Page 36 of Claimed By Night

Gently, I place Eilish on the ground in front of the fire, and I watch as the shadows dance across her beautiful face. I step away, running my hands through my hair as I breathe deeply. I need to calm myself and deny the voice its power over me. I need to focus, to find my inner strength, to center myself.

As I inhale, I feel my chest expanding as far as it’ll go. The trees here don’t carry the same aromatic delight of typical firewood. Instead, the air around us smells acrid and burnt—sulfur, and decaying leaves, and acidic, brackish dirt. The black wood sputters and hisses as it burns, the salt in its bark producing flames of greenish-blue.

Eilish is delirious and can barely sit up straight. She says my name again and I hold myself back from going to her. I’m not fully in control of myself yet, and if I catch her scent and lose control… I can’t think about what could happen.

“Dragan,” she whispers, rolling her head right then left.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper back, hating my own fucking weakness. She needs me, but I can’t go to her. Not when I’m this dangerously close to losing control. If she knew the thoughts that were polluting my brain… she’d hate me. She’d realize how ridiculous it is to trust me. She’d understand what I truly am. That I’m Darkness. I’m as much shadow as the Shadow Realm, itself. I’m tainted and sick.

When she opens her eyes, they’re bloodshot. Large bags puff out beneath them, and her water line is an irritated pink. Regardless, she’s breathtaking. Compared to the red, her eyes appear even more vibrantly blue. She seems to be fully awake, but she doesn’t speak. She just looks at me.

I pace back and forth, doing my best to keep my gaze locked on the ground. But every now and then, I glance up at her. I can’t help it. It’s addicting to look at her: her hair, draped over her naked shoulders; her cheeks, pale in the waning light; her legs, slender and long, extended out in front of her to take full advantage of the fire. What fascinates me the most, though, are her eyes. Those deep, intelligent windows to a mysterious soul. It takes me a second to realize I’ve been unabashedly staring at her and, quickly, I look away. This obsession I’m forming with her isn’t safe. It’s throwing my thoughts and it’s making me at odds with myself.

It’s a wonder the others haven’t noticed yet. Or maybe they have and I’m just kidding myself. I’m almost certain Thoradin can tell I’m not acting like the king he’s known me to be all these years. He knows me better than anyone here does. And yet, he says nothing, because I’m his liege and he knows it’s not his place. But I’m sure he’s worried all the same.

I need a woman,I tell myself resolutely.Maybe fucking someone would deliver me from this constant need for Eilish. Maybe it would cure these thoughts that keep plaguing me.

The more I consider the idea, the better it sounds. I decide, right then and there, that as soon as we enter Grimreap and as soon as the opportunity presents itself, I’ll find a whore. And I’ll use her as many times as it takes to rid this from my system.

“Dragan,” Eilish repeats.

I look at her and suddenly feel ashamed for my thoughts.

Up until very recently, I hadn’t even heard the angel speak. Even now, she’s borderline catatonic. Yet, there’s something about her, some brightness that I can’t tear my gaze from. I want to hold her, protect her, and tell her she’s safe.

“I’m starvin’!” hollers Flumph, forcing me to look away from the beautiful young woman. She raises her head to look at him, then steals another quick glance at me. And I think I seesomething in her eyes, something that smolders. The look, albeit brief, is a knowing one. I wonder, somewhat irrationally, if she’s been reading my thoughts.

Then again, maybe my thoughts aren’t all that difficult to read. My lingering gaze over the lines of her poorly concealed body is probably no mystery to her. Then why does it look like she shares the same need? Why are her eyes continually finding mine? And why is there a spark inside them that hints at her own lustful thoughts?

You’re confusing her desire with yours,I tell myself, ashamed again. After the trials of her last day, sex has to be the last thing on her mind. But, as hard as I try to distract myself, it’s still first on mine.

I walk away from the fire; I have to get away from her. Her presence is enough to drive me to distraction and I need to focus on our surroundings. I need to be in complete control of my mental faculties, so I can sense danger and plan accordingly.

“Where you goin’?” the sprite demands. “You gonna get us some eats?”

“No,” I bark at him.

“I’m starvin’, Demon Prince.”

“I’m not your parent,” I growl, lustful thoughts becoming liquid anger inside me. I’m dangerously close to losing my cool. “If you want food, get it yourself.”

“I thought you said there was nothin’ to eat ‘round here?”

“I’ve heard roasted sprite isn’t bad,” Thoradin jokes. “As long as you don’t mind some getting stuck in your teeth.”

I can’t smile. My thoughts are wholly encompassed with the need to suppress this burning fire within me. The sooner we get into Grimreap and I find myself a whore, the better. My sanity seems to depend on it.

Flumph crosses his arms against his chest. “Ha. Ha. Very funny. What am I supposed to do out here, starve?”

I look over his round, cushioned body and hear myself chuckle. Then I hear Flumph mumble something underneath his breath. I can’t make out what he says, but I’m pretty sure the words ‘dick’ and ‘shadow-fuck’ are used.

He seems to be in an even more contentious mood than usual. This isn’t surprising, considering we’re in the forest of shadow.

The attitudes of the group will continue to foul, the longer we remain here. I’ve watched it happen before—it’s a slow transition. Gradually, their voices will grow weary, their movements will become sluggish, and they’ll seem snappish and angry. It’s similar to how I feel when in the light realm. Even before Variant’s edicts and stone curses, life in other realms proved challenging.

At the thought of the darkness destroying the beautiful angel, I look at her and find her looking at me. She doesn’t turn her gaze away but continues to study me boldly. She’s still propped up beside the fire. The warmth seems to comfort her somewhat, and she’s sitting up on her own.

The pull of shadow on beings of light is nothing compared to the pull she has on me. My heart beats faster the longer our eyes lock. My muscles tense. She continues to stare at me, as though she can see through me. I allow my eyes to roam the endless beauty of her body and I do so brazenly, curious as to how she’ll respond when she sees me appraise her so blatantly.

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