by S. E. Smith
Stepping around her, he walked over to the edge of the clear pool. He stared down into it for several seconds before he turned and looked at her. He nodded toward the water.
“Is the water safe?” he suddenly asked.
He gave her a questioning look. She had started, as if she had been a million miles away, when he had asked about the water and now she was blushing. It might be interesting to know if she was thinking about his earlier shower – or maybe contemplating joining him this time.
“Yes. I’ve often enjoyed a swim here. The water is nice because there are several hot springs further up that feed into it so it is not cold,” she said.
“Oh yeah,” Ross groaned, tossing his jacket and sweater onto the ground and reaching for the hem of his shirt.
“Oh!” she exclaimed softly. “I—” She bit her lip as he pulled his shirt over his head, revealing his very appealing torso. “You shouldn’t be—” she said in a rush as all her breath left her.
He shot her a grin as he tossed his shirt down along the bank. He bent over and untied his boots. Hopping around, he pulled one boot off and then the other. He tossed them down next to his shirt.
“If you don’t want to get another eyeful, you might want to turn around – unless you’d like to join me?” he added with a wicked smile.
He pulled off his socks and straightened up. Her eyes followed the movement of his hands when he reached for the button on his jeans, and they widened as he slowly pulled down the zipper. He softly chuckled, fully aware of what he was doing to her.
He sighed in regret when she suddenly turned her back to him. He pushed his pants down, but he continued to study her stiff shoulders. Deep down, he had really hoped that she would decide to join him.
“I’ll gather some food and set up camp while you get cleaned up. If you toss your clothing onto the bank, I’ll dry them for you,” she added before she hurried away.
Ross pulled off his jeans and held them in one hand as he watched Gem weave her way toward the entrance to the cave. Shaking his head at the thoughts coursing through his mind, he dropped his jeans on the pile of clothing before diving into the pool. The water was a mixture of warm and cold currents, and it reminded him of the thermoclines he often encountered while diving.
Breaking the surface of the water, he shook his head and turned in a circle. It was the magic hour when the stars begin to appear. He blinked when he saw a small green bar floating above him.
He reached up and grabbed it before turning to face the mouth of the cave. Holding up the soap, he nodded his thanks to Gem who quickly turned around and went back into the cave. He chuckled again.
“It would appear my magical Princess is a little shy,” he murmured.
He swam over to the edge of the pool. Lifting the soap to his nose, he sniffed it. A surprisingly pleasant scent of pine wafted through his nostrils. He grunted in response and began to lather his skin. The soap produced a mild, refreshing tingle. He scrubbed his skin and his hair before ducking his head under the water.
He reached up and pulled each article of clothing into the water after he finished bathing and scrubbed off the sticky sap. He stood and spread each piece out on the slope of the bank. When he finished, he placed the bar of soap on a rock, turned, and dove under the water again.
Ross swam as far as he could until his burning lungs forced him to surface again. The night had come while he washed his clothes, but the stars, the brightness of the double moons, and the glow of bioluminescent flowers lit up the pool. He sighed deeply and floated on his back so he could stare up at the twinkling stars.
Now that he was no longer worried about dying or wondering if his butt cheeks would be permanently glued together, his thoughts turned to his tantalizing companion. It was hard to believe that they had only met each other a few hours ago when it felt like they had been together for much longer.
I guess time flies when you are trying not to die, he thought.
He wondered how much time exactly had passed back on Earth, and thought about the fact that Gem knew Carly Tate – one of the women he’d been accused of killing. Had they all travelled here? The two women and the detective? That picture that Mike had brought back, the one that helped exonerate him, had Carly in it… with her kids. She didn’t have kids before she’d disappeared. The children pictured had been young and Carly had been missing a long while, but… it was kind-of a mind-fuck. She’d looked happy and healthy, which had been nice.
He was glad she’d found someone, even if she’d had to go to another world to find a someone she wouldn’t accidentally dismember. He groaned as he remembered that blow to his balls. In that split second, he’d really thought they might never recover – and that wasn’t nearly as painful as when Gem had done it.
I sure know how to pick ‘em. Ross thought with a low, self-derisive snort.
Carly was sweet, though, one of those wholesome women who a guy could fall in love with and marry. Ross was the kind of guy who liked one-night stands – no attachments, no expectations, and no regrets, but he’d gone out with Carly four times because he’d started to worry that he’d never be able to make real, human connections.
His mom and he sort-of had a built-in bond, but Ross had no true friends, no ‘lovers’ who really… loved him. So he’d tried, but after Carly had almost emasculated him and nearly burned down his boat, he’d decided that ‘nice and wholesome’ women like Carly were too damn dangerous to be around.
“Are you alright?”
Ross jerked when he felt an unexpected touch on his arm and accidentally slipped under the water in surprise. Surfacing, he coughed and sputtered as he treaded water. Lifting a hand, he wiped the water from his eyes and pushed his hair back. He frowned in confusion when he saw Gem in the water beside him.
“What – Is everything alright?” he asked, looking around before returning his worried gaze to her.
She looked back at him with a slightly wary expression. “I called you to let you know that I dried your clothes and that I found some food for us, but you didn’t answer. I heard you moan and thought you might be in pain,” she explained.
“Oh – Everything is okay. I was just thinking of a girl I dated,” he answered without thinking.
Her expression changed. “Oh. I’m sorry I disturbed you then,” she replied in a frigid tone.
Ross reached out and grabbed her arm when she started to turn away from him. She shot him a haughty glare. He smiled in amusement.
“She wasn’t my type,” he said, pulling her closer.
Her eyes narrowed. “I wasn’t asking if she was,” she retorted.
“No, you didn’t, but I wanted you to know,” he quietly replied.
“Why – why should you care what I think?” she softly demanded.
“I don’t know why. I just do – care. I care,” he murmured.
He pulled her close, and she looked into his eyes. Their legs moved in unison, keeping them afloat.
“Ross…. ”
She took a deep breath and brushed a light kiss against his lips. A shiver ran through him when she glided her hand up his arm to his shoulder. He was vaguely aware that she was wearing some type of swimsuit. The thin material did little to protect him from the feel of her soft curves.
He pressed his lips harder against hers, and she parted them under the pressure. He swiftly deepened the kiss until they were in danger of sinking beneath the water. She tangled her fingers in his hair and wrapped her legs around his waist. He kicked his legs harder to keep them afloat, and each kick pressed his growing arousal against her.
He finally broke their kiss. He stared into her eyes. Breathing heavily, he wrapped his hand in her hair and held her tightly for a moment as waves of need crashed like a tsunami through him.
Hell, forget a tsunami! It feels like a fucking atom bomb going off inside me, he thought.
“We’d – we’d better go,” she breathlessly suggested.
Ross released her when she pressed her hands against his shoulders
and pushed away. He watched her swim to the bank and climb out, and hissed when he saw the form-fitting green suit she was wearing.
“Down, boy,” he muttered to his cock when it jerked with approval.
He slowly swam to the bank. By the time he climbed out, Gem had already done her magic and was dried, dressed, and heading to the cave. He shook his head in wonder.
“Keep your head on straight, Ross, or she’ll pull your heart right out of your chest and roast it over one of her magical fires,” he cautioned himself in a low, strained voice. “Damn if I won’t end up with a set of blue balls by the time I get back home. ”
The thought of leaving had a sobering effect on his libido. A startled oath slipped from his lips when a strong current of warm air surrounded him, moving from his feet up to the top of his hair. He shook his head.
“Thank you,” he called out.
“You’re welcome,” she replied without looking back.
He chuckled and picked up his clothes. He slowly dressed, giving both of them time to collect themselves. Pulling his socks on, he was surprised to find his boots completely dry as well.
“I’m really going to miss this,” he sighed.
After he finished dressing, he looked back up at the glimmering stars. For a moment, he was lost in their beauty. The last twenty-four hours had been surreal. He didn’t know what tomorrow would bring, but for once, he was excited to find out.
“I’m going to eat your food if you don’t come and get it,” Gem shouted.
His stomach growled in protest. Laughing at her obvious lie, he turned toward the waterfall and followed the path to their retreat. He already knew that it would be a very long and challenging night – and he was going to enjoy every second of it.
11
Ross stepped behind the curtain of water and paused. The glow of a small fire lit the back of the cave. Shadows from the flames danced against the walls. He had been right – the cave was actually the remains of a lava tube.
“Something smells good,” he said.
Gem grunted in response. He walked over and sat down on a log that apparently had been dragged into the tube at some point. Markings on the walls captured his attention. He started in surprise when Gem suddenly blocked his view.
“Here,” she quietly said.
He took the bountiful offering, and focused on her face. She was avoiding his gaze.
“Thank you. Hey – are you okay?” he asked in a low voice, wrapping one hand around her wrist.
She briefly lifted her eyes and looked at him, her expression troubled, before she nodded, pulled away, and returned to her seat on a log across from him. He lowered his hand and looked down at the wooden plate. He was shocked to see a variety of fruits and nuts along with a round husk filled with a thick, yellow steaming liquid.
“We need to remember that once I find my parents, you will be leaving,” she said, picking up her plate of food.
He silently studied her. She kept her head bowed, but he could see that she was picking at the food on her plate. He was surprised to see a slight trembling of her hand when she picked up a piece of fruit and bit into it.
“Yeah, well, who knows – I could get used to all of this magical hocus pocus. It’s kinda growing on me now that I’m over the initial shock. I mean, I have a great meal, great company, my own waterfall with a swimming pool, glow-in-the-dark flowery things, and…,” Ross commented before his voice faded.
She looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. “And…,” she prodded.
He gave her a crooked grin. “And where else would I have my own sexy, kickass warrior woman to make sure I don’t get myself killed?” he finished.
“You don’t have a kickass warrior woman back home?” she asked.
Ross swore he could feel himself falling forward into her luminous eyes. Her mixed expression of skepticism and pleasure poured over him like warm honey on a sweet roll. Hell, he could feel his mouth watering for a taste of the juice on her lips.
And a few other places, he silently groaned.
“No – no kickass warrior woman – or any woman for that matter,” he finally replied.
“Not even the one you mentioned earlier?” she dryly reminded him.
Ross didn’t try to hide his grimace. “Hell, no! Especially not Carly. Actually, I’ve been meaning to ask you about her, since you seem to know more about what happened to her than I do,” he said.
“Carly…? You dated Carly? The Dragon King’s mate?” she asked, her expression shocked.
Ross muttered a curse when he sloshed some of his soup onto his hand. He lifted his hand to his lips and licked it off. The burst of flavors swept over his taste buds, and he looked down at the soup in surprise.
“Yeah, heh, Dragon King. That sounds like someone who could survive her. How do you know Carly?” he asked.
“I met her when she and Drago attended a meeting to determine how to kill the Sea Witch,” she replied.
“Huh, well, since the Sea Witch isn’t dead, guess that didn’t go according to plan – but Carly, she’s ok? Happy? Nothin’ bad happened to her? I saw a picture of her that Mike Hallbrook brought back from here and it looked like she was happy in the photo. It’s kinda hard to wrap my head around the fact that Carly is with a dragon. I’m not quite sure how that works, but if I remember correctly, Carly was obsessed with the creatures, so who cares? I have to admit that I can see Carly taking one look at a dragon and deciding to take him home,” he mused.
Gem smiled. “Yes, she seems happy. I don’t know all the details, but Drago is besotted. I think he would have died if she had not come to give him hope. It’s enough to give anyone hope, really, the fact that Drago found happiness. He’s the last dragon left in the Seven Kingdoms. The Sea Witch turned his people into stone like she did me,” she said.
They were quiet for a few moments, and Ross was grateful for the soothing sound of the waterfall. It blocked out the eerie silence of the rest of this Isle. Except for the spiders, they hadn’t seen any other animals so far. He wasn’t sure if it was because of the spell that had been cast over the Isle, if the alien had eaten everything, the animals had been frightened away, or hell, maybe he was just used to living where he could always hear cars and people.
“This soup is really good. What is it made from?” he asked, lifting the bowl to his lips and taking a mouthful.
“Slugs,” she casually replied.
Ross glared at Gem. A shudder ran through him as he swallowed the tangy broth. It wasn’t until he warily looked at the creamy mixture that he heard Gem’s snort of smothered laughter and knew that she was teasing him.
“Slugs, huh?” he wryly repeated.
She shook her head. “You are so easy to tease. It is a soft potato root from the vines that grow along the rocks. It is perfectly safe to eat,” she reassured him with a grin.
“I’m going to have to keep my eye on you,” he said, waving his finger at her.
She sniffed at his warning. “You’ll have to keep up with me first,” she retorted.
Ross chuckled when she added a mischievous grin and swirled her fingers at the fire. He watched as dancing figures appeared in the flames, twirling as if they were at a lavish ball. He was reminded once again that he was in a magical world where monsters, witches, elementals, and even dragons thrived.
I am so in over my head, he thought, looking across the fire at Gem. But who the hell cares? Since I can only live once, I might as well enjoy the ride.
Several hours later, he sat on a rock gazing up at the stars. He didn’t remember them ever being this bright and clear. He turned his head when he heard Gem climbing the path back to the cave.
When she stopped beside him, he scooted over. She sat down and looked up at the sky. They didn’t say anything at first.
He picked up a flower that he’d found a few minutes earlier. The white bloom still glowed. Turning toward her, he placed the flower behind her ear.
“Why…?” she started to ask before fall
ing silent.
“It reminded me of you,” he murmured, sliding his fingers through her hair.
“You confuse me,” she softly admitted.
He chuckled. “Sometimes I confuse myself,” he said with a shrug.
“Would you like to see something?” she asked.
“Sure – as long as it isn’t monsters, dragons, humongous alien spiders, bone-breaking trees, mud pits, or people-eating plants,” he dryly replied.
“It won’t be all of those,” she cheekily promised.
“Lucky me,” he muttered.
He wasn’t kidding when he said that he sometimes confused himself. Right now, his mind was like a tangled ball of yarn after the cat had played with it, and he had a funny ache in the center of his chest.
“Watch this,” she murmured, raising her hands.
Ross gaped in awe when some water from the pool rose up in the shape of strange creatures. They looked like half-dragons/half-sea horses. They danced across the water, frolicking like the porpoises back home.
Wisps of mist floated across the pool and began to gather and change. He chuckled when he saw the dragon-shaped sea horses change to birds and the mist turned into trees. Glowing blooms from the surrounding forest swirled amongst the mist-created trees and floated upward.
He looked at Gem’s face, enjoying the pleasure reflected in her eyes and the slight flush to her cheeks. He loved the way she bit her lip as she added more detail to the scene she was creating.
Reaching up, he absently rubbed his chest, feeling the strange ache again. He looked back at her creation when her hands stopped moving. His breath caught when he saw the two figures frozen in the center. A man stood with his arm around a woman who leaned heavily on him.
Ross stood up when he saw the look of pain and determination in their eyes – and saw the spiral of sparkles sliding from the woman’s side. Her parents. Had to be. Who else would be on her mind? He turned and looked down at her as the image began to fade when she lowered her arms. A single tear coursed down her cheek.
“Gem…,” he murmured in concern.