by Ruby Forrest
So Isabella- Fae was willing to do everything and anything for him, willing to do whatever it took. She just hoped that she was here on time, that he would be okay despite the delays, because Isabella- Fae was not sure what she would do if he was not.
Setting up camp did not take as much time as Isabella- Fae had feared it would. She had expected a big amount of work, but Darcy knew exactly what he was doing and he was not afraid to do it and do it alone. He asked her to make a fire, something that she, thankfully, knew exactly how to do. Then he took care of the rest, setting up with efficiency. She had been wondering about the tents, seeing as Darcy was not carrying much on his back, at all, although it was a little more than her. He had been keeping the tents in a simple bag that he was carrying on him, tucked into one of the pockets of his backpack. The thought seemed crazy, but when he pulled them out, things began to make sense. These tents had nothing to them, no poles to keep them up, no bulky internal layers, nothing. Simply put, these tents had one thermal layer and one thin one, and that was it. One zipper kept them safe and protected from prying eyes, and that was it. Darcy used the rest of the environment, such as the jungle itself, the vines and trees, to pull the tents up and secure them. Isabella- Fae supposed that this made sense.
After all, she hadn't seen a clearing large enough for tents, not really, and she did not know much about this place, but she assumed that using the environment to one’s advantage was always a smart thing, regardless of where you were, or what you were doing. She assumed that this was the only smart thing to do and she was glad that Darcy had thought of it. She could only assume that he had done this before, many, many times. She knew that he had been out searching for her father, but he must have been out here long before that. He sighed in satisfaction as he finished, hanging the tent and adjusting it, so that the floor of the tent rested on the floor beneath them, the rest of the tent draped above their heads, draped in such a way that it almost seemed to be part of the jungle.
The dark colors seemed to blend in. Isabella- Fae glanced at Darcy and was stunned to see that he blended in even better than the tent. Suddenly, the colors that he chose, made a lot of sense. She shivered, feeling it rise in her chest. She had thought that wearing black was odd, that wearing black in the midst of a jungle was a silly thing to do, that it was not exactly blending in. And yet, now that night was descending, she could understand. In the darkness and mottled shadows, only the palest colors and the strong, deep black colors of the night, seemed to blend in at all. The soft browns and greens were lost, and Darcy had all but disappeared, even though he was simply sitting there, right there. Isabella- Fae shivered, feeling the exhilaration move through her. He was good, very good. He knew exactly what he was doing.
Isabella- Fae turned away, stoking the fire to life, building it up so that it burnt and flourished and shivered to life yet again. This was perfect. The warmth of the fire cut through the cold that was starting to fall around them, and lit up the area like a small lantern would. Isabella- Fae realized, also, that Darcy likely was not too stressed about being found.
After all, unlike in a forest, there was barely space to see upwards anyway, through the tangle. Seeing smoke rising from above a jungle was almost impossible for the people who were within the jungle, who were within the actual tangle of vines, tangle of limbs and branches. This was different and Isabella- Fae would have to work hard to make sure that she kept up, work hard to make sure that she figured out exactly what was going on, and how to keep up. Her father's life depended on it. She had to make this work, no matter what the cost, no matter what she did. She had to make it work.
Darcy wandered over, unwrapping something in his hands, "Dinner."
It was the first time he had spoken since they started setting up camp and Isabella- Fae felt a flood of warmth for him, for all that he had done. She nodded and glanced towards the packet, "Thanks, Darcy."
He shrugged, "We can't starve, can we?"
He smiled and handed her the packet, full of things that were easy to cook over a fire. Isabella- Fae smiled at his thoughtfulness and got to work unwrapping it. Sitting side by side, they both began to cook, to work on the cooking, to making sure that they were fueled for the next stage of their journey. Isabella- Fae hadn't realized how hungry she was, hadn’t realized how much she needed to just sit and eat, until she started doing it.
She realized, with a sharp start, that she was absolutely starving, that she could easily eat her share of the packet. She smiled faintly to herself, feeling her stomach rumble, and wondered how Darcy was holding up. He must be as hungry as her, if not more so, since he had done the bulk of the physical work, done the bulk of everything. She smiled again, feeling warmth inside of her and she was reminded how damn lucky she was to have him with her.
She smiled at him as he ate, looking around them in the small clearing. It was absolutely beautiful in the light of the fire. She hadn’t realized how beautiful everything was. She hadn't stopped for long enough to really look around her and enjoy and appreciate the beauty of it all. The whole day had been about work, about moving forward, about working hard and doing everything that she could to help her father, to make sure that she did everything in her power to make this right.
She hadn't stopped to appreciate the beauty of everything around her, the swinging shape of the vines, the curve of the trees, the bushes and plants that seemed to grow out of nowhere, that seemed to stretch and come out of the ground and not care about how they got there or how they could have possibly come to be. Everything was so lovely around her, everything was so mysterious, so intense, and so beautiful. Isabella- Fae felt her breathing catch in her throat, felt the stress and the intensity of it all rise up inside her. She exhaled, breathing it all out in a great big rush, breathing it all out in a shudder. Now was not the time for stressing about this. Now was the time for breathing, for resting, for appreciating everything that was around her, that was lingering just out of sight. Now was the time, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.
Isabella- Fae shuddered, feeling quiet exhaustion twist up inside of her again, twist like a snake. Suddenly, she no longer felt the keen pangs of hunger. She finished the piece that she was eating and put it aside. Darcy glanced towards her and she shrugged, "Tired, I guess."
Darcy nodded, "Are you going to be alright?"
"More than fine." She smiled, "I just should probably get an early night. I am guessing it will be an early start tomorrow?"
Darcy nodded and Isabella- Fae smiled, "I thought as much."
"Isabella- Fae, look..." Darcy turned to her, intensity in his eyes, "There is only one tent. It was easier to carry and it is much safer sharing a space during the night." He tilted his head, "However, if that makes you uncomfortable, I am happy to stay out here." He smiled and, for a second, it seemed genuine, "I know this jungle, so I will be fine."
Isabella- Fae was surprised to find that she did not feel conflicted, did not feel stressed at the thought of sharing a tent with him. The thought of him near made her feel safe, not afraid. The thought of him near comforted her and made her feel like maybe, just maybe, they would get through the night okay. She knew that there were plenty of dangerous animals, plenty of dangerous people out in this jungle. The thought of Darcy beside her comforted her.
She was coming to realize, more and more, that Darcy was a man of his word, that Darcy would do anything that it took to keep her safe and she did not have to worry.
"No, no I don't mind sharing a tent." She smiled and he nodded. He seemed quietly relieved and Isabella- Fae wondered whether it was worry about her that led to the response, or if even he was concerned about spending the night outside of a tent, with no shelter.
She stared at him in the fire light as he packed everything up, making sure their site was secure, and everything was packed up in the tent. Satisfied that that was the case, he relaxed and headed towards it, Isabella- Fae presumed to keep it all neat and do up their beds. She was st
ruck with a very similar realization as she stared at him.
He was here, he was here right in front of her, and she was determined to see him for who he was, to appreciate him and breathe, just for a moment. He was capable, and she wouldn't ignore that, could not ignore that.
Isabella- Fae smiled and moved into the tent, feeling the darkness envelop her, the warmth and comfort inside helping her settle, helping her to take a deep breath, a comforting breath, and to finally settle, if just for a moment.
She smiled, feeling settled at the bedding that was laid out for her. Darcy tended to the fire, putting it out. He brought back a small lantern instead, with a candle inside of it. It looked safe, like he had thought it out and used it before, like it was not likely to cause a huge fire. He hung it up expertly, setting it up above their heads and flooding the tent in a very soft glow. It was hard to see details, but she could see enough and it made her heart skip a beat.
She was starting to realize very quickly, that keeping things strictly business was going to be very challenging, that keeping things completely under wraps would be hard. She was starting to realize that maybe, just maybe, she was falling for him. She took in the curve of his back, the tension in his muscles, the easy, predatory grace with which he moved. She took in the way that he shifted, the way that he seemed alert and aware all the time, the way that he also seemed incredibly confident, like nothing and no one could touch him. Even out here, when the odds were more against him than ever he seemed confident. He seemed at ease. And Isabella- Fae could not begin to explain how hot that made her.
Isabella- Fae swallowed deeply and moved to zip up the tent. Suddenly, everything outside seemed to fade away into nothingness. Suddenly, everything around them was silent, and she could hear nothing but their breathing. Suddenly, it was only her and Darcy and she felt compelled to make a move. She reached for his hand when he slid into bed, and pulled him closer.
Before he could say a word, Isabella- Fae was kissing him, her lips pressing against his in a kiss, deep and lingering and meaningful. She felt a shift in his body, in the way that he sat. She felt his arms go around her, pulling her in against his chest. She felt the rise and fall of his breathing, and something like a smile on his lips, "You're sure?"
Isabella- Fae nodded. She did not get a chance to say another word. Darcy was kissing her again, passionately this time. There was a barely restrained desire in the way that he grabbed her, pushing her down against the sheets, feeling the hard ground beneath her back. His lips tasted like the jungle and felt burning hot. His breathing was coming in soft gasps and Isabella- Fae knew that she was panting, writhing around, moaning and panting at the feel of his body pressing so tightly against hers. With him pressing against her, it was doing even more to her, and she felt like it might blow her mind.
She wanted him. She wanted his skin against her, his hands on her body. She wanted him, she needed him and she felt it course through her skin, just like a drug, as she shivered. The thoughts flooded her like a mantra, over and over and over again in her head, on repeat. She needed him, she wanted him, and she could not breathe without him. It was all that she could think about.
His hands slid down her skin, pulling at the coat that she had pulled on. Isabella- Fae shivered and pushed herself upright, so that it could be pulled from her skin, slid off her in a wave. She moaned softly, feeling the sound catching in her throat as he pulled it away, as she felt the warmth of his skin against her arms.
She wanted more. She wanted it against more than just her arms. She gasped as he pressed against her and she felt the heat of his lips kiss down her skin, down the curve of her neck, brushing against every sensitive nerve and making her head spin, brushing against every sensitive part of her body and leaving her writhing and moaning and arching her body with need, with need and desire and pleasure.
Isabella- Fae trembled, feeling the sensations move through her body like a fire, like a desperate fire that could not be unlit, like a desperate fire that was threatening her very soul and her sanity. She was not that kind of girl. She did not go to bed with a man who she had only just met. She did not go to bed with a man who she barely knew, and throw herself into it with all the passion that she had. She did not do that, but with Darcy it was different. With Darcy, she could not see straight, with Darcy, she did not have a choice, every part of her body and mind screaming for it.
She grabbed him, pulling at his shirt, pulling it over his head. He obliged and Isabella- Fae ran her hands down the curve of his body, down every line, scar and tense, tight muscle that was building inside of her, down every curve of his body that was blinding her to everything else.
He felt amazing beneath her fingers, felt amazing with every breath that she took. She was trembling, shaking, feeling the sweet sensations build inside her, blinding and all consuming. It was perfection and Isabella- Fae was not turning away from it, not for a second. She felt the need clawing at her insides, pulling her closer, leaving her with nothing but the flood, the burning need and desire.
Darcy's fingers ran down the fabric of her shirt and she shuddered as he pulled it from her skin, lifted it over her head. There was something so gentle about his touch, so gentle and so strong all at the same time. There was something about the way that he was touching her that made her feel dizzy, something about the way he looked at her, his eyes seeming to glow in the dark, that stole her breath and left her aching for more, desperate for more of his touch. Isabella- Fae shivered, feeling the way his hands stroked her skin, run over the bare flesh of her sides.
His hands were warm and there was a restrained strength to him, a restrained strength, so gentle with her, but she knew that he could be so rough if he wanted to. The thought thrilled her, both the tension in his body, in the lines of his skin, as well as the burning knowledge that he was so close to hurting her, but he never would.
She knew that, knew that as if it was set in stone. He wouldn't hurt her, he wouldn't let any harm come to her. She knew that. She believed that. Isabella- Fae gasped as Darcy's hands slid around her body, undoing her bra strap with an easy click. His lips were at her throat, pushing and kissing against the side of her neck. She shivered as his breath ghosted her skin, a voice soft in her ear, "More, Isabella- Fae?" There was a barely restrained lust in his voice, in the way that his body shuddered against hers. He wanted this as badly as she did.
Isabella- Fae felt her breathing catch in her throat and she nodded, "Yes, yes, Darcy, I want you."
Her bra slid off her skin in an instant and Isabella- Fae was left shivering at the sensation of the air on her skin, rushing over the sensitive curves of her breasts, the tense, tight buds of pleasure that built inside of her and made her moan in pleasure. She bit her lip, feeling the sensations rise inside her, the feeling of his chest against her skin, rubbing lightly against her full breasts. She moaned softly, her head falling backwards, and she shuddered and shivered, "Yes, yes, Darcy...." She gasped his name, breathless and trembling, feeling it catch in her throat, like a mantra, like a prayer. Like something else, something intense and unyielding.
His hands slid up her skin, brushing the sensitive sides of her body, brushing against the buds of pleasure on her chest, thumbs brushing along her nipples, before he gently pinched her skin, caressing her breasts with broad, strong hands. It felt incredible. It was leaving her breathless with desire and Isabella- Fae could not think straight, could not think past the pleasure that was drowning her, rushing over her skin in absolute waves, rushing and flooding her and leaving her breathless with desire.
Isabella- Fae moaned, twisting against his skin, feeling the tension in his belt. She slid her hands down, running along the thick leather belt that held his pants together. Her fingers fumbled with the buckle, struggled with it, feeling the lustful desires cloud her mind. Still, she managed to pull it away, managed to pull it away from his skin, undoing it and leaving her breathless. She moaned softly and reached for his zipper. He smirked, she could
feel it against her neck.
"Why in such a rush?" He whispered and it sounded like a purr, a low sound that set fire to her skin that set fire to her body, making her shiver and shudder, tremble as waves of need moved through her, unyielding and deep. She gasped softly, "I want you. I want you now."
Darcy shuddered and she could feel the arousal burning through his skin just as much as it was burning through her. He bit his lip and before she knew it, his hands were on her pants, undoing them, pulling them down swiftly with so much force that Isabella- Fae was surprised they had not torn right then and there, surprised that they hadn’t given way. She moaned, arching her body so that he could pull everything from her skin, the underwear she had beneath, the fabric of the sheets that had twisted around them, all of it. Isabella- Fae did not want anything to stop them, did not want anything to stop him from touching her, from running his hands all over her skin until she was moaning and squirming and trembling in pleasure.
She wanted to feel it all, every last drop of it, every last, shuddering moment of pleasure. All of it.
Isabella- Fae needed him and wanted him and she could not deny the burning passions that were rising up inside of her, that were threatening her very existence, that were threatening the way that she thought, the way that she dreamed, the way that she understood the world, because she thought she had understood passion and want, but this, this with Darcy, was so much more, was so much better, was so much more intense, so much more all-consuming than anything and anyone she had ever been with. It was intense, it was breathtaking, it was mind blowing, and she loved it.
