Crissa's Mate

Chapter Thirty-Three

The two walked further into the gym area, past a matted exercise floor and over to a door that read: SPA ROOM: Bathing Suits Required.

David boldly opened the door and the two faced the inside of a steam-drenched chamber. Stepping in, they could see in the center a large oval jacuzzi, featuring turquoise water, and looking to be very inviting in the dim light. Despite the steam hovering over it, the water was still and clear. David led Crissa by the hand even closer, as there was no one else inside the room. He then reached down and switched on a large button at poolside. Immediately, the jets inside the small pool began to rev-up and obscure the water with white, foamy agitation.

"David?  David, what are you doing?"

"Wait here," he said suddenly.

"What? David . . . where are you . . ."

"Just wait. Give me one minute."

Before Crissa could say anything more, he had turned and exited, leaving her standing in the heavy moist air. Patiently willing to wait that single minute, as he requested, she was soon about to go find him when he appeared again, carrying what looked like folded towels in his arms. On top of two terrycloth robes, were also a pair of bathing suits, neatly wrapped and sealed in plastic bags.

"David? Where did you get . . ."

"The spa guy . . . out there. It's his job. For guests, right?  We're guests."

"Oh my God, David. I can't believe you!"

"Here. Go to the women's shower room and change into the bathing suit . . . and put on the robe. I'll do the same and meet you right here."

"But this is . . . absolutely . . ."

"Normal, Crissa. We're guests of this place. We're entitled to enjoy it."

Without waiting for any further comment, David took his own robe and bathing suit and left for the men's shower room.

Crissa slowly walked into the bath facility. Surprisingly, the two-piece bathing suit David had procured for her looked to be a decent fit. She then made the bold decision to step out beyond her comfort zone and comply with his crazy plan—all in the name of daring and maturity. It seemed so much of what had already happened on the trip far out-scaled in comparison just getting into a jacuzzi, she reasoned.

Returning to the enclosed jacuzzi, wearing the full-length  with the bathing suit beneath, she found David already inside the hot water, his clothing and robe hanging on a hook nearby.

"Come on in," he said, cupping his hands in the hot water and pouring it gingerly over his head.

"You are really crazy, you know that?" 

She said this trying to fight off her embarrassment of removing the robe and quickly stepping into the frothy water. Once in, however, she felt herself soon beyond her modesty as only her head and shoulders could be seen by David across from her.

To both of them there was a heavenly feel to the sumtuous water as it bubbled and massaged their bodies. The heat was perfectly controlled to be just enough to add to the sensation of total relaxation. David was leaning back, his head against the edge of the jacuzzi with his eyes closed. His words were slow and indicative of total pleasure.

"Well . . . I hope this feels as good for you . . . as it does me, Crissa."

"Yes. I'll have to admit," she answered over the steady sound of the jets. "It pretty much does."

She sank now too, deeper into the water, submerging herself to her neck.

"You see," he added. "Up in Alaska, people will absolutely kill to get into one of these things. I just couldn't resist the opportunity tonight."

"No, you really didn't, did you," she said a little nervously—still feeling uneasy with him so close. And fully aware of them both being only partially dressed.

"Someday, I'll have one of these things in my house, I swear," he said, smiling  assuredly.

Crissa just smiled too at his promise and tried to let herself relax more completely. But just as she closed her eyes, she felt David's hand meet hers, under the surface. He pulled himself closer to her and opened his eyes.

"You're a true adventurer, Crissa," he said softly. "I like that in you. To be perfectly honest, when we met? Well, I sort of saw you as . . . I don't know . . ."

"A child.  I know. Just out of high school, right?. Yeah, you told me that, David."

"Well OK. But then, so much was thrown at you. And you handled it. All of it so well."

Crissa could only think of what David himself had gone through. And what he would now have to endure—each month under a new full moon.

"It's amazing isn't it, Criisa?"

"What is, David? That I . . ."

"No. That there's no one else in this amazing hot water tonight."

"Yeah . . . I kinda noticed."

At that moment he brought his body closer to hers and she felt his arms slowly embrace her. It was a feeling she both feared and wanted—a breathless sensation he proved before he could bring out in her.

As he pulled her closer still, he kissed her softly and slowly. First on her neck and shoulder, and then on the lips. She felt his knees steadily move apart and he effortlessly brought her in so close to him she could feel his warm skin against hers. It all seemed so natural, out of sight, beneath the water. As before, David's kiss became more passionate—a sensation she could not, did not want to resist. His hands were caressing her back and shoulders, as they had in the barn. But this time freer of clothing. 

Crissa suddenly felt in the process, that he had unfastened the top of her bathing suit and the small garment drifted effortlessly off of her, to be replaced by the feeling of his fingertips now lightly caressing her breasts. It was both a shocking and delicious feeling, as her breathing uncontrollably began to increase and her body tensed up. The activity David was engaged in was something she had imagined in her private fantasies, and only while in bed at night. But she realized now it could all really  evolve into that vaulted erotic completion. Right there, that night, under the water. As his hands moved further down, both to the outside and then the inside of her bare thighs, the vulnerability of where it was all leading, caused Crissa to reach down and gently hold his hands at bay.

"David, . . . I really do want to go further with you. Maybe even further than what you are doing to me now.  But it has to come . . . in time," she said reluctantly. "Not here. I hope you understand that."

She felt his hands move away slowly from her thighs and hips. And as they broke the surface of the water, she felt them now softly touching both sides of her face.

"I do understand," he said. "We must be clear and careful, Crissa. Our actions like this will have to have its limits. There's things I know which . . .  I just can't do to you . . . not without serious consequences."

She was very aware of those concerns. Those 'consequences' he spoke of. It was, after all, the affected wolves' saliva when in contact with David's blood, during his attack, that caused the young man to be infected. How all that might be duplicated for Crissa through just the chance of another, more intimate source of David's body fluids, was of a grave and future concern to her. And now apparently to David as well.

As the two sadly hugged in the warm and inviting water, they silently knew that as long as Crissa would remain only human and David was of both worlds, their true and evolving love would never reach a level of totality—the potential dual bliss it might have if all taboos were broken.

After several more moments of a quiet embrace, they shared one more soft kiss. It was a promise of unknown things to come. And of a continuing adventure that would soon move them to their home continent. What they would face there were certainly challenges they could not imagine. 

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