Page 3 of Shadows of Air and Earth
I wished she felt confident enough to show off her beauty. Her olive skin and stunning grey eyes, the color of the sky after calming from a storm, were a sight to behold, and right now they gleamed with such a teasing brightness, I felt myself grow hard just watching her.
But that was never anything new. When it came to my desire for her, it was never calm, always wanting, always needing. And if she did one day decide to unshield her face then that meantI would have to share her with others. Selfishly, I did not want that.
I had killed others for a lot less than looking at her. Besides, I liked the fact that I was the only one she trusted to see her true face, no matter how much of a curse she thought it was, no matter how much we occasionally took other lovers. Her true self was always mine to behold.
Grinning, I took another swig of my spiced ale when gasps ensued, the tension I had been feeling in my shoulders melting from my body only to increasesomewhere else. Draping myself against the bar, I shifted from the increased tightness of my arousal and watched her with pride, feeling the eyes of others fall on me every so often as if asking my permission to admire her.
My grin grew. We were known as many things—lovers, friends, the elemental twins of the plains, but one thing we were always known for was being one. The times when we were not were now a long distant memory. Tied by our need to protect what we loved the most we had stayed together from the time of the Blood Wars till now. Passionate in our agenda to always support the fae of the elemental court.
That was our mission. Especially since Deirdre's rule seemed to steadily strip away their freedoms.
Licking my lips, I continued to enjoy the pleasant buzzing of the alcohol in my system. It was the most calm I had felt in weeks. Perhaps we truly had nothing to worry about.
"You better watch out Riley. Your girl is gaining enough attention that you may have to fend off some suitors."
Looking at the bartender, I gave him a wink, "You know we don't work that way Ura."
The fire elemental shook his head at me, nodding towards Xi, "I know it, and I tell you the same thing every time. Don't be a fucking goddess damn fool Riley Dragoon."
Tilting my head in his direction, I raised my glass to him, my green hair falling over my brow. "And don't be a goddess fucking buttinsky, Ura Purn."
He snickered, sliding a tray of liquid shots towards me. It was his newest concoction called Hydra's Piss. Meant to keep fae fucked up on a euphoric high that was not easily burned out of our system by our healing capabilities. It was what half this crowd was in here for aside from Xi’s stories. "Make yourself of use, Dragoon, and pass these out to your girl’s admirers. I want to see them pissed enough that they drop all their coins on my bar tonight. Between her storytelling and these drinks, it's sure to be a good night for me even if it won't be one for you. Your bed will be empty by the looks of it."
Laughing, I set my ale down, grabbing a shot for myself to shoot him a sardonic look. "You know I don't work here right?"
Ura arched a brow at me as I chugged the foul drink back, "And you know I never charge yeh or your female. Now be off."
Numbness flowed through my body, a steady warmth that spread from my stomach outwards, the Hydra Piss easing that last bit of tension pinching between my shoulder blades. Picking up the tray, I carried it over to the crowd that hovered around Xi.
Placing it on the table in front of them, Xi paused and looked up at me. Smirking, I slid a shot towards her. "You look parched."
She rolled her uncovered grey eye, but took the shot from my hand, my air whispering over her fingertips like I always did—enjoying the way her body shivered.
"On the house from Ura," I called out to the onlookers, who eagerly lunged for the drinks.
"Oi! Boy, push off, can't you see the lady is telling a story, she isn't interested in the likes of yeh!" shouted a crass sounding fae from the back of the room.
Xi laughed, setting down her shot without taking a sip.
I winked down at her, "Ouch, say it isn't true, Xi?"
She shook her head at me, white hair swaying over her shoulders, the sharp angled cut allowing her to cover her face easily.
"Come on bro, she is in the middle of the story and we want to know what will happen next," another complainer called out.
Xi grinned, blowing me a kiss, "The mob has spoken, Dragoon."
Planting my arms on the table I leaned into her space, loving the way her eye flickered down my body before stopping herself. Ura was a prick…there was no way my bed was going to be empty tonight. I had a feeling that it was going to be a lovers more than friends kind of night. I licked at my bottom lip watching her eyes darken with need. "I'll remember this later, earth baby."
She inhaled sharply. A sound only I could hear because it was the best sound air could make. Sexy and stilted. Oh yes, she would be mine tonight.
Pulling away, I flourished my hand, "By your leave, my lady."
Her uncovered grey eye flashed with annoyance and amusement.
"Finally!" someone breathed out. "Tell us what happened! How do you know her shadows command the dead?"
Xi turned back to them and she held up her hands, "Easy, easy. I was told so by the witch of the goddess plains. He said when they roam over the plains those that died on the fields are ripped up from their resting place, and then they hunt. But this time the shadows took on a new fight, the spirit realm, during the night of The Wailing."
