by G. K. DeRosa
I cursed, my insides raging with turmoil. We needed to get out of the damn sky.
“I’ve gotten away with a lot of crap, but breaking this law,” she motioned her hand between us, “might be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.” Her green eyes burned through the cabin. “They would definitely kill you.” Solaris turned back to the controls, shaking her head. “I’m not going to let that happen.”
I believed her. Well, I believed she’d try.
“We need to land and find something big enough to hide under.” She chewed on her bottom lip. “Do you see a clear strip with something that can shield us?”
I glanced out the window, using my amplified vision. A large row of decaying structures loomed in the distance. If we went toward the left and landed quickly, we could blend in with the crumbling landscape. “Yes.” I pointed in the correct direction. “Get your landing gear ready. Now!”
Solaris went into action. I’d never seen her move so quickly or confidently. She knew what she was doing, and even though I hated to admit it, she was far superior to me.
A smile twitched at my lips. I was never going to admit it though.
“Where am I going, Kaige?” She snapped me out of my head.
“A little to the left.” I checked the radar. The three planes were still chasing us, gathering speed. I was pretty sure the only reason we’d manage to elude them this far was because of my little human controlling the unworthy machine.
The plane started to descend. “Tell me if I get off track?” Her shoulders were taut and fingers tight on the yoke.
“You’re doing great.” My heart thudded in my ribcage, adrenaline speeding through my veins. The buildings were closer than I’d thought. “A little to the right.”
Solaris followed my instructions, barely missing a piece of metal frame sticking out. She had no idea how close we’d been to crashing. The earth quickly rose up beneath us. “We’re about to hit the ground!”
She yanked back on the yoke, and the tires caught us. The plane jerked and bounced on the uneven ground, throwing me around in the seat. Solaris was strapped in, gritting her teeth against the impact. The tip of the right wing grazed a cement pillar, sparks flying.
I mentally cursed, hoping the humans couldn’t detect the momentary bright orange flickers from the sky.
The plane finally came to a grinding halt, nestled amongst the ruins. It was going to be a challenge taking off again, but not impossible. We quickly shut everything off, throwing the cabin into total darkness. Neither one of us breathed as we waited for the planes to pass. They were so low to the ground, we could both hear them.
One. Two. Three.
Several heavy moments stretched before Solaris let out a shaky breath. “They’re gone.”
I slumped back in my seat and wiped a fine sheen of sweat that had gathered on my brow with the back of my hand. “That was close.”
A laugh tumbled out of her as she unhooked her straps. “I can’t believe I just flew a plane blind.”
I smiled through the darkness. “You’re one of those people who like to brag, aren’t you?”
She shrugged. “When you’re as good as me, you get to brag.”
My eyes landed on the bite marks, and I leaned closer. She stiffened when my fingers gently trailed over her skin. “I should give you my blood now.”
Her heartbeats tripped over themselves. “Are you sure about that?” she asked. “Last time you seemed so adamant about not doing it—like this.”
I swallowed hard. I didn’t want her to leave with any of the marks my brother had caused. I wanted to heal her. If I was honest with myself, I wanted her to have my blood again.
One last time.
“Yes, I’m sure.”
“Okay.” The word was barely audible in the thick darkness between us, but it was enough to make my insides flare with anticipation.
Without thinking, I wrapped my hands around her waist and hauled her into my lap. A gasp escaped her, and she clutched my shoulders.
“What are you doing?” she rasped, her warm breath blowing across my neck.
“It’s easier this way.” It wasn’t. I just wanted… things I shouldn’t want. This was stupid and dangerous. It could only end in disaster.
I just couldn’t seem to care.
Solaris’s pulse quivered, and her jasmine and honey scent clouded around me. It made me weak.
I cut on a dim light, meeting her wide eyes. I tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, feeling her body trembling. “Are you afraid?”
Steel entered her gaze. “No.”
She was lying. She was like a terrified little rabbit in front of a predator. But she didn’t fear being hurt. She was afraid of what was about to happen between us.
So was I.
My fangs tore through my gums, and I lifted my arm, opening my flesh for her. I presented her my wrist, two drops of crimson glistening on my pale skin.
She hesitantly wrapped her fingers around my arm.
I nodded. “Go ahead. It’s all right.”
She drew my wrist closer, pressing it to her mouth. The moment her tongue swiped across my skin, heat unfurled inside me. Her body jolted as she felt the intensity rolling through mine. I thought it would have frightened her and forced her away.
It did the opposite.
Instead she continued, drinking more of my blood as
emotions swirled around me, desire and longing at the forefront. The last time she’d done this, she’d been unconscious. She was wide-awake now.
My other hand curled around her hip, gripping her tight. Blood rushed through her veins beneath my touch, and the bond crackled with electricity. A storm was brewing between us, and if we weren’t careful, we were both going to drown in it.
“Solaris.” Her name crossed my lips without my consent, breathy and ragged.
Her hazy eyes lifted to mine. She couldn’t read my mind, but she knew exactly what this was doing to me. The vampire part of me reveled in the sensations. The prophecy had created a rift between our two races. It made nocturnes weak and forced our true nature underground.
Mine was clawing its way out.
Solaris pulled my wrist away, her chest quickly rising and falling with every labored breath. “That was…” She licked my blood from her lips, unable to finish her thought.
Both of our bodies vibrated with energy. My fingers brushed the hair from her shoulder, checking the bite marks.
“How are they?” Her words were ragged.
My fingers traced her unmarred neck. “Healed.”
A shiver rippled through her. “It doesn’t hurt anymore.” She continued to lick her lips, but my blood was gone except for a drop in the corner.
My thumb wiped it, lingering. Her lips closed around the tip, tasting that last little bit.
I couldn’t contain the breathy sigh that exited me. Her eyes widened, and my head lowered.
“Kaige,” she whispered. “What are you doing?”
“Nothing,” I murmured as my head dipped. “Nothing good.”
Chapter 25
Solaris
My body vibrated with energy from Kaige’s unbelievable blood. My legs quivered from the intensity. Now I couldn’t tear my eyes away from his lips. They were only inches from mine and moving closer. What was he doing? What was I doing? My head was tipping forward to meet his.
His soft warm lips brushed mine, and my entire body lit up. Every single cell in my being tingled with electricity. Warmth flooded my cheeks and surged through my chest, igniting sensations I didn’t even know existed—and that probably should’ve been illegal.
The roar of an engine overhead snapped my head back, tearing my lips away from Kaige’s. It was like a bucket of ice had been dumped over my head once our lips unlocked. I jumped out of his lap and smacked into the control panel. What did we just do?
Kaige’s eyes darkened, hurt flashing across his pupils. It thrummed through the bond. I ignored the pang in my gut and glanced out the window. I
couldn’t think about him right now, or we’d both be dead.
Kaige stood and peered out the front canopy. “Border patrol just above us.” His voice came out raspy and breathless.
The rumble of the engine grew louder, matching the pounding of my heart. “If they find the plane, we’re screwed.”
“Well we already cut off the power. This isn’t a fighter jet, so we don’t exactly have stealth mode.”
I rolled my eyes at him. Think! If only I hadn’t crashed the Cessna, we could have flown right back into Imera without being detected. We were out of options now. “We’re going to have to go the rest of the way on foot.”
“Are you sure? We’re still about twenty miles from the border. That’s a good five-hour hike.”
I clenched my teeth, ignoring the knot in my stomach. “Yes.” I dashed around the plane looking for supplies for the journey.
“What are you doing?”
“We have no idea what’s out there. I don’t know how it works for nocturnes, but I need water at the very least.”
Kaige pushed a lever on the dash, and a hatch popped open. Two bottles of water and three bottles of synthetic blood appeared. “This should get us through the day.”
I hadn’t even considered Kaige’s needs. I had no idea how much blood a nocturne really needed to survive. Then again, he had me—his own personal human juice box. Though he’d never tasted my blood, every fiber of my being could feel how badly he wanted it.
Now that I’d had his blood, I understood. I’d never expected it to have such an effect on me. It was like drinking ten energy drinks after an adrenaline shot. My entire body hummed, his lifeblood singing through my veins. I tried to rein in the heady sensation and focus on our present predicament.
Kaige sped to the back of the plane and crouched down by some wooden crates. He began arranging little red berries on an old tarp.
“What’s that?”
“It’s the aevitas fruit. It’s what this plane is usually used for—harvesting. It’s not very tasty in its natural form, but it’ll give us some sustenance at least.”
My stomach growled. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d eaten.
He knotted the ends of the tarp and threw it over his shoulder, sticking the bottles of water and synth inside. “Let’s go.”
I slowly pushed open the cabin door, my eyes on the murky sky. A border patrol plane circled overhead. They were obviously still searching for the blip on the radar that had disappeared.
I glanced up at the old plane, partially covered by a metal overhang. It looked like an old highway sign. Tons of metal debris lay all around it. “Maybe we should try to cover it up?”
Kaige shrugged. “We could. Do you think they’d really come down here to look for it?”
“Maybe. From what I’ve heard from my friend, Gavin, they don’t get a lot of action on the border. This could be the most excitement they’ve seen in months.”
“Okay. We’ll cover it then.” He bent down and lifted a ten-foot steel beam like it was a 2-by-4.
I couldn’t help but stare as his biceps strained against his tight t-shirt. In seconds, he had created a teepee of steel beams over the plane as I stood there with one eye on the sky. The other eye was completely ogling him.
A jet rumbled overhead, and we ducked down under cover of the metal structure. We sat in tense silence until it passed.
“Okay, I think we’re clear.” I crawled out from under the plane.
Kaige wiped his hands off on his jeans and picked up the tarp he’d fashioned into a backpack of sorts. “Let’s go.” He gazed up into the clouded sky and sniffed at the air. He turned ninety degrees and reached his hand out for mine. “This way.”
I hesitated for a second. Oh what the hell? We’d tempted fate this much already. I didn’t think holding hands would make a difference at this point. His warm fingers wrapped around mine, and the blood bond pulsed. I glanced up at him, and a smirk crossed his sexy lips.
“So did they teach you all this survival stuff back in prince school?” I asked once my heartbeats returned to a normal rate.
He chuckled. “Very funny. I did tell you about the trials, didn’t I? Basic survival skills, international diplomacy, and memorizing the topography of Draconis, Imera, and the Shadow Lands are only a small portion of my studies.”
“You keep mentioning it, but you’ve never really told me what they entail.”
“They’re tests of physical endurance and mental acuity. It’s a weeklong event and pretty much all of Draconis will attend. They’ll get to watch my brother and me go at it until a winner is chosen. There hasn’t been one in decades so it’s sure to be quite a spectacle.”
“Have you been preparing for it?”
“I had been—until a certain little human dropped out of the sky. She’s been keeping me pretty busy.”
Guilt crept up in my chest. I’d been so focused on myself and getting back home that I’d never considered what I’d cost Kaige. “Do you think Xander will keep our secret?”
A rueful smile crossed his lips. “No. Probably not.”
“So why are you smiling?”
He shrugged, and his cheeks reddened. “Even after everything we’ve been through, and all the trouble we could still get into, it’s been worth it. I’m glad you fell out of the sky and into my world, little human—Solaris.”
My name rolled off his tongue like musical notes. He squeezed my hand, and I was pretty sure my cheeks matched his. I convinced myself it was the blood bond and that once we reached Imera, I’d never think about Prince Kaige again. The prophecy would never come to pass, and everything would be all right.
After close to an hour of trekking through debris-littered wasteland, Kaige abruptly stopped, and I nearly plowed right into him. A wide, white-capped river stretched out before us. Only half of the bridge that had been built to cross it remained.
“What do we do now, Your Highness?”
His gaze focused down the river, and I hoped he could see the end of it because I certainly couldn’t with my plain old human vision.
“We’re going to have to go around it.”
“Are you serious? That’s going to add hours to our hike.” My shoulders sagged. My feet were already killing me.
“More like half a day.”
“We won’t make it to Imera before sunrise.” The clouds had already started to break, a hint of sunshine peeking in. Kaige hadn’t mentioned it, but I wondered if it was affecting him.
“No. We won’t. We’ll have to spend the day in the Shadow Lands, then once the sun sets I can bring you the rest of the way.”
I turned to face him and took hold of both his hands. “Kaige, you don’t have to do this. You got me out of Draconis like you promised. I can make it the rest of the way by myself.”
His teeth ground together. “Absolutely not,” he hissed. “I left you once before, and I’m never doing it again.” He stared down at the ground and blew out a long breath. “Until I get you to Imera, I mean.”
I swallowed hard. The rush of emotion flowing through the bond was like a tidal wave threatening to knock me off my feet. How did this happen? When did distrust and resentment turn into this? We were treading on a very thin line and at any moment one of us was going to plummet off the edge.
“Solaris?”
“Yes?” I glanced up and met two glowing silver pools.
His head dipped and for the second time in just a few hours I wanted nothing more than to feel Kaige’s lips on mine. But we couldn’t. I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping to block out his mesmerizing gaze. “We can’t, Kaige,” I breathed out.
“I know,” he hissed, staggering back.
“Is it because I had more of your blood? The reason we’re having these feelings?” I was stammering now, but I had to know.
He shrugged, his shoulders tense. “I’m not quite sure. No one has blood shared with a human in a century. I don’t exactly know what the side effects are.”
I played wit
h the hem of my shirt, my gaze bouncing back and forth from him to it. “But you feel it too?”
He nodded, and my heart almost exploded.
Chapter 26
Solaris
“Come on, we should keep moving.” Kaige reached out for my hand, and I let him take it. “We have to at least get to the other side of the river before we rest.”
“Okay,” I huffed. I had grossly underestimated what hiking through the Shadow Lands would entail. Strolling down a nicely paved sidewalk for a few hours was completely different than trudging through crumbling asphalt while avoiding metal debris every step.
We followed the river west, sticking as closely to its banks as we could. My calves were on fire and sweat poured off my brow. I slowed my pace so I could pull my hair up into a ponytail. The long curls were sticking to my neck and shoulders, trapping the heat in.
I glanced over at Kaige and noticed he looked as good as ever. He had barely broken a sweat. Was that a nocturne thing or just a future prince who trains daily thing?
“What?” Kaige eyed me curiously.
“Nothing.” I bit down on my lower lip and kept walking.
His dark eyes moved past me, focusing on a spot over my shoulder. He squeezed my hand and yanked me down to the ground. We ducked behind a tall cement pillar which now resembled the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
“What did you see?” I whispered.
“I’m not sure. It was just a shadow, but I could’ve sworn I saw something move over there.” He pointed to an old decaying structure about a block away.
I strained my eyes to make out something. From the looks of it, it could have been a parking garage, but the top few levels had crumbled down on top of the first. “I don’t see anything.”
He squinted his eyes, still focused on the rubble. “It couldn’t be border patrol. We would’ve heard their plane.”
“And they wouldn’t be hiding out in some rundown garage. They would’ve come straight for us.”
“True.” He shook his head and rubbed his eyes. “I must be imagining things.” He slowly tore his gaze away from the building. “Do you want some water since we stopped?”
