Page 23

23

Vaylen

F ragor lands atop the plateau, alighting as gently as a butterfly. He always takes extra care when I’m with him, even though I’ve tried to convey the message that he doesn’t have to, while he conveys that it’s absolutely necessary.

I release my Tethers and quickly dismount, sliding down his leg. The Claws on duty rush in to tend to Fragor. A few of them look from the empty saddle to me but say nothing. Captain Stoneberg would have sent in a message announcing the arrival of High Prime Stormsong and a member of his Clutch.

“She had a big mouth, so I got rid of her,” I tell them, then head for the lift.

I still feel Fragor’s disapproval coursing through me. It mingles with my own sense of guilt, souring in my stomach. The lift clanks as I descend, plunging me into the bowels of the earth. When I exit, I head straight for my quarters, trying to forget about Skysinger Wyndward.

The corridors are busier than normal, but it seems the news from Commander Voltguard got out to all the Primes, and they were able to reach their pupils, who now run around in an excited state, happier to be here than on break. I remember those days. Now, I long for free time, but mostly… I long for peace.

In my chamber, I find several Boltgrams on my desk. I examine them to determine their source. They all have a signature from the Commander, except for one, which comes from Chief Inspector Cragmere. I open that one first, frowning at the request. Odd.

Setting it aside, I read the others. They contain more details about the enemy attack as well as further instructions on our reduced training schedule. One missive in particular surprises me. Normally, the Commander would have consulted me before making such a decision, but the situation must be dire enough to warrant expedited action. I wouldn’t have declined anyway. We need every dragon and every Skyrider we can get. It seems now I must deliver instructions to my new pupil. We need to begin training early tomorrow morning. There’s no time to waste.

With a sigh, I head back out but stop short as I open the door. I have no time to do anything but blink as a brutal slap lands across my face. The force of the impact snaps my head to the side, my cheek stinging like the Seven Hells. I growl between clenched teeth and capture the culprit’s wrist, squeezing hard. Tugging on the arm, I pull Skysinger Wyndward into my room. Temper boiling, I grab her shoulders and slam her against the door, shutting it close in the process.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” I hiss.

“What the fuck is wrong with you ? You nearly killed me. I thought I was dead and said my last prayers, you bastard.”

“You need to understand that disobeying my orders can get you killed.”

“Perhaps it’s you who wants me dead.”

“I’m your superior officer, dammit! Get that through your thick head.”

“Yeah, well that doesn’t make you king, and it doesn’t make your word law.”

“My word is fucking law around here. If I order you to lick the floor, you lick it.”

“Fuck you.”

She tries to strike me again, but I swiftly pin her wrists against the door above her head. She retaliates by aiming a knee at my balls, and all I can do to stop her is move closer and press my body against hers.

Mistake. Big mistake .

The mood changes immediately, anger morphing to something different only just as primal. I become painfully aware of her agitated breaths, and the way her breasts rub against my chest. The memory of the honey taste of her mouth strikes me like a bolt as her lips part.

My cock is hard in an instant, so fast it hurts.

A small pant of surprise leaves her half-opened mouth. The sound does something to me. I want to hear it again, but this time I want to elicit it on purpose by plunging my cock into her. Before I know what I’m doing, my mouth dips and claims hers with voracity.

She responds with equal hunger, wrapping her arms around my neck and opening her mouth to let my tongue slip inside. She moans as our tongues collide. I hook my arm under her thigh and lift it to my waist, pushing my cock between her legs. The door thumps. I whirl us away from it, carrying her. She wraps both legs around my waist and locks her feet behind me, her fingers in my hair, her mouth giving back what I demand.

I have enough sense to avoid the bed, though I’m dying to lay her down and fuck her senseless. Instead, I press her against the wall, pinning her to free my hands and let them roam.

Stop, Vaylen. You need to stop! the voice of reason screams inside my head, but she steals my will, leaving me bare. I don’t know what she does to me but claiming her is the only thing that matters.

* * *

RHEA

His hands go up my sides, then find my breasts as he kisses me and grinds his cock into my core. Pleasure floods me, a wave of heat that threatens to melt me. My body is aflame, the sensation unlike anything I’ve ever felt. I’ve been with men before, but this… this is different.

Vaylen’s scent, fresh as the forest pines we left behind me, is exactly right. The weight of his muscular body against me couldn’t be any more perfect. The taste of his mouth and the slow stroke of his tongue over mine are exactly what I like. The painful pinch of his thumb and forefinger on my nipple is the right amount of rough. It’s as if he’s made for me, designed, measured and built to be precisely what I need.

He bites his way down my neck, teeth raking my skin. I moan at the delicious pain, delighting as he grinds into me. His cock feels massive and rock hard under his trousers. It rubs against my center, promising untold ecstasy.

Who knew it would be this easy? I thought it would take me weeks to get us here, but he couldn’t resist me for even one day. Not that I can take all the credit. I couldn’t have predicted this fierce attraction between us. All my plans are coming to fruition—best of all, this task isn’t the least unpleasant. On the contrary, I’m dying to feel him inside me.

But what about love, Rhea? the stupid voice of a dreamer girl asks inside my head.

My father loved my mother the way all women dream to be loved. He worshiped her, making her comfort and happiness his only goal. He was charming, passionate, and faithful because he adored her. He was strong because he had to protect her. For her, he was ten times the man he is now. As a little girl, he was my hero—the model for the type of man I wanted to marry. Except I’m not that silly little girl anymore. Dreams don’t come true for women like me. I would be content with much less than this passion that boils between Vaylen and me, and I count myself lucky there’s at least that much driving this mad rush of rough kisses and caresses.

As he pushes my breast up with one hand, his mouth travels downward. I want my jacket gone, but he kisses the mound through the fabric, his hot breath tantalizing. Teasing kisses circle around my hard nipple. I want his mouth to close around it, his teeth to nibble on it.

“Vaylen,” I breathe out, anticipating his next move.

Abruptly, he pulls away, gaze locking with me. The sight of his face shocks me. His eyes are glowing, and a couple of pointed fangs peek through his half-opened mouth. His expression is feral, wild.

I gasp, recoiling from him, my heart beating impossibly faster. My body goes cold, a shiver nearly freezing me on the spot despite the heat that seared my veins just seconds ago. My ears ring.

It’s not real. It’s not real .

He steps away from me in an instant. I blink and his face is back to normal. Hand pressed to my chest, I feel my color drain.

What just…?!

“Did I…? Are you…?” He can’t form a question.

Vaylen sobers up quickly, his features arranging themselves into the austere mask he wears all the time. His large hands smooth his jacket and straighten the collar.

My knees wobble, and I fear I will collapse right in front of him.

Get it together, Rhea. And stop imagining things!

I inhale deeply, picturing armor bracing my limbs and my spine. A measure of calm and strength returns, and I stand straighter.

“My apologies,” Vaylen says firmly, turning sideways.

I stare at his profile, fixating on the muscle that ticks at his jaw. I count my breaths.

One. Two. Three .

“This behavior cannot continue,” he goes on. “I fear we started on the wrong foot at the Rite of Flight, and that got us derailed from the beginning. We must make adjustments.”

Four. Five. Six.

He looks at me sidelong, a similar kind of armor to my imaginary one seems to wrap around him as he speaks. He has brushed away his lapse in a matter of seconds, an infallible man, always in control.

“What we’re doing is against the rules, Skysinger Wyndward, and it can create untold amounts of trouble for both of us. For the good of the Sky Order and our careers, we need to come to an agreement.”

Seven. Eight. Nine.

Slowly, he turns, faces me again, and takes a step closer.

Ten .

Everything is all right.

“Let’s make a pact,” he says. “We must acknowledge our mutual attraction and recognize its heightened nature. Given these factors, we need to agree not to be alone and doing things that exacerbate… our needs.” He nods and puts a hand out for me to shake.

I look down at it, remembering how the weight of it felt on my breast, how he pinched my nipple, bringing it to a peak he could tease. Locking my gaze with his, I step away from the wall, glad for my returned strength.

“Heightened? Exacerbate?” I say with derision and a bit of hysteria brought by what I just saw. “It’s as clinical or academic as that, is it? We want to fuck , and there’s nothing wrong with that.”

He growls at the word, from anger or need , I can’t tell. “There’s plenty wrong with it, and you know it.” He proffers his hand with insistence.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Vaylen ,” I say. “I’m not going to shake on such a pact . I don’t want to ignore this, act like it isn’t real just because some stuffy commander decided to make it wrong.”

“You know better than that, Skysinger Wyndward. You wouldn’t be here if you didn’t know the Sky Order Code back-to-back. A liaison between a Prime and one of his subordinates can create conflict in the ranks. I’ve seen it firsthand. Discipline collapses as loss of respect takes hold. My Clutch works like a well-oiled cogwing because everyone trusts me. I can’t risk losing that. Lives are at stake, lives that I’m responsible for.”

He speaks with such vehemence and conviction that I feel a blush of embarrassment climbing up my neck. Indeed, he seems to be all the things people described. I often imagined it was all empty talk, a way to build him up into some sort of symbol to give Embernians hope, but he keeps proving me wrong at every turn.

I nearly take hold of his hand and shake it. It’s my natural reaction in the face of his honor, but the truth is… I don’t want to.

You will be bonded to Zephyros, Rhea. You’ll have more than you ever dreamed of. Your plan to seduce him is moot now. Give the man back his peace of mind.

Yes, I could do that, but after a taste of his lips and his wild passion… Well, I want more.

He makes a chopping motion with his hand to call attention to it once more. “Shake on it, Skysinger Wyndward.”

“Call me Rhea.”

“Shake. On. It,” he repeats, each word a hammer blow.

Cocking my head to one side, I raise my hand, except it’s my left. I caress the back of his fingers with tantalizing softness. He jerks his hand down and takes a step back.

“I hope you don’t come to regret this decision,” he says.

“What? You’re going to try to kill me again?”

“I never tried to kill you. If I had, you would be dead. You will receive no special treatment, Skysinger. I will deal with any insubordination the way I always do. If my lessons prove too harsh and lead to an unfortunate accident, it’s all in due course. But there’s much more this behavior of yours can make you regret. Now, leave.” He points at the door.

I bristle for more than one reason. I feel there’s truth in his words. Moreover, I hate that he's kicking me out. I would rather if he invited me to stay. But I guess we’ve grappled enough for one night.

“As you wish, Vaylen.” I bow and head for the door.

“One question,” he says as I turn the handle.

I glance over my shoulder.

“What was the name of the Neutro who performed your Cleansing?”

I nearly choke, and it takes my entire presence of mind not to let my reaction show. Not the question I was expecting. “I… don’t remember.”

He narrows his eyes.

“Why?” I ask because even though I know the reason, it’s the natural thing to do.

“Part of Neutro Cindergrasp’s murder investigation.”

“Sorry, but I don’t remember.”

“No matter. Chief Inspector Cragmere is working on retrieving the old records. I suppose he wanted me to ask to save time.”

“Once more… sorry I couldn’t help.” As I face the door, my composed expression disfigures, and I can’t get out of his room fast enough.