‘Do it. Uncuff him and bring him with you. I won’t begin my partnership by denying my claimed the single thing she asks for.’
My claimed. An overpowering, cloying, hateful mix of jealousy and envy wrapped its fingers around my throat, dampening my voice. ‘It’s your call, Majesty,’ I responded, my voice terse. I tapped off my wrist screen before Alcide could respond, and stormed back inside the cell.
‘Get on your feet,’ I snapped at Vesper. Anna gave me a startled look as she zipped up her uniform, her deliciously smooth skin disappearing. I felt a pang of loss, but ruthlessly pushed it aside; in a matter of moments, Anna would be myQueen. She’d be for me to obey, not worship. Her skin would befor Alcide to touch, to caress, to lick as she trembled. I’d never be so close to her again.
I stepped forward, the words pushing up my throat as if I’d choke on them if I didn’t let them out. ‘Anna,’ I said hoarsely. ‘I’m so sorry that I took you from your home. I’m so sorry that I brought you into this, sorry for the mess I made. I know that this was all my fault, and I hope you can forgive me. One day.’
She blinked at me, and her expression went soft. Her springtime scent filled my nose and I fought the urge to touch her. ‘Callan,’ she said gently. ‘I’ve already forgiven you. Despite the way this began, I can’t regret it.’ She reached out; I held myself rigidly still as her fingertips brushed over my arm. ‘You gave me an adventure that I never would have been brave enough to take for myself.’
There was a moment as we stared at one another, a moment that stretched and seemed to thicken, heavy with the things I felt but couldn’t say, tense with emotions I imagined flickering in her eyes. Her fingers stayed on my arm, and it was as if they were grounding me, tethering me,tyingme to the tiny human I’d stolen but would never get to keep.
I swallowed, armouring myself against the feeling, stepping back and breaking the moment, then fishing under my uniform for the darkmatter key.
It was an odd thing. The metal made me uneasy, so I’d wrapped it in layers of thick linen and encased it in a small, thin box made of Tirian steel. My uniform was full of secret pockets, intended for hiding different weapons, and the box was settled in one against my hip.
Vesper regarded me solemnly as I took it out and opened it. When I unwrapped the key, he hissed.
Anna took his hand.
I knelt and fit the key inside the cuff. I didn’t like the thought of Vesper chained, but I didn’t exactly want him free, either. Hewas a potential danger to Alcide and to Anna, and therefore he was a danger to everything I held dear. I paused for a moment before I turned the key; the silence in the cell was so thick I could have cut it with a knife.
There was no sound as my wrist twisted. The only noise came from the cuff as it fell with athunkonto the cell floor.
I tensed, waiting.
Vesper gave a dark laugh; he stretched his arms above his head. Light streamed into the cell, intohim, and his skin began to glow from within, his golden eyes brightening. The air around him heated.
‘By the stars, that’s better,’ he muttered. He poked a long, glowing finger into my chest. ‘You do know how that thing works, don’t you? It blocks starlight from our forms andstarvesus.’ He stepped forward, uncomfortably close, and fisted his hand in my hair, holding me still as his lips brushed across my mouth. He kissed me gently once, twice, before my lips parted and he kissed meproperly, his tongue flicking against mine, his teeth raking my lip, his fingers so tight in my hair that my eyes smarted. Fire spread through my body and I went rock-hard as he pressed up against me; just as I reached back – just as my hands curled around his hips, as my teeth sank into his lip, as I felt his cock hardening against mine – he pushed me away.
I stared at him, bemused, struggling to control my ragged breath and the way my chest tightened.
He gave me a wide, taunting grin, so beautiful my heart gave a painful thud. ‘Thanks, handsome. It’s been fun.’
Light swirled into the cell; I threw up my arm as my eyes burned. ‘Anna!’ I roared, staggering back. I blinked down my second eyelids, shading my eyes with my hand as the flare began to die down.
Vesper and Anna were nowhere to be seen.
I screamed as mybody tore itself into a million tiny pieces, but no sound emerged. I was rushing upwards and there was light all around me, keeping my pieces together as I moved at a speed I couldn’t fathom. I could see nothing but light and darkness, feel nothing but the rush of distance past me. It was terrifying and exhilarating all at once; a deep chuckle rumbled through the black, and a voice wrapped around whatever was left of my mind.
‘I knew you’d like it, lodestar.’
I couldn’t answer, but I knew the voice was right.
‘Wake up, Anna.’
I moaned wordlessly.
‘Anna. Wake up.’
I roused myself enough to give a slight shake of my head.
‘You have to help me out, lodestar. I don’t know where we are.’
‘Vesper,’ I said breathlessly. ‘Vesper, I’m going to –’
I leaned to the side and vomited.
‘I swear by the stars, I have marooned beings for less than that.’ Vesper’s voice was wry. ‘Why must organics persist in being so surprisingly disgusting?’ Gentle hands stroked my hair back from my cheeks and held it away from my face. ‘I suspect there’s more coming. I’ll try not to judge you, brightness, though I make no guarantees.’
