IN FULL COLOUR - Dark Fantasy
Chapter 61

Axel

That night, for the second time in my entire life, I slept beside a woman and stayed in her bed until the sun came up. The first time had been with Gabrielle too, although it wasn’t planned. The night of the fae festival in Lighthaven. An unexpected evening of passion which led to exhaustion and mistakenly falling asleep.

When I reflected on it now, in the aftermath of everything that has happened between us, it was easy to see that it hadn’t been a mistake at all, but rather a premonition. A glimpse of what was to come.

Memories, both sweet and extremely emotional began rushing into my consciousness as the morning light carresed my face.

Gabrielle’s wish.

The smell of burning flesh.

Raiden’s call.

Lily.

Slowly and with a great sense of clarity, I peeled my heavy eyelids open and focused on my surroundings. I felt so calm and content for the first time in years. Like a heavy burden had been lifted off of my chest, allowing me to breathe again.

And then I heard it. The source of my newfound freedom. Perking my ears, I concentrated on her strong heartbeat pulsing steadily directly underneath my ear where I still lay against her.

Lup-dup. Lup-dup. Lup-dup.

A smile tugged at the corners of my lips and for once, I didn't try to fight it.

If I could wake up like this every morning, I would consider myself to be a very lucky man.

Smooth, endless soft skin underneath me, Gabrielle’s natural scent in my nose and the most gorgeous sight of a bare breast mere inches from my face.

Her chest rose and fell peacefully underneath me, and my eyes narrowed on that perfectly formed, rounded brown peak calling to me. Teasing me. Whispering my name and begging me to take it into my mouth like I did the night before.

I stirred, trying to readjust myself as blood rushed to my lower half. I couldn’t stop myself from cupping that beautiful breast and smiling against her skin as a throaty moan welcomed me to a new day.

A few moments later, I felt her fingers curling into my messy hair and I lifted my face to replace her already smiling back at me. Sleepily.

“Morning,” she rasped and tried to clear her throat.

Warmth bubbled up inside of me and I leaned in, kissing her long and lovingly on the lips, already yearning for more of her.

“Morning, mate.”

She smiled, the most stunning, honest smile I have ever seen, and I kissed her again.

My thumb grazed her now hardened peak while I brushed my tongue against her bottom lip, and a delightful intake of breath had her slightly curving off the mattress.

In that moment, with the sound of her pleasure still whispering in my ears, it finally dawned on me that my life would be very colourless and empty without her, which left me with one final task to fulfil. One I should have completed months ago, but because of my own selfish nature and dark, unspoken fears, I kept avoiding it. Kept running away from my duties, from my responsibilities and a possible future I had absolutely no control over.

I wanted to claim her. No. I needed to claim her as mine.

And I would take my time in doing so. Have her begging for more, writhing underneath me, my name on her lips as I plunged my teeth deep into her neck, my essence still buried inside of her.

While I was contemplating how to make her squirm in pure ecstasy, Gabrielle, for some reason, went completely stiff.

When I looked up, I found her eyes glazed over and her flushed lips slightly parted. The pack-link.

I waited, and when her vision cleared, fear was written all over her face.

My brows creased and I sat up, “what is it?”

She stared back at me, eyes wide and her face growing pale, “they’re here.”

My thoughts stumbled, as did my heart.

“Who’s here?”

A horrified scream came from outside and everything snapped into focus. We were under attack. The Serpent Queen had struck.

I leapt off the bed, plucking my discarded shorts off the floor while Gabrielle followed, shoving her bare feet into her warn, brown leather combat boots.

“Get to Lighthaven, stay there!” I ordered as she pulled the first dress she could replace over her head and nodded.

With my shirt in hand and pants hanging low on my hips, I kissed her passionately, relaying an unspoken message to her. She looked back at me with the same longing I knew shone in my eyes. Our fingers interlaced and I pressed my lips to her delicate knuckles, “stay there, I will come to replace you when everyone else is in.”

I could see protest burning in her eyes, but she nodded and kissed me again. We needed to hurry.

When she finally pulled away, I felt like a piece of my heart went with her, “go, go now!”

She did, grabbing a large dagger off her dresser and disappearing out the door with one final glance over her shoulder at me.

Stepping into my boots, shirt still in hand, I slipped out of the room and rolled my shoulders. Golden orbs replaced my blues and long canines pushed through the gums in the back of my mouth.

With Gabrielle safe, I had to make sure the rest of the pack reached the keep too. It was part of the defence plan. Women, children and other vulnerable members were to evacuate the village first, while warriors secured the perimeter and held off the enemy for as long as was needed. Once everyone made it to the iron gate, the crowned prince himself would lock it from inside of Lighthaven, where our men would be reinforced with warriors from the king’s guard.

I ran out the door, sprinting at full speed towards the guest wing of Dire Mountain. I needed to grab my gear and time was not on our side. Sliding into a wall and practically breaking my door down, I strapped the metal-plated vest on and sheathed three hunting knives in my belt.

Just when I was about to leave, I heard a door slamming open down the hall and a body fell out, landing on the marbled floor in a withering mess. The King of Whispers and Shadows peered up at me, struggling to brace himself and push himself up onto his hands and knees.

I ran to him, crouching down to study his face.

A thick layer of sweat covered his brow and he shook so violently that for a second, I thought he was having a seizure. Damp strands of dark brown hair fell over his forehead and his muscles bulged underneath a drenched white t-shirt.

“What the hell happened to you?” I practically yelled as I hauled him up and draped his arm over my shoulder, steadying him and helping him stammer down the hall with me.

“W-w-w-withdrawal s-symptoms,” he ground out painfully, clenching his jaw so tightly, it had begun to turn white.

My eyes widened as I scanned him over, “from what?”

“T-the bitch’s p-poison.”

Right. Coyne had been exposed to a significant amount of poison doses over the years and now his body had to learn how to cope without it. How had we missed this? How long has the young king been in withdrawal?

Shit.

He needed help and he needed it fast.