"But the dream, the echo, slips from him as quickly as he had found it and as consciousness comes to him (a slap and not the gentle waves of oceanic tides), it dissolves entirely. His muscles relax as the cold claims him again, as the numbness sets in, and when his grey eyes open, there’s nothing but the faint after burn of a dream often trod and never remembered." --Brigade, written by Laura
The sunlight can barely be seen through the dense foliage, though the dismal gray and pitchless black of her sharp gaze searches the thick canopy for the pale, subtle streaks of light – bathing her in fragments of warmth, alluring for some but not at all for her. The sun is too high in the sky for time to have escaped her, and a faint, but wicked smile pulls at the corner of her dark lips at the thought.
She had always been agile, but the wolf within her prowled with ease, moving seamlessly through the dark and insidious shadow of evenfall in a way that she never could otherwise, and there is sheer delight stirring the hefty pitter-patter of her shriveled, callous little heart. Dusk had been most productive, and she yearned to impart the knowledge of her clever abduction with another; with the one who would see the brilliance of her ability and share in her wicked glee.
It does not take her long to find him – her teeth, unsheathed to be that of a carnivore, press against the paleness of his skin, raking slowly along the curve of his spine as her cheek caresses the ridge of his shoulder, placing a soft kiss along the warmth of his skin before lightly sinking her teeth into his supple flesh. Longing to taste him, to part the imperfection of his marred skin to see the seeping scarlet that lay beneath – but her desire could not be sated alone by sins of the flesh; she is writhing against him and pressing soft, urgent kisses along the column of his neck as her slender, shapely legs practically dance in place with wry, mischievous elation.
Her scent is heavy as the frigidity of autumn begins to seep into the woodland, caressing the brittle bark of hickory and maple while lacing it with an iciness that would decay and destroy the intensity of the foliage and leave nothing but dry and twisted branches in its wake. It could only come with a change of season and the unyielding passage of time, but it is not sexual gratification that she is seeking – no, she yearns for his sadistic satisfaction, to give him a pleasure that only she and he savored more than carnal desire.
Destruction.
”Come with me,” she coos to him, as the dreary gray of her eye searches the fervent crimson of his own, while her pale ivory forelock falls in the way of her soulful, meaningful stare. Her shoulder brushes against his own while the shadow of her legs carry her deeper into the woodland – where her captive remained, bound and waiting. ”I have brought you a gift.”
There ain’t no rest for the wicked. Planning the upcoming festival and finding time to snoop, pry, torture, plant seeds of doubt, keep his bluebird singing with screams of the flesh, piss off neighboring kingdoms, rule his land … It has ran him ragged. The fuel tank is empty and he has secluded himself to a thicket where the shadows last the longest and the fog is heaviest. This is a place within the forest that he keeps to himself with the exception of her. His red eyes are covered by fine dark lashes, a peaceful white angel with his savagely scarred back sleeping amongst the crumpled orange leaves. His dreams are what most consider nightmares, filled with images of what could possibly lay ahead.
It as at the climax of a highly anticipated ending that she breaks through the heavy sleep. Her teeth on his pale skin, instantly making him lose his drowsiness and harden at her touch. The trailing kisses make him rise and his crimson gaze finds her expectantly, ready to ravage her supple flesh and expose her sins for all the gods to see. However it is not sex that is on her mind and he is only momentarily disappointed, his frustration evident as he places a sharp nip to her flank. Her heavy scent is distracting and he doesn’t bother to hide his excitement for her, let her know what pushing off the inevitable will only come back in three folds later.
Her excitement, however, makes him curious and his annoyance fades quickly. Tendrils of ivory fall over her stormy gaze but there is anticipation there, her body practically quivering with whatever she had in store. She leads him away and he still thinks perhaps this is some hard to get shit so he follows along, prowling behind her. When they stop, he sees nothing but her and he waits expectantly. ”A gift?” A brow raised, a frown on his lips. What better gift then the one she can offer, parting herself and letting him invade her castle? However her mood is infectious and she is staring at something curled near the trunk of a tree. A soft moan escapes it and he moves forward with interest. A new captive. Well yes this is exciting but couldn’t they have fucked first?
It is the scent that hits him, followed by the crumpled ebony wings wrapped in delicate green vines, the dappled spots. Whatever agitation that remained is gone in seconds, replaced with growing elation and triumph. He stares at her in disbelief before turning to Thana, his red eyes shimmering with glee. ”You clever clever girl.” He exclaims, moving to her side and placing reverent kisses along the slope of her neck, biting excitedly at her shoulder before returning his attention on their captive.
It had been years since he had laid eyes on her. She was older but still beautiful with her jaguar spots and curvaceous feminine physique. He hadn’t known she was still alive, still here. ”Where did you find her?” He asks quietly, instantly angered that he hadn’t been made aware of her presence sooner. Someone would need to be punished. Slowly he moves closer to her, running his muzzle against her prone and lifeless body. Trailing the gentle curve of her shoulder to her withers. Biting down sharply against her spine. ”Time to wake up dear sister, it’s a family reunion.”
On the day you finally see that the way you treated me
Was a far cry from love
Blackness. There had been a moment when she had been dreaming of dark skin and red eyes. Ones that drew pleasant feelings from deep within, make her hunger for his warmth. A sound had begun to rouse her but it faded as something collided into her. Fading back to blackness. She still dreams of him, of those red eyes. There’s a throbbing in her head, her wings are aching. Is she dreaming still? A soft moan escapes her, still on the verge of reality and sleep. She comes to quickly when the sharpness hits her, a knife in her back.
Her lashes flutter, disoriented golden eyes landing on red. A rush of relief followed quickly by a dreaded realization. There is no black skin, no brooding smile. Instead her vision is filled with white and sinister red, with a malicious grin hovering above her head. What she had worried for most had finally come to life. ”Gryffen.” She hesitates, knowing better then to show her fear to him despite the complete disadvantage she is in. She struggles to find her feet but she is completely entangled in the green web her captor has created.
A flick of her eyes is casted to the mare behind him and she can instantly see there is no help to be found. Turning back up to her brother, forcing a thin smile even as her body shakes with a mix of fear and anger. Fear of what’s to come and anger for allowing herself to be caught. ”Brother.” She tries again, searching the crimson core of his eyes. Looking for any hint of the one she had once tried to save, if there was any humanity left within him. ”If you had wanted to see me, all you had to do was ask.” Trying to remain calm and pleasant until she can figure out how to escape. How to free herself from this awaiting hell.
She felt the tension rise within the heaviness of the air, and she felt his muscles roll beneath her soft but lascivious kisses, pressed against the taut length of his neck and along the tightened ridge of his jaw. She knew how deeply he desired her, to covet her and to lay claim to what was his, and just as possessively as she had proclaimed him hers, he had wordlessly made her his own, time and time again – but it is not sexual gratification that she has sought, and she cannot conceal the wry smile and soft crooning squeal from her throat when his teeth nip forcefully at her hip in disdain.
He stirred beneath her affection, and there is no doubt within her mind that he has hardened with need, yearning for her intimately – but she is assured by her own instinct that the illicit pleasure of her revelation would give him a satisfaction that sins born of the flesh never could. She is tempted to give pause, to give herself to him as he desired her to, but there is a small part of her that so deeply craves his approval, his delight and contentment – and though blood, violence, and passionate trysts had placated his darkest desire, she is all too aware that to secure herself within the darkest recesses of his wicked mind, she must go beyond --
She must prove to him that she is all that he requires –
Loyalty, brilliance, and darkness, carefully woven into her mischievous gaze and her impish mind. She yearned to push the proverbial envelope, to go further than any other dared to – she would do anything that he asked of her (anything at all; her will was his whim) and that is the depth of her unwavering devotion that has drawn her to him with such fervent temptation, but it is her sly wit and clever ingenuity that will keep her at his side.
Indispensable.
The eye to his hurricane – the ferocity of a dark and formidable storm; the ravenous tide to his roiling sea.
When recognition is lit within the darkness of his scarlet gaze – like a flickering ember, burning into a raging inferno of delight – she is satisfied, her glee and satisfaction filtering through her veins and setting her sensitive nerve endings alight. There is disbelief lingering in the darkness of his stare, soon becoming the exhilaration she longed to see. His mouth is ravenous, pressing and nipping at her indigo skin and she croons softly to him, brushing her dark lips across his cheek.
”For you. Have I pleased you?” she murmurs, her mouth twisted in a wry and wicked smile, her gaze a emblazoned with a fire of her own. ”I found her in Nerine – I heard rumor that your sister lay just beyond the border, and I followed the trail. It did not take long to find her. I have made the Queen aware of our capture, and I have advised her that should she like to see her again, she should make her presence known during our .. celebration.” She pauses then, the warmth of her breath linger across her cheek, desire stirring within her belly at the sheer thought of what was to come.
”Tell me, Gryffen,” and her voice is low, laced with arousal for a reason that is so far beyond her own physical need – ignoring the gentle plea hidden within the feigned calm collective of her captive’s tone. ”tell me – what shall we do with her?”
"For you. Have I pleased you?” She is squirming for his approval, begging for his acceptance. The eyes of black and gray storming with her blazing thunder of delight. ”Exceeded expectations.” He growls softly as his mouth finds the heated skin of her quickening pulse. Nothing could turn him on more and he has half a mind to fuck her right there and then in front of his fallen sibling. Let her see what she was missing out on.
Thana has covered all the bases. Kidnapping. Placing a ransom with the Queen. But what reverberates most is the name of the Kingdom. Nerine. Why hadn’t Aditi taken such initiative? Surely she must have uncovered this information when she traveled to deliver the invitation of the party. Thana had been there and back again in half the time. His disapproving anger begins to simmer along the surface of his ghostly body but he holds it back for the appropriate recipient.
As much as he would love to keep devouring the delicious curves of Thana’s rounded hip, he is being rude to their guest. When she awakens at his bite, the familiar molten gold of her iris’s finding his in drowsy confusion, he starts to laugh softly. "Gryffen.” Hesitance in his name, the subtle note of fear. ”Dear sister.” He responds with a wicked grin. She has always tried to be the calm within a storm but now she was different. Trying to be so stoic but unable to keep the wariness from her voice as she attempts to be snide.
Ignoring the comment, a single ear flicks back to where Thana coos with arousal. What to do with her indeed. ”Let me tell you a story about my big sister.” He starts, finding himself wrapping around his Nightmother as he weaves his tale. Loud enough for the crumpled mare to hear. ”Would you believe she use to be a Queen? What was it they called you? Oh yes….” A snort of amusement as the crimson cores find her golden ones, pressing cold lips to Thana’s throat. ”Khaleesi.” He hisses softly.
”She ruled the Amazons, jungle women. Warriors the lot of them. You probably would have enjoyed it." He teases her as his teeth nibble against the hollow of her cheek. "I respected her then, she had potential.” He knows exactly what words to use that will dig the barbs deep into her soul, what will weaken her resolve. ”And then she, this leader of warriors, allowed herself to be defeated by a lesser ruler. A weak man. He raped her….” A pause, an inflection in the word meant to harm and rouse images of the past. ”Broke her. Made her feeble, fragile. And to add insult to injury, he took another lover right after just to rub it in her face.” His soft laughter sinister as he looks to her once more, leaving the embrace of his own lover to move closer to her.
”Oh you would have liked my sister then Thana. She started a war over it, didn’t you sis?” He can remember her failures vividly despite being only on the sidelines during her fall from grace. ”But in the end it was for nothing. Lost your kingdom, your man, your kids. A shell of what she once was. A dirty common whore.” He spits, a flash in his crimson eyes. ”Oh Liz, if only you had listened to me from the beginning. But you always thought you knew better. Now look at you. Look at me.” He commands, practically radiating with the power he holds over her.
”Now what do you think, my beautiful bird, that we should do with her?” He already knows of course, knows what will make her hurt the most. What will destroy her. ”Whatever we decide, she will agree to willingly. Wouldn’t want to start another war would we? All that innocent blood on your hands…”
On the day you finally see that the way you treated me
Was a far cry from love
She is trapped, a wild animal in a cage. At the mercy of his cruel whims, egged on by the vicious cobalt snake he entwines himself with. She is silent, speechless, at what he has become. There had always been the signs that he would walk a darker path but she hadn’t realized just how black his soul had become. There is no remorse, no regret. He does what he pleases simply for the thrill of it. He is far more dangerous then she had ever thought which has made her vulnerable to him. Assuming she knew him, part of him, when she had never known him at all.
For a moment, her thoughts drift to Offspring despite the fear that floods her. Would he notice she was missing? Would Nayl even realize she was gone? The words Thana whispers to him never reach her own ears, consumed with the throbbing headache that presses around her brain. Not knowing that conditions had been offered for her return. As if Gryffen would release her willingly. She sees the flash of crimson as his malicious gaze finds her and she thinks of the black stallion that had filled her with fire and cracked open her hard exterior. She wonders if she will ever see him again.
Little does she know the seed that lay planted within her at their union, slowly stirring with life. That it’s not only herself that’s in danger but the unborn child as well.
Suddenly her attention is drawn back to his voice as he begins to tell a story. Her lips press into a tight frown, the lines of her face hardening as raven forelock falls lightly to hide her expression. Keeping the pain from him as he hits low blow after low blow. Offspring had released her of all that, so she thinks, of the mistakes she had made before. Of the cruelty Lion had put her through. It still hurts to have it thrown in her face, salt in healing wounds.
She will not allow him the satisfaction of seeing that his blows do land. Instead, she bares her teeth at him, ears pinned as she growls softly in return. He may be a ghostly wolf but she was still a powerful creature in her own right. A wild jungle cat and god help them both if she got loose and was given her claws.
As they speak uncaringly of what to do with her, a slow dread begins to work it’s way along her spine. Making her lungs suffocate with sudden panic, her heart thundering wildly within her chest, her throat constricting tightly as her mouth runs dry. It’s in the way he speaks, a subtle tone. He already has something in mind, already has a plan.
Once more she thinks of Offspring as he weaves his way to stand over her, looking up at him and suddenly weary and filled with sorrow. No, she would not have his blood on her consciousness or any of those that he swore to protect. She turns her head to look at the autumn leaves that dangle above her to hide the sting of tears, gritting her teeth. How could such a beautiful place be so ugly at it’s core. How could this be Hell?
