You guys are going to hate me lol ITS SO MUCH FUN TO TOY WITH YOUR CHARACTERS!!

MINE.

~Angel~

<<< PREV | FIRST | NEXT >>>
__________________________________________________
Once where there was control and certainty, there now inhabited a beast of instinct. He lost control, the urge to touch her taking over when his scale was revealed, something primal clicking into place. He forced himself to go slowly, otherwise he didn't know what he would do. His instinct screamed at him to take her as his but she was mortal and he needed to keep his own dragon-nature gentle. The last thing he wanted was to hurt her when she was becoming his more than she knew.

She took an oath to him, was loyal to him, wore his scale, would choose the dragon over the mortal. That probably should have set Gaerwn off, but he couldn't play the part of the slayer after that. He didn't know what he would do, if he could tell her the truth. He had to, eventually...he knew that. He would tell her after Xipil made her appearance and he had driven her off. Then he could keep her. His.

For now, he held her close in the morning light. She was nestled between the root of a tree and his body, one grey paw wrapped around his waist as the other was tucked under her chin. Her head rested on his shoulder while her mouth hung open slightly, completely relaxed and comfortable. He watched her sleep for a long time, unable to bring himself to wake her, trying to think of what to say to her. Nothing seemed right. He needed to play this carefully otherwise she could become angry or regret the night they had together.

Rayne sighed a little, but she was still deep in slumber, pulling in closer as the morning dew collected on their fur. With a slow, firm paw he stroked her arm, her side, sending warming waves through her to keep her from getting chilled. He had done that several times since the fire died, letting her drift off into dreams again. He didn't think he'd hurt her, he hoped he hadn't, but she never seemed to be in pain. He obviously had never...Not with a mortal before. Things seemed similar—only the lack of wings was truly different. And the biting, well, at least there was less biting.

He brushed his fingers through her wavy hair, watching the light strands shine as a ray of sun pierced the canopy above them. She would wake soon, he needed to think of something...anything to say to her. He closed his eyes and held the world out a moment, trying to keep from stirring her awake.

Then he felt her stiffen against him, a little groan escaping her throat. He could pretend to be asleep he supposed, maybe that was the best course at the moment. Her eyelashes brushed against his collarbone, and he felt herself take in a quick breath. Her head lifted slowly from his chest, before he felt her trying to sneak off. He wouldn't have that. His paw took hold of her waist possessively and he pulled her back down with a growl of warning. Even with his eyes closed he could feel the glare. It took everything in his being to not smile.

What he wasn't expecting was the slap to his chest, or that it actually stung. His eyes sprang open and he looked at her in disbelief.

“Ouch,” he replied in a shocked manner. Her glare deepened before her paw went up again to slap his fur. He grasped her wrist to stop her before the sting of her paw. “Why are you hitting me?”

“Because you—YOU—what did you do to me?” she demanded.

“I did nothing I wasn't asked to do—or begged to do,” He replied in a stern voice, but she was trying to weasel her way out of this and for some reason he thought that was adorable. She waved her paw at him as she looked away, dismissing the thought as he let her paw go.

“DON'T—remind me,” she stated as she tried to get away once more, but he held her firmly against his fur. “Clothes.”

“Are all over the place.”

“I'm not asking you to be literal,” she snapped at him. “I would LIKE my clothes.”

“My, my...we are a ray of sunshine. I thought you were a morning person.”

“Do you enjoy making me mad?” Rayne demanded as she was forced to lean into him again or her arm would give way anyway.

“I do, yes,” he answered honestly, running his fingers through her hair a few times. It calmed her, he learned that last night and even as she seemed to relax her eyes still read angry.

“Why did you do that?” she asked in a small murmur, resting her chin on his chest and yielding to his attentions.

“You're going to have to be more specific.”

“Last night,” she responded quickly with a far more demanding tone. “Why—all of last night? You saw the scale.”

Silence, she was expecting an answer.

“Yes.”

“You know what it means.”

“...Yes.”

“Then why?” she asked almost in a pained way, her eyes, her expression, even the pressing weight of her body against his wanting to know. Could he say it? Could he tell her he loved her? Could he tell her who he really was? No, he couldn't bring himself to do it. He couldn't get the words out of his throat. He would have to come up with something else.

“I wanted to...be with you all I could...as long as I can,” he responded in a low voice, eyes focused on hers with an intense stare. It was true, completely. He heard her heart beating faster, her eyes opening widely as they shined with astonishment. When he felt her paw unconsciously gripping his fur, he knew she couldn't believe he'd said it. Why was it so hard for her to understand his honesty?

He cupped her chin and cheek and pulled her into a deep kiss, running his paw through her hair once more and letting her kisses become more demanding. She broke away suddenly and leaned her forehead against his own, her eyes closed as she seemed to try to calm herself down.

“What?” he asked gently, frowning in concern.

“We should get ready,” she replied calmly, letting her breath cast over his face. He took the chance to kiss her mouth again while her eyes remained closed, but he couldn't deny his hunger was beginning to outweigh his desire to pin her.

“You care for me, you admitted it last night,” he replied with a small smile. “You can't deny it now.”

“You can say such wonderful things, and then ruin the moment,” she smiled back at him, leaning up off of him and stretching her back and shoulders.

“I think I need to enjoy the moment where you're not confirming or denying anything...” he responded and watched her fur shimmer in true light. “By the gods you are beautiful.”

Her whole body stiffened as her tail flared out, suddenly becoming far more aware of her nudity. She slowly turned her eyes to look over her shoulder at him, before picking up her tidbits of clothes here and there, holding them in places appropriate as she walked around him.

“Have I offended you, Rayne?” he asked as he loosely grabbed her tail when she walked in front of him, letting his grip flatten it back out before it pulled free.

“No, you startled me,” she replied, her cheeks a gentle red as she couldn't meet his eyes. “I don't hear that kind of thing often.”

“Well, you should,” he said it to make it official. Her eyes met his gaze again as her blushed deepened.

“I'm going to bathe,” she responded quickly. “I'll be back in a little while.”

“Alright,” he nodded once as he stretched himself out at the base of the tree, enjoying her moment of gazing at him, before she shook her head and went with her clothes in hand, to find somewhere to bathe. His hunger came back full-fold, he hadn't gotten the chance to eat anything last night that was enough to satisfy a dragon's stomach. He was too busy satisfying his own carnal nature. He decided to trek into the woods a bit and see if he could find a deer or two, that should hold him down a while. Catching them without transforming back into his true form? That would be the challenge.

***********************************************************************

There was a clear pond not far from their little secluded camp, not deep but good enough to try to scrub herself clean. She was covered in patches of dirt and bits of bark and leaves, thanks to Gaerwn and his—athletic escapades.

The pond's waters were cool and calming, the light of day not warming them up yet. It was good to feel the rush of it around her body, kneeling down on a bed of rocks to scrub her face and dunk her hair. The pond's surface came up just under her shoulders in the knelt position, mostly still save for a few ducks far off who didn't really mind Rayne's presence. She breathed in and out slowly, eyes closed as she let the waters cool her muscles to the bone. She gently let herself drift under the water a few times, popping back out and tilting the water from her ears before she felt the uneasy feeling she was being watched. She pushed her hair from her eyes before turning slowly around, and standing straight up in the water.

“Hello little morsel.”

Dracen, the blue dragon brother of Magnus, had somehow—how had he come to the edge of the clearing without shaking the ground? She dunked herself back into the water up to her shoulders.

“I'm looking for my brother, have you seen him?” he tilted his head at her, holding her shirt on his claw and offering it to her calmly. “I can smell him on your clothes.”

“He—should be back in his lair,” she stated calmly, sliding up to the bank and taking her shirt from the long black claw.

“I went there, he was not,” Dracen responded as he sniffed the air. “He might be close by...but I think its you I smell right now.”

“I've been traveling back to my village for a couple of days,” she tried to say without embarrassment. “He was waiting for Xipil to return and wanted me to stay out of the way.”

“Oh, funny...” Dracen's eyes narrowed much like his brother's, but he wasn't looking at Rayne, he was looking to the side, an ear quirked up as he listened intently. “I could have sworn he was around here...”

Rayne's stomach suddenly tightened when she remembered Gaerwn, not far off in the woods, dragon slayer and dragon. She panicked.

“My lord Dracen! You should leave!” she tried to sound polite but adamant. “The dragon slayer is still nearby!”

“Dragon slayer?” he asked, frowning and tilting his head, giving the impression he was the younger dragon. “Hmph, I can take care of that easily, little morsel. Has he been following you? Perhaps I can eat him up?”

“NO!” Rayne yelled at him, and covered her mouth with her paw. “-My lord. He's been my—companion. He agreed no killing while he was helping me back.”

“...Eh...” Dracen shrugged as he bared teeth, “He is not under my brother's protection, therefore if he shows, he is fair game.”

“Please!” Rayne pleaded, before walking up to the blue dragon and putting her paw on his much larger one. “Please...my lord.”

His nostrils worked themselves as his face scrunched on one side as if he smelled something bad. His head leaned down close to her and sniffed her hair in deep breaths.

“My goodness you reek of him,” Dracen noted aloud, arching his head back up and frowning. “Are you lying to keep him hidden from me? Did he asked you to do that?”

“I swear, my lord, I haven't seen him in two days,” she replied with a confused manner. Dracen's eyes narrowed before his ear twitched and his head turned in the same direction.

From the brush came Gaerwn, dressed with sword and knife at his hip. He was busy with his vest when he stopped and eyes turned to a scowling, lip curling up slowly.

Rayne watched Dracen regard the new comer, before he sniffed the air heavily and his silver eyes doubled in size.

“No...” Dracen said in bewilderment, shaking his head slightly before looking down at Rayne. “No—not possible.”

Rayne walked over to Gaerwn quickly, standing in front of him and putting her arms out to defend him.

“Gaerwn, get out of here,” Rayne muttered, beginning to back up into Gaerwn's chest. “He can't harm me...”

“Are you DAMN CRAZY?” Dracen yelled slightly. He must have been angry with the idea Rayne was protecting a slayer, but she had to. “This—THIS is what you've been up to?!”

“I can explain,” Rayne stated loudly as she felt Gaerwn moving behind her. She chanced to look at him from the corner of her eye but only saw him scowling.

“WELL—SOMEONE BETTER!” Dracen roared as he mimed to both of them.

“LEAVE DRAGON!” Gaerwn suddenly said VERY loudly, making Rayne jump a bit. “This has nothing to do with you.”

“You—really? REALLY?” Dracen roared back, sitting on his haunches and expanding his wings out. “...REALLY?!”

“Yes,” Gaerwn growled at the dragon, no fear there. Rayne's heart was racing, being the wall between these two was really the stupidest thing she'd done in a long time.

“FINE!” Dracen threw his paws up in the air, fury in his eyes as he looked down at Rayne. “If you see my BROTHER, tell him I'm LOOKING for him!”

Rayne could barely nod as confirmation, before Dracen's wings flapped down, a gust of air pushing Rayne into Gaerwn's body as Dracen flew off. Rayne waited until she couldn't hear the flapping of wings any longer, before turning and hugging Gaerwn around his neck, hiding her face under his chin. His arms wrapped around her slowly and held her protectively.

“...I was so scared...” she whispered, holding him a bit tighter.

“Of the dragon?” he asked in a low tone.

“...No,” she responded, lifting her head up to look into his face. “...I thought you...and he...and you might...”

His smile gave her some relief, before he kissed her forehead.

“No dragon slaying,” he responded with a gentle tone. “As much as it pains me to say this, lets put your clothes on.”