Bound by the Mist (Mists of Eria) (25 page)

Cal shook off her thoughts. Better not to dwell on the place of nature and technology in regards to culture. Her mind turned to something that had nagged at her for the last couple days, but Relian spoke before she could inquire.

“In Eria, dry and acrid areas exist—not the kind of beauty you see here but still with a loveliness in its own right. We also have the luxury of time that most mortals don’t have. We can perfect techniques to an art and have done so. What you see here wasn’t constructed in its entirety for many, many years—far more years than a single mortal has.” He said this with no hint of bragging, just with a strong conviction of knowledge long held.

“That stands to reason, though I never thought about it in such detail.” The perfect segue for acquiring other information had arrived. A thrill of satisfaction shimmied down her spine. “The land is that diverse? And now that you’ve mentioned Eria, I have a few questions.”

“Yes?” His voice sounded a little wary.

“Eria is the country your father rules, the home of the eivans or the elves, as I call you?”

He moved his lips over her hair. “Mmm, that’s correct.”

Cal took a deep breath and then released her flood of questions. “Is it the name of this world, this dimension? What other countries and peoples are here? Are they elves or from another race? From what I’ve gathered, there are no humans in Eria, except for Maggie and me.”

Relian remained silent until he chuckled. “So many questions, my Lady Cal! Did you even stop to breathe?”

She elbowed him lightly in the ribs. “Are you saying I talk too much?”

“I would never tell a lady any such thing.”

“No, just think it.”

He shrugged. “Possibly. But I find that you, as of yet, do not speak overmuch.”

Cal frowned. “Thanks, I think. Do females here ‘speak overmuch?’”

“Don’t females of any race?”

“I won’t dignify that with an answer.” She scooted around to straddle him and glared, pulling on one thin braid that hung from his temple.

He took that opportunity to capture her lips with his. She leaned into his touch and slid her hands over his back. The muscles rippled under her fingertips. Cal shivered as a pleasurable hum spread through her body. He moaned into her mouth. Her hands fisted in his hair, the strands a caress against her skin.

She pressed her breasts against the solid wall of his chest, their buds stiffening. His arousal jutted proudly up against her lower stomach. She shifted, and his hands spanned her waist to move her up and forward. His sex pressed against hers.
Oh, God
. Heat flooded her lower regions. He thrusted against her.
Oh, God. Oh, God.
She grew slick with need, and her hips moved in rhythm with his. His hands came up to cup her breasts, and she groaned as he flicked his thumbs over her nipples. Some part of her mind screamed they needed to stop, but the other part wanted to tear his clothes off and throw him down on the chaise lounge. And if they kept going, she’d do exactly that.

He seemed to read her mind because he pulled away with a moan. His pupils were dilated, and his hoarse voice revealed his acute discomfort as he spoke. “Enough, or I’ll take you right here. My restraint is perilously close to snapping. I don’t want our first time to be a hasty, unplanned coupling. I want to do this right, with the proper ceremonies. When we make love, it will be as a bonded couple.”

She suppressed a tremor. He sounded so authoritative. Dear Lord, why’d she find that so sexy? All she could manage was a nod. She didn’t point out the fact they might never bond. They sat in silence, their harsh and ragged breathing the only sound roaring in her ears.

Once air returned to her lungs and her pulse slowed, she cleared her throat to control the huskiness of her voice. “You still haven’t addressed any of my questions.” She nearly laughed at the comical surprise that flitted across his face. So he’d expected her to forget her line of questioning? Not going to happen.

He appeared to choose his words carefully. “There are other fae species. But if there’s no complaint, I would like you to first focus on Eria, and its culture and history. That’s quite an undertaking in and of itself. After you develop a comfortable foundation there, other countries and their peoples can be addressed.”

“Fae peoples!” She smirked, giddy with new knowledge and a sense of achievement.

Relian framed her face with his hands and planted a kiss on her forehead. “That’s all I am going to say for now.” He shook his head. “How do you manage to drag more information from me than I intend to give?”

“It’s a gift.” Despite her words, she had no such ability. Her knowledge of Eria, of him, was minimal. He rarely gave information that illuminated. If anything, it usually confused her. She wanted answers, but she bided her time. Relian would let her in as they became closer. He had to. How could she make informed decisions otherwise?

But she’d never miss a wide-open opportunity for more sleuthing. It’d given her a few useful tidbits in the past. There were a few subjects she refused to tread on, but this wasn’t one. “And what kind of information are you referring to?”

Relian growled. “Indeed, a gift you use on me. As for the other, well….” He tapped her temple. “I think elves are enough of a stretch for you right now.”

She cast her gaze down, seeing her chance for enlightenment slip away. That always seemed to happen. “I guess.”

“Tell me about your home life, if you will?” Relian must’ve sensed her pensive mood, as he often did, since he changed the subject. It was a tactic he’d used more than once, and while she was aware of it, she allowed it most of the time.

“Only if you reciprocate.” She turned sideways in his embrace, so she could lean her shoulder against him.

“Of course.” Relian dipped his head, hair spilling over his velvet-clad shoulders. Her fingers itched to play in that fall of hair. And why couldn’t she? He often had his fingers in hers. And she and Relian had practically humped each other, so that made most caresses seem innocent. But they didn’t have to be locked in a passionate moment for her to touch him. Her hands relaxed involuntarily, and she reached up to run a hand through the beckoning strands.

“I love your hair.” Her fingers glided through the black curtain, a splash of paleness against the inkiness of his hair. He leaned into her touch, practically purring with a look of...utter bliss on his face? She faltered a bit. Could he really like that simple act so much?

He looked down at her, smiling unabashedly. “I love your touch.”

Her hands stilled. Well, that cleared up any lingering question she had.

“What you do is a very relaxing, yet intimate act for my kind.”

She nearly dropped the strands her fingers had arrested on. What, this was a form of foreplay to them?

Relian’s shoulders shook. “Oh, Cal, how you make me laugh. While it’s true this is an intimacy shared between lovers, it’s also one shared by family and close friends. There’s not necessarily anything sexual about it. It all depends on the people involved.”

She didn’t have to ask which kind of person he classified her as, even if she discounted their hot embraces. His smoldering look said it all. “So it’s kind of like the socialization that monkeys undergo when grooming each other for bugs?” Her free hand flew to her mouth.

Instead of being offended as she feared, he broke into peals of laughter. “I’ve never heard it quite phrased that way, but I guess it’s as close a description as any. That is, if we were monkeys—which I have only a vague idea as to what they might be—and carried around insects on our person.”

Her face heated. Great, he was teasing her. She’d probably never live it down. What if he told his father or Kenhel? Or worse, Maggie?

“Don’t fret. I won’t tell a soul.”

She relaxed.

“Except for maybe my father and Kenhel.”

She stiffened and started to remove her hand from his hair. He stopped her. “Nay, I tease. I won’t tell if you promise to remain as you are and speak of your life. However, I can’t guarantee I won’t tease you, whether in public or private. But I won’t release the details without your permission.”

She frowned. That was as good as she was going to get from him? Cal nodded unenthusiastically. “The trade is acceptable: story and finger-combing for semi-silence.”

A smile lit his face. “Good, my lady. Please proceed at your earliest convenience.”

She rolled her eyes upward. Now he was just being a goof. “Where to start?” Her hand started its movement again.

Relian gave a sound of contentment before he answered her hypothetical question. “Your typical day would be sufficient. What endeavor would you usually be engaged in at this moment?”

She glanced at her hand wryly before looking at him. “Definitely not this.”

“I would hope not.”

Jealous, was he?
Consider it payback for Cianve.
She smirked internally before tackling his question. “Hmm, here it’s early evening before supper. Probably studying or in a practice.”

“Practice?”

Cal realized how little they’d actually talked since the language barrier had been overcome. She still didn’t know much about his life and vice versa. Since she was on his home turf, she had the benefit of inference. She could watch him interact with his people and surroundings to gain a better understanding of his life. Relian didn’t have that luxury, as everything was new to her. He might learn about how she handled new stressors in her life, but that didn’t tell much about what had come before.

She shot him a smile. “Rehearsals and recitals.” Her smile faded. “I attend…attended college to study music. Well, music education.” Lines formed between his brows, so she hastened to explain. “Music education is for those who want to teach music to children.”

“College? This is an English word?”

“I don’t know if there is an equivalent term for it in Elvish. It’s basically a place of higher learning.”

“Ah, like studying with the masters of an art?” He closed his eyes and sighed.

Cal looked at her hand, wondering how it could bring the often-austere male to such a state. He popped open an eyelid quizzically and looked at her before glancing down at her hand. Oh, she’d forgotten to respond. “Sort of. A college or university is a place where people can learn many different careers or arts, as you call them. Music education was one of many available majors at the college I attended.”

His eyelids came down to cover that too perceptive gaze from her sight. Without even knowing it’d been there, she released an inward sigh she’d pent up in her chest.

The feeling of his hair between her fingers created a hypnotic effect over her and had a mesmerizing pull on her eyes. His state of relaxation was starting to reel her in. Did she even want to escape?

He startled her out of her complacent stupor when he turned his head, and without opening his eyes, nuzzled her hand. Surprise hit her. Why was he being so affectionate? Maybe heavy-duty elvin courtship consisted of demonstrations such as these. They seemed, as a culture, quite gallant in their everyday mannerisms with the opposite sex, and finding a spouse was a high priority to many. So was it any surprise that he acted the way he did? If he didn’t, that would probably give her more cause for concern.

A guy usually only showed such affection when wanting more—that something “more” meaning sex. But the preprogrammed spectacles she’d used to view other men often didn’t apply here.

“So tell me more about this music education major you undertook.”

As she told him, she found herself referring to everything in the past tense, and her heart sank. If he noticed, he didn’t comment on it. But then, what could he say? Her future was anything but settled.

“You like to sing? You shall have to perform for us.” Even though it came out in the form of a command, he sounded hopeful. “Music is a favored pastime here.”

Cal froze, balking at the idea. She didn’t have to ask whom he meant by “us.” His people often gathered in the great hall for performances that comprised of musicians, singers, and dancers. While she’d performed in front of large audiences, it was for human ears, not elvin ones. So how would she feel standing before a crowd of elves?

She decided not to respond with an offer. Maybe he would forget if she answered only part of his query. “I have a passable voice.” As she shrugged, she fidgeted with his hair. “It’s better than some, worse than others.”

“If I ever have cause to hear your voice raised in song, I’m sure I would find it lovely, like the rest of you.” He opened his eyes to a slit and gave her a heated glance.

Cal swallowed. “Umm…right.”

He chuckled. Was it her imagination or was he always laughing at her? Relian did say she made him do so. She wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not. Did he find her enchanting or just amusing, like a simple child? Maybe both?

“You’re shy now?” He lifted a brow. “One moment you’re demonstrative and the next you’re hiding away.”

He didn’t sound judgmental, so she didn’t think he criticized her. She managed to give a small smile in return. “I can’t help it. That’s the way I am, especially around you.” Her mind screamed for her to close her blubbering mouth. He already knew he made her flustered. Confirmation wasn’t needed to make it all the more glaring.

“I find it charming, and it’s somewhat expected. I sometimes forget how young you are and how new you are to this world.”

There was that word “young” again. Dread rose up. Did he think of her as barely out of childhood? “You’re always referring to how young I am. Everyone here does, in some form or another. You say you don’t treat me as a child, but I don’t feel I’m viewed like a full-grown adult, either. Yet if I stay, I’ll soon look older than every elf here.”

Relian sobered. “You
are
young in years compared to an adult elf. Elf children grow very slowly. If I remember my studies correctly, the years you’ve lived would equate roughly to that of a two year-old elfling.”

“Two years old?” Her voiced squeaked. She was nothing but a two-year old to them. It was a wonder they didn’t coddle her more. He also hadn’t answered her observation about aging. She’d all too soon look older than the whole land of Eria put together. Her mind couldn’t continue to shy away from that fact.