"Okay." She finished his arm and plopped down next to him, holding up her hands to look at the gel-like substance coating her fingers. The bowl still had a bit of the amazingly bountiful flower left. "I guess we have some to reapply should we need it."
She looked up to ask if it would be safe for humans, but the words died on her lips when she met his eyes, so deep, so beautiful. Vibrant, like the memories he shared. Like his humor. The red circling his iris was gone, only burnished gold remaining. The soft glow illuminated his handsome face and lush, full lips.
Thank you. His mental voice was a whisper, but it still relayed his heartfelt sentiment. His gratitude.
"You saved me. It was only right that I help you."
I got you into this in the first place. I put you in danger by forcing you into the catacombs. Into the wylds. You could've let me suffer. You could've held off and only stepped in if I would actually die. You should've, probably. Instead you risked your life to ease my pain. You constantly surprise and amaze me, Daisy. You think of yourself as black-hearted and morally bankrupt, but you're not. You're good at your core. You are the best of your kind. The very best.
She was frozen for the second time that night as he leaned forward slowly, his deep gaze opening her up inside. Her stomach fluttered. His eyes were hooded as he neared. She swayed, pulled toward him like a magnet. Her eyes were trained on his lips. He reached for her with his good hand and gently cupped her face in his large palm.
Their lips met softly at first, tentatively. Exploring. Their mouths moved together, savoring each other's tastes, the electric feel of their touch. Slowly, it deepened, the intensity growing. Passion mounted. His hand slipped down to the side of her neck. She lightly touched his jaw, his stubble scratching her skin.
A spark ignited. The world outside faded away. Her breath quickened, mingling with his. His tongue met hers, dancing at first, then a slow, purposeful thrust.
Her hands fell to his chest, meeting his warm skin. His slipped around to the back of her neck, pulling her in a little harder. Their kiss turned fervent. Her palms dropped farther, as did his hand. Her hunger for his touch grew. She wanted his weight to settle over her body. Wanted—
He stiffened. Then she felt it. A pulse. Subsonic movement, a push from unseen forces.
He pulled back, the gold running around his pupils catching the light and sparkling like a real substance. A small crease formed between his eyebrows.
She started to shake. She couldn't help it. She couldn't stop it. He looked down at her body, seeing it.
"You didn't see that thing charging," she said in explanation, embarrassed.
"Don't—" He placed a hand on hers where it had stopped in the middle of his stomach. He gave a smile, of all things. "The last thing you want to be is embarrassed about this reaction. I've seen battle-hardened warriors piss themselves when that thing comes around. It takes a team of powerful Celestials to bring one down. Few usually escape when it sets its eyes on them. And you had to brave it all alone."
"Ah, but…" She shrugged, grinning, trying to get around the magical fear that had again taken hold of her body. "You were standing by."
He barked out laughter and then groaned, leaning forward into her. "More like leaning by. By the time I reached my feet, I didn't know how I'd take a step without passing out. Thankfully, you were able to save yourself."
She threaded her fingers through his hair, tucking a strand behind his pointed ear. Her fingertips softly drifted down his cheek, over the stubble. His forehead rested against her shoulder, his hand still over hers.
"How do you feel now?" she whispered, wanting to tilt his head up and taste him again.
Hearing her thoughts, he straightened, and she could tell the movement took a toll.
"Not great," she surmised as his gaze stamped her lips.
"Better." His deep voice had reduced to a murmur. "It went from drowning me to merely consuming me. The plant helps, though it's not a miracle. It does work on humans, by the way. Let's put some on you."
"Nah." She leaned forward and touched her lips to his. He tilted his head, allowing for more contact. Their lips fit together like puzzle pieces clicking into place. "I've got a handle on the pain."
His tongue swiped through her mouth before circling hers. She fell into it, her control wobbling. Her desire swept away rational thought.
He sucked in her bottom lip before backing off again. "Your turn. With that darkrend roaming around, we can't do much but sleep, so let's make sure we get some genuine rest. Minimizing the pain will help with that."
"What if you need more, though?"
His grin was soft. "I guess I'll have to go out and get some, hmm?"
He moved around her slowly, laboriously. With the bowl in hand, he inspected her back and then her side where she'd been in contact with him. His touch was warm and delicate, giving her goosebumps when he spread the cool gel. Almost immediately, the dull ache minimized if not subsided, working down into her body and quieting the pain.
She closed her eyes with a sigh and, when he'd finished, leaned back against his chest. He set the bowl down, and his arms fell around her, drifting down her stomach and back up, staying in safe areas. She didn't want his hands in safe areas, though. She wanted to feel him where it counted, his kisses all over.
"Not tonight, little dove," he whispered, his lips against her cheek. "We need to sleep. Tomorrow we have half a day's walk before we can ride. Besides, we're in a bubble of safety and teamwork after some hard battles. We still currently have a mutual goal: to survive. You're forgetting the reality of your situation. As soon as you come to your senses, you will have regretted my touch."
She could hear the traces of pain in his words. The call back to what had happened with his first—and only—love.
"I don't regret your kiss," she whispered.
He paused, his hands stilling on her stomach. "Because you assume you'll kill me and free yourself from my influence?"
"Obviously. Until then, it feels good."
"And taking my body into yours won't make it harder to kill me?"
She tilted her head to look up at him. "Do you know me, like, even a little bit? If there is a choice between myself and my captor, I'm not going to decide I'm the one that should go. Would you?"
He studied her for a moment as a smile budded. His gaze slipped to her lips. "Obviously not. We seem to be the same sort of creature. Sadly, one of us is still very much in pain and trying not to show just how difficult it is to sit like this. I'm no good to you right now, which is a real pity, because once we get to my kingdom, you'll no longer want me like this."
"You're so sure of that?"
"Yes. Now c'mon. Let's get some sleep while we have the luxury of safety. We won't always."
Somewhere in the distance, another pulse pushed at the air. The darkrend was staying close.
"What are those pulses?" she asked as she stood and helped him up. "I thought they were footsteps, but it can't be moving so infrequently."
"It's sonar, essentially." Tarian grunted as he stood and swayed, better than before but not great. Even if the coast were clear, he wouldn't be going anywhere. "The darkrend uses it to seek out its prey and assess for danger. It's supposed to freeze the prey in fear, I've heard, but I've never seen that happen. Usually, every living thing is running right along with me when its presence draws near."
"The roar freezes you," she said, steadying him. "I don't usually freeze, but…yeah. There wasn't much about my interactions with it that I'd want to share around a campfire, I'll tell you that much. I was freaked out and running like my life depended on it. I didn't even have a thought about fighting."
"Wise. And just so we're clear, if you see one again, don't expect me to save you. In fact, you best be faster than me or I'll trip you and leave you for dead so it doesn't catch me first."
The sparkle in his eyes said he was joking. His smile quickly dulled from the pain, still evident in his hunched lean and stiff movements.
She turned to survey the bed in the corner. "I assume you're going to deny my advances and force me to stay in close proximity?"
"Exactly, yes. Just more torment to keep you on your toes." He ambled, his hands curled into fists.
She wondered how bad it actually hurt. How close he'd come to death. Then, a moment later, her world crashed down in a red haze of mind-splitting agony, cutting out the feeling of her legs, twisting her stomach, and making it seem like her spine and ribs were crumbling under the pressure. He was showing her what he was currently enduring. She staggered and fell to a knee, her head bowed as she tried to compartmentalize what was happening.
The feeling vanished, leaving only its memory behind. Her body twitched in the aftermath.
"So…it hurts," she said lightly, out of breath. Her stomach churned like she might throw up.
"A bit." He popped the button on his trousers.
"Would you have died?"
"No. Not from the poison, in any case. I might not have made it here to safety. Any number of things might've attacked and eaten me out there. You very well might've saved my life."
"Then we're even. In that, at least. There's still the matter of my needing revenge for what you did at the Demigod convention all those years ago, and then taking me captive and using me as a toy…"
"My goodness. You're still mad from all those years ago? You really do hold a grudge."
"Revenge is a hardy pastime."
"Indeed."
They pulled off the dusty top sheet and slept in their underwear, him on his stomach with his arms down at his sides so he wouldn't take up the whole bed. She stayed on her back, hating to sleep on her stomach, the pain nothing but a dull ache. A large space existed between them, and she didn't even have time to think about his touch. As soon as she laid her head on the striped, soft pillow, a heaviness dragged down her lids.
She awoke with a start sometime later. Light filtered in through the shades drawn over the small windows. It was impossible to tell the time. Warmth radiated at her side, and the pain from the poison was all gone, the plant having helped and her body handling the rest. A weight settled across her upper belly, a band of heat right below her breasts.
Tarian still lay on his stomach, but during their slumber, they'd each moved, closing the gap between them until his side was against her arm and his arm was draped across her body, as though holding on to her to ensure she stayed near him.
She let her head drift to the side, catching his handsome face, so serene in sleep. So peaceful. All the fine lines of stress or pain had eased away into sculpted perfection. His back rose and fell rhythmically—he was still deeply under.
Nervousness flitted through her. She wasn't a person who engaged in intimacy like this. She hadn't had partners over or stayed the night at their places. She hadn't woken up next to them, their bodies attached to her like a tether. Confusingly—horribly?—she had to admit…she liked it. She liked the feeling of his touch upon waking. Watching him sleep.
That couldn't be good…right? That couldn't be normal, staring at someone sleeping like a creeper?
It prowls.
She frowned at the voice. Tarian didn't stir. He hadn't said it.
But then, she knew that. The other voice—the presence—didn't sound like him. Didn't even sound like a person, really. It was like…an echo of a thought. An abstract drifting in her mind, somehow making sense, but she couldn't pinpoint why.
It senses you.
She didn't bother asking what it was talking about.
What are you? she asked instead. Why doesn't Tarian hear you?
I am everything and nothing. I am the forgotten and the found. The fabric of the world that is no longer needed.
And speaking gibberish. Are you the wylds? A split part of my personality? Some other entity?
I am not you, but you are me.
Time to change topics. She'd never been very good at nonsense or riddles.
How does it sense me? she asked. Because of earlier?
It senses danger. It senses its demise. It feasts on carrion and destruction. Its time is nearly at an end, and it knows it.
The pulse was faint. The creature wasn't close and the voice wasn't making any sense.
She realized she'd been staring at Tarian while talking to it, and now he opened his eyes slowly. His pupils shrank into pinpricks as he focused on her.
How do you feel? she asked as her stomach rumbled.
His gaze touched her lips and slid down to where their bodies touched. Where his arm was slung over her. Finally to her stomach. He was either feeling or hearing her hunger.
Decent. Not in tip-top shape, but good enough to be moving.
He didn't move for a moment, and then his elbow bent, as though he were about to pull it away. She thought about putting her hand on it to stop him. Thought about rolling to him to capture his lips again. She didn't need to make either choice.
His hand slid across her stomach, the touch firm, his fingers splayed.
We need to get going, he thought, his gaze tracking his hand's progress. His thumb ran along the skin of her stomach.
Yeah, she thought as goosebumps erupted along her flesh.
We need to get you some food. His hand traveled upward. His fingers grazed the bottom of her breast. He paused, as though uncertain.
She put her hand on his forearm and gently tugged his arm. His hand covered the swell of her breast. His thumb rolled the peak.noveldrama
She sucked in a breath from the pleasure that coursed through her body. He rose and scooted closer before pushing her bra up and exposing her. He leaned over and fastened his hot mouth over her sensitive nipple, sucking gently and rolling it with his tongue.
She groaned, her eyes fluttering closed. She tried to reach down and grab his length, but his body was pressed too tightly against hers. His hand slid down as he moved to the other breast. His fingers trailed over her panty-covered apex, stopping in the right place and rubbing in a circle.
She spread her legs wider and ran her fingers through his tangled hair. He pushed up and took her lips with his own. His fingers moved a bit and traced the edge of her panty line. They pressed a fraction, dipping under the fabric. He felt along her wetness before dipping in.
Her moan was tortured. The need to feel him deep, all of him, overwhelmed her. She devoured his lips and tried to work him over her body. Tried to wriggle her hand down in between them to touch him. To stroke him.
His digits plunged in and out. His thumb pressed down above, jolting her with pleasure.
"Let me get to you," she said, gyrating against him. She pushed her hand down as far as she could, only managing to get to his stomach.
"Not this time," he murmured against her lips, working her hard and fast. The sensations tightened her body. She was already so close. "I want to feel you come around my fingers." He kept going. The sound of her wetness filled the room.
He pulled his head away to watch her. His eyes sparkled with deep lust. "Come for me, dove," he commanded.
She unraveled, saying his name as she shook against him. Pleasure engulfed her, and she clutched him.
He gave her a few more strokes, another few turns with his thumb, before pulling his hand away. He brought it up, never breaking eye contact with her, and sucked the fingers into his mouth. For some reason, that fired her up all over again.
"Let's go," he said, ready to turn away.
"No, wait." She tried to keep him put. "Let me use my mouth on you."
His smirk held all sorts of secrets. She wasn't sure what he was thinking. He finished pulling away.
"Come on," he said. "You're hungry. We can get water on the way and food at the next station."
After she'd gotten out of bed, she stared down at her pants on the floor. She really didn't want to put those back on. They were filthy and crusty in places. Any more dirt and they might be able to stand on their own.
Still, they were one more defense against whatever plants and creatures existed in the wylds. Dirt and grime were better than brushing up against something toxic with her bare skin.
Tarian waited for her by the open door, looking out. Listening, it seemed like. Two water skins were draped over one large shoulder and an empty pack was slung over the other.
"Ready?" He turned to her but didn't step out of the way. He'd be leading.
She nodded and followed him as he set out.
"Why don't you have supplies and food items in there?" she asked as her stomach rumbled again.
"That station is rarely used. Any food items would go bad. It has a collection of tools, but nothing with which to make a fast meal. It's easier and faster if we move to the more commonly used station."
The sun gradually increased in warmth, morning heading toward afternoon. They'd only gotten a handful of hours of sleep, but as she took in all the green and blossoming flowers and strange, thorny vines crawling up rough brown bark, she didn't feel tired. Or fatigued. Honestly, she felt totally refreshed.
About an hour into their walk, she said, "What color is that flower?"
Tarian glanced back before noticing her pointed finger. Don't use your voice. It's pink. I can see you know that.
She narrowed her eyes at the back of his head as they walked. Show me an image of how that flower looks to you.
He looked back again, confusion and bewilderment plain. He did as she asked, though, and the beauty and vibrancy of his sight unfurled in her mind.
Is that really how you see everything? In Technicolor? she asked.
I don't know what Tech—what that is, but yes, that is how I see things. Humans can't see the range of light waves we can. Your vision is dulled in many ways.
That was lame. She liked his images so much more.
Wait, but if my eyes can't see those things, she said, why can I see them in my mind?
When you use an instrument to help you see things, like the northern lights or ultraviolet light, your brain can process them, correct? My eyes are your instrument. I'm showing you what it looks like through my lens. Your mind can process that.
She supposed that was true. If she'd thought for two seconds, she could've realized that.
One would hope, he thought wryly.
His humor was back. Goodie.
No rocks moved into their path as they traveled, and their surroundings remained unnaturally quiet. No critters or creatures scurried within the brush. No birds or anything that might resemble them called out in the sparse canopy. She noted details, the ripe air in some places, smelling of moss and decaying trees, and in others the clean and fresh fragrance of blooming flowers. Strange plants covered the forest floor, some leafy and green, others spindly and browning, still more with an array of colors, like the flower she'd picked the night before. Thick substances, like spider webs, dripped from leaves like cold syrup. Gooey, lace-looking stuff dangled from certain trees.
Her mind drifted as they walked, always listening for that voice-presence but not hearing it. Looking for its influence but not seeing it. Tarian pointed out things that were poisonous, at least to him. Vines to stay away from. Hollows and dark places that might harbor an unwelcome surprise. Nothing bothered them, though, something that made him increasingly agitated as time passed.
At one point he slowed and looked behind them.
What? she asked, stepping out of the way in case he needed to move.
He shook his head, but a crease had formed between his brows. Nothing. Not long now. Keep your vigilance.
But there was nothing to trouble them. No noise, aside from the wind moving tree branches or an occasional, unexplained drip. They filled their water skins at a small creek he assured her was safe to drink from.
Never drink what you are offered, Zorn's voice said in her head as they continued on. Only drink from a friend's cup, meant for their mouth alone.
Tarian held out his water skin.
That rule doesn't really apply in this setting, she thought dryly.
She held her water skin, the lid off, debating. Humans usually couldn't drink from a water source like a river or creek because of the animal feces and bacteria upriver, but she had an enhancement that other Chesters didn't. She healed quickly. Her body was hardier, which surely included her interior. She'd never really questioned that part of things before, but it stood to reason. She could withstand poisons more easily than normal Chesters because of the upgrade. One would assume bacteria would be nothing.
Still, this wasn't just a bacteria issue. It was water in an entirely different realm, meant for faerie kind, not humans. The very makeup of it could be different.
Though that would be true of all water in Faerie. She'd have to drink something sometime, so she might as well start with the purest sample. Maybe go slow and see if she shat herself in a few minutes…
Your mind is truly a dizzying place, Tarian said when she'd put the container to her lips.
There's always a lot to think about.
It seems so, yes. It hasn't been quiet since we started traveling together.
Maybe just walk farther away, where you can't hear my thoughts. That would be quiet. We'd both be happier then.
He tsked. I didn't say I was unhappy with the proximity. Quite the contrary. Besides, what if something jumped out at us? Who would I throw in the way if you weren't in arm's reach? I quite enjoy your saving yourself while I stand by.
Lean by, you mean.
He laughed softly, his big back shaking. His inked skin glistened in the sunlight, a light sheen of sweat coating the healing flesh. The obsidian circles glimmered, and it seemed like they were part of him. Not placed there but born there. She was about to ask about it when he stiffened.
What is it? She scanned right and left, then looked behind. Nothing.
It's too quiet, he said, picking up his pace. It's never been this quiet.
Are you always attacked when walking this path?
Seldom, but that is because I am usually warding creatures away with magic. I'm not doing that now. I haven't been since we started, actually. Even when I am, I usually hear signs of life. This area is more unbalanced than most, but there are still benign creatures. There are prey animals and insects. It is still an ecosystem. I haven't heard any of them.
The memory of the voice-presence echoed in her mind. It prowls.
She pondered that as they walked, remembering the pulse when she'd woken up. Remembering when the creatures had fled by the brook before the darkrend revealed itself. Remembered being charged.
She called up each detail, how they had made her feel, the parts that had to be magic. Her mind churned over the memory as they walked, nothing else to do but analyze, thinking of ways in which she could beat the feeling in the future.
It wasn't until the pale blond sun had reached its zenith, when her stomach felt like it had started sucking in her ribs, she was so hungry, that something niggled her awareness. Souls popped up on her radar, along the sides of the path, two on each side. Humanoid, not animal/creature.
Her knife had been low while her mind was distant, but she brought it back up. The movement in the trees was a whisper, the steps nothing more than a coosh of compression. Something was there. Lexi's gift, though Daisy was far from mastering or sometimes even remembering it, gave her a fantastic edge.
She stopped Tarian with a thought. Her knife turned into a dagger. A leaf wiggled on the other side where it shouldn't.
Someone is there, she murmured.
They stepped out as one, four large men—males—equally spaced and surrounding them in a square. She quickly scanned for the information she needed: shoulder size, muscle mass, stance, weapons, height, reach, leg size, footwear. A couple other things also trickled in—long hair, large necklaces and adornments practically begging her to choke the men with them, tattoos in a similar configuration. Their weapons were not the faerie blades she and Tarian held, so she assumed they wouldn't change shape. The men held them comfortably, though, with obvious familiarity. They'd be good with them. All the other information pointed to their being fast, experienced, and good swordsmen. They'd give her some trouble.
Luckily, she had Tarian.
But he put his blade away. "She's all yours," he told the males. Then to her, "Good luck, dove. Sorry for tricking you, but…it was necessary. I told you that you wouldn't want my touch for long. Betrayal tends to do that. It was a treat knowing you. I'm sure they'll be gentle."