Zira woke up to little splashes of water on her face. It took a minute for her eyes to adjust and she realized she was sleeping next to the fountain. Niamh was leaning on the other side, watching her. Zira quickly sat up and looked around. There was nothing but white space. It reminded her of the spirit realm. Why was she back, she wondered.
“You can come here anytime,” Niamh told her.
“How can you hear me?”
“There are no secrets here, Zira.”
“Then tell me why I’m here? Why did you give me this necklace? What does this have to do with your book and with Clary?”
“I should’ve destroyed those crystals long ago. I thought I was helping someone I loved but instead I turned him into a monster,” she said, splashing the water in the fountain before placing her hands in her lap. Her solemn expression made Zira feel a bit guilty for raising her voice.
“I never,” Niamh started as she fidgeted in her seat, “I never wanted this to happen, Zira. I just wanted to have a place full of love, acceptance, and peace. It was wonderful at first and then…” Niamh looked up at her. Tears were falling down her face but she was smiling. “I fell in love. Like untethered love. Real love, Zira.”
Her smile dropped instantly. “I was so busy in love, I didn’t see the corruption in my own pack. Everything got so out of hand so fast and I lost control. I didn’t mean for it to get that bad. I didn’t mean to hurt people. I just wanted…I wanted…”
Before Zira could react, Niamh lunged at her and grabbed her hands, bringing her close to her. The space around them grew dark but Niamh kept her eyes on Zira’s. Her face was serious and worried all at once. Zira could hear the demon from the fountain. He was coming for them. Zira wanted to run but Niamh held her still and kept her eyes on Zira. Zira couldn’t look away even if she wanted to.
“If you love someone, Zira, keep them close. Don’t take them for granted. We sometimes see love as a weakness, but it can be very powerful with the right person. Go and be with him before it's too late.”
Niamh pushed Zira a few feet away as the demon grabbed onto Niamh and pulled her into the fountain. Everything turned to black and Zira closed her eyes. All she could hear was the sound of her breath until...
“Zira? Are you okay?”
Zira opened her eyes when she felt someone grabbing her arms. Looking down at her with his beautiful, stormy gray eyes…
“Isaiah?”
Isaiah helped her to her feet while she tried to wrap her head around his presence. She looked around them and saw nothing but white space like before. No Niamh. No fountain. No demon.
“I’m dreaming,” she said as she reached out to touch him before he pulled her into a hug. It felt so real. His touch, the way his skin felt under her hands, his beard against her cheek, and his muscles holding her tight. She held him tighter, not wanting to let him go, thinking he might disappear.
“Please,” Zira begged. “Please don’t leave.”
“I’m not planning to,” Isaiah laughed. “Though the air in my lungs might beg to differ.”
Zira released him but kept her hands roaming over him. “How is this possible?”
“I don’t know but there’s no place I'd rather be right now,” Isaiah smiled before he furrowed his brow. “Arias…”
“He’s okay,” Zira said as tears fell down her face. “He might need therapy after this but…yeah he’s great.”
“I think we all will after this,” Isaiah said, wiping the tears from her cheeks. “Just hang in there. We’re not too far behind you. Clary? What’s her plan?”
“It has something to do with the Nexus and the fountain. I think we’re going back to where I went with Percy and found this crystal. I don’t know what she wants to do there, but something tells me it’s not good.”
“Don’t worry. Whatever it is, we'll figure it out together. For now, I don’t mind sitting here with you until we wake up.”
Zira nodded as Isaiah kissed the tears that kept escaping her eyes before he placed a soft kiss on her lips. He grabbed the nape of her neck to pull her closer. His kisses became hungrier as he broke away and planted them down her neck.
“I wish…I wish I could always feel you forreal,” Zira said between moans.
“You can feel me now,” Isaiah whispered, bringing her hand to his hardened cock.
Zira moaned louder as the thought of them naked and holding each other flashed in her mind. In an instance, they were naked and that didn’t stop their kissing. If this was the only way to be with him, she was going to take full advantage. She moved her hips against him, making him moan into her mouth.
“Zi…”
“I need you,” she whispered against his lips.
Isaiah could smell the sweet aroma of her arousal. He picked her up and began to walk as a room materialized around them. Her wet center pressed against him as they fell onto a bed.
“Then you will have all of me,” Isaiah said as he thrust forward and entered her with much haste. He watched as her eyes rolled to the back of her head and her back arched upwards, pressing her breasts against his chest. He moved slowly, relishing the feel of her holding onto him. She kept her legs wrapped around his waist.
“Harder,” she breathed out as he picked up speed, pounding into her and not holding back.
“Damn, you feel so good, Zi. Even if this is a dream you feel…”
Zira answers, rolling her hips up to match his thrusts as they both give in to the pleasure. “More,” she begged.
Isaiah gladly answered with harder thrusts, faster, one after another. The exhilaration built in him to the point he felt his heart might beat out of his chest. He loved seeing her like this. Becoming undone under him. He moved as if he had no intention of going easy because he wasn’t. She panted as she moved closer and closer to the edge. His mouth finds her breast and swirls his tongue around the nipple, making it hard enough to take between his teeth.
“Oh goddess…yes, Isaiah…Yes!”
At the sound of his name, he quickened his pace, bringing them closer to the tip of their pleasure. Their moans became more frantic and harder to control until Zira could feel her body overflow and break into stimulating sparks.
“Mark her now,” Devon demanded.
Isaiah felt his fangs elongate as he grazed them against her neck and he could feel her pressing against them. In one swift motion, Isaiah sank his teeth into her skin as she screamed his name and dug her nails into his back. With his fangs still in her neck, he continued to pound into her until he himself became undone inside her. He released his mouth from her neck and whispered in her ear, “We are one now.”
*****
Isaiah woke up, out of breath and as hard as a rock. He sat up in the makeshift tent the pixies made for them. He closed his eyes again, hoping to get a glimpse of her. He could still feel her like she was under his skin. Her scent, her lips, her everything imprinted itself on his mind. He opened his eyes and got up to walk outside. His body was on fire and he needed some air. He walked absentmindedly towards the Dark Forest and bumped into a pixie. She stared at him for a second, eyes drifting lower than he wanted.
“I see someone is hard and ready,” she smiled. “Do you need some…” Isaiah growled at her in which she only giggled. “Let me know if you change your mind,” she said, transforming and flying away.
He continued his path to the Dark Forest’s entrance. His hand went out and he touched the barrier that was still up. He tried to sense something but nothing came back.
“I’m right behind you, Zi. Just stay strong. Please,” he whispered, hoping that by some miracle she could hear or feel him.