“This is a potion I had drawn up for you. Once I learned of your curse all those years ago, I thought perhaps I could leverage this solution against you.” She cocks her head. “But I never did. I’ve kept the recipe secret. But, since we’re to be wed, it makes sense to offer it to you now.”
The curse. I swallow hard. I had hoped Erzur wouldn’t notice the curse returning so quickly, and perhaps she hasn’t. My eyes study the golden liquid. “Why?”
“To endear you to me,” she says bluntly. “I’m tired of watching you parade your love for Verity in front of me. You think you’re subtle, yet you’re not. It stings. And it tries my patience.”
Of course, another maneuver from my bride-to-be to manipulate me. I school my face, relaxing my brows and mouth. “I’m sorry,” I say after a moment of silence.
She smiles, baring her teeth at me. “I forgive you. Will you accept my gift to you?”
I study the potion again. I don’t know of any potions or spells that could break the curse, beyond what Verity has already done for me. I exhale slowly, considering it. It could be poison, of course. But Erzur doesn’t have what she wants from me. She would wait until we were wed before she poisoned me. I can see her growing impatient as I debate my options. Whatever it is, I doubt it’s anything that could harm me – too much is at stake for her.
“Alright,” I murmur, plucking the vial from her ebony fingers.
I drain the small bottle in one swallow and stand still, waiting for it to take effect. Erzur’s smile broadens after I swallow, and she reaches out a hand to stroke my cheek. “How are you feeling?” She asks softly.
The sound of her voice is like a bell, sweet and echoing in my ears. I lean into her gentle touch, surprised at how much I want it. I open my mouth to speak, but my tongue feels thick and useless. My vision is blurring, the only clear image I have is of Erzur. She traces her fingers from my cheek to my jaw and then along the ropes of muscle in my neck. I shiver beneath her touch; it’s like trails of lava.
Erzur’s eyes are deep pools of black, like the night sky. I want to dive into them in search of the stars. She closes the distance between us, and I can feel heat radiating from her. The pungent scent of desire is in the air all around us, reminding me of Summer’s Eve. I lean into her, giving into the sweet temptation of losing myself in someone else. She’s there to receive me, her full lips like pillows against mine. Her hands wrap around my neck, scraping against the hair at the nape of my neck.
I shiver as her nails rake over me, sharp and piercing. Her tongue darts into my mouth and she growls. The sound sends a thrill through me and I stiffen. Fae women are aggressive and animalistic in bed, and the sound of Erzur snarling her pleasure sends me into a flurry of heat. My hands squeeze her ass, thrusting her groin up against mine. She gasps, a little sound of surprise and pleasure that I cling to. I spin her, pushing her up against the wall viciously.
Erzur tosses her head back, exposing her elegant neck to me. I nip at it and drag my tongue across it as she shivers with pleasure. “Altair,” she moans, rolling her hips against me.
My mind is a fog of desire and undeniable pleasure. There’s a pang in my chest as she says my name, as if this isn’t the voice that should be calling out to me. But then her lips are on mine again, and all thoughts of hesitation are gone. I hoist her up until she’s suspended in the air. She wraps her legs around me, and I wish desperately that she wore a skirt. My hands fly to her trousers and I unlace them swiftly. She trembles, chest heaving. My eyes dart over her as I try to maneuver her into a position where I can thrust into her easily. Her eyes are half-closed, lips parted in a vicious, pleasurable snarl. I growl and her hands find her breasts.
“Have you considered fucking in the empty building, or will you insist on doing it in the street like a pair of dogs in heat?” Thal drawls.
I start, almost dropping the woman in my arms. She clings to me, holding me tighter. I glance over my shoulder, vision hazy. Slowly, Thal comes into focus. His green eyes are filled with anger, lips twisted into a look of disgust. And at his side, is Verity. I feel as if I’ve been doused in cold water. Everything becomes clear, the fog over my mind disappears and there’s a chill in my heart. She looks petrified, eyes impossibly wide, her shoulders curled in on herself.
“We don’t mind an audience, do we, Altair?” Erzur says. I can hear the smirk in her voice and the sound of it has desire rearing in me once again.
I shudder and shake my head, trying to clear it. I don’t understand. Erzur wiggles out of my arms and drops to the ground with ease. She cocks her hip, eyes locked on Verity’s in a silent battle. I gape between the two of them, trying not to sway on my feet.
Verity spins away, ramming her shoulder into Thal accidentally. She sprints into the alleys, disappearing behind a corner. I stand, shocked and confused, beside Erzur. Her hand slips up my arm, as if to comfort me, and she tucks her chin on my shoulder.
“You aren’t going to do anything?” Thal asks,
