Talia didn't notice at what point she and Damon finished the delicious meal he prepared for them, but she knew that small bones were scattered on the ground, and they were sitting completely naked on a log, facing each other, with a dimming campfire warming their sides as they exchanged light kisses that Damon controlled from turning hungry.
"Mmm… I could do this for the rest of my life.", he said in a husky voice between kisses.
Talia loved the idea of kissing him forever, but she wanted to feel him everywhere and not only on her lips.
Damon cupped her cheeks, and his fingertips ran over her arms creating delicious goosebumps as the sparks of their bond flared, but he didn't pull her closer, and when she tried inching to close the gaps between them, he asked her to be patient.
She glanced down at his erection and cocked an eyebrow at him. "Don't you want to do more than this?"
"Oh, I do.", he said earnestly. "I want to worship every inch of your body, kitten. But first, I want to freshen up. After chasing rabbits through bushes, I need a shower. Do you want to join me?"
Talia's smile matched his. Did she want to join him in the shower? Absolutely!
She showered already, but she could go again, with Damon.
Her smile fell when she remembered… "I forgot to tell you something. When I took a shower, soap got in my eyes, and it was stinging, and… I ended up pulling the wrong chain." Seeing that he was just looking at her blankly, Talia cleared her throat while embarrassment swelled within her. "I'm sorry, Damon. I think I accidentally drained the reservoir."
Damon's expression changed a few times and he wanted to ask her how could she accidentally pull a chain that was so much further than the others, but he didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable because the lack of water in the cabin was no more than a slight inconvenience. The only thing that rubbed him the wrong way was that he was not there to see the scene of Talia soaped up and yanking the wrong chain.
"It's OK. The lake is right here."
"You are not angry?", Talia asked apprehensively.
"Angry?" His lips lifted into a wicked smile. "Would you like me to punish you?"
"No, but maybe to get me to fix it somehow."
A mental image of Talia bringing water from the lake in a bucket popped in his mind, but that would take forever. Surely, she was not thinking about it, right? He had to ask... "And how would you fix it?"
"I heard about rain summoning dance.", Talia responded seriously.
"Hmm…", Damon hummed while making a thoughtful expression. "I would love to dance with you in the rain, and before the rain, and after it. I want to do many things with you, kitten, and right now I want you to stop thinking about the reservoir because it's not important. I will go for a swim in the lake. Will you join me?"
Talia smiled dreamily while imagining them slowly dancing in the rain. "I will follow you everywhere…"
After a hot summer day, the water in the lake was pleasantly warm.
Talia tried to cling to Damon, but he was careful that they don't get too close, keeping their contact points on hands and lips, because his control was close to snapping, and he didn't want to take her in the lake. Not now when she gave him permission to mark her, and not now when she accepted him as her mate… it needed to be perfect, something that will make her heart rate speed up whenever she remembers it, something that will make her blush and smile fifty years in the future.
After a short swim in the lake, Damon and Talia laid on the grass and stared at the dark sky that was speckled with numerous stars and framed by the rich tree canopies that appeared black.
They held hands with their fingers interlaced and didn't speak. Both of them were brimming with anticipation of what was coming.
Damon was remembering his every interaction with Talia, acknowledging that he was stupid at the beginning, but he was learning and improving, and... here they were... completely naked under the night sky with the forest surrounding them, holding hands, and enjoying each other's presence. It was peaceful and it was perfect.
Talia's chest was full of warm and fuzzy feelings, and there was also slight anxiety while wondering if anything will go wrong to prevent this marking from happening. She didn't want to jinx it and invite trouble, but nothing with Damon was easy, even though they made it eventually.
Talia turned to look at him, only to meet his deep blue eyes directed at her.
The darkness didn't prevent her from seeing every curve of his chiseled face and the way her stomach flipped at his smile left her in awe. Was it truly possible that she had something special with such an exquisite specimen? Damon was beyond handsome with hard muscles all over his tall body, and his face was absolutely beautiful. And Damon was much more than just an enchanting visual. He was strong and fast and smart and caring, and he looked at her like she was the only woman in the world. And he smelled of the forest and the dark chocolate. Talia's favorites.
"Damon?", she called breathily.
"Yes, kitten?" His voice was a rumble that started from his chest.
"Your wolf… when can I meet him?" That was the last thing on her list before he can mark her.
"I guess there is no better time than now."
He pushed himself into a seated position and turned to face her.
Talia sat as well, and he said, "Remember that my wolf is eager to meet you and mark you, but he won't harm you. And he won't do anything without your consent." Hopefully.
"Do you think he will do something... unexpected?"
Damon shrugged. "I really don't know what he will do. My wolf mostly just talks to me in my head. He comes in front when I'm in my wolf form, but he prefers to stay in the back of my mind. You are the first woman he wants to interact with."
Talia's eyes lit up. "Really? I mean... He didn't want to talk to anyone else?"
Damon reached to push a lock of hair behind Talia's ear. "There is no other, kitten. Just you. For me and for him."
"OK.", she said and bit her lower lip nervously. "I am ready."
"Don't be tense. I will still be here, but he will do the talking."
Talia relaxed at Damon's words, remembering that when her wolf took over to scold Damon, Talia was there listening.
She didn't know what to expect, but Damon's wolf was part of him, and he can talk, and she thought of him as Damon's roommate that can't be evicted. It wouldn't be proper if they seal the mate bond that will last a lifetime without her talking with the guy.
Damon's face changed as he called to his wolf, and it didn't take more than a few seconds for Talia to realize that something was wrong.
"Damon?", she called carefully.
"Uhm… he is not responding."
