The War God's Wife

Chapter 16: Claimed

I swung Lightning hard, letting the blade whistle through the air.  I moved through the forms in a high-speed rhythm as always.  I executed the last slice and stopped.  My body dripped with sweat, and I panted with every breath.  There was a cough behind me.

"Good morning,"  Calli said softly.  I slid Lightning into his sheath.  She walked over to me and tilted her head up.  I smiled at the readiness and bent over to kiss her.

"Good morning," I murmured against her lips.

"Too early fer that!"  I rolled my eyes.  Lyterias always thought it was too early for it, even when it was saying, "Good night."

"Calliena, I need yer help in 'ere!"  he called out.

"Coming!"  she replied between kisses.

"We on for tonight?" I asked, still trying to draw kisses from Calli.  She pulled away to think about it, pursing her lips mockingly.

"I believe I should be free," she mused.  I snorted and buried my face in the crook of her neck.  She squealed and laughed as I tickled her neck with my mouth.  "Okay!  Okay!  We're on!"

"Better be," I said and kissed her again.  She responded in kind, her hands hooking into my belt and pants.  My blood thrummed at the contact.  She broke off the kiss to smile at me, her eyes twinkling.

"Will he be coming with you?"  she teased, rubbing her stomach against my bulging manhood.  He twitched in response, which made her smile widen.  I felt my face redden, and I tried to scowl at her.

"Seducing minx!"  I growled.  She giggled, and I decided to punish her with more kisses, which brought more giggles.

"CALLIENA!!"

"Coming!!"  she yelled.  She sighed and slipped out of my arms, letting her nails drag on my skin.  I shivered.  She saw and winked, laughing all the way back to the house.

I stared after her wistfully.  It had been nearly two weeks since Jonathan's funeral, and every kiss with her left me just as aching as that evening at the inn.  I felt almost crazy with need.  She seemed to flirt even more with me:  casual touches, long kisses, fleeting looks filled with desire.  Twice she had come out of her room in the dead of night wearing only a nightgown to visit me on my cot.  Each time, she had started crying on my shoulder.

"Was there really no other way?"  she had asked, sniffling.  I had sighed.

"None that I can think of," I had said.  "I was stabbed in the back once for letting my opponent go; I wouldn't have let it happen again.  And Jonathan was too stubborn to just give you up."  She had given a watery laugh.

"I know that," she had retorted, nuzzling closer to me.  I had chuckled.

"One thing we had in common:  not wanting to let go of such a wonderful woman."  She had blushed and smiled at that.  Before we could fall asleep, she had returned to her room, leaving me awake in more than one place.  I shook my head, trying to rattle the ache in my groin with some clear thought instead of lustful memories.  When that didn't work, I decided a dousing of cold water might be in order and went in search of the bath.

That evening, Calli and I went out to the hillside with a basket of food and a blanket.  As the sun set, we laid back and watched the stars come out, feeding one another little morsels of food.  As insects began to swarm, I drew out a drop of energy and let it pulse the area like a mist.  They instantly scattered.  Calli stared at me.

"My hero," she teased.  "The mighty Tel'mak, the War God, vanquisher of mosquitos."  I growled and pounced on her.  She shrieked and giggled.  I tickled her, my fingers dancing up and down her sides as she squirmed.  At last, I kissed her while we both grinned.  I pulled back as we sighed.  She brushed a stray hair from her face, her eyes still shining and her lips still smiling.  My heart throbbed.