Divided

I woke up warm and on a hard surface. Someone was behind me with their arms wrapped tightly around me. I looked down. I was naked except for a few blankets and I tried to remember everything that happened. The last I could remember, though, I was jumping the gap for Jacob.

The person behind me stirred and sighed in their sleep. I turned carefully, making sure I was still covered by the blankets. I blushed. It was Jacob. He was fast asleep but his face was anything but peaceful. In fact, he looked like he was having a nightmare.

Icefire was nowhere to be seen and I started to get worried. I tried to sit up but, as soon as I did, Jacob woke with a start.

“Sorry,” I said as he rubbed his eyes. “I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

“It’s okay,” he mumbled sleepily. “Are you all right?”

“Where are we?”

He opened one eye and looked up at me. “You don’t remember?”

I shook my head, still keeping my blanket pressed to me as I looked for my bag.

“Lie down,” he sighed. “It’s… quite the tale and I don’t want you to freak out too much.”

“That’s comforting,” I said but did as he said.

I turned to face him. He moved the pack so I could use it as a pillow, too. For a while, he just stared at me. Finally, he took a deep breath.

“You transformed to get us over the gap,” he muttered and I nodded. “You couldn’t go back to a human, though. It’s too cold out there. We met the father of the blue dragons. His name is Ezekiel. He brought us into these ruins so you could rest.”

“Why do I feel so… uneasy?”

“This is where the magic our people have been sensing is coming from.” He hesitated. “The dragons were being attacked by vampires so they fled to the south. When they couldn’t survive, they came back to this tower. But… it was full of Bardawulf worshipers. They killed them all,” he said quickly when I tried to get up. He kept his arm around my waist so I couldn’t move. “They also rid the tower of Bardawulf’s influence. Anyway, he brought us up here where the fire is so you could warm up.”

“Where is Icefire?”

At this, he smiled. “She is visiting with her kind.”

“How long have we been here?”

“I’d say seven hours at the most,” he answered and I nodded.

He was looking at me strangely. Before I could ask why, his lips were on mine. I gasped then kissed him back. He ran his hand from my waist into my hair and deepened the kiss. Forgetting all about my blanket, I wrapped my arms around him, pressing my body to his. Our kiss quickened as his hand ran down my bare back, making me shiver.

“I love you,” he whispered suddenly and my eyes shot open.

His were still closed. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking or feeling. I caressed his cheek and his eyes opened.

“I love you, too,” I breathed.

He smiled. “Do you think now is the time?” he asked.

I frowned. “The time for what?”

He sighed. “Our elders told me about Bardawulf,” he said quietly. “I know what has to happen.”

I looked away. “I don’t want you to feel like you’re obligated. If we were to lay together, I want it to be because you love me and-”

“Of course I’m obligated,” he interrupted and I looked at him again. He was frowning. “I’m in love with you, Tetra. I can’t let him touch you. There’s no way I’ll let him hurt you. Besides, I’d want to lie with you even if you weren’t being sought after by a merciless god.”

A few tears slid down my cheeks as I kissed him. I pulled on his shoulder until he was on top of me. He hesitated at first until I removed the blanket shyly. He took in my body then kissed me again with more intensity. He took his shirt off and I ran my hands over his chest. He groaned into my lips and I felt him push his trousers down.

“I don’t know what I’m doing,” he whispered in my ear and I laughed a little, letting him settle himself between my legs.

“Neither do I,” I admitted and he kissed my neck. “Let’s figure it out together, Jacob.”

Slowly, he moved into me. We gasped at the same time. Mine was more of pain and discomfort as he took the one thing I had been keeping precious for 18 years. Eventually, though, it was replaced with pleasure and I wrapped my arms around his chest, moaning quietly. He put one hand under my neck and the other on my breast as he continued to thrust slowly. I leaned my head back, relishing the pleasure pulsing through my body, and trying not to scream.

My body began to tingle and my toes curled. I couldn’t stop the loud moan from escaping my throat as my body suddenly tensed then released in pleasure. I was exhausted and Jacob followed soon after.

He stayed on top of me until he caught his breath. Then he rolled on his side and pulled the blanket over both of us. I curled up next to him and put my head on his chest. I closed my eyes as he stroked my damp hair.

Then, my mind and body exploded in pain. I screamed at the top of my lungs. I heard Jacob shouting my name but all I could see was red. Then I saw a handsome man standing above me, his face twisted in rage. His nails on his hands extended and he slapped both of my cheeks. He gashed open my stomach and tried to push my legs apart but all that happened was his nails left deep gashes in my thighs.

“No!” he roared and tried to slash at me more.

A figure blocked him, though. Whoever it was, they were tall with long white hair. He was dressed in black armor with a sword on his hip. A dragon perched on his right shoulder, hissing at Bardawulf. With a shriek of anger, Bardawulf disappeared.

“Come on, Tetra!” Jacob shouted. “Wake up! It’s a nightmare! Damn it! You’re bleeding! You need to stop thrashing so much.”

My eyes shot open and I looked around. I was surrounded by blue dragons. Jacob was struggling with bandages and water. He was clothed again and Icefire was right beside me, purring in my ear and singing that lullaby of hers. I was confused.

“Does she need more bandages?” a large blue dragon asked.

“Yes,” Jacob panted. “It’s her stomach and her thighs. Tetra, what happened baby?”

My lower lip trembled. “I thought I had a month!” I cried, covering my face and wincing when I felt the bruise marks from his slap.

What do you mean, Tetra? Icefire asked.

Still sobbing in pain, I told them about the nightmare. Icefire settled by my ear again and began her lullaby once more. Jacob was shaking as he finished bandaging all of my wounds.

“How bad is it?” I whispered as he sat beside me, putting my head in his lap.

“Pretty bad,” he whispered back, stroking my hair. “But I got the bleeding to stop and Ezekiel got the bandages the worshipers had left behind when they left.”

I closed my eyes wearily. “I lost much blood, didn’t I?”

“Yes, my love, you did.”

I turned my head so I was facing his stomach and inhaled his scent. That, his touch, and Icefire’s song calmed me.

“You saved me,” I muttered, starting to fall asleep again. “You and Icefire. You scared him off.”

“Sleep,” he whispered. “We’ll talk about it when you wake up.”

“I’m scared.”

He kissed my lips.

“He can’t hurt you anymore,” he said. “I won’t let him.”

None of us will.