Arcane love (continued part 5)
Jarrid greeted her at the tree line. " Terra, by the look on your face, I suspect good news."
"the best! Jacob Richards, the leader of our village, agreed to sit down with Dorian and discuss the treaty!" She was practically bouncing when she reached him.
" That is good news!" Jarrid chuffed in approval as Victor clapped him on the shoulder.
" So, should we remain here or join Dorian?" Victor asked.
Jarrid thought for a moment. " Perhaps we will stay here for the night. Then, in the morning, if everything is still going smoothly we can move into the village."
" That sounds fine." Terra replied before turning when she heard Molly's small voice.
" Wow! They are also big!" Molly said with wide eyes as she looked up at the two male tigers.
Terra laughed. " Yes they are big. But don't worry, they won't hurt you. This is Jarrid and Victor, two of Dorian's friends." She explained as she picked the young girl up.
" Hi." Molly said as she stared at the males.
" Hi there." Jarrid said as he reached out to shake her small hand.
Molly squealed with delight and, without warning, leapt into his arms.
Jarrid caught her with ease even though he was thoroughly surprised. He was even more surprised when she started petting his face.
" so soft... I like you." Molly stated as she hugged his neck.
Victor was trying to muffle his laughter, but was ailing terribly. " I think you've become her pet."
" I'm no one's pet Victor." Jarrid replied. Then he caught sight of the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. Golden brown hair and sky-blue eyes enthralled him as the woman made her way over to them in a long flowing blue dress.
Terra noticed Jared staring past her so she turned to find her friends approaching. " Oh! Jessica, Marie, Ashley! How good to see you again." She turned to them and embraced them she in turn.
The woman Jarrid was staring at was the one Terra had called Jessica. A beautiful name for a beautiful female, he thought.
" Guys, these are my friends Ashley Denton, Marie Calliger, and Jessica Carlton. Ladies these are two of the finest warriors the tiger clan has; Jarrid Tigranth and Victor Feralis." Terra introduced them and watched as her friends studied the males.
Jarrid set Molly down and extended his hand. " It's an honor to meet such lovely ladies, and on our first day here." This made the women giggle with delight, but they all shook his hand, then Victor's.
Jessica looked at these males and quite quickly noticed all the weapons. " Is this what you normally wear when discussing peace?"
The one called Jarrid answered her. " We wear our war armor to show our status as elite. So yes, we would wear this no matter who we were discussing peace with. Besides, if worse comes to worse, there is only three of us, and many of you." He smiled at her then and for some reason it pleased her.
" Very true." She replied. " But let us hope there will be no need for you to use those."
He nodded to her. " I hope you are right."
Terra watched the exchange and was thoroughly pleased. If only everyone could get along this well. She wasn't naïve enough to think there would be no problems when bringing these two races together, but hopefully others would learn from seeing such interactions as this.
Molly tugged on Jessica's dress and waited until the woman acknowledged her. " He's really soft. You should pet him."
Victor who was still trying to recover from the first wave of laughing burst out again. " No, no sweetie. Didn't you hear? Jarrid is no one's pet."
Jessica had laughter in her eyes as well. " I'm sure he is soft Molly, but you don't go around petting people."
Jarrid's heart sped up when his gaze met Jessica's. Hell, she could pet him all day if she wanted to. " Well, it all depends on who's doing the petting, Lady Jessica." He was rewarded with a soft blush on her cheeks and giggles from the other women.
" I will remember that." Jessica replied so quietly he almost didn't hear.
Terra spoke up then. " I should really get back into town and see how Dorian and my father are doing."
The women agreed, and after waving goodbye to the Warriors, they headed towards the town hall. Jessica couldn't help looking one last time and what she saw made her gasp. Jarrid was looking right at her and slowly, he licked his lips. She knew she should probably be afraid, but she couldn't help the thrill of excitement that went through her. She spun back around, her heart pounding furiously at the intensity she saw in his gaze.
Terra and the girls walked to the edge of the village before she turned to them. " I'm sure you're not interested in politics, so how about I catch up to you later." Molly clock to her hand and looked up at her.
" I want to come with you Terra, please." She was determined to not be separated from her friend so soon.
The other girls laughed and Jessica nodded. " All right Terra, we'll see you later. But you must promise to tell us everything that has happened since you've been gone."
Terra smiled and laughed. " Oh don't worry, I will. There's just too much to keep to myself." With that, she guided Molly towards the town hall where the peace talk were beginning.
After Terra and Molly were out of sight, Marie turned to the other women. " So, how about we do a little investigating?"
" Investigating?" Ashley asked as she raised her eyebrow.
" Mmhmm. I say we find out what male warriors of the Tiger race do in their spare time." Marie replied with a mischievous smile on her face.
" I don't know," Ashley began, " that could be dangerous."
" I doubt they'd heard us. They're very sincere about a treaty." Jessica shrugged, trying to look casual when all she wanted was to find that big warrior, Jarrid, and look her fill of him.
" Then let go. Besides we're just going to look right?" Marie giggled as they turned back towards the trees.
Jarrid was pacing back and forth trying to calm his body down but he couldn't get her scent out of his mind. Hell, he couldn't get her image out of his mind. He could tell Victor was having a grand time laughing at him as he snickered and sharpened his blades.
" You know," Victor began, " there's a cold stream pretty close to here. It might help you out."
Jarrid kept quiet but curled his lip back in a silent snarl at the other warrior. He was rewarded with more laughter. " What is so damn funny?"
" You, the great Jarrid Tigranth, one of the Tigers most against Dorian being with Terra when we thought her human. But now, your brain is scrambled by the mere sight of a human female. It's priceless!" Victor was all but rolling with laughter as he finished.
Jarrid growled then spun away from Victor and it began to walk away. " My brain is not scrambled." He insisted.
" Where are you going?" Victor asked.
" To that stream." Jarrid replied curtly and didn't give a damn as he listened to the other male's laughter follow him.
Once he arrived at the stream he shed his weapons and armor before wading into it. He shivered, but the water didn't cool the flames burning inside as it should have; especially not the spear of heat between his legs. He snarled and got back out. There was more than one way to ease his body. He laid down in the rich green grass and gripped himself, shuddering as images of her came instantly to his mind. " Jessica..." He whispered as he began to stroke himself.
Jessica and the others froze when they heard of very angry snarl. They crouched down and very slowly pushed aside the bushes in front of them. The sight that greeted them made all of them gasp. Jarrid, her warrior, was laying completely nude on the grass stroking the thick length between his thighs. Her face flamed but she couldn't make herself look away. She watched as he stroked, slowly at first, then faster and faster, while he reached down and cupped the heavy sac beneath with his other hand. He groaned and her eyes moved to his face. His eyes were closed, but he was sniffing the air, as if scenting for something.
" We need to get out of here." Marie said. " This could go very badly."
Jessica nodded and they stood up slowly. She turned to walk away then stepped on twig, causing it to snap. They darted forward trying to run, but it was too late. A strong hand closed around her wrist, not hurting, just pulling her to stop. The other girls kept running and slowly, oh so slowly, she turned and looked up at the male holding her in place. She thrust her chin up and glared at him. " Let me go."
" What are you doing out here Jessica?" Jarrid asked in a husky tone. The one woman he'd been fantasizing about and she was suddenly here, so close. All he had to do was claim her. But he saw defiance in her gaze, and knew she would not welcome force.
" My friends and I were just taking a walk. We heard you by this stream so we were going back so as not to bother you. My deepest apologies for interrupting your... Bath."
He smirked. She knew damn well he had been bathing. She was so beautiful, so prim and proper, so totally out of his league. He began to rub circles on the silken skin of her wrist and was rewarded with a gasp.
Jessica couldn't breath. He was so close to her, so strong, he could take her if he wanted. Yet he was being unbelievably gentle with her. She looked down to where his hand caressed hers then her gaze drifted to his very aroused manhood, and her eyes widened.
Jarrid realized then that she could very well tell what she did to him, and shifted so some foliage fell in front of him, cursing himself as he did. " I won't hurt you Jessica, not ever." She could screen and then the peace talks would be over, all because of his attraction to a human female.
" I know you won't Jarrid. I know it sounds strange, but I feel very safe in your presence." She smiled up at him then and something in his gaze softened.
" I'm glad Jessica." He smiled at her with softness and compassion in his gaze as he reached up and caressed her cheek. She nuzzled into his hand and his body jerked in response, telling him to take her. He refused to dishonor her like that. She deserved a soft bed, flowers, silk; all the things he couldn't give her, yet. He would though. He would shower her with gifts until she understood his feelings for her or at least until he understood them. " Go now Jessica. Your friends are coming back. It wouldn't do for you to be caught with me like this."
" But Jarrid..." Jessica was cut off by her friends' voices. She turned to see them pushing through the foliage and when she turned back, her warrior was gone.
" Jessica! Are you okay? We came back as soon as we realize you weren't with us." Ashley flung herself into Jessica's arms, being overdramatic as always.
" I'm fine, really." Jessica smiled to her friends.
" He didn't hurt you did he? Treaty be damned if he did." Marie snapped.
" No, no Marie. I'm completely fine. He was so very gentle with me. He just told me I shouldn't be out here alone is all."
Marie and Ashley both looked at her suspiciously. " You like him don't you?" Marie finally asked.
Jessica's blush was all they answer the other girls needed before they giggle. " Well, you better be careful. A man like that could tear you apart without even trying." Ashley teased.
Jessica bit her bottom lip. " No, I believe he's just as gentle in anything he does." She remarked and that earned her more laughter as they made their way out of the tree line and back to the village.