The Blood God

Chapter 2

“I love you, too.”

            He knew he’d said that more times than he could count, but as he stared down at her now, it was all he felt. She was all he wanted. “Jezebel, if I said I wanted to marry you, what would you say?”

            Her face slackened, and her smile faded. “Are you asking me?”

            “No....I mean....I,” He absently rubbed a hand back and forth on his leg, “I don't have a ring or anything else much....so I just wondered how you would, ah, feel if I were to ask you.”

            Her smile returned brighter than before. “I would say yes.”

            Josith let out the breath he held, and silently thanked his lucky stars that she hadn’t said no. “I want to give you something, then – something that says we promise to be together.”   

He thought a moment then patted his pockets. Empty. But he noticed the silver cuff on his wrist with a bear’s head engraved into it. He took it off and reached for her wrist.

She pulled her hand back. “Josith, you can’t. You worked hard to win that in the strength and throwing competition.”

He reached for her hand again. “And that is exactly why I want you to have it; because it means more to me than anything else I own.”

She pulled her arm back once more. “I can’t take that from you. It’s not right.”

Josith gently squeezed her hand. “Jezebel, there is no one in the world I would let wear this but you. Please…” Her arm relaxed and Josith slipped the cuff onto her wrist, bending it until the metal fit snugly. “This is my promise to get you a ring, soon after your birthday.”

She caressed his shoulder and bit her bottom lip, the last always a sign of her feeling nervous. “I want you,” she finally managed, her expression soft, but frozen.

“Are you sure?”

 “Yes.”

Jezebel had started living with Josith only a few months ago and her parents had been completely fine with the arrangement. They trusted Josith with Jezebel and loved him like he was there son. Josith often felt like in the eyes of her parents, they were already married. They’d practically shoved Jezebel out the door when Josith had brought up the subject of them living together.

He kissed her again, soft, slow, and gentle, almost afraid that anything more would frighten her. They had waited so long. His hands shook as he removed his shirt, more when he struggled with her dress. He didn't know whether to laugh or curse in frustration. She sat up and helped him, letting him pull it off her chest and down to her waist. He cradled her warm body in his arms as he grazed her neck with his lips, trailing soft, light kisses all the way to her mouth.

Lowering her back down into the soft grass, he pressed their bodies together then caressed the length of her arm. Pulling her hand towards his lips, he kissed her palm, kissed her shoulder, then nibbled on the lobe of her ear. She turned her head to the side and let out a sigh.

Moving downward, he pulled her dress down just enough to nibble on her hips, the dip in her side, and then kissed her stomach while cupping her breasts, squeezing them; they were soft and delicious and if he weren't careful, he would lose control, ruin the very thing for which he had waited for what seemed an eternity. She arched her back and tangled her hands in his hair.

Sitting up, he pulled off his pants and lifted the lower part of her dress up, bunching the garment near her waist. When he nestled between her thighs, his head resting just inside her, it was like waiting at the gates of a promised land. Sliding into her, hearing her whimper-moan, feeling her shudder as she wrapped her legs around him and forced him farther in was better than the millions of times he had imagined this.