by Gaja J. Kos
He dragged his fingers across her collarbone, and she welcomed the touch more than he could have imagined, more than she would ever let him know. She focused on the feel of his fingertips, releasing the fear that threatened to rise within her and consume her before she would even have the chance to resist. The connection of his skin with hers kept her grounded, feeding her with a lively force she never thought possible to feel next to someone who ruled over the afterlife; she raised her arm, cupping the sharp features of his face, before running her hand through the faultless mass of pure black.
“Okay,” she whispered. She caught a strand of his hair one final time before repositioning herself on the bed, prepared, or at least prepared as much as she could be, for the unknown that followed.
Veles leaned over her, placing his right hand on the sun-dipped white-and-gold fabric that stretched on her left side. He lowered his head, his eyes so close to hers that she could see the green embers beginning to rise inside his irises as he established a connection with the force he carried within his body. She could sense it, the unmistakable fragrance of power that had no equal within the mortal world, gently wrapped in the most appealing smell of olives, a prominently individual touch which spoke of the otherness of his potential; Rose had smelled power before, but never found it to manifest as something as personal as the one that rested within the god of the underworld.
“Remember,” he said, the warmth of his breath flowing over her lips, “I will be here the whole time.”
He found her mouth, leaning into the kiss with an exotic mixture of fervor and frailness. She let out a moan at the pleasantness of his taste spreading within her mouth, reveling in the soft texture of the feel of his lips against hers. He didn't break the kiss as he reached out with his free hand, finding the correct position of fingers on her temple.
He parted her lips once more with his tongue, allowing the hunger they shared for each other to rush through them both. She consciously lost herself in his osculation, her body filling up with perilous desire. Drunk from his taste, she felt one of his fangs lightly snag at her lip, the pleasure of it sending a molten wave through her veins before it all stopped, the phantom pressure of his fingertips on her temple the only reminder of where she had been merely seconds ago.
Chapter 15
Harrowing pain shot through her body, the sense of something vile spreading inside her. Grinding her teeth, she pushed through the agony, her instinct guiding her to hide herself behind the mind shields that had been cast subconsciously by the distant corporeal form that rested in the world of the living, the world to which she was now connected only by the faintest trace of Veles's fingertips on her temple.
Try not to fight it. And remember why you are doing this.
His words echoed in her memory, anchoring her mind. Rose realized she couldn't hide behind the shields protecting her from the sensation of agonizing pain, not if she wanted to obtain the information for which she had embarked on this journey. She fought against her instinct, letting the shields dissolve; however, this time she knew to be prepared for the burning sensation that followed. Trying her best to divert attention from the clearly dying flesh she had found herself in, she shifted her focus from touch to the remaining four senses.
Screams echoed from the barren walls, which appeared to be nothing but bare rock. She tried to turn around, to take in her surroundings, but realized she didn't have any control over the temporary corporeal form she had been put in. Finally understanding what Veles had meant by trying not to fight it, she expanded her senses, pushing them to the limit of their abilities while she remained calm within the unresponsive other form, taking in every piece of information she could gather as an unconventionally involved spectator.
The screams continued to pierce her ears; she searched behind them for any words that might have been said in the distance, but found nothing. She let the auditory channel remain open in the background, switching her attention to the other three senses left at her disposal. The copper smell of blood festered in the damp air, acting in unison with the unmistakable taste of it in her mouth. Whoever was dying had chewed away a good part of his own flesh on the insides of his cheeks, but that wasn't anything particularly surprising, given the level of pain he had to endure. But something else struck her, an unnatural presence which prickled at her senses–there was something lurking behind the blood.
She could taste it as well as smell it. Since the latter came more natural to her, she focused completely on the particular scent she had yet to isolate. She rummaged through the blood, the sweat, the fear, pushing past the unmistakable stench of dying, to the one thing that had been present with all the branded victims she had come across so far...
Rose had no doubt she finally found the essence of the toxin, but there was something different about the vile smell of it; the poisonous liquid had always seemed alive, yet the stench it gave off carried an air of staleness within it. The scent she isolated now, letting it write itself into her memory, carried the same base notes, but it was nonetheless a variation of it. Something that spoke of a contorted liveliness added into the mix, and unlike its sister toxin, this one reeked not only of death, but also of incomprehensible power.
The scent securely cataloged in her mind, she once again opened herself up for the dying man's line of sight. He had turned, giving her the chance to see a straight line of cots stretching alongside the damp stone wall, each of the beds occupied by a screaming form; she was unable to tell whether they were werewolves or not. The man's vision slightly blurred with pain, but she guessed at least some of them must have been the missing Whites. Her suspicions were confirmed when the were's sight cleared up a little, giving her a glimpse of withering white forms a few beds away. The sounds of pain grew louder, and by the echoes of screams, she knew the macabre row of cots had probably been mirrored on the other side, stretching out a horrifying distance.
She searched the areas that the dying form gazed upon, trying to remember as much detail as she could possibly get from the were's yet again hazy vision, but the longer she focused, the more she feared her efforts would be in vain. Nothing stood out. There were no indications to help her discover who had brought the bodies into the narrow cavern.
There were only the screams and–as she dreadingly discovered–the approaching death. It came like a wave across the adjacent cots, the outcries dying out as it took them, one by one, with a chilling speed. The werewolf shifted, trying to hold on for a little longer in his wolf form, but Rose knew the corporeal form she occupied would come next.
For the split second it took, she opened herself completely to the man's senses, feeling the last remains of mortal flesh burn up in the embers of venomous vigor.
“Shh, it's okay. I've got you, Rosalind.”
She barely heard the words over her sobs, her body trembling uncontrollably in Veles's protective embrace. He held her tight to his chest, stroking her hair as she allowed herself to cry and release the pain she had felt through the deceased were, the fear when the approaching death dawned upon him. Gasping for air, she buried her face in Veles's chest, the linen of his shirt wet under her skin as the tears continued to flow. She focused on the steady caresses traveling down her back, on the warmth radiating from his body, steadily pushing the draining feeling of death further away.
“You see this every time?” She lifted her head, her words ragged as she fought to calm her breath.
Veles observed her face., the gold filaments that must have been more pronounced in her tear-soaked eyes. “Yes.”
She let out another sob, placing her head in the nook of his neck. He held her in silence, the shivers that ran through her body slowly subsiding. When she had calmed down enough, he lowered her onto the bed, thoughtfully placing her head on the comfort of the wide pillow.
“You will need to rest now, Rosalind.” His voice came out warm, something she hadn't even thought to associate with the god before.
He tucked a loose strand of her hair behind
her ear, running his thumb softly across her cheek to brush away one final lingering tear. She managed a faint smile as she observed the care reflecting in his eyes. He returned the gesture, no fangs showing in his line of teeth, before pressing his lips against her forehead.
“Sleep, srček.” His words vibrated against her skin as he held the kiss. “I'll be on the patio when you wake up.”
She felt his lips pull away, unable to open her eyes, and heard the soft fall of footsteps as he exited the bedroom. The phantom feelings of the kiss he placed on her forehead brought a smile to the corners of her lips before every sound faded out, and a dreamless sleep washed over her, her mind finally shutting off.
Veles lay stretched out on the daybed, sipping on a glass of red wine as he gazed somewhere in the distance. The parasol offered him the comfort of the well-needed shade in the afternoon heat that came down hard upon the land. Lost in his thoughts, Veles didn't acknowledge the werewolf until she was halfway across the patio. She stalked over to the daybed, and, much to his surprise, slid alongside him, nudging away his hand to place her head on his shoulder.
“And here I genuinely thought showing you a fragment of the underworld would make you run the other way with your claws extended.” He cupped her chin, tipping it up to see just how close Rose was willing to let him come.
She didn't flinch at his gesture, but rather leaned nearer, bringing her lips almost up to his. “Just shut up for once, will you?”
He let out a full-hearted laugh, sliding his hand around to the nape of her neck. There was still a hint of pain behind those specks of gold so delicately spread across the midnight blue of her eyes, but it faded with the way she looked at him, an overcoming combination of life and desire. She swung herself on top of his body, a graceful move, but one that nonetheless spoke of the agility only a born fighter could obtain.
No, not fighter, Veles thought, fascinated by the new light the werewolf had shown herself in. Predator.
She kissed him before he had the chance to act on the impulse himself, parting his lips and finding the warmth of his mouth as she lowered her body onto him. The fullness of her breasts fell against his chest; he let out a groan, catching the curve of her hips with his hands, his fingers tightening as he explored her ripped body, which responded zealously under his touch.
She raised herself enough to unbutton his shirt, revealing his lean torso to the heat of the afternoon. She trailed her extended claws carefully over his chest, the tips leaving thin lines down his lightly tanned skin.
He threw back his head as he felt the werewolf's lips follow the path her claws had laid out beforehand; goosebumps erupted where her mouth left the skin exposed, the wet trails of her tongue heightening the feel of wind that swept across his skin.
Just as she reached the waist of his pants, her canine teeth playfully tugging at the hem that threatened to give way under his demand, he picked her up with strength no mortal could possess. He pulled her into his lap, feverishly finding her lips, which openly welcomed him as he plunged into her mouth, his head spinning. She locked her legs around his body, positioning herself closer, deeper between his wide-spread legs, a ravaging craving rushing through her when she felt his demand brush up against her so tightly.
Without warning, he lifted her effortlessly, catching her lips when she wanted to gasp in surprise at the sudden movement. They covered the distance to the bedroom with a speed even someone from the supernatural community wouldn't dare to dream of achieving, and Rose found herself lying on her back, the cool feel of the bedspread below her while her chest burned with the heat that radiated from Veles.
He parted her legs with his knee, placing himself firmly between them as he fumbled through her hair with his fingers, snapping away the elastic band that held her golden blonde strands tucked away in a braid. He spread the lively mass of hair down the pillows, then buried himself in it, his lips finding the tender line of her neck. A cool fire engulfed Rose's body, followed by the flowing caresses of air that seeped through the windows, alerting her to the inconceivable fact that she now lay naked underneath the god, her clothes no more than ashes scattered across the bedspread. When she tried to open her mouth in question, she found her words blocked by Veles's lips; he drew her into another kiss, cupping her breast with his free hand while he smoothly balanced himself on the other. A violent craving shot through her flesh; he picked up on it instantly, releasing her breast to unzip his pants in a single effortless move.
The warm breath of his mouth caressed the side of her neck, the heat of his body pulsing in lust as he thrust into her, his deep masculine groan vibrating down her skin. She pulled him closer, drinking in the alluring scent of the olive-scented power that seemed to throb in unison with his movements.
Her body threatened to erupt under the possessiveness of his touch; an exceptionally pleasing sense of control radiated from Veles, the kind that made her body ache in desire to be ravished. She sunk her claws into his back, the god's elated response notable between her thighs. He sucked on the tender skin of her neck, riding the escalation of sighs she couldn't control anymore. With a deep thrust that sent her right to the edge, her back arched as she threw her head into the pillows, he found the pulsing vein beneath her skin and sunk his fangs into it, claiming her as his in the midst of their erupting moans.
Veles poured a glass of water and handed it over to the were who sat nude behind his kitchen counter. He enjoyed watching her form as the late afternoon light found its way through the lightly shaded windows, the rays drawing golden streaks across her skin. He joined her, using the opportunity to press his naked body against hers as he embraced her from behind, his lips brushing against the two perfectly spaced puncture wounds on her neck.
“You do know we'll have the whole god-with-fangs discussion later, don't you?” Rose purred while he wrapped his hand around her waist in lascivious affection.
He maneuvered around her and sat down by her side; he shot her smile. Pulling up a bottle of Bordeaux from under the counter, he poured it into the two large wine glasses he picked from the impressive row of glasses that hung upside down from a wooden railing suspended from the ceiling on two sturdy chains.
“I don't know about you, but I wouldn't mind drinking this out in the sun.” He motioned towards the patio, which looked more than inviting in the afternoon light.
A charming frown played across Rose's face. “You burned away my clothes, remember.”
“A shy little werewolf.” The corners of his lips tugged up in amusement. “We're alone.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know.” She rolled her eyes. “But that doesn't change the fact that I'd like to go out on the patio wearing at least something over my skin.”
He put down his wine glass and took Rose's head into his palms. “You can always shift, love.”
She growled at him, showing him the lethal tips of her teeth before bursting out in uncontrollable laughter. “Shut up and give me something to wear.”
She pulled him into a kiss, running her hands down his back in a way that made it clear to him that he wasn't the only one who could play a game of teasing.
“Fine,” he groaned into her mouth, savoring her taste one more time before stalking out of the kitchen and into the bedroom.
He came back dressed only in a pair of black pants similar to the ones he had incinerated during his heated indulgences with the invitingly naked werewolf who now sat behind the counter, casually leaning on it with one elbow.
“I'll give you slightly more proper clothes when we part.” He handed Rose a rose gold kimono gown with midnight blue stitching across the back, raising one eyebrow in statement. “I'd hate for anyone to see up your thighs. Would have to gouge their eyes out.”
“Aw, you have a garment in my colors. Did you cuddle with it at night?” Rose let out a husky laugh, wrapping herself in the silk fabric.
Wine glass in one hand, the other curled around his hips, she led them out on the patio. They sat down on the daybed, taking
a sip of their wine in preparation.
“The cavern,” Rose started in media res. “You can tell me the exact location, yes?”
Chapter 16
Rose didn't have high hopes for finding anything of relevance in the cavern, but they had to check, had to be sure she hadn't missed anything while she was studying it through the eyes of the dying were. If they were lucky, the bodies might have remained there, and if they took Nathaniel with them, a proper examination could give them a few more answers about the toxin.
“Yes,” Veles replied, his green eyes even more vivid in the sun. “However, I'd advise you to save your strength. You won't find anything there.”
“No offense, but you sort of said the same thing about the White werewolves' den, and the outcome was quite the opposite.”
She hadn't forgotten his arrogant tone of voice, hadn't forgotten how he though their excursion to the Czech Republic would be a waste of time, and she certainly hadn't forgotten the tight feeling in her chest when she heard the faint heartbeat under the pile of carcasses.
“I made a mistake,” he said and made a tssking sound. “This time, I made sure I wouldn't.”
Rose shot him a questioning gaze, not quite certain what the god meant.
“I went there,” he answered dryly, his gaze brushing across the horizon before returning to her. “And found the cavern completely bare. Even the cots had been removed, Rosalind. There is literally nothing there.”
“How...” Her words trailed off as she tried to wrap her mind around the multiple strands of thought that threatened to make her dizzy. “How did you manage to do all of that in such a short time? I thought the souls came to you in the hours before dawn?
And how the fuck did someone manage to remove everything from the cavern before you got there?”