He nods slowly and cups water to spread over my skin. Instead of using the tunic as a washcloth, he merely spreads his wet fingers against my skin. It's both erotic and comforting, just touching one another, and when his hand moves between my breasts to touch the thick, obvious stitches there, he looks so stricken that I ache for him.
Sometimes I wish I could turn off everything he's feeling, because it's clear he's struggling. I do not like this, Carly, he told me once. I do not like feeling all this guilt.
I don't want him feeling all that guilt, either. He didn't ask to be trapped, after all. He didn't ask to be transported to my world. He's just coping as best he can, one day at a time. So I distract him. "How far is the journey to the Spidae? Are they close?"
He bends down, cupping another handful of water and trickling it over my breasts. I want to point out that they're not dirty, but he seems to be enjoying himself, so I just bite back my smile. "They live at the edge of the world."
"So…not close."
Kassam's gaze flicks to mine, and his playful grin returns. "No, not close. It will take some time to travel there, even on griffin-back."
I bite back a groan at that. Goody. More days on griffin-back. "I guess it's too far to walk."
"I suppose we could," he says, brushing his wet fingers over my nipple and watching it with fascination as it hardens. "But I worry it will put you in danger again. I am tired of you getting hurt by my choices."
I thwack him with the wet tunic, savoring the splat it makes on his chest. "Oh, I'm sorry, is it beat on Kassam time? I must have missed the memo."
He looks surprised, clutching at the tunic. "Did you just strike me, wife?"
"With a tunic. Don't be a baby." I reach over and flick a finger at his nipple, enjoying his outraged expression as he moves to protect it. "Are you done castigating yourself or should I see if we can find a whip in the next town and you can just beat yourself directly?"
Kassam stares at me, then throws back his head and laughs. "Well said, my pretty wife. I hear your words." He tosses the tunic aside and cups my face in his hands, grinning as he bends down to kiss me. "I am sorry if I am moping. I just don't like you getting hurt."
"I don't like getting hurt, either, but I know you wouldn't do it on purpose." I slip my wet hands around his waist, then reach lower and behind him to cup his firm ass. I'm not being eaten alive by hedonism's curse any longer, but I can still appreciate a delicious ass. And man, his is nice. "So let's stop with that, all right? Let's just enjoy our time together."
He smiles and leans in to kiss me again, brushing his lips over mine in a gentle promise. I close my eyes, savoring the feel of him, when he chuckles against my mouth. "Look. Little lights."
I blink up at him, slightly confused. When he gestures behind me, I turn to look at what he's pointing toward. It's the dark forest, shadowy with deep dusk, the sky above a rich purple. As I stare at the darkness, a tiny light flashes and disappears. Then another. And another.
Fireflies.
"Little lights," Kassam murmurs, sliding an arm around my shoulders and hugging me back against him. "Are they not a joy to see? They are some of my favorites, I think."
Little…lights. "You call me little light. Because of them?"
"Yes." His voice is rich and pleasant behind me, and in front of me, another light blooms in the darkness and zips away. "You are my light in the shadows, helping me see clearly when I am lost."
Oh. All this time I thought he was insulting me. Being just a cocky god who thought of all humans as lesser lights. Instead, he's been complimenting me. Calling me sweet things.
To him, I'm not less. I'm his light in the darkness.
It might be the best thing I've ever heard. Ever. I turn toward him, ferocious, and push him to the muddy banks of the stream.
"What are you doing?" He asks, amused.
"I love you," I say, even though it's not an answer. Instead, I put my hungry hands on his warm skin and touch him everywhere, stroking his cock as I give him another push toward the banks. He settles onto the mud on his back, propping up on his elbows as I climb over him. "I love you, Kassam."
"I love you, my little light." His gaze searches mine, perhaps looking for answers as to why I'm suddenly so ravenous for him. "I will not let anything happen to you. You have my vow."
I lean in and kiss him, hard, nipping at his lower lip and sucking on it until he groans. "Wanna make love to a dead girl?"
He doesn't laugh at my joke. If anything, he frowns slightly. "You are not dead, Carly. Your spirit is right here with me."
"Yeah, but my flesh—"
"—is just flesh," he finishes before I can say more. He lifts his chin, angling his mouth toward mine as I straddle him. His cock is hard and aching between us, and I rub my pussy over his shaft, teasing, as his lips nip at mine. "The flesh does not matter, my little light. My spirit loves yours."
And that's another reason why I love this man so much. Beneath the tangled hair and the laughter is a gorgeous spirit. I kiss him again as I slide a hand between us, angling his cock against my entrance. When I seat myself upon him, we both groan. I'm a little dry, my body not responding quite like it used to, but Kassam's silver eyes are scorching as I slowly work him into my body. He licks his thumb and presses it against my clit as I ride him, and then we fuck fast and hard on the muddy banks of the stream. When I come, it's the tiniest orgasm, like my body is fighting to show any sort of release, but I'll take it. I rock my hips above him even after I'm done, until he comes deep inside me.
I don't move from my spot, either. I just lean over him and press kisses to his warm, delicious skin. I don't want to think about tomorrow or what comes next. I want to just enjoy my husband amidst the light of the fireflies.
Tonight is enough for me.
50
Two Weeks Later
I thought I'd be glad to see the other side of the mountains, but it looks like I'm wrong.
What's on the other side of the mountains is much, much worse. Ugh. I stare at the gray surroundings, at the enormous, flat gray lake that betrays not a ripple or a hint of movement, and try not to feel alarmed.
At my side, Kassam gives me a brilliant smile. "Almost there. Want to rest a bit longer or shall we get moving?"
I…honestly don't know. I stare out at the desolate gray landscape and blink, trying to decide. I've never seen anything like it. Maybe the last few weeks of travel have spoiled me. We've moved over forests and green landscapes for the last while, all of it lovely and inviting. The weather has been nice, as well, with only the occasional rainstorm to dampen our spirits. It's almost been like a vacation as we've traveled on griffin-back. We're not in a hurry, and sometimes I wondered if Kassam was deliberately taking his sweet time as we moved leisurely north, stopping frequently for no reason at all. We'd stop to see a particularly impressive tree that looms higher than the others, or if Kassam sensed a rare bird. We'd stop at a stream so the griffin could rest for a bit. We'd stop at this particular cliff because the view was spectacular.