Discovery at Nerwolix (26 page)

I’m in the air. My legs are wrapped around
his hips and he’s holding me by my lower back, carrying me forward.
I don’t see where we’re going. I don’t care. All I want is to never
stop kissing Reid. Something soft brushes my back and I know we’re
on the bed. I’m so hungry for him, drowning in his everything. It’s
all I know. My entire world is Reid. I want this. I want him.
Running my fingers through his hair, I open my mouth but he pulls
back, moving his lips down my neck. I close my eyes, getting lost
as he works his way lower, over my chest and stomach. He slows as
he gets to my jeans.

Without breaking eye contact, he sits back
and starts on the button. My heart feels like it’s going to break
right through my chest and take flight. But I focus on Reid and
what he’s doing. I bite my lip so hard it feels like it’s going to
bleed. When he gets my jeans opened, I lift my hips, helping him.
He strips me of the rest of my clothes as a primal expression
crosses his face. I’ve never seen this look. It’s like he’s about
to eat me alive, about to do something wicked. His eyes scan my
body, taking in the full sight.

Reid steps back.

He’s at the edge of the bed and his hands
drop to his jeans. Watching me, he pops open the button and then
works the fly. I’m on fire, my blood racing as I wait, already
panting, already needing him here, on me. But he’s moving too
slowly, taking his time, gazing at me in front of him. Time isn’t
moving fast enough. I have to force myself to stay still, to wait.
It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done. With a deep breath, his
hands finally move to his hips and he pushes his jeans down,
exposing how badly he wants this too.

My mouth goes dry.

Reid prowls up my body, leaning me back. I
focus on breathing, trying to keep to the trappings off my skin and
not set the bed on fire. He trails his fingers up my arms and lifts
them above my head. Squeezing my wrists, he pins them to the red
linen as he leans into my neck. “I’ve been thinking about this all
day.”

“Me too.”

A lump rolls down his throat.

“Reid…” I pant, barely able to control
myself. “Please…”

“Tell me to slow down if it’s too much.”

He’s inside me before I know it. And before
I have time to adjust, he does it again. It almost hurts but he
does it again and again and suddenly I’m unraveling. White hot fire
shoots through my body, magnifying the need to please him. I’m
already shaking, already too dizzy to comprehend anything other
than the way this feels. With the way his body is molded to mine,
taking control of it as I’m slowly consumed by his fire.

Reid moves inside me like he never has
before, like it’s a reason to prove, a way to claim and protect and
promise. It’s a punishing rhythm but I love it. He’s hitting the
very core of me, over and over, demanding I pay attention, that I
understand how deep his desire and need for me goes. His heavy
breathing fills my ear and just knowing how hard he’s working, how
badly he wants this sends me into a new level of ecstasy.

With a quick shift, he sits back and pulls
me on top of him. His arms are around my wrist, rolling my hips
onto his and my heart is beating a thousand miles a minute. I’m
gripping his shoulders, squeezing until my fingers rake into him.
He makes a low growl and throws his head back, eyes closed and lips
parted. I move on him faster, showing how much I want him to be
happy, how much he means to me.

“
Oh fuck
…” he throws his head back
further. I’m panting, almost at the peak again when Reid falls all
the way to the bed. His hands fly to my hips, squeezing as he lifts
his own. It sends me into a new fever, the feeling of utter
possession consuming me.

I’m flushed, my blood way past boiling. My
eyes close and my mouth opens. He grips my hips tighter, rolling me
onto him harder. Holding me down, he cements his body to mine as
his hips swing up with hard, fast jerks and suddenly I can’t take
it.

The explosion hits me with a full body
spasm. Everything is unraveling. I’m both here and gone, fire
sparks whipping through me like shrapnel. It’s hard to breathe.
It’s hard to see. All I feel is this, this moment of utter bliss,
utter ecstasy that has me losing control all over him. I’m blind
and shuddering and from somewhere, I feel his hands travel up my
stomach, over my breasts and to my neck where he pulls me down into
a fierce kiss.

His tongue is in my mouth when he releases,
his entire body shaking. But his grip on my face doesn’t lessen. He
keeps kissing me, keeps holding my cheeks like he’s afraid to let
go as his body shudders beneath mine. All I know is his taste and
his scent and his touch. He’s holding me through this, through his
body’s aftershocks and once they’ve slowed, he breathes normally
again, lightly pressing his lips to mine. With a final kiss, his
head drops all the way back, resting against the bed.

My heart is still racing.

What just happened?

“Fallon…” his chest heaves. Running his
tongue over his lips, he watches me for a moment, like he’s trying
to capture this moment, trying to hold onto it like a photograph he
can save for later. Dropping his focus from my eyes to my mouth, he
pulls me down by my neck again. “Come here.”

Reid kisses me hard and deep, cradling my
face in his hands again. His fingers tighten as they move back to
my hair and securing me, he rests his brow against mine, his eyes
shifting between mine.

“How,” he gulps, “how was…”

“Perfect.”

A smile crosses his lips and I almost tell
him again.

I love you. I love you, Reid.

Tell me you love me.

“Good,” he rests his head on the bed,
letting out a final pant. “Good.”

I climb off and lay next to him, still
trying to catch my breath. It’s never been like that before. So
carnal and fierce, so full of possession and necessity. With a
gulp, I sweep my tongue over my bottom lip, running over what we
just did. Blushing, I roll my head towards his. We don’t speak; we
just lay here, looking at each other, smiling uncontrollably.
Finally, Reid brushes a curl behind my ear.

“Comfortable?”

“Yes.”

“Hungry?”

I raise a brow.

“What?” his smile widens. “I want to make
sure you’re not hungry. I can get you something.”

“I’m fine.”

“Okay.” Reid brushes a few more loose curls
behind my ear and I watch him, unable to look away. His fingers
graze my skin so gently; it’s like he’s still afraid to break me,
like I’m some precious thing he doesn’t believe is real. My heart
pumps with each delicate stoke and I breathe him in, inhaling his
divine scent, lost in it.

“So you’ve been thinking about this all
day?”

He laughs. “I think about this every
day.”

“That’s not staying focused.”

“Well you’re very distracting.”

“Am I?”

Reid presses his lips against my brow, “More
than you know.” He abruptly stands and heads to the end of the
bed.

“You’re going?” I can’t hide the surprise or
hurt in my voice.

“Just to get something to eat. I’ll be right
back,” he pulls his jeans on. Once he’s got the fly up and the
button closed, he reaches for his shirt, glancing at me. “Oh come
on, don’t look at me like that,” he laughs. “I’ll be right
back.”

I nod.

“You sure you don’t want something to eat?
I’ll get you something,” he says. “Just stay here,” he scans me,
the corner of his mouth lifting. “Believe me—I won’t be long.”

I’m not sure how much time has passed.

Five, ten, fifteen minutes? I have no clue.
Maybe I’m just wishing Reid never left. I could’ve spent the rest
of the night gazing at him—and I plan to—if he ever returns. It’s
probably only been, like, a minute. But I want him here. Now. In
this bed with me. There’s something eternally soothing about lying
with him, drowning in his warmth. His scent. His eyes. It’s the
safest place to be. Nothing can get to me when I’m with Reid.

But he’s not back yet and I’m restless.

I get up and dress, all the way down to my
Converse. Maybe a walk will calm me. It’s probably the last thing I
should be doing but if I stay close to Zinnollo’s treetop bridges,
I’ll be fine. I need a walk to clear my head, to empty it of
everything demanding my attention.

Like the invasion. We have no idea when it’s
coming and Hozfin doesn’t seem too concerned. But it’s happening. I
know it is. I heard Reuzkimpart discuss it in that cave on Larupip.
If anything good came from being captured, it’s that. Knowing that
the Vermix are planning to invade and steal the Floating Ruby. It’s
happening. And Sampson knows it. Clarence knows it. Everyone but
Hozfin seems to know it’s coming and we have no real defensive plan
in place.

And then there’s Clarence.

I’ve only mildly wrapped my mind around the
fact that we’re related. That he’s been a part of my family for a
hundred years and that Granny Ruth lied to me. She
never
lied to me. It’s like another blow. Not only is she gone, but I can
never ask her about it. If she were alive… we could talk… she could
validate everything Clarence said and I could ask questions. But I
can’t. I won’t ever be able to talk to her again and knowing this
colossal secret makes me question how well I even knew her at
all.

And of course there’s Reid.

Why won’t he tell me he loves me? I know he
does. I can see it. I can
feel
it. I won’t pressure him, but
I don’t understand why it’s so hard to say it. Is it because he’s
still in love with Alison? He says he needs time—and I’ll give him
as much as he needs—but they’re three little words. Three words I’m
dying to hear come from his lips.
God
I want him to tell me
he loves me. More than anything. I just want to hear it. It
splinters my heart every time he doesn’t and I’m left to stitch it
up, repairing myself with reminders that he wouldn’t be here if he
didn’t love me. He’s here for me. That should be enough.

I’ve only begun to stroll down the
impressive branch-bridge when I stop and take a deep breath.
Everything is dark except for the jars of fireflies that illuminate
Zinnollo’s treetop city with soft balls of glowing gold. It’s
peaceful. Really peaceful. This is what I need. Solitude. Quiet.
Time away from everyone and everything. Like now. This moment.

I close my eyes and take another deep
breath, letting the silence fill me.

You will get three months.

My eyes jet open. There’s no one here. But I
didn’t expect anyone—the voice came from inside me, from my head.
But whose is it? Suddenly, the familiar white wings fly inches from
my nose. Another pair joins the first and then, a third appears.
The trio circles one another, but always pulls back, drawing
further down the bridge, begging me to follow.

Are you taking me to the Origin of the Gifts
again?

You must return with us,
one of the
Lynzees sings.

Why?

It is how it must be.

“Fallon? Are you—” Reid appears on the other
side of the Lynzees, a melon in each hand. He’s motionless, staring
at them with an open mouth.

You must return with us
, one flies
closer to my nose,
there is more to learn.

“Are these the… Lynzees?” Reid places the
melons on the bridge and takes my hand, moving to my side. “Are you
okay?”

“They want me to go with them.”

You must bring the Fychu and Clynse as
well
, one sings as it withdraws further down the bridge
. You
must all be present.

“For what?” I ask aloud and Reid whips his
head toward me.

“What are they saying?”

“They want Sampson and Clarence to come
too.”

“All of us?”

I nod. “They want me to go back… they say
there’s more to learn.”

“How do you know that?”

“I can hear them. In my head.”

Reid smiles. “You really are part
Dofinike.”

“Looks like it,” I squeeze his hand,
following the Lynzees as they sail over the bridge, already leading
us to the Fychu’s home. “Come on. We need to get to Sampson’s.”

When we arrive, Clarence is already here,
along with Blovid, Jothkore, Qippert and Vix. They’re all pacing
silently, ruminating over something, the tension palpable.

“Fallon,” Sampson looks up as we enter, his
focus shifting to Reid next to me. “What’s happened?”

“They’ve come again—the Lynzees.”

“Again?” Blovid steps closer. “When?”

“Just now.”

“What did they say?”

“They want you to come with me,” I glance
from Sampson to Clarence, “and you. They want us all to go back
with them. Said there’s more to learn.”

“They said that…” Clarence approaches,
“…just now?”

“Yeah,” I look over my shoulder. “They’re
outside. They want us to follow.”

“Did they say why?”

I shake my head.

“And only Clarence, myself and you two?”

I nod, omitting the part about Reid. They
never requested him specifically, but I get a feeling he’d be
coming with us anyway. “They want us to go right now.”

“Blovid,” Sampson turns to him, glancing at
the others, “I will leave you to it. I’m not sure how long I’ll be
gone, but I’ll let you know once we’re on our way back.”

“Good luck Fychu,” he nods. “Clarence.”

I head out of Sampson’s home, followed
quickly by Reid and the two Dofinikes. All three pause at the
shimmering white wings of the three Lynzees sailing feet away,
hovering just above my head.

“Oh Spirit…” Sampson whispers to himself,
lost in awe.

You must come with us
one sings as it
withdraws further down the wooden bridge,
you must all be
present.

“For what, Spirit?” Clarence asks.

She will tell you. Come with us now…
the Lynzees continue down the bridge.