Rosa

I've learned Dayzues's bark is much worse than his bite. He's changed tactics these last few days and has resorted to wooing me. The day after I hit him, he told me that he's decided to keep me and he will fight his brother outright for me and his spot as king. Today, he brought me flowers and has kept his promise to give me space. He makes me eat dinner with him at night and is teaching me magic a couple of hours a day. He won't tell me anything about transporting in fear I'll leave at the first opportunity.

He's not wrong. I've spent countless hours searching for help out of here. I thought I had a friend in an Orcus demon. As it turns out, he was relaying everything I said back to Dayzues. I had to stomach the oozing bubbling sores and stench for nothing. The demon fed me a crock of bullshit. One night, I went in search of a special window in the perimeter that I could supposedly escape through. Dayzues was there laughing, arms folded.

Today I'm depressed. In my old life, men never noticed me. I was plain and insignificant. Here I'm sought after from two very pig-headed diluted men literally caught in the middle of sibling rivalry with a kingdom at stake. All I want to do is go home and be invisible again. I was just getting used to my new life. Every day I worry about my friends, heck they might as well be my family. I think I even miss Grayson and Elliot's petty arguments. A sudden kick of anger arises when I think of what I'm missing. I don't even know if they're safe. Sure, an oracle can tell you what's coming, but it can't protect you from it. I stop thinking about them because if I do, I'll go insane with worry.

Today, I learn about persuasion. Essentially, it's making someone do something just by thinking it. It's a form of control that could be very useful in any situation. So far, Dayzues has gone over the basics, and now I'm supposed to try it. I imagine him removing my cuff, but nothing happens.

"Try harder. You have to believe I'm going to heed."

I roll my eyes, completely aggravated by him. Although he's easy on the eyes and charming when he's not trying to own me. I'm the type of person who doesn't forget. Just a few days ago, I was nothing more than a tool to him. As pretty as his words can be, I'm far from convinced his intentions are what they appear. Fae, especially dark, are precision manipulators.

"Whatever you're thinking, I'm obviously adverse to it. Think something else."

Well, what is the use of this if I can't get what I want? I try something simpler. Looking around the room, I spot a porcelain sculpture. I imagine him kicking it. In my head, I'm demanding him to do it and picture the scene. Abrupt laughter makes me jump, and I lose my concentration.

"Very good, little rose! That's exactly how it's done."

I whip my head around to face him.

"What do you mean? If I did it right, then why didn't you do it?"

I try to keep my focus off his chest. He insists on going shirtless, which, combined with his sex-laced raspy laugh, is a killer on the hormones.

"Persuasion won't work on me, but since you don't believe in it..."

He walks over slowly, his eyes locked on mine. I'm instantly nervous. There's something in his stare that makes me want to back away. He stops in front of me, and without thought; I drop to my knees and look up at him. He gasps, and his smile disappears. I don't have a clue why I've dropped to the floor, but try as I may, I can't move. Then it occurs to me he's using persuasion. I grasp his belt and frantically rip it away, unzipping his leathers and free his erection. I'm livid as it bobs in front of me, brushing my lips, yet I can't move, not even look away. He wraps my ponytail around his hand all the way to his wrist and jerks my head back as my mouth falls open. His eyes widen with surprise. As abruptly as it begins, it ends. He releases me with restrained hunger. The moment he does, I push and hit him, attacking him with all the fury I feel inside. I'm at him a good minute before he restrains me, pushing me against the wall.

"You had no right to do that! You might as well have raped me."

The moment my last sentence registers, his ire is back, the amusement long gone.

"I didn't come close to raping you. If you even had a clue what that feels like, those words would never have left your lips."

I push back against his chest, grunting with the effort but getting nowhere. He's just too strong to budge, and I have no room to gain momentum. Every part of us is touching.

"Then what do you call forced oral sex? A handshake with my mouth?"

He peels his gaze from the quick rise and fall of my chest up to my lips. Then lingers until finally finding my eyes. His narrow when he adds,

"Oh, please, your eyes were riveted on my cock and when I pulled you back your mouth dropped open like it was anchored."

"Duh! You were using persuasion!"

His slow smirk has me rattled. I quiver when his tongue catches in his teeth, making me wet between my legs. Fucking hormones!

"I used persuasion on you to expose me, that's it. It was you who couldn't look away, and it was all you who opened your mouth in the sweetest temptation."

I gasp at his words.

"Your lying!"

It sickens me because I know he's not. I could hear the truth in his voice, but I'd never admit it. I see the similarities between them now. The only difference? I don't feel safe with Dayzues but man I loath to admit it, I've never been more turned on in my life. Where Wrath is soft and unsure. Dayzues is rough and pushy. He doesn't let me say no. He brings the animal in me to the surface. If only I didn't feel like he'd throw me to the wolves to save his slippers at the first opportunity, I might have given it a chance, but I could never lay myself open to someone I don't trust. That's need number one for someone like me.

At this moment, he looks vulnerable

"You wish you were... I'm glad you're not."

His eyes move to my lips as he loosens his hold. He's about to kiss me, I'm sure of it and god help me, I can't push him away, could I actually want this? Oh man, I do. There's no use lying to myself. I've been dying to taste him since he showed up in my room. I'm just like my mother. Always picking the men who would... fuck no! I push at him with all my might and he goes barreling backward.

There's a flash of hurt before he quickly conceals it behind a mask of indifference. I leave the room before the situation has a chance to escalate.

Dayzues lets it go when I don't come down for dinner or my lesson the next day, but at my second attempt to eat in my room he shows up at my door pounding so hard I think he's going to break it to pieces.

I whip it open,

"What?"

His murderess look slightly softens at my appearance.

"Come and eat with me. I have decided to be friends, as you call it, nothing more."

To say I'm skeptical is putting it mildly. I can almost see a plan at work behind his eyes. I accept the invitation anyway. It's not like I have a choice. My eyes roll when I enter the dining area, not at all surprised by the romantic setting. There are candles lit, fresh roses bloom in a glass vase, and the table is filled with everything but meat. He must think the secret to my heart is in the details, but even if he got everything right, he missed the fundamentals. I need trust to even be friends, and he lost that the first day I met him. With me, you don't get that back. Still, I amuse him and indulge, appreciating his efforts.

"Is it to your liking?"

I nod, savoring the candied yams and butter crust bread. It tastes an awful lot like the restaurant on sixty-four and main. A sneaking suspicion pesters me, and I have to ask.

"Who made it?"

He stops chewing and glares. There's my answer. So he can just pop in and out whenever he wants, but I'm not even allowed to leave the house.

"Why won't you teach me how to transport? If I promised not to leave, would you?"

"We both know that promise would be empty. Stop pecking at everything you want and enjoy what you have... Now eat!"

Shit, I really pissed him off. His fork is bending in his fist and he's grinding his teeth. I finish my meal in silence. When I get up to leave, he stops me.

"Come for a walk with me, I have something to show you."

I want to decline, but I know it will only make him angrier and an angry fae is a difficult fae. I need him compliant with me if I want any chance of escape. While following him through the trees on a hill at the backside of the property. I'm stuck in my head trying to figure out what it is I'm missing that makes me unable to dematerialize like Austin, Wrath, and Dayzues do. It has to be the cuff, but I know it's more than that. I almost had it once.

"Stay still."

I turn to Dayzues, eyeing him suspiciously.

"Why?"

The question earns me another glare, this one heated. His eyes are like daggers.

"Listen to me or risk death."

I swallow, the sudden plea freezing me as I sense something behind me. The air around me stirs up my hair and loose shirt, causing them to flutter. A putrid smell worse than the Orcus demons oozing sores invades my nose, and I inwardly gag. My eyes dart to Dayzues's to find he's silently demanding my compliance. A cold, sharp point skims my neck upward to tangle in my hair. I can't breathe as fear seizes me. I can see the harpy behind me through the reflection in Dayzues's eyes. Oh my god, I feel like I'm going to faint and pinch my arm hard, trying to focus. I know. I don't know how, but I know with a certainty, any movement right now and this thing will rip me to shreds. A loud shriek sounds, making my ears ring. I catch Dayzues smiling, and I wonder what sick pleasure he gets in my fear. The harpy leaves and my knees give out as I instantly drop to the ground.

"Why the fuck would you do that to me. That thing could have killed me!"

I can't help the couple of tears that slip out. He bends down, wiping them away.

"I'm sorry. I thought the reward was worth the risk."

What fucking reward could he possibly get from my fear?

"You just got permission to fly with me, would you like to?"

He stands, offering me his hand. Although I'm delighted and miss flying. It is quite therapeutic. I'm beyond pissed and don't share the same opinion of what flying's worth. Still, I get up, taking his hand. I earned this!

I take off with a jolt, my wings stretching and popping. Dayzues follows me, chuckling at my enthusiasm. It's dark and I can't go as fast as I'd like, but the feeling is still euphoric. Just imagine weeks without sweets and then a buffet of baked delicacies on your pallet. I can literally taste freedom. It's almost as good as the real thing. Glancing down, I shiver at the sight of the harpies far below me. They're hovering just above ground, allowing us the skies for the moment. Dayzues barrels into me, causing me to drop several feet before I catch myself. Asshole, his laughter echoes in the empty sky. Two can play that game. I drop down, waiting for him to change direction before sneaking behind him. I ready gaining speed. I'm just a few feet away when he turns, as if sensing me. Our eyes make contact seconds before our bodies he catches me as we spin uncontrollably in the air butterflies erupt in my belly at the force. I laugh freely. We're tangled in each other's limbs. When the spinning stops, I find him staring at me. Dayzues's lips crash down on mine. It's stiff and unnatural at first, then I soften, accepting the kiss. The moment I relax, he deepens it, opening my lips with steady strokes of his tongue. It's been so long since I've been kissed, especially like this. I close my eyes and begin kissing him back earnestly. A moan escapes me at the sheer pleasure of the act. Dayzues sees this as encouragement and his hands make their way to my breasts. My eyes pop open as he brushes a nipple. I lift my hand to push him away when a loud screech pierces my ears. We both break away, looking down at the harpies. They simultaneously take flight, bounding toward us at breakneck speeds, their powerful wings shooting them upward.

"I'm going to die!"

Dayzues grabs me, locking me in his arms.

"No, you're not, hold on tight!"

I do as he says; we spin like a top in the air, falling so fast I feel gravity pull my lids open and I can't shut my eyes even though I desperately want to. My entire body caves in on itself at the impact I feel when we crash to the ground. Every one of my muscles screams in protest. I look down to see Dayzues's feet buried in the earth, ankle-deep. Shit, that's got to hurt.

"What happened?" I say breathlessly. When I don't get an answer I look up at Dayzues, but he's not looking at me. His eyes are focused on something behind me. His grim expression contorts to an almost fearful cast as he replies.

"Not what, who."