"It's dark now," Theo comments and offers his hand to me. "I will walk you to your quarters."
I place my hand in his and smile. I allow him to lead the way. And before I know it, we are already standing in front of my door.
Theo and I have been spending a lot of time together for the past few weeks. There may be a few kisses and touches here and there, but that's it. We mainly focus on our conversation rather than on our desire. Although, as days go by, it is me whose desire is getting more and more uncontrollable.
"Seems like you will get another promotion soon."
I nod. I look into his eyes but I can't help but wander on his lips. I want to kiss him, however, there is a hesitation. Should I allow us to be together now?
As if sensing my need, he leans towards me, and I close my eyes as he presses a kiss on my forehead. I want to feel him more and much longer.
"Kaiya?" he calls.
I open my eyes. He is peering at me. I flush scarlet at being caught enjoying his kiss.
"The others helped a lot. It's nothing worthy of your praise," I say instead, looking away. Why am I hesitating anyway? We have forgiven each other. However, I still remember those painful days with him. Maybe, that's why I am hesitating?
"I've heard otherwise from General Brandon. He mentioned that Lieutenant Colonel is too low of a rank for you. That is why he is pushing to give you another promotion."
"He might be feeling indebted. Although I told him he doesn't need to feel like that."
He smiles, and the way he looks at me, it feels as if I am standing on the same platform as him. I don't even notice when I tiptoe, place my hand behind his neck, and pull him to me so I can kiss him.
He is taken aback at first, but then he wraps his arms around my waist and embraces me. I sense his heartbeat through his chest, and it feels like both our body and soul have intertwined.
We eventually pull away, but I keep my hands in his.
"Kaiya," he whispers, his eyes filled with emotions. "I love you."
My heart flutters, and I reach up to him again and before long I am kissing him, as if I have forgotten my earlier hesitation. This time, our tongues entangle with each other, and I moan as I savor his taste.
Heaving, he pulls away and grabs my face. "Kaiya, stop. Kissing me, you know what it will lead to," he warns.
I hold his head to kiss him again, but he evades. "Kaiya, please, I want to know. Do you want us to make love?"
"Yes," I whisper, my voice barely a whisper.
His face brightens up. "Oh, goddess, you have no idea how much I missed you."
He takes my hand, and I lead him to my room. The scent of lavender fills the air, his smell. He sits on the bed and pulls me to him. I curl up into his embrace, and he begins to kiss my temple and cheeks. His fingers trace circles on my back, and I savor the warmth of his touch. I exhale deeply, savoring the moment as he covers me with kisses and caresses.
We tumble onto the bed, our bodies intertwined. He explores my body with gentle touches.
"I am so glad you are back, Kaiya," he whispers, his voice trembling.
"I'm glad I'm back too," I whisper as I run my fingers through his hair.
He looks up at me, his eyes tender with love. "I love you," he whispers again.
And at this moment, I know it is true. We kiss passionately and undress each other, our movements slow and deliberate. His touch is like a drug, and I can feel myself melting.
He moves down on me, his mouth on my inner legs as he continues to lick and suck. And when his mouth goes to my crotch, I forget about the outside world. I forgot about the reasons. I forgot all about the hesitations. All I know is that I am lost in the bliss of his arms.
Yet, his torture is unending. He continues as his tongue circles around my most pleasurable spot. I arch my back and moan, gripping the sheets tightly as the waves of pleasure crash over me.
He moves up. He's not done yet. As he enters, he kisses me. I close my eyes and feel every inch of him, my hands roaming his back. I feel the tension building up again as he thrusts deeper into me.
Completely inside, he kisses my cheeks and whispers, "I love you so much, Kaiya." I don't even remember how many times, he said that.
He begins to move slowly, and I savor each moment, my pleasure intensifying with each thrust. He moves in and out, his strokes getting faster and deeper. My body shakes uncontrollably, pushing me to new heights of pleasure. And when we reach the peak together, we collapse breathless, our limbs intertwined, his seed warm inside me.
And as we lay in each other's arms, I know that my heart is irrevocably owned by him.
When my breathing calms down, I snuggle against his chest and cry. He hugs me and softly massages my back and hair. From time to time, he gives kisses on my head. I am not sure why I am crying too, and he doesn't ask why. So, I just hide my face in his chest as he gently caresses my body.
Suddenly, an image of carnage appears in my mind. My heart beats against my ribcage, and it has nothing to do with my desire for Theo.
An eerie apparition of the Moon Goddess looms in my sight. Her powerful presence fills me with both reverence and dread. She carries a glowing orb and a sharp scepter dripping with blood. Her eyes ablaze, she slowly approaches me as if she has come to take my life.
"No," I whisper. I grab Theo's body and press my face against his chest.
"Kaiya?"
The glowing silhouette continues to advance. Closer, I can see her veins burning, spilling a deep red liquid around her feet. She reaches out to me, and I can't move.
It's getting cold, and I feel the chills. Her eyes pierce through me like a dagger.
"Know your place," the Moon Goddess says. Her voice is scratchy, feral, and icy. "You are just a goddess vessel. And now, I've come to collect."
She is about to touch me when Inanna appears beside me. She pulls my hand away from the Moon Goddess.
"You can't, Moon Goddess. Besides, she is not ready. You must return to your previous form as the Blood God advised you."
Suddenly, the apparition disappears. Inanna looks at me, her face slowly fading. "See you in the waking world, Kaiya."
I sit upright in my waking time. Theo looks at me with worry. "Are you okay, Kaiya? What happened?!" he asks, there is panic in his voice.
My mouth opens, ready to blurt out a yes, when an intense pain hammers at my skull, causing me to double over in agony. My vision dances with specks of light, and white-hot needles stab into my brain. I can barely think or speak as the piercing headache takes over, drowning out everything else.
"Kaiya?!" he calls. "What is wrong?"
A scream of terror rips through my throat as I feel a burning sensation spread from my nose, eyes, and ears. The scent of iron fills my nostrils as thick streams of blood drip down my face, pooling onto the blanket. I'm losing consciousness, but one last horrifying thought strikes me before everything goes dark...
I am about to be reaped by the Moon Goddess.