22. Remina

Leaving the echoing silence of the holding cells behind, I stepped into the cool air. The shadows seemed to stretch longer, dancing with the remnants of dark magic that clung to the edges of my senses. I had left Reaghan, who said he would update the council and made my way back to the human coven's house.

The compound, a sanctuary that once offered solace and unity, felt more like a fortress of fear and uncertainty. I glanced back at the imposing structure, its architecture a testament to the strength of our kind. I was counting on that strength to get us through the trials we faced.

My journey took me through the familiar pathways Ryatt and I had walked yesterday. The air, crisp and laden with the scent of earth and impending rain, carried an unsettling energy. The journey to the coven house was a quiet one, punctuated only by the muffled sounds of my footsteps on the streets.

Approaching the house, I could feel the distinct energy that marked this territory. It had a blend of human and magical essence. The faint aroma of herbs still lingered in the air, leftover from the coven's practices.

I met the enforcers from Astur at the entrance. Thankfully, Ryatt had organized around-the-clock enforcer surveillance to preserve any evidence. They greeted me with a wary nod.

The wooden door creaked open reluctantly, revealing the scene exactly how we had left it. My senses heightened as I stepped into the heart of the coven's domain. Crimson unlit candles adorned every corner, their wax-laden bodies waiting to be lit. Runes, etched with meticulous precision, were sprawled across the walls. The air bore the subtle aroma of a fragrant concoction that swirled with the echoes of countless rituals. Pages of parchment were scattered haphazardly on the floor and tables.

As I ventured deeper into the heart of the house, the very essence of the coven seemed to pulse through the walls. I crouched amidst the remnants of the ritual Ryatt and I had interrupted but found nothing of value. Moving on, I turned my attention to the rest of the room. The markings on the walls seemed to pulse with latent energy, some were of dark mage origin which was a cause for concern. Who was teaching the humans this magic?

I reached for a sheet of paper, its surface cool against my fingertips, and my eyes scanned the handwritten notes that adorned it. The ideals and beliefs of human witches were meticulously detailed, revealing a world of magic that, while fascinating, was relatively harmless.

My search intensified as I sifted through the remnants of knowledge strewn across the floor. The room seemed to draw me deeper into the coven's secrets, and my hope heightened with each discovery. Amidst the handwritten notes, something intriguing began to surface. Photocopies of pages from a dark mage"s grimoire caught my attention. The dark symbols, etched with a precision that hinted at mastery, whispered secrets that were thought to be forgotten. Each page carried an ominous weight, revealing a sinister side that had infiltrated the usually harmless realm of human witchcraft.

A chill ran down my spine, as I absorbed the information. Each page detailed spells that were outlawed by the Dark Mage councils decades ago. Before we were almost wiped out, Dark Mages had been forbidden to perform such magic. This discovery showed that the missing supernaturals were only the tip of the iceberg.

I felt the weight of a gaze, a silent presence that prickled at my awareness. I turned toward the door. There, emerging from the shadows like a specter, stood Ryatt. His eyes were ablaze with a fiery anger that rippled through the air. His tall, lithe frame carried an air of calculated grace, every movement deliberate and purposeful. Raven-black hair framed his face etched with sharp angles, his features betraying his rage. The tension between us crackled, palpable, and charged.

"Why the fuck are you here alone?" Ryatt"s voice cut through the silence, a low growl that reverberated in the confined space. His accusatory tone hung in the air, and I could sense the waves of frustration emanating from him.

"I needed to gather information, Ryatt. I couldn"t wait for one of you to tag along," I replied, my voice carefully measured against the rising tide of emotions. The words hung in the air, a fragile defense in the face of his mounting anger.

He stepped forward, his posture tense. "You think you"re invincible, don't you? You agreed to work with the council on this, Remina. That includes not running off wherever you damn well please."

"I"m doing what needs to be done," I shot back. The air became charged with an electric intensity, a tempest of emotions that clashed and swirled around us.

Ryatt"s eyes narrowed, his frustration palpable. "Damn it Remina, you"re not working alone anymore! You can"t charge in without considering the consequences. There are lives other than yours at stake, stop being selfish and accept the help."

A bitter retort hung on the tip of my tongue, but before I could unleash it, he turned away. "You"re a spoiled brat." His footsteps echoed down the hallway, leaving me fuming.

"What? That's the best you have? Come on, vampire, you must have a better insult up your sleeve than that," I taunted, following Ryatt as he strode toward the back of the house. My boots echoed with each step I took, and when he chose to ignore me, a grin spread across my face like wildfire. It seemed like I was getting to him but rather than stopping, I cooed and fed the flames. "Aw, nothing more to say? Come on, don"t spare my feelings now, tell me how you really feel. Here, let me go ahead and give you some suggestions since you're?—"

His arm suddenly snaked around my waist, pushing me against the hallway's wall so hard that I thought some of the hanging frames would fall off the walls. The back of my head throbbed as I tried to make sense of what was going on.

His other hand moved to circle my throat, and I gasped at the sudden action. It was not as if I was complaining in the slightest, either. It wasn't the brutality and suddenness that had me panting for air but that cruel, deadly look in his crimson eyes.

"Enough with your fucking bullshit," he snarled, hands wrapping tightly around my neck and squeezing. Not enough to show any malicious intent to kill, but in an act to get me into submission. I bit my lips to stop myself from moaning.

I liked the way he inflicted pain. Liked how his body was out of his control and he needed to put me in my place.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, watching how he stared at me.

There was a swarming mania in his eyes and his nose flared as his whole body wound tight with each exhale. It made the front of the shirt stretch, the seams barely holding together. There was a demented, crazed look in his eyes, his jawline twitching wildly.

Unhinged.

Deadly.

His eyes drifted to my lips, and he gripped harder on my petite throat while pressing his entire body into mine. Pressing and pressing until I felt like breathing itself was difficult. I would be lying if I said I didn't notice the fucked-up way my body enjoyed it. The way my core throbbed and ached to be treated like this.

"Ryatt," I breathed, though I wasn't sure exactly what I was asking for?—

What I was begging for.

I looked up at Ryatt, who towered over me like a predator about to devour their prey. The lights in the wall threw his face into the shadow, making him look menacing compared to the usual controlled composure he often portrayed. I felt boxed in, and the idea excited me more than I would have liked to admit.

Without another word exchanged, he swooped down and captured my lips. A moan tumbled from my mouth, every inch of my body relaxing as he ravaged me.

Sensing my eagerness, he deepened our kiss, tilting his head to the side. His tongue hungrily sought out mine as I choked out a moan while our tongues danced in perfect rhythm. I felt the graze of his fangs against my lips which only turned me on more. How Ryatt's body pressed heavily against mine stole my breath away.

All the while, his hand only tightened further, and my pussy ached between my throbbing thighs. It was like there was a direct line that went from my throat down to the bundle of nerves between my legs.

It should be terrifying how much I enjoyed his rough treatment.

His tongue and movement seemed to now burn with nothing but unrestrained fervor. Any hesitation was gone as his hands wandered across my skin, and I was hyper-aware of the hardness pressed against me. It overwhelmed me, but in the best way possible, making me want more.

I needed more.

"Always giving me a damn attitude, sassing, and being a damn bitch. Always going on about doing things on your own and that shitty attitude of yours. You've pushed me too far this time, little witch," he snarled.I could already see the black wisps floating in the corner of my eyes as he nipped my lips hard enough to hurt without drawing blood. "You want me to put you in your place as if you're nothing more than a fuck-toy, don't you?"

I mewled, my hands trying to paw his chest before he whirled me around and pressed me against the wall. He placed his shoes between my feet, urging them apart so I could spread my legs wider as my hands clawed at the walls desperately.

Gasping, my head pounded as my body gasped for air. "Please …"

"No," he gritted out harshly while he reached to pull down my leather pants, my thong parting to the side as he pressed his body sternly into mine again. "You don't get to be in control after the shit you pulled on me. Do you really think I'd let you get away with it? You've been fucking spoiled for too long, and it's about time someone teaches you a lesson because that's the only way you'll fucking learn. This is what you want to play?"

"I don't … know what you mean," I countered before he slammed two fingers into my pulsing heat. I could feel my walls contracting around him as his thumb swirled on my raw, swollen clit. "Ah … mmf, fuck … fuck, Ryatt. More. More, please …"

A slap to my exposed buttock echoed, making me practically jump out of my damn skin.

"Don't fucking tell me what to do, little fucking witch. Begging for more when two are already inside of you. Always demanding. Always fucking ready to argue," he snarled. "Fucking witch, always fucking riling me up when you knew you should have obeyed."

Yet despite his harsh, degrading words, he added another finger as I tilted my head back to stare at him through unshed tears. Then, to punctuate his words, he dug his nails into my hips, and I could feel electricity zapping through my body.

Because even though he was degrading me, he added another finger to appease me.

"Ryatt," I whispered breathlessly as his hand went to spread open my ass cheek, spitting between them and allowing it to trickle over my folds. It made me jolt, the squelching sound of my wetness mixing with his saliva as he pumped me full with his fingers.

I was clinging to the damn wall, feeling the way my pussy clung desperately around his fingers.

"Or maybe that's what you want?" he pondered out loud, his hands slowly going to my hair, fisting and pulling at the end, which made me shudder. The pounding of my heart blocked all rational thoughts of why we shouldn't be doing this. "You want to be fucked right here, which is why you kept pushing? Pussy so wet that you"re practically begging for it. You want to be punished and taught a lesson?"

"What if I say yes?" I meekly asked.

His eyes grew even darker before a mischievous smile made its way to his face. A whimper escaped my parted lips in the process as his possessive arms snaked around my waist. I could feel his erection up between my ass.

The rising heat in my core seemed to pulsate as he continued to lick and nibble on my neck. He moved his hand, which had been entangled in my hair, and went up to the top of my leather corset, palming my breasts roughly.

I arched my back eagerly, clenching hard, signaling my impending orgasm. Before I could reach the peak, he slowed the way he was rubbing my clit and pistoning his fingers. I mewled weakly. I was strung so high about to come only for it to be taken away as he chuckled darkly and stopped his movements.

"You better hold it for me," Ryatt growled, roughly pulling down my top. He pinched my nipples so hard I jumped as he nipped me. "Your slutty cunt can"t come yet until I give you the command."

I found myself whining at the request, pussy clenching around his three fingers. We were explosive together in the worst and best way possible. He knew what I wanted and gave it to me without much of a struggle.

"Hurry up, I need to be fucked," I confessed through heavy eyelids.

"Do you now? Greedy bitch always asking and taking what you want without any remorse, and this time isn't any different, is it?" he spat out, his fingers making a pathetic mess out of me as his thumb started to run circles around and around and around.

Hitting that small bumpy area that made me see stars. His dirty words made me almost puddle underneath him as his rough hands for the other nipple.

"Ryatt, please hurry," I cried out brokenly. My knuckles were turning white from how I was trying to dig my nails into the walls as I bucked back earnestly. I needed this so badly, more than being right. "Let me come. Sorry. Sorry …"

"Sorry isn't going to cut it," he snarled. A fourth finger managed to enter my tight cunt, making me clench and whimper to be stretched and stimulated at the same time.

"Please!" I cried out, practically wailing at the top of my lungs.

"Beg for it."

"Please let me come," I cried out. "Please, please. I'm sorry. I'll be good. Let your dirty little witch come."

I could feel him smiling as he nibbled and bit on my earlobes, but I wasn't complaining in the slightest as he picked up the pace once more. Shoving and ramming his fingers into my gaping wet hole, his thumb circling my clit maddeningly.

His other hand, which had been tweaking and pinching my nipples, now moved to my hips. Making sure I wasn't moving so he could use me like a fleshlight. The act, alongside doing it here in the open, brought a shiver down my back in excitement.

The sound of wet skin slapping into one another, and squelching noises filled the long hallway.

"You want to come that badly?" he taunted, and I nodded eagerly like a drug addict.

My toes curled, the tightness in my body getting to the little edge that I'd been so desperate for. When I finally started losing myself to the pleasure, he shoved two fingers into my mouth, which I sucked like it was his cock, hollowing my mouth in the process.

"Oh … oh," I moaned out as he continued to piston in and out of me brutally. Tears brimmed at the corner of my eyes as I closed my eyes wonderfully. "Ah … Ry-Ryatt … ngh… need to come. I'm close, I'm so close, please."

"Only good girls get to fucking come. Will you be good then? Will you pull that stunt again?"

"No, no," I babbled. "Please let me … come."

"Dirty little witch."

I was deliriously high, and I could feel my orgasm building quickly inside of me. I was so close, and I knew I wouldn't last more than three more thrusts of his thick fingers before seeing bright white stars.

Then, right before that great leap, he ripped his fingers right from my tight sheath and stopped.

He fucking stopped.

I was dying; I was withering right then and there as my eyes shot open. I turned to him in horror as he went to pull my thong back in place, settling my skirt back before lapping up his fingers without so much as batting his eyes.

"W-what are you doing?" I stammered out, my voice becoming more desperate and needy than I would like it to be. Ryatt only stared back at me, tilting his head to the side as he gave a half-hearted shrug.

"Payback," he said, arching a brow. "I did say I would punish you, didn't I?"

Fuck. Me.

The next morning, I found myself seeking refuge in the Astur Library, surrounded by the musty scent of well-preserved parchment. As I settled into the worn leather chair, the tension that had gripped me since the human witch house began to loosen its hold.

I couldn"t shake the image of Ryatt pinning me to the wall and edging me before leaving me with no release. What a fucking asshole. I was furious with myself for getting into that situation in the first place. The library offered a temporary respite from the turbulent emotions swirling within me, a sanctuary where I could lose myself in the investigation of the dark mages. The rhythmic tapping of my foot against the wooden floor became a subconscious manifestation of my internal turmoil.

My fingers traced the photocopied pages in front of me, feeling the smooth ink embedded into the paper. The dusty sunlight filtered through stained-glass windows, casting a kaleidoscope of colors on the aged wooden tables. Beams of light danced across the pages as I immersed myself in the pages before me.

My eyes flitted across the photocopied pages, deciphering the dark symbols and arcane writings that adorned them. The words seemed to pulse with an otherworldly energy.

As I delved into the pages trying to find any clue to the owner of the original grimoire, I started to question my collaboration with the council. Maybe Ryatt was right. Maybe I was being stubborn in working alone. But at this point, it had become a habit to get shit done on my own. I wasn't used to working in a team. The realization struck me that collaboration may not be the worst thing. It was not just a matter of convenience, perhaps it was a necessity in navigating this intricate web of dark magic.

The library"s silence wavered, disrupted by the soft shuffle of footsteps. I glanced up to find Gi-Gi smiling at me. Ever the loyal friend, she had interrupted my solitary investigation with a sandwich in hand. Gi-Gi slid into the chair across from me, the worn leather squeaking as she settled in.

"Figured you could use a break," she said, pushing the sandwich toward me. The scent of roasted turkey and sharp cheddar filled the air, momentarily diverting my attention from the grimoire pages. Gi-Gi"s keen eyes scanned the scattered pages, her fingers dancing over the photocopies.

"Any luck?" she inquired; her voice lowered to match the library"s discreet ambiance.

I shook my head, taking a bite of the sandwich to buy a moment of reprieve from the ominous reality before us. Gi-Gi, however, didn"t allow me much respite.

"Wait a second," she exclaimed, pointing at a corner of one particular page. My eyes followed her finger, and there, almost hidden by a stain, were the initials "L.V." with the last name Blackstone written below. A name that held the potential to unlock the secrets we sought.

Gi-Gi and I exchanged a knowing look, this was the lead we had been waiting for.

My fingers traced the edges of the grimoire pages spread across the old wooden table. The mysterious name written at the bottom of the text haunted my thoughts, its origin elusive. I let out a frustrated sigh. Gi-Gi"s gaze fell upon the scattered pages, and she spoke and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Remi, sometimes the answers we seek lie not in solitude but in asking for help. Have you considered taking up the council"s offer of assistance? They"re a powerful resource, you know."

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Gi-Gi, you know how it is. I'm used to working on my own, and most of this council is made up of alpha males with strong opinions. No offense. Your brother isn't quite as bad as the others. I can"t risk exposing too much too soon."

Gi-Gi's eyes crinkled with amusement. "Oh, don't worry, I know exactly how much of a pushy bastard my brother can be, but they mean well. Besides, we are all working towards the same goal, you don"t have to carry this burden alone. The council is here to support you. Take advantage of their expertise."

Her suggestion hung in the air, and I met her gaze, recognizing the wisdom in her words. "But how can they help with a name? It"s not like they"re walking encyclopedias of supernatural identities. I can check the library and have the Order run it through our system."

Gi-Gi leaned back, her tone thoughtful. "Ah, well you could do that. But that"s where you underestimate the council, Remi. Kique has a remarkable knowledge of names and lineage. He"s like a living record of our supernatural history. Not just for the Light Fae either. If anyone can recognize the origin of that name, it"s him."

I pondered her words, the prospect of seeking help conflicting with my instinct to keep my investigations under wraps. Gi-Gi, sensing my hesitation, continued, "Remina, it"s not a weakness to lean on others. Strength comes from unity, from utilizing each other"s strengths. Kique, with his knowledge, might be the key to unlocking this mystery quickly."

I nodded, appreciating Gi-Gi"s insight. "You"re right. Maybe it"s time I start relying on the council more, especially if it means dealing with the threat sooner."

Gi-Gi smiled, a glimmer of satisfaction in her eyes. "That"s the spirit, Rem. You"re not alone in this. Now, let"s get in touch with Kique. I have a feeling he"ll be more than willing to help."

As Gi-Gi reached for her phone, I couldn"t shake the weight of solitude that had become my constant companion. Yet, in Gi-Gi"s words, I found a flicker of hope—a reminder that strength could be found not just in the shadows but in the unity of those who faced them together.