She nodded slowly.
“I’m going to get in trouble if they find out. But would you like to see something?”
“Yes, absolutely.”
He nodded but didn’t verbally respond further. Lukin held his hand out, and she looked down at the rugged, calloused, and large offering. Minka’s heart was racing, but she shifted the hide off of her and placed it on the rock counter beside her. She slipped her hand in his, and her heart seemed to increase its rapid tempo.
He grinned, and the sight of his straight white teeth and those wicked-looking fangs flashed in the darkness. “You’re brave.”
She didn’t know what that meant exactly, aside from the obvious, but Minka had a feeling it meant something different. Maybe because she was putting her trust in this male, her very life in fact, and he was making it known she was strong for going with him. She needed to stop analyzing things and just go with it all.
He started to lead them out of the cave and into the tunnel, but she tugged at his hand until he stopped. He glanced over his shoulder. “Second thoughts?”
She shook her head and glanced down at herself. “I’m only wearing this shift. Is that fine for whatever you have planned?” She was also barefoot, but she supposed wherever he wanted to take her would require him to carry her, as she couldn’t possible walk comfortably or safely on the rocks.
“I’ll be flying us to where we need to go, so no worries on your appearance.” He turned and led her out of the cave. Once out, she was surprised that it wasn’t unbearably hot as it was during the day. Lukin pulled her closer, but she placed a hand on his bare chest, stopping him. He glanced down at her, looking curious. “Frightened?”
Minka stared at her surroundings. The sky was pitch-black, but the view was phenomenal. What made the sight amazing were the fires that burned brightly all around them. The lava that made creeks and running streams below her bubbled and popped with fire. The forest in the distance looked incredible as only the branches were lit with the orange-and-red flames.
“Wow.” She glanced at Lukin, saw that he stared at her intently, and then he squeezed her hand gently and pulled her close to him. Her chest pressed to his, and the muscles that lay beneath his skin flexed from the contact. She swallowed again, feeling this arousal start to claim her as she stared into his onyx-colored eyes.
“This isn’t what I want to show you,” he said low, deep, and she felt his words right on her clit. He inhaled deeply, made this low rumble, and then in the next second, they were airborne.
Minka clutched at him, but she knew he wouldn’t let her fall. He had shifted her right before he took off, so her back was to his chest, and his arms were tightly wound around her belly. His wings made great gusts of wind around them, but it was the feel of his claws lightly pressing into her body and the danger that lay right below her, that had her alight with anticipation.
This was frightening as much as it was exciting, and all she could do was take it all in.
Minka didn’t know how long they flew, swooping low and taking turns around the giant mountains and crevices that lay between them, but soon she had her eyes closed and her arms out. She could almost imagine herself flying alone, of taking in this freedom that she had only dreamed about. He soon landed though, and when she touched her feet against the cool, smooth surface, she finally opened her eyes.
Right in front of her was this massively large ocean, or at least she assumed it was. But there was no vast body of water—flames danced along lava instead.
“It’s...” She couldn’t finish the sentence, because she didn’t know how to put it in words.
“It’s something, isn’t it,” he said without phrasing it as a question.
“I’ve never even dreamed of something like this.” She looked up at him, and he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close.
“It’s the Baltinka Ocean, the largest body of lava on Hades.”
“There isn’t any water on your planet?” she asked but still stared at the lava and flames.
“There is some deep within the mountains, but it’s minimal, and anything that is out in this climate evaporates far too quickly to be of any use. Besides, Hades warriors don’t need much water to survive. But there is one mountain in particular where we gather what water we do need, and after this, I’ll take you there and show you the Rubina gems we sometimes extract to barter with.”
The waves crashed along the sharp, black stone shore. And then right in front of her, this giant beast erupted from the surface, his frighteningly large, scaled body and razor-sharp teeth coming into view. It was a monster, a creature that looked gruesome and right out of her nightmares. It crashed back into the lava, and then another jumped out.