"I'm still nervous.", Talia said after some time. Even with Damon all around her, he couldn't dispel the uneasiness that twirled in the pit of her stomach, making her whole body tingle in unpleasant ways.
"Do you want to run more?", he asked.
Talia refused. "I need something more than running. How about we spar?" A second later, she shook her head while dismissing that idea. She didn't want to risk any of them getting hurt, and if they didn't go all out, it wouldn't help.
Damon pursed his lips and then he got an idea.
His arms moved under Talia, and he stood up while carrying her.
Talia was not sure what he was up to, but his focused gaze and steady steps told her that he had a plan. However, why was he heading toward the cliff where the river was ending?
"Damon?", Talia asked, now a bit nervous. "What are you up to?"
"You will find out in a minute", he said, and her hands tightened around his neck on an instinct.
Talia's eyes widened when she realized that he was walking straight for the edge, climbing the massive rock where the two of them were sitting the first time he brought her here. That rock provided a great view of the forest, valley, Darkbourne, and the waterfall below it.
Damon pried Talia's arms from his neck and kissed the inside of her palms while putting her hands to rest on her stomach.
"Do you trust me, kitten?"
"Absolutely.", Talia responded right away while smiling at him stupidly. She loved those small kisses he would place randomly all over her body when she least expected them.
Talia wondered, why were they there? Did he bring her to enjoy the view? It was a nice view, and they could sit on the rock, but Damon didn't seem to have any intention of letting her down.
"Damon?"
He pressed his lips into a line while steeling his resolve and then his knees bent.
"Ahhhhh!", Talia screamed when Damon jumped off the rock with Talia in his arms without any warning.
She just told his parents how he was treating her well, yet now he was murdering her! What the hell!?
The moment Damon's legs parted from the rock, he flung Talia away from him and her arms flailed in an attempt to latch onto Damon, but he was far away.
Talia panicked. This was it. He was set on killing them both!
At that moment, Talia saw her life flashing in front of her eyes.
But why were all of her mental images filled with Damon?
Talia remembered a million moments with Damon, and she could see his expressions that were warm, tense, happy, anxious, cheeky, and naughty. Many of those moments included Damon and Talia naked, yet each of them was pure and unspoiled.
Talia was struck with a realization how every moment with Damon felt right, and any shade that was thrown in there was because of other people.
Didn't that mean…?
Before she could finish that thought, Talia's body painfully jolted when harsh icy water surrounded her from all sides and the pressure from the waterfall kept pushing her down and throwing her in various directions.
Intense clamor assaulted Talia's ears and the twirling bubbles and mud made it impossible to figure out which way was up, so Talia relaxed and allowed the currents to carry her.
It reminded her of the first time she jumped into the waterfall, and she remembered all the rocks that were there. What if she hit one of those!?
After the initial panic, Talia calmed down while repeating that the worst was over, and she probably won't die. At most, she won't be able to come out in time, she will run out of oxygen and faint, and emerge down the river to wake up eventually.
A dreadful thought shot through her. What if Damon was hurt? What if he fell on a rock? Sure, he was strong and athletic, but no one can control his direction mid-air! Why did he act so recklessly!?
Something hard wrapped around her waist and she felt solid warmth pressing on her back, dispelling her anxiety.
Talia turned around and her hands sought to hold onto a firm body that she was familiar with.
Damon found her, just how he did the last time… just how he promised that he always will.
She stuck to him closely, mindful of not obstructing his arms and legs. She believed that he will take them to the surface on time, but she also didn't care if she loses the air from her lungs and faints because Damon was there, and everything was fine when he was by her side.
'PAAAAAH!'
They inhaled in unison as they emerged from turbulent waters, with the waterfall on one side, and the steep cliff on the other.
As soon as she caught her breath, Talia kissed Damon with all her might, and he didn't delay in returning her kiss with equal fervor. They were alive!
'Should I take this as, the jumping therapy worked and you feel better?', Damon asked her through their private mind-link.
Talia looked at Damon with the intensity that made him hold his breath.
'Make love to me, Damon. Remind me that I'm yours.'
Damon's eyes flashed in surprise. He knew that Talia came out of her shell, and she was not a shy girl anymore, but when she boldly asked him to take her with that adorable blush on her face, it was the biggest turn-on ever!
Talia thought that he will take her right there in the water, but he twisted his body so that his back was facing her, and she heard his voice in her head, 'Hold onto me, kitten.'
Unsure of what he was up to, Talia put her arms on Damon's shoulders, and her grip intensified when she realized that he started climbing the cliff.
Damon expertly found grooves between massive rocks for his fingers to slide into, and he pulled them both up with ease. Talia really admired his strength.
They were about halfway up, and Talia stuck close to him because the water was now hitting her head, and then he said, 'Climb in first.'
Talia looked up and blinked to see that Damon was holding onto the edge of a narrow opening among rocks.
She used his body as a ladder and went in, and he was right behind her.
It was a short tunnel, only a few steps long, and then it widened into a small circular cave that was illuminated by streaks of light coming in through gaps between rocks that also allowed for green leafy vines to dangle from above.
Talia thought that she was in a place from fairytales. It looked magical.
The walls were made of uneven rocks while the ground was a mix of rocks, mud, and moss.
The ceiling was tall enough for Damon to stand straight and Talia wondered if he could touch it if he stretched his arms.
The humidity was high, but it was not stuffy.
