Chapter 5
Five
Lydia
6 months later
M y body quakes as I pull my knees to my chest, frozen to the bone as the tent flaps open for the hundredth time tonight. Winter is in full swing and so are the constant snow storms.
Tightening the belt of my overcoat, I glance to the cot beside me. My eyes roll on their own accord as I watch the soft rise and fall of the large body sleeping soundly, the blanket pulled over his head, tucked tight around his body without a care in the world. Must be nice. Sluggishly, I remove my feet from the seat of my chair to kneel beside the bed, blindly patting around the cold floor until it lands on the leather bound case. As quick as I can, I remove what I need from the kit and softly pad over to the whipping canvas.
My gloved hands shake, struggling to thread the sinew through the eye of the needle—it takes four attempts before I finally get it. Reaching up to the top of the opening I begin to stitch the tent closed knowing it can be cut open in the morning, or when the storm dies down. It’s a battle to get the needle through the thick material. Even with my gloves on I feel it stabbing my thumb and after the first four stitches my hands begin to shake while snow collects on my eyelashes. I don’t let it stop me. I refuse .
A large, warm palm lands on my shoulder, followed by a gritty, sleep laced voice. “Go back to bed. I’ll finish this.”
Jumping back in shock, the needle is shoved straight through the leather of my glove, piercing my thumb beneath. A hiss escapes from between my gritted teeth, protectively bringing the injured hand to my chest. I’m seconds from losing my shit but when I spin around all words get stuck in my throat. Standing much too close, is a very shirtless, very fit elf. Waves of heat radiate off him, drawing me in like Icarus to the sun—I know I’ll get burned but I can’t help myself from pressing my body to his.
Ziggy’s brows furrow before roughly shoving me away. “Don’t touch me,” he demands, darkly.
Yep. Flew too close. Pressing my lips together, I take a deep calming breath through my nose—arguing with him right now will only make things worse.
With the threaded needle pinched between my fingers, I lift my other hand towards his face. “Have at it!” Releasing the needle, I let it free fall between us. Ziggy’s hand snaps out, catching it without ever moving his eyes from mine.
With a scowl I slide past him, marching straight to the bed to seize the spot he once inhabited. Fuck him. If he can be half naked in this weather, he can have the chair.
Finally, shrouded in the warmth of the blanket, I let out a sigh of contentment before letting my exhaustion take over— it doesn't take long to fall into a deep sleep. Unfortunately, I’m abruptly woken up by the horrible sensation of ice cold skin. He might as well have thrown me outside in the blizzard.
“Get the fuck out of here and put some godsdamn clothes on!” I grind through clenched teeth.
“And where would you like me to go? Do you see another cot in this tiny ass tent?” he mumbles, scooting closer.
He’s not wrong. Other than the extra large cot, the only things we could fit in here were the rickety chair in the corner and the two chests with our clothing. But it doesn’t mean I can’t be pissed about having to sleep in the same bed.
“Just–move to the edge or something. And don’t steal the only blanket again.”
Of course, he does the exact opposite, throwing his arm and leg over me and tucking the thin covering under him. “Go back to sleep.”
I try to elbow him, but he only holds me tighter.
“Why can you touch me, but I can't touch you?”
“Tell me, can you recall a single time I tried to break you ?” he lashes back, not missing a beat.
When he is met with a deafening silence, Ziggy presses his nose against the shell of my ear. “Exactly. And I thought you would be pleased. You’re still taking something from me, except this time I’m actually offering it. So be the little thief you are, and close your eyes and go back to sleep.”
Relenting, I relax my body, enjoying his warmth. “I still hate you,” I remind him in barely a whisper.
Hot breath tickles my ear as he replies, “Not nearly as much as I hate you.”
Moments later my lids drift closed, exhaustion pulling me under.
The sweet sound of giggles fill the air—something I haven’t heard in a very long time.
“Come on! I want to show you something!” A little girl, not much older than five, takes my hand and guides me through a lush green forest. Her short black hair is as dark as night and shines like the moon, bouncing with every skip.
She keeps pulling me behind her until we reach a wall of thick briar, blocking us from going any further. The little girl lets go of my hand only to place hers against the thorns.
My heart pounds in my chest when I see blood begin to drip down her wrist.“Don’t! You’re hurting yourself.”
The little girl turns around, the brightest smile gracing her pale yellow face. “Shh. Mama doesn’t know about my secret hideaway,” she whispers, putting a crimson stained finger to her lips.
Her violet eyes become bright with excitement and her smile widens at the sound of the brush behind her pulling and twisting until an opening appears. “Eee! Come on! Come on!”
Cleaning her hands on her purple dress, she scurries forward—I follow.
“Ziggy, look at what I made!” She bounces on her toes, pointing at the most beautiful garden of red dahlias and cabbage roses.
Wait…did she say Ziggy?
She sits down criss crossed in the grass, patting the spot next to her. “Big brother, I know Mama will yell at us for being this deep in the woods, but can we hang out here for a little while?”
“How fucking dare you !”
The vision disappears at the feeling of my body hitting the frozen ground with a loud thud.
Ziggy drops to his knees over me, trapping me beneath him. “Those are my memories! They are my happy moments!” He screams in my face as he wraps his fingers around my throat, squeezing. “ You don’t deserve to experience them!”
“I didn’t mean to! I really di—” I barely rasp out the words before he squeezes tighter. Desperately grasping for anything to pry me from his grasp I notice I can actually feel the grit of the floor. My gloves must have fallen off in my sleep.
I watch as Ziggy’s eyes shift to a ruby red and his facial features morph into an unfamiliar mask. His lip curls up in disgust, sharp fangs pushing through his gums.
“Take. Take. Take. I’ve spent months having no choice but to let you abuse me,” he hisses in an indiscernible accent. Leaning forward, he presses his weight into my throat causing stars to speckle my vision. A long forked tongue slithers from his mouth, tickling my cheek as he drags it up to the corner of my eye. “You’re so godsdamn beautiful with fear in your eyes. Give me your tears, little thief, because I’m sure that’s the only thing you’ll give me willingly.”
There’s no stopping the stream pouring from eyes.
With his free hand, Ziggy reaches between us into the top of my pants. My heart races, while I silently plead for him to stop—but he doesn’t. Long fingers press against my slit, finding my shameful arousal.
“Interesting,” he hums, toying with me. “Do you want me to hurt you, little thief? Do you want to see what it feels like to have your free will taken away?” At this point I’m on the brink of losing consciousness. The only response possible is the rapid blinking of my eyes—what I’m trying to communicate, even I don’t know.
With a sinister grin, Ziggy shoves two fingers deep into my dripping core, releasing enough pressure from my throat to hear the scream that rips from me. “Your cunt betrays you, but I’ll gladly take your screams.”
“St-stop,” my hoarse voice begs.
Cocking his head, his smile grows as he pumps in and out of me harder. “I don’t think I will. No, I quite like the way your messy little pussy clenches around my fingers.”
Ziggy
Lydia rolls her hips into my touch, her mouth falling open with the whimper of a soft oh . My cock strains in my trousers, threatening to break through and sink into her heat.
I watch from the back seat of my mind as this new being inside of me pulls my glistening fingers from Lydia, quickly shoving them into her open mouth. “Be a good little whore and clean up your mess.”
A fire ignites behind her icy eyes as her lips close around them. Her tongue laps up her juices and she sucks my fingers clean.
Dorran, Kai, who the hell is in control?
“Rune,” they say in unison like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.
Very helpful, you two.
Rune grips Lydia’s chin forcing her to look us in the eyes. “Do you want me to fuck you, Lydia? Fan that flame burning at your core?”
A single tear rolls down her flushed cheek, like she’s fighting with herself. I watch the moment she gives in to her need, giving me a slow nod. “Yes.”
Rune lets out a dark chuckle, and I feel his intentions flare in my chest. He releases Lydia’s throat, flips her onto her stomach, tearing her pants down with a diabolical grace. Wrapping my arm around her waist, Rune pulls Lydia’s ass in the air, exposing her pretty pink pussy to us—her thighs are shining with arousal.
I try to push forward—if I’m going to sink into enemy territory, I want to be at the reins—but no matter how hard I try, it can’t seem to break through.
I can only watch as my hand sails through the air, cracking against Lydia’s porcelain skin. She lets out a breathy moan at the contact, pressing back against my palm. Rune rubs small circles into her reddened skin, soothing the sting, before bringing my hand back down again. This time onto her soaked core.
“ Fuuck,” Lydia shrieks.
My hand wraps around her snowy hair, yanking her head back. My body moves forward until my lips are pressed against the shell of her rounded ear. “Tell me you want this,” Rune whispers roughly.
“I want it,” she practically begs.
With an eerie laugh Rune shoves her forward, letting her drop to the dirt. “Then go fuck yourself. It’s no fun when you’re willing.”
I feel pressure in my skull as I’m shoved forward and finally settled back into my body. My legs stand, stepping over Lydia to carry us out of this tent. Ripping through the sewn fabric, the frigid air hits my bare chest. Head swimming, I stagger forward a few steps before crumpling to the ground.
Reality washes over me as I expel the contents of my stomach—I’m disgusted with myself.
I can’t be playing musical personalities anymore. I need answers.
I need to find someone who can stop me from losing my mind.