by S. A. Parker
The two men release him and he falls to his knees, facing Kal from his spot on the floor. One of the guards grasps a handful of his greasy blonde hair and pulls, arching his neck and forcing him to look at the God seated above him.
What the fuck is going on?
“Victor.” Kal’s voice echoes throughout the vast space. "You kneel before me, convicted of two counts of torture, two counts of rape, and one count of murder. How do you plead?”
Holy.
Fucking.
Hell.
This is a trial.
I jump up and down in excitement, my smile so wide it hurts.
“It’s not the time,” Cassian hisses, shaking his head and tamping my overeager hands.
Kal’s gaze shifts to me, a deep crease shadowing his brow.
Oops. I chew my bottom lip and sit on my splayed fingers in an effort to suppress my joy.
He drops his attention back to the man on the ground beneath him.
Even from this distance, I can make out the beads of sweat coating Victor’s brow as he works his lips around silent words, blood trickling from his nose, splattering on the ground by his knees.
“Answer me!” Even I jump as Kal’s booming voice tears through the air, compelling the crowd to sit straighter in their seats.
“G—guilty!” the man finally spits out, closely followed by a heaving groan as the blood continues to flow … It looks like our convicted criminal was trying a bit too hard to lie.
Kal stands and a girl, no older than sixteen with long hair the colour of wheat to match her pretty wings, is led onto the podium by a woman with a round face and warm eyes. She gives the girl a nod of reassurance and positions her next to the throne, before taking a step back. The girl’s shoulders are curled forward, her face smeared in snot and tears which she wipes away with the back of her hand.
“You will be judged by the only person who has the right.” Kal indicates the girl. “Your surviving victim.”
The man on the ground pales, his chest heaving as this reality seems to settle upon him heavily.
“You will either be given the death penalty—committed to the same fate as your other victim; be removed of your wings and therefore your immortality, condemned to a short life with the Lesser Fae; or the third, and merciful option—cast out beyond the shrinking boundaries of the Night Kingdom with the understanding that one day, those boundaries may no longer exist, in which case, you could once again live among us.”
A roar goes up from the crowd and Kal silences them with a raised hand, then turns his attention to the woman standing beside him.
She is no longer crying. Instead, a sharp sneer plagues her face …
Me? I’m jumping up and down with excitement again. I can’t fucking wait to hear the answer!
“Shed him of his immortality,” she hisses, fist pumping the air. “Cut off his wings!”
The crowd erupts in a tremulous cheer and I jump up and down, arms in the air, giddy with joy.
Kal’s eyes ink over, right before my legs crumble beneath me and I curl forward, dry retching. Kal propels himself off his platform, landing in front of Victor with a thud, then slowly uncurls his body to tower over the cowering man.
“Fuck …” Cassian’s voice is etched with concern. “Are you okay?”
I raise my head to see Kal produce a serrated blade. He brings it down to press against the bud of one of those beautiful, pastel blue wings.
I retch again, holding my hands over my chest, feeling like my heart is going to shatter into a million pieces.
“Dell? The happy web?”
“Gone,” I groan. Fucking gone.
My wings explode from my back, surrounding me in a protective motion. I’m lifted and propelled around the edge of the colosseum, just as that familiar ‘grind’ begins to plague my ears.
I scream into my feathers, the sound drowned out by the excited howls of the mob below. We exit into a corridor where Cassian sets me down onto the cool, stone ground. I hear triumphant shouts, the first wing undoubtedly being tossed to the side.
“You have no idea what it’s like to live without them!” My voice is a strangled shriek, my hands hauling at my chest which feels like it’s been flayed. “There has to be another way …”
“This is the way things are done. Our only option that’s fair.”
I grind my teeth together, try to drown out the distant blood curdling howl, the nauseating drudge of blade against bone. I press my hands over my ears, rocking my body back and forth. “There has to be another way!”
“You have a better idea? One that will stem the flood of your father’s wrath? Be my fucking guest!”
I flinch at the harshness of Cassian’s tone, at the horror of the words and the terrible possibility of what they might mean …
I shake my head, clawing at my ears, crunching my eyes shut. “Just make it stop … make it fucking stop!”
“Cassian, go. I’ve got this.”
Kal’s rich tone settles heavily upon me, and I’m lifted against a hard chest stained with the scent of blood, right before I pass the fuck out.
Warm water swirls over me, trickling beneath my wings, still wrapped around me in a tight, feathery cocoon. Arms hold me, muscles rigid, smothering my small frame and consuming me. The rich tang of sulphur fills my nostrils.
I smile. Oh … sweet, sweet, happy web.
“How are you feeling?”
I open my eyes and squint at the brilliant blue stain of sky fanned overhead. We’re perched against the edge of a deeply set, thermal rockpool, thick puffs of steam wafting into the air about us, making the sky look milky in places. “Fucking perfect.”
Kal sighs, then rumbles beneath me. Grumpy Kal.
I push up and his arms loosen so I can unwrap myself from my wing cocoon and spin around, straddling him. A small waterfall of warm water cascades into the pool, splashing over Kal’s shoulders and bare chest … no longer smeared in blood.
“You cleaned yourself off.” I smile, running my hand over his chest, lifting my gaze to meet his, seeing that my God of Night’s face is taut and strained. “Oh dear … do you need me to show you how to smile again?” I mould his mouth into a tight grin, chewing on my tongue in concentration when he doesn’t readily comply.
He grabs my wrists in a firm, unyielding grasp. “Stop, Dell. This has to stop.”
“What?”
He shakes his head. “You can’t live in this happy web forever.”
I beg to differ. “Just take your wish, then use the boost to keep powering the web, and we’re good to go. No need to get all grumpy faced about it.”
“That’s not what I mean. This isn’t healthy …”
I shrug. “I feel pretty healthy. And happy.”
“But it’s a fucking lie.” He drops my wrists, then wraps his hands around my waist, lifts me up and plonks me on the ledge before moving off to the far side of the pool, clad in nothing except tight, black briefs that snuggle that delicious arse of his.
I cock my head to the side, enjoying the view, when he leans forward and pressed his hands to the ledge, highlighting every muscle and rivet in that very well-defined back.
I slap my smiling face. Concentrate, Dell. Kal’s pissed, you need to make this right.
A brisk chill sweeps over my damp skin and I push off the edge, back into the warm embrace of the water and wade towards him, wings drifting long and sensuously behind me. I look around at the cluster of beautiful pools surrounding us—a fountain of turquoise flowing against a stark white background of mineral deposits, cascading down to the azure waters of the beach far below.
Wow. Fancy. Guess that’s the perk of living on a hopefully dormant volcano.
I return my attention to the brooding Night God. He’s watching the horizon with, I think, feigned interest.
“I’ve discovered that if you have a happy web over your mind, then you forget all the bad in the world, and everything seems really fantastic. Perhaps you should try it?”
He shifts his heavy glare to me, a look that would probably send me running if I wasn’t so happy right now. “And how’s that working for you, Dell? How’s it fucking working?”
“Perfectly! Otherwise I wouldn’t have suggested it, silly.” I don’t know why he’s bombarding me with questions he should already know the answer to.
He shakes his head and turns to grab me, hauling me against the edge of the pool and boxing me in; warm breath tickling my face. “The Dell I know wouldn’t have jumped for joy when that young girl chose to have her rapists wings sawn off—she would have felt the pain as much as I did, despite the fact that he was a fucking monster.”
I sigh in delight. “This conversation’s making me feel so good inside.”
“The Dell I know,” he growls, ignoring my joyful outburst, “was the one who broke down in that hallway when I lost control of the happy web. That’s the Dell this world needs. Not this one.” He gestures to me sharply.
I throw my head back and laugh, the happiness rolling off me in delicious waves. “Don’t be silly! That Dell is so broody.”
Kal takes my chin in his hand and lowers my face so he can look me in the eye. “The world needs you. The proper you. Not this … seemingly perfect version.”
“What are you saying? You don’t like me like this?”
“I like you any which way I can get you.”
I try to frown, but my face is too busy smiling. “Then … what are you worried about?” Confusing Wingasm Master.
He shrugs, drawing a deep breath and slowly letting it out. “The Dell I love is beautifully broken. No matter how much we try, I doubt we will ever be able to put her back together entirely, but I wouldn’t have her any other way.”
Well … fuck. That’s heavy. Too bad he’s filling a cup that’s already brimming with happiness.
He searches my eyes, the sapphire depths bouncing back and forth across my gaze. “Dell?”
My stomach rumbles. I smile and pat it with my flattened hand. “Is it too late to request breakfast in bed?”
Kal sighs, closes his eyes and rubs at them, before plastering a super forced smile on his face, making me giggle hysterically.
“Sure, Little Dove. Let’s do that.”
“You going to eat that?” I point to the small pile of untouched, honey glazed bacon sitting on Kal’s plate. He’s barely eaten a thing.
“No, I don’t think I will. Knock yourself out, Little Dove.” Kal pushes back the covers and climbs from the bed. Leaving me alone with my mound of food, he walks to the balcony and peers out, muscles coiled, leaning against the doorframe.
“Are you okay? You seem tense.” I pack my mouth full of bacon, chewing patiently while I wait for my Night God to grace me with an answer.
“This gift is both a blessing and a curse right now.” He turns to face me. “I’m just pacifying the issue, probably making things worse for you in the long run.”
I think on his statement, chewing bacon and watching him with what I hope is a sultry gaze. “Did you know,” I swallow my mouthful, running the tip of my tongue over my lips, “That your meat is utterly delicious?”
Kal blinks at me, clears his throat and shakes his head. “I’m going to go take a cold shower. I’ll be right back. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
He stalks off, face shadowed and stern. I set my empty plate to the side, watching him pull open the giant stone door that leads through to the washroom. It must be real goddamn heavy. Probably the reason he’s so jacked.
I clear the plates, stacking them neatly on the table by the door then plop back onto the bed. I spend a few minutes running my fingers through my curls, though it gets pretty boring after about thirty seconds. All this happy is so overwhelmingly exciting.
I try my hand at a wingasm, something I quickly realise is impossible. They just don’t get as excited by my touch as they do Kal’s.
I tumble out of bed, do a couple of twirls and skip outside, drawing a deep breath of air when I reach the edge of the balcony. I can smell everything—the freshly tilled soil down there by the big, black barn-looking place; the jasmine creeping up the side of the palace and even the manure they’ve used to fertilise the garden of that little house across the lake. Go me. I take another deep, delicious breath and lift my arms high—my wings shivering with joy behind me, dipping and curling.
I want to run, to dance, to frolic in the ocean …
I want to … fly.
Spreading my wings wide, I climb onto the edge of the balcony and throw myself off. I fall for about three seconds—white wings trailing hopelessly behind me—before I realise I can’t work them … at all. The thought makes me super giddy with happiness.
I giggle, filled with the joy of falling and the knowledge that I’m probably going to die.
Something flashes in front of me and I thump against the hard chest of Kal, who wraps me in his arms.
“Well, hello there!” I call out over the sound of the rushing air as we plummet towards the ground at breakneck speed. I give him my biggest smile ever.
He’s definitely not smiling back, killjoy.
“Tuck your wings in, now!” he bellows.
Wow, grumpy Kal.
Laughing, I do as he says, because he’s looking at me like he wants to strangle me, and it’s a very angry look. Perhaps he’s lacking in the happy department because he’s dishing it all to me?
He flips us over and in one glorious, surging movement his wings appear—big, black and fucking beautiful, pumping the air in strong, magnificent sweeps. I can’t resist, they’re so shiny and pretty and … and …
I reach out to touch one.
“Don’t, Dell. This is a bad time to do that,” he growls over the hiss of the wind.
“Booo.” I giggle … this is so much fun.
We land back on the balcony and Aero’s standing there, arms crossed, wearing his glorious bronze God gear and looking like he’s ready to start some mayhem.
I throw him the biggest smile ever. “Hey! I just flew … kind of.”
Aero shakes his head, sharing a look with Kal that’s a little condescending, which I choose to ignore.
“Looks like you’re learning the hard way how difficult it is to manage our girl, Kal.”
‘Our girl!’ Aww. I do a little dance on the spot, because it’s hard to move around when you have a Night God glued to your back.
He releases me, shifting a couple of feet to the side, looking me up and down with a frown before glancing at Aero. “I really want to tell you to go away, but I actually think I might need your help. I only left her alone for three minutes and she threw herself off the balcony in a fit of laughter. She’s hard to manage when she’s so jacked up on happy.” He shakes his head, looking unnecessarily baffled.
I laugh. “Because I’ve never felt much of it before, silly!” That’s just the funniest thing ever.
Aero looks at me like he doesn’t recognise me, head cocked to the side and studying me intently, all residue of ‘angry Aero’ gone. He scratches his head. “Wow, yeah. I only get her internal dialogue, but when you pair it with what’s actually coming out of her mouth …” He looks sidelong at Kal. “How have you managed?”
My wings do a little puff dance and spread themselves wide, curling around so they caress both of my currently present Sun Gods. “Ohhh yeah, come in for the wing cuddle, boys! My ladies need a good rub down after all that hard work.”
Aero lifts a brow.
Kal groans, his own wings doing a little fluff dance in response—though I can see him struggling to hold them in place, tucked behind his back. They’re even shaking. It only makes me smile more widely. His wings totally want to hug me back.
“It’s really fucking hard, Dawn. Really fucking hard.”
Aero clears his throat and shifts his belt.
I glance down at their crotches, clapping my hand over my mouth as I do so. “Yes, it is boys … yes, it fucking is.”
Chapter Five
> Apparently, I now need flying lessons. They probably saw how much of a natural I was and decided they should fuel the talent rather than suppress it.
“Aren’t you worried I’ll flutter off to the East? Because that really does sound fun. Not that I want to run away from my amazing life, but it would be nice to see my fellow ex-whores and dish them some of my happy.”
Kal gives me a look that’s about five parts confused and five parts ‘she’s a crazy bitch’, before he sighs dramatically and tugs his top over his head, allowing me a peak of his spectacular abdominals.
Aero shakes his head as though he doesn’t know what to do with me, though I have a pretty simple solution to that problem. He could bend me over his knee, spank me, then pump me full of his Dawn juice?
He growls and his eyes begin to ink over. I throw him a wink and wave hello to that pretty face of his.
Kal steps between us, blocking my line of sight to my sexy Dawn God, but allowing me a full-frontal view of Night Godliness. He looks over his shoulder at Aero. “Tune out, man! I told you! She’s not fucking sane right now, okay?”
“To be fair,” I chirp, “I’m not sure if I’ve ever had all my eggs in the nest, if you get what I’m saying. Don’t want you guys to have buyer’s remorse. Best you know now that you’re only getting around six out of twelve tokens from me, lads.”
Kal shakes his head again, looking like he just doesn’t quite know what to say to that.
“She asked for this, Kal.”
My Night God spins to face Aero, wings out again and taking up an unnecessary amount of room—though my wings seem to think otherwise, reaching forward and trying to caress them. I smile, curling my hair around my finger and enjoying the show.
“Are you saying I should leave her like this? Because if you are, I seriously question your motivation. In fact, I’d be justified in putting you to sleep for an entire fucking century.”
The many moods of Kal never cease to make me smile.