew I was drunk then because I leaned into him too easily and began to move to the music as we finally crossed the threshold of the dance floor. The beat of the music was slow and deep. I could feel it seep into my bones and crawl across my skin. My arm bravely snaked up behind me to grab onto the back of his neck. My fingers slid through the soft ends of his hair. The alcohol made it hard to tell the difference between his emotions and my own. So I gave up and let myself just feel. I leaned my head back against his chest and moved against him while his arms prowled over my body in ways that made a warmth pool low in my stomach.
“Incoming,” he singsonged into my ear, and I opened my eyes. They landed directly on Leona, zooming in on her like she was prey. I was helpless against the sliver of darkness making its way up, vibrating through my veins. I smiled. She saw us, and her eyes went wide, but she kept coming. Had to give her credit for her massive lady balls.
“Can I have my dance now?” She batted her pretty eyelashes. Asher kept his arms wrapped around me, his shadows following suit and clinging on.
“He’s busy,” I said as I leaned even further back into him. He laughed and sat his chin on top of my head, right in the middle of my tiara. Blondie crossed her arms.
“I don’t think you speak for the High Lord of the Night Court, whore.” I felt Asher stiffen behind me. The sheer power rolling off him in waves should’ve been enough to send her running, but she acted like she couldn’t feel it. I could, though. And maybe I should’ve been scared, but I wasn’t. The darkness inside of me soaked his up like a sponge. I felt the smile creep across my face, wide enough to show my fangs.
“I assure you,” I said, low and slow, “that in this instance, I do speak for him. And I’d really hate to get blood on my dress tonight.” My power seemed disappointed that I wasn’t going to act on impulse.
“It is a beautiful dress,” Asher said.
“Thank you. You did give it to me,” I said, looking back at him over my shoulder. Our eyes met, and I got lost in the swirls of grey and blue before peeling them back onto Blondie. Her eyes took on a fierce glint as she looked back and forth between us.
“Are you going to let her speak to me like that?” Now the Fae close to us were taking notice of the little scene she was causing.
“You’re lucky I’m letting you walk away in one piece after the way you spoke to her. Do it again and you won’t.” He relaxed slightly and wrapped his arms around me tightly. “Though, I would love to see Lyssa in action.”
She backed up through the crowd of Fae and disappeared, fuming, I was sure. He spun me away from him as the music changed, and then he pulled me back into him. I hit his hard body with a thunk as he caught me and held me there, front to front. I laughed and tilted my head back, feeling my hair slide off my shoulders and down my back. My power thrummed under my skin, and I took a minute to revel in the sensation.
“I can feel your power coursing just under the surface,” he whispered in my ear as we swayed slowly to the music. His fingertips drifted slowly down my arms, causing gooseflesh to rise. “If you free that, you could light this world on fire, Alys.”
I shushed him and spun out from him again, too drunk to care about what he was saying. This time when he pulled me back, he held my back against his chest. His hand crept up my side from my hip and over my ribs, his fingertips grazing the side of my chest. My breath caught in my throat as his hand made its way over my collarbone and around my neck.
He grabbed my jaw, his hand encompassing the entire thing, and forced me to look back at him. The alcohol made my eyes lazy. Th
ey traveled slowly up the length of his neck, over his sharp jaw covered in the smallest amount of stubble, and up further still over his full lips until they finally landed on his eyes. His thumb traced idle circles just below my ear where it sat. I licked my lips and his eyes found them instantly. We stayed like that for a while, the only two Fae standing in the middle of a dance floor not dancing. He held me perfectly still.
“You’re doing a very good job of convincing everyone I’m actually your plaything.”
Word vomit. Absolute word vomit just poured out of my mouth. I cursed the alcohol. He sighed and dropped his hand. He pulled me over to the bar, my drunken feet struggling to keep up in the heels I had worn. He picked me up, sat me on the barstool, and leaned over me with his hands on the bar. I flushed red again and not because of the alcohol.
“Can you stay out of trouble for two minutes while I go speak to Zemira?” I nodded and drunkenly leaned towards him without realizing it. His hand grazed the dagger at my thigh, and I bit my lip. “Alys,” he said as he leaned closer, his voice rough. “You have this for a reason. Use it if you have to.” I nodded again and wobbled on the stool when he disappeared into the crowd.
I turned around and got the attention of the bartender.
“Shots!” I said when he finally came over to me. “Let’s see how many I can do before the ball and chain gets back.”
He eyed me with one eyebrow lifted but sat some shot glasses down in front of me. “What’s your poison?”
“Whiskey,” I said, wiggling my eyebrows. He laughed and poured three of them full to the brim.
Turns out I was able to drink a total of six shots before Asher snuck up behind me. I was well and truly sloshed by the time he showed up, and I was laughing loudly at whatever it was the bartender had just said. Asher spun me around, and I watched as the world tried to catch up with my body. I giggled and hiccoughed.
The next thing I knew, I was thrown over his shoulder, and the whiskey was not liking the sudden movement.
