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?

my senses further do detect this

turned and easily saw the large figure close by. Too close. How did

male. Broad shoulders. 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.

at me with purpose and the pain in

took a step back in alarm and

guess at his intentions, but I feared

raising one hand to

are you doing to

his head to one side in

air then get

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

More confused than ever, I caught

feel any magic, any energies stirring when he did this. I didn’t sense negative energy from

didn’t dare take my attention completely off him, but I turned my focus some. And I got a smell. A new smell. It wasn’t strong olfactory speaking, but it grabbed my

I couldn’t stop myself from inhaling the fragrance, deeply.

I was

couldn’t see his eyes, like he probably couldn’t see mine, but I know our gaze met. And there

mates more than anything. Some

born. That it’s like the world tilts, the axis changes, and now gravity find a new source. Never

understand the stranger was coming closer until I could finally see his face properly. His eyes were dark and searching for mine.

I could see he was worried. His expression was hard to

laid eyes on him. Now I understood he was himself a poison far deadlier than anything I could have ingested. All of a sudden, the cloth in my hand felt like it was burning.

it back to him, but it got

our skin touch, never realizing

anymore, and neither was my mind, and as he grew closer—his heat

thought I had lost my mind, but never so much as when

looked like a strong man, one to be 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 something to

But not tonight, not anymore. And the enchanting

out of

someone drowning in rapids, trying to hold

to it was another weapon, I didn’t need to touch

that knowledge harder.

was armed and I knew dangerous.

And I was just there

me everything to lower my right hand until it lay on

needed to gain back control.