Chapter 16

Ifeel slightly foolish. I should have had someone teach me to ride in the past few weeks. Or at the very least, have started lessons.

Instead, my back presses against the solid wall of Hyadum's chest, his arm slung around my waist, the other on the reins. His horse flies across the ground, eating it up with huge strides. It's a little frightening, the wind breaking against my face so fast, tears well in my eyes.

But it's also exhilarating.

I was too angry and in shock on the way to Sheerly to do anything but process my predicament, and I was too out of it once I woke in Westshear to do anything but hang on for dear life.

Now, with Hyadum holding me tight, his too-large clothes flapping around me, it's still surreal… but it feels right. Like we are going home.

A tall stone wall looms before us, the gates thrown wide. Colorful ribbons hang overhead, and the guardians bow as we pass through the arched entryway.

I frown, confused. I don't remember the ribbons.

The horse's hooves clop against the cobblestones, and Hyadum tugs the reins, slowing us to a steady walk.

The sound of rushing water fills the air, growing in intensity with every step the horse takes. When we round a corner onto the main street, it all makes sense.

My jaw drops, and I stiffen in shock.

People line the streets, cheering as Hyadum approaches. Yellow banners hang across the street, all declaring something in a language I can't read. Strange that I can speak the language here but can't read it. Neither Sulen nor Hyadum have any explanation other than a shrug and a few words about the unknowable constraints of magic. Children run back and forth between the streets, waving bright flags.

"Wave, coruscant," Hyadum's voice whispers against my ear, sending a shiver down my back. "They are here for you."

"For me?" I say, managing a small wave.

"Yes, my Mina. For you. For what your return represents."

He sounds so pleased with himself, I can't help turning slightly to take him in. His lips curve up in a smug smile, and my heart skips a beat.

"You said you wanted a street festival for a date," he continues.

"I didn't say that, not exactly…"

"You are getting one, nonetheless. But first, I have a surprise for you," he says, his voice a low caress.

He pulls the horse to a stop in front of one of the shops lining the main street, a green and white striped awning overhead. Wordless, I let him lift me from the horse, his good humor infectious, and pull me into the store.

Immediately, three women flock to me, and Hyadum leans against the doorway.

"What's this?" I say, slightly wary as they chatter quickly to each other, pressing samples of some kind against my cheek.

"You are the guest of honor. You think I would let you wear my old clothes? No, they will see to your new wardrobe, and outfit you in something fit for a queen."

"She has beautiful hair." One of the women sighs. "This is so much fun."

Another claps. "The green, I think."

The third's measuring me so quickly, I hardly realize she's doing it.

"Your measurements were spot on," she finally tells Hyadum.

Heat crawls across my chest and cheeks, and I chance a glance back at him. How the hell did he know my measurements? I don't even know my measurements.

"What can I say, coruscant?" he drawls. "I enjoy looking at you."

I don't know what to say, so I turn back to the three women, who are apparently waiting for me to do or say something.

"We would have sent clothes out to you there, you know," one of the women tells Hyadum, making a fussing noise as she picks at my huge, rolled up sleeve.

"Green sounds great?" I finally blurt.

He planned a whole street festival for me. These women have made a custom outfit for me. A whole wardrobe, it sounds like. To say no one has ever done anything like that for me is an understatement.

They all beam up at me, ushering me forward. "We may have to make a few small adjustments."

"That's fine," I say, overwhelmed.

A small curtain sections off part of their shop, and when I walk inside, fresh wonder brings me up short.

"She doesn't like it," one of the women says, clearly upset.

"No," I breathe. "I just… I've never seen any clothes like this."

The green gown hangs front and center, and even on the hanger, it looks unbelievably gorgeous. It's sleeveless, with the neckline cut low enough it's clear what the purpose of this dress is: seduction. I let the silk fabric run through my fingers, noticing the skirt has a hip-high slit on one side.

"I don't know if I'll feel comfortable in this, though." Sadly, I let the skirt fall back.

"Oh no, we planned for that." One of the women sorts through the rest of the clothes hanging in front of me, until she finds what she was searching for.

"Here," she says, thrusting it at me.

It's a sheer bodysuit, all netting so delicate it reminds me of cobwebs. Delicate star-shaped beading crawls across the stomach and hip. The bodysuit ends in little shorts, which I suppose will provide some semblance of modesty with the huge slit.

"Try it on?" she asks, and the other two women watch with big eyes.

I don't want to offend them, and the dress really is gorgeous. Maybe the undergarments will make a difference.

"Okay," I agree.

No sooner does the word leave my mouth than the three descend on me, cutting Hyadum's old clothes off. I don't even have time to be self-conscious, and they're so business-like about the whole thing it hardly crosses my mind.

Still, a sigh of relief escapes me as they help me step into it. I marvel at the soft delicate material; it's barely there, and yet, it does provide a little bit more coverage. The beading is cool against my skin, winking when the sunlight hits it.

When they drop the gown over my head, another sigh escapes me.

It feels like I'm wearing air. The material is impossibly rich, thick but lightweight.

"You are everything we have been hoping for," one of the women says, beaming up at me.

"Look," another says, turning me so I face a mirror.

Wow.

The Mina staring back at me is a fairytale princess. The green dress sets off my complexion, and with the netting underneath, the deep plunging neckline isn't as scandalous as it first looked. It's still incredibly sexy, though, and I feel amazing. I turn, admiring the way the fabric moves, and the slit opens, showing off the beaded bodysuit.

I feel powerful.

"You like it?"

"I love it. I feel beautiful."

"You are beautiful, Lady Mina." The three dip their heads in unison, then produce a pair of matching slippers.

After wearing someone else's boots for the last few weeks, these are heavenly.

"Hair?" one of the clothiers asks the others, and before I can so much as resist, they're pressing me into a chair, pinning half of it back into complicated braids, letting the other half fall in loose waves.

The third dabs red on my cheeks and lips, and it feels so good to be pampered and have any and all decisions taken out of my hands, I just sit back and enjoy.

Minutes later, then show me to the mirror again, and I blink at my reflection.

"Thank you," I finally say, stunned. They've wound a rope of glittering gems through my hair, and the effect paired with the sparkling netting is magical.

"Is she done?" Hyadum's voice startles me. "The show is going to begin soon."

"She's done," the three say at once, grinning at me.

"Go on," one whispers, pushing me out of the chair as another pulls back the curtain. "We'll have the rest delivered to his estate. Your estate."

My estate.

"Thank you again," I say. It's hardly adequate, but I'm too stunned at my transformation at their capable hands to manage anything else. They seem to realize that though, grinning up at me.

Hyadum turns from the shop window at the sound of my voice. His hand, which had been rubbing one horn, something I've noticed he does when deep in thought, falls away. My heartbeat speeds up. He's changed, too, into tight leather pants that show off his muscled thighs and a form-fitting shirt with embroidery around a row of buttons.

His eyes darken, roving over my body, and I make myself stand still. A muscle twitches in his jaw, and I step forward, allowing the skirt to billow behind me, the slit exposing my entire leg.

His Adam's apple bobs.

"You are everything." It comes out a gravelly rasp, and every fiber of my being stands up at attention. "You are stunning."

"You're not so bad yourself," I say, trying to add some levity to the situation. "I don't have a way to pay for this, though."

"You healed nearly the entire town of Sheerly," Hyadum growls, his eyes never leaving my face. "Clothes are the very least I can do. Besides, this is our date, is it not?"

"Yes, okay," I say slowly. A date. This is his idea of a date.

I could get used to this.

"Come," he says, offering me his arm, like I am the princess they've made me look like. I take it, slipping my hand into his elbow.

Outside, the crowd has thinned, though many pause when we emerge from the adorable shop to smile.

"I don't think I can ride in this," I tell Hyadum as he reaches for the horse's reins.

"Do not worry, coruscant, there's only one thing I want you riding in that dress, and it is not the horse." His voice is pitched low enough I know he's saying it just for me, a quiet promise that, instead of annoying me, sends a rush of lust through me.

When I glance up, curious if he's teasing, all I see is desire in his eyes, a deep longing that brings me up short, any spicy retorts dying on my tongue.

A guard appears, and Hyadum hands him the reins. "Stable her for now, I will retrieve her soon enough." His gaze slips to me, and a little thrill goes through me.

"You are every inch a queen," Hyadum continues, leading me down the main street. "I am honored to have you at my side this day, coruscant. I hope to have you beside me every day, Mina Kat of House Orion."

I still haven't regained my equilibrium, near dizzy from the rush of heat he's stoked in me. I close my eyes briefly, drinking in the sounds of the festival, the smells. A string quartet plays on a nearby corner, or at least, it's almost a string quartet. The instruments are slightly off, each near their Earth counterpart and yet totally foreign.

The resulting sound is familiar and alien all at once.

A shiver runs down my spine, and I splay my free hand across my stomach. People dance in the streets, and the entire town of Westshear feels like a giant party.

And strangely enough, I'm the guest of honor, dressed in green silk and beaded spiderwebs. My knuckles whiten, and I try to make sense of it all.

"Are you hungry?" Hyadum asks, steering me to a stall where a woman is all too happy to thrust a skewer of meat in my hand, a cup of what smells like mulled wine in the other. I take a deep gulp of the wine, letting it burn down my chest, coughing slightly before taking another sip.

"Careful," Hyadum says, amusement etched across his brow.

"Strong," I croak, wiping my upper lip with the back of my hand.

"Indeed, coruscant. I'll have to watch you even closer now." As if to prove his point, he pulls me to him, offering me a choice morsel of meat. It's spicy and delicious, melting in my mouth. My eyes flutter shut, and I make a small noise of appreciation as I chew.

Hyadum leans down, his lips brushing against the shell of my ear. "I fucking love that look," he purrs, and a fresh wave of desire rocks through me.

My need for him is intense, powerful. It's a hurricane, and I'm afraid of how quickly it's strengthening, battering my rational thoughts.

I sip the wine to keep from answering, my eyes on him as I drink deeply.

His gaze doesn't leave my face.

I take another piece, chewing slowly, savoring the smokey flavor. Hyadum growls low, then tugs me toward the musicians, where the people are dancing.

"Wait, I'm not done," I tell him.

"Then you better drink up," he says, a devilish grin on his face.

"I'm not a good dancer," I protest, pushing back.

"You've never had a good partner, then."

"Fine." I tip the cup back, coughing a little as the alcoholic wine burns down my throat.

"Good girl," he says, fire in his eyes. He takes the cup and passes it back to the vendor, giving me a secret smile as he pulls at me again.

God, I like him like this. I like this side of him, where he teases me and makes me feel beautiful and sexy. So I give up resisting, an irrepressible smile curving my lips as he sweeps me into his arms.

The quartet strikes up a fast tune, and I let out a little squeal as Hyadum's thick arms wrap around me, lifting me from my feet in a daring twirl. He's right. He's a fantastic partner, and I'm in awe of how gracefully he moves despite his size. There's something dangerous about it too, like the fluid grace of a fighter.

As the music speeds up, so do the steps, and I follow along as best I can, Hyadum picking me up occasionally, his fingers pressing into the thin material of the dress. By the time the music comes to an end and I whirl to a stop, I'm breathless, giddy and laughing.

Hyadum's laughing too, and I realize I've never seen him this happy. We've only spent a a handful of weeks together, and only in the mornings and nights, but that's more time than I've spent with a man in years. A decade, even. I haven't had time for a boyfriend, or the energy to take care of anyone else, and now?

Now, time stretches in front of me, and Hyadum hardly lets me lift a finger.

He beams down at me, his horns casting a shadow across the cobblestone, and the band begins playing again, this time, a slow, sensual song that has me swaying to it. It's strange, I almost feel like I've heard it before, which is impossible. Goosebumps pebble across my skin, and I close my eyes as Hyadum slips his hands around my waist, pulling me flush against him.

His leather pants skate against the bare skin of my exposed leg, the packed on muscle evident through the fabric. I hold onto his back for support as he leads us through the steps, enjoying his proximity and the music and the buzz from the wine and his hands on me. The storm of need lashes against all my mental walls, threatening to flood all my best laid defenses. I half-close my eyes, drugged by his nearness, by the sheer feel of him pressed against me.

When the music stops, I'm breathless, but I'm not laughing this time.

"I want to go home," I tell him.

He jerks his head back, disappointment clear.

Oh, shit. He thinks I mean back to Earth.

"No, Hyadum." I shake my head, my voice soft. People continue dancing around us, happy to leave us in their wake. "Not like that. I meant—" I clear my throat, fixing my gaze on his. "I want you to take me to your home." I run a hand up his chest, tilting my head, hoping to all that is holy the man cottons on and doesn't make me spell it out. "Now."

A soft groan leaves his lips, and then I let out a small squeal as he picks me up, bridal carrying me through the revelers. My hand never leaves his chest, and I throw my other around his neck, winding my fingers through his hair.

"Coruscant, do not tease me," he grits out.

"I'm not," I tell him, dead serious. I want him. I need this.

"Fuck," he says, and then he's running. The guards stir in alarm as he nears a small stable. His horse whinnies in recognition, and Hyadum sets me down, leaving me dizzy as he mounts faster than I thought possible.

"Wait," I say, some sense returning through my fog of lust. "How am I supposed to get up—" I squeal, my question cut off, because Hyadum grips my chest, pulling me up easily to sit in his lap.

"That's how, Mina," he says, holding me tight to him with one hand, spurring his horse into a trot, then a canter, as we leave the festival behind.

"You're really strong."

"That is the gift of my House," he tells me. His breath warms my skin, and I shiver. "What gifts will you have, my Mina?"

I stiffen in his arms, reality crashing back over me. The horse picks up the pace, breaking into a smooth canter over the field that separates Westshear proper from Hyadum's estate, still within the stone walls.

"I-I'm not sure I'm ready to…" I trail off, scrutinizing Hyadum's face.

He leans close, pressing a kiss behind my ear. "Do not worry, Mina. You hold the power in this." He licks the sensitive skin there, and I shiver in his arms.

Fuck. It's going to be hard as hell to go slow with this man. Already, wetness pools between my legs, proof my body is more than on board with going all the way.

Still. It's a bad idea, even if it would feel amazing in the moment. Sex isn't just sex here, it means forging a bond that can't be undone. From everything Sulen's told me, it's more sacred than marriage on Earth. I watched the wreckage of my parent's marriage rain down on my sisters and I every damn night that I tucked them into bed as they asked where mommy was.

I'm not ready for that. Not at all.

But he kisses me again, his mouth warm and soft against my neck, and I know I want him.

"We're here," he says, and the horse slides to a quick stop. With an incredible show of strength and agility, Hyadum manages to heave me up and toss one leg over the side of the horse, clearing the distance to the ground as though it's nothing. A groom rushes from the small stable I barely noticed the last time we were here, leading his horse away.

And then it's just Hyadum and me, in front of what can only be called a mansion.

I was too out of it when I first saw it, too shocked and freaked out.

"It's beautiful," I tell him, my fingers still laced around his neck. The estate house isn't quite a castle—it's missing the turrets and massive size—but it's impressive nonetheless. Weathered gray stone stacks three stories high, diamond-paned windows sparkling in the late afternoon light. The entrance is stone, too, vaguely reminiscent of something I've seen in a history textbook, but too fairytale looking to be from Earth. A tree with purplish-red leaves arches gracefully over it, and fragrant blooms like no flower I've ever seen before scent the entire yard. Green vines climb one side, small closed buds of white dotting it.

"They bloom at night," Hyadum says, noticing where my attention's gone. "You like my house?"

"Yes," I answer honestly. "It's beautiful."

"You are beautiful," he tells me, his face so serious my heart speeds up. I cup his cheek, nearly undone by his affection, by all the care he's shown me.

He lowers his head to mine, a question in his eyes.

I pull it the rest of the way, and his mouth crashes against mine. When I moan softly into his mouth, he shifts me in his arms, yanking the front door open.

I can't concentrate on anything but the way his hands feel on me, the taste of his mouth, the heady rush of pure desire rocketing through me. His hand skates over the curve of my breast, his fingers teasing the hard point of my nipple through the fabric.

I arch into his touch, and he breaks off the kiss with a fierce growl, taking off at a run.

"I can walk, you know," I say, unable to keep from laughing a little.

"Like I would let you out of my arms now I have you here? Unlikely." He smiles down at me, and it's a wicked thing, made all the more devilish by his horns. He's running me up the stairs, and I hold on to him tightly as he takes them two at a time.

When we burst through one of the heavy wooden doors, my laugh dies in my throat, replaced by awe. If I thought the outside was straight from a fairytale, then this bedroom is what fairytales dream of. A huge four-poster bed dominates one side of the room, cloud-grey fabric falling in soft curtains around it. The ceiling's nearly lost to darkness, so high it's difficult to make out, until lights wink into existence, hovering in the cathedral-style arches like tiny stars.

"How?" I blink at them. "They're not electric."

"They're starlights. They sense the power in our blood and fire up when we're close enough."

"Magic," I say, suddenly awed. It's one thing to hear about magic, to hang out with a man with horns from his head, and to talk about it in theory.

It's quite another to see it in real life.

In this room, with the stained-glass window casting a rainbow of colors along the floors, the lights twinkling overhead, I see it. I believe it.

Hyadum's lips brush across my cheek, and I sigh, closing my eyes, as he walks slowly to the bed. He kisses my other cheek, then my forehead, before setting me on the thick mattress. My chest rises rapidly, my breathing quick and unsteady.

His hand brushes a stray hair behind my ear, and his gaze travels over my face before he steps back, watching me lay on his bed.

"You are everything I always dreamed of." He sounds choked up, and it melts me.

"You're not so bad yourself," I say, propping myself up on my elbows.

"Not so bad?" he asks, cocking his head. A grin plays along the side of his mouth. "Is that right?" His fingers go to the buttons on the left side of his shirt, and then he's tugging it overhead.

I swallow thickly, my eyes wide. I've seen him without a shirt, but I've never had permission to stare.

And I. Am. Looking.

His body is a work of art, the kind most bros dream about while chugging protein shakes and spending countless hours at the gym. Tattoos crawl up his arms, esoteric symbols and patterns that almost seem to shift in the light from the tiny lanterns above.

"Still not so bad?" he asks, raising one eyebrow before flexing his bicep.

I purse my lips to keep the small laugh inside, then shrug one shoulder. "I don't know if I've seen enough to fully judge."

A dark chuckle tears out of him, and then he's slowly, so slowly, unlacing his pants. I never thought I was one for striptease, but watching Hyadum's muscles flex as he undresses is absolutely doing it for me.

When he pulls down his pants, tugging them from his thick calves and stepping out of them, he stands before me fully naked, and words fail me. His cock is huge and hard, like the rest of him, and I bite my lower lip, wet heat flooding between my legs. Wow. Just… wow.

"Still not so bad?" he says, circling his hand around his cock and giving it a quick rub.

"You're really hot," I tell him, meaning every word.

He frowns, though, looking confused. "I am a normal temperature, I think."

I bite back another laugh, grinning up at him. He's so cute. "No, it means I think you are really handsome. Super good-looking. Sexy."

He prowls forward until his bare chest is inches away from mine, his hands making divots on either side of me in the mattress.

"Then I think you are warmer than a summer day," he says.

My smile deepens, and I sit up, running my palms over the ridiculously solid chest in front of me. "That's not exactly what that means—you know what? We'll work on it later," I tell him, then pull his mouth on top of mine.

This time, his tongue sweeps into my mouth, tasting of spiced wine, moving slowly, sweetly.

Until I reach down between us, grabbing his thick cock with one hand. He lets out a hiss, breaking off the kiss. His gaze heats, burning through me with the apparent need written there.

"Is that what you want, my coruscant?" he asks. "You want my hard cock, yes?"

"Yes," I breathe.

"Not yet," he tells me with a smirk. His hands work fast, undoing the row of buttons holding the green silk dress together. It falls away from my body with a sigh of fabric before slithering into a pool on the floor.

"I like this," he says. One finger hooks on the cup of my sheer beaded bodysuit. "I will have to pay them to make some more."

I start to slip it off my shoulder, hungry for his mouth on me, his skin on mine, but a strong hand clasps mine.

"Leave it," he rasps. His wet mouth closes over the tip of my breast, bodysuit and all. I arch, lost to sensation. His fingers find my other breast, and my entire body clenches.

"Fucking look at you, coruscant. Look at how eager you are for me, Mina."

I move to wrap my hand around his cock again, wanting more, wanting it sooner, desire starting to build to a delicious crescendo.

"No." He easily captures my wrists with one hand, pinning them over my head. "Let me."

I shiver in excitement as his head dips to my other breast, sucking it, lavishing it with the same attention. He bites down, just hard enough to ride the edge of pain, and I cry out, writhing in earnest against him.

He's too tall for my hips to make contact with that huge, hard cock, but he growls in appreciation when I rock against him.

"That pretty cunt is wet for me," he says, and my eyes widen in surprise at the word, only to immediately close again as he gently scrapes his teeth over my nipple. "Fuck, Mina, I dreamed about this moment."

I moan, and his hand tightens on my wrists before letting them go as he kisses down my body. The net bodysuit only heightens the sensation of his mouth against my skin, nearly overstimulating my taut nerves.

"Last night, when you thought I was having a nightmare, this is what I was dreaming about," he says roughly, looking up from my stomach. "I was dreaming about feasting on your wet cunt."

Gently, with a delicate touch, he runs a finger between my legs, leaving me gasping.

"Do you know how badly I wanted you last night?"

I shake my head, my legs trembling, unable to answer.

"Let me show you what I wanted to do."

When he lowers his mouth to my pussy, I cry out, the net material rubbing obscenely against my sensitive skin and his tongue.

"I fucking knew you would make that noise," he growls. "Look at me."

My eyes snap open, and he shoves my legs wide apart, his gaze hungry. One hand holds my hip down, pressing me harder into the mattress, and I wriggle as he carefully teases my clit with one finger.

"Fuck," he groans, and I moan his name in response, in a plea.

Something snaps in him, and his mouth is on me again, his tongue making long, languid strokes. My hands find his horns, and he makes a low noise of approval as I press his head down, grinding my hips. When he finally moves the bodysuit aside, slipping a finger inside me, everything starts building faster, climbing towards the pinnacle of pleasure.

"Fuck, Mina, I want this cunt," he breathes, his eyes meeting mine.

"Hyadum," I moan.

He adds a second finger, and I begin clenching around them, so fucking close, chasing the orgasm starting to crest. His tongue circles my clit, and when he sucks, I arch off the bed, coming harder than I've ever come before in my life, hanging onto his horns for dear life.

I close my eyes, practically panting, limp.

Holy shit. That was… the best oral I've ever had.

When I open my eyes, Hyadum's staring down at me, a smug look on his face, like he knows it, too.

"Not too bad?" he asks. He runs a finger down my side, and I shiver, closing my eyes.

"It was pretty good," I say, but it comes out breathless and shaky.

He laughs, tilting his head back, before pulling me into him. I don't want to fall asleep, but between the strong wine and the afterglow of the best orgasm in my freakin' life, I'm out in minutes.