Chapter 9

Alador

For the next week he and Luminesa had developed a rhythm of sorts. Fighting the ice demons at night, while during the day they kept company with the children.

Her yeti’s had worked far better than he could have imagined. Twice now they’d scented out the dregs of the Goblin’s dark magick, and any catastrophe’s had been easily routed as they’d been able to gather up the dust before any harm could come to the children again.

But nights of hardly any sleep, and days filled with keeping a constant eye out on the children was taking its toll on both of them. Luminesa’s already pale skin now seemed impossibly washed out, and it was easy enough to read the exhaustion lacing her bones.

Her need was a constant ache in his chest. Alador wanted to give her at least one afternoon to relax, the children had suffered no further attacks from the Goblin since, and now seemed as good a time as any to give them all a day off.

Even if only temporarily.

“Well,” Gerda tossed out her arms, “how do I look Alador?” He’d instructed that she dress in her nicest gown for the day.

Luminesa had done a fine job of feeding, clothing, and sheltering the children. She’d even created games for them to play at. But there’d been far too many days trapped indoors. They’d begun bickering, fighting over toys, clothing, who got to pet Baatha first, etc.

They were getting on one another’s nerves, but Alador couldn’t blame them. Human children much like centaur children needed the freedom to be children sometimes.

And while there was no lack of food, Alador himself felt the need to hunt, trap, or simply just explore the woods beyond. He was a creature built for the outdoors and understood the children’s suffocation for he suffered it too.

Gerda twirled, causing the cream colored folds of her thick gown to twinkle softly from the natural glow of sunlight bouncing off the ice room.

“You look lovely,” Alador nodded.

Then he glanced toward Kai, who sat on a corner bench with his chin in his fist staring glumly out the window. The boy was dressed in trousers made of deerskins, and a thick parka lined with white fur. 

“Kai,” he said slowly, walking toward the boy, “will you eat nothing?”

His bowl of gruel still remained untouched.

“I don’t want food,” he snapped, green eyes looking up at Alador with a mixture of anger and resentment. “I want to go home. Now.”

Alador wished he could send the children back now. Every fiber of him wished they weren’t here, but he simply couldn’t.

“We will, soon. I vow it.”

The little boy’s nostrils flared. “When! You lie. I do not think you and her are looking at all. She has punished me and now I’ll never leave.”

His little foot kicked out, knocking it into the ice table and causing several cracks to spider-web along its top.

“Kai, acting out changes nothing. When I tell you we are doing all we can, you have to trust me. Believe me, I do not want you here anymore than you wish to be here.”

The little boy sniffed and looked down at his hands forlornly. Alador didn’t know if he was getting through to the boy or not, but he hoped so.

A chill breeze thick with the electrifying scent of frosted berries and pine suddenly tickled his nose. Smiling immediately, he turned, and was stunned into silence when she swept in.

Luminesa wore a gown comprised of nothing but millions of glittering snowflakes threaded together. Forming almost like it’d been painted on so that every lush curve of her body was on full display to him. A long silvery train trailed behind her as she walked toward them. Her silvery-blond spilled down her back in soft waves.

Her hair changed colors depending on her moods, a trait he found utterly adorable. Then again, he found everything adorable about her lately.

Her eyes sought his immediately, and when she smiled, there was a shyness to it that made his pulse stutter.

“Good morning, horse,” she greeted him, then giggled when he growled.

Somehow it’d become their morning routine, he wasn’t sure how or when, but he looked forward to it every morning.

Slapping one arm across his chest, he bowed deeply toward the woman who was coming to mean so much to him in such a short amount of time.

“Good morning, my queen.”

Long spiky lashes tipped in frost, fluttered gently against her cheekbones as she nodded back at him. Normally they’d break their morning fast together, enjoying a few moments of quiet and peace before the children descended.

He wasn’t sure what she would do seeing them here now. Make her excuses, turn and leave, or...

Her smile was as skittish as that of a shy, little rabbit coming out of its hole when she turned toward Gerda.

There’d been only rare occasions when she’d spoken to the children so far. Threading her fingers together in front of her she said, “you look beautiful, Gerda. I hope my clothing choices meet with your approval.”

The little girl bobbed her head enthusiastically. “The dress is so fine. Not even mama could have made me something quite this perfect, and her being a seamstress and all.”

Luminesa’s shoulders visibly relaxed under the girl’s enthusiasm and a true smile stole her lips this time.

Alador’s skin tightened to watch it. His already speeding pulse hammered violently in his ears.

He was falling in love with this creature, this woman of ice. He recognized the signs for what it was. Every night he brought out that little miniature she’d crafted of him, tracing the clean lines of it and imagining that someday she might trace his own body in the same way.

He also knew that what he felt for Luminesa was a rarity amongst his people. Intermixing wasn’t often kindly looked upon, and only the bravest ever dared contemplate it, let alone act upon the impulse.

Luminesa turned toward Kai. And without saying a word, she walked to his side and held out her hand to him.

The boy looked up with confusion in his eyes, but after only a moment’s hesitation slipped his small hand through hers.

“Since you’re both so well dressed, I can only assume that you wish to explore the castle grounds?”

She asked the children, but looked at Alador as she said it.

Gerda squealed, clapping her hands enthusiastically. “Oh may we, mistress? I’m dreadfully bored in this castle.”

“Gerda,” Alador gently corrected, “remember that we could have been left to fend for ourselves if not for her.”

The reminder immediately quelled the child’s curt honesty.

“It’s okay,” Luminesa said, “truth be told, I’ve grown a bit bored myself. And there does seem to be a nice break in the weather for once. But do understand that unlike most parts of my territory, I cannot completely control the weather here. We shouldn’t stray far from the castle in case things worsen again.”

Alador would have liked to have run many miles this afternoon, stretch his legs and work his muscles hard, but her advise was sage.

As one they traveled toward the castle’s entrance, the children both hanging on to Luminesa’s hands.

She’d begun warming up. Literally.

Her flesh the first night had still held the nip of winter chill to it, but every night since he and she had begun meeting in the solarium to discuss their day and where to explore the next day for the key, he’d begun to notice the change in her.

Even her cheeks blazed with color now.

Her magic was still as potent as ever, but she no longer covered herself in a rim of ice.

Last night, when he’d once more found his head on her shoulder, it’d been all Alador could do not to drop a kiss on her exquisite and flawless neck.

At one point during the night when he’d finally fallen asleep he’d been promptly woken up less than an hour later panting and covered in sweat from one of the most erotic dreams he’d ever had in his life.

His growing desire for her had his emotions in turmoil more often than not. Not only because he wanted to kiss her, but because what if she did not desire him as he did her?

He was half horse. A completely separate species from her, Luminesa was no lover of humans, that much was clear, but in all the stories he’d ever heard of her, he’d never known her to have any sort of lover. Of any kind.

She could be asexual.

It was not unheard of in Kingdom, especially for creatures with powers such as hers. What need did she have of a man when she could make everything she needed with a mere flick of her wrist? She could craft her own man of ice; she’d done it with the maidens.

He frowned, not liking where that train of thought led.

“Alador,” Gerda said with a chipper smile, “Would you give Kai and I a ride?”

Shaking his head free of those distracting thoughts, he looked down at the children, only to note they’d finally arrived at the entrance.

Luminesa stepped back and gestured for him to lift the children up. In one easy swing, he placed first Kai, then Gerda on his hind.

Kai’s little fingers dug into his mane of hair, hanging on tight.

Luminesa was the first to step outside. And when she did she drew a graceful arcing line with her hand, which caused a dazzling rainbow to appear in the unnaturally still and cerulean-colored sky.

Gerda laughed, and when Alador glanced over his shoulder, even Kai had worked up a smile.

Alador followed her, Luminesa was creating a wintery wonderland for the children. Slides and swings of ice. Even a winter garden that bobbed heavily with ivory white flowers sparkling with frost. In moments they were surrounded by such beauty that even he found himself itching to go exploring through the wondrous maze she’d crafted for them.

Smiling, she turned once again toward the children. “Would you like a gift?” she asked.

Both children nodded at once and when Luminesa began to waggle her fingers, Alador knew she was crafting them an image in ice much as the centaur he had resting on his bedroom shelf.

He couldn’t peel his eyes off her, memorizing each plane and groove of her face, from the small rosebud lips tinted a lovely shade of mauve, to her cheeks which were flooded a bright shade of pinkish-blue. To those brilliant eyes of hers that whenever they looked upon him cut him to his very core.

“There,” she said finally, and handed Gerda a fragile looking rose flower that sparkled like freshly polished diamonds in the sunlight.

“Ohhh, mistress,” Gerda breathed, grabbing the flower from her before hugging it tight to her chest. “I will treasure it always.”

Smiling broadly, Luminesa nodded. “Good. And Kai, I do hope you’ll like your gift.”

Then opening her hand, she giggled as an ice-falcon that looked nearly identical to Baatha, screeched loudly before swooping out of her hands to glide along the gentle breeze.

“Down, down, down.” Gerda wiggled on her seat.

“Yes, please,” Kai laughed, reaching his hands out for the ice bird.

“Calm down, children,” Alador said, then took them off. Gerda grabbed hold of Kai’s hand, and immediately they skipped around the snowy garden. Kicking up great big cloud fulls of snow, laughing and chortling along the way.

Alador walked over toward Luminesa who stood absolutely still, watching the children with wonder in her pretty blue eyes.

“They’re having so much fun,” she whispered the second he’d neared her.

This place had been built as a curse, but right now, in this moment, Alador couldn’t make it so, no, this place had become a secret haven that existed only for their enjoyment

A sharp cry rent the air, and upon hearing it, the children jumped, pointing toward the sky and calling out to the real Baatha to come and join them.

The large bird circled once, twice, and then landed beside Kai, dropping a little floppy brown bundle by his foot.

Alador chuckled. “Your bird has brought them a dead mouse.”

Luminesa’s laughter filled the air with effervescence. “It is a gift. Though I’m not quite sure Gerda sees it that way.”

“Ew, Baatha,” she cringed, shuddering as she toed the dead mouse away.

But Kai, bent, picked it up and held out to Baatha. “Come eat, bird.”

“He has a warrior’s spirit,” Alador said.

“Like recognizing like?” she asked him with a sly grin as she glanced over her shoulder at him and again his pulse stuttered in his chest.

“Something like that,” he mumbled, but his mind had shifted yet again.

“Baatha,” Luminesa said in a deep, commanding voice, “keep a sharp eye on the children while they play.”

Her snowy falcon screeched his assent before thrusting himself into the air. The children squealed with delight, chasing him as he flew, waving their arms and demanding he “come down right this instant!”

She and Alador chuckled at the sight.

“Will they be safe?” he asked.

She nodded. “They couldn’t be more safe if we walked with them. Baatha will allow no harm to come to the children.”

“Then in that case...” he said softly and taking a step toward her, brushed his knuckles across her pale, velvety cheek.

Those frost tipped lashes he loved so well fluttered when he did so.

When he’d first met her, if someone had told him that in just a week’s time he’d be taking such liberties, Alador would have likely laughed. But he didn’t feel like laughing now.

“Luminesa,” he said in a heated whisper ready to peel back the heavy burden of his heart and tell her everything.

Twirling completely toward him, she grasped his wrist. “May I ride you, horse?”

And for just a moment he felt a wash of disappointment that he wouldn’t get to gaze upon her face to his heart’s content. But then he realized that her body would be pressed to his, as it’d not been before. All her lush curves rubbing against him and once again he remembered last night’s dream.

Her gentle moans and groans as he’d brought her to climax.

Swallowing, he notched one knee, kneeling upon the snow so that she could sit astride him.

She hiked her gown up to mid-thigh. No doubt so that she could better able get up on him. But Alador couldn’t resist from drinking in the shapely curves of her delectably smooth legs.

His kind could shift when they wanted to.

But he’d never really found human legs all that attractive. The few times he’d seen Haxion wearing hers he’d teased her mercilessly for it. A woman should have four legs, and covered in fine, supple horsehair. Or so he’d always thought.

But when Luminesa slipped her legs around him and squeezed, it was all he could do not to release the groan trapped on the back of his tongue.

She wiggled a bit, and goddess, her scent drove him mad. She’d be embedded in his hair. Anytime he moved he’d smell her on him.

He released a shaky breath, thinking that he just had to get used to it and then he’d be all right, but then she leaned forward so that her breasts were pressed flush to his back.

Soft, pillowy mounds that made his mouth water and fingers tingle.

He hardly dared to breathe, let alone move.

“Alador?” she asked.

And he heard the concern in her voice.

He shook his head. “I am okay. Only give me a moment.”

“Am I too heavy for you?”

That question almost made him laugh. She weighed nothing. It was beneath a centaur’s dignity to give rides to others, because as he’d told her, they weren’t horses. They weren’t pack animals designed to serve humans.

In fact, until recently, Alador had never let another ride upon him. It’d started first with the children. And while he hadn’t exactly been comfortable with the situation the first time around, he’d grown used to the feel of their negligible weight.

But with Luminesa...it was so very different.

He wanted her to rub her legs back and forth on his sides. Wanted her hands to brush down his mane, and her lips to stroke and caress the naked planes of his back.

She shifted on her seat, which caused her breasts to move, and her nipples to pebble into tight, little nubs that poked into his back and this time he couldn’t help but groan as his flesh exploded with sensation that made him feel weak in the knees.

“Alador?” She moved, as though to get down, and he tossed his arm back, holding her in place.

He’d be damned if he let her off his back now.

“Stay,” he commanded.

“But, I’m—”

Turning, so that he could look her in the eyes as he said it, he confessed, “You are not hurting me, Luminesa. Not at all.”

He saw the spark of recognition light through her eyes and he waited with his heart in his throat for her reaction to his honesty.

And then, “What am I doing to you then?”

He inhaled deeply, gathering up his courage. And before he could think better of it, blurted out, “your touch arouses me, it is all I can do to focus on walking instead of—”

Gods, what was he saying? They weren’t alone. The children were here, though they’d moved on a ways, and were now lingering several yards back and completely engrossed in their own games, he knew he needed to remain cognizant and aware.

“Instead of?” she prodded.

But instead of answering he remembered the story she’d told him. Of what’d happened to her by that detestable male and Alador was ashamed of himself.

“I am sorry, Luminesa, I do not know what’s overcome me—”

Her small hand cupped his right cheek. “I want to know what it is you were about to say.”

He grunted. “But after all that’s happened to you, how could I possibly—”

“Alador,” she interrupted him again, “I dreamt of you last night.”

Her softly spoken words made his soul cry out. “What?”

She nodded. “You kissed me.”

She pressed her finger to the corner of her lip. “Here.”

Blood rushed through his veins, creating a strange buzzing sound in his ears. There’d been many mares in his tribe he’d felt emotions for. What he’d even thought at the time had been strong emotions of affection.

But what he’d felt then compared to the madness he was feeling now was nothing at all the same.

“Did you like it?” he asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.

She said nothing for the longest time. And with each second that ticked past his heart beat harder and harder, almost painfully so.

Wiggling forward, she leaned in, and closing her eyes, placed a sweet and oh so tender kiss against the corner of his jaw. But she didn’t stop there. Her lips moved slowly up, next to his cheek, and then finally...finally, to the corner of his mouth.

With a moan that sounded full of pain, he gently cupped the back of her head and moved his mouth just a few inches south so that he could take her lips completely.

Their kissing position was awkward, though he was much more flexible as a centaur than if he shifted shape into a human, he was basically kissing her over his shoulder. Still, nothing on this world could entice him away, even if he did develop a horrible ache in his back from holding this position so long.

Wrapping her arms around his shoulder, she melted into his embrace. So pliant and yielding and lusciously curved, the first human he’d ever kissed, and he knew in his heart this would not be their only kiss. There would be others. Many more kisses.

His muscles spasmed, trembled, and she yelped, pulling away immediately.

Her eyes were wide disks in her face. “What was that?” she asked.

And a grin curved his lips. She’d yelped when his muscle had twitched between her thighs.

“Have you ever been with a man, Luminesa?”

Pulling bee-stung lips between her teeth, she shook her head. “At least not a centaur male. The only male I ever knew was when I was still very human, and I’d been hopelessly young and naïve and all I remember was everything was very sweaty, and painful, and rather disgusting to be honest.”

No mention of Josiah, and he was glad. Because what Josiah had done hadn’t at all been consensual, or even sexual for that matter. It’d been power driven and motivated by a thirst to possess and had nothing at all to do with the purity that happened when two bodies melded for a moment into one.

“Have you been with a centauress before?” she asked sounding nervous.

The convention of mating with only one partner wasn’t the ideal centaur way. Herds grew stronger by spreading their seed wide. But a few of his brethren had chosen to remain loyal to one partner.

Chester had, and to a human no less.

Alador had never understood why his cousin had willingly forgone the freedom of the centaurs, until now...until the thought of another male touching Luminesa as he’d just done made him half mad with jealousy.

Just the thought of it made him want to strike an arrow through another male’s heart. The powerful emotion astonished him; possessiveness was beneath the sensibilities of the average centaur.

Till now Alador had always been staid, placid, able to separate feelings from facts. Facts were spreading seed kept the centaur populations strong. Mares didn’t require fealty so long as her stallion provided for what needs she had. The raising of offspring was a herd effort...that’s simply the way things were.

And before he’d met Luminesa that’s exactly how Alador had pictured his path, but now...now things had changed.

“Yes.” He answered honestly. “I have. Does it bother you?”

She shook her head, feathering her fingers along the ridge of his brow with a tentative, almost shy touch. His flesh quivered wherever she stroked him. Every inch of his body becoming sensitive to her touch, craving her nearness with a breath stealing intensity that sometimes left him unable to stand properly.

The Queen of Ice had cast a spell over Alador. He wasn’t sure when, or how, all he knew was that from the moment he’d met her until now he wanted nothing so much as her.

Goddess she was perfection.

He framed her elfin, heart-shaped face, tracing his thumb gently back and forth across her velvety flesh. Wishing he could strip her bare, lay her down on a pile of warm furs, and languidly take his time caressing and teasing her until she was nothing but a quivering mass of want and need beneath him.

He pressed his thumb into her lower lip, fascinated by the slight blue tinting of it when he did so. How much more of her was blue he wondered. He smiled at the sensual thought.

She grinned back. “Why do you smile?”

Probably best not to tell her that he was imagining their limbs tangled up together as he undulated himself deep inside her and her breathy, whimpery moans spilled off her tongue into his ears.

Instead he said, “You’re so warm now, my queen.”

Her features glowed as she said, “your touch makes me so.”

She licked her lips, poking the tip of her little pink tongue out of the corner of her mouth and a groan rumbled through his chest.

Head dizzy and swimming with an intensity of lust and desire, Alador stopped trying to be so noble and gave himself over to the raging emotions of need he’d never before felt in his life.

Still palming her face, he guided her to him. Luminesa never protested, she simply tossed her arms around his neck, and dove into the kiss with the unrequited passion of a repressed virgin.

Her tongue thrust like a fiery dart between his lips. Helpless to resist her siren’s lure, he opened his mouth fully, and used his tongue in pantomime of what he wished he could to her with his body.

Taking her tongue with his, twining it deeply against his own. She tasted of fresh snow and sugared plums. Each friction inducing caress of hers made him exhale a small jet of frost which she inhaled deeply inside of herself.

Her ice was becoming a part of him. The icy burn ran rampant through his veins, and blood. But it didn’t freeze him, didn’t make him want to die from the cold or sink into shock from the numbing iciness, no...instead he craved more and more.

He devoured her with his mouth, and she did the same to him. Their kiss was so elemental and primal—it was the very essence of desire. Their teeth knocked a couple of times, but neither of them stopped what they were doing.

Alador had believed before this that he’d been well versed in the art of lovemaking. That he’d known all there was to know about the female species.

Goddess, he could not have been more wrong.

With just one kiss she unmanned him.

His knees grew weak, and unable to bear his own weight, he had no choice but to sink into the snow. Somehow though, they managed to keep their lips connected.

Luminesa’s little fingers dug into the back of his scalp, scraping forcefully, causing little trails of sizzling pain to flare beneath her touch. Both icy and blisteringly hot, and gods it was amazing. His skin felt full, tingled, and raged with spasms of electrical sparks.

A part of him worried that he might combust from this level of incendiary passion, but it was a death he’d most willingly tumble headlong into.

Luminesa was pressed as tightly to him as a rider could be.

His fingers dug into thick mounds of packed snow, wishing that it was not ice he held but her soft breasts that even now were plastered tight to the side of his chest.

She wrapped her legs tightly around him, exposing several inches of smooth, creamy thigh to his inspection. Her pale luminescent flesh glimmered with a faint blue glow. Crossing her bare feet together at the ankles she began a slow, smooth rocking motion.

Grunting, he fought for some form of control as he felt the first roll of her heated flesh against the base of his spine.

“Luminesa,” he croaked, not knowing what he was asking. Nothing made much sense at the moment other than the madness of wanting her. There was something he needed to remember, but every time the fleeting thought came to him it fluttered away on feathery wings the instant she moved, this time moaning long and loud with ecstasy.

His own body burned with desire, his belly filled with fire. His heart raged in his chest. His pulse raced.

She broke their kiss first, leaning her head against his neck as she continued to swivel her hips with increasing speed and tempo, her grunts became more and more animalistic and now tiny shudders had begun to grip her.

“Alador,” she whimpered after a moment.

He was fixated, unable to rip his eyes off her. Watching as the blood rushed to her smooth cheeks, turning them a beautiful pearlescent pinkish-blue. Her rosebud lips had parted and tiny little murmurs of desire dropped like a prayer off her tongue.

The air between them had begun to rage with fat snowflakes, and pure-white snow bees that buzzed around their Queen’s head with a melodic tune.

“Alador,” she moaned again.

This time he answered, even as his fingers clenched the snow tighter. Rolling waves of energy had begun to flow through his own veins just from watching her, rushing south to his ever-thickening member.

“Luminesa, what do you need?”

She groaned, tilting her head back with her next forceful rub.

“Oh Gods.” The words spilled from his lips without thought.

For the most part centaurs stayed within their kind, but there were a few of his brethren who enjoyed the occasional exotic fare, for them there were well known and underground establishments that catered to the more “outlandish” needs.

Alador had always scorned those who’d used those services, never understanding the appeal of a human woman or a mermaid’s tail...but he did now.

Goddess did he ever.

Watching Luminesa light up for him. Watching as her skin glimmered with her snowy iridescence and her body moved in wave-like motion... she was stunning.

“Walk,” she pleaded brokenly, “walk.”

For a moment he frowned, confused by what she meant. “You want me to walk?”

She didn’t answer, merely wrapped her arms tight around his shoulders and rubbed harder, her grunts were now growing louder, more animalistic. Anyone could hear her.

Anyone—

Gods, the children!

Glancing up, Alador couldn’t believe he’d forgotten all about the children. The colts of his herd were used to the inherent sexual nature of their kind, they thought nothing of seeing a stallion and mare coming together. But humans raised their children differently.

Spotting the faint colors of the children’s jackets way up in the distance, he wanted to shout with joy. They were still playing and safe.

“My queen, create a shield of snow around us so that the children cannot see what we’re about.”

Gulping, she opened dazed, liquid bright eyes back at him, nodded almost drunkenly, and immediately a blast of arctic winds full of snow encapsulated them.

Alador couldn’t help but tremble, and not from need this time, but the impossible cold that invaded his bones. Luminesa however was completely immune to it.

He’d not last long in this chill, but at least it helped to kill the fog of lust in his mind. For now he could help her reach her climax.

Pushing off the ground, he walked in a slow and steady canter. His movements felt stiff and frozen, but Luminesa hadn’t relented in her speed and thrusts.

Alador moved in such a way so that each step caused a jolt of muscle to move between her legs. She gasped, trembling violently.

“Oh, Alador, oh gods,” she muttered incoherently and he grinned, strangely proud that he’d caused her to lose her control in this way.

That pride helped him to pick up his speed just a little, ignore the biting cold, and give intermittent hops to help increase the pressure between her thighs.

After the fourth hop she froze—her arms banding so tight across his windpipe that he couldn’t breathe beneath her crushing power. Her entire body stiffened up.

Twisting, so that he could better look at her, he watched as the orgasm consumed her. Her entire body vibrated as she bit down on her molars. Her fingers dug painfully into his biceps, her nails gouged deep grooves in his frozen flesh.

Her orgasm couldn’t have lasted more than a few seconds, but it was as though time stood still for him. He drank her up with his eyes, fascinated by the play of colors rolling across her now lambent skin full of frosty blues and pristine, glittering white.

Gradually her nails digging into his arms relaxed and her stiff body crumpled deeply into him. His lips twitched as he became aware of her own growing awareness.

The way her eyes relaxed first, then her mouth grew lax, her shoulders sagged, her breathing deepened, until finally...she blinked up at him with her soul-deep blue eyes.

“Oh my gods,” she whispered after a tense minute of watching him. “Did I really do what I think I just did?”

Her cheeks blazed scarlet with a slight tint of blue.

And he couldn’t help but chuckle, rubbing his finger along her petal-soft cheek as she buried her face against him.

“Stop laughing,” she squeezed out, even as he heard her own pent-up laughter. “I’m completely mortified, I have no idea what came over me.”

Alador had the most painful erection of his life, he was stiff, aching, but also deliriously happy. The queen—his queen—wanted him as forcefully as he ached for her.

Trembling from the cold, very aware of it now that she’d finished what she’d started, he said, “My love, turn off the cold.”

Immediately the snow ceased. The air warmed by several degrees, comfortable enough for him to begin to thaw out somewhat. He glanced up to where he’d seen the children last, relieved to note that they were still there and appearing to play happily between themselves.

The little snow bees that’d crowned her head now flew around his own, their furry, white bodies rubbing like velvet against the sides of his face, as though they too were now deliriously happy.

“Look at me, Luminesa,” he commanded.

She looked up, her long, frost-tipped black lashes blinked slowly back at him. Alador brushed his thumb along her jaw-line.

“You need never be ashamed of what we’ve done.”

Her cheeks blazed a deeper scarlet. “You must think me a—”

Placing his finger against her lips, he shook his head and said, “I think you’re the most bewitching female I’ve ever met. Centauress or human alike. You fascinate me, woman, and that’s all there is to it.”

The curling of her smile was like the slow rise of the sun on a cool, winter morning.

She kissed the palm of his hand; the touch of it speared him straight through the heart. Goddess what was he doing allowing this madness to continue on with her? Once they left this forgotten realm of ice she’d return to her world and he to his, pairings such as theirs were frowned upon, dalliances only ever allowed in secrecy and even then were highly discouraged.

Chester had been driven from the herd because of the path he’d chosen.

Alador was about to suggest they return back for the children when a scream rent the air, startling birds from trees with squawking cries.

“The children,” Luminesa cried.

“Hang on,” he ordered.

She wrapped her arms around Alador’s shoulders tightly, and he ran. Reaching the distant hill in just moments. His heart hammered in his chest at the first sight of crimson blood staining the pristine white of snow.

Baatha’s shrill scream rent the air. Immediately Alador felt the pain of Luminesa’s transformation from flesh to ice.

“Baatha to me,” she cried, holding out her ice-blue arm to him.

The bird landed in seconds, unruffled by Alador’s speed.

But the blood that’d burned like a beacon suddenly vanished, disappeared, along with any other traces of the children. There were no footprints to follow, no trail to track, there had been blood and prints, and now there were none.

Alador stopped running, turning in a circle as he frantically searched for the children.

“Baatha, you’re bleeding!” Luminesa cried, causing Alador to glance back at them.

She was right. The snow-white falcon’s feathers were matted and stained dark red with blood upon his chest. His breathing was heavy and his tawny eyes bright and wide as he nudged his head into her shoulder.

“What has happened to you? Where are the children? Show me,” she said it swiftly.

Alador watched in wonder as Baatha’s normally golden eyes turned mercurial with silver and then began to swirl with colors. Waves of those colors seeped into the air in front of them and began forming pictures then.

Showing the children and he playing. Kai had been kicking at a pile of snow, and Gerda holding up her hands with a look of pure joy upon her face.

Then giant gusts of snow sparkling with flecks of strange silver suddenly poured down upon their heads, sweeping the children up into a funneling cloud. The scene shifted yet again, showing that same funnel dipping down into a fissure.

“The gorge!” Luminesa cried. Without saying another word she dropped from off of Alador’s back and in one fluid motion shifted yet again into a swirling tower of raging ice-crystals.

The tower moved with astonishing speed, quicker than a centaur at a full gallop.

Alador had to pump his fists to keep up with her, turning and twisting around and in between trees, not looking at anything but the tower of ice she’d become.

By the time they arrived to the mile-long gorge he was heaving and panting for breath and covered in sweat.

In the distance he could hear the cry of children.

Still a tower of ice, Luminesa raced toward them, and slipped over the cliff’s edge.

Alador came to a screeching halt, digging in his hooves to stop his own fall off the ledge. Looking over the edge he prayed to the gods that she’d not fallen to her death a mile below.

Instead he was met by the sight of the children huddled together with Luminesa back in human form hugging them tight to her. They were several hundred feet below him.

“Alador,” she cried out to him.

Heart trapped in his throat, he nodded. “I see you.”

The winds here were driving and brutal, so cold that just the kiss of it against his flesh felt like a scalding burn. In minutes he’d not be able to feel his fingers.

Luminesa’s eyes were huge as she cried up to him, “you’ll need rope to heft them out.”

Cupping his hands around his mouth so that the wind could not snatch his words away he yelled, “I’ll have to return to the castle. Are you safe?”

The ledge they stood on was only big enough to comfortably fit two, not three. And there was no protection from the driving storm headed their way. The whistling and howling winds picked up in intensity, making it hard for him to hear her words back.

She was yelling at him, saying something, but he couldn’t hear her.

Shaking his head, he pointed to his ear, letting her know he couldn’t hear her, then proceeded to pantomime that he’d go back to the castle and be back as soon as he could.

Waving her hands at him in a gesture of “please hurry”, he nodded, twirled on his hooves and raced for the castle.