control your impulses, and you don’t know how to own up to your behavior. Now put me down, or I’ll set those wings of yours on fire.” Heat infused her blood, and her magic grew. If he thinks he’s going to intimidate me … No, I’ve got to calm down.
“Set me on fire? What happened to the tree-hugging Omala animal lover who believes all life is sacred? Now you’re threatening me with your flames.”
She narrowed her eyes; a mixture of lust and anger snaked up her spine, gripping her heart like a fist. “If you would just—”
“Did you get to the makeup part yet?” Talloc called out from wherever he was. He sounded winded, as if he was running.
Rhuul lowered her to her feet and looked in the direction of Talloc’s voice. “Did you get to the part where you shut the fu—”
“Rhuul!” She sighed and waited for him to turn back to her. “Don’t you have any other emotion besides anger?”
His expression was hard, but after a few moments of silence, it softened. He held the pouch out to her again, his gaze on the ground. “Here. We’ve been traveling nonstop.”
When she took the bag from his hands, he let out a breath. He seemed more relaxed, but she could still see tiny twitches in the muscles of his jaw. She opened the small leather ties and gasped when she eyed the contents. “This … This is meat!”
And just like that, he was back to the scowling Rhuul she was growing accustomed to. “Yes, it’s meat. It’s all I have. I’m not a walking tavern.” He paused, closing his eyes and retucking his wings against his back. “What’s the problem?”
Omala had very strict rules regarding the care and preparation of their livestock. The idea that the animal could have been mistreated in any way unsettled her. She wanted to explain, but she wasn’t sure he’d understand. “It’s … fine. Thank you.”
“You’re lying. Just tell me.”
She sat down on the soft leaves of her created bed and pulled her knees up to her chest. “Omala are very … particular about the way our food is handled, that’s all.” She pulled out a strip of the dried meat and bit off a piece. It was tough, but flavorful. There was an awkward silence between them as he watched her eat, reminding her how badly she needed a bath. “Do you want me to make a bed for you?”
“No, I can’t sleep on flat surfaces like that.” He opened his wings wide, calling attention to them. “I’ll have to conjure something so my wings will be comfortable.”
“Oh.” She looked at the long appendages, both smooth and powerful. “How about this?” She reached into the magic of the earth beneath her, bringing forth a large bed of leaves. She created a line of supple vines down the center, covered in a thick moss. She grew this area above the leaves, making them several inches higher.
“That’s…” He stared at the creation, a small smile curving his lips. “That’s perfect.” She watched him lay atop the plants, and took pride in his sigh of relaxation.
“Sleep well, Rhuul.”
“You too.”
“What the hell is this?” Talloc returned, completely naked and extremely aroused.
“Sorry.” She yawned and lay down next to Ghena, snuggling close. “We’re going to bed. Do you want me to make one for you?”
“No, I do not want you to make a bed for me. I want the two of you in bed with me. I thought I was clear about this.” He sucked his teeth and changed into a golden-maned frana wolf, where he swiftly curled up on the ground, lifted his leg, and shamelessly licked his genitals.
Avalea shut her eyes tight before turning over. “I did not need to see that.”
* * * *
It took three more days of travel before the sprawling farmlands of Avalea’s village came into view. These lands sat in stark contrast to the arid wastes they’d trekked through. Every area was teeming with life. Flourishing crops and healthy livestock surrounded a town made up of buildings that were a mixture of earth and greenery.
“Set me on fire? What happened to the tree-hugging Omala animal lover who believes all life is sacred? Now you’re threatening me with your flames.”
She narrowed her eyes; a mixture of lust and anger snaked up her spine, gripping her heart like a fist. “If you would just—”
“Did you get to the makeup part yet?” Talloc called out from wherever he was. He sounded winded, as if he was running.
Rhuul lowered her to her feet and looked in the direction of Talloc’s voice. “Did you get to the part where you shut the fu—”
“Rhuul!” She sighed and waited for him to turn back to her. “Don’t you have any other emotion besides anger?”
His expression was hard, but after a few moments of silence, it softened. He held the pouch out to her again, his gaze on the ground. “Here. We’ve been traveling nonstop.”
When she took the bag from his hands, he let out a breath. He seemed more relaxed, but she could still see tiny twitches in the muscles of his jaw. She opened the small leather ties and gasped when she eyed the contents. “This … This is meat!”
And just like that, he was back to the scowling Rhuul she was growing accustomed to. “Yes, it’s meat. It’s all I have. I’m not a walking tavern.” He paused, closing his eyes and retucking his wings against his back. “What’s the problem?”
Omala had very strict rules regarding the care and preparation of their livestock. The idea that the animal could have been mistreated in any way unsettled her. She wanted to explain, but she wasn’t sure he’d understand. “It’s … fine. Thank you.”
“You’re lying. Just tell me.”
She sat down on the soft leaves of her created bed and pulled her knees up to her chest. “Omala are very … particular about the way our food is handled, that’s all.” She pulled out a strip of the dried meat and bit off a piece. It was tough, but flavorful. There was an awkward silence between them as he watched her eat, reminding her how badly she needed a bath. “Do you want me to make a bed for you?”
“No, I can’t sleep on flat surfaces like that.” He opened his wings wide, calling attention to them. “I’ll have to conjure something so my wings will be comfortable.”
“Oh.” She looked at the long appendages, both smooth and powerful. “How about this?” She reached into the magic of the earth beneath her, bringing forth a large bed of leaves. She created a line of supple vines down the center, covered in a thick moss. She grew this area above the leaves, making them several inches higher.
“That’s…” He stared at the creation, a small smile curving his lips. “That’s perfect.” She watched him lay atop the plants, and took pride in his sigh of relaxation.
“Sleep well, Rhuul.”
“You too.”
“What the hell is this?” Talloc returned, completely naked and extremely aroused.
“Sorry.” She yawned and lay down next to Ghena, snuggling close. “We’re going to bed. Do you want me to make one for you?”
“No, I do not want you to make a bed for me. I want the two of you in bed with me. I thought I was clear about this.” He sucked his teeth and changed into a golden-maned frana wolf, where he swiftly curled up on the ground, lifted his leg, and shamelessly licked his genitals.
Avalea shut her eyes tight before turning over. “I did not need to see that.”
* * * *
It took three more days of travel before the sprawling farmlands of Avalea’s village came into view. These lands sat in stark contrast to the arid wastes they’d trekked through. Every area was teeming with life. Flourishing crops and healthy livestock surrounded a town made up of buildings that were a mixture of earth and greenery.
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