Jasmin/The Alien's Liar part 12

ALDREK

We approach the dancers, who notice us but don’t mind our presence.

The male is shirtless, and his trews are short. The female wears a skirt, and her breasts are bare and painted in red.

They chat and laugh, unbothered by the cool rain or the mud under their feet. Their affection is obvious. I envy it. The male touches her freely. The hand at her cheeks sweeps down her neck to the side of her breast, settling at her hip. His passion answers to no one and nothing. Not like mine. Mine answers to honor, because I know I can’t keep Jasmin because I’d ruin her.

She watches the couple avidly. Innocently. She’s exploring the world after living in darkness. Meanwhile, I have already seen too much and now choose to be in darkness. We are in different stages of life.

The couple talks for a few more minutes before they begin their dance. The female stands, looking up at the sky as the rain skids down her body. He circles her, eyes predatory like this is the first time he sees her. Then he lunges, pressing his chest against her back and reaching his hands to grip her thighs.

The female moves her hips, dragging herself like a paintbrush that’s painting their passion on his crotch. Her hands reach up to grip his hair, pulling him closer, demanding more.

He delivers.

He spins her and bends her backward, baring her naked breasts to the sky as he drags his tongue down her throat but stopping at her breast. He releases her and then resumes his circling and lurking as she seductively dances.

This is us. Like the male dancer, I try to orbit around Jasmin at a distance but always end gravitating into her. We pull and push, torn between the two. It’s a madness that doesn’t answer to time. I have known her for days, but desire her like it has been an eternity.

These dancers must have been sent. The gods put them in my path to tell me that they are watching and laughing. They’re enjoying my torture.

A small hand touches mine, and I nearly ignite. I quickly realize it’s just Jasmin.

I look at her. Her eyes are wide and a few strands of hair have escaped her scarf, sticking starkly against her pale face. There’s an uneasy smile on her face.

“Can we dance?”

She’s not angry like I am. She’s not seeing the ugly that I do; imagining that the gods are mocking me. Of course she doesn’t. Unlike me, she didn’t let the darkness she lived through consume her. Although I’m stocked with muscle and she is frail, maybe she is the strong one.

She wants to dance. To fucking dance in the rain while we’re soaked and watching erotic dancers. She doesn’t see how dangerous the idea is. Or maybe she does.

“Fine.”

I grip her hand tight, and tug her into my arms. Her umbrella falls and she shivers once my bare, wet chest touches hers. Her dress is already darkening as it absorbs the water.

Her hands touch my shoulders, and with my arms around her back, we sway to the sound of rain splattering. The only dancing I’ve ever done is in bed. But now, I have Jasmin pressed against me and looking up like I’m more breathtaking than the powerful grey clouds above us. This is more intimate than any tumble in bed I ever had.

Her eyes fall to my lips, and mine fall to the curve of her neck. I want to bend her backward and lick her neck like the dancers did, only that I wouldn’t pull back. I’d sign my damned name on her belly before latching onto her cunt.

“Aldrek…” she whispers my name.

My cock answers before I do, twitching in response to her call.

“What?” I snap.

I’m being an ornery beast; trying to keep her at arm’s length while having her swirling in my arms. The contradiction doesn’t go unnoticed.

“I… I want more.”

“Don’t say that.”

I used to have great control. For years, I denied myself the pleasures of society. No matter how hard I try, I can’t deny myself her.

Thunder claps above as the gods have their laugh.

She looks so unsure of herself. It kills me that she doesn’t see her power.

My wings unroll from my back, and Jasmin loses her footing in shock. I hold her tight before I take off. She’s breathing hard and clinging on, but doesn’t protest as I fly into the market.

My metal-colored scaled wings are easy to identify. I descend on the market, and right as our feet touch the ground, I tug her scarf off her head, revealing her beauty. Jasmin gasps.

Now, everyone is looking. They can gossip all they want about me, but not about her. They don’t know the first thing about the mysterious human female that appeared out of the blue. It will kill them not to have much to whisper.

Does she see her power now?

I fold my wings around us, hiding her from view. The only one that can enjoy her beauty now is me. I study her closely. Is she angry that I pulled her scarf off? Is she intimidated?

With a blow of hot breath, she pushes herself onto her toes and locks her lips on mine. Now I am the surprised one.

I kiss her back, my hands returning around her. She is not as shy as last time. My brave flame is not letting her inexperience impede her from enjoying this kiss.

I pull my lips to her cheekbones, trailing kisses down her neck as I dreamed of doing. She shouldn’t have tempted me, because now I want more.

My mouth meets her wet dress. The cotton is tasteless compared to her skin. It doesn’t deter me. My lips suck on her dress, hunting the beaded nipple I know is waiting for me.

When I latch on, a tremble racks through her. I’d bet my wings that her thighs are drenched with more than the rainwater.

I flick her nipple through the cloth and sweep one hand under the swell of her breast to weigh it. It’s perfect.

The market can’t see us, but I’m sure they can hear my grunts.

Jasmin’s heart beats so fast that I can feel it on my tongue as I drag it over her soft mound. Gods, if only I could push her neckline down and feast on the silky skin.

Her fingers dig into biceps like she’s also dying for a taste of me.

“Aldrek,” she groans. “Home.”

It takes all the power in my body to pull away. I release her nipple and with a last lick to her sharp collar bones; I flap my wings and take off.

I hug her tight as I fly to the cabin. My cock is so hard that it’s weighing me down.

The flight only takes minutes. Although my body is still thrumming with need, I need to run her a warm bath before she gets ill.

I set her down, and for the first time, I care that there’s no lock on the door. I could handle any intruder, but what if Jasmin is alone?

Once the door is pushed open, her hands are back on my biceps, and her back is arced like she’s making an offering. I’ve survived hundreds if not thousands of caged battles, but she’s getting the closest to actually killing me.

“You need a bath,” I say, fisting my hands so hard that my knuckles crack.

“Oh…” she looks down at her body. I don’t, because I know that my torture will only worsen if I see her dress sticking to her frame and her hard nipples calling my name.

“I’ll run the bath.”

I kick my muddy boots off and enter the bathroom. I pull at the lever to fill the tub, and with a glance over my shoulder, I summon my inner fire.

Flames appear on my hand. The destructive, hardly controllable color warms my face. This curse is the reason I can’t have her. I am a ticking time bomb.

With a sigh, I submerge my hand into the tub and wait for the cold water to warm. I never care to bathe with warm water, but I’ll heat it for her.

After a few minutes, I dry my hand and chest, and I walk out.

“It’s done.”

She scurries into the bathroom, and the goddamned game of avoidance continues. I’m at a loss. The right solution is to let her go once the storm settles, but that becomes more impossible every day.

I set a drying cloth and a clean tunic on the door handle for her, and then I go to change out of my soaked trews. I distract myself by thinking about door locks, but I know Jasmin and I will have to talk.

There cannot be any more running.

She arises from her bath minutes later, her hair now tamed in a braid and her nipples hidden from me. She’s timid again, her hands wrung in front of her because she realized that both of us crossed the line again.

I want to stomp on that fucking line until either the ground or my foot breaks. I’m tired of the limitations.

“We need to talk.” I grit.

She nods. “I have to tell you something.” She lifts her head, showing me the sorrow in her eyes.

Immediately, I change my mind. I don’t know what the fuck she’s been hiding, and I don’t want to know, because it will take her away.

I have my own secret that I’m keeping. Maybe it’s for the best we don’t exchange them.

“Stop,” I exhale. “You don’t have to tell me.”

“I do, Aldrek. You deserve—”

“No,” I repeat.

I suspect that whatever it is will make me explode. I don’t want to feel anger. I’ve felt it for two endless decades. Instead, I want to feel the warmth she brings to my chest. The one that doesn’t burn like acid.

“Whatever it is, it doesn’t matter now. Let’s not speak of it.”

I choose the darkness of ignorance if it means she’ll stay.

Her eyes tear, and it breaks the heart inside me I sometimes forget I still have. Whatever her secret is, it can’t be so horrid. I’ve met all sorts of people— the good, the bad, and those in between. By the way she looks at me and the silly things she says, I know she isn’t malicious.

Slowly, I approach her. My hands set on her shoulders, and she wraps her arms around me like she’s afraid she’ll lose me.

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