by C. R. Jane
"So, you're some kind of bird now?" he asks, wiggling his eyebrows. "I can call you my 'flying forbidden queen' now," he says, joking in an unexpectedly corny way. He's not much of a joker, in fact most of the time he is a bit melancholy, so the fact that he is trying to make light of a very confusing development is very charming.
"I guess," I tell him. "I'm not sure what that means. Maybe it's a trait in my mother's bloodline that has just been hidden?"
"Maybe so," he says agreeably, his eyes illustrating just how much he doesn't believe that's the case.
The stress of thinking about my wings causes my wings to erupt from my back once again. This time the remaining threads of my dress snap and I don't catch the front of my dress in time, leaving my breasts bare to him for the first time.
He doesn't appear to even see my wings, his eyes are too busy devouring my exposed chest.
"Beautiful," he whispers reverently. I blush but don't make a move to cover myself. His worshipful gaze makes me feel achingly alive. His hand slowly moves towards me, but instead of touching my chest which is now burning with desire, his arm reaches behind me, softly and tentatively stroking the feathers on my wings. My incubus's touch, unlike His earlier touch, sends the good kind of shivers down my back and I feel goosebumps form on my skin. My wings respond in kind, fluttering lightly in almost a flirtatious way.
"Hello to you too," he tells them with a smile. Somehow it feels natural for him to address them, like they somehow have a mind of their own, or at least that they are connected to a part of my subconscious that I haven't discovered yet.
Surprising me yet again, he lays down on my bed, pulling me down as well and cuddling me to his chest. He makes no move to instigate anything between us and I irrationally feel self-conscious that he has rejected me. His ability to sense my emotions must be turned on because he whispers in my ear, "We're not going to go any further tonight. I don't want anything we do to be tainted by Him. He's already taken too much from us, he doesn't get that too."
His words make me relax into him and though in the back of my mind I know it's not a good idea for him to fall asleep here with me, I can't help but fall asleep with his arms wrapped around me.
The next morning the rattle of the lock stirs me awake and all I have time to do before the door bangs open is push my incubus off the side of the bed, which thankfully is hidden from view of the door. Coming quickly to his senses, he slides under the bed right before He walks in.
"Sleeping late this morning," He remarks. I try for a nonchalant shrug, but I feel like my face must be bright red. If my incubus even breathes a hair too loud, He will hear and find him.
"That was quite the show you put on last night," He tells me with heat in His gaze, showing that He enjoyed it a little too much.
"Yes, you killing that poor boy for no reason was quite the show," I spit at Him. He surprises me by bursting into laughter.
"This fire in you just makes me want you even more," He tells me through His laughter. "So please do continue to push back, it will only make when you kneel before me that much sweeter, My Princess." I take a deep breath, trying to control the magic that is itching under my skin.
"Why are you in my room?" I ask Him once I feel like I can speak without cursing Him.
"I figured that you might want to learn how to fly," He tells me casually.
Despite my best attempts, He can see the interest His comment has sparked in me. After all, what's the use of wings if you can't fly?
"And how might you teach me to fly exactly? I don't see wings on your back."
"Get dressed and find out." He stands there waiting for me to move but I currently don't have a top on so I can't leave the safety of my bed while He's in the room.
"I'd like some privacy," I tell Him staunchly.
"I'm sure you would," He replies softly, that same heat from earlier still in His gaze.
After another minute of watching me, He must finally believe that I'm not going to be moving and giving Him a show, so He walks out, locking the door behind Him. I wait until I hear His footsteps fade in the distance before I look under the bed where the incubus is hiding. He crawls out and dusts himself off.
"I hate that bastard," he tells me through gritted teeth. "Why do you stay here with that monster? We should both get away from here together. Eventually we could get far enough that even He wouldn't be able to find us. Come with me," he pleads.
I want to leave with him so badly that I take an unwilling step towards where he stands with his outstretched hand. Then, I think of the boy's head rolling on the ground, an expression of shock still frozen on his face. I think of my deceased mother, the fairy tale castle I have lost, of my kingdom that is falling into ruin. I think of the black line in the distance that gets closer and closer every day. No, as much as I want to run off into the sunset with him, that isn't an option for me.
"I have a plan," I tell him, the first time we have really talked about any of this. "I'm building my power every day, soon I will be strong enough to defeat him. I'll be able to figure out a way to reverse the curse and save Fairie after that."
"You don't owe this land or its people anything," he says with gritted teeth. "Look at where you've ended up. A prisoner in every way. Where are your people? Where are all of the Fae who are trying to save you while you give up everything to try and save them?"
I can feel the power that lies under my skin lurch, like his comments have made it angry. I hold my ground, my eyes pleading with him to understand.
"The Queen of Fairie is an extension of Fairie. I can no more abandon Fairie than it can abandon me. It lives in me. I must do everything I can to save it no matter what. It is my duty, my obligation for the power that has been given to me."
"Fuck that," he snaps at me. "I will not sit here and watch you die a slow death. I have been a prisoner in this hell for hundreds of years. I won't be a prisoner to your memory as well."
With that statement he storms towards the window, props himself on the windowsill, and without looking back once, disappears from view.
I'm numb when I finally summon the strength to walk out in the hallway where He is waiting. He looks at me inquiringly, but I just stare at the ground, following Him to where my flight instructor awaits.
"This is the gargoyle who will be teaching you," He says. "Unfortunately, there weren't any other flying creatures readily available, so this monster will have to do," He says in an annoyed tone, gesturing to where the stone creature is standing. The stone being snarls at His comment and I gasp out loud at his blatant disregard for Him. In my time here, no one has dared to show anything beyond the utmost respect to Him. We've all seen what happens when we don't.
Surprisingly, the gargoyle doesn't end up with his head cut off. Instead He just smirks at him. "Don't make me cut something else off," He says striding towards the door. "I expect her to be flying by the end of the day," He calls behind Him as He leaves the room, slamming the door behind as always.
I stare in amazement at the closed door before switching my gaze to the stone beast. He's staring at the door with what looks like a mixture of pain and rage, as if he would run after Him if he could. I recognize the emotions in him because they're emotions that He breeds in me as well.
After a long minute his gaze shifts from the door to me, who he gives a look of utter distaste. I hold my hand out to him awkwardly and for no reason since a queen is usually not in the habit of shaking hands. He makes no move to acknowledge my dangling hand.
"Who are you?" he says in a gravelly voice.
I look at him confused. "Pardon me?" I ask.
"Who are you?" he repeats.
"My name is Eva."
"Who
are you?" he asks again, stressing the word 'who' this time.
"I'm the Queen of this land as you well know. Why are you asking me this?"
"I don't see a Queen here," he says, shocking me. I go to open my mouth. "I see a scared little girl who is letting her kingdom be destroyed at the hands of that mad man."
His words inflame the anger that has been brewing all morning after the incubus's comments.
"You know nothing about me or what I have given up and done for this kingdom," I seethe.
"So you gave up your mate. He's still alive, isn't he? That's better than what most people have to deal with in their lives."
"I do not answer to you," I tell him coldly, turning to walk out of the room.
"Do something to make your sacrifice worth it then," he snarls at me before I can leave. I turn around and stalk back to him.
"How dare you talk to me like this," I practically scream at him, undone from everything that has happened to me this morning.
"I knew you had some spirit in you somewhere," he smirks at me, spinning my head with his about face. I stare at him dumbfounded.
"Let's get to work," he tells me strolling to the stairs on the far side of the room. I stand there for a moment totally confused about what just happened before I tentatively follow him up the stairs.
"I'm Lexington by the way," he calls back to me. "It's a pleasure to be of service to the Queen." I shake my head at the lunatic my husband's given me as my flight teacher, and continue to follow him up the stairs. At least his insanity is a distraction from the events of the morning.
The stairs seem to go on forever and when we finally get to the top I see that we must be in one of the highest towers in the castle. I can see for miles up here, the black line of death in the distance is a stark contrast from the green of the surrounding unaffected land.
I turn to ask Lexington a question when all of a sudden, I feel his stone hands push me forward, so hard that it sends me hurtling out of the large window that I was looking out of. I scream as I tumble through the air, the ground looming in front of me in a certain death. Just before my inevitable death is upon me, I feel my wings burst out of my back and I find myself gliding, instead of free falling, the rest of the way to the ground. I make an ungraceful, hard landing, but it's not the splat I was expecting.
Lexington lands lightly next to where I'm still shaking from my near-death experience. He has large, bat like wings that extend several feet behind him.
"Very good!" he says to me, as if he didn't just try to murder me.
I turn and shoot him with an electrical bolt, not even caring who sees. He gives a pained yell, and looks at me with wide eyes.
"Why in the hell did you do that to me?"
"You just tried to kill me," I screech, motioning to the very tall tower I just fell from.
He looks at me incredulously. "I did not try to kill you. That was your first flying lesson," he tells me as if I'm the ridiculous one in this scenario. "How do you think baby birds learn to fly? Do you think that the mother bird gently works with them on various stages of flying? No, the mother bird pushes them out of their fucking nest. It's called the school of hard knocks and you, My Queen, just passed your first test."
"You have got to be kidding me," I mutter under my breath.
"I'm not kidding you. And nice piece of magic there by the way," he tells me, talking about the little lightning strike that probably would have killed him if he wasn't made of stone.
I realize at that moment how I may have just blown everything. "Please don't tell anyone," I beseech him. "You have no idea the consequences if you do."
"Oh, I think I have a good idea of the consequences," he tells me darkly. "I'm very familiar with His idea of consequences. You didn't think it strange that He left you, His forbidden, untouchable queen, in the presence of another man alone."
"I did think it strange, that's why I gaped at the door as He left at first because I was so caught off guard," I murmur, thinking about His unlikely behavior.
"He left because that bastard knows I can't do anything to you, even if I wanted to."
I stare at him puzzled, not understanding. Is it because he's stone?
"He castrated me. I'm a fucking eunich. He literally tore everything away from me, just because I was talking to a girl He was after when we were teenagers. So yes, My Queen, I know better than most the consequences that come with Him."
I stare at him gaping, tears pooling in my eyes. His face gentles. "My point was not to make you feel sorry for me. My point was to tell you your secret is safe with me. I will do everything in my power to prepare you for the fight to come. You are planning on fighting correct?"
I nod at him fiercely, still too overcome with emotion to speak properly.
"Then let's get you flying."
I wake the next morning, my heart heavy but eager to learn more from Lexington. I dreamed again last night, but the details are hazy. As usual, they leave me with more questions than answers. Gwenny knocks on my door and brings me breakfast as I get ready for another day of flying lessons.
Aiden is unusually distracted as we walk to the tower again. So distracted that he didn't ogle the tight leather pants I found hidden in a drawer in my monster closet. We get to the door of the tower and he stops suddenly.
"Have you been sleeping well?" he asks me intensely.
"Perfect," I say in a somewhat strangled voice.
"You would tell me if anything was wrong, right?" he continues, grasping my hand so tightly that it's uncomfortable.
"Of course," I tell him, alarmed by his behavior.
"Okay good, " he says. "I'm sorry my darling, there's just been some trouble in the outer territories and I'm feeling stressed. I didn't mean to take it out on you."
"Can I help you with anything?" I ask, a little bit too eagerly.
"Just learn your magic and your flying…and give me a chance," he adds quietly. "That's all I need from you."
With those parting words he gives my hand a squeeze and leaves me to walk by myself up the steps of the tower to where Lexington assumedly waits for me.
Chapter 12
Mason
I'm exhausted. Every step is a struggle. The harsh terrain makes it even more difficult to keep up with the group. We've apparently come during the rainy season, and they don't call it that for nothing. I trudge after the rest of the group, the mud sticking to my boots and making me feel like I'm wading rather than walking. Lexi cast some sort of spell to repel the rain since it hasn't stopped falling the last couple of days, but the spell can't protect us from the mud that the rain has created.
I thought being on tour without Eva was miserable enough, but evidently, I was getting more of an energy boost from the crowds than I thought because I feel like I'm steps away from death right now without it. I haven't said anything, but I can tell that Damon and Beckham are well aware that I'm not myself by the worried looks they keep casting towards me. With how the trip has gone, I'm almost flattered that they're actually worried about me. If I bite it, it's one less person in competition for Eva. I mean they'll still have the rest of the male population, and probably most of the female ones as well…and now I'm rambling. Evidently psychosis is a symptom of hunger as well as extreme fatigue and lethargy.
I'm paying too much attention to just trying to take my next step that I don't notice that the group has stopped in front of me. I end up running into Beckham who glances back at me annoyed before turning back around to pay attention to the frantic Liu in front of us. He's gesturing frantically at Damon who, as he has for most of the trip, looks like he wants to kill him. As my energy has waned, so too has a lot of my supernatural strengths like good hearing. I have to strain to try and pay attention to what Liu is so
upset about.
"We have to stop here. We can't go any further."
"Why would we do that?" snaps Damon. "Do you see any vampire infested fortresses around here?"
"This land doesn't feel right. We can't go any further," Liu responds in a panic.
Damon turns to look at Beckham.
"Can you please do something about this?" he asks.
Before Beckham can open his mouth to compel him, Liu suddenly pulls his long hunting knife out of his belt and stabs Damon in the stomach before turning and sprinting away. I'm too shocked at how much Damon is bleeding to even think about going after Liu.
Beckham is the first one to get to Damon. He pulls the knife roughly out of Damon's stomach, which garners a glare from Damon. It's a less effective glare than usual since Damon is wheezing with pain. Liu must have got him in the sweet spot. I'm not overly worried about Damon since he's very hard to kill, but I am worried about the copious amounts of blood that he's spilled all over the ground. I'm not quite sure if the Jiangshi are as sensitive to blood as normal vampires are, but I really don't want to find out.
"Where are the bandages?" I ask urgently, digging through my enormous bag.
"I've got some," says Lexi, handing a pile of them to Beckham. She looks queasy, I'm guessing from the blood. Just what we need right now.
"Do you have any spells that can clean this stuff up?" I ask, pointing to the puddle in front of Damon. It's also gotten all over Beckham I notice worriedly.
"I'm not a janitor," she shoots at me indignantly.
"Let's try not to let pride get in the way right now," I snap at her. "Were you not listening when Liu gave us a story that involved vampires? Probably not a good idea to have blood all over us, especially when the man in question ran off because he felt like this particular part of the land was cursed."
Lexi's eyes grow wide and she starts murmuring words that will hopefully clean everything up.
