Winter's Fury - Volume Two of The Saga of the Twelves

by Richard M. Heredia

  He did not hesitate. He bent down to kiss her, feeling braver and less wary than before. He let one of his hands drift down, passed her waist and onto the firm, meaty flesh of her buttock, pulling her into him as he squeezed.

  Sophie gasped into his mouth, quavering, breaking the touch of their lips. She gazed up at the ceiling with burning desire, knowing if she looked at him, she would lose control of herself.

  Anthony peered through the semi-darkness at her exposed neck and found he could not resist. He stretched to kiss her along the long lines of it, over and over. From her voice box to either side, he left a series of soft, lingering caresses. First with his lips, then he began to use his teeth, teasing her with urgent nibbles as he came closer to her ear the second time around. It was a languorous progression.

  “Oh… oh my god, baby, that feels so… wonderful,” she purred through her lips.

  He felt her hand move through the hair at the base of his neck and grab onto his scalp. He felt himself shiver with delight. Anthony swung from one side of her neck to the other, planting a series of tiny sucking bites as he went until he bit the bottom of her earlobe. He held onto it, using his tongue to flick at it.

  The teenage girl in his arms quaked with pleasure. She brought her hands to either side of his head and made him look into her eyes. “What are you doing to me?” she murmured through deep intakes of air, her bosom heaving against him as he continued to hold her against him, firm.

  Anthony smiled, a little surprised he did not feel the least bit embarrassed. “I couldn’t help myself, Sophie,” he breathed and kissed her on the tip of her nose. He continued to her chin, no more than brushes as light as a feather falls. “I’ve never held a beautiful woman in my arms before.”

  She giggled a throaty giggle and kissed him back on his chin. She paused to hold the tight flesh there between her teeth before she let go. “I never had a man make me shake in his arms before.”

  He moved his hand to her back, wrapping them around her and hugged her to him. He turned his head to the right to kiss the top of her earlobe few times as soft as he could manage. Beneath the moistness of his lips, he felt the fuzzy hair that grew there.

  She hugged him back, kissing his collarbone through his shirt, tracing it with the tip of her tongue. “I am falling in love with you, Anthony,” she whispered as she began kissing his shoulder. A moment later, she laid her cheek upon it, resting in his embrace.

  He trembled in spite of himself, stricken senseless by the stark simplicity of her feelings, unfettered, pure. He blinked a few times. His own emotions began to rise to the surface of his mind, starting to coalesce into something he could understand. Like the rush of heat he had felt earlier, he warmed in places the space heater at his feet could not reach, certainty snapping into place.

  He knew.

  “I think I already have… Sophie. I think I am in love with you,” he confessed, feeling of the trepidation he carried lift from him. The air about him seemed to brighten.

  She came away from him, gazing into his eyes, back into the depths of his mind.

  Under normal circumstances, he would have shrunk back. Or, he would have masked himself behind a casual or funny expression, but this time he did not. He just stared back, honest, open, his metaphorical chest bare before her frank examination.

  “You do?” It was not pleading or needy or even a question per se, though she had framed it as such. It was as near a statement as one could make.

  “I do.”

  She sighed and peered down at their bodies still pressed together.

  Their hearts beat to a biorhythmic symphony that only nature could compose.

  Anthony followed her gaze and saw her breasts budding against him. He flushed again, stirring.

  She looked up at him once more. “Kiss me, Tony. Kiss me. Let me tell you with my lips that I love you, too.”

  He placed his lips on hers.

  She parted them with her tongue, eager now, clinging to him, her actions fervent.

  He could taste the feminine sweetness, the warm moistness of her. He smashed her to him again, feeling powerful urges infuse him once more, before he knew what he was doing. He ground his hips into hers and she responded in kind. He filled and lengthened between them in seconds. He kneaded the solid curvature of her rear end.

  Again, she mashed her pelvis into his.

  He groaned in ecstasy.

  Of a sudden, Sophie opened her eyes in amazement and he felt her go rigid with comprehension.

  He looked into her eyes, coming back to himself, no longer lost in a dream.

  “Anthony!” she gushed, breathless. She pulled back a few inches. “W-what…?” was all she could manage.

  “I know… I know,” he mumbled through a clouded mind.

  She swallowed hard. “I was… I was…”

  “I know, so was I.” He gulped as well and moved his hands to the small of her back, a safer place.

  “Baby, I lost it. I mean… I -.” She was looking at him half-terrified, half-astonished over the bawdy sensations rampaging through her body. “I wanted to… I wanted you that way. Oh my, I never have wanted it like that before. I was willing to go all –.”

  “I know. It was good. And, I… I wanted you too. I swear it felt like I was in an oven,” he blurted out, interrupting her, the words tumbling from him.

  She titled her head back toward the ceiling of the store and laughed aloud. She shook her head back and forth, her hair streamed below, waving in unison. “What’s wrong with me, Tony. It’s not like I’ve never kissed a boy before,” she stated more to herself than to him.

  He chuckled and held her at the sides, making her wiggle in his grasp. “Same here, it’s just… I’ve just never had a girl kiss me back like you just did. I mean with more than just her lips, but with... other things.” He was blinking rapid, embarrassed to admit he had felt her sexual response to his body.

  Through the darkness, he could see her eyes squint. She smiled. She went a little limp in his grasp. “I told you, my love, I’m lost in your arms.”

  “I felt it and was pleasantly surprised myself.”

  “I know I felt that too!” she countered, sly, tilting her head to the side and peering at him from the corner of her eyes.

  He was not sure if he was ready to mess around over a topic as personal and serious as the one they were discussing, so he stayed quiet. He was content to nod, letting her know he understood. Better to look shy, then to look like an idiot, he thought to himself.

  “My kiss had intent behind it,” she muttered, leaning forward to whisper into his ear. She relaxed again and rested her head against his shoulder. She had accepted what had happened, accountable for her actions.

  He stroked her hair, running his fingers through it.

  She looked up at him, her face full with sincerity. “I don’t think I’ve ever done that with a boy to tell you the truth.”

  “I believe you.” He smiled above her head, thankful he had been the first recipient of such an intimate act.

  “You do?” her voice was hopeful.

  “Of course, I do. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have been as shocked as you were there at the end. You wouldn’t have stopped and kept on going. The whole thing would’ve been familiar and we would’ve… well, you know…,” he explained. He blushed at the idea of them having sex. In his heart, he hoped she would not catch on to the notion that he would not have minded if they had indeed continued. Having Sophie Reed would be a prize beyond reckoning.

  “Please don’t think that I’m some type of hoochie-mama or something like that, ok? Because, I’m not. I usually have to push boys off me,” she sighed again, her eyes searching, squinting when she realized the obvious. “It’s just different with you, Anthony. I can’t explain it. Maybe it has to do with this place or our ‘situation’. It’s just… I don’t know. I just can’t explain myself. I mean. I liked it. I was comfortable enough with you to want it. I just had not expected it so soon, I guess. I just don’t
know, sorry.”

  He brushed off her apology with a shake of his head. “Well, just for the record, I don’t think you’re a hoochie-mama. I think you are wonderful. I’m the luckiest guy in the world to have you in my arms right now,” he cajoled, wanting her to feel at ease. It was natural, after all, to be physically attracted to someone, right? Sooner or later, it was bound to happen.

  Her smile was broad. “Do you always have that way of saying the right thing to a girl at the right time or what?” She frowned, abrupt, a new thought coming to mind. “Wait a minute…”

  “What?”

  “Come to think of it,” she continued, serious now. "There are few guys in this world at the moment, so you might be in this position by default more than anything else. Maybe luck has nothing to do with it, ever think of that?”

  He laughed, light, good-natured. “Well, whatever it is, all I know is it is strong and compelling. Which could be dangerous you know…,” he trailed off, an ominous extinguish of sound.

  “Yes. It is dangerous,” she agreed with a cute nod of her head.

  “I mean, we could lose complete control of ourselves. We could become helpless against our own desires…” He was smiling now, a gleam in his eye.

  “Oh really?” she said with her eyebrows raised. She was being playful now.

  “Yeah, girl. You’re dangerous,” his voice had dropped to a whisper once again. He bent down to kiss her once more.

  She was about to respond in kind when they both realized that they could see each other. The shadows had retreated. They were now surrounded by light.

  They both turned toward the source, blinking, trying to adjust to the newfound brilliance. Yet, they did not let go of one another. It only took a moment to see it was Joaquin, holding one of the many battery operated lanterns before him.

  He let the device fall to his side, some of the brilliance of the light diminished. He cleared his throat, looking awkward. “I’m sorry if I’m interrupting, you guys. It’s just that I need to talk to Anthony,” he said. He shuffled from one foot to the next, not looking at them, in obvious discomfort.

  “Sure, man, don’t worry about it. We were just talking…,” he trailed off, then yelped like a startled puppy when Sophie tickled him along both sides of his body.

  Joaquin shook himself, abashed.

  “What’s up?” Anthony asked when he was able, pushing the girl’s hands away.

  “I need to speak to you… alone,” was all Joaquin said with an apologetic shrug in Sophie’s direction.

  Anthony stared at him for a while.

  The other boy stared back.

  “You’re serious?” queried Anthony.

  “Yes, I am.” Then he looked back at Sophie. “No disrespect, Soph. It’s just necessary that I talk with him in private right now.”

  To Anthony’s discontent, Sophie disentangled herself from him, stepping to the side. “It’s ok, Joaquin, I understand. It has something to do with your Gift, right?” she asked, trying to pry some sort of clue from the large teen.

  Joaquin smiled in relief, some of the tension in his body dissipated. “Yeah, you could say that.”

  “Ok, you guys talk. I will see what the others are doing.” She wrung her hands, turning to leave.

  At the last second, she turned back to Anthony and gave him a quick hug and a peck on the lips, saying, “When you can, tell me, ok?”

  Anthony gazed down at her pale skin, into her sharp, blue eyes, nodding. Before he could think of anything else, the sight of her overwhelmed him. Regardless of Joaquin’s urgent request, he wanted nothing more than to her kiss her until his lips hurt. He wanted to feel her body against his. If he could, he would never stop.

  Sophie backed away, her eyes faceted on Anthony. She mouthed a silent, “I love you.” Then, she turned and half-walked, half-trotted toward the back of the store and the rest of the group.

  Both boys watched her leave – one staring at her with open admiration, the other filled with dreadful knowledge.

  Joaquin had the indomitable task of telling her boyfriend that soon he would have to sacrifice his life to save them all.

  Being the Kring-Hël was not entirely without a downside.

  The large teen grimaced.

  There was no other way.

  ~~~~~~~<<< ᴥ >>>~~~~~~~

  ~ 36 ~

  A Stab in the Dark

  Day Four, Sunday, As Soon as Sophie was Gone…

  “So what’s up?” asked Anthony, the moment Sophie was out of earshot.

  Joaquin looked from the lithe, athletic form of his newfound friend’s girl with a heavy heart. “Come on, dude, let’s go sit down by the heater. It’ll be warmer,” he replied without answering.

  They both moved closer to the space heater. It was churning along on full power, trying to keep the cold outside the building from coming in and gaining a foothold. Even at close proximity, it was not one hundred percent successful.

  Joaquin sat and looked out at what he could see of the storm. It did not seem like weather at all. It was too insane, too angry. It was like a living organism, monstrous, unrelenting. Hearing the periodic protestations of the doors was worrisome. The wind was pounding at them without mercy. He wondered if would crash through them given enough time. That would be bad, he though. They might have to leave. But, where would they go?

  He realized with a start, Anthony had not sat down with him. Rather, he stood above him with a frown etched across his face, hands in the pockets of his new jeans. He was implacable, stern.

  “What’s going on Joaquin?”

  “Just sit down, man. You’re making my neck cramp.”

  Anthony complied. “Ok, I’m sitting.” He squatted before Joaquin on the balls of his feet. “So what’s the big deal? Why does this conversation have to be in private?”

  Joaquin sighed, gathering his thoughts, looking off to the right of Anthony’s shoulder. He could not bring himself to peer into the other boy’s eyes. “Hey, man, I said I was sorry about breaking up the little love-fest between you and Soph.”

  Anthony squinted at him, quizzical. “It’s not just that, Joaquin,” he began. He stared in the wrestler’s eyes like the waters of a flash flood. The stare seemed to grow in strength with each passing breath. The veneer of the Kring-Hël was coalescing about him now. Once it started, the change would come at speed.

  Even to one as knowledgeable Joaquin, witnessing the other’ presence grow was incredible. And, he knew in advance it would happen. Soon he would command a room without having spoken, be the center of attention like a magnet to filaments of flint. It would seem natural, but the effect on someone watching from afar would be awe inspiring.

  Anthony noticed his reluctance and went on. “I know there is more here, Joaquin. You aren’t some shy ninth grader. I know walking in on a make-out session wouldn’t bother you all that much. This is about something else. So, if you don’t mind, I‘d like for you to stop stalling and just tell me what’s going on. We don’t want to bring too much attention to ourselves, do we? We don’t want to others to start freaking out or anything,” prodded Anthony. “I would say we have about ten minutes before suspicion sets in. Don’t ya think?”

  Joaquin looked at him, because he was unable to stop. He agreed with every fiber. Is he hiding something too? Joaquin waited, but his Gift did not provide the answer. He exhaled, loud, running his hand through his hair, a frown etching his features as he focused his thoughts. “Do you remember everything I told you about the Legacy of Truth?”

  “Of course I do, man. What do you think? You think I take all this shit in stride or something?” came Anthony’s immediate response.

  Joaquin waved away the other’s sarcasm with his hand. “That’s not what I meant, bro. I know you take this stuff serious. I’m not stupid. I know you have two little sisters involved in this shit. I know if you weren’t the Kring-Hël, the Light of the World, you’d still have more at stake than the rest of us.” Joaquin shifted his position so he could lo
ok more direct at Anthony. “I’m talking about the specifics. What do you recall?”

  “Ok, ok,” placated Anthony, hands out in front of him, palms down. He was surprised at how much he already missed Sophie’s arms about him.

  Jeez, Tony, get a grip!

  “I remember that there have been many Kring-Hëls in the past. Yet, none of them had ever attained his true power or potential by wielding the Legacy of Truth.” He paused in thought, his brow wrinkling. “ I also remember you didn’t quite know what the Legacy was. You only know where it’s hidden, or kept, all this time. You said, it was in a cavern, a huge one whose entrance guarded by a large crucifix.” He cleared his throat, aligning his thoughts. “Umm, the crucifix, you said, is in the middle of a clearing. And the clearing used to be within the Scholl Canyon garbage dump, but has since moved to Crystal Lake up in the mountains. You said its’ moving had something to do with the magic surrounding the Legacy. You said it would move if it felt threatened. It would… ‘safe-keep’ itself to ensure I found it, or at least that I had the highest degree of probability to do so when the time arose.” Anthony shrugged. “That’s all I remember.”

  Throughout his entire recollection Joaquin was nodding. He smiled a thin smile at the mentioning of the last detail. He had an idea why the Lost Cavern and all its environs had moved, but still was not one hundred percent sure. “Well, I failed to mention that in the middle of this cavern resides a small pool of water. Now, when I first looked at it, you know, it was a waking dream. I have them when I’m using my Gift, while awake.

  “To me, the pool looked to be a few feet deep, maybe five feet at the most, but in reality it’s not.”

  Anthony frowned.

  A silence followed, urging the wrestler to continue.

  “The Nohrëg Teachers told me the Legacy of Truth was in this pool of water. They said, in order for the Kring-Hël to realize his full potential, he would have to swim down into the waters of the pool and retrieve it.”