Between the Moon and Her Night (Between Life and Death #3)

Chapter 34

Aurelia

“Y ou’ve been perched on that railing every morning for months now. At this point, I think it would be nice to know your name,” I said to the raven as I finished my morning meal, wiping my fingers with a cloth napkin. I set it down on the tray and turned to look at the bird.

As usual, it said nothing.

Sighing, I reclined back on the chair, tossing my arms upwards and stretching them over the back.

Suddenly, the bird looked down, over top of the railing, cocking its head to the side as if it were zeroing in on something.

“What do you see?” I asked.

Again, no response.

I rose from the low chair, my black silk robe falling to my mid-thigh, and strode over to the glass-like railing, beside the bird. My hand settled on the cool banister as I looked over it, peering down below—

A treacherous path snaked towards the castle, gradually widening the closer it came, until it molded with the unnaturally flat mountaintop—like a river vein meeting the sea. The sides were steep, plunging into oblivion. I had stood at the bottom of that path once, when I came here to ask for Von’s aid in saving the children of the Old Gods. The wards had prevented me from light walking any further and so I had been faced with a choice—walk the miles-long path, or ride on a strange boat that floated on the air itself.

I chose the latter.

On the path, there appeared to be an altercation.

Strange beings who I had come to recognize as castle guards were gathered in a circle. They were tall creatures that were dressed from head to toe in black leather armor—their faces completely covered by metal skull masks, complete with wicked horns that either pointed upwards or curled back.

When I saw who they had surrounded, my heart struck a mighty blow to my ribs.

Standing in the middle of them was a redheaded male adorned in royal, gold clothing, his sword drawn. I recognized him immediately. He was the only friend I had ever known in the Immortal Realm, and now he was here.

Surrounded by castle guards.

“Arkyn!” I shouted.

Striding out from the shadow of the castle was the God of Death himself. His shadow cloak flickered behind him as he thundered ahead, his dark, ethereal crown floating above his onyx mane.

The circle parted, the creatures bowed, and I watched as Von conjured his sword and disarmed Arkyn in all of three moves. The eerie guards grabbed Arkyn by his shoulders, kicked the backs of his legs out, and made him kneel in front of Von.

Von raised his sword.

“No!” I screamed, my light wrapping around me.

One moment I was standing on the balcony, and the next, my bare feet were on the cool, rocky ground, my arms spread out as I tried to protect Arkyn from that fatal blow. I had no time to question how my light walking abilities had suddenly worked after months of ignoring my call, but I imagined it had something to do with the bond wanting me to be closer to Von.

“What are you doing?” Von grated at me, stopping mid-swing. He lowered his weapon immediately.

“What are you doing?” I tossed the words back at him. “Arkyn is my friend.”

“Aurelia,” Arkyn sighed in relief from behind me, his breath ragged. “You are alright.”

I glanced over my shoulder and gave him a soft smile. “I am. What are you doing here?”

“Friend or not,” Von cut in, his voice summoning my gaze, “the half-breed has New God ichor coursing through his veins. By coming here, he has broken the laws of this realm. In doing so, he will pay with his life.”

“The same ichor flows in mine,” I snarled. The space between my brows creased. “If that is the law of these lands, then why am I still alive?”

“Because you are different, little bride, and you know that,” Von said. He rested his blade against his shoulder and tipped his head to the side—taking in the small bit of silk I was wearing. His expression turned positively sinful. A wealth of lust washed over me, the weight of it damn near buckling my knees. It tasted different than my own—it tasted of Von, and it was insatiable.

“Cut it out,” I told him.

“I cannot,” he said through a wolfish grin, clearly enjoying this.

. . . I could work with that.

“I’ll make you a deal if you spare him,” I said, lowering my arms to my sides while I raised a single brow.

Von angled his jaw, those emerald eyes peering down at me like a hawk eyeing up a plump little mouse. “I’m listening.”

How about I show you instead? I purred through our private channel.

He laughed and his sword disappeared. Von’s hand encircled my waist, and he pulled me into him as he said to the guards, “Take our guest to the dining hall so he can have something to eat.” He looked down at me, his hand clasping my chin as the rough pad of his thumb ran over my bottom lip. “A feast for a feast. It seems like a good trade.”

Heat kissed my cheeks as I growled through the bond, You did not just say that out loud.

I did, he replied, flashing a proud grin.

I scoffed at his audacity.

“His life in exchange for—” Von grinned, “—a taste of my female. Do we have a deal, Little Goddess?”

I nodded. “We do.”

Then the big brute picked me up and tossed me over his broad shoulder like a hunter collecting his trophy kill of the season—something that he would use to feed him for the long, harsh winter. Knowing Von’s immortal stamina and his unappeasable appetite, there was a good chance he’d do just that—he’d take his time devouring me. Use his wicked tongue to pry the very life from my bones, to carve me into submission and drown me in pleasure.

But as good as that sounded to me and the bond, Arkyn was here, and I wanted to speak with him. To ask him why he had come.

“Von, wait,” I huffed, trying to fight his hold.

Smack.

I gaped as my rear began to sting—he’d swatted my ass!

It rang out as clear as a bell—humiliating and . . . arousing me even more.

I decided that speaking to Arkyn could wait for an hour or so.

The bond was more than happy to agree.