Page 10

I broke away just long enough to look into her eyes, searching for any sign of hesitation. What I saw there made my breath catch . Desire, yes, but also trust. Understanding. Connection.

"Acacia," I breathed her name like a prayer.

She silenced me with another kiss. "I want this," she murmured against my lips. "I want you."

The last threads of my resistance dissolved. I gathered her in my arms, carrying her to a soft bed of moss that seemed to appear beneath us of its own accord. The forest itself was responding to our need, creating a private sanctuary beneath the stars.

I laid her down gently, taking a moment to marvel at how beautiful she looked with her hair spread out against the green moss, her eyes bright with desire. The moonlight filtering through the canopy painted her skin in silver patterns that rivaled the most intricate forest magic.

"You're beautiful," I told her, trailing my fingers along her jaw. "So beautiful it hurts to look at you sometimes."

A blush colored her cheeks, but she didn't look away. Instead, she reached up to trace the patterns of leaves that marked my skin. "Show me," she whispered. "Show me how a wood nymph loves."

Her words sent a shiver through me. I leaned down to kiss her again, slower this time, savoring every moment. My hands explored her body with reverence, learning every curve and plane. Where my fingers touched, tiny flowers bloomed on her skin, marking her as mine.

Acacia's hands weren't idle either. She mapped the contours of my chest, her touch sending sparks of pleasure through myentire being. When she found a sensitive spot, the vines in my hair twisted and curled with delight.

"The forest," she gasped as I traced kisses down her neck. "It's responding to us."

She was right. The very air around charged with magic, the trees singing an ancient song of love and union. As our passion built, so did the forest's response. Fireflies danced around us like stars fallen to earth, and the moss beneath us glowed with soft bioluminescence.

I took my time worshipping her body, using centuries of knowledge about pleasure to draw the most exquisite sounds from her lips. When I finally joined with her, it was like nothing I had ever experienced in all my years. The forest's magic merged with our passion, creating a connection so deep it took my breath away.

"Thornix," she moaned, her nails digging into my shoulders. "I feel everything. The forest, you, all of it."

"I know," I gasped, overwhelmed by the sensation of our combined energies. "I feel it too."

We moved together in perfect harmony, our bodies finding a rhythm as natural as the wind through the trees. The forest's magic swirled around us, amplifying every touch, every sensation. When we finally reached our climax together, it was like a supernova of pleasure and magic combined.

Afterward, we laid together on the moss, our breathing slowly returning to normal. The forest gradually settled around us, though the air still hummed with residual energy. Tiny glowing flowers had bloomed in a circle around where we lay, marking this spot as sacred in its own way.

Acacia traced patterns on my chest, her touch sending little aftershocks of pleasure through me. "That was intense," she said finally, a smile in her voice.

I chuckled, pulling her closer. "The forest approved of our union. That doesn't happen often."

She propped herself up on an elbow to look at me, her expression curious. "Is it always like that for wood nymphs? With the magic and everything?"

"No," I admitted, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "This was different. Special." I hesitated before adding, "Like you."

Her eyes softened. "I'm sorry I scared you earlier. I just... I needed to prove something to myself, I think. Not just to you."

I sighed, remembering the terror of seeing her in that tree. "I understand. But please, promise me you'll be more careful. I couldn't bear to lose you now."

The admission cost me something, making me feel vulnerable in a way I hadn't in centuries. But as Acacia smiled and leaned down to kiss me softly, I realized that maybe vulnerability wasn't such a terrible thing after all.

"I promise," she whispered against my lips. "Besides, I think I found a much better way to prove myself your equal."

I laughed, rolling us over, so she was beneath me again. "Is that so? Perhaps we should test that theory again, just to be sure."

Her answering laugh turned into a moan as I captured her lips with mine. Above us, the stars twinkled through the canopy, and the forest sang its ancient song of love and magic. For the first time since our matching, I felt truly, completely whole.

Six

Acacia

I crouched lower in the dense undergrowth, my heart pounding so hard I was sure the monsters would hear it. The small group of what looked like corrupted dryads and a few shadow wraiths huddled together in a clearing just ahead, their voices carrying clearly in the still afternoon air.

"The wood nymph's territory is vulnerable here," the dryad hissed, her once-beautiful features twisted into something nightmarish. "His connection to the new human mate has weakened his defenses. He spends too much time watching over her, leaving gaps in his protection."