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Tracing my fingers along the tattoos on his neck, I raised my hand to his face, sealing the gap between us. Flames enveloped our bodies, the heat arising under our skin as his hands wrapped around my face. It was as though he couldn’t pull me closer. Nails dug into my thighs and neck, making me want and crave him even more. Things felt different, and all I wanted was him in my arms.
He bit my lip, drawing a small amount of blood. I gasped, not expecting it, but leaned in, hungering for more of his touch. His bite exhilarated me, reminding me he was rough and dark, which was something that I didn’t know I needed until he touched me–until he made me feel alive.
I desired the shadow about him. I itched for this side of Damian and the contrast that he brought to me. I wanted him to be a killer for me. I realized I finally accepted him for what he was and him with me.
Feeling complete contentment, we didn’t care about our surroundings. We kissed for a long time, my mouth going numb from his touch. The world stood still as our mouths met, hungering for each other. The wind rushed past, the moon glided across the sky, the flames of the fire flickered, and my only thoughts were on him. Damian’s touch. Damian’s heart. My heart. It was the first time I felt my golden blood didn’t define who I was.
1.Haxnau (Hah-nah-woo): Hell
Chapter forty-one
AURELIA
Waking up, I found myself in Damian’s embrace. The flickering remnants of the fire cast a soft glow on his neck and arms, lighting the intricate black ink tattoos that lined his skin. In the comfort of his arms, a profound sense of security enveloped me. His promise of protecting me flooded my body with warmth. I couldn’t help but smile, feeling safe.
My senses stirred as a gentle light teetered on the water. Slowly, my eyelids opened fully, the sky above us cloaked in velvety blackness, with a few Celestials sprinkling across it, reminding us of the gates ofEzu1.
Climbing to my feet, my curiosity piqued. I discerned a faint glow emanating from the expanse of the dark sea. It was a lantern held up by an iron rod, with a flag draping below it.
Oh, my scales. Someone was following us. I knew it. Was it my father?
There was a small flag waving from the petite boat in the wind, with an image of a skull covering the front of it. It didn’t make sense that my father would send for them after me.
The directions of their small boats were leading toward the other side of the island, but they could find us before the morning if they searched well enough. The island was small and they would easily spot us within a few hours.
Shaking Damian as he slept beside me, I whispered, “Damian! Wake up!”
“Belle!” My voice pierced the silence, her response immediate. She stirred from her slumber, her eyelids parting to reveal the golden brilliance of her eyes meeting mine. With graceful fluidity, she rose, her supple body adorned in glistening pink and gold scales that caught the light of the slowly rising sun, her elegant neck arching upward.
Damian suddenly jolted, startling me. His dark dreamy eyes gazed into my own. “Are you hurt? What’s happening?” he asked urgently, cradling my face in his hands.
“I saw someone on a boat coming our way. They must’ve reached shore by now. However, it didn’t look like my father’s symbol. It was of a skull,” I said, realizing that the symbol was familiar. It definitely was not my father’s. The flag became vivid in my mind, detailed with dark hollow sockets, the bones eerie with shadow grays. I had seen it before.
Damian’s dark eyes widened, the lowering moon reflecting within them. He swore underneath his lips, his face strained with worry.
“Do you know who they are?” I asked as he grabbed my face harder and kissed my forehead.
“I will tell you later. They are going to find us. Let’s find that egg. Now.”
How did he know these people?
The symbol with the skull. I swore I had seen it before but couldn’t remember exactly where.
“How are we going to find that egg?” I asked. Were these people here for me? Or were they also here to find the egg? Either way, we needed to ensure we found the egg first.
My mind raced, retracing the lines of the intricate map in search of any distinguishing features that could lead me to where the egg may be found. However, I remembered that it was placed over the island, not anywhere in specific.
We quickly gathered up our belongings. Grabbing at my boots, I slid my feet inside of the leathers, lacing them up with the ribbons that crisscrossed the front. I glanced at the dagger Damian had given me off to the side. I paid closer attention to the intricate filigree work that weaved mesmerizing patterns through the hilt. I couldn’t help but to admit that he was talented at what he was passionate about.
Grabbing at my leather satchel, I shoved the knife back into the side of my boot. The weight felt off, and the feel of it was uncomfortable, but it provided me with some comfort of extra safety. We then hopped on Belle, wanting her to make more laps around the island so that we could find the egg first.
“Stay low. Okay?” I confirmed our plans with Belle, not wanting to immediately be spotted.
“I know, I know,” she said, as Damian and I both made our way up her slick scales. I grabbed onto her spikes, and Damian wrapped his arms around my back.
Belle's wings beat rhythmically, stirring up the sandy terrain, causing pebbles to cascade down the mountain, leaving deep impressions in the soft earth below.
A solitary mountain dominated the heart of the island, its imposing silhouette rising prominently amidst the surrounding landscape, the outer layers full of trees and other greenery. Ledges covered the outside, as well as other indentations ofsolidified rock. However, there were no caves or anywhere to hide the golden relic out of sight. It must be in the open, and we had to find it before they did. Why else would they be here?
