Page 10 of Aria's Desire

Feeling her legs tighten, signaling she was ready, he took a running step forward then pushed off the ground. Three hard beats of his wings and they were airborne, soaring high above the sands of the arena.

As they neared the three-hundred-foot-tall containment wall, Sin closed his eyes and focused on shifting his skin until he felt the tingle of invisibility fall over him. Having already been able to shift rapidly, he’d mastered the ability to disappear from sight quicker than most. Now, it was only a matter of concentrating for a moment to bring it forth.

Opening his eyes again, he saw the world as a riot of color, the enhanced sight that came with invisibility turning the barren landscape into something beautiful and alive.

Feeling Aria relax, Sin rose higher until they were concealed from view by the clouds. Catching an air current, he spread his wings wide and let the stream carry them.

When he felt her let go of his filaments, he craned his head back to see her arms stretched out to the sides, head tipped back, eyes closed, inner light shining brightly around her. Her braided hair danced in the wind like a living thing, and the smile on her face was breathtaking in its beauty.

This was the moment he anticipated. The moment when her burdens fell away, and she was free.

There was an easiness between them when they flew, an unspoken agreement that, during that all too short blink of time, he was hers and she was his. Then, and only then, he could stop trying to figure out what it was she wanted from him, could forget his dishonor and his place asVrasai. She could let go of the wall she kept around herself.

It was a secret they kept even from each other, unacknowledged and quickly hidden the moment they landed, but he knew, felt it like a brilliant light cleansing the broken shadows in his soul.

Perhaps that was why he craved these moments, despite knowing it would be torn away the second they left the skies, replaced again with pain and longing.

Those few, shining moments where she was his were worth any pain.

When he felt her take hold of his filaments and lay flat against him, wrapping her arms as far around his neck as she was able, he bared sharp teeth in a horrifying grin of anticipation and joy. Rumbling with pleasure, he snapped his wings closed, folding them tightly against his body, and dove.

Her laughter was a drug, tightening the scales on his back and warming his chest. Stars, but he loved that sound. He saw how she laughed with her mates and envied that gift they were given. As a dragon, it was a gift she shared with him. But as a man…

Seeing that they were rapidly approaching the arena they were to scout, Sin focused his mind.

He caught Aria’s voice over the wind saying, “Damn sure doesn’t look closed to me. So Killir lied. Color me shocked.”

He had no idea what color shock would be, but, no, the scores of people and ships in front of the arena did not speak to it being shut down. There was a chance they were workers, of course, but he did not think so.

After making a loop around the large, circular complex, he flexed his wings in a shrug, silently asking if she wanted him to land or if she wished to observe some more.

“Over there.”

Remaining invisible, Sin landed in the open area behind the complex she’d indicated and quickly shifted forms. Once he’d dressed and become visible, they hid the saddle and bags then activated the disguise collars, making their way to the entrance.

He caught himself glancing at her repeatedly from the corner of his eye, as they walked. The camouflage technology wasn’t perfect. They’d tested it extensively, both so they could use it and so they could protect themselves against it. Below where the collar sat on her neck, he would’ve been able to see her natural skin if she hadn't been wearing such a high collar, and were he to bump into her, he knew the disguise would flicker. It also wouldn’t stand up against most scanners. Thankfully, they knew this arena didn’t use such technology, so that wasn’t a concern. But, even knowing it was still her under there, it was damn disconcerting to see her with a face not her own. Catching him on the fourth time, her steps faltered.

“What?”

Clearing his throat, he rumbled, “I- you look… different.”

As soon as he said the words, he wanted to growl at himself. Of course she looked different. They were wearing disguise collars. By the stars, why did he struggle so to speak to her as a man?

Narrowing her gaze on him, she drawled, “Yeah. As do you.”

Snorting a breath, he shook his head, and tried to speak with sense. Unfortunately, what came out was, “I like your face. To see you wearing another’s is disturbing.”

Her brows rose slowly, and was that his imagination, or did she look almost… pleased? It was hard to read her at the best of times, but with her now overly large eyes, complete lack of a nose, and sharp features, it was even more so.

When she faced forward again, he didn’t think she was going to respond, but after a second she muttered a quiet, “Thanks.”

Chapter 7

Why was her heart beating so fast? And why the hell did her cheeks feel warm? Because of his stiffly delivered “I like your face”? What was she, a teenager?

Shaking off the quivery feeling in her stomach, Aria resisted the urge to glance up at him. Instead, she focused on scanning the beings around them.

There were fewer people than what they’d encountered at other arenas, but still enough that they could hide among them. Any fewer and she would’ve made the decision to sneak in while still cloaked in invisibility, but it was hard as hell to question people while invisible. With their robes and disguises, Aria and Sin were just two more faces among the crowd.

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