Kiss

Arakan kisses me deeply and I lean into his body. His kiss becomes stronger and his tongue parts my lips and a small groan escapes my mouth. His hands move down from chin, one to the back of my head and the other to my lower back.

He pulls me closer and my body vibrates with my heartbeat. My hands move to his chest and explore his muscles. He moves his kiss to my neck and I moan again.

It's then that he steps back and grabs his chest in pain. A shining symbol of a curled dragon flashes on his chest.

I run to him and shout "are you ok?!"

"I'm... fine" he replies gruffly.

"What was that symbol?" I ask holding his arm as he steadies himself.

"What symbol?" He asks, sounding more like himself.

"It was a glowing dragon on your chest," I explain.

"Shit! That damn god!" He swears.

I look at him with questioning eyes.

"Kami. This must be his way to make sure that you are not mates with until your 18th birthday. " he explains.

"I'm so sorry!" I say, feeling tears forming in my eyes. Having gone from two strong emotions has left me shaken.

"Why" Arakan asks, as he gently wipes away one of the tears.

"It's my fault you just got hurt." I reply.

"You think that was hurt," he laughs almost too loudly as he holds me closely. "One time I had a boar have his tusk go straight though my right thigh; that was pain!"

I rest my head against him, my check touching his still warm chest. His heart was still racing, though not as fast as mine. I can't help but feel disappointed and relieved about what was interrupted. It's true that I am definitely attracted to him, but there is still so much that I don't know about him.

"Well," Arakan breaks the silence after a minute or so, "I guess we should continue on to the young males."

"That's right!" I say, forgetting that we were on the way to continue Arakan's checks. I am suddenly relieved that we were interrupted, anyone could have walked by; and this time I could not blame the drink.

We continue down the path, without passing anyone. By this time, my heart has returned to normal and the excess heat in my body has dissipated.

"You bringing a beauty with you today?!" I hear shouted from the man I remember is named Sami.

"It's the only woman you'll ever see!" One of the other men joke.

"Ok, ok " Arakan says, as he puts his arm around me.

"Finally bringing someone with brains" another man yell.

"She's smarter than all of you put together" Arakan quips.

"She can't be that smart, she's with you," Sami winks.

"I'd be dumb to not be with him," I respond before thinking.

"Ooooooooo" the men say and laugh as Arakan turns red.

"Look! Arakan's blushing! He's as red as her hair!" The men all laugh and yell.

"I guess you don't need any supplies or food today, we'll be going" Arakan jokes as he starts to turn around.

"Wait! Wait," Sami says, wiping a tear from his eye, " I'll get the list."

When we have the list, we head back to the inner village, without much happening.

After we give the list to the young females, Arakan asks me to eat lunch with him under a large tree behind our yurt.

Before we take our first bite, Arakan takes a deep breath and says " I want to ask you about our future. I want you to be my mate, my wife. I want you to live here until your 18th birthday."