Burn With Me (Legend of the Sun Whisperers)

by Christle Gray

  Outside, the wind assaulted her body like usual, but Maddelyn had no awareness of any pain it caused. She trudged around the small wooden building that had been her home for almost three years, vaguely sensing Draco behind her.

  They walked in silence, Maddelyn trapped inside her own private hell as she led the way to her family’s resting pace. The pungent scent of decay travelled toward them on the wind, a harsh reminder of the death and destruction brought on by the Raknorg. As the burial site came into view, she heard a sharp intake of breath from behind her. Typically, the sight of the hundreds of graves had the same effect on her, but through her disconnected state, all she could do was stare in a sort of vague interest. So many dead were buried here by those that cared enough to do so. Thousands more bodies lay in the mass graves near the mining facility of those who had no one to care, dumped there by the Raknorg soldiers as if no more important than trash. After the Raknorg were long gone, there would be no way of knowing or remembering those poor souls. At least here the dead had names.

  Maddelyn’s feet carried her on automatic pilot to the location of where her family rested. She used to visit the graves so often, she could find them in her sleep. Only as Serra’s health declined had she stayed away from her family’s resting place, wanting what time Serra had left to be spent without the shadow of her family’s deaths as a reminder of Serra’s certain fate.

  She knelt in the dirt beside the mounds and stared at the small piece of wood that leaned to the right, imbedded deeply in the ground. The names of her family were scrawled in black on the board. Her brother and his wife—Jared and Lana Sowers. Her parents—William and Jessica Sowers. And now, Serra’s name was due to be added to running tab of her family’s demise.

  Draco placed Serra on the ground beside Maddelyn as he searched for a shovel. One was kept nearby, as death had visited the planet so often these past years. He dug in silence as Maddelyn watched, the wind swirling his golden hair all around his face.

  He did sort of look like an angel.

  Maybe Serra was right…

  Once the hole was deep enough, Draco stepped over to where Maddelyn still kneeled on the ground.

  Shouldn’t my knees hurt?

  Her eyes traveled up the length of him. She squinted against the fierce wind, but could still make out the graveness of his expression.

  It was time.

  Maddelyn leaned down and brushed her lips over Serra’s now cold cheek before covering her face with the sheet one last time. No more childlike wonder. No more toothy grins. No more bedtime stories.

  The world around Maddelyn darkened as Draco scooped Serra’s body in his arms and placed her gently in her final resting place. As he shoveled layers of dirt back into the hole, the surrounding world retracted even more. Everything closed in around Maddelyn, like falling into an inky cave. The sound of the wind even receded into the darkness.

  Draco packed the last of the dirt down over the newly dug grave with the shovel one last time before he tossed it to the side. It hit the ground with a dull thud. Then he stepped forward and bent down toward the wooden cross that served as the family headstone. He raised a finger to the wood. The fingertip glowed a dull red as he traced something onto the surface. Wisps of smoke were lost in the wind as he worked. When he stepped back, Maddelyn saw that Serra’s name had been burned into the wood, just under the names of her parents. The sight of it made her shattered heart break into even smaller pieces with no hope of being whole again.

  She slumped forward, but Draco pulled her swiftly to a standing position and guided her back to the house, each step an argument between her brain and her feet. When they stepped inside, Maddelyn’s gaze darted around the room as Draco turned to shut the door. Her eyes found Serra’s little bed, her childish drawings tacked crookedly onto the walls.

  What was left of Maddelyn’s heart clenched inside her chest, as the pain of her loss threatened to surface through the cold numbness that encased her body. The room spun for a moment before her fuzzy vision. Strong hands grasped her shoulders to steady her as she swayed on her feet.

  “You should lie down, Maddelyn. You need rest.”

  She stared at him, her brain still working on autopilot to shield her from the intense grief of her shattered heart. Draco steered her to the back of the room, towards the bed. Maddelyn sank into the mattress, still staring blankly into space, dissociated from her emotions.

  If I don’t feel it, it’s not real. If I don’t feel it, it’s not real. If I don’t feel it, it’s not real. A small voice inside her head repeated the mantra over and over.

  The laces of her boots provided little resistance as Draco bent and yanked them off her feet. Maddelyn watched him curiously, wondering why he was fretting over her. He had a ship. He could leave whenever he wanted. So why was he worrying about her well-being?

  Draco stood and pulled her gently to her feet. “You helped me, Maddelyn. What kind of man would I be if I left you when you needed help as well?”

  Maddelyn worried her lip. Even in her dissociative state, she was sure she hadn’t spoken aloud. Well, pretty sure.

  Draco’s long fingers moved to the belt that circled her waist, removing and tossing the piece of leather in the corner. He looked into her eyes, a faint light shimmering there.

  “Can you do the rest yourself?”

  Maddelyn nodded absently as Draco turned his back to her. Her own hands were shaking as she fumbled with the button on the waistband of her pants, but she finally managed to slide them down over her hips and legs and throw them in the corner where they landed in a heap beside her belt. Her shirt followed suit, leaving Maddelyn clad only in a tank top and underwear.

  The sudden exposure of skin made shivers ripple through her body, even though it wasn’t cold in the least. Probably shock, her mind admitted to her.

  Maddelyn crawled into the bed and burrowed under the covers, her frail emotional state adding to the fatigue that gripped her suddenly. Draco turned to face her once again, concern furrowing his brow.

  “Rest, Maddelyn. I’ll be here when you wake.” His finger trailed gently along her jaw line, the warmth of his touch easing a little of the ache in her chest. Her eyelids grew heavy, but just before they shut altogether, Maddelyn was positive she’d seen his eyes blaze up like a fire again.

  But that thought floated away as the numbness of sleep allowed her some peace.

  ****

  Draco unbuttoned his shirt and collapsed into the chair at the foot of the bed, satisfied that Maddelyn was asleep. His shoulders ached from all the digging, but that didn’t compare to the pain his heart felt at the death of the small child, Serra, and how it had completely obliterated Maddelyn’s hold on reality.

  Everyone Maddelyn loved was gone, killed by war or sickness. She was alone in the world. Draco shook his head, bewildered at how similar her circumstances were to his own. How ironic that it seemed like fate had conspired to lead him to her.

  He bent and removed his own boots, setting them beside the chair. He let his gaze wander to Maddelyn’s sleeping form. The blanket that covered her outlined the slender curves of her body perfectly. Her chest rose and fell with her breathing, tendrils of her hair escaping her braid and surrounding her head like a halo on the pillow. She appeared so fragile, yet Draco was fully aware of how strong she was, especially to have lived through the hell her life turned into. Something primal deep inside him compelled him to help her—to protect her at all costs.

  He shook his head in a vain attempt to clear it. Now was not the time for such thoughts. But seeing the pain that flashed in her lovely brown eyes was almost more than he could bear. It touched a place in his soul that no other had breached in his eons of existence. Damned be any ancient, outdated prophecies that had been believed by his people to supposedly determine what route his life should take. He, alone, was the master of his destiny. And now, he was more than certain Maddelyn was a part of that destiny. The annoying hum that buzzed in his brain while around her had tra
nsformed. Her thoughts were now like echoes that sounded in his mind, becoming louder the more time he spent in her presence. Such an occurrence was outside his realm of normalcy, and demanded investigation. He was bound to her in some we he had yet to determine. He was sure of it.

  Draco sighed heavily and leaned back in the chair. His own eyes drooped as fatigue washed over him in a wave as strong as those he’d seen on the violet seas of Aerinstar so many years ago. He’d gone to the vacation planet in search of himself, but ended up drinking and carousing the days away so he didn’t have to think about family obligations or destiny at all. He’d love to show Maddelyn the red and yellow skies at sunset, as the colors reflected off the purple hues of the water. Something in him knew she’d appreciate the beauty more than anyone else in this vast universe. That thought alone brought a wistful smile to his lips as sleep pulled him under with gentle hands.

  But even as sleep carried him off into oblivion, Draco couldn’t shake the feeling that something even more important was just on the cusp, out of reach.

  Chapter Six

  Panic ebbed at Maddelyn through the darkness that engulfed her. She turned in circles frantically, searching for something, anything to help her find out where she was. And how to escape from this heavy curtain of black.

  “Hello? Is anyone here? Serra?” The words fell flat around her, swallowed by the inky depths. But Serra’s name echoed over and over, each repetition a stab of pain to Maddelyn’s heart.

  It was then that she remembered.

  Serra was dead.

  Grief so intense it dropped Maddelyn to her knees seared through her body in flashes of unrelenting despair.

  Maddelyn gazed up, tears flowing down her cheeks hotly as the darkness closed in around her, the gaping maw swallowing her whole.

  “No!”

  Her scream was muffled as murky tendrils slithered over her skin and covered her mouth. Vines of black wove around her arms and legs, immobilizing her body and filling her with dread so powerful; she feared it might kill her.

  She clawed at the tendrils, but each time she broke free, another would take its place. Finally, she tore the one from her mouth long enough to let out a heart wrenching scream of fear.

  “Maddelyn!”

  Maddelyn sat up in bed, her heart hammering in her chest in terror, the scream dying in her throat. Warm hands gripped her shoulders, shaking her roughly from the nightmare.

  The frozen scream turned into a sob that shook Maddelyn’s body. The hands on her shoulders became strong arms that circled her, drawing her against a solid chest.

  “Serra is gone.” Maddelyn’s hoarse voice barely registered, even in the quiet room.

  Draco smoothed her hair with his hand while he held her tightly. “I know. I’m sorry.”

  Maddelyn clamped her eyes tightly shut, the images of her nightmare still vivid in her memory. The black tendrils waited to drag her down into whatever dark hell they came from. In a way, Maddelyn wished they would succeed. Then she wouldn’t have to feel this grief. How was she supposed to continue on without Serra? What was left for her?

  Draco’s hand rested on the small of her back as he held her, the warmth of his touch evident through the thin material of her shirt. “As long as I remain breathing, no harm will come to you, Maddelyn. That, I promise.”

  Draco’s voice vibrated his chest against her cheek. Again, she was sure she hadn’t spoken aloud. But that thought melted away as his warmth around her chased away the nightmare and some of her pain. He promised to be her protector. Her guardian. Her angel.

  Awareness of his smooth skin against her cheek faintly crept into her thoughts. Maddelyn brought her hand up and rested it on his chest. The muscles flexed under her touch, his arms tightened around her protectively. He was so warm. So alive. It was almost enough for her to forget the despair that had engulfed her life. Maybe even more than almost.

  Heat rolled off him in waves and seeped into her body. The warmth spread through her veins and sped up her heart as it banished the numbness, pulling her far away from the black beast that threatened to devour her in her grief. So much of her life had turned into protecting herself and her family, she’d almost forgotten what it was like to feel connected to someone. How letting someone into your heart might actually help it repair itself.

  Maddelyn rubbed her cheek against his iron-solid chest like a cat, inhaling his scent. Sunshine. He smelled like sunshine on a summer day as it bathed her and the flowers that used to bloom in the park in its light. Sunshine mixed with the muskiness of man.

  Draco’s breathing accelerated, his heart beating wildly under her cheek. Her lips lightly grazed his collar bone and he stilled, his arms going rigid around her.

  “Maddelyn.” His voice had turned husky with need, but still contained an edge of wariness.

  Maddelyn wasn’t entirely sure of what she was doing, but she let her brain take a back seat as her body responded to Draco. All she knew was that his touch and his warmth helped her forget everything else. There was no death. No Raknorg. No sadness. Only him. Only her. Only this.

  “Please, Draco,” she whispered against his neck. I just want to forget. Please make me forget. She hoped her simple plea would convey the words that flashed inside her brain, but could not be said aloud. It might not last, but any reprieve from this hell would be a welcome one. Pulling someone close as a way to deal with loss. She’d seen it before. Watched as people clung to each other in the face of so much death, desperate to feel alive and chase away the loneliness that would consume their souls.

  She tilted her head to gaze into his eyes. A faint glow pulsed in the tawny depths, yet his brow creased with uncertainty. He brought his hand up and cradled her cheek, lightly tracing her jaw line with his thumb. Just his touch did wonders to ease the ache in her heart.

  She turned his hand and placed a small kiss in his palm, right in the center of the flaming sun that dwelled there. His breath caught and the light in his eyes brightened. “Please,” she begged softly.

  For a few moments he merely gazed at her, as if determining if what she asked was what she truly wanted. Then Draco closed the distance between them. His lips connected with hers softly at first, seeking. The warm cavern of his mouth provided refuge from her pain. He tasted her slowly, deeply. He explored all her secrets with a languid pace, stealing her breath away and some of the hurt from her heart.

  As the kiss deepened, his mouth became insistent. Hungry. Maddelyn whimpered from the force of his lips, the intensity of his kiss as unexpected as it was arousing. The tongue that had hesitantly taken pleasure dove into her mouth, hot and demanding. Maddelyn did her best to match his fervor, pressing her lips back against him as hard as she could. He eased her backwards onto the bed, settling his weight beside her.

  Maddelyn met his ardor with her own as their tongues warred, probing and tasting. The heat of his body pressed along hers seared her nerve endings, bringing them to life with sparks of electricity all throughout her body. A moan of pleasure escaped her throat, but was swallowed up by his fevered mouth on hers. The devastation of her family and her planet held no importance here. Death and loss were nothing but fleeting thoughts, swept away on the winds of desire. Nothing mattered but the delicious sensations that coursed through her and made her forget everything else. The ultimate, primal reminder of what it truly means to be alive.

  His hand trailed to the hem of her shirt, then pulled upward to expose her breasts. Her skin prickled with goose bumps, and a small pang of disappointment rang in her chest when his mouth released hers, but excitement replaced it when he lowered his head. Her nipples ached to be touched, the points hard and waiting. Maddelyn could hardly contain the desire that pulsed through her body. It had been so long since she’d been touched like this, since she’d been able to let go and just feel. So long.

  Draco slipped her shirt up over her head and tossed it on the floor. He stared at her a moment, his eyes practically glowing with light. Every part of him seemed to e
manate heat. Maddelyn swore that even his gaze left fiery trails in its wake as it roamed over her, branding her as his own.

  He shrugged out of his shirt, the muscles in his broad shoulders rippling under his bronze skin. He really did look like a god with his flawless tanned skin and tight body. One finger trailed slowly down her chest and traced a lazy circle around the tight bud of her right nipple. He pinched the peak lightly, and Maddelyn gasped, the pleasure singing from her breast and settling hotly between her thighs.

  The strands of his hair brushed her skin as Draco leaned forward and sucked softly on the taught bud of her nipple. The peak tightened even more in the heat of his mouth, and the sensation made her entire body throb with need. Maddelyn arched her back in abandon and sank her hands into his hair. The strands felt like gossamer as they slid over her fingers. His hand replaced his mouth as he moved his attention to her other breast. His tongue laved at her, each flick against her sensitive nipple making her want him even more.

  Draco moved so that his mouth was crushing hers again, as his hand skimmed her hip and eased her panties down. She wiggled her hips to help, and soon her underwear joined all her other clothes somewhere on the floor. All that Maddelyn cared about was that she needed to be free so Draco could touch her. Everywhere.

  His hand cupped her mound and lightly parted her folds, which were slick with arousal. One long finger slowly entered, withdrew, then circled her clit, the pressure making her body hum in expectation. One finger was replaced by two that pumped slowly into her, his thumb rubbing the nub of her clit with each thrust. Maddelyn’s groans of pleasure filled his mouth, her hips arching off the bed to meet his invading fingers. The bliss coiled tightly in her belly, like a hungry tiger waiting to jump into action.

  The force of her orgasm came on her suddenly, and the waves crashed over her body unexpectedly. Maddelyn broke free of Draco’s possessive mouth and cried out into the darkness as spasms of pleasure rocked her body to its core. He continued driving his fingers into her as she came, intensifying the pressure on her clit until Maddelyn almost couldn’t stand it. She gulped for air as she fought for control of her body.