A Clash Of Light And Thunder (War Of The Forgotten Lovers Book 1)

A Tale As Old As Time

"Let us go. We need to cover as much territory as possible before it gets too dark. We should first clean our clothes. The smell of blood could attract more creatures." Elvin spoke and began to walk through the heavy forest. Aria followed closely behind, looking around nervously at the slightest sound.

"I thought you said you could keep us safe?" Aria asked.

"Creatures, whether monsters to you or not, are still living. I rather not kill any unnecessarily."

They continued to walk in silence. Elvin gazed bore into the distance. His ear would slightly twitch every so often, in perfect synchrony with every brush of the wind and chip of the birds. Aria wondered how far those senses extended.

Elvin suddenly stopped as they walked, "there is water near. We can bathe and clean our clothes there." He changed directions, seeming to follow an invisible trail.

Aria looked around and saw nothing but grass and trees, "how can you tell?"

"The moisture in the air, I can feel it," Elvin stated as a matter of fact.

He parted heavy layers of leaves, revealing a series of waterfalls and pools. The water stemmed from a central waterfall at the top of a hill, splitting into multiple pools. Each separated by mossy green rocks. The aquamarine liquid glistered in the morning light as steam rose from its surface.

A pleased smile made its way to Elvin's face as he made to remove his clothes. His hands stopped over his unfastened fighting leather, letting it hang on his broad shoulders. "I forget your human sensibilities sometimes. If you would like, I can wait and let you bathe alone."

"Alone?" Aria looked around worried, imagining every monster that could prowl from the treelines. "There are different pools, you can take the left, and I'll take the right one. Just keep your back to me."

"Fair enough," Elvin spoke as he finished undoing the strings of his tunic. It came off in one swift motion.

Aria's eyes shifted sideways to avoid the sight, "you could at least wait till I looked away."

"Feel free to peak. I truly do not mind," the smugness fell off Elvin's voice like melted chocolate.

She heard more rustling of clothes, and the itch to look became more than she could resist. Her head turned slightly, just enough for the sight of his bareback to reach the edge of her eyes.

His strong back muscles flexed as he un-tense them. The ink on his skin danced and snaked around every muscle as he moved. They pulled at them and commanded their actions. Aria's eyes lowered further down, wanting to see where the lines would end. Her cheeks flushed. The lines traced the edge of Elvin's bottom. It was as taut as an kettledrum. The heat spread from her face downward at the sigh, causing her to look away.

"You can peak at the front as well if you so desire," Elvin chuckled as he lowered himself into the water. No doubt taking pleasure in Aria's discomfort.

"Do not flatter yourself. I have no interest," Aria scuffed. Taking advantage of his turn back, she began to undress.

"Your scent suggests otherwise," Elvin's chuckle vibrated across Aria's skin, making her blush even further.

Aria let out a deep breath, refusing to let his words get the desired rise. She instead focused on removing her clothes. The fighting leathers were particularly hard to decipher, but soon enough, she found herself free of her constraint. Her hand rose to cover her breast. Even though Elvin had not moved a muscle, it felt improper to not at least attempt to hide. She walked over to the pool adjacent to his and lowered herself down. She relaxed into the calming waters, feeling it ease every tense muscle.