by Bailey Dark
I wander away from the column, stumbling down the dune and falling into the hot sand. I giggle, scooting down the dune towards a pile of rubble below the enormous hill. The thought of marching back up the dune stops me halfway down and I sigh, laying back on the sand. It cushions my curves, but it isn’t long before the sand makes my back starts to ache. I sit up, brushing sand from my shoulders and hair.
“Here,” I hear Altair murmur behind me.
I spin, twisting at the waist to follow his voice. He stands just behind me, his hands reaching for the grains of sand in my hair. He brushes some sand from my hair and then holds a lock in his long fingers. My heart pounds loudly, loud enough that I know he’ll hear it with his Fae hearing.
“What are you doing out here?” He asks, keeping his tone light and playful. “Playing in the sand like a child?”
“No,” I say sheepishly even though he’s right.
He smirks. “You thought I wouldn’t notice you slipping away?”
I lift my chin defiantly. “It may surprise you to know that I hadn’t even considered it.”
Altair twists the lock of hair between his fingers, edging closer to me. “How cruel,” he purrs.
I feel a thrill shoot through me from the tips of my toes to the crown of my head. He smiles at the look of shock on my face and closes the distance between us. I try to rise but his hands on my shoulder force me back to the sand. Altair crouches beside me, the sun like a halo around his head. I inhale sharply, intoxicated by the glint of predatory desire in his eyes.
“What are you doing?” I whisper as he leans towards me.
Altair brushes his lips against my cheek and I shudder. He pulls away, wiping his lips off. “You had sand on your cheek,” he says, grinning.
My cheeks flush. I doubt there was any sand on my cheek. Even if there was, Altair used it as nothing more than an excuse to tease me. “Stop it,” I say. Even to my ears it sounds half-hearted. “I know what you’re trying to do.”
“What am I trying to do?” He asks softly, leaning in close.
I freeze as his lips graze my ear. My heart is beating wildly, and my core is throbbing with desire. I clench my hands into fists and close my eyes. “Trying to make me forget that you belong to someone else now,” I whisper.
“I belong only to you,” he breathes. His soft breath tickles my ear and I shiver.
I pause, biting my lip. “Say it again.”
“I belong only to you,” he repeats, but his voice is stronger now, fiercer.
It’s enough to make me forget that I need to move away from him; to let him go. My hands move on their own to wrap around his waist. My embrace is permission enough and Altair utters a low growl. The sound sends a thrill through me and my core pulses with heat. He drags me into his lap, and I straddle him, pressing my chest against him desperately. His lips find mine with ease and he kisses me like a starving man faced with a feast. I gasp when he bites down hard on my bottom lip, but it doesn't hurt. The pain is only pleasure for us now.
I feel him stiffen under my heat and I revel in it. I roll my hips over his instinctively, unable to stop myself or hold back the way I should. After all, his fiancé is only over the crest of this dune. Altair's hands wrap around my ass, guiding me over his pelvis to both our pleasure. I see stars behind my closed eyes, and every cell in my body feels alive.
His tongue flits into my mouth, teasing my lips apart. I oblige him, but he pulls away and I can’t help the little whimper that escapes me. He chuckles, the sound vibrating against my chest. His fingers play over my chin, coaxing my mouth open wider. My heart pounds wildly, blood roaring in my ears as I take his fingers between my lips. He groans while I suckle them, tongue dancing over his long digits. I don’t care what it looks like, how wrong it is. He’s with someone else, I know. But I don’t care. I can’t stop the flood of temptation and pleasure long enough to care.
When he slips his fingers from my lips, I search for him blindly again. His tongue finds mine, the tips tangling hesitantly, searching the other out. My rhythm on his groin slows as we fall into a new one. A beat of hesitation, desire, and melancholy. My fingers curl into his back as I rock against him. I feel him tremble and he bites back a groan. The sound is all I need to send me crashing back into him like a rogue wave.
His hands are all over my body, tangled in my hair, curling over my ass, or drifting down my navel. I can hardly breathe, panting desperately. I fumble for the laces tying my cloak on. Altair realizes what I’m doing before I do, and his hands wrap around mine, stilling them. He pulls back, breathing hard. His eyes drink me in like he wants to memorize everything about me.
“We shouldn’t,” he says, but I hear the keen of desire in his voice.
I sag back, core pulsing. “No, we shouldn’t,” I agree reluctantly.
Altair brushes my mussed hair away from my cheeks and flashes me an arrogant grin. “I never expected it to be so easy to get you to kiss me again.”
I roll my eyes. “Call it a symptom of heat stroke.”
“I think I’ll call it something else,” he purrs, nuzzling my neck.
I sigh, letting his lips brush over my jugular. Pleasure flits through me and I almost start pressing my body into his again. “We should get back,” I say, pushing him away gently.
“What if we left and never came back.” His eyes are lit with fire. “What if we ran away somewhere no one could find us.”
“Altair,” I murmur. “You know we can’t do that.”
“But isn’t it nice to imagine?” He asks, smiling sorrowfully.
It takes all of my will power to get off of him and rise to my feet. I leave him in the sand, on the side of the dune, and head back to my glyphs. I can use them as an excuse for my absence, I think sadly. I glance over my shoulder and see Altair spilling grains of sand from the palm of his hand. I swallow hard. Why is this so painful? Was it destined to be this hard?
I close my eyes, clenching my hands into fists at my sides. Fate is a bitch.
Chapter 15
Altair
When I return to our makeshift campsite, the others are lingering by the horses. My eyes dart towards Verity but she looks away quickly, sparking up a conversation with Thal. Jealousy burns in my chest, mingled with my regret. When I finally drag my gaze away, Moritz catches my eye. He jerks his head, calling me to him.
“What is it?” I ask, moving to his side.
For once, he isn’t bundled in a thick cloak. The heat out here is getting to him as well. He rakes a hand through his pale blonde hair and flicks his eyes towards the old Bloodbane. “She has news for you.”
I turn to the old witch. “News?”
“Our journey is over,” she says, smiling. “Our destination is just over the dunes.”
I feel a thrill of anticipation. Finally, we are making progress – now comes the dangerous part. “Excellent,” I say, waving towards the dunes. “Lead on.”
She doesn’t even mount her horse. The old Bloodbane waddles up the dunes, the reins to her horse in hand. I follow her and slowly the rest of the group falls in line. The climb over the dunes is difficult and, underneath the hot sun, sweat drips down my forehead. The dunes are taller than they look, and what I guessed to be a short climb, turns into a half hour of trudging up burning sand.
By the time we reach the top, we’re out of breath and desperate for water. I toss my head back, groaning internally. What I would give for a dip in a pool. When I drop my gaze back to the scene in front of me, my lips part in surprise. Hidden in the depths of the rolling sands is what was once an enormous, opulent city. Nothing more than ruins now, the grandeur is still clear. Its size is comparable to Desmarais, though half of it is buried beneath the sands.
Great columns, not unlike the one we sheltered beneath, are placed in a line, as if once along an avenue. Now, the dunes have hidden the road and the bottoms of the columns, but the tops are inlaid with flecks of sapphire. Deeper into the ruins, buildings have toppled due to time and weather
ing. Some remain, and the most prominent is a grand pyramid in the center of the ruins. Parts of its angular stone walls have crumbled, and the tip has broken off, but it’s still a stunning piece of ancient architecture.
“It’s like ancient Egypt,” Verity breathes.
“Welcome to the ancient city of Alkuthban,” the old witch says, sweeping her arms wide.
“What was this place?” Thal asks as we start down the dunes.
“It was once the seat of the emperor who ruled the wastelands many thousands of years ago. Back then, the wastelands were called Alramol, and it was filled with oases and grand cities of gold and sapphire,” the first Bloodbane explains.
Verity runs her hand along a stone column as we breach the perimeter of the city. “What happened?”
“Something that will happen again if we can’t stop it, but this time, to the entire world,” the witch says darkly.
I eye her, lips pressed into a thin line. “The Shades?”
“This is why I know of them,” she confirms. “The years I spent in Alramol before it collapsed, and the centuries after when my sisters and I studied its history to make sure it would not be forgotten, I learned of their dark devices.”
“And yet it was forgotten,” Erzur says, her almond-shaped eyes narrowed at the Bloodbane.
“Perhaps by some, but not by us.” The old witch smiles, but there’s no kindness in her eyes.
In the shadows of the city, the old Bloodbane leads us towards the pyramid that cuts into the sky. Verity is practically bouncing from foot to foot, her eyes as wide as coins. I’ve never seen her so excited about anything before, and the sight has my heart stirring. I wish I could bring her to the ancient city of Civisilva, the city that was swallowed by the forest. Verity has a traveler’s heart and a thirst for knowledge. I want to sate it with her.
I’m drawn from my thoughts when Erzur slips a hand around my shoulders. Her fingers dig into my flesh and I cut my eyes towards her warningly. She isn’t bothered and I remind myself that I need to at least appear to tolerate her. I have no doubt she knows that Verity and I have given into our love more than once since our engagement. I’m lucky she hasn’t declared war on Alnembra for my betrayal. I need to keep it that way.
We follow the old witch deeper into the city, to a small building still standing in the shadow of the pyramid. “My search may require a few days,” she says, voice warbling. “This will be a good place to settle.”
“Thal,” I say, an edge of command to my voice. “Chain Sadal to a wall away from windows and doors.”
“It’s too late now, it’s too late now,” Sadal says, humming.
Thal grimaces but takes Sadal’s elbow and drags him into the building. He mutters beneath his breath, a quiet threat to Sadal. Erzur picks at the crumbling doorway and rubs the dust between her fingers. I tie the horses to a post outside when a soft wail catches my attention. I spin, sand spitting out beneath my boots. The alleys and roads around us are empty, save the odd gust of sand-laden wind.
“We must be cautious,” the old witch says cryptically. “Some believe the city to be haunted. And there will be many dangers in the pyramid.”
“Haunted?” Verity echoes, her eyes lit with curiosity.
Erzur scoffs. “There are no such things as spirits. A blade will do well enough against real dangers.”
“How can you say that when you’ve seen demons?” Verity asks impatiently. She scowls at Erzur, distaste clear in her blue eyes.
“Because I’ve seen a demon.” Erzur smiles.
Verity’s scowl deepens. “I’m sure in a few short hours you’ll see a spirit too.”
“We shall see,” Erzur purrs, fingering the dagger at her waist.
Thal returns from binding Sadal inside. “What’s next?” He asks, eyes on the Bloodbane.
I don’t mind relinquishing some leadership to her, after all, she knows what we’re looking for better than I. So, I wait for her to reply, even while Erzur’s judging eyes rove over me. The Bloodbane nods. “Stay in pairs, and search the ruins for glyphs, or perhaps any surviving texts,” she orders.
Erzur slips a territorial arm through my elbow at the mention of pairs and I resist the urge to roll my eyes. Verity drifts to Thal’s side and he bends low to whisper in her ear. I wish desperately to hear what it is he said when Verity dissolves into a fit of laughter. My heart pounds jealously, and I know Erzur can sense it.
“I’ll stay with Sadal,” Moritz drawls, looking bored.
He slinks back into the shade of the building while the rest of us disperse through the city. I watch from the corner of my eyes as Verity and Thal head east, already falling into conversation. Instinctively, I lean after them, intending to follow, but Erzur holds me back. Her almond-shaped eyes look almost pitiable, but then they flash with impatience.
“We should spread out,” she says.
I bite my tongue, knowing she’s right. We’ll cover more ground if the pairs go in opposite directions. Gritting my teeth, I let Erzur take the lead. We walk down the main avenue before turning sharply to the left and diving into a maze of alleys. I duck my head into a few buildings that appear mostly intact but find nothing but broken pots and rotted furniture. Erzur swaggers beside me, her hips swinging from side to side in an almost intoxicating rhythm. I drag my eyes away from her and back to our surroundings, looking for any sign of writing.
“I would think a haunted city would be more interesting,” Erzur sighs.
I run my hand over the beard growing on my jaw. “Perhaps you would be more entertained if you attempted to look for glyphs or records.”
She smirks. “If anything catches my eye, you’ll be the first to know.”
We fall into silence, and I’m grateful for it. Erzur has never been easy to deal with, and the pressures of losing Verity, coupled with our impending doom, doesn’t make it any easier. I step into the shadows of a larger building and poke through the rubble inside. Every night, I regret everything that led to driving Verity away. I hear soft rustling from the doorway and realize Erzur has followed me in. I sigh, skin prickling with irritation.
“You know, Altair, I think I may have something that might help,” she says. Her voice is light, and I don’t sense any sarcasm or viciousness in it.
I narrow my eyes suspiciously and push past her back into the sunlight. “What?” I ask, humoring her.
Her hand plays over my shoulder and she turns me towards her. I inhale sharply, obliging her despite the irritation sparking in my belly. She draws a small vial of golden liquid from a pocket and holds it up to the light. The contents sparkle and glitter, looking inviting.
“This is a potion I had drawn up for you. Once I learned of your curse all those years ago, I thought perhaps I could leverage this solution against you.” She cocks her head. “But I never did. I’ve kept the recipe secret. But, since we’re to be wed, it makes sense to offer it to you now.”
The curse. I swallow hard. I had hoped Erzur wouldn’t notice the curse returning so quickly, and perhaps she hasn’t. My eyes study the golden liquid. “Why?”
“To endear you to me,” she says bluntly. “I’m tired of watching you parade your love for Verity in front of me. You think you’re subtle, yet you’re not. It stings. And it tries my patience.”
Of course, another maneuver from my bride-to-be to manipulate me. I school my face, relaxing my brows and mouth. “I’m sorry,” I say after a moment of silence.
She smiles, baring her teeth at me. “I forgive you. Will you accept my gift to you?”
I study the potion again. I don’t know of any potions or spells that could break the curse, beyond what Verity has already done for me. I exhale slowly, considering it. It could be poison, of course. But Erzur doesn’t have what she wants from me. She would wait until we were wed before she poisoned me. I can see her growing impatient as I debate my options. Whatever it is, I doubt it’s anything that could harm me – too much is at stake for her.
“Alright,” I murm
ur, plucking the vial from her ebony fingers.
I drain the small bottle in one swallow and stand still, waiting for it to take effect. Erzur’s smile broadens after I swallow, and she reaches out a hand to stroke my cheek. “How are you feeling?” She asks softly.
The sound of her voice is like a bell, sweet and echoing in my ears. I lean into her gentle touch, surprised at how much I want it. I open my mouth to speak, but my tongue feels thick and useless. My vision is blurring, the only clear image I have is of Erzur. She traces her fingers from my cheek to my jaw and then along the ropes of muscle in my neck. I shiver beneath her touch; it’s like trails of lava.
Erzur’s eyes are deep pools of black, like the night sky. I want to dive into them in search of the stars. She closes the distance between us, and I can feel heat radiating from her. The pungent scent of desire is in the air all around us, reminding me of Summer’s Eve. I lean into her, giving into the sweet temptation of losing myself in someone else. She’s there to receive me, her full lips like pillows against mine. Her hands wrap around my neck, scraping against the hair at the nape of my neck.
I shiver as her nails rake over me, sharp and piercing. Her tongue darts into my mouth and she growls. The sound sends a thrill through me and I stiffen. Fae women are aggressive and animalistic in bed, and the sound of Erzur snarling her pleasure sends me into a flurry of heat. My hands squeeze her ass, thrusting her groin up against mine. She gasps, a little sound of surprise and pleasure that I cling to. I spin her, pushing her up against the wall viciously.
Erzur tosses her head back, exposing her elegant neck to me. I nip at it and drag my tongue across it as she shivers with pleasure. “Altair,” she moans, rolling her hips against me.
My mind is a fog of desire and undeniable pleasure. There’s a pang in my chest as she says my name, as if this isn’t the voice that should be calling out to me. But then her lips are on mine again, and all thoughts of hesitation are gone. I hoist her up until she’s suspended in the air. She wraps her legs around me, and I wish desperately that she wore a skirt. My hands fly to her trousers and I unlace them swiftly. She trembles, chest heaving. My eyes dart over her as I try to maneuver her into a position where I can thrust into her easily. Her eyes are half-closed, lips parted in a vicious, pleasurable snarl. I growl and her hands find her breasts.
