Page 2 of Claimed By Midnight

I just need to find someone who is deep in the mines and trap them in a deal that benefits me.

Movement catches my eye. Further up the hill, partially obscured by outcroppings of black rock, stands a mansion that makes my wings snap taut with interest. Guards track around its perimeter, and wards pulse beneath its surface, layer upon layer of intricate spellwork that speaks of real power, not just purchased protection. The walls seem to drink in the darkness, and windows gleam like amber eyes.

What are they hiding?

I drop lower, testing the edges of the magical barriers. They respond instantly, sending a warning thrill through my bones. Professional work. Expensive work. The kind of security that speaks of valuable secrets.

A courtyard opens at the mansion's center, and there - mining equipment. Not the crude tools used in common operations, but precision instruments. Crystalline drills and enchanted picks that could extract the most delicate specimens without damage.

My lips curl into a smile. This is what I've been searching for. Whatever they're pulling from Ikoth's depths, it's rare enough to warrant this level of protection. And rare means profitable.

I circle once more, committing the layout to memory. The wards might pose a challenge, but nothing insurmountable. Not for someone who's spent centuries crafting weapons that can slice through wards.

My boots touch the dark grass, power thrumming through my veins as I test the wards. They're impressive - layers of protection spells woven together like a tapestry of deadly intent. Each strand pulses with different energies: fire, lightning, pure force. Breaking through will take time, finesse-

A flash of light erupts from the mansion's walls. The wards ripple like disturbed water, and a woman bursts through them as if they're made of paper. She tumbles onto the grass at my feet, her chest heaving.

My breath catches. Waves of dark hair spill across her shoulders, framing a face that belongs in New Solas's finest paintings. Her skin glows pale as moonlight against the black grass. She wears a white dress that clings to curves made for sin, now torn and stained a little with dirt.

But it's her eyes that freeze me in place - wide, green, and filled with an innocence I haven't seen since leaving the golden city. No demon or hardened human possesses that pure light. She's like a star fallen into this dark realm.

Her gaze finally lifts to mine, and those golden-green eyes widen with fresh terror. The sight sends electricity crackling through my veins, igniting something dark and possessive in my chest. My wings spread wide, casting shadows across her trembling form.

"Well, well," I purr, all too eager with this. "What a delicious treat I've found."

She tries to scramble back. The white dress bears testament to her struggle - torn, dirty, yet still managing to showcase curves that would make most men weep. She's clearly been kept, pampered. No calluses mar those delicate hands, no hardness dulls that innocent glow.

I prowl closer, my boots silent on the dark grass. She scrambles backward, but there's nowhere to go. The mansion's wards crackle behind her, and I stand between her and freedom.

My fingers flex, itching to touch that pristine skin, to claim what fate has dropped at my feet. She doesn't belong in this realm of darkness and decay. She belongs in New Solas, surrounded by gold and crystal. No - she belongs in my workshop, where I can keep her safe, protected. Mine.

The predator in me recognizes easy prey, but there's more to it. That light in her eyes, that untouched grace - it awakens something I thought long dead after centuries of dealing with demons and their ilk. A desire to possess, to corrupt, to own.

A growl builds in my throat as she tries to edge sideways. My wings snap forward, hemming her in. The movement draws her attention to them, and recognition flashes across her face. Yes, little one. See what I am. Know that escape is impossible.

I've crafted countless weapons, forged blades that can slice through reality itself. But this - this frightened creature with her torn dress and desperate eyes - this is what I want to master. To break and remake until she shines only for me.

2

ATHENA

My heart slams against my ribs as I stumble backward, nearly tripping over a tree root. The xaphan's massive frame towers over me, his light gray wings spread wide enough to block the silver moonlight streaming through the forest canopy. The shadows dance across his sharp features, making him look more predator than angel.

"Please." My voice comes out as a whisper. "I won't - I won't tell anyone I saw you here."

A cruel smile twists his perfect lips, turning his ethereal beauty into something dangerous. His golden eyes gleam with an intensity that pins me in place. Despite his immaculate appearance - the perfectly coiffed golden curls, the pristine clothing - there's nothing gentle about him.

My back hits rough bark. Dead end. The xaphan takes another step closer, and I press myself against the tree trunk until splinters dig through my dress. The air crackles with magic, making the hair on my arms stand up.

"A human." His deep voice carries notes of both curiosity and disgust. "Alone at night. How... convenient."

"I'm not alone." The lie spills from my trembling lips. "My sister?—"

"Don't insult my intelligence." He leans down, bringing his face close to mine. His breath fans warm against my cheek. "You just snuck out of that house. No one knows you are gone. You're just a foolish little human who thought she could wander wherever she pleased."

Tears blur my vision. All my life, I've been protected. Sheltered. And I am sick of feeling so fucking cornered and helpless.

"Let me go." The begging is starting to taste like acid as it scrapes up my throat. "Please, I beg you."