Written by Fate

CW: Adult language, explicit sexual content.

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Moonlight peaked from my window like a shy maiden, casting a soft, silver glow across the room that danced on the edges of my furniture and played with the shadows. The tips of my front teeth sunk into my bottom lip as I stared at a half-empty Word document. The words on the page taunted me while my mind rattled for anything that could work: a word, a phrase, an emotion. The deadline was creeping closer, and I knew that the moment the sun's beauty peaked through the trees and soared through my bedroom, Marshall, my editor would be ringing my phone in a frenzy. Damn. 

Every attempt to find the right words turned the scene in my mind into TV static. The white noise flooded my ears with the sounds of a dozen honeybees. Until then, I was working on my first novel, Heart of the Shadows, a story about two lovers, Bellisa and Aradas. She is an ambitious human, and he is a gorgeous, magical, and heartbreakingly charming fae ruler who falls head over heels for her. I just wasn't sure why yet. Though I tried my hardest to find the passion and the longing for Bellisa in Aradas, when I dug into the depths of my imagination, all I saw was black. 

"Aradas," I muttered to myself. "Why can't I see you?"

I eyed the words on the page until they swirled into gibberish. I was slowly losing my mind, and at this point, my body was finding every possible reason to pull away from the computer screen. Suddenly I was hungry, thirsty, and in need of a piss all at the same time. I grunted and let my finger glide against my cell phone. As it glowed, I squinted and read over each little message. It was 8:43 PM. Not horrible, but I knew how quickly 9:00 PM could turn into midnight. I opened the phone and set a timer for strictly thirty minutes. That would surely give me enough time for a piss, a sandwich, and a cup of iced coffee to spring more life back into the dying trees of my imagination. 

After setting the timer, I pushed myself back from my chair and shuffled toward the kitchen. The flicker of fluorescent light startled my senses, and as they settled, I pulled the refrigerator open and frowned at what I saw. As my writing deadline drew near, regular eating and frequent trips to the grocery store had become a challenge. Luckily, I still had half a bag of seedy wheat bread and two more slices of smoked turkey - their smell somewhat questionable - left in the fridge. I pulled out what I needed and assembled my sandwich on my countertop, mindful that pulling out a plate would eat up my time. When I was done, I turned to my coffee maker and brewed a fresh pot. 

When it was done, I poured some of it into a cup of ice. The gentle hiss of the sizzling coffee splashing against ice almost muffled what I heard next. I would've missed it if I had been upstairs and had the TV or music on. I heard a single footstep. It met the hardwood flooring like an exhausted sigh, chilling my bones and pushing my back to stand straight. My head jerked to the side, and my eyes searched around the room like beacons on a lighthouse, trying to prove that what I heard could also be seen.

Nothing. For a moment, I suspected Morry, but like most Siamese cats, Morry moved throughout the halls of my apartment like a haunting ghost. Until I bought her collar with a bell, I never really knew where she was unless she was in my face or on my lap, scavenging for cuddles. I called out for her anyway, hoping she would strut around a corner and beg me for minnows like she usually did when she heard her name. I thought to move, but when Morry never appeared, my stomach sank to my feet, and heat crept up and washed over my face. Then, I heard another step, which drew a gasp from my throat. "Fuck." I hissed. The police, I need to call the police. 

I brought my hands up to my pockets; my palms patted against the patchiness of my pajamas as panic began to rise. I heard another step. Where the fuck is it? I thought. My throat ran dry as I remembered leaving my phone on my desk in my bedroom. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" I turned around and yanked drawer after drawer. I had forgotten where I had put the knives. The footsteps became faster, closer, and louder, sending my whole body into a shiver no chill of the weather could match. By now, each step sounded like the pang of a drum vibrating through the halls, making its way toward my kitchen. Once I found the drawer, I pulled out the largest knife I could grasp and held it tight.

Gasps and whimpers slipped from my lips with each breath, and I could feel my heart slam against my chest like a knocking door. I kept my back turned and my eyes shut, which in hindsight wasn't the wisest decision, but my fear would not let me face the assumed burgling serial killer that let themselves inside. The footsteps were now in my kitchen; the heat, the echo, and the presence of another person glided throughout the kitchen like a cloud. "Leave me the fuck alone!" I shouted, pitifully attempting to show whatever strength and bass my voice could muster. "I swear to God, I will stab you to death!"

A deep scoff rang through my ears as the footsteps finally stopped. His voice was deep and captivated the room; each word rippled through the air like the gentle rumble of thunder.

"It is because she's boring." The voice said to me, and all the air my lungs had left abandoned me, leaving my chest bare and aching. "You're having a hard time finishing because Bellisa is boring." My face burned with anger. I finally opened my eyes and turned my body around to face the predator in my home. 

"You're fucking stalking m-" My words nearly choked me at the image I saw. I screamed so loud when I saw him that I heard Morry croak an empathetic meow from my bedroom. He stood tall and lean; his body resembled the length of a redwood tree. His complexion was the shade of freshly ripened blueberries, and charcoal horns sprouted from his hairline and curved back and out toward the ceiling. A black tunic clung to his body to support his shape, and grey pants hugged tightly at his hips with a leather utility belt that dangled knives, tools, a notebook, and other miscellaneous items I couldn't quite make out. I pointed my knife out at the creature before me, and much to my dismay, he laughed. 

"Daphne, calm down, please." He said in between his chuckles. He held his blue hands up in defense as a grossly playful smile graced his lips. I thought he might be wearing a disguise for a moment, but his skin tone was entirely even besides a familiar scar that peaked from his rolled-up sleeve on his right forearm. 

"Calm Down!? What the fuck? What are you? How do you know my name!? Wha-what!" The room began to spin, and my mind worked overtime to make sense of the being I was looking at. The angles of his face were sharp; his lips were round and a deeper blue than the rest of his face. Deep brown hair cascaded past his shoulders and stopped in the center of his pecs. 

His head tilted in bewilderment. His right hand met his chest.

"My, my…you really don't know your own creation when you see him?" he asked. My body froze as I listened to him. "I must say, I'm hurt."

"What the hell are you talking about!?" I screamed, the knife shaking under the tremble of my fingers. He put his hands on his hips, and his lips pressed straight.

"Daphne put the knife down. I am not going to hurt you. I am only trying to help your little story. You're the one who said you couldn't see me, so…" My brain buzzed as the puzzle pieces inside it began to find their match. The being flipped his hair and crossed his arms on his chest. 

"Aradas?" It came out as a whispered question, as quiet as the wind wiping through the trees. The smirk that graced his lips made my stomach stir. He gestured his hands down the silhouette of his body. He smiled and flashed me a vision of pearly white fangs.

"It took you long enough. Hello, love." 

My muscles limped, and the knife I was holding dropped to the floor with a loud clang that jolted my body back to life. What the fuck?

"What the fuck?" I said out loud.

"Listen, I did not mean to frighten you."

"I-How did you? Am I high?" He chuckled darkly.

"I don't think so. If it's any consolation, I don't know how I got here either. I just heard you calling me, and I," Aradas paused momentarily, then shrugged. "I followed your voice until I ended up here." 

My eyes shot to him like darts, and with what I'd learned, I finally took the time to really observe him. He was perfect. He was exactly how I had pictured in my mind. It was almost silly that I hadn't recognized him in the first place. As I observed him, I noticed he was watching me like I watched him. Slowly, he made his way around the island, and my feet carried me backward, away from him. He caught up and gently grabbed the knife from my hands. "I have come to help you with your story, but if you would like for me to leave-" His voice was cut off by my buzzing phone alarm. Thirty minutes already? It both felt too soon and also like it had been hours. 

"What is that ghastly noise?" he asked. I backed up a little further like a frightened kitten until my body was out of the kitchen and into the hallway. "I am going into my room to turn that off. Do not follow me, please." I said. He nodded and rested his hands on his chest in a gesture of sincerity. Looking up at him, I noticed the horizontal scar on his cheek. I had forgotten that I had written that until this moment. My fingers burned to reach out and swipe across it to feel its texture. 

"I won't move a muscle," he said, his voice smooth and low, almost a growl and the lowest part of my stomach stirred. The ringing alarm pulled me from my staring. I turned myself away and stalked toward my room, and when I got there, it felt like I had been holding my breath for hours. My fingers trembled as I smashed them against the phone screen, missing the "STOP" button on my alarm once, twice, a final third time until the fourth try worked. I pressed my hands against my desk and heard Aradas hum to himself in the kitchen. What could this possibly be the work of? God? Satan? Could some magical entity be playing a cruel prank on me? When I turned my head towards the door, I noticed that Morry had found her way out of my bedroom and was walking toward the kitchen; her fluffy black tail swayed like a charmed snake while she turned the corner.

"Oh, hello, little creature. You remind me of the Fae Lions at home." I heard him say from the kitchen as I tried to catch my breath. I turned back to my phone, opened my contacts, and scrolled to search for who I should call. My mother? The Police? My editor? And when I called, what was I to say? The tall, handsome Fae King I've been writing about in my novel has come to life and is talking to my cat in my kitchen? The right one to call was probably my therapist.

I settled on calling my mother, the only person on the planet I'm sure would believe me if I told her what was happening, but when I pressed the phone to my ear, the call had already dropped. 

I tried again—still the same. After failing a third time, I tried calling Marshall. No rings came through, and the call dropped once again. What the hell could be going on? 

My fingers rushed like hurdling wind to the keys on my computer, opening whatever social media site I could think to type first. When I clicked the enter key, I was met with a loading screen that only led me to an error page. "Wi-Fi not in service." I stood dumbfounded, mumbling every expletive in my vocabulary as I tried turning the Wi-Fi off and then on again three times. Was he somehow doing this? The clock on my computer still worked. Time was moving fast, for it was now 9:20. I still wondered if Aradas was real or some sleep deprivation-induced delusion that my mind was projecting through my eyes. Regardless, I needed to get him out of my apartment, and I really, really needed to meet my deadline. 

Oh, but he was stunning. He was gorgeous. Undeniably stunning in the exact way that I had drawn him on the canvas in my mind. He walked and talked the right way. Every mannerism was precisely how I had imagined it. His voice, the curve of his lips when he smiled, and his long body made me want to crumble beneath him. I found myself taking a moment to imagine what it would feel like to have his arms wrapped around me tightly. What it would feel like to kiss his soft and wide lips or to have him deep inside me.

I slipped my phone into my pocket, and when I looked up, my eye caught a mirror in the corner. I took a moment to look at myself. My eyes peered at the stray curls that had loosened from my bun. After tucking them in, I smoothed out my shirt. "Daphne!?" I heard Aradas shout from the kitchen. My heart fluttered at his voice singing my name like a hymn. "This poor little creature looks famished. May I feed her?" 

"I'm coming!" I said back. "Don't move!" I checked myself one last time before walking out of my room and back to the kitchen. When I turned the corner, Aradas was still in the same spot I had left him, but now, Morry, the little traitor, was curled up in his arms, her body vibrating like an engine with purrs while he stroked the top of her fluffy head with his index finger. She stared up at him, entranced by his gaze, behaving like he was the one who fed her every single day. A goddamned traitor. His eyes moved from hers to mine, and I nearly slipped into his stare momentarily, just like Morry.

"She's so sweet. She loves you, and she loves her life very much." My brows furrowed in confusion, snapping me out of my trance until I remembered.

"I forgot you can communicate with animals."

"That's how you wrote me." I sighed and moved around the high cabinet where I kept Morry's food. Though she was small, Morry was strong, and it didn't take much for her to get into one of the bottom cabinets if she pleased, so I had to keep her food high and put it in the back of the corner kitchen cabinet. The unpleasant part about that, however, was that I often struggled to get the bag myself, and because I wasn't brilliant, after years of having Morry, I never thought to invest in a step stool. Usually, I would hop on the island and reach my hands as far in the back as I could until I caught the bag, but there was no way I could do that in front of Aradas.

I slowly lifted myself to my toes and turned my face away to avoid facing Aradas. I slithered my hand up and into the open cabinet, reaching back as far as my fingers could go, but I felt nothing. 

"Do you need help?" Aradas said from behind me, his voice full of amusement. What a bastard.

"No, I'm fine." I attempted to push my toes higher, but that did me no favors. I could tell that my hand was still inches away from the bag. 

"Don't be so stubborn. Let me help you get it, Daphne." I finally turned toward him. He and Morry looked upon me disapprovingly, and I grunted as reality finally settled in. I could only get it down if I jumped on the counter or got him to help me, and neither option was ideal.

"Aradas, I am fine. I can get it on my own," I retorted sharply. I didn't need or want his help, and 

I could not look so weak in front of him. 

I turned and jumped, failing once again. After a few seconds, Aradas walked up behind me, grabbed the bag, and set it on the counter with ease. When I looked at him, his lips stretched into an arrogant grin.

"It's a little heavy. I can feed her for you," he said. He didn't allow me a moment to answer before grabbing the bag and putting food into Morry's bowl. She nuzzled his legs as he gently poured the kibble. Betrayal after betrayal.

While Aradas' back was turned, I opened the junk drawer for my landline phone. Something told me it wouldn't work, but I just needed to check. 

"You know, I thought you'd be happier to see me. I thought this would make you feel powerful?" He said while setting the bag back down and dusting his hands.

"Powerful? This is terrifying." I retorted. I looked over my shoulder and saw that he had turned in my direction. I pulled out the phone, clicked the buttons, and- nothing. I dropped it back into the drawer and slammed it shut.

"Is that why you're trying to call your Realm Rangers…is that what you call them here?"

"We call them the police here, and no, I am not trying to call them," I said as I turned my body back around toward him.

"Police," he repeated as he crossed his arms on his chest and leaned his hip against the island. His head tilted, his brows furrowed, and his eyes burned into the skin of my face like he was trying to figure me out. "Well, then, who were you calling?"

"I-" my voice stalled. "I don't know. Why? Are you prohibiting me from making a phone call?" he laughed, and I saw his fangs again. They sparkled under the artificial light, and my mind took a moment to wonder what they would feel like dragging against the skin of my neck.

"You can call whoever you want. You're the one in charge here."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You're the one that's the creator. You thought me up, and now I'm here. That's why I thought you'd feel powerful. You’re like…a goddess. Yes, you’re my goddess." That word dripped off his tongue like a sweet wine, and something swirled in my lower stomach again. He smiled wickedly when he noticed how his words made me pause. His handsomeness was taunting me. It drew my senses in and held them still, freezing me under his command. "Listen, I do not know how I got here or how to leave, but I think I can help you with your story. I mean, who better to help you than your leading man?" 

I crossed my arms on my chest, mirroring him, and I lifted my brow.

"How could you help me?"

"I know the problem. What's got you so stuck." His body straightened, and his feet slid closer to me. His shoulders were broad and flexing with each step, sending zapping shivers down my back. He stopped in front of me. "It is Bellisa. She is just…" He huffed, and his eyes looked around the room as if he were searching for the rest of his sentence in a cabinet or on the ceiling. "She is dull," he admits. As much as I wanted to argue, I couldn't deny that he was right. While I had spent so much time delicately crafting Aradas and his world, I didn't put as much effort into her and couldn't quite figure out why or how to fix it. 

"How do I fix it?" I asked. 

"I can answer your question, little goddess. However, you may not like it." He let out a breathy laugh. I ignored the pet name and rolled my eyes as I tried calming the heat in my belly.

"Just say it."

"It has become clear to me that Bellisa is you." I gasped and pulled back from him, and my backside hit the knob of my cabinet. 

"No, she's not!" I said, offended. 

"Yes, she is Daphne."

"That's insulting." 

"Oh please, you've made me many things, my creator. You've made me brooding, stubborn, a killer, a lover, but you have not made me dense." he stepped even closer, and I could feel the heat of his body radiate on my skin like he was the sun. He pulled his arms back by his sides, and he smiled. His pink tongue flickered out and gently caressed the center of his plump upper lip. The room was suddenly hot, and I was becoming dizzy. Soon, I was trapped, pinned between him and the granite countertops. 

"Bellisa has your skin, eyes, the curl of your hair. She has a Fae Lion that looks just like your little one. She is even an artist like you." He teased. As much as I didn't care to admit it, Aradas was right, and he was reading me like a book before my eyes. "You have given her everything, but you are holding back on one thing." I froze before him, my perfect creation, as he towered over me. His eyes had buried themselves into mine, and the scent that lifted from his body was making me high. I could feel a tingle between my thighs, and I knew just then that I was close to defeat. 

"What is it?" I asked honestly. He leaned in until his breath tickled my ear.

"Her desire," he whispered, and I could feel my body open itself for him completely. Every invisible restraint holding me back from him had broken apart, and now here I was, urging, throbbing, to touch him, to have him touch me. If this was some delusion, god, it was a beautiful one. "Everything she is not, you are. I can feel it in you. I've felt it since you called me. You were calling me to come and please you, my goddess, so you may feel what you could not see in your mind's eye." I opened my mouth to speak, but shockingly, he shushed me.

"Do not deny me, little goddess. I can smell the desire on you." His right hand snaked behind my back, and his left met my cheek, cradling me with so much care, like I was made of glass. 

"My poor creator has been struggling because she wants to feel it for herself, isn't that right?" Before I could protest, his lips pressed gently against my neck. 

Breath was caught in my throat again. His hands quickly moved to my waist, pushing me harder against the counter. I moaned loudly. His fingers dug into the fabric of my pants, and his horns rubbed against my cheek gently. They felt like marble against my skin, and I wondered what they would feel like in my hands. His lips trailed down my neck lower and lower until they tingled at my collarbone. 

"I have a deadline to meet," I said lowly, without any real conviction. I wasn't trying to get him off of me. In fact, I hoped that if he kissed me long enough, all of the night's responsibilities would melt away. 

"All will be taken care of." His voice echoed through my ears with god-like resonance, sending tingles through my body. I want to let go. He was right; after all, I wanted to feel him. I wanted desperately to see what it was like to spend a night with the man I made to be my perfect hero. 

"How can you write when your body aches, hmm? Let me ease the ache." He whispered as his hands slid up from my waist and met my breasts, covered in meddlesome cloth. "I won't be all that long. I promise." His right pointer and thumb pinch at my breast, and every single inhibition unraveled and fell to the floor. 

The swirling in my stomach became a nagging throbbing in my core, and wetness pooled in my underwear. He pulled himself up straight to gaze into my eyes, and my cheeks grew hot as I looked at the smile on his face. "Your body is a magnet, but I will stop if you ask me to. It is up to you, sweet creat-" I stopped him with my lips and allowed myself to slip into the delusion completely. What is an hour or two extra giving Aradas my body as I had wanted since I pulled him from my imagination? 

"My god, yes, you may touch me anywhere," I told him, and his smile grew wickedly. Without warning, his arms scooped under me, he picked me up, and my open legs cradled him from each side. 

What he did next would be a true test of my imagination. Was the lover that I made really about to diminish the fire that burned in me?

He was strong. He held me like I was one of his daggers. His grip was firm, but it wasn't painful or overwhelming. His legs moved backward, and he spun around, delicately laying me on the island. As my back pressed against the granite, I shivered like I was resting on ice. I turned my head and laughed when I noticed the sandwich I never ate lying right beside me. When I looked at Aradas, he was chucking and removing his belt. Once it was off, he let it fall to the floor with a loud clang. He reached beside me, grabbed the sandwich, and tossed it away. 

"That was my only dinner." I said, and he laughed louder. His voice carried throughout the room and covered me. His laugh was joyous and lovely. For a moment, I thought about what it would be like to hear that laugh every day. 

His tunic was off and on the ground instantly, and I laid there, impressed by the perfect image before me. His muscles flexed sharply, each movement precise and measured.

"You can eat a real meal after." He said snarkily as his hands found my waist again. He eyed my pajama pants with great concentration and gripped the top of them tightly. I could tell he was rushing as he pulled them down, but he was still gentle, handling me with care. Soon, they were on the floor beside his tunic. He pushed my legs back, bringing my knees towards my face, and my core grew hotter with anticipation. He held them up and spread my legs wide, stretching the muscles where my inner thigh and abdomen met. When my legs were as wide as he wanted, he looked down between my legs and bit his lip. 

"Gods…" he hummed. He rose up my body again, and my mind screamed for him to touch me there. I would go crazy if he stalled any longer. He let go of my left leg but held it in place where he had left it and watched as his index and pointer fingers gently landed on the wet spot my arousal left in my panties. "Fuck," he purred. "So wet." His fingers danced along the spot there, and I whimpered, loving the feeling but still wanting more. "After tonight, I will be the only one you get this wet for. My gods, look at it." His other hand let my right leg go, and I used all my strength to keep them both nice and wide for him. He gripped the panties and looked up at me. "May I destroy these?" He asked sweetly, his eyes looking into mine, trying to find how I might feel about it.

"Please do," I said, and just like that, with one sharp rip, they were gone. He pulled the ruined pink fabric from my legs and tossed it behind his shoulder. When his eyes met my cunt, which was throbbing and aching for his touch, he moaned. 

"Gods, your body has become a river for me, little goddess. It's quite astonishing that I haven't even been here an hour, and you are pouring with arousal." His fingers came down gently and spread my lips, making me whimper again, this time much louder. His eyes flickered up to meet mine. I could feel my wetness ooze from my core and drip down until it began to pool under me. 

"And you were trying to pretend. Why?" It didn't seem like that was a question he wanted an actual answer to, so I kept quiet until one of his fingers finally slid up my slit slowly from bottom to top. The moan that left my lips was deep and a little humiliating, but it made him smile wide, showing off those sharp fangs once again. "I just want to see it drip out of you a little more." He said, this time quietly, like it was to himself more than me. His finger stopped at my clit, and slowly he rubbed the left side of it. "Oooh." He breathed as he watched me shake under him. "Does that feel good, goddess?" He asked, and I moaned again, nodding. Suddenly, he stopped, and his eyes were on mine again. 

"You know I am very communicative, darling. Use your words." He commanded. "Tell me what my fingers do to you." The rubbing started again on the other side, this time slower.

"Fuck." I mumbled. I was never sure if I was good at dirty talk. I loved writing it, but when it came down to actually doing it, I often overanalyzed my words, cringing with embarrassment. "Yes, it feels perfect," I admitted, and he laughed.

"Don't be so cold. Talk to me. This cunt is so pretty and so wet. I know there's something you want to say." The finger slips from my clit down to trace ever so gently around my opening. "Do you need me to help you find the words?" I nodded again, and he awed at me in response. "So cute. Tell me that you love the way I'm playing with your pussy, goddess." 

I knew it would sound much sillier for me to say than him. He could say anything, and it would sound like sex. Nevertheless, I tried.

"I love the way you play with my pussy. It feels so good." I added the last part for a little extra flare, and he moaned as I spoke. 

"Mm, yes, I know it feels good. Look at the mess you're making for my finger. You're doing all this for just one finger. Wait til I add another. Wait until it's my dick filling you. I am so hard, my goddess, but admittedly, I've been hard since I laid my eyes on you." His words and the movement of his fingers continued to make me drip with arousal. 

He spread my lips again and pulled himself in. Just then, he spit on my cunt, and I moaned so loud I heard it echo through the kitchen. "Mmm, goddess." His fingers began to tease me again, swirling around my clit, then down to tease my hole but never entering. "I'm going to fuck you with my fingers, little goddess. Is that alright?" The questions at this point, while appreciated, felt utterly crazy.

"Aradas, please!" I moaned loudly, and his eyes flashed up to mine. He pulled his fingers away completely, and I could've cried. I was confused. Did I say or do something wrong? Was he suddenly disinterested? He licked his lips and pulled himself up straight. 

"I'm sorry, what did you say? I didn't quite hear you, goddess?" Yes, I almost forgot, he's sadistic. I made him that way.

"Beg with that sweet voice, and I will put my fingers inside you." He was aggravating. What an asshole. Why did I write him like this? 

"Aradas I-fuck." I groaned. "Please touch me again. I need it." I begged. "I need it so bad." 

"Mmm, I know. I know you need it." He teased, mocking, arousing, and angering me all at once. But he did deliver because soon I felt his finger push inside of me. He hissed as it slowly slid in deeper and deeper. My entire body tingled, and my ears burned as the sensation made me grip the island's edges. "This pussy is so tight. It's going to feel so good when I put my cock inside of it." Once his finger was inside, he slowly slipped it out and pushed it back in. 

"Ohh, Aradas!" I shouted. He knew exactly how to play me. How to make my body beg even when my mouth didn't. 

"You filthy little writer. All this time, you were yearning for my fingers, my lips, my cock, and the moment it's all in front of you, you pretend as though it wasn't yours to claim?" He added a second finger, and my knuckles ached as I gripped the counter. "I have lived all of your little musings. The ones you share, the ones you don't. The little summaries of the kind of lover you wanted me to be. I am all of it. Rough, nasty, dominant, but kind and gentle. Am I not doing everything you want?" 

My mind was slipping even further from reality as his fingers found spots inside of me that I didn't even know existed. His fingers pulled out of me, and abruptly his hand came down sharp on my cunt, spanking it before his fingers pushed their way back inside of me. I gasped and closed my eyes, no longer able to look at anything. I could only concentrate on the pleasure.

"Answer me, goddess."

"You are doing everything right, Aradas!"

"Good little goddess. Thank you for answering my question." The heat was too much. I gripped my shirt and pulled it up and off of my body. My moans only became louder and louder as his long fingers moved inside me. "So eager. Do you think you'll be ready for my cock soon?" He asked, and I nodded. 

"Yes!"

"Do you remember what it looks like?" My eyes shot open as the image I painted in my head returned. Oh, sweet lord. He grinned proudly. 

"I will make you wait, little goddess. In the meantime, I will take you to your bed." His fingers slipped out of me again, and I groaned. Quickly, I was back in his arms, bouncing with each step as he carried me into my room. "Oh, how cute it is in here." He said as he looked around at my fairy lights and fake vines. "I wish I could take you to the meadow outside my palace. You would be delighted to see what you created there." He said, and my mind wandered a little. If he could come here, could I go there? 

"I'd love that. Maybe one day, somehow, that could happen." He gently laid me down on top of my bed.

"Yes, perhaps so." He leaned in close, and his lips captured mine in a soul-sucking kiss that made butterflies rage in my stomach. My mouth opened for his tongue to explore. The kiss almost felt like love but a little worse. My eyes peeled open, and I could see his fingers fumble with the pants around his waist. Finally, he pulled back, and his lips ghosted mine. There goes that grin again, wide and somewhat fear-inducing. 

"Am I pleasing you?" He whispered. "I'm addicted to hearing you say that you're satisfied." I giggled and reached up to cup his face in my hands. My Aradas. His soft interior was my favorite part. Under all of the macho mannerisms, he was so soft. 

"You are my perfect Aradas," I told him. His eyes grew wide for a moment, then darkened on me. 

"Gods, I need to fill you. I need it right now." He said as he pulled back. As he straightened, I could see the full extent of his body. His thighs were thick under the tight fabric that kept tonight's prize locked away from me. He hooked his thumbs on both sides. "You remember how you wrote it, right, sweet goddess?" He asked again teasingly while he lowered the waistband a little. I let out a cackle, thinking about how in hindsight, the way I wrote Aradas' dick was rather silly. My mind was consumed with lust the day I put those ideas to paper. 

"I do, I remember. Let me see." I said, my tone a lot more commanding than I had intended. I was feeling at this point. I was feral. Aradas had left me starving. He pulled the thin fabric of his underwear down completely. The fabric flicked at his cock as he pushed it down, and it bounced back, slapping the lower part of his stomach. Somehow his dick managed to exceed my expectations despite being something I knew like the back of my hand. It sat darker in hue than the rest of his body, matching his lips. Then, of course, the special edition.

Along with being long and thick, just to my liking, I had written it to be naturally ribbed. The ribs were subtle—not too big, just enough to be felt and seen. 

"Jesus Christ." I sighed as I looked over it. He flashed me a cocky grin, and I wanted to slap it from his lips. How dare he come here and make me starve for him. How dare he do every little thing I want.

"Legs wide, Daphne." He commanded. I quickly obliged, this time finding the courage to touch myself before him teasingly. "Let me do that," he purred, moving closer and slapping my fingers away. He crawled on me, and his body cascaded over me like an eclipse. 

My, was he gorgeous. I reached up and traced a finger over the curve of his pointed ear. His lips were back on my neck again, and he shivered under my touch as he left wet kisses down until he reached my breasts. He took my right breast in his mouth, and I gasped. His tongue flicked at the peak, wet and hot. It didn't take long for those fingers to be back at my clit again, sending little zaps through my core, up my stomach, and ending on my cheeks with a wave of pleasure. For a brief moment, he pulled away and blew cool air against the skin there, making me shiver and crumble even harder under that wicked touch of his. "Tiny goddess, tell me how badly you want it, and I will give you what you need until you fall apart."

"Aradas, please! Stop teasing me. Just fuck me!" His hearty laugh echoed through the room.

"That's all I needed to hear you say. I promise to be gentle." He straightened up and spat in his large hand before grabbing his cock to coat it. He scooted his hips forward, trying to get as close to me as possible. He dragged his cock up my slit, and I moaned his name before reaching up to grip his arms. 

Strong muscles flexed under my touch as he continued his teasing, allowing me just to feel the tip of his cock swirl around my clit and down toward my leaking hole. 

He watched me as he teased, but I kept my eyes on the cock in his hand, waiting with anticipation for it to slip inside. When he finally started to push himself inside, I screamed a word that didn't exist. "Oh yes." He purred. He moved gently, examining every single move my face made as he pushed himself inside further and further, stretching me in a way I had never experienced. I began to feel the ridges of his cock, and my throat ran dry as ecstasy spread throughout my body, leaving me winded.

The sensation was overwhelming. I even considered asking him to stop, but I couldn't fix my mouth to do it. It was just too good, and I could not miss a moment. 

"Gods' it's perfect." he moaned, and for the first time tonight, he shut his eyes. He continued his hissing and compliments inside of me, and when there was no more of him left, he held himself there for a moment like he was catching his breath. "You are perfect. The best fit." His hands gripped my thighs, and he yanked me closer to him, making me yelp. "Are you ready, little goddess?" 

"Please, Aradas! Fuck me, I cannot take much more." I begged, and he didn't waste any time pulling out and barreling himself back into me with one powerful thrust. A loud moan slipped from my lips as I felt my toes begin to tingle. "Aradas, more!" I exclaimed. My nail began to dig into his skin and pulled out before slamming back inside of me again.

"Oh fuck. Perfect, Daphne." He moved slowly at first but began to quicken the pace a little as he realized I was all right. Soon, his thrusts became faster and deeper, making me moan expletives with every movement. He was unmatched. No one in my life had ever even come close to him. "You are taking my cock so well, my goddess. Do you feel my ridges?" He asked, and I looked into his eyes. His lashes fluttered as his eyes began to droop with lust. I nodded at him.

"Mm, get in deeper, h-harder, my A-Aradas." He growled when I said this as his thrusts became more powerful. His right hand came up, and he pointed two fingers near my mouth, the same fingers he used to play with me just moments ago. He didn't have to say it, I knew what he wanted, and I graciously obliged, taking the two fingers into my mouth and sucking, never breaking eye contact. I wanted him to watch me. "What a naughty little goddess," he said. His fucking got deeper and deeper while I allowed my tongue to swirl around the salty taste of his fingers. After a few minutes, he pulled them out. "You are so fucking nasty," he said before taking his wet fingers and using them to rub my clit again as he fucked me deep and long. He didn't move too fast. He already knew that wasn't what I wanted. The pace was perfect. 

"Aradas! Fuck!" I yelped, and he laughed darkly. "S-so good!" My moans and whimpers only made him work harder. 

After some time, he pulled out, breaking my heart.

"Aradas wa-" Before I could finish my thought, Aradas had picked me up again and flipped me over on my stomach. He reached over, grabbed one of the pillows from my bed, and lifted my belly gently to stuff the pillow under me. My lower half had risen, and while I was excited, I didn't know what to expect. No one had ever had me in this position before.

"Legs spread again, queen." He said, and I obeyed. His finger teased my entrance a little, rubbing it before I felt his cock slip back into me. My god, was he big and deeper than he was before.

"Oh yes. This is much better." He said as he continued to fuck me. The ridges hit every single spot all at once, over and over until I realized that I didn't have much time left. My orgasm was rustling through like a busy train. "Fuck, this cunt is so good. You're like a glove. My perfect match." He purred as he continued his magic. His moans became lighter in tone, and his breath was haggard. He was slipping just like I was. He spanked my ass, and the sound of his palm against my skin bounced off of the walls in melodic harmony. 

"Aradas, I am-"

"That’s it, yes! Cum for me." His left hand slipped under the pillow my head rested on, and he gently grabbed at my neck. He squeezed ever so slightly, and the tingles in my toes radiated throughout my entire body. He was fucking me so good I could not see myself ever living normally again after this. 

Less than an hour ago, I was scared of him and wanted him to leave. At this point, I hoped he was trapped here forever so I could keep him to myself. He leaned in, his chest pressed against my back as his thrusts began to pick up in speed. "This perfect cunt is just milking me. I want to shoot my seed inside of you and watch it drip out," he said. 

I was losing my mind off of his words alone. "May I cum inside of you, little goddess?" 

"Please cum inside of me, Aradas. I need it. I'll do anything." He growled and let go of my neck. His hand grabbed my hip harshly, and the pace quickened even more. Aradas was determined to give me what I wanted. I loved that about him. 

"Gods, I'm close. Cum with me, Daphne." Like magic, I could feel my orgasm move faster as it reached its peak. Did his words coax my body into moving with him? Did his magic work over both my body and my mind? "Ahh! Cum with me, goddess. I am so close!"

"Mm, me too, I-AHH!" My words were cut short by my body exploding with pleasure. The orgasm washed over me. It was rebirthing me. Aradas had ripped me apart and put me back together again, and just when I didn't think it would get much better, I felt his cock twitch and his hot cum spilled inside of me. 

"Fuck! Daphne!" My name on his tongue was burned into my mind. I loved the little pet names, but hearing my name from his lips sent me over the edge. "Oooh." He growled as his body began to still with his orgasm. He pulled out almost entirely, then pushed himself back in hard, and I yelped in response. "Fuck yes, mmm, my cum coming out of you is… extraordinary, my goddess. Thank you for giving that to me." 

He pulled out again, and I looked over my shoulder when I noticed his silence. He was staring down at my cunt still. I could feel his cum drip out of me. He was serious about watching it. He took a finger and dipped it inside of me for a moment, and I hissed at how sensitive everything felt. A moment later, that finger was in his mouth. He hummed with pleasure, and his eyes rolled to the back of his head.

"We are so good together, " he said, and I could hear my heart pounding in my ears. I didn't know how to process someone wanting me this badly, let alone my very own creation. 

"You are perfect, Aradas," I said, looking back at the gorgeous blue man naked in my bed. He grinned and pulled the finger away. "Give me a taste," I commanded gently, and he quickly obeyed, gathering more onto his finger and leaning forward to pop it into my open mouth. When I tasted us, I felt like I tasted heaven. I was already addicted to it. "Oh fuck." I moaned as the taste dissipated on my tongue. 

"I know!" he exclaimed. "I need to always be fucking you. I need to taste this every single day." Was that possible? If it were, I would surely let him. "May I have you again, if you are up to it, goddess?" he asked softly, hope coated his tone. He was faltering on his promise to not be too long, and he knew that I had a deadline to meet, but I couldn't say no to him after all that. I needed him just as much as he needed me. The deadline be damned. That night, I went to the clouds with Aradas three more times. Each time was somehow better than the last, and every time I tasted him, it was like trying a new drug for the first time. We licked, bit, thrusted, and fucked our way through the night. My perfect Aradas knew all my spots, and I knew that he was pleasured by pleasuring me. 

Sometime after our last trip to the sky, we were wrapped up in each other, our limbs fighting to be as tightly wrapped together as possible. By this time, nakedness felt so natural that it was like our bare bodies were all we had. I rubbed on his horns, making him occasionally whimper and growl at my touch. That became one of my favorite things to do to him. 

"I want to see the forest," I told him. "I know what it looks like, but I want to feel it." He nods in understanding, the tips of his large finger circling one of my back dimples. 

"Believe me, darling, if I can find a way to bring you back to my forest, I will. I will go to the ends of the universe to do so. You deserve to see the beautiful home you made for me and all my people." 

"You want to bring me there when Bellisa is the one you're supposed to be with?" I asked, and he laughed. 

"You already know how I feel about Bellisa. If you wish for me to care for her, all you have to do is write it to be so. But to be honest, I don't think you will. I think you are greedy, and now you want me all to yourself." He said, and I laughed. My hand slipped from his horn, and I brought it down to his face, cupping it carefully. 

"You would be right, Aradas. But you'll need someone if I cannot come back with you. I will work harder to make her to your liking. I'll make her just as whorish as me." He scoffed at this and rolled his eyes. 

"I don't think you understand what just happened tonight. I am obsessed with you and that little phenomenon between your legs. You think I have it in me to touch Bellisa now?"

"I think you should try."

"I'd rather eat horse hair." I snorted and slapped his arm. "But no, something tells me I don't have much more time here with you. The urge is calling me like your voice did much earlier." I don't know how, but I knew he would have to leave at some point. I shrugged and sighed. 

"Oh, alright." I took a moment to think, wondering what kind of magic could've brought him to me in the first place. That's alright; I suppose it'll just be me and Morry again." He snickered. 

"You will be alright. Morry is a mighty protector." We laughed together, and I moped, already missing him. He paused, then grumbled. "Fuck. It is calling me. I must take my leave, goddess." He sat up and pressed his lips firmly to mine. "But do not worry, I will return to you." He pointed between my legs. "And to you, again."

I grinned and leaned forward to steal one more kiss. I was unsure if tonight was possible or real, so who was to say that another night like this was in my future, near or far? I was saddened as my brain tried to measure the possibility of this happening again, but I smiled for my perfect Aradas anyway. 

"We will be waiting." Suddenly, a large portal wrapped with light materialized in my room, right in front of Aradas and me.

"I must go." He whispered. His face was riddled with disappointment, but it felt good to know he wanted me just as much as I wanted him. He stood to his feet and didn't even bother to grab his clothes or any of his belongings, for that matter. He turned back to me, winked and sighed. 

"This is not over. I shall see you again, Daphne." 

"I will miss you, Aradas." I blew him a kiss, and he gave me one last grin before walking through the glimmering portal. I curved my neck to see what was on the other side, but all I could see was bright golden light. It lit up my room like the sun. For a moment I thought to jump through it with him but once he stepped inside, it vanished. No sound, no warning. It was just gone. My sadness exhausted me. My body, mind, and spirit were all aching for him to return, but I was too tired to emote much at all, so after a few minutes of trying to hold onto my memories of the night, I slipped hard into the silkiness of slumber. 

-

Six AM. That horrible alarm noise was back, bringing the peaking sun with it. I reached for it but remembered where I had left it, in my back pocket. My brain was so fried that I could only get out one word.

A name. Six letters. Aradas. Aradas. Aradas. I knew I had to prepare myself for the ultimate doom of this day. The sun was up, and I had nothing written, but it was becoming harder and harder for me to care. I pulled myself from my bed and tilted my head when I noticed that Aradas' pants, once lying on the floor to my right, were completely gone. 

Had he come back and not told me? Did they disappear on their own? I walked into the kitchen, picking up Morry on my way to check and see if his shirt and toolbelt were still there. They were completely gone. But my pajama pants and day-old sandwich were still on the floor, in the spots they were in last night. This was affirming. At least I knew my night with Aradas wasn't a figment of my imagination. The alarm was still blaring through my ears, and I set Morry down to retrieve it from my pants pocket. When I pulled it out, my stomach dropped as it lit up in my face. My god. Not only was my phone back to normal, but I had also missed seven calls from Marshall in just ten minutes. I was fucked. I groaned loudly and kicked my foot in the air. Suddenly, I began to care again. Stupid Aradas and his gorgeous face. Why couldn't he just let me write? I knew that I had to call Marshall back. I knew I was fucked, but maybe there was still a way that I could fix it. 

My thumb hovered over his name, and I bit my lip as I pressed it. I closed my eyes and tapped my finger where I knew the call button was. When the first ring came through, my stomach dropped. It didn't take long until the nasally tone of his voice came through the speaker.

"Daphne!?" I heard him say, and I whimpered as I returned to my bedroom. 

"Marshall! I am sorry! I am so, so sorry! I know I fucked up, but I can fix it!"

"Daphne." He said, rudely interrupting me. 

"I promise. I am completely aware that you need something literally now, but if you give me a few more hours, I believe I can-"

"Daphne, what the hell are you talking about? I got the draft four hours ago!" Huh?

"Huh?"

"Do you not remember sending me your draft? What, did you pull an all-nighter or something? I know the calls were intense, but I was calling to tell you how amazing it is! One of the best drafts you've given me in some time." He couldn't have been talking about me. Surely, he was mistaken. I got to my desk, plopped down in my chair, and put him on speaker before I began clicking around, trying to understand what could've happened.

"Are you sure it wasn't one of your other clients? I don't remember." My eyes widened, and I stared in awe at the once completely blank Word document that was now 125 pages long. 

"It's your story from your email, Daphne; you must be brain-fried." he laughed. "Are you available for a call later?" I responded to Marshall's questions, but my brain couldn't comprehend so much mystery in such a little frame of time. Who did this? I scrolled through the pages, and the work read like mine in my exact tone and style. I clicked around again, looking for more evidence, and saw one extra Word document. When I opened it, my breath hitched. 

Dear sweet goddess,

I told you I would help. 

I will be back to you soon.

-Aradas.

He left a note for me, and somehow, he finished my manuscript on my behalf. At this point, I gave up on sense. 

"Thank you, Aradas," I whispered just low enough not to be heard by Marshall's rambling on the other side of the line. Aradas, my Aradas, had done exactly what he said he would, and as I clicked back to the manuscript and began to read through the story he left behind, I reveled in the honor it was to be his creator. 

-

"My god, girl, shut up!" I cackled, my phone pressed to my ear as I pushed through the front door to my apartment.

"No, it's true, Daph! You are a best-selling author! How does it feel!?" My sister, Vanessa, sang obnoxiously through the phone. 

"It's tiring," I told her as I locked the door behind me. When I kicked off my shoes, confetti from tonight's party loosened out of my curls and rippled gracefully onto the floor. "It's amazing," I admit. "So damn amazing."

"I know that's right! So, where are you going next? I want to meet you?"

"Where am I going? Bitch, to bed." I said, laughing a little. I limped to the kitchen, yanking the refrigerator open in search of anything edible. While I had improved my grocery shopping habits, I hadn't improved my cooking skills, so out of every fruit or vegetable in my fridge, I opted for a one-day-old, cold burrito. I unwrapped the foil and took a big bite, wincing at the cold bean filling that squished between my teeth. It wasn't great, but it was cold enough to ease the heat that had covered my body since I had become drunk. 

"Boo! You're so fucking boring!"

"I know, I know, but you don't understand. I have three days until I start the signing tour, and I desperately want to get as much sleep as possible. All the celebrating is nice, but it's not nearly as nice as my bed." She huffed, and I could see her roll her eyes at me in my mind. 

"Fine, get your sleep, and let's grab brunch tomorrow, alright?" 

"Yes, of course. I love you, Ness." I told her.

"Love you too, Daph. By the way, I just started the book today."

"You just started my book that's been out for five months?"

"And I really like Aradas. The right kind of rough and cocky but with a sweet spot." I smiled and took another bite, leaning my back against the counter.

"Yes, he is absolutely perfect," I said as I remembered just how much I missed him. “I should go to bed, sis. I will see you for brunch. Find someplace nice, and it'll be on me," I told her. She and I exchanged "I love you’s,” and then I hung up for the night.

I took a deep breath and sighed all of the night's pressure from my lungs out into the air. Usually, by this time, Morry would be at my feet, meowing and covering the lower half of my legs in her fur, but she was nowhere to be found. While it was uncharacteristic, I assumed she was sleeping. It was late, and I was usually home by midnight. I sat in my kitchen and ate more of the burrito until my tastebuds grew tired of it. Trying not to be wasteful, I wrapped it back up in foil and put it back in the fridge. I'll eat the rest tomorrow, I thought to myself. 

The party was lovely. Seeing my friends, family, and peers come together to celebrate my work with me was rewarding, yet something was missing. For the past year, something had been missing, and every celebratory night had been like this. What was once joy would slowly dissipate to sadness as I wished to experience that joy with him. 

The party left me smelling like outside and stale bread, so I took a long shower, admittedly touching myself to what I could remember of Aradas' voice, his smile, his fingers, and his dick. When I finished, it felt like the weight of a bolder was lifted from my body. Wrapped in a fluffy towel, I went to my bedroom in search of Morry. I had assumed she would be on my pillow, curled up into a little black loaf, sleeping, but no. She was nowhere in sight. I paused, now officially becoming worried. 

"Morry?" I asked softly, whipping my head back and forth. My eyes scanned every single corner of the room for her. She couldn't have been moving wherever she was because I couldn't hear her bell. My breath hitched with anxiety. As long as I've had her, she never spent this much time out of my sight. "Shit." I hissed as I went to reach for my phone, but just as I stepped forward, I heard the sound of a throat clear, and I jumped back and screeched at who I saw standing in the doorway, petting Morry just like he had done a year ago. 

"Aradas!" I yelled.

He was smiling. His toothy, stupid grin made my heart swell and my stomach stir. He was even more beautiful than before. He wore a royal red robe decorated with gold vines and flowers, just like in the last chapter of my book. Though his face was smooth the last time he was here, now there was just a little stubble that matched the hair on his head and graced his face beautifully. His handsomeness was unfair. 

"Hello, goddess." he purred as his finger gently scratched the underside of Morry's chin. She was stretched out in his arms adorably.

"H-how!?" I asked in shock, the corners of my lips curling up into a smile. My cheeks warmed up deliciously, and then the flushing heat spread down my body like warm water. Aradas' head tilted, and his eyes wandered down my body.

"My, you somehow look even more ethereal than before, Daphne." He said.

"Aradas, answer my question, please," I said, pulling my towel tighter to my chest. I wanted him just as badly as he wanted me, but I wanted answers more than anything right now. He let out a breathy laugh and set a smitten Morry down on her paws. 

"Yes, right. Well." He clapped his hands and then sat them on his hips. "I know many very important and magical people, love; I am a king. I figured it out and did some things I'm not proud of, but we don't have to dwell on that." My brow rose, and he sighed when he saw it. "Please don't make me dwell on it. At least not today, not right now when I have something extraordinary for you." 

He stepped into my room, coming closer and closer, and it felt as if my body spoke a language that only he knew, even despite me. My muscles relaxed, and he came in, and his large hand reached up and caressed my face. He pulled in close and pressed his lips to mine like he feared that I might've fallen apart if he was a little too rough. I drank in his kiss and let my towel drop. My arms wrapped around the back of his neck, and I pulled him in closer. He moaned into my mouth, and suddenly, hands were all over me. His lips snaked down my neck, and I grabbed at his horns, rubbing them gently while he nipped and sucked at the sensitive skin along my collarbone. He moaned against me as I caressed him, and I smiled into the kiss, so happy to have him back. Then, much to my dismay, he stopped. His hands grabbed at my hips, and he pushed me back.

"Daphne, I cannot be distracted. I do not have much time, " he said, stuttering a little as he spoke. His eyes dropped and I could see anxiety brewing behind them. He looked over his shoulder and then back at me. “I did not come back for what you may think. I have something very important to tell you," he said. His hands gently rubbed at my hips as he spoke, and I nodded and looked into his eyes. 

"Wha-What's wrong?" I asked. He backed away from me, and his hand flew to the back of his head, scratching a little. He was looking for the right words to say. 

"I-" He began to speak, but his gaze caught my body again. "I cannot believe I am about to ask this, but can you put something on? I cannot concentrate." I wanted to giggle but held back the urge to avoid being inappropriate.

He turned away from me as I walked over to my closet and pulled out a long nightgown. The dress was on, so I walked up behind Aradas and tapped his shoulder, causing him to spin back around and smile. "Still distracting but a smidge better, I suppose. Please, goddess, sit." He said, gesturing towards my bed and leading me to sit on it. When I did, he sat beside me and gently took my hand. 

"What is it, Aradas?" I asked. "You are beginning to worry me." He kissed the back of my hand and nodded with understanding.

"My apologies. Well, um." He was nervous. It was so cute. I had written him to have his moments, but to see him stammer and stumble over his words and actions in real life was quite the treat. He flipped my hand over and kissed the palm, then paused, staring off into space to catch his words.

"When I left, I could not stop thinking about you for days and days. Living the life you had so brilliantly written out for me was becoming harder and harder. So, I went looking. I asked the witches, the sorcerers, and any other magic wielders I could find for a hint, an answer, and when I found my answer, it was not pretty, but I." He stopped, and his eyes met mine again. "I knew that moments without you were best left in the pages of a book. I did things I am not proud of. I played with magic that I should've left alone, but I found the necessary answers. I found a way for you to return to Eiddaros with me." My heart stopped, and my hands began to shake as he held them. 

"I-I can go to Eiddaros?" He smiled softly and nodded.

"I have a wand. It was crafted by a powerful mage I met along my travels. It can take us to Eiddaros if that’s what you truly want." Aradas pulled the wand from his belt, it was long and crafted with what looked to be dark wood. Unreadable symbols were engraved along the sides but towards the bottom, I could see Aradas’ name. 

"Yes! Of course! I would love to see it!" My mind burst with wonder as anticipation vibrated through my body like an alarm. 

"There is a condition-" I couldn't help but cut him off with a squeal of joy.

"I get to go to Eiddaros!? I get to see your home and the meadow!?" I shouted. 

"Daphne, please, there is a condition," he said sternly, bringing my excited musings to an abrupt stop. Behind his eyes, there was a truth he was terrified to uncover. "And I understand if this is the end for us, I will make do with it for just being able to touch you again, which made that journey more than worth it for me but Daphne." He stopped. "Sweet, goddess. If you come with me now, you may never leave. The spell I would cast to bring you with me would be spellbound in blood forever. The magic needed to bring you with me is far too great. This wand is just enough to get me here and then us both home but once I get us there, we unfortunately cannot come back." My face dropped, and I could feel him tense beside me as he watched me. 

"Oh…" I sighed. "I just released a book, Aradas." 

"I know."

"And I have family and friends. What would happen to them?" He said nothing. He only looked at me with those apologetic eyes. "So you want me to leave my life behind for you, Aradas?"

"No, no. That's not it at all, goddess. That is why I told you. You deserved to know. If you decide to come with me, I want it to be because it's what you want. But, if it's not what you want, this can be our last night, and I will make it our best night. I only have a couple of hours here, just like last time. I just wanted you to know your options." 

I left speechless with a reeling mind. I couldn't possibly live the life I had spent so much time building behind, could I? But also, wasn't Aradas part of the life I built? I looked up into his eyes, unsure what to tell him, but I kissed his lips to ease the worry.

"My perfect Aradas," I whispered, and he growled lowly at my words before he kissed and nuzzled at my hand again. “Here’s what I'll do…”

-

While book signings had become one of my favorite parts of being a published author, they quickly became tiring. I needed tons of coffee throughout the day with all of the social interactions, wrist cramps from the signing, and hauling boxes and boxes of hardcover books. Vanessa traveled with me when she could, and this week, we drove out to a cozy little bookstore in downtown Detroit called The Charming Chapter.

From the moment I sat, there were lines and lines of people waiting to get their book signed by me. So many women stood at the table, excitedly telling me about how much they adored Aradas and couldn't wait for the next book. I would smile but scoff inside as I fought back my sadness and yearning for him. Since I had decided to stay and pursue my career, it had become much more challenging to write Aradas. I took it as a sign from the universe that he was pissed at me, which would've been fine if I didn't depend on him for a third book.

"I hope you love it," I said gently to the cheesing woman before me. Her eyes were wide and hopeful. She looked like she was ready to swallow the book whole. I looked down and grimaced at the chicken scratch signature I left behind on the front page of her copy, and I had half a mind to resign it. 

"I loved the first one." The woman said sweetly. "Aradas is my favorite romance character ever. He's just so, so hot." 

"Despicable, isn't he? Just unfair," I said and pushed the book back towards her. I appreciate the kind words, though, truly. Have a great day." 

After hours of signing, I sighed with relief as people stopped pouring in. With one more hour left, I scrolled through my phone until Vanessa popped in, her fresh silk press whipping with every bounce of her walk. She held a cup holder with drinks steaming from their tops. I squealed with excitement, reaching my hands out for mine.

"One brown sugar and lavender latte for the bestselling author," she said, passing me my warm cup. "One cinnamon apple latte for me." She set the holder down, and I almost took a sip when I noticed a third cup. My brows scrunched, and I pointed to the extra.

"Is Marshall coming?" I asked. Vanessa giggled as she picked up her cup and pressed it firmly to her lips.

"Nah," she said as her brows rose. She took a long sip and set her drink down. "A cutie at the cafe next door paid for it. I told him I would get him a signed copy of Heart of the Darkness in return,” she said snarkily.

"Girl, you couldn't pay the ten dollars? He couldn't pay twenty for the book? I also can't believe you would use me to push up on some man." 

"Oh, he don't want me; he wants you, bookie. He just rambled on and on about how much he adores Daphne Brown's books." 

"Well, where is he?" I asked. Just then, the door swung open, and a tall man walked in. His skin was a warm brown like amber, and long black curls swept over his shoulders as he walked. He pulled his jacket in tightly and shook off the Autumn chill. 

"He's right there," Vanessa said before she turned around and waved him over. "He's fine as hell. Over here, Aaron!" 

Something about him drew me in, and when our eyes locked, it felt like we'd met before but in another life. He smiled wide when he saw me, and his speed rose as he walked to the table. I averted my eyes, worried that I was staring at this point, but when I turned to Vanessa, I saw she had run off to the self-help section. Really?

When he made it to the table, I smiled politely. 

"Hello, Aaron, is it?" I asked, and weirdly, he shrugged.

"Hello! You can call me that for now, " he said with a grin. I paused for a moment and furrowed my brows before choosing to ignore it. It had been a long day of greeting new people, many of whom were strange. But he was cute and had a British accent, so I let it go and grabbed a hardcover copy of the book. I opened it gently and grabbed a marker.

"I don't normally give out free books, but it would be rude of me to renege after my sister promised," I said, trying to fill the awkward air with more talking. But I quickly realized that I may have been making it worse. It was too late now; I was already mid-ramble. “She said you like my books; that's very sweet."

"Yes," He said, nodding. "Whenever I read Aradas' point of view, it feels like I'm reading a diary or looking in a mirror. I relate to him so, so much."

"Really? Are you the king of a magical fae realm?" I asked, jokingly, and he let out a breathy scoff.

"Something like that." I giggled and popped the cap from the marker. Then, I noticed a horizontal scar on his cheek, the same size and shape as the one on Aradas' face. My mouth ran dry as I blinked at it with confusion and amazement. Had he given himself a scar to resemble Aradas'? What would be the odds that both scars were so similar? Realizing I was staring again, I snapped out of my trance, cleared my throat, and looked down at the book.

"Alright, King Aaron. What would you like your autograph to say?" I asked as I noticed my foot begin to tap against the carpet with anxiety.

"How about, 'Moments without you are moments best left in the pages of a book? To Aradas, signed Your Goddess?'" I gasped and blinked back up at the man. Throughout his sentence, he had pitched his voice down, and somehow now, he sounded just like Aradas.

"Excuse me?" I said, breathily. He laughed in response.

"C'mon goddess. I don't look familiar at all to you? It's just a little disguise. Courtesy of this wand." Just then, he reached into his jacket and flashed the wand. I clasped my hand to my mouth as I saw his symbols etched into the sides.

"A-Aradas? How?" I gasped. He pressed his pointer finger to his lips and smirked.

"Shh, you wouldn't want anyone to hear, would you?" He walked around my table and sat beside me before lowering his voice to speak again. "Listen, it was arrogant and selfish to make you choose between me and a successful career. When you told me you were choosing your books, I won't lie; it was heartbreaking, but then I realized I had the power to give myself a new life. I realized that though I am written as a king, that doesn't mean I have to be one. You deserve to have everything you want. You deserve to have your books, and you deserve to have your Aradas."

My eyes began to water as he spoke, and I could feel the heat rise in my chest and cheeks.

"But Aradas, this disguise is-"

"Meant to resemble the performer you said you would want to play me in a movie! What's his name? Reggie? Rege? Handsome lad. I read that you liked him on a…telefan?"

"Telephone?"

"That! Yes! A telephone. You're such a smart goddess."

"But are you stuck like this? God, did you shave your horns?"

"Ha! No, my love, it's a glamour. I used the wand to give me the power to switch back and forth at my whim." 

I nodded for a moment, pretending like the sentence he just said was in any way normal.

"But what will happen to Eiddaros?" I asked, and he laughed again.

"Eiddaros' current ruler is the best the nation has ever seen. I left it to Bellisa. The wand has helped me to see it in small glimpses. I cannot travel there, but I see that the land thrives." 

"Okay, but what if you miss ho—" He grabbed my hands and firmly pulled me close to him. Our eyes met again; this time, I could really see they were Aradas' eyes. It was like our souls were meeting.

"What is so wrong about my choosing to only be with you? I've already told you many times that you are all I can think of since our first encounter. You are all I dream of. You made me to be the lover you always fantasized about. Let me be that. You have made every other decision for my story, and don't get me wrong, you've chosen beautifully, but please, let me choose what I want this time." Before I could retort, his lips were on mine, and a fire burned within me as I felt his hand rise to my cheek. I sank into him as he kissed me, and our lips danced together like we were trying to steal breath from each other's lungs.

After a few minutes, we pulled apart, and out of the corner of my eye, I could see a bookstore clerk grimacing at us from the cookbook section. I snorted a laugh and hid my face in Aradas' chest.

"Gods, humans are so squeamish. Ignore it. You're going to let me love you, right?" I nodded against his chest, and he gently pushed me backward. My chin was then suddenly caught between the pointer finger and thumb of his large right hand. His eyes burned into mine. "Say you're going to let me love you."

"I'm going to let you love me," I said quietly while my cheeks and the inside of my thighs grew hotter at his commanding tone.

"Good little goddess," he pecked my lips and sighed. My eyes drifted towards the self-help books, where Vanessa was staring, her mouth agape and her eyes wider than those of a startled deer. 

"Girl, what the fuck!?" She mouthed.

I opened my mouth to speak, but Aradas gasped and grabbed my wrist excitedly. 

"Gods!” He exclaimed. “I can't wait to see Morry!"