Chapter 9
Nine
Pisces walked down a long hall. The walls looked like they were made of stardust. Purples, blue, and soft pinks glittered atop the gray stone. She slid her delicate fingers across it and watched as an ethereal dust sailed to the ground. Shadows danced across her face, interrupted only by a low growl that echoed from the darkness. She perked her ears and cautiously approached the sound, keeping her eyes alert as she crept closer to the darkness.
The air grew warmer with each step and suddenly erupted into flames, heading straight for her. She turned to flee, but a firm hand caught her wrist, swiftly turning her around and pressing her back against a wall of twinkling stars.
The fire retreated like a receding tide, revealing Aries standing nose to nose with her, his dark eyes burning into hers. The fear that had consumed her dissipated along with the flames, leaving her panting between starlight and a man-formed inferno. The celestial warrior traced his nose down her cheek and neck like a predator surveying its prey. She flinched as he reached her breasts, closing her eyes tightly as his hot breath grazed over her skin before rising again with one large hand possessively gripping her waist, pressing her flush against his bare chest.
The beast, the ram, the flames. The man exuding raw power held her captive in his powerful arms, and the intense heat radiating off him seeped through her skin, coursing through every inch of her being. She faced him head-on, opening her eyes to meet his dangerously dark gaze, and a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.
She could feel her heart pounding fiercely as Aries held her captive against the wall of stars. His dominance was palpable, his desire evident in how he looked at her with a hunger that matched the intensity of the flames that had just surrounded them. But she was not one to back down easily.
With a daring glint in her eyes, she raised a hand to trace the sharp lines of his jaw, feeling the stubble beneath her fingertips. A small smile played on her lips as she leaned in closer, their breaths mingling in the space between them. She could sense his surprise at her boldness, his grip on her waist tightening.
In a swift movement, she brought her lips to his ear and whispered, ”You may think you have me under your spell, Aries, but remember this—I am no mere mortal to bend to your will.” Her words were met with a low growl from deep within his chest.
The game was on, and only one of them would emerge victorious.
Pisces’ mind was abruptly yanked from the star castle and Aries’ embrace by a voice she recognized all too well. “Wake up, little fish. We’re almost there.” It was Sag, pulling her back to reality with his words. She opened her eyes and tried to orient herself as the SUV rumbled along the dusty road, bringing them closer to their rendezvous with Cancer.