《Soraya Honei》


 Chapter 1: Midnight Jungle

    She needed more.


    ¡°Fuck, Needy,¡± the man groaned behind her as he slammed all the way into her. She moaned and clenched around his cock as he plunged in and out of her at a brutal pace. The sound of his hips pounding into her bent-over form echoed up and down the alley they were fucking in.


    She didn¡¯t know how she ended up like this. Was it early onset compulsive sexual behavior disorder? Had the stress of school and work finally gotten to her? She didn¡¯t know, and she didn¡¯t care. Not as he hit that sweet fucking spot inside her over and over and over again, making her whole body shudder with the force of his thrusts. It took everything to hold herself up, palms flat against the brick wall in front of her. Her legs spread apart, as much as her leggings pulled down around her thighs allowed it.


    Moaning louder, she pushed her ass back on him just as he slammed back in. He hissed, tightening his already too-tight grip on her hips. ¡°Fuck.¡± His deep male voice did things to her. She was panting, saliva dribbling from the corner of her mouth. She was not in control, not in the slightest.


    Dropping her head down, unable to keep it up any longer, she looked between her thighs. She watched as his thick cock slipped in and out of her, her slick cum coating his hard erection. She watched as strings of her arousal dripped down from the mess he was making of her pussy, right into the red-laced thong she had worn when she¡¯d fucked another stranger early that morning.


    When she moaned next, it nearly came out as a scream when a powerful orgasm blasted her apart, splitting her wide open and laying everything bare¡ªfor a stranger.


    She didn¡¯t even know his name.


    Blinking away the stars in her vision, Soraya barely registered a deep voice drawling somewhere behind them, ¡°I always knew you were a bastard, Raziel¡ªbut fucking in an alleyway? This is beneath even you.¡±


    Great. Caught with her pants around her thighs and a stranger¡¯s cock seated deep inside her. Soraya never thought she would have an audience to witness her descent into becoming a full-fledged whore. The part that killed her the most? She didn¡¯t hate it.


    She needed more.


    One Week Earlier


    ¡°Soraya, I can feel my coohie getting drier by the minute.¡±


    Soraya smirked at her friend through the mirror as she applied eyeshadow. Doing a smokey eye was a lot harder than what the beauty guru on her phone was letting on. ¡°That sounds like a personal problem, Jesmine.¡±


    Jesmine groaned as she lay on Soraya¡¯s bed. Her short, tight dress hiked up enough for her black thong to peek out. ¡°You¡¯re taking forever. You should''ve let me do your make-up. We could have been at the club by now,¡± she complained to the ceiling.


    ¡°If I had, then when would I learn?¡±


    She threw her hands in the air. ¡°When it doesn¡¯t infringe on my Friday night!¡±


    Soraya laughed at her impatience. ¡°I¡¯m almost done, you goon,¡± she said before hitting play on the YouTube tutorial. She continued to follow the difficult yet simple instructions. She was putting on the finishing touches of the golden eyeshadow just as the beauty guru told her to like and follow for more.


    Taking a moment to admire her work in the mirror above her dorm desk, Soraya felt satisfied and reached for her lip liner and the tube of dark red lipstick called Underage Red. She may not have known anything when it came to foundation or eyeshadow, but she knew how to line her lips and apply lipstick in one motion.


    Jesmine rolled up into a sitting position to look at her and gave a low whistle.


    Through hooded eyes, Soraya smiled at her. ¡°Not bad, huh?¡±


    Soraya knew she looked damn good, and the women of Los Angeles were lucky that she didn¡¯t make it a habit to do her make-up every day. She had to leave some cock for the rest of them. Not that she got any those days. She had only one friend with benefits in the past and a one-night stand that left her wanting more. That was over four years ago, and she had been dry since.


    Jesmine moved to stand behind her. ¡°Not bad at all. And with this ass of yours,¡± she said while giving a quick tap on said ass, ¡°¡ªyou¡¯re going to be keeping all of the intimidated men away from us.¡±


    Soraya snorted. ¡°We will be lucky if we don¡¯t get any creeps to come up to us tonight.¡±


    Jesmine chuckled. ¡°Normally, I agree, but our roomie sure knows how to pick places with absolute mouth-watering hunks.¡± She paused to dreamily bat her eyelashes. ¡°I mean seriously, the last place she took me to¡ªGod damn! I didn¡¯t know how to act. Not a single ugly man or woman, so hurry up! Ahvi is waiting for us, and I want to get there before all the good ones get taken!¡±


    Laughing, Soraya elbowed Jesmine as she turned around to get her clutch. ¡°Alright, alright. And this place better be worth the hype you¡¯re giving it.¡±


    Jesmine knew Soraya hadn¡¯t been to a club in years. It wasn¡¯t really her scene, but considering how Jesmine was selling it, it sounded like heaven on earth. Considering it was the last semester in Soraya¡¯s master¡¯s program, she really wanted the experience before entering the workforce and having bills to worry about. Not that she couldn¡¯t go out clubbing once she started work, but it would be her last chance to go completely carefree.


    Plus, she really, really wanted to have her ¡°hoe phase.¡± She¡¯d spent years with her nose in books, and she sure as hell didn¡¯t want to just come out with a degree, but with some fun experiences she could look back on when she was graying and had smile lines hugging her mouth.


    She also wanted to explore her sexuality and make sure she understood what was out there so she knew how to please herself and potential partners for the future¡ªbut mostly just how to please herself because, as of yet, marriage wasn¡¯t something she saw in her foreseeable future. Being chained to someone for the rest of her life? It was not a pleasant thought. Maybe she would have considered it if she lived in a different time, a different world.


    ¡°Night only lasts so long, Soraya, hurry up! We need to snag you a nice strapping young man¡ª¡±


    ¡°Not too young¡ª¡± Soraya interrupted dryly. She was 26 years old; she DID NOT want some 21-year-old humps-a-lot in her sheets.


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Jesmine patted her shoulder to assure her that no such thing was going to happen. ¡°You need a good down-to-earth fucking so you can give your vibrator a vacation and the rest of us some sleep.¡±


    Soraya blew out a steady stream of air through her mouth before ¡°accidentally¡± hitting Jesmine with her clutch. It only served to send her into a fit of giggles.


    Embarrassment crept into her cheeks. She¡¯d never picked up a guy from a bar before; she didn¡¯t even know how to, but it shouldn¡¯t be that hard¡­ right? And she really did need to get laid.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t psych yourself out now,¡± Jesmine teased, putting her hand on her head to give it a little shake.


    Soraya swatted a laughing Jesmine away. She danced out of reach before Soraya could do it again. ¡°You know how long it took me to get my hair exactly how I wanted it!¡±


    She laughed, ¡°It¡¯s not like it¡¯s going to stay that way for long.¡±


    ¡°Ass.¡± Jesmine laughed at that too. Soraya fidgeted with her bobby pins to make sure her upside-down French twist was in place. ¡°Alright, alright, last check, and then we¡¯ve got to go downstairs to meet our Lyft driver.¡±


    They both looked in the mirror. Jesmine wore a mini black strapped dress with a pair of red lace-up high heels. She¡¯d completed her look with bright red lipstick and gold hoop earrings that almost touched her shoulders.


    Soraya pulled down her dark blue satin minidress that hugged her waist. It followed the flare of her hips, the material stopping midway down her thighs and exposing the skin on her legs all the way down to her gold strappy heels.


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    Underneath, she was wearing a purple and black lace sling bra set¡ªand saying it had her feeling some type of way was an understatement.


    Tonight was her choice.


    ¡°Ready?¡±


    Soraya straightened her shoulders. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The music in the club blasted down on the outstretched hands on the dance floor. The flaring, flashing red lights threw the club into a realm of dark sin. The black silhouettes grinded and slid against one another to the pulsing beat of the frantic, bass-pounding music.


    They pushed their way through the churning bodies, rubbing up against sweaty skin. The smells of cheap perfumes and colognes mixed with the scent of B.O. in a nauseating blend of human desperation. Soraya threw a scowl over her shoulder at Jesmine as they headed toward the stairs. She had promised beforehand that once they got past the first floor to the upper levels¡ªit would truly be nirvana.


    Soraya fucking hoped so. She was not impressed so far. Tilting her head back, she could see the ceiling of the club three stories up, with an LED disco chandelier hanging in the middle. With the center hollowed out, it meant the second and third floors were smaller in space, and she hoped they weren¡¯t as crowded. Otherwise, she would have to call it a night a lot earlier than she¡¯d anticipated.


    There were a couple of people leaning on the rails, looking down at the teeming dance floor below with drinks in their hands. Soraya got the distinct feeling of those looming figures looking down on them like one would on a line of ants.


    ¡°Ahvi said to head to the third floor. That¡¯s where all the good stuff is,¡± Jesmine shouted over the music with a mischievous smile.


    Soraya looked over at the staircase and realized it was roped off, with bouncers on either side watching as they approached. ¡°Um, Jesmine?¡±


    Jesmine grabbed her hand and held up two fingers to the bouncers. Soraya stood there awkwardly as they looked them up and down. If Jesmine hadn¡¯t grabbed her hand, she would have turned around and left. Jesmine knew she hated places that judged and placed worth on superficial attributes.


    Soraya opened her mouth to say just that when one of them unhooked the rope and nodded for them to enter. Jesmine breezed through, still gripping Soraya¡¯s hand. Soraya, undeterred, walked slowly up the steps, eyeing both bouncers. Now that she was right next to them, she realized how truly massive these men were. They looked like they could pick her up and toss her over the railing with just one hand, and that was saying something, considering she was 5¡¯8¡± and weighed down by 200 pounds of muscle¡­for the most part. But she passed through and caught up to her friend.


    Jesmine sent her a knowing smirk.


    Soraya stuck her tongue out at her.


    Jesmine threw her head back and laughed, and although the music was too loud, she could practically hear the mirthless glee in that laugh.


    Taking a look around, Soraya saw that even though the space was smaller, it was still overly crowded, especially with all the sitting areas. But what really caught her attention were the swarms of women surrounding good-looking men. And she meant good-looking. Not that the women weren¡¯t beautiful themselves, but these men¡­God above.


    Every person knew that passing an attractive woman was a daily, if not common, occurrence. On the contrary, passing a truly attractive man was something that only ever happened once in a blue moon¡ªthe kind of attractive man that even other men wouldn¡¯t mind being caught in a solicitous affair with.


    And here Soraya was, surrounded by dozens of them, who in turn were surrounded by dozens upon dozens of beautiful women draping themselves all over the ridiculously hot men.


    The women were clearly staking their claims.


    Taking one look at the feline satisfaction on the men¡¯s faces left little doubt that each of them would be taking five women back to their beds tonight. Soraya hoped the women would eat them alive.


    These types of men were honestly not her type.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look so turned off!¡¯¡¯ Jesmine¡¯s laughing voice sounded in her ear. ¡°We still have one more floor to get to.¡±


    Soraya sighed and let her friend lead the way around the harems, wrapping around to the other set of stairs. She caught some men looking over the railing and pointing at women down below. Picking out the ones they wanted up there.


    That was a red flag if she ever saw one, but what could she do?


    ¡°Was I right? Or was I right?¡± Jesmine preened as they headed up the second flight of stairs, entering the third floor.


    All Soraya could manage to do was stare and stare at the elegant men and women lounging around. It was much like the second floor in setup, but there were far fewer people up here than down below. She wondered why that was¡ªnot that she was complaining.


    She¡¯d never seen so many attractive people in one place before. The men and women here all looked as if they came from another world. So much so that she blinked her eyes rapidly because she could swear that they all had this dazzling aura surrounding them. It almost hurt her eyes to stare at all of them for too long, and the beginnings of a headache pulsed behind her eyes.


    ¡°Soraya, Jesmine! Over here!¡± An enthusiastic Ahvi waved from where she stood at a bar. Soraya smiled at their roommate and friend. One thing to know about Ahvi was that she was absolutely drop-dead gorgeous, and she fit in perfectly with the crowd.


    Heading toward the bar, she admired her long-legged friend lounging against the counter. She wore a black jumpsuit with red, six-inch stilettos. The bar¡¯s lighting brought out the gold highlights in her tight, curly hair like a paid actor. She also wore a thin silver necklace that dipped between her perky breasts.


    ¡°Hey, beautiful!¡± Jesmine greeted her with a kiss on her cheek. Squeezing to the right of Ahvi, a platinum-blonde man next to her moved slightly as if sensing someone at his back and accommodating more room without question¡ªa consideration you don¡¯t see often.


    ¡°Hey, cuties! I was wondering when you two were going to show up,¡± Ahvi shouted over the music, earning her an annoyed glance from the blonde woman standing to her left.


    ¡°I hope you weren¡¯t waiting long, Ahvi,¡± Soraya shouted back as she went in for a hug, purposely stepping into the blonde woman¡¯s space. Ahvi hugged her back¡ªshe gave some of the best hugs. She wrapped you up and gave you the most comforting embrace as if you were someone precious to her. Blonde woman forgotten.


    Letting go, Soraya looked up and down the bar. For some reason or other, everyone here was dressed spectacularly. Compared to the half-dressed individuals down below, they looked prepared to enter a dark-themed Selkie fashion show. Everyone had better posture compared to her and Jesmine, who were both slouched over the bar and dressed like mistresses of the night. She observed as they delicately sipped out of glass cups and conversed with one another in low tones. How any of them were able to hear each other over the loud music was beyond Soraya.


    ¡°What do you want to drink?¡± Ahvi basically shouted in her ear while pushing a menu into her hands.


    Cringing away, Soraya shrugged as she took the menu. Jesmine shouted, causing Ahvi to turn toward her, giving Soraya some space to peruse the menu. Some of the items listed had strange names¡ªsome she didn¡¯t know how to pronounce. She set the menu down, having already decided what to order, and took a moment to look at the wall behind the counter.


    The shelves, from top to bottom, were lined with glass decanters sparkling in the dim light. Both dark amber liquids and brightly colored ones glimmered in their crystal casings. Many of them didn¡¯t look like any kind of alcohol she was used to seeing. Squinting, she wondered if it was the lighting on the shelves or if the liquids were actually¡­ glowing.


    The bartender interrupted her observation a second later, smoothly stopping in front of her and flashing her a seductive, bleached-white smile. His mouth moved, but Soraya could barely hear him over the thumping music.


    She caught the words ¡°do you¡± and ¡°drink.¡±


    ¡°Whiskey sour, please!¡± she yelled over the music.


    The bartender raised an eyebrow at her before turning to Ahvi, giving her a judging look. She grinned at him and yelled, ¡°Sex on the beach for me!¡±


    He grimaced and went about preparing the drinks with a roll of his eyes.


    It ticked Soraya off. What right did the bartender have to look down on them? It was probably a classist thing. She¡¯d never been to a high-end place before, but she was pretty sure they drank whiskey sours in country clubs, too.


    ¡°Hey, ease up,¡± Ahvi laughed in her ear.


    ¡°Did you see the dirty look he gave us? I¡¯m so not tipping,¡± she whispered-shouted. Just then, the bartender looked up and gave her a smirk as if he had heard her. As if she would give a shit if he did. He was just being an asshole. She wanted to flip him off but refrained. She was not coming back here after this.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Ahvi nudged her with an elbow. ¡°Do you see any, um, men you¡¯re interested in yet?¡±


    Soraya pursed her lips. Both she and Jesmine were so persistent about her getting laid that night. She wanted to¡ªoh God, yes¡ªbut in her own time.


    Looking around, she saw plenty of men, but they all seemed to be preoccupied with other women. Very fine women, she now realized. Yes, you see beautiful women walking down the streets almost daily, but not like these women.


    Where the hell are these beautiful gods and goddesses coming from? Soraya thought, a bit spooked.


    ¡°Here,¡± the bartender shouted, drawing her attention back to the bar. He set the amber drink in front of her with a wink before disappearing down the counter. She gave him a tight smile in return before picking it up to take a sip.


    Goddamn.


    Her eyes widened at the pure taste of the whiskey sour. Holding out the drink in front of her, she wondered what the bartender had done to deserve such glorious nectar from a god.


    Ahvi¡¯s tinkling laughter could be heard over the music. ¡°It¡¯s good, no?¡±


    ¡°I might leave a tip after all,¡± she mumbled. Knocking back another sip, Soraya shivered as the liquid burned its way down to her belly. Feeling the liquid courage fueling her, she cast her eyes out to the lounge area once more, hunting for what she wanted.


    She looked over at Jesmine to see how she was faring, and the little minx was already chatting up the gorgeous blonde when, out of nowhere, another man in an all-black suit slung an arm around the blonde¡¯s shoulders and leaned into Jesmine¡¯s space with a dastardly smile. There needed to be two of them to handle Jesmine.


    Wishing someone would come up to her and make things easier, Soraya fidgeted with the hem of her dress. At an ordinary bar, she didn¡¯t think it would be difficult to find someone to bring back to bed, but this was no regular bar. She felt out of her depth here. What the hell were the other two thinking?


    ¡°Excuse me, miss,¡± a deep voice said over Soraya¡¯s shoulder. Next to her, she heard Ahvi¡¯s deep intake of breath.

 Chapter 2: Amber and Blossoms

    Straightening slightly, she looked over her shoulder and felt a riot of butterflies break loose in her stomach. A man¡ªno, a giant with brunette hair pulled back and some strands framing his shadowed jaw¡ªtowered behind her. He stood so close that she could feel the heat rolling off him, warming her right through the skin-tight dress she wore.


    The man was obviously trying to get to the bar.


    She raised an eyebrow at him, her insecurities vanishing like a puff of smoke. ¡°Sorry, but you need a password for bar access.¡± She turned her back on him and waited.


    She didn¡¯t so much hear him as feel his body rumble with a silent laugh, which made Soraya smile as she took another sip of her nectar.


    ¡°Honey shortcakes?¡± Soraya nearly jumped at the timbre of his voice right next to her ear. She managed to swallow her drink before she spat it out in surprise. Once she composed herself, she replied in a business-like tone, ¡°Not even close.¡±


    He hummed, making her nipples tighten. Before she could fully process what the effect of his humming in her was doing to her body, he placed a scorching hand on her lower back and put his mouth even closer to her ear to whisper, ¡°Are you going to make me beg for a drink, my lady?¡± His hand moved slowly up her spine until he gripped the back of her neck. ¡°I absolutely would¡ªright in front of everyone here. Is that what you want?¡±


    A shiver racked through her body, making certain parts of her turn liquid. She swallowed. Hard. The audacity of this handsome man!


    Trying to keep her composure, as if she didn¡¯t almost come at the dark promise and even darker touch, she hooded her eyes and turned, bringing her lips a breath away from his. Peering into his golden amber eyes, she noticed a spark of thrill light up within them as she gave him a measured look. ¡°You can if you want, but I¡¯m afraid that wouldn¡¯t be the answer either.¡± She shrugged, sweeping her gaze over his body. ¡°I guess you really don¡¯t want a drink after all. Maybe you should go somewhere else to¡­satisfy your needs.¡±


    Smirking, she pulled her neck free from his grip and smoothly took a sip from her drink. He didn¡¯t move an inch but purred, ¡°What a cruel woman you are.¡±


    She glanced at him, enjoying the way he looked at her¡ªas if he were going to devour her on the spot, which she wouldn¡¯t mind. ¡°Me? Wicked?¡± She feigned outrage. ¡°What are you going to do about it, babe?


    He slowly straightened, and Soraya¡¯s stomach tightened, hoping against hope that he wasn¡¯t scared off by her confidence. Perhaps that¡¯s why she felt an absolute rush of pleasure when he reached out a hand to her. ¡°If you come with me, I can show you.¡±


    Her eyes flicked to his, and it was his turn to smirk. ¡°Babe,¡± he shot back at her, the way he said it both a challenge and a taunt, a wicked tug of his lips. He toyed with her as if he expected her to reject his offer.


    Before giving it a second thought, she took his hand. A wicked smile was his only answer before he turned without another word to spirit her away.


    She glanced over her shoulder and caught sight of Ahvi¡¯s shocked face, but she didn¡¯t stop. Jesmine was too busy necking with the two men she had been talking to earlier to care where Soraya was off to. What was even more curious as she turned away from the bar were the equally shocked faces of the other patrons.


    Soraya brushed it off. He was easily the hottest man in the place, and she couldn¡¯t believe he was now taking her back to¡­well¡­she didn¡¯t know where, and she didn¡¯t want to ruin the moment by asking. There was no way this man was a murderer. Right?


    He led her not to the stairs but deeper into the third floor, where Soraya had overlooked a curtained-off doorway.


    Wait a minute.


    Soraya¡¯s cheeks heated. Was he¡­taking her to the restroom? Images of herself bent over and gripping the stall door as he pounded into her from behind flashed through her mind, and the thought did not, in any way, turn her on. Being taken in a restroom? No, no way. It wasn¡¯t sanitary. She would stop him. She would.


    But who was she kidding? She had been desperate for some action, to the point that she had been running her poor vibrator ragged for the past two weeks. Both Jesmine and Ahvi had been giving her shit for it non-stop since the walls were practically made out of paper. If a quickie in a bathroom stall gave her some relief¡­, would she take it?


    She examined his broad back, noting how the black suit tapered in all the right places. Her gaze dropped lower, landing on his tight ass. No man should have an ass like that. It wasn¡¯t fair to all the women who had to go without.


    Sighing internally, Soraya realized she would indeed take it. But only this once.


    Stepping through the curtain, she was surprised to find a long hallway dimly lit by sconces mounted high on the walls.


    She wasn¡¯t sure where they were headed as they walked down the carpet. The thumping music grew quieter and quieter with each passing step. Abruptly, he turned into another hallway she hadn¡¯t noticed was there until she followed him around the corner.


    Immediately, she was hit with a wave of vertigo. She was glad he was holding her hand, guiding her as she tried to grapple with her mind.


    Blinking away the dizziness, she spotted a green double door at the end. But as they got closer¡­the door itself seemed to be getting further and further away.


    Her mind felt foggy, and she could feel this pressure building in her skull. Building and building, the pain turned sound fuzzy until the only thing she could hear was her heartbeat pulsating against her eardrums.


    She only had one drink.


    Looking over her shoulder, she wondered if they had truly taken that many steps or if she was imagining things. She couldn¡¯t see the entrance to the hall; she didn¡¯t understand what she was seeing as the walls around her faded into nothingness.


    There¡ªin the distance and darkness¡ªSoraya saw five short hallways. All led to different color doors.


    There was red and blue, white and yellow¡­and there was purple. They all looked identical, with a single light fixture hanging over their doorframes¡­except for purple. Its light had been snuffed out, and big, thick silver chains crossed over its surface. It barred anything entering or exiting. Why was that?


    Fighting logic, she turned her head back around, and it was like she was on a merry-go-round underwater. Her mind whirled away from her, as did her feet. For a moment, she felt weightless, right before her face was stopped by a solid, warm mass.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± A distant timbre of a voice asked.


    Looking up from the soft fabric she had her nose buried in, she saw a god looking back at her. Her mind couldn¡¯t comprehend what she was seeing. There was gold and green and such beauty it hurt something deep inside her.


    A warm, calloused hand cupped her face, and she leaned into the oh-so-gentle touch as if she had never felt one like it before. Her heart strained to remember such care. Such gentleness. She needed to tell him that. She needed to tell him. Tell him.


    Him.


    Amber and sticky sweet blossoms.


    Her mind was melting.


    ¡°Look at me.¡±


    The unyielding command blasted the doors to her consciousness wide open. Blinking rapidly, she felt air rushing back into her lungs. Her mind whirled, then stopped all at once. When she blinked again, she was staring into golden amber eyes.


    The way he looked at her¡­with his hand cradling half her face, concern etched into his thick dark eyebrows, and something else¡ªmade her feel naked and vulnerable under his focused gaze.


    Soraya had no clue how they got into this position. One moment, they were walking down the hall, and the next¡­


    She turned her head, and he dropped his hand, making her miss his warmth. They were standing in front of the green double doors. When had they arrived? She looked back the way they came. All she saw were white walls and the corridor they had just been in, a single warm sconce twinkling in the dimness.


    ¡°Are you okay, my lady?¡±


    Turning to look up at him once more, Soraya didn¡¯t know how she felt. Empty? It was as if she had finally grasped all the answers in the world, only to have them snatched away, leaving nothing in their wake. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    She had been all her life.


    But¡­for a moment, she felt more than fine, even if there was pain. Especially when he had touched her, she wanted him to touch her more, and as if he had read her mind, he did exactly that. With the back of his knuckles, he ran them softly down her cheek, all the while peering deeply into her eyes.


    ¡°Well, doe-eyes, I can¡¯t bring myself to leave you just yet, so I will believe your lie for now.¡± She dipped her chin in agreement, and he made a pleased sound in his chest. ¡°Come, the night is still young.¡± He stepped back and offered his arm. She tucked into him without hesitation. Soraya watched as he lifted a large hand to grasp the golden handle, pushing it open to lead her through.


    There was a ringing in her ears and heat seeping into the palms of her hands. Blinking down, she saw her fingers wrapped around a steaming mug. It had a delightful aroma to it, some sort of milk and honey combination with a hint of cinnamon.


    Soraya¡¯s jumbled thoughts managed to form one complete sentence in her mind. Where am I?


    She peered into her tea and willed the answer to come to her. When had she gotten tea?


    A warm hand on her back made her whole body jerk. Smoothly, the man from the bar who was now sitting next to her¡ªTariq¡ªtook the cup from her hands and placed it on the coffee table in front of them. When he faced her, the surprise she felt evaporated like a puff of smoke, replaced with a sense of calm.


    She focused on his strong brow and the way his hair was mussed back as if he had been running his hands through it.


    ¡°Do you feel better now?¡± The sound of his voice sent a shiver down her back.


    She opened her mouth and was happy when words actually came out. ¡°Yes. What was in that tea?¡±


    ¡°I can write down the recipe for you,¡± he said, amusement coloring his words.


    Why the hell was she asking about tea? There was something more important she needed to ask, but every time her mind tried to form the sentence, it slipped away. Mind blank, she gave up on chasing the thought in favor of looking around the room. It was quite spacious, with a high domed ceiling.


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    That¡¯s right, she was in his hotel room. How had she forgotten that? But¡­how long had she been there? Her thoughts shifted from the questions back to the room.


    The dominant color of the floor, walls, and ceiling was a lovely shade of jade. It almost looked like the whole room was made of pure jadeite crystal, but she knew that was impossible. Beige, green, light pink, and pale violet d¨¦cor were scattered throughout the room in the forms of art, tapestries, and furniture. The low settee couch they were sitting on was light pink and soft to the touch. But what really caught her attention were the floor-to-ceiling peaked windows to her left. They had an intricate wooden lattice cover over them, with leaves and dark green foliage curling through the holes in places.


    In the room''s silence, she could hear running water, the song of melancholy birds echoing beyond the windows, and a ticking clock. Her eyes shifted to a small wooden clock set on the mantel resting above the fireplace before her.


    Tick. Tick. Tick.


    The timepiece was a beautiful work of art; the wood itself was bent and twisted in ways she had never seen before.


    Dragging her eyes away from the ticking hands, she looked over her shoulder at a very large bed. An ornate wooden headboard rested against the wall with two nightstands on either side. At least, that¡¯s all she could see through the gossamer fabric hanging down from a disc structure over the bed. It looked¡­luscious. Inviting.


    She wanted to ask where they were exactly because she had never been to or seen a place like this in downtown Los Angeles. But her mind diverted to a more pressing thought. When she turned to look at Tariq, she found him already staring at her.


    Fuck. He was devastatingly handsome. Casually leaning back into the corner of the couch, one arm dangling off the back and the other propped on his sharp jawline, he looked as if he were carved out of stone and sin. He had removed his dress jacket, and the top buttons of his dark green silk shirt were undone. Her eyes were drawn to the warm, tawny skin on display. His pectoral muscles were so well-defined they looked like they could cut glass. Did the rest of him look like that? She had to know.


    She fidgeted in her seat, and that was when she realized just how wet she was. The warmth pooling in her thong was shocking, but even more surprising was the realization that the fabric was completely soaked through. Had she been dripping for him this entire time? With that thought came the sudden, paralyzing desire she had been struggling with for the past month. Yet, it was so much worse now.


    She pressed her thighs together to try and stave off the ache building between her legs. The need Soraya felt for him knocked the very breath out of her.


    With the heightened awareness of her wants and needs came a riot of nerves deep in her chest. She was here, with him, somehow¡­so how did she go about asking for sex? How did it happen without it being awkward? It had been too long, and, in the moment, her courage faltered.


    She began to spiral, letting her nerves get the best of her when he spoke. ¡°Nervous?¡±


    Soraya released a shaky breath. ¡°What gave me away?¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°If you are, that¡¯s alright. I can take you home if you would like.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Her answer was immediate. Then she blushed at the forcefulness of her tone, but before her bravado faded, she continued, ¡°I¡­¡± She stalled before going for the truth, ¡°¡ªit¡¯s been a while for me. I¡¯m a little lost.¡± The last part came out as a whisper.


    He smiled at her, causing butterflies to break loose in her stomach. ¡°Come here, then.¡± It wasn¡¯t a command but an invitation for something more. Willing her legs to cooperate, she stood and took a few steps toward him. Before she could decide where to sit, he grabbed her by the hips and guided her down onto his lap¡ªfacing him. She had to spread her legs wide on either side of his thighs, causing her dress to ride up precariously close to her center.


    Up close, she realized just how bright his amber-colored eyes were. They practically glowed, as if molten gold churned within them.


    ¡°I like the way you look at me, doe-eyes,¡± he whispered.


    ¡°I like the way you look,¡± Soraya said unabashedly. And oh, how she loved the way his eyes brightened when he smiled. Her gaze dropped to his thick lips.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± She watched his mouth form each word.


    She swallowed her tingling nerves. ¡°Kiss me?¡± Her heart started to beat a mile a minute when he slid a hand into the back of her hair. He paused, waiting for her to object, but when she didn¡¯t, he pulled her down to him.


    As she felt his breath on her lips, her nerves got the better of her, and she placed a hand on his chest to stop him. ¡°Wait¡­it¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Been a while?¡± He teased. Tugging her head back down, he whispered against her lips, ¡°We¡¯ll go slow. Okay?¡±


    Heart fluttering, she nodded as she closed her eyes, and he closed the distance between them. The first brush of his lips was tentative and soft, like the wings of a butterfly. Her lips parted slightly at the ticklish sensation, leading him to deepen the kiss. He teased her like that for a while, brushing his lips against hers before deepening the kiss once more. With each passing second, she slowly relaxed in his embrace.


    Winding his other arm around her hips, he slowly applied gentle pressure, and she sank into him further until her hips were flush against his. Her cheeks ignited with heat as she felt his hardness through his slacks. Without thinking, she began to lightly pulse her hips down against his. His next breath hitched, and finally finding her rhythm, she kissed him back.


    His fingers tightened slightly on the back of her head. Without warning, he nipped her bottom lip, causing her to gasp. Seizing the moment, his tongue swept into her mouth for a quick exploration before retreating. Her hand twisted into his shirt, and she tried to pull him back to do it again. Chuckling under his breath, he didn¡¯t make her wait long.


    He claimed her mouth, their tongues meeting before he swept in this time to conquer. Instinctively, she sucked his tongue deeper, and his hips bucked up, hitting her center just right, making her gasp.


    Abruptly, he stood them both up and hooked his fingers into the hem of her dress, which had ridden up to expose her wet thong completely. With one swift movement, he slid the dress up and over her head, leaving her in nothing but her lingerie. When he reached for her again, she placed a hand on his chest. He stopped immediately, eyes searching hers to see if he had gone too far.


    ¡°It¡¯s not fair you get to keep your shirt on,¡± she said, somewhat out of breath.


    Breathing just as raggedly, he didn¡¯t break eye contact with her as he began to unbutton the rest of his shirt. Soraya couldn¡¯t help herself; her eyes jumped right to the newly exposed skin. He started to shrug off his shirt, but her hand was already pushing the fabric off the rest of the way.


    Laying her palms flat on his chest, she ran them down every hard muscle of his body. When she reached his stomach, his muscles flexed underneath her ticklish touch. Done with her exploration, he bent down and swept her up his body, her legs wrapping around his middle as their mouths connected once again. The kiss grew more and more urgent as he began to move. Soraya didn¡¯t really care where he was taking her as long as his mouth never left hers.


    She felt fabric drag across her shoulder and arms, making her shiver. It was the gossamer fabric¡­he took her to bed.


    With unnatural grace, he laid her down on top of the extremely soft duvet cover. He gave her mouth one last thorough sweep of his tongue before breaking apart.


    Opening her eyes, she realized she was indeed lying on the massive bed, the gossamer curtain swaying closed behind his silhouette. He watched her as she watched him.


    Panting, her eyes snagged on the movement of his hands as they reached for his belt buckle. With expert precision, she watched as he undid himself and slid the leather free. Flicking open the top button of his slacks, he pushed them and his underwear down his corded thighs. When his cock sprang free, Soraya¡¯s mouth went dry as she sized him up. She had never been with a man so well-endowed.


    ¡°Your turn.¡± She snapped her eyes to his face just in time to see his smirk.


    Leaning up, she reached behind her and unhooked her bra. Ever so slowly, she slid one strap and then the other down her arms, keeping the lace close to her chest. He watched intently as she peeled it away, exposing her breasts for him to see. He took a deep, steadying breath as his gaze roamed from her peaked nipples down the curve of her stomach. When he reached her legs, she slid them wide open for him, the thin piece of fabric the only shield against his burning gaze.


    Eyes pinned to the fabric, he took a long, deep inhale. His eyes fluttered. She cocked her head as she hooked her thumbs into the strings of her thong. With his eyes still locked on her, she closed her legs and lifted her hips, sliding the thong down completely before tossing it aside.


    Completely naked, she took a moment to appreciate the softness of the mint green duvet against her skin. She hoped they wouldn¡¯t ruin it. Then, after taking a steadying breath, she summoned her courage and slowly inched her knees apart.


    His golden eyes darkened as they latched onto her dripping wet center. She watched as he struggled to pull his gaze back to her hooded ones.


    Like a predator, he placed one knee on the bed and then slowly dropped to all fours, prowling over her bare body. She allowed him to slide her back down until his body settled in the cradle of her thighs, never once breaking eye contact.


    He completely covered her. His gaze ignited a burning sensation in her stomach, spreading like wildfire throughout her entire body. Her pussy clenched on nothing, and the familiar paralyzing desire crept into her veins, causing her breathing to deepen with each inhale. He cocked his head, no doubt enjoying the view of her coming undone without even touching her yet. She wanted to feel embarrassed about the way her wetness seeped out of her and down the skin of her ass, but she didn¡¯t care. She didn¡¯t care as she practically begged in a hoarse whisper, ¡°Please.¡± Please, just fuck her.


    His eyes sparked, and before she realized it, he hooked one of her legs over his shoulder, spreading her neglected pussy even wider. When she felt his thick fingers at her entrance, a moan escaped her lips, making him chuckle. ¡°I haven¡¯t even begun touching you yet,¡± he teased in a low, deep voice, causing her inner walls to clench in response.


    ¡°What¡¯s stopping you?¡± She quivered beneath him. He hummed in the back of his throat, a wicked smile gracing his lips. Just as she was about to beg again, he leaned down to capture her lips in a brutal kiss while sliding a single, thick digit into her.


    Her entire focus narrowed down to that single finger. He moved slowly, inching his finger in and out of her, pushing deeper and deeper with each pass. Not that he needed to, considering how slick she was from her arousal.


    He grunted his approval as her hips began to follow his finger. Then, a second thick finger entered her, and she moaned, long and low. Struggling to keep up with his mouth, he pressed open-mouthed kisses down her neck as he pumped into her. ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± he whispered, watching her mouth fall open as he slid a third finger inside. He waited until she sucked in a gasp to begin a steady, pulsating rhythm in and out of her. His movements grew rougher as her pussy relaxed around his ministrations. The sound of her wetness and his panting filled the otherwise silent room.


    The orgasm hit her out of nowhere; her body shuddered with the sudden impact. She didn¡¯t get to enjoy it, not really; it happened too quickly, too soon. A pained sound crawled up her throat. ¡°Shh, I¡¯m not going anywhere, doe-eyes,¡± he murmured in a low, husky voice. Bringing her leg down from his shoulder, he kissed the side of her neck before repositioning himself over her, the head of his cock slotting up against her entrance. ¡°Ready?¡±


    Biting her lip, she nodded, hoping against hope that he would give her true relief. Before she could so much as blink, he slid his cock into her in one swift, powerful movement. A gasp caught in her throat as she threw her head back against the bed, momentarily frozen by the overwhelming pressure invading her senses.


    He grunted as her tight walls squeezed around the head of his cock, but he didn¡¯t stop; he wasn¡¯t fully inside of her yet.


    Shifting his hips, he pulled out before pushing back in. Her inner walls quivered, giving way to his languid, precise thrusts. With her mouth open and breathless, Tariq gripped her neck and grunted, ¡°Breathe, doe-eyes.¡±


    Forcing a breath down her throat, she was about to take another much-needed breath when he punched his hips into the cradle of her legs, pushing his thick girth all the way inside her. Soraya¡¯s breath was knocked out of her once more¡ªthat bastard.


    He stayed still for her, allowing her to adjust to the feeling of his cock stretching her wide open. He dropped his head into the crook of her neck, his warm breath hitting her sensitive skin as they both waited for her to acclimate to his size. As she started to feel lightheaded, she managed to inhale, but his sticky, sweet cologne only made her head spin even further.


    Slowly, her body relaxed, her muscles loosening around his thick cock. Bending down, he sucked on the side of her neck and began to pump. Closing her eyes, she moaned, wrapping her legs around his hips as he picked up speed, pounding into her mercilessly. The gentleness from before was replaced by a wild man. Her whole body was being pounded into the bed, and all she could think and feel was this overwhelming sense of fullness. Rightness.


    She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. Their lips met briefly, and she moaned into his mouth when he suddenly jerked up, his hips stilled, cock fully seated inside her throbbing pussy. Confused, she opened her eyes to look up at him. A wild expression flickered in his gaze as he swept his eyes over her face.


    Sex-drunk, she swallowed dryly and panted in a hoarse whisper, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Did she do something to turn him off? Had she given him the ick? Her cheeks flushed from embarrassment the longer he stared at her, his mouth parted¡ªhe looked like he was in shock.


    Before she could sink deeper into her embarrassment, he blinked a few times, as if shaking himself out of a daze. He pumped his hips, and her eyes fluttered shut at the sensation. ¡°Look at me, doe-eyes,¡± he breathed against her lips.


    He slammed into her on his next thrust, causing her eyes to fly open with a gasp. ¡°Just like that, Soraya.¡±


    Her gaze locked onto his as he slowed his thrusts, sliding all the way out before snapping his hips into the softest part of her, jolting her entire body in the process. He dropped his weight onto her, pinning her more securely to the bed, and cradled her head with his arms as he fucked her more intimately, which sent shivers down her spine.


    Soraya couldn¡¯t think of anything else but taking what he gave her. In the back of her mind, she recognized that the way he was fucking her felt too intimate¡ªtoo¡­passionate. For all he knew, she was a complete slut, and truth be told, she thought he would fuck her like one and send her on her way. But the way he was looking at her¡ª


    The very movements of his body focused on what her own body was responding to, drawing out her pleasure as he slid his cock in and out of her. She didn¡¯t understand it, but she didn¡¯t need to. She felt safe. Even cared for¡­and before she knew it, a powerful orgasm overtook her, his steady thrusts continuing to draw out her pleasure until she lay limp in his arms.


    Panting into the side of her head, he hoarsely whispered one confusing word before her body and mind shut down, and she fell into a deep sleep¡ª


    ¡°Mate.¡±

 Chapter 3: Jade Like Dreams

    Soraya.


    Waking with her heart in her throat, Soraya tried to reorient herself. Blinking away the haze, she peered into the dark and was confused when she couldn¡¯t recognize anything in her room.


    Tick. Tick. Tick.


    Something shifted behind her, and her body tensed before memories flooded back: the bar, colorful drinks, honey tea, jade.


    Tariq.


    Her cheeks flushed when she remembered about Tariq. The complete stranger she had laid down in bed for and¡ª


    Heart pounding, she peered over her shoulder at the massive form lying beside her. She watched as his chest rose and fell with even breaths; he was fast asleep, an arm thrown over his head. But he wasn¡¯t what had woken her.


    Tick. Tick. Tick.


    Leaning up, Soraya tried to see through the gossamer curtain. It was silent, except for the constant flow of splashing water tinkling into the room from beyond the lattice windows. And the ticking clock on the mantle.


    Tick. Tick. Tick.


    Her heart began to beat faster as her instincts strained against her skin, urging her to move. With care, she peeled the silken sheets away and glided off the bed. She winced as she stood, her lower region thoroughly sore and aching from her earlier activities. Cupping her sex, she realized she was stark naked.


    Searching for her dress, she spotted a robe hanging on a hook beside the bed. Pulling it on, she fastened the sash but paused, the silk dangling from her fingertips.


    Tick. Tick. Tick.


    Energy crackled through the room. Soraya¡¯s eyes darted to Tariq¡ªhe hadn¡¯t moved an inch. The air thickened with the smell of earth, moss, and orchids. Then, a green glow crept into the room. It was coming from outside the windows.


    Stepping cautiously away from the bed and the sleeping Tariq, she hesitantly parted the gossamer fabric to peek out.


    Tick. Tick. Tick.


    The room was exactly the same, except for the eerie green light seeping through the latticework. It washed everything in its neon glow and made the shadows crouch behind the furniture. Soraya turned fully toward the windows, trying to understand where the light was coming from, when she noticed something strange¡ªa door.


    A door in the window.


    It hadn¡¯t been there before.


    Making her way to the lattice door on soft feet, she reached out to grab the handle, her silk sleeve drooping from her wrist. A fierce jolt of nerves, sharper than anything she¡¯d ever felt, shot through her body, halting her in place. Was it a warning? It didn¡¯t necessarily feel like one.


    Tick.


    After a second''s worth of hesitation, she gripped the handle tightly.


    Tick.


    She pulled the door open.


    Tick¡ª


    The last tick echoed out, and the clock fell silent, frozen in time. A deep silence settled over the room¡­but Soraya had just stepped out the door to notice.


    Soraya wasn¡¯t sure what she expected to find.


    Brushing aside some hanging vines, she came face to face with the source of the water¡ªa gigantic jade fountain. Not just a big fountain. It was a mammoth-sized structure. From her perspective, it appeared to be taller than a ten-story building. She couldn¡¯t even see the top from where she stood under the alcove.


    Walking slowly across the balcony, she found herself¡ªshe took in her surroundings with shocked wonder. The jade material from the room continued seamlessly outside onto the balcony¡ªit was everywhere. Massive pillars of jade adorned either side, extending beyond the railing and reaching twenty feet above, supporting a curved ceiling.


    Passing by a comfortable-looking seating area, she shivered when she stepped off the woven rug onto the cool floor. By the time she reached the railing, she realized she was gazing out into a spacious, circular ¡°courtyard.¡± It felt like she was staring out into a small city.


    Wrapped completely around the open courtyard were balconies and pillars identical to the one she stood on. The fountain, which was about the size of an entire city block, sat dead center, surrounded by greenery and wooden structures. It wasn¡¯t until she stepped closer to the railing that she realized the green she¡¯d been seeing was the tops of slender trees growing on the level below¡ªshe was on the second floor.


    Looking up and past the fountain, she noticed balconies above her. Then her eyes darted further up to the open night sky above it all¡ªjust pure night sky. At least, that was what it looked like at first glance.


    Her eyes widened.


    The full moon was out. But¡­so was the sun.


    She rubbed her eyes and looked skyward again. The sky was still dark, with stars twinkling brightly as far as she could see, and streaks of shooting stars arcing across in brilliant flashes.


    But the sun was out.


    Yet¡­it didn¡¯t brighten the sky. Instead, it shined in place, a river of pure light pouring down from it in a single beam, directly focused on the fountain¡ªlike a flashlight. Just one ray.


    The light hit the fountain perfectly, illuminating it from within and turning it into a brilliant green. The entire courtyard was bathed in the vibrant neon glow, even casting a green tint over her skin.


    Soraya.


    Startled out of her stupor, Soraya jerked her head to the left at the sound of her name. A cool breeze caressed her face. Her eyes sharpened as she peered into the gloom.


    Her eyes narrowed, focusing on the shadows behind the pillar at the edge of the balcony. There, she noticed a gate.


    She walked over to it and peered past its iron bars. Beyond them, a darkened staircase descended into the gloom. She considered turning back around, slipping off her robe, and crawling into bed with the muscular, love-making machine. However¡­something was calling to her, drawing her out¡­and she had to know what it was.


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    Opening the gate, she stepped out onto the rectangular platform. Looking down the stairs, she realized she couldn¡¯t see anything beyond the last step.


    Something in her chest tugged her forward, and before she realized what she was doing, she began to descend. One step at a time.


    When she reached the bottom, she found herself slightly out of breath; the descent had been much longer than it looked.


    Casting a glance around, she felt small standing in the mighty hall of this wondrous place. She looked to her right, then left, noting the patchwork of green light washing up the walls between the shadows of the pillars. Not a soul to be seen.


    An eerie feeling settled in the pit of her stomach, but it didn¡¯t stop her from heading in the direction to her right.


    A short distance away, she spotted a giant opening. Peering around the corner, she saw a long, empty hallway. Moving cautiously, she stopped when she reached the center of the opening and looked ahead. The hall was dark, but beyond it, she glimpsed the tops of greenery and an open black sky, with falling stars sparkling in the distance.


    It wasn¡¯t the direction she wanted to head in. Ripping her eyes away from the sight, she continued to walk to the right.


    Something¡ªinstinct perhaps¡ªtold her to keep very quiet. The sound of the fountain masked the soft patter of her bare feet against the cold floor. She felt like a mouse sneaking through the house of a giant, her heart pounding steadily as if she might be caught creeping at any moment.


    It wasn¡¯t long before she came upon a smaller hallway. Moonlight poured through it, revealing a blue night sky at the far end. She tiptoed down the hallway, emerging on the other side.


    Directly in front of her, a bare staircase led down into what looked like a forest¡­no¡­a jungle. To the left, the dense greenery sloped downward, where she glimpsed dozens of glowing lights flickering in the darkness.


    But once again, instinct told her not to look.


    Not wanting to tempt fate, she eased her way down the set of stairs until her feet hit the soft, mossy grass. Without a trace of fear, she made her way into the jungle.


    Stepping over and around long, twisting roots, Soraya headed deeper into the trees, uncertain where her path would lead. With every step, the jungle seemed to come alive in response to her presence. Bioluminescent plants bloomed and spread their petals as she passed, casting a soft glow that helped to illuminate her way. What she assumed were danced between the trees, their flickering lights growing by the number the further she explored as if they were guiding her through the thick foliage.


    She had no idea how long she wandered before she came upon a massive tree, its trunk thick and imposing, with heavy vines cascading from its sprawling branches. High up in the canopy, something stirred, concealed behind layers of dense, padded leaves. Then, a soft trill echoed through the air. The rustle of wings followed, and a red bird with flowing, brilliant feathers dropped gracefully from the branches above. It circled the tree trunk once, its wings cutting through the air in a blur of crimson, before landing atop a gray stone sculpture just ten feet ahead of her.


    It was a beautiful creature. The bird reminded Soraya of a peacock, if a peacock were red, orange, and yellow. Its black reflective eyes gleamed, and she could see her own reflection in them.


    Twigs snapped to her left, pulling her gaze away from the bird just in time to see rabbits hop into the clearing. Their bodies reared up when they spotted Soraya, whiskered noses twitching in the air.


    ¡°You look taller.¡±


    Soraya snapped her head back toward the firebird, only to find a woman perched where the bird had been a moment before. The woman¡¯s hair was a shade lighter than her onyx skin, and she was dressed in a beautiful white gown.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Soraya asked.


    ¡°I am what I am.¡±


    Soraya didn¡¯t know how to respond to that when a thought occurred to her. ¡°I¡¯m dreaming.¡±


    The woman smiled. ¡°If you like to think so.¡±


    Nodding, Soraya looked skyward. Between the leaves, she could see the star-studded sky. The tails of shooting stars flashed, there and gone. ¡°I do.¡±


    The woman chuckled, and a soft breeze hummed through the trees in response.


    ¡°You want something,¡± Soraya said. It wasn¡¯t a question.


    Cocking her head, the woman replied, ¡°The time has come, and I wanted a good look at you.¡±


    A beat of silence followed.


    ¡°Where are we?¡± Soraya asked. Dreaming strange dreams was not new to her, but for the first time, she felt grounded in one.


    ¡°A place that is a little bit here and a little bit there. It exists, but there is nothing tangible to hold on to.¡±


    Soraya expected dreams not to make sense. They were dreams, after all. ¡°Are you a goddess?¡± She didn¡¯t know where that question came from.


    ¡°To some.¡±


    ¡°Do you consider yourself one?¡±


    ¡°Why, no. Do you consider yourself a goddess?¡±


    Soraya, taking in her fill of the sky one moment longer, looked back down at the woman whose piercing gaze seemed to see right through her. Favoring the woman¡¯s crypticness, she answered, ¡°I am what I am, and I can be whichever I am.¡±


    The strange woman laughed, the sound like a forgotten melody to Soraya. Another breeze kicked up, blowing through Soraya¡¯s robe, the cool air tingling on her skin.


    ¡°You most certainly are, Soraya.¡±


    ¡°Are you, my mother?¡± She had always wondered what her mother looked like, even in dreams.


    The woman¡¯s brown eyes softened. ¡°I am your mother the same way the moon and sun are your sisters.¡±


    Soraya hummed. ¡°I always wanted a mother.¡±


    ¡°What comes first, the mother or the maiden?¡±


    Furrowing her eyebrows, Soraya tried to think, but like before, her head started to become fuzzy. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°No one ever does. Not clearly.¡± Soraya blinked, and suddenly the woman was standing right in front of her. ¡°You have to go now, my dear girl. I¡¯m afraid I was being selfish in bringing you here. I wanted to see you before he knew.¡±


    Before Soraya could respond, a foul stench of spoiled meat wrinkled her nose.


    The woman¡¯s head snapped behind her. ¡°He approaches.¡±


    Soraya shrugged her shoulders while fighting the urge to cover her nose. ¡°Let him come.¡±


    A deep sadness filled the woman¡¯s eyes as she turned to face Soraya. She nodded her head back toward the path she had taken before. ¡°Go. I will hold him off until you return.¡±


    With another shrug, Soraya turned and headed back through the jungle. She had just passed the first tree when she stopped and glanced over her shoulder, wanting to ask one last question. It was on the tip of her tongue when the words died off her lips. The woman was gone¡­and so was the entire clearing.


    Turning back, mystified, Soraya blinked in surprise at her surroundings.


    She was at the jungle''s edge. Back at the start of her trek through the trees.


    A shiver ran down Soraya''s spine as an imposing pressure prickled at the back of her neck, urging her to move faster. Ahead, the jade staircase leading back to the palace stretched before her, but just the thought of the climb made her legs feel heavy with fatigue.


    A breeze blew against her back, stirring her hair. Turning to look over her shoulder, Soraya¡¯s eyes caught on something. Deep within the jungle, a darkness began to spread, a void creeping forward like a living thing. She watched as the tree trunks in the far distance started disappearing¡ªone by one, swallowed up by the black void coming closer and closer to her.


    Finding her feet, she looked straight ahead and hurried up the staircase without wasting time. When she reached the entrance of the hall, a gust of wind whipped around her, urging her pace to pick up. When she reached the end of the hall, back to the outer walkway of the courtyard, the wind began to howl through the opening, ripping at her robe.


    Looking back, she saw the darkness swallowing up the tree line where she had stood just a moment before. Turning on her heel, she sprinted back the way she came. Quickly locating the staircase that led back to the balcony, she took the steps two at a time until she reached the metal gate.


    She wondered if the darkness had reached the courtyard when, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the sun no longer shining down upon the fountain. The vibrant green glow from earlier had dimmed, and the water, once burbling from the top, stilled just as a thunderous wind swept through the trees, making them tremble.


    Soraya made a beeline to the door, pulling it open and shutting it quickly behind her. The sense of urgency never left her as she rushed back to the gossamer curtain. Pulling it aside, she leaped into the bed, only to realize that Tariq was gone. She turned around to see if he had gone to the bathroom when the latticework shuddered under the sudden onslaught of wind. It was like a hurricane had hit.


    Ducking under the silk covers, Soraya slammed her eyes closed, willing herself to wake up. She tried pinching herself, but there was no pain.


    Just as the rattling winds had started¡­they ceased. Soraya peeked out from under the sheets. The room had grown quiet. Not a sound could be heard.


    Closing her eyes once more, Soraya willed her heart to calm down. A drowsiness of sorts overtook her then.


    Can you become exhausted in a dream? She wondered before blacking out completely.

 Chapter 4: Misty Rooftops

    The sound of a door slamming open and close had Soraya¡¯s eyes popping open. Sitting straight up in bed, she swung her gaze wildly around the room.


    Her room.


    She was back in her shared apartment with Ahvi and Jesmine¡ª the one that was falling apart at the seams and located a few blocks away from the main campus. Clutching her head as a sudden pounding headache hit, she wondered what the hell was going on.


    ¡°Soraya! You better not be in there!¡±


    Soraya only had a split second to peel her hands away from her face when her door was promptly kicked in.


    Standing in her doorway with her hands on her hips was the one and only Jesmine, scowling beneath her make-up-smeared face.


    ¡°What the hell, Jesmine? It¡¯s too early in the morning for this,¡± Soraya groaned.


    ¡°Uh-uh. Don¡¯t you give me no lip, you¡¯re supposed to be waking up in some four-star hotel room with your back blown out and a sore cunt. What is the meaning of this, young lady?¡± Jesmine gestured at Soraya¡¯s slouched-over form with disgust.


    At the mention of a sore cunt, Soraya¡¯s delicate inner walls started to throb¡ªnot entirely unpleasantly.


    Soraya gave her the stink eye, and before Jesmine could make another quip, the sound of her savior came from the other room. ¡°Knock it off, Jesmine,¡± Ahvi laughed. ¡°She came in earlier this morning, Bambie legged and all. I¡¯m sure our girl has some stories to tell us.¡±


    Just like a storm blowing over, Jesmine¡¯s raccoon face lit up with pure joy and pride. ¡°Ooh, Betty Boo, you finally did it!¡± Before Soraya could object, Jesmine launched herself from the door directly on top of her.


    Soraya promptly started fighting for her life, trying to escape Jesmine¡¯s clutches. ¡°Jesmine! Get off! Aw! Hey! Stop it, you maniac!¡±


    ¡°DON¡¯T MAKE ME COME IN THERE!¡± Ahvi yelled from their shared living space.


    Jesmine, with her nonsensical blabbering, only threw her head back to laugh wickedly, which made Soraya break out in a smile despite herself.


    ¡°If we have to move again because of you two, I will make you pay for all of my expenses!¡± Ahvi shouted. ¡°Keep it down!¡±


    ¡°Look who¡¯s being the loud one now!¡± Soraya yelled back as she wrestled around with Jesmine.


    The sound of pounding feet on the rickety floorboards thundered throughout the apartment until Ahvi¡¯s form materialized in her doorway. ¡°You¡¯ve both done it now.¡± Soraya and Jesmine both screamed when Ahvi¡¯s body descended on them. There was hair-pulling, kicking, and a couple of ass slaps before they fell apart in a fit of giggles.


    Trying to catch her breath, Soraya slid off her bed and thudded onto the floor. She examined her ceiling when she noticed her friend¡¯s laughter had tapered off.


    ¡°Now that I¡¯ve gotten a good look at you¡ª¡± she heard Jesmine begin, ¡°You really do have that after-sex glow.¡±


    From her spot on the floor, Soraya looked up to see her friends relaxed on her bed, both staring down at her.


    Ahvi sagely nodded her head. ¡°Absolutely radiant.¡±


    Without breaking eye contact, Soraya reached for the pillow she spotted out of the corner of her eye and hurled it directly into Jesmine¡¯s face. At least, she tried to.


    Jesmine snatched the pillow before it could hit her. ¡°Too slow, loser. Now, spill the beans. We want all the grimy details¡ªright down to the size of his package and how he snored when he got his brains fucked out by you.¡±


    Soraya shook her head, a smile spreading across her face despite herself. ¡°Okay, okay. Just give me a second to clean up. I just woke up and need to energize.¡±


    Jesmine opened her mouth, most likely to tell her to hurry out with it, but Ahvi bumped her shoulder. ¡°We can make a date of it. Let¡¯s go to brunch at The Pantry. I¡¯ve been hankering for some pancakes.¡±


    Jesmine shrugged her shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m down.¡±


    They both walked around Soraya and headed for the door to get themselves ready for the day. The smile she had on her face slowly melted off her lips once they shut her door behind them.


    She couldn¡¯t remember anything about last night or how she came home.


    At The Pantry in downtown L.A., they managed to snag one of the booths by the window. College kids and families alike filled every inch of the restaurant. After they gave their orders to the waiter, Jesmine finally pounced. Holding up a saltshaker in one hand and a bottle of hot sauce in another, she asked, ¡°Now share with the table, was his penis this big or this big.¡±


    Ahvi snorted. An older woman behind Jesmine and Ahvi clutched at her neck, and Soraya arched a brow at her until she quickly looked away. Reaching over, Soraya snatched the bottle of hot sauce out of Jesmine¡¯s hands. She didn¡¯t fail to notice the fiendish smile plastered on her friend¡¯s face.


    Soraya examined the hot sauce, setting it down on the table. She proceeded to grip the bottle with a firm hand, then wrapped her other hand on top of the first. Stacking her hands, she made it all six inches to the top and kept going for a couple more stacks. Ahvi snorted again.


    ¡°Oh, shut up!¡± Jesmine blew the paper wrapper of her straw at a laughing Soraya.


    ¡°I can believe it,¡± Ahvi shrugged. ¡°You should have seen this guy.¡±


    Smiling, Soraya balled up the paper wrapper and threw it back at Jesmine. It bounced off her harmlessly and disappeared below the table. ¡°Yeah, he was bigger than the two men you were dry-humping at the bar for sure.¡±


    ¡°Your¡­food.¡±


    Turning their heads, they saw a male server about their age standing there awkwardly with their plates of fluffy pancakes and bacon and eggs. After he set down their food, he scurried away; they looked at one another before they busted out in laughter. They got a couple of looks from nearby tables, but they ignored them. Not wasting any more time tucked into their food, passing around the bottle of syrup and a dish of butter.


    ¡°So, he was a big guy, huh?¡± Jesmine asked around a mouthful of eggs after a moment of silence.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk with food in your mouth,¡± Ahvi scolded. ¡°That¡¯s not what ladies do.¡±


    With a deadpan stare, Jesmine turned her head and chewed louder, right in Ahvi¡¯s annoyed face. Ahvi went to smack her, but Jesmine blocked it with her elbow. So instead, Ahvi stole a piece of bacon off Jesmine¡¯s plate and shoved it in her own mouth. Jesmine looked aghast, her mouth agape at the theft.


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    ¡°Yeah, he was,¡± Soraya answered after swallowing a piece of fluffy goodness. ¡°It took him a while to get it in, but once it was in¡­¡± She blew out a stream of air.


    ¡°Like that?¡± Jesmine asked, recovering from her bacon loss.


    Soraya looked over the rim of her water cup. ¡°Like that,¡± she answered before taking a sip of water.


    ¡°Damn.¡± Jesmine looked impressed. Ahvi simply nodded her head with a far-off look. ¡°So, what else?¡±


    ¡°What else?¡± Soraya mimed.


    Jesmine gestured for her to go on. ¡°When I said we wanted all the details, I mean all of them.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember being a part of this ¡®we,¡¯ Gutter-mind,¡± Ahvi quipped.


    ¡°Oh, shut up, like you¡¯re not dying to know,¡± Jesmine said indignantly, shoveling more eggs into her mouth. Ahvi pursed her lips in response but didn¡¯t deny it.


    ¡°Um¡ª¡± Soraya began, then stopped. She wasn¡¯t a prude; she would share¡­if she could remember. There were certain parts she could remember with crystal clarity, but everything in between¡­blank. She remembered his general stature and his warm hands. She remembered taking her clothes off, him on top of her¡ªin her. But she couldn¡¯t remember any conversation, what the room looked like, or what time she came home. Nothing. ¡°I actually can¡¯t remember everything.¡±


    ¡°Whatcha mean?¡± Jesmine asked while cutting a piece of pancake.


    ¡°I might have had too much to drink, I guess. But I can¡¯t remember anything past the sex,¡± Soraya admitted as she pushed her eggs around her plate.


    Jesmine¡¯s fork scraped against her plate¡ªher face became unnaturally serious. ¡°Did you drink more after you left with him?¡±


    Soraya shook her head. ¡°Just the one¡­¡± her words died off when she watched her friend¡¯s face morph into a murderous, simmering rage. One she knew well. ¡°But it wasn¡¯t like that!¡± Soraya was quick to say. He didn¡¯t seem like the type to use drugs to overpower women.


    ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡± She asked in a deceptively soft voice.


    Tariq. The name zipped to the forefront of her mind. Soraya was glad she could recall that much, but she wasn¡¯t going to tell them¡ªespecially not Jesmine. ¡°I don¡¯t know, actually,¡± she responded sheepishly, hoping she could sell the lie.


    Jesmine sniffed. She wasn¡¯t buying it. Looking over to Ahvi, Soraya hoped to get some help, but instead, she saw a guilty expression weighing on her friend¡¯s face.


    Before she could ask Ahvi what was wrong, a head-splitting migraine blotted out Soraya¡¯s vision.


    There was a ringing coming from inside the diner, high-pitched and painful, and the voices of the people talking around them dimmed, sounding muffled and far off.


    Leaning back in her booth, Soraya squeezed her eyes shut until the ringing in her ears finally subsided, and the chatter of the restaurant came back to full volume. Blinking open her eyes, she saw Jesmine¡¯s mouth moving and Ahvi listening intently.


    Jesmine¡¯s words finally registered as she recounted being invited back to a hotel room shared by both the blonde and the dark-haired man. And not to either of their surprises, she left no detail out about all the positions they got into¡ªwho was sucking who or how flexible she still was. When she was done giving all the grimy details, they had all realized too late that their waiter had returned, frozen in place with a deep blush and the check in hand.


    After paying and leaving a healthy tip on the table, they exited the building, much to the relief of everyone inside.


    Soraya was completely satisfied with their brunch gossip session.


    Putting the finishing touches on her eyeshadow, Soraya examined herself in the mirror, much like she had the previous night. It was ten at night, and she found herself alone in the apartment.


    Ahvi had to go into work for an emergency meeting and told them she would be back until tomorrow afternoon. Jesmine predicted that she was screwing one of her co-workers and was going for round two since she had also disappeared on her the other night at the bar. Then Jesmine had gone into her room, declaring her intentions to go out while Soraya heated her leftovers from breakfast.


    When she sat down to eat, Jesmine came out dressed in a sexy nun costume. Soraya didn¡¯t even bat an eye when she told her she was linking up with the sexy duo again, with props this time. Soraya just yelled after her to remember to use protection. Jesmine blew her a kiss as she strutted out the door, a collar dangling from her fingers.


    She was mid-chew when she paused. Had she used protection last night? The thought, of course, gave her a montage of all the things she did last night, and she shifted in her seat, rubbing her thighs together as a familiar pang hit her lower body. A shot of pure lust sparked directly on her clit.


    And that was how she found herself applying eyeshadow at ten at night. She needed another hit.


    She wondered if she could find the club again. If she could find Tariq again. Her clit throbbed at the thought of him. How could she have just walked out on him without getting his number, at least? She checked her phone and, to her extreme disappointment, didn¡¯t find his name on it.


    She paused, lipstick raised halfway to her lips. Looking at herself in her mirror, she wondered how she had managed to get home last night. Did she do it by herself? An unbidden thought entered her mind: did Tariq drop her off? Kicked her out of the car and didn¡¯t look back? After all, he got what he wanted. For a moment, she believed¡ª


    She shook her head away from those useless thoughts. She hadn¡¯t had sex in a while, and it stood to reason she would grow attached to the first lay she had. She just needed another to wash him out. Someone who knew how to seduce her, show her kindness and respect¡­and completely rock her world to the point she would pass out from the sheer pleasure of it all. But most of all, to find someone who made her feel safe.


    ¡°Dammit,¡± she sighed to herself. She had gotten way too lucky the first time. For a moment, she considered not going out at all and cutting short her vibrator¡¯s temporary vacation when her vagina clenched around nothing¡­ and a fierce need came over her. She took a deep breath and blew it back out in a rush. Her vibrator wasn¡¯t going to make the cut¡ªnot this time.


    Her pussy had what she wanted, and she wanted more of it.


    Walking around downtown L.A., Soraya wore a white, waist-high skirt with a gold metallic halter top that was essentially a shiny piece of triangle fabric covering her chest. Just her chest. Two pieces of string tied around her neck, while two more secured the top behind her back. This meant she had to be very careful when bending over, or she risked flashing the entire downtown scene her goods.


    Not that she was opposed to it at the moment. Maybe it would be easier to get a guy that way.


    Her booted heels clacked down the sidewalk, and she felt foolish when she had to retrace her steps. For the life of her, she couldn¡¯t remember the club¡¯s name or the exact location. She wondered how people in the olden days were able to find anything without their phones.


    She walked down an alley where she was positive the front door of that club had been located. She made her way along the entire length of the alley and tried several doors, but nothing. It was a speakeasy, so she knew there wouldn¡¯t be any signs. At the very least, she thought she could follow other people who were going to the club, but there was absolutely no one.


    She debated texting Ahvi or Jesmine, but she didn¡¯t want to bother Ahvi at work, and she already knew Jesmine wasn¡¯t going to answer. So, she walked on.


    It was only when she found herself alone in yet another alley that she heard the voices of men behind her. She was all alone. In a very sexy and open outfit. In her booted not-for-running-heels.


    Her heart began to race, she walked faster down the alley and turned the first corner she came across, hoping to get out of sight of the men. She found herself turning another corner and then another. Finally, she stopped in a rather dark alley.


    Panting slightly, she tried to take in her surroundings. There wasn¡¯t much to see: wires webbed between buildings with shoes hanging off them, empty fire escapes and windows, some with butts of air-conditioning units hanging out¡ªand mysterious puddles along the concrete floor.


    Wrapping her arms around her waist, she walked until she appeared in a larger alley, and from there, she could see cars stuck in traffic to her left. Sighing to herself, she took a step toward the direction of traffic, planning to reorient herself and head home, when the sound of a metal door banging open filled the air, and golden light flooded the alley around her. The sudden brightness was accompanied by music echoing off the alley walls.


    Spinning around, she caught sight of two giggling drunk women with their arms slung around one another, heading off down the other end of the alley.


    Heels clanking, Soraya rushed to grab the door before it could shut. For some strange reason, she felt that if she didn¡¯t grab the door in time, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to get in.


    Once inside the building, Soraya looked around the exterior, only to find an elevator down an otherwise empty, short hallway. She thought she heard music, but when the door closed behind her, she was greeted by silence. Brushing it off, she headed toward the golden metallic doors of the elevator, and when she pushed the button, they dinged open to reveal her reflection staring back at her. Stepping into the mirrored elevator, she looked at the control panel and saw only one button with an arrow pointing up.


    She pressed it, and the doors immediately shut, caging her in. The lightbulbs overhead flickered, and she could hear the electricity running through them before it began its ascent.


    Soraya hoped the flickering lights didn¡¯t foreshadow her getting stuck in the elevator, and she vaguely wondered how her night would turn out.

 Chapter 5: Coconut and Cedarwood

    The elevator doors binged open, lively music greeted her ears, and splashes of revolving lights blinded her. Stepping out, Soraya found herself on a thriving rooftop bar.


    Momentarily overwhelmed by the sudden noise and flashing lasers, she tilted her head back to look at the silent, silver clouds blanketing the black sky above it all. An overcast night in the heart of Los Angeles made the city dreamlike. At least, to Soraya, it did. She had always liked how the clouds looked illuminated by the urban brilliance, and as they pressed down on the skyscrapers, she felt like all she had to do was reach out a hand to touch them.


    Pop! Pop! Pop!


    Jerking her gaze back to the party, she saw rays of gold and yellow lights beaming down on the excited crowd from the overarching pergola covering the dance floor. A couple of partygoers had popped champagne and were spraying liquid gold on the people nearby. Their laughter and shrieks of delight echoed off the buildings surrounding them.


    Smiling, Soraya shook herself off and headed into the throng of revelers to become part of the night¡ªand hopefully, find some enjoyable company while she was at it.


    The farther she walked through the crowd, mostly young college kids, the more the crowd squeezed in on her. The humidity rolling off their drunk, sweaty skin was starting to make her uncomfortable.


    The music shifted into a frantic, upbeat melody. The people around her were jumping up and down or swaying side to side, arms wrapped around each other. There was a lightness in the air she couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on.


    She watched as a boy with ice-blonde hair tipped his head back in rapture, lights flashing across his face. He held a cup of glowing orange liquid, and while he danced, it splashed down his front, even getting it on the people near him, but none of them seemed to care. All were lost in their drinks and good music.


    Standing in the middle of this thrumming mass, Soraya felt removed from it all. Untethered and unbound from the ecstasy, the rhapsody, and even the feel of bodies moving around her. If Jesmine or Ahvi had been with her, they would have helped her feel more grounded and a part of the moment. She had forgotten that¡­the feeling of being lost and alone in a crowd. It was why she avoided a lot of places before they showed up in her life.


    Sighing, Soraya tried to make her way to the bar, pushing against people who didn¡¯t even realize she was there. A drink would help her settle, even though she promised herself she wouldn¡¯t drink beforehand. She wasn¡¯t there for the liquor after all.


    As she fought against the current of people, a strange mist started falling from above. She watched as it sprinkled over her, and when she inhaled, an overbearing musky scent, edged with subtle sweetness, assaulted her senses. Coughing, she placed her hand over her nose and looked around to see if anyone else was affected.


    If anything, the mist seemed to have the opposite effect on everyone else. People cheered, throwing their hands above their heads and basking in the cool vapor, and within moments, a shift happened. She could feel it as it rippled through the crowd. They became more upbeat, more manic.


    Amazed, Soraya watched as a young woman practically jumped a guy as she threw her arms around his neck and clung to him like a stripper¡¯s pole. The guy matched her enthusiasm, wrapping himself around her as they made out on the dance floor.


    Someone bumped into her from behind, and when she looked over her shoulder, she saw yet another couple lip-locking and stumbling around as they ravaged each other. Not everyone was caught in the sexual frenzy; others were still enjoying themselves, hands raised high in the air as they danced to the beat of the music.


    Before she could escape the mania, a pair of hands gripped her hips, and she felt a man¡¯s front press into her backside. ¡°Hey baby, you¡¯ve got a fantastic ass,¡± a nasal voice leered behind her as he ground his dick into her ass. Without a second thought, Soraya spun around and struck the creep across the face. Hard.


    ¡°Fucking scumbag, do that again, and you¡¯ll be waking up in the hospital,¡± Soraya hissed through her teeth. She meant it, too. The asshole was about her height, and he didn¡¯t look all that muscular. If she wanted to take him, she was confident she could¡­until her legs started to go numb. The sensation hit her out of nowhere.


    Perplexed, Soraya tried to shuffle her feet, but they wouldn¡¯t respond quickly enough. That was a problem, especially as the creep turned his head, rage overtaking his features. ¡°Stupid slut,¡± he spat. ¡°If you didn¡¯t want it, then you shouldn¡¯t dress like a whore.¡± He raised his hand, aiming to backhand her.


    Shit.


    Before the blow could land, a hand caught the scumbag¡¯s upraised palm. ¡°Hey, Sweetness,¡± a smooth, raspy voice said over the music. ¡°Give me one moment while I take care of this.¡± A tall, lean man stepped into their bubble. The people around them remained oblivious to the confrontation, but somehow, they still managed to give them space.


    His back was to her, but from what she could see of her savior, he wore a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up, tucked into cream-colored pants. Soraya couldn¡¯t make out his face from where she stood, but she watched in shock as he wrapped his hand around the creep¡¯s neck and jerked him forward.


    Bending his head slightly, he whispered something in the creep¡¯s ear. It almost looked sensual if not for the tension bracketing her assailant¡¯s shoulders. Then, unceremoniously, her savior released the scumbag, who stumbled backward. A glazed look entered his beady eyes as he turned and disappeared into the crowd, swallowed whole by the mass of people.


    Soraya addressed the stranger, ¡°Thanks for that. I¡ª" Her words trailed off when the man turned to face her.


    Placing his hands in his dress pants, he gave her a smile dripping with seduction. His white dress shirt was completely unbuttoned, revealing a sliver of smooth, tanned olive skin stretched over taut muscles. She fought the urge to look down at his stomach, where she could vaguely see his chiseled abdomen. It was the polite thing to do.


    Instead, she focused on his olive-green eyes as he said, ¡°No need to thank me, Sweetness. I was glad to be of service.¡± He tilted his chin down in a half-nod, causing his sun-kissed brown hair to fall into his eyes.


    He was fucking beautiful. His features were angelic, but it was his eyes and mouth that spoke of sin.


    Soraya cleared her throat and stated, ¡°Not many men would have done what you just did for me. When I thank you, I mean it.¡±


    His eyes locked on hers, and it was like all the air was sucked out between them. Then, in one smooth movement, he bowed at the waist without breaking eye contact. ¡°Then I most sincerely accept your thanks¡ªmy lady.¡±


    A smile tugged at her lips at his theatrics.


    My lady¡­she heard that phrase before.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure¡ª¡± Soraya trailed off as a sudden flare of desire gripped her.


    Heat ignited low in her belly, spreading outward. She was reminded that her legs were still numb, feeling heavy and sore. She hadn¡¯t realized how feverishly hot she was getting; being surrounded by a dozen bodies and their collective heat didn¡¯t help. Trapped in her own skin, a blazing inferno ripped through her. She bit her lip to keep from crying out at its intensity.


    ¡°Follow me,¡± the beautiful man commanded.


    Soraya didn¡¯t object as he trailed his fingers down her arm, gripping her hand and leading her out of the throng of people.


    It took all her strength to keep her legs moving, one foot in front of the other¡ªa welcome distraction from what was happening inside her body. Flailing arms and sloshing drinks blurred her vision, overwhelming her, so she focused on his hand wrapped around hers. She liked the way his veins bulged just beneath his tanned skin.


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    Once they broke free of the crowd, he released her hand and gripped the back of her neck, guiding her against an empty gray wall. Soraya sucked in deep, cooling breaths. Her body temperature had lowered somewhat since breaking away from the crowd, but a certain haze crept into her eyes, making everything slightly blurry.


    He thumbed her chin to tilt it up. ¡°Eyes up. Let me get a look at you,¡± his silky voice instructed.


    As her eyes lifted of their own accord, Soraya began to pant as she gazed up at him. A steady pulse throbbed through her lower belly, and she squeezed her thighs together, seeking some reprieve.


    His gaze was intense as his eyes flickered back and forth between hers. His lips parted as his brows furrowed. Releasing her chin, his fingers brushed her hair back before his fingers traced the curve of her ear.


    The simple touch sent shivers down her spine, and she sucked in a gasp.


    He gritted his teeth. ¡°Shit. Fucking xoli.¡±


    She had no clue what he was saying¡ªshe just wanted him to keep touching her.


    ¡°Focus, Sweetness.¡±


    Her thighs rubbed together as she watched his bowed mouth move¡ªshe licked her lips. She was focusing all right.


    What sounded like a low growl emanated from deep in his throat. A thrill sparked through her to hear it.


    A light wind blew along the rooftop, lifting the edge of her top. The cool breeze felt so good against her heated skin that it offered her a moment of clarity, the inferno inside her subsiding a bit.


    ¡°I can¡¯t leave you here like this, can I?¡± He said rather tightly. Reaching out his hand, he offered it to her.


    With one look at his face, she knew exactly what he was offering, and without hesitation, she took it.


    Not wasting another minute, he led her to an elevator different from the one she had entered. They passed by the dance floor, where women and some men watched her with envy as he wrapped his arm around her waist. His bare forearm was pressed against her bare back, and she could feel electricity in every spot they touched. She had to clutch her thighs together again to relieve the throbbing pressure building at the apex of her thighs.


    Once the elevator doors binged open, Soraya walked toward her reflection, and with hazy eyes, she watched as he stalked in after her.


    The moment of reprieve she had from the inferno dissipated, and it returned twice as strong, causing her to stumble. Catching her forearm, he chuckled. ¡°Watch your step now.¡±


    He turned her around, walking her backward until she was flush against the mirror. She closed her eyes and leaned her head against the cool glass, which did nothing to alleviate the heat radiating off her skin. She could feel his gaze burning into her face.


    Soraya focused on her clit, trying to reason with it. Can¡¯t just lose control like this¡ªwhat''s wrong with you?


    Her pussy didn¡¯t care about her inner turmoil. A wave of desire crashed through her, almost shaking her knees with its force. She could feel her pussy starting to drip. She bit down on her want. She just needed to wait to get to the room. She could control herself if¡ª


    His hands landed on her hips, and his long, slender fingers began to move up her sensitive, heated skin. Her heavy eyelids lifted so she could peer up at him. His gaze was locked onto her parted lips, and that¡¯s when she noticed it¡­the desire swirling in his eyes.


    Heart thundering in her chest, she wondered if he could hear it. She turned her head down, trying to keep him from seeing the blush sitting heavy on her cheeks, embarrassed by how such a simple touch turned her on to the point she could feel her panties moistening by the second.


    Her thoughts scattered completely when his fingers traveled up her ribcage, sending dizzying sensations through her. Like little sparks of energy, where his featherlight touches glided against her skin, making her shudder. Such a small thing, yet she could feel it everywhere.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening in here, Sorenth?¡± A teasing voice asked.


    A snarl left the beautiful stranger, Sorenth¡¯s lips. Blinking through her drunken lust, she peered around him to see that the elevator doors never shut. Another good-looking man who looked as if he did cross-fitness stood in the opening, blocking anyone from seeing within, his brows drawn up in surprise.


    A pregnant pause filled the elevator along with Soraya¡¯s heavy breathing before the newcomer said, ¡°You¡¯re going to need this.¡± All humor was gone from his voice.


    He threw something, and without looking, Sorenth caught the mystery item in his hand. Looking into her unfocused eyes, Sorenth said, voice husky and deep with desire, ¡°Inform everyone I¡¯m retiring for the night, Zenon.¡±


    Zenon didn¡¯t say anything as he reached into the elevator, hitting a button and turning his back as if guarding the entrance.


    The elevator doors slid shut on his broad back, and Soraya blinked slowly as the compartment began to move.


    ¡°Do you want him to join?¡±


    Soraya snapped her hooded eyes back to Sorenth¡¯s. Was he being serious? She couldn¡¯t tell.


    She shook her head.


    ¡°Good,¡± he ground out, a spark of possessiveness flashing in his eyes.


    ¡°Sorenth?¡± she all but panted.


    ¡°Yes, Sweetness?¡± he answered, his voice sounding more sensual.


    She swallowed, then squeezed her eyes shut and swallowed again when his knuckles replaced his fingers, trailing up her ribs, right underneath her top. They stopped just below where her heavy breast ached before traveling oh so slowly back down her skin. Breathing raggedly, she struggled to get her mouth to work, and when she finally did, all she managed to say was¡ª


    ¡°Sorenth,¡± she practically moaned on a shaky breath when his knuckles made another pass up her flimsy top¡ªher whole body moved with that touch. She threw her head back against the mirror, her eyes glazed over.


    The elevator felt like it was taking forever to reach the ground floor, but strangely enough, to Soraya, it felt as if they were going up. Her head was becoming lighter and lighter, her consciousness floating outside her body as it burned.


    He muttered something under his breath, and before she could ask what he said, he moved with lightning speed. One second, he was teasing her mercilessly with his light touches, and the next, he had her pinned to the mirror, his entire body flush against hers.


    Her legs wrapped around his waist without a second thought, and she reveled in the feel of his hot torso pressing against her equally hot center.


    ¡°Sweetness,¡± he groaned, ¡°I need your eyes.¡±


    She hadn¡¯t realized she had closed her eyes, especially when it felt like her whole body was seeing for her.


    When was the elevator going to stop?


    Lifting her heavy eyelids, she found olive-green eyes staring into the depths of her soul. His dilated irises flickered back and forth between hers in quick succession. She liked that. Squeezing her legs even more tightly around his waist, she felt him groan, sending a thrill through her. He buried his head into the side of her neck and took deep breath after deep breath. Her whole body jolted when his hot tongue darted out to taste the side of her neck.


    Soraya didn¡¯t care about anything at that moment besides his tongue exploring her sensitive skin. She didn¡¯t even care when the elevator lights flickered rapidly, plunging them into complete darkness and then back to light, causing her eyes to fall shut yet again. She didn¡¯t need to see him as her legs spasmed around his waist as he ground into her center, causing her to cry out.


    She was silenced a second later by his mouth. This kiss was not slow and explored the way Tariq¡¯s had been. Oh no, he didn¡¯t give her a chance to breathe as he slipped his tongue into her open hot mouth. She sucked him in, taking everything he offered. She no longer cared if she was good at kissing or not. She didn¡¯t care as saliva¡ªeither hers or his¡ªwet the corners of her mouth. Didn¡¯t care how messy she was being, and he was right there with her.


    Same desperation, the same need.


    The elevator doors pinged open, and the strong scent of salt wafted into the small space until it surrounded her. An even more pronounced aroma of coconut and cedarwood enveloped her¡ªconsuming her.


    He applied more pressure on her hips, causing her pussy to spasm around nothing.


    And the elevator doors were open. Pulling herself back, he immediately backed off.


    ¡°We should go back to your room,¡± she miraculously managed to gasp.


    Nodding, he looked as if his own lust was riding him hard.


    Good, that made two of them.


    Wrapping his lean, muscled arms around her, he didn¡¯t bother setting her down, as he carried her out of the elevator. She tucked her head into the side of his neck, not caring where they were when a sudden and powerful wave of dizziness hit her.


    Surrounding them was the soft glow of yellow light. Faintly, in the distance, she could hear the tinkling of glass and joyous laughter.


    ¡°Hey, Sorenth! Whatdoya got there?¡± Some drunkard shouted.


    Sorenth didn¡¯t answer them. He was a man possessed, and in the back of her mind, she knew she shouldn¡¯t be wrapped around him like this in public.


    She just couldn¡¯t bring herself to care.


    Sorenth grunted in her ear as her wandering hand gripped the back of his soft hair, and her lips latched onto the soft spot below his jaw, and she sucked at the soft skin.


    What felt like a short moment later, she heard the opening and closing of a door.


    She vaguely wondered if they had made it to his hotel room. A hand carded into her loose hair and firmly pulled until she had no choice but to let go of his skin. Her eyes focused on the bright red spot she left behind on his neck, and she licked her lips in victory.


    ¡°Possessive little thing,¡± Sorenth murmured.


    Soraya¡¯s glazed eyes found him, and her breath caught in her lungs at his beauty. He was truly an angel¡ªan angel with a wicked¡ªwicked mouth and the body of a sinner.


    Gripping the backs of her thighs, he lifted her off him and¡ª


    Her ass bounced on the bed before she fell back completely onto a soft duvet.


    Like an avenging angel, he stared down at her, his eyes locking directly to where her skirt had risen all the way to reveal her soaked center. She had the good sense to realize that she was perhaps going too fast, but that thought scattered to the wind when he took off his shirt.

 Chapter 6: Whats in a Name?

    ¡°Like what you see, Sweetness?¡± he teased as she drank him in from where she lay on the bed. He really looked as if he was a marble statue that came to life¡ªlike the ones in Greece where the sculptors carved the likeness of the gods they worshipped into living stone. Soraya had always wanted to see those sculptors¡­and here Sorenth was.


    He was lean, and his skin was drawn so taut across his body that every muscle¡ªevery sinew of muscle¡ªwas displayed for her to see. His broad shoulders tapered down to a narrow waist, where her hazy eyes traced the ridges of his abdomen to the deep v-line that disappeared below his belt. She could imagine herself tracing that line with her tongue until she reached a far more intoxicating part of his body.


    Soraya ran her tongue along her bottom lip. Looking up at him, she crooked a finger in a come-hither motion. What was the point of not admitting she wasn¡¯t attracted to him? Like he couldn¡¯t see the very evidence of what he was doing to her. With so little effort¡­


    He leaned down, placing his well-toned arms on either side of her, effectively caging her between him and the bed. Something inside Soraya purred at the way he so willingly followed her demands.


    ¡°This is a very lovely top on you, Sweetness.¡± His fingers played with the flimsy metallic material, hooking into the side of it as he traced a path downward, right along the soft curve of her breast. Her whole body shivered. She tried to wrap her numb legs around his waist, but she could barely lift them off the bed. He hummed, clearly enjoying the way she responded to his every touch. ¡°The question I have is: Should it stay on while I fuck you into this bed?¡±


    He was teasing her again. Dragging his damn finger up and down the side of her breast, no longer hiding behind the pretense of admiring her top. Pulling her thoughts together, she clenched her jaw and unclenched it to ground herself from the onslaught of pleasure her body was greedily taking in. It was getting harder and harder to think above the rushing of her blood. But she had to come up with something witty to say, something that would knock this arrogant asshole off his perch. She opened her mouth, and all that came out was a needy moan.


    The slow, wicked curve of his lips was matched by a husky laugh, and she hated how easily he could pull himself together¡ªteasing, laughing, looking infuriatingly hot¡ªwhile she felt like a hot mess. Desperately wanting him to fuck her brains out and hating how obvious it must be.


    Having enough of his cocky attitude, she leaned forward to make her strike.


    Catching his lips between her teeth, she bit down and felt a thrill of pride shoot through her when he moaned. Letting go of his bottom lip, she suckled gently on the bruise she created.


    One moment, she felt like the queen of the world, and the next, she felt herself tumble off her throne when his crafty fingers found the fabric of her soaking crotch, moved it to the side, and plunged one finger into her dripping folds.


    A choked sound left her mouth.


    ¡°You want to play dirty? Then let¡¯s play,¡± he whispered wickedly onto her lips. He gripped the front of her top, and before she understood what he was doing, he ripped it completely from her body. She felt the flimsy strings snap across her back before a rush of cold, cold air blew across her body, making her nipples harden painfully.


    Soraya gasped at the sensation.


    Before she could get used to the cold blowing in from God knows where, a second finger slipped inside her, joining the first. Between the cold and his long, slender fingers buried inside her slick heat, her mind went blank, and all she could do was open her mouth, sucking in a gasping breath.


    Her hips jerked mindlessly off the bed towards him, another low moan escaping the back of her throat as his palm ground into her clit.


    He pulled his fingers out to the very tips and then slowly pushed them back in. Her head fell back between her shoulder blades as her focus split between the pleasure between her legs and the painful, aching points of her nipples.


    Once again, he leisurely pulled his fingers out. She anticipated the next push in and undulated her hips to match his slow rhythm, but instead, he withdrew completely. His fingers, now covered in her own juices, traced along her wet folds. Whimpering, she reached for his hand, desperate to return them where they had been.


    The bastard chuckled under his breath and flung her hand away. She was just about to snap at him to stop his teasing when two fingers dragged up her center and began to lightly trace around her clit. The protest died in her throat as he worked her with deft fingers, her hips moving on their own, chasing the pleasure that was quickly building. Another one of his wicked fingers entered her.


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Sorenth kneeled before her, both hands between her legs now as he pumped into her and worked her clit. Soraya¡¯s body tightened as her climax edged closer and closer, her body trembling as he overwhelmed her with his skilled hands.


    She was so focused on those hands that she wasn¡¯t prepared when he rose up and used his blazing hot mouth to suck in her stiff, aching nipple. He showed her no mercy as he sucked and abused her tight little nub. Her mouth parted in a silent scream from the pleasure that came from the pain.


    Hands tangled in the sheets, mouth gaping open, her orgasm overtook her entire body.


    As her limbs twitched in the aftershocks of her climax, she could hear the sound of rustling clothes. She lifted her head just in time to meet his lips as he bore down on her. Lifting one numb leg onto his shoulder, he pushed her other leg to the side, spreading her nice and wide. He didn¡¯t bother to tease her when he lined up the head of his cock to her entrance and slammed in.


    Groaning, her voice caught in her throat as he began to fuck her dripping pussy, having already laid the groundwork to loosen her up just the way he wanted her. Setting a brutal pace, she could do nothing but relax her legs and grip the bedsheets into tight fists so he could fuck her into that bed just like he promised.


    After a moment, she was able to find her voice. She screamed out his name as his hips slammed into her over and over and over again. There was no other sound to be heard except the slapping of their skin and their shared heavy breaths.


    And if she closed her eyes and concentrated, she could smell coconut and cedarwood wafting through the air. Sex never smelled so intoxicating.


    The leg on his shoulder shook with her next orgasm. She gasped and gasped again when he rolled his hips just right, rolling against her clit, prolonging her orgasm. Her body was like a tight coil as her orgasm continued to the point she could feel the beginning of a cramp in her back.


    When her breath finally caught up to her, she sucked in the precious air, willing it to circulate to her brain after what felt like an eternity without oxygen. And just as she was about to regain her sanity, he grabbed her leg and used it to flip her over on her stomach.


    His fists landed beside her head a second before his cock slammed back into her, fucking her from behind. The sound of her wet pussy being used pounded into her eardrums right next to her heartbeat.


    A second later, she came again. Spasming, her pussy didn¡¯t have time to recover as he yanked out of her, the heat of his body disappearing, and she didn¡¯t have to wonder long where he went when she felt his hot mouth suck her poor clit between his lips. She screamed, oversensitive from all the pleasure she was experiencing in short, rapid succession. She tried to claw her way up the mattress, but both his hands gripped her hips, pinning her to the bed.


    Legs spasming around his head, she couldn¡¯t escape the tortured pleasure as she came on his bowed lips, her eyes flying shut as stars burst in her vision, making her lightheaded.


    Floating down from cloud nine, she barely registered as he climbed back over her body. His breath was in her ear, and she was worried that he wasn¡¯t finished with her just yet.


    Did he even come yet?


    ¡°Mother above,¡± he panted into the side of her head, breath stirring her hair. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± He groaned, burying his head into her neck, and took a deep breath.


    Soraya wanted to open her eyes but found that she couldn¡¯t. She had been thoroughly pleasured to the point of exhaustion. The mind fog that lingered from earlier was still clogging her head, but the need for release had been sated, so she just lay there, drifting in contentment.


    She had no clue what Sorenth was doing with his nose buried in the crook of her neck, but she didn¡¯t mind it. His presence was almost soothing, and her body relaxed as she felt herself sink deeper into the bed. She could have easily drifted off to sleep if it weren¡¯t for the scent of coconut and cedarwood, which had her nose twitching at its persistent allure.


    Sorenth¡­


    Soraya could feel Sorenth¡¯s heaving chest against her back. He was not as relaxed as she was at that moment. She wanted to ask him how he was doing when he reared up¡­and went completely still.


    Confused by his sudden change in demeanor, she tried to rouse herself, but her body was still offline. His panting had cut off¡ªas if he was holding his breath.


    In the next moment, she felt his fingers brush her hair behind her ear. A soft, wondrous exclamation escaped his lips, and she felt herself being turned over. He cradled her against his chest, one hand cupping her face with a tenderness he hadn¡¯t shown her earlier.


    ¡°Sweetness, give me your eyes.¡± Her eyebrows twitched. She just wanted to go to sleep. ¡°Sweetness, this is important. Look at me,¡± he all but begged. She groaned in the back of her throat as his thumb swiped across her cheek. ¡°Sweetness,¡± his tone shifted to a warning this time.


    Managing to crack her eyes open, she looked up at his astonished face. She wanted to be mad at him for keeping her from rest, but one glance into his angelic features and all was forgiven.


    ¡°Sweetness, give me your name. What¡¯s your name?¡± He asked desperately, his eyes scanning her face as if seeing it for the first time.


    What¡¯s his deal? She grumpily asked herself. Even if she could speak right now, why was it so important for him to know her name at that moment? She felt her eyes drooping. He hadn¡¯t bothered asking her name earlier, and surely, he could wait after a quick nap. Although, maybe falling asleep in a stranger¡¯s hotel room wasn¡¯t the best idea for her.


    ¡°Sweetness.¡± There was distress in his voice this time as her body relaxed in his embrace. He cursed under his breath. ¡°Don¡¯t worry; we¡¯ll figure this curse out, my mate.¡±


    Curse? Mate?


    What interesting words.

 Chapter 7: Lightning Storms

    Sorenth gathered her into his arms and walked her across the room. Her mind was still heavy, her eyes closed shut¡ªher body felt weightless in his hands. The sound of a door swinging open was accompanied by a draft of cold air, causing her to snuggle closer to his heated skin.


    Curled up on his chest, he didn¡¯t speak another word as the sound of rushing water filled her ears, and the aroma of citrus and herbal oils wafted around them. Soraya briefly wondered if a bath had been running.


    A moment later, she had her answer as she felt him descend until her skin came into contact with steaming water. A moan slipped from her mouth.


    Chuckling, Sorenth sat down, and warmth surrounded her as the water rose to her chest.


    Still securely in his arms, she felt his fingers comb her hair back from her face with a tender touch. Finding the strength, she managed to crack her heavy eyes open to peer up at him. The lighting in the room was dimmed and gentle on her eyes¡ªalmost as gentle as the way Sorenth was watching her.


    Gazing at one another, Soraya liked the quiet wonder on his face as the feel of his fingers ran through her hair. She wondered what he was thinking about.


    ¡°Are you alright, Sweetness?¡± he whispered.


    She hummed softly, losing the battle to keep her eyes open, they slowly drifted close from his soothing fingertips. Soraya stretched her legs and enjoyed the warm water as it relaxed her body further. ¡°Let me wash you,¡± he coaxed. His fingers left her hair and a delightful, clean smell mingled with the citrus and oils.


    Something soft glided up and down her skin, and before she knew it, he parted her legs to clean between them. As she floated further into sleep, she almost expected it to turn sexual, but he didn¡¯t¡­he just cleaned her. She wondered if this was a normal thing to do with a one-night stand.


    No.


    She knew the answer was no as she slipped further and further into a deep sleep.


    ~


    Hushed voices pulled Soraya from her dreams.


    ¡°What do you mean there¡¯s been an incident?¡±


    Sorenth. He was speaking to someone¡­and he sounded on edge.


    As her foggy brain started coming back online, she became aware of the fact that she had been placed in a very soft bed. Then she became aware of the fact that she was naked and pressed to the front of an equally naked man. Judging from the proximity of Sorenth¡¯s voice, she knew it was him in bed with her.


    His arm was draped across her midsection, his palm flat against her stomach, where a warm fuzzy sensation seeped into her skin.


    What concerned her the most, however, was the sound of a second man in the room as he responded. Thankfully, she felt a sheet covering her body, shielding her from any wandering eyes.


    ¡°I know you wished not to be disturbed, Sorenth. But Sir Tariq and Sir Caelestis request your presence immediately. They believe someone has let in a slaugh. One human dead already,¡± the man whispered urgently.


    Sorenth¡¯s hand tensed against her stomach. ¡°A slaugh? Are they sure?¡± he asked sharply.


    ¡°That¡¯s why they require your assistance. It needs to be identified and dealt with before it draws attention to us.¡±


    ¡°If what they say is true, we¡¯ve already been found,¡± Sorenth growled, low and dangerous. ¡°I bet it was thatbastard.¡±


    The air in the room crackled with energy. Soraya didn¡¯t understand what they were talking about, and she didn¡¯t particularly care. Not as sleep beckoned to her.


    ¡°Wait for me outside, I¡¯ll be out in a minute,¡± Sorenth commanded.


    ¡°Sorenth¡­the female¡ª¡±


    ¡°Out.¡±


    She heard the sound of a door opening and closing. Then his hand dragged off her stomach, and she felt the bed dip as he slipped out of it. There was the sound of clothes rustling before the bed dipped once more.


    ¡°Sweetness,¡± Sorenth whispered into her ear, ¡°I have somewhere I need to be. I won¡¯t be long. You¡¯re safe here.¡±


    She felt his lips press against her cheek, which would have alarmed her if not for a dark wave sweeping her under.


    ~


    With a groan, Soraya stretched her legs, soft sheets gliding against her skin. She rolled over and buried her face in the pillow, the scent of coconut and cedarwood lingered on the silken case.


    She blinked her eyes open.


    Where was she?


    Leaning up, she peered bleary-eyed into the dark.


    She was in a hotel room¡­ a gorgeous hotel room.


    It had a high ceiling, with a glass chandelier twinkling in the moonlight pouring in from a sliver of what appeared to be, at a glance, floor-to-ceiling windows hidden behind thick curtains. Bolts of fabric surrounded the light fixture and dipped toward the edges of the ceiling before flowing down the walls opposite the windows.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    The room itself was circular; the windows took up more than half the space, but thick white curtains blocked her from seeing the outside completely. There was a sitting area placed in front of the windows, opposite the bed. The sliver of moonlight slashed across the pristine, white furniture. The room was too dark to discern much else.


    Where am I? The thought came and went. It wasn¡¯t an important question that needed to be answered.


    Flinging the sheet off herself, she sighed when she remembered she was stark naked. She walked over to what she assumed was a dresser. Patting the surface, she noticed something gold glimmering and felt a surge of excitement as she picked up her top¡­and remembered.


    Fingering the broken strings, she knew it was done for. Setting it back on the dresser, she opened up the top drawer, figuring that she could borrow one of Sorenth¡¯s shirts. However, when she opened it, there was nothing inside. The same was true for the other drawers.


    Sighing, she gave up on her search when she noticed something at the foot of the bed. Getting closer, she saw it was a dress. When she picked up the gold material, a note fluttered off it, and she managed to snag it before it fell to the floor. Although she couldn¡¯t read it in the dark, she knew Sorenth had left it for her.


    It was only fair after what he did to her clothes.


    Pulling the dress over her head, it sluiced down her body until it swished around her ankles. Running her hands over the material, she could feel the heat of her palms penetrating the fabric. The material felt lighter than silk, and she could tell it was beautifully made. She wished she could see it fully.


    Thwack!


    Jumping, Soraya spun around to face the curtain-covered windows. At that precise moment, the room was plunged further into darkness as the sliver of light dimmed.


    Squinting to see better, Soraya took a step toward the door when the room brightened again, and the unmistakable sound of wind blowing through the building filled her ears over her pounding heart.


    Shaking herself off, she chided herself for being a scaredy-cat. A cloud had just passed over the moon. Nothing more.


    Making up her mind, she walked toward the opening of the curtains; she couldn¡¯t see anything but darkness, but what else could she expect to see at night? She rounded the sitting area and stopped in the middle, right in front of the curtains opening. Moonlight splashed across her face. Reaching out her hands, she barely nudged the thick white material when both sides of the curtains flung themselves away from her with a whoosh.


    Moonlight flooded into the room, flinging the shadows far into the corners as the outside peered in.


    Heart thundering in her chest, she marveled at the new technology people had come up with. Self-opening curtains¡ªthose are certainly useful.


    But the curtains were soon forgotten as Soraya stared and stared out into the open panoramic view before her. She didn¡¯t understand what she was seeing at first. There was the thick, waning moon hanging above the horizon, its silvery light outlining the big thunderhead clouds drifting over inky darkness miles away.


    It took her a moment, but she soon realized that the inky darkness was¡­moving. It was beneath her, too.


    Her eyes widened as she recognized that she was looking out into a roiling sea. The black void, with flashes of white cresting waves, disappeared at the floor of her window.


    Soraya furrowed her brows. How did she end up by the ocean? She had been in downtown Los Angeles¡­Santa Monica and the ocean were miles away.


    As soon as the thought crossed her mind, it floated away with the wind that blew through the surrounding trees on the cliff¡¯s edge. Soraya thought she could hear their boughs groaning as a strong gust whipped through them.


    A storm was coming.


    Stepping closer to the glass, she realized that they were very high up¡ªvery high up. She couldn¡¯t see the bottom from where she stood but assumed the ocean met the face of the cliff below. To the left, she could see a piece of a rounded, yellow-stoned building jutting over a lamplit walkway that seemed to float over the cliff¡¯s edge.


    She blinked. For a moment, she thought she could see figures walking along the path, but it was just her imagination.


    Her eyes followed the cliff¡¯s edge to her right, where shaking, shuddering trees were whipped back and forth from the coming tempest.


    A flash of light drew her gaze back to the building clouds far out to sea. Arcs of blue lighting webbed through the silver giants, contouring the dark clouds with sharp blooms of white.


    Soraya jumped when the ping of a text message broke the silence of the room. Clutching her chest, she rushed around the couch and followed the sound of her phone receiving a text beneath the bed.


    Picking up the black fabric, she didn¡¯t remember Sorenth taking it off her¡­or ripping it off her as it was clear the fabric had a tear cleanly down the back of it.


    Biting her lip, she reached into the only pocket and pulled out her phone. On the illuminated screen, she saw Jesmine¡¯s name. Unlocking her phone, she quickly read the two texts.


    Jesmine: Meet me at the fountain.


    Jesmine: Please


    Alarmed, Soraya quickly sent out a text telling her she would meet her there soon. Jesmine never said please. Once she figured out where she was, she planned to take a Lyft back to campus.


    Scouting the floor for her pair of boots, she found them flung across the floor and quickly retrieved them, slipping them on. They didn¡¯t match the dress, but she didn¡¯t care about that right now.


    Then, she remembered Sorenth¡¯s note and glanced at the pad of paper and pencil on the nightstand by the bed. After writing out a quick note, she jotted down her phone number for him to text her. To Soraya, it felt like this could be more than a one-night stand, and she didn¡¯t want to walk out with any regrets.


    She was just about to head to the door when another flash of lightning caught her eye. Curious, she made her way back to the window.


    The wind was picking up, and the trees looked as if they were taking a lashing. She wondered how they were able to cling to the cliff¡¯s edge in the windstorm without falling off into the sea below.


    Another streak of lightning illuminated the sky.


    Soraya squinted her eyes. Unsure of what she saw. She didn¡¯t have to wait long as another lighting strike coursed through the thunderheads.


    Her lips parted in disbelief. It wasn¡¯t possible.


    She was sure of what she saw then.


    Something was moving¡­something was moving in the clouds.


    Something big.


    Another lighting strike revealed the silhouette of a long, serpent-like creature before the storm front went dark, concealing it completely.


    And before Soraya could convince herself that she was wrong, that she was just seeing things, a series of electric bolts flickered across the tempest. She watched as the serpent-like creature¡¯s body coiled across the sky, deep in the lighting storm, as it traveled over the horizon.


    She was frozen in place as a deep, rumbling roar built to a crescendo, reverberating across the ocean and throughout the room. The glass shuddered and cracked at the edges as a gale slammed into the windows.


    The lights from the lamps illuminating the pathway to her left snuffed out, and the darkness crept closer.


    The last light of the moon was swallowed by a thick cloud as Soraya turned and fled the room. It was time for her to leave.

 Chapter 8: Fountain Thoughts

    Running down a dark hallway, Soraya didn¡¯t know where she was headed. Adrenaline was pumping through her as that beast¡¯s roar vibrated through her bones.


    The overwhelming smell of flowers and sweet fruit flooded her nose, and she had to slap a hand over her face to try and block out the suffocating scents as she ran for her life, phone clutched in her other hand.


    What the hell is that thing?! Her thoughts shouted. Stilted images of the terrifying creature sizzled through her mind¡ªits serpent-like body held aloft with four mighty wings as it snaked its way across the sky.


    It wasn¡¯t real¡ªit couldn¡¯t be real.


    Her booted feet slapped against the stone floor, sounding like thunder in her own ears as her new dress twisted around her legs.


    The howling winds ripped through the building as it swallowed the last remnants of the terrifying roar. Was the creature¡ªmonster¡ªcoming closer? What would it do if it did? What would Soraya do if it did?


    Skidding to a halt, she took a good look around her as another thought pelted through her mind.


    Why am I the only one here? Running for her life, that is.


    The hallway she found herself in was completely deserted. It was devoid of light or any signs of life. Did anyone else hear that earth-shattering roar¡ªsee that thing outside? Why was she alone?


    Her heart continued to thunder in her chest, and her scattered thoughts jumped from one to another. It took her a moment to realize only the sound of her heavy breaths reached her ears.


    The wind had stopped.


    Her breathing was the only sound in the hallway. It was chilling how silent it was¡ªalone in the dark with no one around. She considered turning on the flashlight on her phone, but a deeper instinct stayed her hand.


    She could feel her skin prickle as her hair stood on end. Turning this way and that, she could hardly see into the dark space around her, let alone attempt to find someone¡ªor an exit.


    Soraya strained to hear the sound of the beat of wings. But¡­nothing.


    All she could see in front of her and behind her were empty halls, their ceilings swallowed by darkness. On one side of her was a solid wall running the length of the corridor; on the other, she could just make out the shape of a railing through the gloom.


    Stepping closer, she reached out a hand and touched what felt like cool stone. Tentatively, she leaned her head over the parapet. The pungent smell of salt blew in her face as a chilly gust of wind made her hair flutter around her. Angling her head, her ear pointed downward, she could hear something distantly. Somewhere far below, the distinct sound of pounding waves slapping against the cliff wall echoed up to her.


    Pulling herself back, she realized it was an open chasm before her. Squinting into the dark, she couldn¡¯t see anything across the gap. Was she outside? On some sort of terrace, she assumed.


    This isn¡¯t normal, she thought to herself. Where the hell am I?


    The clouds that covered the moon were still thick; if anything, Soraya felt her vision get darker and darker as the moonlight slowly blotted out.


    Something wet hit her hand, startling her. She jerked it away from the stone just as a soft tapping sound began. It started with a few taps close to her, then further down the hall, building until the sound surrounded her.


    Soraya took a step back from the opening as a slow, steady rain began to fill the chasm. Hitting and wetting the stone as it spread along the edge of the floor. The soft plinks of water turned into a thundering downpour, filling the space with its noise. She could only hear the rainfall until a flash of light illuminated the curtain of rain before her¡ªthere and gone until the next flash of light.


    The storm had arrived. Did the monster come with it?


    She braced herself for the clap of thunder or another bone-shattering roar¡­but it never came.


    Backing away, she pressed herself against the cold stone wall, waiting for the shadow of the monster to fill the opening with the next flash of lightning.


    Ding.


    She jumped, her eyes cutting to the right just as a slash of golden light fell across the floor beside her. Elated that she had a steady source of light¡ªand with the hope of someone else near¡ªshe raced toward it.


    The source of the light was embedded into an alcove. When she rounded the corner, it took her eyes a moment to adjust to the brightness. And when they did, she discovered that the light was coming from an elevator.


    Was it the same one that she shared with Sorenth?


    ¡°Hello,¡± she called out.


    The rain swallowed her greeting.


    Just as well¡ªthere was no one else there. But¡ª


    Turning her head back toward the open hall¡­she felt like she was being watched. The prickling sensation crawled up her neck, and for a moment, she was certain someone¡ªor something¡ªwas watching. But again, there was no one else there.


    Her neck tingled as she faced the elevator once more. Uncaring where it would take her, Soraya quickly made her way onto the lift and, hopefully, away from danger.


    There weren¡¯t any safety guidelines to suggest you couldn¡¯t take the elevators in a situation like hers. Though, even if the building was on fire at that point, Soraya wouldn¡¯t care either way.


    Inside the compartment, mirrors covered the walls, ending at waist height before giving way to smooth yellow stone. A stone elevator? Soraya barely spared it a glance as she located the panel. She saw there was only one button to press.


    Furrowing her eyebrows, she pressed it and watched as the yellow doors slid shut.


    The sound of the rain ceased.


    The doors looked eerily like the yellow stone, with a swirling pattern etched into the face of them. Looking above the door, she saw a single light illuminating the space.


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    Standing with her phone clutched in her trembling hands, she sent up a silent prayer that the elevator would lead to a place with people and safety. Turning, she watched her reflection in the mirror while she waited for the elevator to descend¡ªascend?


    Her long black hair was ragged and riddled with knots. Her makeup had been completely washed off, so she was staring at her pale, frightened face. What was she going to do with herself?


    Letting out a shaky breath, she realized the elevator wasn¡¯t moving. She tapped the button again, and the reality of the lone button sank in. There was no open button. Or close. Or a security call. It was just the one button.


    She thought of Jesmine and what she would have to say about this situation. What would she do?


    What would Dottie do?


    Before she had the chance to worry any further, the elevator started to move. Letting out the briefest sigh of relief that one thing was going right, Soraya folded her arms across her chest as she tried to think through her options. Nothing bad had happened yet. No monster came barreling through the building, and the roof wasn¡¯t falling down on top of her¡ªshe had to look on the brighter side of things.


    A shadow fell across the elevator.


    Tensing, Soraya looked up at the lone lightbulb.


    It flickered again, sending the elevator into pitch blackness before resuming its steady light.


    Pressure began to build in her ears. It felt like the air was getting trapped in her head, and a headache was beginning to form behind her eyes. The lightbulb blinked off and on, a low humming sound filling the space.


    Soraya tried to crack her jaw to relieve the pressure, but it was to no avail. The frequency of the humming was growing, and the headache spreading throughout her head.


    The lightbulb flickered again and continued to flicker as the humming intensified. Pressure enveloped the elevator, making it feel as though she were surrounded by an invisible force that was squeezing her. The headache pulsed through her skull, escalating to a level of pain that she could no longer endure.


    She clasped her head between her hands and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the erratic battle of light and darkness from worsening the pain coursing through her mind. Her knees stung when she dropped them to the stone floor, no longer able to stand from the weight of pressure that was wrapping around her. The humming was deafening in her ears.


    It felt like her head was going to explode before her body succumbed to the mounting pressure. Her skin and bones felt like they were being torn apart; she couldn¡¯t move, this was it.


    She opened her mouth and screamed.


    The lightbulb stopped its jittery dance, the humming ceased, and the pressure that had wrapped its way around her body disappeared all in a blink.


    Breathing as if she had just run a marathon, she let go of her head.


    Ding.


    The yellow elevator doors slid open. Exhausted, she cracked her eyes open and watched as a red sedan drove by, tires crunching on the asphalt. The sounds of city nightlife filtered into the space.


    On trembling legs, Soraya placed a shaking hand on the mirror and used it to help her stand. Breathing hard, she took a moment to gather herself. Smoothing back her tangled hair from her face, she looked down at the floor and realized she had dropped her phone.


    Picking it up, she swallowed the excess saliva that had pooled in her mouth and straightened out. Looking in the mirror, she noticed the dress she was wearing was a beautiful yellow-gold coloring. It looked shiny, like cellophane, but not as transparent. It was loose and tight in all the right places on her body.


    When she looked down at her booted feet, she grimaced at how it clashed with the elegant look of the cocktail dress¡ªbut what else could she do?


    Sighing, she stepped out of the elevator onto a deserted sidewalk. A foul smell hung in the air, and she slapped a hand over her nose to keep the burning acrid scent from frying her senses.


    Did someone set a car battery on fire?


    Looking up and down the uneven sidewalk, she saw parked cars and random trash that littered the quiet street.


    Ding.


    Looking behind her, she watched as the yellow elevator doors slid shut. The light above the entrance winking out.


    Pursing her lips, she could confidently say the elevator was the only one she knew of that opened directly onto the sidewalk.


    Weird.


    Shrugging her shoulders, she touched her phone screen, waking it up, and realized her battery life was dangerously low. With speed, she ordered a car to come pick her up before her phone died on her.


    With that done, she leaned against the cement wall and waited.


    After a while, the hum of electricity caught her attention. Looking to her right, she saw a white neon sign above a closed shop. It was a seven-pointed star jutting out from the wall, encased in an iron frame. Below it, the word "Blessed" was written on the metal.


    The sound of a car honking pulled her attention away from the sign. Her ride was here. Without a backward glance, she hopped into the car, the song ¡°All Star¡± by Smash Mouth blasted through the crummy speakers as they headed for the campus, where Jesmine waited for her. Soraya hoped she was alright.


    ~


    Thanking the driver, Soraya shut the door and headed through the campus gates. The fountain, their designated meeting spot since their first year of grad school, was located near the entrance, nestled among the cluster of buildings to her left.


    The path she took was deserted of any students as she headed up a couple of steps, only to make a sharp left, heading in between two red-bricked buildings. It led her to an open courtyard that had trees hugging close to the buildings, and in its center were planters filled with summer flowers pushed against a black railing framing a square pit.


    It wasn¡¯t until one walked closer that one saw a set of stairs leading down into the pit and realized a fountain was in the center of it. Easy to miss.


    Heading down the stairs with the moonlight as her guide, Soraya spotted Jesmine lying on the flat ledge of the square fountain. With her hands behind her head, Jesmine gazed up at the overcast night sky. She had swapped her nun costume for an oversized black shirt that definitely belonged to a man, paired with white shorts peeking out beneath. Despite the casual attire, she still wore her stripper heels, which made Soraya smile to herself¡ªthey were a matching pair.


    Without saying a word, Soraya made her way to the adjacent container wall, dress flowing around her ankles.


    When she neared, Jesmine greeted her, ¡°Hey.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Soraya replied, stretching her body out on the red-bricked ledge, her head angled toward the corner, close to Jesmine¡¯s.


    They lay in silence, watching the mist drift above. The bubbling fountain, which was only a couple of pipes that barely breached the surface, soothed the quiet between them.


    After another moment, Soraya asked, ¡°You okay?¡± The image of Jesmine¡¯s text with the word ¡°please¡± flashed through her mind.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright. You?¡±


    Jesmine was saying very little, which could either mean she was not alright or she was extremely tired. Either way, Soraya knew not to push it. Jesmine needed her to show up, and that was what she did. Jesmine had done the same for her in the past.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright. Met a man tonight,¡± Soraya said, knowing it would take Jesmine¡¯s mind off things.


    ¡°No shit.¡± Soraya could hear the smile in her voice. ¡°Did you play hanky-panky with this man?¡±


    Soraya chuckled. ¡°You could say that.¡±


    ¡°You know you have to give me all the details.¡±


    Soraya¡¯s smile faded. ¡°Of course.¡± At that moment, she could feel the ghost of Sorenth¡¯s fingers grazing her skin, his lips between her thighs. She shuddered in the warm night air and wondered if he was going to text or give her a call tomorrow.


    Another thought made its way to the forefront of her mind. ¡°Hey, Jesmine?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Do you remember the name of the club you brought me to the other night?¡± Soraya¡¯s heart started to pound in her chest. She didn¡¯t know why.


    ¡°Umm, yeah, it was¡ªMidnight¡­Midnight Jungle, or something like that.¡±


    Jungle, Soraya thought.


    They lapsed into silence once more, the fountain burbling away. Soraya watched as the rolling mist above them churned. It triggered a memory that tried to surface, but it never made it as it slipped back into the far corners of her consciousness.


    ¡°Do you remember which street Midnight Jungle was on?¡± Soraya asked after giving up on chasing memories.


    Jesmine took longer to respond. ¡°You know what...I can¡¯t remember.¡±


    Soraya hummed her understanding. She figured as much.


    They stayed by the fountain for a couple more minutes before deciding to go back to their apartment. It had been a long night for the both of them, and a good night¡¯s rest sounded heavenly.

 Chapter 9: The Drunken Duck

    The next morning, Soraya woke up bleary-eyed and hungry. She felt something cool against her skin and realized she was still wearing the dress Sorenth had given her the night before. She had never taken it off, and after examining the dress, it was surprisingly not wrinkled or stained in any way. It really was a fascinating material.


    Sorenth. His face flashed across her mind¡ªhis dashing smile and olive-green eyes. Looking around the room, she spotted her phone on her cluttered nightstand and picked it up, only to realize it was dead. With a sigh, she found her charger and plugged it in.


    While she waited for it to charge, she went over to her closet and flicked through her clothes until she found a flowy green sundress. Removing the beautiful gown and hanging it up, she quickly got changed and headed out to the kitchen to get a bit to eat.


    She pulled together some yogurt, honey, and berries. Mixing it all, she took a bite absentmindedly¡ªand gagged. Spitting out the foul food, she grabbed a cup of water and swished her mouth out to try and get rid of the taste.


    After she was done purging her mouth of the horrid taste, she opened the fridge to inspect the yogurt. She had just bought it, and it shouldn¡¯t have gone bad so soon. The expiration date was a couple of weeks out, so it must have been a bad batch. Disappointed, she dumped the yogurt out in the sink and recycled the container.


    She heard a ding go off in her room, and the yogurt was forgotten as she padded into her room, making a beeline for her phone. She was only slightly let down to see Ahvi¡¯s name pop up on the screen.


    Clicking on her messages, she saw she had no other text. A quick glance at the time showed it was only an hour and a half until noon. Disheartened, she clicked her message open:


    Ahvi: I¡¯ll be out all day. Don¡¯t worry about me.


    Man, her boss is truly evil for making her work so hard on a Sunday. Soraya thought, feeling bummed out on her friend¡¯s behalf.


    She sent out a quick text asking if she needed help, then sat on her bed and scrolled through social media.


    Fifteen minutes later, Ahvi replied, declining her offer but saying she should be home late that night. Soraya gave the message a thumbs up.


    The afternoon sun shone through her window, warming her up while she lay cozy on her bed. She caught herself dozing off and decided a nice nap sounded like a wonderful way to spend the afternoon.


    Eyelids growing heavier and heavier, she didn¡¯t resist as sleep gently swept her away on a warm thought.


    ~


    Waking up several hours later, Soraya yawned and stretched out her heavy limbs. All her late-night activities were starting to catch up with her.


    Her head felt heavy, and her mouth felt dry. Smacking her lips together, she sat up in bed. Looking over her shoulder to her window and beyond, she saw the last light of the day peeking through the buildings of downtown.


    Getting up, she checked her fully charged phone and saw that it was almost eight at night. There was one message from Jesmine stating that she was going to the gym and would be a while. That was it. There were no other texts she received during her marathon nap time, and something in her heart twisted at that.


    It was just a one-night stand, she thought to herself. It didn¡¯t mean anything.


    Forcing herself to squash the disappointment¡ªand, if she was honest with herself, the hurt¡ªshe threw her phone on her bed and put her hands on her hips, thinking.


    Ahvi was out and most likely won¡¯t be home until well past midnight. Jesmine was at the gym working her feelings out, which could take a while. So, what was she going to do with herself? Soraya didn¡¯t like being alone for too long; it made her restless.


    She could stay home and binge-watch a show or start a movie series. Or maybe she could do something useful like visit the soup kitchens she often volunteered at. But¡­


    Something under her skin was buzzing with adrenaline. She felt more awake than ever, and her body craved movement. To do something.


    Her stomach growled ferociously. She realized she hadn¡¯t eaten anything all day, and when the sharp hunger pangs spiked through her stomach, she made up her mind.


    Flinging open her closet door, she took out the gold dress that was gifted to her by someone she didn¡¯t want to be named.


    Giving it a quick sniff test, she deemed it clean and whipped it off its hanger. Throwing off her clothes, she went over to her drawer and pulled out a pair of clean underwear. After sliding the underwear on, she pulled the dress overhead and shivered as the material sluiced down her body in one smooth wave.


    She couldn¡¯t wear a bra with it unless she wanted the straps to show.


    Taking a look in the mirror, she decided to forgo the heavy makeup and chose instead to curl her eyelashes and swipe them with mascara. Nude lipstick completed the look.


    Letting her hair flow down her back, she curled the ends and examined herself in the mirror. She wished she had a nice pair of dangling earrings to go with the dress¡ªmaybe one day.


    Grabbing her phone and white clutch, she stepped into her strappy gold heels by the door before she swiftly exited the apartment to venture yet again into the downtown area.


    ~


    Walking through downtown, looking the way she did, garnered plenty of attention from both men and women. She knew she looked ethereal¡ªthanks mostly to the dress¡ªand she almost felt like it, too, if not for the relentless growling of her empty stomach.


    She passed one of her favorite taco trucks, tempted by the thought of three mouth-watering al pastor tacos, complete with sweet pineapple. But the moment the scent hit her nose, she recoiled, slapping a hand over her face to block out the horrid smell.


    The servers and cooks cast her a few suspicious glances as she rushed away, cheeks burning with embarrassment at her reaction.


    But it wasn¡¯t just their food¡ªit was all of them. Her favorite burger joint smelled too rancid, the sushi place too fishy, the pizza too plastic, and even the rich spices of her beloved Indian cuisine made her gag. Everything, including the very downtown air, seemed unbearable. Frustrated, she pulled out the travel perfume from her clutch and gave herself a spritz. It helped, but only a little.


    Left hungry, cranky, and increasingly annoyed by how the day was unfolding, she stomped her way down the gum-stained sidewalks, her heels clicking sharply against the concrete.


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    Letting her hunger and feet take her wherever they wish¡ªher mind swirled aimlessly¡ªabout Tariq. About Sorenth, about Ahvi and Jesmine and the stupid food¡ª


    The smell of something so profoundly delicious wafted its way around her, halting both her mind and feet in their tracks.


    She looked around and saw she was on some random street. Cars and buses were passing by her on her right, and a steady stream of people was walking around her as they chatted merrily among themselves.


    Sniffing the air, a group of people dressed for clubbing gave her an odd look before laughing to themselves as they passed her fully. She didn¡¯t care. Not as her mouth watered with anticipation.


    Turning her head, she saw a restaurant she had never seen in the area before. The Drunken Duck. The most marvelous smells she had ever smelt in her whole life wrapped her up and drew her in.


    Salivating, she reached for the handle and was jolted with electricity. Hissing, she shook her hand, cursing the stupid static, and tried again. This time, she managed to open the door and stepped inside.


    For a moment, it felt as if she were stepping through a force field¡ªentering in slow motion. But when her foot landed on the floor inside, she realized she was in a lovely restaurant, complete with a bar occupying one side of the room. The low ceiling was well-lit, and charming little lanterns adorned the tables scattered throughout the space, each flickering with a warm red flame that created a cozy ambiance for the patrons enjoying their tasty-looking dishes.


    The atmosphere was inviting, and she decided she didn¡¯t care what the price was; she was going to savor the best meal they had if it meant tasting something out of this world, judging by the heavenly aroma surrounding her.


    Wandering down the few steps, she headed toward the bar. There were seats available at the far end, but in the middle sat a lone man.


    He had a broad, straight back, and as she approached the bar, her feet turned away from the empty seat by the wall, drawn instead to the one a couple of seats down from him.


    As she settled into her seat, she casually glanced over at him.


    He had black hair that was glided by the fake flame of the lantern in front of him. Dressed in a long-sleeved white dress shirt tucked into a pair of black slacks, he sat with his hands steepled in front of his mouth, his elbows resting on the bar. He looked deep in thought.


    Breathing in the air, she could smell all sorts of wonderful things, but what really stood out to her was the smell of jasmine and sagebrush.


    Rubbing her thighs together, she could clearly see how handsome his side profile was. He had thick eyebrows and a strong jaw. He was a big man, but not as imposing as Tariq¡ªshe couldn¡¯t help but also notice.


    She debated striking up a conversation with him when a beautiful woman glided right up next to him. She had fiery red hair that was cut into a bob. She was a tiny thing with soft curves and a dazzling open-back green dress that flowed around her mid-calf.


    ¡°Hello, my dear. You look as if you could use some company tonight,¡± she all but purred into his ear. ¡°Allow me to join you?¡± She said the last part while wrapping her hands around his bicep.


    Soraya pursed her lips. She should have approached him sooner, then shook her head because she didn¡¯t come out for sex tonight. She just wanted to dress up and treat herself to something nice.


    ¡°I wish to be alone,¡± the handsome stranger replied firmly, disengaging her clawed fingertips from his arm. Reluctantly, she stepped back.


    The woman sent a pout his way but shrugged her thin shoulders and smiled. ¡°Whatever you want, love. But if you get lonely, you can find me in the garden.¡± She cast over her shoulder before sauntering away.


    Sighing, the man rubbed his temple.


    ¡°Here you are, Sir. Alta Rouge with a side of herbed vegetables.¡± The server set the plate in front of him, bowed, and then swiftly made his exit through the double doors that more than likely led to the kitchen. Soraya tried to catch him before he completely disappeared, but she missed her chance, and her stomach was not happy with her for it.


    She would have said this place had excellent customer service, given the whole performance the waiter put on for the handsome stranger, but he utterly ignored her as he headed back to where all the delicious aromas drifted from.


    Side-eyeing the handsome stranger¡¯s plate, she spied a beautifully prepared dish: glazed white meat steaming on a bed of roasted gold potatoes and greens, with a side of a magnificent fluffy piece of grained bread with butter melting off the sides of it.


    She swallowed as her stomach growled loudly¡ªVERY¡ªloudly. Embarrassed, she looked down at the countertop in front of her. She didn¡¯t think the handsome stranger could hear her stomach, but out of the corner of her eye, she noticed him tilt his head her way.


    She watched out of her peripherally as he hesitated with his fork. ¡°Excuse me, my lady.¡±


    Surprised, she darted her eyes to the other side of her to see who he was addressing.


    Who the hell addressed women these days with ¡®my lady¡¯?


    She secretly kind of liked it.


    Huffing out a breath that sounded a lot like a laugh, he continued, ¡°I can hear your stomach, my lady. Do you wish for me to get you the server?¡±


    Finally turning to face him, she wasn¡¯t prepared to be assaulted by his classic beauty. He did indeed have a strong brow, full lips, and dark eyes that captivated her. His hair was perfectly swept over, and he looked¡­well, he looked appetizing.


    She swallowed and shook her head, realizing she needed to respond like an adult. ¡°No, thank you. I was just about to leave.¡± She mentally kicked herself as the words left her mouth. She was never the one to run off scared¡ªshe blamed her empty stomach for her cowardice.


    Raising a single eyebrow, he remarked, ¡°You just arrived, my lady. Does the food not look appetizing to your fine palate? Or is the cuisine not as good as the Dovecote¡¯s?¡±


    Filling heat on her cheeks, she yet again shook her head, her hair moving like a thick curtain around her, tickling her arms. ¡°No, that¡¯s¡ª¡± she let out a short, quick laugh to steady her nerves. ¡°I¡¯m just not sure what to order.¡± It was the truth. Then, finding her courage, she asked, ¡°May I try some of yours?¡± She gestured to his plate.


    Amused, he silently slid his plate over, not completely to her, but enough to indicate that if she wanted to try some, she would have to come closer to get a taste.


    Doing just that, she moved one seat over and sat next to him. She could feel his body heat warming her side; he offered her the fork on the tips of his fingers. Tentatively, she grabbed it and smiled gratefully at him before turning her attention to the plate of luxurious food.


    Her mouth immediately watered in anticipation. She heard him chuckling under his breath but ignored him as she cut into the soft white meat with the fork and swirled it around the orange sauce at the bottom of the plate.


    He hummed in approval, making her unconsciously shift in the stool. Bringing the food to her mouth, she took her first bite¡ªflavor exploded in her mouth. Her eyes widened.


    The meat melted like butter, and the spicy, savory taste blended into absolute perfection. She couldn¡¯t help but moan. She didn¡¯t notice the handsome man beside her going completely quiet as she began to skewer the veggies and little golden potatoes, all but shoveling them into her mouth. Soraya had never tasted something so flavorful, so decadent, in her life. She had never been a foodie, but food like this¡­


    She was halfway through the plate when she realized¡­it wasn¡¯t hers. Sheepishly, she swallowed her bite and was about to put down the fork when he commanded, ¡°Keep eating.¡±


    Glancing at him from the corner of her eye, she saw the serious look on his face. When his gaze shifted from her mouth to her eyes, he nodded and said a tad bit softly, ¡°Please, enjoy yourself, beautiful.¡±


    Something inside of her¡ªpride more than likely¡ªreared its head and told her to unhand the fork, but her stomach¡ªclearly the louder voice¡ªsaid to eat it all. And so she did.


    After finishing, she wanted to pick up the plate and lap up the sauce left behind but decided against it. She was wearing an elegant dress; she couldn¡¯t act like a complete heathen in it.


    Turning to look at him, she nodded her head. ¡°It was delicious, thank you.¡±


    Without a word, he reached out his hand and delicately swiped at some sauce in the corner of her mouth with the pad of his finger.


    Blushing, she cleared her throat. ¡°What do I owe you for the meal?¡±


    ¡°Your name,¡± he said without hesitation.


    Looking into his dark brown eyes, she hesitated only for a moment before replying, ¡°Soraya.¡±


    He stood, towering over her. Offering her his hand, he purred, ¡°Lestis. Would you care to join me for dinner?¡±


    She raised a brow, a quirked smile on her lips. ¡°I just ate dinner.¡± With a dramatic sigh, she continued while batting her eyelashes, ¡°But I guess I can accompany you for yours, and I promise I won¡¯t eat it this time.¡±


    He gave her a slow, sensual smile. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind sharing my food with you, Soraya. And it would be my pleasure to treat you to dessert?¡±


    Well¡­ how was she supposed to say no to that?

 Chapter 10: Jasmine and Sagebrush

    As their hands connected, Soraya felt something electric shoot up her arm¡ªnot painful, but warm¡ªlike her veins had suddenly flooded with zinging energy, making her skin tingle in a rather pleasant way.


    ¡°This way, Love,¡± Lestis said, pulling her closer and threading her arm through his.


    She gripped his clothed bicep, the material soft against her fingertips. ¡°Why, you¡¯re quite the gentleman, Lestis,¡± Soraya declared with a smile, collecting her clutch in her other hand.


    His lip tugged up at that. ¡°Manners make the male.¡±


    Well, that¡¯s one way to say it, she supposed.


    He led her away from the bar and toward the side of the room, where a set of brown double doors stood.


    A spike of anxiety bloomed in the back of her mind as they approached the doors. She clung closer to him as he pushed them open, leading her into a hallway.


    The hallway had red floors, a red ceiling, and a red wall to the right with sconces high on the wall. On the opposite side was a wall made of bronze latticework, with wooden doors spaced evenly along its length.


    ¡°Why did we leave the restaurant?¡± Soraya asked as she looked back the way they came. Her hand tightened on her clutch purse. Where was he taking her?


    ¡°I thought we could have a more private setting, away from prying eyes,¡± he responded smoothly, reaching for one of the doors to their left.


    Soraya vaguely recalled the sensation of being watched as they left the restaurant, but she had been too preoccupied with her sudden spike of anxiety to care.


    As they stepped into the new space, it took her eyes a moment to adjust to the dim lighting. She spied a cozy nook with a floor seating area, complete with a U-shaped sofa and a low wooden table at its center. Colorful, decorative rugs covered every inch of the stone floor, and oversized, tasseled pillows were scattered about, adding to the private ambiance.


    Beside the lattice wall and wooden door they had entered through, the walls on either side of them were made of the same material as the hallway, adorned with thick colorful tapestries. The wall opposite them was also constructed from metal latticework, draped with gauzy curtains that swayed on a gentle breeze.


    Soraya stood still for a moment as a soft breeze whispered through the lattice, making the sheer curtains flutter. Her gaze snagged on something just beyond them¡­


    There was a door hidden within the metal lattice.


    A memory started to form, but before it could come entirely to fruition, Lestis gently tucked one of her unruly curls behind her ear, the touch startling her.


    ¡°Please, make yourself comfortable, Soraya. I will be but a moment,¡± Lestis informed her.


    Snapping out of her daze, she turned in time to see the door closing in her face as he shut it gently behind him.  The lingering scent of jasmine and sagebrush drifting in the air.


    ¡°Okay, then,¡± she mumbled under her breath, shifting uncomfortably on her feet. The memory of his fingers brushing behind her ear still burned hot against her skin.


    She didn¡¯t like the idea of being left alone in this room. Glancing back at the lattice door, a wave of unease swept over her.


    Blowing out a breath, she tapped her clutch against her thigh, telling herself to get a grip. This anxiety wasn¡¯t because of Lestis¡ªshe was sure of that. She was a grown woman, and if he ever made her uncomfortable, she¡¯d leave. Simple as that.


    So why was she still hesitating to stay?


    Her gaze flicked back to the door before she looked away again. If she wanted to leave, she could. Nothing was keeping her here.


    Her stomach growled. How was she still hungry after she devouring an entire meal, she had no clue.


    She quietly scoffed to herself. Turning on her heel, she made her way to the yellow floor sofa adorned with dark blue, fringed pillows, her steps near silent on the rugs. Throwing herself down on the plush fabric cushion, the ends of her dress fluttered around her.


    Leaning back, she tucked her legs under her, heels pointing to the side wall, and settled in to wait for Lestis.


    Then, curiously, the scent of sand and roses tickled at her nose as a dry, hollow breeze whispered faintly through the latticework.


    Sniffling, she opened her clutch and pulled out her phone to keep her mind occupied. Scrolling through her school email, she found a few introductory messages from her professors. Not quite ready to dive into pre-class assignments, she switched to her text messages instead.


    None of her three friends had reached out, and though she felt tempted to message them, she figured they were all busy preparing for the week ahead. With a sigh, she slipped her phone back into her clutch just as the door from the hall opened.


    Perking up, she watched as Lestis entered, dangling two empty wine glasses by the stem in one hand, while holding a curved beige box in the other.


    ¡°I was just wondering where you went off to,¡± she said, slightly relieved at his presence.


    ¡°Apologies for the wait, Soraya. I had to track down a dessert that I think you would particularly enjoy.¡± He closed the door behind him, and the familiar scent of jasmine and sagebrush filled the space, making her shift in her seat.


    He did that just for me?


    Arching a brow, she gave him a playful look. ¡°Tracked down just for me, huh? How do I know you don¡¯t use that line on every lady who scarfs down your dinner?¡±


    He smiled. ¡°If I gave you the answer to that, would it stop you from trying it?¡±


    Soraya pursed her lips.


    Lestis continued smoothly, ¡°I could always take it back¡ª¡±


    ¡°And deprive me of my sweet treat?¡± She huffed, crossing her arms in front of her. ¡°If you do that then I will have to take back my comment about you being a gentleman from earlier.¡±


    His lips twitched, as if suppressing a smile. Setting down the mysterious parcel and wine glasses, he mused, ¡°Well, I can¡¯t have that, can I? My reputation would be in complete ruins after all these years.¡±


    Pleased, Soraya uncrossed her arms and was just about to ask about the wine glasses when he reached behind him, producing what looked like a glass bottle of champagne from his back pocket. In the dim light, the golden liquid looked to be glowing.


    She batted her eyelashes at him. ¡°Wow, you¡¯re really going all out here. Is there any particular reason why?¡±


    ¡°Because it will give me pleasure to treat you to some of life¡¯s little delights,¡± he answered simply, his gaze heavy as it flicked toward her before returning to his task.


    That casual glance sliced through her defenses, but Soraya managed to maintain her composure, resisting the urge to squirm in her seat.


    Sitting down beside her, Lestis reached for the bottle of wine. With a fluidity that sparked a flicker of envy, he popped the cork and poured smoothly into both glasses in a single, effortless motion.


    Handing her a glass, which she accepted graciously, he leaned back in the sofa, one knee propped up. He settled his wine glass atop his knee, while his other hand draped casually over the back of the sofa, just behind her.


    She was acutely aware of the warmth of his presence surrounding her¡ªand she didn¡¯t mind it one bit.


    Bringing the glass to her nose, she inhaled the aroma. A delicious, semi-sweet toastiness drifted up, tempting her. Taking a sip, she savored the sparkling liquid as it bubbled across her tongue, her taste buds lighting up with a symphony of light, nutty notes wrapped in smooth vanilla undertones.


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    ¡°Oh my God,¡± Soraya groaned. ¡°Holy shit. What is this?¡±


    Lestis raised his glass slightly, ¡°This is Solaris demi-sec, from Aurea Vinea.¡±


    Soraya hummed and looked at him with a smile. ¡°You just said a lot of words I don¡¯t understand.¡± She certainly wasn¡¯t a wine connoisseur. ¡°But it sounds delicious.¡±


    He laughed quietly under his breath. ¡°Then you¡¯ll be pleased to know it¡¯s from the Frugifera Late Harvest Collection.¡± He swirled the sparkling, glowing liquid in his glass before taking a slow sip.


    ¡°Mm-hmm, I know some of those words.¡± Soraya nodded her head. ¡°Is the mysterious dessert also from this late harvest collection?¡± she asked cheekily. Her stomach was dying to know.


    A smile tugged at his lips. Setting his glass down on the low table, he reached for the beige parcel he had brought, leaning closer to her in the process. The aroma of jasmine and sagebrush caressed her nose.


    Subtly, her knees pressed together, and the cool fabric of the dress slid across her legs, tickling her skin.


    Soraya''s back straightened as Lestis slid the parcel closer to the table¡¯s edge. She eyed it curiously, noticing the parcel¡¯s top was twisted in a spiral, like a dumpling. With a deft flick of his wrist, the parcel unfurled like a blooming flower, the soft flaps drifting gracefully to the table. She had never seen anything like it before.


    At its center sat a pie with a golden-yellow custard filling, drizzled with an amber-hued syrup. It was no larger than the palm of her hand.


    The fragrance that wafted from the pie was a tantalizing blend of sweet cream mixed with fresh, floral honey. Delicate and inviting.


    Her mouth flooded with saliva.


    She waited for him to produce something to cut the pie with, but instead, she watched as he lifted it to her lips.


    ¡°Take a bite. Let me know if it¡¯s also to your taste, Soraya,¡± he said, his voice low and inviting.


    Her gaze met his, and she felt the intensity of his stare, causing her to shift her hips slightly. A knowing look flickered in his eyes.


    Turning her attention back to the pie, she took his wrist¡ªwhich he allowed¡ªand guided him, along with the custard pie, to her mouth. Closing her eyes, she took a bite of the soft treat.


    The first sensation to cross her lips was the smooth, breaded crust that yielded easily beneath her teeth, followed by the fluffy custard that melted in her mouth. The honey drizzled on top added a sweet contrast to the sharpness of the lingering champagne, creating a delightful balance of flavors.


    Leaning her head back against his arm, eyes still closed, she moaned as the delicate sweet custard wrapped its way around her tongue, the amber honey melting against the roof of her mouth.


    Then she caught a whiff of something far more enticing. Turning her head, she breathed in the fragrant notes of jasmine and sagebrush as she chewed.


    An arm wrapped around her.


    ¡°How does it taste?¡±


    Lestis''s question took a moment to register in her mind. Fluttering her eyes open, she locked eyes with him just as she swallowed.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing like anything I¡¯ve tasted before,¡± she said dreamily. None of the food she had tonight compared to anything she¡¯d experienced before¡ªexcept maybe the two drinks she had at Midnight Jungle and the hotel shortly after.


    ¡°Moon-honey cream, made by the chefs of Sirocco Halls, is quite the delicacy,¡± he agreed,  bringing the pie to her lips for another bite. ¡°Of course, I am biased; no other region could ever compare. Open.¡±


    She kept her gaze on his as she took another bite, his eyes flicking to her lips as she poked her tongue out to swipe at a stray crumb.


    Thinking as she chewed, she asked after swallowing her second bite, ¡°Moon-honey cream? What is that?¡± He said it like it was a common dessert, but she¡¯d never heard of it.


    Raising a single brow, he questioned back, ¡°You¡¯ve never heard of moon-honey?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°Is it a common dessert?¡± Maybe it was outside of America, she didn¡¯t know.


    Lestis furrowed his brows and cocked his head. ¡°Is this your first time tasting moon-honey?¡± He sounded genuinely mystified.


    ¡°It is. I¡¯ve never even heard of it before,¡± she confirmed, her head still laid back on the sofa atop his arm. She hadn¡¯t realized how close they had gotten, but she felt rather comfortable, so she didn¡¯t bother to move.


    Curiosity flashed through his eyes. ¡°How old are you, Love?¡±


    ¡°Twenty-six.¡±


    His eyebrows shot up at that. ¡°You¡¯re so young to the world. I¡¯m surprised you know anything,¡± he teased.


    She scoffed. ¡°And just how old are you?¡± She couldn¡¯t imagine he was more than thirty-five himself. How much more could he possibly know than her?


    His lips did that twitching thing again, as if he was trying to keep his amusement to himself. ¡°I¡¯ve made it to 233 years.¡±


    She snorted, and when she saw how serious he was being, she couldn¡¯t help but laugh in his face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see what¡¯s so amusing about that, love. But¡ª¡± Soraya covered her mouth when a snort-laugh escaped her. ¡°You¡¯re laugh is quite charming.¡±


    She playfully slapped his chest. ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of my laugh, old man.¡±


    ¡°Old man?¡± he asked chuckling. ¡°I suppose to you, I¡¯m ancient.¡±


    Soraya nodded her head. ¡°Oh yeah, there¡¯s no doubt about that, geezer. I¡¯m surprised you managed to get out of bed this morning.¡±


    He smiled then, laughing not in that polite or amused way he had been sharing with her all evening, but a genuine warmth that revealed his white teeth, his incisors scraping against his bottom lip. She found it charming¡ªand his husky laugh ignited a warmth deep within her.


    Not holding herself back, she placed a hand on his chest and leaned in to place a light kiss the corner of his mouth.


    Pulling back just a fraction, she looked at his lips before bringing her eyes to meet his.


    His smile slowly faded as his hand moved to the back of her head. Gripping her hair loosely, he pulled her in for another willing kiss.


    His hot mouth brushed against hers, and her tongue¡ªwith a mind of its own¡ªdarted out to run across the seam of his. Lestis closed the distance and fused their mouths together, catching her tongue, he sucked on it gently. Each sucking kiss stoked the warmth between her legs, and she could feel her arousal begin to pool between her legs.


    Her breath shook as he pulled away, trailing kisses along her jaw.


    A blast of wind hurled its way through the room, ripping at the gauze curtains and making them rattle against the metal rod they hung on. Soraya jerked at the sound, getting to her knees as if she was about to bolt. Her heart thundered in her chest, and her wide eyes fixed on the lattice door, its looming presence had never truly left her mind.


    ¡°Love?¡± Lestis¡¯s seeking gaze pulled her attention.


    She realized how insane she must look, jumping at the wind. ¡°I¡¯m not usually this jumpy, and it has nothing to do with you,¡± she hurried to clarify. ¡°I just¡­¡± She trailed off.


    His eyes softened a fraction as he noticed the shadow of fear flicker across her face. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Soraya. It¡¯s just Zerif¡¯s winds. You don¡¯t know¡ªbeing so new to life¡ªbut they¡¯re quite frequent this time of year,¡± he teased, trying to help put her at ease.


    It worked. Rolling her eyes, she scoffed, ¡°Oh yeah, what else don¡¯t I know?¡± Still on her knees, she gave him a defiant glare, placing her hands on her hips.


    His eyes dropped down her body before darting back up to her face. ¡°You¡¯d look better without that scrap of fabric wrapped between your legs.¡±


    Soraya¡¯s defiance slipped; she hadn¡¯t expected him to say that. ¡°Oh, yeah?¡± she asked in a husky voice. Standing fully, she looked down at him. ¡°Then take them off and let me decide that for myself.¡±


    A slow smirk spread across his lips. Soraya thought since he had been giving her orders all night, it was finally his turn to do something she wanted.


    ¡°With pleasure.¡±


    Placing his hands near her ankles, just above the strap of her heels, he trailed his hands up her legs, dragging the dress as he went. Between the fabric of her gown and his calloused hands, she shivered and shivered again when he brushed against the sides of her sensitive thighs.


    The dress drooped down her front, fully exposing her legs to his wandering eyes.


    Hands scraping against her hips, he hooked his fingers into the bands of her underwear and slowly slid them down her legs. She felt as the cool air met her hot center, causing her to bite her lip.


    He left her underwear where they landed around her feet and leaned back into the sofa, scrubbing a hand down his mouth.


    ¡°So¡ª¡± His eyes trailed over her body, pausing between her thighs briefly before flicking back up to her hers. ¡°How does it feel now, love?¡±


    Maneuvering her heeled feet, she stepped out of her panties. The cool, slick fabric brushed against her backside in an unexpected way. She twisted her hips, making her dress switch around her legs, the fabric tickling her skin. She shrugged her shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± While she actually loved the feel of the material against her now-exposed skin, she didn¡¯t want to give him the satisfaction of teaching her something she didn¡¯t know at ¡°her young age.¡±


    ¡°Turn around,¡± he ordered.


    She crossed her arms.


    With patience, he rested his arms on the back of the yellow sofa and looked at her expectantly, his face a blank mask. This was not a man used to being disobeyed.


    Interested to see where this was headed, she rolled her eyes and turned¡ªslowly¡ªuntil she was facing the wooden door. She looked at the latticework and watched as a silent shadowy figure strode by.


    ¡°Sit.¡±


    His second command made her back stiffen, but only a moment. With an evil thought, she did as he asked. Bending over, she ensured he got a full face of her ass before sliding down his chest until she parked herself between his legs.


    Once she settled between his thick quads, she felt something hard push against her lower back. Smiling to herself, she wriggled her bottom trying to get comfortable, and a dark, promising laugh met her ears.


    Grinning, she lounged back against him and rested her head on his shoulder. ¡°Is there anything else you want to order me to do, Lestis?¡± She was testing him, just to see how far she could push him.


    His hand shot up, wrapping around her neck with such causal speed that it froze her in place. He brought his lips close to her ear and, in a deep, sensual voice, murmured, ¡°Oh, Love. If you want to play with me, I can guarantee I will have you crawling by the end of it.¡±


    A pulse of pleasure shot through her clit as her thighs squeezed together. Her arousal had been building slowly, and now, with her underwear gone, she felt her wetness coating her inner thighs, making them slick as she rubbed them together.


    A shaky laugh escaped her. ¡°Do you promise?¡±


    A wicked grin slashed across his face, revealing, for the first time, the primal male lurking beneath the fa?ade of the gentleman.

 Chapter 11: Compensate

    Soraya watched as the wicked grin vanished as quickly as it came. A shiver shot down her spine, and she swallowed.


    His grip flexed around her throat, and she became very aware of the heat radiating off of him¡ªwarming her back. The scent of jasmine and sagebrush turned heavier in the air, and on her next inhale, her thighs squeezed together as it flooded her senses, making her lightheaded.


    Sprawled out around her, he tightened his hold on her neck, guiding her gaze forward. Her heart pounded, and the pulse between her legs intensified with each beat.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t asked you to do anything you didn¡¯t already want to¡ªhave I, Love?¡± Lestis purred, steady and sure, as his free hand landed on top of her knees, pressed tightly together.


    Soraya was momentarily stunned by the arousal coursing through her system. Words completely escaped her as he slid his hand down the slope of her knee, tracing along the fabric of her dress and leaving behind a trail of heat before moving back up. Lightly gripping her right kneecap, he whispered, ¡°Open for me, Soraya.¡±


    How did she end up like this again? She was hungry¡­and decided to walk around downtown to get some food in her swanky new dress¡­and then¡­


    She swallowed, then swallowed again as his thumb attached to the hand on her throat, swiped gently up and down right over her throbbing pulse. Slowly, she parted her knees apart.


    Lestis took a deep breath, and Soraya¡¯s whole body moved with his chest as it expanded and contracted. His hand slid to grip the inside of her knee, guiding her leg open further. The dominance in his touch alone had her inner walls clenching tight.


    The slit of her dress parted, revealing more and more of her smooth skin until the fabric gave way, sliding across her thigh and pooling at her center. Her body twitched at the sensation of the silky material against her bare skin, and she bit her lip as some of it clung to the wetness coating her inner thighs.


    Lestis didn¡¯t stop guiding her leg until her heeled foot was planted on the other side of his thigh, her left leg spread and pressed against his bent one.


    With her legs stretched wide open, Lestis hummed his approval, and she felt him take another deep breath. The scent of her arousal hung in the air, making her wonder if he, too, could sense it.


    Shivering, Soraya¡¯s eyes traced down her inclined body, heat rising to her face when she noticed her hardened nipples straining against the gossamer, cellophane-like fabric of her dress in an obscene manner. The material left nothing to the imagination, and her gaze drifted lower¡­finally landing between her spread, trembling legs.


    The thin yellow-gold dress was the only barrier keeping her dripping arousal from being fully visible to Lestis, who was taking a long, unhurried look at her body. She prayed he wouldn¡¯t realize just how wet she was, or how the fabric clung to the softest part of her inner thigh.


    She could tell him to stop, to keep him from discovering the drenched, throbbing truth beneath the dress...but she didn¡¯t want to.


    Without a word, they both watched as his fingers trailed a path down her leg, drifting lower and lower until they barely brushed the pooled fabric at her center. Her breathing grew shallow, and the hand on her neck felt like a hot brand as she let herself relax into his grip.


    Her breath hitched as his fingers lingered just at the edge of her dress. Her thighs trembled as she strained to open them wider, waiting for his heated touch to slip beneath the fabric and soothe the ache building between her legs¡ª


    His hand abruptly changed directions back up her thigh. She bit her lip to keep a noise of frustration from leaving her lips.


    Lestis chuckled, as if detecting her frustration anyhow. ¡°Relax, Love. I¡¯ll get there.¡±


    Fucking bastard, Soraya thought as she clenched her jaw.


    Soraya hated how calm and steady he sounded, but¡ªexhaling slowly, she realized just how tense her body had become. She took in a long deep breath, feeling herself unravel.


    The musky scent of that damned jasmine and sagebrush washed over her, fulling her lungs. Her chest shuddered as she dragged down the intoxicating scent. It pulled her deeper and deeper into its alluring depths until she was drowning in it.


    Suffocating in the sweetest way possible.


    Lestis said something she didn¡¯t catch, and his hand tightened gently around her neck, pulling her head back until she was staring, unseeing, at the ceiling.


    The heat of him had turned from a cozy warmth to a heated furnace. Soraya melted back into his hard, scorching frame, their bodies melding together, as her mind floated, untethered from any logic.


    She was surrounded by him.


    His light, teasing touches resumed¡ªsetting her entire body throbbing with need. His fingers traced a slow, deliberate path down her leg, heading toward her pounding, aching center¡ªonly to veer back up at the last moment, leaving her breathless with anticipation. Then he switched, repeating the same maddening path down her other leg. Down, then up. Switch.


    Down.


    And.


    Up.


    The grip he had on her neck became tighter, and tighter, his thumb swiping lavishly up and down her neck¡ªnothing but a careless, featherlight touch. With each pass of that thumb, her heated skin turned all the more sensitive. Her body came alive, fixated on his burning touches.


    Soraya¡¯s body trembled under the undeniable ownership he had over her in that moment. Her mouth fell open as uneven pants stuttered through her lips. Her delicate inner walls clenched and released¡ªclenched and released. Her body throbbed to the rhythm he was creating on her skin.


    Before she knew it, her hips were rocking with every swipe.


    Soraya was vaguely aware of him burying his nose in her hair, inhaling her scent, but her focus remained fixed on the tantalizing path of his hand. It curved inside her inner thigh, teasingly brushing against the edge of the dress that covered her core, making her squirm against him. The feel of his erection pressing into her lower back left her mouth dry.


    He tsked, suddenly abandoning the slow, torturous exploration of lazy touches. His hand lifted completely from her thigh, and a small noise of want escaped her lips. But then, his heavy hand landed squarely between her legs. The heat of his hand met the heat of her core as he cupped her. She choked on her desire.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    ¡°Tell me what you want, Soraya,¡± Lestis whispered seductively in her ear.


    She closed her eyes, drowning in desire. Words eluded her completely; a long, deep moan was her only answer as she moved her hips back and forth, desperate to create friction against the palm of his hand. Her clit throbbed under his denying touch as his hand moved with her.


    ¡°Touch yourself, Love.¡± The command dripped off his lips as he removed his touch.


    A whimper escaped her throat. She wanted¡ªno, needed¡ªhis touch.


    He laughed, that bastard laughed, with a tone that suggested he was amused and untterly unaffected by her plight. Soraya wanted to make him pay.


    She was going to make him pay, she thought to herself as she unclenched her hand from his dress pants. With a mind of its own, her hand reached between her legs, and before she could slide it under her dress, he gripped her wrist like an iron band, stopping her.


    ¡°No, Love. Not like that,¡± he admonished. An annoyed breath escaped her as Soraya strained against him, but she didn¡¯t have to attempt to form words before he explained further. ¡°Touch yourself over your dress; this material heightens the senses.¡± Before she could do just that, he added, amusement lacing his tone, ¡°I forgot how much you don¡¯t know. So, I shall show you.¡±


    His hand slipped between her thighs, and she could feel the heat radiating off his fingers¡ª


    She gasped.


    His deft fingers spread the fabric taunt across her folds, and without giving her a chance to process the feel of it, his fingertip found the bundle of nerves at the top of her entrance and began to trace around it.


    The sensation was like no other. Both the heat and the cooling effect of the fabric had her breath catching¡ªit was like water running over her pussy.


    She let out another moan.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it feel good, Love?¡± he asked, fully aware she was beyond speaking.


    Her body shuddered as he dragged his teasing fingers around and around her clit, but he never applied the pressure she desperately needed to feel truly satisfied.


    She tried to push up into his hand, but once again he denied her the pleasure, making her whimper in frustration.


    His breath was on her cheek, then his teeth grazed her earlobe, nibbling softly and adding to the whirlwind of sensations sweeping through her.


    Out of frustration, she reached down and clasped his wrist. But¡ªfucking hell¡ªhis hand didn¡¯t budge at all. His causal strength kept her right where he wanted her.


    ¡°I would hate to give you any more orders, Soraya. So this is entirely up to you and what you want. You just have to ask.¡±


    He was the biggest bastard she¡¯d ever met. ¡°T-Touch¡ª¡±


    He hummed under his breath, ¡°Did you say something?¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± she begged, the inferno under her skin pulsed, burning every nerve in her body as her clit throbbed and throbbed.


    ¡°Since you asked so nicely.¡±


    The dress covering her drenched pussy was peeled back, the material¡ªhaving been glued to her delicate, sticky folds¡ªfelt like a bandage being ripped off, causing her to gasp. She gasped again as his fingers went straight to her entrance. He didn¡¯t hesitate, plunging his middle finger in deep.


    Her body tensed before slacking¡ªtight and loose in all the right places at his sudden intrusion.


    Her pussy clenched down around his digits, but it wasn¡¯t enough. He had been teasing her poor clit all this time and was still denying her what she really wanted. His finger stilled inside her. He released her throat and, using his now-free hand, pulled her quivering left leg over his bent one. The move rendered her completely immobile¡ªshe was entirely at his mercy.


    She moaned, trying to rock her hips.


    Lestis added a second finger once he deemed her ready, stretching her further. With long, steady strokes, he began to pump in and out of her. His free hand traveled up her belly; his touch seared her skin even as his fingers dipped into her slick, heated core. She could feel her juices running down her entrance, dripping down her ass and onto the floor.


    Lestis cupped her aching, heavy breast making her moan at the predatory touch. ¡°Look at you,¡± he said, his voice deep and hoarse. ¡°I¡¯ve barely touched you and you¡¯re completely fucking drench.¡± Just to prove his point, his fingers picked up speed, driving deep into her soaked core. Her head dug back on his shoulder as she gave herself over to the mind-numbing pleasure. Her pussy was making all kinds of squelching, filthy noises, while her heavy breaths and moans filled the air.


    ¡°Did you hear that the Seraphim was spotted off the coast of Zephyria?¡± a man¡¯s voice floated in from the hallway.


    Soraya clamped her lips shut to keep another slutty moan from slipping out. She had forgotten that the metal lattice work didn¡¯t keep any sound from coming in or out. Lestis fingers were still between her legs, dragging out the sounds of her wet pussy, and she felt completely exposed. He practically had her on full display. All someone would have to do was look right into the room, and they would see her with her legs spread around Lestis¡¯s knees, his hand pumping between her thighs.


    ¡°Les¡ª¡± she panted out half his name, but he didn¡¯t relent.


    His heavy breathing filled her ear as he brought his lips closer to it. Her eyes were still shut, but she could feel him examining her. She expected that he didn¡¯t hear the people out in the hall when someone responded a little further away.


    ¡°I have, indeed. Some of my friends at the Dovecote told me they saw it flying through a thunderstorm right outside their windows,¡± a woman¡¯s voice replied.


    Soraya came to realize that Lestis didn¡¯t give a fuck about the people potentially catching them in the act. Not as his palm finally came down to grind on her neglected bundle of nerves, making her suck in a gasping moan. She could feel his hot breath on her ear before his husky voice whispered, ¡°Are you shy to let others listen as you partake in pleasure, Love? How does that work in your profession?¡±


    He pulled his soaked fingers out and pressed them down her clit, pleasure sparking with each pass of the pad of his fingertips, the question he asked never registering with her¡ªnot as her legs jerked with every stroke he gave her.


    Soraya was so close. So close.


    He strummed her a couple of more times, dipping his fingers into her heated, gushing core and bringing her slick juices to rub around her clit. Building her pleasure higher and higher as her body grew taut. Plunging two fingers back into her with ease, he grinded his palm down exactly where she needed him, just as his other hand came up swipe around her erect nipple before pinching it hard and pulling it between his thumb and forefinger.


    Stars exploded behind her eyes as Lestis reached up a hand and clamped it over her mouth, muffling her scream as her orgasm blasted through her trembling body.


    ¡°Lestis,¡± a cool male voice called out.


    Soraya¡¯s hips shuddered with the waves of her rolling orgasm, and a surge of her wetness coated Lestis¡¯s fingers as they continued to pump between her shuddering thighs.


    ¡°What is it, Elion?¡± Lestis answered unfazed as she came apart on top of him.


    ¡°The meeting has begun, and the others are wondering where you are.¡± There was a slight pause as Lestis¡¯s palm once again gorund down on her oversensitive clit, causing her to cry out behind his hand. ¡°Unless¡­do you wish me to inform them that your presence is required elsewhere?¡± Soraya could hear the amusement in his voice, and she shot a hand down to still Lestis¡¯s hand from further abusing her poor clit.


    ¡°No. I will be out in a moment,¡± Lestis informed him as he finally dragged his fingers out of her quivering pussy. Soraya opened her eyes just as Lestis gently gathered her legs. He picked her up and maneuvered her against the cushion beside him. The room spun around her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back love. Clean up and be ready for me when I get back. I¡¯ll compensate you for your time,¡± Lestis said as he fixed himself.


    Dazed, she watched him as he opened the door, looking behind him, his eyes sweeping over her limp form.


    ¡°Lestis?¡± the stranger asked as he stood there, looking at her longer than necessary.


    She heard his throat clear before he dragged his eyes away from her heaving body and shut the door quietly behind him.


    Once he disappeared down the hall, the gears in her mind started to churn.


    As the air cleared from the jasmine and sagebrush, she could hear the wind blowing through the curtains. Her mind settled just as she was able to get a grip on her breathing.


    ¡°Compensate?¡± Soraya whispered out loud. The little pieces of what he said to her over the past two hours came floating back. Cheeks turning red, she yelled, ¡°COMPENSATE!¡±


    He thought she was a run-of-the-mill hooker.


    Outraged, she found the energy to get up from the floor sofa. Wobbling on her heels, she bent down to swipe her panties off the rug. She quickly pulled them on, her face still beat red. She spotted her half-eaten moon-honey pie and swiped it off the low table. She earned it after all.


    On shaky legs, she made her swift exit with a huff.


    Bastard didn¡¯t even pay upfront. What kind of whore did he take her for?

 UPDATE

    Hello everyone, I won''t be posting an update today. I had/have a lot of personal matters add up and it has put me increasingly behind, and I feel my writing has suffer because of it. I will be posting an update next week, on Friday, Nov 15.


    Thank you all so much for your support and interactions! I gain so many new readers so I want to both welcome you and again thank you all for supporting Soraya Honei! This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    See you next week, and I hope you all going through tough times find solace in people you love


    and find small joys in life that help make hard times feel better because some days that''s all you can do¡ªits worth your time and happiness.

 Chapter 12: Starry-Eyed Windows

    Soraya was fuming as she took a bite out of her moon-honey dessert, her other hand gripping her clutch a little too tightly. Crumbs fell on her dress as she made her way down the hall towards the double doors she had entered through with Lestis.


    What in the world made him think she was a sex worker? She was definitely not dressed as one¡ªthough, she supposed, they can dress any way they wished. But then how would people know if someone was a sex worker or not? She certainly didn¡¯t introduce herself as one. Did she?


    As she fumed, she noticed how silent it was. Even her heels didn¡¯t make a sound, muffled on the ornate carpet.


    Her cheeks heated as she realized just how quiet it was in the hallway. No doubt, every person passing by heard exactly what she and Lestis had been up to. Her inner walls throbbed from the phantom feel of his lingering touch inside her.


    She swallowed her bite of pie thickly.


    Were they the only ones occupying the rooms here? She stopped in her tracks, her eyes flitting to the wall of bronze to her right.


    Judging by how quiet it was, she wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they were, in fact, alone. Taking a cautious step closer to the metal latticework, she peeked through the pattern holes. The room beyond was dimly lit, shrouded in a heavy silence. Leaning her head forward, she squinted, trying to make out an object near the floor in the center of the space.


    The room seemed identical to the one she had just left¡ªa low table, dark shapes of oversized pillows, and¡ª


    Soraya gasped softly, jerking back when the object on the floor began to shift. For a fleeting moment, she thought she saw a pair of eyes glinting in the darkness, flashing directly her way.


    Before she could muster an apology for peeping¡ªjust in case¡ªthe sound of a door creaking open snapped her attention away from the dark room. Her eyes darted toward the direction she¡¯d come, landing on the door to the room she had just vacated. It swung open slowly, moved by a faint, silent wind.


    And that was enough adventure for one night.


    Without looking back, she spun on her heel, back toward the double doors and pushed her way into the restaurant. Guilt nipped at her as she crossed the threshold. Had she just been spying on someone during an intimate moment? Possibly. To be fair, though, they had been extraordinarily quiet.


    Most not be that good, she mused. Then another thought occurred to her, do people often have sex in those rooms?


    Shaking her head of that inane question, she let the door shut softly behind her. Taking in the now dark space, she noted how eerily still everything was. The once-bustling restaurant had been thoroughly cleaned and locked up for the night. Her chest tightened with worry. Had the staff locked her in?


    How would she leave?


    Grumbling to herself, Soraya found solace in her sweet treat as she polished it off, sucking the crumbs from her fingertips. While contemplating her next move, her eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness, and she noticed a faint blue glow wavering in the room. Her gaze drifted to the windows facing the street.


    At first glance, it seemed like water was running down the glass. The streetlights outside shone through the rippling surface, casting obscure, watery shadows that danced across the room.


    Soraya made her way toward one of the front windows to take a closer look. Stopping in front of a cleared table, she admired the beautiful display before her. A silent, thin waterfall rippled down the glass, partially blurring the quiet street beyond. The parked cars and stillness of the scene outside seemed distant, as though separated by a veil, granting the illusion of complete privacy within the space.


    She wondered briefly about the purpose of running the waterfall at night when no one was around to appreciate it. How had she missed it when she first entered the restaurant? Then she remembered¡ªher growling belly had consumed her attention until she spotted Lestis...


    She shook her head, pushing thoughts of that infuriating asshole aside. All she wanted now was to go home and crawl into bed. Tomorrow promised an early morning workout with Jesmine at the gym, followed by a late-night shift at the community center. Rest was a necessity if she wanted to make it through the day.


    Sighing to herself, she trudged toward the partially glass-paneled door. As her hand reached for the handle, her eyes began to itch. Rubbing at them with the back of her hand, she realized just how tired she truly was. The itching gave way to a faint throbbing that she could mostly ignore.


    Just as she gripped the doorknob, a sudden pulse of light froze her in place.


    Soraya blinked once¡­ then twice, her vision momentarily blurred as another brilliant blue flare burst from the windows. The light lit up the entire space with an otherworldly glow, illuminating every corner of the room before it vanished just as suddenly, leaving her plunged into darkness once more.


    Her eyes darted right, expecting to see the water-covered window. Instead, her gaze landed on a different view all together.


    Where there should have been the quiet street with its parked cars and gray sidewalks, there now stretched miles and miles of¡ª


    ¡°Sand?¡± she whispered out loud to herself.


    As far as her eyes could see, dunes of sand stretched endlessly under a starry night sky. She¡¯d never seen a night sky like that before. Turning her head to the left window, she saw much of the same: rolling sandy hills flowing like frozen waves, stretching far off into the horizon where it met the edge of a vibrant galaxy.


    Soraya had dabbled in learning a few star constellations in her life, and she would never consider herself an astronomer by any means¡­but even she knew the earth did not have this view of a such a colorful night sky. She knew for a fact the galaxy she was looking at with its blues, purples, and pinks was something out of this world.


    Her mouth fell slightly open as her gaze snapped back to the partial glass door. Beyond its frame, reality still seemed intact. She could clearly see the familiar downtown street, the parked black car, and the side of a gray building towering above her.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    The windows must be screens, she thought, her rational mind clinging to the most logical explanation. It had to be some kind of high-tech display¡ªa massive LED screen, perhaps. The waterfall effect was a testament to the high-quality tech she was seeing.


    Looking out the window once again, gazing through the blue watery effect, she admired the digital artwork.


    Then the glass windowpane on the door started to waver.


    Like a ripple cascading downward, a slash of the desert night sky quickly fell the length of the glass pane, obstructing the view of the street before disappearing. Then another ripple followed, and another, each one widening the desert image until the window screen was rapidly flickering between the street and that of the vast starry desert.


    Letting go of the handle, Soraya reached in her clutch and pulled out her phone. With a quick swipe on the screen, she opened the camera app and brought it to eye level, snapping a few pictures of the mesmerizing display.


    As she clicked away, captivated by what she assumed were state-of-the-art LED graphics, she failed to notice something shifting within the desert scenery¡ªa faint, shadowy figure slowly emerging from the dunes.


    It wasn¡¯t until she swiped for the video option and hit record, watching the display glitch through her phone screen, that she noticed the dark figure.


    Lowering her phone, she watched the silhouette as it swept over the sand. Standing straight, with a slow steady gait, the figure walked unimpeded toward the entrance¡­toward her until their large frame filled the door, blocking out the image of the starry night desert.


    Because of the rippling between the street and the image of this looming figure, Soraya wasn¡¯t able to make out much. She could clearly see it was¡­a person? She didn¡¯t know anyone who stood so tall. However, she could just make out that this individual was wearing a heavy trench coat and a wide-brimmed hat.


    Looking up, she tried to catch a glimpse of their face, but the display was rippling too fast for her to catch any significant details of their shadowed face. The light from the streetlamp didn¡¯t help either, as it was positioned exactly where the figure¡¯s face appeared in the display.


    She wondered if the program running the display was AI-generated, and if that were the case, why was it set to display this?


    It gave her the creeps as it just loomed there¡ªpeering in. On top of that¡­it felt like it was watching her.


    She knew whatever it was, it wasn¡¯t truly there. It wasn¡¯t real.


    Her eyes darted down to the raised arm, which was reaching toward the door¡¯s handle. Of course, it wasn¡¯t actually going to open. She knew that. No one was really there.


    Eyes furrowing, Soraya glanced behind her, sweeping her gaze across the empty restaurant, looking for an on/off switch or even a panel to turn off the display. Something like this was bound to be racking up a huge electricity bill.


    A metal click came from the door.


    Swinging her head back to the handle, she watched in stunned silence as the doorknob began to turn.


    Without thinking, her own hand darted out to grip the nob. She held it in place, feeling it resist in her hand.


    A tingle shot down her spin. Slowly, she raised her eyes to look up¡ªher heart stopped in her chest.


    The figure had pressed its face closer, the glass fogging with each of its heavy breaths as it panted on the door. The image of the street came and went¡­and Soraya could finally see part of its face.


    The part she could see¡ªit wasn¡¯t human.


    The eyes¡ªshe couldn¡¯t look away. Where the whites of the eyes should have been, there was only blood red, and the pitch-black irises were locked on her face, staring straight at her.


    As the view of the streetlamp broke their eye contact, Soraya snapped out of her frozen state. Her eyes darted down, and she saw a lock mechanism underneath the handle¡ªit looked to be unlocked. Without a second thought, she flicked it closed just as the door rattled on its hinges.


    Jumping back, Soraya watched the figure wrench at the door, making the whole doorframe shudder.


    Her throat clicked as she swallowed.


    The view of the street momentarily blocked out the creature, and the door fell silent until the next ripple came, and the rattling returned full force. Soraya took another step back as the displays on the windows on either side of the door began to ripple between the desert and the street in odd intervals. The door fell silent again, only for the rattling to return, the creature growing more incensed, determined to break it down.


    Banging.


    Silence.


    Banging.


    Silence.


    The pounding came faster and faster, each hit more forceful than the last.


    The air hummed with a building energy, thick with anticipation. Just as she was about to turn and flee, the door suddenly blew open with such force that the wind it carried sent Soraya flying off her feet.


    She landed with a sharp thud, her head cracking against the floor, and she was knocked unconscious.


    What could have been seconds or hours later, Soraya jolted awake. Disoriented, she quickly looked around, her heart pounding in her chest. She scanned her surroundings, wide-eyed with alarm.


    She was alone.


    An empty, bare room surrounded her, the walls cracked and peeling. Paper covered the windows, casting strange shadows on the floor, and empty glass bottles littered the ground. Her gaze drifted to the open door that led to the street. How had she ended up here?


    She knew she shouldn¡¯t be in this place.


    Her heart continued to race as she stood, collecting her phone and clutch from the floor. Straightening her dress, she wasted no time making her exit.


    As she stepped outside, she glanced back at the door. It hung at an odd angle, the hinges bent. She reached for the handle and tried to shut it, but it wouldn¡¯t close properly. After a moment of futile attempts, she gave up, leaving it lodged in a way that made it appear closed.


    Walking away quickly before she was seen, she made it to the other side of the street and just as she was about to turn the corner, she looked back at the abandon storefront.


    The red door with its broken glass pane, was sitting skewed in its doorframe. She didn¡¯t do that do the door; she was sure. But¡­why was she in such an abandoned place?


    Shaking her head, she tried to clear the cobwebs tangling her thoughts. Her mind was racing with questions she couldn¡¯t answer. She needed to get home, somewhere safe where she could think things through clearly.


    ~


    Entering her apartment in a rush, Soraya made sure to bolt the door and locked it for good measure. The buzz of adrenaline sparked underneath her skin. Blowing out air, she turned on her heel and found Jesmine sitting with her knees clutched to her chest as she watched TV.


    ¡°Jesmine,¡± Soraya called out.


    Jesmine grunted out her greeting, eyes glued to the screen.


    Walking into their living room, Soraya asked, ¡°What are you watching?¡± Maybe she should throw on some pajamas and just sit and wind down with Jesmine. She wanted to forget about waking up in an abandon shop¡ªit only made her head hurt to think about how she ended up there. Her mind felt both heavy and empty.


    ¡°The news,¡± she responded.


    Jesmine¡­watching the news?


    Soraya, with a raised brow, asked, ¡°Oh yeah, anything interesting happening?¡± She flicked her eyes to the news host speaking with urgency as a red and white banner scrolled at the bottom of the screen.


    A pit of dread opened in her belly as she read the words before Jesmine said, ¡°They found a college kid dead in an alleyway. Some sicko ripped his stomach out, and that¡¯s not even the worst part.¡± Jesmine paused just as the picture of the victim flashed on screen. ¡°They also found him with his eyes missing. Can you believe that? It happened in downtown, just a couple of blocks from here.¡±


    Soraya could feel the blood drain from her face as she recognized the victim of the gruesome murder. She¡¯d seen him before. At the rooftop bar the other night. He had been harassing her until Sorenth appeared and then¡­promptly sent him away.


    ¡°If you have any information, please call the number on the screen,¡± the news host informed them.


    Without saying another word, Soraya turned and walked into her bedroom, shutting the door behind her with a soft click.

 Chapter 13: Angel Mission

    ¡°You¡¯ve been quiet all morning,¡± Jesmine remarked, taking a swig of her water.


    Soraya, in a downward squat, blew out a breath as she pushed up with a weighted bar on her shoulders. Frowning, she looked at herself in the mirror and realized she could barely feel the 206 pounds as she racked the bar with ease. She needed to add more weight¡­again. She cut her eyes at Jesmine. ¡°Look who¡¯s talking. You¡¯ve been silent since Saturday night.¡±


    Jesmine pursed her lips and looked out onto the gym floor where other try-hards were getting in a workout bright and early on a Monday morning. ¡°Yeah, well¡­there¡¯s a lot on my mind.¡±


    ¡°Same.¡± Soraya ducked under the bar and headed to the weight racks.


    While she picked up a couple of plates, Jesmine continued, ¡°I just feel off¡­like when you¡¯re talking to someone, and then in the middle of it, you completely forget what you¡¯re saying.¡±


    Soraya nodded as she loaded the bar with the plates before ducking down and placing the metal on her shoulders. ¡°Yeah,¡± she said, squatting, ¡°I¡¯ve been feeling the same way¡­like something is wrong.¡±


    She did several more squats, barely feeling the weight, while Jesmine exclaimed, ¡°Yes! But it¡¯s every time I try to talk, it¡¯s¡ªdid you just squat 400 pounds?¡± Jesmine gawked as Soraya re-racked the bar and stepped back. The metal bar looked as if it might snap under the weight of the plates.


    Soraya pursed her lips, not realizing she had squatted that much weight.


    ¡°Dude, that chick just squatted both our combined weights,¡± she overheard a guy say.


    ¡°She could bend me over any day of the week, man.¡±


    Raising a single eyebrow, she glanced over her shoulder, expecting to see the two guys talking so boldly about her¡ªbut there was no one nearby. Looking around, she spotted a couple of dudes on the other side of the gym, too far away to have overheard the comments that were made.


    She turned back to see Jesmine under the bar, struggling to lift it with great difficulty. ¡°Hey, watch it!¡± she yelled just as Jesmine began to buckle under the weight. Rushing forward, Soraya lifted the bar off her shoulders and racked it as Jesmine collapsed onto the mat.


    Shaking her head, Soraya quickly removed the plates and returned them to the rack.


    ¡°How the hell did you do that?¡± Jesmine demanded, slightly out of breath from where she sat on the mat. ¡°You squatted that like it was nothing!¡±


    To be truthful, Soraya hadn¡¯t even realized she¡¯d put that much weight on the bar. She especially didn¡¯t dare admit it hadn¡¯t felt anywhere near 400 pounds. Unable to fully explain, she simply said, ¡°My body feels really good today. I don¡¯t know what it is, but it¡¯s like my body took a boost, and my mind took a dive¡ªlike you were saying.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­that doesn¡¯t explain anything.¡± Jesmine stood and crossed her arms, examining Soraya. Taking a step back, she pursed her lips and asked suspiciously, ¡°Are you taking steroids?¡±


    Soraya rolled her eyes. ¡°Does it look like I¡¯m taking steroids?¡±


    Jesmine¡¯s eyes darted to Soraya¡¯s reflection in the mirror, lingering on her ass.


    Without saying a word, Soraya threw a punch, which Jesmine sidestepped with a shit-eating grin. ¡°Okay, okay. I believe you¡ªfor now.¡±


    Soraya pulled out her phone while giving Jesmine the finger and saw the time. ¡°I have to head back; my shift starts in an hour.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯m going to hang here and be on the lookout for your drug dealer.¡±


    ¡°You do that,¡± Soraya tossed over her shoulder as she collected her things and exited the gym.


    ~


    Bumping her bedroom door open with her hip, Soraya dumped her bag on the floor and tossed her water bottle onto the bed. Heading to her closest, she slid it open and rummaged through her clothes for a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. As she parted her hangers, an alluring scent wafted through the air, stopping her in her tracks.


    Her eyes darted down to the hamper, partially concealed by hanging clothing. The scent of his cologne¡ªjasmine and sagebrush¡ªlingered in the air.


    Reaching into her hamper, she pulled out the dress she¡¯d worn last night. The light fabric felt cool like chilled air slipping between her fingers. She didn¡¯t know why his cologne affected her so deeply¡ªall she knew was that it was heady and intoxicating. Without realizing it, her eyes had closed, and the dress was pressed against her nose and mouth. She inhaled deeply, letting the memory of him flood her.


    Heat blossomed under her skin, her thighs pressing together as little sparks of desire bloomed low in her stomach.


    Her eyes flew open, and an indignant sound escaped the back of her throat as she threw the dress down. The man had assumed she was a sex worker¡ªthought he could boss her around with the promise of compensation.


    Her lips pursed as her body throbbed, traitorous and unrelenting, reminding her how thoroughly he¡¯d finger-fucked her and how much she¡¯d liked it. Would it be so wrong to enjoy herself and be paid for it?Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Shit. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have left. The thought teased her, brief but insistent. What would he have done to her if she¡¯d stayed?


    Shaking her head, Soraya pushed away those intrusive, wicked thoughts. Marching into the shared bathroom, she convinced herself that the only thing she wanted turned on was the shower.


    She hissed as the cold water hit her skin. She hoped the shock of the cold water would extinguish the heat in her body before it got out of hand.


    Reaching for her regular body wash, she squeezed some into her palm and froze. The smell was rancid like perfume sprayed over rotting trash. Gagging, she quickly rinsed it away.


    Biting her lips, she eyed Ahvi¡¯s body wash on the metal rack. In the past, while showering, she would, from time to time, smell her friends¡¯ shampoos and soaps. She found that Ahvi¡¯s toiletries never had a scent to them.


    Popping open the lid, she performed a cautious sniff test. Nothing. No scent at all, just as she¡¯d hoped.


    Grateful, she squeezed a dollop of the clear liquid into her palm and worked it into soapy suds, washing away the remnants of her sex-addled thoughts along with the sweat clinging to her skin.


    She had been a right slut these past few nights. She¡¯d gotten what she wanted, and now it was time for her to cool down. Work needed her focus, and school was starting next week. She didn¡¯t have time to keep messing around.


    She got it all out of her system.


    She was done.


    She promised herself.


    No more.


    ~


    ¡°Thank you, Ms. Honei,¡± a man said as Soraya ladled hot beef stew into his bowl.


    ¡°Please enjoy, Mr. Smith,¡± she replied warmly, a smile softening her face.


    The middle-aged man clutched his bowl to his chest, retreating into the bustling cafeteria to find a seat. Angel Mission was packed that night. Every long table was overcrowded, the hum of conversation punctuated by the clinking of utensils against bowls.


    She scanned the crowd. So many new faces. The thought sent a pang of worry through her¡ªwould they all find shelter tonight? It wasn¡¯t winter yet, but the nights were growing colder. How many of these people would manage to get back on their feet before the brutal nights of fall?


    ¡°Me next, Ms. Soraya,¡± a voice broke through her thoughts.


    Breaking out of her worry, she spotted one of her regulars, Mr. Adams. He wore a pair of jeans that have seen too many years and an oversized T-shirt layered over a worn thermal undershirt with long sleeves.


    ¡°Why hello, Mr. Adams. How are you doing this evening?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s getting tough out here, Soraya,¡± the older man said, his weathered face shadowed by a haunted look.


    ¡°I can see that.¡± Soraya ladled a hefty scoop of stew into his bowl, ¡°Sad to see so many new faces here, but glad they can get something to eat.¡±


    As she handed him the bowl and began to pull back, his hand shot out, gripping her wrist with an iron hold.


    Soraya¡¯s eyes jerked up to meet his. He¡¯d never grabbed her before.


    ¡°No, Soraya,¡± he said, his voice low and urgent. ¡°There¡¯s something going on at night. People are going missing. It isn¡¯t safe.¡±


    ¡°Please let go of me, Mr. Adams,¡± Soraya said calmly. From the corner of her eye, she saw David, the security guard, shift by the door, his posture tense, ready to intervene.


    Letting go of her wrist, Mr. Adams lowered his voice, the words thick with warning. ¡°Don¡¯t walk the streets alone at night, Soraya. There¡¯s something out there. It got Samuel the other night, but nobody believes me. I saw it!¡± His eyes were wide, desperate, and Soraya could see the genuine fear in them.


    Mr. Adams had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, and the community workers had been fighting tirelessly to get him the apartment and the medication he needed.


    ¡°I understand, Mr. Adams. I¡¯ll take care of myself. Thank you for worrying about me.¡±


    He nodded quietly, clutching his soup, his lips moving with incoherent mutterings as he shuffled off to find a seat.


    Soraya was entering college to earn her master¡¯s in social work. She loved helping people, and her ultimate goal was to become a mental health technician, offering support to individuals like Mr. Adams. It was exhausting, demanding work, but it was also rewarding. She felt, deep in her heart that she could make a difference¡ªdespite the critics who called it futile.


    For her, it wasn¡¯t just a job; it was a mission. And when she looked at the unhoused people on the streets, those who had been forgotten by society, she knew her work mattered.


    Unhoused people were still part of the community, and what did it say about a society that allowed its own people to suffer?


    She and Jesmine had suffered, too, under a broken system. And she refused to accept that others should continue to do the same.


    ~


    After cleaning up, Soraya was left alone to lock up Angel Mission.


    The sound of the lock sliding into place echoed in the alley as she pocketed the keys and turned to head home. Thoughts of Mr. Adam and the new unhoused family she was talking with swirled around in her head.


    It was past golden hour, and the fading light of the day stretched long shadows across the sidewalk. Soraya hummed a soft tune as she walked, but her steps faltered when a putrid smell hit her, making her gag.


    Instinctively, she covered her mouth and looked around, trying to locate the source of the horrid stench. Her eyes landed on a gutter clogged with trash. She quickly moved away from it, but the smell still clung to the air, nauseating her as she continued on her way.


    A chill crept up the back of her neck, and the hairs there stood on end. Casting a glance down the street, her gaze traveled down three blocks of gum-coated sidewalks before reaching an overpass lined with red-tailed lights of traffic.


    Squinting, she looked beneath the overpass, where she made out several tents lining the shadowed sidewalk. The distant honking and the low rumble of tires on the asphalt filled her ears as her eyes fixed on the shredded side of a blue tent, flapping in the breeze.


    Her heart thudded in her chest. Something didn¡¯t look right about it, even from the distance she stood. Slowly, her eyes moved behind the tents, up the sloping concrete wall, until they landed on the dark space between the underside of the overpass and the concrete slope.


    Straining to see, she tried to pierce the shadows. Her mouth tightened as the unsettling feeling grew¡ªsomething was looking back at her. Her eyes were locked on a spot in the dark space, and with each passing second, she felt a creeping sensation, like something was watching her.


    Then, she took a step back.


    She couldn¡¯t tell if her eyes were playing tricks, but she could¡¯ve sworn there was something long-limbed, hunched down on all fours, staring directly at her.


    The putrid smell blasted into her face as a gust of wind swept over her, but she didn¡¯t bother covering her nose as the shadow moved.


    ¡°Hey, Soraya.¡±


    Jumping, Soraya spun around to find Ahvi in a summer dress, smiling at her.


    Panicked, Soraya opened her mouth and yelled, ¡°Ahvi, run!¡±

 Chapter 14: A Quiet Street

    ¡°And then she yelled, ¡®Run, Ahvi!¡¯¡ªcan you believe that?!¡± Ahvi said through a fit of giggles as Jesmine roared with laughter.


    Soraya walked ahead with her lips pressed tightly together in annoyance. The sound of cars honking and the worn-out brakes of a bus squeaked faintly in the background as she stewed.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you got spooked like that,¡± Jesmine crowed. ¡°You let yourself get psyched out by that old dude, seriously!¡±


    Soraya didn¡¯t say a word as she crossed the street, jaywalking through heavy traffic. Ahvi and Jesmine followed after her.


    ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t just walk into traffic!¡± Ahvi shouted at her. ¡°It¡¯s all fun and games until you get hit by a car!¡±


    ¡°Why should I care that you¡¯re worried about saving my life?¡± Soraya asked sarcastically just as someone honked at her. She ignored the angry driver and weaved through the lanes.


    Ahvi shouted after her, ¡°Oh, come on! You should have seen your face. You really believed some shadow monster was there.¡±


    ¡°Whatever.¡± Soraya stuffed her hands into her scratchy leggings and stepped up onto the sidewalk. She was walking down Figueroa with Ahvi and Jesmine trailing behind her.


    ¡°Boo, don¡¯t be a party pooper,¡± Jesmine said as she caught up to Soraya. ¡°You would have laughed at us if we did the same thing.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care anymore,¡± Soraya sighed, itching the side of her thigh from within her pocket. ¡°I just want to get some food and go home.¡± She hopped over a mysterious puddle on the sidewalk, the others skirting the edges of it as they followed.


    It was true¡ªshe wanted to get out of the streets as soon as possible. Everywhere she turned, the smell of garbage and death assaulted her senses. Her nose was fried to the point where it didn¡¯t bother her as much, but she still didn¡¯t want to inhale whatever was plaguing the air today.


    ¡°Are you hangry?¡± Ahvi asked as she caught up to Soraya¡¯s other side, kicking a discarded soda can that sailed right into a trashcan.


    Soraya grumbled under her breath. They passed by small outlets full of fast-food options, food deserts they called them, none of which smelled appetizing to her. She hadn¡¯t eaten anything all day, and her stomach was knotted up with hunger pangs. Everything tasted nasty to her. It tasted like she was eating plastic or spoiled meat when she tried eating an acai bowl or a breakfast sandwich. Food desert, indeed.


    Maybe she had to go the holistic route¡ªbuy organic everything and cook it herself. The only problem was that she didn¡¯t have enough time during the week to do so.


    Ahvi slipped her hand through the crook of her elbow and leaned into her. ¡°You are hangry. Don¡¯t you worry¡ªyour big sis Ahvi will feed you. It¡¯s on me since I hurt your feelings.¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    ¡°Keep your pity money,¡± Soraya said begrudgingly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not pity money. I want to treat my very hungry, very angry friend to some good food.¡±


    Soraya sniffed as she scratched her other thigh. ¡°I¡¯m not angry.¡±


    ¡°And me?¡± Jesmine chirped.


    ¡°Pay yourself, brokey,¡± Ahvi chirped back before addressing Soraya, ¡°And okay, you¡¯re not angry, but you didn¡¯t deny that you¡¯re hungry.¡± She poked Soraya¡¯s cheek as Jesmine pouted on the other side of her.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Soraya said. ¡°But if it¡¯s not good food, I won¡¯t forgive you. Ever.¡±


    Ahvi smiled. ¡°Deal.¡±


    ~


    It was, indeed, good food. Who knew a BLT sandwich could taste so good?


    Soraya¡¯s tastebuds were humming with pleasure. She needed to ask Ahvi where she bought that sandwich¡ªit would be her go-to spot for the foreseeable future, she decided.


    She briefly wondered what else they served as she walked along the sidewalk, passing window displays full of the latest summer fashions and trinkets. She was really getting all her steps in today. After Ahvi had treated both her and Jesmine to dinner, much to Jesmine¡¯s delight, they headed back downtown on foot to do some shopping.


    Ahvi needed to run some errands for work while Jesmine was off looking for a new video game for her Switch.


    Soraya had planned to buy some new clothes for the school year, but she didn¡¯t like the texture of any of the mass-produced clothing on the racks. The stupid corporations must have found cheaper, slightly itchy material to peddle out to the public. Anything to save a buck.


    But she wasn¡¯t going to let corporate greed get to her¡ªespecially after the wonderful dinner she had with her friends. She had forgiven Ahvi, of course, and Jesmine was just being Jesmine. Now, she was taking a stroll to help digest the delicious meal.


    Stopping at a crosswalk, she noticed how the slashes of golden hour painted the towering buildings around her. Everything above glowed in the warm Southern California light, while the sidewalks below were cloaked in shadows.


    She paused at the intersection and rubbed her ankle against the back of her other leg to scratch an itch as she stood among others dressed in business attire, all waiting for the crosswalk signal. She mindlessly watched cars inching along in front of her, the pungent smell of vehicle exhaust making her nose twitch in distaste.


    Wrinkling her nose, she crossed the street. Walking quickly away from the main road of traffic, she followed the sidewalks until she came upon a familiar street. Stopping in her tracks, she peered down the quiet road. Cars were lined against the curb, the scene as ordinary as any other street¡ªyet something about it caught her eye.


    About halfway down, there was a familiar sign jutting out above the door of a shop. It was a white seven-pointed star encased in a black iron frame.


    A memory started to surface. She was here¡­after the night she had with Sorenth.


    Before it could fully form, she took off down the sidewalk and headed for the shop. As she passed a bricked wall, she stuck out her hand and dragged her fingertips across the solid surface.


    The memory was trapped behind a veil of fog inside her mind, but she knew it was there¡­waiting to get out. A vague image began to rise before disappearing like a puff of smoke.


    Tsking, she looked up at the seven-pointed star with the word ¡°Blessed¡± underneath it.  Her gaze flicked down to the shop; it had a neon ¡°Open¡± sign in the corner of an opaque display window. Walking over to the glass door, she read the words printed on the glass:


    I¡¯Dolen Hollows


    Curious, she reached for the handle, swung it open, and stepped inside the small shop.

 Chapter 15: IDolen Hollows

    As the door shut behind her, Soraya immediately noticed the fresh scent she was breathing in¡ªthe blend of savory aromas of herbs and exotic spices, the sweet floral notes that reminded her of spring, and something else she couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on.


    She exhaled relief from getting away from the car exhaust outside, and just as she took a deep, soothing breath, a memory fluttered to the surface. The image of a glade she had once stumbled across while deep within the forest of The Blue Ridge Mountains flashed across her mind. She¡¯d taken a¡­spontaneous¡­hiking trip with Jesmine and Delilah almost a decade ago where this memory took place.


    She had never thought about it since¡ªuntil now.


    Shaking off the memory, her gaze flew to the center of the room. The evening light from outside barely filtered through the shop¡¯s fogged, age-worn windows. Soft glass lamps cast a warm glow into the otherwise shadowed corners. In the center of the room stood a small tree perched on a round table, appearing as though it radiated light from within.


    Maybe it was just the lighting, but the tree seemed to glow, its white bark gleaming faintly and its lush petals shimmering with an ethereal brilliance.


    It was obviously fake but still captivating.


    It was large and squat, and the top of its canopy went above her head. It had a gnarled white trunk, like that of a bonsai tree, and clusters of white flowers tipped in royal blue drooped down in waves of petals reminiscent of wisteria blooms.


    Intricate silver wind chimes hung from some of the branches, their soft metallic tones catching the light, while crystal sun-catchers sparkled prettily, scattering flecks of rainbow across its leaves.


    Truly, it was a stunning piece of decor.


    Managing to tear her eyes away from the mesmerizing tree, Soraya found herself unsure of where to look next. Around the tree were several tables, each overflowing with objects that begged for attention. Her gaze then flicked to the shelves lining the shop walls, where dense green plants sprawled across the tops, their vines trailing down in wild, untamed tendrils.


    On the shelf to her right, tomes of leather-bound books with gilded spines seemed to beckon her, whispering promises of secrets waiting to be uncovered. To her left, the first shelf held glass containers filled with liquids of various colors, shimmering faintly in the dim light. Her gaze followed the progression of items¡ªpotions giving way to shelves filled with woven baskets of dried herbs, earthy spices sealed in jars, and pickled vegetables marinating in brine.


    She stepped around a table adorned with little velvet drawstring bags, each propped up neatly on box stands. One deep sapphire bag caught her eye, and she paused briefly before continuing her slow circuit around the glowing tree.


    That¡¯s when she felt it¡ªthe unmistakable sensation of being watched.


    Flicking her gaze to the back right corner, she nearly flinched when she spotted the shopkeeper. Tucked behind a crowded counter, the woman observed her with a look of detached curiosity. She had auburn hair cut into a sharp bob and wore a long puffed-sleeve shirt paired with a bright green corset cinched tightly around her waist.


    The shopkeeper was unnervingly quiet.


    ¡°Hello,¡± Soraya greeted.


    The shopkeeper didn¡¯t return the greeting but instead asked in a tart tone, ¡°Is there something I can help you with?¡±


    ¡°No¡ªI just wanted to take a look around. I spotted your shop and was curious,¡± Soraya responded, a little taken aback by her tone.


    The woman gave a curt nod and glanced down at the counter where a book lay open before her.


    ¡°It smells lovely in here,¡± Soraya commented as she stepped further into the shop. ¡°Is this a¡ª¡± Soraya thought for a moment. ¡°A holistic shop, by any chance?¡±


    ¡°You could say that,¡± she responded flatly, offering no further explanation. She made no effort to elaborate on what was available in the store. In fact, she seemed more annoyed by Soraya¡¯s presence than interested in engaging her. But Soraya wasn¡¯t about to let that deter her curiosity.


    She wandered to an overcrowded table nearby, eyeing the stone bowls filled with gemstones and crystals. One particularly vivid red stone caught her attention. She reached out a hand to touch it but immediately jerked it back as a sudden pulse of heat radiated from the stone at her fingertips.


    She changed direction and headed for the shelves filled with glass containers. The bottles came in all shapes and sizes¡ªsome containing clear liquids, while others held opaque solutions, like a cloudy blue tonic that swirled hypnotically within a square jar topped with a jewel stopper. Ruby red, pearl white, emerald green¡ªeach was more vibrant than the last, with exotic names listed on labels beneath them.


    A small container with purple liquid caught her eye, labeled Indigo Cr¨¨me. Beside it, an even smaller bottle with golden-amber liquid bore the name Dew Drop Honey.


    ¡°What are these bottles filled with?¡± Soraya called out, her eyes flitting from one intriguing label to another.


    The shopkeeper didn¡¯t look up as she flipped a page in her book. ¡°Bath soaps.¡±


    Soraya nodded thoughtfully, her curiosity piqued. She wondered what they smelled like, her fingers itching to twist open a stopper and take a whiff. She glanced at the shopkeeper, debating if she could get away with it, but ultimately decided against it.


    Turning on her heel, she wandered across the shop to the shelf of books. Her interest in the tomes faded almost instantly when something else caught her eye¡ªa rack of clothing hanging on the wall between the shelves.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Approaching the wall and table of clothing, Soraya reached out and let her fingers trail along the sleeve of a purple hoodie. The fabric was incredibly soft, and she smiled, delighted by the texture. It looked to be her size, so she snagged it off the hanger. Her gaze then shifted to a stack of neatly folded blue jeans on the table.


    She found one in her size and draped it over her arm before adding a white T-shirt and black leggings. Her hands absently ran over the luxurious material, and she was happy she was able to find some new clothes.


    Her phone vibrated in her pocket. Fishing it out, she saw she got a text from Jesmine saying she was going to be out late and to not wait up for her.


    Soraya tsked, really hoping it had nothing to do with those guys she met. After the state she found Jesmine in last time¡­.Soraya typed out a message.


    Soraya: I hope you¡¯re not seeing those guys again.


    Jesmine: So what if I am?


    Soraya: Do you need glasses?


    Jesmine responded with an emoji¡ªone that could easily be interpreted as a middle finger, depending on the viewer.


    Sighing with a faint smile, Soraya pocketed her phone and walked over to a rack near the shopkeeper. Sunglasses of various styles hung from it, and her hand stopped on a pair of rose-colored glasses. She smirked, deciding they¡¯d make the perfect gag gift for Jesmine.


    Turning back toward the bookshelf, she was suddenly distracted by a soft cooing sound. She glanced up, her gaze sharpening as she did a double take. There, nestled among the lush green vines draped over the top of the shelf, was a gray dove.


    Its sleek feathers shimmered faintly in the dim shop light, and its black, inquisitive eyes seemed fixed on her, unblinking.


    ¡°What¡¯s the name of your bird?¡± Soraya called out. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡±


    The shopkeeper didn¡¯t answer, prompting Soraya to glance her way. She found the woman already watching her, a flicker of interest lighting her previously disinterested expression. Before Soraya could feel uneasy, the sudden flapping of wings snapped her attention back to the bird.


    The dove had left its perch, swooping gracefully over Soraya¡¯s head. Turning to follow its flight, she saw it land delicately on one of the many branches of the glowing tree in the center of the room. It cooed softly, its tiny head tilting as if observing her.


    ¡°Her name is Dawn,¡± the shopkeeper finally answered.


    But Soraya¡¯s focus stayed on the bird. Her gaze traveled to its breast, where dark pink feathers shimmered as though they had been dipped in rose gold.


    Can you dye bird feathers?


    ¡°Beautiful,¡± Soraya repeated.


    ¡°She is,¡± the shopkeeper replied, her tone carrying a wistful note. ¡°Reminds me of home.¡±


    Soraya tore her gaze from the bird and looked back at the shopkeeper. Her face was neutral, but there was a thread of sorrow in her voice that Soraya couldn¡¯t ignore.


    She approached the counter and placed her items on the polished wooden surface. ¡°You have a wonderful shop here. What¡¯s your¡ª¡±


    ¡°Laura,¡± the shopkeeper interrupted, her eyes studying Soraya¡¯s face with quiet curiosity.


    ¡°Soraya,¡± she replied, her smile warm. It felt good to see that Laura no longer regarded her as an inconvenience.


    Laura looked down at the items and slid them closer to her. She glanced back up to Soraya, opening her mouth as if to say something, then cocked her head before asking, ¡°Just these?¡±


    Soraya looked over the countertop, overflowing with baubles and snacks. She picked up a bag containing an assorted trail mix and added it to her pile. ¡°Yes, this will be all, unless you can recommend something that will help the horrible smell outside.¡±  She also hoped she would be able to afford all the items. None of them had any price tags, and she hoped it wouldn¡¯t cost her an arm and a leg.


    The shopkeeper nodded and gave the items another once-over. Then, meeting Soraya¡¯s gaze, she said, ¡°Forty bucks¡ªand a favor.¡±


    Soraya laughed, ¡°A favor?¡±


    Laura nodded, her face serious.


    Uneasy, Soraya asked, ¡°What kind of favor?¡± This stuff had to cost more, but who traded in favors these days?


    ¡°Give me a second.¡± And with that, she disappeared behind a beaded-off doorway.


    Not sure where this was going, Soraya tapped her fingers against the counter. Her eyes flitted around the space until they landed on a tapestry behind the counter.


    It was beautifully woven, and prose written in a different language was sewn into it, with colorful flowers stitched around its borders. She wondered what it said.


    Fishing out her phone, she snapped a quick picture of the tapestry to examine later.


    A flutter of wings alerted Soraya that Dawn was on the move, and indeed, the dove flew past her through the beaded doorway where Laura had just gone a moment before. A second later, a flash of light sparkled from the back room, making Soraya shift on her feet. She hoped this favor didn¡¯t involve anything too crazy.


    ¡°Here,¡± Laura said as she reappeared, holding up a necklace with small charms dangling from it. Soraya barely had time to examine it before Laura moved behind the counter and approached her.


    ¡°This is my favor,¡± Laura announced.


    ¡°Um¡­ what?¡± Soraya asked, completely bewildered, as the shopkeeper came up behind her.


    ¡°It¡¯s a charm,¡± Laura said with a smile.


    ¡°Oh, I¡ªuh,¡± Soraya didn¡¯t know what to say as she clasped it securely behind her neck.


    Walking back behind the counter, Laura said, ¡°Take good care of it.¡±


    Soraya blinked. ¡°I¡¯m confused¡­ Do you want me to promote your shop?¡± She paused, trying to make sense of it. Did Laura think she was some kind of influencer? Soraya didn¡¯t even have social media accounts. At most, she just scrolled as user2378654 to watch cute animal and nature videos.


    ¡°No, just keep it safe,¡± Laura replied, her eyes soft on Soraya¡¯s.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t stolen, is it,¡± Soraya chuckled nervously, unsure how to feel.


    ¡°Nope, I made it.¡±


    Soraya nodded slowly. This was getting weird. ¡°Ah¡ªthank you. Here¡¯s the money.¡± She placed two twenties on the counter, eager for the exchange to be over.


    Laura reached under the counter and pulled out a bag, beginning to place Soraya¡¯s items inside. Then, a tinkling sound echoed through the shop.


    Soraya turned over her shoulder, her gaze landing on the wind chimes hanging from the tree. One in particular caught her attention. The gold chains cascaded down in a waterfall effect, attached at the top to a circular ring that held a glass ball. Inside the glass, a shard of black stone floated, spinning chaotically in place.


    Turning back to look at Laura, she noticed the shopkeeper¡¯s face had gone pale. ¡°It¡¯s time for you to go home now, Soraya.¡± Quickly walking around the counter, Laura gently ushered Soraya to the door with her bag in hand.


    Soraya, concerned, asked, ¡°Is everything alright?¡±


    Laura gave her a wan smile. ¡°Oh, it will be.¡± She gripped the doorknob tightly and looked at Soraya. ¡°Go straight home. Tonight is not a good night to go wandering about. You will be traveling soon enough.¡±


    ¡°Okay, um¡ªthank you for your help.¡±


    Laura nodded, then opened the door and peeked out both ways as though checking to make sure everything was clear. She quickly passed the bag to Soraya and gave her a gentle push out the door.


    ¡°Straight home,¡± Laura warned before shutting the door in her face and locking it. Soraya watched as the lights turned off inside the shop, and all was quiet again.


    ¡°Huh.¡± Soraya didn¡¯t know how to feel about the past five minutes, but she was happy with her purchase. Taking out her phone, she ordered a car and waited under the seven-pointed star as twilight settled on the streets, and the shadows watched her from afar.

 Chapter 16: Forgotten Memories

    Twigs snapped underfoot as Soraya ventured into the forest surrounding their camp.


    "If you see any mushrooms or berries while you''re collecting firewood, bring them back, and I''ll check if they¡¯re edible,¡± Delilah called after her.


    "You got it, Lala," Soraya replied over her shoulder.


    ¡°Help me with the tent, Jesmine,¡± Delilah¡¯s voice faded as Soraya continued on her way.


    The colorful leaves crunched beneath her boots as she scanned the ground for sticks that looked sturdy enough to keep their fire going through the cold night ahead. It was going to get really cold, and they needed to be prepared.


    Soraya wove her way through the darkening canopy, keeping her eyes on the forest floor. Her gaze swept over twisted tree roots and sparse bushes, but there was no sign of berries.


    Smart little critters probably cleared this place out, prepping for winter, she thought.


    Branches rustled above her as a cold gust stirred the treetops, carrying bird calls through the crisp air. Soraya glanced up briefly, watching the birds soar on the wind before continuing her search.


    Soraya shivered, her jacket barely holding back the evening chill. She was already dreading how much colder it would get when night fell¡ªbut she couldn¡¯t complain. Breaking Jesmine out of that prison camp they called Carolina Trails had been necessary. If it weren¡¯t for the innocent lives inside, she might have set the entire place ablaze. They¡¯d suffered enough as it was.


    ¡°Wilderness therapy¡±¡ªwhat a fucking joke.


    Hugging her arms tightly around her waist to trap what little body heat she could, Soraya kept her eyes on the ground. The sweet calls of birds echoed through the forest, a pleasant distraction from her thoughts.


    As she rounded a tree trunk, a sudden gust of warm air washed over her like a balm against her chilled skin. Startled by the shift in temperature, she looked up¡ªand spotted a bush heavy with late-season berries.


    ¡°Nice,¡± she murmured to herself, a small smile forming.


    She approached the bush and knelt beside it, gathering berries and stuffing them into her coat pocket. She hoped they were edible, though the fact that the animals seemed to avoid the bush wasn¡¯t promising. Still, she had to take the chance. Their current food supply wasn¡¯t going to last much longer, especially after their unexpected detour through the forest.


    The cops had gotten a tip-off about Jesmine¡¯s escape too quickly, and it felt as though the bastards knew exactly which direction they were heading. Officers had swarmed their original route, forcing them to change course. They¡¯d been walking since three in the morning, and Soraya was fairly certain they¡¯d lost the cops by mid-afternoon. It would be hard for them to pick up the trail again, even with dogs¡ªbut she¡¯d learned to never say never.


    Soraya was about to pluck one last bundle of red berries when a sharp prickle of unease ran up her spine. Her hand froze mid-reach as she noticed the eerie silence blanketing the forest. Even the birds had gone quiet.


    Before she could fully take stock of her surroundings, a sudden flash of light blinded her. Instinctively, she ducked behind the bush, muttering a curse under her breath.


    There was no way they could have found them that quickly.


    Beams of light were shining through the branches of the small shrub. Soraya didn¡¯t dare move or make a sound, but after a second of continued silence and no one yelling to come out with her hands up¡ªshe risked a peek around the bush.


    What she¡¯d assumed was a high-powered flashlight turned out to be none other than the sun, its rays shining directly into her face.


    Soraya exhaled in relief, standing to her full height and raising a hand to shield her eyes from the intensity of the light. It was more than likely the sun was low on the horizon, setting. There must be a valley up ahead.


    Still keeping her hand up to block the glare, she moved toward the light. The soft crunch of leaves beneath her boots soon gave way to muffled thuds as she broke through the tree line. She blinked rapidly, her eyes adjusting to the sudden brightness.


    A gentle burbling of a spring reached her ears, and a surprisingly warm breeze swept through her coat, offering a welcome reprieve from the cold.


    Lowering her hand, Soraya realized she found herself in a glade.


    Bright green blades of grass glimmered in the sun, high in the sky, and lush trees with summer green leaves shimmered all around the edge of the clearing. The soft cooing of a dove drew Soraya''s gaze just in time to see a pair of them swooping down from the trees above. They glided gracefully to a lone tree standing tall in the center of the glade, settling on one of its lower branches. Beneath the tree''s shade, bushes thrived, their foliage dotted with vivid glints of color that caught her eye.


    Soraya blinked twice, her mind scrambling to process the surreal sight. Was she hallucinating? The warmth of the sun on her skin and the heat thawing the chill in her veins felt undeniably real.


    She shrugged off her coat, draping it over her arm, and eyed the bushes beneath the tree with growing curiosity. Her instincts whispered that she should check them out, but¡­Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Soraya hesitated, glancing over her shoulder toward the forest she had emerged from. Shadows stretched long across the ground where she entered from, and the forest was dark and becoming darker with the sun that she knew should be close to setting.


    Turning back to the glade, she shielded her eyes to examine the impossibly clear blue sky. How was this possible? Logically, she should turn around and go back. Something wasn¡¯t right here¡­and yet¡­she could be wrong.


    Delilah did say to bring back any berries she found.


    Turning her back on the dark forest, Soraya made her way to the tree. Once she got close enough, the cooing of doves greeted her, and her lips parted in wonder when she glimpsed their dark pink breast. It was like someone had dipped their feathers into rose gold. She¡¯d never seen such a color on an animal before.


    Can you dye bird feathers? She thought to herself. Simply gorgeous.


    The doves observed her silently, their black eyes following her as she crouched down to inspect the cluster of bright purple berries that had caught her attention. The berries glistened like polished glass, almost too perfect to be natural. But the real question was whether they were edible. Delilah would know.


    Reaching out, she hesitated just before plucking one when something tucked beneath the bush snagged her attention. Curious, she leaned in and scooped it up¡ªa small canvas sack, soft and weathered.


    "Huh," she murmured, tugging at the drawstrings to reveal the contents.


    Inside were rocks¡ªno, gemstones. Beautiful, polished stones in a variety of colors sparkled up at her, catching the sunlight. Soraya passed them between her hands, marveling at the unexpected find. They were useless for her current predicament, but still, they were undeniably pretty. Smiling to herself, she cinched the bag closed and tucked it into her coat pocket.


    Turning her focus back to the berries, Soraya reached out once more, but a sudden flurry of motion startled her. She gasped and jerked her hand back as a tiny creature zipped out from the bush.


    Hovering before her was a butterfly. It darted around her in quick, erratic patterns, its emerald-green wings catching the light with every beat. The little thing was too fast for her to get a good look, but its brilliance left her mesmerized.


    She smiled softly, tracking its flight as best she could. She had always loved butterflies.


    Holding out a hand, the butterfly landed gracefully on her palm. Soraya brought it closer to examine it, only to squeak in surprise and fling the creature away from her.


    It wasn¡¯t a butterfly at all¡ªit had a humanoid face and body.


    The not-butterfly emitted a series of melodic chirps, flitting around her head and tugging at her ponytail.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Soraya yelped, swatting at the strange creature. It darted out of her reach, effortlessly avoiding her attempts to shoo it away, and zipped up to the doves. Perching elegantly between them, the creature let out another round of melodious chirps, its tone almost like laughter.


    ¡°What the hell are you?¡± Soraya muttered, her voice caught between amazement and unease as she slowly stood.


    Before the tiny creature could respond in its bell-like chatter, a shout rang through the glade, cutting through the stillness.


    ¡°SORAYA!¡±


    Her head snapped toward the entrance of the clearing. Jesmine¡¯s voice carried through the trees, sharp with urgency.


    ¡°Soraya! Where are you?!¡± Delilah¡¯s voice followed, equally loud and frantic, yet far away.


    Casting one last glance at the peculiar beings watching her from the tree, Soraya turned on her heel. She sprinted toward the voices, her heart pounding.


    ¡°SORAYA!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m coming!¡± Soraya shouted back as she raced through the glade, the strange encounter fading behind her with every step.


    ¡°SORAYA!¡±


    ¡°SORAYA!¡±


    Soraya awoke with a start, her heart pounding in the sudden stillness of her room. Groggy, she rubbed her eyes as muffled commotion outside her door broke the silence¡ªand then stopped.


    Throwing off her covers, she stumbled to her feet, grabbed her robe, and draped it over her shoulders. She cracked open her door just in time to see a dark silhouette slipping out of Jesmine¡¯s room. Her chest tightened as adrenaline spiked. Without thinking, her hand darted to the bat she kept leaning against her dresser.


    ¡°Soraya?¡± came a hushed voice.


    She blinked, recognizing the whisper. ¡°Ahvi? What¡¯s going on?¡± she asked, her voice slurred with lingering sleep. ¡°I thought I heard Jesmine screaming.¡±


    ¡°Shh.¡± Ahvi moved closer, her tone soothing. ¡°I just got Jesmine to bed.¡±


    Alarmed, Soraya tightened her grip on the doorframe. ¡°Is she okay?¡±


    ¡°She will be¡ª¡±


    ¡°Will be?¡± Soraya¡¯s voice sharpened into a whispered yell. Her brain was catching up, shaking off its haze. ¡°What the hell happened, Ahvi?¡±


    Ahvi sighed. ¡°She came to the party I was at tonight and got pretty hammered.¡±


    They were at a party. On a Tuesday night? That didn¡¯t sound right.


    Ahvi continued, ¡°She will be fine, though. She just needs to sleep it off.¡±


    Upset, Soraya folded her arms across her chest. ¡°Who hosts a party on a Tuesday night? And why was she screaming, Ahvi?¡± Jesmine liked to cut loose, but she was also responsible and hated staying up during the week. Weekends were a different story, though.


    ¡°It was for my job; they wanted to celebrate completing the project we were working on, and Jesmine just wanted to greet you¡ªyou know how she gets,¡± Ahvi said soothingly as she placed a hand on Soraya¡¯s shoulder.


    Immediately, a sense of calm trickled through her, quelling Soraya¡¯s mounting suspicions.


    ¡°No, I¡ªsorry, Ahvi.¡± Soraya rolled her neck, trying to shake off the tension. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to come off accusatory. I thought you were an intruder, and I¡¯ve just been kind of stressed lately¡­¡±  ¡°Shh. No worries.¡± Ahvi coaxed gently. ¡°I understand what you¡¯re going through.¡±


    Just then, a wave of fatigue crashed into Soraya, causing her to stagger slightly. Ahvi¡¯s eyes darted between Soraya¡¯s. ¡°You look exhausted. Return to bed and rest, Soraya. You will need it.¡±


    Nodding her head, Soraya placed a hand on her face. ¡°Yeah¡­that sounds good. You¡¯ll watch her?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Ahvi reassured with a slight nod.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Soraya agreed, her voice barely above a whisper as she turned back to her room. Her limbs felt unnaturally heavy, as though she¡¯d run a marathon, and her head felt like a cinder block resting on her shoulders.


    As she collapsed into bed, a fleeting thought crossed her mind¡ª


    Ahvi looked different tonight. Like she was herself, but¡­different.


    Soraya couldn¡¯t make sense of the thought, not as her head hit the pillow. Within seconds, she was out cold.

 Chapter 17: Last Day Off

    The next morning, Soraya awoke with a headache pulsing behind her eyes and an annoying throbbing between her thighs, making her groan. Rolling over, she blindly reached for her nightstand drawer and pulled out a bottle of ibuprofen and her favorite vibrator.


    She dry-swallowed the little pills before clicking on her purple silicone toy and laying the thick head against her clit, just the way she liked it. The sound of an electrical buzz filled the room, mingling with her stilted breath. Eyes closed against the sunlight pouring through her window, and she focused on the pleasure pooling low in her stomach. She lay there with her legs bent as she tried to reach her orgasm quickly when the unbidden memory of Tariq on top of her, pushing into her, filtered through her mind. Her release was instant.


    Her body locked up as the intensity of her orgasm ripped a gasp from her throat. She lay in bed, shocked at her body¡¯s reaction, before shaking it off. Forcing herself to get out of bed, she cleaned up before throwing on her robe and heading to the kitchen for a much-needed glass of water.


    She nursed a cup of filtered water, willing the throbbing behind her eyes to disappear when a rotten smell reached her. She covered her nose, looked at the empty trash bin, and determined the smell was coming from somewhere else. Following the smell of rotting leaves, she threw open their communal bathroom door.


    Soraya crouched down and opened the cabinet under the sink and was immediately overwhelmed. Using the crook of her elbow, she covered half her face and peered into the dark corner of the cabinet where something was growing on the wall. It was black mold.


    Stupid old student dorms. She would have to make a report to housing to get it fixed right away. She needed her phone to make the request.


    Back in her room, she found her phone lying on her desk and let out a sigh when she discovered it was dead. After plugging it in to charge, she went to her closet to throw on some clothes. She pulled out a shirt that felt too scratchy and hung it back up before grabbing a pair of jeans that felt too coarse under her fingertips. Smacking her lips in annoyance, she soon realized all of her clothes felt the same way. Frustrated, she threw a pair of leggings she was holding back into the closet when her eyes snapped to the bag of new clothes she got yesterday lying by the foot of her bed.


    A couple of minutes later, Soraya stepped out of her room dressed in a pair of comfy new jeans and a plain white shirt.


    She looked over to Jesmine¡¯s closed door when the events of last night struck her. Soraya cursed under her breath; she hadn¡¯t thought about Jesmine until now. Ahvi was supposed to be watching her.


    She looked across from her room to see Ahvi¡¯s door cracked open, revealing an empty room with the bed perfectly made.


    With an annoyed sigh, she walked over to Jesmine¡¯s door. Ahvi better hope Jesmine didn¡¯t choke on her own vomit. Otherwise, Soraya would have to hunt Ahvi down and kill her for neglecting their friend.


    Knocking softly, she heard a gurgled moan come from the other side of the door. Taking that as an invitation, Soraya opened the door to reveal a groggy Jesmine. Laying on her bed with her arm thrown over her face, she mumbled something incoherent.


    ¡°Good morning to you too, love bug,¡± Soraya cooed with relief. Glad to see her friend awake and somewhat coherent. ¡°You had me scared last night, ass. How do you feel today?¡±


    Kicking off her bedcovers, Jesmine dramatically threw her arm over her head and tossed her face to the side. ¡°Like I¡¯m dying.¡±


    Chuckling, Soraya lowered herself to the edge of the bed before becoming serious. Eyeing the nature poster hanging up on her wall, she asked, ¡°Do you want to talk about last night?¡±


    Jesmine closed her eyes and shook her head. ¡°I actually don¡¯t remember last night,¡± she said with a frown.


    ¡°That tends to happen when you drink yourself stupid,¡± Soraya admonished. ¡°On a Tuesday night, too. Is there something going on with you I should know? Does it have to do with those men you met at the bar¡ªyou can tell me anything you know.¡±


    Jesmine groaned again and turned onto her side. ¡°Stop your nagging, woman. I¡¯m fine, other than dying from a massive migraine, I¡¯m the picture of health.¡±


    Soraya pinched her lips together. If Jesmine didn¡¯t want to talk, she knew very well there was nothing she could do to get her to speak. It was high school all over again. The dream she¡¯d had last night popped into her mind¡ªa memory from a time near their senior year, a particularly rough time she had no business bringing up now.


    Soraya closed her eyes and took a deep, steadying breath. ¡°Alright, keep your secrets. But I think you should stay put for today. Don¡¯t see those men either.¡± Soraya was quick to notice she didn¡¯t deny seeing them last night. ¡°You need to rest.¡±


    Jesmine nodded. ¡°That¡¯s the plan.¡±


    ¡°Do you need me to call you off of work?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°Do you want breakfast? I can go pick up something.¡±


    Jesmine squinted at her.


    ¡°What?¡± Soraya frowned.


    ¡°You do realize it¡¯s dinner time and not breakfast, right?¡±


    Shocked, Soraya stared at the time Jesmine was showing her on her phone. It was around six in the evening.


    ¡°Looks like we both slept in today. Were you drinking last night?¡± she mocked.


    Soraya shook her head, perplexed she slept for over fifteen hours.


    Jesmine noted the distress on Soraya¡¯s face and was quick to say, ¡°You haven¡¯t been sleeping right for the past couple of days. Understandably so, might I add,¡± she said with a wink. ¡°Your body must be catching up on some sleep. No big deal.¡±


    Soraya nodded her head in agreement. ¡°Yeah, that must be it.¡±


    ¡°But you should definitely get us some food,¡± Jesmine yawned. ¡°It will definitely help us.¡±


    Soraya snorted. ¡°Uh-huh. I¡¯m sure it will.¡±


    ¡°Good. Bring me back something tasty and save the receipt. I will stay here and guard the fort.¡± Jesmine burrowed further into her blankets while Soraya rolled her eyes.


    Leaving Jesmine in her blanket burrito, Soraya went to her room to pick up her phone. She saw several missed calls from work and quickly sent an apology to her boss, explaining that she was sick and wouldn¡¯t be in tomorrow either. Then, she texted Ahvi, asking for the name of the restaurant she¡¯d gotten food from the other night before heading out the apartment door.


    ¡°Come on, Ahvi. I¡¯m starving, pick up.¡± Soraya said to her phone.


    Walking along the sidewalk during golden hour, with cars passing by on the busy street, she was determined to find the restaurant Ahvi had introduced her to. Soraya couldn¡¯t remember the name and had been trying to contact Ahvi for the past twenty minutes with no success. At this rate, she was going to starve, and Jesmine would waste away in bed.


    On top of that, her frustrating libido was acting up again, as if her quick release less than an hour ago hadn¡¯t been enough. She could feel wetness pooling in her underwear at an increasingly uncomfortable rate.


    She sighed into her mask the shopkeeper had given her for free. It really helped to keep out the smog and other nasty smells she¡¯d been dealing with for the past couple of days. At least she had that.


    As she turned the corner to head down an alley for a shortcut, Soraya was relieved from the noise of traffic until she heard voices up ahead. Walking into the alley out of a side door, three men chatted with one another.


    Walking closer to the wall, she kept her eyes forward, picking up her pace. They were good-looking men, but trouble can come from anywhere.


    Just as she was about to pass them, one of them sniffed the air. ¡°Hey, wait a second, cutie. Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±


    Choosing to ignore them, Soraya kept walking, but a hand suddenly gripped her elbow and yanked her around roughly. Her heart jumped into her throat at the abruptness. She tried to jerk her arm free, but the man¡¯s mouth twisted into a cruel grin when she couldn¡¯t.


    Keeping her voice level, she commanded, ¡°Let me go, or I¡¯ll call the cops.¡±


    She was going to call them regardless, but she needed to scare them off first.


    The other two men flanked their friend, standing behind him on either side. Smirking down at her, the man holding her arm laughed callously. ¡°Call out to them, sweetheart. Your warriors won¡¯t be able to hear.¡±


    Warriors?


    Her heart pounded harder against her ribcage at the strange phrasing. It wasn¡¯t a good sign that they weren¡¯t scared of her calling the cops. Even if she managed to call them¡ªthen what?


    ¡°Okay, you can take my wallet. But you have to let go of me first so I can get it,¡± she said, annoyed, trying to mask her fear with indifference.


    ¡°Oh, we¡¯re not here for your money,¡± he sneered.


    ¡°She¡¯s fucking terrified,¡± the goon on the right snickered.


    ¡°Gods, human fear really does something for me,¡± the one on the left muttered, grabbing at his pants. To Soraya¡¯s horror, he adjusted his hardening dick.


    This was about to get very bad, very quickly.


    Before she could open her mouth to scream, the man holding her slammed her against the concrete wall. Stars burst in her vision, and her breathing sounded muffled in her ears. The bastards¡¯ laughter echoed distantly, even though they stood right in front of her.


    She tried to open her mouth to scream again, but a hand clamped down over her lips, silencing her. She struggled wildly, which only made them laugh harder. Even with her muffled cries, no sound escaped loud enough to draw help. Her heart hammered violently in her chest.


    ¡°Can you smell that?¡± One creep said to another.


    ¡°Yeah, she smells ripe and ready.¡±


    Soraya did not like the sound of that.


    Gathering her waning strength, she drove her knee into the groin of the man holding her. A guttural grunt escaped his lips, and she took her chance, bolting down the alley.


    Before she made it far, a hand seized her by the back of her hair and yanked hard, pulling her off her feet. She slammed back into his chest, and despite her desperate, hoarse cry, her struggles were in vain.


    Then, suddenly, the man let her go.


    Stumbling forward, her hair in her eyes, Soraya whirled around to face her attacker head-on. Her gaze darted around the alley, her breath ragged and chest heaving.


    There was no one there.


    The alley was empty.


    Straining her ears for retreating footsteps, all she could hear was the blare of a car horn from the street beyond.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± A calm voice asked behind her.


    Jerking around, Soraya took a stumbling step back as her eyes landed on a broad chest. Her gaze traveled up, and up, and up until she had her head tilted back to meet the eyes of a very attractive stranger. She was looking at a man who was easily twice her height, and he was gazing down at her with gentle, deep-set eyes that seemed to pull her in. With her wildly beating heart, she also noted his high cheekbones and full lips. His long blond hair was pulled back, away from his elegant face. Tucked below his mouth and in the corners of his eyes, she could see hints of roughness that had her taking another step back.


    Soraya wasn¡¯t sure if her reaction was because she had just been assaulted by three men or if the stranger himself exuded such a quiet power that it left her feeling thoroughly intimidated.


    His eyes softened further. ¡°I¡¯m Alkimos of Lunosis. May I help you, fierce one?¡±

 Chapter 18: Update

    Hello everyone.


    I¡¯m currently behind on releasing my next chapter. I¡¯m writing ahead so I have more oversight on developmental edits. The holidays were spent meeting a lot of family, putting me behind my schedule. Do not worry; I¡¯m not abandoning this story, and I have plans to self-publish this book in the near future (aiming for KU). But I will publish my first draft on the different sites it¡¯s currently being posted on.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    Thank you so much for reading my story! Your support means a lot to me!


    See you Friday for Chapter 18.


    P.S. Trying to find space to write can be difficult from time to time, but even if I have to use a rusty butter knife, I will continue to carve out this story. I¡¯ve come to really love it.

 Chapter 18: Lavender and Sandalwood

    Fierce? Getting her ass kicked by three men, and he called her fierce?


    Soraya wanted to laugh if it weren¡¯t for the adrenaline coursing through her veins. Those assholes had gotten her good, and there was a slight ringing in her ear.


    ¡°Allow me to take a look at that,¡± Alkimos said while reaching for her face.


    His voice¡­she liked the sound of it. The deep cadence of it soothed her. Even still, she froze as his fingertips brushed strains of hair behind her ear then he moved down to grip her chin and tilt her head to the side so he could get a better look at her wound.


    His touch was gentle, and his fingertips hovered just above the throbbing she was beginning to feel as the adrenaline and shock wore off. She didn¡¯t know why she was letting him do this, but the next thing she knew a warm almost numbing sensation started to spread along her temple.


    ¡°There. How does your head feel?¡± His voice rumbled, low and steady.


    Blinking up at him once, twice¡ªit hurt to look at him straight on all of a sudden. The pulsing throb she felt behind her eyes earlier was coming back in full force, and she tried to blink the pain away.


    Ignoring that particular pain, she reached up to the side of her head and tenderly touched the spot where the tingling sensation was fading. Prodding the skin, she didn¡¯t feel anything out of the ordinary, but when she pulled her hand away, she stared with shock at the blood coating her fingertips.


    She flinched when he wrapped his large hand around her raised palm and brought a cloth to her fingers, gently wiping away the blood. His touch was tender as he held her hand, and tender still when he brought the cloth to the side of her head to pat away the blood there.


    Soraya swallowed hard. ¡°I¡ªwhy am I bleeding?¡± she asked, confused.


    He tilted his head slightly to the side. ¡°You were attacked rather viciously.¡±


    ¡°I was?¡±


    Then, what Soraya could only describe as understanding softened his eyes. With a kind smile, he gently took her hand. ¡°Come, I shall escort you to your lodgings. It¡¯s not safe out here for you.¡±


    Then, what Soraya could only describe as understanding softened his eyes. With a kind smile, he gently took her hand.


    ¡°Come, I shall escort you to your lodgings. It¡¯s not safe out here for you.¡±


    It was on the tip of her tongue to argue, but as he began to lead her away, his arm wrapped securely around her shoulders.


    Before they moved too far, she happened to glance back and noticed an indent in the concrete wall, with spiderweb cracks spreading outward from the center.


    The three men came rushing back to her mind, and she swallowed hard at the terrifying memory. That was right¡­ she¡¯d had her head slammed against the wall, right around where the indent was.


    I must be in shock, she concluded. I might even be concussed¡ªhow else could I forget what happened to me so soon?


    No sooner did the thought cross her mind than her legs gave out beneath her, forcing her to lean heavily on the stranger¡ªAlkimos¡ªfor support.


    Without a word, he bent down and swept her off her feet. Strong arms enveloped her, pressing her against a solid chest. She felt so tired. So unbelievably tired.


    ¡°Where do you live, little one?¡± she heard him ask, his voice gentle, just as her eyes slid shut and she fell unconscious.


    ~


    The methodical sound of footsteps stirred her awake.


    The first thing Soraya felt was weightlessness as if she were wrapped in thick blankets and drifting through the air. She¡¯d had dreams like this before¡ªcompletely paralyzed, her eyes shut but fully aware. In those dreams, her body would start to float off the bed, unable to move a muscle as she drifted higher and higher, trapped in her mind until she managed to gasp herself awake.


    Except this time, her eyes blinked open without restraint, and she realized she truly was floating, cradled securely in the arms of someone very strong.


    ¡°Is this your apartment?¡±


    She looked up and squinted at the kind, handsome face of the stranger. There was something about the light in the hall that made it difficult to focus on him fully. The lingering pain behind her eyes pulsed faintly but hadn¡¯t disappeared entirely.


    His question registered in her mind, and she slowly turned her head to look at her door.


    Apartment 303.


    ¡°This is my apartment,¡± Soraya said, confused. Her voice was raspy, as though she were waking from years of sleep. How did he know where she lived?


    Exhausted, she let her head fall back against his chest and closed her aching eyes. She figured he probably wanted to be done with her. He could lay her by the front door and leave for all she cared at that moment.


    Click.


    She heard the front door swing open, and then she felt herself being carried inside. Her heart jolted¡ªwhy wasn¡¯t the door locked? She was sure she¡¯d locked it before she left.


    Fighting to wake herself, she struggled to open her eyes and placed a weak hand on his chest, pushing as she mumbled, ¡°Letmedown.¡±


    Even in her exhaustion, she was acutely aware that a strange man was carrying her half-conscious into her apartment. He may have saved her, but that didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t a potential threat.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    The door clicked shut behind them as he walked deeper into her apartment.


    A flutter of panic rose in her chest. She didn¡¯t know where he was taking her. She¡¯d heard the stories¡ªwomen saved from one attacker, only to be assaulted by their rescuer.


    She opened her mouth to protest no matter how feeble the demand would be when he gently started to lower her. She felt her bottom meet a hard surface and the top half of her body tipped back before he wrapped his muscular arm around her waist, his hand splayed in the middle of her back.


    He sat her down on the island bar in their kitchen.


    ¡°Steady, little one. You must have taken a bigger hit than I originally thought.¡± His soft, rumbling voice sent shivers down her spine. ¡°Are you cold?¡± He asked, worry clear in his voice.


    She didn¡¯t respond as another shiver ran down her spine.


    His body shifted around her, and his comforting arm slipped from her back. His other equally muscular arm wrapped around her, and she heard the faint rustle of fabric. Something large and heavy¡ªhis coat, she realized¡ªwas draped over her shoulders.


    Warmth surrounded her, and instinctively, she took a deep inhale.


    Lavender and sandalwood mixed with something else she couldn¡¯t quite place¡ªsomething tantalizing and familiar completely enveloped her. It was like a memory she no longer consciously held, but her body remembered.


    Her earlier panic and distress evaporated in an instant and she found herself leaning into him, her nose burying itself in his chest.


    And she just breathed.


    His hand slipped into the back of her hair, holding her against him, letting her take her time as she unwound herself in him.


    She liked it. She liked it a lot that he was allowing her to find comfort in him. Then his scent changed. It became more enticing, beckoning her to find a way to get closer.


    Her hips shifted on the counter, thighs rubbing together as little sparks of arousal danced on her clit.


    Her hands moved on their own accord, reaching for the front of his turtleneck sweater. She gripped the soft material between her fingers. Her legs slid along the countertop as she tried to pull him between her inviting thighs when his throat cleared.


    The hand that was cradling the back of her head tugged on her hair slightly.


    ¡°Let me see you,¡± he commanded softly. His voice was richer, deeper, and slightly breathless to her ears.


    Soraya allowed him to pull her away from his chest, her head tipping back between her shoulder blades, her eyes still closed shut. She was breathing heavily; her pulse began to beat faster in her chest¡ªlike a wild call coming from within her that she couldn¡¯t control.


    As she struggled to gain control of herself, Alkimos tilted her head to the side, and she felt his other hand brush strands of her hair behind her ear again.


    A soft intake of breath and her eyes finally cracked open.


    His mouth was slack as he gazed down at her face. His studious eyes latched onto her dark ones. The pulsing behind her eyes had eased somewhat, and she was finally able to take a good look at him.


    He had kind eyes. Kind silver-gray eyes.


    There was a slight flush to his high cheekbones and she watched as his lush lips trembled slightly while he gazed down at her. His fingers trailed down her ear before hovering just above her lips. He was so close to touching her.


    Soraya wanted him to touch her. She needed him too.


    A needy noise escaped the back of her throat.


    Alkimos stepped between her legs, and her body sang at his nearness. She yanked on his shirt again, and to her relief he actually leaned further down over her, causing her hips to slide off the counter until her center was flush against the buttons of his slacks.


    Her legs wrapped around his hips and she squeezed her thighs as he leaned her back against the counter, hand still cradling the back of her head.


    ¡°Of all the places to find you. I never thought I would meet you in this world, little mate,¡± he whispered.


    She didn¡¯t know what he was talking about, and she didn¡¯t care. She only wanted him closer. She squeezed her thighs tighter around him, and he shuddered against her.


    She liked that¡ªa lot.


    Her hand slid up from his chest until it reached the warm skin of his neck. Curving her hand around the back of it, she pulled, and he came obligingly, closer and closer until she was able to capture his bottom lip, sucking it into her mouth.


    Soraya had no clue what she was doing or why he was going along with her inappropriate demands. She was not in control.


    He groaned, but she spoke too soon. Proving he had the stronger moral strength not to jump the bones of a stranger he¡¯d met less than twenty minutes ago, he pulled away from her.


    She tried to drag him back to her, but his casual strength broke her hold as if she were nothing more than a rag doll.


    ¡°There is nothing more I would like to do than claim you, little mate,¡± his deep voice came out gruff. ¡°But I must see to your needs first and perhaps learn your name.¡±


    Breathless, she managed to respond. ¡°Soraya.¡± Then she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to regain control of her facilities. She was acting insane, and they both knew it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she whispered, ashamed. Had she just assaulted him? Fuck, she had definitely taken some liberties with him, and guilt trickled through her at her actions.


    Grabbing ahold of that sticky emotion, she forced her arms back to the counter and pushed herself up.


    He furrowed his brow. ¡°Sorry for what, Soraya? There¡¯s nothing to be sorry for.¡±


    ¡°I just¡ª¡± she sucked in a shaky breath, ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I just assaulted you. And I don¡¯t even know¡ª¡±


    Faster than she could register, he had her chin between his thumb and forefingers, forcing her to look at him. All signs of emotions whipped from his face. ¡°You did not, little mate. I was equally enjoying myself with you. Do you understand this?¡±


    Shocked by his fierceness, all she could do was nod.


    ¡°Good, Soraya. Now, go find a change of clothes.¡± His face darkened suddenly. ¡°The stench of those males on you is eating away at my patience the longer it blocks your sweet scent from me.¡±


    Sweet¡­scent¡­males¡­


    ¡°Huh?¡± That was all she could manage to say.


    Without another word, he pulled her off the counter and gently placed her on her feet. The alluring scent of lavender and sandalwood mixed with something uniquely him was more potent the closer she got to Alkimos. ¡°Wash and change; we shall discuss more when you have settled. I see there needs to be a long discussion.¡±


    Her mind reeling, she nodded in agreement. Don¡¯t ask her why, but she trusted him more than she trusted herself at the moment, and a shower was a nice escape from whatever the hell just happened on the kitchen counter. What she wanted to continue on the kitchen counter still as her body throbbed.


    Turning around, she fled to her room, quickly grabbing fresh clothes before ducking into the bathroom to take a nice cold shower to help collect her thoughts.


    When she was finished washing up and changing into her new hoodie and leggings, she stepped out of the bathroom with her phone clutched in hand.


    She spotted Alkimos leaning against the kitchen stove, his arms crossed over his chest. He seemed to take up the entire space, like her apartment was trying to contain him but was simply too small to hold him.


    His eyes were on her the moment she left the bathroom, making her feel self-conscious.


    Feeling incredibly shy, she opened her mouth to speak, but her phone started ringing. Looking down at the screen, she didn¡¯t hesitate to answer Jesmine¡¯s call.


    ¡°Jesmine?¡±


    ¡°Soraya! I¡¯m¡ª¡±


    Soraya didn¡¯t catch what Jesmine was about to say next. An ear-splitting shriek blasted the speakers, making her rip the phone away from her ear just before the call went dead.


    Wide-eyed, she spun toward Jesmine¡¯s door, which stood open to reveal a dark, empty room.


    Where the fuck was Jesmine?

 Chapter 19: Monsters At The Gate

    Soraya¡¯s mind went quiet as tiny sparks shot through her veins, flooding her body with energy. The shriek echoed into the deepest corners of her subconscious, forcing the hair on the back of her neck to stand on end.


    Every cell in her body shouted danger. But that wasn¡¯t going to stop her. She tried calling Jesmine back, but it went straight to voicemail. Not good.


    Not good at all.


    It was like she was on autopilot as the pads of her fingers pulled up Jesmine¡¯s location on her phone screen. She forced herself through the overwhelming fear coursing through her¡ªJesmine needed help.


    Alkimos was towering beside her, and she could hear his deep voice asking her something, but it was as if he was speaking from yards away.


    Ignoring him, she focused on the screen, watching Jesmine¡¯s little blue dot rapidly moving down W Jefferson Street. It was heading toward the entrance to their college, just a couple of blocks from where they lived.


    She must be in a car. Whose car would she be in? None of them owned a damn car.


    A large hand gripped her upper arm, but before she had time to snap at Alkimos, the soft, crystal-like sound of ringing filled the apartment. Suddenly, he let go of her.


    Already on the move, Soraya headed straight to her room, her ears pounding. She yanked open her nightstand drawer, pushed her vibrator aside, and reached toward the back to grab the gun she kept there. She tucked it into the waistband of her pants before locating her running shoes and slipping them on.


    It was like she was outside her body, watching her hands and feet take over for her. All the while her mind stayed blank. Not a thought passed through her head.


    ¡°Where is the sluagh now?¡± Alkimos¡¯s voice rumbled as Soraya stepped back into the living room. He wasn¡¯t speaking to her; his back was turned, his wrist raised to his mouth as he spoke.


    A slight shiver ran down her spine, but even his voice wasn¡¯t enough to distract her from reaching the door and slipping out.


    ¡°Soraya?¡± She heard his alarmed voice call out, but the door clicked shut behind her as she took off down the hall towards the stairs.


    The sound of her heartbeat pulsed in her ears as she pushed herself to run faster. She was out of the building and on the sidewalk in the blink of an eye. Her feet pounded the pavement as she raced for the intersection blocks ahead. Her eyes flicked down to check Jesmine¡¯s location. The dot had stopped, straight ahead, just across the intersection.


    She was at the intersection, faster than she expected, and just as she was about to leap off the curb, a large hand gripped her upper arm. Flinging her backward against a hard body.


    ¡°Soraya, stop,¡± Alkimos ordered.


    Chest heaving with heavy breaths, Soraya looked up at him, anger bubbling in her chest. ¡°Let go,¡± she snapped through clenched teeth.


    ¡°Forgive me, little one, but no.¡± The bastard didn¡¯t even sound sorry¡ªor even out of breath. He had caught up so quickly, and she didn¡¯t even hear his approach. And he wasn¡¯t even winded as she was. Jackass.


    Frustrated, she attempted to break his hold on her to no avail, and a second after she realized she was no match for his strength she started to shout. ¡°Jesmine!¡± She looked wildly across the street to see if she could catch any glimpse of her friend, but there was no one in sight.


    Alkimos large, slender hand clamped over her mouth. A muffled noise of outrage escaped her as she thrashed against him.


    ¡°Stop fighting me, Soraya. You can¡¯t help your friend if you put yourself in danger as well,¡± he said, his voice hard and unyielding.


    How did he know she was looking for Jesmine?


    ¡°I need you to go back to your¡ª¡± his steady voice broke off in a hiss. His hold on her tightened as her teeth sank into the flesh of his palm.


    His blood flooded her mouth, and the moment the taste of him touched the tip of her tongue, Soraya¡¯s mind went completely blank.


    Her erratic heartbeat fluttered in her chest, making her tremble as a wave of desire¡ª or was it completion?¡ªflooded her system. It was like her whole body was experiencing extreme whiplash as it went from pure adrenaline to pure want. Her skin flushed and tightened over her bones. Her lungs felt like they were on fire, and she, and she¡­


    Alkimos low laugh vibrated from the chest as he felt her body trembling against him. ¡°Did you like how I taste, little mate?¡± He pulled his hand from her mouth. ¡°Once I bring you to safety¡ª¡°


    ¡°Not without my friend,¡± Soraya interrupted between panting breaths, fighting the heady weightless feeling pumping through her. ¡°Please, do you know what happened to her?¡± She choked out.


    His voice hardened again. ¡°Soraya¡ª ¡°


    ¡°She¡¯s here. I tracked her here. Please! I need to know she¡¯s okay.¡± She hated to beg, but it was all she could do, trapped tightly in his arms. She wasn¡¯t going anywhere without his permission, and¡ªagainst all logic¡ª she trusted this stranger. Fuck if she knew why, but she trusted him for now.


    A heavy sigh left him ¡°Okay, Soraya. Keep quiet and don¡¯t leave my side.¡± He sat her down and released her. ¡°You said you tracked her?¡±


    Soraya, with shaking hands, unlocked her phone screen and it still showed Jesmine¡¯s location in the same spot she had seen it a minute ago.Stolen novel; please report.


    Across the street.


    Looking up, she squinted into the vegetation surrounding the gated entrance. Was Jesmine hiding? Soraya took a step down into the deserted street.


    When school was in secession, the four-way crosswalk was a hub of activity, but with move-in a week away, that meant the campus was eerily silent.


    It was only them. Not even a car passed by.


    ¡°Soraya¡ª,¡±


    ¡°Did you hear something?¡± Soraya interrupted, not ready for him to drag her back to the apartment, or wherever this dominant stranger deemed safe.


    Alkimos fell quiet.


    Silence settled around them, broken only by the rustling of trees lining the sidewalks.


    She glanced westbound, searching for any sign of Jesmine, but nothing. Some of the streetlights were taken over by overgrown tree branches that encased the light between their leaves. Causing flickering shadows of light to dance across the street.


    A creeping awareness blossoms at the back of her mind.


    Something was watching her.


    Soraya stiffened, her gaze darting around. She didn¡¯t see anything, but her entire body became hyper-aware that something¡ªor someone¡ªwas there.


    ¡°Soraya. Don¡¯t move,¡± Alkimos ordered, his voice barely a whisper.


    That¡¯s when she heard a series of clicking noises coming from where Jesmine¡¯s last location pinged. The clicking barely registered above the rustling trees, but it was there. She was sure of it.


    A large object moved out of the corner of her eye. Flicking her gaze to the left of the gate, where a planter of vegetation sat, her eyes blurred. Blinking her gaze into focus, she stared and stared at the foliage, trying to understand what she was seeing. There was an object deep in the hedges.


    Something big.


    Before Soraya could fully register the sight, her entire body became weightless as she was yanked back against a solid, unyielding chest.


    A high-pitched shriek tore through the air, so loud it rattled her skull and threatened to burst her eardrums. Clapping her hands over her ears, she pressed back into Alkimos, her breath hitching as her gaze fixed on the source of the noise.


    A massive figure crept out from the shadows beneath the trees, its movements slow and deliberate. It stopped when it emerged fully onto the sidewalk, bathed in the dim glow of a street lamp.


    At first, Soraya couldn¡¯t comprehend what she was seeing. It looked like a bush¡ªa tall, hulking bush¡ªstanding at the edge of the sidewalk. Her eyes throbbed as the shape shifted before her, the branches transforming into limbs, and the green leaves molting into a grotesque patchwork of decayed, rotting skin.


    Eyes. The bush had milky white eyes, and they were staring straight at them.


    Soraya gulped as she beheld the face of a thing of nightmares as it continued its slow, deliberate advance toward them. Twigs turned into wicked sharp teeth that were set into a mouth with no lips.


    Clicking sounds were emitting from it, as it continued to stare at them.


    It was a monster. Its body reminded her of a deformed frog. A mutant, giant frog. That was all Soraya could think as she looked at it. Not even Alkimos comforting scent or touch could stop the way her heart flipped, dousing any sense of heady desire from her, turning back into adrenaline. Her heart started to pound a mile a minute.


    Its jaw fell open, saliva dripping from the sharp points of its teeth as it let out a wretched shriek. Soraya clapped her hands over her ears again, her heart racing, as the monstrosity leaped into the street, aiming right for them.


    Alkimos shifted behind her just as the monster prepared to leap again, its gaping mouth hanging upon, teeth gleaning in the streetlights¡ª


    A sedan came careening around the corner, slamming right into the monster with a sickening thud and sending it flying up the street.


    Mouth agape, Soraya snapped her gaze back to the sedan that now had its hood bent to hell and engine steaming. The car door groaned open, and Jesmine, out of all people, stumbled from the driver¡¯s seat.


    She was still in one piece.


    ¡°Jesmine!¡± Soraya shouted, as she pushed out of Alkimos¡¯s embrace and ran for her friend.


    Soraya gripped Jesmine, looking her over for any signs of injuries.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay, Soraya,¡± she said wide-eyed.


    Soraya felt her body sag with momentary relief when a shadow passed overhead. She snapped her head up and felt her mind do a somersault at what she was seeing. It looked like a man¡ªa man that was flying.


    ¡°Alkimos! We¡¯re going to track the sluagh and bring it back across the lei line. Watch over our female for us,¡± shouted the flying man with white hair.


    ¡°For the last time, I am not your female asshole!¡± Jesmine shouted at the retreating¡­flying¡­form.


    A man was flying.


    Soraya¡¯s mind struggled to process what she was seeing. A man was soaring through the air like it was the most natural thing in the world. What was even more odd were the transparent black wings attached to his back.


    An angel. No. Angels don¡¯t look like that. Do they? Dressed in all black with¡­a sword in hand.


    Blinking rapidly, Soraya asked, ¡°Am I dreaming?¡±


    Jesmine looked back at Soraya about to answer her when another shriek rents the air.


    ¡°Fuck, there¡¯s two of them,¡± an unknown male voice called from above, as a second flying man soared by. He had black hair.


    ¡°Where the hell are they coming from?¡± The first flying man shouted as he circled back around.


    ¡°Soraya, take your friend and go back to the apartment, wait for me there until I return,¡± Alkimos commanded as all hell broke loose.


    Soraya¡¯s gaze snapped to a second mutant frog as it leaped over the ten-foot gate and charged straight for Alkimos¡ªonly to crash into an invisible barrier. The monster screeched in pain as it was thrown backward, colliding with the metal gate.


    ¡°Soraya! Behind you!¡± Jesmine shouted.


    Everything happened too fast. Soraya barely had time to look behind her when a shadow came streaking out from behind the fountain on the corner.


    Fangs, milky white eyes, and claw-tipped fingers came hurtling toward her. Soraya instinctively reached for her gun, even though she knew it was too late to fire.


    Before the creature could reach her, a wall of dark water crashed down, slamming into the monster. The sounds of bones breaking and rushing water had her taking a step back as the monster was washed down the street.


    ¡°What are humans doing here?¡± a cold voice demanded. ¡°Send them away, before we have to clean their bodies off the street.¡±


    Turning her head toward the right side of the intersection, Soraya watched as a man with long, clipped strides emerged from the darkness, heading directly for her. When his eyes locked with hers, pain burst behind her pupils. She clutched at her eyes, desperately trying to keep them from exploding out of her head, but just as quickly as the pain came, it subsided into a pulsing ache. She looked back up in time to see the new stranger stop directly in front of her.


    Without warning, his hand locked around her neck in an iron grip, tilting her face up to meet his piercing gaze.


    Her body instantly turned to liquid as she beheld him. His face was that of a cold savage beauty that made her breath catch. His nostrils flared, and all she could do was watch as his gaze flicked back and forth between her eyes.


    ¡°I will be back, Alkimos. Try not to die while I¡¯m gone,¡± he said in a voice like ice.


    Alkimos rang out in response, shouting, ¡°Makoto! She¡¯s¡ª¡°


    Whatever Alkimos was about to say was drowned out by the sudden sound of rushing wind.  In the next instant, Soraya felt as if she had simply winked out of existence.

 Chapter 20: Sea Salt and Citrus

    Soraya felt weightless¡­no¡­that wasn¡¯t quite right¡­


    She needed a body to feel weightless¡­and she no longer had one.


    Yet her consciousness remained.


    She couldn¡¯t move, hear, taste, or see¡­everything was just blank. It wasn¡¯t dark nor was it light¡­it just was. She couldn¡¯t tell if she was being pulled in every direction at once or standing perfectly still in whatever form she now took.


    It was as though a loud emptiness had engulfed her entire soul.


    If she didn¡¯t have a body, and her mind was still aware, did she still exist as herself? Did she exist at all? Or did she now belong to this infinite void¡ªa void she intrinsically knew had no beginning or end? Did that make her nothing? How would she know if she was nothing?


    It was terrifying.


    Panic gripped what was left of her before a presence¡ªno, several presences¡ªwrapped themselves around her very being, and the panic vanished. This new awareness settled around her like a comforting blanket, and for the first time since entering the void, she could feel her existence solidify. Her senses trickled back to her as the scent of a sea breeze carrying notes of citrus slammed her fully back into her body.


    Her eyes were wide open and unseeing as a buzzing noise filled her ears.


    ¡°That¡¯s it, breathe for me,¡± a voice, cool as silk, coaxed above the static.


    Soraya sucked in a gasping breath of air that hadn¡¯t existed a moment before.


    ¡°Good girl,¡± the voice praised.


    The oxygen inflated her lungs, mingling with the seductive scent of that salty citrus that made her mind spin.


    Her eyes fluttered closed. Breathing in and out, she grounded herself in that wonderful scent as she tried to understand what had just happened to her.


    As her soul settled back inside her body, she became aware of the fact that she was now sitting atop a solid surface with a hand wrapped around her throat¡ªthe only thing keeping her upright. Fuck. She hoped whoever was holding her didn¡¯t let go; otherwise, she might float away and never return.


    Slowly, Soraya collected the final pieces that made her whole again, and her body twitched when she felt a warm breath fan across her mouth.


    ¡°Was that your first time syfting, my mate?¡± the cool voice asked, sending a shiver down her spine.  ¡°Syfting can be hard, especially between the two worlds. You have my apologies.¡±


    Her tongue darted out to lick at her dry lips and the taste of something salty and sweet lingering on the air made her mouth water. She swallowed that taste and moaned.


    The hand on her neck flexed, its rough palm warm and getting warmer the longer it stayed against her increasingly sensitive skin. Her hips shifted on the desk, and shit¡ªshe was sitting in something wet. She squeezed her legs together, and her inner thighs slipped against one another. Double shit¡ªthe wetness was coming from her soaked-through panties. That realization was like a switch flipping on, and she became hyper-aware that her whole body felt raw. Soraya began to tremble. She needed release¡ªshe needed it fast.


    What the hell is happening to me? She thought sluggishly.


    A whimper escaped her lips as a searing heat flared throughout her body, robbing her of thought. She could feel her nipples hardening into tight, painful points, and she desperately began to rock her hips to generate any type of friction, but it wasn¡¯t enough.


    Hands. She had hands.


    Spreading her numb legs, her equally numb fingers traveled to her heated center when a hand clamped down around her wrist, stopping her pursuit of release.


    She bit back a scream of frustration, but air hissed through her teeth as she tried to rip free from the iron grip. The hand raised hers to rest against something hard. The callused palm covered the top of her hand, and the skin-on-skin contact only inflamed her further.


    Wait. She had two hands. Just as her left hand began to reach for her center, something cool and watery wrapped around her wrist, effectively restraining her. She let out a string of pathetic sounds at the denial of her own self-pleasure.


    ¡°Shh, I have you beautiful,¡± the cool, silky voice whispered roughly. ¡°I never would have imagined the mating scent to be so¡ª¡± The voice broke off as the sound of someone taking a deep inhale filled the space. The hand around her neck and on top of her right hand squeezed, causing her hips to jerk.


    Breathless, Soraya opened her eyes, and a small, needy gasp escaped her as she came face to face with the man from the street. Except now, he looked¡­different. His savage beauty had her pinned in place. She¡¯d never seen a human being who looked like him before. His features were too sharp, too even, too¡­perfect¡ªright down to his full, plush lips and dark brows that were furrowed in concentration. His short, wavy hair was so dark it looked almost blue. It was as though his features were designed to captivate her, to ensnare her into giving him whatever he wanted. And she would. She would fucking give it all to him.


    Even his eyes. Her unfocused gaze locked onto his, which was the color of blue iris flowers¡ªan impossible color. He was¡ª


    ¡°Beautiful,¡± he whispered hoarsely as his long, slender fingers released her right hand and came up to push back her sweat-dampened hair. Her fingers dug into his chest, and she whimpered again at the simple touch that made certain parts of her throb.


    She didn¡¯t have it in her to feel ashamed of the way her body was responding to him or to be embarrassed by the pathetic noises escaping her. As long as he kept his hands on her, she would do anything for him¡ªanything to relieve the burning inferno spiraling out of control inside her.    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    His thumb stroked a path down her neck, making her shiver at the light touch. Her lips parted as he pulled her closer, one hand on her neck and the other gripping her right thigh. His full lips brushed against hers in a featherlight touch that had her moaning softly before he sealed their lips together and took her breath away.


    Then he groaned into her hot mouth. ¡°Fuck,¡± he breathed.


    The tip of his tongue slipped along the seam of her lips, and she opened wider for him. A growl rumbled low in his chest, a second before his grip around her neck tightened even more, pushing her back against the hard surface¡ªand she went willingly.


    In the time it took him to press her down and hold her in place, a faint thought broke through the lust-filled fog, telling her there was something important she was supposed to remember. But it evaporated when his left hand dragged down to her knee, gripping the back of it and spreading her wide open so he could settle his body fully between her thighs. Then he ground down against her center.


    The fire in her spiraled to her pulsing clit, and her body felt too hot, too tight, causing a gasping scream to erupt from her.


    His lips crashed against hers to silence her. The hand around her neck kept her anchored as he slicked his tongue into her panting mouth.


    She wrapped her legs around his hips and squeezed, rocking against him. Another desperate, needy moan erupted from the back of her throat when she realized just how hard he was for her.


    His lips crashed against hers to silence her. The hand around her neck kept her anchored as he slicked his tongue into her panting mouth. She wrapped her legs around his hips and squeezed before rocking against him. Another desperate, needy moan erupted from the back of her throat when she realized just how hard he was for her.


    He ripped himself away from her lips to bury his head into the side of her neck. ¡°Fuck. Just like that, beautiful.¡± He started to rock with her, his hot breaths warming her skin to a fever pitch. ¡°Fuck,¡± he growled, his voice rough with desire as she picked up speed.


    The momentary relief she felt was dwindling fast as another flash of heat caused her legs to spasm and her core clench around nothing. She felt her own wetness slipping out of her, and before she could process what was happening, something wrapped around her ankle, forcing her to unhook from his hips. Before she could voice her frustration, he lifted his hips, shoving his hand down the front of her leggings, and slipped into her underwear.


    A breath punched out of his chest, and he began to pant as his fingers slipped through her folds, pushing the slick dripping out of her back inside her pussy. There was no teasing, no waiting, as his fingers came back up to circle her swollen clit and pressed down. She bucked into him as her climax hit her hard and fast. Her body spasmed, but before she could come down from the sudden high, his fingers found her opening and pushed into her. Two of his long fingers slipped into her easily, and his palm ground down on her clit.


    Soraya screamed as her pussy spasmed around his fingers, clenching down as they tunneled in and out.


    He ripped himself away from her and yanked her trembling body to the edge of the surface. With impossible efficiency, he hooked his thumbs into her leggings and pulled them halfway down her thighs in one motion. Wrapping his muscled arm around her knees, he pulled her again until her ass hung off the edge of the surface, and he bent her knees toward her chest.


    The leggings wrapped around her quivering thighs limited her ability to move, but she didn¡¯t care as his fingers grazed the underside of her exposed legs. Trailing down, down until they roughly shoved aside her completely soaked panties, exposing her dripping wet pussy to him.


    An animalistic growl filled the space, but Soraya was too far gone to care where it came from¡ªespecially as his fingers dragged up her wet seam, making her legs shake again before they disappeared from her hot flesh.


    She heard the rustling of clothes, and then she felt something unbearably hot at her entrance. It was his cock. The scent of that salty citrus exploded throughout the room, and she wiggled her ass, trying to guide him exactly where she wanted him.


    There were no words, only understanding. He lined himself up and pushed the tip slowly into her. She strained against her leggings, trying to spread her legs as far as the restricting fabric would allow. He chuckled before gripping her trembling thighs in his hands, pushing her legs closed together, and resting her ankles on his shoulder. Without making her wait a second longer, he snapped his hips forward, burying himself to the hilt inside her.


    She opened her mouth to scream, but no sound made it past her lips as the pleasure consumed her. Fuck her, he didn¡¯t stop there. With long, rolling strokes, he entered her and pushed deep into her slippery dripping hole, hitting the spot that made her see stars. Again. And again. And again.


    She forgot how to breathe as his hips snapped forward, filling her over and over. Half dressed, on her back and her feet on his shoulder, he had his way with her. It was too much. Way too much. Her body was stiffening, her blood pounded in her ears, making her dizzy, and her lungs screamed for air as the pressure within her built higher and higher.


    His thumb forced its way to her clit and pressed down. She screamed as the tidal wave crashed and broke something inside of her. Her vision blacked out, and air rushed down her throat as her hips rode the waves of her orgasm.


    She spasmed around his length even as he chased his own release, pounding into her with erratic thrusts, prolonging the sweet pleasure as wave after wave of back-arching ecstasy crashed through her.


    His hips stuttered against hers, his body quaking before he finally stilled. The only sound that filled the room was their panting breaths. Soraya fought to collect herself, reeling down from her orgasmic high. As her trembling legs steadied, clarity seeped into her mind.


    After a moment, he heaved out a sigh and slipped out of her, causing her body to jerk at the sudden loss. He stepped away, lowering her legs back down. Propping herself on trembling arms, she watched as he tucked himself back into his black pants, while her own leggings and panties remained rolled around her quivering thighs.


    Emotions swirled inside her¡ªtoo many for her to feel at once. Thoughts of Jesmine, Alkimos, flying men, and monstrous frog-bush creatures raced through her mind in rapid succession.


    How the hell did she forget all that, she had no clue. It was all too much for her to compute. And the worse offense of all, she just had desk-shaking sex with a complete fucking stranger while Jesmine was left in the middle of that chaos. What if she was dead?


    Tears pricked behind her eyes, and a flash of concern crossed his face.


    Makoto. That¡¯s what Alkimos had called him before he kidnapped her.


    Makoto opened his mouth to speak when blinding, white-hot rage shot through her. Before she could stop herself, her hand flew across his face. The slap echoed in her ears, sending her blood pounding wildly¡ªbut for an entirely different reason this time.


    Slowly, Makoto turned his head back toward her, his chest rising and falling with controlled breaths. Soraya sucked in a sharp breath when her eyes landed on his ear.


    They were not rounded like they should be.


    They arched up into delicate points.


    And when he looked at her, a truly lupine face peered out from behind the strands of hair that had fallen across his features. He bared his teeth, and her gaze darted to the sharp incisors resting against his bottom lip.


    That wasn¡¯t human.


    He¡­he couldn¡¯t be human.


    Closing his eyes, he straightened himself before rolling his head back along his shoulders.


    When he snapped his gaze toward her, a shiver ran down her spine. His iris eyes seemed to glow in the dark room, and a slow, wicked smile spread across his lips.


    ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you just lovely,¡± he murmured, ice lacing every word.


    Soraya didn¡¯t feel so safe anymore.

 Chapter 21: White Rooms and Waves

    Soraya swallowed as her stomach flipped over itself.


    There was a preternatural stillness to him that had her freezing in place. All she could do was watch him, watch herself. Her eyes never left his luminescent ones. Prey and predator.


    In a strange way, she felt caught by his otherworldly beauty. Except she had no idea what kind of predator she was facing.


    She had slapped him. Why the fuck had she slapped him?


    What was he going to do next?


    Makoto broke eye contact first, letting his gaze travel down her body. A breeze blew in from the bay window, fluttering the gauze-like curtains, and it was precisely at that moment she felt the chilled wind graze her bare pussy and upper thighs a second before his eyes landed on the juncture of her legs. He cocked his head to the side. She still hadn¡¯t pulled up her underwear or her pants, and though she wasn¡¯t fully unclothed, she felt stripped naked by his perusing gaze.


    What was worse than feeling completely exposed was the quickly cooling fluid, slowly leaking out of her and dripping onto a solid surface beneath her ass.


    Then he was moving. Leaning into her still form, Soraya¡¯s eyes widened as he brought his face closer and closer to hers. He peered deeply into her eyes as his hand moved behind her back and her spine felt like it was going to snap in half if she tried to stiffen it any further.


    The scent of sea salt and citrus wafted across her face. It wasn¡¯t as potent as it had been a moment before; it had taken on a more subtle note of citrus. The sea salt didn¡¯t make her mouth water with anticipation. It was subdued and relaxed¡ªgiving her a sense of solace even though her mind was not completely convinced of her safety.


    His hand moved in her peripheral vision, and she jerked at the sudden contact of tissues being pressed against her cunt. A glimmer of amusement flickered in his eyes as she realized with mortification that he was cleaning her of their tryst.


    Once finished, he leaned away from her and tossed the tissues into what she presumed was the trash bin on the side of the desk.


    She swallowed around the lump in her throat. What does one do in a situation like this one? She wanted to know what he was. He couldn¡¯t be human, not while he looked like that.


    Should she ask him where he took her? How had he taken her? Her mind scrambled back through her lust-filled memories, and she vaguely recalled him saying something about¡ª¡°syfting,¡± was it? And something about between the worlds.


    Soraya opened her mouth, refusing to be intimidated any longer. ¡°My friend. You left my friend, Jesmine. I need to go back.¡±


    Soraya must have blacked out, and he took her to this room. She hadn¡¯t gotten the chance to assess her surroundings, but she knew it was an average-sized room with a bay window directly behind him. The silver moonlight glinted off his blue-black hair.


    Makoto pushed away from the desk, drawing himself to his full height. ¡°Thank you for the reminder. And as much as I enjoy the view¡±¡ªhis eyes flicked down to her bare pussy once more¡ª¡°you should get dressed. There¡¯s a bathroom through that door,¡± he informed her, nodding over her left shoulder. ¡°Clean up and stay here for your safety. I will see about your human friend.¡±


    Without waiting to hear a response from her, he strode around her with a stiff set to his shoulders.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Soraya yelled. Hopping off the surface, she struggled to roll her leggings and underwear back up over her hips, when she heard a door opening and closing with a deafening click.


    Soraya¡¯s jaw dropped. That asshole did not just lock me in here.


    Rushing to the door she tried the handle, but¡­it wouldn¡¯t budge. The asshole had locked her in!


    Pure white rage scorched through her, and she pounded on the door, yelling for him to let her out. She was only met with silence. Slamming her balled-up fist against the door one last time, she took a step back to inspect it, wondering if she could unscrew the hinges¡ªbut¡­there were no hinges.


    Grumbling to herself, she turned and surveyed the space. The lights weren¡¯t on, but the moonlight streaming through the bay windows illuminated enough of the white room that she didn¡¯t need them.


    The room was¡­like any average office, except for the walls, floor, and rounded ceiling, which seemed to be made out of some glossy white material.


    In front of the bay windows and their fluttering curtains was a desk¡ªa wooden one, with papers and pens strewn across it. Her eyes darted to the floor surrounding it, noting various objects that must have been knocked off during¡­This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    She bit the inside of her cheek. ¡°What the hell was I thinking?" she thought? she thought. She walked over and noted the remains of a pretty purple vase, hoping it was something important to him. A sturdy chair, which she guessed was once pushed under the desk, was shoved against the wall beside the window.


    Standing fully behind the desk, she saw the door Makoto left through at the back left corner and a bookcase filled with thick tomes and files against the wall. She dragged her gaze to the right and saw a plush sitting area with blue velvet couches surrounding a low wooden table. Crystal glasses, half filled with amber liquid, sat on the table, forgotten by their owners.


    Soraya huffed out a breath and turned her attention to the door Makoto had pointed out. He¡¯d said a bathroom was through there.


    Lifting her arm to her nose, she took a whiff of herself, and she caught the scent of his salty citrus cologne clinging to her skin. Although she hated to admit it, the asshole had very good taste. It pissed her off.


    Storming to the door that led to the bathroom, she threw it open and walked through to the adjacent room, only to pull up short.


    The room was like stepping into a dream.


    As Soraya stepped further in, the glossy white walls around her shimmered with soft, iridescent colors under the pure moonlight. Her eyes followed the glittering walls as they curved high into the ceiling, their edges soft and rounded like the office. She traced the smooth contours of the ceiling until her gaze reached the right side of the room, where large windows spanned the entire wall.


    Flicking her gaze to her immediate left, she spotted a cluttered wooden table set in front of floor-to-ceiling shelves wrapped along the curve of the wall. The many shelves housed books and other trinkets she couldn¡¯t identify.


    Further along the wall was another sitting area with low-back blue couches arranged in front of a fireplace. Finally, her eyes landed on an unkempt bed adorned with only two pillows. Soraya was affronted by the site of the large mattress with so few pillows. It looked¡­lonely.


    On either side of the bed were two doors. Choosing the one on the right, she walked across the room, careful not to step on any of the carpets with her dirty sneakers, and pushed open the silver handle.


    The bathroom was just as opulent as the bedroom. The white walls curved into a dome sphere. Above, a flat circular disk hung from the center of the ceiling, with greenish-blue vines dangling from the curved edges. When she looked down, she saw that the floor sloped gently toward the center of the room, with circular grooves etched into its surface.


    There were three benches pushed against the rounded walls, with soft blue towels hanging on hooks above them. Strangely enough, she didn¡¯t see a tub or shower to indicate that someone bathed there. Weird.


    To her left was a sink made out of the same material as the rest of the room, with a toothbrush and silver comb resting on it. The wall above the sink, still part of the white rounded walls, was polished so thoroughly that it served as a mirror.


    Soraya walked to stand in front of the sink, looked up at her reflection, and jerked back.


    In the reflection, there was¡­her¡ªyet not her.


    Raising a hand to the polished surface, she touched the cool wall, tracing her features as she had always known them.


    Maybe it was one of those trick mirrors, but instead of making you look funny, it made you look¡­


    Her thoughts flashed back to Makoto. Beautiful. Savage. Wild.


    That was how she saw herself now. Like her features had been¡­enhanced. And her eyes¡ªshe was staring into a bright, intense pair of obsidian eyes.


    Gasping, she turned her head, pulling back her hair to find her ears¡ª


    Completely normal.


    Soraya let her arm fall back down to her side and backed away from the mirror, tearing her eyes away from the familiar stranger.


    She turned and her heart sped up at the sight of opaque double doors. She rushed to them and, with a smile, threw them open.


    Wind lashed at her as she stepped out onto a small white balcony. The moon hung directly above her, bathing her in its milky white light. Her eyes danced over a star-studded sky that stretched above a dark ocean, its waves crashing against a white sand beach that curved off into the distance. She could hear the waves pounding restlessly against the shore. And¡­she spotted people playing amongst the frothing surf.


    A short distance away from the beach was a city.


    One she didn¡¯t know.


    Confused, she studied the colorful buildings and their glittering lights that flowed over a hill. From this distance, she could see dozens of people milling about brightly lit streets. It looked like they were having a night festival.


    If she shouted for help, she doubted anyone would be able to hear her over the crashing waves. Peering over the waist-high railing, she spotted a calm sea flowing below her. If she was desperate enough to jump, the fall would be doable, but she didn¡¯t know how strong the current was, and she wasn¡¯t ready to risk drowning just yet.


    A torrent of wind whipped around her, making her shiver as it lashed against her skin and shattered her thoughts of escape. It was like the wind carried an unknown energy that zinged uncomfortably up and down her body.


    Rubbing her arms through her hoodie, she tried to comfort herself in the face of her predicament when a sinking feeling settled in the pit of her stomach.


    Something was off.


    Looking back toward the city, she scanned the thriving crowd and found nothing amiss¡ªuntil her gaze returned to the beach. The individuals who had been frolicking in the waves were now running across the sand.


    Soraya cocked her head at the spectacle. They weren¡¯t running aimlessly; that much she could tell. They appeared frantic. Afraid. Her eyes darted back to the waves, except they were no longer there¡­and she could no longer hear their rhythmic pounding against the beach. They were just¡ªgone.


    It took her a moment to understand what had just happened.


    The ocean had pulled back into itself¡ªrevealing yards and yards of glimmering wet sand. Soraya¡¯s stomach sank further as she looked over the balcony again, only to discover the ocean had receded far away from the bluff the building stood on.


    Air rushed into her ears, and a thunderous roar began to build over the wind. She snapped her gaze far out toward the horizon.


    Fear gripped her lungs as she watched a growing tidal wave approach.


    It was headed directly for the city.


    It was headed directly for her.

 Bare, Empty Room

    The stars on the horizon winked out one by one as the towering wall of churning seawater rose impossibly high, swallowing the skyline whole.


    Soraya took a step back, then another, as the dark, solid wall of black water raced toward the shore, devouring yards of wet sand and rocks at a terrifying rate. The rushing roar of the wave pounded against her eardrums, and for a moment, Soraya thought she could hear people screaming¡ªdozens of them, hundreds.


    A gust of wind slammed into her, jolting her from her paralyzed state.


    She had to get out of there.


    Spinning around, Soraya lunged for the white double doors, but they abruptly slammed in her face. Her hand shot for the handle, and she pushed¡ªlocked!


    She pounded on the door while jerking on the handle, but the solid door didn¡¯t budge an inch under her frantic tugging.


    Behind her, the sound of a thousand freight trains crashing one on top of the other vibrated through her body. She could feel the wave mounting at her back, ready to crush her against the pearly white door. There was nothing she could do to stop it.


    Closing her eyes, her hand clutched the handle, the only thing grounding her in the moments before her death. She thought of Jesmine, Delilah, and their newest friend, Ahvi. She thought of their little apartment, how their lives were finally taking off, and how much she would give to go back¡­


    A tingling sensation began in her chest, spreading outward as if each of her neurons had caught fire. The tips of her ears burned, and all at once, it felt like she had been struck by a bolt of lightning. Then, the solid door was gone.


    She was falling forward. One moment, she felt like she was falling endlessly through emptiness, through space. Holding on to the image of her friends¡ªof home. Then she blinked and came crashing back into reality.


    Her shoulder collided with a solid floor. The sharp bark of pain was swallowed up by the adrenaline coursing through her, and she snapped her head to look over her shoulder. She watched the towering wall of water loom well above the doorframe, seconds away from engulfing her whole¡ªwhen the flimsy door slammed shut. Light danced around its edges before going dark.


    Soraya¡¯s chest rose and fell, her body trembling as she waited for the water to burst through the door and sweep her away into oblivion.


    Seconds passed.


    Nothing.


    Silence rang all around her, almost as deafening as the tsunami when it bore down on her a second ago. Where did it go? Why was she still alive?


    It took her a moment to realize where she was. Quickly sweeping her gaze around the room, she blinked rapidly as she recognized her apartment. It was dark, and the only light came from the streetlights outside.


    As Soraya sat on the floor, trying to piece together what just happened, her mind went curiously blank. It was as if a fog had rolled through her thoughts. She could feel it¡ª the smoky tendrils tunneling into her brain, her eyes growing hazy, her ears filling with pressure as the ringing grew louder, then stopped all at once.


    She shook her head, trying to clear the cobwebs away, and realized she was sitting on the floor of her apartment.


    Why was she on the floor? How did she get there?


    She sniffed the air.


    And why was her nose filled with the smell of salt? She could practically taste it on her tongue, it was so pungent. Was Jesmine cooking again?


    Still breathing hard, Soraya got up on shaking legs.


    ¡°Jesmine?¡± she called out. ¡°Ahvi?¡± The apartment stood silent around her. No one was there, and she realized she was standing all alone in the dark.


    She rubbed at her chest as apprehension clung to her ribs. She glanced over her shoulder at the bathroom door, and something in her gut twisted.


    It was fear.


    How silly was that? Being afraid of the bathroom. Shaking her head, she approached the door and reached for the knob¡ªbut her hand hesitated. Her fingers curled away from the metal knob of their own accord. Frowning down at her hand, she waged a short yet critical war within herself, until she snorted.


    ¡°Quit being ridiculous,¡± she told the offending hand. With a quick jerk, she twisted the knob and threw open the door.


    See, she told herself, nothing there to be afraid of. It was just her bathroom, with the clothes she had been wearing earlier that day piled on the floor by the tub.


    Yet her heart thundered in her chest.


    Confused by her body¡¯s reaction, she pushed the door all the way open and swayed on her feet. Her vision swam, and she felt lightheaded. Falling forward, she clutched the bathroom sink, breathing hard as a sharp pain shot through her skull. Biting the inside of her cheek, she used the sharp pain in her mouth to ground herself against the pulsing pressure building inside her head.


    Blindly, she reached for the faucet and flipped up the handle. The sound of running water filled the small room as she tucked her hair behind her ear, then cupped her hands and filled them with water. She splashed the cool liquid on her face. Once. Twice.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    The pain subsided, and her hands trembled at the edge of the sink as she watched the water run down the drain. Looking up into the mirror, she bit back a scream at the stranger staring back at her. But¡­it wasn¡¯t a stranger at all. It was her.


    Reaching a hand up, she touched her face, and the reflection did the same. She looked¡­beautiful. Beautiful yet¡­wild. Her skin glowed luminously, as if illuminated subtly from within. Maybe it was the streetlights hitting the planes of her face just right¡­no. She knew it wasn¡¯t the streetlights. And her eyes¡­they looked as if something¡­predatory was peering out. She had a moment of deja-vu before her eyes darted to the side of her head.


    Soraya froze as her eyes landed on her ear.


    Her pointed ear.


    Her vision swam as her gaze locked on to the delicate, pointed tip. The sound of the rushing sink water filled her ears. An image of a giant black wave flashed through her mind.


    Something broke inside her mind at that moment, like a dam breaking free¡ªand the water didn¡¯t just flow out; it punched through a solid concrete wall.


    Memories flooded her brain in rapid succession. Too quick. Her mind couldn¡¯t keep up, and her stomach churned.  Bending over the sink, she dry-heaved, but since she hadn¡¯t eaten anything since yesterday, nothing came out. Her head pounded, and her stomach hollowed out as her throat strained and saliva pooled in her mouth. Her whole body felt like it was fighting itself. She couldn¡¯t even catch her breath as she dry-heaved again, stomach cramping and nausea rolled through her until her body couldn¡¯t take it anymore.


    Her vision swam, her eyes rolled back, and she fell to the floor¡ªout cold, with the water running endlessly in the sink.


    ~


    ¡°Soraya!¡ªSoraya, wake up!¡± A familiar voice yanked her awake.


    Soraya moaned as she was forced into a sitting position.


    ¡°What the hell, Soraya? Did you go out on a binder without me?¡±


    Cracking open her eyes, it took her a minute to recognize the person holding her. ¡°What¡ªJesmine?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­who else would it be, weirdo?¡± Jesmine snorted. Soraya tried to stand. ¡°Whoa, wait¡ª¡° Jesmine wrapped her arms around her shoulders, supporting her weight as she struggled to stand and failed.


    ¡°Jesmine,¡± Soraya asked, confused.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Jesmine,¡± Soraya repeated in disbelief.


    ¡°Yup¡­still me,¡± Jesmine confirmed. ¡°Man, you really got fucked up tonight. Are you doing okay?¡±


    Soraya¡¯s eyes flew all the way open. ¡°Jesmine!¡± Her hands shot out as she gripped Jesmine¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°Soraya!¡± Jesmine shouted back with enthusiasm, a smile on her lips. ¡°My party queen. I really appreciate you letting loose, but you should really think about cutting back on weekdays, girl.¡±


    Soraya looked over her friend, ignoring what she had just said. ¡°You¡¯re okay.¡±


    Jesmine¡¯s eyes darted to the side before landing on Soraya again. ¡°Yeah, why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡±


    Realization hit Soraya, and she quickly jumped up to face the mirror once more. When she passed out, she had fallen halfway out of the bathroom door, where Jesmine had found her.


    Sizing herself up, she looked¡­exactly how she¡¯d always looked.


    She pulled her hair back and checked her ears. Rounded. Not pointed.


    ¡°Soraya, what¡¯s going on?¡± Jesmine asked, concern coloring her voice for the first time. She got up from where she was crouched on the floor, hands on her hips, waiting for her reply.


    Spinning around, Soraya lunged at Jesmine, who flinched back but wasn¡¯t quick enough to dodge as Soraya gripped her shoulders. ¡°How did you escape? They were everywhere!¡±


    Jesmine grimaced. ¡°Ow! You have a strong grip. And what the fuck are you talking about?¡± she struggled out of Soraya¡¯s grasp.


    What was she talking about?


    ¡°The flying men, water moving on its own, ugly frog-like zombie monsters¡ªa lot of them! You hit one with a car!¡± Soraya furrowed her brows. ¡°Wait, you don¡¯t have a car¡ªwhere did you get a car?¡± She shook her head. ¡°Not important.¡± She opened her mouth to say more, but the words died off as she looked at a wide-eyed Jesmine, who seemed to have no idea what Soraya was talking about. ¡°You were there,¡± she said, her voice trailing off.


    Jesmine raised her hands in a placating manner, as if trying to calm an injured animal. ¡°Alright, Soraya,¡± she said, slowly pulling her phone out of her leather jacket. ¡°I¡¯m going to show you some pictures of drugs, and you''re going to tell me which ones you think you took, okay?¡±


    Soraya looked at her, bewildered. ¡°You¡­you don¡¯t remember? How¡ª¡° She cut herself off before she could ask how Jesmine could forget.


    Soraya had forgotten too.


    Until she didn¡¯t.


    Her face, her ears¡­she still didn¡¯t understand why it was happening, but it had happened. She wasn¡¯t going crazy. She knew what happened. So why didn¡¯t Jesmine?


    Shaking her head, Soraya slashed her hand through the air. ¡°No, you were there. The flying men¡ªwho I¡¯m pretty sure are the boy toys you met at the bar¡ªand the monsters, and the guy who kidnapped me, and, and¡ª¡°


    Alkimos.


    Alkimos was on that street with her, fighting those monsters and standing his ground.


    Alkimos, who knew Makoto¡ªthe kidnapper.


    Alkimos, who knew where she lived, where they lived.


    Soraya¡¯s face paled. She didn¡¯t have anything personal against Alkimos, but¡ªshe looked over to their kitchen counter.


    She made a split-second decision. They needed to leave. They needed to leave now.


    She didn¡¯t know what was going on, but they needed to get out of there before he¡ªthey¡ªshowed up at their apartment.


    She pushed past a very concerned Jesmine, heading for Ahvi¡¯s door. ¡°I know what I¡¯m saying might sound crazy¡ª¡°


    ¡°Might?¡± She interjected in disbelief.


    Soraya pushed on. ¡°But you have to trust me when I say we need to leave now. Right now.¡±


    ¡°Soraya, just hang on a second¡ª¡°


    She cut her off and kept talking. ¡°I¡¯m going to grab some of Ahvi¡¯s things and tell her to meet us at the cheap hotel by LA Union Station. The one we holed up in when we were running away from those killer clowns, remember?¡±


    ¡°Soraya¡­¡±


    Before she answered Jesmine, she felt a slight sense of relief upon seeing that Ahvi¡¯s door was cracked open. Usually, she kept it locked at all times. The woman valued her privacy, and they respected that¡ªbut now, she wouldn¡¯t have to break the lock to get inside and pack a bag for Ahvi. This was going to be a very long night.


    As she pushed open the door, Jesmine continued, ¡°Soraya, who is Ahvi?¡±


    It took Soraya a moment to process what she had said as the door swung open, revealing a completely bare, empty room.