The world began to unravel through the darkness, the galaxy exploding outward as I watched Eritopia come to life. I traveled through time and space as I syphoned this primordial energy from the Daughter, and I watched it all evolve. The planets, the sun, the moon, the trillions of stars. The mountains, the rivers, the endless plains, and the angry seas. I saw incubi and Druids and countless other species. I could see everything inside of her, layer upon layer of creation. She was Eritopia.
I felt my strength recover, and I opened my eyes to find the Daughter looking at me. Her energy continued to flow through me, unstoppable and powerful. It was more than I could take, and the idea of an overdose started shaping in the back of my head. It was something I had never felt before.
Whatever she was made of, it was of godlike proportions. The energy stored inside of her, that endless stream of liquid violet lightning, was insanely intense. The destructive potential chilled me, as I realized that she could probably wipe out an entire galaxy if she released all that force at once.
I pulled back and took a few deep breaths to recover. My whole body sang, and my limbs vibrated from the extraordinary nourishment. I felt like a titan, ready to move mountains if need be. The Daughter’s energy hadn’t just sated me, it had given me an extra kick I’d never felt before.
I couldn’t find the words to thank her. At the same time, I worried. What if all that energy inside of her would one day destroy her and everything around her?
The Daughter sensed my concern, our emotions still intertwined. She shook her head and leaned forward.
And then she kissed me. Our lips touched for the first time. I felt my brain melt and dissipate into billions of sparks. My muscles tensed, as I pulled her closer to me, wrapping my arms around her delicate waist. I deepened the kiss.
She tasted like summer sunshine, and her energy buzzed through me, igniting every atom in my body. Heat coursed through my veins. My tongue found hers. I could’ve stayed there forever, our bodies fused together.
But as sheer arousal began to cloud my judgment, I pulled back to look at her. Violet sparks flickered in her eyes, and her wet pink lips quietly asked for more. I saw the shadow of fear pass over her face as her fingers clasped the collar of my shirt.
“I don’t want you to be afraid of me,” she gasped, leaning in again.
“Is that what this is? You think I’m afraid of you?” I asked, gradually recovering my breath.
She nodded, biting into her lower lip. Her doe eyes tore me apart. I couldn’t bear to see her like this. I kissed her, opening myself up and projecting everything she made me feel. I had to make her understand that it wasn’t fear that I felt. Not of her. I tasted her once more, reveling in the sensations she triggered from my very core.
“You don’t understand,” I whispered in her ear. “I’m not afraid. I am in awe of you.”
The Daughter blinked several times. Her lips stretched into a smile, and I felt her relax further into me, colorful ribbons once again flowing through both of us.
“I can tell there’s something in me,” she mumbled. “Something even I don’t understand. I know you felt it too. I just don’t want you to fear me. I would never hurt you. I would never hurt the ones you love. I’ve been around you and your family and friends for long enough to tell that you are all kind, wonderful creatures. You’ve made me feel at home. You’ve looked after me and taught me the ways of the world. I may not know much, but the one thing I do know is that I would never hurt you, Phoenix. I can’t.”
I needed a moment to take it all in. I caressed her face and dropped a few kisses on her forehead, her cheeks, and the tip of her nose. I knew in my heart that I would never let her out of my sight. She was everything to me, and more.
“You’re an extraordinary being,” I said to her. “It isn’t fear you saw in me. It’s something else. I am amazed, I am entranced, I am weightless when I’m around you. And the energy inside of you…it’s colossal…like nothing I’ve seen before.”
“I feel it too, every day. I know it’s there. I just don’t know what to do with it. It’s scary, but if you’re near me I feel brave enough to face it, to face anything.”
I held her close, running my fingers through her hair. She rested her head on my shoulder for a moment. Then, she pulled herself back and resumed her search through the swamp witches’ book. I watched her.
What had my life been like before her? I couldn’t tell anymore. It was as if I hadn’t existed before we fell out of that shell together.
Her face straightened as she flipped through another page. She straightened her back and looked at me.
“I found it,” she said.
Serena
I slept in our room that night, sharing the bed with Vita and Aida. We hadn’t spoken much since I’d returned from Mount Inon, and we’d spent a couple of hours catching up. I was thrilled to find out that Aida and Field were becoming an item. She deserved all the happiness she could get, and I knew, deep in my heart, that Field was perfect for her. The wolf-girl needed the Hawk.
I was equally delighted to learn that Vita had also found the courage to take the first step toward Bijarki. I figured the incubus was probably still reeling from that kiss, but I couldn’t help but applaud Vita for handling it the way she did.
We fell asleep while talking, eager to catch up as much as possible but unable to keep our eyes open.
I woke up at dawn, the sun peeking through the window. Vita and Aida were still far away in dreamland. Their expressions were soft and serene, and their muscles were relaxed. I hadn’t seen them like that in forever, or at least that’s how it felt. Time seemed to flow differently in Eritopia, each day bearing the intensity of a month from end to end.
I got up and showered quickly. The cold water energized me. I found another bar of soap in a cabinet beneath the sink. I sniffed it and was delighted to discover a mixture of lavender and lemongrass in its fragrance. I washed my hair with it and used a towel to dry it as much as possible.
The thought of Draven sleeping alone in his room quickly surfaced, drawing me out into the open corridor. I didn’t want him waking up alone—that was, if he was still sleeping. I reached his door and opened it slowly, poking my head in to get a quick look.
My breath stopped in my throat. Draven was sprawled on his back wearing nothing but a pair of dark green velvet pants. The morning sun poured through his window, bathing his bare chest in a warm, golden light. His eyes were closed, his arms stretched out.
I bit my lower lip and went inside, closing the door behind me. I tiptoed all the way to his bed and slowly sank into the mattress, lying next to him, close enough to rest my neck against his forearm. I sighed and relaxed, watching his chest move up and down with each breath. I couldn’t get enough of him.
He took a deep breath and turned his head to face me, peeling his eyes open. His gaze found mine, and his lips stretched into a lazy smile. He turned to his side and instantly wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close.
“It took you forever to get here,” he muttered, then showered me with short, delicious kisses.
I melted into him, my fingers running along the valley between his pectorals.
“Had to make myself presentable,” I mumbled beneath his lips.
“You’re irresistible by default, Serena, and I don’t like it when you’re not near me.”
His hand reached up to caress my face, his fingers tracing the contours of my jaw and setting me alight once more. His other hand gripped my lower back, holding me against his body. I felt my muscles relax while tension built up in my abdomen.
He pulled his head back to look at me, and I felt his fingers slowly lifting the hem of my shirt, leaving my lower back exposed. His other hand followed the line of my neck and shoulder in a series of small circular moves.
“I must apologize, Serena, but I’m having a hard time keeping my hands off you,” Draven whispered and kissed the tip of my nose.
“If it makes you feel any better, I’
m faced with the same problem,” I replied as my fingers followed the deep line down his stomach, delighted to discover his abs, firm beneath his soft skin.
His bedroom eyes made me lose my breath. I pushed my hips forward, enough to feel him hard against me. I belonged there, with him.
“I’d like to see where this will take us,” he said, his voice low and husky. “With everything else that’s going on around me, with all the dangers waiting beyond the shield, you’re the only thing that keeps me afloat, the only one to give me the strength I need to keep fighting.”
His gaze softened, and my heart thudded, struggling against my ribcage. I felt my cheeks burn as I lifted a hand to his face, tracing an invisible line from his temple to his chin.
“I feel the same way, Draven. I don’t know when and how, but you’ve burrowed inside my soul.”
He glanced at my lips, bent forward, and captured my mouth in a long and tender kiss. I surrendered completely as his tongue brushed mine.
The taste of him set me aflame.
My fingers splayed across his chest, groping into the flesh, ripping a guttural moan from him. His hands traveled down my back, pressing into my muscles and pulling me on top of him. I found myself straddling him. He lay there, hot and tense beneath me, his nails gently scratching my skin as they reached my shoulder blades.
He deepened our kiss, and I felt him open up, sending ribbons of his heady energy my way. I took it all in, slowly moving my hips to relieve the tension budding inside of me. I was soft on top of him, my chest molded against his. He groaned and sank one hand into my hair, grasping the back of my head and pulling it to one side. He left my mouth, dropping burning kisses down my neck.
“My mind stops functioning every time I touch you,” he whispered, his teeth gently nipping my skin.
I squirmed, unwittingly bringing my knees up. Despite the two pairs of pants between us, I could still feel him, and I knew I’d set something off inside of him.
“You’ve become essential to my existence, Serena,” Draven said, then flipped me on my back.
Heat built up as his body weighed heavy on top of mine. He found my neck again, dropping kisses between soft bites, making me gasp and arch my back. His thumbs traced my bra-line as his mouth caressed my collar bone, then moved lower, bringing me closer to an edge I’d never experienced before.
I’d barely scratched the surface with Draven, but each moment of discovery brought me closer to what I was beginning to define as heaven. I wanted everything he had to give. I was hopeless in his arms, irreparably addicted and head over heels for the Druid. I projected all of it outward, hoping I’d make him feel what I felt, since my words had already abandoned me.
Draven stilled, his lips hot over my collarbone. He lifted his head, his darkened gaze finding mine. His breathing was ragged, his breath like liquid fire brushing against my skin.
“I’ve realized I’m more terrified of losing you, Serena, than I am of losing this war against Azazel,” he said, resting on his elbows while his hair fell on both sides of his face, tickling my cheeks. “I feel you, I feel everything you want me to feel, and the more you give me, the more I need.”
He lowered himself into a long, heartfelt embrace. I felt the air leave my lungs as our bodies fused into one, and he rolled us over to the side. He gave me a warm smile, his expression gentle and loving, like I’d never seen before. This was a new side of him, and it made my heart twist in knots. I felt the synergy between us.
I could see it in his gray eyes. He could feel it in my heartbeat. I could sense it in the ribbons of gold energy he offered me, and he could taste it in my kiss.
We stayed like that for a long time, lying next to each other, our bodies close, and our souls pouring into each other. The fire burned between us, but as the minutes passed, the cold reality settled back in.
“We have to get moving,” I whispered.
“I know. Azazel needs to go,” he mumbled, then tightened his hold on me again.
“We have to get Sverik,” I added.
“We’ll get him. We’ll destroy Azazel. There’s nothing I can’t do with you by my side, Serena.”
I let out a tortuous sigh, struggling with the notion of leaving that bed. I wanted to stay there forever and take everything to another level with Draven.
But I also wanted to see Azazel burn.
“We need to get up,” I moaned.
He kissed me again, setting off another chain reaction in my core. I quivered in his arms. He lifted his head and put on a playful smile to match the twinkle in his steely eyes.
“We’ll continue this later. I promise,” he said, then got up.
I stretched my whole body to relieve some of the tension. Draven stood by the bed and watched, before taking a deep breath and disappearing into the bathroom.
“I need a cold shower,” I heard him say before he closed the door behind him.
Vita
We all met in the banquet hall for breakfast, one of the few occasions we were all in the same room. I enjoyed these meetings, as it gave me the opportunity to observe how the relationships were evolving between all of us.
After the conversation I’d had with Serena and Aida before we fell asleep the night before, I was delighted to notice the subtle differences. Serena sat next to Draven, as he poured her coffee and quietly watched her eat. The tender look on his face said it all. The Druid had fallen for Serena and was unable to take his eyes off her. He stole glances whenever Hansa wasn’t talking to him about the swamp witches and the journey to Mount Zur.
On the other side of the table, Field was seated next to Aida. His gaze softened every time their eyes met, and he made sure that our wolf-girl ate well, filling her plate with proteins. They were still getting used to each other being so close. I could tell from the way Aida hesitated before she offered him another cup of coffee or the way in which Field took what felt like forever to place his hand over hers on the table. The moment they touched, however, it all seemed to fall into place. Aida blushed like a rose, and Field whispered something in her ear, making her smile and press her lips together.
Next to them, Phoenix sat quietly, watching the Daughter go through several pancakes. He occasionally added another drizzle of syrup to his plate without bothering to eat anything. Sitting next to me, Jovi and Anjani seemed as awkward as ever. Jovi appeared to be focused on his plate, while the succubus kept poking a large piece of fruit with her fork, occasionally giving him a sideways glance.
In all fairness, we’d all been through enough, and there was more waiting for us down the line as the showdown with Azazel drew closer. Each of us deserved to at least feel something, to find refuge in the arms of those we wanted. There was no telling what tomorrow would bring, so why waste today?
As far as I was concerned, I was still processing my first kiss. I poured myself a second cup of coffee and glanced at Bijarki sitting on the other side of the table. His silvery eyes were hooded, his gaze fixed on me. His nostrils flared as I tucked a lock of hair behind my ear.
I replayed the scene in my mind, and heat expanded through my body. I remembered the intensity of our kiss and the speed with which we’d turned a simple peck on the lips into a merger of flesh and souls. His incubus nature was truly extraordinary, taking everything I was already feeling and amplifying it to the point where I was close to touching ecstasy in his arms.
I took a sip from my coffee and popped a small red berry in my mouth, chewing slowly. I felt lightheaded. I relaxed in my chair while my heart fluttered and my limbs tingled. I looked up and saw Bijarki watching me, a peculiar glimmer in his eyes. His skin was a lighter shade, shimmering more than usual. I realized then that he was channeling his incubus nature in my direction, opening up to me and intensifying my feelings.
I wanted to reach out and touch him. I wanted to jump over the table and lose myself in his kiss. My body trembled. My core tightened. But the only intimacy we could have in that moment was an exchange of glances. Still, I told my
self that I would experience that bliss all over again, and more, as soon as I got the chance. He nodded once, then cocked his head to one side, as if reading my mind.
Draven’s voice broke me out of my reverie. “We now have a plan going forward.”
Bijarki sat up straight, shifting his attention to the Druid, who stood up, hands in his pockets. We all listened, while digging into our breakfast.
“The Daughter was kind enough to find the fire protection spell we needed to reach Mount Zur through Mount Inon,” Draven continued. “She also deciphered a couple more useful tricks, including a concealment spell, which will come in handy when we get to Mount Zur. We can now go and get Sverik out, hopefully without getting ourselves killed in the process.”
“I have to say, I love your optimism,” Phoenix interjected with a sarcastic grin.
Draven nodded and gave him a friendly smirk.
“That being said, there is absolutely no point in all of us being focused on the same thing. Due to the high-risk nature of this mission, we will split into three groups to gain maximum efficiency and cover more ground. Serena, Hansa, and I will go to Mount Zur and retrieve Sverik,” Draven said.
“What about us? Me?” Jovi asked, his mouth full.
“You, Anjani, and Bijarki will reach out to the Lamias on the western bank of the River Pyros, where a large settlement of these creatures is rumored to exist,” Draven replied. “Lamias are solitary by nature, and the Pyros settlement is considered to be the only organized group since they were first banished from the Druid society thousands of years ago.”
“What shall we do once we get there?” Bijarki replied.
“I’m convinced their leaders can be reasoned with, given the circumstances. The Lamias have quite the bone to pick with Azazel since he’s killed off the Druids —leaving them with no mates and on the brink of extinction.”
Bijarki nodded in agreement and exchanged glances with Jovi and Anjani, while Draven looked at me, Aida, and Phoenix.