CHAPTER 34

The next moment he flinched, breaking their kiss and Faye instinctively pulled away. She withdrew her hand and Faye could only stare.

He let her go.

Faye clenched her jaw, fighting the tears that threatened to start anew. He didn't want her. She was a fool mistaking pity for affection. Faye pressed her arms to her side.

"Apologies, the High Council is requesting my presence. Did you want me to unseal this wing and allow your sister entry?"

Faye glanced up meeting his gaze, desperately needing his dark gaze to stare back at her with the longing she felt each time he touched her mind.

Nothing reflected in the flesh.

Faye looked away pulling the blankets up to cover her chest. "No. I want to be alone."

He didn't respond. Faye wiped the sleeve of his jacket over her eyes and turned back toward him. Her empty room stared back at her.

He left her. Alone.

The Ra'Voshnik raged through Runner's mind as he materialized in The Eyes.What are you doing? Return to our queen immediately! Rune knelt in protocol, ignoring the enraged screams echoing through his mind.

Raw, undiluted desire sang through his veins from the gentle touch of her lips. Darkness, he still felt her and worse he had no way to conceal the stark evidence of his want. The scent of the winged male covered her. Rune had been a moment from phasing her to his shower. Needing to scrub the scent off her before covering her with his own.

Jha'ant's summons interrupted him. Rune found himself torn between thanking Jha'ant or tearing his head from his shoulders after he snapped every other appendage from his body.

You left our queen! The Ra'Voshnik roared and Rune's body flickered as the creature attempted to phase and return to Faye.You rejected her invitation!

Rune sank his claws into the Ra'Voshnik's frantic presence, dragging it down. And for the first time it took hold of him as well, dragging his consciousness into the depths of his mind with it.

Rune's surroundings changed and a crushing pressure solidified on the front of his throat. He stood face to face with the Ra'Voshnik, their claws sinking into the other's throat.

The Ra'Voshnik dragged him closer, baring its fangs, screaming, "Return to her and beg her forgiveness!"

"Do not think of ordering me," Rune said. "You forget my will is greater than yours." The Ra'Voshnik's hold faded as Rune drove it from its physical form. Reducing it to smoke and shadow.

"Brother." Rune perceived Jareth's voice from far above him. Rune cursed in High Tongue as he confined the Ra'Voshnik to the recesses of his mind. The fool creature had thrown its tantrum before the High Council.

Rune returned to his body, blinking as the physical world came into focus.

"Are you well?" His brother asked.

Red stained his fingertips and blood trickled from either side of his neck. Rune met his brother's gaze not wishing to explain himself.

"Shadow Prince." Jha'ant's voice shook as he spoke the words that began their meeting.

Rune turned to the bird king as he rose, fear turning Jha'ant's eyes glassy. The bird king looked as though he now regretted summoning him. Rune could only be thankful the hard edge of anger cooled his desperate want of the minx.

"I have sent my monthly account of The Crumbling. What do you need that is not already outlined in my report?" Rune asked coldly.

Jha'ant ruffled his wings and crinkled the pages he held. A boy with a security blanket playing king to his betters. "I'm growing concerned. Your report didn't include an attempt on The Crumbling."

"The Shadow Prince is too busy licking his Anarian's slit." Lyssa answered for him.

Kill her, she insults our queen,the Ra'Voshnik whispered from its confines.

Lyssa leaned forward, propping her chin on her hand. Her gaze flitted lower, lingering between his legs before returning to his eyes. "I would say you were too busy with your cock in her mouth," she smiled and continued in a lower tone, "But we both know you can't get it up."

The Ra'Voshnik chuckled from the depths of his mind.We didn't get hard because the noisy female wasn't worth breeding with.

Rune remained silent, there was not a reply he could offer Lyssa she would find satisfactory. He turned his attention to Jha'ant. "You have the same access I do to The Crumbling. Attend it yourself if you find my actions lacking. Do not summon me again."

He phased to his bathroom, materializing before the mirror. He listened for the minx and was met with her steady slow breaths. There would be nothing he could do to ease her hurt while she slept.

He lifted his chin to inspect the damage the Ra'Voshnik had done. Rune frowned and reached for Sadi's mind.

You will not go to her while our queen is upset with you.

Rune exhaled. It would likely upset his queen… The Ra'Voshnik's dark laughter echoed through his mind.It's about time you admitted it.

She is not my queen. It is a spell, a fool creature.

And is it the spell that makes you hard with a touch of her lips? Careful not to embarrass us. I wouldn't want you coming the instant she touches your cock. Give her to me, I'll be sure to set her expectations.

Rune ignored the Ra'Voshnik, washing away what blood he could. The Ra'Voshnik sank its claws too deep for him to heal it himself. Rune pushed his senses over his home, searching for the blonde harpy. He located her and phased to the den in his south wing.

The Ra'Voshnik instantly fixated on the large Artithian male.Kill him.

Be silent.

His scent covered her!

The male paled as though he somehow sensed a predator seeking his demise, but to his credit he stood between him and his harpy. Rune couldn't help but to develop a begrudging inkling of respect for the man.

"I would like a word with the blonde harpy," Rune said, and the male spread his wings, blocking Sparrow from view. Bravery that bordered on stupidity, but Rune respected loyalty. He met the man's gaze and asked, "What is your name?"

The harpy answered, "His name is Vashien, you shadowy asshole. Did Faye not beat your ass enough? Come closer and I'll leave more claw marks on your face."

The large male paled further, and Rune resisted the urge to smile at his terrible choice in women. "Vashien," Rune said, taking a step closer, "it would be in your best interest to keep your scent off Faye." The large male nodded but didn't step aside. "I have not come to harm your female."

Vashien folded his wings and moved to Sparrow's side. The blonde harpy sat in a chair picking glass out of her foot before mending the lacerations.

Rune took a seat across from them and said, "A word harpy."

"That's three words, douche."

"Sparrow," Vashien said, giving her a pointed look.

The blonde snorted, glancing up from her task. "What?"

"You are able to mend flesh?"

"Obviously," Sparrow said, returning to her feet. She flicked away a piece of glass and pressed her thumb to the tiny cut.

"Would you mind terribly, if I requested you mend my throat?"

She stood with a huff and trudged to him. She pushed his chin up roughly, peering at the wounds. "Your stray cat is too busy to heal you?"

"I would like to avoid prodding your sister's anger."

Sparrow jabbed her fingers over his neck. "Darkness, these are deep. You really pissed her off."

"Faye is not responsible for my injuries, and I believe you pissed her off." The blonde remained silent as she pressed her thumb to the first wound. Her magic was slow and clumsy, taking long moments to seal the puncture. "You will likely be immortal. You need to learn that our most dangerous weapons are our words."

She moved to the next injury, pressing harder than was necessary. "I would have told her I was sorry if you didn't block off the hallway with your stupid shield."

"You must learn restraint," Rune said, glancing down at her

.

She was bent forward peering at his throat as she worked. "Faye and I are fine, fang boy."

"I am speaking of you. Your sister is mortal. You will carry her memory for centuries. You should be wary of your mouth. A moment spoken in haste can echo for centuries."

Sparrow covered the last puncture with her thumb, pulling back to look him in the eye as she healed it. "And do you have echoing moments, Shadow Prince?"

Rune held her gaze after she finished healing him and stepped back.

Every immortal has many such moments.