Chapter 256 - Just Ask

Anastasia was speechless. Amber eyes stared in her sapphire blue ones. "That was awesome," she said in a low voice full of appreciation. "You have saved him."

Ileus didn't answer as he continued to look at her intensely, his breath slowly becoming ragged. Anastasia brushed her fingers over his lips.

"I was very concerned about you," he said, his voice filled with tension. "We traced you down to the cave where you were locked. It was present in one of the mountains that border Silver Vales. I am surprised Lila carried on her activities so discreetly right under our nose and none of us came to know. She had quite an influence on Cora and Pierre."

"Iona told me that she had charmed Cora and Pierre and planted some fake memories in them."

Ileus shook his head. "Not possible. My mother keeps checking them time and again. Grandmother had given Lila unwanted attention. I don't know why was she so happy with Lila. It was her love for Lila that led Lila to this level. She carried on with her vicious activities in a house so close to the main manor and no one suspected her," he said with a voice laced with frustration. "Grandmother was blind. She only saw the façade and not her persona. If she had once suspected Lila or tried to check her out, things would have been different. I can't believe that Lila took you to the gardens and then got you attacked." His fists clenched until his knuckles were white.

Anastasia stroked his chest to relieve him of his stress. She knew that it was all far from over but, "I am back, Aly. That is what matters." A shudder ran down her wings. She doubted if she would ever see the light of day again in her life.

"When we reached the cave, there was nothing over there, except piles of bones. Serpents slithered in a cage. Were you locked in that cage?" he asked.

"Yes, Iona had changed those serpents into chains. They sensed my movement and spewed venom every time I moved."

He hissed a curse under his breath. Then he curled his hand behind her neck and pulled her closer to his chest. "Natsya!" She could feel the vibration in his chest. "I failed to protect you."

"Please Ileus, don't blame yourself. I look at it positively. If Iona hadn't kidnapped me, you would have never known how to heal Guarhal." Then she looked up. "Oh, there's one more thing. Iona said that the new bridge that we tried to cross to enter Draoidh—it was created by her. And she also sabotaged the old bridge that you had made."

Ileus closed his eyes as a crease formed between his forehead. "What has happened to her, Anastasia…" he murmured. "She was such a sweet child…" Grief was evident on his face. It was as if he had aged in those few hours of meeting his sister.

Anastasia cupped his face as she brushed his back with her wings. "Look at me Ileus." When he opened his eyes, she said, "This was something beyond our control. I do have confidence that we are going to save her. She is in the grip of dark forces. I promise that I am going to do everything in my power to save her, save you and save Draoidh from the wrath of dark powers."

"Shh!" Ileus placed a hand on her lips. But by that time magic sizzled in the air at the promise Anastasia had made. "I told you long back not to make promises in the Lore." His neck muscles strained. "Such promises, if not fulfilled, can take your life! How many times do I have to remind you?"

She kissed his finger and smiled. "It's a promise I have made from my heart and I will always keep it."

"Gods, what am I going to do with you!" he said.

She giggled. A moment later she said, "I saw you all being attacked by arrows. Were the arrows tipped with poison because all of you convulsed and your skin became hot."

"Yes, the arrows were tipped with wolfsbane. It's a poison found in the valleys near the cave where you were imprisoned. The flowers of wolfsbane are crushed and their oil is mixed with extract from opium. The arrows are dipped in it. The poison made doesn't kill the enemy, but paralyzes the body for a few hours. All those who were attacked by the arrows passed off for about three or four hours."

"That means that Iona didn't want to kill you," said Anastasia.

"Yes, she wanted to leave her signature," he replied.

Anastasia turned on her belly, pressing her breasts against his chest.

Ileus hissed. "Things are about to get intense, Natsya."

Something about the way he spoke was so raw and sexy that she got lost in his stare and his scent. Ileus got up on the propped-up pillow and moved her over him. He cuddled her against his chest as he wrapped an arm around her waist. Her wings spread wide across. He brushed her cheeks, her nose, her jawline and her lips. "I am so sorry that I left you alone for that one moment, Anastasia. I am sorry that your hands and ankles were shackled again. I can understand how you felt. But I am so proud that my mate soared through all of it with her grit and determination. You said I am awesome, but it is you who is awesome. It is you who despite all the tortures given to you, didn't break. You stayed sane because you wanted to fight the evil in the world. You didn't give into malice. And that is why I am amazed by you, ever since I saw you first in Vilinski. Iona broke and while I am no one to blame her, I am glad and thankful to the wolf spirits that they chose you as my mate. You are above all of us. You are a true deity."

"I am not—"

"Hush, let me speak." Anastasia became quiet and he added, "I so wanted you to escape from Vilinski and was ready to do anything for you. I am still ready to do anything for you. Just ask."

She moved over his body and he groaned, his shaft becoming hard. Heat pooled in her belly reached her core. Involuntarily she moved her hips against his erection and it swelled even more. She lifted herself by keeping her hands on his chest and pushed him. She moved her sex over his remarkable length that was hot like iron and felt like a brand against her skin. She moaned. She rubbed her body over his shaft. His hips flexed up for her to take him. But Anastasia wanted to feel him inside her mouth, so she moved down and licked the crown.

"Fuck!" he said, not ready for this. "Ana!" Before he could protest, she took his length in her mouth and his hips bucked. "Ah!" She sucked his erection until her cheeks were hollow. She licked it, flicked it and then sucked it. His massive chest shook with a vibration so deep. She took his shaft down her throat and when it hit her there, he couldn't stop. With a brutal roar, he came and came until his eyes rolled back in his head. "Natsya!" He wasn't done.