Body of Water Ch. 02

You want my kiss. I can feel your longing.

Longing. That was a good word for what I felt. Longing, and a desperate curiosity.

Again, he chuckled and this time the sound vibrated through both of us. A moan escaped from my lips and he opened his mouth on my neck. His musky, spicy scent filled my nose and his tongue rasped over my throat. Moisture gathered between my thighs and I moaned again.

I wasn't choking this time but his scent, his presence under my hands and around my body was cloying. Somehow, it didn't frighten me. I wanted to feel him close around me and I wanted to close my body around his. Desperate, passionate need flared and my knees quivered.

Yesss... the hissing thought slid through my mind and I shuddered, biting down hard on my lower lip.

I want...I will have you...

Please. This time it was my mind crying out with desire. I'd never begged in my life but this man, this exotic, dark-skinned man was wearing me down with a suddenness that should have terrified me.

His laughter turned wicked and I felt his arms tighten around me. Before I knew what was happening, he lifted me, resting me on the sample table. He was just tall enough that his groin pushed against my crotch as I balanced on the edge. I slapped a hand back to brace myself as his mouth glided down my throat to my collarbone. Countertop and paint samples scattered to the floor, the sound dulled by the steady, slow thud of blood in my ears.

What is this? How are you doing this to me? I gave up on denying the connection between our minds.

I know what it is you want. I can give you what you desire, what you've always desired.

What is that? I don't even know what's missing.

And I didn't. I wasn't a slut, sleeping with a different guy every week, but I also wasn't a lily-white virgin. I'd had lovers before Harlowe. Though all of them had drawn forth the appropriate physical reactions, I'd never been...wowed.

Now, twice in three days, I was being turned inside out by two complete strangers.

Avanindra lifted his head and his dark eyes bored into mine. I gasped, sucking in more of his deep, sweet scent. It made my throat feel tight but I couldn't stop inhaling him. It was exhilarating.

I'm no stranger to you, Nerina.

Aren't you? We've never met.

Yes, we have. You will remember.

How?

His slow exhalation was coupled with the push of his hips against mine. You must give yourself to me. Then you will know.

We don't know each other this way. The thought startled me and from the scowl that sullied his features, it displeased him as well.

Then he dropped his head and his teeth scraped over my collarbone before he began to suck. His scent swirled up around me and I gasped for breath, inhaling and exhaling in short bursts. The lack of oxygen heightened my awareness of what was happening and I moaned as he pushed his hand up my skirt.

In the next second, he was shoving the crotch of my panties aside and I felt his strong fingers parting my folds. I was soaking, aching for his touch and came with stars bursting behind my eyelids as he stroked me. He stroked again, faster, and thrust his fingers inside of me.

Still, I couldn't get quite enough air. My vision was swimming with stars and I gazed down in a stupor as his dark head lowered. He gripped my knees and yanked my legs apart. His head dipped between my thighs and I felt his thick tongue pushing at my entrance, pulsing against me. I came hard again, shoving more countertop samples to the floor as I flopped back, rocking with need.

Just as suddenly as he'd stirred my body, he was moving back.

His hands straightened my skirt and his lips hovered for the barest of seconds over my mouth, drowning me in his earthy scent again. Then he was moving away, giving me space and my breath back. I dropped my feet to the floor and tried to stand upright.

"I must go." His mouth was curled into a smirk and as I watched, the tip of his pink tongue darted out, lapping a spot of moisture at the corner of his mouth.

I felt the motion like a tug deep in my gut. I took a step towards him before I was even aware I'd wanted to move. But he was backing away from me.

"Wait. Why are you going?"

"Your co-workers are approaching. I didn't think you'd want to be caught with a client between your legs."

"A client?" I was confused and thought that I could care less what anyone thought about him being between my legs.

"Yes, client. I've just bought a house from Landbourne Homes. I can't wait until our first appointment."

Then he was gone. I was left standing next to the messy sample table for a long time, wondering what in the hell had just happened. I shook my head, feeling the absence of the exotic man like a missing finger. I swallowed, my throat no longer feeling thick and constricted. I felt his love bites on my skin and I felt the twitching remnants of the orgasms he'd just given me.

Finally, a blush stained my cheeks, cold reality stealing back over me.

Had I really been willing to fuck a stranger in the middle of the showroom? When, at any time, one of my colleagues could have walked in and found us?

Yes...

The word echoed in my head and I squeezed my thighs together. I hurried from the open space and rushed to the restroom to fix myself; if such a thing were even possible anymore.

****

The dream altered entirely and irrevocably.

I was in a dark, dank forest. I could hear water rushing over rocks in the distance but as I rotated in place, I couldn't get any sense of direction.

The shrub in front of me stirred and I froze on the spot, my blood running cold. I was aware then of how cold I was, how naked. I shifted on my feet and longed to feel the tingle of sweat under my arms so that I'd know warmth again.

I felt something strange brush against me then and knew it was a finger of steam. I turned towards it but it vanished, dissipated as quickly as it had formed. I felt it disappear and sobbed, the sound a harsh echo in the jungle.

Then the bushes stirred again, coupled with a menacing rumble.

I whirled, tried to run but couldn't. My legs didn't obey, couldn't work in this place. I felt my panic rising in my throat like bile and I fought it down. Panic would not get me to the stream I heard.

I wanted water like nothing I'd ever wanted before.

The rumble sounded behind me and I looked back - why did I look back? - stumbling over a root that appeared in front of me. I felt a heavy weight descend upon me, a familiar, dizzying scent of musky spices sweeping over me. I rolled, felt fur brush my thighs and opened my mouth on a silent scream as I met the yellow eyes of a tiger.

It growled and its pink tongue rasped against my neck. The stroke lifted my top layer of skin. I shrieked in pain and tried to get away. The tiger was too heavy and I felt its claws pierce the skin of my hips. I froze, less than eager to have the beast rip me apart.

Again, that deep rumble that I now recognized as a laugh.

You want me to rip you apart. And I shall.

As the thoughts whispered through my panicked mind, the tiger's pink tongue scraped over my body. It moved lower, its claws pushing in and out of me as it moved. I felt his tongue on my breasts, tightening my nipples to hard little nubs. Then he tasted my stomach, tickling my belly button, before moving lower. My legs parted and then he was tasting me.

Yesss...

The hiss had me arching my back and I felt searing pain as the tiger tongued me. It ripped more and more skin with each pass of his tongue and I felt no pleasure.

The sound of running water intruded on my senses and I twisted my neck, straining to see.

Then I did.

There, through the thick, dark foliage, the brightest glimpse of a waterfall. My eyes filled with tears and the scraping of the tiger's tongue and teeth over my tender flesh faded.

As always, the water seeped into me, became one with me and then, nothing.

****

When I woke on Tuesday morning, I felt like I hadn't slept at all. My body felt raw, abused. I feared for the first time that the dream had been real.

Throwing my covers back, I came to a decision. There was one person who might be able to answer some questions and I might know where to find him. My stomach lurched at the thought of standing in Aedan's presence again but when I thought of the alternative, waiting for Avanindra to spring himself on me again, a little sweat was a welcome choice.

I showered, ran fingers through my wet hair and dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. I hurried from the house, unsure if I disturbed my roommates. Indeed, I cared little if they were even home. Too much was happening in my head to worry about waking my roommates.

I drove through the early morning rush and thanked the heavens for giving me a parking lot to park in at the Firehall. The front door was locked, of course, leaving me standing like a jerk on the sidewalk.

Aedan? I sent his name out as a question, wondering if I was too far gone for saving. After all, sane people don't try to communicate telepathically with complete strangers.

We aren't strangers, came the responding thought.

I just about collapsed with relief when the heavy deadbolt on the club door slid open. Then Aedan was standing before me, making me feel that aching tingle all over in an instant.

"Aedan." I reached for him without thinking.

But he backed away from me, a startled and frightened look on his handsome face. I let my hands fall to my sides, stung more than I had a right to be.

"I'm sorry."

"Oh, Nerina." His hand closed on my shoulder and heat exploded from that point outward. "I'm sorry. You just caught me by surprise, that's all."

He pulled me inside. Before he closed and locked the big door, he glanced outside, up and down either side of the street. Then I was alone inside the Firehall with him, sweating profusely.

He turned to face me. "Why are you here?"

Again, I felt the sting of rejection and tears clogged my throat. "I don't know."

"I'm sorry. Come with me." He took me by the elbow and led me through the dim, silent club.

We climbed the stairs to an office tucked in the back corner of the second floor loft. He shut the office door behind us and guided me to a chair, sitting down in front of me.

"Are you well?"

I didn't know what to say at first. This concern was at odds with his earlier rejection. He shook his head and reached for my hand. I let him take it, savoring the warmth that spread through my entire body from that one point of contact. "Forgive me, Nerina, for making you think I don't want to see you. I'm shocked. You didn't seem to know me the other night and I didn't want to rush you."

"Rush me?" I laughed. "I don't even know what you're talking about."

He watched me with warm golden eyes and I felt some of the tension drain from my body.

"Before I met you, I'd never felt this way." My stark honesty startled me. "Then I was at work yesterday and this man came in." I recalled a brown face with dark eyes and a shudder rippled through my body.

Aedan's hand tightened on mine and I was drawn back to the present, to his office. At the fierce look in his eyes, I felt my muscles tense in fear.

"No, don't be afraid," he whispered. "You've never feared me and you won't start now."

His words were firm and I believed him no matter how confused I was over his familiar use of the past tense.

"Tell me."

"Tell you what?"

I shook my head and shrugged one shoulder. What, indeed. "Everything. I'm so confused and I feel like I'm not myself anymore."

"And you think I can tell you who you are?"

"You seem to know me. You make me feel like I know you."

He smirked, the smile drawing more sweat to the surface of my skin. I swallowed and shifted closer to him. I inhaled, curious if his scent was anything like Avanindra's. It wasn't, not quite. The effect was similar, dissolving me into heady lust and making my blood pound.

No. That's different. Aedan makes my blood rush, not slow.

"That's true," he murmured.

I blinked, surprised but I didn't pull away. He sighed, more of his scent washing over me. I shuddered and closed my eyes, savoring it. It was tangy, acidic instead of spicy. It singed my skin and left a strange taste on my tongue.

He smells like a match being struck. I wrinkled my nose as his deep chuckle rolled between us.

"You used to tell me you liked the smell."

I opened my eyes to see his amused expression.

"I told you I liked the smell of a lit match?"

"Not just a lit match. Steel on flint, wood smoke, brimstone. You used to tell me how much you loved the taste." His scent wafted back and forth with each breath he took. "You said you could drink me in for hours."

His words stirred something deep inside of me. I didn't know if it was lust or remembrance but it didn't hurt.

"So we did know each other. Like, in a past life?"

He frowned and straightened. The look on his face was one of distress and he shook his head, his fingers flexing around mine. "I wish you knew how much this hurts."

"What? What hurts?"

"You, being so close. I can't do anything unless you remember."

"Why?" The question that was really burning a hole through my mind was, what do you want to do to me?

His eyes flashed back to my face and that devilish grin had me sucking in a breath. I would do to you whatever you asked of me.

"How do you do that?" I felt sweat trickle down between my shoulder blades.

"Do what?"

"Read my mind. Speak to my mind."

"It's just something we can do. It's like...an involuntary action, like breathing or blinking."

"Who is we? You and I?"

There was the barest hesitation before he answered me, enough that I felt doubt form heavy in my gut. "Yes. We can read each other's minds, speak internally."

I shook my head. "This is so surreal. I just met you."

His fingers squeezed my hand. "You know me. Please, Nerina, try to remember."

"I don't know what I'm supposed to remember. I'm sorry but this doesn't make any sense."

"You feel that you do know me, don't you?"

"Yes." My eyes flicked back and forth across his face. His features, so handsome, looked as familiar to me as my own. I just couldn't place them. I knew I should be able to figure out when and where we'd met before but it was impossible. It was like I hit a wall each time I tried.

"I know you, Nerina." He leaned close enough that he was all I could see; his strong, masculine features, his fiery, golden eyes. I inhaled his scent again and found that I did indeed like it; the musky, acidic taste stirred something inside of me.

"Please, remember me."

I did try then, really tried. I strained, sweat dripping down the sides of my face as I stared into his eyes. I felt resistance, felt pinpricks behind my eyes as I pushed harder. I just couldn't connect.

I gasped, all but falling into his arms. "I'm so sorry."

Aedan held me, his lips burning a path across my forehead. I clung to him, my weak arms circling his broad shoulders. I breathed him in, gasping as his arms tightened around me. I felt myself drawn into his lap and his mouth opened over mine.

As his tongue slid along the seam of my lips, I shuddered, recalling my encounter at work the previous morning.

"What is it?"

"A man came to me at work yesterday." I looked up into Aedan's face. "He said he knew me as well."

His arms tensed around my body and his eyes turned cold. "Did you know him?"

I blinked and started to shake my head 'no,' when something occurred to me. "I knew him, like I know you. I...he felt familiar, but I couldn't think of when I'd met him."

He relaxed a bit but I could still see the tension in his eyes. "What did he tell you?"

"He said that I would remember him." I wondered if I should blush at my next words. "He was going to make love to me and he said that then I'd know him."

Aedan tipped his head back and let out a bellow of rage. I scrambled off his lap and watched in stunned disbelief as his eyes turned a blazing red, whites and all. I put my hands to my face as I watched his hair burst into flames.

This isn't real. I backed away, sweat beading all over my skin. It's so hot in here. So hot...

I was panting, my body pulsing as Aedan flared up in front of me. I peeked through my fingers, entranced by the transformation taking place.

I should be frightened. I gasped and winced as the hot air in the room singed my throat. But I'm not.

You should be! Aedan's voice in my head was angry and I pressed myself against the wall.

I'm not. How can I be?

I met his burning gaze and my knees quivered. I saw a mist rising up from my feet and glanced down with a gasp.

I was steaming.

It was painless, not making me feel afraid.

You should be afraid! Aedan's tormented, angry voice broke through again and I shook my head.

My body was pulsing with each wave of heat that rolled off of Aedan. I looked into his red eyes and bit back a moan.

I'm not afraid.

The steam rose from my feet, licked at my core and rose to block my view of Aedan. I could still feel him.

I remember...