by Ivy Clyde
A while later, I noticed flickering lights outside the window. Leaning closer, I looked out and found the carriage driving through a narrow road with tall walls fencing us on both sides. Torches burned in mounted brackets along the walls, lighting our way forward.
An imposing castle rose up in the distance, looming against the night sky.
The carriage was allowed to pass through the heavily guarded gates of the manor. Up ahead, the way was lit up with gigantic glass structures shaped like lanterns. Bright flames burned inside them, driving away the darkness of the night. Faint sounds of music and tinkling laughter could already be heard.
The carriage came to a stop before the main entrance doors of the castle. A valet opened the door for me and helped me climb out. I looked into the young man’s flawless face. Not finding any maliciousness there, I allowed him to lead the way inside.
Coran’s manor was as impressive as the palace. The floors, as well as walls making up his home, were built of pure white marble. Magnificent crystal chandeliers hung overhead, making the whole place come alive with their golden glow.
A number of well-dressed fae men and women were scattered around the entrance hall. Their clothes and jewels were so brilliant, it dazzled my eyes. They all looked beautiful, appearing like they belonged in the grand magnificence surrounding them. The air was heavy with the subtle notes of their perfumes.
“Please allow me to take your cloak and gloves, My Lady,” said the valet.
“Oh, thanks.” I tugged at the ties of the cloak and allowed it to fall off my shoulders. The valet gathered up the material in his arms and extended his hand to receive my gloves.
I looked around, hoping to find Rowan in the crowd but he was nowhere to be seen. “Are all the guests here?” I asked.
“Some are here, My Lady,” said the man. “Others are gathered in the ballroom. There is also the dining hall but most of the crowd is in the ballroom.”
“Could you take me there?”
“Of course,” he said, inclining his head politely. “Please, follow me.”
While we walked through the pillared hallway, I kept my eyes open for both Rowan and Deirdre. Some of the men and women concealed their faces with porcelain masks or eye-patches, making it difficult for me to identify them. I wondered if Deirdre’s dark eyes were following me from behind one of them.
The valet took me into another room. This was much larger and grander compared to the entrance hall. Each of the walls was covered with beautiful paintings of flowers and dreamy landscapes. An orchestra was set up on a raised circular dais. Fae couples spread all around the room, dancing to the tunes of a cheerful song.
My guide had been right. The majority of Coran’s guests were gathered here. Leaving him behind, I walked into the throng of dancing couples. The flare of gleaming silks, the dazzle of gold and jewels, and the loud notes of a mesmerizing tune overwhelmed my senses. I felt disoriented as if my whole vision was blurring into a whirlwind of colors and sound.
The deeper I walked into the crowd, the more lost I felt. Rowan, Coran, and Deirdre were nowhere in sight.
A light tap on my shoulder made me whirl around. Immediately, my heart jumped into my throat and my feet stumbled back. A tall figure wearing a creepy bronze mask with roughly cut holes for eyes leered down at me.
“Stay back!” I warned at once, throwing my arms forward.
The figure halted. Next moment, the person took the mask off and I was presented with a pleasant surprise. Instead of some creep, it was a young handsome guy. From the look in his soft blue eyes, I guessed he was about the same age as me.
“I’m sorry I startled you,” said the stranger with an apologetic smile. “It’s just that you looked so pretty I couldn’t help myself.” Color spread on his cheeks. “Would you mind if I asked you to dance?”
“I am not here to dance,” I said.
“But you’re in the ballroom,” he blurted. The color in his cheeks deepened. “I guess you’d rather have an older, wealthier partner. My mistake. I am sorry for troubling you, miss. I just thought you wouldn’t mind me as a partner since we’re not that far apart in age. I’m sorry!”
My shoulders relaxed as the guy babbled and apologized. He seemed shy and innocent. It must have taken quite a bit of courage to approach another stranger.
“It’s all right,” I said, starting to feel bad for the guy. “I guess we could dance. I am Moira, by the way.”
The guy stared at me wide-eyed, like he couldn’t quite believe I’d said yes. A moment later, he bowed before me and reached out his hand toward me. I took it, thinking one dance wouldn’t hurt. This way I wouldn’t be standing out from the crowd while I kept a lookout for Rowan.
“I am Zane,” said the young man as he grasped my hand.
“Nice to meet you,” I said as he wrapped an arm around my waist.
Zane smiled and started moving to the slower music the band played. He seemed good at dancing as he led me through simple steps. It was like he could tell I wasn’t used to dancing this way. Even though he held me by the waist, he maintained quite a good gap between our bodies. His hand never slid below the small of my back.
I relaxed in his gentle hold and began enjoying the dance. This is a good way to move around the room, I decided. This will give me a chance to look for Rowan without sticking out too much. I loosened a bit more and let him twirl me around, letting my dress flare all around me. Chuckles of pure delight escaped my lips. Zane replied with a happy grin, continuing to dance with me.
“I never knew dancing could be so much fun,” I told him.
He laughed and continued to lead me through the steps of a fast-tuned song.
My senses stopped being overwhelmed by the sights and noise around me. I was able to take in the delicate features of his beautiful face before me. His luscious lips curved in a dazzling smile.
“Do you attend Belenus Court?” I asked him after a while.
“No. I am too old to be there now.”
“Oh, so you must have graduated. What kind of work do you do now?”
“I work for Lady Deirdre,” he said. The sound of that name alerted me at once. I halted in my steps and suddenly realized that the music around me had stopped altogether.
Zane hooked a finger under my chin and tilted my face up. “Don’t stop looking at me.”
I blinked and realized how dim the ballroom had gone. It felt like the chandeliers had gone out, the brilliantly glittering jewels on the guests turned into dull stone and the shiny silks of the ladies’ gowns were as faded as an old rag.
“What is happening?” Before I could turn away, Zane forced my face to stay in the same position. His smile morphed into a sneer. “Let me go.” I swatted at the hand holding my chin and broke out of his hold.
The moment I stepped away, the scenery around me changed instantly. We were no longer in the ballroom but in a dimly-lit room with a single bed occupying most of the space.
“How did we get here?” I asked, confused.
“I led you to this room,” said Zane. “You came with me willingly.”
I stared at him, not understanding what was happening. Then, it dawned on me. Illusion…I glanced back at him and tested the strength of my mental shield. It was still in place. Then, how could he have fooled me? Were we still in the ballroom and I was seeing myself in this strange room? Was Zane real? Was anything real?
“I love the look you’ve got on your face,” said Zane with a sinister smile. He approached me and took hold of my hand. “You are wondering if I am casting an illusion on you.”
“Are you?”
He chuckled softly. “Yes.”
“How are you able to get past my mental shields?”
“There are other ways to breach your shields, Moira,” he said. “It’s too bad you won’t live long enough to make use of this lesson again.”
“What do you mean? What are you doing to me?”
“Watch.”
Next instant, the sight of the
room before me dissolved. The ballroom came back in my view. A few seconds later, it shifted to the vision of a goldflower field at day time.
“What are you doing?” I shouted.
“Look at me, Moira.” I stared up at Zane and watched the delicate features of his face morphing before my eyes. His delicate nose elongated sharply, his thin arching eyebrows turned thick and shaggy, sharp, needle-like teeth protruded from behind his lips. The biggest transformation was in his eyes. The clear blue was replaced by murky brown which covered the whites of his pupil-less eyes.
“What the hell?” I muttered, snatching my hand away from him.
The new, creepy Zane grinned, reminding me of the vampire I’d seen in the alley of the Troll Bazaar in Lost Sanctum. “Are you a night-walker?” I asked.
Zane scoffed. “No. I am a gancanaugh.”
“A what?”
“My mistress was right about you,” he said thoughtfully. “You are unbelievably naïve and ignorant of our world and the various creatures who inhabit it. Look at your arms and hands.”
I looked down instinctively. There was something wet and shiny all over my hands and arms. “What is this?” I asked, wiping the saliva-like liquid on my skirt.
“That is gancanaugh venom,” he said. “This is how I bewitched your senses and brought you here. The poison gets soaked into your bloodstream and I am given instant access to play with your senses. You were under my influence since the moment you touched my hand. Didn’t anyone tell you to keep your gloves on?” He looked at the panicked expression on my face and shook his head. “I guess not.” He moved closer to me and grabbed hold of my hand again.
“What do you want?” I hissed, snatching my hand back.
This time he didn’t let go. His fingers tightened around my wrist. Next moment, he pulled me against him and sank his needle-like teeth into the skin of my wrist.
I cried out from the pain. Blood welled up from the punctures his teeth created.
Zane held my wrist as he licked at the wound.
“Let go of me or I will kill you,” I warned him.
He obeyed but laughed, the sound chilling me from the inside out. I had no idea what a gancanaugh was or what it could do to me.
“Why are you playing with me?” I asked, taking several steps away from him. “What does Deirdre want you to do? Do you want to kill me? Do you want to--” The sequence of my questions halted as my core clenched tightly. What the fuck…Suddenly, an embarrassing moan escaped me.
Zane laughed louder. “Come, my darling,” he said, gesturing me to go back to him. “I will soothe that itch between your legs.”
Heat flowed through my veins, reminding me of the time when Leon was thrusting inside me while Cade was kissing my mouth deeply. My pussy throbbed hard and clenched emptily. I was turned on without any reason at all. Part of me screamed in horror while the other just wanted to jump on Zane and rip his pants off so I could grab his cock and sink it into my pussy.
“What the fuck is happening to me?” I gasped, unable to keep my hand from creeping toward my pussy.
“Lady Deirdre did ask me to lure you away and drive a dagger through your heart but I decided on a more merciful way to end your young life.” Zane’s pitch black, pupil-less eyes gave no window to his emotions but his voice sounded grim. “You are the most beautiful creature I’ve ever laid eyes on, Moira. You are so innocent and unaware of your own lure. It hurts me to kill you.”
“So, you will let me go?”
“I can’t do that. You will die by my hands but you will die of pleasure and not pain.”
Moving forward, he grabbed the front of my bodice and tore it open, letting my breasts spill out. His dark gaze drank in the sight of my heaving boobs before lowering his mouth to place a kiss on the left one. Desire and revulsion spread through me as I stood frozen.
An appreciative hum escaped him. Raising his head, he looked at me. “You liked my touch.”
“Get away from me,” I hissed even though my lust-filled body protested.
Zane’s smile disappeared. “You will die from pain if you don’t let someone touch you.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked as my core clenched one more time, making my whole body shudder. My knees were close to collapsing from my intense need to have a cock inside me. I wanted Zane’s vile mouth back on my breasts, sucking my nipple, biting…
“The gancanaugh poison is spreading through your blood,” explained Zane. “It is a powerful aphrodisiac, almost lethal. Your need to have sex will defy any logical thought. Every touch will bring you intense pleasure. Only sex can quench your body’s need.” Placing his hands behind his back, he leaned toward me. “I will keep biting you and keep sending my venom into your veins. You will keep asking for more and more sex until your body breaks and tears. See what I meant when I said I will kill you with pleasure?”
Fear wrapped its cold fingers around my neck. “That’s why I’m feeling like this?” Sweat beaded my forehead as my core throbbed with need. My skin felt like it was on fire and only Zane’s touch could soothe it.
“You better allow me to touch you, Moira,” said Zane. “If you don’t, you will soon go through extreme pain. My venom will burn through your veins and start destroying your organs. You will die within hours and it will be extremely painful.” He reached out a hand and caressed the side of my neck, bringing out another deep moan from within me. “Let me touch you, let me give you pleasure. Die with pleasure.”
Zane’s fingers wrapped around my neck, grasping the slender column in a firm grip. He pulled me to him and crashed his mouth to mine. Relief spread through my body as I sagged against him. Next moment, the sound of ripping fabric reached my ears but I was too blissfully captured in the most disgusting kiss of my life.
Zane broke apart, drawing a hiss of frustration from my lips.
“Patience, my sweet,” he said, his black lips curving up in a devious grin. Next moment, he bent down and swept me off my feet. The feel of his strong arms underneath my body sent another thrill shooting through me. He took me to the bed and laid me on it.
I watched him take off his clothes. My eyes saw the ugly creature before me, felt repulsed at the thought of him touching me but my mind felt too weak against the demands of my body. I took in the sight of those needle-like teeth behind his lips. I will keep biting you and keep sending my venom into your veins. You will keep asking for more and more sex until your body breaks. See what I meant when I said I will kill you with pleasure. Zane’s words repeated in my head over and over again.
A hollow laugh escaped me, drawing Zane’s gaze toward me.
“I am back to square one,” I said with another wry chuckle. “Those men wanted to do the same to me but what makes this situation a tiny bit different is that you are a real monster. They were driven mad by something inside me but you…you are a real monster through and through.”
“I will let you call me whatever you like,” said Zane, lowering his body on mine. “You will soon be begging for my monstrous cock to ravage you.”
My body did want that but something deep inside me rebelled against that wanton need.
Zane lowered his mouth onto the side of my neck while his fingers crept up my exposed thighs to reach my dripping folds. I nearly wept from the sweet relief but somehow managed to hold onto the faint disgust in my mind.
“Do you know what happened to the last people who tried to do this to me?” I whispered in his ears.
“What, sweet love?” he asked, his voice mellow with his own desire. “Look how your pussy lips are sucking my fingers in.”
“They were all burned,” I replied. Without allowing myself to feel a second of pleasure from his touch, I called on my magic. It answered me, surging to the tips of my fingers that were resting on Zane’s chest.
“Argh!” Zane’s surprised cry broke through my haze of lust. I watched him as he stared down at the burning and smoking patch of skin on his chest where my fingers rested. “What…what…
how can you…” Before he could move away, I sent forth another burst of energy shooting toward him, imagining an intense heat that could melt steel.
Zane screamed, his pupil-less black eyes widening as they stared at me in horror. His shrieks were painful to my ears but I watched him as white-hot flames devoured his body.
When his cries subsided, I kicked out at him, throwing the flaming mass onto the floor.
Venom burned in my veins, bringing with it an excruciating agony. I thrashed on the bed while my nostrils became clogged with the disgusting stench of burning flesh and hair. Zane’s threat proved to be true. Without his touch, my body was succumbing to the other effects of his poison.
I’ll endure it, I thought as my body convulsed with unbearable pain. No matter what happened, I couldn’t bring myself to regret destroying Zane, the weapon Deirdre used against me tonight. It was too bad I couldn’t do the same to her.
Rowan, Leon, and Cade’s faces flashed before me. A smile came on my lips despite the tears streaming down my cheeks. My love for them stopped me from falling prey to a repulsive creature like the gancanaugh. I don’t think I could ever bear the shame and disgust if I let Zane inside me. No relief or promise of pleasure could ever make me accept his touch.
My breathing turned erratic. My toes and fingers curled stiffly as the pain nearly drove me into a blindingly dark abyss. I closed my eyes, hoping the poison would act quickly and not prolong the inevitable for too long.
My only regret at that moment was I didn’t get a chance to make up with Rowan. “I’m sorry,” I whispered as more tears seeped through my eyelashes.
36
Rowan
I sampled a bunch of red-skinned grapes from a large silver platter heaped with a variety of fruits. Plucking a fat grape, I pushed it between my lips while my gaze roamed around the hall, taking in the valets moving around with trays of food and drinks.
