The Wild in the Earth Child

Chapter Twenty-Six

Aiyana

I opened my eyes just as the sun started peeking over the trees.

Drake was already gone, but on the nightstand next to me I found a note telling me to meet him in his office when I woke up.

Quickly I got dressed. It was already almost 7 and I knew that we had yet to test the Howler Fern on me, since we didn't last night as we'd planned.

After my conversation with Otak, I had forgotten about it, and Drake must not have wanted to push it.

He was sitting at his desk when I walked in.

"There you are. I was about to come wake you up. We need to test this on you," he said, picking up a bottle filled with liquid, "and we only have right at five hours until we leave." He proceeded to spray me down head to toe with the liquid.

"You have the rest of the morning to do whatever you'd like. I have work that I have to get wrapped up before we leave. Make sure you eat well and take a nap if you're able. It'll be a late night and you need to be alert. We meet out front at 12:30. You'll ride with me."

I nodded and turned to leave, but he grabbed my hand and stopped me.

"It's not too late to back out, Aiyana. I wouldn't think less of you. You have the most to lose if we fail or you're captured." He looked at me with serious eyes, silently asking me to change my mind.

I shook my head. "I know you want me to stay here and stay safe, but I could never live with myself if something happened to my family," I hesitated. "Or you."

His serious face softened and he wrapped me in a strong embrace.

"I don't know what I'd do if I lost you either, Aiyana. That's why I wish you would change your mind. Now that I've found you, I can't live without you."

My heart clenched. His words echoed my own feelings. And I felt he already knew that, so I stayed silent in his arms.

"I'll be careful, I promise."

Slowly he released me and nodded.

I gave him a small kiss then left him to finish his work.

After packing my bag and eating breakfast, I went to my art room to try to keep myself occupied until it was time to leave.

I picked up the drawing I had started of Drake a few days before. The one I was working on the first time Drake brought me to a mind blowing orgasm.

The memory had the heat rising inside of me. I shuddered out a breath and did my best to push it from my mind as my pencil started filling in his long, thick lashes.

I made myself focus on nothing but my pencil on the paper as I searched for a shred of peace in the chaos that was my life.

Drake

She wasn't in our room so I was hoping she would be in her art room.

I opened the door and found her. Asleep on the window nook with a pencil still in her hand.

I set the basket full of food I had brought with me down and walked silently up to her. I stood there and just watched her breathing for several moments, knowing I would do absolutely anything to make sure she stayed that way. Breathing.

My eyes drifted to her open sketchbook. I picked it up and saw what she'd been working on. It was the two of us laying side by side in the wildflower field. Naked, but wildflowers covered all the fun stuff, unfortunately.

My heart tugged at the realization that that moment had stood out for her. A moment with me. So much so that she wanted to eternalize it in an intricate, beautiful drawing.