Page 67 of Daughter of the Darkened City

“You haven’t come to my room the entire time we’ve been here,” Avenay said. “And I haven’t seen you since the alleyway.”

“You didn’t come to mine either,” Enid said.

Fair. Still…

“Were you disappointed last time?” She hated asking about it, hated that it might ruin the moment. But she had to know. If it hadn’t been good for Enid, she was certain she could make it better.

Enid raised her brows, then frowned. “Disappointed? No, Avenay, I practically come undone with one simple look from you.” Enid’s hand slipped between their legs, her fingers swiping from Avenay’s entrance to apex, eliciting a hiss. “A simple touch from you makes me want to fall to my knees.” Enid slipped two fingers into Avenay, pulsing gently. “I dream of your lips every night, Little Bird.” She pressed in deeper, hitting that agonizingly wonderful spot, making Avenay moan, falling against Enid’s shoulder, panting against her neck.

Avenay ran her hands over Enid’s horns again, eliciting a satisfying whimper from her. “Enid, do you remember long ago when you came to Lesern?”

Enid nodded, her face wild with lust, barely paying attention because of Avenay’s ministrations.

“Do you remember the girl you smoked with on a balcony?”

Enid’s eyes focused, and she stilled Avenay’s hands. “Was that you?”

Avenay nodded, pleased that she remembered the interaction, even if she hadn’t been able to tell it was her.

“I’ve thought about that so often, Avie. Do you know that I stood on that balcony, feeling so alone, wishing anyone saw me? And then you showed up, somehow seeing through my shadow shroud. I can’t believe it was you.”

Avenay smiled, kissing her gently. “I was so smitten with you after that.”

Enid claimed her mouth again, shifting,so that Avenay stood on the bench, her mound eye level with Enid. Her head dipped to Avenay’s lips, licking from her core to her clit, making Avenay throw her head back in ecstasy. Enid’s tail came up, brushing along her center as Enid sucked and licked her apex.

Slowly, she entered Avenay. Avenay grasped Enid’s horns again, savoring the sound of her moaning in pleasure. She stroked and rubbed as Enid performed similar to her core, her tail filling Avenay, hookingand pulsing until her desire built and built, sending her over the edge with a cry. Enid came moments later, grabbing Avenay and pulling her onto her lap and against her chest.

Avenay breathed in the steam, kissing a line along Enid’s chest as her curls stuck to her skin. She felt certain she could do this for an eternity and never grow tired of it.

Chapter 26: Enid

Groaning, whining, and scratching needled in Enid’s ear. Darkness filled her vision as she tried to open her eyes, unable to. She could feel the creature’s claws on her, the snout of a beast running along her arm, its teeth sinking in. A growl echoed in an empty hall, the sound twisting her stomach from its wrongness. She fought against it, wanting to move, to scream—to do anything. Moving was like wading through water, her limbs slow and heavy, but it was just inky clouds. She swished her hand, but it only swirled around her.

Where was she?

The darkness shifted to silver light hitting the water. She waded in. The water was black too, staining her body and clothes. But when she pulled her hand up, it wasn’t black anymore. It was deep red and smelled of blood. She tried to yell, but no sound came out. She clawed at her throat, but to no avail. No sound escaped her but a familiar guttural scream. She grasped at her mouth, but it was closing over, becoming only one flesh, no lips. Bark grew on her, covering her face, her neck, her eyes.

She sat up with a start, panting and covered in sweat, blinking blearily. She was in her room, moonlit and dark. It had to be the middle of the night. Wonderful. More nightmares to keep her awake and strung out. She’d been tempted to ask Avenay to share her bed with her. The seraphe had given her a look that night as they’d parted ways to their separate rooms, one of invitation, but Enid didn’t know what they were or how to approach it, and sharing a bed, waking up with her wings curled around Avenay felt like more than she could bear at the moment.

Scratch. Scratch. Scratch.

Enid stood in a flash, grabbing her sword and looking at the door.

Scratch. Scratch. Scratch.

Enid walked to the door and flung it open. There was nothing there. No creature or person. She looked into the hall. Nothing.

“I must be going mad,” she muttered, shutting the door.

Enid.

She halted, a shiver running along her skin at the voice. But she knew it wasn’t out loud. It was in her head.

Enid.

It came from outside her window. She walked forward, bringing the curtains back. The forest stretched out far behind, an endless sea of trees and brush. At the edge stood a figure of darkness, glowing eyes blinking at her. A shadowy hand beckoned to her. She saw it as if looking through a thin veil, as if that being were there and not there all at once.

But then it was gone, and Enid felt the loss of a presence in the room. She had to have been imagining it. Had to have been a leftover from her nightmare.

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