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“I thought you weren’t my enemy?” I asked breathlessly. His nearness was overwhelming, his presence filling up all of the empty space around me, suffocating me.
I yelped as something tightened around me, and as I looked down at myself, I realized Cadoc had once again extended that dark, smokey, rope-like substance, and that it now curled around the both of us. He stared at me, a small smile still in place. “Who said I wasn’t?” Swallowing thickly, I forced the fear down, realizing he was obviously doing this just to provoke a reaction out of me. The smoke rope tightened again. “All right, little faerie. I’ll humor you. You want me to show you what a revelry can really be? I’m happy to oblige, but I have to warn you, we’re not human, and we have no desire to be. So, whatever you witness down below, you’d better learn to accept it quickly.”
Excitement and anticipation unfurled inside me. I could still hear music all around us, filling the night with a haunting melody that sunk into my bones. There was a voice on the wind, too—a beautiful, melodic voice that sang in a language I didn’t know. I wanted to join them. I wanted to experience what it was to be a faerie. If this was going to be my life now, then I knew I had to make something out of it, and maybe this was the first step.
“Take me there…”
* * *
We landedon a mossy platform below, Cadoc’s smoke rope unwinding from around us so slowly, I could feel the pleasant drag of it over my wings. He knew exactly how the feeling affected me, because he took much longer to back away than he needed to, savoring every second.
All around us, faeries watched curiously. I felt naked in my gossamer-like dress that showed too much after getting soaked in the rain. My hair was still windswept and tangled, but I didn’t care, because everywhere I looked were naked bodies and writhing fae.
There were several faeries sitting atop low hanging branches, playing music on strange, handmade instruments, while a small golden-haired faun swung from a swing of vines, singing a song that sounded like both a lullaby and a call to war. Her voice was high and piercing but melodic, and seemed to have multiple layers to it. Magic wove between every word, and I found myself swaying to it already.
Cadoc produced a goblet of dark-purple liquid, handing it to me. I sniffed it, my stomach immediately clenching with ravenous hunger. I groaned, suddenly wanting to tip it back and swallow it all at once. It smelled like berries, spices, and something savory, unlike anything I’d ever smelled before.
“Faerie wine,” Cadoc said as he raised his own goblet to his lips. He swallowed his quickly, a small drip of purple leaking from the side of his mouth. I had the sudden urge to rise up on my toes and lick it off. He tossed his goblet over the side of the platform before placing a finger under mine, guiding it until it reached my lips. “Drink up. You can thank me later.”
I drank, deciding that there really was nothing to lose at this point. If I was going to truly make an effort to accept this new life of mine, then I needed to dive in headfirst. The faerie wine touched my lips, then exquisite flavors burst on my tongue. I moaned without regard for who might be listening, licking my lips, trying to savor each drop. It wasn’t long before the goblet was empty, but I was already craving more. Cadoc plucked it from my grip and tossed it away behind him.
He led me through the revelry, my wide, bleary eyes taking it all in. There were male faeries with sharp feathered wings and skin the color of rain clouds sparring with one another, while a small crowd gathered around them, tossing coins into the center of the circle, placing bets. They were muscled and glistening with sweat, but as they tumbled, they were grinning, their sharp teeth glinting in the moonlight.
Beyond them was a dryad woman with violet-colored moss in place of hair and slender, pointed ears. Her skin was light green, with patches of tree bark spotting her arms and face. I gaped at her as five erasu doted on her, running their spindly limbs all over her delicate skin, grinning in a way that made my stomach roll. The faerie had no eyes, only smooth skin where they should have been, so perhaps that was why she didn’t appear repulsed. One of the erasu caressed her bare breasts, making her groan in pleasure, while another one tipped a glass to her lips, urging her to drink her fill of faerie wine. Their human-shaped teeth unnerved me as they grinned, hissing to one another in that slithering language.
Cadoc pulled me along deeper into the revelry, where an arched, wooden bridge led to a veil of long vines hanging down in a curtain. Through the vines, I could see flickering, orange light, and when we passed through, the heat of a raging fire hit my cheeks. My throat tightened when I spotted them. The remaining princes of the Wild Hunt sat atop thrones made of twisting vines.
Haelo, Vazden, Erix, and Riven were sprawled out with goblets in their hands, their bare chests glimmering in the warm light. Haelo’s pale hair cascaded over his broad shoulders, wild and free, and a crown of antlers sat atop his head. Riven’s golden tattoos were on full display, swirling with shining, golden light that appeared to be writhing beneath his skin. They truly looked like the gods they were descended from.
Erix met my eyes, filled with lustful promises I knew he planned on fulfilling before the night was through. He drank from his goblet, emptying it in a single gulp.
It took me a moment to realize that the princes weren’t alone. My stomach roiled as my eyes flitted from pixie to pixie as they danced around the thrones utterly naked. There must have been at least twenty of them, their long, wild hair flowing, laden with flowers and leaves. Their gossamer wings fluttered as they giggled, running their hands over the princes’ skin in reverence. Behind the thrones were several male fauns playing handmade lutes for the pixies to dance to.
Three of the pixies caressed one another, their lips roving bare skin, hands wandering over delicate curves. They performed for their faerie princes, stroking, licking, and kissing each other. My stomach was in knots. I was scowling before I could mask it.
“Don’t you worry, they only have eyes for one faerie tonight,” Cadoc whispered against the shell of my ear. His lips were warm, and his tickling breath had a shiver rolling over me. His fingers whispered over my wings, causing me to stifle a groan of pleasure.
He was right, though. Despite the fact that more than a dozen naked pixies danced around them, all four pairs of eyes were utterly fixated on me, a small smile playing on each of their lips. My shoulders relaxed, and I hated myself for it. What did it matter to me if they enjoyed the company of pixies? It shouldn’t have mattered…and yet having their attention on me was a balm to my simmering rage.
Where I’d been uncomfortable before in my translucent dress, I suddenly wanted them to see me. The firelight set off the gentle, sage-green hue of the fabric, my dark-golden skin showing through.
Cadoc pushed another goblet of wine into my hands, and I had no idea where it had come from, but I drank it down greedily. This one was smokier than the last, with hints of chocolate and something earthy. When I finished it, he took the glass again, his long, extended claws clinking against the pewter surface.
Several pixies headed my way, their feet hovering over the mossy platform as their wings made them float. Cadoc stepped away, allowing them to surround me. Their delicate hands caressed my hair and skimmed down the curves of my body. They pushed me toward the thrones, and I went without hesitation, my eyes locked on Erix as he grinned broadly.
There was a whoosh of heavy wings, and a shadow passed overhead before Cadoc dropped down on the other side of the pit of fire, right in front of the empty throne. He sat back, tucking his wings behind him as pixies converged. Once again, I tried to stifle the irrational anger I felt, seeing their hands all over the princes. I didn’t like it, and I wasn’t sure what that meant.
A steady drumbeat began as I got closer to the princes. It thrummed through me, pulsing along with my heart. Two pixies grabbed each of my hands, dancing around me, trying to coax me to join them. I twirled with them, a smile spreading my lips wide. My shoulders relaxed and my head fell back as I closed my eyes, letting them spin me around and around.
I could sense the princes’ eyes on me, and I reveled in it. I had a feeling that tonight would be that last night I could truly call myself my own. Soon, my mother would be here to collect her prize, and I’d be whisked away to yet another unfamiliar place filled with terrifying creatures. So I would enjoy myself as much as I could until that time came.
The pixies deposited me at the foot of the thrones, my dress skirts swirling around my feet as I came to a stop. My cheeks felt flushed from smiling so much, and…probably from the copious amount of faerie wine.
“I have to say, this world suits you,” Haelo said. His pale eyes were luminous, running over my body, burning with blatant hunger. “Come sit with me.” He gestured to his lap. “I want to get a closer look at you.” My first instinct was to tell him that he could go fuck himself. It was there on the tip of my tongue, but before I let it spill out, I thought better of it.
Why shouldn't I?I thought as my eyes dipped to his long, muscled body sprawled out before me. Every angle of him was perfect, even the silvery scars that slashed over his chest. I hadn’t seen those before, but they were impossible to overlook now.
“I believe you were given an order,” Riven drawled lazily. He watched me with shrewd eyes, running a palm over the lower half of his face. A pixie attempted to climb into his lap, but with the flick of his wrist, he sent her scurrying away. I couldn’t help the smug satisfaction that filled me at the dismissal. “You remember what happens when bad, little faeries don’t listen to their masters, don’t you?”
