Burning white cold, blinding in its intensity, lit its way through my body, bowing my spine and setting my teeth to chattering. I tried to relax, forcing myself to stop shuddering, but to no avail. Winter is a harsh mistress, and its creatures were of no exception. The fae surrounding me howled and cackled with their malicious glee, dragging ice-daggers up and down my bound limbs. I screamed as the black liquid oozing from their hilts down into my flesh ripped into my veins, searing my flesh down to the nerves. I lay naked on the ice tableau, chained with long vines and tree roots frozen from the constant barricade of snow that coated everything but our little circle in layers of white resembling a bed of feather down.

I felt winter burning its way into my cells, into the smallest parts of myself that I didn't know existed. The fae with eyes black as the night sky leaned close, his breath of violets and mercury clouding my mouth and nose as I choked in a wretched sob. His companions danced and sang low, evil songs about my death around us.

"only I can help you" he whispered as he slid his tongue over the ridge of my ear, giving a shaky breath of delight when I squirmed and tried to move my head away. The restraint on my neck prevented me from doing much, and my exhaustive efforts to escape my torture had taken most of my energy. I was beyond tired, sore and just completely emptied of any strength I may have had.

"just say the words" the oily whisper flitted through the shrieks of laughter and cold indifference, "give yourself body, soul, and mind over to me, and I can make this all go away" his words came in a moan, and I felt weak anger rise within me. I cried with the last bit of defiance I held, quiet and small in the midnight of the coldest winter night I was held in.

"No." I repeated this word like a prayer, holding it like a revered light in my minds eye. "No...no....no...no..." I barely felt the slap, my head rocking limply. The darkness I had been trying to keep from invading my vision began to win, and my eyelids drooped. The ice in my veins was crystallizing, sharp edges piercing capillary walls and arteries. I felt it creeping into organs, and at some point the pain became exquisite pleasure. My mind was feebly trying to protect itself, I dimly realized. Things were bad.

Unseelie fae held no regard for human lives, and I was foolish enough to allow myself in my arrogance to fall into the arms of one. Beautiful, as most fae, and darkly enthralled with human flesh. Before his kin had strapped me down and began to replace my human blood with black ichor, he had let his true nature appear, claws as dainty and deadly as a cat's clawing into my chest. He had me pinned as he lapped my blood from my breasts, through the fabric of my ragged top. I felt how it aroused him as he pressed his body to mine, and as much as it kills me (forgive the pun) I remember being just as aroused. He had then stripped me and taken me to the tableau. His devilish grin making me think if countless times I had had that same look myself, I followed, honoring my end of the bet.

Now, as I lay dying, my human blood filled a black gold chalice and overflowed onto the black ice floor, and lesser fae lapped it and painted themselves in it. All around the raised platform I was strapped to an orgy arose, my blood the aphrodisiac that raised passions. Cat Cithe, my beautiful, golden-green-eyed murderer, raised himself above me, and loved my dying body with mouth, hands, and tongue. I had not consented to full sex, and even in my death throes I would not be ravaged. I had made a foolish bet, and now I paid the price. The black blood of the Winter Lands of Fae was in me, and I could not withstand it.

My eye lids were heavy, and I could barely feel anything being done to me anymore. I could hear moans, shrieks, cries, and howls, but even those became soft, muted, turning into a beautiful chorus that made the firelight dance on snowflakes and ice, warming the scene.

A single tear escaped my eye and slid down my cheek. My humanoid Cat Cithe caught it and I turned my gaze to him. The true danger, as most know, is that one would sell their soul in exchange for life, either literally or figuratively. I had made that trade already, and with it my body on numerous occasions. For money, love, and country, I had sacrificed my ideals from youth, and no longer held a sense of self. I suppose that made me easy prey, but I had been uncaring and ignorant.

"see" he hissed now, "see what your smug self-confidence has wrought?" his nimble fingers raised my tear to his lips and he kissed it, then placed the remains on my tongue. I barely tasted the salt before the cold numbed my mouth entirely. "foolish human, did you have a death wish?"

I looked at him, fighting to keep him in my fading vision. Why not look at true, unadulterated beauty and appreciate it as I die?

"No, I did not want to die. I wanted to prove..." I coughed weakly, my speech having loosened ice clumps in my lungs. When I stopped I found my bonds removed, and my angel of death holding me near- tenderly, like you would a small pet or beloved toy, or a lover. "I wanted to prove my convictions, that I would survive no matter what." My voice, hoarse and crackling, skittered gracelessly in the frigid blizzard, stumbling in the sudden complete absence of sound. "Guess I was wrong. I will not be made a slave, nor a pet, not even to save myself." I laughed weakly, barely able to stop my head lolling.

My human Cat Cithe supported my head, his heat barely making itself known to my frozen body. "are you willing to die" his voice was soft, gentle, even, calming, like a predator to his prey before consuming it, or like a doctor to a patient in a mental health facility. I hated those doctors, but loved Cat Cithe just a bit for it. "are you willing to die, and end your existence, to prove your point?"

I felt my body finally giving up, like it has never done before. I did not have to fake my sag of relief, and gave myself over to the sudden warmth I felt. I let my answer slide out with my last breath. I felt no regret in saying it, and even felt a bit of elated triumph in that final act of self-affirmation.

"Yes."