The Diverted Path (DareToDream & Hahvy)

It was like being in the eye of the storm. Rue knew down to her soul that this was just the beginning of something explosive. Her body was tuned to Caleb’s hands, lips, and tongue as if he were an extension of herself. As he strummed her body like an instrument, pulling out the right notes he wanted from her throat, she knew then that she was bewitched. She had to be. How else could a human who acted so much like her kind have her ensnared thus? This human who drew out her dragon like a snake charmer did the serpent. Yet she didn’t care. Her dragon was enthralled just as much as she was. It felt right, but not enough. Not nearly enough yet. Especially when he teased the little bundle of nerves that was hidden like a treat between her legs. She groaned, a sharp exhalation of sound at the intense feel of it. And then his tongue was inside of her body, teasing spots she didn’t know existed and made her back bend at the pleasure of it. Her hand coiled deeper into his hair, tugging as she practically growled in demand for more. Her human façade was fading away as surely as her sanity.

The thrust of his tongue had her eyes clenched shut, her legs trembling at the need for something - something all-consuming that surely he could grant her. As his hands swept across her frame to her back, it was then that she felt her tattoos. The intensity and thoroughness of his touch and effect on her had brought them back to the surface of her skin and covered the expanse of her back. The coolness of his touch chilled the edges of the ink, making her bite her lip. It felt strangely erotic to have his hands stroke over her markings. Her other hand dug harder into the table, leaving deeper furrows in the shape of her nails, and his pause signaled that he had heard it. Yet he didn’t stop his feasting for long and her moan of pleasure was a sign of that as it echoed in the room. The hands that gripped her backside dug in and yanked, pulling her into his thrusting tongue that made her growl and leave more marks in the table. She had the feeling that that table would be ruined by the end of it all.

“Caleb--” She growled out as he circled that little nub again, making her back bend and her body tense up as he teased her, drawing out pleasure, bringing it to the foreground - destroying her mind. Her body demanded that it be given that sweet release, that end all of the pleasure he gave her. She felt on edge, tense, needy, hungry, and it only grew and grew the more he teased that bundle of nerves. Yet she needed more. Had to have more. A heavy ache rested just below his tongue and she needed to be filled, and only he could relieve it. It wasn’t long until she felt the pleasure build up to the boiling point and she was tossed over that edge headlong, without her being able to contain it. She practically cried out her pleasure, bucking beneath him until it slowly started to subside with little tremors. Gasping for air, she looked up at Caleb. Satisfaction was still far away.

When his eyes locked with hers, she knew that she wasn’t done and neither was he. He had to prove that she was his, his eyes told her. And she knew her gaze held the same label. But it wasn’t like her to just take things lying down so when he stood and placed his hands on her thighs, murmuring her name and his need, she growled at him in challenge to take her and claim her. When her hand was grabbed and she was yanked, she didn’t stop growling, especially right up against his throat. He had to prove he was worthy of her body and it wasn’t long before she was pinned down against the table. Her nails digging in deep. He was smart to keep her pinned down with a hand in her hair - something else she hadn’t thought that she would find erotic. Her nipples scraped the table, not too rough but not too hard and it made her hiss at the sensation.

She wanted Caleb’s hands back on her breasts, bringing her more sensation like before. She twisted and writhed against the table, putting up some sort of fight until she heard him rumble that she was his. Her core grew even more wet at the sound of it, the rawness of it all. And then he was inside her, driving deep, making her back arch as she took him all in. It made her wince and hiss at the pain of being penetrated, being filled with something that felt immense to her maiden channel. Her nails scratched the table as she tensed up at it before trying to adjust with heavy breaths. She looked over her shoulder at him as best she could as she glared at him, lust and need and pure animal instinct in her gaze as she murmured,

“Yours, just as you are mine. Only mine.”

The moment it happened, when his hardened shaft penetrated Rue’s core, Caleb felt that other being roar. His pleasure was obvious, the rumble that coursed through his body one of pride and satisfaction, triumph and glee, and through it all Caleb wondered what the hell was happening. Somewhere in the moment, he had taken a step back and let his other self step forward, taking control of the situation. That very fact, that he had another self and now acknowledged it, confused the living hell out of the man. It got worse too when that other self seemed to reach out and drag him forward, merging the two into one, leaving Caleb panting hard. You are me and I am you, the other voice said, almost as if it was trying to reassure him. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, exploring this new state of being, and felt the rumble of the other flow through his veins.

Now look at her, that rumbling voice said next. Look at the beauty of your mate. Caleb’s eyes popped open, almost against his will, and he stared down at the woman he held pinned to the table, impaled on his hard length. Rue’s body was smashed to the hard wood, quivering under his touch, their bodies locked together in a deep intimate embrace. As he stared down at her butt, his gaze moved upward, catching the edge of her tattoo and sliding along it. A gasp left his lips when he saw the vibrant image, which seemed to pulse with an inner glow that called to him. Dimly, his brain recognized that this was something new, something that hadn’t been there when he’d undressed her the other night, but he didn’t understand why. As he stared at it, he felt her body shift and his gaze lifted, locking with hers as she stared at him over her shoulder. The look was intense, filled with need and want and so much more. Her words caused his eyes to widen slightly, listening as she called him hers, just as he had called her his, the words possessive, strong, and binding. He felt the satisfied rumble again, the vibe rolling through his body from the tips of his toes to the end of his nose and back down again.

A smug, victorious grin slowly slid into place, much to his surprise, and the rumble deepened into a mild roar, his body shivering from the energy that flowed through him. Mated, that strange voice said. Yours, it murmured next. Caleb cocked his head as if he was listening, though the voice was inside not out. Mine, he murmured back, the word spoken as a question though. His response was a beastly roar. YOURS! Blinking, he stared down at Rue and felt the fire enter his eyes, that burning blazing sensation that had taken over his body from the inside out, making him dance on the flames of desire, controlled by that inner self. Giving a tiny tug on her hair, he pulled Rue from the surface of the table just a tiny bit, rumbling happily at the way her back arched. “All mine, Rue, just as I’m all yours” he said, the words coming out as a growl. “And now I take what is mine.” With that, he suddenly released her hair and dragged his hand down her back, finger tips lightly caressing her heated skin as it traced the edges of her tattoo.

When he reached the small of her back, he glided along her waist then up and over the curve of her ass. Staring down at where they stood attached, he felt his soul blaze bright, pushing his unique coolness outward, the energy flowing over her with ease. Gripping her hips then, one hand on each side, Caleb slowly slid out of her, pausing until just his tip stayed inside. Somewhere deep in the recesses of his brain, the hunter thought he should probably take it gently this first time, but the majestic animal inside had other plans and with another mighty roar that rocked his soul, Caleb suddenly thrust forward, burying his shaft inside her again. That simply movement was all it took, busting the dam holding back his desire wide open and with another growl, he began to move, each hard thrust of his hips rocking her body against the table, oblivious to anything but her and the way her molten core seemed to wrap itself around his shaft. Everything else fell away in that moment and all that was left was the two of them, locked in the greatest embrace, their coupling one of pure animalistic need. “Rue….” he moaned softly, pushing her name out through clenched teeth, wanting her to hear the need in his voice.

The image on Rue’s back was one of the reasons why she was always concerned about Caleb removing her clothes. It was the face of a dragon. There was a scrolling line of strange symbols down the left side of it, riding along the line of her ribcage in a beautiful blue color. The dragon’s eyes covered her shoulder blades while horns sprouted from the top before disappearing into her shoulders in wisps of gray. It was incredibly detailed, with beautiful glowing white scales and enchanting molten orange eyes. It was almost wraith-like, as if it would vanish from her skin in the blink of an eye. And it seemed that the dragon held a wicked secret in its luminous gaze. And when Caleb touched the tattoo, she could feel it all over her skin, which made her sigh and shiver in delight, wanting him to touch more of her body like that. To touch every little part of her yet to be explored. Soon, soon, her mind supplied, making her body heat up further. She knew that soon Caleb would move and truly embrace nature’s most primal dance, marking her forever as his prized possession and his mate. Her dragon purred at the thought, content yet restless, wanting Caleb to complete their bond. She could feel…something, reach out to her through Caleb’s touch and it made her dragon give a satisfied growl.

Breathing heavy, Rue soon gasped out a small moan was her hair was tugged, making her spine arch and driving his shaft just a bit deeper inside of her. It hurt her injury, but the pain somehow amplified the pleasure and she hissed at the sensation of it. She could feel his eyes scouring her body, taking her in, and finding her well beyond his standards. It wasn’t arrogance or delusion - she was exactly what he was looking for- and more than he could have dreamed. It was just something she knew. Some instinct that told her she had no fears that she herself was below par. She was far from being a disappointment.

“Caleb…” She gasped as he released her hair and ran his fingers over her back, making her groan at the sensation of his erotic touch. It was too much and yet not enough - a tease that promised more. And she wanted that promise more than anything. His hands moved along her body, the craving for that touch to never stop increasing until his hands finally settled on her hips. That cool flowing energy of his hit her skin in such a way that she moaned and shivered, nails digging into the table again. That table was definitely going to be ruined. She felt him pull back, almost completely unsheathing himself, and she bit her lip to hold in a whimper of need. When had she ever felt this empty? But the question went unanswered as he thrust back in, going hard and deep into her. Her nails pressed into the table as her body moved with his thrust, the pleasure spiking through her body. Her panting breaths were laced with small sounds of pleasure as he soon began to move, claiming her in the most beautiful and primal manner.

Her nails scored the table to hold herself up against his pounding movements, her body quivering and moving with him, taking everything he gave and returning it back to him. How had she ever survived this long without knowing such a glorious thing? Yet it still wasn’t enough, even when he said her name in a way that had her body trembling with pure satisfaction and pleasure. She wanted to hear that desperation again and know that her body could bring him as much pleasure as he could to hers. And yet she couldn’t stop herself from moaning out to him.

“More, Caleb! I need…you…more…please!”

That first thrust had been surreal, taking him deep within her, but the second one took it to the next level, the claiming of Rue. Caleb was lost within himself by that point, focusing on pleasure only, without a single thought to what all of this meant in the bigger picture. He was supposed to be helping her, nursing her back to health and leading her wherever she needed to go, but all he cared about right then was taking her as his. Her injuries, her uniqueness, all of it was forgotten as bliss filled his body with each hard stroke that drove his rigid cock deep inside her, his body controlled more by the beast within than by the man. A deep moan flowed from his lips as his hips hammered against hers, his shaft sliding in and out with ease, each stroke sending sensations driving through his body, igniting his nerves like a bonfire gone out of control. Caleb couldn’t think straight, couldn’t function beyond the primal urges that controlled him, but he didn’t complain. Not when Rue’s molten core felt so good wrapped around his shaft and his body was aflame with lust and need.

More sounds of tearing wood filled the room and he narrowed his eyes, his head swiveling so he saw the surface of the table for the first time. His gaze took in the deep scratches that marred its surface and the way her fingers seemed to dig into it but before alarm could be raised within him, a satisfied rumble echoed instead. Your mate is a feisty one, that other voice said. Strong, determined, beautiful. Don’t be alarmed by it, revel in it. She is your match in every way, manling, and you know it. Caleb blinked, letting those comments sink in, staring down at the table then back at Rue, his gaze tracing the outline of the majestic tattoo that graced her back. It was a dragon, he realized, that mighty beast of legend and lore, the very thing he had been hunting the day before. That knowledge sparked something inside him, some niggling thought that wiggled its way up and out, trying to take root in his fevered brain but before he could sink his mind around it, Rue spoke again. Her words were needy and pleading, burning a hole straight to his soul, and with another mighty rumble from within, that thought was obliterated, desire taking root again.

Caleb stared down at her then, at the woman he had pinned, and a wave of desire poured from his eyes. More he could do, would do, and so he did. Leaning over, he drew his tongue slowly up her back, licking and nipping at her skin as his hips hammered against hers, moans and grunts sliding past his lips. His body draped over hers more and more as his mouth reached her shoulder, which it nipped then licked. Inching higher, he bit her collarbone, trying to mark her without adding pain but knowing that he probably failed all the same. “More, Rue?” he whispered near her ear, his voice husky and heated. “For you, I would give anything. More it is!” He slid back down her body then, lips and tongue kissing the dragon as he did, one hand sliding up her side at the same time. That hand slipped under her body, between the table and her skin and sought her breast, finding it. As he shifted his hips, driving his manhood against her passage hard, his fingers find a taut nipple and began to play with it, twisting and turning it then tugging on it. His other hand slipped under her waist and dropped between her legs, coming to rest on that sensitive nub that he knew would take her pleasure to new heights. As he fucked her, his hips and fingers worked in tandem, playing with her nipple and her clit, teasing them unmercifully as more moans and growls came from his lips.

She almost reached the peak of pleasure again when his tongue moved up her back. It was like a caress all over her body- especially her most sensitive parts. And the way his teeth pressed into her back was like how it felt when he toyed with her diamond-hard nipples. It was a strange erotic sensation that she wanted more of and he delivered. She couldn't have asked for a better lover - he seemed able to just gauge exactly how and how much she needed the be touched. The press of his teeth left little indents in her skin, but the cold throb from them was something she wanted more of - that feeling of marking. She couldn't get enough of it no matter how many times Caleb bit into her skin. It was intoxicating - like drinking too much ale after a hard run. It went straight to her head. As he leaned over her and put more pressure on her body- keeping up that mind-numbing rhythm, she felt her injured arm go weaker. The adrenaline rush her body was experiencing dulled some of the pain but she knew it wasn't going to last. Her arm was starting to hurt beyond a subtle throb and she could feel the pull on her stitches. Yet she didn't care. She wanted to reach that peak again.

"Yes, yes-" she practically growled out in answer to his words. Feeling the coolness of his skin mesh with her heat and blanket her in a warmth that made her sweat. She knew he would take her until he was finished - until they were both so used up that they could hardly move and she craved it like nothing else. She moaned as he touched upon her tattoo again and felt his hand move along her skin. It wasn't long before he took one of the neglected nipples between his fingers and tugged, making her cry out at the suddenness. It quickly shifted into a satisfied growl, especially when his other hand slithered along her skin to nestle between her legs and tease the little bundle of nerves that made her hips suddenly buck. Tossing her head back, she knew it wouldn't be long before she exploded. The pace, the sensation, everything was beginning to work against her and throw her towards the precipice of oblivion.

"C-caleb! I-I can't...Ah!" She gasped out, feeling her body tensing up, knowing that it wouldn't take much longer before she was tossed headlong over the edge. Her fingernails lodged into the table to keep her in place, not wanting to miss a single moment of feeling Caleb's body pressing and thrusting into her own. Her dragon could only roar and moan, having no words left to offer. Rue could barely form sentences, the primal need and animalistic nature warping her thoughts. It seemed like a cruel twist of fate that a human would be the perfect partner for her- and she hadn't even been looking. Yet her body and instincts knew without a doubt that Caleb belonged to her and with her, just as she did with him. Her mind would fight it - hell, they both probably would - but their bodies knew otherwise. It was like hell on Earth, but burning so much hotter. By Draco's fire, she thought. She was never going to be the same again.

Her words held power, so much power that they controlled his movements and his thoughts, drove him on with a simple singled minded intent. Caleb knew only one thing, the need to pleasure Rue and take them both over the molten edge of reason until their thoughts shattered and their bodies exploded, leaving them two wilting masses. His body worked together to bring this about, fingers nimbly twisting and turning a nipple while lightly circling that special spot between her legs, all in tandem with his thrusting hips. The slap of bare skin against bare skin was filling the room, joined by the pleasing odors of sex, and all were drowned out by their moans, whimpers, and pleading words. Caleb had been with women before and sometimes it was sensual and others it was raw; this was neither of those and all of those, that culmination of moments when everything is just right. His coupling with Rue had been unexpected, perhaps even uninvited, but it didn’t change the fact that it was fabulous too, a moment that was so charged, so…animalistic in nature…that it simply felt right. He knew something was wrong, that something lived inside of him that hadn’t been there before, and his mind still held that image of the table nice and tight, but none of it mattered right then.

There would be plenty of time to contemplate those things, plenty of time to analyze and even perhaps regret, but now wasn’t it. No, now was about pleasure, about coupling, about claiming and that’s what Caleb concentrated on in that moment, his thrusts deep and hard, each one sending his pulsing shaft sliding through her wetness, penetrating her with ease. He could feel the pressure building, felt the fire burning along his nerves, knew that beast inside him lent him strength, all the while preening and gloating. Almost as if the beast knew he was thinking about it, his hips slammed extra hard, sliding the table an inch or so across the floor, drawing a deep moan from his lips. He response to her use of his name, he growled out her own, the single word full of raw sensual passion and need and…perhaps..even love though his addled brain wouldn’t know it. “Rue…..ah….Rue….” he gasped out, twisting his hips with another thrust. “S-so good…..c-can’t….ah…Rue!” he growled out, his hands suddenly slipping from her nipple to wrap around her thigh, holding her tight. He ground against her then, his shaft deep inside her, while his fingers lightly circled her nub.

A moment passed like that, then another, before he suddenly withdrew both hands and gripped her hips again, then pulled back and began to move so fast and hard against her that the wooden table actually groaned. The beast had come roaring forward, taking control, and steered him towards the finish. The wave of pleasure began to roll, slowly sweeping through his body until it finally reared up and burned his soul, sending a bright red glare flashing through his eyes. With a groan of pleasure and agony, he gave one last solid thrust and lost control, his hot seed spilling into her at the same time his cool essence flowed outward, completely encircling her. He cried her name as his climax crested and fell, boiling his blood from within. As his body finally began to slow down, Caleb rested his head on her back and placed a delicate kiss on the dragon’s snout than a second and a third. His hands slid up her sides and around her front, cupping her breasts lightly in his palms as he licked up her shoulder blades to place a kiss at the back of her neck, aware for the first time of her injuries and what they’d just done. As the reality sunk into him, he felt weak and exhausted but strangely satisfied. “Mine, Rue” he rumbled, his voice and the voice of the other blending together as one.

She knew that all of this didn't make sense and that after they would probably look each other like the strangers they were. Yet she didn't want to think about after. Not when his hard shaft was driving deep and hard, and fast into her willing and needy body. She took every thrust, every ounce of pleasure he could give her and the way he teased her body as if he had known what would set her off all her life was driving her mad. Especially when he moaned her name in an aggressive and desperate tone, it just made her burn hotter for him. It was almost a shock that she hadn't burst into flames from the way he lit her up from the inside. It was like putting a torch on firewilt trees - just waiting to explode. His seeping coolness calmed the flames of her passion, but didn't dull them. She likened their coupling to be more normal - almost like how humans went about it- they didn't have to fear someone dying from it. She didn't have to worry about burning Caleb into ashes. When he slammed his hips harder against her body, she cried out at the sensation, loving the way he got so deep. She knew she was going to go crazy, but at least she would feel incredible when she did.

When he held her by her thigh, grinding against her backside and still teasing that bundle of nerves, she felt herself start to lose it - whatever control she had, that is. The pleasure in her body started to rise and condense. Her extremities tingled, her fingers curling and uncurling along with her toes, and soon she felt herself toppled over that hard edge when Caleb started to slam back into her with more force. The table groaned under her and her back arched to accept every inch as she came apart. Her voice was already hoarse from growls and moans, but it was even rougher when she cried out his name as she hit that final precipice. Her entire body tensed up and trembled, her channel tightening over and over again around his shaft - milking it for all it had. She felt a sharp tug on her injured shoulder but ignored it, not realizing the some of the stitches had torn. Her pleasure went on and on before being even more amplified that all she could see was a bluish white flash, her eyes shifting back to normal. Hot wetness filled her from where she was connected to Caleb and his harsh roar of her name as he also reached pleasure made her gasp out. A coolness enveloped her, chilling her heat and cooling her down.

Her breath was loud and harsh in the following quiet, feeling and knowing that Caleb's release was over. Rue felt his body press against hers again, this time softer and gentler. She didn't realize how sensitive her skin was until Caleb kissed her tattoo, making her gasp softly and shut her eyes in pleasure. His hands snaking up her body had her trembling with a soft sigh before he cupped her breasts and just held them in his palms. His tongue and light kiss had her moaning softly, shivering at the sensation. It was so intimate - Draco's fire- it felt almost more intimate than their coupling. She felt the blush reside in her cheeks especially when he rumbled that she belonged to him. She heard something else in his tone - something Other - but she couldn't be sure what it was. It was foreign yet familiar. She was exhausted, sore, and strangely satisfied, yet her shoulder wouldn't stop hurting. It was then she felt something drip off her arm and realized she was bleeding from the tear in her stitches. It didn't hurt as bad as she figured it would have, but she surmised that had to do more with the "afterglow" as the females of her clan had called it. However, she couldn't hold herself up anymore and just lowered herself to lying flat against the table with Caleb's hands cradling her chest. She was tired, so very tired and soon started to shut her eyes in sleep.

He felt her lower herself to the table, trapping his hands beneath her, but Caleb could do little more than suck in tiny gasps of air, replenishing that which he’d lost during the coupling. His body tingled all over, the heat inside him subsiding until it became just a tiny flame deep within his soul, one that flickered and flared with ease and strength. He knew, in that moment, that the flame was there to stay, as much a part of him as anything else on his body, and that knowledge filled him with a sense of satisfaction though he didn’t know why. It is because you are more now, that deep rumbling voice said in his head. Stronger and swifter. Caleb blinked when he heard it but knew that he couldn’t dispute it, not when he felt those things already. Whatever had happened within him, it was done and he would learn to live with it, no matter how much it freaked him out. As that emotion flitted through his mind, a hearty laugh roared through his body, drawing a groan from his lips. It was so not funny but in a way it was, he supposed. How many people could say that they were more than one thing inside themselves after all, both man and beast at the same time. He supposed no one could though the world was large; maybe it was possible after all.

As if that thought alone triggered awareness within him, the voice rumbled again. Look to your mate, it said. She needs your help right now. Caleb blinked again as awareness came back to him, awareness of where he was and what he’d just done. Glancing down, he realized that Rue was still pinned beneath him, her body not moving now though he could feel her breathing under the touch of his hands. Easing his hands from beneath her, feeling an instant of loss as his palms glided across her nipples one last time, he pulled them out. He felt the wetness instantly, raising one hand upward so he could see it, his eyes widening as he saw the bright red of her blood. “Oh god” he murmured as it suddenly dawned on him that their coupling had not been gentle and that the friction must have opened up some of her stitches and perhaps done even worse damage. Swearing softly to himself, he brushed his hand against his hip, smearing her blood then slowly eased from within her. The minute they were separated, he gripped her shoulders and slowly pulled her from the table, sliding an arm underneath her legs at the same time. Lifting her, he glanced down at her pale face and saw that she was passed out, drawing a rumble of concern from the beast within. Her shoulder was definitely torn back open, some of the stitches having come undone, and he swore softly again. Cradling her body against his, he glanced down and saw the ruined surface of the table, one eyebrow rising in disbelief. Then he shook his head and hurried from the room, knowing there were more important things to worry about then.

Soon he had her lying on the spare bed again, covers tossed back, her nude body on full display for him. He didn’t take a moment to admire it though, not with her bleeding like that, so he dashed off to the kitchen and came back with a bowl of warm water, a rag, and his sewing kit. Cleaning the wound thoroughly, trying hard to not to wake her, he quickly stitched it closed and dabbed away any remaining blood that existed on her skin. Next he went and retrieved a small bit of tea, mixed with a herb that helped ease pain, and opened her mouth, dripping a little of it down her throat. When that was done, Caleb sat on the bad and stared at Rue, his eyes wandering over her completely, feeling heat flare within him again. That tiny flame deep in his soul seemed to pulse with purpose, as if it was calling out to her, which confused him. Just then the voice spoke again, its rumbling voice rolling through him. It pulses because it recognizes its mate. Get used to it, manling, because I am you and you are me and what is mine is also yours. The words were confusing to say the least and Caleb gave up trying to understand them, at least for that moment. Sliding Rue over in the bed, he climbed in next to her and pulled the covers up over their bodies, feeling their warmth slowly begin to spread over them. Rolling to his side, he reached out and brushed a strand of hair away from her face before slowly drifting into sleep himself, his last thought one of wonder for their future and what they’d just done.

At first, Rue's dream was chaotic, almost like she was being sucked down into a vortex of flashing colors and infinite darkness. She didn't feel herself get pulled up and moved, not realizing she was bleeding or even truly asleep. She didn't know she was being carried to the other room and stitched back up before Caleb slipped into the bed again. But as soon as he was close, his cool mixing with her heat, the dream took a different turn - one it had never taken before. At first, she couldn't make sense of it at all - the edges of the dream distorted like when one looks at the suns for too long. However, it didn't last very long and soon the dream opened up into something beautiful.

There was a field of snow. Snow wasn't rare in her homeland, but here it wasn't as thick or impeding. Here- wherever here was - the snow was soft and fluffy like wool. She was standing by a tree, her hair plaited while she stood barefoot in the snow. She wasn't cold and her very simple tunic showed that much with it's short sleeves and short bottoms. She found herself laughing as she watched a small child playing in the snow for the first time all year. The child couldn't have been more than six winters old and was giggling like crazy every time the snow fluffed up at her touch. Rue couldn't get a good look at the child's face but something about it was familiar. Soon, she felt a pair of arms at her waist and lips at her ear, murmuring something soft. The words were too faded to hear even with the person that close, but she still smiled and laughed. It was like seeing it from the eyes of another.

Soon the child ran towards them both and Dream Rue scooped the child up, spinning her around as the man- she soon learned - laughed at their antics. Dream Rue soon held the child close. It was then that Real Rue saw that the child had beautiful hair like spun starlight. The child's skin was as pale as the snow and her eyes- Rue finally saw her eyes - they were a mixture of brown and red. Almost maroon but not quite. Then the image shifted and the young girl had dark red hair and bright hazel eyes- flecks of brown being the most dominant. Yet those eyes always seemed to be the same. Those eyes that she felt familiar with. Dream Rue held the little girl in her arms and then looked at the Dream Man, and it was then that the blur came away and she saw Caleb.

"By Draco's fire!" She exclaimed breathlessly as she awoke. She sat up, feeling as if the breath had been stolen from her lungs. Putting her good hand to her chest, she soon calmed her breathing and regained herself and her surroundings. The light in the room was different and she realized then that she must of been asleep for a few hours. It was then she also noticed she was still naked but also felt...stronger. And then she saw Caleb lying next to her. The images and sensations of what they had done bombarded her and a fiery blush lit her cheeks as she sat up in bed and stared downwards. It seemed...so unreal. Almost instinctively, her hand went to her belly and held it there, feeling how flat and smooth the skin was there. Just a dream, her thoughts whispered, yet there was an odd sense of...disappointment. Blinking that emotion away, she found her fingers soon slipping into Caleb's hair, a soft purr sounding in her chest. She smelled his hair and soon nuzzled it, almost as if to admire the softness of it.

"Caleb.." Rue whispered, her voice quiet and hoarse. The simple movement of nuzzling into him made her body ache, but it was a pleasant ache nonetheless. Her dragon was asleep and satisfied, snoring softly in the back of her mind. She could feel this other self within Caleb, but she didn't have a clue as to what it meant. It seemed the world had been turned upside down over night. Turning slightly to look out the window, she stared out of it a moment before remembering what she had done to the table. Groaning, she soon crawled back under the covers- embarrassed that she had done what she had done and yet proud all the same.

Sleep came slowly to Caleb that night as his mind swirled with thought after thought, his mind a quagmire of chaos that boiled out of control. Normally he wasn’t one to dwell on past actions but that night he couldn’t help it, not when something so monumental and unexpected had occurred. He still couldn’t believe that he and Rue had coupled at all, much less on the kitchen table like that, but he found he didn’t regret a minute of it. Since the first moment he’d met her, Caleb had felt a tight pull inside himself, one that told him she was important to him somehow and that time would reveal why that was the case. He’d always trusted his instincts so he accepted it, watching as that pull had strengthened, drawing desire and, dare he say, even love to the surface of his soul. When it exploded into passion, he went with it, letting events play out as they might. Now though, in the after glow, as he felt her breathing softly beside him, he wondered if they done something wrong, something irreversible.

NEVER, manling! NEVER! Caleb winced as the words echoed through his head and he felt a burning sensation deep inside his chest, one that threatened to scorch every nerve that existed in his body and some that didn’t. There was that voice again, he thought, the one that was with him through the entire moments with Rue. He closed his eyes and sought to look inward, deep inside his consciousness, and what he saw caused his breath to suck in sharply. Brilliant red eyes, glowing with fierceness, looked back at him, the power of their gaze stilling his thoughts instantly. As he waited, those eyes blinked lazily and then stared again, daring him to deny their existence. Caleb swallowed, suddenly fearful for a moment, but then braced himself. “What are you?” he asked softly inside his mind, not entirely sure he wanted to hear the answer. The eyes blinked again then seemed to twinkle in amusement. I am you, manling, a better, stronger you. You are me and I am you and together we are one. Caleb swore softly in his mind, tired of the riddles, but the beast simply roared in laughter and then the eyes pulled back into the darkness, fading away.

Rolling over, Caleb opened his eyes and stared down at Rue, admiring her beauty. His hand lightly traced her shoulder and her hip as he absorbed the sensations the touch brought and a smile graced his lips. For right or wrong, this thing between them had happened and, despite the oddness of it, he found it pleased him. Just as he had that thought, a rumble rolled through his body, followed by the strange voice. That is good, manling, because she is your mate now. We have claimed her beast and it has claimed us. Caleb thought to question the voice but before he could form the thought, it added a few more words and then disappeared from his awareness. You will figure it out in time, manling. Until then, enjoy what you’ve sown. The man considered those words for a moment, his gaze on Rue’s face and he smiled, nodding softly. Though he had no idea what was going on, he could do that at least. Rue made him happy, even when she was mad at him, and he couldn’t imagine not having her around now. His thoughts drifted towards his table next but he shoved that from his mind; there would be a time and a place for that and it wasn’t now. Settling back down beside her, he wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed the back of her neck, then slowly drifted off to sleep.

Eventually Rue had drifted back to sleep and when she woke once more, she felt revived - almost fully recovered- until she moved her injured arm too quickly and a hiss escaped her lips. Cradling the arm carefully, she looked down to see Caleb asleep beside her. Using her good arm, she stroked her fingers through his messy locks, touching his face very gently. It was odd waking up with someone else in her bed, but she felt an odd sense of calm. Well, in all honesty, she felt everything about this had a sense of oddity. She knew not of Caleb's background, bloodline, family. She had yet to meet his mother whom she knew resided in the small house. And then of course came the haunting thought of what she had done to the table. She was lucky she hadn't damaged her fingers during their...courtship. Thinking about the act they had participated in made her blush a hot shade of rouge, especially with how low the covers were settled around Caleb's hips. Seeing the bare expanse of skin made her crave what he had done to her mere hours ago.

"Caleb..." She whispered, moving her head by his ear so that he might hear her better. But his scent filled her nose and made her crave all the more what he could do to her body- sore as it was. She didn't mind the soreness, even though moving her legs made her wince. She wasn't like other females, but still, the soreness was something she had heard about often enough - especially with how brutal matings could be. Biting her lip, she tried not to disturb him, especially since he seemed so sound asleep. Smiling a little, she managed to slip past him and set her feet on the floor before standing. Wobbly at first, she managed to get her balance with a hushed curse. However, she realized she didn't feel cold at all. Holding her hands out in front of her, she focused on summoning heat into her palms and sure enough she could feel the tingling in her fingertips. The feeling was dulled compared to how much of a roar her ability was, but it was definitely an improvement. It meant she would recover.

"Thank the Suns..." She murmured, feeling grateful and joyous. With a content sigh, she soon made her way out of the room to go to the restroom that Caleb had in his home. After using the facilities, she found her discarded towel and wrapped it about her. She didn't feel she should be walking around naked- especially with another woman in the house who might see her and take offense. Cracking her spine with a nice long stretch, she made her way back to the room Caleb was sleeping in and sat beside him, idly stroking his hair and face. He looked so peaceful and innocent in his sleep - even with all the scars.

Sleep came fitfully for Caleb once he was under its caresses, his thoughts filled with dreams and nightmares that had his body twitching. Rue haunted many of them, as his mind showed him their first coupling again – which drew a moan from his dream lips – as well as images of her tending their garden, walking by his side in the forest, and assisting with the care of his mother. Then there were weirder ones, where he saw only darkness but heard the roar of a great beast that shattered the silence with the swiftness of a heavy axe splitting a piece of wood in two. That was followed by the sight of winged creatures – both majestic and terrifying at the same time – which he knew to be dragons. First only one rode the breeze and claimed the skies but it was soon joined by another, the two creatures cavorting through the air without a care in the world, almost as if they were a couple.

Those led to the nightmares next, images of great dragons falling from the skies to attack the two having fun, their claws tearing into their scales as they tried to drive them from the sky. The battle was fierce and deadly; many wounds appeared on many dragons and it soon became clear that the pair would lose the battle. One was simply weaker and more awkward than the other, almost as if it wasn’t comfortable in its own skin, and took more damage while the other fought hard to protect it, even at the risk of its own life. Soon the pair was split and the weaker was forced to flee, its final vision of its friend one of great pain, a mighty roar leavings its snout as it watched the other get torn asunder, its lifeless body falling from the sky.

That final nightmare drew Caleb from his slumber as his body shot up in bed, a shouted scream of “Nooooo” coming from his lips. He felt something fall away from his face then, something soft and soothing, but he couldn’t see anything behind the horror that burned in his eyes. His chest heaving, breath out of control, Caleb fought against the image, his mind and body slowly coming awake, and when the realization that it was only a dream finally dawned, the hunter was able to regain control of his senses. Slowing his breathing, he blinked rapidly and focused on the sight in front of him, a smile breaking across his lips. “Rue” he whispered, feeling joy spread through his system at the soft rumble that came from deep within. She was sitting by his side, watching him, and he could only imagine what she was thinking in that moment. Falling back onto the bed again, he reached out and took her hand, his thumb automatically running over the back of it. “I was dreaming” he murmured, his voice pitched low, for her ears only. “Lovely dreams that turned into nightmares. They chased me from my slumber. I…I hope I didn’t startle you.” Giving her hand a tug, he offered her the chance to join him on the bed again, simply wanting to feel her body near his, to ensure him that his world was right. There would be questions to ask later, things to discuss, but they could wait.

Rue had been startled with Caleb sat up and practically screamed. She didn't touch him but instead waited for his mind to re-grasp reality on its own. She watched the cold sweat slide down his chest as it heaved with effort to breathe and she found herself frowning. What kind of dreams could he had been harboring? What caused such a reaction? Eventually, his body calmed and she saw Caleb turn her way, eyes wide with joy yet confusion over the fitful sleep he had gotten. The way he whispered her name was like a touch upon her skin and it made her shut her eyes briefly as if to capture the sound and feeling forever. As he fell back into the bed, Rue found her hand held by his with his thumb moving over the back of it. When he spoke again, she found the edges of her lips upturn in the slightest. It was just amusing for him to say. However, his tone was like a secret and his voice carried to her ears like a soft song on the breeze. The fact that he had had nightmares made her uneasy and yet curious. She was almost worried to ask what he dreamed of, but soon was tugged down beside him on the bed. Her head instantly rested near his heart while one hand slid almost possessively around his waist. Her other arm was protected from being further injured by resting lightly beside her face and touching Caleb's warm skin.

"Tell me about these visions, Caleb. I wish to know," She said, whispering just as softly as he had. She felt like they were in a dream themselves and that speaking louder might awaken them for real. Shutting her eyes, she listened to his beating heart, the lovely rhythm calming her in a way that she was unfamiliar with. It was like listening to the flutes back home only more beautiful and subtle. In Caleb's arms, it was hard to think of home. Everything seemed so far away - especially the reality of what she was and what Caleb might be. But they were mated now...how could she stay there and keep such things from him? She didn't know if she could tell him the truth either. It was a truly bad situation to be in. Verily, she didn't know how long she would be able to keep her secrets.

As her mind churned over its worries and seeming misfortune, she wanted to tell Caleb everything - to know if he would accept her or reject her outright. Yet she couldn't. She couldn't break their dreaming just yet. In time, she would be able to speak of such things, but currently, she couldn't fathom how he would react to her - despite his care of her. With a soft sigh, she snuggled further into his body, legs tangling with his own as her hand stroked his side and hip at a leisurely pace. She didn't want to leave this place - not when things were finally peaceful. However, she knew that things couldn't last like this forever. Or at least, her mind didn't believe such a thing was possible when she was a dragon and he was a human. It was just begging for disaster to befall upon them. She only prayed to Draco that some happiness could be achieved before it was all burnt to ash and soot.

He lay back against the bed, losing himself in its softness and the feel of Rue lying against him, her head pillowed on his chest. One arm held onto him while the other, injured one, rested lightly beside her head, a position that he liked. It was nice having something to lie beside him, someone that cared for him as much as he cared for her, never mind the how or why of it. They were mated, or so said the eyes within his mind, but whether or not that was truly true, he had no idea. Inside, a rumble could be felt, one that almost felt like a snicker, but he ignored it and simply closed his eyes, slowing his breathing until he had it under control. The dreams had shaken him, upset his soul, but he didn’t know why. It was weird to have had them in the first place, he didn’t dream much at all, but those particular ones were just odd to him. Perhaps dragons had invaded his thoughts because he’d been hunting them a few days ago but that didn’t feel right, not in his mind at least. Another rumble shook him and he shooshed it, at least mentally.

Opening his eyes back up, he stared down his chest at Rue, offering her a light hearted smile. His hand came up and rested on her head, his fingers slowly beginning to comb through it. “It’s….it’s hard to explain but I’ll try” he murmured softly. “Though, they probably sound a little crazy. You can laugh at me if you think that.” He grinned then, a little of his humor slipping past the dread the dreams had left inside him. He steeled himself and then began, his voice calm and serene, as if he were simply telling a story, not reliving a nightmare. “It started innocent enough…well, not nightmarish at least. We were at the table again….doing…you know…” he paused, smiling, remembering “and then there were more dreams of us spending time together, doing various things. We were living together, a couple…but then the dreams shifted and instead of us, I saw two dragons in the sky. They seemed…happy…playful…..like they were enjoying each other’s company while they soared the blue vastness up there.” His voice faltered then, his eyes closing briefly, and he swallowed hard. The details that came next, he didn’t want to remember. “Something happened, something awful.

I’m not a dragon…” a deep rumble from inside this time, one that actually hurt “but..here’s where it gets crazier…I felt like I was one of the pair.” He shook his head. “Anyway, out of the blue the two were attacked…hoards – or what felt like hoards – of other dragons descended on them and a fierce battle happened. The dragon that….felt like me…it was weak and awkward and was hurt quickly and badly. It had to flee the fight in order to survive but it saw..” his voice cracked then, the words stumbling and it took a moment before he could continue “…the other fall from the sky, torn to pieces by the others. It died while I watched, Rue. Died trying to save me.” He finished then, his breath hard and fast. A single tear graced his cheek, perhaps the first time he’d cried in ages, but he didn’t notice it. Instead, he felt more rumbles, rumbles deep within him, and then that voice spoke again. You failed in that image Manling, but it doesn’t have to be like that. Accept yourself, accept me, and you will be strong. Caleb blinked at that, having no response at all, his gaze falling on Rue.

Rue settled against him more firmly as Caleb started his story, hearing his heart beat a little bit faster when he mentioned what they had originally been doing in the dream. And verily, she felt herself blush and attempt to hide it so he wouldn't see the shyness she bore. She couldn't help when her eyes shut and she listened to what he had to say. There was a pleasantness to the way he spoke to her, soft and serene, like he'd always been telling her stories- real or not. The familiarity of it all was surreal but she found herself straining to listen to every syllable, every whispered word that could fall from those lips. And when his story turned darker and more foreboding, she opened her eyes to gaze upon his face. She didn't dare speak a word until he was finished and as the story went on and on, she found herself feeling dread in the pit of her stomach. Such a terrible dream. Such a terrible possibility.

As his voice cracked, Rue stroked his neck with the back of her hand gently, feeling his breath and heartbeat begin to race as he continued. When he spoke of the other dragon's death, she heard her own dragon let out a roar that was both a challenge and filled with agony. She felt like crying as well when she both felt and saw Caleb's anguish in the form of a tear rolling down his cheek. When he looked at her, Rue felt the heat in her eyes, as if to promise him that wouldn't happen. She knew her eyes were much more red than normal and forced herself to calm her fury. No one upset Caleb. No one and nothing. She swallowed back a growl but it was still low in her chest when she pressed herself tight to his frame and stroked his hair, making meaningless soothing sounds. She kissed his temple and cheek before she spoke softly.

"It is a sad dream to have had, Caleb, but it does not mean it will come to pass. Or hold any truth to it. But know this, no harm shall befall you. Not while I live..." She almost whispered the last words to herself, but still held Caleb tight in her grasp as if he would disappear from her arms and bed. When they were close like this, she could almost believe that everything would work out in their favor. But she had grown up on broken dreams and promises and lost hope, yet still wished with her whole being that this thing, this beautiful thing they had wouldn't be lost to the winds like forgotten sand.

Recalling the dream had brought emotions to the surface of his mind, emotions that Caleb didn’t like at all. The tiny drop of water had exposed those emotions in a much bigger way than his telling of the take had, but it was done and there was nothing to do about it. As he stared into Rue’s eyes, his widened slightly, seeing the way they seemed to light up from within, turning redder. Blinking rapidly, he cleared the pooling moisture from his gaze and looked again, this time not seeing the redness he had seen before. Writing it off as a distortion from the tears, he gave her a soft smile and listened as she spoke, enjoying the soft touch of her hand as she stroked his face and hair.

“I know you speak the truth, Rue, but it felt so real to me, so..” he paused, struggling to find the right word to say, his eyes closing for a moment before continuing “..personal. Like that was me up there…and you. I can’t explain it but I know how it felt.” Inside his mind, those eerie eyes stared at him again, blinking slowly. You know the truth, manling. I am right here. You just refuse to accept it. Closing his eyes again, Caleb tried to ignore the eyes, and the disembodied voice, but a deep rumble from within seemed to push against his skin, causing it to tremble, the waves rolling from his chest to his toes, drawing a tiny moan from his lips. When the waves passed, leaving a tingling sensation throughout his body, he saw those eyes again. I am you, manling, and you are me. Get used to it.

Caleb let those words sink in for a moment and finally opened his eyes, staring down at the woman who had awoken his heart. Their time at the table had been unexpected yet delightful but it was this moment that spoken even more. For the first time since they’d woken, he became acutely aware of just how tightly Rue had pressed her body to his and he felt a blush creep over his face. Reaching out, he slipped his hands under her arms and gripped them. “Come here, you” he whispered, his gaze boring into hers as he slowly pulled her further up his body, wanting her closer.

Rue felt a momentary panic at the way Caleb spoke the words about his dreams and feelings as if they had been flying in the sky in his nighttime illusions. There was an ache in her chest and as she searched the feeling, she realized it was the heartache of knowing that Caleb wasn't a dragon. At least, that's what she believed. Yet the image of the soothing blue aura from when they were making love couldn’t stop from invading her thoughts as her inner self whispered, “He could be…he could be…” The only other explanation Rue could come up with to explain his aura was maybe he was like those…those… “He could be half-dragon,” her mind supplied, stalling her thoughts from their initial trail of thought. No, there wasn’t any way that he could be. His mother was human – she could smell it all over the house- so that didn’t seem possible or probable. Halflings were killed whenever they were found and Rue had only seen one in her lifetime. Yet she had never heard Caleb mention his father...She wanted to keep that little spark of hope alive somehow. If his mother had been among dragons....She would be able to recognize what Rue was instantly. Humans who knew of dragons never forgot their smells or appearance. At least, that's what her father had told her long ago while reading bed time stories. Her father had told her stories of humans and their great cities and small villages, their weapons and their traditions. But a lot of things had been lost on her because of their clan. They didn't have use for some of the things that Caleb and his mother did like that cloth that dried her skin. The bachelor dragons had caves of their own and families with females had actual homes and smaller caves for privacy and refuges. You learned to cook and fend for yourself. All dragons were taught to fight when they came into their powers.

Feeling Caleb pull her close, his hands under her arms, she moved in a way to straddle his stomach, looking down at him with a blush but soft smile. Her fingers moved along his chest, noting the small scars and rigid muscles. She didn't want to ruin their time together - especially not at this moment- but she needed to know about his father. Verily, she didn't think she had much choice in the matter. She needed some answers just as he did. Until she knew of his heritage, she couldn't provide him with any and it bruised her heart to keep things from him. Cupping his face gently, she stroked her thumbs over his cheeks, caressing his soft skin. He had a bit of stubble from being unshaven and it was certainly new. She had never felt stubble before and it was a rough but pleasant sensation. Bending down, she touched her forehead to his before she shut her eyes and whispered softly to him.

"If I could laze about like a satisfied cat, I would spend the whole day in this bed with you."