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?

senses

and easily saw the large figure close by.

faint dusk light gave me a

at me with purpose and

took a step back in alarm and he

couldn’t guess at his intentions, but I

to tell him to back off. My left.

are you doing to

head to one side in confusion.

I saw him sniff slowly the air then get his attention more

then took a piece of black cloth out and went down to grab a small rock. I didn’t understand this gesture. I focused my eyes on him, opening my senses up, but my instincts said nothing. He wrapped the cloth around the pebble, showed it to me and threw it in

than ever, I

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

completely off him, but I turned my focus some. And I got a smell. A new smell. It

couldn’t stop myself from

what I was smelling, only that it changed everything.

he probably couldn’t see mine, but I know our gaze met. And there was knowledge there.

than anything. Some could go to great lengths to find

strong had been to hold me for the first time after I was born. That it’s like the world tilts, the axis changes, and now gravity find a new source. Never did those

was coming closer until I could finally see his

feet. But he stopped moving. I could see he was worried. His expression was hard to read, it was guarded, but I could also see that he didn’t want to

moment I could have been poisoned or cursed when I first laid eyes on him. Now I understood he was himself a poison far deadlier than anything I could have ingested.

tried to give it back to him, but it

I was neglectful. I let our skin touch, never realizing

my own anymore, and neither was my mind, and as he grew closer—his heat palpable through my clothes—I could

but never so much as when he kissed

careful around. I could distantly feel a strength emanating from it, it should have been a warning. Something for me to be wary of. Not

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

out of

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 to keep my head

to it was another weapon, I didn’t

on that knowledge harder.

He was armed and I knew dangerous.

just

hand until it lay on his heart.

needed to gain back control.