"Here," Dristan said handing me a white cloak, "You’re the white stag," he mumbled as he met my stare, "Put it on before you go through the portal."
I accepted it slowly. The material was soft and cool against my fingers as I unfolded it and shook it out. I inhaled and let it out slowly as I hung it over my shoulders lifting my face in time to watch Adrian push his way through the wall of men around me.
He swallowed and nodded at Zahruk who nodded back and the wall of men turned as one giving us their backs to allow us privacy. "Tell me to fight him Syn and I will."
"He would kill you Adrian," I murmured as my hand went up to stroke his cold face softly.
"I'd die for you Syn, I did it once. I'd do it again," he smiled impishly.
"I told you Adrian, I don’t need saving."
"He's going to—"
"Stop," I cut him off not needing it drawn out on paper for me. "I know exactly what he will do Adrian, I'll be okay," I replied barely above a whisper knowing the wall was listening.
"It won't change, if it happens…it won't change how, or what I feel for you Syn," Adrian growled hoarsely.
"You have to let me go Adrian, just let me go," I rasped, as women started moving in the direction of the portal laughing. They had no sense self-preservation inside of them. They smiled and laughed taunting the hunters with hot looks, or sashaying their hips. "I get it now, Adrian. I get why you sacrificed yourself for us. You did it because I would have done it for you."
He smiled and nodded sadly, "I would again, in a fucking heartbeat baby."
Zahruk spoke low, but clear over the noise inside the room, "Synthia, it's time."
I exhaled and squared my shoulders, shook off the tremor that threatened to come and stepped forward, pressing a soft kiss to Adrian's forehead. "I got this Adrian, I agreed to come. I can handle this."
I scanned his face as I placed it between my hands to say goodbye but I let them drop as I felt the power ripple through the club. Electrifying and intensely powerful dark magic. My mouth went dry with whatever words I'd been about to say still inside.
I didn’t need to turn around to know he was there. I could feel his power caressing my skin, his intense stare searing into my soul. I could smell his scent wafting thickly in the air, wild and untamed, sending my senses into overdrive. He'd opened the portal and had come back to openly taunt me.
"Run fast," he whispered, as he stepped beside me to look down at me with a roguish grin that promised he'd catch me—and fast.
I didn’t reply, not because I couldn’t think of more than one hundred different ways for him to shove that smile up his ass, but because I was smart enough not to goad my soon to be chaser. Nope, I was his fucking rabbit today. He was the wolf and if I was lucky I'd make it out of this with some shred of dignity. "You shouldn’t have done this Ryder," I whispered meeting his piercing stare with one of my own.
"I suggest you stay away from the other females," he tilted his head drilling his challenge in as his eyes warned of what he meant, "And the other hunters—for their own protection."
Legends of the Wild Hunt hinted that not all of the women here would make it out alive, I turned my head looking at the women and wondering if they knew the truth if they would panic. Run, or scream maybe. I couldn’t save them and from the smile and defiance in some of the women's eyes, I could tell some were well aware of what was at stake.
"Do they know?" I asked in a small voice, as my eyes came back to rest on his. His eyes grew somber, as his smile grew tense.
He bowed his head, his voice harsh as he spoke, "Are you sure you want the answer Syn? You should be more concerned with what I plan to do with you once I have you at my mercy."
I wasn't worried with what he would do to me, I already knew. Surprisingly I wanted him to catch me. I wanted to feel his touch on my skin, his mouth seducing my mind. I wanted him and it burned inside of me like a fire out of control. It was unlike anything I had ever felt before, a need so primitive and wild that it consumed me from within.
The brunette made her way through the crowd, her full ruby lips smiling as she walked to the front of the portal. "You have a head start, I would use it wisely. When the hunters are released, the portal will close," she smiled coldly, "Locking you all in. You can only return with whichever hunter you succumb to. You may pass now." She moved to the side as women took off running in every direction.
I stood watching the others run as if their very lives depended on it, which for some it did. I watched them with a calmness I shouldn’t have felt. Well I was calm until every eye in the place turned in my direction because I had yet to exit through the portal. I smiled and turned back to Ryder. "Good hunting."
His mouth opened and closed, as if he couldn’t believe I'd just wished him luck hunting my own ass down. His smile was brilliant when it flowed onto his face. "Better fun fast and hard Pet, I suggest you start now."
"Bring it Fairy," I smiled before walking off barefooted into the Realm of Faery.
~~~~~~~~~~*