Welcome to Gaia! ::

The hot morning air was bothersome. The events over the battle played over in her mind. It was getting harder to survive as a Hybrid. She had granted Kilian permission to stay with her. To use the spare room as a place to sleep. She couldn’t stand the thought of him just sleeping on the couch. It didn’t feel right, like he needed to be given more respect than he seemed to ask of her.

Taking in a breath of air as she pushed her arms skyward in a stretch. Erionda yawned with the release of her muscles. She had been sleeping better with Kilian about, at least when he was there. He had currently been away and Erionda suspected he had gone home to see his family. Not that her Drakein companions didn’t lend her the protection. But somehow, having someone closer to human was a bigger comfort to her. Brushing the sleep tears from her eyes Erionda pulled on the the first layer of her skirts. A simple purple skirt, the white tank top tunic she wore when she slept was often changed after she had first eaten breakfast.

Glancing out her window at the sun, Rio wanted to curse at it. Shouldn’t it know better than to rise so early. Grumbling the young Hybrid began her descent down the stairs. She hadn’t paid too much attention to the spare room where Kilian usually stayed when he was in Eowyn, getting used to him being gone was far harder than getting used to him being there with her. She would often gather up her Drakein and head for a quick dip in the local Oasis as part of her daily routine each morning. As she hit the bottom of the stair Erionda heard a strange sound coming from the spare room. Curious but not wanting to intrude Rio’s mismatched eyes shifted towards the water barrel. She had taken the time to fill it the night before.

Moving towards it she dipped her hands inside for a drink. The water was fresh and cool against her lips. Looking towards the door again as another soft sound came from Kilians room Rio became increasingly worried. Furrowing her brows and biting her lower lip gently. The Hybrid moved towards the wooden door. Laying her hands on the handle she slowly twisted the knob. Intent on pulling the door open.

The pink haired hybrid jumped. She hadn’t expected Kilian to be there hadn’t heard him return the previous night, her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him. Was this a possibility she was still dreaming? One of those dream within a dream scenarios?. Her mind had been making scenarios were Lanzecki had possibly gotten trapped in the Oblivionites room. Crawled in the window or something. Or was party to Uassae’s temper about removing the Oblivionite from the spare room completely. Not that it made much sense to her, but the Keindred was known for making trouble in random places through her house. She knew Uassae had to be wrong about Kilian running away from her. Some part of her told her it was impossible for Kilian to leave her now. Not after what she had learned, not after what they had been through.

Her eyes widened as they took in the sight of Kilian. There was something strange about him. The way he held himself, the way he looked at her. She blushed turning her head to excuse herself from the room. She didn’t want to intrude on his privacy. He deserved better than that. Then her intrusions. Struggling to breath as she faintly heard what she thought was her name Erionda lifted her head to look at the tall man before her. Wincing she prepared herself for a barrage of words. Words meant to scold her for intruding. They didn’t come. “S-sorry Kilian... I... I thought Lanzecki was causing trouble and that you had already left.”

Erionda found herself muttering as she took a step back away from the door. The Aiskala didn’t hear Kilian close the distance between them. Startling when his hands gripped her, pulling her forward into the room and against the wall she had only been standing beside moments ago. Her violet and blue eyes stared up at the hollow empty sockets above her. Had she offended him in some way? “K-Kilian... when did you-”

Her words were completely cut off as their proximity closed between them. Her heart thundering in her chest, gripped painfully but some unknown force. His lips were against hers. Soft, demanding. Kilian broke her down, left her aching, needing, yearning. Her body trembled, held against the rigid strength that burned against her, she couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe, she couldn’t remember anything at all.

Trapped in a vortex of pure sensation as she struggled to understand what was happening. She gave up quickly enough. Impossible to fight, unfeasible to ignore, comprehension was an abstract idea, a fleeting fancy that she couldn’t grasp. She gasped at the complete devastation to her sense. Longing wrapped around her as her body melted into a frazzle of repressed nerves, she sighed.

Erionda blinked away the strange sensations as the skin on their foreheads met. Her muddled mind tried to comprehend the very recent event. She didn’t even have the time to register Kilian’s proximity before his lips were on hers. Looking up with a blush, Rio’s eyes were hidden below her eyelashes. Why wasn’t she fighting him? She would have completely dismembered him by now. If he were anyone else you would have, her mind firmly told her. Closing her eyes in acceptance Rio opened them slightly a moment later. He was kissing her forehead, with an apology? Tilting her head to the side, allowing the hair to fall away from her cheek as another kiss was placed there.

The gentleness behind his every touch, his every movement set off a wave of violent tremors throughout her body. Somehow he felt more real to her, more imposing, more vibrant than he ever had before. Even the arms that wrapped around her to hold her close. She wasn’t aware he was slowly moving her away from the wall. Until he moved to sit on the bed. She felt the tug and moved to join him. She sat on his lap, her legs bending up to one side. Leaning close Erionda wrapped her arms around his chest. His sigh tickled her skin and she almost giggled with the sensations.

She waited a moment before opening her eyes to search his face. Leaning back slightly his skin felt feverish, she grinned and smoothed his hair out of his face. “Is everything alright Kilian? You’ve been acting strangely these past few months.”

Rio was slightly surprised to feel the strength in Kilians arms intensify around her. It wasn’t uncomfortable, and yet, was a sensation she hadn’t felt since she was a child. She struggled internally with wanting to leave and wanting to stay. In turn Erionda moved closer to Kilian. Every move he made was strange to her. Fascinating at the same time. Pleasant sensations rippled along her shoulders with the contact of his lips against the palm of her hand. Searching his face for a hint of his emotions. Blinking when she noticed his smile. There it was. A tangible, real feature she recognized. A warmth spread to her cheeks at the sight of it.

Her smile faded as Kilian looked away. Her eyes still searching his face, as if looking for guidance of some sort. She opened her mouth to say something. Pleased when the silence was broken by Kilians voice. Dreams? What kind of dreams? Did he have nightmares of Alpha too? Of beta? Of the recent events the past few months? What about his cousin or family? Glancing away and then back again thoughtfully, Erionda bit the inside of her bottom lip. She had selfishly wanted him to stay with her for a while. She hadn’t even stopped to think if he had missed his home.

Finding her thoughts interrupted by the contact of his skin against her cheek she turned her attention back to the Oblivionite holding her. “Afraid? Of me?” Erionda asked quietly. Shame filled her face. Of course he was ashamed of her. A stupid half breed. He wouldn’t be able to enjoy the life he would normally have if another Oblivionite had chosen him. Suddenly blushing at the trail of thoughts Erionda shook her head slightly. That wasn’t right... had she chosen him? Her?

“I’m sorry Kilian. It’s my fault. If an Oblivionite had chosen you before i did. You wouldn’t be in this mess” Erionda replied, shock shifting through her system. She hadn’t censored her words before they spilled out. Covering her mouth with a fierce blush coloring her cheeks Erionda moved to push away from him. Shaking her head quickly from side to side, both her hands pushed against his chest as she attempted to run from the room.

Stupid, stupid, stupid. Rio’s mind screamed.

A furious light lit up Erionda’s eyes as he took hold of her wrists. Instinctively she wanted to let her power surge around her. To create enough of a shock he would let her go. A shorter version of her name rang through her ears. Clenching and unclenching her fists Rio stopped fighting him. She had uttered words without thinking. Weren’t feelings like these forbidden to her kind? Water clouded her eyesight, allowing Kilian to pull her close to him.

She could feel the pressure of the necklace he had given her against her chest. Her eyes grew wide as she stared into Kilians empty eyes. She didn’t resist when he pulled her flush against his chest once again. He was glad she had chosen him? Her face darkened with color. He had caught her words too quickly for her to take them back. Focusing on the necklace dangling, Erionda’s breath came out in a staggering rush. If he was glad that she had chosen him. Then that would have to mean... “You like me? Like... that?” Erionda whispered hesitantly. Her mind rushing to stay on track. To piece together the information she had.

She paused and waited for the answer before speaking again. “You deserve better than me...” Rio’s voice was soft, barely audible. Her body surrendering to the comfort of his arms around her. She closed her eyes enjoying the sensations. She had been denied such things for so long. She had no idea until now just how much she craved human contact like this.

Erionda remained silent for some time. She wasn’t sure how to respond to the new course of information. To the new course their relationship. That he too, carried the same emotions. That she was more than just an affectionate buddy. Shifting so her knees rested on either side of his hips straddling him. Rio leaned inward, to place a kiss on his lips. Her hands brushing his cheeks as she let her hand run down his arm to wind her fingers between his. A light pressure was placed against Kilians chest as she continued to kiss him. Letting the kiss push deeper. A part of her was glad for the support the bed gave them. His heartbeat hammered under her palm as every living, breathing moment bled into their surroundings. Soulless or not. She was his, and she would remain that way.

“He’s... Beautiful,” she mused. More to herself, not realizing she had communicated through her bond with Uassae and Lanzecki. She felt the unwelcome prickle of Uassae’s snort, and Lanzecki’s laughter. She didn’t care, eye’s half-open as she stared at him. Nimble fingers roaming across his shoulders, down the vale over his heart, she was relentless, tender, demanding. He looked like he was in pain, and she frowned, reaching up to touch his face, her fingers trembling but gentle. “Kilian?”

Each groan sent shocking waves of molten heat through her body. Unbridled longing raged through her, culminated in a tremble, a barely repressed aggression. Igniting sparks that roared to life, she could hear the blood pounding through her, as though every part of her wanted to merge into him. To shelter his vulnerability, to protect and harbor the fragile heart that she was sure she had found.

Another moan, and he left her breathless. Mind reeling as emotion flowed like honey, as her quickened heartbeat thundered in her ears. He was everything to her now. He was the one who protected her, the one who showed her every day how much he had to offer was the same being. the one she relied on. ‘I like him,’ she thought dizzily as she opened her mouth to ask him, to give voice to her worry in his expression. She couldn’t speak. Her body reacted as she leaned forward and kissed him again.