Dark of Night

by T. F. Walsh

  They hugged a few moments, then feeling cheeky, Tera smiled as big as she could. “I hope my wedding gift is that you’ll visit more often.”

  From nearby Sparrow chirped up enthusiastically. “Hey, can you bring Dionysus with you? Now that sounds like a good time.”

  Artemis shook her head, but was clearly entertained at the girl’s request to hang with the God of wine and entertainment. Instead of answering either question, the Goddess looked to her right at the handsome King. “Come Breasal, let us recline together and enjoy the festivities.”

  With that, the elaborate hall was a swirl with elegant fabrics, twirling in dance and celebration. Duncan pulled Michelle onto the floor and Sparrow and her aunts followed, escorted by the Knights of the Fog. Artemis sat on the throne beside Breasal, and they appeared to be in fervent conversation.

  “I wonder what they are talking about. Usually she is a woman of few words.” Tera said.

  “They are speaking on Eris’ punishment. She will remain in Tartarus for some time until her true punishment is decided.”

  “In all this festivity I nearly forgot about her. Tartarus, that’s good right? Isn’t that worse than Hades?”

  “Let us not speak of Hades and Tartarus. Today is only about our love.” He pressed a kiss upon her palm as he led her to dance. “I love you so much, Tera.” Sabin and Tera made their way into the celebrating crowd. With her palm upon Sabin’s shoulder, it was hard not to stare at the ring that would change her life.

  The only thing better than staring at the enchanted ring was gazing at the handsome man, the love of her life. His eyes glittered with a happiness that flooded Tera’s heart. In her home city, the secrets of the fog had delivered her the love of her life. Tonight was the first night of many lifetimes more, of eternal happiness, and excitement.

  Epilogue

  “It seems, my love, that I have been enlightened to the perfect spot.” Sabin carried Tera across the winding limestone. Home to the faeries, Heliodor was a massive plane of crystalline mineral mountains and dense forest. Here the fae, the faerie folk, drew power from the elements and enjoyed privacy from disbelievers. Now the romantic ambience would serve Tera and Sabin on their honeymoon.

  “Oh really? Do you spend much time in the realm of the faeries?” One of the fae creatures hovering near her face tapped a tiny finger against her nose. The tiny faerie was such a bright light, Tera could hardly make out the body or face of the creature. Squinting against the brilliance, she finally focused on a porcelain-skinned faerie with eyes like crystal, and long hair the color of butter. The faerie smiled bashfully and pointed to Sabin before giving a coy thumbs-up signal.

  Looking ahead to the distance, Sabin smiled, navigating his way carefully with her in his arms. “No. But I’ve received quite the fae tour guide service.” Taking a right around a large quartz boulder, he stopped dead in his tracks. Rock and limestone gave way to lush green grass and weeping willows. The air was thick warmth and the grass appeared soft as silk. The sweet and salty scent of gardenia hung in the air.

  Sabin laid Tera gently on the ground, and brought his hands down the sides of her body. His palms lingered slowly in anticipation. “I am going to worship your body every day for the rest of our immortal lives.”

  An overwhelming flood of anticipation left Tera breathless, and her body became awash with slick heat. Her body throbbed, aching for Sabin’s expert touch. But as his voice spoke again, the sexy grit to his tone was not just that of a warrior, but also a gentle, kind lover. “Tonight, Tera, you will learn that there is no oblivion, no ecstasy of pleasure of passion without the love of a soul mate.”

  Sabin grabbed her boots, and unzipped them one after another until her feet were naked. He slid his hands under her jeans, and massaged her calf under the rough fabric. A moan escaped her from the sheer relaxation of the touch against her muscles. Full of sensual excitement, Tera peeled the jeans off slowly until only a small strip of red fabric remained. Sabin’s hands caressed every inch of her exposed flesh as he made his way up to her midsection. Tugging on the hem of the thin shirt, he pulled it up over her head. Thank the Gods she did not wear a bra. Reaching his hand to cradle her bosom, he twirled a nipple between his fingertips and Tera let loose an erotic whimper. His other hand massaged the inside of her thigh. Her body, which had been tight with sexual tension, began to relax under his massaging hand. He inched higher, and higher, slowly nearing her apex.

  White hot heat caused dampness between Tera’s legs. But the breeze that whispered across the meadow ensured that every inch of her flesh was still sensitive, ready to experience every sensation.

  Sabin removed his face from the comfortable valley of her breasts and hovered, drinking in the sight of Tera’s gorgeous face. Her eyes were slits from relaxation and pleasure, but open just enough to see the lover before her. While massaging her inner thighs, he pushed her legs farther apart, gaining access to her sweet womanhood.

  The wind tickled her like a jealous lover, and she called out when she suddenly felt Sabin’s hot tongue against her center. His hands massaged while his tongue danced on her soft edges. Dragging his tongue across her bud now and then, Tera realized that she was being wickedly teased, held in an endless state of passion until Sabin decided she was ready for release.

  “Now, Sabin!”

  His reply rasped against her skin. “Not yet, my love. Anticipation is half the fun. I want your every moment to be near to ecstasy, but everlasting, like our love will be.”

  Tera nearly came at the sweet promise. Sabin reached both of his hands up to caress her breasts and pinch her nipples seductively as he twirled his tongue around her sweet center. He kissed her most sensitive spot with reckless passion until her body jerked from pleasure and shuddered within his grasp.

  Tearing his mouth away from her, Sabin’s eyes were a seductive aqua sea. “I love you, Tera.” The last tremors eased from Tera’s body, a contented smile of unmatched pleasure on her face.

  Sabin rocked deeply against her core. She gasped with passion as he stretched her, filled every inch of her. She clasped Sabin’s strong shoulders and looked deep into his eyes. Swinging their bodies upright, he crouched on the ground as she straddled his lap. She eased herself up and down upon his thick shaft, nearing ecstasy once again.

  The look in Sabin’s eyes as he devoured the sight of her body upon his was a sensual high. She leaned against his chest, putting enough pressure on his wide shoulders to knock him backward until his body was against the ground. “It feels so good.” Tera rocked back and forth on top of him, controlling the motion of every inch of his thickness inside of her.

  “You are my Goddess, my sweet Dryad. You are my heart.” With that, he rolled them over and drove into Tera, causing them both to go mad with pleasure.

  • • •

  Tera awoke to a slight tugging on her hair. A warmth glowed against her cheeks and she snuggled closer to Sabin chest. Another gentle tug convinced her to open her eyes. Cracking open an eyelid, she was immediately blinded by bright light. Jerking up from where she lay on the ground, she opened her eyes once more. Suddenly, the bright, colorful lights dimmed. Faeries hovered in the air playfully, their forms becoming clearer by the moment. She rubbed her knuckles against her eyes before opening them once more.

  Beautiful.

  Hovering above where she and Sabin had slept were five faeries, each a different color and each smiling.

  Do they know something I don’t know? She couldn’t help but smile at the sweet grins aimed at her. Then she noticed a sensation near her hairline. Reaching her fingers to investigate, she found the start of a braid.

  “Did you guys do this?” Tracing her fingertips along the braid, she soon found that many had been woven in her hair. “Wow, you fae are sneaky stylists.” The glow of the faeries became immediately brighter.

  Sabin’s sensual voic
e replied, “They glow brighter when they are happy. It’s their aura.”

  “Speaking of happy.” She leaned back against Sabin once more. “I slept like a baby.”

  “Me too, my love. And yet I awoke to a dream.”

  Heat crept into her cheeks, so she nuzzled against his skin before he could see. “You make me feel bashful. You’re too perfect.”

  He nuzzled her nose playfully before pressing a kiss against her lips. He took his time, and slipped his tongue gracefully between her lips. The soft warmth melted into her mouth.

  When the kiss ended, she wriggled her way out of the mossy blanket that had grown over them while they slept. Born of the forest, Tera’s body drew the flora around her. “Hazard of being a Dryad.” She winked at Sabin.

  “There are no hazards of being a Dryad, only blessings.” He eased himself out of the green blanket.

  “Alright, Prince Charming. No more self-deprecation, I promise. Let’s explore.” No sooner had the words escaped her lips than Sabin grasped her hand.

  The fae that still hovered danced around playfully and glowed brighter. They seemed to be excited by their presence. Tera realized that her cheeks hurt from smiling. And she had only been awake a couple minutes. Ah, the benefits of finding one’s soul mate.

  Hand in hand, he led her out of the lush flora. Before her eyes stretched the most breathtaking, jaw-dropping view she had ever seen. Gradually, the dirt ground gave way to pure crystal landscape. The prism stretched out like ice and built upward into mountains. Rivaling the peaks she had seen in California, the crystal mountain was towering in height. She imagined it would take days to climb. Make that weeks.

  Prisms of color and light danced across the ground before her. It was a spectacular image. A fuzzy warmth manifested on her shoulder and she realized she had company. Perched on her shoulder was the dainty body of a faerie. The yellow glow pulsed on her shoulder and Tera felt goodness and mirth course through her body.

  “Is that you, little friend?” She whispered to the faerie, but Tera already knew the answer.

  “She likes you.”

  “The feeling is mutual.” She smiled up at Sabin. As the Helidor sun poked out from the clouds, dots of color graced Sabin’s cheek. The effects of the crystal continued to sway across the landscape, colorful reminders that she was out of her own world.

  She pulled Sabin down for a kiss and let the heat of his lips sear her own. The warm glow on her shoulder also intensified. Had her eyes not been closed, she may have been blinded. “You know that warm, fuzzy feeling, and the overwhelming sense of joy that the faeries emit?”

  “Yes, my love?”

  Lingering in his crystalline, aqua colored gaze, she smiled. “You do the same thing to me.”

  “Come here.” Sabin reached down and swung Tera up into his arms. She screamed as he twirled her around and left frenzied kisses on her neck. When he finally stopped and she calmed her own laughter, he simply smiled at her.

  “And you for me, Dryad.”

  • • •

  Weeks later, Tera soaked up her continuing honeymoon with her love by her side. The sun was beginning to set and Athens was reflected in shades of orange of pink. After a week of romantic lounging on Grecian beaches, the happy couple strolled the quaint cobblestone streets hand in hand, and of course, the occasional hand on butt, in true lovers’ fashion. After a long day of museum touring, the lovebirds were eager to finish their sunset stroll back at the hotel room for lovemaking in luxury.

  Their room was the epitome of comfort, and had an incredible view to boot. The sun had disappeared beneath the horizon, and now the lights of Athens glittered like stars. The Parthenon glowed in the near distance against a dark orange sky like an ancient gateway to heaven.

  Tera turned on her phone to check for voicemails. Sparrow was holding down the fort at the coffee shop, while she was away, and she figured it was good business to check in once in a while.

  “You have three voicemails,” the robotic voice on the other end of the line advised her. She heaved a sigh and glanced at her lover, disrobing near the bed. “I bet you Sparrow ran out of candied ginger.”

  The first voicemail was from a few days earlier, and was indeed Sparrow, but her voice sounded grave. “Tera, I don’t want to worry you, but Mom never came home last night. I was wondering if you had heard from her. All right, give me a call.”

  In the next voicemail, Sparrow’s voice went from grave to frantic. “Tera, something is very, very wrong. Mom still hasn’t come home, and we can’t find her location by scrying. Can you ask Sabin what he thinks? Is it possible she’s been kidnapped by someone from beyond?” Tera’s eyes went wide at the sobs racking Sparrow’s soft voice.

  “What’s the matter, my love?” Sabin’s eyes narrowed in concern, and he sat on the bed next to her.

  But she didn’t speak; instead, she listened to the next voicemail. The voice on the line wasn’t Sparrow this time, and it was from just the day before. “Tera, this is Morgana. I wouldn’t interrupt you if it weren’t something serious. Sparrow has disappeared. I think she might have gone to the Realm of the Fog looking for her mother.”

  “So she’s gone into the Portal Realm?” Sabin’s voice was calm.

  “I can’t believe she would do that without consulting Morgana or Melissandra. You don’t really think Egret was taken, do you?” Tera’s eyes were wrought with worry. “Would Eris be able to reach out?”

  “No. She cannot hurt anyone in Tartarus.”

  “But then — ”

  “I don’t know, my love. But there is a portal nearby.” He clutched her hand firmly within his own and his eyes were full of intent. Sabin looked from Tera to the Parthenon that glowed in the distance of Athens. “We’ll find her.”

  About the Author

  Born and raised in the grunge capitol, Jaye took her love of music and poetry from the Pacific Northwest to California. Now she lives in Alameda, a quaint island town in the Bay Area. With a degree in Anthropology — emphasis in Archaeology — she’s itching to climb some more pyramids. Her previous claims to fame include being a bass player for a grunge band called the Hymens, being mistaken for Britney Spears while in Tokyo, and commercial modeling. She insists the commercial still counts even though her lines were cut. When she’s not writing, she’s either at her day job or taking long walks along the Alameda beach and gazing at the outline of San Francisco in the distance. Oh yes, and her heart can generally be found in Paris. www.JayeShields.com

  More From This Author

  Secrets of the Sky by Jaye Shields

  SNEAK PEEK EXCERPT FROM Secrets by Lynn Crandall

  The fall breeze whispered over Michelle Slade’s bare arms, sending shivers rolling through her body. Crouched low just inside the door on her back porch, she didn’t dare move. One foot twitch, one loud breath, and the scruffy gray cat in her backyard would skitter away into the morning darkness. No sweet murmurs of “kitty, kitty, it’s all right,” would stop the cat or bring her back any time soon.

  As the owner of a cat rescue, Cats Alive, Michelle was well practiced in the routine of supporting stray cats, whether that meant simply setting out food and water or capturing them for veterinary services, then releasing them. She’d spent weeks setting a pattern with this cat. A stray cat is always looking for food, so since she first saw the cat roaming the Laurelwood neighborhood, she’d made sure food and water was available in the backyard—a patch of grass behind her apartment that was semi-private. The cat, a female she’d named Madeline after one of her favorite authors, Madeleine L’Engle, readily made the yard a regular daily stop. Twice daily, in fact. Pattern set, phase one complete, Michelle was ready for phase two. Capture.

  A feral, Madeline would never let Michelle touch her, much less pick her up and put her in a cat carrier. No, get close to her and she would just as soon tear off Michelle’s face.
So phase two involved a humane trap. Personally, she hated the trap for the feelings of terror it evoked in cats, but in her heart she knew it was necessary if she were to have any chance of capturing them and getting them spayed or neutered and possibly homed. Madeline was just one feral cat among a sea of homeless cats, but each cat, including Madeline, would have care and support and a home, if Michelle had her way.

  After she moved into her new home on the outskirts of Laurelwood, the odds of capturing Madeline would be slim because she would no longer have access to Madeline’s territory.

  Madeline clearly noticed the trap, but the diced chicken used as bait was too tempting for her to ignore. Michelle held her breath, her legs cramping, as the cat approached the wire cage.

  Good girl. A few more steps. It’s okay, little girl.

  The cat’s steps into the cage were cautious, but there was that delicious meat at the back of the cage. Michelle’s body tensed. This was the moment she’d been leading up to. This was her last morning in her apartment, so likely her last chance to help this cat. Her nerves screamed, Do it!

  A snap sounded in the dawn air, startling the cat, and instantly the wire mesh door dropped down. Michelle remained quiet, letting the cat do her feline freak out. She felt for her. What a terrible feeling to suddenly be trapped. Michelle couldn’t help the reaction that stirred inside her, watching Madeline hiss and yowl. Futilely. It triggered such strong, visceral memories, she had to swallow down the need to vomit. She was feeling it again—the helplessness, the terror that the man who’d attacked her in her freshman year at college had left her with.

  Determined to stay on task, she rolled her shoulders, hoping the knot in her stomach, the one she’d been carrying around since that awful night five years ago when she was … she trembled at the word … raped, would settle down. Three deep breaths in and out and she unfurled her body from her perch on the porch and approached the carrier, speaking the words from her heart.