Zaira's POV
Well, who do we have here?" came a strange voice and destroyed the magical moment.
Aramis spun around and pushed me protectively behind him. He swore under his breath. I only understood a word of it, but that was enough. Gi .
It was a Gi .
I stepped next to Aramis and growled as he tried to push me behind him again. He gave me an annoyed look but obeyed and pulled me to his side, his arm wrapped tightly around my waist. My heart swelled. Aramis didn't listen to orders, ever. But he seemed to make an exception for me.
"Don't get too close," his tone was dangerously calm. A predator lying in wait.
She paused and remained seated in the tree, her stance also ready for battle. "You stupid stupid children!" she hissed through clenched teeth, glaring at us. "What destruction have you done? Kill innocent trees!"
"They attacked the hell out of us." Since I had his t-shirt, I could see his back muscles tense. My eyes slid down and I let out a relieved sigh. He had his pants on. His gaze staggered over to me and he looked at me questioningly, I just shook my head.
"Because you were too stupid to steal Omorphy!" she gestured wildly with her arms, tossing back her dark, long hair that was partially braided. "They were just trying to protect Blume."
She grabbed a liana, swung onto another branch and landed gracefully. Now that she was closer to us, I could get a closer look at her. She wore a wide dark chest that was held in place over one shoulder with a strand. She also wore a brown leather skirt that showed off her small waist.
In the single rays of sun that stole through the clouds, I recognized the white paint on her skin, which rose sharply from her otherwise caramel-colored skin.
She was beautiful. Jealousy and envy flooded through me. I would never be as pretty as her . At the same time, I was ashamed of my feelings. It wasn't her fault that I didn't have the same beauty as her.
"You come here, to our country, take what pleases you and don't care what happens afterwards."
"We don't want to hurt you, we're just passing through."
"Through our territory?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.
I could feel Aramis losing patience. "Yes."
"You can't, we didn't let you in." She sounded firm and resolute. "Go, go back where you came and we'll forgive you."
I heard his neck crack and his eyes flash. "We will not turn back and you will let us."
"No."
His stoner twitched and his expression darkened. I put my hand on his bare back, desperate to calm him down. And it worked. He took a deep breath.
"We're on our way to Reah's," he said through clenched teeth.
"Reah? Don't lie to me!"
"Believe me or don't believe me. This is your problem."
"Who are you to go see Reah?" She tilted her head to the side, eyeing him sharply.
"An old friend," he said simply. I frowned. Why didn't he just say who he was?
I saw her thinking, undecided whether to believe him or not. Then she jumped down from the tree at a speed that was not normal and skillfully cushioned her jump. She came toward us without making any sound, but stopped when Aramis growled dangerously low at her again. While she wasn't afraid, she was smart enough to know he was too dangerous to challenge.
"I won't say you can stay, the Chief will decide." She looked at us again, her dark brown cool eyes staying on me and examining me.
Aramis blocked her view as he stepped protectively in front of me. He sounded more wolf than man when he asked, "What are you waiting for?"
She raised her eyebrows and was about to say something when she changed her mind and turned on her heel. "Follow me."
We silently followed the Gi through the depths of the jungle. After what happened, he didn't seem as enchanting and beautiful as I had initially thought. His magic was gone and I recognized his poisonous and dark side. A cliff loomed in front of us, overgrown with weeds and other creepers.
"You make only small wrong moves and his death." With that she disappeared behind the growth. I widened my eyes and stopped.
"What the-" Aramis wordlessly grabbed my hand and started to lead me through the plant wall, but I planted my feet on the ground. My wolf whimpered in fear at the horrible memory playing in my head. What if When we're pulled into black space again? I shuddered with horror. Never again. "Let me go, I don't want-"
"Hey." His voice was calm and he squeezed my hand gently. His touch calmed me and the memory faded, but the horror was sitting in my bones and wouldn't dissolve. "Trust me." I looked into his eyes and recognized absolute honesty. I nodded.
He lifted the creepers and led me through. It wasn't black and tight like I expected. No punches rained down on me and my body didn't convulse in agony. No, sunshine flooded the clearing ahead and stole between the leaves of the supernaturally gigantic trees. A river meandered through the small settlement of wooden houses, some on the ground and some on the trees.
I mouthed a wow , unable to get a sound out. There were gis everywhere, dressed similarly to the one that had brought us here. They also all featured the white body paint as well, which made it look different on everyone. It was beautiful here.
I was so engrossed in admiring the Gis village that I didn't notice Aramis eyeing me. "You like it," he stated, and a twinkle I couldn't quite name appeared in his eyes.
I just nodded again.
"There are much nicer and bigger Gi villages than this one," he whispered to me conspiratorially, as if he was about to tell me his biggest secret, and unconsciously drew circles with his thumb over my hand, which was still entwined with his was.
My gaze slid down to his lips and I thought about how it had felt to feel them on mine. Hot, wet and so urgent, like he can never get enough of me. I felt my desire increase and the grip on my hand tightened.
"I smell your excitement Vinea . I want to take you where you are. Now." All of a sudden he was standing close in front of me and looking down at me. I held my breath. "Would you like that?"
My gaze shifted from his lips to his eyes, which were dark with hunger. My heart stopped. And what a hunger!
"Would you like it? Tell me. Just one word," his voice felt rough and seductive against my skin, awakening the naughtiest dreams in me. He leaned down to me. "Do you want it, Zaira? Do you want me?"
He was so close to me now that his mouth almost touched mine as he spoke. The heat blazed between my legs, throbbing for release. I licked my lips, my tongue almost hitting his lips. I whimpered and he came a little closer to me, driving me crazy with longing and desire.
"Unfortunately we have to be patient a little longer." He whispered, his eyes sparkled with amusement and he sat up straight.
"Chief," he said firmly and nodded curtly, his eyes fixed on a point behind me. Nothing of the hunger just seconds before was visible anymore, but I saw the suppressed smile on his face. He had done that on purpose !
"Oh just wait, I'll get back at you. How!" I hissed, cheeks bright red, so quietly that only Aramis could hear me, while wishing to vanish into thin air.
Still staring at the Chief, his lips curled into a wicked smile.
My world stopped and I couldn't take my eyes off Aramis.
He smiled.
He smiled.
A full, genuine smile.
My heart melted, and if my wall hadn't collapsed by then, it would certainly be blown to the ground by now.