Page 106 of Dark Fate

Rhyland spurs Storm forward, leaving a trail of dust and distance. The forest boughs lace together above, dappling us with cool shade speckles as Storm drops leisurely.

"Rhyland, this is hardly the time for….that. There are more pressing matters, and let's not forget, we're not exactly alone," I chide him, rolling my eyes.

Rhyland laughs, full of confidence. "Since when the hell does an audience stop me, Angel? You must've forgotten our little escapade the other night and the night in the forest already," he quips, leaning in and kissing my neck. I roll my eyes harder as he pulls me roughly against his chest, "I need you to relax," he growls in my ear.

His hand slowly reaches the front zipper of my vest, "and what better way to do that..." With a quick tug, it's undone. Before I can protest, his hand is cupping my bare breast, and I can't help but let out a soft moan as my nipple hardens at his touch. "Than to make you fucking come?"

My eyes flutter shut as I surrender to the sensation. "Godsdamn, you're so responsive," he mutters, his fingers pinching and plucking at my hard nipple. "You're gonna come for me, aren't you?" he says with a smirk, and I can't help but nod in agreement, my body already responding to his touch.

"Yeah, you are. Here. Hold the reins." I snatch the reins fromRhyland's grip with lightning speed, and before I know it, his other hand is making a beeline for the front of my pants. "You better lean back and give me that pretty pussy, sweetheart," he demands in that rough tone.

All I can do is comply as Rhyland makes good on his promise of pleasure.

Rhyland

48

TheSpectre Valesenvelops us like a predatory beast, the thick fog coiling around our legs like ghostly tendrils, almost as if it's got a mind of its own, hell-bent on choking the life out of us.

I swing down from Storm, my boots hitting the spongy ground with a muted thud, the sound swallowed up by the heavy, eerie silence. I helpDanidown gently, ensuring she's steady.

That's when the whispers start, needling at the corners of my thoughts, wriggling and clawing to get in, to find a chink in my mental armor. I know I've got to block them out, can't let them get their hooks in me, or I'm fucked. I clench my jaw, breathing deep and centering my mind, focusing on the solid weight ofDani’s presence beside me. The whispers intensify, their insidious voices growing louder, more insistent, but I push back harder, fortifying my defenses, refusing to let them breach the walls I've built.

Not today, you slippery bastards. Not on my fucking watch.

I secureDaninext to me, one arm wrapped tight around her waist, while I grab Storm's reins with the other, leading him by hand through this soupy mess of a landscape. I’m hyper-focused on each mundane task, using simple actions to keep my mind grounded to keep the whispers at bay. They hiss and flutter at the edges of my consciousness, testing my walls for weakness, probing for any crack they can slither through. But I'm not having it, not now, not ever.

The cold bites at my skin, a bone-deep chill that seeps into my marrow. Even with my vampire edge and my heightened senses, I can hardly see shit through this dense, ghostly shroud that blankets everything. Each step is silent on this spongy earth, saturated with the weight of untold mysteries.

The whispers continue to tease at the edges of my mind, slithering and insistent, a siren's call threatening to drag me under, to drown me in their lies and deceptions. But I grit my teeth and focus, ignoring their call, refusing to let them sway me from my path.

Dani’s soft touch sweeps across my cheek, her voice cutting through the whispers’ clamoring drone like a blade through gossamer. "Hey, keep your focus on me, got it?"

Her golden eyes, which somehow seem to glow in this pitch-black abyss, lock onto mine, their warmth a goddamn beacon shining through the spectral fog that shrouds my thoughts, threatening to lead me astray. I press into her palm, letting her presence strengthen my resolve, letting her touch anchor me to what's real and matters.

"I've got you,Rhyland," she says, her thumb grazing my jaw in a delicate sweep. The simple touch is a balm to my frayed nerves, a lifeline in this sea of shadows.

I clasp her hand in mine, bringing her wrist to my mouth and pressing a hard kiss against her pulse point, staking my claim, making it clear to the wraiths clawing their way into my head that she is mine, that nothing they whisper can change that unshakable truth. With my woman beside me, I can take on anything—mist, shadows, lies—it doesn't fucking matter. She keeps me steady, guides me through the dark when I need it most, and I'll be damned if I don't protect the shelter she provides, whatever it takes.

A frustrated snarl tears from my throat like a feral growl. "Can’t see a fucking thing," I grumble, my eyes straining to pierce the goddamned nothingness that stretches out in front of us, an endless sea of swirling gray mocking our every step.

"It's like wading through a dream,"Danicomments, her sunlit eyes capturing the scarce twinkles of starlight that muster the courage to slice through the mist. With a thought, a sphere of light flickers to life in her hand, washing her features in a gentle radiance and sending shadows skittering playfully over the contours of her body, a mesmerizing dance of light and dark.

"Better than fumbling around blind," I admit, as the orb’s light slices through the pitch-black, guiding us to a place where we can bunk down for the night. Its glow is a damn sight better than trying to navigate this soupy mess without it, a beacon in the darkness that promises a modicum of safety, however fleeting.

We find a clearing sheltered by trees, their gnarled branches reaching out like skeletal fingers grasping at the fog. It’ll do, for now, a temporary respite from the Vales’ relentless assault on our senses. I secure the horses as we settle in, my senses primed for anything stirring in these haunted mists, every muscle tensed and ready to spring into action at the slightest hint of danger. Can’t let my guard down, not for a fucking second. Morning’s sure to bring a fresh round of spectral bullshit, a new gauntlet of mind-fuckery to navigate. But we’ll face it together, come what may, our bond a shield against the Vales’ insidious whispers. Rest is the priority for now, a chance to gather our strength and fortify our defenses.

Lucianwanders off into the fog, his form swallowed by the swirling mists, only to return moments later with an armful of damp wood and a triumphant grin on his face. "Great," he quips, dropping the wood with a smirk. "Who's ready for some smoke signals?"

I roll my eyes but can't suppress a low chuckle, the sound rumbling in my chest. "You’d find humor in your own funeral, you cheeky bastard."Lucian's mind-tricking magic can probably block out these damn whispers as if it’s nothing, as easy as breathing. His ability to compel, to bend others to his will, probably gives him the edge to just slam the door in their fucking faces, leaving them scrabbling uselessly at his mental walls.

"Please," he scoffs, mock offense evident. "My funeral would be the event of the century, a spectacle for the ages. I'd make sure of it."

Erikremains silent as always, his silver gaze scanning the Vales as if he can see through this cursed fog. His keen senses pick up on things the rest of us can only guess at. He’s a rock, unshakable and steadfast, a silent guardian watching over us all.

AxilyawatchesLucianwith an amused tilt of her lips, her violet eyes sparkling with mirth. "Do you ever tire of your voice, or is it a constant source of entertainment for you?"

"Never,"Lucianshoots back with a grin, his teeth flashing white in the gloom. "It’s music to my ears, a symphony of wit and charm that I can't get enough of."

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