Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Spirit of the Wolf ❯ Chapter 5: The Full Moon ( Chapter 5 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: WolfGoddess_77 
Miscellaneous: Original Stories Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Fantasy / Romance / Supernatural | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 02.23.2012 | Updated On: 09.26.2012 | Pages: 3 | Words: 7.2K | Visits: 166 | Status: Work In Progress
Miscellaneous: Original Stories Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Fantasy / Romance / Supernatural | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 02.23.2012 | Updated On: 09.26.2012 | Pages: 3 | Words: 7.2K | Visits: 166 | Status: Work In Progress
Disclaimer: This story is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual people or places is purely coincidental.
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As the day wore on, both Reyith and Cael found themselves becoming increasingly restless. At first, Reyith though that it was only leftover adrenaline from the fight, and the knowledge that Vega would be returning soon. But even when she took her mind completely off of the upcoming fight, the tension in her body didn’t leave.
When the sun finally began to sink behind the horizon, she stopped, bringing one hand up to rest on her forehead. Her skin was hot to the touch, though she knew that she wasn’t sick. “Come. We will stop for the night.” Abruptly, she turned and began heading off through the trees that still lined the road. They were several miles away from the mansion now, but they had been left undisturbed since Vega’s departure.
Cael cast her a sideways glance. He hadn’t been expecting her to speak up so suddenly. Was her shoulder hurting? “All right. I need to take a look at your wound anyway.” Moving closer, he followed her into the shadows of the trees. He also needed to ask her something, but he wanted to make sure that she wasn’t in pain first.
“That will not be necessary. My wound is fine. I told you before, it was not serious.” She didn’t turn around to look at him as she spoke. Instead, she continued walking, keeping her gaze fixed firmly ahead of her.
“Still, I want to be sure,” he persisted, not letting her get away. He didn’t touch her, but he was close enough that if she tried to run, he could catch her. “With injuries like this, they can sometimes be worse than they look.”
He just didn’t get it, did he? Giving a soft growl, she finally stopped walking, taking off her pack and placing it against a tree. “I will be back soon.” With that, she disappeared into the darkness that was slowly settling on the forest.
Blinking in surprise, Cael watched her go. Shrugging off his own pack, he placed it next to hers, then closed his eyes with a sigh. Something was wrong with him. It had to be. His entire body felt like it had liquid fire running through it. Was he rejecting the change? He didn’t think so; if that was what was happening, there would surely be pain involved. This wasn’t painful, just…very uncomfortable. Besides, if his body was going to reject the foreign DNA, surely it would have done so before now. No, this was something else. And his only source of information had suddenly decided to go take a walk through a dark forest. Alone. Without her protector. Oh, shit.
Of course, chances were, she was fine. There was no way that there would be a hoyu seishin this close to the mansion, right? Of course not. Still, better to be safe than sorry. And Reyith was already injured. He needed to make sure that she wasn’t straining herself. He had seen her check her temperature earlier; what if she was getting sick? Yes, he definitely needed to find her, and now.
Turning in the direction she had gone in, he paused. Why was he so worked up? It wasn’t that he was panicking - he never panicked - but his thoughts were in absolute chaos. His mind kept bouncing from one thing to another almost faster than he could keep up.
Finally, he shook his head. Though Reyith had definitely been distracted by something, she hadn’t explicitly told him not to follow her. And even if she had, he probably wouldn’t have listened. So, he headed off to find her.
As he walked, he noticed something strange. He could smell things. Mostly, the only scent he could detect was the trees, and leaf litter covering the ground. But beneath that, almost faint enough to be overlooked, was another, wonderful scent.
At first, he didn’t know what it was. His first thought was some kind of flower, since it was sweet. But that wasn’t quite it. Then, he realized what it was. This was Reyith’s scent. How could he have missed it before? A faint smile crossed his face when he noticed that her scent was also on him, from when he had pulled her back against him earlier in the day.
A few minutes later, he stopped, tilting his head to the side. He could hear the sound of running water up ahead. How had Reyith managed to find a stream? Shrugging it off, he continued following her trail. The scent was stronger now; he was certain that she was at the stream.
He could see moonlight shining through a gap in the trees up ahead, and a silvery glint as it reflected off the water of a small stream that ran through a clearing. Coming to the fringe of the trees, he stopped, looking around. “Reyith?” Then, he spotted her, and his mouth went dry.
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Reyith had hurried away from Cael as fast as she could, needing to put as much space between them as possible. She knew that he would probably come after her soon; she hadn’t told him where she was going, or that she wanted to be alone. Her words had been clipped, and if she knew Cael like she thought she did, then he would never allow her to be out here alone, especially knowing that they could be attacked at any time. But that didn’t stop her from trying.
Still, she found that it was hard for her to walk away from him. A sudden suspicion came over her, and she stopped, tilting her head back and looking up at the sky. All that could be seen was inky blackness, and a few scatted stars. Damn it; it was still too early. She needed to find a place where she could see more of the sky.
How could she have lost count of the days? Even when she had been confined in the mansion, she had always been aware of the moon’s cycles. Being a wolf, it affected her very strongly. And now that she was actually outside, and with an attractive male who was the same as her…the effects were almost devastating.
The problem was, she knew that Cael was feeling the same things she was; probably even to a stronger degree. Over the months, she had become used to the effects that occurred under the full moon’s influence, but he wasn’t. This night was going to be hell on him.
It was then that she realized that she could smell water. Looking around for a moment, she finally pinpointed the source, then altered her course, heading in the direction in which the scent was strongest. Water would be a welcome relief right now. Anything that might help cool her body down.
Within another minute, she had come to the edge of a small clearing. A shallow stream wound its way through the center of it; the rushing water the only sound disturbing the otherwise quiet night.
As she stepped away from the trees, her gaze rose to the treeline on the opposite side of the clearing. There, just becoming visible over the dark silhouettes of the treetops, was the moon. She felt her heart skip a beat as she saw its shape. It was perfectly round; tonight really was a full moon.
She closed her eyes for a moment, and took a step forward. It would only be a few more minutes before the moonlight covered the clearing, illuminating the shadows, and bathing her in its argent light. Moving towards the water, she reached up, her hands finding the laces that held her shirt closed. Slowly, she untied the bow, unlacing the strings and letting her shirt hang open.
One hand slid underneath the garment, finding the knot that secured the bandages on her shoulder. After a moment’s work, it came loose, and the white material unraveled from around her, drifting to the ground. Her shirt soon followed the bandages, leaving her top half covered only in the bindings.
Curiously, Reyith looked down at the wound. From what she could see, the exit wound on her back had already begun to heal; it was nearly closed now. Her healing rate had always been faster than a human’s, and the moon acted as a catalyst. The closer to full it was, the faster she healed. From experience, she knew that the injury would be a scar by the time the moon rose the next night, and even that would vanish within another few days, leaving no hint that she had ever been injured.
Kneeling down beside the stream, she reached out, cupping her hand beneath the surface of the water. Bringing up a handful of the cool liquid, she pulled her hair over one shoulder, then splashed the water onto the back of her neck.
Giving a sigh, she straightened, then stood up, considering. Her eyes flicked to the forest that she had emerged from, searching the shadows for any sign of movement. Would she have time…?
She shook her head. Better not risk it. Cael could show up at any second. But she could still cool herself down, just not as effectively. Bending forward, she pulled off her boots, then began rolling the fabric of her pants up. Once that was done, she stepped into the water. It came halfway up her legs, but her pants were rolled up high enough that they stayed dry.
Her head tilted back, and she closed her eyes, a small smile crossing her face. A moment later, she felt - actually felt - the moonlight hitting her. Fire raced through her blood, pulling a small whine out of her throat. This was nothing like the other full moons she had experienced. Being under its light was borderline intoxicating. The power that she could feel flowing through her… But beneath that was another sensation; one what she wanted to ignore: a sweet ache that was swiftly spreading through her body.
That was something that she couldn’t think about. It was true that Cael was the only one that would be suitable for a mate, but she could tell that he still wasn’t completely at ease around her. Though he had extended that offer, she wasn’t entirely sure why.
It could have only been because he felt sorry for her, since she had lived inside the mansion all of her life. He was a kind person; it sounded like something that he would do. And truth be told, she was attracted to him. He was smart, and already showing signs of strength; both mentally and physically. He had all the makings of an ideal mate for her. They were the only two of their kind, and he was…
“Reyith?”
…he was standing right behind her. How had she not heard him coming?
Because you were caught up in your own internal conflicts, the deep voice of Metsu rumbled within her mind. Always be aware of your surroundings. You should not have forgotten this. Inattentiveness means death.
Quickly, Reyith hushed him. The last thing that she needed right now was a lecture from an irate spirit. Of course, she knew the risks of not paying attention, but she had never made a mistake like that before then. Tonight, she was distracted. She knew that didn’t excuse her carelessness; one mistake was all it took to kill you. But right now, she had more important things on her mind. Things that would need to be dealt with immediately.
Slowly, she turned, fixing her eyes on Cael. He was standing just inside the treeline, watching her. This was just perfect. What was she supposed to do now…?
---
Standing perfectly still, Cael surveyed the scene in front of him. The first thing that his eyes fell on were the bandages that had previously been wrapped around Reyith’s shoulder. Next to them was her discarded shirt.
Slowly, his eyes raised, and he looked up at Reyith. She was standing knee-deep in the water, and her back was halfway turned. She was staring straight at him; there was no way that he could just creep back into the woods and pretend that he had never been there. Why had he called out to her?
But the longer he stood there, the more he found that he didn’t want to leave. He wanted to keep watching her. The moonlight shone down on her, causing her skin to take on an almost luminous quality. Even from this distance, he could see the rapid rise and fall of her chest as she breathed, and the strange look she had in her eyes.
Mainly, she looked like she was ready to bolt, which was why he hadn’t attempted to approach her. It was an expression that he had seen before, on others; she was afraid. Of him? Perhaps. Slowly, he took a step forward, watching her reactions carefully.
When she made no move to run, he continued forward another few steps. That was when he noticed it. Hidden beneath the layer of fear and uncertainty, there was a spark of something else in Reyith’s violet eyes; something that he was certain didn’t belong there: the faintest trace of desire.
He continued forward, his eyes fixed on hers. Finally, he stood on the edge of the stream. Extending one hand, he smiled at her. “Why don’t you come out of there? That water has to be cold.”
As he spoke, Reyith noticed an odd change in his voice. It had become low and silky; almost seductive. For a moment, she considered telling him to leave. There was a lot that she needed to think through, and his presence was only serving to distract her further. There had to be distance between them.
And yet…even before that thought had fully formed, she was discarding it. She couldn’t ask him to leave. Not yet. Tonight, they needed to be near each other, for better or worse. With that in mind, she reached out, taking his hand and letting him help her out of the water.
Cael took a step backwards as Reyith stepped out onto the bank. But that one step wasn’t quite far enough. It brought her almost right up against him. His hand released hers, and slowly, it lowered, coming to rest lightly on her waist. He waited to see how she would react to this. The last thing that he wanted was to frighten her.
But he did have some questions that needed answering, and he was determined not to let her go until he knew the truth. It was all a matter of restoring her trust in him, first. Once that was achieved, then he would question her.
As he expected, her gaze went immediately to the hand that was now at her waist, but she made no moves to push him away. Satisfied that she was going to remain calm, Cael reached up, swirling his finger lightly around the wound in her shoulder. Leaning forward, he examined it closely. There was no mistake; it was already beginning to heal.
“I told you before, you need not worry about me. A wound such as this is no real threat.” Her voice was soft, and more than a little breathy. “My healing rate is far faster than a human’s.”
He hummed softly. “Be that as it may, I still wanted to make sure. I can’t have my partner hurt, now can I?” Again, he leaned forward; this time lightly brushing his lips across the wound. A satisfied smirk came to his face as he heard Reyith’s sharp intake of breath, though he quickly hid it as he straightened once more.
His hand slipped off of her waist, and wrapped gently around her wrist. He then took several steps backwards, away from the water. Because of his hold on her, Reyith had no choice but to follow. “I need to ask you something,” he whispered finally, one hand coming up to trace the curve of her cheek. “Ever since this afternoon, I’ve been feeling very strange. Like…I have too much energy. I feel like I need to be out doing something. My body is burning up, and I feel like I could do almost anything. But I don’t know where all of this is coming from. And most importantly…” He suddenly pulled her against him, wrapping his arms around her to hold her in place, “…I feel like I just can’t let you go.”
Reyith felt her heart leap in her chest, both at his words and his touch. Bringing her hands up, she rested them on his chest, lightly leaning against him. “We both have wolf blood,” she whispered. “Because of that, we are affected by the full moon. Its influence is why you are feeling this way.”
He gave a sound that could have been either a hum or a moan. “That’s all well and good, but what am I supposed to do about it? I can’t just sit here and wait for two days; I’ll go insane. All this energy…I have to do something with it. Isn’t there anything that might help to relieve it?”
She shook her head. “Not that I know of. I have always had to wait for it to pass.” That wasn’t quite true; usually, she would spend the days in hard training, until she was too exhausted to think about the fire flowing through her. A distraction…they both needed a distraction. But what could they… Suddenly, she raised her head, looking up at him. “I propose a game.”
Cael arched one eyebrow. “What kind of a game?” It was clear that he was intrigued. For the normally-serious Reyith to want to play a game, she must’ve really wanted to help him. That, or she was trying to distract herself. Either way, he wasn’t complaining.
“A chase,” she said simply. “We will have a chase.” Looking up, she checked the position of the moon. “It will continue until the moon is three-quarters of the way down. When that time comes, if you have not caught me by then, I win.” That would give him plenty of time to both wear himself down, and give him a fair chance to catch her. But that didn’t mean that she would make it easy for him.
“And if I’m able to catch you before then? What do I get for winning the game?”
“Whatever you wish. The winner can do anything they like with the loser. Do you agree?” She took a step back so that she could see his expression more easily. From the looks of it, he was definitely interested.
A grin crossed his face. “All right, it’s a deal. Just don’t complain when I catch you. Are there any more rules I should know about, before we start?”
She considered for a moment, then hit upon an idea. This might be the perfect chance… “If you are able to find your powers, you may use them to help you win. But be warned; I will be using mine as well.” Again, this wasn’t the entire truth. To keep the game fair, she wouldn’t use her abilities unless he was able to tap into his. But it might give him enough of an incentive to unlock his other form.
He nodded his understanding. Bending down for a moment, he picked up her shirt from the ground, brushing the dirt off of it. Gently, he wrapped the garment around her shoulders, and she put her arms through the thin sleeves. But as she raised her hands to reach for the laces, he stopped her. “Let me,” he whispered.
Reyith blinked in surprise, but didn’t protest. Instead, her eyes followed the motions of his hands as he picked up the strings, then slowly began feeding them through the appropriate holes. More than once, his fingers brushed against her exposed skin, but she couldn’t tell whether it was deliberate or accidental. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she felt him tug the strings into a bow, then release them. It was all she could do to bite back a disappointed whine as his hands left her body.
“There you go. We can’t have you leaving your shirt here.” He paused for a moment, considering. While he thought, he reached down once again, picking up the bandages and rolling them up. Placing them in a pocket, he turned back towards the way they had come. “Maybe we should get our things first, and bring them here. This would be a good place to stay the night.”
Reyith followed his gaze, then looked back over at him. “We will collect our belongs later. Right now, we are wasting time. Unless you want to make it harder on yourself to win…?” Her tone was as calm as always, but the light in her eyes made it clear that she was teasing him.
This made him arch one eyebrow. “Are you kidding me? I intend to win this game, one way or another.” He glanced up at the sky. “But I think we should get started. Like you said, we’re wasting time.”
A smile came to Reyith’s face, but she nodded. “Yes, we are. Remember your time limit.” She took a step backwards towards the forest, watching him. “Now…catch me.” With that, she was gone, vanishing so quickly Cael didn’t even see her move.
Mentally, he counted to five, giving her a head start. Then he headed into the shadowy forest in search of her. “Ready or not, here I come.” Immediately, he tilted his head back, smelling the air. Tracking her visually simply wouldn’t work; she was far too fast for that. But no matter how fast one moved, they couldn’t prevent a scent trail from being left. If he could find that, he would be able to follow it to her.
As he had anticipated, he could detect her scent clearly. But what he hadn’t counted on was that, instead of a clear trail, her smell was everywhere. That was odd…how had she done that? She hadn’t had time to lay such a false trail, right? Though he knew that she moved extremely fast when she wanted to, five seconds wasn’t nearly enough to allow for this much spread. Was it some kind of trick?
He would have to play this very carefully if he wanted to catch her. Instead of wasting time looking around for her, he cut straight through the center of the scent, paying no attention to it. …or trying not to. As he moved further into it, it seemed to wind around him, distracting him from his goal.
Stopping, he shook his head sharply. Had that been his imagination, or was it actually trying to trap him? Of course, he didn’t see how that was possible; a scent couldn’t do something like that. It had to have been because of the moon’s influence, making the scent seem stronger than it actually was. There was no other explanation.
Once his head had cleared, he continued on, stubbornly refusing to let himself be caught up by her scent. It only took him a few moments to get to the edge of the scent line. Beyond that, everything seemed normal. The leaves on the trees whispered quietly as a warm breeze blew through them, but that was the only sound, apart from the usual nightly chorus of insects. It seemed that he was really going to have to work for his victory.
But this also told him something. Ranging back and forth along the edge of the scent line, he paused. She was still here. There were no trails leading away from this spot, and no sounds betraying her passage through the woods. Not only that, but since the insects were still chirping, that meant Reyith had been stationary since the beginning. If anything had moved past, the insects nearby would have been disturbed, and there would be a partial silence.
A smile came to his face as he turned back towards the direction of the clearing. The scent seemed to be in an even block, with sixty feet on each side. Though he knew that it was probably a bad idea, he headed back into the trees, looking around. She was here, and he would find her. But after only a few steps, he heard the rustling of leaves, and a branch to his left suddenly bent under the weight of something, then sprang back up a moment later.
That was her. She was above him, in the trees. No wonder he hadn’t been able to find her, when he had walked through her scent. He was looking too low. Quickly, he began to follow her, using the sway of the branches to mark Reyith’s passage through the forest. It was strange, though. It was clear that she was moving through the trees, but he never actually saw her.
“Is that fair?” he asked, keeping his eyes fixed on her location. “How am I supposed to catch you if you’re too high for me to reach?” He had to take his eyes off of the trees to get through a patch of brambles, but then looked up once more. When he did, he saw her sitting on a branch a fair distance away. How did she even get up there…?
“Catching me is not difficult, if you try,” she told him, a small smile on her face. “All you must do is find the way to join me in the trees. Or, if you do not wish to do that, then find how to bring me back down to the ground.” She stood up, one hand wrapped around a limb above her for balance. “A hint: tap into your energy. You have more than enough for this task.”
With that, she turned, and began leaping away through the branches, resting only a moment on the smooth wood before bounding off to the next. Cael narrowed his eyes as he watched her. This time, she was going slowly, always where he could see her. Then, he noticed it. Every time her foot touched the limb in preparation for the next leap, a small burst of red energy would become visible. His head tilted to the side as he studied it carefully. It resembled a miniature shockwave, rippling outward from the point of origin, before fading away after a few inches. That was the secret. She was using her energy to fuel her jumps, and probably to keep herself steady on the slender limbs.
He grinned. That energy would also be her undoing. Her balance was precarious, at best. The slightest thing could upset her, and send her tumbling out of her perch. Now if only he could… Looking down at his hand, he narrowed his eyes in concentration. A moment later, there was a pale flicker of silver energy, but it soon faded out. Damn it. Not enough.
His precision would have to be absolute; too little, and his plan wouldn’t work. But too much, and he could wind up hurting her, and possibly himself. With that in mind, he tried again, being careful to keep Reyith where he could see her.
This time, the energy manifested in a bright flare, and held steady, burning unwaveringly in his hand. Perfect. Now to catch her. He bounded forward, always keeping his eyes fixed on her.
She paid him no attention, continuing to leap from one tree to another. It took him a moment to realize that she was heading back towards the place where they had left their packs. He would have to reach her before then. He also knew that he would have to hurry, before she decided to put on another burst of speed, and disappear from sight.
Reyith glanced back at him, then suddenly changed direction, moving off to her left. Cael kept with her the entire time, a faint smile on his face. He realized that she was deliberately keeping her speed down so that he could catch up with her. But why? If she wanted to win the game, then shouldn’t she be… Then it hit him. It was never about the game for her. Sure, she had suggested it as a distraction for them both, but now he knew that there was another reason. She was still training him. This time, it was practice using his energy. This made his smile widen slightly. Idly, he had to wonder if she was always going to have more than one motive for her actions.
Putting on an extra burst of speed, he finally closed the remaining distance between them. Reyith barely had time to glance down at him before he leapt into the air underneath the branch that she was standing on. He had to time this just right. If he struck after she had already left the limb, then his energy wouldn’t do anything, and he would have to catch her again.
He reached up, his fist connecting with the wood. There was a bright flash, and the limb began to shake violently, sending a shower of leaves cascading to the ground. He heard Reyith gasp, and the next thing he knew, she had fallen right into his arms.
She blinked at him in surprise, then a smile came to her face. “Very good,” she told him, draping one arm across his shoulders. “I must admit, I had not expected you to use that method, but it was quite effective. Your energy control is coming along nicely.”
Cael grinned at her. “Thank you. I appreciate the compliment.” The grin turned positively wicked, then. “But this means that I win. I get to do whatever I want with you.”
“Yes. But we should collect our belongings first, and return to the clearing. I want to be able to see the moon.”
He nodded, then set her back on her feet. “You’re right. This’ll be much better under the moonlight.” He followed her as she began heading through the trees, a smile still on his face. It was time to claim his prize.
Upon reaching their destination, Reyith picked up her pack, slinging it over her uninjured shoulder. Cael followed quickly, eager to get back to the clearing. But as they started back, a thought occurred to him. “Hey…that thing with your scent? How did you do that?”
She turned her head slightly to look at him, a smile on her face. “The same way that allowed me to move through the trees, and you to knock me down.” At the raised eyebrow he gave her, she clarified. “Energy manipulation. I spread a thin blanket of my energy over a selected area, and manipulate it into a likeness of my scent. That way, I can hide within it without the fear of being detected.”
He blinked in surprise, then nodded. It seemed difficult, but he had just seen evidence that it could be done. But he had to wonder, would it be something that he could learn to do? That seemed to be the very thing that she was teaching him.
“In all honesty…I had hoped that you would be able to awaken your other form, but it seems that it is still too early for that. Like me, you have a transformed state that you can use, with heightened abilities. I thought perhaps this might draw it out, but I was mistaken. We will have to wait a little longer for that, I’m afraid.” Though she kept her eyes fixed on the path in front of them, it was clear that her attention was focused on him.
He looked over at her. “I don’t mind,” he said, shaking his head. “Honestly, I’m just glad that I’m able to do this much. I expected to be helpless for a while, even after the change.”
“You have nothing to fear. The knowledge that you need is already within you. All that is needed now is to find it. Soon, it will be second-nature to you. It is not that difficult, once you have learned how to draw on your energy. That is the key.”
He hummed thoughtfully, considering what she had just said. “I’m glad that I’m going to be useful to you.” Hesitantly, he reached out, taking her hand in his. A smile crossed his face. “I’m going to show you that I’m someone you should keep around.”
Reyith immediately looked down at their hands, but she didn’t pull away. Instead, she actually took a step closer to him, so that their shoulders barely brushed against each other. “So, what do you intend to do with me?”
By this time, they had reached the clearing, and Cael stopped, turning to look at Reyith. “Like I said, I’m going to show you that you should keep me. I want to help you make your decision about the question that I asked you.” Reaching up, he ran the back of his hand gently down the side of her face. “Let me take care of you.”
Reyith’s mouth went dry, and she felt warmth begin to spread through her body, concentrating in her lower belly. There, it swiftly turned into a dull ache that simply would not go away. She felt his hands rest on her waist, and pull her close against him. Her eyes widened as he leaned forward, and barely brushed his lips across hers in a fleeting kiss.
“Don’t be afraid. I’m not going to hurt you.” One hand left her waist, and rose up to the tie on the front of her shirt. Slowly, he took one of the laces and tugged, loosening it from the bow it was tied in. At the same time, he bent slightly, kissing her throat.
To his surprise, Reyith actually tilted her head to the side, giving him better access. Admittedly, it was difficult to do because of the choker she wore, but he was able to manage it. Once he was sure that she wouldn’t pull away from him, he began to unlace her shirt. He smiled as he felt her hands come up to rest on his chest, and he heard her give a soft whine.
He pulled away long enough to slip her shirt off of her shoulders, but then resumed his earlier actions, this time gently licking and sucking on the soft skin of her neck. His hands glided over her back, one finger tracing a path up and down her spine.
This made a shudder go through her, and Reyith felt the ache in her lower belly tighten, becoming sharper. Unconsciously, she leaned forward, pressing herself against him. Under any other circumstances, she would have been frightened, but now all she felt was a vague nervousness. More than anything else, she wanted him to quench the fire burning through her veins; a fire that he caused.
Slowly, Cael moved his hand back around to her stomach, creeping slowly towards her cloth-covered breasts. “Relax,” he reminded her. “This’ll feel good, if you let it.” He paused for a moment. “Here, let’s get more comfortable.” Pulling completely away from her, he moved back underneath one of the tall trees surrounding the clearing, then sat down against the trunk. Before she could protest, he pulled her into his lap, seating her sideways so that both of her legs were thrown over one of his. “All right. Now, where were we…?”
Wrapping one arm around her waist, he let his other hand brush gently over one breast. He felt her stiffen against him, but she soon went still, even going so far as to drape one arm over his shoulders. But he was taken completely off guard by what she asked him.
“Will you…remove your shirt? I want to see you.” It was only fair, after all. For her to allow him to touch her like this, she wanted to have something in return.
He blinked for a moment, then smiled. It was a bold request, even for her. But it was one he was happy to agree to. It meant that she was beginning to trust him a little more. Of course, it could have only been the influence of the full moon, but he liked to think that she knew exactly what she was doing. He certainly did. And if he could think rationally, then she could, too.
“Of course I will. But…would you like to do it?” It might make her feel more at ease if she felt like she was in control of at least a little part of it. He knew that, as per their deal, she would submit to whatever he wanted, but at the moment, he didn’t really care whether or not he had won the game. He truly wanted her to enjoy this.
Reyith nodded, then removed her arm from around him. She twisted herself around slightly, so that she would be able to reach his shirt easier. With trembling fingers, she tugged at the first button, finally slipping it loose. Gaining a little more confidence, she continued downward, pulling each button loose of its hole as she went. Once his shirt was hanging loosely on his shoulders, she paused, then slid her hands underneath the garment, feeling the hard planes of his chest beneath her fingers. Moving her hands upward, she reached his shoulders, then pushed the shirt off of them, letting it slide down his arms and onto the ground.
Once she had settled back against him, Cael leaned forward to whisper in her ear. “Do you trust me?” His voice was barely audible, even though he was so close to her. As he spoke, his hand came up to brush across her breast again, his thumb flicking across the stiff peak he could feel beneath the layer of bindings.
She let her breath out in a soft sigh, closing her eyes for a moment. “Yes,” she replied finally. “I trust you.” The next thing she knew, his mouth had covered hers in a searing kiss that set the fire within her to blazing once more. The ache that was still lodged in her lower belly grew ever sharper, making her squirm in his lap.
His touch became firmer, forcing a quiet moan from her throat. Finally, he broke the kiss, using his free hand to play with the ends of her hair. “You know you can always tell me to stop. I don’t care if it was part of the agreement for winning the game or not; I won’t do anything you’re uncomfortable with.”
“I am all right,” she told him. “You can continue. I am not afraid.” To prove the truth of her words, she leaned forward, giving him a hesitant kiss. “Please. I do not want you to stop.”
He smiled at her, then nodded. “Let’s keep going, then.” He reached around behind her, searching until he found the knot on her bindings. It took him a few seconds, but he was finally able to untie it. One by one, the layers came loose, until she was bare from the waist up.
It wasn’t long before Cael noticed the faint blush that stained Reyith’s cheeks, but she didn’t try to cover herself up, something that surprised Cael. It seemed that she really did want to continue. Slowly, he leaned forward, placing his mouth over her breast. His tongue swirled around the peak, making her inhale sharply. He cupped her other breast in one hand, squeezing the soft mound gently.
Finally, he pulled back, watching her carefully. “I think that’s enough for tonight,” he whispered, reaching up and running his fingers through her hair. “Maybe we can keep going tomorrow night, huh?” In all honesty, he didn‘t want to stop. His body was screaming at him to continue. But he didn’t want to push her too far in one night. If he did, she would lose all trust in him, possibly forever.
Reyith nodded in agreement. “Yes. It is getting late, and we need to rest.” Reaching for the bindings, she carefully wrapped them back around herself, then pulled on her shirt, lacing it up. Though she started to move away from him, he grabbed her wrist.
“Stay here. You’ll get cold if you’re by yourself. I’ll help keep you warm.” It was just an excuse to keep her beside him, and he was certain that she knew it, but she said nothing. Instead, she merely settled down, curling up on her side with her head rested in his lap. As Reyith’s breathing slowed into the steady rhythm of sleep, Cael smiled, closing his own eyes. He stroked her hair gently, and before he knew it, he had drifted off.
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As the day wore on, both Reyith and Cael found themselves becoming increasingly restless. At first, Reyith though that it was only leftover adrenaline from the fight, and the knowledge that Vega would be returning soon. But even when she took her mind completely off of the upcoming fight, the tension in her body didn’t leave.
When the sun finally began to sink behind the horizon, she stopped, bringing one hand up to rest on her forehead. Her skin was hot to the touch, though she knew that she wasn’t sick. “Come. We will stop for the night.” Abruptly, she turned and began heading off through the trees that still lined the road. They were several miles away from the mansion now, but they had been left undisturbed since Vega’s departure.
Cael cast her a sideways glance. He hadn’t been expecting her to speak up so suddenly. Was her shoulder hurting? “All right. I need to take a look at your wound anyway.” Moving closer, he followed her into the shadows of the trees. He also needed to ask her something, but he wanted to make sure that she wasn’t in pain first.
“That will not be necessary. My wound is fine. I told you before, it was not serious.” She didn’t turn around to look at him as she spoke. Instead, she continued walking, keeping her gaze fixed firmly ahead of her.
“Still, I want to be sure,” he persisted, not letting her get away. He didn’t touch her, but he was close enough that if she tried to run, he could catch her. “With injuries like this, they can sometimes be worse than they look.”
He just didn’t get it, did he? Giving a soft growl, she finally stopped walking, taking off her pack and placing it against a tree. “I will be back soon.” With that, she disappeared into the darkness that was slowly settling on the forest.
Blinking in surprise, Cael watched her go. Shrugging off his own pack, he placed it next to hers, then closed his eyes with a sigh. Something was wrong with him. It had to be. His entire body felt like it had liquid fire running through it. Was he rejecting the change? He didn’t think so; if that was what was happening, there would surely be pain involved. This wasn’t painful, just…very uncomfortable. Besides, if his body was going to reject the foreign DNA, surely it would have done so before now. No, this was something else. And his only source of information had suddenly decided to go take a walk through a dark forest. Alone. Without her protector. Oh, shit.
Of course, chances were, she was fine. There was no way that there would be a hoyu seishin this close to the mansion, right? Of course not. Still, better to be safe than sorry. And Reyith was already injured. He needed to make sure that she wasn’t straining herself. He had seen her check her temperature earlier; what if she was getting sick? Yes, he definitely needed to find her, and now.
Turning in the direction she had gone in, he paused. Why was he so worked up? It wasn’t that he was panicking - he never panicked - but his thoughts were in absolute chaos. His mind kept bouncing from one thing to another almost faster than he could keep up.
Finally, he shook his head. Though Reyith had definitely been distracted by something, she hadn’t explicitly told him not to follow her. And even if she had, he probably wouldn’t have listened. So, he headed off to find her.
As he walked, he noticed something strange. He could smell things. Mostly, the only scent he could detect was the trees, and leaf litter covering the ground. But beneath that, almost faint enough to be overlooked, was another, wonderful scent.
At first, he didn’t know what it was. His first thought was some kind of flower, since it was sweet. But that wasn’t quite it. Then, he realized what it was. This was Reyith’s scent. How could he have missed it before? A faint smile crossed his face when he noticed that her scent was also on him, from when he had pulled her back against him earlier in the day.
A few minutes later, he stopped, tilting his head to the side. He could hear the sound of running water up ahead. How had Reyith managed to find a stream? Shrugging it off, he continued following her trail. The scent was stronger now; he was certain that she was at the stream.
He could see moonlight shining through a gap in the trees up ahead, and a silvery glint as it reflected off the water of a small stream that ran through a clearing. Coming to the fringe of the trees, he stopped, looking around. “Reyith?” Then, he spotted her, and his mouth went dry.
---
Reyith had hurried away from Cael as fast as she could, needing to put as much space between them as possible. She knew that he would probably come after her soon; she hadn’t told him where she was going, or that she wanted to be alone. Her words had been clipped, and if she knew Cael like she thought she did, then he would never allow her to be out here alone, especially knowing that they could be attacked at any time. But that didn’t stop her from trying.
Still, she found that it was hard for her to walk away from him. A sudden suspicion came over her, and she stopped, tilting her head back and looking up at the sky. All that could be seen was inky blackness, and a few scatted stars. Damn it; it was still too early. She needed to find a place where she could see more of the sky.
How could she have lost count of the days? Even when she had been confined in the mansion, she had always been aware of the moon’s cycles. Being a wolf, it affected her very strongly. And now that she was actually outside, and with an attractive male who was the same as her…the effects were almost devastating.
The problem was, she knew that Cael was feeling the same things she was; probably even to a stronger degree. Over the months, she had become used to the effects that occurred under the full moon’s influence, but he wasn’t. This night was going to be hell on him.
It was then that she realized that she could smell water. Looking around for a moment, she finally pinpointed the source, then altered her course, heading in the direction in which the scent was strongest. Water would be a welcome relief right now. Anything that might help cool her body down.
Within another minute, she had come to the edge of a small clearing. A shallow stream wound its way through the center of it; the rushing water the only sound disturbing the otherwise quiet night.
As she stepped away from the trees, her gaze rose to the treeline on the opposite side of the clearing. There, just becoming visible over the dark silhouettes of the treetops, was the moon. She felt her heart skip a beat as she saw its shape. It was perfectly round; tonight really was a full moon.
She closed her eyes for a moment, and took a step forward. It would only be a few more minutes before the moonlight covered the clearing, illuminating the shadows, and bathing her in its argent light. Moving towards the water, she reached up, her hands finding the laces that held her shirt closed. Slowly, she untied the bow, unlacing the strings and letting her shirt hang open.
One hand slid underneath the garment, finding the knot that secured the bandages on her shoulder. After a moment’s work, it came loose, and the white material unraveled from around her, drifting to the ground. Her shirt soon followed the bandages, leaving her top half covered only in the bindings.
Curiously, Reyith looked down at the wound. From what she could see, the exit wound on her back had already begun to heal; it was nearly closed now. Her healing rate had always been faster than a human’s, and the moon acted as a catalyst. The closer to full it was, the faster she healed. From experience, she knew that the injury would be a scar by the time the moon rose the next night, and even that would vanish within another few days, leaving no hint that she had ever been injured.
Kneeling down beside the stream, she reached out, cupping her hand beneath the surface of the water. Bringing up a handful of the cool liquid, she pulled her hair over one shoulder, then splashed the water onto the back of her neck.
Giving a sigh, she straightened, then stood up, considering. Her eyes flicked to the forest that she had emerged from, searching the shadows for any sign of movement. Would she have time…?
She shook her head. Better not risk it. Cael could show up at any second. But she could still cool herself down, just not as effectively. Bending forward, she pulled off her boots, then began rolling the fabric of her pants up. Once that was done, she stepped into the water. It came halfway up her legs, but her pants were rolled up high enough that they stayed dry.
Her head tilted back, and she closed her eyes, a small smile crossing her face. A moment later, she felt - actually felt - the moonlight hitting her. Fire raced through her blood, pulling a small whine out of her throat. This was nothing like the other full moons she had experienced. Being under its light was borderline intoxicating. The power that she could feel flowing through her… But beneath that was another sensation; one what she wanted to ignore: a sweet ache that was swiftly spreading through her body.
That was something that she couldn’t think about. It was true that Cael was the only one that would be suitable for a mate, but she could tell that he still wasn’t completely at ease around her. Though he had extended that offer, she wasn’t entirely sure why.
It could have only been because he felt sorry for her, since she had lived inside the mansion all of her life. He was a kind person; it sounded like something that he would do. And truth be told, she was attracted to him. He was smart, and already showing signs of strength; both mentally and physically. He had all the makings of an ideal mate for her. They were the only two of their kind, and he was…
“Reyith?”
…he was standing right behind her. How had she not heard him coming?
Because you were caught up in your own internal conflicts, the deep voice of Metsu rumbled within her mind. Always be aware of your surroundings. You should not have forgotten this. Inattentiveness means death.
Quickly, Reyith hushed him. The last thing that she needed right now was a lecture from an irate spirit. Of course, she knew the risks of not paying attention, but she had never made a mistake like that before then. Tonight, she was distracted. She knew that didn’t excuse her carelessness; one mistake was all it took to kill you. But right now, she had more important things on her mind. Things that would need to be dealt with immediately.
Slowly, she turned, fixing her eyes on Cael. He was standing just inside the treeline, watching her. This was just perfect. What was she supposed to do now…?
---
Standing perfectly still, Cael surveyed the scene in front of him. The first thing that his eyes fell on were the bandages that had previously been wrapped around Reyith’s shoulder. Next to them was her discarded shirt.
Slowly, his eyes raised, and he looked up at Reyith. She was standing knee-deep in the water, and her back was halfway turned. She was staring straight at him; there was no way that he could just creep back into the woods and pretend that he had never been there. Why had he called out to her?
But the longer he stood there, the more he found that he didn’t want to leave. He wanted to keep watching her. The moonlight shone down on her, causing her skin to take on an almost luminous quality. Even from this distance, he could see the rapid rise and fall of her chest as she breathed, and the strange look she had in her eyes.
Mainly, she looked like she was ready to bolt, which was why he hadn’t attempted to approach her. It was an expression that he had seen before, on others; she was afraid. Of him? Perhaps. Slowly, he took a step forward, watching her reactions carefully.
When she made no move to run, he continued forward another few steps. That was when he noticed it. Hidden beneath the layer of fear and uncertainty, there was a spark of something else in Reyith’s violet eyes; something that he was certain didn’t belong there: the faintest trace of desire.
He continued forward, his eyes fixed on hers. Finally, he stood on the edge of the stream. Extending one hand, he smiled at her. “Why don’t you come out of there? That water has to be cold.”
As he spoke, Reyith noticed an odd change in his voice. It had become low and silky; almost seductive. For a moment, she considered telling him to leave. There was a lot that she needed to think through, and his presence was only serving to distract her further. There had to be distance between them.
And yet…even before that thought had fully formed, she was discarding it. She couldn’t ask him to leave. Not yet. Tonight, they needed to be near each other, for better or worse. With that in mind, she reached out, taking his hand and letting him help her out of the water.
Cael took a step backwards as Reyith stepped out onto the bank. But that one step wasn’t quite far enough. It brought her almost right up against him. His hand released hers, and slowly, it lowered, coming to rest lightly on her waist. He waited to see how she would react to this. The last thing that he wanted was to frighten her.
But he did have some questions that needed answering, and he was determined not to let her go until he knew the truth. It was all a matter of restoring her trust in him, first. Once that was achieved, then he would question her.
As he expected, her gaze went immediately to the hand that was now at her waist, but she made no moves to push him away. Satisfied that she was going to remain calm, Cael reached up, swirling his finger lightly around the wound in her shoulder. Leaning forward, he examined it closely. There was no mistake; it was already beginning to heal.
“I told you before, you need not worry about me. A wound such as this is no real threat.” Her voice was soft, and more than a little breathy. “My healing rate is far faster than a human’s.”
He hummed softly. “Be that as it may, I still wanted to make sure. I can’t have my partner hurt, now can I?” Again, he leaned forward; this time lightly brushing his lips across the wound. A satisfied smirk came to his face as he heard Reyith’s sharp intake of breath, though he quickly hid it as he straightened once more.
His hand slipped off of her waist, and wrapped gently around her wrist. He then took several steps backwards, away from the water. Because of his hold on her, Reyith had no choice but to follow. “I need to ask you something,” he whispered finally, one hand coming up to trace the curve of her cheek. “Ever since this afternoon, I’ve been feeling very strange. Like…I have too much energy. I feel like I need to be out doing something. My body is burning up, and I feel like I could do almost anything. But I don’t know where all of this is coming from. And most importantly…” He suddenly pulled her against him, wrapping his arms around her to hold her in place, “…I feel like I just can’t let you go.”
Reyith felt her heart leap in her chest, both at his words and his touch. Bringing her hands up, she rested them on his chest, lightly leaning against him. “We both have wolf blood,” she whispered. “Because of that, we are affected by the full moon. Its influence is why you are feeling this way.”
He gave a sound that could have been either a hum or a moan. “That’s all well and good, but what am I supposed to do about it? I can’t just sit here and wait for two days; I’ll go insane. All this energy…I have to do something with it. Isn’t there anything that might help to relieve it?”
She shook her head. “Not that I know of. I have always had to wait for it to pass.” That wasn’t quite true; usually, she would spend the days in hard training, until she was too exhausted to think about the fire flowing through her. A distraction…they both needed a distraction. But what could they… Suddenly, she raised her head, looking up at him. “I propose a game.”
Cael arched one eyebrow. “What kind of a game?” It was clear that he was intrigued. For the normally-serious Reyith to want to play a game, she must’ve really wanted to help him. That, or she was trying to distract herself. Either way, he wasn’t complaining.
“A chase,” she said simply. “We will have a chase.” Looking up, she checked the position of the moon. “It will continue until the moon is three-quarters of the way down. When that time comes, if you have not caught me by then, I win.” That would give him plenty of time to both wear himself down, and give him a fair chance to catch her. But that didn’t mean that she would make it easy for him.
“And if I’m able to catch you before then? What do I get for winning the game?”
“Whatever you wish. The winner can do anything they like with the loser. Do you agree?” She took a step back so that she could see his expression more easily. From the looks of it, he was definitely interested.
A grin crossed his face. “All right, it’s a deal. Just don’t complain when I catch you. Are there any more rules I should know about, before we start?”
She considered for a moment, then hit upon an idea. This might be the perfect chance… “If you are able to find your powers, you may use them to help you win. But be warned; I will be using mine as well.” Again, this wasn’t the entire truth. To keep the game fair, she wouldn’t use her abilities unless he was able to tap into his. But it might give him enough of an incentive to unlock his other form.
He nodded his understanding. Bending down for a moment, he picked up her shirt from the ground, brushing the dirt off of it. Gently, he wrapped the garment around her shoulders, and she put her arms through the thin sleeves. But as she raised her hands to reach for the laces, he stopped her. “Let me,” he whispered.
Reyith blinked in surprise, but didn’t protest. Instead, her eyes followed the motions of his hands as he picked up the strings, then slowly began feeding them through the appropriate holes. More than once, his fingers brushed against her exposed skin, but she couldn’t tell whether it was deliberate or accidental. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she felt him tug the strings into a bow, then release them. It was all she could do to bite back a disappointed whine as his hands left her body.
“There you go. We can’t have you leaving your shirt here.” He paused for a moment, considering. While he thought, he reached down once again, picking up the bandages and rolling them up. Placing them in a pocket, he turned back towards the way they had come. “Maybe we should get our things first, and bring them here. This would be a good place to stay the night.”
Reyith followed his gaze, then looked back over at him. “We will collect our belongs later. Right now, we are wasting time. Unless you want to make it harder on yourself to win…?” Her tone was as calm as always, but the light in her eyes made it clear that she was teasing him.
This made him arch one eyebrow. “Are you kidding me? I intend to win this game, one way or another.” He glanced up at the sky. “But I think we should get started. Like you said, we’re wasting time.”
A smile came to Reyith’s face, but she nodded. “Yes, we are. Remember your time limit.” She took a step backwards towards the forest, watching him. “Now…catch me.” With that, she was gone, vanishing so quickly Cael didn’t even see her move.
Mentally, he counted to five, giving her a head start. Then he headed into the shadowy forest in search of her. “Ready or not, here I come.” Immediately, he tilted his head back, smelling the air. Tracking her visually simply wouldn’t work; she was far too fast for that. But no matter how fast one moved, they couldn’t prevent a scent trail from being left. If he could find that, he would be able to follow it to her.
As he had anticipated, he could detect her scent clearly. But what he hadn’t counted on was that, instead of a clear trail, her smell was everywhere. That was odd…how had she done that? She hadn’t had time to lay such a false trail, right? Though he knew that she moved extremely fast when she wanted to, five seconds wasn’t nearly enough to allow for this much spread. Was it some kind of trick?
He would have to play this very carefully if he wanted to catch her. Instead of wasting time looking around for her, he cut straight through the center of the scent, paying no attention to it. …or trying not to. As he moved further into it, it seemed to wind around him, distracting him from his goal.
Stopping, he shook his head sharply. Had that been his imagination, or was it actually trying to trap him? Of course, he didn’t see how that was possible; a scent couldn’t do something like that. It had to have been because of the moon’s influence, making the scent seem stronger than it actually was. There was no other explanation.
Once his head had cleared, he continued on, stubbornly refusing to let himself be caught up by her scent. It only took him a few moments to get to the edge of the scent line. Beyond that, everything seemed normal. The leaves on the trees whispered quietly as a warm breeze blew through them, but that was the only sound, apart from the usual nightly chorus of insects. It seemed that he was really going to have to work for his victory.
But this also told him something. Ranging back and forth along the edge of the scent line, he paused. She was still here. There were no trails leading away from this spot, and no sounds betraying her passage through the woods. Not only that, but since the insects were still chirping, that meant Reyith had been stationary since the beginning. If anything had moved past, the insects nearby would have been disturbed, and there would be a partial silence.
A smile came to his face as he turned back towards the direction of the clearing. The scent seemed to be in an even block, with sixty feet on each side. Though he knew that it was probably a bad idea, he headed back into the trees, looking around. She was here, and he would find her. But after only a few steps, he heard the rustling of leaves, and a branch to his left suddenly bent under the weight of something, then sprang back up a moment later.
That was her. She was above him, in the trees. No wonder he hadn’t been able to find her, when he had walked through her scent. He was looking too low. Quickly, he began to follow her, using the sway of the branches to mark Reyith’s passage through the forest. It was strange, though. It was clear that she was moving through the trees, but he never actually saw her.
“Is that fair?” he asked, keeping his eyes fixed on her location. “How am I supposed to catch you if you’re too high for me to reach?” He had to take his eyes off of the trees to get through a patch of brambles, but then looked up once more. When he did, he saw her sitting on a branch a fair distance away. How did she even get up there…?
“Catching me is not difficult, if you try,” she told him, a small smile on her face. “All you must do is find the way to join me in the trees. Or, if you do not wish to do that, then find how to bring me back down to the ground.” She stood up, one hand wrapped around a limb above her for balance. “A hint: tap into your energy. You have more than enough for this task.”
With that, she turned, and began leaping away through the branches, resting only a moment on the smooth wood before bounding off to the next. Cael narrowed his eyes as he watched her. This time, she was going slowly, always where he could see her. Then, he noticed it. Every time her foot touched the limb in preparation for the next leap, a small burst of red energy would become visible. His head tilted to the side as he studied it carefully. It resembled a miniature shockwave, rippling outward from the point of origin, before fading away after a few inches. That was the secret. She was using her energy to fuel her jumps, and probably to keep herself steady on the slender limbs.
He grinned. That energy would also be her undoing. Her balance was precarious, at best. The slightest thing could upset her, and send her tumbling out of her perch. Now if only he could… Looking down at his hand, he narrowed his eyes in concentration. A moment later, there was a pale flicker of silver energy, but it soon faded out. Damn it. Not enough.
His precision would have to be absolute; too little, and his plan wouldn’t work. But too much, and he could wind up hurting her, and possibly himself. With that in mind, he tried again, being careful to keep Reyith where he could see her.
This time, the energy manifested in a bright flare, and held steady, burning unwaveringly in his hand. Perfect. Now to catch her. He bounded forward, always keeping his eyes fixed on her.
She paid him no attention, continuing to leap from one tree to another. It took him a moment to realize that she was heading back towards the place where they had left their packs. He would have to reach her before then. He also knew that he would have to hurry, before she decided to put on another burst of speed, and disappear from sight.
Reyith glanced back at him, then suddenly changed direction, moving off to her left. Cael kept with her the entire time, a faint smile on his face. He realized that she was deliberately keeping her speed down so that he could catch up with her. But why? If she wanted to win the game, then shouldn’t she be… Then it hit him. It was never about the game for her. Sure, she had suggested it as a distraction for them both, but now he knew that there was another reason. She was still training him. This time, it was practice using his energy. This made his smile widen slightly. Idly, he had to wonder if she was always going to have more than one motive for her actions.
Putting on an extra burst of speed, he finally closed the remaining distance between them. Reyith barely had time to glance down at him before he leapt into the air underneath the branch that she was standing on. He had to time this just right. If he struck after she had already left the limb, then his energy wouldn’t do anything, and he would have to catch her again.
He reached up, his fist connecting with the wood. There was a bright flash, and the limb began to shake violently, sending a shower of leaves cascading to the ground. He heard Reyith gasp, and the next thing he knew, she had fallen right into his arms.
She blinked at him in surprise, then a smile came to her face. “Very good,” she told him, draping one arm across his shoulders. “I must admit, I had not expected you to use that method, but it was quite effective. Your energy control is coming along nicely.”
Cael grinned at her. “Thank you. I appreciate the compliment.” The grin turned positively wicked, then. “But this means that I win. I get to do whatever I want with you.”
“Yes. But we should collect our belongings first, and return to the clearing. I want to be able to see the moon.”
He nodded, then set her back on her feet. “You’re right. This’ll be much better under the moonlight.” He followed her as she began heading through the trees, a smile still on his face. It was time to claim his prize.
Upon reaching their destination, Reyith picked up her pack, slinging it over her uninjured shoulder. Cael followed quickly, eager to get back to the clearing. But as they started back, a thought occurred to him. “Hey…that thing with your scent? How did you do that?”
She turned her head slightly to look at him, a smile on her face. “The same way that allowed me to move through the trees, and you to knock me down.” At the raised eyebrow he gave her, she clarified. “Energy manipulation. I spread a thin blanket of my energy over a selected area, and manipulate it into a likeness of my scent. That way, I can hide within it without the fear of being detected.”
He blinked in surprise, then nodded. It seemed difficult, but he had just seen evidence that it could be done. But he had to wonder, would it be something that he could learn to do? That seemed to be the very thing that she was teaching him.
“In all honesty…I had hoped that you would be able to awaken your other form, but it seems that it is still too early for that. Like me, you have a transformed state that you can use, with heightened abilities. I thought perhaps this might draw it out, but I was mistaken. We will have to wait a little longer for that, I’m afraid.” Though she kept her eyes fixed on the path in front of them, it was clear that her attention was focused on him.
He looked over at her. “I don’t mind,” he said, shaking his head. “Honestly, I’m just glad that I’m able to do this much. I expected to be helpless for a while, even after the change.”
“You have nothing to fear. The knowledge that you need is already within you. All that is needed now is to find it. Soon, it will be second-nature to you. It is not that difficult, once you have learned how to draw on your energy. That is the key.”
He hummed thoughtfully, considering what she had just said. “I’m glad that I’m going to be useful to you.” Hesitantly, he reached out, taking her hand in his. A smile crossed his face. “I’m going to show you that I’m someone you should keep around.”
Reyith immediately looked down at their hands, but she didn’t pull away. Instead, she actually took a step closer to him, so that their shoulders barely brushed against each other. “So, what do you intend to do with me?”
By this time, they had reached the clearing, and Cael stopped, turning to look at Reyith. “Like I said, I’m going to show you that you should keep me. I want to help you make your decision about the question that I asked you.” Reaching up, he ran the back of his hand gently down the side of her face. “Let me take care of you.”
Reyith’s mouth went dry, and she felt warmth begin to spread through her body, concentrating in her lower belly. There, it swiftly turned into a dull ache that simply would not go away. She felt his hands rest on her waist, and pull her close against him. Her eyes widened as he leaned forward, and barely brushed his lips across hers in a fleeting kiss.
“Don’t be afraid. I’m not going to hurt you.” One hand left her waist, and rose up to the tie on the front of her shirt. Slowly, he took one of the laces and tugged, loosening it from the bow it was tied in. At the same time, he bent slightly, kissing her throat.
To his surprise, Reyith actually tilted her head to the side, giving him better access. Admittedly, it was difficult to do because of the choker she wore, but he was able to manage it. Once he was sure that she wouldn’t pull away from him, he began to unlace her shirt. He smiled as he felt her hands come up to rest on his chest, and he heard her give a soft whine.
He pulled away long enough to slip her shirt off of her shoulders, but then resumed his earlier actions, this time gently licking and sucking on the soft skin of her neck. His hands glided over her back, one finger tracing a path up and down her spine.
This made a shudder go through her, and Reyith felt the ache in her lower belly tighten, becoming sharper. Unconsciously, she leaned forward, pressing herself against him. Under any other circumstances, she would have been frightened, but now all she felt was a vague nervousness. More than anything else, she wanted him to quench the fire burning through her veins; a fire that he caused.
Slowly, Cael moved his hand back around to her stomach, creeping slowly towards her cloth-covered breasts. “Relax,” he reminded her. “This’ll feel good, if you let it.” He paused for a moment. “Here, let’s get more comfortable.” Pulling completely away from her, he moved back underneath one of the tall trees surrounding the clearing, then sat down against the trunk. Before she could protest, he pulled her into his lap, seating her sideways so that both of her legs were thrown over one of his. “All right. Now, where were we…?”
Wrapping one arm around her waist, he let his other hand brush gently over one breast. He felt her stiffen against him, but she soon went still, even going so far as to drape one arm over his shoulders. But he was taken completely off guard by what she asked him.
“Will you…remove your shirt? I want to see you.” It was only fair, after all. For her to allow him to touch her like this, she wanted to have something in return.
He blinked for a moment, then smiled. It was a bold request, even for her. But it was one he was happy to agree to. It meant that she was beginning to trust him a little more. Of course, it could have only been the influence of the full moon, but he liked to think that she knew exactly what she was doing. He certainly did. And if he could think rationally, then she could, too.
“Of course I will. But…would you like to do it?” It might make her feel more at ease if she felt like she was in control of at least a little part of it. He knew that, as per their deal, she would submit to whatever he wanted, but at the moment, he didn’t really care whether or not he had won the game. He truly wanted her to enjoy this.
Reyith nodded, then removed her arm from around him. She twisted herself around slightly, so that she would be able to reach his shirt easier. With trembling fingers, she tugged at the first button, finally slipping it loose. Gaining a little more confidence, she continued downward, pulling each button loose of its hole as she went. Once his shirt was hanging loosely on his shoulders, she paused, then slid her hands underneath the garment, feeling the hard planes of his chest beneath her fingers. Moving her hands upward, she reached his shoulders, then pushed the shirt off of them, letting it slide down his arms and onto the ground.
Once she had settled back against him, Cael leaned forward to whisper in her ear. “Do you trust me?” His voice was barely audible, even though he was so close to her. As he spoke, his hand came up to brush across her breast again, his thumb flicking across the stiff peak he could feel beneath the layer of bindings.
She let her breath out in a soft sigh, closing her eyes for a moment. “Yes,” she replied finally. “I trust you.” The next thing she knew, his mouth had covered hers in a searing kiss that set the fire within her to blazing once more. The ache that was still lodged in her lower belly grew ever sharper, making her squirm in his lap.
His touch became firmer, forcing a quiet moan from her throat. Finally, he broke the kiss, using his free hand to play with the ends of her hair. “You know you can always tell me to stop. I don’t care if it was part of the agreement for winning the game or not; I won’t do anything you’re uncomfortable with.”
“I am all right,” she told him. “You can continue. I am not afraid.” To prove the truth of her words, she leaned forward, giving him a hesitant kiss. “Please. I do not want you to stop.”
He smiled at her, then nodded. “Let’s keep going, then.” He reached around behind her, searching until he found the knot on her bindings. It took him a few seconds, but he was finally able to untie it. One by one, the layers came loose, until she was bare from the waist up.
It wasn’t long before Cael noticed the faint blush that stained Reyith’s cheeks, but she didn’t try to cover herself up, something that surprised Cael. It seemed that she really did want to continue. Slowly, he leaned forward, placing his mouth over her breast. His tongue swirled around the peak, making her inhale sharply. He cupped her other breast in one hand, squeezing the soft mound gently.
Finally, he pulled back, watching her carefully. “I think that’s enough for tonight,” he whispered, reaching up and running his fingers through her hair. “Maybe we can keep going tomorrow night, huh?” In all honesty, he didn‘t want to stop. His body was screaming at him to continue. But he didn’t want to push her too far in one night. If he did, she would lose all trust in him, possibly forever.
Reyith nodded in agreement. “Yes. It is getting late, and we need to rest.” Reaching for the bindings, she carefully wrapped them back around herself, then pulled on her shirt, lacing it up. Though she started to move away from him, he grabbed her wrist.
“Stay here. You’ll get cold if you’re by yourself. I’ll help keep you warm.” It was just an excuse to keep her beside him, and he was certain that she knew it, but she said nothing. Instead, she merely settled down, curling up on her side with her head rested in his lap. As Reyith’s breathing slowed into the steady rhythm of sleep, Cael smiled, closing his own eyes. He stroked her hair gently, and before he knew it, he had drifted off.
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