Chapter 8: Dominion of the Dark
Elyra's daggers clashed against the shadow beast's claws, the impact reverberating through her arms as she ducked under a sweeping strike. The vast chamber pulsed with red light, the Ashen Heart's power feeding the air with a thick, oppressive energy.
The beast towered over her, its jagged teeth glinting, its roar shaking the obsidian walls. The chains binding Zane, Cassian, and Theron glowed fiercely, their shirtless forms moving in sync with her commands. Zane's axe hacked at the beast's leg, black ichor spraying across his chest; Cassian's necrotic energy seared its side, tendrils of darkness coiling; Theron's blade sliced with precision, targeting its joints. Her blood dripped onto the stone floor, fueling the Heart, and the hunger within her roared, a wildfire she barely contained.
"Flank it!" she shouted, rolling to avoid a claw swipe, her daggers slashing at the beast's underbelly. The men obeyed, their movements fluid despite their wounds—Zane's side still bleeding, Cassian's runes flickering, Theron's shoulder stiff but steady.
The beast lunged, pinning Theron beneath its weight, and Elyra leapt, plunging her dagger into its neck. The creature thrashed, throwing her back, and she hit the ground hard, the Heart slipping from her grasp. Zane caught it, his body pressing against hers as he handed it back, his lips brushing her ear. "Stay with me," he growled, his hand lingering on her waist, his arousal evident.
The contact sent a jolt through her, and she shoved him off, her breath ragged. Cassian moved in, his magic flaring as he pinned the beast's leg, his hand sliding to her hip. "Let me take the strain," he purred, his necromancy teasing her senses with a wave of pleasure. She elbowed him, breaking free, but the sensation lingered, stoking the hunger.
Theron staggered up, his blade cutting deep, his body brushing hers, his erection pressing against her thigh. "Focus," he muttered, but his hands lingered, his breath hot against her neck.
Together, they drove the beast back. Zane's brute force, Cassian's dark magic, and Theron's precision—guided by her blood—brought it down, its body collapsing into a heap of ash.
The chamber fell silent, the only sound their labored breaths. Elyra retrieved the Heart, its power surging through her, the hunger peaking. She stumbled to the center, the men surrounding her, their eyes locked on her with raw need. Zane wiped blood from his chest, his gaze fixed on her torn trousers; Cassian licked his lips, his magic stirring; Theron's jaw tightened, his desire warring with his restraint.
"We're not stopping," she said, her voice firm despite the ache in her core. She moved toward a raised dais at the chamber's far end, the Heart pulsing in her hands. The men followed, the chains tightening, their lust a tangible force. The dais held a stone slab etched with runes, its surface warm to the touch. As she placed the Heart on it, the runes flared, and the slab slid aside, revealing a hidden vault. Inside, a crown of blackened bone and crimson veins rested, its power calling to her.
"The throne's crown," Theron said, his voice low, his eyes narrowing. "Claiming it binds you fully." His hand brushed her arm, lingering, and she felt his tension, his need.
"Then I claim it," she replied, reaching for the crown. The moment her fingers touched it, the vault shuddered, and shadows erupted—lesser wraiths, their claws slashing.
Elyra ducked, her daggers flashing, and the chains yanked the men into action. Zane's axe cleaved through two at once, his roar echoing; Cassian's magic incinerated a cluster; Theron's blade danced, cutting tendons. But the wraiths targeted her, drawn by her blood, and one latched onto her leg, its claws digging deep.
Zane tore it off, his body slamming into hers as he hacked it apart. The impact pressed her against the dais, his chest hard against her back, his breath hot on her neck. She felt his arousal, thick and undeniable, and her own body responded with a surge of heat. She shoved him off, panting, but the contact lingered.
Cassian moved in, his hand on her waist, his magic soothing the wound with a sensual edge. "Let me heal you," he whispered, his lips brushing her ear. She elbowed him, breaking free, but the pleasure pulsed through her.
Theron shielded her, his blade cutting a wraith, his body pressed close, his erection against her hip. His hands gripped her shoulders, steadying her, and she arched into him, her control slipping.
The wraiths fell, their ashes scattering, and Elyra turned to the crown, lifting it. The Heart flared, and the voice whispered, Wear me, and they are yours forever. She placed it on her head, the weight settling, and the chamber trembled, the runes glowing brighter.
The men froze, their desire a palpable force. Zane stepped closer, his hand hovering near her face.
"You're mine now," he growled, but the chain pulsed, forcing him to his knees. His eyes burned with hunger, and he leaned forward, his lips brushing her thigh. Cassian knelt beside her, his hands sliding up her legs, his tongue flicking against her skin. "Forever's a long time," he murmured, his magic amplifying the sensation. Theron stood behind her, his hands on her hips, his breath ragged as he pressed against her back.
Elyra moaned, the hunger consuming her, and she gripped the dais, fighting to stay in control. "You serve me," she gasped, pushing them back. The crown pulsed, and the chamber's shadows parted, revealing a throne of bone and bloodstone. She staggered to it, sitting, the Heart and crown syncing with her blood. The men knelt before her, their lust a weapon she wielded, but the hunger grew, threatening to break her.
The throne's power surged, and a new shadow loomed—a greater beast, its eyes glowing redder than before. Elyra stood, her daggers raised, the men flanking her.
"Again," she said, her voice steady. The beast charged, and the fight began, the crown's power amplifying her strength. Zane's axe swung, Cassian's magic flared, Theron's blade struck, but the beast matched them, its claws raking. Elyra slashed, her blood feeding the Heart, and the hunger peaked, her body trembling with need.
The men pressed closer, their touches igniting her—Zane's hand on her waist, Cassian's lips on her neck, Theron's body against hers. She fought the urge, focusing on the beast, and with a final strike, it fell, its ash settling. Breathing hard, Elyra leaned on the throne, the men surrounding her, their desire a chain she'd master—or lose herself to. The chamber darkened, the next challenge looming, and she knew the price was rising.