Touch of Flame

Ravina didn’t know what was happening to her. This was more than normal intoxication. She was swimming in heaven. In silk, coffee, and heat. She rubbed herself against the silky robe, felt the feathery touch of soft hair on her arm around his shoulders and his hot skin touched her bare waist.

He was putting her down. “No…” she breathed, clutching onto him, her fingers digging into his strong shoulder.

Malachi stopped and sat with her on his lap instead. Yes, she could sleep like this. He could be an entire bed although nothing about his body was soft. Her hand wandered over the silky robe, feeling his solid shoulder and the strength in his arm.

“I am… touching you…” she said as if warning him.

“I know,” his voice was low and she could feel his hot breath in her hair.

Ravina couldn’t help her hand that now ventured to his chest and this time there was no robe between her skin and his. How could he be hard everywhere? She shouldn’t find this comfortable. Beds were soft.

“You are hard,” she said.

“And?”

“And… big.”

“Don’t worry,” he told her.

“I am not.”

He was so warm. She could not have enough.

“I am not going anywhere,” he assured her and she was confused for a good while before she realized that she was clutching his robe.

Her eyelids became heavy and she closed her eyes, allowing the warmth and the scent to pull her into slumber.

A painful throbbing in her head woke her up in the morning, and she opened her eyes failing a few times before they adjusted to the light. She groaned, feeling like someone hit her head on a wall. Oh, what was this?

As she breathed in, the aroma of strong coffee and wood filled her senses. Oh, Lord. This scent thing was only getting stronger. She could smell him as if he was in the room.

Turning in bed she almost yelped, before she managed to throw a hand over her mouth. He WAS in her room. In her bed.

Ravina was confused. What was he doing here? And he was still clad in his silky robe.

Her hand slowly dropped from her mouth. The caramel brown looked beautiful against his skin. She felt strange seeing him in her pink sheets. He looked misplaced yet it was as if by having him here, in the pink she somehow put a claim on him. This all-male feral man became wrapped in cherry blossom. How did he end up here?

She tried to recall what happened but she could only remember suggesting to have wine. Not the best idea but she didn’t wake up naked at least. Or maybe it would have been better if she did. Get it over with while intoxicated and then remember nothing.

Ravina looked at him again, at the size of him and recognizing the strength in his body. Her mind might not remember but her body surely would. The thought of having his body on top of hers… she paused, erotic images flashing through her mind of glowing bronze against pale skin. Of strong hands turning her pink, of bodies entangled and lips tied and…

She had Ester to thank for this while trying to ignore the reactions in her body.

Malachi stirred, breathing in. She turned to him. “What makes you excited this early?” He suddenly spoke, his voice still rough from sleep and eyes still closed.

He opened his eyes halfway, peeking at her.

“How did you get here?” She asked.

“Here?” He unfolded his arms and looked around lazily while touching her bed. “Oh, I am in your bed.”

“Yes.”

“I thought so. I had a good sleep,” he husked, looking back at her with hooded eyes.

A knock on the door made her head turn. She sat upright knowing one of the maids came to serve her. “Come in,” she called.

After a moment Nako opened the door and looked a bit surprised to find Malachi there. “Good morning.”

“Good morning.”

“I thought of preparing a bath if you would like.”

“No thank you.”

“I would like that,” Malachi spoke without getting up or looking their way. He even had his eyes closed.

“Where shall I prepare it?” She asked, looking between them.

“Here.”

Here?

“Make it cold,” he told her.

Cold?

Nako left to prepare the bath and Ravina got out of bed without a word. She went to the private room to freshen up, her head still throbbing so she used cold water on her face. When she walked outside Nako was done preparing the bath since it was just cold water.

Malachi got out of bed stretching his arms and rubbing his neck. “It is ready,” Nako said and then excused herself to go make breakfast.

Ravina touched the water out of curiosity as Malachi walked over. It was cold. “Will you bathe in this?”

“Yes.” He replied taking off his robe on the way.

Well, she was curious to see if he could but not wanting to watch him undress she went on to find something to wear and then went behind the screen as she heard him get inside the tub, some of the water spilling over. He sighed and Ravina couldn’t help but look through the small springs in between the attached parts of the screen. She saw him lean back and look relaxed while she shivered in his place.

“Is it comfortable,” she asked.

He turned his head slightly in her direction but not all the way to look. “Yes.”

She undid her skirt and took off the one beneath as well. She changed and slipped into her new one, her gaze looking his way now and then to make sure he was still in the tub. Cold water couldn’t be enjoyable in any way.

She took off her top, her breasts aching. She stayed and slept with these tops. She needed to find something more comfortable to sleep in. The splashing of water made her look through the spring again.

Her eyes widened when she found him standing, his entire back on display. He stepped out of the tub, water dripping down his back to his… bottom. Her breath caught but she couldn’t look away. She froze, not even blinking.

Malachi sat on the stool near the tub, turning a little sideways. His wet hair fell over his shoulders and face as he leaned down to wash his leg. Or so she thought, but what she saw was something else. Shocking.

He rubbed his hands down his thigh and leg, and as if shredding skin, something thin came off and his skin was clean and glowing even more. What. was. that?

He did the same with his other leg and then he was pure silky bronze and flexing muscle, except for the tribal tattoo down the side of his thigh. Ravina was not completely frozen now because surely her mouth was open. And then she shivered forgetting she was topless.

As if hearing her shiver, he turned his head and she quickly hid. She became still and she heard no sound on the other side.

“Would you help me scrub my back?” he then asked.

“I am getting dressed,” she said.

“Do you need help?”

“No.”

“I think you do. It is taking you so long. Shall I come?”

“Stay where you are!”

He chuckled. “Then I will wait for you,” he said and she heard him get into the tub again.

She quickly reached for her top, and this one was to be tied at the front. Before stepping out from behind the screen she made sure he was inside the tub. The last thing she needed was more images in her head.

Ravina walked over and he looked her way, his eyes subtly taking her in as if not revealing what he truly thought. She walked over, circling the tub, she grabbed the cloth from the stool, and then went behind him.

“Lean forward,” she said, crouching.

He did as told and when she dipped the cloth into the water she was surprised to find that the water was no longer cold. It was lukewarm.

“Do you want me to scrub hard or softly?” She asked.

“Somewhere in the middle,” he said.

She started rubbing the cloth over his skin.

“So how did you get into my bed?” She asked.

“You don’t remember?”

“No.”

“You told me to stay,” he simply said. “You clutched onto me.”

“I doubt that.”

He chuckled.

She tried to remember anything from last night but her mind wasn’t cooperating. Suddenly, she noticed that thin layer coming off his back as well.

“Something is happening,” she said, being unspecific but he somehow knew what she meant.

“Could you just peel it off?” He asked.

Peel it off? It looked like when she peeled her lips or her fingers, removing a transparent layer. She grabbed a corned and slowly pulled. It came off easily unlike when she did it to herself and this time there was an even more healthy skin below in contrast to her bleeding one.

The experience was oddly satisfying just like when she did it to herself.

“You shed skin.” She breathed.

“Well, did you not call us reptiles.”

“How often?” She asked, her research mind wanting to know more.

“Once a month or every other month.”

“Is it the whole body?”

“Yes.”

She looked at his back, touching the new skin. Not so different from the old one except it was smoother. The touch evoked a memory, of her hand flattening over his chest.

‘I am touching you.’

Huh?

‘I am not completely useless.’

“What did I say last night?” She asked in a panic.

“A lot.”

“I need details.”

“Give me the towel,” he said, ignoring her.

Annoyed she stood up and grabbed the towel. She held onto it. “What did I say?” She demanded.

He raised a brow and then chuckled. “Are you threatening me with a towel?”

“It is no threat.”

“Are you negotiating?”

“Maybe.” She said, reaching for his clothes as well. “You will not want to walk naked up to your room.”

He threw his head back and laughed.

“I am really asking for a towel for your sake. Trust me, I can walk around town naked.”

“Not as a king.”

He suddenly rose, water splashing everywhere around him. He stepped out of the tub and Ravina tried to hold her ground and not look down.

“Will you come here, princess, or do you want me to come over?”

“I am not coming over!” She said her eyes glued to his. She knew this was useless now, but she was not backing down.

She glanced at the door, ready to run away with his clothes. Anything would do at this point.

“Don’t!” He said getting her attention back. “You don’t want to play the chasing game,” he warned.

“I don’t think chasing me naked will look good on you.”

He cocked his head. “And I don’t think running on that leg will get you far.”

She held onto his clothes not wanting to accept defeat.

“Then I guess I shall come over,” he said when she remained silent. He took a step and Ravina ran for the door.

As she reached the handle she pulled it open with all her might but the door didn’t even budge. She noticed the hand above her on the door. Her heart leaped to her throat. He was very fast.

Ravina didn’t turn around. “The maids are here. I am going to scream.”

She could feel him lean closer and she pushed herself into the door. A few drops of water fell on her bare shoulder. “Go ahead. That is what they all do.”