He raised his hand, and I flinched as I watched it fly toward me. It hit me harder this time, sending me to the floor in a heap. My head rung from that one, his Fae strength causing more damage than from a human. Cyrus grabbed my chin, forcefully, turning me to face him from where I sat on my knees, panting.
“Degraded? Let’s see about degrading you, shall we?” Cyrus purred, making me exceptionally nervous. I was incredibly right to be, as he undid his pants and pulled out his cock. I backed up on my hands, hitting the sofa with a bump.
He smirked as he sauntered over to me. He grabbed my chin once more, squishing my lips together, as his fingers bruised my jaw. “Open that mouth.”
I shook my head desperately, clamping my mouth closed.
“Open, or I’ll knock out your teeth and force your mouth over my cock.” Cyrus cooed. I looked up at him with wide eyes, but he only smiled, with a sick, excited look on his face that made me want to vomit. “Those wide eyes only make me imagine you looking up at me as you suck me.”
I quickly looked away and he chuckled. “Open. Now. Last chan—”
A loud banging at the door had him tossing his head back with a groan, but I nearly wilted in relief. I had no idea how I was going to get out of this. The lack of options bore down on me. Trapped. I was completely trapped. I needed to get to Night Kingdom, but I couldn’t even leave these rooms. Trapped inside with a man eager to take me against my will.
Tears fell from my eyes, no matter how hard I tried to hold them back. I let my head fall back as I gasped in a breath. Only thankful Cyrus had already stuffed his cock back in his pants and went to answer the door, so he couldn’t see me. The tears were half terror and half relief.
At least we were interrupted.For now.
Maybe the gods truly did look out for everyone, and not just the Fae. Maybe attending the Festival of Faunus had made them pay more attention. If so, I’d go to the altar and pray to them every damned day if they got me out of here.
I vaguely heard Cyrus arguing with whoever was at the door, before he left with them, slamming the door before him. Icollapsed in relief. Sitting on the floor crying wasn’t going to accomplish anything though, I had to force myself up. Find a way forward.
Standing, I shakily made my way through the room, only to shriek as the wall—opened. The fuckingwall! I’d never noticed a seam there for a hidden door, but it must have existed.
“Asteria?” My jaw dropped. Whoever I thought was about to come through that door, I couldn’t have been more surprised by who did.
“Soren?!” I shrieked, cringing at the noise and hoping no one heard.
“Asteria, thank the Old Gods!” Soren sighed as he rushed toward me, pulling me into a hug. I hugged him back tightly, a little numb from what had just happened, and a bit from seeing him here.
I had just enough presence of mind to notice his hugs no longer felt as they once did. He was once my lover, but I no longer felt the same desire as I once had when he touched me.
“Soren, what in Tartarus are you doing here?” I whisper-shouted as I pulled out of his arms. I truly never thought I would see him again, and yet here he was. In Dusk. In Cyrus’s rooms.
“I’ll tell you on the way, come on, we have to get you out of here.” He insisted, taking my hand and pulling me to the wall.
“Soren—” I tried to protest.
“Come on, quick.” He cut me off, and I rolled my eyes as he yanked me, knowing it was futile.
I let him try to pull me through the wall and wasn’t a bit surprised when I couldn’t go through. The hand holding mine got stuck in the ward, and it stopped him in his tracks. He looked back, his jaw dropping as he tried to pull his hand through again, but connected to mine, it wouldn’t budge.
I sighed dramatically, letting go of his hand, and watching as Soren’s went smoothly through. I raised my eyebrows at him. “You think I haven’t tried leaving?”
“What in the Otherworld is this?” Soren demanded.
“Cyrus put a fucking ward around his rooms that stops me from leaving” I rolled my eyes. “It’s the result of blood magic. It’s—well, it’s a long story, frankly. Now, why don’t you tell me what you’re doing here?” I put my hands on my hips, the resolve on my face letting him know he wasn’t getting out of this.
He sighed, running a hand through coppery red hair that was longer than I remembered it, now down past his shoulders instead of the shoulder length style I had once run my own hands through. It reminded me of Baach, and the ache I felt at that thought…I missed my friends more than I could say. Seeing Soren didn’t seem to make up for that as it once might have. In fact, his hair, which I once thought was beautiful, now seemed ordinary. His green eyes not as enchanting. I much preferred silvery white hair and purple eyes, as it turned out.
“I’m here to get you out, Asteria. Get you to safety. Far away from Dusk and Night and whichever other horrid monsters might think to take you.” Soren explained, his voice hardening in a way I wasn’t used to. I furrowed my brows at him.
“Night isn’t full of monsters.” I automatically defended, glaring at him. His incredulous look sort of pissed me off, despite the rescue attempt. He opened his mouth, so I rushed to continue. “How did you know I was even here? In fact, how in Tartarus did you escape your masters?”
Soren cringed, looking uncomfortable. “I didn’t escape anyone. Queen Aurelia sent me.”
“The queen of Day?!” I hissed at him, my mouth dropping open in shock.
He nodded solemnly, and I noticed a reserve about him that had never existed before. “She wants to help you, Asteria.”
