A Ballad of the Sun and the Moon

Chapter 19

She awoke on her side in the gentle half halo formed by Kimber's chest and legs, shadow wrapped around light in a celestial arc. His breath touched her neck in tranquil whispers and his chest pressed with each rise against her back, sending her into the strength of his arms.

The sun had already reached it's apex, yet Niva still hadn't dawned her cloak of inconspicuous drabby peasant, her hair still glinting metallic and skin encased in an aurora.

With the bright light giving her strength, she sent her senses out. Crickets hummed in the nearby shaggy ferns. A thrush was met with the peeping of its chicks as it returned to its nest. Leaves rustled and boughs cracked in the wind. There was no one for miles; neither dragon nor human.

She stretched herself taught like the string of a bow, her muscles shivering before relaxing again. From the hard chase just this early morning, her body held a general soreness and her throat ached from Kimber's bite, but between her legs a more pleasurable pain persisted. Niva reached down curious, the conclusion of their coupling still clinging to her thighs. She smiled when she felt Kimber stir and then smiled deeper when his lips found the gentle warmth behind her ear.

"Good morning," he whispered. His voice held a sleepy rasp, but the rest of him...oh, there was nothing sleepy about the rest of him.

Niva rolled firmly backwards against her mate, affectionately at first, then strong enough to tip Kimber to his back. She pushed up on her hands, posing for a moment like a siren atop a rock intent on luring any man to their doom. Before Kimber could touch her she went to her knees and slung a leg over his hips.

With spritely care she kissed his nose and lips and chin, little sparks rousing him further.

"Did you sleep well or did you miss your bed?" she teased, her breath a hot blaze on his neck. Though she wondered if he actually did miss the comfort of a feathered mattress.

His hands left his sides moving up the length of her in a soft caress to her thighs, her belly, her breasts. "As long as you're there it's the best sleep I've ever had," he rasped, sending a thumb over a puckered nipple.

Niva tipped her head back and laughed.

"Oh Lord Langford, did you learn such romantic rubbish in Cambridge? Or are dragon men just enthusiasts of terrible half-penny ballads?"

He managed a few syllables in defense before she stopped him short with a kiss.

Niva lowered her hips enough to feel his hard readiness and with that brush of her heat, felt Kimber's lips change from perpetually locked on hers to stretched thin in an anticipating smile.

She eased onto him, pleased to find out that that initial, breath taking jolt of entry wasn't a novelty restricted to the first time. How that little spark would grow and grow until it burst was a sensation she hoped to marvel at a thousands times over.

She held him there with capturing thighs and a smoldering look enjoying how he filled her. Only when he gripped her hips with imploring fingers did she begin to move. Slowly. Very slowly.

"Need I remind you who is breeding who?" she quipped, her voice less even than before.

"Revenge, it seems-" replied Kimber in a strained voice, " -Ah! No longer suits you."

He let out a throaty huff as Niva jerked her hips against him and added, "It appears I did something right by you last night."

"Hush, now. I'm busy," she instructed with a wicked grin.

Niva soon found a new rhythm, quickened and hard. She placed her hands on Kimber's chest for support. That spark in her belly was growing, fanned into flame slowly consuming her from the inside out. Taking her pleasure and with it giving Kimber his own, she kept her pace until she couldn't any longer.

Her rocking became frenzied and when Kimber's fingers trailed down her stomach finding a new spot of pleasure her release came on more powerful than the one from last night. She could do nothing but set loose something guttural from her chest, squeeze her eyes shut, and curl over her mate in ecstasy.

Kimber in turn drove up meeting her as tandem in their new secret heaven.

****

Still loosely clinging together they finally found the strength to peel apart in the early afternoon when the sunlight slanted the first grey shadows of the trees.

Niva sat up and lengthened her arms upwards in a stretch. "I'm going to hunt," she declared.

"Now? In broad daylight?" asked Kimber in a jerk reaction. Years of living in the shire had drilled into him that their kind was under no circumstances to Turn when visibility was high. Daytime and clear weather were the strictest of taboos.

"Oh Kimber, sweet creature of the night. Do you really think I would risk exposure?" She bit her lip sweetly. "Only because I wasn't raised in Darkfrith doesn't mean I don't value discretion."

Reminded that he wasn't aware of all her Gifts, Kimber sat up quickly supporting himself with his hands intrigued. "Show me," he said.

Niva answered him with a grin. She stood and moved to the center of the glen allowing for adequate space.

Kimber found it difficult not to Turn with her, the feeling of her puissance a formidable enticement. Her scales began to ripple and flutter reflecting light in all directions. She rotated around letting him see all of her; sinuous legs, flicking tail, talons flexing. Splendid magnificence.

Then, she disappeared.

She was so agile the needles on the surrounding trees barely fluttered as she alighted. He could still feel a tinge of her presence though - perhaps a consequence of their new bond - and if it weren't for that he might have thought it a mere fleeting breeze.

It didn't take long till she returned with a stag in her talons, landing in their temporary lair with the quietest of plunks. The deer's coat was rust-colored and wirey with a patch of winter fur still stubbornly clinging to its belly. Niva gripped its chest which was covered in deep puncture wounds, and took the hind quarters in her jaws. With a quick rip she tore the carcass in half. She used her talons to precisely carve out the parts not suitable to eat; bladder, intestines, colon, then gestured at Kimber to take the upper portion of the buck.

"Heart, kidneys and liver? I appreciate the courtesy, but I wouldn't dream of taking the better part of your kill," he said, drawing closer.

She dropped the hind quarters before him and pulled back her lips in a smile. As she tipped her head over her portion Kimber watched her intensely. He hesitated to Turn wanting to enjoy the sight of her as dragon, the state which she felt most natural in.

Niva let out a small stream of flame across her meal, burning off the hair and crisping the flesh. The heat sent warm striations across Kimber's face as he marveled at his mate.

She glanced up, noticing Kimber standing there as man and she released a snarl. It wasn't nearly as potent as her call to him last night, but he felt nonetheless compelled Turn.

As dragons, the two just fit in the glen as long as both kept their wings close to their bodies. Kimber looked down at the raw back and legs of the stag. Strings of leather and fur frayed off where dark muscle began and the jagged spine leaked crimson. He'd had heard food tasted better as dragon and was eager to try it. He'd never hunted game before as there was none to be had in Darkfrith. He took the flesh in his jaws savoring the fresh blood; the iron tang dripping over his tongue and cascading down his throat.

Niva, with the head and shoulder between her teeth, stretched her head up and with a few hitches of her jaw worked the body into her throat. With one swallow it was gone. Kimber mimicked her and wondered if the fact that his meat was raw made it go down easier.

She laid down and he curled up with her. The feeling was purely bliss, existing as he truly was, stomach stretched with her kindling warmth against his belly. It was all he needed, all he was sure he could ever want.

They were free.

There was no one who could find them. With Niva's extraordinary Gifts under the sun and his in the dark not even the best hunters in the shire could track them. The world was wide open.

They flew together at dusk, which like dawn was an inflection point of night and day, a temporary conjunction of their two domains.

It became clear to Kimber that Niva was certainly a formidable flyer, the only thing holding her back her current lack of fitness. She did tight loops and clever spins, swooping past him in dives and sometimes coming close enough to brush his wings before swerving away.

As the last sliver of sun fell below the horizon they returned to the earth for Niva to become human.

"It might be best if we got further," suggested Kimber.

Niva nodded in agreement. "You know your men best."

Kimber made a face. "They're not my men," he said kneeling before their few belongings to pack. "Not anymore."

Niva lowered her head having caught the hint of regret in his tone. "I'm sorry," she offered.

It wasn't a something he felt like touching on, as fresh as the shire was in his mind, so Kimber changed the subject. "You mentioned other beings like us".

"I did," confirmed Niva, refraining from elaboration.

"Well?" he asked with a single quizzical brow. "Could you show me some?"

Niva twisted her mouth to the side in thought. "Hmm."

"Hmm?"

"It's just...well, it's not that easy," she shrugged.

Kimber gave her a look of disbelief. "How so?"

Niva touched her fingers to her lips. "What would the tribe do if they found out there were beings out there that knew of their existence?"

"They'd consider this knowledge a threat. Likely hunt down and kill...oh." Kimber's face drew apart at the epiphany.

"Exactly," she affirmed. "Most such beings are like our tribe in that. Secrecy is of the utmost importance. I've never shown anyone what I am, but I know what many of them are. And quite a few did not take kindly to it."

Kimber yanked the sides of the valisse closed and strapped them tight. "And yet you were so shocked when you learned of the harsh rules of the shire."

Niva's lashed lifted. "Why do you think no one knew I could Turn for so long?"

"You've got a point," he admitted.

Niva shot him a quick smile then went serious. She sat down on a low rock next to him and crossed her ankles. "I was shocked, yes. But I shouldn't have been. I know myself damn well. Why would a group of beings like me be any different?"

Kimber placed a hand on her ankle and rubbed his thumb in affectionate circles. "None of them are like you."

Her eyes flashed to him and the corners of her mouth quirked upward.

Kimber gave her leg quick tug before letting go. "Are there any that weren't so...hostile?" he asked, going back to his original question.

Niva tipped her head back and forth as if uncertain. "There are a few that won't try to kill us right out. And one with which I had an acceptable standing. But they won't be pleased I've divulged their secret."

Niva rose to a squat next to the sum of their belongings and swiped both hands over the hair on her scalp pulling the skin on her face taught.

"So we will go?"

"Against my better judgement-" She released her hair and with it an exasperated sigh. "Oh Annemai is going to be so angry."

Kimber smiled deeply at her capitulation. He pulled her close and dropped a kiss in her hair and when she looked up at him laid one on her lips as well.

****

It took them five nights to leisurely fly North from the Scottish Highlands to the Shetland archipelago and then another two days to reach its tip.

"Are you sure we can make it across?" asked Niva, as they stood hand in hand looking out across the North Sea surveying what they might be faced with. There were no islands between here and Norway; only three-hundred kilometers of treacherously choppy sea.

Niva had grown stronger since her escape, but freely admitted she was nowhere near as fit as she once was. Kimber had reminded her once again, much to her annoyance, that they should have left the shire earlier.

"If you grow tired you can always ride me," he suggested with a waggling eyebrow.

Her lips twisted upwards. "I intend to either way," she replied, her own brow arching up just as suggestively.

Kimber resisted the urge to pull her to him to test the authenticity of her words. There would be plenty more time later, though the barbarous dragon did not seem to agree.

They ate a sheep each for supper, and hunkered down at the base of what might be the beginning of a hill to keep out of the wind. It wasn't cold this time of year, but it certainly was windy.

They left at dawn the next day, giving themselves adequate of time to rest beforehand. Neither the isle, nor the sea there was populated and they gave no concern to Kimber being seen. Still, they flew high where he might be considered a bird, a little black speck moving across the heavenly blue.

Eight hours later they landed on the spotty coast of Norway. Perhaps too swollen with pride Niva had forced herself through the entire flight and upon their arrival collapsed in exhaustion when she touched land. Kimber in stark contrast was hardly affected by the journey.

She'd chosen small island with the cover of trees in a lake on a bigger island surrounded by the sea. Kimber Turned human and ran his hand down her mane.

"I told you not try that," he said, half in concern half in reprimand. Niva simply turned her head from his gaze.

As a seam of orange and gold set the contour of distant mountaintops on fire while the sun retired, Niva found the strength - or maybe the necessity - to slip back into her human form. She quickly began to shiver. Kim covered her in their single blanket and all clothing they had. He pressed his unclothed body to hers, a steady strength to brace against.

"You should have let me carry you," he said once her shaking had subsided.

"I made it didn't I?" she scoffed dismissive.

"Barely. What if had been a few kilometers further or a storm had-"

Niva curled herself away from him.

Kimber shook his head. "Hey! Listen to me," he snapped, grabbing her shoulder.

"I've survived for a long time without-"

"I know you have! But things are different now aren't they? What if a sudden wind had blown you into the sea? Or onto a skerry of rock? You've got nothing prove to me."

Even then, Niva pursed her lips and didn't answer. Kimber grumbled some vague displeasure.

"Fine. I'll go find something for us to eat then," he said, standing to leave.

Until now Niva had hunted for them, but at the moment couldn't even fly. Kimber didn't care to leave her in her weakened state, but saw no other choice seeing as they needed to food. He set a course inland towards the tree covered mountains.

Night had fallen so stalking prey was nothing to Kimber. The difficulty was getting close enough to sink his talons in or get his jaws around the neck of whatever he might catch. Niva was smaller, more agile and certainly more practiced at hunting beasts. He wondered if she chased her prey out into the open or dove between limbs before the animal knew she was there. And how she got back out of the thick growth was beyond him.

He glanced down below to check again. Much too dense, he concluded. With his size he would no doubt impale himself. What he wouldn't give for a nice flat meadow.

Kimber still hadn't worked out how he could ambush dinner when the unmistakable sound of an animal foraging caused his head to cock. He couldn't make out what was rustling the leaves so he Turned to smoke and slinked down to the forest's floor.

He'd seen large stags before and had heard of elk. But this beast was a monster. At the shoulders it was taller than any man and had horns that fanned out like the tail of a peacock, sharp points at the tips.

The beast snorted when it caught Kimber's scent and stomped in warning. When Kimber gave no way, it charged. He became smoke just before it barreled over him, running antlers first into a tree. It shook its head and looked for Kimber again who was already above the trees.

Driven by the desire to nourish his mate, Kimber felt compelled to bring this particular bounty back. He circled around looking for any clearing when he saw a cleft where the trees took pause. As he flew closer it became clear it was a steep drop off to a river down below.

Kimber smiled to himself. It would be easy enough, he just had to scare the beast over the edge. He banked wide getting back behind the beast and then flew low to skin the tree tops with his talons. He attempted to muster as much noise as possible to panic the elk, but as he flew overhead it didn't budge.

Kimber took another pass, even grabbing a few branches to snap. The damn thing refused to be scared, much less move. If Niva had been there, she would have roared once and been done with it. He hoped their children wouldn't be cursed to silence like him the rest of their kind.

Were Kimber still a boy it might have stung his pride to do what was needed. But he was a man grown and had mouths to feed. He Turned to human close enough to get its attention, slapped the trunk of a nearby tree with his palm and yelled.

Predictably, it charged, meeting nothing but smoke upon what would have been a bone crushing impact. Kimber did this over and over, luring it closer and closer to the cliff's edge.

The over-sized elk proved as stupid as surmised when it leaped off the edge after Kimber who quickly Turned to dragon catching it before it plummeted to its death into a new tangle of trees below.

The beast thrashed and fought now realizing it should have been afraid all along. With it weighing nearly a ton it was hard enough to gain altitude, much less stay aloft with it struggling. Kimber placed one claw on its head and drove a sharp talon through its skull, piercing its brain to a quick death, rendering it limp and lifeless.

When he returned, Niva was deeply asleep still nestled as he'd left her under the heap of clothing and wool blanket. He sat his bounty down and became human again. As gently as he could he snuggled up next to her and fell asleep.

He awoke to soft lips on his lids, stirring him awake in a gentle tease. She had twisted around to face him, her fingers innocently curled together in front of her breasts.

"I hate to admit it," she said, "but I do miss a bed. I'll bet yours was lovely."

Kimber opened his eyes thinking the only lovely thing in the world was the woman naked before him.

"It was lovely. A lifetime ago," he replied. He wanted to kiss her back, but he was still too raw from their quarrel.

She slid a leg between his, tipping her body towards him.

"Niva-" Kim said, disentangling himself from her.

"You're still angry?" she asked as if in disbelief propping herself up on one elbow.

Kim sat up to see her better. "What if you had died?" he asked without anger.

She still didn't answer.

"I see." Kimber stood and gestured to the large elk. "In case you're hungry."

A silence roused between them, one Kimber was determined not to break.

"You're right," Niva admitted in a whisper. "I'm sorry."

Kimber watched her, his mouth in a tight line. When he made no motion towards her she continued.

"For so long we were in your world. Everyone bowed to you. You were the strongest, fastest, the master of your domain. Ever since we left I feel like it should be my turn. This is my world. I thrived for years alone and now we are here together and you're better than even me." She pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.

"Niva, it has been a year since you've flown," Kimber pointed out. "You can't expect to become what you used to be immediately. These things take time."

She licked her lips and swayed her head towards the beast Kimber had returned with. "First time hunting?"

Kimber pushed his mouth together and nodded, careful to show nothing resembling pride.

"Even a time ago," she continued still looking at the elk, "I wouldn't have been able to bring such a massive thing back."

She looked down to hide what might have been a tear.

Kimber knelt down beside her. "Why does it matter?" he asked in earnest.

"Because, it makes me dependent on you," she admitted, now seemingly more interested in circles she was drawing on her knee with her thumb.

"We both know that's rubbish," retorted Kimber. "If I left right now, or weren't here in the first place you would rest up, take to the skies, hunt your own dinner and then be on your way. Besides, you can do things that I can only dream of."

"Like spit fire," she scoffed.

"Yes. Would be nice," agreed Kimber. "But that's not what I mean."

He placed his hand on her belly. "You can bring life into this world. That is indeed very special."

"Seems more of a curse if you ask the women of our tribe."

"Do you believe that?"

Niva's faced twisted up. But when she stretched her own hand across Kimber's her lips relaxed into a feint smirk. She looped her fingers under his. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves," she said bunching his hand into her fist.

He leaned towards her and touched his lips to her temple. "Even so, it would be a miracle to me."

Niva tipped her head to kiss him, her lips like crushed velvet moving languorous over his mouth. Kimber had told her what he wanted and she accepted. They had time, so he would take his. He placed a hand on her shoulder and prompted her to her back. Her muscles shivered for a moment – still exhausted – as she lowered herself. She was still clutching his hand until she moved it to her breasts, releasing it and settling herself into a position requiring little exertion.

Kimbers fingers stroked a broad arc across her bosom finding both nipples one after the other. He dipped his head to suckle her, her rib cage lifting and falling. Kimber was sure he could hear even the oxygen racing to fuel her pounding heart.

He trailed further down and everywhere his hand explored his mouth seemed possessed to follow. When they both found their way to her wet curls Niva jerked, squeaking out a surprised "oh!"

Her eyes had gone wide, but as he worked between her thighs she settled back, her face greatly contorted. Perhaps she was still too sapped to protest, but considering her mewling, he suspected it was more due to pleasure. She moved her hands up onto his head.

It didn't take long for her jerk again, this time sharper and more jarring.

"Oh God Kimber, what are you doing," she cried out. It wasn't a question and he didn't stop, encouraged by her fingers painfully gripping his hair, forcing him closer.

Her thighs spasmed and her back formed that graceful curve that he so loved to witness. She remained there for a joyous time before coming down again.

And when Kimber finally released her she shuttered anew.

He slid over the top of her and she cupped his face looking at him with awe and wonder. As he bent to find her mouth he lowered his body pushing his way between her lush folds. She was blissfully wet, accepting him without resistance.

He rested the side of his hip on the ground and drew one of her legs up over the crook of his arm. He went slow, careful and deliberate, enjoying every sensation she offered him. Her name spilled from Kimber's lips in a whisper against her cheek and her lips swelled with lush red from his kisses.

*

Niva skated her fingers over his cool skin, the coarse hair on his chest and arms, the taught plates of muscle along his back, the hard curves of his buttocks. When Kimber released her leg and shifted so he was entirely on top she drew her knees up, permitting him deeper.

Niva felt him now greater than she had before. The exertion from the past day left her nerves raw and wanting. She wanted to grip him, pull him strongly as she always had, but her muscles wouldn't let her. They allowed a squirm here and a throaty rasp there and little else. She resigned herself to be made love to, enjoying Kimber's strength and stamina that she didn't possess.

Every slide in and out was wondrous agony. Every brush of his course curls against her sex brought her that much closer to completion. He had her contained under his hard body, gentle but unrelenting. There was no escape and there never would be. Niva now understood the potency of their bond, with her beneath him weak and helpless. Instead of fear she found comfort. Instead of feeling trapped she felt safe. She craved his dominance as surely as he craved hers.

Alpha mates with Alpha.

They reached their pleasure together. Kimber rested his forehead to hers dusting her lips with gusts of his breath.

For an instant she thought about what he had said. Today. Tomorrow. Some day their strength would combine to form the future. The questions led to more questions and it all made her head spin.

She pushed her head more firmly against his. "I love you," she said, deciding to just enjoy this moment, leaving the future to be later parsed.