Wren of the East *Complete*

Chapter 9: In the Moonlight

The darkness seemed to be coming from all sides. A deep sense of fear and misery choked me like smoke. I frantically pushed at the dark film of despair, but it wrapped around my body, pinning me to the ground. Sticky, sickly breath filled my nostrils, and I gagged.

A face leaned close to mine, and a tongue left a trail up my face. "I will have you as my queen."

I thrashed and tried to pull away. Ryu's face filled my vision, and I pleaded for him to release me. His eyes filled with flames, and he pressed his body to mine. Tears streamed down my face foreshadowing the impending violation. Ryu positioned his body closer to mine, and his stinking breath filled my nose again.

His face hovered inches from mine. His smile was filled with dagger teeth. "You will be mine!"

I bolted upright in bed, clutching the blanket close to my chest. The nightmare had been vivid, and it made my body slick with sweat. I tossed the blanket away from my body and pulled my nightgown over my head. I wanted the feeling of the dream away from my body.

"Akira, are you alright?" A candle lit Farrow's face softly.

I shook my head and remembered he couldn't see me. "No."

Farrow came over to the bed and set the candle down on the table beside it. He reached out and brushed the hair from my face. "Was it a nightmare?"

I held his hand to my face, gripping him tightly. "It was Ryu."

"He cannot touch you, my darling." He scooted closer to me, pulling me into his arms.

I clung to him. "It was so vivid. He was trying...."

Farrow squeezed me tightly. "He will never have that opportunity. I will kill him before he even tries."

"I want to forget that feeling of dread. It was so sickening." I pressed my ear to Farrow's chest, listened to his heartbeat, and tried to steady my own.

Farrow pushed me back and tipped my head back. He kissed me gently, and he tasted sweet. "I'll open the windows to let the moonlight in, and I will hold you until you fall asleep again my Little Bird."

He crawled off the bed and went to the windows, and pushed the shoji to the side. The moonlight spilled into the room and pushed away the darkness. The light touched Farrow's skin and softened its hardness.

"Where were you?"

He turned back to me and smiled. "In the bath, drinking. I couldn't sleep. I am not looking forward to leaving tomorrow."

"I truly don't want you to leave either."

Farrow came back to the bed and laid down beside me. He pulled me against him. "I have to leave you."

I brushed his hair from his face. I tucked my head beneath his and laid a kiss on his throat. "I have found over the last few months that I come to care about you deeply. Not all unions like this work, but I cannot prevent myself from loving you."

"Nor can I. Akira, you have been a light in the dreariness of this place. We each had our reasons for this marriage, but now I look forward to growing old with you." He hugged me tightly.

"Will you lay on your back for me?" I rubbed his collar bones lightly.

Farrow didn't question me and rolled away from me. I moved, so I was straddling his hips. We had never tried this position before, but I wanted to see what it was like to see him lying beneath me. He reached up and ran his fingers down my body. I shivered.

I leaned down, and my hair covered our faces like a veil. "Do you trust me, my Lord of Iron?"

He reached up and pulled me to his lips. "You have all my trust, Little Bird."

We kissed each other and let our emotions boil over into it. Our fear, anger, desperation, admiration, and love. Each kiss bruised our lips and chapped them. If this was my last night with him, I wanted him to know what he meant to me.

Farrow squeezed my waist and slid my body back. He tried to roll us, but I stopped him. I reached behind me and guided him into my body. I sat up straight and let him reach the depth of me. His eyes were closed, and his hands gripped my waist.

Using his stomach to steady myself, I moved my hips back and forth. He bit his lip and helped my movements by pulling my hips. I pushed against his stomach and moved up and down. A soft groan escaped his lips. I moved up and down back and forth, and Farrow struggled to follow my movements. I leaned forward and kissed him. The action pulled him out of my body.

Farrow took advantage and rolled me back to the bed. He took my hand in his and thrust back into me. Farrow supported himself with his other arm, and I reached behind him, grabbing his back. Our lips met in a delicate frenzy as he rolled his hips into mine slowly over and over. His name slipped from my lips, and he thrust harder. For the first time, we squeezed each other's bodies as we met our release.

Farrow moved to my side and pulled me gently to him. We laid in silence for a time. I didn't want to go back to sleep for fear that he would be gone when I woke.