I moved as quietly as I could, slipping through my bedroom window. I hit the ground, my bare feet crushing the brush beneath me. I stay down, watching for people. After a while, nothing passes me so I stand before reaching back through my window for my flashlight.
This is a path I've run dozens of times. The sound of the waterfall gets louder as I near my destination. When my feet touch the familiar wetness of the riverbed, I freeze. My breathing steadies and I turn off the flashlight.
"Damon, are you there?"
From behind the waterfall, he appears. His chest is bare and his the droplets of water splashing on his skin in the moonlight. The further out he comes, the more of him I see. I wish he didn't have to stay so far away but he's not like the rest of us.
Upon his back are a set of large black wings, the feathers shine in the light just as his skin does.
"Aria?"
I smile and set the light down at my feet. He smiles back and opens his arms to me. Slowly but surely I make my way across the rocks to him. The spray of the falls still touches us but his body is warm. His arms embrace me tightly and I melt into him.
When one of his arms moves I only move to hold him tighter. His hand touches my hair, running the length of it; I smile at the familiar gesture. When I look up to see his face, he's smiling down at me.
"Kiss me." I whisper, demanding more of him.
"As you wish, my love."
He leans down, placing his lips against mine. As he does so, the arm that remains around my waist pulls me closer, eliminating any distance that may have existed between us. My hands move slowly, the tips of my fingertips taking hold of his belt loops
"What do you say to a late night swim?" He whispers, ending the kiss and leaving me breathless.
My answer is as simple as a bitten bottom lip and a slight nod. He takes my hand and leads me back across the rocks. We stand at the edge of the water, hand in hand. He pulls me close to him again.
His hands touch the small of my back and his fingers play with the fabric of my shirt.
This was a game we had played many times.
He lifts my shirt over my head and tosses it to the side. He leans in to kiss me again and the heat of his body when it touches mine seems to have risen though I know it hasn't.
His hands move to the front of my shorts, his fingers swiftly unbuttoning them. As they fall to my feet I step out of them.
"You seem to have me at a disadvantage." I whisper when his kisses move down my neck.
"Then perhaps we should fix that."
I smile and eliminate the disadvantage, unbuttoning and removing his jeans.
We stand there by the water in our underwear. He holds me as close to him as possible, placing kisses against my neck and shoulders. My eyes are closed now, wanting to see nothing but feel everything. His hands are hot, my flesh cold and every touch scorches me like a branding iron. When my feet are no longer on the ground, I now we're headed for the water.
He moves slowly though the water's warm. It's not long until the water reaches my waist. My undergarments disappear and no doubt so have his. I nail dig into his back as do my teeth into his shoulder as he becomes a part of me. Each movement is gentle but his hands are rough.
My eyes catch sight of the moon when my head falls back in ecstasy. We stand there in the water, holding onto each other in silence. He looks to the sky.
"The sun will be rising soon."
"I don't want to go yet."
"Then stay."
I reluctantly move away from him, grabbing my floating clothing as I walk to shore. I don't bother putting the wet things back on, pulling on my shorts and shirt, after I find it.
"You have nothing back home. Stay with me. We can get out of here and find a place for ourselves, a place where we can raise a family."
"How can I just pick up and leave?"
"Aria, my sweet love, you cannot submit to this life that has been forced on you. Wouldn't you want to go somewhere we can do this every day and night?"
"Does a place like that exist?"
"There is a place. My family had a large manor house in Italy, out in the country. We wouldn't have to hide anymore. We could be together and live together. I want you to be mine. I want to marry you but we can't do that here. I love you."
"Damon, I can't."
"Why not?"
I shake my head, refusing the truth.
"Aria, tell me why."
"I don't know. I can't think of a good reason why I can't. Maybe I just shouldn't. They'll look for us."
"And they'll never find us." His hands cradle my face; his eyes meet mine, "We'll go right now. The only reason I ever stayed was because of you now I'm asking you to come with me."
"I_"
He groans and kisses me hard, a kiss filled with apparent passion and a love most certain.
"Let's go."
He takes my hand, leading me into my future and far away from my past.
