Hook's Pan (Kingdom, #5)

The dizzying flight began to slow.

“We’re here,” he murmured, turning just enough that he was able to drape an arm across her shoulders.

A question mark formed above her brows. Where was here exactly? It was so dark she couldn’t see anything. Were they still in the tunnel? But the moment she opened her mouth, the tunnel transformed and she gasped.

It was a world of shadow and illuminations. All around there was the barrenness of utter darkness, but within it burned pinpricks of green and blue light. Up above, down below, everywhere, surrounding them in a canvas of it.

“Where are we?” she asked in a voice grown high-pitched with excitement.

The lights immediately winked out. He squeezed her tight to his side. She was glad he was holding onto her, because without the glow she couldn’t see a thing. Trembling against his side, the warmth of his breathed tickle her ear.

“This is the realm of the Annelida.” As he spoke, the lights winked back on—one and then another and then another, until it appeared as if they were floating through the stars again.

Smiling, she curled her fingers into his shirt.

“What is an Annelida?”

“We sail, not on water, but on air currents. This is a glowworm cavern.”

Grinning from ear to ear, she inhaled the icy cool breeze. “We’re floating on air? That’s, it’s amazing,” she laughed, again startling the little creatures whose lights immediately winked out as her laughter echoed back at them.

“Do you like it?” She could hear the smile in his words.

“I love it. It’s beautiful, amazing. I never knew anything like this existed.”

Shifting, he tucked her into the crook of his embrace. She laid her head on his chest and waited for the lights to return.

“These are creatures that spin our dreams. When Sircco told you that magic lived in your world too, he was right. The annelid lives on Earth, in the deepest, darkest corners they spin dreams. And did you know,” his thumb caressed the side of her face, “that if you hold one, the dream of your heart shall be known to you.”

“Really?”

The green and blue tinted lights cast shadows on his face, making him appear almost sinister, but she wasn’t scared. Her heart was racing, and her mouth was dry, but it wasn’t from fear. “Can I hold one?”

“You can try. They are very shy creatures.”

“I don’t like bugs. Is it slimy? If it is, I probably can’t.” She shuddered. She hated fishing. Hated. It. Bugs and her, they didn’t play nice. In fact, her policy was, see a bug, kill it dead. And if it was a roach, kill it dead at least twice.

The lights danced across his lips as he grinned. “They are soft and fuzzy, close your eyes if it helps you.”

What did it feel like to hold a dream? And were dreams in Kingdom any different than the ones on Earth? Curiosity finally won out over her fear of holding a slimy bug. She exhaled. “Okay, I’ll close my eyes.”

Guiding her, he led Trisha to the edge of the boat. How in the world did the ship fit in here? The boat was massive, she knew that from personal experience, and yet it wasn’t scraping against the rocky surface that was so close all she had to do was extend her hand a fraction of an inch to touch it. Trying to make sense of this strange world would give her brain a Charley horse, it was easier to just accept that here the laws of gravity and physics and even common sense did not belong.

“Now,” his warm breath fanned her ear, made her stomach swirl and dive with delicious sensations of need. “If one wants to, it will.”

So hard to focus when all she could feel and smell, was Hook. But the tantalizing possibility of discovering her heart’s desire had its claws in her and wouldn’t let go.

Wetting her lips, she whispered, “Hi, little worm, I’d really like to hold one of you. I think.”

His low chuckle made her skin tingle with a rush of blood. The man had the sexiest laugh she’d ever heard. Sexiest voice even. Hugh Grant who?

Something soft and furry plopped into her hand. She yelped and Hook’s warm thumb pressed into the base of her neck, the rigid length of his body stepped even closer, sealing off any space between them.

“Ssh,” he whispered, lips scraping the line of her jaw, “relax. The annelid are timid little creatures, they must feel safe, otherwise you will see nothing.”

Tipping her head back to rest against his shoulder, she tried to forget how badly she wanted him inside her. How, with a word, a touch, he was fanning the ember of need still pulsing bright and hot from this morning.

“Relax.” He kissed her neck and her skin prickled.

“I can’t relax when you’re pawing me like that,” she panted and though she didn’t hear the sound, she felt laughter move through his body.