Thirteen

Drav ran tirelessly through the lit cavern.  Instead of focusing on my niggling headache, I studied him.  The strong line of his jaw.  His proud nose.  The curve of his lower lip. I couldn’t ignore the pulse of desire that shot through me at the thought of having him to myself for the next couple of days.  Suppressing a grin, I began to play with the hair at the back of his neck.

He glanced down at me, then my boobs, then back up again.  Having fun, I reached a little higher and trailed a finger along the edge of his opposite ear.  His speed decreased.

“Don’t slow down,” I said. “I want to get to our resting spot so we can kiss some more.”

Wind lashed at me as he sprinted, and I laughed.

It didn’t seem to take too long before he stopped.

“We will rest here,” he said firmly.

The bright light of the cavern seemed to make my head thump a little worse, but I determinedly ignored it as Drav eased me to my feet.

“Was this the place you had in mind or are you improvising because you want a kiss?”

“Improvising.” That was the last word he said before his lips claimed mine.

The heat of his kiss burned away thoughts of headaches, bombings, missing family, and hellhounds.  Nothing else existed but me and the man whose hands smoothed down the curve of my back to cup my butt.  I let him explore, reveling in the feel of his firm touch.  All his caresses sent sparks of fire into my already heated blood.

His lips left mine, and he looked down at me.

“Wherever you go, I will follow and keep you safe.  Whatever you need, I will provide it for you.  I am yours Mya, in every lifetime.”

He said the words with such burning intensity, my insides melted further.  How could someone so different come to mean so much to me?  I didn’t know.

“And I’m yours,” I said, heart pounding.

I loved the way he kissed me and touched me and knew he felt the same.  Yet, everything was so new to him, and he probably had no idea what he liked.  Eager to learn more about him, I slipped my hands under his shirt and slid my palms up the flat plains of his stomach.  He made a small sound, a mix of exhale and pained groan.

“Do you want me to stop?” I asked.

“No.  You have my permission to touch me how you like.”

I grinned and slid my hands up further, my fingertips brushing his flat nipples.  They pebbled under my touch, and his fingers twitched on my back.  Circling the softer skin, I watched his expression.  His gaze grew hungrier, and he claimed my lips for another searing kiss that made my toes curl.

Pushing his shirt up, I waited for him to break the kiss then moved my attention to his broad chest.  He slid his hands from my back to my hips, and he gripped me firmly as I pressed my lips against his sternum.  The smooth feel of his skin and his racing pulse notched my need for him higher.

He arched into me, pressing the bulge of his erection near my bellybutton.  His size brought a moment of worry.

“You won’t take more than I’m ready to give, right?”

“I will take nothing you do not give freely.”

Reassured, I traced the indent between his pectorals with my tongue.  A hiss escaped him when I veered to the right and circled around his nipple.

“You still okay?” I whispered against his skin.

“Yes.” The rough word grated with need, his breathing ragged.

“If I do something you don’t like, let me know, and I’ll stop.”

“I like everything you do,” he said.

While I kissed my way to the left side, I slid my hands lower to the waist of his pants.  His breathing stopped.

“Keep breathing, Drav,” I whispered just before I lightly nipped his nipple and grasped his erection.

His groan echoed in the cavern, and he pressed firmly into my hand.  The urgency in which he tipped my head back and kissed me hard, stole my air and fed my hunger.

He arched against me again, a demand and a plea.  Wrapping my hand around him, as much as his pants would allow, I firmly stroked him.  After thousands of years alone, that single touch undid him.  With a cry, he stiffened and held me to him.  I could feel him pulsing under my palm.

His fingers threaded through my hair, and he kissed me deeply until I was breathless.

“Magic did not die in your world because you still live,” he whispered against my hair.

*    *    *    *

I had never been to the ocean but was familiar with big lakes.  Oklahoma had a lot of them.  However, the sight before me proved more stunning than anything I’d seen before.  No waves or wind disturbed the still surface.  Not even a bubble.  Small patches of crystals on the vast ceiling above the water and those underneath the surface illuminated the body from both sides, making the liquid a glowing crystal-blue.  It appeared unnatural, but beautiful, with the rock formations and vegetation surrounding the lake reflecting back on its surface.

Drav led us into the surrounding trees, much smaller than those in their city but not like the orchard trees, either.  These had large grey leaves that draped over a silver trunk with no branches.  A brown ivy with tiny leaves grew up the trunks, completely covering the tree.  Between the thick vines that dropped down amid the large leaves of the trees, I caught glimpses of round, yellow globes that looked like some type of fruit.

As pretty as everything was, I had a hard time staying focused on our surroundings instead of Drav’s firm ass ahead of me.  After his happy ending during our explosive little make out session, I’d insisted we rest like we were supposed to.  However, I had actually fallen asleep instead of just giving him enough time to recoup.  When I’d woken, it had been to him already carrying me to our final destination.  I’d decided to play it cool and wait, but after hours of fantasizing what we might end up doing once we’d reached the lake, I’d had to ask to walk when I’d caught myself eyeing his chorded neck.

Now, I was only waiting for him to point out where we were bedding down for our stay.

Drav stopped walking, and my hope surged until he pulled some of the fallen ivy from the ground.

“What is the word for this?” he asked.

“Looks kinda like ivy to me.”

“We need to collect some for the fish.”

I wrinkled my nose but pitched in to gather what he needed.  When Drav declared that we had enough, we moved closer to the lake’s edge where he sat down and indicated for me to join him.

“So what are we doing?”

“We will build a net.”

Drav stuck two thick sticks in the ground before us.  Then, he reached into a small pouch from his belt and pulled out a wooden tool pointed on one end with a small shaped hole near the top.  He set it next to me and pulled out a second one.

“We will use the tools to make nets.  Here.”

Drav grabbed the ivy and began to wrap it around the tool he had set next to me.  After watching him for a bit, I picked it up and followed suit.  Once they were wrapped, Drav demonstrated what to do next.  It was a lot of the same work over and over.  While he labored with a practiced ease and patience, I grew bored and kept thinking back to our prior rest.

I grinned slightly.

“You are happy?” he asked.

“Mostly.  I was thinking of last night.”

His lips curved.

“We will finish the net, feed you, and kiss some more.”

His hands flew through the weaving pattern he’d attempted to show me.  Once he had a completed net, he stood, handed it to me, then pulled the string to his pants.

“Not that I’m complaining, but what are you doing?”

“We will be going into the water.  It will take a long time for our clothes to dry if we do not remove them.” He punctuated that statement by dropping his pants and tugging his shirt over his head.

Drav held out his hand for the net, but I couldn’t take my eyes off him.

“Come, Mya.  We must fish.”

“Right.” I tore my gaze from his impressive length and handed over the net.

Drav walked to the edge of the water and waded in.  He stopped once the water reached his waist and looked back at me expectantly.

Flushing, I pulled off my shirt and unbuttoned my jeans.  Drav watched with rapt interest as I slid them down my legs.  When I reached behind my back, he turned in the water so he fully faced me.  The tender way his gaze swept over me from head to foot eased some of my nerves.  I unclasped my bra and shrugged it off my shoulders.

“You are beautiful, Mya,” he said with awe.

“Thank you.  You are too.” With my underwear still on, I stepped toward the edge.

“You should take that off or it will get wet.”

“I’ll risk it.”

His lips twitched.

“Don’t laugh.  I don’t trust what’s in that water.”

“Nothing will harm you.  Come.” He held his hand out, waiting for me to join him.

The water was warmer than the river, but it still wasn’t like climbing into a relaxing hot tub.  I took Drav’s hand when I reached him, and I was glad I did because I slipped on a rock and stumbled forward, right into his chest.  Without his hold, I would have landed face first in the water.

“Oof, sorry,” I said, balancing myself against him.  He held my hand steadily and allowed me to use his chest to right myself.

“Are you okay, my Mya?”

“Yeah, I’m good.” I saw some strands of Drav’s hair had come out of his braids and brushed away the ones that had dropped over his forehead.

“We must stay very still.  We will scare the fish.”

“I sincerely hope these are not the same fish I encountered when we first arrived.”

“No, you are safe.”

I began to ease backwards but Drav tightened his arm around my waist and kept me close.

“We cannot move.”

Water lapped at my bellybutton.

“How will we catch fish then?” I whispered.

“Don’t worry, I will catch us dinner.”

“I don’t like raw fish.”

“You need to eat.”

“There was fruit in the trees.”

“Shh…” he said softly, his gaze shifting to the right.

I stiffened as I glanced over.  A small school of fish swam closer to us.  More specifically, our toes.  Drav released his hold around my waist and moved in a blink of an eye.

The water splashed around us, spraying me.  When I opened my eyes, I found Drav holding the net out proudly.  Inside thrashed several dripping wet see-through fish.

“That’s amazing, Drav!”

I leaned forward, in awe of their translucent bodies, and slipped slightly again.  I caught myself on his chest, but in the process, my breast brushed his arm.  My nipple pebbled at the contact, and I shivered.  He growled, dropped the fish net, and held me to his chest.

His intense gaze captured mine as he reached up and stroked a finger over my hard nipple.  A small gasp escaped me.  Warm heat spread from his fingertip down to my belly.  His focus shifted to my parted lips as he continued to tease my breast.

“So soft,” he said a moment before he dipped his head and brushed his lips against mine.

Another shiver ripped through me, spreading the heat further south.  He inhaled against my skin and deepened the kiss, his tongue seeking entrance.  I opened and dissolved into his embrace.  His mouth and fingers made everything disappear except for the growing need burning inside me.

Something jumped in the water beside us, a reminder of our location.  I pulled away to breathe, and Drav pressed his forehead against mine.

“You dropped the fish,” I said.

“It was worth it.”

“We don’t have dinner now.”

“There is fruit in the trees.”

I laughed and pressed another quick kiss on his firm lips.

When we finished the fruit he’d quickly collected, Drav made us a bed from the large fronds.  He lay down naked and stretched out on his back, his erection proudly exposed.  Moisture still glistened on his skin.  Between the dip in the lake and the humidity in the air, he’d been right.  It would have taken a long time for my clothes to dry.  As it was, my wet underwear still clung to me uncomfortably.

“Are we really safe in here?”

“Yes.  The blue and green crystals both exist here so there is never darkness.  No hounds will enter here.”

Taking a steadying breath, I hooked my fingers in my underwear and pulled them off to hang them over a nearby frond.  When I turned around, Drav observed me with an intensity that made me nervous.

Neither of us moved for several long minutes.

“I won’t touch you if you’ve changed your mind,” he said, softly.

“I haven’t changed my mind.  I’m just crazy nervous.”

He sat up and held out his hand.

“If I do something you don’t like, let me know, and I’ll stop.”

An ache grew in my chest at hearing those words.  Taking his hands, I stepped closer.  His gaze dropped to the patch of hair that had so fascinated him at the cabin then back up to my face.

“Will you snuggle with me, Mya?”

I nodded and lay down beside him.

His fingers skimmed over my skin from belly to breast as he leaned over to kiss me.  His tongue teased mine until I forgot to be nervous and panted for air.  When his mouth left mine and his kisses trailed down the column of my throat, I turned my head to give him better access.  The entire time, his fingers never stopped moving.  They drifted over my navel, then lower.  I grinned slightly, knowing his curiosity was killing him.

His lips closed over my nipple, obliterating humor with a burning need between my legs.  I curled my fingers in his hair.  His lips moved to my other breast, and his teeth gently nipped me as his fingers slid over my folds.

Panting, I opened for him.  Conscious thought fled as his lips trailed lower.  His breath fanned against my bellybutton before going further south.  My gasp echoed in the cave when he kissed the sweet spot between my legs.  I involuntarily bucked under him.

“Do you want me to stop?” he asked, pulling back.

“Please don’t,” I panted.

He kept going, his tongue teasing and stroking every inch of me until I pulsed and cried out in a long, low wail.

Limp and relaxed, I twitched under Drav’s lips as he kissed his way back up to my breast, where he set his head.

“That is how my heart raced after you touched me,” he said softly. “Sleep, Mya.  When you wake, we will snuggle some more.”

With him half draped over me, I closed my eyes and reveled in the feel of his light touch as I drifted off to sleep.

In the morning, Drav lay beside me, a piece of fruit in his hand.

“Thank you,” I said, sitting up with a wince.  The headache from the day before had only grown worse.  Not wanting it to wreck our remaining time, I brushed away his concern and let him show me how to peel and eat the fruit.  As I nibbled, so did he.  But not on the fruit.  It was, by far, the best meal I’d ever had and helped distract me from the thumping behind my eyes.

The relief didn’t last beyond the final fading tremor, though.

“I’m not feeling really good.  I wish I would have brought my bag,” I said, thinking of the pain reliever I had in the first aid kit.

“Dress.  We can go back.”

“You don’t want to snuggle more?”

“Not when you don’t feel well,” he said with a kiss to my temple.

I was mildly disappointed then reminded myself the sooner we returned, the sooner we could head back to the surface for some privacy with a real bed.

He packed up the tools he had brought with him but left the fish net.  Without needing to ask, he lifted me and took off toward the city.

The motion didn’t help.  Not only did the pain in my head grow worse, but my stomach started to roll.  When he stopped for the resting period I didn’t sleep as soundly.  My stomach cramped continually, and I moved restlessly.  Drav worried the whole time.  Obviously, the fruit we had eaten wasn’t sitting well.  As soon as the cave’s crystals dimmed, we started toward the city, and I tried to ignore the increasing pain in my stomach.

Hours later, the wall appeared, and the door opened well before we reached it.  Drav went right through.

“Do you want to walk for a bit?” Drav asked, concern in his tone.

“Yeah.  Maybe it’ll help my stomach.”

It didn’t.  I changed my mind about the illness stemming from weird fruit to possible period cramps.  I couldn’t remember how many days it had been.  Too much had happened.

Drav laced his fingers between mine, and we walked to the city.  It definitely buzzed with more activity and men who stared at me with curiosity.

Drav picked me up when we arrived at our tree, and he ran up the steps to our burl.  The relief I felt at the welcome sight of our home died when Drav entered.

Molev sat on the bed.  The white cords of the iPod’s earbuds stood out starkly against his black shirt.  He stared down in rapt interest at the glowing iPod cradled in his large hand.

“Put me down,” I said to Drav, pissed.

Molev noticed us and stood, tugging the earbuds out of his ears.  He nodded in greeting.

“Thank you, Mya.  Your language is very interesting to learn.”