Chapter 23. The Morning After

Ryas chuckled at how unraveled she became. "Stop." He pulled away.

"You - you said forever, Ryas." Yuliah hooked both arms tighter around his neck. "Don't you want me?" Then placed his hand on one of her breasts.

She gasped when his hand cupped to her breast firmly. The pad of his thumb rubbed gently across her nipple, and a soft moan escaped her lips. She didn't expect that would happen. Nor did Yuliah imagine it would feel this good to be touched by him.

He laughed amusingly. "Not here like this." Then released the Ethereal Spirit concentrating its power into the tips of his fingers. Ryas pressed them to the temples of Yuliah's head. Her breaths became labored when he reached inside her mind.

She struggled against the flow of the Ethereal Spirit again, but with his mind, Ryas shut her consciousness off and allowed the Ethereal Spirit to flow through her body freely until her eyes shut and Yuliah went into a deep sleep.

Through closed lids, she sensed the red of the sun warm on her face, and opened both eyes to a bright blue sky. "Ryas!" Why did she dream about him last night? She flipped onto her side to see no one but a few trees. He usually stayed close by. Where did he go?

Yuliah turned onto her back. Blue skies bolted up. My clothes! She wore a new dress. Does this mean last night wasn't a dream? Yuliah's palms rubbed against her face. No! So it wasn't a dream after all? How would she face him now? They barely knew each other. He must take her for some loose woman.

"Yuliah." She spun around. The sound of his voice cut through her thoughts.

Oh, Good Gods! Her face reddened. Why did he have to be this handsome? It only made her blush more. Then bits and pieces of last night came flooding back. Yuliah clutched the side of her hot face. The embarrassment! Where could she run off and hide?

"Are you all right? Your cheeks... Their flushed this morning," his tone poked fun at her.

With a satisfied look on his face, Ryas seemed less arrogant this morning.

"I'm fine," Yuliah got out. "I slept well." She would not give him the satisfaction that he wanted.

"Did you now?" he questioned.

"Yes.," Yuliah smiled at him. "So well I can't remember much," her plump lips widened and thinned out, but held her breath hoping that he would not bring up what happened between them last night.

"I'm glad you're well-rested. Are you going to ask me how my night went?" Ryas stared back at Yuliah.

Yuliah fought back the urge to give him an eye roll. "Did you sleep well Ryas?" Yuliah asked straight-faced. Why was he behaving like this? She could never figure him out.

"No. I spent my night with a seductress who..."

Before he could finish Yuliah pounced ahead knocking Ryas back. With both hands over his mouth. "Don't say it!" Her face red flaming face

He twisted sideways smirked then uncovered his mouth, "So you remember," Ryas laughed and continued to deep then loudly with a hand pressed up against his stomach.

Yuliah's hands came down hard across his arm, "You did this to me! So don't you even dare laugh!" She hit him again and again until she grew tired.

Ryas stood there and watched amused.

Yuliah hit him one more time. Angry with him and the whole situation she raised her fist into the air ready to strike him again but Ryas seized her hands and yanked, "I like this. This fight in you," and as quick as he took her wrists, he dropped them and walked away.

Stunned Yuliah stood there dumbfounded as he picked up their bedroll and headed toward his horse. She didn't move until he spoke.

"Come here. We don't have time to waste," Ryas waved towards Yuliah.

She snickered at him when he turned away. What am I his pet? She slowly walked over.

"Are you done pretending that it didn't happen?" He lifted Yuliah by the waist and into the saddle. "It's better to face the truth and accept it. Running away will only make it worse."

Yuliah swung one leg over the saddle and rolled her eyes, "Yes, I have, but I don't want to talk about it." Glad that her back was to him - because her face always gave her away.

"You don't want to talk about it right now? Or, Forever," he annunciated forever.

Good Gods! He would not let this go. "You sure are talkative. Is this how men behave after they get a little action?" Yuliah's head cocked around back at Ryas. "Like an excited little puppy played with for the first time?" Then gave him a mocking smile.

"My first time?" He scoffed. "Not even close."

"You've never spoken more than a few words to me."

"After last night. I feel more connected to you now," he leaned in until his breath beat down across Yuliah's face.

Those deep blue eyes and his sharp jaw tugged at the strings of her heart. She fought them back, "I'm so happy you're capable of other emotions besides arrogance," she smirked at him. "I thought you were dead inside," and jabbed a finger into his chest.

"Oh, I'm capable of other emotions," he released his Ethereal Spirit and sent a burst of heat Yuliah's back.

She thought he smiled, but the flutters and head spreading throughout her body caused Yuliah to turn around quickly. Then cleared her throat and changed the subject. "I'm spoiled now. I'll be lucky if a man will marry me. Especially if he hears about this," Yuliah sighed.

"I'm the one who lifted the veil. That should solve your problem."

"Like what you did to me last night?"

"Not last night three nights ago," Ryas corrected her.

"What! Three nights ago!" How could I have been out for this long? "I know you did something to me. When you gave me that drink, I knew it tasted different. Oh, and for your information, I do not behave like that!" Yuliah raised her voice.

"Yes... That's not your normal behavior, but it's raw and real. I enjoyed it," he spoke into her ear. "I only tried to save you. I didn't know that would happen."

"What did you do to me?" Yuliah asked, and he enjoyed it? What was that supposed to mean?

"I blooded you and healed you with my blood," Ryas told her.

"Like a Blood Demon?" Yuliah shivered. "We have stories in the Northern Kingdom about Blood Demons. They're handsome and beautiful so they can seduce prey. Once under the spell, they'll drain you of blood and entrails. They could also turn you into one of them by feeding you their blood."

Ryas laughed, "No. There's no Blood Demon. They are the damned Geneoshi who took on the power of the Dark Ethereal Spirit. They don't hunt man only a specific bloodline. If I were one, why would I give you my blood instead?"

"Maybe you want to turn me into one of you," Yuliah gasped. No. No. No. I'm only scaring myself again. "What are you? Are you a man?" She asked him.

"I am Geneoshi we are like a man but different."

"Are you from the Ethereal Forest then?" She asked Ryas another question.

"I come from a different world but not the Ethereal Forest," he replied.

"Will we have to pass through the Ethereal Forest to get to the Southern Kingdom?" Yuliah threw another question at him. If he wasn't from the Ethereal Forest, where did he come from, another world? Where though? Maybe I could ask him about it. "Ryas," but he had cut her off.

"Yes, we will, but if you follow my instructions carefully, we'll get through the Forest," he told her.

She tried to ask Ryas more questions about where he came from, the Ethereal Forest, and Spirit, but his answers became shorter. Yuliah figured he did not want to talk about it anymore and she stopped asking. They continued traveling in silence, following their usual routine.

Green trees and mountains stretched ahead with no end in sight.

How far had they gotten since they left Wey Manor? These forests never seem to end, and I've lost track of time. Did they bury Yujen yet? Funerals usually took up to fourteen days to prepare. It might be too soon. "Ryas how many days have we been traveling together? I lost track."

"A while now," he only said.

Her father, he must have started the funeral arrangements for Yujen already. Yuliah sighed. Tears began to fill up both eyes until she couldn't hold them back anymore, and they dribbled down her cheek. She sniffled quietly, not wanting Ryas to hear and watched the yellow and orange sun as it began to set against the crimson sky.

Ryas' arm tightened around Yuliah's waist. Then pulled her back against his body. This slight gesture gave Yuliah the comfort she needed at this moment.

They traveled into the night until she grew tired and slumped sideways against him.

"Let's rest here for the night," Ryas nudged her gently. He built a small fire for them and laid the bedroll out. Yuliah crawled inside and instantly fell asleep.

It was a constant stroke, soft and gentle that brushed across her cheek like the back of one's hand. That roused Yuliah from her sleep. Still too tired to get up, "Ryas, can't I rest a little longer?" she sighed with both eyes closed. He didn't answer, but his hand began to brush her cheek faster and harder. Yuliah swiped his hand and popped both lids open. "What!"

A piercing scream burst from her throat and bounced off the cave walls echoing into the night. She inched back and dragged an almost limped body away until jagged edges of rock jabbed into Yuliah's back.

"Mother…" the creature who stroked her cheek said. Two white rows of sharp tiny teeth glistened in the moonlight from inside its mouth; teeth that could tear an arm off. Long black hair draped down its childlike frame and fell around the ankles. Skin white as death stretched over the hand that touched Yuliah, and big black soulless eyes stared into hers. "Mother..." It called - and then they all called. Yuliah's face turned as white as the creature. Then gulped - horrified from the sight before her.