Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you so much to Fameanon, Ahlysha, and 2redbird for reviewing!
Meral awoke to the sound of birdsong, and the light around them was dim. The sun had fallen beneath the canopy, filling the jungle below with soft, ruddy light. The tops of the trees seemed to glow in the light of the dying sun, and he sighed in contentment, closing his eyes again.
Judith's breath was ghosting across his bare chest, and he raised his eyebrows, finding unchaste pleasure in that sensation. She mumbled something in her sleep, shifting ever so slightly, but then she fell back into drowsy doze, her soft, even exhalations making goosebumps crawl up his arms.
"Judith," he said softly, stroking her hair. She did not stir.
"Judith," he repeated a little louder, and she opened her eyes.
She blinked several times, groaning slightly, and he felt her foot brush down his leg as she stretched. He closed his eyes, fighting the urge to thread his fingers through her hair, but she had no such qualms. She stroked a lazy finger down his chest, caressing his pectoral muscles as she continued stretching.
She pushed up off of him and raised her arms above her head, and he sat up as well, rolling his shoulders to shake off sleep. She smiled at him as she put her arms down, and he stood, offering her his hand. She took it, her smile widening, and he hauled her to his feet, trying not to stare at the water dripping off her splendid form.
He reminded himself that he wasn't supposed to be attracted in any way to this woman, but it was no use. He could not turn back now, not after he had shown his softer side, and especially not after she had warmed up to him.
"You must be hungry," he said, pulling his shorts back on. "What is available in the vicinity?"
"Der," she said, pointing towards a flowering vine. "De passionfruit, Mister Vulcan man. Come, de natives don mind a few missin fruit, ai?"
"They should not," he conceded. "But tell me, what does it taste like?"
She grinned and plucked a fruit from the vine, then retrieved a camping knife from her pack. She sliced the fruit open and handed him half, and he took it, staring at the yellow gel inside.
"I know dat look disgustin', but it taste good, man."
She took a spoon out of her pack and handed it to him, and he scooped out some of the yellow goo and ate it. He raised an eyebrow, surprised at the taste, but a bright yellow spot in the canopy caught his attention.
"Those yellow plants there," he said, gesturing to the bright yellow blob. "Are those edible?"
"De banana? Ai, man, tasty fruit der."
He nodded and tossed the empty passionfruit shell away, then took the knife from her and found a low-hanging bunch of the fruit. He cut away a few of the fingers, leaving more than twenty behind, and he took them back to Judith.
"Are these ripe, though?"
"Ripe enough, Mister Vulcan." She took one from him and peeled it, and he was surprised to find firm, cream-colored fruit beneath the peel. He followed suit with another banana.
He watched her eat as he consumed his fruit, and he couldn't help but notice that her bright brown eyes strayed often to him, their amber depths darkening, clouding. He frowned slightly, curious as to why her eyes were getting so dark as she looked at him, but he dared not dwell on the answer.
He swallowed thickly, his gaze lingering on the way her lips wrapped around...
He cut off his thoughts and looked down at the ground, his ears and cheeks flushing with shame. He should not be having those thoughts about her...not until she promised herself to him. If she promised herself to him...
Meral finished his fruit without really thinking about what he was doing, and he gestured for her to lead the way. They would have to go eastward along the river, and downstream was a bridge that would take them directly below the dirt road they had followed earlier.
Their walk was less leisurely than he might have liked, but considering they only had perhaps two hours before the sun went down, they could not linger in the wilds too long. He was confident he could protect her from most wildlife out here, but he didn't want to take his chances. It was best to get back to civilization, and perhaps have a proper dinner.
Something moved in the corner of his eye, and he turned to look at it. It was a bright orange amphibian, and he pointed it out to her.
"Tree frog," she named it, and he raised an eyebrow. Without further ado, he stepped off the path and walked closer to the creature. It hopped away.
"Mister Meral, we don be leavin de path, eh?"
"This will not take long," he assured her. "I am curious about this creature. We do not have tree frogs on Vulcan. There are very few trees, and not nearly enough moisture for them to thrive in the desert environment."
"All ri', man, but not long, eh? Dat storm dere...blowin' in from de sea..."
"We will be sheltered by the time it hits the mainland," he said gently, hiking deeper into the foliage. The bright orange frog was quick and hurried away, but he followed until they had lost sight of the path. He knew exactly which way to go in order to find it again, but he wanted to see if she trusted him.
"Meral..."
"I am aware of it, Judith. We have lost sight of the path."
She frowned. "Meral, I know you be dat calm man no matta what de day tro at ya, man, an' I not be frettin an' all, but..." She looked around, her visage nervous.
He led her onward, angling slightly towards the path, but letting them seem even more lost than before. He did not mean to scare her, but she was getting a little nervous.
"Is that it?" he asked, pointing to a log that looked similar to the path. She shook her head and sighed, sitting down on a log.
"Perhaps you will have to live out here with me for the rest of our days."
"Dat not be so bad, Mr. Meral. Der be sweetness in dis place, ai? And dat beauty you like."
"Yes, there is plenty of beauty out here to contemplate." He swallowed thickly and stared at her, making his choice. "She walks in beauty, like the night/ Of cloudless climes and starry skies/ And all that's best of dark and bright/ Meet in her aspect and her eyes..."
He reached out and cupped her cheek. "Plenty of beauty to contemplate, Judith," he repeated, his voice lowering and deepening.
"Mister Meral," she breathed, reaching up and lightly touching the back of his hand, sandwiching his hand between hers and her cheek. "Dat poem...de Lord Byron, eh?"
"Indeed. I had to study a selection of your literature in order to get this posting. Basic mastery of the English language and some knowledge of your culture was required."
He smirked down at her as her lips parted, and he took advantage of the opportunity, swiping his thumb unguarded over her lower lip. Her eyes fluttered closed, and he felt a purr build in the back of his throat.
"If you and I never saw civilization again, would you be content?"
"I like dem hot showers, Meral..."
"Yes, sanitation and access to clean water are advantages...do you ever consider marriage, Judith?"
She opened her eyes and stared intently at him, a smile growing on her lips. "Depend on de man I marry."
He stroked her lip again, and she leaned into his touch. She was sober, in control of her thought processes...and she was enjoying his touch.
"The path is that way, Judith," he said softly, nodding in the correct direction. She frowned, and then her eyes widened in indignation. She smacked his arm.
"You knew de path be dat way, din' ya, Mister Vulcan man! And 'ere I tink to myself dat we be doom to jungle food, an' Mister L'Vek and Emmie-girl be worryin'..."
"Did you truly think I would allow us to get lost?" he asked, leading her back to the path. It was barely one hundred yards away.
"I worry dere for a moment...or two, or tree..."
"I assure you, my disciplines lend me an acute sense of direction. We were never lost."
They walked along, her eyes narrowed playfully at him when she threw glances in his direction. He continued to let her lead, walking side by side with her, and a sudden change of scenery distracted him from her indignation.
They had been walking for perhaps fifteen minutes, leaving the jungle behind, and ever the sounds of the river were on their left. But it fell away for a while, and instead of rolling hills on either side of them, they wandered into what looked like an overgrown field. Thick green stalks rose high above their heads, and he turned to Judith, curious again.
"Suga cane," she replied before he could ask. "Dis used to be plantation land."
He nodded in comprehension and gazed up at the stalks around him, and he noted a side path off to the left. He pulled her towards it, noticing a pleasant vista up ahead.
She fell behind him for a second, stooping to the ground, but he paid her little mind, thinking she was probably picking up an interesting stone or perhaps an old coin. But he turned abruptly towards her when he felt a sharp sting of pain across his rear.
She was holding a sugar cane stick behind her back, staring up at the darkening sky with an unconvincingly innocent smile on her face.
"You insufferable...intolerable human..."
He ripped the stick from her hands and whacked her on her hind end in retaliation, and she yelped.
"What ya be doin dat for, Mister-"
He sealed his lips over hers, effectively silencing her, and she protested weakly into his mouth for a few moments before groaning and melting into him. He stroked her back with tenderness that sharply contrasted the passionate work of his lips. She tasted like banana and passionfruit, and with every taste of her sweet lips, he wanted to taste more.
His katra was vibrating violently within his chest, soaring, echoing her name throughout his being. Judith. He trembled, deepening the kiss, stroking his hands down her arms. My sweetest Judith...
She sighed into his ministrations, making a small noise that made him shiver again. She teased him, brushing her tongue along his lower lip, coaxing a satisfied groan from his throat. The hunger he didn't even know he was suppressing roiled within him, and her eager response only whetted his appetite. The kiss slowed and became still more intimate, until their tongues were battling in a sensual dual.
Meral pulled away, allowing her to breathe for a moment, and he trailed his lips along her jawline.
"Oh, Mister Meral...I din' know de Vulcan man who be frownin' and frettin' could kiss his girl like dat..."
He covered her mouth again, then slowly pulled back. "Are you saying you are mine, Judith? Do not say what you do not mean. And I do not, as you say, fret."
She giggled and pressed her lips to his one more time. "Who say I be lyin, man? You be de sunshine in my heart, love, and I be de sunshine in yers, ai? Everyting be so beautiful when my Meral come aroun' for my company. An' if I ain' yer girl, I don' be lettin ya kiss me hot like de sauna."
His grip on her tightened. "So you are saying that you are mine?"
"Ai, Meral, my love. I be yers."
His breathing quickened, and he felt like he could howl in victory. He pressed his lips fiercely to hers, coaxing her tongue to play with his. She giggled into his mouth, cupping his cheek, and he closed his eyes, relishing this moment.
My Judith...my dearest, sweetest Judith...
A crack of thunder and a few drops of rain made him pull away, and he glanced up at the gathering dark. "Perhaps we should retreat to the vehicle we came in?"
She grinned and took his hand, and together they ran to the transport. By the time they arrived, they were both wet, but he felt more alive than he had perhaps ever felt. His blood was pounding in his ears, and as she started up the vehicle, he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her to his side.
Judith looked up at him, her gaze softening, and she brushed her lips against his. He purred, nuzzling against her for more, like a sehlat begging for attention. Their next kiss was softer, gentler, and the little noises she made were muffled beneath the sound of the rain thundering on the roof of the vehicle. He was cold, dripping wet, but kissing her made him feel like a fire was spreading through his veins. My Judith...
She pulled away, and he let her go, though reluctantly. But his human ashaya grinned widely at him and raised the vehicle into the air, making sure to keep low to the road as to not attract lightning.
"De cold be seepin into dem bones, Meral?"
"No," he said with a smirk. "You have driven the cold away."
He wrapped his arm around her waist and sniffed her hair, closing his eyes at the wonderful way her scent drenched his olfactory system. Judith...yes, this is what I have been searching for. This is right.