The odd-shaped bird-woman dove through trees of Warwood, rattling the tops in a spray of green leaves and tree needles. Staying low to escape her pursuer. Weaving through the shadows of thick tree trunks and splashes of blinding gold light which shimmered between.
It was cool and dark this low. Smelling of wet dirt. Concealing her movements better than the cresting dawn above which threatened to reveal her altogether. Manipulating through trunks by twisting and arcing, she was careful of her dark, bony wings. Likely to snap if she crashed into a tree.
Already breathing heavily, she struggled to keep moving. Clearly unaccustomed to fleeing.
She won't escape today. Not from me.
Sebastian's eyes focused on the strange look of her. Like nothing I've witnessed before.
A distance above, and behind her, tree trunks snapped like kindling. An immense black shadow spread its silhouette over the tree canopy. Darkening the trunks below. And casting over her.
She sped up. Wings pumping in a determined escape. Black hair trailing behind buzzed with lightening currents stemming from her scalp. Each tress frosting into a silvery mane.
Declaring her presence like a beacon in the dim light. He smiled a toothy grin. Looking particularly ominous on his gold scaled snout.
She heard the whoosh of giant wings. A look above revealed the gold hunter's outline as it stalked her.
Deeming her worthy prey.
Come here, My Sweet. He thought. Waiting for her to slide into reach.
Her blood red eyes seeped to startling blue.
She's tiring. Her guise diminishing with her magic.
She's running out of time. Having flown long past even her impressive endurance.
Good. Soon she'll be mine. Turnabout is fair play. The gaze of the gold eyes zeroed in on the bird-woman.
You'll have to fly a hell of a lot faster than this if you hope to escape me, Little Bird.
He heard her thoughts. Intending to identify his whereabouts then dive into dark underbrush and let him pass over.
Oh, I'm not so fool as that!
She shot into the sky. Twisting in flight with the efficiency of a hummingbird.
Fast. But I'm faster. He watched her intensely. Tracing her movements with lethal precision. The monstrosity of shimmering scales nearly blinded her as he appeared from nowhere, stretching razored talons.
Escaping the sting of a claw by microseconds, she unfortunately caught the giant edge of a feathered wing in the face.
He'd pivoted to pursue her, not expecting her to suddenly fly into his trajectory. His wing hit her with the force of a runaway horse.
Ouch. His gold eyes narrowed, drawing scaled brows low as he bared teeth in a wince.
She screeched. Unprepared for the stinging blow, she was knocked from flight. Dropping in a deadfall.
The gold beast tried to catch her once more, barely missing. One black claw slicing a thin line along her side as she slipped through his grip.
She quieted, too weak to do anything but drop. A few drops of blood showering from the wound as she fell.
***
That was how Serenade the valkyrie, plummeted into the warm embrace of Lily Lake. Shimmering on the fringe of Phalanx Forest's dark treeline. The water swayed into a grasping hand as she hit. Drawing her under.
Once she was beneath, the surface stilled as if it'd never consumed her. Even the flowers trimming it stood fast, despite the breeze stirring them further into the woods.
Eerily motionless here, if one didn't know what magic cradled this land.
But he did. He knew what emanated magic all over the valley and into this brushing of trees. WaterRose.
He glanced in the distance and saw the watery river walls of the Forever Knight stronghold. Light teased over the grassy meadow between the trees and the structure. Home.
His alert gold gaze returned to the water, waiting. She moved precisely as I maneuvered her. He thought, self-satisfied.
Like herding a falcon.
Now she's in my dominion...My prey...The giant winged dragon was complete with a ridge along his spine and twining serpentine tail. Rumbling in his throat caused a billow of sulfury smoke to waft between sharp teeth. Leaving the acrid stench floating over the trees. His bat like wings were trimmed with feathers along the bone, making them silent as they coasted the air. His elongated snout and flared nostrils traced the exact location where she fell. Stalking her singular scent.
Unlike anything else.
This winged female was far from the angel that'd fallen for his kind centuries ago. She's something else...
Something darker. Something more like...Me.
***
No sooner had she hit the water then a square shouldered man, emerged from the woods dressed in immaculate white. Shirt laced at the collar with frilled sleeves. Black breeches accompanying boots which had, earlier in the night, been polished but were now mucked from crunching foliage.
His whistle elicited the creak of WaterRose's drawbridge and summoned thudding hooves. Sivikon loping to me.
The silver stallion stopped behind him. Dragging its lead. Tossing his head, he stared at the water through silver flecked blue eyes.
Sebastian stopped at the edge of the clearing. Watching the water's still surface. Blue-green eyes flicking over the banks. Until he spotted a distance away the glint of his amulet shining from the naked branch of a tree. He collected it and stuck it in his pocket. Rounding to assess the lake.
Chin lifting, he eyed the water haughtily. Sleek movements revealing his animalistic nature.
Come up, Lovely. You can't hide down there forever.
Seconds passed agonizingly slow. He didn't move. Waiting.
The horse next to him gave a shrill neigh.
"Shh, Sivikon." He put a calming hand to its muzzle. "All things in time, My Friend..."
She ruptured the water. Bursting in a rush of bared flesh shivering from ragged breaths.
His eyes hungrily roved her beautiful form.
Surely her skin can't be as smooth as it looks. His eyes grew hooded as he watched.
Waist deep in water, she tossed pale blonde hair back. Limbs shaky, she calmed enough to rise. Floating across the surface with only toes cutting a swath. Water slipped over her skin like a falling silk sheet. Tiny droplets clinging to the gold circlets vining her arms. All she wore, save a bit of flimsy garb which drew lazily over her shoulders and wrapped her waist.
Meagerly covered. Sebastian thought as he watched the soaked woman breathing heavily as she gasped for air.Knocking the hood of his cloak back gave him a better view. And revealed the shine of his gold hair in the morning light. Long tresses which swayed as he moved.His gaze traced her from head to toe. She was hiding a lot under those LandingTown clothes.Hovering over the water, she reached delicate toes to step onto the bank. Her sparking eyes flitting over the clearing. Flashing from dark blue to blood red and back again as she laid eyes on him. Face a mask of fury. Her head fell back as though her damp hair weighed more than she could hold up. Her legs shook and gave as she collapsed.The reins of Sebastian's mount slipped from his shoulder to land amongst heavy green leaves littering the ground as he moved from Sivikon.Reaching her side, he caught her just before she'd have hit. Sweeping her into his arms. Come on Little Bird. He grunted. Let's get you inside and have a look a
His eyes roved her assessingly as he decided how he'd put his newest decision into play. Keeping her.But fighting her magic will be a matched battle.I'll borrow hers. Turning his outward palm in, he clenched it and pulled it toward his midsection. Abdomen reflexively tightening around the thrill of magic.The dark brown of her flesh was stolen from her. Leaving her skin porcelain perfection. Her head fell back, and the red drained from her eyes like a retreating pool. When her head jerked forward, those eyes were so perfect blue they were nearly purple. Her hair changed from the roots. Spinning back into a moonlit silver glow. Twisted tresses straightened as they dropped around her shoulders. The glistening cover of brown fur running along her sides disintegrated in dark flakes. She dropped naked to her knees, a whoosh of air erupting from her lips. Lurching forward she landed on her palms, back heaving. Struggling for air, since she'd not been able to breathe during the process.Hea
She nodded sure that she'd been followed."Why was it after you?""I-I can't remember. My head," She put a hand to it. "It feels heavy."Your head? What happened to your head? He realized then that his wing must've struck her in the back of it."Did you hit it?" He frowned.Tilting her to examine the back but observing no injury.She's okay. He blew a relieved breath."I don't know." She murmured. Eying him. "Who are you?"The man you tried to steal from."Who do you think I am?""What are you?" She asked through narrowed eyes.Predator, though she was, she knew an instinctive wariness of him.What are you? And where have you been hiding?"I'm wondering." He puzzled aloud. "Does what I make you feel now reflect how you've terrified others in the past?"You're obviously accustomed to having other creatures fear you. He'd noted that back at the ball."Not in the least." Her face jerked in distaste. "I don't fear you. Whereas I've never met a creature that didn't fear me."Doesn't hold tr
He climbed the few steps to the heavy dark wooden doors. Pushing one open with his foot to step into the opulence of the expansive foyer. The triple chandeliers hung from the ceiling. The second dangling from chains connected to the first. And the third hooked to the second. All of them laden with a tight circle of candles. Glowing brightly over the gold trimmed red carpeting beginning at the stairs, leading to the dais where the stairs split into mirror images turning out toward the walls and winding up to the second level. Torches glowing up there.But there was a dark hall passing the dais and continuing to darker chambers down the hall. Lined with elaborate frames along the right. As he passed a few she realized they were portraits, the eyes following their progress. He suddenly turned sharply to take the stairs up the dais.She glimpsed a door going beneath it.My lower room. He often slept in the servant’s chamber under the stairs when trying to recover from some injury or anoth
She was looking for sanctuary in Sebastian’s home.She won’t find any. Not from me.Not here.Thinking putting furniture between them would protect her.Or buy her time.It won’t. Nothing will. His head lowered. Eyes sparking gold. The firelight eerily reflected there. Framed by hair a similar shade, tousled from retrieving her from the lake. Those eyes zeroed in on her. Only they followed her movements. The rest of him still. Like an unmoving predator. Waiting for her to head for that door…“Relax animal.” She hissed.Not a chance.“Until I know what you are, I’ve no intention of putting myself in a situation where I may have to endure your touch again.” She said scathingly.“Such as trying to escape?”Or when you're warm underneath me while I make love to you. Sebastian already had plans for the exciting little bird.Welcome to my domain. Now you're mine...***“Yes.” She rasped. Eyes flushing red before she blinked, and they were blue once more.She’s dodging my gaze. I unnerve her
Oh, I may. He eyed her consideringly.“I’m debating it. The only thing stopping me is that I fear, reciprocated attraction or nay, you’d fight me like a wild animal were I to wrap you in my arms.”Her cheeks sucked in. And eyes lit with challenge.Confirming his suspicions.“With that said…” He tossed the apple in the air and by the time he caught it, he’d risen to his feet in a smooth motion. He crossed the fur rug in a long, graceful stride heading for her.“What are you doing?” She hissed. Backing up until she hit a wall. Leaning forward threateningly. Her eyes rolling to blood red as she prepared to defend herself.“The big, dangerous animal is coming to get you, Little Harpie.” He put a hand to the wall near her shoulder. His fist still clutching the apple as he hovered his body before hers. His lips nearly brushing her ear as he spoke.She watched him through narrowed eyes.He caught her chin and lifted it with a knuckle.Her lip was twitching in fury told Sebastian knew he was
She plotted to discover his weaknesses and leave this wretched castle with the amulet she’d seen still hanging about his chorded neck.A beacon of her purpose, I suppose. He grinned. Shifting happily in his red chair. Slinging an arm over the back as he put a leg over one armrest and kicked thoughtfully.He grunted. Staring at the ceiling above him thoughtfully. “Aren’t we frustrated, Little One?”He felt little remorse for taking her captive for trying to steal from him. Especially for this Prince of Air and Darkness.A creature of Radix’s? He wondered. Some dark Cimmerii?***Bast toyed with the flame of a candle on the table next to him. Pinching the wick and then releasing with dancing fingertips before leisurely scooped handful of exotic nuts from the bowl next to him. Firelight dancing over his features as he chewed.Riding along with her memories of coming to LandingTown with the other woman, watching Sebastian, sighting him as a target and studying his habits.Learning with th
Why that name? The valkyrie wondered but refused to think about it further.Elsabet headed down the corridor and Wrenny fell in line beside her.“Elsabet?” Wrenny asked catching the end of the conversation from the hall.“I know.”“I thought you were done with that name?”“As did I.” Elsabet said sharply.“No one has called you that since…”“Yes.” Elsabet cut the other girl off and bit down the memories it invoked.***Sebastian in his lair, was sorely disappointed she refused to indulge in them. I’d be curious to know why that name has such significance. And how the maid knew it.Bast’s leg swung over the armrest as he enjoyed the memories she rehashed. He reached to pull a book off the round table between the chairs, rolling it in his palms to keep his hands busy and his focus sharp. Anticipation heightening.Blonde hair hung loose over his shoulders. Brushing a beautifully cut overcoat which swathed over a loosely laced white shirt. Leaving his collarbone and the defined lines of h