Aeress

She opened her eyes to look over at Warrick. He was at the edge of the hot spring, dressed in a long sleeve, black t-shirt. His forehead had a light sheen to it.

Aeress basked in the warm water, just enough to where she was more relaxed than ever before. "What are you reading?" She questioned. He had his nose buried in a book. Is that what she looked like often?

He didn't respond for a couple seconds. "Something useful."

She twisted so that she was floating on her stomach, facing him. She propped her chin on her hands which were settled on the edge, close to his location. "I should be doing something too."

"You are..." he responded, eyes latched to the page. "Healing. Your body has been through a stressful time."

She frowned. "You should too. I hurt you. You deserve res-"

He put the book down briefly to stare at her in disapproval. "You didn't do anything, and you would do well to listen this time around to what I say. Creatures such as her are not known to be gentle, neither is mine. This world is just as savage as your old one, maybe even more so in some ways."

Aeress still felt like the blood was caked on her. "Yeah, I am starting to learn that." She pulled herself out of the water, feeling as the droplets of water streamed down her plain white tanktop and her comfortable, cotton panties.

She took the book from his hand and put it off to the side. His eyes were glued to her chest-as it was obvious she was not wearing a bra. "What are you doing?"

"Resting," she answered, facing him as she straddled his lap. She draped her wet arms over his shoulders and played with the back of his collar. He watched her curiously. Her fingers pressed into the back of his neck, urging his lips against hers. This kiss was slow and sensuous, patient yet eager all the same.

Aeress pulled back and examined his dampened body. "Why is it that I barely ever see what's underneath? It's hot in this room, yet you're dressed for Alaska, like always. And don't tell me you get cold easily because you feel like a hundred degrees right now."

His eyes hardened. She could sense his walls rising slowly. "I prefer these clothes."

She glided her hands upward into his locks and looked straight into his captivating blue eyes. "Show me... Please."

His severe features deepened with suspicion, but in just the slightest bit, he leaned into her touch. "Go on."

She skimmed her hands downward, taking a hold of the bottom of his shirt and lifting upwards. He complied and allowed her to remove his shirt.

Aeress examined his naked upper body. She was immediately fascinated and enchanted, and wary of how he could possibly achieve such a copious amount of tattoos on his skin.

"What do they mean?" She meant to ask a million times before, but something had always come up to distract her attention on something more urgent.

"It's in the ancient language of Godhead. It is tradition for Premier to wear her scripture." He grimaced as her hands flitted across the fresh wounds she had caused. She muttered a quick apology. It was impossible for her to keep her hands off.

"Why do you hide them?" She couldn't understand why. The markings were gorgeous-daunting, yes, but still gorgeous.

"It's distracting for others, I simply decided to eliminate the distraction." He shrugged as his hands curled around her hips.

She couldn't look away at the canvas his body was. Up close, given time to really study him, she was almost considered obsessed. "How long did all of this take?" She couldn't imagine the pain which went into all of this.

He thought for a moment. "A week, maybe more. Time was not of importance."

She growled out frustration. "All for what? That's outrageous." She hated the idea of Warrick being forced through torture, but she knew from the beginning that an ominous man such as himself knew horror intimately-that was a given.

"This was the easiest part, Aeress. These trials you will experience, I had to experience a similar process. Becoming Premier is not something which is easily accomplished. The same goes for you."

"Why do it? Why do any of this?" she demanded. Nothing could've been worth this much anguish, not to Aeress.

He urged off her white tshirt. "I was born for this, as were you." His palms crept up her sides. Her skin tingled with warmth and excitement, responding to him immediately.

"That's what everyone keeps telling me," she said as she leaned forward to kiss him again, exploring his mouth thoroughly with her tongue. "But we won't really know until I am put to the test, will we? I can train all I want, but we won't have an answer, will we?" Finally she said what was on her mind: doubt.

He kissed her briefly, burning her with his hot gaze. "I believe in you, Aeress. You should too." When his voice got deep and husky, his lilting Irish accent became more prominent.

She laughed this time, unable to comprehend how he could be so obsolute. The man was almost more stubborn that she. "People tell me that too." Aeress reached down to unbuckle his belt. She was struck by a need to make him beg this time around.

He caught her arm. "Don't do that."

She leaned back to look at him dubiously. "Don't tell me now that you are gay or something. Not that there's anything wrong with that-"

He took her hand and glided it over his very prominent scars. "These don't bother you?" She squinted at him, and knew this was yet another attempt of his at diverting her attention. While she acknowledged his obvious move, she also knew that his question was a genuine one, and it revealed something about him she was sure he hadn't meant to.

Aeress took his hands and lead him to cup her full, heavy breasts. She was being selfish and generous all at once. "Not even a little." His fingers pressed into her flesh with a possessive touch. She glided her lips up his neck until they brushed against his own. "Let me take care of you... Please."

His eyes widened the slightest amount. His jaw clenched and she knew he was trying to make up his mind. "We... Shouldn't."

She didn't understand. "Why? Are we just going to ignore this?" She gestured down between them, where his obvious erection was constricted by his pants.

He blew out a breath. His hands travelled downward, and she knew he was trying to distract her again from her inquiring. "You won't let this go, will you?"

She put her hands on his to stop his movement. "Is there something I should know?" She felt like she was missing something, beside the fact that he didn't want her pleasuring him

He shook his head. "It's nothing."

"Tell me." Because if he didn't, she would most likely die from overthinking.

He waited, driving her crazy like always. "Your unique position... Has made the possibility of mutual intimacy a little more complicated."

She arched a brow at his specific wording. Warrick had a talent for answering the question, but not actually answering it. "Why is that?"

"The Premier is trained to keep a distance from Godhead, if Godhead were to ever arrive."

She frowned. "Distance as in no sex?" He nodded. "Is Godhead supposed to be a virgin, because I think we both know I am way past that close-minded bullshit..." She shook her head in disbelief. "How does that even work? We are mates, therefore more sexually compatible than anyone in the world, right? I'm pretty sure that's how it works."

"Don't you think I know that?" he growled. She could sense his frustration. It was clear that Aeress was not helping the situation, as she was literally siting topless on his lap, soaking wet in a pair of barely-there underwear.

"So it's safe for you to lick me up and down, but not vice versa? That's not fair."

"You don't like when I lick you up and down?" he nipped at her lips, moving on to her neck.

A sigh left passed her lips and her head fell back to expose more of her skin. "I do," she groaned as he bit down with just enough pressure, "but I want to return the favor."

His chuckle vibrated against her flesh. "You will. Just not yet. I need to make sure there won't be consequences, okay?"

Her hands braced his shoulders as he got to work. "Fine. Just know I don't like this."

"Trust me, neither do I."

______________________________________

She came awake in the quiteness of night.

"Warrick!" she called out, but no one answered. He must have left.

Aeress felt her heart thumping and took in a couple calming breaths. She pulled the sheets off her body and climbed out of bed. She walked over toward the window and opened it, welcoming the sea breeze. The salt travelled through the island air. It was calming.

The moon was full and closer than ever before. The tropical trees cut off the view of the gorgeous beach they had arrived on. She could practically feel the sand between her toes and hear the seaguls cawing through the night sky.

She swallowed at such a beautiful sight. "I don't know if you're listening... If you can see everything I see. The blue, it reminds me of you, your beauty." Aeress looked down at the sweat on her chest as it dried. "I know you can be good, I do. I can sense it, I don't know how, but I can. I don't know why you chose me. I am not a warrior. I am not eloquent. I am not a leader. I am just a woman who only dreams of fantasies. When I read those books, it was for fun. Never once have I asked to live in them."

She leaned her hands against the window. "You scare me... No, you terrify me. I want to trust you, but you've used me so many times to hurt, to kill. You can't do this anymore..." she scoffed. "I know, who am I to demand these things? I'm just Aeress. I am nothing in this world." She felt her emotions spike with anger. "But this is my body. I won't allow you to go on murder sprees anymore. I will kill the both of us before you do, that I can promise. But... It doesn't have to be this way. I don't know what I'm asking for, or if you are even listening. I don't even know if we'll both end up dead-dead by the end of all of this. I don't want to die... Please. I guess that's it... Godhead."