Unnatural Instinct: Free

20.

Giggling, you race through the trees.

The orange light of a new day is glaring through the branches as you duck and weave your way through the forest. You're getting used to it now—nature. Where once it constantly tripped you up and turned you around in circles, now you're beginning to understand it. Despite the stories and rumours, it is not your enemy. There are no monsters hidden in the shadows, ready to snatch and rip to you to pieces.

Well, not quite.

You look over your shoulder with a laugh at the sound of Lurin calling your name.

'Come and get me!' you cry back.

Choking on your laughter, you try to pick up your pace as you hear him crashing through the trees after you. It's been a long time since you've played before. Actually played—like a child, with a friend. Who would have thought that you could be so childlike at heart? Not to mention Lurin—he's even more of a surprise. Somehow, despite everything he's experienced, he can still be happy.

Happy. It's a feeling so alien. You always thought you were at least kind of happy. Despite what lay in store for your future, you had a home, you had your health. You had food on the table and water to drink. You had friends. How wrong you were. You've never felt so light—not even when you were a child. Your heart has never felt so swollen. Not even the possibility that Derrick and the village men might still catch you is enough to bring you down.

Very soon—too soon—Lurin's footsteps thud loudly behind you. A branch snaps. Something crunches underfoot. Then he calls your name again. There's laughter in his voice and it swells your heart even further.

Knowing you can't outrun him, you try to zigzag between the trees but all it does is slow you down further. Despite his wings, despite his size, Lurin can dart around sharp corners like a rabbit.

You jump with a squeal at another large crack! of a breaking branch. Then his arms are sliding around your waist and he's hauling you off your feet. Throwing back your head, you grab at his muscular forearms with a wild scream, before you descend into laughter.

Then your feet are back on the ground and he's turning you around. Then his mouth is against yours. You fold yourself into him with a moan.

'Lurin,' you murmur into his chest, closing your eyes.

Wrapping his arms around you, he rests his cheek against your head. Even behind your eyelids, you can see the darkness of his wings as they slowly swallow up the brightness of the sunlit forest. You love this. You love how they feel around you, like the softest, safest blanket imaginable.

Pretty soon, you're cocooned against him.

It's so warm. You can feel his heart pounding against yours. Pressing your nose to his chest, you take a deep whiff of his scent. It makes your mouth water and you can't help but lick at his nipple. He shifts with a chuckle. Then, slowly, his wings begin to fall away.

Stepping back, you gaze at him. As usual, he's naked. And, as usual, he's shameless about his physical response towards you, his mighty erection standing tall and hard between his big thighs. His wings are only partially folded at his back, hanging loosely at his sides. Your eyes trace his long, messy hair as it trails over his shoulders in waves. He's brushed it behind his pointed ears and you experience an overwhelming urge to nibble on one of them.

His jaw. You love his jaw. You love to nibble on that too. It's a strange thing—any other man would be thickly stubbled by now, but it appears his kind don't grow much hair. Only on their heads and a little in their groins.

His skin—you love his skin. So dark. So magical. It tingles against yours and blends so beautifully with the blackness of his wings. It brings out the white in his eyes. Those eyes—they're like doe eyes, so gentle when they look at you.

He cocks his head. 'Are you okay?'

You shake yourself. 'Sorry, I just ...' You smile. You reach out to take his hand and you intertwine your fingers. 'When can we fly again?'

You both look down at his wound. On the outside it's almost completely healed but on the inside it still gives Lurin a lot of trouble, particularly when in the air and when carrying you. It requires so much effort to take off and keep aloft.

You feel guilty asking him. But you just love it so much! You were born into the wrong species. You should have been a Krenorium like him, not a human. What you could do with those wings. What you could do!

He gives you a small smile that sends your heart fluttering. 'Just a short one.'

You clap your hands. 'Really? Yay!'

Minutes later, you're in the air. Eyes wide open, your arms outspread, you let yourself soar as Lurin grips you tightly around the waist, his massive wings beating loudly on either side. The wind whisks the tears from your eyes; it flaps through the sleeves of your shirt and the end of your skirt. Below are the trees, to the left are the great mountains, and up ahead is a limitless blue sky just waiting to be explored.

It doesn't take much to forget all your worries. Derrick no longer matters. If the village men are still following you, let them! If you're future lies in hell, so be it!

Nothing can steal your joy now.

After a few minutes, Lurin starts his descent, taking slow, sweeping circles, the tallest trees steadily rising up to meet you. You let yourself enjoy it. You let yourself enjoy that pleasurable lift in your guts, your spinning head, your pounding heart.

Just as the coolness of the forest surrounds you, Lurin straightens and you're suddenly standing in midair, his strong arms wrapping securely around your waist. The hard beating of his wings thud in the air. You can feel Lurin's heart thrumming against your back.

And then, much too soon, you're back on the ground, scuffing the heels of your shoes in the coolness of the damp leaf litter. It's hard to ignore Lurin's panting as he releases you.

You quickly turn and touch his cheek worriedly. His dark skin gleams with sweat, his hair is damp and he's breathing so hard you can see all his ribs moving up and down beneath the big muscles in his chest.

And yet, he's smiling.