Touch of Flame

Nazneen flew to the nearest sea that the river led to. Since she found the trace of blood ending at the river, she guessed that he had swum to the sea. Landing on the rocky beach, she stared ahead at the glistening water reflecting the moonlight and the stars. The waves were gentle and soothing, and she heard something else in the distance. A calming melody coming from far away and fading into the wind.

Ares. Where was he? How did he even take himself to the river with that broken leg? From the trail of blood, he hurt himself even more. He could have just woken her up and asked for help. Stubborn man!

"Ares!" She called his name, using her hands to cover the sides of her mouth so the sound would go in one direction.

She didn\'t know if this would work, but she called a few more times and then just waited. Maybe he wasn\'t here. As she contemplated to leave and go looking somewhere else, she heard a splash in the water. Her gaze quickly followed the sound and searched the area for anything suspicious.

Another slash and this time she saw a tail disappearing into the water. It glistened gold and green and the tail head was broad. Big. Straining her ears she listened to anything beneath the water. She could hear the creature swimming against the waves and then saw the tail again.

"Ares?"

In the distance, she heard the hypnotic melody again. She had never heard anything like it before and her body almost swayed to it or was it her mind? The wind blew her hair softly and the sound of waves added to the calm and addictive feeling.

She got out of her trance when she noticed something from the corner of her eye. A pair of beautiful teal blue eyes staring at her. She could only see from the eyes up because his face was still under the water and then slowly he rose from the water as he stepped forward. His wet hair fell around his face and down to his shoulders and looked almost black when wet.

The water made a sound as he walked forward, his body slinking out of the water inch by inch and her gaze took in every revealed part. The shiny droplets of water on his skin, glistening like frost and his left arm had a different shine. It was covered in green and blue scales with a golden shimmer.

Her gaze skimmed over his chest were the scale faded to one side and then traveled lower or a ripped abdomen with water teasing downward. Her lips parted as she watches his abdominal muscles meet in a v-line down his hips and then she looked lower and lower instinctively knowing what she would see next but still not looking away. Except she was wrong.

His lower body was also covered in scales. Shining and shimmering blue and green scales mix, and fade into each other in a mesmerizing way.

Wait? How was he walking if it was a tail...?

No. It was his legs, covered in scales. Her eyes were blessed again with those muscled thighs and strong calves. It was as if he was naked. Maybe he was. Scales were like skin after all.

When he took his first step onto land, her jaw was already near her chest. Oh well, undress me too, she thought. She didn\'t mind getting wet.

No, pull yourself together. Now that he was fine, she could allow herself to be angry.

"I see you can walk just fine, and swim too." She said.

He took a few steps forward and she panicked. Stay where you are, she wanted to yell. She wasn\'t good with self-control but his eyes...

Look away, she thought instinctively but she didn\'t. She just stared into them and he stood still, meeting her gaze without blinking once. Then he was the one to break eye contact first, his gaze traveling lower and she could feel it like a wet touch on her skin, caressing down her neck, collarbone and over the ample of her breasts, causing her nipples to stiffen against the fabric of her top. She shivered and stepped back, crossing her arms over her chest.

God! She wasn\'t even in heat.

"You have to make me worry. You must enjoy me chasing after you." She said.

"I like it the other way around," he said.

Her heart flipped in her chest from the way he said it. The way his lips parted slightly and two sharp tips glistened from behind his lips.

Blood, she thought. She was not going to give him any!! She grieved even as she thought about it. Would she miss having his arms around her and his teeth in her flesh?

She snapped herself out of it. She could do it.

He took a few steps forward and as if he could read her mind, "how about this?" He began. "You run if you want me to chase you, but if I catch you..." his lips curved up a little, and his smile looked sinful in the moonlight. "You will be my prey."

Was he... serious? She chuckled nervously because strangely, it excited her and she didn\'t want him to know that.

"That is not how hunting works. Even if you catch me, do you think you can overpower me? You really think you are stronger than me?"

He was silent for a moment. Probably thinking. "It depends." He said. "But you shouldn\'t have to worry if you are so sure."

"That is manipulative."

A roguish smile shaped his lips. "Pirate, remember? Now even demon."

"And if you don\'t catch me?" She asked, raising a brow.

She looked at his thighs again. Swimming. Lean muscle, meaning not as much weight so he could be faster than she anticipated. Dragons were faster than humans but she didn\'t know the speed of sea demons. And even if he caught up to her, how would he actually catch her? She could easily twist his arm off.

Too much confidence wasn\'t good but fine. It would be fun to see what he would do.

"I guess I will be your prey then?"

Oh, this man! He was being smart with her.

Without warning, she just turned around and ran. She was fast and she was already rushing into the woods, trees passing by but Ares was right behind her. She could hear his steps as the wind blew her hair back. He was fast. She smiled and sped up. Roots and rocks not doing her a thing. She was light on her feet and she had always enjoyed running.

She decided to take him on a tiring tour, zigzagging through the trees and trying to confuse him on which direction she would take. She couldn\'t focus on his steps anymore because everything was going too fast and then suddenly he appeared running in front of her and managed to stop swiftly despite the speed. She couldn\'t do that and ran right into him.

Her heart leaped to her throat from the shock and she was afraid she would hurt him from the impact of running into him. She collided with his chest and he fell backward with her on top, but he was swift to shift them over so he was on top of her.

Nazneen was still in shock and panting. "Not so fast after all," he smirked, looming over her.

She grasped his shoulders and threw him over with ease and then straddled him. "Not so strong, after all." She said pinning his wrists at the sides of his face. He made an attempt, just testing to see if he could get away but he couldn\'t. She gave him a satisfied smile and he relaxed beneath her as if giving up.

That was unlike him. She didn\'t expect this.

"So... what do you want to do?" He asked.