Page 32

Odessa

A fter what seemed like hours, I was feeling the need to rest. There’d been no sight of The Healer, Marcela, and I wondered if she’d found a secret tunnel somewhere. The Pyro too, had been quiet. Maybe too quiet.

“I don’t think I can keep walking,” I said, wanting to collapse into a heap where I stood.

“We have to keep moving. There isn’t anywhere safe to stay yet,” Dex replied.

I stuck my tongue out at him in response, which made him smile.

“Oh, well, excuse me for trying to keep us alive,”

“You’re right. What time do you think it is? I’d say it was?—”

“Shh. Do you hear that?” Dex asked, putting a hand up indicating that I should stop.

My ears strained to listen, and my heart began to beat fast. Was it The Pyro? Had he caught up to us? And then there it was. A soft trickle of running water.

Thirst, heavy and aching deep in my stomach roared to the surface. My mouth was bone dry from the lack of water.

“I think it’s coming from over here,” he said, finding a small, almost unnoticeable crack in the wall. The jagged edges were just wide enough to fit through sideways, bringing us to a large, cave-like room. The sounds of birds chirping and water rushing filled my ears.

Birds? All the way down here? I didn’t think it possible.

A waterfall was cascading down from the ceiling where a faint bit of sky could be seen peeking through a small hole. Light shimmered along the surface where a pool of water sat, rippling gently along the rocks.

It was beautiful.

“Do you think it’s safe?” I asked, feeling that thirst intensify with each passing second.

“Nothing is safe down here, but there’s only one way to find out.”

“We should flip for it. To see who drinks first. Could be poisoned.”

“A taste tester? How barbaric. Fine, do you have a coin?”

“No, do you?”

“Believe it or not, I didn’t really think I would be purchasing anything down here and left my wallet at home.”

“Oh, why don’t we use this?” I picked up a smooth stone and removed the dagger from my boot, etching an x on one side and leaving the other blank. “X, you drink, blank, I do.”

“Sounds fair.”

I tossed the rock and caught it in my hands x side up.

We both stared down at it for a beat before his icy blue eyes looked up at me, with that insufferable smirk pulling at his lips.

“Guess I’m the guinea pig,” he said, removing his empty canteen. He dipped the metal into the shallow end of the pool.

It didn’t dissolve at his touch, so that was promising. He brought it beneath his nose and sniffed.

“Interesting,” he murmured.

“What, what is it?” My brow furrowed as I took a step closer.

“It smells like…” he brought the canteen to his lips and my heart beat faster, hoping that it was okay.

His tongue sneaked out and took a tentative taste of the liquid. I watched as his eyes widened, my breath caught in my chest as I waited.

“Just as I thought,” he said after a moment.

“What!” My patience was snapping.

“It’s nectar.”

My mouth dropped as he took a swig.

Nectar was the drink of the gods. It was the most sacred and coveted of all drinks, only given to a select few mortals.

People back home claimed to have tasted it only to be met with skepticism and laughter.

Others still tried to peddle cheap watered-down wine or sparkling ale claiming it was authentic nectar. Only fools fell for it.

“How do you know it’s nectar?” I asked feeling that surge of thirst licking along my bones.

His chin raised and his eyes gleamed. He sat back, kicking his legs out, finishing off his canteen without answering me.

“Aren’t you going to have any? You must be thirsty,” he said in response, avoiding my questions as usual.

I eyed him warily and finally took the canteen from him. He didn’t seem to be having any kind of adverse reaction to the liquid, and I was parched. I was thirstier than I’d ever been in my life, feeling as if my tongue had been turned into sandpaper.

Damn it, I guess I didn’t have much of a choice but to try it.

Bending down, I scooped up enough to refill the canteen. There was a faint flowery scent that wafted towards me as I raised the bottle to my lips. Like jasmine and lavender intertwined.

“Cheers,” Dex said, fake knocking an imaginary canteen against mine with a mischievous wink.

I took a steadying breath and responded, “Cheers,” with a shrug of my shoulders.

A shot of the cool liquid snaked down my throat, spreading the chilled sensation throughout my limbs.

I felt instantly lighter, and my head swam.

My tastebuds were alight with flavors I couldn’t begin to describe because I had never tasted anything so delectable before.

It was sweet and overwhelmingly addicting. My thirst was quelled immediately.

There was something in the back of my mind that I only faintly could remember about nectar.

Some kind of warning or saying that was escaping me as I gulped down another canteen full before letting it slip out of my hand and topple onto the rock covered floor.

It clattered and echoed off the high vaulted ceiling.

I tilted my head back and started up at the small portion of the sky that was peeking through.

“I thought I’d never see the sky again,” I found myself murmuring, before tilting all the way back into a laying position.

The rocks were uncomfortable and digging into my flesh, but for some reason I didn’t care.

I couldn’t care, not when I was feeling like this.

So blissful and relaxed for the first time since I got here.

My life had become chaotic and unpredictable.

Danger lurked around every corner, and I should have been on high alert, but the nectar had me feeling like I was floating and untouchable.

The urge to strip off my clothes was overwhelming.

My entire body was covered in a mixture of dust and sweat and I needed it off me.

“Turn around. I’m going in,” I said, not waiting for Dex to follow my instructions before I began unbuttoning my jumpsuit and kicking off my boots. The fabric peeled off my slick skin easily and I tossed it into a heap before I dipped my toes into the cool nectar-filled pool.

I didn’t really care if he looked at me in this moment. Not when I was feeling this euphoric. The water greeted me easily, licking against my dirtied skin and washing away the grime that had built up over time. It felt better than the shower back at home.

“You can’t be serious. What are you doing in there?” Dex asked, his head tilted to look at the ceiling, avoiding my naked form.

“Washing up, what does it look like I’m doing?”

“Well, I wouldn’t know! You told me not to look.”

I was fully emerged now in the water, tipping my head back as I floated easily in the dense liquid. It was buttery soft, sliding against my skin as I floated.

“You should come in here. It feels amazing.” I was pretty sure he could see the tips of my breasts like this, but I couldn’t find it in me to care. In fact, I liked it. I wanted his attention. I wanted him to see me like this.

Dex put his hands on his hips as if he was debating. I tilted my body forward so that I was no longer floating but still submerged from the chest down.

“I promise to keep my hands to myself,” I said.

“It’s not your hands that I’m worried about,” Dex grumbled. “Fine, I’m coming in,”

“You want me to close my eyes?” I asked, covering my face.

“Nah, you can look all you want and see what you’re missing.”

He slowly unbuttoned his jumpsuit, kicking his shoes off to the side near where mine were. I could see my dagger laying where I’d dropped it.

I knew I shouldn’t be peeking between my fingers, but he had said I could look.

“Like what you see over there?” He asked, shrugging completely out of his clothes.

He stood fully naked before me, cock hardened and bobbing in his hands. My cheeks warmed as I floundered for the right response.

I’d never seen a naked man before I’d walked in on Dex in the shower.

I mean other than statues, but here, Dex was in front of me all flesh and blood.

And so, so unbelievably hot. His sculpted muscles moved as he entered the pool, and I felt myself wanting to feel every ridge of his abs beneath my fingertips.

My eyes couldn’t stop staring at his large dick and a part of me wondered how it would feel if he were to be inside me.

He joined where I was, dipping his head back just like I had.

Water droplets clung to my eyelashes as I watched him revel in the feel of the nectar.

It was truly heavenly, and I understood why it was so coveted.

Every fiber of my body felt like it was sparking with energy.

Wisps of my power surged to my fingertips, filling the air around me with shadows.

“Easy, you don’t want to get too carried away,” Dex said, placing his hands on my shoulders.

The shadows dropped, but my power, I realized had come back with a vengeance. If this was what it did to me, I wondered if it had the same effect of the gods. Giving them a sense of euphoria and limitless power.

Dex’s hands were warm, and he kept them on me even after the shadows had dissipated.

His thumbs made lazy circles on my wet skin, sending shivers along my nerve endings.

I could feel the desire for him to keep touching me and looking at me the way he was all the way down to my toes.

His hand found its way up to my cheek as he inspected my injury, thumb caressing ever so gently right beneath the cut.

“That hurt?”

“Not really,” I said with a shrug. His touch was more intoxicating than the nectar I’d ingested.

I licked my lips, tasting the nectar upon them. He tracked the movement, and then I felt his hard cock graze against my leg. My eyes widened at the sudden contact, and he immediately jerked away, dropping my shoulders like they’d burned him.

“We should get out of here,” he said as he hurriedly turned around, and stalked out of the pool almost angrily.

Disappointment clung deep in my belly, but I had no business being disappointed. What did I even expect anyways? For him to kiss me? Would I have let him? Would I have kissed him back?

There was no way to tell now that he was getting dressed.

Damn, he had one hell of a body. His ass was on full display for me as he bent over.

I found myself biting my bottom lip and tilting my head to the side, appreciating the fine form that was Dex.

I bet he was good in bed, not that I had anything to compare it to, but he seemed like he would know what he was doing.

“Stop looking at me like that, Dessa, I swear to the gods I won’t be able to stop myself from coming back in there and taking you if you don’t.” He snapped. “Now get out of that pool and get dressed. We should keep moving.”

“What if I want you to take me?” I asked, beginning to step out of the water. I felt buzzed. Like my head was full of light fluffy cotton, but I also felt need. It was deep and raging in my core, wanting to be set free.

He glared at me then. A raging inferno was alight in those blue eyes of his as he saw me naked before him. His hands clenched beside him and his jaw was painfully tight. He went to say something, but then he stopped.

A low rumble vibrated the rocks underneath me.

“Mmm, that feels nice.” I said with a giggle, feeling the vibrations roll through my entire body.

“We need to go. Get dressed and don’t forget your mask. Right now, Odessa,” Dex warned. Grabbing his backpack as he reached for my hand.

I swatted it away. When had I taken my mask off? My head felt so fuzzy, but placing my hands on my face, I found he was right. I was losing track of time and moments, that buzz rolling low in my belly with elation. It felt so good.

“You’re always trying to ruin my fun,” I whined.

“Odessa, we need to go. Now.” His tone was forceful, but my body felt warm and happy and light. Like I could stay here forever feeling this peaceful. Maybe I should just close my eyes and fall asleep. I toppled to the ground and closed my eyes.

A sharp slap to my face jolted me, and I angrily looked at Dex.

“Ow! What gives?”

“We need to get the fuck out of here, before we become Gerataux’s food.”

“Gerataux…I thought those were only in fairy tales,”

“Dammit, Odessa,” Dex said, pushing my underwear and jumpsuit over my wet skin. The fabric was rough and difficult to put back on now that I was soaked, but I lifted my butt up for him as he wiggled it onto me.

“Look at you getting me dressed,” I said with a smile.

“Yeah, well I’d rather us both be naked and doing anything but this, but I don’t want to become some monster’s lunch. I need you to put your arms in here,” Dex ordered, holding up the rest of my jumpsuit. I shoved my arms in and then swatted him away from my buttons.

“I can do it myself,” I hiccuped, “Thank youuu very much.”

“How much did you drink?” He asked, lacing my shoes up. I didn’t even realize he put my shoes on.

“My knife?” I asked, looking around.

“In your sock,”

I patted my leg, and sure enough, he put it back right where I’d been carrying it this whole time.

“Come on, get up. Mask on, now,” he said, pulling at my arms to get me to my feet.

“Stop babying me!” I whined.

“I’m not babying you! I’m trying to get us out of here before the monster decides to show up!”

“I could kiss you,” I said swaying on my feet and stumbling forward until I was clinging to Dex’s shirt looking up at him.

“You shouldn’t say things you don’t mean,” he said with a labored breath.

“But I do mean it,” I protested. Maybe it was the nectar talking, but right now all I wanted was to feel his lips on mine. Monster or no monster.

He seemed to consider it for a moment, brushing away a lock of my wet hair from my face, cupping my mask covered face with his large hand. Wait, when did my mask pop on my face? Did I get it on myself or did Dex? Had it been there this whole time?

The world seemed to tilt, and I felt myself moving in towards Dex, our mouths dangerously close to each other.

But then, a roar like no other shook the very air around us as large sharp stalactites began to fall from the ceiling, nearly crushing us where we stood and a scream wrenched free from my throat.

The thing I had forgotten, the very important piece of information that laid in the back of my mind, was that nectar could only be made in the lagoon of the deadly Gerataux. A monster so ferocious that there were hardly any stories of mortals that walked away after encountering one.

There was a reason only the gods could obtain nectar, and I was looking at it right now, in all its hideous and deadly glory.