He thought about these new developments before he took a deep breath and nodded.
“What about the Druid and his partner, the beautiful one?”
“Serena, you mean,” I said.
“Yes, where are they?”
“They’re in Stonewall by now, preparing for the alliance meeting. We’re headed there ourselves, but we needed to warn our allies on this side of Antara first,” I replied. “I’m sorry we couldn’t be here earlier. Sverik caused us a lot of trouble at the mansion, and we had to find other ways to get here.”
“The only one to blame is that wretched traitor,” Grezzi shook his head. “These are good incubi lying in pools of their own blood. They wanted freedom and peace, and he got them killed so he could save his ass.”
Zeriel and I helped him up. He supported his weight on one leg while I stretched a bandage roll around the other knee, which was swollen and gray. His eyes were glazed with tears, but he held them back. He looked around at the fallen incubi and the few that had survived.
I noticed the wards wearing black leather gloves as they treated incubi wounds, as did Jax. I remembered Serena telling me about the Maras’ severe allergy to silver, and why they couldn’t drink incubus or succubus blood. I realized they were wearing the gloves because they couldn’t touch the blood.
“Where are the others?” Jax asked.
“Somewhere in the woods. I need to call out to them. It will take some time to gather them all back here. My scouts are still out spreading the word of the alliance. I’m supposed to wait for them here tomorrow night. If they bring in new allies, I will take them to Stonewall. If they only bring themselves, we will come to Stonewall on our own,” Grezzi said.
“Will you be safe here?” I asked.
“The Destroyers have already come and gone. They think we’re dead. We’ll keep it that way. We’ll sleep in the trees and stay hidden, but we need to burn all the bodies,” he replied, a shadow settling on his face. “Sluaghs are never far behind these days. The filthy scavengers want our meat suits, and I can’t let them have them.”
We helped Grezzi and the others bring the bodies of their fallen comrades to the middle of the camp where we set them on top of a funeral pyre made of wood and dried weeds. We set the fire and stood by Grezzi’s side for a while as he bid his soldiers farewell.
Tears streamed down his cheeks, and he didn’t attempt to hide them anymore. My heart broke for him. I could only imagine what he was going through and what else laid ahead for him and his incubi. They’d been a family for years, surviving in the wild and fending off attackers, only to be betrayed by another incubus.
I balled my fists, my knuckles white as I pictured Sverik in front of me and the many ways I could inflict the most agonizing pain before I severed his head. Hansa came forward and handed a small red leather pouch to Grezzi.
“This is death’s kiss powder. Mix it with ocean water and dip your swords and arrows in it,” she said.
Grezzi’s eyes widened with surprise, a smile pulling the corner of his mouth.
“Your Sluagh poison, the famed proprietary blend from that rare flower you had by the northern mountain slopes,” he replied, visibly impressed. “I’m humbled that you would gift me with such a weapon.”
“A friend once told me that times are changing,” Hansa glanced at me, “and that whatever we had before may not be as good in the future. We are witnessing the dawn of a new time in Eritopia. As we seek to destroy Azazel and his reign of terror, we must think carefully about what we wish to replace it all with. It shouldn’t be the same old animosity between incubi and succubi. I believe it’s time for us to come together and help each other in our goal to obliterate the Destroyers.”
I wondered if there was an undertone there relating to Anjani and me, and the way Hansa saw us going forward. I also felt it was too early to draw such a conclusion. In the meantime, I couldn’t help but appreciate the way she’d adopted the overall concept of building a better future. It did sound like the right thing to do since Azazel had grown strong because he’d pitted some against others in his gradual dismantling of Eritopia’s ruling systems.
“We will use this wisely,” Grezzi nodded, “and we will see you at Stonewall in a few nights like we agreed.”
An incubus brought over a large, twisted horn made of coral shells. A pale, yellow substance resembling dried glue held them all together, sealing all holes for a full-blown sound. Grezzi took it and looked at us with a sad smile on his pale face.
“Time to get my boys back,” he said, then blew the horn.
The sound it made was unique and incredibly loud, like a low-pitched elephant. It echoed through the night sky and rattled the nearby forest, sending birds flying and various animals shrieking back. He blew twice more, listening carefully as the sound traveled outward.
“Now we wait,” Grezzi concluded, then looked at Jax. “You should go. We’ll handle the Sluaghs if they dare scavenge the area. We’ll see you at Stonewall. Pray that we bring more allies with us.”
We bid our farewells and jumped on our horses, leaving Grezzi and his surviving incubi in front of the blazing funeral pyre. We headed east through the dense forest, taking advantage of the night and the thick smoke covering the sky. We covered as much ground as possible, leaving the northwestern shore behind.
Jax maintained the lead of our group, followed by Hansa, Zeriel, and me. The wards galloped several yards away, as per their protocol. Two of them went ahead, ready to clear the path if any creatures decided to attack us.
As nervous as I’d been before we’d reached White City, I was breathing more lightly now knowing we had Jax’s bodyguards riding along with us. There were some undeniable perks to traveling with expert mind-benders. It made our trip to Stonewall easier.
However, a substantial weight remained in the pit of my stomach. Nothing was ever easy in Eritopia. Nothing was ever uneventful. The twists and turns would emerge soon. It was only a matter of time. In the meantime, we rode our horses and headed for the central meadows. Stonewall was a few days away.
The thought I’d see Anjani again soon was the primary driver behind my every action. Sure, the twists and turns were coming, but I was ready to expertly navigate them so I could make my way back to her. So I could hear her laugh and feel her in my arms again. Suddenly, the weight in my stomach didn’t feel as heavy. Anjani had that effect on me.
Serena
Rebel showed us to our rooms where we left our satchels, then moved back into the reading hall. I lost track of the hours we spent sifting through the Druid archives. The Bajangs went about their business in the next door living quarters, occasionally bringing us some water and fruits from the orchard nearby. Thorn and Rebel spent some time with us as well. We brought each other up to speed with our lives in Eritopia.
I learned a lot about the Bajangs and their way of life. They weren’t fond of clothing given that their shifting nature allowed them to keep fur over their intimate body parts. However, when venturing out into the world, they did resort to various garments and covers since they understood that the rest of Calliope was not as comfortable with nudity.
Draven told them about his father’s efforts to rescue Oracles and the legacy he left behind as well as his mission to continue Almus’ work and rid Eritopia of Azazel.
The documents we pulled out from the archive proved tremendously valuable. We were now in possession of structural blueprints of Luceria, Druid journals, and spell tomes of the higher circles. Draven spent most of his time browsing through the latter, setting several editions aside and taking copious notes in a leather-bound notebook.
We didn’t want to stop reading and analyzing the archives. We both dozed off on the large table in the middle, surrounded by towers of books and scrolls.
I woke up early, gentle morning light peeking through the stained-glass windows above. Draven wasn’t there, and I couldn’t hear or see anyone else. I rubbed my eyes and got up, stretching as my muscles loosened and my
bones crackled. My back felt stiff, as did my shoulders. Sleeping in a chair with my head on the table had repercussions.
I moved around the hall, then went to my room for a quick shower. The silence was a bit odd, but I thought the Bajangs were probably used to making as little noise as possible all the time to keep their low profile.
I opened the door to my room and undressed, setting a clean pair of pants and a shirt aside. The water ran cool but, I welcomed that. I let it pour through my hair and used the soap for about ten minutes before exiting and wrapping myself in a towel.
I heard a thud in Draven’s room next door. I ran over and let myself in without bothering to knock. The bathroom door was open, and I could hear the water running. I took a few steps forward.
“Draven?”
There was movement on the bathroom floor. I moved closer to get a better look.
I froze, my heart leaping into my throat. I could’ve screamed, had I still had a voice.
A massive black snake slithered out into the bedroom, its obsidian scales glistening with water. It measured at least ten feet in length and was thick in diameter. Its gray eyes were fixed on me, flickering black.
I wasn’t sure what to do. I felt cold and hot waves crashing into me as my pulse started racing. I tried to control my breathing. The creature inched closer, raising its large head to get a better look at me while its pink forked tongue flitted in the air.
A mild lightheadedness threatened to meddle with my consciousness. The horror was real, I realized, and took a couple of steps back. The snake’s eyes were eerily familiar, though.
I stopped moving when I saw its scales ripple. The enormous creature began to twitch, its bones cracking beneath its skin as its body stiffened and transformed. I was unable to move, watching as the snake grew arms and legs. Heat rushed through me when its head took on a very familiar shape.
“Draven?” I gasped, barely breathing.
The creature completed its morphing process, leaving me with a hot and naked Draven instead. Water trickled from his sand-colored hair and down his tanned skin, gliding down ropes of muscle on his abdomen. I felt dryness in the back of my throat, and I tried to swallow it away. Draven stood still, his eyes wide and staring at me.
“Sorry,” he murmured. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
I had never seen Draven in serpent form before. Once the initial shock wore off, I was overwhelmingly impressed. He was huge and menacing, and probably able to splinter an entire purple tree trunk with a squeeze. I was speechless, my temperature spiking.
“I have to turn sometimes. It’s part of my nature. I need to be ready to shift quickly at a moment’s notice and, I thought you were sleeping. I… I didn’t want you to see,” he awkwardly tried to explain, adorably vulnerable for the first time since we’d met. His eyes kept flickering back and forth as he experienced some intense emotions. I felt shame and fear along with arousal, each tickling my stomach differently.
“There’s no need to hide, Draven,” I managed to say, my voice husky. “It’s part of who you are.”
My gaze moved up and down his superbly naked body, taking in every inch of smooth skin, every muscle, every line and curve that made him the Druid that he was. The fact that he was completely bare sank in, and I felt my cheeks flush. I turned around, hiding my face in my palms, stunned by how I’d shamelessly gawked at him.
“I like the feeling of water pouring over me when I’m in snake form,” he said slowly.
It was an interesting and peculiar thing to know about him, further adding to my fascination with his Druid nature. It was also incredibly arousing. The image of his body was permanently seared into my memory, making my breath hitch and my heart skip a few beats.
“It’s okay, really,” I mumbled. “It makes you who you are. I like that.”
A moment passed in absolute silence. I took a deep breath, struggling to keep my emotions under control, while his continued to flow into me. He was opening himself intentionally, tapping into my sentry senses to make me feel what he was feeling in that moment. It was blissfully overwhelming.
“I… I should let you dress,” I managed to say, taking a step toward the door.
“Is that really what you want to do, Serena?”
His voice was low, sending shivers down my spine. My heart rate bordered on frantic. My lips were dry. I licked them and closed my eyes for a second, wondering what would happen if I said no, if I said that something else was on my mind.
With everything that was going on in our lives, why was I prolonging the inevitable when each day we had together was a gift?
I sighed. With one flick of my wrist, I let the towel fall to the floor, my hair dripping wet on one shoulder. He said nothing, and I heard nothing for what felt like an eternity. I was shocked by my own decisive gesture, but I didn’t know what to do next. I didn’t see his face with my back still to him. I was afraid I’d made a mistake.
“I’ve grown quite tired of seeing towels wrapped around your perfect body,” he whispered in my ear.
I didn’t move, holding my breath as I realized he’d obliterated the distance between us. I could feel his body heat seeping into me, his skin barely an inch away. His breath felt hot on my neck, sending another round of flames coursing through my veins.
I felt his hands on my shoulders, his fingers pressing gently as he turned me around slowly. Our eyes met, his flickering black with desire and something much more intense. His gaze dropped to my lips, and mine parted in response.
“You were made for me, Serena,” he said, “and I was made for you. The universe wants us as one. You must feel it, too.”
I nodded, wondering whether I was even able to speak at that point. My heart, my brain, my entire body, and the soul tucked inside all screamed for him.
“I don’t think I could ever pull myself away from you, Draven,” I managed to whisper. “I don’t know how to cope with this. You’ve become crucial to my existence, and I don’t know what to do.”
“Then why don’t you just let yourself go? I’ve already resigned myself to you. I’ve stopped fighting it.”
I wasn’t sure where we were headed with this, but I wasn’t willing to avoid whatever was coming either. He lowered his head, his lips looking for mine. The thought of us taking our relationship to the next level hit me. I was a sentry. There could be repercussions for his nature, for his existence as a Druid.
“Draven, wait,” I said, and he stopped, frowning. “I… I need… There’s something you should know, first.”
He waited patiently, his gaze softened on me.
“I’m a sentry,” I tried to explain. “If you… If we… You could become a sentry as well if we… if I… Oh, I… I don’t know how to say it… You’re making me nervous.”
I laughed, trying to get a grip. His charming smile never wavered. His hands cupped my face, and he bit his lower lip, which didn’t help. Water droplets from his wet hair landed on my cheeks. I felt so hot. I was convinced they were vaporized instantly upon impact.
“Why don’t we find out, then?” he asked, raising an eyebrow and demolishing all my defenses.
His mouth crashed on mine, and we lost ourselves in each other. We kissed deeply and passionately. He groaned and took me in his arms. Our bodies were a perfect match, molded against each other. His skin felt incredibly soft on mine, but his muscles were hard against me. My core tightened in his grip.
His hands moved up and down my back, his fingers relishing every inch of skin that they touched. I deepened the kiss, forgetting to breathe. I wanted to consume him like wildfire. His golden energy washed over me like liquid sun, filling my veins and soul with warmth. I held on to his broad shoulders, my legs giving out.
His mouth moved down as he gently bit my chin, then proceeded to drop kisses down my neck. My breathing accelerated as I felt him firm against me. I ran my fingers through his hair, pulling until he raised his head and captured my mouth in another ravishing kiss.
I lost
my footing, but Draven held me up and moved us closer to the bed. The moment I fell onto it, he lowered himself on top of me. I felt my stomach tighten itself into a knot and my heart wrestled against my ribcage.
Was this it? Was this our moment? Was this the right time for us to take everything to the next level?
He kissed me, hungry for more, mirroring all my emotions close to perfection. I moaned as his hands gripped my hips and his knee moved slowly between my thighs, setting off a chain reaction I feared I’d be unable to stop.
Doubt began to slither in the back of my head.
What am I doing?
We were in Stonewall. Azazel’s Destroyers were out to get us, and he already had Vita. My Vita. Was this the right time? My concerns began to pile up inside me, chipping away at the rush that his kisses caused through me.
Draven felt me waiver. He stopped, raising his head while the rest of his weight pinned me down on top of soft blankets and furs. He looked at me, searching for something in my expression.
“It’s too soon?” he managed to ask, his voice rough and laced with desire.
I wanted to tell him no. I wanted to be with him so badly. I wanted to take it all the way and experience all the ecstasy that his lips had already promised me, but I knew neither of us would be able to enjoy it completely. He was my everything, and I was stuck in his heart. I wanted our first time to be something beautiful and not clouded by the fact that our friends and family were still out there, risking their lives while we’d hidden in a room inside Stonewall.
“It’s not that. It’s… I can’t stop thinking about Vita and the others,” I said with a trembling voice, but he didn’t respond or react. He just looked at me. “I mean, I am with you now, and it’s amazing, and I don’t want it to stop, ever. Then a minute later my mind is back in Azazel’s castle. We have so much to do, and so little time. I want this thing between us, to be perfect. Unique. Unscathed by the abduction or death of the ones we’re trying so hard to protect.”