Mists of Velvet

appeared dark and definitely foreboding.
    Knowing Annwyn should be straight ahead, Rhys continued on, cursing that damned wren for first stirring up his curiosity and then promptly abandoning him.
    Making his way farther down the winding corridor, Rhys saw a flicker of movement. Keir? But then it seemed to glow gold, and he held his breath, knowing he was at last seeing the fabled golden veil of Annwyn.
    Energized, he took another step and skidded to a stop when the hissing sound washed over him. From out of the shadows a snake slithered out into the light, stopping to coil itself only a few feet from him.
    It was a small viper, probably an adder. It was poisonous but did not usually release all of its venom in its first bite. But, if it wanted, the adder could kill him if it decided to unload all its venom.
    Rhys reached for the lit torch beside him, thinking he’d burn the fucker, but the snake lunged and opened its mouth, preparing to strike.
    Jumping back, Rhys searched for something to impale the viper, but there was nothing, and the snake slithered closer to him. It climbed over the toe of his boot, and he resisted the urge to kick it away. It would only come back, and after having been provoked, it likely would bite him.
    Still as a statue, Rhys stood, hoping the fucking thing would find nothing interesting in his boots and slither back to the shadows. Instead, the snake began to move, curl around his ankle, and glide up his calf. Oh, Christ, it was twining around his leg and moving up toward his thigh. And then he felt it, the cool reptilian head pressing against his fingertips.
    Calm, he told himself. Adders didn’t bite unless provoked. And if it did bite, the venom wouldn’t kill him. Sure, it would hurt like a bitch, and he’d have some swelling and pain, and maybe even dizziness and vomiting, but he’d live. That was provided the adder gave him only a warning bite. If it wanted to kill, then nothing could stop it.
    The adder’s head was now pressed into the palm of his hand; then Rhys felt the swaying movement of the pointed tail seconds before it wrapped around the bronze wrist cuff. The next thing he knew, the snake was wrapped around his wrist, and its upper body was curling its way around his bicep.
    The reptile’s beady black eyes looked into his, and Rhys stared back, wondering what the hell was going to happen.
    And then he heard it, from some distant memory in the back of his mind.
    “What does the Nathair, the adder, mean, laddie?”
    “It is a sign of wisdom, Grandfather Daegan.”
    “And what does it warn of?”
    “That you must be prepared to shed something in favor of something greater and better.”
    Was this adder ally or foe?
    “Very good, Lucifer, you’ve secured the sacrifice.”
    The gravelly voice came from behind, and Rhys whirled around, only to find himself bashed in the head. Taken off guard and off balance, he was spun around and was falling face-first onto the stone floor. With a crack, the side of his head hit the unforgiving stone, and a blanket of darkness began to descend.

    Fleeing the temple, Bronwnn used the cover of darkness to run from the outer courtyard and into the sacred woods. A cloud obscured the moon, and the leaves of the tall oaks offered excellent cover.
    Silently and carefully, she crept farther and farther away from the temple, making certain her footfalls could not be heard. Cailleach had spies everywhere, and Bronwnn had no desire to be caught outside the grounds—especially at night.
    The temple had always been a prison to her. But among the trees of the Sidhe forest, Bronwnn found freedom in her nightly rambles.
    When she felt she was far enough away, she slowed her steps. Deeper and deeper she made her way through the woods. Cailleach’s oidhche did not fly into these particular woods, for it feared the wyvern who dwelt in the nearby cave.
    Taking a minute to catch her breath, Bronwnn lowered herself onto a smooth rock and inhaled the scents of the forest; pine and yew, the dampness of the grass, and the humidity that clung to the leaves. It was a familiar, comforting scent, and she leaned back on her hands and closed her eyes, allowing herself a few stolen moments of solitude.
    This was her favorite spot, for here, on this very rock, her dream lover always came to her. Tonight was no different.
    As soon as she closed her eyes, his image sprang to life—tall, with wide shoulders and a narrow waist. His chest was smooth and thickly