Chapter 45
Emmeric
They hadn’t lingered in Imothia, not wanting to risk Hadar returning. Kaz promised Iyana that the villagers were safe in their hiding place, which Iyana explained to Emmeric privately was a nearby oasis, and they headed towards the Aula Pass.
Bypassing the town at the edge of the Forgotten Mountains, they began the trek up the Pass.
Winter had come to the mountain range in full force, the snow line lower than it typically would be.
They donned their warmer cloaks, and Emmeric was grateful Iyana could keep them warm with her magic.
Snowflakes fell lazily from the sky as they debated the best place to leave the trail.
When wolves began to howl to their left, they collectively decided it was time to turn right and delve deeper into the forest.
“Kaz, is it true that the wolves in these mountains are descended from shifters?” Iyana asked. “When Altair and I had our run-in with them, they seemed to be bigger and smarter than normal wolves should be.”
Emmeric remembered that. It was when he had left her to go back to Athusia, still denying his part in all of this. He had hurt his ankle but didn’t know how, and it wasn’t until Iyana was telling the story that he realized his ankle hurt because hers was injured.
Kaz shrugged a shoulder. “There was a mass exodus of shifters out of Nyr centuries ago. I think they felt too contained within the wards. Obviously, many of them have died off, but it’s possible that some wolf shifters got stuck in their animal form and mated with actual wolves.”
“That can happen? Getting stuck?” Emmeric asked.
“It’s rare, but yeah. If a shifter stays in their animal form for too long, they can lose sight of who they are as a human, and then it’s too hard to find that thread that pulls us back. They’d lose themselves to the animal completely.”
The thought of that unnerved Emmeric so much he decided not to dwell on it.
“How do we know where to go?” he asked, directing the question towards Okab. He tried to avoid speaking to Altair if at all possible, but his brother was surprisingly likeable.
“I have no idea,” replied Okab. “As far as I know, nobody has purposefully wandered off the Aula Pass. But, then again, I guess we wouldn’t know even if they had. They’re called the Forgotten Mountains for a reason.”
Emmeric shivered. The stories said that any who left the Pass would be dragged below by the gods, and then they were slowly forgotten until they were nothing more than a name on the tip of a loved one’s tongue. A name they were familiar with, but couldn’t recall why it was important.
And they were doing this, hoping the gods would snatch them right off the mountain. This was the definition of insanity.
There was no plan other than wandering aimlessly through the forest, so that’s what they did.
Kaz attempted to keep some levity by chatting, but it was lackluster.
Everyone was on edge, fully expecting to disappear any second.
Soon, the sun was descending, painting the sky in a dusky blue as the snow continued to fall.
They thought it would be best to find somewhere to stay overnight, and then they could begin their haphazard quest again in the morning.
A small cave was the only thing by way of shelter they could find. The opening was a squeeze for him and Okab to get into but, luckily it opened into a spacious cavern once inside. Iyana and Kaz entered with ease and began to explore.
“I’ll keep watch out here,” came Altair’s voice from the entrance.
They all glanced towards the front of the cave. Emmeric was wondering why anybody would choose to stay outside in the snow when they could be warm and dry.
“He’s claustrophobic,” whispered Iyana.
Okab frowned. “He never used to be.”
“Well, he is now. When we went through the Pass before…” Iyana trailed off and Emmeric sensed her trying to throw up a wall between them, but she wasn’t fast enough to block the images that flashed through his mind.
Iyana lounged in a body of water, small areas of glowing blue dotting the ceiling. Altair waded towards her, naked, an intense look of hunger on his face.
Altair crowded into her space, running his mouth over her wet skin and whispering in her ear, “My star, I want you…”
Emmeric broke himself free of Iyana’s memory.
She winced and mouthed, sorry. While that definitely wasn’t something he had wanted to see, Emmeric shook his head to let her know he was fine.
He knew she and Altair were together, and he, unfortunately, had heard them multiple times.
It wouldn’t be reasonable for him to ask her to never think of the star again; that’s not how the human mind worked.
He would simply need to replace the memory with one of his own.
A wicked grin crossed his face as he sent the promise down the bond to Iyana. She stopped in her tracks where she had been talking to Kaz and blushed deeply. The shifter looked between the two of them and smirked. Kaz strutted up to Okab and slid her arm through his, drawing him away.
“Come on, star boy, tell me more about this special magic of yours.”
Emmeric stalked up to Iyana and leaned into her space. “Come with me,” he practically growled in her ear before grabbing her hand and leading her deeper into the cave.
As soon as they rounded a corner, his mouth was on hers.
This wasn’t fleeting and sweet like in the past; this was a claiming.
Emmeric needed to ensure Iyana thoroughly understood where she belonged.
She wasn’t his, and he didn’t think he could own her—no one man could ever contain this woman.
No, he wanted her to see that this thing between them was right and have her choose to stand beside him. They could claim each other as equals.
Nipping at her lower lip, he trailed his hands down her curves, his thumb brushing over her peaked nipple.
Iyana gasped into his mouth, and he deepened their kiss further, making their tongues dance together.
Emmeric’s fingers stalled at her waistband.
Easing his touch back and forth, he slowly moved his hand into her pants.
Before touching her where he knew she’d be wet for him, he trailed kisses along her jaw, biting her ear gently.
“Can you be quiet like your namesake, Mouse?”
Her breathy panting filled the air between them before she could speak. “You named me after a cactus.”
Emmeric paused, then bit her ear a little harder. Sassy, stubborn thing. “Yes, well, that’s beside the point. Can you be quiet?”
Iyana nodded. That was all the permission Emmeric needed, so he eased two fingers into Iyana’s soaked core. She gasped, but didn’t cry out.
“So good,” Emmeric murmured.
He moved his fingers in and out slowly while swirling his thumb around her sensitive clit, applying pressure, then easing off.
His other hand rolled her nipple until she gasped again, and Emmeric covered her mouth with his own.
Iyana kissed him fiercely. This was the fiery woman he loved.
Phaedros take him, it made him so hard when she took control.
Iyana’s hand brushed his cock outside of his pants, and he hissed at the sensation, never slowing his own fingers. When she smirked against his lips, Emmeric couldn’t let that stand. He began working her faster and harder, pushing down on that most sensitive area and curling his fingers inside her.
As she came, Iyana opened her mouth in a silent scream. Her walls spasmed around his fingers, and her grip tightened around his cock.
“Good to know you can follow instructions, Mouse.”
“Fuck. You,” she whispered between heaving breaths.
“I fully intend to.”
After removing his own trousers, he sank to his knees and gently peeled Iyana’s off. Once she was bare in front of him, he glanced up at her face, reveling in the pure heat and lust he saw in her expression.
“Do you enjoy it when I’m on my knees for you, Iyana?”
She pushed a caressing hand into his hair. The touch had so much love behind it that Emmeric had to close his eyes. Then her fist tightened, yanking on his scalp. Emmeric’s eyes sprang open to see Iyana grinning wickedly.
“Come here,” she said, her voice husky with need.
Licking up her thigh, and giving the space between a light kiss, Emmeric did as she commanded.
Their kiss this time was slower; more languid.
He picked her up and her legs wrapped around his waist. Lining up with her center, Emmeric slid into her at an achingly slow pace.
He had to bury his face in Iyana’s neck to keep himself restrained.
Emmeric backed her against the wall, removing himself almost completely before slamming himself back in.
His control broke, and he rocked into her warmth at a speed he didn’t know he was capable of.
One hand held her waist with a bruising grip—he’d have to apologize for that later—while the other took her wrists and pinned them to the wall above her head.
Pride flowed through him when she didn’t balk at the restriction this time. She threw her head back, panting in ecstasy. Emmeric felt his own release beginning to build, a heady warmth rushing through him.
Iyana was tightening around him, and he knew she was close. Her feet pressed into his ass, tugging him closer.
“I can’t—” she whispered, then moaned.
Releasing her hands, he used his thumb to push on her clit, and she exploded. Emmeric had to quickly cover her mouth to contain the shouts of pleasure that she couldn’t repress. The sight had him coming hard within her, and he bit down gently on her shoulder to stifle his own cries.
“Fuck,” Iyana groaned.
Emmeric chuckled. “Ditto.”
He let her down slowly; her legs were shaky and refusing to bear all of her weight. Em found himself on his knees again, this time guiding her feet back into her pants, then tugging them up and into place before getting himself dressed.