Chapter 33
Chapter thirty-three
Ashwiyaa
“Be her calm. Be her home.”
The air crackles with a new energy, and my attention moves along the cliff, zeroing in on an entrance in the rugged wall. The darkness is so thick beyond that opening that nothing is discernible. I shift my eyes back into those of my owl and the world becomes sharper and more detailed.
Taking slow, quiet steps, I inch closer to the cave. Movement in the darkness catches my attention, and a low growl rumbles from deep in my throat. Magic rises in my chest and I’m suddenly standing in the mouth of the cave, shadows wrapped around me.
A cloaked figure steps out from the shadows, gleaming yellow eyes piercing the darkness of the hood. Every muscle in my body tenses as the figure lifts their arms, gradually removing the hood.
I tilt my head, taking her in. She is stunning, with long, silky black hair cascading down her back and pale-white skin that seems to glow in the moonlight. But what leaves me speechless is the hypnotic shimmer of metallic scales rippling across her skin.
Realization hits me a moment later.
“They sent me here to collect a fucking woman!”
I tip my head back and uncontrollable laughter erupts from me, my voice tinged with hysteria. How did they find out about a female dragon shifter in the Outlands?
Those fucking arrogant piece-of-shit dragons.
I swallow roughly, then shift my attention back to the woman standing silently by the cave entrance, watching me.
Her unnerving yellow eyes following me intently.
My gaze is drawn to her clothes—she’s dressed in tattered garments that appear to be remnants of a bygone era.
And despite her silence, there’s an undeniable aura of power emanating from her.
She doesn’t move or come any closer as she watches me.
A low groan reaches my ears, and my pulse kicks up in response. Fuck! Panic surges through me, and without thinking, I slip into my incorporeal state and reappear next to the source of the sound.
“Kai!” His name leaves my lips in a desperate gasp as I fall to my knees beside him, where he lies sprawled in the dirt.
“I’m okay,” he mutters, his voice rough and strained.
Relief floods me, but it’s tempered by his struggle to push himself up, so I rise and reposition myself behind him, gripping under his arms to help him as he struggles to his feet.
The tension in his muscles beneath my hold reveals his body is protesting every movement.
He leans heavily against me, and I support him as best I can, guiding him over to a rock a few feet away.
He moves gingerly, each step a testament to the pain he’s trying so hard to hide.
As he sits down, I step in front of him, unable to keep the concern from showing on my face.
I cup his cheeks gently, my thumbs brushing over the several days’ worth of stubble on his face as I tilt his head up to meet my gaze.
I scan him over, my eyes searching for any sign of serious injury.
Despite his reassurances, the tears that have been threatening to fall finally well up, blurring my vision.
“I never want to hear the sound of your bones breaking ever again,” I whisper hoarsely.
The memory of that sickening crack—the sound of his body hitting the cliff face—echoes in my mind. The tears spill over, sliding down my cheeks as I lean in closer, resting my forehead against his.
Kai’s hands find their way to my waist, his strong grip pulling me closer until my body is pressed firmly against his. His thighs bracket my legs, anchoring me in place as he tilts his head up to kiss away the tears trailing down my cheeks, his lips soft and comforting against my skin.
“Don’t cry, beautiful,” he murmurs.
I nod, trying my best to swallow the lump lodged in my throat.
But the weight of everything that’s happened, the fear and the exhaustion—both mental and physical—is overwhelming.
The fatigue settling into my bones creates a wave of light-headedness, but being in Kai’s arms, feeling his steady presence, offers a brief respite from the chaos that’s been our reality.
Kai’s mouth skims over mine, a barely there touch that has my breath catching in my throat.
The simple contact sends a shiver down my spine, igniting a spark that chases away the lingering darkness.
His hands slide lower, gripping my ass with a possessive hold, and in one smooth motion, he pulls me onto his lap, guiding me to straddle him.
The moment our bodies align, a rush of heat floods my system.
Butterflies come alive in my stomach, and my core pulses with a deep, insistent need.
The world around us fades into the background, leaving just the two of us, alive and breathing, the only proof we need that we’ve survived this nightmare.
Desire coils low in my belly, and the urge to tear his clothes off, to feel his skin against mine, is almost unbearable.
I want to lose myself in him, to feel him move over me.
It’s not just about desire, it’s about reminding ourselves that we’re still here, still alive, still capable of feeling something other than the pain and fear this horrid place brings.
My hands slide up his chest, and I curl my fingers into the fabric of his shirt, my lips parting to deepen the connection.
“Why does watching you make my body hot and tingly?” The woman’s voice is jarring, reminding me we aren’t alone.
I spring off Kai’s lap and swiftly pivot to face the woman. She lingers just inside the cave, making no effort to approach.
I look over my shoulder at Kai as he rises gingerly and steps closer. “See? This is what you do to me,” I admit. “I forget about everything else when your lips are on me.”
Kai’s face breaks into a wide grin, the corners of his eyes crinkling with that familiar mischievous glint. He winks at me, playful, confident, and completely unfazed by the chaos around us. I shake my head, a faint smile tugging at my lips despite the tension.
I turn my attention back to the dragon shifter still observing us from the cave entrance. Her gaze, sharp and curious, shifts to Kai, her head tilting ever so slightly as she studies him. The intensity of her curiosity is puzzling.
Why does she find him so intriguing? Or is she simply trying to understand the bond between us? The way she watches him, with an almost childlike fascination, unsettles me.
“What’s your name?” I ask, drawing her focus back to me.
“Seraphina.”
“I’m Ash, and this is Kai.”
Her gaze shifts to the witch lying on the ground. “There are two of them.”
“Ummm, what?” I reply.
“If you help me, can I kill her?” A flash of something feral crosses her face.
Startled, Kai and I share a look.
“Why?” Kai asks her.
“I’ve been held here in this cave as a prisoner for so many years. They were using my blood to keep us hidden and to top up their magic.”
Shock rolls through me. “You’re a prisoner here?”
Seraphina shrugs, the movement so innocent it doesn’t match her next words. “Yes, and I want both of them dead.”
“You mean to tell me there is another fucking witch out here?” Kai snaps.
“Well, I can tell you now, if the other witch shows up, I will let you at it,” I reply. “In the meantime, we should leave.”
“So, I’m to go with you then?” Seraphina asks, her eyes lighting up with a glow.
I frown at her. “Why would you want to come with us? Don’t get me wrong, if that is what you wish, I won’t stop you.”
Seraphina’s focus shifts to Kai and interest gleams in her eyes. “Will he put his lips on me, like he did you?” she whispers, reaching up and running her fingers over her bright-red lips.
Jealousy cuts through my chest like a hot knife and I let out a savage growl, stepping in front of Kai, my daggers flashing in the moonlight.
Kai’s hands land on my waist, and he steps flush against my back. “I don’t think she has seen a male before,” he whispers in my ear.
I jolt, some of the dark haze fading from my vision. That makes sense.
“Now put your daggers away. We don’t want to kill the person we are supposed to deliver to your bosses.”
“If she doesn’t want to leave Faerie, I won’t make her,” I snap, stepping out of his hold.
Memories of being led away from my tribe and into the clutches of the Kotovs flood my mind. I was young, too young to fully comprehend the gravity of what was happening. From the very beginning, I was denied the opportunity to make a choice, my freedom bargained away without my consent.
As the memories blur with the present, I turn my head to meet Kai’s gaze.
He’s standing where I left him, his eyes filled with a sympathy that I can’t bear to see.
It’s as if he can feel the weight of my past, the pain that still lingers in the recesses of my mind.
I glance back at the stunning dragon shifter, and her inquisitive golden reptilian eyes observe us intently.
Kai closes the gap between us and his strong hands close firmly around my shoulders. “Ash, I stand with you. Whatever you want to do. Seraphina has a choice.”
“I won’t take someone from their home,” I choke out.
The three brothers are well aware of my strong disdain regarding this matter.
“And I know she is a prisoner here and I will help her if that’s what she wants, but fuck them if they think I’d bring a woman back to them, to tie her to that fate if it’s not what she wishes.
How dare they ask that of me? I’m not a goddamn trafficker.
” My voice grows louder as I spit out the last words, while my shadows dance erratically all around us.
Kai’s piercing blue eyes scan my face, his firm hold on me never faltering, while a mischievous smirk tugs at the corners of his mouth. “You’re so fucking hot when you’re angry.”
I snort, shaking my head at him. “You’re delusional.”
“You’re in denial,” he adds, tucking my hair behind my ear.
“I wanted to complete this mission so we could be together, so they’d free me once and for all, but I can’t do it. I won’t do it.”
“Baby. Mission or no mission, nothing is going to get in our way. Not even the Kotov brothers. Ash, listen to me,” Kai says, refocusing my attention back on him. His eyes dart between mine, making sure I’m paying attention. “Everything is better with you. Everything has been better since you.”
I open my mouth to speak, but he swoops in, placing a soft kiss on my lips.
“I’m not done . . . I’m always craving to kiss you, always longing to touch you.
Yearning to be near you and love you. I never realized how much my heart longed for you until I experienced the sweetness of your love, then foolishly tried to shut it away.
No matter what happens, it’s you and me,” he whispers.
Tears well up in my eyes, and I blink rapidly to hold them back. “Now you’re going to make me cry, you big baboon.”
Kai chuckles, cupping my face and kissing me soundly. Warmth spreads through my chest, making me feel lighter.
“We need to get out of this valley before something else finds us, because I’m not sure I can handle another fight right now.” I sigh, breaking away from him. “Every inch of my body aches something fierce, and my head is pulsing relentlessly.”
Not to mention, my hair is sticky with blood, and I undoubtedly resemble someone who has been dragged through hell backward.