Descending Into Darkness

by Alainna MacPherson

  Straining up, and using pressure to bend his head to meet hers, she whispered, "Let us have this," before their mouths fused together.

  Like lighting a match and throwing it on gasoline, the fire that burst between them was scorching. Both inside and outside. His skin was furnace hot, making fine sweat bead on her skin. The breeze his wings created by just jerking forward to curl slightly over his shoulders and their bodies, made her shiver a little. Their mouths didn't feel as if they were new and this was only their second encounter. They dueled with demanding thrusts and teasing parries, punishing nips and soft licks.

  She sighed at the same time he moaned and ran a hand down her side. Blue hues teased the filtered darkness behind her eyelids as the same hand brushed her waist and down to wrap around her thigh, lifting it to tuck her closer to him, making her breath hitch at he did. Holding it there he held her firmly with the other arm to back her up against the same wall. Feeling the extra support, she jumped to put her other leg around his hip.

  "Oh, my god, Fallon," she whispered when he broke away to kiss her neck and shoulder, tugging her shirt's collar to the side. "I'm on fire. You're so hot," she gasped when he dragged his teeth at her pulse. His canines scratching at her heightened skin.

  "Mmmm....another part of mating," he said absently.

  "To become a walking torch?" He took her mouth again for a heated thrust, leaving her boneless when he pulled away again.

  "Our bodies warm because we are only fertile when they are a certain temperature," he explained studiously, even as he bit the flesh of her ear and sucked in the lobe for a tingling second before releasing it.

  "Will you get hotter?" She started to wiggle so that the apex between her legs rubbed just right on him, a gasp and a moan came from him, feeling accomplished when she heard.

  "Yes. Much." Returning the favor by grinding his pelvis to hers, feeling her shudder.

  "Oh my, god."

  "Croí lómhara," he whispered to her, calming his kisses and placing a stilling hand on her belly as he gently separated himself from her. He stayed close as they both worked to catch their breath, relishing in her need to continue to touch him, a brush of fingertips on his cheek, a palm sliding down his chest as she loosened her grip from his hips and stood on shaky legs.

  Leaning down, he sheltered them with his wings as he pressed his lips to her damp forehead.

  "What does 'croí lómhara' mean?" She asked, tipping her head back to look up at him.

  Smiling down at her, he tucked locks of hair behind her delicate ears, fingering the plain silver hoops that hung from them before he answered. "Precious heart."

  She knew a goofy grin was plastered on her face, but she didn't care. The endearment beat all the other nick and pet names she'd had from past lovers, "Babe," "Sweetie," "Kitten."

  "I should get back to Alyss now," she said, not moving.

  "Yes. You probably should," he agreed, thought he didn’t move either. "I had Kaer put her in your room until you were able to speak to her. There is an empty room beside yours if she wishes to use it."

  "Thank you," Jess sighed and stepped away from him, breaking contact completely. "Walk me back?"

  "It would be my pleasure, Princess."

  "Ugh," she groaned. "I have to explain all of this to Alyss too."

  "Ah," he said, turning back to the coffee table to grab the piece of paper with the notes he made for her. "Then you'll want to take this with you."

  Taking it from him, she glanced at it. "Fallon," she said when he reached to open the door. "This is in shorthand." She came to stand before him outside his room in the hallway.

  "Yes. I learned when I took a couple of online business classes."

  "Oh." Of course, she thought. Made perfect sense. Why wouldn't a creature of ancient legend living underground not attend college? Blinking at his back as he proceeded down the hall, a quirky smile spread on her lips. Him and her sister would definitely find something to chat about later on. Alyss had an ambition for business when she started college but changed her major to art history.

  The thought reminded her of why Alyss was here in the first place. Unlike before, when Jess kept a purposeful blind eye to what her younger sister did with her free time, she would need answers tonight. Morning. What the hell time was it anyway? Opening her mouth to ask, Fallon, she spotted his bare wrists. The man didn’t wear a watch. Maybe he had a phone. She had left her’s in her room. She could wait.

  They walked in mutual silence, brushing against one another now and then, sneaking a touch of hands here and there. The halls were quiet but there were still a couple of stragglers they passed on the way.

  At her door, she turned to lean against it, looking up at him. "This is weird."

  "Is it?" He countered, taking her hand to toy with her narrow fingers, his body blocking the moment from any possible prying eyes.

  "Yes, it is," she said, watching their hands play, the glow from his shielded by a curved wing. "Fallon, my feelings for you are so strong they're scary. Part of me feels like we should slow down, this sort of thing doesn't happen this fast." Their hands laced together briefly before separating, flashes of blue pulsing beneath his skin as the tattoos teased.

  "And the other part of you, Princess?” He asked. His breath on her face. “ What does it say?"

  Looking up, she grasped his hand tightly before answering, seeing the blue solidify. "Not to let go."

  His eyes, intense, flashed a low blue, like the one surrounding their hands, as he leaned down to kiss her quick and deep before pulling away and releasing her.

  "Good day, Princess," he whispered softly, then turned and walked back in the direction of his room.

  Chapter Eight

  Opening the door, Jess entered her room, still slightly drunk on the moment. So when Alyss pounced on her as soon as she stepped inside, she nearly jumped out of her skin.

  "What in the hell is going on, Jess?" she demanded.

  "Jeez!" Holding a hand over her heart, Jess took a couple of labored breathes before looking at her sister, saying "Let’s sit down, I'll explain everything." Luckily Alyss didn't protest and allowed Jess to fill her in.

  When she had finished, she asked, "How did you get the obsidian?" Not sure if Alyss would answer.

  "I was hired to steal it," Alyss said matter-of-factly. When Jess' eyes widened in shock, she went on. "Please, you knew. I know you did," she said accusingly. "You never once asked me how I paid off the rent without having a steady job."

  "I, um, didn't want it to be true, I guess." Jess said, plucking at the thread pills on the wool blanket they sat on top of on the bed.

  "Don't give me that; your judgment," Alyss spat. "We needed the money and we were behind on rent already."

  "Yeah," she said straighter, "but I didn't expect you to start breaking the law."

  "Whatever. Can we please focus on what's important now?" Alyss jumped up from the bed to pace around the room.

  "Fine," Jess huffed. "Who hired you to steal the obsidian?"

  "I'm not sure. It's mostly done anonymously. I get untraceable emails from someone with a job and money offer. When I have it, I usually send a reply to the same email and drop off is arranged. Once that's done, money is transferred into my account." Stopping, Alyss turned to her sister. "It's all really impersonal to protect those involved."

  "That's not helpful," Jess grumbled.

  "Yeah, I know." Puffing out her cheeks, Alyss heaved out a sighed, stopping in the center of the room to look at Jess. "What are you going to do, about the Unseelie I mean? And the Fomorians." She had a funny spaced out look on her face for a split second. Jess could relate though, this was all completely bizarre.

  "I don't know. I mean I know I have to help them but I don't know any of them and-" she hesitated.

  "And, what?" Alyss pried, coming to sit back down beside her on the bed..

  "It's weird, but I'm worried if the Unseelie can be trusted," she confided. "I mean they were kicked out of the Se
elie court for a reason and what if I let them back in when this is all over and it all falls apart?" Alyss put a comforting hand on her knee and gave it a little squeeze.

  "Lyss, they want me to be queen! I don't want to screw up before that even happens."

  "I'm with you whatever you decide. We'll figure it out." Alyss, always the rock.

  Right then, Jess forgave her for stealing, for the most part. She knew that Alyss only wanted to help provide and only found one way to do it. Granted it wasn't the smartest decision, but Jess couldn't condemn her reasons behind it. She wanted to protect her sister, just like Jess would have done.

  Jess smiled back at her baby sister, thinking that it should be her that was the rock, the one to provide, being the oldest. All she seemed to be was in the way sometimes. She was barely through with a couple of simple math classes when she caved and settled for an associates in business. When she called it quits after nearly running out of the graduation ceremony, she just took on more hours at the bar and worked at the concessions stand in the stadium during the summer.

  "Now, tell me all about what had you all dopey looking when you walked in here," Alyss said, drawing up her legs to tuck them under her, ready for any juicy details revealed.

  They spoke until well after noon before they both fell asleep on the bed, they'd always been somewhat close, except the last year or so, after their parents had died. Jessandra guessed it was so they could deal on their own first.

  A knock at the door woke them just after 7 o'clock in the evening. Pushing Alyss' arm off her head, Jess stumbled to answer it, thankful for the dark gray yoga pants and baggie off the shoulder, rose colored sweater rather than her usual boy shorts and camisole.

  Opening it, she found Kaer waiting on the other side.

  "Good night, Princess Jessandra." Kaer smiled widely. "I'm here to escort you both to the dining hall for first meal."

  "Okay," she said, around a yawn, going to cover it with her hand she found what may or may not have been dried drool on the corner of her mouth and chin.

  Kaer's lips quirked, but didn't say anything else before stepping away from the door to wait as they dressed.

  Shutting the door, Jess walked over to the dresser, where someone had unpacked her things. Pulling out her singular pair of jeans, she tossed them on the bed, jerking Alyss awake.

  "Wha-?" She sat straight up, looking bleary eyed around the room.

  The older sister in her was satisfied by Alyss' reaction. "Breakfast."

  "Ugh. Can't I get mine later?" Alyss grumbled as she went to roll over and get comfortable again.

  "I don't think it works that way here," Jess found a dark red tank top and clean pair of socks. "I have no idea if the kitchen is open between meals or not." Peeling off yoga pants and sweater, she snatched the bra she had slinked out of before passing out off the floor and quickly donned both it and the clean shirt before her sister rolled back to sit up.

  Through the grumbling, Jess was able to decipher something along the lines of "Not enough sleep, better have coffee," from her sister's lips.

  "I think your bag is in your room," Jess informed her, leaning down to tug on the jeans.

  Alyss just nodded, waving a hand in her direction. "They have great coffee," Jess said, after she snapped and zipped in the comfy blue cotton and started to look for her messenger's bag.

  Head snapping up, Alyss looked at her, dead serious, "No joke?"

  "Best I've had in a while," she replied, seeing her drag herself off the bed and fumble to put her shoes on.

  "Ok. Let's go," she said, walking past Jess and through the door she held open for her. "But there had better be coffee. And the best damned coffee, too."

  Kaer asked them how their day was and if they'd slept well, when they met him outside. He wore a dark blue button down dress shirt tonight, same open tabs at the back for his wings, dark blue jeans and black utility boots. The boots seemed to be a standard for everyone in Fallon's immediate guard, Roshea wore the same the night before, too.

  Kaer led them to an opposite cavern from the residences, where it opened to a mess hall of sorts. Five rows of tables lined the room, filled with people enjoying what looked to be breakfast. The room was loud and filled with more people than she thought had occupied the Fomorian caverns.

  They maneuvered themselves past the throng of people, all eating and conversing, some children running around and between them, happy squeals coming from all of them, even a large mutt looking dog chased after a wayward little girl dodging between tables. When Kaer finally stopped, he guided and helped them both to sit at a large table in the back of the cavern. Only the table they sat at had individual chairs, the rest had benches for seating. Though these chairs were a mix between a child’s seat and an adult’s. Instead of a normal backed chair, these seemed to have shorter supports to rest with. The moment Kaer sat down in one of the chairs, Jess understood their unique design. Anything higher and it would be uncomfortable for the winged males to sit down on. The benches made more sense now too. Suddenly, her skin began to tingle. Whipping her head around, she looked for Fallon. When a hand rested where her shoulder met her neck, she relaxed, knowing the fleeting touch was from him. He slid between the seats to sit down beside her.

  "Good evening, Princess," he said, his lips ticked up on one side in a half grin.

  "Good evening, Mo rí," Jess greeted back with a tad of a blush and sly smile on her face.

  Picking up the pitcher in front of them on the table, he took the cup at her setting and filled it with what looked like orange juice. "Princess," he started, setting her now full cup in front of her and moved on to fill her plate with scrambled eggs, a slice of ham, toast and a scoop of fruit. "I am not your king."

  "No, but you are my leader in all this right now," she said sincerely, meeting his gaze for a moment. He nodded in understanding, just before Alyss spoke up.

  "What does Mo rí, mean?"

  Jess quickly explained while Fallon turned to speak to a couple males on his end of the table. They spoke in another language. One that sounded lyrical and ancient, like when he had called her “dearest heart” earlier that morning.

  Seeing Kaer, who sat across from Alyss, finish adding food to Alyss' plate Jess asked him, "Is it custom to fill the guest’s plates at the table?" Alyss looked interested to hear the answer as well.

  He smiled when he answered, dimples showing, "Only custom to fill female’s plates at the table we sit at." He went on to pour himself a glass of orange juice.

  "Why?" Alyss asked around a mouth full of egg.

  "Jeez, 'Lyss. Manners much?" Jess scolded and they all chuckled.

  "It used to be just the female you were mated to. But in the last battle, many warriors lost their lives. The surviving males would honor their memory by caring for the widows at the meal table." The silence at the table that followed his words was deafening.

  Sensing the change in mood, Fallon turned back to them, seeing Jess push her food around a little, reality having rained on the good evening she was enjoying, he reached a hand out to brush a wave of hair over her shoulder to see her face. Hearing Kaer clue him in, Jess looked up, her eyes meeting his.

  "It was thousands of years ago, grá," he whispered, seeing that her heart ached at the story.

  "But for you, it must feel so fresh. Since you live so long," she whispered back, reaching to take his hand when it dropped from her hair

  Hands clasped tightly, he moved them to rest on her thigh. "Not as bad as you might think. None here were alive then. Our ancestors suffered, yes, and we still honor them, but it is not our heartache to bear." With his free hand, he nudged her chin up.

  Below the table, she could feel her hand begin to tingle with his markings. A sexual zing had her breath catching and a blush tinting her cheeks. She tilted her head down to hide it and leaned closer to Fallon, who rested his forehead to her temple. Jess felt a little silly but brushed the feeling away and just enjoyed the closeness for a moment.


  "Alyss was wondering about the children, Princess," Kaer's voice interrupted their stolen moment. Breaking apart, they let each other's hands go, looking to him.

  "Children?" Jess croaked.

  "Yeah," Alyss said, taking a second to swallow. "None, even the boys, have wings."

  "Ah," Fallon said, coughing around a chuckle. "None of the children are born with wings. They grow during puberty, which is usually between eighteen and twenty-two for us."

  "Huh," Alyss said, grabbing a second helping of toast. "Why not born with? I imagine growing wings has to be worse than teething."

  They all laughed a little at that. Fallon sobered before answering, "Trust me, you wouldn't want to bear children with extra appendages with the risk of catching or getting hung up in the birth canal." The men laughed again this time at the girl's mutual shutters of horror the image he created for them.

  "Good point," Alyss grumbled, putting down her second slice of toast, appetite lost.

  Fallon leaned forward again to speak to Jess quietly. "Princess, have you made a decision?"

  She put her fork down before taking a deep breath, "Yes, I have."

  "And?" He was all business now.

  "I'd like to offer a joining of the two courts," her hands shook but her voice was clear. "Can we have a meal of some sort like a Thanksgiving?"

  "Thanksgiving?" Fallon was confused at this.

  "Oh," Kaer chimed in. "A moment of truce between two people as they share a meal."

  "Ah. I see." Fallon thought about it for a moment. "Yes, I believe a meal could be arranged for this evening." Looking up, he scanned the room before spotting someone in the crowd and motioned with one hand for them to their table. The female wore worn jeans and a white t-shirt that had a logo on the top left reading "Joe's Perk Café." Her black hair was swept in a neat ponytail and she wore no makeup, of which she didn't need, she was model gorgeous without it, with sultry lips and thick eyelashes that framed doe brown almond eyes. She rounded the table to stand between their chairs, forcing Jess to move her hand or risk it getting twisted or pinned. Her back to Jess, she leaned her head down to listen to something Fallon said.