~ SASHA ~
Following the lanterns along the forest path was easy. What was harder was gathering her courage when the path branched, and one trail led on under the merry glow, while the other descended into darkness within feet of where she stood.
It had to be the path to the pools. It was a well-worn trail, widened and hard-packed by thousands of footsteps. And, just as Kyelle had warned, no light at all.
Gripping the handle of the lantern tighter, Sasha pushed her shoulders back and forced herself to remember that her choices were bathing out here in the dark, alone, or showing up tomorrow in full daylight to bathe with who-knew-how-many men.
Pulling the towel tight around her shoulders and body, like a blanket, the skin on the back of her neck crawled as she stepped into the darkness and felt it close behind her, her steps lit only by the small circle of light cast by her lantern.
Thankfully, the path was short and in less than a minute, the scent of something warm and musky hit her nostrils as the bushes and undergrowth on either side of the path opened up and the yellow glow of the lantern reflected in ripples on the pool.
It was too wide for her to see the far end of it that was swallowed by the dark, but it swept out to either side of her, its banks clear and flat, hardpacked earth. The water itself steamed heavily as ripples wavered from her right to…
Wait.
Ripples?
Sasha sucked in a breath to scream as the hair on the back of her neck stood straight because something brushed her back. A wide palm clapped over her mouth from behind, just as she was assaulted by the most wonderful scent in the world, and the voice that made her heart sing, whispered in her ear, "Sasha?! What are you doing here?"
"Zev?" Her mouth was covered by his hand, so it sounded like, Yem?
"You shouldn't be here!" Releasing her, he grabbed the lantern and doused it so they were thrown into darkness so black, Sasha froze mid-turn, the entire world disappearing in front of her nose.
"Zev?" she whispered. "I can't see! Is that you?"
"Sorry!" he muttered. A warm hand appeared around hers, tugging her forward and into an even warmer chest.
A naked chest. That smelled like grass in the sun. Suddenly the crawling at her neck became a tingle and her breath rushed out of her nose.
Sasha cried with relief and threw her arms around his neck, dissolving into great, hiccupping sobs as his arms circled her back and pulled her in.
"Shhhhhh, baby. Shhhhhh, it's okay. I'm here. Oh, Sash, I'm so sorry."
She shook her head, her nose buried in his collarbones and clung to him, pressing against his solid warmth.
Zev was here. It wasn't a dream. He was really here in this strange place. And he was calling her baby.
One of his arms lay up her spine, his fingers fisted in the back of her hair, and he whispered in her ear, nuzzling her as he tried frantically to reassure her that she didn't need to cry.
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He was so desperate, she almost laughed. But she recognized that as the edge of hysteria returning, and gulped deep breaths to calm her racing heart.
When she was finally calm enough to push back and look at him—her eyes had adjusted so she could see some of his features in the moonlight—she put a hand to his face to touch it, to be certain it was really him.
"What are you doing here?" she hissed, her breath still catching in a sob.
"Pretty sure that's the question I should be asking you," he said and she could see one side of his mouth tip up into a smile. He put a hand to her face, his thumb stroking her cheek. "What the hell are you doing out here at night by yourself?"
She widened her eyes. "Zev! These people take baths together! They're all naked and… and they just… together!"
He gave a low chuckle that was so delicious, it raised the hair on her arms. "I'm so sorry I didn't warn you," he murmured. Then he pulled her close again and they clung to each other, their hearts racing in time.
Sasha was so desperate to reassure herself this was real, she squeezed him as hard as she could, but let him go quickly when he sucked in, wincing away from her clutch.
"What—"
"It's fine. I'm fine. Don't pull away. It was just reflex," he whispered, pulling her back into his chest when she tried to step back.
"You're hurt? From the fighting?"
He gave her a dry look. "That's why they call it fighting, Sash. It's not a dance off."
"But—"
"Don't worry about me. I heal fast, and once I get through Lhars, I have some tricks up my sleeve, okay? I just have to be careful with my own clan. I have to win them over, not frighten them into submission."
She searched his eyes. In the night they were little more than dark pools surrounded by white, his lashes thick and long enough to look like he was wearing eyeliner in the strange light. But they flashed, catching light in a way no human's eyes ever did and Sasha's breath stopped.
Zev froze. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, yes," she whispered. "I'm just… overwhelmed. So much has happened and you weren't there, and… Zev, I was so scared."
His face fell and he raked a hand through his hair. "I'm so sorry, Sash, I never imagined it would be like this when we got here." He pulled her close again, and even though she was shaking, it was such a relief to be close to him she just pressed her head against his chest and held him—careful to avoid the spot where his ribs hurt.
As they stood there together, sharing warmth, the night was peaceful, broken only by the rustle of a breeze in the trees, and the occasional bird. Painted in moonlight and wrapped in his smell, for the first time in what felt like years, Sasha's body relaxed.