Cinnamon leaned forward, trying to keep the rope loose between them. He smiled, satisfied, and then coiled the end around his forearm, pulling her towards him until she could feel his breath on her cheeks.
“If you promise to behave no harm will come to you.” Cinn lifted her eyes, nodding. The Captain pursed his lips skeptically, “You promise not to shift?”
“I don’t know how to shift.” She said steadily, her chin rising higher as she met his gaze.
“Is that so? Interesting.” His lip curled on one side as he coiled the rope around his arm again, giving her so little leeway she was forced to kneel in front of him. With his other hand he pressed his fingers under her chin, lifting her face to peer curiously into her eyes. Cinnamon’s mouth twisted into a sneer of disgust.
“I’m not an evil man.” He said softly, “Just a desperate one. Centuries of torment have made us this way. Time has driven us mad - but we cannot lose our humanity.” Cinnamon made a small sound of doubt and he narrowed his eyes at her. “But what would a creature like you know of humanity?”
Cinnamon pressed her lips into a thin line, exhaling through her nose, “I was raised as a human. I lived among them my whole life. Their capacity for goodness is only equal to their capacity for cruelty.”
“You think I’m cruel?”
Cinnamon didn’t need to answer.
When he didn’t continue, she began to feel brave.
“How did you come to be stuck in this place?” She asked quietly.
“The wrath of fate. Regrets we cannot atone for—”
He stared down at his hands and after a moment twined the length of rope between his fingers, hardening his fist.
Leilani tapped her apprentice on the forehead to draw her attention and Cinnamon blinked up at her in surprise, “This exercise, on the other hand, is all about control - or your lack of it. You might as well practice while we have the opportunity.”
Cinnamon heaved a sigh, dropping down onto her haunches before plopping her butt down onto the deck.
“I’m hopeless. You make it look so easy.”
Leilani gave her a sympathetic smile, “I’ve had all of Time to practice. It’s part of who you are. You’ll figure it out eventually.”
All of Time…
Cinn wondered sometimes just how long her Mistress had been riding the Waves of Time. Countless centuries - forward and back - into infinity. The prospect was both exhilarating and daunting. It was as if the Rapturous Dawn existed out of time entirely, and the ship and its passengers only existed in the time-line of the world for the brief intervals when they docked with dry land.
It was fascinating, feeling the familiar, intimate curves of her body on someone else. Hearing the passionate sounds she made - coming from someone else’s lips.
“Let’s play a new game.” The doppelganger purred into Cinn's ear.
“We haven’t even finished the last one.” She responded breathlessly. He twined his fingers into her hair, kissing her hard as they stumbled backwards down the hall, the candle sconces sending shadows flickering in their wake.
I love RELEASE DAY!“You dare to speak to the King of the Wolves with such a tone?” He growled, rising to his feet.
Cinnamon lifted her chin defiantly, staring him straight in the eyes.
“I would not - but you aren’t a wolf, and certainly not the King.”
His chest bellowed a horrifying howl that sent the small hairs running down Cinnamon’s arm - and then he laughed.
“Smart girl. Your Mistress has been teaching you well.” He grinned cunningly, his blue eyes sparkling with amusement as he slowly dropped back down into his seat.
Cinnamon clenched her jaw, “You invited me here under false pretenses. I wish to return to my ship immediately.”
He narrowed his eyes, small slivers peering at her in the dim candlelight. Cinn startled as thunder boomed overhead, echoing through the castle. The sound faded and an eerie silence stretched between them.
“When the storm passes, I will summon a carriage to take you down the mountain.” He said, “In the meantime, allow me to entertain you.”
Cinnamon wanted to refuse, but she didn’t have any other choice.
“If you’re not the King of the Werewolves, then who are you?”
He chuckled, waving his finger back and forth in front of his face, “Tsk tsk - that would be far too easy. Let’s play a game to pass the time, shall we? I’ll give you until the end of the night to figure it out.”
“And if I don’t?”
“Then you’ll never know.” He grinned.
The Rapturous Dawn is no ordinary vessel. It travels the Waves of Time, ferrying its supernatural crew across every ocean throughout history.“You want to know what it would be like to love your own body the way you do others?” The familiar sound of her voice poured from the creature’s mouth, “All you have to do is kiss me again.”
Cinnamon couldn’t lie, knowing her voice would fail and betray her, so she simply shook her head.
“But aren’t you the least bit curious? You have a dark side. You yearn for things you know you shouldn’t - chaffing at the shackles your Mistress has bound you with…”
“You know nothing about me.” She said breathlessly.
“I am your doppelganger. I know every dark desire of your heart.”
“You’re just a very talented shifter with an uncanny eye for detail.”
The creature smiled and Cinn shuddered at the strange way her own mouth curled on its face, “Perhaps.”
Sebastian peered at her from under his eyebrows across the threshold into her room. His silver eyes shimmered and Cinnamon felt her cheeks warm under his smoldering stare.
“They’ve spotted an island in the distance.” He said, his voice much more casual than his expression.
Cinnamon swallowed hard, unable to take her eyes off him, “Do they know where we’re going?”
He blinked slowly, “It doesn’t matter.”
She licked her lips, trying to find her voice. Sebastian slowly took a step towards her and Cinn's heart began to race.
“About what happened—” He took another step and Cinnamon rushed the words before she lost the nerve, “—I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t have kissed you—” Sebastian reached out, sliding his hand behind her head, pulling her towards him. Cinnamon’s eyelids fluttered, her lips whispering into his, “I was just so relieved to see your face.”
He grinned, his lips brushing against hers as he spoke, “It never happened.” She could almost taste him, his mouth teasing just out of reach, “No one has to know.”
Sebastian pressed her hard into his chest, his lips locking over hers as the door slammed shut behind him.
Daniel turned his full attention to Cinnamon and a slow smile formed over his lips.
“That’s very kind of you, Miss…”
“Cinnamon.” She answered his unspoken question and her cheeks warmed slightly as their eyes met. His resemblance to Sebastian was uncanny, a few slight differences - like the color of his eyes - but close enough to make her heart flutter when he smiled at her.
Cinn realized she was staring and slowly blinked her eyelids as if awakening from a dream.
“I look forward to playing your lover.” His lips twisted into a mischievous smirk and Cinnamon blanched.
Did he know the sordid thoughts floating through her head?
Benjamin laughed suddenly, a deep hearty sound that made her jump in surprise. She hadn’t thought him capable of such robust gaiety in his current condition.
“She hasn’t read the play yet.” Benjamin laughed again, reaching over to touch her reassuringly on the arm, “Daniel will be playing opposite you. Though you won’t have to speak, we should probably get you familiar with your scenes beforehand.”
Cinnamon rolled her hands over the soft fuzzy skin, savoring the sweet aroma before placing the peach against her lips. She leaned back into the wooden railing, a gentle breeze ruffling her hair behind her as she peered up the mainmast to where Sebastian stood, his strong hands pulling at the heavy sails against the wind. He lifted his arm, drawing it over the sweat that dripped into his eyes, his hair slick over his head from the summer heat.
Cinnamon inhaled deeply, her teeth tearing into the delicate skin until her mouth filled with its soft innards, juices dripping down her chin from the corners of her lips. She chased the sweet juice with her tongue, sighing with contentment as its tangy flavor danced in her mouth. Sebastian grabbed the hem of his billowy white shirt, yanking it up over his head before stuffing the corner of it under his belt to keep it from blowing away. The fabric waved behind him, twisting left and right like a flag caught in a storm. His defined chest was slightly tan from the sun, sweat beading over the toned muscles of his abdomen. Thin black tattoos ringed his sinewy biceps as he pulled at the ropes. Cinn’s eyes widened and she swallowed hard.
She could feel each rise and fall of the Dragon Prince’s chest as he breathed in her scent. She placed both palms softly against the hard muscles of his abdomen, intending to push him away. Ripples of flame danced over her fingers, licking up the length of her wrists towards her elbows and Whitaker sighed.
Neither of them moved.
Cinn stared down at her hands in fascination, the flickering flames like candles twinkling in the dark.
“I can’t tell you how good it feels to have someone touch me.” He whispered, so softly she could barely hear him, “Just one spark is enough to immolate anyone who tries.” His hand cupped her cheek, sliding down to her jaw, leaving small plumes of smoke in its wake. “But not you…”
It's that time again! RELEASE DAY!“A message for you, Mistress.” A voice cut through the heavy wooden door from the hall - deep and masculine.
Water was still dripping rivers down Cinnamon’s skin as the door creaked open and a head of dark mahogany hair and shining silver eyes peeked through.
Cinn froze as the young man’s eyes landed on her naked body, caressing every curve of her with an inquisitive smirk on his lips. She had never had anyone unabashedly observe her like that and her hands twitched, uncertain if she should cover herself or allow him to continue his thorough scrutiny of her anatomy.
Leilani had turned her back to the door - moving towards a row of hooks on the wall. She lifted up a silk robe, a vibrant shade of emerald, that she draped over Cinn’s shoulders before turning her attention to the messenger. Cinnamon quickly pushed her arms through the sleeves and wrapped the robe around herself, shielding her skin from the intensity of his gaze. The soft fabric clung to her, barely a fluttering kiss against her damp skin.
Leilani cleared her throat, holding her hand out expectantly, and the young man with the silver eyes startled out of his trance-like stare.
“Did you see the drawing of the Dragon Prince’s lover?” Cinn grumbled, turning back to the book in her lap.
Sebastian frowned, “What about her? You’re not human, Cinnamon.” He snorted out a laugh suddenly, “That won’t happen to you. Your shifter body can do and withstand things you probably can’t even imagine yet.”
Cinnamon scowled, “What would you know about my shifter body?”
“More than you, obviously.”
Cinnamon clenched her teeth and Sebastian grinned wider.
The Rapturous Dawn is no ordinary vessel. It travels the Waves of Time, ferrying its supernatural crew across every ocean throughout history.“My Lady! So happy you accepted our invitation!” His dark eyes, almost black, swept over Cinn standing just behind Lady Night and his smile grew wider. “I didn’t realize you’d be bringing a companion, Mistress.”
Leilani’s bright red lips hardened into a thin line.
“My apprentice is here simply to watch and to learn. She is not to be touched under any circumstances.” Her voice held a dangerous edge Cinn had never heard before - it commanded obedience and the man’s smile shifted as he dropped into a flourishing bow before her.
“Of course, My Lady.”
Leilani turned to Cinn, her eyes sharp and firm, “Cinnamon, I’d like to introduce you to Lord Waybridge - our Patron for this evening and current leader of the Ursanthrope.”
Cinnamon dipped into her best mimicry of a curtsy, her heart beating faster each moment, making her head swim.
She had heard of Werefolk, but only in stories - the kind her orphanage mother would tell to scare her and the other children into staying in their beds at night. Even though she now knew the truth about shifters, there was still a part of her that trembled as Lord Waybridge’s dark eyes fixed to her intently, watching each clumsy movement as she righted herself. The intensity of his gaze made her squirm under its weight and Cinn stared down at the ground in front of her, knowing that if she looked up their eyes would meet and her cheeks would burn.
Alright lovelies! It's RELEASE DAY!He pressed his lips firmly into the nape of her collarbone, kisses climbing up the soft skin towards the curve of her jaw. Cinnamon squeezed her eyes shut as the fluted glass tumbled forgotten from her hand, landing in a pile of deerskin under her feet. Her hands groped desperately into the tapestry behind her, knotting her fingers into the rough fabric to hold herself upright as a surge of pleasure spun the room before her eyes. She had gotten drunk before, but this was something else. Intoxication was in the air - it was in the pounding drums that filled her ears, and in the scent of lust and need so thick she could taste it on her tongue.
The Rapturous Dawn is no ordinary vessel. It travels the Waves of Time, ferrying its supernatural crew across every ocean throughout history.