Page 17 of Emerald Rising
BLAZE
The slow rise and fall of her chest told me she was asleep. It hadn’t taken long. The little thing was exhausted. I could understand why; we’d put her through a lot. Arriving in her lounge unannounced, introducing her to a world she didn’t know existed, a world that she was now a part of, telling her she was a powerful royal and then having her powers surface all in quick succession. I was surprised she hadn’t gone mad.
She had more strength than she thought she did. She was fragile and sweet, probably thought herself unworthy and unwanted since she’d been abandoned into this life as a baby. But I could sense a backbone in her just waiting to come out. She had already shown me that she was a fighter, standing up to all three of us when we pushed her to do something she didn’t want. Maybe there was a little crazy in her after all. She’d need that if she was going to survive our world. But she was also going to need a firm hand to keep her in line. I had a feeling that her demon side was responsible for that reckless streak that ran through her personality and I couldn’t wait to see how she tried to push my buttons. I was almost relishing in the madness that would entice her to try.
I’d never been one to show an interest in a woman, but Emmy had me fired up in a way I hadn’t felt before. She had my hands itching to spank her, to punish her and make her submit to me. I was a violent creature and that extended into everything I did. There was a part of me that worried I’d be too much for this sweet little thing to handle, but then I remembered the way her pulse raced wildly beneath my fingers as I clasped her throat and my body instantly reacted. I was determined to pull her into my darkness and never let her go.
I was never born into the Underworld. It was the home I chose for myself when I realised that I didn’t fit in the Upperworld. I was born a warrior, a protector, a guardian of innocence and I knew I would protect anything in my charge. But protecting ignorance over sanity was one step too far. I fought back against my orders, constantly challenged the ruling of the Upper King and for that I was punished. In the end, I chose to leave the Upperworld, and I found my way into the care of River and the Underworld.
I would always be grateful to River for taking me in, despite the fact that I was an angel and not of his world. He gave me a home, a family, and even though he was usually a prick most of the time, if it weren’t for him, I’d probably be drunk in a gutter somewhere.
I could only hope that he could do for Emmy what he did for me. But I knew, deep in my soul, that she was mine to protect. I wouldn’t let anything hurt her. Nothing. I would destroy everything and everyone that even tried to say a harsh word to her. I had a mean streak, which probably didn’t fit in with the Upperworld’s ideals anyway, and I often acted on impulse. I was very much a maim and torture then ask questions kind of guy and more than once it had landed us in hot water. But I didn’t care. I wasn’t about to change who I was to please other people. They could deal with it or fuck off.
Emmy burrowed deeper into the crook of my neck and I marvelled at how small she was. In this position, her feet barely reached my knees. She was such a small thing. And she was mine. She just didn’t know it yet.
And with that thought burning deep in my mind, I drifted off into one of the best night’s sleep I’d had in a long time. I even think I fell asleep smiling.
