The sconces on the wall came alight once again, though much dimmer.
"So, you decided to see me once more." I heard the voice of Vethari to my left.
When I looked at him, he had been sitting cross-legged in the center of the prison cell, staring at the far back wall and unmoving.
I sniffled, the small specks of tears in my eyes trailing down from the outer corners.
"Yes," I choked out, taking light steps towards him. He glanced at me over his shoulder before turning his attention forward once more.
"What are you staring at?" I moved closer until I was a few feet behind him.
"Why are you crying?" he asked instead, averting my questions as he was so prone to doing. I chuckled, my situation rather funny now that I was out of it. If you were into dark humor as my life was entailing.
"Where do I begin?"
"You can start with that stink of your Templar covering you." He snorted, though kept his head forward.
"You can smell him on me? He only held my hand."
He snorted again, shaking his head back and forth in a disapproving manner, "Did he make you cry?"
My mouth felt dry as though I had stuffed it full of newly laundered napkins.
"We were supposed to officiate our vows tonight, but ... I couldn't do it."
"So, you came to me. This is good."
The golden fae rose from his seat, and it was only then I noticed the shackles were no longer there. I was taken aback at the sight, his hands now free, the only thing trapping him was the large door of iron in the room.
"How did you get out of your bindings?" I whispered, staring at his forearms.
Vethari flexed his fingers, his knuckles cracking as he grinned.
"I've been slowly storing enough of my power to break the thin locks. But for now, I'm drained." He shrugged, and I was surprised at how forthcoming he was being.
"So," he broke the silence, stretching his arms over his head, "You fled here instead of being wed. Did anyone see you vanish at your grand party?"
I blushed, nodding, "Everyone saw."
Instead of being angry, his face brightened into a wide grin.
"Now, that is bold for a human. Did you leave him at the altar, as well?"
I smiled, wiping any residue of tears off my face, "Not exactly, but in a way, I suppose you could say so. I can't accept my fate to be wed to him. Never to experience anything more that life has to offer. And now, I may be thrown into these prison cells for the rest of my life for using magic given by a faerie."
He wagged a single finger at me, clicking his tongue in disapproval.
"Such negative thoughts." He swaggered forth, closing the distance between us. That familiar tingling sensation down my spine that was oh so familiar crept up between me. I gulped.
For the first time, I felt his hands as they pressed against either shoulder at once with his new freedom of movement. I couldn't help but stare into his silver eyes. His hands were cold, and he still looked so ill, even more than when last I saw him.
"It appears that you're in an interesting predicament. A lose-lose situation if you will."
I was frozen still, his right hand trailing down my back and placing itself on my hip.
"I am."
I tried to speak normally, but it came out as more of a sultry whisper. I didn't know what was coming over me, but his proximity was making me sweat. Soon the makeup that had been poured onto my face would melt away into steam.
"Then why not experience something you'll never get again in your life."
I cleared my throat, his other hand reaching around and cupping the back of my neck, massaging it. I squeezed my thighs together, resisting the urge to reach up and run my hands over his exposed chest and stomach.
"What's that?"
"A fae."
Blood rushed to my face as it warmed, "I've never done such a thing. With anyone. Let alone a faerie."
The hand on my hip trailed lower, cupping my bottom in his hand as he squeezed it. I let out a soft exhale.
"Your fate is your own. Do what you want for no one else but yourself."
No longer did we exchange words. Vethari pressed his lips to mine, and I allowed his tongue entry with no resistance. It twirled around my own, massaging it rather than attacking it. My lower lip trembled as his familiar sharpened teeth scraped against it as he pulled away, leaving me panting, desperate for air.
His eyes trailed over my expression, smiling as though he was proud of himself.
"I want you. Now," he growled, both of his hands reaching for my waist as he picked me up. I wasn't the lightest I'm sure, especially with my heavy dress, but the ease with which he lifted me was impressive. I grunted as he forced me against the wall, holding me with his left arm, his body braced against me to keep me in place.
I heard a loud rip as he used his right hand to claw at my dress, tearing it and throwing the scraps to the side. I didn't care if he ruined such an expensive thing. All my focus was on him: his eyes, his skin, as I could feel his abs with my now bare calves and lower thighs.
His mouth latched onto my neck, his tongue lapping at the flesh while his teeth raked over it, forcing me to shudder as my back arched into him even further.
The chuckle he gave vibrated against my throat, my nails sank further into his shoulders as I held onto him for dear life.
Vethari drew away for a moment, his forehead pressing against me, his breath tickling my skin. His fingers now grazing over the exposed flesh he made, imparting onto the small cloth I wore to cover my shame. With a flex of his muscle, the flimsy cloth ripped away. I was exposed before him.
I gasped for breath, tilting my head upwards as I stared at the ceiling with half-lidded eyes. Was I about to do this? Experience this new thing with a fae?
It was then I noticed it, his member pressing against my entrance. My body tightened at the strange feelings, and I winced in anticipation of what was inevitable.
But he paused.
"Why are you waiting?" I breathed, desperate to see what this release would be like for the first time.
The change in his mood turned from lust to seriousness.
"I'm not making this decision for you. You make your own."
Make my own choice?
"Tell me you want this before it goes somewhere you can't stop."
I shifted my hips, reaching down to run my fingers over the head of his manhood, enjoying the touch of its smoothness. Though I enjoyed the flinch he gave when I did so; the pleasure it inflicted on him that he too could not resist.
"Take me."
He didn't need further instruction as he forced himself into me. I had to release one of my hands on him to cover my mouth as I screamed into my palm.
As soon as he did, he reared back, pushing himself into me yet again with no break in between each of his thrusts.
Each movement of his hips forcing me against the wall over, and over. Rather than causing more discomfort, a build-up of pleasure encompassed me. He rolled his hips, sinking himself to the hilt within, and filling me. His halt in movement causing me to meet his gaze.
"Look at me," he barked, continuing to force himself into my core, over and over again.
I couldn't believe this was happening.
Vethari jerked his hips with the momentum he was trying to maintain. I bucked back against him as a tight sensation swarmed in my lower stomach. I needed more of him. My nails scraped up and down his bare back, not caring whether I caused marks as we locked eyes. Wincing every so often as he drove himself inside me faster, pounding into me harder.
And harder.
And harder.
I rocked against him more, his teeth bared as his eyes closed. My head tilted back once again, and I bit my lower lip. The warmth, the build-up in my stomach dispersed, traveling up my back and down my thighs as they shook. He throbbed deep inside of me in response.
As the waves of pleasure slowed down, becoming stagnant, we stayed like that. Locked against one anoth
er, him still resting in me. I rested my head against his shoulder, panting, both of us desperate for air.
"Thank you," I whispered, moving my cheek to rest on his. He nodded before standing straight, sliding his softening shaft out, allowing me down. My feet touched the floor, and I stood in front of him, the dress now hanging mid-thigh, the rest in tatters next to both of our feet.
Vethari adjusted himself, putting himself back into the leather that had been untied. The furs that covered his waist hiding his shame that seemed to refuse to go completely limp.
He grabbed my hand, pulling me over to the mess of straws that was his bed. He allowed himself to fall upon it, taking me down with him as I fell upon my side.
"You should relax. Today has been stressful for you."
I smiled at him, only to notice he didn't return it. He seemed stiff, concerned about something else. I could catch his eyes glancing over at the center wall he had been staring at earlier, but I felt too amazing to mention it though. My heart still beating quickly as I rolled over onto my back.
"Whatever happens next, I'll accept it," I told him, as I stared at the bracelet on my hand and the single clear glass bead that remained there, "I made my own choices, and I accept them. Because they were mine to make."
Vethari chuckled, leaning over, and removing a few strands of hair from my face, "Rest. Sleep," he whispered. His words seemed like heavy dust that went to my eyes, making them dry. A desperate need to close them came over me.
The dazed smile on my face remained as I closed my eyes, feeling my mind become heavy, blurred. Maybe I could forget, just a bit longer, how much danger I had put myself into.
19
BOOM
I jolted awake, my eyes blurred as I attempted to rub the sleep out of them. Pieces of hay were still stuck in my hair and itched. Though I paid little attention to trying to pick it out once I saw Vethari standing in front of the same wall he had been staring at the previous evening.
I blinked, pushing myself off the straw bedding and rising to my feet. The wall, though was different now. And I'm sure it wasn't the perpetual state of grogginess that had me imagining it.
Pieces of stone and mortar were tossed across the floor of the cell, and where it once held a solid slab of stone, there was a hole. Not only a hole that dug obviously underneath the Alabaster Temple, but in front was one of the most disgusting, horrid looking creatures I had ever laid my eyes upon.
My lips trembled as I felt frozen, the scream I wanted to release was stuck in my throat from the sheer shock of the gangly thing. It crawled outside of the hole, its long, unsightly limbs covered with a multitude of warts. Its hair long, though sparse, wet, and stringy. Its nose bulbous, the back hunched. Its flesh a putrid, rotten color of green.
Vethari seemed unfazed, taking a few steps back to allow the creature to crawl out. Even when it could stand it was still hunched over from its sheer height.
It spoke, but its voice sounded twisted, like a constant gurgle of thick syrup erupting from its throat. That's when I snapped out of my daze.
I screamed.
Both turned towards me as if they had forgotten I was there. At that scream, I could hear rustling on the other side of the door. Whoever was guarding at the moment began to unlock it, hurrying to rush inside.
"Stop your screeching! We're leaving!" Vethari shouted, coming to me and reaching for my wrist. I shook my head and pressed myself back into the stone wall. Unable to understand more than what I was seeing. A monster, it's yellow frog-like eyes affixed to me.
"It's ... it's a monster!" I struggled to speak, and the golden fae took a glance at the creature I was gawking at.
"No, it's a troll, another kind of fae. How judgmental." He chuckled, tilting his head towards the creature as he spoke to the so-called troll. "Humans with their misconceptions. Some things never change, do they?"
My eyes darted back and forth between the two, Vethari giving me another tug that pulled me further from the wall and closer to the hole. I still felt the heavy waves of sleep on me and couldn't resist.
That's when the thick iron door swung open. Two armored and armed men came busting through. All three of us within the cells stared at them, and they only needed those few moments before assessing the situation.
Even if they were highly trained, it wasn't a fair fight for the guards. My eyes could barely keep up with the motions.
One of the men charged forward, thrusting the spiked end of his halberd at Vethari. The fae barely flinched, stepping to the side, and grabbing onto the pole, pulling the guard towards him as the muscles in his arms tensed. The guard released the pole as he stumbled forward, instead taking up the sword at his side and lunging.
Vethari's shoulders seem to strain as they adjusted the weight of the halberd. He flipped it over, turning the curved bladed end back towards the guard offensively.
On the other side of the room, the second soldier already had his halberd discarded. I heard it skid to the side, scraping against the stone floor. The guard was lifted into the air, dangling by a single arm, by the troll. It was trying to shake him to lose the small bastard sword in his other hand as he swung it around in the air. He was close enough for it to scratch across the troll's hunched over torso, and it roared angrily rather than in pain.
In what I assume frustration it reached out to grab the arm that had cut him with the sword. Instead of making him drop it, the entire arm ripped off as it was flung to the side like garbage.
I tried to force myself further away, backing into a corner as I could only watch. I felt unable to move as blood splattered across the cell, pouring from the gaping wound of the soldier as he screamed in agony. Which was then followed by a horrific silence as the troll pulled him closer, wrapping his lips and rotting teeth around his head and biting down. It decapitated the guard, finally letting the body fall to the floor with a metal ping from the armor, the neck still squirting blood.
The other soldier that Vethari was engaged with hit the ground by this time, a large gash in his stomach from where the halberd had been shoved through. Blood poured from his mouth as his fingers still clutched his guts.
Vethari cracked his neck to the side and turned towards me as he extended a bloodied hand, "We need to go, now. Before more of them come."
I didn't know what to say, trying to force myself to focus on him, as I had done at the gallows. Don't stare at the bodies or the stench of blood and death.
"You killed them." My voice trembled.
He exhaled through his nose, straightening himself up, but still gave me a look of concern. "You told me you wanted to be free. If you come with me, you can be. Trust me."
He was right, but he murdered them.
"Can I trust you?"
Vethari retracted his hand. His face shifted from concern, to hurt, to anger as he looked upwards, facing the entryway. Sounds of heavy, metallic, clanging footsteps came crashing down the hall.
"We have to leave, now!"
"I can't!" I shouted back, horrified. I felt backed into a corner, metaphorical rather than literal. If I used the bracelet and returned home, no doubt I would be put back into these cells but if I stayed with Vethari, I may never see my family again. My mother, who would look out for her?
"Lady Rose!" A voice echoed down the hall, the two fae in the room backed up from the door closer towards the hole that had been blown out of the wall. We saw three guards this time, ready for the attack.
I shouted back, "Get out of here!"
All three of them took not a chance to allow the faeries to flee, drawing their weapons and moving in. Vethari snarled, his lip turning upwards. His hand pulled down, his fingers trembling, as though he was trying to crush something invisible in his palm.
At once, his eyes flashed, almost glowing as he made a fist. I could hear a bloodcurdling screech, and a body fall. I dared not to glance over. One of the footsteps screamed and got quieter rather than louder as they ran back whence they came in fear.
Ve
thari panted as though he had used the last of his energy to deal damage, but the troll lumbered forward, howling as another soldier sprinted in. He wasn't much for combat, the troll swatted him, and he was unable to even duck out of the way. He was slammed into the wall with a shout of pain.
The troll's long arms reached forward and grabbed him by the foot, pulling him closer towards itself with what could be interpreted as a smile.
The man clambered to his knees as the troll released his leg, instead wrapping its warty fingers around his head. The troll opened his mouth, grinning. It's browned teeth dripping with blood from his earlier bite of flesh.
He was trembling more than I'd ever seen someone shake in fear. The look in his eyes as though he knew his death was imminent. I couldn't let that happen though, I wouldn't.
"Are you coming, or not?" Vethari glared at me as he moved back towards the hole in the wall.
I weighed my options, shaking my head as I tried to stand straight, still trembling in my own right.
"I will," I said, pointing over at the disgusting monster that still held the guard in his grasp, playing with its dinner, "As long as he doesn't eat him." I shuffled to the forced entry in the wall where Vethari stood.
He nodded at the troll and scooped me up into his arms.
The golden fae quickly took a step into the tall underground tunnel, tall enough for him to stand at full height. Unsurprising with how gigantic the more grotesque looking fae was if the monster had dug through.
"Come, let's go. You've eaten enough." Vethari nodded, and the troll narrowed its eyes. It grunted, throwing its second meal to the ground. His body fell with a hard thud, and the troll came towards us to follow our leave out of the tunnel.
Vethari looked into my eyes, a small smile on his face, though I was sure there was only fear plastered on mine. He lowered his head, whispering into my ear, "Go back to sleep."
I felt a heaviness come over me again, darkness pooling into my eyes and I could not fight back. I was falling limp in the golden fae's arms as sleep took over, and nothing I did would stop it.
Taken by Fae (Humans vs Fae Book 1) Page 11
