Snowy Pine was collection of small log cabins in a snow covered clearing, surrounded by pine forests and high mountain peaks. In the center of the village was a circle of stones around the remnants of a bonfire. To the east of that was a large gathering lodge and to the north was a pen with a dozen big, shaggy yaks with long curved horns.

Korin spoke to the elders about the arrival of guests, and a feast was prepared. Inside the gathering lodge, they sat at a very long wooden table that took up most of the main room. The people’s heavy coats, most made of yak fur, hung on the wall, unnecessary inside with a fire blazing in the huge hearth. The Nakoha people all had light russet skin, black eyes, and long hair that most, unlike Korin, wore back in a simple braid. They were introduced to many of them and were greeted with warm, friendly smiles.

Though Korin’s grandfather, Takkum, had past away, his grandmother Eska was still alive. She was very old and deeply wrinkled, but she had surprising vigor. She still helped cook the meal and carry it out to the long table. Korin’s father was out of town, but they met Koran’s mother, Salan, his three younger siblings. The children stared at Matt, mostly because he looked so different from them, he was taller and more muscular than anyone else, with blonde hair instead of black and light eyes. Sera also got a lot of attention with her copper curls.

“Are you a warrior?” Korin’s sister, Koda, asked. She was six, with large curious eyes and hair falling over her shoulders in two long braids.

“Yeah, I guess so,” Matt answered.

“You are very big and strong,” she said, a touch of awe in her soft voice. “Ohka is more than you though. He is a troll, but a nice one. He lives in our village, but he is not here right now. He is hunting with my father.”

Matt nodded. “I’ve heard of him.”

It wasn’t long before she was sitting on his lap, looking extra tiny in his arms. Matt looked at Sera as if to say; why me?

She beamed at him, then looked across the table to Vivyka. Tana, Korin’s four-year-old brother, was sitting in her lap. She stroked his long black hair while she and Korin, who sat next to her, talked to him. She was different when she was around children. She was softer, warmer. She opened up to them easily, and they in turn instantly adored her.

Tess and Ayden sat on the floor at the end of the room, also with kids. Ayden was entertaining them with some of his magic tricks.

Dinner lasted for a couple of hours. Everyone ate slowly, taking their time as they spoke with each other. They heard stories from the elders: old legends, moral tales, and some that were true. The story of Falcon and Julia bringing them the troll child was told among them.

The room was a constant roar of conversation with intermittent bursts of laughter. The village acted more like a large family rather than neighbors, making the environment very comfortable and warm. But after awhile it still wore on Sera, as crowds always did.

Matt, surprisingly, stayed the entire time, instead of slipping out for a cigarette and time alone like he usually did. Most of his time he spent listening to Koda and answering her questions. She was a bright, curious girl who wanted to know everything about this person who was so different from her people and came from so far away.

When dinner was finished, they slipped back into their thick coats and sat around a large fire in front of the lodge. Koda and Tana joined their mother and their sixteen-year-old brother, Ashir.

Everyone grew silent as someone began to play a wooden flute. Fireweed tea was passed around as they enjoyed the stirring sounds of Nakohan music.

After a while, a few conversations broke out in low voices here and there. Matt watched curiously as Vivyka, on the other side of the circle, leaned closer to Korin, listening to something he was saying. A moment later, she touched his leg just above the knee. He had no reaction to it. She moved it a few inches up and he smiled at her. Matt couldn’t tell if it was because of her hand, or what she was saying. Then, Korin picked up her hand and set it gently on her own lap, before he got up. Vivyka sighed as he went to talk to Ashir.

Matt shook his head. “Why does he do that?”

Sera followed his gaze. “Who?”

“Korin. It’s obvious he wants her, and she’s just begging for it. So, why doesn’t he just take her already?”

“He wants her love,” she explained.

He turned to look at her, confused. “So?”

“If he just took her,” she said, putting it his way, “then he’d be like everyone else she’s been with. But he’s different and he wants her to know that. He wants her to know that he wants more than just a one-night-stand.”

“I don’t get it.”

“I seem to recall you waiting,” she reminded him.

“That was different. You were weak and I was worried about hurting you.”

She smiled that knowing smile. “Exactly. He wants her to see that he won’t hurt her, emotionally, not in the physical way that you were worried about.”

“Hmm.” He shrugged. “He should just take what he can get. Even if he can actually get her to date him, it won’t last.”

Sera frowned. “Why would you say that? She deserves someone like him.”

“She deserves everything.”

“Then why don’t you think it’ll last?”

“Because she likes the strong, rough type too much,” he told her. “She’s not like you, she’s not all sweet and gentle.”

“She was once.”

“Before me.”

“Yes,” she agreed. “And you weren’t gentle with her so you wouldn’t know.”

He looked back at Vivyka. “When I met her I saw a fire in her. She was shy and inhibited, but under that, she was wild, she just didn’t have the guts to let it out. That’s why I wanted her. I knew she’d be amazing once she was unleashed.” He smiled. “And she is. I just brought that out, I could have been nicer about it, I know, but I didn’t make her who she is. I just… unwrapped her.”

Sera looked thoughtful. “Maybe.”

“When she talks about how I was with her,” Matt continued, “she’s only talking about when I was abusive. What she doesn’t tell you is that other then that we were good.” He remembered their talk and added, “She was happy with me. She’s like me in a lot of ways. We have similar tastes, similar natures, similar passions. And she definitely liked my roughness.”

“Well, people change,” Sera said. “Maybe she’ll like how he is.”

“Maybe,” he said cynically.

“You’re gentle with me. Do you miss it now? Being with her? Or someone like her?”

He sighed, not wanting to admit it, but she already knew, she could already feel the longing he felt when he looked at Vivyka. He was very glad Sera was never jealous. He touched her chin and lifted her face, making her look at him. “Yes, but I want you. It’s different with you, but I like it just as much. More actually, because it’s you,” he said, caressing her cheek gently. “And I can take my aggression out by fighting. There’s always monsters.” Then added with a chuckle, “and Tess.”

“Was it always rough?” she wondered.

“Not always, but not gentle like it is with you either.”

“Oh.” She looked thoughtful. “Is there anything that wasn’t rough that you miss, I mean… something we don’t do?”

He looked at Vivyka again. Memories came and he wished he hadn’t thought of it, it just caused desire to stir in him. He shook his head. “Don’t worry about it, Angel.”

“But I want to,” she said earnestly. “As long as it wouldn’t hurt me.”

He glanced over at her sweet, curious face. She looked so damn innocent. It felt wrong for some reason to imagine her doing certain things, being certain ways. But then he couldn’t help imagining it and he groaned softly. His desire grew much more intense with the mental images and he took a deep breath.

He suddenly really wished they didn’t have to share a cabin with the others tonight. He wondered how long this gathering would last, but then decided he definitely didn’t want to rush it, not with her. He sighed and pulled out a cigarette.

Sera grinned and bit her bottom lip, feeling everything he was. “Well?” she asked. “Tell me. Please?”

He nodded. “Later,” he promised with a smile of his own.

—————

When the music ended, the villagers dispersed and went to their homes. Their group was shown to a cabin nearby. It was a single room with a small table and chairs in one corner, next to a cold fireplace ready with logs that Ayden quickly lit with a fireball. There were four small beds lined up against the opposite wall, each only two feet apart, and blanketed with animal pelts.

“You will stay here tonight,” Korin said once they were inside. “My home is two doors down.” He pointed north. “If you need anything, I will be there.”

“Thank you,” Sera said for the group.

Vivyka stepped closer to him. “You want any company?” she asked quietly with a suggestive undertone.

He smiled warmly, but shook his head. “You should get some sleep. It will be a long day of traveling tomorrow.”

She just nodded and watched him leave. As soon as he closed the door behind him, she started digging in her pack. She pulled out a skimpy crimson nightgown. She set it on the chair next to the fire and started pulling off her heavy layers of clothing. She glanced at the others as she got to the last layer. Ayden already had his back to her, but of course, Matt didn’t bother, he didn’t even take his gaze away from her. “Do you have any decency?” she asked.

“No. Nor do you, or you’d use the bathroom,” he pointed out.

“It’s cold in there, and I’ll be cold enough in a minute,” she told him. “And you can look elsewhere.”

He chuckled and continued to watch her.

She rolled her eyes and striped the rest of the way.

Tess gave Sera a look, silently asking, why do you let him do that? But Sera just shrugged and snuggled closer into his arms with a yawn.

When Vivyka had on just the nightgown, which hung six inches above her knees, she pulled her boots back on and headed for the door.

Tess gaped at her. “Where are you going?”

“To show someone that she doesn’t get rejected,” Matt answered for her.

“Like that? You’re gonna freeze.”

“That’s the point,” Vivyka said simply.

“She’ll make up some story about why she just had to go over there,” Matt elaborated as he lit a cigarette. “And then he’ll insist on warming her up.”

“And that’s gonna make him change his mind when he’s apparently already said no?” Tess asked in disbelief.

Matt shrugged. “If it doesn’t then she’ll just take off the nightgown.” He glanced at Tess. “It’s very difficult to deny a beautiful woman when she’s standing there naked.” He twitched a brow and laughed at actually making her blush. Ayden turned to glare at him. “Couldn’t resist. Sorry.”

“No you’re not.” Ayden grouched.

“No, I’m not,” he agreed with an impish smirk, then looked back at Vivyka, who was still standing by the door. “Need a story?”

“Yeah.” She sighed. “I can’t use the I heard a scary noise line. Not with you guys here.”

He took a drag as he thought, then exhaled and shrugged. “Just tell him I was being an asshole,” he offered. “Then you’ll be cold and in need of comforting.”

“Why don’t you try telling him the truth?” Sera suggested.

“It’s… never mind.” Vivyka said, then smiled at Matt. “Thanks.”

He chuckled. “See you in the morning.”

“You sure have a lot of confidence in her,” Tess told him.

“He’d have to be a moron to resist her,” he said, nodding to Vivyka.

“He’s already resisted once,” Tess pointed out.

“Not when she’s like this,” he said, smirking again.

Vivyka grinned and winked at him before she left.

“Desire her much?” Tess said disapprovingly when Vivyka was gone.

He gave a nonchalant shrug. “I dated her. How would it make any sense if I wasn’t attracted to her?”

Sera looked over at Tess, studying her for a moment, then sat up more. “Can I ask a question and you’ll give me an honest answer?”

Tess nodded.

“In front of them?”

She shrugged. “Sure.”

“Okay, if you could get away with it, without anyone ever knowing, would you have sex with Matt again?”

Tess was completely shocked by the question. “No!”

Sera nodded, more to Ayden, telling him that it was the truth. “Okay, then answer this: are you still attracted to him?”

It was obvious that Tess was regretting agreeing to the truth. She took a deep breath and shifted uncomfortably, looking away from Matt. It took her a minute to answer. “Yes,” she mumbled. “A little.”

“Then why wouldn’t you be with him?” Sera challenged. She didn’t wait for an answer. “It’s the same with Matt. He’s attracted to Vivyka but he loves me. More importantly he chooses to be with me.”

“No,” Matt said, getting everyone to frown at him. “The concept of love is still new to me so I’m not big on that word. I do know it’s said far too much to be used to label what I feel for her. And I don’t choose to be with her any more than you choose to breathe. She’s not some woman I’m attracted to, not an ex-girlfriend that I desire, or a friend that I care a lot about.” He looked at Tess when he said it. “She means more to me than anything in this world ever has or ever will, and no one will ever come close to comparing.” He shook his head and huffed a small, incredulous laugh. “I don’t see how anyone could imagine that me looking or even being turned on by another woman, has anything to do with Sera. She’s an angel, everyone else is just… ordinary.”

They all stared at him.

“What?”

“It’s just… unexpected coming from you,” Tess said.

Ayden pulled Tess closer, hugging her from behind and resting his chin on her shoulder. “For once I know just how you feel,” he told Matt with a smile.

“Me too,” Tess said as she turned in Ayden’s arms so that she was facing him. She glanced back at Matt. “Sorry, I’ll stay out of it from now on.” When he nodded, she returned her attention to her boyfriend, whispering something, then kissing him sweetly.

Matt looked at Sera and she smiled happily at him. They didn’t need to say anything, they knew. He smiled too and hugged her close. He rested his head on hers and inhaled. He loved the smell of her. No one smelled like her, it was just another little thing that set her apart from others. Mostly it was the shampoo she made from water lilies and aloe. It was fresh, clean, and lightly floral. The only place to get water lilies was in nymph territory. Sera only got them because her mother was half-nymph and could go there.

Matt hated having flowers everywhere, hated having to look at them all the time like he did at home, but he loved the smell of them—not that he would ever admit it out loud.