Burning Ashes

by Jadyn Chase

  "My, oh my," he gleamed. Those lavender eyes and platinum blonde strands were his badges of honor showing he was the reigning Scaler, taking over from the rather interesting Skinner Finch. I wondered if he'd be in attendance tonight. Solomon tipped his head toward me before stepping aside to let us in, "Please enjoy yourselves, especially you, our dear Aya. The pleasure is most certainly mine to make sure the time you spend here is memorable."

  “I’ll keep that in mind,” I winked to him walking inside. The party was a bit quieter than I expected as Laura desperately turned side to side in search of her beau. A long hallway led us from the front entrance to a bar at the back of the first floor. Two sliding doors opened onto a patio that sat under the upstairs balcony. Solomon loved to gloat about how much he put into the upgrades for the Onyx Skull building. I had to admit that his prideful boasting had merit. The renovations turned out far better than I imagined.

  The scents in the air struck me as their potent cocktails circulated the room. I thought of having one myself, but I'd witnessed enough mayhem from the aftermath of consuming a drink at a Skull function. It made me wonder how long I had before I'd have to venture back home to treat an injury. It was a lot to ask Black Harbor not to hurt itself while I tried to enjoy a night out. Maybe this one time, just this one night, no one would be in need of the Emerald Enchantress.

  Hope for that was short lived as the screams of someone in pain traveled through the crowd striking me at the bar. The intense surge of aching empathy struck every nerve. I couldn’t believe that I’d only been there a few minutes before I was called to duty. With a heavy sigh, I rolled up my sleeves and prepared to search for my soon-to-be patient.

  Laura stopped me immediately, “Where do you think you’re going?”

  “Didn’t you hear that? Someone needs me!”

  “The only person that needs you right now is me. Drink this and relax. You’re off the clock tonight. Let them figure it out, Aya. If they’re in pain here, that means they’re not looking for you by the docks. So take a deep breath, take a big gulp, and let yourself have some fun.”

  My eyes drifted toward the crowd of indiscernible voices and back to Laura. Though the screaming lasted longer than I preferred, it stopped, and I had to let it go. I wouldn't go looking for them. Listening to Laura and relaxing was going to be hard, but the scent of someone different changed my mind on that.

  3

  Julian

  Even if only for a few hours, diverting my attention away from the Sect of Zion allowed relief to wash over me. I hadn’t any idea who I was looking for. She had to be powerful if Cyrus was going to send Six and Axel after her. The last time he sent them into a town for a Scaler, it didn’t end well at all. They don’t quite understand subtlety or tact. They were cumbersome machines of destruction who Cyrus often wielded like a mad child throwing a temper tantrum. For what they did to my home, I’d made up my mind that I’d be the one to kill them both.

  Clumps of dirt dropped off of me with every step I took closer to Black Harbor. The sea called me. My gills slowly split over my skin, starting just behind my ears winding down the contours of my neck, stopping at the top of my shoulders. They flared open and shut as if I were about to dive into the waves. I was a lot closer to the water than I anticipated. Taking in a deep breath, the hint of that sea salt wafting through the air struck my heart, filling me with a joy I hadn’t felt in forever. It felt good to be near the water again.

  The city seemed quiet for the most part. A few wings slicing through the night air drew my eyes upward. A Black Sapphire cut across the sky without a single motion toward me. To belong again would be nice; flying into the moonlight with my brethren. I'd love to give up my crusade against Cyrus and the Sect, but they had a debt to pay, and I made a promise to myself that I'd be the one to collect it. I will admit that tracking them across the country landed me in a place that I wouldn't mind calling home. However, there was already an Emerald Siren in residence. We didn't occupy the same areas unless we were family.

  My scalp tingled sending soft signals down to my cock. The grey tips of my hair turned white.

  I felt her.

  Her pulse carried along the breeze. A soft groan escaped my lips as I pulled my hair behind my ears. It had gotten longer, but grooming wasn’t high on my list of priorities. The scent of the other Siren, on the other hand, made me rethink that position entirely.

  I couldn't think straight. The deeper I walked into the city, the harder my heart thumped against my chest, and the higher my body temp rose. If I wasn't still caked in mud, I'm sure that sweat would be pouring down every inch of me. I needed a shower. I needed to find her, but my reasons were teetering. I could barely focus on my mission to warn her with my mind picturing our bodies pressed and moving together. The urges begged to be satisfied.

  The streets of the city were littered with rubble and ash, but cleaner than most others I’d traveled thru. The buildings were intact; a far cry from the stories Cyrus had been telling the Sect about Black Harbor. Sounds of life and scents of Scalers drew me to the western part of town. While the aroma of the one I searched for lingered around my nostrils, I couldn’t pinpoint her position. Perhaps someone could point me in the right direction. Hopefully, I’d make it to her in time.

  The closer I got to the festivities, the more Scalers I picked up. They were clouding my tracking abilities. It was all disorienting. I'd never been around so many of my kind before. Scarlet Wings, Black Sapphires, and Onyx Skulls all mingling at once in one dwelling ignited my senses. Dizziness overwhelmed me, bringing my hands down to my knees.

  "You know my pets have dragged in things that looked better than you, and they were dead," a voice chuckled from the shadows.

  Startled didn’t begin to describe how I felt as I let a pulse of white fire launch from the back of my throat. It landed at the stranger’s feet.

  “Easy there, I’m friendly,” the voice joked, stepping into the light. The glimmer in his eye made me slightly uneasy. Blonde hair sat in a high ponytail. With one lavender eye and one dark blue, his gaze traced every inch of my frame.

  “Who are you?” I growled.

  "That is a loaded question that I should be asking you," he sneered, "You're in my city stinking up the place. You're about to keel over, and a dead Scaler will disrupt the balance we've worked very hard to establish here. Alas, I'll oblige since I'm in good spirits this evening. I am the one and only Skinner Finch."

  “Your reputation precedes you,” I nodded to him. His face twisted in disgust as he stepped away from me.

  “And I have no idea of who you are. What’s your business in Black Harbor?”

  “I’m looking for your Siren,” I told him.

  “Aya? Interesting,” he rubbed his narrow chin, leaned in and inhaled deeply. His eyes lit up, “Oh my. Do you mean to tell me there’s an Emerald Siren hidden under all of that muck?”

  “Yes, and I must reach her. Her life is in danger.”

  “I doubt that. Aya isn’t quite like the rest of us. She’s the dangerous one.”

  “Can you tell me where she is or not?!”

  The Onyx Skull shrugged, "Sure. If you head toward the docks, follow the sounds of waves crashing, you can jump right into the water. There's an entrance to an underground cave of sorts. You can swim into it."

  "Since you’ve told me where she is, what do I owe you for your information?"

  "As I told you, Aya is the dangerous one. Having another Emerald Siren in the city has to be an emergency, life-threatening even. And if not? Well, mercy to whoever messes with her. You don't owe me anything, but I can tell you that she's not home."

  “But you just told me-” frustration disrupted my thoughts, “Where is she?”

  He motioned toward the building that practically shook with music and chatter. I despised the crowds and the various odors it would assault upon me. Most Sirens did. What the hell was she doing in there? Waiting for her to leave the festivities was a risk that I didn’t want
to take. So I turned toward the building to make my way over there. The feeling of Skinner’s slender fingers gripping my shoulder made me flinch.

  “Easy there,” he chuckled pulling his hand back and shaking the dirt off, “Your stench and layers of dirt would stop you from getting into a dump. This is a party. You need to clean yourself up.”

  “I don’t have anything for a party,” I glanced down to my satchel. I carried the bare necessities, my elixirs and potions along with a few parcels of clothing.

  “That’s not a problem. I’ll take care of you.”

  "You're awfully nice. That's not one of your attributes that I've heard about," I said eyeing him with curiosity.

  “Well there is actually something you can do for me,” he finally admitted.

  “What?”

  “You’re an Emerald Siren, she’s an Emerald Siren, and together your powers must be tremendous. I only request that you both owe me a favor. Whenever I come to either of you, I ask that you fulfill whatever I'm asking, no questions asked."

  “I cannot, and will not make that kind of promise for her, but so long as it doesn’t involve injuring or killing someone unjustly, you have my oath that I’m indebted to you for one favor,” I growled out.

  "Oh, but since you said you're here to save her life, I believe that you wouldn't lie about something as important as Aya; especially in your condition. You save her, she will owe you, and you both will owe me! I can assure you that I do my own injuring and killing with my own two hands. I take those matters very personally. It's similar to having sex, you know? It's an intimate thing; something I let my hands and tongue get deep down into -"

  I cut him off, "Enough! I'll convince her, and we will both owe you a favor."

  Delight beamed through his eyes, “Very good. Come this way.”

  A favor each from two Emerald Sirens could be compared to being struck by lightning six times in the same storm, extremely fucking rare. Sparks of fear ran down my body as I thought of what he could use us for, if not to kill or maim anyone. Regret chased my fear as I followed him into a building next to the one with an immense amount of people standing around outside of it.

  The building itself only stood two stories tall with a beautiful Anthro standing at the door waiting to greet us. She immediately tilted her head to the side allowing Skinner to kiss her seductively, passionately; with an intensity that began to make me uncomfortable. He pulled his tongue out of her mouth and ran it down her cheek. My eyes locked onto hers while Skinner kissed all over her.

  “Who is this?” she asked him.

  He stopped immediately, grabbing her by the jaw, “Don’t get too comfortable, Melody. But this is our new friend, oh, I do not know your name, Sir.”

  “Julian Kirk.”

  "This is our two named friend, Julian Kirk. He will be our guest at the party tonight, and he's going to need your assistance-"

  “I don’t!” I began protesting.

  "You obviously haven't been in front of a mirror in a very long time," Skinner replied before turning back to Melody. "Grab Ariah and Haley to clean him up. We need less abominable woodland creature and more lady killer. Clean, trim, and then we will head to the party. It’s still early, so, by all means, take your time. I need him to be presentable to our dear Aya. After all, what's a favor really worth without my utmost effort?"

  I wasn’t sure how soon I’d regret making the promise to Skinner Finch. Perhaps the day would never come where he’d call in his marker. For now, I’d use his hospitality and be happy with the help. Delivering the message I had for, Aya, would undoubtedly be received better from someone with clean hair and who didn't smell like mud and vengeance.

  4

  Aya

  The night trudged on while Laura left me stranded at the bar to make ‘Fuck Me' eyes at her Onyx Skull. After all of her pestering for me to relax and enjoy myself, she'd left me alone with my thoughts. Minutes of scanning the room for a friendly face yielded nothing but looks of indifference. No one paid me any mind. I didn't belong, but that scent wafting through the air seemed explicitly for me.

  I pushed myself off the stool and waded thru the crowd. My heart climbed into my throat as my pussy tingled with anticipation. I hated this time of year. Being an Emerald Siren meant a lot of time alone. While I didn’t mind that at all, these few weeks of insatiable lust were enough to drive anyone crazy. It shut off my inhibitions as I suddenly wished someone would make those ‘Fuck Me’ eyes towards me.

  I didn't have to wait long. He walked in with Skinner, but he wasn't a Skull. I'd never seen him, nor smelled him around Black Harbor … ever. Tall and muscular with dark salt and pepper hair falling just below his shoulders. Smoldering green eyes locked onto mine with flecks of light blue glistening in the dim lights. Freckles splayed across his forehead traveled down the bridge of his nose to wrap around his mouth and cheeks, similar to a beard but he was cleanly shaven. They converged on his neck spilling down onto his chest, his very sculpted and well-defined chest. The expression on his face called to me as Skinner whispered something before motioning in my direction.

  Another Emerald Siren had just walked into this party as the guest of Skinner Finch. I wasn't sure whether to be impressed or worried. His grey hair told me he was in the Height of his passionate season. Every ounce of his presence engulfed my senses. The aroma of his scales, the sight of his body, the sound of his steady breathing … I wanted to taste him. I needed to touch him.

  I’d chosen to stay in Black Harbor because the proximity to another Siren was so obnoxiously distant, I wouldn’t succumb to the temptations of my bi-annual passions. I didn’t want a family. I didn’t want to fall in love, but my goodness, the sight of him standing there reminded me of how much I wanted to be fucked. Resistance failed as too many years of solitude begged for some affection and intimacy.

  We walked to each other, stopping in the center of the room and letting everything around us fade away.

  “I’m Aya.”

  “Julian. I need to talk to you,” he whispered so close to my ear I could feel his lips brush against my skin. The slight twitch in his cock let me know he felt that charge between us as well.

  “Are you hurt?” I asked him.

  “No.”

  “Do you need an elixir of some sort?”

  “No. I need to speak to you. There are too many people here. Let’s talk somewhere quiet,” he told me. I nodded and allowed him to take my hand. Julian led me out of the bar area and up a flight of stairs as if he’d been here before. He took out a key to unlock the door. His confidence and knowledge of the house had Skinner’s name written all over it. The elder Skull had always delighted in playing the devil’s matchmaker. There wasn’t any matchmaking needed here as I watched Julian’s back flex while he fumbled with the lock. We finally stepped into a bedroom where he closed and locked the door behind him. He peered out of the window with a worried glance in his eyes.

  I didn’t know what or who he was looking for, but his energy made me almost as nervous as he was. “What’s going on?”

  Julian stepped away from the window to sit down next to me. He tensed up, while the grey colored hairs on his head shifted to a stark white. The strength of his fingers gripping the edge of the bed forced his knuckles to pale.

  “I came here to tell you, to warn you about something, but I can’t focus. You’re beautiful Aya. My urges,” he practically whimpered.

  “You’re not alone, but I don’t want anything more than to satisfy my own. Nothing more than to quiet the craving,” I slid my hand onto his leg. The sheer linen pants he wore poorly disguised his burgeoning erection. I couldn’t help myself from wrapping my fingers around his shaft. The idea of us being flesh to flesh enveloped every space in my mind.

  “There’s something,” he panted between strokes, “I need to tell you.”

  “Tell me after!” I pushed him back onto the bed to straddle his waist. It felt awkward. Being sexually aggressive wasn’t one of my strongest attr
ibutes, but I, we, needed this. The moment his tongue grazed my skin my body tingled all over. It didn’t take much to get out of our clothes. It wasn’t romantic. Unforgettable; yes. Passionate; yes. The romance, however, there wasn’t any. I continued to stroke him with my hand, feeling the thickness of his manhood pulsating in my palm. He bit down on his thin set of lips, and my goodness that square jawline clenched as he groaned under me. My heart raced and my nipples hardened. His hands moved from gripping the sheets to around my waist and once he opened his eyes, he pulled me down on top of him.

  Julian’s tongue floated over my nipples, tantalizing, teasing them, and creating goosebumps that followed the blazing trail of his tongue. From the hollow point where my collar bones met, he licked me up to my chin where he bit down so tenderly it sent a shockwave through my entire body.

  “Julian.”

  Inhibitions gone. He stopped moving delicately as we both bordered on rage and lust. “I need to be inside you, Aya.”

  The urgency in the low growl almost made me tremble, as he moved my hand away from his erection to press his swollen head at my entrance. Taking control, Julian thrust his hips upward, sending his cock crashing into my waiting wetness. The searing pain of him filling my empty space reminded me of how long it had been since anyone’s been inside of me. It vanished quick enough as Julian moved my hips up and down on him at a feverish pace. The orgasms that crashed over me were so intense it made me forget where we were. If I cared enough, I’d check outside the door to make sure Skinner wasn’t listening in.

  Julian quickly pulled my attention back to him. With one swift move, he wrapped his arm around my waist, turning us completely until I was on my back. He planted his feet on the floor and slid me to the edge of the bed. Rubbing himself between the folds of my slit drove me crazy, “Julian, please.”