Giving a person a weapon who had no idea how to use it was dangerous. Greyson turned to face me and motioned for me to take his bow. Any other time, “take my weapon” could have meant grab my cock and stroke it. This time, not so much. “Do you want to learn how to shoot the bow?”
“Um, what?” I took a step back and shook my head. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you chicken and beef comes from the store?”
He chuckled. “Come on, Cesha. It’s time you learn. I think you’ll enjoy having the power of the bow in your arms and the arrow at your fingertips. We’ll make a target for you rather than an animal. How’s that sound?”
I could live with that. “All right, show me.” I took the bow in hand, the string facing the Earth.
He walked out toward the trees and pointed to a pink one. “Aim here, okay?”
“Sure, no problem.”
“Well, first, you need to hold it correctly.” He came back and stepped up behind me, then stopped and asked, “Left- or right-handed?”
“Right.”
“Okay, so hold the hilt of the bow in your left hand like this.” He had me switch hands and he lifted my arm up, outstretched. “Now, with your other hand, you’ll place the arrow across the bow string. We don’t do that just yet, though. I want you to get a feel for it between your fingers. Hold onto the bow string with your thumb and index finger, pull back, then feel the pressure of the bow. Once you’re ready, release the string.”
“Sure,” I said and tried to muster the confidence needed to do this simple task. It was only holding onto a bow and pulling the string. I held it up like he’d shown me, then took the bow string between my fingers. I tried to pull back, but it was so hard and tight. “I don’t seem to be able to pull the string back.” My voice sounded puny and whiny. I turned around to look at him.
Greyson twirled his finger for me to face in my original direction. I did and waited for him. I lowered my arms to my sides and a part of me felt completely stupid for even trying this. I’m not a bow and arrow woman. I’m a woman who uses magic, her intellect, and seduction techniques that are quite badass, if I do say so myself.
He then touched my back. The simple gesture as he guided his fingers along my shoulder blade sent a shiver down my spine. I closed my eyes as the power of his fingertips across my skin caused an ache throughout my body, a pain that required tending from only him.
I could feel his heat just behind mine. His fingers traveled the length of my arm, then, at the wrist, he lifted my arm forward.
“Hold the bow hard in your left hand, Cesha,” he whispered just next to my ear. The hair along my arm and neck became erect, and a breath rushed from my lips. His right hand rested on my hip and his other covered mine over the hilt. “You have it good and hard?”
Oh, don’t I though. I nodded and tried hard to keep my eyes forward when all I wanted to do was turn and kiss him. “Yeah, nice and hard.”
“All right, now, reach back and pull an arrow from the quiver. Place it onto the bow string until you feel it click into place.”
I did as he said and as I reached back, his fingers on my hip tightened into my skin. For fucks sake, the man had no idea what he was doing to me, and I honestly had no idea if I was having the same effect on him.
I grabbed the arrow, brought it down to the line, and locked into place as I let out a long breath.
“Now, pull it back and hold it.”
“I may need your help.” I turned my head toward him and my eyes met his, which were alive with desire, a need I hadn’t witnessed in his gaze until this moment. My lips parted and Greyson looked down at my mouth, then back to my eyes.
“Pull it as hard as you can,” he managed to get out. When he swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat. Damn, I suddenly wanted to lick his neck up to his ear, then down to his cock and suck him off. My mouth salivated to feel him, taste him, own him.
"Greyson,” I whispered, and it took everything I had to look away from him and back toward the forest, but I did. “The pink tree?”
He cleared his throat and rested his forehead on my shoulder. The side of my mouth lifted in a partial grin. He lifted his head and with his left hand still over mine, he pointed toward the trees before us. “Yes, and when you’re ready, loose the arrow.”
I nodded and as I began the struggle of pulling the bow string back, his right hand let go of my hip. He slipped it over my hand, and, together, we pulled the arrow back. Ever so gently, he let go of my hand.
“Do you have it?” he asked.
I nodded. “Yes.”
“Then aim for your target and fire.”
I took in a deep breath and slowly I exhaled just as his hand found my hip once more.
“Don’t close your eyes,” he whispered. “You can do this.” His lips were right next to my ear. He would kill me before our next meal if this continued.
A breeze gently blew, and a few strands of my hair blew across my face. It wasn’t enough to blind me or distort my vision, but, in my mind, I felt I may have looked like a real huntress about to claim her prey.
And said prey was standing right behind me.
I let go of the arrow, and, in wicked speed, it found its target in the very center of the tree. I should have cheered and thrust my fists into the air. Instead, I dropped the bow and turned into Greyson’s arms.
I grabbed him by the back of his neck and pulled him to me. Our lips met, and I was heated with a craving for something completely carnal, a cataclysm of desire, want, and need. His hands gripped my waist and he kissed me as hard as I kissed him.
As our mouths parted, his tongue slid alongside mine in a dance of dominance, and, hell, I wanted to give in to him. One hand moved across my back as the other fisted into my hair. He tugged my head to the side and peppered kisses down my neck, then up to suck on my earlobe. It was like he was kissing my entire body, everywhere all at once. It was as if my soul had recognized his in that moment.
I’d never been kissed that way, been that dominated, that turned on.
“Greyson,” I moaned and looked up at the sky. The twin suns were starting their descent, and, in the distance, I heard the sound of footsteps in the snow. “Greyson,” I called again.
“What,” he whispered in my ear.
“I think we have company.”
His fingers let go of my hair and he took a step back. His lips were slightly swollen from kissing me, and his skin was flushed. If I’d been concerned I didn’t have any effect on him, I knew in that moment I’d been mistaken. Greyson wanted me as much as I wanted him. I was so turned on that if he’d grazed my clit, even on accident, I would have come.
No one had ever done that to me before. In all the dates, the sex I’ve had, anything, no one had made me feel the way Greyson did. What the hell does it mean? Lust? Love? Fuck that, it wasn’t love. How could it be? We’ve barely spent any time together. Although, he was kind, caring, and hasn’t given me any reason to not trust him.
“There’s a deer up ahead. Good hearing,” he said and turned me back to face the animal. “And next to him is another rabbit. Pull an arrow and aim, Cesha. Aim for the deer. It’s a buck and will give us meat for days. I can also take some to the village.”
He helped me aim the bow once more, his left arm holding mine and his right over my hand. We pulled the arrow back and he let go as I aimed. I didn’t want to hit an animal, but we needed food. We needed to eat and to survive. I also wanted to help him hand out the food to the families in the village. The little faces crossed my mind and I knew I needed to do this for them. I let go and the arrow flew, then hit the target.
The deer fell to the ground and excitement flooded me, as well as guilt for killing an animal.
I turned to face Greyson and squealed. “I hit it!”
He chuckled. “Yes, you did, well done, but you’re going to scare off any other animals around us if you don’t quiet down.”
I waved him off. “Whatever. You’re just upset that my kill is bigger than yours.”
He lifted a brow, then shook his head. “No, princess. I’m not jealous yours is bigger. We can eat mine now where yours will need to be cleaned and prepared.”
I shrugged and shoved him in a playful move. “Mine’s still bigger.”
He took my hand and pulled me against him. He wrapped my arm around my back with his and his eyes stared directly into mine. “Your kill may be bigger in size, but I guarantee, princess, my meat is larger.”
A slow, deliberate smile crept across my lips and I leaned in until we were just a breath’s distance from one another. “Prove it.”
He grinned, then his lips came down on mine. He cupped my face and slid his tongue across my own. His lips were soft, yet firm as if wanting to control me, master me, dominate me.
I pulled back to catch my breath. My chest heaved, and I licked my lips, tasting him. “We need to head back and deal with the meat, right?”
“Yes,” he said in a growl-like whisper. Good Goddess, he needed to talk to me with that voice when we decided to dunk his monkey in my honey pot.
“Maybe we should go?” I asked and took a step back. He yanked me back to him once more and my body slammed against his. I smiled and pressed my lips to his. I couldn’t get enough of him.
I knew on Earth, shifters would bond and mate to the person they’re meant to be with. This happened for Zelda. Was it the same with the Fae here? I was curious but didn’t want to ask. That would be like the equivalent of kissing on the first date and then start asking about marriage and children.
Nope. Not happening. I’d love to have someone like Greyson in my life, but being I’ve only had myself to rely on, the trust barrier isn’t exactly on track for welcoming the big M. And kids? Oh, hell no will I ever push a watermelon out of my lemon sized hooha.
“Come on, let’s get back,” he whispered. “It’s getting late and we need to get the meat prepared and ready for delivery.” He let go of my hand and we began to walk to where our arrows had landed in the animals.
As we approached, I grinned and pointed to my deer. “See! I told you mine’s so much bigger.” I laughed, and Greyson shook his head.
“Okay, fine, yours is bigger this time.” He winked and bent down to pick up the deer. “Let’s get back. I have a butcher who can process the deer for us. We can feast on the rabbit tonight.” He tied a rope around the rabbit’s feet and held it up for me.
“Um, am I taking this?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, no, there’s no way in hell am I going to carry carnage.”
He stood and wrapped the rope around his waist. He then fastened the rabbit to his body and lifted the deer over his shoulders.
Fuck me, he was strong. Call me impressed. Then again, he was a dragon. At some point, I’d have to convince him to let me ride on his back in his second nature form. We started our way back to his cabin. Dinner would be served soon. It was too late to try to take the deer to a butcher tonight.
Maybe this evening in bed would be different. If he slept next to me, after our kissing in the woods, would he want to go further? Would I? Or would we simply just fall asleep in restless dreams of tangling in each other’s bodies?