Page 7 of A Fate of Wings
“I’m not sure,” Ailine said. “Do you want to stay here and find out when they land to put him in the cages?”
“No.” I turned from the sight. “I’ll see him tomorrow.”
The skin on the back of my neck tingled as though the creature had his eyes pinned on me. I didn’t turn. Didn’t show him any weakness. Instead, I tipped my chin up, caught a drop of rain on my tongue, and savored the taste of anticipation for tomorrow.
Chapter four
Rozronuuk
The Autumn Court
“You don’t need tomanhandle me,” I snapped at the siren guards by my side in the windswept sky. “I’ll fly down.”
I dived through the air with my bat-like wings. The flexible appendages, almost like another set of forearms, swooped as each bone moved like a finger stretching the membrane of skin.
The guards nodded at the ground below and I dove for the center of the colosseum where I’d sensed my fated mate. I was too late, though. The flash of her bright tangerine gown slipped through the gates a second after my feet hit the ground. I roared, but another crack of thunder so immense it shook the ground and swallowed the sound. For this woman, who was my fated mate, sure liked to slip away from me. If I didn’t know better, I’dsay she wasn’t mine, but the way my body tightened into need at a mere glimpse of her told me all I needed to understand.
“The cages are down there.” A guard pointed to a metal grate in the wall.
“You’re keeping us caged?” I crossed my arms over my chest.
“Your choice. Stay and compete to be the siren queen’s mate or head back to wherever you originated.” The guard shrugged like she didn’t care which one I’d choose.
I shot her daggers with my eyes, but she didn’t flinch. Well, well, weren’t the mighty sirens a tough bunch of women? Would their queen be as tough, or did she have a gooey center? One I’d lick? The thought made my pants tighter.
“Fine,” I grumbled. “Lock me up if you feel the need, but if this is some ruse to kill me, then you’re sadly mistaken if you think I’ll go so easily.”
The guards glanced at each other.
“This is a no-kill competition.”
“You don’t say?” My eyebrows shot up on my forehead and almost hit my horns.
“Queen’s orders. All competitors will leave alive. She will give all competitors multiple tasks to perform once the battles are over.”
“Interesting.” I released my arms. “Lead the way so I can find out whatever else your queen has in store for us ‘entrants’.”
“You won’t find out until you win your first battle.” The guards marched me over to the metal grate.
“So one of the other tasks isn’t to see who can give her the most orgasms?”
One guard coughed to cover her laugh while the others hid their smiles by ducking their heads.
“I’d win.”
Their gazes traveled over me with instant sexual interest, but there was only one woman for me. Only one siren for me.
A guard cleared her throat. “You can always stay at my house tonight.”
I narrowed my eyes and gave her a hard stare. “You’d go behind your queen’s back? Bed her potential mate?”
She dragged her gaze away and wet her lips. “No?”
“You don’t sound so sure.” I took a step toward the would-be traitor.
“No,” she hurried to say.
Another guard unlocked the grate after shooting the other guard a disgusted look. “This way. We have a cage for posturing jerks like you.”