A desert night

Night in the desert is a deception. It looks cool and blue, but the stones hold the heat of the day, radiating it upward like a lover's breath.

I stood on the edge of the princess's balcony, leaning against a marble pillar, watching the city below. The streets were quiet, save for the occasional patrol of guards who were far too loud to catch anyone. But the shadows were moving. The Heartless were gathering in the lower districts, sensing the weak magical barriers of the world.

Behind me, the heavy silk curtains parted.

Jasmine stepped out. She had changed for bed. She wore a two-piece ensemble of translucent teal silk that left her midriff bare. The fabric was so light it floated around her legs like smoke, teasing the outline of her hips. Her black hair was loose, cascading down her back in a dark waterfall.

She hesitated when she saw me, clutching her arms as the desert breeze hit her skin.

"You're still here," she whispered, walking to the railing.

"I don't sleep when the door is open, Princess," I said, not turning my head. "And your door is wide open."

She stood next to me. She was close enough that I could smell the expensive oils she bathed in, sandalwood and night-blooming jasmine.

"I can't sleep," she admitted, looking out at the sleeping city. "The hourglass is running out. My father... Jafar... the law. They all want to decide my future before the moon changes phases."

"The law," I scoffed. "Ink on a scroll. It only binds you if you let it."

"It's not that simple," Jasmine sighed, leaning her elbows on the railing, giving me a generous view of her cleavage. "I am a prize to be won. A political asset. I just want... I want to marry for love. I want to choose."

I turned to face her. I stepped into her personal space, blocking the moonlight. "Choice is a luxury, Jasmine. Survival is a necessity."

I reached out and took a lock of her hair, rubbing the silk strands between my fingers. "You want a Prince to sweep you away on a magic carpet? That's a child's dream. What you need is a monster to scare away the other monsters."

Jasmine looked up at me. Her breath hitched. The proximity was intoxicating for her. She had spent her life protected by walls and eunuchs. Standing next to a man who radiated **** and control was waking something primal in her.

"And are you that monster?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"I'm the one currently standing between you and that."

I moved faster than she could blink. I wrapped an arm around her waist and yanked her violently against my chest. At the same moment, I summoned The Solar Zenith in my free hand and slashed backward over the railing.

SCREECH.

A Wyvern Heartless, a flying, bird-like demon, had been diving silently from the roof. My blade caught it in mid-air, slicing through its wing. It crashed onto the balcony floor, shrieking and thrashing.

Jasmine buried her face in my vest, screaming.

"Stay close," I ordered.

The Wyvern recovered, snapping its beak. I didn't let go of Jasmine. I held her tight against me with one arm, using her as the center of my gravity. I stepped forward and drove my boot into the Wyvern's skull, pinning it to the marble. I brought the Keyblade down. CRACK. The Heartless dissolved into darkness.

I didn't release her immediately. The adrenaline was pumping through her. I could feel her heart hammering against my ribs. Her soft, silk-clad breasts were crushed against my chest.

"You see?" I whispered into her ear. "The cage isn't safe, Jasmine. The darkness climbs the walls."

She looked up. Her eyes were wide, dilated with fear and excitement. She looked at the spot where the monster had been, then at the strong arm wrapped possessively around her waist.

"You... you saved me again," she panted.

"It's my job."

I looked down at her. The silk of her top had shifted, exposing more of her skin. She wasn't pulling away. The danger had spiked her arousal. She was realizing that the safest place in Agrabah was in my arms.

"How many more are there?" she asked.

"Thousands," I lied, exaggerating the threat to increase her dependence. "The city is sitting on a nest. I need to purge the Cave of Wonders to stop the source. But I can't leave you unprotected."

"Take me with you," she blurted out.

"No. It's too dangerous."

"I don't care!" She grabbed my vest. "I'm not staying here with Jafar! He looks at me like... like a meal. At least when you look at me..."

She paused, blushing.

"How do I look at you, Princess?" I challenged, tightening my grip on her waist.

"Like... like you own me," she whispered, lowering her gaze.

"Maybe I do."

I released her slowly, letting her feel the cold absence of my body heat. "Go to bed, Jasmine. Lock the doors. Tomorrow, I start cleaning the streets. And when the city is safe... we'll talk about who owns who."

Jasmine stood there for a moment, shivering. She looked at the door to her bedroom, then back at me. "Three days," she murmured. "Father said I have three days to decide on a husband."

"A lot can happen in three days," I promised.

She turned and ran back into her room, the silk curtains fluttering behind her. I turned back to the city. The hunt was on. First the Heartless. Then the Vizier. Then the Prize.