Chapter 27

Chapter

Twenty-Seven

SAGE

A s I stride down the dimly lit corridor after dinner, the echo of my footsteps mingles with the soft thuds of the monstrous bodyguard trailing behind me. His presence, a massive hound-like creature with scraggly fur and long legs, sends a shiver down my spine. Wolfe's insistence on assigning his personal guard to me should be reassuring, but the beast's fierce eyes and hulking form leave me uneasy.

Killian and Wolfe are tied up in a lengthy meeting with the captain, but they didn't go into details. I feel a tiny bit abandoned, even though I know they're not far.

Nyko, on the other hand, is finally showing signs of full recovery. It's been three days since I almost killed him with my power, and today's the first time I saw him walking around his room with ease. I'm relieved, though when I went to check on him earlier, he'd been asleep. I didn't want to wake him, so I left him to rest.

Over dinner, I was going over Clay's words from a couple of nights ago. Along with the idea that I need to do something about my father first, Clay had implied that I should take action before it's too late and he comes for me. The idea scares me, but the longer I entertain the notion, the more it feels like the right thing to do. I just need to discuss it with Wolfe.

Sighing, I keep strolling down the hallway, when I notice movement in one of the art pieces on the wall.

Pausing to examine one, I realize that the scenes in them are not static. Closer inspection reveals the frames are actually glass-covered enclosures, each a miniature world with half a dozen tiny, fluttering bugs. Their wings, half the size of the butterflies in the village, glimmer with washed-out cream and burnt gold edges. They have no antennae but small round heads, beady eyes, and large mouths. Curiously, one creature flutters closer to the glass as I lean in, its movements eerily slow.

"Why are you in there?" I murmur.

I touch one of the framed displays, lifting it from its hooks. It's surprisingly thick, but it's still a cage nonetheless. A latch on the back suggests it can be opened. When I turn it around to the glass front, the little bugs inside gaze up at me, their eyes large and round.

I contemplate freeing them, feeling awful for them being stuck in there as ornaments, fiddling with the latch.

"I wouldn't recommend that," the bodyguard groans from a few steps away. "Those are Shadowwings, critters whose golden dust carries hallucinogenic toxins. Enough exposure can be lethal."

"Then why keep them locked up like this where anyone can open them up… if it's so dangerous?"

"They are unharmed in these confines. In their natural habitat, they dwell in dense burrows, far more cramped than this. But most of their habitat no longer exists, so we offer them refuge with us. Here, they are fed and kept safe from predators—and from causing harm. Besides, there are far more dangerous monsters who walk freely on this vessel to worry about than the Shadowwings." He makes a strange, choking sound that might be a laugh.

It's almost ominous and raises the hairs on my arms. Seems the bodyguard has a dark sense of humor.

I reluctantly return the frame to the wall. "Let's not poison ourselves tonight," I mutter under my breath, half joking, partially truthful.

Once inside my room, I quickly lock the door, turning just in time to see the guard assume his post outside. A bit paranoid, maybe, but you can't be too careful on a ship full of monsters. To make myself feel more secure, I wedge a chair under the door handle—old habits die hard. I often did this back home when I noticed the Barons in the village paying me a bit too much attention during the day.

Feeling jittery from the day's events, I decide a hot shower might help calm my nerves. I'm in the bathroom in no time, the steamy water washing away the tension.

Wrapped in a towel, with another turbaned around my hair, I step out feeling refreshed. I flick off the main lights, leaving only the soft glow of the starlike lights embedded in the ceiling and the moon carving on the wall that spills light across the room in a gentle, candle-like glow.

I love the calmness it creates.

As I cross the room, a flicker of movement catches my eye by the door.

I freeze, my heart picking up its pace, but I see nothing there.

It's probably nothing, just the shadows playing tricks. But as I reach for the towel to dry my hair, I see it again—a definite shift in the darkness. Spinning around, I'm met with nothing but the empty room.

"You're being ridiculous," I mutter to myself.

As I drop the towel from my hair onto the dressing table, there it is again—the unmistakable outline of a dark form, its green eyes gleaming at me.

Panic strikes me in the chest.

"Help!" My scream shatters the silence, and I'm expecting the guard to burst in any second, but the door remains shockingly still.

The figure advances, blending with the shadows.

I recoil, heart pounding out of my chest, and I'm frantically trying to recall how I summoned my power with the snake. With it comes the terror that I'll cripple Nyko again. And I can't live with myself if I knock him unconscious. What if, this time, I kill him?

The shadow disappears as quickly as it came.

Breathless, I scan the dimly lit room, needing to get out of here and see where the hell the guard is. Just as I take several steps forward, a force slams into my back, driving me up against the wall, face-first.

My scream turns muffled as all the air from my lungs swooshes out from the impact, from the fright. In a flash, a cool breath tickles my cheek, and a large, powerful body presses closer, with a ridiculously thick erection against my ass.

Dread engulfs me, and I push against them, but they're unmovable.

"Get off me," I shout.

"You wanted to see my monster form? Well, here I am, princess," a familiar, deep, husky voice whispers next to my ear.

My mind races, fear mixing with confusion.

"Nyko? Is that you?" I manage to gasp out.

He pulls back just a smidgen, chuckling.

I turn to face him and gasp at the sight.

A tall, shadowy monster, almost translucent, stands in front of me. I can still make out the curves of his muscles, even in this form. However, it's impossible to see his facial features except for those spectacular jade eyes.

He's overwhelming.

Intoxicating.

Dangerous.

Obsessive.

And he's smiling—that much I can tell from his jade eyes squinting at the edges. They seem to sometimes turn into shadows and vanish, too, as if he has complete control of when he shows them.

With my surprise comes anger at the way he decided to surprise me.

"You asshole," I spit out. "You scared the hell out of me."

"My monster likes to play," he growls. There's something so much darker about him like this; even his tone has deepened. "He's been dying to meet you."

"Why are you talking about yourself in the third person? You're a bit frightening, you know. A bit much at times."

"He calls me to do things… and he's been starved for you since you arrived." His eyes glint with lust, with hunger.

"I've decided I hate surprises," I snap, the pounding of my heart loud in my ears. "Especially the kind that involves being terrified half to death."

Nyko laughs, a sound that rumbles through the semidarkness of the room, making the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

"But you have to admit, being a bit scared is exciting, isn't it? The thrill? The adrenaline?" His fingers trail the side of my face, this touch cool, and my skin's charged, electric.

That small touch sends currents through me, the kind that leaves me struggling to keep my head straight as lust curls deep in my gut.

"Exciting?" My response wobbles because here I am, clenching my thighs with my mind already in the gutter.

"You're mine, Sage, and tonight, I'm going to prove that we belong together." The possessiveness in his voice is sharp.

My stomach flutters at his promise.

"No, it's okay. You don't need to do anything to prove that."

The corners of his eyes crinkle again, telling me he's doing that evil grin because he'll do as he pleases anyway, won't he? Hell!

The room feels smaller, his presence enveloping every inch of space. There's a part of me that wants to lean into that darkness, to explore the depth he's promising. Though with the way he stares at me, I'm starting to suspect he might not give me an option.

"You can pull back now," I say, lifting my chin, not letting him see how strongly he impacts me.

"I'm ready to play." His words are a whisper now, a promise or a threat, I can't tell, but they have me trembling.

"No," I answer abruptly, sending him into more laughter. He leans into me, closer and closer.

"You're so dangerous for me, princess," he warns, his shadowy lips tracing a path up to my ear, his cold breath tickling me. "You can make a Shadowfen like me lose control easily."

"M-maybe you shouldn't exert yourself. You're still healing. And I'm no princess."

He's making a tsking sound in my ear, his hands skipping down to my waist before he rips away the towel around me.

"You're my princess."

I whimper, an automatic sound that comes when I'm around these monsters, which makes me wonder if my body does it on purpose… show these huge beasts that I'm a wounded deer… Total betrayal by my own body.

"You smell like dessert," he purrs, his lips grazing my neck, then dipping over my collarbone, and I'm buzzing all over. "I'd love another taste of your sweetness." His words send another wave of shivers down my spine, but this time, it comes with a sharp pang of realization.

"Wait, another taste?" I repeat, my voice hitching as the pieces click together of when the first time had been… The memory of that dreamlike encounter in Wolfe's room flares in my thoughts, where every touch in my sleep seemed too intimate to be just a dream. Now, it pulses to the surface of my mind.

"That was you in Wolfe's place while I slept? I thought I was dreaming."

He purrs, a sound that vibrates deep in his throat, resonating with a primal part of me. His mouth lifts from just above the valley between my breasts, and he raises his gaze to me.

"Very little can hold a Shadowfen back from an impossible attraction of his intended mate. Did you enjoy it, princess?"

The thumping flare deep between my thighs heightens, yet his admission stirs a knot of frustration in my gut. I'm damn drawn to him, intensely so, but he doesn't seem to be someone who has boundaries. That both worries and slightly arouses me; the unknown shouldn't excite me, yet it does. I've never met anyone like him before. Someone who brings out the darkness inside of me. Perhaps I've been on my best behavior for so long in the village of Nightingale that now I'm curious to explore the dark things that will bring me closer to Nyko.

His mouth finds mine, his lips pressing against me in a kiss that's both a promise and a provocation to fill that emptiness I feel inside me. My head spins with lust, slick pooling in my core as I kiss him back impatiently, unable to control myself.

Cool to the touch, his mouth claims me with a possessiveness that has a purr rolling over my throat. I've never made that sound before, but around him, my body responds with primal hunger.

By some miracle, I find my sanity, and this time, I muster the strength to push him back, my hands hard against his chest, ripping from his kiss. I use that moment to slip free from the wall. I should feel emboldened that I'm standing up to this powerful monster, yet my insides are burning up, craving his touch. Adrenaline thumps with my growing neediness.

"You're mine, Sage. I told you that already. Are you scared of me? Is this why you pull away?" he whispers the words, only adding to the whole Nyko vibe.

"I'm not afraid of you," I answer with clipped words, lifting my chin.

He barks out a laugh, his head tilting back. "You can't lie to me." He loves the idea of frightening me.

I dart away from him, my feet carrying me fast toward the front door.

His presence envelopes me the moment I reach for the chair I used to jam the entry, wrapping around me so fast I cry out.

Still no guard to give me an interruption.

I know if I'm left here, I'll succumb to Nyko's charm.

"What did you do with the guard at the door?"

His mouth is on my ear, his arms curled around my body, one across my breasts, embracing them, leaving me breathless.

"He's taking a nap."

"Nyko," I groan, writhing against him, needing to show him he can't just take what he wants.

"There's nowhere you can run, my little one," he growls. "In Blight, we are driven by deeper forces when it comes to those we are matched with. The more you fight me, the harder I'll chase you."

My knees tremble. He's pinching my nipple between two fingers, rendering me weak. Heat flashes through me, and I'm drenched, finding myself groaning. I shudder at how quickly I fall.

"Will you give in to me?" he asks. "Or do you want me to keep chasing you?" His mouth finds my neck again. That wicked tongue is so long. The coolness of it on my skin sends pinpricks of pleasure through me.

His fingers are on my breasts again, the tips tracing around my nipples in circles. I moan, arching my chest out, so desperate for him to stop teasing.

"What does it look like I need," I ask, arousal rippling between my thighs.

He's inhaling deeply. "You're so ripe, smelling like sex."

My throat's dry, the room tilting as fire flutters down my spine.

Suddenly, he spins me around, pushing me back up against the wall. He falls to his knees in front of me, barely giving me time to react. Shadowy hands slide up my legs, leaving behind a lingering chill, and he nudges them wider.

"Mine," he growls, looking up at me as I catch my breath. His mouth opens wide—a gaping darkness that seems to swallow the dim light in the room. His tongue, much larger than any I've seen, rolls out, hanging down past his chin, and seems to glisten. He licks his lips with a slow, deliberate motion. The monstrous size of his tongue makes my heart race. Thick and wide…

Now, I'm a bit afraid.

"Nyko," I say with a shaky voice, but he's already pushing his face between my legs. That tongue pushes right to my clit, driving deeper, spreading my lips. I'm afraid but so turned on that I'm shuddering.

My head falls back against the wall, hands there, too, as he drags the tip to my entrance, lapping at how drenched I am. A groan falls from my lips, shivers covering every inch of me. His one hand reaches up, grasping a breast, squeezing it, the other curled around where he's holding on to my ass.

"I'm going to make you scream until you forget everyone but me," he growls, sounding animalistic. "And I'm not going to be gentle."

"I—"

He's on me once more, and I'm shaking with desire at how incredible that huge tongue feels. Then he presses it into me, and I cry out, shaking, feeling him going in deeper and deeper as he fucks me with it. He tugs on my nipple, his other hands slipping between my cheeks, fingertips teasing my ass.

I bite my lip, whining with unbearable heat. He pulls that tongue out, licking the length of me, sucking down on my clit.

Knees wobbling, I'm lucky I'm still upright.

"I can't get enough," he purrs, glancing up at me.

I look down to where his gaze grins at me. That tongue pushes out once more, spearing between my soaking lips, driving into me and curling upward. It keeps going in and in, and I'm slightly worried about how deep one can go, but I sense the tickle almost in my stomach, feeling him right there.

"Nyko," I'm panting. "Don't…"

When he starts flicking inside of me—no idea how he's doing it—I moan, sucking in air as I feel the intensity he's awakening inside me.

Body tense, I hold on as he prods my cunt, pulling out and driving back in, his thickness pushing me open. Then he finally releases me, and with the flat of that weapon, he strokes my whole pussy like he's eating ice cream. It flickers out and back, coming at me with a tiny slap across my pussy each time he darts it at me.

The wet sounds, his finger pushing into my ass, his fingers twisting my nipple.

A growl rolls in my chest, and that's new. The sound comes so fast past my throat that I'm not sure what to make of my reaction. It's impossible to think straight with the biggest tongue in the world flicking my clit, bringing me to a melting point.

Everything spins as the dense cloud of lust envelops me. Even my chest hurts from the heavy breaths, from tensing up. He's devouring me like an animal, going wild, slurping, and the moment he drives that wickedness back into me, I scream out, my orgasm ripping me to shreds. The emotions that had built up in my chest came pouring out. Holding on to Nyko's head, my hands fisting his shadowy hair, I come hard with a shuddering moan. I attempt to clench my thighs, but he won't let me, won't move. He keeps lapping me up hungrily.

My stomach tightens, and I feel like a Goddess in the aftermath that has me floating down from the skies.

When he finally comes up for air, meeting my gaze, he licks his mouth.

His tongue is huge.

So long.

And the whole thing had just been inside me.

He gets to his feet swiftly. "I'm going to fuck your brains out now. I'm going to fuck you deep." He takes me into his arms, and I'm a puddle, my body still wavering from the most incredible climax.

"Deep?" I moan.

"You want it, don't you, princess? For that tight hole to be stretched with my knot."

"Wait!" I stiffen. "What?"