A Different Kind of Union

Caelia whirled around, glaring at him, the sensation of a cage closing in around her tightening with every second. She searched frantically for another escape, but his next words cut through the air like a blade.

"They’ll catch you no matter which way you go." His smirk widened, cruel and confident, and with it, the last sliver of her resolve crumbled. She slumped, shattered, her body too heavy with despair to hold itself up any longer.

Long silvery eyelashes fluttered briefly shut, but when she looked up again, she startled to see him in front of her, his footsteps evidently silent. The man crouched before her, his presence overwhelming, his golden eyes still fixed on her like a predator sizing up its prey. Tears blurred her vision as she blinked, her gaze inadvertently dropping to the space between his legs, where his white cotton pants pulled taut between his thighs. Flustered and conflicted, she quickly tucked her head down, confusion and shame crashing over her in waves.

"They wouldn’t catch you," he said softly, a strange kindness slipping into his tone, "if I distracted them."

Her breath caught as she glanced up at him, hope flickering weakly in her chest.

"I could point you in the right direction," he mused, as if discussing the weather. "It’s about twenty horizons away, if you take a straight line." His deep, melodious voice, laced with that strange accent, stirred something in her. For a fleeting second, she dared to believe in escape.

But then his tone darkened, playful yet cruel. "You’d almost certainly die, though," he continued, listing her fate as if it were inconsequential. "You’d get lost. Freeze at night. Burn alive under the sun. And without water..." His voice trailed off, as if death were the obvious conclusion.

"No," Caelia sobbed, her chest heaving as she rocked back and forth, trying to soothe herself, desperate to shut out his words. "No, it can’t be."

His hand, warm and calloused, lifted her chin again, forcing her tear-filled gaze back to his. "Or," he whispered, his voice like silk, "you could let them catch you." The soft smile he gave her felt almost kind, but beneath it lurked something dangerous. His touch was so warm, so inviting, that Caelia, without thinking, pushed her face into his palm, seeking comfort in any form.

He watched her with amusement, his golden eyes gleaming with satisfaction as he stroked her like an affectionate pet.

"I have some things to take care of but the men you ran from, they won’t touch you." His voice was a dark, soothing melody, but Caelia couldn’t take her eyes off his teeth. They were perfect, brilliant white, but reminiscent of a predator’s—an unnerving contrast to the softness in his tone. He reached out and gently caressed her cheek, silencing her unspoken fears as fresh tears began to gather in her eyes.

"Those men know that I’ve been searching for a woman, an outsider." He continued, his face shifting from amusement to something more serious. "And there aren’t many in these lands who smell so pure." His lips curved upward into a devilish smile, a hint of something dangerous flashing behind his golden eyes.

Caelia’s breath caught in her throat. "S-smell?" she whispered, disbelief mingling with fear.

He laughed, the sound deep and unsettling. "Yes," he said, his grin widening. "Those men will want to bring me what I’ve been looking for. I’ll reward them with gold. And you... I’ll give you anything you desire. How about revenge on those who sold you to Dunsmore?" His voice was like honey, thick and sweet, wrapping around her in a way that made her head spin.

"You won’t kill me?" She whimpered, her voice fragile, her swollen lips trembling as she forced the words out.

"No," he whispered softly, his tone a caress. "I will treat you like a goddess."

Caelia’s heart raced, confusion and dread warring inside her. "W-why me?" she asked, her voice small as he withdrew his hand and stood tall before her, his shadow long and imposing in the dim light.

"There’s a balance to maintain," he said, turning slightly, his broad shoulders casting an even darker silhouette. "My offspring should be a little more human than I am... or we might become monsters." His words were matter-of-fact, as though he were discussing the weather, but the meaning behind them sent a chill down her spine. When he glanced back over his shoulder, a wicked grin spread across his face, and her heart stilled.

His words seemed to hang in the air as if carried by the wind itself, lingering long after his gaze left her. He began to describe two possible paths out of the estate: one where the two men who had been chasing her would capture her, and another that led into the desert, her slim but only chance of escape.

"Oh, and one more thing," he said, his eyes gleaming with amusement as he glanced back at her again. His brow arched as he delivered his final words, the gravity of them sinking in slowly. "Our unions are a little different from yours." He paused, letting the silence thicken before adding with a smirk, "We would need to mate during our ceremony."