Complicated

The fog in her mind became dense, yet weightless. She felt his hands move slowly from her face to her shoulders, then to her back, beckoning her closer, but making no demand. Whatever she did, she would so through her own free will. Even if that free will were merely an illusion.

The air between them swirled and danced, like the Balefires licking the heavens. If Rossanna had opened her eyes, she would have seen that she and Nokonis were hovering about 10 feet off the ground, turning slowly in circles. Fearing she might just open her eyes and break the spell, he lowered her to the ground.

“Come, you must return. Daylight is coming and those fools who stole you will be missing you.” Nokonis said, breaking the silence.

Alarmed Rossanna replied, “What do you mean, ‘you must return’? Are you daft? I can’t go back to them!!” She spat, “They will sell me to the Sultan!!!! You don’t honestly think I will just sit by and….”

“Shhhhhh…calm yourself. By returning you to them, I will free you from them. They will be yours to do with as you see fit. Trust me…,” he said cryptically.

“Well, evidently I don’t have a choice. Alright, let’s go. Lead the way, O’ Great One!!!” she flung out her hands in the direction of the gypsy camp.

“You might just want to tether your horse to that tree over there. My way is a little faster,” Nokonis said with a crooked grin.

Wary, Rossanna responded, “A little faster? What are you talking about?”

“Here, let me show you. You’ll get used to it. You might even enjoy it,” knowing all the while that what he was about to do would likely scare the skin right off of her…at the very least a few items of clothing. If he did it right.

She tied her mount to a low hanging branch on a nearby tree and gave the horse’s ears a loving, familiar scratch as if to say ‘I’ll be right back.’ Rossanna turned around slowly and took her time walking back to where Nokonis stood.

He took her hand and led her to a larger clearing. She watched as he closed his eyes. A slight furrow appeared in his brow, a sign of his concentration. A moment passed and when he opened his eyes again, Rossanna noticed what appeared to be a blood red ring around his green eyes. She blinked several times not believing what she saw. He merely smiled, revealing a teasing hint of his fangs, “Hold on and close your eyes, we will be there before you know it.”

With this he wrapped his arms around her and in the gathering mist, they disappeared.

Rossanna dared to crack open an eye to see what ‘A little faster’ meant. To her initial disappointment, she saw nothing but a broad, muscular chest covered with the finest cotton and wool. She felt very little movement as Nokonis’s cloak was wrapped around her.

Being this close to him, she could smell him. His scent, a mixture of ginger and nutmeg with hints of sandalwood and cedar, was seductive, exotic and dark. In a word…perfect. She felt his laughter reverberate off of him as she realized that he was reading her thoughts. She felt the heat of a blush tint her cheeks and angrily thought, ‘Piss off!! No one gave you permission to come in here!!!’

With that he held her even closer so that her cheek was pressed against him. Rossanna felt her hair dancing around her and hoped it tickled Nokonis’s face, just for spite.

Almost on cue, her hair began dancing around Nokonis’s face. He reveled in its silky texture and longed to twirl it about his fingers. As it passed under his nose, he inhaled deeply. Vanilla and anise; subtle, intoxicating and undeniably sexy. He began to doubt that she really was an untouched maiden, but merely a very good actress.

Nokonis ended their ‘trip’ and brought them to a small copse of woods about 20 feet from where the gypsies still slept; unaware of the danger they were in. He regretfully released Rossanna from his embrace, wishing he could just hold her there.

In an instant her dagger flashed in her hand, “I don’t know what you just did, but before this night is over, I will have an explanation.”

“Then we had better not waste anymore time with idle chit chat, and get to avenging you, the day is but a few hours away.” He replied, fully revealing his brilliantly sharp smile.

Gasping, she now understood what he was, “Oh my God!!!”

“Ah yes, I am revealed. ‘All fear he who walks beneath the halo of eternal night.’ Blah blah blah,” Nokonis threw back his head and laughed, then suddenly became quite still, “God wouldn’t be a bad thing to be called…I think I could get used to that, if only it were you calling me thus. Come we have work to do.”