Page 19

Korrin stands by the archway, scanning the gathering dark. Finally, he turns, jaw set. “We can’t wait for them to find us,” he says. “Better we move before dawn tomorrow.”

My heart skips. “We’re leaving, then?”

He nods. “Yes. We’ll head north, try to reach the foothills. There are caves, hidden valleys. My pack never patrolled that region much. The dark elves seldom stray there either.”

A frisson of both dread and excitement runs through me. “So this is it. We run.”

He steps closer. “It’s the only choice. Unless you want to wait for them to corner us.”

I swallow. “No. I don’t.”

We fall silent, the finality of our decision pressing down on us. Tomorrow, we’ll venture into unknown territory, with no guarantee we won’t be discovered by gargoyle patrols or roving elf scouts along the way. But we have to try. The alternative—waiting for a siege or ambush—feels worse.

Night descends, bringing with it the anxious hush of our last hours in this makeshift sanctuary.

I gather my meager belongings—a satchel of dried food, a waterskin.

Korrin readies his own gear, which is little more than a small bag containing flint, extra bandages, and a few stolen jars of herbs.

He’s as lightly burdened as I am. Survival out here demands minimalism.

By the time the moon rises, we’re sitting across from each other at the dying fire, the collar chain coiled between us like a serpent.

My entire body feels wound tight, as if anticipating a final confrontation.

Or a final goodbye. But Korrin and I are set to travel together; we’re not parting ways.

The realization stirs a trembling feeling in my chest, part dread, part something else.

He breaks the silence first. “We leave at first light. We’ll keep off the main paths. Follow the ravines north until the foothills. It’ll be dangerous.”

A shiver runs down my spine. “I’m ready.”

His gaze flicks to the chain around my throat, then back to my eyes. An echo of that old guilt haunts his expression. “I can’t remove it yet,” he murmurs. “If we run into gargoyles, they’d know I freed you willingly.”

I press my lips into a thin line. “I understand,” I force out, though it hurts. “Just remember your promise.”

He inclines his head. “I do.”

Moments tick by, the fire crackling softly.

The tension is thick as pitch. My heart thuds at the memory of how we once sought solace in each other, if only for a night.

The knowledge that we might not see tomorrow’s sunset in one piece churns a reckless impulse inside me.

Fear of the journey, fear of the dark elves, fear of Korrin’s kin—some chaotic swirl of all that fear draws me toward him, the same way it did that first time.

I catch him staring at me, gold eyes gleaming. It’s the same look he wore in that heated moment, the one that said I can’t kill you, but I don’t know what to do with you either. My pulse kicks.

“Korrin…” I whisper, uncertain what I’m about to say.

He shifts closer, wings rustling. “Yes?”

A hundred emotions tangle on my tongue—gratitude, longing, resentment, terror. I can’t voice them. Instead, I slide my hand over the chain, grasping it like a lifeline. My gaze flicks to his face, seeking an unspoken answer. Should I push him away or draw him in?

He exhales shakily, as if reading my confusion.

Then, moving with a predator’s grace, he leans forward, bracing a clawed hand on the stone floor beside me.

Our faces hover inches apart. My throat constricts.

My mind screams that this is dangerous, that trusting him again might break me.

But an even deeper hunger roars back, fueled by the knowledge that tomorrow we plunge into the unknown.

Without conscious thought, I close the distance, pressing my lips to his in a kiss both desperate and defiant.

It crackles with the same tension that’s been building all week—a friction that neither of us can resist. My collar chain clinks against his chest as I rise onto my knees, ignoring the twinge in my ankle.

He groans softly, arms sliding around my waist to pull me closer.

The heat of his body seeps through my clothes, and I shudder at the memory of how intimately we fit before.

We break apart briefly, breath mingling in ragged gasps. The look in his eyes is equal parts caution and need. “Elyria,” he murmurs, voice low, “you want to do this?”

I nod, though tears prick the corners of my vision. “Yes,” I whisper. “I’m tired of being afraid of everything. Just… let me feel alive tonight.”

A flicker of anguished longing crosses his features.

Then he kisses me again—this time slower, as if he’s trying to taste every second.

My heart pounds, fear and desire tangling.

The world outside fades, overshadowed by the press of his mouth, the careful sweep of his claws up my arms. I recall the violence he’s capable of, but here, his touch is deliberate, coaxing.

I arch into him, an electric current skating over my skin.

He lifts me gently, carrying me to the bedding we’ve shared only in uneasy distance.

The chain drags across the stone, an unwelcome reminder that I’m still bound, but I cling to him anyway, swallowing my resentment in the face of raw longing.

We settle among the blankets, my palm pressed to the hard plane of his chest, feeling the thunder of his heartbeat.

In the flickering firelight, I catch glimpses of his inhuman features—the horns curving along his brow, the ridges of his powerful shoulders.

Once, these details would have chilled my blood.

Now, they spark a deep, breathless fascination.

Perhaps it’s madness, or survival, or some new bond forged by shared danger, but I can’t deny the pull.

We undress cautiously, hands tangling. My chain tangles too, but he shifts it aside, brushing apologies across my skin each time it catches.

My breath turns ragged as I let myself be vulnerable, letting him see me fully.

The hush of the ruin envelops us, brightened only by the guttering fire.

Our bodies align, and I release a trembling sigh when he leans in, pressing a hot kiss to my throat where the collar rests.

A swirl of conflicting emotion hits me: I hate this metal ring, but for now, I can’t escape it.

I hate needing him, but right now, I crave the sense of security he offers, even if it’s fleeting.

My fingers knot in his hair as I draw him closer, surrendering to the flicker of heat that consumes us both.

We come together with a shiver of both fear and longing.

It’s different this time—less frantic, more laden with the knowledge of all that stands against us.

My heart hammers as he rocks into me, his cock stretching me with a slow, deliberate pressure that borders on unbearable.

I gasp, my nails biting into the scars along his back, my body arching to take him deeper.

The fullness is overwhelming, a molten ache that blurs the line between pleasure and pain.

He stills for a breath, his forehead pressed to mine, his claws flexing against my hips. “Tell me,” he rasps, voice rough with restraint. “Tell me if it’s too much.”

I can’t answer, only drag him closer, my legs locking around his waist. The chain at my collar jingles as I shift, the sound a cruel counterpoint to the slick heat between us.

He growls, low and approving, before rolling his hips in a long, torturous stroke.

My pussy clenches around him instinctively, drawing a ragged groan from his throat.

“Korrin… fuck me,” I urge him to move faster, wanting him deep inside me. I want him so bad, it’s driving me to insanity.

Then he moves, and the world narrows to the friction of his cock inside me, the way my body yields and tightens with every thrust. He fucks me with a controlled hunger, each motion measured, as if he’s memorizing the way I pulse around him.

The drag is exquisite, a building fire that coils tighter with every snap of his hips.

I’m panting, my fingers tangled in his hair, my cries muffled against his shoulder.

“Korrin!!!” I scream his name repeatedly, egging him on, and needing more.

“Elyria… you feel so good around me. I can’t stop…” he moans as he pulls out and slams into me. I feel the world narrow around me, keeing noise escaping my lips.

“Gods!” I gasp, my eyes rolling back as the sensations overload my brain.

The pleasure crests in waves, each one sharper than the last. His wings shudder behind him, half-spread in the firelight, casting jagged shadows across the ruins.

I’ve never seen him like this—unraveled, his usually rigid control fraying at the edges.

His claws prickle at my thighs, not enough to break skin but enough to remind me of what he is: dangerous, other, mine in this fractured moment.

“Don’t look away,” he demands, voice guttural.

I force my eyes open, meeting his burning gaze.

His pupils are blown wide, his fangs bared in a snarl of pleasure.

The sight sends a fresh bolt of heat through me.

He shifts his angle slightly, and suddenly the head of his cock grinds against a spot inside me that makes my vision whiten.

I cry out, my back bowing off the bedding, but he pins me down with a forearm braced beside my head.

“That’s it,” he murmurs, his breath hot against my lips. “Come, splinter for me. Let it go.”

“I’m coming!” I scream.

I’m helpless to resist. The tension snaps, my orgasm tearing through me with a violence that borders on pain.

My pussy flutters around him, milking his cock as I sob into his chest and my pussy gushes out liquid as if it’s a waterfall.

I squirt on his chest, making me slightly embarrassed but very satisfied.

“God, you’re beautiful,” he groans as he follows me over the edge with a roar, his hips stuttering as he spills deep inside me, his wings flaring wide before collapsing around us like a shield.

For a long moment, there’s only the sound of our ragged breathing and the distant roll of thunder. He stays buried in me, his forehead pressed to my collarbone, his body trembling with the aftershocks. I trace the ridges along his spine, my fingertips skirting the base of his wings, and he shivers.

When he finally lifts his head, his expression is raw, unguarded. His thumb brushes my lower lip, smearing the bite marks I left there. “You’re shaking,” he says hoarsely.

I am. My whole body feels wrung out, oversensitive, alive.

The chain at my throat is cold against my flushed skin, a stark reminder of reality waiting beyond this ruin.

But for now, I let him gather me against his chest, his heartbeat a steady drum beneath my ear.

The firelight flickers, gilding the sweat-slick planes of his body, and I close my eyes, memorizing the weight of him, the scent of us tangled together.

Neither of us speaks. There’s nothing to say—only this fragile truce, this temporary shelter from the storm.

When it subsides, we lie entangled, foreheads touching. My chest heaves, tears slipping unheeded down my cheeks. He cups my face, concern etching his features. “Did I hurt you?” he asks, voice husky.

I shake my head, swallowing. “No,” I manage, barely above a whisper. “I’m just… everything feels so uncertain.”

His gaze flickers with regret. “I know.”

We remain pressed together, letting the aftershocks of closeness settle.

The chain rests between us, a cold, unyielding barrier that contrasts sharply with the heat of our bodies.

My emotions swirl, too tangled to name. This union is as much a desperate refuge from fear as it is physical desire.

I cling to him, and for a fleeting moment, the world doesn’t seem quite so bleak.

Finally, we separate, rolling onto our backs. He shifts to drape a corner of the threadbare blanket over my shoulders, mindful of the chain. Our breaths mingle in the hush. The fire has burned low, embers glowing faintly. Outside, the wind stirs, a harbinger of uncertain journeys to come.

We say nothing for a while. My body aches, both from desire spent and from the tension of our predicament. But I feel calmer, anchored by the steady rise and fall of his chest beneath my palm. My eyes drift closed, lulled by the rhythmic beat of his heart.

I wake at the first gray light of dawn, stiff and disoriented. Korrin sits near the embers, fully dressed, wings half-furled as he sharpens a blade. Our decision to flee leaps to the forefront of my mind. My pulse quickens. Today we leave the ruin. Today we risk everything.

He senses my movement, glancing over. Our gazes hold, a silent exchange of lingering intimacy. My cheeks warm as I recall the night’s closeness. Then reality snaps back: We’re still in danger. My collar remains locked around my throat. My future is tied to him, for better or worse.

I rise, gathering my clothes and the minimal gear I set aside.

He watches, tension in his posture, but doesn’t speak.

We both know conversation is unnecessary—our path is set.

Within minutes, we’ve quenched the last coals of our fire, secured our meager belongings, and prepared to leave the only refuge we’ve known these past weeks.

As we step out from the tower archway, I turn back for a final look at the broken walls, the collapsed stairs, the battered stone that once sheltered us. I can’t decide if I’ll miss it or be glad to see it behind me. Either way, time moves forward.

Korrin stands at my side, scanning the forest. His tail flicks once, betraying a flicker of nerves. I grip the chain at my collar, forcing my feet to move. The morning air is crisp, the sky streaked with gold. A new day. Perhaps a chance at something beyond this half-life of hiding.

I glance at him, eyes lingering on the brand marking him as an executioner.

The man who should have killed me is now my only companion in a world that hunts us both.

The chain rattles as I take the first step away from the ruins, away from the fragile security we built.

I don’t trust him fully. I don’t trust myself fully. But I must try.

His hand finds the small of my back, guiding me forward. “Together,” he murmurs, a promise wrapped in that single word.

I nod, clearing my throat. “Together.”

And so we leave the place where our forced alliance became something more, stepping into a wilderness that might devour us.

Yet despite the fear prickling under my skin, a spark of cautious hope flickers.

Outside threats loom, dark elves and gargoyles alike, but Korrin and I face them side by side—bound by necessity, scarred by the past, and unwilling to relinquish this tenuous bond we’ve forged.