(n.) The wordless look between two people who both desire something, yet are equally reluctant to initiate.

What do you think of the new cover? It is so beautiful. It's so perfect. All thanks goes to one and only, the super talented clairetie. Thank you so much for making this. I'm in love with this cover. Just spare a minute of your life and look at her graphics portfolio. I mean she's so perfect. Show her some love.

Typical nights for Zane were becoming more and more difficult to bear. Sleeping beside Raneem was torture and equally torturous as she was now naked behind him and he could not even take a peek as she took a bath. The first and last time he tried, she was ready with a stone and he had barely dodged it. He did not get the sense behind it, but there was something about her forbidding him to look that made him eager - and lewd - to see her without clothing. He was certain other female elves would be more worth to look at, but he did not care for those. He wanted to see her.

Instead, here he was, sitting on a rock, playing with a broken twig between his fingers, looking away from the lake into the thicket. Not a gratifying sight, but it was not ugly enough to settle remove his arousal either.

It was hell to know she was always in his reach, but he could never grab her. He knew he brought it upon himself, but how was he to know she would prove to be too difficult? Even if he did manage to succeed, what good would that knowledge do? As of the moment, he knew more about her country than she did.

He had to let her go. She was useless to him and she was proving to become a weakness. But he could not - or rather, would not let her go. He did not want to. It was unreasonable, but something about her inspired possessiveness in him. He did not want her to marry some other lesser creature, and - heaven forbid! - he would kill any elf who would try to take her.

He knew those feelings should not exist in him, but they did. Could this be the infatuation that the elders were talking about? No, it could not be. Or at least if it were, it would go away. He hoped it was before he could have any reason to be grief-stricken.

Let her go, Zane. He told himself. Let-

Raneem's scream shook him from his thoughts and, without thinking, he rushed to her. She was at the edge of the water in a shallow part, eyes wide and frantic.

"What is it?"

"Give me my towel! Something's in the water!"

He could only think of it as one of two things of the creatures in the water, brave enough to get near an elf - or a human. And one of them was deadly.

He pulled out his dagger and dove in, faintly hearing Raneem call out to him. If he was going to keep her, he had to, at least, keep the waters safe for her to swim in. He opened his senses and darted to a wave of movement. He stopped, seeing a luminous green ball and smiled as it rushed to him. Its tiny feet crawled up to his arms, up to his neck and snuggled there. He felt the water for any more movement and, satisfied that there was none, he went back to shore.

Raneem crouched over the edge of the lake, peering in the dark for him. Her eyes held a deep concern that warmed him. She had a towel draped around her loosely, her hand clinging to the edges at the front to close the sheet around her. He petted the green fluff clinging to his neck, no longer luminous out of the water. Perhaps the saffi would remove the worry from her face.

"Zane?" she called out tentatively. "Is that you?"

"Yes," he said closing the distance. "It was nothing."

"Nothing? But, it crawled on me!"

"Nothing that would harm you, I mean." He sat next to her on the edge, careful not to let her see the creature just yet. "Cup your hands, like this," he demonstrated, "And close your eyes."

"What?"

"Just humor me," he smiled.

He saw her blush through his heightened senses. "Will one hand be enough?"

"Yes," he said, remembering that she had not wrapped the towel around herself well. "Just promise me you would not scream and throw whatever I'm putting there."

"You are scaring me."

"I promise you, it is not something you should be afraid of. Do you trust me?"

"Yes..." she said and closed her eyes and held up her hand. He gently placed the saffi in her hand and she gasped in surprise. "Zane..."

"Open your eyes," he whispered in her ear.

Raneem's eyes brightened seeing the small ball of fur and smiled as its big, moss eyes looked at her. It quickly climbed up to her neck, sending her into a fit of giggles as she was tickled, until it snuggled between her neck and her shoulders.

"Was this it?" Raneem asked him.

He nodded. "We call it a saffi. Very rare. There is a saying among the elders that a saffi brings blessings. And it has not been seen for at least two thousand years."

"Then how do you know what it is? You have not lived that long."

"We just know." He smiled.

She petted it for a while, enjoying the feel of the rare creature on her skin. "Maybe I should return it to the water." Without waiting for an answer, she took it gently and bent over to put it back gently in the lake.

Zane did not see what had happened or why Raneem giggled as he stared transfixed at her back, exposed by the low drooping of the loosely draped towel. He watched water droplet trace the contours of her back and longed to do so himself. When she straightened, his gaze settled on her eyes, then on her lips, transfixed.

"Zane?"

The next moment, he found his lips touching hers. They were as soft and as enslaving as the first time, but this time, she was aware and she did not move. And he did not care. He would not pull away unless she-

Her tentative response surprised and excited him. Her own response was so unsure, her kiss felt virginal. He continued to coax and guide her as he became bolder, his palm reaching up to caress her jaw as his fingers gently massaged the nape of her neck.

He was loving every moment of it, but he wanted more. The tip of his tongue touched the line between her lips and they parted slightly. Not yet enough. He coaxed and coaxed, teasing her as he did so before he went in.

He was no stranger to kisses, but this one pulled a groan from deep within him as he revealed in the ecstasy she was giving him. The familiar ache within him forced him to pull away. He muttered the counter-spell for both of them mindlessly as he watched her eyes flutter open as if coming out from a trance. Her breathing was quick and he could detect the beginnings of an arousal stirring within her.

By the gods! He would take her, and the elders could shove whatever they thought down their throats.

"Zane..." she began breathlessly, "I don't think...we should..."

He did not want to hear any more and covered her lips with his again. She responded, following his lead. The damn woman was kissing him like it was her first time and it drove animalistic lust to rise within him. Oh, her kissing was not bad. Definitely not bad.

His kisses traced down her jaw and her neck as he replaced the towel she was clutching with his own hand. The heat from her body was unmistakable and her uncontrolled responses to him gave him confidence.

"Zane...we cannot..." she sighed as one hand traced just at the edges of her chest.

"I do not see the problem," he whispered and nibbled at her hear eliciting a whimper.

"My father...and Adam..." she tried to explain breathlessly, "They would not approve." She moaned as he suckled on her collarbone and branded her. His. "Zane? Please...I'm scared."

He stopped and pulled away, confused. He looked into her eyes and found genuine fear. "What's wrong?"

"I've never done this before. They say it hurts the first time." She said quickly taking her hand and pulled the towel to cover herself, her head bowed. "And I have always wanted my first time to be with someone I marry."

Zane felt like he was gutted. She was not playing virginal. She did not have to because she was! He felt his insides turn. What had he done to her? He had robbed her of her innocence and forced himself on her. He was disgusted at himself - at what he had done to her. She was fresh and saving herself for the one who would promise and dedicate their whole lifetime to her. And he almost broke that purity. Perhaps not almost. He did.

"I'm sorry," he croaked and shut his senses. By the gods, he was despicable! But more importantly, his heart twisted at the thought - was there someone waiting for her back in her kingdom? He never knew if she was promised.

She stood to change and he turned away. He was wicked and wretched already and he would not add to his sins. It must have been a great effort to stay chaste for so long as a human, and he did not think it was possible. But there she was. The object of his desires untouchable but for the one she chooses to marry.

"Zane?" he turned to her, pain evident in her eyes. He steeled himself though the pain that stabbed at him blaming him for causing her that pain. "This is a night we should both forget," she continued, her voice steady, "Let us carry on, as always."

He nodded, but knew he could not do that. He could no longer touch her in her sleep or notice her arousal. No. It was no longer going to be the usual situation for them.

"Raneem," he said as they reached his room. "There is something I need to say. It is about your country. But perhaps I should tell you when you feel better." He shook himself mentally for suddenly saying it. He should not have, but he was not thinking straight.

"No!" she said forcefully. "Tell me now. I need to hear it. It has been too long. Is my father well?"

He thought of how he would say it, but his prolonged silence made it clear to her.

"Gods no!"

So guys? How was the chapter? I think it was a bit more interactive for both of them. How was their first kiss? (Actually the second but she doesn't know it.) xD

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