Chapter 77: The Akhlut
Hours could have passed, or even days, but Nova was content to remain in Yoa’s arms, enjoying the warmth of his body, and feeling safe in his arms. The soothing hushed roar of the waterfall and the luminous pools and vines cast colourful firelight along their bodies. They hadn’t done anything but snuggle, but it felt so much more than that.
Nova sighed in content, smiling softly as her head rested on Yoa’s chest. His fingers idly stroked along her spine, ridge after ridge until her lower back then reversing the path up her back. Since covering his wounds with the leaves and paste, Yoa had relaxed more. He’d told her the leaves naturally numb any pain while the Rootmilk quickened the healing process.
Naturally, she did not lie on his injured side, but he still managed to hook her thigh over his waist. It took a lot of pain for Yoa to halt his advances on her after staring at her body looking so delicious and sprawled over him like some teasing fantasy. If it wasn’t for his injuries, he would have mated with her over and over again by now.
That raging inferno inside of him became a restless simmer and after a while calmed more when he heard the steady beat of Nova’s heart. She’d fallen asleep for a few hours, and he became hypnotised, watching her, and tracing every part of her body in worship. When Nova roused from sleep, she’d smiled up at him in the cutest way, all bleary-eyed and sank into his body further, lips pressing against his in a soft, lingering kiss.
This was like something out of a dream. If it was then Nova had no intention of waking up. Inside this cave, they were in their own little magical bubble.
They’d been in a comfortable silence after kissing and tracing each other’s bodies for, ignoring the sparks tingling on their skin to go further. But questions began spilling from Nova’s lips, her curiosity returning through the haze of their little love bubble.
"What happened yesterday? You had to leave when we were about to..." Nova trailed off, her cheeks blushing a little even though it was perfectly natural and they she was currently completely naked and flattened on him like a second skin.
Yoa sighed, his fingers pausing at the base of her spine and he kissed the top of her head. "An Ancient killed some vampiras and dragged one out to sea."
"Vampiras..." Nova murmured then shivered at the reminder of the naked bat weirdos that had tried chasing her. Count Dangula and his floppy freak.
She shook off the twisted memory and found Yoa staring at her questionably, and the rest of what he’d said fell into place. "An ancient?" Her eyes widened. "DRAGGED it out to sea...? So much has happened since I ran into them, but if they’re like the vampires in the films and shows in my world... Aren’t they meant to be quite fierce?"
Nova searched his eyes, seeking answers. She was already accepting everything now, and legend or fairytale, supernatural beings, they all swirled into one now with the possibility of them being real. Real in this world anyway, and perhaps a little in her own world.