Ava watched the riders disappear into the woods and stepped back into the hotel room, shivering from the cold. Panic surged through her as the thought hit her like a punch: she just needed to grab her passport and escape as quickly as possible. The horrifying possibility that Alessandro might be a human trafficker, and that she had fallen into the hands of an international organ trafficking ring, hit her like a wave.

  She was relieved she’d shared the hotel’s location with Logan. She should’ve listened to her sooner, she was the one person in the world who truly cared about her. As she hurriedly pulled on her clothes, a promise formed in her mind: if she made it out of this alive, she would never disappoint Logan again.

  With trembling hands, she grabbed her backpack, double-checking that her phone and passport were inside.

  “Wait a minute!” she thought, her mind racing. “Why wouldn’t he have taken my passport and phone if he were really part of the organ mafia? I should be locked in a dungeon with no way to communicate.”

  Either he was new to the mafia business and incompetent, or he wasn’t part of the mafia at all. Could he be a drug dealer instead? Maybe he was smuggling drugs from the woods. Perhaps he was hiding them in a cave. His password for the cave door could be 'Open Alessandro, open!'

  “Oh my God, he used me to smuggle drugs!” Ava thought, a fresh wave of panic crashing over her. The horrifying image of being arrested at the airport nearly made her cry. She’d been so lucky to slip past customs without raising suspicion.

  In a daze, she hurried out of the hotel room, her heart racing. The night air hit her like a slap, it was freezing. She shivered as she made her way down the stairs. When she entered the lobby, she spotted the receptionist. He was slumped in his uncomfortable chair, half-asleep from his night shift. But when he saw Ava, he jolted upright in surprise.

  “Madam!” he exclaimed in a panic. “Are you cold? We apologize; the hotel’s heating system malfunctioned. The repairmen will come in the morning.” In his haste to stand, he stubbed his foot hard on the corner of the desk, wincing in pain as he stumbled a few steps forward.

  With a heavy accent, he continued, trying to steady himself.

  “You know, this hotel is new. We weren’t expecting guests yet. But I’ll get you an extra blanket. Nighttime is always cold in Cappadocia. Don’t worry, it’ll be summer again when the sun comes back in a couple of hours.”

  He handed Ava a blanket with a warm, naive smile, completely unaware of the storm of panic she was battling inside.

  “Maybe the hotel employees aren’t involved in the crime,” Ava thought, trying to steady her nerves. Then she remembered, her luggage was registered under the name Alessandro De Rosa in the flight system. That was when she learned his last name: De Rosa.

  Her last-minute ticket meant she had to pay extra for her luggage, but Alessandro’s ticket covered two pieces of luggage. That meant he couldn’t have been using hers to smuggle drugs.

  “Anything else, Madam?” the receptionist asked, still standing awkwardly.

  “No, thanks for the blanket. Do you know where Mr. De Rosa is?” Ava asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

  “I didn’t see him, Madam. I’m sorry. We changed shifts only half an hour ago.”

  Ava returned to her room, the swirl of dark thunder clouds in her mind somewhat calmed down to a gloomy rain. There was no point in trying to figure this out in the middle of the night. No mafia boss would play the cello with black-polished nails or strut through art galleries like some kind of model. But Ava was too confused to think clearly. She hugged the warm blanket tightly and lay down. Her intention was to figure out what to do next, but exhaustion overtook her, and she fell asleep almost instantly.

  Ava awoke to the sound of splashing water and the fresh scent of shampoo. Alessandro was whistling in the shower. The room was filled with bright sunshine from the windows of the terrace balcony. It was hard to believe Ava was shivering from cold on that very same terrace just a couple of hours before. A few minutes later, he emerged from the steamy bathroom, wearing a white hotel bathrobe and a towel wrapped around his head. When he saw Ava awake, he paused for a moment, his gaze on her eyes.

  “Good morning, beautiful!” he said, his voice warm. “I’m so sorry it was freezing last night. Hopefully, they’ll fix the heater today. The climate here is like that, hot during the day, freezing at night, like a desert. But at least we have hot water.” He leaned over the bed and pressed a soft kiss to Ava’s forehead.

  Ava gazed around the room, which looked cozier in the daylight. What had she been thinking last night, trying to run away in the middle of the night? Then, she remembered the horses walking into the woods.

  “Hey hey!” Alessandro cheered, his voice bright. “Wake up and get ready, we’ve got a long day full of surprises!” He dropped his bathrobe to the floor and walked over to his luggage, pulling out his clothes. Ava couldn’t help but watch, momentarily distracted by the unexpected display of manly beauty, his whistling paired with the playful show of his rear.

  Finally, she snapped herself out of it, closing her mouth with a soft click. “I’ll get a shower, and then I’ll need a coffee.” Her voice came out colder than she intended, distant, almost as if she planned to end this adventure the moment she got her coffee. But the truth was, she had no idea what her intentions should be. Things like this didn’t happen in her everyday life in Paso Robles. All she knew was that she needed time to think.

  As they climbed into the van to drive to their first destination, Ava glanced around, trying to guess the direction where she had seen the horses heading the night before. The surroundings looked much different in the daylight. The town seemed closer now, almost within a ten-minute walk. The hillside by the hotel wasn’t as wide, and the woods, though still dark, didn’t seem as dense or intimidating. She decided to wait for a better moment to bring up last night’s events.

  Ava hadn’t expected more than a typical tourist town with a few oriental attractions, but Cappadocia had far exceeded her expectations. Hours passed like minutes as they wandered among the fairy chimneys and cave churches. The landscape felt almost otherworldly, like they’d stepped onto a different planet where ancient people had lived in the fourth century.

  Ava became so absorbed in the beauty around her that she forgot all about her worries from the night before. Finally, they sat down at a restaurant with a stunning view overlooking the cave hotels of the region. Alessandro, ever the enthusiast, ordered a sampler of local dishes for their late lunch.

  “I’m pretty impressed with both my sightseeing and my tour guide today,” Ava said, tucking another stuffed grape leaf with sour cherry sauce into her mouth.

  “I live to impress you,” Alessandro replied, smiling. “But the day’s not over yet.”

  “I don’t think I can walk any more or eat another bite.”

  “We won’t walk, and we won’t eat. We’re not sleeping yet either. Guess what we’re going to do next?” Alessandro asked, clearly in the mood for games.

  Ava laughed softly. “I wish I had more time to research this place. Honestly, I have no idea what could be next.”

  “We’re going to drink some wine!” Alessandro said with a grin. “I’m taking you to a picnic at a very special spot.”

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  They passed through small towns and pottery shops on the way. The entire Cappadocia region was divided into three main towns, with tiny villages scattered between the valleys. As they drove through more rural areas, Ava noticed the horse stables. Horses grazed lazily in the open fields. A shadow passed over her heart. She couldn’t wait any longer to bring up what she’d seen the night before.

  “I see a lot of stables on the way. I guess people really love horses here. Do you ride?”

  Alessandro was relieved that Ava had finally brought it up. He knew she’d been searching for him late at night, it was possible she had seen him and Carla on horseback. Something had been bothering her since this morning. She’d been distant, and she was fuming with purplish pink colors of frustration. Alessandro hadn’t expected Ava to be so observant; perhaps he’d underestimated her. She wasn’t as naive as he thought.

  That wasn’t necessarily a problem, though, in fact, it gave Alessandro an idea.

  What really bothered Alessandro was the effort he was putting into keeping Ava happy by his side. It felt like he was trying harder than he usually did, or should. Alessandro knew how to "play" the romantic, but he didn’t know how to be one. And truth be told, he didn’t really want to be.

  “Persian Empire ruled this land until Alexander the Great defeated them,” he said, breaking the silence. “The Persians called it ‘Katpatuka,’ which means ‘land of the beautiful horses.’ I hope you like horses as much as I do, because you’re about to ride one.”

  “You must be joking,” Ava said, pinching herself. Once again, she found herself in a situation that felt too good to be true. “I’m a hell of a rider! I own a horse believe it or not. His name’s Collins.”

  “You keep surprising me,” Alessandro replied, his gaze on Ava’s sparkling emerald eyes. “And here I thought I was the one who knew how to make an impression,” he muttered, feeling a warmth crawl down his spine.

  “Are we going to ride the same horses you were riding in the middle of the night yesterday?” Ava asked, her voice cutting through the air.

  Alessandro had been expecting a question about last night, but Ava’s directness caught him off guard. He smiled, watching her for a moment before responding. Ava didn’t smile back.

  “I was being... naughty,” he said, his tone straightforward. “We have a stable with five horses on the other side of the hill. One of the horses belongs to someone else. The owner came early this morning to pick up her horse, but it spooked in the dark. I rode with her to make sure she’d be safe. Trail rides are a common attraction here in Cappadocia, some start at dawn to catch the hot air balloons rising.”

  Alessandro spoke in his slow, measured tone, his gaze drifting out the window of the van as they neared the hotel.

  “This place is out of this world,” he said. “Hot air balloons take off with the sunrise, dozens of them at once. Many of the other balloon-related attractions start with the sunrise, too. You’ll see tomorrow. I was going to keep it a surprise, but I can’t resist. I’ve planned a balloon ride for us tomorrow morning.”

  He turned his head, catching sight of Ava. Her face seemed to shift in the light, her fumes flushed with reddish-orange tints of regret, and with subtle greenish hints of comfort as well.

  Ava grabbed a bottle of cold water from the tiny fridge in the van and took a long drink, hoping to cool the flush on her cheeks. She couldn’t help but feel the sting of regret for her childish behavior over the past day. She wouldn’t have been surprised if Alessandro had told her, "If you're not comfortable, you can go back home. I’m not going to beg you."

  Instead, he was comforting her, treating her with a kindness she hadn’t experienced before.

  “Alessandro, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude. But somehow, I, I just sounded…” Ava trailed off, struggling to find the right words.

  “No, no, no, you didn’t,” Alessandro interjected quickly. “It’s all right.”

  For him, the issue was settled. There was no need to dig any deeper. Her fumes back to the delicious familiar lighter reds and blues, Ava was once again the delicacy the Prince longed for in his arms.

  A thief and a liar…

  A prince and a charmer…

  I, the loyal Ghull of the Asaha, saw the remarkable truth in his eyes.

  A purity and an innocence…

  A light to shine on the universe...

  I, the loyal Ghull of the Asaha, saw the unrivaled might in her eyes.

  When they arrived at the hotel, two horses were waiting for them, a grey one with a shiny pink nose and a dark bay with a long patch of white running down her face. Thanks to Ava’s impressive riding skills, they were able to set off without delay. She chose the grey horse and followed Alessandro, who led the way along a narrow path that wound through the trees. Her horse, however, seemed to know the route already and needed little guidance.

  The ride wasn’t long, and soon they emerged into a small clearing. The trees parted to reveal a breathtaking view of the sunset, stretching across the valley in all its golden and fiery hues.

  Ava couldn’t help but notice Alessandro’s obsession with finding the perfect "panorama." Before her, a divan adorned with delicate tulles and colorful pillows awaited, along with a table set for two, complete with wine glasses.

  It was a scene straight out of a storybook, one that felt carefully curated for just this moment.

  “I don’t know what to say, you always find the best places with the most incredible views,” Ava said, her voice trailing off as she took in the scene. “This place…” she sighed, “…it’s just too good to be true. I don’t want to wake up from this dream.”

  She removed her helmet, letting her hair fall freely, the soft strands catching the fading light. Her almost sheer cotton shirt, delicate in the golden glow of the setting sun, clung to her figure, revealing the contours of her silhouette against the backdrop of the breathtaking vista. The beams of the sun seemed to playfully dance around Ava, weaving in and out of the fabric of her shirt and catching the strands of her hair.

  Alessandro walked to the table. He watched Ava as she reveled in the sunset, its warm glow caressing her skin. His hands trembled slightly as he fumbled with the wine bottle, struggling to twist the cork. For the first time in his life, he realized he was rushing, he didn’t like the feeling of impatience creeping into him. The tension unsettled him. What was happening to him? Why couldn’t he shake the overwhelming urge to have her in his arms again?

  He set the bottle and glasses down on the table, his motion sudden and frantic, as if he couldn’t quite control the urgency inside him. His breathing got heavier and quicker. Without thinking, he crossed the space between them in an instant, pulling her close. His heart raced in sync with his breath, as though he were caught in a dream. His Ars Pherian rational mind was telling him it was okay to be irrational. The confusion of his conflict blurred his vision of reality.

  Ava’s lips parted, and she closed her eyes. She was ready to go down the roads of pleasure once more with him. Alessandro kissed her while his impatient hands were vigorously exploring her body almost shaking her with his moves. He was nearly blinded by the scarlet fumes of passion that radiated from her, pulling him deeper with every breath. A surge of pure joy rushed through him, mingled with a painful helplessness that left him powerless, spinning in the intensity of the moment. He couldn't resist. He couldn't escape it. The desire, the pull, it was overwhelming, consuming every thought. He almost rolled with Ava dragging her over to the side of the divan.

  ?? Once they were on the divan, the wind stopped as if the valley seemed to hold its breath. Ava was surprised with Alessandro’s untamed, almost raw hands on her body. He almost tore off her shirt, one of the buttons popped off and got lost falling under the divan. Ava didn’t mind him throwing off her bra and feasting on her breasts, his tongue strong on her nipples. He was intoxicating, almost primal but he wasn’t hurting her. Her moans were hyping his unleashed desire. Ava realized his lustful eyes checking on her as he took the rest of her clothes off. She enjoyed her time gazing at his body as he undressed, enjoying the torture she caused on his body. His face was as if he was in pain as he drew his length between her legs closer to her core, finally slowing himself down from the tornado he created.

  Ava decided she should put an end to his suffering and reached to his torso with her arms. She wrapped her legs around him, asking him to fill her core bursting with heat. Alessandro gladly pushed himself with a heavy impatience, his animal instinct making him hold her tight under him. The sound of their embrace echoed loudly through the stillness of the world around them. Alessandro cried a loud and savage exclaim as he let his length pour as soon as he felt Ava’s moans and contractions in her core.

  Breathing heavily, Alessandro didn't realize tears were streaming down his blue eyes. The intensity of raw emotions he was experiencing, feelings he had never known before, nothing like the refined, harvested emotions of Ars Pherians, overwhelmed him. He had no idea how to process them. Desperately, he tried to hide his wet face from Ava, swiping his tears with the back of his hand. As he did, he caught a glimpse of a dark streak of fume swirling in his palm, caught in the golden beams of the sunset.

  His breath hitched, and he collapsed onto the side of the divan, his body trembling, his skin glistening with a mix of sweat and tears. The weight of the moment pressed in on him, and he felt a wave of vulnerability unlike anything he had ever known.

  Once a prince he was so brave,

  Then the prince became the slave, didn’t know how to behave.

  Poor prince he was shaken,

  He knew he was awakened, he wanted what he so frightened.

  I, the royal Ghull of the Asaha, brought the prince his enlightenment. He would embrace it and accept it. He would suffer to awaken. For that the universe was composed of endless possibilities, the Asaha had many ways to protect.