A Blood-Like Rain

— Kaden —

I took a careful step in her direction.

She didn’t try to stop me this time.

I took another step, then another.

I could see she was hesitant, so I walked cautiously, but I kept walking.

I think she only processed my proximity when I got within arm’s length. She put a foot back, I stopped. She extended her arms to give me back my bandana. I took it and in the process my skin touched hers.

It was like a lightning bolt of shivers. I didn’t take my hand away. I wasn’t sure I could. I heard her breath caught in her throat, her body sway lightly towards mine. I took one step closer. One long step that got our bodies nearly touching. My hand was still on hers, the bandana forgotten and lying on the grass now.

The moon was rising, it was a bright night tonight, but not bright enough to see within that hood. It was just shadows.

I wanted to ask her a million questions. Her name, to see her face, where did she live? But all those questions crumbled in my mind. It was like trying to hold water in your hands, constantly slipping away. I should use restrains but my body didn’t want to listen to me. I lowered my head barely catching myself in time, barely holding back. But in respond she bent hers back, and it was all the invitation I need.

I lowered my head further and pressed my lips on hers.

I’ve kissed a woman before, I’ve done plenty of things with a woman before, but it felt like, all these years, I had no idea what kissing could really be. There was, at this very moment, and entire universe opening before me.

The only way for me to release my hold on her hand was to wrap my arms around her waist.

She mewled and it was the sweetest little sound I’ve ever heard. I pressed her harder against me and her arms went up over my body to give her fingers access to my hair. Her grip was strong but not painful and she tugged at me to deepen the kiss. Which I willingly obliged.

We were taking short breaths in between caresses. Our lips never truly apart. Our breath intermingling. Our heartbeats deafening.

The intensity was such that it took me a little while to realize something was wrong.

— Elaeya —

My heart was becoming painful, my feet faltered. I was starting to think I was about to be sick. I opened my sense to decipher what was happening to me. That’s when a sound got me out of my head and back into reality.

Steps.

Someone was coming. Someone close.

And suddenly my malaise took a whole new dimension. Was someone doing this to me? Was someone hurting me? Attacking me?

extend my senses further

easily saw the large figure close by. Too close.

I would say more than a foot taller than me. He had dark clothes, dark hair. The faint dusk light gave me a glimpse of his face. He had a few

looking straight at me with purpose and the

I took a step back in alarm and he

his expression, so I couldn’t guess at his intentions, but

more and I panicked, raising one hand to tell him to back off.

to me?” I dared ask.

head to one side in confusion.

slowly the air then get his

black cloth out and went down to grab a small rock. I didn’t understand this gesture. I focused my eyes on him, opening

confused than ever,

I didn’t feel any magic, any energies stirring when he did this. I didn’t

take my attention completely off him, but I turned my focus some. And I got

couldn’t stop myself from inhaling

I was smelling, only that it changed everything.

on him. I couldn’t see his eyes, like he probably couldn’t see mine, but I know our gaze met. And there was knowledge there. He knew, and now

more than anything. Some could

world tilts, the axis changes, and now gravity find a new source. Never

I could finally see

But he stopped moving. I could see he was worried. His expression was hard to read, it was guarded, but I could

himself a poison far deadlier than

tried to give it back to him, but it got worse.

touch, never realizing the lethal potential something so simple could

body was not my own anymore, and neither was my mind, and as he grew closer—his heat palpable through my clothes—I could only lean

thought I had lost my mind, but never

a strength emanating from it, it should have been a warning. Something for me to be wary of. Not something to seek. Not something to embrace. Not someone

and control. But not tonight, not anymore. And the enchanting attraction of that kiss only

both out of control, the

accidentally against something metallic, that took me by surprise, and I tried with all my might to focus on it instead. Like someone drowning in rapids, trying to hold on to the rocks. I needed a rock for my mind. Something

see it to know it was that of a sword. And next to it was another weapon,

I focused on that knowledge

armed and I

And I was just there

my right hand until it

needed to gain back control.