#sphynxia

Akai was shocked, not just of the fact that StarChild said he was not interested in her, but of the fact that he spoke so harshly to her. She was used to constant rejection from her peers but hearing it from StarChild hurt like hell. With flushed cheeks, she turned to get away from him. The last thing she wanted was to cry and lose control of her powers in front of him.

StarChild felt guilty inside for upsetting her. “Akai, wait!” he called out as he ran in front of her to block her path.

Akai stopped and looked up at him, tears brimming in her eyes.

“Look, Akai, sweetheart,” StarChild spoke gently, pressing his hands in a prayer-like motion to his lips.

He paused before speaking, contemplating his next words carefully. He didn’t want to hurt her nor did he want to be responsible for any raging wildfires in Sphynxia!

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to shout in your face. I was just irritated with you following me around all the time, but it was wrong of me to let it out on you. I’m so—”

“No!” Akai said, shaking her head. “StarChild, I should be sorry. I didn’t mean to annoy you. I should’ve known that I was a burden to you. I’m a burden to everyone. No one wants me around!” Cold tears streamed freely down her cheeks after that confession.

“You are not a burden,” StarChild said softly, using his thumbs to wipe the tears from her eyes. “I may not love you the way you love me, but I do care for you, no matter what. Don’t you ever forget that,” he said as he pulled her in for a gentle hug.

Akai sniffled as she hugged him back. “No one could ever love me,” she whispered in self-defeat.

StarChild broke the hug to cup his hands around her face, looking into her eyes intensely. “You’ll meet a great guy that’s going to fall head-over-heels for you. Trust me, the eye sees all,” he grinned, pointing to his star eye proudly. “And if anyone tries to break your heart, I’ll take care of them personally,” he declared with a stern thumb pointing to his chest.

Akai nodded, wiping the last bit of tears from her eyes. “Thank you, StarChild.”

“Anytime,” he winked. “I have to leave now. Are you going to be okay?”

“I’ll be fine,” Akai said trying her best to muster up a convincing smile.

“Well, alright. I’ll be seeing you around,” he said cheerfully, turning heel to take his leave.

“Goodbye StarChild,” Akai sighed sadly, watching the man of her dreams disappear out of sight.

…

Once StarChild was gone, Akai couldn’t hold back her emotions any longer. She broke down into a hysterical sob, igniting herself into a flaming inferno. Not wanting to freak out any Sphynxians, she quickly ran into the Temple of Horus to hide out, hoping to regain control of her powers there. Thankfully, she was the only inhabitant inside the temple.

Remembering the incantation Dahlia taught her, Akai chanted the mantra through heavy sobs. She took a deep breath and chanted again…and again. The fire slowly simmered down into a single flame on her hand. Akai watched the little flame crackle and burn through tear lidded eyes, shaking uncontrollably. She just wanted to damn pain to end already! Another heart wrenching sob escaped her throat as the flame started to grow again.

“You do know he prefers the company of men, right?”

Akai looked up in shock to see a dark shaggy haired lanky demon male standing a few feet away, towering over her. His dark eyes and horns gleamed from her firelight in the darkness.

“How long have you been here, Nikolai?” Akai said, quickly trying to regain her posture, hiding any evidence of her sorrow from him, despite the burning flame on her hand.

“I was on my way back from the marketplace when I overheard your recent exchange with Prince StarChild,” he said casually, taking a seat on the bench beside her. “I saw you burst into flame and run in here.”

“So, you decided to follow me? I have it under control, Nikolai. I’m not going to burn down the temple,” Akai replied defensively, clutching her fists, trying hard not to erupt into a full-on inferno again.

Oh, Goddess! She was getting tired of having to assure everyone’s safety whenever she was around!

“I was concerned for you,” he said softly, placing his hand onto her clutched fiery fist, extinguishing the flame instantly. His hand felt cool to her flushed skin, sending goosebumps up her arm. She looked at her flame less hand and then up at Nikolai’s eyes in amazement.

“Nikolai…”

“You didn’t answer my question. You are aware that the Star Prince prefers men, right?” he asked again still holding his gaze to hers.

“Yes...I heard about his engagement to the Jendell Prince. The wedding didn’t happen, so what?” Akai replied coolly with a shrug.

“He’s with Nikki Terror now,” Nikolai added still keeping his stoic posture.

Akai snorted. “And what exactly does Nikki Terror have that I don’t have?”

“Did you really come all the way to Sphynxia for an anatomy lesson?” Nikolai deadpanned; a soft grin blossomed across his face.

Akai broke out into a fit of giggles at the demon’s dry humor. “Yes, I know he likes men. I’m not an idiot. Why do you care so much?” she asked, realizing his hand was still on hers.

“I just don’t understand the energy invested into someone unattainable. Miss Rogers, your determination is one of your best traits. It would be better suited to pursuing a more worthy interest.”

Akai broke the gaze, looking down in deep thought.

“I don’t want the FireChild to get burned again. You don’t deserve that,” he confessed, absentmindedly rubbing his thumb over the top of her hand.

Before he could speak another word, Akai crushed her lips against his. Nikolai’s eyes widened at the sudden kiss. He was quite surprised. Her lips felt…nice. Nice and warm, just like her hand! He smiled as he leaned in to deepen the kiss, feeling her lovely warmth course from his lips through his entire body. It was a sensation he had never experienced before in his life. A sensation that he desperately wanted to explore…

Akai gasped as she felt something long and wet intrude its way into her mouth, massaging itself against her own tongue. She pulled back in shock, pushing him off of her.

Nikolai grinned deviously, wiggling his long tongue in a serpentine motion.

“You’re disgusting!” Akai huffed, getting up to go sit on another bench across the room. She turned her back to him, pretending to busy her interest in the elaborate Horus altar in front of her.

Nikolai chuckled at her coyish behavior. “I know you enjoyed it,” he said, approaching her from behind.

Akai didn’t look at him. She didn’t want to admit that she did secretly enjoy it. His touch was a cooling agent to her rising temperature. Whenever she could feel herself becoming overly heated, his touch seemed to regulate her body temperature. It was…strange?

Nikolai leaned over to whisper in her ear, “I want you to burn for me.” His fingertips caressed small circles on the sides of her shoulders, causing her to shiver to the core. She could feel herself heating up again, only this time the heat was rising in a different area…

Akai’s eyes widened when she felt something hard jabbing into her lower backside.

“Nikolai, if that’s what I think it is,” Akai growled, turning around slowly ready to punch him in the face.

“Huh?” Nikolai pulled away in confusion. He looked down and noticed his side satchel was pressed up against her back. “Oh? It’s just something I went to the marketplace for,” he said, pulling a dilapidated brown box out of his satchel.

“What is it?” Akai asked, eyeing the strange box suspiciously.

“It’s a headscarf for Ayesha, my sister. Father does not seem to understand the detrimental effect of the Sphynxian sun to a mortal’s delicate skin,” Nikolai explained matter-of-factly, opening the box to reveal a dark pink silky headscarf, neatly folded into a perfect triangle. “I picked a pink one because mortal girls like pink, I think,” he added with a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

Akai grinned at the pink scarf and then looked up to meet Nikolai’s eyes once again. “It’s beautiful! I’m sure she’ll love it. That was very sweet of you.”

Nikolai shuddered at that word. “Ooooh, please don’t call me that again. It makes me feel funny.”

Akai smirked as she watched him fumble to put his gift box back into his satchel safely.

“Well, shall we take our leave?” Nikolai asked, looking up at her.

“We?” Akai asked in confusion, arching her eyebrow.

“Yes. I don’t think you should be alone today. You should be in the company of a…friend,” Nikolai responded thoughtfully. “I’d like to introduce you to my family.”

Akai was pleased about the invite but was a bit hesitant at the same time. Her fiery accident in the KISSterian Court a few years ago injured a few Sphynxians. How would Demon and Vinneketh react to her?

“Nikolai, I don’t know…the fire,” Akai trailed off, tensing at that infamous memory. She could still hear those panicking screams echoing in her mind.

Nikolai waved his hand casually. “Ah, don’t worry about that. What’s in the past is in the past. Besides father had quite a hearty laugh over it all. He has…shall we say a distaste for the KISSterian nobles. They weren’t very kind to him.”

“What about Vinneketh and the other warriors?” Akai asked nervously. Rumor has it that one of the injured Sphynxians from the court fire was close to the Warrior Troupe. The thought of displeasing any of them unsettled her.

“I have grown quite fond of Vinneketh. He is a fair and compassionate man,” Nikolai paused before adding, “I think you would like him too. He likes giving…hugs.”

“I don’t know…” Akai sighed, shaking her head in disbelief. Ever since the fire, she preferred to keep a low profile. There were many who were sympathetic to her but there were also many who accused her of malicious intent.

“As for his men…you have my word that I will not allow any harm to befall upon you,” Nikolai promised, extending his hand to her. “Shall we?”

Akai looked at his hand hesitantly. She was unsure about all of this but Nikolai had been so kind to her. Looking into his dark eyes, she wanted to trust him.She wanted to believe that someone did want her around.

“Okay,” she smiled, reaching out to take his hand, feeling the pleasant cooling sensation make contact with her heated palm once more.