Aviva
“You know, there’s this thing called sleep, and it’s fantastic.” Freya tilts her face toward the pocket of sunlight dancing over us. “You just lay down, shut your eyes, and then you wake up several hours later feeling refreshed. You should try it sometime.”
I throw her a cutting look as I pick at the grass. “I did sleep.”
“Well, you look like shit, so I know you didn’t sleep well. How many days has it been? Three? Four nights without sleeping? I’m shocked you’re able to function.”
I let out a breath and watch the scene playing out before us on the shore of the shallow, calm creek. Someone built a little wall of rocks just past the bridge, creating a man-made eddy. Shosanna shrieks with laughter as she splashes with three other little girls her age, all of them soaked to the neck.
Freya smiles, her blue eyes creasing as she watches Shosh. “I
AvivaRyan turns away as I strip out of my dress in a pocket of trees toward the very back of the village. I hang it on a tree branch before shifting into my wolf form, feeling naked despite my thick fur. I’m used to having my knife belt and bow slung across my back even in wolf form, but now I’m in my skin, and I’m not giving Ryan the same courtesy as he strips off his clothes. I do turn my head to avoid watching him take off his boxers, however. I’m not that desperate. He clutches the camera in his mouth, protected by a little leather bag, and leads me through a network of wolf trails that weave through a rather dense forest that hugs the back of the village. We follow the creek at one point, which weaves through the forest. It’s the only sound other than the rustling of the leaves overhead. It’s beautiful here, I have to admit. The forest is thick as we start gaining in elevation toward the very back of the valley where the mountains Silverhide is nestled between finally join. A
AvivaI barely have time to pull my dress over my body before Ryan is running again, hastily pulling on his shirt. I leave my sandals behind and sprint toward him, my bare feet slipping over rock that turns to gravel as we reach the village. My heart is thundering when I finally reach his side.We sprinted down into the valley. It took mere minutes compared to the long climb up to the spring. I’ve never run so fast, and so far, and my legs burn as I reach for Ryan’s arm but–People are gathered around one of the houses near the center of the village. I see Shosanna in the crowd and rush out a desperate prayer, thanking the Goddess for keeping her safe from… whatever we hurried here for.But then a scream rips through the night, hollow and anguished. My blood runs cold as a memory slips through my mind, burning to light. The sound of the scream is so familiar and so fresh, even though it’s been sever
AvivaWarmth. I feel warm to the bone and heavy as I roll to the side and snuggle deeper against the body beside me. My hands drift up his stomach to his chest, tracing taut muscles until I reach the half moon shaped scar on his shoulder. He stirs, rolling over and running his calloused hand over the slope of my naked hip, over my thigh.When he kisses me, it’s unhurried, his tongue sweeping over mine and exploring any place he hasn’t yet discovered. My breasts ache as he rolls my peaked nipples between his fingers, stirring that desperate, unending want between my legs.His tongue dances with mine as he slides a hand down over my belly, his fingers reaching for my slit, and he finds me wet and aching for him.He hums with satisfaction, his mouth still on mine, and whispers, “What have you done to me, little wolf? I can’t get enough.”I gasp, my eyes flying open to pale gray daylight str
RyanI leave Aviva in the bedroom and immediately walk outside into the cool, rainy morning air. I clutch the railing of the deck and hang my head, trying to steady my thundering heart. I can’t go into the village like this. I can barely walk in a straight line with this ache between my legs, but I sure as fuck can’t go back inside because I’ll rip her dress off and pin her to the bed like I wanted to only moments ago.That little sliver of restraint is all I have left at this point.I run my fingers through my hair, now wet from the rain. A thick fog hugs the valley, and only the outlines and pitched roofs are visible as my gaze sweeps the village. I had a long list of things to do this morning that are nearly impossible in my condition, and it’s my own damn fault. I didn’t mean to fall asleep with Aviva in my arms last night, but I did, sucked into a kind of peace I don’t think I’ve ever known
Aviva“I know that feels better,” Freya says, frowning at the frantically bleating sheep, who is now sheared clean and pretty much naked as it gallops off to join its herd. She wipes her brow, squinting into the sunlight as she gathers up an enormous handful of raw wool and carries it over to the creek where I’m crouching in the water, rinsing another batch of wool until it shines a soft white. “Who’s next?”“That one,” I laugh, tilting my head to the giant, gray and black ram with spiraling horns that looks like he wants nothing more than to kill us both. He stamps his hooves and lowers his head in emphasis, snorting and shaking his fuzzy head.“That fucker,” Freya growls, tucking her hair behind her hairs and stretching out her arms over her head. “He’s been getting in my way all morning.”“I can take him, if you want.”She shakes h
Ryan“What was that for?” Aviva asks breathlessly as I pull away.“I’m not sure. Sorry.” I clear my throat–clear my head, more like it. I’ve been out in the sun all day helping stack stone for a new house being built in the village, and apparently, that hadn’t been enough to wash Aviva’s taste from my mouth, and my body decided it needed more.We stare at each other for a moment. Her eyes shine like fine whiskey in the sunlight cutting through the shadow all around us. The clouds move swiftly to the south, which is why I had to talk to her.“Jacob and I are leaving in an hour with Shosanna. I sent scouts in every direction to monitor the weather, and it looks like there’ll be a break from the rain tonight.”“You said a week–”“I don’t really have a week to spare,” I admit, when in reality I need to get a
RyanWe’re met in Endova by warriors armed to the teeth. The sun has set, and the village is glowing with torches, the fire at the village center burning brighter than usual. I’d sent scouts ahead of us by several hours to inform Jerrod of our earlier than anticipated arrival, but they’re nowhere to be seen, and that sinking sensation in my stomach explodes as we walk into the village, and Jerrod rushes toward us, his eyes wide with both stress and relief to see Shosanna safe and sound.The wound on my back throbs as Jerrod wordlessly ushers us into his meeting hall. Still in our wolf forms, Jacob and I are given clothes and left alone to change while Jerrod scoops up Shosanna and takes her away to be tended to.“Let me see it,” Jacob insists, grabbing my arm to turn me around. He hisses out a breath. “It’s deep, man.”“It doesn’t hurt that bad,” I lie, pulling my
AvivaMoonlight ghosts over my skin as I stand at the highest point of the valley that overlooks Silverhide. Wind whispers through my fur, and my keen eyes scan the valley below for movement before I move along the narrow rocks, careful of the steep drop-offs hidden in the shadows. The stars are out in full overhead, bright and wild against ribbons of deep, swirling purple.It’s a perfect night. The kind of night I always longed for after days of rain and clouds. But I’ve realized why Ryan and his men came to Endova to join the spring hunt and get their fill of deer in a single night. The valley of Silverhide is empty, save for small critters like rabbits. I won’t be bringing home a deer tonight, not if I stay within the valley like I promised.But it feels good to be out in the wild after a very long day of village chores. All of the wool we sheared and washed this morning is hanging to dry so we can brush it out and