Arakim's Legacy(#Wattys2015)

Chapter 17

"Arakim, wake up,'' said Mena, shaking his shoulders. "Wizard!'' Mena shouted when Arakim kept muttering in a foreign tongue. "Wake up!'' she shouted into his ears and was relieved when Arakim blinked his eyes open, looking dazed.

"Mena?'' he asked blinking to clear his befuddled mind. 'What are doing? Why are you shouting?'' looking around the dark cave, the torch having gone out in the night, for danger and relaxed when he found none.

"You were dreaming, wizard,'' Mena muttered, slapping him lightly on the shoulders.

"I was?'' flinching at the pain. His feline didn't know her own strength, trying to remember what he was dreaming about but found he couldn't till Mena said,

"Aye, you were. You were speaking in a strange tongue,'' and at Arakim's confused look added, 'sounded like 'kiea onuro, kiea onuro' over and over.

"Open doorway, open doorway,'' Arakim absently translated, before the whole dream came crashing into his mind and he jumped up from the bed, naked while agitatedly combing his fingers through sleep tousled black hair, shivering in the warm cave, and looked wildly around. Like a cornered animal.

"Wizard,'' Mena called urgently, hurrying up to him. She took hold of his head and forced him to look down into her eyes, 'Look at me, Arakim,'' she urged, frightened by what she saw in his eyes. There was no humanity there, just two pools of black ice caught in a nightmare.

"Arakim, please, come back, you're here with me. It's Mena, please.'' Shaking him and felt the cold seeping into her hands chilling them. "Wizard, please, you're scaring me, come back!'' Frantic and truly scared. Mena had no idea what to do next and did the only thing she could.

She kissed him and became more scared at how cold his lips and breath were. She refused to give up when Arakim stood frozen in her arms, shivering and unresponsive. Mena deepened the kiss, forcing her tongue into his mouth, rubbing her hands all over his body while screaming in her head. Arakim, please, I'm here. Please, I need you. Wizard! Come back to me. She kept it up until she felt his shivers ceasing, his arms going round her body, and his lips moving against hers. Arakim? Are you back?

Mm hmm, tightening his arms while deepening the kiss, chasing the chill away and replacing it with her warmth and unique taste.

I'm glad you're back. Mena said, beginning to lose herself to the familiar sensations.

So am I, feline. So am I. He pressed a soft kiss on her forehead, then allowed his lips to travel a path along her eyebrow and over her cheek bones. Pausing at the corner of her mouth he nibbled gently.

"You scared me, Arakim,'' said Mena, somewhat unsteady. She shivered when the puff of air released by his hushed laugh brushed her lips.

"I scared myself too,' he said softly.

He brushed her forehead with his own and closed his eyes and under her hand, his neck knotted with tension of a different sort. Raising his hand he drew up her face to look at him and kissed her. And they didn't stop at kissing, finding their way to the bed where they proceeded to make passionate love, trying to wipe out the last several minutes.

About an hour later while both were enjoying the after sex glow, Arakim tried lighting up the torch but was unable to.

"No more magic?'' teased Mena.

"Look at you,'' smiled Arakim into her hair, 'teasing me.''

"I tease people,'' Mena said, indignant. Pushing up on her elbows to glare at him.

"Of course, you do. My mistake.'' Arakim said, deadpanned, smiling innocently at her. And brushed her hair back to hook it behind her ears. "You are very beautiful.'' Solemnly, wanting to say more but knew that wasn't the right time.