Last Ride of the Umbra Fae

25. Vessa

25

Vessa

R yder and I rode together ahead of Pa and Raven, spending my last moments of freedom with my hat off, ears exposed to the wind.

I couldn’t have ridden any faster into the dark, ignoring all sense of warning as Pa’s words echoed in the back of my mind. I knew what I was getting into, I knew everything about this part of the world was dangerous, and I was ready to face it head-on.

That glimmer of a perfect life had never had enough water to bloom nor soil to grow. It’d been snipped before it ever had a chance to thrive in these dry lands, but I still happened to be breathing this air. Surviving all of this had to have been for a greater purpose. I’d felt the world shift beneath my feet when the stone of Eternal had been removed, just as everyone around me had been sent aflame. Beyond the walls of The City of Donia lay a fate that only the hidden spaces of my soul could recognize. I’d allowed myself to align with all elements given to me, harnessing the power of Ano , using light to guide the way. Having been born on a blue moon, my soul was tethered to both sides, fueling the boundless dark of ama , the power my sister once had. That piece of her would always remain within the shell I had become, and I embraced all that she’d never had a chance to be through the eyes that told me, for some crazy reason, she could still see. I was the light to her dark. This was when I felt her most, when all else was gone and the luminescence of my power beamed beneath the rising moon upon my hands, ears, and soul.

In the vast expanse of the desert, this feeling ended beyond those city walls. This was one final release before I headed into the belly of the beast.

I needed to discover everything on my own terms, all the evil that dwelled in Donia, and deal with it my way.

We slowed to a trot as we crested the hill, revealing the city’s glow and plains around a dark horizon. This was one of the biggest cities I had ever seen. It was surrounded by an impressive stone wall, which only opened on two ends, allowing twin rivers to feed the city. Narrowing my eyes up ahead, I put on my hat as Ryder handed me my gloves. Pa and Raven stopped beside us with dark eyes as they took in what was ahead.

There would be no souls to save once we breached those gates.

Little did they know, hell was coming.

There was a glow cast over the city from an unknown source. No amount of candles could have created such a light. It was as if someone had fallen in love with the moon, pulled her off her throne to become a prisoner, and kept her bound behind thick, fortified walls. The sight was nearly unfathomable. Beyond that was a darkness I could only assume was the ocean.

A city that has no place to turn will only drown.

My power thrummed against my arm as an unsettling warmth bloomed. Ma came to me like an echo of emotion, a message that had no sound, only feeling, and today, her energy was loud. I turned to my left, as if she were there, only to find Pa wearing the same expression as I. Awestruck with sadness, as if we had been chosen to be left behind because of who we were. I sensed his mind drift to a place mine so often did, reminiscing about all the “what ifs” and daydreaming about a future we could never have because we’d watched the other halves of our souls die. Simultaneously, we nodded at one another, understanding this wasn’t the time to stay there.

As we looked into the darkness, others moved toward the city either by horse, wagon, or on foot. They were caught in the lure of The City of Donia, like bees to honey.

“These walls remind me of the chains I will never wear,” I said, eyes hardening as I nudged Ryder’s stallion forward.

“I’m right there with you on that one, Shadow. Remember what I told you.” With a few clicks of Pa’s tongue, he moved to ride closer beside me while my mare instinctively did the same, creating some sort of barrier around me. Raven understood the unspoken mission, and with darkening eyes, he sent me a reassuring nod that somehow eased the tension fighting to rise within me.

We shuffled in with the crowd like slow-moving livestock, feeling suddenly confined. I preferred a drunken room full of people over this any day. Raven reached out, squeezing my hand as I grasped the reins, and brushed his thumb across the top. His eyes held a look of knowing comfort, ignoring Ryder’s staking claim as he entered our space. Ryder remained like a dog guarding his favorite delicacy.

The moment Raven withdrew his hand, Pa’s words repeated in the back of my mind.

“Remember what I told you.”

My pulse rose as my eyes trailed up the wall to find lawmen strapped with pistols and rifles as they surveyed the incoming crowd. There was something off about a few of them. I swallowed as my heart hammered against my ribs while anger rolled through me.

Suddenly, Ryder leaned into the shell of my ear, easily pulling my attention away the moment his big strong hands gently squeezed my sides.

“You’ll want to keep your head down, Desert Storm. They see a pretty face like yours, all shiny, and they might ask questions.”

I couldn’t help the way he made my heart flutter.

“You are not like other fae, my moon,” Ma would say.

His hands remained relaxed, but his thumbs caressed my hips, causing my next breath to shudder. I slightly turned back, caught beneath his stare as he smirked.

My jaw clenched as we neared the entrance and didn’t relax until we were inside the walls of Donia. My brows knit, seeing the bustle of life beyond. There were merchants lining the streets, selling a plethora of goods from dyed linen to spices and food. Above were two-and three-story homes, all made of smooth, beige sandstone. The streets were bricked, with the sand dusting between the cracks.

A magical hum filtered through the streets, sending a throbbing pulse to my temples. I looked at Pa, wondering if he could hear it too, but his expression remained the same.

“They sure know how to shine a turd,” he murmured.

“No kidding,” Raven chimed in as he adjusted himself on the saddle once more. I chuckled. The bird was made to fly, not ride a horse. He’d be glad to get off.

“I know you like to lead, but I’ll take it from here,” Ryder said. I sensed his smirk as he slowly moved his hands along the top of mine until he slipped the reins from my grip, leaving me with nothing but a warmth building between my thighs.

We veered off the main roads into smaller alleyways, where the houses grew increasingly in size. A few more three-story buildings shared a line as their clothes hung to dry. The further we rode in, the nicer the buildings became.

“This is where we will be staying tonight,” Ryder said as we neared the tallest building in the area. Four stories high.

Pa looked reluctant and arched a thick brow in Ryder’s direction. We were far too gritty for a place like this.

“She only gets the best, right, End’s Wrath?” Ryder flashed him a mocking half grin as he dismounted.

I followed suit, landing beside Ryder, the height difference vast.

Up ahead, two young boys and a girl approached us, taking the reins from Pa and Ryder.

“Where will you be taking them?” I asked, stepping forward, ignoring the sounds of Raven struggling to dismount. I sensed his irritation. He wanted to say “fuck it” and shift, but he relented. They took a step back, as if my stride was too aggressive.

One stuttered before he spoke. “Out back, Miss. It’s where we accommodate all the guests’ horses.” He jerked a thumb behind him, where a smaller structure was attached to the side of the building. My lips pressed thin as I nodded. I heard a heavy thud as Raven finally dismounted. Turning, I found him straightening his shoulders, rolling his head from side to side, tired of being in his male form. There was a light sheen of sweat on the column of his smooth, pale neck.

“Is there anything else you need, ma’am?” the girl asked behind me.

“No,” I said, eyes still on Raven, drawing my attention to the length of his broad shoulders. As if he sensed my stare, he looked up, mouth curling into a half grin with narrowing eyes in challenge to open our bond and hear what he was thinking.

“Let’s get inside,” Pa said.

“Right.” I released the tension in my jaw and turned to see Ryder already gathering the rest of our things.

Before I knew it, we were walking into a large entryway with pillars rising to the ceiling. I stood back, examining the structure as Ryder got the keys to our rooms from a woman behind a dark mahogany desk. I overheard him saying we would be here over the course of a few days as he handed her a sizable pouch of nara coins.

“Looks like we’re on the top floor,” Ryder said, handing a key to Pa, but he paused when he got to mine and dangled it above my palm. He closed the distance between us, slightly leaning down so his pale-blue eyes could see me beneath my hat. “Desert Storm always gets the best,” he said, lust-coated, sending another wave of heat down my body.

That look alone was enough to transcend me, but he reeled it in so quickly, hiding behind that veil he often clung to every time I tried to see past the palpable desire. Something was lost within him, a struggle that became more evident as he turned, walking toward the hall that lead to our rooms. We followed, our spurs chiming in an unsynchronized clamor as we went up the stairs. I wondered if he was thinking about where Raven would sleep tonight, wondering if he would shift into a bird and fuck off, or stay. There were only three keys. Nonetheless, he could not lick his claim on me no matter how talented his tongue was.

We made it to the fourth floor. The four of us took deep breaths as we silently went to our rooms. Pa’s was at the end of the hall; he left first, giving me a silent nod with a look that said to stay out of trouble before he closed the door behind him. As expected, he did not lock it. He had been eager in his strides, eager to open up a deck of cards. Knowing he would be content in his little corner of the world made me smile.

On the opposite end of the hall was my room. Ryder led the rest of the way, stopping by the door before it.

“I guess this is good night. I’ll see you at dawn.” His voice was smooth and husky. He was a lure in my existence and a temptation as I studied the seam of his lips as they curved into a smirk.

“Well… bye ,” Raven said, slightly leaning over my shoulder to dissipate the coiling heat.

“Good night, Ryder.”

Raven walked in first, immediately going toward the balcony as I hovered by the door. I paused momentarily, allowing the thrum of my pulse to vibrate through my magic. I closed the door and clicked it shut, and within a few seconds, I heard Ryder close his.

I turned to find Raven, unfazed by the luxuries this room had to offer as he looked out over The City of Donia. Smooth marble floors filled the space with a massive bed against an ivory-painted headboard gilt in gold. I tossed my satchel, hat, and gloves onto the mattress, watching remnants of dust puff out on impact while I made my way toward the washroom. It was off to the side, surprisingly with no doors. I peeked in to find a marble clawfoot tub already filled with water and its steam curling into the air. Beside it, a pile of dark, fresh linen had been placed onto an ivory side table.

I went for the note that lay atop it.

You said I owed you new clothes. Enjoy. From the cowboy demon.

I scoffed under my breath, feeling my cheeks warm the moment I raised the sheer, pale-blue fabric into the air. Wearing this would leave nothing to the imagination, save for the button clasp at the back. There was a matching undergarment. After having more than a handful of my breasts, I couldn’t be too shocked he would know what size to get.

“Flustered, Vessa?”

I nearly jumped, placing the garments down onto the pile as I casually covered them far from reach. I spun on my heels, finding Raven leaning against the opening with his arms casually crossed, looking a little too tense for the circumstance. There was no playful smirk displayed.

I stepped into his space until we shared the same air. My eyes narrowed in on him as that tether called to open my side of the bond.

“Would it bother you if I was?” I bit out.

His jaw tensed, but he remained poised as he towered over me. “We are not romantically bound, Vessa. You are free to do what you want with any untrustworthy cowboy you see.”

And there it is. I laughed, throwing my hands into the air.

“You don’t even know him,” I snapped, crossing my arms as I shifted my weight to one side.

“Do you ?” he questioned.

I went to speak, but my mouth was left agape as words evaded me. I quickly closed it.

Seconds passed as his deep-brown eyes narrowed on me.

“I’m starting to,” I finally said.

He huffed a laugh; his breath, feather-light, fanned across my face. Spearmint. Always spearmint. Never a hint of whiskey or herbed smoke. He was always too clean, deadly without calloused hands, but something snagged my attention. He was hiding something.

“Is there something you want to tell me, bird?” I opened up my senses. A copper scent tinged my nose, sending my shadows on full alert.

“There is nothing to be said.” His eyes hardened.

“Lies.” Tendrils of shadow unfurled from the tips of my fingers, curling around my arms until they drifted beneath his shirt, sliding up the hard plains of his abdomen, a second pair of eyes to see something I couldn’t.

“What are you hiding?” I whispered, slightly tilting my head in observation as a wicked smile curved my lips, seeing how my touch easily undid him. It was a void he was so easily drawn to, a place he could never reach. I was his temptation. Whatever he was hiding would be in vain, because the shadows found his lie, tearing his shirt at the sleeves.

My eyes widened at black veins spreading across his shoulders under remnants of dried blood. His body must have been trying to shift while riding into the city.

“You need to shift, Raven.”

“No shit,” he said dryly before stepping back into the bedroom and toward the balcony.

“Then why are you still here?” I yelled, my voice strained as I followed right behind him. His height eclipsed the light. Sure, we were always battling one another, but I still cared for him. He turned quickly, stepping into my space, but I stood my ground despite every fiber of my being wanting to rest.

“You think it’s easy to be me? That being in the form of a male comes naturally? This right here”—he pounded both hands on his chest—“is my second skin. The longer I’m in it, the more I realize how much I hate it. I cannot stand to be in this form.”

“You don’t have to do anyth?—”

“ Yes, I do, and that’s what you don’t understand.” Raven combed a hand through his hair and clenched his fists. “You think it’s easy watching other men live a normal life while I’m stuck in this space between two different worlds? And now it’s an even more constant, looming reminder with him around.” His breathing deepened. Silence hung in the air as he desperately searched my eyes. My mouth fell open slightly, unable to find the words, but I knew I couldn’t tie myself down to anyone.

“We are not romantically bound, and I belong to no?—”

“No one. It’s what you always say when avoiding your own shit. But you know what I think about that?” His gaze darkened.

I took a step back, but he moved forward until my heels hit the edge of the bed and my ass sank into the mattress. He leaned closer, caging me between his arms as his knuckles pressed against the bed. A few loose strands of his hair hung forward, barely brushing against his thick, dark brows.

“Lies. Because it’s pretty obvious you want to be his. I don’t need this fucking bond to smell your arousal.”

Moments passed, and there was nothing I could say as tears lined our eyes. I wanted to say I was sorry, yet in the same breath, I wasn’t, because we both understood our arrangement. We would always be a fucking mess. He had his life, and I had mine, and somehow, we would always meet in the middle to help each other. It seemed like he had been helping me more than I had been returning the favor. I cupped the side of his face, allowing the faintest thread of power to open the bond so I could feel what sort of pain he was in. A tear fell from his eye the moment he felt it, felt me slipping in.

This is just the bond, nothing more, I said to myself as we held one another’s stares.

“Is it?” Raven said aloud. I sucked in a deep breath, my pulse heaving itself to a racing speed as his eyes trailed down my face, lingering on the seam of my lips before flicking his gaze back to mine. “We were never given a chance to find out.”

His voice penetrated my mind, my soul, feeling the thick, heavy beat of my heart at the intensity of our bond once it was fully aligned. I quickly closed the connection.

He huffed out a laugh, watching the heat flush across my face while he held me caged between his arms. “All we have is time, Vessa, no matter how fast the world is changing around us.”

Drawn to the truth of his words, I swallowed the lump forming in my throat.

“You always had the choices I didn’t,” he whispered, his nose gently grazing the side of my face.

I opened my mouth to speak, but a knock at the door seized my next words.

Raven chuckled darkly, the sound reverberating against my chest as we remained frozen. I looked back at the door, knowing who stood on the other side of it.

“Be careful who you run to when you’re lost.” Raven’s whisper fanned down the column of my neck.

When I turned to meet his eyes, he was gone. Nothing but a fading shroud of misted shadows left in his wake, and my sight narrowed on the faint silhouette flying off into the city.

For the first time, I didn’t just see a bird, I saw a raven, flying into the night, looking for

his next hunt.

I opened the door to find Ryder in a fresh pair of clothes—a dark gray shirt that clung to his muscular form, matching his pants. His hair was freshly brushed under his cowboy hat, which he removed with a slight wiggle of his brows. A smile quirked those soft lips, ones that I was drawn to. I liked this side of him, the softer side, as he stood in the doorway, leaning into the frame with piercing blue eyes.

“Ma’am,” he teased, tilting his head. When he put his hat back on, he plucked something hanging from his back pocket. “A rose for a desert rose.”

It was a short-stemmed hybrid of some sort, gleaming with magic. “I’ve never seen anything like this before,” I said, taking it in my hands.

“They call it a moon pearl rose. It’s a beautiful thing at first sight, but beneath the luminescence of the moon, she comes alive for all to see. The thorns represent a beauty one could never touch, but every once in a while, some stupid bastard will try.”

I chuckled. “Are you the stupid bastard?”

Ryder stepped into my space in answer as I held the rose between us. An awareness raked through me, one that stilled my breath at the truth of his words. No matter what storm I threw his way, he was called to it. His gaze confirmed such thoughts as he studied my face.

“Pain never scared me,” he said, cupping a hand against my cheek, brushing his lips across mine as if searing them to memory before he kissed me. This time, it was slow and calculated, as if he’d been imagining this moment since the last time we’d been alone, and maybe I had too. He backed me into the room, kicking the door shut behind him in the process. I smiled faintly against his mouth, running a hand through his long, dark hair, tasting the hint of whiskey that was always on his breath. He was rugged with soft lips. His grip confirmed a deep desire that was hard for me to ignore. I felt the power in his touch every time we were near. He was a storm himself, and we were two tornadoes with an undeniable pull to collide as one. The arousal was palpable as he groaned into my mouth, and I felt my power stroking along my fingertips. I set the rose down on the dresser beside the table as he laid me onto the mattress, but my mind halted.

“Wait,” I breathed as he nestled his face in the crook of my neck.

“Vessa.” He groaned. A sound that rumbled in his chest like an ache, sending my heart to flutter. I’d never known two syllables could undo me in one breath, yet he did it so effortlessly.

I moved up onto the bed.

He exhaled deeply, sighing, as he knew he had to stop. “Fuck,” he grunted, resting his forehead against mine. Moments passed before we spoke, and he sat back onto his knees.

I slid out of place, lying horizontally as I turned to see him still kneeling, the moon casting light onto his body.

“As much as I love seeing a man like you kneel before me, I think it’s best we try to get as much rest as possible. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.” I briefly smiled as we held one another’s gazes. He would get his last payment tomorrow, and I would have my endless supply of tonic. I didn’t want to think about anything beyond that—what would happen once his job was over, or the fact that I hadn’t been taking the tonic. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place, and my insides felt like they were on fire. I was playing too many reckless games.

“You’re right. We do.” He moved to get off the bed, but I caught his hand. He studied the way mine glowed in the moonlight, shimmering with its own faint light. I still knew sleep wouldn’t come. As much as I tried to take charge of my own body, it had its own ideas.

“Tell me something about you I don’t know,” I said, yawning in the process as Raven’s words came back to haunt me.

Something flashed in his eyes as he lay beside me, gone within the next breath as his weight brought down the mattress.

He hummed, looking past me, scratching the scruff of his beard as his eyes shone in the light.

“No lies,” I teased, but it made him glance my way.

I sensed something in him had snagged while he chewed on his bottom lip. He huffed a faint laugh, then stared into the space between us. “‘No lies.’” He thought long and hard for a moment, leaning onto his elbow. He combed his fingers through his hair and took a deep breath before his gaze flicked back to mine. The shadows hid so many stories he would likely never tell.

“That rose is from Blightstone Hollow, and it sells here for a lot of money.”

I arched my brow and rolled my eyes. “The only reason your pockets are lined with nara coins is because they were given to you by Pa. Try again.”

He laughed. “Gods-damn, hold your horses, woman. There’s more.”

With a speculative look, I snickered.

“While the lands are constantly changing, and while the trees in Blightstone Hollow are spreading, a moon pearl rose will always remain the same. No matter the curse or blood that taints the lands. Like the moon, its existence will always be. You can try to burn it, stomp it to pieces, but by the time the moon rises once more, its glow is as strong as ever.” He cupped the side of my face, dragging the pad of his thumb across my bottom lip with a never-ending desire. “It’s a story my mother used to tell me before she died—how magical Blightstone Hollow was, and the stories that came out of it were endless. It was just a rose to me until I saw it tonight right outside this place. It reminded me of you, Desert Rose. Always so strong.”

“‘Desert Rose.’” I smiled faintly, brushing away the locks of hair splayed down the side of his face, gently tucking it behind his ear. He didn’t shudder when my fingertips brushed the sharp edges of his scars. He closed his eyes, as if my touch were a remedy.

“Always so bright,” he said, bringing my hand to his lips as he closed his eyes, kissing each finger. The magic within my palm illuminated his face; a halo of soft lavender and faint starlight glinted in the irises of his eyes. He was caught in my aura, my light, and as I felt the world slip away into a dream that beckoned my name, his last words fell into a void as I was whisked away to sleep.

“ Little shadow. Is that your name? Here, have this…”