Forever of the Wood

Kia breathed heavily as he moved forward, closing the short distance that remained. He looked up into her eyes one final time, and she answered his unspoken question with a slight nod. She sucked in a sharp breath as he took his cock in hand and pressed it against her folds.

He paused and rubbed the tip of his cock between the parting of her nether lips, coating it in her slippery wetness. Her heart skipped a beat and her breath caught in her throat when she felt him poised at the rim of her canal.

His first push was slow and hesitant, and the flash of pain caused her to yelp. She flinched away before he could penetrate her, tears filling her eyes.

Steve's expression spoke of even more pain than Kia's. After a few rapid breaths, she whispered, "Sorry."

"Kia..."

She shook her head and parted her legs a little wider. "Please."

Steve guided his cock into position again, and Kia reached up to squeeze the fingers of his other hand tighter into her thigh. "Close your eyes," he whispered.

Kia closed her eyes, and time seemed to stop. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Only tightly clenched teeth and pursed lips contained her wail when Steve sundered her virginity.

Steve remained stock-still, afraid that the slightest movement would increase her pain. The sight of her shaking from contained sobs with tears flowing down her cheeks nearly crushed him. What he couldn't know was that far away, Kia's grandmother took most of the pain upon herself, and absorbed more of it by the instant.

Even as the initial stab of pain turned her vision blood red, Xantina's magic allowed Kia to feel something far different, the fullness of a hard cock inside her for the first time. As the pain ebbed, Kia's pleasure swelled, and her tear-filled eyes fluttered open.

"You okay?" Steve asked, his voice cracking and his eyes full of concern.

She smiled at him and nodded her head. Though she still felt little twinges of pain, another discomfort now loomed larger in her consciousness — an aching void deep inside her that desperately needed filling. Her fingers curled around his wrists, and she tugged him toward her.

Her smile reawakened Steve's desire, but when she winced from the slightest beginning of a push, he froze again. Kia tugged on his wrists even harder, nodding her head emphatically. When he rocked his hips forward again, she was able to relax, and he sank inside her to the hilt.

"Oh Steve — so good," she breathed, the pain little more than a distant memory with his cock buried inside her.

The tight squeeze of her warm, wet walls brought his instincts to the fore, and Steve began to thrust. His hips moved in a steady rhythm, his cock withdrawing all the way to the tip, and then sliding inside until his balls settled against her. Kia moaned and cooed, fueling his desire. Not even the ruddy tinge of her juices coating his thrusting shaft could discourage him in light of the pleasure evident in her face and her voice.

Kia's breathing fell into rhythm with Steve's hips. She released his left wrist, and let her fingers slide down to her clit. The first brush of her fingertips over the sensitive bud overwhelmed the control she'd managed to exert over her voice, allowing her cry to be much louder than prudent in the exposed setting.

He watched her fingers circling over her bud, and then looked up into her eyes to say, "You're so sexy. You feel so good."

"So do you. Faster."

Kia took her words to heart and switched from a slow circling of her fingers to a quick back and forth motion. Steve was already having trouble containing his passion, and had only to loosen the reins to add speed and power to his thrusts. The increased friction summoned up a groan from him, and his grip on her thighs tightened.

Warm pressure swelled in Kia's loins as her fingers and Steve's thick cock pushed her closer to sweet release. Though her body rocked from the power of his thrusts, he wasn't taking her. He was giving her pleasure, and accepting the same from her. The difference was subtle, contained in his eyes, in his groans, and in the quick, steady motion of his hips. The first tickles of a coming climax brought with them a quavering, high-pitched sigh from her.

Every pump of his hips sent Kia soaring to heights of bliss beyond anything she'd ever dreamed of before. Her eyes roved over him, drinking in his muscles working. She could just see his cock when he fully withdrew, the shaft glimmering in the dappled light from the sheathe of her juices coating it. She felt as if she was going to pass out if she didn't come soon.

Steve's brow furrowed as his own pleasure mounted. Seeing the strain in his face, Kia breathed, "I'm so close. Oh yes. Almost... Almost..."

His expression hardened, and she knew that he couldn't hold out much longer. "Gonna come," he warned, his voice tight from staving off his climax.

Kia teetered on the cusp of ultimate bliss, her body awaiting some unknown cue or moment to allow her release. She trembled, her mouth open in a silent scream, and her whole body alive with energy. Then, he buried his cock inside her with a loud groan, and she erupted into orgasm.

Steve groaned and panted, filling Kia with his cream. With her canal clenched tight around his cock, she could feel every pulse and throb. All the while, far more than their bodies joined. She had found her one, and shared the ultimate expression of that love with him. Her orgasm went on and on, her body celebrating along with her heart.

♠~~~~~∞~~~~~♠

Xantina slowly rose from Daniel's cock and lay down beside him. She kissed him and caressed his face as he fought the weariness trying to overtake him, her body still quivering in orgasm.

As she relaxed amongst the ferns next to her mate, the nymph could feel her daughter and granddaughter basking in the afterglow of their climaxes as well. Three couples had reached a peak simultaneously, caught up in the magic of the day — and destiny.

Daniel's chest slowly rose and fell, exhaustion having claimed him. His breathing was shallow, though still regular. Even though his body waned from age, his spirit was strong, and growing stronger by the day. Xantina cuddled up next to him and continued to kiss him, causing him to smile in his sleep.

He was almost ready.

♠~~~~~∞~~~~~♠

Kia pulled on her panties, knowing that the impromptu clean-up with wipes from her purse wasn't going to be enough.

She was feeling entirely too wonderful to care, though.

Once she and Steve finished dressing, they came together for a kiss. When their lips parted, she could no longer contain her feelings. "I love you."

"I love you too, Kia."

"You mean it?"

He kissed her again, and then verbally answered her question as well. "Yes."

Kia caressed his cheek, wearing a beatific smile. "Mmm — I don't want to go, but I probably should. Earth Day is sort of a big thing with my family."

"Call me later?"

"How about sooner?"

Steve chuckled and tugged at his pants. "Shoot, forgot my belt." He looked around for a moment, and noticed it lying in the dried leaves next to the mossy bed he'd just shared with Kia. "There it is."

The sound of the woodpeckers tapping drew Kia's attention, and she looked up at them as Steve bent to pick up his belt. When she looked back, he was standing back up and turning around. He took a step toward her, and planted his foot in the wrong place.

Kia's heart stopped as his ankle buckled, he lost his balance, and cracked his head on the tree. He fell to the ground, unconscious and bleeding.

"Oh god — no." She scrambled to his side, her stomach souring when she saw how much he was bleeding. "Help!" she desperately screamed, having no idea if anyone was close enough to hear her. A second later, she tore open her purse to find her phone.

"It will be fine, Xankia."

Kia turned in disbelief at the sound of her grandmother's voice. "Grandma? But how?"

Xantina knelt down next to her granddaughter. "I told you that love is a very powerful magic. Your love let me come here, and my magic can make his hurt go away."

Tears streaming down her cheeks, Kia watched her grandmother place a slender hand behind Steve's head. Green light shimmered from the nymph's hands, and Kia held her breath.

Steve slowly awakened, but the sight in front of him made him doubt that he was actually conscious. Opening one's eyes to find a nude, stunningly beautiful, green haired woman kneeling in front of you is something that sane men reserve as the province of dreams.

"Thank you, Grandma," Kia sobbed as she hugged her grandmother.

"Grandma?" Steve muttered, his eyes widening.

"I..." Kia had no idea what to say.

"Grandma?" He repeated, and shrank back a little, bumping into the tree. His hand settled in something sticky, and he lifted it to see his palm covered in blood. He panicked and stood up; allowing him to see that there was a lot of blood. He could feel a dull, phantom pain in his head, but when he reached up to touch the spot, his hair didn't even feel sticky.

"I made you better," Xantina explained. "Xankia was very sad that you were hurt."

"Xan-kia? This is too freaky, this can't be real."

Kia broke down at that moment, unable to endure the shock and fear in his eyes. She spun away, her body wracked with sobs, and ran toward the trail leading out of the woods.

Steve barely realized that he was moving until he'd caught up to her and grabbed her hand. "Kia?"

"I'm sorry. I understand. I won't bother you any more," Kia sobbed, refusing to look at him as she tugged on her arm, trying to escape.

Not even the sudden shattering of his illusions about what was real and what wasn't in the world could compete with the utter devastation in Kia's voice. His gaze drifted back to the green-haired nymph for a fraction of a second, and then he pulled Kia to him.

"I told you that I love you, and I meant it."

Kia still kept her face averted, afraid to look at him. "But..."

Steve cupped her chin in his hand and forced her to look into his eyes. "No buts. I love you."

Kia could see it in his eyes. He was still unnerved and a touch frightened, but his love for her shone through. "I love you, too," she said as she threw her arms around him.

Steve started when Xantina embraced them both and kissed their cheeks in turn. She grabbed their hands, turned them toward her, and then brought their hands together.

He realized that he was staring at the nude nymph when she grinned and said, "I think you're very pretty too."

Steve snapped his gaze to Kia, to find her smiling. She shrugged and offered, "You get used to it — eventually. That is, if you're willing?"

"So are you..?"

"I'm just me," Kia answered his unfinished question. "I guess you know why Earth Day is so important to the family now."

For some reason, that struck him. It was so Kia. He broke out into laughter. "Yeah, I guess so."

"So, you're really alright..? You know."

He glanced over at Xantina once more. She was puckering her lips and pointing at her granddaughter. When he looked back, his eyes locked with Kia's, and the last several days came back to him in a rush.

"Yeah." Then, he took the nymphs advice and kissed her.

Xantina managed to catch her granddaughter's eye, offered a wave, and crept back into the trees. She vanished a moment later.

"Where'd she go?" Steve asked when the kiss ended and he noticed the nymph's absence.

"Home — I think. I guess I should, too."

He could see some of the fear creeping back into her eyes, and knew what was causing it. "Make sure you call me later, and tell your grandma I said thanks."

"I will. Walk me back to my car?"

He squeezed her hand, and led her down the trail.

♠~~~~~∞~~~~~♠

Kia walked down the hill towards the woods, grass and dandelions brushing her ankles, knowing that the rest of the family would already be there. She'd gone inside to change her panties and properly clean up as soon as she got home, not nearly as enamored with the sticky, ruddy stain on them as she was with making it.

If anything, the aura of magic that surrounded the wood felt stronger than ever. It always took on a nearly electric feel on Earth Day, but today she felt as if her hair was trying to stand on end, though the sensation carried with it a warm, calming influence as well.

The birds seemed to be in a positive tizzy, singing their songs and zipping from tree to tree. A warm spring breeze blew down the trail, making the saplings and bushes sway as if dancing. The fern fronds waved like hands, seemingly guiding her down the trail.

She found her family sitting at the edge of her grandmother's pool, chatting about the day.

"There's the woman of the hour," Daniel announced when his granddaughter stepped toward the pool and kicked off her shoes. He slapped his hand on his thigh and added, "I'm proud of you, Kia."

Kia's cheeks warmed, and she said, "Thank you," as she pulled off her blouse.

"That goes for us too, Honey," Gary told his daughter.

Kia finished removing her clothing and joined the circle.

Brina nudged her husband and said, "Go on — ask. You've bothered me with your musing about it for long enough. I'm curious too."

Kia stiffened, praying that the question wasn't one for her, concerning Steve. Her grandmother had no qualms about bringing up sex, and Kia was almost certain that the nymph somehow knew what she and Steve had done in the shadow of his clubhouse.

"Xantina, you say that this is a special day, but I don't understand why. Earth Day is just an arbitrary day that a Senator picked for good weather and college schedules."

"It is much more than that now, is it not?" Xantina answered with her own question.

"Well, yes — I suppose."

"Man has blessed this day in honor of Mother Earth." Xantina spread her arms and continued, "Mother Earth is pleased and honored, so she has blessed this day as well. All of her children celebrate this day, and so it is magic."

Gary shrugged and smiled. "I guess that make sense. Though, if I told most people that, they'd tell me I needed a shrink."

Brina elbowed her husband and scowled at him. Everyone else broke out into laughter.

"Today is a very special day." Xantina glanced at her granddaughter and smiled.

Brina followed her mother's gaze and quickly jumped to a conclusion. Both she and her daughter were conceived on Earth Day. "Kia, you aren't pregnant, are you?"

"No, Mom. I'm on the pill, remember." Too late, she realized that volunteering the last said far more than she'd intended.

Brina's eyebrows popped up and a crooked smile spread across her face. Even if she'd missed the connotations of her daughter's words, the blush in Kia's cheeks spoke volumes.

Kia could see the wheels turning in her father's head, and knew that the gears would click into place any second. She doubted that his reaction would be as amused and happy as her mother's.

"No, she's not pregnant," Xantina interjected, and then let out a giggle.

Though her mother hadn't even glanced at her, or gave any other indication, Brina somehow knew. She laid a hand on her tummy and her mouth dropped open in surprise.

"Who then?" Gary asked, and realized that everyone had directed his or her gaze at his wife. He looked over to see her cradling her tummy. "Brina? What? How?"

"How?" Brina agreed, directing the question to her mother.

"I thought you knew that by now," Daniel quipped.

"That's not what I mean, Dad. I mean, I thought I could only have one child. We haven't been using protection since..." She trailed off, realizing that she was probably making her daughter, husband, and father all a little uncomfortable.

Xantina giggled and asked, "Why would you think that, silly?"

"Well, because... I don't know." Brina looked at her husband and said, "We're going to have a baby."

"It just wasn't his time to come yet. Now it is," Xantina explained.

Brina looked at her mother and asked, "His?"

"A son?" Gary piped up.

Kia felt equal parts excitement from the news, and relief that the interruption had distracted her father before he could put two and two together. "Guess I won't have to worry about you getting lonely while I'm off to college."

Daniel laughed and scooted over next to his daughter. He reached out a trembling hand to pat her belly and said, "Hello in there, little man."

"Daniel," Brina offered, and looked to her husband for confirmation.

"Daniel it is."

"Well then, Daniel. Nice name you have there. I..."

"Dad?" Brina asked as her father sat back, his features pinched in apparent pain.

When he collapsed back onto one arm, Kia and her mother both scrambled to his side.

"Dad!"

"Grandpa!"

Gary found his feet and grabbed his pants. "I'll bring the car down here so we can get him to the hospital."

"Gary — wait," Daniel said in a weak, quavering voice. "My... My time."

"Not if I have anything to say about it," Gary disagreed as he tried to pull on his pants.

Xantina moved in behind her love and lifted his head to cradle it in her lap. He smiled, though a wince of pain stole his grin a moment later.

"Is. Stay," Daniel reiterated.

Brina looked at her mother, her eyes filled with tears. "Mom, please do something."

"It is his time. All things pass, and are renewed," Xantina responded while stroking her mate's hair and smiling down at him.

"But..."

"No... Buts." Daniel swept his half-closed eyes over his family, his smile returning despite the pain. "Everything — man could want. Cele... Cel..."

"Celebrate his life," Xantina finished for him.

"We will, Daddy," Brina sobbed.

Her tears falling on his wrinkled, bony arm, Kia said, "I love you, Grandpa."

Daniel's lips moved, but none could hear him.

Again, Xantina relayed his words, which echoed in her heart, even though he couldn't give them voice. "He loves you all, and he is at peace to have you here with him."

Daniel's eyes closed, his breathing slowed, and his lips turned up into a smile.

He slipped away.

♠~~~~~∞~~~~~♠

Gary returned to the wood to find his nymph mother-in-law still sitting with her mate's head in her lap. "I got them both into bed."

"You should rest as well." She already knew the reason that he'd returned — the things that men did when someone passed on. "Tomorrow. I will watch over him this night."

Gary didn't even pretend to understand her ways, but he could sense that she understood what he needed to do. It could wait until morning. "I think that he's right where he'd want to be. We talked about it before. He wanted to be cremated and brought here."

"It made him happy to know that he would be here with me always."

"I think that goes for all of us." Gary nodded to her and walked back up the trail to the house.

Xantina finally moved and lowered Daniel's head to the earth. Her granddaughter had found her one. New life grew in her daughter's tummy. Her magic swelled.

The time was right.

She walked first to her pool and dived in. She surfaced with a large rock, nearly the size of her head, worn perfectly smooth over the decades by the spring that fed her pool. This, she placed next to her mate's head.

Next, the nymph stepped up to the intertwined trees that her mate had joined so long ago. Though he hadn't known it at the time, he had sealed their bond and their love in those branches. Xantina held out her hand, and four leaves dropped from the tree of their own volition, to land in her palm. These she placed around her stone, creating the shape of a star.

Xantina knelt in front of the stone, and took Daniel's still slightly warm hand. She closed her eyes, and called upon the power granted to her by the Earth.